I follow a number of food blogs (no surprise there). One of my Favorites is Octoberfarm. It not only is great to look at, but has great food and gardening ideas. A few weeks back she did a piece on City Chicken. When I was growing up, my Mom made these and they were called Mock Chicken Legs. According to the blog, chicken was quite expensive and this was a substitute. The meat is pork and veal because they were cheap? I can't imagine veal ever being cheap. I also had a difficult time finding some. Apparently it is not very popular. The first two pieces I found had to be returned because they were 'bad'. It took a lot of Fresh Wave to get the smell out of my house. Finally I found two suitable veal chops. I cut the pork tenderloin and veal chops into cubes and placed them on skewers. They are then dusted with flour, dipped in beaten egg and coated with cracker meal. They are browned in a heavy pot; then chicken stock is poured about half way up them and finished off in the oven. It brought back lots of memories for not only myself, but a number of my FB friends.
The 'legs' were served with Creamy Spring Peas with Pancetta. Sugar snap peas, snow peas and small English peas are blanched and set aside. The pancetta is browned and removed to a paper towel. Flour is added to the drippings along with chicken broth and heavy cream. When thickened, the peas are added back to the pan along with lemon juice S&P. The dish is served with the crumbled pancetta. I did not care for the sauce at all. Next time I will blanch the peas and dress with an EVOO-lemon juice vinaigrette and the pancetta or bacon. A lovely dish to use fresh spring peas in several forms.
I found some fresh rhubarb at the market and decided to use it in a dessert. I found a simple recipe for sorbet. The cubed rhubarb is simmered with sugar, water and orange juice until softened. I cooled it a bit and put it in a blender until smooth. It is put in the freezer until firm. It will need to be thawed slightly to scoop it into balls for serving. A sprig of mint is added for color. I expect this recipe would work for a number of fresh fruits and will try it again when peaches are in season.
Except for the sauce on the peas, this was an excellent dinner. I have begun looking into some new and different foods for Cinco de Mayo. Stop by next week to see what I come up with.
Stay safe and dry through the spring storms we all seem to be experiencing.
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
Friday, April 18, 2014
Seafood and Sides
We are almost to the end of the Lenten season. Meals during Lent. for me tend to include a lot more fish. Recently we celebrated the opening of trout season here in the mountains. People from everywhere come to line the banks of the streams and rivers to catch this lovely fish. Trout is a particular favorite of mine, simply prepared with some interesting side dishes. The trout (head off, because it won't fit in my cast iron skillet) is dusted with equal parts flour and corn meal and fried in a hot pan with a bit of melted butter. About 3 minutes on each side and it is cooked through with a nice crispy skin. The same technique is used for a salmon fillet. The only difference is that it is only fried on the skin side. It is finished in the oven after having turned it over. Just a few minutes will do it.
I tried a number of new sides to have with the fish. With the trout a dish of Morel mushrooms and asparagus was very successful. Morels are an interesting mushroom. The fresh variety have a very short 'season' and are very expensive. Even finding them is a challenge. I remember buying a very small box of them on a visit to Door County. Before I got them home they had molded. So when I can find them dried and on sale, I stock up. I bought 12 containers from Illinois to the mountains. This dish was simple to prepare. The dried Morels are brought back to life by soaking them in a mixture of chicken broth and white wine. They are drained, chopped and sauteed in butter with shallots. The soaking liquid is added and reduced. Blanched asparagus is added to the mushrooms along with Greek Yogurt, S&P to taste.. Heat through and serve with the trout and some lemon wedges.
The salmon was served on a bed of fennel-radish slaw (a new favorite) Thinly slice a fennel bulb and toss with thinly sliced red onion, radishes and cucumber. Dress with EVOO, chopped dill an lemon juice. The slaw cuts the richness of the fish nicely.
Another side was baked Parmesan mushrooms. I used a class pie plate lightly oiled. Thick slices of Baby Bella mushrooms are layered in the pan. Top with the zest and juice of one lemon, chopped garlic, dried thyme, S&P. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and toss. Bake for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and the dish is lightly browned.
I was happy with all the sides and the fish. The strange weather has slowed the availability of spring vegetables and fruits at the farmers markets. Hopefully in the next weeks that will change. I will be away for Easter weekend with family. We shall see what food adventures await!
Have a blessed holiday and will see you back in a couple of weeks.
I tried a number of new sides to have with the fish. With the trout a dish of Morel mushrooms and asparagus was very successful. Morels are an interesting mushroom. The fresh variety have a very short 'season' and are very expensive. Even finding them is a challenge. I remember buying a very small box of them on a visit to Door County. Before I got them home they had molded. So when I can find them dried and on sale, I stock up. I bought 12 containers from Illinois to the mountains. This dish was simple to prepare. The dried Morels are brought back to life by soaking them in a mixture of chicken broth and white wine. They are drained, chopped and sauteed in butter with shallots. The soaking liquid is added and reduced. Blanched asparagus is added to the mushrooms along with Greek Yogurt, S&P to taste.. Heat through and serve with the trout and some lemon wedges.
The salmon was served on a bed of fennel-radish slaw (a new favorite) Thinly slice a fennel bulb and toss with thinly sliced red onion, radishes and cucumber. Dress with EVOO, chopped dill an lemon juice. The slaw cuts the richness of the fish nicely.
Another side was baked Parmesan mushrooms. I used a class pie plate lightly oiled. Thick slices of Baby Bella mushrooms are layered in the pan. Top with the zest and juice of one lemon, chopped garlic, dried thyme, S&P. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan and toss. Bake for about 15 minutes until the mushrooms are softened and the dish is lightly browned.
