BLACK IS BEAUTIFUL

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Pasta & Noodles, Seafood by sallybr

A while ago I blogged about a special, romantic dinner for no particular reason other than…. it was Wednesday! This is another example of a meal to brighten up any frantic week, and make the evening feel unique and special. Phil was busy doing some carpentry work while I cooked, so he had no idea what would be on our menu. When I announced (as casually as I could) that dinner was served, he was in complete awe…
SCALLOPS AND BLACK PASTA IN ORANGE CREAM SAUCE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

10 sea scallops, preferably “dry”
salt and pepper
sugar
black spaghetti (squid ink)
2 Tbs olive oil, divided
1 minced shallot
zest of 1 orange
1 to 2 Tbs orange juice
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
dash of nutmeg
fresh parsley leaves, minced

Put a large pot of salted water to boil. Pat the scallops dry, and place them over paper towels to make sure any excess moisture is blotted out. Reserve.

On a medium size skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute the shallots, seasoning lightly with salt and black pepper. When they are soft and getting a light color, add the orange zest. Saute for 1 minute, turn the heat off and close the pan.

Start cooking the black spaghetti, the amount you would normally make for you and your lucky partner. Depending on the thickness of the pasta and the brand, it should take about 8 minutes. While the pasta cooks, heat a skillet on high heat, add a smidgen of olive oil, and once the oil is very hot, pat dry the scallops once more, season them with salt, pepper, and a sprinkle of sugar. Sear the scallops about 2 minutes per side, making sure the pan is not too crowded. Don’t touch them as they cook, they will release from the pan once a nice golden crust is formed. Reserve (or place in a very low oven – 200 F) to keep them warm).

As the scallops cook, finish the sauce. Heat the orange/shallot mixture, add 1/4 cup of heavy cream, season with a dash of nutmeg. Add 1/8 cup of orange juice and warm the sauce swirling the pan gently over medium low heat.

Once the pasta is cooked, remove a small amount of the cooking liquid, add the pasta to the orange-cream sauce, add some of the pasta water if necessary to thin the sauce. Sprinkle fresh parsley over the dish, and serve with the cooked scallops on top.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: Black pasta is made by incorporating squid ink in the dough, so I like to serve it with seafood. It can be a bit tricky to pair with a sauce, but I opted for a mild, creamy sauce with a citric component. It worked very well.

This is a quick meal to put together, but it could seem a little rushed, as everything must come to a glorious end at the same time. If you feel insecure about multi-tasking, consider making the orange cream sauce before you do anything else. Start boiling the pasta, and sear the scallops when the pasta is midway through cooking. All you have to do is re-warm the orange sauce quickly, incorporate with the pasta and dinner is served! A salad to round out the meal, and you are ready to celebrate the fact that it’s Wednesday, and you love the person sitting across from you… 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Stir-fried Chicken with Creamed Corn

TWO YEARS AGO: Potato, Cheddar and Chive Torpedo (this bread is a complete winner!)

11Dec2011

CELEBRATE WEDNESDAY WITH PLUM-GLAZED DUCK BREASTS

Posted in Celebrate Wednesday, Poultry by sallybr

It wasn’t our wedding anniversary, nor his birthday, nor mine. Valentine’s Day won’t arrive for a couple of months. It was just a simple Wednesday, stuck in the middle of a frantic week with the usual extra-struggles after traveling for a while. But, I wanted a special dinner for us, just for the fun of it. Duck breast filets (maigret de canard sounds even better… ;-)) are very easy to prepare, although potentially intimidating if it’s your first time to cook them. A recent issue of Fine Cooking had a recipe with plum preserves to form a saucy glaze, perfect with the duck meat, that shines with a little sweetness and a little spice.

PLUM-GLAZED DUCK BREASTS
(from Fine Cooking magazine, October 2011)

2 boneless, skin-on duck breast halves
Kosher salt and black pepper
1/2 cup plum preserves
1 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
Pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Heat the oven to 425°F. Trim any excess skin and fat from the duck breast and, using a very sharp knife, score the skin and fat underneath in a 1-inch diamond pattern. Be careful not to cut all the way through the flesh, you want to just get the layer of fat underneath the skin to be exposed, so the fat renders more efficiently. Pat the duck dry and season with salt and pepper.

Heat an oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Put the duck in the skillet skin side down, reduce the heat to medium low, and render the fat until only a thin, crisp layer of skin remains. It will take 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the preserves, soy sauce, five-spice powder, and red pepper flakes. Remove the duck to a platter, pour most of the fat off the skillet, and return the filets to the pan, skin side up. Brush the preserves mixture over the breasts. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast registers 135°F for medium rare, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer the duck to a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes. Heat the remaining plum mixture briefly, slice the duck diagonally and spoon the pan juice over.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

You won’t need much else to round out this meal. White rice and carrots with an agave nectar glaze were wonderful for us, next to the rich and flavorful duck. But the best part of this meal was the smile on Phil’s face when I said we were having maigret de canard for dinner… Sweet memories of Paris make any evening a special event!

