Good Luck Recipes for the New Year!

Happy almost New Year, folks!  Whether you're going out and partying or staying home and skipping the whole thing, January 1 is just around the corner.  New Year's Day brings with it culinary traditions from around the world involving foods and dishes symbolic of good luck, wealth, and longevity.  Much like music and love, rich meat and leafy greens seem to transcend cultural differences and geographical and political borders, appearing as an integral part of the New Year's meal across the globe.  Here are a few of my favorite New Year's recipes!



Cotechino e Lenticchie (Cotechino Sausage & Lentils)

black lentils

Cotechino is an especially fatty, mildly spiced pork sausage made in Italy and traditionally eaten at midnight on New Years Day to bring in the new year.  The pork symbolizes richness, while the round lentils are thought to look like coins, also symbolizing wealth.
 

1 cotechino sausage (fully cooked), approximately 1 lb.
generous splash olive oil
3 shallots, minced
1 carrot, finely chopped
3-4 whole dried sage leaves, finely crumbled
generous grinds of coarse black pepper
1/4 c. dried porcini mushrooms, chopped
light splash wine
8 oz. French lentils (also called Le Puy lentils)*
2.5 cups water
salt
truffle oil

Pierce the sausage all over with the tip of a knife.  Cover with water, bring to a boil, and then simmer for 20-30 minutes.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat.  Add the shallot, carrot, sage, and black pepper; saute, stirring occasionally, until the shallot is translucent and soft. Next, add the porcini mushrooms.  Stir until the mushrooms are coated with the oil, then add the wine.  Stir thoroughly. 

Now, add the lentils to the pot. Stir for 1-2 minutes, or until the lentils are thoroughly coated with the oil/wine mixture.  Add the water.  Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low.  Simmer for 30 minutes, or until the lentils are soft, but not mushy. 

Once the sausage has cooked, remove it from the water, and when cool enough to touch, slice it into thin rounds.  When the lentils are done, spoon portions of the lentil mixture into individual dishes and finish with a light drizzle of truffle oil.  Top the lentils with 2-3 slices of the sausage, garnish with fresh herbs of your choice, and serve. 

* You can use regular lentils, but the beauty of French lentils is that they do not lose their firmness or their shape during the cooking process.

Hoppin' John

Hoppin' John is eaten on New Years Day in the American South to bring wealth in the new year.  Pork symbolizes wealth because it is a rich, fatty meat, and collards symbolize wealth because they are green, the color of money. 
 
5 oz. thick-cut bacon, sliced into 1/2" chunks
1 T. butter
1 large onion, diced
12 oz. lager or pilsner-style beer
1 large bunch fresh collards (approx. 2 pounds), ribs removed, chopped
2 t. dried thyme
2 garlic cloves, smashed
1/4 - 1/2 t. cayenne pepper
2 bay leaves
1 16-oz. can black-eyed peas
3 cups cooked white rice
salt & pepper to taste

In a large, heavy bottomed stock pot, cook the bacon, butter, and onion over medium heat for 8-10 minutes, or until the onion has softened and much of the fat has rendered off of the bacon.  Next, add a splash of the beer and stir until the liquid stops frothing, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan as you stir.  Now, add the collards, thyme, garlic, cayenne, bay leaves, and the remaining beer.  Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Once the collards have cooked, add the black-eyed peas, rice, and salt & pepper.  Stir, then cook for 5-7 minutes or until the black-eyed peas and the rice are thoroughly heated.  Serve in small bowls. 


Pork & Sauerkraut

The Pennsylvania Dutch believe that because it is not possible for a pig to look backwards without turning completely around, therefore pork is associated with moving forward.
 
Amazing Breaded Pork Chops

bone-in pork chop

2 bone-in pork chops, about an inch thick
1 t. salt
generous amount coarsely ground black pepper
4-6 whole dried sage leaves, finely crumbled
1/4 c. mild red wine vinegar
1/4 c. balsamic vinegar*
1/4 c. water
1/4 - 1/2 c. flour
1 egg, beaten
1/4 - 1/2 c. Italian-style bread crumbs
1 t. dried thyme
1 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. olive oil, for frying*

Rub the pork chops with the salt, coarsely ground pepper, and half the sage leaves (reserve the other half for later).  Place the pork chops in a shallow dish with the wine vinegar, balsamic vinegar, and water.  Marinate for 30 minutes, turning the pork chops halfway through. 

chops cooking

Set up three plates in the following order - first, flour, second, egg, and third, bread crumbs.  Add the thyme, oregano, salt, pepper, and remaining sage leaves to the bread crumbs, mix well.  Heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy bottomed frying pan (preferably cast iron).  While the oil is heating, bread the chops by dredging (lightly coating) each chop with the flour on both sides, then dipping each chop in the beaten egg, and then coating each of the egged chops with bread crumbs in a thick, even layer.  Coat generously; no moisture should come through. 

Once the oil is heated, add the chops to the hot oil and cook for 4-5 minutes on each side.  Once they are done cooking, set aside to rest for 5-7 minutes, then serve with sauerkraut. 

* No need to use an expensive aged balsamic vinegar for this marinade; the cheap stuff in the salad dressing aisle will work just fine for this purpose. 

Sauerkraut

To step up your sauerkraut, simply add a splash of gin, a generous grind of coarse black pepper, 2 halved garlic cloves, and 2 teaspoons of caraway seeds to store-bought sauerkraut (just don't buy the stuff in a can, it's crap - the stuff in plastic bags and glass jars has a fresher flavor).  Cook it over medium-low heat for 20-30 minutes, drain, and serve with pork chops. 



