Barefoot Contessa : Weeknight Gourmet

Posts Tagged ‘Barefoot Contessa’

A Barefoot Contessa Holiday Meal: Herb-Roasted Lamb, Zucchini Gratin & Haricot Vert with Shallots

December 22 2011 | Leave a Comment

In case you are still on the hunt for a holiday menu, here is one that is sure to please any lamb lover!

I was happy to have 7 lamb lovers in the Berkshires this past weekend for an anniversary / holiday celebration with our dearest friends the Freilichs. I turned to the Barefoot Contessa for recipe guidance as she always pleases a crowd and (at least on her show) looks to do it in a effortless, low stress way.

The lamb turned out perfectly! It was a beautiful piece of meat from Guido’s in Pittsfield. And the garlic – rosemary rub flavored the lamb amazingly well. Definitely have a meat thermometer on hand when cooking a piece of meat of that size and varied thickness.

I served the lamb with the Barefoot Contessa’s Zucchini Gratin and Green Beans with Shallots (recipe below). I have made the Zucchini Gratin a number of times and it is always a hit. Given the richness of that side dish, I made a simple dish with haricot vert blanched and tossed with sauteed shallots and pancetta. The pancetta was my add and was a nice touch!

Good friends, good wine, and a delicious meal made for a wonderful evening and weekend!

Herb-Roasted Lamb
Barefoot Contessa

12 large unpeeled garlic cloves, divided
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 (6-pound) boneless leg of lamb, trimmed and tied
4 to 5 pounds small unpeeled potatoes (16 to 20 potatoes)
2 tablespoons good olive oil

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the oven rack in the lower third of the oven so the lamb will sit in the middle of the oven.

Peel 6 of the cloves of garlic and place them in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the rosemary, 1 tablespoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper, and butter. Process until the garlic and rosemary are finely minced. Thoroughly coat the top and sides of the lamb with the rosemary mixture. Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

Toss the potatoes and remaining unpeeled garlic in a bowl with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Place in the bottom of a large roasting pan. Place the lamb on top of the potatoes and roast for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, or until the internal temperature of the lamb is 135 degrees (rare) or 145 degrees (medium). Remove from the oven and put the lamb on a platter; cover tightly with aluminum foil. Allow the lamb to rest for about 20 minutes. Slice and serve with the potatoes.
String Beans with Shallots
Barefoot Contessa

1 pound French string beans (haricots verts), ends removed
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon good olive oil
3 large shallots, large-diced
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Blanch the string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water for 1 1/2 minutes only. Drain immediately and immerse in a bowl of ice water.

Heat the butter and oil in a very large saute pan (12-inch diameter) or large pot and saute the shallots on medium heat for 5 to 10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly browned. Drain the string beans and add to the shallots with 1/2 teaspoon salt and the pepper, tossing well. Heat only until the beans are hot.

If you’re using regular string beans, blanch them for about 3 minutes, until they’re crisp-tender.

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Categories : Lamb, Side dishes - vegetables

Mexican Chicken Soup

November 3 2011 | Leave a Comment

My mother has been raving about this Barefoot Contessa recipe for some time. The cool fall weather prompted me to finally make it!

This Mexican Chicken Soup — often called Tortilla Soup — has great flavor from the tomato, jalapeno, cumin, and coriander. Tortilla strips actually serve to thicken the soup.

Just like her chicken salad recipes, the Barefoot Contessa roasts and then shreds bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts. The chicken turns out so moist and delicious.

Don’t forget the garnishes — avocado, shredded cheese, and crushed tortilla chips.

I served the soup with a simple cheese quesadilla for a delicious dinner! There is some leftover soup in our freezer. Looking forward to having it on a cold evening!

