Didactic Recipe Index

Massaged Kale Salad

2011-12-31T10:20:00.000-05:00

Yes, even Kale benefits from a good massage, in this case, with salt.
Thanks to Liz for this recipe, it will be sure to get us through the winter.
Ingredients
One big bunch of Lacinato Kale (also called black kale, dinosaur kale. The leaves are long, thinner and straight in comparison to regular curly kale)
1 T. Salt (we used sea salt cause I love it)
Roasted Sunflower Seeds
Blue Cheese
Raisins or Currants (try all kinds)
1 Apple, cored and sliced
Cider Vinegar
Olive Oil

Rinse and dry kale. Remove portion of stem, usually at least one third, that is woody and tough. Stack kale leaves on top of each other and slice into 1/4 to 1/2 inch strips. Place strips in bowl and add 1 T. salt. Massage salt through kale leaves. This will tenderize the kale. Set aside and core and slice apple. Break blue cheese up into edible chunk size.

Look at kale. You'll notice that it is shrinking down in size a bit. The salt is doing its job.
Add all other ingredients. You'll notice that I didn't put down quantities for most of the ingredients.

That's cause I wasn't given Q's by Liz. This is a personal thing. Use the amounts that you want to eat. Do it all to taste. It makes one heck of a salad. And it keeps for a couple of days.

Enjoy!

Escarole with Italian Sausage and White Beans Bon Appétit | October 1998

2011-09-03T08:56:00.000-04:00

We substituted what I like to call Faux Sausage, spicy vegetarian sausage links Whole Foods carries. Also used vegetable broth in lieu of chicken. Did not miss the prosciutto at all.

Escarole with Italian Sausage and White Beans Bon Appétit | October 1998

Yield: Serves 12 as a side-dish or 6 as main-course

3 tablespoons olive oil
12 Italian sausages (about 3 pounds), casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
1 large head escarole, chopped (about 10 cups)
3/4 cup dry white wine
4 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté sausage until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl, leaving drippings in pot. Reduce heat to medium; add onion to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 1 minute. Mix in garlic and crushed red pepper. Add escarole and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add beans, stock and sausage and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.

Brown Sugar Cookies

2011-04-03T11:07:00.003-04:00

So we don't do much baking here at DRI, but the other day I got the yen for some cookies. Tired of store-bought, I asked, why don't we make cookies. Linda's been telling me about the brown sugar cookies she used to make as a kid. So, here we go.

After a little googling, we found the folowing recipe at Cynthia Furey's Furey and the Feast blog. Linda says that this is exaclty how she remembers the childhood recipe, and I can attest that the cookies are awesome.

http://www.fureyandthefeast.com/2010/04/brown-sugar-cookies/

Spicy Vietnamese Sandwich. Banh Mi

2010-08-14T19:00:00.002-04:00

This is a WONDERFUL sandwich...if you like spicy food. The sandwich itself is superb but you can also eat the cabbage slaw by itself as a great no fat salad.

Spicy Vietnamese Sandwich: Banh Mi
(adapted from a Sunset Magazine recipe)

Cabbage Slaw

3 C. finely shredded cabbage
1/2 C. finely shredded carrots
1/4 C. chopped cilantro
1/2 finely chopped jalapeno pepper (optional)
1/4 to 1/2 C. rice vinegar (it must be plain rice vinegar--not seasoned rice vinegar and not some other type of vinegar) You can vary the amount of vinegar and sugar to your taste.
1/2 t. salt
1 T. sugar (or more or less to taste)

Toss these ingredients together and let them marinate for at least a half an hour. I let my slaw marinate on the counter (tossing it occasionally) rather than in the refrigerator to keep it crisp.

The Sandwich

French Baguette cut into 4-5 " pieces
Sriracha Hot sauce (or Asian Chile Garlic Sauce) to taste
Pressed Tofu marinated and baked in Annie Chun's Korean Barbecue Sauce

Slice a baguette into sandwich-size pieces--about 4 inches long. Heat the baguette pieces in your oven for a few minutes until the bread is slightly crisp on the outside but still soft inside. Slice the baguette (don't slice all the way through) and spread Sriracha hot sauce on one half of each baguette piece. Stuff the bread with a few slices of the barbecued tofu and then fill the sandwich with a generous amount of the spicy cabbage slaw.

It is wonderful!

Hatshepsut

Feta and Spinach Salad with Basil Dressing

2010-08-14T18:54:00.003-04:00

Tired of Spinach Salad with Bacon dressing. Give this a try. What a simple refreshing salad, with the richness of ripe avocado and toasted walnuts.

1/2 c. olive oil
1/4 c. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. dried basil
2 tsp. sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 lb. fresh spinach, washed and torn
1 avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c. crumbled feta cheese
1/2 c. coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Greek olives

For dressing: Combine first 7 ingredients in blender (we used our immersion blender. You have one, right?) Chill. Shake well before serving.

For salad: Combine rest of ingredients, except the olives in large bowl. Pour dressing over salad. Toss. Garnish with olives.

Halibut w/Potato Flake Crust

2010-07-20T08:24:00.003-04:00

Courtesy of aunt Gerry. This is an easy and very tasty dish. Using potato flakes was new to us, but it works well, gives good flavor, and they can be found in small packets with a variety of flavorings. You'll find them with the big boxes of "instant mashed potatoes." A very forgiving dish.

2 egg yolks

1 packet dehydrated potato flakes (we used garlic/provolone seasoned)

1 pinch fresh thyme leaves

4 6 ounce halibut steaks

Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Beat egg yolks salt and pepper in a wide shallow bowl or glass pie dish.

Combine potato flakes with thyme and spread out on a plate.

Season filets with Salt and Pepper on one side only.

Dip the seasoned side of filet in the egg mixture (only coat one side).

Place filets, egg-side down, onto potato flakes and press down to adhere (at this point we just left the filets on the potato flake pate as we only had two)

coat bottom of skillet with Olive Oil and place filets crust-side down into pan (no need to preheat).

Turn skillet to medium high and cook on crust side for 3 minutes (crust should be golden brown).

Flip filets and cook for an additional 1 minute.

Remove pan from heat and leave filets in pan for another minute.

Meanwhile, spoon a side-dish onto each place to place the fish on top of (we rice with spinach).

Remove filets and place on top of side-dish crust-side up (the classic "stack" as we call it @ DRI).

Deglaze pan with lemon juice and drizzle over top of filets.

Swiss Chard & Grilled Tofu

2010-07-09T07:06:00.005-04:00

Here's our simple but very tasty Tofu and Greens "Stack" (where you pile a protein on top of greens (and sometimes a starch like mashed potatoes)). The lesson from this recipe, for the non-tofu-eaters? Treat tofu like meat. Put some BBQ sauce on it, and grill it like a steak. It's not the raw, bland tofu you're used to from the salad-bar.

1 bunch Swiss Chard

2 cups sliced Mushrooms (crimini usually)

1 clove garlic

1 package firm Tofu

Iron Chef Garlic Sesame barbecue sauce (or substitute your favorite BBQ sauce)

Slice tofu across the smallest face (as you would a loaf of bread) into 3/4 inch slices. You should get about 6 slices for a regular package of tofu. Press tofu"steaks" between double layers of paper towel placing a small cutting board on top to give a small "press". Leave for 15-20 minutes. Place tofu on a plate and marinate both sides with a generous amount of BBQ sauce and let stand for 20 minutes. Prepare a grill, brush grill with olive oil to prevent sticking.

Clean Chard, removing toughest part of stems. Grab the entire bunch of chard, rolling it into a bunch and slice crosswise to make strips 1/2 -3/4 inch wide.

Grill the tofu slices over a medium flame for a few minutes on each side to get nice grill-marks. The tofu is now "rare", cooked on the surface, but still moist in the center. We love it this way, but some prefer a firmer texture, which you can get by moving the tofu away from the direct flame, covering the grill and "baking" the tofu further.

While tofu is grilling....

Saute sliced mushrooms in olive oil, adding a few grindings of salt, remove to a plate. Add garlic and a little more oil to hot pan and dump in all the chard with the water that clings to the leaves. Saute until just wilted, stir in mushrooms and heat through, season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with two tofu steaks on top. For a little extra flavor, drizzle tofu with just a bit more of the BBQ sauce.

Szechuan Noodles

2010-06-21T18:00:00.001-04:00

Ingredients

6 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup tahini (sesame paste)
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup good soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1 pound spaghetti
1 red bell pepper, julienned
1 yellow bell pepper, julienned
4 scallions, sliced diagonally (white and green parts)
Marinated Baked Tofu (in place of shredded roast chicken)

Directions

Place the garlic and ginger in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add the vegetable oil, tahini, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, chili oil, sesame oil, and ground peppers. Puree the sauce.

Add a splash of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water and cook the spaghetti al dente. Drain the pasta in a colander, place it in a large bowl, and while still warm, toss with 3/4 of the sauce. Add the red and yellow bell peppers and scallions; toss well. Serve warm or at room temperature. The remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.

Broiled Steelhead Trout With Rosemary, Lemon and Garlic

2010-06-20T17:09:00.005-04:00

1 lb steelhead fillet, with or without skin
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 lemon, zest of
1/2 lemon, juice of
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil, plus
additional oil, for greasing baking pan

Prepare a baking or roasting pan by lining it with foil and brushing it with olive oil.
Preheat broiler.
Mix together all remaining ingredients except fish into a well-blended paste.
Place fish skin-side down (if it has skin) on baking sheet, then spread seasoning over flesh.
Broil fish at second rack away from heat for 5 minutes or less, just enough to sear flesh but not burn herbs.
Lower fish to 3rd or 4th rack and lower oven heat to 325°F Bake for 10 additional minutes, or until fish is cooked through in the thickest portion.
Serve with steamed vegetables, salad, orzo salad, whatever.

From recipezaar.com

New favorite pickles!

2010-03-27T11:51:00.004-04:00

Grillo's Hot. Fresh, crisp with great spices, and vinegar. Not sweet, but wonderfully tart and just slightly fragrant. And with a nice kick of heat! When you open the tub, you'll find nice fresh dill and spices right on the top. A quality food product, locally made, totally tasty. Lots of flavor for something that has roughly zero calories. Try them.

Simple Curry Marinade for Fish

2010-03-08T07:27:00.002-05:00

Used this for marinated tuna skewers, grilled in grill pan, Excellent and easy. More heat than you'd think given how it's made.

1 small can coconut milk
2 tsp Thai Kitchen green curry paste
2 tsp fish sauce
1 Tbs ginger grated with microplaner
medium handful of cilantro chopped very fine (pulped)

mixed together and stored in jar in fridge for a few hours. Then smeared on tuna skewers and marinated for 2 hours or so. Reserving some of the marinade, heated in the jar and abbed on top after cooking.

Penne with Collards and Cennellini Beans

2010-02-10T06:54:00.004-05:00

Classic DRI, easy, fast and yummy.
* 1 1/2 lb Collard Greens, washed but not dried
* 2 Tbs Olive oil
* 6 cloves Garlic (yes, 6, just do it)
* 1TBS tsp Crushed red pepper flakes (more if you like. we do)
* 1 cup Vegetable stock
* 1 1/2 cup Cooked cannellini or other white beans, rinsed & drained
* 1/4 tsp Salt
* 12 oz Uncooked pasta--penne, ziti, etc.
* Salt & ground pepper to taste
* 2 T Parmesan

Bring 3 quarts of water to boil.
Prepare greens by ripping leaves off stems.

Tear or cut leaves into bite-size pieces.
You should have about 12 cups.

Heat oil in large skillet over med-high heat.
Add garlic and red pepper flakes; saute for 2 minutes.
Stir in greens and stock; cover pan.
Cook until greens are wilted and tender yet still bright green, about 7 minutes.
Gently stir in beans and salt; keep warm.

While greens are cooking, drop pasta into boiling water; cook until al dente, about 10 minutes.
Drain; stir into greens mixture.

Portabella Burgers

2010-01-23T04:54:00.003-05:00

2 large portabella mushrooms per person
Shaved provolone cheese
Roasted Red Peppers
Balsamic Vinaigrette
1 Sesame roll per person
Arugula

If you don't have a balsamic vinaigrette on hand just make a quick one with olive oil, balsamic pi.ch salt and crushed garlic.
Remove stalks and gills from mushrooms, and marinate in vinaigrette for at least 20 min.
place gill side up on broiling pan and broil 3" from broiler for 6 minutes per side (adding provolone cheese after 3 minutes on second side.
Toast buns
Serve open face, stacking mushroom-roasted pepper-mushroom, and topping with a large handful of arugula.

Easy, and very satisfying. Next time I think we'll try blue cheese in place of provolone

Lobster Bisque

2009-09-19T15:56:00.003-04:00

1) Make lobsters for 4, making an extra lobster for the stock
2) take the bodies from the lobster carnage and make a stock (~pt.) You can freeze for later, along with the meat.
3) Saute shallots and onions in butter, add 1/4 cup flour to make rue.
3) add lobster broth, and some fish stock or other broth for volume.
4) add 2 cups heavy cream.
5) season with white pepper, paprika, (old bay as option)
6) add 1/2 cup sherry
heat but don't boil. Serve w/crusty bread.

Scott's First Catch (Striped Bass en Papillote)

2009-08-22T12:50:00.004-04:00

Tom sees my line tension and yells "you've got Moby Dick on your line!" It was totally awesome. Thanks Tom for teaching me. I'm hooked.

Sea Bass en Papillote
an epicurious.com recipe
3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
4, 6 oz fillets striped bass* (½ to 1¼ inches thick), with skin
¾ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
8 thin lemon slices (less than Â¾ inch thick; from 1 large lemon)
8 sprigs fresh thyme
2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1½ Tbsp drained bottled capers

* black sea bass may be substituted

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil.

Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down, in 1 layer in center of foil on baking sheet and slide 2 lemon slices under each fillet. Arrange 2 thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.

Heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sautÃ© garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sautÃ©, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute. Stir in capers.

Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish, then cover with another sheet of foil, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.

Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from oven and carefully lifting up a corner of top sheet of foil, pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from running out. If fish is not cooked through, reseal foil and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.

Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear foil underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

Butter-Crumb Cod Casserole

2009-08-09T09:16:00.003-04:00

Looking for another way to cook a flaky white fish? This Casserole is easy and brings in flavors that make it more that just another breadcrumb fish recipe. We used saltines & panko crumbs, because that's what we had on-hand, and it was very nice. I can see that Ritz would be good (though we're not allowed to have them in the house because they're evil).

