Oven-Roasted Baby Bok Choy

Getting tired of the same old vegetables for dinner and kale just isn't your thing?

Doing some research on nutrient-rich vegetables recently,  I found that bok choy was quite the nutrient powerhouse! It's a great source of vitamin A, vitamin C and Vitamin K and also provides folate, B6 and a moderate amount of calcium!  It was ranked 2nd for nutrient density out of 41 nutrient-rich plant foods!

Thankfully, baby bok choy is easy to find and most major grocery stores today.

Since so many vegetables taste better when roasted,  I decided to try roasting baby Bok Choy.  All I can say is, Wow!  I'm not sure I'll prepare it any other way from now on!

I sliced some baby bok choy in half lengthwise, tossed the halves with a little olive oil, salt, pepper and my latest favorite ingredient, Togarashi.  Also called schichimi Togarashi or nanami Togarashi, (the words nanami and schichimi both mean 7, which is the number of ingredients that go into the togarashi).  Mine includes chili pepper, orange peel, black sesame seed, seaweed, white sesame seed, Japanese pepper and ginger.  A delightful blend with just the right amount of 'heat'.

Also, check out my recipe for Won Ton Soup with Noodles and Bok Choy!

Oven Roasted Baby Bok Choy

Printable Recipe

Baby bok choy (allow at least 1 per person)
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Togarashi Seasoning*
Soy sauce and sesame oil to garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 425 F.

Cut each baby bok choy in half lengthwise.  Rinse and pat dry with paper toweling.

Place the halves in a large bowl, and sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper, and togarashi to taste (about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon).  Toss until well-coated.  Add more oil and seasonings if needed.

Arrange the bok choy on a baking sheet with sides and roast in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes (depending on your oven) or until a shart knife can easily be inserted into the thickest end of the bok choy.

*The Togarashi seasoning I use is S & B brand. 

Barbara's Stir Fry (Pork Fried Rice)

Pork fried rice is one of our favorite things to order in a Chinese restaurant. With just a little prep work, this wonderful stir fry can be made in less than 15 minutes. 

Loaded with veggies, this delicious and easy recipe was inspired by my friend, Barbara, at Moveable Feasts.  Although Barbara doesn't actively blog any longer, you can still find her on Instagram where she shares the wonderful archive of recipes from her website.  Recently, she shared this stir-fry recipe, which she learned from a Chinese women during her family's Air Force years in the 50's.

I adapted the recipe slightly and used frozen peas and fresh pea shoots.  I also added diced, slow-roasted pork shoulder (a great recipe which lends itself perfectly to stir fry recipes). Recipe below.

Chinese New Year is coming soon (The Year of the Dog) and begins on February 16!

Barbara's Stir Fry

Printable Recipe 

3 cups cooked brown rice (or any rice you have left over) 

2 or 3 eggs 

2 tablespoon canola or peanut oil, divided

1 large shallot, chopped, or regular onion - about 1/4 cup

2 cloves garlic, diced or minced

6 scallions, sliced very thinly  

1/2 cup shredded carrots (I use a box grater)

1/2 cup diced water chestnuts (optional)

1 cup peas, (defrosted if frozen) or ready-to-eat edamame 

1 cup diced, previously roasted pork shoulder (you may also use diced shrimp or chicken) 

2 tablespoons soy sauce 

salt and freshly ground black pepper 

Garnish with Fresh Pea shoots, if available, or, with thinly sliced green onion tops

Note:  Diced bok choy or small broccoli florets would also be great vegetable choices in the stir fry.  Add when adding the shredded carrot.  

Heat a saute pan or wok large enough to hold all the above ingredients over medium-high heat and add a little neutral flavored oil. When the oil is heated, add the eggs and scramble them briefly, breaking into small pieces. Remove the cooked eggs from the pan and set aside. 

Reheat the pan until hot. Add a little more oil, then add the shallots, scallion whites, carrots and garlic. Cook, stirring, for about a minute. Add the cooked meat and rice and continue to stir for another few minutes until the rice and meat are hot and begin to brown slightly. 

Add the soy sauce, water chestnuts, scallion greens and peas or edamame, salt and pepper to taste and fry together for another minute or two. 

Garnish with some fresh pea shoots, scallion greens or other micro greens, if available. 

Pass additional soy sauce at the table when serving.

