2009 November : Weeknight Gourmet

Archive for November, 2009

Classic Steak Side Dish: Twice Baked Potatoes

November 14 2009 | Leave a Comment

We had these delicious twice baked potatoes with our first steak from White Flower Farm.

The recipe, as written, takes a while but I took a few shortcuts to save time. I cooked the potatoes in the microwave. Perhaps the potato skin would have been a tad crisper but I didn’t have an hour to just bake the potatoes. I also bought a bag of broccoli florets. Instead of blanching them, I steamed them in the microwave for a minute less than the bag called for. Lastly, I forgot to buy sour cream so I just added some milk to the potato filling.

The smoked gouda adds a delicious flavor to the potato filling. You may want to consider it as an addition to your Thanksgiving mashed potatoes. A nice twist on a classic side!

Raw ribeye

I’ll definitely be making these again!

Neelys Twice Smashed Baked Potatoes
Pat & Gina Neely

4 large russet potatoes, each about 3/4 pound each, well scrubbed
1/2 pound broccoli florets, blanched
4 tablespoons softened butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded sharp Cheddar, plus extra for topping
1/2 cup shredded smoked Gouda, plus extra for topping
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Butter, for serving, optional

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Pierce potatoes with fork. Place on center rack of oven and cook for 1 hour.

Remove from oven and let cool slightly. Using a paring knife, cut a canoe-like top out of the potatoes. Scoop the flesh into a large mixing bowl, leaving a 1/2-inch thick wall around the skin.

Add the blanched broccoli to the potatoes. Stir in the butter, sour cream, Cheddar, Gouda, and salt and pepper; and mash until creamy.

Using a small spoon, scoop the filling back into the potatoes. It will be a nice mounded pile of filling. Sprinkle with more of both cheeses on top of the potatoes.

Set the potatoes on a baking sheet and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until heated through and cheese in melted and gooey. Serve with butter, if desired.

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Categories : Side dishes - vegetables

Where's the beef? ~140 pounds are in our freezer!

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Tim and I drove to Litchfield, CT yesterday to pick up our dry-aged and butchered half steer. The steer is from White Flower Farm and was beautifully butchered by Litchfield Locker and Processing. We luckily picked up exactly the right amount of beef to fill our freezer to the gills.

freezer2 In total, we’ll have purchased 200 pounds of beef. We’ll be keeping 50 pounds and distributing the rest to friends and family who went in on this adventure with us. Tim and I will be making deliveries on Sunday and again on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

To give you a sense of what you get with 200 pounds of beef, here is a list of what we have picked up and what we think is remaining:

inventory

Last night, Tim grilled two giant bone-in rib eyes. They were delicious! So flavorful! And, Angus really enjoyed the bone. I made twice-baked potatoes to accompany the steaks. A delicious dinner!

package

ribeye raw

cooked ribeye

This morning, Tim enjoyed steak and eggs. I pan fried half of a flap steak for Tim’s lumberjack breakfast. Flap steak comes from the flank and is similar to hanger steak.

Ribeye pkg

Tonight I will be making the Barefoot Contessa’s pot roast recipe using a chuck roast. Should be a good meal for a very rainy Saturday!

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Categories : Beef, Side dishes - vegetables

What's Burdock?

November 8 2009 | Leave a Comment

I was in my local food store, Guido’s, in the Berkshires yesterday and came across a root vegetable I was unfamiliar with — burdock.

I was curious about the root so I did a little research. Here’s some info from Wikipedia:

The taproot of young burdock plants can be harvested and eaten as a root vegetable. While generally out of favour in modern European cuisine, it remains popular in Asia, particularly in Japan where A. lappa (Greater burdock) is called gobō (牛蒡 or ゴボウ). Plants are cultivated for their slender roots, which can grow about 1 metre long and 2 cm across. Burdock root is very crisp and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavour with a little muddy harshness that can be reduced by soaking julienne/shredded roots in water for five to ten minutes. Immature flower stalks may also be harvested in late spring, before flowers appear; the taste resembles that of artichoke, to which the burdock is related. A popular Japanese dish is kinpira gobō (金平牛蒡), julienned or shredded burdock root and carrot, braised with soy sauce, sugar, mirin and/or sake, and sesame oil; another is burdock makizushi (sushi filled with pickled burdock root; the burdock root is often artificially coloured orange to resemble a carrot). In the second half of the 20th century, burdock achieved international recognition for its culinary use due to the increasing popularity of the macrobiotic diet, which advocates its consumption. It also contains a fair amount of gobō dietary fiber (GDF, 6g per 100g), calcium, potassium, amino acids,^[3] and is also low calorie. It also contains polyphenols that causes darkened surface and muddy harshness by formation of tannin-iron complexes though the harshness shows excellent harmonization with pork in miso soup (tonjiru) and Japanese-style pilaf (takikomi gohan).

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Categories : Side dishes - vegetables

Weekend Cooking: Wild Mushroom Risotto

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Risotto is not hard to make but it definitely requires attention and time so I find it to be a weekend meal. I thought Wild Mushroom Risotto was a perfect fall dish for a cold night in Becket.

