Category Archives: Desserts

Desserts, Entertaining, Potatoes, Poultry

Chicken Braised with Chicory and Crème Fraîche, Green Beans with Lemon and Olive Oil, Roast New Potatoes, and Baileys Cream Pots

In the short story ‘Simon’s Luck’ by Alice Munro, a woman, Rose, goes to the grocery store to stock up before a guest arrives:

“You must’ve brought home company,” said the woman who kept the store. She spoke with no surprise or malice or censure, just a comradely sort of envy.

“When I wasn’t expecting it.” Rose dumped more groceries on the counter.  […] “Look at that bacon. And cream.”

“I could stand a bit of it,” the woman said.

What’s this then? You mean not everyone includes bacon and cream as part of their weekly shop? I never considered them to be foods reserved only for guests, since they’re pretty much staples in my fridge. Still, when I have company, I do tend to pull out all the stops at the grocery store, like Rose, and all my recent entertaining meant there was plenty of bacon and cream to go around.

This is my go-to menu if we have company for dinner. The great thing about it is that you can prepare the chicken, then bang it into the oven to happily cook for an hour, giving you plenty of time to clean up the kitchen before your guests arrive, plus visit with them before dinner. The roast potatoes can cook in the hot oven along with the chicken and the Baileys cream pots can be made up to a day ahead, so all you have to do is prep the green beans ahead of time, then boil them when you’re just about ready to sit down to eat. I know chicken braised with chicory and crème fraîche might not sound like much on paper, but I think everyone I’ve ever served this to has asked for the recipe afterward, with some friends stopping just short of licking their plates. But don’t wait for company to come over to make this — it’s a great meal for any weekend when you have a bit of extra time to cook (and when you can lick the plate with no one watching).

Chicken Braised with Chicory and Crème Fraîche
adapted from Real Food by Nigel Slater

Serves 4

Don’t worry if you can’t get chicory, I make this without it more often than not and it’s still fantastic.

3 tablespoons groundnut oil
a thick slice of butter
4 chicken breasts
4 heads of chicory, cut in half lengthwise
1 tablespoon brown sugar
4 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
juice of 1 lemon
3/4 cup (175 ml) medium-dry white wine
1 cup (240 ml) crème fraîche
a few sprigs of parsley, chopped

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Heat the groundnut oil with the butter in a large, deep, heavy casserole, ideally one to which you have a lid, on the stove top. When the butter starts to bubble, carefully put in the chicken (in 2 batches if you need to) and cook them until they’re golden brown on each side. Try not to move them too often, that way you’ll get a nice brown crust on the skin.

Lift the chicken out of the pan and set aside. On no account get rid of the sticky bits on the bottom of the pan, that’s where much of the flavor is. Put the chicory in the dish, then season with the sugar and some salt and pepper. Let it cook over a moderate heat until the outside leaves start to caramelize and darken and soften, about 5 minutes. (If you’re not using the chicory, add the sugar, salt and pepper along with the shallots and lemon juice in the next step.)

Add the shallots and lemon juice, then return the chicken to the pan. Pour over the wine and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes, until the wine and cooking juices have reduced a bit. Spoon in the crème fraîche, season with salt and pepper and stir as best you can so that the juices mingle with the cream. Cover with a lid (or just tightly with aluminum foil) and put in the oven for about 1 hour. Move the pieces of chicken and chicory around halfway through cooking.

After 1 hour, lift the chicken and chicory out of the sauce with a draining spoon and put on the plates. Add the parsley to the sauce in the pan, give it a bit of a stir, then pour the sauce over the chicken. (If the sauce is too thin, simmer it on the stove top for a few minutes until it thickens.)

***

Green Beans with Lemon Juice, Sea Salt and Olive Oil
adapted from Rachel’s Favourite Food by Rachel Allen

Serves 4 to 6

Not only is this good hot, served with fish or chicken, but it’s also great served at room temperature. You can also use it as a base for a fresh, light salad –- add thinly sliced red onions, some cannellini beans or chickpeas (drained from the can), canned tuna and crumbled feta cheese for a fabulous and nutritious packed lunch or summer supper (also good in a pitta bread).

1 level teaspoon salt
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) green beans
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 1/2 lemon
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put a large pot of salted water on to boil. Top and tail the beans and cut in half at an angle, if you wish. Add to the boiling water and put the lid back on until the water comes back to the boil. As soon as it does, take the lid off to keep the beans’ bright green color and continue to cook on a high heat until the beans are just cooked, but still have a bit of bite. Drain and immediately add the olive oil, lemon juice and sea salt and pepper to taste. You must dress the beans while hot so that they soak up the fresh citrus flavor.