Slow Roasted Pork Shoulder with Brown Sugar

Printable Recipe 

SERVES: 10-12

1 3-1/2 to 5 pound pork shoulder (butt) roast

2 whole garlic cloves, sliced or minced (optional)

1/3 cup Worcestershire Sauce

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

1 cup unsweetened apple juice (I didn't have juice so I used 2 fresh apples, peeled and diced) 

1/2 teaspoon salt, and 

1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper, or to taste

Make small slits all over the roast then insert a slice of garlic into each slit. Alternately, you can mince the garlic and rub it over the meat). Place the roast in a Dutch oven with lid.  I used my enameled cast iron Dutch oven.

Sprinkle the roast on all sides with Worcestershire sauce. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 425 F.

At the end of the hour, spoon any Worcestershire sauce that has accumulated on the bottom of the pot back over the meat. Mix together the brown sugar, black pepper and thyme or oregano and press the brown sugar mixture firmly onto the top and sides of the meat. Pour the apple juice into the bottom of the pot and cover tightly.

Place the roast in the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 225 F.

Roast for about 4 to 4-1/2 hours or until the meat is fall-apart tender (cooking time will vary depending on the size of the roast).

Remove the meat to a platter, tent with foil and set aside.  Stir the salt into the pan juices and taste test. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Strain juices and reserve. 

Slice meat as desired and pour strained juices over the top of the meat.  

Note:  This can easily be made a day or two ahead and refrigerated.  Juices can be easily defatted after chilling by scraping congealed fat off the top.  When ready to serve, warm meat in a 350F oven in a covered pot for about 30 minutes, adding the reserved juices.  

Adapted from Genius Kitchen 

Caramelized French Green Lentils

Fellow bloggers, please see my public service message at the end of this post*

Ditch the potatoes this month and try lentils! Side dish or main course...your choice! As part of the 'legume' family including beans, peas, chickpeas, etc., lentils are an excellent source of protein, fiber, carbohydrates and minerals.  They also contain no fat.

French green lentils are known for their firmer texture, and don't boil into a mushy consistency like brown lentils with which we are more familiar. Mostly grown in a volcanic ash region of France (around Le Puy), they are also now grown in certain areas of the United States and Canada in similar conditions.  French lentils are known for their greenish-gray mottled color and perfect "lens" shape.  They also have a more hearty, peppery and mineral-like flavor.  The word 'lentil' is French for 'small lens'.

They are more expensive than brown lentils but for a recipe like this, it's well worth it spending a little extra. I found mine at Whole Foods, but Bob's Red Mill brand and Food to Live, are two good brands sold on Amazon.

The inspiration for this recipe came from one of my newest cookbooks, Taste and Technique by Naomi Pomeroy.  The caramelization of the lentils is what inspired me to try this because I love caramelized everything!

I garnished mine with some peppery, locally-grown pea sprouts and served them with grilled salmon.  They would be delicious with most grilled and slow-roasted meats or poultry.  The left-overs (if any) are wonderful the next day as a salad for lunch.  Just drizzle with a little balsamic and extra-virgin olive oil.  I hope you give French green lentils a try!

These would also make a great side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

Caramelized French Green Lentils

Printable Recipe

Makes a great side dish but hearty enough to serve alone. Leave out the anchovy paste for a vegetarian entree.  

Serves 4 to 6

Lentil ingredients:

¾ cup French green lentils

3 cups water or chicken stock

1 cup red wine (I used Columbia Crest Grand Reserve Cabernet which is a $10 bottle and good enough to drink with dinner afterward)

1 bay leaf (optional)

2-1/2 teaspoons salt

Vegetable Ingredients:

1 tablespoon oil

½ cup finely diced yellow onion

½ cup finely diced celery

½ cup finely diced peeled carrot

½ cup finely diced golden beet

½ teaspoon each Salt & Pepper

Sauce Ingredients:

½ cup red wine

1 small thyme sprig or 1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 small clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon aged sherry or red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon brown sugar

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 teaspoon anchovy paste (buy the tube in the canned fish aisle)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

Spread the lentils out on a baking sheet and remove any debris that doesn’t look like a lentil.  Rise lentils and put in a medium saucepan along with the water and wine, bay leaf and salt.  Bring to a low, simmering boil and cook, uncovered, until just tender.  This will take about 25-30 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and set aside, picking out the bay leaf, if using.

To cook the vegetables, heat the oil in a 12 inch sauté pan over medium high heat.  Add the vegetables, salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are just tender.  Taste test occasionally.  Set aside.

To make the sauce, first put the sherry, tomato paste, brown sugar, garlic, anchovy paste and Dijon mustard in a small jar with tight-fitting lid. 

