kitchen | COTTAGE GROVE HOUSE

spring vegetable risotto with a poached egg

March 19, 2014 § 73 Comments

Here is delicious spring risotto recipe. Crispy fennel, sweet nutty cremini mushrooms, garlic and spring leeks all together with creamy Parmigiano-Reggiano risotto and an egg on top. My last recipe I posted had an egg on top too! Must be the warm spring air and the thought of chicken’s laying fresh eggs giving me inspiration. Or maybe it’s because I have cut back a bit on my meat consumption and the eggs are a source of protein I so often crave. Whatever the reason it doesn’t matter because honestly, the egg was a love match with this risotto. A perfect union.

Risotto can seem so daunting to prepare. Standing over a pot midweek and continuously stirring for twenty minutes can seem a bit much for some. However, once all the ingredients are chopped and prepped it is quite effortless. There is something to be said about being organized in the kitchen. It certainly makes for a much better cooking experience and this goes together quite smoothly when you gather all your ingredients and prep them before heating your pot.

Refashioned from Bon Appétit… serves 4, generously.

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
4 large fresh eggs
6 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1/4 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 large leeks, white only, chopped
1 fennel bulb, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1 cup dry white wine
handful of baby spinach leaves, cleaned and dried
2 cups of fresh or frozen (thawed) peas
2 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for shaving
1/4 cup fresh chives, snipped
Freshly ground black pepper

M e t h o d

Bring a large skillet of salted water to a bare simmer over medium-low heat. Add vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small bowl, then slide into simmering water. Repeat with 3 more eggs. Cook until whites are cooked but yolks are runny, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer eggs to a bowl of ice water.

Bring stock to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and keep warm. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large, wide heavy pot over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to bowl.
Heat oil and remaining 1 tablespoon butter in same pot over medium heat. Add leeks, fennel, and garlic. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes. Add rice and stir to coat, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook, stirring occasionally, until evaporated, about 4 minutes. Add 1 cup broth. Cook, stirring often (no need to stir constantly), until broth is almost absorbed. Add remaining broth by ladlefuls, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more, stirring often, until rice is tender but still firm to the bite and mixture is creamy, about 20 minutes total. Add spinach, greek yogurt, 1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, snipped chives, peas and mushrooms to risotto. Cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is wilted and cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Season risotto with salt. A few minutes before risotto is done, reheat poached eggs in a large skillet of simmering water, about 1 minute. Divide risotto among bowls and top with eggs, shaved Parmigiano-Reggiano, chives, and pepper.

spice crusted carrots with harissa yogurt

March 10, 2014 § 85 Comments

Our weather is warming up and for the past three or four days I have shifted from preparing chickpea stews, Mexican casseroles and pasta to fixing lighter vegetable dishes, salads and grains. For dinner last night we had a wonderful braised tofu and spice crusted carrots with harissa yogurt.

What was so impressive about this Bon Appétit recipe was the crusted texture of the carrots, the flavor of smoked paprika, sweetness from a trace of sugar and a lots of lemon zest. Complex flavor; simple in preparation.

My preparation is slightly modified from the original Bon Appétit recipe. I cut back on the sugar and did not rub the skins off of the carrots.

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1 teaspoon hot smoked Spanish paprika
1 teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon ground coriander
4 tablespoons olive oil
½ cup plain Greek yogurt
1 tablespoon harissa paste
2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
zest from 1/2 lemon

M e t h o d

Cook carrots in a large pot of boiling salted water until tender. Drain. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking. Using paper towels, gently pat dry. The Bon Appétit recipe recommends using a paper towel to gently rub the skins off of the carrots. We used organic carrots and left the skins on.

