It's that time of year. The weather is beginning to be chilly and my weekly pot of soup has begun. This soup is one of my favorites because it is so flexible. It can be served hot or cold; chunky or smooth. And it is one of the easiest soups to make. Here is what is on Marilyn's Table.
Potato Leek Soup with Gruyere Croutons
Apple Pie Sundaes with Cheddar Shards
The soup goes together in minutes with a reasonably short prep time. A large Idaho potato (Yukon Golds would also work well) is scrubbed and cut in cubes. I leave the skin on because that is where a lot of the vitamins are. Leeks are sliced into half rounds and rinsed thoroughly to remove any sand. They are then sauteed in butter with a pinch of salt. The potato is added and vegetable stock (or chicken stock if you prefer) are added and simmered until potatoes are soft. Remove from the heat. I left mine chunky but if you want the soup to be smooth, this is where you use an immersion blender to smooth it out. Heavy cream and buttermilk are added along with white pepper. Taste to correct the seasonings. Warm through to serve or put in refrigerator to chill.
I have seen several recipes for using grilled cheese sandwiches cut up for croutons, so I thought I would try it. I had a loaf of dark bread with lots of seeds. I cut half inch slices and buttered one side of each. Slices of Gruyere were put inside and I grilled the sandwich on a panini press. The edges are cut off and the rest is cut into bite sized cubes. The cubes are dropped on the top of the soup along with a few fresh herbs such as thyme. I love this soup and will make it again and often.
Apples are plentiful and I thought they would be a nice addition to some frozen yogurt. Since cheddar cheese often accompanies apple pie, I used it in the preparation of cracker like shards. Flour, salt, cold butter, sharp cheddar cheese, cold water and cider vinegar are put in a food processor and blended until the dough comes together. The dough is kneaded, wrapped in plastic and chilled in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough thinly and bake until browned. The dough is cooled and broken into shards to garnish the rest of the sundae. A Granny Smith and a Gala apple are cored and cut in slices (again I leave the skin on). Butter is melted in a skillet and the apples are added along with both granulated and brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and a bit of salt. The apples are cooked until tender and bit of water is added. Cool the mixture slightly and blend half until smooth. In a large bowl soften frozen vanilla yogurt and mix in the pureed apples. Return to the freezer to set. To serve, scoop the apple yogurt mixture into dishes; spoon some of the remaining apples over the top and garnish with the cheddar shards. Pretty to look at and very yummy.
This week was a celebration of simple food that I will repeat often over the winter. Next week is Thanksgiving and I will be heading north to celebrate with family. As always it will be an interesting meal to which everyone contributes. Also will be fun to hear about granddaughter Kendall's first semester in college. I will remember to take pictures of our table and share with you. We have so much to be thankful for so enjoy your holiday and will see you in two weeks.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Thanksgiving Preview
Once Halloween is over, my thoughts turn to the holiday's and holiday food. I could cook turkey once a week during the season and never get tired of it. I found this recipe in one of the magazines I receive and it sounded like a winner. Lots of herbs and seasonings, my favorites. My quest to find a turkey breast on the bone was not successful. The only one I found was frozen and was shot full of all manner of chemicals touted as basting. I finally ended up at Whole Foods. They had a boneless fresh turkey breast. I usually prefer to cook poultry on the bone, but this looked just about the right size for me and a week or so of leftovers. Here is what was on my Table this week:
Lemon-Herb Seasoned Turkey Breast
Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt
I like to brine poultry so the night before the turkey went into a large bowl with cold water, salt, sugar, peppercorns and various herbs. While the brine was doing it's thing, I made the stuffing that went under the skin. Into the blender went Panko bread crumbs, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon peel, sauteed onion, salt, pepper and enough EVOO to hold it all together. The mixture should resemble a paste. When the turkey is removed from the brine, it is patted dry and the paste is carefully stuffed under the skin. It is then put in a roasting pan on a bed of chopped onion, celery, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, chopped garlic, lemon juice, EVOO and a bit of salt and pepper. Chicken stock is poured over the vegetables and around the bird. When the turkey is thoroughly cooked and nicely browned it is removed and set aside to rest. The vegetables and broth are strained and simmered until thickened for a sauce. The brine, herbs and seasonings gave the turkey lots of flavor. This recipe will go in my 'love it' folder and I will use it again.
