Monday, December 28, 2015

Mashed Potatoes with Rosemary and Leeks

I don't know where I got this recipe, but it's always a crowd pleaser. I need to remember to make a double batch when cooking for my wife's family.

2 lbs potatoes, cleaned peeled and cubed
1 T chopped garlic
1 small leek mostly white, coarsely chopped
1 T chopped fresh rosemary
2 T white wine or chicken broth
4 T greek yogurt (add more to taste if necessary)
2 T non-fat milk (add more to taste if necessary)
Salt and pepper

Boil potatoes for 15-20 minutes
Place in a 300 degree oven to lightly dry them out

Heat olive oil in a saucepan and lightly brown the leeks and garlic
Add the rosemary and cook for 2 more minutes
Add wine/broth.

Using electric mixer, mix in potatoes. Slowly add yogurt and milk.

Season with salt and pepper

Adam and Maxine's Famous Latkes

This recipe is Adam and Maxine's Famous Latkes. It's really good. It seems like it would be hard but it's really not. Don't let the mixture sit too long before cooking and make sure to wring as much liquid as you can out of the potatoes and onions.

Ingredients
SERVINGS: MAKES 24

3 pounds large russet potatoes (4-6)
1 medium Vidalia, yellow, or brown onions (about 2)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup fine plain dried breadcrumbs
3 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (or more) schmaltz (chicken fat; optional)
2-4 tablespoons (or more) vegetable oil
Applesauce
Sour cream

Preparation
Preheat oven to 325°. Peel potatoes. Using the large holes of a box grater or the grater disk on a food processor, grate potatoes and onions. Transfer to a large kitchen towel. Gather ends of towel; twist over sink and squeeze firmly to wring out as much liquid as possible. Open towel; toss mixture to loosen. Gather towel; wring out once more.

Whisk eggs, breadcrumbs, salt, baking powder, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend. Add potato mixture. Using your fingers, mix until well coated. (Latke mixture should be wet and thick, not soupy.)

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with several layers of paper towels. Set a wire rack inside another large rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Heat 2 tablespoons schmaltz, if using, and 2 tablespoons oil (or 4 tablespoons oil if not using schmaltz; fat should measure about 1/8 inches) in a 12 inches nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Drop a small amount of latke mixture into pan. If the fat sizzles around the edges, it's ready. (Do not let fat smoke.)
Working in batches and adding more schmaltz and oil to skillet as needed to maintain 1/8 inches fat, drop large spoonfuls of mixture into pan, pressing gently with the back of a spoon or spatula to flatten slightly. (If mixture becomes watery between batches, mix to incorporate; do not drain.)

Cook latkes, occasionally rotating pan for even browning, until golden brown and cooked through, 2 1/2-3 minutes per side. (If small pieces of potato floating in the oil start to burn, carefully strain out.)

Transfer latkes to paper towel-lined baking sheet to drain, then transfer to prepared wire rack. Place sheet with latkes in oven to keep warm and crisp while cooking remaining latkes.
Serve warm latkes with applesauce and sour cream.

Brisket Flomberg

This recipe is from a friend, Amy Flomberg. It's simple and delicious.

1 flat cut brisket about 3 lbs.
Salt
Onion powder (or garlic powder)
6 c vegetable broth
Olive oil
1/3 c flour (tapioca starch is a good gluten free choice)
1/3 c water
Large handful of mushrooms (whole or sliced)

Add olive oil to a large pot on medium high heat. Brown the brisket.

Add salt, onion powder to taste, and vegetable broth.

Bring to a boil and then let cook at a low boil for 30 minutes, whisk flour and water together to smooth out any lumps, add to sauce. Add mushrooms.

Cook for another 3 hours or so until the brisket is tender but not falling apart.

Take the meat out, let rest about 30 minutes, then carve into slices against the grain. Meanwhile, let the sauce cook down by boiling it uncovered to a desired thickness.

Serve while wearing an apron with Abraham Lincoln riding a velociraptor.

Carrot Chickpea Salad

This recipe was in Food and Wine Charles Kelsey. I think this a really strong salad recipe. It is a nice change of pace. The chickpeas are good and the carrots add a sweetness to the flavors. Although you might think it changes the character of the salad a lot, I think this recipe can be made without the cilantro as well and it still works. If you do that you will need to add something to cut the acidity of the lemon juice. I added sugar to taste.

TOTAL TIME: 30 MIN
SERVINGS: 4

INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 cup slivered almonds
2 packed cups cilantro leaves and stems
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon sweet smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Two 15-ounce cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded

In a food processor, combine the lemon juice with the minced garlic and let stand for 15 minutes. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil. Add the almonds and toast over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Drain the toasted almonds on paper towels and let cool.

Transfer half of the almonds to the food processor. Add the cilantro, cumin, smoked paprika and cayenne pepper and pulse until chopped. Add the olive oil and process to a chunky paste. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to a large bowl. Add the chickpeas and carrots and toss. Garnish with the remaining almonds and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The carrot salad can be refrigerated overnight. Garnish with the toasted almonds just before serving.

Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges

This recipe was originally posted by Tiffany at Creme de la Crumb. This is a solid recipe. I use a caesar-salad style dressing for the dipping sauce, because it has the same strong tang that blue cheese has but I like the anchovy vibe better. I also like to serve with lemon wedges.

Recipe type: Side Dish / Appetizer
Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS
3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
optional: fresh parsley (or cilantro), ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.

Place potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. In a small bowl whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle potato wedges with the shredded cheese, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.

Place potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer with skin-sides-down. Bake for 25-35 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and dressing for dipping.

Fried Florentine Meatballs

Wow this recipe is a lot of work, but they are pretty amazeballs. Anya Von Bremzen contributed this to Food and Wine. I used ground pork instead of turkey and they were damn good.

INGREDIENTS
1 pound medium Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 pound cooked turkey, shredded or chopped
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 cup minced parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
4 large eggs, lightly beaten
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
2 cups plain breadcrumbs
Vegetable oil, for frying
Lemon wedges, for serving

In a saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and bring to a boil. Cook over high heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and let cool for 5 minutes, then mash.

In a food processor, pulse the turkey until finely chopped. Add the potatoes, cheese, parsley, garlic, nutmeg and half of the beaten eggs. Season with salt and pepper and pulse until well mixed. Scrape the mixture into a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.

On a lightly floured work surface, knead the turkey mixture into a ball. Cut the ball in half, then roll each half into a 17-inch-long rope, about 1 inch thick. Cut the ropes into 11/2-inch pieces and roll each piece into a ball.

Put the 1 cup of flour in a shallow bowl, the remaining beaten eggs in a second bowl and the breadcrumbs in a third bowl. Dredge each turkey meatball in the flour, then dip in the egg and coat with the breadcrumbs. Arrange the coated meatballs on a baking sheet.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 375°. Working in 2 batches, fry the meatballs, turning, until golden and cooked through, about 4 minutes per batch. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the meatballs to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt; serve with lemon.

Frida Kahlo's Zucchini Salad

This recipe is from Saveur magazine. I think it's a really good recipe. It was a little different than the usual zucchini recipe and the avocado added great texture. The word avocado comes from a word that means "testicles".  The last comment says the article is incorrect and explains the mistake the article makes. I don't really know if any of it is true, but it's funny to think about either way.

SERVES 6-8
Ingredients
8 tbsp. olive oil
3 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more
½ tsp. sugar
6 small zucchini, sliced
2 ripe avocados, sliced
3 oz. crumbled queso añejo or parmesan
2 tbsp. cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions

Shake 6 tbsp. olive oil, vinegar, salt, and sugar in a glass jar until emulsified; set aside. Heat 2 tbsp. olive oil in a 12" skillet over medium-high; cook zucchini until golden, 10–12 minutes. Let cool slightly and overlap on a serving platter with avocados. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with the vinaigrette; garnish with queso añejo or parmesan and cilantro.

Arroz Con Gandules

This recipe was submitted by Yasmin Hernandez to cooks.com. I went to Colombia and was inspired by the rice dishes. They have lots of wonderful rice dishes many of which have a real paella vibe to them. Since returning home I have tried several one pot rice dishes not all of them from Colombia. This one is Puerto Rican and it's very good. 

I imagine that other people have figured this out before me, but I felt some pride at substituting brown rice successfully. To use brown rice instead of white rice, cook the rice for about half the time (20-25 mins) prior to putting it in the recipe. Since you have already used the 5 cups of water for the rice, you must add at least 1 cup and up to 2 cups when you put the rice into the dish to finish cooking. 

2 1/2 cups long grain white rice
5 cups water
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons sofrito (jarred or make your own by dicing onion, bell pepper (any kind), garlic, cilantro and tomato)
1/4 cup chopped bacon
1/4 cup chopped ham or sausage
2 tablespoons spanish olives
1 can green or dry pigeon beans, drained
1 envelope sazon with annato
1/2 teaspoon ground oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
salt and black pepper to taste

Start by heating the oil in a pot at high heat, and when the oil is nice and hot, add the bacon. When the bacon is cooked but not crisp, add the ham/sausage. Once that has browned, add the Sofrito. This must stir fry all together for about 1 minute.

