One of the first things that I was ever allowed to make on my own was pasta salad. My mother figured that, at age 12, I could handle slicing up vegetables and boiling water. I made crazy, schizophrenic pasta salads with everything in the refrigerator: vegetables, cheese, tuna, olives, bottled salad dressing. It could not possibly have tasted good.
But I still love good pasta salad. Orzo with red peppers, red onions, feta, and Greek olives, with oregano and red wine vinaigrette is one of my favorite things. Rotini with basil, salami, and fresh mozzerella, with olive oil and balsalmic vinegar--also delicious. So is penne with diced chicken, sharp cheddar, shredded carrots, sliced radishes, and ranch dressing. I also like just plain old macaroni salad, with mayonnaise, celery, onion, and dill relish.
I have started liking rice salad a lot too. The texture is a little different, the flavors play out a little differently than pasta salad, but I am liking it as well as I like pasta salad.
Here is the rice salad I'm making this week. I am getting a little carried-away in the kitchen these days, and I need to start maybe freezing some things because I was offered a really juicy, yummy dream job of a job today and I am going back to work early next month. But I love this rice salad with grilled chicken and corn on the cob, or pork tenderloin and sauteed apples, or grilled shrimp and a crunchy romaine salad. It's also delicious eaten two days later, standing in front of the refrigerator at 2 in the morning.
Wild Rice Salad
1 6-ounce package Uncle Ben's Wild and Long Grain Rice, Original Flavor
10 ounces chopped, toasted hazelnuts
1 cup sweetend dried cranberries
1/2 of 1 medium red onion, finely diced
2 cups bottled balsalmic vinaigrette dressing, or homemade (I usually make my own, 3 parts good olive oil to 1 part good balsalmic vinegar, a pinch of salt and pepper, and a very small pinch of sugar if it tastes too tart--but Newman's Own balsalmic vinaigrette is widely available, and delicious)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cook rice according to package directions, omitting seasoning packet and shortening cooking time by 1-2 minutes. Rinse rice in a strainer in cold running water and drain completely. Toss rice with dressing and other ingredients. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as needed. Chill and serve.
Showing posts with label Side Dish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Side Dish. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Thursday, May 8, 2008
May 8: Fennel Mashed Potatoes
Fennel is good for you. It keeps you from having bad breath and it aids digestion. And it tastes delicious. It tastes a little like licorice, but not in a yucky way. I like it raw, I like it braised, I like it steamed.
I think I'd like it this way too: mashed into mashed potatoes. Because I am totally that person who likes mashed potatoes pretty much any old way you can think to make them. Plain, with milk and butter, through the ricer? Check. Mashed with about fifteen cloves of garlic? Check. With smoked cheddar and chipotle pepper stirred in? Oh my yes.
Found this one on Epicurious. I do love that site.
Fennel Mashed Potatoes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup (or more) half and half
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel bulb and crushed fennel seeds and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fennel is tender but not brown, stirring often, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; cook over medium heat until no liquid remains. Mash potatoes.
Add 1 cup half and half to fennel mixture and bring to simmer. Working in 2 batches, add fennel mixture to potatoes; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat, adding more half and half as needed if dry.)
I think I'd like it this way too: mashed into mashed potatoes. Because I am totally that person who likes mashed potatoes pretty much any old way you can think to make them. Plain, with milk and butter, through the ricer? Check. Mashed with about fifteen cloves of garlic? Check. With smoked cheddar and chipotle pepper stirred in? Oh my yes.
Found this one on Epicurious. I do love that site.
Fennel Mashed Potatoes
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, quartered, cored, thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed
2 1/2 pounds russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1 cup (or more) half and half
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced fennel bulb and crushed fennel seeds and stir to coat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until fennel is tender but not brown, stirring often, about 20 minutes. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.)
Place potatoes in large saucepan. Cover with cold water and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium and boil until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; cook over medium heat until no liquid remains. Mash potatoes.
Add 1 cup half and half to fennel mixture and bring to simmer. Working in 2 batches, add fennel mixture to potatoes; stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature. Rewarm over medium heat, adding more half and half as needed if dry.)