Sweet potato and broccoli are vegetables I prepare often so I was looking for a new way to try. This recipe is very simple and quite excellent for the turkey. There is some crossover of herbs which brings both dishes together nicely. In a baking dish a chopped sweet potato is tossed in EVOO, chopped rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper. After roasting them at the for about 20 minutes, chopped broccoli is added and tossed with a bit more EVOO. When the potato and broccoli are soft and lightly browned a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is added for serving. This too was added to my 'love it' folder. Very colorful!
The turkey and vegetables needed something cool and refreshing at the end of the meal. A granita seemed like a good choice. Unsweetened applesauce and a bit of lemon juice are mixed and spread in a square glass pan. Place it in the freezer until firm. While it is freezing, mix plain Greek yogurt with some maple syrup and a bit of ground cinnamon. To serve, take a fork of the edge of a spoon and scrape the surface to fluff it up. Serve in a glass bowl and spoon some of the yogurt sauce over the top. So simple, yet so cool after the meal.
This was a good menu and many of the techniques will be used again. Next week I will be away for a few days. It's my birthday and I am treating myself to a weekend in Galena, one of my favorite places. That means dinner out. I am looking forward to trying a couple of new restaurants and some nice wine. Breakfast will be amazing as always at the Aldrich Guest House. I will be back the following week and we will see what appears on Marilyn's Table.
Lemon-Herb Seasoned Turkey Breast
Rosemary-Garlic Roasted Broccoli and Sweet Potatoes
Applesauce Granita with Maple Yogurt
I like to brine poultry so the night before the turkey went into a large bowl with cold water, salt, sugar, peppercorns and various herbs. While the brine was doing it's thing, I made the stuffing that went under the skin. Into the blender went Panko bread crumbs, chopped Italian parsley, rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon peel, sauteed onion, salt, pepper and enough EVOO to hold it all together. The mixture should resemble a paste. When the turkey is removed from the brine, it is patted dry and the paste is carefully stuffed under the skin. It is then put in a roasting pan on a bed of chopped onion, celery, sprigs of rosemary and thyme, chopped garlic, lemon juice, EVOO and a bit of salt and pepper. Chicken stock is poured over the vegetables and around the bird. When the turkey is thoroughly cooked and nicely browned it is removed and set aside to rest. The vegetables and broth are strained and simmered until thickened for a sauce. The brine, herbs and seasonings gave the turkey lots of flavor. This recipe will go in my 'love it' folder and I will use it again.
Sweet potato and broccoli are vegetables I prepare often so I was looking for a new way to try. This recipe is very simple and quite excellent for the turkey. There is some crossover of herbs which brings both dishes together nicely. In a baking dish a chopped sweet potato is tossed in EVOO, chopped rosemary, garlic and salt and pepper. After roasting them at the for about 20 minutes, chopped broccoli is added and tossed with a bit more EVOO. When the potato and broccoli are soft and lightly browned a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese is added for serving. This too was added to my 'love it' folder. Very colorful!
The turkey and vegetables needed something cool and refreshing at the end of the meal. A granita seemed like a good choice. Unsweetened applesauce and a bit of lemon juice are mixed and spread in a square glass pan. Place it in the freezer until firm. While it is freezing, mix plain Greek yogurt with some maple syrup and a bit of ground cinnamon. To serve, take a fork of the edge of a spoon and scrape the surface to fluff it up. Serve in a glass bowl and spoon some of the yogurt sauce over the top. So simple, yet so cool after the meal.
This was a good menu and many of the techniques will be used again. Next week I will be away for a few days. It's my birthday and I am treating myself to a weekend in Galena, one of my favorite places. That means dinner out. I am looking forward to trying a couple of new restaurants and some nice wine. Breakfast will be amazing as always at the Aldrich Guest House. I will be back the following week and we will see what appears on Marilyn's Table.