Put the wine, thyme and garlic in a small sauce pan and bring to a low, simmering boil.  Continue to boil until the liquid has reduced to about 1 tablespoon, watching carefully at the end so you don’t boil away too much.  Using a fine-mesh strainer, strain the liquid into the jar with the other ingredients.  Close and shake together until combined. 

To complete the dish, place your largest sauté pan over medium to medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil.  Add the lentils and sauce and sauté, stirring frequently, until the lentils begin to brown around the edges and begin to caramelize slightly.  Add the vegetables and continue to stir and cook for another few minutes until the vegetables are hot.  Taste and add more salt and pepper, if necessary.  (This can be done in two batches, if your sauté pan is not large enough to hold everything).  Just before serving, drizzle with a little extra-virgin olive oil.  

Colcannon Hash with Brussels Sprouts

It's time for some 'Wearin' of the Green' but on our plates!  No matter if you're Irish or not, this twist on classic Colcannon will make you dance a jig!  I made this for our dinner last night and served it alongside my favorite trout preparation.  Really good stuff!

Colcannon is traditionally made with mashed potatoes mixed with kale or cabbage. This variation is made with crispy sautéed potatoes to which I added Brussels sprouts (another member of the cabbage family), along with leek, green onions, and a little crispy pancetta. Feel free to substitute kale or regular cabbage in this recipe.

The finished dish is topped with a sprinkling of Irish aged cheddar cheese.  It was really delicious, and something I will make again - even after St. Patrick's Day!

The potatoes take about 15 minutes to get nicely browned and the whole dish can come together in about 45 minutes, including slicing the vegetables...unless you are a really slow slicer and dicer. In which case enlist the help of your sweetest Leprechaun to help you. It covers both the starch and vegetable components of your meal in one dish!  Topped with a soft poached or fried egg it can make a complete meal.

In the United States, I don't think there is any ethic holiday more universally celebrated than St. Patrick's Day!  In Chicago, just to our south, there is a huge St. Patrick's Day parade and they dye the Chicago river green with environmentally safe dye.  New York City hosts one of the oldest parades and festivals. Here in Milwaukee there is a St. Patrick's Day parade downtown that attracts more than 100,000 viewers. Irish dancing is very popular here also. Of course, the oldest celebration in the city with likely the largest Irish population in the U.S. is Boston.  Does your city or town host an Irish celebration for St. Patrick's Day?

May the Luck of the Irish be with you!  You will be lucky, indeed, if you try this Colcannon Hash with Brussels Sprouts :)

Colcannon Hash with Brussels Sprouts

Printable Recipe

Serves 2

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 ounces pancetta or bacon, diced
2 large russet potatoes, peeled, diced, rinsed, and well-drained
1 leek, white and very light green part only, sliced in half lengthwise, washed and sliced thin
4 green (spring) onions, white and some of the green part, washed and sliced thin
8 medium Brussels sprouts, outer leaves removed and sliced thin
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
2-3 tablespoons freshly grated sharp Irish cheddar (such as KerryGold)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons freshly chopped Italian parsley

Note:  Feel free to substitute kale, broccoli, cabbage or arugula in this recipe.

Heat a large, heavy frying pan (I used cast iron) over medium to medium high heat. Add the diced pancetta or bacon and fry until crispy and well-browned. Remove with slotted spoon and set aside.  Remove all but about 1-2 tablespoons of drippings in the pan. Remove from heat.

Dice the potatoes and put into a bowl with cold water. Change water once or twice until water is clear and much of the cloudy starch is removed. Drain thoroughly and dry with paper toweling.

Slice the leek, green onions and place in a small bowl next to the stove. Do the same for the Brussels sprouts.

Reheat the drippings in the frying pan to medium high and add the potatoes. Cook in one layer until crisp and browned on the bottom. Stir occasionally until browned all over, reducing heat if they are start to burn. This will take about 15 minutes.

Add green onions and leek and keep stirring until they are softened.

Add the cooked pancetta or bacon and continue stirring.

Add the sliced Brussels sprouts. Cook and stir until they are just tender and still bright green.

Add the shredded cheddar cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve. 

Inspired by Food Wishes

Winter Mushroom Gratin

Today, I'm bringing a delicious side dish to your Christmas or New Year's Eve dinner.  A warm and creamy winter mushroom gratin flavored with lemon, rosemary, thyme and Parmesan cheese.  We love mushrooms but my usual method of cooking them is a simple saute.  This recipe definitely raises the bar! 

