Archive for Sides

Romantic Dinner for Two

January 31, 2010 · Filed under Dessert, Entrees, Sides · Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This has been a whirlwind kind of week.  We found out on Tuesday that my husband was shipping out for the Navy in early February.  We had just under two weeks to get everything in order.  Knowing that we were about to be separated for a good length of time, it was even more important to me to do something really spectacular for our anniversary. 

As of right now, I’ve got one week left with him and it absolutely kills me.  It’s going to be a whole new ball game, and I guess its impact on this blog is that I’ll no longer have anyone to use as a guinea pig.  I feel like I’m really hitting my stride right about now and I hate how my husband isn’t going to be around for it.  He has been a never-ending source of inspiration, my critic and my cheerleader and I appreciate all of it. 

So, while I think that this would be a great Valentine’s meal for anyone who is wanting to wow, it’s really just for David and it’s my way of showing him that I love him. 

Mixed Green Salad with Oranges and Fried Goat Cheese Medallions

2 cups packed mixed baby greens, washed and dried

2 oranges (satsuma preferred)

5 oz goat cheese, cut into 1/2 inch thick medallions

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup panko

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

For dressing

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tbsp grainy mustard

6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Directions

Supreme the orange by removing the top and bottom (I’m going to demo this with a lemon, but it’s the same process).

With a chef’s knife, remove the skin and pith by following the curve of the fruit.  Let the knife do the work for you (i.e., don’t saw back and forth).

Switch to a pairing knife.  Cut on either side of the pith to remove the fruit.

Repeat all the way around the fruit until the segments have all been removed.  There should not be any white left on the fruit segments.

Once orange has been supremed, cover with plastic wrap and set aside.

Next, place greens in a large bowl.  Set aside.

For goat cheese medallions

Whisk egg and milk together in a medium-sized bowl.  Pulse panko in a food processor until very finely ground.  Place panko in a different medium-sized bowl.  Place flour in yet another bowl. 

Meanwhile, heat enough vegetable oil to come 3/4 of the way up the goat cheese in a large skillet over medium-high heat. 

Coat goat cheese in flour, tapping off excess.  Next, place goat cheese in the eggwash mixture and turn to coat.  Remove from eggwash and place in panko crumbs, making sure to coat entire medallion. 

Carefully place in skillet and fry until golden brown (1-2 minutes).  Remove from skillet and place on a wire rack with a paper towel underneath.  Let drain and serve while still warm. 

For dressing

Place balsamic vinegar in a small cup.  Add mustard.  Whisk in oil in a steady stream.  Serve immediately. 

Assemble salad

Add oranges to salad greens.  Toss with dressing.  Lay warm goat cheese medallions on top and serve.

Saffron Risotto (adapted from Risotto by Pamela Sheldon Johns)

3-4 cups chicken/vegetable stock or broth

2 tbsp olive oil

1 cup Arborio Rice

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup white wine

2 pinches saffron threads

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

In a saucepan, heat stock over medium heat.  Bring to a simmer and maintain over low heat. 

In a large, heavy saucepan, heat oil.  Add garlic and saute until garlic is fragrant.  Add rice and stir to coat with oil and until a translucent dot appears in the middle, about 3 minutes.  Add wine and stir until completely absorbed.

Add the hot stock one cup at a time, stirring frequently after each addition and not adding the next until almost completely absorbed.  Reserve 1/4 cup stock and add saffron to it. 

When rice is tender to the bite but still slightly firm and looks creamy (about 20 minutes), add saffron-infused stock.  Remove from heat and stir in cheese and butter.  Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Filet Mignon with Lemon, Chive and Parsley Butter

2 5 oz filet mignons

Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Vegetable oil for brushing

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped chives

2 tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions

Remove steaks from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature.  Season heavily with salt and pepper on both sides.  Cover and set aside. 

To make compound butter, mix butter, herbs and lemon juice until well blended.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

If using a grill pan, brush lightly with oil and heat to medium-high/high (the other option is to pan sear the filets and finish them in the oven).  Lightly brush steaks on both sides with oil, as well.  Place steaks on the hottest portion of the grill pan, presentation side down in the 10 o’clock position.  When protein has loosened, rotate to the 2 o’clock position.  For rare/medium-rare, the steaks will cook for about 2 minutes per side. 

