POACHED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON AND PISTACHIOS

Posted in Cookbook Reviews, Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly, Veggies by sallybr

I have a cookbook recommendation for you: Rose Water and Orange Blossoms, by Maureen Abood, who runs a gorgeous food blog I’ve been following for a while. As I browsed through my Kindle version, I was surprised by the number of recipes I bookmarked, a feature I love in the Kindle reader, actually. Makes it so easy to go back to favorites. So I did that A LOT. I also love when a cookbook mixes just the right amount of prose. Don’t make each recipe a reason to pour your soul out and tell me all about your childhood and that of your close friends, but give me enough to dream about, to make me understand why that recipe is special for you, special enough that you chose to include in your cookbook. Maureen does just that. The first recipe I made from her cookbook is simple yet very elegant. Poached white asparagus with pistachios. She used pistachio oil to drizzle the dish, I decided to go with my recent acquisition, a blood orange-infused olive oil. I am quite fond of its color, a soft reddish tone, and I think the taste matched the white asparagus very well.

POACHED WHITE ASPARAGUS WITH LEMON AND PISTACHIO OIL
(from the cookbook Rose Water and Orange Blossoms)
reprinted with permission from Maureen Abood

Makes 4 servings

1 pound / 450 g white asparagus
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons shelled roasted, salted pistachios
4 teaspoons pistachio oil (I used blood orange infused olive oil)
Fine sea salt, to finish

Trim the asparagus by snapping the ends off at their natural break. Peel them from just beneath the tip to the end with a vegetable peeler. Cover the asparagus with water in a large sauté pan. Squeeze the lemon into the pan and add the teaspoon of salt.

Cover the pan and bring the water to a boil, and then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until a spear can be easily cut with a knife and fork. Drain and set the asparagus aside to cool. Remove the thin papery skin on each pistachio to reveal the bright green nut underneath by rubbing the skin off of each nut between your fingers and thumb. Coarsely chop the pistachios.

Divide the asparagus among four individual salad plates, or pile them, all facing the same direction, on a platter. Sprinkle the pistachios across the center of the asparagus crosswise, forming a line. Drizzle everything with pistachio oil, and finish with the sea salt.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: White asparagus will always make me think of a trip to Germany many years ago. We were living in Paris at the time, and went for a little scientific mission to a couple of cities in Germany. We arrived at the peak of asparagus season and one restaurant in particular had pretty much all dishes centered on them. I still remember a gratin of white asparagus and ham that blew my mind, it was superb! Until I got Maureen’s book, I confess to butchering my share of white asparagus when trying to cook them at home. It never occurred to me that these pale white creatures need to be treated differently from their siblings, the ones allowed to grow under full sun. Maureen gives two simple tips for success: peel them all the way from the bottom to the region right below the tips. And cook them gently but for a longer time. I was amazed at the difference these two little modifications brought to my culinary life.

Now, back to Maureen’s book. So many dishes I want to cook from it, it’s not even funny… Doesn’t “Flower Water Syrup” make you go in a dreamy daze? Many of her recipes are simple but join unexpected flavors, leaving you with that feeling of “why didn’t I think of that?” For instance, Warm Dates with Almonds and Lime Zest… I just know it will be an amazing recipe. Or… Tahini Avocado? Za’atar Roasted Tomatoes? It all sounds perfect. And to me, nothing is better than a great kibbeh, I love it. She shares her classic version of Baked Kibbeh, and one particular recipe I had a few times in Brazil and find spectacular: Yoghurt-Poached Kibbeh. You may think it is strange, but trust me, it is the best kind. I guess I was lucky to grow up in São Paulo where we have many great Lebanese restaurants, some pretty close to the university where I studied. Still on the kibbeh front, Maureen offers several variations that were unknown to me: Fried Kibbeh with Mint Butter, Vegan Tomato Kibbeh, and Potato & Spinach Kibbeh. But I will tell you what will be my next recipe for sure: Whipped Hummus with Minced Lamb. One little tip she gives in that recipe is worth my weight in chickpeas. But I share no more. You will have to invite her book to join your collection, and that will be a very wise move. Go for it with a simple click here.

Maureen, thank you for allowing me to publish your recipe, and best of luck with your cookbook!

