Chicken Véronique

Chicken, grapes, and tarragon may sound like a dubious combination, but we were determined to make a tasty version of this classic French dish. We pound chicken breasts to an even thinness and sauté them in butter to develop flavorful fond. Then we build a simple, subtly flavored sauce with shallots, cream, and wine and thicken it to a silky consistency with a cornstarch slurry. Halved green grapes, tarragon, and lemon juice are added right at the end for a complex, elegant, yet no-fuss dish.

4 (6-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, trimmed
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon low-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3/4 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
4 1/2 ounces seedless green grapes, halved lengthwise (3/4 cup)
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon (I doubled this and was glad I did)
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

1. Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap and pound to 1/2 inch thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Whisk 1 tablespoon broth and cornstarch together in small bowl to make slurry; set aside. Melt butter in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until very lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side. Transfer chicken to plate.

2. Add shallot to now empty skillet and cook until softened, about 1 minute. Add wine and cook until reduced to 1/2 cup, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 3/4 cup broth, chicken, and any accumulated juice; reduce heat to medium-low; cover; and simmer until chicken reaches 160 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes.

3. Transfer chicken to serving platter and tent loosely with aluminum foil. Increase heat to medium-high, add cream and cornstarch slurry to skillet, and cook until reduced to 3/4 cup, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir grapes, tarragon, lemon juice, and any accumulated juice from chicken into sauce until heated through, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Pour sauce over chicken. Serve.

Curry Chicken Pot Pie

• 4 cups frozen vegetable mix, peas, carrots
• 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup milk
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 2 tablespoons dried parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken (store bought rotisserie would work well)
• 1/2 package puff pastry, cut into 12 squares

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Toss frozen vegetables with canola oil and spread evenly onto a sheet pan. Place into oven and cook until golden brown.
In a saute pan heat 1 tablespoon of butter and sweat the onion and celery. In another saucepan, heat the broth and milk. Add 2 more tablespoons of butter to the celery mix and cook out the water. Add the flour and curry and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Whisk in the hot milk mixture and cook until thickened. Add the parsley, salt and pepper. Add the browned vegetables and the chicken. Pour into a 9x13 pan, and top with squares of puff pastry. Place into the oven and cook until puff pastry has browned and the mixture is hot and bubbly, about 25 minutes.

Holiday Beer Punch

6 12-ounce bottles Bud Light Lime

1 12-ounce can raspberry-lemonade concentrate

9 ounces vodka

1/2 cup frozen or fresh raspberries

Combine and serve.

Kung Pao Shrimp for Two

12 oz. large shrimp, peeled and deveined
2 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
4 teaspoons canola oil
1/3 cup roasted unsalted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 tablespoons minced scallion whites
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh ginger
1/4 cup sliced scallion greens

Toss shrimp with 1 tablespoon sherry and 1 tablespoon soy sauce in a bowl; marinate about 10 minutes. Transfer shrimp to a plate; discard marinade. Combine broth, remaining 1 tablespoon sherry, remaining 1 tablespoon soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl. 

Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a wok or large non-stick skillet over high heat. Add shrimp, peanuts, and pepper flakes; cook until shrimp are nearly opaque, 1-2 minutes. Transfer shrimp mixture to a plate. Cook bell pepper in remaining 2 teaspoons oil in the wok until they begin to soften, 1-2 minutes.

Add scallion whites, garlic, and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in broth mixture and shrimp mixture, and cook until sauce is thick and syrupy, about 1 minute. Stir in scallion greens and serve over baked rice.

Easy Chicken & Salsa Tacos

We loved these not only because they are really tasty, but also because they are super quick and easy. By using rotisserie chicken and salsa, you can put this satisfying supper together in minutes. Double or triple the recipe for the next time you have friends over. 

12 taco shells*

1 (2 1/2 pound) rotisserie chicken, skin and bones discarded, meat shredded into bite-size pieces (3   cups)

2 cups mild salsa

1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro

2 tablespoons lime juice

3/4 teaspoon chili powder

1/2 cup sour cream

1 cup shredded iceberg lettuce

4 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange taco shells on rimmed baking sheet and bake until warmed through, about 3 minutes.

Combine chicken and salse in large saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken is hot, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in 3 tablespoons cilantro, 1 tablespoon lime juice, and chili powder.

Combine sour cream, remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice in bowl. Divide chicken mixture among taco shells. Top with sour cream mixture, lettuce, and cheddar. Serve.

*If you prefer soft tacos, skip the taco shells and wrap a stack of 12 corn tortillas in a clean dish towel. Microwave for 2 minutes to soften.

