30-minute meals, Desserts, Pasta and noodles, Seafood

Penne with Prawns, Cream and Tomato and Blondies with Pecans and Chocolate Chips

The only culture shock of going to college in Madison, Wisconsin having grown up right on the state border in Illinois was discovering that people from northern Wisconsin really do have accents like they do in the movie Fargo, and that they say bubbler instead of drinking fountain and soda instead of pop (aka minerals or fizzy drinks in Ireland; oh, the adaptations I’ve had to make). I was genuinely shocked as a freshman, though, to discover that a new friend I’d made in the dorms who came from Maryland had never even heard of bratwurst, much less had one. You mean not all Americans had seen the commercial about Charlie Murphy cooking Johnsonville Brats? Not everyone had beer brats at every summer barbecue? I was just as surprised when my husband and I were first living together and I found out he’d never heard of or had German potato salad, which I’d thought was a staple at every grocery store deli counter. I could understand that bratwurst might be a Midwestern thing, explaining why my east coast friend hadn’t heard of them, but Matt is from Michigan. I was surprised once again when earlier this week I said I was making blondies to bring to a play date the next day, since I’d had an inexplicable craving for them for awhile, and Matt had never heard of those either. “Oh come on,” I said, “you have to know what a blondie is. Every Ruby Tuesday or Applebee’s or TGI Friday’s has a blondie sundae on their dessert menu.” But no, he insisted he had no idea what they were. Not quite a brownie and not quite a cookie, you can have it on its own or, in true over-the-top American chain restaurant style, top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream with chocolate fudge sauce drizzled over everything. Now I’m wondering what other food is particular to the Midwest — anyone for a lemon Jello ham salad?

Penne with Prawns, Cream and Tomato
adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros

Serves 4

2 tablespoons butter
1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of whole plum tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 lb (450 g) penne
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) raw prawns, peeled and deveined (or you can use the same amount of frozen prawns)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tablespoons cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in a small pan, and when it’s sizzling, add the whole tomatoes, crushing them with the back of a wooden spoon. Season with salt and pepper and cook over a medium heat for about 10 minutes, until the sauce is thick.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, according to packet instructions. While the pasta is cooking, heat a large non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Heat the oil and the rest of the butter, then add the prawns and garlic. Over the highest heat possible, cook the prawns until they’re bright and the undersides are crusty and golden in places (you won’t achieve this with frozen prawns). It’s important that you use a non-stick pan so that the prawns fry quickly instead of boiling in their own liquid. Turn them with tongs, and once they’re cooked, sprinkle them with salt.

Drain the pasta, reserving a cup of the cooking water. Add the tomato sauce to the prawns, along with the cream and parsley. Heat until just bubbling. Add the pasta to the pan and toss everything together. If it seems like you need it, add a little of the reserved cooking water to help the sauce coat the pasta. Serve immediately with a grinding of black pepper.

***

Blondies with Pecans and Chocolate Chips 
from Bon Appétit, July 1998

Makes approx. 24 blondies

I love Smitten Kitchen’s idea of making blondies with bourbon or espresso powder, but alas, I was making these to serve to kids. These can be prepared 1 day ahead; just cover and leave out at room temperature.

2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) (140 g) unsalted butter
2 cups (packed) (340 g) golden brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup (130 g) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup (90 g) chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter and flour a 13 x 9 x 2‑inch baking pan. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda in a medium bowl. Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a low heat. Remove the saucepan from the heat, then add the sugar and whisk to blend. Whisk in the eggs and vanilla extract, then gradually stir in the flour mixture (the batter will be thick). Spread the batter in the prepared pan and sprinkle with the chocolate chips and pecans. Bake the blondies for about 25 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs attached. (Don’t overcook them, or they’ll turn out hard and dry.) Cool the blondies in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve.