***

Bailey’s Cream Pots
from Full on Irish by Kevin Dundon

Serves 4

1 1/4 cup (300 ml) cream
4 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
1/4 cup (60 ml) freshly brewed espresso, cooled (or very strong coffee)
9 oz (250 g) mascarpone cheese
2 tablespoons icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting

to serve:
chocolate curls (optional)
cocoa powder (optional)
shortbread cookies

Whip the cream in a bowl until soft peaks have formed. Place the Baileys in a separate bowl with the coffee, mascarpone and icing sugar. Beat until well combined, then fold in the cream. Divide between four ramekins or small cups and chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight.

To serve, arrange the Baileys pots on serving plates and decorate with chocolate curls. Add the shortbread on the side and lightly dust with icing sugar and cocoa powder.

Desserts, Pasta and noodles

Penne with Chorizo and Spinach and Dulce de Leche Brownies

I’ve been reading recipes for all manner of heavenly-sounding things made with dulce de leche for awhile now, but no matter how much I wanted to try it, I wasn’t about to make my own by boiling an unopened can of condensed milk and risk having it explode; my house had enough problems this summer without adding replastering my kitchen ceiling to the bill. But when I came across David Lebovitz’s version, which is simply (and safely!) baked in the oven for an hour, I gave it a go, and like David Lebovitz, I had to stop myself from eating it all to make the brownies.

I cut the brownies into two dozen bite-sized portions so that I could bring half of them over to a friend and so that Matt could take some more into work to share. I’ve spent the past three weekends in a row entertaining visitors, and all that wine and baking and richer-than-usual cooking means I’ve got a few pounds to lose now, so the last thing I needed was these brownies hanging around the house, because they would be impossible to stay away from. Even the jar of dulce de leche on its own was pretty irresistible. Now that I know how easy it is to make it myself, I can finally try out all those other recipes I’ve had my eye on.

penne with chorizo and spinach

Penne with Chorizo and Spinach
adapted from Neven’s Real Food for Families by Neven Maguire

Serves 6

1 lb (450 g) chorizo sausage, cut into 1‑inch pieces on the diagonal
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic , crushed
1 red chili, deseeded and finely chopped, or a pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
2 tablespoons shredded fresh basil
2 x 14-oz (400‑g) cans chopped tomatoes
1 teaspoon sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (450 g) penne
8 oz (200 g) baby spinach

freshly grated Parmesan, to serve

Heat a frying pan and tip in the chorizo sausage pieces, then cook for 2 minutes, tossing the pan occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. Add the onions and garlic, then cook for another 5 minutes until the onions are golden, stirring occasionally.

Stir the chili (if using) into the chorizo and onion mixture with the basil and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the tomatoes, add the sugar and season to taste. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, until slightly reduced and thickened, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water for about 10 minutes, or according to the packet instructions, until al dente. Drain well and return to the pot. Stir in the chorizo sauce along with the spinach and mix well to combine — the heat of the pasta and sauce should cook the spinach instantly.

To serve, divide the chorizo and spinach pasta among warmed bowls and scatter over the freshly grated Parmesan.

***

Dulce de Leche Brownies
adapted from David Lebovitz

Makes 12 large brownies or 24 bite-sized ones

1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of sweetened condensed milk (I used Carnation brand)
sea salt
8 tablespoons (110 g) unsalted butter
6 oz (170 g) bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
1/4 cup (30 g) unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (120 g) flour
1 cup (240 ml) dulce de leche, either homemade or store bought

To make the dulce de leche, preheat the oven to 425° F (220° C).

Pour the can of sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk) into a glass pie plate or shallow baking dish. Stir in a few grains of sea salt. Set the pie plate within a larger pan, such as a roasting pan, and pour in hot water until it reaches halfway up the side of the pie plate. Cover the pie plate snugly with aluminum foil and bake for 1 to 1 1/4 hours. (Check on the pie plate a few times during the cooking time and add more water to the roasting pan if too much has evaporated.)

Once the dulce de leche is browned and caramelized, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool. Once cool, whisk until smooth. Store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Warm gently in a warm water bath or microwave before using.

To make the brownies, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Line an 8‑inch square pan with a long sheet of aluminum foil that covers the bottom and reaches up the sides. If it doesn’t reach all the way up and over all four sides, cross another sheet of foil over it, making a large cross with edges that overhang the sides. Grease the bottom and sides of the foil with a bit of butter or nonstick spray.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan. Add the chocolate pieces and stir constantly over a very low heat until the chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat and whisk in the cocoa powder until smooth. Add in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the sugar, vanilla and then the flour.

