All posts by Kelly

30-minute meals, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Baked Salmon with Leeks, Parmesan Tortellini, and Roasted Brussels Sprouts

Since last night’s dinner turned out so well, I decided to test my luck with another Bittman recipe and tried one of his fish preparations today. Like yesterday’s dinner, this meal was quick to prepare, tasty, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. One of the nice things about Bittman’s cookbook is the relatively low fat content of many of his meals. I like to save my calories for dessert (leftover pecan pie from our Thanksgiving feast). And if you think you don’t like Brussels sprouts, try them roasted. Just once. I promise they’re nothing like the mushy, bitter Brussels sprouts of your childhood.

Baked Salmon with Leeks
adapted from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb (680 g) leeks
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine or chicken or fish stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 1/2 lb (680 g) salmon or other fish fillet, about 1 inch thick

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Trim about 1/2 inch from the root ends of the leeks, then trim off all the tough green leaves. Cut the rest in half lengthwise and chop, then wash well in a colander, being sure to rinse between all the layers.

Scatter the washed leeks over the bottom of an ovenproof casserole. Mix with the wine or stock, salt, pepper, and mustard. Top with the fish, then sprinkle the fish with salt and pepper. Cover the casserole and put it in the oven.

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, or until a thin-bladed knife meets little or no resistance when inserted into the thickest part of the fish. Uncover and serve the fish with the leeks and pan juice spooned over it.

***

Parmesan Tortellini

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 x 13-oz (370‑g) package cheese tortellini (Barilla recommended)
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
freshly grated Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Cook the tortellini until it’s al dente, according to package directions. Drain the tortellini (but do not rinse) and rinse out the pan. Add the olive oil and minced garlic to the pan and heat on medium, stirring occasionally, until the garlic is golden. Watch the pan carefully, as the garlic will go from golden to burnt in a matter of seconds. If the garlic burns, start over with new olive oil and garlic. Just as the garlic turns golden, turn off the heat. Return the tortellini to the pan and toss with the garlic and olive oil. Serve with the grated cheese.

***

Roasted Brussels Sprouts
from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb (680 g) Brussels sprouts
3 tablespoons good olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Cut off the brown ends of the Brussels sprouts and pull off any yellow outer leaves. Mix them in a bowl with the olive oil, salt and pepper. Pour them on a sheet pan and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until crisp on the outside and tender on the inside. Shake the pan from time to time to brown the sprouts evenly. Sprinkle with more kosher salt, and serve immediately.

30-minute meals, Appetizers, Asian food, Miscellaneous, Poultry, Salads

Asian Chicken Salad with Greens and Scallion Pancakes

From Issaquah to Birmingham, towns across the globe are finding that the recession has driven consumers from the ubiquitous Borders or Barnes & Nobles back to public libraries. Libraries are especially useful for people like me who love drooling over glossy cookbook pages but are too cheap to actually buy them. The stash of cookbooks at our East Side library is so overwhelming that I’ve taken to letting Sam pick out the cookbook we bring home with us. This week, I decided to try random picks at the beginning of the alphabet. Tonight we had “B” for Bittman — Mark Bittman, the New York Times’s Minimalist with the most. I’ve made several of his recipes, clipped from the inky pages of the Times, but this was my first time browsing through one of his cookbooks. I couldn’t be happier with my choice (Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times). The book is filled with quick and easy recipes, just as it promises, with lots of notes on how to adapt the recipes depending on what you have on hand.

Though I’m not normally impressed with entree salads (it takes a lot of lettuce to fill me up), this chicken salad is truly satisfying. The scallion pancakes make a nice savory accompaniment, but a good baguette would work as well.

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Asian Chicken Salad with Greens
adapted from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

Serves 4

1 1/2 lb (680 g) skinless, boneless chicken thighs (recommended) or breasts
1/4 cup (60 ml) soy sauce
3 tablespoons tahini or peanut butter
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, peeled
a few drops of hot sauce
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar or other mild vinegar
1 cucumber
6 cups (7 oz/200 g) salad greens
2  scallions, chopped
cilantro and grated carrot, to garnish

Preheat the broiler. Cut the chicken meat into 1/2- to 1‑inch chunks, then place in a 13 x 9‑inch baking dish and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce.

