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Cheesy Asparagus Tart

Cheesy Asparagus Tart

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Yield: 4 – 6 servings
http://12tomatoes.com/rc-elegant-asparagus-tart/

March 2016: I found this posted on Facebook and it looked wonderful. It’s fairly simple to make and tastes great.

  • 1(17.3 oz) package frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 1½lb asparagus, bottom 3-4 inches peeled.
  • 3cups assorted cheese, grated (2½ cups Swiss, ½ cup parmesan)
  • 2TBS honey Dijon mustard
  • 1TBS extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1-2tsp balsamic vinegar, optional
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • Hollandaise sauce, garnish


Preheat oven to 400º F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

Take both sheets of thawed puff pastry and place them on lined baking sheet, overlapping them by 1 inch and pressing the seam gently to seal.

Use a paring knife to score a rectangle border 1 inch from the edge of pastry, then take a fork and pierce the dough all around the inside of the rectangle. (This allows steam to be released so the center of your tart doesn’t puff up, while the outside edges do.)

Place baking sheet in oven and bake for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and lightly puffed up.

Remove from oven and let cool 2-3 minutes, then brush honey Dijon mustard and balsamic vinegar onto the center of puff pastry. Evenly sprinkle assorted cheeses over the center of tart.

Take your asparagus and trim the ends so they fit into the center rectangle of tart. Lay asparagus out in a single layer, alternating the direction ot the tips with each row, then brush with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper.

Return baking sheet to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and edges are puffed up, and asparagusis tender.

Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes, then drizzle with hollandaise sauce, slice.

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

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Yield: 4 Servings
Gayle Nowell, adapted from …

Gayle found this in… Sunset or some similar magazine. We’ve adopted and adapted it many times. Goes great with a holiday dinner.

  • 1lb yellow potatoes, sweet potatoes or mix, cut into chunks
  • 2lb baby carrots, halved lengthwise
  • 1-2red, yellow, or sweet onions, cut into wedges
  • olive oil or duck fat
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 2lb haricots verts or green beans, trimmed

Options:

  • 2parsnips
  • 3TBS rendered duck fat instead of olive oil
  • Sprigs of fresh rosemary or sprinkle with dry

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a baking sheet with foil and coat with nonstick spray.

Toss potatoes or parsnips, carrots, and onion in oil to coat. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to prepared baking sheet and roast 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, toss beans with oil, salt, and pepper; after 30 minutes, arrange beans on the roasted vegetables and cook 15 more minutes, or until potatoes are tender.

Chicken Posole

Chicken Posole

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Yield: 6 Servings
Source lost

Circa 2002: I first made this for a church group event and doubled the recipe. Posole (or pozole) is usually made with chicken or pork. It makes a great winter evening meal.

  • 2lb boned, skinned chicken thighs
  • 1onion, peeled and chopped
  • 1red bell pepper, rinsed, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
  • 2cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 3cups chicken broth
  • 2cans (14½ oz each) hominy, rinsed and drained
  • 1can (10 oz) red enchilada sauce
  • 1tsp dried oregano
  • 4 to 6 oz bag spinach leaves, rinsed
  • salt and pepper
  • lime wedges

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Trim off and discard any fat. Cut chicken into 1-inch chunks.

In a nonstick 5- to 6-quart pan, combine chicken and 2 tablespoons water. Cover and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until very juicy, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to high, and cook, stirring often, until chicken is browned, about 8 minutes.

Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; stir often until onion is lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add broth, hominy, enchilada sauce, and oregano. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer to blend flavors, about 10 minutes.

Stir in spinach and cook just until wilted, 1 to 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ladle into wide individual bowls or a large serving bowl. Garnish with lime to squeeze into stew.

Spaetzle

Spaetzle

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Little Sparrows

Yield: 4

Adapted from Tyler Florence

You really need to make a double batch and freeze some.

