Zucchini and Sour Cream

This recipe comes from a 1960s-era hardcover large format cookbook: Sunset Quick and Easy Dinners

2 Lb tender zucchini
About 1 C water
1/2 Pt (8 oz) sour cream

Cut stems off zucchini but do not peel.  Shred on large side of a grater.  Place in a saucepan with the 1 C water.  Cover, bring to a  boil, and cook until tender (about 4 minutes).  Drain well.

Add sour cream to well-drained zucchini, return to pan to warm gently, season with salt and pepper, and serve,

Roast chicken with tarragon and dijon mustard

This recipe was  adapted from "Chicken Tarragon Loki" from The Country Gourmet Cookbook by Sherrill and Gil Roth.  Chicken leg quarters were on sale, so we ended up buying 5 leg quarters and expanded the recipe to accommodate that number of chicken pieces.  We used an inexpensive Dijon mustard, and think we should have either used more or a more strongly-flavored one.  That said, this was a delicious dish that we will further adapt and cook again!

3 medium onions, cut into slices (maybe should double next time)
1 Tbsp olive oil, plus 1 tsp (needed more because of the quantity of chicken)
1/2 tsp salt (more)
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper (more), extra to sprinkle over chicken
2 tsp dried tarragon (or 2 Tbsp fresh) -- needs more!
1/4 C dry white wine or vermouth  (need at least twice this amount)
5 chicken leg quarters (instead of one 3.5 Lb chicken in original recipe)
Several Tbsp of Dijon Mustard (instead of 3 Tbsp plus 1 tsp in original recipe)

Prepare chicken leg quarters by cutting away any backbone (using kitchen shears or a cleaver), but no need to separate the legs from the thighs.  Prepare a baking dish that will hold all the chicken pieces by lining with foil. Wash chicken and pat dry with paper towels. Set aside.

Separate onion slices into rings and toss with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, salt, pepper, and tarragon.
(Alternately, you may saute the onions in olive oil (2 or so Tbsp oil per each three sliced onions) until limp and soft. ) Place onions in the bottom of baking dish.  Pour wine over the onions.

Start by placing chicken quarters skin side down, and spread liberally with mustard.  Mix olive oil (a couple of teaspoons) with additional mustard (a couple of tablespoons) -- instead of a teaspoon of each -- place chicken quarters on the onions in baking dish skin-side up, and spread with the mustard-oil mixture. Add a few grindings of black pepper over top.

Bake in a 375 degree oven, basting with the wine and juices in the bottom of pan.  Cover for last 1/2 hour to prevent from getting too brown, removing foil for last 5 - 10 minutes to crisp up the skin.

Delicious.

Quick Mixing Crepe Batter Recipe from Julia Child (using Wondra)

By using Wondra, this batter only needs to rest for 20 minuts or so after mixing - this allows crepes to be made sooner after mixing than when using a traditional batter (which requires hours of resting before use).

3 large eggs
2/3 C milk
2/3 C water (plus a little additional if needed to thin batter later)
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp oil (peanut or grapeseed - high smoke point preferred, or may substitute part melted butter)
1 C Wondra instant mixing flour
A little oil to prepare pan

Beat eggs lightly in a medium (4 C capacity) bowl, then add the milk, water, and oil.  Stir in the Wondra flour, whisking it in until smooth.  Let batter rest before use for 20 - 30 mins, or longer in the refrigerator.  If batter has become a little too thick, thin with a little more water, adding a few drops at a time until reaching the desired batter thickness for the crepes of your choice.

Roasting & Peeling Chile Peppers

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Today's Caper - Roasting Chile Peppers

July 13, 2006, 10:34 am

Posted by cookie in General
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I got a large bag of green chiles at the little neighborhood produce store for a song; with travel plans coming up, it seemed like today would be a good day for me to roast and peel the peppers and use some (freezing the leftovers). Since it's early in the day, I'm hoping to get this done before the temperature outside gets too warm.

Corey taught me that you roast peppers by charring them under the broiler, then you put them into a paper bag to steam for 5 - 10 min. then peel and seed (use gloves!)

