Dinner du Jour

Pasta and White Beans with Sizzling Garlic-Rosemary Oil

by Kelly on April 1, 2013

Happy Spring dear readers! If you’ve had enough Easter ham, Passover brisket, or just want to try a tasty vegetarian main course, here’s one of our newest “Meatless Monday” faves. Good friend and reliable recipe sharer, Leah, sent this recipe to me a few weeks ago, remembering that my kids love beans. My kids do love beans and adored this dish. It is quite similar to their other favorite Pasta with Chickpeas but instead of chickpeas and ditalini, this recipe uses white beans and a larger pasta. The sizzling garlic-rosemary oil elevates this dish above the chickpea version, in my opinion. This may even be the dish to win over the bean-phobic in your life (Dad, I’m thinking of you…)

Pasta and White Beans with Sizzling Garlic-Rosemary Oil
adapted from Bon Appétit

Like Leah, I use white beans that I cook myself instead of canned beans. The Tuscan-style White Beans post gives some instructions on cooking dried white beans. Actually, the cooked Tuscan-style white beans would taste amazing in this recipe.

Serves 6

For the pasta with white beans:
1 medium onion, cut into big chunks
1 medium carrot, cut into big chunks
1 celery stalk, cut into big chunks
4 garlic cloves, peeled but left whole
1/2 cup (15 g) fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes (or to taste)
1/4 cup (50 ml) olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons tomato paste
3 1/2 cups (about 500 g) cooked, drained white beans (save cooking liquid for water in recipe, if desired) or 2 x 14 oz (400 g) cans of white beans, rinsed
1 lb (450 g) short tube pasta, such as ditalini, macaroni, penne or rigatoni

For the garlic-rosemary oil:
1/4 cup (50 ml) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary

Pulse the onion, carrot, celery, whole garlic cloves, parsley and red pepper flakes in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat the oil in a large, heavy pot over a medium heat. Add the chopped vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring often, until golden (wipe out the food processor bowl while the vegetables are cooking). Stir the tomato paste and 1 cup (250 ml) water in a small bowl to combine, then add to the pot. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 to 8 minutes, until the liquid has almost evaporated.

Add the chickpeas and 2 cups (500 ml) water to the pot and simmer for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld. Transfer 1 cup (250 ml) of the chickpea and vegetable mixture to the food processor. Purée until smooth, then stir back into the sauce to thicken it.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta, reserving 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) of the pasta cooking liquid.

Add the pasta and 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the pasta cooking liquid to the sauce and stir to coat. Increase the heat to medium and continue stirring, adding more pasta cooking liquid as needed, until the sauce coats all the pasta.

To make the garlic-rosemary oil, heat the oil in a small saucepan over a medium-low heat. Add the chopped garlic and rosemary and cook for about 1 minute, until it stops sizzling. Divide the pasta among bowls and drizzle with the garlic-rosemary oil.

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Quick Pickled Chillies

by Kristin on February 27, 2013

My mom and stepdad live in Florida and have a pepper plant on their patio that produces so many jalapenos that my stepdad, at a loss for what to do with them all, used to bring them in by the bagful for a colleague who sat at his desk and ate them whole and raw. “Don’t give them away,” I said. “Pickle them!”

In An Everlasting Meal by Tamar Adler, I came across her method of simply pouring hot vinegar over sliced chillies, and voilà — an instant pickle pick-me-up. I like the fact that there’s no salt or sugar, like in a true brine; it keeps the flavor bright and clean. Plus they also take all of 5 minutes to make, from start to finish.

This quick little recipe — if you’d go so far as to even call it a recipe — will change your meals. If you’re anything like me, you’ll find yourself adding them to just about everything: eggs, pasta, stews, Mexican food, anything crying out for a little kick.

Quick Pickled Chillies

Wash a glass jar well with hot soapy water. I use a small 250 ml (1 cup) jar and it holds enough chillies to last me a few weeks.

If you want less heat in your chillies, slice off the top, then hold the chilli upside down over a bowl and roll it between your hands — the seeds will tumble right out. If you don’t mind the seeds, then just slice the chillies into thin rounds and pack them tightly into the jar. You can add all sorts of extras at this point: whole peeled garlic cloves, peppercorns, coriander or cumin seeds, bay leaves, fresh herbs. If you want to add any of these (or anything else), just add it to the jar along with the chillies.

To figure out how much vinegar you’ll need, pour water over the chillies until they’re covered and the jar is full. Pour the water out into a measuring jug and see how much there is — that’s how much vinegar to use. Pour that amount of white wine vinegar into a small saucepan. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1 minute. Pour the hot vinegar over the chillies, clamp on the lid and stash in the fridge front and center at eye level, where you’ll find yourself constantly reaching for them. They’ll last for a couple months in the fridge, but I doubt they’ll hang around that long.

