November 11, 2009

Sweet Potato Chowder with Browned Butter and Crispy Sage

Filed under: Soups — by Carla

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 As a chilly November rain fell yesterday, I decided it was a good day to stay home and  forage for ingredients “in house” for our supper. While rummaging around in the potato/onion bin in the garage, I found a few home grown sweet and white potatoes a friend had dropped off. I’d also just been poking around at the sage in my herb patch, wondering if I would be able to use it up before the big winter frost. And that, my friends, is how we came to dine on sweet potato chowder with browned butter and crispy sage leaves. The freshly dug potatoes were so velvety smooth and sweet.  It wasn’t much work  to make the soup taste fabulous.  As for the fresh sage, herbalist and chef Jerry Traunfeld of the Herbfarm in Woodinville, Washington thinks that it has a much better flavor if cooked first in a fat before added to a dish and I heartily agree. I just adore sage when it is fried in a little butter (or a lot) and it makes for a lovely garnish as well. But, what to do with the remaining sage flavored browned butter? So simple yet delicious, it would be a crime not to just drizzle it over this plush chowder.

Kitchen Counter Point: One of the basic skills taught in cooking school is how to season soups and sauces. The usual suspects such as kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper play a large role, but soup can go from good to sublime with the addition of a touch of nutmeg, cayenne, acid and fat. I keep a whole nutmeg and a grater close to the stove so that I can grate it fresh. It adds spice and a warm nutty note which makes a huge difference in soups that contain dairy or greens. A touch of cayenne, not so much that you make the dish hot, but just a dash, will add interest. The acid can be in the form of lemon juice, sherry vinegar, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, wine, etc. It doesn’t take a lot, just a teaspoon or so, but the acid helps to elevate or bring up the flavors. Notice in this recipe that I’ve used a bit of sherry (acid) and reduced it early in the recipe and then added some lemon juice (acid) at the end. Fat helps to carry flavors, so when making a vegetable soup I often add a touch of heavy cream, butter or olive oil at the end just to make the flavor of the basic ingredients sing. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, cayenne, acid and fat one ingredient at a time and taste with each addition. It’s a good way to teach your palate to taste and you will be amazed by the increased depth of flavor in your dishes.

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Serves 4

1/4 cup olive oil
18 sage leaves, 10 thinly sliced and 8 left whole
1 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry sherry
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock or a blend of the two
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Dash cayenne pepper
Dash grated nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot add the sliced sage leaves and cook for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the onion and cook for 3 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook another minute or until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the sherry to the pan and cook until it has reduced somewhat, about 3 minutes. Add the stock, potatoes and salt and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

Transfer about 2 cups of the potato to a bowl, mash it and return it to the soup to thicken it. Season the soup with the lemon juice, cayenne, nutmeg and pepper. Add the heavy cream. Taste again and adjust the seasoning with more salt, pepper, nutmeg or cayenne pepper.

Just before serving, heat the butter in a skillet over medium heat. When the butter sizzles, add the sage leaves and cook them in the butter on both sides until crispy and browned, about 1 minute. Transfer the sage leaves to a paper towel lined plate and pour off the browned butter into a heatproof bowl (so that it doesn’t over brown).

Ladle the soup into heated bowls and top each with a drizzle of the sage butter and two fried sage leaves.

  

October 15, 2009

Southern Comfort Sour Cream Chocolate Cake

Filed under: Desserts — by Carla

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When contemplating dessert for a family celebration, chocolate, much like cream, rises to the top. Of course it makes the chocoholics happy and it’s a good idea to give them a  fix every now and then, but even non-dessert lovers can become enthused at the sight of a majestic, rich with butter and sour cream chocolate cake. So, for my husband Rick’s birthday last week, I decided to go for chocolate and adapt an already chocolatey rich cake recipe with enough chocolate to make even the most ardent dessert lovers cry uncle. To make matters even more interesting, I topped off the 8 ounces of unsweetened chocolate in this cake with a touch of “likker” in the form of Southern Comfort which makes this chocolate tower of a cake even more luscious.

The cake was a hit with an added bonus. The intense flames from the 55 burning candles melted the bittersweet chocolate garnish a bit…which wasn’t a bad thing at all.