ONE YEAR AGO: Dan Lepard’s Saffron Bloomer

TWO YEARS AGO: Fesenjan & The New Persian Kitchen

THREE YEARS AGO: Quinoa Salad with Roasted Beets

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pasta Puttanesca

FIVE YEARS AGO: Miche Point-a-Calliere

11May2015

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ARTICHOKES AND CAPERS

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

If you are into Paleo recipes, make this dish! If you are not into Paleo recipes, make this dish! Yes, I am a bit bossy today, as a husband and a few graduate students might have noticed. But it’s all with good intentions, as I know what is good for them, for you, and maybe even for myself. The inspiration for this recipe was found in one of my Kindle cookbooks, Make it Paleo II, by Hayley Mason and Bill Staley. They also have a food blog, Primal Palate, with great recipes and youtube videos. I always read the good and the bad reviews of a cookbook before buying it, and one of the reviewers at amazon.com said that this recipe alone was worth getting the book. I made it twice, once exactly as written, but in this post I am sharing my take on it, modified not only in flavor but also in the method itself. In their version, it is all made in a single skillet, but I did not want to turn on the big oven, so after browning the meat I transferred the pieces to a baking dish that fits in our Breville.

CHICKEN THIGHS WITH ARTICHOKES AND CAPERS
(adapted from Make it Paleo II)

6 skin-on chicken thighs, boneless
Sea salt to taste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp za’tar
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 (6-oz) jar artichoke hearts, drained and sliced
1/2 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and drained
2 Tbsp capers
1 lemon, sliced into rounds and quartered

Heat the oven to 425°F. Heat a skillet or cast iron pan over medium heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with a paper towel, removing as much moisture as possible. Season the skin with salt and place them skin side down in the hot skillet. Flip the thighs once they develop a nice brown sear on the skin, which should naturally make them easily release from the pan. Cook the chicken skin side up for 1 minute, then transfer to a baking dish, skin side up. Season evenly with the oregano, za’tar, and more black pepper to taste. Add the artichoke hearts, olives, capers, and lemon slices to the skillet. Place the skillet in the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, until the chicken is fully cooked.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: If you never de-boned a chicken thigh yourself, take a deep breath and try it, because it’s a nice skill to acquire in the kitchen. I don’t know what type of chicken meat your grocery store carries, but where we live I can find bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, and boneless, skinless. The former I use for roasting all the time, but the skinless I reserve for either braises, stir-fries, or grilling (usually after a nice marinade with yogurt or some citric concoction). You absolutely need boneless pieces with the skin on for this recipe, so if you cannot find it, roll your sleeves up and get working. It was a bit of a struggle, but I got better and better as I did it. I watched some videos on youtube to help me with the technique, but most videos available show professional chefs who handle the knife as if they were born with one in their hands. Amazing to watch, but when trying to mimic them, my shortcomings became quite evident. I say take your time, put some soothing music on, and practice. By the way, if you don’t have za’tar, don’t worry. But get some, will you? I must say it’s one of my favorite spice mixtures at the moment. Love it.

Phil is so addicted to my default recipe for chicken thighs, that at first he was disappointed by the different preparation. But, it took him only one bite to say that I should revisit this recipe whenever I feel like it. Two thumbs up! So there you have it, make this dish because I said so, and Sally knows what’s best for everyone. HA!

😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Pea Pancakes with Herbed Yogurt

TWO YEARS AGO: Mushroom Stroganoff

THREE YEARS AGO: Tomato Sourdough

FOUR YEARS AGO: Gamberetti con rucola e pomodori

FIVE YEARS AGO: Flirting with Orzo

8May2015

AS GOOD AS IT GETS… IN SCIENCE

Posted in General by sallybr

Once again our department will be hosting a very special seminar speaker, Dr. Randy Sheckman, from Berkeley, Nobel Laureate of 2013 in Physiology or Medicine, for his work on protein trafficking and secretion in eukaryotic cells.

I am of course delighted that Phil accomplished all the negotiations needed to pull off this type of event. It’s not easy, many hurdles must be dealt with. But his power of negotiation is quite unique and hard to resist. For instance, the first time he hinted at the idea of us hosting a reception in our home in honor of Dr. Sheckman, my answer came quickly: No way we are doing this. Forget it. In your dreams. I don’t want to hear anything about it again.

I inform you that said reception will take place at our home on Monday, and all faculty members interested in meeting Dr. Sheckman were invited to show up.

This weekend, yours truly will be found pacing frantically around the kitchen, preparing for the big event… I have a few things planned, some a bit daring, some inside my comfort zone. I am actually super excited about it, and intend to have a great time getting ready for it! Stay tuned for a full report sometime in the near future… (assuming my mental sanity is not compromised).

