tinywhitecottage

simply zucchini

October 10, 2013 § 59 Comments

Here is a wonderful method for cooking zucchini and I can almost guarantee you will make it over and again. This zucchini is such a silky melt in your mouth bit of goodness that I have been cooking it for my family every week for a good solid month. There’s nothing to it but olive oil, garlic, basil, and zucchini cooked long enough to take away any sense of crispness whatsoever. Yes, the life is cooked out of it and yet it is full of life and such comforting flavor. Simple, satisfying and delicious. You can start this, walk away, allow it to gently cook and return occasionally to turn with a spatula. Turn off the heat and let them sit for a while so the flavors settle and the oily juices thicken. Serve warm.

I n g r e d i e n t s

3 tablespoons olive oil, enough to seem generous without leaving the zucchini oily
2 large garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
5 or 6 medium zucchini, sliced into ¼-inch-thick coins
sea salt
A handful of fresh basil leaves, torn
good quality feta cheese, crumbled

M e t h o d

Heat the olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and add the garlic for about five minutes, or until the garlic is fragrant and just beginning to turn golden. (Do not allow the garlic to brown) Add the zucchini and a generous pinch of salt, and stir to coat the rounds with oil. Cook gently over medium heat (or medium low), stirring occasionally until the zucchini is very soft, approximately 30 minutes. When the zucchini is soft and golden brown, remove it from the heat. Tear the basil leaves, and stir them into the zucchini, allowing them to wilt in the heat.

Serve warm or at room temperature with a generous sprinkling of feta.

roasted sweet potatoes with pancetta and chimichurri

October 7, 2013 § 41 Comments

You just can’t help to think of root vegetables once Autumn is in the air. I keep buying loads of beets, carrots, sweet potatoes and parsnips. Recently I found this sweet potato recipe in the September issue of Bon Appétit. The idea of these flavors was so unique I had to prepare it . The Bon Appétit recipe calls for Speck which is an Italian cured meat much like Proscuitto. I used pancetta, however, any smoked type cured meat is possible, even turkey bacon. I found two different types of sweet potatoes at the market.

Chimichurri is a piquant sauce or marinade traditionally used on grilled meat, typically containing parsley, garlic, vinegar, olive oil, and flakes of chili pepper. It is “often billed as ‘Argentine barbecue sauce,’ and we enjoy it with many other dishes far beyond the grill. The chimichurri was wonderful with the roasted sweet potatoes and the pancetta adds a nice smoky flavor.

I n g r e d i e n t s

4 small sweet potatoes or yams, unpeeled, cut lengthwise into wedges
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil
salt and pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 cup fresh oregano leaves
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

M e t h o d

Heat oven to 425°F. Toss sweet potatoes and 2 tablespoons oil on a large rimmed baking sheet. Season with salt and pepper. Roast, turning once, until tender, 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, pulse cilantro, parsley, oregano, thyme, and garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. With motor running, slowly add vinegar and remaining 1/4 cup oil and process until combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Spoon chimichurri onto a serving platter and top with sweet potatoes and pancetta.

Serves 4.

roasted tomatoes and herbs

October 2, 2013 § 54 Comments

We are finally enjoying red, ripe and juicy roma tomatoes from the garden. I am still so puzzled as to why my tomatoes have taken so long when friends of mine living in the same city are at least 30 days on the other side of their harvest. All I can say is I am happy to have them!

And still more to come!

I have been wanting to slow roast tomatoes for weeks and after bringing in a dozen or so roma’s I knew exactly what I was going to do. No doubt these were going to be good, however, after the first bite I was completely smitten. I had to stop myself because I was going to finish off the whole lot and never mention a word to my family I had roasted them. The aroma in the house was a dead give away and coming to my senses I knew I had to share.

Crispy sage is such a lovely delicacy. I added several large sage leaves to the roasting pan, along with thyme, greek basil and thinly sliced garlic. We enjoyed the tomatoes alone as a side, however, I can imagine how perfect they would be tossed in spaghetti. Of course I thought that, how many pasta recipes can one blog have? I’m up to 18 and I have only had this blog for 7 months!

