Grilled Steaks with Cilantro Chimichurri

Don't you love when you can cook most of your dinner on the grill?  With the exception of the tomato salad, I did just that with this meal.  I grilled some ribeye steaks and thinly sliced red potatoes and we were good to go. 

Traditional chimichurri is made with parsley, but when I saw this steak with cilantro chimichurri recipe I knew I would actually make it.  I already had cilantro in the fridge and ribeyes were on sale.  This dinner was fabulous!  I don't usually cover up a steak, but the cilantro chimichurri gave it something a little extra.  I love the slight heat that comes from the raw garlic in the sauce.


COOK'S NOTES:

• I didn't bother mincing the cilantro and garlic.  I just threw all the chimichurri ingredients into my mini chopper/food processor to do all the work for the sauce.
• The leftover steak and chimichurri made excellent tacos the next day.  I added the chimichurri to sour cream to stretch it since there wasn't much left.

Grilled Steaks with Cilantro Chimichurri
From Eclectic Recipes
Yield: 2 servings

Steaks:
2 ribeye steaks
2 tsp steak seasoning
1 tsp chipotle chili powder

Cilantro Chimichurri:
1 cup fresh cilantro, very finely chopped
3 Tbsp olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Heat grill to high heat. Allow meat to come to room temperature and rub the seasonings onto the steaks. Grill over high heat until desired doneness.

In a separate bowl, add cilantro, garlic, oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

Serve steaks topped with cilantro chimichurri.

Swordfish with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce

I don't cook fish very often, but fresh halibut was on sale a few weeks ago and then swordfish the week after and I couldn't resist.  I've never cooked swordfish myself, but it turned out really well.

The fish was beautiful to begin with and this preparation is fairly simple.  I cooked it in a skillet with a little oil, then topped it with tomatoes, capers and a balsamic brown butter sauce.  It was amazing! The dish was sweet and savory and I loved the texture of the swordfish steak (it's more firm than your typical fish).  Everything came together quickly too.  I definitely recommend picking up some swordfish if you see it on sale at a reputable fish market.

Cook's Note: I only cooked 3 steaks, but made the full sauce recipe.  The extra sauce was delicious on mushroom ravioli the next day.


Swordfish with Balsamic Brown Butter Sauce
From Bon Appetit (Sept 2000 issue)
Yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp honey
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
Salt and Pepper, to taste

6 (6 oz) swordfish steaks (each about 3/4 inch thick) Mine were bigger so I just cooked them a tad longer
Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
2 Tbsp drained capers
3 tomatoes, chopped

Simmer butter in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until deep golden brown, swirling pan occasionally, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in vinegar, honey and mustard. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste.

Brush fish with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add 3 swordfish steaks. Saute just until opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plates and tent loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining fish. Whisk sauce over low heat to rewarm if necessary. Spoon sauce over fish. Sprinkle with capers and tomatoes.

Spaghetti and Meatball Pie

 

  Spaghetti and Meatball Pie?!  I loved this dinner, it's such a fun form of spaghetti and meatballs.  It was a little more work than slapping noodles on a plate and covering with sauce, but not much (especially if you buy the meatballs like I did). I'm normally not a fan of spaghetti and meatballs (see other confessions here), but I loved the flavors and textures from this variation.  The creamy cheese and the noodle crust really did it for me.    I used pre-made meatballs and doubled the recipe to make two pies.  I'm really glad I doubled it because it was really tasty and having an extra dinner in the freezer is convenient.  Doubling also made measuring a bit easier for using a full containers: a whole box of noodles, 16 oz can of tomatoes (I haven't seen 8 oz cans), full 1 lb container of cheese, etc.   Cook's Note: My pie took almost an hour to bake before the middle was warm.  All ovens are different and the temperauture of the ingredients will make a difference if you do some steps ahead of time.  To check the temperature, poke a knife into the middle of the pie (going down to the bottom) and put it to you lips.  If it's still cool, continue cooking until it's warm enough. 