Magic Chocolate Flan Cake

It's worth using good-quality caramel sauce, such as Fat Toad Farm Goat's Milk Caramel. If your blender doesn't hold two quarts, process the flan in two batches. The cake needs to chill for at least eight hours before you can unmold it.

CAKE
1/2 cup caramel sauce or topping
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FLAN
2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
2 1/2 cups whole milk
6 ounces cream cheese
6 large eggs plus 4 large yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12-cup nonstick Bundt pan. Microwave caramel until easily pourable, about 30 seconds. Pour into pan to coat bottom. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt in bowl; set aside. Combine chocolate and butter in large bowl and microwave at 50 percent power, stirring occasionally, until melted, 2 to 4 minutes. Whisk buttermilk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla into chocolate mixture until incorporated. Stir in flour mixture until just combined. Pour batter over caramel in prepared pan.

FOR THE FLAN: Process all ingredients in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Gently pour flan over cake batter in Bundt pan and place pan in large roasting pan. Place roasting pan on oven rack and pour warm water into roasting pan until it reaches halfway up the side of the Bundt pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in cake comes out clean and flan registers 180 degrees, 75 to 90 minutes. Transfer Bundt pan to wire rack. Let cool to room temperature, about 2 hours, then refrigerate until set, at least 8 hours. (Remove roasting pan from oven once water has cooled.)

Place bottom third of Bundt pan in bowl of hot tap water for 1 minute. Invert completely flat cake platter, place platter over top of Bundt pan, and gently turn platter and pan upside down. Slowly remove pan, allowing caramel to drizzle over top of cake. Serve.

Tex-Mex Lasagna

14 6-inch corn tortillas, cut into thirds
1 cup diced onion
1 cup diced red bell pepper
1 large poblano chili, diced
1 cup frozen corn kernals
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 tablespoon lime juice
3 cups rotisserie chicken
8 ounces cheddar, shredded
8 ounces pepper jack, shredded
scallions (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Arrange tortillas in a single layer on two baking sheets. Bake tortillas until slightly crisp, about 15 minutes.

Saute onion, bell pepper, poblano, corn, and garlic in butter over medium-high heat until softened, 3-4 minutes. Stir flour, chili powder, cumin, and coriander into vegetable mixture, then whisk in broth. Bring mixture to a boil and cook until thick, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes; add lime juice and season with salt and black pepper.

Line bottom of prepared baking dish with one-third of the tortilla strips. Layer with one-third of the chicken, vegetable mixture, and cheeses. Repeat twice, using one-third of the ingredients in each layer, ending with cheese.

Bake casserole until cheese is bubbly and melted, 30-35 minutes. Remove casserole from oven and let set 15 minutes before serving.

Buttermilk Monte Cristo

1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 slices hearty bread
8 slices Havarti cheese
8 ounces sliced cooked ham
4 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided
powdered sugar (optional)
4 tablespoons pineapple jam, divided

Whisk together buttermilk, egg, flour, and nutmeg is a shallow bowl; set aside. Spread Dijon on 1 side of each bread slice; top 4 slices with 2 pieces of cheese each. Arrange ham on cheese; top with pickles and remaining bread, mustard side down.

Heat 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat in large nonstick skillet. Dip 2 sandwiches into buttermilk  mixture; carefully flip and dip other side. Remove sandwiches, allowing excess buttermilk mixture to drip back into bowl.

Place sandwiches in skillet; cover and cook 3-5 minutes. Uncover skillet and melt 1 tablespoon of butter; flip sandwiches. Place smaller skillet on sandwiches and weigh down to compress. Cook sandwiches until cheese begins to melt and ham is heated through, 2-3 minutes more. Remove the sandwiches from the pan and keep warm. Repeat procedure with remaining buttermilk mixture, 2 tablespoons butter, and uncooked sandwiches. 

Sprinkle sandwiches with powdered sugar and serve each with 1 tablespoon of pineapple jam.

Thankful...

I just wanted to say how thankful we are for the wonderful, loving family and friends we have in our lives. We wish we could spend time with each and every one of you during this season. May the next 30 or so days not fly by as fast as usual. We love you all and wish you a happy holiday season!

Cherry-Almond Turnover Cookies

Freeze unbaked cookies on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to an airtight container and return to the freezer for up to a month. Makes 48 cookies.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (16 tablespoons)
1 1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract, divided
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1-2 tablespoons heavy cream

Combine flour, granulated sugar, and salt in a bowl. Beat cream cheese, butter, and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract in a large bowl with a hand mixer until fluffy, 1 minute. Add flour mixture and beat just to combine. Divide dough in half, form each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic wrap; chill 1 hour and up to 1 day.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough in a lightly floured  work surface to 1/8 inch thick. Using a 3-inch-round cookie cutter, cut cookies; transfer to prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps once.