Flip steaks and repeat procedure on the other side.  When cooked to desired temperature (120-130 for rare; 130-140 for medium rare; 140-150 for medium; 150-160 for medium well; 160 + for well done), remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, place atop risotto, top with compound butter and serve immediately. 

Raspberry Cream Pavlovas (Martha Stewart Living, February 2007)

For the Pavlovas

10 oz frozen red raspberries, thawed in bag

2 large egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

Pinch of salt

For the filling

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

2 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter

Pinch of salt

For the whipped cream

1 cup heavy cream

Directions

To make pavlovas, place raspberries in a fine mesh sieve set over a medium bowl.  Let drain, reserving 2 1/2 tbsp juice.  Set juice aside. 

Press raspberries through sieve into bowl (should yield 3-4 tbsp puree).  Discard solids and reserve puree for filling.

Put egg whites, sugar and salt into the heatproof bowl of an electric mixer set over a pot of simmering water.  Whisk until sugar has dissolved (2-3 minutes).  Attach bowl to mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Add reserved raspberry juice.  Beat on medium-high until soft peaks form. 

Preheat oven to 175.  Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Using a spoon, form meringues into 3 1/4 inch rounds on baking sheet.  Use the back of a spoon to make an indentation in the center of each round.  Bake until centers are set and edges are crisp, 1 1/2-2 hours.  Let cool completely on sheet on wire rack.  Can be baked up to 2 days in advance and kept in a covered airtight container.

To make filling, whisk yolks, 3 tbsp reserved puree and sugar in a small saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 4 minutes. 

Remove from heat, whisk in butter and salt.  Transfer to a small bowl, placing plastic wrap directly on surface of curd to prevent a skin from forming.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 day.

For whipped cream, place cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment.  Whisk on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. 

Serve pavlovas topped with curd and whipped cream. 

Comments (7) »

My New Series

January 11, 2010 · Filed under Budget Bites, Entrees, Sides, Vegetarian · Tagged , , , , ,

I think that gourmet cooking tends to get a bad reputation.  People hear “gourmet” and they usually think fussy, complicated and too expensive. 

I disagree for many reasons, but the primary one being the expense involved.  I’m a student again.  That means no more income from me.  My husband isn’t exactly making bank, either.  So, financially, we’re pretty tight, especially when you figure in the cost of living is through the roof in our new town (side note:  when does a town stop being “new”?). 

From my little blog, you can see how we eat.  We’re not having steak and lobster every night, but we’re not eating Ramen, either.  I know that times are tough for everyone right now, but that doesn’t mean that you can’t eat good food.  It just means that you have to be a little more up on your game to do it.   Buying things that are on sale is kind of a no brainer, but it extends to taking a few minutes to plan your menu and pick meals with common ingredients so that you don’t have to buy a million different items.  Pick items that are in season, because a) they’ll be cheaper and b) they’ll be at their peak in terms of flavor.  To keep from having to waste money in replacing produce, don’t buy it until the day before you need it. 

So, in the spirit of proving that gourmet can be done on a budget, I’m unveiling a new series.  I’m calling it “Budget Bites:  31 Days of Gourmet Eating on the Cheap”.  The challenge:  not a single meal can exceed $20.00 for 2-4 servings.

Our first contender is this Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Blue Cheese Risotto.  I thought that this recipe was a really good, cold weather, homey kind of meal.  I made half of the recipe, since it’s just me and my husband, but I’ve calculated the price out for the original.  The reviews said that you would likely get more like 5 or 6 servings from this, so that’s even more bang for your buck. 

I’ve been informed by my mom that butternut squash is an intimidating food, and I agree.  The trick to peeling it is to blanch it first.  To do that, you need a large stock pot.  Boil water, then add your squash and boil for 5 minutes.  You don’t want to cook the squash, you just want to blister the skin so that it separates from the meat and makes it easier to peel.  Once you’ve blanched it, throw it in an ice water bath to stop the cooking.  Then, peel it.  It will also make it much much easier to cut. 

