Several years and several boyfriends ago, I dated a guy who liked dessert and had friends who liked dessert. I didn't care for dessert, but when he turned 30, it seemed important that his friends like me and so I made several desserts for his birthday party.
He was not very grateful, as it turned out, mostly because he didn't see any point in celebrating his birthday, but also because he just wasn't a particularly grateful person.
His friends, however, remained my friends through our breakup, and I give the credit to that for this pie. Not this exact pie, but a delicious and easy key lime pie. I'm not surprised, to be honest; I can't imagine anyone wanting to risk missing out on this pie by breaking up with me.
However, I am a little weird about food. It's been well-established.
The pie I originally made was Nora Ephron's key lime pie from her novel Heartburn. In the novel, she's invited to dinner, along with her philandering husband, at some friends' house. She has learned earlier in the day that her philandering husband has continued to philander, despite the fact that she has just given birth to their premature son, that she has publicly humiliated her husband's mistress, and that she actually left him in the beginning of the book when she first finds out that he is a philanderer. She makes the pie and they take it to dinner at their friends' house, and during dinner she has a revelation: sometimes love just dies. It's of course more complicated than that, but the upshot is, you can go through your life and love someone and then one day love just dies.
So she takes the pie and smashes it in her husband's face at the dinner table at her friends' house, and then she takes their children and leaves him, for good. I love this ending, because shortly after I made this key lime pie for my ungrateful lump of a boyfriend, love died and I left him too.
In retrospect, I wish I'd thrown this pie at him, for things he'd done and not done and one thoroughly crappy lie that he had told me and himself that had the potential to ruin my life if I'd held onto our floundering relationship just a little longer. If I had it to do over again, I would totally smash this pie in his face just to have the literary ending, and he would have deserved it. However, I lack both the guts and the timing.
Instead, I'll just give you the recipe. Eat it, or else very immaturely smash it in the face of someone who is making you unhappy. Your call.
Key Lime Pie
For the Crust:
1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon melted margarine
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/4 cup granulated sugar
For the Filling:
Two 14-ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
5 large egg yolks
Grated zest of 1 lime
1 cup fresh lime juice
FOR THE CRUST:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Coat the inside of a 9-inch-diameter deep-dish pie dish with 1 teaspoon of the melted margarine.
In a mixing bowl, combine the crushed graham crackers, sugar, and 1/3 cup of melted margarine. When the ingredients are fully combined, use the mixture to line the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Place the pie dish into the preheated oven and bake for 10 minutes.
FOR THE FILLING:While the crust is baking, in a mixing bowl, make the filling by whisking together all the ingredients.
When the crust is baked, remove it from the oven and pour in the filling. Return the filled pie crust to the oven and bake for 10 minutes more. Let cool to room temperature.
Showing posts with label Friends. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Friends. Show all posts
Friday, May 30, 2008
Sunday, April 27, 2008
April 27: Chicken in a Horseradish Pan Sauce over Orange and Herb Couscous
Dan, Max, a teacher-friend of ours, and I went to the Nationals-Cubs game today, and Jon Rauch signed Max's hat! I am such a star-struck moron when it comes to Nationals players, and he is one of our favorites. And he is really really tall. Really really. I like tall boys.
Well, we'll see tomorrow how my whole unemployment hairshirt is going to play out. I'm thinking I'll either be bitter and depressed and thoroughly hideous to live with, or else I'll say screw it all and play Suzy Homemaker, do laundry, and generally make myself useful. We'll see.
However, whatever else I do, I plan to continue to cook for my family. That's always my plan; I am not myself when I am relying on someone or something else to take care of these men that I love so much.
Look, Rachel Ray is the antichrist, okay? She strikes me as completely stale and phony, and I think she does some awful things to food, really unspeakable. But occasionally she does produce some actual food, something that isn't gimmicky or boring or just reeking of her. She makes homemade food accessable to people who, I suspect, really wouldn't think much about food otherwise. I'll give her that, because I really and truly think that food should be accessable; everyone eats and should eat well and intelligently and sensibly. There's that. Then there's the side of me that tells anyone who will listen that Rachel Ray is the antichrist, who thinks that what Rachel Ray does is really playing to the lowest common denominator. Okay, that's enough, Molly. God.
That said, this is a Rachel Ray recipe, and it seems smart and well-made and not total nonsense, and possibly quite tasty. I may make this tomorrow, as I need to make some chicken breasts for Dan's lunch as it is. Suzy Homemaker.
Chicken in a Horseradish Pan Sauce with Orange-Herb Couscous
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups plain couscous
Zest of 1 navel orange
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup half-and-half
Preheat a large nonstick skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side.
While the chicken is cooking, in a sauce pot combine 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and the remaining olive oil. Cover the pot and raise the heat; bring the stock to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, add the couscous, orange zest, and parsley, then stir. Cover and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Return the skillet to the heat and add the onions, horseradish, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, about 3/4 cup of the remaining chicken stock, and the half-and-half. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet to heat, about 1 minute.
Fluff the couscous with a fork. Divide the couscous among 4 dinner plates, then top each portion with a chicken breast and some of the horseradish pan sauce.
Well, we'll see tomorrow how my whole unemployment hairshirt is going to play out. I'm thinking I'll either be bitter and depressed and thoroughly hideous to live with, or else I'll say screw it all and play Suzy Homemaker, do laundry, and generally make myself useful. We'll see.
However, whatever else I do, I plan to continue to cook for my family. That's always my plan; I am not myself when I am relying on someone or something else to take care of these men that I love so much.
Look, Rachel Ray is the antichrist, okay? She strikes me as completely stale and phony, and I think she does some awful things to food, really unspeakable. But occasionally she does produce some actual food, something that isn't gimmicky or boring or just reeking of her. She makes homemade food accessable to people who, I suspect, really wouldn't think much about food otherwise. I'll give her that, because I really and truly think that food should be accessable; everyone eats and should eat well and intelligently and sensibly. There's that. Then there's the side of me that tells anyone who will listen that Rachel Ray is the antichrist, who thinks that what Rachel Ray does is really playing to the lowest common denominator. Okay, that's enough, Molly. God.
That said, this is a Rachel Ray recipe, and it seems smart and well-made and not total nonsense, and possibly quite tasty. I may make this tomorrow, as I need to make some chicken breasts for Dan's lunch as it is. Suzy Homemaker.
Chicken in a Horseradish Pan Sauce with Orange-Herb Couscous
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 6-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups chicken stock or broth
1 1/2 cups plain couscous
Zest of 1 navel orange
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1 tbsp Dijon mustard
1/2 cup half-and-half
Preheat a large nonstick skillet with 2 tbsp olive oil over medium-high heat. Season the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot skillet and cook for 5-6 minutes per side.
While the chicken is cooking, in a sauce pot combine 1 1/2 cups of chicken stock and the remaining olive oil. Cover the pot and raise the heat; bring the stock to a boil. Remove the pot from the heat, add the couscous, orange zest, and parsley, then stir. Cover and let the couscous stand for 5 minutes.
Remove the chicken to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm. Return the skillet to the heat and add the onions, horseradish, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes. Add the mustard, about 3/4 cup of the remaining chicken stock, and the half-and-half. Bring to a simmer, and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet to heat, about 1 minute.
Fluff the couscous with a fork. Divide the couscous among 4 dinner plates, then top each portion with a chicken breast and some of the horseradish pan sauce.
Saturday, April 26, 2008
April 26: Chile Verde
I am...not sure how I should feel about being unemployed. For one thing, it's not as though we need the money; we don't exactly live high on the hog, our car's paid off and Dan's student loans are not unreasonable. My job has not exactly been my favorite place in the world lately, and the daily dread of what fresh hell awaited me every morning isn't something I'll miss. On the other hand, I was looking forward to getting pregnant again (hell, I've been looking forward to it for a year now) and I liked all the not worrying about money. But to all my real-life friends who've been so sweet and supportive and wonderful, my work people who were shocked and sympathetic on my behalf, and of course my husband and my son, thanks so very much for being everything that you are.
