Pork Chops with Mustard Sauce

My friend Sacha (a pescatarian) served these earlier this fall, and I fell in love with them. I used a little rice milk instead of heavy cream and cooked the sauce down a little more--just as delicious. Also used half dijon/half pommery mustard with brown sugar and pecans, and half the butter.

Gourmet | May 2005

yield: Makes 4 servings
active time: 25 min
total time: 25 min

4 (3/4-inch-thick) pork chops
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (1 to 2)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter [USED 1 TBSP]
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup country-style Dijon mustard [USED HALF POMMERY MUSTARD]
2 tablespoons heavy cream [USED RICE MILK]
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot. Pat pork dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add oil to hot skillet, swirling to coat, then brown chops, turning over once, about 8 minutes total. Transfer to a shallow baking pan, reserving skillet, and bake, uncovered, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, pour off fat from skillet, then cook shallots in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add broth and any juices from baking pan and boil, scraping up any brown bits, 2 minutes. Add mustard and cream and return to a boil, then add lemon juice and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, about 3 minutes.

Salmon chowder

I had leftover sockeye salmon from when I poached my first whole fish (still not sure what to do with all the poaching liquid I created) and this was a very easy solution. I added extra half and half at the end, and left the skins on the potatoes.

From Whole Foods
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/476

Serves 4
This scrumptious chowder is one of the most satisfying ways we know of to get your omega-3's, and it's a great way to warm up a chilly evening. Make it a day ahead for company, reheating gently without boiling.

Ingredients
3 strips nitrite-free bacon, diced (pork, turkey or vegetarian)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1/2 cup diced celery
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup half-and-half
1 1/2 pounds salmon fillet, skinned, boned and cut into 1-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried dill
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 tablespoon minced fresh chives for garnish
Oyster crackers for garnish (optional and contain gluten)

Method
Brown bacon in a deep, heavy-bottomed sauce pot until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Sauté onion and celery in the bacon fat in the same pot until onion is translucent. (If using turkey or vegetarian bacon, add canola oil to sauté onion and celery.) Add potatoes and sauté about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not brown. Add carrots and stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are fork tender about 10 minutes.

Add milk, half and half, salmon, parsley, dill and pepper. Simmer over low heat 5 to 8 minutes or until fish is cooked through and liquid is steaming, but not boiling. Add more pepper and salt to taste. Transfer to serving bowls and garnish with crispy bacon pieces and chives. Serve with oyster crackers, if desired.

Nutrition
Per serving (about 19oz/533g-wt.): 540 calories (230 from fat), 25g total fat, 7g saturated fat, 135mg cholesterol, 930mg sodium, 32g total carbohydrate (4g dietary fiber, 6g sugar), 46g protein

Chocolate coconut milk ice cream

I substituted brown rice syrup for half the sugar.

Makes 1 quart.

1 cup water
1 cup sugar
5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
2 cups canned coconut milk
1 tablespoon dark rum

Heat water and sugar in a medium saucepan until sugar is dissolved. Add chocolate to the syrup and stir until chocolate is completely melted. Remove from heat, and stir in coconut milk and rum.

Chill completely

Recipe from David Lebovitz, via Mac & Cheese.
http://www.loveandoliveoil.com/2008/09/chocolate-coconut-milk-ice-cream.html

Summer radish and avocado salad

The creamy avocado is the perfect way to counteract the spiciness of the radishes. And the bite stands in for jalapeno in traditional guacamole.

Jamie Oliver

8 fresh radishes
2 ripe avocados
medium red onion
2 cloves garlic
2 medium Roma tomatoes
Olive oil
sea salt
pepper

This recipe will serve about 4. It's really nice and fresh and the flavors are so simple but lovely. Best if served the day you make it as the avocado will turn brown.

Remove the leaves of the radishes and run a rough chop through them. Add them to a bowl and sprinkle with sea salt. Add two avocados chopped into small cubes, 2 gloves of garlic minced, medium red onion sliced thin, and two Roma tomatoes chopped (do not core or remove seeds). Add about 2 Tablespoons of good olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Mix all ingredients together and chill for 20 minutes.

Swiss Chard Gratin

This has the option of a vegan bechamel, which is sort of an oxymoron. Overall came out okay, although I think the crustless greens pie in the CSA week (5/26) 1 entry is better.

Source:
http://chocolateandzucchini.com/

Serve 4 as a side.

