Debbie Macomber's Cedar Cove Cookbook
Page 10
Serve this Italian-inspired dish with rice or potatoes.
Serves 4
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 halibut fillets, about 5 ounces each
Salt and pepper
2 bell peppers, preferably red and yellow, cored and sliced
2 ounces prosciutto, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
½ cup dry white wine
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
2 tablespoons drained capers
½ cup chopped fresh parsley
1. Warm oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Season fish with salt and pepper; set in pan, skin-side down. Cook 4 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Turn fillets; cook 3 minutes, until browned. Fish will not be cooked through. Remove to large serving platter.
2. Place same skillet over medium heat. Add peppers and prosciutto; cook 5 minutes, until browned, stirring. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring. Add tomatoes, wine and oregano. Using a wooden spoon, scrape browned bits from bottom of pan.
3. Return halibut to pan, setting fish on top of vegetables. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat and cook, covered, 6 minutes, until fish is cooked through. Check midway through cooking time; add water to pan if sauce is drying out too much. Ladle sauce onto serving plates; top with fillets. Garnish servings with capers and parsley.
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TIP
Because halibut is so lean, it’s important that you don’t overcook the tender fillets or they will dry out.
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Roasted Garlic White Pizza
Garlic turns super-sweet when roasted; here, roasted garlic is blended into a creamy white sauce for pizza.
Serves 6
1 head garlic
2 teaspoons olive oil, divided, plus extra for pan
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¾ cup whole milk
1 bunch or bag (10 to 12 ounces) fresh spinach
Cornmeal, for pan
1 ball prepared pizza dough (about 1 pound)
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, shredded
4 ounces shredded Fontina or Jarlsberg cheese
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with foil. Slice off the top quarter of the garlic head (the narrower end, not the fatter base). Drizzle about 1 teaspoon oil over the cut-side of the head; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in prepared pan, cut-side down. Bake 1 hour, until cloves are soft when squeezed. Remove from oven; let sit until cool enough to handle. Squeeze head, cut-side down, to release the garlic puree into a small bowl.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Sprinkle in flour; stir until incorporated. Slowly pour in milk, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Remove from heat; whisk in garlic puree, pressing any lumps against the side of the pan to incorporate them into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Warm remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add spinach; cook 5 minutes, until wilted, stirring often. Turn out onto cutting board; coarsely chop.
4. Preheat oven to 425°F. Lightly coat a large baking sheet with oil; sprinkle with cornmeal. On lightly floured countertop, roll out pizza dough to a 15-inch round or 12-by-14-inch rectangle. Transfer to prepared pan. Let dough rest 15 minutes.
5. Spread white sauce evenly over pizza crust. Drop spinach over sauce; sprinkle with mozzarella and Fontina or Jarlsberg.
6. Bake 15 minutes, until crust is golden and cheese melts.
* * *
TIP
Using the pizza dough from your local pizzeria makes for a professional-looking and super-easy pie. Many supermarkets also offer prepared pizza dough in 1-pound balls in the refrigerated section.
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Rosemary-Garlic Crusted Pork Tenderloin on Sautéed Spinach
Pork tenderloin is usually sold in packages of two. As long as you are in the kitchen, you may as well cook them both. Round out the meal by serving the pork and spinach on a bed of mashed potatoes.
Serves 4 to 6
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cloves garlic
3 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
Salt and pepper
2 pork tenderloins (about 1 ½ pounds total)
1 large bunch or bag (10 to 16 ounces) fresh spinach, washed but not dried
¾ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. In food processor, pulse oil, garlic, rosemary, salt and pepper until a paste forms. Using your hands, rub tenderloins with most of the garlic paste; reserving about 1 tablespoon.
2. Set a large ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sear tenderloins on all sides, about 8 minutes, until browned. Transfer skillet to oven; roast 25 minutes, until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 150°F.
3. Meanwhile, place remaining garlic paste in a large heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add spinach; cook 4 minutes, until wilted, stirring often. Stir in chicken broth; continue to cook 2 minutes, stirring often.
4. Transfer pork to cutting board and slice. Pour any pan juices from pork skillet into spinach. Divide spinach among 4 plates. Top with pork slices.
* * *
TIP
Using a sharp knife, carefully slice off the shiny membrane (called the silver skin) attached to each tenderloin. Leaving it on can cause the meat to toughen.
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Chicken and Wild Rice Soup with Leeks
This big-batch soup feeds a crowd. Serve it with some crusty bread and a leafy green salad.
