Pancetta & Leeks

This month has been foodie month. What with 3 family birthdays, The Super Bowl, Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, and the Oscars, there have been ample opportunities for cooking. This past weekend, we celebrated the birthdays of my son, and my mother and father. So, yes, a special meal was in order. I am a notorious planner and also have a penchant for regionally themed meals. Usually, everything flows from soup to nuts. However, along with all of these extravaganza events has come a certain level of excess. I discussed with El Syd (formerly referred to as The Husband - yes, a blog-worthy moniker has been agreed upon) all of my ideas and then discussed it more with Mama, and finally just decided on a simple pasta dish and a decadent dessert. No rhyme, no reason, no theme. The main dish, Pancetta and Leeks over Homemade Fettuccine (yes, I will discuss that whole process, soon - I promise.) was truly simple and mirrored the hint at Spring with which Mother Nature has been teasing us (Here, in Texas, that is.) The saltiness of the pancetta was the perfect foil for the natural sweetness and creaminess of the leeks. Leeks might just be my new favorite underutilized vegetable. They have just that hint of onion flavor without any of the strong and overpowering zing of onions. Due to their rather fibrous nature, when cooked thoroughly, they are silky and creamy. Just so wonderful.

Pancetta and Leeks over Fettuccine (inspired by bon appetit magazine)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 1/4 lb pancetta, thickly sliced and cut into ~1/2" pieces
• 2 medium leeks, white & pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise and sliced crosswise into half circles (see note)
• 3/4 C heavy cream
• 2 Tsp. chopped thyme(fresh)
• 1 lb fettuccine
• 1 C finely grated Parmesan cheese 

Pancetta & Leeks in oil and butter

Following the addition of the cream

1. Before starting sauce, begin to cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally until al dente. Drain pasta, reserving 2 cups of cooking liquid. While the pasta is getting going, you can start the sauce so that both are ready at about the same time.
2. Heat oil and butter in a large skillet over med. heat. Add the pancetta and cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the pancetta is crispy (around 5-6 minutes.) 
3. Add leeks and season with salt. Increase heat and cook, stirring often. Continue until leeks begin to brown (another 5-6 minutes.)
4. Add the cream and thyme, and 1/2 C water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat and allow to simmer/thicken about 5-8 minutes more. (Sauce should cling to your spoon a bit.)
5. Add sauce, parmesan, and 1 cup of the cooking liquid to pasta and stir to coat the pasta. Add more cooking liquid as needed to make sure the sauce coats the pasta. (Don't add too much of the cooking water - just until the pasta is well coated. I only needed 1 cup)
6. Serve and enjoy.

Note: Leeks tend to be very good at hiding tiny bits of dirt and sand in their tight layers. For best results, split lengthwise, then cut cross-wise into half-circles or "c's" and then use a colander or sieve to hold the leek pieces while you rinse well with water- making sure to clean all of the sand/dirt off.

Happy Cooking!

sld

The Beet Goes On...{Roasted Beets and Goat Cheese Salad}

So, Texas has funny weather. Not funny "ha-ha" per se, but funny peculiar. The saying goes "If you don't like Texas weather, wait five minutes...it'll change." There is even a whole movie about our crazy Texas weather at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum. Today is sunny and clear and gorgeous and teasing us of spring. But,yesterday was gloomy and overcast, a bit drizzly and (for us) chilly. In addition to the winter weather, I needed to make space for my latest produce pick up from Johnson's Backyard Garden (cannot say enough good things about this CSA.) A root vegetable roast was in order. All of the beets and all of the turnips made their way via separate pans into the oven for a roast. Once they were finished up, the question was what to do with them. Since I am so very ready for Spring to have sprung, I decided to use those beets in one of my favorite ways - a roasted beet and goat cheese salad. This pairing appears in no fewer than 5 of my recipe books, and it is a good one. It uses root vegetables (which I usually think of solely as Fall/Winter fare), in a bright and springy way.  As for those turnips, they are waiting patiently in the fridge, already roasted, for their turn in the spotlight another day.