Spaghetti and Meatball Pie From My Retro Kitchen

Yield: 6 servings

8 oz (half a box) dry spaghetti noodles
2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2  eggs, well-beaten

1 lb ground turkey or beef, divided (1/4 for meatballs and 3/4 for in the skillet sauce)
1/2 cup onion, diced
3/4 cup zucchini, shredded (optional)
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced (optional)
1 bell pepper, chopped (optional)
1 (8 oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes (don’t drain) or 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped or 1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese

1/2 cup Mozzarella or Moneterey Jack cheese, shredded

Meatballs (makes 4-6)

The reserved 1/4 lb ground meat
8 Ritz crackers, crushed (or 1/4 cup bread crumbs)
1 tsp fresh oregano chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, chopped
Salt and fresh ground black pepper

For the Meatballs:

Combine all ingredients and roll into golfball sized meatballs.  Brown on all sides and set aside. 

For the Pie:
Cook spaghetti noodles. Drain. Stir butter into hot noodles until melted. Stir in Parmesan cheese and eggs. Form pasta mixture into a crust shape in a buttered 9-inch pie plate.

In skillet, cook ground beef and onions, bell pepper and mushrooms until meat is browned. Drain. Add to meat mixture, tomatoes, zucchini, tomato paste, oregano and garlic. Heat through. Spread cottage cheese over bottom of spaghetti crust.

Top with tomato/meat mixture.  Cut the meatballs in half and arrange on top.  Sprinkle grated cheese over all.

Lightly cover pan with foil and bake for 25-30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Remove foil and bake for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is lightly browned.  Cut into pie wedges and serve.

Freezer Instructions: You can also prepare this dish ahead of time and freeze for later.  If you want to go this route, cover the pie pan with foil right after assembly; label and freeze.  When you are ready to serve: Thaw, bake covered for 25 minutes at 350 F. Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes more until cheese is lightly browned.

Cabbage & Noodles

When I was trying to figure out what to do with some of our many heads of cabbage, I had two recipe requirements:  it used a lot of cabbage and it wasn't coleslaw (I have a non-traditional slaw recipe on the way!).  One of the suggestions Crystal gave me was cabbage and noodles.  I've never had them before so I gave it a whirl.  

This is Old World peasant food at it's finest.  I didn't know what to expect and didn't have high hopes, but I was pleasantly surprised!  It's not the most exciting dish I've ever made, but it was so easy to throw together and I really enjoyed it (good thing too because the leftovers went on forever!).  The smoked meat added a nice component to the mellow cabbage and onions.

  Cabbage and Noodles Original Recipe
Yield: 6-10 servings (if not more depending on your cabbage size) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (don't be afraid of the butter, look how many servings it's being divided into) 2 large onions, chopped 2 small heads of cabbage, chopped 1 (12 oz) package egg noodles
Salt & pepper to taste
Herbs to taste (Caraway seeds are traditional choice, but I didn't have any so I used herbs de provence, feel free to sub whatever you want)
2 lb kielbasa (or other smoked sausage), grilled and sliced Cook the egg noodles in salted boiling water until they are al dente.  Drain well and set aside. Heat the butter in a large pot at medium heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the onions and saute for 5 minutes before adding the cabbage.   Stirring occasionally, cook until the cabbage is tender (time varies depending on the size of your pot and the amount of cabbage).   Stir in the egg noodles and kielbasa until everything gets warm again.  Season to taste with salt, pepper and herbs.  

Carne Asada Tacos

Can you believe it's August already?!  Summer always goes way too fast.  Here's a good entree to throw on the grill.  Whether you're at home or at your favorite Tex-Mex place, carne asada is always a great choice!

Carne Asada Tacos

Adapted from Simply Recipes

Yield: 4-6 servings

2 pounds flank or skirt steak

Olive oil

Salt and pepper

Marinade:

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

1 tsp cumin

1 large handful fresh cilantro, leaves and stems, finely chopped (great flavor in the stems)

Salt and pepper

2 limes, juiced (about 1/4 cup)

2 Tbsp white vinegar

1/2 tsp sugar

1/2 cup olive oil

For Serving:

Tortillas
Pico de gallo (fresh tomato salsa)

Chopped avocados or guacamole
Chopped peppers (red, green, yellow, whatever strikes your fancy)
Cilantro
Lime
Sour Cream
Cilantro Lime Rice (optional)

Lay the flank steak in a large non-reactive bowl or baking dish. Combine marinade ingredients and pour the marinade over the steak. Make sure each piece is well coated. Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-4 hours.

