Archives for category: recipes
Newer Entries »

cacio e pepe

May 18, 2011 //
1

it’s what i like to call a single girl’s staple. i first tried this recipe almost a year and a half ago when i received my january/february 2010 issue of cooks illustrated. it seemed simple enough, but i had to whittle down the 4-6 servings to a portion that i could whip up on a night when cooking for only myself. i have made a few changes, but it has become a regular go-to pasta dish that never seems to disappoint. the great thing about this recipe is that you can make it with basic things you already have in your kitchen, not to mention, i have gotten it down to a science and it only takes me about 15 minutes to throw together.

also, it is optional, but depending on what veggies i have on hand, i do a little sauté and toss them in as well. my usual is broccoli and mushrooms, but another good combination is red bell peppers, red pepper flakes and garlic. tonight i found baby carrots, mushrooms, and wee little red onions in my possession. make sure to chop up veggies such as carrots and broccoli smaller since you will only be cooking them for a short time. you can prep them while boiling the water, and then sauté them in olive oil while cooking the pasta.

for one good-sized serving:

  • 1/4 lb linguine
  • 2 cups water
  • 1/2 cup pecorino romano, finely grated
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 tbsp cream, or whole milk
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp pepper, finely ground
  • 1/4 cup+ reserved pasta water

bring the 2 cups of water to a boil.

once the water boils add the salt and pasta. stir continuously, otherwise the pasta will stick especially closer to the end.

once it gets closer to being done the water seems to evaporate more quickly and it doesn’t seem to cook as quickly, so you may have to add a splash or two of water to allow it to finish cooking. the idea is to have the pasta al dente, but still have just over 1/4 cup of pasta water left once you have drained it.

drain the pasta, reserving the pasta water.

start with 1/4 cup of the reserved water and whisk it into the finely grated cheese. add the cream (or milk) and whisk. add the oil and whisk. finally add the pepper and whisk. if the sauce is still too thick at this point add a little more pasta water until the desired consistency. the picture below is too thick. it should be thinner.

toss in the pasta, then add any sautéed veggies you want.

toss again. sprinkle with fresh parsley to taste.

enjoy!

fyi, the proportions will change slightly and adjustments will have to be made, but ultimately i did simple math from the original recipe to make this for one. if you want to make it for more, multiply by 4 in order to make it for 1 lb of pasta, serving 4-6. it is a really good option for meatless mondays as well. as for my gluten-free friends, i have not tried this with rice (or other wheat-free) pastas, but part of the science of this recipe has to do with getting starch in to the mix by infusing the semolina into the pasta water, so i don’t see why other starch pastas wouldn’t work, but i haven’t done the research…yet.

Tags , , , ,
Categories recipes

chicken piccata

May 10, 2011 //
4


serves 4

ingredients:

  • 4 chicken breasts, boneless + skinless, sliced horizontally and pounded out thin
  • 2 large lemons, one halved pole to pole and sliced, remaining 1 1/2 juiced for about 1/4 cup
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 small shallot, minced
  • 4 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 cup chicken stock
  • 2 tbsp capers, drained
  • 3 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped fine

place a large heat proof pan on the middle rack and heat oven to 200°.

generously sprinkle s+p on the chicken cutlets. put the flour in a shallow dish or plate. coat cutlets with flour and shake to remove excess.

heat heavy bottomed 12 inch skillet (not non-stick) on medium-high until hot for about 2 minutes. add 2 tbsp of the oil and swirl to coat the bottom. put half the cutlets in the pan, and without moving them, cook until lightly browned on the first side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. turn them over and cook the second side for another 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. remove the pan from the heat and place the cutlets in the warming dish in the oven. add remaining 2 tbsp of oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. repeat the process with the remaining chicken.

add the shallot to the empty pan and return the skillet to medium heat. sauté for about 30 seconds. add stock and lemon slices. increase the heat to high and scrape the bottom with a wooden spoon to loosen the browned bits. simmer until the liquid is reduced to about 1/3 cup, about 4 minutes. add lemon juice and capers. simmer again until it reduces to 1/3 cup. turn off the heat and swirl in butter until it melts and the sauce thickens. swirl in parsley.

spoon sauce over chicken and serve immediately.

i enjoyed mine with green beans sautéed in butter and lemon, and artichoke with balsamic mayo.

