All posts by Kristin

One-pot wonders, Potatoes, Poultry

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes and Braised Kale

Now that the two big projects that kept me chained to my desk these past few weeks have finally gone off to the printer, I’d love nothing more than to light the turf fire (now that it’s cold enough for one) after the kids go to bed and catch up on all the cooking shows I’ve recorded. But there’s no rest for the weary, and I’m just as busy this week as Caroline from Bibliocook and I put the finishing touches to a new foodie project, to be launched at the Savour Kilkenny Food Camp on Friday. The focus is still on fast, fuss-free meals and I’m still leaning heavily on Nigella Lawson’s new book despite having acquired five other ones in the past six weeks, mainly because it never seems to leave my kitchen counter and make it back to the bookshelf. This tray bake was just what I needed for an easy midweek dinner, but once Friday’s launch is done and dusted and our mystery project goes live, I’m looking forward to some downtime and leisurely baking in the kitchen this weekend after Nigella’s book just so happened to fall open to the maple pecan bundt cake recipe…

If you like this chicken and chorizo hash, you’ll love this. Likewise, if you’re a fan of one-tray dinners that you can assemble in five minutes then pop in the oven and forget about, like oven-roasted sausage and sweet potato, cherry tomato and sausage bake, or balsamic roast chicken with roast tomatoes, then this is another recipe to add to that list.

Spanish Chicken with Chorizo and Potatoes
adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6

Nigella’s original recipe calls for 12 chicken thighs (bone in, skin on) to be cooked at 425°F (220°C) for 1 hour. She also calls for 2 teaspoons of dried oregano and the zest of 1 orange, both of which I left out. And while her original recipe calls for about 1 3/4 lb (750 g) of chorizo, I easily got away with using only 11 oz (300 g). She suggests dicing up any leftovers to make quesadillas.

6 chicken breasts
2 lb (1 kg) baby potatoes, halved
1 1/2 lb (680 g) chorizo, cut into 1 1/2‑inch pieces
2 or 3 red onions, roughly chopped
olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place the chicken, baby potatoes, chorizo and onions in a roasting tin (or divide between 2 baking trays). Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Baste the contents with the oil released by the chorizo and serve.

***

Braised Kale

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) kale (about 2 bunches), large center ribs and stems removed
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 red chili, finely chopped, or a pinch of red pepper flakes
1/3 cup (80 ml) dry white wine
zest and juice of 1 lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Rinse the kale well, then cut crosswise into 1/2‑inch slices. Drain in a colander and set aside.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium-low heat. Saute the garlic the chili or red pepper flakes for 5 minutes, taking care not to let the garlic color. When the garlic has softened, raise the heat and add the kale. Cook for a couple of minutes, until the kale starts to wilt and turn a vibrant green. Add in the wine, lemon zest and juice and salt and pepper to taste. (Try not to cook the kale too long so that it keeps its bright green color.) Serve immediately.

30-minute meals, Pasta and noodles, Vegetarian main dishes

Pasta with Feta, Spinach and Pine Nuts

Nigella Lawson’s new show, Nigella Kitchen, started two weeks ago. The only problem is that it’s on at the same time as River Cottage Everyday with Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall. Luckily, I don’t have to choose between them since I can record River Cottage while I watch Nigella, but if I did have to choose, I think I’d go with the domestic goddess. I know her formula of snug-fitting cashmere twin sets, seductive finger-licking and her fondness for fairy lights is growing old for some people, but I still love her. I even joke that I want to be her when I grow up. This is another 30-minute meal from her new cookbook, taken from her lifesaver express index when I barely had time to think amidst my work deadlines last week, never mind plan meals, shop for them and cook them, but was still able to whip up something healthy and tasty for dinner thanks to this quick and easy recipe.

Pasta with Feta, Spinach and Pine Nuts
adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Serves 6

Nigella says the leftovers can be made into an excellent cold pasta salad for lunch the next day by refrigerating it straightaway, then breaking it up a bit with a fork and adding some lemon juice and olive oil.