Scrape half the batter into the prepared pan. Next, drop one-third of the dulce de leche, evenly spaced, over the brownie batter, then drag a knife through it to swirl it slightly. Spread the remaining brownie batter over, then drop spoonfuls of the remaining dulce de leche in dollops over the top of the brownie batter. Use a knife to swirl the dulce de leche very slightly.

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes. The brownies are done when the center feels slightly firm. Remove from the oven and allow the brownies to cool completely. These brownies actually become better the second day, and will keep well for up to 3 days.

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

Baked Ziti with Tossed Salad and Apple Crisp

Matt and I became unwitting Sopranos fans last summer, when our son was a newborn. Our next-door neighbors had the series on DVD and loaned it to us after we told them we’d never seen any episodes. We broke it out one night when I didn’t have the energy to do anything but collapse on the sofa and watch TV. We were quickly hooked, to the point where we would often watch two or three episodes a night. One of the scenes that sticks out from the series is when, in The Happy Wanderer episode, a gang of them lock themselves away in a motel room for the Executive Game, a marathon high-stakes poker-playing session, and keep referring to “boxes of ziti” instead of money (one box of ziti being $1,000). I remember it because even for a show that throws in some mobspeak at every opportunity, this just seemed too over the top to me — nobody would really say that, would they? William Safire wrote that the show’s dialogue is “one part Italian, a little real Mafia slang, and a smattering of lingo remembered or made up for the show by former residents of a blue-collar neighborhood in East Boston,” so who knows?

This is a slimmed-down version of traditional baked ziti, which can have up to three different cheeses and maybe even some sour cream thrown in for good measure. The pasta cooks right in the sauce, making it a quick and easy meal for weeknights, but with just enough cream and cheese to make it feel like a comfort food treat. But if you’re looking for Carmela’s recipe, there’s always The Sopranos Family Cookbook.

Baked Ziti
adapted from The Best Skillet Recipes by Cook’s Illustrated Magazine (recipe via Serious Eats)

Serves 4

If you don’t have an oven-safe skillet, just make the dinner in a regular pot or frying pan and transfer to a large ovenproof baking dish instead (which is what I did).

1 x 28-oz can (or 2 x 14-oz (400‑g) cans) whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups (720 ml) water
12 oz (340 g) ziti (or rigatoni or penne)
1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream
1 oz (30 g) freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh basil
4 oz (110 g) mozzarella, shredded

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Meanwhile, pour the whole can of tomatoes into a blender or food processor. Process until the tomatoes are roughly chopped, but not pureed.

Pour the oil into a large oven-safe skillet set over a medium-high heat. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook for about 1 minute, or until fragrant. Add in the chopped tomatoes and season well with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Pour in the water, stir, and then add the pasta. Turn the heat back up to medium-high. Cook until the pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Add the cream, Parmesan, and basil. Stir well. Season with more salt and pepper, then sprinkle the mozzarella on top. Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and slightly browned.

***

Apple Crisp with Brandy-soaked Currants
adapted from Rustic Fruit Desserts by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

Serves 6 to 8

For the apples, the authors recommend using Golden Delicious, Galas, Jonagolds, or another apple variety with a high water content. This recipe calls for soaking dried currants in brandy. The longer the currants steep, the more the flavor will be enhanced, so plan accordingly. If you forget to steep the currants, then leave them out because unsoaked currants will burn while cooking (I’m speaking from experience here).

for the brandy-soaked currants:
1/2 cup (70 g) dried currants (or raisins)
1/4 cup (60 ml) apple brandy (or regular brandy)

for the crisp topping:
3/4 cup packed (120 g) brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (150 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of ground nutmeg (optional)
pinch of ground cloves (optional)
1/2 cup (110 g) unsalted butter, melted

for the fruit filling:
8 large apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/2 inch thick (3 lb (1.4 kg) prepped)
1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
heavy cream, custard or vanilla ice cream, to serve

Soak the currants (or raisins) in the brandy for at least 2 hours and up to 24 hours.

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter a 9‑inch-square baking pan.

To make the crisp topping, mix the brown sugar, flour, salt, and spices together in a bowl. Stir in the melted butter, then press the topping together with your hands to form small clumps. Put the topping in the freezer while you make the filling.