- 1 kilo (2.2 pounds) Swiss chard (blettes in French)
- olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
- 240 ml (1 cup) non-dairy béchamel (store-bought or from recipe below)
- 1 egg (optional)
- 30 grams (1 ounce) freshly grated comté (substitute the gratable cheese of your choice or some nutritional yeast)
- 2 tablespoons oat bran (substitute bran from another grain, or dried breadcrumbs)
- salt, pepper

Separate the leaves from the stalks of the chard (I use kitchen shears to cut along the stalks). Trim and slice the stalks, then chop the leaves, keeping stalks and leaves separate.

Heat a gurgle of oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until translucent. Add the Swiss chard stalks and cook for 5 minutes, until softened, stirring from time to time. Add the leaves and cook for 2 minutes, until just wilted.

Drain the vegetables (this is important, otherwise the excess water will pool at the bottom of the gratin dish; keep the cooking juices to use as a light broth). Season with salt and pepper (ready-made béchamel may be strongly seasoned, so season the chard accordingly).

Preheat the oven to 200° C (400° F) and grease a medium baking dish with a little oil.

In a bowl, whisk together the béchamel and the egg, if using. Fold in the cooked chard, pour into the prepared baking dish, and level the surface. Sprinkle with cheese and oat bran, and bake for 15 minutes, until set and golden. Switch to broiler setting for a couple more minutes if you'd like the top to brown a little further, but watch it closely. Let set for 5 minutes before serving.

Vegan Béchamel

- 4 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 240 ml (1 cup) plain oat milk, or other non-dairy milk, cold or at room temperature
- salt, pepper, nutmeg

Heat the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, stir it in quickly with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously, without coloring (that's a roux blanc).

Remove from the heat, add a little of the milk, whisk it in to form a smooth mixture, then add the rest of the milk over medium heat, a little at a time, whisking well between each addition. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring continuously, until thickened to a velvety consistency. Remove from the heat, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and use while still warm.

Warm lentils with spinach and goat cheese

People keep telling me they don't like lentils. I don't understand this. But add in some mascarpone, and I feel I can convert a few skeptics. This recipe is delicious, and it used up the entire bag of big-leaf spinach we got from the farm share this week. Note: I used 2/3 red lentils and the rest brown, instead of green, and the suggested cooking time turned it into a bit of a mush, though it did take that long to absorb all the stock. I'd use less stock (3 cups) and add more as needed. Amended below.

From Bon Appetit
8 first-course or 6 mail course servings.

1 T olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped celery
1 cup finely chopped carrot
2 bay leaves
12 oz French green lentils
4 cups low-salt chicken broth [start with 3 and add as needed]
1/3 cup mascarpone cheese

1 T butter
1 lb fresh spinach leaves

1 5-oz log soft fresh goat cheese, crumbled

Heat oil in large saucepan over medium high heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and bay leaves and saute until light golden, about 7 minutes. Add lentils; stir 1 minute. Add chicken broth; bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to med-low, and simmer until lentils are tender and nearly all liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes [or less]. Discard bay leaves. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in mascarpone. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refridgerate. Rewarm before continuing.)

Melt butter in large pot over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook just until wilted, stirring frequently.

Transfer lentils to large shallow serving bowl. Top with spinach, then crumbled goat cheese, and serve.

the perfect vinaigrette

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot or red onion
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons quality walnut oil (I used olive oil)

From Food Network

Recipe calls for baby spinach and goat cheese, but this is good with everything.

CSA challenge, week 1: box o' greens

I have to do research to figure out what everything is, but so far I have to find recipes for:

-Radishes
-red-leaf lettuce (4 heads); this is the best lettuce I've ever had. We put good olive oil and kosher salt on it and it rocked.
-mint (will use for mohitos)
-Spinach--we used some for salad, some (sauteed with garlic) for linguini with pine nuts, cherry tomatoes, goat cheese, and basil
-collard greens, which I sauteed with some pancetta and was delicious
-bok choy, which is quickly wilting
-a bag of very fragrant and not overly bitter arugula.