1 1/4 cup coarsely crushed cracker crumbs (Ritz or Town House provide the best flavor)
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped green (bell) pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped green or mild onion
1/4 cup finely chopped parsley
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sliced black olives
3 or more drops Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce
1/4 cup milk
1 1/2 pound fresh or frozen cod cut into 1 inch cubes

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, adding fish last.

Mix well. Turn into 1 1/2 quart buttered baking dish. Bake 20-30 minutes, or until fish flakes easily and crumbs are golden brown. Can be served with lemon wedges.

Carrot Som Tam (Thai Spicy Carrot Salad)

2009-07-31T17:28:00.004-04:00

1 T Raw unsalted peanuts

1/4 c Fresh lime juice

2 T Nam pla (fish sauce)

1 t Light brown sugar

1 lg Clove garlic, peeled

2 Bird or other fresh hot chiles, seeded and finely chopped

1 t Dried shrimp powder (opt)

2 Ripe plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped

4 c Grated carrots

1 Head leaf lettuce, washed dried & torn into approx 2″ pieces

1/2 sm Head green cabbage, cut into thin wedges

Som Tam usually has shredded papaya, and I'm sure it would be awesome that way. Here's a carrot variant that soaks up all those early farm-share carrots and has just the right SomTam taste.

Heat a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts

and dry roast, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes.

Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and chop. Combine lime

juice, nam pla and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar.

Place the peanuts in a food processor fitted with a metal blade.

With the processor blade spinning, add garlic, chiles and dried

shrimp powder, if using. Add the lime-juice mixture and process

until smooth. Transfer the dressing to a bowl; add tomatoes and

a handful of the carrots. Use a large flat spoon to press and

mash the tomatoes and carrots into the dressing. Gradually add

the remaining carrots until the salad is fully blended. (The

salad can be prepared ahead to this point and stored, covered, in

the refrigerator for up to 1 day.) Line a platter with lettuce,

place cabbage wedges around the edge, mound the carrot salad in

the center and serve. 68 calories per serving: 2 g protein, 1 g

fat, 14 g carbohydrate; 265 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol. From

Eating Well Magazine, Apr '95.

Sesame Kale Salad

2009-07-14T06:58:00.001-04:00

For more info on Kale (Hint: It's healthy)

1 pound fresh kale (chard, spinach or other greens)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (crush to a powder)
1 clove garlic minced
2 tsp honey
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
black and red pepper to taste

Seperate kale leaves from stems. chop stems and greens into small pieces. Steam the stems (I have even used just a little water in the bottom of a pot and thrown everything in if you don't have a steamer) a couple of minutes and then add the greens and steam until just tender. let it cool. Squeeze out as much water as possible. Mix the dressing ingredients together and put in fridge until you're ready to toss with dressing and serve. I have done it cold only but you could serve it warm, too.

Recipe originally from this book: http://www.localharvest.org/asparagus-to-zucchini-a-guide-to-farm-fresh-C270

Veggie Meatloaf (a work in progress..)

2009-04-10T18:53:00.001-04:00

Vegetarian imitation ground beef is combined with onion, eggs, bread cubes and savory herbs and spices. The meatless loaf is nestled with carrots and potatoes, and baked.
INGREDIENTS:
1/2 (14 ounce) package vegetarian ground
beef (e.g., Gimme Lean TM)
1 (12 ounce) package vegetarian burger
crumbles
1 onion, chopped
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons vegetarian Worcestershire
sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 1/2 slices bread, cubed
1/3 cup milk
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
4 carrots, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 potatoes, cubed
1 cooking spray
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a large bowl combine vegetarian ground beef, vegetarian ground beef crumbles, onion, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sage, garlic powder, mustard, oil, bread cubes and milk. Transfer to a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and form into a loaf. Pour tomato sauce on top.
3. Place carrots and potatoes around loaf and spray vegetables with cooking spray.
4. Bake 30 to 45 minutes; turn vegetables. Bake another 30 to 45 minutes. Let stand 15 minutes before slicing.

Duarte's Crab Cioppino

2009-04-09T18:30:00.002-04:00

2 1/2 pounds fresh cracked Dungeness crab (your fishmonger/butcher will crack the crab for you)
12 cherrystone clams
12 jumbo white prawns
8 oz. cod
1 cup clam juice
1/2 cup dry white wine
Cioppino sauce (recipe follows)

To assemble: Place half the sauce in a 5 quart roaster or Dutch oven. Place crab in next, then clams and prawns, clam juice, and wine. Pour rest of sauce over crab. Place the cod on top last. Place lid on pan and turn heat to medium-high until it starts to boil. After it reaches a boil, turn heat down to medium. When the fish is cooked and the clams are open, the cioppino is ready. Serve immediately with a good crusty sourdough bread.

Sauce

2 medium yellow onions, chopped fine
6 stalks celery, chopped fine
1/4 cup parsley, chopped fine
4 tbsp. olive oil
2-14.5 oz. cans diced tomato
15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 bay leaf
2 tsp. fresh garlic, chopped fine
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. thyme
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
1 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
3/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Saute onion, celery and parsley in olive oil until translucent. Add spices, saute for one minute. Add diced tomato and tomato sauce. Simmer for 30 minutes. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Duarte's Artichoke Soup

2009-04-09T18:27:00.004-04:00

NPR.org, March 16, 2009 · Serves 6

3 cups vegetable broth (originally called for chicken broth)
1/4 lb. butter
3/4 tsp. white pepper
3/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 tsp. vegetable base (original called for chicken base)
2 tbs. fresh garlic, chopped very fine
4 lbs. cooked artichoke hearts
2 cups heavy cream

Thickening: 1/3 cup corn starch and 1 cup warm water, mixed

Puree artichoke hearts (use water in blender). Add pureed artichokes to soup pot. Add chicken broth and other ingredients, except cream and thickening mix. Simmer for 1 hour. Slowly add thickening mix to boiling soup. Add cream.

Azad bring his parents over for dinner

2009-02-10T16:33:00.006-05:00

	We had decided that we'd do a mix of African dishes, since none of us had ever tried cooking African (Azad has a very sophisticated palette).
	We made Spicy fruit and Nuts, a roast vegetable pizza with Berbere (which is mixed into the dough) and Harissa
	Nupur and Shilesh dove right in making the Spicy Nuts (after a ridiculously long trip up to Salem. Google maps is great, just not for getting to Salem from Boston).
	It looks like Shilesh is adding spices or something, but I think he's actually eating out of the hot pan! Understandable.
	Azad joined us at (OK, on) the table for what was a delightful dinner. Try it, invite friends, make something different, listen to music, talk, eat, repeat.

Spicy Fruits and Nuts

2009-02-10T16:14:00.002-05:00

A unique and addictive African spicy nut mix.

4 Tbsp. Olive Oil.
1/2 cup dried dates, pitted and cut into bit-sized slices
1/2 cup dried apricots done as above
1/2 cup almonds, whole, unblanched
1/2 cup cashews
1/2 cup macadamia nuts, halved
1/2 cup pecans, halved
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon or lime (have I mentioned our new small microplane? Awesome for lemmon zest and fresh ginger as well)
3 tablespoons cilantro
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped (we used a couple of dried chilies
salt and pepper.

In a large frying pan heat oil over medium heat
Add all the fruit and nuts and toss until the apricots and nuts begin to color.
Remove from heat and add lemon or lime zest, cilantro and chili
Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve straight from pan.

Berbere

2009-02-10T15:42:00.002-05:00

An Ethiopean spice mixture that we used in making an African roasted vegetable pizza (add a few table spoons to the dough. No really, to the dough). We've also tried it as a glaze for broiled fich and it was also excellent. Also good in stews.

1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground cardamon
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp. fenugreek seeds
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
a pinch of ground cloves.
1 onion chopped
2 cloves garlic
3 Tbsp red wine
1/2 cup paprika
2 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1/2 cup sunflower or other light oil
salt

In a dry frying pan, toast the ginger, cardamon, ground coriander, fenugreek, nutmeg, and ground cloves over low heat until fragrant. Set aside to cool.
Place toasted spices in bowl of food processor with chopped onion garlic, 1.2 tsp salt and process adding wine to slowly form a paste.
In a saucepan, toast the paprika, cayenne black pepper and 1 1/2 tsp salt, stirring constantly, until fragrant (oh and how beautifully fragrant it will be).
turn off heat and add the onion/spice mixture from the food processor. gradually mix in 1 1/2 cups water.
Place over low heat and cook stirring constantly for 10 to 15 minutes until it thickens.
Transfer to a sterilized jar, allow to cool, cover with oil and store in fridge (for up to 6 mo. if covered with oil).

Harissa

2009-02-10T15:18:00.006-05:00

Caution: if you like spicy sauces, chutneys, salsas etc. you have been forewarned, this is an addictive North African condiment and you will be hooked. If you find yourself checking to see how much you have remaining, and planning you next batch so that you never run out, don't blame us. We warned you.

8 chilies
4 cloves garlic crushed
1 tsp. salt
2 tsp. caraway seeds
1 tsp. coriander seeds
1 tsp. cumin seeds
a large bunch of mint, chopped
1/2 cup Olive Oil
--
Chop the chilies, garlic and salt together to form a paste and transfer to a bowl
Grind spices in a spice grinder (Spice grinder? Yes, spice grinder. We use a spare coffee grinder that we use just for this purpose (Thanks Cheri). Don't use your regular coffee grinder, you'll be bummed. Get a spare cheap grinder, you won't use it all that often so no need to go for the super-duper Krups model, Black&Decker will do).
Add the spices to the chilies and add chopped mint.
Whisk in the Olive Oil, transfer to a jar and store in fridge. The flavor is better the second day, and the mixture will last longer than it will take to finish it if you keep it covered with oil. We brushed this over top of a roasted vegetable pizza after baking and it was awesome. But we don't think you'll have any problem finding uses.

Pan-Seared Tilapia with Hot Orange-Ginger Sauce

2009-01-17T12:18:00.006-05:00

We've had mixed results with tilapia, sometimes just too firm and easily dried out. This recipes howerev turned out awesome, some of the best fish ever (<- I'm not kidding, ever)). The five spice rub and the hot orange sauce were just perfect. Another great contribution from Cuisine at Home. CaH always delivers with recipes that are seasoned just right without any adjustment.

1/2 tsp Chinese five spice mix
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
3 Tb. vegetable oil, divided
1 lb Tilapia (4 to six filets
2 tsp. minced scallions for garnish

Mix five spice powder, salt and cayenne with 2 Tb. Oil in a small bowl.
Pat the filets dry and brush both sides with the spice mixture. Heat remaining Ts of oil in a large pan (the recipe calls for non-stick, but we used our steel pan and it browned beautiful) over medium high heat. Add fillets and and saute 3 minutes on each side (I think it was slightly less on the second side.

Hot Orange-Ginger Sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 Tb. rice vinegar
1 Tb. minced fresh ginger (we used our new microplane fir this, and it works great)
1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
1 tsp minced garlic
1 Tb. vegetable oil
salt to taste

Whisk marmalade, orange juice, vinegar, gingerroot and pepper flakes together in a smalle bowl
Saute garlic in a saucepan with oil over medium high heat for 30 seconds. Add marmalade mixture and saute until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

Pad Thai

2009-01-10T17:03:00.002-05:00

From Chez Pim

Tom Yum Soup

2009-01-10T16:57:00.006-05:00

From Chez Pim

Arugula, Feta & Dill Frittata

2009-01-10T08:33:00.007-05:00

Makes 4 servings, we cut it in half for just ourselves.
9 large eggs
3 Tbs. fresh grated parmesan
3 oz. crumbled Feta
2 Tbs. minced fresh dill
Course salt and freshly ground pepper
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 large clove garlic, minced
4 Cups packed arugula (about 4 oz.) stemmed washed and dried

Adjust oven rack to upper middle of the oven, and preheat to 400. In large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, stir in Parmesan, Feta, Dill, and a light sprinkling of salt and pepper.

Heat Oil and Garlic in a 10 inch ovenproof skillet (you have one of those, right?) when garlic starts to sizzle and turn golden, add Arugula, cook stirring constantly until wilted 1 or 2 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper and reduce heat to low.

Distribute the arugula and add the eggs to the pan. When eggs have begun to set (around 1 minute) transfer the pan to the oven.

Bake until the eggs are puffed up and set, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Cut into 4 wedges

Vegetable Chili with Corn Dumplings

2009-01-03T18:41:00.006-05:00

A very satisfying meal!
The spice is nice!

1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium onions, chopped
4 medium zucchini, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 large green bell pepper, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalepeno pepper, seeded and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. chili powder
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 28 oz. cans Italian plum tomatoes with juice
1 12 oz or so can tomato sauce
1 16 oz. can cannellini beans
1 Tbs. brown sugar

Cornmeal Dumplings
1/2 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup hot water
1/8 cup unbleached white flour
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup farmer cheese or ricotta cheese

In large pot, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, zucchini, bell peppers, and garlic and cook, stirring often, until softened, 15 minutes. Add jalapeno, parsley, cilantro, chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add tomatoes with juice, tomato sauce and sugar; simmer 10 minutes.
Add beans; simmer 10 minutes more.

Dumplings: In medium bowl, mix cornmeal and water. Add flour, salt, cilantro, and cheese. From mixture into 1-inch balls.
Add dumplings to stew, stirring gently to submerge. Simmer until dumplings are cooked through, 10 to 12 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. We sure did.

Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad

2009-01-03T18:04:00.003-05:00

This is absolutely yummy! The distinctive peppery flavor of arugula is balanced by the sweetness of beets and a delicate vinaigrette enriched with apple juice.
8 servings (4 if you're hungry or use as more of a main course)

6 medium beets
3/4 cup shelled or chopped walnuts or pecans (scant 4 oz.)
4 bunches fresh arugula

Dressing:
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1 TBS. Dijon mustard
1 Tbs. thawed frozen apple juice concentrate
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots (2 medium)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment or foil. Pierce beets with a skewer or fork. Place on prepared baking sheet and roast until tender when pierced with tip of sharp knife (or comparable poker). 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours (depending on the size of beets. I think the last batch i did only took an hour).
Set aside to cool slightly. Keep oven on.

Spread nuts in small baking pan and bake until fragrant, 5-10 minutes (we baked ours in toaster oven. If you do this, you can shut your oven off. Let cool. Chop coarsely if necessary.

Trim, rinse and dry arugula, then tear into bite size pieces.

