All posts by Kristin

Fruit, Holidays, Potatoes, Seafood

Salmon with Maple Mustard Sauce, Apple, Potato and Onion Gratin, and Sauteed Carrots

I love routine. The start of a new school year every September or a new semester in college always threw me for a loop for the first couple of weeks, until I settled into a new schedule. When my daughter was born, I felt like I was going crazy by the time she was six weeks old because there was no predictable or dependable pattern to my days — she might nap for 15 minutes or three hours; I might get to have lunch and a shower, I might not. (The New Contented Little Baby Book was a lifesaver when I discovered it.) When I was in high school, I had the same lunch every day for four years — a sandwich, a carton of yogurt and an apple — and all my life, I only ever ate one kind of apple: Granny Smiths.

But earlier this autumn, I made a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a few snacks to take on an impromptu after-school trip to the beach and grabbed a bag of Pink Lady apples. And I liked them! Since then, I’ve been branching out into other varieties — Braeburn, Cox’s Orange Pippins, Bramleys, Galas — all of them good. For someone who likes to cook and try different things, I feel more than a little silly for stubbornly sticking with the same thing for so long.

This apple, potato and onion gratin is easy enough to make for an everyday meal, especially if you use a mandolin or the slicing blade of a food processor, but good enough to be a side dish at a holiday dinner like Thanksgiving.I used Pink Lady apples in it — you know, just to shake things up a little.

Salmon with Maple Mustard Sauce 
adapted from Gourmet, January 2003

Serves 4

If you don’t have maple syrup, use honey instead, making this a honey mustard sauce that’s equally as good.

4 x 7‑oz (200‑g) pieces center-cut salmon fillet (1 1/4 inches thick), skinned
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (or honey)
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/4 cup chopped scallion greens

Pat the salmon dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over a moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then saute the salmon in 2 batches, starting with the skinned sides up and turning over once, until just cooked through, 6 to 9 minutes per batch. Transfer to a platter and keep warm, covered.

Remove the skillet from the heat and cool for 1 minute. Whisk in the remaining ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. Pour the sauce over the salmon and serve straightaway.

***

Apple, Potato, and Onion Gratin 
adapted from Bon Appétit, February 2005

Serves 8

6 tablespoons (90 g) butter, divided
2 lb (900 g) onions, sliced
2 tablespoons (packed) chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons fine sea salt, divided
2/3 cup (160 ml) water
2/3 cup (160 ml) dry white wine
2 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 lb (1.1 kg) Yukon Gold or Yellow Finn potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4‑inch-thick rounds (or use any waxy or red-skinned potato)
2 lb (900 g) tart apples (such as Granny Smith, Pippin, or Pink Lady), peeled, halved, cored and cut into 1/4‑inch-thick slices

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 13 x 9 x 2‑inch glass or ceramic baking dish. Melt half the butter in a large nonstick skillet over a medium heat. Add the onions, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt. Saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high and saute until the onions are tender and begin to color, about 8 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Add the remaining butter and the water, wine, and sugar to the skillet, stirring and swirling the skillet to combine. Bring to the boil, then cool the onion mixture until it’s lukewarm.

Combine the potatoes, apples, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and the onion mixture in a large bowl and toss gently to blend. Transfer to the prepared baking dish, spreading evenly. Cover the dish with parchment paper, then cover with foil, shiny side down. Bake the gratin until the potatoes are tender, about 55 minutes. Uncover and bake until the top browns and juices bubble thickly, about 15 to 20 minutes longer. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Let stand uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm, loosely covered with foil, in 300°F (150°C) oven for 20 minutes.) Let the gratin stand for 15 minutes before serving.

***

Sauteed Carrots
from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

Serves 6

2 lb (900 g) carrots
1/3 cup (80 ml) water
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons (30 g) unsalted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley

Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4‑inch slices. Place the carrots, water, salt, and pepper in a large (10– to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over a medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.

Poultry

Chicken with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce, French String Beans and Mashed Potatoes

Did you know that America has a National Mustard Museum? If I wasn’t painting the town red over in New Glarus in my college years, you might find me over in Mt. Horeb, put on the map not only for its museum, but for its Trollway too. The museum, which opened in 1992 and just moved from Mt. Horeb to Middleton, now has 5,2oo jars of mustard, 1,500 mustard pots and hundreds of items of mustard memorabilia. If you’re ever in southern Wisconsin, it’s worth checking out. 