2 quarts strawberries (no recipes needed, except I plan to pick 8 more on Friday)

Here's one greens recipe I've found so far:

Crustless Greens Pie
Yield: 6 Servings

1 1/2 lbs swiss chard
1/2 lb arugula
3/4 lb dandelion greens
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 onion; finely chopped
2 cloves garlic; minced
1/2 sm yellow pepper; seeded and finely chopped
2 sm zucchini; grated
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
3 extra large eggs; lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated jarlsberg cheese
1/4 c fresh bread crumbs

Trim the chard, arugula and dandelion greens. Discard the stems and chop the leaves. Preheat the oven to 375F. Heat 1 Tbsp of the butter with the oil in a medium saucepan. Add the onion and cook one minute. Add the garlic and cook one minute longer. Stir in the pepper, chard, arugula, dandelions, zucchini, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Cook covered, over medium heat, until very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove the cover and cook, stirring frequently, until all liquid has evaporated, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Beat the eggs into the greens and pour the mixture into a buttered 9-inch glass or ceramic quiche pan. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and Jarlsberg cheeses.

Melt the remaining 2 Tbsp butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in the bread crumbs and saute until golden. Spoon them over the pie. Bake 25 minutes. Let stand at least 10 minutes before serving. Serves six.

Spinach salad with goat cheese

I'd suggest using half the mustard and adding a teaspoon of good honey instead. Also, I used olive oil instead of walnut oil, and toasted pine nuts instead of walnuts.

From the Food Network

Ingredients

Dressing:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced shallot or red onion
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard [1 tsp is enough if you don't like it mustardy]
[1 tsp honey]
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons quality walnut oil, (see Cook's Note)

Salad:
8 cups baby spinach leaves, stems trimmed, washed, and dried
1/2 cup whole or chopped toasted walnuts
1/3 cup crumbled goat cheese

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, shallot, mustard, [honey] salt, and pepper. Gradually whisk in the oil to make a creamy dressing.

Put all but a large handful of the spinach in a large bowl. Toss with most of the dressing. Add remaining spinach and continue tossing until well coated.

Serve immediately topped with goat cheese and walnuts.


Cook's Note: If your walnut oil is very strong, use half walnut oil and extra-virgin olive oil.

Pancakes with malted milk

I liked the malted milk flavor. I didn't have cake flour, so I substituted 1/4 c cornstarch and 1 3/4 c all-purpose flour. I also didn't have powdered milk, so I used 2/3 cup of protein powder. They came out fine, but a little dense.

Cooks Country
Test Kitchen Discoveries

*All–purpose flour made for tough pancakes. Replacing half the all–purpose flour with cake flour yielded the sturdy yet tender cakes we wanted.
*To give our pancakes complexity and depth, we added an unusual ingredient: malted milk powder, which imparted a sweet, nutty flavor that tasters loved.
*Tasters also preferred the flavor of butter to vegetable shortening. And using butter means that the mix needs to be stored in the refrigerator or freezer for up to 2 months.
*For higher–rising pancakes, we use fresh buttermilk instead of milk when mixing up the batter. The acid of the buttermilk reacts with the baking soda, causing the batter to bubble.

Makes about 6 cups of mix, enough for 3 batches of 8 pancakes each.


INGREDIENTS
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups cake flour
1 cup non-fat milk powder
3/4 cup malted milk powder (see side bar)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon salt
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter , cut into 1/2 -inch pieces
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk*

INSTRUCTIONS
Process all ingredients except eggs and buttermilk in food processor until no lumps remain and mixture is texture of wet sand, about 2 minutes. Freeze in airtight container for up to 2 months.

To make 8 pancakes: Place 2 cups mix, lightly beaten eggs, and buttermilk in large bowl. Mix the batter minimally. Stop stirring when there are still streaks of flour visible.

Pour ¼-cup portions of pancake batter onto lightly oiled large nonstick skillet or griddle and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining batter as desired. Serve.

* If you don’t have buttermilk, make clabbered milk by whisking ½ tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice into ½ cup whole or low-fat milk and letting the mixture thicken for 10 minutes.

Spanish-Style Lamb Stew

A friend made this on Saturday night and it was delicious. Great with crusty bread.

Published NYT: April 13, 2010
Yield: 6 servings.

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 pounds boneless lamb stew meat (preferably shoulder), cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
Salt and pepper
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon pimentón de la Vera, preferably picante or agridulce [she used smoked paprika]
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
3/4 cup red wine, preferably Rioja
3 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
3 bay leaves
3 cups cooked white beans, rinsed and drained if canned
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley.


1. Warm oil in a large heavy-bottom pot with a lid or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. When oil is hot, sprinkle lamb generously with salt and pepper and cook in batches to avoid overcrowding, turning once or twice, until each piece is well browned all over, about 15 minutes total. Transfer pieces to a plate as they brown.

2. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of fat and add onions, bell pepper, garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until onions and peppers are softened, about 5 minutes. Add pimentón and stir for a minute. Stir in tomatoes, breaking them into bite-size pieces and scraping browned bits from the pot. Add wine, chicken stock, vinegar and bay leaves and bring just to a boil.

3. Return lamb to pot and reduce heat so mixture is bubbling very gently. Partly cover pot and cook, stirring every 20 minutes or so, until lamb is very tender, about 2 hours. Discard bay leaves. Stir in beans and cook another 10 minutes to heat them through. Stir in parsley and adjust the seasoning if necessary.

chard stem gratin

I'm always looking for things to do with the parts of things you cut off an usually throw away.

From Chez Panisse Vegetables cookbook.

Par-boil stems, and place in gratin dish with chopped garlic (1-2 cloves), fried pancetta, a tomato that's been seeded and coursely chopped, 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley, and a little cream. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes or until brown.

Creamy Tomato Soup (w/out the cream)

My friend Laura dictated this recipe to me a few years back and I finally got around to trying it. The fire roasted tomatoes make a huge difference. I used butternut squash instead of acorn, and it came out terrific.

28 oz can of fire roasted chopped tomatoes
1/2 acorn squash, cut into pieces
32 oz container of Swanson low-sodium chicken broth
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 TBSP brown sugar
1 small can tomato paste
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 TBSP unsalted butter

Place the squash on a cookie sheet and toss with 2 TBSP olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast at 400 for 30 minutes or until squash is tender.

Saute the garlic in a large saucepan. Add tomoatoes and liquid, tomato paste, brown sugar, and 3 cups chicken broth. Simmer. Add squash and basil and use an immersion blender to combine. Add more chicken broth to thin. Simmer for 30 minutes, or overnight. Add butter.

Blueberry Breakfast Cornbread

I was dubious about the maple syrup, but it made it sweet and yummy. I used half course-ground cornmeal and half fine Mexican cornmeal.

Published January 1, 2005 in Cooks Illustrated

Makes one 8-inch Square.

CI Note: Before preparing the baking dish or any of the other ingredients, measure out the frozen kernels and let them stand at room temperature until needed. When corn is in season, fresh cooked kernels can be substituted for the frozen corn. This recipe was developed with Quaker yellow cornmeal; a stone-ground whole-grain cornmeal will work but will yield a drier and less tender cornbread. We prefer a Pyrex glass baking dish because it yields a nice golden-brown crust, but a metal baking dish (nonstick or traditional) will also work. The cornbread is best served warm; leftovers can be wrapped in foil and reheated in a 350-degree oven for 10 to 15 minutes.


INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour , (7 1/2 ounces)
1 cup yellow cornmeal (5 1/2 ounces), see note
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
1 cup fresh blueberries , or unthawed frozen
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (1 3/4 ounces)
3/4 cup frozen corn (3 1/2 ounces), defrosted
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 large eggs
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted and cooled slightly
2 tablespoons granulated sugar


INSTRUCTIONS
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 8-inch-square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl until combined; add blueberries and toss well to coat, set aside.

2. In food processor or blender, process brown sugar, thawed corn kernels, buttermilk, and maple syrup until combined, about 5 seconds. Add eggs and process until well combined (corn lumps will remain), about 5 seconds longer.

3. Using rubber spatula, make well in center of dry ingredients; pour wet ingredients into well. Begin folding dry ingredients into wet, giving mixture only a few turns to barely combine; add melted butter and continue folding until dry ingredients are just moistened. Pour batter into prepared baking dish; smooth surface with rubber spatula. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over batter. Bake until deep golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into pieces and serve.

Spaghetti with Asparagus Pesto

This recipe was on the packaging of a bunch of asparagus I bought. To my surprise, it's as easy as it is delicious. Basil pesto is a staple around here, so this offers a nice alternative.

This makes enough pesto for several pounds of pasta.

1 lb fresh asparagus, with stiff bottoms broken off
3 fresh basil leaves (I used more, like 6)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 small clove raw garlic (I used a large one)
1/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil
8 oz fine spaghetti or egg noodles

Cook the spaghetti al dente; drain and add 1 tbsp olive oil.

Put remaining 2 tbsp oil and remaining ingredients in food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Toss with pasta.

