Tis the season of entertaining and I don’t think there’s
a tastier bang for the buck than a large section of roast pork loin. To impart the most flavor I have found no
better way than to smear it in a flavored salt and garlic paste 24 hours before
cooking. You can make the paste with a
lot of mincing but I recommend using your Cuisinart. Start with a head of garlic, a tablespoon or
two of kosher salt, and a splash of olive oil, you can add any additional
ingredients once it’s finely minced. For
pork I often add rosemary or shallots, fresh mint for lamb, and a hefty grind
of black pepper for beef tenderloin. The key is to cover the entire piece of
meat with the paste before wrapping it in saran and putting it in the fridge
overnight. The roast meat will be
amazing on its own but I often serve it with either a toned down version of the
paste, more of a pesto using some sort of greens, or something complimentary
such as an apple and onion chutney. And
if your entertaining all the work on this one is done ahead of time, just
remember to set the timer so you don’t overcook it.
A raw cabbage salad is so underrated despite its amazing
crunch, flavor, ease of preparation, and longevity in the veggie drawer. I often eat it shredded with just kosher salt
and extra virgin olive oil, sometimes a squeeze of lemon, but nearly as easy to jazz it up a
bit more. In this case in addition to the
salt and olive oil I tossed it with some chopped fresh mint, pistachios, lime
juice, and a generous sprinkle of my favorite Indian spice, garam masala. Just as easy with cucumber, tomato, kalamata olives, and crumbled feta. The point is, once you start eatting cabbage raw you’ll never be caught without
one in the fridge again.
After several days of sandwiches, turkey hash, and soup,
a week after Thanksgiving the last thing left in the fridge last night was a
nearly full bunch of parsley. Instead of
letting it sit there until it became one with the bag I opted for a parsley pesto. In a Cuisinart start by mincing two garlic
cloves and a teaspoon of kosher salt.
Add the washed parsley and a squeeze of lemon and while running drizzle
your best olive oil in through the top until it’s finally minced and runny. Add some grated parmesan, salt and pepper to
taste, pulse, and toss with some raw vegetables. It works especially well with mushrooms, this
time around I also threw in a diced red pepper and some drained canned artichoke
hearts in water.
There’s no better reason to keep a jar of chicken stock
concentrate on the fridge door than these rainy forty five degree days. For this Kale, sausage, and white bean soup I
started by sautéing a chopped onion for about ten minutes in a large pot before
adding my sliced sausage along with a chopped garlic clove. I used a D'artagnan Andouille sausage but a
chorizo or other spicy sausage would do just fine. When the sausage was nearly cooked through I
added my chopped kale, tossed until wilted,
then enough water to cover by at least an inch or two. Once boiling I added the concentrated chicken
stock a teaspoon full at a time, tasting in between so as not to overdo
it. Then it’s just a large can of
drained white beans, a small can of chopped tomatoes, simmer, and salt and
pepper to taste before serving. This
time around I dolloped it with a spoonful of arugula pesto and served with a
toasted cheezy baguette. Let it rain.
When I came across this garlic chicken recipe lately I
was skeptical but thankfully gave it a try, it’s amazingly rich and not at all
too garlicky. Start by seasoning your
cut up whole chicken or boneless thighs with salt and pepper and brown both
sides in a medium hot pan for about fifteen minutes. In the meantime peel two heads of
garlic…that’s right….two heads. After
removing the chicken from the pan brown the whole coves for about six minutes,
add a half cup of dry white wine or vermouth and let reduce by half, then add a
cup of chicken stock. You could use a
potato masher to break up the softened cloves but I found it easiest to pour
the garlic mixture in a bowl and use my stick blender. Once pureed add to a roasting pan with the
browned chicken and bake for twenty to thirty minutes.
I’m all about kimchi, this spicy fermented cabbage is
loaded with flavor, works for breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and lasts forever in
the fridge. And while the jars I see
in my market may seem pricey, trust me, it lasts a good long while…like
one of those sponges at the bank that just keep expanding. While I’ve been known to put it on everything
from hot dogs to sardines, my favorite application is on fish tacos. Cover the bottom of a frying pan with a thin
layer of oil and while that’s heating cut your tilapia, pollock or other firm
white fish into one inch strips, salt and pepper, and dust with flour. On low, heat up a second Teflon pan on low to
warm your soft corn tortillas, it just takes a few minutes of flipping. I love the thicker home styles brands. Pan fry your fish, place in the tortillas,
and top with kimchi, cilantro, and a slice of avocado. Chopped scallions and tomatoes are a nice
touch too. And of course your favorite
salsas and a pinch of kosher salt.
Caramelized onions make everything good but this
combination with Swiss Chard and garlic bread crumbs is memorable. Peel, halve, and slice a couple of yellow
onions and sauté over medium to high heat with butter or olive oil and a pinch
of sugar…scrape and turn often. While
those are cooking heat two peeled and squashed garlic cloves in a couple table
spoons of olive oil so the garlic flavors the oil, if you’re an anchovy fan a
couple of fillets work well with the garlic.
After a few minutes add a cup of dried bread crumbs and toss well so the
oil is absorbed before setting aside.
Add some more oil to the pan and sauté your washed, deveined, and
chopped Swiss Chard until it is soft.