Roasted Beet and Goat Cheese Salad 
(serves 4)

• 1/4 C balsamic vinegar
• 1-2 Tbsp shallots - minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/3 C extra-virgin olive oil
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 medium beets, roasted, peeled and cut into bite-sized chunks
• 6 C salad greens of your choice
• 1/2 C nuts, toasted and chopped (I've used walnuts and pine nuts with good results - pick what you like)
• 1/4 C dried cranberries
• 1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cubed
• 4 oz. soft fresh goat cheese, coarsely crumbled (I selected a Honey-flavored goat cheese that was nice with the honey of the dressing, but plain ol' goat cheese will be great too.)

1. Make salad dressing: In a small mixing bowl or pint sized mason jar, whisk together balsamic vinegar, honey, oil and shallots. Season with some salt and pepper to taste. Whisk well until the mixture is emulsified and slightly creamy.
2. In 4 large salad bowls, divide the greens evenly. Add beet pieces. Top with avocado chunks. Sprinkle with cranberries and nuts. Add the cheese crumbles. Drizzle with dressing to suit your liking and serve.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Lucky, Lucky - Sukiyaki

So, once upon a time, in a previous chapter of my life, I was employed by a distance learning provider. I like to tease that "I wasn't a teacher, I just played one on TV." It was, by far, one of the best jobs I've ever had. We had an amazingly talented, amazingly interesting and amazingly fun group of wildly diverse colleagues. Many of whom, I have the honor of being friends with to this day (some 20 {gasp!}  years later) The purpose of the service was to provide specialized courses such as astronomy, marine science, physics, foreign languages (from Spanish and Latin to German and Japanese), and my area of expertise, the social sciences of psychology and sociology, to smaller, rural schools who might not be able to provide these courses for a small number of students. In many cases, our distant sites had one single student enrolled in a particular subject. 
I was so fortunate to work with all of the talented folks there. One of the best parts was being able to learn so much about a wide variety of topics. It was like a dream come true to have content experts in a variety of world cultures at my disposal. Best of all, each foreign language course would feature foods of their countries as part of the cultural instruction for the students.  The teaching assistant for the Japanese course was (and still is) a beautiful, native of Japan who looked like a Disney princess. She is the most gracious person I have ever met in my entire life. I would tease her that she probably was awakened by little birds who also helped her dress and coif her hair each morning. She is just that perfect. An excellent cook, she brought many delicious foods to our office pot lucks. So, it was no surprise when she prepared her authentic Japanese cuisine as part of a lesson, the whole crew would wait in anxious anticipation until the "On-Air" light would go out and then scramble to get a small sample of whatever tasty thing she had whipped up.  This is just one of those delightful dishes.


Hiroko's Traditional Sukiyaki

• 1 lb boneless beef ribeye,  reasonably well-marbled with fat and sliced paper thin (see note below)
• 1/2 Cup Soy Sauce, 4 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsp Rice Wine (Sake) - mixed well until sugar dissolves 
• 5-6 shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
• 1 large white onion, peeled and sliced into 1/4 slices
• 1 can sliced bamboo shoots
• 1 can sliced water chestnuts
• 1 package hard tofu, cut into bite sized pieces (optional)
• 1/3 large Napa cabbage, leaves stacked and chopped crosswise into quarters
• 1 large bunch fresh spinach, washed well with larger woody stems removed
• 1 bunch green onions, cleaned and cut into 3 in long pieces