Mix sugar, mustard powder, paprika, cumin, and coriander in a small bowl. Toss carrots with 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium bowl. Add spice mixture and season with salt and pepper. Toss to coat.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet. Working in batches, cook carrots, turning occasionally, until deep brown all over, 6–8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, place yogurt in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add harissa paste, 2 teaspoons thyme, lemon zest and gently swirl ingredients, stopping before yogurt turns pink.
Spoon harissa yogurt onto plates and top with carrots, more thyme, and more lemon zest. Serve with lemon wedges.

asparagus gruyère tart

March 5, 2014 § 119 Comments

Asparagus is making it debut in the markets right now and for me it is the first sign of spring! Here is a delicious spring-like tart recipe for you to make. Although it takes just minutes to put together, this savory tart makes an impressive appetizer, brunch or in our case a late afternoon refreshment. You could even serve it as a main course with a simple green salad or it is a lovely choice to “take along” to a friend’s for a potluck.

Scoring the dough: Use a sharp knife to ensure that the edges rise evenly; prickling the center of the pastry with a fork keeps it from puffing up too high as it bakes.

I n g r e d i e n t s

flour, for work surface
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed according to package instructions
5-1/2 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese
1-1/2 pounds medium or thick asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
coarse salt and fresh ground pepper

M e t h o d

Preheat oven to 400°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the puff pastry into an approximate 16×10 inch rectangle. Place the pastry on a baking sheet. Using a sharp knife, lightly score the dough 1 inch in from the edges to mark a rectangle. Using a fork, pierce the dough inside the markings at half-inch intervals. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes.

Remove the pastry from the oven and sprinkle with the cheese. Trim the bottoms of the asparagus spears to fit crosswise inside the tart shell; arrange in a single layer over the cheese, alternating ends and tips. Brush with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake until the spears are tender, 20 to 25 minutes.

tabbouleh

February 28, 2014 § 90 Comments

If you are experiencing winter right now wouldn’t you agree this is the time of the year when you start dreaming of fresh peas, forget-me-nots, asparagus, mint and chives? Well, the forget-me-nots are barely peeking from the soil out back and I haven’t seen fresh peas yet. I did get a glimpse of some good looking thin asparagus stalks at the market the other day. We are just not quite there yet. It is still cold, snowy, windy, rainy, and dormant.

The other day I was reading a post from lucysfriendlyfoods and when I saw her tabbouleh post I had that glorious feeling spring is here. We may not be there yet, but why not make a nice fresh herbal salad with little tomatoes and roasted chickpeas. Yes, the same roasted chickpeas I posted just the other day. My understanding of tabbouleh is the cracked wheat (bulgur) is meant to be more of a garnish and the herbs play a larger role as the main ingredient. Tabbouleh should be considered a green herbal salad with a touch of cracked wheat. Thank you lucylox for inspiring a pre-spring salad! Now, I’m off to Fiesta Friday, as usual a little late. See you there! And thank you for the spoon Elena!

I n g r e d i e n t s

1/2 cup bulgur wheat
2 cups water
1 bunch of parsley, finely chopped
Small bunch of mint, finely chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped (or less depending desired taste)
10 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

M e t h o d

Place the bulgur in a medium size bowl with 2 cups of boiling water. Allow it to sit and absorb the liquid. Once liquid is absorbed and bulgur has become soft, place in a sieve and remove any remaining excess water. Place the bulgur in a serving bowl and fluff up with a fork. Pour over the lemon, oil and salt. Mix well. Stir in the parsley, mint, onion and tomatoes. Toss well and serve at room temperature, topped with crispy roasted chickpeas.

crispy roasted chickpeas

February 26, 2014 § 86 Comments

There is a friendly little wine bar close to our house we like to visit on occasion. They serve wine on tap. Apparently, this not only means no waste, but it means taking less of a toll on the environment; less transportation and manufacturing costs, less fuel emissions and no glass and corks heading to the landfill. Seattle is a very environmentally friendly city and needless to say wine on tap is a fair concept for most of us. Well, I prefer wine from an oak barrel. But then, I don’t go along for the wine, it’s the ambiance of the place and more importantly…the crispy roasted chickpeas they serve as an appetizer.

Crispy roasted chickpeas is not a new idea, but a revisited idea. If you haven’t made them, do. If you have made them and it’s been awhile, do it again.

I found a chickpea brand and was pleasantly surprised when I opened the can and found the skins were already taken off of them. Otherwise, to easily remove the skin rub the chickpeas with your fingers in a bowl filled with water. The chickpea skins will float to the top, and you can pour them off to drain. You may use any spice you would like. Experiment! The first time I made these I used sweet smoked paprika and haven’t even considered using anything else.

