Appetizers

December, 2009

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Gorgonzola Crostini
Cheddar and Horseradish Crostini
Mushroom Puffs
Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
Cold Crab Mold

RECIPES

Gorgonzola Crostini:

1 cup gorgonzola, crumbled

1/3 cup dried cranberries

1/3 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

1 good quality French baguette

Mix cheese, cranberries and pecans together. Slice bread on diagonal into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices on foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Top slices with cheese mixture (about 1 big Tbsp per slice is good) and bake at 400 until warm and melting, approximately 8 minutes. Cheddar Crostini:
1 cup grated extra sharp cheddar cheese1 large (or 2 small) green onion, chopped1 Tbsp prepared horseradish (not cream style or horseradish sauce, you want the refrigerated kind)1/3 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise1 good quality French baguette Mix all ingredients together. Slice bread on diagonal into 1/2" thick slices. Arrange slices on foil or parchment lined baking sheet. Top slices with cheese mixture and bake in 400 degree oven until melted and bubbly. Let cool on baking sheet until cheese is no longer molten and serve warm.

Mushroom puffs:

2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed per package directions

1 package sliced mushrooms, chopped

2 tbsp butter

1/4 cup white vermouth

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper to taste

Sauté mushrooms in butter over medium heat until they have released their liquid and it has evaporated. Add vermouth and cook until evaporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cream and cook just until cream is hot and bubbly. Remove from heat and stir in cheese. Cut sheets of puff pastry into approximately 1" 1/2 squares. Place squares on baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place a small amount of filling in the center of each square. Bake at 400 degrees until pastry is puffed and golden, about 8-10 minutes.

Andy's Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus:

12 asparagus
6 slices prosciutto
“Boursin” herbed cheese (or other soft herbed goat cheese)

Snap ends of asparagus. Peel asparagus. Cut each slice of prosciutto in half width-wise to create two long strips. Spread a small amount of cheese the length of each piece of prosciutto. Lay prosciutto cheese side up. Starting at top of asparagus, just below the tip, wrap the prosciutto down the asparagus.

Cold Crab Mold:

Melt together until smooth:1 can cream of mushroom soup (must be regular, full fat or it tastes funny)1 package cream cheese (again must be full fat or funny taste and texture)Remove from heat.
Dissolve1 package Knox gelatin 3 Tbs cold water
Mix into warm cheese/soup. Let cool to room temperature.
Stir in:
1 Cup finely chopped celery3 green onions1 can (approx 1 lb) lump crab meatPour into mold and refrigerate until set (several hours or overnight.) To unmold, remove from fridge. Run knife around edge. Dip mold into hot water bath for approximately 30 sec - 1 min until just loosened. Put plate on top of mold, invert and (in theory) you have success. If not, dip in water a bit longer and try again with a little shake.

Chicken Pot Pie

November, 2009

MENU

Chicken Pot Pie

Sparkling Rum Apple punch

Apple Galette

RECIPES

Chicken Pot Pie:
(serves 6-8)

1½ lb chicken boneless chicken pieces or 1 purchased rotisserie chicken
1 onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ inch round slices
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup frozen peas
½ stick butter (4 Tbsp)
½ cup flour
2 cups whole milk
1 to 1 ½ cups chicken stock
2 tsp dried thyme or herb de provance (1 tbs fresh thyme chopped)
Salt and pepper
1 recipe biscuit dough (below)

If using boneless chicken: Cut chicken into bite size chunks. Place chicken in pot and cover with water. Simmer chicken until cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on size of pieces but should be approximately 8 minutes. Drain chicken.

If using rotisserie chicken: Cut up breast and thigh meat into bite size pieces. Pull remaining chicken from carcass and chunk or shred until you have 1 ½ lbs.

Sautee onions in butter until soft and translucent. Wisk in flour to form a roux. Cook for several minutes over low heat until raw flour smell is gone. Wisk in milk and bring to a boil. Add stock until sauce reaches correct consistency (thick but not gloppy.) Add carrots and mushrooms and simmer in sauce until just fork tender. Add chicken, herbs salt and pepper to taste. Add peas. Pour into individual serving bowls or into a large casserole dish. Top with biscuit topping.

Place bowls/casserole on a baking sheet. Bake in 400 degree oven for 25 -30 minutes or until biscuits are cooked and golden brown.

Biscuit topping:

2 cups flour
1 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
5 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
2 egg
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp. well-shaken buttermilk


Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Place flour mixture in the bowl of a food processor. Cut butter into pieces and bury in four. Pulse mixture until forms coarse meal. (Can be done with your fingers or a pastry cutter.) Mix in cheese and thyme with a quick pulse or two. Add in 1 beaten egg and buttermilk pulsing until rough dough forms. Lightly flour a counter, a rolling pin, and your hands. Divide dough into 2 balls. Roll out first ball to a 1/4-in. thickness, then use a 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter (or a small glass) cut into rounds, scraping and rerolling dough as needed. Repeat with second ball.
Place 3 rounds of dough on each potpie, overlapping as necessary. For a full pie layer, round evenly across top of dish. Brush dough with 1 beaten egg.

Galette:
A galette is like a free form pie. Galettes can be assembled quickly and make a nice rustic presentation. Check the “notes” section for how to make a galette even faster by using a purchased crust.

2 medium granny smith apples (can use any good baking apple)
1 cup raisins
½ cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp ground ginger
Pinch nutmeg (less than 1/8th tsp.)
Brandy or amaretto
1 egg beaten

Preheat oven to 400. Roll dough out into approximately 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Transfer dough circle to parchment paper by folding over rolling pin. Put raisins in microwavable bowl or measuring cup. Cover with brandy or amaretto. Microwave for 1-2 minutes until liquid boils. Set aside. Peal and core the apples. Cut apples into approximately ½ inch cubes. Drain liquid from raisins which should now be soft and slightly plumped. Toss apples, almonds and raisins with sugar, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Pile apple mixture in center of dough in an even layer leaving approximately a 1 ½ inch border all around. Fold edges of dough up over edge of apples. Brush dough with beaten egg. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until pastry is golden and crisp. Let galette cool on baking sheet set on cooling rack for at least 10 minutes. After that it can be transferred to a serving plate with a large spatula (or two.) Cut into pie shaped wedges with sharp knife.

Serve with cinnamon spiced whipped cream.

1 recipe Julia Child’s Galette dough.

3 Tbs sour cream
1/3 cup ice water
1 cup flour
1 tsp sugar
¼ cup corn meal
½ tsp salt
7 Tbs cold butter, cut into 8 pieces

Stir together sour cream and water. Put flour, corn meal, salt and sugar in bowl of food processor. Pulse to combine. Drop butter pieces into food processor. Pulse 8-10 times until butter is in small pieces the size of peas. With machine running add sour cream mixture. Process until dough forms soft moist curds. Remove from processor. Divide dough in half and press into disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Can be kept in fridge for day or two.)

Sparkling Rum Apple Punch:
(4 cocktails)

1-1/3 cups frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed but undiluted
8 oz dark rum
4 tsp lemon juice (fresh is best)
12 cloves
2 sticks cinnamon, broken in half
1 bottle sparkling cider
¼ cup sugar
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Lemon wedges

Mix first 5 ingredients in a pitcher. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to overnight. (This allows the spices to infuse the syrup.)

