Your kids can help…even the littlest ones. Here’s Sam at 2 1/2 getting into the action preparing Preparing Fresh Cranberry Relish
Preparing Fresh Cranberry Relish
Happy Thanksgiving to all!
If you have kids, you are undoubtedly invited to some sort of Thanksgiving concert/luncheon/festival at your child’s school. My son’s school celebration is on Tuesday and I’m bringing…drumroll…Crispy Caramelized Brussel Sprouts! No muffins, no stuffing, no pumpkin pie. That’s right – I am putting a stake in the ground and bringing a vegetable, and a “difficult” one at that. Even I used to dislike the mighty Brussel Sprouts and am only a recent convert. Despite what you may be thinking, my 2 1/2 year old eats and enjoys these.
Crispy, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts
Will I be a rock star for bringing a healthy, savory side dish to the table, or snickered at for quasi Grinch-like behavior?
I promise to report out the results, baring my soul to you all. Tell me what you think about my controversial choice. Please post your comments below.
Crispy Caramelized Brussel Sprouts @ school: All Gone
Ready to serve: Roasted Red Snapper
Well, folks, the Whole Roasted Snapper was indeed an easy weeknight meal. As long as you don’t count the minutes lost to anxiety, it took about 7 minutes prep time in total. I spent 5 minutes prepping the ingredients (slice lemons, smash garlic, wash herbs) and then dressing the fish (rub with olive oil and salt, stuff with lemon slices, herbs and garlic). It took another 2 minutes to open the bottle of white wine, then pour a glass onto the fish and a glass for myself. In fact, my little helper Sam even enjoyed assisting in the prep and documentation (hence the nickname “Nemo” for the snapper).
Gone in seconds: Crispy Baked “Potato Chips”
I removed the head and tails and main skeleton at the kitchen countertop, serving quasi-fillets for dinner. The fish was quite juicy and tender, and probably would have benefited from even a few minutes less in the oven. I will update my recipe accordingly. And needless to say, these crispy, baked, “potato chips” were also a hit. Clean plates all around.
Now, time to focus on Thanksgiving planning. We are T minus 1 week.
As much as I enjoy eating whole fish, I almost never make it at home. My few attempts have been on the grill during the summer (with Hubs’s grilling skills), which led me to the sentiment above: easy-peasy weeknight dinner, or disaster in the making?
Nemo
When I stopped by the fish counter this morning, I had every intention of buying white fish fillets, but nothing looked great or reasonably priced, and then the whole red snapper caught my eye. Why not? I’d roast it simply in the oven with some fresh herbs, lemon, garlic and olive oil. Easy, right? And to hedge my bets, I also picked up salad and a few russet potatoes to prepare as a side dish. If the fish elicits any moans, the crispy, roasted potatoes will neutralize them.
In my head, I had figured out the ingredients, but I did a little research to double check cooking temperature and times. I will loosely follow this recipe from Anne Burrell.
Whole Roasted Red Snapper
1 (2 pound) fish, such as snapper or bass, scaled, gutted and gills removed
Kosher salt
Extra-virgin olive oil
8 lemon slices
2 fresh bay leaves
1 bundle assorted fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, marjoram and parsley, plus some extra to lay the fish on while baking
4 cloves garlic, smashed
1 cups dry white wine
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Using a sharp paring knife, make 3 diagonal slices about 1/2-inch deep on each side of the fish. Salt and olive oil the fish generously. Season the inside of the fish with salt and olive oil. Place 4 lemon slices, the bay leaves, a bundle of the mixed herbs and 2 of the garlic cloves inside the body cavity.
Ready for the oven: Red Snapper dressed with lemon, herbs, and garlic
Line a sheet tray with aluminum foil and arrange the remaining assorted herbs, lemon slices and garlic in the center of the tray and lay the fish on top.
Fold the aluminum foil up around the sides of the fish to create a sort of baking dish. Add the white wine and place in the preheated oven and roast until the fish is just cooked through, about 30 to 35 20-25 minutes.