Here’s the recipe and be warned, you will not stop eating them once your start.

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and dried
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
choice of spices, I used sweet smoked paprika

M e t h o d

Preheat the oven to 400° F. If you open your cans and find the skins on the chickpeas, place the chickpeas in a large bowl and fill with water. Rub the chickpeas with your fingers gently to remove the skins. The skins will float to the surface of the water, pour them off the side of the bowl. Drain the chickpeas and dry well with paper towels. Toss to coat the chickpeas with the olive oil, spices, and sea salt. Spread the chickpeas in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 30-40 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through, until golden and crispy. Enjoy right away while they are warm and crispy!

Serves 4, as an appetizer.

roasted butternut squash on polenta

February 24, 2014 § 79 Comments

There are many ways to prepare polenta and because of all the dos and don’ts that come with cooking it some folks are far too trepidatious to try. I am here to tell you if you haven’t made polenta yet, it is time. It really is simple and you will be rewarded with a bowl of luscious polenta and never be intimated again. If you are interested in a lighter rustic polenta follow this cooking method. Otherwise, here is a recipe for an unforgettably creamy polenta. Be warned…it has lots of butter, milk and Parmesan cheese. And giving credit where it is due, this polenta recipe comes from the barefoot contessa, believe me, I could never dream up a recipe for such a rich delicious polenta like this.

I n g r e d i e n t s

For the butternut squash

1 butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes
2 tablespoons olive oil
salt & pepper

For the creamy polenta

1 stick unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups half-and-half
2 cups milk
2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup good quality freshly grated Parmesan
handful of torn parsley leaves

M e t h o d

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place butternut squash in a bowl with 2 tablespoons olive oil, salt and pepper and coat well. Place on a baking sheet in one layer and bake for 30 minutes or until your squash is soft and the edges are a bit caramelized.

Heat the butter and olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, rosemary, salt, and pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add the chicken stock, half-and-half, and milk and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and slowly sprinkle the cornmeal into the hot milk while stirring constantly with a whisk. Return the pot to a low heat and cook, stirring constantly, for a few minutes, until thickened and bubbly. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan.

Pour the polenta onto a serving dish and top with butternut squash, parsley and freshly grated Parmesan.

tiramisù

February 20, 2014 § 77 Comments

There are loads of tiramisu recipes out there, but this one, borrowed from Jovina from jovinacooksitalian is straightforward and when you have a teenage boy with a love for chocolate, but not a love for coffee, this is your cake. No coffee in this tiramisu. The best part, it has only six ingredients and after mixing you simply put it in the refrigerator for two hours. A refrigerator cake…

I brought the ingredients home a couple of days before and let me just say we have all heard stories of mother’s who hide cookies and treats in the house so the kids don’t eat them all in one sitting. Although I have been surprised to see a whole package of chips devoured in a blink of an eye, for the most part, I would rather not hide refreshments from the young man. Now, as case in point, the ladyfingers. He found the ladyfingers in the cupboard and was having a sweet time dipping them in milk, just long enough for perfect absorption and he was already a half a dozen in when I discovered his fun. My first thought, the tiramisu! He looked up at me and said, “These are great! What are they?” and then proceeded to happily give me a lesson on how to perfectly time the dipping without letting the cookie dissolve in the milk. I sat down and dipped one, perfectly timed of course and yes! he’s right, they are delicious! Then his friend stopped over and joined in. At this point I relinquished my tiramisu idea, well at least until I run to the market and load up on ladyfingers. Oh, and it was Valentine’s Day. Yes, this was going to be my “special” Valentine’s dessert. Perhaps a bowl of leftover ladyfingers on the table after dinner will suffice.

When it was all said and done we were only down by eight, yes, I counted. I made the tiramisu anyway and it was wonderful. The process is so easy; melted chocolate, mascarpone and heavy cream whipped, chilled and dusted with cocoa. And lady fingers, don’t forget the layers of lady fingers. Silky, creamy, chocolatey and rich; it was like eating the centers out of a half-dozen truffles and we loved it. Thank you lovely Jovina for the recipe and the inspiration to make a dessert I have loved for many years.