After that has been done add the water, then the peas, the olives, the tomato paste, and all the spices, including the envelope of sazon.

At that point, add salt and pepper to taste. Bring this up to a boil then stir in rice.

Once it has began to boil again, lower heat and stir 1 more time, then cover. Let this cook for about 30 - 40 minutes on a low heat setting, stirring occasionally (every 10 minutes) until the rice is tender. Serve.

Pork and Green Chile Stew

I went on a green chile stew binge and made a couple different recipes. This one is by Grace Parisi from Food and Wine. Again, it was very tasty, but it wasn't exactly right if you want authentic New Mexican style green chile.

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 pounds trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia, quartered lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1 pound mild green chiles, such as poblanos and Anaheims—halved lengthwise, cored and thinly sliced
3 serrano chiles, seeded and thinly sliced (keep some seeds for spicier flavor)
6-8 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
Lime wedges, warm corn tortillas and rice, for serving
oregano

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the olive oil until almost smoking. Season the pork cubes with salt and black pepper (don’t be shy) and add them to the casserole. Cook the pork over high heat, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned in spots, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, green chiles, serrano chiles and garlic and oregano. Cover and cook over high heat, stirring once or twice, until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Cover partially and simmer the stew over moderately low heat until the pork is just tender and the broth is reduced by about half, about 20 minutes.

Stir in the 1/4 cup of cilantro and season with salt and black pepper. Garnish the stew with cilantro and serve with lime wedges, corn tortillas and rice.

MAKE AHEAD The stew can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Green Chile Stew

I found this recipe at the kitchn. (No that's not a typo.) I like this recipe but my wife who is from New Mexico thought it was not as good as it could have been. She admittedly is a New Mexico green chile snob, but even so, I think she has a valid point. Nevertheless, I still think this recipe has merit and if you use real Hatch chiles, you will get good flavor. I used the Hatch/ancho (1.5 lbs. of Hatch plus 1 large dried ancho chile) combination rather than the long hot/chilaca combination.

Serves 8
1 - 1 1/2 pounds fresh green chile peppers (See Recipe Notes)
8 ounces tomatillos, husks removed
2 tablespoons bacon grease, lard, or canola oil, for browning
3 1/2 - 4 pounds pork shoulder, excess fat removed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, chopped
5 - 6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano (See Recipe Notes)
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
4 cups chicken stock, plus more as needed
3/4 pound russet, yukon gold, or white potatoes (about 3 medium potatoes)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cooked white rice or warm tortillas, for serving
Fresh cilantro sprigs, for serving

Place an oven rack a few inches from the broiler. Arrange the peppers on a sheet pan and cook, turning occasionally, until charred on all sides,15 to 20 minutes. Wrap the peppers tightly with aluminum foil in three to four bundles to steam.

While the peppers are steaming, arrange the tomatillos on the sheet pan and broil until charred, flipping once, 5 to 10 minutes. Peel and remove the skins, stems, and seeds from the peppers. Chop the peppers and tomatillos and set aside.

Heat a few tablespoons of bacon grease in a large Dutch oven over high heat until sizzling. Pat pork dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Working in three to four batches (do not crowd the pan) cook pork until browned on all sides, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a large bowl. Continue browning the remaining pork.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the onions and cook until soft and translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, oregano, and bay leaves and stir to incorporate, about 1 minute. Add cider vinegar to the pot and increase heat to high to deglaze the pan; scrape up any leftover browned bits from the bottom of the pan.

Pour in the chicken stock and reserved peppers and tomatillos. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the pork is fork-tender, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (It can also be cooked in a 325°F oven.)

Peel and dice the potatoes. Add to the stew and cook until tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Season stew with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve with cooked white rice (my preference) or warm tortillas.

This recipe gets better after one, two, and three days, so make in advance if possible.

Recipe Notes

I used a mix of long hots, chilacas, and poblano peppers, which together pack a lot of (good) heat. You could also use milder peppers such as New Mexico (Hatch) chiles and Anaheims or hotter peppers such as anchos.

Dried Mexican oregano can be found in Latin markets and well stocked grocery stores. It has a smoky flavor that dried Mediterranean oregano doesn't have.

Smashed Potatoes with Leek and Garlic

This is a great recipe by Alison Roman published at Bon Appetit. This recipe is a hit and I know this because my wife loves potatoes. If she dislikes a potato recipe, it's not good.

SERVINGS: 8

Ingredients

2½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 leeks, dark-green parts discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 green garlic bulbs, white and pale-green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation
ACTIVE: 1 HRS
TOTAL: 1 HRS 15 MIN

Steam potatoes in a steamer basket in a covered pot filled with 2" water until tender, 15–20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate; let cool. Press with your hand to flatten until skins split and some flesh is exposed (a few may fall apart).

Heat half of ⅓ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes start to brown, 8–10 minutes. Add half of leeks and garlic; cook, tossing, until potatoes are brown and crisp and leeks are golden and soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining oil, potatoes, leeks, and garlic.

Add lemon zest and juice to potatoes and toss well; season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with more oil.


Gnocchi

I have tried this recipe with gluten free flour two times now and both times have been less than amazing. I have a good gluten free flour mix that I have used for ravioli but it's just not the same. The second try, I added 1 T xanthan gum per 1 c of flour and it still doesn't work. The gluten free flour doesn't hold together well enough, it doesn't have enough elasticity, and the potatoes overwhelm the texture.

16 russet potatoes
eggs
flour

Roast peeled potatoes at 450F for 1 hour.
Cut the potatoes in half and rest until they stop steaming.
Using a potato ricer, mash the potatoes and let cool for a bit.
Add 2 egg yolks for 1 pound of potatoes.
Add just under half a cup of sieved flour (depends on the potatoes).
Gently work the dough until it comes together and stops sticking to the work surface. (Be careful not to overwork it).
Roll and cut the dough to desired size gnocchi.
Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface plus 20 seconds.
Heat olive oil in a pan and pan fry the gnocchi until they have nice crisp burn marks. (Use flavored oil or add garlic if desired.)

Cucumbers with Scallion Chili Oil

I really like this recipe from Chris Morocco and published at Bon Appetite. In my opinion, the resting with the salt is really the important step. I think cutting them works just as well if you don't want to get a rolling pin dirty just for a quick salad. ;)

SERVINGS: 4

Ingredients

1 pound Persian or English hothouse cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL: 20 MIN

Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl and toss with scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Drizzle with chili oil.


Sunday, June 28, 2015

Linguine with Green Olives and Breadcrumbs

This recipe is from Chris Morocco printed in Bon Appetit. It's a nice Sicilian-style pasta dish. It has a good mix of textures - from the crispy breadcrumbs to the smooth garlic and anchovy to the chunky capers and meaty olives.

SERVINGS: 4
ACTIVE: 30 MIN TOTAL: 30 MIN

Ingredients

1 tablespoon plus ½ cup olive oil
¼ cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
12 ounces linguine or other long pasta
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
1 small garlic clove
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
½ cup chopped fresh basil
1 cup green olives, pitted, halved
3 tablespoons drained capers
½ ounce Parmesan, finely grated (about ½ cup), plus more for serving
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Preparation

Heat 1 Tbsp. oil in a medium skillet over medium and cook panko, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; transfer to paper towels to drain and toss with dill and lemon zest.

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain, reserving ½ cup pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, mash anchovies and garlic to a paste on a cutting board with the side of a chef’s knife. Combine with parsley, basil, and half of olives and capers in a large bowl. Chop remaining olives and capers and add to bowl, along with remaining ½ cup oil. Mix well; season sauce with salt and pepper.

Add pasta and ¼ cup reserved pasta cooking liquid to sauce. Toss, adding Parmesan a bit at a time, along with more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until sauce coats pasta. Add lemon juice; season with salt and pepper.

Serve pasta topped with panko and more Parmesan.

Do Ahead: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly against surface, and chill.


Whole Roasted Radishes

This recipe comes from PureWow. I have always thought radishes were ok. They were the backup to eat from raw vegetable plates when nothing else was available. But lately I have enjoyed them in a variety of ways. Roasting has become my favorite.

Ingredients
2 bunches radishes, ends and tops trimmed
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1½ teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the radishes with the olive oil and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper and toss to combine.
3. Roast until the radishes are tender and browning at the edges, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve warm.


Gently Smashed Cucumber Salad

This recipe comes by way of Bon Appetite. You can use a knife too if you want, although hitting the cucumbers is kind of fun. :)

If you don't have or want to use chili oil, sprinkle some shichimi on the salad.

