TasteFood

The BloggerAid Cook Book

2009-11-13T14:25:02-08:00

Last April I posted a Mystery Recipe that was created for The BloggerAid Cook Book. This cookbook is a collection of recipes by food bloggers from around the world. They are united by their commitment to making a difference by raising funds for the United Nation's World Food Programme and their passion for "all things foodie." This is BloggerAid's biggest fundraiser to date and 100% of the proceeds from the cookbook will benefit the WFP's School Meals Programme, which benefits an average of 22 million hungry children each year.

After months of work and effort, BoggerAid is happy to announce the publication of The BloggerAid Cook Book, which can be purchased here from Create Space. I am grateful to have been a small part of this inspiring and collective result with my recipe for Asparagus and Leek Frittata, and cannot think of a better gift to give in this holiday season.

Asparagus and Leek Frittata - TasteFood
from The BloggerAid Cook Book

This recipe is simple to prepare, economical in ingredients and fresh with seasonal produce. It can be prepared for lunch or an easy dinner. Accompany with a Green Salad and Roasted Potatoes.

Serves 4

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 leek (white and green part only), halved lengthwise and sliced thinly - about one cup
1 lb./500 g. asparagus, ends trimmed, cut on diagonal in 1" pieces
6 large eggs
6 oz. (175 g.) Gruyère cheese, grated
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven broiler.
Heat oil in an oven-proof skillet over medium heat. Add leek and sauté until soft but not turning brown, about 3 minutes. Add asparagus, sprinkle lightly with 1/4 teaspoon salt and sauté until bright green and crisp tender, about 5 minutes.
Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl. Add 3/4 of the Gruyère cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt and freshly ground black pepper. Pour eggs over asparagus, gently stirring to distribute evenly. Cook over medium heat until bottom is set and top is still runny. Sprinkle remaining Gruyère cheese and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese over top. Place skillet in oven under grill. Broil until frittata is puffed and golden brown, 2-3 minutes. Remove and serve immediately or at room temperature.

Tequila-Spiked Cranberrry, Apple and Jalapeño Relish

2009-11-12T07:05:48-08:00

At about this time last year, I was trying to make a perfect fall drink for a football party. The result was a warm concoction of apple cider, cranberry juice, tequila and lime which (needless to say) was very popular. This year I was searching for variations on the traditional cranberry sauce and remembered this combination. I added jalapeño to the ingredients for a bit of kick, and otherwise reinvented this drink in a relish form. While it's very appropriate for the Thanksgiving table, Tequila-Spiked Cranberry, Apple and Jalapeño Relish would also make a fresh and zesty accompaniment to roasted pork, chicken or steak.

Tequila-Spiked Cranberry, Apple and Jalapeño Relish
Makes 2 cups

1 12 oz. package cranberries, washed and picked over
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Granny Smith apple, cored, peeled, cut in 1/4" dice
2 tablespoons tequila
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 jalapeño pepper, stemmed, seeded, finely diced
1 teaspoon lime zest, from an untreated lime
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt, to taste

Combine cranberries, sugar, orange and lime juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until cranberries begin to pop. Stir in apple, tequila and cinnamon and continue to cook, one minute. Remove from heat. Stir in jalapeño, lime zest, black pepper and salt. Allow to cool. Refrigerate, covered, at least 2 hours or overnight to let flavors develop.

Try serving Tequila-Spiked Cranberry, Apple and Jalapeño Relish with these dishes:
Spiced Chicken under a Brick
Ginger-Soy Marinated Pork Tenderloin
Seven Hour Lamb - Gigot de Sept Heures

More Cranberry Sauce variations from the Foodblogs:
Blackberry Cranberry Sauce from Baking Bites
Cranberry Orange Sauce from Wednesday Chef
Crockpot Cranberry Sauce from A Year of Slow Cooking
Cranberry Sauce with Rosemary and Persimmon from What We're Eating

Prosciutto, Fig, Arugula and Goat Cheese Roll-ups with Honey

2009-11-09T06:54:49-08:00

It's November and there are baskets of figs for sale in our market. As a transplant from northern Europe, this is positively decadent. I was shopping yesterday for an autumn dinner, thinking of apples, braising meat, a turnip or two. I rounded the corner in the produce department, and there they were: baskets and baskets of plump purpley-green tinged figs And they didn't even look sad or weary from lengthy storage or intercontinental jet travel. These were the real ripe deal - all perky, fresh and plump. So, of course, I had to have them.