6May2015

LAMB SHANKS EN PAPILLOTE WITH CAULIFLOWER-CELERIAC PUREE

Posted in Lamb, Veggies by sallybr

One of Phil’s favorite dishes is a nice, melt-in-your-mouth lamb shank. When we go out for dinner, if the restaurant offers lamb shanks, chances are he will order it. Lamb can be a bit tricky to cook at home. It’s usually not very cheap, so the pressure not to ruin it goes up a couple of notches. Our grocery store sometimes has lamb shanks on sale, but I usually stay away from them. Not this time. The price was too good to resist, and I decided to face the challenge. Brought them home without any specific recipe in mind, which proves I was in full daring mood. A quick search on the net pointed me to this simple and straightforward method from Fine Cooking, that gave me the opportunity to practice the “papillote” thing. It also gave me the opportunity to drive all the way back to the grocery store to get leeks (sigh). To offset the richness of the meat, I served it with a super light side dish, mashed cauliflower and celery root. Honestly, I think the puree might have stolen the show, it was superb!

LAMB SHANK EN PAPILLOTE
(slightly modified from Fine Cooking magazine)
.
4 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
4 medium carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-1/2-inch lengths
4 sprigs fresh rosemary
4 strips orange zest, each about 3 inches long
Crushed red pepper flakes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 lamb shanks (about 1 lb. each)
1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1-1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter, cut into 4 slices
.

Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 300°F.
.
Arrange four 16×16-inch squares of heavy-duty aluminum foil on a work surface. Put one-quarter of the leeks, one-quarter of the carrots, 1 rosemary sprig, and 1 strip of orange zest on each square. Season each with a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. Set aside.
.
Pat the lamb shanks dry and season generously with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering hot. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, brown the shanks on all sides, about 10 minutes total per batch. Transfer 1 shank to each foil square, arranging it on top of the vegetables. Draw up the edges of the foil to capture any juice, but don’t seal the packets yet.
.
Return the skillet to medium heat, add the vermouth, and bring to a simmer, scraping the skillet with a wooden spoon. Remove from the heat. Portion the vermouth evenly among the 4 packets, pouring it over the lamb. Dot each shank with a slice of the butter. Fold the foil to form rectangular packets, sealing the seams tightly. Arrange the packets on a baking sheet; it’s fine if they touch but they shouldn’t overlap.
.
Bake for 3 hours; then check for doneness by carefully opening one of the packets (watch out for the steam) and testing the meat with a fork—it should be tender and pulling away from the bone. If necessary, continue to bake for another 10 minutes and check again.
.
Transfer the contents of the packets to large plates or pasta bowls, surrounding the shanks with the vegetables and juice. Remove the rosemary and orange zest before serving.
.
to print the Lamb Shank recipe, click here
.

CAULIFLOWER-CELERIAC PUREE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen, inspired by many sources)

.
1 head cauliflower, cut in individual florets

1 head celeriac, peeled and cut in 1 inch chunks
1 tablespoon olive oil

2 medium shallots, thickly sliced
salt and pepper to taste

coconut milk (about 1/4 cup)

dash of ground nutmeg

Heat oven to 375°F.
.

Steam cauliflower florets until very tender. Coat the celeriac chunks and shallot slices with olive oil in a large bowl, season with salt and pepper. Roast until tender and with a light browning around the edges, 25 to 30 minutes, moving pieces around.
.
When the celeriac is easily pierced with a fork, transfer the pieces to a pan, add the steamed cauliflower florets, and start mashing it all with a potato masher, or use an immersion blender, depending on the texture you like.Turn the burner to low heat, add a dash of nutmeg, and add enough coconut milk to give it a nice creamy feel. Mix well and cook on low heat for a couple of minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
.

You can also use the food processor to make the puree, if you like a much smoother texture.

ENJOY!

to print the Cauliflower-Celeriac puree recipe, click here

Comments: The most important step in this recipe is taking the time to brown the lamb shanks. I halved the recipe, since it was just for the two of us, but decided to post the recipe as published in the magazine which feeds four. I confess that I forgot to add the butter on top of the shanks when closing the packages, but that did not seem to hurt anything.

Make sure you have a very big aluminum foil because it is important that the package closes well around the meat. Also, the recipe called for a cooking time of 2 to 2.5 hours, but I really like the lamb falling off the bone so I did not even bother checking it before 3 hours. Do what suits your taste best.

