Artichoke Dipping Sauce

Sublime Thistle Sublimated



The height of artichoke season — March through May — is still a month away: although they produce year-round in California. But I ran across some beautiful chokes at the grocer's the other day and simply couldn't resist (artichokes are my second favorite green vegetable after asparagus). So I bought one.

My mother discovered artichokes in France in the mid-60s and immediately fell in love with them, so whenever she could find them here she bought them even though they were outrageously expensive. I loved them as well and as I recall so did my siblings, but at least a couple of my sibs weren't as fond of the artichoke heart and Mom would store their hearts for her lunch the next day, gleefully proclaiming, "They're the best part." In truth, my mother was usually right about the "best parts" of various foods, as her children came to learn when their tastes matured.

My mother was usually right about the "best parts" of various foods, as her children came to learn when their tastes matured.

Although records indicate it was the Spanish who first brought artichokes to the New World in the 1600s, the 20th century Italian immigrants were the ones whose deep and abiding love for this flower made California (particularly the Castroville area) the center of artichoke agriculture in this country and spread it's love across the country.

Perhaps this isn't surprising because chokes are thought to have been cultivated first in Sicily and spread from there, particularly to Italy where the Roman's adored them. Although the plant had reputed medicinal value, the Romans were apparently more interested in it's reputation as an aphrodisiac — cut off the bottom third of two chokes and place them side by side and you'll see why.

So I brought an artichoke home and prepared it as I usually do by steaming it. While it steamed, I made a dipping sauce, in this case my favorite variation on mayonnaise.

Steamed Artichokes with Garlic/Paprika Mayo
Serves 4.

4 artichokes
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp dried lavender
Mayonnaise:
4 lg. cloves garlic
1 egg yolk
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp lemon juice
1 c canola oil
1 tsp smoked hot Spanish paprika
1/4 tsp salt

Place unpeeled garlic clove in a small skillet over low heat and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and fragrant. Cool and chop.

Place egg yolk in a blender with mustard and lemon juice and whip briefly. Add oil, beginning a drop at a time and very gradually proceeding to a thin stream as the mayonnaise begins to thicken.

Once thickened, add chopped garlic, salt, and paprika to mayo and blend another couple of minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning (you may want more salt, lemon juice, or paprika). Set aside.

Cut the stems off the artichokes at the point where the leaves first begin. Trim the bottom 1/2-inch off the stems and then peel them. Strip the outer 4 - 6 layers of leaves from the choke and discard. Using a large, sharp knife (a serrated knife is sometimes a good choice) remove the top 1/3 of the choke.

Put a steaming basket in a soup pot and add water to just below the basket. Add lemon juice and lavender to water, place over medium-high and bring to a boil. Place chokes in basket, cover, and cook until a fork can easily be inserted into the choke's base.

Serve with mayo in a small ramekin on the side for dipping.

Try artichokes with...
Cannelloni
Broiled Trout with Lemon/Cream Sauce
Chicken/Sausage Roulades

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Roasted Cauliflower

A Transformative Dish



Roasting cauliflower totally changes its character, providing a wonderfully nutty undercurrent of flavor. You may wonder at my use of granulated garlic as opposed to fresh garlic, but I've found that the fresh garlic ends up in the pan while the powdered garlic clings to the cauliflower, ultimately providing more garlic flavor.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | side dish | cauliflower

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Couscous

Grains of Goodness



I've mentioned before that my mother has always been an adventurous cook. She has her flaws in the kitchen (as do I), but timidity about trying something new isn't one of them. One of the things she started cooking back in the 60s was couscous. I've no idea where she got the idea because it doesn't seem to be one of the popular "foreign" dishes from that period, but it was a regular part of her repertoire. So much so that she bought a couscousiere (see photo, below).

I remember mixtures of lamb or chicken simmering with assorted exotic spices in the bottom of this strange pot as the vapors rose to flavor and gently steam the couscous in the upper part of the device. When she and my father moved into their new house about a year ago I inherited the pot. I wish I could say that I've since then recreated those marvelous odors and flavors in my own kitchen — but I haven't. It's on my list but I haven't done it yet. However, the packaged couscous has gotten much better since the 60s and a couscousiere is no longer needed to produce couscous that isn't a soggy mass more like porridge in character than long grain rice.

My mother has her flaws in the kitchen (as do I), but timidity about trying something new isn't one of them.

These days you can even by pre-flavored couscous. I suppose I should try a package or two but I never have because by the time I get to the store I already know what I want my couscous to taste like. For instance, I decided on a mixture of dried fruit for the batch I made to go along with my Cornish Hen the other night.

Couscous with Dried Fruit
Serves 6.

1 pkg plain couscous
1/2 red onion — diced (about 1/3 c)
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 c diced dried apricots
1/4 c raisins
1/4 c diced dried prunes
1/4 c diced dried apples
1/2 c Madiera or red Vermouth
2 c chicken broth (or whatever quantity package calls for)
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Place dried fruit in a small saucepan over medium low heat and add enough Madiera or Vermouth to cover. Bring to a simmer, remove from heat, and steep for 15 minutes. Drain unabsorbed wine into a measuring cup and add enough chicken broth to match package requirements. Mix in salt and spices.

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion, and sauté until onion is translucent. Add fruit. Follow package directions to finish cooking.

Along with the couscous, I glazed some carrots. These I simply cut into 1/4" ovals, parboiled in water until fork tender, and then sauteed in butter to which I'd added about a half teaspoon of sugar. When the carrots were lightly browned I add a couple of tablespoons of vermouth (hey, as long as the bottle was out) and continued cooking until the vermouth evaporated. A bit of salt and the carrots were done.