The recipe is based on one I found in a cookbook that I recently won from fellow blogger, Pam, of Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner.  She had offered the book as a giveaway to celebrate her blog's 6th anniversary and I was the lucky winner!  Thank you again, Pam! 

The cookbook is called West Town Tavern: Contemporary Country Food with recipes from the popular former Chicago restaurant of the same name.

 
Unfortunately for us Midwesterners, the owners, Susan Goss and Drew Goss have relocated to New Orleans and the restaurant has closed.  At least we have their cookbook which is filled with wonderful recipes! It was so hard deciding which recipe to make first but I'm so glad I started with this mushroom gratin because it was so packed with wonderful flavors that I can see myself making it over and over again this winter.

It would be delicious as a side to almost any type of meat, or, just add a simple salad and it could be a delightful meatless meal for two. We enjoyed it with Garlic Buttered King Crab Legs.  Oh, and did I mention you can make this a day ahead?  Time saver alert!

I hope you are enjoying the many lights and decorations of the season!

Winter Mushroom Gratin

Printable Recipe

Serves 6

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, thinly sliced
1 large clove garlic, minced
1-1/2 lbs. assorted winter mushrooms (I used half cremini and half shiitake), trimmed and sliced
1/4 cup dry Sherry
1-1/2 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup grated good quality Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
2 tablespoons minced fresh thyme leaves
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Can be made a day in advance.

Trim the mushrooms and slice or chop thickly, discarding stems of woody mushrooms as shiitake. You can leave little mushrooms whole.

In a 5-quart saute pan, heat the olive oil until almost smoking over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until golden, about 2 minutes. Add the garlic and mushrooms, cover the pan and let the mushrooms simmer until they have given up their juices, about 10 minutes. Uncover the pan and raise the heat to high. Continue to saute the mushrooms, stirring, until the pan is dry and then add the Sherry. Stir until the mushrooms absorb the Sherry, then add the cream and salt and pepper to taste. Bring the cream to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the cream has thickened, about 3 or 4 minutes. Stir in the grated cheese, lemon zest and herbs and remove from heat. Adjust seasonings, if necessary.

Divide the mushrooms and sauce mixture among 6 small ramekins or use gratin dishes. At this point they can be covered and refrigerated overnight.

If serving right away, preheat the broiler to high. Place the ramekins or gratins on a baking sheet and broil until bubbling and golden on top, about 30 seconds, watching carefully. Serve immediately.

If the mushroom mixture has been made ahead and is cold, preheat the oven to 350F, uncover ramekins and bake until the gratins are warmed and bubbling. Then turn on the broiler and broil them until golden brown on the top as above.

Adapted from West Town Tavern: Contemporary Comfort Food

Note: The original recipe calls for orange zest and pecorino romano cheese.

Irish Potato and Cabbage Soufflé with Smoked Cheddar

Green, lovely green!  We can actually see a little grass outside our home and my husband said he heard a Robin while walking in the park today.  Spring is almost here!

I'd like to share a lovely Irish-inspired soufflé that I tried this past week in honor of St. Patrick's Day on March 17. This comes from Kevin Dundon's Full-On Irish cookbook, where I've found many good Irish recipes such as the Champ and Baileys Pots de Creme currently on my sidebar. His recipes are contemporary but still use traditional Irish ingredients. It's an older cookbook but available from a few second-party sellers. 

I love making soufflés.  It's so much fun to watch them puff up in the oven - light and airy.  As with all souffles, they will collapse a bit after they cool but fresh from the oven they are spectacular.

 

I used a delicious, Wisconsin-crafted, smoked cheddar which complimented the soufflé ingredients perfectly.  The other contemporary twist to this recipe was coating the ramekins with butter and then a ground walnut and bread crumb mixture.  What a great flavor when you dig in with your spoon and get some crumbs with each bite of soufflé!

Try these on the weekend for a special dinner instead of mashed or baked potatoes.  If you're like me and you enjoy potatoes and cabbage, you'll love them! 

I topped my soufflés with some broccoli sprouts that I found at my local store.  It not only added the 'pretty factor' but added a complimentary flavor as well.