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Treat or Treat
It's hard to believe it's Halloween already. Time flies when you spend your weekend cooking. I thought I would approach the Halloween theme in the food for the Table. The menu is a real treat with no tricks involved. Here is what is on the table:
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Fruit
Stuffed Pumpkin with Cranberry-Pecan Bread Pudding
Michael Symon is one of my favorite Food Network chefs. His food is simply prepared and flavorful. This recipe for pork tenderloin is no exception. It just took more planning as the fruit and the pork marinate for specific periods of time. First the fruit: in a sauce pan simmer one Bosc pear cut in small pieces with red wine, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, whole-grain mustard, and mustard seeds. Pour the hot liquid into a jar over dried apricots cut in half and dried cranberries. After it cools, put a lid on it and place in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The pork is marinated in a plastic bag overnight. The marinade is chopped cilantro or parsley, which ever you prefer, Dijon mustard, toasted ground coriander and cumin seeds, kosher salt, smoked paprika and the zest and juice of one lime. The marinade is poured over the meat, turned to evenly coat and sealed. The meat is grilled on all sides and finished in the oven. After it has rested, slice and serve over a bed of arugula. The mustard fruit is spooned over the top. A drizzle of EVOO brings it all together. This is an excellent dish. The meat is tender and the crust has a bright flavor. The fruit is both sweet and tart. It would be lovely at a dinner party, however, I am happy to have leftovers for the rest of the week.
The stuffed pumpkin was something I have not done as a sweet. I have used a baked pumpkin shell for both soup and stew. This was very different and quite tasty. The pumpkin top is removed and saved. The seeds are cleaned out of the inside and then the inside is brushed with a bit of melted butter and sprinkled with brown sugar. Eggs, sugar, melted butter, and half & half are whipped together. The recipe called for cubed raisin bread, but I don't care for raisins so I chose a loaf of Parmesan olive bread. The egg mixture is poured over the bread cubes and toasted pecans are added. The pudding is baked in a square pan along side the pan with the pumpkin. After about 25 minutes remove both from the oven and spoon the pudding into the pumpkin and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. With the pumpkin top on, the dish makes an impressive presentation. The pudding is spooned on to a plate being sure that you get some of the cooked pumpkin too. A vanilla lemon sauce is drizzled over it all. In a saucepan, put a split vanilla bean, water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook until smooth and thickened. Stir in butter, grated lemon zest and juice and heat through. Remove the vanilla bean before using.
Capital Brewery in Middleton has another terrific beer to serve, Island Wheat Ale. The perfect beverage for the meal.
There were lots of new and interesting techniques and flavors on this table. I will prepare the tenderloin again as a regular fall entree. The pumpkin bread pudding has lots of possibilities and I will pursue other fruits and breads. I expect that next week turkey will be featured on the Table. This time of year I could have it weekly in many ways. I love the way the house smells while it is cooking.
Have a great week; stay warm. I will be attending a cookbook signing for another one of my Food Network favorites, Ina Garten. Her new book "Foolproof", is wonderful and I am anxious to try some of the recipes in the next weeks.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Mustard Fruit
Stuffed Pumpkin with Cranberry-Pecan Bread Pudding
Michael Symon is one of my favorite Food Network chefs. His food is simply prepared and flavorful. This recipe for pork tenderloin is no exception. It just took more planning as the fruit and the pork marinate for specific periods of time. First the fruit: in a sauce pan simmer one Bosc pear cut in small pieces with red wine, sugar, red wine vinegar, salt, whole-grain mustard, and mustard seeds. Pour the hot liquid into a jar over dried apricots cut in half and dried cranberries. After it cools, put a lid on it and place in the refrigerator for a couple of days. The pork is marinated in a plastic bag overnight. The marinade is chopped cilantro or parsley, which ever you prefer, Dijon mustard, toasted ground coriander and cumin seeds, kosher salt, smoked paprika and the zest and juice of one lime. The marinade is poured over the meat, turned to evenly coat and sealed. The meat is grilled on all sides and finished in the oven. After it has rested, slice and serve over a bed of arugula. The mustard fruit is spooned over the top. A drizzle of EVOO brings it all together. This is an excellent dish. The meat is tender and the crust has a bright flavor. The fruit is both sweet and tart. It would be lovely at a dinner party, however, I am happy to have leftovers for the rest of the week.
The stuffed pumpkin was something I have not done as a sweet. I have used a baked pumpkin shell for both soup and stew. This was very different and quite tasty. The pumpkin top is removed and saved. The seeds are cleaned out of the inside and then the inside is brushed with a bit of melted butter and sprinkled with brown sugar. Eggs, sugar, melted butter, and half & half are whipped together. The recipe called for cubed raisin bread, but I don't care for raisins so I chose a loaf of Parmesan olive bread. The egg mixture is poured over the bread cubes and toasted pecans are added. The pudding is baked in a square pan along side the pan with the pumpkin. After about 25 minutes remove both from the oven and spoon the pudding into the pumpkin and return to the oven for another 15 minutes. With the pumpkin top on, the dish makes an impressive presentation. The pudding is spooned on to a plate being sure that you get some of the cooked pumpkin too. A vanilla lemon sauce is drizzled over it all. In a saucepan, put a split vanilla bean, water, sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Cook until smooth and thickened. Stir in butter, grated lemon zest and juice and heat through. Remove the vanilla bean before using.
