Spanish Butterfly

When a whole bird’s backbone is removed so that it can lay flat for grilling or roasting it looks butterflied.  The term is actually spatchcocked and no amount of research provides a particularly interesting word derivation.  What is interesting is that the bird cooks faster, is easier for most to carve and makes a really pleasing presentation.

For a recent dinner we enjoyed a Spanish-influenced spatchcocked chicken.  Any of your favorite chicken seasonings are just as good and you can even place the bird on a bed of bread stuffing for a more formal dinner.  I baste the chicken halfway through with the cooking juices then make a light gravy while the bird rests.  You can also toss quartered vegetables like potatoes, onion and carrots or fennel into the pan once the juices begin to collect.

The method is easiest if you use kitchen sheers.  (A sharp boning or chefs knife will also do the job.) 

Roasted Spatchcocked Chicken
Ingredients
1 whole chicken  3-5 pounds
1/2 lemon, quartered
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon each salt, pepper, smoked Spanish paprika

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375˚F.  While the oven preheats, prepare the chicken for roasting.  
2. Turn the bird on its breast and, working from the cavity end,  cut down each side of the back bone.  Open up the bird so that the inner breastbone is exposed.  
3. If the bird is over 4 pounds, consider removing the sternum to allow the breast to lay completely flat.  Simply cut a sliver into each side of the bone and remove it and attached cartiledge.   (A smaller, younger chicken will have a more flexible sternum and may not need removal.  This is optional even for a larger bird.)  
4. Squeeze a lemon quarter on each side of the bird followed by the olive oil.  Finally rub with the salt, pepper and paprika.  Place chicken directly on a large rimmed roasting pan.  (A flat rack is optional.)  
5. Roast chicken 15-20 minutes per pound until the internal temperature reaches 165˚F.   (A four-pound chicken can take under an hour so keep an eye on it.)  Remove the chicken from the oven and allow it to rest 10-15 minutes before carving or cutting into parts.  During this time the temperature will increase to 170˚F and juices will be reabsorbed to provide a moist yet thoroughly cooked chicken.

Serve the Spanish chicken with a sprinkling of fresh parsley and lemon wedges to squeeze over the meat.

Tomorrow: The remains of a whole bird give you the fixings for soup.  You can even roast the backbone alongside the bird for extra deep flavor.

Bring Back the Twist

It is rare these days to order a drink with a twist of lemon or lime and get a real twist.  Usually, the drink arrives with a tiny wedge of peel, pith and juicy segment smushed to the side of the glass.  A real twist is all about the oils of the fruit’s skin and with the right tool (or even a vegetable peeler and a little technique) it is not hard to get this essence of citrus into a drink (or a food recipe). 

Watch closely for the tiny spray of lemon oil bursting from a twisted yellow peel into a very dry martini and breathe in through your nose to capture the lemony essence.  You’ll actually be able to see little pools of lemon oil on the surface of your drink.  And taste it on your lips.  That’s what a twist of lemon is meant to be. 

To easily procure a twist of lemon (or lime) use a zester.  Even if you are not a foodie who collects kitchen gadgets, this is an inexpensive tool that you will use every week, perhaps even several times a week, once you own one.  Not only will you get more bang for your lemon bucks since you will use more of the fruit, you’ll enjoy the impact of the pure citrus taste the peel brings.   For today try peeling a lemon using a vegetable peeler. Don’t dig too deep; back off when you see any of the white pith under your blade.  By the time you have cut the peel away from an entire lemon, you will be quite adept. 

Before I owned a zester, I used to finely slice the peeled peel and use it as zest in fruit salads.  A zester has two cutting surfaces and allows you to perform two useful functions: 1) pull a twist of citrus and 2) shred the peel for use in fruit salads, poultry marinades and rubs, salad dressings, baked goods and more (much like a microplaner).  Anywhere you would use a little citrus flavor is fitting for the flavorful oils that burrow in the peel.  This is pure flavor.

Always zest before cutting into the fruit.  It is easier to apply a bit of pressure on an uncut piece of citrus.  You’ll find many uses on your own.  Here are few ideas to get you started:

 
House Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Zest an entire lemon and mix with equal parts cracked black pepper. (Salt is optional.)  This is a terrific seasoning for chicken.

Lemon Vodka
Fill a pint jar or bottle with a screw top with plain vodka.  Add lemon peel (twists) and close.  Store in a cool dark spot for 3 weeks.  Enjoy lemon vodka in martinis. Bloody Marys or with tonic.