As usual, when I'm feeling a little bruised, I'm craving spicy. This is a widespread, modernized version of a rustic classic Southwestern stew. The easy thing to do here is to use canned chilles, available in the ethnic food aisle of almost any grocery store in the country, but for a real treat, find fresh Anaheim peppers and roast and peel them yourself. This goes great with a sprinkle of cilantro, a few diced tomatoes, and maybe a drizzle of sour cream over the top.
Chili Verde
3 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced small
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh) or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans peeled whole green chiles, drained
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chile peppers, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is softening, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a large stew pot.
In the same frying pan, add as much pork as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to the stew pot and repeat with pork until all of it is cooked.
While the pork is browning, cut the canned chiles into 1/4 inch dice. Add the chiles to the pot, along with the stock, and 3 cups water. Bring to a biol. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer, and partially cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork shreds easily when pressed with a wooden spoon. Serve with garnishes and flour or corn tortillas
As usual, when I'm feeling a little bruised, I'm craving spicy. This is a widespread, modernized version of a rustic classic Southwestern stew. The easy thing to do here is to use canned chilles, available in the ethnic food aisle of almost any grocery store in the country, but for a real treat, find fresh Anaheim peppers and roast and peel them yourself. This goes great with a sprinkle of cilantro, a few diced tomatoes, and maybe a drizzle of sour cream over the top.
Chili Verde
3 pounds boneless pork, cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced small
6 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 jalapenos, stemmed and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon oregano (fresh) or 1 teaspoon dried
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cans peeled whole green chiles, drained
2 cups reduced sodium chicken stock
Heat oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion, garlic, chile peppers, oregano, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until the onion is softening, about 5 minutes. Remove the mixture to a large stew pot.
In the same frying pan, add as much pork as will fit in one layer. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and cook over medium-high heat until browned. Remove to the stew pot and repeat with pork until all of it is cooked.
While the pork is browning, cut the canned chiles into 1/4 inch dice. Add the chiles to the pot, along with the stock, and 3 cups water. Bring to a biol. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer, and partially cover the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 1/2 hours, or until the pork shreds easily when pressed with a wooden spoon. Serve with garnishes and flour or corn tortillas
Friday, April 18, 2008
April 17: Kentucky Hot Brown
Here I am in Kentucky, where I went to college, with my best friend, who is the cutest little pregnant person I've ever seen in my life. She barely even looks pregnant, and after spending the day with her, I am totally jealous that she's gained a total of about six pounds in seven months, because I just watched her wolf down a bowl of Ben & Jerry's Oatmeal Cookie ice cream with blackberries, as well as a bowl of lasagna at dinner and an order of onion rings at lunch.
I seriously love food here. We had Zaxby's for lunch, which, if you've never had it, has the best chicken fingers on earth. Kimberly and I have been looking forward to eating a whole bunch of fattening crap while I'm here, and today at Sam's Club we bought a chunk of smoked gouda that Kimberly argued with me bitterly about. She claims it's too much; I am not convinced that it is even enough. That is clearly the difference between her and me.
Kentucky has this sandwich. It's sort of a sandwich, I guess, it's more like a slice of bread with some stuff on it and what Kimberly and her husband describe as a "cheese gravy." That's pretty accurate. It's a local specialty, and I found the following recipe on the website for Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. Kimberly agreed that this recipe was the accurate one, but insisted that I say bad things about Mitch McConnell. I seriously just had this conversation with her:
Molly: I don't know anything about him.
Kimberly: Well, everybody knows, Molly.
Molly: I don't.
Kimberly: Well, he's just...he's one of the leading...He's bad!
Mitch McConnell, you may be just bad, but your recipe looks delicious. You forgot the tomato slice on top, though; Kimberly claims that it's essential.
KENTUCKY HOT BROWN
1/2 Stick Butter
6 Tablespoon Flour
3 Cups Warm Milk
6 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Beaten Egg
1 oz Cream, Whipped, Optional
Salt and White Pepper, to taste
Slices of Roast Turkey
8 - 12 Slices Trimmed Toast
Extra Parmesan Cheese, for topping
8 - 12 Strips Fried Bacon
Melt the butter and add enough flour to make a reasonable thick roux, enough to absorb all of the butter. Add milk and Parmesan. Add egg to thicken sauce, but do not boil. Remove from heat. Fold in whipped cream. Add salt and pepper. For each Hot Brown. Place two slices toast on a metal or flame-proof dish. Cover the toast with a liberal amount of turkey. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey and toast. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Place entire dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of bacon on top and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
I seriously love food here. We had Zaxby's for lunch, which, if you've never had it, has the best chicken fingers on earth. Kimberly and I have been looking forward to eating a whole bunch of fattening crap while I'm here, and today at Sam's Club we bought a chunk of smoked gouda that Kimberly argued with me bitterly about. She claims it's too much; I am not convinced that it is even enough. That is clearly the difference between her and me.
Kentucky has this sandwich. It's sort of a sandwich, I guess, it's more like a slice of bread with some stuff on it and what Kimberly and her husband describe as a "cheese gravy." That's pretty accurate. It's a local specialty, and I found the following recipe on the website for Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. Kimberly agreed that this recipe was the accurate one, but insisted that I say bad things about Mitch McConnell. I seriously just had this conversation with her:
Molly: I don't know anything about him.
Kimberly: Well, everybody knows, Molly.
Molly: I don't.
Kimberly: Well, he's just...he's one of the leading...He's bad!
Mitch McConnell, you may be just bad, but your recipe looks delicious. You forgot the tomato slice on top, though; Kimberly claims that it's essential.
KENTUCKY HOT BROWN
1/2 Stick Butter
6 Tablespoon Flour
3 Cups Warm Milk
6 Tablespoon Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 Beaten Egg
1 oz Cream, Whipped, Optional
Salt and White Pepper, to taste
Slices of Roast Turkey
8 - 12 Slices Trimmed Toast
Extra Parmesan Cheese, for topping
8 - 12 Strips Fried Bacon
Melt the butter and add enough flour to make a reasonable thick roux, enough to absorb all of the butter. Add milk and Parmesan. Add egg to thicken sauce, but do not boil. Remove from heat. Fold in whipped cream. Add salt and pepper. For each Hot Brown. Place two slices toast on a metal or flame-proof dish. Cover the toast with a liberal amount of turkey. Pour a generous amount of sauce over the turkey and toast. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan. Place entire dish under a broiler until the sauce is speckled brown and bubbly. Remove from broiler, cross two pieces of bacon on top and serve immediately. Serves 4 to 6.
Monday, April 14, 2008
April 14: Flourless Chocolate Apple Torte
On Friday morning, I am getting on a plane and flying to Nashville for my best friend's baby shower. I am thrilled to be getting two and a half days to myself with Kimberly and Michael, and a teensy bit apprehensive to be leaving my son for the longest I've ever been away from him. Can you believe he's almost three and I've never spent a night away from him? I anticipate calling my husband roughly 43 times in the space of 54 hours.
I am knitting madly away on a baby blanket for Kimberly and Michael's little Sproutlet, and for that reason, I am going to keep it short for the next few days. On Friday, in celebration of my destination, I'm planning on posting a recipe for an authentic Kentucky Hot Brown, possibly the best sandwich on earth next to this insane concoction served in a neighborhood bar in my home town, an open-faced hangover cure of rye bread, roasted turkey, smoked ham, melted cheddar cheese, and bleu cheese dressing. Nomnomnomnomnomnom.
It's Passover, and I am not Jewish, but you never know when you might run into someone who keeps kosher. I don't understand a lot about Jewish dietary law, except that it's considered very strict. Here's a dessert for Passover; it looks delicious, even for someone as religiously ambivalent as I am.
Flourless Chocolate Apple Torte
1/2 cup matzo meal
1/3 cup walnuts
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated peeled apple
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine matzo meal and walnuts in a food processor; process until nuts are finely chopped. Spread on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the matzo mixture, apple, cocoa and chocolate.
Beat egg whites and salt in large, clean bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until glossy and stiff peaks form.
Stir one-quarter of the beaten whites into the batter. Gently fold in remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan, spreading evenly.
Tap pan lightly on counter to release air bubbles.
Bake torte until top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. With a knife, loosen edges of torte. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. (Torte will sink in center).
Remove pan sides and place torte on a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.
