Cold Comfort: 8 Fruit Soup Recipes from “Cooking Know-How”
Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough in their kitchen in Colebrook, CT
“We refer to ourselves as the hardest working cookbook writers that no one has ever heard of,” Mark Scarbrough said a few week ago before he and his life-partner and collaborator, Bruce Weinstein, left on a three-week publicity tour for their 15th book, Cooking Know-How (John Wiley & Sons; $34.95). By the time they returned to their house in the woods of Colebrook, CT, their book had been dubbed by NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday one of the “10 Best Summer Cookbooks of 2009”.
Theirs is not an overnight success story. Scarbrough, who has Ph.D. in American Literature and once taught college English, and Weinstein, a former advertising executive who studied cooking at Johnson & Wales, have been writing books together for a decade. Their first effort was The Ultimate Ice Cream Book (which has sold more than 250,000 copies and was followed by titles such as The Ultimate Muffin Book and The Ultimate Party Drink Book.) They worked from a small kitchen in a New York apartment, which curtailed their ambitions. When they decided to leave Manhattan in 2006 and move to a house in northwestern Connecticut with a large open kitchen (and a back deck for grilling and land for a vegetable garden) cooking anything and everything under the sun became possible.
They conceived Cooking Know-How as more than a compendium of recipes, though it contains some 500 of them. They wanted to explain their methods and techniques, and, most importantly, encourage home cooks to improvise. They wanted to be liberators not dictators. They understood that a favorite recipe is both a comfort and a curse—it’s something you rely on because it delivers consistent results, which means you’re reluctant to experiment with new recipes for the same dish. The genius of Cooking Know-How is that you can make every recipe eight different ways: once you’ve mastered the duo’s method for making, say, oven-roasted babyback ribs (steaming them first before seasoning and roasting) you can use any one of their eight recipes for dry rubs (from Chinese-Inspired to Cajun to Lemon Pepper) to make ribs the same way but with different flavors. From enchiladas to vindaloo. they give you eight options for 64 different dishes.
They couple says that living in the country full-time has changed how they think about food and will inform their next two books: Ham: An Obsession with the Hindquarter (Stewart, Tabori, & Chang; March 2010) features their favorite local farmers, Allen Cockerline of Whippoorwill Farm and Dan Hayhurst of Chubby Bunny,who helped them raise a pig last year and bring it to slaughter. “We’ve eaten half of Wilbur so far,” says Bruce. The other new book is Real Food Has Curves (Simon Spotlight Entertainment; May 2010), which they describe as a ten-step plan to get off all processed and packaged food, which has been easy for them to do living in an area rich in farmers’ markets and CSAs. Real Food Has Curves is also the name of their addictive blog.
Now that the warm weather is here, their recipe for Chilled Fruit Soup is worth memorizing. Once you get the hang of it, you’ll have eight refreshing soups in your repertoire.
Chilled Fruit Soup
Makes 6 luncheon servings or 12 first-course servings
Here are the four steps to make a fruit soup; the ingredient list for eight variations follows.
Step 1 Bring four cups water, 2 pounds pitted or seeded fruit or berries, and a few spices (see below) to boil in a large saucepan over high heat; reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer slowly until the fruit is meltingly tender, between 10 and 25 minutes.
Step 2 Remove and discard any hard spices, transfer large chunks of fruit or pulp to a bowl, turn the heat to medium high and boil the liquid in the pan, uncovered, until its volume has been reduced by half, stirring occasionally.
Step 3 Puree the fruit, the reduced cooking liquid, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup dairy product (see below) and 1/4 to 1/2 cup wine, fortified wine, brandy or cognac in a large blender or food processor fitted with the chopping blades, working in batches as necessary.
Step 4 Transfer to a large, non-reactive container; seal and refrigerate for at least four hours or up to 3 days; then season with salt to taste.
Garnish each serving with a little aged balsamic vinegar, chopped chives, edible flowers, grated citrus zest, ground walnuts or pecans, lemon juice, or pomegranate molasses.
Spiced Plum Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds plums + 1 four-inch cinnamon stick + 4 whole cloves + 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup plain yogurt + 1/2 cup red wine
Peach Thyme Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds peaches + 2 tsp thyme leaves
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup sour cream + 1/2 cup dry vermouth
Cherry Brandy Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds sweet (pitted) cherries + 1 four-inch cinnamon stick
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup creme fraiche, 1/4 cup brandy
Apricot Rosemary Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds (pitted) apricots + 1 Tbs chopped rosemary + 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup creme fraiche, 1/2 cup fruit white wine.
Blackberry Chipotle Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds blackberries + 1 dried chipotle (stemmed and seeded but left whole)
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup plain yogurt, 1/2 red wine or dry Madeira
Pear Ginger Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds pears (cored and sliced) + 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger + 1 four-inch cinnamon stick
Puree: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup cream + 1/4 cup Grand Marnier
Raspberry Summer Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds raspberries + 1 Tbs grated orange ring + 4 o 5 mint leaves
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup half-and-half + 1/2 cup fruity white wine
Blueberry Soup
Simmer: 4 cups water + 2 pounds blueberries + 1 Tbs minced fresh ginger + 1 four-inch cinnamon stick
Puree with: 1/2 cup sugar + 1/2 cup creme fraiche + 1/2 cup red wine.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 06/03/09 at 07:35 AM • Permalink
Foraging for Ramps with Chef Peter Platt
Update: Knowledgeable naturalist Russ Cohen (click on comments below) will be conducting a foraging walk at the Hawthorne Valley Farm in Ghent on Saturday. June 6, sponsored by the Columbia Land Conservancy.