I was happy with all the sides and the fish. The strange weather has slowed the availability of spring vegetables and fruits at the farmers markets. Hopefully in the next weeks that will change. I will be away for Easter weekend with family. We shall see what food adventures await!
Have a blessed holiday and will see you back in a couple of weeks.
Sunday, March 2, 2014
A Trip to the Market
The market had many new things. It was hard to choose what to purchase for my menu. I decided on chicken thighs and a beautiful bunch of kale. The chicken was locally raised and the thighs were very large. The kale was a very bright green and there were samples of a salad, the recipe I brought home and prepared.
The chicken thighs are browned on both sides and placed on a rack on a baking sheet. They are finished in the oven. While they are roasting I made the sauce. Brown onions in the drippings and add garlic for about 30 seconds. Pour in some beer. The recipe called for wheat beer, but I think any kind will do. Stir in a can of diced tomatoes, chopped rosemary, smoked paprika, cumin and salt and pepper. Simmer about 5 minutes. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and simmer until thighs register 165 degrees. Serve some of the sauce and some chopped parsley over the thighs. Rice or pasta would work well with the chicken and sauce.
Kale is a funky green vegetable. The stems are tough and should be cut away from the curly green leaf. If used in a soup or stew or any other dish where it is cooked in liquid, it can be used as is. However, using it in a salad or other raw state, it must be softened. In this recipe the dressing is made and poured over the raw kale. The dressing is EVOO, lemon juice, and sea salt. When it is poured over the kale, with your hands, massage it into the kale. When the leaves are softened and a very dark green. Toss in toasted pine nuts, diced red bell pepper and sliced Kalamata olives.
This was a great dinner. The salad keeps well in a plastic bag and is as tasty the second, third and beyond day.
I saw some other interesting vegetables at the market and will go back and pick them up for next weeks dinner. Have a good week and if you are in the midwest and northeast, stay warm and safe. I see another storm on the way.
The chicken thighs are browned on both sides and placed on a rack on a baking sheet. They are finished in the oven. While they are roasting I made the sauce. Brown onions in the drippings and add garlic for about 30 seconds. Pour in some beer. The recipe called for wheat beer, but I think any kind will do. Stir in a can of diced tomatoes, chopped rosemary, smoked paprika, cumin and salt and pepper. Simmer about 5 minutes. Return the chicken thighs to the pan and simmer until thighs register 165 degrees. Serve some of the sauce and some chopped parsley over the thighs. Rice or pasta would work well with the chicken and sauce.
Kale is a funky green vegetable. The stems are tough and should be cut away from the curly green leaf. If used in a soup or stew or any other dish where it is cooked in liquid, it can be used as is. However, using it in a salad or other raw state, it must be softened. In this recipe the dressing is made and poured over the raw kale. The dressing is EVOO, lemon juice, and sea salt. When it is poured over the kale, with your hands, massage it into the kale. When the leaves are softened and a very dark green. Toss in toasted pine nuts, diced red bell pepper and sliced Kalamata olives.
This was a great dinner. The salad keeps well in a plastic bag and is as tasty the second, third and beyond day.
I saw some other interesting vegetables at the market and will go back and pick them up for next weeks dinner. Have a good week and if you are in the midwest and northeast, stay warm and safe. I see another storm on the way.
Monday, February 24, 2014
Everything Old Is New Again!
Growing up one of the things I learned from my Mom was cooking with 'different' cuts of meat. Lamb Shanks was one of them Over the years I have prepared them in many ways. She always roasted them while I have learned that braising them in a variety of liquids was my favorite. When Mom lived in an assisted living apartment, I would bring a braised lamb shank and mashed potato dinner and we would have it together in her apartment. This week is a celebration of that meal with a new twist.
In a heavy pot thoroughly brown the shanks with salt and pepper and set them aside. In the dripping saute chopped carrot, celery, onion and garlic until softened. Stir in some tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add some hearty red wine and bring to a simmer. Add browned lamb shanks back to pan and add beef stock to cover, bay leaves and several sprigs of fresh thyme.. Place covered in a 400 degree oven and cook for a couple of hours turning the shanks half way through. Check every 45 minutes or so and if liquid is low, add more stock. When shanks are tender remove from heat and serve with the gravy over your favorite potatoes or try the following.
Everyone loves mashed potatoes, and there are many recipes. Using different kinds of potatoes and additions; hot buttered milk, cream cheese, and mashed cooked garlic. Skins on or skin off. Lately I have read about substituting mashed cauliflower. I found an interesting recipe that I tried. Clean the cauliflower and separate the florets.. Clean and smash several garlic cloves and cook with the cauliflower in a small amount of water. I cooked the mix in the microwave so I didn't need a lot of water, just enough to steam and soften them. In a bowl, mash the cooked garlic cauliflower mix and stir in some sour cream and plain Greek yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste.I think this will be a new favorite.
I served the shanks over a mound of the mashed cauliflower and topped it with a gremolata. Gremolata is a mixture of orange and lemon zest, minced parsley, garlic and a spoon of prepared horseradish.
Loved this meal....it brought back a lot of memories.
See you next week. I hope to find some inspiration at the market.