Drop 1/2 teaspoon preserves in center of each cookie, brush edges with egg wash, fold over filling, and seal with a fork. Freeze cookies1 hour. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Brush cookies with egg wash and prick center with a fork. Bake cookies, one baking sheet at a time, until golden, 12-15 minutes; let cool on racks.  Whisk together powdered sugar, heavy cream, and 1 teaspoon of almond extract. Drizzle cookies with glaze.

Pumpkin Cream Pie with Gingersnap Crust

For the best results, cool the pie completely at room temperature (not in the refrigerator) before adding the topping, otherwise the crust might get soggy. 

FOR THE CRUST
8 ounces purchased gingersnaps
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

FOR THE FILLING
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree
1 cup light sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves or allspice
3 eggs, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

FOR THE CREAMY TOPPING
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup light sour cream
chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For the crust, process gingersnaps, sugar, ginger and a pinch of table salt in a food processor until fine. Transfer crumbs to a bowl and stir in butter. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and bake for 10 minutes.

For the filling, whisk together pumpkin puree, sour cream, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until smooth. Whisk in eggs and vanilla. Pour filling into prepared crust and bake until set, 45-50 minutes. Transfer pie to a rack; let cool completely.

For the cream topping, beat heavy cream and powdered sugar to stiff peaks. Add sour cream and beat until incorporated. Top pie with whipped cream and garnish with crystallized ginger (optional).

Ginger-Pork Spring Rolls

1/4 cup hoisin sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons Asian chili-garlic sauce

1/4 cup water
1 (16oz) bag coleslaw mix
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 scallions, white parts minced; green parts sliced thin
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 pound ground pork
3 tablespoons freshly grated ginger
12 (9 inch) rice paper wrappers

Combine the hoisin, soy, and chili garlic sauces and water in a small bowl. In another bowl, combine the coleslaw, cilantro and scallion greens; set aside.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat until just smoking. Add pork and 1/3 cup of the hoisin sauce mixture. (The remaining hoisin sauce will be used as a condiment for dipping.) Cook the pork until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in the ginger and scallion whites and cook until fragrant. Place this pork mixture into the bowl with the coleslaw, cilantro and scallion greens. Toss to combine.

Spread a clean, damp kitchen towel on the counter. Soak a rice paper wrapper in a shallow bowl of warm water, about 10 seconds, and spread out on towel. Arrange 1/2 cup of filling on each wrapper, leaving a 2 inch border on the bottom. Fold in sides and roll up tightly like a burrito. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling. Serve with the remaining hoisin sauce mixture for dipping.

Lighter Seven-Layer Dip

2 pounds ripe tomatoes (5-6 medium), cored, seeded and chopped
6 scallions, 2 minced and 4 with green parts sliced thin (white parts discarded)
5 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice (about 3 limes)
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained but not rinsed
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 teaspoon chili powder
1 1/2 cups low-fat sour cream
1 tablespoon minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce
2 ripe avocados, halved, pitted and cubed

1. Place tomatoes in a strainer set over a bowl, sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt, and let drain 30 minutes. Discard liquid. Stir in the minced scallions, 2 tablespoons lime juice, cilantro and jalapeños. Season to taste and set aside.

2. Pulse 2 teaspoons lime juice, beans, garlic and chili powder in a food processor to a chunky paste. Set aside.

3. Whisk the sour cream and chipotles together in a bowl and set aside.

4. Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons lime juice, avocados and ¼ teaspoon salt and mash until smooth. Season to taste.

5. Spread the bean mixture evenly over a serving platter. Spread with avocado mixture, then sour cream, and top with tomato. Sprinkle with scallions.

Mel's Raspberry Pancake Topping

An Andersen family favorite.

1 cup whipping cream
 2 tablespoons sugar
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup seedless raspberry jam

Whip cream & sugar to stiff peaks.  Mix sour cream & jam, then fold into whipped cream.  Serve with your favorite pancakes.

Orange-Coconut Shrimp

Dave whipped this up last night and it was so tasty. I recommend doubling this so you have leftovers. Our house is going to smell amazing for days.

Similar to a stir-fry, this dish cooks up super fast, so be sure to have all your ingredients ready to go before you fire up the saute pan. Makes 4 servings (about 6 cups) and takes about thirty minutes from start to finish (not including rice, which I recommend you bake). Add more red pepper flakes if you like a really spicy dish.