Farmed + Foraged: A Weekend of Spring Flavors, on May 15 - 17, is a farm-to-table dining event with a dozen-plus participating Berkshire County restaurants offering three-course prix-fixe menus that celebrate locally-grown produce, Berkshire artisan cheeses, heritage breed meats, locally made bread and chocolate, and Berkshire-crafted beer and spirits.
The “farmed” part sounds familiar enough, but that “foraged” business caught our eye: Do local chefs actually go rummaging through the woods in search of morels and fiddleheads?
Well, as it happens, some do. But with fresh morels selling for $30-or-so per pound, fat chance anyone lucky enough to know where to find some for free is going to share that information. Even fiddlehead foraging is an insider’s game: they all look alike in infancy, but some ferns taste better than others and are more digestible. Identifying the difference takes expertise.
“There used to be a fiddlehead lady who would pick about 1,000 pounds per season,” says Peter Platt, owner-chef of The Old Inn on the Green in New Marlborough, and former executive chef at Wheatleigh, the luxury resort in Lenox where he worked for 17 years. “She’d find them mostly along riverbanks.
Platt, whose restaurant will participate in the event, swears he doesn’t have a secret stash of morels, though he says some who work in his kitchen do. And he doesn’t hunt for fiddleheads. But he does like to forage for the ramps that grow wild for 3 or 4 weeks each spring in damp spots throughout our region. Finding ramps, or wild leeks, doesn’t require the nose of a truffle pig. In fact, their bright green leaves pop against the browns and grays of the early spring woods. Easily identified by their foliage, which is similar to that of a mature lily-of-the-valley, only brighter green, each ramp has only two leaves, but since they grow in convenient clumps, they’re hard to miss. Platt’s favorite hunting ground is in York Lake State Park in Sandisfield. “All you need is a good trowel,” he says.
Back in the kitchen, Platt uses every part of the ramp. After he’s washed off the dirt and sliced off the roots along with the thin, loose membrane that covers each bulb, he will chop the white part and use it as an onion substitute in a powerfully-flavored dish, such as hash browns with bacon. “At this time of year, we like to top the hash browns, bacon, and ramps with sauteed shad roe, as both the ramps and the roe are in season so briefly and at exactly the same time. We finish that with a little brown-butter-lemon-caper-and-parsley sauce.”
Platt, a native Chicagoan who came to Berkshire County to attend Williams College, says ramps can be used in any recipe as a substitute for leeks, “just make sure they’re cooked all the way through.” Ramp greens are edible, too. “They retain their color and body even after they’re cooked,” he says. “yet they’re tender, not tough and stringy like leek greens. We use them as a wrap for fish mousse.”
Peter Platt’s Pickled Ramps
To extend the lifespan of ramps on the Old Inn menu, Platt pickles the white portion. “We use them as a garnish,” he says, “or as a substitute for the pickled onion in a Gibson.”
Wash ramps briefly (they aren’t sandy like leeks, so require no soaking), slip down the loose membrane covering the white bulb and chop it off, along with the roots. Cut off the green tops and retain for another use.
Blanch the ramps in salted boiling water for 60 seconds. Drain.
Meanwhile, stir together a brine:
1/2 c red wine vinegar
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. sugar.
Once the sugar is dissolved, pour the brine over the hot ramps, cover, and refrigerate. According to Platt, the ramps will be pickled in just a couple of hours, and they will keep in the refrigerator for months. If properly canned in sealed glass jars, they will keep indefinitely without refrigeration, until the seal is broken, after which they must be kept chilled.
Farmed + Foraged, May 15 - 17 throughout the Berkshires
For a list of participating restaurants, go to the Berkshire Grown website.
For menus, check the Berkshire Grown Blog closer to the date of the event.
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Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 05/05/09 at 06:54 AM • Permalink
Sesame Noodles With A Side of Hope
Daire Rooney and Kirsten Thorn of Brix offer up sesame noodles at Guido's
Why was Kirsten Thorn, a shy 16-year-old, offering plates of addictive sesame noodles in the produce department of Guido’s in Great Barrington the other day? “She’s part of the Railroad Street Youth Project,” explained her mentor, Daire Rooney, the executive chef at Brix in Pittsfield, who was by her side. Guido’s often invites participants in Railroad Street’s Berkshire Culinary Arts Program to do cooking demonstrations in the store.
Rooney met Thorn at one of Railroad Street’s fundraising dinners last fall, and this winter the high-school sophomore started working at Brix after school two days a week. “I have to go pick her up at Monument Mountain High School, and her mother picks her up at the end of the night,” says Rooney, who was planning to take Thorn for a tour of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park the next day. “Brian Alberg, who organizes the Railroad Street culinary program, and I both think Kirsten has a great future.” One thing is certain: she’s already aced cold sesame noodles.
Sesame Noodles
Serves 4 - 6
1 pound linguine, soba or udon noodles (cooked according to package directions and rinsed in cold water)
1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 T ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic
pinch red pepper flakes
1 T sesame oil
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Optional additions: sliced red bell pepper, snow peas, cilantro, sauteed shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, cooked chicken or shrimp
Mix toasted sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and sesame oil in a blender on high speed. As you blend, slowly add soy sauce and vinegar. Slowly add olive oil to emulsify. Mix with noodles. Add optional vegetables or protein.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 04/23/09 at 05:12 PM • Permalink
Pavlova: A Dessert That Dances
Photographed by John Gruen; styled by Kari Chapin
Well, maybe not. But the pavlova—an airy meringue concoction invented either in New Zealand or Australia, sometime between 1926 and 1935, as a tribute to the ballerina Anna Pavlova who toured both countries several times during that period (believe it or not, the debate goes on)— is so light that it will allow you to dance after dinner without feeling overstuffed. What’s more, you’ve probably never made a dessert this simple that looks this impressive.
