All posts by Kelly

Italian food, Pasta and noodles, Pork

Rigatoni with Pork and Lemon Ragu and Garlic Sauteed Spinach

After more than a year of blogging, nearly all my favorite recipes have been gathered, photographed and posted. While this has forced me to try out new recipes, the new recipes don’t always turn out to be blog-worthy. Sometimes they don’t even turn out to be edible. Thankfully, friends and family will sometimes throw a tried and true recipe of their own my way. Leah, high school friend of Kristin and me, also of Tzatziki Chicken fame, sent me a bunch of her family’s favorite recipes earlier this month. This is the first of the bunch I tried and if the others are even half as tasty, we’re in for some good eating in my house. Thank you, Leah! If anyone else has a favorite recipe of their own, please send them our way.

Rigatoni with Pork and Lemon Ragu
adapted from Easy Everyday: Simple Recipes for No-fuss Food (Ryland Peters & Small))

Serves 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (450 g) ground pork
1 onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 anchovy fillets in oil, drained
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary leaves, minced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1 lb (450 g) rigatoni
2 cups (475 ml) whole milk
handful of good quality green olives, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 cup (50 g) Parmesan shavings, plus extra to serve
salt and black pepper, to taste

Put a large pan of salted water on to boil for the rigatoni.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat and add the pork. Cook the pork 3–4 minutes until lightly browned, breaking up clumps with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the onion, garlic, anchovies, rosemary, and lemon zest and stir to combine with the pork. Reduce the heat, cover, and let the onion soften for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

When the salted water is boiling, add the rigatoni and cook according to the package instructions until al dent and drain.

When the onion is translucent, add the milk, lemon juice, and olives, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the skillet to loosen any sticky, flavorful bits and incorporating them into the sauce. Simmer for 15 minutes or utnil about two-thirds of the liquid has evaporated and the pork is soft. Stir in the cream, then season with nutmeg, salt, and pepper.

Carefully stir in the cooked rigatoni to the pork ragu. Add the Parmesan and transfer to bowl, sprinkling extra Parmesan on top if desired.

***

Garlic Sauteed Spinach

Serves 4

2 bunches spinach, stems removed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
lemon juice or rice wine vinegar, to taste

Fill your sink or a large bowl with cold water. Add the spinach to the water and let it soak for a few minutes. Any dirt on the spinach should settle to the bottom of the sink or bowl. Remove the spinach, drain the water (and any dirt) and repeat the procedure to remove any remaining dirt. Drain the spinach and dry it as much as possible in a salad spinner or on a dish towel.

Heat the olive oil and butter over medium heat in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook 1–2 minutes until it is just starting to turn golden. Add half the spinach and stir until it begins to wilt. Add the other half of the spinach and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for another 4–5 minutes until fully wilted but still green. Season with salt and lemon juice or vinegar, to taste.

Appetizers, Mexican food, Poultry

Chipotle Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs with Pico de Gallo

As much as I hate to see it go, summer is on its way out. Our bathing suits and beach towels are washed and stored. Jackets and jeans have come out of hiding. Apples are reappearing in our CSA box. And sadly, we harvested the last of our backyard tomatoes. I love tomatoes. I love them enough to avoid eating them out of season when they are pithy, tasteless and generally useless. So to honor the last of our tomatoes, I paired them with our backyard’s real bounty — serrano chilies. The tomatoes and chilies in the pico de gallo provide a nice acidity and heat for the savory grilled chicken thighs. It even livened up the plain white rice I served with it.

Another note on peppers — we grew a bumper crop of hot (really hot) ones this year thanks to a new sunny garden bed and good weather. We obviously couldn’t eat a basket of hot peppers each week, so I made up a huge jar of homemade pickled serranos and jalapenos. If anyone else is looking for a way to preserve their own peppers, check out this fabulous recipe from David Lebovitz for pickled jalapenos. Delicious, easy, and perfect for topping nachos.

Chipotle Lime Grilled Chicken Thighs 
adapted from Gourmet, June 2006

Serves 4 to 6

1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lime juice
1/4 cup (60 ml) olive oil
2 canned chipotles in adobo, minced
1 teaspoon salt
6 to 8 large skinless boneless chicken thighs
1 tablespoon honey

Prepare your grill for cooking over direct heat with medium-hot charcoal (moderate heat for gas).

While the coals are lighting, stir together the lime juice, oil, minced chipotle, and salt in a liquid-measuring cup. Put the chicken in a large sealable bag and add 1/3 cup (80 ml) marinade (reserve the remainder in a cup). Seal the bag, forcing out excess air, and marinate the chicken at room temperature for about 15 minutes. Stir the honey into the remaining marinade until dissolved to make a sauce.

Grill the chicken (discarding the marinade in the bag) on a lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using a gas grill, turning the chicken over occasionally and moving it to avoid flare-ups if necessary, until just cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes total.