This is all by way of saying that if you like mustard, then you’re going to love this Dijon mustard sauce. Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs at Food52 weren’t kidding when they said, “You will sop up every last bit of sauce with bread because it is so delicious.” I’m not ashamed to admit that I scooped up the last few spoonfuls of sauce straight from the frying pan.

Chicken with Creamy Dijon Mustard Sauce
adapted from Maria Teresa Jorge at Food52.com

Serves 6

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
10 sage leaves
12 garlic cloves, skin left on
8 chicken thighs
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock (or water if you don’t have stock), heated
1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine
1/3 cup (80 ml) cognac
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (120 ml) cream
salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a large pan, add the butter and the olive oil, the sage leaves and the garlic cloves with the skin on them. When the butter starts to sizzle, add the chicken thighs, skin side down, and let them get golden brown over a medium-low heat. Turn them with a spatula without damaging the chicken and brown the other side. They will be cooking more later, so you just want to get the nice golden brown color now.

Remove the chicken from the pan, add the white wine and the cognac and deglaze the pan, scraping up any crispy bits stuck on the bottom. Let the alcohol evaporate completely, then add the mustard and dissolve in the sauce with a whisk.

Add the chicken thighs back to the pan. Add enough hot chicken stock so that it comes up two-thirds of the height of the chicken thighs. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper and simmer over a low heat, covered, for 20 minutes.

Remove the cooked chicken thighs and keep warm. Let the sauce simmer over a low heat to reduce to as much as you will need for the 8 thighs. Squeeze the garlic cloves and sage in the pan with the back of a wooden spoon or spatula to release more flavor, then discard them.

In a bowl, sift the flour and dissolve it in 3 tablespoons of cream using a whisk. Add the remaining cream and whisk. Now add a bit of hot sauce, whisk together very well and slowly pour the cream mixture into the pan, whisking well with all the sauce, over a very low heat. Keep whisking so the sauce doesn’t stick to the bottom.

Let the sauce reduce again to the amount you need, always stirring. You will need about 1 cup (240 ml) of sauce to serve with the 8 chicken thighs. Pour the hot sauce over the chicken thighs and serve immediately with some mashed potatoes.

***

French String Beans
from Barefoot in Paris by Ina Garten

Serves 6

1 lb (450 g) French string beans, both ends removed
kosher salt
1 red onion, large-diced
1/2 red pepper, large-diced
1/2 yellow pepper, large-diced
good olive oil
freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for just 4 minutes. Drain immediately and immerse in a large bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. When they are cool, drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl toss the onion and bell peppers together with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for about 15 minutes, tossing with a spatula from time to time to be sure the vegetables roast evenly.

Just before serving, reheat the string beans in a large saute pan drizzled with a little olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and arrange on a platter. Spoon the roasted vegetables over the string beans and serve hot or at room temperature.

Bread, Fruit, Soups and stews

Carrot and Cilantro Soup with Brown Bread and Plum Oat Slices

Back in the days before I used to cook, we would often buy a carton of Avonmore ready-made carrot and coriander soup. I can’t think why now, seeing how easy this is to make. Pair the soup with a good-quality brown bread from the bakery along with a dessert that Delia Smith says is so easy even children can make it, and you have a quick midweek meal.

carrot and cilantro soup

Carrot and Cilantro Soup

Serves 4 to 6

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 white onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 lb (680 g) carrots, peeled and roughly chopped
1 large potato, peeled and roughly chopped
4 to 6 cups (1 to 1.4 liters) vegetable stock
1 bunch cilantro
salt and freshly ground black pepper
cream, to garnish (optional)

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot on a low to medium heat. Add the onions and sweat them, covered, for 10 minutes, until soft but not browned. Add the carrots and potatoes to the pot, give everything a good stir to coat in the oil, and sweat for another 10 minutes. Add 4 cups (1 liter) of the vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a summer and cook until all the vegetables are soft, about 15 minutes. Take the pot off the heat.

Add the cilantro to the soup, including the stems. Puree the soup in a blender or food processor or with a hand-held immersion blender, until smooth. Add the soup back to the pot, reheat it and season to taste. Add more stock if you think the soup is too thick (I wound up using 5 cups (1.2 liters) of stock). Add a swirl of cream to each portion of soup and serve.