Mix sugar and ground cinnamon in a small plate. Rub rim of glass with lemon wedge. Dip rim of glass in cinnamon sugar. Divide syrup between 4 glasses. Top each glass with equal amount of sparkling cider. Garnish with cinnamon sticks from syrup and lemon wedge. (For a less sweet version mix 1/3 syrup to 2/3 cider.)

*This drink is best served in a large wine glass.


NOTES FROM "CLASS"

There are many ways to make the chicken pot pie an “any-night” meal. Shortcuts will get this one on the table in no time at all. This turns out just as good when using a rotisserie or leftover chicken. Actually, it’s a great recipe to use up leftover chicken or turkey. For that matter, it’s also great for using up veggies. Feel free to experiment with different veggies. Just make sure they are all cut the same size and pre-cook in the sauce veggies that will need more time than the short baking to reach a soft but not mushy texture.

After the chicken the most time consuming part of pot pie is the topping. Several shortcut options are available:
· “Grands” biscuits: These make a great quick biscuit topping. Simply stretch them out to twice their size and top the “pie.” Then bake according to package directions.
· Puff pastry: Perfect for a flaky crust topping. Defrost purchased puff pastry according to package directions. Cut pastry to fit over top of pie with ½ an inch overhang on all sides. Place pastry on top of pie and press onto sides of container to secure in place. Cut a small “X” in the center to vent the pie. (You can also make decorative slits in the top.) Bake in 400 degree oven until pastry is puffed and golden brown. Cooking time will very depending on size of pie but, in any event, should not exceed more than 25-30 minutes for a full size pie.
· Pre-made pie crusts: My least favorite option. I just don’t think they lend a good taste to the pot pie. I’m informed, however, that some people actually like pie crust. So, if you actually like a pie crust and don’t believe me that the other two options are better…defrost crust according to package directions. Cut to fit over pot pie. This will be more challenging because pie crusts are specific round sizes and it will require you to select a casserole dish that can accommodate the pie crust. A pie plate will not be deep enough. Place crust on top of pie and press to sides of container to secure in place. You can also make a decorative edge. Cut an X to vent the pie. Brush top of crust with beaten egg or cream. Bake in 400 degree oven until crust is golden brown. Time will vary based on size and thickness of crust.

The Galette can be made using a purchased pastry crust. NOT A PIE CRUST. Lunardi’s sells a “French pastry crust” in the freezer section. This is a butter based crust. Simply follow the above instructions, substituting a thawed pastry circle for the galette dough. This will cut the prep time down to about 10 minutes, which makes this the perfect dessert for a weeknight dinner party or last minute guests.
The Rum Apple Punch is our version of the Indian Summer Apple-tini from Cuisine at Home. Christy made them for pot pie night and we all decided they were way too sweet without more cider, but a bit more cider and you had a fabulous easy cocktail. I made them again for Christmas and let the base syrup mix sit in the fridge for about 3 hours prior to serving and the flavors from the clove and cinnamon were much better and there was no excess water from dissolving ice. These have been a hit all around. They are a great fall/Christmas drink and can be made in large batches. If you want to leave the syrup out in a pitcher for guests to self-serve, strain the cloves and cinnamon first to make it easier to pour. One final warning on the cocktail front: make sure you get most of your cooking done before you start drinking or the food pays the price. (As in not quite seasoned right and forgotten ingredients.) Otherwise now known at cooking class as, less drinky, more cooky!

Mac & Cheese

September 24, 2009

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Homemade Macaroni and Cheese

RECIPE
(Serves 2-3)

1 cup pasta
3 Tbs butter
3 Tbs flour
1 ½ cups milk
1/3 white wine
2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese, lightly packed
¼ tsp paprika
Salt
Pepper

Topping
¼ cup bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped parsley
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Pre heat oven to 400°. Cook pasta in salted water until al dente (a little chewy and not quite cooked yet) and drain. While pasta is cooking melt butter in medium sauce pan over medium heat. When butter foams (is bubbly) add flour and whisk into a paste. (This is called a roux.) Cook roux until raw flour smell is gone and it is just beginning to color. Add milk and whisk continuously until mixture begins to boil and thicken. (This is a béchamel sauce.) Whisk in wine and paprika. Whisk in cheese a handful at a time. Continue to cook mixture, whisking constantly until cheese has all melted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Remove sauce from heat and stir in pasta.

Pour into a greased baking dish (approximately an 8x8 pan for one recipe or a 9x11 for a double.) Pasta will look a little “soupy.” Remember some liquid will be absorbed while it bakes.

Mix topping ingredients together and sprinkle evenly over top. Bake until topping is golden brown and sauce has “bubbled up.” This will take approximately 30-60 minutes, depending upon the depth of your baking dish and the quantity prepared – keep a watch.

NOTES FROM CLASS

This recipe can be doubled, tripled, quadrupled or whatever you need. Just remember that by the time you triple it, you probably need to do it in batches as the sauce and pasta will exceed the size of your pots. Even my father’s commercial size cookware could only handle a quadruple recipe.

This is a great dish to prep ahead and stick in the fridge. You can make the pasta and sauce, combine them and stick them in the fridge to throw in the oven later. Just don’t putting the topping on until just before you bake, or you’ll get a soggy goopy mess.

As you all know, lots of things can be mixed into mac and cheese. Ham, bacon, peas, broccoli, whatever you like. Just remember when mixing in things like bacon and ham, to under salt your sauce and pasta as these additions will add a lot of salt.

I know you are all tempted to shortcut easy recipes like this. But beware, pre-shredded cheeses can be a BIG problem for your mac and cheese. Most are mixed with something along the lines of cornstarch to keep them from sticking together in the package. The additives used to stop the sticking are also usually thickening agents that will affect your sauce. So better safe than lumpy, grainy, goopy…grate your own. It really doesn’t take that long, and some of you even have slave labor (husbands and kids) to do that for you.

Party Tips and the Baby Shower

August 20, 2009

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

For a second week in a row, no class. This week I was a little tied up putting together a baby shower (for 50.) I didn’t get around to taking pictures of the food. Hopefully some of the family did and I’ll post them if I get them. In the mean time, I’m posting some of the recipes I used. These are all finger food/appetizers. Don’t worry, while it was a baby shower, this isn’t fussy girly food. The theme of this shower was not to torture the men who were in attendance. Therefore, no fussy food was served and only minimal games were played all of which required only a few seconds of participation and were rewarded with prizes of good wine.

Now some useful party planning tips in no particular order….

1. When it’s hot outside, remember to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverage options as even your alcohol consuming friends will be hitting up the non-alcoholic beverages to stay hydrated and prolong their ability to stay standing. I served iced tea with a tropical flavor and lemonade (not homemade.) Which brings us to the next tip….

2. Mixing homemade with store bought is ok and…..


3. Dress up store bought and your guests probably won’t know the difference. I used frozen lemonade and served it in pitchers with sliced strawberries. I also used Trader Joes Spicy Hummus alongside several home made dips. When lined up in pretty bowls no one knew the hummus was store bought. (Or at least they didn’t until now.)

4. Speaking of dips…On a hot day you must be very careful of mayonnaise, sour cream and cheese based dips that are left out of doors. My solution, place several small bowls of dip in a large bowl filled with ice. Nestle the bowls of dip into the ice to insure they stay cold all around. Be warned, when you do this, you must keep an eye on your bowl of ice and drain it as the ice melts. Otherwise as your guests go to scoop up dip the bowls will shift in the now semi-liquid mixture and water will flood your dips.

***If water floods your dips you can still save them most of the time. Remove the individual bowls of dip, and drain the water off the top. This will work on most dips as they are thicker than water. If the dip is of a more liquid nature this may not be possible.

