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Rice Pilaf with Peas

Rice Pilaf with Peas

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Stove-top or Oven-baked

Yield: 6 Servings
Hannah Jack Tavern, Merrimack, NH (closed)

Circa 1988. This recipe comes from the then chef at Hannah Jack Tavern in NH. This is a nice simple rice dish with peas added. Cooking the rice in stock gives you a nicely flavored rice. Feel free to experiment with a little fennel, minced carrot or other aromatics.

  • 3TBS butter
  • ½medium onion or 1-2 shallots, finely chopped
  • 1-2garlic cloves, minced (Optional)
  • 2TBS pine nuts, toasted (Optional)
  • 1½cups raw long grain rice
  • 3cups stock or water
  • 8oz frozen baby peas

Heat the butter in a saucepan and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the rice (and optional garlic or pine nuts) and sauté, stirring, until the rice is hot to the back of your hand. Then pour in the liquid, bring to a simmer, cover the pan with a piece of parchment or paper towel and the lid.

Stove-top:

Turn down the heat to low and cook for 15 minutes. Add the peas and stir to distribute, using a fork. Return to the heat, covered as before, for another 5 minutes. After that time, behold the perfectly cooked rice – all the liquid absorbed, and steam holes evenly distributed about the surface.

Baby peas really do not need to be cooked, only heated. Don’t follow the cooking directions on the box; they’ll be overdone.

Oven Baked:

Preheat oven to 350 to 400°F. Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully remove lid. Add peas. Replace lid and bake for 5 more minutes.

Serving:
If desired, scoop the rice into custard cups or ring molds and un-mold on the plate for a little more elegance than just spooning it on!

Israeli Couscous x2

Israeli Couscous x2

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Toasted Israeli Couscous w- Pine Nuts And Parsley

Yield: 2-3 Servings
Adapted from Epicurious

August 2016: Great side dish. Two warnings: Don’t burn the pine nuts (been there, done that) and don’t burn the couscous. If you don’t know, couscous is pasta. Israeli or Pearl couscous is the size of BB’s.

  • 2TBS butter, divided
  • ⅓cup pine nuts (pignoli nuts), toasted
  • ⅓cup finely chopped shallots
  • 1½cups Israeli couscous, toasted
  • ½large cinnamon stick
  • 1fresh or dried bay leaf
  • 14oz canned low-salt chicken broth
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¼cup minced fresh Italian parsley
  • black pepper

Toast the pine nuts. You can do this on a small tray in a toaster oven, or in a small saute pan. In either method, shake them a couple of times during cooking so they brown evenly. Watch them carefully and don’t burn them. They go from a nice brown to burnt in an instant. If you burn them, discard and start over.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a 2 quart sauce pan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until golden, about 5 minutes.

Add couscous, cinnamon stick, the bay leaf and stir until couscous browns slightly, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Pay careful attention as both the couscour and shallots will burn if you give them a chance.

Add the broth and salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until couscous is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 10 minutes.

Stir in parsley and pine nuts. Season with black pepper. Transfer to serving dish.

Israeli Couscous

with Asparagus, Peas, And Sugar Snaps

Yield: 6 Servings
Jeanne Thiel Kelley / Bon Appetit

August 2016: Another variation with vegetables added.

  • 4TBS extra-virgin olive oil, divided
  • 2TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 2large garlic cloves, minced, divided
  • ½tsp finely grated lemon peel
  • 1⅓cups Israeli couscous (6 to 7 oz)
  • 1¾cups (or more) vegetable broth
  • 14oz slender asparagus spears, trimmed, cut diagonally into ¾-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 8oz sugar snap peas, trimmed, cut diagonally into ½-inch pieces (about 2 ½ cups)
  • 1cup shelled fresh green peas or frozen, thawed
  • ⅓cup chopped fresh chives
  • ½cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Whisk 2 tablespoons oil, lemon juice, 1 garlic clove, and lemon peel in small bowl; set dressing aside. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add couscous, sprinkle with salt, and sauté until most of couscous is golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add 1 3/4 cups broth, increase heat, and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender, about 10 minutes, adding more broth by tablespoonfuls if too dry.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add asparagus, sugar snap peas, green peas, and remaining garlic clove. Sprinkle with salt and pepper; sauté until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer vegetables to large bowl.

Add couscous to bowl with vegetables. Drizzle dressing over. Add chives and cheese; toss. Season with salt and pepper.