Tags , ,
Categories recipes

cornell chicken

May 3, 2011 //
0

the creator of the original recipe for cornell chicken was robert c. baker, a professor and inventor at cornell university, hence the name. oddly enough, he also invented the chicken nugget and numerous other poultry related innovations, which happen to be in the processed food world, so not my favorite innovations. america’s test kitchen’s off shoot cook’s country made some adaptions to the original recipe for the backyard grill:

serves 4 to 6

note: i cut this recipe in half and only used one chicken. it would easily serve 2-4 depending on hunger, and dark meat eaters.

chicken-

  • 2 quarts water
  • 3 1/2 cups cider vinegar
  • 1/4 cup salt
  • 2 (3 1/2 to 4 lb) whole chickens, butterflied and halved

seasoning and sauce-

  • 1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
  • 2 tsp + 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp  + 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 1/2 cup cider vinegar
  • 3 tablespoons dijon mustard
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/2 cup olive oil

1. for the chicken: whisk water, vinegar, and salt in large bowl until salt dissolves. add chicken and refrigerate, covered, for 1 to 2 hours. do not brine the chicken longer than 2 hours or the vinegar will make the meat mushy.

2. for the seasoning and sauce: combine poultry seasoning, 2 tsp salt, and 2 tsp pepper in a small bowl; set aside. process vinegar, mustard, sage, rosemary, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a blender until smooth, about 1 minute. with blender running, slowly add oil until incorporated. transfer vinegar sauce to a small bowl and reserve for basting chicken in step 4.

3. heat all grill burners on high for 15 minutes, then turn all burners to medium-low. (for charcoal grill, light 75 coals; when covered with fine gray ash, spread evenly over bottom of grill. set cooking grate in plate and heat covered, with lid vents open completely, for 5 minutes.) scrape and oil cooking grate.

4. remove chicken from brine. pat dry with paper towels and rub all over with poultry seasoning mixture.

arrange chicken skin side up on grill and baste with vinegar sauce.

grill, covered, until chicken is well browned on bottom and meat registers 120 degrees, 25-30 minutes, basting with sauce halfway through cooking. baste the chicken carefully, as any excess will drip onto the fire and flare up. also, depending on your grill, times will vary. mine is fairly hot even on low, and reached optimum temperatures quicker. flip chicken skin side down and baste with sauce. continue to grill, covered, until skin is golden brown and crisp and thigh meat registers 170 to 175 degrees, 20 to 25 minutes longer. transfer chicken to platter (do not cover) and let rest 5 minutes. cut into pieces and serve.

honestly the picture doesn’t do the final product justice. it is simply a really easy way to make grilled chicken that results in crispy skin, with tangy, flavorful, and extremely moist meat.

enjoy!

Tags , , , ,
Categories recipes

fava bean salad

May 1, 2011 //
0

fava beans are all over farmers markets these days. my earliest memory of them is hannibal lecter’s famous quote in silence of the lambs, which may, or may not, have led to my reluctance of ever trying them. fortunately, i must have mis-read a sign, and picked some up a couple of days ago. once i had shelled a couple, i realized they were not what i thought they were. so, i asked my friend the farmers market fairy what she thought they might be. fava beans? huh. ok, well i guess i’ll google them and see what comes up. npr actually did an article about them a month or so ago with a recipe i thought i’d try.

i had to adjust it a little, because i only had chèvre goat cheese and some pre-grated pecorino on hand. it turned out pretty good, but i think with the chunks of cheese they suggest it would have turned out a little less pasty. to compensate i put it on a bed of greens which seemed to help. i might also try substituting some of the parsley with mint or basil.

i’m not sure how it would pair with liver and a nice chianti though. i would recommend a grilled swordfish or chicken breast with a sauvignon blanc.

Tags , , , ,
Categories recipes

homemade chicken stock

April 30, 2011 //
7

when i first made homemade chicken stock i could not believe how easy it was. although the process is long, the actual ‘work’ time is short, it makes your home smell incredible for the entire day, and the health benefits are great.

ingredients:

  • 3 lbs of chicken parts, roughly the bones/carcass of (2) 3-4lb chickens
  • gizzards and livers (optional)
  • 2-4 chicken feet (optional)
  • 1 onion, quartered with skin and roots
  • 3-4 carrots, unpeeled with tops
  • 1 garlic bulb, cut in half through the center of the cloves
  • ½ of a bunch of celery, leaves and butt included
  • fresh herbs, several stems of each such as thyme, rosemary, sage
  • 1 tbsp of black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • fresh parsley, several whole stems with leaves

place all the ingredients, except the parsley, in a large stock pot, and cover with cold water. let it sit for 30 minutes to an hour. this allows the vinegar to start extracting calcium and brings the water to room temperature. it is thought that gradual heating brings out flavor.

bring it to a boil.

skim off any scum that rises to the top. reduce to a simmer and cover for 6-8 hours. add the parsley about 10 minutes before you take it off the heat. strain the broth through a mesh colander. press down on the veggies, meat, bones, etc to extract any remaining juices. let it cool before letting it chill in the fridge overnight.