I am knitting madly away on a baby blanket for Kimberly and Michael's little Sproutlet, and for that reason, I am going to keep it short for the next few days. On Friday, in celebration of my destination, I'm planning on posting a recipe for an authentic Kentucky Hot Brown, possibly the best sandwich on earth next to this insane concoction served in a neighborhood bar in my home town, an open-faced hangover cure of rye bread, roasted turkey, smoked ham, melted cheddar cheese, and bleu cheese dressing. Nomnomnomnomnomnom.
It's Passover, and I am not Jewish, but you never know when you might run into someone who keeps kosher. I don't understand a lot about Jewish dietary law, except that it's considered very strict. Here's a dessert for Passover; it looks delicious, even for someone as religiously ambivalent as I am.
Flourless Chocolate Apple Torte
1/2 cup matzo meal
1/3 cup walnuts
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar, divided
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup grated peeled apple
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
2 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 large egg whites, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon salt
Confectioners' sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine matzo meal and walnuts in a food processor; process until nuts are finely chopped. Spread on a baking sheet and toast until fragrant, 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.
Whisk eggs, 3/4 cup sugar and vanilla in a large bowl until blended. Stir in the matzo mixture, apple, cocoa and chocolate.
Beat egg whites and salt in large, clean bowl, with an electric mixer on medium speed until frothy. Increase speed to high and beat until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1/2 cup sugar 1 Tbsp. at a time, beating until glossy and stiff peaks form.
Stir one-quarter of the beaten whites into the batter. Gently fold in remaining whites with a rubber spatula. Scrape the batter into an ungreased 9-inch springform pan, spreading evenly.
Tap pan lightly on counter to release air bubbles.
Bake torte until top springs back when touched lightly and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. With a knife, loosen edges of torte. Let cool in pan on a wire rack. (Torte will sink in center).
Remove pan sides and place torte on a serving platter. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve.
Tuesday, March 11, 2008
March 11: Cocktail Meatballs For A Crowd
I'm throwing a baby shower! Well, sort of. It's my best friend's baby who I'm showering, and I'm throwing it in conjunction with her mother, if my best friend doesn't beat her to death with a heavy object soon. The shower is next month, in Kentucky, and Kimberly has given an executive order for no fuss.
Of course, the first thing I thought about was what to eat at a baby shower. I've never thrown one before. So...what do I serve? Baby carrots? Baby corn? Baby...Baby's breath? No, no, that's not food. Kimberly doesn't eat a lot of meat (although the baby loves him some chili dogs), and there's the no-fuss order.
Here's my experience with parties: nobody will like everything, and bad food is never, you know, good, so I consider my audience. There are some things that almost everybody likes; serve enough of them, do it well, and people will talk about how great the food was. It's the law of large numbers.
Here's my rule when it comes to party food, and it exists because I am the laziest housekeeper on earth, I really am: I like party food that gets eaten completely without leaving some part of itself behind. For example: shrimp. I like shrimp. Everybody likes shrimp, just about, but shrimp have shells and tails to be left behind. Invariably, they slide off of little paper plates or get knocked off an end table, and just like that, you have shrimp shells in your carpet for, like, a week. Really want to serve shrimp at your party? Make a shrimp dip and serve it with slices of baguette. No shells left behind. Chicken wings: incredibly popular, a huge crowd-pleaser. They also leave a mess. Instead, make a buffalo chicken dip: chunks of white-meat chicken in a creamy dip base mixed with wing sauce, with lots of bleu cheese stirred in, served bubbling hot. I've had it on tortilla chips. Sounds a little weird? Go with me on this; I know I've almost never met a dip I didn't like, but this one is something special
Another thing almost everyone likes: meatballs. The great thing about cocktail meatballs is that you can totally buy good-quality frozen ones, because it's all about the sauce. Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge, pop them into a hot oven for a few minutes on rimmed baking sheets to heat up, and then toss them with some kind of yummy sauce in your crockpot. They'll stay hot forever and the only thing they leave behind is maybe a toothpick or something. I've also seen the same meatballs simmered in sauce with kielbasa: also delicious.
As for the sauce, you can keep it simple with barbecue sauce--whatever kind you like; I like KC Masterpiece. You can make a sauce with tomato paste, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, but it seems fussy to me. My favorites are Sweedish meatball sauce, a sort of sour-cream-dill-beef broth concoction which is delicious but occasionally curdles if it stands too long, and this ridiculous thing that I love, despite the fact that it's so low-brow. Here it is, barely a recipe at all. Sandra Lee would be so proud of me. I'm a little embarassed by this thing, but go with me. You'll love me for it.
Cocktail Meatballs for a Crowd
2 1-lb bags of good quality frozen meatballs, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
1 bottle Heinz chili sauce
1 12 oz. jar good-quality apricot preserves
1 8 oz. jar good-quality grape jelly
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and warm in the oven until heated through, 15-20 minutes.
While meatballs heat, put preserves, jelly, and chili sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until jelly melts.
Place meatballs in a crockpot set on low, gently pour sauce over. Keep warm; serve.
Of course, the first thing I thought about was what to eat at a baby shower. I've never thrown one before. So...what do I serve? Baby carrots? Baby corn? Baby...Baby's breath? No, no, that's not food. Kimberly doesn't eat a lot of meat (although the baby loves him some chili dogs), and there's the no-fuss order.
Here's my experience with parties: nobody will like everything, and bad food is never, you know, good, so I consider my audience. There are some things that almost everybody likes; serve enough of them, do it well, and people will talk about how great the food was. It's the law of large numbers.
Here's my rule when it comes to party food, and it exists because I am the laziest housekeeper on earth, I really am: I like party food that gets eaten completely without leaving some part of itself behind. For example: shrimp. I like shrimp. Everybody likes shrimp, just about, but shrimp have shells and tails to be left behind. Invariably, they slide off of little paper plates or get knocked off an end table, and just like that, you have shrimp shells in your carpet for, like, a week. Really want to serve shrimp at your party? Make a shrimp dip and serve it with slices of baguette. No shells left behind. Chicken wings: incredibly popular, a huge crowd-pleaser. They also leave a mess. Instead, make a buffalo chicken dip: chunks of white-meat chicken in a creamy dip base mixed with wing sauce, with lots of bleu cheese stirred in, served bubbling hot. I've had it on tortilla chips. Sounds a little weird? Go with me on this; I know I've almost never met a dip I didn't like, but this one is something special
Another thing almost everyone likes: meatballs. The great thing about cocktail meatballs is that you can totally buy good-quality frozen ones, because it's all about the sauce. Thaw the meatballs overnight in the fridge, pop them into a hot oven for a few minutes on rimmed baking sheets to heat up, and then toss them with some kind of yummy sauce in your crockpot. They'll stay hot forever and the only thing they leave behind is maybe a toothpick or something. I've also seen the same meatballs simmered in sauce with kielbasa: also delicious.
As for the sauce, you can keep it simple with barbecue sauce--whatever kind you like; I like KC Masterpiece. You can make a sauce with tomato paste, red wine vinegar, mustard, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce, but it seems fussy to me. My favorites are Sweedish meatball sauce, a sort of sour-cream-dill-beef broth concoction which is delicious but occasionally curdles if it stands too long, and this ridiculous thing that I love, despite the fact that it's so low-brow. Here it is, barely a recipe at all. Sandra Lee would be so proud of me. I'm a little embarassed by this thing, but go with me. You'll love me for it.
Cocktail Meatballs for a Crowd
2 1-lb bags of good quality frozen meatballs, thawed overnight in the refrigerator
1 bottle Heinz chili sauce
1 12 oz. jar good-quality apricot preserves
1 8 oz. jar good-quality grape jelly
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Put meatballs on a rimmed baking sheet and warm in the oven until heated through, 15-20 minutes.
While meatballs heat, put preserves, jelly, and chili sauce in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until jelly melts.
Place meatballs in a crockpot set on low, gently pour sauce over. Keep warm; serve.
Sunday, March 2, 2008
Meatless Main Dish Monday: Swiss Chard, Raisin, and Pine Nut Tart
Once upon a time, I was in journalism school, dating totally inappropriate men and doing drugs. (I'm kidding about the drugs, sort of. But that would explain the inappropriate men, so maybe not.) One night, my job was to go to a meeting and interview the newly elected president of the gay student alliance, which had some absurdly inclusive name like the gay-straight-bisexual-transgendered student alliance.