ONE YEAR AGO: Holiday Double-Decker

TWO YEARS AGO: Tried and Tasty!

29Sep2011

CHICKEN MARSALA

Posted in Poultry by sallybr

Chicken breasts… mushrooms… Marsala wine… what’s not to like? This classic Italian dish is a breeze to prepare, and a perfect option for a romantic dinner for two.

CHICKEN MARSALA
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

4 boneless chicken breast filets
salt and pepper
1 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs butter
1 shallot, minced
3 cups of mushrooms, sliced thin
1/2 cup Marsala wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (or water)
minced Italian parsley

If the chicken filets are too thick, slice them in half running the knife parallel to the cutting board, and pressing the filets gently down with the palm of your hand. Pound them slightly to even the thickness. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the butter and olive oil in medium-high heat on a large skillet, when the butter foams and starts to get golden, add the chicken filets and cook until they develop a nice color on both sides (about 4 minutes per side, depending on your stove). Remove them to a platter, tent with aluminum foil.

Add the diced shallot to the pan (if necessary add a little more olive oil, but you probably won’t need it), cook in medium heat for a couple of minutes, add all the mushrooms and cook stirring every once in a while until they start to get soft. Season lightly with salt, add the Marsala wine, and cook until almost fully absorbed, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken stock (or water), place the chicken filets back in the pan, cover, and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes or until fully cooked through.

Remove the chicken to a serving platter, increase the heat to reduce the mushroom sauce to the consistency you like. Optional step: add a couple of tablespoons of cold butter in small pieces, swirling the sauce after each addition. Adjust seasoning, spoon the sauce over the chicken and sprinkle parsley on top. Serve immediately.

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

I didn’t give a precise source for this recipe, because I’ve been making it for years, the first time I probably got it from one of my cooking books back in Brazil, decades ago. Some recipes will instruct you to coat the filets in a little seasoned flour. I prefer the texture of the meat seared without it. The flour coating does help thicken the sauce in the end, but I don’t mind skipping it. Similarly, most recipes call for a final addition of butter. Depending on my mood, I might add it or not. For this dinner, I omitted it, the sauce was plenty flavorful without it.

I only had regular mushrooms, but if you find creminis or other types of mushrooms, add them to the party. Would you be considering a final swirl of truffle oil? A word of caution: truffle oil is made by infusing olive oil with bis-methylthio-methane, a chemical that mimics their taste. I never buy the stuff, being exposed to enough organic chemicals in my work. Still, some shaved truffles (the real thing) on top of this dish could turn that dinner date into “An Affair to Remember” 😉

ONE YEAR AGO: Home, sweet home

TWO YEARS AGO: Levain Bread with Caramelized Onions

10Jan2011

MUSHROOM SOUFFLE FOR TWO

Posted in Side dishes, Vegetarian-friendly by sallybr

One of the lessons we’ve learned in four months of cooking in the nano-kitchen is to keep our meals simple, even on special occasions. To bid 2010 goodbye we settled on grilled T-bone steaks and a Caesar salad. We also sought an additional side dish with a celebratory aura, but we struggled with various options until my beloved said “I’ve got an idea for you: mushroom souffle!”

Back home we have three different sizes of souffle dishes, but none here. And, to further complicate matters, our electric oven is not very tall, so anything rising to full deliciousness might burn on the upper heating element (don’t ask me how I became aware of this problem… ;-)). Still, once the idea of a mushroom souffle got in our heads, it was impossible to resist.

Starting with Julia Child‘s basic master recipe, I down-sized it for a small baking dish, gathered the ingredients and went to work, with fingers crossed for a great New Year’s Eve meal!

MIXED MUSHROOMS SOUFFLE
(from the Bewitching Kitchen)

bread crumbs and butter to coat the dish

1 T olive oil
1 shallot, minced
10 ounces of a mixture of mushrooms, diced
(I used 3/4 of fresh shiitake, 1/4 of cremini)
salt and pepper

for the bechamel base
2 + 1/2 T butter
2 + 1/2 T flour
3/4 cup whole milk, warmed in the microwave
salt, pepper, dash of ground nutmeg
3 egg yolks
1/4 to 1/3 cup of grated gruyere cheese

4 egg whites + pinch of salt

Prepare your baking dish (8 inch diameter, 3 inches tall; about 6 cups volume) by coating it with butter and sprinkling bread crumbs inside, tapping out the excess.

Break the eggs and separate yolks and whites – allow the whites to sit at room temperature while you prepare the souffle base.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet, add the shallots, cook until translucent and starting to get golden. Add the mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and cook stirring a few times, until they release all their liquid and it completely evaporates. It is important to have the mushrooms without excessive moisture. Transfer to a plate to cool slightly, trying to spread them out as much as possible to release steam.