Serves 10
1 whole chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in half
2 large onions, halved
2 bay leaves
1 tablespoon whole peppercorns
Salt and pepper
1 ½ cups wild rice
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
Chopped fresh dill, for garnish
1. In a large soup pot, combine chicken, carrots, onions, bay leaves, peppercorns and salt. Add water to cover by at least 2 inches. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, partly covered, for about 1 hour. If needed, skim any fat that collects on the surface.
2. Using tongs, remove chicken and carrots from pot; place on cutting board. Pour remaining contents of pot through a strainer set over a big bowl. Discard solids in strainer; pour cooking broth back into pot. Bring to a boil over high heat. Add rice; reduce heat to medium and simmer, uncovered, 50 minutes, until rice is tender.
3. Meanwhile, remove and discard skin and bones from chicken. Shred meat into bite-sized pieces. Cut cooked carrots into bite-size chunks.
4. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add leeks and cook 6 minutes, until softened, stirring often.
5. Return chicken and carrots to pot. Add leeks. Simmer until warmed through and flavors combined, about 10 minutes. Season with salt, pepper and chopped dill.
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TIP
Get a head start by cooking the chicken and rice a day in advance. The next day, simmer them briefly with the leeks and you’ll have hot soup in minutes!
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Dessert
at 50 HARBOR STREETwith
Roy and Corrie McAfee
This is my very favorite section! Desserts.
I’d venture to say that one of the reasons Ben and I hit it off so quickly is that he, too, has a notorious sweet tooth. I do love my desserts, so you won’t be surprised to hear that I have an extensive collection of recipes. Several of my favorites came from Corrie McAfee. She tells me Roy isn’t nearly as fond of sweets as she is, but she ignores that and doesn’t let it stop her from experimenting with new desserts.
Corrie and Peggy Beldon have become good friends and they frequently exchanged recipes. Peggy insists on ending her fabulous dinners with just the right dessert; she says the meal wouldn’t be com
plete otherwise. Now, that’s my kind of woman! And Corrie McAfee feels exactly the same way.
The McAfees moved to Cedar Cove a few years ago. Roy was a Seattle police detective forced into early retirement because of a back injury he sustained while on duty. I only know about this because Corrie mentioned it, but every now and then I see him pressing his fists into his lower back, a sure sign that he’s in pain.
A year or so after they moved here, Roy hung out his shingle as a Private Investigator. That raised a lot of questions, because Cedar Cove had never had a P.I. before. People wondered what he’d find to investigate in a peaceful town like ours but, as it turns out, Roy’s found more than enough work.
Since he was in law enforcement for so long, it’s only natural, I suppose, that he’d strike up a friendship with Sheriff Troy Davis. Fortunately the sheriff sees him as an ally, not a competitor, and I know Roy respects the professional boundaries between them. I often see them chatting over a cup of coffee at the Pot Belly Deli.
After Roy and Corrie moved to town, their children followed. Linnette was one of the first employees at the Cedar Cove Medical Center, although she lives in North Dakota now, working at a medical clinic in a small town called Buffalo Valley. Mack’s a local firefighter. Roy and Corrie have an older daughter, too—Gloria, who recently joined our Sheriff’s Department. Gloria came into their lives just a few years ago, but that’s a whole other story and I’ll let Corrie tell you about it.
Most days, you can catch up with Corrie at Roy’s office, where she serves as his administrative assistant (in my day we referred to that as a secretary). If you drop in—I hope it’s not because you need Roy’s services!—be sure to ask about her favorite dessert recipes.
Coconut Layer Cake is one I gave her. I’ve been serving it for years and I can promise you it never fails to please a crowd. Ben loves it, and the first time Corrie tasted it she became a convert, too.
And speaking of coconut, anyone who knows Olivia and Grace will remember how much they love Coconut Cream Pie. Every Wednesday night after their aerobics class they go to the Pancake Palace for coffee and a slice of pie. Confidentially, my recipe’s better. I don’t think I’ll get either of them to admit it, but Peggy’s on my side in this.
Let me mention just a couple more. First, Corrie’s Oatmeal Date Bars. She told me they were Mack’s favorite from when he was five years old. Apparently Roy won’t touch them and never has. Well, that’s his loss and our gain (in more ways than one!).
According to Olivia and Jack, Corrie’s Russian Tea Cakes are as good as those from the bakery—and they should know.
Take a few minutes to read through these recipes, and for heaven’s sake don’t worry about calories! There’s always tomorrow. Life should be enjoyed, and that means indulging yourself once in a while. That’s what Ben says and I agree with him. So does Corrie McAfee…even if Roy doesn’t.
Lattice-Top Cherry Pie
Using frozen or fresh cherries for your pie will be a revelation if you’ve only ever used canned cherry pie filling before.