Longevity Noodles

The Chinese eat uber-long noodles called li mein during new year's celebrations.  The length of the noodles symbolizes a long life, and therefore cutting the noodle with a utensil is symbolic of cutting one's life short - never cut the noodle!  You can, however, chew them once they're in your mouth.  Chinese folks also serve steamed dumplings called "jiaozi" or "Yuanbao," both of which contain pork and cabbage. 

While I'm not familiar enough with Asian noodles to take a stab at this recipe, I've been told that many authentic Chinese restaurants serve longevity noodles, and in some restauarants, diners can watch as the chefs make the noodles - quite a process, which involves pulling and stretching the dough, not unlike taffy.  I find it so incredible that cultures on opposite ends of the globe include the same types of ingredients in their traditional dishes!



Hot-Blooded Mary

This isn't really a tradition, but if you're going to party on New Year's Eve, you might wake up on January 1 with a hangover that makes you curse the day your father met your mother.  If that happens, sometimes a little hair of the dog is the best cure.  Even if this doesn't cure your hangover, its spiciness will certainly wake you up! 

juice of 1/2 lime
1/2 t. prepared horseradish
1/4 t. Old Bay seasoning
splash worcestershire sauce
2 oz. vodka
6 oz. tomato juice
splash ghost pepper oil*
dusting of freshly ground black pepper
celery stick with leaves to garnish

Cmbine the lime juice, horseradish, Old Bay seasoning, worcestershire sauce, and vodka in a highball glass.  Mix well.  Add an ice cube or two, then pour in the tomato juice.  Stir again.  Top with a few drops of ghost pepper oil and a dusting of freshly ground black pepper. 

Be prepared to forget that you were hung over!!!

* If you haven't made ghost pepper oil, substitute a few drops of ultra-hot hot sauce and a few drops of olive oil.

Farro Spaghetti with Oyster Mushrooms and Dill

I wish I could say I'd planned this recipe. It lends itself so well to appearing alongside a rough, young Chianti served in jars rather than stemware, an unfinished wooden table with placemats rather than a tablecloth, and slices of a crumbly, aged cheese, consumed outdoors under the warm glow of a descending sun with mandolins and accordions playing somewhere in the distant grape fields...

This is the point where, if my life was a movie, viewers would hear the sound of a record being scratched, followed by silence, and then a slow fade into a shot of the protagonist (a/k/a me) being rudely awakened from a deep slumber. The next sequence would be shots of the protagonist coming home after a long, crappy day in the office, opening her refrigerator, and saying, "What the f*** am I gonna make for dinner tonight?" That, my dear friends, is how this recipe was born. 

The oyster mushrooms and the dill were left over from another recipe, and I had about half a box of farro spaghetti in my pantry. I bought this pasta for my mom and I to share because like us, it comes from Italy's Abruzzo region. Those three things, blended with rich, European-style butter, turned my recipe rejects into a dish that didn't look or taste at all accidental. I'm very pleased with this recipe, and if you're looking for something quick and easy, this would be a great recipe to try. 

A brief word about the ingredients - farro is a type of wheat that is commonly used in Italy and has recently gained popularity in the U.S., thanks to the whole grain trend. Just like regular wheat, farro can be ground into a flour and made into a wonderful pasta with a slightly nutty flavor. Farro pasta can be found at Italian groceries and specialty shops. If you can't find European butter, which has a higher butterfat content than American butter and is therefore much richer in flavor, you can substitute regular American butter. As a butter lover (OK, addict), I prefer the Euro stuff.

I hope you try this recipe!



Farro Spaghetti with Oyster Mushrooms and Dill

1 lb. farro spaghetti
2 T. European-style butter
1 lb. oyster mushrooms
several sprigs fresh dill, chopped
salt
coarsely ground black pepper
peppery olive oil
4 whole dill sprigs, to garnish

Cook the pasta. In the meantime, melt the butter over medium heat in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms and saute for 5-7 minutes or until they've turned golden brown, adding the chopped dill during the last minute of cooking. You may have to do this in batches, depending on the size of your pan―the mushrooms should not be crowded.

Drain the pasta, and immediately add the pasta to the pan containing the mushrooms. Divide the pasta equally among four serving plates, topping each with a portion of the sauteed mushrooms. Add a pinch of salt and a few generous grinds of coarsely ground black pepper, finish with a few drops of peppery olive oil, and garnish each with a whole sprig of fresh dill.

Feast of the Seven Fishes (Festa dei Sette Pesci)

I love this time of year.  Christmas lights aglow, I get to wear cute hats and fuzzy sweaters, and I get to scour recipes trying to decide what seafood dishes to serve on Christmas Eve, a/k/a the Feast of the Seven Fishes. 

The Feast of the Seven Fishes, or festa dei sette pesci, is an Italian-Catholic culinary celebration of seafood that springs from the tradition of abstaining from meat on Fridays and holy days.  There are as many theories about the significance of the number seven as there are fish in the sea, so I won't venture a guess; I'll just be glad that as a good little Italian girl, I have yet another valid reason to buy seafood! 

If you and your loved ones follow the "seafood on Christmas Eve" tradition and need some recipe ideas, here are seven of my favorite seafood dishes.  Buon Natale!

Sea "Smores"

Olive oil

6 large sea scallops

Finely ground black pepper

12 parmesan crisps (see below) or ¼” thick toast rounds

1 batch porcini sauce (see below)

Dry off the scallops with paper towels so that there is no moisture on the scallops’ surfaces.  Dust the scallops with finely ground black pepper. 