Butternut Squash, Rosemary and Blue Cheese Risotto (Bon Appetit, February 2005) 

Serves 4

7 cups (or more) low-salt chicken/vegetable broth

3 tablespoons butter

1 1/4 cups finely chopped onion

1 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded, cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch dice (about 3 cups)

2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary, divided

2 cups arborio rice (about 13 1/2 ounces)

1/2 cup dry white wine

4 cups (packed) baby spinach leaves (about 4 ounces)

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces)

Directions

Bring broth to boil in a saucepan.  Reduce heat to low. 

In a large pot, melt butter over medium heat.  Add onion and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add squash and 1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary, toss to coat with butter and continue to cook for 4 minutes. 

Add rice and stir occasionally for 2 minutes.  Add wine and simmer until absorbed, about 1 minute.

Add broth to pot and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer until risotto is creamy and rice is tender, about 18-20 minutes.  If needed, add more broth to adjust consistency. 

Stir in cream, spinach and Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.  Top with blue cheese and remaining rosemary to serve.

Grand Total:  $19.80 for 5-6 servings

Leave a comment »

Jalapenos are not my friends

December 12, 2009 · Filed under Breads, Entrees, Sides, Vegetarian

Between culinary school and my growing interest in organics and sustainability, my husband and I have been eating better.  We were never the type to consider KFC a well-rounded meal, but we were definitely guilty of resorting to pepperoni pizza here and there.  I now know that they’re pepperonis of death thanks to the nitrites and I should never eat one again.  Thank you for sucking all the joy out my life, culinary school!

I kid.  I kid. 

Well, I’m serious about the being aware of what we’re actually putting into our bodies part.  It’s important and it’s something that most people don’t do. 

Along those lines, we’ve both been keeping a food diary to see what we consume and how much.  I’m doing it because it’s part of my nutrition exam.  My husband is doing it because I was concerned that he wasn’t getting enough calories for the amount of work that he does.   It’s a tough balance because he needs so much, whereas I don’t really. 

My nutrition professor charted out my husband’s caloric intake versus his exercise level and deduced that he needed to consume more good fats and more fruits and vegetables.  He eats them, just not in enough quantity to support his level of activity.  Like most Americans, though, what he eats plenty of is protein.  In general, most Americans have no problems with protein because we eat so much meat, maybe even too much.  For us, we decided to eat meatless during the week in order to get more of the fruits and vegetables that he was lacking. 

I have to say that I haven’t really missed the meat.  Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy ribs and bacon as much as the next person (and duck…and fried chicken…and filet mignon…), but I feel better eating foods that are less processed and I feel like I’m doing right by my body.  So, in the weeks to come, you’ll likely be seeing several meatless options, like the spicy black bean soup below. 

I have to say that I loved this recipe.  It’s been so cold here and I’m a sucker for anything Tex-Mex-ish.  However, one word of caution.  Do not stand over the pot when you saute the jalapenos.  I was so careful not to touch my face after cutting them, but I didn’t even think of inhaling it.  My entire nasal passages burned for hours and it got so bad, that my nose is still bleeding a little bit.  My upper lip was pretty bad, too.  I had to swab a sugar and milk mixture all over my face and shove a paper towel dipped in it up my nose.  Really, not the best look for me. 

But, hey, the food was good.

Jalapeno Corn Muffins (adapted from Marth Stewart Living, March 2004)

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for tin, melted

3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk

2 large eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup yellow cornmeal

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon coarse salt

2 jalapenos, seeded and finely chopped

Unsalted butter, for serving

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the cups of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with melted butter, and set aside.

Whisk together buttermilk, eggs, and sour cream in a medium bowl until combined, and set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and jalapenos in a large bowl until combined.

With a rubber spatula, fold buttermilk mixture into cornmeal mixture until well combined. Fold in melted butter.

Divide batter among muffin cups, filling each three-quarters full. Bake until a cake tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let muffins cool in tin 5 minutes.

Turn out into a basket or bowl lined with a clean kitchen towel; cover to keep warm. Serve with butter.

Spicy Black Bean Soup (Gourmet, December 2008)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 medium white onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 fresh jalapeño (2 inches), seeded and minced

1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 1/4 teaspoons ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 (19-ounces) cans black beans, drained and rinsed

3 cups water

1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

Directions

Heat oil in a 4-to 5-quart heavy pot over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté onion, garlic, and jalapeño with chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until onion is beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Add beans, water, and bay leaf and simmer, covered, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened slightly, about 15 minutes.

