Pasta and Garbanzo Beans Alla Toscana

I think that tonight I experienced a little taste of heaven in the most simple dish imaginable, Pasta and Garbanzo Beans Alla Toscana. I modified a recipe that was in the classic Italian cookbook, Il cucchiaio d'argento. I paired this with a loaf of homemade, no-knead wheat bread. I'm amazed how a dish that is so simple can be so delicious!

Pasta and Garbanzo Beans alla Toscana

• 3 cups of soaked, drained, boiled hard, cooked garbanzo beans
  
• 4-5 cups of the broth from the cooked garbanzo beans
• 1 14 oz. can of chopped tomatoes, or about the same amount of chopped fresh tomatoes
• 1 sprig of rosemary, chopped
• 1 crushed clove of garlic
  
• 8 oz. of short pasta (I used farfalline)
• olive oil
• parmeggiano-reggiano

1. Puree 1 cup of the garbanzo beans with about 1/4 cup of the broth.
2 Add the pureed garbanzo beans to the broth and heat over medium heat until boiling.
3. Heat the olive oil and add the garlic and rosemary and cook for 1-2 minutes.
4. Add the tomatoes and cook for 10 minutes, stirring often.
5. Add the tomatoes to the beans and season with salt and pepper.
6. Add the pasta and cook until al dente.
7. Serve sprinkled with parmeggiano-reggiano cheese

Everyday Whole-Wheat Bread (from Eating Well Magazine - January/February 2009)

I'm obsessed with no-knead bread and was excited to see a spread on it in the January/February edition of Eating Well magazine. I'm very happy with this recipe. I'm including the recipe as it was exactly in the magazine. My process ended up changing a bit, due to the fact that the bread rose in less than half the time it said. I came back to check the bread after an hour and it had risen up over the lip of the pan and was drooping down the side of the pan off the counter! Good thing I showed up, it would have taken over my kitchen. I ended up punching it down again and putting it back into the pan to rise for about 20 minutes or so. If anyone tries the recipe let me know how it turns out, I'd be curious to know how it varied for you.

• 1/4 cup bulgur or cracked wheat
• 1/3 cup boiling water
• 2 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour, divided
• 1 3/4 cups unbleached bread flour
• 2 tablespoons toasted wheat germ (optional)
• 1 3/4 teaspoons table salt
• 3/4 teaspoon instant, quick-rising or bread-machine yeast
• 1 3/4 cups of ice water (not the ice, just the water)
• 1/4 cup clover honey, or other mild honey
• 3 tablespoons corn oil, canola oil, or other flavorless vegetable oil

1. Mix dough: Stir bulgur (or cracked wheat) and boiling water in a medium bowl. Thoroughly stir 2 1/2 cups whole-wheat flour, 1 3/4 cups bread flour, wheat germ (if using), salt and yeast in a 4-quart (or larger) bowl. Thoroughly stir 1 3/4 cups ice water, honey and oil into the bulgur. Vigorously stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, scraping down the sides and mixing just until the dough is thoroughly blended. The dough should be moist and a bit sticky, but fairly stiff. If the mixture is too dry, stir in just enough additional ice water to blend the ingredients, but don't overmoisten. If the dough is too wet, stir in just enough bread flour to stiffen it slightly. Lightly coat the top with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.

2. First Rise: Let the dough rise at room temprature (about 70 degrees F) for 12 to 18 hours; if conevenient, stir once partway through the rise. For convenience (and imnproved flavor), you may refrigerate the dough for 3 to 12 hours before starting the second rise.

3. Second Rise: Generously coat a 9 by 5 inch (or similar large) loaf pan with oil. Vigorously stir the dough to deflate. If it is soft, stir in just enough bread flour to yield a firm but moist dough (it should be fairly hard to stir). Transfer the dough to the pan. Lightly coat the top with oil. Smooth and press the dough evenly into the pan using a well-oiled rubber spatula or your fingertips. Evenly dust the top with the remaining 1 tablespoon whole-wheat flour, smoothing it out with your fingertips. Using well-oiled kitchen shears or a serrated knife, cut a 1/2 inch-deep slash down the length of the loaf. Cover the pan with plastic wrap.

4. Let rise at warm room temperature until the dough rises near the plastic, 1 to 2 1/2 hours. Then gently remove the plastic and let the dough continue to rise until it extends 1 inch above the pan rim, 15 to 45 minutes more (depending on the temperature).