Place a heavy-bottomed pan over high heat and brush with a thin coat of olive oil.  Add the scallops.  Sear the scallops for 1-2 minutes per side, turning regularly.  A golden-brown crust should form on the outside of the scallops; cook no more than 5-6 minutes total, depending on their size.  Remove from the pan; set aside. 

Place six of the crisps on a plate.  Spread 1-2 teaspoons of the porcini sauce on each crisp in a thin layer.  Next, place one of the seared scallops on top of the sauce on each crisp.  Finally, place one of the remaining parmesan crisps on top of each sea scallop, creating a bite-sized scallop sandwich.  Serve with a crisp, dry white wine. 

Parmesan Crisps

Coarsely-grated parmesan cheese

Heat a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.  Sprinkle about 2 T. parmesan in 2-inch circles on the pan (most standard-size pans will fit 3-4 crisps).  When the parmesan begins to melt and bubble, remove from heat and set aside to cool for a few minutes.  Using a spatula, carefully scrape the crisps off the skillet, making sure to keep them in one piece.  Place the crisps on paper towels to absorb some of the grease; set aside until ready to use. 

Hint:  Always make a few more than required to allow for any that break.

Porcini Sauce

¼ c. dried porcini mushrooms, broken or snipped into very tiny bits

¼ c. Boiling water

Splash whiskey

Splash heavy cream

Salt and finely ground black pepper

1/8 t. cornstarch

Soak the porcinis in the boiling water.  When they have softened, add the porcinis and their soaking liquid to a small saucepan.  Place over medium-low heat; add the whiskey, cream, salt, and pepper.  Cook, stirring constantly, until small bubbles begin to form on the surface of the liquid.  At this point, add the cornstarch, stirring constantly, until it is fully dissolved and the sauce begins to thicken.  Once the sauce is the consistency of melted chocolate, remove from heat and use a rubber scraper to transfer into a small bowl. 

 



Lobster Potato Salad

1.5lbs potatoes (red or Yukon Golds work well)

1-2T. butter

meat from 1 1lb. lobster, or 1 cup prepared lobster meat 

2-4 green onions, sliced into thin rings

juice from 1/2 lemon

splash olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

Slice the potatoes lengthwise into quarters, then slice into half-inch wedges.  Place these in a pot and fill with enough water to cover by at least an inch.  Salt the water, bring to a boil, then simmer until the potatoes are fork-tender.  When they are cooked, drain them and set them aside to cool.  In another similar-sized pot, melt the butter over high heat so that the butter begins to brown slightly.  Add the potatoes, remove from heat immediately, and toss the cooled potatoes with the melted butter.  Set aside.

While potatoes are cooking, slice the green onions and put them in a large bowl.  Next, add the lobster meat.  If you are using a whole lobster, break the lobster apart overtop of the bowl so that any flavorful juices are not lost. 

Once the meat is removed from the lobster, or if you are using prepared lobster, use your fingers to tear the meat into small chunks.  Add the cooked and buttered potatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt and pepper.  Toss until all ingredients are evenly distributed, then cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. 

Once the salad has chilled, you are ready to serve.  Place on a plate or in a shallow bowl over lettuce leaves. 

Calamari in Spicy Tomato-Wine Broth

8 oz. dried angel hair pasta

generous splash olive oil

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 T. golden raisins

2 T. capers

2/3 cup dry white wine

1 T. tomato paste

1 roma tomato, diced

1/2 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 lb. calamari, cleaned, tubes sliced into rings

salt and pepper to taste

minced parsley, plus sprigs for garnish

Cook the pasta.  In the meantime, heat the olive oil over a medium flame in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan.  When the oil is hot, add the garlic and raisins.  Saute for 1-2 minutes, or until the garlic becomes fragrant but does not turn golden. 

Next, add the capers, white wine, tomato paste, roma tomato, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Stir vigorously so that the tomato paste breaks up and blends with the wine.  Cook until the liquid begins to bubble gently, about 5 minutes. 

Now, add the calamari.  Cook for only about one minute.  The calamari should start to firm up.  Drain the pasta, and add the hot pasta to the pan with the calamari and tomato broth.  Stir so that each strand is coated with the sauce.  By this time, the calamari should be cooked through.  Season with salt and pepper to taste, and divide among two serving dishes.  Sprinkle with minced parsley and garnish with a sprig or two of fresh parsley.



Baked Oysters with Chablis Cream

12 oysters, freshly shucked, in the deep “cup” shell

1 T. butter

1 shallot, minced

½ cup Chablis

½ cup heavy cream

Pinch sea salt

Pinch white pepper

Cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 450. In the meantime, drain any of the juice from the oysters, reserving the juice in a small bowl.  Next, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat and add the minced shallot, cooking for a minute or two until the shallot is soft and translucent.  Once the shallot is cooked, add the Chablis and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until the wine is reduced by about half.

Place a fine-meshed sieve over the bowl containing the oysters’ liquid.  Pour the wine and shallot mixture into the sieve, and use a spoon to press out any remaining liquid if necessary.  Reserve the cooked shallots for the Celeriac Puree recipe; return the liquid to the saucepan.

Now, add the cream, sea salt, and white pepper to the saucepan with the wine mixture.  Bring to a boil and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until the liquid has again been reduced by about half.  Reduce to very low heat.

Arrange the shucked and drained oysters in a baking dish.  Spoon 1-2 teaspoons of the Chablis cream sauce onto each oyster, then dust with the slightest amount of cayenne pepper.  Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for 4-5 minutes until the cream begins to turn golden at the edges.