***

Plum and Cinnamon Oat Slices
adapted from How to Cook: Book Two by Delia Smith

Makes 15 bars

1 lb (450 g) plums, halved and cut into thin slices
1 rounded teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups (160 g) porridge oats
1 3/4 cups (280 g) plain wholemeal flour
1 level teaspoon salt
1 cup (225 g) butter
3/4 cup (120 g) light brown sugar

You will also need a nonstick baking tin measuring 10 x 6 inches and 1 inch deep, lightly greased.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place the plum slices in a bowl and toss them around with the cinnamon. In a separate bowl, mix the flour, oats and salt together. Melt the butter and sugar in a small saucepan over a fairly gentle heat, stirring from time to time until the butter has melted. Mix the melted butter and sugar with the oat mixture, starting with a wooden spoon but finishing off with your hands so you end up with a lump of dough. Now halve the dough and press one half of the mixture into the baking tin, pressing it firmly all over the base with your hands like a wall-to-wall carpet. Next scatter the plums evenly over the surface, then top with the remaining oat mixture, again pressing down firmly.
Place the tin on the centre shelf of the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or a bit longer if you like the top really crispy. Remove the tin from the oven and allow to cool for about 10 minutes before marking into 15 squares – to do this, make 2 cuts lengthways, then 4 cuts widthways, and don’t worry if they’re not all even. Unless you want to serve these warm, leave them to cool completely in the tin.

Casseroles, Fruit, Pork, Poultry

Chicken, Sausage and Apple Casserole and Berries with Maple Cream

Earlier this year, I was working on a cookbook and came to realize that there are just some things that I’m probably never going to cook — things like wood pigeon, pheasant, partridge or oxtail. I completely skip over the chapters on feathered game and furred game in the Jamie at Home cookbook. And even though I’ll now eat both white and black pudding (aka blood sausage), I won’t touch things like tripe or kidneys and I couldn’t bring myself to try haggis when I was in Edinburgh several years ago. For this Yank, raised on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, I’m not terribly adventurous when it comes to food; pâté is the closet I get to eating offal. I’m just glad I didn’t dismiss this recipe out of hand when I first came across it last year, seeing as how it calls for rabbit. Lucky for me, Nigel Slater also explicitly said you could substitute chicken, otherwise I would never have tried what is now my favorite autumn casserole. But if you want to make it with rabbit, go right ahead. Just don’t ask me over to dinner.

Chicken, Sausage and Apple Casserole
adapted from Nigel Slater in The Observer

Serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
6 boneless chicken breasts (though you could use other bone-in chicken pieces if you prefer)
6 to 8 good-quality sausages
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 dessert apples (such as Granny Smith, McIntosh, Cox’s Orange Pippin or Braeburn), peeled, cored and chopped
3 sprigs rosemary, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
2 bay leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) apple cider or juice, chicken stock or, at a push, water
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy (optional)
2 x 14-oz (400‑g) cans of cannellini, flageolet or haricot beans
3 tablespoons double cream (optional)
1 tablespoon cider vinegar (or more to taste)
crusty bread, to serve

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot. Add the chicken breasts and sausages and let them brown nicely on all sides.

Remove the meat to a plate and add the onions to the pan. Let them soften without coloring, about 10 minutes. Add the apple, allowing it to color on all sides, adding more oil if necessary. Stir in the chopped rosemary, flour, bay leaves, salt and pepper, then the cider/juice or stock and brandy, if using. Let the liquid bubble for a couple of minutes, stirring to dissolve any crusty bits from the bottom of the pot. Stir in the drained, cooked beans. Add the chicken and sausage back to the pot, nestling them down into the liquid as much as possible.

Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, covered. Check the meat is tender, then stir in the cream if you are using it and the cider vinegar. The sauce should be quite sweet, but if it’s too much so, reduce it by stirring in more cider vinegar. Check the seasoning, adding more salt, pepper, and cider vinegar as necessary. Serve in shallow bowls, with plenty of good crusty bread to mop up the sauce.

***

Berries with Maple Cream
adapted from Every Day with Rachel Ray

Serves 8

Bon Appétit has a similar version of this, using frozen maple cream. I’d still like to try the Bon Appétit recipe someday, since it doesn’t require an ice cream maker, but this version is much faster and easier if you want a quick treat.