5. To make more space on a buffet table try raising larger platters and bowls. The easiest (and super cheep) way to do this is to stack four bricks (two on bottom and two on top) on their flat sides and cover them with cloth napkins or a small table cloth. Then place large platters and trays on the platform. It is best to place the brick “elevators” at the back edge of tables against a wall or where you intend for only one side to be used for service, this way it creates additional usable room at the front of your table. For tables where guests will be able to walk around place the stacks in the center.

It is best that items raised up not be dips or other items that you expect guests to dip or scoop into. Think about placing items such as crudités (veggie sticks), breads and other things to be “dipped” up high. Drippy items are also not a great choice for elevation as they will drip across everything in front of them. There is also the possibility for the requisite drunk or clumsy guest to scoop to hard and tip the elevated dish over increasing the inevitable mess. (This can be avoided by not serving alcohol, but really, what’s the point then?)

6. If you have the storage space….Make duplicate trays for items you intend to refill. This will allow you to simply swap out the tray quickly instead of spending half the party in the kitchen refilling trays. Because, remember, there’s no point in entertaining if you’re not having fun too.

Julia and Apple Pies

August 13, 2009

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

This week there is only “Notes” since we girls went to diner and a movie. Yes, predictably, we went to Julie and Julia. We had good food, good laughs and great company. Loved the movie. But I must say, the book “My Life in France” was even better. You should all read it. I will also repeat that you should all have a copy of Mastering the Art of French Cooking (Volumes 1 & 2).

This week I am facing my own cooking challenge…PIES. I must confess I’m not a PIE person. I really could care less for pies. I love to cook. I like to bake. I do fine with cookies, cakes, custards and other deserts. I love decorating baked goods. But pies, I just couldn’t give a fig about. Lucky me got assigned apple pies for a family party on Saturday. So I’m taking a leap of faith and a huge chunk of advice from my sister the desert angel (who bakes a good pie) and we’ll see what comes out. There in the oven as I type. Hmm. Still wondering about my pie crust dough, it was a little sticky coming out of the food processor and super soft rolling out. But some times, you just have to go for it. And the answer is……Pies were good. The pie police said they could have used another 10 minutes in the oven to get the bottom crust crisper, but no one really noticed. Yippy! Pies a success. Now onto the baby shower…….

Bulgur...beyond Tabouli

August 6, 2009

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Warm Bulgur Salad with Sautéed Chicken

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

Okay … this week’s blog is a little out of order because it requires a little explanation first for those of you who weren’t at class. This week we did bulgur wheat beyond Tabouli. First, it turns out not everyone knows what Tabouli is, much to my surprise. Tabouli is a middle-eastern cold salad made with bulgur wheat, parsley, mint, tomatoes and sometimes cucumbers. It is served cold and is really a great side dish. In Tabouli the bulgur is steamed so that it is light and fluffy like rice.

But there is so much more you can do with bulgur. Bulgur makes a great pilaf for a warm side dish. It’s quick and easy to cook, and, not to mention, a great source of healthy whole grains. And this is where we started at class. So the basis of the warm bulgur salad is the bulgur pilaf. This is not a light fluffy salad like a Tabouli. Cooking the bulgur into the pilaf brings out its glutens and makes it a stickier consistency (think Asian sticky rice). Don’t let that description turn you off -- ask the girls, it’s really good.

Bulgur wheat can be found in most grocery stores near the rice/grain section. It’s usually labeled “bulgur wheat” …go figure. If I can, I prefer to get a variety that comes in a box, because it just makes it easier to store. This week, however, I ended up with Bob’s Red Mill Quick Cooking Bulgur. I must say, bag aside, it was a good one.

To seed a tomato, cut it in half around the middle, not through the stem end. Hold the tomato in your hand over the sink, squeeze gently and give a good shake. The seeds and excess juice will magically end up in the sink. Remember this only works if you cut it around the middle so you expose all the seed cavities.

RECIPES

Bulgur Pilaf:

1 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups chicken broth (may need additional liquid depending on particular variety of bulgur)
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 stalk celery, diced
½ onion, diced
2 Tbs Olive oil or butter (up to you), or once around the pan with the olive oil.
Salt and pepper to taste

As a refresher -- hot pan, cold fat -- heat fat before adding first ingredient. Those are the rules, obey them.

Sautee onion, celery and carrot in hot fat of your choice until tender and onions are translucent. Remember it’s okay to add more fat as needed, but your sautéeing, not frying, so your veggies shouldn’t be swimming. Add bulgur and stock. Bring to a simmer, cover pan and cook for approximately 20 minutes or until bulgur is tender. Check bulgur starting after about the 10-minute mark. Add additional liquid if bulgur is not cooked but all liquid has evaporated. Bulgur should be moist but all liquid should be absorbed. Adjust salt and add pepper to taste.

Bulgur Salad:

1 recipe bulgur pilaf above
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
½ red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
½ hot house cucumber, chopped
1 medium zucchini or yellow squash, seeded and chopped
¼ cup parsley, chopped
10 basil leaves, chiffonaded
Juice of one lemon


Cool bulgur pilaf in a serving bowl until warm, but not steaming. Add remaining ingredients and toss.

** This salad is also good cold. If you cool the pilaf completely before adding the remaining ingredients it will hold in the refrigerator for a couple days.

** You can also make this salad in a Tabouli style (light and fluffy) by following the cooking directions on the box for Tabouli (they all have them, but it’s usually pouring boiling water over the bulgur and letting it sit for 20 minutes to an hour.)

Corn Salad

July 23, 2009

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Pan Sautéed Halibut

Corn Salad

RECIPES

Corn Salad:
(serves 4, as side dish)

5 ears corn
½ medium red onion, diced
1-½ to 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (you pick the colors, the more the merrier)
15 medium-to-large basil leaves
3 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp red wine vinegar
Juice of ½ lemon
Salt
Pepper

Boil corn until just cooked (approximately 10-12 minutes). Remove corn from pot and allow ears to cool. (You can short cut this by placing the ears in an ice water bath for a few minutes.) Slice corn from ears and break apart any large sections of kernels. Mix corn, onion and tomatoes in a bowl. Toss with oil and vinegar. Salt and pepper to taste. Just before serving chiffonade basil (see notes below) and toss with salad. Adjust oil, vinegar, salt and pepper according to taste.

*** Corn salad can be made a day ahead without the basil and kept in the refrigerator.

*** Additions to the corn salad are encouraged. The above is the basic recipe. Have fun with whatever is fresh and sounds good. For class, we used arugula. Other good additions are red peppers and cored and diced zucchini.

Pan Sautéed Halibut:

1/3 pound Halibut filet per person
Olive oil
2-3 garlic cloves

Cut fish into single serving filets. Pat dry, salt and pepper flesh side. Heat a skillet to medium high. Peel garlic cloves and smack once with the side of a knife. Add olive oil to skillet. There should be enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and swirl around during cooking (but your fish is not being fried and shouldn’t be able to do laps in the oil.) Allow oil to heat briefly and add garlic. Sauté peeled garlic cloves in oil for a minute, and remove garlic. Oil should be hot, but not smoking. Place filets in pan, skin side down. Cook until fish has turned opaque (white) approximately halfway up. Turn fish and cook until opaque throughout. Cooking time will vary depending on thickness of fish, but typically is about 5-7 minutes total.