Pot Roast (IP)

Pot Roast (IP)

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from https://www.pressurecookrecipes.com/pressure-cooker-pot-roast/

October 2017: I got an Instant Pot multi-cooker this year. I used this recipe for my pressure cooker test and it’s wonderful. The recipe takes great advantage of the multiple functions of the Instant Pot. The meat is sauteed, then pressure cooked. After that, the potatoes and carrots get a six minute pressure cook and Bob’s your uncle, it’s pot roast.  You need an Instant Pot.

  • 2-3lb USDA Choice Grade chuck roast
  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 2small onions, sliced
  • 4cloves garlic, minced
  • 8oz white mushrooms, sliced
  • 1cup unsalted homemade chicken stock
  • 1TBS soy sauce, optional
  • 1TBS fish sauce, optional
  • 1pinch of dried rosemary
  • 1pinch of thyme
  • 2bay leaves
  • 2TBS red wine or balsamic vinegar to deglaze
  • 2lbs russet potatoes, quartered (means quarter lengthwise then half making 8 pieces)
  • 3medium to large carrots, chopped in 1-inch pieces
  • 3stalks celery, chopped in 1-inch pieces (optional)
  • flour and butter in equal amounts as required for roux.


Prepare the Chuck Roast:

Pat roast dry with paper towels and season generously with salt and ground black pepper.

Prepare the Pressure Cooker:

Set a 6-qt Instant Pot to the SAUTÉ HIGH setting. Add the olive oil into the pot, coating the oil over the whole bottom of the pot and heat until shimmering.

Brown the Chuck Roast:

Add the seasoned chuck roast into the pot, then let it brown for 10 minutes on each side (don’t need to keep flipping). Remove and set aside.

Sauté the Onion and Garlic:

Reduce the heat to medium (Instant pot: press CANCEL button, then press SAUTÉ button, then MINUS). Add in the sliced onions and stir. Add a pinch of salt and ground black pepper to season if you like. Cook the onions for 3 to 5 minutes to soften. Add garlic and stir for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add in the mushrooms and season with another pinch of salt. Stir and cook for another 2 to 4 minutes until mushrooms start to brown.

Deglaze:

Pour in a dash of red wine or balsamic vinegar and scrape the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken stock, soy sauce, fish sauce, 1 pinch of dried rosemary, 1 pinch of thyme, and 2 bay leaves into the pressure cooker. Adjust the seasoning as needed.

Pressure Cook the Chuck Roast:

Place the chuck roast back into the pot with all its meat juice. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 45 minutes.

Let pressure naturally release for 25 minutes. Open the value to release any remaining pressure then open the lid carefully.

Remove the pot roast and set aside. Cover the roast with aluminum foil and let it rest while pressure cooking the vegetables.

Pressure Cook the Vegetables:

Submerge the quartered potatoes into the sauce and stack the chopped carrots and optional celery on top of the potatoes. Seal Instant Pot and set to MANUAL HIGH pressure for 5 minutes. Cover the pressure vent with a towel and do a Quick Release. Open the lid carefully. Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove vegetables to bowl.

Make the Gravy:

Carefully pour the sauce into a large measuring cup. In a suitably sized saucepan make a roux of 50:50 flour and butter (1½ TBS per cup) for the amount of sauce you have and cook for a couple of minutes. De-grease the sauce and pour into the saucepan. Cook, stirring until thickened and boiling. Reduce heat and simmer a few minutes. Adjust seasoning.

Serve:

Slice the meat against the grain. Serve with the gravy, potatoes & carrots and celery.

White Bean Chicken Chili

White Bean Chicken Chili

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Yield: 6 Servings
Scott Nowell (more or less)

Circa 2004: I think some variation of this recipe came from my daughter Samantha. Later I searched it out on the internet and combined a couple of different recipes for a church pot luck. It has a fair number of ingredients, but goes together real quick. The recipe uses cooked chicken, but you could sauté a chicken breast or two, if you don’t have cooked on hand.

  • 1TBS olive oil
  • 1small onion — peel/chop fine
  • 2medium garlic clove — peeled/chopped
  • ½tsp ground cumin
  • 1medium red bell pepper — chopped fine
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • ½lb roasted, sautéed or canned chicken breast — cut in 1/2 in. cubes
  • 214½ oz cans of white beans, (cannelloni, navy, etc, undrained)
  • 114½ oz can chicken broth or 2 cups homemade
  • 14 oz can diced green chilies, mild, medium or hot
  • 1TBS lime juice
  • 2TBS cilantro — minced

Serving: (optional)

  • salsa
  • sour cream
  • Mexican Cheese Blend, shredded


Sauté:
In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, and red bell pepper. Sauté 4-5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds.

