Recipes

Grilled Chocolate Sandwich

2005-09-02T17:32:00.000-04:00

1 slice of good bread (not sandwich bread--firm, European varieties only)
Semi-sweet chocolate pieces to cover half a slice (Scharffen Berger is my favorite)
1-2 Tb. Plugra unsalted butter

Cut your piece of bread in half (moderation, remember?). Melt the butter in a heavy skillet over low heat and swirl each half of the bread, one side only, in the butter. Place the piece of bread, buttery side down in skillet. Layer with chocolate pieces. Top with the other piece of bread, buttery side up and raise heat. Cook exactly as you would an ordinary grilled cheese sandwich, pressing down on the bread occasionally and flipping after the first side browns. Remove when the second side is golden brown and the chocolate has melted. Cool slightly and eat. Clean the kitchen carefully and never confess to your late night culinary excursion.

Iced Tea

2005-07-30T12:18:00.000-04:00

I like my tea amber gold, minty and slightly sweet. True to my upbringing, however, I leave the sweetening to the individual, although I have discovered a mere 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar added along with the tea bags during the brewing process cuts the acidity of the tea without adding any noticeable sweetness. A pinch of baking soda will also do the same thing--it's your choice. I've never had much luck with sun tea and I like instead to brew a concentrate to which I add cold water. That way, my tea is ready to drink right away without having to chill in the refrigerator, and (even better) the ice cubes don't melt and immediately dilute my tea to dreck. I don't think you need to be too fussy about the kind of tea you use. We all grew up on Lipton's and that's the flavor most people are looking for in a good glass of iced tea. That being said though, my personal favorite is a half and half combo of any good quality English breakfast and orange pekoe teas. The orange pekoe gives it that Lipton-y amber flavor and the English breakfast tea lifts and lightens it a bit (Yorkshire Tea, if you can find it, is another good choice). Water? I use tap water but I'm sure the more discerning would prefer spring water (they always do). Just make sure it's at a full, rolling boil before you pour it over the tea. None of this "near boiling" stuff you read about for brewing hot tea; you want to extract all the flavor you can and you don't need to be finicky about it. Iced tea should be easy to make, at any rate, and watching the proverbial pot doesn't sound like a lot of fun. Lastly, pour over ice in a tall glass, sweeten to taste, and garnish with a sprig of mint if you have company. Ahhhh . . . now sit back, relax, and cool off. All those sweaty chores can wait for another day. richmond

Iced Tea (makes 1/2 gallon)

6 tea bags or 8 teaspoons loose tea in a large tea ball
1 bunch fresh mint
1/2-1 teaspoon sugar
2 quarts water

Add mint to the bottom of an unbreakable pitcher and bruise with the back of a large spoon. Add tea and sugar. Bring 2 cups of water to a rapid boil and pour the tea. Steep for 15 minutes. Strain out mint and tea, and add 6 cups of cold water. Serve.

Julia Child's Hollandaise

2005-07-07T11:12:00.000-04:00

3 egg yolks
2 TB lemon juice
1/4 tsp. salt
Pinch of white pepper
1 stick (4 oz.) butter, melted until bubbling hot

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and pepper in blender. Cover and blend at high speed for 30 seconds. Uncover, and still blending at high speed, start pouring in the hot butter by droplets. Allow time for the butter to absorb and emulsify with eggs. When about two thirds of the butter has been added, you can pick up the pace a little more. Makes about 3/4 cup.