NOTES FROM “CLASS”

When cooking our finned friends, remember it is easier to cut raw fish into portions than to try and divide cooked fish -- especially for beginners. Perfectly cooked fish will flake apart when gently prodded with a fork. Therefore, cooked fish will crumble into a mess when you go at it with a knife if you aren’t an expert.

Remember cooking times on fish always very. Each piece is unique even when cut from the same larger piece. Remember you will likely have thinner pieces and thicker pieces. The easiest way to compensate is to start the thinner pieces later as they will cook faster. But if one piece is done early, take it off the heat and cover it. It will hold while the rest finishes cooking.

The easiest way to slice corn from the cob is to hold the cob vertically by the small end and slice down using a sharp knife. If the steam end of the cob is uneven cut the end off to make a flat surface. Seriously, you’re just pitching the cob anyway. If you get impatient (or are running behind schedule) and your corn hasn’t cooled enough, stick a corn holder in the top to save your fingers.

What is “Chiffonade?” Chiffonade is when you cut leaves (typically herbs) into thin strips. This is done by stacking your leaves. Try to make the bottom leaf the largest of the group. Then roll the leaves into a bundle. Slice the bundle into thin strips. Voila a chiffonade. For photo step-by-step, see http://www.finecooking.com/articles/cutting-chiffonade-basil.aspx. I could take pictures myself, but someone has already done it.

Pesto the wonder sauce

July 9, 2009

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Whole Wheat Fettuccini with Pesto

Grilled chicken

Green Salad

RECIPES

Pesto:

4 cups tightly packed basil leaves
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
4 large garlic cloves
¼ cup butter, softened
¼ cup olive oil

Peel garlic and place in bowl of food processor. Add cheese and pulse until garlic is indiscernible. Add two cups of basil to processor and pulse until there is room to add remaining leaves. Add remaining basil and pulse until finely minced (nearly a paste.) Add butter and olive oil. Blend until smooth paste. Pesto should be a smooth paste that is the consistency of very soft butter but not runny.

***Depending on cheese and the basil you may need to add additional olive oil to achieve the proper consistency.

Fettuccini with Pesto:

Boil pasta until al dente. Drain pasta reserving approximately a cup of pasta water. Toss pasta with pesto and a cup of pine nuts if desired. Use reserved pasta water to thin sauce as necessary. Serve with additional cheese.

***One pound pasta uses one recipe of sauce.

Feel free to be creative with your additions. We added fresh sun gold tomatoes to the fettuccini for a summery flavor.

NOTES FROM "CLASS"

Pesto is great to have on hand. It can be stored in an air tight container in the refrigerator for up to a month. Press plastic wrap into surface of pesto and cover tightly. You can also pour a layer of olive oil over the top of the pesto to stop oxidation, however, I prefer plastic wrap because it doesn’t thin the sauce.

Pesto goes great on just about everything. For a quick homemade appetizer, spread homemade pesto on a wedge of brie. It also makes a nice spread for sandwiches. Thinned down with olive oil to a liquid consistency, it makes a lovely sauce for poached or grilled salmon.

Use your imagination. If you think it sounds good, try it. If it’s crap -- pitch it, but you might just discover something good. It’s pesto, after all.

Hoisin Pork Loin

July 2, 2009

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Hoisin glazed pork loin

Asian Slaw

RECIPES

Hoisin glazed pork loin:

1 pork loin
¼ cup hoisin sauce
2 Tbs soy sauce


Heat oven to 450. Mix hoisin and soy sauce in bowl. Place pork loin on rack in roasting pan. Pour water into bottom of roasting pan until just below rack. Brush hosin mixture onto pork. Roast uncovered in middle rack of oven for approximately 20 minutes or until pork reaches 145. Remove pork from oven and cover with foil. Let pork sit for a minimum of 5 minutes.

***Letting the pork rest in this recipe is crucial. Failure to let the pork rest long enough will result in undercooked pork.


Asian broccoli slaw:

1 bag broccoli slaw
½ bag shredded carrots
2 cups Snow peas, ends removed and cut into 3rds
Asian sesame dressing

Toss all ingredients together and serve.

NOTES FROM "CLASS"

Not everything has to be from scratch to be good. Pre-shredded and bagged fresh veggies can be a great time saver without sacrificing flavor. Finding your favorite pre-made dressings can also be a good short cut for those nights were there's just not time to do everything from scratch. Remember, we did the above for cooking class, I still had time to pack and headed out of town the next morning at 8 a.m. with a clean kitchen.

Grilled dinner

June 25, 2009

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Grilled Pork Chops with

Grilled onions and peaches

RECIPES

Grilled Pork Chops:

1 bone-in pork chop per person (1 inch thick)
Salt
Herb d’ Provence
Olive oil

Pat pork chop dry. Sprinkle with salt and herb d’ provence on both sides. Spray (or coat) with olive oil. Heat grill to medium high. Place pork chops on grill. Grill approximately 3-4 minutes per side (depending on thickness) Remove from heat and loosely cover with foil. Allow pork chops to stand approximately 5 minutes before serving.


Grilled red onions:

2 large red onions
Olive oil
Salt and pepper

Slice onions into rounds approximately ¼ inch thick. Coat with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill over medium heat until onions are soft and starting to caramelize. If you are not using a veggie grill tray, squewer the onions prior to grilling.

Grilled peaches:

1 peach per person

Cut peaches in half and remove pit. Place peach skin side down over medium heat. Grill peaches until the skin starts to pull away from flesh and peach is exuding juice. Turn peach and grill on cut side until soft and hot.

NOTES FROM "CLASS"

You can substitute chicken for the pork chop for those non-piggy lovers out there. But, really, you should learn to love the piggy. Or, maybe not, more piggy for the rest of us.

Remember, every grill is different. Learn your grill. The more you use it, the quicker you will learn where the hot spots are.

Risotto

June 11, 2009

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Spring Risotto with Shrimp
RECIPES
Spring Risotto with Shrimp:
(serves 6 for main course)

1 qt. Chicken broth (not from bullion cube)
Up to 1 qt. hot water
1 medium onion, diced
2 cups aborio rice
1 cup dry white wine (i.e. chardonnay)
6 oz baby spinach leaves, washed (approximately 1 bag)
1 ½ cups frozen peas
1 lb shrimp, pealed and deveined (no tails)
½ -3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbs Olive oil
1 Tbs butter
4-5 grinds fresh pepper
Zest of one medium lemon

Heat broth until just simmering. Heat olive oil and butter in large pot (at least 8 qts). Sauté onions over medium heat until translucent. Add rice and sauté briefly until edges turn translucent (approximately 3-4 minutes.) Add wine and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. Add hot broth, approximately ½ cup at a time, and cook until absorbed, stirring constantly. The rice should be at a simmer if you stop stirring. Adjust heat accordingly to achieve simmer. After broth is gone, add hot water in the same manner until rice is tender, but not mushy. Once the broth is all incorporated, taste the rice for doneness and salt. (You may need to add salt depending on how salty your broth was. Also remember the cheese will add a “salty” flavor.) Add pepper. Continue tasting the rice with each addition after switching to water. This process should take approximately 30 – 40 minutes. When the rice is firm, but not crunchy (approximately 25-30 minutes in) stir in shrimp and the peas. The cold ingredients will drop the temperature of the rice so be sure to adjust your heat accordingly. When Rice is done and shrimp are opaque, stir in the spinach in handfuls. Remove from heat and stir in cheese and lemon zest.

Serve with additional cheese if desired.

NOTE FROM “CLASS”

To speed up cooking of onions you can put a lid on the pot to “sweat” them.