Boil:
Stir the white beans, chilies, cumin, chili powder and broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Stir in the chicken and simmer 5 minutes.

Stir in the lime juice and cilantro.

Serve:
A tablespoon of salsa, sour cream and/or shredded cheese can be used to garnish each serving of chili, if desired.

Spanish Rice

Spanish Rice

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Spanish Rice

Yield: 4 to 8 Servings
Adapted from: Marion Cunningham / Epicurious

Circa 2008: There are more versions of Spanish Rice around than you can count. I do know this one is good. It is vegetable heavy compared to most and it is delicious. I have added the thyme, parsley, increased the cumin and replaced the tomato sauce with a can of diced tomatoes.
Marion Cunningham wrote: “Of course, I don’t believe this dish is Spanish at all, but rather Cajun from Louisiana. I made it quite often in the 1960s. Then — as now — in home cooking, one had to watch the cost, and rice was an inexpensive way to fill out a meal; after all, rice feeds half the world. In most American homes at the time, rice was served buttered with salt and pepper. This recipe gave rice a little style, made it a delicious “fancy” side dish to serve alongside grilled meat or chicken. If you like a little added spice, put some hot pepper sauce on the table.”

Prep: 15 Cook: 15 – 20

  • ¼cup olive oil
  • 2onions, finely chopped
  • 2bell peppers, 1 red and 1 green seeded, ribs removed, and finely chopped
  • 2ribs celery, finely chopped
  • 3cloves garlic, minced
  • 2cups long-grain white rice
  • 114-oz can diced tomatoes
  • 2cups water
  • 1½tsp salt
  • ½tsp black pepper
  • 1½tsp cumin
  • ½tsp thyme
  • ½tsp parsley


Sweat vegetables:

Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat, then add the onions, green peppers, celery, season with salt & pepper and sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Add the garlic and cook for another minute while stirring.

Add the rice and stir together to mix.

Add the cumin, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper.

Add liquids:

Drain the tomatoes into a large measuring cup and add water to the tomato liquid to total 3 cups. Carefully add the drained diced tomatoes and the liquid to the rice mixture

Cook:

Bring to a boil, lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, until the rice is done, stirring once or twice. Don’t overcook the rice!

Salmon en Papillote

Salmon en Papillote

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Yield: 2 Servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 1993: I don’t make this often, but I’ve been doing it for a long time. This is a delicious fish and vegetable dish and you can vary the veg for new versions. I have included a simple dish of Sliced Potatoes with Chives below. Both recipes double or triple easily. You’ll get extra practice crimping parchment.  I will get some photos together soon showing the crimping process.

  • 26-8 oz boneless skinless salmon fillets
  • 1leek
  • 2carrots
  • 1medium zucchini
  • ½lb snow pea pods
  • dry white wine
  • vegetable oil
  • salt & black pepper
  • Parchment (baking paper)

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Season the salmon on both sides with salt and pepper.

Cut the base from the leeks and cut the leeks in the green white area. Discard the dark green leaves or save for stock. The remaining leeks should be about four inches long. Cut the leeks vertically in half. Separate the leaves and wash under running water to remove any grit or dirt. Re-stack the leaves and cut in half to make stacks two inches long. Julienne the leaks to form slender match sticks. All the vegetables should be cut to the same size.

Peel the carrots and cut into two inch lengths. Cut lengthwise and julienne to form match sticks the same size as the leeks.

Slice 1/8 to 1/4 inch planks from zucchini lengthwise. Julienne on the diagonal.

Remove the vein from the spine of the pea pods and trim the ends. Julienne the pea pods on a diagonal to the same width as the carrots and leaks.

Cut about a ten inch square of parchment and fold in half to make a 5 by 10 inch rectangle. Fold the open sides over to make about a half inch seam. Open the parchment again and brush a light coating of oil around the edges. This will help seal in the steam when the packages cook. For a fancier presentation, cut the paper into a ten by twenty inch rectangle, fold over to form a 10 by 10 square and cut into a heart shape. Be sure to leave one edge uncut.