There are more complicated ways of making a pavlova, which involve beating heated sugar syrup into egg whites, but my method works perfectly well. Plan to eat this as soon as you can after making it; if you try to prepare it the night before (tempting, given the need to allow the baked meringue to cool completely in the oven with the door ajar) the result will be slightly flattened, like the one in the photograph. It will still, however, taste divine.—Paige Orloff
Chocolate Berry Pavlova
adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Forever Summer (Hyperion, 2003)
Serves 10
6 egg whites
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, sifted
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 ounces dark or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
for the topping:
1 pint heavy cream
1 pint strawberries or raspberries, rinsed and air dried, and, if using strawberries hulled (a combination of both berries is delicious, too)
2-3 tablespoons coarsely grated dark chocolate (optional)
Preheat the oven to 350F. Set a 9 inch round cake pan atop the parchment, and using a Sharpie or pencil, trace around the pan to form a circle. Turn the parchment over, and place atop a baking sheet (the circle will show through, but the ink or graphite won’t come in contact with the food.)
With a hand mixer, standing mixer or strong arms, beat the egg whites until satiny peaks form. (Make sure all utensils are scrupulously clean.) Then beat in the sugar a bit at a time until the meringue is stiff and very shiny. Sprinkle the cocoa, vinegar and chopped chocolate over the egg white mixture, and fold gently until thoroughly combined.
Heap the meringue onto the circle on the parchment, spreading to make an even circle, about 1-1/2 inches high. Smooth the top and sides gently. Place in the oven, and immediately turn the temperature down to 300F. Cook for about 1-1/4 hours, until the meringue is crisp on the edges and still gives a bit in the middle when pushed with a finger. The edges may crack a bit; that’s fine. Turn off the oven, open the door slightly, and allow to cool completely (at least 2 - 3 hours.)
Just before serving, beat the cream untl thick but still a bit soft. (I don’t add any sugar, but you could if you like.) Pile the cream on top of the meringue, and then arrange the berries on top. If you like, sprinkle the whole thing with the grated chocolate, and serve immediately.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 04/09/09 at 08:51 AM • Permalink
Succulent & Secular: Lamb for Easter or Passover
Photographed by John Gruen; styled by Kari Chapin
Though I love the comfort foods of winter, spring is welcome in my kitchen, and not just because it means less cursing as I carry in boxes of groceries. If my first-favorite food holiday is Thanksgiving, Easter and Passover are close runners-up (though I observe neither, I enjoy celebrating both). Planning for the holidays, I looked for a main dish that could work equally well for either feast. Instead of the traditional brisket for Passover or ham for Easter, I hit upon a simple lamb preparation that can adapt equally well for either celebration.
Jewish traditions differ about the consumption of lamb at the seder, and about accepted forms of preparation. Although roasting, which traditionally was interpreted to mean cooking over an open flame, is banned, in the Sephardic tradition, roast lamb is a common Passover meal. However, for Ashkenazi Jews, an acceptable alternative is braised lamb shoulder, and the recipe adapts well to this traditional Kosher cut. The texture of the final dish is quite different, but the flavor is equally good.
The inspiration for the recipe comes from a favorite cookbook, Amelia Saltsman’s The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook (Blenheim Press, 2007.) I like the book not only for the nostalgia it produces for my former west coast home, but also because the recipes encourage me to try new combinations of seasonally-simpatico produce. I had focused mostly on the book’s many wonderful salads, until I stumbled upon Saltsman’s leg of lamb recipe. I had never tried lamb with olives, and now I can’t imagine why I hadn’t: the combination of the oil-cured olives, along with generous amounts of garlic and rosemary, turns always-delicious roast lamb into a whole new experience. To make the preparation work for a braised lamb shoulder, I adapted a method outlined by the legendary New York Times food writer Florence Fabricant.
For Easter dinner, I’d serve the lamb with a simple gratin of potatoes, some asparagus, and a flavorful salad—arugula with citrus and Parmesan shavings would be delicious. For Passover, a menu that draws on the Sephardic culinary traditions would be a lovely complement to the Mediterranean spirit of the flavors. A traditional Sephardic mina de maza— layers of matzo and a cooked vegetable (often spinach, onion and potato) filling, bound with eggs—would be delicious. And for me, no seder is complete without my favorite, tzimmes (I like it best made with orange juice, to play a bit of sour against the sweet carrots and sweet potatoes.) However you serve this, enjoy the holidays, and especially, the arrival of spring.—Paige Orloff/The Sister Project
Lamb with Oil Cured Black Olives and Herbs
(adapted from Amelia Saltsman and Florence Fabricant)
Serves 6-8 (the shoulder) or 8-10 (the leg)
1 bone-in leg of lamb, 7 lbs or so. Have the butcher tie it for you. OR 1 boned shoulder of lamb, about 3-1/2 lbs.
6 large cloves of garlic, peeled
3/4 cup oil-cured black olives, pitted (available locally at Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, already pitted for you)
1/2 cup fresh Italian (flat leaf) parsley, plus 2 tablespoons finely minced, if making the shoulder
1/4 cup fresh rosemary leaves, plus a few sprigs for the roasting pan, if making the leg
1/4 cup olive oil
Freshly ground black pepper
FOR THE LEG:
1/4 c. olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine or stock (chicken is fine)
FOR THE SHOULDER:
2 T. olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped leeks
1/2 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry white wine, kosher for Passover
Kitchen twine
The night before you plan to serve:
Combine the garlic, olives, herbs in the bowl of a food processor and process together for a few pulses until the herbs are finely chopped and everything is well mixed. Add 1/4 cup of the olive oil in a stream with the motor running, and process until just combined. The paste doesn’t have to be too fine.