1. In a very large open skillet, saute beef over medium heat. stir around pan until there is very little pink color left.
2. Add sauce and let pan return to a rather brisk simmer.
3. The next steps will be very repetitive - add each ingredient, submerge in sauce, allow to cook down ~  Push meat to one side of skillet, then: 
4. Add shiitake mushrooms and submerge in the sauce. Cook until mushrooms begin to release their liquid and shrink a bit.
5. Add white onion and submerge in the sauce. Continue cooking until onion has become brown from soaking up the sauce and have become soft.
6. Add bamboo shoots and water chestnuts. Make sure all ingredients are dunked in the cooking liquid/sauce.Cook for about 5 minutes. Watch to make sure the liquid doesn't all evaporate. If the sauce begins to boil away, reduce heat.
7. Add tofu, if using.
8. Using the Napa cabbage slices, cover the entire top of the other ingredients in the skillet. This will create a natural cover for the items cooking below and in essence, traps the steam that is created and steams the cabbage at the same time. (Ingenious!) The skillet will look like it is overflowing, but be patient - the steam truly will shrink the cabbage.
9. Once the cabbage volume is reduced, repeat the lid procedure with the spinach ( This will not create such a tight "lid" due to the shape of the spinach, but the process and results will be the same.)  Let the cooking continue until the spinach is cooked and softened..
10. Sprinkle the top of the skillet with the green onion pieces and cook and additional 5-6 minutes.
11. You have to eat sukiyaki with good freshly cooked white rice. Serve the meat and veggies over the rice and ladle on some of the delicious rich broth.

Notes: 

• Very few meat cutters are actual butchers these days, so having the folks at the meat counter cut the meat paper thin for you might be a no-go. You can cut the meat yourself at home by partially freezing the roast and then shaving off slices with a very sharp knife.  
• Rib-eye can be a bit pricey, but other more value oriented cuts of meat will not provide the same results. The fat that is marbled through the rib-eye will help to create the rich broth and will break down upon cooking to create a super tender result. Keep an eye for when the rib eye goes on sale (many times during the winter holiday season) and buy some for the freezer for use later. 

ハッピークッキング (boy, I hope Google got this right!)

Happy Cooking!

sld

Buttery Pecan Blondies

Shhhh....can you keep a secret? I've baked up a treat for my family for Valentine's Day and well, I've almost made myself sick with small little tasters of the end result. I am going to have to leave the house to keep from eating the whole pan of this delicious goodness.  These treats are especially good for any of you who are dessert lovers but who are not fans of chocolate (is there such an animal?), and for those of you who are chocolate lovers, I don't think you'll miss it after you try these.

Buttery Pecan Blondies with Brown Sugar Butter Frosting (adapted from Rebecca Rather)

Blondies: 

• 1 C unsalted butter, at room temp
• 3 C brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
• 3 C all-purpose flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 Tsp salt
• 2 C chopped pecans

Icing:

• 1 C unsalted butter
• 2 C brown sugar, firmly packed
• 4 C powdered sugar
• 1/3 C cream (or milk)
• 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Blondies:

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Butter and lightly flour a 13x18 inch half-sheet pan. Using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup butter with the brown sugar on med-high speed until fluffy (about 5 minutes). Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well combined (another 2 minutes or so). 
2. In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat on low until well incorporated. Stir in the pecans.
3. Dump into the prepared pan and spread using a spatula until the entire pan is filled. Smooth the top. Bake until the bars are set & slightly puffed & lightly browned about  20-25 minutes. Cool completely before making the icing and icing the pan of goodies.

Icing:

1. Once the blondies are cooled: In a saucepan, over medium heat, melt the butter and the brown sugar. Once the mixture is lightly bubbling, reduce heat to med-low and cook, stirring occasionally to ensure the sugar and butter completely meld together, for about 2 minutes more. Set aside.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the powdered sugar and cream or milk and vanilla on med. speed until creamy, about 1 minute. Add the melted butter mixture to the powdered sugar mixture and beat until combined.
3. Pour over the cooled blondies and spread evenly. Let sit for about 30 minutes for the frosting to set up before cutting into squares (size of your choice).

These are a super moist, rich delicious treat that are both homey and decadent at the same time. Since they keep well, 3 days uncut in the pan or once cut, they can be wrapped and frozen for about 3 weeks, they are a great thing to make in advance of an event as a time-saver.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Happy Mardi Gras!