  • 1cup all-purpose flour
  • 1tsp salt
  • ½tsp ground pepper
  • ½tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2large eggs
  • ¼cup milk
  • 3TBS unsalted butter
  • 2TBS minced fresh chives for garnish

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. In another mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the egg-milk mixture. Gradually draw in the flour from the sides and combine well; the dough should be smooth and thick. Let the dough rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

Bring 3 quarts of salted water to a boil in a large pot, then reduce to a simmer. To form the spaetzle, hold a large holed colander or slotted spoon over the simmering water and push the dough through the holes with a spatula or spoon. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until the spaetzle floats to the surface, stirring gently to prevent sticking. Dump the spaetzle into a colander and give it a quick rinse with cool water.

Tip: Spaetzle freezes well.  After rinsing, dry and mix well with a small amount of olive oil.  Freeze in suitable quantities.  Thaw and continue from here.

Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat and add the spaetzle; tossing to coat. Cook the spaetzle for 1 to 2 minutes to give the noodles some color, and then sprinkle with the chopped chives and season with salt and pepper before serving.

Gayle’s Chicken with Carrots & Wine Sauce

Gayle’s Chicken with Carrots & Wine Sauce

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Yield: about 4 servings
Originally adapted from Pillsbury Kitchens’ Family Cookbook

I updated this to use cream and mushrooms instead of cream of mushroom soup.

  • 1-1½lb boneless chicken breast halves
  • 8oz carrots or baby carrots, peeled and cut to 2 in pieces
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 8oz heavy cream
  • 2oz white wine
  • 1heaping tsp Better than Bouillon, chicken
  • 4TBS butter, divided
  • 1TBS oil

Trim breasts of any fat or cartilage. If breasts are large, halve diagonally (can do this anyway). Season breasts with salt and pepper.

If the carrots are fresh, microwave in a covered dish with 1 TBS water for 2 minutes.

Heat frying pan over medium high heat. Add butter. When butter stops sizzling, add mushrooms and saute for 6 to 8 minutes until browned. Remove to dish and set aside.

Add 1 TBS oil to pan and heat for 30 seconds. Add chicken to pan. Move pieces around to coat bottom with oil. Fry on first side until light to medium brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Turn chicken over and continue to fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add heavy cream, wine and Better than Bouillon. Stir in center of pan, between chicken pieces to mix in Better than Bouillon. Season well with black pepper.

Return the mushrooms and carrots to the pan and mix everything to evenly distribute. Carrots should be in sauce, but not under chicken. As sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to simmer. Cover, cook for 8 to 10 minutes.  Should be bubbling, but not boiling hard.

Check thickest piece of chicken with instant read thermometer for > 152°F. (Or pull one of the breasts from the pan, cut almost in half and check for doneness. Should not be any pink in center.)

Remove breasts to a serving dish and set aside.

If necessary, increase heat and reduce cream sauce to desired thickness. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Pour over breasts.

Serve with rice.

Gratin Dauphinois

Gratin Dauphinois

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Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Recipe from Elizabeth E. Skipper

This quintessential French dish differs from most potato gratins in that there is no cheese used. Try this and you will never miss the cheese again.

See “How to cook the perfect gratin dauphinois” for more information.

  • 1-2cloves garlic, peeled
  • 1-2TBS butter, softened
  • Kosher salt
  • pepper
  • nutmeg
  • 3-5lbs Russet potatoes (see below for quantity)
  • 1-4cups heavy cream

Press or smack the garlic to get the juice flowing. Rub inside of baking dish with garlic. Let the garlic dry on the dish. Now butter the dish generously.

The size of the baking dish sets the quantities:

1½ quart: 3 pounds potatoes, 1 to 1½ cups of heavy cream

8 x 11: 3 pounds potatoes, 2 to 2½ cups of heavy cream

9 x 13: 5 pounds potatoes, 1 quart of heavy cream

Slice the potatoes thin. Use mandolin or food processor with the slicer attachment, thinner is best.

Place a single layer of potatoes in the bottom of dish. Salt fairly heavily. Add “enough” pepper. Sprinkle on very little nutmeg. Pour on some heavy cream. Continue adding layers, seasoning and cream. Cover the top layer with cream.

Bake: (for 1½ quart baking dish, larger dish may need more time)

325°F oven, 1¾ – 2 hours,

350°F oven, 1½ hours.

