I made up this recipe like 10 years ago, and it never lets me down. It can vary a lot depending on what kind of feta you get--the French is creamy and mild, the Greek is salty, the Bulgarian (my favorite) is intense and goaty. I love the texture the feta creates when mixed with the chopped nuts and melts--a great coating for pasta. The subsequent times you make it, you can adjust the amount of cheese, nuts, mushrooms, or garlic to taste. It reheats incredibly well, and is good with a little extra olive oil and black pepper in the microwave.
Boil a large pot of water, big enough for a pound of pasta.
Saute a few cloves of minced garlic in a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
Dump a 6-oz jar of julienned sun dried tomatoes into the pan with the garlic, and save the olive oil the were marinating in.
Saute the tomatoes until slightly softened over medium heat.
Put 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup of pine nuts in a mini chopper, or use a large knife to chop them until they are the consistency of course sand (if you do this in a chopper, it will turn into a paste like chunky peanut butter). Add this into the pan, and mix until blended. Add more olive oil from the tomato jar to keep moist but not oily.
Take 1/2 to 3/4 lb bulgarian (or other pungent) feta, and brake into pieces over the sauce. Mix to blend and cover until the cheese melts.
Add a medium or large container of sliced mushrooms, and a little oil. Mix until the mushrooms are coated with the sauce. Cover and turn heat down. Mix every minute or so, until the mushrooms are softened. Add oil as needed to keep from getting dry.
Keep on low heat while you add the pound of penne to the water. Cook as per the package instructions. Drain the pasta in a colander and put 2/3 of it back in the big pot, keeping the rest in the colander. Pour the sauce over the pasta and mix well over low heat. Add lots of course-ground fresh black pepper.
If there’s too much sauce, add more pasta and combine.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Seared lamb loin chops with shallot rosemary sauce
We used wine but I bet port would be even better. We didn't let the sauce thicken down enough, but it was still delicious and would make a great topping for mashed potatoes or whipped cauliflower.
Seared lamb loin chops with shallot rosemary sauce
From cooks.com
4 lamb loin chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 small shallots, peeled, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup port wine or favorite red wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary, minced, or to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Pat the lamb chops dry and season with salt and pepper. In a skillet large enough to hold all 4 chops, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until nicely browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes for each side for medium-rare.
2. Remove the chops from the skillet and place on platter. Tent with foil to keep them warm.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive over medium heat and add the shallots. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, broth and thyme. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, strain if desired, and whisk in the butter and any accumulated lamb chop juices on the platter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chops drizzled with desired amount of pan sauce.
Notes:
To make the sauce, use a heavy-bottom skillet that will hold the heat well. Sear and saute the meat or poultry until it is cooked to the desired doneness and remove it to a platter and keep warm.
Add your choice of liquids — wine or broth or both — to the pan, bring to a boil and stir, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks and should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you prefer a syrupy glaze, cook the liquids longer.
You can use almost any white or red wine, but make sure it's one that you like to drink. That way you won't waste what's left over.
Once you're done cooking the sauce, strain it if you like and finish it off by adding accumulated juices on the plate with the meat and whisking in cold butter pieces. The butter will thicken it a bit more and add richness.
If you still prefer a cream sauce, try using light cream or regular or fat-free half-and-half mixed with a little cornstarch; that will help it thicken nicely. Add these substitutes to the pan over medium heat. Don't bring to a full boil because the sauce will curdle or separate.
A good side dish match for these lamb loin chops is rice pilaf. I often use a boxed rice pilaf mix and add other ingredients once it's cooked. You can stir in golden raisins, chopped parsley and fresh snipped chives along with a drizzle of olive oil.
Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
400 calories (53 percent from fat), 24 grams fat (8 grams sat. fat), 7 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams protein, 133 mg sodium, 106 mg cholesterol, 26 mg calcium, 0 grams fiber.
Seared lamb loin chops with shallot rosemary sauce
From cooks.com
4 lamb loin chops, about 1 1/2 inches thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 small shallots, peeled, minced
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3/4 cup port wine or favorite red wine
1/2 cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary, minced, or to taste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1. Pat the lamb chops dry and season with salt and pepper. In a skillet large enough to hold all 4 chops, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chops and cook until nicely browned on each side, about 3-4 minutes for each side for medium-rare.
2. Remove the chops from the skillet and place on platter. Tent with foil to keep them warm.
3. In the same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive over medium heat and add the shallots. Cook about 2 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir in the wine, broth and thyme. Simmer, scraping up any browned bits, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the balsamic vinegar and cook about 2 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, strain if desired, and whisk in the butter and any accumulated lamb chop juices on the platter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve the chops drizzled with desired amount of pan sauce.
