Thanksgiving - EASY & FAST ROAST TURKEY

After years of roasting turkeys and reading tons of recipes, this is what I've found to be the best, easiest and fastest recipe - fully cooked in 2.5 hours! Small turkey and high heat.

1 (12- to 14-pound) FRESH (not frozen) Turkey (Trader Joe’s had great ones last year, Costco has Organic ones this year, Butterball will always work too) - remove neck, giblets and liver
5 T kosher salt
3 teaspoons black pepper

8 C Low Sodium Chicken Broth (approximately 2 boxes or 4 cans)
2 Sticks Unsalted Butter (cut back if you feel too guilty!)
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: a roasting pan w/a metal rack, metal skewers, a digital thermometer with probe and timer

Remove turkey from plastic rinse turkey inside and out and pat dry. Let sit in a large plastic garbage bag. Meanwhile, mix salt and pepper in a small bowl (you may have some leftover - discard). Sprinkle it evenly with the S&P mixture in cavities and rub all over skin. Close bag well – you do not want turkey juices all over your fridge – and refrigerate for 2-3 days.
On Thanksgiving Day – remove the bagged turkey from the fridge and open up the bag. Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 450ºF…YES! High heat is key to a quick cooking time and it sears the skin so more moisture is retained! Let the turkey sit at room temperature for about an hour. Fold neck skin under body and secure with metal skewer, then tuck wing tips under breast. You may tie the drumsticks together for a “Presentation Turkey”, but if you’re just planning on carving the turkey it will cook a little faster without (10 minutes or so).
Put turkey on rack (sprayed with non-stick cooking spray) in a large roasting pan and place in oven. While the turkey is roasting, melt ½ stick butter in 2 C broth in a small pot on the stove. After 30 minutes, rotate the roasting pan 180 degrees and carefully pour the broth/butter over the bird (this is done instead of basting!)…Repeat this process every 30 minutes until turkey is done (about 2 – 2 ½ hours) - at 1 ½ hours insert the thermometer into the fleshy part of the thigh (close to but not touching bone) set the temperature gage to 165°F….the alarm will sound when it hits 165°F.
Carefully tilt turkey so juices from inside large cavity run into roasting pan. You’ll want to do this to make gravy!
Transfer turkey to a platter and let stand 30 minutes – tent loosely with foil to retain heat without steaming the turkey (the skin should be crispy). If you used it, cut off and discard string from turkey legs. Let rest for 15 minutes (at least) before carving.

Bolognese

This is going to be a weekly post...I have a kid that is so active (he's dropped 2.5 lbs since school started) that I need to get him high caloric foods that he loves...Gonna make it into Lasagna next week because it packs VERY well in the lunch box...All that bechamel should help his skinny frame too. I'll also be making a lot of Mac & Cheese for the same reason! Good thing I love pasta!

Tonkatsu (Japanese Pork Cutlet)

I could have sworn I posted this already, but can't find it...So this is my easier, more tender version of tonkatsu. Start with pork tenderloin. Slice into 1/4" thick rounds, place into a Ziplock bag, add in 1/4 C of Mayo (Best Foods) for every tenderloin you use...don't pull out a measuring cup, just spoon it in. Add salt and pepper (garlic powder, chili powder, curry, etc. are optional additions) we like it simple. Close the bag and massage the mayo all over the pork. Lay the bag flat on the counter and bring to room temp - about 15 minutes. In a rectangular Pyrex dish, I pour in 1/2 a bag of panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs). Heat a pan (I like my cast iron skillet) with oil - these days I'm using Grapeseed Oil from Costco. Get a sheet pan with a rack ready for the finished product - I like it to the left of my cast iron skillet. Take one disk of pork out of the bag and coat in the panko. I make room in the Pyrex for all the breaded pork to rest - stacking on top of each other and side by side. They should rest for about 5 minutes before you cook them. (The Pyrex is to the right of the stove.) When the oil is hot, gently place the pork in the pan -about 5 pieces at a time and cook until golden brown on both sides, place onto the rack lined sheet pan.

Serve with rice, sauteed spinach and tonkatsu sauce (Bull Dog is our brand of choice) or a homemade version, ketchup and shoyu (soy sauce) mixed together (a dash of worchestershire sauce would be good too).