1 pound large shrimp, peels, deveined, and seasoned with salt and black pepper
2 tablespoon canola oil
2 tablespoon minced scallion whites
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger
1 tablespoon minced orange zest
1 cup canned coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon corn starch
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallion greens

Saute shrimp in one tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat until pink and beginning to curl, 2-3 minutes; remove from pan. Heat remaining tablespoon of oil in pan. Add scallion whites and garlic and cook for one minute.

Stir in orange juice, ginger, and zest. Reduce mixture until it measures 1/2 cup when strained, 3-5 minutes; discard solids. Return juice to pan.

Whisk together coconut milk and cornstarch; stir into juice in pan, add pepper flakes, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium and cook sauce until slightly thickened. Season sauce with salt.

Toss shrimp in sauce, stir in scallion greens and cook 1-2 minutes more. Serve shrimp with baked rice or rice noodles.

Apple Fritters

From America's Test Kitchen, September 8, 2012. Makes 10 fritters.

We like Granny Smith apples in these fritters because they are tart and crisp. Apple juice doesn’t have enough flavor—you really do need the cider.
 
FRITTERS
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon  salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3/4 cup apple cider
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
3 cups peanut or vegetable oil

GLAZE
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup apple cider
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
 
1. Spread prepared apples in single layer on paper towel–lined baking sheet and pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in large bowl. Whisk cider, eggs, and melted butter in medium bowl until combined. Stir apples into flour mixture. Stir in cider mixture until incorporated.

2. Heat oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Following step 1, use 1/3-cup measure to transfer 5 heaping portions of batter to oil. Press batter lightly with back of spoon to flatten. Fry, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees, until deep golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer fritters to wire rack set inside rimmed baking sheet. Bring oil back to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining batter. Let fritters cool 5 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, whisk confectioners’ sugar, cider, cinnamon, and nutmeg in medium bowl until smooth. Top each fritter with 1 heaping tablespoon glaze. Let glaze set 10 minutes. Serve.

Mashed Potatoes with Parsnip & Horseradish

A Geisen family favorite.

2 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds
3/4 pound parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/4" rounds
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/3 cup warmed half-and-half or heavy cream, plus more as needed

Place potatoes and parsnips in a large pot with steamer basket and 1" of water. Cover and bring water to boil. Steam vegetables until very tender when pierced, about 15 minutes. Transfer vegetables to bowl.

Empty pot and wipe dry. Return vegetables to still-hot pot and add butter, horseradish, salt and pepper. Mash with potato masher until smooth. Add 1/3 cup half-and-half or cream and mash again. Add more liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until desired consistency is reached. Transfer to serving bowl and serve immediately.

Beef Stroganoff for Two (or more)

For a scaled-down version of beef stroganoff, time management was key. Tender filet steaks cook to medium-rare in no time. By cooking the meat first and then slicing it, we were not only able to build considerable fond in the pan (a boon for sauce flavor) but we could also better control the temperature of the meat, preventing overcooking. Cooking the egg noodles right in the skillet as the sauce thickens not only saves time but means this meal for two can be prepared in just one pan. We achieved judicious creaminess by way of a dollop of sour cream and freshened it up with a few snips of chives. Serves 2 - to double, simple cook the dish in a dutch oven. Look for a steak that is 1½ to 2 inches thick. White wine or vermouth can be used in place of the brandy.

You can use a cheaper cut of meat like a flank or strip steak, if doubling this recipe. Look for a steak that is 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. White wine or vermouth can be used in place of brandy.

8 ounces white mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 (8-ounce) center-cut filet mignon, halved crosswise
1 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon tomato paste
1 1/4 cups beef broth
3 tablespoons brandy
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 ounces (2 cups) wide egg noodles
1/4 sour cream
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives

1. Microwave mushrooms in covered bowl until volume has decreased by half and liquid is exuded, about 4 minutes. Drain mushrooms and set aside.

2. Pat steaks dry with paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in 10-inch skillet over medium heat until just smoking. Cook steaks until well browned on all sides and meat registers 125 degrees, 8 to 10 minutes, reducing heat if fond begins to burn. Transfer meat to plate.

3. Add mushrooms and onion to now-empty skillet and cook until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in flour and tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in broth, brandy, soy sauce, mustard and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and bring to simmer, scraping up any browned bits. Add noodles and bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low , and simmer, stirring occasionally, until noodles are tender and sauce is thickened, 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, slice steaks against grain to 1/4-inch-thick pieces. Stir mean and any accumulated juices into noodles and cover until warmed through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in sour cream and chives and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve.