The newly elected president of the gay student alliance, whose name was (and still is) Kerry, turned out to be perfectly adorable, and we became friends. At one point, he set me up with his ex-roommate, who turned out to be a big old pot of refried crazy, which, given my already precarious mental health, threw me for what could kindly be described as a bit of a loop. Also, Kerry went to work for the post office part-time to help pay for school and he disappeared off the earth.
This was all more than ten years ago. This fall, Kerry sent me an email out of the blue, and as it turned out, we'd been living within about 15 minutes of each other without knowing it for several years. I was, in a word, beside myself. We haven't managed to hook up yet since we've found each other, although we trade off emails regularly.
Kerry's partner is the head concierge for a Whole Foods in D.C. Once a month, he does a cooking demonstration at the Dupont Circle Farm Market, and Kerry plays front man. I got an email on Friday saying that they'd be at the market this Sunday.
So off we went to the Farm Market, and there was Kerry with a pan full of Spanish tortilla and sauteed chard. "Oh my God!" he screamed across the crowd as soon as he saw me. "Are you Molly Chase, the famous food blogger?"
Is there a famous food blogger named Molly Chase? 'Cause it ain't me. But it's entirely okay, because I am once again thrilled to have found Kerry, and his friend can really cook. That tortilla was amazing, really delicious, healthy, and substantial without being overly heavy. I think this would have been a fabulous brunch dish. I didn't get to try the chard, but Dan is still talking about it and has asked me twice tonight if I can get a recipe for it. Also, Kerry has a friend who, inexplicably, was patient enough to have a grass fight with our 2 1/2 year-old son to keep him entertained, which people rarely are.
Am I retarded? I can't find this recipe anywhere on the internet. What I found, though, looks equally wonderful: a Swiss Chard, Raisin, and Pine Nut tart from Gourmet Magazine. The bonus: this is vegetarian, although it's not vegan, and it's a little savory, a little sweet, and absolutely gorgeous to look at.
I rarely make my own pastry dough--I am a cook, not a pastry chef, and only by interest, certainly not by training. This includes a recipe for pastry dough, which--what the hell? I may go ahead and give it a shot. I would make this for brunch, I think, because, as you know, I think brunch is awesome, with maybe a salad.
Kerry: it was great to see you today. Let's plan on doing it again as soon as possible. Teaism was great, too, by the way. Thanks for pointing us toward it.
In the meantime, here is this:
Pastry Dough for a Double Crust Pie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 to 9 tablespoons ice water
Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper
Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture. Gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough. Turn dough out onto a work surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper.
Divide dough with one half slightly larger, then form each into a ball and flatten each into a 5-inch disk. If dough is sticky, dust lightly with additional flour. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Dough can be chilled up to 2 days ahead.
Swiss Chard, Raisin, and Pine Nut Tart
The newly elected president of the gay student alliance, whose name was (and still is) Kerry, turned out to be perfectly adorable, and we became friends. At one point, he set me up with his ex-roommate, who turned out to be a big old pot of refried crazy, which, given my already precarious mental health, threw me for what could kindly be described as a bit of a loop. Also, Kerry went to work for the post office part-time to help pay for school and he disappeared off the earth.
This was all more than ten years ago. This fall, Kerry sent me an email out of the blue, and as it turned out, we'd been living within about 15 minutes of each other without knowing it for several years. I was, in a word, beside myself. We haven't managed to hook up yet since we've found each other, although we trade off emails regularly.
Kerry's partner is the head concierge for a Whole Foods in D.C. Once a month, he does a cooking demonstration at the Dupont Circle Farm Market, and Kerry plays front man. I got an email on Friday saying that they'd be at the market this Sunday.
So off we went to the Farm Market, and there was Kerry with a pan full of Spanish tortilla and sauteed chard. "Oh my God!" he screamed across the crowd as soon as he saw me. "Are you Molly Chase, the famous food blogger?"
Is there a famous food blogger named Molly Chase? 'Cause it ain't me. But it's entirely okay, because I am once again thrilled to have found Kerry, and his friend can really cook. That tortilla was amazing, really delicious, healthy, and substantial without being overly heavy. I think this would have been a fabulous brunch dish. I didn't get to try the chard, but Dan is still talking about it and has asked me twice tonight if I can get a recipe for it. Also, Kerry has a friend who, inexplicably, was patient enough to have a grass fight with our 2 1/2 year-old son to keep him entertained, which people rarely are.
Am I retarded? I can't find this recipe anywhere on the internet. What I found, though, looks equally wonderful: a Swiss Chard, Raisin, and Pine Nut tart from Gourmet Magazine. The bonus: this is vegetarian, although it's not vegan, and it's a little savory, a little sweet, and absolutely gorgeous to look at.
I rarely make my own pastry dough--I am a cook, not a pastry chef, and only by interest, certainly not by training. This includes a recipe for pastry dough, which--what the hell? I may go ahead and give it a shot. I would make this for brunch, I think, because, as you know, I think brunch is awesome, with maybe a salad.
Kerry: it was great to see you today. Let's plan on doing it again as soon as possible. Teaism was great, too, by the way. Thanks for pointing us toward it.
In the meantime, here is this:
Pastry Dough for a Double Crust Pie
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup cold vegetable shortening (preferably trans-fat-free)
1/2 teaspoon salt
7 to 9 tablespoons ice water
Special equipment: a pastry or bench scraper
Blend together flour, butter, shortening, and salt in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some small (roughly pea-size) butter lumps. Drizzle 5 tablespoons ice water evenly over mixture. Gently stir with a fork (or pulse) until incorporated.
Squeeze a small handful of dough: If it doesn't hold together, add more ice water, 1/2 tablespoon at a time, stirring (or pulsing) until incorporated. Do not overwork dough, or pastry will be tough. Turn dough out onto a work surface. Divide dough into 8 portions. With heel of your hand, smear each portion once or twice in a forward motion to help distribute fat. Gather all dough together with pastry scraper.
Divide dough with one half slightly larger, then form each into a ball and flatten each into a 5-inch disk. If dough is sticky, dust lightly with additional flour. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
Dough can be chilled up to 2 days ahead.
Swiss Chard, Raisin, and Pine Nut Tart
1/2 cup golden raisins
1 cup water
2 lb green Swiss chard, stems and center ribs discarded
1 large egg
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon finely grated fresh orange zest
1/3 cup pine nuts (1 1/2 oz), toasted
2 teaspoons confectioners sugar
Special equipment: an 11- by 8- by 1-inch rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom
Bring raisins and water to a boil in a 1-quart heavy saucepan, then remove from heat and let stand, covered, 1 hour. Drain in a colander, then pat dry with paper towels. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F.
Blanch chard in a large pot of boiling salted water, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until tender but still bright green, about 5 minutes. Transfer chard with a slotted spoon to a large bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Drain chard in a colander, then squeeze out excess water by handfuls. Coarsely chop chard.
Whisk together egg, cream, granulated sugar, zest, and a pinch of salt in a large bowl. Stir in pine nuts, raisins, and chard until combined.
Roll out larger piece of dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 15- by 11-inch rectangle and fit into tart pan (do not trim edges). Chill shell while rolling out top.
Roll out smaller piece of dough on a lightly floured surface with lightly floured rolling pin into a 12- by 9-inch rectangle. Spread chard filling evenly into shell, then top with second rectangle of dough. Using a rolling pin, roll over edges of pan to seal tart and trim edges, discarding scraps. Cut 3 steam vents in top crust with a paring knife, then put tart in pan on a baking sheet. Bake until top is golden, about 1 hour. Transfer to a rack and cool 10 minutes, then remove side of pan. Cool to room temperature, about 1 hour. Dust with confectioners sugar.
Cooks' note: The tart filling can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Stir before using.
Friday, February 1, 2008
February 1: Hummus, Three Ways
Kimberly asked me about hummus in the comments yesterday. Clearly, my best friend has an excellent grasp on the depth and breadth of my love of dip of all kinds. Kimberly is trying to avoid becoming hopelessly bloated and swollen while pregnant and so is trying to reduce sodium by avoiding packaged products. Good for you, I say; I became hopelessly bloated and swollen while pregnant, and it is not comfortable for very long to keep your feet elevated above the level of your head.
