Highlights from the Past Few Weeks

Since I'm so behind, rather than bore everyone with whole posts about every meal I've made in the past few weeks, here are the highlights!

I love rice and beans. They're cheap, healthy, and packed with goodness. And, there are plenty of ways to dress them up. Rather than go my normal Mexican route here, I added some Indian spices for an almost Biryani rice and beans. Cook jasmine rice. Cook onions and garlic with your favorite selection of beans and add spices like curry powder, cumin, chili powder, etc. I also added mixed raisins and almonds, and had mango chutney on the side. Delish.

I barely even remember what I put in this salad. There was lettuce, grilled chicken, roasted beets, candied pecans, and parmesan cheese. And maybe pears. It had a lot going on, but tasted great.


Our favorite Italian restaurant, Sapore, is long gone, but I often miss their simply done pasta dishes. Here I tried to recreate one by making a spinach pesto and mixing it with ricotta.


A few years ago Evan and I took a cooking class at the Institute of Culinary Education. It was awesome, and one of the recipes that I was surprised to love and use often was for bread pudding. It's an incredible use for slightly stale bread - it turns it into a delectable dessert!


Almond Bread Pudding with Warm Bourbon Sauce
Adapted from ICE

Ingredients
Bread Pudding:
2 eggs 3/4 cup sugar
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract (I didn't have so just used extra tsp vanilla)
1/2 cup currants (I left this out)
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces stale French bread, sliced 1/2 inch thick (any loaf of bread will work, I used a baguette)

Warm Bourbon Sauce:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
3 tablespoons half and half
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup bourbon

Method
For the Bread Pudding:
In a bowl combine the eggs, sugar, milk, cream, butter, vanilla and almond extracts, currants, almonds, and nutmeg. Whisk to blend well. Put the bread slices in a large bowl and pour the egg mixture on top. Let stand, turning the bread as necessary, until the bread is soft and saturated with the custard mixture, about 30 minutes. Arrange the bread slices in 2 layers (I only did 1 layer) in a lightly greased 8-inch square or round baking dish and pour any unabsorbed custard mixture over the top of the bread. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, up to 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350F. Bake the bread pudding until the custard is set and the top is lightly browned, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

For the Warm Bourbon Sauce:
Combine the sugar, butter, and half and half in a medium saucepan over lw heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat. In a smal bowl, stir 1/4 cup of the hot sauce with the egg yolk until well blended (this tempers the egg so you don't scramble it). Pour the mixture back in the pan with the remaining sauce, stirring constantly over medium-low heat. Remove from heat. Cool for about 5 minutes then stir in the bourbon to taste.

To Serve:
Place a piece of bread pudding on a plate and drizzle with the warm bourbon sauce. Whipped cream would be a nice substitute or addition as well.

Brie, Kale, and Mushroom Omelet

As has been the pattern lately, I haven't had time to post entries in a timely manner. But better late than never! I made this omelet quite a few Sunday ago at this point, but it was super tasty and worth mentioning.

Saute the kale (I used lacinato) and mushrooms until wilted (don't overcook).

Beat 4 to 5 eggs together and pour into a nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Once the eggs start to cook put the brie, followed by the cooked vegetables, over half of the eggs.

When the eggs are set, flip half over the vegetables.

Cook for another few minutes until the middle is set. Cut in half and serve on a plate with the remaining sauteed vegetables.

Recipes to Rival - Beet Leaf Holopchi

This month, Katbaro of A Good Appetite and Giz & Psychgrad from Equal Opportunity Kitchen are the hosts of Recipes to Rival. Last month I sadly completed only half of the challenge, but the gougeres were such a success I felt satisfied. This month I was determined to complete the challenge - and with a dish that requires three risings and 5 to 6 hours, this was no easy feat.

This month's challenge is a Ukrainian dish, hearty and comforting for winter, called beet leaf holopchi. I followed the suggestions of another Recipe to Rivaler and quartered the original recipe - I can't even imagine how much that made! As it was, I filled a large baking pan and had enough extra dough to bake a loaf of bread! I also used red chard rather than beet leaves. You can see another posting on this dish here.