To make the fruit filling, toss the apples, sugar and flour together in a bowl until evenly combined, then transfer to the prepared pan.

Scatter the currants and any residual brandy over the apples, then sprinkle the crips topping evenly over the fruit.

Bake for 50 minutes, or until the crisp is golden and the filling is bubbling up through the topping. Cool for 20 minutes before serving with a drizzle of heavy cream, warm custard or a scoop of ice cream.

This crisp is best served the day it’s made, but any leftovers can be wrapped in plastic wrap and kept at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.

30-minute meals, Appetizers, Asian food, Desserts, Pasta and noodles, Pork

Spring Rolls with Pork Meatballs and Spicy Peanut Sauce and Pinkberry-style Vanilla Frozen Yogurt

I love the idea of appetizers for dinner. Why waste time with big entrees when a succulent starter will do? My in-laws introduced me to a wonderful Vietnamese restaurant on the south side of Milwaukee called Phan’s Garden. After years of ordering and assembling their grilled pork meatball spring rolls, Reuben decided to take a stab at preparing the appetizer at home. Over the years, our recipe has been tweaked and nudged until we now no longer go to Phan’s Garden, preferring our home-cooked version of their spring rolls. We occasionally add a stir-fry or salad to the meal, but more often than not, the spring rolls alone make up our meal.

For those that aren’t familiar with Pinkberry, check out their website. I ate their yogurt only once, a couple of years ago while on vacation in New York, but still crave it. Luckily, 101 Cookbooks took a stab at creating a recipe to mimic Pinkberry’s concoction. I decreased the sugar further in an attempt to make the yogurt more tangy and less sweet, as I remember it. Add-ins are key to this type of yogurt. I love it with strawberry puree (great way to use frozen purees leftover from spring strawberry picking). This week, I stirred in toasted pecans and chocolate chips. Reuben makes a rocky road version with nuts, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. And it’s yogurt so you can eat it with a clear conscious.

IMG_6860

Spring Rolls with Pork Meatballs

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/4 lb (570 g) ground pork
1 egg
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated ginger
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onions
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
12 rice spring roll skins
handful of torn lettuce leaves or mixed greens
4 oz (110 g) thin rice noodles, cooked according to package directions
2 carrots, grated
1 cucumber, peeled, halved, seeded, and sliced into thin half moons
1 bunch fresh basil and/or cilantro
1 serrano chili, thinly sliced

Combine the pork, egg, garlic, ginger, green onions, sugar, fish sauce and salt and pepper in a large bowl. Form the meat mixture into 1‑inch meatballs. Brown in the oil over a medium heat, turning occasionally, until cooked through, about 15 minutes.

The meatballs and remaining ingredients should be plated and brought to the table so each individual can make their own roll. To assemble rolls, soak a spring roll skin in a shallow dish of hot water (I use a pie plate) for 20 to 30 seconds until softened. Place a spring roll skin on plate and top (to taste) with lettuce, noodles, 2 or 3 meatballs (I split each meatball in half for easier rolling), shredded carrot, cucumber, fresh herbs, and a bit of chili. Do not overstuff or the rice skin will tear. Spicy peanut sauce can be added before rolling up or it can be served on the side for dipping. The roll is made like a burrito: fold the ends of the spring roll in, then roll up the long sides (see the picture below for an example).

IMG_6864

Spicy Peanut Sauce

Makes about 1 cup (240 ml)

1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 cup (125 g) unsweetened peanut butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ginger, grated
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon sambal
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons shelled, roasted peanuts (optional)
1/4 cup (60 ml) hot water

Combine all the ingredients except the water in a food processor. Process until smooth; the mixture will be thick. While the processor is running, add the hot water 1 tablespoon at a time until the sauce reaches the consistency of pudding.

***

Pinkberry-style Vanilla Frozen Yogurt 
adapted from 101 Cookbooks

Makes about 1 quart

32 oz (960 g) plain whole-milk yogurt or 3 cups (720 g) Greek-style yogurt
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

If using whole-milk yogurt, you will need to make strained yogurt by lining a mesh strainer with a few layers of cheesecloth or a thin dish towel. Scrape all the whole-milk yogurt into the cheesecloth. Place a strainer under the bowl to gather the liquid. Gather the ends of the cheesecloth and fold them over the yogurt, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. After about 4 hours, the yogurt will be thickened and you should have about 3 cups of strained yogurt.

Mix together the strained yogurt (or Greek-style yogurt), sugar, and vanilla. Stir until the sugar is completely dissolved. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Freeze in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. This can be eaten directly from the ice cream maker as a soft-serve style frozen yogurt. To solidify the yogurt further, pour into a bowl, cover, and freeze longer.