Capital Brewery in Middleton has another terrific beer to serve, Island Wheat Ale. The perfect beverage for the meal.
There were lots of new and interesting techniques and flavors on this table. I will prepare the tenderloin again as a regular fall entree. The pumpkin bread pudding has lots of possibilities and I will pursue other fruits and breads. I expect that next week turkey will be featured on the Table. This time of year I could have it weekly in many ways. I love the way the house smells while it is cooking.
Have a great week; stay warm. I will be attending a cookbook signing for another one of my Food Network favorites, Ina Garten. Her new book "Foolproof", is wonderful and I am anxious to try some of the recipes in the next weeks.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Pumpkin Two Ways
A beautiful day in my neighborhood and as promised, today I will tell you about pumpkin on Marilyn's Table. It's my favorite time of year and the produce is amazing. Today's Table will feature pumpkin in two very different ways. Here is what's on the Table:
Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Spiced Pumpkin Dunking Sticks
Alton Brown's Hot and Spicy Cocoa
The ravioli recipe came from Saveur magazine. However, it appeared to be a bit tedious. So I took some shortcuts. First of all, I did not make pasta dough from scratch. I have found that using wonton skins work very well and the finished dish looks a bit free from. Also I used canned pumpkin (not pie filling) instead of roasting a whole pumpkin.
First comes the filling; onions are sauteed in a bit of EVOO about 10 minutes. Then red pepper flakes are added along with amaretti cookie crumbs, cinnamon, Parmesan cheese, honey, white wine and salt. Cook to combine and then add the canned pumpkin and heat through. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
In a small skillet melt unsalted butter and add the sage leaves and cook until they are crisp. Set this aside as well. Heat a pot of salted water to boiling; dip the wonton skins in the water to soften, just a few seconds will do. Arrange 3 - 5 on a plate and spoon some of the pumpkin filling in the center of each, leaving a bit of the edge. Lay another wonton skin over the filling and press the edges together. Serve the warm sage butter over the top. I really liked this process as well as the dish itself. I expect to prepare more ravioli's using this method.
The cocoa is a dry mix that is mixed and stored in an airtight container. It can then be made one cup at a time. It is rich and creamy with just a bit of a kick. Mix together: powdered sugar, Dutch process cocoa, powdered milk, salt, cornstarch and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Fill a mug about half full of the mix and pour boiling water over. Stir and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Yum!
The cookies were a bit of a disappointment, but I discovered I had left out an ingredient so it was no wonder they were not what they should have been. Soft unsalted butter is beaten with sugar until thoroughly mixed. Then cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger salt and cloves are added and mixed together. In a separate bowl, canned pumpkin, egg and vanilla are combined and added to the butter mixture. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon. Now the dough is to be placed in a pastry bag and piped in a corkscrew motion onto a cookie sheet. Well I found the dough to be to stiff to use the pastry bag so I rolled the dough into 'little cigars' about 4 inches long and put them on the baking sheet. They are to bake 5 - 7 minutes, but since they were not in the shape the recipe called for, I left them a bit longer. While they cool a glaze is made to drizzle over the cookie. Cream cheese, butter, are mixed together. lemon and orange peel are grated and added with some lemon juice. Powdered sugar and milk are added until the glaze is of a consistency that will drizzle over the cooled cookies. I grated more orange peel over the glaze. I will work with this again, being sure to put in ALL the ingredients. Perhaps they will come out lighter and more of a dunking consistency.
All in all the meal was good and perfect for the weather and time of year. I will be taking next week off from cooking. I will be in Kohler, Wisconsin for the Food/Wine Experience and will see demonstrations by two of my favorite PBS chefs. It's one of my favorite events and Kohler is a lovely town. Have a good week and I will tell you about it in the following week.
Pumpkin Ravioli with Sage Brown Butter Sauce
Spiced Pumpkin Dunking Sticks
Alton Brown's Hot and Spicy Cocoa
The ravioli recipe came from Saveur magazine. However, it appeared to be a bit tedious. So I took some shortcuts. First of all, I did not make pasta dough from scratch. I have found that using wonton skins work very well and the finished dish looks a bit free from. Also I used canned pumpkin (not pie filling) instead of roasting a whole pumpkin.