In a heavy pot thoroughly brown the shanks with salt and pepper and set them aside. In the dripping saute chopped carrot, celery, onion and garlic until softened. Stir in some tomato paste, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Add some hearty red wine and bring to a simmer. Add browned lamb shanks back to pan and add beef stock to cover, bay leaves and several sprigs of fresh thyme.. Place covered in a 400 degree oven and cook for a couple of hours turning the shanks half way through. Check every 45 minutes or so and if liquid is low, add more stock. When shanks are tender remove from heat and serve with the gravy over your favorite potatoes or try the following.
Everyone loves mashed potatoes, and there are many recipes. Using different kinds of potatoes and additions; hot buttered milk, cream cheese, and mashed cooked garlic. Skins on or skin off. Lately I have read about substituting mashed cauliflower. I found an interesting recipe that I tried. Clean the cauliflower and separate the florets.. Clean and smash several garlic cloves and cook with the cauliflower in a small amount of water. I cooked the mix in the microwave so I didn't need a lot of water, just enough to steam and soften them. In a bowl, mash the cooked garlic cauliflower mix and stir in some sour cream and plain Greek yogurt. Salt and pepper to taste.I think this will be a new favorite.
I served the shanks over a mound of the mashed cauliflower and topped it with a gremolata. Gremolata is a mixture of orange and lemon zest, minced parsley, garlic and a spoon of prepared horseradish.
Loved this meal....it brought back a lot of memories.
See you next week. I hope to find some inspiration at the market.
Friday, February 7, 2014
FRENCH DINNER AND MORE.....
I have been lax in keeing up with the blog....I apologize. Today I plan to 'catch up'. First is the last class at the French Cooking School. The best of the 4 classes. I have learned so much about food and wine parings with the instructors. Last Tuesday we made a lamb dish with a wine paring. It was amazing and very simple. The Ratatouille was simple but carefully constructed. First in the pot are chopped tomatoes, then green peppers, zucchini, eggplant and onion is similar size pieces. A bay leaf, garlic, Italian seasoning ( no rosemary) and olive oil are added to the pot. Cook on high for about 15 minutes. Gently stir and reduce heat to simmer an cook for another 45 minutes to one hour until cooked. Add salt and pepper. Garnish with grated parmesan and minced flat leaf parsley. I chose lamb chops instead of cutting a rack of lamb. Rub chops with EVOO, S&P and Italian seasoning (no rosemary) Grill 3 - 5 minutes on each side. Serve with a dish of Ratatouille and a glass (or two) Puech-Haute Shiraze. Excellent!
In the last weeks I have prepared several dishes that were excellent and some......not so much. I will send the successes. First for Super Bowl I made a fabulous chicken wing dish. Most wings are served with BBQ /hot sauces. This one does not. These wings are basted with a mixture of vegetable oil, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, honey and Siracha sauce. Baste and turn twice. Serve with a dipping sauce of: chopped shallot sauted in melted butter. Stir in Apple butter, plain Greek Yogust, Dijon mustard Apple cider Vinegar, salt and pepper. This is my new favorite. I will try this again with boneless, skinlees chicken strips.
The previous week I prepared a Panko crusted salmon. The crust is Panko, minced parsley, grated lemon zest. The fillets are brushed with a mixture of EVOO and Dijon mustard. Pat the Panko mixture and saute on bottom side. Finish in oven at 425 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
The last dish is a Warm French Lentil Salad. The recipe had one error in it and the first mixture needed to be dumped.. One sliced leek and one diced carrot are sauted in EVOO.. Add minced garlic, cook 1 minute and set aside. The recipe calls for French Green lentils, not sure why they are different except they are smaller. Simmer the lentils in water and add a whole onion studded with cloves and half a turnip. lower heat and simmer uncovered until lentils are almost tender. Remove onion and turnip. Drain and toss with cooked lentils. Dressing is EVOO, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, S&P. Mix and serve warm. Excellent.
I hope not to get so far behind again, however, I plan ton keep up. Stay tuned to the next weeks. I have some graeat meals planned. Stay tuned.. I do take requests for recipes.
In the last weeks I have prepared several dishes that were excellent and some......not so much. I will send the successes. First for Super Bowl I made a fabulous chicken wing dish. Most wings are served with BBQ /hot sauces. This one does not. These wings are basted with a mixture of vegetable oil, garlic powder, Dijon mustard, whole grain mustard, honey and Siracha sauce. Baste and turn twice. Serve with a dipping sauce of: chopped shallot sauted in melted butter. Stir in Apple butter, plain Greek Yogust, Dijon mustard Apple cider Vinegar, salt and pepper. This is my new favorite. I will try this again with boneless, skinlees chicken strips.
The previous week I prepared a Panko crusted salmon. The crust is Panko, minced parsley, grated lemon zest. The fillets are brushed with a mixture of EVOO and Dijon mustard. Pat the Panko mixture and saute on bottom side. Finish in oven at 425 degrees for 5-7 minutes.
The last dish is a Warm French Lentil Salad. The recipe had one error in it and the first mixture needed to be dumped.. One sliced leek and one diced carrot are sauted in EVOO.. Add minced garlic, cook 1 minute and set aside. The recipe calls for French Green lentils, not sure why they are different except they are smaller. Simmer the lentils in water and add a whole onion studded with cloves and half a turnip. lower heat and simmer uncovered until lentils are almost tender. Remove onion and turnip. Drain and toss with cooked lentils. Dressing is EVOO, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar, S&P. Mix and serve warm. Excellent.
I hope not to get so far behind again, however, I plan ton keep up. Stay tuned to the next weeks. I have some graeat meals planned. Stay tuned.. I do take requests for recipes.
Sunday, January 12, 2014
Lighter Fare in the New Year!