Mmmm, hummus. I have recently been banned by my husband from making hummus, sadly, for two reasons: I love to throw so much garlic in it that I smell like a Middle Eastern restaurant, and because it lately hasn't been agreeing with me, and while I smell like a Middle Eastern restaurant, the air immediately surrounding me smells far worse. That might have been what my husband refers to as an "over-share."
And even worse, I don't really have a recipe per se for hummus. I find most of the recipes for them really unsatisfying, except for one in a cookbook called Pita the Great. But hummus is really nothing more than a Middle-Eastern bean dip, made even better by the addition of chewy, toasty pita bread chips drizzled with a little olive oil and baked in the oven. I make hummus with pantry staples in varying amounts, based on what I'm craving. Spicy? More cayenne. Tarty? More lemon juice. Plus, you can add all kinds of things to hummus, and add hummus to all kinds of things.
I am worried I oversold this recipe slightly to Kimberly as being "not a lot of work." Our standards might be a little different in this regard. But it won't kill you, and in fact might make you a convert.
One note about chickpeas: most canned chickpeas come with a funny skin on them. This will not ruin your hummus, but I am sort of a freak. I individually hull each chickpea because I am a freak for that great smooth texture. Also, because I am just kind of a freak, in general.
And also, one note about garlic: Look, I will admit it. I do over-do the garlic in the hummus a little. Add less if you want. But the whole skillet toasting thing I am about to describe will tame some of the garlicky garlic-ness. If it's a step you'd rather skip, than by all means, consider this nothing more than a guideline, but maybe you might, you know, hold it back to maybe three cloves of garlic. Or less.
Basic Hummus
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil (approximately 1/4 cup, plus extra for drizzling, if you drizzle, depending on how loose you like your hummus and how much lemon juice you add)
For garnish:
1/2 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
cayenne
olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Put the peeled whole garlic cloves in the pan. Shaking the pan every few seconds, toast the garlic until it begins to darken, 3-5 minutes total. Remove, cool slightly. Don't let it burn. If it burns throw it out and start over; it will be gross and bitter.
If you decide not to toast your garlic, mince it or press it.
In a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, put all the ingredients but the olive oil and garnishes. Process 30 seconds, or until things are well-chopped and combined. With the blade running, slowly pour in the olive oil until everything forms a cohesive thick texture, or not so thick, depending on what you like.
Chill for an hour or so to let the flavors meld together. Garnish it with a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of chopped olives, a sprinkle of cayenne, a smidge of parsley, or any combination of any of these. Serve with toasted pita wedges tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toasted in a 350 oven until lightly golden. If you don't want all the excess bad stuff, you can serve with cucumber slices and baby carrots.
The following is easy and a little more luxurious, sort of a cross between bean dip and a Middle Eastern fondue. Still great with toasted pita, or maybe grilled French bread rounds.
Hot Hummus With Feta and Olives
1 recipe of hummus (see above)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
Preheat oven to 350.
Put hummus in a heatproof oven-safe dish. Stir in feta and olives.
Bake hummus for 15-20 minutes, or until the dish is hot and cheese is melted. Serve. If needed, keep warm in a chafing dish.
Here's what to do with your leftover hummus: make a great veggie wrap. This is a veggie wrap even a meat-eater could love. It's very adaptable--add more stuff you like, leave out whatever you don't like.
Veggie Wrap With Avocado and Hummus
1 cup leftover hummus
4 slices smoked provolone cheese, cut in half lengthwise
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
salt and pepper to taste
4 10-inch flour tortillas
Divide hummus evenly and spread on tortillas. Down the middle of each tortilla, layer cheese, avocado slices, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and olives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in right and left ends of tortilla and wrap from bottom up. Cut each tortilla in half on an angle and if needed, secure with a toothpick. Serve.
Mmmm, hummus. I have recently been banned by my husband from making hummus, sadly, for two reasons: I love to throw so much garlic in it that I smell like a Middle Eastern restaurant, and because it lately hasn't been agreeing with me, and while I smell like a Middle Eastern restaurant, the air immediately surrounding me smells far worse. That might have been what my husband refers to as an "over-share."
And even worse, I don't really have a recipe per se for hummus. I find most of the recipes for them really unsatisfying, except for one in a cookbook called Pita the Great. But hummus is really nothing more than a Middle-Eastern bean dip, made even better by the addition of chewy, toasty pita bread chips drizzled with a little olive oil and baked in the oven. I make hummus with pantry staples in varying amounts, based on what I'm craving. Spicy? More cayenne. Tarty? More lemon juice. Plus, you can add all kinds of things to hummus, and add hummus to all kinds of things.
I am worried I oversold this recipe slightly to Kimberly as being "not a lot of work." Our standards might be a little different in this regard. But it won't kill you, and in fact might make you a convert.
One note about chickpeas: most canned chickpeas come with a funny skin on them. This will not ruin your hummus, but I am sort of a freak. I individually hull each chickpea because I am a freak for that great smooth texture. Also, because I am just kind of a freak, in general.
And also, one note about garlic: Look, I will admit it. I do over-do the garlic in the hummus a little. Add less if you want. But the whole skillet toasting thing I am about to describe will tame some of the garlicky garlic-ness. If it's a step you'd rather skip, than by all means, consider this nothing more than a guideline, but maybe you might, you know, hold it back to maybe three cloves of garlic. Or less.
Basic Hummus
1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste)
5 cloves garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste
pinch cayenne pepper
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
Olive oil (approximately 1/4 cup, plus extra for drizzling, if you drizzle, depending on how loose you like your hummus and how much lemon juice you add)
For garnish:
1/2 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
cayenne
olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley
Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat. Put the peeled whole garlic cloves in the pan. Shaking the pan every few seconds, toast the garlic until it begins to darken, 3-5 minutes total. Remove, cool slightly. Don't let it burn. If it burns throw it out and start over; it will be gross and bitter.
If you decide not to toast your garlic, mince it or press it.
In a food processor fitted with the chopping blade, put all the ingredients but the olive oil and garnishes. Process 30 seconds, or until things are well-chopped and combined. With the blade running, slowly pour in the olive oil until everything forms a cohesive thick texture, or not so thick, depending on what you like.
Chill for an hour or so to let the flavors meld together. Garnish it with a drizzle of olive oil, a handful of chopped olives, a sprinkle of cayenne, a smidge of parsley, or any combination of any of these. Serve with toasted pita wedges tossed with 2 tablespoons olive oil and toasted in a 350 oven until lightly golden. If you don't want all the excess bad stuff, you can serve with cucumber slices and baby carrots.
The following is easy and a little more luxurious, sort of a cross between bean dip and a Middle Eastern fondue. Still great with toasted pita, or maybe grilled French bread rounds.
Hot Hummus With Feta and Olives
1 recipe of hummus (see above)
1 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 cup pitted, chopped kalamata olives
Preheat oven to 350.
Put hummus in a heatproof oven-safe dish. Stir in feta and olives.
Bake hummus for 15-20 minutes, or until the dish is hot and cheese is melted. Serve. If needed, keep warm in a chafing dish.
Here's what to do with your leftover hummus: make a great veggie wrap. This is a veggie wrap even a meat-eater could love. It's very adaptable--add more stuff you like, leave out whatever you don't like.
Veggie Wrap With Avocado and Hummus
1 cup leftover hummus
4 slices smoked provolone cheese, cut in half lengthwise
1 ripe avocado, peeled and sliced
1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tomato, diced
1 cup romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 cup chopped kalamata olives
salt and pepper to taste
4 10-inch flour tortillas
Divide hummus evenly and spread on tortillas. Down the middle of each tortilla, layer cheese, avocado slices, onion, tomatoes, lettuce, and olives. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Fold in right and left ends of tortilla and wrap from bottom up. Cut each tortilla in half on an angle and if needed, secure with a toothpick. Serve.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
January 26: Scrambled Eggs in Puff Pastry
I think brunch is an underused social occasion. Most people like to go out for brunch; I like to invite people over. It's a great excuse to sit around in the dining room for hours, lingering over coffee. Nobody's got to hurry home because they've got to be at work the next morning, nobody's got to get the kids to bed. When we live in a house that can accommodate more than just the three of us space-wise, I pledge to invite people over for brunch more often.
