Off the Menu
Page 32
Serve chilled with the garnishes.
RJ’s Famous Banana Salad
SERVES 8 TO 10
1 cup white vinegar heated until very hot in double boiler
1 egg
¾ to 1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon flour
Pinch salt
2 cups Spanish peanuts, ground fine
Up to a dozen bananas, sliced in half lengthwise, and then quartered
Beat egg well and add sugar. Add flour and salt and pour hot vinegar over the mixture, placing back over double boiler to desired consistency. Dip banana lengths into dressing and roll in peanuts. Eat if you dare.
Whole Wheat Pasta
with Cauliflower and Walnuts
SERVES 2 AS AN ENTRÉE, UP TO 6 AS A SIDE DISH
2 heads garlic, top quarter cut off
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower (about 1½ pounds)
Table salt and ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
1 pound whole wheat pasta, like orecchiette or penne
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup)
¼ cup chopped walnuts, toasted
Adjust your oven rack to the middle position, and place large rimmed baking sheet on rack. Heat oven to 500°F. Place the garlic heads, cut-side up, in center of a piece of foil. Drizzle ½ teaspoon oil over each head and seal the packet. Place it on the oven rack and roast until garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Open packet and set aside to cool.
While garlic is roasting, trim the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut stem flush with bottom. Cut head into florets. Place the cauliflower in large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, 1 teaspoon salt, pepper to taste, and sugar. Remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer cauliflower to baking sheet and spread in an even layer. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until cauliflower is well browned and tender, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cauliflower to cutting board.
When cool enough to handle, chop the cauliflower into rough ½-inch pieces.
While cauliflower roasts, bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add enough salt to make the water taste salty, add pasta; cook until al dente. Squeeze roasted garlic cloves from their skins into small bowl. Using fork, mash garlic to smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining ¼ cup oil.
Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return pasta to pot. Add chopped cauliflower to pasta; stir in garlic sauce, ¼ cup cooking water, parsley, and ½ cup cheese. Adjust consistency with additional cooking water and season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining ½ cup cheese and toasted nuts.
Stephanie Izard’s Roasted Cauliflower
SERVES 4
Printed with permission from Stephanie Izard of Girl & the Goat restaurant in Chicago, www.girlandthegoat.com. For more amazing recipes from Stephanie, and trust me, they are all amazing, check out her new cookbook, Girl in the Kitchen, available at your local booksellers and your favorite online retailer.
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups cauliflower, sliced
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon crunch butter (see the next page)
1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted
2 tablespoons pickled banana or Hungarian hot peppers (or half and half), sliced fine
1 ounce Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tablespoon fresh mint, torn
Garnish:
2 teaspoons pine nuts, toasted
2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 teaspoons fresh mint, torn
Heat the oil in a sauté pan until it shimmers. Add cauliflower and cook, tossing and stirring until caramelized on all sides. Season to taste with salt. Add water to pan and cover to steam cauliflower until cooked, about 3 minutes. Add the crunch butter and toss to coat, then add the pine nuts and pickled peppers. Toss to combine and stir until heated through. Remove from heat. Add the Parmesan cheese and mint, toss to combine. Plate or platter as desired and garnish with pine nuts, Parmesan cheese & mint.
Crunch Butter
MAKES 1 CUP
4 ounces butter, unsalted, softened
1 garlic clove, grated
2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs, toasted
Salt to taste
In a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, combine all the ingredients and whip until light and fluffy.
Susan Spicer’s Grilled Shrimp with
Coriander Sauce and Black Bean Cakes
SERVES 4
Printed with permission from Susan Spicer, famous at her Bayona restaurant in New Orleans, www.bayona.com.
16 medium to large headless shrimp, peeled and deveined (preferably Gulf shrimp)
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon chopped garlic (optional)
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon salt
Toss shrimp with olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and spices. Skewer 4 to a portion and set aside.
Coriander Sauce:
1 tablespoon shallots, finely chopped
½ teaspoon orange zest (no pith)
¼ cup orange juice
¼ cup white wine
2 tablespoons sherry wine vinegar
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons cilantro, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
In a small saucepot, or saucepan, place chopped shallots, orange zest, orange juice, wine, vinegar, and ground coriander. Simmer over medium heat until liquid is reduced to 2 to 3 tablespoons. While still hot, whisk in softened butter by the tablespoonful until sauce is emulsified (thick and creamy). Stir in chopped cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm, but not hot.
