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!!!!
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.
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.
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.
This one is all about the crunch, and perfect for a
casual dinner or your Thanksgiving meal.
Start by finely chopping a shallot and a couple of cloves of garlic
while you heat up some butter or extra virgin olive oil in a sauté pan. Shred your brussel sprouts by
holding the base of each sprout and carefully cut into 1/8 inch
slices. When you’re well on your way
sauté the shallot, garlic, and slivered almonds until they just begin to brown
then add the sprouts. They don’t take
long, five minutes tops, and be sure to flip a couple of times while
cooking. Before serving add salt and
pepper to taste along with a squeeze of lemon.
You could also serve it as a cold salad but don’t cook the brussel
sprouts, skip the shallot and garlic, toast the slivered almonds, and add a bit
of shaved parmesan.
Salmon is a great go to fish and serving it up as a
burger on a perfectly toasted bun is an easy way to change things up. You can chop everything by hand but it’s much
easier to use a Cuisinart. Start with
the green ends of some scallions, fresh ginger, and lemon juice, then run until
finely chopped. Add a pound of cut up
skinless salmon and pulse until coarsely ground. In a bowl combine the salmon mixture with a
lightly scrambled egg, a cup of breadcrumbs or panko, and salt and pepper. Form into patties and cook in a medium hot
frying pan with just enough oil to keep them from sticking. This time around I served them with some
grilled onions and cilantro pesto but nearly anything goes, a caper mayonnaise,
aioli, some hoisin or Sriracha sauce, or simply lettuce and tomato.
What I love
about a puttanesca sauce, besides being an extraordinary combination of
flavors, is that the ingredients are all in the pantry or the fridge…or at
least should be. While you bring your
salted pasta pot to a boil sauté four chopped garlic cloves and a healthy pinch
of dried chili flakes in some extra virgin olive oil. When the garlic starts to brown add three to
four anchovy filets or a generous squeeze of anchovy paste, and stir until
“melted.” Next, add three tablespoons of
capers, some chopped kalamata or cured olives, and after a few minutes, your
favorite marinara sauce. Let simmer,
then toss with your drained pasta and top with some grated parmesan and serve. I highly recommend including the anchovies,
but if you’re not willing to give them a chance it’s still pretty good without
them.
For me I
find the easiest ways to cook beets is to peel them with a knife and roast
them, no need to scorch your fingertips peeling boiled beets. Preheat your oven to 375 while you cut off
the ends, peel, and cube your beets and toss them with a little bit of oil and
place them in your roasting pan. While
they’re cooking toast a handful of pine nuts in a medium hot sauté pan until
golden, no need to oil the pan. You
could also toast them on a sheet of tin foil, either way be careful not to burn
them. Give your beets a toss after
twenty minutes and test with a knife after forty, they should be soft. Mix in some chopped scallions, maybe a
squeeze of lemon, and leave in the oven for another ten minutes. Remove and top with crumbled feta before
serving.
It’s soup season and there’s still a lot of fresh local
veggies around. This one is all about
the leeks, quarter and slice at least six and sauté on medium low heat until
they’re very soft and mushy being careful not to let them brown. Add some chopped garlic, ground black pepper,
and a sliced carrot and sauté another five minutes before adding a pound of
ground turkey or pork and a few pinches of dried chili flakes. It’s best to break up the ground meat while
it’s cooking, about five minutes. Add a
cup of dried barley, stir around, and then fill up half the pot with water
before mixing in several tablespoons of condensed chicken stock, I prefer,
Better Than Bouillon. Bring to a boil
and let simmer for forty five minutes or until the barley is tender. Add some fresh shucked corn, or frozen if you
can’t find it, and when it starts to simmer add some more stock and salt to
taste. And there aren’t many soups that
won’t benefit from some grated parmesan over the top before serving.
The
turnips don’t get any sweeter than they are right now and together with the
garlic breadcrumbs make a great Fall side dish. Put a cup and a half of water
into a sauté pan with a dash of salt and sugar and while its heating peel and
wedge your turnips. Add the turnips to
the simmering water and let cook covered for five minutes, then uncovered until
the water has evaporated and they’re tender, another fifteen minutes or so. Follow with a quarter stick of butter and sauté
over medium heat for another five minutes.
In a separate pan heat some extra virgin olive oil and add a chopped
garlic clove, after a minute add a half a cup of breadcrumbs and with a spatula
stir well so the oil is evenly absorbed.
Before serving add the breadcrumbs to your turnips and mix well. This preparation would also be great for
parsnips, leeks, or fennel.
Vermont honey and Sriracha, an unlikely combination but
the perfect two minute sauce for anything fried. And this time of year eggplant is a great way
to go…peeling isn’t necessary but salting is.
Slice and salt each piece and let sit for at least five minutes before
patting off the bitter juices that appear with a paper towel. While your oil is heating, a 1/16 to an 1/8
of an inch is all that’s required, prepare three bowls for breading, flour,
eggs, and panko or breadcrumbs. In that
order bread each piece of eggplant before placing in the hot oil for about
three to four minutes a side then set on a brown paper bag to drain. For the sauce stir the Sriracha or your
favorite hot sauce into the honey and form a puddle on the bottom of your serving
plate. Place the eggplant slices in the
puddle, salt and serve. In this case I
added some crumbled blue cheese and chopped arugula but the dish is very tasty
on its own. Note that you can fry your
eggplant ahead of time and reheat them in the oven before serving.
It’s
October and the tomatoes are still coming.
They’re not as sweet as they were a month ago but with a little heat
they still have the power to Wow! I
threw last nights’ crop of Sun Golds into a sauté pan for about seven minutes with
a little extra virgin olive oil and garlic.
Once they split I added some coarse salt and white pepper then served
them alongside a piece of chicken. They
would have been great tossed into a pasta with some olives, a risotto with some
arugula, or into a couscous with feta and scallions. I also could have easily turned them into a
great side by adding a can of white beans.
The oven works just as well, especially for larger tomatoes. Cut them in half, toss in a little olive and
salt and place them on a baking sheet for an hour at 350. They won’t be around for long, get them while
they’re hot.