Remove the baking dish from the oven, and using tongs, divide the oysters among serving dishes.  Serve with chilled, but not cold, Chablis.

Monkfish Medallions with Sherried Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

For the sauce:

1 roasted red bell pepper, chopped

1/4 c. Amontillado sherry

1 garlic clove, chopped

2 t. smoked paprika

2 T. heavy cream

2 T. olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

For the monkfish:

1 monkfish tail, cut into 1.5 inch thick medallions

flour seasoned with salt and pepper, for dredging

olive oil, for frying

First, make the sauce.  Combine all the ingredients in a blender, puree until liquefied, and set aside. 

Take each of the monkfish medallions and dredge in the seasoned flour, making sure to shake off any excess flour.  Set aside.  Heat a large, heavy bottomed frying pan.  When it is hot, add a generous splash of olive oil.  Once the olive oil is heated and covers the entire surface of the pan, add the monkfish medallions and cook for 2-3 minutes per side until slightly golden.  Remove from heat when they are done.  

To serve, place 2-3 medallions on a plate and drizzle with the Sherried Roasted Red Pepper Sauce. 

Farfalle with Smoked Salmon and Champagne Cream

1 lb. dried farfalle

1 jar Classico Alfredo

1/2 cup champagne

1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed

2 T. capers

dash cayenne pepper

generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper

4 oz. smoked salmon, sliced into thin strips

1 jar caviar (no need to go expensive, American lumpfish works fine!)

Cook the pasta.  In the meantime, combine the Alfredo, champagne, peas, capers, cayenne, and pepper in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.  Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce begins to bubble slightly. 

Add the cooked farfalle to the saucepan.  Stir to combine until all the pasta is coated with the sauce.  Now, add the smoked salmon.  Stir just until combined, then serve immediately, garnishing with a spoonful of caviar.  Enjoy!!!

Shellfish Risotto

generous splash olive

1 leek, sliced (white part only)

1 large or 2 small fennel bulbs, thinly sliced, a few fronds reserved for garnish

1 1/2 cups arborio rice

1/2 cup prosecco

5 cups shellfish stock

1 pound calamari, mostly tentacles - slice tubes into 1/4" rings

1/2 pound cockles or other small clams

1 T. capers

sea salt

parsley, to garnish

Heat the shellfish stock to a low simmer.  In a separate large, heavy bottomed pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat, then add the leek and fennel.  Saute for about 5 minutes, then add the arborio rice.  Cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently, then add the prosecco.  Lower the heat, and stir continuously until the prosecco has been absorbed. 

Now, add a half-cup of shellfish stock.  Stir continuously until the liquid has been absorbed.  Repeat this process until the rice has absorbed the liquid and is almost fully cooked.  In the meantime, place the calamari and the clams in another pan with a bit of olive oil and a splash of the shellfish stock.  Cover, and steam until the clams have open and the calamari has firmed up.  Set aside a few clams in their shells for garnish, remove the meat from the rest and discard the shells. 

When the rice is almost fully cooked and you're on the last addition of liquid, add the calamari, clams, and capers.  Continue to stir until the last of the liquid is absorbed.  Finish with sea salt.  Serve in individual bowls with a clam shell or two, garnished with fennel fronds. 

Letter From My Liver

This post was originally published in my bi-weekly editorial column in my college's newspaper, October 2004.  It has been modified from its original version. 

Young Lady, we have to talk. I’ve been good to you over the years, have I not? But ask yourself the same thing—have you been good to me? The answer? Sadly, no.

For the first part of my employment, you were great to work for. I got stuff like Campbell ’s soup, pizza, and ice cream. Once in a while you’d make me work by throwing in a little Children’s Tylenol, but I could handle that. Then you went to college.

Kegs & Eggs, drinking games, frat parties, spring breaks, quarter drafts night (luckily for me, you live in Boston, where there is no such thing as quarter drafts night). The point is that you abuse me. Don’t federal labor laws state that employers are required to give a half hour break for every eight hours of work? Where was my break over Springfest? And what about coughing up some overtime pay?

You haven’t caught on that when someone says, “I bet you can’t chug faster than me,” it’s not because they think you can’t chug, it’s because they want to see you do it. And what about those nights out with the “SoCo Girls?” You’re lucky I didn’t force that Southern Comfort back up north and out your mouth.

Flip cup—fun for you, hell for me. Yeah, your team was the reigning champion eight times in a row, and I understand that this made you happy. You couldn’t have just basked in your glory though…you had to play several more rounds. You tried to justify this using feminism, claiming that no one should have underestimated an all-girl Flip Cup team. But I still hate you.

And then there’s Canada . I know you think that our neighbors to the north produce the world’s finest cheap lager, but Labatt and Molson (and at some locations, even Moosehead!) are sold in the United States, meaning that there is absolutely no reason that anyone 21 or over should be traveling to another country for the sole purpose of drinking.

Sure—dancing on tables and standing around in circles incoherently shouting the lyrics to “Sweet Caroline” and “Livin’ on a Prayer” is fun and acceptable now, but after this year, you can’t do that stuff anymore. Well, you could, but not without losing every trace of respect you ever earned. 

You college kids are in transition. You work, you study, you pay rent, and you’re independent from your parents, but society still allows you the right to act like childish idiots whenever you’re in close proximity to a beer ball. Have you ever seen anyone funnel a beer or do a keg stand at an office party? I didn’t think so. You know why? Because upon graduation, people are officially considered to be grown-ups. 