Irish Potato and Cabbage Soufflé with Smoked Cheddar

Adapted from Full-On Irish by Kevin Dundon

Printable Recipe

Fills 6-7 (1/2 cup fluid measure/6 oz) ramekins

1/2 Stick (50g) of butter (softened)
2 oz (50g) dry breadcrumbs (I used whole wheat)
2 oz (50g) ground walnuts
5 oz (142g) smoked cheddar cheese
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
4 oz (100g) Savoy cabbage, thick stalks removed and finely shredded or chopped
4 oz (100g) cooked and peeled potato such as Russet, cooled and grated (I used a potato ricer)
5 egg whites

For the Béchamel Sauce:

1 stick (100g) butter
1 cup (100g) all purpose flour
1-1/3 cups (300ml) milk

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
Broccoli Sprouts for garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375F. Grease 6 ramekins with enough of the softened butter to thoroughly coat the ramekins. Mix the breadcrumbs and ground walnuts together and lightly coat the buttered ramekins. Set aside. (Note: If you decide to grind your own walnuts, as I did, I advise putting the bread crumbs in the processor along with the walnuts to keep the walnuts from clumping together). 

To make the Béchamel sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Slowly add the flour and cook for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add the milk, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Stir the grated cheese into the sauce until melted, then remove from the heat and allow to cool about 5 minutes. Season to taste and then mix in the egg yolks while stirring quickly (you don't want the eggs to curdle), until fully incorporated.

Heat the remaining butter (1 tablespoon or so) in a frying pan. Add the shredded cabbage and potato and cook over low heat for about 5 minutes, tossing occasionally. Fold into the the thickened Béchamel sauce and then transfer the mixture to a large metal bowl.

Beat the egg whites in a separate bowl until they form soft peaks, then carefully fold the egg whites into the cabbage mixture. Divide among the prepared ramekins and gently tap each one on the counter to remove any air bubbles. Arrange on a baking sheet and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until well risen and golden. This will vary according to your oven so watch carefully.

Serve the souffles garnished with broccoli sprouts, if desired.

I reheated these the next day and they still tasted great, although without the grand puff that you get right out of the oven.

Caramelized Onion Pasta with Madeira

Here's a simple last minute suggestion if you're interested in a Valentine's Day dinner idea that will really wow your sweetie without having to break the piggy bank! You may even have everything you need in your pantry already.

When I first saw this recipe on Food 52 I knew I had to try it.  Being an avid fan of caramelized onion anything, I was on board!  All you need is 1.5 pounds of regular yellow onions, some pasta, Parmesan cheese and a little fortified wine such as Madeira, but dry Sherry would work.  I used Madeira that I found for $5.99 a bottle at the liquor store.  

The onions are first caramelized in butter for an hour.  No, that is not a typo - One Hour.  Low and slow in the key to delicious, jammy caramelized onions. James Beard's original recipe calls for TWO sticks of butter.  Food 52's version has 10 Tablespoons of butter.  I used 8 Tablespoons and I think you could even reduce that to 6 Tablespoons.  The onions in the photo above have already cooked for one hour.  The pan was almost full of onions when I started so you can see how much they soften.  

At the end of an hour, a splash of Madeira and a good dose of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and you have a swoon-worthy first course or side dish.  I served mine as a meatless meal with some braised kale but this would be scrumptious with almost any kind of meat, poultry or seafood.  

The first time I made it I used sweet onions and found the pasta tasted just a little too sweet with the Madeira.  The next time, I used regular yellow onions and reduced the amount of Madeira.  Just right!  I really had a hard time keeping my fork out of the pan while I was taking these photos!  It’s so delicious!

Caramelized Onion Pasta

Adapted from Food 52 and James Beard

Printable Recipe

Serves 4 to 6 (small first-course portions)

6-8 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 pounds regular yellow (not sweet) onions, halved and sliced 1/4-inch thick
1 tablespoon sugar
Salt
2 Tablespoons Madeira (original recipe calls for 1/4 cup), can also use dry sherry
3/4 pound hot cooked pasta (I used fettuccine but papparadelle is also recommended)
Sea salt, for serving (if needed)
Grated Parmesan, for serving

Note:  Save a little of the pasta cooking water in case the sauce needs a little more liquid.

Melt the butter in a large (12-inch) skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are soft and translucent, being careful not to burn them.  Reduce the heat to low and stir in the sugar and a pinch of salt. Continue cooking the onions slowly for about 1 hour, stirring occasionally. They should be dark, caramelized and gooey. 

Add the Madeira to the onions and cook for a few more minutes, then add the cooked and drained pasta to the pan.  Add a few tablespoons of grated Parmesan, and toss the pasta with the sauce until mixed together. Add just a little pasta cooking water, if desired.

Serve with additional grated Parmesan and some sea salt, if needed.