Saganaki

In an effort to relive some of the fun had during Dave & Ashley's much anticipated "wedding of the century", here is the recipe for our much loved Greek appetizer.


8 ounces Kasseri cheese
1 egg
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh oregano
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, cut into wedges
1 ounce brandy


Slice cheese into 3/8 inch slabs. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the oregano. Dip each slice of cheese in egg, shake off excess, and coat in flour.

Heat olive oil in a frying pan over medium high heat. Quickly cook cheese in olive oil until golden, turning once. Pour brandy over and flame for effect. Shout Opa! Squeeze lemon juice over.

Arrange cheese on a plate, season with black pepper, and garnish with lemon wedges.

Tomato Chowder with Mollet Eggs

I'm posting a recipe that isn't from America's Test Kitchen. I can't believe it! But Dave and I love to watch Jacques Pepin - especially when he's making cous-cous - because he's so fun to listen to with that silly French lisp. And because Create on PBS is the closest thing we have to the Food Network (although I would argue that it's actually better).

I watched Pepin make this Saturday morning, and although we have yet to try it, I can't stop thinking about it. Can't wait to make it this weekend with some Gruyere grilled cheese. Nom Nom. 

A French favorite, mollet (moll-ay) eggs are similar to poached eggs in texture, with runny yolks and soft whites. The eggs are cooked in their shells in barely boiling water for about 6 minutes, then thoroughly cooled and carefully shelled. This basic tomato soup, topped with the eggs and large croutons made from country-style bread, can be made vegetarian by replacing the chicken stock with vegetable stock or water. Serves 4.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped (1 1/4 cups)
6 scallions, trimmed (leaving some green) and chopped (3/4 cup)
1 carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped (1/2 cup)
3 garlic cloves, crushed and chopped
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups homemade chicken stock or low-salt canned chicken broth
12 ounces cherry tomatoes
1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon dried sage
1 15-ounce can plum tomatoes

GARNISHES
4 slices country-style bread, preferably stale, for croutons
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small garlic clove
4 large eggs
1/2 cup grated Gruyère or Emmenthaler cheese

Heat the olive oil in a large stainless steel saucepan. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the onion, scallions, carrot, and garlic and cook over high heat, stirring constantly, for 4 to 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour on top of the mixture, stir thoroughly, and cook for 1 minute longer, stirring. Mix in the stock.

Meanwhile, process the cherry tomatoes in a food processor until coarsely chopped. (You should have about 1 1/2 cups.) Add the cherry tomatoes to the soup, along with the salt, pepper, thyme, and sage. Process the can of plum tomatoes for 5 seconds, and add to the soup. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, then cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 minutes.

MEANWHILE, PREPARE THE GARNISHES: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Brush the bread slices with the olive oil and arrange them in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until nicely browned. Rub one side of the croutons with the garlic clove, and set them aside.

Using a thumbtack or pushpin, make a hole in the rounded end of each egg. Gently lower the eggs into a pan containing enough boiling water to cover them and cook for about 6 minutes in barely boiling water. Drain the hot water from the pan and shake the pan to crack the shells of the eggs on all sides. Fill the pan with ice and water and set the eggs aside to cool completely.

When the eggs are cool, peel them carefully (so as not to damage the yolks, which are still runny) under cool running water. Keep the eggs in cold water until just before serving. (The eggs can be cooked up to a few hours ahead and refrigerated in the cold water.)
At serving time, drain the cold water from the eggs and replace it with hot tap water. Let stand for 5 minutes, so the eggs are lukewarm inside.

Bring the soup to a strong boil, and ladle it into four bowls. Place an egg in the center of each bowl, and wait for a couple of minutes for the eggs to warm in the center. Place a crouton in each bowl and serve, sprinkled with the cheese.

Really Good Pumpkin Bread

Dave is getting seriously spoiled this week. TWO pumpkin baked items in one week. We had cream cheese and pumpkin puree left over from the Maple-Pumpkin Stack Cake so I whipped up a loaf of this last night (halved the recipe). I absolutely love when I have all the required ingredients already in the pantry. That doesn't happen often! 

Published September 1, 2012.  From Cook's Illustrated.
Canned pumpkin puree often lends a raw, metallic flavor to pumpkin bread. We cook down the puree to eliminate those off-putting flavors. Instead of dirtying more dishes, we mix the quick bread right in the pot, adding cream cheese and buttermilk for their tangy flavor. A quick-to-assemble topping adds texture and keeps the loaf from getting soggy the next day. 

The test kitchen’s preferred loaf pan measures 8 1/2 by 4 1/2 inches; if using a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan, start checking for doneness five minutes early. Makes 2 loaves.