Black Bean Cake:
½ pound black beans, soaked at least 2 hours, or overnight, and drained
3 tablespoons cooking oil
1 small Poblano pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
Salt
Cook black beans in water until tender. Heat oil in a sauté pan and cook onion, peppers, and garlic over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes and add to beans in pot, along with all other ingredients. Stir frequently until beans have absorbed water and start to break down. Season to taste with salt and drain the cooked beans, reserving liquid. Purée in a food processor. Purée should be dry enough not to stick to your hands and still moist enough that it does not crumble. If it seems too wet and sticky, spread bean paste onto a baking sheet and dry in a low oven until it reaches the right consistency. (If too dry, work in a little reserved liquid.) When cool, form beans into cakes, dust with flour on top and bottom and sauté in oil to crisp on both sides. You want the bean cakes to be heated all the way through but be careful not to scorch. Keep warm.
When ready to serve, grill, broil, or sauté the shrimp. Take off the skewer (or not) and top with the warm coriander sauce. Serve with a warm bean cake topped with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of cilantro.
Sangre del Tigre
SERVES 4
This will kick your hangover in the butt, or just spice up your next brunch!
4 cups tomato juice
1 cup clam juice
2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
4 eggs, separated, whites whipped until frothy, yolks reserved
1 teaspoon Tabasco or other hot sauce
1 tablespoon juice from a jar of pickled jalapeños
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon salt
1 tablespoon orange zest
6 ounces mezcal (can substitute tequila, but it won’t be the same)
Mix all ingredients together with egg whites. Shake with ice and strain into glasses. Float an egg yolk on the top of each glass, and put two to three drops of Tabasco on the yolk with a sprinkle of salt. Either take the yolk with the first sip as a shot, or for the more squeamish, stir it in and blend well before drinking.
Raw eggs can put you at risk for salmonella and other food-borne illness. If you have access to the new “safe eggs,” which have been pasteurized, use those, or if you have eggs from a source you trust, you will be fine. If you have concern about eating raw eggs, prepare the rest of the drink as is, and serve with a hardboiled egg on the side. The protein with the drink is part of the positive effects.
Maria’s Pressure Cooker Flan
SERVES 4 TO 6
Once you have flan cooked this way, you’ll never do it another way again. I warn you, this is so delicious and easy (you’ll likely always have the ingredients on hand) you might end up with a small flan problem. I find the cure is, um, more flan …
4 whole eggs
1 can sweetened condensed milk
The same can filled with either ½ can regular milk and ½ evaporated milk, or all regular milk no less than 2 percent
Pinch of salt
½ cup sugar
Beat all ingredients, except the sugar, together in a bowl. Heat sugar with 1 tablespoon of water in a small pan. Let it heat over high until you have an amber caramel. Pour the caramel into the flan pan and, working quickly, twirl it around to coat the inside of the flan pan with caramel. Let set for a few minutes to cool. Pour the milk/egg mixture into the pan and secure the lid. Put it in the pressure cooker with a steaming plate at the bottom (to lift it slightly off the bottom) and add 2 cups of water. Bring the pressure cooker to a boil and then reduce the heat until you get a steady swish swish swish. Cook for 20 minutes after the swish swish swish starts, take off heat, cool pressure cooker immediately by running cold water over it until it releases, take flan pan out, and cool in refrigerator for several hours. Unmold flan into a serving piece with enough of a lip to catch the caramel, and serve with the caramel spooned over.
Sara’s Thanksgiving Mashed Potatoes
SERVES 12
Don’t wait for the holidays to break out this dish—make it immediately, and with regularity. You will thank me later.
6 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 sticks butter, cubed, at room temperature
1 pint half-and-half, at room temperature
1 pint sour cream (may also use crème fraîche, Greek yogurt (full fat), mascarpone, softened Brie with the rind cut off, or soft goat cheese)
1 bunch chives, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Start potatoes in cold, heavily salted water over high heat, and bring to boil. Once boiling, cook 15 to 20 minutes until completely tender. Drain potatoes completely and return to pot over low heat to dry out slightly, shaking a bit, just a couple of minutes. Transfer potatoes to large bowl with cubed butter and mash with hand masher just to get started. Fill potato pot one-half full with hot tap water and put back on stove on high heat. Using hand mixer on medium speed, slowly add half-and-half until the potatoes reach just slightly stiffer than your preferred texture. Add half of the sour cream, and taste for tang. If you like more tang, add the other half; if not, season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn the heat down to low and hold potatoes, covered in the bowl over the hot water. Garnish with chives before serving.
Alana’s Healthy Granola
MAKES 30 ½-CUP SERVINGS
(178 CALORIES PER SERVING)
Granola that is both delicious and actually good for you. It is a lot of ingredients, but dead simple to put together.