I have made some food goals for the New Year and my menues will reflect this. I will prepare more seafood and poultry, less red meat and Monday's will be meatless. We shall see how this works out!
Since moving to Asheville I have found a supermarket Ithat has a great fish market. Lots of choices and knowledgeable staff. This week the halibut looked especially good so I purchased a 6 ounce portion for the paapillote I have planned. A sauce is made of artichoke heart quarters, garlic, grape tomatoes, fresh mint and sauteed with white wine and a bit of butter. The sauce is poured over the fish and sealed in the parchment paper. It is baked in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. The fish is flakey and moist. It looked good as well. I will use this sauce and method often with fish.
Celery is an underused vegetable. This salad is composed of thinly sliced celery and diced Granny Smith apple.It is tossed with a bit of the dressing to moisten and then chilled until serving time. Spoon the salad in a small dish, top with chopped parsley, toasted pine nuts and shaved Parmesan. Light and refreshing and went well with the halibut.
The dressing is going to be a new favorite. EVOO, fresh lemon juice, lemon zest, minced shallots, celery salt and anchovy paste. Shake and chill. The dressing will likely last the rest of the week
I hope to continue with the lighter meals so I hope you stop by. Have a good week.
Thursday, December 19, 2013
NEW BEGINNINGS
I know it is been a long while, biut I have retired from my career in library manangement and moved from my home in suburban Chicago to the south, Asheville North Carolina to be exact. Beginning in the new year I will restart my food blog and focus on the style of Southern food. I hope you enjoy the new information and please do ask questions as you need.
Have a Happy Holiday and a Very Happy New Year
Marilyn
Sunday, May 19, 2013
I Love Thai Food
I know it's been a while since I posted, but life has been hectic. A week ago, I attended a Thai Dinner Party cooking class. I have always loved Thai food and discovered that it is not as difficult as I had expected to prepare.. A lot of preliminary cutting and chopping but it comes out excellent. For my Table, I changed the menu a bit from what we did and made some adjustments in the recipes. Overall I liked this and the spicy heat did not make my lips numb as they did in class. Here is what was on Marilyn's Table:
MANGO SORBET 'MARTINI' WITH BASIL SUGAR RIM
CHICKEN SATAY WITH SPICY PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
SHRIMP PAD THAI
The martini is very simple and done in a blender. Chopped mango, simple syrup, and lime juice in a blender until smooth. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. Run a lime around the rim of a martini glass and dip in a plate of sugar and finely minced basil. Rum or Vodka is optional and I chose to leave it 'virgin'. A nice and sweet, but not too sweet drink to serve with the satay and peanut sauce.
Chicken strips are woven on to wooden skewers that have been soaked in water. They are marinated in lime juice, canola oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and a bit of red pepper.
While they marinate, make the dipping sauce.. Peanut butter, lite coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and a bit of red pepper flakes are mixed together. The chicken strips are removed from the marinade and grilled until done. The dipping sauce is excellent with the chicken.
Pad Thai was a new experience for me. I had not worked with dried rice noodles before, but found them to be easy to work with. The noodles are soaked in hot water until they soften, drain and cut up or leave whole, your choice. In a wok heat peanut oil and saute garlic intill golden, add beaten egg and stir until egg is cooked. Mung bean sprouts, chopped scallion greens, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and chili-garlic sauce are added.. Heat through. I had oven roasted a pound of shrimp earlier so I did not add the shrimp until the end and just to heat thourgh. Plate and top with more green scallions and chopped peanuts. I will do this again, but perhaps add another egg and more green scallions. The roasted shrimp were perfect and I was happy I had not cooked them in the mixture.
My original plan was to also have a spring roll, but the papaya I bought was very bitter, so perhaps another time. Thai food is a new favorite and soon I will prepare more from this Asian country.
Next week I will travel north to visit family in Middleton. Grand daugher is home from her first year in college and I am anxious to here about her adventures. I will take a Whoopy Pie Cake to celebrate. We also will visit Mineral Point for an outing. I hope to be back in a couple of weeks with another Table.
Enjoy the nice weather, I think winter is finally finished with us.....
MANGO SORBET 'MARTINI' WITH BASIL SUGAR RIM
CHICKEN SATAY WITH SPICY PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE
SHRIMP PAD THAI
The martini is very simple and done in a blender. Chopped mango, simple syrup, and lime juice in a blender until smooth. If it is too thick, add a bit of water. Run a lime around the rim of a martini glass and dip in a plate of sugar and finely minced basil. Rum or Vodka is optional and I chose to leave it 'virgin'. A nice and sweet, but not too sweet drink to serve with the satay and peanut sauce.
Chicken strips are woven on to wooden skewers that have been soaked in water. They are marinated in lime juice, canola oil, soy sauce, fish sauce and a bit of red pepper.
While they marinate, make the dipping sauce.. Peanut butter, lite coconut milk, lime juice, soy sauce, brown sugar and a bit of red pepper flakes are mixed together. The chicken strips are removed from the marinade and grilled until done. The dipping sauce is excellent with the chicken.
Pad Thai was a new experience for me. I had not worked with dried rice noodles before, but found them to be easy to work with. The noodles are soaked in hot water until they soften, drain and cut up or leave whole, your choice. In a wok heat peanut oil and saute garlic intill golden, add beaten egg and stir until egg is cooked. Mung bean sprouts, chopped scallion greens, rice vinegar, fish sauce, sugar and chili-garlic sauce are added.. Heat through. I had oven roasted a pound of shrimp earlier so I did not add the shrimp until the end and just to heat thourgh. Plate and top with more green scallions and chopped peanuts. I will do this again, but perhaps add another egg and more green scallions. The roasted shrimp were perfect and I was happy I had not cooked them in the mixture.