TOPPING 
5 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
 
BREAD 
2 cups  all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 (15 oz) can unsweetened pumpkin puree
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup packed  light brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 ounces cream cheese , cut into 12 pieces
4 large eggs
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine (optional)

1. FOR THE TOPPING: Using fingers, mix all ingredients together in bowl until well combined and topping resembles wet sand; set aside.

2. FOR THE BREAD: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8 1/2 by 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Whisk flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in bowl.
 
3. Combine pumpkin puree, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves in large saucepan over medium heat. Cook mixture, stirring constantly, until reduced to 1½ cups, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove pot from heat; stir in granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, and cream cheese until combined. Let mixture stand for 5 minutes. Whisk until no visible pieces of cream cheese remain and mixture is homogeneous.
 
4. Whisk together eggs and buttermilk. Add egg mixture to pumpkin mixture and whisk to combine. Fold flour mixture into pumpkin mixture until combined (some small lumps of flour are OK). Fold walnuts into batter. Scrape batter into prepared pans. Sprinkle topping evenly over top of each loaf. Bake until skewer inserted in center of loaf comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let breads cool in pans on wire rack for 20 minutes. Remove breads from pans and let cool for at least 1½ hours. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Maple-Pumpkin Stack Cake

"I have no words for this." Dave 

I quartered this recipe and made one giant piece for Dave and I to split last night. I let it under-cook by just a tad so that it was very doughy and passed on the pecans - just how we like it.

For an impressively tall cake that combines two of our favorite fall flavors, we started with four layers of tender, moist cake reminiscent of pumpkin pie, thanks to canned pumpkin puree and a jar of pumpkin pie spice. We sandwiched fluffy whipped cream sweetened with real maple syrup between the layers and topped the whole thing off with crunchy toasted pecans. From Cook's Country, October/November 2012

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 ¼ cups sugar 
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
3 large eggs
15 ounces canned pumpkin, unsweetened
1 ½ cups heavy cream, chilled
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup pecans, toasted and chopped

FOR THE CAKE: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease two 8-inch round cake pans, line with parchment paper, grease parchment, then flour pans.
 
Whisk flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in bowl. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat sugar, butter, and eggs on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low, add pumpkin, and mix until incorporated. Slowly add flour mixture and mix until only few small flour streaks remain, about 30 seconds. Spread one-fourth of batter (about 1 cup) in even layer in each prepared pan. Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 12 to 14 minutes.
 
Let cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Invert each cake onto large plate, peel off parchment, and reinvert onto lightly greased rack. Cool completely. Reprep pans and repeat with remaining batter.
 
TO ASSEMBLE: Using dry, clean bowl and whisk attachment, whip cream and maple syrup together on medium speed until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes. Place 1 cake layer on cake plate or pedestal, then spread one-fourth of whipped cream (scant cup) evenly over top. Repeat with remaining cake layers and whipped cream. Sprinkle pecans on top and serve.

Pork Green Chili

A little something about Colorado: Everything here is smothered in green chili and it's delicious. Hatch chilies, specifically, are a big deal here and right now just happens to be harvest season. In my relentless pursuit to be a tied and true Coloradan, I'm making a big pot of this tonight. 

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 1" cubes
1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup flour
3 vine tomatoes, peeled and chopped
8 roasted, peeled and chopped Hatch chilies

1 jalapeno, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 cup chicken or beef broth

Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a Dutch oven. Add pork and cook until lightly browned. Drain off most of the liquid from the pork. Add onion and garlic and stir with meat. Add flour and stir 1 minute. Add tomatoes, green chiles, jalapeno, salt, pepper, and sugar and stir to incorporate. Add broth and lower heat. Cover pot and simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender.

Serve with flour tortillas.

Beer Ice Cream

You can use a wide variety of malty beer in this recipe, depending on your preference. Simmering some of the beer not only cooks off some of the water but also some of the alcohol, which is helpful since alcohol inhibits freezing. The custard-style base is cooked to 180 degrees, strained, and cooled over an ice bath for a rich, smooth, creamy texture. Churning the chilled base in an ice cream maker, and then freezing it for eight more hours, guarantees a scoop that sets up perfectly. Make about 1 quart.

This recipe is best made with a malty beer that is 8–11% ABV. Avoid overly hoppy beers since hops become bitter once cooked. Make sure to cook the custard slowly in step 3 so that it thickens properly, which will ensure a creamy, rich-tasting ice cream. Serve with homemade sugar cones.