Lemon Marinated Olives
Ingredients
1 cup assorted olives- any combination, packed in brine.
Lemon peel from 1 lemon
2 teaspoon olive oil
1 spring fresh rosemary or thyme
optional: red pepper flakes)

Method

1. Preheat oven to 325˚F.  
2. Drain olives.  
3. Combine all ingredients in a foil-lined baking pan. Cover with more foil and bake 15-20 minutes.  

Olives may be eaten when cooled to room temperature or chilled for use in a few hours.  Olives keep, refrigerated, for up to 3 days.

Blackberry Maple Syrup

The pretty berry color "stains" the yogurt dolloped on buttermilk waffles.

The trees are tapped, the syrup is boiled down and a new batch of maple syrup is ready.  Maple syrup is an acquired taste, I’m told.  Raised on maple sugar candy I wouldn’t know.  It is one of life’s primal flavors for me. Just a teaspoon turns oatmeal, yogurt and well, pancakes and waffles into pure comfort food.  A few drops in the cavity of an acorn squash or in baked beans are more savory uses. (Add a little to canned baked beans with a touch of mustard to freshen up the flavor.)

For those who were not weaned on this northern nectar, the taste can be a bit strong.  This is especially true for those who’ve been served maple-flavored or some unknown-flavor pancake syrup.  We stumbled on a great way to get just a touch of maple on our waffles and lighten it up with fruit. 

In the microwave, warm up a cup of fresh blackberries with a tablespoon of maple syrup and dress your waffles with the warm fruit.  Leftover fruit can steep in a few ounces of maple syrup to yield an even more intense berry syrup in about a day.

Raspberries or strawberries are good this way too.  Blueberries get a little overwhelmed but if you love them, try these too.  You can even use frozen berries. 

Happy Spring.

Bleak Night Huevos Rancheros

When things get a bit desperate and the end of winter seems well out of sight, a flexible recipe for Huevos Rancheros makes surviving worth it.  A few beers don’t hurt either.

Huevos Rancheros are essentially nachos with an egg on top.  Within the basic layers lots of variation is possible making this one of those dishes that you can pull out of a hat.  The first time I ate this was in the Yucatan at a little restaurant inside the entrance to some Mayan ruins.  Our hotel had a nice restaurant but my friends and I learned quickly to hop the local VW bus (without a side door) to the ruins and eat desayuno with the workers.   The meal was simple and that’s been my inspiration since: eggs, cooked beans, salsa on a corn tortilla with a side of fried plaintains.  For this northern version, I substituted roasted turnip fries for plaintains.   Home fries made with white or blue potatoes are good here too.

Its all in the layers:
Base- corn tortilla (grilled pizza crust, even tortilla chips if desperate)
Beans- canned black low sodium cooked down with some oregano, cumin, salt, ground coriander
Salsa (purchased is fine but take a peak in your larder and get creative here)  chopped tomato, mild peppers, cilantro, olive oil, lime juice, smoked chili, onion, tomatillos can combine in many variations in a pinch to create a tempting salsa.
Fried eggs (poached if you feel like it)
Cheese (cheddar, queso fresco)
Garnishes; extra salsa. Scallions, black olives, jalepenos (pickled roasted), sour cream, cilantro, avocado

If you’d like a more formal recipe….

Huevos Rancheros Fonda del Yucatan
Serves 2
Ingredients
4 corn tortillas
Canola or vegetable oil
1 can low-sodium black beans
2 tablespoon fresh chopped cilantro
1/2 teaspoon each dried oregano, cumin, chipotle chili powder
1/4 teaspoon each ground coriander and salt
1/2 cup salsa (home made or store bought)
4 eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese
Garnishes and extras: sliced scallions, black olives, jalepenos (pickled or roasted), sour cream, cilantro, avocado

Method

1. For each serving, drizzle a little canola oil onto an oven proof dish (pie plates work well) and dip 2 corn tortillas in oil on both sides.  Place in a 400˚F oven to crisp while you prepare the remaining ingredients.  
2. Heat up a can of low-sodium black beans (no need to drain) and add cilantro, dried spices and salt.  Lower heat and continue to cook until juices are absorbed, stirring occasionally.  
3. Once beans are heated, fry eggs in a little olive oil.  Cook eggs “sunny side up” and remove from heat when whites are firm but yolks are still runny.  
4. While eggs are frying, assemble dishes.  Remove tortillas from oven and pile on beans followed by a bit of salsa then carefully transfer the eggs, one on each tortilla.  Sprinkle with cheese and return to hot oven to finish eggs and melt cheese.  
5. As soon as cheese has melted, remove pie plates from oven and transfer to warmed plates.  Place another spoonful of salsa on top of each egg and add garnishes to your liking.   

On the side—roasted turnip fries with smoked paprika (400˚F for 20 minutes).  You can dip them in ketchup but here they taste great dipped in the runny egg yolks and the sour cream.  They are nice cross between sweet potato fries and traditional fries from white potatoes and can be roasted while the tortillas crisp.