Tortilla Soup - from the pantry

I had a package of TJ's Turkey Cutlets...salted them and seared them off in a hot cast iron skillet with a little olive oil. Served most to the boys for dinner with rice, nori and sliced cucumbers. Then I had to figure out dinner for me and Scott. I was in the mood for soup, but what could I make with 2 Turkey cutlets. I get a pot going with a little olive oil, saute the cutlets (normally chicken is used), remove and then start in to the Tortilla Soup...This is one of my pantry soups. Grab a can of diced hot green chiles, a 28 oz. can of San Marzano Tomatoes, a box of low sodium chicken broth, frozen corn kernels (canned would work too), yellow onion, a clove of garlic and 5 corn tortillas. First I cut up the tortillas and throw them in the same pot I cooked the cutlets in with a little more oil added in. Let those cook and get golden brown, add in 1/2 a diced onion and the garlic. Let those soften...do not let it burn. Add in the corn, 1/2 can of chiles (freeze the rest for a future use) and then the tomatoes. Bring to a boil and let cook on medium heat for about 15 minutes...stir occasionally, add in some chicken broth if it's getting too tight. Take a hand blender/stick blender and give it a whirl. Add in more chicken broth, taste for seasoning (it will need salt) and let cook another 15 minutes. Dice the turkey and add to the pot. Serve with a dollop of sour cream...A little cilantro on top would be a great addition (would have helped the photo too!).

Gyoza

Gyoza Assembly Line


A True "Pot Sticker"


Repost from April 12 with a few more pix - also this time I bagged the filling and snipped off one of the bottom corners and piped the filling onto the gyoza wrappers. I tried Wing Hing brand wrappers...they were really good! A little more chewy, but they were very easy to work with and didn't tear easily - probably the better choice if you haven't made a gyoza before. Must use Meiji Soft Tofu for silky smooth texture!

http://cookingfromthekor.blogspot.com/2010/04/by-requestgyoza-rice.html

Turkey Cutlets with Fontina and Orrechiette with Tomato & Basil

Scott's Plate

My Plate

This is a spin on a repost. I didn't have any parm, so I used fontina. It's really yummy and surprisingly tender...I'm always happily surprised that it doesn't dry out!

Heat a large pot of water for the pasta. Preheat the oven to 400F - wash baby tomatoes, put in an oven proof pan with two cloves of garlic (whole/peeled), olive oil, salt and pepper - roast for 15 minutes. Cook the pasta until al dente.

Prep the turkey cutlets (available at Trader Joe's). Salt & pepper and dust with Wondra Flour (all purpose is fine too). Heat a pan with olive oil and a little butter. Brown the cutlets on both sides. Add 1 C of white wine, let it reduce - I use Sauvignon Blanc. Cook on low heat for 10 minutes. Add the fontina cheese (grated), cover and cook on low until the cheese is melted.

Put the roasted tomatoes on the stove, discard the garlic and squish the tomatoes with a spoon to release the juices. Add in a ladle full of pasta cooking water. Add the pasta to the "sauce" and turn on the heat. The pasta will absorb the tomato juice. Turn off the heat, add a pinch of red chili pepper flakes and hand torn basil leaves.

I plate up for Scott with no greens. I like the taste and crunch of red leaf lettuce (slightly wilted) underneath it all. Also prevents me from eating a huge portion of pasta (an Achilles' heel for me).

Here's a link to the post back on April 22:

http://cookingfromthekor.blogspot.com/2010/04/turkey-wparmigiano-reggiano-silver.html

Deconstructed Nachos

Is it just me or does everyone hate soggy nachos? This was my solution this past Sunday - pairs well with football and a beer.

Didn't have any chips, but I did have corn tortillas. As the oil heated in a pot, I cut them into triangles with scissors and prepped a plate with a couple layers of paper towels. Took out a can of black beans (organic from TJ's), threw the contents in a pot and let that warm through. Grated some cheddar cheese (we like Tillamook Medium). I had bought fresh salsa and sour cream from Whole Foods a couple days earlier. Also had bought a big bag of shishito peppers (none of which had any heat on them, but the flavor was good) from Marukai...rinsed those and threw them in a hot cast iron skillet with a little oil and salt and let them get some color. Meanwhile I added about 6 tortilla triangles into the hot oil and fried those until they were golden brown - turned them over until they were golden on both sides, removed to the paper towel lined plate and sprinkled with salt. Repeat until all were cooked. The chips were still hot enough to melt the cheese...the hot beans helped too. A little labororious getting food to mouth, but this was interactive eating!

