A Beautiful Mosaic

My second Daring Bakers Challenge is another first for me - Danish braids.  Made from a yeasted butter-laminated dough, Danish braids can be filled with sweet or savory fillings, and I opted to make one of each.  (Actually, I ended up making three kinds of braids since I like to make more work for myself).  The actual dough-making process was not terribly difficult, although it did require several hours for rolling and allowing the dough to rise.  What made this into an all-day affair was my savory braid, which had about 100 ingredients, but was well worth the time and effort.

DANISH DOUGH

Makes 2-1/2 pounds dough

Ingredients
For the dough (Detrempe) 
1 ounce fresh yeast or 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup sugar
Zest of 1 orange, finely grated
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 vanilla bean, split and scraped
2 large eggs, chilled
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

For the butter block (Beurrage)
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour

DOUGH
Combine yeast and milk in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and mix on low speed.  Slowly add sugar, orange zest, cardamom, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds, eggs, and orange juice.  Mix well.  Change to the dough hook and add the salt with the flour, 1 cup at a time, increasing speed to medium as the flour is incorporated.  Knead the dough for about 5 minutes, or until smooth.  You may need to add a little more flour if it is sticky.  Transfer dough to a lightly floured baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

BUTTER BLOCK
1.    Combine butter and flour in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat on medium speed for 1 minute.  Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle and then beat for 1 minute more, or until smooth and lump free.  Set aside at room temperature.
2.    After the detrempe has chilled 30 minutes, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Roll the dough into a rectangle approximately 18 x 13 inches and ¼ inch thick.  The dough may be sticky, so keep dusting it lightly with flour. 

Spread the butter evenly over the center and right thirds of the dough. 

Fold the left edge of the detrempe to the right, covering half of the butter. 

Fold the right third of the rectangle over the center third.  The first turn has now been completed.  Mark the dough by poking it with your finger to keep track of your turns, or use a sticky and keep a tally.  Place the dough on a baking sheet, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
3.    Place the dough lengthwise on a floured work surface.  The open ends should be to your right and left.  Roll the dough into another approximately 13 x 18 inch, ¼-inch-thick rectangle.  Again, fold the left third of the rectangle over the center third and the right third over the center third.  No additional butter will be added as it is already in the dough. The second turn has now been completed.  Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
4.    Roll out, turn, and refrigerate the dough two more times, for a total of four single turns.  Make sure you are keeping track of your turns.  Refrigerate the dough after the final turn for at least 5 hours or overnight.  The Danish dough is now ready to be used.  If you will not be using the dough within 24 hours, freeze it.  To do this, roll the dough out to about 1 inch in thickness, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and freeze.  Defrost the dough slowly in the refrigerator for easiest handling.  Danish dough will keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

DANISH BRAID
Makes enough for 2 large braids

For the egg wash:  1 large egg, plus 1 large egg yolk

1.    Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  On a lightly floured  surface, roll the Danish Dough into a 15 x 20-inch rectangle, ¼ inch thick .  (Now I rolled this out to about 30 X 40 and cut it into 3 rectangular pieces, 2 equal sizes and one larger than the others).   If the dough seems elastic and shrinks back when rolled, let it rest for a few minutes, then roll again.  Place the dough on the baking sheet.
2.    Along one long sideof the pastry make parallel, 5-inch-long cuts with a knife or rolling pastry wheel, each about 1 inch apart.  Repeat on the opposite side, making sure to line up the cuts with those you’ve already made.

3.    Spoon the filling you’ve chosen to fill your braid down the center of the rectangle.  Starting with the top and bottom “flaps”, fold the top flap down over the filling to cover.  Next, fold the bottom “flap” up to cover filling.  This helps keep the braid neat and helps to hold in the filling. Now begin folding the cut side strips of dough over the filling, alternating first left, then right, left, right, until finished.  Trim any excess dough and tuck in the ends.

Egg Wash
Whisk together the whole egg and yolk in a bowl and with a pastry brush, lightly coat the braid.