Ingredients
1 pound Persian or English hothouse cucumbers
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more
3 scallions, sliced
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
Chili oil (for serving)

Preparation
ACTIVE: 10 MIN TOTAL: 20 MIN

Gently smack cucumbers with a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy pot until they begin to break apart. Tear into bite-size pieces. Transfer to a colander; toss with 1 tsp. salt. Let sit 10 minutes to drain excess liquid.

Transfer cucumbers to a medium bowl and toss with scallions, rice vinegar, and sesame seeds. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt. Drizzle with chili oil.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

Sirloin Steak

I only made the steak portion of this recipe. It was excellent, but you really need to have a great cut of meat.

Hands-On Time 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Serves 4

Ingredients
3/4 pound frozen French fries
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
kosher salt and black pepper
2 tablespoons herbes de Provence
1 1/2 pound sirloin steak (1 inch thick)
2 teaspoons olive oil

Directions

Cook the French fries according to the package directions.
In a small bowl, mix together the sour cream, horseradish, and pepper.

Rub the steak with the herbes de Provence; season with ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Cook the steak in the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, 3 to 5 minutes per side for medium rare. Let rest 5 minutes, then slice against the grain.

Serve the steak with the fries and horseradish cream.

Smashed Twice Cooked Potatoes

This recipe from Bon Appetit is great. I loved the contrast of the lemon juice and crispy potatoes. I added fresh oregano. My wife is not a fan of lemon juice but she loves potatoes and she ate them because they are that good.

Ingredients
SERVINGS: 8

2½ pounds medium Yukon Gold potatoes
⅓ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 leeks, dark-green parts discarded, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 green garlic bulbs, white and pale-green parts only, or 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Preparation
ACTIVE: 1 HRS TOTAL: 1 HRS 15 MIN

Steam potatoes in a steamer basket in a covered pot filled with 2" water until tender, 15–20 minutes. Transfer potatoes to a plate; let cool. Press with your hand to flatten until skins split and some flesh is exposed (a few may fall apart).

Heat half of ⅓ cup oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add half of potatoes; season with salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally, until potatoes start to brown, 8–10 minutes. Add half of leeks and garlic; cook, tossing, until potatoes are brown and crisp and leeks are golden and soft, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl. Repeat with remaining oil, potatoes, leeks, and garlic.

Add lemon zest and juice to potatoes and toss well; season with salt and pepper. Serve drizzled with more oil.

Garlic Confit Toast

This recipe is from Bon Appetit. The fancy name is silly, but the taste is not. Garlic bread by any other name is garlic bread and as long as it is good, who cares?

Ingredients
SERVINGS: 4

1 head garlic, cloves peeled
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup grated Parmesan
2 teaspoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
1 baguette

Preparation
ACTIVE: 30 MIN TOTAL: 40 MIN

Cook garlic in butter in a small covered saucepan over medium-low heat until golden brown and very soft, 15−20 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl; let cool. 


Add Parmesan, oregano, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes to garlic and mash to a paste; season with kosher salt. 


Heat broiler. Slice baguette in half lengthwise, then crosswise. Broil, cut side down, on a foil-lined baking sheet until golden brown, about 2 minutes (watch carefully). Let cool slightly, then spread cut side with garlic paste. Broil until cheese is golden and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Slice.

Leftover Minestrone

This recipe comes from Saveur. Minestrone is just a fantastic soup and I love the ad hoc nature of this recipe. It's one of those great - "whatever is at hand" - recipes that will hold up to the test of time.

INGREDIENTS
1 cup of a combination of diced onion, carrot, celery, leek, and fennel
3 cloves garlic, sliced
½ cup olive oil
A small pinch of chile flakes
The end of a piece of cured meat or hard salami (about 5 oz.), diced
1 cup any combination parsley, thyme, marjoram, basil leaves, roughly chopped
2-3 cups any combination kale, spinach, or other greens, roughly chopped (stems and leaves, ribs, and cores, cooked or raw)
½ cup well-chopped whole tomatoes, or drained canned tomatoes
Optional: ½ to 1 cup chopped root vegetables (if they are there and need to be cooked, or cooked and need to be eaten)
6 cups cooked beans
A Parmesan rind (about 4")
8 cups liquid, from any combination bean broth, stock, and liquid from cans of tomatoes
1 cup small pasta such as orecchiette, little tubes, or small penne
Pesto, olive tapenade, fresh ricotta, or parsley for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Cook the onion, carrot, celery, leek, fennel, and garlic in the olive oil until tender in a big pot. Add the chile flakes and any cured meat. Stir to combine. Add the herbs, greens, tomatoes, root vegetables, beans, and cheese rind, crushing the tomatoes against the side of the pot. Add liquid to cover and simmer for 45 to 60 minutes, until everything has agreed to become minestrone.

2. Just before you eat the soup, cook the pasta in a pot of salted, boiling water, only enough for the soup you're planning to eat that week, and add it to the week's soup. If you freeze minestrone, cook new pasta whenever you eat the minestrone you've frozen.

3. Garnish with pesto or olive tapenade, a big dollop of fresh ricotta, or a few leaves of parsley.

Ratatouille Tart

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. I only made the ratatouille filling, not the tart, and served it over rice. I think it's a great vegetarian meal.

PASTRY
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

RATATOUILLE
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large Japanese eggplant, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/3 inch thick
Kosher salt
Pepper
2 small red peppers, cut into 3/4-inch dice
1 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced 1/3 inch thick
One 8-ounce can crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons chopped oregano
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar

MAKE THE PASTRY In a bowl, beat the butter with the milk, sugar and egg yolk until smooth. Add the flour and beat at low speed until the dough starts to come together. Pat the dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

On a lightly floured surface, using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to a 12-inch round. Ease it into a fluted 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom; trim the overhang. Refrigerate until firm, 1 hour.

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line the dough with parchment paper and fill with pie weights. Bake for about 30 minutes, until set. Remove the weights and parchment paper and bake until golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes longer. Transfer the tart shell to a rack and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour.

MEANWHILE, MAKE THE RATATOUILLE In a large saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the onion and cook over moderate heat until softened. Add the eggplant and 3 tablespoons of the olive oil, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until starting to soften, about 3 minutes. Add the red peppers, zucchini and the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and cook until softened, 7 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and oregano and cook until the vegetables are tender and the sauce is thick, about 20 minutes. Stir in the vinegar. Season with salt and pepper and let cool.

Spoon the ratatouille into the tart shell and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The ratatouille can be refrigerated for 2 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Coq Au Vin

This fabulous recipe comes from Food and Wine. Luscious, complex, rich - the chicken falls off the bone.

INGREDIENTS
8 chicken drumsticks (2 pounds)
Kosher salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 slice of bacon, chopped (optional)
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/2 cups chopped mushrooms (3 ounces)
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
1/2 cup brandy
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 bottle dry red wine
1 cup chicken stock
2 thyme sprigs, plus chopped thyme for garnish

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and dust all over with 2 tablespoons of the flour. In a large cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, turning, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Add the bacon to the casserole and cook until crisp, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the carrot, onion, celery, mushrooms and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the brandy and cook until reduced by half, 1 minute. Stir in the tomato paste and the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour until incorporated. Add the wine, stock and thyme sprigs; bring to a boil. Return the chicken to the pot and bring to a simmer. Cover and cook over low heat, turning the chicken occasionally, until very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Simmer the sauce until thickened and reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and discard the thyme sprigs. Return the chicken to the sauce and heat through. Garnish with chopped thyme and serve.

MAKE AHEAD
The coq au vin can be refrigerated for 3 days.

Grilled Chile Chicken with Saffron Potatoes

I've been on a real grilled chicken jag lately. I've made it about 10 different ways in the last 2 months.  This recipe comes from Food and Wine. I love indian food because it's able to merge spicy and savory and cool and all sorts of different things in beautiful ways.

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 chiles de árbol
2 garlic cloves, crushed
One 1-inch piece peeled fresh ginger, chopped
One 2-inch piece peeled fresh turmeric, chopped, or 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 serrano chiles, stemmed and chopped
1/2 cup canola oil, plus more for oiling
1 1/2 cups chopped cilantro
Kosher salt
4 whole chicken legs (2 pounds)
1 pound large fingerling potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Pinch of saffron threads
Chopped mint and cilantro, and plain yogurt seasoned with salt, for serving

In a skillet, toast the coriander, cumin, fenugreek, mustard seeds and chiles de árbol over 
low heat, stirring, until very fragrant, about 5 minutes. Let cool slightly, then grind in a spice grinder.

In a blender, mince the garlic, ginger, turmeric and serranos with 1/4 cup of the oil. Add the cilantro and the remaining 
1/4 cup of oil and puree to a coarse paste. Stir in the spice mixture and 1 teaspoon of salt.

In a bowl, massage the marinade all over and under the chicken skin. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.

Light a grill or preheat a grill pan and brush with oil. Grill the chicken over medium-low heat, turning, until golden and cooked through, about 40 minutes.