FOR THE LEG: Make at least 12 cuts into the meat of the lamb, in an orderly pattern. They should be 1-2 inches long, and the same depth. Stuff the olive paste into the slashes in the lamb. Don’t worry about making it neat.
FOR THE SHOULDER: Spread the olilve paste evenly over the lamb shoulder, roll the meat into a neat cylinder and tie with 6 or 7 pieces of kitchen twine.
Wrap the lamb tightly in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
Remove the lamb from the refrigerator one hour before you plan to begin cooking it.
FOR THE LEG: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place the rosemary sprigs in the bottom of a roasting pan just large enough to hold the lamb, and place the lamb atop them. Rub the lamb with the olive oil and grind black pepper over it on all sides. Roast, turning over once, for 12 minutes per pound for rare meat, or 15 minutes per pound for medium. (You will always have some variation in doneness, with the ends cooked more than than the middle, since they tend to be a bit thinner.) Use a meat thermometer to check the temperature: it should read 120 for rare or 140 for medium when inserted into the thickest part of the leg, away from the bone. Remove the meat to a warm platter and tent with foil—let rest 15 to 20 minutes before carving, while you make the sauce.
Remove the rosemary from the pan, place the pan over medium-low heat, and pour in the stock or wine to deglaze the pan (scrape up all the browned bits and incorporate into the sauce. ) Allow the liquid to reduce slightly, then remove the sauce from the heat. Pour into a glass measuring cup and skim off the fat that rises to the top. Stir in any juices from the resting lamb that have accumulated in the platter, and taste for salt and pepper. Pour through a strainer into a warm serving bowl or pitcher.
Carve the lamb into slices (I like them about 1/4 inch thick, though some prefer them thinner), and serve immediately with the sauce on the side.
FOR THE SHOULDER: Preheat the oven to 250 degrees. Season the lamb with freshly ground pepper.
Heat the oil in a casserole large enough to hold the lamb. Brown the lamb on all sides over medium heat; it should take at least 15 minutes. Remove the lamb from the pan and set aside.
Add the onions and leeks to the casserole and sauté over medium-low heat until tender and just turning golden.
Return the lamb to the casserole and add the stock and wine. Bring to a simmer, cover and place in the oven.
Bake for five hours; or until extremely tender. Remove the lamb from the casserole.
Strain the sauce into a heavy saucepan. Skim off as much fat as possible. Place the solids in a blender or food processor along with 1 tablespoon of the minced parsley. Puree, adding a little of the sauce if necessary. Add this puree to the sauce. Reheat and check seasonings.
Remove the strings from the lamb. Slice the meat gently (it will tend to fall apart.) Layer the slices on a warm serving platter. Sprinkle the remaining minced parsley over the top, and serve, with the sauce on the side.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 04/02/09 at 02:07 PM • Permalink
Carole Murko Cooks Up a TV Pilot in Stockbridge
Carole Murko turned her Stockbridge kitchen into the set of a potential TV show
Like many people who once had big jobs in the big city and traded them in for country life, Carole Murko has been on the reinvention tour. Since arriving in the Berkshires from Boston where she had a successful career in finance, she has worked in real estate and as an interior designer for clients such as James Taylor, but she always suspected that she should really be working with food. When she took a workshop called “Getting to Next” with Carol Hyatt (a fellow board member at Shakespeare & Company), she had to answer the question “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and she was surprised when she responded “Martha Stewart.” She figured that meant she should write a cookbook. She was even more surprised when one of the other women in the workshop took her aside and said, “Honey, you should do a cooking show.”
Murko had never thought of doing television before, but it did not seem so farfetched. After all, she already had a big, telegenic kitchen that could be used as a studio and provide verisimilitude. Her grand, rustic stone house, which is known as Boulderwood, would provide an authentic yet dreamy backdrop for the opening and closing credits (and her chickens would provide the eggs and photo ops.) She already had a concept for a cookbook called Heirloom Meals, which would celebrate old-fashioned American home cooking and the recipes that grandmothers and great-grandmothers used to write down on recipe cards in their best penmanship and hand down to the next generation. “I don’t have any children and I feel that the recipes I grew up with are in danger of becoming extinct,” she says.
Cooking from scratch is in her DNA. “My grandfather was a butcher, but before that he was a farmer in Claverack, New York, until he lost the farm in the Great Depression,” she says. “I grew up in the Bronx with my parents and grandparents in the same house. I remember my grandmother getting up at 6 AM to make pasta and briciole. I believe in meals as memories.” She also believes in supporting local farmers so she belongs to two Berkshire CSAs: Farm Girl Farm and Indian Line, which may be used for field trips on her show.
Murko also has moxie. Through a friend of a friend, she pitched her idea to a television producer, Adrienne Hammel, who had worked on Sara Moulton’s Weeknight Meals, and whose parents happen to live in neighboring Lenox. “I was smitten by her,” says Hammel. “Carole had a game plan. I thought she was special and her idea was special. I offered to tape a test. I had to see if she could talk and cook at the same time. Would a viewer want to spend 26 minutes with this woman?” (You can watch the five-minute clip here and judge for yourself.)