Prepare the bechamel sauce by melting the butter in a saucepan, adding the flour and cooking for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Add the warm milk all at once, season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg, and cook until it thickens (about 5 minutes on low heat). Remove from the heat, let it cool slightly, then add the egg yolks, one at a time. Reserve.

When it’s time to bake the souffle, add the sauteed mushrooms to the bechamel sauce, mix well. Add the grated cheese, a little at a time, mixing to incorporate (you may not need to use it all, don’t make the batter too heavy).

Beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt in a very clean bowl using an electric mixer until they form soft peaks. Add 1/4 of the egg white mixture to the mushroom/cheese base, and mix well. Now, working gently, incorporate the rest of the beaten egg whites, carefully folding it, trying not to loose too much volume. Pour the batter into the prepared dish and bake in a heated 420 F oven for 30-35 minutes, reducing the temperature to 375 F as soon as the dish goes in.

Remove from the oven and serve right away – it will collapse quickly, but it won’t lose its “wow” factor…

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My husband commented that “this souffle should be a regular side dish in every classic American steak house.” How’s that for endorsement? It was unexpectedly excellent, considering that I improvised every step of the way through it. Shiitake mushrooms have an assertive taste, and adding some cremini to the mix mellowed the flavor a bit.

If you have individual souffle molds, simply pour half the batter in each, and bake for slightly less time – say, 25 to 30 minutes. It’s a perfect amount for two (hungry) people; a perfect way to close a wonderful year!

ONE YEAR AGO: Stollen

18Nov2010

SHOW-STOPPING SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Posted in Beef, Pasta & Noodles by sallybr

If you’re tempted to skip this post because spaghetti and meatballs are too pedestrian, don’t do it! This was the best dinner I’ve cooked in weeks! The first bite took me back to a small Italian trattoria where I had this dish years ago. These meatballs are tender, moist, flavorful, and the tomato sauce (note: contains neither onion nor garlic) gets a lift from the addition of capers. It’s so simple that you’ll be shocked at how flavorful it is! The recipe comes from the latest issue of Food and Wine, with small modifications that, modesty aside, worked quite well. It was a perfect dinner-date recipe for Saturday night. Uncork the chianti and let the music play…

SPAGHETTI AND ITALIAN MEATBALLS IN TOMATO CAPER SAUCE
(adapted from Food and Wine, original recipe from Massimiliano Alajmo)

for the sauce:
1 can of whole, peeled tomatoes (28 oz)
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs capers, drained and chopped
1 tsp dried oregano
salt and pepper

for the meatballs:
1/2 cup white bread, crust removed, roughly diced
3-5 Tbs milk
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground beef
1 egg, beaten
8 pitted kalamata olives, diced
1/8 cup freshly grated Parmiggiano cheese
2 Tbs fresh parsley leaves, minced
1 tsp salt

Puree the tomatoes in a blender or food processor. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the tomatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes, add the capers and oregano. Simmer for a couple more minutes, season with salt and pepper and keep warm while you prepare the meatballs.

Cover the bread with milk: soak it well. Drain any excess and reserve the bread. In a large bowl, mix both types of meat, add the softened bread, egg, olives, cheese, parsley, and salt. Wet your hands with cold water and very gently form the mixture into 1.5 inch diameter meatballs. You can prepare the meatballs hours in advance.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or aluminum foil) and bake the meatballs in a 400F oven for 20 minutes, turning them once during baking. Remove them from the oven, and transfer to the skillet with the tomato sauce. Gently simmer the meatballs and sauce together for 10 to 15 minutes over gentle heat.

Meanwhile, boil some spaghetti, drain, place back in the pan and add some of the tomato sauce. Place back on top of the stove to heat pasta and sauce together for a couple of minutes. Transfer to a serving dish, add the meatballs, and serve with fresh Parmiggiano cheese.

(makes 15 meatballs, 3-4 servings, depending on who is eating… 😉

ENJOY!

to print the recipe, click here

Comments: My modifications involved baking, instead of frying the meatballs, and simmering them in tomato sauce afterward. This is my secret to great meatballs, without the harsh outer surface often associated with the fried version. I’ve seen (and tried) recipes in which the meatballs are cooked in the sauce from beginning to end, but the oven-roasting in my version intensifies their flavor and color.

I also increased the amount of black olives in the meatball mixture. The original recipe called for two olives (!!!!). Sorry, but two diced olives in a pound of meat doesn’t do it for us, Kalamata-lovers that we are. Feel free to adapt to your own tastes.

Chef Alajmo has two other recipes that made my mouth water in this issue of Food and Wine: Risotto with Capers and Espresso, and Pappardelle with Smoked Butter and Herbs. Makes me want to catch a plane to Italy and reserve a table for two at his restaurant, Le Calandre.

ONE YEAR AGO: Korean-Style Pork with Cabbage Slaw