Transfer about 2 cups soup to a blender and purée (use caution when blending hot liquids). Return to pot and reheat over medium-low heat, stirring frequently. Discard bay leaf. Season with salt.

My photos of the soup were crap, so I’ll make it again soon so that I can get a decent picture.

Comments (2) »

Food Induced Coma

November 22, 2009 · Filed under Dessert, Entrees, Sides · Tagged , , , , , , , , , ,

It’s that time of year again.  Time for me to eat myself into a stupor.  You wouldn’t think that someone my size was a big eater, but I tend to gorge myself at Thanksgiving…and I love every second of it.

I’ve only ever cooked Thanksgiving dinner once.  My husband and I lived in DC and couldn’t get home, so I made dinner for the two of us.  This year, my inlaws came up the week before and I did a big, traditional dinner.  It was ambitious, but with some planning, it’s not overwhelming. 

For this menu, make the pastry cream, raspberry puree and meringues ahead of time.  Assemble 2-3 hours before ready to serve, so that you have time to freeze it.  The turkey should ideally be brined 24 hours in advance, but I just did mine overnight and, since it was just the four of us, I only did a turkey breast.  The original recipe includes a recipe for gravy, but I left that out since I didn’t prepare it (yeah, yeah, I know).  The macaroni can be cooked and assembled the day before, just refrigerate until ready to bake.  I think that the stuffing was the only thing that couldn’t be done in advance to some degree. 

I apologize for the photos.  I forgot to take the pictures before we got into the food.

Perfect Roasted Turkey (Martha Stewart Living, November 2005)

3 cups coarse salt, plus more for seasoning

5 cups sugar

2 medium onions, coarsely chopped

2 medium leeks, white and pale-green parts only, rinsed and coarsely chopped

2 carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

2 dried bay leaves

3 sprigs fresh thyme

3 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 teaspoons whole black peppercorns, plus freshly ground pepper

1 fresh turkey breast

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted, plus 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

1/2 cup dry white wine, such as Chardonnay

Directions

Put salt, sugar, onions, leeks, carrots, celery, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, peppercorns, and 10 cups water in a large stockpot. Bring to a boil, stirring until salt and sugar have dissolved. Remove from heat; let brine cool completely.

Add turkey, breast first, to the brine. Cover; refrigerate 24 hours. Remove from brine; pat dry with paper towels. Let stand at room temperature 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees, with rack in lowest position. Stir together melted butter and wine in a medium bowl. Fold a very large piece of cheesecloth into quarters so that it is large enough to cover breast and halfway down sides of turkey. Immerse cloth in butter mixture; let soak.

Place turkey, breast side up, on a rack set in a roasting pan. Fold wing tips under turkey. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper inside turkey. Loosely fill body and neck cavities with stuffing. Tie legs together with kitchen twine. Fold neck flap under; secure with toothpicks. Rub turkey all over with softened butter; season with salt and pepper.

Remove cheesecloth from butter mixture, squeezing gently into bowl. Reserve butter mixture for brushing. Lay cheesecloth over turkey. Place turkey, legs first, in oven. Roast 30 minutes. Brush cheesecloth and exposed turkey with butter mixture. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees. Roast, brushing every 30 minutes, 2 1/2 hours more; cover with foil if browning too quickly.  For a moist turkey, cook to 165, making sure to check the turkey at various parts.  The USDA recommends 180, but 165 is perfectly safe.

Discard cheesecloth.  Let turkey stand at room temperature at least 30 minutes. Garnish, if desired.

Brown Butter, Sage and Mushroom Stuffing (Martha Stewart Show, November 2008)

3 teaspoons plus 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 1/2 cups low-sodium store-bought chicken broth

1 large egg

1 large egg yolk

1/2 cup sliced bacon, about 2 ounces

1 cup finely chopped onion

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 pound shiitake or button mushrooms, stemmed and sliced

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

French or Italian-style bread, cut into 1-inch cubes (6 cups)

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Butter a 9-by-9-inch square baking dish or a 10-by-6 1/2-inch oval baking dish with 2 teaspoons butter. Cut a piece of foil large enough to cover the dish and line with parchment paper. Butter parchment paper with 1 teaspoon butter. Set prepared dish, foil, and parchment aside until ready to bake.