Notes:
To make the sauce, use a heavy-bottom skillet that will hold the heat well. Sear and saute the meat or poultry until it is cooked to the desired doneness and remove it to a platter and keep warm.
Add your choice of liquids — wine or broth or both — to the pan, bring to a boil and stir, using a wooden spoon to scrape up any browned bits. The sauce will thicken slightly as it cooks and should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If you prefer a syrupy glaze, cook the liquids longer.
You can use almost any white or red wine, but make sure it's one that you like to drink. That way you won't waste what's left over.
Once you're done cooking the sauce, strain it if you like and finish it off by adding accumulated juices on the plate with the meat and whisking in cold butter pieces. The butter will thicken it a bit more and add richness.
If you still prefer a cream sauce, try using light cream or regular or fat-free half-and-half mixed with a little cornstarch; that will help it thicken nicely. Add these substitutes to the pan over medium heat. Don't bring to a full boil because the sauce will curdle or separate.
A good side dish match for these lamb loin chops is rice pilaf. I often use a boxed rice pilaf mix and add other ingredients once it's cooked. You can stir in golden raisins, chopped parsley and fresh snipped chives along with a drizzle of olive oil.
Tested by Susan M. Selasky for the Free Press Test Kitchen.
400 calories (53 percent from fat), 24 grams fat (8 grams sat. fat), 7 grams carbohydrates, 30 grams protein, 133 mg sodium, 106 mg cholesterol, 26 mg calcium, 0 grams fiber.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Cauliflower Soup
From Marisa's Food in Jars blog: http://www.foodinjars.com
2 heads cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 leeks, well-washed and sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup white wine
2 quarts chicken (or vegetable) stock
7-8 grinds of black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 heaping tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
1 8-ounce block of cream cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3-4 grinds black pepper
In a large soup pot (I used my 7 1/2 quart Le Creuset), saute the chopped cauliflower, carrots and leeks in the butter and olive oil. Allow them to soften and brown for 7-8 minutes over fairly high heat. When the bottom of the pan begins to brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine (if you don’t want to use white wine, feel free to skip it and head straight to the stock). Use a flat wooden spatula to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to medium, apply a lid and allow the veggies to simmer for approximately ten minutes (the larger your veggie chunks were, the longer you’ll want them to simmer).
In a medium saucepan, begin the white sauce by melting the butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and use a whisk to work it together. Let it brown up a bit. When it begins to develop a nice toasted color, pour in a couple of tablespoons of milk and whisk it in to incorporate. Add the milk bit by bit, whisking to incorporate after each pour, until all the milk is worked in (if you pour in all the milk at once, you’ll get lumps).
You should have a white sauce that is of moderate thickness. Add your grated cheese and stir until it’s melted in. Now add the cubed cream cheese (I realize that this is sort of a trashy addition, but believe me, it makes it really yummy). Finally, add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once the sauce is smooth, turn the heat down to it’s lowest setting and return your attention to your pot of veggies.
By now, your cauliflower, carrots and leeks should be pretty soft. Now it’s time to puree. I like to use an immersion blender, because you don’t have to dirty another vessel and it doesn’t make the soup too smooth (I like my soup to have some texture). If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, food processor or food mill. Take care when using a blender or food processor though. Work in small batches and use a folded kitchen towel to cover the lid to prevent splatter.
Once the soup is smooth-ish, pour in the cheesy sauce. Carefully stir to incorporate it. Taste and adjust seasonings. Unless you used a salty cheese, it will probably want a bit more salt.
All that’s left to do is have a nice, warming dinner (with plenty of leftovers that you can store in jars and stash in the fridge).
2 heads cauliflower, roughly chopped
1 large carrot, diced
2 leeks, well-washed and sliced
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ cup white wine
2 quarts chicken (or vegetable) stock
7-8 grinds of black pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 tablespoons butter
3 heaping tablespoons flour
3 cups milk
1 ½ cups grated cheddar cheese
1 8-ounce block of cream cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
3-4 grinds black pepper
In a large soup pot (I used my 7 1/2 quart Le Creuset), saute the chopped cauliflower, carrots and leeks in the butter and olive oil. Allow them to soften and brown for 7-8 minutes over fairly high heat. When the bottom of the pan begins to brown, deglaze the pan with the white wine (if you don’t want to use white wine, feel free to skip it and head straight to the stock). Use a flat wooden spatula to scrape any brown bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the chicken stock, reduce the heat to medium, apply a lid and allow the veggies to simmer for approximately ten minutes (the larger your veggie chunks were, the longer you’ll want them to simmer).