Preheat your grill over medium-high flame (you can also use a cast iron grill pan on high heat for stove-top cooking). Brush the grates with a little oil to prevent the meat from sticking. Remove the steak from the marinade. If you are cooking indoors, you may want to brush off excess marinade as the bits may burn and smoke on the hot pan. Season both sides of the steak pieces with salt and pepper. Grill the pieces for a few minutes only, on each side, depending on how thin they are, until medium rare to well done, to your preference. You may need to work in batches. Remove the steak pieces to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Thinly slice the steak across the grain on a diagonal.

Serve with warm tortillas (flour or corn). Warm the tortillas for 30 seconds on each side in a dry skillet or on the grill, until toasty and pliable. Alternatively, you can warm tortillas in a microwave: heating just one or two at a time, place tortillas on a paper towel and microwave them for 15 to 20 seconds each on high.  Add the carne asada and additional toppings to the tortilla, then serve.

What a great marinade!

Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado Salad

I knew I wanted some kind of tex-mex/southwest type of salad.  I love avocado, lime and cilantro (guacamole anyone?).  I really like black beans, but wanted to go another way with the salad.  I don't use quinoa regularly.  I've only experimented here and there so when I found this recipe I had to try it.

Quinoa is a great source of protein, and it's very filling.  We actually used this for our entree, and added a side of pasta salad and fresh veggies for dinner.  This recipe calls for rinsing and toasting the quinoa.  Some quinoa is packaged as pre-rinsed, but the the toasting process adds a nutty flavor.

This salad surprised us.  We didn't expect it to be as good as it was.  Kevin couldn't stop raving about it.  It was bright from the lime jalapeno dressing and we loved the pop of sweetness from the corn.

Toasted Quinoa, Corn and Avocado Salad

Adapted from Marie Simmons’ “Fresh & Fast Vegetarian” as seen on Ezra Pound Cake

Yield: 3 as a main dish or 6 as a side dish

1 cup quinoa

1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil

1 cup fresh corn kernels (from ~2 ears)

1 cup red peppers, diced

1/4 cup thin-sliced scallions (white and green parts)  (I used a bunch of chives)

1 ripe avocado, halved, pitted, peeled and diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped

Lime-Jalapeno Dressing:

2 tsp cumin

5 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable oil

1/2 cup fresh lime juice, plus more to taste

1 Tbsp jalapeno, minced and seeded , plus more to taste

1 garlic clove, grated

1 tsp salt

Rinse the quinoa in a fine-mesh strainer under cold water for at least 45 seconds. Shake the strainer to remove as much water as possible.

Heat the oil in a large skillet. Add the rinsed quinoa and cook, stirring, over medium heat until it is light golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Add 2 cups water to the quinoa, and bring to a boil. Cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is translucent and appears to be uncoiling, 18 to 20 minutes.

Let stand, uncovered, until cool, about 10 minutes.

To Make the Dressing: Sprinkle the cumin in a small skillet, and toast over medium heat, stirring, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. When the skillet is cool to the touch, add the oil, lime juice, jalapeño pepper, garlic and salt. Whisk to blend.

In a large bowl, add all the ingredients to a large bowl and toss to combine. Spoon the salad onto a large platter, and sprinkle the avocado and cilantro on top.

Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables

Hunger Games Week: Every day this week, I'm going to post a recipe that was inspired by food mentioned in The Hunger Games  trilogy.  In anticipation of the movie, Cleveland's Plain Dealer hosted a Hunger Games recipe contest.  The recipes had to be original, and we were allowed 50 words of description and one photo. 
I submitted six recipes, and I've already revealed Creamy Mushroom Soup, Goat Cheese Wrapped in Basil, and District 12 Ration Grain Biscuits. 
The winners of the recipe contest were announced in the Taste section of today's paper and the Roast Groosling with Sweet Roots WON!  Check out the paper's web version here.  The recipe below is what I submitted, you'll notice it's a little different than the one in the paper because they adapted the recipes.  