Every office has That Guy—you know, the one who drinks too much at the Christmas party and starts telling dirty jokes, eventually puking in a potted plant before his colleagues wrestle his keys away and call him a cab—but do you really want to be That Guy? 

Sweetie, I know you. You always complain about “wanting to get this crap over with and finally have a real job,” but honey, by the time you’re 30, you’ll be longing for the days when you lived with five other people and invited 200 strangers into your home every weekend to drink cheap beer out of plastic cups. Don’t even think about pulling an “Old School” though.

Since you only have a short time left as an undergrad, I’m offering you the opportunity to make a pact with me—live it up until graduation, but after that, know your role, grow up, and give me a friggin’ break! Too many people’s livers never make this offer—these people keep acting like idiots and drinking like it’s going out of style. You know what happens? Those livers start failing. So spread the word to your classmates—it’s OK to act like a reject and destroy your body if you’re in college, but once you get a real job, it’s time to settle down (at least in terms of partying) and start behaving like the rest of productive adult society. With that, I advise you to give my offer some serious consideration.

On a final note, I will uphold my end of the offer on a conditional basis. Remember your post-LSAT celebration (if you don’t, ask any one of the people you asked 15 or more times if they had any tattoos)? Do you recall going from wine to beer, then to gin, and back to beer? One more stunt like that, and the deal is off and I quit.

           

Sincerely,

                       

Your Liver

Baked Haddock Fillets with Dill Pesto, Polenta Cakes, Oyster Mushrooms, and Roasted Carrots

Face it.  If it wasn't for the fact that I post photos on this blog, much of the food I cook would end up haphazardly mushed together in a bowl - all function, no form.  But sometimes, human beings are inclined to make the world a prettier place.  Much like the way we decorate our homes, create works of art, or put on makeup for special events, sometimes I like to take my everyday glasses-and-ponytail plates and turn them into prom queens. 


oyster mushrooms

In the recipe below, I've taken three very simple dishes - baked haddock, polenta, and baked carrots - and I've given them a special presentation with a bit of elegance.  Fresh dill is the glue that holds the recipe together.  Originally, I bought a large bunch of fresh dill for use in another recipe, but there was so much of it left that I needed to put the rest to use.  What better way than to transform it into a garlicky pesto?  The dill pesto's flavor complements each element of the dish, especially the oyster mushrooms, whose mild flavor and delightful texture add an earthy element that keeps this presentation grounded.  Try this recipe sometime when you're feeling artistic!




Dill Pesto

2 cups fresh dill (fronds only - discard the stems)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup olive oil*, plus more if necessary
pinch salt

Combine the ingredients in a blender or food processor.  Blend until the mixture is consistent and creamy. 


* This is probably the only instance in which I will ever encourage you to NOT use an extra-virgin olive oil.  Oils labeled "pure olive oil" or simply "olive oil" will work best with this recipe; flavorful virgin olive oils will overpower the other flavors in this recipe. 


Polenta Cakes with Dill

1 cup instant polenta (I prefer Pastene brand)
5 cups water
2 t. salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 T. butter
1/2 cup grated pecorino romano

In a large, heavy-bottomed pot, bring the water, salt, and dill to a rolling boil.  Next, add the polenta in a steady stream, stirring quickly and constantly (this prevents lumps from forming).  Continue stirring, and once the polenta has thickened up considerably, add the butter and the pecorino.  Stir until they have melted into the polenta. 

Pour the polenta into a buttered 9x13 baking dish.  Set the polenta aside to cool for about 20 minutes, then using a round cookie cutter or the lip of a pint glass or tumbler, cut the polenta into round cakes.  Serve the extra polenta as leftovers. 


Baked Haddock Fillets with Dill Pesto, Polenta Cakes, Oyster Mushrooms, and Roasted Carrots

4 3-oz. haddock fillets
4 slices fresh lemon
4 T. butter
4 sprigs fresh dill
4 polenta cakes will dill (see recipe above)
4 very thin carrots with tops, tops trimmed to 1", halved lengthwise
1 bunch fresh oyster mushrooms, divided at base into 4 portions
1/4 c. dill pesto (see recipe above)
2 T. olive oil
splash lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 350.  Place the haddock fillets skin-side down in a baking dish lined with foil (the foil doesn't aid the cooking, it just makes cleanup much easier).  On each fillet, place 1 T of butter and a sprig of dill, and top each with a slice of lemon.  Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. 

Once the fillets have baked for 10 minutes, add the carrots to the dish.  Bake for an additional 5 minutes.  In the meantime, place 4 polenta cakes in a separate baking dish.  Once the carrots have baked for 5 minutes, add the polenta cakes to the oven to warm them.  Bake for 5 more minutes, adding the oyster mushroom portions to the dish alongside the polenta rounds for the last two minutes of cooking. 

While the fish, polenta, carrots, and mushrooms are baking, thin the dill pesto with the olive oil and a splash of lemon juice. 

When you are ready to plate the recipe, spoon the thinned pesto into the center of each plate in equal proportions, reserving about a teaspoonful.  Place a polenta round in the center of the pesto.  Next to each polenta round, place one of the oyster mushroom portions, and finally, top the polenta cake with a fish fillet.  Use two of the carrot halves to border the polenta and fish.  Finally, dot the edge of the plate with the remaining pesto.  Serve with a chilled white wine.

Ingredient Spotlight - Cardoons

After years of curiosity, I was recently able to find cardoons. I didn’t hunt them down, I simply saw them in the produce section of my local supermarket. Cardoons are not a common vegetable in America, and they are very hard to find, so imagine my surprise when I saw them displayed next to common leaf lettuce and carrots!