In the center of one side of the parchment make a bed of the vegetables, using one quarter of each per package. Place one of the salmon portions on top of each vegetable bed. Pour a tablespoon of white wine over the salmon. Close the other side of the paper over the salmon and re-fold the packages. Fold the paper a couple of times and crimp the edges well to insure a tight seal.

Place the completed papillotes in a shallow sided baking sheet and bake for approximately fifteen minutes.

The papillotes will be very hot when taken from the over. They can be placed on individual plates and opened at the tables or opened in the kitchen and the contents placed on the plates. In either case, you might want to cut a small slit in the edge of each papillote and tip the package to let the excess liquid drain before serving.

Serve with Sliced Potatoes with Chives and a white wine such as Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay.

Sliced Potatoes with Chives

Yield: 4 Servings
  • 4medium potatoes
  • water
  • 1tsp salt
  • 2TBS butter
  • 1TBS minced chives

Peel and slice potatoes into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place in 1 1/2 quart sauce pan. Rinse a couple of times to remove excess starch, then add enough water to the pan to cover by 1/2 inch. Add 1 teaspoon salt to pan.

Bring to a boil then cover and reduce to strong simmer. Cook until tender, approximately 12 minutes.

Drain potatoes but keep in sauce pan. Add butter and chives to pan and cover for a few minutes. Carefully stir or swirl to coat and place in serving dish.

Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil

Honey Garlic Butter Salmon In Foil

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Yield: 4 Servings
Cafedelites

Summer 2016: This is similar in concept to “en Papillote” preparations, but the foil is a little easier for most people to use. The honey adds a nice sweetness to complement the garlic. You could use this recipe on the grill or on a campfire.

  • ¼cup butter
  • ⅓cup honey
  • 4large cloves garlic, crushed
  • 2TBS fresh lemon juice (juice of ½ a lemon)
  • 1-2½lb salmon or whole filet (reduce other ingredients by half for 1 lb.)
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • Cracked pepper, to taste (optional)
  • Lemon slices (to serve)
  • 2TBS fresh chopped parsley

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Line a baking tray / sheet with a large piece of foil, big enough to fold over and seal to create a packet (or 2 long pieces of foil over lapping each other lengthways to create your salmon packet, depending on the width of you fillet).

In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low-medium heat. Add the honey, garlic and lemon, and whisk until the honey has melted through the butter and the mixture is well combined.

Place the salmon onto lined baking tray | sheet. Pour the butter/honey mixture over the salmon, and using a pastry brush or spoon, spread evenly over the salmon. Sprinkle with a good amount of salt (about 2 teaspoons) and cracked pepper. Fold the sides of the foil over the salmon to cover and completely seal the packet closed so the butter does not leak.

Bake until cooked through (about 15-18 minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish and your preference of doneness). Open the foil, being careful of any escaping steam, and grill / broil under the grill / broiler for 2-3 minutes on medium heat to caramelize the top. Garnish with parsley and serve immediately with lemon slices.

Braised Halibut with Leeks and Mustard

Braised Halibut with Leeks and Mustard

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from ATK

Spring 2017: This was featured on an episode of America’s Test Kitchen. It looked so tasty I made the next week. I think they went for 135°F, but I prefer fish more cooked through. I’m sure I hit at least 140°F. It makes a flavorful dish.

  • 46 oz boneless, skinless halibut
  • 6TBS Butter
  • 1lb cleaned sliced Leeks, white and pale green part only, about 3 cups
  • 1tsp Dijon mustard
  • ½tsp salt
  • ¾cup dry white wine
  • 1tsp lemon juice
  • 1TBS chopped parsley
  • Fish spatula/ turner is very useful to get fish out of pan


Prep:
Remove the root end of the leeks. Cut the tops of the leeks where they start to turn dark green. Save the top for stock. Split the white and pale green part of the leeks in half and slice thinly. Rinse in cold water very well.

Cook:

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add fish, skin side up and cook 3 minutes. Remove fish to plate.

Add leeks to butter with 1/2 tsp salt and 1 tsp Dijon mustard. Sauté leeks for 3-4 minutes until softened. Add wine.

Bake:

Return fish to top of leeks, skin side down. Cover and cook for 10-14 minutes until fish is 135-140°F.

Remove fish and leeks to platter, cover.