Beet Leaf Holopchi
from The Keld Community Ladies Club in Ashville, Manitoba (1976).

Ingredients:
1/4 t sugar
2 T warm water
1 1/8 t instant yeast
1/2 c scalded (or simply heated) milk
1 c warm water
1 T melted butter
2 c flour
2 T beaten egg
1/2 T salt
1 t sugar
1 1/2 c flour plus more as needed

Method:
Dissolve 1 tsp sugar in 1/2 cup tepid water, sprinkle with yeast and let stand for 10 minutes. To the milk-water liquid add the melted butter, dissolved yeast and 2 cups flour.

Let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 hour). Add salt, beaten eggs, sugar and remaining flour; add up to 1/2 cup additional flour until mixture is smooth, not sticky.


Knead well until dough is smooth and top with melted butter or oil. Place in a warm place and let rise until doubled in bulk. It will take about 2 hours. Punch down.

When dough has risen to double in bulk, place a piece of dough, the size of a walnut on a beet leaf and roll up (leaving sides open) Place holopchi loosely in a pot to allow for dough to rise to double in bulk again (about an hour).


Arrange in layers, dotting each layer with butter. Cover tightly, bake in a moderate oven of 350 F for 3/4 to 1 hour. Serve with dill sauce or cream and onion sauce (below). (Katbaro recommends cooking the holopchi with the sauce but you don't have to. You can add it later - just make sure you have enough butter in roasting pan before layering your beet leaf rolls.)

Sauce
Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
2 cups whipping cream
8 small onions (such as chives)
2 handfuls of chopped fresh dill (this makes the whole dish)
2-4 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine

Melt butter in saucepan. Add onions (chives) garlic, dill and cream. Let it come to a boil and then turn down the heat. Katbaro cooks the holopchi with the sauce but you don't have to. You can add it later - just make sure you have enough butter in roasting pan before layering your beet leaf rolls.

Gamelli with Peas, Pearl Onions, and Mushroms

Our friend Abby came over last night to watch the premier of Top Chef on Bravo - which, this season, is in New York. Very exciting. It is off to a great start. I loved the initial "quickfire" challenge - first they had to perfectly peel 15 apples with knives. Then, the slowest had to perfectly chop them. Finally, the slowest of all had to cook with them. It was really a competition of skill.

While waiting for the show to start we made dinner! A simple pasta with peas, pearl onions, and mushrooms. A true 30 minute meal!


Ingredients
1 lb gamelli or other pasta
1/2 tbs of garlic butter, or as needed
8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
9 oz package frozen sweet peas with pearl onions
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese for grating

Directions
Boil water for pasta. Cook pasta according to directions, until it is al dente.

Meanwhile, saute mushrooms in garlic butter for a few minutes until they soften and darken in color. Cook the peas according to package directions.

Drain the pasta and toss with mushrooms and peas. Grate parmesan cheese on top and serve. Voila!


Some easy variations:

• Add some cream for a more substantial sauce
• Add sauteed onions or shallots, or any other vegetable!
• We also served some grilled chicken on the side
  

Recipes: Onion Chowder, Cheesy Onion Popovers, and Macaroni and Cheese

Last night I got a little overambitious with dinner. I had seen a recipe in the magazine, Everyday with Rachel Ray, for Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers. It sounded easy enough and delicious. Somehow I also thought making macaroni and cheese would be a great addition. It was, it just took a little while.

Onion Chowder with Cheesy Onion Popovers
Adapted from Everyday with Rachel Ray

Ingredients
4 Onions (I used 2 white and 2 yellow), chopped
Salt
1 1/4 cups flour
One 32-ounce container chicken or vegetable broth
1 tbs Hungarian paprika
1 tbs garlic salt
2 cups milk
3 large eggs
2 tbs butter, melted
2 ounces parmesan or cheddar cheese, cut into twelve cubes
1/4 cup finely chopped chives

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 425º. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin pan. Add the onions and salt to a large dutch oven and cook for about 8 minutes. Set aside 1/4 cup of the cooked onions.