5. 20 minutes before baking position a rack on the lower third of oven; preheat to 375 degrees.

6. Bake, cool, slice: Bake the loaf on the lower rack until the top is nicely browned, 55 to 65 minutes. Cover with foil and continue baking until a skewer inserted in the center comes out with just a few crumbs on the top (or until an instant read thermometer registers 204-206 degrees), 10 to 15 minutes longer. Cool in the pan on a wire rack for 10 to 15 minutes. Turn the loaf out onto the rack and let cool to at least warm before serving. The loaf is good warm but slices best when cool.

Makes 1 large loaf, 14 slices, 188 calories per slice, 4 g fat, 35 g carbs, 5 g protein, 4 g fiber

The Yang to the Yin that is Costco Hell

A friend described Costco recently as a "whirling vortex of bloody fucking hell." This is certainly true as far as I'm concerned, but I brave the hell on a regular basis for some great finds. Namely for their Gourmet Mushroom Blend, speck, and organic field greens...best prices in town. These finds are truly the Yang to the Yin of that Costco hell!

I recently made a Porcini Mushroom Soup using the Gourmet Mushroom Blend and it was fantastic. I threw in 1/2 bag of Pappardelle's Pasta Supreme Orzo (saffron, fire-roasted red pepper, and porcini mushroom). Oh, if only I could get Pappardelle's at Costco! I paired it up with a loaf of whole-wheat no-knead bread and a salad. Here's the recipe from www.101cookbooks.com.

Porcini Mushroom Soup (from 101cookbooks.com)

2 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
4 cups water
1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt

Extra toppings (optional) freshly grated Parmesan, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh chives or fresh thyme.

Soak the porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft. Set aside.

Heat a splash of the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot, saute the shallots for a couple of minutes, then stir in the rosemary and potatoes. Add the remaining olive oil and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, the porcini along with the soaking liquid, the 4 cups of water, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for ten minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Taste. If the broth is too intense, you may want to add more water a bit at a time. And take care to get the salt right as well, it's important in a simple soup like this.

Serve as is or topped with any number of the ingredients I listed up above.

Serves 4-6.

Vegetarian Potato Lasagna

Vegetarian Potato Lasagna


We had a lovely end to our weekend enjoying Vegetarian Potato Lasagna with our pals Tim and Eric. The lasagna was served with a side salad and cheese bread. Tim and Eric were kind enough to pick up the cheese bread from Wegman's on their brief weekend trip to Rochester to pick up a new fireplace mantel.

Vegetarian Potato Lasagna
(From a Swedish cookbook-made with potatoes as some Swedes just don't consider pasta to be food)

2 cups water, salted
3 cups baby spinach (5 1/4 ounce bag), washed
2 cups whole-milk ricotta cheese (15 oz. container)
1 bunch fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
zest from 1 lemon
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, freshly grated, divided
2 pounds russet potatoes or large red potatoes (recipe calls for peeled, but I did not peel-for the added color and texture)
1 tbsp butter
2 cups marinara sauce (in our case we used Blue's famous fennel marinara sauce made using food bank farm heirloom tomatoes)
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In medium saucepan, bring water to boil and cook spinach for 1 minute. Rinse spinach under cold water until cooled and squeeze out excess water. Chop spinach and add to Ricotta along with parsley, lemon zest, 2 tbsp parmesan and salt and pepper. Cut potatoes into 1/3 inch slices, then boil potato slices for 8-10 minutes until softened, but still easily handled. Rub butter on bottom of 8 x 10 baking dish. Add a layer of potatoes to the dish, then sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, spread on a thin layer of marinara sauce, then spread on half the ricotta mixture. Repeat layers, ending with a third layer of potatoes and a thin final layer of marinara sauce and parmesan. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes then cover in aluminum foil and bake an additional 20 minutes. Let sit for 10 minutes before cutting into slices.

Scandinavian Christmas

Blue and I had a lovely Scandinavian Christmas with friends in South Deerfield. Sarah and Scott's home was beautifully decorated and we created a divine Scandinavian feast. On the menu: appetizer of blini with salmon, sour cream and dill, Swedish mussel soup, a lovely baked chicken and leek dish, roasted potatoes and green beans and a ubiquitous Swedish cucumber salad.

I have included Sarah's Chicken, Leek and Potato recipe and more recipes will be added soon.

These boys are relishing the mussel soup.


