Kitchen Counter Point: The next time you ice a cake, borrow a technique from the pros that will keep your cake stand clean and neat. Cut triangles of parchment paper and slide the long side of each piece under the bottom cake layer so that the cake stand is covered. Use an offset spatula to ice the cake. It is ever so much easier to use than a butter knife and you will love, love, love your new tool. Turn out a large blob of icing on top of the cake and smooth it to the edges, leaving a thick layer of icing extending over the perimeter of the cake. Smooth the excess icing down the sides adding more icing to cover. When finished, pull the parchment away from the cake, et voila, a picture perfect cake.

Makes 1 double layer 9-inch cake serving 12

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs, room temperature
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons Southern Comfort
2 teaspoons vanilla

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup unsalted butter
5 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon Southern Comfort
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
One 4-ounce bar bittersweet chocolate, chopped for garnish

Preheat oven to 350ºF

Two 9-inch round metal cake pans greased and lined with greased and floured parchment paper

In a large bowl combine the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt and baking soda and whisk until combined.

In a medium heat proof bowl set over simmering water, melt the chocolate and butter, stirring until completely melted. Remove the bowl from the pan and set aside to cool.

In a mixer bowl, combine the sugar and sour cream and beat on medium until combined. Add the eggs one at a time and mix until blended. Add the milk, Southern Comfort, vanilla and melted chocolate mixture and blend.

Add the dry ingredients by the cupful and mix on low speed until incorporated. Turn the mixer to medium speed and mix for 2 minutes or until the batter is smooth.

Divide the batter among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake in the middle of the preheated oven for about 35 to 40 minutes, or until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean and the edges of the cake begin to pull away from the sides of the pan. Let cool on racks for about 5 minutes, then invert onto racks, peel off paper and let cool completely.

To prepare the frosting, melt the chocolate and butter in a large heatproof bowl over simmering water, stirring until melted. Remove from the heat and add the confectioners sugar, sour cream, Southern Comfort, vanilla and salt. Beat on medium speed until glossy, adding more confectioner’s sugar if too thin or milk if too thick a spreading consistency.

To assemble, place one cake layer, flat side up on a cake stand and spread approximately 1 cup of the frosting over the top. Add the remaining cake layer, flat side up, and spread the remaining frosting over the top and sides of the cake. Sprinkle the chocolate over the top. The cake keeps covered at room temperature for 2 days.

October 8, 2009

Crispy Whole Wheat Penne with Roasted Vegetables, Feta Cheese and Pine Nuts

Filed under: Uncategorized — by Meredith

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OK, I know summer is over and fall is upon us (making a winter a forgone conclusion), but even in my Minnesota markets there are a few local eggplants and zucchini to be had, and no better way to have them than in this dish.

If you’ve ever tried the crispy noodle cakes at your local Asian restaurant, you know how wonderful crispy pasta can be. With that in mind, we set about finding a way to use this technique in some of our other favorite pasta dishes. For this recipe, we sauté penne pasta until it’s browned and combine it with roasted eggplant, zucchini and cherry tomatoes for a delicious dish you’ll want to sneak back down for in the middle of the night. Just repeat after us “any food I eat in my nightgown by the light of my refrigerator doesn’t count”.

Kitchen Counter Point: This recipe works beautifully with almost any roasted vegetable. In late fall I like to substitute the summer vegetables with roasted leeks, mushrooms and butternut squash. Goat cheese and toasted walnuts are also lovely with the crispy pasta.

Serves 4

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
2 cups cherry tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 oz penne
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted

Preheat oven to 450º F and start 6 quarts of water boiling in a large stockpot.

Drizzle the 1/4 cup of olive oil in equal amounts onto two large baking sheets.

Divide the vegetables between the two pans, sprinkle with salt and pepper and toss to coat with the oil. Place the pans in the oven and roast for about 15-20 minutes or until very tender and browned.

Meanwhile, when the water comes to a boil, stir in 2 tablespoons of salt. Cook the penne in the boiling water until it’s al dente. (Begin checking for doneness after 8 minutes of cooking. Bite down on the pasta and look for a tiny white dot in the center of the noodle. It should be firm, but not hard.) Drain the pasta into a colander, shaking assertively to remove as much of the water as possible.

Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and add half of the pasta. Sauté the pasta, stirring frequently to ensure even browning, until the penne becomes a crispy, golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pasta to a large, warm serving bowl and set aside. Repeat with the second half of the pasta.

In the serving bowl, add the remaining sautéed pasta, roasted vegetables, feta cheese and pine nuts. Toss together to combine.

Taste to correct the seasonings and serve.

September 24, 2009

Summer Pasta with Fresh Tomatoes and Basil

Filed under: Pasta — by Carla

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By about mid-September I usually begin to think about fall cooking.  And though I enjoy contemplating  the wonders of a good stew, this year I’m just not quite ready to pull out the heavy duty Dutch oven yet. No, I’m still in summer mode for the simple reason that  my appetite for tasty local tomatoes has not been gratified. I think there are probably a few others out there who feel the same way, so I’m offering one of my favorite ways to eat a really good tomato. All you have to do is make a salad of chopped fresh tomatoes, herbs, balsamic, olive oil and garlic and then toss it with cooked to perfection fresh pasta for a dish that epitomizes the simplicity of summer. To top it off I like to add crunchy, buttery croutons for texture. I often do make dinner just of this delightful dish, but it is also a great side paired with grilled chicken or fish. Everytime I eat it, I think how lucky I am to be tasting such great flavorful food… at least until I’ve picked the last tomato of the season.

 

Kitchen Counter Point: Fresh pasta is one of those things that you never knew you missed out on until you taste it. And then once you’ve discovered it, you lament the lost years that you could have been eating these silken, chewy noodles. It was an epiphany of sorts for me, so I ran out and bought a hand crank pasta machine so that I could roll out luscious fettuccine on a regular basis. It really is easy to make, especially if you make the dough in the food processor. But just so you know, there are some who insist that the best pasta dough is mixed up on the counter by hand. I can’t really tell the difference, but the ease of making the dough in the processor means I’m more likely to make pasta on a Tuesday night. Another great tool, if you have a KitchenAid, is the pasta roller that attaches to the mixer. It comes with two cutters (fettuccine and angel hair) and not only rolls and cuts quickly, but it is pretty fun to use as well. If a hand crank pasta machine or a KitchenAid aren’t on your wish list, just purchase fresh pasta at the market and proceed with the recipe.

 

Serves 4 to 6

 

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
2 cups rustic bread, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 tablespoon salt, divided
3 large tomatoes, diced
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup fresh basil and parsley, chopped
1 lb fresh fettuccine (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 375ºF

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Add one clove of the garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat. Place the bread on a baking sheet and pour the butter mixture over the bread, tossing with your hands to distribute the butter evenly. Salt lightly and bake the croutons in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the croutons are crispy and lightly browned. Remove from the oven and let cool.

In a large pot, heat 1 gallon of water to a boil.

In a large bowl, toss 1 teaspoon salt, remaining garlic, tomatoes, olive oil, vinegar, pepper flakes, pepper and basil and parsley mixture. Taste for seasoning and adjust to your taste with more salt, pepper flakes or vinegar.

When the water comes to a boil, add remaining 2 teaspoons salt. Add the fresh pasta and cook for 4 or 5 minutes or until the pasta is tender and cooked through to the center. Drain the pasta.

Add the hot pasta to the bowl of tomatoes. Toss for a minute and add the croutons to the bowl. Toss again and serve immediately.

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Egg Pasta

Makes about 1-1/4 pound pasta, serving 4-6

2-3/4 cups all purpose flour, plus more if necessary
1 teaspoon salt
4 large eggs

Place flour and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Add eggs and pulse several times until the dough is shaggy, but clumps into a ball when squeezed. Turn the shaggy dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it into 4 sections. Gather each section into ball and knead until smooth, sprinkling lightly with flour if sticking, about 3 minutes. Wrap in plastic. Let rest at room temperature at least 20 minutes.