Sprinkle the remaining onions in the pot with 1/4 cup flour, stirring for one minute. Stir in the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Stir in paprika and garlic salt. Lower the heat and simmer for at least 8 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix the reserved onions, 1 cup milk, 1 cup flour, eggs, butter, and 1/4 tsp salt. Whisk until batter is smooth (the original recipe said to mix in a blender, but I prefer to keep the onions). Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter and place a cube of cheese in the middle. Bake for 25 minutes, then lower the heat to 350º and bake for 15 minutes more.

Stir the remaining 1 cup milk into the soup. Heat through. (I also added about a 1/8 cup heavy cream). Garnish with chives.



Macaroni and Cheese
Adapted from Gourmet Cookbook, recipe available at: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Macaroni-and-Cheese-14930

Ingredients

• 1 pound ziti or other pasta
  

For topping

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cups bread crumbs
• 1 cup coarsely grated extra-sharp Cheddar (about 4 ounces)

For cheese sauce

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
• 2 3/4 cups whole milk
• 3/4 cups heavy cream
• 4 cups coarsely grated extra-sharp cheese(about 1 pound) (we used a mixture of cheddars, + aged Gouda and Parmesan).
  
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. and butter a 3-quart shallow baking dish. Fill a 6-quart kettle three fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for macaroni.

Make topping:
Melt butter and in a bowl stir together with panko or regular bread crumbs and Cheddar until combined well. Topping may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered.

Make sauce:
In a 5-quart heavy saucepan melt butter over moderately low heat and stir in flour and red pepper flakes. Cook roux, stirring, 3 minutes and whisk in milk. Bring sauce to a boil, whisking constantly, and simmer, whisking occasionally, 3 minutes. Stir in cream, cheese, mustard, salt, and pepper. Remove pan from heat and cover surface of sauce with wax paper.

Cook macaroni in boiling water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water and drain macaroni in colander. In a large bowl stir together macaroni and cheese sauce. Transfer mixture to baking dish.

Sprinkle topping evenly over macaroni and bake in middle of oven 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden and bubbling.

Notes from the kitchen:

• The soup recipe was originally bland, which is why I added Paprika and garlic salt. It would be fun to experiment with other spices and flavors. Potatoes or chicken might be good too.
  
• The soup also originally called for bacon. I generally avoid bacon in my soups, but I think it would have been quite good here. Or pancetta.
• The Mac and Cheese and the soup were both even better the next day.
• Panko breadcrumbs would definitely be better than regular ones. Also, the mustard was a nice touch.
• I used ziti from Trader Joe's, which definitely has a distinctive taste. Not bad, but it oddly has notes of cinnamon or something. Next time I will try a more neutral tasting pasta.
  
• Next time I want to try adding some sauteed mushrooms with truffle oil right before baking the macaroni and cheese.
  

Fried Eggs with Aged Gouda

During the week I rarely get to enjoy breakfast. If I am lucky I have time to grab a granola bar on my way out. So on the weekends, breakfast or brunch is a luxury I try not to miss out on. Today I made a quick easy breakfast that took about 5 minutes. If you are able, I highly recommend purchasing or making garlic butter. It is the quickest way to make everything delicious. I get mine from Ronnybrook Farms at the Union Square Farmers Market. It also seems fairly easy to make, although I have never tried (future blog post, perhaps?).

I simply heated a nonstick skillet and melted garlic butter. Crack two eggs. Cook until whites have set, then flip. Place a few slices of aged gouda on each egg while it finishes cooking, 1 minute or so. Meanwhile, toast english muffins and smear with garlic butter. Ta-da! I enjoyed this with some pumpkin spice coffee from my favorite place to get fresh coffee, Porto Rico Importing Co http://www.portorico.com/store/. It made for a yummy fall breakfast on what is turning out to be a rainy day. So much for my trip to the farmers market...