First comes the filling; onions are sauteed in a bit of EVOO about 10 minutes. Then red pepper flakes are added along with amaretti cookie crumbs, cinnamon, Parmesan cheese, honey, white wine and salt. Cook to combine and then add the canned pumpkin and heat through. Cover and set aside to keep warm.
In a small skillet melt unsalted butter and add the sage leaves and cook until they are crisp. Set this aside as well. Heat a pot of salted water to boiling; dip the wonton skins in the water to soften, just a few seconds will do. Arrange 3 - 5 on a plate and spoon some of the pumpkin filling in the center of each, leaving a bit of the edge. Lay another wonton skin over the filling and press the edges together. Serve the warm sage butter over the top. I really liked this process as well as the dish itself. I expect to prepare more ravioli's using this method.
The cocoa is a dry mix that is mixed and stored in an airtight container. It can then be made one cup at a time. It is rich and creamy with just a bit of a kick. Mix together: powdered sugar, Dutch process cocoa, powdered milk, salt, cornstarch and a pinch or two of cayenne pepper. Fill a mug about half full of the mix and pour boiling water over. Stir and top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Yum!
The cookies were a bit of a disappointment, but I discovered I had left out an ingredient so it was no wonder they were not what they should have been. Soft unsalted butter is beaten with sugar until thoroughly mixed. Then cinnamon, baking powder, nutmeg, ginger salt and cloves are added and mixed together. In a separate bowl, canned pumpkin, egg and vanilla are combined and added to the butter mixture. Stir in flour with a wooden spoon. Now the dough is to be placed in a pastry bag and piped in a corkscrew motion onto a cookie sheet. Well I found the dough to be to stiff to use the pastry bag so I rolled the dough into 'little cigars' about 4 inches long and put them on the baking sheet. They are to bake 5 - 7 minutes, but since they were not in the shape the recipe called for, I left them a bit longer. While they cool a glaze is made to drizzle over the cookie. Cream cheese, butter, are mixed together. lemon and orange peel are grated and added with some lemon juice. Powdered sugar and milk are added until the glaze is of a consistency that will drizzle over the cooled cookies. I grated more orange peel over the glaze. I will work with this again, being sure to put in ALL the ingredients. Perhaps they will come out lighter and more of a dunking consistency.
All in all the meal was good and perfect for the weather and time of year. I will be taking next week off from cooking. I will be in Kohler, Wisconsin for the Food/Wine Experience and will see demonstrations by two of my favorite PBS chefs. It's one of my favorite events and Kohler is a lovely town. Have a good week and I will tell you about it in the following week.
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Oktoberfest
The Autumn season brings us many things. Some of my favorite foods arrive on the scene both in the farmers markets and in the supermarkets. Halloween, homecoming parades and football games, corn mazes, hayrides and apple picking come to mind. One of the big foodie events is Oktoberfest. Typically the food involves brats and sauerkraut, candy apples and cider. However, I decided to do different foods for Marilyn's Table. Here is what we had:
German Rouladen
Cabbage and Potato Saute
Black Forest Tart
I have never made a Rouladen and was surprised as to how simple it was. A flank steak is pounded flat and cut in rectangles. One side is painted with stone ground mustard. Sliced deli ham, onion slices and dill pickle spear are arranged on top. The meat is rolled and secured with string. Saute in a bit of oil/butter mix and when rolls are browned pour over an inch or so of good beef stock. Cover and simmer for and hour and a half until meat is tender.
While the meat is cooking, saute diced onion in a bit of butter until soft. Stir in shredded savoy cabbage and cook until wilted. Add sliced cooked canned potatoes. When heated through, stir in diced deli ham, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add a bit of water and cook about 10 minutes.
To serve, spoon some of the cabbage mixture on a plate and place a meat roll on top. Spoon some of the broth over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley for some color.
Dessert was a classic Black Forest Tart. I changed the recipe up a bit, and downsized it as well. In the bottom of a mini spring form pan, press crushed chocolate thin cookies with a bit of butter added. Melt some dark chocolate over a low heat until it is completely melted. Cream powdered sugar with half a package of cream cheese and stir in the chocolate. Add some cherry pie filling and pour mixture into the crust. Chill in refrigerator. When ready to serve spoon some cherry pie filling over the tart and top with some whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional cookie crumbs. More pie filling can be spooned around each slice.