Wasabi Eggs

2005-06-28T18:03:00.000-04:00

Wasabi Eggs

6 eggs (if you let them sit in the refrigerator for a few days or even a week after purchasing, the whites will gel a bit more and the egg will be easier to peel)
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 t. Dijon mustard
1/2-1 t. wasabi paste (brands vary in strength, so taste it before adding more)
salt and pepper to taste

Hard-boil eggs (I wouldn't even presume to tell you how to do this--everyone is convinced their way is the best way). Peel and slice in half those six now chilled and newly hard-boiled eggs. Plunk the yolks in a medium bowl and mash thoroughly with a fork. Add mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and wasabi. Stir. Season with salt and pepper to taste and fill whites with yolk mixture. Serve proudly and refrain from mentioning your little variation on the traditional deviled egg. richmond

Chicken with Saffron, Smoked Paprika and Garlic

2005-06-28T18:00:00.000-04:00

Chicken with Saffron, Smoked Paprika and Garlic

1 organic chicken brutally butchered by hand in Richmond or professionally cut into 8 pieces if you're out of town
2 TB. olive oil
1 small onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
1/2 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 t. dried orange peel
1 bay leaf
1/2t. dried thyme
1 t. smoked paprika
2 large pinches saffron (toasted lightly in a small skillet beforehand to bring out the flavor)
salt and pepper to taste

Remove skin from chicken and lightly salt with coarse salt. Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a dutch oven or large saucepan, and sauté the garlic and onion until soft and fragrant. Add the tomatoes, chicken, white wine, chicken broth, orange peel and spices. Stir gently and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 45-60 minutes or until chicken is tender. Serve with small new potatoes or couscous (my favorite, but not my family's), a large green salad, and a crisp and flavorful Albariño. Serves 4.

High-Test Watermelon Margaritas

2005-06-23T11:46:00.000-04:00

(based on a recipe by the Surreal Gourmet)

3 cups seedless watermelon, cubed and frozen
3-4 frozen strawberries
3 Tb. (or 1 1/2 oz., if measuring with a shot glass) fresh lime juice
6 oz. tequila
2 oz. Cointreau
1 c. ice

Place everything in a blender and whirl away like a slurpee machine until smooth. Serve in salt-rimmed glasses and be prepared for seconds. Serves 4-6 (depending on the size of your glasses).

Peach Salsa

2005-06-23T11:45:00.000-04:00

3 ripe (but not mushy) peaches, diced
1 small red pepper, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced fine
2 green onions, chopped
1 jalapeno, chopped
2 Tb. fresh lime juice
1/2 Tb. honey
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and allow flavors to meld at room temperature for about one hour.

Adobo Pork Tenderloin

2005-06-23T11:44:00.000-04:00

(inspired by the Surreal Gourmet)

1 1b. pork tenderloin
1/2 c. fresh lime juice
1/2 c. fresh orange juice
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 t. cumin
1 t. oregano
1 t. coarse salt
1/2 t. black pepper

Combine the juices, garlic, and spices in a large Ziploc bag with the pork. Marinate a minimum of two hours. Pat dry, and grill over indirect heat for 18-25 minutes (turning in 5-6 minute intervals) until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees F. Slice thinly and have guests wrap with warmed flour tortillas, choosing their own condiments.
Serves 4-6.

Giavos Macaroni & Cheese

2005-06-05T20:23:00.000-04:00

Giavos Mac & Cheese
(*remember, all quantities are approximate)

8 oz. pasta of your choice (i.e. about half a box)
1/2 c. each, three cheeses of your choice:
my daughter remembered cheddar and Manchego; we added Gruyere to the mix because we had some on hand
2-3 Tb. milk
2 Tb. butter
lots of salt
NO PEPPER!

Cook the pasta according to its directions and drain. Add back to the pot over low heat; add butter and milk. Slowly sprinkle in cheese, and when melted and creamy, remove from heat. Serve.

(Will feed two adults as a side dish and two children as the main course, with leftovers for lunch the next day. As nutritious and delicious as my more complicated--and spurred--version.)

Homemade Pasta Dough

2005-06-05T20:20:00.000-04:00

Homemade Pasta Dough

I use Jamie Oliver's recipe for homemade pasta dough, but since I can't remember which book it's in, I generally just wing it. Here's how I made it last night:

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cups bread flour (about 8-10 oz. for those of us who weigh things)
3 large (organic) eggs
semolina flour for dusting

Throw it all in the food processor and process until it adheres and forms one or two balls (add more flour if it's too sticky; dribble in a little water if it fails to come together). Knead on a floured board for a minute or two until the dough is silky and somewhat elastic (it'll still be rather stiffish). Wrap in plastic and rest in the refrigerator for an hour. Remove, divide in two and return the unused portion, wrapped back in the plastic, to the refrigerator.