Brisket #2

I made brisket back on April 21...I used basically the same method, but because I don't follow recipes and I use what I have available, this one is slightly different. Here's a revised repost:

Day 1: I put a dry rub all over the 1 4# brisket I picked up from Costco. Dry rub of your choice - anything that is suggested for beef and bbq...I usually start with Pappy's and in this case, that's all I used.

Day 2: Preheat the oven to 400F. Remove meat from refrigerator, bring to room temp. Heat a pot - preferably one with a lid preferably a Dutch Oven preferably a Le Creuset (it does make a difference!!!) - add canola or olive oil to coat the bottom. When nice and hot, add in the brisket and sear well on both sides (be patient!!!)...even if it burns a little it will still taste GREAT later/tomorrow! Remove meat from pot. Add in liquids (I vary this based on what I have around - this time it was red wine, chicken broth and a dash of Lea & Perrin's worcestershire sauce - other times it'll be beef broth, white wine, sake, water, beer, etc.) and deglaze the pan - stir the liquid in the pot and scrape browned bits of meat into the braising liquid. Add in the meat fat side up, bring to a boil. Place in the oven and let it cook covered, checking every hour or so to make sure there is still enough liquid (should come 1/2 way up the meat, leaving the top of the exposed). Cook for 2-3 hours. Remove pot from oven, uncover and remove meat from pot to a plate...it should be VERY tender. Ladle the liquid through a strainer and into a bowl. Taste the liquid for seasoning...This will be the sauce/gravy that you add to the plate after the meat is sliced - I use the Dutch Oven to reheat the sauce. Everything can be held at this stage, so it is a great dish to serve when you're entertaining!

Yesterday Scott and I ate it with rice, braised carrots and spinach, and a salad.

The second photo is only of the middle section of the brisket. The boys ate the two ends for their dinner with rice and cucumbers and tomatoes.

Confused Beef Stew

In hindsight I probably should have picked up my copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking and used her recipe for Beouf Bourguignon, but I didn't...so today you get what I did to make that bowl above, but next time I'm going with Julia!

Inspired by an Irish Stew being made on the Food Network, I went to the store to pick up stew meat and barley (the same barley I used in the lentil soup - in the bins at Whole Foods). Because I'm all about using what I already have, I decide to make it a confused stew...I start by marinating the meat overnight in red wine just because I had wine in the fridge waiting to be cooked with...If I were to do it again with barley, I think I'd probably use a Guinness or two. Same method would apply - season meat and soak in alcohol.

The next day heat a large pot (Dutch Oven - enameled cast iron is preferred), add in oil to coat the bottom of the pot, drain off the marinade into a bowl (you will need it later as part of the stewing liquid), dry meat and coat the with flour and brown in the pot. Remove meat. Add in onion (1 diced), garlic (1 clove chopped fine) and carrots (2 chopped) cook for 5 minutes. Add the meat back into the pot along with broth (I only had chicken broth - beef would have been better), the reserved wine, a pinch of herbes de provence and a bay leaf...bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let it go for an hour and a half. Add in a handful of barley and mushrooms (1 pint halved). Cook for another 1/2 hour or as needed to get the meat very tender.

I boiled whole baby potatoes in salted water. Drained off the water and cut them in 1/2. Added a little butter and seasoning.

Served the stew right on top with a bottle of 2007 EII Cabernet Sauvignon.

Karaage - Japanese Fried Chicken

In a bowl I make a marinade using 1/2 C shoyu (soy sauce), 1/4 sugar (more to taste, my family doesn't like it very sweet), 1/4 sake and grate in some ginger (you can add in garlic or mirin if you like...a store bought teriyaki sauce may work too). Add in boneless, bite-sized pieces of chicken (I prefer thigh or leg meat with the skin on), stir to combine and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the fridge about 20 minutes before you want to cook. Drain off the excess marinade and add in some cornstarch and/or rice flour right into the bowl (I just sprinkle it in...probably 1/2 cup total) - stir to coat all the pieces. The chicken will be very sticky and gooey.

Heat a pot with canola oil and prepare a sheet pan with a rack. When the oil is hot add in a few pieces of chicken. They may stick to the bottom of the pot. Gently scrape them off the bottom of the pot and continue cooking until dark brown. Remove to the rack lined sheet pan and let cool.