Try couscous with...
Leg of Lamb
Pork Florentine
Chicken Tagine

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | couscous

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Apple/Sausage Stuffing

A Thanksgiving Favorite



This recipe for stuffing (or dressing as we say in the South) features Italian sausage, apples, and raisins and is specifically intended to complement my recipe for Apple-brined Turkey for Two. You can prep the bread, sausage, and vegetables a day in advance and then store in separate sealed containers (don't refrigerate the bread cubes) until ready to combine and bake.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | stuffing | dressing | side dish | thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving Sides

Rounding out the Meal



Thanksgiving is still a couple of weeks off as I write this, but it's not too soon to begin planning. I still haven't settled on a main dish but I'm thinking maybe pheasant. I've never had pheasant and Fresh Market (an equivalent of Whole Foods) had pheasant last year so it might be a good bet. But whatever I decide on for the main course, I'll need side dishes and these are a few of my favorites from past feasts.

Glazed Carrots: These aren't your grandmother's glazed carrots. Ideally they're genuine whole "baby" carrots (which really aren't babies, but simply small cultivar) because they're beautiful on a plate with a bit of the green stem left on. But if I can't find them I'll go with the grocery store baby carrots which are regular carrots that have been whittled down. Butter adds richness, a bit of sugar enhances the sweetness (and makes the glaze), while lemon contributes high notes and fresh mint offers color and a perfect complement to the sweet and tart tastes.

Roasted Beets Dijonaise: If the carrots don't appeal to you, this is a very similar recipe featuring roasted beets and with the addition of Dijon mustard. In this case honey adds additional sweetness, Dijon mustard provides a lovely spicy note and lemon and mint play the same role as in the glazed carrots providing brightness and herbal notes.

Baked Baby Artichokes: Like "baby" carrots, "baby" artichokes aren't really babies. Instead regular artichoke plants also produce some much smaller blossoms (in case you didn't know, an artichoke is a flower). At any rate, sometimes at this time of year you can find baby artichokes at the market and if so they are extraordinarily good baked this way. But if you can't find baby artichokes I've also had success using frozen artichoke hearts in the recipe.

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes: Garlic mashed potatoes were all the rage for awhile and I've seen recipes for wasabi mashed potatoes and chipotle mashed potatoes and other similarly spicy additives. But I've not run across a recipes for horseradish mashed potatoes. An English friend of mine turned me on to this 15 years ago and it quickly became my favorite. The horseradish adds a bit of heat, but more than anything it adds flavor.

Potatoes Savoyard: A classic French bistro dish, Potatoes Savoyard feature fresh rosemary, garlic, Gruyere, and (my preference) Yukon Gold potatoes. It's a basic gratin but with cream and goes wonderfully with roasts. Adjust the cooking time to adapt to whatever temperature you're cooking the roast at. Tip: In general when roasting/baking you can adjust the temperature up or down 25 degrees and adjust the cooking time by about 20 percent longer or shorter.

Italian Sausage Pilau: Stuffing is traditional at Thanksgiving and in some parts of the US that stuffing is based on rice instead of croutons. I came up with this recipe as a stuffing for Cornish hens but since then I've quit stuffing birds and instead make it up in a pot. It's really great with almost any roast poultry and be sure to make enough gravy to be able to add a generous ladle full to the rice.

If none of these strike your fancy, check out the Side Dish section in my recipe index for a bunch of other ideas.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish

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Brussel's Sprouts Dijonaise

Little Cabbages



The first time I served these at a party the hostess hesitated a moment at my suggestion. A lot of people don't like sprouts and in this particular case her husband "hated" them. But she, like me, loved them and I persuaded her, commenting that my mother didn't like sprouts but liked these. When I served the party I made a point of gently shaming her husband into trying them - he ate all he had.

I've served this recipe at several parties since and recently had a similar experience when a guest who thought he hated sprouts again ate every one on his plate. I've been reflecting on why this recipe is so successful and I think I've figured it out.

I've been reflecting on why this recipe is so successful and I think I've figured it out.

I think the key ingredient is the mustard. Mustard is from the same family as Brussels sprouts (Brassicaceae). This means they share many of the sulfur compounds that are what most people seem to find offensive in sprouts. In addition, these tiny cabbages have a bitter taste. However, mustard takes these in a different flavor direction and distracts the flavors and tastes with its spicyness. Mix the two and the flavor and taste profiles becomes more familiar and more interesting.

This is not to say the sherry vinegar isn't critical. It brings, along with acidity, a distinct sweetness to the dish. The sweetness makes the taste profile (in addition to the flavor profile) more complex and humans are programmed by evolution to love sweet tastes. I happen to like lemon juice on sprouts with a bit of butter - but bitter/tart is decidedly astringent.

Lastly, over-cooking sprouts really brings out the sulfer compounds. So I steam them until just tender then plunge them into ice water to halt the cooking and fix the bright green color.

Brussels Sprouts Dijonaise
Serves 4 - 6.

1 lb brussels sprouts
1/2 lemon — juiced
2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp coarse Dijon mustard
1 tbsp sherry vinegar (balsamic vinegar may be substituted)
salt to taste

Trim base of Brussels sprouts and pick off torn, discolored, and bug-eaten leaves. Score a shallow "x" in the stem.

Place a steamer basket in a pot, fill with water to just below the basket, add lemon juice, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-high, add sprouts, and cook until just tender — 10 - 12 minutes.

Drain water and transfer sprouts to a large bowl filled with ice water.

Melt butter in a skillet. Stir in mustard and vinegar then add sprouts. Cook, tossing to coat, until warmed through. Serve.

Try these Brussel's sprouts with...
Rum and Cider-brined Pork Roast
Meatloaf
Kibbeh

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | brussels sprouts

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SG Archive:Braised Red Cabbage

Bile That Cabbage Down, Boys



Steamed cabbage was, if not frequent, at least common in the house where I grew up — particularly in the winter. And I'm inclined to say that's why I like cooked cabbage. Except that cole slaw was frequent in the house where I grew up — particularly in the summer. And I don't care for cole slaw. On the other hand, I do like raw cabbage sprinkled with a bit of salt. So let's just say I'm conflicted on the subject of cabbage.