I heat the broth in a microwaveable 1 qt. measuring cup. This way it is easy to poor and can be given a quick “nuke” to reheat when necessary. I also turn on a full tea kettle to boil, that way you have a more than adequate and convenient to poor supply of hot water.

Either grated or shredded parmesan is acceptable. Whatever is on hand.

In a pinch, you can use bullion cubes. I would start with 2 cubes in 2 cups of water as bullion has a much stronger flavor than broth. You could also make this vegetarian friendly by switching to vegetable stock. Depending on the strength of your vegetable stock, you may want to use all stock and eliminate the water. Add 1 quart to start then taste, just like with chicken stock.

Once upon a time, well actually more times than I can count, several little old Italian ladies have told me that you must always stir risotto and polenta only clockwise lest you upset the pot. I don’t believe this is true and frequently stir in both directions. The most important part is that you get the “corners” of the pot. But, I’ll leave it up to you to be the judge.

Mahi mahi with mango salsa

June 4, 2009

MENU
Grilled Mahi Mahi with Fresh Fruit Salsa
Ginger Rice with Snow Peas
RECIPES

Grilled Mahi Mahi with Fresh Fruit Salsa:

(serves 4)

1 1/3 lb Mahi Mahi
¼ fresh pineapple
1 whole mango
1 avocado
¼ cup red onion, diced
¼ to ½ fresh jalapeño, seeded, ribs removed and diced
Zest of one lime
Juice of 1 lime

Dice pineapple, mango and avocado into ¼ inch pieces. Add red onion, jalapeno, lime zest and juice. Mix together and set aside.

Lightly coat mahi mahi in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill on medium heat until just cooked through (slightly firm and opaque.) Divide fish into 4 portions and serve topped with salsa.

***Remember to test your jalapeno for heat each time as they can very greatly. Cut a very small sliver and taste before dicing the jalapeno. Adjust the amount of according to the heat of each pepper.

Ginger Rice with Snow Peas:

1 cup jasmine or basmati rice, rinsed until water runs clear
1 ½ cups water
1 Tbs butter
1 tsp salt
1 finger of fresh ginger (approximately 3-4 inches long)
1 ½ to 2 cups snow peas, cleaned and cut in half (or thirds for large peas)

Put water in medium sauce pot with lid. Peal ginger. Grate ginger directly into the water. This is easiest with a micro plane zester. Add rice, butter and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce to simmer and cover. Cook until rice is tender, approximately 15 minutes. Add peas. Remove from heat and let stand covered for 10-15 minutes. Fluff with fork. The peas will cook from the heat of the rice.

*** If the rice is going to stand longer than 10-15 minutes, blanch the peas in hot water and immediately remove to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drained peas will stand as long as needed. Heat them before adding back to rice.

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

Most important, remember to be extremely careful when working with jalapeños. Do not touch any part of your body, in particular your face and eyes before thoroughly scrubbing your hands with soap and hot water. Remember the jalapeno peepee story!!!!!

To cut a fresh pineapple, cut off the top and bottom. Stand the pineapple on end. Cut vertical strips down the pineapple to remove the skin and eyes. Quarter the pineapple. This is easiest when the pineapple is still standing on end. Carefully holding each quarter on end, slice out the hard center core.

To cut a fresh mango hold it on a “narrow” side. Slice down just left or right of center. Remember a mango has a flat oval shaped pit. Repeat on other side. To dice, hold each half, skin side down, in your hand. Using a small pearing knife slice strips into the mango without puncturing the skin. Then repeat in the opposite direction making cubes. Push the center skin side of the mango up, forcing it “inside out” slice off the cubes.

Diced tomato or papaya also make a nice additions to this salsa

Remember to do all your slicing and dicing before you have too many mojitos. This saves fingers.

Joe's Special

May 21, 2009

MENU

Joe's Special

RECIPES

Joe’s Special:
(serves 4)

1 onion, diced
½ pound sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 10 oz. package frozen spinach, defrosted and squeezed dry
1 – 1 ½ lb ground meat (traditionally beef, but turkey is also good)
4 eggs
½ cup parmesan cheese
Salt
Pepper
¼ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp nutmeg
Olive oil

Sauté onions and garlic over medium heat in olive oil until onions are soft. Add ground meat and brown. Drain off excess fat. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender and have released their water. Add spinach and herbs. Salt and pepper to taste. Scramble eggs in a bowl. Reduce heat to low. Pour eggs over ingredients in pan and stir in. Stir in parmesan cheese. Continue to cook until cheese has melted.

*** Good served over toasted sourdough. Even better when the toast is rubbed with a garlic clove.

Shrimp Tacos and Cabbage Salad

April 29, 2009

MENU

Shrimp Tacos with Tomatillo Salsa

Cabbage Salad

RECIPES

Fritatta

April 23, 2009

MENU

Frittata and Salad

RECIPES

Frittata:

(serves 2)

First a note about frittatas….

Frittatas are a lot like omelets, just different proportions of the same ingredients. Traditionally these are cooked all on the stove and require “flipping.” This version, however, uses the broiler to eliminate the sometimes tricky and usually intimidating “flip.”

Frittatas can be made with almost anything you like. I often use them to “clean out the fridge” of leftovers. If it could go in an omelet or scrambled eggs, it will be great in a Frittata.

Frittatas are best cooked in a saute/fry pan. You need a pan with a metal handle that can go in the oven. Be sure that there is no plastic or rubber on the pan or it will melt in the oven.

Preheat the oven to the high broiler setting. Make sure the rack is positioned in the middle of the oven.

1 small zucchini
1 chicken sausage
¼ cup onion diced
¼ cup Feta crumbled into large pieces
2 eggs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil


Half zucchini length wise. Scrape out seeds. Slice zucchini halves into ½” half rounds. Sautee onions over medium heat in pan with approximately 1 Tbs olive oil. (If you are using uncooked chicken sausage, sauté in pan prior to adding onions, remove, cool, slice and add back in.) When onions are translucent add zucchini and sauté until tender. Dice chicken sausage into ½” chunks. Add to zucchini and sauté until warmed through. Add oil if any ingredients begin to stick to the pan while sautéing. It is important that there is sufficient oil to prevent them from sticking, otherwise the eggs will stick and you will not be able to unmold your frittata.

Scramble the eggs in a bowl with salt and pepper. Spread ingredients over bottom of pan. Pour eggs over ingredients. Tip pan if necessary to distribute eggs. Sprinkle cheese over the top. Cook eggs over medium heat until edges are set. Transfer pan to oven and cook under broiler until top is golden brown and eggs are fully set. If the top is browning too quickly, lower broiler to low setting. Remove pan from oven. Let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.

To serve, loosen edges with a spatula. You can cut it into wedges in the pan or slide it out onto a plate and serve whole.

*** When sautéing ingredients for your frittatas you can cook more than one item at a time. Make sure, however, that they cook at the same rate. Depending on the items you are using, you may need to remove each item after sautéing and return them all to the pan just before adding the eggs. (i.e. onions and peppers cook well together, but zucchini would be mushy if cooked with them.)