In a blender, combine the remaining soy sauce with the tahini, sesame oil, garlic, hot sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Turn the blender on and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) hot water, a teaspoon at a time, until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Cool the dressing in the refrigerator.

Broil the chicken, turning once or twice. Total cooking time will be 10 to 12 minutes for thighs or 6 to 8 minutes for breasts. Meanwhile, peel the cucumber (if it’s waxed), slice it in half the long way, and scoop out the seeds with a grapefruit spoon. Cut it into 1/2‑inch dice, and combine in a bowl with the dressing. When the chicken is done, let it rest and cool for a few minutes, then toss it and the cucumber with a few tablespoons of the dressing. Taste and adjust the seasoning if necessary. Serve the chicken and cucumbers on top of greens, garnished with cilantro and shredded carrot. Pass extra dressing so everyone can add dressing to his or her taste.

***

IMG_7745

Scallion Pancakes
from Mark Bittman’s Quick and Easy Recipes from the New York Times

Serves 4

salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 bunches scallions or spring onions, about 1 lb (450 g)
1 egg
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 cup (60 g) flour
peanut, canola or olive oil as needed

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil while you trim the scallions. Roughly chop three bunches, and mince the fourth.

Add the larger portion of scallions to the water, and cook for about 5 minutes, or until tender. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cooking liquid. Puree the cooked scallions in a blender, adding just enough of the cooking liquid to allow the machine to do its work.

Mix the puree with the egg and soy, then gently stir in the flour until blended. Add pepper to taste, then the reserved minced scallions. Film a nonstick or well-seasoned skillet with oil, and turn the heat to medium-high. Drop the batter into the pan by the tablespoon or quarter cup, and cook about 2 minutes to a side, or until lightly browned. If necessary, the pancakes can be kept warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven for about 30 minutes.

Casseroles, Mexican food, Poultry

Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas with Baked Acorn Squash

Last month I mentioned that I grew up in Texas, so it probably won’t surprise you that Tex-Mex food is my choice of comfort food. And nothing is more Tex Mex (or more comforting) than a steaming hot plate of cheesy, slightly spicy enchiladas. I’ve made quite a few different enchiladas recipes over the years, some with chicken, some with cheese, some red, some white, some green, but my most recent batch of sour cream chicken enchiladas may be my best rendition yet. It also happens to be one of the easier versions that I’ve made.

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Easy Sour Cream Chicken Enchiladas
adapted from www.foodgeeks.com

Serves 4

3 cups (700 ml) water
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1 carrot, roughly chopped
1 stalk celery, roughly chopped
1 large onion, diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1/4 cup (55 g) butter
1/4 cup (30 g) flour
1 x 4‑oz (110‑g) can diced green chilies
1 cup (225 g) sour cream
1/2 lb (225 g) Monterey jack cheese, shredded
toppings: chopped cilantro, diced avocado, salsa

In a large saucepan, bring the water, chicken, salt, carrot, celery, and half of the onion to a boil. The water should cover the chicken by about a 1/2 inch; add more water if necessary. Reduce the heat and simmer until the chicken is just cooked through. Pour the chicken and vegetables through a strainer, reserving the broth. Set aside 2 cups (480 ml) of the broth, to be used for the sauce. The remaining broth can be frozen for later use. Discard the cooked vegetables. Cool the chicken, then shred it into pieces.

In a small frying pan, heat the vegetable oil. Fry each tortilla in the hot oil, about 30 seconds per side. Let the tortillas drain on a paper towel-covered paper grocery bag.

In a large saucepan (I use the same pan I cooked the chicken in), melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking frequently. Do not let the roux brown, but it should bubble. Whisk in the broth and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and stir in the green chilies and sour cream. Cook the sauce until it’s smooth and creamy.

Lightly grease a 13 x 9‑inch baking dish. Spread 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce over the pan. Fill each tortilla with a couple tablespoons each of chicken, cheese, and the remaining onion. Roll up each tortilla and place seam side down in the prepared pan. Top with the remaining sauce and cheese and bake at 425°F (220°C) for 20 to 25 minutes, until bubbly. Serve with chopped cilantro, diced avocado, and salsa.

