Today we celebrate our 13th wedding anniversary!
“… it’s soon after midnight, and I don’t want nobody but you”
(Bob Dylan)
ONE YEAR AGO: It all started with a roof…
Author Archives: sallybr
FARRO SALAD WITH ROASTED LEEKS
I suppose this could go to my “work in progress” folder. But, Phil liked it exactly this way, so I decided to share the recipe adding possible tweaks in the comments. One important thing to mention: although this is a salad, it’s equally good served warm. Those of you still in sub-zero temperatures and avoiding even to glance at a salad plate don’t need to shy away from it. In fact, we enjoyed it hot on the first day piled up next to a juicy flank steak, grilled medium-rare. Comme il faut... 😉
FARRO SALAD WITH LEEKS, CHICKPEAS AND CURRANTS
(adapted from The New York Times)
2 large leeks, halved lengthwise, cleaned and sliced crosswise 1/4-inch thick
1 Tablespoon olive oil + 1/8 cup, divided
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 can of chickpeas, drained (15 oz)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/4 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
1 cup dry farro
1/3 cup dried currants
2 celery stalks, diced
Heat oven to 425 degrees. Using a large rimmed baking sheet, toss leeks with 1 tablespoon of oil, 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Spread leeks out in a single layer and roast, tossing frequently, until golden brown and crisp at the edges, about 20 minutes.
Drain the chickpeas and add them to a pot with boiling water for a couple of seconds. Drain again, dry well. In a large bowl, toss leeks with chickpeas, lemon juice and zest, chile flakes and salt to taste. Stir in 1/8 cup olive oil. Let marinate while you prepare the farro.
In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook farro until tender, about 25 minutes. Drain well. Toss with chickpeas mixture. Stir in currants and diced celery. Taste and add more salt or lemon if needed. Serve warm or at room temperature.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: The original recipe was written for 2 cups of farro, definitely too much for the two of us. I halved the recipe, keeping all ingredients in the same proportion, but considerably reducing the olive oil. I was shocked to see the amount called for in the recipe. For two cups of dried farro, they used 2/3 cup of olive oil in the dressing. Keep in mind that 1/4 cup had already been poured just to roast the leeks. It amounts to 1,700 calories (> 800 for half the recipe) just in the oil component! Thanks, but no thanks. I used a tiny amount of oil to roast the leeks, and only 1/8 cup for the whole dressing. If you like your salad heavier on the oil, I suggest drizzling some more at the very end, before serving.
Now my possible modifications for a future version. I think raisins would have been better than currants. And, for my personal taste, the roasted leeks overpowered the dish. When I make it again, I will use raisins, increase the amount of celery, and reduce the amount of leeks. That will be a real winner for me.
ONE YEAR AGO: Watercress Salad
TWO YEARS AGO: Carrot and Sweet Potato Puree’
THREE YEARS AGO: Croissants: Paris at home on a special day
HEARTS OF PALM SALAD WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE
Cilantro haters better quit reading right away! This is a salad for those of us who can take this gorgeous herb in all its green glory… Very tropical, very Brazilian with the addition of hearts of palm and oranges.
HEARTS OF PALM SALAD WITH CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE
(adapted from Food and Wine magazine)
for the vinaigrette
2/3 cup cilantro leaves
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
2 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
for the salad
baby romaine lettuce leaves
campari tomatoes, quartered
orange segments
hearts of palm, sliced
Add the cilantro leaves, shallots, lemon juice, vinegar, and honey into a blender. Process until very smooth. With the blender running, slowly add the olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Reserve.
Assemble the salad on individual plates, making a bed of lettuce leaves, adding tomatoes and orange segments on top. Place the hearts of palm slices in the center, drizzle the vinaigrette all over. You should have vinaigrette leftover; it keeps well in the fridge for a few days.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
Comments: When we have friends over for dinner, we normally bring the food to the table and let the guests serve themselves. I like informal. But, for this salad I opened an exception, and pre-assembled four individual servings. I wanted to highlight the hearts of palm, and make sure they would shine at the center, lightly covered by the bright green vinaigrette. I loved the way the plates stood up waiting over the black granite, colorful, bright, as if calling for an early spring… What am I saying? Spring can never be too early! 😉
ONE YEAR AGO: Watercress Salad
TWO YEARS AGO: Curried Zucchini Soup
THREE YEARS AGO: Chocolate Bread
THE BLOGGER AND THE SHRINK
This really made me laugh! Maybe if you are not a blogger some of its impact will be lost, but this cartoon is perfect…
Have a great Friday, everyone! And remember, as a friend of mine always says: Humor is medicine!