I found this fun rendition online.  Great idea to serve a crowd:
http://www.designeatplay.com/?p=482
Huevos Ranchero Pizza- very clever and communal too.

Elegant Life Leftovers: Salade Nicoise

We love leftovers around here but I notice that is not the case at every household.  I think two things make the difference.  First, I plan for leftovers and second, we have a gleeful attitude about them. 

For example one never hears the “Oh, leftovers,” drone in this house.  Leftovers to us mean really good food, already prepared, maybe served up with a new look, maybe not.  The work is done and all we need to do is reheat and enjoy (again). 

As with most slow-cooked meals, an encore of beef stew over rice instead of first-night noodles just gets better the second day.  Last night’s mac 'n cheese side dish takes center stage for a hot lunch with a little salad.  Maybe some cubed ham, roasted red peppers, extra hot sauce or chopped tomatoes make it taste a little different.  I know children don’t care if your work is done but you can overcome their comprehension problems by spending dinner prep time doing something nice with them instead.  On nights when we are serving leftovers and have little extra time, sometimes a baked dessert happens.  What kid could complain about that?

I think the real difference is that our leftovers are planned which is how they become “elegant life” leftovers rather than “what’s that growing in the back of the fridge” leftovers.   I always think of my French host mothers when I cook this way.  Everything tastes amazing and there is little waste.  From time to time I’ll share a few of our favorite planned leftovers in this blog under the banner “Elegant Life Leftovers” starting this week’s Salade Nicoise.

Last night’s baked chicken breasts with green beans and potatoes are the obvious base.  Make a few extra chicken breasts, green beans and potatoes and transform them into something new using roasted tomatoes and a bevy of pantry staples.  Roasting halved plum tomatoes concentrates their flavor and is a nice substitute until summer-ripened tomatoes are available.   I sprinkle them with Herbs de Provence, capers and a little olive oil to prep them for this salad.  Roast them with your chicken and cool them overnight with the rest of your salad leftover ingredients.

Every food writer reminds you that making a vinaigrette is easy and I submit this may be one of the big secrets to leftovers tasting fresher and better at our house. There is a customized recipe below that really suits this salad but if you must, use your favorite bottled salad dressing.  But really, think about making your own; you’ll have the extra 5 minutes.

Elegant Life Leftovers Salade Nicoise
2 breast halves serve 2 for a substantial salad or 4 as a lighter lunch salad.  Leftover tuna or salmon steak also makes a great salade nicoise. 

Ingredients
2 cooked chicken breasts halves, sliced
1 cup cooked green beans
4 cooked eastern potatoes, quartered
2 plum tomatoes- halved and roasted with Herbs de Provence*, capers, olive oil
1/2 small jar roasted red peppers, sliced
4 cups lettuce- bibb is lovely but use your favorite mix including mache, red leaf, oak, arugula, watercress
2 tablespoons black olives, drained (nicoise, kalamata or even plain canned black)
1 can/jar artichoke hearts, drained and quartered if large (marinated or unmarinated)
1 hard boiled egg, quartered
Extras: leftover roasted asparagus or zucchini, fresh dill or parsley, canned white beans, anchovies, button mushrooms, sliced radishes, etc

Method

1. On flat plates, arrange lettuce leaves to cover plate.  Make a “composed” rather than tossed salad by laying out the remaining salad elements in their own beds.  
2. Place the chicken in the center and arrange the other ingredients around the chicken.  
3. Place like colors (tomatoes, red peppers) at opposite sides of the plate and fill in with green beans, light green artichokes and green herbs then add another color: creamy potatoes and beans. Accent with dark black olives, rosy-rimmed radishes and hard boiled egg. 

*Herbs de Provence usually includes dried herbs like thyme, rosemary, margoram and even lavender.  Like most regional herb mixtures there are variations.  You can use any similar combination like thyme, oregano and rosemary or thyme, oregano, black pepper and fresh parsley.

La Vinaigrette
Ingredients
Juice of one large lemon (or 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar)
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 ounces good olive oil (extra virgin or mixed)
2 teaspoons capers, slightly crushed
salt & pepper

Method

1. Mix lemon juice and mustard together and slowly whisk in oil to form a thick emulsion.  
2. Add capers, salt and pepper and serve immediately. 

You Can't Say Prune

The winner of the fruit re-brand of the decade has to be the prune.  Now cleverly packaged in a single snack portion as a dried plum, the marketing team, like Jack Horner, can pat themselves on the back for pulling out a plum from the sales pie chart.*  I laugh but admire the effort and more, the success of turning this little stone fruit’s dried version from withered, back cabinet stalwart to the juicy darling of backpacks everywhere. 