Besides, brunch food is great. In college, my friend Ryan invited me home to Western New York with him for Fall Break one year, and his mother made a potato casserole that was just really...wow. All it was, was thawed frozen country-style hashbrowns mixed with sour cream and cheddar cheese and baked. I love to make it with turkey sausage, browned and mixed in. I occasionally make a breakfast strata with spinach and bacon--it involves making it ahead of time and refrigerating overnight, and it's like a savory bread pudding. Delicious.
This dish, the scrambled eggs in puff pastry, is worth having people over for, but it's easy enough to just make for people who already live in your house with you. It takes a little time and effort, but it's worth doing. Let the puff pastry thaw on the counter while you prepare the other ingredients. It'll save you a little time at least. Serves 4-6.
Scrambled Eggs in Puff Pastry
7 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 9x9 1/2-inch sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour for dusting
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
8 ounces sliced ham
Whisk 6 of the eggs together with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan evenly. Add the eggs and cook while gently pushing, lifting, and folding them from one side of the pan to the other until they are nicely clumped, shiny, and wet, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large plate and refrigerate until cool, about fifteen minutes.
Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and smooth out the creases. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush a thin layer over the pastry. Divide the chilled scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham into two equal portions. Arrange one portion of the scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham over th bottom half of the pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edges. Fold the top half of the pastry over the filling and press down with a fork to seal the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining puff pastry sheet, eggs, cheese, and ham. Transfer both pastries to a rimmed baking sheet, wrap lightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pastries from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before cutting into individual portions.
Besides, brunch food is great. In college, my friend Ryan invited me home to Western New York with him for Fall Break one year, and his mother made a potato casserole that was just really...wow. All it was, was thawed frozen country-style hashbrowns mixed with sour cream and cheddar cheese and baked. I love to make it with turkey sausage, browned and mixed in. I occasionally make a breakfast strata with spinach and bacon--it involves making it ahead of time and refrigerating overnight, and it's like a savory bread pudding. Delicious.
This dish, the scrambled eggs in puff pastry, is worth having people over for, but it's easy enough to just make for people who already live in your house with you. It takes a little time and effort, but it's worth doing. Let the puff pastry thaw on the counter while you prepare the other ingredients. It'll save you a little time at least. Serves 4-6.
Scrambled Eggs in Puff Pastry
7 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons butter
2 9x9 1/2-inch sheets of frozen puff pastry, thawed
Flour for dusting
6 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 1/2 cups)
8 ounces sliced ham
Whisk 6 of the eggs together with the salt and pepper. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan evenly. Add the eggs and cook while gently pushing, lifting, and folding them from one side of the pan to the other until they are nicely clumped, shiny, and wet, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the eggs to a large plate and refrigerate until cool, about fifteen minutes.
Unfold one sheet of puff pastry onto a lightly floured work surface and smooth out the creases. Lightly beat the remaining egg and brush a thin layer over the pastry. Divide the chilled scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham into two equal portions. Arrange one portion of the scrambled eggs, cheese, and ham over th bottom half of the pastry, leaving a 1/2 inch border at the edges. Fold the top half of the pastry over the filling and press down with a fork to seal the edges. Repeat this process with the remaining puff pastry sheet, eggs, cheese, and ham. Transfer both pastries to a rimmed baking sheet, wrap lightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, 15 minutes.
Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Remove the pastries from the refrigerator, remove the plastic wrap, and brush the tops with the remaining beaten egg. Bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before cutting into individual portions.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
January 19: Chips and Tomato Salsa, Guacamole, Chile Con Queso
This is, no kidding, the best salsa in the world. And let me say this about it as well: it is almost a blank canvas. The great thing about salsa is that it can embrace a thousand different ingredients. I use this salsa not just as-is, but I have added the following at different points:
Do you see where I'm going here? Possibilities are limited only by your own imagination. This also addresses the problem of winter tomatoes. Winter tomatoes are generally inedible, hard, pale, and flavorless, but the marriage of flavors and the other ingredients coax a little breath of life into the grocery store travesties that pass as tomatoes in January.
I love that this salsa is as great on chips as it would be over a piece of broiled fish, or tossed with hot pasta and olive oil, or on a taco or nachos. And guacamole? How can anything that looks so awful taste so great? It does though, and it's full of heart-healthy fat and I can eat it by the boatload. Enough guacamole is never enough.
Let me say this about guacamole: If the avocados aren't great, if they are rock-hard and emerald-green on the outside, if they squish under light pressure, put them down and move on. Your guacamole will only serve to disappoint you.
If the avocados are unsuitable, go with the chile con queso. It sounds complicated, but it just really isn't. We were visiting family in San Diego in April, and had dinner in a Mexican restaurant in Old Town. There were little old Mexican women in costume making fresh tortillas in the storefronts, and they served an appetizer called queso fundido, which was a big crock of hot, oven-baked cheese with crumbled chorizo sausage. You scooped up gobs of it in fresh flour tortillas, wrapped it up, and tried to not let it dribble down your chin. Ohh, just the thought of it makes me miss California a little bit. It's not exactly practical for a party, since it really has to stay bubbling hot or it sort of hardens into a rubber-cement consistency, but chile con queso is a great alternative. The list of ingredients is sort of long, and make no mistake--this is spicy. But it's a crowd-pleaser.
Start here, with the salsa. If you make it ahead, wait to add the salt--everything will weep a little, and your salsa will be watery. Also, for more spicy, leave some or all of the seeds from the jalapenos in.
Tomato Salsa
1 1/2 pounds firm, ripe tomatoes , cut into 3/8-inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 large jalapeño chile, seeded, flesh minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 - 6 teaspoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes
1. Set large colander in large bowl. Place tomatoes in colander and let drain 30 minutes. As tomatoes drain, layer jalapeño, onion, garlic, and cilantro on top. Shake colander to drain off excess tomato juice. Discard juice; wipe out bowl.
2. Transfer contents of colander to now-empty bowl. Add salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons lime juice; toss to combine. Taste and add minced jalapeño seeds, sugar, and additional lime juice to taste.
Guacamole does not hold very well--it tends to oxidize and turn brown. Don't make it much ahead of time if you can help it, and it you can't help it, spray the top with lime juice--the acid will help to prevent browning--and place a layer of plastic wrap directly against the guacamole, pressing out as much air as you can, and cover tightly.
Make this recipe en masse, if possible--it multiplies well, and it will be popular.
Guacamole
2 small ripe avocados
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1/2 small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
Table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
Halve, pit, and scoop flesh from avocados into a bowl. Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until mashed, with a few pea-sized chunks. Add onion, garlic, chile, and cilantro. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)
You can make the chile con queso with chorizo. Brown 1/2 pound bulk chorizo sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Drain very well, and stir into the finished queso. Keep this dip warm in a fondue pot or Crock pot or a chafing dish, and stir it occasionally to keep it from separating. Serve everything with lots of tortilla chips--regular ones, blue corn tortilla chips, whole-grain, even the new flour tortilla chips, if you like.
Chile con Queso
1/2 pound fresh poblano or Anaheim chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped white onions
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cups milk or cream
2 cups grated Cheddar
1 cup grated Jack or Pepper Jack
Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and the stems. Roughly chop and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until very soft, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and stir until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped chilies, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk or cream and stir until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cheeses and cook, stirring, until melted and well incorporated. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
- Small-diced radishes
- Small-diced seeded and peeled cucumber
- Sweet corn, cut off the ear and toasted in a dry skillet
- Canned black beans, drained and rinsed
- Minced chipotle in adobo
- Small cubes of mango
- Grilled pineapple, diced
- Different peppers
- Heirloom tomatoes
- Different herbs
- Roasted, chopped red peppers
- Toasted pine nuts
- Chopped oil-cured black olives
Do you see where I'm going here? Possibilities are limited only by your own imagination. This also addresses the problem of winter tomatoes. Winter tomatoes are generally inedible, hard, pale, and flavorless, but the marriage of flavors and the other ingredients coax a little breath of life into the grocery store travesties that pass as tomatoes in January.