Remove from oven, and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Fillet your fish tableside or at the kitchen counter. Drizzle fillets with olive oil and additional salt and pepper as needed. Happy Eating.
Will report out tomorrow: easy peasy or weeknight disaster. Stay tuned
The weather was turning nasty yet again, and I was feeling like something cozy and hearty for dinner. I was thinking about a pasta dish with some vitamins/vegetables. Pizzoccheri came to mind, which is a dish from the Valtellina in Northern Italy. It is a typical dish served in the mountains, usually during a day of skiing or outdoor labor. It is rich and tasty, made with buckwheat noodles, bitter greens (usually swiss chard), fontina, and sometimes potatoes. Perfect for a dinner for 2 after a day at the office, right? Anyway, the idea popped into my head and I couldn’t shake it. I didn’t follow a recipe, but made one up as I went along, working off of memory and taste. Tracking down buckwheat noodles at the last minute, was not going to happen, so I used fresh whole wheat fettucine (store-bought), and for the greens, I chose organic kale (I reasoned that the power of the pasta would overcome Hubs’s revulsion to kale). I also bought some fontina to shred into the mix.
My Pizzoccheri Pasta
The end result was a tasty, gooey pasta dish that warmed the bones. Not quite the traditional recipe, but worth repeating for sure. For more details on the real pizzoccheri deal, you can also check out Mark Bittman’s NY Times article here.
My Pizzoccheri-like Pasta
3 or 4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound fresh whole wheat pasta, preferably fettucine, or other long flat noodle
1 bunch kale, washed, stems removed and shredded
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, peeled and sliced
Red pepper flakes (optional)
1/2 cup shredded fontina cheese
Kosher salt and fresh black pepper
Sauteed kale, onion and garlic
In large pan, saute onion in about 2 tablespoons olive oil until softened. Add garlic and continue to saute. Do not brown. Add kale in handfuls and saute until wilted. Add additional 1-2 tablespoons olive oil if kale mixture appears dry. Season with salt and pepper, and red chili pepper flakes (if using). Once kale is wilted, set aside.
Bring large pot of water to boil and prepare pasta according to directions. Fresh pasta only takes 2-3 minutes to cook, so I do recommend preparing the kale mixture in advance, or at least while the water is coming to a boil. Once noodles are al dente, re-heat kale mixture on a low heat, and use slotted spoon to remove from boiling water and add directly to kale mixture. Pasta should have some water on it (no need to drain), that will help loosen up the kale mixture (which is your pasta sauce). Incorporate pasta with kale mixture for a minute or two, over low flame and sprinkle fontina cheese on top. Serve immediately in bowls with additional cheese for sprinkling. Enjoy!
Yield: 2 servings
Summary statement for this post: Make more than you need, it’s better on Day 2. I love making risotto, though it is strictly a weekend activity because it does take more than 30 minutes to prepare. But on a cool fall or winter night, it cannot be beat. I was excited to see leeks again in my last CSA pick-up, as well as 2 large shiitake mushrooms. I decided to prepare a Leek & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto dish – a twish on the traditional Mushroom Risotto. I would use leeks instead of a sauteed onion, and shiitake mushrooms in place of poricini (traditional ingredient in Italy). Sadly, mushrooms are on Hubs’s verboten food list, but I insisted on using just 1 in this recipe as mushrooms add tremendous depth and flavor AND authenticity.
Best Leftovers: Risotto Al Salto
I also used my homemade Vegetable Stock, and a rind of parmiggiano. The Risotto was yummy on Saturday night, very earthy and even had a brownish hue. Perhaps a little too shroom-y for Hubs’s taste, which is why we had a nice helping leftover. That’s the aftermath. I usually don’t have risotto leftovers, but was actually happy to have them on Sunday because I could make Risotto Al Salto. This is a classic Northern Italian dish using leftover rice, where you basically make a crispy pancake from your risotto. This photo does not do the dish justice. Hubs declared it much improved on Day 2. Um, what’s not to like?