Cardoons grow wild in Mediterranean countries, and they are a very popular vegetable in Italy. They grow in bunches and resemble celery, although the flavor tastes nothing like celery - more like a mild artichoke. If you ever see cardoons in the market, pick up a bunch and try this simple pasta recipe that showcases this hard-to-find vegetable!


Spaghetti with Cardoons and Pecorino Romano

Cooked cardoons

1 bunch cardoons, sliced
Salt
Juice of 1 lemon
Splash mild vinegar
1 lb spaghetti rigati (textured long pasta) or plain spaghetti
Splash olive oil
2 slices bacon, chopped
2 large shallots, minced
1 cup chopped parsley
2 T. Butter
½ - 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Generous amount of coarsely ground black pepper
Pecorino Romano, grated
　
Place the cardoons in a large pot with enough water to cover them. Add a few pinches of salt, the lemon juice and the vinegar. Cover; bring to a boil, and boil for 30-40 minutes. Once they are done cooking, drain them and set aside.

Cook the pasta in salted water. In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed pan and add the bacon. Once the bacon begins to crisp, add the shallots and cook for a few more minutes, or until the shallot softens. Add the cardoons, then add the cooked pasta. Toss to combine, then add the parsley, butter, crushed red pepper flakes, and ground pepper. Toss again, then serve with lots of grated pecorino romano.

The Tale of Pita Rabbit

Really, I've got to give myself a pat on the back for the clever title. 

In retrospect, I should have thrown together a cute little side salad of lettuces, French beans, radishes, and parsley - the things that naughty little Peter Rabbit munched on in Mr. MacGregor's garden - but instead, I simply had these rich, delicious pita sandwiches with a glass of slightly chilled Chardonnay.  Mr. MacGregor, you can keep your lettuces - but if you catch any mischievous rabbits, I'll help Mrs. MacGregor turn them into a delicious treat!

So what made me decide to put rabbit in a pita pocket?  Top Chef!  Rabbit was the ingredient assigned to all the contestants, and as they scrambled to create their dishes, I thought about a creative dish I could make with rabbit, which was difficult, because although I've eaten rabbit, I've never cooked it.  This, ladies and gentlemen, presented a challenge that I gladly accepted.  I decided that I would learn to cook rabbit, and I'd make something creative.  Maybe the composition of the dish was not creative, but I liked the idea of a unique theme - Pita Rabbit, which sounds like a Bostonian speaking the words "Peter Rabbit."  Drumroll, please...

Rabbit isn't one of those things you're likely to find at the mega-mart, so unless you know a hunter (as not many of us city folk do), you have to seek it out at butcher shops or by mail order.  I called several of my tried-and-true butcher shops, and Savenor's was the only one that had any fresh rabbit on hand.  I know that many of the butcher shops in Boston sell rabbit, especially Boston's North End, but not everyone has rabbit in stock at all times, so I'm glad I decided to call in advance.  After all, rabbit isn't a popular meat. 

I took the advice of the butcher at Savenor's, who cautioned me about the presence of tiny pinbones and recommenced cooking the meat "slow and low," which means cooking something for a long time at a low temperature.  I cooked the rabbit with a sauteed shallot in wine, chicken, and lemongrass mint vinegar for about four hours, then I let it cool overnight. 

The next day, I shredded the cooked rabbit meat with my fingers and served it in warmed pitas with traditional Greek/Mediterranean accompaniments.  These sandwiches are packed full of healthy ingredients, yet extremely rich and satisfying.  If you're squeamish about cooking rabbit, feel free to make these with dark meat chicken, but the flavor will not be the same.  The recipe below will fill two whole pita pockets, or four halves.  When all the ingredients are prepared in advance, these make a super-quick, super-easy meal! 


Braised Rabbit

1 T. butter
1 shallot, minced
1/2 - 1 lb. rabbit parts
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
splash lemongrass & mint vinegar or juice of 1/2 lemon
pinch each salt and pepper

In a large, heavy bottomed pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat, then add the shallot.  Saute for 3-4 minutes, or until the shallot has softened.  Add the rabbit parts and brown for 5-7 minutes.

Add the wine, chicken broth, vinegar.  Reduce heat to low and cover.  Simmer for at least two hours, longer if possible, checking every 30 minutes or so.  If the liquid is evaporating too quickly, go ahead and add an extra splash of wine throughout the process. 

Once the rabbit has simmered for at least two hours, remove from heat.  Serve as-is or let cool if you're using the meat for Pita Rabbit sandwiches.


Pita Rabbit

2 pita breads, warmed in the oven and cut in half
shredded rabbit or chicken (dark meat)
minced red onion
grated cucumber
chopped mint
seeded & chopped tomato
chopped kalamata olives
crumbled feta cheese
Greek dressing (recipe below)

Fill each pita bread half with your choice of the ingredients listed above. 



Greek Dressing

1 T. plain yogurt
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, pressed
1 T. chopped fresh mint
1 T. fresh oregano (or 1 t. dried)
1/4 t. ground sumac berries* (optional)
pinch salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. olive oil
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil

Whisk the ingredients in a small bowl.  Use to dress pita sandwiches or salads.  Also delicious on steamed veggies, fresh chopped tomatoes, cold pasta or rice, etc.
 

* Sumac is a tart spice commonly used in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cooking.  If you can't find it at your local market, you can order it from Penzey's.

Bacon, Butter, Booze, and...Babies?!?

Yup, you read that right. I took a few days off from cooking and writing in order to visit the newest leaves on my family tree - my cousin's beautiful twin boys.