Proofing and Baking
1.    Spray cooking oil (Pam…) onto a piece of plastic wrap, and place over the braid.  Proof at room temperature or, if possible, in a controlled 90 degree F environment for about 2 hours, or until doubled in volume and light to the touch.
2.    Near the end of proofing, preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Position a rack in the center of the oven.
3.    Bake for 10 minutes, then rotate the pan so that the side of the braid previously in the back of the oven is now in the front. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and bake about 15 minutes more, or until golden brown.  Cool and serve the braid either still warm from the oven or at room temperature.  The cooled braid can be wrapped airtight and stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or freeze for 1 month.

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The Fillings

And now for the fun part:  the fillings.  My first choice was fairly simple - a strawberry cream cheese filling with sliced almonds on top.  The recipe below is more than double what I needed for my small braid but would be perfect amount if I had simply halved the dough recipe.

Sweet Cream Cheese for Danish Filling

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 egg yolk
1/2  C. sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Beat all ingredients until fluffy. 

The strawberries were picked earlier this month by my children and a friend at a local farm.  I made a basic jam out of them and used that on top of the sweetened cream cheese.

I topped the braid with an egg wash and sprinkled with sliced almonds.

I filled my second braid with a sour cherry filling with cherries picked from my kind and generous neighbors’ backyard.  Sour cherries are mouth-puckeringly sour but when sweetened with just the right amount of sugar, they bake into the most deliciously tart filling.  The struesel masked my oddly anatomical braid while simultaneously adding sweetness.  This recipe uses a large amount of corn starch in order to make the filling as thick as possible to discourage a runny or exploding braid.

Sour Cherry Danish Filling

2 C. sour cherries, rinsed and pitted
1/4 C. sugar
2-3 Tbs. corn starch

Bring all three ingredients to a boil in a small saucepan while whisking frequently.  Simmer at medium high for 2 minutes then let cool completely.

Streusel Topping

1/2 C. all purpose flour
3 Tbs. (packed) golden brown sugar
2 Tbs. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
pinch of salt
1/4 C. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix first 5 ingredients in bowl. Add melted butter and vanilla; rub in with fingertips until small clumps form.

I tried to get fancy with my sour cherry braid, but it ended up looking like a grotesque vertebrae lying on my counter.  That was quickly remedied by struesel topping.

Homemade danishes and coffee - does it get any better than this?

And for my pièce de résistance - a unique combination of sweet and savory in one dish, b’stilla.  B’stilla (also called pastilla or bsteeya) is a traditional Moroccon pie made with pigeon, although more commonly with chicken, almond sugar and phyllo, topped with powdered sugar.  I modified this recipe to fill a single braid, although this could be doubled to fill two braids or a phyllo pie (the traditional way to serve it).

The ras el hanout (translation:  “top of the shop”) has the potential to be a bank-breaking proposal.  If you have the great luck to live near an Indian grocery store like me, however, 90% of the spices listed below are incredibly inexpensive (like $1.99 for 8 oz. of coriander seeds).  The aroma of the chicken cooking in that amazing blend of spices will make you finally truly comprehend your lessons back in the fifth grade about the spice trade and how it become the driving force among  European nations, inciting wars and building empires.  One bite of this B’stilla and you’ll nod in understanding.

B’Stilla Filling (adapted from Gourmet)

For the almond sugar:
1/4 C. blanched whole almonds, toasted and cooled
1½ Tbs. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon

For the filling:
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
2 tablespoons hot water
1 small onion, chopped (about 3/4 cups)
2 garlic cloves, cut into thin strips
3/4 stick unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 lb. chicken leg quarters ( about 2)
3/4 C chicken broth
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/4 C. chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice, or to taste
powdered sugar and cinnamon for sprinkling
2 teaspoons ground ras el hanout