***

Baked Acorn Squash

Serves 2

acorn squash, or other winter squash
olive oil or butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Cut the squash in half, then scoop out the seeds and membrane. (I like to use a grapefruit spoon for this task.) Place the squash skin side down in a small roasting pan. Drizzle the squash with olive oil or place a pat of butter in the hollow of each, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Tightly cover the roasting pan with aluminum foil, then roast for 45 to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender. You may want to add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water to the bottom of the pan to speed the cooking or when the squash is very large.

30-minute meals, Asian food, Cakes, Desserts, Fruit, Pasta and noodles, Vegetarian main dishes

Pad Thai and Banana Walnut Muffins

I’ve been known to judge Thai restaurants by the quality of their pad thai and I don’t think I’m alone. Of all the Thai dishes we Westerners enjoy, pad thai is probably the best known (i.e., most ordered). Variations run the gamut, from peanut butter-based sauces to super spicy chili-flecked noodles. I’ve tried making pad thai in the past with disappointing results. It seemed almost too hard to wade through all the variations to find a good recipe. A few things seem to be universal (rice noodles, peanuts, lime), but the true taste of pad thai, or what I wanted pad thai to be, eluded me until Reuben found this Alton Brown version. The small quantities of some of the hard-to-find ingredients may lead you to believe you don’t really need them, but trust me, you do. Somehow a couple tablespoons of dried shrimp or a few shreds of salted cabbage really make the dish what it is. And these odd ingredients all freeze or refrigerate well for several months, so they won’t go to waste.

I’ve been making the banana walnut muffins for years. They’re moist and not too sweet, with a nearly crisp top thanks to all the butter. These freeze well too. To freeze, simply cool the muffins, then drop them into a Ziploc bag. They’ll keep for up to two months. I grab a couple frozen muffins when I wake up in the morning, then by the time the kids are dropped off at school, I can leisurely enjoy the now-defrosted muffins in the car on my way to work.

Pad Thai
adapted from Alton Brown

Serves 2

1 oz (30 g) tamarind paste
3/4 cup (180 ml) boiling water
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
4 oz (110 g) rice stick noodles
8 oz (225 g) tofu, pressed and then cut into 1/2‑inch-wide strips
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 bunch scallions, chopped, divided
2 teaspoons minced garlic
2 eggs, beaten
1 tablespoon salted cabbage
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
3 oz (90 g) bean sprouts, divided
1/2 cup (75 g) roasted salted peanuts, chopped, divided
freshly ground dried red chili peppers, to taste
1 lime, cut into wedges

Place the tamarind paste in the boiling water and set aside while preparing the other ingredients.

Combine the fish sauce, sugar, and rice wine vinegar in a small bowl and set aside.

Place the rice stick noodles in a mixing bowl and cover with hot water. Set aside while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Once the other ingredients are measured out into separate bowls, drain the water from the noodles and set them aside.

In a small bowl, toss the tofu with the soy sauce and let it marinate.

Press the tamarind paste through a fine mesh strainer and add to the sauce. Stir to combine.

Place a wok over a high heat. Once hot, add 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil. Heat the oil until it shimmers, then add the tofu. Cook the tofu until golden brown, moving constantly, for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the tofu from the pan to a small bowl and set aside.

If necessary, add some more peanut oil to the pan and heat until shimmering. Add two-thirds of the scallions and then the garlic. Cook for 10 to 15 seconds. Add the eggs to the pan; once the eggs begin to set up, about 15 to 20 seconds, stir to scramble. Add the remaining ingredients in the following order and toss after each addition: noodles, sauce, cabbage, shrimp, and two-thirds of the bean sprouts and peanuts. Toss everything until heated through, but no longer than 1 to 2 minutes total. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with the remaining scallions, bean sprouts, and peanuts. Serve immediately with the ground chili peppers and lime wedges.