Now for the fun part. Flatten the dough with your hands and run through the lowest setting of your pasta machine. Fold the two ends into the center and run it through again. Repeat. Move up to #2 setting and run through twice. Then, run the dough through each of the settings--taking care to dust generously with semolina--until you get to the second to last one. Cut your enormously long pasta noodle in half, and again, dust very generously with semolina. Attach your pasta cutter to the other side of the machine, and carefully roll the dough strip through, separating each of the strands. Hang on dowels or, like me, the back of a chair. Repeat with the other dough strip and then repeat the entire process with the other ball of dough taking it easy in the fridge. You should have enough for two adults and two children. You can either use the pasta right away (it should only take a minute or two to cook up in boiling, salted water [use a tablespoon or two of salt]) or leave it to dry, about three hours (now the pasta will take about five minutes to cook).

Spanikopita

2005-06-05T20:17:00.000-04:00

Spanikopita

My spanikopita recipe is a close version of Mollie Katzen's from the New Moosewood Cookbook:

Spanikopita

2 Tb. olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 tsp. coarse salt
1 Tb. chopped fresh basil
1 Tb.chopped fresh oregano
2 Tb. chopped fresh dill
3 packages thawed, frozen chopped spinach, drained and squeezed*
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tb. flour
1 lb. feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup cottage cheese (I prefer large curd, if available)
1/4-1/2 tsp. black pepper
2 sticks (1/2 lb.) unsalted butter, melted
1 lb. filo, thawed according to package directions

*Or you can torture yourself and do it the hard way: wash , de-stem and coarsely chop two 10 oz. packages of savoy spinach. Add to onions and garlic and stir until wilted.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Brush 9x13-inch baking pan with butter.

Heat oil in large sauce pan or Dutch oven. Add onions and garlic and saute until soft. Add spinach and stir until heated thoroughly. Add flour, stir, and cook over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in fresh herbs and salt. Mix in feta and cottage cheese, adding black pepper to taste. Add more salt if needed.

Place a sheet of filo in prepared pan, letting the edges climb the side of the pan. Brush with butter and add another sheet, remembering to give the underside of the sheet that overhangs the pan a quick swipe with the butter each time. Repeat until you have a stack of 8 sheets. Add half of the filling in evenly spaced dollops and then spread so that it fills to the edges of the pan. Cover with 6-8 more sheets (this will be your middle filo layer) and add remaining filling on top. Finish with another 6-8 buttered sheets. Brush remaining butter on top and tuck in the edges. Bake 50 minutes or until golden. Let cool 5-10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 6 generously, 8 more conservatively.

All-Purpose Tomato Sauce

2005-04-22T12:26:00.000-04:00

Basic Tomato Sauce

2 28 oz. cans diced tomatoes (preferably Muir Glen)
1 14.5 oz. can plum tomatoes, drained
2 tb. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1/3 c. finely chopped carrot (the food processor makes short work of this)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. red wine
2 Tb. tomato paste
2 Tb. roughly chopped fresh Italian parsley
3 Tb. chopped, fresh oregano (or 1 tb. dried)*
2 Tb. chopped, fresh basil (or 2 t. dried)*
1/2 t. sugar
1 t. coarse salt
Lots of freshly ground black pepper

In a dutch oven, heat the oil, and slowly saute the garlic, onion, and carrot until the onion is translucent. Add the diced and plum tomatoes, wine, tomato paste, herbs, sugar, salt and pepper. (Add meatballs) Cover and simmer for 30 minutes, and then, remove the cover and simmer another 30-45 minutes.

*Fresh, is, of course, better, but if it's winter or raining in your garden, dried will work.