Creamy Mushroom and Kale Quesadillas

Posted on February 4, 2014 by admin

10 oz sliced mushrooms
1 tbsp butter
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups chopped lacinato kale (about 1 bunch)
1/2 tsp minced garlic
3 oz cream cheese
1/4 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
4 “burrito-size” flour tortillas
pinch of salt

Melt the butter over medium heat in a large saucepan. Once melted, add the mushrooms, green onions and a pinch of salt and saute for six minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and kale and continue sauteing for another three-five minutes, until kale as wilted.

Reduce heat to low and stir in cream cheese to mushroom and kale mixture. Mix well. Remove from heat.

Heat a cast iron (or another large skillet) over medium heat. Place one tortilla on the skillet and add about a quarter cup of the mushroom mixture. Top with a sprinkle of grated cheese and then place other tortilla on top.

Cook quesadillas for about three minutes per side, until golden and cheese is hot and bubbly

http://www.eatliverun.com/

creamy polenta with fricassee of mushrooms Scott Connant

Posted on February 4, 2014 by admin

Creamy Polenta:
2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
3 ounces cornmeal, preferably coarse ground (about 2/3 cup)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 tablespoons freshly grated grana padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 teaspoon chopped fresh chives, optional

In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the cream and milk and heat over medium-high heat just until small bubbles begin to appear on the surface. Add the salt, and whisk the cream and milk until quite frothy.

Add the polenta and continue to whisk the mixture as it comes to a boil. Continue whisking for an additional 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low, cover the pan, and cook the polenta, stirring every 5 minutes or so (switch to a wooden spoon), until the cornmeal is completely cooked and quite tender, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours. It may seem very thin initially, but it will gradually thicken. As the polenta cooks, a skin will form on the bottom and sides of pan (if you are not using a nonstick pan), which is proper and which gives the polenta a slightly toasty flavor.

Mushrooms:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
8 ounces mixed domestic and wild mushrooms, sliced or cut into naturally occurring pieces (about 2 cups)
Crushed red pepper
1/2 cup homemade chicken reduction, recipe follows, or purchased chicken reduction, diluted with water until a little thicker than chicken stock Use veggie stcok
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1 teaspoon preserved truffles (optional)

In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until the shallots just begin to color on their edges. Add the mushrooms and crushed red pepper to taste and cook until the liquid is released. Add the chicken reduction, bring to a boil, reduce to a bubbling simmer and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. (You can prepare the mushrooms ahead up to this point; reheat them over medium-high heat just before serving.)

Just before serving, stir in the butter, grana padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano and chives if using. The polenta should pour from the spoon as you serve it and will thicken as it cools. If necessary, you can thin the polenta with a little milk just before serving. Divide the polenta among heated bowls or plates.

Just before serving, reheat the mushrooms if necessary. Toss the mushrooms with the chives and preserved truffles. Spoon some mushrooms and some of the cooking juices over each serving of polenta.

Kale Salad — Tina

Posted on January 30, 2014 by admin

I used pumpkin seeds as I didn’t have candied walnuts and I like them with kale.

I had a big bag of chopped fresh kale only half-used. I had apples. I had spiced walnuts in the freezer that I made ages ago.

So I massaged the kale with some olive oil, s&p, and a few red pepper flakes. Put it on a cookie sheet with the frozen nuts and warmed them in a 325F oven for about 15 minutes. The kale was just crisp and the nuts had warmed through.

I made a light amount of dressing with balsamic, olive oil, s&p, bit of Dijon and a pinch of sugar. Chopped an apple.

When the kale and nuts had cooled, I chopped the nuts roughly, and tossed nuts, kale and apples with the dressing.

DMV Note: a nice addition is grated feta, pecorino or parm

Pierogi Lasagna, Michael Symon

Posted on January 26, 2014 by admin

For pierogi dough:
1 large egg
¾ cup sour cream
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
1 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
1 tsp kosher salt
2 cups flour, plus more for rolling dough

For lasagna:
2 lb russet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup hot heavy cream
8 Tbsp cold butter, cubed
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb bacon, chopped – do not use!
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1½ cups Gruyère cheese, shredded
1½ cups farmer’s cheese, shredded
Sour cream, for topping
Finely chopped chives, for topping

For pierogi dough:
Combine egg, sour cream, butter, chives, and salt with your hands in a bowl. Don’t worry if mixture is not uniform and, as with pie dough, don’t overwork it. Add flour and mix with your hands until a dough forms. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate the dough at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.

