Brined Turkey Thighs

Where has brining been all my life?  I only got turned onto it a couple of years ago and can’t believe I’ve lived so long without it, it guarantees you moist and flavorful poultry every time.  In a large pot add a cup each of sugar and salt to a quart of water and boil until both are dissolved, remove from heat and if you like add some red pepper flakes, chopped onion, celery, or fennel seeds then fill the pot with cold water and cool.  In this case I submerged two skinless turkey thighs in the brine overnight but it works the same for a whole chicken or turkey although a larger vessel such as a cooler may be necessary.  After removing from the brine pat dry with paper towels and cook as you would normally.  Plan ahead, it’s worth it.

Fresh Pasta

Fresh pasta is such a treat and much easier than you think, you don’t even need a machine.  Mound four cups of all-purpose flour on a wooden surface, make a well in the middle and add four whole eggs, a splash of extra virgin olive oil and a half teaspoon of kosher salt.  Beat the eggs with a fork as you slowly incorporate the flour from the sides of the well careful to maintain the form by pushing up more flour from the bottom of the mound.  The dough will come together when about half the flour has been incorporated.  At this point knead the dough with the palms of your hands for about five minutes, cleaning and redusting your surface with flour if necessary.  When it’s elastic and just a little sticky wrap it in plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for at least twenty minutes.  On a clean freshly floured surface cut your dough ball into quarters and roll as thin as possible with a rolling pin or empty wine bottle before cutting into your desired shape with a butter knife.  It can sit for minutes or hours while you prepare your sauce and unlike dry pasta only takes minutes to cook. 

Beet, Fennel, and Orange Salad

The warmer temps this week had me thinking salads instead of stews for a change, and even though it may have been a bit premature it is the best time of year to eat oranges.  Step 1, peel and boil or boil and peel four large beets and let cool before cutting them into bite size pieces.  Step 2, take off the rough outer leaves and thinly slice one fennel bulb.  Step 3, peel or cut away the skin with a knife from two oranges before cutting them into chunks.  Step 4, chop a handful of fresh mint.  Step 5, combine all with your best extra virgin olive oil, white balsamic vinegar, and kosher salt.  Step 6, think spring…we’re over the hump.

New England Clam Chowder

I’ve been making this clam chowder recipe for years and while it may not be as good as the chowder at the hostel it’s pretty darn close.  It’s adapted from the award winning Venus De Milo recipe and only takes an hour to make…perfect for Super Bowl Sunday.  Peel and dice two Idaho baking potatoes and submerge in cold water while you mince half an onion, two celery stalks, and two garlic cloves.  While you heat 1 ½ cups of clam juice pull your other ingredients:  5 cups of clams, 4 ounces of butter, ½ cup of flour, 2 ½ cups of light cream or a mixture of milk and heavy cream, 2 teaspoons of black pepper and some fresh dill.  When you’re ready to go drain the potatoes and boil them in the clam stock until tender, then add the chopped clams and turn down the heat to low.  Heat up the butter in a large soup pot and sauté the onion, celery and garlic until the onions are translucent.  Stir in your flour to make a roux and leave on low heat for a few minutes before adding a cup of the clam stock and whisking until smooth.  Add the remaining stock along with the potatoes and clams and bring to a simmer before adding the cream, pepper, and several tablespoons of fresh dill.  Salt to taste and don’t forget the oyster crackers.

Cheesy Grits

Might as well have a great breakfast as long as there aren’t a lot of reasons to hit the trail early these days in Vermont…and these grits will make you glad you did.  After all, is anything with lots of cheese and butter ever bad?  Whisk a cup of grits and a teaspoon of salt into four cups of boiling water and simmer gently for approximately 30 minutes.  While that’s going grate a cup of sharp cheddar along with a quarter cup of parmesan and set aside with three tablespoons of butter and a teaspoon of freshly grated black pepper.  Crisp up your Andouille or sausage of choice and when your grits are ready remove from the heat and stir in the cheese, butter and pepper along with a few shakes of tabasco sauce.  Fry the eggs in butter on low heat in a covered pan making sure to keep the yolks runny. While they’re cooking plate your grits so you’re ready to go when the eggs are done and serve all with your hot sauce of choice and enjoy. These grits are well worth the mess for breakfast or dinner.

Roast Cauliflower with Parmesan

I’m always surprised by how much family and friends love this dish given how simple it is to prepare, I really have to remember to make it more often.  Preheat your oven to 400 while cutting your cauliflower into individual florets.  Toss with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, kosher salt, and pepper then arrange in a single layer in a large oven proof baking dish.  Bake for 30 minutes, flip the florets so they brown evenly, bake for another 20, then grate some parmesan over the top and bake for ten more.  That’s it…you see what I mean.  Leftovers are great the next day in an omelet or salad too.

Grilled Pork Chops in a White Bean Clam Broth

When life gets busy there aren’t many things quite as easy to prepare as grilling a piece of meat or chicken, but with just a smidge more effort you could make it a lot more than ordinary.  Before grilling my salt and smoked paprika dusted pork chops I sautéed some chorizo in a small pot, you could also use bacon or sausage…nearly any pork will do, but the tastier the pork the tastier the broth.  Once fully cooked I added a chopped shallot and kale, and after five minutes a bottle of clam juice and a can of white northern beans.  While that simmered I grilled my pork chops as usual and served them with a ladle full of the bean mixture right over the top.  I recommend instead of a bottle of clam juice you keep a jar of Better than Bouillon clam stock on the door of the fridge for times like this, it lasts for months. 