In a saucepan, cover the potatoes with water and add the butter and saffron. Simmer over moderate heat until tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and season with salt.

Arrange the chicken on the potatoes on a platter and garnish with mint and cilantro. Serve with the seasoned yogurt.

MAKE AHEAD

The marinade can be refrigerated overnight.

Orecchiette with Sausage, Chickpeas, and Mint

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. It is really different than most of the pasta meals I make but I liked it a lot. The quality and flavor of the sausage is extremely important because the sausage sets the tone of the dish.

INGREDIENTS

1 pound orecchiette
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3/4 pound loose sweet Italian sausage
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 cup small mint leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Salt
Pepper
Plain yogurt, for serving

In a pot of salted boiling water, cook the orecchiette until al dente. Drain, reserving 3/4 cup of the cooking water.

Wipe out the pot and heat the olive oil in it. Add the sausage and cook over moderate heat, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon, until browned and nearly cooked through, 7 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas, orecchiette and reserved cooking water and toss over moderate heat until the pasta is hot and coated in a light sauce, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mint and lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the pasta into bowls and serve with yogurt.

Sunday, April 12, 2015

Asian Inspired Grilled Chicken

This recipe was inspired by the following recipe in Food and Wine. I didn't have any star anise so I decided to come up with my own marinade.

Ingredients

1 c tamari or soy sauce
1/2 c Asian fish sauce
1 c honey
juice of 2 limes
zest of 1/2 lime
1/4 c chipotle chili in adobo sauce
1 5" x 1" piece of ginger cut into matchsticks
5 chicken drumsticks skin on - approx 1 lb
2 chicken breasts with or without skin - approx 1 lb
4 chicken thighs skin on - approx 1 lb

Directions

Warm the tamari and fish sauce in a sauce pan. Add the honey and stir till the honey is fully mixed in. Add the lime juice, zest, and adobo. Stir to incorporate.

Let the marinade cool for a few minutes, add the ginger. Put the chicken pieces in a bowl and pour the marinade over the chicken.

Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least 6 hours or overnight. Turn the chicken pieces half way through to make sure all the chicken gets dunked in the marinade.

Grill for 40 minutes, 20 minutes each side, basting the chicken every 5 minutes with the marinade. I usually start with the skin side down. 

Indian Potato and Chickpea Soup

I got this recipe from cooking.com. It's a real nice, down to earth, hearty soup. It's easy to make and easy to eat. The popping mustard seeds are fun. It must be something about Denver, but I always have to cook soups like this longer so that the potatoes get soft. I usually substitute olive oil for the butter, but either way it tastes great.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 small serrano chili, sliced lengthwise
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, diced
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 vine-ripe tomato, diced
1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 1/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, cubed 1 inch
4 cups water
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
Directions

Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large soup pot over medium-high heat. When the foam subsides, add the mustard seeds. Heat until they pop, 30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on the age of your seeds. Add the chili, garlic and onion and cook until softening, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle in the coriander, turmeric and salt; stir for 30 seconds. Add the tomato and stir to break down, about 2 minutes. Pour in the chickpeas, potatoes and water. Bring to a boil and then simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and stir in the lime juice. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with cilantro.

Roast Chicken with Saffron and Lemons

This recipe comes from Saveur. Once again a real winner! I used more saffron because I love the stuff. I know a guy who travels to the Middle East regularly and he brings me saffron, so I am a bit extravagant with it. 

The lemon slices are the most important ingredient because they keep the chicken moist and tender. 

INGREDIENTS

1 tsp. saffron threads
2 tsp. kosher salt
¼ tsp. whole black peppercorns
1 (3½-4-lb.) chicken
6 sprigs rosemary
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Butcher's string, for tying
INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oven to 400°. Heat an 8" skillet over medium. Cook saffron until lightly toasted and fragrant, 1–2 minutes; let cool and transfer to a mortar and pestle. Add salt and peppercorns; grind into a coarse powder. Slide fingers under the skin of chicken breast to create a pocket. Rub spices over and under the skin, and inside the cavity. Place rosemary and lemon slices under the skin and inside the cavity. Tie legs together using butcher's string and tuck wings under back; roast until browned and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh reads 165°, about 1 hour. Let rest 10 minutes before carving.

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Barbacoa

This recipe is from Gimme Some Oven. Mmmm. Barbacoa tacos! As much as I liked the tacos, I had a problem with the recipe that almost ruined it. I don't have a slow cooker which turned out to be much more of an issue than I expected. I used my trusty dutch oven. So, the liquid burned off super fast and the meat almost burned. I had to add another 1 cup to save it and I should have probably even added another 1/2 c to bring the total to 2 cups of liquid. Other than that - the meat was fantastic, mildly spicy and juicy. 

PREP: 10 MIN COOK: 4 HOURS TOTAL: 4 HOURS 20 MIN

INGREDIENTS:

3 lbs chuck roast (fat trimmed), cut into 2-inch chunks
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 chipotles in adobo sauce, chopped (or more to taste)
1 small white onion, finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 bay leaves
1 Tablespoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon dried Mexican oregano (or regular oregano)
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 cup beef broth or water
DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a slow cooker. Toss gently to combine. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beef is tender and falls apart easily when shredded with a fork.

Using two forks, shred the beef into bite-sized pieces inside of the slow cooker. Toss the beef with the juices, then cover and let the barbacoa beef soak up the juices for an extra 10 minutes. Remove cover and use a pair of tongs or a slotted spoon to serve the barbacoa beef.

If not using immediately, refrigerate the barbacoa beef with its juices in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Or freeze it for up to 3 months.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

Honey Grilled Chicken with Citrus Salad

This recipe appears just a little pretentious at first - 3 specific types of oranges. Do they really taste that much different? Especially when mixed all together? I have never heard of Cara Cara. I am still not sure, but I will say that I liked the overall result. The slightly sour citrus mix was a nice counterpoint to the honey.

SERVES 4–6

INGREDIENTS

1 cup fresh orange juice
½ cup honey
3 tbsp. rosemary, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 lbs. skin on chicken, legs and thighs
1½ cups cilantro leaves and tender stems
3 tbsp. pistachios, roughly chopped
15 pitted dates, halved lengthwise
1 blood orange, peeled and sliced ¼" thick crosswise
1 navel orange, peeled and sliced ¼" thick crosswise
1 Cara Cara, peeled and sliced ¼" thick crosswise
1 red grapefruit, peeled and sliced ¼" thick crosswise
1 lime, peeled and sliced ¼" thick crosswise

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix orange juice, honey, rosemary, salt, and pepper in a bowl; add chicken and toss to combine. Marinate 30 minutes, or until ready to use. Heat a gas grill to medium. (Alternatively, heat a cast-iron grill pan over medium-high heat.) Remove chicken from marinade, and transfer to grill; cook skin-side down, flipping once, and basting occasionally with remaining sauce, until charred and cooked through, 12–15 minutes. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, and let rest for 15 minutes before serving. Meanwhile, toss cilantro, pistachios, dates, and citrus pieces; serve with chicken.

Brazilian Cheese Bread

I found this recipe at Simply Recipes. I love recipes that are naturally gluten free. This bread is great! The bread is fluffy and light and still has a very pleasant chewiness to it. They are definitely best when warm straight from the oven in my opinion. 

Ingredients

1 egg*
1/3 cup olive oil
2/3 cup milk
Scant 1 1/2 cups (170 grams) tapioca flour
1 cup scant grated cheese, your preference, though we got the best results from Mexican farmer's cheese - queso fresco
1 teaspoon of salt

Special equipment recommended

One or two mini muffin tins. Mini muffin tins are about half the size of a regular muffin pan. The muffin openings are about 1-inch deep, and 1 3/4 inch wide at the top.

If not using mini muffin tins, makes 6-9 regular size muffin cups.

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a mini-muffin tin. Put all of the ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. You may need to use a spatula to scrape down the sides of the blender so that everything gets blended well. At this point you can store the batter in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, until all puffy and just lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool on a rack for a few minutes.

Eat while warm or save to reheat later.

*It helps when baking with eggs to start with eggs at room temperature. If you don't plan ahead (that would be me, usually) you can put the egg in a bowl of warm water for a few minutes to gently take off the chill of the fridge.

Rose Water Cookies

This recipe was published in BonAppétit. They are subtle cookies and I was surprised that they didn't taste great while hot out of the oven. They needed to cool and then they were really good. The cardamom smells incredibly wonderful. It makes the whole kitchen smell sweet and like you're on vacation.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1 1/2 cups white rice flour plus more for rolling
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 large egg
1 teaspoon rose water
1 teaspoon poppy seeds

PREPARATION

Whisk cardamom and 1 1/2 cups flour in a medium bowl and set aside. Using an electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in a medium bowl until smooth. Add egg and rose water and beat to blend.

Reduce mixer to low speed; gradually mix in dry ingredients (dough will be stiff). Cover and chill at least 6 hours or overnight.