Evelyn's b-day Butter Rum Cake

I used dark rum. Yum!


Ingredients for Cake:

3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup rum
1 cup butter [melted]
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 eggs

Ingredients for Sauce:

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup butter
3 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan. In a large bowl, mix the flour, 2 cups sugar, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Blend in ½ cup buttermilk, ½ cup rum, 1 cup of butter, 2 teaspoons of vanilla and 4 eggs (use an electric mixer – it makes the batter smoother and the cake more moist). Beat for 3 minutes at medium speed. Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until a wooden toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean.

To Make Butter Sauce: In a saucepan combine the remaining 3/4 cups sugar, 1/3 cup butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and the o3 tablespoons rum. Cook over medium heat, until fully melted and combined, but do not boil.

Prick holes in the still warm cake (STILL IN THE BUNDT PAN) using the end of a wooden spoon – poke about ten holes in the cake evenly spaced apart. Slowly pour sauce over cake. Let cake cool before removing from pan.

The cake tastes even better with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or it’s just fine by itself (you’ll taste the sauce in every slice of the cake).

Brown Rice with Parmesan, Lemon, and Herbs

We did a version of this in the rice cooker (with water rather than broth) and it was fast and easy. Like brown rice risotto. Beware: if you follow the oven directions, below, you'll need 4 times the liquid it calls for. I ended up finishing it on the top of the stove. It came out of the oven crunchy.

Published May 1, 2004 in Cooks Illustrated

Serves 4 to 6.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion , minced
1 1/2 cups long-grain brown rice or medium-grain brown rice, or short-grain brown rice
2 1/3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon table salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

Instructions
1. Heat butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat until foaming; add onion and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Set onion aside.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Spread rice in 8-inch-square glass baking dish.

3. Bring broth to boil, covered, in medium saucepan over high heat; once boiling, immediately stir in salt and pour broth over rice. Stir in onion mixture and cover baking dish tightly with doubled layer of foil. Bake rice 1 hour, until tender.

4. Remove baking dish from oven and uncover. Stir in ground black pepper, parsley, basil, Parmesan, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Cover dish with clean kitchen towel; let rice stand 5 minutes. Uncover and let rice stand 5 minutes longer; serve immediately.

Broiled Sockeye Salmon with Citrus Glaze

This is perfection. I did it with a regular filet of farm-raised, and it was amazing. I added a little molasses since I only had light brown sugar.

Recipe courtesy Alton Brown, 2009
Yield: 4 to 6 servings

1 side, skin-on, sockeye salmon, 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, pin bones removed
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons lemon zest
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Position a rack in the oven 3 inches from the broiler. Line a half sheet pan with aluminum foil and place the salmon on the pan.

Place the sugar, zest, salt, and pepper into the bowl of a small food processor and process for 1 minute or until well combined. Evenly spread the mixture onto the salmon and allow to sit for 45 minutes, at room temperature.

Turn the oven on to the high broiler setting for 2 minutes. After 2 minutes, place the salmon into the oven and broil for 6 to 8 minutes or until the thickest part of the fish reaches an internal temperature of 131 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove the salmon from the oven and allow to rest, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Giant Chipotle White Beans w/ cilantro pesto

This is incredibly delicious, and if you use canned beans, really fast and easy. Was pleased to see that Wegmans had queso fresco. I also doubled the amount of chard, used 2 cans of butter beans, and skipped the breadcrumbs.

Serves about 6.

101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/

I used queso fresco cheese, it is creamy, and oozy melty - totally different results vs. feta, which stays relatively structured and is quite a bit more salty. You can use either or a combination of the two.

1 pound of large, dried white beans (corona, giant limas, gigantes, or any giant white beans you can find), rinsed, picked over and soaked overnight - or up to 24 hours. [about 2 cans]

Chipotle-tomato sauce:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 big pinches of red pepper flakes
2 pinches of salt
1 large clove garlic, chopped
1 14-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon fresh oregano leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers

Cilantro Pesto:
1 medium clove of garlic
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
big pinch of salt

2/3 cup kale or chard, washed, de-stemmed, and very finely chopped [I used about 1 1/3 cups]
1 cup queso fresco or feta cheese (see head notes)

1 1/2 cup whole-grain breadcrumbs, toasted in a skillet with a tablespoon of olive oil

To prepare the beans. Drain and rinse the beans after their overnight soak. Then place them in a large saucepan and cover with an inch or two of water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the beans are cooked through and just tender. This can take anywhere from an hour to two hours (potentially more) depending on your beans, but do your best to avoid overcooking. Remove from heat, salt the beans (still in bean broth) with about a tablespoon of salt - enough that the bean liquid is tasty but on the salty side. Let the beans sit like this for ten minutes or so before draining and setting the beans aside.