My original plan was to also have a spring roll, but the papaya I bought was very bitter, so perhaps another time. Thai food is a new favorite and soon I will prepare more from this Asian country.
Next week I will travel north to visit family in Middleton. Grand daugher is home from her first year in college and I am anxious to here about her adventures. I will take a Whoopy Pie Cake to celebrate. We also will visit Mineral Point for an outing. I hope to be back in a couple of weeks with another Table.
Enjoy the nice weather, I think winter is finally finished with us.....
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Chinese New Year
I hardly know where to begin. I usually do Mardi Gras, but since the Chinese New Year came at the same time, I thought I'd attempt a Chinese menu. This is the year of the snake, but not a chance I was going to prepare a snake in any meal. I did some research and learned some interesting things. Did you know it's bad luck to break crockery to begin a New Year? All dead houseplants should be replaced with fresh live ones? My favorite is to settle all debts and start the New Year with a clean slate...good luck with that! When it comes to food and cooking the New Years' meal some foods are symbols for the year. When cooking noodles, don't cut them and you will have a long life. Serving Chinese Tea Eggs on New Years' indicates a year of wealth, but my favorite is prepare a whole fish in order to have more than enough of everything in the coming year! Works for me and so this is what is on Marilyn's Table in celebration of Chinese New Year:
Ginger Ale Cocktail
Dan-Dan Noodles
Chinese Tea Eggs
Baby Bok Choy with Shitake Mushrooms
Braised Sea Bass in Chili Bean Sauce
This was a very labor intensive meal; lots of chopping and slicing. The cocktail is made with a ginger simple syrup, club soda, orange and lime juice and rum over ice. Quite refreshing but I wish I had purchased a regular size bottle of rum instead of the single serving one. The ginger simple syrup took the longest to make. Simmer sugar and water together and add lots of sliced fresh ginger and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and refrigerate. The aroma of simmering ginger filled the house.
Next came the Chinese Tea Eggs. Eggs are simmered in boiling water for only 3 minutes. Leaving the water in the pan, spoon out the eggs and run under cold water until they can be held. With the back of a spoon, gently crack the eggs and return to the pot of water along with, soy sauce, star anise, black tea (in bags), stick cinnamon, peppercorns, sugar and strips of orange peel. Simmer for another 40 minutes and set aside to cool for at least 5 hours, turning the eggs occasionally so all the cracks are exposed to the broth. When they are cool, peel and (surprise) the egg white has a lovely brown pattern. The white takes on just a bit of the flavor of the simmering liquid.
The Dan-Dan Noodles are more of a soup than a noodle dish. Toasted sesame seeds are blended with sesame oil a bit of sugar and salt to form a powder. This is sprinkled over the finished dish before serving. Diced dill pickles, garlic, ginger, scallions, salt and sugar are stir fried in a wok. A mixture of vegetable broth and soy sauce is added. In a small skillet brown ground pork with vegetable oil and add soy sauce at the end. Add to the mixture in the wok along with the whole noodles. I used soba, because they are my favorite. Add more broth if needed as noodles cook. Stir in some chopped baby bok choy and simmer until just wilted. Serve in a bowl and drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and the sesame seed powder.
I guess you would call the next dish a salad? Baby bok choy has the tough stems removed and lightly steam the leaves. Set them aside. Slice shitake mushroom caps (not the stems, they are tough and thrown away) and saute in oil with chopped garlic, and ginger. Add a bit of vegetable broth, soy sauce, and chili sauce. Spoon over the bok choy leaves and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with one of the eggs.
The main event is the fish. The sea bass was sprinkled with salt and allowed to sit for about 15 minutes. Wipe the fish dry. In a wok heat oil until very hot. Add whole fish (watch out for splattering). Spoon the hot oil over the fish being sure the whole fish is golden. Remove to a platter and discard the oil in the pan. add a bit more of oil and stir in chili bean paste and stir. Add minced ginger and garlic. Then add some chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the fish to the pan. Turn the pan and spoon the broth over the fish until it is cooked through. Stir in some sliced scallions and turn off the heat. Serve the fish on an oval dish and spoon the broth over the top. Another drizzle of the sesame oil and it's ready to serve.
As I said at the beginning this was a very labor intensive meal, but on the whole I thought it was worth the effort.....once! Some of the dishes I will prepare again, just not anytime soon. The drink was good. The tea eggs were fun to make, but not something I will likely do again. I prefer plain old deviled eggs. The noodle dish was excellent and reheated very well for lunches this week. I will make the bok choy salad again and the fish? It was good, but too tedious. I will oven roast the sea bass next time.
If I am to believe the superstition that goes with the food, I will have a long life since the noodles where whole, I will be wealthy because of the tea eggs and I will have more than enough of everything I need for preparing the fish. We shall see. Just don't bring any snakes into the mix.
Have a great week and next week will be much simpler.
Ginger Ale Cocktail
Dan-Dan Noodles
Chinese Tea Eggs
Baby Bok Choy with Shitake Mushrooms
Braised Sea Bass in Chili Bean Sauce
This was a very labor intensive meal; lots of chopping and slicing. The cocktail is made with a ginger simple syrup, club soda, orange and lime juice and rum over ice. Quite refreshing but I wish I had purchased a regular size bottle of rum instead of the single serving one. The ginger simple syrup took the longest to make. Simmer sugar and water together and add lots of sliced fresh ginger and simmer for about 20 minutes. Strain and refrigerate. The aroma of simmering ginger filled the house.