For the ras el hanout: (Moroccan spice blend)
1/4 tsp. aniseed
1 tsp. fennel seeds
4 whole allspice berries
seeds from 4 cardamom pods (or 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom)
4 whole cloves
8 whole black peppercorns
1 stick cinnamon, broken in half
1/2 Tbs. sesame seeds
1/2 tsp. coriander seeds
1/4 tsp. cumin
a pinch dried red pepper flakes
a pinch ground mace
1/2 Tbs. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

To make the ras el hanout:
In a cleaned coffee grinder grind fine aniseed, fennel seeds, allspice berries, cardamom seeds, cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, sesame seeds, coriander seeds, and red pepper flakes, In a small bowl stir together ground spice mixture, cumin, mace, ginger, and nutmeg until combine well. Ras el hanout may be stored in a tightly closed jar in a cool dark place up to 6 months. Makes about 2 tablespoons.

No need to say “Open Sesame.”  This braid will disappear in seconds.

 Plum pretty - purple sweet potato gnocchi with cardamom brown butter

While shopping at the Korean grocery store (that’s H-Mart for my peeps in the know) yesterday, I saw a sign marked “purple yams”  atop what appeared to be innocuous white-skinned sweet potatoes.  Naturally, I had to buy some, even though I had no idea how I was going to prepare them.  Once home, I did a bit of research and discovered that they are not purple yams, which have a dark purple skin, but are in fact purple Okinawan sweet potatoes.  They have an earthier smell than common sweet potatoes and are less sweet.  I had to think a bit on how to prepare them and dismissed the most traditional ways (baked, mashed or in pie) since all of those methods just scream autumn and winter.  I settled on gnocchi since pasta is always in season.

Now I have been cooking for my husband for over 10 years and he obviously has been very-well fed during that time.  He doesn’t give out praise lightly and most of the time it seems he’s a bit too blasé  for my liking about my culinary offerings.  I am happy to say he absolutely raved about this meal. 

The subtle, earthy sweetness in the potato meets the cardamom and mace as equals, with neither spice nor sweetness claiming dominance.  The texture is lighter than regular gnocchi due to the ricotta and the dusting of freshly grated parmesan cheese immediately before serving elevates this dish into something unforgettable.   

purple Okinawan sweet potato

Purple Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Cardamom Brown Butter

2 - 2 ½ lbs. purple sweet potatoes (or regular sweet potatoes) cleaned and pierced all over with fork

1 C.  fresh ricotta cheese, drained

½ C. grated Parmesan cheese

2 Tbs.  brown sugar

1 tsp.  + ½ tsp. ground cardamom

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. ground mace

about 2 C. all-purpose flour

1 stick (½ c.) butter

Place sweet potatoes in large microwave-proof bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap, making a slit to allow steam to escape. Microwave on high until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Cut in half and cool. Scrape soft sweet potato flesh into medium bowl and mash or put through potato ricer.   (I do not have a ricer, so I zapped it in the food processor for a few minutes to get all the chunks out).

Add ricotta cheese; blend well. Add Parmesan cheese, brown sugar, salt, 1 teaspoon of cardamom and mace; mash to blend. Mix in flour, about 1/2 cup at a time, until soft dough forms.

Easter eggs a few months late?  No, these eggs are naturally those colors.

My friend Emelia raises chickens in her backyard and was kind enough to give me a dozen eggs this week.  Free-range and organic, these eggs are not only delicious, but are almost too pretty to eat.  In pastel shades of pinks, blues and greens, they look like perfectly dyed Easter eggs.  I (almost) felt badly about cracking them open to make my frittata. 

I created this frittata recipe based on what was ready to eat from our garden (chives and peas) and what I already had in the fridge and pantry  (bacon, potato and parsley).  Frittatas are wonderful for lazy weekends or special breakfasts like Father’s Day.

Delicious sweet peas from our garden.