Make dressing: In medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, juice concentrate, shallots, salt and pepper. Gradually whisk in oil. spoon half of drssing (about 1/3 cup) into small jar or bowl and set aside.
When beets are cool enough to handle, peel and cut each one into 8 or 12 wedges. Add to dressing in bowl and toss well to coat. (If desired, marinate beets, covered, in the refrigerator up to 2 days)

To serve: In large salad bowl, toss arugula, marinated beets and reserved dressing. Sprinkle with toasted nuts and serve.

Roasted Cauliflower, 6 variations

2009-01-03T07:56:00.003-05:00

Roast cauliflower the usual way (cut into florets, coat in olive oil salt and pepper, cook on baking sheet in 400 oven for ~30 mins).

Here are six variants from Cuisine at Home:

After Roasting toss with....
1) Lemon juice, Rosemary and chopped Capers
2) Orange zest, minced fresh parsley and sun-dried tomatoes (oil packed, drained and chopped).
3) Pitted chopped Kalamata olives, dried red pepper flakes and bitter greens such as endive radicchio, or broccoli raad (chopped into bite-sized pieces and tossed with broccoli while still hot).
4) Mustard vinaigrette (Dijon mustard, white wine vinegars, EVOO and minced fresh thyme)
5) Crumbled blue cheese and caraway seeds.
6) Minced shallots, minced fresh tarragon and grated lemon zest.
7) and Roasted Cauliflower with Green Peppercorn Vinaigrette

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Green Peppercorn Vinaigrette

2009-01-02T07:09:00.004-05:00

1 small head of Cauliflower cut into medium florets
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp EVOO
Salt and Pepper to taste

1 tsp minced shallot
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup white-wine vinegar
4 tsp. brined green peppercorns
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp chopped flat leaf parsley
1 cup thinly sliced radicchio (slice to look like shredded paper, we used arugula once and it was a fine substitute)
2 cups frisee, leaves separated and torn into bite-sliced pieces

Roast the cauliflower- Heat oven to 400. In a bowl, toss Cauliflower, 2 Tbsp EVOO salt and pepper. Pour out onto a baking sheet and roast for 25 to 35 minutes turning every 10 minutes until golden brown. Let cool.

Make the peppercorn vinaigrette- Put the shallots, wine, 3 Tbsp of the vinegar and 2 Tbsp green peppercorns in a small pan and simmer off liquid until just 2 Tbsp are left. Pour into food processor (use immersion blender food processor, and one time we just just chopped the green peppercorns really fine and didn't bother with the food processor, it was fine). and the mustard and remaining 2TBSP + 1 tsp and process until smooth, add 1/2 cup oil while processor is running. Transfer to mixing bowl and add parsley and remaining chopped peppercorns..

Assemble- In large bowl combine ingredients with enough vinaigrette to lightly coat. Serve and drizzle with additional vinaigrette to taste.

Mushroom and Leek Galette

2008-12-21T18:30:00.005-05:00

This is another example of the happy result of data-mining old cooking magazines. In this case, Dec. 1999 Vegetarian Times. This publication rarely disappoints. We followed the recipe and were pleasantly surprised. The filling was delish and the crust was amazingly moist but not soggy. We served along with the Roasted Beet and Arugula Salad also found on this blog.

This can be made up to two days ahead, refrigerated and reheated. A great contribution to a party! Use a pizza box to transport. To reheat, place galette on a baking sheet, cover loosely with foil and heat in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes. Reheat leftovers in a dry non-stick skillet. This is how we also reheat leftover pizza. It works really well.

Crust
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/2 cup low fat cottage cheese
* 1/4 cup low fat milk
* 1 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 1 large egg white for glaze

Topping
* 1 Tbs. olive oil
* 4 medium leeks (white and light green parts only) sliced (2 cups)
* 12 oz. cremini or baby bella mushrooms, sliced (6 cups)
* 1 large egg
* 1/3 cup reduced fat sour cream ( I think we used "fat" sour cream)
* 3/4 tsp. salt (highly subjective)
* 1/4 tsp pepper (again, highly subjective)
* 1 bunch scallion ( again with the white and green parts), sliced (1/3 cup)
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley ( the only kind for cooking!)

Prepare crust: In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. In food processor, process cottage cheese until pureed. Add oil, milk and sugar and process until smooth. Add flour mixture and pulse 4 to 5 time, just until dough clumps together.
Turn dough out onto lightly floured surface and knead several times; do not overwork. Press dough into a disk, dust lightly with flour and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, in large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add leeks and cook, stirring often, until tender, 4 to 5 minutes, adding a little water if necessary to prevent scorching. Add mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. In large bowl, whisk together whole egg, sour cream, salt and pepper. Add scallions, parsley and cooled leek mixture; mix well.

On lightly floured surface, roll out dough into 15-inch circle about 1/4 inch thick. Roll dough back over rolling pin and transfer to prepared baking sheet. Spread leek mixture over dough, leaving 2" border around edges. Fold dough border up and over filling, pleating as necessary.

In small bowl, combine egg white with 1 tablespoon water; stir briskly with fork. Brush over rim of crust.

Bake until crust is golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Transfer baking sheet to wire rack and let cool 5 minutes. Carefully slide galette onto platter and serve hot or at room temperature.

Rhode Island (Clear Broth) Clam Chowder

2008-12-06T09:25:00.005-05:00

1 lB. chopped clams and juice,
1/4 pound salt pork, chopped
1 diced onion,
1-2 pound red potatoes, peeled and diced
1 8 oz bottle clam juice
1 cup water
1 tsp white pepper, 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 anchovy, 1 bay leaf

Place quahog juice into a stock pot and bring to a simmer.

Cook down salt pork in skillet, when fat is rendered, remove the pork and set aside, add in onions and sweat til translucent, (no browning) Add the onions to the stockpot, simmer 10 minutes, add potatoes and simmer til fork tender. Finally add the salt pork you set aside earlier and the rest of the spice seasonings. Dump in the chopped quahogs and bring back to a simmer. Now for the real Rhode Island deal you would put a hard biscuit on top of the thing. But you can use chowder crackers instead. Depending on the salt pork and white pepper you are using, you will have to adjust the pepper and salt to taste during the final simmer.

Baked Ginger-Apple Crumble

2008-11-28T15:58:00.004-05:00

2 lb cooking apples (such as combination of Granny Smith and Golden Delicious), pared cored and sliced 1/4" thick
3 Tb. granulated sugar
1 Tb. chopped crystalline ginger
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. grated lemon zest
2 Tb. fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup Walnuts pieces
2/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted cold butter cut into 10 pieces
whipped cream or ice cream for serving

Preheat oven to 375 and butter 9 inch square baking pan
Toss apples with granulated sugar and both gingers add lemon juice and zest and toss again. Spread apples evenly in buttered pan./
Coarsely chop nuts and mix with brown sugar cinnamon and salt in mixing bowl.. Cut in butter with pastry blender until mixture resembles very course crumbs. (Or, coursely chop nuts in food processor, and dry ingredients and pulse several time to mix. Place butter on top and pulse several times to mix until mixture resembles very course crumbs). Srinkle topping over apples
Bake until apples are tender and topping is browned, 45-50 minutes. Serve warm with with whipped cream or ice cream.

Mary-Lou's Famous Apricot Cake Cookies

2008-11-24T10:41:00.004-05:00

Use 18 oz of apricots + ¼ of a 7 oz pkg (pkgs come in 7 or 8 ozs)

1.Chop apricots into small pieces --Place in sauce pot— add water to cover and sugar to taste (approx 1/8 cup ) Simmer slowly until water pretty much absorbed to spreading consistency (will still have a little water still visible). Set aside to cool.

Grind 1# of walnuts and add ½ cup sugar. Blend well with a fork. Set aside.
Grease a large cookie sheet with raised sides. (approx 17 x 12)
Soften ½# margarine to room temp.

Heat oven 350

Mix in large bowl:
5 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking soda
4 tsp baking powder

Work-in margarine in above dry ingredients with a pastry blender as you would when making pie crust. It will appear a little lumpy.

Mix with a fork or hand-stirrer blender:
1/2 pt of sour cream
4 egg yolks
1 tsp vanilla

Mix with above dry ingredients. Make sure you get all the flour mixture mixed from the bottom of the bowl. I use my hands. The dough will not be real moist but moist enough to knead into three balls. One ball can be smaller- this will be for the lattice work strips for top of cookie.

1. Roll one ball between wax paper (makes it easier to roll) to size of cookie sheet. This will be a little thin but not too thin to work with. After in cookie sheet press dough to sides having a little dough going up sides of pan to keep nuts on dough. You have to work with dough so that cookie sheet is completely covered. The dough is flexible enough to spread or press with fingers. You can patch holes by pressing pieces of dough on them & spreading with fingers.

2. Add nut mixture on top of dough. Pat nuts down slightly.

3. Roll next ball same way as above. Place on top of nuts. Can be difficult to get entire nuts covered but just roll thin pieces to piece dough together. It won’t show on the finished cookie but just make sure all nuts are covered. Raise sides slightly to hold apricots .

4. Spread apricot mixture on top

5. Roll 3rd ball out - cut in strips –place strips on top of apricot to form lattice work, I put strips length wise, then from side to side and lastly place strips along all sides to cover all strips. If strips break, just cut small piece or as long as needed & press together.

Bake 350 for 25 min. (Seem like it stays moister if frozen. Can freeze up to 1 year. Enjoy

Mary-Lou's Famous Nut Roll

2008-11-24T10:28:00.005-05:00

A perennial holiday favorite, and one of those recipes that we just couldn't allow to vanish from the family history. From Mary-Lou (the Tiger Woods of nut roll) herself.

MAKE NUT MIXTURE FIRST SO THAT IT CAN COOL. 1# OF NUTS MAKES 4-1/2 CUPS GROUND NUTS NEED 6 CUPS FOR 4 LARGE ROLLS. ?SPREAD NUTS SPARINGLY:

For every 2 cups of nuts use : 1 cup sugar & ½ cup water
Boil water & sugar 1 min. – add nuts – bring to boil – stir – let cool

Use big old-fashioned coffee cups for all dry ingredients

6 heaping cups unsifted flour
½ lb margarine (room temp)
¾ cup sugar heaping (coffee mug)
½ tsp salt
1 pt milk
1 heaping tlbs crisco
¼ pt sour cream
3 eggs
½ cake yeast (not dry yeast)

Sift flour, sugar & salt in a big pot (like one you make soup in) or huge bowl. Add butter and Crisco & work in with a pastry blender or 2 knifes, if no pastry blender, like pie dough.

Warm ½ cup of the pint of milk slightly. Add 2 tsps of sugar in warmed milk to dissolve yeast. Don’t make milk hot or it will Kill yeast. Press yeast with fork in milk mixture until completely dissolved.

Beat eggs slightly – add sour cream & remaining ingredients to dough. Mix together with your hand until all flour & ingredients are thoroughly mixed together & form a big ball. Let raise in pot or bowl in a very warm place. I put afghans on pot & open my gas oven door & let pilot light heat dough – or you can put it near a register, but not too close. (good to cover with afghan) It should raise to almost double it’s size.
Let raise for 2 hrs.

After 2 hrs, knead- sprinkle with little flour if needed to make dough smooth. It should not stick to hands. Make six balls out of dough. Roll one ball on a floured board or your table – fairly thin because it is going to raise again but not so thin that it will tear when putting on nuts.

Spread nuts thinly with a spatula on dough just to cover dough blending or thinning out to ends of dough. Roll up dough jelly roll fashion and crimp edges so that nuts don’t come out when baking.

Place folded side down on cookie sheet Puncture roll with a fork down to cookie sheet several times down roll approx 1” apart. Brush with melted butter. Repeat You can fit two rolls on a cookie sheet. Try not to let rolls touch each other. If they are wide & look like they might touch when baking, put a strip of foil between o that they don’t touch. Do same with all rolls.

Put wax paper over rolls & cover with afghan to keep warm until you are done making rolls and ready to bake. Or if you want to make bread or kolach with one of the rolls, you can take the ball & twist it to form a round kolach & place it on the cookie sheet- puncture, brush with melted butter & bake.

Bake at 350 for 40 min or until golden brown. Brush with melted butter when done – after cooling for a while, turn roll over to complete cooling.

Sounds complicated but once you do it you will see it’s not that bad. Let me know if you want to make them & I will come over to help. (<- now that's the kind of loving mom-advice that it's just hard to replicate on the web...)

Mushroom and Seitan Noodle Stroganoff

2008-10-18T07:46:00.006-04:00

1 Tbsp Oil
1 Medium Onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups mushrooms, thinly sliced
3 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp sweet paprika
2 cups broth
2 Tbps Tahini
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 cup red wine
1 tomato, peeled seeded diced
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1/2 lb. dried shiitake mushrooms
12 oz. Seitan, cut into strips
8 oz fettucini or egg noodles

Saute onions, garlic and seitan until onions are soft. add mushrooms until they soften. Add lemon juice and spices and mix well. Mix broth and tahini and add to mushroom mixture and cook until it thickens adding a splash of red wine as the sauce thickens. Add tomato and remove from heat and season to taste with pepper. Spoon over mushrooms.

Mrs. Ralph Izard's 'Awendaw'

2008-10-07T09:39:00.003-04:00

In this vintage recipe credited to "Miss Emma Gaillard Witsell," grits are called "hominy." Reprinted from Charleston Receipts: Collected by the Junior League of Charleston.

1-1/2 cups hominy, cooked
1 heaping tablespoon butter
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup corn meal
1/2 teaspoon salt

While hominy is still hot, add butter and eggs beaten very light. Then gradually add milk and when well mixed, add corn meal and salt. The batter should be like thick custard. Pour in deep greased pan, bake in moderate over (375 degrees).
Serves 6-8.

Basic Grits

2008-10-07T09:38:00.001-04:00

Reprinted from Falls Mill Stone-Ground White Corn Grits Recipes.

1 cup grits
2 cups water
½ teaspoon salt

Place grits in a bowl, cover with water and stir. Skim off the chaff that rises to the top. Stir and skim again. Pour off water and light bran. Add water and salt to a heavy-bottom saucepan and bring to boil. Stir in grits. Reduce heat to low and cook covered for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until grits are thick and creamy.

If too thick, add either water, milk or whipping cream. Stir in 2 tablespoons butter or margarine, if desired, and serve.
Serves 6.

Nassau Grits

2008-10-07T09:37:00.001-04:00

Reprinted via NPR from Side Orders, Small Helpings of Southern Cookery & Culture, by John Egerton (Peachtree Publishers).

