While I was in California this spring, Brother-in-law B (I was going to abbreviate the whole thing to B.I.L.B, but then it looked like Bilbo, and I thought I couldn't do that, but now that I am typing it again, I like it, so I am just going to call him Bilbo for the purposes of this blog and the strange culture of putting other people's names, veiled, into one's blogs) made some yummy pasta in two varieties, a lemony version and a garlicky version. The other day my appetite wanted the lemony version, so Bilbo kindly provided the schemes. I'm aware that these are pretty classic, normal pasta preparations, and I suppose a more experienced cook than I would not need recipes per se. But, well, I'm not more experienced, so here goes.
The lemony pasta comes from Mario Batali, from an episode of his show "Mario Eats Italy." um, yum:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/mario-batali/pasta-with-lemon-sauce-tagliarini-al-limone-recipe.html
Lemony Pasta (a la Bilbo) or "Tagliarini al Limone"
6 qts water
2 T salt
6 T butter
1/4 c fresh lemon zest (zest of 4 lemons)
1 lb fresh tagliarini (or 1 pound dried) -- Reb notes that any dried, long, slender, flat pasta will do
1/2 c freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (optional, Bilbo did not use when he fed it to me)
salt, pepper
Bring water to boil, add salt.--> Of course, you will cook the pasta according to package directions. In large saute pan, heat butter with lemon zest over medium heat. Drain pasta and add to lemon butter. Remove from heat and add cheese, if using. Serve with salt and pepper.
Bob added halved cherry tomatoes (do not cook down), and maybe he added some spinach, which wilts just slightly to remove the chew? Other options: basil chiffonade, shrimp, mushrooms, artichoke hearts. A slim hit of goat cheese crumbles rather than parm-reg.
Garlicky Pasta a la Bilbo (Or better yet! Aglio e olio a la Bilbo)
Saute garlic in olive oil and add to pre-cooked pasta, salt, pepper to taste. Bob adds the cherry tomatoes and spinach, which is good. Parm-Reg would be good here. The chiffonade basil (or parsley) would work well here; the shrimp; and... you know.. bacon. Prosciutto crisped up with garlic. Chicken. Mushrooms. Sun-dried tomatoes (the soft kind, packed in oil). Whatever.
Friday, August 1, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Matilde's Classic Beef Empanadas
From one of my very favorite bedtime-reading cookbooks, Gran Cocina Latina, by Maricel E. Presilla (Thanks, Mom!). I by-golly LOVE these empanadas. I have made them twice (with generous help and slight variability). Argentine brother Ignatius was like 'eh, it was pretty ok.' I haven't quite gotten the knack of making them juicy enough for him. Also, Argentine brother Ignatius generally shows his approbation in an 'eh, what's up doc' kind of a way, so who knows? Anyway, I LOVE them.
The first time I assembled them as written, with a wedge of egg and an olive. The next time, on Ignatius' suggestion, both eggs and olives got chopped and incorporated. I liked it both ways. The consensus of the group was, if I remember correctly, wedge-and-olive; I think I will argue on the side of incorporation. Also, I like cheap black olives, and no foodie will talk me out of that love.
Maricel Presilla provides a recipe for dough, which I am sure is delicious, but she also includes the note that "you can use 30 La Saltena frozen dough disks for flaky empanadas (hojaldradas)" so I do that.
Makes 30.
30 La Saltena frozen dough disks for flaky empanadas (hojaldradas)
8 oz ground beef
1 T plus 1 t salt
2 medium white onions (about 1 lb), peeled and finely chopped (about 2 c)
2 T butter
2 T corn oil
1 1/2 t freshly rendered suet or lard (I think I used bacon fat both times)
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 t AP flour
1 t black pepper
1/2 - 3/4 t aji molido or crushed red pepper flakes
30 green or black olives, drained and pitted
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into 8 wedges each
2 large eggs, beaten with 1/2 t water, for glaze
Making the filling: Boil 2 qts water and 1 T salt over medium heat. Reduce to low, add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. This will stink up the house. Empanadas are worth it. Drain.
Return onions to the pot, add the meat, 2 T butter, oil, suet/lard/fat, oregano, sugar, flour, both peppers, and the remaining 1 t salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through but has not browned-- it must remain juicy. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
Assembling: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 F.
Check the filling for seasoning and salt if needed. Place the olives and eggs on a plate.
Lay one dough disk on a work surface and place 1 T filling in the center. Top with 1 olive and 1 egg wedge. Fold into a half-moon, and pinch the middle of the edges together. Seal the empanada by pleating it-- the true decorative pleat is called a repulgo, and my brothers can do it and I cannot. They will be delicious anyway. Place on baking sheets at least 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with all empanadas. Brush with egg wash.
Baking: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, switching position of baking sheets after about 12 minutes, until the empanadas are golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Serve hot, she says, but I love them cold for lunch.