I n g r e d i e n t s

6 or 7 tomatoes, sliced in half
1/4 cup olive oil
several whole sage leaves
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh thyme
large sprig of basil, chopped
3 or 4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
sea salt

M e t h o d

Preheat oven 325°F. Drizzle olive oil onto parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle the herbs about and toss around with a spatula. Add the sliced tomatoes and garlic and continue to toss around until well coated. Evenly space the tomatoes about the pan, cut side down, sprinkle with salt and roast for one hour.

minestrone con il pesto

September 30, 2013 § 43 Comments

This is a perfect soup for day three of a constant downpour here in Seattle. Years ago I was skimming through a friend’s cookbook and found this recipe. I asked her for a scratch piece of paper and all she could find was a sticky pad. Using a red ink pen, I proceeded to handwrite the recipe in the tiniest penmanship I could in order to fit it on the two sides of the 2×4 sticky paper. Here we are nearly thirteen years later and I finally made the soup!

The flavor base of this soup is exceptional. You first make a buttuto, which is a combination of onion, celery, garlic, carrot and pancetta (or bacon). The name buttuto (italian) means to strike or, in this case, chop. Once you have chopped your buttuto it becomes a soffritto, which simply means to sauté over high heat until lightly colored. Chop and sauté. So simple, flavorful and a beautiful foundation for this comforting soup.

I n g r e d i e n t s

Pesto

4 cups packed basil
1 cup parmesan, grated
1/4 cup olive oil
a little salt
2 cloves garlic
1 plum tomato, seeds removed

Soup

2 tablespoons olive oil
3 ounces pancetta or 6 slices bacon, chopped
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
1 medium size yellow onion, finely chopped
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1/4 head Savoy cabbage, cored and thinly shredded
8 cups chicken stock
7 whole, peeled canned tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup broken dried spaghetti
1 – 15 oz. can cannelini beans
salt and pepper to taste

M e t h o d

Make the pesto. Place all the pesto ingredients in a food processor and whizz until finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper, and set aside.

Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium-high heat. Add pancetta and cook, stirring often, until fat has rendered, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and onions and reduce heat to medium. Cover and cook stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender, 12–15 minutes. Add zucchini and cabbage. Cover and cook until wilted, 3–5 minutes. Add stock and tomatoes and bring to a boil. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse the cannelini beans. Mash half the beans with a fork and add to the soup along with whole beans—cook until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve with pesto dolloped on top.

Serves 4.

strozzapreti carbonara with charred brussels sprouts

September 23, 2013 § 54 Comments

Spaghetti carbonara is one of my favorite pasta dishes. I love the flavors of bacon, egg and grana padano cheese combined with a good quality spaghetti. Also, having “breakfast for dinner” in spaghetti form is always a pleasure. This is a nice spin on the basic carbonara. The brussels sprout leaves are cooked until crispy and charred before tossing in the pasta.

This recipe was featured in the latest issue of Bon Appétit. It was stated “the key to this dish is getting a good char on the brussels sprouts, which helps balance the richness of the porky, eggy sauce. Salt draws moisture out of the leaves, which might make them soggy, so do not season them” (while charring in the skillet).

I found by removing the outer leaves first then carving out the core a little I was able to easily separate most of the leaves from each sprout.

Using a good quality pasta will made a difference in the outcome of your recipe.

I n g r e d i e n t s

3 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 pound brussels sprouts, trimmed, leaves separated
12 ounces good quality strozzapreti or small pasta
2 ounces of guanicale (salt-cured pork jowl) or pancetta, finely chopped
pinch of pepper
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/3 cup Pecorino, plus more for serving
2 large egg yolks, beaten to blend

M e t h o d

Heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat. Working in batches , add brussels sprout leaves and cook, tossing occasionally, until charred in spots and crisp tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Cook pasta in a large pot until al dente. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the pasta cooking liquid.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add guanciale or pancetta and cook, stirring often, until slightly crisp, about 4 minutes. Add pepper and cook, stirring until fragrant. Immediately add 1/2 cup pasta water, reduce heat to low and gradually add butter, swirling skillet and adding more pasta water as needed, until a tick glossy sauce forms.

Add pasta to skillet and toss to coat. Add Pecorino, toss to combine. Remove from heat, mix in egg yolks. Add brussels sprouts leaves and toss. You may need to add a little more pasta water to thin sauce. Serve pasta with more Pecorino.

Serves 4.

wilted kale

September 18, 2013 § 45 Comments

We eat fairly light in this house. I find myself serving sides as mains more often than not. Most of our meals are “one pot” or maybe a few sides. We are not vegetarians, but come awfully close. With an athletic young man in the house I do have to consider his nutritional needs and most often plan my meals with his palate in mind. Thank goodness he has a grown up palate!

Here is an exceptional side (or main) involving lacinato kale, also known as Tuscan, dinosaur or black kale. I especially enjoy lacinato kale due to it heartiness, deep dark green color and it’s ability to hold onto it’s crunchiness even after simmering for several minutes. This is a lovely combination of textures and flavors.