They spent a full day shooting in the fall and then Hammel and her husband edited it down to five-minutes-fit-for-PBS and delivered it to Murko right after Christmas. Hammel and Murko then used another friend of a friend to get an appointment at American Public Television, which syndicates many cooking shows, including America’s Test Kitchen. “We had a three and a half hour meeting, and they’re behind the idea,” says Murko, who must now find corporate sponsors for the show and she’s approaching appliance manufacturers and anyone connected with a big brand. “This part is like climbing Mt. Everest,” says the unflappable Murko. Meanwhile, she’s planning her annual daffodil party where guests sip cocktails amidst fields of narcissuses. It could be part of the show if she gets the financing in place, but the party will happen at the end of April whether or not the cameras are ready to roll.
Carole Murko’s Potato and Turnip Gratin
This is a wonderfully simple dish and an excellent accompaniment to a roasted chicken, a braise, meatloaf and even an Easter ham. My memories are of my grandmother slicing the potatoes and turnips with skill and dexterity. This was really peasant food—meant to be hardy and filling. It is really yummy and tastes great reheated.
Serves 4 - 6
5 - 6 large russett potatoes
5 - 6 turnips
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup half and half
4 - 5 shallots (diced)
4 - 5 cloves of garlic (minced)
1 T thyme (minced)
3 - 4 sprigs of thyme for garnish
salt and pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Peel both the potatoes and turnips. Slice them 1/4” thick with a knife (but a mandoline works wonders!) Heat the cream, half and half, minced garlic, shallots and thyme in a saucepan on low until it comes to a gentle boil. Meanwhile, in a 9 X 13 baking dish, layer the turnips and potatoes, alternating them as you go. Pour the cream mixture over the top and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 03/23/09 at 08:56 AM • Permalink
Rice and Beans: Reduce, Reuse & Recycle
Fried rice made with leftovers is easy and economical
One of the most frequent—and most confounding—requests I’ve received since writing for Rural Intelligence is to serve up a plan for an entire week’s worth of dinners. I am not, however, a Monday-meatloaf, Tuesday-turkey kind of cook. Even if I wanted to limit my menus to a set weekly rotation, I lack the temperment to pull off such a system. But the question makes me think about how I handle meal planning, and I realized that I do have recipes that I tend to make in sequence, if only, say, once a month or so instead of every week. The beauty of these recipe sets is that one leads into another, using up leftovers in the process. Since no one in my family will willingly eat anything identifiable as last night’s dinner, total transformation is the key to success.
One of our favorite simple meals is black beans and rice. I use a recipe (if you can call it that) taught to me by a Guatemalan woman named Edith, who used to babysit for my best friend’s children. Edith used to make rice and beans for those kids—and mine—every Tuesday when they played together. When my kids always asked to stay for dinner instead of coming home, I realized I’d better ask for a tutorial on her method of making beans. It’s ridiculously simple—a recipe with only four ingredients: salt, water, black beans, onion. I always serve these beans with plain white rice, shredded cheese, sour cream, tomatillo salsa and, if we’re really hungry, either corn tortillas or cheese quesadillas on the side. True, it lacks vegetables, so sometimes the adults have salad alongside, or the kids eat a piece of fresh fruit for dessert. It’s nutritious, filling, cheap and easy. And everyone who’s ever eaten this simple meal has relished it.
Whenever I make rice (and, yes, I use a rice cooker, one of the great unnecessary inventions of our time that I now cannot live without) I make two or three times the amount I need, so that leftovers are guaranteed. (With the beans, I shoot for an extra couple of cups, minimum—enough to add to my vegetarian chili later in the week.) The next day, that extra rice is turned into one of the great clean-out-the-fridge dishes of all time: fried rice. I include whatever protein we have on hand, whether leftover roast chicken, some shrimp or a package of tofu; I’m partial to the More Than Tofu brand (we like the Spicy Thai flavor best) sold at the Berkshire Co-op). Vegetables can be fresh (broccoli, shredded zucchini, fresh spinach or arugula) or frozen (green beans, peas). I always use an onion, some garlic and fresh ginger, and, of course, eggs to bind. I like mine with a Thai flavor, so I use fish sauce instead of soy, and will (at least in summer) include a chopped tomato or two. Again, It’s filling, nutritious comfort food, and extremely quick to make.
Finally, I use the leftover beans for my vegetarian chili, a recipe even carnivores seem to love. I’ve been making this recipe for nearly twenty years, adapting my own version from a recipe in the Silver Palate New Basics Cookbook. It’s foolproof. I make mine in a Dutch oven on the stove top, but if you were pressed for time, you could make a passable version by simply throwing everything together in the slow cooker. The only time consuming aspect is chopping the zucchini and squash. (You want even, small cubes for the best texture. The trick is to first cut a 1/4 inch thick slice off one long side of the squash, creating a flat edge. Turn the squash to rest on that flat bottom, and then slice the rest of the squash lengthwise into more 1/4 inch thick “planks”. Cut those lengthwise again into long rods 1/4 inch wide, and then dice those pieces. Once you get the hang of this technique, it goes quickly.) I serve the chili with rice—whether freshly made or leftover—and some chopped green onions, cilantro, and maybe avocado alongside.
After three nights of re-using and recycling, congratulate yourself for your kitchen efficiency—and treat yourself to dinner at your favorite local restaurant with a clear conscience.—Paige Orloff
Edith’s Black Beans
Serves 4 with leftovers
1-1/2 pounds dried black beans
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 white or yellow onion, finely chopped
Rinse the beans with water. Place in a deep saucepan and add water to cover by at least an inch. Add salt. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to achieve a slow simmer. Skim off foam as necessary. Cook uncovered, adding more water as necessary. (We like our beans soupy–but not soup.) When the beans are just soft (after about three hours), add the chopped onion and cook for another 20-30 minutes until the onion has practically disappeared and the beans are tender to your taste.