This can easily be a gluten free recipe...just make sure to use a gluten free tamari instead of soy sauce.

Schat's Bakery - Cheese Bread

One week ago Emiko had a post about Todd's Cheese Bread to rival "The Original Cheeze Bread" from Schat's Bakery. Well as luck would have it a friend went up to Mammoth this past weekend and this is what they brought back for us!

Cast iron skillet fried in butter! My kids were in heaven!

Spinach "Chips"

When they were little, it was a struggle to get my kids to eat their greens, so I came up with this crunchy spinach. I had had spinach lasagna at Vincenti and Angelini Osteria and both were served with fried spinach leaves as a garnish...delicious, but I didn't want my toddlers eating fried spinach so I used my griddle pan.

I lay the leaves out flat in a single layer on a lightly oiled griddle (olive oil wiped on the surface with paper towel) on medium/high heat and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Turn over when they start to dry out and then let them get crispy.

My kids still request it!

Mac n Cheese #2

Preheat oven to 375 F. Butter a casserole dish (I use a good old fashioned Pyrex).

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a big pinch of salt. Cook macaroni for 3 minutes LESS than directed on the package. Drain well in a colander and stir in a little butter to keep the pasta from sticking together.

In the same pot, make a BECHAMEL (can also be used in a Lasagne Bolognese - "recipe" for a future date). Melt 1/2 stick of butter, whisk in 5 T Flour. Pour in 5 C whole milk (I only had 2% milk so I enriched with 1 C of 1/2 and 1/2) all at once and whisk constantly until it starts to boil and thicken. Remove pan from heat, add seasonings (salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, nutmeg - any and all to taste).

Adding in 5 cups of grated cheese of choice (any combination of gruyere, cheddar, swiss, emmantaler, fontina, pecorino romano, parmigiano reggiano, gouda, mozzarella, etc.) turns the bechamel into a CHEESE SAUCE (can be used just like this to get your family to eat veggies - broccoli and cauliflower come to mind). Add in the pasta, stir to combine. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Top with plain bread crumbs (store bought is fine - Progresso, Pioneer...I used panko.). Dot with butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. Patience will be rewarded!

Repost from an earlier post with a few minor changes -

http://cookingfromthekor.blogspot.com/2010/03/mac-n-cheese.html

Lentil Soup

It was a cold and rainy night...I picked up some organic lentils and organic barley from Whole Foods and set out to make a large pot of lentil soup. The rest I wing from what's in the fridge.

Start with olive oil in my Le Creuset. Dice a couple carrots, one celery rib, 1/2 an onion and a package of mushrooms. Soak and clean the lentils while the vegetables saute until the onions are transluscent. Add in 1/2 a container of fresh tomatoes (those little ones) and 1/2 C of tomato puree (alternative is using a can of diced tomatoes or canned whole tomatoes chopped). Cook for about 5 minutes then add in chicken broth, barley and the lentils (I used the entire 1 lb. bag and 2 boxes of chicken broth). Stir well and let it go. If you want to add in a meat, ham or sausage or chicken or turkey would be great. I added in diced turkey breast from the other night.

Served with shaved parm and a loaf of bread.

Turkey in October

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, but I was in the mood for turkey. With the weather cooling I decided to turn on the oven and roast a bone-in breast of turkey from Vicente Foods. I dry brine for 2-3 days beforehand - all that means is that I salt the turkey all over and then refrigerate it for 2-3 days. Yes, that means a little pre-planning, but the day of, cooking is a breeze!

Remove the turkey from the fridge and bring to room temperature - about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 450F. Place the turkey into an oven proof pan - a rectangular pyrex works great. Place in the oven for 20 minutes. Just before that 20 minutes is up - put a cup of chicken broth in a small pot with 1 T of butter and heat until butter has melted. This will be poured over the turkey - like basting but SO much easier. Do this one more time at the 40 min mark. Then continue to cook for another 20 minutes - add in cut vegetables (carrots, onion, potatoes, etc.). The turkey should be done. Use a meat thermometer to check the internal temperature it should be around 160F. If you're using a boneless turkey breast it will cook much faster.

We're a rice eatin' family so I served this with a pot of rice and a big salad.

I basically use the same method for a whole turkey, but we'll go over that before the BIG day!

Fried Calamari and Fennel Salad

I love calamari and it isn't difficult to make. However it is a little time consuming to clean. I was fortunate to learn this from my chef at Vincenti. One day I'll do a step-by-step with photos or a video. Until then see if your fish monger can take care of it for you. I've never used it, but I think frozen calamari is sold already sliced into rings.