Rolling dough into sheets:
Set a pasta machine to its widest setting. Working with one piece at a time, and keeping the others covered, flatten a piece of dough into rectangle and run it through the machine. Fold in thirds crosswise, as if you were folding a letter. Dust the outside lightly with flour and putting the open end through first, run through the roller again. Repeat this process on the widest setting until the dough is smooth and elastic. It may take 3 or 4 times. This is a continuation of the kneading process. It gives the dough a chance to absorb more flour if it is too sticky. Then continue to roll the dough through the narrower settings (one time through each setting, without folding). Dust lightly with flour as needed to keep from sticking until pasta sheet is the desired thickness (if using the KitchenAid pasta roller, roll the dough down to #5). Place sheet on lightly floured work surface. Repeat with remaining pasta pieces. If the pasta tears at any time during the rolling process, just fold in half, dust the outside with flour on both sides and run through the same setting  one more time.

Cutting the dough:
Let the pasta sheets rest until slightly dry but still pliable, about 20 minutes. Cut the sheets into the desired length. Fit the machine with desired cutter and run sheets through. Using floured hands, toss strands to separate; spread out on flour dusted sheet pans. Cook as directed.

September 16, 2009

Chilled Roasted Tomato Soup with Pesto Swirl

Filed under: Soups — Tags: — by Meredith

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With food, as is true with most things, timing is everything. Now that summer is waning and fall is whispering in our ears, there is no better time to enjoy tomatoes in all their glory and no better way to do it than with a bowl of this deeply flavorful soup. Think of this as a slightly sweeter, more intense version of a gazpacho which is made with uncooked tomatoes. The roasted tomatoes, along with the garlic, rosemary and thyme give this soup a big bold flavor that holds up well when chilled and a colorful swirl of pesto adds a lovely bright note right at the end.

Serves 6

3 pounds plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon (or more) dried crushed red pepper
4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt broth
1/4 cup pesto store-bought or your favorite recipe

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place tomatoes, cut side up, on large baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Drizzle tomatoes with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Roast until tomatoes are brown and tender, about 1 hour. Cool slightly.

Transfer tomatoes and any accumulated juices to processor. Pulse until slightly chunky.

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in large pot over medium-high heat. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, rosemary, thyme and dried crushed red pepper. Add chicken stock; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until soup thickens slightly, about 25 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and let sit for 30 minutes to allow to cool. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Taste again to adjust seasonings if necessary.

Ladle the soup into chilled serving bowls. Top with a spoonful of pesto and gently swirl into the soup with the tip of a knife (or a soup spoon). Serve cold.
Make-ahead: This soup can be made 2 days ahead and kept covered in the refrigerator. Garnish right before serving.

September 11, 2009

Ratatouille

Filed under: Side Dishes — by Carla

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Call me crazy, but I almost never go to the market with a list or plan for dinner that night. I like to let the produce inspire me. So, at the farmer’s market yesterday I couldn’t resist buying a few golden zucchini to go with the green ones at home in the frig. The tomatoes from the Tomato Guy looked really good, so I chose a couple of those as well. The Amish family in the corner stall had vibrant orange peppers and shiny eggplant and that’s when it hit me…ratatouille. Velvety textured vegetables, garlic, herbs and cheese with generous amounts of spicy extra virgin olive oil. Why not? I had everything else I needed to make it back home in my pantry. The kids were coming over for dinner so I could make it earlier in the day and just serve it at room temperature. That night we feasted simply (but well) on grilled herbed pork tenderloin, just picked corn on the cob and because I had extra, a few sliced tomatoes with balsamic, olive oil and fresh basil plucked from the garden. Dessert was the berry crisp posted a few weeks ago using plump, local blackberries. We drank a vinho verde from Portugal which was light, fruity and just what the wine doctor ordered. I hope it wasn’t our last dinner of the season on the patio, but if it was, at least it was a tasty bon voyage to summer.

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Kitchen Counter Point: I’ve been making a version of this dish over the last 30 years, but just recently I’ve discovered the secret to a truly unctuous dish…Japanese breadcrumbs. Otherwise known as panko, these crunchy, flaky crumbs absorb and then blend lightly in with the texture of the vegetables. In this dish, they soak up some of the soupy liquid in the ratatouille, rendering it more dense and firm and the sprinkling of breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole makes for a pleasant crunch. My local grocery here in Northeast Ohio stocks the panko (though it is much cheaper to buy it at the Asian market) so you may find it in yours as well. Buy lots, because you will use it in more ways than you can imagine.