In a small bowl, whisk together chicken broth, egg, and egg yolk; set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat in a medium skillet. Add bacon and cook for 1 minute. Add onion and celery and cook until softened, about 4 minutes more. Increase heat to high and add mushrooms, stirring to combine. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes; stir in garlic. Remove skillet from heat and add parsley and sage. Transfer mushroom mixture to a medium bowl and add breadcrumbs, stirring carefully to combine; season with salt and cayenne pepper. Add chicken broth and egg mixture to stuffing, stirring until well combined. Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.

Melt remaining 4 tablespoons butter in a small skillet over medium heat until bubbling and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Drizzle brown butter over stuffing and cover with prepared foil. Set baking dish on a baking sheet and transfer to oven. Bake for 25 minutes, uncover, and continue baking 15 minutes more. Remove from oven and let stuffing cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Beverly Jones’ (my great aunt) Macaroni and Cheese (courtesy of Nana)

2 cups cooked macaroni noodles
8 to 12 ounces grated sharp or extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated
1 large can evaporated milk
3 eggs
A little butter for the top

Directions

In a 2 quart casserole dish, layer macaroni and cheese, alternating until all macaroni and cheese have been used and ending on a cheese layer. 

In a large mixing bowl beat 3 eggs and 1 large can of evaporated milk plus 1 milk can of water together.  Season with salt and pepper.  Pour over the casserole add a little butter on top.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until the center is set.

Pistachio and Raspberry Dacquoise (Martha Stewart’s Holiday Sweets)

1 cup (4 ounces) shelled, roasted, salted pistachios

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

6 large egg whites

1 cup granulated sugar

Pinch of salt

Pinch cream of tartar

2 cups (about 9 ounces) raspberries

Pastry Cream (recipe below)

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 200 with racks in upper and lower positions.  Rub nuts in a towel to remove skins.  Coarsley chop nuts and transfer to a fine mesh sieve.  Gently shake over a paper towel and reserve powder for garnish. 

Draw 3 8-inch circles on two pieces of parchment paper.  Place marked sides down on two large baking sheets.  Set aside.

Stir the nuts and confectioners’ sugar together in a small bowl.

In a heatproof bowl set over, not in, a pan of simmering water, combine granulated sugar, egg whites, salt and cream of tartar.  Whisk until sugar has dissolved and whites are warm to the touch, about 3 minutes.  Remove bowl from heat.

With an electric mixer on medium, whisk until soft peaks form.  Increase speed to high and continue beating until stiff, glossy peaks form. 

Gently fold in pistachio mixture.  With an offset spatula, spread 1/3 of mixture onto each parchment circle.

Bake for 1 hour, rotating sheets halfway through. 

Lower temperature to 175.  Bake for 45 minutes, rotate sheets and continue baking for another 45 to 75 minutes, or until meringues are dry and crisp and can be easily lifted from the parchment paper but are still white. 

Turn oven off and let meringues cool in oven for 45 minutes before removing.  Let cool completely on sheets. 

*The meringues can be made 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Puree 2/3 cup raspberries in a food processor.  Pass through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl.  Discard seeds.  Puree can be refrigerated up to 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container.

With an electric mixer, beat pastry cream until smooth. 

Beat 1/2 cup heavy cream with clean mixer to soft peaks.  Gently fold into pastry cream.

Reserve several berries for garnish.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Put one meringue on sheet.  Spread half of pastry cream mixture on top.  Spoon 4-5 tablespoons of raspberry puree onto cream.  Swirl with a knife.  Top with another meringue.  Spread remaining cream on top, leaving a 1.5 inch border. 

Spoon remaining puree in a spiral over pastry cream and swirl with knife.  Top with last meringue.  Gently press to spread filling almost to the edges.  Freeze until filling is solid but not completely frozen, 2-3 hours.

With an electric mixer, beat remaining 1 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form.  Top dacquoise with whipped cream, garnish with reserved berries and pistachio powder, if desired.  Cut with a serrated knife to serve, wiping between slices.