Bread, Irish food, Mexican food, Poultry, Slow cooker

Chicken a la Veracruzana and Barm Brack

I have a friend who used to work in the famous Bewley’s Cafe on Grafton Street in Dublin. She told me once about about the letters they got around this time of year, usually from tourists who had bought a loaf of barm brack in the store to take back home with them. The people writing the letters were concerned that they’d found a ring in their bread, with one person saying they’d had it appraised, and another one joking that they were relieved they hadn’t also found the finger that came with the ring. Most people sent the ring back.

They obviously didn’t know just what they’d bought. Barm brack (or báirín breac in Irish, from báirín, a loaf, and breac, speckled, due to the raisins in it) is a traditional Halloween treat, falling somewhere in between regular bread and cake. What makes it special is the ring and coin that are usually baked into the bread, turning it into a bit of a fortune-telling game: whoever gets the coin will be rich, and whoever gets the ring will be married within the year. Who knows what chances for love those well-meaning tourists sent back?

barm brack ring

This is the ring that came in the store-bought barm brack I bought last year (oh, those chubby, dimpled little toddler hands get me every time). But after making my own this year and seeing how quick and easy it is, we’ll only be having homemade brack from now on.

Chicken a la Veracruzana
adapted from Mexican Everyday by Rick Bayless

Serves 6

Rick Bayless suggests using 2 lb (900 g) of pork shoulder or beef chuck, cut into 1‑inch cubes, in place of the chicken. If using pork, he recommends replacing the potatoes with sweet potatoes cut into 1/2‑inch cubes. If using beef, try quartered sweet turnips, cubed carrots or peeled, cubed yuca. Chicken a la Veracruzana can also be used as a soft taco filling — just shred the chicken and stir it into the sauce with the olive and parsley and smash the potatoes into smaller pieces (this is how I served this meal to my kids, with a little grated Cheddar cheese too).

1 lb (450 g) new potatoes (or you could cut 4 medium potatoes into wedges)
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 x 28-oz (or 2 x 14-oz/400‑g) can diced tomatoes (preferably fire roasted), drained
4 to 6 canned pickled jalapeños, stemmed, deseeded and cut into strips
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (100 g) coarsely chopped green olives
1/4 cup (loosely packed) (10 g) roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley

Place the potatoes over the bottom of a slow cooker and put the chicken breasts over the potatoes. In a medium bowl, mix together the drained tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, Worcestershire, thyme, cloves, cinnamon and salt. Pour the sauce evenly over the chicken. Set the lid in place and cook on high for 6 hours (the dish can hold on the slow cooker’s “keep warm” function for 4 more hours or so).

Carefully transfer a chicken breast and a portion of potatoes to each of 6 dinner plates, leaving as much sauce behind as possible. Mix the olives and parsley into the sauce, then taste and season with more salt if it needs it. Spoon the sauce over the chicken and potatoes and serve.

No slow cooker?
Put the chicken in a medium-large heavy pot, preferably a Dutch oven, and top with the potatoes. Cover with the sauce, set the lid in place and braise at 300°F (150°C) for 2 to 2 1/2 hours, until the chicken is completely tender. Complete the dish as described above.

chicken a la veracruzana

***

Barm Brack
adapted from Good Food Channel

Makes 1 loaf

If you want to include the traditional coin and/or ring, wrap them up well in greaseproof paper before adding them to the batter. You’d probably better wash the coin beforehand too. You can also make a yeasted version of barm brack, but you can’t beat this recipe if you want something quick and easy — it takes 10 minutes to make. If you want to elevate brack into a dessert, try this recipe for toffee apples on sugar-glazed barm brack.

3/4 cup (120 g) dark brown sugar
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) strong black tea
2 cups (320 g) raisins
2 tablespoons mixed candied peel
1 egg, beaten
2 cups (240 g) flour
1 heaped teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Dissolve the sugar in the tea. Add the raisins and candied peel and leave to soak overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Grease an 8‑inch loaf tin or small round cake tin. Add the beaten egg to the raisins and peel as well as their soaking liquid. Sift in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir well. Spoon the batter into the tin (add the charms now if you’re using them) and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean. This is traditionally served toasted and buttered with a cup of tea.