Serve in bowls atop white rice, with shredded cheese, sour cream and salsa on the side. Chopped scallions and avocado are also good.
Clean-out-the-Fridge Fried Rice
Serves 4
2 T cooking oil (a purist wouldn’t use olive oil, but I do)
4 cups leftover cooked rice
1 onion, cut in half and then sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1-1/2 inch long piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
1 pound (or less) of chicken, tofu or shrimp (raw is fine)
2 - 3 cups vegetables (I like a mix of broccoli, raw or frozen, and peas)
2 T fish sauce (available at Guido’s)
3 eggs, beaten
Heat oil in a large skillet or wok until shimmering. Add onion, garlic and ginger and stir to combine. Sauté over medium heat until the onion begins to get translucent and tender.
Add the rice, stir to combine with the onion mixture, and begin to press the rice down on the bottom of the skillet with the back of a wooden spoon. You want to break up lumps, and bring as much of the rice in contact with the pan as possible. When the rice is heated through (it may start to stick slightly to the bottom of the pan—don’t worry, scrape it up, and then press it back down) add the vegetables. Raw ones should go in first. Stir them in to combine, and cover the pan. Keep checking so that they hit just the level of tenderness you desire.
Stir in your protein, the fish sauce, and any frozen vegetables, and cover again. (If you’re using shrimp, you’ll know they’re done when they turn pink. Anything else just needs to heat through. )
Stir in the eggs, and cook uncovered until everything is steaming hot, and the egg is just cooked.
Serve immediately, with more fish sauce or soy sauce on the side.
Vegetable Chili (that even a meat-lover can love)
1/8 c. olive oil
2 medium zucchini, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 summer squash, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 large bell peppers, preferably red and/or yellow, cut into 1/4” dice
2 T chili powder
1 T ground cumin
2 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes in juice (do not drain)
1 t dried basil
1 t dried oregano
1/2 t freshly ground black pepper (or more to taste)
1/2 c. chopped Italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh dill (or 2 t dried, if you don’t have fresh)
2 cups (or 1 can) black beans
1 can pinto beans
1 package frozen corn (about 1-1/2 cups)
Heat olive oil in a large Dutch oven and add onions. Saute until just clear. Add zucchini, squash and peppers and stir to blend. Add chili powder and cumin, and cook until vegetables are just starting to become tender. Add tomatoes and remaining seasonings (except parsley and dill.) Cook over low heat for around 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the beans, corn, parsley and dill, and cook another fifteen minutes. Serve alone, garnished with grated cheddar or jack cheese, with sour cream, etc. Great with cornbread, fresh corn tortillas, or atop rice or couscous.
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Posted by Dan Shaw on 03/18/09 at 05:43 PM • Permalink
Jeff Loshinsky’s Soupe au Pistou
Photo by Greg Howell
Caterer Jeff Loshinsky’s most recent cooking class this season, held on February 19 at the Vince Mulford Gallery in Hudson, focused on Hearty Soups and Chowders. Below is a recipe for one of the soups he featured that night, a vegetable soup with pistou, which is a pesto-like flavor-enhancer made of herbs, garlic and olive oil. For those who would just as soon duck the chopping and simmering, Chef Jeff’s soups may be purchased on weekends (until they sell out) at the Real Food Company in Chatham (details below).
At his next class, on March 31st, Loshinsky will explore Simple, Elegant Desserts—mango-and-vanilla granita, blueberry sorbet, flourless chocolate almond torte. Mary Hack of East Chatham Wine & Spirits will offer tastings of wines that pair well with the chocolate and fruit.
Demonstration Cooking Classes with Jeff Loshinsky
Vince Mulford Antiques
417-419 Warren Street, Hudson;
(enter the rear of the store via Cherry Alley)
6 – 8 p.m.; $35 (reservations required: 646.752.5977)
Real Food Market
15 Church Street, Chatham; 518.392.3353
Until April, Friday - Sunday
After April 1, Thursday -, Sunday
After May 1 and throughout the summer, Tuesday - Sunday
Jeff Loshinsky’s soups, $3.50/bowl; $8.00/quart
VEGETABLE SOUPE AU PISTOU
The Soup
1-1/4 cups dried cannellini beans soaked in cold water to cover overnight, then set aside.
1 medium eggplant, peeled and chopped into a 1/2-inch dice
2 teaspoons kosher or sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
4 medium leeks, washed thoroughly, dark green tops removed, and chopped into a 1/2-inch dice
1 small celery knob (celeriac) peeled and chopped in a 1/2-inch dice
6 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 Cubanelle-Italian frying peppers (right), chopped in a 1/2-inch dice
1 pound small zucchini or other green squash, chopped in a 1/2-inch dice
7 Roma (plum) tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced
3 quarts rich chicken or vegetable stock
1 teaspoon each (approximately) fresh basil, parsley, and thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground fresh nutmeg
2 cups fresh chard (blette) or dandelion greens sliced very thin
1 cup small soup pasta such as ditalini
In a colander, toss the eggplant with the salt. Allow to drain in the sink. After one hour, squeeze the eggplant to remove the bitter liquid. Set the eggplant aside.
In a soup pot, heat the olive oil until it begins to smoke, then add all of the chopped vegetables, tomatoes, herbs, garlic and spices, Stir well, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the chicken or vegetable stock and soaked beans. Cover and simmer until the beans are tender (about 2 hours). Meanwhile, make the pistou.