You are here: cooking capers > Entrees - Casseroles, Stews, One Dish Meals

White Bean and Hot Italian Sausage Stew

March 14, 2012, 4:40 pm

Posted by cookie in Entrees - Casseroles, Stews, One Dish Meals
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I got the initial recipe from Fresh 15 Minute Meals by the esteemed Emalee Chapman. I've made substantial changes, but the flavor notes remain similar. The changes I made included increasing the beans to 3 cans of any type of white beans and using hot Italian sausage rather than mild or sweet. I adjusted the other ingredients accordingly.

This takes more like 45 minutes to 1 hour from start to finish, but it's quite easy, well-received and we never have any leftovers! Serves 3; salad is a good accompaniment.

White Bean and Hot Italian Sausage Stew with Canned Beans

- 3 Cans white beans (seasoned or unseasoned - both work fine)
- ~ 3/4 tsp dried thyme
- ~ 3 - 4 Tbsp fresh parsley (flat or curly, doesn't matter), chopped fine
- 1 1/2 C dry white wine, divided use (may need a little more to thin stew a bit after cooking)
- 5 HOT Italian Sausages, cut into thirds
- 3 - 4 medium tomatoes (or 1 - 2 large)
For balancing flavor, I may also use:
- tomato paste
- balsamic or red wine vinegar
- honey
- pepper

Open beans and drain off liquid in cans. Place beans in a bowl and stir in the parsley and thyme. Set aside allowing the flavors to meld.

Place about 3/4 C of the white wine into a very large covered skillet. Place on medium-high heat, and add the sausage pieces. Cover and simmer for about 5 - 10 minutes (making sure the pan doesn't dry out -- adding more wine or water if needed). Turn sausage pieces at least once during cooking. Uncover, and drain off fat and wines

Brown sausages in skillet (you may need to add a little olive oil if your pan is not non-stick) - this is done uncovered on medium-high heat, turning the sausage pieces frequently so that they don't burn.

Once the sausage is browned, slice the tomatoes into the pan, and add 3/4 to 1 C wine. Cover pan and cook over medium heat for 7 - 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in bean mixture and cook, uncovered for 3 - 5 minutes longer. Taste for seasoning -- adjust as needed with small amounts of: tomato paste, balsamic vinegar (or wine vinegar), honey, and pepper. Sometimes it needs no adjusting, but during winter when tomatoes are less full-flavored, I find it helps to use one or more of these ingredients.

Chicken Pot Pie - from Blonde Sagacity

Last Night's Dinner - ALa's Chicken Pot Pie

November 18, 2005, 6:30 pm

Posted by cookie in Entrees - Pasta, Rice, Egg, Cheese, Other

Modified from Chicken Pot Pie, from Carnival of the Recipes #12

Ingredients:

2 medium to large boneless, skinless breasts of chicken (or "half breasts" depending on what your grocer calls them)

Chicken or Vegetable Soup Base or Bouillon or Dry Onion Soup Mix (I usually use some combination of "Better than Bouillon" and Onion Soup mix in the water I'm going to use for boiling the chicken breasts. I taste the broth before using -- if it tastes like soup but is a tadbit weak, that's about what I use. The base/bouillon/onion soup mix impart some flavor and don't strip the chicken of its own flavor.)

1 Package Pillsbury pie crusts (1 pkg.=2 crusts) (find this in the refrigerated dough section of the market - where they have dough for biscuit and dinner rolls)

1-2 Bunches Broccoli (I get one to two bunches -- this is hard to quantify, but I'd say a medium-to-large bunch would suffice. Cut it into florets and cut the center clump into sizes similar to the rest of the pieces)

1/8 - 1/4 Pound Baby Carrots (I use peeled baby carrots -- no additional chopping is needed then, and they're easy for me to avoid, since carrots are one of those foods I can't eat. :-(

3 - 4 Tbsp Prepared Horseradish (may sound strange, but this is the key ingredient! NOT creamed horseradish nor horseradish 'sauce'; I buy mine in the fridge section near the Claussen pickles, but a shelf-stable variety may work fine)

1 Can Cream of Mushroom soup (Don't skimp here -- buy Campbells! -- store brands are too salty. You can use a different cream soup here if your audience doesn't like cream of mushroom -- I didn't like cream of chicken quite as well, and I haven't tried others yet)

 Light cream or Half and Half (enough to fill soup can) Pie dish - preferably glass 1 egg yolk 2 tsp water

----- DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 350 - 375 degrees

Boil chicken for approx. 10 - 15 minutes Cut cooked chicken into cubes

Boil or steam carrots and broccoli (or not if you like the veggies very crunchy)

Combine Cream of Mushroom soup, 1 can of light cream, horseradish and heat in large saucepan or dutch oven. Stir to get smooth. Add chicken and vegetables. Mix well.

