spring feast

Here are some scenes from our Easter 2014 dinner with family and friends:  roasted asparagus, wild rice salad, game hens with a garlic sauce, spring salad, and - save room for dessert - sugar crusted puff pastry pillows filled with fresh berries and a mascarpone/lemon curd mix.

tasty pork chops

I paired this with a salad (red lettuce popping up in my garden, fresh home-grown herbs in the ranch dressing) and an artichoke.

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops

Serves 8.  This is from the March 2014 issue of Saveur magazine.  Go to the butcher and get some lovely thick pork rib chops to fry up – delicious with peach jam!  I like the way they are essentially dry-brined before pan frying. 

            8 bone-in pork chops, about                 1 Tbs. smoked paprika

              1” thick (10-oz. each)                         2 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

            2 Tbs. garlic powder                             kosher salt, to taste

            2 Tbs. ground (powdered) mustard       ⅓ c. olive oil

                                                peach jam, for serving

Place pork chops in a 9” x 13” baking dish.  Mix garlic powder, ground mustard, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt in a bowl; rub over pork chops.  Cover with plastic wrap; let sit at room temperature up to 1 hour or chill overnight.

Heat 3 Tbs. oil in a 12” cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Working in batches and adding more oil as needed, cook pork chops, flipping once, until browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a serving platter; serve with the peach jam.

chocolate-coconut pound cake

I am finding all kinds of uses for coconut oil outside of the kitchen.  I keep a separate jar of it with my cosmetics - it is a great skin and hair conditioner.

This recipe came from the March 2014 issue of Bon Appetit magazine.
http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/chocolate-coconut-pound-cake

colorful lamb stir-fry

From the March 2014 issue of Bon Appetit.  You can get pomegranate seeds (arils) at Trader Joe's. I served ours over basmati rice.   http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/lamb-stir-fry-with-pomegranate-and-yogurt

pappardelle with lamb sauce

Ooops - I forgot to take a picture.  This was yummy - I was delighted to snip some of the mint popping up in the garden.  I've also just planted the rest of our fresh herbs for the season so I can just step outside when I need some.

Pappardelle with Lamb Ragừ

Serves 6.  This I found on the Food and Wine website when looking for some ground lamb inspiration.  They say it is the easier made-at-home version of a recipe from chef Andres Carmellini.

            3 Tbs. olive oil                                      salt and fresh ground pepper

            1 carrot, finely diced                             1 Tbs. tomato paste

            1 onion, finely diced                              ½ c. dry red wine

            1 celery rib, finely diced                        one (28-oz) can diced tomatoes

            1½ lbs. ground lamb                             1¼ c. chicken broth

            2 tsp. ground coriander                         ¾ lb. pappardelle

            ½ tsp. ground cumin                             1 Tbs. butter

            1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary              ¾ c. ricotta cheese

            1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme                   2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint

In a large cast-iron casserole, heat 2 Tbs. of the oil.  Add carrot, onion, and celery and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly softened, 5 minutes.  Add lamb, coriander, cumin, rosemary, and thyme; season with salt and pepper.  Cook, stirring, until liquid evaporates, 5 minutes.  Stir in tomato paste.  Add wine and cook until evaporated, 5 minutes.  Add tomatoes and their juices, along with broth and bring to a boil.  Cover partially and cook over moderately low heat until liquid is slightly reduced, 25 to 30 minutes.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pappardelle just until al dente.  Drain, shaking well.  Add pasta to the sauce.  Add butter and the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and toss over low heat.  Serve in bowls, topped with ricotta and mint.     

signs of spring

We have a start to the garden, the table is set, and menu ready for today!

sesame-paprika pearl couscous

Sesame-Paprika Pearl Couscous

Serves 4.  This was in the March 2014 issue of Food and Wine magazine.  They made it with fregola, which needs to boil for about 20 minutes.  Instead, I used pearl (or Israeli) couscous which only needed a 12 minute boil.  Leave off the feta garnish for those who don't like it or who don't eat cheese.

            1¼ c. pearl couscous (7½ oz.)              ½ tsp. sweet paprika

            1½ tsp. coriander seeds                        ⅛ tsp. smoked paprika

            1 small garlic clove                                1 tsp. honey

            ½ tsp. fine sea salt, plus more                ½ c. olive oil

              for seasoning                                      4 oz. feta cheese, cubed or crumbled

            1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds,                1 c. arugula, chopped

              plus more for garnish

In a saucepan of salted boiling water, cook couscous until tender, about 12 minutes.  Drain well, then transfer to a medium bowl to cool to room temperature.

Meanwhile, in a nonstick skillet, toast coriander seeds over moderately low heat until fragrant, 2 minutes.  In a mortar of mini processor, puree garlic with the ½ tsp. salt.  Add toasted coriander seeds and 1 Tbs. sesame seeds and both paprikas; process to a paste.  Add honey and olive oil until a chunky sauce forms.    

Add the sesame-paprika sauce to the couscous, stir well and season with salt.  Transfer to a serving bowl and mix in arugula and top with feta.  Garnish with additional toasted sesame seeds and serve.  

dessert - shortbread, caramel, and chocolate!