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
April 29: Corn Saute with Canadian Bacon, Potatoes, and Peppers
My father-in-law has Menier's disease. It's an inner ear problem which gives him both a constant ringing in his ears and a constant, low-grade case of vertigo. If you've never had vertigo, imagine that the floor that you were standing on was constantly tilting at anywhere from a 15-degree angle to about a 70-degree angle, randomly. There is no cure for it, nor is there a consistantly successful treatment.
One thing that does seem to help is a low-sodium diet. My father-in-law is an absolute peach of a guy; I'm crazy about him. He is a soft-spoken, true old-fashioned gentleman with an incredible work ethic, is pathologically cooperative, and infinitely patient with his youngest grandson. He also loves my cooking, and nothing endears someone to me like loving my cooking does.
My mother-in-law has gotten pretty decent at making low-sodium substitutes for her husband. She makes a salt-free bratwurst and a salt-free breakfast sausage. Both are outstanding. But one thing that Leo always asks for when he's here or when we're in Michigan is homemade pizza. I love making pizza, way more than I love ordering it, but it's a struggle to accommodate everyone. I am not a fan of ham, and it's too high in sodium for Leo, as are olives, which I love. Kitty, my mother-in-law, can't eat pepperoni or peppers of any kind, and a lot of dried herbs and spices that generally go into pizza sauce bother her stomach as well. Dan loves peppers, but they don't love him. Max likes pizza with cheese and maybe sausage. Everything else is "too bad," according to him.
One thing we all can get together on, though, is Canadian bacon. If you've never had it--I'm just not sure whether it's popular anywhere other than in Michigan, which is practically attached to Canada--it's a lightly smoked and pressed pork loin. It is a little like ham, only without being so salty, and I am a big fan. Most of the time you see it in Eggs Benedict--an English muffin, a grilled slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce--but it is an outstanding pizza topping as well.
Unless you're serving brunch, or pizza, though, that Canadian bacon is not exactly highly popular. I do like it on a grilled cheese sandwich, but it's not that versatile.
Here's something you can do with that half a package of Canadian bacon that's left over after the Eggs Benedict or the homemade pizza. It's on the back cover of an old Fine Cooking magazine, and summer is coming and these are the vegetables that we're going to start seeing in the farmer's markets. I can't wait. When it comes to that leftover Hollandaise sauce, though, you're on your own.
Corn Saute with Canadian Bacon, Potatoes, and Peppers
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup small-diced Canadian bacon (3 oz.)
1 cup small-diced red onion
1 cup small-diced red potato
1/2 cup small-diced green bell pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 slightly heaping cups fresh corn kernels
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives
1/2 tsp green Tabasco, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
One-half lemon
Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter and 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a 10-inch straight sided saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is brown around the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan. Add the onion, potato, bell pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until the oinons and peppers are well softened and the potatoes are barely tender and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to medium, and add the corn, garlic and remaining salt. Saute, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the corn is tender but still slightly toothy to the bite, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley, chives, Tabasco, a few generous grinds of pepper, and a small squeese of lemon. Stir, let sit 2 minutes, and stir again. Fold in the Canadian bacon, season to taste with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve warm.
One thing that does seem to help is a low-sodium diet. My father-in-law is an absolute peach of a guy; I'm crazy about him. He is a soft-spoken, true old-fashioned gentleman with an incredible work ethic, is pathologically cooperative, and infinitely patient with his youngest grandson. He also loves my cooking, and nothing endears someone to me like loving my cooking does.
My mother-in-law has gotten pretty decent at making low-sodium substitutes for her husband. She makes a salt-free bratwurst and a salt-free breakfast sausage. Both are outstanding. But one thing that Leo always asks for when he's here or when we're in Michigan is homemade pizza. I love making pizza, way more than I love ordering it, but it's a struggle to accommodate everyone. I am not a fan of ham, and it's too high in sodium for Leo, as are olives, which I love. Kitty, my mother-in-law, can't eat pepperoni or peppers of any kind, and a lot of dried herbs and spices that generally go into pizza sauce bother her stomach as well. Dan loves peppers, but they don't love him. Max likes pizza with cheese and maybe sausage. Everything else is "too bad," according to him.