1 lb 2 oz (500 g) fusilli
1/3 cup (50 g) pine nuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg or allspice
1 lb 2 0z (500 g) frozen leaf spinach
7 oz (200 g) feta cheese, crumbled
3 or 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan
salt and freshly grated black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, or according to the packet instructions.

Toast the pine nuts in a hot, dry pan (one that’s big enough to eventually take the sauce and all the pasta) just until they’re golden, taking care not to let them burn. Transfer to a bowl or plate and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in the pan and add the onion. Cook on a low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until soft. If they look like they’re getting too brown, sprinkle with a little salt (to help draw out the juices and slow down the browning). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the nutmeg or allspice, then add the frozen spinach. Keep stirring to help the frozen spinach melt consistently.

Just before you drain the pasta, scoop out a mug of the cooking water. Add about 1/4 cup (60 ml) to the spinach in the frying pan, then crumble in the feta and stir. Add in the Parmesan and stir again.

Drain the pasta and toss into the spinach and feta sauce, then season to taste. Add in more of the pasta cooking water if the sauce looks too dry. Transfer to a serving bowl, then add the toasted pine nuts and toss through before serving.

Cookbook reviews, Entertaining, One-pot wonders, Poultry

Balsamic Roast Chicken with Rocket, Roast Tomatoes and Parmesan

As a bit of a self-confessed cookbook addict (six new cookbooks in the last six weeks, ahem!), I know what Domini Kemp is talking about when she said in her column last Saturday, “Who needs another cookbook? I know if the amount I have on my shelves is anything to go by, then I certainly don’t. But yet, I love flicking through cookbooks any chance I get.” Her own beautifully styled new book, Itsa Cookbook, is a compilation of over 100 of the best-loved, most-cooked recipes from her weekly Irish Times column, with photographs that make you wish you could pull up a chair and tuck in. Recipes I’ve already made from Domini’s column over the years that are now included in her book are chickpea, sweet potato and chorizo stew; beans and bacon; coriander chicken with chickpea, feta and coriander salad; and salmon en croute with dill and pistachio pesto. A short list of recipes from the book I’m looking forward to trying include sweet corn fritters with tomato salsa, lemon and garlic poached chicken, baked sweet potatoes with lemon and chilli, and chocolate sorbet.

Domini is not only a food writer with a weekly column in the Saturday Irish Times Magazine, but is also a professionally trained chef and restaurateur (she and her sister, Peaches, own and run the Itsa Food Company). Yet for all that, Domini says in her introduction, “But every day I cook at home, where time, nutrition, satisfaction and taste are all key factors. I love to take a recipe, tear it apart, try to make it simpler and tastier and eliminate anything that isn’t utterly critical.” What this has resulted in is a book filled with foolproof recipes aimed at the everyday cook who still wants to eat well — and which one of us doesn’t fit that description?

You can’t get more foolproof than this recipe for balsamic roast chicken with rocket (that’s arugula to those of you in the States), cherry tomatoes and Parmesan. It literally takes 5 minutes to put together and cooks for 30 minutes in the oven — how’s that for an effortless midweek meal? It’s a fantastic recipe to have up your sleeve.

Balsamic Roast Chicken with Rocket, Roast Tomatoes and Parmesan
adapted from Itsa Cookbook by Domini Kemp

Serves 4

This takes only minutes to pull together, but is tasty and sophisticated enough to serve for guests. The flavors are very similar to Jamie Oliver’s cherry tomato and sausage bake, not to mention the same effortless cooking method, so if you like that, you’ll love this too.