Frittata with Fresh Peas, Gruyère and Bacon

4 slices bacon, chopped

1 yukon gold potato, sliced in a mandolin ¼” thick

½ C. peas (fresh or frozen)

8 eggs

2 Tbs. heavy cream

2 Tbs. milk

1 C. grated Gruyère cheese

 ¼ C. chopped fresh chives

¼ C. chopped fresh parsley

salt and pepper to taste

 ¼ C. grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400° F.  Cook bacon in 12″ non-stick saute pan until crisp.  Remove and drain all but 2 Tbs. of fat.   Layer potato slices on same pan and cook on medium until cooked, about 10 minutes.    Meanwhile, whisk eggs, cream, milk, cheese, chives, parsley, salt and pepper in medium bowl.  

Sprinkle peas and bacon on top of cooked potatoes.  Pour egg mixture on top, sprinkle with parmesan and cook for 5 minutes.  Transfer to oven and bake for 10-15 minutes more, checking to see when the middle is set.  Let cool a bit and cut into six wedges. 

 Apparently, the smell of freshly grated Gruyère is enough to send my son into a paroxysm of revulsion.  He absolutely refused to eat the frittata (although he perked up when I made him a fried “Easter” egg.)

 Cooling the frittata allows the edges to pull away from the pan.

 Serve with a tossed salad and fresh crusty bread.

Homemade pizza margherita

Both my husband and our children are huge fans of Amy’s frozen pesto pizza and we always have a couple in the freezer at any given time.  My recent foray into yeast has opened up all sorts of culinary doors to me, and homemade pizza the most recent threshold I’ve finally crossed. 

Tonight I decided to make my own version of Amy’s with my own pesto recipe, some cherry tomatoes (I would have used regular tomatoes, but I happen to have three pints of cherry tomatoes in the house), and shredded mozzarella. 

Since the recipe makes dough for two pizzas, I also made margherita pizza, using leftover marinara sauce and fresh basil from the garden.  I did not stretch out the pizza as thinly as I should have and didn’t have fresh mozzarella.  But all in all, it was still a success. 

One thing you need to buy if you plan to make your own pizza is a pizza stone (which is also needed if you want to bake bread in the oven).   Sorry - there really is no substitute. 

Pizza Dough (from Maggie Glezer’s Artisan Baking)

serves 4 (2 medium pizzas)

3 1/3 C. unbleached bread flour

1/4 tsp. instant yeast

2 tsp. salt

1 1/2 C. lukewarm water

Mix flour, yeast and salt together in a large mixing bowl.  Add the water and mix until until blended.  Cover and let it rest for 10 - 15 minutes to allow yeast to hydrate.  Knead dough for 5 - 10 minutes until fairly smooth.  Cut into 2 pieces and shape each piece of dough into a tight ball.  Place each ball onto a floured tray.  Cover with plastic wrap and let dough rise about 5-6 hours.   

You might want to spray cooking spray on the underside of the plastic wrap - it will stick!

Place pizza stone in 2nd highest rack and preheat oven to its highest setting (mine is 550° F).  Flour the work surface and flatten out your fully risen dough ball with your hand and press into a disk. 

Pull out the sides (or you can try to get fancy like the pizzerias and use your raised fist to stretch out the dough).  

Place pizza on parchment paper (or pizza peel if you have one).  After placing toppings on the dough, slide pizza still on the paper on to the hot stone.  Bake for about 6-8 minutes, being careful to not overbake. 

I realized afterwards that I forgot the broccoli. 

 My daughter said it looked perfect - like it came from the grocery store.  Awww.

This is a great way to use leftover sauce.

Garnish with fresh basil leaves and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

Grilled yellowfin tuna and spicy corn salad

The last in my three part series of barbecue recipes, I end with the most delicious.  Yellowfin tuna is fairly expensive - I spent about $20 for three steaks (that was the sale price), but oh-so-worth every penny.  I got this recipe for Nantucket-style grilled fish off Epicurious and I am hooked (bad pun entirely intended).  The recipe couldn’t be more simple while simultaneously off-putting. 

Take your gorgeous fresh fish steaks (can be any kind - tuna, swordfish, halibut or sea bass)…

and slather both sides with mayonnaise. Salt and pepper to taste.