Next came the Chinese Tea Eggs. Eggs are simmered in boiling water for only 3 minutes. Leaving the water in the pan, spoon out the eggs and run under cold water until they can be held. With the back of a spoon, gently crack the eggs and return to the pot of water along with, soy sauce, star anise, black tea (in bags), stick cinnamon, peppercorns, sugar and strips of orange peel. Simmer for another 40 minutes and set aside to cool for at least 5 hours, turning the eggs occasionally so all the cracks are exposed to the broth. When they are cool, peel and (surprise) the egg white has a lovely brown pattern. The white takes on just a bit of the flavor of the simmering liquid.
The Dan-Dan Noodles are more of a soup than a noodle dish. Toasted sesame seeds are blended with sesame oil a bit of sugar and salt to form a powder. This is sprinkled over the finished dish before serving. Diced dill pickles, garlic, ginger, scallions, salt and sugar are stir fried in a wok. A mixture of vegetable broth and soy sauce is added. In a small skillet brown ground pork with vegetable oil and add soy sauce at the end. Add to the mixture in the wok along with the whole noodles. I used soba, because they are my favorite. Add more broth if needed as noodles cook. Stir in some chopped baby bok choy and simmer until just wilted. Serve in a bowl and drizzle with a bit of sesame oil and the sesame seed powder.
I guess you would call the next dish a salad? Baby bok choy has the tough stems removed and lightly steam the leaves. Set them aside. Slice shitake mushroom caps (not the stems, they are tough and thrown away) and saute in oil with chopped garlic, and ginger. Add a bit of vegetable broth, soy sauce, and chili sauce. Spoon over the bok choy leaves and garnish with sliced scallions. Serve with one of the eggs.
The main event is the fish. The sea bass was sprinkled with salt and allowed to sit for about 15 minutes. Wipe the fish dry. In a wok heat oil until very hot. Add whole fish (watch out for splattering). Spoon the hot oil over the fish being sure the whole fish is golden. Remove to a platter and discard the oil in the pan. add a bit more of oil and stir in chili bean paste and stir. Add minced ginger and garlic. Then add some chicken broth and bring to a boil. Return the fish to the pan. Turn the pan and spoon the broth over the fish until it is cooked through. Stir in some sliced scallions and turn off the heat. Serve the fish on an oval dish and spoon the broth over the top. Another drizzle of the sesame oil and it's ready to serve.
As I said at the beginning this was a very labor intensive meal, but on the whole I thought it was worth the effort.....once! Some of the dishes I will prepare again, just not anytime soon. The drink was good. The tea eggs were fun to make, but not something I will likely do again. I prefer plain old deviled eggs. The noodle dish was excellent and reheated very well for lunches this week. I will make the bok choy salad again and the fish? It was good, but too tedious. I will oven roast the sea bass next time.
If I am to believe the superstition that goes with the food, I will have a long life since the noodles where whole, I will be wealthy because of the tea eggs and I will have more than enough of everything I need for preparing the fish. We shall see. Just don't bring any snakes into the mix.
Have a great week and next week will be much simpler.
Thursday, February 7, 2013
Super Bowl Munchies
I am a big football fan so the Super Bowl was on my calendar for Sunday evening. Because I went to my Aunt's 100th birthday in the afternoon, I needed to have make ahead food for the Table. Here is what I made:
Mexican Potato Nachos
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with and without Ginger-Soy Glaze
Yogurt Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Stella Artois
The nachos were pretty typical, except the chips were replaced by thinly sliced crispy roasted potatoes. Browned chopped sirloin, black beans, and taco seasoning topped the slices. Lettuce, chopped tomato and guacamole garnished them. I really liked this and I didn't have to buy a huge bag of chips.
I divided the wings in half and marinated one half in oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and hot pepper sauce. The other half were marinated in honey, soy sauce, crushed garlic and chopped fresh ginger. I baked them on a jelly roll pan covered in foil and a rack. The wings cook on all sides and the excess marinade drips off. The dipping sauce is made from fat free Greek Yogurt, minced garlic, and blue cheese crumbles. This was an excellent substitute for the rich sour cream blue cheese I have used in the past.
Stella Artois was the beer of choice. The game and the munchies made for a relaxing evening.
Next week would have been a Mardi Gras menu, however, it is also the Chinese New Year. So instead of New Orleans food, I'm thinking celebrating with Chinese food for that New Year. Have a great week and stay warm. Strange weather!
Mexican Potato Nachos
Crispy Baked Chicken Wings with and without Ginger-Soy Glaze
Yogurt Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
Stella Artois
The nachos were pretty typical, except the chips were replaced by thinly sliced crispy roasted potatoes. Browned chopped sirloin, black beans, and taco seasoning topped the slices. Lettuce, chopped tomato and guacamole garnished them. I really liked this and I didn't have to buy a huge bag of chips.
I divided the wings in half and marinated one half in oil, cayenne pepper, black pepper, salt and hot pepper sauce. The other half were marinated in honey, soy sauce, crushed garlic and chopped fresh ginger. I baked them on a jelly roll pan covered in foil and a rack. The wings cook on all sides and the excess marinade drips off. The dipping sauce is made from fat free Greek Yogurt, minced garlic, and blue cheese crumbles. This was an excellent substitute for the rich sour cream blue cheese I have used in the past.