Once the onions are browned add to the Chard, salt and pepper to taste,
and combine with the bread crumbs and cooked pasta of your choice….garnish with
some parmesan…a hearty and flavorful pasta, perfect for this time of year.
The cold nights are perfect for a big bowl of curry, and
while Delicata squash isn’t very traditional, it works nicely both for its
flavor and consistency. Wash, halve,
seed, and slice a few squash into 1/8 to ¼ inch slices, toss with a little oil
and salt and bake at 375 for half an hour with the skin on. In the meantime sauté a large chopped onion
in a pot until it begins to brown, then add two chopped garlic cloves and some
turkey burger if a veggie curry isn’t going to do it for you. After five minutes add your curry paste, a
cup of salted peanuts, and three cups of veggie or chicken stock, I prefer the Better
Than Bouillon paste that’s available locally. If you’re using curry powder stir that in with
the turkey burger in the previous step. Once
you add the squash it’s just a matter of letting it simmer for half an hour,
salt and hot sauce to taste, and some scallions for a dash of color. Works well served alongside a cold cabbage or
brussel sprout salad.
Saw this
tomato soup recipe in my most recent issue of Saveur, it epitomizes my mantra…less
time at the stove, more time at the table.
Core and quarter four tomatoes and place in a large bowl along with half
a chopped onion, a smashed garlic clove, a third of a baguette cut into large
chunks, and a tablespoon and a half of kosher salt. Bring
your kettle to a boil and fill the bowl with enough hot water to submerge everything. After an hour, squeeze the
liquid out of the bread and put it into a Cuisinart with the drained vegetables, a
tablespoon of sherry or red wine vinegar, and a cup of the reserved liquid. While running the Cuisinart drizzle in a cup
of your best olive oil to create some thickness to your mixture, salt and
pepper to taste. Serve at room
temperature or chilled, either way with a chopped hard boiled egg….some
prosciutto too if you have it. Amazing!
I love the crisp days and cool nights but it’s sad to
think that tomato season is coming to an end.
And while the tomatoes may not be as incredible as they were a couple of
weeks ago I find roasting them coaxes out the last of that peak summer
flavor. Simply rinse, halve, and gently
toss your tomatoes with a little bit of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper. Place them cut side up in a baking dish or
cookie sheet and roast for an hour at 350, then toss with some fresh basil and
an extra drizzle of olive oil. They’re
great hot as a side dish, or cold on a sandwich or piece of fish later in the
week. Enjoy them while they last!
I can’t get enough corn these days…it’s been an
incredibly sweet year. So to prolong the
season I spent an hour shucking and bagging thirty ears so I could savor it all
winter. To start I got a large pot of
water boiling and after husking in batches of six I dropped the ears into the
simmering pot for two minutes then quickly into a waiting ice bath. Then it was just a matter of cutting the
kernels from the cobs and spooning them in freezer bags. But don’t throw out those cobs. Break them in
half and put them back in the pot and boil for about three hours or until the
liquid is reduced by at least three quarters.
It helps to rotate the cobs half way through. What you end up with is a concentrated corn
stock that’s unmatched for soups, risotto, or pasta sauce. Try a corn and potato vichyssoise, or roast
corn and leek risotto, only this time of year will they taste this good.
I usually don’t think of pickled beets until mid-winter when
I dig into that first jar I stored in the pantry several months before, but why
wait? Peel , halve and cut your beets
into eighth inch slices then lightly boil in salted water for five minutes or
so…they’re best when they still have a crunch.
When they’ve hit the desired crunchiness run them under some cold water
to stop them from cooking any further.
Then it’s as easy as combining them in a Tupperware with some white
vinegar for a couple of days, a thinly sliced onion or a pinch of cayenne
pepper are great options. And don’t
discard those beet greens, they are so satisfying sautéed with some sliced
garlic and extra virgin olive oil.
After several days of sandwiches, turkey hash, and soup,
a week after Thanksgiving the last thing left in the fridge last night was a
nearly full bunch of parsley. Instead of
letting it sit there until it became one with the bag I opted for a parsley pesto. In a Cuisinart start by mincing two garlic
cloves and a teaspoon of kosher salt.
Add the washed parsley and a squeeze of lemon and while running drizzle
your best olive oil in through the top until it’s finally minced and runny. Add some grated parmesan, salt and pepper to
taste, pulse, and toss with some raw vegetables. It works especially well with mushrooms, this
time around I also threw in a diced red pepper and some drained canned artichoke
hearts in water.
Caramelized onions make everything good but this
combination with Swiss Chard and garlic bread crumbs is memorable. Peel, halve, and slice a couple of yellow
onions and sauté over medium to high heat with butter or olive oil and a pinch
of sugar…scrape and turn often. While
those are cooking heat two peeled and squashed garlic cloves in a couple table
spoons of olive oil so the garlic flavors the oil, if you’re an anchovy fan a
couple of fillets work well with the garlic.
After a few minutes add a cup of dried bread crumbs and toss well so the
oil is absorbed before setting aside.
Add some more oil to the pan and sauté your washed, deveined, and
chopped Swiss Chard until it is soft.
Once the onions are browned add to the Chard, salt and pepper to taste,
and combine with the bread crumbs and cooked pasta of your choice….garnish with
some parmesan…a hearty and flavorful pasta, perfect for this time of year.