One thing we all can get together on, though, is Canadian bacon. If you've never had it--I'm just not sure whether it's popular anywhere other than in Michigan, which is practically attached to Canada--it's a lightly smoked and pressed pork loin. It is a little like ham, only without being so salty, and I am a big fan. Most of the time you see it in Eggs Benedict--an English muffin, a grilled slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and Hollandaise sauce--but it is an outstanding pizza topping as well.
Unless you're serving brunch, or pizza, though, that Canadian bacon is not exactly highly popular. I do like it on a grilled cheese sandwich, but it's not that versatile.
Here's something you can do with that half a package of Canadian bacon that's left over after the Eggs Benedict or the homemade pizza. It's on the back cover of an old Fine Cooking magazine, and summer is coming and these are the vegetables that we're going to start seeing in the farmer's markets. I can't wait. When it comes to that leftover Hollandaise sauce, though, you're on your own.
Corn Saute with Canadian Bacon, Potatoes, and Peppers
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup small-diced Canadian bacon (3 oz.)
1 cup small-diced red onion
1 cup small-diced red potato
1/2 cup small-diced green bell pepper
1 tsp. kosher salt
2 slightly heaping cups fresh corn kernels
2 tsp minced garlic (2 cloves)
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat leaf parsley
2 tbsp thinly sliced fresh chives
1/2 tsp green Tabasco, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper
One-half lemon
Melt 1 tbsp. of the butter and 1 tbsp of the olive oil in a 10-inch straight sided saute pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is brown around the edges, about 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Add the remaining butter and oil to the pan. Add the onion, potato, bell pepper, and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Reduce the heat to medium low, cover, and cook, stirring frequently, until the oinons and peppers are well softened and the potatoes are barely tender and starting to brown, 5-7 minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to medium, and add the corn, garlic and remaining salt. Saute, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon, until the corn is tender but still slightly toothy to the bite, 3 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat, add the parsley, chives, Tabasco, a few generous grinds of pepper, and a small squeese of lemon. Stir, let sit 2 minutes, and stir again. Fold in the Canadian bacon, season to taste with more salt, pepper, or lemon juice. Serve warm.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
April 16: Pasta Salad with Spinach, Olives, and Mozzerella
I love some of the crazy shapes of pasta out there. I really am a big believer in the idea that there's a right shape for the sauce, and whoever is in charge out there really has done a pretty good job of making it intuitive for us. Shrimp goes great with shell-shaped pasta. Oil-based sauces are good with linguine and spaghetti. Penne rigate has ridges that does a good job of holding onto slippery sauces with a lot of fat, like cream or cheese sauces.
I am crazy about orzo, which is a small pasta shaped like rice. One of my favorite easy side dishes is a spinach-artichoke orzo, a true one-pot dish that you can make as healthy or decadent as you like. I also like orzo with broccoli and pine nuts--same idea as the other thing.
Pasta salad with a vinegar-based dressing goes great with a curly pasta, where the dressing can collect in the nooks. I like orecchiette a lot, those little flat disks with a little dent in them, especially. The trick to great pasta salad, in my opinion, is to cook the pasta, drain it, and rinse it in cool water until it's warm, not cold, then immediately toss it with the dressing, add the rest of the ingredients, and then chill until cold, an hour at least--it serves almost like a marinade for the pasta.
My favorite pasta salad is cheese tortolini or ravioletti, hard salami, roasted red peppers, red onions, and smoked mozzerella, diced small, tossed with fresh oregano, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. I also like whole wheat rotini, diced grilled chicken, and halved cherry tomatoes tossed with a dressing made of two parts pesto with one part mayonnaise with toasted pine nuts tossed in just before serving.