I found this recipe in a Cooking Light magazine (thanks sis!). This is a slight adaptation and we found the recipe really only serves two. Next time I make this I will double the recipe.

I n g r e d i e n t s

3 slices of center cup bacon
3/4 cup vertically sliced onion (sweet yellow or red)
8 cups lacinato kale, stemmed and chopped
2/3 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup

M e t h o d

Cook bacon in a Dutch oven over medium-low heat until crisp. Remove from pan, crumple and set aside. Increase heat to medium. Add onions to bacon drippings in pan and sauté 3-4 minutes. Add kale and cook until kale begins to wilt, stirring occasionally. Add stock, cover and cook 4 minutes until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in vinegar and syrup. Sprinkle with crumbled bacon.

Serves 2.

spicy sausage, yam and spinach soup

September 16, 2013 § 62 Comments

This is a recipe I haven’t prepared for over 10 years. I came across this long lost recipe tucked away inside a cookbook I have not lifted off the shelf for ages. Right away I added the ingredients to my next shopping list.

I can not even remember where the recipe came from, but, it is hand written by me in a very short, almost undecipherable manner. I set out to make sense out of it and it all started coming back to me as I was cooking and it took me back 10 or 12 years. The smell, the taste, the preparation all represents a time when my son was a toddler and life seemed so simple. I revisited this soup over and over back then, and I can not imagine how I lost track of it for all these years.

I used a very spicy sausage this time and it was delicious. You may tone it down a bit if your palate doesn’t handle spicy too well. I couldn’t remember if I made it with sweet potatoes or yams, so I chose the latter, however, I think sweet potatoes would be a nice offset to the spicy sausage. Knowing a roux is always made with butter, I decided to try to achieve the same results using olive oil, and it worked! If you would like to use butter instead of olive oil, omit the olive oil and use a 1/2 cup (full stick) of butter. Final note, the recipe calls for cream and I substituted whole milk and it was perfect. This is a one pot dinner.

I n g r e d i e n t s

4 smoked sausages, I used chicken – julienned
1 onion, diced
3/4 cup celery, chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
3 quarts stock
2 yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
4 cups fresh spinach leaves, chopped
3/4 cup flour
1 cup of milk
handful of chives, sliced
handful of parsley, chopped
salt and pepper, to taste

M e t h o d

Heat olive oil over medium high heat and add sausage, onions, celery and garlic. Sauté for 5 minutes until well combined. Sprinkle in the flour, a little at a time stirring constantly until a blonde roux forms. Add stock one large ladle at a time while stirring until soup consistency is achieved. Add sweet potatoes or yams. Bring to a rolling boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Additional stock may be added to retain proper consistency. Add milk, chives and parsley. Season to taste using salt and pepper. Once potatoes are tender, serve in individual bowls. Put a handful of spinach in the bowl, then ladle the soup on top, garnish with additional chives and parsley.

risotto with sun gold tomato sauce

September 11, 2013 § 65 Comments

We are experiencing an interesting tomato season here in Seattle. I planted five varietals late June (once our temperatures stayed above 50°F overnight) and we are just now reaping the rewards of our harvest. Four months! Is that normal? All the saplings I put into the ground were approximately 12″ in height. The Sun Gold continued to grow until it reached at least 8 feet tall! I was staking, tying and propping every other day. The Sweet 100’s did not get quite as tall, however it’s circumference is at least 4 feet. I also planted 3 heirloom varietals and they seem to be a bit more “normal” and are presently crowded with green tomatoes (and they are not a green varietal). We are suppose to have temperatures in the low 90’s this week so hopefully we’ll get some color tomatoes.

I brought in a fair amount of Sun Gold’s and a few Sweet 100’s today and decided to make a risotto for dinner. This was sensational. The tomatoes along with the red wine vinegar gave the dish a subtle tang and the Grana Padano cheese was a perfect match for bringing out the flavor and adding a bit of creaminess to it’s texture. A very lovely Tuesday night dinner.

I n g r e d i e n t s

For the sauce:

1/2 onion, chopped
2 tablespoon olive oil
3 garlic clove, finely chopped
6 cups Sun Gold or Cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
2 basil sprigs (I used Greek basil) + a little extra for garnish
1 thyme sprigs
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar

For the risotto:

1/2 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 cups risotto
6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock, on a steady simmer
1/4 cup Grana Padano cheese or Parmesan, freshly grated

M e t h o d

The sauce. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion, stirring often, until soft and translucent, 6-8 minutes. Add garlic, basil and thyme sprigs and cook stirring often, until fragrant. Add tomatoes and vinegar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes release their juices and a sauce forms, approximately 15 minutes. Discard the basil and thyme sprigs. Add a sprinkling of salt to taste (and do taste it) set aside.