Mussel Soup with Avocado, Tomato and Dill
(Inspired by a dish at the Copenhagen microbrewery, Norrebro Bryghus)

1 1/2 pounds leeks (3 medium; white and pale green parts only), quartered lengthwise, then sliced crosswise
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 (3-inch) sprigs fresh thyme
1 (12-ounce) bottle lager
1 1/2 cups water
3 pounds mussels (preferably cultivated), scrubbed well and beards removed if attached
1 cup half-and-half
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground white pepper
1 (8-ounce) firm-ripe avocado
18 very small grape or pear tomatoes (1/4 pound), halved
3 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh dill

preparation

Wash leeks in a bowl of cold water, agitating them, then lift out leeks and pat dry.

Cook leeks in butter in a wide 5-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 5 to 7 minutes. Add thyme and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beer and water, then increase heat to moderately high and bring to a boil. Add mussels and return liquid to a boil, partially covered. Cook, completely covered, stirring occasionally, just until mussels open wide, checking frequently after 4 minutes and transferring to a large bowl. (Discard any mussels that remain unopened after 8 minutes.)

Working over a bowl, remove mussels from shells and put in bowl (discard shells along with any clinging leeks). Pour any cooking liquid accumulated in bowl back into pot.

Pour cooking liquid through a sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth or dampened paper towels into a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Stir in half-and-half, salt, and white pepper, then heat over moderately low heat until hot (do not let boil). Stir in mussels and heat until just warmed through.

Meanwhile, halve avocado, then peel 1 half (wrap remaining half tightly in plastic wrap and reserve for another use). Cut into 1/2-inch cubes, then toss gently with tomatoes and dill in a bowl.

Divide soup among 6 shallow bowls and spoon some avocado mixture into each. Serve immediately.

Cooks' note:
Soup, without half-and-half, can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled (with shelled mussels in soup), covered. Remove mussels and reheat soup over moderately low heat before adding half-and-half and then proceeding with recipe.



















Lemongrass and Lime Cucumber Salad

In Sweden, when you ask for a side of salad with your meal, the dish brought to you would most likely be a cucumber salad, with a few wedges of tomato on the side. This recipe spices up the original with the addition of lemongrass and hot chile peppers.

1 European seedless cucumber, sliced very thin
1/2 cup red onion, peeled and sliced very thin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 lime, sliced very thin
1 stalk lemongrass, light green center only, sliced very thin
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp finely chopped red chile peppers

Place cucumber, onion, cilantro, and lime in a medium-sized bowl. Combine lemongrass in a medium-heavy saucepan with vinegar, sugar, and salt. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Be sure not to bring to a boil. Let cool, stir in red hot peppers, and pour over cucumbers. Marinate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving. Serve cold or at room temperature.


Dill Chicken with Leeks and Potatoes

Dill is such an easy herb to use. You can not use too much of it – it will never be overpowering. Here, the chicken is scented wonderfully with dill and lemon.

One 4-pound free-range chicken
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (1dl) chopped dill, plus 1 large bunch fresh dill
1 lemon, quartered
5 to 6 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, thoroughly washed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1½ pounds (3/4kg) russet potatoes, cut into 1-inch slices
8 garlic cloves, unpeeled
3 cups (7dl) chicken stock
Fresh dill for garnish
Lemon wedges and grated lemon zest for garnish


This is how you do it
Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Rub the chicken with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the butter and chopped dill. Rub the chicken with about 2 tablespoons of the dill butter. Carefully lift up the skin from the chicken breasts at the cavity, using your fingers or a blunt knife to loosen the skin; be careful not to tear it. Insert about 1 tablespoon of the dill butter under the skin of the breast and make sure that the skin covers the meat when you are done. Refrigerate the remaining butter. Fill the cavity of the chicken with the lemon quarters and the bunch of dill.

Place the chicken breast side up on a V-shaped rack in a roasting pan. Place the roasting pan on the middle oven rack and roast the chicken for 25 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the oven and rub with about 1 tablespoon of the dill butter, holding the butter in your fingers. When most of the butter has melted and you are at risk of burning your fingers, place the remaining lump on the breast of the chicken.

Remove the roasting pan from the oven. Fill the pan with the leeks, potatoes, and garlic and add the chicken stock. Turn the chicken breast side down and place it in the roasting pan. Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F. Return the roasting pan to the oven and roast for 50 to 60 more minutes, or until the chicken is cooked through. Test for doneness by piercing it with a sharp knife at the thickest part of the thigh; the juices should run clear. (If there is any trace of pink in the juices, return the chicken to the oven.) Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let it rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.