Mexican Chicken Soup
Barefoot Contessa

4 split (2 whole) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chopped onions (2 onions)
1 cup chopped celery (2 stalks)
2 cups chopped carrots (4 carrots)
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 (28-ounce) can whole tomatoes in puree, crushed
2 to 4 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves, optional
6 (6-inch) fresh white corn tortillas

For serving: sliced avocado, sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and tortilla chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts skin side up on a sheet pan. Rub with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, until done. When the chicken is cool enough to handle, discard the skin and bones, and shred the meat. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot or Dutch oven. Add the onions, celery, and carrots and cook over medium-low heat for 10 minutes, or until the onions start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the chicken stock, tomatoes with their puree, jalapenos, cumin, coriander, 1 tablespoon salt (depending on the saltiness of the chicken stock), 1 teaspoon pepper, and the cilantro, if using. Cut the tortillas in 1/2, then cut them crosswise into 1/2-inch strips and add to the soup. Bring the soup to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and season to taste. Serve the soup hot topped with sliced avocado, a dollop of sour cream, grated Cheddar cheese, and broken tortilla chips.

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Categories : Soups, Stews, Chilis

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp

March 16 2011 | Leave a Comment

Here is a quick and easy pasta dish from the Barefoot Contessa. I just loved the lemon flavor with the roasted shrimp!

I did make a few changes to the recipe though. Instead of angel hair, I used Trader Joe’s Lemon Pepper Pappardelle which added more flavor to the dish. I added some minced garlic and red pepper flakes to the shrimp before roasting. Lastly, I know this is a major faux pas in Italian cooking but I mixed in some grated parmesan to the pasta before adding the shrimp.

I’ve never gone wrong with the Barefoot Contessa! This probably isn’t my all-time favorite Ina Garten recipe but it is solid and great for a weeknight dinner!

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp
Barefoot Contessa

2 pounds (17 to 21 count) shrimp, peeled and deveined
Good olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound angel hair pasta
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 lemons, zested and juiced

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Place the shrimp on a sheet pan with 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Toss well, spread them in 1 layer, and roast for 6 to 8 minutes, just until they’re pink and cooked through.

Meanwhile, drizzle some olive oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add the angel hair, and cook al dente, about 3 minutes. Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking liquid. Quickly toss the angel hair with the melted butter, 1/4 cup olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, 2 teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and about 1/2 cup of the reserved cooking liquid. Add the shrimp and serve hot.

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Categories : Pasta, Shellfish

Barefoot Contessa's New Cookbook, "How Easy is That?"

January 26 2011 | Leave a Comment

I received the latest Barefoot Contessa cookbook, How Easy is That, for Christmas. As usual, it is beautifully photographed and full of flavorful but simple recipes that rely on good quality, fresh ingredients. I don’t think there was a single recipe in the book I wouldn’t want to make (or eat).

I’ve already cooked a couple of the dishes — the Lemon Chicken Breasts and the Weeknight Bolognese (recipes are below).

The lemon chicken was so simple yet so packed with garlicky, lemon goodness! I used bone-in, skin-on breasts because I have never seen boneless, skin-on breasts and did not want to do any butchering. The chicken cooks at 400 degrees which is a great temperature for roasting some veggies as a side. I served with some Brussels sprouts and crusty bread. The sauce is definitely dip worthy.

I also used some of our endless ground beef from the half-steer to make the Weeknight Bolognese. The only changes I made to the recipe were to use a can of whole tomatoes and penne because that’s what I had in the pantry. The sauce was so delicious and tasted like it had been simmer for hours. We had a nice simple antipasto with the bolognese for a quick Italian feast.

I really love the Barefoot Contessa and would love to be a guest of Ina’s at her beautiful Hamptons home. She always makes her guests feel so welcome, sets a stunning table, and makes comforting dishes that rely on seasonal ingredients. Alas, until Ina discovers the Weeknight Gourmet, trying more of Ina’s delicious recipes from this gorgeous cookbook and, hopefully, being as gracious and relaxed a hostess as she will have to suffice.

Lemon Chicken Breasts
Copyright, 2010 Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?