400°F oven, 1 – 1¼ hours.

Test with skewer or long tined fork. Should be tender in center, browned on top. If it gets too brown, lower temperature or cover loosely with foil.

Nowell Spaghetti Sauce

Nowell Spaghetti Sauce

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Yield: 4-6 servings
Loosely based on a recipe in the Seven Seas Nantucket Cookbook.

This is a moving target recipe if there ever was one. This is a quick cooking sauce and does not need long simmering.  Once the sauce is mixed and simmering, the sauce will be done in the time it takes to boil the water and cook the pasta.

Meat:

  • 4-6Italian sausages, sweet, mild, hot or combination (optional)
  • 1lb ground beef
  • 8oz ground pork or ground sausage (optional)

Veg:

  • 2TBS Olive oil
  • 1small or medium onion chopped fine
  • 1green bell pepper, small dice (optional)
  • 2cloves garlic minced
  • 1green bell pepper, diced
  • 8oz mushrooms, sliced or quartered (optional)

For sauce:

  • 114-oz can tomato sauce
  • 114-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 16-oz can tomato paste (optional)
  • 16-oz can water (paste can) (optional)

Seasonings:

  • 1tsp basil
  • 1tsp oregano
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp sugar
  • ¼ to ½tsp fresh ground black pepper


For sausage: If adding the optional sausage, place them in a sauté pan over medium high heat with a cup of water. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to simmer. Turn over after 6 minutes, cover and cook for another 6 minutes. Pour water into a glass measuring cup. Return to stove, and sauté until browned on all sides 4-8 minutes. Set aside.

For mushrooms: If adding the optional mushrooms, place them and a TBS of olive oil to the sauté pan over medium heat. Cook for 4-8 minutes, until water evaporates and mushrooms brown. Set aside.

Sweat vegetables: In a 2-qt sauce pan, heat 1 TBS olive oil and sweat (see Terms) onion and optional green pepper over medium heat for 5 to 8 minutes until soft and translucent but not browned. Add garlic, sauté 30 seconds more. Remove to a small bowl.

For ground beef: Carefully remove any left over garlic, otherwise it will burn and get bitter. Turn heat up to medium-high. Add ground beef and brown until mostly cooked through. Reduce heat to medium.

For sauce: Return onion and garlic to pan. Add tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and optional paste. Fill paste can with tap or sausage water and add. Add all seasonings and 1 TBS olive oil. Stir carefully. If using, add sausage to pan. Cover, bring to a boil. Turn heat down to low and simmer while pasta cooks.

Options:

Go meatless with no beef or sausage. Ha ha ha.
Replace onion with 1 TBS Minced onion flakes.
Replace garlic with ½ tsp garlic powder (only if desperate).
Adjust seasonings. I always uses a heaping tsp of basil and oregano based on an eye-ball guess.

Osso Buco – Pressure Cooker

Osso Buco – Pressure Cooker

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Yield: 6 Servings
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse
  • 6veal shanks (4 to 4 ½ lb total), about 1 ½ inches thick, tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string
  • 3¾tsp kosher salt
  • 2tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 2½cups chopped yellow onion (about 2 medium onions)
  • 1cup diced celery (2 to 3 ribs)
  • 1cup diced carrot (2 medium carrots)
  • 3TBS tomato paste
  • 2TBS minced garlic (4 to 6 cloves)
  • 2bay leaves
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
  • 1tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary leaves
  • 1½cups dry red wine
  • 4½cups rich veal stock, or homemade beef stock, or substitute 1 cup demi-glace and 3½ cups packaged low sodium beef broth
  • 2TBS unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • Note: Reduce all ingredients proportionally for less than 4 lbs shanks.


Season the meat on all sides with 2½ tsp of the salt and 1 tsp of the pepper. Dredge the veal shanks in the flour, shaking them to remove any excess. Set the shanks aside. Reserve 3 TBS of the remaining dredging flour and discard the rest.

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add oil and heat until shimmering. Brown the shanks on all sides, in batches if necessary, 10 to 12 minutes per batch. Remove the shanks from the Instant Pot and set aside.