And this is what I made with what I had at home in my refrigerator:

Prosciutto, Fig, Arugula and Goat Cheese Roll-ups with Honey
Makes 16

8 slices prosciutto, cut in half horizontally
8 small figs, halved or 4 large figs, quartered
2 cups arugula leaves, washed and dried
1/3 cup soft mild goat cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
Runny honey

Lay prosciutto slice on work surface. Arrange 1-2 fresh arugula leaves at one end. Place fig on top of arugula. Spoon one teaspoon goat cheese over fig and arugula. Sprinkle with a pinch of pepper. Roll up prosciutto from end with fig. Arrange on serving plate. Repeat with remaining ingredients. (Roll-ups can be prepared 3 hours ahead of serving. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Allow to come to room temperature before serving.) Lightly drizzle honey over roll-ups before serving.

You might also like these other fresh recipes with figs from TasteFood:

Crostini with Honey Roasted Figs, Mozzarella and Prosciutto Crisps

Figs and Greens with Blue Cheese, Walnuts and Honey Vinaigrette

Stuffed Figs with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto

Rich Chocolate Brownies

2009-11-06T00:08:00-08:00

Chocolate: a Swiss Remedy (updated from the TasteFood archives)

Living in Switzerland for 10 years gave me a certain perspective on chocolate as sustenance. In this special country, chocolate is considered a staple and a panacea for all that is fraught in the world. It's found in every lunch box, ski-pack and pantry. It's not considered a dessert, but really it's own food group that transcends all nutritional categories and is arguably a national symbol, right up there with banks, cows and the Matterhorn. In a manner of efficiency, as only the Swiss can do, chocolate is the the multi-tasking equivalent of a power bar, a balanced diet, a healthy psyche and an aspirin. How can you not love a country for this?

When I lived in Crassier, near the French border about 15 miles outside of Geneva, I would cross the border regularly to shop in the French supermarkets. When I would return to Switzerland, the Swiss border guards would often stop me and question my purchases. (There were strict restrictions on quantities of wine, cheese, and meat that could be purchased abroad.) One day when I was still new to the country, I returned with some French chocolate. When I informed the Swiss guards that I had chocolate in my shopping bags they gaped at me in disbelief. Forget the case of Burgundy wine, the kilos of runny French cheese, or the side of beef in my backseat - zut alors! - they were aghast and appalled that I would have the gall and obvious lack of taste to purchase French chocolate instead of Swiss. I had committed an act of treachery in their minds, and diminished my already lowly foreign status. The next time I crossed the border, I would have to wear a paper bag over my head.

I learned my lesson. Clearly, integrating meant more than learning the local language and paying taxes. It also meant buying Swiss chocolate. (Like I said, how can you not love a country for this?) Now, many years and several countries later, I continue to buy Swiss chocolate - a.k.a. the Swiss remedy for everything. And these days when life is throwing lots of curve-balls our way, a little chocolate medicine is a comforting and restaurative pleasure. Straight-up and dark is my preferred manner of consumption, but when a little extra TLC is needed, there is nothing like a gooey, decadent, home-baked brownie.

Chocolate Brownies
This brownie recipe is one of those no-fail, crowd-pleasing brownies. It's dense and fudgey, chocolate-y enough to please the adults and sweet enough to appeal to kids. I use Lindt 70% dark chocolate, bien sûr.

Makes 32 small squares

1 cup (225 g.) unsalted butter
12 oz. (350 grams) good quality dark chocolate (70%), coarsely chopped
3/4 cup (85 g.) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups (340 g.) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 9-inch square baking pan. Line bottom and sides with parchment paper. Butter paper.
Melt butter and chocolate in a double boiler or heatproof bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water, stirring occasionally, until smooth. Remove from heat. Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs, sugar and vanilla together in a large bowl until the mixture lightens in color. Add chocolate to the eggs and stir to combine well. Add flour to the chocolate batter, stirring with a wooden spoon, until combined.
Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until top is set and sides begin to pull away from pan. Brownies will be fudgey and a wooden pick will not come out clean. Cool completely on rack. For best results, refrigerate brownies covered overnight in pan. To cut, remove brownies from pan by lifting paper at sides. Cut in small squares.