After the squid is cleaned and sliced I soak it in a bath of whole milk with a little salt and a crushed clove of garlic. Refrigerate until you're ready to cook. Heat a pot filled with oil 1/2 way up the side of the pot. I like to use a thermometer and bring the oil to about 375F. I mix together 1 part cornstarch to 3 parts flour. Grab a handful of calamari from the milk and add it to the flour mixture - coat the calamari well and then shake off the excess flour. When the oil is hot add the calamari to the pot, give it a gentle stir so it doesn't clump into one mass of calamari. Remove from the oil when golden brown. Place on a sheet pan with a rack...give a taste for seasoning (a little salt or old bay or cayenne for a kick seasoning could be added to the milk too) and serve. The boys really enjoyed the crunchy, chewiness of the calamari!

I also made a fennel salad with shaved parmigiano reggiano. Thinly slice fennel. Place in a bowl. Season with a little salt, pepper and olive oil. Plate up and add shaved parm on top.

A little leftover pasta and dinner was served!

Good Clean Fun!

Colin helped to make Umbrian Flat Bread.

July 14 post has the recipe or go to http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Umbrian-Flat-Bread-Sandwiches-Torta-al-Testo

Lunch - Tri Tip Burrito

I came home hungry after driving to Long Beach and then delivering our cookies to Feast From the East. I put a tortilla on my flat grill - turn once and add a little grated cheddar cheese, some sliced tri-tip (leftovers from Sat. night dinner). While that reheats and the tortilla gets a little crisp on the bottom, I sprinkled on Tapatio, added a huge handful of thin sliced romaine, a little sour cream down the middle...Rolled it up and took a big bite! Delish and I'm still full!!!!!!!

SEE MAY 20, 2010 FOR A RUN DOWN ON MY TRI TIP!

No, not Chicken Nuggets...Croquettes

These are mini-croquettes. I grew up eating the larger version dipped in tonkatsu sauce. My aunt made them and she just happened to give me 2#s of potatoes yesterday - so I decided to attempt to make them.

I start by washing the potatoes, then boiling them in salted water, turn down the heat and cook for 20 minutes. I am a fan of peeling potatoes AFTER they have been boiled. This works for mashed potatoes too...WAY less watery...WAY more flavor!

While those cook I brown a 1/2 pound of ground pork (you could use ground beef, chicken, turkey, sausage, chorizo) in a little oil and season with salt and pepper.

I drain the potatoes and let them cool before I peel off the skin...Then mash them with a fork right into the pan with the ground pork. Season well - potatoes need a lot of salt. Stir in one or two Tablespoons of flour - I used Wondra because it was handy - and an egg. Combine and scoop (ice cream scooper) the mixture on to a sheet pan with panko bread crumbs (regular or Italian bread crumbs would work too). Roll and shape. Heat oil for frying. Carefully place in hot oil and cook until brown on all sides.

Transfer to a rack on a sheet pan and let cool. Eat as soon as possible!

These would be great with a stringy cheese like mozzarella or fontina. You could also flavor them to work with a little Mexican flair and serve with a chipotle sour cream. The possibilities are endless!!!

Pork Tenderloin #2

Quick cookin' pork tenderloin...the only downside was we ran out of propane for the grill and I had to turn on the oven tonight (I do believe it was the hottest day of 2010!).

In the morning I put two pork tenderloins into a gallon size ZipLock bag. Add in two packets of the Noh Korean BBQ Seasoning Mix. I know what ya'll are thinkin' - "but that's for Kal Bi"...Turns out it is delish with pork too! Unfortunately it's not gluten-free (sorry Sarah), but it doesn't contain MSG! As you know, I'm not very good at following directions, so I sub out the water and use sake instead (sherry or a dry white wine would work too). That's it - close it up, give it a massage and throw it in the fridge until 1/2 hour before you want to start cooking.

I preheat the oven to 425F and place the two marinated pork tenderloins on to a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil. Place in the oven for 10 minutes, then lower the heat to 350F for 10-20 minutes depending on the size (thickness) of the pork tenderloins. Alternatively the tenderloins can be grilled - similar method - start with high heat, grill on both sides, then lower the heat (even place on top rack) to finish cooking.

Served with Japanese rice and green beans.