***

The Palace Cafe’s Banana Walnut Muffins
adapted from The Palace Cafe

Makes 1 dozen

1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
3/4 cup (about 3 oz/90 g) chopped walnuts
1 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 ripe bananas, well mashed (about 1 1/4 cup)
1/2 cup (1 stick/110 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 egg
2 1/2 tablespoons milk

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease 12 (1/2 cup) muffin cups or line with paper or silicone muffin liners. Mix together the flour, sugar, chopped walnuts, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Combine the bananas, butter, egg and milk in a medium bowl. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined. Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

30-minute meals, Asian food, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Roasted Cod with Shiitakes and Soba in Miso Broth and Lettuce Dressed Asian-style

Sometimes my heart sinks when Reuben asks for “something light” for dinner. More often than not, I want to tuck into a full plate of something hearty, hot, and filling for dinner. “Light” is not appetite inducing to me, except on the hottest of summer days. But, like cooking for vegans or picky eaters, I like the challenge of cooking light. This was a first-time recipe for me, but will definitely go into my regular rotation. It’s low fat but very satisfying — the type of dish you might imagine served at an upscale spa. I certainly didn’t miss the calories. And did I mention it only take 15 minutes to prepare? You can’t go wrong with this one.

Roasted Cod with Shiitakes and Soba in Miso Broth
adapted from Gourmet, February 2008

Serves 4

4 x 6‑oz (170‑g) pieces Pacific cod or hake fillet (about 1 inch thick)
2 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 lb (110 g) sliced shiitake mushroom caps
10 oz (280 g) soba noodles
4 cups (1 liter) water
2 to 3 tablespoons miso paste (depending on the strength of the miso paste)
1 scallion, thinly sliced
accompaniments: toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, Sriracha hot sauce

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C) with rack in the middle.

Pat the fish dry in a small shallow baking pan and drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon oil, then sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Toss the mushrooms with the remaining 2 tablespoons oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper, then spread them in another small shallow baking pan.

Roast the fish and mushrooms, stirring the mushrooms once or twice, until the fish is just cooked through and the mushrooms are crisp, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook, drain and rinse the soba noodles according to the package directions. Bring the water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, then stir in the miso paste. Simmer the miso soup for 5 to 10 minutes, making sure the paste is thoroughly dissolved.

Divide the soup, mushrooms, soba and fish among 4 shallow bowls and top with the sliced scallion. Add toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, and/or Sriracha to taste.

***

Lettuce Dressed Asian-style

Serves 2

4 cups (110 g) mixed baby lettuce greens
2 to 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 to 2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
pinch of sea salt

Wash and thoroughly dry the greens. Place the greens in a large salad bowl and drizzle with rice vinegar, sesame oil, and olive oil. The amount of vinegar and oil can be varied, depending on your preference. Toss the greens gently to coat, then taste and season with a pinch of sea salt.

Potatoes, Poultry

Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey and Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon

I grew up in Texas and, despite my Illinois born and bred Yankee parents, I developed a true love for Southern soul food. I crave okra, gumbo, hush puppies, and barbecue all the more because it’s hard to find these culinary gems here in Milwaukee. Of all the things I crave, however, collard greens are the dish I cook the most. Not having grown up in a household where greens were ever eaten, much less cooked, it took many years of experimentation before I found a tried and true method for cooking them. Years ago, an elderly gentleman in our local supermarket stopped me as I was examining a bunch of collard greens to ask if I was buying the greens for myself. I told him they were for me and he promptly asked if I knew how to make them. I told him my back story (Texas transplant) and admitted that I had yet to master this seemingly simple dish. He made me promise to try simmering my greens with smoked turkey and, voilà!, I finally had a collard greens recipe worth sharing.

Collard Greens with Smoked Turkey

Serves 8 as side dish, 4 as main course

1 smoked turkey leg
6 cups (1.5 liters) water
1 onion, diced
2 bunches collard greens
1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
1 clove garlic, minced
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
vinegar and hot sauce, to serve

Combine the turkey, water and onion in a large stock pot set over a medium-high heat. Bring the water to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 to 60 minutes.

While the turkey “broth” simmers, wash the collard greens. Remove the large stems from the greens and slice each leaf crosswise into 1/2‑inch strips. To speed up this process, I stack 2 to 3 destemmed leaves together, roll them up crosswise into “cigars”, then slice each “cigar” into strips. Rewash the greens again to remove any remaining grit.