1/4 cup good olive oil
3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)
1/3 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1½ teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 boneless chicken breasts, skin on (6 to 8 ounces each)
1 lemon

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Warm the olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, add the garlic, and cook for just 1 minute but don’t allow the garlic to turn brown. Off the heat, add the white wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, oregano, thyme, and 1 teaspoon salt and pour into a 9 X 12-inch baking dish.

Pat the chicken breasts dry and place them skin side up over the sauce. Brush the chicken breasts with olive oil and sprinkle them liberally with salt and pepper.

Cut the lemon in 8 wedges and tuck it among the pieces of chicken.

Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, depending on the size of the chicken breasts, until the chicken is done and the skin is lightly browned. If the chicken isn’t browned enough, put it under the broiler for 2 minutes. Cover the pan tightly with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and serve hot with the pan juices.

Weeknight Bolognese
Copyright, 2010 Barefoot Contessa, How Easy is That?

2 TB good olive oil, plus extra to cook pasta
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 tsp minced garlic (4 cloves)
1 TB dried oregano
¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 ¼ cups dry red wine, divided
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes, preferably San Marzano
2 TB tomato paste
Kosher salt & black pepper
¾ pound dried pasta, such as orecchiette or small shells (
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ cup chopped fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving

Heat 2 TB of olive oil in a large (12 inch) skillet over medium-high heat. Add the ground beef and cook, crumbling the meat until the meat is no longer pink and has started to brown. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Pour 1 cup of the wine into the skillet and stir to scrape up any browned bits. Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, 1 TB salt, and 1 ½ tsp pepper, stirring until combined. Bring to a boil, lower heat, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to the directions on the box. Finish the sauce while the pasta cooks. Add the nutmeg, basil, cream, and the remaining ¼ cup wine to the sauce and simmer for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally until thickened. When the pasta is cooked, drain and pour into a large serving bowl.

Add the sauce and ½ cup Parmesan and toss well. Serve hot with Parmesan on the side.

Serves 4-5.

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Categories : Beef, Pasta, Poultry

Holiday Menu: Honey-Mustard Pork Roast with Bacon, Baby Arugula Salad & Cauliflower Gratin

December 30 2010 | Leave a Comment

The day after Christmas is my father-in-law’s birthday. Tim’s immediately family came up to the Berkshires on the 26th to celebrate. We had the delicious and festive menu below. The pork I have made before and it was even better than I remember! The bacon and the honey mustard coating gives amazing flavor to the meat. This is the first time I made the Barefoot Contessa’s Cauliflower Gratin and it was a huge hit! Who wouldn’t love cauliflower with a nice cream sauce and lots of Gruyere. I had some leftover Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash. The dish reheated nicely.

We finished the birthday meal with a delectable Red Velvet Cake. So moist! And the cream cheese frosting was amazing!

Honey-Mustard Pork Roast with Baby Arugula Salad

Cauliflower Gratin

Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon Vinaigrette (leftovers from Xmas)

***

The Best Red Velvet Cake

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Categories : Cake, Dessert, Pork, Side dishes - vegetables

Holiday Menu: Rack of Lamb, Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon Vinaigrette, and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

December 29 2010 | Leave a Comment

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! We had a great first Christmas with Charlotte. We enjoyed lots of time with family and lots of delicious food!

In case you are looking for menu ideas for New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day, I highly recommend our Christmas meal! My go-to ladies — Ina Garten and Giada de Laurentiis — helped make our holiday meal spectacular!

The lamb was so flavorful and tender and the portobello mushrooms were amazing (and could have been a meal themselves). The sprouts and squash were a great combination that I had never tried before. And, I have made this cranberry cake before and it is always festive and delicious!

Grilled & Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
**
Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon Vinaigrette
**
Rack of Lamb Persillade
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Cranberry Upside-down Cake

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Categories : Lamb, Side dishes - vegetables

Holiday Menu: Rack of Lamb Persillade

| Leave a Comment

I love rack of lamb! And, this is a delicious and simple recipe! The breadcrumb crust has great flavor from the lemon zest, garlic, and parsley. And, the quality of lamb we had was just unbelievable. So tender!