1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream
4 tablespoons maple syrup
3 cups (1 lb) assorted fresh or frozen berries (blueberries, raspberries, blackberries)
zest of 1 lemon or orange

In a large bowl, beat the cream until soft peaks form. Add the maple syrup and beat until the cream holds stiff peaks. Set aside. In another bowl, toss the berries with the lemon zest. Divide among 8 bowls and top with the maple cream.

Entertaining, Pork

Pork Chops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce, Roasted Butternut Squash and Mashed Potatoes

I bought a bottle of Maker’s Mark bourbon recently and am now using it wherever I can, like in these recipes for sweet potatoes (plus I can’t stop thinking about making bourbon blondies). I came across this recipe when it was posted at Simply Recipes in August and couldn’t wait to make it once the weather turned colder. We had a bit of an Indian summer in October, with temperatures staying mild, but winter seems to have blown in during the last week, along with the time change. We marked the occasion by lighting the first fires of the season and making this dish. The name says it all, really — how can you go wrong with bourbon and cream? It’s what comfort food wants to be when it grows up.

Pork Chops with Mushroom Bourbon Cream Sauce
adapted from Simply Recipes

Serves 4

I used the leftover sauce the next day to turn a humble lunch of mushrooms on toast into something decadent. This sauce would also be equally as good with some grilled chicken or used as a luxurious sauce for pasta.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb (450 g) sliced button or cremini mushrooms
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc)
1 cup (240 ml) chicken stock
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) bourbon whiskey
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large egg
2 tablespoons water
4 x 7‑oz (200‑g) center-cut pork chops
all-purpose flour
2 cups (200 g) fresh bread crumbs
3 tablespoons olive oil or grapeseed oil

Saute the onions, garlic, and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet on a medium-high heat until the mushrooms are browned, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and boil down until the liquid is reduced to almost a glaze, about 4 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bourbon and boil until reduced by two-thirds. Add the cream and simmer for several minutes, until the sauce thickens.

Whisk the egg and 2 tablespoons of water in a shallow baking dish. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Dip the chops first into the flour, then the egg mixture and lastly the breadcrumbs, coating then completely. Heat the olive or grapeseed oil in a large nonstick skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the pork chops and cook until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Turn the chops one more time, lower the heat to low, cover, and cook for an additional 5 minutes. (Alternatively, you can put the chops in a preheated oven at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 8 more minutes.)

When you’re almost ready to serve the pork, bring the sauce to a simmer and season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

***

Roasted Butternut Squash

Serves 4

1 large butternut squash
salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Peel and halve the squash and scoop out the seeds. Cut the squash into 1‑inch cubes (you don’t need to be precise, just keep the pieces uniformly small). Place the squash in a roasting tin, casserole dish or baking tray. Season well with salt and pepper and drizzle with olive oil, tossing everything together well with your hands to make sure all the squash is coated with the oil. Roast for 30 to 45 minutes, or until tender.

Desserts, Drinks, Holidays, Miscellaneous, Potatoes, Poultry

Cider-brined Turkey with Maple Chili Glaze, Homemade Stuffing, Bourbon Sweet Potato Puree, Roasted Winter Vegetables, and Nutmeg Maple Cream Pie

I know what you’re thinking — it’s only November 9th and she already has her entire Thanksgiving menu planned? I could try to blame it on the blog and say that I just wanted to get these recipes out there so that anyone who wanted to make any of them would have them well ahead of time so they can plan accordingly themselves … and that’s partly true. It’s also true that I’ve been making most of these recipes for years now, so I’m more or less just sticking to my tried-and-tested menu. But it’s also true that I had my children’s big Christmas presents ordered in July. I can’t help it — as a third-generation Virgo, planning ahead is just in my blood.

I should point out that this turkey recipe only uses the crown, which means you won’t get that Norman Rockwell moment of bringing a whole gloriously roasted turkey to the table. But honestly, don’t most people prefer the breast meat anyway? I find that using only the crown makes it easier and less time consuming to cook, not to mention that it takes up a lot less space in my fridge. Having said that, though, you could easily play around with this recipe to adjust it for a whole turkey. For anyone curious about the method behind the madness of brining a turkey, there are some interesting articles about it here and here. As for me, I’ve been brining turkey for years and think it’s the only way to go.