Check the potatoes for doneness. If they are still firm, increase the oven temperature to 400°F and continue baking until the potatoes are nice and tender. Squeeze the garlic out of their skins. Leave the roasting pan in the oven with the heat turned off.
Transfer the potatoes, leeks, and garlic to a serving platter. Carve the chicken at the table (discard the lemon and dill inside the cavity).

Garnish with dill and lemon wedges and sprinkle lemon zest on top.


Sarah's Yummy Pear Clafouti

Ingredients
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
3 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons pear brandy (recommended: Poire William)
2 to 3 firm but ripe Bartlett pears
Confectioners' sugar
Creme fraiche
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Butter a 10 by 3 by 1 1⁄2-inch round baking dish and sprinkle the bottom and sides with 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar.

Beat the eggs and the 1⁄3 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. On low speed, mix in the flour, cream, vanilla extract, lemon zest, salt, and pear brandy. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel, quarter, core, and slice the pears. Arrange the slices in a single layer, slightly fanned out, in the baking dish. Pour the batter over the pears and bake until the top is golden brown and the custard is firm, 35 to 40 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, sprinkled with confectioners' sugar, and creme fraiche.

Roving Lemon Cookbook Challenge: Corn, Edamame and Red Pepper Salad

We had our lovely friends, Dale, Hannah and baby Parker over for the first serving of roving lemon cooking. To meet the challenge, I prepared Corn, Edamame and Red Pepper salad along with Lemongrass Cashew Chicken from a Vietnamese cookbook. The meal was a hit, so I also served the same meal at my work for the Holiday Cheer Potluck.

Corn, Edamame and Red Peper Salad

One 16 oz. bag frozen shelled edamame
4 cups frozen corn kernels
1 small red onion, peeled and cut into medium dice
1 large red ell pepper, cut into medium dice
1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 scant teaspoon mild, toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp soy sauce
7 or 8 dashes of Tabasco
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Cook the edamame and frozen corn separately, drain veggies and rinse under cold water. Combine edamame, corn, red onion and bell pepper. Set aside while making the dressing. Combine yogurt, sesame oil, soy sauce and tabasco. Whisk until smooth. Pour the dressing over the salad and stir together. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Sprinkle the salad with the toasted sesame seeds. Can be served cold or at room temperature. May be prepared one day in advance.


Fresh Chicken with Lemon Grass and Cashew Nuts

-Vegetable oil
-2 small dried chilies
-1 clove garlic, chopped
-1 lb lean chicken sliced (I use thighs for more flavor)
-1/2 tsp sugar
-1 tbsp oyster sauce
-1 tbsp Nuoc Mam sauce
-3 tbsp chicken stock
-1 cup roasted, unsalted cashew nuts (calls for 1/2 cup, but I like this recipe with more cashew nuts)
-1 tbsp finely chopped lemon grass
-4 shallots, cut into quarters

1-With a drop or two of oil, stir fry the chilies until cooked evenly; set aside
2-Stir fry the garlic with a few more drops of oil until golden. Add the chicken slices, sugar, oyster and Nuoc Mam sauces and stir fry until the chicken is golden in color. Lower the heat and add the stock. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring occasionally.
3-When the chicken is thoroughly cooked, add the cashew nuts, lemon grass, shallots, and chilies, and stir several times, being careful not to break the chilies. Remove from the heat and serve.


Look at little Parker enjoying her Corn, Edamame and Red Pepper salad!

Stephen Takes Roving Lemon's Challenge - Chipotle Porkchops & Ecudorian Potato & Cheese Patties

OK, so I dove in to Roving Lemon's Cookbook Challenge today and decided to further randomize my cooking experience by asking Lele (my better half) to select a recipe from my assigned cookbook (The All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook) for dinner tonight. He selected the Chipotle Marinated Pork Chops with Chimichurri Sauce (p. 346). I picked the Ecudorian Potato & Cheese Patties (page 528) to go with it. Lele refuses to eat anything with a beak so he reminded me that I would need to substitute the chicken broth for something else. I obediently used vegetable broth. I'm going to share the recipe below so you can try it at home. We both really enjoyed the meal and are happy we have some leftovers. I think that we were expecting the pork to have more of a chipotle taste but it really is overpowered by the chimichurri sauce. The recipe calls for raw shredded carrots and onions, but I ended up cooking them in olive oil for a few minutes before adding them to the chipotle sauce. I think I would stick to that method if I made this again. The other thing that is important to stress is the oil really needs to be very hot for the Ecudorian Potato and Cheese Patties to get a crispy exterior. I really enjoyed the chimichurri sauce over the pork. It's very flavorful and jazzes up what would be just a boring pork chop. I think that next time I would probably use more than just one chipotle pepper and might let the pork chops marinate a bit longer than the 2 hours. All and all, I'm happy I have this cookbook. Not all of the recipes are as light as you might think, but they are certainly healthier than some other choices and are never boring. So, thank you Roving Lemon, you've helped me discover a new favorite! I will be picking some more recipes from this cookbook during the rest of the month and will share them here.