The only change I would make is searing both sides of the racks before putting them in the oven. Our lamb required about 10 minutes longer than the recipe called for and I think had I seared the lamb it would have been done faster.
Rack of Lamb Persillade
Barefoot Contessa

3 small or 2 large racks of lamb, frenched
Good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups loosely packed fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon chopped garlic cloves (3 cloves)
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Place the racks in a roasting pan, fat side up. Rub the tops with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast the lamb for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, place the parsley and garlic in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until they’re both finely minced. Add the bread crumbs and lemon zest and process for a second until combined.

Take the lamb out of the oven and quickly press the parsley mixture on top of the meat. Drizzle with the melted butter and return immediately to the oven and roast for another 15 minutes.

Take the lamb out of the oven and cover with aluminum foil. Allow it to rest for 15 minutes, cut in double chops, and serve.

2 Comments

Categories : Lamb

Comfort Food Classic: Parker's Beef Stew

December 21 2010 | Leave a Comment

Last year the way in which our half-steer was butchered left us with a ton of ground beef. This year, it looks as if we have a TON of stew cubes. I love Giada’s Beef and Butternut Squash Stew but made that couple of weeks ago. I decided to look through some Barefoot Contessa recipes because no one does comfort food like she does!

This classic beef stew recipe in unbelievable! The meat marinades overnight in red wine with some smashed garlic cloves and bay leaves which tenderizes the beef and lends great flavor to the stew. The sun-dried tomatoes, rosemary, and Worcestershire sauce add some depth to the dish. And, as a pea lover, I really enjoyed the addition of some frozen peas before serving.

This is my new go-to recipe for a classic beef stew!

Parker’s Beef Stew
Barefoot Contessa

2 1/2 pounds good quality chuck beef, cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
1 (750-ml bottle) good red wine
3 whole garlic cloves, smashed
3 bay leaves
2 cups all-purpose flour
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Good olive oil
2 yellow onions, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut diagonally in 1 1/2-inch chunks
1/2 pound white mushrooms, stems discarded and cut in 1/2
1 pound small potatoes, halved or quartered
1 tablespoon minced garlic (3 cloves)
2 cups or 1 (14 1/2-ounce can) chicken stock or broth
1 large (or 2 small) branch fresh rosemary
1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 (10-ounce) package frozen peas

Directions

Place the beef in a bowl with red wine, garlic, and bay leaves. Place in the refrigerator and marinate overnight.

The next day, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Combine the flour, 1 tablespoon salt, and 1 tablespoon pepper. Lift the beef out of the marinade with a slotted spoon and discard the bay leaves and garlic, saving the marinade. In batches, dredge the cubes of beef in the flour mixture and then shake off the excess. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large pot and brown half the beef over medium heat for 5 to 7 minutes, turning to brown evenly. Place the beef in a large oven-proof Dutch oven and continue to brown the remaining beef, adding oil as necessary. (If the beef is very lean, you’ll need more oil.) Place all the beef in the Dutch oven.

Heat another 2 tablespoons of oil to the large pot and add the onions, carrots, mushrooms, and potatoes. Cook for 10 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Place all the vegetables in the Dutch oven over the beef. Add 2 1/2 cups of the reserved marinade to the empty pot and cook over high heat to deglaze the bottom of the pan, scraping up all the brown bits with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, rosemary, sun-dried tomatoes, Worcestershire sauce, 1 tablespoon salt, and 2 teaspoons pepper. Pour the sauce over the meat and vegetables in the Dutch oven and bring to a simmer over medium heat on top of the stove. Cover the pot and place it in the oven to bake it for about 2 hours, until the meat and vegetables are all tender, stirring once during cooking. If the stew is boiling rather than simmering, lower the heat to 250 or 275 degrees F.