Tenderloin with Pancetta Kale Pesto

New Year’s is a great excuse to dig out the barbeque and get a little decadent with some fried cured pork spooned over a thick slice of tenderloin.  Begin by frying up a few chopped up ¼” inch slices of pancetta or bacon until lightly crisped, cool down and mince them in the Cuisinart along with a few cloves of garlic and a half teaspoon of kosher salt. Devein and blanch a quarter bunch of kale and thoroughly squeeze the water out before adding to the Cuisinart with the pancetta mixture.  While running drizzle in some extra virgin olive oil until it starts to form a slightly runny paste, then salt and pepper to taste.  For the tenderloin get your barbeque as hot as possible, lightly coat your meat with kosher salt and black pepper and throw it on the grill for a few minutes until seared.  Flip, give it a couple of minutes, then turn off all of the burners except for the one furthest from the meat so it roasts at approximately 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes.  Set a timer, use a meat thermometer or cut it open, whatever it takes, you don’t want to end the year by overcooking your tenderloin.  Slice and serve with the room temperature pancetta kale mixture over the top.  See you in 2014…have a happy one!

What's in Your Pantry?

After writing this blog for more than two years I thought it was high time to go through my pantry, cupboards, and fridge and create a list of my go to ingredients, those nearly non-perishable things I always have on hand that make spending less time at the stove and more time at the table a whole lot easier. I’m a condiment junky so it’s not nearly a complete list, but in order of frequency of use here it is:  Everyday extra virgin olive oil as well as a nicer one for drizzling, kosher salt, fresh ground pepper, garlic, shallots, onions, Better Than Bouillon chicken stock, regular and white balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, Sriracha, chili flakes, parmesan, marinara sauce, sugar, fine salt, eggs, pasta, potatoes, rice, grains, canned beans, Kalamata olives, cheddar cheese, scallions, cabbage, lemons, corn tortillas, anchovy paste, panko, rice wine vinegar, flour, meat marinade, bbq sauce, curry paste, vegetable oil, ketchup, Dijon, honey, smoked paprika, maple syrup, cumin, chili powder, kimchi, feta, pecorino, couscous, capers, carrots, fresh ginger, a jalapeno, butter, salsa, nuts, bacon, clam stock, and Far East Rice Pilaf…we love that stuff.  Treat yourself or make your favorite cook’s holiday special with a nice bottle of olive oil or a tube of anchovy paste.  Have a happy one!!!!

Poached Cod and Vegetables in a Five Spice Broth

This is the kind of light meal you could eat all the time, and one of the easiest ways to prepare cod or any other firm white fish.  In a bowl mix together 2 cups of fish or chicken stock, a generous splash of soy sauce, a squirt of sesame oil, a tablespoon of sugar, and a teaspoon of five spice powder.  In a large pot with a little vegetable oil sauté some Chinese vegetables such as carrots, scallions, bok choy, cabbage, or spinach as well as some fresh garlic or ginger until soft, about two minutes.  Add the stock mixture, season a pound of cod with salt and pepper, and once the liquid starts to simmer lay the filets on top of the veggies and cover.  Immediately turn down the heat and cook for 4 to 5 minutes.  It’s a great dish served in a bowl on its own or over rice or noodles. 

Gravlax with Mustard Dill Sauce

It’s officially the holiday party season and whether you’re hosting or pot lucking Gravlax is one of my favorite appetizers and rates very high on the way easy to prepare scale.  It’s important to start with two pounds of the freshest salmon available and the wide center cuts work best.  Cut your filet into two equal pieces then find a straight sided dish that is just slightly larger than one of your filets.  You’ll also need a piece of wood or hardcover book that is smaller than the circumference of the dish, and something heavy that will balance on top such as a brick or large can.  Place one of your pieces of salmon in the bottom of the dish skin side down, trickle with a cap full of gin then cover completely with a quarter cup each of salt and sugar and a bunch of fresh dill.  Spread equal amounts of salt and sugar on the second filet and lay it on top creating a sort of salmon sandwich with the thinner belly ends of each on opposite sides so it’s a snug fit.  Cover with saran wrap, weight it down with your plank and heavy object, then put it in the fridge for three days flipping every 12 hours.  Slice thin and serve with a sweet mustard sauce made up of creme fraiche, honey mustard, chopped fresh dill and a squeeze of lemon or champagne vinegar. 
 

 

Potato Latkes

It’s potato latkes for Thanksgiving this year, and not only because it’s Hanukah…but because they’re really good.  While they’re is nothing like a crispy latke right out of the hot oil, because of the logistics of putting out a huge holiday meal it is possible to fry them beforehand and reheat uncovered in the oven before serving.  Start by heating up a quarter inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet before peeling six baking potatoes, enough for 20 latkes.  Using a hand grater or Cuisinart coarsely grate the potatoes along with an onion and carrot before stirring together with a third of a cup of flour, three lightly scrambled eggs, a tablespoon of salt, and teaspoon of black pepper.  When your oil is hot take a quarter cup of the mixture with a slotted spoon and squeeze out as much water as you can using the palm of your hand before sliding the flattened mixture into the oil.  Cook two to three minutes per side until golden brown then transfer to a paper bag to drain.  Serve with sour cream.  And one more thing, don’t forget to turn your exhaust fan on high.