Preheat oven to 300°. Scoop level tablespoonfuls of dough and, using lightly floured hands, roll into balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2-inch apart. Using a fork or another utensil that can make a decorative pattern in dough, flatten balls to a 1/4-inch thickness. (Alternatively, flatten balls and make an indentation in the centers with your thumb.) Sprinkle cookies with poppy seeds.

Bake cookies until firm but still pale, 20–25 minutes. Transfer to wire racks; let cool.

DO AHEAD: Cookies can be baked 5 days ahead. Store airtight at room temperature.

Saturday, February 28, 2015

KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker

I recently was gifted the Ice Cream Maker attachment for my KitchenAid mixer. Well, I have to say that it's pretty darn good. I made vanilla ice cream and it was legit. I mean, really legit. I am making another batch as soon as the first is done with chocolate chips.

There are a couple things to note - KitchenAid recommends that you store the empty Ice Cream Maker bowl in the freezer. If you have a small freezer, it could be annoying. The reason is that the bowl has some amazing magic liquid in the walls of the bowl that must be frozen so that the ingredient mixture can form into ice cream while being stirred by the appliance. I don't want to know what the magic liquid is, but it does work. KitchenAid says that the bowl should sit in the freezer for at least 15 hours priors to making ice cream which is why they recommend storing it in the freezer full time.

The other unexpected part of the process was that prior to mixing, the ingredients are partially cooked and then chilled in the refrigerator overnight. It's not a quick process. If you live in a state where marijuana is legal, I'm sorry to say that no you won't be able to get high and make ice cream when you get the munchies. So plan ahead! ;)

Update June 28th -

I made strawberry ice cream. If you don't crush the strawberries (i.e. if you leave them cut in large pieces), the pieces of strawberry become red ice cubes in the ice cream. I almost broke my blender after thawing out the ice cream enough to then blend it so the strawberries could get crushed up. The ice cream is much better after that.

Kale Minestrone with Pistou

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit. The pistou, which is the French word for pesto, is optional in my opinion. It's nice, but the minestrone is excellent all by its lonesome. Definitely use the Parmesan rind.

Ingredients

Minestrone

3 sprigs oregano
3 sprigs rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 ounces pancetta (Italian bacon), chopped (optional)
1 onion, chopped
1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, thinly sliced
2 carrots, peeled, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 28-oz. can whole peeled tomatoes, drained
1 Parmesan rind (about 2 ounces; optional)
3 cups cooked cannellini beans, cooking liquid reserved if desired, or two 15-oz. cans, rinsed
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces baby Yukon Gold potatoes, scrubbed, cut into ½” pieces
½ bunch Tuscan kale, ribs and stems removed, leaves torn into 1” pieces

Pistou

2 garlic cloves
1 cup fresh basil leaves
½ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
Kosher salt

Preparation

Minestrone

Tie oregano, rosemary, and bay leaves together with kitchen twine.

Heat oil in a large heavy pot over medium. Add pancetta, if using, and cook, stirring often, until browned around the edges, about 5 minutes. Add onion, leek, carrots, celery, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with salt. Cook, stirring often, until onion is translucent and carrots are tender, 10–12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring to coat, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes.

Add tomatoes, crushing with your hands as you go, then herb bundle, Parmesan rind, if using, and 6 cups water or reserved bean cooking liquid, or a combination. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Add potatoes, reduce heat, and simmer until potatoes are tender and flavors have melded, 20–25 minutes. Add kale and beans; cook until kale is tender, about 5 minutes. Discard Parmesan rind and herb bundle.

Do Ahead: Soup can be made 2 days ahead (or 2 months if frozen). Let cool; transfer to airtight containers and chill.

Pistou

Pulse garlic and basil in a food processor until finely chopped. Transfer to a small bowl and stir in oil, Parmesan, and lemon zest; season with salt.

Serve soup topped with pistou.

Baked Beans with Slab Bacon and Breadcrumbs

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit. I like beans and bacon and my wife loves breadcrumbs so it's a win-win for everyone. Definitely use the Parmesan rind in my opinion. It adds a lot of depth of flavor.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 8

2 cups dried navy or cannellini beans, soaked overnight
2 medium onions, 1 halved, 1 thinly sliced
1 Parmesan rind (optional), plus ½ cup finely grated Parmesan
1 head garlic, halved crosswise, plus 4 cloves, finely chopped, divided
2 bay leaves
2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more
8 ounces slab bacon, cut into 2x¼” pieces
1 large shallot, thinly sliced
4 sprigs thyme plus 1 tablespoon leaves
Freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup dry white wine
1½ cups coarsely torn fresh breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation

Drain beans and place in a large heavy pot along with halved onion, Parmesan rind (if using), halved head of garlic, bay leaves, and 2 tsp. salt. Add water to cover by 2”. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer until beans are tender, 1–1½ hours.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large skillet over medium heat, turning occasionally, until brown and most of fat has rendered, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a plate with tongs or a slotted spoon.

Add thinly sliced onion, shallot, thyme sprigs, and three-fourths of chopped garlic to pan drippings in skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is starting to caramelize and is very soft, 10–15 minutes. Add wine, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is almost completely evaporated, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pluck out thyme sprigs.

Preheat oven to 400°. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Transfer beans to a large bowl and mix in bacon, onion mixture, thyme leaves, grated Parmesan, and 1½–2 cups cooking liquid (this will be most of it; mixture should be consistency of stew); season with salt and pepper. Transfer beans to a shallow 1½-qt. baking dish.

Mix breadcrumbs, oil, and remaining chopped garlic in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper. Scatter over beans; bake until liquid is thickened and bubbling and crumbs are golden brown, 45–55 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Do Ahead: Beans can be baked 5 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

Marinated Beets with Pistachios and Tarragon

This recipe comes from Bon Appétit. I like beets and if you do, I think you will like this recipe too.

Ingredients

SERVINGS: 6

1 pound baby yellow or red beets, trimmed, scrubbed
½ cup Sherry or red wine vinegar, divided
2 tablespoons plus ¼ cup olive oil
Kosher salt
1 medium shallot, finely chopped
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
¼ cup raw pistachios, chopped
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh tarragon

Preparation

Preheat oven to 425°. Combine beets, ¼ cup vinegar, 2 Tbsp. oil, and ¼ cup water in a baking dish; season with salt. Cover with foil and steam until beets are tender, 40–50 minutes. Let cool slightly. Rub off skins with paper towels; cut beets into quarters (or ½” wedges if larger).

Toss beets with shallot, thyme, remaining ¼ cup vinegar, and remaining ¼ cup oil in a large bowl; season with salt. Let sit at least 2 hours.

Toss with pistachios and tarragon just before serving.

Do Ahead: Beets can be marinated 2 days ahead. Cover and chill.

Baked Onions with Fennel Bread Crumbs

This recipe from Food and Wine did not turn out well. I think I had a long brain fart while making it. I will try again, but I cooked the onions wrong side down and they didn't come out right. I also think I cooked them too long. And finally, the fennel was strong. And I like fennel but it seemed to overpower the other flavors.

3 medium onions, peeled and halved lengthwise, root ends left intact
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
Kosher salt
½ cup chicken stock
6 bay leaves, preferably fresh
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 cup panko
1 1/2 teaspoons minced sage

Preheat the oven to 425°. Brush the onion halves with olive oil, season with salt and arrange cut side down in an ovenproof medium skillet. Add the chicken stock and scatter the bay leaves around the onions. Cover tightly with foil and bake for about 1 1/2 hours, until the onions are very tender.

Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast the fennel seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a work surface and let cool, then coarsely crush the seeds. Transfer to a small bowl, add the panko, sage and the 2 tablespoons of olive oil and toss. Season with salt.

Carefully turn the onions cut side up in the skillet. Spoon the fennel bread crumbs on top and bake for about 15 minutes longer, until the crumbs are lightly browned and crisp. Discard the bay leaves and serve the onions hot or warm.

MAKE AHEAD The baked onions can be refrigerated overnight. Let return to room temperature and top with the breadcrumbs before baking.


Mushroom Marsala Pasta Bake

smitten kitchen has become a good source of recipes in my opinion, and this one is right up there. It's easy and tastes good, and I re-purposed my cast iron chicken fryer as the pan (instead of the pasta pot) which made it even easier since I didn't have to transfer the mix to another pan for baking in the oven.

This recipe is not naturally gluten free because of the use of flour to make the gravy/sauce. However, this recipe is a perfect candidate for substitution because there are so many other things going on, that the sauce is not the main attraction and people won't notice as much if there are any differences in texture. Also, because it's such a small amount of flour and it's being used as a thickener rather than for its other properties that require the gluten protein, gluten free flour can work just as well.

If you don't like butter, you can reduce it to 1 T and make up the difference with olive oil. I used ghee because it has a nutty flavor that matches nicely with the marsala and mushrooms giving the dish an even more rustic vibe.