Poinsettia Cocktail
from Nigella Christmas by Nigella Lawson

Makes 8 to 9 glasses

1 x 75cl bottle of Prosecco or other fizzy dry wine, chilled
120 ml Cointreau, Grand Marnier or Triple Sec, chilled
500 ml cranberry juice, chilled

Mix all the ingredients in a large pitcher. Pour into wine glasses or champagne flutes and serve.

***

Cider-brined Turkey with Maple Chili Glaze 
adapted from A Kitchen Year by Paula McIntyre

Serves 8

1 x 11-lb (5‑kg) turkey crown
4 oz (110 g) butter, softened
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the brine solution:
9 oz (250 g) sea salt
3 cups (510 g) Demerara sugar or light brown sugar
8 cups (2 litres) cider
8 cups (2 litres) water
2 cinnamon sticks
juice and zest of 2 oranges
1 onion, chopped
handful fresh chopped sage, rosemary and thyme

for the maple chili glaze:
1 red chili
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 onion, finely chopped
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup (180 ml) cider
salt

To make the brine, bring all the brine ingredients to the boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Cool completely and add the turkey. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours. Remove from the brine and pat dry with paper towels.

To make the glaze, soak the chili in boiling water for 20 minutes. When cool enough to handle, remove the seeds and chop roughly. Heat the oil in a saucepan over a medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and golden, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped chili, maple syrup, vinegar and cider and simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Blend to a smooth puree in a blender or food processor and pass through a fine-meshed sieve (if you have one; don’t worry about it if you don’t). Return to the pan and simmer until it has reached a syrupy consistency, about 10 minutes. Check the seasoning.

To cook the turkey, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Place the turkey on a roasting rack and rub all over with the softened butter. Season well with salt and pepper. Cover with tin foil and place in the oven. Cook for 1 hour. Remove the foil and brush the glaze all over. Return to the oven and baste every 10 minutes. A good rule of thumb for cooking turkey is to allow 30 minutes per 2 1/4 lb (1 kg) plus an extra 15 minutes’ cooking time. A 11-lb (5‑kg) turkey breast will take just over 3 hours to cook and the internal temperature should register at least 160°F (70°C). Allow to rest at least 20 minutes before carving.

***

Homemade Stuffing
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 10 (or enough for a 16 to 20-lb (7 to 9‑kg) turkey or 2 medium casseroles)

Homemade stuffing isn’t nearly as hard to make as you might think, and it tastes so much better than Stovetop. This is the recipe I use for every Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner at our house now. It’s not as fancy or elaborate as a lot of stuffing recipes, but I like it for its unfussy simplicity. If you want to make this ahead (though not more than 1 day), make it up to the point where you spoon it into the casserole, then cook it in the oven when you want to serve it (though it might need longer in the oven than the 45 minutes given here).

3/4 cup (170 g) butter
2 cups chopped onions (2 or 3 onions)
2 cups sliced or chopped celery (3 or 4 stalks of celery)
1 to 2 teaspoons salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 teaspoons dried sage
3 teaspoons poultry seasoning
1/2 cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley
2 to 3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
4 quarts (about 4 liters) of 1/2‑inch bread cubes
2 cups (480 ml) vegetable or chicken broth, or both

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Melt the butter in a large pot and saute the chopped onion and celery in it until they are soft and just starting to color. Add about a teaspoon of salt, pepper to your taste, the herbs and the cider vinegar. Stir well and remove from the heat.

Put the bread cubes into the pot with the sauteed vegetables and herbs with all their butter, tossing everything together until it’s thoroughly combined. Drizzle on half the broth, toss again, and test. You’re aiming for a mixture that’s soft and moist throughout, but not soggy or soupy. Keep adding broth, a little at a time, mixing everything up well after each addition, until you have the consistency you like. The amount of broth used will vary quite a bit, depending on what kind of bread you use and how dry it is. If you’re roasting a turkey and plan to bake the stuffing separately but want the flavor of the turkey in it, you could add some drippings in place of part of the broth. In that case, however, cut down a little on the butter. If, on the other hand, you plan to stuff a turkey, leave the stuffing just a little on the dry side. When the texture feels right, taste and correct the seasoning with more salt or pepper if needed.

Spoon the stuffing into two buttered casserole dishes, or one very large one, cover well, and bake for about 45 minutes. Alternatively, spoon it into a turkey that’s been prepared for roasting.

***

Cranberry Sauce
adapted from The New Vegetarian Epicure by Anna Thomas

Serves 6 to 8

This keeps in the fridge for about 1 week, so is an ideal dish to make ahead.

12 oz (340 g) fresh cranberries
zest of 1 large orange
1 cup (240 ml) freshly squeezed orange juice
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
pinch of ground cloves

Wash the cranberries and discard any that are soft or spoiled. Combine the orange zest and juice in a heavy-bottomed saucepan with the sugar, cinnamon and cloves and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the cranberries, return to a boil, and stir over a medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Use a long-handled wooden spoon, as the cranberries can really spit at you as they cook and pop. When most of the cranberries have popped and the liquid is somewhat thickened, the sauce is done. Pour it into a serving dish and allow it to cool, then chill.

***

Bourbon Sweet Potato Puree with Mascarpone and Caramelized Maple Pecans

Serves 6 to 8

These caramelized pecans (or you could use walnuts) would also make a wonderful accompaniment to an after-dinner cheese plate. They can also be made up to a few days in advance to save time on the day. If you like this puree, you’ll also like these bourbon-mashed sweet potatoes.

for the sweet potato puree:
3 lb (1.4 kg) sweet potatoes (2 or 3 large potatoes)
3 tablespoons bourbon
1/2 cup (120 ml) mascarpone

for the caramelized maple pecans:
1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 cup (100 g) pecans

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Prick the potatoes with a fork and place them on the baking sheet. Bake for about 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are tender. (If using very large potatoes, make sure they are cooked all the way through.)

Meanwhile, to make the caramelized maple pecans, place the sugar, maple syrup and pecans in a small saucepan on a medium heat. Allow the sugar and syrup to caramelize slightly, without stirring, which will take about 15 minutes. Gently swirl the pan to spread the sugar evenly, then replace the pan on the heat to allow the sugar to caramelize completely. Once all the sugar has melted and has nicely browned and caramelized, carefully pour the pecans onto parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Allow the pecans to cool and harden, then break up the mixture to separate the nuts. Set aside.

When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel them and transfer to a food processor. Add the bourbon and mascarpone and process until the mixture is smooth.

Transfer the potato puree to a large gratin dish or casserole dish and smooth the top. Bake in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until heated through. Sprinkle the caramelized pecans evenly over the top and serve.

***

Roasted Winter Vegetables
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Family Style by Ina Garten

1 lb (450 g) carrots, peeled
1 lb (450 g) parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 lb/900 g)
3 tablespoons good-quality olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash into 1‑inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don’t cut them too small. Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper and toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, until all the vegetables are tender, turning once with a metal spatula. Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

***

Nutmeg-maple Cream Pie
pie is adapted from The New York Times and the crust from Orangette

Serves 8

Pastry is not my forte, but I’ve had good results with this crust from Orangette. If you have your own favorite pie crust recipe, by all means use that instead, or use a store-bought pie shell. Smitten Kitchen has two helpful pie crust tutorials here and here.

for the nutmeg-maple cream pie filling:
3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup
2 1/4 cups (540 ml) heavy cream
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the crust:
4 tablespoons ice water, plus more as needed
3/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups (180 g) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
9 tablespoons (4 1/2 oz/130 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

To make the crust, combine the 4 tablespoons of  ice water and the cider vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Pulse to blend. Add the butter, and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse meal; there should be no pieces of butter bigger than a large pea. With the motor running, slowly add the water-vinegar mixture, processing just until moist clumps form. If you pick up a handful of the dough and squeeze it in your fist, it should hold together. If the dough seems a bit dry, add more ice water by the teaspoon, pulsing to incorporate. (Molly at Orangette sometimes finds that 1 additional teaspoon is perfect.)

Turn the dough out onto a wooden board or clean countertop, and gather it, massaging and pressing, until it just holds together. Shape it into a ball, and press it into a disk about 1 1/2 inches thick. If the disk cracks a bit at the edges, don’t worry; just pinch the cracks together as well as you can. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and then press it a bit more, massaging away any cracks around the edges, allowing the constraint of the plastic wrap to help you form it into a smooth disk. Refrigerate the wrapped dough for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw it in the refrigerator overnight before using.) Before rolling it out, allow the dough to soften slightly at room temperature.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into a circle wide enough to fit a 9‑inch removable-bottom pie dish. Transfer the dough gently into the dish and ease it into the corners and up the sides. Trim the edges to extend about 1/2 inch beyond the dish, then fold the overhang inward and press it against the side of the pan to reinforce the edge.

To par-bake the pie crust, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the pie shell with foil or parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until it’s beginning to set. Remove the foil with weights and bake for 15 to 18 minutes longer, or until golden. If the shell puffs during baking, press it down with the back of spoon. Cool on a wire rack.

To make the pie filling, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium saucepan over a medium-high heat, reduce the maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add the cream mixture to the eggs. Strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup or bowl with a pouring spout. Stir in the salt, nutmeg and vanilla.

To assemble, pour the filling into the crust and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the pie is firm to the touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before serving.

One-pot wonders, Potatoes, Poultry

Maple Chicken and Ribs with Bourbon-Mashed Sweet Potatoes and Roasted Parsnips and Carrots

I love Nigella Lawson and have all her cookbooks. When Nigella Express was published two years ago, I even went to the bookstore on the day it was released to get my hands on a copy hot off the presses. The first thing I made was the instant chocolate mousse, which was perfectly fine (though actually a little too sweet for my taste). The second thing I made from the book was lamb shanks and beans. I’m not a big fan of lamb at the best of times, but when I made this I was in my first trimester of pregnancy, with the usual ailments — sensitive to smell and with occasional morning sickness. I could barely stand the smell of the lamb as it was cooking, and after just one bite, I gave one of the shanks to the dog and threw the rest straight into the wheelie bin outside so I wouldn’t be able to smell it anymore. After that, I didn’t really use that cookbook for the next two years.

But seeing as how the whole premise of the Nigella Express cookbook is fast, easy meals, which I’m in need of lately, and because I still love Nigella as much as ever, lamb shanks notwithstanding, I pulled the book back off the shelf again last week to give it another chance. And to think that I had this maple chicken and ribs recipe all that time and never made it! It’s the easiest, tastiest chicken I’ve made in months, and the maple flavor really comes through, unlike in a lot of dishes that use maple syrup. I’ve included a recipe for bourbon-mashed sweet potatoes as part of the dinner, but if you want to keep things as simple as possible, then just use plain mashed sweet potatoes that have been boiled on the stove top.

As always, Nigella says it best when describing this dish: “Your input is minimal, but what you get out is a big feast that feels homey and welcoming and makes everyone happy, you included.”

maple chicken

Maple Chicken ‘n’ Ribs
adapted from Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6 to 8

You can easily decrease the quantities here if you don’t want to make 6 to 8 servings, or make this only using ribs or chicken instead of both (I just made chicken).

12 pork spareribs
12 chicken thighs, skin and bone still on
1 cup (240 ml) apple juice, as sharp as possible
4 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 star anise (optional; by all means use them if you have them, but I wouldn’t get them just for this recipe)
1 cinnamon stick, halved
6 cloves garlic, unpeeled

Put the ribs and chicken pieces in a couple of large freezer bags or into a dish. Add the remaining ingredients, squelching everything together well, before sealing the bag or covering the dish. Leave to marinate in the fridge overnight or up to 2 days.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Pour the contents of the bag into one or two large roasting tins (making sure the chicken is skin-side up), place in the oven and cook for about 1 1/4 hours, by which time everything should be sticky and glossed chestnut brown.

***

Bourbon-Mashed Sweet Potatoes
adapted from Emeril Legasse’s recipe in Food Network Favorites

Serves 4 to 6

1 3/4 to 2 lb (800 to 900 g) sweet potatoes
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) bourbon whiskey
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons molasses or black treacle
1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Place the potatoes on a foil-lined baking sheet and prick each potato once or twice with a fork. Bake until they are tender and starting to ooze sugary syrup, about 1 hour and 15 minutes, depending on their size. Remove from the oven and let them sit until they’re cool enough to handle.

Cut a slit down each potato and scoop the flesh into a large bowl. Discard the skins. Add the cream, bourbon, brown sugar, molasses, and salt and beat on high speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Cover to keep warm, or gently reheat before serving.

***

Roasted Parsnips and Carrots
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten

Serves 4

The original recipe calls for the vegetables to be roasted at 425°F (220°C), but I’ve adapted it here to be 400°F (200°C), which is the temperature that the chicken and ribs are cooked at, meaning you can easily prepare both dishes in the same oven.

2 lb (900 g) parsnips, peeled
1 lb (450 g) carrots, unpeeled
3 tablespoon good olive oil
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or parsley

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

If the parsnips and carrots are very thick, cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each one diagonally into 1‑inch-thick slices. The vegetables will shrink while cooking, so don’t make the pieces too small. Place the cut vegetables on a baking tray. Add the olive oil, salt and pepper and toss well. Roast for 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the vegetables, tossing occasionally, until the parsnips and carrots are just tender. Sprinkle with dill or parsley and serve hot.

Grains and pulses, Mexican food, Rice, Salads, Vegetarian main dishes

Pumpkin, Feta and Cilantro Quesadillas and Lentil-Rice Salad with Chorizo

Sitting down to think about what to say about pumpkins, the first thing that popped into my head was the time my dad took me to the record store at the mall for my sixteenth birthday and let me pick out a CD as a present. I chose Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins, which back then was a cool new album. “Smashing … Pumpkins?” he said slowly. “What the heck kind of a name for a band is that?” No doubt I answered by just rolling my eyes. Fast forward another sixteen years, and instead of buying alternative CDs, I’m buying tickets at my daughter’s school for a pumpkin they’re raffling off as a fundraiser. How times change.

pumpkin quesadillas with lentil-rice salad

Pumpkin, Feta and Cilantro Quesadillas 
adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2009

Serves 6

1 lb (450 g) peeled and deseeded sugar pumpkin or butternut squash, cut into 1 1/2‑inch cubes (about 3 cups)
1 jalapeño, deseeded and finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
12 x 8‑inch-diameter flour tortillas
10 oz (280 g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 1/2 cups (45 g) coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, each cut into 6 wedges

Cook the pumpkin or squash in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender but not falling apart, about 10 minutes. Drain and cool for 10 minutes. While the pumpkin is still warm, transfer to a food processor or blender and puree until smooth. Stir in the jalapeño and season with salt and pepper.

Divide the pumpkin mixture equally among 6 tortillas (about 1/4 cup (60 ml) per tortilla) and spread it evenly across the tortilla. Sprinkle feta over each tortilla. Top each with 1/4 cup (10 g) cilantro and sprinkle with black pepper. Top with the second tortilla.

Heat a heavy, large griddle or skillet over a medium-high heat. Cook the quesadillas until golden and dark char marks appear, about 1 minute per side. Serve with lime wedges.

***

Lentil-Rice Salad with Chorizo
adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 4

for the dressing:
2 oz (60 g) chorizo, casing removed
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil, olive oil or a mixture of the two
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon oregano

for the salad:
2/3 cup (200 g) Puy or brown lentils (not red or yellow, as these will fall apart during cooking)
1/2 cup (90 g) rice (long-grain rice makes the fluffiest salad)
1 tablespoon salt
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
4 oz (110 g) chorizo or good-quality ham, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes
1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled and sliced
4 oz (110 g) baby spinach

First, make the dressing. Place the chorizo in a small skillet and set over a medium heat. Cook, stirring and breaking up clumps, until the sausage is browned and cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and stir for 1 minute, then remove from the heat.

Transfer the chorizo and garlic into a screw-top jar. Add the oil, vinegar and oregano, secure the lid and shake until smooth. Taste and season with salt if you think it needs it (Rick Bayless recommends 1/2 teaspoon). Refrigerate until ready to use. Shake well immediately before dressing a salad. If you want to use this as a warm dressing (as is common for spinach salad), microwave uncovered for 15 to 20 seconds, secure the lid and shake again.

To make the salad, pour about 2 quarts (2 liters) of water into a large pot and set over a high heat. Add the salt. When the water boils, add in the lentils and rice. Reduce the heat slightly, but keep the water at a brisk boil and cook until the lentils and rice are tender (no chalkiness inside) but show no signs of falling apart, about 15 minutes. Pour into a strainer set in the sink to drain completely.

Scoop the lentil-rice mixture into a very large bowl, along with the red onion. Pour in about 1/4 cup (60 ml) of the dressing and mix well. Add the chopped chorizo or ham and red pepper to the lentils and toss to combine. Season to taste.

Scoop the spinach into a large bowl. Shake the dressing throughly to blend, then drizzle on about 3 tablespoons and toss to combine. (Save the rest of the dressing for another salad.) Divide the salad among 4 plates, roughly forming it into nests. Scoop a portion of the lentil salad into the center of each and serve.