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Serves 8 as a side dish

2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/2-inch thick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup olive oil, more or less, divided use
1 medium red onion, chopped
Pinch of salt
3 zucchini, sliced
2 orange or yellow bell pepper, chopped
2 large cloves garlic, minced
3 ripe tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence or a mix of marjoram, thyme and rosemary
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup chopped niçoise or kalamata olives
1 cup feta cheese  

Toss eggplant slices with salt and let stand 30 minutes. Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels.

Heat a few tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant and fry until lightly browned on both sides, adding more oil as necesssary. Transfer the eggplant to a plate and continue to cook the remaining eggplant in the same manner. Set aside.

Add a few tablespoons of the remaining oil to the skillet over medium-high heat and when hot add the onion and pinch of salt. Sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the zucchini and peppers and cook for 5 to 10 minutes or until they soften. Add the garlic, tomatoes and herbes de Provence and cook until the tomatoes give off their juices, about 5 minutes. If the mixture becomes soupy, cook for 5 minutes more to reduce the liquid. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spread a tablespoon or so of the remaining olive oil over the bottom of a 2-quart casserole, lay down half the eggplant, 1/3 of the breadcrumbs and top with half the zucchini tomato mixture. Sprinkle over the olives and the feta and repeat the layers with eggplant, 1/2 the breadcrumbs, zucchini and the  mozzarella. Sprinkle over the remaining breadcrumbs and drizzle with some of the remaining olive oil. Bake the ratatouille in the preheated oven for 45 minutes or until the top is crispy and the vegetables are tender. Serve hot or at room temperature.

September 3, 2009

Celery Root Remoulade

Filed under: Salads — by Carla

 

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In the waning days of summer there are always a few balmy evenings when you just want to eat a thick, juicy steak. Which, oddly enough, brings me to celery root remoulade. There is nothing, and I mean nothing that goes better with a fine slab of protein than this Frenchified version of cole slaw. This crunchy root, lightly scented with the flavor of celery makes a delicious stand-in for everyday cabbage. The tangy acid in the dressing tenderizes the awkward looking vegetable and also provides a foil for the rich flavor of the meat. I love to eat a bit of steak and remoulade in each and every bite. In la belle France, they would serve this bistro favorite with pommes frites, but you could easily slice up some potatoes tossed with olive oil, salt and pepper and brown them in a hot oven (or on the grill) to round out an easy, but delicious meal for family and friends alike.

 

 

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Kitchen Counter Point: You’ve probably seen celery root in the produce section and wondered what you could possibly do with it. It looks like a brown, dirty, knobby round with lots of squiggly little roots growing out in all directions. I find it easiest to quarter it and then peel it with a paring knife. Sometimes it has the green celery like top still attached. Because it is a bit on the tough side, I like to thinly slice it and cut it down into little thin matchsticks with a super sharp knife, but sometimes I just shred it in my food processor with the medium shredding disk. If you happen to have a mandoline or benriner, they will make short work of the task as well. The mandatory rest in the refrigerator with the acid packed dressing tenderizes this ungainly root and transforms it, Pygmalion-like into a toothsome salad fit for filet mignon.

 

 Makes 6 generous servings

 

1 large celery root, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks (if you cut them too thickly, they won’t tenderize) or shredded with the medium shredding disk of a food processor
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoonsDijon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Toss all ingredients together in a large bowl. Taste for seasoning and add more salt, pepper or lemon juice to taste. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours before serving. The remoulade keeps covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Tip: Remoulade goes well with a hamburger as well. Just sandwich your burger with the salad on a lovely toasted bun. Or, if you’re watching your calories, how about pairing remoulade with a simple grilled chicken breast or salmon filet? Your choice!