Brussels Sprouts Soufflé

One of the stars of our holiday table at Thanksgiving is this Brussels Sprouts Soufflé that I have been making for many years.  The recipe comes from a cookbook that my mother-in-law gave me shortly after my husband and I were married, called the Better Homes & Gardens Vegetable Cook Book.  My husband doesn't really like Brussels Sprouts but he LOVES this cheesy souffle!

In order to make any soufflé there are several steps that need to be observed so I thought I'd put together an easy tutorial on how to make this in case you'd like to try it for your Thanksgiving feast this year.

First, chop cooked Brussels Sprouts in a food processor.  You can use frozen or fresh Brussels sprouts. They can be chopped by hand if you don't own a food processor.  Chop them fairly fine. 

Have the eggs separated and everything needed for the recipe next to the stove before you begin. 

The first step is to melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Stir in the flour and salt and blend together until bubbly.  Add the milk all at once and continue to stir until the mixture is thickened.

Beat the egg yolks until light and lemon-colored.  Add some of the thickened, hot milk mixture to the yolks to temper them.  This is so the eggs don't curdle or separate when you add them to the hot mixture in the pot.  Then, afterward, add all of the yolk mixture to the hot mixture and stir rapidly until thoroughly blended. Then, add the chopped Brussels sprouts and cheese to the pan, stir to mix, and remove the pan from heat.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry.  Add them to the pan and fold in carefully.  I like to use a large, flat wooden stirrer using a cutting and folding motion.  The purpose is to keep as much air in the whites as possible while blending.  Then pour the mixture into an ungreased souffle or tall, round baking dish.

As you can see the soufflé puffs up beautifully in the oven, but don't be dismayed when it sinks shortly after it comes out of the oven.  The inside will still be light and delicious!

Again, I wish to thank everyone who posted so many kind comments regarding the loss of my sister.  It will be a difficult holiday season knowing she is no longer here but I am feeling better.  I'm still not up-to-speed on visiting all of my blogger friends, but hopefully, after the holidays I will be back on track.

Wishing all of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, a warm and happy holiday~

 
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Brussels Sprouts Soufflé

Adapted from Better Homes & Gardens Vegetable Cook Book 1967

Printable Recipe

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

¼ cup butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
4 egg yolks
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
1 10-oz package frozen Brussels sprouts, cooked, drained, and finely chopped (about 2 cups) May use fresh, cooked Brussels Sprouts, of course - do not overcook
4 egg whites

Preheat oven to 350F

In a very large (at least 3-4 quart or more) sauce pan or pot, over medium-high heat, melt butter until bubbly and then blend in the flour and salt until well combined.

Add the milk all at once and cook quickly till mixture thickens, stirring constantly.

Beat egg yolks till thick and lemon-colored. Blend some of the hot butter mixture into egg yolks to temper them; return the yolk mixure to the pot and stir rapidly to that the eggs do not curdle.

Stir in cheese and finely chopped sprouts. Remove pan from heat.

Beat the egg whites until stiff but not dry and carefully fold into hot mixture. You want to leave as much air as possible in the whites while folding.

Turn the mixture into an ungreased 2-quart soufflé dish.

Bake in 350 degree oven for 40-60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.

Notes: May be made the day before and refrigerated after cooling. Allow to come to room temperature and reheat in a 350 oven, covered with aluminum foil until heated through - about 20 minutes.

Sautéed Escarole with Garlic and Anchovies

Things are finally starting to green up in Wisconsin, thanks to the seemingly never ending days of rain we've had the past couple of weeks! The garden is showing signs of new life and I've been able to sneak in a couple of afternoons of raking in between rain showers to uncover some early spring flowers. As I type this post this afternoon, we are having more thunder showers.  I won't complain after last year's drought.

In keeping with the 'spring green' mood, we enjoyed a delicious, vegetable preparation for dinner recently - sautéed escarole. I'm sure some of you grew up eating escarole, but I actually ate it for the first time at our last gourmet group gathering. I know, what took so long to discover something so good?

One or two heads of escarole are cut into ribbons then washed and spun dry in a salad spinner. Whole anchovy fillets are mashed into a paste in a hot sauté pan with oil along with sliced garlic. The escarole is then added to the pan and cooked until slightly wilted. A sprinkle of S&P, hot pepper flakes and a splash of fresh lemon juice and you have a delicious side dish to accompany almost any meal! Don't worry, you won't even taste the anchovies - they simply add a wonderful depth of flavor.