Spread (1) crust in the bottom of pie dish (un-greased). Pour mixture into crust. Use second crust to cover mixture and pinch together top and bottom crust. Mix (1) egg yolk and (2) teaspoons of water and paint the top of pie crust with yolk mixture.

Use a knife to make slices in the top of crust. Cover pot-pie with greased aluminum foil --try to tent it over the top crust to avoid contact, as it almost always sticks on me -- and bake for 30 minutes.

Remove foil and continue baking for 30 more minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Notes: I think baking at 375 works a bit better; at 350, I've needed to go an extra 10 - 15 minutes beyond the times given, so your mileage may vary a bit, too. If you are using a 10" or larger pie plate, you will have to roll the prepared crust out a bit to fit this larger diameter.  Easiest if you use a 9" or 8": pie tine, but with some care, it is workable in a 10" pan, resulting in a thinner crust.

Original recipe source: Blonde Sagacity /ALa - at http://mobyrebuttal.blogspot.com/2004/11/carnival-of-recipes-12.html

Moroccan Garlic Eggplant - Kahrmus

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Moroccan Garlic Eggplant - Kahrmus

January 17, 2013, 12:08 am

Posted by cookie in Side Dishes

This warm Moroccan eggplant dish is made by cooking chopped eggplants in olive oil, garlic and spices until tender enough to mash. Kahrmus may be eaten as a dip with middle eastern flat bread or over rice or other grain.

I modified the original recipe -- my version is below with a link to the original (on about.com) at the bottom. I have had good luck doubling the recipe in a gigantic covered pan. The eggplant shrinks down quite a bit during the cooking, but my saute pan starts out a bit overly full.

Kahrmus - Warm Moroccan Eggplant Salad

~ 2 Lb (2 to 3 large to medium) eggplants
5 - 6+ cloves garlic
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C water
------------------------------------------
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
~ 3 Tbsp lemon juice or more, to taste


Preparation:

Peel and chop the eggplant into small ( smaller than 1/4-inch) cubes. Place prepared eggplant in a large deep saute pan with the garlic, spices, olive oil and water. Cover, and cook on the stovetop for about 30 minutes over medium to medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add a little water during the cooking if necessary. If the eggplant is not tender enough to mash after 30 minutes, continue to cook, adding more water as needed.

When the eggplant is very tender, mash it with the back of a spoon or a potato masher. Add the parsley, cilantro and lemon juice, and cook for another few minutes to reduce any liquids. Add more lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Remove from the heat.

We usually serve this eggplant dish warm, but may be served at room temperature or chilled.


Original recipe available at:
http://moroccanfood.about.com/od/saladsandsidedishes/r/morocan_eggplant_salad.htm

Chile Verde - Green Chili Stew with Pork

You are here: cooking capers > Entrees - Meat

Chile Verde (Green Chili Stew)

January 11, 2006, 6:39 pm

Posted by cookie in Entrees - Meat
 

Olive oil
1 - 2 Onions, chopped fine
2 - 5 cloves Garlic (depending on size)
1 - 3 tsp ground Cumin
1 Tbsp dried oregano, divided (may use Marjoram instead)
All purpose Flour (about 3/4 cup)
Salt, Pepper

2 Pounds Boneless Pork, cubed
Chicken Broth (about 1.5 - 2 Cans non-condensed, or 2 - 3 Cupsful)

5 - 12 Roasted, peeled, seeded Green Chiles (depending on "heat", roasted and peeled fresh poblano chiles can substitute if necessary)

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1 - 2 Cans (7 fl oz each) Herdez Salsa Verde (in lieu of fresh tomatillos)

2 - 4 Potatoes (about 1 pound) - optional
1 Lime (or juice of one lime)
Salt
Freshly Ground Pepper (if you must, you can use pre-ground)

Add about 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large dutch oven or stock pot, and saute the onions over medium-low heat until they appear translucent. Add the garlic and continue to saute on low until the onions are becoming very soft (mushy).

Warm the (dry) ground cumin over low-medium heat in a non-stick skillet (No fat or oil) until fragrant -- I usually will warm about 1 Tbsp and use around 1 - 2 tsp in the dish. Remove from pan and set aside. Measure out about 1 tsp of the prepared cumin, and add it to the onions and garlic mixture. In correcting seasoning later, expect to add another 1/2 - 2 tsp of the cumin.