Stella Artois was the beer of choice. The game and the munchies made for a relaxing evening.
Next week would have been a Mardi Gras menu, however, it is also the Chinese New Year. So instead of New Orleans food, I'm thinking celebrating with Chinese food for that New Year. Have a great week and stay warm. Strange weather!
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
SUNDAY BRUNCH
I love a brunch in the winter. This winter has not been much of a one. Just a bit of snow and not a lot of cold. However, I found some recipes for brunch that I really wanted to try. So here is what is on my Table:
Pannetone French Toast with Cranberry and Apricot Maple Syrup
Fried Egg over Roasted Asparagus and Prosciutto with Hollandaise
Raspberry and Mango Sorbet in Sparkling Wine with Gingerbread Biscotti
I received a small pannetone for Christmas. It's something I look forward to. It makes lovely French toast, dipped in egg and milk and gently grilled. I mixed dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots with some maple syrup and melted butter. Spooned over the toast made for a wonderful, not too sweet beginning.
A few weeks ago, Ina Garten prepared the egg dish on her show filmed in the Napa Sonoma Valley. The plate looked lovely and sounded so good. The asparagus is tossed with a bit of EVOO, salt and pepper and roasted for about 10 minutes. During the last 5 minutes I added thinly sliced prosciutto to roast as well. In a small frying pan, butter is melted and an egg cooked very slowly until the white is cooked, but the yellow is still runny.
Hollandaise has always been a mystery to me. I was never happy with the results. This recipe is done in a blender and came out perfectly. Two large egg yolks, at room temperature, are put in a blender along with lemon juice, salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper. It is processed on low for about 15 seconds. Slowly melted butter is added to the egg/lemon mixture for about 30 seconds. The sauce is thick and creamy. I was then able to assemble the dish. Roasted asparagus on the plate, two slices of the prosciutto over them; the cooked egg is set on top of the prosciutto and the dish is drizzled with the warm hollandaise. A great mix of tastes and textures.
The dessert was served a bit later in the day. A scoop of sorbet (your choice) is put in a glass and sparkling wine poured over. I had some gingerbread biscotti that was given to me that went very will with the sorbet wine drink.
This was a lovely meal and I won't wait so long to have another brunch. Next week is the Super Bowl and I will have some traditional appetizers to enjoy with the game. But first, I will be attending a birthday party for my Aunt 'Nita. She is celebrating 'The Big One'. 100 years old! An amazing lady.
Have a great week.
Tuesday, December 18, 2012
Comfort Food for a Rainy Weekend
It was a rainy weekend and I was in need of some comfort food. Chicken has always been a favorite and I came across a new recipe that sounded like just the right thing. Today on Marilyn's Table we have:
Herbed Chicken and Squash
James Beard's Amazing Persimmon Bread
The recipe called only for boneless skinless breasts. Well I enjoy thighs, so I used both and it proved to be a good choice. I had a butternut squash that was supposed to go into a soup, but I never got around to making that. So the squash is peeled, seeded and cut in cubes. A drizzle of EVOO is tossed and they are set aside. Cipollini onions are also a favorite, though a bit tedious to work with. I dropped them in boiling water to loosen the skin and then quickly peeled them and tossed them with a cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar and a bit of EVOO. The chicken pieces are seasoned with chopped fresh rosemary, S&P. Lay them skin side down (the thighs only had skin). Arrange the squash and onions around the meat and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brush with a glaze of apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh ginger and chopped garlic. Turn the vegetables as well and sprinkle with more chopped rosemary and S&P. We are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve the chicken (slice the breast) with the vegetables. A pretty plate and very tasty.
This is persimmon time of year. Their season is pretty short so I bought enough to make this bread and some to freeze the pulp. This bread will without a doubt become a regular in my holiday file. At first glance it sounded like a lot of work and strangely like the dreaded 'fruit cake', but it was not. and the bread has wonderful flavor as well as being colorful. Sifted flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and sugar are mixed in a large bowl with a well in the center. Into the well goes melted butter, eggs, bourbon, persimmon puree, toasted chopped pecans and dried fruit. The recipe called for raisins, but as I have said before, I don't care for them. Instead I used dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots. Thoroughly mix and pour into 2 loaf pans which have been sprayed and floured. I used small loaf pans of which I had 5. Next time I will use 6 because they all ran over in the oven! Fortunately I had placed the pans on a cookie sheet so the run over did not go all over the oven. I scooped up the run over dough and had it with a pot of tea. This was an amazing success (except for the run over part) Nothing at all like a fruit cake, but very much like a bread. Loved it.
Next weekend I expect to be putting together my offerings for Christmas Dinner in Wisconsin. We are doing and Italian theme. I am looking forward to that table and will resume this blog with my New Years' Eve/New Years Day meal. Have a blessed holiday and a Healthy New Year.
Herbed Chicken and Squash
James Beard's Amazing Persimmon Bread
The recipe called only for boneless skinless breasts. Well I enjoy thighs, so I used both and it proved to be a good choice. I had a butternut squash that was supposed to go into a soup, but I never got around to making that. So the squash is peeled, seeded and cut in cubes. A drizzle of EVOO is tossed and they are set aside. Cipollini onions are also a favorite, though a bit tedious to work with. I dropped them in boiling water to loosen the skin and then quickly peeled them and tossed them with a cinnamon pear balsamic vinegar and a bit of EVOO. The chicken pieces are seasoned with chopped fresh rosemary, S&P. Lay them skin side down (the thighs only had skin). Arrange the squash and onions around the meat and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Turn the pieces over and brush with a glaze of apricot preserves, Dijon mustard, chopped fresh ginger and chopped garlic. Turn the vegetables as well and sprinkle with more chopped rosemary and S&P. We are looking for an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Serve the chicken (slice the breast) with the vegetables. A pretty plate and very tasty.