3 cups rolled oats
3 cups puffed millet cereal
½ cup barley flakes
½ cup toasted wheat germ
1 cup grape nuts cereal
½ cup flax seeds
1 cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup white sesame seeds
1 cup raw slivered almonds
¼ cup chopped pecans
¼ cup chopped raw cashews
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup applesauce
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon almond extract
cup amber agave syrup or brown rice syrup
4 tablespoons honey
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons peanut oil
1 cup golden raisins
½ cup dried cherries
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Mix all of the dry ingredients except the cinnamon, sugar, raisins, and cherries together in a large mixing bowl.
Mix applesauce, honey, agave, sugar, vanilla, almond extract, oil, and cinnamon in a bowl until well blended. Add to dry ingredients and toss together lightly until very well mixed.
Spread the mixture out on two greased baking sheets and bake in oven, turning over about halfway through baking and redistributing the granola evenly during the baking process (I find a bench knife works great for this).
The goal is to get it evenly deeply golden without burning. Depending on your oven, this is about 40 to 50 minutes. Watch closely when you get toward the end of the baking time, as it can quickly overbake! The granola is not at full crunchiness until it cools, so go by color. Should look toasty, but not mahogany.
Let granola cool completely, then mix in fruit. Store in airtight containers. This is my favorite mix of flavors, but feel free to substitute for different nuts, dried fruits, and other grains.
(Because of the reduced amount of both fat and sugar in this recipe, this is not a granola that clumps into clusters; it stays pretty loose. If you aren’t as concerned about calories and want that more solid style, increase the light brown sugar to ¾ cup and the peanut oil to ½ cup, which should give you the clumping you want.)
RJ’s Gougères
SERVES 8 AS AN HORS D’OEUVRE
Gougères may have been one of the things that helped spark RJ and Alana’s romance, but you will have a romance of your own with the crisp, cheesy puffs.
1 cup water
4 tablespoons softened unsalted butter
½ teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for sprinkling
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 large eggs, at room temperature
6 ounces grated Gruyère, cheddar, Emmenthal, or other nutty full-flavored cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F if you plan to make the gougères right away.
Bring water, butter, and ½ teaspoon salt to a boil in a small saucepan. Place the flour in the bowl of a mixer, add the boiling water mixture, and mix with a paddle, if available (not a whisk), or use a wooden spoon in a bowl. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until the dough is very smooth. Add in the cheese and mix well until dough is thick and cheese has pretty much melted into the dough. Place the dough in a large Ziploc bag. I find this easier than the traditional pastry bag method. You can just cut off the corner of the bag, pipe the gougères, and then throw it away. If you prefer to use a pastry bag, feel free, just use a medium plain tip.
Line two large baking sheets with either silicone baking mats or parchment paper, and pipe the dough in small mounds onto them, in about 1-inch rounds, leaving an inch and a half of space between them. Sprinkle each with a few flakes of kosher salt and, if you want, some extra grated cheese. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown and puffed about three times their original size. Don’t open the oven door for the first 10 to 12 minutes, or they may deflate upon themselves. They will still be delicious, but not as pretty. Serve and eat IMMEDIATELY! Best when hot out of the oven.
If you want to freeze them to
bake later, pipe the gougères as directed, sprinkle them with grated cheese (this will help them not stick to each other during storage), and freeze them overnight. You can then store in a bag for when you want them. To serve: Let the frozen gougères thaw at room temperature while you preheat the oven to 350°F (about 15 to 20 minutes). Sprinkle the thawed or refrigerated gougères with salt and bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden and puffed.
New Year’s Morning Banana Bread with White Chocolate Chips and Pine Nuts
MAKES 1 LOAF
You can use whatever mix-ins you like, but this basic banana bread recipe is a winner however you make it, even plain. Store your overripe bananas in the freezer and you’ll always be able to make this delicious quick bread.
1 cup sugar
½ cup butter, softened
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 eggs
1¼ cups flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup toasted pine nuts
½ cup white chocolate chips or chunks
Preheat oven to 350°F.
Cream softened butter with sugar. In a separate bowl, beat eggs until smooth. Add mashed bananas to eggs and blend into butter and sugar mixture. Sift flour, salt, and baking soda, and fold into wet mixture. Fold in nuts and chocolate chips. Pour into greased loaf pan and bake 45 to 55 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a rack.
Solianka Russian Beef Soup
SERVES 6
Adapted from Karena on allrecipes.com. A hearty soup for a winter’s day.
2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms soaked in ¾ cup water until they have rehydrated and become tender, at least 30 minutes. Strain and reserve liquid.
½ cup unsalted butter
3 onions, chopped
1 cup cooked diced veal
1 cup diced ham
¼ pound kielbasa sausage, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 quarts beef stock
3 bay leaves
10 black peppercorns
2 dill pickles, diced
2 tablespoons capers
12 cremini mushrooms, sliced
1 28-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1½ tablespoons all-purpose flour