The first time I assembled them as written, with a wedge of egg and an olive. The next time, on Ignatius' suggestion, both eggs and olives got chopped and incorporated. I liked it both ways. The consensus of the group was, if I remember correctly, wedge-and-olive; I think I will argue on the side of incorporation. Also, I like cheap black olives, and no foodie will talk me out of that love.
Maricel Presilla provides a recipe for dough, which I am sure is delicious, but she also includes the note that "you can use 30 La Saltena frozen dough disks for flaky empanadas (hojaldradas)" so I do that.
Makes 30.
30 La Saltena frozen dough disks for flaky empanadas (hojaldradas)
8 oz ground beef
1 T plus 1 t salt
2 medium white onions (about 1 lb), peeled and finely chopped (about 2 c)
2 T butter
2 T corn oil
1 1/2 t freshly rendered suet or lard (I think I used bacon fat both times)
1 1/2 t dried oregano
1 1/2 t sugar
1 1/2 t AP flour
1 t black pepper
1/2 - 3/4 t aji molido or crushed red pepper flakes
30 green or black olives, drained and pitted
4 hard-boiled eggs, cut into 8 wedges each
2 large eggs, beaten with 1/2 t water, for glaze
Making the filling: Boil 2 qts water and 1 T salt over medium heat. Reduce to low, add onions, and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 15 minutes. This will stink up the house. Empanadas are worth it. Drain.
Return onions to the pot, add the meat, 2 T butter, oil, suet/lard/fat, oregano, sugar, flour, both peppers, and the remaining 1 t salt, and cook over medium heat, stirring often, until the meat is cooked through but has not browned-- it must remain juicy. Taste for salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and let cool. Cover the filling with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or as long as overnight.
Assembling: Position a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat to 400 F.
Check the filling for seasoning and salt if needed. Place the olives and eggs on a plate.
Lay one dough disk on a work surface and place 1 T filling in the center. Top with 1 olive and 1 egg wedge. Fold into a half-moon, and pinch the middle of the edges together. Seal the empanada by pleating it-- the true decorative pleat is called a repulgo, and my brothers can do it and I cannot. They will be delicious anyway. Place on baking sheets at least 1/2 inch apart. Repeat with all empanadas. Brush with egg wash.
Baking: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, switching position of baking sheets after about 12 minutes, until the empanadas are golden and hollow-sounding when tapped on the bottom. Serve hot, she says, but I love them cold for lunch.
Wasabied Steak & Noodles
Mom made this recipe from a recent Penzey's catalog last week. I knew I would enjoy it-- I love all the components! But I was worried no one else would, and I would feel guilty, somehow, that only I was enjoying this dish that not only took a big expensive hunk of beef but also the special purchase of wasabi. I was very happy Mom would try it though, since the description excited me. Turns out everyone liked it! Or seemed to. And I really liked it! I will note, in true recipe-review style, that she quadrupled the beef, doubled the noodles-- and tripled the sauce as a sort of compromise. Also, we used fresh garlic (5 cloves) and a 1 1/2 inch knob of fresh ginger, minced, and fettucine. This base recipe makes only 2 servings, which is pretty perfect for me, but the blurb notes that it is easily multiplied.
Wasabied Steak & Noodles
8 oz strip steak
1/4 t minced ginger
1/4 t granulated garlic
1/4 t pepper
4 oz egg noodles, wide or extra wide
2 t olive oil
granulated garlic, minced ginger
2 t rice vinegar
1 t wasabi powder
1 T water
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t white sesame seeds
1/2 t black sesame seeds
Bring 4 c water to a boil for pasta. Season both sides of steak with ginger, garlic, and pepper. Heat a stovetop grill, grill pan, or heavy duty fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook beef until medium-rare-- usually 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest while cooking the noodles. Cook the egg noodles in the boiling water. Drain, and toss with olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic and ginger. Add rice vinegar to the noodles and toss. Mix the wasabi with water, and stir to blend. Then mix with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Cube steak and add to noodles. Drizzle with wasabi-soy mix and toss again to combine and blend flavors. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Wasabied Steak & Noodles
8 oz strip steak
1/4 t minced ginger
1/4 t granulated garlic
1/4 t pepper
4 oz egg noodles, wide or extra wide
2 t olive oil
granulated garlic, minced ginger
2 t rice vinegar
1 t wasabi powder
1 T water
1 T soy sauce
1/2 t white sesame seeds
1/2 t black sesame seeds
Bring 4 c water to a boil for pasta. Season both sides of steak with ginger, garlic, and pepper. Heat a stovetop grill, grill pan, or heavy duty fry pan over medium-high heat. Cook beef until medium-rare-- usually 4-5 minutes per side, depending on the thickness of the steak. Remove the steak from the pan and let it rest while cooking the noodles. Cook the egg noodles in the boiling water. Drain, and toss with olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic and ginger. Add rice vinegar to the noodles and toss. Mix the wasabi with water, and stir to blend. Then mix with soy sauce and sesame seeds. Cube steak and add to noodles. Drizzle with wasabi-soy mix and toss again to combine and blend flavors. Adjust seasoning and serve.