Tip: These brownies are very rich and soft. Keep them stored in the refrigerator, and they will last for up to one week.

Need more chocolate medicine? Try these recipes from TasteFood:

Chocolate Oblivion Cookies

Chocolate Terrine with Orange Crème Anglaise and Gran Marnier Oranges

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Raspberry Coulis

Spice-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2009-11-03T12:22:00-08:00

Looking for a healthy diversion from all of the Halloween candy in your house? Pumpkins are not just good for decoration and their sweet nutrient-rich flesh. Their seeds are high in iron, fiber and protein, rich in amino acids and zinc. So when you are carving up pumpkins or squash for decoration or baking, be sure to save your seeds. Clean and dry them before roasting for best results. Then, when you find yourself peeking at your kids' Halloween stash, reach instead for Spice-Roasted Pumpkins Seeds for a healthy, savory snack.

Spice-Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

2 cups pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne, or more to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

Clean and dry seeds:
Remove most of the pulp from the seeds without washing them. Arrange seeds in one layer on a baking tray and leave them out to dry at least 3-4 hours or overnight.

Roast the seeds:
Preheat oven to 375 F. (190 C.) Toast the cumin seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, one minute. Grind cumin to a fine powder in a mortar with pestle. Whisk cumin, paprika, salt, cayenne and oil together in a medium bowl. Add dried pumpkins seeds and toss to coat well. Arrange in one layer on baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Cool and store in air-tight container.

Tarte Tatin

2009-11-01T07:06:00-08:00

Tarte Tatin is pure heaven for lovers of caramelized fruit. Essentially, it's an upside-down tart, with the fruit slowly caramelized in buttter and sugar on the stove top, then topped with pastry and baked in the oven. The origin of Tarte Tatin lies with the Tatin sisters who had a restaurant in the French village of Lamotte-Beuvron at the turn of the 20th century. The story goes that they made an error while baking a traditional apple tart, when the pastry was omitted from the bottom of the tart pan. Not to be deterred, the Tatin sisters added the pastry as an afterthought on top of the fruit, and so we have the Tarte Tatin. This is a perfect example of going with the flow in the kitchen - with spectacular results.

Tarte Tatin

A perfect dessert to finish an autumn meal. Traditionally prepared with apples, but pears and apricots work well, too.
Serves 10-12

Sour Cream Pastry:
1 1/2 cups (165 g.) all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (170 g.) chilled unsalted butter, cut in pieces
6 tablespoons sour cream

Apple Filling:
1/2 cup (115 g.) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup (225 g.) plus 2 tblsp. sugar
5-6 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, quartered top to bottom

1 egg, beaten to blend, for glaze

Prepare pastry:
Blend flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Add butter and mix at medium-low speed until butter is size of peas, about 3 minutes. Add sour cream and mix until moist clumps form, about 1 minute. Gather dough into ball, flatten and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 2 hours. (Can be made one day ahead. Keep refrigerated.) Let soften slightly at room temperature before rolling out.

Spread butter over bottom of large oven-proof skillet with sloping sides. Sprinkle 1 cup sugar over butter. Place skillet over medium-low heat and cook until butter melts, sugar begins to dissolve and mixture starts to bubble, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Arrange apples, core side up, around edge of skillet, placing tightly together. Place remaining apples in a circle in center of skillet. Sprinkle with the remaining sugar.
Set skillet over medium-high heat. Boil until a thick amber colored syrup forms, repositioning skillet to ensure even cooking, about 30 minutes. While apples cook, fill in gaps with additional apple quarters. Remove skillet from heat.