Day 1: Mushroom & Leek Risotto
1 cup arborio or cannaroli rice
3 tablespoons butter
2 leeks, cleaned and thinly sliced, white and light green parts only
3 cups vegetable stock, warmed
1 – 2 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
1/2 cup shredded parmiggiano
1 parmiggiano rind (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Saturday Night Risotto
In a medium, heavy-bottomed sauce pan, melt the butter and saute the leeks. Saute for ~10 minutes until softened, but not yet browned. Add the mushrooms. Saute for an additional 3-4 minutes until mushrooms are softened. Add rice. Stir and let toast for 1 – 2 minutes. Add 1 ladle (about ~1/2 cup) of broth at this time. Add a dash of kosher salt. Stir and let the risotto rest. It should bubble slowly. You want to let the rice absorb the stock, and there is no need to stir it constantly. Check in 2-4 minutes if the liquid has absorbed, and if so, add another ladle of stock. Repeat until risotto has reached desired consistency. It usually takes about 20 minutes or so of “bathing,” and you may have to adjust the stove setting. You can taste for doneness by biting into one grain of rice. It should still have some bite, but be cooked all the way through.
When risotto is cooked, stir in cheese gently. You can add an additional tablespoon of butter (optional), and add salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with a handful of shredded parmiggiano and enjoy.
Day 2: Mushroom & Leek Risotto Al Salto, or Risotto Pancake
Leftover risotto
1 tablespoon olive oil
Handful of shredded parmiggiano
Drizzle oil in medium saucepan and heat over medium heat. Spoon risotto into pan and spread out, like a pancake. Allow risotto to crisp, cooking for about 5 minutes. Flip using a spatula and crisp on other side. Slide onto plate and sprinkle with parmiggiano. Cut into quarters and serve. Enjoy!
And, for more details on making Risotto Al Salto, you can check out Giada de Laurentiis’s recipe.
Why bother to make your own stock from scratch? Easier to use it from the tetra-pak, aluminum can, or make it from a bouillon cube, right? I don’t disagree, and in a pinch, I will do the same. And not to go all Martha Stewart on you, but I will give you my Top 3 Reasons for going the extra mile for this “pantry” staple:
And if I had to give you only one reason, it would really be flavor. Using homemade stock in soups, risottos, and sauces has a dramatic impact on the taste of your final product. It adds depth and savoriness, and also a LOT less sodium than any pre-packaged variety. Also, store bought vegetable stock (for vegetarians and vegans) usually leaves something to be desired when it comes to flavor.
I will admit that it does require some advance planning and some effort on your part, but you will reap the benefits next time you make a pot of soup. Like any staple, when you make a batch of homemade stock, it is to put up. The recipe below (or any variation) freezes well. Once cool, pour broth carefully into ice cube trays, freeze, then pop out and store in Ziploc freezer bags (several per bag). The recipe makes an excellent base for all your vegetarian winter meals. I used about 1/3 of last week’s batch the same evening for my Leek & Shiitake Mushroom Risotto. Stay tuned for details.
I’ll spend a moment on Reasons #2 & #3 and stick with the soup example. If you aren’t making soup every night, you probably won’t go through an entire carton of stock. So, perfect to use 2 or 3 ice cubes of homemade Vegetable Stock that will be stored away in your freezer. Since the flavor is super-concentrated, you can use about 1/2 the quantity needed and add water to dilute. As for savings (reason #3), I can guarantee that using up the past-their-prime veggies in your fridge and cupboard will cost less than purchasing cans or cartons of ready-made stock. If you are a planner, you can save vegetable peels in your freezer to use later for stock preparation. I admit that I have never had my act together enough to do this, but have thought about it.