Anyone who knows me knows that, while I love learning about cultures from all over the globe, I am magnetized to the food, history and culture of New Orleans. I swear I must have lived there in a past life or something from the way I'm drawn to that place. So, in honor of today being Mardi Gras, I decided that a proper gumbo was in order. 

So, what is a proper gumbo? Well, after searching through my multitude of cookbooks, it seems that in order to be a gumbo, that thick, dark, rich soup containing vegetables, meat and/or seafood, a couple of things remain constant -  gumbo is served with/over rice, and it must be thickened with something. Generally, gumbos are twice thickened. First, with a roux. This traditional mixture is made by cooking flour in a fat. In order to get a nice dark roux, vegetable oil provides a fat with a high smoke point which stands up to the longer cooking times needed to get the rich nutty brown color. Then, it is thickened again with either okra or file powder, but according to true connoisseurs, never both. Otherwise, anything goes. From a sausage and chicken gumbo, to wild duck gumbo, to a light gumbo of squash and corn, and every other conceivable combination of ingredients to toss in the pot, all qualify as gumbo.

Using my variety of recipes, and their described methods, I concocted my own for tonight's dinner. No matter what you decide to do, I strongly recommend that you follow the professional kitchen technique of mise en place (pronounced meez on plas). This technique refers to organizing all ingredients and tools that you'll need before you start cooking a dish. Recipes are reviewed to check for necessary ingredients and equipment. Ingredients are measured out, washed, chopped, and placed in individual bowls. Because some of the action of this particular recipe happens pretty quickly and can go South on you before you know it, it is helpful to have everything planned out so you can easily add things without turning into a sweaty mess.

Seafood Gumbo (adapted from Louis Lambert & John Folse)

• 1 1/2 C yellow onions diced
• 1 C green bell pepper diced
• 1 C celery diced
• 2  bunches green onion, thinly sliced (both white and green parts)
• 2 Tbsp Creole seasoning (I used "Slap ya Mama")
• 2  bay leaves
• 2 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 3/4 C vegetable oil
• 1 C all purpose flour
• 6 C shrimp or chicken stock
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/3 C flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 lb medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 gumbo crabs 
• 1 pint shelled oysters with their liquor (juices)
• 1/2 lb crab meat, picked over for bits of shell
• 1/2 lb frozen sliced okra(or fresh if in season)
• 4 Cups cooked white rice
• Hot Sauce, for serving (We love Crystal)

You'll roux the day....

Nutty Brown and ready to go.

• In a large bowl, combine the onions, peppers, celery and half of the green onions (set aside rest of green onion for later). In a small bowl, mix together the creole seasoning, bay leaves, salt and cayenne to make spice mix.
• Pour the stock into a large soup pot or dutch oven, and begin heating it to a simmer. Meanwhile, heat oil in large, heavy sauce pan over medium high heat. Stir in the flour to make a smooth roux. Reduce heat to medium and cook roux, stirring constantly, until it turns a deep, nutty brown color. This will take a while(about 30 minutes) and you really cannot leave it once you start. If you see any flecks of black during this process, you've burned some of your flour which in essence ruins your roux. Dump it and start over.  
• Add the onion, bell pepper and celery mixture (aka the Holy Trinity) to the roux and stir to combine well. Cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spice mixture and cook for another minute or so. (Ingredients will be a big clump.)
• Turn heat up to high under the stock and add the roux mixture to the soup pot in multiple additions. Whisk well between additions to make sure the roux smooths out and doesn't remain clumpy. Once all of the roux is in the stock, add the okra, and bring the gumbo to a simmer and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Add the rest of the green onions, the parsley and the shrimp and crabs and cook for 3 minutes. In order to avoid overcooking the seafood, keep the mixture at a low simmer from this point on. Stir in the oysters and their liquor(juices) and continue cooking at low. Finally, stir in the crab meat.

• Serve immediately - ladling gumbo over cooked white rice and hot sauce on the table.

A Pot of Deliciousness!