Sound repulsive?  The ruination of perfectly good fish?  Don’t worry - the mayonnaise cooks off and you can’t taste it.  It helps keep the fish juicy and creates nice carmelization. 

Pre-heat grill.  Cover and cook  on each side for 3 - 4 minutes, depending on the thickness of your steak.  You definitely do not want to over cook!  Let stand for few minutes before serving.  This is delicious served with just a little lemon.  I paired it with fresh corn salad and we all (including the kids) couldn’t get over how good this meal was.

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Spicy Corn Salad

Now I make a lot of different salads, and this is one of my favorites.  I guarantee you will be the hero at your next BBQ if you bring a big bowl of this fresh corn salad.  Just make sure to save some for yourself.

Spicy Corn Salad

1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 red onion, diced (about 1 C.)

1 minced jalepeño chile, seeds and veins removed

1 red pepper, diced

4 cooked ears of corn, kernels sliced from the cob

2 Tbs. champagne vinegar

1 tsp. maple syrup

zest and juice of 1/2 a lime

1/4 C. minced chives

2 Tbs. minced cilantro

I like to cook my corn on the grill.  Simply place in grill with husks on and cook covered for about 20 minutes or so, turning to prevent one side from becoming completely charred.  You can also steam the shucked corn if you don’t want to or can’t grill.

Heat olive oil in a skillet or wok over medium heat.  Add red onion, jalepeño, and red pepper and saute until just softened (about 3 minutes).  Add corn kernels and cook for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Add vinegar, maple syrup, lime zest and juice.  Mix and add more lime juice if needed.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Top with chives and cilantro.

London broil:  the ugly step-sister of steaks

London broil is one of those foods with which most people have a love-hate relationship.  Love the price tag (often on sale for $5 for a 2.5 lb steak), but hate the toughness.  Firstly, it’s not really a steak - it’s a roast (top round roast cut into “steaks,” to be specific).  London broil refers to the cooking method, not the cut.  And secondly, it’s a very lean cut of meat.  One can easily get a sore jaw from over-mastication of what can be leather-like meat.

Nonetheless, London broil can still be a tasty meal when prepared and cooked properly.  I’m not going to lie to you - it’s no rib-eye steak.  But between its low cost and low(er) fat content, London broil is a good choice for many.  The key to a good London broil is marinating for many hours (overnight is best) and not overcooking (medium rare is the most you would want to cook it). 

London Broil Marinade

4 large garlic cloves, minced

4 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

4 Tbs.  fresh lemon juice

3 Tbs. Dijon mustard

1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1 1/2 Tbs. sugar

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. dried hot red pepper flakes

2/3 C. olive oil

1 (2 to 2 1/2 pound) London broil (top round steak)

Whisk marinade ingredients until combined well in a medium bowl. Put London broil in a large ziplock plastic bag and pour marinade over it. Refrigerate overnight (this marinade is thick it should cover all sides of the meat and won’t need to be turned over).

Preheat a grill and cook meat covered on medium high about 8-9 minutes on each side, or until it reaches 125 to 130 degrees on a meat thermometer for medium-rare meat. You do not want to cook it more than medium rare or you will feel like you’re eating beef jerky.  Let it stand 5 minutes or so. Cut meat diagonally across the grain into thin slices.

Lean enough to get my husband’s stamp of approval.

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Tangy three bean salad

Traditional three bean salad has been an old stand-by in our home during the hot summer months, but why not try this Southwest version?   Quick, easy and inexpensive, this three bean salad would be great for barbecues, Mexican nights, or just because.

 Tangy Three Bean Salad

1/4 C. fresh lemon juice

1/3 C. extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 Tbs. crushed red pepper flakes

1-2 Tbs. sugar

1/2 C. cilantro leaves

salt and pepper to taste

1 can kidney beans rinsed and drained (15 oz.)

1 can chick peas rinsed and drained (15 oz.)

1 can black beans rinsed and drained (15 oz.)