Having gotten over our fear of dried prunes, I propose we take a second look at the jarred prune.  Drained of its syrup, its wonderful mixed in hot and cold cereals and on yogurt with some wheat germ.   However, its real calling in life is in sauces for pork, lamb and chicken.  Sauces can make a fast meal more satisfying and this low fat, high fiber sauce tastes delicious.  And if you are having company, this sauce is “restaurant level” and can be prepared in minutes while an elegant pork loin finishes roasting in the oven.

Port Wine Prune-er-Plum Sauce
Makes about a cup.
5-6 prunes in syrup, drained
3 oz beef broth
4 oz port wine
1 teaspoon unsalted butter
salt and pepper

1. Remove pits from prunes and dice.  
2. Combine with broth and wine in a small saucepan and heat over medium heat until bubbling.  Lower heat and cook 2-3 minutes until sauce has thickened.  
3. Remove from heat and stir in 1 teaspoon (small pat) cold butter. Taste and add salt and pepper.  
4. Add a bit more sweet wine if sauce tastes too beefy.  This is a lightly sweet/savory sauce. 

Note: Red wine with a 1/2 teaspoon of honey or Madeira can be used if there is no port in the house.



Roast Pork Loin
2 pounds will serve four with a nice amount of leftovers for sandwiches or a stir fry.  Double the recipe for a 4-pound roast.
Rub:
1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme, basil, oregano, rosemary, savory, black pepper, salt. 
1/2 teaspoon each Dijon mustard and olive oil

1. Mix herbs with Dijon mustard and olive oil to form a paste.  Rub over top and sides of loin.  
2. Roast in a preheated oven at 450˚F for 10 minutes.  
3. Without opening oven door, lower temperature to  325˚F and roast 40-50 minutes until internal temp of 155˚F (150˚F if you like the meat a bit pink).  Rest 15 minutes covered before slicing. 

Serve slices of pork loin with Port Wine Prune-er-Plum Sauce.
 


*Little Jack Horner
Little Jack Horner
Sat in the corner,
Eating a Christmas pie;
He put in his thumb,
And pulled out a plum,
And said 'What a good boy am I!

I. Opie and P. Opie, The Oxford Dictionary of Nursery Rhymes ,Oxford University Press, 1951

Sweet Potato Black Beans and Rice

We did not grow up eating fresh sweet potatoes.  The canned variety made an annual appearance under a blanket of bronzed marshmallows at Thanksgiving and not a year went by without leaving me in culinary confusion. What was dessert doing next to my mashed potatoes and stuffing?  (We called it stuffing back then because it was stuffed in the bird.  Now we bake stuffing separately but can’t remember to call it dressing.) Yes, I know the cranberry sauce is sweet too but that is an accompaniment, not a dish of its own. 

The years passed and we all moved around a bit.  Some of my family landed in Kentucky and then North Carolina where sweet potatoes were part of the food vernacular, not reserved for November only.  So when at last fresh sweet potatoes started showing up at our northern supermarkets, we got busy baking them.  We love the small ones that we pierce with a turkey skewer and bake at 400˚F until the flesh just under the skin begins to caramelize.  Lots of black pepper and a touch of salt and butter make this our favorite pork side dish. 

I’ve been impressed by how well sweet potatoes go with all kinds of cuisines.   One of my favorites is a variation on Latin cuisine’s beans and rice.  Sweet potatoes cooked with black beans and tomatoes make a sublime combination.  One of the keys to this dish is cooking the sweet potatoes in the juice from the tomatoes.  It seems to bring up some essential flavor common to both ingredients and creates a tasty match with the beans and spices including Spanish smoked sweet paprika. This is a year-round meal because it can be made from (low-sodium) canned beans and tomatoes and fresh sweet potatoes from the pantry. 

Sweet Potato Black Beans with Rice
Yield: About 3 cups (3 main dish servings, 5-6 side servings)

Ingredients
1 large or 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced (1/2” cubes)
1 14-oz can low-sodium tomatoes
1 14-oz can low-sodium black beans
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika (look for a variety from Spain)
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4-1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup freshly chopped cilantro
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
Optional: hot sauce to taste
2 cups cooked brown rice


Method

1. Place diced sweet potatoes in a microwavable container with the juice from the canned tomatoes.   Microwave, covered with several small vents , for 4-5 minutes until potatoes are fork tender.  
2. Meanwhile, roughly chop tomatoes and drain beans.  Place tomatoes and beans in a saucepan and add oregano, cumin and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium high heat then lower heat and stir to cook bean and tomato mixture down.  
3. When most of the liquid has evaporated, stir in cooked sweet potatoes and remove from heat.  Add chopped cilantro, pumpkin seeds and hot sauce.  (Sweet potato mixture can be set aside at this point, covered and refrigerated for use within the next 2 days.)
4. Serve perfectly plain over cooked rice with a warm whole wheat flour tortilla or top with extra cilantro, chopped black olives, pickled jalapeños, queso fresco and sour cream.