Note: With the exception of the time it takes to make the roux, the rest of this dish really comes together quickly.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Asian Inspired Sloppy Joe Sliders

Along with the usual dips and snacks, we always have wings for Super Bowl. The Husband (clever blog-worthy moniker is still being fleshed-out) gets the ingredients and I make 3-4 different flavors from a base recipe. This year, however, Food & Wine magazine temptingly sent out a recipe for Asian Sloppy Joe Sliders.  After glancing over the recipe, I really wanted to add that to our slate of goodies.

Asian Sloppy Joe Sliders adapted from Food & Wine Magazine


(Makes about 10 sliders-depending on the size of your rolls)

• 1 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 small red onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Sriracha sauce or other chili garlic sauce
• 1 tablespoons minced garlic
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 pound ground chicken (when I make again, I will cut the chicken and double the pork)
• 1/2 pound ground pork
• 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
• 1/2 cup drained canned diced tomatoes (when I make again, I will use crushed tomatoes)
• 1/8 cup fresh lime juice
• 10 dinner rolls (I used the sweet King's Hawaiian rolls)
• Shredded iceberg lettuce and spicy pickles (optional), for serving

1. In a large, deep skillet, heat the canola oil until shimmering. Add the onions, celery, Sriracha, garlic, and a salt and pepper to taste. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are wilted, about 8 minutes. Add the ground chicken and pork and cook, stirring occasionally to break up the meat, until no pink remains, about 5 minutes. Stir in the hoisin, tomatoes and lime juice and bring to a boil. Simmer over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens, about 20 minutes. 
2. Split and toast rolls.
3. Spoon about 1/4 cup of the sloppy joe filling on the bottom half of each roll. Top with shredded lettuce and pickles (if using) and serve.

These were so very tasty. What's great, too, is that the meat filling can be made in advance (up to 3 days) and kept in the fridge until needed. We ate them with the rolls and then the next day, my daughter used some of the iceberg lettuce to make a lettuce wrap with the filling. In addition to the ingredient notes above, the next time I make these, I am going to try the addition of some shiitake mushrooms and chopped water chestnuts to the veggie mix.

Try these for yourself. I think you'll like them as much as we did.

Happy Cooking!

sld

More winter squash

Growing up, my mother (Mama) cooked standard home-cooking fare and she did it well (still does, for that matter). Every night was a meat, a starch, a vegetable and a green salad. Every night....no matter what. There were four of us kids and with two older brothers, the starch was usually a huge part of the meal. ("Filler", as my father (Honey) would call it.) 
A lot of things have changed since those days. We've been through a lot of cycles of what's healthy; what's verboten; what's best; what should be on our plates. And, carbs (formerly known as starches), seem to be in question much of the time. While I generally subscribe to the "everything in moderation" adage, and don't like to be too reactionary when it comes to choosing food items,  I do feel that the Standard American Diet (SAD) is sorely lacking in its inclusion of fresh vegetables. 

That's where this interesting winter squash, the Spaghetti Squash, comes in. It surely is a vegetable, but when cooked, it can be prepared and act as a stand in for traditional pasta. See there? Two birds, one stone. A nice little example of efficiency of effort.

This squash can be cooked several ways - boiled, roasted, and believe it or not, microwaved. As usual, I went with roasting as I think it really makes for best flavor and as I said before, it is hands-free cooking once it is in the oven. Once cooked, it is delicious with just a drizzle of butter or olive oil and a sprinkle of herbs and a little Parmesean cheese. I think that once you try it, you'll see that it can really do a great job as a stand in for pasta. So, think of it that way and top it as you would spaghetti. Perhaps, a little sauteed mushrooms and bacon? or maybe some sauteed chard and onions? or go traditional and top it with some plain ol' Italian tomato sauce.