Desserts, Seafood

Fish Pie with Sauteed Carrots and Pumpkin Seed Brittle

At the office where my husband worked for 10 years in Drogheda, there’s a fantastic fishmonger just down the street. Matt tended to stop in to buy fish there at least once a week, eventually getting to be on first-name terms with them. Since September, though, Matt has been based in the Dublin office. The move has brought lots of changes, not least of which is the fact that getting fish is now a lot harder than it used to be and we don’t eat as much of it as we used to. (I don’t suppose anyone knows a good fishmonger around Parnell Square in Dublin?) But any time we have to run errands in Drogheda instead of our own town, we make a point of stopping in to get something. I had to go tthere recently and jumped at the chance to pick up some of the fishmonger’s own fish pie mix, a combination of salmon, smoked haddock and white fish. If you’re lucky enough to have a fishmonger near you, they might do something similar. Otherwise, just use the fish called for in the recipe.

fish pie (before)

Fish Pie
adapted from Apples for Jam by Tessa Kiros

Serves 5

I sometimes add diced carrots and celery along with the mushrooms to pack in some extra veggies. You could also try adding a few chopped shallots.

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons (30 g) butter
1/4 cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup (300 ml) vegetable broth, warmed
1/2 cup (120 ml) cream

for the pie:
4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
1 clove garlic, chopped
7 oz (200 g) mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons white wine
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) skinless halibut, cod or snapper fillets
1 lb 2 oz (500 g) raw prawns, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 lb 4 oz (1 kg) potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
3/4 cup (185 ml)  milk, warmed
lemon wedges, to serve

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter a large ovenproof dish (or you could do individual serving dishes).

To make the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan and then stir in the flour. Cook for 1 minute or so over a medium heat and then add the broth, whisking well to make a smooth sauce. Let it bubble up for a few minutes and then stir in the cream. Taste for salt and pepper (your broth will probably be seasoned already).

To make the pie, heat 1 tablespoon (30 g) of the butter and the garlic in a frying pan, and when it’s sizzling, add the mushrooms and a little salt. Saute over a high heat, stirring the mushrooms around with a wooden spoon until all the juices have evaporated and they turn golden. Add the wine and some pepper and cook until the wine has evaporated. Remove from the heat.

Cut the fish into large, 2‑inch chunks and put in the bottom of your dish(es). Scrape the mushrooms over the fish, then add the prawns. Scatter with the parsley and a few grinds of pepper. Pour the sauce over the top.

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes in salted water until soft. Heat the remaining butter in the milk. Drain the potatoes and mash them. Beat in the rest of the butter and the warm milk and season, if necessary.

Arrange the mash over the top of the fish and sauce, then bake for 30 to 45 minutes, until the mash is golden in places and the sauce is bubbling up underneath. Leave it to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before serving with lemon wedges.

fish pie (finished)

***

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.

***

Pumpkin Seed Brittle
from Feast by Nigella Lawson

Serves 8

1 1/4 cups (250 g) sugar
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup (125 g) green pumpkin seeds

Cover a baking sheet with a Bake-O-Glide, Silpat or other reusable parchment, or tear off some aluminum foil and lightly oil it. Dissolve the sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan over a low heat. Turn the heat up and bring the mixture to a boil but do not stir. Let the syrup bubble over a fairly high heat for about 10 minutes, until it turns a deep golden amber color. Don’t be tempted to wander away, make a phone call or leave the pan unattended, as the syrup could caramelize sooner.

Quickly tip the pumpkin seeds into the amber-colored syrup, swirl the pan so that they become evenly coated and then take off the heat. Pour the syrup immediately onto the Bake-O-Glide or oiled-foil-lined tray, trying to spread the molten liquid in a thin layer. It is possible to spread the brittle with a palette knife if it has mounded too much, but move fast: you will have only a short time to do this before it begins to set. Leave the brittle to cool and harden completely before breaking it into pieces.