***Fresh herbs are great in frittatas. Just add them to the scrambled eggs before pouring over the other ingredients.


NOTES FROM "CLASS"

If you are putting a non-stick skillet in an oven, make sure it is oven safe. Also, do not use metal utensils on a non-stick skillet. It will scratch the skillet and then it looses its non-stick properties. There are also claims that it releases Teflon into your food which is apparently poisonous. (Although, if you believe my favorite mad scientist, it’s going to take a life time to get Teflon poisoning, unless you’re actively eating your pans…)

A note on lettuce…like most things, it’s not good when it’s limp. No limp lettuce. If your romaine is droopy, it’s past it. Lettuce leaves should be firm and crisp. Baby greens aren’t firm and crisp, but they shouldn’t look dehydrated. If you are using bagged lettuce, be sure to patrol the bowl for those renegade rotten pieces that are slimy. Salad should not be slimy.

Veggie Stacks and Pear Salad

April 16, 2009

MENU

Vegetable Stacks "Parmesan"

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad

RECIPES

Vegetable Stacks “Parmesan”:

2 medium eggplant
2 bell peppers (not green)
2-3 medium zucchini
1 28-oz can of crushed tomatoes
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ bottle white wine (approximately one glass)
Mozzarella cheese (not fresh)
Parmesan cheese
olive oil

Remove ends of eggplant. (To remove stem end, push back a “leaf” as far as possible, place knife against leaf/stem slice off.) Slice eggplant length-wise into one inch slices. Make first and last slices thin slices to remove skin and create flat slices. Cut bell peppers in half, length-wise. Remove stem, ribs and seeds. Cut zucchini longwise into one inch wide slices in the same manner as the eggplant.

Line a baking sheet (or two if necessary) with aluminum foil. Coat vegetables in olive oil on both sides. My preference is to spray them. Remember to make sure the eggplant is well coated as it absorbs a lot of oil and has a tendency to stick. Arrange the veggies on the baking sheets. (If you are using more than one sheet, try to keep the veggies with their kind as some may bake faster than others depending on thickness.) Do not overcrowd the pan or your veggies will boil, not roast. Roast the veggies in a 450 degree oven for 10-20 minutes, or until tender but not mushy. (Cooking time will depend on thickness of cut and amount of veggies per pan.)

Sautee crushed garlic and pepper flakes in 2-3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat for approximately 2 minutes or until fragrant, but not browning. Add tomatoes and wine. Simmer while veggies roast.

In a foil-lined 13 x 9” baking pan (deep sides are preferable) spread a small amount of sauce -- just enough to coat the bottom so the stacks don’t stick. Place one piece of eggplant for each person. Top each eggplant slice with a slice of zucchini. (Feel free to use 2 slices if they are small.) Then place half a bell pepper on each stack. Cover the stacks with the sauce. Place a layer of sliced mozzarella over each stack and sprinkle pan with parmesan cheese. Switch oven to broil and place pan in middle of oven. Broil until cheese is melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

*** These stacks can be made into smaller (girly) size portions by slicing the eggplant into rounds.

*** The veggies may be grilled instead of baked for a summer version that doesn’t increase the air-conditioning bill ten fold.
*** This recipe also works perfectly well with just eggplant. You can also use Portobello mushrooms. Play around and change up your veggies.

Pear and Gorgonzola Salad:
(serves 4)

Mixed baby greens – approximately 1 handful per person
2 pears (ripe -- but not mushy. I like red pears, but any will do.)
3-5 oz. gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
Pecans (candied is optional)

1 Tbs Dijon mustard
Juice of ½ a lemon
1 -2 Tbs white wine or champagne vinegar
1/3 cup hazelnut oil (walnut oil is also very good)
Salt and pepper to taste

Mix mustard, lemon juice, vinegar, oil, salt and pepper together. Set aside and let stand for 15-30 minutes.

Mix greens, cheese and pecans in bowl. Toss with dressing. Slice pears into quarters and remove the seeds. Slice each quarter lengthwise into three to four slices depending on the size of the pear. Lay slices on top of salad. Serve immediately.

*** One bag of mixed baby greens serves approximately 4 people a large portion. If you are using a bagged lettuce (and I do) be sure to inspect it for pieces that are wilted or slimy.

*** If you want to slice your pear ahead, toss it in the dressing to prevent it from browning. Pear will brown quickly once cut. You can also toss the pear in the salad, it just makes a prettier presentation when laid on top.

**** This salad is also good with romaine lettuce.

Pontificating on Cooking

April 9, 2009

Sorry this is a little late. I got distracted by my Easter cooking and forgot to publish the post. On the up side, I have a great new simple green bean recipe that we will be doing for class shortly and the Cheddar Dill Biscuits from the April '09 Gourmet Magazine were a huge hit. (I substituted chives for the dill. As much as I love dill, it just didn't go with the menu.) I also did a well received mushroom puff pastry appetizer that I will post the recipe for shortly. As much as I loved what I made, my sister, the baker, stole the show with unbelievable lemon meringue, banana cream and dutch apple pies.

Hope everyone had happy cooking over the holidays.

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

Since there was no class this week, some pontificating instead.

Cook Books: In my humble home cook opinion, the best book for beginners, which should be a staple in any kitchen regardless of experience, is the Joy of Cooking. This is a book I guarantee your grandmother had. In fact both of mine had copies from the mid ‘40’s. (I had one of these precious antiques once. Unfortunately, my father adversely possessed it. That’s ok, eventually it will be mine again, although given the family genes for longevity, I have quite a wait.) The beauty of this book is it has classic home cook standard recipes along with explanations of cooking terms, weights and measure conversions and easy to follow step by step directions. This book is great regardless of your skill level.

If you want to master the right way to cook and classic cooking techniques there is nothing like Julia Child’s two volume Mastering the Art of French Cooking and Jacque Pepin’s Complete Techniques, (unless you are lucky enough to find copies of La Methode and La Technique, but I believe these “bibles” are now out of print.)

A personal favorite for outstanding recipes for basic but elegant meals is Julia and Jacque Cooking at Home. This book is based on their PBS series of the same name. Most of the recipes can be accomplished by those with basic cooking skills and result in an impressive meal.

Web pages: If you’re looking for recipes…Epicurious.com. They have a searchable index which includes recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appetite magazine back into the 90’s.

Cooking shows: Well the PBS series are by far the best for basic cooking techniques and things you’ll actually do at home. Personal favorites include Jacque Pepin’s Fast Food My Way and America’s Test Kitchen. I also routinely scour the PBS listings for reruns of any of Julia Child’s shows. I’ve been known to spend an entire Saturday watching the marathons that crop up every now and then.

Roasted Plums

Roasted Plums with Marscapone Cream:

6 plums halved and pitted
melted butter (about 1/2 a stick)
sugar
1 cup heavy cream

1 cup marscapone chees

2-3 Tbs sugar

1-2 Tbs Marsala

Preheat oven to 375. Place plums cut side up in a lined baking pan. (High sides like a casserole is best as the plums might roll.) Brush plums with butter. Sprinkle sugar over plums. (Adjust sugar based on sweetness of plums.) Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until soft and juices are running.

Whip cream with 1 Tbs of sugar. In another bowl beat mascarpone until soft. Fold whip cream into mascarpone. Add 1-2 Tbs of Marsala based on taste preference. Adjust sugar as needed based on taste and sweetness of plums.

You can also use honey in place of Marsala. Eliminate sugar in whip cream and beat honey into cheese. Adjust as necessary for taste preference.

***I made this last night with fairly hard plums and they took 30 minutes to bake. I brushed on more butter at 15 minutes to prevent them from drying out.

Tomato Goat Cheese Tarts

By request for those more advanced folks. This is the recipe for the tarts pictured on the right.

Tomato Goat Cheese Tarts:
(Base recipe from Gourmet, September ‘98, but I've tweaked it a bit.)