While apples are cooking on stove, preheat oven to 425 F.
Roll out pastry on floured surface or parchment paper to a round shape to fit size of skillet.
Place dough over apple mixture once removed from stove, pressing dough down around the apples at edge of skillet. Cut 4 slits in top of pastry. Brush pastry with some of the egg glaze.
Bake tart until pastry is deep golden brown, 30-40 minutes. Remove from oven and cool one minute.
Cut around edge of skillet to loosen pastry. Place large platter over skillet. Using oven mitts, hold skillet and platter together tightly together and invert tart onto platter. Cool 30 minutes.
Cut in wedges and serve warm or at room temperature with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Roasted Spiced Acorn Squash with Cilantro and Lime

2009-10-29T08:35:04-07:00

Have you noticed that fall vegetables are hard? It's as though Mother Nature is providing a protective shield for her bounty to hunker down for the winter. Unlike the squishy, juiciness of summer berries and tomatoes, autumn's pumpkins and squash can double as paperweights and door stops; drop a butternut squash on your foot, and you might break a toe.

This is why I love to cook pumpkins and winter squash. Before my eyes, they undergo a culinary transformation. Their ugly-frog exteriors, all bulbous, mottled and flecked, morph and soften with roasting, exposing their innate sweetness. What was once an impermeable skin becomes an edible, toothsome texture that compliments the buttery, vividly colored interior flesh. No sloucher in the nutrient department either, winter squash and pumpkins, are treasure troves packed with iron, potassium, Vitamin A, and rich sources of beta-carotene.

So go ahead and continue to use these rock-hard seasonal sculptures as table decorations or bowling balls. But, I promise you, if you cook them they will transform into the Prince Charming of autumn vegetables.

Spiced Acorn Squash with Coriander and Lime

Do not even think of peeling the squash. It's skin will soften while roasting and add texture and nuttiness to the dish.
Serves 4 as a side dish

2 small or one large acorn squash, stem ends removed, halved and seeded
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 Freshly ground black pepper

1 red serrano chile pepper, stemmed, seeded, ribs removed, finely chopped
Juice of one lime, about 2 tablespoons
2-3 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander/cilantro leaves

Prepare:
Pre-heat oven to 425 F. (200 C.)
Cut squash in 3/4" wedges. Toss squash with oil, sugar, paprika, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl so squash is evenly coated with spices. Arrange squash in one layer on baking tray, flesh-side down. Roast in oven until tender and golden, about 45 minutes. Remove and cool slightly. Transfer to large bowl and toss with chile pepper, lime juice and cilantro leaves. Serve warm or at room temperature.

More seasonal vegetable recipes from TasteFood:

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

Baked Root Vegetable Purée

Garlicky Smashed Potatoes

More recipes with Acorn Squash from the Foodblogs:

Roasted Acorn Squash with Apples, Nuts, Sage from Andrea Meyers
Acorn Squash with Mustard and Honey from A Veggie Venture
Moroccan-Style Stuffed Acorn Squash from Eliza Domestica
Acorn Squash with Green Chiles from Karina's Kitchen

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts and Shitake Mushrooms

2009-10-27T08:56:16-07:00

Brussel sprouts - you either love them or hate them. As for me, I am a confessed brussel sprout lover. When I was younger, my affinity to these crucifers was a closely guarded secret. More commonly viewed as offensive by my friends, I feared that announcing my love for the mini-cabbages might lead to humiliation and ostracization. So, I became a closet brussel sprout eater, bingeing in secrecy, sneaking bags into my college apartment to steam when home alone - with the windows wide open to air out the tell-tale aroma.

Years later, I am far more comfortable in my crucifer-loving shoes, the first to announce their appeal, both as a flavor component in a dinner menu as well as in their nutritional qualities. (Brusssel sprouts are packed with vitamins A and C, and are rich in potassium and cancer-fighting sinigrin.) But even within the walls of our family home, we are divided in the Brussel Sprout Department, so their appearance at the dinner table always garners mixed reviews

Imagine my delight, then, when I prepared brussel sprouts one evening in a skillet, rather than my go-to steamer, with shitake mushrooms, garlic, and soy sauce. The earthy flavor of the brussel sprouts was toned down as they were sautéed with the garlic. The soy sauce added a rich, salty component that bound the dish, and the shitakes contributed a meaty quality that offset the cabbaginess of the sprouts. The verdict was unanimous at the dinner table: this was flavorful, addictive and satisfying. Everyone wanted a second helping - well, everyone except the child who won't eat mushrooms, but that's another story.