Once I figured out that you can't
hold a baby like a sack of flour...

It's incredible - caring for babies uses a skill set that I just don't have.  Well, maybe that's not true - swaddling is very similar to filling a burrito - but those little dudes aren't impressed by a perfectly seared scallop or a flawlessly executed filet mignon.  They just want boobs and dry diapers!  So I learned how to hold the babies, change diapers, and I even made them smile by singing a few Sinatra songs!  I can't wait until they're a bit older - I'm looking forward to experimenting with baby food, cookies shaped like puppies and dinosaurs, and other kid-friendly favorites. 

Despite the fact that I spent more time in the nursery than I did in the kitchen this week, I did create something new - a great sauce for a pork tenderloin that my aunt cooked on the grill.  The sauce was based on butter, beer, and HP Sauce, a bottled condiment popular in the UK.  My family and I first discovered HP Sauce at Buffalo, NY's annual Scottish festival - most of the food vendors kept bottles of HP Sauce at their stalls, and the condiment carts were fully stocked with pumps of HP Sauce and little paper cups, much like how we serve ketchup and mustard with burgers and hot dogs.  Once we tried this stuff, we began putting it on everything - and I mean everything.  "The fries are really good with this HP Sauce, I'm gonna put it on the fish."  "Its good on the fish, I wonder what else we can put it on?"  "Do you think the McEwan's would taste good with HP Sauce in it?" "Can I just get a bowl of HP and a spoon?"  OK, I'm exaggerating, but the stuff is pretty darn good. 

In addition to the wonderful food we ate at home, I also filled up on a few Buffalo specialties - a chicken finger sub from Jim's Steak Out, tacos from Mighty Taco, Flying Bison's Blizzard Bock, Beef on Weck (a/k/a hot roast beef on kimmelweck, a roll topped with flake salt and caraway seeds), Labatt Blue from the tap, and of course, chicken wings.  Buffalo may not have the greatest reputation, but I dare you to go there and leave hungry and unsatisfied.  It will not happen. 

Once my plane touched down in Boston, I was glad to be back home among the city lights and the sounds of the urban jungle I call home, but I missed my cousin, my aunt & uncle, and the little guys.  I needed to get back into the kitchen to distract myself, so I made a great grown-up dish:  wine-poached pears with gorgonzola and chestnut honey.  My roommate recently bought a bottle of sweet shiraz and didn't like the flavor, so instead of letting it go to waste, I decided to use it in a recipe.  The pungent flavor of the gorgonzola and the bittersweet chestnut honey really complement the sweetness of the fruit! 


HP & Beer Butter Sauce

1/2 stick butter
a few raw onion rings
1/4 c. HP Sauce
1/2 c. full-bodied beer
1 t. cornstarch
1 T. cold water
dusting of cinnamon
a few generous grinds black pepper
salt to taste

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once it is completely melted, add the onion.  Saute until the butter begins to foam and become fragrant.  Remove the onion rings.  Add the HP sauce and the beer, then whisk until completely blended.  Lower the heat to simmer.

In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and the cold water together.  Add to the sauce, whisking quickly and constantly, until the sauce begins to thicken a bit.  Add the slightest dusting of cinnamon, a few grinds of black pepper, and salt, if necessary.  Serve over grilled pork. 



Wine-Poached Pears with Gorgonzola and Chestnut Honey

1 bottle red wine
5 whole cloves
1/2 t. anise seeds, crushed*
1/2 t. cardamom seeds, crushed*
1/2 t. fennel seeds, crushed*
4 ripe pears, peeled
1-2 t. sugar (optional)
slices of gorgonzola cheese
chestnut honey

Combine everything but the pears in a saucepan large enough to hold the wine and the pears.  Bring to a rapid boil.  Add the pears, then reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes.

Once the pears have simmered, remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.  Turn the heat up to high, bring to a boil (uncovered), and boil until the sauce is reduced by about half.  Taste the sauce - you may want to add a pinch of sugar, but this is not necessary. 

Remove the sauce from heat, then return the pears to the sauce.  Let cool to room temperature.  Once the pears have cooled, slice the pears lengthwise.  Arrange on a plate, alternating with slices of gorgonzola cheese.  Drizzle the cheese with a few drops of chestnut honey. 

* To crush the seeds, give them a quick grind with a mortar & pestle, or simply use two spoons to squish them. 

** The leftover poaching wine would be a great dip for biscotti or another semi-sweet cookie.

Bizarre Foods?

I like “bizarre” foods. No, I’m not talking about the TV show, I’m referring to foods uncommon to my region and my culture. Although I do enjoy the TV show - it gives me ideas!

I’ve been eating “bizarre” foods since I was a child. I was the farthest thing from a picky eater - when most preschoolers wanted to bring brownies and chocolate milk for snack day, I wanted to bring New England clam chowder. My parents always let me try new foods, even if they suspected that I wouldn’t like them. The things I didn’t get to try were snack cakes, fast food, and sodas - well, I tried them, but only when my friends’ parents rained on my mom’s parade and fed me Little Debbie and Frito Lay. My mom always made sure I was eating healthy meals, and she put together some really excellent lunches for me. One of the best lunches she packed contained what she liked to call a “healthy” sandwich,” which was avocado slices, cheese, sliced tomato, and alfalfa sprouts on whole grain bread. Those sandwiches were delicious, although you must remember that this was the 80’s - whole grain bread had not gone mainstream yet, so naturally, some of my classmates looked at my lunches and asked me why I ate “weird” food.  I usually replied, “It’s good, wanna try it?”
 