(cartoon from Ward Sutton appeared on The New Yorker)
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON ON A SNOWY EVENING
Phil rarely requests a specific recipe for dinner, with the exception of my chicken parmigiana, that he craves on a regular basis. Last weekend, though, he did not even blink when I asked for ideas. Boeuf Bourguignon. Clearly, a man of fine tastes! It was my turn to cook on Sunday, so that was a perfect suggestion. With all our grocery shopping done the day before, I indulged in the preparation of this French classic all afternoon. The snow falling outside was a perfect setting for our dinner…
BOEUF BOURGUIGNON
(adapted from Julia Child)
6 oz bacon
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 pounds beef chuck, cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup sliced onions
2 cups sliced carrots
1 bottle of red wine
2 cups beef broth
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 bouquet garni (tie 8 parsley sprigs, 1 large bay leaf, a few sprigs of dried thyme and wrap in cheese cloth)
24 pearl onions
2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 teaspoon sugar
Chicken stock
1 pound cremini mushrooms, cut in large pieces
Blanch the bacon to remove its smoky taste by dropping the slices into 2 quarts of cold water, bringing to a boil, and simmering for 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, rinse in cold water, and dry on paper towels.
In a large frying pan, sauté the blanched bacon to brown slightly in a little oil; set them aside. Brown the chunks of beef on all sides in the bacon fat and some olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and put them into a heavy casserole pan with a lid. Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and add to the browned beef.
Remove all but a little fat from the frying pan, add the sliced vegetables and brown them. Add the veggies to the casserole containing the beef and bacon. Deglaze the frying pan with the wine, mixing it well to dissolve all the browned bits left from browning the meat and veggies. Once it’s all deglazed, add the wine into the casserole along with enough stock to almost cover the meat. Stir in the tomatoes and add the herb bouquet. Bring to a simmer, cover, and place in a 325°F oven, until the meat is tender, about 3 hours.
While the stew is cooking, prepare the onions. Blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute. Drain and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Peel the onions and score the root end with 1/4 inch cuts. Sauté onions in a single layer in a tablespoon of butter until lightly browned. Add chicken stock or water half way up the sides of the onions. Add a teaspoon of sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer slowly for 25 minutes or until tender. The onions should absorb most of the water. If there is water remaining after cooking, drain the excess. Set aside.
A few minutes before serving the stew saute’ the mushrooms in butter until browned and cooked through.
When the meat is tender, remove the bouquet garni from the cooking liquid, if necessary cook longer without the lid to reduce it further. Add the onions, mushrooms, and serve.
ENJOY!
to print the recipe, click here
This is comfort food at its best! The big batch I made lasted us for three meals, and it was better and better each day. My only modification of the classic was omitting a beurre manie’ step at the end. Julia thickens her sauce with a mixture of butter and flour, but instead I cooked the meat longer in the oven, reducing the sauce without any need for thickening agents. It was luscious and plenty thick for our taste. In fact, on the last evening I had to add some water to the leftovers to thin it slightly.
When you make this dish, I’d say the most important step is browning the meat. You’ll need all that caramelization on the outside to give maximum flavor and a perfect texture at the end of the cooking time. It makes me think of a Zen proverb, full of the wise simplicity often associated with them: “When walking, walk. When eating, eat.” Not to make light of the Chinese wisdom, I’d like to add: “When browning the meat, brown the meat.” 😉 Do it slowly, do it mindfully, do it well. No crowding the pieces in the oil, no moving them around until they are properly seared. Enjoy the process!
ONE YEAR AGO: Chickpea Salad
TWO YEARS AGO: Soft Spot for Chevre
THREE YEARS AGO: Roasted Onion and Asiago Cheese Miche (this bread is simply outstanding!)
Bewitching Kitchen 