For lasagna:
Put potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches cold water. Bring to a boil. Season water generously with salt. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer and cook until a knife easily pierces potatoes. Drain and return potatoes to same pot. Mash, slowly mixing in hot cream and cold butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste and set aside.

Warm olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook bacon until crisp, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate with a slotted spoon.

Reduce heat to medium, toss onions into pan, and coat with bacon fat. Season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are caramelized and sweet. Let cool.

Butter a casserole dish. Preheat oven to 350˚F.

Roll pierogi dough out with a rolling pin to a ⅛-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 4-inch by 13-inch strips, re-rolling scraps as necessary. You will need 14 to 20 strips.

Have mashed potatoes, crisp bacon, caramelized onions, pasta strips, and cheeses ready on a work surface. Arrange 1 layer pierogi dough strips on bottom of buttered casserole dish, slightly overlapping edges of strips. Spread a ½-inch layer of potatoes on top of dough. Top with some caramelized onions, bacon, and a sprinkling of both Gruyère and farmer’s cheese. Repeat layers to use remaining ingredients. Finish with dough on top, followed by Gruyère and farmer’s cheese. Season top with pepper.

Cook until lasagna is bubbly and cheese on top is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let rest 15 to 20 minutes and then serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkle of chives.

Herb Crusted Fish, Gordon Ramsey

Posted on January 25, 2014 by admin

4 large fillets of any good thick white fish
250 g cherry tomatoes
2 shallots
1 small bunch basil, plus extra to garnish
4-6 large slices of stale bread made into crumbs
150 g grated Parmesan
1 medium bunch parsley
500 g Jersey Royals, or other new potatoes
Small bunch mint
Butter
200 g green beans, topped
2 shallots finely sliced (to go with beans)
Olive oil
Sea salt

Place the fish fillets on a plate and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Heat a little olive oil in a hot pan and saute the fish for approximately 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden brown. Remove to rest on a baking tray.

In a blender, thoroughly mix all the herb crust ingredients together (bread, Parmesan and parsley), season and set aside.
To make the salsa, chop the tomatoes in half and finely slice the shallots.

Add a little more olive oil into the now empty fish pan, heat and add the tomatoes and shallots. Sweat them off together and season. Pick the basil leaves, roll them together and chop before adding to the tomatoes and shallots. Cook for a further 2 -3 minutes until the tomatoes are just beginning to break down.

Spoon the tomato salsa lightly over the fish, spreading it out evenly over the fillets. Next take your breadcrumbs and spoon them over the tomato. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until the crust is golden and the fish is cooked
.
Scrub the potatoes and cut any larger ones in half. Bring to the boil in salted water and simmer for 8-10 minutes. Drain the potatoes, slice and set aside. Heat a little butter in a pan with a spoonful of water, roughly chop the mint leaves and add to the butter/water emulsion. Add the potatoes and saute until lightly golden.

Blanch the beans in a pan of boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Saute the shallots in hot olive oil until soft. Drain the beans thoroughly and add to the shallots, saute for 2 -3 minutes
.
Place the fillets in the centre of the plates, drizzle a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar around and serve with the potatoes and shallots. Garnish the fish with an extra pinch of basil.
Servings

Salt-and-Vinegar Potatoes From “Cooks Country” Magazine

Posted on January 25, 2014 by admin

Use small red potatoes, measuring 1 to 2 inches in diameter.

6 tablespoons olive oil
2 pound small red potatoes
14 ounces kosher salt
3 tablespoons malt vinegar

1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees F. Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet. Brush second rimmed baking sheet evenly with oil. Bring 2 quarts water to boil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in potatoes and salt, and cook until just tender and paring knife slips easily in and out of potatoes, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain potatoes and transfer to wire rack; let dry for 10 minutes.

2. Transfer potatoes to oiled baking sheet. Flatten each potato with underside of measuring cup until 1/2 inch thick. Brush potatoes with half of vinegar and season with pepper. Roast until potatoes are well browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Brush with remaining vinegar. Transfer potatoes to platter, smashed side up. Serve.

Korean Seasoned Dipping Sauce (Yangnyeom Ganjang)

Posted on January 24, 2014 by admin

1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon Korean sesame oil (see headnote)
1 teaspoon crushed, toasted sesame seeds (see headnote)
1 scallion, trimmed and cut crosswise into very thin slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 to 1 teaspoon Korean hot red chili powder (gochugaru; optional)

This salty sauce provides the right counterpoint to mildly seasoned dumplings. Give the sauce a few minutes to meld before serving.