4 strips of bacon
1 small bell pepper
1 medium onion
1 large clove of garlic
1 16oz can of tomatoes
½ to 1 cup cooked ham, chopped
1 cup grits
1 quart water

Fry the strips of bacon until crisp; drain, crumble and set aside. Leaving about 2 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet, sauté the pepper, onion, and garlic, all finely chopped, for about 5 minutes, or until somewhat softened. Then add the can of cut-up tomatoes, reserving the juice, and simmer the mixture for 20 minutes. Next, add the chopped ham and simmer for about 10 minutes more. If too dry, add some or all of the tomato juice.

While this mixture is cooking, boil the water and add the grits, cooking as directed on the package. When the grits are done, stir the vegetable mixture in with them and simmer for a few more minutes to let the flavors mingle. Ladle into a serving bowl, sprinkle the bacon on top, and rush to the table, there to join the biscuits, eggs, and coffee already prepared.
Serve 6 generously.

Garlic Cheese Grits Casserole

2008-10-07T09:33:00.001-04:00

Reprinted via NPR from Miss Mary Bobo's Board House Cookbook, by Pat Mitchamore, recipes edited by Lynne Tolley (Rutledge Hill Press).

4 cups water
1 teaspoon garlic powder (or more to taste)
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 cup quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 ½ cups grated white cheddar or other processed cheese, divided
4 eggs, beaten
½ cup milk

In a large saucepan bring the water to a boil. Add the garlic powder, salt and pepper. Gradually stir in the grits. Lower the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the butter and 1 cup of cheese until melted. In a small bowl mix the eggs with the milk. Stir the mixture into the grits. Pour the grits into a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake at 350° for 1 hour.
Serves 6.

Sauteed Calamari Salad (Ming Sai-style)

2008-10-05T18:14:00.001-04:00

1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/3 cup fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon minced ginger
3 each Thai bird chiles, minced
1/4 cup minced cilantro
1/4 cup thinly sliced mint
1/4 cup thinly sliced Thai basil
2 pounds fresh calamari, cleaned and cut into 1/2 inch rings, slice head in half lengthwise
2 large, ripe tomatoes, medium dice
2 pounds washed arugula in a large salad bowl
Baguette croutons for garnish

In a bowl, mix together juice, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, chiles, mint and basil. Add the calamari and marinate for only 30 seconds.
Take the calamari out of the marinade and add to a very hot skillet, lightly oiled. Toss calamari quickly around and cook only 2-3 minutes until done. Cook in two batches.
Remove calamari and place on top of the arugula. In the same hot skillet, add the tomatoes and 1/3 cup of the marinade. Bring to a boil then add to salad and mix well. Check for seasoning and serve.

Roasted Tomatillo Guacamole (Bayless)

2008-10-05T08:58:00.002-04:00

Ingredients

3 large ripe avocados, preferably the pebbly-skin Hass variety
1 cup roasted tomatillo salsa (see recipe below)
Salt
Cilantro sprigs for garnish

Remove the little nub of stem that is sometimes lodged at the top of each avocado. Cut each avocado in half by slicing straight down through the spot where the stem was attached, until you reach the pit, then rotating the knife all the way around the pit. Twist the two halves apart, then scoop out the pits. With a spoon, scoop out the soft flesh from the skin, collecting it in a large bowl as you go. Coarsely mash with the spoon (or you can use an old-fashioned potato masher or large fork).

Gently stir the salsa into the avocado. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. Cover with plastic wrap directly on the surface and refrigerate until you're ready to serve. (Not only will the guacamole improve if made half an hour or so before serving, but it also will maintain its fresh look longer if served cold.) Scoop into a decorative bowl, garnish with cilantro sprigs and you're ready to set it out for your guests to enjoy.

Roasted Tomatillo Salsa

Ingredients

4 medium (about 8 ounces total) tomatillos, husked, rinsed and halved
2 large garlic cloves, peeled
Hot green chilies to taste (I like 2 serranos or 1 jalapeno), stemmed and roughly chopped
About 1/3 cup (loosely packed) roughly chopped cilantro
1/2 small white onion, finely chopped
Salt

NPR.org, October 4, 2008 · Makes 1 1/2 cups

Set a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Lay in the garlic and tomatillos (cut side down). When the tomatillos are well browned, 3 or 4 minutes, turn everything and brown the other side. (The tomatillos should be completely soft.)

Scrape the tomatillos and garlic into a blender or food processor, and let cool to room temperature. Add the chili and cilantro, and blend to a coarse puree. Pour into a salsa dish.

Scoop the chopped onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water, shaking off the excess water. Stir into the salsa. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1/2 teaspoon. You'll need 1 cup of this salsa to flavor the guacamole. Refrigerate the leftover salsa for another use.

Greek Village Salad with Cabbage

2008-09-08T19:51:00.004-04:00

From the Frugal Gourmet.

Use any amount of the following according to your taste (now that's why we love Jeff Smith).
White or Yellow Onions peeled and sliced thin
Green Sweet Bell Peppers, cored and sliced thin
Feta Cheese, cut into tiny pieces
Greek Olives
Oregano, whole and crushed by hand
Cabbage, cut as for coleslaw
Cherry tomatoes or very ripe regular tomatoes cut or sliced to salad size
Cucumber, peeled and sliced thin
Salt andGroungPepper to taste.

Dressing:
3/4 cup good greek olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon
Salt and Pepper (and fresh oregano if you have it)
(mix, or immersion blend, baby).

Place the onions, feta cheese, greek olives and green peppers in a bowl with enough of the greek dressing, and enough oregano to taste for the entire salad, and marinate for 1 hour.
Toss all remaining salad ingredients with the marinated vegetables and the rest of the dressing. Taste for salt and pepper and serve.

Thai Spiced Barbecue Shrimp

2008-08-16T17:25:00.001-04:00

Cook Time: 6 Minutes Ready In: 1 Hour 6 Minutes
Yields: 8 servings
"This is the best recipe ever for barbecue shrimp, very tasty with a little kick! You will never try another marinade again for shrimp."
INGREDIENTS:
3 tablespoons fresh lemon
juice
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
2 teaspoons curry paste
1 pound medium shrimp -
peeled and deveined
DIRECTIONS:
1. In a shallow dish or resealable bag, mix together the lemon juice, soy sauce, mustard, garlic, brown sugar and curry paste. Add shrimp, and seal or cover. Marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
2. Preheat a grill for high heat. When the grill is hot, lightly oil the grate. Thread the shrimp onto skewers, or place in a grill basket for easy handling. Transfer the marinade to a saucepan, and boil for a few minutes.
3. Grill shrimp for 3 minutes per side, or until opaque. Baste occasionally with the marinade.

Som Tam (Spicy Carrot Salad)

2008-08-16T13:28:00.003-04:00

1 T Raw unsalted peanuts
1/4 c Fresh lime juice
2 T Nam pla (fish sauce)
1 t Light brown sugar
1 lg Clove garlic, peeled
2 Bird or other fresh hot
-chiles, seeded and finely
-chopped
1 t Dried shrimp powder (opt)
2 Ripe plum tomatoes, seeded
-and chopped
4 c Grated carrots
1 Head leaf lettuce, washed
-dried & torn into approx
-2″ pieces
1/2 sm Head green cabbage, cut into
-thin wedges

Heat a small heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add peanuts and dry roast, stirring constantly, until golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the skillet, cool slightly and chop.

Combine lime juice, nam pla and brown sugar, stirring to dissolve sugar. Place the peanuts in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. With the processor blade spinning, add garlic, chiles and dried shrimp powder, if using. Add the lime-juice mixture and process until smooth.

Transfer the dressing to a bowl; add tomatoes and a handful of the carrots. Use a large flat spoon to press and mash the tomatoes and carrots into the dressing. Gradually add the remaining carrots until the salad is fully blended. (The salad can be prepared ahead to this point and stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.) Line a platter with lettuce, place cabbage wedges around the edge, mound the carrot salad in the center and serve.

Tempeh- solved.

2008-08-03T19:07:00.002-04:00

Have you tried Tempeh? We have. It's usually in the "special" refrigerator section with the tofu and numerous attempts at meat substitution. It looks interesting, more body than tofu, and more conventional than Seitan (about which we'll have much to say soon). So of course, we tried it. What is it? Well the answer, like the answer to most questions, can be found on the Wikipedia. But for us, the bigger questions has always been, what to do with it.
The problem: Tempeh is much more dense than Tofu, and so seems perfect for grilling/frying. The problem is that it is so dense that it will reject any type of marinade or grilling sauce that comes its way. You end up with a cooked piece of bare Tempeh, which can be OK, but somehow, you feel like you must be missing soething. After all, it's in the supermarket, people must be able to do something with it, right.
The answer to this less than earth-shattering mystery comes from our new bible, the Veganomicon. Simple. Bring a put of water to a boil. Cut the Tempeh in half lengthwise (to give two squares) and then cut each square on the diagonal to creat a total of four triangles. Boil the triangles for 10 minutes. They'll puff up slightly, and be ready to absorb whatever marinade you have or prefer (we make a soy-based smokey marinade from the Veganomicon, but you'll have to buy it to get that one (and you should definitely buy it). Try it with regular barbecue sauce and grill the Tempeh squares (brown them good). It will finally make sense, tasty, with lots of body, and a nice "protein course" to match with other tasty sides.

Easy. Boil it for 10 minutes first!

Paneer Cheese with Herbs

2008-07-27T16:56:00.001-04:00

Summer Antipasto

2008-07-27T09:09:00.001-04:00

From Lydia Wlshin's The Perfect Pantry website.
Antipasto isn't an exact science; the more people you have, the more food you pile on the platter. Use your imagination and your painter's eye; combine colors and textures, and have plenty of good crusty bread on hand. Add meat and cheese, if you wish. This recipe -- more a method than a recipe -- is a pantry lover's dream. Serves 8-10.

Arrange on a platter, any way you wish, in a design or scattered as the base of the antipasto:

1 cup mesclun salad mix, or romaine lettuce
1-2 blood oranges or other seedless oranges, peeled and sliced crosswise
1 large red (sweet) pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 large green pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 large plum tomatoes (or other tomatoes, in season), cut into large chunks
1 large cucumber or English cuke, peeled, cut lengthwise,
then into half-rounds
3-4 radishes, cut into chunks
2 stalks celery, cut into 1-inch pieces1 sweet white onion, sliced into half-rounds
1 fennel bulb (anise), sliced thin (save the leafy tops for garnish)

Make piles here and there of:

1 16-oz can black pitted olives (large or colossal)
6-oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
1 3-3/8 oz jar green Spanish olives with red pimientos
1 8-1/4 oz can whole beets
1 3-oz can Italian tuna in oil
1 small can cannellini beans, drained

Make vinaigrette by placing in a jar with a tight-fitting lid:

1/4 cup vinegar (red wine or balsamic)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Shake the dressing until well-mixed, and pour over the antipasto.

Gazpacho

2008-07-27T08:41:00.005-04:00

From Lydia Walshin's Perfect Pantry website. As Julia Child would have said, proportions are not terribly important in this recipe. The best time to make this is during tomato season, which here in Rhode Island is right now. This isn't a completely traditional gazpacho, but it is a delicious version. Top with cold poached shrimp or chunks of avocado (or both) if you wish, for a hearty main course soup. Serves 8-10.

2 slices white or wheat bread (any size, any type)
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 red onion, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, roughly chopped
2 red bell peppers, roughly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 orange bell pepper, roughly chopped
1 English (seedless) cucumber, roughly chopped (do not peel)
6-8 large tomatoes, cut in half, seeded, roughly chopped
24 oz V-8 juice, or more to achieve desired consistency (depends on how juicy your tomatoes are)
2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
Hot sauce, to taste
Coarse sea salt and black pepper, to taste

Place bread and garlic in a food processor, and pulse until finely chopped. Empty into a very large (nonreactive) bowl.

In a small frying pan, sauté red onion with olive oil for 2-3 minutes, until translucent. Add onion to the food processor along with as many of the bell pepper pieces as will fit. Pulse until finely chopped, and add to the bowl with the bread crumbs. Process remaining bell peppers with the cucumber, and add to the bowl. Process the tomatoes until finely chopped, and add to the bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients, and adjust seasoning to taste. Remove half of the mixture and return it to the food processor, and pulse until almost, but not totally, liquid (or use an immersion blender right in the mixing bowl). Add this back into the bowl, and stir to combine. Refrigerate for at least two hours to allow flavors to marry. Serve cold.

Grilled Bluefish and Roast Potato Dinner Salad with Fish-Skin Crispies

2008-07-13T09:04:00.006-04:00

Fish-Skin Crispies? That's right. This recipe comes from that large category of happy accidents, as you'll understand as you read on. DRI readers will already know our devotion to Bluefish. The basic idea for the recipe is to make a large dinner salad and top it with chunks of grilled bluefish and roasted potatoes. If you follow the link above you'll see that we grill the bluefish skin-side first, and then flip it. This time (as usual I have to admit) when I slid the spatula under the fish, I kind of crumpled all the skin to one side of the fillet. So, after I flipped it, I had the bare cooked side of the fish, and a sort of rolled-up blackened strip of skin. I finished grilling on the other side and brought the fish inside. Then it dawned on me. That crispy-crunchy burnt fish-skin would make a great little topping for the salad. I chopped it up into little chunks and sprinkled over the top. Man-o-Man, that is another DRI-special, easy, fun and totally tasty. If you need a formal recipe after all of that, it would go something like this.

1) Follow the recipe at Bluefish to make the fish, remembering to mess up when you're flipping the fish from the skin side.
2) Make a large dinner salad with your favorite greens (we used an arugula mix, some thinly sliced red cabbage and added some olives)
3) Slice potatoes into wedges and mix in a bowl with olive oil, garlic salt, pepper and paprika, bake at 400 for 20 minutes.
4) Chop the burnt skin and sprinkle over top.

Eat, enter the recipe into your food blog, Repeat.

Zucchini Pancakes with quick Basil Pesto.

2008-07-13T08:37:00.008-04:00

Another recipe shamelessly stolen from Beyond Salmon. I love Helen Rennie's cooking style, and she is completely correct, this is a great way of using the glut of zucchini we all seem to get at around this time of year. It is a new core recipe and totally DR. We made a quick pesto for over top, and it was great (the instructions incude a slight variation that makes it a little easier to get right). Helen says...
What do you do with a zucchini that doesn't require any other ingredients, yet isn't totally boring? That was the dilemma facing me a few days ago. I didn't want to grill since it was raining, and I didn't feel like sautéing since I find sautéed zucchini kind of boring. Roasting could be a good idea, but it's much more interesting when zucchini are mixed with some other veggies, which I didn't have. That's when it dawned on me -- how about zucchini pancakes! I've never made them and was dying to try this dish I remember my Mom making. It's common in Russia to make oladyi (pancakes) with all kinds of vegetables and zucchini were one of our favorites.