Billionaire’s Shortbread

Makes 16 very rich bars.  This was in the March 2014 issue of Food and Wine magazine.  I am not so skilled at making caramel so I just use a jar of salted caramel sauce from Trader Joe’s instead of making my own.  In addition to just the salt topping you could top them with roasted nuts, sliced candied ginger, mini-marshmallows, or crushed pretzels.

Shortbread:                                                    ½ c. heavy cream

½ c. cold, cubed unsalted butter                        ½ tsp. kosher salt

¾ c. flour                                                          1 c. sugar

⅓ c. sugar                                                        2 Tbs. water

¼ c. fine cornmeal                                            Chocolate Ganache:

½ tsp. kosher salt                                             9 oz. 70% dark chocolate

Caramel:                                                         ¾ c. heavy cream

½ c. unsalted butter                                          flaky sea salt, for sprinkling on top

Make the shortbread:  Heat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8” square baking pan with foil, allowing 2” of overhang on two sides.  In a food processor, combine butter, flour, sugar, cornmeal, and salt and pulse until a dough forms, about 2 minutes.  Press the dough into the prepared pan in an even layer.  Bake for about 25 minutes, until the shortbread is firm and the edges are golden, let cool completely. 

For the caramel:  In a small saucepan, melt butter with cream and salt over moderate heat; keep warm.  In medium saucepan, combine sugar and water and cook over moderate heat, swirling without stirring, until a golden caramel forms, about 7 minutes.  Carefully drizzle in the warm cream and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until the temperature reaches 230 degrees on a candy thermometer, 3 to 5 minutes.  Immediately pour the caramel over the cooled shortbread and let cool for 45 minutes. 

For the chocolate ganache:  Finely chop chocolate and transfer it to a medium heatproof bowl.  In a small saucepan, bring cream just to a simmer.  Immediately pour the hot cream over the chocolate and let stand until the chocolate starts to melt, 2 minutes; stir until smooth.  Pour the ganache over the cooled caramel and spread it in an even layer with an offset spatula.  Sprinkle with the flaky sea salt and your choice of toppings and refrigerate until chilled, 1 hour.  Lift the square using the foil.  Cut the shortbread into squares and serve slightly chilled. 

savory meatballs over braised greens

Beef-Ricotta Meatballs over Braised Swiss Chard

Serves 6.  This is based on a recipe from Bestia restaurant in Los Angeles, as featured in the March 2014 issue of Food and Wine magazine.  I would use my own house-made ricotta if possible, but the tradition whole-milk ricotta from Trader Joe’s worked great in this. 

            Swiss Chard:                                      Meatballs:

            ½ c. olive oil                                         2 oz. day-old bread (one 1” thick slice)

            1 carrot, chopped into ½” pieces          ¼ c. milk

            1 small yellow onion, chopped              1 lb. ground beef

              into ½” pieces                                     ½ c. fresh ricotta cheese

            1 celery rib, cut into ½” pieces              ⅓ c. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

            kosher salt                                              cheese, plus more for garnish

            freshly ground black pepper                  1 egg

            3 anchovy fillets in oil, drained              1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest

              and chopped                                      1 tsp. crushed red pepper

            ½ c. tomato paste                                 1 Tbs. finely chopped fresh parsley

            1 lb. Swiss chard, leaves                       1 tsp. kosher salt

              coarsely chopped and stems               ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper

              cut into ½” pieces                               ¼ c. vegetable oil

                                                                        chopped oregano and flaky sea salt, garnish

           

For the greens:  In a pot, heat olive oil.  Add carrot, onion, celery, and Swiss chard stems, season with salt and pepper and cook over moderately low heat, stirring, until the vegetables are very tender and caramelized, 20 minutes.  Add anchovies and tomato paste and cook, stirring, until anchovies dissolve and tomato paste is deep red, 5 minutes.  Add chard greens, season with salt and pepper, and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 7 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the meatballs:  In a bowl, soak bread in milk until milk is absorbed, about 5 minutes.  In a large bowl, combine ground beef, ricotta, Parmigiano, egg, lemon zest, crushed red pepper, parsley, kosher salt and black pepper.  Squeeze any excess milk from bread and add bread to meat mixture.  Mix well, then roll into eighteen 1½” balls; transfer to baking sheet.

In a cast-iron skillet, heat 2 Tbs. vegetable oil.  Cook half of the meatballs over moderate heat, turning, until golden brown and no longer pink within, about 15 minutes.  Repeat with remaining 2 Tbs. vegetable oil and meatballs.