Nutmeg-Maple Cream Pie
From the New York Times, November 15, 2006
4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (see recipe).
Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
¾ cup maple syrup
2¼ cups heavy cream4 egg yolks
1 whole egg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 pre-baked 9-inch pie crust (see recipe).
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, reduce maple syrup by a quarter, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in cream and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks and egg. Whisking constantly, slowly add cream mixture to eggs. Strain mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a cup or bowl with pouring spout. Stir in salt, nutmeg and vanilla.
3. Pour filling into crust and transfer to a rimmed baking sheet. Bake until pie is firm to touch but jiggles slightly when moved, about 1 hour. Let cool to room temperature before serving.
Yield: One 9-inch pie, 8 servings.
Friday, January 3, 2014
Meredith's Yummy Granola
2 c rolled oats (not instant)
1 c peanuts or toasted almonds
1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 c toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 c coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 c raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 c dried fruit
scant 1/4 c oil
1/2 c honey
cashews
1. Mix oats, nuts, grains in large bowl.
2. Mix in oil, then honey. Pour out onto large roasting pan. Bake at 300 F for 30 min, turning every 10 minutes.
3. When finished, add raisins and fruit, stirring as it cools.
1 c peanuts or toasted almonds
1/4 c sesame seeds
1/2 c toasted sunflower seeds
1/2 c coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 c raisins (or other dried fruit)
1/2 c dried fruit
scant 1/4 c oil
1/2 c honey
cashews
1. Mix oats, nuts, grains in large bowl.
2. Mix in oil, then honey. Pour out onto large roasting pan. Bake at 300 F for 30 min, turning every 10 minutes.
3. When finished, add raisins and fruit, stirring as it cools.
Saturday, May 4, 2013
Ashley's Salad
And a classic from the class dinners of the later days in Rochester! A delicious, crowd-pleasing salad from the Bournes. Featured at Amy's baby shower, too, in massive quantities. Ashley notes that she doubled the salad (from how it's given here) and halved the dressing, and there was still plenty of dressing. I've gone ahead and given the halved dressing amount, which by that calculation, should still be about twice the amount you need to dress one salad.
Apple Craisin Salad
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 c Craisins
1 Granny Smith apple (thinly sliced); toss it in dressing to prevent browning
1 to 1 1/2 c slivered almonds
Dressing
3/4 c sugar
1 t dry mustard
1 t salt
1/3 c vinegar
1 1/2 t onion juice (grated purple onion)
1 c salad oil
1 T poppy seeds
Candy the almonds by putting 3-4 T of sugar in frying pan. Put in nuts and cook until sugar melts and coats the nuts on medium-high heat. Be sure to keep stirring until the nuts turn a light brown. This will happen very fast-- don't overcook! When they are browned, remove from heat and spread nuts onto a plate for cooling. You will need to spread them and break them apart because they will stick together.
Dressing: Put all ingredients into a blender and mix thoroughly.
Apple Craisin Salad
1 head red leaf lettuce
1 head green leaf lettuce
1 c Craisins
1 Granny Smith apple (thinly sliced); toss it in dressing to prevent browning
1 to 1 1/2 c slivered almonds
Dressing
3/4 c sugar
1 t dry mustard
1 t salt
1/3 c vinegar
1 1/2 t onion juice (grated purple onion)
1 c salad oil
1 T poppy seeds
Candy the almonds by putting 3-4 T of sugar in frying pan. Put in nuts and cook until sugar melts and coats the nuts on medium-high heat. Be sure to keep stirring until the nuts turn a light brown. This will happen very fast-- don't overcook! When they are browned, remove from heat and spread nuts onto a plate for cooling. You will need to spread them and break them apart because they will stick together.
Dressing: Put all ingredients into a blender and mix thoroughly.
Heidi's Fudge Revel Bars
A classic from the early Rochester days!
Cream: 1 C butter
2 C brown sugar
Cream in: 2 eggs
2 t vanilla
Add mixed dries: 3 C oats
2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
In a saucepan, melt:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package chocolate chips (about 12 oz)
2 T butter
2 t vanilla
Smooth about 2/3 of the cookie part in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan; pour the chocolate mixture on top of this; drop the rest of the cookie mixture on top somewhat evenly. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Some recipes online put the same amount of cookie in a jelly roll pan.
Cream: 1 C butter
2 C brown sugar
Cream in: 2 eggs
2 t vanilla
Add mixed dries: 3 C oats
2 1/2 C flour
1 t baking soda
1 t salt
In a saucepan, melt:
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 package chocolate chips (about 12 oz)
2 T butter
2 t vanilla
Smooth about 2/3 of the cookie part in the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan; pour the chocolate mixture on top of this; drop the rest of the cookie mixture on top somewhat evenly. Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes, or until lightly browned. Some recipes online put the same amount of cookie in a jelly roll pan.
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