Pastry Cream

1/2 cup sugar

2 large egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

2 cups milk

Directions

Whisk 1/4 cup sugar, the yolks and salt in a medium bowl.  Whisk in cornstarch 1 tablespoon at a time. 

Bring milk and remaining sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Whisk a little milk mixture into the yolk mixture.  Whisking continuously, gradually add remaining milk mixture.  Pour mixture into saucepan and bring to a boil, whisking constantly.

Cook, whisking until very thick, 2-3 minutes.  Pass through a fine-mesh sieve, discard solids.  Cover with plastic wrap, pressing directly onto surface to keep a skin from forming.  Refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 3 days.

Comments (1) »

Odds and Ends

November 15, 2009 · Filed under Breakfast, Sides · Tagged , , , ,

Knife cuts are one of the most critical concepts to grasp for culinary students.  All of the chefs that have taught me have advocated buying a bag of potatoes and onions to practice cutting.

However, that leaves me with lots and lots of onions and potatoes. 

Having a husband who is training for the SEALs means having a human garbage disposal.  It’s really tough keeping him fed.  He ate everything in the house and we were up the creek without a paddle for breakfast this morning, so I turned to my horde of onions and potatoes.

I also had half of a butternut squash that was going to go bad if I left it sitting too much longer.  I decided to toss all of it together for a roasted home-fry-esque meal. 

This was really easy and a great way to just use things that would otherwise just sit there.  I can’t wait for my husband to get home with the eggs that he promised he’d go buy so that we can finally eat! 

I’ve been nibbling on it and I’m quite pleased with my little experiment.  This made a ton, so it would be really good if you’re having people over for brunch.

Butternut Squash and Yukon Gold Potato Home Fries

1/2 butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

3 Yukon Gold potatoes, diced

1/2 white onion, diced

1 bunch chives, finely chopped

5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1/2 tsp paprika

Directions

Preheat oven to 400.  In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.  Place in a single layer on a baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender, tossing halfway to ensure even baking.

100_1055

Comments (1) »

Quick Dinner

November 9, 2009 · Filed under Entrees, Sides · Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Things have been pretty busy here lately.  I’ve had four exams in the past two weeks and my husband has been traveling a lot for work. 

This weekend was our first opportunity to breathe.  We had some friends over on Friday and didn’t even leave the apartment on Saturday.  I felt like I needed to be quasi-productive today, so I made dinner.

I had two sources of inspiration.  For our wedding tasting, one of the salads served was a pear and gorgonzola on baby spinach with an apple butter vinaigrette.  I’m a sucker for a good pear, so this was right up my alley.  I’ve been experimenting with the vinaigrette for a while now and feel like I have it.

The other source of inspiration was a recipe that we’ve been using in class.  It’s as simple as simple gets, but packs a lot of flavor.  This was my interpretation of it. 

The toughest part was breaking down the entire chicken.  I bought it that way versus just the pieces because I was trying to save a little money in doing it myself.  If you go that route, here is a how-to and a few tips:

1. Lay the chicken breast side up and with the bottom facing you.  Cut out the backbone first, making sure not to cut into the breast meat.  Your cut should be no wider than the chicken’s tail. 

2.  Spin the chicken around and cut through the wishbone to split the chicken in half.

3.  Cut the piece of fat at the bottom’s opening.

4.  Find the space between the chicken’s breast and the top of its thigh by moving the skin around.  Place your cut there.

5.  Envision a chicken leg.  Place your knife on the downward curve of that imaginary chicken leg.  You should be able to slice through fairly easily since that’s a joint.  If your knife sticks, try moving to the right or the left until you find the joint.

6.   Cut the membrane and skin between the leg and the thigh.

7.  Find the place where the wing joins the breast.  Move your knife slightly inward on the breast and cut.  Again, you should be at a joint, so if you get stuck, try moving around.

8.  Cut the breast in half cross-wise. 

Generally speaking, you should choke up on your knife and make downward jabs with your knife.  You’ll be there all day if you try to saw through it.  Be careful with where you place your fingers and make sure that your knife is sharp.  Save the backbone to make stock.

Give it a shot.  If nothing else, it’s educational.