4 chicken breasts or supremes, skin on or off
a few tablespoons olive oil
a few tablespoons balsamic vinegar
a few cloves garlic, peeled
fresh thyme or rosemary if you have it
salt and freshly ground black pepper
9 oz (250 g) cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
4 handfuls rocket (arugula)
a few chunky shavings of Parmesan or Pecorino
crusty  bread, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Place the chicken in a roasting tray or baking sheet and pour over the olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Add in some garlic, herbs and season well, then add in the cherry tomatoes. Roast for about 30 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked through, basting the chicken with the cooking juices once or twice.

Arrange the arugula (rocket) on 4 plates. Top with the chicken and some tomatoes and loads of cooking juices (which is like a warm and simple vinaigrette). Top with some Parmesan shavings and serve with plenty of crusty bread to mop up the juices.

30-minute meals, Italian food, Pasta and noodles

Pasta with Pancetta, Peppers and Parsley

With over 80 cookbooks in my collection, the last thing I need is another one, but that didn’t stop me from getting Nigella Lawson’s new book, Kitchen: Recipes from the Heart of the Home, hot off the presses two weeks ago (in America, you’ll have to wait until October 12 to get your hands on a copy). A lifesaving new feature in this book is a separate index of express recipes that can be made in 30 minutes or less, and with a recent bottleneck of work deadlines requiring lots of late nights chained to my desk with little time to spare for cooking, let alone meal planning, I’ve already been turning to it a lot. This is one of the first recipes I made from the book, and I can see it being a firm favorite in my repertoire of store cupboard dinners that I can pull together when time is short and the kids are hungry.

Pasta with Pancetta, Peppers and Parsley
adapted from Kitchen by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4

1 lb (450 g) spaghetti
1 tablespoon olive oil
11 oz (300 g) pancetta cubes or streaky bacon
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon dried chili flakes (optional)
zest and juice of 2 lemons
1/4 cup (60 ml) cold water
about 14 oz (400 g) (drained weight) roasted peppers from a jar, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large bunch of parsley, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water according to the packet instructions.

Meanwhile, heat the oil over a medium heat in a heavy-based pan, one that’s big enough to eventually add all the cooked pasta to later. If you’re using regular bacon, chop it into bite-sized pieces first. Fry the pancetta or bacon until crisp, then add the garlic, dried chili, lemon zest and juice and the water. Cook for 1 minute, then add the peppers and half the chopped parsley.

When the pasta has finished cooking, reserve 2 cups (480 ml) of the cooking water, then drain. Add the pasta to the sauce in the pan. Toss everything together well and add some of the pasta cooking water if it needs it, then season to taste and sprinkle with the remaining parsley.

Desserts, French food, Fruit, Grains and pulses, Poultry

Lemon Chicken with Provençal Couscous and Peach and Blackberry Pandowdy

Heading down the hill on my way home after a walk this past weekend and thinking that I was glad I’d worn my fleece, I could see smoke coiling from the chimney of a neighbor’s farmhouse. While I’m not ready to say it’s autumn just yet, I did think to myself that this meal might well be marking the end of summer.

In Ireland, blackberries grow wild in the hedgerows and the countryside is full of them at the minute. I was lucky enough to be able to get all the blackberries I needed for this dessert just by stepping out my back door and picking them from in amongst the hedges that line the perimeter of my yard. I’m not so lucky when it comes to peaches though. They’re one of my favorite summertime treats, but the peaches that you buy in Ireland don’t have the same juice-dribbling-down-your-chin lusciousness as the ones you can get in the States. When I was back there in July, I got my fill of all the summertime staples I used to take for granted but now miss: bratwurst, frozen custard, iced coffee, sweetcorn, watermelon and, yes, peaches from the farm stand. I’m not giving up hope of having an Indian summer, but I’m taking a cue from my neighbor and will be stocking up on turf and firewood again all the same.

