It's All About the Garnish!

Christmas Eve 2009: Goat Cheese and Sage Potatoes Gratin

I had sort of a game plan for my Christmas Eve dinner...I was doing Standing Rib Roast and Rosemary Garlic Green Beans with Pancetta, but I was still lacking a starch. Garlic bread wasn't fancy enough, pasta would be too much, rice bores me and mashed potatoes are sort of a cliche. I turned to my trusty source, Epicurious, and used its advanced search option to whittle down my needs. I decided on potatoes, but removed the word 'mashed' and added that I wanted it to be baked. I knew the roast was going to take up my entire oven (I have a tiny antique O'Keefe & Merritt), so I needed something that could be made ahead of time, then warmed back up before serving, while the roast was resting and then being carved. One of the most popular dishes that turned up in my search results was Potato Gratin with Goat Cheese and Garlic. The reviews were great, but suggested that I use more goat cheese and garlic than specified. Also, never being one to follow directions to the letter, I wondered about the nutmeg called for in the recipe. I thought sage would be a better choice and lend itself to the earthiness of the dish. I also briefly toyed with the idea of adding mushrooms as well, but didn't feel like going to the grocery store on Christmas Eve. So, below is my version of the recipe, and it was FABULOUS!

Goat Cheese and Sage Potatoes Gratin

8-10 Red potatoes, sliced thinly using a mandoline

8 cloves of garlic, crushed

11 ounces of chevre goat cheese, crumbled

1 tablespoon of dried sage (or 1 teaspoon fresh)

1 1/2 pints of heavy whipping cream

Freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 9x7 or 8x8 glass baking dish. Mix all of the ingredients except for the potatoes together in a bowl. Place a layer of potato slices on the bottom, slightly overlapping each other. Top with 1/3 of the mixture. Put down another layer of slightly overlapping potatoes. Top with another third of the mixture. One more layer of potatoes, then the rest of the mixture. Bake for an hour. Cover with foil and bake another 15 minutes. You can either serve it immediately, or let it hang out on the counter until 15 minutes before dinner, then warm it back up and serve.

(My camera batteries died before I could take a photo, so here's how it looks on Epicurious.com)

Christmas Eve 2009: Rosemary Garlic Green Beans with Pancetta

 
Because my Christmas Eve dinner was going to be heavy on the meat and potatoes, I needed a veggie side dish that would be light, yet savory at the same time. Salads were out because I didn't want to fool with last-minute dressing/tossing. Also out was anything that could get mushy if the husband took too long to carve the roast. And, I didn't want to put anything on the table that would be icky if it got cold while we devoured the meat. And, that's when I had my 'aha' moment...my sister-in-law's green beans. Over Thanksgiving, I saw that she was able to let put everything in one pan and let it hang out just before serving the meal. And, when they finally got to my end of the table, it didn't matter that they weren't steaming hot.

So, I present to you, Sarah's Rosemary Garlic Green Beans with Pancetta:

Throw all of this into a medium skillet:

* A couple ounces of chopped pancetta

* A bit of extra virgin olive oil

* A couple sprigs of rosemary

* A few handfuls of green beans (blanched -boiled for a few minutes, drained, hosed down with cold water)

* A few cloves of crushed garlic

* A couple shakes of salt and pepper

Cook on medium-high heat for about seven to ten minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve.

Recipe from the Dinner Party: Fettucine Alfredo with Portabella Mushrooms and Tarragon

(Use the good stuff, or you'll be sorry!)

I've been making Fettucine Alfred for years, based on my Dad's recipe. What I do mostly follows his recipe, but I've made a couple of changes because it's not the prettiest dish on its own. In an earlier post (Bad Barilla), I chronicled how I discovered that using the right ingredients really does count. Let's move on and get to the good stuff:
In a medium sautee pan, on medium-low heat, sautee sliced portabella mushrooms with a couple teaspoons of butter. Add Kosher salt and ground pepper to taste.

Boil a large pot of water, with a few teaspoons of Kosher salt.

In a large saucepan set on the lowest heat possible, melt a stick of unsalted butter.
When it's melted, whisk in a half pint of heavy whipping cream.
Adding a little at a time, whisk in shredded asiago cheese.
When all of the cheese is melted, shake in some ground nutmeg and white pepper.
Important:  keep this sauce on LOW HEAT! You should be able to put your finger in the sauce and not get burned.

Cook pasta (a good brand!) according to package directions. Drain, plate and add sauce. Garnish with portabellas and a sprinkle of freshly chopped tarragon!

Regretful Risotto

For years, I've wondered about the hype regarding risotto. It's a regular feature on the menu for Fox's Hell's Kitchen, I see it offered in high-end restaurants and know that it's supposed to be some sort of heavenly rice-based dish that, when done correctly, transcends space and time.