If you wipe the pan out with a paper towel after heating the cumin, you can use it to brown the meat (and avoid dirtying another pan).

Mix together 3/4 C flour, 1 tsp Salt, 1 - 2 tsp Pepper, and 1 - 2 tsp Oregano (crumbled between your palms to expose additional surface area) in a medium mixing bowl.

Heat about 2 Tbsp Olive oil in skillet on medium-high to high setting. To brown the pork, dredge cubes in the flour mixture, shaking off excess flour and add to olive oil. [Clarification: You will end up with leftover seasoned flour after dredging all the meat -- discard excess flour mixture.]

Don't crowd the pork, or it will steam and not brown properly. Instead, cook it in batches, turning the pork so that it's browned on all sides, and then removing it to a side dish, then adding additional olive oil and additional dredged pork until all is browned. When the pork is browned, add to the stock pot and deglaze pan with some chicken broth, adding this to the stock pot.

Add the Herdez sauce (or other salsa verde) to the stock pot. If my chiles are hot, I use fewer of them and two cans of salsa; if my chiles are medium, I use more of them and one can of salsa. If you're unsure, add one can of salsa and you can always add another one later.

Chop and then add the roasted, peeled and seeded chiles. Add enough broth to make a "stew" texture (you will also probably need to add more during the cooking -- I usually end up adding about 1.5 - 2 Cups of broth in total). Cover and cook on medium-low -- at or just below a simmer -- for several hours (at least 2 - 3 hours -- I like to cook it for longer), scraping the bottom to keep it from sticking and adding broth as needed. During this cooking, I also adjust the seasonings -- add additional cumin, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. One warning -- it's better to go a little bit too light on the salt than too heavy!

During the last hour or two of the cooking, peel the potatoes, if using them, and cut into large cubes. Boil the potatoes in a pot of water until just soft, drain, and add to the stew.

Add lime juice, and stir in to mix throughout. Test pork for doneness -- it should be VERY tender and have picked up some of the flavors of the chiles and other ingredients.

Corn Cherry Scones

You are here: cooking capers > Quick Breads

Corn Cherry Scones - Arizmendi & Cheese Board Collective

February 21, 2008, 5:45 pm

Posted by cookie in Quick Breads

Whenever we're in Oakland or Berkeley, we end up stopping at Arizmendi Bakery for goodies. One of our favorites of theirs is their Corn Cherry Scones - made with cornmeal and dried sour cherries.

Needless to say, I was delighted to find the recipe on the SF Chronicle website -- Arizmendi and The Cheese Board come from the same beginnings. I tried this recipe in 2006 or so, and it's pretty darned close to what we buy. Had to add a bit more flour to reduce sticking.

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CHEESE BOARD CORN CHERRY SCONES

This is one of many scone recipes in "The Cheese Board Collective Works" (Ten Speed Press, 2003, 230 pages) by Berkeley's Cheese Board Collective, and one of our overall favorite scones. The golden nuggets have a slight cornmeal crunch and are studded with plump cherries. Cheese Board baker Carrie Blake says that while you can use a mixer, it's better to mix the dough by hand.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

2/3 cup + 1/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 cups medium-grind yellow cornmeal

1 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch cubes

3/4 cup dried sweet cherries

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

INSTRUCTIONS:

Preheat oven to 425°. Adjust rack in center of oven. Line 1 or 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a baking mat.

Sift together flour, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl. Add salt, 2/3 cup sugar, and the cornmeal. Stir with a wooden spoon until combined. Add butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until it is the size of small peas. Using the spoon, mix in cherries. Make a well in the center; add buttermilk. Mix briefly, until ingredients just come together; some loose flour should remain at bottom of bowl. Let the batter stand for 5 minutes.

Gently shape the dough into balls about 2 1/4 inches in diameter (they should have a rough, rocky exterior) and place them on the prepared pans about 2 inches apart.

Sprinkle the 1/4 cup sugar on top of the scones. Place the scones on the middle rack of the oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375°. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the scones are golden. Transfer the scones to a wire rack to cool.