The Pistou
2 tablespoons peeled, crushed garlic cloves
1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
2 cups fresh basil leaves, preferably local
1 cup roasted tomato pulp
1/2 cup grated mimolette or pecorino cheese (optional)
Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Set aside. Serve the soup and pass the pistou in a separate bowl so guests may swirl spoonfuls into their soup to taste.
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Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 03/10/09 at 09:58 AM • Permalink
Let Them Eat Pie
Late winter and early spring means birthday season for my family: beginning on Valentine’s Day with my husband, our little clan’s birthdays then follow in succession through the end of March (save my son, whose outlier August birthday is the source of much consternation, at least for him. Personally, I’m glad there’s one party I don’t have to throw in this crowded six week period.) We’re big in our family on homemade birthday desserts, which are usually cake, occasionally pie, and at least this year, a hybrid of both.
I should mention that I’m a cake-avoider: I pretty much only make them for someone’s birthday, convinced that they’re too much trouble, despite occasional evidence to the contrary. When we lived in L.A., though, I baked cakes for my kids. I often deferred the birthday dessert responsibility for my husband, instead buying a banana cream pie from his favorite iconic burger-and-pie joint, the Apple Pan. I didn’t think I could top their creation of perfect pastry cream, flaky crust and fresh banana, so why bother to try? When we moved east, my husband’s affection for another classic diner dessert emerged: it turns out that he loves Boston cream pie, indeed a Bostonian invention of yellow cake layered with pastry cream and topped with a thin layer of chocolate. This year, I decided to try making Boston cream pie for his birthday, and it was a hit, but I felt something was missing. As good as it was, it wasn’t so much better than the version of the dessert served by our local diner. And so I decided to try to create a dessert that would merge the two birthday favorites in one. —Paige Orloff
Banana Boston Cream Pie (adapted from the original recipe served at the Omni Parker Meridian Hotel in Boston)
Serves 8
As it turns out, worries about complexity aren’t necessary for this cake. You make the pastry cream first, so it can chill—the preparation only takes about ten minutes. When you’re ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven while you assemble the batter—again, about ten minutes of work. While the cake bakes, you clean up a bit, and get the ingredients ready for frosting the cake. The cake keeps well in the refrigerator, covered, and tastes even better on on the second or third day.
Pastry Cream
6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
2 cups light cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Combine eggs, sugar, and cornstarch in the bowl of a standing mixer, and mix until thick and pale yellow, about 3 minutes. Meanwhile, bring milk, cream and butter to the boil in a heavy saucepan. Remove the pan from the heat. Add the egg mixture, then return to the boil for one minute, whisking constantly. Remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool. Cover the top with plastic wrap (it should lie on the surface of the cream, not across the top of the bowl) and chill thoroughly, at least three hours.
Banana Cake
6 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 bananas: 2 mashed thoroughly, and 2 cut into thin slices
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds, gently toasted in a sauté pan until golden
Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease a ten inch springform or removable bottom cake pan.
Separate the eggs. Beat the yolks in a standing mixer with 1/2 cup of the sugar until pale yellow and thickened, about 3 minutes. Combine the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda) in a small bowl. Combine the mashed banana, melted butter and vanilla, and stir to blend. Transfer the egg yolk mixture into a large mixing bowl and fold in the banana mixture. Beat the egg whites and remaining 1/2 cup sugar in the standing mixer until moderately stiff peaks form. Fold 1/3 of the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the remaining whites. Gradually fold in the flour mixture.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 25 minutes or until the top is just golden. Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
When the cake is cool, use a knife to split the cake horizontally into two layers.
Chocolate Frosting
6 ounces dark chocolate
2 tablespoons water
Melt together in a double boiler or in a microwave on low power. Stir gently to combine. Make this just before you plan to use it.
White Icing (optional)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon light corn syrup
1 tablespoon water
Stir to combine. Pipe using a pastry bag and fine tip, or a plastic squeeze bottle with a fine tip.
Assembly
Top the bottom layer of the cake with half the pastry cream, then arrange the slices of banana atop the cream. Place the second layer of cake on top. Frost the top of the cake with the chocolate frosting (see below) and then, if desired, pipe spiral lines of white icing (see below) starting from the center of the cake. Drag the tip of a paring knife through the spirals from the center of the cake towards the outer edge to create a marbled effect.
Spread remaining pastry cream on the sides of the cake, and press toasted almonds onto the sides.
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Posted by Marilyn Bethany on 02/27/09 at 07:04 AM • Permalink
Winter Dinner Party 101
Though the cold is lifting, neither true spring weather nor the new harvest will arrive for a bit, so to make it through these next few muddy and cold weeks, why not give a dinner party?
The shtick in my house (i.e., my husband’s shtick) is that I never make the same thing twice when we’re entertaining. He’s not entirely wrong: I am absolutely in the habit of using guests as guinea pigs. I think the stress of entertaining lifts a bit when I’m engaged by the challenge of cooking something new, and (for better or worse) I don’t worry so much about who sits next to whom or whether the candles look just right. But in the winter, I tend to experiment less. Maybe it’s seasonal lethargy, but I prefer to think it’s because my go-to menu for cold weather dinner parties is so delicious.
I’ve made this menu countless times—for fancy dinners and homey ones—and the response is always the same: ecstatic. The recipes come from an incredible cookbook, Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques. Based on the family-style dinners Goin serves every Sunday night at her Los Angeles restaurant Lucques, the menus are complete (fish/vegetarian and meat entrées for each menu) and organized by season; for a cook who’s bold enough to try new ingredients or techniques, there’s a sense of adventure and discovery in preparing every dish.