DIY Vegetable Broth – Basic Recipe
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 carrots, chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped, include some leaves
5 -10 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
5 to 10 white mushrooms, halved or sliced (Optional)
Vegetable peelings or scraps (think green tops from leeks, potato peels, carrot peels)
10 to 20 parsley stems or stems with leaves
Kosher Salt
10 Whole pepper corns
1. Put the oil in a deep skillet or broad saucepan or casserole over medium high heat. When hot, add the carrots, onion, celery, and garlic. Cook without stirring for about 5 minutes, then stir once or twice and cook until the vegetables begin to brown. (If you have more time, brown them well, stirring only infrequently.)
2. Add the parsley, mushrooms (and any other vegetables), 8 cups water, and some pepper. Bring to a boil, then adjust the heat so the mixture simmers steadily but gently. Cook for at least 30 minutes until the vegetables are very tender, up to an hour if you have time. The soup will reduce, that’s ok.
3. Strain well, pushing down on softened vegetables to release the maximum amount of liquid, before using or storing. Allow to cool completely before freezing in ice cube trays. Can store in refrigerator for up to a week.
Chime in if you’ve ever made your own homemade stock and why – vegetarian or otherwise.
Hello Readers,
It has been over a week since my last post and all is well. Thankfully, we managed fine during the storm, it has simply taken a few days to get fully operational. I bet you are wondering what to prepare when you’re waiting for a tropical storm to hit a non-tropical climate? One dish came to mind last week – a mix of hearty, healthy and homey – Seared Salmon with Lentils and Balsamic Reduction.
Last Monday (pre-Sandy) we ventured to the local market to stock up. With limited supplies available, I picked up whatever looked fresh at the fish counter, assuming it would be a few days before we could even consider a luxury like freshly caught fish. The Arctic Char fillets looked juicy and firm, and with no fresh salmon in sight, that would be it. I decided to use the Char in place of salmon fillets for my tried and true hearty fall/winter recipe. This is a multi-step meal, so I’ll prepare the lentils in advance, and let them rest on the stove top or in the fridge. The fish and balsamic vinegar sauce can be prepared in about 15 minutes when you are ready for dinner. Highly recommend this nutrient-dense, protein-rich meal. Extra lentils make for a great lunch next day. Hubs is a fan, too. Things were a bit hectic, so sorry, no photos for this post.
The preparation is loosely based on Sally Schneider’s recipe from A New Way to Cook, replacing the lentil preparation with Jamie Oliver’s from The Naked Chef cookbook. I have modified the original lentil recipe to be vegetarian. Trust me, best lentil recipe ever.
Seared Char with Lentils and Balsamic Reduction
For the lentils, which can be prepared in advance:
For the salmon and balsamic reduction:
For the lentils: Give the lentils a quick wash. Using a thick bottomed, oven safe pan with a lid, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and add the rosemary, onion, and garlic. Cook for 2 minutes, then add carrot. Cook for a further 2 minutes then add the lentils and fry for about 1 minute. Add the stock, put the lid on and bring to the boil, then transfer to oven and simmer in the oven for 1 hour at 300F, or until tender stirring occasionally. By this time a lot of the stock will have been absorbed.
Add 2 tablespoons of your best extra virgin olive oil 1/2 blespoon of red wine vinegar and black pepper and salt to taste. Set aside until ready to serve salmon.
For the balsamic sauce: In a small, non-reactive saucepan, bring the vinegar to a boil over moderate heat. Reduce the heat slightly and cook until reduced to 1/4 cup and thick and syrupy. Remove from heat and set aside
For the salmon: Place the salmon skin side up on a work surface and make several shallow slashes in the skin using a sharp paring knife (this will help prevent salmon from curling when it hits the hot pan). Sprinkle lightly with cayenne pepper and salt.
Heat a large, nonstick pan (cast iron pan works great, too) over moderate heat until very hot. Place salmon in pan, skin side down and to not move for 4-5 minutes (skin should be crisp and brown). Turn fillets over, and cook for another 2-3 minutes depending on how well cooked you like your salmon. Remove fillets from pan and let rest for 1-2 minutes while you prep the rest of the dish.