For crust:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons ice water
Dried beans or pie weights
In a food processor pulse together flour, cornmeal, and salt. Add butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add ice water and pulse until incorporated and mixture just forms a dough. Press dough evenly into bottom and up sides of a 10 inch round tart pan with a removable fluted rim. Chill crust about 20 minutes, or until firm.
While crust is chilling, preheat oven to 375°F.
Line crust with foil and fill with pie weights or beans. Bake crust until edge is set, 10 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights bake crust 5 minutes more, or until just dry. Remove crust and cool in pan on a rack. Crust may be made 1 day ahead and kept, loosely covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.
For Filling:
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves
7 ounces mild soft goat cheese, softened
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter, well softened
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1 onion (plus 1-2 Tbs butter and 1 tsp sugar)
3/4 pound cherry tomatoes

Sauté onions in butter until caramelized. When onions are translucent add sugar to assist in carmelzation. Set onions aside to cool while making custard.
Chop basil. In a bowl whisk together basil and remaining custard ingredients and season with salt and pepper.
Spread onions in bottom of tart shell. Pour custard into crust, spreading evenly. Halve tomatoes and arrange, cut sides up, in one layer on custard, pressing lightly into custard. Season tomatoes with salt and pepper and bake tart until custard is just set, about 25 minutes. Cool tart to warm in pan on rack. Tart may be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely before being chilled, covered, in pan. Tart can be served warm or cold. (I like it best at room temperature.) Reheat in 350 oven if desired.
I find the smaller the tomato the better. Those that get to quarter size tend to give off too much liquid and can prevent the tart from setting up properly or boil out their centers making an unattractive presentation.

Pasta Dinner

April 2, 2009

MENU

Pasta with Meat Sauce

Baby Greens with Mustard Vinaigrette

RECIPES

Home Made Pasta Sauce:
(A.K.A. Per favore no more prego)

1 onion chopped
2 stalks celery chopped
2 carrot chopped
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
1 lb ground meat (beef or beef/sausage)
2 cloves garlic crushed
1 cup red wine (approximately a ¼ bottle)
1Tbs Italian seasoning (or to taste)
salt and pepper to taste


Sauté onion, celery and carrot in olive oil until soft. Add meat and brown. Add garlic and sauté for a minute. Add tomatoes (with juice), sauce, red wine and seasoning. Bring to boil. Reduce to simmer. Simmer for 30 minutes. Test seasoning at 15 minutes and adjust as necessary. Serve over 1 Lb of your favorite cooked pasta and parmesan cheese. (Any shape will do. Although, small sizes and angel hair are not the best as the sauce is chunky.)

Any red wine will do. However, my general rule of thumb is, if you wouldn’t drink it, don’t cook with it. Bigger reds like cab, zin and shiraz are best.

You can omit meat for a marinara sauce.

You can substitute whole sausage for the meat. Brown sausage before starting the vegetables and remove them to a plate. (You do not need to clean the pot or remove any fat. Just reduce olive oil based on the amount of fat left in the pan.) Then follow the recipe adding the sausages back in when the tomato sauce is added. They will finish cooking as the sauce simmers. If using pre-cooked sausage, add whole or in pieces after the sauce has been simmering for 15 minutes. (As they are already cooked they only need to warm through.)


Mustard Vinaigrette:

1 heaping Tbs Dijon mustard

2 Tbs diced shallot or red onion

1 Tbs red wine vinegar (taste and add more if necessary)

Juice of ½ a lemon

1/3 cup olive oil

Couple grinds of pepper

Pinch of salt

Mix all ingredients in bowl, taste and adjust as necessary. This dressing is best if it sits for at least 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. It can also stay in the fridge for a week or two. (It does get stronger as it sits.)

You can substitute any vinegar or oil you like.

NOTES FROM “CLASS”

Why the pots sparkle so…A clean pot is essential to good cooking. This means inside and out. Any spots or residue left inside the pot will affect the taste of the food you cook and you don’t want Palmolive flavored potatoes. Any bits of burnt on food you don’t scrub off will create hot spots. This is especially true of spots on the bottom of the pot. These bits of burnt on remainders will heat up faster than the rest of the pot and will not distribute heat evenly. This will create a hot spot in the pot where food will cook unevenly and probably burn. The solution is simple. SCRUB. Get an SOS pad and some cleanser and scrub the bottom of those pots until they shine. It’s actually very satisfying in the end. Trust me. Do not use cleanser or SOS on the inside of non-stick pans. It will ruin the non-stick coating.

This brings us to the next point. Don’t use metal utensils in a non-stick pan. It scratches the non-stick surface. Once the surface is scratched it loses it non-stick capabilities. It also releases the Teflon into the food you’re cooking. My favorite scientist says it’s not enough to kill you, but better safe than sorry.

Baked Salmon Dinner

March 26, 2009

MENU

Baked Salmon

Mustard Dill Sauce

Sautéed Spinach

Yellow Rice

RECIPES

Baked Salmon:

1 lb salmon filet

1/2 lemon sliced into thin rounds

Tin foil

1/4 cup white wine

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover baking dish in tin foil. Place lemon slices in bottom of pan to support salmon. Place salmon, skin side down, on top of lemon slices. (This adds flavor and stops the fish from sticking.) Salt and pepper the salmon. Pour white wine in bottom of pan. Loosely cover pan with foil and place in oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove foil. Continue to bake for another 5-10 minutes or until salmon is firm to touch and cooked through.

Cooking time for the salmon will very based on how thick the salmon is. If it is a thin tail slice it may cook in as little as 10 minutes. Thicker center cuts will take more on the line of 15 minutes. Just keep checking as you cook. It doesn't hurt it to peek under the cover or open the oven. And remember, gently poke the fish throughout cooking until you learn what if feels like when done. You can also adjust cooking time based on taste preference.

**You can sprinkle herbs on this salmon before baking**
Good choices include:
Dill
Herb de Provence
Tarragon
Cajun Seasoning (I like Paul Prudhomme's fish seasoning)
Freshly grated ginger


Mustard Dill Sauce:

4 Tbs Dijon mustard

3 Tbs chopped fresh dill

1 Tbs white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp dry mustard

1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil

2 Tbs sugar

Mix all ingredients in a bowl and let sit for approximately 1 hour.

This is a less sweet version of a classic grave lax (cured salmon) sauce. The traditional grave lax sauce contains equal amounts sugar and mustard. You can adjust the sweetness to taste.

Sautéed Spinach:

1 bag pre-washed baby spinach

2 cloves garlic, pealed and smashed with the edge of a knife

1 Tbs olive oil or butter (or a combination)

Heat oil in pan. Lightly sauté garlic in oil. Add spinach in batches. Turn with tongs until cooked. Spinach will wilt down quickly and produce lots of liquid. As first batch of spinach shrinks down add more. It doesn't matter that some has been in the pan longer than the rest.

I serve this with tongs or transfer it to a serving bowl with tongs to drain off the excess liquid.

Yellow Rice:

1 cup basmati rice

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 shallot chopped

1 clove garlic chopped

1 Tbs olive oil

Rinse rice according to package instructions. Sauté shallot and garlic in oil until translucent. Add rice, broth and turmeric. Stir and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce to a low simmer. Simmer 10-15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender. Do not stir the rice during cooking.

Remember if the rice burns or browns at the very bottom (common with electric ranges that retain heat longer even when turned down) it's not a waste. Don't stir it or scrape it up while cooking. Just leave it. The rest of the rice is still good. Just be careful when serving not to scrape up the browned rice on the bottom.