August 28, 2009

Tartine with Roasted Figs, Prosciutto and Gorgonzola

Filed under: Appetizers — by Carla

 

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When you’re looking for a new quick and easy appetizer idea, how about a tartine? Basically an open faced sandwich, the tartine sounds so much more interesting. Especially when topped with sweet, sticky roasted figs. A quick roast in the oven really concentrates their flavor, caramelizing their sugars, rendering them even sweeter and more complex. It is an easy step to make and just gives this simple yet elegant appetizer a bit more finesse. The tangy gorgonzola adds an extra savory note that I find irresistible and plays beautifully off the nutty tannins of the walnuts. Country style peasant loaves are often a good choice for the base as they are chewy and have a strong firm texture. Look for round loaves called pain de campagne and slice it down into a rough serving size, cutting the slice crosswise in half if need be. It all comes together to make a simple, late summer appetizer that really sizzles.

 

Kitchen Counterpoint: Figs can be in season for a very short time, usually June through September, so when I see them in the market I can’t resist bringing them home. There is something erotic and beautiful about figs. Though they come in many shapes and colors the usual suspects here in Northeast Ohio are either Black Mission (dark purple) or Calimyrna (green). When sliced, the flesh of mission figs has a lovely color and pattern that contrasts with their dark skin, adding drama to any dish. And couldn’t we all use a little more drama on our plates?

Serves 6

12 fresh figs, stemmed and quartered
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
6 slices country style bread
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch freshly ground black pepper
Pinch grated nutmeg
6 slices prosciutto
1/4 cup Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 375ºF

Toss the figs, vinegar and 1 tablespoon olive oil on a parchment lined sheet pan and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes or until the figs have dried and caramelized slightly. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

Drizzle the remaining olive oil over the bread slices and bake in the oven until crispy, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a rack.

In a small bowl combine the ricotta cheese, basil, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Taste for seasoning and adjust with more salt, pepper or nutmeg to taste.

Spread the cheese mixture over the bread and top with a slice of prosciutto, the roasted figs, gorgonzola and walnuts. Serve immediately.

Tip:  Did you know that you can toast walnuts in the microwave? Lay them out on a plate and nuke for about 33 seconds. Move them around and nuke another 33 seconds. They are toasted when they give off a warm, toasty aroma.

August 21, 2009

Composed Salad of Greens, Roasted Vegetables, Chicken, Feta and Walnuts

Filed under: Salads — by Carla

 

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We frequently eat salad for dinner at our house, especially in the summer months when eating lighter and fresher is so appealing. But, don’t think for a moment that our appetites are discouraged by the humid dog days of a Cleveland summer. No wimpy little salad for us. We want to feel like we ate dinner (not to be confused with lunch) even if it is 90 degrees outside.

That’s where this salade composée comes in. This hearty dinner in a bowl begins with an interesting mix of various textured greens like tender Bibb, bitter radicchio, chewy romaine and peppery arugula lettuce. By simply adding grilled zucchini, red onion, peppers, chunky chicken, crumbled feta cheese, herbs fresh picked from the garden and toasted walnuts to the mix, all that remains is to whip up a simple balsamic vinaigrette. It sounds like a lot of flavors, but believe me, this is one of our favorite meals when dining alfresco. I especially like the contrast of warm from the grill vegetables and chicken with the chilly greens, salty cheese and crunchy nuts. A lively sauvignon blanc and a chewy baguette makes this a great meal for entertaining or for an indulgent over the hump Wednesday night dinner for two.

Kitchen Counter Point: I make it a point to wash greens as soon as I get them home, spin them dry, roll them up in kitchen towels and zip them up in plastic bags in the crisper drawer. That way they are always crisp and cold when I need them instead of watery and limp from a recent wash. I also occasionally take advantage of the organic packaged arugula in the plastic bin but I never buy the pre-bagged greens anymore because they taste of chemicals and are generally of very poor quality.