Pear and Bleu Cheese Salad on Baby Arugula with Apple Butter Vinaigrette

Serves:  2

1/2 ripe pear, sliced thinly on a mandoline

2 cups baby arugula, washed and stems removed

1/2 cup bleu cheese (gorgonzola is best, but Danish isn’t bad, either)

Apple Butter Vinaigrette to taste (recipe below)

Directions

Toss cheese and greens with dressing.  Place pear slices on top.

Apple Butter Vinaigrette

2 Tbsp apple butter

1 Tbsp oil

2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Directions

Place apple butter in a bowl.  Add oil, stirring to incorporate.  Continue to stir while adding vinegar. 

Baked Chicken with Herbs

1 whole chicken, broken into 10 pieces

2 Tbsp rosemary, chopped

2 Tbsp thyme, chopped

2 Tbsp sage, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 Tbsp olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Preheat oven to 375.  In a large bowl, mix oil, herbs and garlic.  Add chicken and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Place chicken on baking sheet and place in oven for 35 minutes. 

Rotate halfway through baking time.  When the timer has 10 minutes left, increase the heat to 400.  When the timer has 3 minutes left, increase the temperature to 500.  Chicken is done when a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part reads 165 for 15 seconds.

*Be careful during the final temperature shift because parchment paper might not tolerate it.  Increasing the heat gets more color on the chicken, but if your chicken has a good deal of color, there’s no need to increase the temp. 

100_1043

100_1038

Leave a comment »

Creme Fraiche makes anything better

October 26, 2009 · Filed under Sides · Tagged , ,

I’ve never been a huge fan of mashed potatoes.  Once I progressed past the age of 6 and it was no longer quite as fun to turn them orange by adding ketchup, I lost interest in them.  If they’re served, I’ll have a bite or two, but I never fall all over myself for them.

However, my husband loves them.  I don’t get it, but whatever. 

In my search to find some cold-weather recipes, I ran across this one.  I started thinking about why I don’t adore mashed potatoes and I realized that it’s because of how bland they usually are.  These, however, have loads of flavor.  The creme fraiche gives the potatoes a nice tang and the chives add loads of flavor, as well.  I didn’t have the whole milk when I made this, so I substituted heavy cream.   The flavor was rich and very filling, but it sure beats bland old potatoes.

These are easy enough for weeknights.

Creme Fraiche and Chive Mashed Potatoes (adapted from Bon Appetit, October 2009)

3 quarts water

2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt plus additional for seasoning

2 pounds Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch wedges

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup crème fraîche

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter

3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Pepper to taste

Directions

Bring 3 quarts water to boil in heavy medium pot. Add 2 tablespoons coarse salt; add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 18 minutes. Drain.  Press potatoes through ricer into large bowl or mash with fork.  Cover bowl with clean towel to keep warm.

Heat cream, crème fraîche, and butter in saucepan over medium heat, until bubbles begin to form at edge.   Stir until butter melts.  Gradually mix hot cream mixture into potatoes.  Fold in chives.  Season with coarse salt and pepper to taste.

Note: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Reheat in microwave-safe bowl.

100_09862

Leave a comment »

Possibly the healthiest thing I’ve made to date

October 10, 2009 · Filed under Entrees, Sides, Vegetarian · Tagged , , ,

My husband came home from out of town yesterday and, in his words, felt like a “Fatty McFatty.”   I’ve been toying with what to make next, and realized that, for once, there was something really healthy on my menu. 

There were a few things that I had to alter and expect that others would need to, as well.  First of all, I couldn’t find French green lentils.  That wound up working out because the black lentils that I bought were fully cooked, and it cut down substantially on the cooking time.   Secondly, Trader Joe’s was out of baby arugula, so I substituted baby romaine.  While the arugula would have lended a different flavor to the salad, I think that just about any green would work, because you aren’t really eating this for the taste of the greens. 

They also didn’t have Spanish paprika.  Surprisingly, my Trader Joe’s has a very limited spice section.  I expected better from them, but that’s beside the point.   The recipe called for hot Spanish paprika, so here’s where I got a tad creative.  Paprika and cayenne are from the same family, so I used 1/4 tsp of cayenne and 3/4 tsp paprika.  Had I used the Spanish paprika, the dish would have had more of a smokey taste, but it still had a kick, so we weren’t disappointed.