I found some Oktoberfest beer from Capital Brewery in Middleton Wisconsin and served it with the meal. A heavier meal than my usual, but very tasty. The beer was perfect with the food, I wish I had purchased more than one bottle. Still time.....
I have a lot of Autumn harvest recipes. I'm thinking that I might just feature some of them in the weeks to come. Perhaps not as a meal, but as special foods of the season. So in the next weeks look for recipes featuring apples, pumpkin, and squash. Get out and enjoy the crisp weather and the rapidly changing leaves.
German Rouladen
Cabbage and Potato Saute
Black Forest Tart
I have never made a Rouladen and was surprised as to how simple it was. A flank steak is pounded flat and cut in rectangles. One side is painted with stone ground mustard. Sliced deli ham, onion slices and dill pickle spear are arranged on top. The meat is rolled and secured with string. Saute in a bit of oil/butter mix and when rolls are browned pour over an inch or so of good beef stock. Cover and simmer for and hour and a half until meat is tender.
While the meat is cooking, saute diced onion in a bit of butter until soft. Stir in shredded savoy cabbage and cook until wilted. Add sliced cooked canned potatoes. When heated through, stir in diced deli ham, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper. Add a bit of water and cook about 10 minutes.
To serve, spoon some of the cabbage mixture on a plate and place a meat roll on top. Spoon some of the broth over the top. Garnish with chopped parsley for some color.
Dessert was a classic Black Forest Tart. I changed the recipe up a bit, and downsized it as well. In the bottom of a mini spring form pan, press crushed chocolate thin cookies with a bit of butter added. Melt some dark chocolate over a low heat until it is completely melted. Cream powdered sugar with half a package of cream cheese and stir in the chocolate. Add some cherry pie filling and pour mixture into the crust. Chill in refrigerator. When ready to serve spoon some cherry pie filling over the tart and top with some whipped cream. Sprinkle with additional cookie crumbs. More pie filling can be spooned around each slice.
I found some Oktoberfest beer from Capital Brewery in Middleton Wisconsin and served it with the meal. A heavier meal than my usual, but very tasty. The beer was perfect with the food, I wish I had purchased more than one bottle. Still time.....
I have a lot of Autumn harvest recipes. I'm thinking that I might just feature some of them in the weeks to come. Perhaps not as a meal, but as special foods of the season. So in the next weeks look for recipes featuring apples, pumpkin, and squash. Get out and enjoy the crisp weather and the rapidly changing leaves.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Comfort Food
Looking out the window, it is clear that fall is upon us. The leaves are beginning to change quickly. I fear that the color season will be short because the summer was so hot and dry. And next week is the last of my farmers market. I will have to make a trip to stock up on the fresh produce to use for next weeks table and perhaps to freeze. This week I pulled out my crock pot for the first time and used my first can of pumpkin. Here is what was on Marilyn's Table.
Coffee Braised Short Ribs with Cheesy Polenta
Tuscan Kale Caesar Slaw
Gingersnap Crumble Pumpkin Parfaits
I have never had much luck with short ribs, but this recipe sounded like it might be a winner. My first suggestion is that you not purchase boneless short ribs.(I did because it was all they had) There is not enough fat on them and cooking on the bone always makes for better flavor. The ribs are sauteed in a skillet until brown, turning them on all sides. Drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Add white wine and strong coffee to the skillet and simmer, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Put chopped onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix in salt, chili powder and oregano. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker and pour the wine/coffee mixture over. Cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook until ribs are falling off the bone.
I used instant polenta and followed the recipe on the container. At the end of the cooking time I added grated Parmesan and stirred in until melted. Serve the ribs and a bit of the onion sauce over the polenta. This is a rich dish so I decided to soften the richness with a simple salad.
The market had some excellent looking kale. I cut it into thin strips to serve. The dressing is lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, Dijon mustard and EVOO. Shake it in a covered jar and add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the strips of kale and top with sliced hard boiled egg. I particularly like the dressing and the leftover kale went into a pot of vegetable soup.