Sautéed Brussel Sprouts and Shitake Mushrooms
To dress up this vegetable dish, add one tablespoon white truffle oil to the brussel sprouts before serving.

Serves 4 as a side dish

1 lb. (500 grams) brussel sprouts
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lb. (250 grams) shitake mushrooms, ends trimmed, halved
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 tablespoon white truffle oil (optional)

Wash and trim brussel sprouts:
Wash brussel sprouts. Cut off ends and remove any discolored outer leaves. Cut brussel sprouts in half, top to bottom. Keep any small brussel sprouts whole.

Prepare:
Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add brussel sprouts and sauté until they begin to color, 3 minutes. Add shitake mushrooms and garlic. Sauté until mushrooms begin to soften, 2-3 minutes. Add 1/4 cup chicken stock and cook, stirring, over medium heat until stock evaporates. Add remaining stock in increments, stirring, until brussel sprouts are crisp-tender. Add soy sauce and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste (remember the soy sauce will also add salt.) Remove from heat. Drizzle with optional truffle oil and toss to combine. Serve immediately.

Note: To serve as a vegetarian course, substitute chicken stock with mushroom stock.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

2009-10-23T11:04:35-07:00

Sweet and spicy, warm and comforting: Curried Butternut Squash Soup is a luxuriant soup for the autumn season. My original inspiration for this soup came from the Silver Palate Cookbook many years ago. Since then, I have tweaked and made variations of this soup in the different countries where I have lived. What I love about this rich soup is that there is no cream in the stock. Sweet onion, tart apples and squash cook down in chicken stock, then puréed and thinned with apple juice. The apples add a sharp, spicy sweetness that compliments the earthy, sweetness of the squash, while curry powder adds heat and roundness to the flavor. As a final flourish, I like to add a dollop of cool crème fraîche as garnish with a few sprigs of cilantro. This is a hearty, healthy and pleasing soup for a cool fall day.

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
As we moved around Europe it was difficult to find the prolific American butternut squash, so I would improvise with small hokkaido pumpkins that were available in the fall. You can also substitute the butternut squash with another sweet, orange fleshed squash or pumpkin.

Serves 6

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped
1 large Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, cut in 1" chunks
1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, cut in 1" chunks
2 tablespoons currry powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup unsweetened apple juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons salt, to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Crème fraîche
Fresh cilantro/coriander leaves

Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add onions and stir until transluscent, about 3 minutes. Add apple and squash and cook, stirring, one minute. Add curry powder and ground coriander and cook, stirring, 30 seconds. Add chicken stock. (Stock should cover squash and apples. If not, then add additional stock or water to cover.) Simmer, covered, until squash and apples are very soft, about 30 minutes. Purée soup in batches in a food processor or with an immersion blender. Add apple juice to soup and gently cook to heat through. (If the soup is too thick, add additional apple juice to desired consistency.) Stir in brown sugar, salt and pepper.
Serve soup hot, garnished with a spoonful of crème fraîche and a few cilantro leaves.

You might also enjoy these recipes with butternut squash from other foodblogs:
Butternut Squash with Lemon, Thyme and Parmesan from Kalyn's Kitchen
Butternut Squash Apple Cranberry Bake from Simply Recipes
Butternut Squash and Sweet Potato Gratin from Pinch My Salt

Three Pears

2009-10-20T07:12:46-07:00

TasteFood

Banana Cake

2009-10-17T08:22:02-07:00

Tried and true, Banana Cake (or bread, depending on your perspective) has figured prominently in our home as a baked treat. The kids love it, as do the adults, and in every country we have lived, bananas have been readily available in the markets. I have made variations over the years, adding wheat germ and oats for added fiber and nutrients, coconut for a tropical twist, even chocolate for those cravings of, well, chocolate. This recipe is the base recipe I rely on and come back to time and again. It's moist, not overly sweet, and keeps in the refrigerator for 4 days. Actually, that's a guess, because it never lasts that long.

Banana Cake
Makes one loaf

3/4 cup (150 g.) unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 g.) light brown sugar
3 eggs
3 very ripe bananas, mashed with a fork
1/3 cup (80 ml.) sour cream or Greek-style whole milk yogurt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups (220 g.) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. (180 C.)
Butter a loaf pan and line bottom with parchment paper.
Beat butter and sugar until they are light and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in bananas, sour cream, vanilla and cinnamon. Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. Add to bananas and stir to combine well. Pour batter into prepared loaf pan. Bake in oven until knife comes clean, about one hour. Remove from oven and let cool completely before removing from pan.