I still don't get it.

I have a box of Arborio rice that has languished in my pantry for a couple of years now, as I chip away at it every time I make an attempt on rissoto. I've tried a recipe from the bible, Joy of Cooking. I've searched for the highest rated version on epicurious.com. I've asked friends what they do. I follow each set of instructions to the letter, which is rare for me, as I'm really not into recipes. Each time, my efforts fall flat and I end up with a plate of sticky, gooey, bland-ish rice.

Is it just me? Do I have a risotto retardation?

The last straw was Monday night. Faced with a lack of starch options for the night's dinner, I gamely cooked up another batch, with white wine, asiago cheese and fresh parsley. My husband valiantly pushed his portion around on his plate and hid the remainder under his abandoned cutlery. I believe I must admit defeat on this one dish and move on.

What about you, dear reader? Is there a dish you just can't seem to master, no matter how hard you try? Comments are open below!

Going Greek: Couscous with flair

Hi all - long time, no post. I found a really interesting package in the store the other day (Trader Joe's - can I say that here?), and came up with a fantastic recipie. The item is called Israeli Couscous. It's weird. Looks like the tapioca stuff in boba drinks. Large version of our traditionally tiny couscous, and completely different. I read the package, looked at the recipie ideas on the side of the box, and added it to my cart. Someday, I thought, I will play with this.

And then I got the call. Jeanne rented Mama Mia the sing-along for our friend's birthday party. Our mission was to potluck with a mediterranean theme. Oh and PS it was scheduled the same day as my good friends' moving-in day. Which I would never ditch out on because of how completely integral they were to my move and how much I wanted to help them. So I'd be going from one thing to the next and needed a good make-ahead dish. With a Greek flair maybe. What would this include.... I came up with lamb kabobs, puttenesca, anything tomato or cucumber, anything with good crumbly cheeses. Finally, I remembered my crazy couscous in the pantry. I could build off that and make a cold pasta salad with a regional (close!) flair. So I did. And it was Fabulous. Here it is - and a side note - I didn't think it out too far, I just did it and experimented and had fun with it and you can do this too with anything. Fear in the kitchen is silly - it's your domain. If you screw up don't worry about it. Eat it, mix in some cream or tomatoes, or toss it and run to the store. Just don't be scared to read a box and embellish. It leads to good things.

• 1 box of Israeli couscous or any large (pea-sized) couscous
• 1 small onion, diced very small
• 2 cans +/- of chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
• garlic cloves
• partial can/jar of capers
• one very large or two small cucumbers
• carton of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
• mint leaves

I don't know much about mediterranean foods. Did I even spell it right? Well I do know that they include odd flavors that are magical when combined. This was a complete eye opener for me. This combination is so great. Try it and then experiment later and make it your own.

We're going to do this like a risotto- first you brown a clove of garlic minced and the onion in a frying pan with a splash of olive oil. Let them get brown for a little while then toss in the package of couscous. Toss this around and let it get golden to bring out the nutty flavor. It will make your dish more flavorful and you'll still be able to taste the couscous against the other strong ingredients. Now add in that mysterious teaspooon of cinnamon and the bay leaf. Your nose will know why. It's that smell that you love about mediterranean foods but never could place. Not curry. Not garlic. Something earthy. And warm. It is so amazing how these ingredients combine.

You'll need to read the directions to know how much chicken broth will follow. It's probably 1:1 ratio so if you've got two cups of couscous you'll do two cups of broth. However, since you will be simmering this on low or medium-low without a cover, you'll lose some steam and probably need to check in on things to make sure it's done before you pull it from the stove. This is very subjective and whatever you decide is the right way to go. I have never used a stovetop or a pan that did risotto on the same time schedule. You just keep an eye on it, stir often so you don't burn things, and keep it going. Since a creamy risotto consistency is NOT desired here - you'll want to avoid stirring too often and be sure to pull it off the heat while it's still in individual grains. Oatmeal consistency would be a bad thing.

The rest is easy peasy. Pull it off the heat. Stir in a touch of olive oil so things don't clump. Refridgerate until you are ready to use it. In another bowl, slice cucumber and cherry tomatoes, add a small amount of capers (I believe we serve an overabundance of capers in dishes and I suggest using a maximum of maybe 25 in this entire dish for a more subtle taste), and stir. When you are ready to serve- finely chop a few springs (not too much or it's too much) of mint and add to the veges. Combine with the couscous. I also suggest that you splash the veges with some apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar, and some salt and pepper to taste. Mama Mia this is good!