I think Deb from smitten kitchen is correct that Sherry and Madeira are not direct substitutes for Marsala mostly because they are sweeter. I have made this with Marsala and with a Sherry/Red wine (50-50) mix. It tastes great either way.

Prep time: 30 minutes, tops

Cook time: 30 minutes, tops

Servings: 4 really generous or 6 slightly more moderate ones
To serve a crowd: Double it in a 9×13-inch or lasagna pan

1/2 pound (8 ounces or 225 grams) pasta of you choice, such as a ziti or twisty shape
1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil
3/4 pounds (340 grams) fresh mushroom, sliced
1 small-to-medium yellow onion, halved and sliced thin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 cup (60 ml) dry marsala wine (see notes at end for more information)
3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
3 tablespoons (25 grams) all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups (355 ml) stock or broth (chicken, vegetable or mushroom)
1/2 cup (50 grams) finely grated parmesan cheese
4 ounces (115 grams) mozzarella, cut into small cubes
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Tip: Use any 3-to-4 quart stovetop-to-oven type dish

Cook the pasta: Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 1 to 2 minutes before perfect doneness. Drain and set aside.

Heat oven: To 400 degrees.

Make the sauce: Reheat your empty pasta pot over high heat. Add oil and once it is hot, add mushrooms and cook until they’ve begun to brown and glisten, but have not yet released their liquid. Reduce heat to medium-high, add onions, salt and pepper and saute together until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Marsala and cook mixture, stirring, until it has almost or fully evaporated (depending on your preference). Add butter, stir until melted. Add flour, and stir until all has been dampened and absorbed. Add stock, a very small splash at a time, stirring the whole time with a spoon. Make sure each splash has been fully mixed into the butter/flour/mushroom mixture, scraping from the bottom of the pan and all around, before adding the next splash. Repeat until all stock has been added. Let mixture simmer together for 2 minutes, stirring frequently; the sauce will thicken. Remove pan from heat.

Assemble and bake dish: If you’re cooking in an oven safe dish, add cooked pasta and stir until combined. (If you’re not cooking in an oven safe dish, transfer this mixture to a 2-quart baking dish.) Stir in half the parmesan, all of the mozzarella and two tablespoons of the parsley until evenly mixed. Sprinkle the top with remaining parmesan. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until edges of pasta are golden brown and irresistible. Sprinkle with reserved parsley and serve hot. Reheat as needed.

Fried Chicken

This recipe by Jason Weisberger is excellent. It's odd to me that I found it on boingboing.net, but I guess that's the nature of the internet nowadays. Everything is sort of everywhere. I used gluten free flour, mostly garbanzo flour and it came out amazeballs. The key really is letting the chicken break down for as long as possible in the buttermilk. 

As for frying, using a cast iron chicken fryer is a good idea. I decided to buy a used one and it really was a good decision. They are nice and deep and perfect for well, frying stuff.

With the gluten free flour, the color during cooking doesn't quite work the same as regular flour. It gets darker faster but that doesn't necessarily mean it's done. For my stove, it seemed like the pieces needed more like 7-8 minutes total cooking time, rather than 12 as is mentioned in the recipe. I used a timer and I would recommend that you do as well to make sure you get consistent cook times for all the pieces. 


Ingredients:

1.5 - 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts - cut into uniform size pieces
2 Cups buttermilk
Some Tabasco or Crystal hot sauce
Fresh ground pepper
2 Cups All purpose flour
2-3 Tbsp of Creole seasoning
Several cups of vegetable oil (I use grape seed oil exclusively now)

Creole Seasoning

2-1/2 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp salt
2 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp cayenne
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp dried thyme

The creole seasoning is Emeril Lagasse's recipe. Use teaspoons instead of tablespoons to make the perfect amount for the fried chicken.

Gear:

Gallon Ziploc freezer bag
Deep skillet or chicken fryer
Tongs
Cookie sheet
Papertowels
Cookie cooling rack

Place the chicken pieces into a ziploc freezer bag. Pour in enough buttermilk to cover the meat and then add 1 Tbsp of hot sauce and 1/2 tsp of freshly ground pepper. Squeeze as much air out of the bag as you can and seal it. Refrigerate the bag of chicken for 8 to 48 hours. Day 3 chicken is way better than Day 1.

Fill the skillet about 1/3rd with oil. Heat for approx. 7 minutes on medium to medium-high.

Mix flour and creole seasoning in a big bowl.

Dredge several pieces of chicken, getting them completely covered in breading, and then transfer them to the hot oil. Let them fry for about 12 minutes, turning once halfway through. Look for a good golden brown where maybe the tips and thin edges are just starting to blacken and then remove.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

Hot Chocolate Yum!

The recipes from smitten kitchen are typically high quality and well thought out. This recipe is no different. It makes a good cup of hot chocolate. The mix is so good that I made some extra to take with me for a ski trip. :)

1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
1 tablespoon (8 grams) cornstarch
3 ounces (85 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate, roughly chopped
1/2 cup (40 grams) cocoa powder, any kind you like
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract or the seeds from a tiny segment of fresh vanilla bean
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt or 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until powdery. Don’t have a food processor? Chop or grate the chocolate until it is as fine as you can get it, and stir it into the remaining ingredients. Mixture keeps in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 months.

To use: Heat one cup of milk (coconut, almond or others would work here too) in a saucepan over medium heat until steamy. Add 3 tablespoons hot cocoa mix. Whisk over heat for another minute or two, until it begins to simmer and mix is completely dissolved. Pour into mug, top with mini-marshmallows or a dollop of whipped cream and hide somewhere nobody will make you share or give it to someone you love.

Monday, January 19, 2015

Pikes Peak Roast

I recently bought a 1/2 cow with some friends and one of the cuts was a Pikes Peak Roast. I had no idea what that is, so I did a little searching and found the following recipe. I think it's a winner. My wife loved the gravy! And it's gluten free. :) I was surprised that there are no herbs included so I added a nice bunch of fresh thyme and a bay leaf for the cooking phase and removed the thyme when blending the sauce into the gravy. 

Also, I would hold off on adding the extra water until you have blended the gravy. That way you can add water as you like to get the desired thickness.

Pikes Peak Roast (Heel of Round)

Prep time: 20 min.
Cook time: 2 1/2 – 3 h
Total time: 3- 3 1/2 h
Yield: 6

Ingredients:

3 lbs 8 oz pikes peak roast (Heel of Round)
2 Tablespoons oil
1 onion, large, chopped
3 carrots, big, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 tomatoes, chopped
2 cups red wine
3 cups water, divided (2-1)
salt to taste
freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 325 F. 

Wash the roast and pat it dry. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat a bigger dutch oven on medium-high heat, add the oil, and brown the roast from all sides really well. Remove roast from the pot and add the onions and carrots and cook until well done and browned.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute.

Pour the red wine into the pot. Stir well to loosen all the brown bits on the bottom of the pot. Season with salt and pepper. Add 2 cups of water and the tomatoes.

Return the roast to the pot and place the pot with closed lid into the oven. Cook for about 3 hours or until the roast is very tender.

Remove pot from the oven and the roast from the pot. Add one cup of water and mix the sauce with a stick blender until well pureed. Season with salt and pepper.

Cut the roast against the grain into 3/4 inch slices. Return the slices to the pot and cover with the sauce.

Serve with some egg noodles and green salad.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Smoothie

I randomly came across this recipe and it sounded really yummy. Unfortunately, that was not the case. I think the problem was that I did not use Soy milk which is much sweeter than goat's milk so the smoothie did not have enough sweetness to balance the strong peanut butter taste. Oh well. Don't substitute. :)

1 serving:

1/2 cup of Soy Milk
2 tablespoons Peanut Butter
1 whole Banana
1/4 cup Old Fashioned Oats

Mustard and White Wine Braised Chicken

Another winner recipe from Saveur. I really like the legs, but I know some people prefer the breast meat and I think this recipe would work fine with bone-in, skin-on breasts.

INGREDIENTS

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 lb. chicken thighs and drumsticks
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
½ cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken stock
¼ cup whole grain mustard
1 tbsp. finely chopped thyme
2 tbsp. roughly chopped tarragon, for garnish

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°. Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper; working in batches, cook chicken, flipping once, until browned, about 10 minutes. Transfer chicken to a plate; set aside. Add shallots and garlic to pan, cook, stirring occasionally, until golden, 3-5 minutes. Add wine, stock, mustard, and thyme; bring to a boil. Return chicken to the pan with any juices, cover with a lid, and transfer to the oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 165°.

2. Transfer chicken to a serving platter and keep warm. Return saucepan to stove; bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until reduced by half, 8­-10 minutes. Spoon sauce over chicken; garnish with tarragon.