12 ounces 8-11% ABV beer
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
6 large yolks
2 cups heavy cream

1. Pour beer into liquid measuring cup. Add 5 ounces beer to 8-inch skillet and bring to simmer over medium heat. Simmer until beer is reduced by half, about 10 minutes, lowering heat as necessary to avoid creating too much foam. Return reduced beer to measuring cup with remaining 7 ounces beer, add vanilla, and stir to combine.

2. Place fine-mesh strainer over shallow medium bowl. Prepare ice bath in large bowl.

3. Whisk together sugar, salt, and egg yolks in large saucepan until smooth. Whisk in cream and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-low heat, until mixture thickens to custardy consistency and registers 180 degrees, about 10 minutes (custard should coat back of spoon enough that dragging your finger through custard on spoon’s back leaves visible trail).

4. Immediately pour mixture through strainer set over shallow bowl, whisk in beer mixture, and set in ice bath. Whisk occasionally until custard reaches room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 8 hours.

5. Freeze in ice cream maker according to manufacturer’s instructions. Transfer to glass or plastic container, press plastic wrap or waxed paper against surface of ice cream, and cover with tight-fitting lid. Freeze until firm, at least 8 hours and preferably 24 hours. Ice cream will keep, frozen, up to 5 days.

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers

In Oklahoma, a burger isn’t a burger without a mound of thinly sliced onion pressed into a thin, crispy patty as it sizzles on the fast-food griddle. To make them at home, we sliced and salted the onions, then squeezed the moisture out of them so they’d easily stick onto the burger. Starting the burger over a moderate heat enabled us to brown the exterior of the onions while the interior softened. Add a slice of American cheese and these burgers will taste like they’re straight from the griddle. Serves 4.

A mandoline makes quick work of slicing the onion thinly. Squeeze the salted onion slices until they’re as dry as possible, or they won’t adhere to the patties. These burgers are traditionally served with yellow mustard and slices of dill pickle.

1 large onion, halved and sliced 1/8" thick
salt and pepper
12 ounces 85% lean ground beef
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
4 slices of American cheese
4 hamburger buns, buttered and toasted

1. Combine onion and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Using tongs, transfer onion to clean dish towel, gather edges and squeeze onion dry. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper.

2. Divide onion mixture into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet. Form beef into 4 lightly packed balls and season with salt and pepper. Place beef balls on top of onion mounds and flatten beef firmly so that the onion adheres and patties measure 4 inches in diameter.

3. Melt butter with oil in a 12" skillet over medium heat. Using spatula, transfer patties to skillet, onion side down, and cook until onion is deep golden brown and beginning to crisp around the edges, 8-10 minutes.  Flip burgers, increase their heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes. Place 1 slice of cheese on each bottom bun. Place burgers on buns, add desired toppings and serve.

Pan Seared Thick Cut Steaks

We tried this at home with beef tenderloin cuts. Simply amazing.

A nicely charred thick-cut steak certainly looks appealing. But cutting into the steak to find that the rosy meat is confined to a measly spot in the center—with the rest a thick band of overcooked gray—is a great disappointment. We wanted to find a surefire method for pan-searing thick-cut steaks that could deliver both a flavorful crust and juicy, perfectly pink meat throughout. We found it was essential to sear the steaks quickly to keep the meat directly under the crust from turning gray. But we’d need to take an untraditional approach for these thick-cut steaks and sear them at the end of cooking, rather than at the beginning. We began by moving the steaks straight from the fridge into a 275-degree oven, which not only warmed them to 95 degrees but also dried the meat thoroughly—dry meat is essential for a well-browned crust. At this temperature, when the steak met the hot skillet, our steaks developed a beautiful brown crust in less than four minutes, while the rest of the meat stayed pink, juicy, and tender.

Rib-eye or filet mignon of similar thickness can be substituted for strip steaks. If using filet mignon, buying a 2-pound center-cut tenderloin roast and portioning it into four 8-ounce steaks yourself will produce more consistent results. If using filet mignon, increase the oven time by about 5 minutes. When cooking lean strip steaks (without an external fat cap) or filet mignon, add an extra tablespoon of oil to the pan. If desired, serve with a pan sauce, relish, or butter; see related recipes.

2 boneless strip steaks (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 inches thick (about 1 pound each)
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 275 degrees. Pat steaks dry with paper towel. Cut each steak in half vertically to create four 8-ounce steaks. Season entire surface of steaks liberally with salt and pepper; gently press sides of steaks until uniform 1 1/2 inches thick. Place steaks on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet; transfer baking sheet to oven. Cook until instant-read thermometer inserted in center of steak registers 90 to 95 degrees for rare to medium-rare, 20 to 25 minutes, or 100 to 105 degrees for medium, 25 to 30 minutes.