I didn't have a recipe, but the one I improvised seemed to work incredibly well. The only extra ingredients necessary to make this dish are flour, eggs, salt, and oil (all of which are staples). I threw in some scallions since I found them lying forgotten in a drawer of my fridge, and then fried my pancakes in sunflower seed oil (the olive oil of Russian cooking). It's perfect for frying since it doesn't burn and imparts a great aroma to your dish (at least if you buy the real stuff from a Russian store). But if you don't have sunflower seed oil handy, canola oil will work just fine.

Serves 4 as a side dish

3/4 Lb zucchini (about 1 medium)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 large egg
1/4 cup finely chopped scallions (optional)
Salt and pepper
Sunflower seed or canola oil for frying

Grate zucchini on the large holes of a box grater (or using a food processor).

Add flour, egg, scallions, and a generous amount of salt and pepper (and whatever other spices strike your fancy) in a large mixing bowl. Mix well to form a thick pancake-lie batter. Transfer zucchini to the bowl. Helen recommends squeezing the excess liquid out of the zucchini at this stage, which I think I forgot to do. Mine weren't overly wet, and the pancakes had a nice moisture to them, when done, so it's your call.
Set a large skillet over medium-high heat. When hot, add enough oil to lightly coat. When oil is hot (moves as easily as water when you tilt a pan), add the batter a spoonful at a time (each spoonful makes one pancake). Cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Flip the pancakes and cook until golden brown on the other side, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate lined with paper towel and repeat with the rest of the batter adding more oil as necessary. Serve immediately with sour cream, yogurt, or plain.

We added a quick pesto by combining

A large handful of fresh basil leaves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 clove garlic
olive oil to the desired consistency.
juice from a lemon wedge
touch of salt

we threw these in the bowl of the little chopper attachment that came with our immersion blender. zip, zip, zip, and we had enough for a nice dollop on each pancake. I could see a variety of different toppings working well here, and that's what makes this recipe a keeper, easy and lots of variations. We served alongside a nice big dinner salad.

Sauteed Zucchini with Feta

2008-07-09T20:35:00.004-04:00

As the zucchini turns, and the summer onslaught begins, something yummy to do with them.

2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large zucchini, thinly sliced in rounds
2 large garlic cloves
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley or basil, or both
1 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1/2 cup crumbled feta

In a 12 inch skillet, heat oil on low. Slowly saute zucchini and garlic with a little salt until golden and slightly carmelized, about 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix in parsley or basil, cilantro and feta.

Why did that take so long part2: Immersion Blender.

2008-06-21T15:35:00.004-04:00

I met a new foodie friend, and when I told her, "OK, you have to get a pressure cooker, really it will change your life" She said to me, "OK, but do you have an immersion blender? No? Well you have to get one, because it will change you life." In Part 2 of, Why Did That Take So Long? Scott and Linda get an immersion blender. The immersion blender is one of those hand-held "stalk" blenders that look a little like the paint mixer that professional painters use. So far we've discovered three main uses, and they are big.

1) Many soups need to be blended or pureed at the end. Often the recipe says, puree in batches in a blender or food processor. We've done this several times, and after a while we just gave up unless the recipe looked too good to pass up. The problem is that you're ladling hot soup into the food processor, which doesn't hold that much before the soup goes above the blade shaft and starts to ooze out underneath the bowl. There are always spills and it takes many batches to get a good Puree. The Blender holds more and doesn't ooze, but instead, it can blow the lid off and spew hot soup (usually in some intense color) in all directions. Drum-roll..... enter the immersion blender. Right in the cooking pot you insert the blender to the bottom and turn it on. Because of the way the blades rotate, the blender pulls itself to the bottom, where it purees. If there are chunky ingredients you can slowly raise and lower the blender to get the bigger chunks. There is so much more control that you can do the thing where you puree say 1/3 or 1/2 the soup, to leave the integrity of the ingredients, while building a rich broth with the puree. Now we're talking, and a whole new set of great recipes are open to us. This post will be followed by the cooking gadget 1-2 punch "Saturday Morning Black Bean Soup" cooked in the pressure cooker, and then 1/3 pureed with the immersion blender. Awesome.

2) Vinaigrettes: Many sound great, but to get a really nice emulsification you want to blend in the food processor or blender. Overkill for just a little vinaigrette. Most immersion blenders come with a beaker shaped cup that works perfectly for making vinaigrettes and dressings/marinades. Clean-up is simple and the results are excellent.

3) Smoothies. The beaker for ours (we got the red KitchenAid pictured here) is large enough to make smoothies for two. We usually make them out of frozen fruit, yogurt, milk and sometimes some protein shake powder. The ability to raise and lower the blender blades in the tumbler makes the process much more predictable than in a blender. My only caveat is that the blades are rather thin, so if I'm going to use ice in the smoothy, I think I'll crack it a little bit, rather than smashing the blades down on an intact ice-cube.

The stalk clicks off of the motor assembly and can be dishwasher washed, or easily hand cleaned (much easier than either a food processor bowl and blade, or the blender). Ours came with a food processor bowl that is allegedly good for small batches of salsa etc and I bet that's true, we just haven't tried it.

DRI-Moment: get an immersion blender!

Cauliflower Gratin

2008-06-07T08:33:00.002-04:00

1 large cauliflower head

SAUCE
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic
2 anchovy fillets
3 green onions, white and green parts (these add color but could also use chopped leek or shallot)
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
We added Kale that had been steamed in the pressure cooker, and then thinly sliced. Excellent.

TOPPING
3/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
1 tablespoon melted butter
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1/2 cup with a Microplane ribbon grater)
Salt & pepper to taste

STEAM CAULIFLOWER: Put steamer onto boil. Trim cauliflower (remove the leaves, cut a deep V into the core and remove it) and cut into small florets (bite-size is good). Add to steamer and cover, cook about 7 minutes or until a knife inserted into a thick stem releases easily. (The cauliflower won't really 'cook' any more, just reheat, so make sure it's the texture you like.) Remove from heat and uncover to cool a bit. Transfer to a baking dish.

SAUCE: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil until shimmery on MEDIUM. Add garlic and anchovy, use a spatula to mash the anchovy into small bits, then let cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the green onion, stir well to coat with fat, cook for 2 - 3 minutes. Add the chicken broth, bring to a boil, adjust heat to create a fast simmer and cook down a bit. Add the cream and cook down a bit, watching temperature carefully to avoid scorching. Pour hot sauce over cauliflower. (Or ... combine the cauliflower and sauce in a separate large bowl before transferring to the baking dish, it might help coat the florets with sauce.)

TOPPING: Mix the topping ingredients, spread evenly over cauliflower just before serving.

BAKE: Bake at 400F for 20 - 25 minutes if done right away, while cauliflower is still hot. If baking from room temperature, I'd allow 30 - 40 minutes.

SHORTHAND RECIPE ...
CREAMY CAULIFLOWER GRATIN Steam lg cauliflower, in florets. Sauce, 1T olive oil, 1T garlic, 2 anchovies, 3 green onions; add 1c broth, cook down, 1c cream, cook down, pour over cauliflower. Top w ¾ c whole wheat crumbs, 2oz Parmesan, 1T butter, S&P. WW10=2 VV06

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT'S DUE
Food & Wine, November 2001

Crab Pepper Pot

2008-05-25T08:51:00.001-04:00

This is another excellent recipe from Cuisine at Home, a monthly recipe magazine that has simple, and very well spiced meals that are fresh and very enjoyable. Unpretentious, and one of our current favorites (which is saying something, since we tend to be snobs about this kind of thing).

1/4 lb. Bacon, diced

2 Cups Tomato, chopped

1 cup Onion, diced

1 cup Russet Potato, peeled and diced

1 T Jalapeno

1 T Garlic, minced

1/2 t. red pepper flakes

1/2 t. black pepper

1/2 dried thyme leaves

3 cups Chicken broth (we only had 2, and added 1 cup veggie broth)

4 cups fresh Spinach, chopped

1 cup canned coconut milk (missed this the first time, but was still excellent)

8 oz (2 cups) Crab Meat

Fresh Lime, Reserved Bacon, chopped Scallions

Saute diced bacon in soup pot (used large sauce pan). Remove and reserve 1T drippings

Stir in Tomatoes, Onion, Potatoes, Jalapeno, Garlic and Spices. Cook over medium heat until onion begins to soften (5 minutes).

Add Broth and bring to a boil. Simmer soup for 10 minutes.

gently stir in Spinach and Coconut Milk, simmer 3-4 minutes

Add crab meat just to heat through (stir as little as possible).

Serve with juice from a lime wedge, scallions and bacon sprinkled on top.

Scott and Linda get a pressure cooker.

2008-05-12T07:02:00.006-04:00

So why did that take so long? We invited Shilesh and Nupur over to teach us how to make Southern Indian food (more on that later, honest) and Nupur brought her pressure cooker to make the Dahl for Sahmbar. Very cool if you're a foody. The thing builds up pressure, and releases it in aloud rush. More than that, the Dahl is cooked perfectly in 10 or so minutes. Now if you've cooked Dahl (a cross between beans and lentils) before you know that it's impossible to cook it that quickly, and if you do cook it in a hurry, it is always grainy and disappointing. Not so with a pressure cooker. So we got this one (more to come).

It is a Kuhn Rikon 3.75Qt. model (Kuhn Rikon is the stylish pressure cooker that gadget geeks like me have to get, and I'm sure that just about any pressure cooker will have similar benefits. But, it is beautiful, no? (And it does not shoot loud burst of steam like Nupur's!)

The Second picture show the pressure cooker open, with a black-eyed pea recipe that we made (and cooked to perfection in 15 minutes).

Why are pressure cookers so great?
1) They use lots less energy. You bring the water up to a boil and put the lid on. The pressure builds (a little indicator in the top rises to tell you that its up to pressure) in about a minute, and then you turn the pot to the lowest setting to maintain that pressure. Now, you are in fact boiling the bejeezus out of what's inside but you have the burner set so low that it wouldn't even make a conventional pot simmer.
2) By cooking under pressure, you force the flavor into whatever you're cooking, so not only is the food done more quickly, but it is more tasty.
3) And this is counterintuitive, while you are cooking under hight heat, with pressure that forces flavor into the food, the cooking is much more gently than a full boil would be. Because of this ingredients maintain their integrity much better than they would under conventional boiling/simmering. This made a huge difference in the Back-Eyed pea recipe, where we added some Veggie-chipotle "sausage." Veggie sausages don't have a casing, so veggie sausage can just disintegrate in chilis, and other dishes that we cook by slow simmering. Not so in the pressure cooker. When we took off the lid, the beans were soft throughout, but still had a nice snap to the skin, and the veggie sausages were completely intact. Their chipotle flavor had been forced into the beans in a way that usually only happens after you've put a dish like this away over night, and reheated the following day.

Here's the DRI moment... GET A PRESSURE COOKER!!

If you are a Vegetarian or Eco Conscious, it is a no-brainer. If you eat meat, all I can say is, most of the recipes in the cookbook that comes with the cooker are for some really tasty looking chicken and beef dishes where you are either quick roasting, or making a stew. My guess is that the meat is cooked, and juicy, and absorbs the flavors just like beans and lentils.

We continue to experiment, and every time we need to boil potatoes, or beats (as we did the other night) we do it in far less time than boiling by PCing it. If you've ever wondered, just do it. I can't belive it took us this long.

Better Than Boullion

2008-04-21T07:54:00.006-04:00

Master ingredient. Better Than Boullion Organic Vegetable broth base is a master ingredient for making stocks and sauces. It is not just salt, which most bullion is. It is a smooth paste in a jar, so it can be stored in the fridge, and you can spoon out as much or as little as you want to make a sauce. A good example of this is to dissolve 1/2 teaspoon in 1/2 cup of white wine, to add to foil wrapped fish. It adds some moisture and a really nice flavor. If you've got a saute that's a little dry and not as tasty as it could be, just put a little in a tea cup with a little water, or wine, and add to the pan. We use it all the time. Get some, put it in the fridge, and add a dash here and there for flavor. It's great!

Lobster Risotto with Scallops + Shiitakes

2008-04-06T09:11:00.005-04:00

The best use so far for the lobster stock we made and froze after a big steamed lobster and clam dinner.

Risotto:
4 Cups Lobster Stock
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 half onion diced
2 cloves garlic minced
1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese
EVOO + 1-2 Tbls butter in small pats

Scallops:
10 large Sea Scallops (do I need to say fresh?)
3/4 cup thin sliced shiitake mushrooms

Sprinkle both sides of scallops with salt and pepper and let stand. While heating stock, prepare all other ingredients. Because everything comes together at the very end, you'll want everything ready-to-go.
Make Risotto. OK, so let me take you through it once, because Risotto is one of those Master recipes; and once you learn to make one version you know how to make them all (there are lots and lots of variations which is what makes it great, but the basic technique is always the same). The key is that you will saute a bunch of ingredients (onions and garlic at the least). You will keep the heat high and actually saute the rice before adding hot stock. Because the heat is relatively high, you'll need to keep things moving in the pan to keep it from scorching. I use a high edged teflon sauce pan (not a skillet) because in the end you are making rice. When you add the hots stock to the hot rice, it will boil instantly and get absorbed into the rice quickly, but you've got to keep stirring, and adding stock as it gets absorbed or boils off. As you get to the end of the stock it will stay moist longer. Once it's Al-dente, you'll take it off the heat and do the manticare step (folding in cheese and butter to give that final beautiful coating to the risotto.
1) Make sure the stock is hot/simmering
2) saute the onions and garlic in a couple of Tbps EVOO until just soft over medium high heat.
3) add the Arborio rice (this is the Risotto rice, no substitutions), and saute for a minute or two.
4) add one cup of white wine and then hot stock one ladle-full at a time as the stock gets absorbed and boils off. It will rapidly simmer/boil and be absorbed. Keep the rice moving, turning it over on itself, without mashing it.
5) Keeping the heat up to medium high/medium, keep adding ladles of stock once the rice thickens. Keep going until the stock begin to absorbed more slowly.
6) Once the rice is just tender and a nice, slightly moist consistency, remove from heat and add butter pats and cheese. Fold in the cheese and butter, and serve.