Nevertheless, I definitely like it cooked. As I thought about what to have with the Chicken Paprikas the other night it occurred to me that cooked cabbage is a popular middle European dish. This worked for me.

Let's just say I'm conflicted on the subject of cabbage.

These days I usually steam cabbage in the microwave and I usually buy green cabbage. But this time I decided to go with red cabbage (to shore up my anthocyanin count) and I decided to braise it with apples and onions. Nothing particularly creative, but it was, in fact, a near-perfect complement to the paprikas.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | cabbage | side dish | apples

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Mexican Sauteed Corn

Calabacitas



This traditional Mexican Corn Saute (calabacitas) is a favorite with my clients — especially in the summer when all the ingredients are fresh. But I also make it using frozen corn and canned tomatoes. Think of it as form of succotash but with chiles and without lima beans (although there's nothing to keep you from adding limas is you wish) One reason I like it is because it freezes well — so I can make up a big batch then freeze it in pint-sized bags. When I need a side dish I pull it out of the freezer, dump it straight into a bowl, and microwave it for 2 - 3 minutes.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | corn | side dish

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You Say Potato

I love potatoes, especially fresh potatoes dug from the earth with the past day or so. They have an ineffable sweetness and you can even taste the earth they grew in. We forget that as well as potatoes keep, they're best when absolutely fresh.

But freshly dug or not, here are a few of my favorite potato recipes:

Potatoes O'Brien: This recipe is great way of using up leftover boiled potatoes. In fact it's such a great way of doing so that I often cook too many potatoes so I'll have some leftover. I got this recipe from a book named Mrs. Rasmunssen's Book of One-Arm Cookery that my mother gave my grandmother and my grandmother eventually passed on to me.

Maine Fries: This dish is one of the best ways of cooking potatoes I've ever had. Unlike the usual fried potatoes (including the Potatoes O'Brien above) these begin with raw potatoes and are slowly cooked until very crisp outside and buttery inside. Apparently it's often eaten as a main dish in Maine.

Potato/Carrot Gratin: I don't recall where this recipe came from, but I've been making it for around 20 years. It's not only delicious but looks great on a plate making it a good choice for dinner parties. On the other hand, it's easiest enough to make to be a good choice on a week night if you have a little extra time.

Patatas Bravas: I love Spanish food and this is a great example. The potatoes are sauteed in olive oil with bell peppers, dried chiles (hence the bravas), onion, and then finished with a beer glaze. As you'll see in the recipe, I often serve them with a Spanish lamb dish named Cochifrito.

German Potato Salad: Another great way to used leftover potatoes, my approach is to cook some bacon, then brown potatoes and onion in the bacon grease until lightly browned. Deglaze the skillet with apple cider vinegar and stir in sour cream. In fact, I frequently have this as supper with at most a green salad or some steamed cabbage.

Horseradish Mashed Potatoes: An English friend told me about these and so I had to try them. They are extraordinarily (even spectacularly) good — far better than garlic mashed potatoes — and couldn't be any easier to make. The horseradish flavor is a delightful complement to the mashed potatoes, offering a similar earthy flavor, as well as a surprising foil to the potatoes inherent blandness.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | potatoes

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Sauteed Sweet Potatoes

An Exotic Taste



I was casting about for a new way to fix sweet potatoes and happened to remember a recipe I'd come up with for fried curried plantains based on an Indonesian dish. It immediately struck me as a great flavor combo: a bit of curry powder, a bit of sugar and a bit of butter for frying — what could be better? They make an especially great side dish with roast pork or baked ham.

Recipe here...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | side dish | sweet potatoes

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Summer Sides

Summer Sides



When I moved to Eugene, Oregon some 10 years ago I decided to rent the first apartment I looked at. In fact that was the beginning of my reputation for making snap decisions about significant events. The only hitch in that decision was when I realized the apartment wasn't air-conditioned. But I was assured that in Eugene I'd never find an air-conditioned apartment — only commercial buildings had air conditioning and I was told I wouldn't need it. In fact I did need it — for three or four days each summer. I love summers in Oregon.

After all, you can always put more clothes on to stay warm but you rapidly run out of clothes to remove to stay cool.

Having lived most of my life in the South I found this hard to believe but then I have a love/hate relationship with summer. I detest the heat and humidity and quite frankly prefer winter — after all, you can always put more clothes on to stay warm but you rapidly run out of clothes to remove to stay cool. But I love the fresh vegetables that summer brings. Tomatoes, corn, green beans, squash, peppers, peaches, and on and on. Sometimes I'm tempted to start with a fresh peach for breakfast and then just keep eating fresh, local veggies all day long without a break.

So I thought I'd assemble some of my favorite recipes here.

New Potatoes with Olive Oil and Parmesan: I talked to my mother the other day and she mentioned she'd bought some potatoes at the farmers' market and was astounded at how good they were. I've been buying potatoes at the farmers' market for years. Genuine new potatoes are indeed astoundingly good — slightly sweet and tasting of the earth they grew in. This recipe really sets those flavors off.

Slow-roasted Tomatoes: I posted this recipe a couple of weeks ago. I don't know why it took so long as I've been making it every summer for five or six years. It concentrates and enhances the tomato flavor beautifully. One of the great things about it is they freeze wonderfully so you can enjoy this treat even in the dead of winter.

Gazpacho: This Spanish soup is another tomato favorite. Usually it's one of the first things I make when I can get local tomatoes, but for some reason this year I have yet to make this luscious and spicy cold tomato soup. Half a minute… Ok, I've got it marked on my grocery list for next week's market.