Brush both sides of the chicken with some of the reserved sauce, then continue to grill, turning over once, until lightly browned, about 1 minute more. Serve the chicken drizzled with remaining sauce and topped with pico de gallo, if desired.

***

Pico de Gallo

Makes about 2 cups (480 ml)

1/2 onion (white or red), minced
2 large, ripe tomatoes, diced small
1 jalapeno or serrano chili, minced (remove seeds before mincing to lessen heat)
juice of 1/2 lime
handful of chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Place the onion in a colander and rinse under cold water, then drain. Gently mix together all of the ingredients, including the onion, in a medium bowl. Taste and add more lime juice, salt and/or pepper, if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips or as a topping to meat, fish, or poultry.

30-minute meals, Appetizers, Seafood

Smoked Salmon Pizza

It’s no secret that I like to serve appetizers as dinner when I can get away with it. Some starters easily morph into the role of main course, such as spring rolls with pork meatballs and shrimp won tons in soup, while other appetizers aren’t really up to the task. I vividly remember the night that I served Reuben seven-layer taco dip and corn chips for dinner. Needless to say, I ended up eating a lot of taco dip by myself that evening.

I’m pretty positive this “pizza” is intended as a first course, but like most parents, I don’t do “courses” with the kids and I really wanted to try this recipe. Paired with vine-ripened tomatoes from our backyard, the pizza alone was plenty for the three (and a half) of us. Admittedly, it’s probably more of a brunch than dinner, reminiscent of a good bagel but lighter and with better textures, especially with the addition of sliced tomatoes.

Smoked Salmon Pizza
adapted from Wolfgang Puck

Makes 1 pizza

8 oz (225 g) prepared (unbaked) pizza dough (white or whole wheat)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 large or 1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
1/2 cup (120 ml) sour cream
1 teaspoon dried dill (or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill)
1 tablespoon chopped red onion
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
5 oz (140 g) thinly sliced smoked salmon
1 large or 2 small tomatoes, sliced thinly (optional)

Preheat the oven to 500°F (260°C).

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 10-inch round. The thinner the dough, the crispier the crust when baked. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet and brush the dough with olive oil. Scatter the sliced onion over the top of the dough and bake until the crust is golden brown, about 7 to 10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the dough. Let the baked crust cool for 5 minutes.

While the crust bakes, mix together the sour cream, dill, chopped red onion, and lemon juice.

After the crust cools, spread the sour cream mixture over the top of the crust to within an inch of the edge. Arrange the salmon to cover the surface entirely. Use a pizza wheel to slice the pizza into 6 pieces. If using tomato, top each piece of pizza with 1 or two tomato slices. Serve immediately.

30-minute meals, Poultry

Turkey Meatballs with Walnuts, Cilantro, Golden Raisins, and Lemon-Cumin Yogurt Sauce over Couscous

Kristin and I are food psychic — strange but true. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve emailed her about a great cake I just made only to find she made the same thing (or something close) the day before. This blog has only confirmed my suspicions. I now double check the titles of her planned posts before doing my meal planning or, heaven forbid, I’ll risk making the same thing and will have lost a post opportunity. Last week, I opened up Molly Wizenberg’s A Homemade Life, planning to make bouchons au thon and these fantastic-sounding meatballs. Well, Kristin beat me to the tuna corks, but I’m happy enough to be able to share these sweet and savory meatballs. I suspected they would be lovely and so doubled the recipe for leftovers. I’m glad I did, because the second batch made for an amazing lunch the next day.

Turkey Meatballs with Walnuts, Cilantro, Golden Raisins, and Lemon-Cumin Yogurt Sauce
adapted from A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg (or via Orangette)

Makes about 40 meatballs (serves 4 for dinner plus leftovers the next day)

for the sauce:
2 cups (480 ml) plain yogurt
juice of 1 lemon
1 clove garlic, grated or minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt

for the meatballs:
2 lb (900 g) ground turkey or chicken (mix of light and dark meat)
1 small yellow onion, minced
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup (15 g) finely chopped cilantro (coriander)
1 cup (100 g) chopped walnuts or pine nuts
1 cup (160 g) golden raisins, roughly chopped if they’re large
1 cup (100 g) panko or breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
cooked couscous, for serving

To make the yogurt sauce, combine the yogurt, lemon juice, garlic, cumin, and salt in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside at room temperature to let the flavors develop while you make the meatballs.

To make the meatballs, gently mix all the meatball ingredients except the olive oil and couscous together in a bowl, using your hands. Take care not to overmix the meat (which would make the meatballs tough), but make sure all the ingredients are evenly mixed. Form the mixture into 1 1/2‑inch balls and set aside on a large plate. (Raw meatballs can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day. Alternatively, place them, not touching, on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze until hard, then transfer them to a heavy-duty plastic bag and freeze for up to 2 weeks.)