If your pastry-making skills aren’t the best, this is the perfect dessert for you. A pandowdy (the word actually means ‘unfashionable’ or ‘without style’) is like an upside-down pie, with the filling right in the dish and the crust on top. It’s a rustic dessert and is meant to look like one, so you don’t have to worry about perfect presentation — you can even make it in a cast iron skillet. As for me, I’m no pastry expert, and in fact used to avoid any recipes that called for it because I was so bad at it, but I’ve had great success using a tip I learned watching Rachel Allen’s Bake program this spring — roll out the pastry between two sheets of cling film. It won’t stick to your counter and you won’t have to add any extra flour for dusting, meaning the pastry will stay light and flaky. Try it!

Lemon Chicken with Provençal Couscous
lemon chicken adapted from The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook by Ina Garten and couscous from The Irish Independent, July 3, 2010

Serves 4

Please don’t be put off by the long list of ingredients for the couscous, it’s only a few spices and vegetables. This is the best couscous dish I’ve ever made — I promise it will be worth the effort of a bit of measuring and chopping.

for the lemon chicken:
1/3 cup (80 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 or 3 lemons)
1/3 cup (80 ml) olive oil
2 or 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped or grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 large rosemary sprigs or a few sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

for the Provençal couscous:
1/2 pint (300 ml) chicken stock
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon chili powder
juice of 1/2 orange
6 oz (175 g) couscous
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 red onion, finely diced
1 red pepper, halved, deseeded and cut into 1/2‑inch cubes
1 yellow pepper, halved, deseeded and cut into 1/2‑inch cubes
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 small zucchini, cut into 1/2‑inch cubes
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the chicken, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour it over the chicken breasts in a casserole dish, then tuck in the fresh herbs around the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, but ideally overnight. The next day, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Remove the chicken from the marinade, shaking off any excess, and place on a baking tray. Roast in the oven for 30 minutes, or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, to make the couscous, bring the stock, spices and orange juice to the boil and cook gently for 10 minutes. Pour the couscous into a large bowl and pour a quarter of the liquid over it. Stir, cover completely with cling film and allow to steam for 10 minutes. Break up with a fork and pour in another quarter of the stock. Cover once more and let it rest for another 10 minutes. Loosen with a fork again. Add the rest of the stock and cover once more. Once the couscous has absorbed all the liquid and fluffed up, it is cooked. If there is any excess liquid after the couscous has fluffed up, you can simply drain it off.

While the couscous is steaming, you can get on with the vegetables. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat. Sauté the onion for 2 to 3 minutes in the olive oil, then add the peppers and garlic. Cook for 2 more minutes, then add in the zucchini. Cook for a further 3 to 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender but still hold their shape. Season with salt and pepper, then mix the vegetables through the couscous.

Serve the chicken on warmed plates with a portion of Provençal couscous.

***

Gingered Peach and Blackberry Pandowdy
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

Serves 8 to 10

I know this recipe looks awfully long and involved, but honestly, it’s so straightforward my five-year-old daughter helped me to make it. This is the pastry recipe from Rustic Fruit Desserts, but if you have your own tried and true pie pastry recipe, just use that.

for the pastry:
1 1/4 cups (150 g) flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup (110 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1‑inch cubes
1/4 cup (60 ml) ice water, or more if needed
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

for the filling:
2 lb (900 g) peaches, pitted (anywhere between 4 and 8 peaches, depending on size)
1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
juice of 1 large lemon
2 tablespoons cornstarch (cornflour)
2 tablespoons (15 g) chopped candied ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 dry pint (2 cups/about 300 g) blackberries, either fresh or frozen
vanilla ice cream or sweetened whipped cream, to serve

To make the pastry, put the flour, sugar and salt in a bowl, stir to combine, then put the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes, until super cold. Add the butter cubes to the flour mixture and toss evenly to coat. Cut the butter into the flour mixtures using a pastry blender, electric mixer or your hands, until the butter is about the size of peas. Stir the water and lemon juice together, then slowly drizzle over the dry ingredients, tossing with a fork to distribute the liquid. The pastry will be shaggy but should hold together when squeezed in the palm of your hand. If it doesn’t, add a few more drops of ice water. (Alternatively, just blend the flour mixture and butter in a food processor and slowly add the liquids until the dough has reached the right consistency.)