Note: This recipe is being submitted to the North Carolina Sweet Potatoes Commission Bloggers Contest.

Noodling Around

I used to watch my (great) Aunt Emma make egg noodles.  There was a recipe but it was in her head because, ”It is too easy to write down.”

So I watched and tried to figure it out.  I was seven the first time I saw her make them.  I saw her build a mound of (unmeasured) flour on a wood cutting board and carve out a crater in the center.  I watched her break whole eggs into the crater. Number, unknown.  I think salt arrived around this time. Perhaps a little water too. Again, unmeasured.  She gathered the ingredients up in her strong and boney hands and kneaded a few times.  She rolled the noodle dough out too an impossibly thin and flexible sheet.  She used the tines of a fork to cut thin noodles.  The fork gave her an even cut. The noodles rested on a checkered dishtowel until they were dry enough to add to homemade chicken soup.  I’ve eaten many egg noodles.  Packages ones are not bad.  Yet none tasted like these, slightly uneven in length and so soft and light.  

I’ve never made noodles on my own.  I look at pasta machines and think I will get to that one day.  I look at recipes for noodles, with and without eggs, and know they are not hard to make, especially for a person who has watched my expert aunt.  Still, the quantities seem large and we are a small household so I held off.  I’m not looking for big projects these days. 

Today I found myself with two leftover egg yolks.  I’d just been reading a book of Amish recipes and the one for noodles was easily divisible for the number of egg yolks I had.  I also liked the instructions for rolling out and drying the homemade noodles without a pasta machine.  It did not look like a big deal.  And it wasn’t.

It took no time to combine the four ingredients and roll out the dough to a pretty thin sheet.  Practice will result in thinner sheets in the future.  With the recipe cut down to 1/3, I knew the rolling would be manageable and I’d have just enough noodles for a main course for two.  The sheet of dough dried on a dishtowel for about an hour, turned over once, before I placed it on a cutting board and cut it into thin strips with a pizza cutter.  I used ruler to help guide my hand.  Even though they’d been left to dry for a bit, the noodles were closer to fresh noodles so I boiled them just 2-3 minutes, tasting several as the moments passed.  With homemade noodles, you can really appreciate the al dente stage. 

Although my noodles were much thicker than my aunt’s, there were tender and light.  We ate them in a lemony-sage stewing broth from thinly sliced pork chops.  The texture of the noodles reminded me of the kind of noodle I’ve eaten in Japanese soups.  Pleasantly (but not too) chewy and really flavorful from absorbed broth. 

If we hadn’t eaten all the noodles, I could have dried the uncooked ones completely and stored them in an airtight container for another night or put them in the freezer in single serving mounds.  Next time I’ll try a full recipe.  And one where I get to build a crater for the eggs. 

Homemade Noodles for Two
Adapted from The Best of Amish Cooking by Plyllis Pellman Good, published 1988

Ingredients
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons water
3/4-1 cup flour
large pinch salt

Method

1. In a medium bowl, combine the egg yolks and water with a fork until completely mixed. Add salt and most of the flour.  
2. Mix, first with the fork and then with your hands, to create a stiff but still flexible dough.  Add more flour as needed, a tablespoon as a time.  If the dough is too dry, add a tablespoon of water.  
3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured cutting board and roll out into as thin a sheet as possible. Turn the dough over as needed and sprinkle on a bit more flour to keep it form sticking.  Now try rolling it even thinner.  
4. Slide the thin sheet onto a dishtowel to dry for an hour, turning once.  (If towel becomes too damp, replace it.)  
5. Once dough is dry to the touch, cut thin strips using a knife, pastry or pizza cutter.  There are also multi-blade pasta cutters for noodles.  (If you have one, you are already more experienced than anyone else trying this recipe.)
6. To eat the noodles right away, place them in salted boiling water for 2-3 minutes.  Taste them for the desired consistency.  The thinness of your rolled out sheet of dough will determine how long the noodles take to cook. Drain and toss with your favorite sauce or a bit of butter and chopped parsley.  
7. To store, dry sliced noodles completely and store in an airtight container.  Cook dried noodles as above but for a few minutes longer, perhaps 7-9 minutes.  