Romesco Sauce: While I'm touching down in Spain, this wonderful sauce also includes tomatoes but is dominated by peppers — sweet and hot both — as well as almonds. I particularly like it on grilled fish (tuna in particular) and shell-fish such as shrimp. You can also just spread it on a chunk of rustic bread and eat it that way.

Sauteed Greens with Anchovies: This recipe works with almost any summer (or fall) green. I've done it with chard, turnip greens, spinach, green beans, brocolli rabe, and I don't recall what else. Adjust the blanching time for the vegetable you're using — spinach doesn't need any blanching, green beans about 10 minutes, and turnip greens 20 minutes. Unlike most of the recipes I use anchovies in, you will taste the anchovies in this, but lightly, gently, almost sweetly.

Fried Okra: It wouldn't be summer in the South without okra. It's popular stewed with tomatoes and onions and added to gumbo. My mother mentioned she'd recently roasted some and it was outstanding. (Give me another half a minute to update my market list…) But my favorite is fried okra. And if you have enough bacon grease saved up, it's better than vegetable oil. In fact, just adding a spoonful of bacon grease to oil is a big improvement.

Roasted Beets Dijonaise: Like most underground vegetables, beets are regarded as a fall and winter dish — because they can over-winter in the ground. But in fact they start appearing in the market mid-summer. Beautiful, small, and exquisitely sweet they roast in 30 minutes. Add some fresh herbs and a bit of mustard and you have an extraordinary side dish.

Lastly, I was surprised to discover I haven't published any summer squash recipes. I eat lots of squash in the summer but I guess it has seemed so obvious I've never noticed I hadn't addressed that most marvelous vegetable here. So here's a quick and easy (and my favorite) squash recipe:

1 lb assorted summer squash — cut into 3/8" rounds
1 md onion — cut into 3/8" rings
3 tbsp bacon fat
salt and pepper

Heat the bacon fat over medium heat in a large cast-iron skillet. Add squash and onions and season with salt and pepper. Cook until browned on one side — about 5 minutes. Turn over and cook until browned.

Technorati: Food | recipe collection | kevin d weeks | seriously good | summer

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Green Beans with Anchovies

Umami, Whoa-o; Umami, Whoa-o-O-o



The Romans invented fish sauce, which is not say it wasn't also invented in Asia, but the Romans had their own version named garum that was made from anchovies — a fish found in great numbers (at one time, anyway) in the Mediterranean Sea.

Most of us are familiar with the canned anchovies sold at the grocery store, but in Spain (and probably all around the Mediterranean) you can find fresh anchovies as well as fresh sardines grilled over wood fires at little roadside stands near the beach. This was another of those things I wanted to try while I was in Spain but was vetoed on. (When there are seven or eight people in a van and only one wants to stop and try something that one is doomed to disappointment).

But I'd ready discovered the wonders of anchovies a few years before - albeit the pasted variety. I don't recall what I purchased the anchovy paste for, but something prompted me to add it to a marinara sauce and it produced a much richer, more savory sauce. In fact, I was amazed at the difference a teaspoon of paste made. But why did it make such a difference?

It turns out anchovies are naturally high in glutamates — the chemical that tickles our umami taste buds (umami is the fifth taste after sweet, salty, sour, and bitter). Further, the process of preserving anchovies concentrates and enhances the glutamates, which seem to have a greater effect when paired with salt. Consequently adding anchovies (in some form) to a dish makes it more savory. And you don't even have to add enough to be able to taste the anchovies, in fact the flavor of anchovy paste detracts from my marinara sauce. All I want is the taste.

Discovery made, I started experimenting with anchovies in different forms with different dishes and among my experiments I found that anchovies really enhance green vegetables — especially when those vegetables are paired with meat. For instance, here in the South collard and turnip greens as well as green beans are frequently cooked in a broth containing either country ham or a ham hock. Add some anchovy and the greens will leap at your mouth.

A few days ago I bought some broad beans and decided to adapt an Italian recipe I had for broccoli rabe to the beans. It turned out to be a great idea (even better than the original recipe) and, as I write this, I'm planning to do it again provided I can find broad beans again.

Green Beans with Anchovies
Serves 4.

1 lb green beans — trimmed of stem end and broken or cut into 1 1/2" pieces
2 oz. pancetta — cut into 1/4 inch dice
2 garlic cloves — sliced thinly
3 anchovy filets — rinsed and minced
1 tbsp olive oil
Salt to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add beans and cook until just tender — about 7 minutes. Drain beans in a colander and douse in cold water to stop cooking and fix their color.

Add olive oil, garlic, pancetta, and anchovy to a skillet, stirring to coat ingredients with oil, and place over medium low heat. Cook until garlic turns golden, stirring occasionally. Increase heat to medium high, add beans, and quickly sauté the beans, stirring frequently, for 2 - 3 minutes or until beans are hot. Season with salt and serve.

Note: In this recipe you will have a faint taste of anchovy. But try it, you'll like it.

Try these beans with...
Greek Meatloaf
Roast Beef
Tuscan Chicken

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | beans | side dish

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Slow-Roasted Tomatoes

So Good it Hurts



Tomato season is in full blossom here in Tennessee, in fact Grainger County will hold it's annual Tomato Festival the last weekend in July. This event is famous for the Tomato Wars where participants pelt each other with tomatoes. Frankly, I think Grainger County tomatoes are over-rated and throwing them at each other is the best thing to do with them.

I buy a half dozen or so tomatoes every week at the farmers' market where I have a choice of heirloom varieties from Cherokee Purple (which looks as thought it's been bludgeoned to death) to Green Zebra (a near perfect blend of acid and sweetness) and Blondkopfchen (a delicious cheery tomato for snacking). I usually celebrate the beginning of the season with a BLT — or three — then it's on to making gazpacho, my version on Insalata Caprese (using feta), and of course tomatoes stuffed with tuna salad.

I buy a half dozen or so tomatoes every week at the farmers' market where I have a choice of heirloom varieties from Cherokee Purple to Green Zebra and Blondkopfchen.