Try these variations:

Tropical Twist: Add 1/2 cup flaked, unsweetened coconut to dry ingredients. Sprinkle additional tablespoon coconut on top of cake before baking.

More Fiber: Reduce flour to 1 3/4 cups. Add 1/2 cup oats and 2 tablespoons wheat germ to dry ingredients.

Chocolate Boost: Add 1 cup dark chocolate chips to batter before pouring into loaf pan.

Baked Root Vegetable Purée

2009-10-13T12:08:02-07:00

There is no set rule for the types of root vegetables you can use in this recipe. In fact, what you see on the ingredients list is what happened to be in my kitchen when I set out to make a Root Vegetable Purée to serve with Roast Chicken last night. As I puréed the steamed vegetables, I envisioned doctoring it with all sorts of extra spices, a little grated cheese, maybe even some minced onion. But then I tasted the purée, and was blown away by its soft, sweet, nutty flavor. Mild and delicate, all it needed was salt and pepper and a dollop of sour cream to lighten its texture. For a little autumnal flourish, I topped the purée with fresh sage leaves before baking, so their woody flavor would lightly infuse the vegetables.

Baked Root Vegetable Purée
Baking the purée creates a crusty texture on its top. If you would like a soft purée, omit the baking step. The sage leaves will lightly infuse the purée with their flavor during baking.

Serves 6-8 as a side dish

3 medium parsnips
2 large turnips
1 large sweet potato
1 large rutabaga (swede)
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup (60 ml.) creme fraiche or sour cream
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Sage leaves for garnish

Peel and cut vegetables in 2 inch chunks. Steam in a large pot until very tender, 20-30 minutes. Transfer in two batches to a food processor. Purée each batch with 2 tablespoons butter. Combine puréed vegetables, sour cream, salt and pepper in large bowl and mix well. Pour into baking dish. (Purée can be made to this point up to one day in advance. Allow to cool completely, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before baking.)
Arrange sage leaves on top of purée, pressing gently. Bake in pre-heated 350 F. oven 25 minutes. Remove and serve immediately.

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée

2009-10-10T10:56:03-07:00

Now that it's officially fall and the weather is behaving accordingly, one-pot dinners are favorite meals in our home. Easy to prepare, comforting to eat, they please the entire family. This week I made a Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée. Mushrooms are abundant now, so take advantage of the varieties appearing in the market and use a combination in this fricassée.

Chicken, Leek and Mushroom Fricassée
Serves 4

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 chicken breast halves, with skin
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lb. (250 g.) assorted mushrooms (such as white, cremini, shitake) stems trimmed, halved
3 leeks, white and pale green parts, cleaned, sliced in 1/4" pieces
1 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 tablespoon fresh
1/4 cup (60 ml.) dry white wine
1/2 cup (120 ml.) chicken stock
1/2 cup heavy cream

Heat one tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Salt and pepper chicken all over. Add chicken to skillet, skin-side down. Cook, turning once, until golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet.
Reduce heat to medium and add one tablespoon olive oil to skillet. Add mushrooms and leeks and cook, stirring, over medium heat until leeks are vibrant and vegetables are tender but not too soft, 3-4 minutes. Add thyme and sauté one minute. Add white wine and simmer until most of the wine is evaporated. Add chicken stock and return chicken to pan. Cover and simmer over medium-low heat until chicken is cooked through, 5-8 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and tent with foil to keep warm.
Add cream to vegetables and simmer until cream and stock reduce by a third and begin to thicken. Arrange chicken on serving plates or platter. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with rice.