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
8 ounces mascarpone cheese, room temperature
3/4 cup powdered sugar
24 ladyfinger cookies (from a 7-ounce package)

M e t h o d

In a medium bowl, mix cocoa powder with 1 1/2 cups very hot water until dissolved; set cocoa mixture aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, place 1/4 cup cream and chocolate; microwave in 1-minute increments and stir until melted. Cool to room temperature.

Transfer cooled chocolate mixture to a mixing bowl; add cheese and sugar. Using an electric mixer, beat until blended. Add remaining cream; beat filling until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Spread 1 cup of chocolate filling in the bottom of a 2-quart serving dish. One at a time, dip 6 ladyfingers in cocoa mixture, then arrange in a single layer in the bottom of the dish; spread with 1 cup of chocolate filling. Repeat with three more layers, ending with filling. Cover tiramisu and refrigerate at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days). Dust with cocoa powder or shaved chocolate before serving.

spicy beans and wilted greens stew

February 17, 2014 § 85 Comments

It is windy, cold and raining buckets and as you can imagine a spicy chickpea stew is perfect for this type of weather. Each spoonful unites the earthy nutty sweetness of chickpeas and spunky soulful taste of mustard greens, heat from the chile’s and rounding out the whole, a subtle undertone of rosemary. This stew is a breeze to make and keeps well for several days in the refrigerator. I suppose in the spirit of beans ‘n greens, swapping the ingredients and using white beans, kale. collard greens or chard would be just as effective in producing a delicious cold night vegetarian stew.

You may save cooking time by using chickpeas in a can. Two 15 ounce cans shall be equivalent to 1 pound dried and soaked chickpeas. We served our stew with a baguette, which when dunked was out of this world.

I n g r e d i e n t s

¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
2 jalapeño chiles, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic thinly sliced
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
1 sprig rosemary
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 parmesan rind, plus grated parmesan for serving
1 pound dried chickpeas, soaked overnight, drained
1 bunch kale or mustard greens, ribs and stems removed, leaves coarsely chopped
1 bunch large flat-leaf spinach, trimmed, coarsely chopped
4 cups trimmed arugula, divided
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

M e t h o d

Heat olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium heat. Cook chiles and garlic, stirring occasionally, until garlic is soft, about 4 minutes. Add onion, celery and rosemary sprig. Increase heat to medium-high and cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is very soft and golden brown, 8–10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add Parmesan rind, chickpeas and 10 cups water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally and adding more water as needed, until beans soften up, 3–4 hours.
Lightly crush some beans to give stew a creamy consistency. Mix in mustard greens, spinach, and half of arugula; Taste, season with salt and pepper if needed. Cook until greens are wilted, 5–8 minutes. Toss in remaining arugula with lemon juice. Divide stew among bowls and top with arugula, freshly grated parmesan and a drizzle of oil.

orecchiette with brown butter, sausage and rapini

February 13, 2014 § 84 Comments

I tried really hard to hold off on posting another pasta recipe for awhile, and I think I did pretty good! The last pasta post was 30+ days ago on January 13th. You could almost call this a pasta blog. After all there are now 23 pasta recipes posted and a few in the drafts waiting patiently for their time in the spotlight. This one is good. Orecchiette with brown butter, sausage and rapini; a flawless combination.

Orecchiette has always been a favorite of mine. The young man of the house refers to them appropriately as “helmets”. The shapes are perfect little cups holding bits of delicious sauce in every bite. Rather than pork, we tend to lean toward using chicken sausage and this was an especially fine hot Italian sort.

Rapini, aka broccoli rabe, has gently spiked tender leaves that surround clusters of green buds that resemble small heads of broccoli. The flavor of rapini has been described as nutty, bitter, and pungent. This is a very simple sauté that would be delicious with any other type of hearty leafy green such as kale, mustard greens or chard. Eat more leafy greens! … even if butter is involved.