Pasta salad is easy, fast, a crowd-pleaser, and summery. This one looks particularly yummy to me. I love the combination of pasta and spinach. When I get back from Kentucky, I'm thinking I may make a big pile of this to carry in my lunch next week. I hate carrying my lunch, but I am being backed into a bit of a corner. More about this corner later.
1 pound orecchiette or conchiglie pasta
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained, small dice
3 ounces spinach (about 4 cups), thoroughly washed and dried
1 1/2 cups pitted and halved kalamata olives
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Drain, then rinse under cold water until cool.
Transfer pasta to a large bowl and add mozzarella, spinach, olives, and Parmesan. Toss to combine.
In a separate, nonreactive bowl, combine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add oil by pouring in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Whisk until completely incorporated. Pour vinaigrette over salad, and toss until pasta is coated. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and serve.
I am crazy about orzo, which is a small pasta shaped like rice. One of my favorite easy side dishes is a spinach-artichoke orzo, a true one-pot dish that you can make as healthy or decadent as you like. I also like orzo with broccoli and pine nuts--same idea as the other thing.
Pasta salad with a vinegar-based dressing goes great with a curly pasta, where the dressing can collect in the nooks. I like orecchiette a lot, those little flat disks with a little dent in them, especially. The trick to great pasta salad, in my opinion, is to cook the pasta, drain it, and rinse it in cool water until it's warm, not cold, then immediately toss it with the dressing, add the rest of the ingredients, and then chill until cold, an hour at least--it serves almost like a marinade for the pasta.
My favorite pasta salad is cheese tortolini or ravioletti, hard salami, roasted red peppers, red onions, and smoked mozzerella, diced small, tossed with fresh oregano, red wine vinegar, extra virgin olive oil, salt and pepper. I also like whole wheat rotini, diced grilled chicken, and halved cherry tomatoes tossed with a dressing made of two parts pesto with one part mayonnaise with toasted pine nuts tossed in just before serving.
Pasta salad is easy, fast, a crowd-pleaser, and summery. This one looks particularly yummy to me. I love the combination of pasta and spinach. When I get back from Kentucky, I'm thinking I may make a big pile of this to carry in my lunch next week. I hate carrying my lunch, but I am being backed into a bit of a corner. More about this corner later.
1 pound orecchiette or conchiglie pasta
8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, drained, small dice
3 ounces spinach (about 4 cups), thoroughly washed and dried
1 1/2 cups pitted and halved kalamata olives
1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons olive oil
Bring a medium pot of heavily salted water to a boil over high heat. Cook pasta according to the package instructions, or until al dente. Drain, then rinse under cold water until cool.
Transfer pasta to a large bowl and add mozzarella, spinach, olives, and Parmesan. Toss to combine.
In a separate, nonreactive bowl, combine vinegar, salt, and pepper. Whisking constantly, slowly add oil by pouring in a thin stream down the side of the bowl. Whisk until completely incorporated. Pour vinaigrette over salad, and toss until pasta is coated. Taste, adjust seasoning as desired, and serve.
Saturday, March 15, 2008
March 15: Balsamic Sauteed Mushrooms
Balsamic vinegar is one of those kitchen staples that I am never, ever without, like kosher salt and dijon mustard and great olive oil. It's the starting point of about a dozen different things for me, including a dressing that's great for strong salad greens like arugula and escarole, a marinade for roasted vegetables, and a glaze for fresh strawberries that is absolute heaven on poundcake or vanilla ice cream.
Spend the money for good balsamic vinegar at a specialty food store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Look for an aged basalmic, one whose ingredient list doesn't include caramel color. It'll cost you, for sure, but the difference between great aged balsamic vinegar and grocery store cut-rate is like night and day. In this recipe, where the flavor takes center stage, it will make a particular difference.
Serve these mushrooms next to a steak or a seared fish fillet.
Balsamic Sauteed Mushrooms
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
kosher salt
1 to 2 tsp. minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and 1 tbsp. water in a small dish.
In a 10-inch straight sided saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and 3/4 tsp. salt and stir right away with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms have absorbed all the fat.
Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for 2 minutes and then stir once. The pan will look dry but keep the heat at medium high and continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken, glistening, and some sides have developed a deep brown color, 6-7 minutes.
Turn the heat to low, add the garlic and the remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 15-20 seconds. Carefully add the balsamic mixture. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the mushrooms, 15-20 seconds. Season with a few grinds of pepper. Immediately transfer the mushrooms to a serving dish, scraping the pan with a rubber spatula to get all of the garlicky sauce. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve warm.
Spend the money for good balsamic vinegar at a specialty food store like Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. Look for an aged basalmic, one whose ingredient list doesn't include caramel color. It'll cost you, for sure, but the difference between great aged balsamic vinegar and grocery store cut-rate is like night and day. In this recipe, where the flavor takes center stage, it will make a particular difference.
Serve these mushrooms next to a steak or a seared fish fillet.
Balsamic Sauteed Mushrooms
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. dark brown sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1 lb. cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
kosher salt
1 to 2 tsp. minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper
Combine the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar, and 1 tbsp. water in a small dish.
In a 10-inch straight sided saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms and 3/4 tsp. salt and stir right away with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms have absorbed all the fat.
Let the mushrooms cook undisturbed for 2 minutes and then stir once. The pan will look dry but keep the heat at medium high and continue to cook, stirring infrequently, until the mushrooms are shrunken, glistening, and some sides have developed a deep brown color, 6-7 minutes.
Turn the heat to low, add the garlic and the remaining 1 tbsp butter and cook, stirring, until the butter is melted and the garlic is fragrant, 15-20 seconds. Carefully add the balsamic mixture. Cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the mushrooms, 15-20 seconds. Season with a few grinds of pepper. Immediately transfer the mushrooms to a serving dish, scraping the pan with a rubber spatula to get all of the garlicky sauce. Let sit for a few minutes. Serve warm.
Sunday, February 17, 2008
February 17, Again: Creamy Polenta
Polenta is a fabulous background for...well, really everything. I am crazy about soft-cooked polenta with spinach and slivered garlic sauteed in olive oil, sprinkled with a little parmesan cheese and a handful of toasted pecans. I like it for breakfast with a dab of butter and a fried egg, like oatmeal but better. I like it leftover, chilled in a slab, cut into squares, and grilled.
It's more work than pasta, potatoes, or rice, but it's worth it. Polenta, in many cases, benefits from a rest overnight, making it a perfect make-ahead dish. This recipe popped up in my inbox earlier this week, just as I was thinking about polenta underneath beef stew with mushrooms. I didn't get around to it before we left to go on vacation, but I will this week. This is enough for a crowd, 8-10.
Creamy Polenta
7 1/2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
Salt
1 1/2 cups polenta (9 ounces)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
Ground black pepper
2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
1. Bring the water and milk to a boil in a partially covered, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and very slowly pour the polenta into the boiling liquid while stirring constantly in a circular motion with a wooden spoon.
2. Reduce to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring often, until the polenta no longer has a raw cornmeal taste, all of the liquid has been absorbed, and the mixture has a uniformly smooth but very loose consistency, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Off the heat, stir in the butter and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the polenta into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.
4. To Store: Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap, poke several vent holes in the plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
5. To Serve: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and lightly pat the cheese with paper towels to absorb any condensation that has accumulated. Bake uncovered until the polenta is bubbling and the cheese is nicely browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
It's more work than pasta, potatoes, or rice, but it's worth it. Polenta, in many cases, benefits from a rest overnight, making it a perfect make-ahead dish. This recipe popped up in my inbox earlier this week, just as I was thinking about polenta underneath beef stew with mushrooms. I didn't get around to it before we left to go on vacation, but I will this week. This is enough for a crowd, 8-10.
Creamy Polenta
7 1/2 cups water
2 cups whole milk
Salt
1 1/2 cups polenta (9 ounces)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 teaspoon)
Ground black pepper
2 ounces parmesan cheese, finely grated (about 1 cup)
1. Bring the water and milk to a boil in a partially covered, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and very slowly pour the polenta into the boiling liquid while stirring constantly in a circular motion with a wooden spoon.