Now, for the scallops (I hope you read ahead, because you want to have these ready to go between steps 4 or five above. Heat a skillet over medium/high heat. When the risotto is beginning to slow down in absorbing the stock, add a little EVOO to the skillet, and place the scallops in, do not move them once you place then. Cook 2 to 2:30 per side depending on how think they are (less is better, because they will finish cooking on the plate). Once you turn the scallops, add the shiitakes to the pan and mix around and between the scallops. In the final 2 minutes, the risotto should be finishing and you should be doing the manticare step (Step 6 above). Plate the Scallops and Risotto leaving shiitakes in skillet and skillet on heat drizzle just a small amount of EVOO in the skillet, move Shiitakes around a few times to coat, and then deglaze with some white wine. Serves shiitakes over scallops and risotto.

Now, the DRI version.
1) Get lobster stock out of freezer.
2) make risotto with 1 cup white wine first, and then lobster stock, using Asiago cheese for the manticare (instead of the more usual parmesan)
3) Just before rice is finished, pan sear sea scallops with shiitakes, deglazing the pan at the end.

Hot and Sour Soup

2008-04-03T16:27:00.007-04:00

Hot and Sour Soup also makes a great meal in itself with the addition of peas, corn, carrots, cabbage and meaty shiitake mushrooms.

Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients

6 cups (1.4L) vegetable or chicken stock
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp (2g) gingerroot, minced
1/2 tsp (2g) black pepper + pinch white pepper
2 Tbs (30mL) tamari
4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, thinly sliced
1/2 lb (230g) firm tofu, sliced into 1/4x1-inch (0.5x2.5cm) strips
1 cup (300g) Napa cabbage, shredded
1 carrot, thinly julienned
1/3 cup (70g) frozen peas
1/3 cup canned bamboo shoots, julienned
2 Tbs (30mL) rice vinegar
1 Tbs (15mL) mirin (Chinese cooking wine)
1 Tbs (8g) cornstarch dissolved in 3 Tbsp (45mL) cold water
1 egg, well-beaten
1/2 cup (90g) green onions, chopped
1/4 cup (9g) cilantro, chopped

Directions
Bring stock to a boil over medium-high heat in a 21/2- to 3-quart (1.9 to 2.9L) saucepan. Add garlic, ginger, black pepper, and tamari. Reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

Add mushrooms, tofu, cabbage, carrots, peas and corn. Stir and let simmer 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Stir in vinegar, mirin and cornstarch mixture. Continue cooking until soup is thickened, about 1 minute.

Remove soup from heat. Slowly pour in beaten egg and stir. Garnish with green onions or cilantro and serve immediately

Leeks and Sautéed Greens

2008-03-31T19:47:00.009-04:00

Taken from a new DRI Fav. World's Healthiest Foods because leeks were the "Food of the Week." This recipe is a great tasting way of receiving the many health benefits of the super food kale. The leeks are a delicious complement, and this dish can be made very easily, so you can have it often. Adding the oil at the end gives it a rich taste without heating it, making this even healthier than most sautéed greens.
We've added WHFoods to our food blog list because they are a constant source of inspiration, they have have food of the week, and recipes throughout the week that use that ingredient. They are into whole, healthy, real food, but they're not didactic about it (like us!).

Prep and Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
1 cup sliced leeks, about 1 leek
4 cups chopped kale
1/4 cup + 1 TBS chicken or vegetable broth
3 medium cloves garlic, pressed
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and black pepper to taste
soy sauce to taste (optional)
Directions:

Heat 1 TBS broth in a 10-12 inch stainless steel skillet. Healthy (which means to sauté in broth) sliced leeks in broth over medium low heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add kale, ¼ cup broth, cover and simmer on low heat for about 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Toss with pressed garlic, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, salt and pepper.
Serves 2

Honey-Lime Dressing

2008-03-30T18:46:00.002-04:00

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh cilantro (or more to taste)
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tsp chopped jalapeño pepper (use canned for less heat)

Cilantro Salad Dressing

2008-03-30T17:59:00.000-04:00

Cilantro adds a fresh citrus flavor to this dressing. Use it over your regular side salad or drizzle on carne asada tacos for an authentic taste.

1/2 cup cilantro
1/4 cup oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
pinch of garlic powder
pinch of Mexican oregano
pinch cumin
salt to taste

Combine all ingredients in a blender. Blend on low speed until almost smooth.

Cha Jang Mein (Noodles with Black Bean Sauce)

2008-03-24T16:31:00.004-04:00

1/4 pound pork (or the protein of your choice)
1/4 pound raw shrimp -- optional
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 tablespoon chopped ginger
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 medium onions -- chopped
2 medium zucchini -- chopped
3/4 cup oyster, shiitake, or straw mushrooms -- chopped
1 cup cha jang (black bean paste, not sauce!)*
oil or shortening
1 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon water
fresh chinese noodles -- cooked

*Look for this at a Chinese or a Korean Market. No substitutes!
1. Cut the pork into small pieces. Mariate in soy sauce, rice wine, ginger, and garlic. Set aside. If using shrimp, shell, devein and salt lightly. Set aside.

2. In a wok, over high heat, stir fry the onion and zucchini. Depending on the size of the wok, you might have to do it in batches. Remove and set aside.

3. Heat the shortening or oil in the wok. The amount varies, depending upon the amount of the black bean paste, but don't be too stingy with the oil. Dump the paste in the wok, stirring quickly to avoid burning. Stir for approximately 2 -3 minutes.

4. Add the pork and stir fry till it is cooked, approximately 1 - 2 minutes.

Add the vegetables and mix.
5. Add the chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
6. Add the shrimp, if using, and mix.
7. Mix the corn starch and water. Add it to the wok and stir til thickened and bubbly..
8. Serve immediately over cooked noodles.

Salade Nicoise

2008-03-22T19:10:00.002-04:00

From Epicurious, scaled down in volume. (This recipe need to be DRI-ized, that is, simplified to keep the best aspects and to forget the fussing, we'll do that shortly). This salad was inspired by a classic Salade Niçoise with its fresh anchovies, potatoes and green beans, and one offered to me by Alice Waters, owner of Chez Panisse, who comes to France every year to avail herself of, among other things, the fine green beans of summer.
Serves 4-5
Susan Herrmann Loomis

For the vinaigrette:
1 1/2 tablespoons best quality cider vinegar
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 medium new white onion, sliced paper-thin
1 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups flat-leaf parsley leaves, loosely packed
1/4 cup mixture of tarragon and fresh chervil leaves, loosely packed
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

For the Salad:
1 pounds fresh tuna
1/2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, for rubbing on the tuna
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
10 anchovy fillets (preferably packed in oil)
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed
1/2 pound yellow beans, trimmed
1 pounds of tiny new potatoes, scrubbed
1/4 each red and yellow bell peppers, cut in thin (1/4-inch) strips
3 medium red and yellow tomatoes, stemmed and quartered
3 farm eggs, hard-cooked and peeled
1/2 cup nicoise olives
Sprigs of parsley and chervil, for garnish

Make the vinaigrette:
In a large bowl make the vinaigrette by whisking together the vinegar and the mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil in a thin stream to emulsify the mixture. Stir in the garlic and the onions.
Mince the parsley and add it, with the tarragon and chervil, to the dressing, mixing well. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Make the Salad:
Rinse the tuna, pat it dry and refrigerate it until just before cooking.

Build a small fire in a barbecue.
When the coals are red and dusted with ash, spread them out, and lay the rosemary atop them. Set the grill atop the coals. Rub the tuna on all sides lightly with olive oil, and place on the grill. Cover the grill, leaving the vents open, so the tuna grills and smokes at the same time. Grill until the tuna is lightly golden and almost cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Carefully turn the tuna and cook until it is golden on the other side and opaque through, an additional 5 to 7 minutes. The cooking time will vary depending on the heat of the fire, so check it carefully. Transfer the tuna to a plate, season it lightly all over with salt and pepper, and let it cool to room temperature. When it is cool enough to handle, carefully remove the skin and any bones. Drizzle it on both sides with about 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, then reserve at room temperature.
Drain the anchovies of oil and pat them dry.

Steam until beans are tender firm, about 6 minutes. Remove from the steamer and let cool on a wire rack covered with a cotton tea towel.

Transfer one-third of the dressing to a medium sized bowl.
Bring a medium-sized pot of salted water to a boil, and add the potatoes.
Cook just until they are tender through, about 15 minutes. Drain. If you want to peel them, do so as soon as they are cool enough to handle. Add them, still warm, to the one-third of the vinaigrette. Toss, and reserve.

To assemble the salad, just before serving toss the beans and the peppers with enough vinaigrette to fully moisten them, and arrange them in the center of a serving platter.
Top them with the anchovy fillets, arranging them attractively on top. Quarter the eggs, and place them, with the tomatoes, around the beans and peppers. Drizzle them with 2 to 3 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
Place the potatoes on another platter.
Break the tuna apart into large pieces, and arrange the pieces attractively atop the potatoes. Sprinkle with the olives. Drizzle with any remaining vinaigrette, and garnish with several sprigs of parsley and chervil. Serve immediately.

Roasted Whole Branzini

2008-03-15T15:36:00.003-04:00

Keep the head on, and the tail on, don't scale, keeps heat in better.
Clean cavity, pat dry, fill with mixed fresh herbs (thyme, rosemary etc), Salt and pepper.
Drizzle lightly with Olive Oil.
Place on tray in middle rack of preheated 375 oven for 25-35 minutes (1-2 lb fish). (Can also grill wrapped in foil for 20 minutes).
Let cool slightly, run knife along top edge of fish, and using tablespoon lift fillet up and way from bones, which should largely remain attached to spine. Spoon some of herbs over fillet and serve w/lemon.

Greek Artichoke Salad

2008-03-15T09:54:00.001-04:00

Jerry Stratton
Monday, October 17, 2005

Feta cheese and lemon combine with black olives and artichokes for a very interesting salad.
Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients

1 red bell pepper
1 can black olives, pitted
1 can artichoke hearts
1/3 cup chopped onion
juice of 2 lemons
1 tblsp olive oil
1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
Steps

Chop red bell pepper into small pieces
Chop artichoke hearts into chunks
Slice black olives
Mix everything together
Feta cheese and lemon is a great start for any salad, but combining tender artichokes with black olives and red bell makes this Mediterranean-style salad stand out.

The lemon will mellow the sharpness of the onion, and develop the other flavors, if you let it sit for about half an hour before serving.

Like most good salads, this needs a good bread to accompany it.

Roasted Asparagus with Herbes de Provence

2008-03-08T18:11:00.002-05:00

From Allrecipes

INGREDIENTS:
1 bunch fresh asparagus spears, trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried Herbes de Provence
sea salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
2. Toss the asparagus with olive oil, Herbes de Provence, salt, and pepper. Spread the asparagus onto the baking sheet in a single layer.
3. Roast in preheated oven until tender and lightly browned, about 12 minutes.

Mushroom Ragu with Soft Polenta

2008-02-24T13:06:00.003-05:00

For the Ragù—
Saute:
1/4 cup shallots, sliced
1 lb. assorted mushrooms, sliced or quartered (4 cups)
2 t. olive oil

Add; Finish with:
3/4 cup tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup dry sherry or Madeira
2 t. balsamic vinegar
1 t. tomato paste
1 T. chopped fresh parsley
1 t. minced fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste

For the Polenta—
Bring to a Boil; Whisk in:
1 1/2 cup skim milk
1 1/2 cup water
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 t. ground nutmeg
Pinch of white pepper
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
3 T. light cream cheese, cubed (1 1/2 oz.)
3 T. Parmesan cheese, grated

Saute shallots for the ragù in a large saute pan coated with nonstick spray over medium heat until soft. Increase heat to high, add half the mushrooms, and saute until browned; remove from pan. Add olive oil and saute remaining mushrooms. Resist stirring them too much—the longer the contact with the pan, the better the browning.

Add tomatoes, broth, sherry, vinegar, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Finish with herbs and seasonings.

Bring milk, water, and seasonings to a boil for the polenta in a saucepan. Whisk in cornmeal; reduce heat to low and simmer 5 minutes, stirring often. Fold in cheeses before serving.

White Beans with Tomato, Basil and Parmesan

2008-02-18T16:25:00.002-05:00

1T olive oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
24oz. can white beans, drained
1 cup chopped grape tomatoes
1/4 cup fresh parsely
1 tsp. dried basil
1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

In non-stick skillet saute garlic in O.O. on medium heat, 3 minutess. Stir in beans, chopped tomatoes, parsley and basil and cook about 7 minutes or longer. Mix in parmesan just before serving. Add spinach, mushrooms or whatever else seems good at the time.

Lentil Soup

2008-02-16T13:16:00.003-05:00

A standard version, simple, and tasty. This is the way to make "that" lentil soup.

INGREDIENTS:
1 meaty ham bone or 1 large ham hock (<- yes, ham hock, no soy substitutes)
6 cups water
1 1/2 cups dried lentils
2 cups sliced carrots, about 3 to 4 medium carrots
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf
PREPARATION:
In a stock pot or large kettle, combine ham bone, water, lentils, carrots, celery, onion, salt, sugar, pepper and bay leaf. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for about 1 hour, or until lentils are tender.
Take out ham bone or hock and remove meat. Chop meat and return to lentil soup. Remove bay leaf. Lentil soup serves 6.

Tip: Keeping Mashed Potatoes Warm

2008-02-09T17:25:00.000-05:00

I love this tip, it allows me to make the mashed potatoes early, and keep them warm, without having keep such close eye so they don't scorch. It also doesn't make an extra dish to wash. You'll need two saucepans, one that will fit inside the other. Then, once you've made the mashers (in the smaller saucepan) to your preferred consistency, simply make an ad-hoc double boiler, by filling the larger saucepan with hot water, placing the smaller into it until the water comes up the sides, and bringing it to a boil, leaving the lid on the smaller pot (it have the lid off in the picture because it looks better, I put it back on later). It works great, keeping the potatoes at a nice temperature, and when you're done, just dump out the water, and put the larger saucepan back! Simple, why did it take so long to learn this one..

Earth and Sea Salad

2008-02-09T08:39:00.000-05:00

2 cups dried Arame
1 cup dried Hijiki
1/2 cup julienned Red Pepper
1/2 cup chopped Scallions
1/2 cup julienned Carrots
1/2 cup Cucumbers, peele, seeded and sliced
1/2 pound teriyaki or similar marinated Tofu
1 tbsp Toasted Sesame Seeds
3/4 cup thawed frozen Corn

Dressing:
1/2 cup Soy Sauce
1/2 cup Rice Vinegar
1/2 cup Mirin
1/2 cup Sesame Oil
2 Tbsp. fresh grated Ginger

Soak the arame and hijiki for 30 minutes. Squeeze out water and pick out any foreign matter. Simmer in boiling water for 30 minutes or until tender. Meanwhile, mix Dressing and set aside. Thaw corn and chop vegetables. Cut tofu into strips. Cool seaweed and combine with vegetables, sesame seeds, tofu and dressing. Let rest 30 minutes and toss before serving.

Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Garlic & Olive Oil

2008-01-19T09:36:00.000-05:00

Stolen from WholeFoods web-page. Say what you like about WholeFoods, I feel great when I shop there! Broccoli rabe (pronounced "robb") is a non-heading variety of broccoli with long, thin leafy stalks topped with small florets. Sometimes referred to as rapini, broccoli raab, or broccoli di rape, this Italian staple will fit right at home in your holiday kitchen. Here we quickly boil and then sauté the hearty winter green in a little garlic infused olive oil, top it with sea salt and freshly ground pepper and serve with lemon wedge and optionally some grated parmesan. The taste is fresh, simple and let's the spiciness of the rabe come through. we love it, but you may want to serve with a starch that will mellow it out (like mashed potatoes).

Serves 6

2 bunches broccoli rabe
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled and minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
freshly ground black pepper
Lemon wedges
grated parmesan (optional)
sea salt, to taste
Boil several quarts of water to boiling. Remove any tough or damaged outer leaves of broccoli rabe. Peel the thick, lower stems from the broccoli rabe. Tear the broccoli rabe into large pieces. Clean the broccoli rabe in a large amount of cold water until all dirt is removed.

When water is boiling, place broccoli rabe pieces in colander and pour boiling water over them to scald. Drain the broccoli rabe well and set aside. Meanwhile, heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper. Sauté the garlic until browned. Be careful not to burn the garlic! Add the broccoli rabe to the pan and toss to coat with the garlic/pepper mixture and heat through, around 2–3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper, if desired.

Eggs With Cream, Spinach, And Country Ham

2008-01-12T21:34:00.000-05:00

Shamelessly stolen from Epicurious. We made this for brunch and it is a total hit. We used stoneware soup crocks instead of ramekins (because we don't have ramekins) and put two eggs in each (it takes a little longer to cook completely this way). You'll return again and again to this recipe since it can be assembled in advance and delivers serious flavor. The scent of ham gently permeates the eggs, whose yolks can be broken into the rest of the dish or dipped into with biscuits, while the mineral notes of the creamed spinach proclaim its freshness.

Makes 8 servings (Scott Peacock)

1/4 cup thinly sliced country ham, finely chopped
Scant 3/4 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
3/4 teaspoon finely chopped garlic
10 ounces spinach, coarse stems discarded
8 large eggs

Equipment: 8 (6-ounce) ramekins or ovenproof teacups

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.
Bring ham and cream to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, then remove from heat. Let steep, uncovered, about 10 minutes.
Cook onion in 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-low heat, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and season lightly with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add spinach, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper and cook, turning with tongs, until spinach is wilted.

Drain spinach in a colander, pressing to remove excess liquid, then coarsely chop. Divide spinach, then ham, among ramekins, spooning 1 tablespoon cream into each serving. Crack eggs into ramekins and season lightly with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 teaspoon cream over each egg. Cut remaining tablespoon butter into 8 small pieces and dot each egg with butter.

Put ramekins in a shallow baking pan and bake, rotating pan halfway through baking, until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, 15 to 20 minutes, removing from oven as cooked.

Cooks' note: The eggs in this recipe will not be fully cooked, which may be of concern if salmonella is a problem in your area. (<- I'm not sure what's up with that)

Salsa Verde

2008-01-12T17:53:00.000-05:00

>Another scarf from Beyond Salmon, where it's featured both in Helen's excellent Swordfish recipe, as well as a Bluefish Fajita recipe that we'll definitely have to make.

8 medium tomatillos, with paper-like husks removed
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 jalapeño, seeded and minced (use less if you prefer it less spicy)
1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Quarter tomatillos. In a bowl of a food processor, combine tomatillos, garlic, cilantro, jalapeño, and lime juice. Process until chopped into tiny pieces. With the food processor running, drizzle in the olive oil. Move to a bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Kale and Potato Soup (Caldo Verde)

2008-01-11T19:36:00.000-05:00

This is a great, simple, hearth and heart-warming dish that we make again and again. We tend to add a little extra kale because one bunch seems not enough, and two may be a little much, but not for us (your call).

2 Pounds maine or other large boiling potatoes
3/4 cup olive oil (just do it, it's less than originally called for)
2 bunches Kale with the thickest stems removed

Peel potatoes and slice thin. Put in soup pot w/6 Cups water and the olive oil. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer gently, stirring with a whisk occasionally to help break up the potatoes. cook until potatoes are completely dissolved lightly thickening the broth, about 45 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Wash kale thoroughly, trim out thickest stems, and shred as thinly as possible. add to the broth and simmer 2 minutes more. Serve at once with crusty bread.

Tradition allows adding a side order of grilled Portuguese sausage (and who's going to argue with tradition?).

Fresh ground white pepper?

2008-01-06T11:49:00.003-05:00

The Crab and Hearts of Palm Salad recipe calls for fresh ground white pepper. Fresh ground WHITE pepper? Of course, as a foodie we have pepper grinders with both black and green pepper. But for white pepper, which is a key ingredient in my home-fry recipe, I've always used that same old dusty can of Durkee white pepper. The 28 grams has lasted me a long time. So when this recipe called for fresh ground white pepper, and we didn't have another grinder to dedicate to a new kind of peppercorn, I just told Linda, "get me a fresh can, I must almost be out."
And then Linda came home with this. From Frontier Ppices, a bottle of organic white peppercorns, with a built-in grinder. The grinder even has two settings, fine and course. The fine is not as fine as the Durkee variety, but it's fresh and we don't have to buy a third pepper grinder. Now THAT is an excellent idea.

Hearts Of Palm Salad With Ruby Red Grapefruit And Dungeness Crab

2008-01-05T09:03:00.001-05:00

Chef Kerry Simon (celebrity fans at his showy Las Vegas restaurant, Simon Kitchen and Bar, include Kate Hudson and Lucy Liu) is bringing his simple, organic American cuisine closer to the stars with the planned opening of Simon LA at the Sofitel Hotel this month. This succulent salad provides vitamins, including A, C and folate, among others, plus some zinc from the hearts of palm and juicy ruby red grapefruit.
Makes 2 servings.
Kerry Simon
Simon Kitchen and Bar

1 cup hearts of palm, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 bunch organic watercress
6 ounces precooked Dungeness crabmeat
1 tablespoons coarsely chopped cilantro
1 tablespoons julienned basil
1 tablespoons julienned mint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground white pepper
2 ruby red grapefruit, peel and pith removed, segmented, segments cut into 4 pieces each

Dressing
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp honey
2 tsp kosher salt
Pinch freshly ground white pepper

Dressing Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl. Marinate hearts of palm in 3/4 cup dressing in another bowl for at least 1 hour. Divide watercress between 2 plates; top each pile with hearts of palm. In another bowl, mix crabmeat, herbs and 1 tsp dressing; season with salt and pepper; toss until thoroughly mixed. Divide seasoned crab between 2 plates of watercress. Top with grapefruit pieces.

This was an amazing eating experience. I had first thought that one grapefruit per salad was going to be too much. It was most certainly not. The grapefruit, greens, herbs and crab meat were a beautiful marriage.
A tip for those with OCD tendencies(and you know who you are), in addition to peeling and removing pith, take the time to remove the skin from each grapefruit segment. It is not as hard as it might sound, and is definitely worth it in providing intense grapefruit flavor. (OK, I've revealed my tendencies)
Also, Dungeness crab may be hard to find in the Northeast. I ran into a guy from Seattle who said after doing considerable research, Jonah Crab (available at Whole Foods) is the next best thing.
I can attest that it was sumptuous.

Foil Barbecued (or baked) Steelhead Trout with Wine

2008-01-01T20:58:00.000-05:00

Brother Tom caught one of these, vacuum-bagged and froze it for us to bring back from Christmas. What a wonderful gift. (Go Tom, go!)
INGREDIENTS:

2 trout, cleaned and head

removed

1 tablespoon lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped fresh

parsley

salt and pepper to taste

1/4 cup dry white wine

1/2 tsp bullion

Preheat a grill for medium-high heat. (Or heat oven to 400)

On a flat surface, lay out two sheets of aluminum foil about 18 inches long so that they overlap to make one long wide sheet. Rinse the trout and pat dry.

Lay the fish in the center of the foil about 2 inches apart. Sprinkle with white wine, and lemon juice. Season with parsley, salt and pepper.

Fold the foil up loosely around the fish and crimp the seams to seal.

Place the packet on the grill (or in the oven) and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, or until fish is cooked through. (We cooked it in a 400 oven for 15-20, and let it rest before serving)

Glazed Salmon with Dijon Mustard Sauce

2008-01-01T11:57:00.001-05:00

Taken in its entirety from BeyondSalmon.com, one of my favorite food blogs, and always to the rescue when we've got a new fish to cook.

Fish substitutions: steelhead trout, arctic char, or any pink fish

Serves 4

For the fish:
4 salmon fillets with skin (6 oz each)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp apricot preserve, honey, or maple syrup
Salt and pepper

For the sauce:
2 Tbsp plain yogurt or sour cream
2 Tbsp mayo (Hellmann's "Real" please, not low-fat)
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp cognac, whiskey, or white wine (optional)
2 Tbsp chopped mint, cilantro, parsley, or dill (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

To make salmon:

Preheat the broiler and wrap a broiler pan with aluminum foil.
Rub the salmon with salt, pepper, and olive oil on both sides. Place in the broiling pan skin side down.
If using apricot preserve try to avoid the chunks as they will burn under the broiler. Spread your preserve, honey, or maple syrup on the flesh side of salmon that’s facing up (I used the preserve, but I am sure the other sticky sweet things will work too).
Cook salmon for 6 minutes per inch of thickness for medium doneness (8 minutes for well-done). Start it under the broiler (4 inches away from the flame) and check it every couple of minutes. As soon as the top browns, turn down the oven to 400F, and move the salmon to the middle of the oven to finish cooking.
To test for doneness, separate the flakes in the thickest part of the fish with a fork and peek inside. Salmon is cooked to medium when you can separate the flakes at the surface, but get a good bit of resistance in the center of the fillet; the flesh will look very translucent. After salmon rests for 5 minutes it will flake, but still be a little translucent in the center. If you prefer your salmon well done, cook it until only a trace of translucency remains in the center. After 5 minute rest, it will be completely opaque.

To make the sauce:

While salmon is cooking and resting, make the sauce. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and mix well.
Thin out the sauce with 1-2 Tbsp of water until it’s barely thicker than heavy cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Place salmon on serving plates (if the salmon skin sticks to aluminum foil, just leave it there), pour the sauce on top and serve.

Mediterranean Roasted Green Beans with Slivered Almonds

2007-12-31T16:11:00.000-05:00

2 tablespoons vegetable broth

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/4 lbs green beans, trimmed
salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons slivered almonds

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 425*.
2. Lightly oil a baking sheet and set aside.
3. Combine the broth, lemon juice and oil in a glass measuring cup.
4. Place the beans on the prepared baking sheet and drizzle with the broth mixture.
5. Spread the beans out into a single layer.
6. Roast for 8 minutes.
7. Remove the baking sheet from the oven.
8. Season beans with the salt and the freshly ground pepper, then stir and turn over.
9. Sprinkle with the almonds.
10. Roast for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the beans are wrinkled and tender and the nuts are fragrant and browned.
11. Serve immediately.

Horseradish Cream Whip:

2007-12-31T16:07:00.000-05:00

We used this as a topping for smoked fish on crackers, it provides a light layer that will make other toppings like caviar or capers stay put. We had a lot extra, so we're going to try it as a garnish/topping for a grilled/roasted fish dish...

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

1/3 cup prepared horseradish, plus more to taste
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
freshly ground white pepper

In a bowl, using a whisk or an electric mixer set on medium speed, whip the cream until soft peaks form. Stir in the horseradish, lemon zest, and white pepper to taste. Spoon into a bowl and pass at the table.

Oysters Rockefeller

2007-11-25T16:04:00.000-05:00

A super-yummy Rockefeller, we generally go heavy on the spinach (good source of iron). 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup bread crumbs, Panko preferred
2 shallots, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh spinach
1/4 cup Pernod
Salt and pepper, to taste
Dash red pepper sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon chopped chervil or parsley
2 dozen oysters, on the half shell
Rock salt
Lemon wedges, for garnish
Melt butter in a skillet. Saute the garlic for 2 minutes to infuse the butter. Place the bread crumbs in a mixing bowl and add half the garlic butter, set aside. To the remaining garlic butter in the skillet, add shallots and spinach, cook for 3 minutes until the spinach wilts. Deglaze the pan with Pernod. Season with salt and pepper, add a dash of red pepper sauce. Allow the mixture to cook down for a few minutes. Finish off the bread crumbs by mixing in olive oil, Parmesan and chervil, season with salt and pepper. Spoon 1 heaping teaspoon of the spinach mixture on each oyster followed by a spoonful of the bread crumb mixture. Sprinkle a baking pan amply with rock salt. Arrange the oysters in the salt to steady them. Bake in a preheated 450 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes until golden. Serve with lemon wedges and red pepper sauce.

Lobster Stock & Sauce

2007-11-22T08:00:00.000-05:00

OK, So here's what I did.

1) have a bunch of people over for steamed lobsters and clams. I'll post a separate recipe for that if you don't already know how easy and fun that is. Do not throw away any of the lobster parts or clam shells.

2) sometime either beforehand, or afterward, sweat down some minced celery, carrots, onions, and add parsley at the end. Put aside.

3) Leave the steaming water in the pot, and add the aromatics from step 2. retain all discarded lobster and clam carcasses, and put back into the lobster steaming pot. I packed my lobster pot pretty much full with shells, crush down with a potato masher or similar implement. I then added water to about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the shells. Cover and simmer/steam for 30-45 minutes. Leave covered, let cool and put in fridge for next day.

4) The next morning, use tongs to get the large shell pieces out of the stock, then line a large strainer with cheese cloth, and pour the broth through. Don't pour out the very last of it, as the sand from the clams will have fallen to the bottom, and you want to discard that.

You've now got lobster stock (and plenty of it).

Later that day, I ladled several cups of the stock into a sauce pan, and decanted the rest into a smaller container for freezing (again, leave the very last bit to make sure there's no sand.

Into the sauce, add

1) one can tomato paste

2) 1 tsp paprika

3) 1/4 to 1/2 (I used 1/2) teaspoon of cayenne

4) 1/4 cup dry sherry (I've seen brandy as well, and will try that next time I have some).