Note: My mother recently reminded me that Emma, who frequently called me over while she cooked to show me the desired color, texture or shape of an ingredient, did not step into the kitchen until midlife when family circumstances required that she learn to cook in addition to her full time job.  One of my many cooking heroes, Emma demonstrated that cooking is a skill any of us can master when it is our time.

Winter's Summer Break

It’s still freezing and the wind has been blowing hard.  Many of us just need a summer moment away from the cold winter sun.  I’m proposing grilled burgers for dinner.  The grill has not blown away in recent storms so we can duck on and off the porch to get our charcoal chimney starter going. If your porch is too bitterly cold and blustery to brave, burgers can be flipped on a grill or iron skillet under the more gentle winds of a stove top fan.

A mid winter cook out deserves some really fresh flavors.  Most can be purchased pre-made but if your family has tired of arts and crafts, snow forts and snow angels, invite them inside to help prepare the sides and imagine it’s summer for an afternoon.  Some easy dishes that you’d normally pull out of a package or freezer are pickles, cole slaw and steak fries.  For the truly adventurous, you can even create your own “house” ketchup.  These are fun “projects” that will give your (younger and older) children a chance to see how easy real food is to make and what pure ingredients go into their summer favorites.  These recipes can all be made in the morning or early afternoon and enjoyed that evening.

One Hour Dill Pickle Spears
Select a marinating container that will cover the cucumber spears so that they are submerged while marinating.  Test containers by placing spears in the container and filling with 1 1/2 cups plain water.  Kirby cucumbers are the little ones (about 4-5 inches long and un-waxed.  If you cannot find Kirby’s substitute one English cucumber and cut into thirds and then into spears.  Do not use waxed cucumbers. 

Ingredients
4 Kirby cucumbers, unpeeled
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 teaspoon while coriander seed
1/2 teaspoon mustard seed (yellow or brown)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
2 tablespoons Kosher salt
1-2 tablespoons dried dill
1-2 garlic cloves- whole
4 tablespoons vinegar
1 1/2 cups water

Method

1. Wash the cucumbers thoroughly.  Rub wet cucumbers with a bit of salt to remove any specs of dirt.  Slice cucumbers into spears.
2. Place peppercorns, coriander, mustard and fennel seeds in a mortar and with pestle bruise and slightly break the seeds and peppercorns, just enough to release the flavors.  This does not take much effort and is a good kid project.  If you do not have a mortar and pestle (I pulled mine out of the back of a cabinet), you can coarsely grind the seeds in a mini food processor, spice/coffee grinder or even an emptied pepper mill. Don’t grind more than a few seconds.  A fun method closest to the results of a mortar and pestle and one that will get a few ice packed frustrations out is to place the spices in a plastic bag and go at it with a rolling pin.  Pass the pin around so everyone gets a chance.  
3. In the marinating container, toss the cucumber spears, salt and spices together using your hands to coat the spears.  Pour water and vinegar over spears.  Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before sampling.  The longer you marinate them, the more flavor they will draw in. These pickles will keep for 2-3 days. 

If you like pickles on your burger, this recipe works well with cucumber slices too. 

Recipe derived from Wicked Good Dinner’s Kosher-Style Dill Pickles
http://wickedgooddinner.blogspot.com/2010/05/kosher-style-dill-pickles-without.html

Cole Slaw
If you are in huge hurry and want to have the taste of cole slaw now, replace the cabbage with shredded lettuce—a combination of ice burg and green leaf is nice.  Combine with the rest of the ingredients and serve immediately.

Serves 4
1/2 head cabbage
1 tablespoon salt
1 carrot, peeled
1/3 cup celery leaves (the tops of stalks), loosely packed
2 tablespoons mayonnaise or plain yogurt
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
1-2 teaspoon sugar or honey
salt and pepper

Method

1. Thinly slice or shred cabbage.  Do this by slicing 1/2 head cabbage into 2 quarters.  Place the quarters down on the cutting board on one of the flat sides and make a diagonal cut to remove the thick stem.  Now slice to create thin strands. Place cabbage in a large bowl.  (Yes, you can buy the pre-shredded stuff but try it once from scratch.  It takes about 2 minutes to slice cabbage.) 
2. Grate carrot and add to bowl.  Add chopped celery leaves. 
3. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper.  Taste dressing and adjust for tartness (vinegar/lemon juice) sweetness (sugar/honey) and salt/pepper.  Add dressing to cabbage mixture and toss well.  
4. Let cole slaw marinate (wilting cabbage) for at least 3 hours before serving.  

Steak Fries
This method of cooking steak fries is fast and results in a steak fry that is crisp on the outside and creamy inside.