Tip the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and press down on the dough, folding it over on itself a few times until it holds together. Try not to handle it too much, or you’ll develop the gluten too much and your pastry will be tough. Shape the pastry into a 1‑inch-thick disc, wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. (If wrapped well, the pastry will keep for up to 3 days in the fridge of 3 months in the freezer; defrost frozen pastry discs overnight in the fridge.)

When the pastry has rested and you’re reading to make the pandowdy, preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Butter a 9‑inch deep-dish pie pan.

Wash the peaches, pierce the skins all over with a fork, then slice each peach into 10 to 12 slices, depending on how big the peach is. Put the peaches in a bowl, add the sugar and lemon juice, and toss gently until the fruit is evenly coated. Set aside for 15 minutes to draw out some of the juices, then strain the juice into a small saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the juices have reduced by half. Rub the cornstarch, candied ginger, ground ginger, and salt together in a bowl.

Remove the pastry from the fridge. Tear off 2 large pieces of cling film and place the pastry between the pieces. Roll it out between the sheets of cling film until it’s a little larger than the diameter of your pie pan or skillet. If you want, you can place the pie pan or skillet upside-down on top of the pastry and use it to cut the pastry to size, otherwise just eyeball it.

Add the cornstarch mixture and reduced juices to the peaches. Add the blackberries and stir gently until evenly combined. Pour the fruit mixture into the prepared pie pan and top with the pastry circle. If the crust is a bit larger than the pan or skillet, just tuck it inside (remember, it’s rustic!). Place the pie on a baking sheet to collect any drips. Bake for 50 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. If you find that the top is browning too much, cover it loosely with foil for the rest of the cooking time. Cool for 1 hour before serving with some ice cream or a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Mexican food, Potatoes, Seafood

Fish Tacos with Mango Radish Salsa and Sweet Potato Wedges

When I was back home in the US in July, my friend Leah and I took a day trip to the wineries of southwestern Michigan, but before we made our way to a few of them, we stopped for lunch first. We had planned to have a posh lunch at the Tabor Hill Winery but it turned out they were closed on the day we went, so we backtracked to the lakeside resort town of New Buffalo, complete with waterfront condos and shops selling taffy, tacky souvenirs and cheap T‑shirts. The restaurant we wound up at was The Stray Dog, where we sat on the screened-in porch overlooking the boats in the marina across the street, eating fish tacos and fries and drinking iced tea — a perfect Plan B, actually.

To make fish tacos at home, I feel no shame in using lowbrow frozen fish sticks. I figure that if foodie heavyweights Jamie Oliver and Nigel Slater can get away with publishing recipes that use them (they both make sandwiches with them), then I’m in good company. I’ve always considered them to be my guiltiest foodie secret, buried deep in the freezer where no one can see them, reserved for the nights when I’m just too frazzled to face cooking dinner. But I’m coming clean now and adopting Jamie Oliver’s approach: “Be proud to eat fish fingers, that’s what I say.”

Fish Tacos with Mango Radish Salsa
adapted quite a lot from Tyler Florence

Serves 4

I’m sure Tyler Florence’s original recipe for homemade goujons using mahi mahi and panko is a real treat, but here is my unapologetically bastardized — and faster and easier — version. He also calls for a pink chile mayo made with canned chipotles in adobo sauce, and even though I brought back a couple cans from my trip, I was feeling too stingy to use them for this and improvised with this lime mayo instead.

for the fish tacos:
24 fish sticks (a.k.a. fish fingers in Ireland/the UK)
1/2 head Savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
6 spring onions or 1 bunch chives, chopped
lime wedges, to serves
corn or flour tortillas, to serve

for the lime mayo:
1/2 cup (120 ml) mayonnaise or sour cream
zest and juice of 1 lime
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the mango radish salsa:
4 to 6 red radishes, diced
2 mangoes, peeled and diced
1 red chili, finely diced (optional)
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 bunch fresh cilantro, leaves only, roughly chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the fish sticks (fingers) according to the instructions on the package. Keep warm until ready to serve.