Try these other one-pot chicken recipes from TasteFood:

Braised Chicken with Porcini Mushrooms

Skillet Chicken with Rice and Vegetables

Hunter's Stew, Mediterranean-Style

And more from the Foodblogs:
Mediterranean Chicken and Spinach Rice Bake from Karina's Kitchen
Chicken, Garlic and Soy Stew from Bitten Blog
Tomatillo Chicken Stew from Simply Recipes
Chicken and Okra Stew from Foodblogga

My Mortar and Pestle and a Guacamole Recipe

2009-10-05T10:36:36-07:00

My favorite kitchen tool is a stone Mortar and Pestle. It sits proudly on my kitchen counter, holding its own in a caveman-esque sort of way, flaunting its primal elegance in between the commercial stove and espresso machine. It's smugly confident in its weight and kitchen hierarchy (deemed decorative) while my food processor and standing mixer are banished behind cabinet doors (deemed clutter.) New kitchen techniques are awe-inspiring and futuristic, yet my mortar is old and wise with a lineage extending as far back as the Old Testament. Evaporators, anti-griddles, gastro-vacs may be cutting edge, favored by professional chefs and avant-garde molecular gastronomy experts, but my mortar has a stellar history as an essential tool to Native Americans, ancient Romans and Greeks, medieval pharmacists and home cooks spanning the ages from the dawn of civilization. It is the embodiment of simplicity and timelessness, pleasingly tactile and massively elemental. And it's affordable.

What can you do with a mortar and pestle? You can grind, pound and smash to your heart's content, making pestos, pastes, sauces, dips, dressings and marinades. You can grind seeds into powder. (I assure you the results of lightly toasting cardamon, cumin or coriander seeds and then grinding them to a fine powder in a mortar will yield results unparalleled by the pre-ground versions.) The mortar is also the perfect place to smash garlic with sea salt, adding fresh cut herbs such as rosemary, thyme, sage, basil, mint. Crush the garlic first with the salt, then add the herbs and bruise them by giving them a few turns with the pestle to release their juices and flavor. You will be left with a powerful, aromatic paste you can smear on meats and poultry before roasting.

You can also create a complete dish and serve it in the mortar. Try making Guacamole. Serve with chips, and you have one-stop-shopping in a primitive vessel.

Guacamole
Makes about 2 cups

1 small red onion, finely diced
1/2 red serrano chile pepper, minced
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro/coriander sprigs
2 ripe avocados
1/2 small yellow onion, grated, with juices
Juice of one lime
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
dash of hot sauce, such as Tabasco

Prepare:
Add red onion, minced pepper, and garlic to the mortar. Press on the ingredients with your pestle, and grind them around the mortar in a circular movement. Add a half of the fresh cilantro/coriander sprigs and gently bruise them with the pestle. Add 2 ripe avocados, yellow onion with juice and lime juice. Continue pressing, grinding and smashing until you get a desired consistency. Add salt, pepper and hot sauce to taste.
Serve with tortilla chips.

Try these recipes using a mortar and pestle from TasteFood:

Moroccan Spiced Chicken under a Brick

Harissa

Bacon, Avocado, Tomato Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette

2009-10-03T08:41:04-07:00

This salad is a vehicle for bacon. At least that's how I viewed it when I made it the other day. In all fairness, it also showcases beautiful sweet Early Girl tomatoes and cool, mild avocadoes. It also presents a light, rustic-style dinner completed by a hunk of piquant Gruyère cheese, Walnut Levain bread and a glass of Côtes du Rhône. But, really, it's about the bacon.

Bacon, Tomato, Avocado Salad with Dijon Vinaigrette
Serves 4-6

1/2 lb. (250 g.) slab bacon, cut in 1/4" cubes

6 cups mixed greens (red oak, frisée, arugula), washed
4 small red tomatoes, such as early girl, quartered
1 small red onion, thinly sliced, about 1/2 cup
1 avocado, diced

Dijon Vinaigrette (recipe below)

Prepare salad:
Sauté bacon in a skillet over medium heat until browned and fat is rendered, about 8 minutes. Transfer bacon to plate lined with paper towel.
Arrange mixed greens in a serving bowl or on individual plates. Top with tomatoes, onion slices, avocado and bacon. Drizzle with Dijon Vinaigrette. Serve immediately.

Dijon Vinaigrette
(Makes about 1/2 cup)

1 small garlic clove, minced
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup (80 ml.) extra-virgin olive oil

Prepare vinaigrette:
Mix all the ingredients except the oil in a small bowl. Pour in the oil in a steady stream, constantly whisking, to emulsify.