These days, I still eat “weird” food, mainly because I’m a curious person by nature, and I hate the idea that I could be missing out on something good. So, I try “weird” foods. I’ll try pretty much anything - I’ve had jellyfish, bottarga (air-dried mullet roe), sea urchin, pig’s feet, sweetbreads, liver, tripe, you name it. Most recently, I tried duck tongues. Yes, that’s the mystery food in the picture to the right - seasoned duck tongues. Is there a line I wouldn’t cross? Well, I’m hesitant to try any animal parts from the nervous system due to concern over mad cow and other prion diseases, I really have no desire to try insects, and I won't willfully eat trans-fats.  But most other foods are fair game. 



One thing that kills me is how American culture turns its collective nose up to organ meats, but barely thinks twice about eating packaged foods whose list of ingredients more closely resembles that of a shampoo bottle than a recipe (P.S. - if you want to know what you’re actually eating, I highly recommend Steve Ettlinger‘s 2007 book “Twinkie, Deconstructed”).

How is “partially hydrogenated soybean oil” perfectly normal, but chicken hearts are “weird?” How is it “normal” to eat an irradiated pork chop cut from a genetically modified hog and injected with something concocted in a test tube, but it’s “weird” to eat tripe? How do we determine what’s normal and what’s weird? I’m gonna go out on a limb here and put my money on classism and xenophobia, but another explanation could simply be that a lot of people in America don’t cook, they simply eat what’s fed to them (side note: I’m completely aware that that’s a loaded statement with many interpretations).

Back to the classism/xenophobia thing, I know I’m not the only foodie who sees the irony in the fact that some of the foods that were common among impoverished immigrant and ethnic groups are now served at pricey restaurants. Organ meats, meats from heritage livestock, and heirloom vegetable varieties are springing up left and right on the menus at some of the country’s best restaurants. TV shows like “Bizarre Foods” and “Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservations” have certainly fueled the trend. Also adding to the acceptance of “weird" foods are cooking challenge TV shows, which often challenge contestants to cook dishes featuring uncommon ingredients or less popular cuts of meat. More power to everyone who tries to take the mystery, stigma, and fear away from food!

Other than sheer curiosity, one of my other reasons for seeking out and eating “weird” cuts of meat springs from the fact that I’m an animal lover. This sounds counterintuitive, I know, but I think it is insanely disrespectful to slaughter an animal only to discard its parts that won’t sell well in individually-wrapped Styrofoam packages at White Bread Mart in East Bumf***.  Doing my part to make sure that the whole animal is used alleviates some of my conflicted feelings about eating meat. 

In sum, I encourage everyone to try some of these “bizarre” foods - if you don’t like them, that‘s fine, but please don’t shy away from foods that don’t show up on the menu at your local dime-a-dozen-pieces-of-flair chain restaurant. If you’re unsure of how to prepare and cook some of these uncommon items, or if you don’t trust the freshness/turnover rate on such items at your local market, try them at a restaurant. And I’ll do my best to post recipes and instructions for cooking less-than-common foods. Open your minds and your mouths - a whole new world of flavors and textures awaits you!
　
　

 



 



A Guessing Game

Last night, I tried something new and unusual, and I took a photo of this new and unusual dish.  Can you guess what's on this plate?  I will give you three clues:  1) It's fatty, 2) I ordered this plate at a Chinese restaurant, and 3) good luck finding the main ingredient in a big-box grocery store. 

Feel free to leave your guesses in the comments field below, on Twitter, or on Facebook! 

Thai-Inspired Spring Rolls with Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce

Need a dish to bring to a party? Having people over who like their snacks a bit exotic? Try these Thai-inspired spring rolls! Served with a spicy coconut dipping sauce, these rolls are sweet, spicy, and savory with a bit of crunch. If you can find fresh water chestnuts, do use these instead of canned - the canned ones are nice and crunchy, but the fresh ones have a better texture and a sweet, almost vanilla-like flavor.


Thai-Inspired Spring Rolls

1 10-oz. can chunk chicken in water, drained and finely chopped
8 fresh water chestnuts, peeled and minced
2 t. Thai red curry paste
1 t. soy sauce
1/2 t. toasted sesame oil
1/2 t. fish sauce
1/4 c. coconut cream (the thicker stuff at the top of a can of coconut milk)
2 t. grated fresh ginger
1 small clove garlic, grated
1 T. finely minced fresh lemongrass
4 shiitake mushrooms, minced
1-2 sprigs parsley, minced
spring roll skins
　
In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for the spring roll skins. Stir until the mixture is well-blended.

Place a spring roll skin in a baking dish filled with warm water. Swish it about until it softens to the consistency of a wet washcloth, then let the water drip off. Lay the skin on a kitchen towel and gently pat dry. In the center of the spring roll skin, place about two tablespoons of the filling mixture in a log shape. Now, fold the bottom over the filling mixture, as shown in the first of the photos below. Next, fold the left side directly overtop of the filling, and then repeat with the right side. Finally, roll the filling over the exposed edge until a fat cigar-shaped roll is formed.

Repeat these steps until all the filling has been used. Serve on a decorative platter or plate with Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce.
　


Spicy Coconut Dipping Sauce

1 cup coconut milk
2 t. Thai red curry paste
1 T. soy sauce
1-2 t. toasted sesame oil
1-2 t. fish sauce
1 t. rice vinegar
Hot chili oil (optional)

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, stirring until the curry paste is blended. Serve with Thai-inspired spring rolls. If you have leftover dip, it makes a great sauce for cold rice noodles.