Reduce sauce 3-4 minutes, add lemon juice, season with salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over fish and sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

Salmon With Anchovy-Garlic Butter

Salmon With Anchovy-Garlic Butter

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Yield: 2 Servings
Adapted from NY Times

July 2016: Anchovies? No, never! This recipe convinced me that anchovies add a nice umami complexity to not just this dish, but many others. I have expanded the directions here because the original ones burn the heck out of the garlic. The extra anchovies keep just about forever if embedded in oil in the refrigerator.

  • 3TBS plus 2 TBS unsalted butter, softened
  • 4anchovy fillets, minced
  • 1fat garlic clove, minced (or 2 small ones)
  • ½tsp coarse kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 2(6-8 oz) skin-on salmon fillets
  • 2TBS drained capers, patted dry
  • ½lemon
  • Fresh chopped parsley, for serving

Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, mash together the 3 tablespoons of butter, anchovies, garlic, salt and pepper.

In a large ovenproof skillet, melt the two tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add the salmon, skin side down. Cook for 3 minutes over medium heat to brown the skin, spooning some pan drippings over the top of the fish as it cooks. Add half the anchovy butter mixture and the capers to the pan and transfer to the oven. Roast until fish is just cooked through, 8 to 12 minutes, depending on your version of cooked through.

Remove pan from oven and add remaining anchovy butter to pan to melt. Place salmon on plates and spoon buttery pan sauce over the top. Squeeze the lemon half over the salmon and garnish with chopped parsley.

Serve with Israeli Couscous and steamed asparagus.

Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

Oven-Fried Chicken Thighs

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Yield: 6 servings
Scott Nowell

Circa 2015: I love nice crispy chicken thighs. Great flavor and the coating is a real playground for experimenting with additional seasonings. Based on personal preference choose plain, just flour coating, egg and flour, regular bread crumbs or Panko crumbs or use a variety.

  • 6large chicken thighs, bone-in, skin-on
  • salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

For non-coated:

  • flour (optional)

For coated:

  • 2eggs
  • milk
  • 1cup seasoned bread crumbs, regular or panko
  • – or –
  • additional seasoned flour


Preheat oven to 425°F.

Line a quarter sheet pan with a Silpat, foil and spray or lightly coat with oil. If using foil, be sure to spray the foil with cooking spray or put a layer of parchment on top of the foil.

For all:
Arrange the chicken thighs skin side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, trim off any excess skin at the edges. Note: if you’re a crispy skin fan you can skip the trimming.

Season both sides generously with salt and black pepper.

Plain:
Place chicken skin side down in the prepared pan.

My Mom’s way:
Put 1/2 cup of flour in a sturdy plastic bag. Add thighs, two at a time. Shake to coat. Remove from bag, shaking off excess flour.
Place chicken skin side down in the prepared pan.

For coated:
Line up two or three bowls for a breading station. In the first place about 1/2 to 2/3 cup flour, season with generous pinch of salt and pepper.

In the second beat the eggs. Season with salt and pepper and mix in about 1/2 cup milk.

Option1:

Re-dip the chicken in the flour a second time.

Place chicken skin side down in the prepared pan.

Option2:

In the third bowl or bag, add the bread crumbs and season with additional salt and pepper to taste.

One at a time, dredge the thighs in the flour to coat completely. Shake or tap to remove excess.

Coat the floured chicken in the egg mixture, turning to coat completely. Drain excess.

Dip the chicken in the bread crumbs turning to coat generously or re-dredge the chicken in the flour.

Place chicken skin side down in the prepared pan.

Bake:

Bake for 30 minutes, remove and turn chicken over.

While the chicken is baking, make mashed potatoes or rice pilaf and you choice of green vegetable.

Bake for 20-30 minutes more until crispy and temperature is at least 190°F. Sounds high, but you want dark meat cooked through. It also breaks down the collagen, making the chicken tender.

Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes.

Serve with:
Starch: Mashed Potatoes, Rice, Pasta.
Veg: Any

Special Seasoning

Yield: 1 lb Seasoning Mix
  • 4tbs white pepper
  • 4tbs black pepper
  • 3tsp garlic salt
  • 3½tbs sage
  • 1tbs coriander
  • 4tsp ground ginger
  • 1tbs plus 1 tsp cayenne
  • 2tsp clove
  • 2tsp allspice
  • 2tsp savory
  • 1tsp marjoram
  • 1tsp thyme
  • 1¼cups table salt

Add 2 TBS special seasoning mix to 1 cup AP flour.

Use this after the egg dip. Re-dip in egg and special seasoning for an extra thick coating.