But eventually I get around to cooking some tomatoes and one of my favorite ways is slow roasting. This really concentrates the flavors and is a great side dish (and, in fact, if you can find a half-way decent tomato in the winter, slow-roasting will make it edible). Very simple to prepare but time-consuming to cook so it's best reserved for a weekend if you work.

Slow-roasted Tomatoes
Serves 4.

2 tomatoes
4 tsp sherry or balsamic vinegar
4 tsp olive oil
2 tsp dried thyme
Sea salt

Heat oven to 250 and line a small baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Slice tomatoes in half, top to bottom and notch out stem. Arrange, cut side up, on the baking sheet and prick cut side with a fork, being careful not to pierce the skin.

Drizzle each tomato half with a teaspoon of vinegar and a teaspoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with thyme and salt to taste. Roast in center of oven for 4 hours.

Try Slow-roasted Tomatoes with...
Paella
Chicken Saltimbocca
Austrian Pork Chops

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | tomatoes

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SG Archives: Corn Pudding

Fresh from the Farm



Last Friday night I was planning on making smoked salmon and I thought some corn pudding would be good especially since I'd been to the farmers' market earlier and eggs as well as just-picked corn. I stopped by another market and got some Cruze Farms milk and some Amish butter.

I last had corn pudding at The Hermitage (President Andrew Jackson's home) in Nashville, and though the stuff at The Hermitage wasn't very good it was good enough to remind me of just how good corn pudding can be and just how long it had been since I last made it.

There are probably as many recipes for corn pudding as there are Southern cooks.

There are probably as many recipes for corn pudding as there are Southern cooks. The recipe below is a cross between spoon bread (using corn meal) and the more typical recipe of just a custard of milk and eggs. I like the body the cornmeal adds to the mixture as well as the unadorned sweetness of the fresh corn. This recipe comes from Recipezaar.

Corn Pudding
Serves 6.

6 tbsp butter
3/4 c cornmeal
1 c boiling water
3 lg eggs
2 c milk
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 c corn kernels

Heat oven to 375F. Put 2 tablespoons butter into 1 1/2 quart baking dish. Place in oven to melt.

Put cornmeal in a medium bowl. Add boiling water and whisk until smooth. Add remaining 4 tablespoons butter and stir until melted.

In another bowl beat eggs until blended. Beat in milk, then stir in powder, salt, and pepper. Beat or whisk into cornmeal mixture, stir in corn.

Pour into melted butter in baking dish and bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350F and bake 35-40 min longer or until puffed and golden brown on top.

Try Corn Pudding with...
Roast Pork with Rhubarb Compote
Tomatoes Parmigiano
Fried Chicken

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | corn | corn pudding

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Tomatoes Parmigiano

Tomato Traditions



Once tomato season starts there's a collection of recipes that I need to make before I start experimenting with new recipes. First on the list is a BLT — one of my four most-favorite sandwiches. Then I have to make a batch of Gazpacho because it's just not summer without a few cups of that most delicious chilled Spanish soup. And for much of tomato season my standard lunch is a Greek take on Insalata Caprese (a dish that barely merits the title of "recipe") using feta instead of mozzarella and adding lemon juice. And finally I make Tomato Parmigiano.

My quick version of Tomato Parmigiano hardly deserves to be called a recipe, but it's so good that if you haven't ever done it you should make it tonight.

My quick version of Tomato Parmigiano hardly deserves to be called a recipe, but it's so good that if you haven't ever done it you should make it tonight. All you need is a small tomato for each person, a bit of thyme, oregano, or basil, and some genuine Parmigiano Reggiano (do not use anything but genuine Parmigiano). By the way, a toaster oven works great for these.

Tomato Parmigiano
Serves 4.

2 sm (3" diameter) tomatoes
4 tsp chopped fresh thyme, oregano or basil
1 tbsp sea salt
1 oz shredded Parmigiano Reggiano

Slice tomatoes in half, top to bottom, and cut out stem. Place halves cut side up on a baking sheet sprinkle with a bit of salt, chopped herbs, and cheese. Bake for at 375 until cheese browns &mdash about 10 minutes in a toaster oven.

Try these tomatoes with...
Veal with Artichokes
Kofta
Pork Empanada

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | tomatoes | side dish

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Pureed Cauliflower

Smooth, Rich, Tangy



Cauliflower Puree sounds a bit like a Gerber food product for toothless infants — it's not, by any stretch. Cauliflower is one of the world's most misunderstood vegetables. An afterthought in raw vegetable platters or steamed and drenched in butter, too often the vegetable's essential flavor is ignored. This recipe begins by steaming the cauliflower, but then reduces it to a thick pudding and adds cream and butter, but the tangy goat cheese really kicks it over the top.

Recipe at Cooking for Two...

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | cooking for two | cauliflower | side dish

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Mashed Potatoes

SG Archives: Horsing Around



Several years ago garlic mashed potatoes became popular. And almost inevitably that led to other variations on mashed potatoes like chipotle mashed potatoes, artichoke mashed potatoes, mashed potatoes with various kinds of cheese, and even Lipton Onion Soup mashed potatoes. But one variation I haven't seen anywhere was suggested to me by an English friend — horseradish mashed potatoes.

These are extraordinarily (even spectacularly) good and couldn't be any easier to make. The horseradish flavor is a delightful complement to the mashed potatoes, offering a similar earthy flavor, as well as a surprising foil to the potatoes inherent blandness.

Recipe

Make up a batch of mashed potatoes the way you always do.

Add horseradish to taste.

(Note: My favorite potato for mashing is Yukon Gold.)

(Note too: Of course you have to serve either roast beef, fried chicken, or meatloaf with mashed potatoes.)