To make the lime mayo, whisk together the mayo, lime zest and juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

To make the mango radish salsa, combine the mango, radishes, chili and red onion in a bowl. Pour over the lime juice and stir well, then scatter over the chopped cilantro and season to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Serve the tacos buffet style: pile up the fish sticks on a plate, put the lime mayo in a bowl and the mango radish salsa in another. Set a pile of shredded cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped spring onions/chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Warm the tortillas in the oven for a minute or two (or zap them in a microwave) and serve, letting everyone help themselves.

***

Sweet Potato Wedges
adapted from Every Day by Bill Granger

Serves 4

2 lb (900 g) sweet potatoes, skin left on and cut into wedges
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
lime wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).

Toss the sweet potato batons with the olive oil, paprika, cayenne and salt and pepper. Scatter them in a single layer on a large baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the wedges are golden brown. Serve with lime wedges.

Cookbook reviews, Italian food, Pork, Rice

Oven-baked Sausage and Tomato Risotto

Catherine Fulvio is one busy lady these days. In addition to running Ballyknocken House and Cookery School in County Wicklow, she’s been filming her new series, Catherine’s Roman Holiday,* which premieres tomorrow in Ireland at 8:30 p.m. on RTÉ, doing cooking demos at summer festivals like Bloom and Taste of Dublin, and writing a fantastic new cookbook, Catherine’s Italian Kitchen, which was released last week.

Catherine was brought up at Ballyknocken, a traditional Irish farm that has been in her family for almost 100 years, and learned to cook from her mother by “hanging onto her apron strings.” Imbued with an appreciation of good food from an early age, the Italian twist in the tale is when she met her husband, Claudio Fulvio, who is originally from Palermo. They and their two young children now spend summers at their other home in Sicily, where Catherine is inspired by their Italian family and friends. This inspiration has translated into a cookbook full of easy and family-friendly recipes that are suitable for all levels of cook and which use ingredients that can be commonly found outside of Italy, meaning anyone can enjoy Italian flavors in their own kitchen, wherever you might be.

This oven-baked fennel sausage and tomato risotto is the first dish that jumped out at me to make, which is no surprise, seeing as how much I also like this cherry tomato and sausage bake. I particularly like this recipe since it has more vegetables than my other favorite risottos, and my kids happily devoured it. Catherine’s eggplant “meatballs” (polpette di melanzane) are already a favorite that I’ve made several times since watching her make them on her first TV series on RTÉ, and that recipe is included in her cookbook now as well. Other recipes I’ve bookmarked to try are the Leek, Gorgonzola and Walnut Pizza, Pistachio and Asparagus Penne, Braised Beef with Garlic, Lemon and Chili, and last but not least, Amaretto and Almond Truffle Tort.

We have a copy of Catherine’s Italian Kitchen to give away, so for a chance to win, just leave a comment telling us what Italian dish you’ve got a hankering for. The winner will be randomly chosen and the competition will close at midnight (US Central Time) on Friday, September 10. As Catherine would say, Buon appetito!

*You can watch sneak preview of the first show here, or even a behind-the-scenes peek at how the show was made here.