Side Note:  I don't agree with their choice of winner for the Breads of Panem category.  The winning bread is not at all like the District 12 bread described in the book (flat and dense).  However, it's a great fit for District 11 (crescent shaped and sprinkled with seeds), so maybe it was just a typo.  If that's what happened, then I think it was a good choice.

Groosling shows up quite a bit as a source of food, especially in the Arena.  An important alliance between Rue and Katniss was developed while sharing a meal of groosling.  Foraged root vegetables make a great accompaniment to the roasted meat.

Roast Groosling with Sweet Roots (aka Roast Chicken with Root Vegetables)

Original Recipe

Yield:  6 servings

3 lbs various root vegetables (carrots, potatoes, sweet potatoes, parsnips, katniss roots, etc.), chopped into similar sized pieces (~ 1 1/2 inches)

2 onions, peeled and quartered, root ends removed

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1 (~4 lb) groosling (chicken can be substituted), plucked, head, feet and innards removed and cleaned

2 Tbsp olive oil

Salt
Pepper

Preheat oven to 425 F.

In a large bowl, place the chopped vegetables.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with dried herbs.  Mix until everything is thoroughly coated.  Distribute evenly around the pan leaving space in the center for the groosling.

Rinse the groosling with water and pat it dry.  Rub with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Place in the prepared roasting pan.

Place the pan in the oven and cook for 20 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 375 F and cook for 80 minutes or until juices run clear and thigh meat registers 165 F.  

Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it rest for 15-20 minutes before carving.  If the vegetables aren't done, put them back into the oven while the chicken rests.  When the vegetables are done cooking, mix them around with the pan juices.  Carve the chicken and serve with the roasted root vegetables.

 

Coq Au Vin

Coq au vin is the chicken equivalent to beef bourguignon:  meat cooked in wine with bacon, mushrooms and onions.  The chicken comes out tender and delicious, and the mushrooms and onions add a nice earthiness to the dish.  Mashed potatoes or egg noodles make a nice base for everything, and they work well for catching the sauce.
When cooking the mushrooms, don't crowd them in the pan.  They need room to breathe so they brown nicely, you don't want them to steam.

A word of warning, the chicken turns purple.  It's unexpected until you think about it, it is cooking in red wine afterall.  When you make beef bourguignon, you don't notice because the meat is already dark.

This dish would be great for a dinner party.  You can make it ahead of time, then reheating right before dinner.


Coq au Vin (Chicken in Red Wine with Onions, Mushrooms and Bacon)
Adapted from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking as seen on Smitten Kitchen
Yield: 4-6 servings

1 (3-4 oz) chunk of bacon (I used 4 slices of bacon, chopped)
2 Tbsp butter
1- (2.5-3 lb) frying chicken, cut into 8 pieces
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1/4 cup cognac (I omitted)
3 cups young, full-bodied, red wine such as Burgundy, Beaujolais, Cotes du Rhone or Chianti
1-2 cups chicken stock, brown stock or canned beef bouillon
1/2 Tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf
Brown-braised onions (recipe below)
Sautéed mushrooms (recipe below)
Salt and pepper
3 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp softened butter
Sprigs of fresh parsley (for garnish)

1. In a Dutch oven, sauté the bacon slowly in hot butter until it is very lightly browned. Remove to a side dish.
2. Dry the chicken thoroughly. Brown it in the hot fat.
3. Season the chicken. Return the bacon to the Dutch oven with the chicken. Cover and cook slowly for 10 minutes, turning the chicken once.
4. Uncover, and pour in the cognac. Averting your face, ignite the cognac with a lighted match. Shake the Dutch oven back and forth for several seconds until the flames subside. (I skipped this whole step.)
5. Pour the wine into the Dutch oven, and add just enough stock or bouillon to cover the chicken. Stir in the tomato paste, garlic and herbs. Bring to the simmer. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the chicken is tender and its juices run clear when the meat is pricked with a fork. Remove the chicken to a side dish.
6. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the onions and mushrooms (recipes below).
7. Simmer the cooking liquid in the Dutch oven for a minute or two, skimming off the fat. Then raise the heat and boil rapidly, reducing the liquid to about 2 1/4 cups. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and discard bay leaf.
8. Blend the butter and flour together into a smooth paste (buerre manie). Beat the paste into the hot liquid with a wire whisk. Bring to a simmer, stirring, and simmer for a minute or two. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon lightly.
9. Arrange the chicken in the Dutch oven, place the mushrooms and onions around it and baste with the sauce. If this dish is not to be served immediately, film the top of the sauce with stock or dot with small pieces of butter. Set aside uncovered. It can now wait indefinitely.
10. Shortly before serving, bring to the simmer, basting the chicken with the sauce. Cover and simmer slowly for 4 to 5 minutes, until the chicken is hot enough.
11. Serve from the dutch oven or arrange on a hot platter. Decorate with sprigs of parsley.