Bread, Fruit, Soups and stews, Vegetarian main dishes

Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup with Parsnip, Parmesan and Sage Bread

Smugglers Creek Inn in County Donegal is one of my favorite places to eat in Ireland. You can’t beat it in terms of location and atmosphere — dating back to 1845, this restaurant, pub and B&B is perched on a cliff overlooking Rossnowlagh beach and Donegal Bay, with the Bluestack Mountains in the distance. If you’re really lucky, you can nab one of the chairs in front of the open fire in the pub and settle in to have a pint before dinner. The restaurant specializes in seafood, but I still remember the curried parsnip and apple soup Matt ordered the first time we went there. I probably played it safe and ordered seafood chowder, thinking a parsnip and apple soup sounded odd, not to mention a curried one at that. But it was outstanding, and I’ve been making it myself at home ever since. Paired with this bread, it’s one of our favorite fall dinners, and is always one of the first soups I make once the weather turns cool.

Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup

Serves 4

4 tablespoons (60 g) butter
1 onion, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh root ginger, chopped (optional)
1 heaped teaspoon Thai green curry paste (or 1 tablespoon curry powder)
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 lb (450 g) parsnips, peeled and chopped (1 or 2 parsnips, depending on size)
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and chopped
1 3/4 pints (1 liter) vegetable stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain yogurt or crème fraîche, to serve

Melt the butter in a pot, then add the onion, ginger, curry paste and cumin, cooking until the onions turn yellow, about 4 minutes. Add the parsnips, apple and potato and stir over a medium heat to coat the vegetables. Add the stock and bring to the boil, then cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Puree in a blender or food processor, then return to the pot and season to taste. To serve, ladle the soup into a bowl and swirl in a spoonful of yogurt or crème fraîche.

***

Parsnip, Parmesan and Sage Bread
from Delia’s How to Cook: Book One by Delia Smith

Makes 1 loaf

If you want to serve this with the curried parsnip and apple soup and are worried the sage won’t compliment the soup, just leave it out (though I don’t mind it).

2 cups (240 g) self-raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
6 oz (170 g) parsnips (peeled weight, about 1 big parsnip)
2 oz (60 g) Parmesan, cut into 1/4‑inch cubes, plus extra shavings for the topping
1 rounded tablespoon chopped fresh sage (or 1 teaspoon dried)
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon milk
olive oil, for drizzling

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or grease it very well) and set aside.

Sift the flour and salt into a large, roomy bowl, then put a grater directly in the bowl and coarsely grate the parsnips into the flour, then toss them around. After that, add the cubes of Parmesan and chopped sage and toss that in. Now lightly beat the eggs and milk together, then add this to the bowl a little at a time, mixing evenly with a wooden spoon. What you should end up with is a rough, rather loose, sticky dough, so don’t worry what it looks like at this stage. Transfer this to the baking sheet and pat it gently into a 6‑inch rough round, then make a cross on top with the blunt side of a knife. Now scatter the Parmesan shavings over the surface, followed by a sprinkling of flour. Finally, drizzle with just a little bit of olive oil.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, by which time it will be golden and crusty. Allow to cool on a wire rack. Serve while it’s still warm or reheat it later.

Beef, Casseroles, Desserts, French food, Soups and stews

Casserole Provençale and Crunchy Chocolate Bakewell Tart

We’re excited to announce our first giveaway at Dinner du Jour! Thanks to Gill & Macmillan, I have a copy of From Brenda’s Kitchen: 100 Favourite Recipes by Brenda Costigan to give away* to a reader.

Brenda Costigan is one of Ireland’s most renowned cookery writers. A weekly food columnist for the Sunday Independent Life magazine, she has also written three other bestselling cookbooks. This book, written with busy families in mind and suitable for cooks of all abilities, features some of the most popular recipes from her column as well as many new favorites.