From the Dinner Party: Shallot-Sage Smashed Potatoes

I love this dish because

1) It's easy

2) It's delicious

3) It seems fancy with semi-exotic ingredients

If you can boil potatoes, scoot things around in a pan, then mash them all up together, you can do this. Here's how to make enough for four:

* Put 8 medium sized red potatoes in a large stockpot and add water, enough to cover by a few inches. Add a tablespoon of salt and boil for 45 minutes, or until a fork poked in them slides out easily.

* Meanwhile, sautee four to six thinly sliced and chopped shallots in about a teaspoon of butter. When they've wilted and the edges begin to turn golden, throw in a teaspoon of chopped sage, a teaspoon of sugar, and a tablespoon of rice wine vinegar. Stir for about five more minutes, and remove from heat.

* When the potatoes are done, drain them and put them back in the pot with a cube of butter, half a brick of light cream cheese and the shallot sage mixture. Smash everything up with a potato masher, and add liberal amounts of salt and pepper.

* Garnish with sprigs of sage and serve!

Curing the Bleu Cheese Blues

On the topic of salad dressings yesterday I remembered that I have a great and really simple recipie for homemade blue cheese dressing that kicks the butt of any store bought brand. I think it rocks because of the amount of blue cheese that actually goes into the dressing - more of the good stuff. I am 100% certain that this simple and inexpensive freshly-made version of your favorite dressing will change your shopping habits from now on...

• 1 carton of crumbled blue cheese (no need to go with a high-end brand here, we are spicing it up with other stuff)
• 1 small container of buttermilk
• 1 cup of sour cream - I use fat-free to counteract all the blue cheese. :)
• 1/2 cup of mayo (again, low-fat is fine for this)
• 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar
• 1 pinch of garlic powder
• Salt and lots of pepper to taste

Mix one cup of loosely packed blue cheese and one cup of buttermilk together with a fork. The mixture will start to loosen up and turn an ugly shade of moldy blue/green. It will look more appetizing soon, don't worry! Mix in the remaining ingredients and be sure to add a fair amount of pepper. This is my favorite part of the dressing. Before proclaiming it finished, stick it in the fridge for a while, at least an hour, and let the flavors meld together. Retaste- you may need to add more spice. This lasts for at least a few days and is soooooooo good.

Potato Bomb

No, 'Potato Bomb' isn't the name for some awesome starchy dish stuffed with fried and fatty things. Unfortunately, it's what we had in our kitchen last night after a mishap with a couple of tubers.

In my haste to get a couple of Idaho baking potatoes into the oven, I forgot to poke them. Thusly, without a 'blow hole' to let steam out, the steam escaped via explosion. Don't let this happen to you:

The blast was so loud, the husband and I were convinced someone was directly outside the house shooting skeet. From now on, no potato will go un-poked.

5-Minute Side Dish

I had a really awesome girls-nite bbq party last night and I made the fastest and yummiest side dish. You must try it. It uses a few exciting ingredients, and because you really can't screw it up, this recipe is a great starting point to introduce these new items into your kitchen...

Spicy Mango Couscous Salad

• 1 jalepeno pepper
• 1 large (or two small) mangoes
• 2 or more green onions
• 1 box of plain couscous
• 1 fresh lime
• Olive Oil
• Garlic Salt

Prepare the couscous according to the box, or by adding one cup of dry couscous into 2 cups of boiling water, remove immediately from heat, add a splash of olive oil and garlic salt, and cover for a few minutes (it's done!). In the meantime, chop two or more green onions and set aside. Cut the jalepeno in half and pull out all the seeds (seeds are super spicy, not good for this recipe). Very finely chop a small amount of the jalepeno. At this point, you need to check and see how hot this pepper really is. Touch it to your tounge and decide for yourself. A little goes a long way so I usually use about 1/8 teaspoon (a pinch). Put this and the green onions into your covered and steaming couscous, and stir. The couscous will start to absorb the flavors of these ingredients.

Cutting a mango is kind of tricky. First, they are really slippery. But they also have this weird flat core, and they are hard to peel. So what I have found works best is to cut into the fruit like a pie. Cut about 8 sections to the core and then use your fingers to peel the skin down from each section. Once it's peeled, start chopping it from the core and leave somewhat large chunks. Add these to the mixture, stir, and put the salad into a bowl and into the fridge. It doesn't take long to cool down. When you are ready to serve, taste it for salt. And squeeze the lime over it for a little kick!!

Ummmm.... I need to mention also.... whatever you do, do NOT touch your eyes or go to the bathroom without very thoroughly washing your hands. :) Your leftover pepper can actually be chopped and frozen, or kept in the fridge for a few days to use in other things. Used in small amounts, it doesn't overwhelm recipes and actually adds some subtle spiciness to recipes and can be really awesome.