This dessert was the first of a lot of pumpkin recipes in my 'in the wings' box in the kitchen. The canned pumpkin (not pie filling) is mixed with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and a dash of salt. A quart of softened vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt is mixed in and chilled in the refrigerator. Gingersnaps are crushed and stirred in a bowl with melted butter. They harden nicely on the counter. Parfait glasses are filled with the pumpkin mixture, topped with broken up gingersnap crumble and set in the freezer to set. To serve, the gingersnap crumble is spooned over the top and whipped cream goes over the crumble. I garnished with more of the crumble, but a sprinkle of pumpkin spice would be nice as well.
All in all it was an OK dinner. The short ribs were a bit chewy, but the polenta and the sauce worked well with them. The salad cut through the richness of the the entree. The star was the parfait. I have used pumpkin mixed with ice cream before as a pie filling, but this was a good choice.
I am thinking that next week will be Oktoberfest at the Table. Stop by and see what is served. Have a good week and stay warm.
Coffee Braised Short Ribs with Cheesy Polenta
Tuscan Kale Caesar Slaw
Gingersnap Crumble Pumpkin Parfaits
I have never had much luck with short ribs, but this recipe sounded like it might be a winner. My first suggestion is that you not purchase boneless short ribs.(I did because it was all they had) There is not enough fat on them and cooking on the bone always makes for better flavor. The ribs are sauteed in a skillet until brown, turning them on all sides. Drain them on a paper towel lined plate. Add white wine and strong coffee to the skillet and simmer, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Put chopped onion and minced garlic in the bottom of a slow cooker. Mix in salt, chili powder and oregano. Transfer the ribs to the slow cooker and pour the wine/coffee mixture over. Cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours. Uncover and cook until ribs are falling off the bone.
I used instant polenta and followed the recipe on the container. At the end of the cooking time I added grated Parmesan and stirred in until melted. Serve the ribs and a bit of the onion sauce over the polenta. This is a rich dish so I decided to soften the richness with a simple salad.
The market had some excellent looking kale. I cut it into thin strips to serve. The dressing is lemon juice, anchovy paste, garlic, Dijon mustard and EVOO. Shake it in a covered jar and add Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper to taste. Drizzle over the strips of kale and top with sliced hard boiled egg. I particularly like the dressing and the leftover kale went into a pot of vegetable soup.
This dessert was the first of a lot of pumpkin recipes in my 'in the wings' box in the kitchen. The canned pumpkin (not pie filling) is mixed with brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and a dash of salt. A quart of softened vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt is mixed in and chilled in the refrigerator. Gingersnaps are crushed and stirred in a bowl with melted butter. They harden nicely on the counter. Parfait glasses are filled with the pumpkin mixture, topped with broken up gingersnap crumble and set in the freezer to set. To serve, the gingersnap crumble is spooned over the top and whipped cream goes over the crumble. I garnished with more of the crumble, but a sprinkle of pumpkin spice would be nice as well.
All in all it was an OK dinner. The short ribs were a bit chewy, but the polenta and the sauce worked well with them. The salad cut through the richness of the the entree. The star was the parfait. I have used pumpkin mixed with ice cream before as a pie filling, but this was a good choice.
I am thinking that next week will be Oktoberfest at the Table. Stop by and see what is served. Have a good week and stay warm.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
Welcoming Autumn
My favorite time year has arrived....Autumn or Fall, whichever you prefer. I am inspired to really cook something comforting and hearty. Unlike Summer when cooking anything that isn't served cold is a trial. Over the last weeks many of my friends and family have talked about pots of chili. I love chili and decided that would be on the table this week. I found a new recipe and was anxious to try it. Here is what was on Marilyn's Table this week:
Al Roker's Spectacular Chili
Bruschetta with Olives, Artichokes, Ricotta and Prosciutto
First comes the chili. This particular one is considered 'healthy' for several reasons. Minimal oil, very lean meat, lots of beans and some exceptional tomatoes. There are two kinds of meat, the first is chuck steak. Chuck has a lot of flavor, but needs to be cooked longer. My supermarket had it in packages that were bite sized pieces with all the fat and gristle cut off. Perfect so I didn't have to spend a lot of time trimming and dicing. The second meat was mild Italian sausage, with the casings removed. If you are so inclined, the sausage also comes in a hot spicy variety. The meat is browned in a couple of teaspoons of oil until browned. It is removed from the pan with a slotted spoon and all but a teaspoon of fat is removed. Onions and garlic are added to the pan and cooked until softened. The spices are added to the pan and they are cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder stirring until the onions are coated. Then comes a very large can of tomatoes. If you watch any of the television chefs, they rave about San Marzano tomatoes. I found them in the store and wondered if they really made a difference. Since I really liked this chili, I can't help but think the tomatoes made the difference. The meat goes back in the pan and simmered for about 1 1/2 hours. There are three kinds of beans, which I rinsed and drained before adding to the pot. I used pinto beans, dark red kidney beans and great northern beans. This simmers for another half hour. What I found interesting is that no salt or pepper are added during the cooking. A pinch over a bowl before serving was all I used. The toppings I used were Greek yogurt and some reduced fat shredded cheese. I have not had a chili I have enjoyed more in a long time. It's almost gone and I look forward to it again come those cold winter days ahead.