I found some wonderful looking cremini, button, and local Berkshire shitake mushrooms at the store yesterday. The recipe also calls for dried porcini mushrooms which you rehydrate in hot water and then puree, reserving the water for the risotto.

As an inexperienced risotto chef, I didn’t make any changes to the recipe. One note, though, I did splurge for high quality parmesan and stock. I think the quality of the ingredients you use really matters in a dish like this. The key to making risotto is constant stirring and the gradual addition of the liquid.

This is not a great dinner party dish given the attention it requires and that it really tastes better when served immediately. But it was a great meal for me and Tim on a quiet Saturday night in the Berkshires. I served the risotto with a simple green salad. A nice fall meal!

Wild Mushroom Risotto
Anne Burrell

Extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed with heel your hand
1 1/2 pounds assorted fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster or cremini, cleaned and sliced
Kosher salt
1 cup dried porcini mushrooms, soaking in 3 cups hot water
1 medium or 2 small onions, cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 1/2 cups)
2 cups Carnaroli or Arborio rice
2 cups dry white wine
6 to 7 cups hot chicken stock
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano
1/2 cup chopped chives

Coat a large saute pan generously with olive oil and add the smashed garlic cloves. Bring to a medium-high heat. When the garlic cloves have begun to brown and are very aromatic remove and discard them. Add the assorted fresh mushrooms to the pan and season with salt. Saute the mushrooms until they are soft and pliable. Turn off the heat and reserve.

Using your hand, carefully scoop the porcini mushrooms out of the hot water. (At this point the water should have cooled off significantly. If it is still too hot for your hand, use a slotted spoon.) Pour the top 2/3 of the mushroom water into another container and reserve for use while making the risotto. Discard the bottom third. It contains a lot of sand and dirt from the mushrooms. Puree the rehydrated mushrooms with a little of the reserved mushroom water to make a smooth mushroom paste. This will not look good but it will certainly taste good! Reserve.

Coat a large saucepot abundantly with olive oil. Add the onions and season generously with salt. Bring the pot to a medium-high heat. Cook the onions, stirring frequently until they are very soft and aromatic but have no color. Add the rice and stir to coat with the olive oil. Cook the rice for 2 to 3 minutes to toast, stirring frequently. Add wine to cover the surface of the rice and stir frequently until it has completely absorbed. Add the reserved mushroom water and then add chicken stock until the liquid has covered the surface of the rice. Stir frequently until the stock has absorbed into the rice. Repeat this process 2 more times. Check for seasoning, you probably will need to add salt.

During the third addition of stock, add the reserved sauteed mushrooms and 2 tablespoons of the pureed porcini mushrooms. When the stock has absorbed into the rice and the rice is cooked but still “al dente”, remove the pot from the heat. Add the butter and cheese and whip until well combined. This will set the perfect consistency of the rice. The rice should flow and not be able to hold its shape and look very creamy. Serve immediately garnished with chives.

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Categories : Pasta, Risotto

My Go-To Turkey Chili

November 7 2009 | Leave a Comment

I made this on Monday night but haven’t had a chance to post.

This is my go-to chili recipe! I have made this recipe for and passed it along to countless people. Everyone loves it! It’s hard to believe you can get such flavor out of a 30-minute meal. Of course, it tastes even better the next day!

The key to recipe is the chipotle chili en adobo. It adds a great heat and smokiness to the dish. I usually add a bit more than the recipe calls for but it is spicy so if you want to tone down the heat use what the recipe calls for or a little less.

If you don’t have Mexican beer on hand, a Bud Light will do.

I usually serve with chips or tortillas, diced avocado, grated cheese, and sour cream for Tim. Often I double the recipe and freeze half of it.

I’ll be making a big pot of this chili several more times this fall and winter!

30-Minute Turkey Chili
Food Network Kitchens

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon kosher salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 chipotle chile en adobo, coarsely chopped, with 1 tablespoon sauce
1 pound ground turkey
1 (12-ounce) Mexican lager-style beer
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
Sliced scallions, cilantro sprigs, avocado, sour cream, grated Monterey jack cheese, and/or tortilla chips, for garnish, optional

Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic, salt, chili powder, and oregano and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and the chipotle chile and sauce; cook 1 minute more.

Add the turkey, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, and cook until the meat loses its raw color, about 3 minutes. Add the beer and simmer until reduced by about half, about 8 minutes.

Add the tomatoes–crushing them through your fingers into the skillet–along with their juices and the beans; bring to a boil. Cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until thick, about 10 minutes.

Ladle the chili into bowls and serve with the garnishes of your choice.

Cook’s Note: A skillet’s larger surface area reduces sauces faster than simmering in a saucepan.

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Categories : Jess's Picks, One-pot meal, Soups, Stews, Chilis, Turkey

Spooktacular Halloween Cupcakes

November 1 2009 | Leave a Comment

In honor of Halloween and as a pre-NYC marathon dessert for my sister-in-law Julina, I decided to bake some cupcakes. I turned to the Cake Mix Doctor for a delicious and easy recipe.