To be in with a chance of winning From Brenda’s Kitchen: 100 Favourite Recipes, just leave a comment in this post telling us what some of your favorite recipes are. The competition will close at 12:00 (Irish time) on Monday, November 9th and a winner will be chosen randomly from the comments.

brenda cover

Casserole Provençale
adapted from From Brenda’s Kitchen: 100 Favourite Recipes by Brenda Costigan

Serves 5 to 6

Brenda says you shouldn’t hold back on the olives, as they give a wonderful flavor to the finished dish. It’s also preferable to use fresh herbs rather than dried here.

for the marinade:
1 1/4 cups (300 ml) red wine
1/4 cup (60 ml) brandy (optional)
sprigs of fresh thyme
sprigs of fresh rosemary
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, chopped
salt and freshly ground black pepper

for the casserole:
2 1/4 lb (1 kg) stewing beef, cut into generous bite-sized chunks
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 rounded tablespoon flour
7 oz (200 g) rashers or bacon, chopped (Brenda likes to use smoked rashers/bacon)
2 large onions, sliced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
6 oz (170 g) button mushrooms, halved
2 large carrots, peeled and sliced
3 to 5 oz (75 to 150 g) pitted black or green olives
1 x 14-oz (400‑g) can of chopped tomatoes
1 3/4 cups (400 ml) hot beef stock
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Put all the marinade ingredients into a bowl and stir well to combine. Add in the beef and mix well. Cover with clingfilm and allow to marinate in the fridge for a few hours. Stir once or twice if you think of it.

Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).

Lift the meat out of the marinade with a slotted spoon (keep the marinade). Pat the meat dry with paper towels and fry in small batches until browned in the olive oil, then transfer to a casserole or heavy saucepan. Add the flour to the browned meat and toss together. Fry the rashers until golden and add to the meat.

Lightly brown the onions in the pan. Add the garlic and then the mushrooms, then add this onion mixture to the casserole. Add the carrots, olives and tomatoes to the casserole.

Pour the marinade, including the herbs, into the pan the meat etc. was browned in and bring to the boil, making sure to scrape up all the bits on the bottom of the pan. Boil for 1 to 2 minutes to reduce the amount of liquid a bit and to intensify the flavor. Add the beef stock and simmer for a few minutes to heat it up, then pour the hot liquid directly into the casserole. The liquid should just about cover the meat and vegetables. Add very little salt, if any, because the rashers and olives are already salty. Add freshly ground black pepper and stir everything together. If necessary to make the lid fit more snugly, cover the casserole with a layer of baking parchment or tinfoil, then put on the lid (this helps to prevent evaporation).

Cook in the oven for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the meat is really tender. Discard the sprigs of fresh herbs before serving. Serve with mashed potatoes or boiled potatoes and a green vegetable of your choice.

***

Crunchy Chocolate Bakewell Tart
adapted from From Brenda’s Kitchen: 100 Favourite Recipes by Brenda Costigan

Serves 8

Brenda says this tart is one of her favorites — rich and moist, it keeps for up to 2 weeks. Brenda has used a base of crushed digestives and butter instead of the more traditional pastry base. For a touch of luxury, serve the tart with the fruits of the forest sauce (or 12 oz (340 g) mixed fresh summer berries) and some whipped cream.

Note: If the baking tin sizes recommended here aren’t adhered to, the cakes may be thicker (if smaller) or thinner (if larger), which can affect the cooking times.

for the crushed biscuit base: 
7 oz (200 g) digestive biscuits, crushed (or you can substitute graham crackers)
1/2 cup (110 g) butter, melted

for the filling: 
4 to 5 tablespoons blackcurrant jam, softened (not fridge cold)
3/4 cup (170 g) butter, softened
3/4 cup (150 g) sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
3 1/2 oz (100 g) chopped blanched almonds
3 1/2 oz (100 g) ground almonds
5 oz (150 g) dark chocolate, melted and partly cooled
small handful of flaked almonds

for the fruits of the forest sauce:
juice of 1 large orange
12 oz (340 g) frozen fruits of the forest or summer fruits
1/4 to 1/3 cup (50 to 75 g) sugar
1 heaped teaspoon cornflour

3/4 cup (175 ml) lightly sweetened whipped cream, to serve

You will also need a springform tin 9 inches in diameter

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).