With chili I like to have some crusty bread for soaking up any juices. I have a new kitchen toy that is a stove top toaster. It lays flat on the burner and smaller slices of bread toast very nicely. I used an Italian baguette and cut it in half inch diagonal pieces. A mixture of chopped Calamata olives, diced tomato, diced marinated artichokes, diced onion, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, bread crumbs and Ricotta cheese is mixed in a bowl. Just a pinch of salt and pepper. The mixture is spooned on the toasted bread slices and ribbons of prosciutto are the garnish. This was a nice side for the chili. However, the topping fell off in the chili.....not necessarily a bad thing, but I only used one to dip into the chili. The rest were consumed alone.
This was a great start to cold weather cooking and I look forward to more in the months to come. This week I will get out my crock pot. A recipe for short ribs has appeared from my file and if I don't have to take out a loan to purchase them, they will be on the table next week.
Have a great rest of the week and stop by next week to see if the short ribs are on the table. Enjoy the cooler weather and the changing of the leaves.
Al Roker's Spectacular Chili
Bruschetta with Olives, Artichokes, Ricotta and Prosciutto
First comes the chili. This particular one is considered 'healthy' for several reasons. Minimal oil, very lean meat, lots of beans and some exceptional tomatoes. There are two kinds of meat, the first is chuck steak. Chuck has a lot of flavor, but needs to be cooked longer. My supermarket had it in packages that were bite sized pieces with all the fat and gristle cut off. Perfect so I didn't have to spend a lot of time trimming and dicing. The second meat was mild Italian sausage, with the casings removed. If you are so inclined, the sausage also comes in a hot spicy variety. The meat is browned in a couple of teaspoons of oil until browned. It is removed from the pan with a slotted spoon and all but a teaspoon of fat is removed. Onions and garlic are added to the pan and cooked until softened. The spices are added to the pan and they are cumin, smoked paprika and chili powder stirring until the onions are coated. Then comes a very large can of tomatoes. If you watch any of the television chefs, they rave about San Marzano tomatoes. I found them in the store and wondered if they really made a difference. Since I really liked this chili, I can't help but think the tomatoes made the difference. The meat goes back in the pan and simmered for about 1 1/2 hours. There are three kinds of beans, which I rinsed and drained before adding to the pot. I used pinto beans, dark red kidney beans and great northern beans. This simmers for another half hour. What I found interesting is that no salt or pepper are added during the cooking. A pinch over a bowl before serving was all I used. The toppings I used were Greek yogurt and some reduced fat shredded cheese. I have not had a chili I have enjoyed more in a long time. It's almost gone and I look forward to it again come those cold winter days ahead.
With chili I like to have some crusty bread for soaking up any juices. I have a new kitchen toy that is a stove top toaster. It lays flat on the burner and smaller slices of bread toast very nicely. I used an Italian baguette and cut it in half inch diagonal pieces. A mixture of chopped Calamata olives, diced tomato, diced marinated artichokes, diced onion, garlic, parsley, basil, oregano, bread crumbs and Ricotta cheese is mixed in a bowl. Just a pinch of salt and pepper. The mixture is spooned on the toasted bread slices and ribbons of prosciutto are the garnish. This was a nice side for the chili. However, the topping fell off in the chili.....not necessarily a bad thing, but I only used one to dip into the chili. The rest were consumed alone.
This was a great start to cold weather cooking and I look forward to more in the months to come. This week I will get out my crock pot. A recipe for short ribs has appeared from my file and if I don't have to take out a loan to purchase them, they will be on the table next week.
Have a great rest of the week and stop by next week to see if the short ribs are on the table. Enjoy the cooler weather and the changing of the leaves.
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