Sautéed Escarole with Garlic and Anchovies
Adapted from Molto Italiano by Mario Batali
Printable Recipe

Serves 4

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 anchovy fillets, rinsed
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 heads escarole cut crosswise into 1/2-inch-wide ribbons, washed and spun dry
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Red pepper flakes to taste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Heat a 10 to 12 inch sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil and anchovies and mash the anchovies with the back of a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook just until the garlic is light golden brown, about 30 seconds. Add the escarole and cook, stirring constantly, until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, squeeze the lemon juice over, and serve.

Notes: Buy unsalted anchovies if you can find them. If using salted anchovies, skip the addition of extra salt. You can also make this ahead (slightly undercooked) and serve at room temperature.

Pea Gnocchi with Browned Butter Radishes

Every now and then you find a recipe suits the season perfectly! This is one of those recipes that celebrates spring and all you need to make it is a bag or two of frozen peas, fresh radishes, parsley, butter...and some time. 

Sandy d'Amato, a local, James Beard Award-winning chef and restaurant-owner, writes a weekly food column in our Sunday newspaper. This recipe was one that he featured in his column just a couple of weeks ago.

Since we had the entire family over for a triple birthday celebration Saturday night, I had the perfect excuse to make it.  I did test it on my husband the week before and it was given 2 thumbs up (RIP Roger Ebert).  The recipe is time-consuming, but when I made it for my family, I tried some time-saving steps that worked great.  

The peas need to be blanched, puréed and then pushed through a strainer to remove the outer skin of the peas.  I did this a day ahead.  You also need to bake a couple of potatoes and pass those through a ricer.  I did that a day ahead also.  Then, you need to either make your own clarified butter or buy ghee if your food market carries it.  It was really quite easy to make the clarified butter and I followed instructions I found after doing an online search.  I did that 2 days in advance. 

The morning of the party, I made and boiled the dumplings and sliced the radishes and kept them refrigerated so all I had left to do was sauté the dumplings and radishes - which I did right before everyone arrived and simply lightly reheated them at dinner time. 

  

Pea Gnocchi with Brown Butter Radishes

Adapted from Chef Sandy d'Amato
~from Savoring Time in the Kitchen

Makes 4 servings (about 70 1-inch dumplings)

1 pound Idaho potatoes (two 8-ounce potatoes)
1 pound peas (fresh-shucked or frozen); one-fourth reserved for garnish
1 egg
2 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
3/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
¾ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 ounces flour (about ¾ cup)
2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 ounces clarified butter
2 tablespoons whole salted butter
8 medium radishes, trimmed and sliced 1/8th inch thick
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
¼ cup loose-pack fresh Italian parsley leaves, cleaned and dried

Bake potatoes 1 hour, until tender.  While still warm,  pass through a ricer or food mill into a bowl.  Cool and refrigerate, if necessary (Can be made a day ahead)

Blanch the ¾ pound peas in boiling salted water 1 minute. Drain and shock in ice water. Dry on a towel and purée in a food processor until fine. Pass through a medium strainer into a bowl to remove all skin (scaping off the bottom of the sieve occasionally to release the all of the strained pea purée.  (Can be made a day ahead).

When ready to make the gnocchi, add the cooled and riced potatoes to the strained peas in a large bowl.

In another bowl, whisk egg with salt, nutmeg and pepper. Add to potatoes and peas and work together. Add flour and mix to just incorporate.  Do not overwork the dough.

Divide the dough into 5 pieces. Dust lightly with flour and roll out each piece with your hands into a rope shape about ½ inch thick and 14 inches long. Cut into 1-inch lengths to yield about 70 dumplings total.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add about a tablespoon of kosher salt to the boiling water.  Quickly add half the dumplings, one by one, so they don't stick together. Turn heat to the lowest setting, cover, and let the dumplings poach 3 minutes. Remove and drain with a skimmer to a rimmed baking sheet. Toss with just enough oil to keep them from sticking together. Repeat with remaining half of dumplings and cool all of them (they may be covered and refrigerated until needed at this point).

When ready to serve, place 2 nonstick saute pans over medium-high heat. Divide clarified butter between pans. When butter is hot, divide dumplings between the pans and sauté 2 to 3 minutes until lightly brown.  Remove the dumplings to a large bowl. 