Heat a thin film of olive oil in a heavy skillet over a moderate heat and saute the meatballs in batches (don’t overcrowd them in the pan). As they begin to color, turn them gently with tongs so that they’re golden on all sides. They should be done when they’re evenly browned and feel medium firm (but not hard) to the touch. Place on a paper towel to drain. Add additional oil to the skillet if it looks dry and cook the remaining meatballs. Serve hot, warm, or cold with yogurt sauce and couscous.

Miscellaneous, Potatoes, Poultry

Beer Can Chicken and Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Maple Jalapeno Sour Cream

After over a year apart, Kristin and I were finally able to cook together last week during her trip back to the Midwest. In anticipation of her visit, and remembering her recent laments about the lack of weather worthy of grilling in Ireland, I cooked a few days of grill-friendly meals: fajitas (excellent excuse for homemade margaritas), kofta kabobs, and this summer’s favorite discovery, beer can chicken. I’ve read about the beer can technique for years but couldn’t bring myself to literally stuff a bird with a beverage until recently. My distrust was completely unfounded because this recipe rocks. Plus, it makes for a funny blog picture.

For a delicious and easy side dish, I roasted sweet potatoes and served them with make-it-in-a-minute maple jalapeno sour cream. I like to roast my potatoes right alongside the chicken to avoid heating up the kitchen. To roast sweet potatoes in a charcoal grill, simply wrap the sweet potatoes in foil (heavy duty recommended) and place them on or near the hot coals. Roast them until tender, usually 60 to 75 minutes, depending on the size of the sweet potatoes, their proximity to the coals, and the heat of the fire.

Beer Can Chicken

Beer Can Chicken
adapted from Food Network

Serves 6

You can also make beer can chicken in the oven instead of on a grill — try following the cooking instructions for this version of it (but note that this recipe calls for a smaller chicken; adjust your cooking time accordingly).

1 x 4 lb (about 2 kg) whole chicken
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons of your favorite dry spice rub
1 can of beer

Remove the neck and giblets from the chicken and discard. Rinse the chicken inside and out, and pat it dry with paper towels. Rub the chicken lightly with oil, then rub it inside and out with salt, pepper and the dry rub. Set the chicken aside.

Open the beer can and take a few sips (make them big gulps so that the can is only half full). Place the beer can on a solid surface. Grabbing a chicken leg in each hand, plunk the bird cavity over the beer can. Transfer the bird-on-a-can to your grill and place it in the center of the grate, balancing the bird on its 2 legs and the can like a tripod.

Cook the chicken over medium-high, indirect heat (i.e. no coals or burners on directly under the bird), with the grill cover on, for approximately 1 1/4 hours or until the internal temperature registers 165°F in the breast area and 180°F in the thigh, or until the thigh juice runs clear when pierced with a sharp knife. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving.

***

Maple Jalapeno Sour Cream

Makes 2 cups

2 cups (480 ml) sour cream
1 jalapeno, minced (seeds and membranes removed before mincing if you don’t want it too spicy)
2 tablespoons maple syrup
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Gently mix all the ingredients in a small bowl. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 4 hours. Dollop on top of the roasted sweet potatoes.

Asian food, Rice, Salads, Seafood

Salmon with Asian Slaw

After a long, hot, relaxing day at the beach, the last thing I wanted to do was turn on the oven, stand over a simmering pot, or even think much about dinner. I also needed to use up at least one of my numerous bulbs of kohlrabi. This simple yet elegant dish was the perfect solution. If you are not familiar with kohlrabi, the slaw is a nice way to try it. I prefer it in salads like this one, raw and thinly sliced. Its crunchiness holds up nicely in the vinaigrette so it can marinate for as long as you need it to without losing texture or taste. If you can’t find kohlrabi or are afraid of its UFO like appearance, celery, jicama, or even green apple could be substituted.

Salmon with Asian Slaw
serves 4

Slaw:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 kohlrabi, peeled and julienned
1 small head napa cabbage, thinly sliced crosswise to “shred”
3–5 scallions, white and green parts, chopped
1 serrano or jalapeno, thinly sliced
2 carrots, shredded
2–3 radishes, diced
1 Kirby (or 1/2 regular) cucumber, diced

Salmon:
1 tablespoon canola or grapeseed oil
4 salmon fillets (about 6 oz each)
salt and pepper, to taste
3–4 cups cooked jasmine rice

Combine the slaw ingredients in a large bowl. Feel free to add more vinegar, sesame oil, tamari, lime, salt, pepper and serrano, to taste. Sometimes I add a half cup of mayonnaise for extra creaminess. Toss the slaw gently and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, preferably an hour.