I love that this salsa is as great on chips as it would be over a piece of broiled fish, or tossed with hot pasta and olive oil, or on a taco or nachos. And guacamole? How can anything that looks so awful taste so great? It does though, and it's full of heart-healthy fat and I can eat it by the boatload. Enough guacamole is never enough.
Let me say this about guacamole: If the avocados aren't great, if they are rock-hard and emerald-green on the outside, if they squish under light pressure, put them down and move on. Your guacamole will only serve to disappoint you.
If the avocados are unsuitable, go with the chile con queso. It sounds complicated, but it just really isn't. We were visiting family in San Diego in April, and had dinner in a Mexican restaurant in Old Town. There were little old Mexican women in costume making fresh tortillas in the storefronts, and they served an appetizer called queso fundido, which was a big crock of hot, oven-baked cheese with crumbled chorizo sausage. You scooped up gobs of it in fresh flour tortillas, wrapped it up, and tried to not let it dribble down your chin. Ohh, just the thought of it makes me miss California a little bit. It's not exactly practical for a party, since it really has to stay bubbling hot or it sort of hardens into a rubber-cement consistency, but chile con queso is a great alternative. The list of ingredients is sort of long, and make no mistake--this is spicy. But it's a crowd-pleaser.
Start here, with the salsa. If you make it ahead, wait to add the salt--everything will weep a little, and your salsa will be watery. Also, for more spicy, leave some or all of the seeds from the jalapenos in.
Tomato Salsa
1 1/2 pounds firm, ripe tomatoes , cut into 3/8-inch dice (about 3 cups)
1 large jalapeño chile, seeded, flesh minced (about 2 tablespoons)
1/2 cup minced red onion
1 small clove garlic, minced (about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 teaspoon table salt
pinch ground black pepper
2 - 6 teaspoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes
1. Set large colander in large bowl. Place tomatoes in colander and let drain 30 minutes. As tomatoes drain, layer jalapeño, onion, garlic, and cilantro on top. Shake colander to drain off excess tomato juice. Discard juice; wipe out bowl.
2. Transfer contents of colander to now-empty bowl. Add salt, pepper, and 2 teaspoons lime juice; toss to combine. Taste and add minced jalapeño seeds, sugar, and additional lime juice to taste.
Guacamole does not hold very well--it tends to oxidize and turn brown. Don't make it much ahead of time if you can help it, and it you can't help it, spray the top with lime juice--the acid will help to prevent browning--and place a layer of plastic wrap directly against the guacamole, pressing out as much air as you can, and cover tightly.
Make this recipe en masse, if possible--it multiplies well, and it will be popular.
Guacamole
2 small ripe avocados
1 tablespoon minced red onion
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1/2 small jalapeño chile, minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro leaves
Table salt
1 tablespoon lime juice from 1 lime
Halve, pit, and scoop flesh from avocados into a bowl. Sprinkle lime juice over and mix lightly with fork until mashed, with a few pea-sized chunks. Add onion, garlic, chile, and cilantro. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary, and serve. (Can be refrigerated up to 1 day. Return guacamole to room temperature, removing plastic wrap just before serving.)
You can make the chile con queso with chorizo. Brown 1/2 pound bulk chorizo sausage in a skillet over medium heat, breaking up with a wooden spoon. Drain very well, and stir into the finished queso. Keep this dip warm in a fondue pot or Crock pot or a chafing dish, and stir it occasionally to keep it from separating. Serve everything with lots of tortilla chips--regular ones, blue corn tortilla chips, whole-grain, even the new flour tortilla chips, if you like.
Chile con Queso
1/2 pound fresh poblano or Anaheim chiles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped white onions
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 large tomato, peeled, seeded and diced
2 cups milk or cream
2 cups grated Cheddar
1 cup grated Jack or Pepper Jack
Roast the peppers by placing them on an open gas flame, turning them frequently with tongs until all sides are charred black, about 7 to 10 minutes. Place the blackened peppers in a plastic or paper bag, and let rest until cool enough to handle, about 15 minutes. Peel the peppers, split in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and the stems. Roughly chop and set aside.
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cayenne. Cook, stirring, until very soft, about 6 minutes. Add the flour and stir until thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes and chopped chilies, and cook for 1 minute. Slowly add the milk or cream and stir until thick, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the cheeses and cook, stirring, until melted and well incorporated. Remove from the heat and adjust the seasoning, to taste.
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
January 15: Chicken Mole
I'm on drugs. No, seriously. My cough has gotten so bad that I have been throwing up from coughing so hard. My body hurts, from head to hips, from coughing. I am just really not enjoying all of this, and I have never felt quite this awful. But my very kind doctor was nice enough to write a prescription for Phenergan syrup with Codeine. The first I've received when I was throwing up uncontrollably, mostly while pregnant, and it is so powerful that I generally request to be given half the usual dose because it makes me so thoroughly stupid. The second is a narcotic, a painkiller, and I don't mind telling you that I am actually in quite a bit of pain here. I said that already. Oh well. I'm on drugs.
Merseydoats is truly a woman after my own heart, confessing to her addiction to dark chocolate. No worries, Mer, there are much worse addictions you could have. Between that and Kimberly's description earlier this week of Haagen Daas' Mayan Chocolate flavor ice cream has me thinking about chocolate. I love chocolate too.
I also love Mexican food, a love that drew my husband and I together. The Mexicans had the right idea: dark chocolate and peppers and cinnamon are amazing together. My immediate thought was absolutely chicken mole (mo-LAY), chicken in a dark, rich sauce with cinnamon and dark chocolate and lots of other flavors. It is rich and so complex, and so don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients--it comes together really easily, and it just can't be beat.
This recipe comes from a cookbook that I stole from my mother when I first moved out on my own--not college, but afterwards, when I had a kitchen and began to cook for myself. The cookbook is called The Well-Filled Tortilla, and anything you would think of wrapping in a tortilla is included in there, from a simple ground beef taco to wine-simmered vegetables. Their basic chicken fajitas are my go-to recipe for a Mexican meal, This recipe, for chicken mole, takes 40-60 minutes, and serves 4-6. Serve it with corn tortillas.
Chicken Mole
4-5 pounds chicken pieces; a combination of breasts, legs, and thighs
2 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
18 corn tortillas
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken pieces in a non-reactive baking dish. Distribute the chili strips and garlic around the chicken. Spread the tomatoes and chocolate pieces over the top of the chicken. Add the oregano, salt, and water.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and stir the chocolate into the sauce. Bake, turning one more time, until the meat is cooked through and pulls away from the bones, about 35 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter to cool.
Separate the chicken meat; discard the skin and bones. Return the meat to the baking pan and mix into the sauce.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken and sauce into the middle of a warmed tortilla. Top with the salsa of your choice and drizzle on a little sour cream if you like. Fold and serve.
Edited: Oh golly, I really am stupid. This is not the authentic Mexican mole I was thinking of. I woke up in the middle of the night and realized that. The one I was thinking of was Rick Bayless' from Mexico: One Plate at a Time and contained somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 ingredients, including nuts, seeds, Mexican cinnamon, and a few other things. This recipe is much simpler and still delicious--although it lacks some of the rich complexity of Bayless' mole.
Merseydoats is truly a woman after my own heart, confessing to her addiction to dark chocolate. No worries, Mer, there are much worse addictions you could have. Between that and Kimberly's description earlier this week of Haagen Daas' Mayan Chocolate flavor ice cream has me thinking about chocolate. I love chocolate too.
I also love Mexican food, a love that drew my husband and I together. The Mexicans had the right idea: dark chocolate and peppers and cinnamon are amazing together. My immediate thought was absolutely chicken mole (mo-LAY), chicken in a dark, rich sauce with cinnamon and dark chocolate and lots of other flavors. It is rich and so complex, and so don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients--it comes together really easily, and it just can't be beat.
This recipe comes from a cookbook that I stole from my mother when I first moved out on my own--not college, but afterwards, when I had a kitchen and began to cook for myself. The cookbook is called The Well-Filled Tortilla, and anything you would think of wrapping in a tortilla is included in there, from a simple ground beef taco to wine-simmered vegetables. Their basic chicken fajitas are my go-to recipe for a Mexican meal, This recipe, for chicken mole, takes 40-60 minutes, and serves 4-6. Serve it with corn tortillas.