Add the greens to the turkey “broth”, pushing them down until they are completely submerged. Stir in the red chili flakes and garlic. Simmer the greens until they’re very tender, about 2 hours. Add salt and pepper to taste. I usually add about 1 teaspoon of salt. Please note that you’ll need to taste the “broth” before adding the salt. Some smoked turkey is very salty and won’t need much, if any, salt.

Before serving, remove the meat from the turkey leg and pull into bite-sized pieces. Serve the greens in bowls, topped with the turkey pieces, a splash of vinegar, and hot sauce.

***

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon
adapted from Gourmet, October 2007

Serves 6 as side dish

1/2 lb (225 g) sliced bacon, cut into 1/4‑inch strips
2 medium onions, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 lb (900 g) sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2‑inch cubes
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Cook the bacon in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over a medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to drain, reserving the fat in skillet.

Add the onions, bell pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened. Stir in the potatoes and another 1/2 teaspoon of salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the potatoes are tender and starting to brown, 10 to 14 minutes. Stir in the thyme, bacon, and more salt and pepper to taste.

Indian food, Pork, Salads

Pork Vindaloo, Roasted Cauliflower, and Cucumber Raita

I love Indian food, but the more I research my favorite recipes, the more I realize they’re about as Indian as chop suey is Chinese. For example, Scotland lays claim to my favorite “Indian” dish, chicken tikka masala. My runner-up “Indian” favorite, pork vindaloo, is actually Portuguese in origin. I was drawn to vindaloo dishes because they’re usually listed as the most spicy dishes on Indian restaurant menus. Besides being spicy, vindaloos are quite tangy, made with a good amount of vinegar. I should warn you, the recipe calls for a large amount of oil. I use much less than the amount of oil called for in the original recipe and still find myself shocked when I pour the 2/3 cup into the pan. But trust me, it all comes together superbly.

pork vindaloo

Pork Vindaloo
adapted from epicurious.com

Serves 4 to 6

2 teaspoons whole cumin seeds
2 to 3 dried red chilies
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon cardamon seeds
1 x 3‑inch stick of cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons whole black or brown mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
5 tablespoons white or white wine vinegar
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil
2 large onions, peeled and finely sliced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and separated
2 lb (900 g) pork, trimmed and cut into 1‑inch cubes [Note: country style ribs work well]
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 cup (240 ml) water
cooked white or brown basmati rice, to serve

Grind the cumin seeds, red chilies, peppercorns, cardamon seeds, cinnamon, mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds in a coffee mill, spice mill or pestle and mortar. Put the ground spices in a small bowl. Stir in the vinegar, salt and brown sugar. Set aside.

Heat the oil in a wide pot over a medium heat. Put the onions in and fry, stirring frequently, until the onions turn brown and crisp. (Be careful not to over-brown or it will have a burned taste.)

Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Place the cooked onions into an electric blender or food processor. Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of water and puree the onions. Add this puree to the ground spice mixture in the bowl. This is the vindaloo paste.

Rinse the blender or processor and add the ginger, garlic and 2 to 3 tablespoons water and blend until you have a smooth paste.

Heat the oil remaining in the pot that you cooked the onions in over a medium-high heat. Cook the pork cubes a few at a time, browning lightly on all sides. Remove each batch with a slotted spoon and keep in a bowl. Repeat until all the pork has been browned.

Now add the ginger-garlic paste into the same pot and reduce the heat to medium. Stir the paste for a few seconds. Add the coriander and turmeric. Stir for another few seconds. Add the pork cubes and any juice that has accumulated in the bowl, the vindaloo paste and 1 cup (240 ml) water. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer gently for 1 hour, or until the pork is tender. Stir occasionally. Serve over cooked basmati rice with raita.

***

Roasted Cauliflower

Serves 6

1 head cauliflower
4 to 5 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat the oven to  425°F (220°C).

Cut the cauliflower in half lengthwise. Remove the stem and about 1 inch of the core with a paring knife. Slice each half of the cauliflower into 3 wedges (or 4 wedges if the head is large).

