Grilled Mexican Corn

It’s a grillin’ weekend and these charred corn on the cobs with chili and lime will compliment anything you’re putting on the grill. Mix together a small container of crème fraiche with the juice of half a lime, a teaspoon of chipotle or ancho chile powder, and a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt. It’s best if you prepare this at least an hour or two ahead of time for maximum flavor then chill.

After husking six to eight corns rub with a little bit of olive oil and kosher salt and grill over high heat until they’re charred evenly on all sides. It would also work with boiled corn but of course it wouldn’t be as good. To serve simply douse the hot corn with the chipotle mixture and top with a handful of chopped cilantro. Double dipping is encouraged. Summer has begun!

Grilled Pork Chops with Sauerkraut

I don’t often reach for the sauerkraut but it turned out to be an easy way to make a barbequed pork chop into something more than ordinary. While you’re waiting for your grill to heat up sauté a chopped onion and a teaspoon of caraway seeds in a bit of oil for about five minutes or until the onion starts to brown. Add a couple cups of drained sauerkraut and ¾ of a cup of apple cider, cover, and simmer while you barbeque the pork chops. By the time you’re through grilling the sauerkraut mixture will be ready to go, simply top and serve.

Spaghetti with Cauliflower Pesto

Here’s a cauliflower dish you’ve probably never tried, I never had until I came across this recipe from Mario Batali. Cut a small head of cauliflower into florets then pulse into breadcrumb sized pieces in a food processor and set aside. Next into the processor put a half a cup of walnuts, a tin of anchovies oil and all, two cloves of garlic, a bunch of flat leaf parsley, a chopped jalapeno, and a quarter cup of extra virgin olive oil. Pulse until it’s formed a paste, add a quarter cup of Parmesan, pulse again quickly, then combine with the cauliflower in a large bowl.

Once you have your spaghetti boiling add some olive oil to a large pan over medium heat and cook the cauliflower mixture for 6 to 8 minutes stirring often. Before draining your pasta reserve a couple of cups of water, then drain and combine the spaghetti with your pesto adding the pasta water as needed to loosen the sauce. Serve with grated Parmesan.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Reading the news about the new owners of Country Creemees here in town got me thinking about summer, chocolate dipped creemees, and sweet potato fries. I don’t do much deep frying at home but these baked fries were pretty darn good.

Preheat your oven to 450 then line your sheet tray with parchment paper, they just don’t brown as well without it. Peeled or unpeeled, cut your sweet potatoes into quarter inch slices and toss in a large bowl with just enough oil to coat along with some salt, pepper, and paprika. Bake for approximately fifteen minutes, turn, and bake for another 10 minutes or until tender and golden brown.

Bunt Pan Chicken

If you’re looking for an easy fail proof method to roast a chicken this is it. The technique is basically an indoor version of a beer can chicken, without the beer. While not essential, for the crispiest skin it’s best to place the chicken uncovered in the fridge for an hour after rinsing and drying.

Preheat your oven to 450 and wrap the center column of your bunt pan with a piece of foil making sure to completely cover the hole. Brush your chicken with a little bit of olive oil and season with salt, pepper, and whatever other spices you’re working with such as granulated garlic, smoked paprika, or dried herbs. Stand the chicken up in the center of the pan by inserting the column into the cavity and roast for 45 minutes to an hour depending on the size of the bird. Rotate the pan 180 degrees halfway through. That’s it!

Crispy Macaroni and Cheese

For all of you out there that prefer the crunch over the goo, this baking sheet version of macaroni and cheese will make you very happy. It’s also a whole lot easier than a traditional mac and cheese that calls for a roux. I’ve adapted it from a recipe I saw on one of my favorite food web sites, Food52.

Preheat your oven to 475 while you boil a pound of pasta for six minutes, I recommend spirals as they provide the most surface area for maximum crunch. In a large bowl toss together 16 ounces of shredded sharp cheddar, an 1/8 of a teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and salt to taste. Drain the pasta and toss with the cheese mixture.

Using a stick of butter like a crayon grease a large rimmed baking sheet then spread the pasta mixture. Pour 2/3 of a cup of milk evenly over the top along with 8 ounces of shredded extra sharp cheddar and bake uncovered for twenty minutes, serve immediately. I’m not sure which was better, the mac and cheese the first night or leftovers the next night on top of my burger…truly decadent.