I’ve changed virtually nothing about this menu—just a couple of tweaks and a shortcut or two. This is a great menu to make ahead (except for the salsa verde, which should be made no earlier than the afternoon of your dinner) so you only have to reheat the meat and sauté the broccoli rabe at the last minute, which gives you plenty of time to enjoy your guests.—Paige Orloff
Brisket Braised in Stout with Lentils, Broccoli Rabe, Salsa Verde and Horseradish Cream
(adapted from Suzanne Goin’s Sunday Suppers at Lucques, Knopf, 2005)
Serves 8-10
6 pounds whole beef brisket (approximate)
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tablespoons dried)
2 bay leaves, crumbled
10 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed
3 chiles de arbol, crumbled with your hands
2 tablespoons cracked black pepper
2 teaspoons coarse salt
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, peeled and quartered
3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into thirds
2 stalks of celery, strings removed and stalks cut into thirds
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 cups stout (I use Guinness)
4 cups beef stock
Place the brisket in a shallow dish large enough to hold it and rub both sides with the thyme, bay leaves, garlic, chiles and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Take the brisket out of the refrigerator one hour before cooking to bring it to room temperature. 30 minutes before cooking, season the meat with the salt.
Preheat the oven to 325F.
Heat the olive oil over high heat in the largest sauté pan you have. Scrape the garlic and chiles off the brisket and reserve them. When the oil is shimmering, add the brisket and sear well on both sides—you may have to do one end of the brisket at a time, depending upon the diameter of your pan. It will take about 8 minutes per side, a bit more if you’re searing only a portion of the meat at one time. Once the meat is well browned, transfer to a large roasting pan or dutch oven, big enough to accommodate the entire piece of meat.
Add the vegetables to the sauté pan over medium high heat and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until they’re nicely caramelized. Stir often with a spoon to scrape up the bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the reserved garlic and chiles and cook another minute or two more. Turn down the heat and add the vinegar and the beer to the pan. Bring to a strong simmer and reduce the liquid by one-quarter. Add the stock and bring the mixture to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pan again to loosen any crusty bits on the bottom. Add the vegetables to the pan with the brisket, tucking them around the meat, and then carefully pour the hot stock mixture over the meat. Cover the pan tightly with foil—use two layers if it doesn’t have a lid, or one layer if your pan has a lid. Braise in the oven for 5 to 6 hours. The meat will be done when a fork slides into it easily.
When the meat is done, remove from the oven. Let it cool in its juices for 30 minutes, then remove the whole brisket from the sauce to a baking sheet. Allow it to cool completely, and cover and refrigerate if you’re not serving right away.
Strain the braising juices into a saucepan, pressing down on the vegetables to extract all their liquid. Chill the liquid, and when cold, remove the top layer of fat.
Preheat the oven to 400F. Slice the cold brisket against the grain, and put back into a large roasting pan. Heat the braising sauce (you may want to allow it to reduce a bit to thicken—that’s up to you) and pour a bit over the meat enough to just cover the bottom of the pan and moisten the meat thoroughly. Put the roasting pan in the oven and cook about 20 minutes until the meat begins to get crispy on top. Serve on a large platter atop the lentils (see below.)
Simmered Lentils
2 cups beluga or French (de puy) lentils, rinsed and picked over
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 chile de arbol
1/2 cup red wine
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, and add the chopped onion, thyme and chile. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the lentils and 1 teaspoon of salt, and stir to coat with the oil. Reduce the heat to low, and add the wine and 6-8 cups of water—enough to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring to a boil, and then turn the heat down very low. Simmer 25-30 minutes, until the lentils are tender. Drain off the cooking liquid (reserving some for serving) and just before serving, toss the warm lentils with the remaining olive oil and, if necessary, a half cup pr so of the reserved cooking liquid. (You don’t want them swimming, just nicely moist.) Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper as necessary.
Sautéed Broccoli Rabe
3 bunches broccoli rabe, with about 1-1-1/2 inches trimmed off the stem ends
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 shallots, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1 chile de arbol, crumbled
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Heat a large pot (like a big pasta pot) of salted water over high heat and bring to a rolling boil Add the rapini and cook in the rapidly boiling water for about five minutes, until the stems are tender but not mushy. Drain, and cool on a platter or baking sheet lined with towels to absorb the extra water.
Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan (you may have to do this in two batches; if so, divide the oil or be prepared to use a bit more.) Add the garlic, shallots, thyme and chile and cook for a few minutes, until the shallots are translucent, Add the rapini and 1 teaspoon of salt. Stir well, coating the rapini with the oil and the seasonings. Sauté for about five minutes, until piping hot and tender. Serve along side the brisket and lentils.
Salsa Verde
2 bunches Italian parsley, stems trimmed off
1 teaspoon fresh oregano or marjoram leaves (ok to omit if you can’t find it out of season)
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil (or more to achieve desired consistency)
2 cloves garlic
2 anchovies (preferably salt-packed), rinsed and bones removed
2 tablespoons capers (preferably salt packed), rinsed and drained
juice of one lemon
freshly ground black pepper
Combine the herbs, garlic, anchovies and capers in the bowl of a food processor, and pulse until minced well and combined. Add the lemon juice, and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly pour in the olive oil until the mixture forms a nice, smooth puree. Season to taste with the pepper. (Because of the anchovies and capers, you’re unlikely to want added salt.)
Horseradish Cream
1 cup creme fraiche (preferred) or sour cream
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper
Stir all together, seasoning to taste.
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