Before serving, stir in the frozen peas, season to taste, and serve hot.

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Categories : Beef, Soups, Stews, Chilis

Beat the heat with gazpacho!

June 21 2010 | Leave a Comment

I am a soup lover and a tomato lover so there is nothing I like more on a hot day than a cold bowl of gazpacho! I just recently came across the Barefoot Contessa’s gazpacho recipe. It is simple and quick and relies only on tomatoes and veggies (some recipes have you add bread to them to create a thicker consistency).

To make a meal out of the gazpacho, I sauteed some shrimp in olive oil and garlic and served them on top of our cool bowls of soup. You could also serve with some crusty bread or a salad

The recipe made enough that I had the leftover gazpacho as an appetizer the next night and lunch two days later. It tastes even better the next day!

Gazpacho
Barefoot Contessa

1 hothouse cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled
2 red bell peppers, cored and seeded
4 plum tomatoes
1 red onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
23 ounces tomato juice (3 cups)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup good olive oil
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into 1-inch cubes. Put each vegetable separately into a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Do not overprocess!

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

2 Comments

Categories : Soups, Stews, Chilis, Vegetarian entree

Quick & Easy French: Sole Meuniere

April 4 2010 | Leave a Comment

For any of you who have read Julia Child’s My Life in France or seen the movie Julie & Julia, you will recognize sole meuniere as the star of Julie Child’s first significant meal after arriving in France. It’s incredibly simple — fillets of sole, butter, lemon juice and zest, and parsley — but absolutely delicious.

I was grocery shopping for Easter dinner yesterday when I saw some beautiful sole at the fish counter at Citarella. Since Tim had been working hard all day on the baby’s room, I decided he deserved a special meal. But given my current state (1 month to go), the special meal needed to be simple and easy. Sole meuniere fit the bill!

The fishmonger prepared two fillets (~6 -7 oz. each) for me. I had a pan large enough so I didn’t need to cook the fish in two batches. Given this slight modification to the recipe, I used a bit more butter (4.5 tablespoons) than the Barefoot Contessa recommends for the first two fillets. I also increased the amount of lemon juice and zest (4-5 tablespoons lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest) since I wasn’t going to cook a second batch of sole.

Two minutes per side is really all the sole needs. I actually do not have a fish spatula but highly recommend using one to flip and remove the sole from the pan. It is very delicate. I had a small amount of breakage.

Plate the sole, pour the sauce over it, sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper and chopped flat-leaf parsley.

Tim and I both loved this dish and the sauteed broccolini I served as a side! It was a bright and delicious meal, perfect for such a lovely spring day!

Easy Sole Meuniere
Barefoot Contessa

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 fresh sole fillets, 3 to 4 ounces each
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F. Have 2 heat-proof dinner plates ready.

Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large shallow plate. Pat the sole fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt.

Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan over medium heat until it starts to brown. Dredge 2 sole fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a metal spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. While the second side cooks, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan.

Carefully put the fish filets on the ovenproof plates and pour the sauce over them. Keep the cooked fillets warm in the oven while you repeat the process with the remaining 2 fillets. When they’re done, add the cooked fillets to the plates in the oven. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt, and pepper and serve immediately.

Serves 2.

1 Comment

Categories : Fish

Posts Tagged ‘Barefoot Contessa’

A Barefoot Contessa Holiday Meal: Herb-Roasted Lamb, Zucchini Gratin & Haricot Vert with Shallots

Mexican Chicken Soup

Lemon Pasta with Roasted Shrimp

Barefoot Contessa's New Cookbook, "How Easy is That?"

Holiday Menu: Honey-Mustard Pork Roast with Bacon, Baby Arugula Salad & Cauliflower Gratin

Holiday Menu: Rack of Lamb, Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon Vinaigrette, and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Holiday Menu: Rack of Lamb Persillade

Comfort Food Classic: Parker's Beef Stew

Directions

Beat the heat with gazpacho!

Quick & Easy French: Sole Meuniere

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