1 large baking potato per person
1-2 teaspoons olive or canola oil per potato
salt and pepper
optional seasoning suggestions (pick one): paprika, rosemary,

Method

1. Preheat oven to 425˚F and wash and scrub potatoes to remove any dirt.  Prick potatoes with a fork on one side and bake for about 20 minutes.  (Potatoes will not be cooked through; they finish cooking during the next stage.)  
2. Remove potatoes from oven with tongs to a cutting board.  Using tongs or a dishcloth to protect your hands from the heat, cut potatoes in half lengthwise.  Cut each half into 4-5 wedges.  
3. Place potato wedges on a rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil, salt and pepper.  
4. Return potatoes to 425˚F oven and bake 10-12 minutes longer turning once or twice.  If you are using one of the optional seasonings, sprinkle on as potatoes come out of oven.  Try to time these so they can be eaten immediately. 

House Ketchup
I’m happy to see brands like Heinz eliminating corn syrup from their bottled ketchup.  Recently I was trying to find one without anything but the basics added and decided to make one from scratch based on my favorite Spanish tomato dip used for patatas bravas.  Once I started looking for recipes I recalled I once worked for a natural food company in Vermont famous for its all truly wonderful, all natural ketchup, Uncle Dave’s.  No wonder this journey seemed familiar.  

Ketchup is very simple.  Get the basic ratios down then get inventive and make a version your family loves.  Many cookbooks have recipes.  I like one form Better Homes & Gardens magazine assistant food editor Madison Mayberry.  If you want to experiment with some bolder flavors, I recommend making a batch and dividing it in half.  Serve the simple batch to purists and stir in some extras to the remaining half. Offer the bolder version to your personal research and development team—friends and family.  You may have developed a winner.  

Basic Ketchup
1 cup tomato sauce (try to find one that is only tomatoes and low sodium)
1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Method

1. Mix the ingredients together in a small pot.  Cook over medium-low heat, stirring as needed, until sauce is cooked down a bit and thickened. This will take about 10 minutes. 
2. Variations and additions:  Use brown sugar instead of regular sugar.  Try different vinegars.  Add some spices (start with very small amounts): a pinch of ground cloves, celery seed, allspice, ground cinnamon, dry mustard, garlic, onion, cayenne pepper, smoked paprika, even dill or thyme. 
3. Pour ketchup into a bowl to cool slightly before spooning onto burgers and fries.

Summer will be back soon.

Apres Ski Cassoulet

A very simple version with smoked turkey thighs and frozen artichokes hearts.

It’s hearty, it’s elegant, it’s pure comfort food on a cold night.  And really, it’s just pork and beans at its best. This version combines a veggie version with a meat version so you get the most rich meal possible.  The recipe is forgiving because the must-haves list is short and the variations allow you to use what you have and what you like.  A crusty loaf of bread, a green salad and a hearty red wine keep things simple yet complete.  Bon appetit!

Cassoulet, the Easy Way
Serves 4, recipe may be doubled
Determine the meats you use by family preference. Provide a sampling of everything to amount to 1/4-1/3 pound meat per person (meat will cook down a bit) plus a cup+ of beans and vegetables.

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 crushed garlic clove
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
2 cans low-sodium white beans, drained
1 can chicken broth 1 teaspoon dried thyme (1 tablespoon fresh)
4-6 sun-dried tomatoes chopped (1/2 can tomatoes with  juice)
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt (less if using regular rather than low-sodium beans)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1-2 smoked turkey thighs or ham hocks (turkey preferred since it yields more meat, but your choice)
High quality pork sausage (chicken varieties can be substituted, try something new but not breakfast sausage)
Any of the following: thin pork chops (loin or shoulder, bone-in), duck confit, cooked ham chunks or slabs of pancetta, chicken (boneless, skinless chicken breast can be added part way through cooking if you have some picky eaters.)
Vegetable add-ins:
2 medium zucchini, sliced
1 can or package frozen artichoke hearts
1 cup green beans, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced

In a large heavy bottomed pot with cover, sauté the celery and onion in olive oil then add garlic and stir briefly to release oils, being careful not to burn.  Lower heat and add beans, broth, tomatoes and seasoning. Nestle remaining ingredients (meats and vegetables) into beans and cover pot. Let simmer on medium-low temperature until vegetables are tender, about 45 minutes. 
This is a good slow cooker meal.  Set it up before you hit the slopes and enjoy après ski.  It will stew for up to 8 hours on low or 4-6 on high. Place onion, celery, carrots and green beans on the bottom of the pot if using a slow cooker.