Friday, January 9, 2015

Perfect Steak with Roast Pepper Salsa

There are lots and lots and I mean lots of videos about cooking great steak. And over time I noticed some themes. How to use salt, how to get a good sear, etc. Lately I have noticed that people are cooking steaks slower at first in the oven, letting them rest, and then searing them at the end on high heat. This produces a very evenly cooked steak all the way through with a thin seared "crust" around the edge. I must say, this method is pretty darn good. 

4 steaks
1 T vegetable oil
1 T olive oil
1 lb. sweet mini bell peppers
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 T capers, chopped
1-1/2 t adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers in adobo
White wine
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375.

Roast peppers in the oven until they start to bubble and char.

Place the peppers in a ziplock bag or airtight container to let them steam for about 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, reduce the temperature of the oven to 275. 

Drizzle vegetable oil over the steaks. Cook steaks on a rack over a roasting pan for approx 45-60 minutes until 125 degrees.

While the steaks are cooking, peel the skins from the peppers and discard tops, seeds and skins. Sometimes cold water helps the peeling process. Don’t worry if every bit doesn’t peel.

Roughly chop the flesh of the peppers and set aside.

In a small pan, heat olive oil on medium. Cook the tomatoes until they start to break down. Add the peppers and capers and adobo. Mix well and simmer partially covered until it starts to thicken.

Season with salt and pepper. Add a splash of white wine and let simmer again for another 5 mins or so.

Once the steaks are done, let them rest up to 10-15 mins while heating a cast iron pan on high heat.

Season the steaks with salt and pepper and sear them for 1 minute per side including the edge. 

Serve the steaks immediately topped with salsa. 

Sunday, January 4, 2015

Mr. B's Gumbo Ya Ya

This recipe comes from Saveur, and as usual, I think it is excellent. Because I'm not a big fan of butter both from a taste perspective and health perspective, I have experimented with making the roux with oil. I used olive oil and gluten free flour according to the proportions (1 c oil to 1-3/4 c flour) listed in the roux article.

INGREDIENTS

1 (3 ½-lb.) whole chicken
2 medium onions (1 quartered, 1 finely chopped)
3 stalks celery (2 halved, 1 finely chopped)
2 tbsp. black peppercorns
3 bay leaves
2 medium carrots, halved
2 sprigs thyme
16 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 ½ cups flour
1 each red and green bell pepper, minced
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lb. andouille sausage, sliced
1 tbsp. Creole seasoning
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
Cooked white rice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Bring chicken, quartered onion, halved celery, peppercorns, 2 bay, carrots, thyme sprigs, and 10 cups water to a boil in an 8-qt. saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until chicken is cooked through, 35-40 minutes. Remove chicken; cool, then shred meat. Strain stock; discard solids and set aside.

2. Heat butter in an 8-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour; cook, stirring, to make a dark roux, 18-20 minutes. Add remaining chopped onion, celery, and bay, plus bell peppers, garlic, salt, and pepper; cook, stirring, until soft, 8-10 minutes. Add andouille, Creole seasoning, cayenne, dried thyme, and chile flakes; cook until fat begins to render from sausage, 3-4 minutes. Stir in 5 ½ cups of reserved stock (chill remainder for another use); bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook, stirring, until thickened, 8-10 minutes. Add chicken; cook until hot, 2 minutes more. Serve with white rice.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Chicken-Chile Soup

This recipe is from Justin Chapple via Food and Wine. 

Time to break out the frozen turkey broth from Thanksgiving! I also had to use pasilla chiles and they were great. They were spicy and added a great depth of flavor to the soup. 

I cooked the chiles, onion, and garlic by themselves for a bit and let them brown nicely. The chiles especially got good and charred before adding the coriander.

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 poblano or pasilla chiles—stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
Kosher salt
2 quarts chicken stock or low-sodium broth
4 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (1 1/4 pounds)
Two 15-ounce cans hominy, rinsed and drained

Chopped cilantro, sliced radishes and lime wedges, for garnish

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil until shimmering. Add the chiles, onion, garlic, coriander and a generous pinch of salt and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the chiles are softened, about 8 minutes. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Stir in the chicken and hominy and simmer over moderate heat for 5 minutes. Season the soup with salt. Ladle into shallow bowls, garnish with cilantro, sliced radishes and lime wedges and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The soup can be refrigerated for 2 days. Reheat gently before serving.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Rigatoni All'amatriciana

This recipe comes from Salvatore Denaro via Saveur. Simple, flavorful, mildly spicy - classic.

SERVES 6-8

INGREDIENTS
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 (12-oz.) piece pancetta, minced
1 tsp. crushed red chile flakes
1 large yellow onion, minced
Kosher salt, to taste
1 cup dry white wine
3 (16-oz.) cans whole peeled tomatoes, crushed by hand
1 lb. rigatoni
½ cup grated Pecorino Romano

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in a 6-qt. saucepan over medium; cook pancetta until browned and crisp, 10–12 minutes.
Add chile flakes, onion, and salt; cook until onion is golden, 10–12 minutes. 
Add wine; cook, stirring and scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan, until almost evaporated, 12–15 minutes. 
Add tomatoes; boil. Reduce heat to medium; cook until sauce is thickened, 45–50 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook pasta in salted boiling water until al dente, about 14 minutes. Drain pasta; stir into sauce with half the pecorino. Garnish with remaining pecorino.

Umbrian Vegetable Soup

This recipe is from Lidia Bastianich in Saveur magazine. I love a good soup on a cold winter's day, and this soup does not disappoint. The soffritto is the key to developing the flavor, but adding some Parmesan rind really helps provide depth. A soffritto is a vegetable mixture used in several Mediterranean cuisines as a base for soups and sauces. I don't really like frisée all that much so feel-free to substitute. I like escarole or broccolini.

1⁄2 cup packed basil leaves
1⁄4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
4 cloves garlic
1⁄2 medium onion, cut into chunks
8 oz. red new potatoes, cut into 1⁄2" cubes
3 stalks celery, minced
2 medium carrots, minced
2 plum tomatoes, cored and minced
Kosher salt, to taste
3 oz. spinach, trimmed and rinsed (about 2 loosely packed cups)
1 1⁄2 cups canned cannellini beans, rinsed
1 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1⁄2 small head frisée, leaves cut into bite-size pieces (about 2 cups)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmesan, for serving

1. Place half the basil, 2 tbsp. oil, parsley, garlic, and onions in the bowl of a food processor and process until slightly chunky. Heat remaining oil in an 8-qt. pot over medium-high heat and add herb–garlic mixture. Cook, stirring often, until no liquid remains, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, celery, carrots, and tomatoes. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are golden brown, about 6 minutes. Add salt, 4 cups water and a piece of Parmesan cheese rind and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender, about 20 minutes.

2. Stir in spinach, beans, peas, and frisée and cook until greens are wilted and just tender, about 10 minutes; season with salt and pepper and stir in remaining basil. To serve, ladle soup into bowls, sprinkle with Grana Padano, and drizzle with oil.

Thanksgiving Menu 2014

I know I am a little behind schedule seeing that Christmas/Hannukah/Saturnalia/Winter Solstice/Kwanza etc. has already passed by, but I wanted to post the menu from Thanksgiving to provide links to the other posts. :)


Garlic confit with goat cheese, sliced apples and crackers
Cauliflower sesame spread with crudité
Roasted artichokes with faux caesar and lemon
Mashed potatoes (garlic and leeks)
Braised vegetables
Abruzzo Vegetable Casserole
Turkey
Crème brûlée with Nutella
Carrot Cake

Turkey - Spatchcock with Anise and Orange

This recipe is from Dawn Perry in Bon Appetit. It was easy and tasted great! Everyone loved it. Be careful if you have an old oven. You may need to extend the cook time. Make sure to check the temp with an accurate thermometer and make sure the turkey passes the "look" test as well.

Ingredients
5 teaspoons aniseed
½ cup kosher salt
¼ cup finely grated orange zest, plus 4 wide strips orange zest
2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary, sprig reserved
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, sprigs reserved
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
1 12–14-lb. turkey (neck, giblets, and backbone removed and reserved)
2 medium onions, quartered
4 large carrots, peeled, halved
4 celery stalks
3 heads garlic, halved
½ cup olive oil

Preparation

Toast aniseed in a dry small skillet over medium heat, tossing occasionally, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Let cool; finely grind in a spice mill or a mortar and pestle. (Alternatively, chop with a knife.)

Finely chop salt, grated zest, sugar, chopped rosemary, thyme leaves, pepper, and 4 tsp. aniseed in a food processor.

Cut out the turkey's backbone using kitchen shears. It can be a little awkward, but good shears will cut through the ribs that join to the backbone. Place turkey, skin side down, on a cutting board. Use a knife to score down long oblong bone in the center of breast. Turn skin side up and press down on breastbone to flatten. You should hear a crack and feel the bones give way. Rub all over with salt mixture; place turkey, skin side up, on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet and chill, uncovered, 6–18 hours.