Easy Spaghetti Squash

Here's what I did: 

• 1 medium spaghetti squash (about 3 pounds)
• 3 to 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon chopped herbs of your choosing (rosemary, basil, thyme, chives, dill), for serving
• Sprinkles of Parmesean cheese (fresh, avoid the green can)
• 1 tablespoon butter, for serving
• Sharp chef's knife and cutting board
• Medium-size roasting pan (or baking sheet)
• Fork
• Small serving bowl

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cut the squash in half lengthwise with a sharp knife. Be careful and go slowly. If that scares you, please don't end up in the emergency room over a squash. You can  either cook it whole (it will take longer) or you can try cutting it cross ways rather than lengthwise. 
2. Scoop out and discard the seeds and the stringy bits.
   
3. Rub cut side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place squash halves cut side up in a  roasting pan. 
4. Roast for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until a skewer punctures the flesh of the squash easily. Check on it at the midway point and if the squash seems to be drying out while baking, brush with an additional tablespoon of olive oil.
   
5. Remove squash from the oven and allow it to cool just enough so you can handle it, about 3 to 4 minutes. Scrape the flesh from the squash into stringy "noodles" with a sturdy fork and place in a small serving bowl. If some of the strands clump or gather together, you can just separate them using your hands. Serve squash with a bit of butter and a teaspoon or so of your favorite fresh or dried herbs. 
   
   
   

Additional Notes: 

• There are some who feel that cooking the squash whole and then cutting makes for an easier go of it. I tried that once and didn't really care for trying to dig all of the seeds out of the cooked, edible part of the squash. 
• If you have leftover cooked spaghetti squash, it keeps in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days and reheats in the microwave. It is a good thing to cook on Sunday and keep in the fridge for use during the week. Maybe one day sauteed with some garlic and another day with a tomato sauce...you get the idea; be creative.

Do you have a great recipe for Spaghetti squash? Tell me what you do.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Swiss Chard & Mushrooms with Fettuccine

By now, you've probably seen the photo of the recent birthday dinner, and you've read about the poor results on that batch of homemade pasta. Regardless of the bumps in the road that I encountered, this dish is still worth making and will stand on its own even without the scallops.

About Swiss Chard: While the name is puzzling, since there is nothing Swiss about this vegetable, don't be puzzled by how to use it in your cooking. This is typically a spring vegetable; once temperatures reach 85 F, the harvest season comes to an end. Luckily, however, due to our mild Texas winters, this vegetable shows up frequently from Fall to Spring at local farmer's markets. These dark green, large, ruffled leaves with its brightly colored, ribbed stems look a lot like dolled-up spinach. However, this delicious green is actually a very close relative to the beet.  The leaves hold up better to cooking than do those of spinach and the stems have their own delicious taste and crisp texture. It's like getting two vegetables in one. When buying chard, look for a bunch with small, crisp, bright leaves and avoid those with yellowing leaves, tears or holes. Chard is best when it is wilted, steamed or sauteed - even microwaved. As with other green leafy vegetables, chard is especially well-paired with butter, lemon, garlic, pine nuts and mushrooms. 

Here's what I did - without the homemade pasta.(I'll deal with that another day.)

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 C chopped shallots (or green onions in a pinch)
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 8-10 small mushrooms sliced (white or crimini)
• 1 lb. Swiss Chard (wash this thoroughly as it tends to hold onto the gritty soil it is grown in); remove stems from leafy part; chop stems into 1 inch pieces and rough chop the leaves
• 1/2 lb. uncooked fettuccine
• 1/4 C. shredded Parmesean cheese (the real deal; not the powder in the green can)
• cracked black pepper - to taste

1. Fill a large pot 3/4 full with water and bring to boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente (tender), 10 to 12 minutes, or according to the package directions. 
2. While pasta is cooking, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large skillet that has a lid.  Add the shallots, garlic and mushrooms. Saute until tender and the mushrooms have released their liquid, about 5 minutes. Add the Swiss chard, reduce heat and cover for about 3 minutes. Using tongs, turn the chard over so that uncooked leaves are on the bottom and wilted leaves are on top. Cover and cook until completely wilted, about another 3 minutes.
3. As soon as your pasta has finished cooking, drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 C of the pasta water. Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the chard mixture and the reserved liquid.
4. Toss to mix and serve; top each individual dish with some shredded parmesean and pepper.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Seared Scallops with Sauce Beurre Blanc

Seared Scallops are one of my all-time favorite seafood dishes. Once I found out how incredibly simple and easy they are to make at home, I stopped ordering them in restaurants and started cooking them myself. While it isn't a frequent star of the plate, when I do feature it, I always wonder "why don't I make these more often?!" These sweet, nutty, slightly salty morsels are tender and uniquely delicious.