Oignons Glacés a Brun (Brown-braised Onions)
Mastering the Art of French Cooking

18-24 white onions, peeled, about 1 inch in diameter (I used a 10 oz bag frozen pearl onions, thawed)
1 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 1/2 Tbsp oil
1/2 cup of brown stock, canned beef bouillon, dry white wine, red wine or water
Salt and pepper to taste
A medium herb bouquet: 3 parsley springs, 1/2 bay leaf, and 1/4 teaspoon thyme tied in cheesecloth (I used dried parsley and thyme, a small bay leaf and skipped the cheesecloth)

When the butter and oil are bubbling in a large skillet, add the onions and sauté over moderate heat for about 10 minutes, rolling the onions about so they will brown as evenly as possible. Be careful not to break their skins. You cannot expect to brown them uniformly.

Pour in the liquid, season to taste, and add the herb bouquet. Cover and simmer slowly for 40 to 50 minutes until the onions are perfectly tender but retain their shape, and the liquid has evaporated. Remove the herb bouquet (since I didn't tie them in the cheesecloth, I just had to fish out the bay leaf). Serve them as they are.

Champignons Sautés Au Buerre (Sautéed Mushrooms)
Mastering the Art of French Cooking

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp oil
1 lb fresh mushrooms, cleaned with a damp cloth, left whole if small, sliced or quartered if large
1 to 2 Tbsp minced shallots or green onions (optional)
Salt and pepper

Place a large skillet over high heat with the butter and oil. (If you don't have a 10" pan , cook the mushrooms in batches, they need room in order to brown.)  As soon as you see the butter foam has begun to subside, indicating that it is hot enough, add the mushrooms. Toss and shake the pan for 4 to 5 minutes.

During their sauté, the mushrooms will at first absorb the fat. In 2 to 3 minutes the fat will reappear on their surface, and the mushrooms will begin to brown. As soon as they have browned lightly, remove from heat.

Toss the shallots or green onions with the mushrooms. Sauté over moderate heat for 2 minutes.

Sautéed mushrooms may be cooked in advance, set aside, then reheated when needed. Season to taste just before serving.

Chicken With 40 Cloves of Garlic

I really need to cook more with my dutch oven so I'm dedicating March to dutch oven recipes.  Up first is Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic.  This chicken was amazing!  It was juicy and full of flavor.  I poured the sauce over the chicken and mashed potatoes as if it was gravy, an herby, garlicky gravy.

Normally when I cook a whole chicken, it's pretty basic.  When making this chicken, I looked for something different and wanted to use my dutch oven.  When I found this recipe which includes lemon zest, herbs and garlic, I made my mind up right away.

Don't be afraid of the 40 cloves of garlic.  The garlic flavor becomes less intense and slightly sweetens as it roasts.  So delicious, I love roasted garlic!  By the way, 40 cloves is about two heads of garlic (give or take a few cloves).  Cloves will vary depending on the size of the head and size of the cloves.  You don't have to be exact, just use two good sized heads of garlic.

Here's a tip for peeling all that garlic:  smash the head of garlic to separate the cloves, put everything in a bowl (size doesn't matter), invert a second bowl of the same size over top and shake vigorously.  The agitation will peel most of the garlic for you in very little time.  If you need a visual, check out this video.

Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma
Yield: 6 servings

1 (~4 lb) chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 Tbsp olive oil
40 garlic cloves (about 2 heads of garlic), peeled
1 Tbsp fresh rosemary, minced
1 Tbsp fresh thyme, minced
Zest of 2 lemons
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces

Preheat oven to 400. 