Rewarm chard greens and transfer to a platter; top with the meatballs.  Serve garnished with additional Parmigiano, chopped oregano, and sea salt.  

thai chicken curry

We love the recipes and methods from Cook's Illustrated magazine - such as this one.  We swapped in cashews for the peanuts; making your own curry paste was not hard and so delicious.  Here we served it over jasmine rice.
http://www.cooksillustrated.com/recipes/7774-thai-chicken-curry-with-potatoes-and-peanuts?incode=MCSCZ00L0

spring dinner of salmon and peas

This spice-roasted salmon recipe was from Cooking Light magazine.http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/spice-roasted-salmon-50400000133597/

For the peas - I just tossed sugar snap peas with some chopped bacon, salt and pepper.  They roasted at 400 degrees until the peas started to wilt and the bacon was cooked.  You could also do this with fresh English peas in the pods but in that case you would pop the peas OUT of the shells to eat them (the entire pod is edible with the sugar snap peas).

lamb dumplings (wontons)

Lamb Dumplings

Makes about 50, serving 8.  I’m always looking for new ways to use ground lamb, and saw this from The Splendid Table’s website, attributed to Jason Wang.  Think of Asian wontons or potstickers, but with a lamb filling (ingredients such as Szechuan peppercorns and black vinegar came from a local Asian market).  I cooked them in batches, then coated them lightly with oil for storing as leftovers for quick reheating.        

            1 lb. ground lamb                                  1 Tbs. dry vermouth

            3 Tbs. + 1 tsp. peeled fresh                  4 tsp. soy sauce, + additional for sauce

              Ginger, finely minced                          5 tsp. sesame oil

            3 Tbs. green onions, finely minced         1 pkg. fresh wonton wrappers

            1 tsp. ground Szechuan pepper             2 eggs, lightly whisked

            2 large eggs                                          chili oil

            1 tsp. salt                                              black vinegar

            1 tsp. ground white pepper                   chopped cilantro

Combine lamb, ginger, green onions, Szechuan pepper, 2 of the eggs, salt, white pepper, vermouth, 4 tsp. soy sauce, and sesame oil until evenly mixed.

Place a tsp. of this filling in the center of each wonton wrapper.  Wet two of the edges of the wonton with the egg wash (made from the other 2 whisked eggs), and carefully fold in half, taking care to squeeze out any air bubbled.  Continue until all the filling is used.  Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to boil.   Carefully place the dumplings in water.  Do not overcrowd (you may have to do this part in batches).  Be sure there is plenty of room for the dumplings to move.  Gently stir.  When the water comes to a boil again, add ¼ c. cold water.  Repeat two more times, allowing the water to boil up before adding more cold water.  After it boils for the final time, remove dumplings from water.  So – the sequence is:  bring water to boil, add dumplings and stir, water comes to boil, cool it off with ¼ c. cold water, bring to boil, cool off, bring to boil, cool off, bring to boil and strain out dumplings. 

Make a dipping sauce by combining soy sauce, chili oil, black vinegar, and cilantro to taste.  

mini philly cheeseburgers

From Cooking Light magazine - I just love the size of sliders.  And, Trader Joe's has the slider buns:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/mini-philly-cheeseburgers-50400000133601/

chicken with pancetta and peas for a quick dinner

From a recent issue of Cooking Light magazine, a tasty and quick dinner we enjoyed (shown here with baby broccoli sauteed with garlic):  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-breast-pancetta-cream-50400000133637/

delicious berry pie

Blackberry Pie

Serves 8.  This is based on a recipe in Sunset magazine for the Anjou Bakery’s (eastern Washington state) Marionberry Pie.  I used a frozen berry medley (from Trader Joe’s), slightly thawed and it was superb, imagine it with fresh berries!      

            The Crust:                                          The Filling:

            2 c. flour                                               ¼ c. cornstarch

            2½ Tbs. granulated sugar                      1 c. granulated sugar

            ¼ tsp. salt                                             1¾ lb. fresh or frozen blackberries

            14 Tbs. cold unsalted butter,                   (for frozen, measure, thaw until somewhat

              cut into 2 Tbs. chunks                            softened, and use all juices)

            1 Tbs. ice water                                    coarse white sparkling or sanding sugar

            1 Tbs. cold vodka

Make crust:  Combine dry ingredients in a stand mixer.  Add butter and beat with paddle attachment on low speed, scraping bowl as needed, until pieces are raisin-size.  With mixer still on low speed, drizzle in water and vodka; beat until pastry comes together, 1½ to 3 minutes.  Form 1¼ cups into a disk and the rest into a smaller disk.

Heat oven to 375 degrees with rack on bottom rung.  On a lightly floured board, roll larger disk into a 12” circle.  Loosen with a long metal spatula, gently roll around a rolling pin, then unroll into a 9” pie pan (if dough cracks, press back together).  Fold edge under so it’s flush with pan rim, then crimp.  Chill 15 minutes.

Roll remaining dough into an 11” circle.  With a cookie cutter, cut out as many shapes, such as squares or stars, as needed to cover most of pie.  Set cutouts on a baking sheet; chill 15 minutes.    

Make filling:  Stir together cornstarch and granulated sugar in a large bowl.  Add berries with juices and toss to coat.  Arrange evenly in pie shell.  Lightly brush pastry cutouts with water and sprinkle with coarse sugar.  Arrange cutouts over filling.

Bake pie until filling bubbles and pastry is golden in center, 55 to 60 minutes (up to 1½ hours if berries were frozen); if edge starts to get dark, cover with foil, and if pie starts to bubble over, put a rimmed pan underneath it.

Let cool on a rack to room temperature, at least 3 hours.