Here is a substitute marinade for those who want gluten-free - 1/2 C wheat free tamari, 1/2 C sugar, 1 tsp. garlic powder, 1 T sesame seeds.

Clams #2

And a big loaf of bread...

Prep the clams - clean the clams (wash the outside of the shell), then place in a bowl with cool, salted tap water (should taste like the ocean)...Let it sit until you're ready to cook.

In a shallow pan (preferably one with a lid), saute whole garlic cloves (2) in olive oil. Add in 2 medium chopped & seeded tomatoes and a pinch of red chile pepper flakes. The pan can sit like this (turn off the heat) until you're ready to eat.

Have 1/2 C of white wine (or sake with lemon juice would work too) ready. Heat the pan, add in the cleaned clams, add in the wine, cover and steam until the clams open - small clams will open very quickly 3-5 minutes, large clams can take 10 minutes.

When all the clams are open, remove to a large serving bowl. Turn the heat to high and reduce the cooking liquid...Taste, season with salt & pepper, add in a pat of butter, sprinkle in herbs (parsley or basil or both) and pour over the clams.

Serve immediately...Nothing like bread to soak up all those yummy juices!

BLT Tartine w/Farm Fresh Napa Eggs

Summer Simplicity - produce at it's best!

After last week's visit to Napa's Herb Lamb Vineyards - www.herblambvineyards.com (you too can visit for the wine!) - I came home with an ice chest filled with garden greens, eggs from the hens, herbs, tomatoes, peaches and oh, the wine!

With a glass of EII (soon to be Two Old Dogs) Sauvignon Blanc, I set out to make BLTs...Broiled the bacon on a sheet pan with a rack until nice and crispy...Toasted a slice of Sourdough bread from Model Bakery in St. Helena...A little mayo (Best Foods)...sliced tomato, salt & pepper...A handful of cleaned hand picked (by my kids) lettuces, salt & pepper...Bacon...Then two sunnyside up eggs to top it off, salt & lots of pepper.

Dessert - a cold, tree ripened Napa peach - yellow...white peaches weren't available yet!

Slush Mugs - The perfect treat on a hot Summer day!

I googled "slush mug" and found this amazing invention, exactly as I remember them from my childhood!

http://www.glacierware.com/slushmug.htm

Throwing caution to the wind - frozen plastic...I ordered them and even used them with my kids...I do like that the Slush Mugs are made in the USA by a family owned company.

June/July 2010 Saveur-inspired #3

Homemade Bread - Yet another meal inspired by the June/July 2010 Saveur - worth the cover price, I'd say!

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Umbrian-Flat-Bread-Sandwiches-Torta-al-Testo

These sandwiches were incredible for a Summer supper! I was a little skeptical when I first saw this photo because who wants to turn on the oven to make fresh bread when it's hot outside...Well these are made on the stove top - a mix between naan and tortillas...So simple...I don't even bring out the food processor and instead mix entirely by hand...With the helping hands of two little boys, this dough is made in no time AND they get to learn to knead bread!!! Another fun activity with the kids this Summer.

I used sausage (not in casing) from Fresno State and spinach (because I had it).

I served with Caprese. There's a great Italian Buffalo Mozzarella from Costco ("Fattorie Garofalo Bufala - Mozzarella di Bufula Campana"). Almost as good as the hand pulled mozzarella we had at Cafe Bink in Carefree, AZ!

Bowl o' Chili

I had every intention of making a huge pot of chili for the 4th of July, but it didn't get made until Tuesday. I pre-browned the ground beef in oil in the Le Crueset on Saturday (6 lbs. of ground beef)...This can be done 2 days before and refrigerated. I remove the pot from the fridge, scoop the meat into a large bowl...To the same pot I add oil and then saute 5 medium sized onions (I used 3.5 large yellow onions, sliced relatively thin) and add in 5 whole crushed cloves of garlic. Cook until translucent. Then add in 2 cans of tomato paste. Cook until the tomato paste caramellizes. Add in 4 C of water stir to combine. Then I use the hand blender to puree everything. Add the meat back to the pot along with approximately (since I don't measure...I just pour or shake into the pot) 3T chili powder, 1 T ground cayenne pepper, 1 T sweet paprika, 2 tsp. ground cumin, one can of mild green chiles diced (I buy whole chiles and dice them, but you can use the diced canned chiles instead...may need 2 cans). Add another cup or so of water...Stir well, bring to a boil and cook for 2 hours (stirring occasionally). Stir in a handful of Quaker oats (learned this thickening trick from my friend Megan from pastry school) and continue to cook and stir for another hour.