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 pound orecchiette
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound hot Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
1/2 bunch rapini, de-stemmed and roughly chopped
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (or more according to desire)
1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, plus a little more for garnish

M e t h o d

Using a large pot, bring salted water to boil. Cook pasta according to timed instructions until al dente. Drain and reserve at least a 1 cup of pasta water. Set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat in a large sauté pan. Cook until browned a little, approximately 5 minutes. Put all except a 1 tablespoon of the butter into a small bowl. Return pan to heat, and add sausage. Cook until brown, while breaking up with a spoon. Add rapini and red pepper flakes to pan. Seasoning with salt and pepper and cook until wilted, 5-7 minutes, covering if necessary.

Add pasta to sausage and greens, then add pasta water, reserved butter and Parmigiano Reggiano and toss to coat. Serve immediately with additional Parmigiano Reggiano and red pepper flakes.

bean steak molé with queso fresco polenta

February 10, 2014 § 80 Comments

Several weeks ago I acquired an appetite for spicy Mexican flavors and it has yet to be satiated. If you have visited my blog recently you may have noticed the “heat is on”! But that’s ok because the recipients of my cooking happen to love spicy latin cuisine. Taco’s of various sort have been on high rotation as well as loads of guacamole and homemade salsas. Nontheless, last Sunday was a big day for us here in the Seattle area. Our home team, the Seahawks, made it to the Super Bowl and I really wanted to prepare something special to celebrate. Here it is. Bean steak molé.

To truly appreciate Mexican cuisine, you must embrace the chile. The piquant peppers enliven dishes with their sweetness and heat. The heat in this molé surfaces from two types of chile’s. This recipe calls for chipotle in adobo, which is smoked jalapeños in a tangy sauce and pasilla, a dark colored medium hot chile. Pasilla is a rich flavored chile, perfect for sauces and can be found dried and after rehydrating blended into a paste. The sauce is thickened with black beans, and little bits of crushed toasted almonds provide a gentle crunch for texture, and to top off the heat is a hint of dark chocolate. Molé is wonderful served with warm homemade tortillas. We served ours with a creamy polenta seasoned with green chiles and queso fresco. Success! Both the molé and the Seahawks!

I n g r e d i e n t s

1 dried pasilla chile pepper
1 – 15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 cup toasted almonds
2 chipotle chile pepper in adobo sauce
2 – 3 tablespoons adobo sauce
1 ounce dark chocolate, chopped
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds skirt or flank steak
2 green onions, sliced

M e t h o d

In a small bowl pour boiling water over the pasilla chile pepper. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain chile pepper; remove and discard stem and seeds. Transfer chile to a blender or food processor. Add black beans, almonds, chipotle chile peppers, adobo sauce, and chocolate. Blend or process until smooth. Add chicken stock, a little at a time, blending well after each addition; set aside.

In a skillet heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook about 5 minutes or until onion is tender, stirring often. Transfer onion mixture to blender/processor with molé blend/process 1 minute more. Transfer molé sauce to a saucepan; set aside.

Preheat broiler. Score a diamond pattern on both sides of steak. Rub steak with olive oil and sprinkle a little salt & pepper on each side. Place steak in an ungreased baking pan. Broil steak 4 or 5 inches from the heat for 5 minutes, turning once. Transfer steak to a cutting board and let stand for 5 minutes.

Bring molé to a simmer stirring often. Thinly slice steak across the grain; add slices to the molé and simmer for 30 minutes or so.

Serve molé over warm queso fresco polenta. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro or green onions.

Q u e s o F r e s c o P o l e n t a

I n g r e d i e n t s

2 cups of chicken stock
2 1/2 cups milk (I use whole)
1 – 4 ounce can diced green chiles, undrained
1 tablespoon freshly diced oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup polenta or coarse cornmeal
3/4 cup crumbled quesco fresco cheese

M e t h o d

In a saucepan combine chicken stock, milk, diced green chiles, oregano, salt and bring to boiling. Gradually add polenta, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low. Cook, uncovered, for 5 to 10 minutes or until thickened. Stir in quesco fresco. Add a little more milk to achieve desired consistency. Remove from heat. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

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