Whole Foods sells some really delicious frozen fish patties that work great for making burgers. Brit and I had bought a Groupon deal for Whole Foods and made sure to stock up on the frozen salmon patties when we were there last month. For dinner we made a very simple burger with lettuce, tomato, and red onion from our farmer's market. Brit cooked the salmon with a little olive oil in a skillet and I made us an aioli to spread on the bun. The aioli was fantastic and we wanted to make sure we could remember how it was made.
Aioli Spread
4 tbsp mayo
4 cloves garlic, minced well
2 tsp curry powder
2 tsp smoked paprika
Salt and Pepper to taste
2 tsp lime juice
1-2 tsp Sriracha
Monday, October 31, 2011
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Asparagus Ravioli with Brown Butter Sauce
We made homemade asparagus ravioli over a year ago with our friend Corey, which turned out really well. One issue we had though was that I didn't properly make the accompanying brown butter sauce, so we just ate the ravioli with the additional garnishes. After going through some of our old recipes, Brit got excited about the idea of making this meal again and was determined to make the brown butter sauce work.
The asparagus spears and anchovies (two of them this time) were finely blended in a food processor and mixed in with the additional filling ingredients. The filling was then placed into the wonton wrappers (we successfully found some at the South Square Market in the produced section) and folded into triangles. Brit patiently cooked the butter sauce until it browned and everything was plated directly from the pot. Once cooked, the ravioli intensely stick to each other, so I spooned them out of the boiling water and plated them directly into our bowls for dinner or tupperware for lunch the next day.
The asparagus spears and anchovies (two of them this time) were finely blended in a food processor and mixed in with the additional filling ingredients. The filling was then placed into the wonton wrappers (we successfully found some at the South Square Market in the produced section) and folded into triangles. Brit patiently cooked the butter sauce until it browned and everything was plated directly from the pot. Once cooked, the ravioli intensely stick to each other, so I spooned them out of the boiling water and plated them directly into our bowls for dinner or tupperware for lunch the next day.
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Brunch Tostadas!
Yes, the exclamation point is a necessity here. We accidentally didn't have time to try out the Shredded Chicken Hard Tacos recipe we had planned this week, so in a pinch we decided to use all the ingredients and substituted eggs for the chicken. It was a very exciting way to start the day.
Brunch Tostadas!
Brunch Tostadas!
5 eggs
1 -2 tbsp skim milk
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, diced & divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup salsa, divided
6 oz shredded light Mexican cheese blend
2 corn tortillas
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Sour Cream
Avocado
Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, diced
In a small saucepan, heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1/2 of the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and stir until the scent of garlic is released, about 1 minute. Add black beans and stir until combined. When the black beans are heated through, stir in 1/4 cup of salsa. Reduce heat to low and cover to retain liquid.
Roughly chop the avocado. Place in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a fork. It's okay if the avocado is still a little chunky - that's the best part.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Spray with olive oil spray to lubricate. Add eggs. Wait about 1 minute and then stir the eggs with a wooden spoon, gently scraping the bottom of the pan. Repeat this process until the eggs are scrambled and all the liquid has been cooked/evaporated, about 10-12 minutes.
While the eggs are cooking, heat a small pan over medium high heat. Spray quickly with olive oil spray. Add one corn tortilla and toast until both sides are brown and the tortilla is almost crispy.
Place the toasted tortilla on a plate. Spread 1/2 of the mashed avocado mixture on the tortilla. Add the black beans, sprinkle the cheese, then cover with eggs. The lettuce, tomato and sour cream will top off a deliciously complete brunch meal. Too bad we didn't have any guests to share this with! We'll be sure to make it again sometime.
1 -2 tbsp skim milk
1 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red onion, diced & divided
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup salsa, divided
6 oz shredded light Mexican cheese blend
2 corn tortillas
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Sour Cream
Avocado
Lettuce, chopped
Tomato, diced
In a small saucepan, heat about 1/2 tbsp olive oil over medium heat until shimmering. Add 1/2 of the onion and saute for 2-3 minutes until translucent. Add the garlic and stir until the scent of garlic is released, about 1 minute. Add black beans and stir until combined. When the black beans are heated through, stir in 1/4 cup of salsa. Reduce heat to low and cover to retain liquid.
Roughly chop the avocado. Place in a small bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Mash with a fork. It's okay if the avocado is still a little chunky - that's the best part.
Meanwhile, whisk eggs in a medium bowl. Add milk and whisk until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a pan over medium-low heat. Spray with olive oil spray to lubricate. Add eggs. Wait about 1 minute and then stir the eggs with a wooden spoon, gently scraping the bottom of the pan. Repeat this process until the eggs are scrambled and all the liquid has been cooked/evaporated, about 10-12 minutes.
