Home Cooked Meal!

I had been on the road for four days doing recruiting for the University. While I love that the University pays for my meals (and there were some good ones, including Indian food), I really was in need of a home cooked meal last night. I was also exhausted, so I didnt want too much prep work. I chose a recipe from the Chicken cookbook by Williams Sonoma. It is called Pasta Rustica with Chicken Sausage and Three Cheeses. It was the perfect balance of comfort food and healthy eating. I substituted some healthier choices (I have lost 6 pounds in the past three weeks) and it still came out deliciously. I had a glass of saugvignon blanc with the meal; it paired quite nicely. The pasta baked well and got crusty on top; it became hard not to start picking at the top pieces once it came out of the oven!


Pasta Rustica with Chicken Sausage and Three Cheeses
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb. chicken or turkey sausage, casings removed (I used lowfat sweet turkey sausage)
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. hot red pepper flakes
1 can (28 oz.) tomatoes in puree, tomatoes coarsely chopped and puree reserved
Salt, to taste
1 lb. penne pasta (I used Dreamfields)
1 1/4 cups ricotta cheese (I used fat free and it melted and tasted nicely)
2 cups shredded fontina or mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (I used Romano)

In a large Dutch oven over medium heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking it up into bite-size pieces, until no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Stir in the basil, oregano and red pepper flakes. Add the tomatoes and puree and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasonings with salt. Preheat an oven to 350oF. Lightly oil a baking dish. Bring a large pot three-fourths full of water to a boil over high heat. Salt the water, add the pasta, stir well and cook until barely al dente (tender but firm to the bite), 10 to 12 minutes. Drain well. In a large bowl, toss the pasta with the sauce, the ricotta and fontina. Spread in the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano.Bake until the cheeses are melted and the tips of the pasta are crusty, about 30 minutes. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Serve hot. Serves 6 to 8.

Dishing Politics

As an Obama supporter, I like this photo.
As a foodie, I like this photo.
As an Obama supporter and foodie combined, I LOVE THIS PHOTO.

Papa Doble

Though I have visited the old watering hole (Sloppy Joe's) of Papa's in Key West with my papa, the etymology of the "Papa Doble" (aka Hemingway cocktail aka Hemingway daiquiri) is from his favorite bar in Havana called La Floridita.

There are many variations of this cocktail, but the following recipe is the one I use and love. I have made it for many of my friends, and they have all enjoyed sipping this rum-filled drink on a warm summer day. I haven't had one since last summer with Moo...I associate them with her now and miss her tonight as I sip away. I made one tonight (11:22pm) - it was a long day, so what else is a child to do but rely on her Papa for some support after a grueling 16 hour work day?

Read Moo's blog here - my dear is in Africa: http://ngogo.blogspot.com/

*PAPA DOBLE*
Ingredients:
1 1/2 oz Light rum
1/4 oz Maraschino liqueur (this can be hard to find, but you need to search until you do/its essential!)
3/4 oz Lime juice
1/4 oz Grapefruit juice

Shake it up with ice and pour into a martini glass.

Now go re-read The Sun Also Rises!

Pour Mon Chou...

If he reads this, he will smile as I write about romanticizing even the act of cooking French cuisine. Still, I shall assert that caramelizing onions and watching them turn until they reach a light golden hue, shaving bits of a creamy and nutty Gruyere cheese and a few stranded pieces from the grater melting in my mouth as I taste, and hearing the sound of pinot noir splash into a bowl atop vegetables and meats to soak all night and develop their flavors as I prepare to make a romantic dinner for him is, indeed, quite romantic.

I took advantage of the weather this past Sunday, hopefully one of the last cool, rainy days this spring here in New York, to make a Sunday night dinner consisting of French comfort food. The menu: French-style “pizza”, beef bourguignon, mashed potatoes with scallions, and sautéed green beans. The wine was a George DuBoeuf Pinot Noir, which I thought was a nice burgundy for the meal considering how inexpensive it was.

The dinner itself was good, but the company was better. We sat at the table for two hours, and as much as I enjoyed cooking this meal, I forgot about it when I sat down with him. Enjoy...

French Style Pizza (Courtesy of Moi)

- Pizza dough from pizza parlor
- 3 slices of bacon
- 5-6 medium yellow onions
- 2 tablespoons sweet, unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups of shredded Gruyere cheese
- dash of nutmeg
- dash of fresh pepper

Method: Slice the onions thinly and melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onions and cook until they caramelize, 30-40 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and set aside. Par-cook the the three slices of bacon in a small skillet (do not overcook, it will crisp in the oven). Cool the bacon and cut into bite sized pieces. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spread pizza dough on pan and cover with caramelized onions, bacon, and cheese. Add a dash of nutmeg and pepper on top. Cook until the dough is a golden color and the top becomes bubbly and crisps.

Beef Bourguignon (Courtesy of Merrilees Parker)