Yields 15-20 scones

Original Source:
SFgate.com
Wednesday, May 10, 2006

Secrets of Helen's Salad Dressing

The "How to Dress Your Salad" Caper - Helen's Vinaigrette

March 1, 2008, 11:45 pm

Posted by cookie in General
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Secrets of the Salad Dressing Caper -- AKA Helen's Oil & Vinegar Salad Dressing

Here's another excellent contribution from Helen -- this is her recipe for vinaigrette. It's easy, very flavorful and worth bothering to make it from scratch.

1 tsp Salt
1 Garlic clove
3 tsp Cider vinegar
2 tsp Water
Oil to taste -- about 2 Tbsp (we use less)
Herbs / seasonings if desired

Helen says:

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"You can substitute lemon juice or use part balsamic vinegar. This amount makes enough for a bowl of salad. I like to rub the garlic into the salt and then chop it or use a garlic press."

We noticed that when tomatoes are not in season or are less flavorful than we'd like, Helen often pre-soaks store-bought tomatoes along with some very thinly sliced red onion in the dressing to infuse with flavor a few hours before making the salad for supper.

You are here: cooking capers > General

Cornbread-topped Bean and Kielbasa Bake

March 2, 2008, 4:30 am

Posted by cookie in General
Rating: Votes : 0

Cornbread-topped Bean and Kielbasa Bake

This is an adaptation of a recipe found in a cookbook, Caramel Knowledge, by Al Sicherman. JS and I both thought it sounded interesting, so we gave it a try.

1 Lb Kielbasa (or cooked bratwurst) sliced into 1/4" to 1/2" pieces
2 (1 Lb each) Cans of Baked Beans -- needs MORE
1/2 C Ketchup
1/2 C Water
1 Tbsp Prepared Mustard (we used Dijon)

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Soy Sauce to taste (optional)
Remainder of onion left over from topping

Topping:
3/4 C Sifted Flour
1 Tbsp Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Salt
2/3 C Cornmeal (we used stone ground)
1 Egg, lightly beaten
2/3 C Milk
1/4 C Cooking Oil
1/2 C Onion, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brown the Kielbasa, then saute the onion until limp/translucent. Mix together with ketchup, water, and mustard and soy sauce. Place mixture in 9 x 13 inch baking pan.

Sift or mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together. Stir in the cornmeal. Add the egg, milk, oil, and onion, stirring only after all are added and only enough to fully combine. Spoon this mixture over the beans. It won't cover fully -- you want to put in dollops for each serving rather than trying to put on a smooth layer. (If you want enough topping so that you can get an even layer of cornbread to cover the whole dish, double the topping recipe.)

Bake for 40 minutes or until cornbread is golden brown.

Our thoughts:
There wasn't enough of the bean mixture. We used one large can of Bush's Baked Beans with honey and ham, and just didn't have nearly enough beans and sausage mixture. We plan to double the ingredients in the bean and sausage mixture next time.

The Kielbasa was a bit tough after the browning. Also, the pieces seemed a bit large. We're considering browning the sausage *before* cutting up next time (or not browning at all, sacrificing some of the caramelization that we like so much) and cutting into smaller pieces that feel more "bite-sized." I'll update the recipe as we make improvements, but the result was really tasty -- so it's well worth fine tuning.

Lentil Hummus with Pomegranate Molasses and Mint

You are here: cooking capers > Appetizers, H'ors D'oeuvres, and "Small Plates"

Lentil Hummus with Pomegranate Molasses

December 9, 2005, 2:00 pm

Posted by cookie in Appetizers, H'ors D'oeuvres, and "Small Plates"

Lentils “Hummus Style” with Pomegranate Molasses and Mint

2 C Brown Lentils

Salt To Taste (About 1 tsp)

3 Tbsp Chopped Garlic, Or To Taste

6 Tbsp Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

8 Tbsp Lemon Juice

4-6 Tbsp Pomegranate Molasses, Or To Taste

1/3 C Fresh Mint Leaves (About One Bunch)