Heat oil in 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over high heat until smoking. Place steaks in skillet and sear steaks until well-browned and crusty, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes, lifting once halfway through to redistribute fat underneath each steak. (Reduce heat if fond begins to burn.) Using tongs, turn steaks and cook until well browned on second side, 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. Transfer all steaks to wire cooling rack and reduce heat under pan to medium. Use tongs to stand 2 steaks on their sides. Holding steaks together, return to skillet and sear on all sides until browned, about 1 1/2 minutes. Repeat with remaining 2 steaks.

Transfer steaks to wire cooling rack and let rest, loosely tented with foil, for 10 minutes while preparing pan sauce. Arrange steaks on individual plates and spoon sauce over steaks; serve immediately.

Edamame Succotash

I decided to try some "clean eating" as I gear up to drop these last 5-10 pounds before the wedding. This dish is super healthy, very colorful, and my cup and a half that I had for lunch comes in at 320 calories, 10 grams of fat, 42 grams of complex carbohydrates, 11 grams of fiber, a whopping 19 grams of protein and only 2 grams of natural sugar. 

From Clean Start by Terry Walters

2 cups water

1 ½ cups shelled edamame

sea salt

2 ears corn, cooked, kernels cut off

1 ½ cups cooked aduki beans

1 small red onion, diced

1 small orange bell pepper, diced

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp tamari (or low-sodium soy sauce)

1 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

In a medium pot over high heat, bring water to a boil. Add edamame beans and a few pinches of salt and cook uncovered for 3 minutes. Remove from heat, drain water and return edamame to pot. Add corn, beans, onion, and bell peppers and toss to combine. Add tamari, sesame oil and sesame seeds and fold to distribute all ingredients evenly. Serve warm or cold. Serves 4.

Nebraska Beef Buns (Runzas or Bierocks)

The filling for the buns can be made (and refrigerated) up to one day in advance. For quicker assembly, portion the filling into 12 (1/2-cup) mounds before rollingout the dough. Eat warm or at room temperature.

FILLING
4 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 pounds 90% lean ground beef
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
1/2 small head green cabbage, cored and chopped fine (4 cups)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces Colby Jack cheese, shredded (2 cups)

DOUGH
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup sugar
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon instant or rapid-rise yeast
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten, plus 1 large egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

l. FOR THE FILLING: Heat 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add beef, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and cook, breaking up pieces with spoon, until liquid evaporates and meat begins to sizzle, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain meat in colander and set aside.

2. Add remaining 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in drained beef, cabbage, and chicken broth. Bring to simmer, cover, and cook until cabbage is tender, about 5 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook until liquid evaporates and mixture begins to sizzle, 5 to 7 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to bowl and let cool 15 minutes. Stir in Colby Jack and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to assemble bierocks.

3. FOR THE DOUGH: Meanwhile, grease large bowl. Combine milk, water, butter, and sugar in 2-cup liquid measuring cup. Microwave until temperature registers 110 degrees, 1 minute. Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix 3 1/2 cups flour, yeast, and salt on low until combined, about 30 seconds. With mixer running, slowly add milk mixture and single beaten egg until incorporated and dough comes together, about 3 minutes. Increase speed to medium-low and continue to mix until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides of bowl, about 8 minutes. If after 4 minutes, dough looks wet, add another 1/4 cup flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough clears sides of bowl but sticks to bottom. Transfer dough to greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in warm place until doubled in size, 50 to 60 minutes.

4. Adjust over racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Transfer dough to lightly floured counter and divide into 12 equal (2 3/4 ounce) portions. Form dough pieces into calls, cover with plastic, and let rest for 5 minutes.

5. Working with 1 dough ball at a time (keep remaining balls covered with plastic), roll out into 5 1/2 inch round with rolling pin. Transfer 1/2 cup lightly packed filling (3 ounces) to center of round. Use hands to press filling into compact mound. Stretch edges of dough over filling and pinch together to form bun. Arrange 6 bierocks, seam side down, on each prepared baking sheet, 2 inches apart. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled in size, 45 to 60 minutes.

6. Discard plastic, brush bierocks with egg wash, and bake until golden brown, 22 to 25 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Transfer sheets to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Serve.

TO MAKE AHEAD: Baked, cooled bierocks can be tightly wrapped in aluminum foil, placed in zipper-lock bag, and refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month. To reheat, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil-wrapped bierocks directly on oven rack until heated through, about 10 minutes if refrigerated or 60 minutes if frozen.

From Cook's Country: June/July 2012