skim any fat that has come to the surface.

pour into different sized containers and freeze. this is helpful in the future when recipes require different amounts of stock.

the benefits:

i have based my recipe off “broth is beautiful” by sally fallon, which is a very informative article that tells of the many benefits of making your own stock. among them it says homemade stock has minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, silicon, sulphur in a form that can be easily absorbed by the body. it also contains chondroitin sulphates and glucosamine which are known to help arthritis and joint pain, as well as, gelatin that has been shown to treat many different kinds of ailments including diabetes, cancer, and at the very least aids in digestion. back in the day when meat was a luxury item, or even scarce, every part of the animal was used in some way or other. fur and feathers were used for warmth, the meat for nourishment, and the bones were made into stock, but…

“when homemade stocks were pushed out by cheap substitutes, an important source of minerals disappeared…thickening effects of gelatin could be mimicked with emulsifiers but the health benefits were lost.”

i am not sure what the process is for the producers who make boxed and canned stock, but i wouldn’t be surprised if they took short cuts, and that the nutritional value of theirs not matching making your own.

Tags , , , ,
Categories recipes

crunchy breaded oven baked fish

April 29, 2011 //
1

this has been adapted slightly from an america’s test kitchen recipe, and is one of my favorite ways to cook fish. i love to use halibut, but i find since it is breaded, cod works just as well. since the halibut was out of my price range, and the fish guy at the farmers market didn’t have cod, i thought i would try out rock fish. it worked well, but i prefer a fillet that is a bit thicker and flakier.

crunchy breaded oven baked fish

4 (1-1 1/2 inch thick) white fish filets such as halibut, cod, or in this case rock fish, 1/4 to 1/2 lb each

pre-heat oven to 350°.

bread crumbs:

  • 4 slices white sandwich bread, torn up
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 tbsp parsley, minced

process bread, butter and s+p for 8 one second pulses for coarse crumbs. spread on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until brown. toss in shallot and parsley and let cool.

increase oven temp to 425°.

batter:

  • 2 whole eggs
  • 3 tbsp mayo
  • 2 tsp horseradish
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 5 tbsp flour

whisk together all ingredients, except flour. add and whisk in flour separately to make batter.

pat fish dry, and sprinkle with s+p on both sides, then:

  1. dredge in flour, and pat off excess
  2. coat completely in batter
  3. pack on bread crumbs

place on a grated baking sheet.


bake for about 18-22 minutes or it registers 140° with a quick read thermometer. serve with tartar sauce recipe below.

tartar sauce:

  • 3/4 cup mayo
  • 2 tbsp capers, minced
  • 2 tbsp sweet pickled relish
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 tsp sherry vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
enjoy!
Tags , , , ,
Categories recipes

linguine and clams in a red sauce

April 26, 2011 //
4

this was my first foray into making clams this way, and it turned out so well i will surely do it again. fyi, most clams you get at grocery stores and fine fish markets have already been purged of the sand, but it is always a good idea to ask. also, i have gotten clams from 2 different vendors at different farmers markets and one purges them and one did not. again, it is a good idea to ask. sandy clams are a really good way to ruin a delicious meal.

2 servings:

  • 2 lbs of clams, such as littlenecks, scrubbed and purged
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thin
  • 1/2 cup red bell pepper, 1/2 inch dice
  • 1 cup basic tomato sauce
  • 1/4 cup dry white wine
  • 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped fine
  • s+p
  • 4 oz of cooked linguine (roughly 1/4 of a package of dried pasta), boil the water while prepping the other ingredients and the timing turns out pretty well
  • parmesan, grated

in a large sauté pan (with a lid) heat the oil, toss in the garlic, red pepper flakes, bell pepper and cook until soft and golden, about 5 mins. add the tomato sauce and wine and bring to a boil. add the clams, stir around a bit so they are not on top of each other, and put the lid on.

wait for the clams to open. they should open within about 5-8 minutes, and if not throw out the ones that don’t.

use a fork to take the clams out of their shells, toss in the fresh parsley and cooked linguine . add s+p to taste. serve with grated parmesan.

enjoy!