If you've never had scallops before, but are interested in trying them, cooking at home gives you the opportunity to purchase just a few and try them as an appetizer portion. If you're really unsure, buy just one and sear it up. Have the whole family take a taste.  When buying sea scallops, they should be fresh, large (U10- meaning there are under 10 scallops per pound), ivory in color, and slightly sticky to the touch. The best kept scallops will be designated as "dry", and that's really the only kind you want. If the scallops you see at the market are in a white liquid, then they've been dipped in phosphates to extend their shelf life and to add water weight. These scallops will also appear pure white when the natural color of sea scallops range from white to off-white to pale shades of orange, pink and tan. When cooked, these wet scallops will seep out all of that retained water and fill up your pan with that liquid, resulting in a steamed type item and a less than satisfactory result. Believe me, you don't want them...just keep walking.

Scallops are highly perishable. I recommend only buying them on a day when you will be preparing and eating them. Ask your fish counter for an extra bag of ice to keep them on until you get home. Once home, keep them on that ice in the coldest part of your fridge until you're ready to cook them up.

Seared Scallops

• Enough sea scallops to serve 2-3 per person (this will depend upon what else you're serving and if you intend for this to be an appetizer portion or a dinner portion.)
• 2 tsp butter
• 2 tsp olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Rinse the scallops with cold water to remove any grit. Pat dry thoroughly with paper towel.
2. Add butter and oil to a heavy 12-14 inch sauté pan and heat over high heat.
3. Once the fat is hot (almost to the point of smoking), add the scallops, making sure they don't touch each other.
4. Sear the scallops for about 1 1/2 minutes. Turn scallops using tongs. and sear for another 1 1/2 minutes.
5. The scallops should have about a 1/4 in crust on each side and be slightly translucent in the center. Remove the scallops to a plate where they will continue to cook for a couple of minute and finish to perfection.

Beurre Blanc - literally "white butter", this sauce is traditionally served over fish, but goes well with chicken breasts, asparagus, artichokes and leeks among others. It is said to have been invented in the Anjou region of France, and made popular in Paris by restaurateur, Mere Michel. The trick to this sauce is to whisk in the butter without letting it melt completely. Cutting butter into small cubes helps. Also, a bit of heavy cream is an insurance policy that the sauce will not "break" but instead remain creamy and emulsified.

• 6 Tbsp dry white wine
• 2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
• 3 Tbsp minced shallots
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 Tbsp heavy cream
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) cold butter (unsalted is best), cut into at least 8 pieces

1. Combine the wine, vinegar, shallots and salt and pepper in a small skillet over medium heat and simmer, uncovered until the liquid has cooked down (reduced) by 3/4's.
2. Stir in the heavy cream.
3. Remove the pan from the heat and add 1 piece of butter at a time until the sauce is creamy and whitened ( stir constantly.)
4. If your pan starts to get cold, hold it briefly over a very low heat to soften the butter. Never let the butter melt completely or the sauce will separate (what is known as "breaking").
5. Some chefs strain the sauce through a sieve, but that's not essential (I prefer the bits of shallots in my sauce.)
6. Serve immediately.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Butternut Squash with Brown Butter Sage Sauce over Pasta

This post was originally published on 1/23/13. The post is short and sweet (and so is the dish - quick to prepare and delightfully sweet from the squash.)

This combination screams Fall and Winter - the sweet squash paired with the sage, nutmeg and hazelnut flavors are classic - a truly seasonal dish.