Desserts, Rice, Salads

Stuffed Green Peppers, Salad with Corn, Tomato, and Goat Cheese, and Sweet Potato Pie

I know I’ve been watching too much Mad Men when I start craving cigarettes and pull out my Betty Crocker’s Cookbook from 1969. I can’t figure out how women ate these dishes and still managed to squeeze into their wool pencil skirts. Good girdles? Maybe it was the chain smoking.

Feeling housewifely after an evening marathon of Season 1 (thank you Netflix), I decided dinner needed a pie finale. Though sweet potato pies are more Mississippi than Manhattan, I couldn’t resist trying out this southern favorite. This was my first taste of sweet potato pie. I enjoyed it, a very nice alternative to a pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, the day after I made it, the pie fell out of my overstuffed fridge so I lost the leftovers as well as my favorite Le Creuset pie plate. I’m sure Betty Draper would be appalled by balancing dessert on top of a dozen ears of corn wedged between nearly expired yogurt.

Stuffed Green Peppers
adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cookbook/40th Anniversary Edition

Serves 6

6 large green bell peppers
1 lb (450 g) ground beef
1/2 small onion, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups cooked rice
1 x 15-oz (425‑g) can tomato sauce

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cut a thin slice from the stem end of each pepper. Remove the seeds and membranes; rinse. Cook the peppers in enough boiling salted water to cover for 5 minutes; drain.

Cook the ground beef and onion in a large skillet until the hamburger is light brown; drain. Add the garlic to the pan and cook over a medium-high heat for 1 minute, until fragrant. Stir in the salt, rice and 1 1/3 cups of the tomato sauce; heat through.

Stuff each pepper with the beef/rice mixture, then stand upright in an ungreased 8 x 8 x 2‑inch baking dish  Pour the remaining sauce over the peppers. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and cook for 15 minutes longer.

***

Salad with Corn, Tomato, and Goat’s Cheese with Sherry Vinaigrette

Serves 4

2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
5 oz (140 g) mixed salad greens
2 ears of corn, cooked and kernels removed
2 small or 1 large tomato, diced
2 oz (60 g) goat’s cheese

To make the vinaigrette, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, salt, pepper, and olive oil (or shake to combine in a screw-top jar).

For the salad, mix together the greens, corn kernels, and tomato. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top and gently toss. Garnish with the goat’s cheese.

***

IMG_6838

Sweet Potato Pie
adapted from Bon Appétit, September 2002

Serves 8

2 large or 3 small red-skinned sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb/680 g)
1 cup (packed) (170 g) golden brown sugar
1 cup (240 ml) whipping cream
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 x 9‑inch prepared pie crust (Note: this recipe has a wonderful crust according to the online reviews, but I’m lazy and always use Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts)
1 large egg white, beaten to blend
freshly whipped cream, to serve

Pierce the potatoes with a fork. Cook in the microwave on high until tender, about 6 minutes per side. Cut open and allow to cool completely. Scrape the potato flesh into a bowl and mash until smooth. Measure enough potato puree to equal 1 1/2 cups.

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and position the oven rack in the bottom third of the oven. Place the puree in a large bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar, cream, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Brush the pie crust with the beaten egg white. Transfer the filling to the crust.

Bake the pie until the filling is puffed around the edges and set in the center, about 45 minutes. Transfer to a rack and allow to cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; refrigerate.) Serve with freshly whipped cream.

Desserts, Fruit, Poultry, Rice

Spicy Chicken and Rice with Tossed Salad and Raspberry Crumb Bars

Sometimes it’s fun to see what I can pull together for dinner without shopping for any ingredients. I also like having an excuse to use the new Le Creuset brasier my mom bought me as an early Christmas present. I originally thought an arroz con pollo recipe would be fun to try, but there were too many recipes to choose from; Spain, Cuba, Puerto Rico, Mexico and a host of South American countries all have their own versions. If anyone out there has an arroz con pollo recipe that they love, please send it my way. After a long internet search, I found this tasty chicken and rice recipe. It’s quick to prepare (just shy of making our 30-minute meal category) and makes a complete dinner when paired with a simple tossed salad.

The raspberry crumb bars were made of necessity. My regular grocery store, Sendik’s, unbelievably priced their fresh raspberries at $1 a box. These are the same boxes that usually cost $3.99. I bought the raspberries in good faith, hoping I could use them before they spoiled. The berries were gone within a week thanks to these bars and a couple wonderful breakfasts of oatmeal topped with fresh raspberries and maple syrup.