Makes 1 9" pie
2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for crust
3 tablespoons cornstarch or flour
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
24 ounces frozen pitted sweet dark cherries, thawed and drained or 5 cups pitted fresh cherries (about 2½ pounds)
2 refrigerated or frozen pie crusts, thawed
1 egg white, lightly beaten
1. In a large bowl, combine 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, orange juice, cinnamon and salt. Add cherries; toss to coat. Let stand 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 400°F. Press one pie crust into a glass 9-inch pie dish. On a lightly floured countertop, roll out second pie crust to a rough rectangle shape. Using a fluted pastry wheel or sharp knife, cut rectangle lengthwise into ten ¾-inch-wide strips.
3. Spoon cherry filling into crust. Place 5 dough strips across pie in 1 direction and 4 in opposite direction, forming a lattice. Press strip ends and edge of crust together to seal. Crimp edges decoratively. Brush lattice and edges with beaten egg. Sprinkle additional sugar over lattice.
4. Bake pie 20 minutes. Cover crust edges with foil to prevent overbrowning. Continue to bake 40 minutes longer, until filling bubbles and crust is golden. Transfer to wire rack to cool.
* * *
TIP
Use any sharp knife to cut the lattice strips; to make scalloped-edged strips, use a fluted pastry wheel.
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New York Cheesecake
Creamy and luscious, this classic dessert is deceptively easy to make. Prebaking the crumb crust prevents it from becoming soggy. Remember to let it cool completely before adding the filling.
Makes 1 9" pie
CRUST
8 whole graham crackers (about 4 ounces)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for pan
FILLING
2½ pounds cream cheese, at room temperature, cut into chunks
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Salt
½ cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 large eggs
1. Preheat oven to 350°F; set oven rack to lower third position. Lightly coat bottom and sides of a 9-inch spring form pan with butter. Wrap the bottom of the pan in heavy-duty foil; the foil should come about halfway up the sides of the pan.
2. For crust: In food processor, pulse graham crackers until fine crumbs form. Add sugar and melted butter; pulse until combined. Press crumbs evenly into bottom of prepared pan. Bake 12 minutes, until edges start to brown. Transfer to wire rack to cool. Keep oven at 350°F.
3. For filling: In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, beat cream cheese until blended, scraping sides of bowl. Add sugar and salt; beat until combined. Add sour cream, lemon juice and vanilla; beat until combined. Add eggs one at a time, beating and scraping the bowl between additions.
4. Pour filling into prepared pan. Set pan inside a large, shallow roasting pan. Carefully add boiling water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up sides of spring form pan.
5. Bake 45 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Continue baking 25 minutes longer, until cake is set but still slightly wobbly in the center. Turn off oven; leave door slightly ajar and let cheesecake sit in oven 1 hour. Transfer to wire rack to cool completely. Run a knife around edges to release from pan. Refrigerate at least 6 hours or overnight.
6. Remove pan sides; slide cake (still on its spring form base) onto serving plate.
* * *
TIP
Wrap the bottom of the spring-form pan in heavy-duty foil to assure that water doesn’t soak through the seal of the pan.
* * *
Quick Lemonade Cake
Adding a box of lemon pudding to a lemon cake mix ensures a super-moist and super-lemony cake.
1 18-ounce box lemon-flavored cake mix
1 4-ounce box lemon-flavored instant pudding mix
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
GLAZE
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1. For batter: Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease and flour a large Bundt pan. Make cake according to package directions, adding pudding mix and lemon juice. Pour into prepared pan. Bake as directed on package. Let cool 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edges to release from pan. Invert cake onto serving plate.
2. For glaze: In a small bowl, whisk glaze ingredients until smooth. Drizzle over warm cake.
Serves 16
CAKE
* * *
TIP
Room-temperature lemons will yield more juice than cold ones. One lemon provides about 3 tablespoons juice.
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Celebrations Coconut Layer Cake
Every meal beco
mes a party when it ends with this beautiful cake. There’s no need to worry about making the frosting look perfect since the entire cake is covered with a cloud of coconut flakes.
Makes 1 cake
CAKE
1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
5 large eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2½ cups sweetened coconut flakes, divided
FROSTING
8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
Pinch salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon coconut extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar (about 1 pound)
Sweetened coconut flakes, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two 9-inch cake pans with parchment paper. Lightly butter and flour pans.
2. For batter: In a large bowl with electric mixer on high speed, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla and coconut extracts.
3. In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, soda and salt. Slowly add this mixture to butter mixture, alternating with the coconut milk. Mix only until blended. Stir in 1 ½ cups coconut flakes. Pour into prepared pans.
4. Bake 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Transfer to wire racks to cool. Run a knife around sides of pan, loosening cake from pan. Invert cakes onto wire racks to cool.