Ingredients:
1 kg / 2.2 lbs of good quality beef or Charolais beef *I used regular stewing beef*
For the Marinade:
1 bottle of Burgundian wine e.g.Pinot Noir
2 large sticks of celery roughly chopped
2 fresh bay leaves
pinch of fresh thyme *I used dried*
2 large carrots roughly chopped
2 large onions peeled and quartered
1 bulb of garlic, unpeeled and cut horizontally
1 tablespoons of whole black peppercorns
For the sauce:
2 oz / 50 g of butter
2 tablespoons of olive oil
8 oz / 200g of smoked bacon / pancetta / lardons chopped into small dices
4 shallots peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
a little water
salt and pepper
Method:
1.Place the beef in a large bowl and add all the marinade ingredients. Cover and marinade for at least 8 hours or preferably over night. *I recommend overnight*
2.Drain off the liquid from the marinade and reserve. Remove the peppercorns, onions and garlic. Separate vegetables from the meat. Dry the meat thoroughly on kitchen paper.
3.Heat heavy based saucepan. Add the butter and oil, then tip in the beef. Cook over a high heat until sealed all over, then remove from the pan and keep warm.
4.Now cook the lardons for 3-4 minutes until golden. Add the shallots and cook until they just begin to soften, stir in all the marinade vegetables, and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until sealed. 5.Return the meat to the pan and season generously with salt and pepper and stir in the mustard until all the ingredients are coated generously. Pour in the reserved marinade liquid and bring to a gentle bubble.
6.Cover with a lid and cook for 1 ½ - 2 hours when the sauce should be thick and the meat tender, you may need to add a little water half way through the cooking process.

I served this with mashed potatoes and green beans sauteed with garlic.

A Perfect Slice of Life

I have been wanting to view the film Waitress for quite a long time and finally had the opportunity to do so this evening. Those who have seen it know that it is as sweet as what the protagonist bakes each day. I loved the film on many levels, especially how pie was made into its own character in the film. If you have not seen the film, I highly recommend it.

As for pie itself, I am not a pie maker; I rarely bake. The only dough I know how to make is dough for gnocci. Making pie crust intimidates me to no end. The pies I have made cheat using pre-made pie crusts and usually have quick and simple ingredients in them, like instant pudding or cool whip. Still, tonight after the movie I perused some pie recipes, for the film certainly inspires one to both eat pie and make pie! My enthusiasm was quelled for just a moment: I have no business trying to make a pie when I am supposed to be on a diet. Still, there are low fatrecipes out there, and that got me excited. I am going to choose one and make it next week as well as post the recipe here.

In the meantime, check out:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/History/PieHistory.htm

The Last Supper

This book was one of my Christmas presents. I had asked for it because the concept sounded fascinating and the chefs interviewed are among my favorite. I cannot tell you how delightful it was to discover that I have eaten at the restaurants owned by over 50% of the chefs featured in this book. I liked the photographs, but didn't love them. What I loved were the questions posed and the various answers. So, I decided to take the questions posed in the book and answer them myself. Cheers!

I. What would be your last meal on earth?

I would start off with an array of Armenian appetizers. I would want lahmanjoon: Armenian pizza. It is ground lamb with peppers and onions and tomato paste and spices on top of a thin crust. You usually squeeze a little lemon and then roll them up when they are nice and hot and eat this delectable blend of meat and dough. I would want my great aunt Nevart's beurek; she made thick mounds of philo dough and inside was a mixture of cheeses, feta being the prominent one. I would want a small plate of manti: lamb dumplings with yogurt and a sprinkle of cumin served on top.

For the main course, I would switch to Italian fare. I would want a timable...a huge blend of meats and pasta shapes encrusted in a huge mold of pasta. This dish was featured in the film Big Night and recreated by my best friend's parents one New Year's Eve. I would want gnocci with three sauces: pesto, alfredo, and bolognese. I would love some chicken marsala on top of linguine. There would be freshly shredded percorino romano cheese to go with all of this in addition to some boccocini marinated in olive oil and basil.

Dessert is en francais: I would love profiteroles with coffee, pistachio, and chocolate ice creams. I would love a vanilla bean creme brulet. Chocolate ganache would be aplenty all over the table in addition to bottomless cups of cafe au lait.

II. What would you drink with the meal?
Argentinian Malbecs, Smokey Shirazes, and Fruity Merlots.

III. What would be the setting of the meal?
I would want to eat at the dinner table of my best friend's grandmother's old home in Sag Harbor, New York. It had large bay windows with a view of the water where spotting cranes was sometimes a daily occurrence. I miss that house, I miss that table, and I miss its owner. Every meal I had at that table was divine, so this would be no exception.

IV. Would there be music?
Oh yes. I would want George Gershwin playing some upbeat piano rolls, especially a long rendition of Stairway to Paradise.

V. Who would be your dining companions?
All of my family, friends, and loved ones. It would be a big celebration. Jack, my nephew, would have to sit to the right of me.

VI. Who would prepare the meal?
I would take care of the Armenian appetizers and the gnocci. My best friend's parents would do the rest of the Italian fare, and I would get the ganache from Maison du Chocolat and the French pastries from Payard Patisserie in NYC.

You Say Potato

I never met a potato I didn't like, and these potatoes are no exception! This Thanksgiving I had wanted to do a scalloped potato and found a great recipe on the Whole Foods website. There are some wonderfully healthy recipes listed...of course this isn't exactly one of them! I used a mandolin to slice the potatoes on Thanksgiving but was too tired to do it on Christmas and quartered them. I will use the mandolin from now on...the cheese melted better in the thin layers of potato. And, it looked prettier, too!

Sometimes Gruyere can be expensive, so shop around. I went to two markets and found a price difference of over $6 a pound, so be careful where you purchase it. I found mine at Pathmark.

Gruyere Potato Gratin (courtesy of Whole Foods)
The Gruyere is the key to this dish because it melts and incorporates the cream better than cheddar ever could.
Serves 8
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
3/4 pound cave-aged Gruyere, shredded
2 medium onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 cup heavy cream
sea salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
Preheat oven to 350°F.Boil whole potatoes for 10 minutes, remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. In the meantime, sauté onions and garlic in butter until they are soft and translucent. Layer potato slices and onions in a 9 x 9 baking dish. Pour cream over the potatoes. Season to taste and sprinkle Gruyere over the whole shebang. Bake 40–50 minutes or until golden.