In the meantime, make your tomato sauce. Place the 2 tablespoons olive oil, red pepper flakes, couple pinches of salt, and chopped garlic into a cold medium saucepan. Stir while you heat the saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute just 45 seconds or so until everything is fragrant - you don't want the garlic to brown. Stir in the tomatoes and the fresh oregano and heat to a gentle simmer, this takes just a couple minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the adobo sauce - carefully take a taste (you don't want to burn your tongue)...If the sauce needs more salt add it now, more chipotle flavor? Go for it. Set aside.

Make the cilantro pesto by combining the clove of garlic and cilantro in a food processor. Pulse while you drizzle in the olive oil - alternately, you could do this by hand. Season with a bit of salt and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 425F degrees. In a 9x13 baking pan (or large oven-proof casserole/dutch oven) toss the beans with the tomato sauce and the kale. Sprinkle with the cheese and bake in the top-third of the oven for roughly twenty-five (if you're using queso fresco) to forty minutes, I look for the cheese to start browning and any visible beans to get a bit crusty. Remove from oven and let sit for about ten minutes. Top the beans with the breadcrumbs and just before serving drizzle with the cilantro pesto.

Green Beans With Chipotle Butter

The original recipe called for twice as much butter, which is delicious but not necessary. Serve with cornbread butternut squash and mushroom casserole.

This makes a *lot* of beans--1/2 a pound is more than enough for two people.

Ingredients
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, room temperatureunsalted butter
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped canned chipotle chile
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 pounds green beans, trimmed


Blend butter, chile, vinegar, and salt in mini processor until smooth.
Transfer to small bowl, do ahead can be made 3 days ahead.
Cover and chill.

Cook beans in large pot of boiling salted water until crisp tender, about 5 minutes; drain and pat dry.
Do ahead can be made 3 hours ahead.
Let stand at room temperature.
Melt chipotle butter in large pot over medium high heat.
Add beans and toss until coated and heated through, about 3 minutes.
Transfer to bowl.
Chipotle chiles are dried, smoked jalapenos canned in a spicy tomato sauce, which is sometimes called adobo.
They are available at some supermarkets, specialty foods stores, and Latin markets.

Ancho Mole

This mole is so much easier than others I've made in the past. I couldn't find dried ancho chiles, so I just used two rounded tablespoons of ancho chile powder, and it came out great. Serve with cornbread mushroom and butternut squash casserole (separate post).

Bon Appétit | November 2005

yield: Makes about 4 cups

4 dried ancho chiles, stemmed, seeded
4 cups warm water

1/2 cup canola oil or vegetable oil
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup lightly salted dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup sesame seeds
4 whole canned plum tomatoes (from 14 1/2-ounce can), drained
2 3/4 cups (or more) water
1 1/2 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped


preparation

Place chiles in large bowl; pour 4 cups warm water over. Let stand until chiles are soft, about 2 hours, turning occasionally. Drain, reserving 1 cup soaking liquid. Coarsely chop chiles.

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-low heat. Add almonds, peanuts, raisins, and sesame seeds; sauté until toasted, about 12 minutes. Transfer mixture to processor; add chiles with 1 cup reserved chile soaking liquid and plum tomatoes. Puree until mixture is almost smooth. Return mixture to skillet; add 2 3/4 cups water and bring to boil, whisking to blend. Reduce heat to medium-low; add chocolate and whisk until melted. Simmer until sauce thickens and darkens, adding more water by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick, about 15 minutes. Season with pepper and generous amount of salt. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; chill. Rewarm over low heat, whisking often.)

Cornbread Casserole and Butternut Squash, Mushrooms, and Ancho Mole

This was delicious, even though the dough for the cornbread was so wet I had to add twice as much cornmeal so it didn't fall apart. I've adjusted the amounts here. And while simmering the filling I left the cover on when it said to uncover--the only way to get the squash to be tender. Mole recipe in a separate entry.