You’ll want to double the recipe if you serve this as the sole condiment for Korean fried dumplings. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

makes 2/3 cup

Roasted Cauliflower Melt, Jeff Mauro

Posted on January 22, 2014 by admin

Cauliflower:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 teaspoons ground mustard seeds
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
Kosher salt and pepper
1 head cauliflower, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch cross sections

Honey Mustard:
1/4 cup yellow mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon stone ground mustard
Kosher salt and pepper

Sandwich Build:
4 tablespoons salted butter, room temperature
2 sheets lavash, quartered to yield 8 small sheets, 4 1/4- by 5 3/4-inches
8 ounces butterkase cheese, shredded
2 ripe pears, sliced thin

Radish and Watercress Salad:
4 cups watercress
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
5 radishes, sliced thin
1/2 lemon, juiced
Olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper

For the cauliflower: Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, mustard, paprika and some salt and pepper Brush the cauliflower sections with the spice oil. Place flat on a sheet tray and roast for 10 minutes. Carefully flip the cauliflower and return to oven and roast until golden, another 10 to 12 minutes.

For the mustard: Meanwhile, mix together in a small bowl the yellow mustard, honey and stone ground mustard. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

For the sandwich build: Add the butter to griddle over medium-low heat. In between two pieces of lavash, spread some honey mustard, layer shredded butterkase, a portion of cauliflower, pears and finally more shredded cheese. Place the sandwich on the griddle, covering with a metal bowl. Cook until golden and crisp on the outside and gooey in the middle, 4 to 5 minutes per side.

For the salad: Mix the watercress, dill and radishes together, and toss with the lemon juice and some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and serve on the side of the cauliflower melt

Lazy Chiles Rellenos, Ree Drumond

Posted on January 22, 2014 by admin

8 whole Roasted, Peeled, And Seeded Green Chiles
1-1/2 cup Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
5 whole Large Eggs
2 cups Whole Milk
Salt And Black Pepper To Taste
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix together eggs, milk, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne.
Cut chilies in half and add a single layer of chilies on the bottom of a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
Top chilies with half the grated cheese.

Repeat with another layer of chilies and another layer of cheese.
Pour egg mixture all over the top.

Place into a larger baking dish or rimmed baking sheet. Pour in 1/2 inch of water and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until completely set.

Cut into squares and serve with warm corn tortillas!

Warm Lentil and Potato Salad with a Garlicky Mustard Vinaigrette, smitten kitchen

Posted on January 22, 2014 by admin

2 large shallots, 1 halved, 1 finely diced,
4 sprigs of thyme
1 small bay leaf
1 cup dry small green lentils (see Note up top for varieties)
1 small bay leaf
Salt and pepper
1 pound fingerling potatoes
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced or smashed to a paste (I use less)
1 tablespoon smooth Dijon mustard
1/4 cup of your favorite olive oil
2 teaspoons capers, rinsed if salted, drained if brined, and roughly chopped
2 tablespoons cornichons or other sour gherkins, roughly chopped
1 to 2 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Cook lentils: Pick over and rinse lentils. Place them in a small/medium saucepan with the halved shallot, thyme branches, bay leaf, some salt and 4 cups of water. Simmer the lentils over medium heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until firm-tender. Drain (discarding shallot, thyme and bay leaf) and keep warm.

Meanwhile, cook potatoes: In a separate saucepan, cover potatoes with 1 to 2 inches cold water. Set timer for 15 minutes, then bring potatoes to a simmer. When the timer rings, they should be easily pierced with a toothpick or knife. Drain and keep warm.

Make the dressing: Place the chopped shallot and red wine vinegar in the bottom of a small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes. Whisk in minced garlic, dijon, a pinch of salt, a few grinds of black pepper and olive oil. Stir in chopped capers, cornichon and scallions.

Assemble salad: Slice potatoes into 1/2-inch segments and place in serving bowl. Add lentils, dressing and all but 1 tablespoon parsley and combine. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper if needed. Scatter salad with remaining parsley.

Serve alone, with a soft-cooked egg on top, or as a side to a larger roast, chop or sausages. Reheat as needed. If you plan to make this at the outset of several meals and would like to eat it warm, I’d keep the dressing separate, warming only the lentils and potatoes and stirring in the cold dressing to taste.

Keeps in fridge for up to 5 days. Makes 4 lunch servings, 6 servings as a side dish