Try Horseradish Mashed Potatoes with...
Bacon-wrapped Meatloaf
Rack of Lamb with Caramelized Onions
Schnitzel

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | potatoes

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Wild Produce

Foraging on the 'Net



Last fall a friend and colleague of mine moved from California to middle Tennessee. JoAnna is a personal chef who, like me, consults for ChefsLine.com, which is how I "met" her. Over the past three years we've exchanged dozens of chats, emails, and phone conversations but we'd never met face to face. Having her a two-hour's drive away meant we could finally get together. Nevertheless, it's taken until this past weekend to pull it off.

I decided to have a small Easter/Spring dinner party and invited JoAnna and Kelly (her husband), offering to put them up in my guest room so they wouldn't have to drive back after dinner - and thinking we'd have more chance to visit. I also invited Terri, who runs some of the cooking classes I teach, and her husband as well as my next-door neighbor. It was a collection of serious eaters.

When Easter falls later in the year I can usually put together a meal that is not only seasonal but also local - or at least regional.

I almost always celebrate spring with a lamb dinner. Lamb became a popular Easter meal in Europe where there is such a thing as "spring" lamb and they're often roasted whole. In this country, although lambs are still born in the spring, they usually aren't butchered until fall. Nevertheless, I love the excuse to roast lamb even if the lambs aren't truly in season. I also make a point of making the rest of this meal as seasonal as possible.

When Easter falls later in the year I can usually put together a meal that is not only seasonal but also local - or at least regional. But this year finding asparagus, rhubarb, and strawberries that were grown in near-by states was going to be impossible. Besides, I had a powerful urge for some fiddlehead ferns.

Having recently run across a reference to MarxFoods Wild Produce Sampler I picked up the phone and gave them a call. I spoke with Justin Marx who, with his two brothers and father, own and run the New Jersey-based company. I told Justin I wanted to write a review of the sampler that, in addition to fiddleheads, includes stinging nettles, ramps, and miner's lettuce. You can read more about that in this article. Here I want to talk about what I did.

After perusing dozens of lamb recipes, I ended up going with a recipe of my own that is always excellent and is a good match for the wild veggies. I also decided to make cauliflower puree - a recipe I love but that works best in a supporting role because the meal's feature dish (aside from the lamb) was the fiddleheads.

I've cooked fiddleheads twice before and almost liked them. I did some research on the other produce I was expecting and came up with the following recipe.

Wild Vegetable Medley
Serves 6.

1/2 lb fiddlehead ferns - picked over, trimmed, and cleaned
1/2 lb ramps - trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces including the lower part of the greens
1/4 lb pancetta -cut into 1/4-inch cubes
2 anchovy filets - minced
1/2 lb miner's lettuce

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook fiddleheads for 5 minutes. Transfer ferns to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking, drain, and pat dry. At this point the fiddleheads can stored in the refrigerator overnight.

Cook the pancetta in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until the fat begins to render - about 2 minutes. Add ramps and minced anchovy and cook, tossing occasionally, until ramps begin to brown - about 3 minutes. Add miner's lettuce, cover, and cook 1 minute longer until lettuce begins to wilt. Serve immediately.

There is no salt called for because both the pancetta and anchovies provide salt. The pancetta I used was my own and was cured with herbs and spices so I didn't add any additional flavorings. If you use store-bought pancetta adding a bit of chopped rosemary and thyme as well as some pepper would be a good idea. Last, MarxFoods hadn't gotten in any ramps yet and so I subbed scallions.

When I cleaned up the next morning I found one or two leaves of lettuce left on a couple of plates, other than that the plates looked like they'd been licked clean. My Wild Vegetable Medley was a huge success.

As for the nettles, I cooked them the next night and dressed them simply with butter and a splash of cider vinegar. Delicious.

Try this recipe with...
Stuffed Lamb
Chicken Saltimbocca
Boeuf en Daube
Related article: "Outside the Food-Shed"

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | wild produce | easter

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Beets Dijonaise

The Beet Goes On



When I lived in Oregon my favorite day of the week was Saturday - shopping day. I'd hit the local Alberstson's supermarket for staples, then I'd cruise by Oasis (a now-defunct local version of Whole Foods) for meats and produce. Sometimes I'd hit the fish market on the far side of town (the "far side" not being very far in Eugene) or the butcher shop, and during the long growing season my first stop was always the farmers' market.

Actually "street market" might be a more accurate name. There were certainly quite a few people selling fresh produce in season, but in or out of season the town square was primarily occupied by people who could be best described as "hippies" selling everything from incense burners to carved wooden bowls to tie-died clothing (and this was in the mid-90s!) Eugene is also where all the old VW micro-buses went when they disappeared from the rest of the country. Sonny and Cher would have felt right at home, but my interest was mostly limited to the produce.

This market was where I first ran across something other than the standard grocery store red beets. I bought gold beets, candy-striped beets, and had the opportunity to try several different red beet varieties. Having long been a lover of the earthy sweetness of beets I took the opportunity to try a bunch of different beet recipes. Sadly, I can seldom find anything but red beets here in Knoxville. Nevertheless, this recipe, which pairs the beet's sweetness against the heat of Dijon mustard, is one of my favorites whatever the beet.

Beets Dijonaise
Serves 4.

3 md. (3-inch diameter) fresh beets
2 tbsps unsalted butter
2 tbsp honey
3 tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsps fresh lemon juice
2 tbsps chopped fresh mint
Salt and pepper

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove greens and root from beets - but don't trim closely. Place beets on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast in oven until tender, about 45 minutes. Remove pan from oven and let beets cool. When cool enough to handle, remove skins and cut into eighths.

In a small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, mustard, and honey.