Serves 2 large dinner salads or 4 side-dish salads

2 chicken breasts, bone in and skin on
1 lemon, zested and cut in half, divided use
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided use
1/4 large red onion, thickly sliced
2 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, cut into 2-inch cubes
1 red pepper, seeded and cut into 2-inch squares
1/2 cup whole walnuts
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 small shallot, peeled and minced
Pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 large handfuls of a mix of Bibb, radicchio, romaine and arugula or mixed greens of your choice
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or other fresh herbs you have growing in the yard

Lay out the cold from the refrigerator chicken breasts on a sheet pan sprinkle with half the zest and squeeze half the lemon over them. Season with lots of salt and pepper on both sides, drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and let them sit for an hour on the counter. They’ll soak up more flavor as they warm up and will cook more evenly if they aren’t freezing cold from the frig when you put them on the grill.

Heat up the grill to medium-high heat.

While the chicken sits, toss the vegetables with the remaining zest, 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and transfer them to a grill basket and cook for about 20 to 25 minutes, giving them a toss every now and then. You want them to be tender and lightly charred. Add the walnuts the last 5 minutes to toast them lightly. Remove from the grill and let cool slightly.

Once the vegetables have cooked for about 15 minutes, add the chicken, skin side down. Grill for 10 minutes, turn and grill another 7 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Transfer the chicken to a sheet pan and let sit for 10 minutes. Pull the chicken from the bone and shred or cut into chunks.

While the chicken and vegetables cook, make the vinaigrette. In a large bowl (large enough to toss the salad) combine the vinegar along with the other half of the lemon, squeezed. Add a pinch of salt and shallot and swirl until the salt melts. Whisk in the remaining olive oil and taste for seasoning, adding more vinegar or oil to taste. Add a few grinds of pepper to taste.

Drizzle the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the dressing.

When ready to serve, add the lettuce to the bowl with the dressing and toss to mix.

Divide the lettuce between two serving bowls and top with the still warm vegetables, chicken, feta cheese and fresh herbs. Grind a little freshly ground black pepper over the top and dig in.

August 13, 2009

Nectarine and Berry Crisp

Filed under: Desserts — by Carla

berry-crisp-2_0022

I must admit that I have a bit of an addiction for fruity, berry based desserts. It comes as no surprise to my family, who’ve been noshing on crisps of this sort all summer long. Desserts of this type are even better when you can buy locally grown fruit which has had the chance to ripen on the tree or bush, soaking up all that sun kissed summer has to offer.

This is my favorite rendition of the classic crisp. I also have an affliction (I mean affection) for plums, peaches and apricots, though you must peel the furrier fruits before tossing with the berries. My trademark is the addition of the lemon verbena, which I always plant in the spring so that I have it on hand throughout the summer and fall. It is one of my favorite herbs and once you try it, I hope it will become one of yours as well. Not to worry if you can’t find it at this point, just be sure to plant it next year!

Kitchen Counter Point: Let’s talk about lemon verbena for a moment. It grows with no encouragement whatsoever along with the basil, thyme and chives, so it is very easy to keep up with. The leaves are very fragrant in a lemony floral kind of way. Other uses for it are to 1) add to a food processor with granulated sugar and process to make lemon verbena sugar which is great on shortbread or sugar cookies, 2) minced and added to blueberry muffins, pound cake or pancakes, 3) instead of basil or cilantro, try adding lemon verbena to salsas and summer compotes. These are just a few of the uses, not to mention, just picking a few sprigs to add to small bouquets. Their long pointy leaves are pretty and when brushed, give off that heavenly, lemonly smell.

 Serves 8

1 cup brown sugar, divided use
1-1/2 cups regular oats
1/4 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided use
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 nectarines, pitted and each cut into about 8 sections
8 ounces blueberries
6 ounces blackberries
6 ounces raspberries
2 tablespoons chopped lemon verbena, optional
Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
Ice cream or whipped cream as an accompaniment if desired

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

In a medium bowl, combine the 1/2 cup brown sugar, oats, 1/4 cup flour, butter, cinnamon and salt. Mix together with your fingers or a fork until well blended

In a large bowl combine the fruit and remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar (less if your fruit is at its peak of ripeness), 3 tablespoons flour, lemon verbena if using, lemon zest and juice. Toss gently to combine. Transfer to a buttered 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit. Bake in the preheated oven for 40 minutes or until the fruit is bubbly and the topping is crisp. Remove from the oven and cool for 15 minutes before serving warm with ice cream or whipped cream.

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