apple galette
February 3, 2014 § 51 Comments
After baking this blueberry crostata I experimented using other fruits hoping to get the same heavenly results. However, my efforts fell short when I tried to make an apple crostata; it turned out very dry and so did my enthusiasm. I gave up, until two weeks ago when I read this gorgeous post from The Rustic Plate and knew I had to try one more time to get it right.
I really love making this type of “pie” considering it is both rustic and quite frankly…couldn’t be easier to put together. The galette was nicely moistened by the apricot preserves and baked without butter. Keep it on the lighter side or serve with vanilla ice cream, lightly sweetened softly whipped cream or a dollop of creme fraiche, either alone or stirred into whipped cream.
Please visit Serena’s beautiful blog and see her wonderfully photographed steps in making this galette.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- zest of a full lemon
- 1/4 cup apricot preserves
- a little milk for brushing the pastry dough
- a sprinkling of sugar on the edges of pastry dough
- basic pie crust recipe
M e t h o d
Preheat oven to 450°F. Place the apple slices in a bowl with the sugar and lemon zest. Mix well and set aside. Roll out your pie dough and place on parchment paper lined baking tray. Cover the center of the round with ¼ cup of apricot preserves, leaving a 1 – 1 ½ inch border plain. Starting from the outermost circle, begin to arrange the apple slices in a circular fashion, overlapping them slightly. Most likely you will create three overlapping circles of apple slices. Fold the crust over and around the edges to make a circle. Brush the crust with milk and give it a light sprinkling of sugar.
Lower the oven temperature to 425°F. Place the galette into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 375°F and continue baking until the crust is nice and golden, approximately 30 minutes.
pan-roasted chicken with harissa chickpeas
January 27, 2014 § 60 Comments
This recipe comes from the January issue of Bon Appétit Magazine. One look at the photograph and I was instantly reaching for my shopping list to add harissa paste and chickpeas. For those who are not familiar with harissa, it is a North African hot chili blend whose main ingredients are red roasted pepper, serrano peppers and other hot chili peppers, spices and herbs such as coriander and caraway, and with the additional of oil becomes a paste. I found a delightful jar of harissa paste at our market which included sun dried tomatoes. Harissa is a great shortcut ingredient to flavor, but apparently no two jars are the same. Taste first-if it seems very spicy, use a bit less. You can always stir more into the chickpeas when the dish is finished. You may find harissa paste available at some specialty stores or online. Or, follow this link for a simple method to make your own.
We were completely head over heels with both the flavor and texture of this entrée. The dish went together beautifully and you can be certain this will be in high rotation here in our house. Served with hot naan…
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 skin-on, bone-in chicken thighs
- kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2-15 ounce cans chickpeas, rinsed
- 1/4 cup harissa paste
- 1/2 cup chicken stock
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- lemon wedges, for serving
Preheat oven to 425°F. Heat oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Cook chicken until browned, about 5 minutes per side., transfer to a plate. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings from pan. Add onion and garlic, cook, stirring often until softened, about 3 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring until beginning to darken, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas, harissa and broth and bring to a simmer. Nestle chicken, skin side up, in chickpeas. Transfer skillet to oven. Roast until chicken is cooked through, 20-25 minutes. Top with parsley and serve with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
mexican chocolate pound cake
January 23, 2014 § 68 Comments
Mexican chocolate cake is a surprisingly delicious spicy cake if you are looking for something to do with your bundt pan.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 1 – 8oz. chocolate bar, chopped
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1/2 cup chocolate syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground chile powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Powdered sugar – optional
Preheat oven to 325°. Melt the chocolate bar. Beat butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer 2 minutes or until creamy. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating 5 to 7 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition. Stir in melted chocolate, chocolate syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients; add to butter mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture. Beat at low speed just until blended after each addition. Pour batter into a buttered and floured bundt pan. Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan to wire rack, and let cool completely (about 1 hour and 30 minutes). Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.
roasted delicata squash
January 20, 2014 § 50 Comments
I usually always buy butternut when I get the inkling to buy winter squash. How butternut became my squash by default is not a mystery. It’s nutty, buttery, and the aroma is mild when you slice it in half. No matter how you cook it (boiled into a creamy soup, roasted until caramelized or baked and whirled into a smooth and soothing butternut purée) butternut squash has always been my favorite. Shopping at the squash display the other day I made a decision to break out and try something new. I decided to buy three delicata, one for each of us.
Buttery, nutty and no need to peel! The thin skin makes preparation easier than most winter squash. After roasting, the skin can be eaten with the flesh, providing a nice contrast in texture.