NOTES FROM "CLASS"

After a review of the participants cooking skills last week, this week was supposed to be fool proof. That said, the "teacher" did a little too much talking and a wee bit too much drinking and didn't notice the rice was a little hot. Which brings us to the first point...Even good cooks screw it up every now and then. Just refer to the section on what to do if the rice browns on the bottom.

Remember to rub your salmon. Run your fingers down the bone lines and pull out any bones that you find. This is not a guarantee that there won't be bones left. But it lowers your chances of spending the night in the ER because you had too much wine while cooking a choked on a bone.

Baked salmon can be served over any salad hot or cold. Just match your seasoning up to your salad and dressing. This makes a great girl meal. Guys tend to question this as upgraded rabbit food. You're warned.

Tin foil is your friend, unless you have a scullery maid. Lining the pan with tin foil when baking the salmon (or other fish using the same method) helps clean up go quicker. If you're lucky, nothing will get through the foil and you won't even have to wash the pan. Yes, those two ladies in the commercial are right. It's quick clean up.

Chicken Piccata

So, by popular demand, some begging and a little guilt....a blog to go along with Thursday night cooking class.



Thursday, March 19, 2009

MENU

Chicken Piccata

Mashed Potatoes (with no box in sight)

Roasted Asparagus

Cheating Strawberry Short Cake


RECIPES:

Chicken Piccata:

(Serves 4)

4 chicken breasts

1 lemon

1/2 bottle dry white wine

3 Tbs capers (more or less to taste)

1/4 cup chopped parsley

Flour for dredging

Butter

Salt

Pepper

Filet each chicken breast into two thin pieces. Salt and pepper chicken. Dredge chicken breast in flower.

Melt approximately 2 Tbs of butter in skillet over medium heat. (Adjust amount of butter depending on size of skillet. There should be enough to coat the bottom of the pan, but the chicken is not going for a swim.) Sauté chicken pieces until lightly golden and cooked through, adjusting heat as necessary not to burn the butter. (Don't over crowed the skillet, do it in batches. Otherwise your chicken won't brown it will boil and no one likes boiled chicken! You may need to add butter for subsequent batches.)

Remove chicken to plate and keep warm. (Cover it with tin foil or put in microwave.)

Add 2 Tbs of butter to skillet. When butter melts add 2 Tbs of flower and stir into butter. Cook the butter flower mixture (known as a rue) for 1-2 minutes. Add Wine and whisk until rue dissolves in wine. Add juice of 1 lemon and capers. Bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer for several minutes until sauce thickens to consistency of heavy cream. Adjust salt as necessary. Return chicken to sauce along with any accumulated juices. Turn to coat. Simmer for one to two minutes to ensure chicken is hot. Add parsley and serve.

Mashed Potatoes:


There is absolutely no excuse for boxed mashed potatoes, EVER!

You can use any potato you like for mashed potatoes. I find that good old russets or red skins work best. Yukon gold are also good for mashing. You can leave the skin on reds, but if you do, wash them thoroughly. Russets must be pealed. I like my Yukon Gold's pealed, but that's up to personal preference.

The number of potatoes depends on their size. I find that one russet per person is more than enough, unless you are feeding teenage boys or guys who still eat like they're teenage boys. Then add an extra potato for the pot. With large red potatoes I usually use one and a half per person, plus one for the pot. (Same rule would apply to Yukon gold or any similarly sized potato.) But, of course, I have that Italian gene that says every meal you make is for an army, so adjust based on how big of eaters you are serving.

Peal the potatoes. Cut in half and then into equal size chunks. I do approximately one inch cubes. (The smaller the chunks the quicker they will cook.) Put potatoes in a pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and add salt. (Approximately 1-2 tsp for a 5 qt pot.) Boil until fork tender. (Remember the fork test, they will break apart easily when done, but should not disintegrate.)

Drain potatoes and return to low heat. Stir potatoes over low heat to dry them out. They will start to crumble as they dry. Remove from heat and add butter and about a 1/4 cup of milk. I prefer buttermilk, but any milk will work fine, even non-fat. You can also use cream for richer potatoes. Beat with hand mixer until smooth. Add milk as necessary to reach desired consistency.

TASTE!
Adjust salt and pepper as desired.

Roasted Asparagus:


Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

4-6 large/thick asparagus per person (or more depending on how much you love your veggies.)

Pick asparagus with tightly closed heads.

Snap ends off asparagus. Peal lower two thirds if desired.

Cover sheet pan in foil. Drizzle olive oil in pan. Roll asparagus in oil. They should be coated, with a light film in pan, but not swimming. (Too much olive oil and they will boil and not brown.) Sprinkle with sea or kosher salt and pepper.

Roast until desired doneness. Approximately 20 minutes for cooked through.

Be sure to check on them occasionally as oven temperatures will vary and cooking time will very based on thickness of asparagus.

** These can also be done on the grill. When grilling be sure to turn several times throughout cooking. If you are cooking with the grill lid open they will take significantly longer.


Strawberry Short Cake (almost):

(Serves 4)


1 pre-made pound cake

2 pints Strawberries

1/4 cup sugar

3 Tbs triple sec (if desired)


Rinse strawberries and remove steam end. Slice and place in bowl. Add sugar. (Adjust sugar based on sweetness of strawberries. Ripe berries need approximately 1/4 cup. Less ripe berries need a little more.) Add triple sec if desired. Stir and cover. Set aside for at least an hour and a half. Stir occasionally. Strawberries will create their own juice as they sit.


Slice pound cake in place on plate or in bowl. Spoon strawberries and juice over cake. Top with home made whip cream.


(The cheat is pre-made pound cake. We'll save home made short cake for another lesson. Trust me, no one ever complains about the pound cake.)


Whipped Cream:

2 cups Heavy Cream
1/4 cup Sugar
1 Tbs Vanilla
Pour cream into deep bowl. Whip with electric mixer until starts to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla. Continue to whip until thick. (Do not over whip or it will turn to butter.)
Vanilla and sugar can be adjusted according to taste.
For a half recipe use approximately 3 Tbs of sugar.

NOTES FROM "CLASS"

Cooking is fun! It's not a precise art. You very rarely have to be exact in your measurements, that's reserved for baking. So don't worry too much. What's the worst that can happen? If you burn it, order a pizza to be delivered while you do the dishes. If you under cook it, shove it in the microwave and hope it works out. If you over salt it, serve it any way and dismiss the critics as having no taste. If you drop it, pick it up and keep going.

The above recipes list measurements that are based on standard measures to give you a guide until you learn what a tablespoon of sugar or a teaspoon of salt looks like without a measuring spoon. Here's a hint, each time you use a measuring spoon put it in your hand before you dump it in the pot. This way you will learn to visualize the amount without having to measure it out every time. (NOTE: this only applies to dry ingredients. If you attempt this with liquids, you will get exactly the result you expect.)

Poke your meat! Poke it when its raw. Poke it after a minute in the pan. Poke it after two minutes. Just keep poking it! The more you poke it the sooner you'll learn to tell how done it is by touch. This applies only to meat you are cooking. Poke all other meat at your own risk.

I love the flexible plastic cutting boards. They are easy to store and dump into pots and bowls nicely. They also go in the dishwasher for easy clean up and disinfecting. However, don't get the type with the cute colors and pictures, because the when they go through the dishwasher the color comes off on your dishwasher and you can never get it off. I have the outlines to prove it.