Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Warm up winter

Now's the time to defeat those winter blahs by bringing something hot, glamorous and tasty to the table.
Coming soon an array of potpies. But for now, while I am traveling, here are a few special recipes to get you going. Apologies for lack of photos this post.
 
Leek Dill Pie
serves 6

4 lg leeks
3 tbsp olive or other vegetable oil
2 med yellow onions, peeled and minced
2 lg eggs, lightly beaten
1 c lg curd cottage cheese
1/2 c coarsely grated Muenster or Havarti cheese
1/3 c grated parmesan cheese
1 heaping tbsp finely chopped fresh dill
salt to your taste
1/4 tsp cayenne or Aleppo or chili pepper
1/2 c whole milk plain yogurt
1 tsp dried mint leaves
1 tbsp fresh lime juice

Preheat oven to 350º.
Clean the leeks carefully. Cut them into 1/8" thick rings.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and leeks.
Sauté until soft and golden, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.
In a med/lg bowl, combine the cottage cheese, other cheeses, eggs, dill, salt and hot pepper. Stir in the leeks and onions and blend well.
Coat a 9" pie plate (glass preferable) with oil. Pour in the leek batter and level it. Bake in center of the oven about 45 minutes, until the center is firm when pierced with a tester. Remove from the oven.
Whisk together the yogurt, mint leaves and lime juice. Serve beside the pie.

Roasted Pork Chops with Apples and Sunchokes or Potatoes
serves 4
3 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 c olive oil
2 lbs sunchokes or small Yukon gold potatoes,
4 pork rib chops, weight about 2 1/2 lbs
juice of one lemon
2 lbs apples
6 cloves garlic, peeled
1/3 c apple cider vinegar
1 c apple juice

 Preheat the oven to 400º.
In a large covered heavy gauge casserole, warm the butter and olive oil over med/low heat.
Season the pork with salt and black pepper to your taste. Brown them on both sides lightly in the hot butter/oil.Remove the meat to a plate.
Peel the sunchokes or potatoes. Put them in the oil/butter and sauté 5 minutes until they color.
Cut the apples in quarters, core and seed, then cut the quarters in half lengthwise. Add them to the pot and sauté just until they begin to brown. Add the whole garlic cloves. Pour in the vinegar, let it sizzle and scrap up anything crispy on the bottom of the pan. Add the apple juice and pork chops on top. Cover the pot.

Bake for an hour until the pork and artichokes or potatoes are tender. Serve the chops with the artichokes/potatoes and apples, checking the liquor for seasoning and spooning it over the chops.

Roman Rice Croquettes

Supplì alla romana– Roman rice croquettes

Makes 20
1 onion
1 stick of celery, with leaves
1 carrot, peeled
Extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp rosemary or thyme, finely chopped
Salt
2/3 lb minced pork or sausage meat
1/4 lb chicken livers
2 c simple tomato sauce, or passata
2 c water/vegetable or meat broth
2 c risotto (carnaroli) rice
1/2 c white wine
2 eggs
1/2 c parmesan or pecorino, grated
1/2 c mozzarella, cut into 20 small batons
Coarse breadcrumbs
Oil for frying (peanut or sunflower)

Finely chop the onion, celery and carrot. In a large, deep frying pan or casserole, warm the olive oil and fry the vegetables with the herbs and a pinch of salt until soft. Add the pork and chicken livers and cook until the meat is browned.
Put the tomato sauce and broth/water in two pans, on a low heat at the back of the stove.
Add the rice to the frying pan and stir until it is slightly toasted, then add the wine and stir until it evaporates. Add alternate ladles of broth and tomato sauce to the rice, stirring continuously and giving time between additions until the rice is al dente and all the liquid absorbed – about 16 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, wait 5 minutes then add one egg and all the parmesan to the mixture. Mix to combine. Leave to cool for at least an hour.
 Shape the croquettes by taking a small handful of the rice mix, then make small football in your palm. Press a piece of mozzarella into the center and squeeze your palm slightly to mold the rice around the cheese until it is enclosed. Let the croquettes rest on a baking tray lined with parchment.
 Prepare a bowl of beaten egg, and another of seasoned breadcrumbs. Dip each croquette in the egg, then the crumbs, letting any excess fall away. In a heavy skillet or frying pan, heat 2 tbsp oil to sizzling.  Fry the croquettes in batches of 4 for 2 minutes, then lift out to rest for 45 secs, before returning to the oil for another 45 seconds. Blot on kitchen towel, sprinkle with salt and serve hot.


Friday, January 19, 2018

Catalans can cook! What food they have!

I've not quit, not changed course. I've just been away on vacation, eating chickpeas to collect recipes for a book about the little black dress of the kitchen. I'll pick up the regular info sharing shortly. Meanwhile here's a look at the food in Spain:
special extra juicy tomatoes for Pan de Tomate (rub the juicy tomato all over a slice of bread)


Catalan sausage and chickpeas


Catalan chickpeas with chorizo






Santa Caterina Mercado, Barcelona

Catalan take-out food  





Traditional chickpeas with spinach and chorizo