Heat a skillet over over medium-high heat. Add butter and swirl to melt without burning. Add beets and cook, stirring often, until lightly caramelized, 4 to 6 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, stir in mustard sauce, and season with salt and pepper. Heat for 2 minutes. Add mint and serve.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dish | beets

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Spiced Apples

Simply Outstanding



Is there anything that speaks more to autumn than apples? My fellow cooking guides at About.com have been raving about cider doughnuts. I first had them when I moved to New Hampshire in 1998 and some friends took me out on a fall tour one Saturday afternoon. We visited a number of places offering fall-type things but the one that stands out in my mind is the farm-stand that offered a free apple cider doughnut when we walked in. Extraordinarily good!

And at some point every fall I make an apple pie. This year I used lard in the crust, an ingredient I normally use only in the pie crusts for savory dishes. But I figured a little pigginess would complement the apples (after all, apples complement pig) and I was right. The effect was subtle in a bite of pie, but noticeable if you were paying attention.

When I was a kid one of our favorite autumn foods was my mother's homemade, hot applesauce.

When I was a kid one of our favorite autumn foods was my mother's homemade, hot applesauce. She'd toss some chopped apples in a sauce pan with a bit of water and those little red cinnamon candies and cook the apples until soft, then coarsely mash them. As kids we loved that dish, but as an adult I do something more sophisticated…

Spiced Apples

6 apples — peeled, cored, and diced*
2 - 3 tbsp rum, apple brandy, or water
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
12 - 15 grates of nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice
1/4 c molasses
2 tbsp butter
pinch of salt
tiny pinch of cayenne pepper

Add enough rum, apple brandy, or water to a sauce-pan to just cover the bottom. Add all remaining ingredients and stir to blend. Place over low heat, partially cover, and simmer gently until apples are tender — about 30 minutes.

*My favorite cooking apple these days is Braeburns, but in this case I used a combination of Granny Smiths and Galas.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | apples | side dish

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Fried Purple Potatoes

A Strange Pudding



Purple potatoes. Julienned.

Duck fat. Hot.

Garam masala. Sprinkled.

Salt and pepper. Pinched.

Purple potatoes, duck fat, garam masala, salt and pepper. Served.

Delicious. Oddly sweet. Tastes like a strange pudding.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | potatoes | vegetables | side dishes

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Thanksgiving Side Dishes

Choosing Sides



I think we've pretty much decided on smoked duck breasts for Thanksgiving. Something could alter that decision, but probably won't. I'm planning to brine the breasts in an apple cider mixture, then use a stove-top smoker to cook them, and at the end I'll crisp the skin in a frying pan. I'll also do some kind of apple topping. At the moment I'm thinking I'll render some pancetta in a skillet and then sauté some chopped apples in the fat — adding a little porky goodness to the dish.

Moving on to other dishes, I went back through my archives and found these possibilities. Not all are suitable accompaniments to the duck, but I figured I'd mention them here in case you're also wondering about sides. These are all suitable for a fancy feast and most of them can be prepared, at least partially, in advance.

To begin with, I always like to have a little something to munch on while waiting for dinner. An hors d'ouevre of some sort keeps people out of the kitchen, momentarily satisfies their hunger (and helps cover for delays in the meal), and there's something immently civilized about having a glass of wine or a cocktail with some small amusement for the palate before dinner.

Fried chick peas, Cece Fritos, are easy to make and are a great nibble with a glass of wine or beer.

These Gougèress are phenomenally good and although the recipe appears frightening if you've never made pâum;te à choux, it's really not difficult at all. If you make them in advance, you'll need to reheat them in the oven before serving.

If canapés appeal to you, here are three that I'm quite fond of. I particularly like the Prosciutto & Cheese spread.

As for accompaniments for the turkey (or whatever), these can also be mostly made in advance and then either finish cooking or be warmed up in the microwave just prior to serving.

You might want to consider Herbed Roasted Rutabaga. These are delightfully sweet and savory. You can prep them a couple of days in advance and then roast them with the turkey.

Or how about Braised Brussels Sprouts. I mentioned this recipe a week ago, but it's so good it's worth mentioning again. You can pre-cook the sprouts and then reheat them in a skillet with the mustard and balsamic vinegar.

Instead of sweet potatoes, go with winter squash. This recipe for Buttercup Squash (butternut would work as well) includes a taste of horseradish. Give it a try, it really is surprisingly good.

How's about Honey-Dijon Roasted Beets? This a particularly festive dish if you can find several different colors of beets. But even if you only have access to red beets, their garnet color is gorgeous on a plate.

If you'd like bread with your dinner, these Beer Rolls have a wonderfully crisp crust, moist interior, and make outstanding little turkey sandwiches.

For a feast, dessert is a requirement. You can of course stick with the traditional pumpkin pie, apple pie, and mincemeat, or you can do something more unexpected.

The most unexpected, and yet still traditional, dessert I can imagine is Cranberry Mousse. Cranberries are a traditional part of the Thanksgiving table, but the mousse presents them as a new and delicious sweet/tart dessert. It's also a light dessert after such a typically heavy meal.

The pear season is almost, but not quite over and this Pear Tart is an excellent way and elegant way of using them in a dessert.

If you insist on Pumpkin Pie, this version with Maple Whipped Cream Topping is very good.

One last comment. I spent the week before Thanksgiving last year on the phone helping people plan menus, choose and find recipes, and recover from near disasters. I loved it. I was helping people create great Thanksgiving meals one-on-one and it was huge fun as well as deeply rewarding — except for the money. Not so good. Nevertheless, I'll be manning the phone and keyboard again this year for the same reason I post here on SG, to help people cook more successfully and make it a more satisfying part of their life. And if this little promotion bothers you, forgive me for being an enthusiastic believer in what I think is great service.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin d weeks | seriously good | side dishes | thanksgiving | holiday food

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Potatoes Parmigiano

Simple Perfection



I stepped out the front door at 2:45 and before I'd gotten half way down the stairs I was already sweating — at least to the degree that I sweat at all. Getting in the car took my breath away and when I started the car it reported the outside temperature as 97 degrees Fahrenheit. Figure in the humidity and it was 103. Figure in that I barely sweat however hot it is (my personal cooling system has never worked well) and it was probably close to 109 in terms of personal comfort. In the car itself it was probably a literal 130. Nasty, nasty, nasty weather.