Tags , , ,
Categories recipes

homemade canned cream of mushroom soup

April 22, 2011 //
4

i have become more and more inspired by farmers markets, julia child, laura ingalls wilder, and the basics of cooking. ultimately, i would really like to take as much processed food out of my diet as possible. for example, i never have ketchup in my fridge, but a recipe called for 2 tbsp of it, so instead of going to the store and buying a bottle of ketchup, i made my own out of what i already had at my house.

a few weeks back, i had a craving for my grandma’s wild rice casserole. now, it is not a healthy dish by any means, but her recipe calls for canned cream of mushroom soup and canned asparagus (blech). i read the soup label only to discover MSfuckingG in it.

are you kidding me?! i thought that crap was banned by now. regardless, the basic ingredients were simple, so why couldn’t i make it from what i already had in my kitchen: butter, flour, seasonings, broth, milk and mushrooms?

homemade canned cream of mushroom soup
3 tbsp butter
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp poultry seasoning
1/2 cup broth
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup mushrooms, diced small
s+p

melt the butter.
whisk in the flour, one tbsp at a time.
add poultry seasoning.
whisk in broth.
whisk in milk.
stir in mushrooms.
s+p to taste.
heat until desired thickness.


you’ll have the same amount in a can of campbell’s without all the extra ingredients you don’t need like vegetable oil, modified food starch, dried whey, soy protein concentrate, yeast extract, and monosodium glutamate! plus, it tastes better and took less than 5 minutes to make. it made me think: what other processed food can we just make ourselves? or, what would laura ingalls wilder do?

a version of this post first appeared in my sister kate’s blog smart girls who do stupid things.

Tags , , ,
Categories how to, recipes

chicken pot pie

April 20, 2011 //
2

the great thing about chicken pot pie is that it can be made with basic ingredients you already have on hand. i like to switch the veggies up a bit here and there, but this is what i did tonight:

  • 1 unbaked double pie crust dough (this should be made first, so you can prep and cook the rest while it is in the refrigerator. if it chills longer than an hour make sure you let it sit out for 5-10 mins before rolling it out.)
  • 1 lb boneless, skinless cooked chicken meat, bite sized pieces
  • 1 1/4 cups carrots, diced
  • 1 3/4 cups fingerling potatoes, diced
  • 1 cup fresh peas, or thawed frozen ones
  • 1/2 cup celery, diced
  • 1 1/2 cups onion, diced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 5 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 1/4 tsp celery seed
  • 1/2 tsp paprika
  • 1 3/4 cups chicken stock
  • 2/3 cup milk
  • 1 egg

put the chicken, carrots, potatoes, peas, and celery in a sauce pan. toss in a touch of  s+p and celery seed, and add enough water to cover. bring to a boil for about 15 minutes, or until your veggies are just soft, but not mushy.

let them drain…

in the meantime, you will make the roux (use the same sauce pan if you like) with the remaining ingredients shown below:

cook the onions and garlic in the butter over medium heat until soft and translucent. gradually stir in the flour, add the spices, and then add the stock and milk slowly, stirring continually. simmer over medium-low heat until thick. set aside while you roll out your dough (or, if you are cheating, take your pre-made pie dough out of it’s package, and put in the pie pan.) place the chicken and veggie mixture in the now lined pie pan.

pour the roux over the chicken veggie mixture slowly, making sure it doesn’t overflow…

lay the top pie dough over the filling, trim if necessary, fold both layers under, and crimp. whisk the egg and brush over the top of the crust and crimped edges. make 4 slits with a sharp knife.

bake in a pre-heated oven @ 450° for 45 minutes. let cool for at least 15 minutes, or longer (it’s not to torture you) if you can stand it, before cutting in to it, just so the filling has a chance to set. cut and serve in wedges. enjoy!

(note: i have substituted some of the carrots and fingerlings, for turnips and parsnips, but i don’t see why trying other types of veggies might be interesting too. as long as you end up with roughly 3 1/2 cups of uniformly diced veggies to boil with the chicken you should be good.)

Tags , , ,
Categories pie, recipes

lemon roasted chicken

April 19, 2011 //
4

this was extremely simply and produced juicy lemony meat. first you will need to butterfly your bird. then shove about 2 tbsp of salted lemon zest under the skin, sprinkle the skin generously with s+p, and put it in a roasting pan (preferably one that is not aluminum or non-stick, such as glass).

whisk together 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice, 2 tbsp lemon zest, 2 cups of chicken stock, and 1 cup of water. then give the chicken a bath. pour the mixture into the roasting pan until it reaches the sides of the thigh skin.

bake at 475° for about 40 minutes (the thigh meat should register 170°-175°) and the skin is crispy. let it rest on a cutting board for about 20 minutes. i recommend one with a reservoir, because it will ooze juices. while you wait, you can reduce the pan juices down to about a cup, thicken it with a tsp of cornstarch, whisk in 3 tbsp of butter (off heat) and some fresh thyme, and you will have a delicious sauce to put on top.

Tags , ,
Categories recipes
Newer Entries »