This is persimmon time of year. Their season is pretty short so I bought enough to make this bread and some to freeze the pulp. This bread will without a doubt become a regular in my holiday file. At first glance it sounded like a lot of work and strangely like the dreaded 'fruit cake', but it was not. and the bread has wonderful flavor as well as being colorful. Sifted flour, salt, baking soda, nutmeg and sugar are mixed in a large bowl with a well in the center. Into the well goes melted butter, eggs, bourbon, persimmon puree, toasted chopped pecans and dried fruit. The recipe called for raisins, but as I have said before, I don't care for them. Instead I used dried cranberries and chopped dried apricots. Thoroughly mix and pour into 2 loaf pans which have been sprayed and floured. I used small loaf pans of which I had 5. Next time I will use 6 because they all ran over in the oven! Fortunately I had placed the pans on a cookie sheet so the run over did not go all over the oven. I scooped up the run over dough and had it with a pot of tea. This was an amazing success (except for the run over part) Nothing at all like a fruit cake, but very much like a bread. Loved it.
Next weekend I expect to be putting together my offerings for Christmas Dinner in Wisconsin. We are doing and Italian theme. I am looking forward to that table and will resume this blog with my New Years' Eve/New Years Day meal. Have a blessed holiday and a Healthy New Year.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Sunday Dinner
This past Friday, I had the privilege of meeting Ina Garten. She appeared at the Barnes and Nobel store in Old Orchard for the signing of her newest cookbook "Foolproof". She has always been one of my favorites on the Food Network so meeting her was very special. I had planned to prepare something from her book, but could not find lamb shanks. So I had to improvise. Here is what made it to Marilyn's Table.
Grilled Lamb Chop with Ina's Orzo
Cucumber-Red Onion-Avocado Salad
Pink Drink
The preparation of the orzo changed with substituting the lamb chop for the lamb shank which needs to be cooked a long time. Carrot-celery and yellow onion are sauteed in oil. When they begin to soften chopped garlic, chicken stock, a large can of tomatoes, dry white wine, bay leaves, orzo and seasonings are added. The pot is set to simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is cooked.
I grilled the lamb chop to medium rare and served it with the orzo. This was a nice filling meal which would probably should be enjoyed on a cold winter day. But the temperature was in the upper 60's. In December? Seriously?
The salad was awful (not from Ina's book) and I don't say that often. Thinly sliced English cucumber, red onion and avocado with a dressing of blended cucumber, parsley and seasonings. The onion overpowered it and the dressing was pretty flat. I love English cucumber and avocado and will continue to use them in salads, but no to the red onion.
I have not used simple syrup before so this was a new experience. Most simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water; heated until the sugar is dissolved, cooled and refrigerated. This syrup added cranberries and the zest from an orange. After it is cooked until the berries pop, it is cooled and pressed through a strainer to retain just the juice and stored in the refrigerator. To prepare the drink, a tablespoon of Orange Liquor is spooned into a tall glass with 2 tablespoons of the syrup and topped with either sparkling wine or Ginger Ale. Frozen cranberries are used as a garnish. This was a lovely drink and I will make it again over the holidays.
Except for the salad I enjoyed this meal and will try something else from Ina's book in a couple of weeks. I will be taking a break until then. I have lots of baking to do and I don't see a meal next week, except for perhaps a soup to hold me over. Have a wonderful holiday and a New Year filled with good health and happiness.
Grilled Lamb Chop with Ina's Orzo
Cucumber-Red Onion-Avocado Salad
Pink Drink
The preparation of the orzo changed with substituting the lamb chop for the lamb shank which needs to be cooked a long time. Carrot-celery and yellow onion are sauteed in oil. When they begin to soften chopped garlic, chicken stock, a large can of tomatoes, dry white wine, bay leaves, orzo and seasonings are added. The pot is set to simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the orzo is cooked.
I grilled the lamb chop to medium rare and served it with the orzo. This was a nice filling meal which would probably should be enjoyed on a cold winter day. But the temperature was in the upper 60's. In December? Seriously?
The salad was awful (not from Ina's book) and I don't say that often. Thinly sliced English cucumber, red onion and avocado with a dressing of blended cucumber, parsley and seasonings. The onion overpowered it and the dressing was pretty flat. I love English cucumber and avocado and will continue to use them in salads, but no to the red onion.
I have not used simple syrup before so this was a new experience. Most simple syrup is equal parts sugar and water; heated until the sugar is dissolved, cooled and refrigerated. This syrup added cranberries and the zest from an orange. After it is cooked until the berries pop, it is cooled and pressed through a strainer to retain just the juice and stored in the refrigerator. To prepare the drink, a tablespoon of Orange Liquor is spooned into a tall glass with 2 tablespoons of the syrup and topped with either sparkling wine or Ginger Ale. Frozen cranberries are used as a garnish. This was a lovely drink and I will make it again over the holidays.
Except for the salad I enjoyed this meal and will try something else from Ina's book in a couple of weeks. I will be taking a break until then. I have lots of baking to do and I don't see a meal next week, except for perhaps a soup to hold me over. Have a wonderful holiday and a New Year filled with good health and happiness.
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Souper Sundae
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.
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.
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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