5) raise heat and blend. Thicken with a rue. You can add cream as well, in which case you'll need less rue.

Done. A very nice lobster sauce, with a little spice, and slightly buttery taste. We'll try it on some things and get back (probably tortellini first).

Beets with Onion and Cumin

2007-08-09T17:27:00.001-04:00

2 tablespoons canola oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seed
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 medium beets, peeled and
quartered
2 tomatoes - peeled, seeded
and chopped
1 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
DIRECTIONS:
1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour in oil and saute onion and garlic until translucent. Mix in cumin seed and saute an additional 2 minutes. Sprinkle in flour and saute 1 minute more.
2. Stir in beets, tomatoes, water, and salt. Reduce heat to low, cover pan with lid, and allow to simmer 30 to 45 minutes, until beets are tender

Liguine with Uncooked Tomato, Arugula and Olive Sauce

2007-08-09T17:05:00.000-04:00

Can be prepared in 45 minutes or less.
1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with 1/4 teaspoon salt
4 fresh plum tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch of arugula, coarse stems discarded and the leaves washed well, spun dry, and chopped coarse (about 1 cup)
6 Kalamata or other brine-cured black olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar, or to taste
1/2 pound linguine

In a large bowl stir together the garlic paste, the tomatoes, the arugula, the olives, the oil, the vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste and let the mixture marinate for 20 minutes. In a large saucepan of boiling salted water cook the linguine for 10 minutes, or until it is al dente, drain it, and while it is still hot, toss it with the sauce. Serve the pasta warm or at room temperature.

Serves 2.

Linguine with Arugula, Pine Nuts

2007-08-09T17:01:00.001-04:00

1 pound linguine
1/2 cup olive oil
4 ounces arugula, trimmed
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted
additional freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cook linguine in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add arugula and stir until just wilted, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

3. Drain pasta and return to pot. Add arugula and toss well. Add 1 cup Parmesan and salt and pepper to taste; toss well.

4. Transfer to bowl. Sprinkle with pine nuts. Serve immediately, adding additional Parmesan, if desired.

Grilled Bluefish

2007-08-05T19:11:00.000-04:00

Taken in its entirety from the GREAT food blog beyondsalmon.blogspot.com. We put it here because we want to have it nearby. It's just that good. (We sometimes take the skin off after grilling to lower the fat content; though not always) Check out beyond salmon for great accompaniments.

Bluefish is an unappreciated fish – and that’s a shame. Grilled, it is one of New England’s culinary wonders. Since we are in the middle of a heat wave here in Boston, I decided to take advantage of the last few warm days and grill some bluefish. Don’t let unusual looking brown flesh put you off. When cooked, it turns appetizingly beige. So, why is it called “bluefish” if it starts out as brown and becomes beige? Because of its blue skin. It turns crispy and finger-licking good on the grill. Bluefish’s high fat content makes it one of the most forgiving fish to cook since it doesn’t dry out, and all those Omega-3 fatty acids are good for you. Are you convinced to stop ignoring it next time you are at the fish market? Here is the recipe.

4 bluefish fillets with skin (6-8 oz each)
Salt and pepper
1 Tbsp olive oil (plus more for brushing the grill)
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 Tbsp chopped parsley, cilantro, mint, or whatever herb you have on hand

Preheat the grill to high.
Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, and coat with 1 Tbsp of oil.
Drizzle lemon juice over the plate where you’ll put fish once it’s off the grill.
Pick up a wad of paper towel with tongs, dip it into oil, and brush the grill rack.
Place the fish on the grill skin side down and cover the grill. Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing. Turn the grill down to medium. Flip fillets onto the flesh side, cover the grill, and cook for additional 3 minutes per inch of thickness.
To test for doneness, insert a spatula under a thin edge of fillet and lift half of fillet perpendicular to the grill. If the flakes separate, the fish is done. Don’t worry if the fillet breaks. The skin will keep it together so it will still look nice when you serve it. Remove the fish off the grill keeping it skin side up to prevent it from getting soggy and place it on the prepared plate so that it can get flavored with lemon juice.
Garnish with herbs and serve.
Fish substitutions for this recipe: Striped Bass, Red Snapper, Mackerel, Halibut, or Grouper (without skin)

Chinese Style Hot and Spicy Green Beans

2007-07-22T19:05:00.000-04:00

Make these tasty green beans as spicy as you wish by adding more or less hot chili flakes. The dish is good served hot or at room temperature.

Serves 6

2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
Hot chili flakes to taste
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons thinly sliced garlic

In a small bowl whisk together the soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and chili flakes. Set aside.

Place 1/4 cup water in a large skillet and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the green beans, cover the pan, and cook until the beans are crisp tender, 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, and drain any water that remains in the pan.

Add the oil, ginger and garlic to the beans in the skillet and cook over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the beans are lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Do not let the garlic burn. Add the soy mixture to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens and glazes the beans, about 2 minutes.

Transfer to a platter and serve the beans hot or at room temperature.

Scalloped Kohlrabi

2007-07-20T08:50:00.001-04:00

ingredients
175 g (6 oz) onion, skinned and thinly sliced
3 Tbsp (40 g) butter
2 lb (900 g) kohlrabi
7 fl oz (200 ml) milk
salt and freshly ground pepper
chopped fresh parsley to garnish

method
1. Soften the onion in 25 g (1 oz) butter in a covered pan.
2. Thickly peel the kohlrabi to remove all the woody outer layer. Slice thinly and layer with the onions and seasoning in a 1.7 litre (3 pint) lightly buttered shallow ovenproof dish, topping with a neat layer of kohlrabi.
3. Pour over the milk and dot with remaining butter. Place on a baking tray and cook in the oven at 200°C (400f) mark 6 for about 1 1/2 hours, until tender.
4. Garnish with chopped parsley for serving.

Kohlrabi in Cream Dill Sauce

2007-07-20T08:44:00.000-04:00

350 g (12 oz) kohlrabi
8 oz (225 g) carrots
2 tbsp (25 g) 1 oz butter
1 chicken stock cube
2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) dried dill
2/3 cup (150 ml) 1/4 pt fresh single cream
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 level tbsp (15 ml) cornflour

method
1. Thickly peel the kohlrabi to remove all the woody outer layer. Slice thinly and cook with the carrots, butter, 300 ml (1/2 pint) water and stock cube for about 10 minutes, until tender.

2. Blend the cornflour with very little cold water and strain in the vegetable liquid, stirring.

3. Return to the boil, stir in the dill and the fresh cream, then adjust seasoning. Bring almost to the boil and pour over the vegetables.

serving amount
serves 4

Kohlrabi With Anchovies

2007-07-20T08:34:00.000-04:00

1 kg (2 1/4 lb) kohlrabi
6 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 anchovy fillets in oil, drain
90 g (3 oz) 1/2 cup dried fine breadcrumbs
4 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper

method
1. Bring a large saucepan of salted water to the boil.
2. Peel the kohlrabi and slice thinly.
3. Cook in the water for about 5 minutes and then drain.
4. Place the oil in a saucepan over a low heat.
5. Add the anchovies with the oil, breadcrumbs and the garlic, and saute for about 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
6. Reserve half the mixture and then add the kohlrabi to the pan.
7. Add a little water, cover and cook for 5 minutes more, until tender.
8. Add the pepper, arrange on a platter, cover with the remaining breadcrumb mixture and serve immediately.

Bluefish with a Mustard Crust

2007-06-23T19:54:00.000-04:00

OK, so no picture of a bluefish plate, but this guy seems proud to have caught one...

4 x bluefish - (8 oz ea)
(or mackerel or salmon fillets)
Salt to taste
Freshly-ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup Atkins Bread Crumbs
1 tsp dried marjoram
4 tbl melted butter

Method :
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with butter; set aside. Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper to taste. Spread mustard over both sides of fish fillets.
Combine bread crumbs and marjoram in a shallow plate. Press fish into seasoned bread crumbs. Arrange fish in a single layer in prepared dish. Drizzle with melted butter; bake 10 to 15 minutes (ours took at least 20, but its worth checking early), until fish is cooked through and bread crumbs are crispy and browned.

Pasta with Prosciutto and English Peas

2007-06-11T08:14:00.000-04:00

From Fresh Approach Cooking
This is classic DRI. Easy, flexible, and so good you HAVE to make it.

1 pound wide spaghetti (we used bow-ties)
1/3 cup whipping cream
2 teaspoons unsalted butter
1 cup shelled fresh peas, blanched
4 ounces thinly sliced Prosciutto, chopped (we used cooked bacon)
Zest of one lemon, plus juice of half the lemon
¼ cup ricotta salata cheese, grated (we used parmesan)
we added 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes chopped small

Grated Parmesan for topping

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite. Drain; reserve 3/4 cup pasta cooking liquid.

Simmer cream, butter and lemon peel (not the juice, the juice will make it curdle) in heavy large skillet over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 1 minute.

Stir in Prosciutto (and sun-dried tomatoes) and let heat through, about 1 minute. Add pasta and cheese and toss to coat, adding enough pasta cooking liquid to moisten if needed.

Season to taste with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

Garnish with peas.

Serves two

New England Fish Chowder

2007-06-09T16:10:00.000-04:00

From Epicureus: To me, this is the most authentic and most important recipe in this book. It is the gold standard for chowder: a hearty main course with deep flavors, luxurious texture, and generous chunks of fish, onion, and potato. New England Fish Chowder is easy to make, uses simple ingredients, and doesn’t require you to be fussy or exact. After making this chowder a few times, you will begin to understand the Zen of chowder.

ingredients
4 ounces meaty salt pork, rind removed and cut into 1/3-inch dice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium onions (14 ounces), cut into 3/4-inch dice
6 to 8 sprigs fresh summer savory or thyme, leaves removed and chopped (1 tablespoon)
2 dried bay leaves
2 pounds Yukon Gold, Maine, PEI, or other all-purpose potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/3-inch thick
5 cups Strong Fish Stock, Traditional Fish Stock, Chicken Stock, or water (as a last resort)
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds skinless haddock or cod fillets, preferably over 1 inch thick, pinbones removed
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or up to 2 cups if desired)
For garnish
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
preparation
1. Heat a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over low heat and add the diced salt pork. Once it has rendered a few tablespoons of fat, increase the heat to medium and cook until the pork is a crisp golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cracklings to a small ovenproof dish, leaving the fat in the pot, and reserve until later.
2. Add the butter, onions, savory or thyme, and bay leaves to the pot and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 8 minutes, until the onions and softened but not browned.
3. Add the potatoes and stock. If the stock doesn’#over the potatoes, add just enough water to cover them. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil, cover, and cook the potatoes vigorously for about 10 minutes, until they are soft on the outside but still firm in the center. If the stock hasn’4hickened lightly, smash a few of the potato slices against the side of the pot and cook for a minute or two longer to release their starch. Reduce the heat to low and season assertively with salt and pepper (you want to almost overseason the chowder at this point to avoid having to stir it much once the fish is added). Add the fish fillets and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, then remove the pot from the heat and allow the chowder to sit for 10 minutes (the fish will finish cooking during this time).
4. Gently stir in the cream and taste for salt and pepper. If you are not serving the chowder within the hour, let it cool a bit, then refrigerate; cover the chowder after it has chilled completely. Otherwise, let it sit for up to an hour at room temperature, allowing the flavors to meld.
5. When ready to serve, reheat the chowder over low heat; don’,et it boil. Warm the cracklings in a low oven (200 °F) for a few minutes.
6. Use a slotted spoon to mound the chunks of fish, the onions, and potatoes in the center of large soup plates or shallow bowls, and ladle the creamy broth around. Scatter the cracklings over the individual servings and finish each with a sprinkling of chopped parsley and minced chives.
Cook's Notes
Cod and haddock are very similar, but large haddock is just a little firmer and doesn’t break up quite as much as cod, making it easier to produce a chowder with large chunks of fish. But even more important than the type of fish is the way you prepare it. Both cod and haddock, and their cousins pollack and hake, all flake apart naturally. Therefore, it isn’t necessary to cut them into pieces. Simply add the whole fillets to the chowder, cook it a few minutes longer, and remove it from the heat, without stirring it again. When you reheat the chowder, the fillets will break into lovely big chunks of tender white fish. Most fish can be used for New England Fish Chowder, but if the fish you choose is not native to New England, then your chowder should be called "New England style." Depending on their tendency to break up naturally, some fish need to be cut into pieces.
Strong Fish Stock made with the heads and bones from the cod or haddock you buy for chowder is by far the best choice for this recipe. I urge you to make it, but if you can’t there are alternatives listed in the recipe.
For equipment, you will need a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot with a lid, a slotted spoon, a wooden spoon, and a ladle.

Sesame Noodles

2007-06-09T08:22:00.000-04:00

1/2 lb Chinese noodles; or
1/2 lb Linguine
2 ts Sesame oil
1/2 c Sesame paste
1/2 c Chicken broth
2 tb Sugar
1/2 ts Salt
1/2 ts Freshly ground pepper
1 ts Freshly grated ginger
1/2 ts Freshly minced garlic
2 ts Rich wine vinegar
1/2 c Fresh bean sprouts
1/4 c Finely minced cucumber
1 tb Chopped chives

Cook noodles until al dente. Rinse in cold water, drain well, and toss with sesame oil. In another bowl, mix sesame paste, chicken broth, sugar, salt, pepper, ginger, garlic, and vinegar using a wire whisk. Add noodles (once cool) and bean sprouts to above mixture and blend well. Taste. Adjust seasoning if desired.
Place noodles in glass bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for two hours. Remove from refrigerator, divide onto small plates, top with cucumber and chives. Makes four small servings.

Sauteed Chicken Livers

2007-05-19T18:52:00.001-04:00

1 pound chicken livers, cut into bit size pieces
3 tablespoons butter, or margarine, melted
1/2 pound mushrooms, fresh, sliced
1/2 cup onion, sliced
1 teaspoon flour, all-purpose
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 1/2 ounces tomatoes, undrained
1/2 cup wine, dry white
2 teaspoons parsley, fresh, chopped
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1 rice, hot cooked

Directions:

Saute chicken livers in butter 5 minutes or until brown.

Remove livers, and drain on paper towels, reserving drippings
in skillet. Saute mushrooms and onion in drippings until onion is golden. Stir in flour and salt. Add tomatoes, wine, parsley, and worcestershire sauce; bring
to a boil.

Reduce heat and cook 5 minutes, stirring often.

Add chicken livers; simmer 5 additional minutes.

Serve over rice.