Ground Black Pepper 1. Pick over the lentils carefully, and rinse well in cold water. Frain and place in a medium saucepan. Add cold water to cover generously and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until very soft. About 5-10 minutes before done, add salt to taste (We add 1 tsp)
2. While the lentils cook, sauté the garlic in olive oil until just tinged with pale gold (you want to eliminate the raw taste).
3. Drain the lentils, reserving the liquid. Add the other ingredients, and process in a blender, food processor, or with a wand-style hand blender. Process until smooth and creamy, and until the mint leaves are finely chopped. Adjust the seasonings as needed (we sometimes need to add salt, pepper, lemon juice, or pomegranate molasses—depending on “what’s missing”.)
4. Refrigerate over night to let the flavors blend, and adjust the seasonings again.
5. Serve with pita chips, matzo chips, or crudités.
You can get Pomegranate Molasses (sometimes labeled as "Pomegranate Concetrate") at mideastern groceries. We're currently using "Sadaf" brand. We’ve tried this with red lentils, and they make a softer and less flavorful dish. Haven’t tried this with French lentils, black "beluga" lentils or Chana Dal yet….
modified from _The_Gefilte_Variations_ by Jayne Cohen, Scribners, 2000

Ristotto with Sun-dried Tomatoes, Arugula, and Goat Cheese

You are here: cooking capers > Entrees - Pasta, Rice, Egg, Cheese, Other

Risotto with Arugula, Sun-dried Tomatoes and Cheeses

November 18, 2005, 6:00 pm

Posted by cookie in Entrees - Pasta, Rice, Egg, Cheese, Other
Rating: Votes : 0
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Risotto With Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomatoes And Cheeses

5 - 5.5 Cups Chicken Broth
[avoid random store brands -- too salty! I tend to buy the broth in a box at
Trader Joe's - their brand is fine as are health food brands - but others
should work okay too - I've done this without the pancetta and using
vegetable broth when the meal included a vegetarian, and it still was
delish]

2 Tbsp Butter

3 Tablespoons Olive Oil

~ 4 - 5 slices Pancetta, chopped -- OPTIONAL

1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
[to be honest, I chop either a whole small/medium onion or a half of a large
onion for this]

1 - 2 medium sized cloves of Garlic, minced
[or smooshed and chopped a bit]

1 1/2 Cups Arborio Or Carnaroli Rice

1 Cup Dry White Wine
[tastes crappy with Chardonnay, all other whites I've used have worked fine;
I tend toward a Sauvignon Blanc]

4 - 6 oz Goat's Cheese (4oz) Coarsely Chopped
[or a combination of goat's cheese and Boursin, or Boursin only]

1/4 Cup Coarsely Chopped Sun-Dried Tomatoes (Ones Covered In Oil)
[I avoid adding too much excess oil, but I doubt it matters]

2 Cups Washed, Chopped Arugula

1/2 - 1 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
[or Grana Padano or Romano etc. - some dry Parmesan-like cheese - grate some
extra for serving with the risotto]

Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper
[per taste -- mine has never needed salt; I add freshly ground pepper]

Toasted pine nuts
[I buy untoasted and toast either in a pan on the stovetop or in the oven;
you'll use them to top the risotto and for serving alongside]

METHOD:

Heat the broth in a pot on the stove, and keep it at or near a simmer.

In a heavy pot, heat the butter with the olive oil. Add the pancetta if
using, and cook until it is starting to brown and has rendered some of its
fat.

Add the chopped onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent.
You don't want the onion to brown, so adjust the heat accordingly. Add
additional olive oil at this point if necessary.

Add the rice and stir it well to coat with the onion mixture. Every grain of
rice should glisten with the oil. Saute for about 1 - 3 minutes, stirring
constantly before moving on to next step. (This toasts the grains of rice
slightly.)

Add the wine. It should hiss/sizzle when you add it. Continue to cook,
stirring constantly until it is absorbed.

Begin adding the warm broth by the ladleful (0.5 to 1.5 Cups at a time),
stirring until it is absorbed. Continue cooking the rice in this manner for
about 15 minutes. It should be close to or already al dente. If not al
dente, continue cooking and stirring until it is. Sometimes this takes more
like 20 minutes than 15 minutes, but it tends to coincide with how long it
takes for the broth to be absorbed.

Stir in the goat's cheese and tomatoes and mix well. Continue stirring and
cooking to incorporate the flavors.

Remove from heat and add the arugula and parmesan cheese, making sure it
gets mixed through. Season with freshly ground pepper (if available) to
taste.

At this point, I turn the mixture into a serving dish and I top with toasted
pine nuts. I let it 'rest' for about 5 minutes (typically while I make the
salad), then I serve with additional toasted pine nuts and parmesan
alongside.