1 butternut squash (~3lb) (roasted (click link for instructions), peeled and cubed) 

Salt and pepper to taste

1 lb dried pasta, cooked according to directions 

1/2 C unsalted butter

6 large fresh sage leaves torn

1/4 C chopped, toasted hazelnuts or pinenuts (optional)

1/2 C  parmesan cheese freshly grated
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg

1. When squash is done, cool slightly, peel and cube.

2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, then drain well.

3. While the pasta is cooking, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it bubbles. Reduce heat to medium-low, then add sage, and a dash of salt. Cook, stirring frequently, 2 to 3 minutes.(Butter will begin to take on a golden hue.)

4. Add cubed squash to the skillet and cook until squash caramelizes slightly. Add nuts and stir to incorporate. Toss with cooked pasta and serve with Parmesan and nuts and top with a sprinkle of fresh nutmeg.

Note: The roasted squash cubes may start to break apart. Do not be alarmed. This will create a variety of textures in the finished dish.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Butternut Squash

My family favorite winter squash was always Acorn. But, my husband has always favored the Butternut variety....and, for once, after he persuaded me to start cooking it,  I have to agree with him. The deep orange flesh is naturally sweet and delicious. 
I am a huge fan of roasting pretty much every vegetable. It is my cooking method of choice in the winter as it warms up the house, takes no constant attention and is super easy.
Once roasted, the squash can be used in a number of ways - eaten just as is, or used with additional ingredients to create something more complex such as a soup, or accompaniment for pasta.

Basic Roasted Butternut Squash: 

Yes, while pre-peeled and pre-cubed squash can be picked up at most supermarkets, I prefer to deal with the whole thing myself. It really isn't all that difficult and you have a better handle on the safety of the preparation.

• Preheat oven to at least 350 degrees (although you could go as high as 400 depending on how quickly you want to roast the squash)
• Line a roasting pan with foil.
• Wash the squash and cut across into rather large pieces. Then, cut those in half length wise.
• Many will recommend that you peel the squash, but I find cooking then peeling makes this a much simpler process.
• From the "bulb" of the squash, remove the seeds and as much of the stringy part as you can with a spoon. 
• Place all of the pieces cut side down in the pan and add about a 1/4 cup of water.
• Cover pan with foil and place in hot oven. Roast at 350 for about 1 hour. Be sure to test for doneness at the 30 minute mark.  Squash is done when it can be easily pierced with a fork or skewer.
• Notes: at this point, it can be served deliciously with a pat of butter and if you really want to gild the lily, a sprinkle of brown sugar. Even the peel can be eaten on a tender enough squash.(Hello, Fiber!) Or, if you're doing some advance prep for meals later in the week, the cooked squash can be stored in the fridge for use in the next 2-3 days following cooking.

Happy Cooking!

sld

Pickled Beets

When I was a child, we would go to my maternal grandparents' house for Sunday "dinner". Being of German-American heritage, that meant that the big meal of the the day was served around 1 or 2 in the afternoon. The menu varied, but many times, regardless of what else was being served, my Grandma would put out a composed salad platter: shredded lettuce, sliced tomatoes, thinly sliced purple onions, etc and, if I was lucky, pickled beets. These quick pickles are so easy to do and a great way to use up any leftover oven-roasted beets this time of the year. They will stay in the fridge for about a month.

2-3 Cups of oven-roasted beets (if you don't have them, but still want the pickles, you can use a can of beets)
Equal parts (1:1:1) Apple Cider Vinegar(ACV), water, white sugar ( for 2-3 cups of beets, I used one cup of each)
2 whole cloves(or 1/4 tsp of ground cloves)
1 inch flake of cinnamon stick(or 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon)

In a saucepan that will hold the liquid, mix the water and vinegar and add the sugar, cloves and cinnamon. Bring to a boil over Med-High heat and boil 1-2 minutes until sugar is dissolved.

Slice the beets and place in a glass jar. Cool the pickling solution slightly, then pour over the beets in the jar.

That's it. Done. Cap and refrigerate at least 24 hours for best flavor.

Happy Cooking!
sld