Preheat oven to 450°. Arrange onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme and rosemary sprigs in a roasting pan. Rinse turkey, pat dry, and place, skin side up, on top of vegetables; let sit at room temperature 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oil, orange zest strips, and remaining aniseed in a small saucepan until oil is sizzling, about 2 minutes; let cool slightly.

Brush turkey with oil, add ½ cup water to pan, and roast turkey 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° and continue to roast, brushing with oil every 20 minutes, until skin is deep golden brown and crisp and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 165°, about 1 hour longer. Transfer to a platter; tent with foil and let rest at least 30 minutes before carving.

Mashed Potatoes

This recipe is a mash-up of all the mashed potato recipes I have read or tried over the years. Add whole roasted garlic cloves, greek yogurt, leeks, rosemary, etc. as desired to change up the final dish. 

Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
Chicken broth
Salt and Pepper

Directions:
Cut potatoes into 1-2 inch pieces

Put potatoes. Add water until potatoes are covered. Salt the water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 15-20 minutes, or until done - a fork can easily be poked through them.

Drain the potatoes and put into a large bowl. Mash the potatoes while adding small amounts of chicken broth. Add broth until the potatoes are the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper.

Cauliflower Sesame Spread

This recipe comes from Food and Wine. It was almost the favorite of Thanksgiving this year.

1 head of cauliflower (2 pounds), halved crosswise and thinly sliced
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
Kosher salt
3 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Sesame seeds
Pita bread or chips, for serving

Preheat the oven to 450°. In a large bowl, toss the cauliflower with the oil, ginger and coriander and season with salt. Spread the cauliflower on a rimmed baking sheet and roast for about 40 minutes, stirring once or twice, until tender and lightly browned in spots. Let cool slightly.

Transfer the cauliflower to a food processor. Add the tahini and lemon juice and pulse to a chunky puree; season with salt. Add the cilantro and pulse just until incorporated. Transfer the spread to a bowl and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm with pita bread or chips.

MAKE AHEAD The sesame-cauliflower spread can be refrigerated overnight.



Garlic Confit

This is a super simple recipe from Linton Hopkins of Restaurant Eugene in Atlanta. I was very skeptical about it but it turned out to be pretty damn tasty. I used lard because I bought a 1/2 hog with some friends and we have a whole bag of pork fat that needs to get used up. If you use lard, I highly recommend that you serve the confit with green apple slices or some kind of tart/acidic fruit.

INGREDIENTS
2 cups canola oil, lard, or rendered chicken or duck fat
1 cup garlic cloves, peeled

INSTRUCTIONS
Simmer oil, lard, or fat with garlic cloves in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium-low; cook until garlic is tender, 35–40 minutes. Let cool. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 weeks.

How to Render Lard

There are a million posts on the internet but I figured why not add another just in case. Don't worry if you don't get that many cracklings.

2 1/2 pounds pastured leaf lard or hog fat
1/2 cup filtered water

With a sharp knife, trim any blood spots or remaining meat from the lard. Chop the fat into smallish pieces.

Add the chopped fat and water to a heavy bottomed stock pot and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally.

After about 45 minutes to one hour, the water will evaporate, the fat will begin to melt and the cracklings - little bits of browned fat - will begin to float to the surface. Continue to gently stir the melted fat periodically, taking care not to let it splatter.

Eventually the cracklings will sink to the bottom of the stock pot, remove the pot from the heat.

Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth and strain the melted fat, reserving the cracklings for another use (they're quite nice salted and eaten as a snack.)

Pour the melted fat into containers (glass jars are best) and allow to cool. The melted fat will be golden-brown in color, but, when cooled, will appear a creamy white.

Carrot Cake

What a great recipe! Judy Haubert posted this to Saveur magazine and it's excellent! Plus it's gluten free! OMG! I think I am going to use all exclamation points for this post! 

I did not use all the coconut and I could see making this recipe without the coconut too if you are not a coconut fan. 

INGREDIENTS

FOR THE CAKE
1 tbsp. butter, for greasing pans
4 eggs, divided and at room temperature
2 egg whites, at room temperature
½ tsp. cream of tartar
½ cup sugar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
1 ½ cups shredded carrot (4 medium)
1 20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained and squeezed dry
½ tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup chopped walnut pieces
1 cup cornstarch
½ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
¾ tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

FOR THE FILLING
8 oz. cream cheese, soft
½ cup butter, soft
1 (1 lb.) box confectioner's sugar (approximately 3 ½ cups)
½ tsp. vanilla extract
3 cups sweetened shredded coconut

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 375°F with rack in the center position. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter and line with parchment; set aside. Combine egg yolks with ⅓ cup brown sugar in a medium bowl and beat on high speed 2-3 minutes until very thick and pale in color. Fold in shredded carrot, pineapple and vanilla extract; set aside.

2. Pulse walnut pieces in a food processor until finely ground. Add cornstarch, baking soda, salt and spices; pulse to combine and set aside.

3. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl until foamy. Slowly whisk in ½ cup sugar and beat whites until stiff and glossy. Fold walnut mixture gently into whites, then fold blended whites gently into carrot mixture. Spread mixture evenly in prepared pans and bake 20–25 minutes until cakes are lightly browned and have pulled away slightly from the sides of the pans. Allow cakes to cool 30–45 minutes in the pans. Run a knife around the edges of cakes to loosen from pan, remove parchment and invert onto a wire rack.

4. Beat cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl until well-blended. Slowly beat in confectioner's sugar and vanilla. Place one cake round on stand or serving dish and spread ¾ cup of frosting evenly over surface, leaving a ½-inch border around edges. Sprinkle with ¾ cup of coconut and press lightly into the filling to set. Top with second layer, using remaining frosting to cover surface and sides of cake. Press remaining coconut evenly around sides and over top of cake. Cover and chill until ready to serve.

Crème Brûlée

After trying what seemed like a million recipes, I finally put together this one from which I have been able to get consistently excellent results. I know the straining step is a bit annoying, but it really makes a difference. The biggest reason I developed this recipe is because I have had problems with the traditional water bath method. Although, when the water bath method works, it's very good. The other issue with the water bath method is that embedding items like Nutella can be tricky because they have to cook with the cream and that doesn't always work correctly.

Makes 6 4 oz servings

6 egg yolks
2 c heavy cream
2 t vanilla or 1 t plus 1 half vanilla bean
6 T sugar
Nutella or berries (optional)

1. Whisk sugar, vanilla, and egg yolks

2. Cut vanilla bean in half and scrape out seeds into cream. Put the bean husk into the cream as well. Heat the cream in a double boiler, stirring gently until almost boiling. Discard the bean husk. Pour half the cream into the sugar/egg mixture.

3. Mix half the cream into the sugar and eggs until incorporated and then add everything back to the cream in the double boiler. Mix gently till incorporated.

4. Continue to heat the mixture until it becomes thick. Stir gently and constantly. Do not boil! As you stir and the mixture thickens - it will either look grainy or sometimes it may look a little like it’s becoming runny scrambled eggs.

5. Strain the mixture through cheesecloth and pour into ramekins. If you are using berries or Nutella, place a small amount of cream on the bottom of the ramekin and then add about 1 T of Nutella or berries. Then cover completely.

6. Chill well for at least 6 hours. Overnight is OK.

7. Sprinkle sugar over the top and torch until caramelized. Chill again until the ramekins are cool to the touch.

Pasta e Fagiole

This recipe is partly from Nella's in New York with some modifications from my mom and me. Overall, it's a great version of the classic Italian/Italian-American comfort-food soup. It keeps well for a couple days too. Oh and if by mistake you decide to use an immersion blender to blend the entire soup instead of just 3 cups - it's ok. It still tastes good. :)

1 lb dried or 30 oz canned cannellini beans
⅓ c olive oil or less
1 medium onion, finely chopped
4-8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
Red pepper
2 c chopped tomatoes, (pureed optional)
6 c chicken broth
Salt and pepper
2 bay leaves
1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1 t dried
6 large basil leaves, chopped (pureed with toms optional)
1 small piece of Parmesan rind
1-2 oz prosciutto end
Parmesan for serving
8-12 oz small pasta like ditalini - orzo is a good option for gluten free because it’s possible to get gluten free orzo.

If using dried beans, soak them in 2 quarts of water for 12 to 18 hours.
Change the water 2 times during that time. Drain.
In a large stockpot, heat the olive oil and prosciutto rind over medium heat till the prosciutto starts to brown.
Add the onions and cook for 8 minutes till soft.
Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for 4 minutes.
Add the beans, tomatoes, herbs, broth, salt, pepper, and cheese rind.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30-45 minutes. (30 mins is good for the canned beans)
Meanwhile, cook pasta.
When soup is done, discard the cheese rind, prosciutto, bay leaves, and rosemary.
Transfer 3 c to a food processor/blender and puree.
Return the pureed soup to the pot and heat through.
Serve and add pasta to each bowl. Garnish with additional grated cheese and red pepper.