The risotto. Heat oil in a heavy bottom pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook for two minutes until soft. Add the risotto and stir for one minute making sure all of the grains are well coated. Begin to add the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently. Wait until each addition of stock is almost absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup, stirring frequently to prevent sticking. Reserve 1/4 cup of stock to add at the end. After approximately 25-30 minutes, when the risotto is tender but not soft, add the reserved stock, tomato sauce and Grana Padano. Serve right away with an additional sprinkling of Grana Padano and basil.

Serves 4.

spiced chicken thighs with garlicky rice

September 9, 2013 § 57 Comments

Surprisingly, this went together not only with ease, but rather swiftly, which was especially nice after working two 12 hours days in a row! I didn’t think I had it in me to put together a sit down dinner, however, it had been a few days since the three of us shared a meal at the table.

Broiling chicken in the oven is a rarity for me although after preparing this I realize how suitable the broiler is for a busy day, not to mention the chicken turning out to be succulent and flavorful. I found the recipe in a Cooking Light magazine and followed it exactly how it was written. The garlic rice was wonderful, something we will be making often.

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
1 cup basmatic rice
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons parsley, chopped
sprinkling black pepper
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons chili powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 bone-in chicken thighs

M e t h o d

For the rice…melt the butter in a saucepan over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté until aromatic. Add rice coat well with garlic and oil. Add 1 1/2 cups water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 12 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Let stand for 5 minutes, then remove the lid and fluff the rice. Stir in the parsley and black pepper.

For the chicken…Preheat broiler to high. Combine sugar, chili powder, paprika, cumin, ground pepper and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle half of spice mixture over chicken. Place chicken on a parchment (or foil) lined baking sheet. Broil 6-8 minutes. turn chicken over and sprinkle with remaining spice mixture. Broil another 6-8 minutes or until done. Remove chicken and reserve the pan drippings. Let chicken stand 5 minutes. Spoon dripping over chicken and serve with garlicky rice.

Serves 4.

blue cupcakes

September 5, 2013 § 52 Comments

We used to make these cupcakes quite often several years ago when my son was 9 or 10. It was always his delight to mix the “color” for the frosting. And you can imagine with a 9 year old mixing colors we had some interesting looking cupcakes back then, to say the least. Although I am not a fan of using “food coloring” in cooking, I do make an exception for these because they are so festive and exuberant.

This recipe comes from one of my favorite cookbooks “Apples for Jam” by Tessa Kiros. I love how she organized her recipes in the book according to color of the food. She offers some very good cooking advice as well as subtle attention to preparing meals with children in mind. Tessa’s cupcakes are “tiny and pink”, and as you can imagine pink was always out of the question for the young man.

An encaustic painting by “little T”, he was only 9 years old…

I had a little leftover mascarpone and decided to whisk up a small batch of frosting too. The mascarpone frosting was so creamy and fluffy, delicious and buttery rich!

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 1/4 sticks of butter, softened (1/4 pound plus 2 tablespoons)
1 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 cup milk

I c i n g

2 cups confectioners sugar
food coloring….of your choice
4 tablespoons water

M a s c a r p o n e F r o s t i n g

4 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup confectioners sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

M e t h o d

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl beat together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well. Add the vanilla, then sift in the flour and baking powder. Mix well while adding the milk a little at a time. You should have a thick and creamy batter.

Spoon the batter into paper cupcake liners. Make sure to only spoon in enough so the cake does not puff up above the liner top when baked. The icing sits on the top nicely when the finished cake is level with the top of the liner. Place the liners into a muffin tin and bake for 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

For the icing, put the confectioners sugar in a mixing bowl with a few drops of food coloring. Gradually stir in approximately 4 tablespoons of cold water and stir until your have a smooth, yet thick consistency. Drop about one teaspoon of icing on top of each cake and smooth around with the back of the spoon. (If the icing starts to thicken too much add a little more water to thin it out.) Sprinkle any decorations on before the icing dries.

For the mascarpone frosting, using a mixer fitted with a whisk, mix Mascarpone cheese and butter until light and fluffy. Add the confectioners sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until well mixed.

Makes about 18.