To make the biscuit base, mix the crushed biscuits and melted butter together and spread in an even layer over the base of the tin, pressing the mixture down firmly. Bake in the oven for about 5 minutes, just to lightly crisp the biscuits. There will be no change in the appearance. Stand the tin on a wire tray to cool while you prepare the filling.

Reduce the oven to 325°F (170°C).

To make the filling, place the jam in a small bowl and stir briskly with a spoon in order to make it looser and more spreadable. Spread the jam carefully in a thin layer over the cooled biscuit base, leaving a 1‑inch margin all the way around. This is to ensure that the jam doesn’t ooze out at the edges and get too highly baked on the sides, spoiling the appearance of the finished cake.

Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until soft. Add in the eggs, one at a time, and almond extract and beat well. Mix together the chopped almonds and the ground almonds and stir into the butter/sugar mixture, then stir the melted chocolate through. Pour into the tin over the biscuit base and scatter the flaked almonds over the surface.

Bake for about 40 minutes –- start at the higher temperature and lower if halfway through if the tart is cooking too quickly. It’s ready when the almond mixture has become set on the outside but is still slightly wobbly in the center. Stand the tin on a wire tray for about 15 minutes to allow it to cool. With a sharp knife, loosen the edges, then release the spring clip sides of the tin and leave the tart to cool completely.

To make the sauce, put the orange juice and frozen berries into a saucepan. Cook gently to thaw, then add the sugar and stir to dissolve. Blend the cornflour with a dribble of water and some of the hot liquid from the saucepan. Mix well, then stir the cornflour mixture into the berries in the saucepan. Bring to the boil, stirring to thicken. If a thicker consistency is required, more cornflour can be added (in the same way). Taste for sweetness.

To serve, carefully slide the tart off the base of the tin onto a serving plate. Serve each slice topped with the fruits of the forest sauce (or fresh berries) and some whipped cream.

*In the interests of full disclosure, I was involved with the production of this book and the publishers, Gill & Macmillan, generously gave me a copy to give away here.

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

Pasta with Greens, Garbanzo Beans and Ricotta Salata and Caramel-dipped Apples

I love one-pot meals that cover the four basic food groups. I love them even more if they can be prepared in less than 30 minutes, like this dish.  The only trouble with this dish was the cheese. I went to three stores before finding it at one of Milwaukee’s gems, Glorioso Brothers Company, an Italian grocer and specialty food shop on now-trendy Brady Street. If you can’t find ricotta salata, try substituting feta.

I’m still eating orchard apples (our CSA delivery included a couple more pounds!), but I’m not going to complain. We would have bought more if we needed to to make caramel-coated apples, a now annual tradition for us. Although you can decorate the apples with just about anything, I especially love the caramel paired with salted, roasted nuts.

IMG_7209

Pasta with Greens, Garbanzo Beans and Ricotta Salata
adapted from Food Network’s Giada at Home

Serves 4 to 6

1 lb (450 g) medium pasta shells, orecchiette or other short pasta
1/2 cup (120 ml) olive oil
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
12 oz (340 g) Swiss chard, stemmed and roughly chopped
12 oz (340 g) baby spinach leaves
1 x 15-oz (425‑g) can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
2 cups (280 g) small cherry or grape tomatoes
8 oz (225 g) ricotta salata cheese, crumbled
2 teaspoons lemon zest
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, according to package directions. Drain and reserve about 1 cup (240 ml) of the pasta water.