Place the wedges on a baking sheet. Drizzle the wedges with enough olive oil to coat each piece (about 4 tablespoons total). Using your hands, gently toss the wedges until well coated with the olive oil. Sprinkle the cauliflower with the salt.

Cover the baking sheet with aluminum foil, crimping the sides so that steam will not escape. Roast for 10 minutes covered, then remove the foil and roast for another 10 minutes uncovered. Carefully turn the wedges over and roast for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the cauliflower is tender.

***

Cucumber Raita

Serves 4

1 1/2 cups (360 ml) plain yogurt
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1/2 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced small
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

pinch of cayenne pepper or garam masala

Beat together the yogurt and milk with a whisk until very smooth. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Sprinkle with cayenne or garam masala and chill for up to 2 hours. Serve this as a side dish to any spicy Indian dish.

30-minute meals, Cakes, Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Peas, Tossed Salad, and Beatty’s Chocolate Cake

Last week our beloved 13-year-old cat, Miso, was hit and killed by a car. The shock of his death quickly wore off, replaced by a constant tearfulness and an intense longing to pet him just one more time. Reuben and I grew up with Miso, moving him from student apartments in Madison to slightly nicer apartments in Chicago and finally to our home in Milwaukee. He was as loyal and wise as a dog and as stately as any person I have met. It’s still hard to pull into our driveway and not expect to see him in the window or waiting on the porch for me. After a week of grieving, I’m now able to comfort myself with the understanding that he lived a good and full life. Chocolate cake helped too. I know, I know, we shouldn’t eat out of emotion. But in my defense, the deliberate measuring, mixing, baking, and frosting of the cake were just as therapeutic as sitting down and pondering Miso’s life as I polished off piece after piece of the best cake I’ve ever tasted. Comfort food is, in fact, comforting.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Shrimp and Peas

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) fettuccine or linguine
3 tablespoons butter, divided
1 lb (450 g) raw shrimp
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 cups (360 ml) half-and-half (or 3/4 cup (180 ml) milk + 3/4 cup (180 ml) cream)
1 cup (150 g) grated fresh Parmesan
1 cup (140 g) fresh or frozen peas, cooked

Cook the pasta in boiling, salted water according to package directions. While the pasta cooks, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a small saute pan. Add the shrimp to the melted butter and cook over a medium heat for 4 to 5 minutes, until just cooked through. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over a medium heat. Add the half-and-half, cheese, and more salt and pepper, to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Do not boil. Reduce the heat and add the cooked pasta, shrimp, and peas, tossing gently to coat. Serve immediately in warm bowls.

***

chocolate cake

Beatty’s Chocolate Cake
adapted from Barefoot Contessa at Home by Ina Garten

Serves 8

butter, for greasing the pans
1 3/4 cups (210 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for pans
2 cups (400 g) sugar
3/4 cups (100 g) good-quality cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (240 ml) buttermilk, shaken
1/2 cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup (240 ml) freshly brewed hot coffee
chocolate buttercream (recipe follows)

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter 2 x 8‑inch round cake pans. Line with parchment paper, then butter and flour the pans.

Sift the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and mix on low speed until combined. In another bowl, combine the buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry. With the mixer still on low, add the coffee and stir just to combine, scraping the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in the pans for 30 minutes, then turn them out onto a cooling rack and cool completely.

Place 1 layer, flat side up, on a flat plate or cake pedestal. With a knife or offset spatula, spread the top with frosting. Place the second layer on top, rounded side up, and spread the frosting evenly on the top and sides of the cake.

Chocolate Buttercream

6 oz (170 g) good-quality semisweet chocolate
1/2 lb (2 sticks/225 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups (150 g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon instant coffee powder

Chop the chocolate and place it in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water. Stir until just melted and set aside until cooled to room temperature.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium-high speed until light yellow and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and continue beating for 3 minutes. Turn the mixer to low, gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, then beat at medium speed, scraping down the bowl as necessary, until smooth and creamy. Dissolve the coffee powder in 2 teaspoons of the hottest tap water. On low speed, add the chocolate and coffee to the butter mixture and mix until blended. Don’t whip! Spread immediately on the cooled cake.