2. Reduce to a simmer over low heat and cook, stirring often, until the polenta no longer has a raw cornmeal taste, all of the liquid has been absorbed, and the mixture has a uniformly smooth but very loose consistency, 20 to 25 minutes.
3. Off the heat, stir in the butter and garlic and season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour the polenta into a 13 by 9-inch baking dish. Sprinkle the Parmesan evenly over the top.
4. To Store: Wrap the dish tightly with plastic wrap, poke several vent holes in the plastic, and refrigerate for up to 2 days.
5. To Serve: Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 450 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap and lightly pat the cheese with paper towels to absorb any condensation that has accumulated. Bake uncovered until the polenta is bubbling and the cheese is nicely browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Thursday, February 7, 2008
February 7: Gingery Sauteed Carrots
This month's Fine Cooking magazine has sort of tipped the scale for me in terms of the steel-cage death match of cooking magazines. Between it and Cook's Illustrated, there's way more advertising in Fine Cooking--since Cook's Illustrated doesn't carry any. Fine Cooking has way more recipes, and I like their variations on a theme. They also tend to have great little sidebars about great cook- and bakeware, special ingredients, tips, and other useful, interesting tidbits, rather than Cook's Illustrated, some of which read a little like a ten-year-old with Asperger's Syndrome talking about science.
Nevertheless, these are still my two favorite cooking magazines by far, and the only two I'm still subscribing to. I am really looking forward to making something Asian again sometime soon, so that I can make these gingery sauteed carrots that are in Fine Cooking this month. They sound wonderful. I make this chipotle-maple cashew chicken with brown rice. I think this might be a yummy side dish with that, with the flavor of maple tying them together. This serves 4 generously.
Gingery Sauteed Carrots
1 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into sticks about 4 inches long and 1/3 inch wide
kosher salt
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Combine the maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 tbsp. water in a small dish and set near the stove. In a 10-inch straight sided saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the carrots and season with 3/4 tsp. salt. Toss with tongs to coat well. Cook, gently tossing occasionally at first and then more frequently, until most of the carrots are well browned and tender when pierced with a fork, 6-9 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and the ginger and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula, until the butter has melted and the ginger is fragrant, 15-20 seconds. Carefully add the maple syrup mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the carrots, 15-20 seconds.
Immediately transfer the carrots to the serving dish, scraping the pan with the spatula to get all of the sauce. Let sit for a few minutes and then serve warm.
Nevertheless, these are still my two favorite cooking magazines by far, and the only two I'm still subscribing to. I am really looking forward to making something Asian again sometime soon, so that I can make these gingery sauteed carrots that are in Fine Cooking this month. They sound wonderful. I make this chipotle-maple cashew chicken with brown rice. I think this might be a yummy side dish with that, with the flavor of maple tying them together. This serves 4 generously.
Gingery Sauteed Carrots
1 tbsp. maple syrup
2 tsp lime juice
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. carrots, trimmed, peeled, and cut into sticks about 4 inches long and 1/3 inch wide
kosher salt
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
Combine the maple syrup, lime juice, and 1 tbsp. water in a small dish and set near the stove. In a 10-inch straight sided saute pan, heat 1 tbsp. of the butter with the olive oil over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the carrots and season with 3/4 tsp. salt. Toss with tongs to coat well. Cook, gently tossing occasionally at first and then more frequently, until most of the carrots are well browned and tender when pierced with a fork, 6-9 minutes.
Reduce the heat to low, add the remaining 1 tbsp of butter and the ginger and cook, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a heatproof spatula, until the butter has melted and the ginger is fragrant, 15-20 seconds. Carefully add the maple syrup mixture and cook, stirring, until the liquid reduces to a glazey consistency that coats the carrots, 15-20 seconds.
Immediately transfer the carrots to the serving dish, scraping the pan with the spatula to get all of the sauce. Let sit for a few minutes and then serve warm.
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