While the eggs are cooking, heat a small pan over medium high heat. Spray quickly with olive oil spray. Add one corn tortilla and toast until both sides are brown and the tortilla is almost crispy.
Place the toasted tortilla on a plate. Spread 1/2 of the mashed avocado mixture on the tortilla. Add the black beans, sprinkle the cheese, then cover with eggs. The lettuce, tomato and sour cream will top off a deliciously complete brunch meal. Too bad we didn't have any guests to share this with! We'll be sure to make it again sometime.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Jengban Mak Guksu (Spicy Cold Noodles on Platter)
Brit sent me a recipe for a fantastic looking Korean dish that we both knew we had to try. The recipe comes from a blog that Brit reads of a couple living in The States both of whom are originally from Korea. I later showed the recipe to a Korean friend of mine who confirmed how good the dish is and was excited for us to try it.
For our first time making this, it took us quite a while. We didn't plan things out very well, and probably used every bowl in the kitchen in the preparation, but it was well worth it in the end. I also really wanted to prepare the dish so that it could be authentically presented; the noodles get placed in the middle of the dish with the sauce on top and the chopped vegetables around. Everything then gets mixed together with chopsticks and hungry dinner guests are allowed to dig in.
We doubled the quantities of the ingredients listed below, but unfortunately did not have enough of the red chili paste to double the sauce. While the sauce was still delicious, the complete quantity of red chili paste would have been preferable and will definitely be utilized in the future. We also added in red pepper to our included vegetables, which is not as authentically Korean, but added a nice crunch and color to the recipe.
Jengban Mak Guksu
(Originally posted on the Bap Story Korean food blog)
Serves 2-4
1 box of Soba noodles (we've found that the Annie Chuns brand holds up the best for leftovers)
Cucumber, sliced thin
Carrots, sliced into matchsticks
Cabbage, sliced into matchsticks
Red bell pepper, sliced thin
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin
Sauce:
4 tbsp red chili paste
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp plum sauce
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sesame seeds
Garnish:
1 tbsp sesame oil
2-3 tbsp seaweed, shredded (we bought some dried seaweed from Maxx's produce that we rehydrated in warm water)
The important part of this dish is the presentation. Place the cooked soba noodles (according to the box instructions) in the middle of a large platter. Surround the noodles with all of the vegetables. Pour the sesame oil, sauce, and seaweed on top of the noodles. Mix thoroughly and enjoy!
For our first time making this, it took us quite a while. We didn't plan things out very well, and probably used every bowl in the kitchen in the preparation, but it was well worth it in the end. I also really wanted to prepare the dish so that it could be authentically presented; the noodles get placed in the middle of the dish with the sauce on top and the chopped vegetables around. Everything then gets mixed together with chopsticks and hungry dinner guests are allowed to dig in.
We doubled the quantities of the ingredients listed below, but unfortunately did not have enough of the red chili paste to double the sauce. While the sauce was still delicious, the complete quantity of red chili paste would have been preferable and will definitely be utilized in the future. We also added in red pepper to our included vegetables, which is not as authentically Korean, but added a nice crunch and color to the recipe.
Jengban Mak Guksu
(Originally posted on the Bap Story Korean food blog)
Serves 2-4
1 box of Soba noodles (we've found that the Annie Chuns brand holds up the best for leftovers)
Cucumber, sliced thin
Carrots, sliced into matchsticks
Cabbage, sliced into matchsticks
Red bell pepper, sliced thin
3 hard boiled eggs, sliced thin
Sauce:
4 tbsp red chili paste
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp plum sauce
1 tbsp garlic, minced
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1-2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sesame seeds
Garnish:
1 tbsp sesame oil
2-3 tbsp seaweed, shredded (we bought some dried seaweed from Maxx's produce that we rehydrated in warm water)
The important part of this dish is the presentation. Place the cooked soba noodles (according to the box instructions) in the middle of a large platter. Surround the noodles with all of the vegetables. Pour the sesame oil, sauce, and seaweed on top of the noodles. Mix thoroughly and enjoy!
Monday, October 17, 2011
Linguine with Saffron and Andouille Sausage and Cauliflower
This is a dish Brit found on The Spice House website, I believe while searching for cheap spices to purchase. The recipe is so simple, but so incredibly rewarding. We changed one of the ingredients to make it healthier, specifically using fat free half and half instead of whole milk. Snobs might be able to notice a difference, but it's quite delicious exactly as we made it. We also added in some andouille sausage and roast cauliflower to add protein and make the meal more well rounded. This is a definite repeat recipe.
Linguine with Saffron and Andouille Sausage and Cauliflower
(Modified from a recipe at The Spice House)
Serves 4
Generous pinch of saffron
1 1/3 cups fat free half and half
3 tbsp coarse salt
1 box linguine
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 package of TJ's andouille sausage, sliced
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1-2 days in advance, mix the saffron with the half and half and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Cook the pasta according to the packaging.
Roast the cauliflower in the oven at 400 F until it is cooked through.
Saute the sausage in a tbsp of oil in a pan until browned and heated through.
Warm the saffron mix in the same pot that the pasta was cooked in. Once warm, add back to the drained pasta and stir well. Add half of the cheese and stir well. Add in the salt and stir well. Let sit 1-2 minutes and season to taste.
Serve with the cauliflower and sausage on top.
Linguine with Saffron and Andouille Sausage and Cauliflower
(Modified from a recipe at The Spice House)
Serves 4
Generous pinch of saffron
1 1/3 cups fat free half and half
3 tbsp coarse salt
1 box linguine
1 cup Parmesan cheese, divided
1 package of TJ's andouille sausage, sliced
1 head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
1-2 days in advance, mix the saffron with the half and half and store in a sealed container in the fridge.
Cook the pasta according to the packaging.
Roast the cauliflower in the oven at 400 F until it is cooked through.
Saute the sausage in a tbsp of oil in a pan until browned and heated through.
Warm the saffron mix in the same pot that the pasta was cooked in. Once warm, add back to the drained pasta and stir well. Add half of the cheese and stir well. Add in the salt and stir well. Let sit 1-2 minutes and season to taste.
Serve with the cauliflower and sausage on top.
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Braised Chicken with Brown Rice, Broccoli, and Cauliflower
A long time ago Brit and I tried for something new and decided to cook a lamb shank. We normally don't eat red meat, but we had just bought ourselves a dutch oven and were willing to break our rule for just one night. I had asked my mom if she had any suggestions for what to do with the lamb and she sent us a recipe of hers for a braised lamb shank with a rosemary and garlic sauce. Sadly, for what we to believe were technical reasons, the lamb did not turn out very well. However, the rosemary and garlic sauce was incredible. So, I've wanted to retry that recipe for a while now but try using a chicken instead of a lamb so that we wouldn't feel so guilty about eating any red meat.
The chicken turned out fantastically well. It was incredibly tender and tasty. The sauce was also quite good, but not as good as when we first made the lamb. The flavor infused into the sauce from the lamb was not something we would have been able to replicate with the chicken. Oh well.
We paired our chicken with brown rice, roast cauliflower and steamed brocooli. It was quite a feast.
Braised Chicken
Whole Chicken (we picked up a 4.5 lb. chicken from our favorite Halal Meat Market)
Salt
Black pepper
Paprika
Olive oil
7-8 cloves garlic, chopped
Bunch of green onions, chopped
Onion, chopped
Rosemary
Thyme
Sage
1 cup white wine
3 cups chicken stock (you may need more or less depending on the size of your cooking pot and chicken)
Preheat your oven to 325 F.
Generously rub salt, pepper, and paprika all over your chicken. Heat up olive oil in a medium to large dutch oven. Sear the chicken on all sides until brown. This shouldn't taken more than 1-2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set aside. Brown the garlic, green onion, and onion for just a few minutes. Add in the wine and deglaze the bottom of the pan. Throw in the herbs, return the chicken with all of its juices, and then add enough chicken stock to cover half of the chicken. Secure the dutch oven lid and stick in the oven.
We cooked ours for about an hour. We knew it was done because we had inserted a cooking thermometer probe into the thigh of the chicken and cooked it until it was 165 F. We then let it rest on top of the stove for about 45 minutes while we cooked the rest of our meal. Future braisings would hopefully be better planned and the meat wouldn't sit out for longer than 10-15 minutes.
If you don't have a cooking thermometer, I bet any chicken would be done in 1-1.5 hours. If you overcook it, it shouldn't be a problem as the liquids in the dutch oven will keep it from drying out.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
Chicken Marinade with Cous cous and Asparagus
Brit and I needed an easy meal to make as we had a very narrow amount of time between when we both got home from work and when we would have to leave to go see Bush and Chevelle in concert (with Filter opening). To briefly describe the concert: Gavin Rossdale rocked the house and Filter has become really, really awful. The lead singer lost his ability to sing and none of their new music is tolerable.
Chicken Marinade
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken breasts (we got ours from the fantastic Halal meat market around the corner)
Soyaki marinade (a great TJs marinade)
Trim the chicken, slice thin, and stab a few times with your knife. Immerse in a sealable container (whether it's a ziploc bag or a bowl with saran wrap on top, and marinate overnight (we did 48 hours because we're crazy).
We then baked the chicken at 450 F until it was done (prob 30 minutes).
The chicken was paired with some cous cous and asparagus we boiled and then seasoned with white balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper.
Enchilada Manicotti
When Mike sent me this recipe, I was hesitant at first. It sounded so strange! Then I thought about it for a little while, and it started to make sense. Pasta instead of tortilla. Chunky enchilada sauce instead of a red sauce. Ricotta AND shredded Mexican cheeses. RICOTTA. I was sold.
This is a fun, simple dish to make and was a satisfying meal that produced at least two days' worth of leftovers - definitely a win in my book!
Enchilada Manicotti
(via The Food in My Beard)
For filling (slightly different from original recipe):
4 oz Jack Cheese (we used TJ's Lite Mexican Cheese blend)
1 Cup Ricotta
1 11 oz Can Refried Beans (fat free refried beans from TJ's are the jam!)
4 Tablespoons Parsley
For sauce:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Small Onion
1 28 oz Can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 4.5 oz Can Muir Glen diced green chiles (we used one can of TJ's fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles for convenience)
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Diced Bell Pepper
3 Chopped Chipotles from a Can with Adobo
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
5 Clove Diced Garlic
1 Box Manicotti Shells
4 oz Jack Cheese
Mix filling ingredients in a large bowl.
In a medium saucepan, saute onions in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Saute for about 1 minute. Add cumin and stir to combine. Add other sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Boil Manicotti shells according to package and strain.
Pour some of the sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan.
Stuff filling into shells.
Coat filled shells in sauce. Top shells with more sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool 10 minutes and serve.
This was delicious and a fun activity - who doesn't love stuffing shells with a gooey cheese mixture?!
Next time we might add a sausage to the filling (maybe TJ's jalapeno chicken sausage?) for additional flavor and protein. All in all, a successful dinner!
This is a fun, simple dish to make and was a satisfying meal that produced at least two days' worth of leftovers - definitely a win in my book!
Enchilada Manicotti
(via The Food in My Beard)
For filling (slightly different from original recipe):
4 oz Jack Cheese (we used TJ's Lite Mexican Cheese blend)
1 Cup Ricotta
1 11 oz Can Refried Beans (fat free refried beans from TJ's are the jam!)
4 Tablespoons Parsley
For sauce:
1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
1 Small Onion
1 28 oz Can Muir Glen fire roasted diced tomatoes
1 4.5 oz Can Muir Glen diced green chiles (we used one can of TJ's fire roasted tomatoes with green chiles for convenience)
1 Tablespoon Cumin
1 Diced Bell Pepper
3 Chopped Chipotles from a Can with Adobo
1 Teaspoon Dried Oregano
5 Clove Diced Garlic
1 Box Manicotti Shells
4 oz Jack Cheese
Mix filling ingredients in a large bowl.
In a medium saucepan, saute onions in a tablespoon of olive oil over medium heat until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and stir. Saute for about 1 minute. Add cumin and stir to combine. Add other sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes.
Boil Manicotti shells according to package and strain.
Pour some of the sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan.
Stuff filling into shells.
Coat filled shells in sauce. Top shells with more sauce and cheese. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.
Allow to cool 10 minutes and serve.
This was delicious and a fun activity - who doesn't love stuffing shells with a gooey cheese mixture?!
Next time we might add a sausage to the filling (maybe TJ's jalapeno chicken sausage?) for additional flavor and protein. All in all, a successful dinner!
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Dan Dan Noodles
The Dan Dan Noodles from 1.5 weeks ago were so good that we had to try them again. As previously mentioned, we added some extra vegetables to give the dish some more color, texture, and flavor.
So, this time we chopped up some red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and carrots and sauteed them for a few minutes at the beginning. I then removed the veggies from the pan and half cooked the ground turkey before throwing in the ginger and garlic. Once the turkey was fully cooked I added back in the veggies and stirred in the ingredients for the sauce.
I only used 4-5 tbsp of tahini instead of the 8 tbsp that I had used last time. I think the full amount was necessary and I'll be sure to go overboard with the tahini next time.
Previously I had just ground extra black pepper into the dish instead of whole peppercorns. I decided to try whole peppercorns this time and I don't think it was necessary. I squirted in a bit of Sriracha hot sauce to compensate for the lack of the Sichuan peppercorns and I think this was a great addition to the dish.
Also, instead of fully simmering and reducing the sauce, we were too hungry to wait so we just mixed it right away with the pasta. I believe this was a technical mistake. Be sure to let the sauce fully simmer and don't mix with the pasta in the pot. Be sure to distribute the pasta first so that the meat and sauce can be properly spooned over the noodles and all of the flavors of the dish can be enjoyed.
Despite some of the variations ultimately leading to the dish not being as good as the first experience, this was still a delicious meal and I'm sure we'll be making it again in the future.
So, this time we chopped up some red bell pepper, green bell pepper, and carrots and sauteed them for a few minutes at the beginning. I then removed the veggies from the pan and half cooked the ground turkey before throwing in the ginger and garlic. Once the turkey was fully cooked I added back in the veggies and stirred in the ingredients for the sauce.
I only used 4-5 tbsp of tahini instead of the 8 tbsp that I had used last time. I think the full amount was necessary and I'll be sure to go overboard with the tahini next time.
Previously I had just ground extra black pepper into the dish instead of whole peppercorns. I decided to try whole peppercorns this time and I don't think it was necessary. I squirted in a bit of Sriracha hot sauce to compensate for the lack of the Sichuan peppercorns and I think this was a great addition to the dish.
Also, instead of fully simmering and reducing the sauce, we were too hungry to wait so we just mixed it right away with the pasta. I believe this was a technical mistake. Be sure to let the sauce fully simmer and don't mix with the pasta in the pot. Be sure to distribute the pasta first so that the meat and sauce can be properly spooned over the noodles and all of the flavors of the dish can be enjoyed.
Despite some of the variations ultimately leading to the dish not being as good as the first experience, this was still a delicious meal and I'm sure we'll be making it again in the future.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Chicken Pot & Apple Pie (separately)
Oh my goodness. I think I went a little crazy this weekend. It's getting cooler - time for food for cooler weather. Comfort foods, and foods that make me want to curl up with my favorite person and watch Modern Family afterward. I got really, really excited when I found a recipe for chicken pot pie in the October issue of Bon Appetit. It looked so incredible that I just couldn't resist. So I spent all of this afternoon preparing it. It was worth every single minute - I think Mike can attest to that.
Chicken Pot Pie (faithfully prepared, with a few minute changes, from the October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit)
I did not lattice the pie.
1 1/2 pounds ginger gold apples (about 3 medium) (any green apple will do)
2 pounds Braeburn apples (about 4 large) (any reddish baking apple will do)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
About 1 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500°F. Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable).
2. Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of plastic wrap to 12-inch disk. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9 1/2-inch pie plate or by folding dough in quarters, then placing dough point in center of pie plate and unfolding. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs lip of plate in place; refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.
3. Peel, core and cut apples in half, and in half again width-wise; cut quarters into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice. In a medium bowl, sugar, flour, salt and spices. Toss dry ingredients with apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.
4. Roll out second piece of dough to 12-inch disk and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits on dough top. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
5. Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375°F; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer.
6. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.
Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes (Cook's Note: I accidentally only used 1 stick of butter, and in retrospect, I stand by my mistake. I will only use 1 stick for this recipe)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Chicken:
2 cups peeled, coarsely chopped carrots
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 leek, coarsely chopped
1 3-pound whole chicken
4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
6 sprigs thyme
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Filling:
2 tablespoons dried chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms (we used the dried morel we had in the pantry)
1 cup 1/2" slices peeled carrots
1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) peas
1 cup pearl onions
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 fresh sage leaves
4 thyme sprigs
2 sprigs rosemary (Oopsy, we forgot to pick the rosemary. But it was still delicious)
1 cup button mushrooms, halved if large
1 cup 1/4" rounds sliced fingerling potatoes
1 egg, beaten to blend
Coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, optional
3 cups all-purpose flour plus more for surface
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes (Cook's Note: I accidentally only used 1 stick of butter, and in retrospect, I stand by my mistake. I will only use 1 stick for this recipe)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
Chicken:
2 cups peeled, coarsely chopped carrots
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 leek, coarsely chopped
1 3-pound whole chicken
4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
6 sprigs thyme
1 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Filling:
2 tablespoons dried chanterelle or shiitake mushrooms (we used the dried morel we had in the pantry)
1 cup 1/2" slices peeled carrots
1 cup fresh (or frozen, thawed) peas
1 cup pearl onions
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 fresh sage leaves
4 thyme sprigs
2 sprigs rosemary (Oopsy, we forgot to pick the rosemary. But it was still delicious)
1 cup button mushrooms, halved if large
1 cup 1/4" rounds sliced fingerling potatoes
1 egg, beaten to blend
Coarse sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper, optional
For crust:
Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor. Add cubed butter and shortening and process until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. With machine running, add 1/2 cup ice water and process, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry, until dough forms. Form dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 12x9 1/2" rectangle, about 1/4" thick. Place on prepared sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
For chicken:
Preheat oven to 400°. Place carrots, onion, and leek on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large pot fitted with a lid. Add chicken, breast side down, celery, thyme sprigs, wine, salt, and peppercorns to pot. Add 8 cups water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and poach chicken until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside until cool. Reserve broth. Shred meat; discard skin and bones. Set a large strainer over another pot. Strain broth into clean pot. Stir in tomato paste. Return to medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 5 cups, about 40 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover chicken and broth separately; keep chilled. Rewarm broth before continuing.
For filling:
Place dried morels in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes; set aside. Reserve soaking liquid. Cook carrots in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add peas to saucepan; cook for 1 minute; transfer to bowl with carrots. Add onions to saucepan and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside; let cool. Peel onions.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Whisk in herbs and warm broth from chicken. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chanterelles to saucepan. Pour in soaking liquid, leaving sediment behind. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Set a strainer over another large pot. Strain broth into pot; discard solids. Add chicken, carrots, peas, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spoon filling into an 11x8x2" or 2 1/2-quart round baking dish. (Add pie bird, if using.) Top with pastry, pinching edges to seal. If not using pie bird, cut a 1" slit in center of crust for steam to vent. Brush pastry with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, if desired.
Place pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes.
This was hands-down the best chicken pot pie I have ever had. If you ever want to spend an afternoon in the kitchen, just try it. It is so worth it.
For dessert, I made an apple pie with fresh apples from the farmer's market.
Apple Pie
(loosely adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe)
I used the crust recipe from the chicken pot pie above, except I used both sticks of butter that it called for and I added 2 tablespoons of sugar. I also separated the dough into two equal parts, flattened them and refrigerated them for 1 hour.Mix flour, salt, and baking powder in a food processor. Add cubed butter and shortening and process until mixture resembles coarse meal with some pea-size lumps. With machine running, add 1/2 cup ice water and process, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dry, until dough forms. Form dough into a ball; flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place chilled dough on a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 12x9 1/2" rectangle, about 1/4" thick. Place on prepared sheet and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Chill. DO AHEAD: Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.
For chicken:
Preheat oven to 400°. Place carrots, onion, and leek on a rimmed baking sheet and roast until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Transfer to a large pot fitted with a lid. Add chicken, breast side down, celery, thyme sprigs, wine, salt, and peppercorns to pot. Add 8 cups water to cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat, cover, and poach chicken until cooked through, about 35 minutes.
Remove chicken from pot and set aside until cool. Reserve broth. Shred meat; discard skin and bones. Set a large strainer over another pot. Strain broth into clean pot. Stir in tomato paste. Return to medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until reduced to 5 cups, about 40 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool. Cover chicken and broth separately; keep chilled. Rewarm broth before continuing.
For filling:
Place dried morels in a small bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let steep for 10 minutes; set aside. Reserve soaking liquid. Cook carrots in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a medium bowl. Add peas to saucepan; cook for 1 minute; transfer to bowl with carrots. Add onions to saucepan and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Remove from pot and set aside; let cool. Peel onions.
In a large heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Whisk in flour. Cook over medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Whisk in herbs and warm broth from chicken. Using a slotted spoon, transfer chanterelles to saucepan. Pour in soaking liquid, leaving sediment behind. Simmer for 20 minutes.
Set a strainer over another large pot. Strain broth into pot; discard solids. Add chicken, carrots, peas, onions, mushrooms, and potatoes. Bring to a simmer. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Chill uncovered until cool; cover and keep chilled. Rewarm before continuing.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Spoon filling into an 11x8x2" or 2 1/2-quart round baking dish. (Add pie bird, if using.) Top with pastry, pinching edges to seal. If not using pie bird, cut a 1" slit in center of crust for steam to vent. Brush pastry with beaten egg, and sprinkle with sea salt and pepper, if desired.
Place pot pie on a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly, about 45 minutes.
This was hands-down the best chicken pot pie I have ever had. If you ever want to spend an afternoon in the kitchen, just try it. It is so worth it.
For dessert, I made an apple pie with fresh apples from the farmer's market.
Apple Pie
(loosely adapted from Smitten Kitchen's recipe)
I did not lattice the pie.
1 1/2 pounds ginger gold apples (about 3 medium) (any green apple will do)
2 pounds Braeburn apples (about 4 large) (any reddish baking apple will do)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
About 1 cup + 1 tablespoon of sugar
2 - 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
pinch of salt
3 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 egg white, beaten lightly
1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat rimmed baking sheet and oven to 500°F. Remove one piece of dough from refrigerator (if refrigerated longer than 1 hour, let stand at room temperature until malleable).
2. Roll dough on lightly floured work surface or between two large sheets of plastic wrap to 12-inch disk. Transfer dough to pie plate by rolling dough around rolling pin and unrolling over 9 1/2-inch pie plate or by folding dough in quarters, then placing dough point in center of pie plate and unfolding. Working around circumference of pie plate, ease dough into pan corners by gently lifting dough edges with one hand while pressing around pan bottom with other hand. Leave dough that overhangs lip of plate in place; refrigerate dough-lined pie plate.
3. Peel, core and cut apples in half, and in half again width-wise; cut quarters into 1/4-inch slices and toss with lemon juice. In a medium bowl, sugar, flour, salt and spices. Toss dry ingredients with apples. Turn fruit mixture, including juices, into chilled pie shell and mound slightly in center.
4. Roll out second piece of dough to 12-inch disk and place over filling. Trim top and bottom edges to 1/2-inch beyond pan lip. Tuck this rim of dough underneath itself so that folded edge is flush with pan lip. Flute edging or press with fork tines to seal. Cut four slits on dough top. If pie dough is very soft, place in freezer for 10 minutes. Brush egg white onto top of crust and sprinkle evenly with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
5. Place pie on baking sheet and lower oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate pie and reduce oven temperature to 375°F; continue baking until juices bubble and crust is deep golden brown, 30-35 minutes longer.
6. Transfer pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature, at least 4 hours.
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Pot Roast with Mashed Potatos and Green Beans
I recently started reading The Pioneer Woman Cooks food blog and I got excited when I read that she had been picked up by The Food Network for her own Saturday morning show. I haven't been able to catch any episodes yet, but her printed recipes are fantastic. Normally Brit and I steer clear of red meat, but every once in a while will spoil ourselves and this was one of those times. The Pioneer Woman blogged about how to make the "perfect pot roast" and after reading about how fun/easy it was, I couldn't resist giving it a try.
When I mentioned to my friend Melissa that I'd be making pot roast, she begged me to invite her over for dinner. I turned the situation into my advantage and invited her over on the condition that she'd come to a comedy show with Brit and I afterwards. She even brought over a guy she had recently started seeing and I took this as an opportunity to vet him.
Well, the pot roast turned out incredible, was really fun to make, and the meal was very nicely paired with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. The delicious food was paired with great company and a humorous comedy show.
Pot Roast
(Adapted, but mostly strictly followed, from The Pioneer Woman Cooks food blog)
Serves a lot!
4-5 lb. chuck roast (our halal meat market provided us with 2 smaller 3 lb. cuts)
Olive oil
3 onions, cut in half
6-8 carrots, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
10 garlic cloves, peeled (my addition)
10 shallots, peeled (my addition)
1 cup red wine
3 cups vegetable stock
4-5 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
Preheat your oven to 275 F.
Generously salt and pepper your cuts of meat. Have fun with this. Make a mess. I did!
Heat a 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch over. When hot, add in the halved onions and brown on each side for just a few minutes. Remove the onions and brown the carrots for just a few minutes. Remove the carrots and brown the shallots and garlic for a very short period of time and remove.
Sear the meat on all sides until just browned and not any longer. Be sure to sear the sides too, not just the top and bottom. This was my favorite part holding the large cuts of meat in my tongs and feeling very much like a chef. Once seared, remove the meat and deglaze the bottom of the pot using the red wine and a whisk.
Once deglazed, add back in the meat, pour in the stock, and position all of the browned vegetables and extra herbs around the meat. Place the lid on the dutch oven, stick it in the over, and cook for 4 hours. Brit checked on the meat halfway through and turned it so that there would be even cooking all around.
When I mentioned to my friend Melissa that I'd be making pot roast, she begged me to invite her over for dinner. I turned the situation into my advantage and invited her over on the condition that she'd come to a comedy show with Brit and I afterwards. She even brought over a guy she had recently started seeing and I took this as an opportunity to vet him.
Well, the pot roast turned out incredible, was really fun to make, and the meal was very nicely paired with a side of garlic mashed potatoes and steamed green beans. The delicious food was paired with great company and a humorous comedy show.
Pot Roast
(Adapted, but mostly strictly followed, from The Pioneer Woman Cooks food blog)
Serves a lot!
4-5 lb. chuck roast (our halal meat market provided us with 2 smaller 3 lb. cuts)
Olive oil
3 onions, cut in half
6-8 carrots, cut into 1-2 inch pieces
10 garlic cloves, peeled (my addition)
10 shallots, peeled (my addition)
1 cup red wine
3 cups vegetable stock
4-5 sprigs thyme
4 sprigs rosemary
Preheat your oven to 275 F.
Generously salt and pepper your cuts of meat. Have fun with this. Make a mess. I did!
Heat a 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large dutch over. When hot, add in the halved onions and brown on each side for just a few minutes. Remove the onions and brown the carrots for just a few minutes. Remove the carrots and brown the shallots and garlic for a very short period of time and remove.
Sear the meat on all sides until just browned and not any longer. Be sure to sear the sides too, not just the top and bottom. This was my favorite part holding the large cuts of meat in my tongs and feeling very much like a chef. Once seared, remove the meat and deglaze the bottom of the pot using the red wine and a whisk.
Once deglazed, add back in the meat, pour in the stock, and position all of the browned vegetables and extra herbs around the meat. Place the lid on the dutch oven, stick it in the over, and cook for 4 hours. Brit checked on the meat halfway through and turned it so that there would be even cooking all around.
Saturday, October 1, 2011
Dan Dan Noodles
The October 2011 issue of Bon Appetit had quite a few recipes that
caught both Brit's and my eye. This is a dramatic improvement from the
past several issues and might be enough to convince us to continue our
subscription. One such recipe that looked fairly exciting was the Dan
Dan Noodles that was specifically requested by a reader who really
enjoyed the dish served at Peter Change's Tasty 2 restaurant in
Marietta, GA. I'm always amazed that restaurants are willing to provide
their dish's recipes for print and I'm definitely not complaining.
This dish turned out fantastic and I cannot wait to make it again. We wanted to add more vegetables to the recipe, and some more color, so we chose red bell pepper. We'll prob also throw in a green bell pepper and some carrots to give it even more color next time.
Dan Dan Noodles
(Adapted from a recipe in the October 2011 Bon Appetit)
Serves 4
8 oz. Udon noodles
2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz. ground turkey
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and chopped
Red bell pepper, sliced (our own addition)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (my own addition)
1.5 cup vegetable stock
4 tbsp chili oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
8 tbsp tahini (this was actually a mistake and should have been 8 tsp. I'm sticking with tbsp in the future)
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (we couldn't find these, so we just used regular black peppercorns)
pinch of sugar
4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
4 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
Cook the noodles until al dente, drain and set aside
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook the ground turkey, seasoned with some salt and pepper, until it's about halfway done. Stir in the ginger and bell pepper and keep cooking until the turkey is done. Stir in the garlic, stock, chili oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, tahini, peppercorns, and sugar. Simmer the mixture until the sauce thickens, in about 7-8 minutes. Pour the turkey mixture over the noodles and garnish with peanuts and scallions.
This dish turned out fantastic and I cannot wait to make it again. We wanted to add more vegetables to the recipe, and some more color, so we chose red bell pepper. We'll prob also throw in a green bell pepper and some carrots to give it even more color next time.
Dan Dan Noodles
(Adapted from a recipe in the October 2011 Bon Appetit)
Serves 4
8 oz. Udon noodles
2 tbsp olive oil
12 oz. ground turkey
2 tbsp ginger, peeled and chopped
Red bell pepper, sliced (our own addition)
4-5 cloves garlic, minced (my own addition)
1.5 cup vegetable stock
4 tbsp chili oil
4 tbsp red wine vinegar
4 tbsp soy sauce
8 tbsp tahini (this was actually a mistake and should have been 8 tsp. I'm sticking with tbsp in the future)
2 tsp Sichuan peppercorns (we couldn't find these, so we just used regular black peppercorns)
pinch of sugar
4 tbsp chopped roasted peanuts
4 tbsp scallions, thinly sliced
Cook the noodles until al dente, drain and set aside
Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Cook the ground turkey, seasoned with some salt and pepper, until it's about halfway done. Stir in the ginger and bell pepper and keep cooking until the turkey is done. Stir in the garlic, stock, chili oil, red wine vinegar, soy sauce, tahini, peppercorns, and sugar. Simmer the mixture until the sauce thickens, in about 7-8 minutes. Pour the turkey mixture over the noodles and garnish with peanuts and scallions.
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