Place lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, sugar, red pepper flakes, and cilantro in a blender.  Puree until smooth.   Salt and pepper to taste, then toss with beans.  Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (or overnight). 

Spicy Korean-style pork spare ribs and cool watermelon salad

My version of spare ribs are spicy and sweet, using Korean red pepper paste (gochu jang).  I measured out this recipe for the first time since I’ve always made this to taste, depending on how many ribs I was cooking.  This recipe should feed 4 very hungry people (or 6 people who had a snack before dinner).

Gochu jang is available at Korean and Asian grocery stores (and online, apparently).

 This red pepper paste is not for the weak-hearted.

Spicy Korean pork spare ribs

1/3 C. Korean red pepper paste (gochu jang)

2-3 cloves of garlic, minced

1/4 C. sugar (or less, depending on how sweet you like it)

3 Tbs. sesame seed oil

1/4 C. water

4-5 scallions cut into 3 inch long pieces

1 medium onion, sliced

2 Tbs. crushed toasted sesame seeds

4-5 lbs. pork spare ribs

toasted sesame seeds for garnish

Combine red pepper paste, garlic, sugar, sesame seed oil and water in a large bowl until smooth and runny. 

Add scallions, onions and crushed sesame seeds to mixture.  Add spare ribs and coat well. 

 Refigerate for at least a half hour (I like to put them in for an hour).  Heat up grill and cook on medium high, covered for about 6-8 minutes on each side, depending on your grill and the thickness of the ribs.  You can cook the onions and scallions on the grill (they will fall through unless you use a grill pan), or discard.  Sprinkle cooked ribs with sesame seeds, if desired.

 Serve with lots of moist towelettes.

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Something this spicy must be served with something to cool the tongue, and this watermelon salad fits the bill.

Watermelon Salad

3 C. cubed watermelon

1 1/2 C. cherry tomatoes, halved

1/3 C. thinly sliced red onion

1 C. diced seedless cucumber, peeled

3 Tbs. lime juice

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil

Kosher salt

fresh ground pepper to taste

Combine watermelon, cherry tomatoes, red onions, cucumber, lime juice and olive oil in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper and toss lightly.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour.  Serve chilled.

A colorful spring dinner

This mercurial spring weather is very trying, to say the least.  After what seems like interminable dreary rainy days, the weather clears to a glorious sun-drenched day.   In honor of the lovely weather, I thought I’d make something light and springy for dinner. 

Freshly picked salad from our garden

Our mesclun mix is ready for picking, so we had a dinner of spring mix salad, Spanish mackerel with herbs from our garden and Nigella Nawson’s recipe for new potatoes.  Mackerel is one of those “throw back” fish and often ignored at the fish market.  Full of omega-3 fatty acids, mackerel is prolific reproducer and earns a “best” rating from Seafood Watch.  If you don’t normally care for oily fish, try this recipe.  I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Broiled Spanish Mackerel with Tomato and Herbs

(adapted from Gourmet)

2 lb. Spanish mackerel fillets with skin on
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 C. mayonnaise
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
2 Tbs. chopped fresh dill
2 Tbs. chopped fresh chives
3 medium tomatoes (3/4 lb total), cut into 3/8 inch thick slices

Preheat broiler. Line rack of a broiler pan with foil.  Put fish skin sides down on foil and sprinkle with pepper and 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Whisk together mayonnaise, lemon juice, dill, and chives in a small bowl. Spread evenly over fish, then cover with tomato slices, overlapping slightly, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt.

Broil fish 3 to 4 inches from heat until just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes.

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This is my all-time favorite potato recipe, but try to use new potatoes which are in season right now.  New potatoes have a sweetness to them not found in russet, red or even Yukon gold potatoes.  If you’ve never tried this recipe, you are depriving you and your loved ones of the most delicious potato dish ever.