Chicken Mole
4-5 pounds chicken pieces; a combination of breasts, legs, and thighs
2 dried ancho chile peppers, stemmed, seeded, and cut into 1/4-inch thick strips
3 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups canned crushed tomatoes
1 ounce bittersweet chocolate, chopped
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups water
18 corn tortillas
Heat oven to 450 degrees. Place chicken pieces in a non-reactive baking dish. Distribute the chili strips and garlic around the chicken. Spread the tomatoes and chocolate pieces over the top of the chicken. Add the oregano, salt, and water.
Bake uncovered for 15 minutes. Turn the chicken pieces over and stir the chocolate into the sauce. Bake, turning one more time, until the meat is cooked through and pulls away from the bones, about 35 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and transfer to a platter to cool.
Separate the chicken meat; discard the skin and bones. Return the meat to the baking pan and mix into the sauce.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of chicken and sauce into the middle of a warmed tortilla. Top with the salsa of your choice and drizzle on a little sour cream if you like. Fold and serve.
Edited: Oh golly, I really am stupid. This is not the authentic Mexican mole I was thinking of. I woke up in the middle of the night and realized that. The one I was thinking of was Rick Bayless' from Mexico: One Plate at a Time and contained somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 ingredients, including nuts, seeds, Mexican cinnamon, and a few other things. This recipe is much simpler and still delicious--although it lacks some of the rich complexity of Bayless' mole.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
January 3: Two Beef Stews
My best friend is pregnant, just at the start of her second trimester. I am so thrilled I can barely stand it; I would not have been more excited if I were pregnant myself. I remember what it was like to be pregnant--tired all the time, food holding less than no appeal--and yet I know she's interested in food and cooking, if for no other reason than she has to fuel herself and her husband.
I received the following email from her today:
As it turns out, I have just the thing for you, Kimberly. Two beef stews, both delicious, both from America's Test Kitchen. This is their Hearty Beef Stew recipe, with a few modifications. It's simple and straightforward and classic. It serves six to eight.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine, like burgandy or pinot noir
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive Dutch oven; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.
2. Remove Dutch oven from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
3. Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Let me just say this: I know you don't have a Dutch oven, Kimberly, and the reason I know you don't is because your Dutch oven is still in a box in my pantry. I keep forgetting to give it to you. You can make this on the stove top too, just keep it at a barely bubbling simmer. You can also make it in a slow-cooker: just brown the meat first and simmer it on low for a couple of hours, then add the potatoes and carrots and simmer it for a couple more hours, then the peas just before serving.
The next recipe, also from America's Test Kitchen, is my favorite beef stew recipe. I love to serve this over garlic mashed potatoes when I am feeling very ambitious, and when I'm not, buttered egg noodles. I want to emphasize the necessity of finding blade steaks for this recipe--they are tender and beautifully marbled and a little bit of a pain to prep for this. It involves trimming the meat away from a line of gristle that runs through the center of each steak. It is worth it. It serves six.
Carbonnade a la Flamande—Belgian Beef, Beer, and Onion Stew
3 1/2 pounds blade steaks , 1 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can) -- a dark or amber ale works best
4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)
As for the cornbread or corn muffins you asked about, America's Test Kitchen, whose opinions I have a great deal of confidence in, has tested different brands and suggest two: Jiffy Brand, which comes in a blue-and-white box, and Betty Crocker, which comes in a pouch. I have to admit to you that I am not a fan of cornbread, and not the best source of information on the subject.
Not, however, that not being an expert on a subject has ever stopped me from giving my opinion. It's a problem.
I received the following email from her today:
"You need to post a beef stew recipe on your kitchen blog tomorrow. I am a vegetarian. turns out, my baby is not, and I'm craving red meat like you just have no idea. Red meat and milk. Go figure. So I want to make beef stew and I have no clue about how to do it. And if you have a good cornbread or cornbread muffin recipe to go with it, that would be good too. Just, you know, supporting your endeavors and all."
As it turns out, I have just the thing for you, Kimberly. Two beef stews, both delicious, both from America's Test Kitchen. This is their Hearty Beef Stew recipe, with a few modifications. It's simple and straightforward and classic. It serves six to eight.
INGREDIENTS
3 pounds stew meat, or chuck roast cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 medium onions, chopped coarse (about 2 cups)
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 cup dry red wine, like burgandy or pinot noir
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
6 small boiling potatoes, peeled and halved
4 large carrots , peeled and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Heat oven to 300 degrees. Place beef cubes in large bowl. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat in large nonreactive Dutch oven; add beef to kettle in two separate batches. Brown meat on all sides, about 5 minutes per batch, adding remaining tablespoon of oil if needed. Remove meat and set aside. Add onions to now empty kettle; sauté until almost softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add garlic; continue to sauté about 30 seconds longer. Stir in flour; cook until lightly colored, 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any browned bits that may have stuck to kettle. Add stock, bay leaves, and thyme; bring to simmer. Add meat; return to simmer. Cover and place in oven; simmer about 1 hour.
2. Remove Dutch oven from oven, add potatoes and carrots, cover, and return to oven. Simmer until meat is just tender, about 1 hour. Remove stew from oven. (Can be cooled, covered, and refrigerated up to 3 days.)
3. Add peas and allow to stand 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, adjust seasonings, and serve.
Let me just say this: I know you don't have a Dutch oven, Kimberly, and the reason I know you don't is because your Dutch oven is still in a box in my pantry. I keep forgetting to give it to you. You can make this on the stove top too, just keep it at a barely bubbling simmer. You can also make it in a slow-cooker: just brown the meat first and simmer it on low for a couple of hours, then add the potatoes and carrots and simmer it for a couple more hours, then the peas just before serving.
The next recipe, also from America's Test Kitchen, is my favorite beef stew recipe. I love to serve this over garlic mashed potatoes when I am feeling very ambitious, and when I'm not, buttered egg noodles. I want to emphasize the necessity of finding blade steaks for this recipe--they are tender and beautifully marbled and a little bit of a pain to prep for this. It involves trimming the meat away from a line of gristle that runs through the center of each steak. It is worth it. It serves six.
Carbonnade a la Flamande—Belgian Beef, Beer, and Onion Stew
3 1/2 pounds blade steaks , 1 inch thick, trimmed of gristle and fat and cut into 1-inch pieces Table salt and ground black pepper
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 pounds yellow onions (about 3 medium), halved and sliced about 1/4 inch thick (about 8 cups)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 2 teaspoons)
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3/4 cup low-sodium beef broth
1 1/2 cups beer (12-ounce bottle or can) -- a dark or amber ale works best
4 sprigs fresh thyme, tied with kitchen twine
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 300 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season generously with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke; add about one-third of beef to pot. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, 2 to 3 minutes; using tongs, turn each piece and continue cooking until second side is well browned, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer browned beef to medium bowl. Repeat with additional 2 teaspoons oil and half of remaining beef. (If drippings in bottom of pot are very dark, add about 1/2 cup of above-listed chicken or beef broth and scrape pan bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits; pour liquid into bowl with browned beef, then proceed.) Repeat once more with 2 teaspoons oil and remaining beef.
2. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty Dutch oven; reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and tomato paste; cook, scraping bottom of pot with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until onions have released some moisture, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to medium and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add flour and stir until onions are evenly coated and flour is lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Stir in broths, scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits; stir in beer, thyme, bay, vinegar, browned beef with any accumulated juices, and salt and pepper to taste. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer, stirring occasionally; cover partially, then place pot in oven. Cook until fork inserted into beef meets little resistance, about 2 to 2 1/2 hours.
3. Discard thyme and bay. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper to taste and serve. (Can be cooled and refrigerated in airtight container for up to 4 days; reheat over medium-low heat.)
As for the cornbread or corn muffins you asked about, America's Test Kitchen, whose opinions I have a great deal of confidence in, has tested different brands and suggest two: Jiffy Brand, which comes in a blue-and-white box, and Betty Crocker, which comes in a pouch. I have to admit to you that I am not a fan of cornbread, and not the best source of information on the subject.
Not, however, that not being an expert on a subject has ever stopped me from giving my opinion. It's a problem.
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