This recipe “doctors” a devil’s food cake mix by adding a little cocoa and buttermilk. The cake was super moist! The icing was a simple buttercream and very tasty! I added some yellow and red food coloring for a nice orange color. I skipped the spiders in the recipe and just decorated with some red sugar.

The cupcakes were a hit! I’ll definitely be making these again.

Many thanks to Judy & Irv for the adorable cupcake plates. They were perfect!

Halloween Spider Cupcakes
Cake Mix Doctor

Makes 24 cupcakes (2 1/2 inches each)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Spider chilling time: 30 to 40 minutes
Baking time: 16 to 20 minutes
Assembly time: 15 minutes

24 silver or foil liners for cupcake pans (2 1/2-inch size)

CUPCAKES
1 package (18.25 ounces) plain devil’s food cake mix
2 tablespoons Dutch process cocoa powder
1 1/3 cups buttermilk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FROSTING:
Buttercream Frosting (recipe below)
6 drops yellow food coloring
2 drops red food coloring

GARNISHES:
24 Chocolate Spiders (recipe follows)
Tiny round decorating candies (optional)
Brown decorating gel (optional)

1. Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 24 cupcake cups with silver paper liners. Set the pans aside.

2. Prepare the cupcake batter: Place the cake mix, cocoa powder, buttermilk, oil, eggs, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed for 30 seconds. Stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat 2 minutes more, scraping down the sides again if needed. Spoon or scoop a heaping 1/4 cup batter into each lined cupcake cup, filling it two thirds of the way full. (You will get between 22 and 24 cupcakes; remove the empty liners, if any.) Place the pans in the oven.

3. Bake the cupcakes until they spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, 16 to 20 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Run a dinner knife around the edges of the cupcake liners, lift the cupcakes up from the bottoms of the cups using the end of the knife, and pick them out of the cups carefully with your fingertips. Place them on a wire rack to cool completely, 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, prepare the Buttercream Frosting. Place G cup of the frosting in a plastic sandwich bag and set aside. Add the yellow and red food coloring to the remaining frosting. Blend well so the frosting is evenly orange. Place a heaping tablespoon of frosting on each cupcake and swirl to spread it out with a short metal spatula or a spoon, taking care to cover the tops completely.

5. Garnish the cupcakes: Cut off a small piece from one of the bottom corners of the plastic bag holding the frosting. Pipe 2 eyes on each of the Chocolate Spiders. Place a small round decorating candy in the center of each eye, if desired. Place a spider on top of each cupcake. There will be 6 extra spiders for additional platter garnish or simply to enjoy. If you wish, pipe a web on the platter using brown decorating gel. The cupcakes are ready to serve.

Store these cupcakes, uncovered or in a cake saver, at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze the unfrosted and undecorated cupcakes in a cake saver for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before frosting, decorating, and serving.

CHOCOLATE SPIDERS
You can make these spiders up to two days before you bake the cupcakes. The six extras make wonderful platter decorations or sweet treats by themselves.

1 1/4 cups chow mein noodles
2 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup milk
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 cup crispy rice cereal

1. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper and set aside.

2. Measure out 1 cup chow mein noodles and break them into small pieces. Break the remaining noodles into 2-inch pieces. These will be the spiders’ legs. Set the noodles aside in separate groupings.

3. Combine the chocolate chips and milk in a medium-size saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the confectioners’ sugar, cereal, and the small chow mein noodle pieces until blended. Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. Drop the chocolate mixture by tablespoons in a slightly oblong shape (the body of the spider) onto the prepared baking sheet. You will have about 30 bodies, about 2 inches in size. Immediately insert the noodle legs into the spider bodies, 4 on one side and 4 on the opposite side. Space them evenly apart. Place the baking sheet in the refrigerator and chill the spiders until hardened, 30 to 40 minutes.

4. Once chilled, remove them from the waxed paper by pushing up from the underside of the waxed paper.

Store the spiders in a plastic storage container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

the Cupcake Doctor says . . .
Here’s something to remember when you’re making orange-colored frosting: Use drops of yellow
and red food coloring in a 3 to 1 ratio, adding for example, 6 drops yellow and 2 drops red.

the Cupcake Doctor says . . .
Once the frosting for the cupcakes is made, reserve a small amount of it to pipe on each spider for its eyes.

BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
Makes 2 1/2 cups, enough to frost 24 cupcakes (2 1/2-inch size)
Preparation time: 5 minutes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, at room temperature (see “the Cupcake Doctor says” below)
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 to 4 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1.Place the butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer on low speed until fluffy, 30 seconds. Stop the machine and add the confectioners’ sugar, 3 tablespoons of the milk, and the vanilla.

2. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is incorporated, 1 minute. Increase the speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy, 1 minute more. Add up to 1 tablespoon more milk if the frosting seems too stiff.

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Categories : Cake, Chocolate, Dessert