Add the onion, celery, and carrot to the Instant Pot and cook until softened and lightly browned around the edges, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, garlic, bay leaves, half of the thyme, half of the rosemary, the remaining 1¼ tsp salt, and the remaining 1 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the red wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any browned bits. Add the stock and return the shanks to the Instant Pot. Bring to a boil. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure 65 minutes. Note: With 3 lbs of shanks, the cook time was too long. Try 45 minutes.

Open the pressure release valve and allow the steam to escape. Unlock and carefully open the lid. The shanks should be nearly fall-from-the-bone tender. If the meat still meets with resistance, continue to cook under pressure for 2 to 4 minutes longer. Carefully transfer the shanks to a bowl and tent it with aluminum foil to keep warm. Remove and discard the bay leaves.

In a medium heat-proof bowl, mix the butter with the reserved dredging flour to form a smooth paste. Ladle 1 cup of the hot cooking liquid into the bowl and whisk to combine. Then stir this flour-broth mixture into the cooking liquid in the Instant Pot. Add the remaining rosemary and thyme. Set the Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ LOW and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened and smooth and any floury taste is gone, 5 to 10 minutes. Adjust the seasoning if necessary, then return the shanks to the sauce to rewarm briefly before serving. Serve as desired, garnished with a sprinkling of parsley.

Sumac Lamb Chops

Sumac Lamb Chops

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Yield: 2 Servings

Scott Nowell

November 2016: Sumac adds a mild citrus flavor to the lamb chops. It is one of the spices used in za’atar, a popular middle eastern spice.

  • 6lamb chops
  • 1tsp cumin
  • 1TBS sumac
  • salt and pepper


Season lamb chops with salt and pepper.

Mix cumin and sumac. Sprinkle all sides of chops with mixture, rub in to coat. Let rest for 30 minutes.

Preheat grill or broiler.

Grill lamb chops for about 3 minutes on each side. Remove to plate, tent with foil and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.

Serve 3 per person.

Medallions of Pork in Milk & Honey

Medallions of Pork in Milk & Honey

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Yield: 3 to4 Servings
Scott Nowell

November 1996: This may be a variation on a Jacques Pepin recipe that I saw on PBS. It’s been so long I really don’t remember, so let’s just say it’s my original. The idea for using Juniper Berries comes from a sauce I was served on venison at Windows on the World at the top of the World Trade Center in NYC in the mid 80’s.

  • ½cup milk
  • 2TBS honey
  • 1½oz gin
  • 12juniper berries crushed lightly
  • 1½lb whole pork tenderloins, trimmed with all silver-skin removed
  • 2TBS olive oil

Cut pork into slices about 3 inches thick. Stand slices one at a time on end in a quart freezer bag and pound with mallet or bottom of pan until about 1/2 inch thick. Move each pounded slice into a gallon freezer bag.

Pour milk into non metallic dish. Mix honey into milk. Honey will mix better if heated for a few seconds in microwave. Mix honey and milk until honey is dissolved. Add gin and crushed juniper berries. Pore milk mixture into pork and marinate at room temperature for 1 hour.

Heat oil in sauté pan over medium high heat until oil is quite hot. It will shimmer in the pan. Drain pork and pat dry with paper towels. Sauté pork medallions at high heat until browned on one side. Turn and cook other side. Pork should be cooked to at least 140°F. Honey will caramelize on pork and form very dark spots.

Serve alone or with accompanying sauce.

Brown Sauce

  • 1TBS butter or oil
  • 2TBS flour
  • 12oz water
  • 1tsp heaping Better Than Bouillon Beef
  • 1tsp heaping Better Than Bouillon Chicken
  • 1½oz gin
  • 12juniper berries crushed lightly

Add butter or oil to pan after removing pork. Melt over medium high heat, scraping bits from bottom of pan. Add flour and cook for a few minutes to form a light brown roux. Add water and BTB and whisk to mix. When sauce boils, lower temperature and simmer for a few minutes, stirring with whisk often. Add some cornstarch slurry to thicken if desired. Remove from heat and stir in a TBS of soft butter.

Serve with pork.