If you love chillies, do yourself a favor and order a jar of Gran Luchito Smoked Chilli Paste — in Ireland, you can get it at My Mexican Shop. I got a jar last week and mixed a spoonful with some mayonnaise to make an addictive dip.

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Beef Lombardi

by Kelly on February 5, 2013

You all know I love make ahead meals (remember this and this and this). And I have a soft spot for casseroles. Well, here’s the recipe that is now both my favorite make ahead meal and my favorite casserole. I’ve kept a batch of this on hand in my freezer continually since I discovered the recipe this fall. It hails from the new What’s for Supper cookbook from Southern Living. While not overly impressed by some of the recipes in the book (too many prepared processed foods for my taste), I knew I would try this recipe for the name alone. Green Bay Packer coach Vince Lombardi holds a special place in the hearts of most Wisconsinites and if the casserole performed even half as well as the coach, it was worth a try. Touchdown!

Beef Lombardi
adapted from Southern Living What’s for Supper

This is an easily adaptable recipe. I usually use more egg noodles than called for and then add an extra tablespoons of cream cheese. Since my daughter is currently green onion adverse, I cut back on those or use only the white parts so she doesn’t notice them as much. Feel free to experiment according to your own tastes.

Serves 8

10–12 oz (280–340 g) medium egg noodles
1 lb (450 g) lean ground beef
1½ teaspoons salt, divided
½ teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or dried oregano
1 x 6-oz (170 g) can tomato paste
1 x 14-oz (400 g) can diced tomatoes
4 oz (110 g) cream cheese, softened
½ cup (120 ml) sour cream
4 green onions, chopped
1 cup (4 oz/110 g) shredded Italian six-cheese blend or mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare the egg noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, sprinkle the ground beef with 1 tsp. salt and the Italian seasoning. Cook the beef in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, 5 to 6 minutes or until meat crumbles and is no longer pink.

Stir in the tomato paste, and cook 2 minutes; stir in the tomatoes, 1/2 cup water, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt; reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer 8–10 minutes until thickened a bit.

Microwave the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl at HIGH 20 seconds. Stir in the sour cream and green onions into the warm cream cheese, then gently stir the cream cheese mixture into the hot cooked noodles.

Spread the noodle mixture in the bottom of a lightly greased 11– x 7-inch baking dish. Top the noodles with the beef mixture then sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly over the mixture.

Bake the casserole at 350° for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

To make ahead: Freeze the unbaked casserole, tightly covered, for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight, then bake at 350°F (180°C), loosely covered in aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking about 15 minutes more until the cheese is melted and the casserole is hot.

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Chicken Cakes with Teriyaki Sauce

by Kelly on January 22, 2013

I vowed to post more recipes in 2013 and, like so many other New Year’s resolutions, find myself failing miserably by the end of January. Despite my blog negligence, I have been cooking up a storm. I now realize that the prospect of free time on the weekends thrills me because I know I will have time to spend a few hours on my feet in front of the stove, my desire to stand around and stir pots all afternoon the result of working a desk job, I guess!

Though these delicious chicken cakes aren’t the best thing I’ve made this month, they were cooked during our sunniest (most photo friendly) weather. I love the rich umami taste of these succulent little meat cakes and the fact that the homemade teriyaki glaze cooks in the pan along with the chicken, requiring no separate sticky pot to wash later. Though we all enjoyed them, Anabelle scarfed hers down fastest with a nod of approval and an it-tastes-like-sausage compliment. If you know my kids, no bigger praise can they bestow on food.

Chicken Cakes with Teriyaki Sauce
adapted from The Cookbook Junkie’s adaption from Around The World in 450 Recipes by Sarah Ainley (editor)

I paired this Japanese inspired dish with a cucumber salad and string beans. A side of rice would also be nice, but don’t expect to have extra sauce to flavor it. The teriyaki “sauce” is really a glaze. These would make awesome appetizers.

makes 1 dozen

For the chicken cakes:
1 lb (450 g) ground chicken
1 large egg [optional, I forgot to add the egg and my cakes turned out just fine]
1/2 small onion, grated
1 ½ teaspoons sugar
1 ½ teaspoons soy sauce
Cornstarch or tapioca starch, for coating
2–3 scallions, cut in half, white/light green ends shredded and green parts chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable, canola, or sunflower oil

For the teriyaki sauce:
2 tablespoons sake or dry white wine
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Mix the ground chicken with the egg, grated onion, sugar and soy sauce until the ingredients are thoroughly combined and well bound, about 2 minutes. The mixture will be quite sticky, which makes for good texture. Shape the mixture into 12 small, flat, round cakes and dust them lightly all over with cornstarch. Since the mixture is very sticky, I found it easiest to coat my fingers in cornstarch then drop the semi-formed cake into the cornstarch. Once it was covered in cornstarch I was able to properly form it.