Chipotle-Marinated Pork Chops with Chimichurri Sauce
(from The All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook)

• 3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 1 drained canned chipotle chile in adobo sauce
• 4 (6 ounce) center-cut pork chops
• 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken (or vegetable) broth
• 2 tablespoons of extravirgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar (I used rice vinegar)
• 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of freshly ground black pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 cup shredded carrot (I cooked the carrot with the onions in olive oil)
• 1/2 cup minced fresh onion
• Cooking spray

1. Place 3/4 cup chicken broth and chipotle chile in a blender; process until smooth. Combine chile mixture and pork chops in a large zip-top plastic bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator for 2 hours. Remove chops from bag; discard marinade.
2. Prepare grill.
3. Place parsley and next 7 ingredients in a blender, process until smooth. Pour into a bowl; stir in carrot and onion.
4. Place chops on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cook 5 minutes on each side or until done. Serve with chimichurri sauce. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 pork chop and 1/4 cup sauce).

Calories: 311
Fiber: 1.6 g
Fat: 19.2 g

Ecuadorean Potato-and-Cheese Patties
(from The All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook)

• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 medium peeled baking potatoes, quartered (about 1 1/4 pounds)
• 6 tablespoons (1 1/2 ounces) of Monterey Jack cheese, queso fresco
• 2 tablespoons of minced green onions
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup diced tomato
• 1/2 cup julienne-cut red onion

1. Place 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and potato in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes or until tender. Drain and mash with a potato masher until smooth. Cool.
2. Add cheese, green onions, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper to potato mixture, stirring well. Divide potato mixture into 6 balls (each about 1/2 cup per ball). Flatten balls into 1/2-inch thick patties (about 3 inches in diameter) Place on baking sheet; cover and refrigerate 20 minutes or until firm.
3. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Place potato-and-cheese patties in pan; cook 5 minutes or until bottoms are browned. Turn patties, cook 3 minutes. Remove patties from pan. top patties evenly with tomato and red onion. Yield: 6 servings (serving size 1 patty)

Calories: 157
Fat: 4.6 g
Fiber: 2.1 g

Roving Lemon's Cookbook Challenge!

Our dear friend and cooking compatriot Roving Lemon has issued a Cookbook Challenge in her wonderful blog Roving Lemon's Big Adventure. I can feel it in me waters...this is destined to be a great annual tradition! Are you up for it folks? Christine and I sure are. Check out her blog to read more about it. In a nutshell, this is how it works.

• Count up all of your cookbooks, recipe clippings and collections and assign them a number. If you have a stack of clippings and print outs you probably want to count them as one.

• Randomly pick a number, ask someone to pick a number, or cut up some paper, number it and draw it from a basket.

• Match the number you drew to your cookbook and you're ready to take the cookbook challenge. Here's mine (All New Complete Cooking Light Cookbook - mmmmm, is someone trying to tell me something?)
  

• Roving Lemon says commit to cooking at least one new recipe from that resource in the next month. Five, if you want to really challenge yourself. Christine and I have decided to do three. Our final recipe will be shared with a group of friends when we are together in December to celebrate the holidays.

• Christine cheated. She has 70 cookbooks to choose from, so had Blue pick three numbers and selected one of the three cookbooks. The book she will be cooking from is The New England Table, by Lora Brady. She will commit to making three recipes this month. The book is sectioned by New England state. Perhaps she should draw a number and pick a state :)!

• Lastly, and most importantly, tell about what you discovered—send us an email, post about it yourself, or comment here. Did you discover a new favorite? Or is this cookbook just a pretty face with nothing in it you can see yourself cooking?

• We plan on sharing our recipes here and also commenting on Roving Lemon's Blog too. Happy cooking!