Serve with grated cheddar, sour cream, onions...We like it over rice, but it would be delish on it's own or over Fritos too!

This chili tastes even better the next day! I usually freeze some too!

June/July 2010 Saveur-inspired 2

http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Umbrian-Vegetable-Soup-Zuppa-di-Verdure-allAgliata

This is a beautiful Summer soup! I just bought a basil plant and had leftover parsley from the clams...I had most of the other ingredients for this soup...I didn't have celery or frisee...I omitted the celery and used blanched dandelion greens instead of the frisee. I'm not keen on measuring when it comes to cooking...It can make the process cumbersome...I also don't like to have excess clean up...SO in a large jar I throw in a handful of basil, 4 cloves of garlic, poured in olive oil, a small handful of parsley, 1/2 medium onion (rough chopped) - then I put the hand blender directly into the jar and process until chunky. Follow the rest of the recipe...I also had leftover frozen sausage with cannellini beans that I had defrosted and diced the sausage into bite sized pieces.

Served with manchego and quince paste and a loaf of La Brea Pugliese from Costco!

Strozzapreti with Roasted Tomatoes, Basil & Ricotta Salata

This pasta was inspired by the cover of the June/July 2010 Saveur Magazine - http://www.saveur.com/article/Recipes/Roasted-Tomatoes

Preheat oven to 425F, place 8 medium whole tomatoes (vine ripened) in an oven proof pan that can be used for the pasta later (I am SO not into washing dishes unnecessarily!). Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt & pepper, add a few crushed garlic cloves...I did not use the thyme. Put into the oven. Meanwhile start a pot of water for the pasta. Add salt just before adding the dried Strozzapreti to the pot. Cook 3 minutes shy of the package directions.

Cooking time for the tomatoes will depend upon the size...Mine only took 15 minutes. Transfer pan to the stove top, add a ladle full of pasta water and smash the tomatoes, add basil leaves - leaves can be torn or left whole. Add the pasta directly to the pan...Add more pasta water and cook until the pasta is al dente. Sprinkle with grated ricotta salata, more basil to taste.

Clams Two Ways

Found gorgeous Wild Clams from Whole Foods...That set the menu for the night...Wasn't sure if 12 clams (a loaf of bread and salad) would be enough for the 2 us, so I decided to make Linguine & Clams too. It was fun making this dinner, but the 12 clams would have been more than enough...Crusty bread dipped into the cooking liquid...The thought makes my mouth water.

I wash the clams and soak in a bowl of salted water. Bring a pot of water to a boil for the linguine.

In a pan with a lid, I saute 2 cloves of crushed garlic and a whole serrano chile in olive oil...turn off the heat until I'm ready to cook the clams (in-shell). When the pasta is in the water and almost ready to be transferred to the sauce, place the clams into the pan, add 2 C of liquid (white wine and chicken broth, clam juice), cover and cook for 5 minutes (depending on the size of the clams)...You'll hear the clams opening - do not overcook...there is nothing more yucky than rubbery clams! Remove the opened clams from the pan and put in a bowl. Remove the garlic and serrano chile from the pan, chop up, add back into the pan while the reducing the cooking liquid - this will concentrate the flavors...Swirl in 1 T of butter and fresh flat-leaf parsley and pour over the clams.

In a separate pan with olive oil and a pat of butter, saute 1 finely diced shallot, 1 whole crushed garlic clove and 1 can of clams drained...Add in 1/2 C White Wine and simmer until all liquid is absorbed...Add in 1/2 a bottle of clam juice and chopped flat-leaf parsley...(hold at this stage if pasta isn't cooked yet). Using tongs add the almost cooked linguine (about 3 minutes less than the box says) and a 2 or 3 ladles full of pasta water to the pan...cook until the pasta has absorbed the flavor of the clam sauce - add in more pasta water if needed to finish cooking the pasta...Turn off the heat and stir in 1 T of butter to finish. Sprinkle with parsley.

Summer Daze...

Cutting Board with Ciabatta, mustard, cornichons, Arugula Salad, Prosciutto wrapped Melon

with sausages & cannellini beans

We have been on a the go ever since the school year ended...Had great meals in Scottsdale - Cafe Bink & Grimaldi's in particular.