Bonus Meals: Leftover cassoulet can be turned into soup for lunch the next day.  Remove any leftover meat and chop into bite-sized pieces.  Puree a few ladlefuls of the remaining cassoulet and return to pot with cubed meat. Add additional broth- enough to make it the consistency of soup.  It also makes a great bean dip, once meat is removed.  Just cook down the remaining beans and vegetables until almost all liquid is absorbed then puree.  Taste and adjust for seasoning. A nice blend-in is soft goat cheese to give the dip some body. You may want to add salt, pepper or crushed garlic also.  Serve as an appetizer with sliced vegetables and warm chunks of bread or crackers.

Apple Brown Betty

It’s such an old fashioned dessert.  I could not remember the last time I had it but the remains of a baguette and a few apples in the fruit bowl beckoned….

The brown betty I came up with has the best qualities of cinnamon raisin bread and apple pie filling.  It bakes up like a bread pudding but without the cream and milk so it’s a lighter dessert.  We serve it with plain yogurt, the kind with a bit of cream on top. (We’re enjoying Seven Stars Farm brand these days.)  These plain yogurts are low in sugars plus they are real food. 

This dessert serves four.  It’s nice to bake Rum Raisin Apple Brown Betty in individual ramekins so that everyone has their own.  The ramekins also provide the perfect balance of crisp cinnamon bread to warm apple filling.  If you’d like to serve this in a large casserole, choose one that is relatively shallow.  This recipe doubles and triples easily. 

Rum Raisin Apple Brown Betty
Ingredients
2 large apples, firm baking variety like Granny Smith, Jonathan, Jonagold, Crispin
1 1/2 cups day old bread, 1/3-1/2" cubes
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup brown sugar, divided
salt
1 tablespoon rum
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2-3/4 cup raisins
1 tablespoon butter
4 oz water

Methods

1. Preheat the oven to 375˚F.  
2. Using half the butter, place a small pat of butter in each of the four ramekins.  
3. In a small bowl combine bread cubes, 1/2 the brown sugar and cinnamon.  Add a dash of salt and mix well using your fingers or a fork.  Set aside.
4. Peel, core and slice the apples.  Chop the apple slices into a rough chop so that the pieces will fit nicely into the dishes.  (If using one larger baking vessel, you can leave the apples in thin slices.)  Place apples in a small bowl and add rum, vanilla, raisins,, remaining brown sugar and another dash of salt.  Mix well. 
5. Layer half the bread mixture into the ramekins.  Divide the apple mixture in four and add to ramekins as next layer.  Top with remaining bread mixture.  Dot with bread cubes with remaining butter.  Pour an ounce of water into each ramekin.
6. Place ramekins in a shallow baking pan and cover entire top with tin foil. If you do not have a baking or roasting pan that fits all four ramekins, you can cover and bake them individually though the larger pan makes it easier to move vessels in and out of the oven.
7. Baked covered desserts 30 minutes at 375˚F until apples are cooked and soft.  Remove foil and cook another 10-15 minutes until betty’s are crisp on top and all the liquid is absorbed. 
8. Remove from oven and allow to cool 10 minutes before serving.  Serve with plain yogurt, freshly whipped cream or ice cream. 

Saturday Potato Corn Chowder

Fast and really warming, this soup can be ready by lunchtime after a morning of sledding with the family or –not again- clearing snow from driveway, cars, roof and walkways.  A hot bowl of chowder is just the thing.  And if you are snowed in, you probably have the ingredients for this recipe on hand.  I’ve been reading a cookbook based on old Amish recipes and this soup is a distillation of recipes from the potato and chicken-corn soups section.

Potato Corn Chowder
Serves 6

Ingredients
4 thin-skinned (eastern) potatoes
2 stalks of celery
2 cups water or chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
2 cups frozen corn
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt and large pinch black pepper
3-4 cups low-fat milk
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

Method

1. Peel and rough chop potatoes into 1/2 inch pieces.  Dice celery.   
2. Place potatoes and celery in a large pot with water or broth.   Bring to a boil then lower heat to medium and cook, partially covered, until potatoes are tender and easily mashed (about 10-12 minutes).  Stir occasionally to prevent potatoes from sticking to bottom of pot.  
3. Use a hand-help potato masher to create thin mashed potatoes.  (A immersion blender can be used as well but will create a less “rustic” result.)  
4. Stir in frozen corn, butter, salt, pepper and milk.  Cook over medium-high heat until corn is cooked through.  
5. Stir in parsley.  Serve plan or with hot sauce,  diced chicken, grated sharp cheddar cheese.  (Also nice with bread and cheese on the side.)

Last summer I bought corn in bulk at the farmers market.  The farm owners taught me to scrape and freeze the uncooked corn so I have plenty of frozen summer corn.  Commercially available frozen corn is fine here of course but check your farmers market next summer to find a farm that offers a similar deal.   Shucking and scraping 50 ears of corn was easier than you’d think and my neighbors made it a kids project. They were done in about an hour.