Divide the whole salted butter between the 2 pans. When the butter browns, divide the radishes and reserved peas between the 2 pans and stir for about a minute. Return the dumplings to the pans. Season lightly with salt and pepper (I love lots of pepper), toss and place on a serving platter.  Garnish with parsley leaves

Creamy Farro with Crispy Shiitakes

Have you had farro yet?  It's another one of those grains that, in the past decade or so, have become the darlings of the culinary world.  Here are a few quotes from a New York Times article on farro:

"Because farro contains a starch similar to that found in Arborio rice, it behaves much like risotto, releasing a creamy, binding liquid when cooked. But unlike risotto, farro doesn't become gummy; instead, it retains its tender, distinct bite, even if it sits awhile after cooking. Farro is rich in fiber, magnesium and vitamins A, B, C and E. It grows best in barren, high-altitude terrain and is almost always grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers. Because it is so easily digested and so low in gluten, farro can often be eaten by people who are normally gluten-intolerant. According to the department of plant genetics at the University of Florence, farro is an ancient, unhybridized grain used for thousands of years in North Africa and the Middle East, where farro kernels have been found in Egyptian tombs. During the height of the Roman Empire, farro was used as a primary food and probably even as money. True farro is Triticum dicoccum, an unhybridized wheatlike plant that has two spikes and is in the wheat family."

Italy is the major producer of farro today. 

Since I've already had farro served risotto-style made by my son-in-law, I already knew how delicious it can be.  This is the kind of comforting dish that is perfect for the winter months. 

As you will see, it is prepared in a very similar fashion to risotto also.  This makes a wonderful compliment to many meat or poultry dishes.  I was asked for the recipe when I served it - it is delicious! 

Creamy Farro with Crispy Shiitakes

Adapted from Whole Living
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 shallot, minced
1 cup farro (I was able to find the Roland brand at my local store)
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 cups low-sodium chicken stock (I like Kitchen Basics brand)
Coarse salt
12 ounces wild mushrooms, such as shiitake or oyster, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch slices (I used all Shiitake mushrooms)
Red-pepper flakes
1 bunch spinach (10 ounces), stemmed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.  When hot, add 1 tablespoon oil. Add shallot and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add farro, stirring until toasted, about 1 minute. Add the wine and cook until reduced by half. Add chicken stock, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until farro is tender and creamy, 35 to 40 minutes. Season with salt and cover to keep warm.

Meanwhile, heat the oven to 450 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss mushrooms with remaining 2 tablespoons oil and season with salt and red-pepper flakes. Roast, stirring once, until crisp and golden, 20 to 25 minutes.

Warm farro over medium heat and add spinach, stirring until wilted, about 1 minute. Stir in mushrooms and Parmesan. Pass additional Parmesan at the table.

Maple-Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Here is a delicious way to serve carrots and parsnips that I found on At Home with Vicki Bensinger.  We love carrots but I often forget about how delicious and sweet roasted parsnips can be.  The original recipe from Nigella Lawson calls for only parsnips but Vicki took it a step further and added carrots.  What a great combination!  These would be perfect addition to your holiday dinner table but they are so simple to prepare they are wonderful for any week night meal also.  

The maple syrup gives them an even greater depth of sweetness that is simply wonderful! Last spring I was very lucky to win a giveaway at Fresh New England of some wonderful maple syrup from the North Hadley Sugar Shack in Maine, along with some maple candy and beautifully-packaged soap.  Thank you, El :) I used this amazing New England maple syrup on my roasted carrots and parsnips but any good maple syrup will taste great.

 

These were some of the prettiest carrots I have ever bought! 

After looking at all of my carrot-styling shots, I noticed the great shadows on this next one and I had fun with PicMonkey and added a spooky overlay to make it a little more creepy for Halloween...Mwahahahaahhaha...

Maple Roasted Carrots and Parsnips
Adapted from At Home with Vicki Bensinger who adapted it from Nigella Lawson
Printable Recipe

Serves 6

1-1/4 pounds parsnips
1-1/4 pounds carrots
4 fluid ounces vegetable oil
3 1/2 fluid ounces maple syrup
Salt &  Freshly-ground Pepper to Taste
Optional: Freshly chopped parsley and spinach or arugula leaves for serving

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Peel the parsnips and then halve them crosswise, then halve or quarter each piece lengthwise.  Prepare carrots the same way. 

Mix together the vegetable oil, maple syrup and salt & pepper. 

Place the parsnips and carrots on a rimmed baking pan. Pour the oil mixture over the vegetables and toss them well so that all of the pieces are coated.

Roast  for 40-50 minutes, or until they are tender and golden brown.

To serve, place a layer of cleaned spinach leaves or arugula on a platter and spoon the roasted parsnips and carrots on top.  Sprinkle with fresh, chopped parsley, if desired.

Note:  The original recipes states that it serves 8 but I feel the portion size after roasted is better for 6.