Season the chicken with salt and pepper. In a wide Dutch oven over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Working in batches, brown the chicken, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. 

Add the garlic to the pan and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the chicken, rosemary, thyme and lemon zest and stir to combine. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven and roast for 20 minutes. Baste the chicken with the accumulated juices. Continue roasting, uncovered, until the chicken is cooked through and the juices run clear when the meat is pierced with a knife, about 30 minutes more. 

Transfer the chicken to a platter; leave the garlic in the pan. Cover the chicken loosely with aluminum foil. 

Set the pan over medium heat and mash the garlic with the back of a spoon. Add the wine and cook for 3 minutes. Add the stock and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the butter a few pieces at a time. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Transfer to a warm gravy boat.  Serve the chicken immediately and pass the sauce alongside.

Cranberry Chicken

I had some Cranberry Vinaigrette and little bleu cheese leftover so I made cranberry chicken. This was a really easy entree with almost no prep (if you count defrosting chicken as prep).  It turned out pretty good, and the chicken was moist and flavorful. The cranberry and bleu cheese combo is a definite winner.  So if you're looking for another use for cranberry vinaigrette, make this chicken.

Cranberry Chicken
Original Recipe
Yield: 2 servings

2 pieces of chicken (I used boneless thighs)
Salt & Pepper
1 Tbsp oil
1/2-3/4 cup cranberry vinaigrette
2 Tbsp bleu cheese crumbles

Preheat oven to 400.

Rinse the chicken with water and pat it dry.  Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper.  In a medium hot pan, heat up the oil and place the chicken skin side down.  Sear both sides of the chicken for about 2 minutes each.

Pour the cranberry vinaigrette in a small baking dish.  Add the chicken skin side up and cover the dish with foil.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and place some cranberries on the chicken and top with bleu cheese.  Bake for 5 more minutes.

When serving, scoop up any cranberries left in the bottom of the pan to serve with the chicken.  Discard the liquid that's left.

Bolognese Sauce

Before making this, I'd never eaten bolognese sauce.  I refuse to make spaghetti and tomato sauce because I'm not a fan.  Maybe I've only had blah-zay sauces, but in any case, I refuse to make it.  I'd heard really good things about bolognese sauce in general so I thought I would see what the fuss was all about.  Let me tell you, this sauce was fabulous!  The flavor is so complex that I don't even know how to describe it, but it's really good.

Bolognese sauce does take some time to make, but it's mostly inactive time on your part.  I definitely recommend you spend an afternoon with bolognese on the stove because this was so worth it!  This recipe makes a ton so there is plenty to freeze.  I used some of the leftovers to make Bolognese Lasagna which turned out really well too.  And since the bolognese is already made, it may be one of the quickest lasagna's you'll ever make.

Bolognese Sauce

Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

Don’t drain the pasta of its cooking water too meticulously when using this sauce; a little water left clinging to the noodles will help distribute the very thick sauce evenly into the noodles, as will adding an extra 2 tablespoons of butter along with the sauce. Top each serving with a little grated Parmesan and pass extra grated cheese at the table. 

6 Tbsp unsalted butter (I used 4 Tbsp butter & 2 Tbsp bacon grease)

1/2 small onion, finely minced

1 small/medium carrot, finely minced

1 celery stalk, finely minced

3 Tbsp tomato paste
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 lb ground beef, or combo of 3/4 lb ground beef and 3/4 lb ground pork 

1 tsp salt  

2 cups whole milk  

2 cups dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc, an oaked chardonnay is not recommended)

2 cups chicken stock

1 parmesan cheese rind (removed from the wedge, cheese grated for serving)

2-28 oz cans crushed tomatoes or whole tomatoes and crush by hand (avoid the ones packed in puree)

1/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped fine

Heat butter in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat; add onion, carrot, and celery and saute until softened but not browned, about 10 minutes. Make a bare spot in the pan and add the tomato paste. Let it caramelize for about 2 minutes, then stir together with the vegetables until thickened and red. Add half the garlic and cook until just fragrant, about 1 minute. Add ground meat and 1 teaspoon salt; Stir the meat until the garlic and vegetables are incorporated. Do not brown them. Crumble meat with edge of wooden spoon to break apart into tiny pieces. Cook, continuing to crumble meat, just until it loses its raw color but has not yet browned, about 4-6 minutes. The meat should be very fine without large or medium chunks.