When we returned I had to raid the freezer and pantry to come up with dinner...Cannellini Beans with Sausages from Fresno State and a loaf of Ciabatta. These photos were from the next night...I sliced the sausages, added more beans and some shaved parm - served with more Ciabatta, an arugula salad dressed with salt, pepper, olive oil & vinegar, cornichons, two mustards, prosciutto wrapped melon...Everything, but the sausages were from TJ's (big shout out to Kristy!)...

Lasagne

Lasagne Bolognese

Too depressed to write after the terrible Lakers loss last night, I decided to sit down and read instead.

After a fun-filled weekend of birthday parties (3), I came home from the 3rd party looked in the fridge and decided to make a lasagne with the leftover Bolognese. This recipe is basically from The Silver Spoon cookbook, although I've doubled it and adapted it to use Barilla Flat No-Boil Pasta Sheets "Product of Italy".

This is the kind that uses a bechamel...1 stick of butter melted in a pot whisk in a 1/2 C flour and stir until it bubbles and cooks about 1 minute. Add in all at once 3 C of milk and 2 C of cream and/or half n' half...Whisk well...Bring to a boil, then lower the heat and continue to cook until thickened. Add in a pinch of nutmeg (I grate fresh using a microplane), salt & pepper to taste.

Heat the bolognese, thin with a 1/4 C of wine. Butter a 9 x 13 pyrex...Then begin layering - on the bottom first begin with a thin layer of bolognese, add three pasta sheets, thin layer of bolognese, cover with bechamel, sprinkle with grated parmigiano reggiano (recipe calls for dotting with butter, but I think that's overkill), cover with pasta sheets and do it all over again...Total four layers of pasta - use the remaining bolognese in between the 3rd & 4th layer, as the 4th layer will be covered with the remaining bechamel. Place in a 400F oven for about 4o minutes or until brown and bubble on top. Let rest for 20 minutes before cutting. I served with an arugula salad and bowls of cherries and blueberries.

BOLOGNESE

Fusilli Bolognese

Pasta cooking with the sauce & pasta water

There's something about pasta that makes me happy! After school yesterday I made a small pot of meat sauce because I knew I wouldn't have much time to cook tonight...Boys had performances at school today and the Lakers game started at 6pm.

I defrosted 2 lbs. of ground beef (I really like 20-30% fat) and 1 lb. of ground pork. Brown the meat in the Le Creuset in a little olive oil. Remove from pot with a slotted spoon...drain off some of the fat and add finely diced onion and carrot (1 sm onion, 2 large carrots). Saute until the onion is translucent...Add meat back into the pot, stir together. Add 1/2 a bottle of wine (white, red, sake or any combination), simmer until all the liquid has evaporated. Add in 1 carton/box of Pomi Strained Tomatoes (I've used San Marzanos in the past, but I think I like this better) and 1 can of tomato paste. Cook on low, partially covered, stir occasionally...at least an hour.

I removed half of the meat sauce to freeze and save for another day. Boil a large pot of water, added salt and 1 lb. of DeCecco Fusilli Pasta...Stir and cook about 9 minutes - add to the Le Creuset containing the meat sauce (I use a spider for this so I can reserve the cooking liquid) and continue to cook on medium heat...Add pasta water if the sauce is too tight - the pasta needs to cook and absorb more liquid. Turn off the heat, add in grated Pamigiano Reggiano, stir to combine and sprinkle a little more on top. Serve with a big arugula salad.

CHAMPAGNE DINNER

Salt & Vinegar Kettle Chips, Hoffy Hot Dogs w/French's Mustard

Pizza Romana - Black Truffle & Wild Mushroom Pizza

Popcorn

A day after our anniversary - 10 years - we have a champagne dinner. Some of my favorites for this pairing with a 2000 Bollinger La Grande Annee. This afternoon Curtis told me about the new Hot Dog Cart Poolside at the hotel he works at, which reminded me about the AMAZING pairing of hot dogs (HOFFY, with a snappy skin) and champagne - SERIOUSLY! We also had a PIZZA ROMANA - Black Truffle & Wild Mushroom Pizza (available at Target nationwide & CUBE locally - the one from TJ's would be great too), popcorn and salt & vinegar chips.

Everything went VERY well with Champagne, but my fav was definitely the hot dog!

2000 Bollinger La Grande Annee