Bon Appétit | November 2005

yield: Makes 8 servings

Filling:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 cups chopped onions
1 1/4 pounds assorted wild mushrooms (such as oyster, chanterelle, and portobello), coarsely chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
4 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
3 large garlic cloves, chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes seeded peeled butternut squash (about 2 1/2 pounds)
2 cups drained rinsed black beans (from two 15-ounce cans)
2 cups diced tomatoes in juice (from two 14 1/2-ounce cans)
1/2 cup water

Cornbread:
4 cups Masa Harina (corn tortilla mix)
2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
2 1/4 teaspoons salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/4 cups (or more) water
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter, melted, divided
2 large eggs
1 large egg yolk
2 cups (packed) coarsely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 8 ounces)
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh Italian parsley

preparation

For filling:
Heat oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms; sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add sage, thyme, garlic, and cumin; stir 1 minute. Add squash, beans, tomatoes with juice, and 1/2 cup water; bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and simmer 8 minutes. Uncover and simmer until vegetables are tender and most of liquid has evaporated but mixture is still very moist, about 12 minutes. Season filling generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Cover; chill.)

For cornbread:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 15x10x2-inch glass baking dish. Mix Masa Harina, cornmeal, salt, and baking powder in large bowl. Whisk 2 1/4 cups water, 6 tablespoons melted butter, eggs, and egg yolk in another large bowl to blend. Stir egg mixture into Masa Harina mixture. Stir in cheese and parsley, adding more water by tablespoonfuls as needed to form thick moist dough.

Transfer 4 cups dough to prepared baking dish. Place large piece of plastic wrap atop dough. Using plastic as aid, press dough evenly over bottom and 3/4 of the way up sides of dish; peel off plastic. Spoon filling into dough in dish, spreading evenly. Spoon remaining dough in small dollops atop filling. Using offset spatula, gently spread dollops evenly over filling to cover. Press top and bottom dough together at edges to seal, enclosing filling. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)

Brush top of casserole with 4 tablespoons melted butter. Bake until dough is light golden and casserole is heated through, about 1 hour (or about 1 hour 15 minutes if chilled). Cool 10 minutes. Cut into squares; serve with Ancho Mole.

Cauliflower Soup with Pecorino Romano and Truffle Oil

I used orange cauliflower, which added a little color. It was plenty cheesy already, so I didn't think it needed shavings on top, but maybe my cube was too big. It's cool how the cube of cheese flavors the cooking cauliflower and only gets shredded at the end. For the first time I really appreciated the flavor of the truffle oil in something I made.

From Bon Appetit. Serves 6.

2 oz (2 1/2 strips) applewood-smoked bacon, chopped
1 cup chopped onion
3/4 cup chopped celery
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 cups 1-inch pieces cauliflower (cut from 1 large head)
3 1/2 cups (or more) low salt chicken broth
1 3/4-inch cube of pecorino romano cheese, plus more shavings for serving
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
white or black truffle oil (for drizzling)

Saute bacon in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat until golden brown and some fat renders. Add onion, celery, and garlic. Cover and cook until veggies are soft, stirring occasionally, about 7 minutes. Add cauliflower, 3 1/2 cups broth, and cheese cube. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until cauliflower is tender, about 20 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in blender. Return to the same pan. Add cream and bring soup to simmer. Thing with more broth by 1/4 cupfuls f desired. Season with salt and pepper.

Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, cover, and chill. Rewarm before adding cheese shavings and drizzling with truffle oil.

Silky butternut squash soup

I did a simplified version of this, where I bought the precut butt squash and steamed it over the sauteed shallots, to which I added less water than they called for. And added less cream. Saved the rest of the unused liquid (it doesn't need that much to get silky in the blender) to freeze, and made a even quicker batch a week later.

Makes 1 1/2 quarts, serving 4 to 6.
Published November 1, 2001. Cooks Illustrated
If you don’t own a folding steamer basket, a pasta pot with a removable pasta insert works well. Some nice garnishes for the soup are freshly grated nutmeg, a drizzle of balsamic vinegar, a sprinkle of paprika, or Buttered Cinnamon-Sugar Croutons (see related recipe).


INGREDIENTS
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 medium shallots , minced (about 4 tablespoons)
3 pounds butternut squash (about 1 large), unpeeled, squash halved lengthwise, seeds and stringy fibers scraped with spoon and reserved (about 1/4 cup), and each half cut into quarters
Table salt
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Heat butter in large Dutch oven over medium-low heat until foaming; add shallots and cook, stirring frequently, until softened and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add squash scrapings and seeds and cook, stirring occasionally, until fragrant and butter turns saffron color, about 4 minutes. Add 6 cups water and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt to Dutch oven and bring to boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low, place squash cut-side down in steamer basket, and lower basket into pot. Cover and steam until squash is completely tender, about 30 minutes. Off heat, use tongs to transfer squash to rimmed baking sheet; reserve steaming liquid. When cool enough to handle, use large spoon to scrape flesh from skin into medium bowl; discard skin.

2. Pour reserved steaming liquid through mesh strainer into second bowl; discard solids in strainer. Rinse and dry Dutch oven.

3. In blender, puree squash and reserved liquid in batches, pulsing on low until smooth. Transfer puree to Dutch oven; stir in cream and brown sugar and heat over medium-low heat until hot. Add salt to taste; serve immediately.

Chicken pot pie

I used refrigerated piecrust, cause I'm lazy, and thought there was too much thyme. Maybe half that much would be good. And added a little heavy cream to the skim milk to make it creamer. Sherry is a nice touch.


Serves 6 to 8. Published May 1, 1996 Cooks illustrated
You can make the filling ahead of time, but remember to heat it on top of the stove before topping it. Mushrooms can be sautéed along with the celery and carrots, and blanched pearl onions can stand in for the onion. If you don't want to make a pastry topping, make the related biscuit recipe, stamp out 8 rounds of dough, arrange dough rounds, over warm filling and bake as directed.


INGREDIENTS
Pie Dough
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/4 pound), chilled and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
4 tablespoons vegetable shortening , chilled
Chicken Pot Pie
1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts or boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 can low-sodium chicken broth , with water added to equal 2 cups (or use 2 cups homemade chicken broth)
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion , chopped fine
3 medium carrots , peeled and cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
2 small ribs celery , cut crosswise 1/4-inch thick
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
3 tablespoons dry sherry
3/4 cup frozen peas , thawed
3 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
INSTRUCTIONS
1. For Pie Dough: Mix flour and salt in workbowl of food processor fitted with the steel blade. Scatter butter pieces over flour mixture, tossing to coat butter with a little of the flour. Cut butter into flour with five one-second pulses. Add shortening; continue cutting in until flour is pale yellow and resembles coarse cornmeal, keeping some butter bits the size of small peas, about four more one-second pulses. Turn mixture into medium bowl.

2. Sprinkle 3 tablespoons ice-cold water over the mixture. Using rubber spatula, fold water into flour mixture. Then press down on dough mixture with broad side of spatula until dough sticks together, adding up to 1 tablespoon more cold water if dough will not come together. Shape dough into ball, then flatten into 4-inch-wide disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate 30 minutes while preparing pie filling.

3. For Pie Filling: Adjust oven rack to low-center position; heat oven to 400 degrees. Put chicken and broth in small Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium heat. Cover, bring to simmer; simmer until chicken is just done, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer meat to large bowl, reserving broth in measuring cup.

4. Increase heat to medium-high; heat oil in now-empty pan. Add onions, carrots, and celery; sauté until just tender, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. While vegetables are sautéing, shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Transfer cooked vegetables to bowl with chicken; set aside.

5. Heat butter over medium heat in again-empty skillet. When foaming subsides, add flour; cook about 1 minute. Whisk in chicken broth, milk, any accumulated chicken juices, and thyme. Bring to simmer, then continue to simmer until sauce fully thickens, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper; stir in sherry.

6. Pour sauce over chicken mixture; stir to combine. Stir in peas and parsley. Adjust seasonings. (Can be covered and refrigerated overnight; reheat before topping with pastry.)

7. To Assemble: Roll dough on floured surface to approximate 15-by-11-inch rectangle, about 1/8-inch thick. If making individual pies, roll dough 1/8-inch thick and cut 6 dough rounds about 1 inch larger than pan circumference.

8. Pour chicken mixture into 13-by-9-inch pan or any shallow baking dish of similar size. Lay dough over pot pie filling, trimming dough to 1/2 inch of pan lip. Tuck overhanging dough back under itself so folded edge is flush with lip. Flute edges all around. Or don't trim dough and simply tuck overhanging dough into pan side. Cut at least four 1-inch vent holes in large pot pie or one 1-inch vent hole in smaller pies.

9. Bake until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly, 30 minutes for large pies and 20 to 25 minutes for smaller pies. Serve hot.