In a medium saucepan, begin the white sauce by melting the butter over medium-high heat. Sprinkle the flour over the butter and use a whisk to work it together. Let it brown up a bit. When it begins to develop a nice toasted color, pour in a couple of tablespoons of milk and whisk it in to incorporate. Add the milk bit by bit, whisking to incorporate after each pour, until all the milk is worked in (if you pour in all the milk at once, you’ll get lumps).
You should have a white sauce that is of moderate thickness. Add your grated cheese and stir until it’s melted in. Now add the cubed cream cheese (I realize that this is sort of a trashy addition, but believe me, it makes it really yummy). Finally, add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Once the sauce is smooth, turn the heat down to it’s lowest setting and return your attention to your pot of veggies.
By now, your cauliflower, carrots and leeks should be pretty soft. Now it’s time to puree. I like to use an immersion blender, because you don’t have to dirty another vessel and it doesn’t make the soup too smooth (I like my soup to have some texture). If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can use a blender, food processor or food mill. Take care when using a blender or food processor though. Work in small batches and use a folded kitchen towel to cover the lid to prevent splatter.
Once the soup is smooth-ish, pour in the cheesy sauce. Carefully stir to incorporate it. Taste and adjust seasonings. Unless you used a salty cheese, it will probably want a bit more salt.
All that’s left to do is have a nice, warming dinner (with plenty of leftovers that you can store in jars and stash in the fridge).
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Corn chowder
I used bacon instead of salt pork, and frozen corn instead of fresh. It was creamy and incredibly delish--a hit with everyone at the superbowl party I made it for.
Makes about 2 quarts, serving 6. Published Cooks Illustrated, September 1, 2000.
Be sure to use salt pork, not fatback, for the chowder. Streaks of lean meat distinguish salt pork from fatback; fatback is pure fat. We prefer Spanish onions for their sweet, mild flavor, but all-purpose yellow onions will work fine too.
INGREDIENTS
10 ears corn (medium), husks and silks removed
3 ounces salt pork , trimmed of rind and cut into two 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion , preferably Spanish, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Stand corn on end. Using chef's knife, cut kernels from 4 ears corn (you should have about 3 cups); transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Following illustrations below, grate kernels from remaining 6 ears on large holes of box grater, then firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife (you should have 2 generous cups kernels and pulp). Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.
2. Sauté salt pork in Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, turning with tongs and pressing down on pieces to render fat, until cubes are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in butter and onions, cover pot, and cook until softened, about 12 minutes. Remove salt pork and reserve. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add stock. Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, milk, grated corn and pulp, and reserved salt pork; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved corn kernels and heavy cream and return to simmer; simmer until corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf and salt pork. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
Makes about 2 quarts, serving 6. Published Cooks Illustrated, September 1, 2000.
Be sure to use salt pork, not fatback, for the chowder. Streaks of lean meat distinguish salt pork from fatback; fatback is pure fat. We prefer Spanish onions for their sweet, mild flavor, but all-purpose yellow onions will work fine too.
INGREDIENTS
10 ears corn (medium), husks and silks removed
3 ounces salt pork , trimmed of rind and cut into two 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 large onion , preferably Spanish, chopped fine
2 medium cloves garlic , minced (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
3 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
2 medium red potatoes (about 12 ounces), scrubbed and cut into 1/4-inch cubes (about 2 cups)
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves (or 1/4 teaspoon dried)
2 cups whole milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
Ground black pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Stand corn on end. Using chef's knife, cut kernels from 4 ears corn (you should have about 3 cups); transfer to medium bowl and set aside. Following illustrations below, grate kernels from remaining 6 ears on large holes of box grater, then firmly scrape any pulp remaining on cobs with back of knife (you should have 2 generous cups kernels and pulp). Transfer to separate bowl and set aside.
2. Sauté salt pork in Dutch oven or large heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, turning with tongs and pressing down on pieces to render fat, until cubes are crisp and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low, stir in butter and onions, cover pot, and cook until softened, about 12 minutes. Remove salt pork and reserve. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, gradually add stock. Add potatoes, bay leaf, thyme, milk, grated corn and pulp, and reserved salt pork; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until potatoes are almost tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Add reserved corn kernels and heavy cream and return to simmer; simmer until corn kernels are tender yet still slightly crunchy, about 5 minutes longer. Discard bay leaf and salt pork. Stir in parsley, salt, and pepper to taste and serve immediately.
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