Add milk and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until milk evaporates and only clear fat remains, 30 minutes. Add wine and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until wine evaporates, 30 minutes longer.  Add chicken stock and bring to simmer; continue to simmer until stock evaporates, 30 minutes longer.

Add the rest of the garlic, the crushed tomatoes with juice, and stir well, then bring to simmer; Add the parmesan cheese rind and push it just below the surface (this will add flavor so use salt sparingly to taste until the end.)

Reduce heat to very low so that sauce continues to simmer just barely, with an occasional bubble or two at the surface, until liquid has evaporated, about 4 hours. When the sauce is done, carefully discard the cheese rind. Finish with the parsley. If desired, finish with a splash of olive oil, or butter. Adjust seasonings with extra salt to taste. Drain pasta from water, and return pasta to its own pot. Then add sauce to mix together with the pasta. Reserve some sauce to pass at the table.

Leftovers can be refrigerated in an airtight container for several days or frozen for several months. Warm over low heat before serving.

Beet Risotto

I had a collection of root vegetables (beets, parsnips, potatoes and sweet potatoes) laying around so one night I decided to roast them all.  I cut everything up and on one baking sheet mixed the parsnips, potatoes and some sweet potatoes with olive oil, salt and pepper.  On another baking sheet I had the rest of the sweet potatoes on one side and the beets on the other (both mixed with olive oil, salt and pepper).

I decided to use the variety tray to make a soup (I pureed the veggies with chicken broth).  The roasted beets made their way into risotto, and the leftover sweet potatoes were used as a side/garnish.  I filled a measuring cup with risotto then turned it upside down on a plate for a fun presentation.

I was really happy with how this turned out!  You get a nice roasted earthy flavor from the beets mixed with the creaminess of the rice and cheese.  Plus it's bright pink, so it'll make any dinner plate more colorful!

Beet Risotto

Original Recipe

Yield: about 3 cups of risotto

4 small beets, scrubbed, peeled and diced
1 Tbsp olive oil

3 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 Tbsp butter

1 medium onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup Arborio rice

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 425.  Line a baking sheet with foil and add the diced beets.  Drizzle olive oil over the beets, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper, then mix it all around so the beets are evenly coated.  Roast in the oven, stirring occasionally) for about 40 minutes or until the beets are tender.

After the beets have been roasting for about 20 minutes, heat the chicken stock in a small saucepan (not boiling).  In a large saucepan on medium-high heat, saute the onions in butter until soft, 3 minutes.  Add the garlic to the pan for 30 seconds before adding the rice and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Stir constantly for 1-2 minutes without browning the rice.

Pour 3 cups of the hot stock into the rice mixture and stir.  You don't have to stir constantly, but keep an eye on it so the rice doesn't burn.  When almost all the stock has been absorbed by the rice, add the roasted beets and the last 1/2 cup of stock.  Stir until the stock is absorbed.  Remove the risotto from heat and stir in the parmesan cheese.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Pasta with Clams

The day I made this pasta, we were going to have leftovers for dinner.  That plan went out the window when I read a passage from Heat.  Bill Buford (the author) described how to make the clam pasta from Mario Batali's Babbo.  It sounded fantastic and I just had to make it!

I stopped at the market on the way home to pick up some clams only to find out I didn't have enough long noodles.  Instead of heading back out to the store I just whipped up some fresh pasta.  Fresh pasta doesn't take very long to cook (3-4 minutes) so keep that in mind if you decide to make some (the recipe below mentions 6.5 minutes for dried pasta).

This dinner was really easy to throw together and it tasted amazing!  The clam, porky, and buttery flavors were so good together.  I will definitely make this again.