Return the balsamic sauce to the moderate heat and bring to a simmer. Add the butter and stir until blended.
If using parsley, stir into lentils. Mound lentils onto plate. Place 1 salmon filet on plate, then drizzle balsamic sauce around the lentils. Repeat and enjoy.
Yield: 2 servings, with extra lentils for the next day.
I will readily admit that I used to hate Brussel Sprouts. I thought they were bitter, ugly and generally unpleasant. They were truly one of the only vegetables I didn’t eat. Then a few years ago I hit the tipping point – I tasted Crispy Caramelized Brussel Sprouts. Slightly crunchy, chewy, super flavorful, salty, with a touch of sweetness. Life changing. I have played around with the recipe, but basically it as follows.
Crispy Caramelized Brussel Sprouts
Brussel Sprouts: Trimmed, split and ready to cook
Wash and trim the brussel sprouts, slicing off the end of the stem and cutting them in half lengthwise. Peel and smash 4-6 cloves of garlic. Preheat oven to 400F.
Take an ovenproof pan or baking dish (cast iron pan works great, or even a pyrex dish) and pour a healthy glug of olive oil in it. Make sure to select a pan that is large enough to allow you to place the brussel sprouts in one layer. Heat olive oil in pan over medium heat on stovetop for several minutes until hot. Arrange brussel sprouts, cut side down in one layer in pan and toss in garlic, sprinkle some kosher salt on top . Leave on stove top 8- 10 minutes untouched, letting underside caramelize. You may need to adjust the heat of the burner to medium low.
Caramelizing on the stove top in cast iron pan
Place pan in oven and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes or so until brussel sprouts are cooked through. Test with a fork, or taste one to see if they are tender. You will have beautiful browned, yet still green brussel sprouts. Serve warm or cold. Enjoy
Crispy, Caramelized Brussel Sprouts
Nothing too fancy, just something I whipped up in a few minutes. There are the Roasted Carrots (thank you again, Dan), sauteed Red Russian Kale and Leeks Vinaigrette. I had prepared the carrots and leeks on Sunday, and then quickly sauteed the kale before lunch. So colorful, seasonal, flavorful, local and nutritious! For the kale, I sliced up a few cloves of garlic, sauteed them in olive oil, tossed in a dried chili pepper and then piled on the kale. It always looks like you’re preparing a massive amount of hearty greens, but then the big, bunchy leaves wilt and collapse and shrink into 2 good portions. I didn’t bother to remove the stems since they didn’t seem that tough, which also made for a super speedy preparation. Like I’ve said before, just eating kale makes me feel virtuous.
For the leeks, I trimmed off the tough green leaves, then split each one down the middle and rinsed away the dirt. I had the limited quantity challenge occasionally associated with a CSA Pick-up: only 2 mismatched leeks, both of different dimensions , one very large, and one slim. I brought a small saucepan of water to a boil, salted it and cooked them for about 15 minutes. I removed the slim one, but let the larger one cook for another 15 minutes or so, until tender. I then placed the leeks in a colander to drain for a few minutes.In the meantime, I prepared the vinaigrette for this classic French preparation. In this picture, I also sprinkled some shredded Parmiggiano on top, just because I had it leftover in the fridge. If I had a larger batch of leeks, I would have prepared in the oven, maybe a gratin, but having only 2, it was more like a taste of leeks for 1, than anything else.
Doesn’t this plate look so great? I love eating a sampling of different dishes – something about it feels so luxurious. I wouldn’t be happier if I had lunch in one of my favorite restaurants. Thank you, Wolfe Spring Farm.
Here is my Mustard Vinaigrette recipe, which is also great for green salads.
1 medium shallot, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon dijon mustard
6-8 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
In a medium-sized bowl, place shallots in red wine vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes to soften. Whisk in mustard, then slowly drizzle in olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Add salt and pepper to taste. Use on cooked vegetables and salads. Enjoy.