The mashed cauliflower & celeriac was simply amazing! If you’ve been following the Bewitching Kitchen for a while, you know I love to play with cauliflower in all sorts of recipes, and you’ll find many versions of mashed cauliflower in the blog. This is a new favorite. If you serve it for guests, it will be pretty hard for them to figure out the components, but even if a little puzzled, they’ll be in love with it. Some recipe sources advise to pass celeriac puree through a fine sieve to improve texture, but I didn’t, and it was still very smooth and pleasant. Of all jobs in the kitchen, passing things through a sieve is the one I despise the most, and always find excuses to skip it. My number one excuse is “I do not want to do it“.

This meal would be great for company, since you can assemble the packages and start roasting the meat 3 hours before you plan to serve dinner. The mashed cauliflower can also be reheated without compromising flavor or texture. One of the wonderful things about papillote cooking is the aroma that is released once you open the package, it will certainly awe any guests!

ONE YEAR AGO: Chestnut Brownies and a Blog Award!

TWO YEARS AGO: Quinoa with Cider-Glazed Carrots

THREE YEARS AGO: Celebrate Wednesday: Heirloom Tomatoes Steal the Show

FOUR YEARS AGO: Pain de Provence

FIVE YEARS AGO: Golspie Loaf, from the Scottish Highlands

5May2015

BLOGGING ISSUES

Posted in General by sallybr

When I started blogging, I published recipes from cookbooks without giving it a second thought. As the months passed, I realized that some bloggers do not do it. This subject is not black and white, actually. A list of ingredients and a method of preparation – basically, a recipe – cannot be copyrighted. For a fun read on the subject, click here. So, in theory, a blogger faces no legal problems by publishing a recipe. But, let’s suppose that someone goes through the hard work of writing a cookbook, and all of a sudden 3/4 of its recipes can be found online because many bloggers cooked from the book and shared the “love”. It may not be illegal, but I don’t think it’s fair. Some authors, one classical example being Dan Lepard, are really adamant about protecting their recipes from spreading out of control. I think one should respect their views. People might reason that in the end they get free publicity. so they should not complain, but since I don’t know how each author feels about it, I rather exercise caution.

For years now I only share recipes from cookbooks if I get the ok from the author. However, it can be frustrating sometimes. The frustration comes in two forms. First, when I get no reply back. Nothing. Silence. And that means I am left with a recipe that cannot be blogged about, at least not the way I like to do it. When I get permission from the author, I often will go the extra mile and write a full review on the cookbook to go along with my post. I do it without any type of compensation, my links to amazon.com do not give me any cash back. Not a criticism to those who monetize their blogs, it is my personal choice not to do it. That brings me to the second type of frustration, which is not getting even a thank you note back. Nothing. Silence. Some authors are amazing, they will contact me by email and be super nice and grateful, but others? Not the case. I swear, it’s annoying. Were they raised by wolves? Are they too full of themselves? Too busy? Heck, I am overly busy too, and in my work I interact with a good share of big egos. Some Nobel laureates are more approachable than certain cookbook authors. Seriously.

So, my point with this post is to inform my readers that I will be starting a new approach, because I now have a long list of recipes from cookbooks waiting to be blogged, and either the authors won’t reply to my attempts to contact them, or in a few isolated cases, their contact info cannot be found anywhere. Yeap, that happens, and I am not a detective, so there is a limit to the time and energy I can spend trying to get to them. In this new approach, you will see the photo of the dish, and my comments. I will include a very general outline of the recipe without precise amounts of ingredients. Once you see this format in a blog post, you’ll understand what is going on “behind the scenes”. But please, don’t assume that an author has been difficult to work with when I post a recipe-less article. It may or may not be the case. I just decided to stop spending time trying to contact authors, and for the most part from now on cookbook recipes will be blogged about in a slightly less traditional way. To be honest, a few things happened in the recent past that left me a bit upset and disappointed at the blogosphere in general. Nothing too serious, but… it was good to share some of my thoughts here, and deal with part of what bothers me.

Note added after publication: I got a few emails of readers in panic that my site is about to change and not include recipes ever again! Not at all the case. Please keep in mind that 90% of my posts for the past 6 years are coming from cooking magazines and websites, so nothing will change dramatically. Every once in a while a post from a cookbook will be published, and in that case the format will be changed accordingly. All cooking magazines I blog from have been contacted and cleared me to publish their recipes, as long as a link is included. Recipes already available online also do not pose a problem. So, don’t worry, the Bewitching will stay pretty much the same. But I needed to get some things out of my mind here. Springtime cleaning, you know…

Now, back to cooking…

🙂