Oven-baked Sausage and Tomato Risotto
adapted from Catherine’s Italian Kitchen by Catherine Fulvio

Serves 4 to 6

The original recipe calls for Sicilian fennel sausages, but Italian sausages or good-quality butcher sausages are good substitutes. Catherine notes that this risotto won’t be creamy since there’s no constant stirring, but it’s just as delicious and is a great no-fuss weeknight option.

extra virgin olive oil
1 lb (450 g) Sicilian fennel sausages, Italian sausages or good-quality butcher sausages (I used garlic and herb)
1 onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced
1 3/4 cups (300 g) Arborio rice
1 carrot, finely diced
2 celery stalks, finely diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1 1/2 pints (750 ml) chicken stock
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can of cherry tomatoes or chopped tomatoes
1/2 cup (120 ml) dry white wine or vermouth
salt and freshly ground black pepper
Parmesan shavings, to serve

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Heat some olive oil in a large frying pan or casserole dish over a medium heat. Cook the sausages for 15 minutes, until fully cooked. Remove from the pan and slice into bite-sized pieces. Set aside. Add the onion to the pan and saute on a low heat for 10 minutes, until lightly golden. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more. Add the rice, carrots, celery and parsley. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring from time to time. Return the sausages to the pan.

Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat the chicken stock and tomatoes, then add the wine, stock and tomatoes to the casserole dish. Stir and cover with foil or a lid. Place in the oven and cook for approximately 45 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is just tender, stirring occasionally. Sprinkle with Parmesan shavings and serve.

Entertaining, Seafood

Sea Bass with Tomato Confit, Red Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette and Mashed Potatoes

When I go out to eat, I love to deconstruct the menu and take away all the adjectives. Things that sound fancy are oftentimes actually pretty basic. Pan-fried and corn-fed? That’s all well and good, but it’s still just chicken. Likewise, this dish sounds impressive, but is a cinch to make. For example, the tomato confit is nothing more than a can of chopped tomatoes that’s simmered for an hour to reduce it down. The very title of the cookbook it comes from — Keeping It Simple by the L’Ecrevain chef Derry Clarke — goes to show how easy it really is. (But don’t tell that to the other food bloggers who took part in the seafood cookalong* earlier this month, which is what I made this dish for.) Served with an equally impressive-sounding French apple tart, this would make an elegant, but easy, dinner party menu.

*The Irish food bloggers and foodies have a cookalong on the first Friday of every month, with a different theme and judge/sponsor each month. Check out our Facebook group for more details if you’d like to join in!

Sea Bass with Tomato Confit and Red Onion and Bacon Vinaigrette
adapted from Keeping It Simple by Derry Clarke

Serves 4

If you want to make this for entertaining, the tomato confit and red onion and bacon vinaigrette could be made in advance and simply reheated shortly before you’re ready to serve. If you can’t get sea bass, you could also use halibut, cod or snapper.

4 x sea bass fillets, scaled and pinboned
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon sunflower oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
mashed potatoes, to serve
a handful of arugula or baby spinach, to serve

for the tomato confit:
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup (60 ml) red wine vinegar
1 x 14 oz (400 g) can of chopped tomatoes
1 bay leaf
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the red onion and bacon vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1/2 lb (225 g) bacon, diced
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/3 cup (80 ml) red wine, port or stock
1/2 red onion, finely diced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the tomato confit, place all the ingredients in a saucepan and cook over a very low heat for 1 hour, or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Remove the bay leaf, season and allow to cool.

To make the vinaigrette, heat a splash of olive oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Saute the shallot and bacon until the bacon is lightly browned. Add the sugar, vinegar and wine and cook briskly until reduced by half. Add the red onion and season to taste. Set aside.

Season the fish well with salt and pepper. Heat the sunflower oil in a clean frying pan over a medium heat. Place the fish in the pan, skin side down. Cook for about 4 minutes, or until the skin is crisp. Carefully turn the fish over and cook for a further 2 to 3 minutes, lowering the heat if necessary. Pour the lemon juice over the fish and remove from the pan.

To serve, place a dollop of mashed potatoes on a plate. Spoon over some of the tomato confit and arrange the arugula or spinach on top of the confit. Gently place the sea bass on top of the arugula/spinach. Spoon the vinaigrette over the sea bass and serve immediately.