Try this savory roasted delicata squash. It just may become your new favorite gourd too.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 1 delicata squash, per person
- 1 tablespoon melted butter, per squash
- 1/3 sweet onion, quartered, per person
- 1 sprig thyme, per person
- sea salt and pepper
M e t h o d
Preheat oven to 425°F. Slice squash in half lengthwise, remove the seeds, trim the ends off and chop into bite size pieces. Place all ingredients in a bowl and toss. Place on a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, toss around and roast for 15-20 additional minutes until nice and golden.
penne con pancetta e crema
January 13, 2014 § 64 Comments
Penne with bacon and cream. This is what we had for dinner the other night instead of macaroni and cheese. On a freezing late afternoon my teenage son mentioned how “cozy” it was in the house and he wanted a bowl of macaroni and cheese. We checked the refrigerator and did not have enough of the right type of cheese. However, what we did find was a bag of cremini mushrooms, bacon and some heavy whipping cream. I know, it’s the New Year and we are suppose to be eating light. How do you tell that to a 15 year old young man who eats constantly?! He agreed with the prospect of this combination and I was happily pulling the pots out as well as the chopping block.
Perhaps the combination and texture of this sauce would be better with another pasta shape. I only had penne on hand so finely chopping the mushrooms helped the bits find their way into the pasta tubes. This is another recipe inspired by the late Marcella Hazen.
If you are craving a comforting carbonara type sauce this is it. Eggless and wonderful.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 shallot, finely chopped
- 3 or 4 good quality bacon slices, finely chopped
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 pound good quality pasta
F o r t o s s i n g t h e p a s t a
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese
- reserved pasta liquid (if needed)
Wash, dry and finely chop mushrooms and set aside. Place a large skillet on medium heat and add the butter and finely chopped shallots, cook until soft. Turn up the heat and add the mushrooms. Stir thoroughly to coat well. Add salt and a few grindings of pepper, turn up the heat to allow the liquid from the mushrooms to boil away, stirring frequently. Turn the heat back down to medium, add the bacon and stir while it cook for about a minute or two. Add the cream and cook just long enough for the cream to become reduced and slightly thickened. Taste and correct for salt and pepper. Turn off the heat. Set aside.
Choose an enameled cast-iron or other flameproof serving pan that can later contain all the pasta without piling it high. Put in the 2 tablespoons of butter and 1/4 cup cream for tossing the pasta, and turn on the heat to low. When the butter melts, stir to amalgamate it with the cream, then turn off the heat.
Drain the pasta when done, reserving one cup of the liquid. Transfer the pasta to the serving pan containing butter and cream. Turn on the heat to low, toss the noodles, turning them thoroughly to coat them well. Add half of the mushroom sauce, tossing it with the noodles. Add the 1/2 cup parmesan, toss again, and turn off the heat. Pour the remainder of the mushroom sauce over the pasta. Check for dryness and add a bit of the cooking liquid if necessary. Serve at once right out of the pan, with additional parmesan on the side.
Serves 4-6
rye whiskey banana bread
January 6, 2014 § 70 Comments
I know, it’s the new year and we should be cutting back on spirits. However, with three overly ripe bananas and this jacked-up banana bread recipe from Smitten Kitchen I just had to indulge with just two more tablespoons of rye whiskey, to be exact. It’s a fabulous post over at Smitten Kitchen and you really should go read it and then bake some banana bread. No mixer required, just smash and mix with a wooden spoon. And, if you notice there is only 3/4 cup of light brown sugar. This bread is naturally sweetened with overly ripe bananas. My kind of sweet bread.
I n g r e d i e n t s
3 to 4 ripe bananas, smashed
1/3 cup melted salted butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons rye whiskey (not optional, well, ok…optional)
1 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
Pinch of ground cloves
1 1/2 cups flour
Preheat the oven to 350°F. With a wooden spoon, mix butter into the smashed bananas in a large mixing bowl. Mix in the sugar, egg, vanilla, rye whiskey and then the spices. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the mixture and mix in. Add the flour, mix. Pour mixture into a buttered loaf pan. Bake for 50 minutes to one hour, or until a tester comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Remove from pan and slice to serve.
parmesan chicken cutlets
December 30, 2013 § 52 Comments
Impressive and expeditious are two adjectives which come to mind when describing these crispy, tender chicken cutlets. You may ask your butcher to slice your chicken breasts into cutlets and it will not only save you time but also angst if your knife skills are below par. Serve with fresh squeezed lemon and a pinch of sea salt. The market featured elegantly thin asparagus spears. Served steamed with a dilled mustard sauce, which was wonderful with the cutlets too! Dilled mustard sauce recipe below.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- ¾ cup flour
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 small skinless, boneless chicken cutlets (about 1½ lb. total), pounded to ¼” thickness
- 8 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 lemon cut in half
M e t h o d
Place flour in a shallow bowl. Beat eggs in a second bowl. Combine panko, parmesan, and mustard powder in a third bowl and season mixture with salt and pepper.