Spicy Chicken and Rice

Spicy Chicken and Rice
adapted from Bon Appétit, September 2007

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 large boneless, skinless chicken thighs
salt and freshly ground black pepper
about 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 red bell pepper, deseeded and diced
1 onion, chopped
1/4 cup (40 g) raisins
3 oz (about 1/2 cup/90 g) coarsely chopped pitted imported green olives
2 small bay leaves
2 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon hot chili paste (such as sambal oelek) or 1 small Serrano chili, chopped
1 1/2 cups (250 g to 280 g) jasmine rice or long-grain white rice , rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups (600 ml) low-salt chicken broth

Heat the oil in a large skillet over a medium-high heat. Sprinkle the chicken generously with salt and pepper, then lightly with the ground cloves. Add the chicken to the skillet and sauté until brown, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to a plate.

Pour off all but 4 tablespoons of fat from the skillet. Add the bell pepper, onion, raisins, olives, bay leaves, garlic, and chili paste to the skillet. Sauté until the vegetables begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add the rice and stir for 1 minute. Press the chicken into the rice. Add 2 1/4 cups (540 ml) of the broth and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender, about 20 minutes (add the remaining broth if the rice is too dry).

***

Don’t let the “breakfast” in the title of these bars make you think they are overly healthy. Though less sweet than a normal cookie and loaded with fresh, tangy berries, they fit more in the dessert category than breakfast category, in my opinion.

Raspberry Crumb Breakfast Bars
adapted by Smitten Kitchen from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking

Makes about 24 bars

for the crust and crumb:
1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (170 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (100 g) rolled oats
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks/165 g) unsalted butter, cut into 1‑inch pieces

for the raspberry filling:
1/4 cup (40 g) firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 lb (450 g) raspberries, fresh or frozen
1/4 cup (60 ml) fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

To make the crust and crumb, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter the bottom and sides of a 9‑by-13-inch glass or light-colored metal baking pan. Put a long piece of parchment paper in the bottom of the pan, letting the parchment extend up the two short sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. (This will make it easy to remove the bars from the pan after they have baked.) Butter the parchment.

Put the flour, brown sugar, oats, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon in a food processor. Pulse in short bursts until combined. Add the butter and pulse until loose crumbs form. Reserve 1 1/2 cups of the mixture and set aside. Pour the rest of the mixture into the prepared pan and use your hands or the back of a large wooden spoon to push the crust into an even layer at the bottom of the pan. The crust should touch the sides of the pan. Bake until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and let the crust cool. Keep the oven on while you make the raspberry filling.

To make the raspberry filling, in a medium bowl, whisk the sugar, lemon zest, cinnamon and flour together. Add the raspberries, lemon juice and butter and use your hands to toss gently until the raspberries are evenly coated.

To assemble and bake the bars, spread the raspberry filling evenly on top of the cooled crust. Sprinkle the reserved crust mixture evenly on top of the filling. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, rotating the pan every 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the filling starts to bubble around the edges. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then cut into squares and serve. The bars can be stored in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Beans, Beef, Desserts, Entertaining, French food, Fruit, Miscellaneous

Late-summer Roast Beef Dinner and French Apple Tart

Nigella Lawson’s How to Eat: The Pleasures and Principles of Good Food is one of the bibles of modern-day cookbooks. It’s also one of the first cookbooks I bought in Ireland, and has taught me how to make things I’d never even heard of before moving abroad, like Yorkshire pudding and trifle. It also spells out the makings of something else that was completely foreign to me: a proper Sunday lunch. Nigella Lawson writes about it for four straight pages in How to Eat, but what sums it up rather romantically is this: “Sunday lunch … is about solidity, the family, the home.”

Sunday lunch is an institution in a lot of families, but it took me a long time to come around to its charms, especially since I’m the one doing all the cooking that goes into a big Sunday lunch, not my mother. In my case, I like to have our big meal as a late lunch at the weekends now simply because my kids are in better moods at that time of day, which not only means they’re more likely to eat what I put in front of them, but makes for a more pleasant dinner for all of us. Plus now that my daughter needs a packed lunch every day for school, a roast does double duty as Sunday’s dinner and Monday’s sandwich.

Strictly speaking, this menu isn’t a traditional Sunday lunch — there’s no roast potatoes, or the vegetables like carrots, parsnips or broccoli that you’d usually expect. But one of the things I love about How to Eat is that it contains lots of ready-to-go menus, not just stand-alone recipes, and this is Nigella’s late-summer roast beef menu from the “Weekend Lunch” chapter (though I made the French apple tart instead of the Yorkshire pudding with syrup and cream she calls for, and I also prefer Bon Appétit’s one-pot version of the cannellini beans with garlic and sage for being easier and more straightforward than Nigella’s recipe). After holding out all month, it’s finally time to embrace autumn, and this dinner seemed like a good compromise.

It’s National Organic Week in Ireland! Click here for a listing of events throughout the country.

Cold Roast Fillet of Beef 
from How to Eat by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8

fillet of beef — allow about 7 oz (200 g) per person
olive oil

Allow the beef to come to room temperature before you cook it (otherwise the cooking times here won’t be correct).

Preheat the oven to 480°F (250°C). If it’s possible to switch off the fan in your oven, do so in order to reduce evaporation (75% of lean meat is water, so fan ovens can make even good cuts of meat dry and tough).

Place the fillet in an ovenproof dish or roasting tray. Rub the beef all over with olive oil. (Nigella advises using a rosemary-infused oil for this menu, but plain olive oil works just fine too.)

Cook the beef for 15 minutes at the very high heat, then reduce the oven to 350°F (180°C). Cook the beef for 15 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for rare; 18 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for medium; and 25 minutes per 18 oz (500 g) for well done.

After the meat has had its advised cooking time, test it: either press it (if it feels soft it’s rare, bouncy it’s medium, hard it’s well-done) or pierce it with a knife to see. Always let any meat rest out of the oven for at least 10 minutes before carving.

If you’re cooking the beef ahead of time, take it out of the fridge 2 hours before you want to eat it. It should be cold, but not chilled. Or you could cook the fillet early enough in the day to simply allow it to cool to room temperature by the time you want to eat.

***

Rosemary and Anchovy Mayonnaise

1 cup (240 ml) mayonnaise
8 anchovy fillets in oil, drained and diced
1 sprig rosemary, finely chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients, mixing well. Chill until ready to serve. Serve alongside the beef. (This is also great to make sandwiches with the beef leftovers.)

***

Cannellini Beans with Garlic and Sage 
from Bon Appétit, October 2009

Makes about 6 cups

1 lb (450 g) dried cannellini beans
8 cups (2 liters) room-temperature water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large head of garlic, unpeeled, top 1/2 inch cut off to expose cloves
1 large sprig of fresh sage
1/4 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
extra virgin olive oil (for drizzling)

Place the beans in a large bowl. Cover with cold water (at least 6 cups/1 1/2 liters) and soak overnight.

Drain the beans and place in a heavy, large pot. Add the 8 cups (2 liters) of room-temperature water, olive oil, garlic, sage, and black peppercorns. Bring to a simmer over a medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Mix in the coarse salt. Continue to simmer until the beans are tender, adding more water if needed to keep beans covered, about 30 minutes longer. Cool the beans in the cooking liquid for 1 hour.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer the beans to a serving bowl, reserving the bean cooking liquid, if desired, but discarding the garlic, sage, and peppercorns. Season the beans to taste with pepper and more coarse salt. Drizzle with extra virgin olive oil and serve.

***

Tomato Salad
from How to Eat by Nigella Lawson

For this salad, simply slice some tomatoes (the best and ripest you can find) and arrange them on a plate. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar (only if you think they need it, and even so, just a pinch), as well as some finely chopped spring onions or chives, a drop or two of balsamic or red wine vinegar, and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil.

***

french apple tart

French Apple Tart (or Tarte Fine Aux Pommes, as Nigella Lawson calls it)
adapted from Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics by Ina Garten and Nigella Express by Nigella Lawson

Serves 4 to 6

This is mostly Nigella’s recipe, but the apricot jam and Calvados brushed on top is Ina’s touch from her version. The tart will still be delicious if you don’t add the jam mixture though. I pulled this together in 10 minutes, so it would also be a quick weeknight treat.

1 sheet shop-bought ready-rolled puff pastry, defrosted if frozen
2 large Granny Smith apples
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons (30 g) cold unsalted butter, small diced
1/4 cup (60 ml) apricot jam
2 tablespoons Calvados, rum, or water

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

Lay the sheet of puff pastry on the lined baking sheet. Using the tip of a sharp knife, mark a 1/2‑inch border all the way around the edge of the rectangle. You need to score the lines on the pastry rather than cut all the way through it. This will allow a frame to rise above the apple filling. Refrigerate the dough while you prepare the apples.

Peel the apples and core them, then cut them in half. Slice the apples into 1/4‑inch-thick slices. Working from the inside edge, place the apple slices, closely overlapping, within the border of the pastry frame. Create neat lines of apple slices until the pastry is covered. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with the butter.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is browned and the edges of the apples start to brown. Rotate the pan once during cooking. If the pastry puffs up in one area, cut a little slit with a knife to let the air out. And don’t worry if the apple juices burn in the pan, the tart will be fine. When the tart’s done, gently heat the apricot jam together with the Calvados, rum, or water and brush the apples and the pastry completely with the jam mixture. Loosen the tart with a spatula so it doesn’t stick to the paper. Allow to cool and serve warm or at room temperature, cut into squares or slices.

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

Spaghetti alla Genovese and Lemon Blueberry Buckle

How can you resist an article with a title like “Gourmet’s Guide to Cobblers, Crisps, Crumbles, Bettys, Buckles + Pandowdies”, if only to find out what in the world a pandowdy is? (For the record, it’s sliced fruit baked with sugar and spices in a deep dish, with a thick top crust.) It’s just too bad they didn’t include grunts and slumps in the article title to really round things out. The article included a link to a recipe for lemon blueberry buckle, which sounded like something nice to make while there’s still some blueberries left. But “nice” doesn’t do this recipe justice. And don’t let its humble, coffee cake-like appearance fool you either. It wound up being the best thing I baked all summer. It was so good that as soon as I finished my first piece, I went online to see what I could find out about the book the recipe comes from, Rustic Fruit Desserts. Once I had a look at the index on Amazon, I was sold — apple cobbler with cheddar cheese biscuits, cherry almond bars, fig and honey cream galette, pear sauce bundt cake with pear brandy butter … oh my. I might even have bought it just for the brown sugar rum glaze alone. Hurry and make this buckle while you still can with in-season blueberries — then see if you aren’t tempted to buy the book too.

Spaghetti alla Genovese
adapted from Avoca Café Cookbook 2

Serves 4

4 small new potatoes, peeled and cut into thin slices
8 oz (225 g) green beans, ends trimmed
1 lb (450 g) spaghetti (or fettuccine or linguine)
3 or 4 tablespoons pesto (or more, to taste)
salt and freshly ground black pepper
freshly shaved Parmesan, to serve

Blanch the peeled, sliced potatoes in boiling salted water for 5 minutes, or until cooked. Refresh in cold water and set aside.

Cook the trimmed green beans in boiling salted water until tender but still al dente. Drain and set aside.

Cook the pasta in boiling salted water until al dente. Drain, reserving a cupful of the cooking water. Toss the pasta with the potatoes, green beans and pesto. Taste and adjust with more pesto if needed, and thin the sauce with some of the cooking water if you think it needs it. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with thick shavings of Parmesan scattered on top.

***

Lemon Blueberry Buckle
from Rustic Fruit Desserts: Crumbles, Buckles, Cobblers, Pandowdies, and More by Cory Schreiber and Julie Richardson

Serves 6 to 8

Covered in cling film, the buckle will keep at room temperature for 2 to 3 days (though in my house it was all eaten up in less than 24 hours).

for the crumb topping:
1/2 cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 cup (60 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cubed

for the cake:
1 1/2 cups (180 g) plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (or a pinch of dried nutmeg)
6 tablespoons (90 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
zest of 1 lemon
2 eggs
1/2 cup (120 ml) buttermilk
2 cups (320 g) blueberries, fresh or frozen

for the lemon syrup:
1/3 cup (75 g) granulated sugar
juice of 2 lemons

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 9‑inch-square baking pan.

To make the crumb topping, mix the flour, sugar, salt, and lemon zest together in a bowl, then add the butter and use a fork or your fingers to cut in the butter until the size of peas. Place the topping in the freezer until you mix the cake batter.

To make the cake, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and lemon zest together on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Sir in the flour mixture in 3 additions alternating with the buttermilk in 2 additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients and scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Gently fold in half the blueberries, spread the batter into the prepared pan, and distribute the remaining blueberries over the cake.

Sprinkle the chilled crumb topping over the berries, then bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm on top.

To make the glaze, combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and whisk until blended. Cook over a medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, until syrupy. The glaze will bubble while cooking, so you may need to remove it from the heat to check that it’s thick enough.

Pour the glaze over the cake as soon as it’s removed from the oven. Reheat the syrup briefly if it has become too thick to pour.