Pasta with Clams

Adapted from Babbo as described in Heat

Serves about 3

2 Tbsp olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

red pepper flakes

1/2 cup onion, diced

2 oz pancetta (I used 2 slices of bacon), chopped

3 Tbsp butter

3/4 cup dry white wine (such as sauvignon blanc or an un-oaked chardonnay)

6 oz linguine or fettucini

2 dozen clams, soaked and scrubbed and kept cool until ready to be cooked

Parsley, chopped (optional)

Baguette, for sopping up the juices

Boil some salted water for the pasta (it should taste like sea water).  While the water is heating up, heat a pan to medium-high and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  When the oil gets hot, add the garlic, red pepper flakes, onion and pancetta.  When the onions get soft, add the butter and wine.  Remove from heat until the pasta water is boiling.

Put the pasta in the boiling water.  Turn the pan's burner up to high, put the pan back on and add the clams to the pan and cover it.  The objective is to cook them fast, the clams will open in 3-5 minutes.  Remove cover and discard any clams that have not opened.  Swirl the contents of the pan to mix the clam juices and the buttery, porky, onion mixture.  

After six and a half minutes in the water, the pasta will be ready.  Use tongs to pull the pasta out and add it to the clam mixture.  It's okay that some of the pasta water comes along too, this will help make a nice sauce.  Swirl everything around so the pasta gets coated with the clam mixture.  If it looks too dry, add a little more pasta water; if it's too wet, pour some out.  Let the whole thing cook away for another half minute or so, swirling until the sauce streaks across the bottom of the pan, splash with olive oil and sprinkle with parsley.

Pi Day Pie Party

Image Source: neatorama.com

Pi Day is coming up!  Last year on March 14 at 1:59pm (3.14159) we had a Pi Day Pie Party.  Since St Patrick's Day is a few days later, I ended up giving it an Irish theme.  

The Menu:

Cheese and Crackers

Rueben Hand Pies

Chicken Pot Pie

Shepherd's Pie

Irish Soda Bread

Cherry Pie (my first pie)

Apple Pie (Mike's first pie)

Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie

Guinness

Smithwick's

Black & Tans

Green Vodka Lemonade (for the non-beer drinkers)

         

Rueben Hand Pies:  I was looking for a pie that could be an appetizer.   When I found these ham and cheese bites, I knew I had to turn them into baby ruebens.  I made extra dough when I made the chicken pot pie, so I used that instead of store bought.  Instead of the ham and cheddar, I used corned beef swiss cheese.  I also drained some sauerkraut really well and added some of that also.  It's not a rueben without the sauerkraut right?  I made some Thousand Island dressing for a dipping sauce because it wasn't worth buying a whole bottle just for these apps. 

Chicken Pot Pie:  I used a recipe from an episode of Jacques and Julia.  On the TV version they use only a smidge of cream, but in the cookbook for that show they used a lot more.  I've tried making it both ways and it's definitely better with only a smidge of cream.  The additional cream drowns out the delicious flavor of the concentrated chicken stock.

 

Shepherd's Pie:  I used a mish-mash of shepherd's pie recipes that I found online.  I plan on making it again, and when I do I'll share the final recipe.  I created some texture on the potatoes to encourage browning.
   

 

Irish Soda Bread:  After looking at a bunch of recipes, I noticed some had raisins, currants and caraway seeds.  I didn't want any of that so I went with this recipe from Taste and Tell.

Cherry Pie:  This was is the first fruit pie I've ever made!  I used my Aunt Ginny's recipe for the crust and filling which I will reveal in the next blog post (found here).

 

Apple Pie:  Our friend Mike wanted to contribute so he made his first pie also.  He made an apple pie decorated with pi's equation for an area of a circle and pi's number up to the first 10 decimals.  Not only did it look good, but it was really tasty too!  It was everything an apple should be: flaky crust with a warm mix of apple and cinnamon flavor.

   

   

Grasshopper Ice Cream Pie:  Here's a quick and dirty recipe for you:

Crush about 2 sleeves of Oreos and mix with a bit of melted butter (~5 Tbsp) then smush into a pie pan or spring-form pan.  Make or buy mint chocolate chip ice cream (1.5-2 qts) or Mint Ting a Ling if you're in Perry's country.  Give it a chance to soften a bit, then spread it evenly into pan.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and foil, then set it in the freezer for a few hours to harden and set up.  Make or buy your favorite fudge sauce.  When it's time to serve, cut the pie with a hot knife, then spread the hot fudge over each slice.  Dollop with whipped cream if desired.