Soak the white/light green part of the scallions in ice water for 5 minutes and drain well. The ends should curl slightly.

Heat the oil in a frying pan. Place the chicken cakes in a single layer, and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Turn the cakes over and cook for 3 minutes longer, until cooked through.

Mix the ingredients for the sauce and pour it into the pan. Turn the chicken cakes occasionally until they are evenly glazed. Move or gently shake the pan to prevent the sauce from burning.

Arrange the chicken cakes on a plate and top with the scallions. Serve immediately.

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Neapolitan Christmas Eve Spaghetti with Walnuts

by Kristin on December 20, 2012

We’ve been hosting my in-laws for Christmas dinner — and Christmas Eve, and St. Stephen’s Day, and usually one or two more days besides — for years now, which means I spend a lot of my time happily wearing a path between the stove, sink and fridge in the days before and after Christmas Day itself. But in that busy week before the main event, when I’m feeling overwhelmed with shopping lists or last-minute presents or the cards I always procrastinate about writing, or when I’d rather be baking some cookies than fussing too much over dinner, I just want to put something on the table without too much effort or expense. And if it can be something that’s still in keeping with the holidays, like this recipe, then even better. As much as there’s nowhere I’d rather be than my kitchen, sometimes a quick, simple supper can feel like a gift.

Neapolitan Christmas Eve Spaghetti with Walnuts (U Spaghetti’ Anatalina)
adapted from Eat Like an Italian by Catherine Fulvio

Serves 4

This recipe comes from Catherine Fulvio’s latest book, Eat Like an Italian. Catherine says, “During the weeks before Christmas, wonderful fresh walnuts arrive in the shops. This was a recipe for ‘poor folks’ and it illustrates how Italians respect their ingredients.”

1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
1/2 cup (125 ml) good-quality extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, very finely sliced
6 tinned anchovies, drained and roughly chopped
1 1/2 cups (150 g) walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, to garnish

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the package.

Meanwhile, gently heat the oil in a large saucepan (one that’s big enough to also hold all the cooked pasta later) over a low heat. Add the sliced garlic and cook for 1 minute, taking care not to burn the garlic or it will turn bitter and ruin the dish. Add the anchovies and cook for a few minutes more, stirring until they dissolve in the oil.

Reserve a mugful of the cooking water, then drain the pasta and add it directly to the sauce in the pan. Stir in some of the cooking liquid to loosen the pasta and return to the heat. Stir through the walnuts and cook for a further 1 to 2 minutes, then season to taste. Divide the pasta between 4 plates or shallow pasta bowls and garnish with the parsley.

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All Purpose Spice Rub & Rainbow Bean Soup Mix

by Kelly on December 18, 2012

This year, I decided to forgo the store-bought, China-manufactured, last-minute purchased gifts that I usually give out at holidays. I had the bright idea (insert sarcasm here) to make homemade food gifts this year. I figured, why not? I like to hang out in the kitchen. I like buying ingredients. I like one-of-a-kind treats. Well, readers, here is why not. I have about 30 people who need gifts this year (my kids attend schools with lots of teachers in each room). Christmas is less than a week away and I’m still searching for packaging materials, running out of ingredients, and trying out new recipes with limited success. On the upside, this weekend the kids and I made up a few batches of spice rub and a half dozen quart jars of soup mix and they turned out amazingly cute. I tried out a couple other gift ideas (salted caramel sauce and hand-chopped garlic herb salt) but the end products, though tasty, didn’t justify the the work involved in making them. So, if you are looking for a unique gift that you can make with minimal fuss, I highly recommend one of these instead.

All-purpose Spice Rub
from Everyday Food, July/August 2006

I found lovely little jars at a reasonable price at specialtybottle.com. This recipe easily double or triples so you can mix up a big batch and fill a dozen small jars at one go.

Makes about 1 1/4 cups

1/3 cup (75 g) coarse salt
1/4 cup (40 g) packed light-brown sugar
1/4 cup (30 g) paprika
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 tablespoons dried thyme leaves
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (optional, I used 1/2 teaspoon per batch)

In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients, using your hands to break up the sugar. Store in an airtight container, away from heat and light, up to 6 months.