About 15 minutes before serving, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Season the salmon with salt and pepper. Add the salmon to the hot oil and cook about 8 minutes until nicely browned. Turn the salmon over and continue cooking until cooked through, 3–5 minutes longer depending on the thickness of the fillets.

For each serving, mound rice in the center of a dinner plate. Place a salmon fillet in the center of the rice, then top with the chilled slaw.

Beef, Bread, Fruit, Slow cooker

Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoff and Strawberry Bread

I’ll make this short for all of you who, like myself, are trying to fit 25 hours of living into a 24-hour day. First, if you don’t have a slow cooker, buy one. Don’t be afraid to leave the house with it on and don’t attempt to make anything fancy in it. The slow cooker can do a lot, but it doesn’t make pretty food. Stephanie O’Dea has a great slow cooker blog and now a companion cookbook, where I found this recipe. It’s the “working mom” version of one of my childhood favorites — my German great-grandmother’s stroganoff. It would be best served on her homemade spaetzle, but good-quality egg noodles are a fine substitute.

The strawberry bread is perfect for using up the last of the great strawberries of the season. It can be made ahead and lasts for several days, covered, at room temperature. It can also be wrapped tightly in wax paper, then plastic wrap and stored in the freezer for a few months. Like banana bread, this strawberry bread is healthy enough to eat for breakfast but tasty enough to eat as dessert.

Creamy Slow Cooker Stroganoff
adapted from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow: The Big Book of Everyday Slow Cooking by Stephanie O’Dea

Serves 6

2 lb (900 g) beef stew meat
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 onion, diced
8 oz (225 g) mushrooms, quartered or sliced
1/4 cup (60 ml) broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried herbes de Provence or thyme
4 oz (110 g) cream cheese, diced
egg noodles, for serving

Put the meat into the slow cooker (frozen is fine). Add the butter, milk, Worcestershire sauce, onion, mushrooms, broth, salt, pepper, and dried herbs. Cook on low for 10 to 12 hours, or until the meat is tender. Stir in the cream cheese and cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper, if necessary. Serve over cooked egg noodles.

***

Strawberry Bread

Makes 2 loaves

1 lb (450 g, or about 4 cups) sliced strawberries
1 1/2 cups (300 g) sugar
2 1/8 cups (255 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (125 g) whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (180 ml) canola or vegetable oil
1/2 cup (120 ml) applesauce
4 eggs, beaten lightly
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/4 cups (125 g) chopped toasted pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and flour two 5 x 9 inch loaf pans.

In a small bowl, combine the sugar and strawberries; set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flours, cinnamon, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the oil, applesauce, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the strawberry and sugar mixture. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined, then fold in the pecans.

Pour the batter into the prepared pans and bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the loaves on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove the loaves from the pans and continue cooling on rack. Serve at room temperature.

Indian food, Poultry

Chicken Saag with Cucumber Raita

Just when I thought my food rut couldn’t get any deeper (you may have noticed my lack of posts), our CSA, Rare Earth Farm, delivered its first box of the season. How easy it is to forget the ease and joy of cooking after the harsh winter and cool spring of northern climates. But the box brought such an abundance of good, fresh produce I couldn’t help but be excited. Right now strawberries, spinach, and snap peas are making daily appearances at my house. The kids are delighted, though their clothes are suffering from the strawberry stains. And the spinach was so pretty, I had to photograph it even before the cooking began.

If you’re dealing with an overabundance of spinach, this chicken saag recipe is a great way to quickly use up a large quantity of it. The finished dish didn’t look quite as pretty as the bouquets of leaves I started with, but its creamy, delicate sauce more than made up for it.

Chicken Saag
adapted from Indianfoodforever.com

Serves 6

1 1/2 lb (680 g) spinach, stems removed if tough, washed and chopped
7 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 inch piece of ginger, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 large onions, minced
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can of diced tomatoes, crushed with your fingers
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or more if you like it spicy)
1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
2 cardamom pods
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 1/2 lb (680 g) boneless, skinless chicken, cut into 1 inch pieces
4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon garam masala
2 tablespoons butter, cut into cubes
basmati rice or naan, for serving

Put the spinach into a deep pan. Add 1/4 cup (60 ml) of water and cover. Bring to a boil and remove from the heat. When cool, puree the spinach in a food processor or blender and set aside.

Heat 4 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or dutch oven. Fry the chicken for 3 to 4 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove the chicken from the pan and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet and add the ginger, garlic and onions and saute until lightly brown. Add the tomatoes, salt, cayenne, ground coriander, turmeric, cloves, and cardamom. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of water. Cook for 10 minutes over a low heat. Add the chicken and milk to the skillet and simmer until the chicken is tender and cooked fully, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Add the spinach puree and garam masala to the skillet. Cook, stirring frequently, until the spinach starts sticking to the pan, about 5 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in the butter. Keep the skillet covered until ready to serve. Serve with rice or naan.

***

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.