Fail Proof Aioli

Aioli is in a league with bacon and melted cheese, it just makes everything taste better. But I’m the first one to admit it can be temperamental and frustrating to make, or at least it used to be until I learned the fail proof aioli ingredient…a soft boiled egg. Bring a pot of water to a boil, gently place an egg in the pot, turn off the heat and cover. After eight minutes remove and submerge the egg in cold water.

In a mason jar combine the whole peeled egg along with two to three garlic cloves, the juice from a third of a lemon, a small dab of Dijon, and a third of a cup of extra virgin olive oil. Submerge a stick blender into the jar and in less than a minute on the high speed setting you have perfection. Salt and pepper to taste and refrigerate until needed. Now you’ll never hesitate to drizzle the garlicky goodness over mussels, vegetables, chicken, fish, steak, or your Passover matzo.

Curry Infused Turkey

Have you ever tenderized chicken or turkey with yogurt? Why not take it one step further and infuse some flavor while you’re at it.  This is just one of the great tips I picked up at a the cooking class we took on or Baked Beads' staff outing.

Combine some minced ginger, jalapeno, shallot and your favorite curry paste or powder with a cup of plain yogurt. Cut some boneless turkey or chicken breasts into two inch wide pieces, place them in a flat glass dish, coat with the yogurt mixture, then saran tight and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight if you have the time.

To cook transfer the meat into another pan and bake at 350 for twenty minutes or until they’re cooked through. They’re great on their own, with a bit of chutney, or chilled and diced up with some scallions, cilantro, mayonnaise, and a squeeze of lime.

Fried Rice

Fried rice is amazing for lots of reasons - it tastes good, it’s super satisfying as a main or side dish, it’s hard to mess up, you usually have the ingredients on hand, and it’s an easy way to use the leftovers or nearly questionable vegetables hanging out in your fridge. I always include a chopped onion and an egg, after that it’s a free for all.

If you don’t have any two day old cooked rice then prepare a cup and set it aside. Sauté the onion over medium heat in a large pan, pot, or wok with a bit of oil until it begins to brown followed by any other raw vegetables you’re using such as carrots, spinach, mushrooms, peas, celery, or scallions. After a few minutes add a scrambled egg breaking it into smaller pieces as it cooks. Any leftover chicken, beef, pork, or shrimp? Now’s the time to throw it in. Sesame seeds or chili flakes? Throw them in too.

When everything is warmed through add four tablespoons of soy sauce, a splash of water then the cooked rice. Cook for another five to ten minutes mixing occasionally so that the rice absorbs the soy sauce evenly.

Kale and Ricotta Salata

I like to think of ricotta salata as an Italian feta, and whether you’re serving ham or lamb on Easter Sunday this refreshing kale salad will be great with either. And it couldn’t be simpler, in a mason jar combine two minced scallions, a quarter teaspoon of kosher salt, and four parts extra virgin olive oil to one part fresh lemon juice then shake vigorously to emulsify. Crumble the ricotta salata into a large bowl of chopped kale then toss with enough dressing to coat well.

Raw Beet Salad

As far as annual food rituals go corned beef and cabbage on St. Patty’s Day is one of my favorites, but after all that fatty goodness I’m thinking vegetables for the rest of the week. This raw beet salad is more vinegar than oil so it really hits the spot when it comes to clean and crunchy.

Shred or julienne about a pound of peeled raw beets then toss with a minced shallot, a splash of olive oil, twice that of vinegar, a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper to taste. That’s it. If you’re looking for a bit more flavor try adding some rosemary, thyme, mint, or parsley.

Steak with Hearts of Palm Salad

Hearts of palm sounds old school but when paired with some endive, bitter greens, scallion, and lemon juice it turns an ordinary steak into one of those dinners you don’t want to end. You can use a tenderloin or chuck eye steak, either way cut them in half-length wise and pound lightly until they’re about a quarter inch thick. Then salt and pepper and cook for about a minute per side in a very hot skillet.

For the salad coarsely chop a drained can of hearts of palm, an endive, a large handful of either arugula or watercress, and a few finely chopped scallions. Toss together with extra virgin olive oil, fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and serve piled high on top of your steaks.