But it was Friday and the farmers' market started in 15 minutes, so what choice did I have?

I bought chicken from Tracy who owns Laurel Creek Farms; a red bell pepper, zucchini, and green beans from Earl and Laura Badgett; and Early Girl tomatoes from Donna.

I started the car and cranked the AC all the way up and within five minutes was comfortable again — at least for the next 10 minutes. Then it was back into the inferno. I bought chicken from Tracy who owns Laurel Creek Farms; a red bell pepper, zucchini, and green beans from Earl and Laura Badgett; and Early Girl tomatoes from Donna. Donna has not only the best tomatoes, but the widest variety. In years past I've bought an assortment, but aside from a few easily recognizable varieties like Cherokee Purple or Green Zebra, I could never remember which was which when I got home. So this year I'm buying one variety at a time and making a note of what it is.

I also stopped at stall where a fellow was selling potatoes. Aside from the fact he had all his teeth, he was the epitome of a hillbilly. Long and lanky with a long gray beard that would make ZZ Top envious, he completed the picture by wearing overalls. He also had some of the prettiest little Yukon Golds I've ever seen.

There still don't seem to be any CSAs in this area, but the farmers' markets have come a long way in the past four years. There are now five to choose from, in fact on Saturday morning (when it's cooler) I have a choice of two, but they're further away than the market I usually go to. Finding anything other than the most common veggies was rare when I started shopping them, but the options seem to be increasing exponentially with each passing year.

At any rate, I bought a half dozen gorgeous 1 1/2-inch diameter potatoes and brought them home for dinner.

Potatoes Parmigiano
Serves 2.

6 baby potatoes (1 1/2" - 2" diameter)
3 tbsp shredded Parmigiano Reggiano
fruity olive oil
minced chives
salt and pepper

Boil potatoes until tender — about 15 minutes depending on size. Remove to a bowl, break up and mash lightly with a fork. Drizzle with oil. Add salt, pepper, chives, and cheese and toss. Taste and adjust seasoning and cheese. Serve immediately.

This is the essence of good food. Perfectly fresh potatoes that still taste of the dirt they grew in, excellent olive oil for mouth feel and richness, parmigiano (and it's natural MSG) to bring out the savor in the potatoes and oil, chives to add a hint of onion for complexity, pepper for a spicy floral note, and salt to brighten everything. Simple, quick, and easy to make up for the nasty heat.

Technorati: Food | recipe | kevin weeks | seriously good | potatoes | side dish | farmers market

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Fried Green Tomatoes

And the Living is Easy



In 1968 I didn't get arrested for skinny-dipping. It was a near thing. It was August and some friends and I were at an anti-Vietnam war rally and when the heat got to be too much we decided to take a dip in the fountain featuring Europa and the Bull on the Humanities Plaza at the University of Tennessee. I don’t recall who suggested skinny-dipping (as opposed to just getting our clothes wet) but we'd only begun to strip down when the campus cops showed up. They ran us off so we headed off to a secluded spot on the Clinch river and skinny-dipped there.

To this day I don't know why we got a break. At least one of us was already "nekkit" and Knoxville, Tennessee wasn't exactly a liberal town. I can think of reasons, but the only one that seems to be possible is we were obviously under-age by a couple of years and the cops had soft hearts.

If you've never been skinny dipping, I recommend that too.

Despite stereotypes to the contrary, Southerners are, or once were (before they became more like the rest of the country), kind and generous people. There's a crusty edge you have to pass, and once past that you might find a hard, and even bitter core, or a soft and sweet one. The trick is, you can almost always find a soft and sweet core if you know the technique:

• Hunker down — this is a squatting position that easily enables drawing in the dirt with your finger, the uptown version is asking them out to a Barbeque joint


• Ask about local fishing and hunting — these days talking about stocks also works, but be prepared to actually have to talk about hunting and fishing


• Talk about the weather — talk about the weather


• Offer vittals — Barbeque again or a meat-n-three


• Say, "How's about them..." — and fill in the name of the local college football team

There is a dish that perfectly sums up this Southern heart: fried green tomatoes.

These belles of Southern cuisine have a light crisp crust, a tender (but al dente) bite, and a flavor that makes it clear the tomato really is a fruit and not vegetable. They're as easy to do well as do poorly, which is a lot like fitting into the South.

Fried Green Tomatoes
Serves 4.

4 green tomatoes (no hint of blush, pure green and 3 - 4 inches in diameter)
enough oil to fill a cast iron skillet to 1/4 inch depth
1 1/2 c cornmeal
2 tbsp salt
2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp hot paprika
1 1/2 c cultured buttermilk

Heat oven to 200F and line an oven-proof plate with several layers of paper towels.

Cut tomatoes into 1/2 inch slices discarding top and bottom slices.

Mix cornmeal and spices in a pie pan. Heat oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Pour buttermilk into another pie pan. Dip the tomato slices in buttermilk then dredge in cornmeal. Cook in oil until browned — about 2 minutes — turn and cook until brown. Remove to the paper-towel-lined plate and keep warm in the oven while repeating for remaining slices.

Once cooked, serve, especially with pork.

If you've never had a fried green tomato, you haven’t lived. It's an extraordinary vegetable and quite different from ripe tomatoes with a wonderfully complex acidity. The tomatoes in the photo are topped with a smoked tomato sauce my mother made.

And if you've never been skinny dipping, I recommend that too. The last time I did so, almost exactly 20 years after the first time, the park police caught us, and then ignored us. The evening turned out very nicely.

Technorati: Food | recipe | tomatoes | green tomatoes | side dish

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