***

Rainbow Bean Soup Mix
adapted from food.com

Makes 1 quart jar

3/4 cup (150 g) dried red beans
3/4 cup (150 g) dried great northern beans
2/3 cup (125 g) dried split peas (yellow or green)
2/3 cup (115 g) lentils (brown, green, or red)
2/3 cup (130 g) dried black beans

Seasoning bag:
2 tablespoons dried onion flakes
2 tablespoons beef or chicken bouillon granules (sold in soup section)
2 tablespoons dried parsley flakes
2 teaspoons dried basil
2 teaspoons sweetened lemonade drink mix
1 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano

Use a quart jar that has a wide mouth, but if you can’t find one any quart jar will work. Place each type of bean in jar in the order listed above.

Mix the seasoning ingredients and seal in a small baggie. Place the seasoning bag on top of the beans, gently flattened so it can be seen from all sides.

Seal the jar, decorate, and attach the soup directions (below).

DIRECTIONS TO MAKE RAINBOW BEAN SOUP:.

Remove seasoning packet from the jar and set to the side. Rinse beans and place beans in large microwave-safe dish. Cover with water 1″ to 2″ over top of beans. Cover dish loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 15 minutes, rotating after 7 minutes. Drain and rinse beans very well; place in a large pot. Add 8 cups water, one 15 ounce can crushed tomatoes and seasonings from packet. Cover, bring to boil. Lower heat, cover pan and simmer 1 1/2 hours or until beans are tender. Stir occasionally.

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Toast with Avocado and Mustard

by Kelly on November 20, 2012

As we gear up for the holiday season, here’s my gift to you: a healthy recipe with three ingredients and five minutes of prep time. New York Mouth sent me some freebies last month and in preparation for their package, I spent some time scouring (more like falling in love with) their website. They distribute handcrafted, small batch, “indie” food fare. The site’s Tin Mustard description contained this open faced sandwich idea. I originally tried the “recipe” because I couldn’t imagine it would be edible much less delicious. But it is. I swear! Make sure to use ripe avocado, hearty bread, and good quality mustard. Tin Mustard’s whole grain mustard was amazing. Actually, all the products sent were delicious. For those looking for gift ideas for your favorite foodie (or food blogger, hint, hint), it’s worth a look.

Toast with Avocado and Mustard
from New York Mouth

In my book, open faced sandwiches alone constitute more of a snack than a dinner so I rounded out the meal with hard boiled eggs and steamed green beans, making a kind of deconstructed salad nicoise. I think it would also taste great with some simply dressed greens or sharp cheddar on the side.

whole grain bread
avocado
whole grain mustard

Toast the bread to your taste. While the bread toasts, slice the avocado.Spread a tablespoon or so of mustard on the toasted bread. Place the sliced avocado on top of the mustard. Eat.

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White Chicken Chili with Bacon Corn Muffins

by Kelly on November 8, 2012

The birth of a new child is usually heralded by the delivery of clothes, bibs, and other soft pastel things. In my experience, what most moms really need during those early weeks is a hot meal and long shower, not another outfit to wash and put away. It’s not that I didn’t love getting adorable clothes and blankets for my kids, but I wasn’t able to appreciate them for a couple months. I had to wait for life to settle back into a routine and for sleep lasting longer than two hours at a stretch. Since I can’t help out with the long shower, I try to deliver a home-cooked meal for my friends with new babies.

I especially like this menu for gifting. You can easily double the chili and split the batch of muffins — an easy way to make a meal for your family and theirs at the same time. I recommend adding a tossed salad. This week, a salad was out of the question as the meal was traveling too far (a three-hour ride to Chicago due to construction). Instead, I included a ziploc bag of fresh corn, already cooked but still on the cob. As mentioned in previous posts, the corn can be cut off the cob and used in a salad or reheated in a pan with butter and salt and pepper.

White Chicken Chili
adapted from my cousin Bridget’s recipe

Serves 4

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g), diced into 1/4-inch cubes
1 onion, diced
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
1 x 4 oz (110 g) can diced green chilies
14 oz (400 ml) chicken broth
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
8 oz (225 g) sour cream
1/2 cup (120 ml) half and half (or whipping cream)

Brown the chicken and onion in the oil over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the beans, chilies, broth, and seasonings and simmer for 30 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and half and half. Heat through, but do not boil.

***

Bacon Corn Muffins
adapted from Gourmet, January 2005

Makes 12 muffins

1 1/4 cups (300 ml) whole milk
1 large egg
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup (155 g) yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup (90 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (75 g) chopped scallions
8 bacon slices (1/2 lb/225 g), cooked and crumbled
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt

Put the oven rack in the middle position and preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Whisk together the milk, egg, and butter in a small bowl. Whisk together the remaining ingredients in a large bowl, then add the milk mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined. Divide the mixture among 12 greased (1/2 cup) muffin cups. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the muffins are golden and a tester comes out clean. Cool in the pan on a rack for 5 to 10 minutes before turning out.

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