Recipe adapted from: http://www.italianfoodforever.com

You are here: cooking capers > Entrees - Fish

Easy Tilapia with Cajun Spices

October 19, 2005, 11:00 pm

Posted by cookie in Entrees - Fish
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Approximately 1 lb tilapia filets (about 4 thick filet pieces)
1 1/2 tsp Oregano
3 tsp Chili powder
3/8 tsp Cayenne pepper powder
3/4 tsp Salt
3 Tbsp Butter
5 Tbsp Lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
Prepare a 9" x 13" glass baking dish by spraying the sides with non-stick cooking spray (I used PAM).

Measure out spices & salt, then mix them together. Set aside.

Melt butter with lemon juice in prepared baking dish (in microwave) or melt on top of stove and pour into baking dish.

Pat fish filets dry. Dip each filet into the butter lemon mixture, then sprinkle with the spices and rub the spices onto the fish's surface (although it's messy, it seemed like using my hand was the best tool for the job), flip over the filet and repeat the process on the other side. Use the same method for the remaining fish.

Bake at 450 degrees F about 15 minutes or until the fish flakes (and appears opaque). 15 minutes has been about right.

My recipe was modified from the one found here:
http://www.recipezaar.com/9004

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Plum and Pluot Cobbler

September 28, 2005, 4:19 pm

Posted by cookie in Desserts
Rating: Votes : 2
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PLUM AND PLUOT COBBLER made 8/27/2005

FILLING:
4 cups sliced ripe plums and pluots
1 tsp lemon juice

3/4 c sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 c flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 ts salt
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 Tbsp butter
1/2 c milk

Heat oven to 400 F.

FILLING:

Peel and slice the plums (will need 4 cups sliced):
Prepare an ice water bath (with a bit of lemon juice added) in a large mixing bowl.
Put a pot of water on to boil.
Submerge plums into boiling water for about 1 minute, then remove plums to ice water bath and, when no longer too hot to touch, use a paring knife to help peel off the skins. Remove pits and slice, then place into medium-to-large saucepan (2 quart size or larger). Toss the sliced fruit with the 1 Tbsp lemon juice.

Mix 3/4 cup sugar, the cornstarch and the cinnamon together. Push through strainer or sieve (to get lumps out) and add to the prepared fruit in the saucepan.
Cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir for one minute. Pour into an ungreased 2-quart casserole (a 9" pie pan is NOT deep enough!! ); if necessary, keep hot in the oven.

TOPPING:
Mix together the flour, 1 Tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt.
Cut butter into flour -- I use my hands and the "French" method of rubbing shortening in -- until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in milk. Drop dough by spoonfuls onto hot fruit mixture.

Bake until topping is golden brown - about 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.

DELISH!

Eggplaht Parmesan - first efforts and sketchy notes on the project

Made my first try of this last week and want to get some notes down before I forget.  I used Kraft :"Frest Taste" Parmesan  prep - seasoned breadcrumbs in one part of the packet and thin shredded parmesan in the other half.  To use, you combine the two halves -- I did that and added some additional unseasoned crumbs to have enough to dip.

One large eggplant, peeled, sliced into about 1/8 - 1/4" slices, tri-breaded with all purpose flour, then egg wash (2 eggs, a splash of water, mixed together), then the crumb cheese mixture.   I did this with the rest of the slices, and placed them on a plate after breading while I heated olive oil (and another oil  grapeseed, I think, to help raise the smoking temo) - cooked until golden and tender enough to eat (!) then placed onto sauce in the 9 x 13" pan.  The frying has to be done in batches (three for the last eggplant) due to inaadequate frypan spacel but isn't too hard.

I used half of a one pound chunk of whole milk mozzarella (hard to grate, but I did my best), maybe 4 ounces of grated parmesan, and a can of Del Monte spaghetti sauce - original flavor.

I sprayed the 9 x 13 pan with non-stick spray, then put down a layer of sauce... then layers of eggokant, a layer of sauce with a good sprinkling of parmesan, then another layer of eggplant, some mozzarella with a bit more parmesan, then the last of the sauce on top -- I used the last of the mozzarella on the very top;  I baked the dish in a 350 degree oven for about 40 minutes -- started with foil on top, but took off after about 25 - 30 minutes -- result was that the cheese was nicely melted but hadn't browned.;

I'm sure I've left some stuff out but didn't want to have too much time go by before getting this info in, since I want to do another batch this week and take it further.