In a large skillet over a medium-high heat, heat the oil. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant and lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the garlic and discard. Stir in the red pepper flakes to the oil. Add the chard and cook until wilted. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, stirring. Add the beans and tomatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Add the pasta, half the cheese, and lemon zest. Toss well and thin out the sauce with a little pasta water, if needed.

Transfer to a large serving bowl and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese and serve.

***

Caramel-coated Apples
adapted from Kraft

Makes 5 caramel apples

5 apples, washed and well dried
14 oz (400 g) caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
toppings: chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, shredded coconut, sprinkles

Insert wooden sticks (from the bag of caramels or popsicle sticks) into the stem ends of the apples. Cover a large cutting board with waxed paper and grease the paper with butter.

Cook the caramels and water in a large saucepan on a medium-low heat until the caramels are completely melted, stirring constantly.

Dip the apples in caramel. Spoon additional caramel over the apples if necessary to evenly coat them. Let excess caramel drip off. Scrape the bottoms of the apples to remove more excess caramel. Roll the apples in your topping(s) of choice. Place the apples on the prepared plate. Refrigerate for 1 hour (if you can wait). Remove from the refrigerator 15 minutes before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Refrigerate leftovers.

Asian food, Cakes, Pork

Clay Pot Pork and Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

This is a great meal to serve when dinner for six suddenly turns into dinner for nine. Cousin Alais came to visit and our casual supper turned into a casual dinner party when old friends from California came into town. The braised pork dish doubles well and rice can stretch a long way when you need it to. An Asian-inspired salad rounds out the meal well. We also ate an asparagus and bean sprout salad that my in-laws made. If I can talk my mother-in-law out of the recipe, I’ll add it later.

I’ve been looking for these cupcakes for a long time, maybe my entire adult life. I love coconut; I love cake. So why is it so hard to find a good coconut cake? This cupcake recipe is exactly what it should be. Delicate, not too sweet, with a strong coconut flavor and a tangy frosting. I think the coconut milk and dessicated coconut made this recipe. If you’re looking for dessicated coconut (sweetened or unsweetened work fine), check out Whole Foods or your local health food store. Also, these make precious Halloween ghost cupcakes with the addition of mini-chocolate chip eyes. Sam insisted on adding noses, which also looked cute, if not exactly scary.

Clay Pot Pork
from Gourmet, May 2008

Serves 4

1/3 cup (75 g) sugar
3/4 cup (175 ml) water
1/3 cup (80 ml) Asian fish sauce, preferably Vietnamese
3 shallots, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
3 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally, white and green parts kept separate
1 lb (450 g) trimmed boneless pork shoulder, cut into 1‑inch cubes
1 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
cooked rice, to serve

Cook the sugar in a dry 3‑quart heavy saucepan over a moderate heat, without stirring, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until the sugar has melted into a deep golden caramel. Carefully add the water and fish sauce (the caramel will harden and steam vigorously) and cook, stirring, until the caramel is dissolved. Add the shallots, garlic, and white part of the scallions and cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 4 minutes.

Toss the pork with the pepper in a bowl and stir into the sauce. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan, reduce the heat to low, and braise the pork, stirring once or twice, until very tender, 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Stir in the scallion greens and serve with rice.

***

Coconut Cupcake

Coconut Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting
adapted from Simplyrecipes.com

Makes 18 cupcakes

for the cupcakes:
3/4 cup (165 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 1/4 cup (250 g) sugar
3 eggs, room temperature
2 1/4 cups (270 g) flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk (regular, not light)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (40 g) desiccated coconut

for the frosting:
1/4 cup (55 g) butter, room temperature
8 oz (225 g) cream cheese, room temperature
3/4 to 1 cup (90 to 120 g) powdered sugar
1/4 cup (20 g) desiccated coconut, plus extra for sprinkling

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Cream the butter until light and fluffy. Add the sugar and cream until light and fluffy again, scraping down the sides halfway through to ensure even mixing.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 30 seconds each to ensure they are well mixed. Be sure to scrape down the sides  to ensure even mixing.

Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder in one bowl. In another, add 1 cup (240 ml) of a well-shaken can of coconut milk and the vanilla. Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture and mix, then add half of the wet ingredients. Continue alternating with the wet and dry mixtures, ending with the dry. Stop mixing just as the ingredients become incorporated; do not overbeat. Fold in the coconut.

Scoop the cupcake batter into cupcake papers about three-quarters of the way full. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan after 15 minutes to ensure even baking. Be sure to check with a toothpick to see if the cupcakes are done. If the toothpick comes out of the cupcake clean, then they’re ready. Allow the cupcakes to cool for a minute or two in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Slowly add the powdered sugar — taste as you go, adding more sugar until you’ve reached the desired sweetness. Fold in the coconut. Spread about 2 tablespoons onto each cooled cupcake. Sprinkle a bit of extra shredded coconut on top and serve.

Appetizers, Grains and pulses, Poultry

Blue Cheese-stuffed Mushrooms, Sage Roasted Chicken, and Quinoa with Beets and Goat’s Cheese

Poor Reuben and Sam had to test out three of my concoctions tonight. I picked out some “real” recipes earlier in the week but decided to use up as much wilting produce in my fridge as possible instead. I don’t normally make an appetizer for a weeknight dinner, but what else can you do with a small wedge of very ripe blue cheese except stuff it in some mushrooms? I won’t say these are the finest recipes I ever created, but together they made for a satisfying dinner.

Blue Cheese-stuffed Mushrooms

Makes about 14 to 16 mushrooms

1 lb (450 g) white mushrooms
1/2 cup (25 g) fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 oz (45 g) blue cheese
4 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Wash the mushrooms quickly under running water and dry them. Remove the stems from the mushroom caps. Using your hands, gently combine the remaining ingredients in a medium bowl. Stuff each mushroom cap with the filling. Bake for about 15 minutes, until mushrooms are tender and the breadcrumbs are golden. Serve hot.

***

Sage Roasted Chicken

Serves 4 to 6

1 x 3–4 lb (1.4 to 1.8 kg) whole chicken
olive oil or melted butter
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small bunch fresh sage

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Wash the chicken inside and out, then dry well. Rub the skin with olive oil or melted butter. Season generously, inside and out, with salt and pepper. Place 10 to 12 sage leaves under the skin of the chicken. Stuff the remaining sage inside the chicken cavity.

Place the chicken, breast down, on a roasting rack and set in a baking dish. Roast at 400°F (200°C) for about 20 minutes. Flip the chicken breast side up and continue roasting for another 20 minutes, until the skin takes on some color. Turn the oven down to 350°F (180°C) and continue roasting for another 20 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken. When done, the leg will move easily away from the body of the chicken and juices will run clear when the thigh is pierced. Let the chicken rest for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

***

Quinoa with Beets and Goat’s Cheese

Serves 6

1 lb (450 g) beets, trimmed
8 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 cup (170 g) quinoa
4 cups (1 liter) water
2 teaspoons salt, divided
2 oz (60 g) goat’s cheese, crumbled
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Toss the beets in 3 tablespoons of olive oil, then wrap in aluminum foil. (I usually place 2 to 3 beets in each foil packet.) Roast until tender, 60 to 90 minutes, depending on the size of the beets. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 to 20 minutes before peeling and quartering the beets. If the beets are very large, cut into 1‑inch pieces instead of quartering them.

Bring 4 cups (1 liter) of water to boil. Stir in the quinoa and salt to the boiling water. Cook the quinoa until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water. Place in a serving bowl.

In small bowl, whisk together the shallot, vinegar, mustard, remaining salt and freshly ground black pepper. Whisk in the remaining 5 tablespoons of olive oil. Stir the vinaigrette and quinoa together. Fold in the beets and crumbled goat’s cheese. Serve warm or at room temperature.

A Cooking Blog