Nigella Lawson’s Sticky Garlic Potatoes

2 lbs small new potatoes (you can substitute Yukon Gold potatoes, but new potatoes taste vastly superior)

8-10 whole garlic cloves (don’t be shy)

1/2 cup olive oil

Bring a pan of salted water to a boil, and cook the potatoes with skin on for 30 minutes. Drain and put back into the dry pan.  Peel and crush the garlic cloves and put them in the dry pan with the potatoes.  Mashes the potatoes loosely (I love to leave big clumps of unmashed potatoes).

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and place a roasting pan in to heat up at the same time.  When the oven is hot, pour the oil into the pan and leave it to heat up for 10 minutes.

Carefully place the potatoes and garlic into the hot oil and cook for 15 minutes. Then turn the potatoes over and cook another 15 minutes until browned and crispy. Serve immediately.

What do you cook when it’s raining, 50 degrees outside (in mid May) and you have these two items on the counter?

The answer is coq au vin, bien sûr.  I just cannot bring myself to cook it the traditional way by using an entire bottle of wine, but I think this recipe still results in a rich full flavor.  And you can still have a couple glasses to drink with your delicious dinner.

Coq au Vin

6 slices of chopped bacon

2 Tbs. olive oil

1/2 C. plus 3 Tbs. flour

4 chicken leg quarters, excess skin and fat trimmed (or small whole chicken cut up)

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 carrots, sliced

2 medium onions, quartered

10 oz. button mushrooms, quartered

2 Tbs. fresh thyme, chopped

1 bay leaf

2 C. dry red wine (Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, French burgundy)

2 C. chicken stock

salt and pepper to taste

2 Tbs. butter for rue

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook chopped bacon in dutch oven until crisp, about 4-5 minutes. 

 (shhh…. don’t tell my husband there’s bacon in this dish.  Hey, the red wine makes it heart-healthy!)

Transfer bacon to paper-towel lined plate and drain all but 1 tablespoon of bacon fat out of pot.  Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil to pot and heat on medium high.  Coat chicken with flour and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Working in batches, sear chicken until brown, about 4-5 minutes per side.  Transfer to plate.

 Add garlic to pot and saute for about a minute.  Then add onions, mushrooms, carrots and thyme until onions begin to brown, about 10 minutes.

Add red wine and bring to a boil, scraping up any brown bits.  Add chicken stock, bay leaf, and bacon and boil about 5 minute more.  Place chicken back in the pot, cover and bake for about 1 1/4 hours.

Optional:  If you like your sauce thicker, make a rue (heating 2 Tbs. butter and 3 Tbs. flour) in small saucepan.  After chicken is cooked, transfer wine sauce into the saucepan with the rue, bringing to a boil, whisking until thickened.  Season with salt and pepper and pour over chicken and vegetables.

Serve with mashed potatoes, egg noodles or a crusty bread.  And of course, your left-over wine (Bearboat Pinot Noir 2005).

Chicken and cavatappi with pesto

When my son was very young, still small enough to be sitting in a high chair, we went out to dinner at an Italian restaurant.  It was a “real” restaurant with no kids’ menu, so we ordered buttered penne with parmesan for him.  Once our meals came and he saw what we were eating, he would have nothing to do with his plain pasta.  My husband had ordered a pesto dish that was quite heavy on the garlic, a dish of which he had very little as my son took quite a liking to it.

 So two years later, pasta with pesto is still my son’s favorite meal, and the more garlic, the better.  It’s one of my favorites to make as it is an almost no-cook meal, like my daughter’s favorite meal, California rolls.  This is a great go-to meal on nights we have soccer practice or ballet.

Pesto

(enough to coat one pound of pasta)

3-4 C. basil leaves

2-3 cloves of garlic (keep the breath mints handy)

1/4 C. toasted pine nuts

1/4 C. grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 C. extra virgin olive oil

Place first four ingredients in a food processor and pulse while slowly pouring in the olive oil.  (Purists feel free to break out the mortal and pestle and bruise away).  Season and mix into cooked pasta.  I reserve a few tablespoons to top the grilled chicken breasts.

While this meal may be the kid’s choice, the wine is all mommy’s (Misterio Malbec 2006 - a great pairing).