Overall, we both thoroughly enjoyed this.  Tons of fiber and light on cholesterol (so long as you go easy on the cheese).  It’s fairly inexpensive to make, as well.  The recipe below is the original, not my altered version.

Spiced Pumpkin, Lentil and Goat Cheese Salad (Bon Appetit, October 2009)

  • 3/4 cup French green lentils
  • 6 cups 1-inch pieces peeled seeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash (from about one 2-pound whole pumpkin)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 cups baby arugula
  • 1 cup soft goat cheese, crumbled
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced mint leaves
  • 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

Directions

Place lentils in small bowl. Cover with cold water and soak 10 minutes; drain.

Cook lentils in boiling salted water until tender but firm, about 30 minutes. Drain lentils. Rinse under cold water, then drain.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Place pumpkin in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, cumin, paprika, and sea salt. Arrange pumpkin in single layer on baking sheet; roast 20 minutes. Turn pumpkin over. Roast until tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool.

Combine lentils, pumpkin, and oil from baking sheet with arugula, half of goat cheese, mint, vinegar, and 1 tablespoon oil. Season with salt and pepper. Divide among plates; sprinkle remaining goat cheese over.

100_0915

Comments (1) »

Roots and Tubers

September 29, 2009 · Filed under Sides, Vegetarian · Tagged , , , ,

Despite having been in culinary school for almost a month now, I still haven’t gotten to cook anything.  I’ve had beverage service and am in storeroom now, but that’s been it.  I suppose it makes sense to learn the basics first.

Without sounding like too much of a 2nd grader, yesterday, we learned about roots and tubers.  Chef cut a bunch of different vegetables like, parsnips, turnips, all sorts of potatoes, celery root, etc. for us to taste.  I wasn’t really inspired by the lesson, I just happened to have potatoes on hand. 

I really liked this recipe.  With the weather getting cooler and the days shorter, it seemed fitting.  A few notes:  I didn’t have enough mushrooms, so I scaled this down.  I don’t have a kitchen scale, so I’m not sure how many pounds of potatoes that I used, but it was about 5 potatoes, not sure how many pounds, and I only used 1 cup of cream; however, this is the original recipe.  Having a mandoline made this much more doable than it would have been trying to slice them by hand.  I highly recommend using one. 

Yukon Gold Potato and Wild Mushroom Gratin (Bon Appetit, November 2004)

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter
  • 12 ounces assorted fresh wild mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 cups heavy whipping cream

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until brown and soft, about 6 minutes. Generously butter 11x7x2-inch baking dish.

Peel and cut potatoes into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Arrange 2 layers of potatoes in prepared dish. Spoon 1/3 of mushrooms over potatoes. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Repeat 2 more times with potatoes, mushrooms, salt, and pepper. Pour cream over potatoes.

Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.) Uncover and continue baking until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes longer (30 minutes if room temperature). Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

100_0900

Comments (1) »

Feels like summer is winding down

September 3, 2009 · Filed under Sides, Vegetarian · Tagged , , , ,

It’s been fairly cool here, which is unusual for this time of year in the South.  Granted, I’m slightly more north than I was 3 weeks ago, but still.

When I made this last night, I viewed it as my final summer dish of the season.  The plum tarte was my first foray into fall, I suppose.

I love how simple this dish is.  It’s rustic and homey but not too simple.  Once again, hats off to Martha Stewart.  This came from the September issue, as well.  Her version served 12, however, so I cut down on the proportions.  The one listed below reflects my modifications.

Warm Summer Squash Salad adapted from Martha Stewart

3-5 tbsp olive oil

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

1 medium zucchini, very thinly sliced

1 medium yellow squash, very thinly sliced

1/2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 tsp chopped fresh oregano

Directions

Coat large skilled with oil.  Add garlic and heat over medium-high heat until sizzling, 1 to 2 minutes.  Add the zucchini and squash and cook until just wilted and browned around the edges, 2-4 minutes. 

Stir in vinegar and let evaporate slightly.  Stir in oregano.  Serve warm or at room temperature. 

100_0838

Leave a comment »

« Previous entries
Next Page »
Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.