Dredge the chicken in flour, shaking off any excess. Transfer to bowl with beaten egg and turn to coat. Lift from bowl, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Coat with panko mixture, pressing to adhere.
Heat olive oil in a large heavy skillet or a cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook cutlets until golden brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer cutlets to a paper towel–lined plate and season with salt.
Serve with lemon and dilled mustard sauce.
d i l l e d m u s t a r d s a u c e
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1/3 cup mustard of choice
- 2 heaping teaspoons freshly minced dill
- 2 heaping teaspoons freshly minced chives
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
soft goat cheese and fennel pie
December 23, 2013 § 68 Comments
We prepared this savory pie for dinner the other night and if you are in need of an aromatherapy session this is your answer. Your whole house will have a lovely scent of fennel and roasted walnuts. It is perfect for a casual weekend lunch or as a vegetarian option for entertaining. We enjoy a savory pie for breakfast on Christmas morning. You can make it the night before, refrigerate and reheat in the morning. Awww the smell…
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 3 fennel bulbs, cut into thin wedges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 7 oz. soft goat cheese, roughly crumbled
- 1/2 cup walnut halves
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 light cream
- 2 tablespoon chopped scallions
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- your basic regular pie crust recipe
M e t h o d
Preheat oven 350°F. Put the fennel bulb wedges on a roasting pan, add the olive oil, and season well with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes, turning after 20 minutes, until golden and tender. Let cool to room temperature. Prepare your pie crust while the fennel is in the oven roasting.
Once the fennel has cooled arrange onto the pie shell and scatter the cheese and walnuts randomly over and in between the pieces of fennel. Put the eggs, cream, and scallions in a bowl. Whisk with a fork to combine, season well and pour over the fennel. Bake in the still-hot oven for about 45 minutes, until golden on top. Serve the pie at room temperature. Delicious with a lightly dressed arugula salad on the side.
potato soup with smothered onions
December 16, 2013 § 38 Comments
Here it is. The best potato soup I have ever eaten. Honestly. And it comes to us from the late Marcella Hazen. The potatoes produced a naturally thick and creamy texture and along with the well cooked onions and Parmesan cheese this soup became an endearing flavorful mid week dinner on a freezing December evening. We served it with a rustic olive baguette. If you are a fortunate owner of this fine cookbook you will find this recipe on page 96.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 2 pounds boiling potatoes
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds onions, sliced very thin
- salt
- 3 1/2 cups stock
- 3 tablespoons freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving
- 1 tablespoon chopped parsley
M e t h o d
Peel the potatoes, cut them into 1/2 inch cubes. Rinse in cold water and set aside. Put the butter, oil, all the sliced onions and a healthy pinch of salt in a soup pot, and turn on the heat to medium. Do not cover the pot. Cook the onions at a slow pace, stirring occasionally, until they have wilted an become colored a pale brown. Add the diced potatoes, turn up the heat to high and sauté the potatoes briskly, turning them in the onions to coat them well. Add the stock, cover the pot, and adjust the heat so that the stock comes to a slow, steady boil. When the potatoes are very tender, press most of them against the side of the pot with a long wooden spoon. Stir thoroughly and cook for another 8 to 10 minutes. If you find the soup becoming too thick, add up to a ladleful of stock.
Before turning off the heat, swirl in the grated parmesan and the parsley, then taste and correct for salt. Ladle into individual plates or bowls and serve with additional grated cheese on the side.
roasted cabbage with bacon
December 9, 2013 § 61 Comments
While trimming brussels sprouts for roasting last week I had a thought. These little gems are mini cabbages and I wondered if roasting a giant cabbage would be just as delicious. I have eaten cabbage steamed, stewed, sautéed, braised, pickled in brine, and even raw in slaws, but never roasted. And without a doubt adding a few bacon lardons would be delicious. Indeed.
The texture of the cabbage was soft and the bacon crunchy. The combination of the roasted bacon and the sweetness of the cabbage was truly one of the best things I tasted in quite some time. I could not quit eating the crispy charred bits of cabbage before bringing it to the table. Served with parmesan chicken cutlets. Recipe coming…next post.
I n g r e d i e n t s
- 1/2 head of cabbage, sliced 1/4 inch
- 3 slices of good quality thick cut bacon, sliced 1/4 inch
- drizzling of olive oil
- sea salt & pepper
Preheat oven 450°F. Put all ingredients in a large bowl and toss until well coated. Spread evenly onto a large parchment lined baking tray. Roast for 30 – 40 minutes turning regularly using a spatula, until well roasted and bacon is crisp, yet still meaty.
Serves 4
COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE 