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Roasted Onions Stuffed with Prosciutto & Parmesan

Roasted Onions Stuffed with Prosciutto & Parmesan

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Yield: 4 Servings
Gordon Hammersley / Fine Cooking issue 23

This is a great side dish for braised or roasted meats.

  • 4medium onions
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1½cups dry white wine
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2sprigs fresh thyme
  • ⅔cup dry breadcrumbs
  • ½cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano
  • ¼lb prosciutto, coarsely chopped
  • 2TBS heavy cream
  • 1½tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 1TBS chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley


Heat the oven to 425°F. Slice off the top quarter of the onions. Peel them and trim the bottoms just enough to make them sit flat.

Heat the oil in a heavy-based ovenproof skillet until hot. Put the onions, cut side down, into the pan and cook just the cut side until well browned, about 5 min. Take the pan off the heat. Turn the onions cut side up and pour the wine over them. Sprinkle them with salt and pepper. Add the thyme sprigs to the pan and bake the onions until just tender when poked with a knife, about 1 hour.

Remove the onions from the skillet (reserving the liquid in the pan) and let them cool slightly. With a spoon, scoop out the inside of each onion, leaving a rim 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick (about two layers of onion). Chop enough of the scooped-out onion to make about 1/3 cup.

In a medium bowl, mix the chopped onion with the breadcrumbs, Parmigiano, prosciutto, cream, chopped thyme, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Divide the filling among the hollowed onions, return the onions to the skillet with the liquid, and put the skillet back in the oven. Bake until the onions are very tender and the filling is hot, about 20 minutes. Serve with some of the pan juices spooned over the onions.

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

Tuscan Vegetable Medley

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Yield: 4 Servings
Scott Nowell

This recipe was originally part of a baked Tuscan fish dish. The vegetables make such a great combination that they are worth making as a side.

  • 1medium onion chopped
  • olive oil
  • 1can (15 oz) great northern, cannelloni or navy beans, rinsed and drained
  • 4plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1small zucchini, chopped
  • 1-2garlic clove, minced
  • ¼cup white wine
  • ½tsp salt, divided
  • ¼tsp pepper, divided

Add a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped onion to a 3 quart sauce pan over medium heat and sweat just until the onion starts to soften.

Increase heat to medium high and add all of the remaining ingredients. Mix and cook until everything is hot, stirring occasionally for 3 to 5 minutes.

Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve.

Chuck Roast Bolognese

Chuck Roast Bolognese

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Yield: 6 Servings
Adapted from Tom Hirschfeld

One pan pasta bake.  Dry pasta cooks right in the sauce in a covered pan in the oven.

  • olive oil
  • 1lb well-marbled chuck roast, cut into very small cubes, or ground beef
  • Kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1cup diced onion
  • ½cup diced carrots
  • ½cup diced celery
  • 3garlic cloves, minced
  • 1tsp dried rosemary
  • ½tsp dried thyme
  • ½tsp dried oregano
  • ½tsp dried basil
  • 1cup red wine
  • 2cups beef stock or water
  • 1cup strained tomatoes
  • 1-2TBS milk or cream (optional)
  • 1lb sturdy pasta, such as rigatoni, penne, farfalle
  • Parmesan, grated for garnish
  • fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish

Heat oven to 350°F.

Heat a 14-inch sauté pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. When it is hot, add the olive oil, swirl the pan and add the beef. Season it with a healthy pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Stir and brown it on all sides.

Add the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, and herbs, and stir.

Add the red wine and let it reduce to a tablespoon or so.

Add the tomatoes, 2 cups of water, and the dairy (if using). Stir, taste, and add salt and pepper as necessary. Bring the mixture to a boil and add the pasta. Shake the pan to spread the pasta evenly across the pan, and bring it all back to a boil.

Put a lid on it, place it into the oven, and bake for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove the pan from the oven, remove the lid, stir and taste a piece of the pasta. If it is still crunchy, put the lid back onto the pan and put it back into the oven for another 10 minutes.

Remove the pasta from the oven. Top with lots of Parmesan and parsley and serve.

Tuscan Fish – w/o Packets

Tuscan Fish – w/o Packets

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Taste of Home & others

This makes a wonderful, flavorful dish. It was a variation of ‘fish en papillote’, (fish in paper). It has morphed into a baked Tuscan Fish dish.

I found the “original” recipe in three different places by three different authors, all exactly the same with the same introduction: “I was given this recipe by a professional chef, but have adapted it…”. The original source is suspect.

I have made some changes as well, such as adding parchment. Wine and lemon don’t play well with aluminum foil and can cause an off flavor.

Well, the newest version eliminates the packet. It’s a waste of foil and parchment.

  • 1-2cans (15 oz) white beans, like great northern, cannelloni or navy, drained and rinsed
  • 3-4plum tomatoes, chopped
  • 1small zucchini, quartered & sliced 1/2-inch thick
  • 1medium onion, chopped or 6 oz cherry tomatoes, halved
  • 1garlic clove, minced
  • ¼cup white wine
  • ¾tsp salt, divided
  • ¼tsp pepper, divided
  • 46 oz white fish fillets, such as cod or haddock
  • 1medium lemon, cut into 8 thin slices

Optional:

  • 12peeled and deveined shrimp or 12 scallops (or 6 of each)

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Place the chopped onion in a small bowl and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes, otherwise it is too crisp.

In a large bowl, combine beans, tomatoes, zucchini, onion, garlic, wine, microwaved onion, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoons pepper.

Rinse fish and pat dry. Place the fillets in a wide shallow baking dish.

Optional: Add 3 shrimp or scallops on top of each fillet.

Season fish with remaining salt and pepper. Spoon bean mixture over fish; top with lemon slices. Cover the baking dish and transfer to a baking sheet.

Note: Can be prepared ahead and refrigerated until it is time to bake.

Bake until fish just begins to flake easily with a fork and vegetables are tender, 15-20 minutes.

There is delicious juice in the baking dish that would love to be soaked up in a dense bread like a plain, multigrain or sourdough boule.

Skillet Fried Chicken

Skillet Fried Chicken

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from many

This is a conglomeration of recipes that makes a good pan-fried chicken.

  • 15-lb chicken, (typical supermarket chicken size)
  • 2cups white flour
  • 2tsp salt
  • ½tsp thyme
  • ½tsp basil
  • ½tsp oregano
  • 1tsp celery salt
  • 1tsp dried mustard
  • 2tsp paprika
  • 1tsp garlic salt
  • 1tsp ground ginger
  • 1tsp white pepper
  • 1cup buttermilk (or 4 TBS buttermilk powder blended in 1 cup water)
  • 1large egg
  • oil (for frying)

Break down the chicken into 10 pieces.  I took the breasts off of the bone and then cut them in half.   Season chicken well with salt and pepper and leave out at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.

Add to a plastic freezer bag, flour and all dry seasonings.  Seal bag and shake well to mix.

Whisk egg in a medium bowl. Add buttermilk to bowl and whisk to combine.

Pour oil into a 10″–12″ cast-iron skillet or other heavy straight-sided skillet  to a depth of 1/2″. Heat over medium-high heat until thermometer registers 350°F. Meanwhile, set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.

Working with 2 to 4 pieces at a time, place chicken in flour bag and shake well to coat pieces.  Remove to plate. Repeat for remainder.

Dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl.  Add pieces to flour bag.  When you have a few pieces in the bag, seal bag and shake well to mix.  Remove pieces to a plate or sheet pan.

Place 5 pieces of chicken in skillet. Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1–2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300°–325°F, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F, about 10 minutes for wings and 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breast halves.

Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack.

Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Flaky Chicken Hand Pies

Flaky Chicken Hand Pies

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Yield: 9 Servings
Adapted from David Tannis / NY Times

Chicken potpie to go.  Very similar to the other hand pies here, but this one is made with store bought puff pastry.

  • 4whole boneless, skinless chicken thighs or breasts (about 2 lb)
  • Salt and pepper

Filling:

  • 2TBS butter
  • 1large onion, diced (about 1½ cups)
  • 2small cloves garlic, minced
  • 1tsp chopped fresh thyme
  • 8oz brown or white mushrooms, chopped (about 4 cups)
  • 2TBS all-purpose flour
  • 1cup chicken broth or stock
  • ½cup crème fraîche
  • 6scallions, white and green parts only, chopped
  • 3TBS freshly chopped parsley

Crust:

  • 1sheet (about 10-by-15 inches) frozen puff pastry, thawed in the refrigerator
  • 1egg, beaten with 1 TBS water


Prepare chicken:

Heat oven to 375°F. Season chicken generously with salt and pepper. Roast, uncovered, for 30 to 45 minutes, until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle.

Chop chicken roughly into 1/2-inch chunks and set aside or refrigerate, covered, for up to 2 days.

Make filling:

In a large skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook until softened, stirring, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, thyme and chopped mushrooms. Season mixture with salt and pepper and reduce heat to medium.

Cook, stirring, until onions have colored slightly and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and stir to coat. Add broth and cook, stirring, as mixture thickens. Add chicken, turn heat to low and cook 5 minutes more. Stir in crème fraîche, turn off heat, and set aside to cool. Stir in scallions and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble:

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Unfold puff pastry on a lightly floured (or parchment-paper-covered) work surface. Using a rolling pin, roll out into an approximate 15-inch square. Use the tip of a knife to cut into 9 equal squares. Spoon about 3/4 cup chicken mixture into the center of each piece, then divide any remaining mixture evenly on top, so each has the same amount.

Brush two adjacent edges with egg wash. Pick up and fold the dry corner of pastry over the filling to make a triangular pie. Press and pinch both edges together tightly to seal. Divide on the prepared pans.

Bake:

Brush the tops with egg wash and bake until deep golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Serve warm.

Ultimate Meatballs

Ultimate Meatballs

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Yield: 8 to 16 Meatballs
Tyler Florence / Food Network

This recipe makes wonderful meatballs.  They are big though.  Unless you want one per person, make 16 instead.

  • Extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1small to medium onion, chopped
  • 2small garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1½TBS finely chopped fresh parsley leaves
  • 3thick slices firm white bread, crust removed, cut into cubes (about 2 cups)
  • ¾cup milk
  • 1½lb ground beef
  • 1½lb ground pork
  • 1large egg
  • ¼cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, plus more for serving
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Heat 3 tablespoons oil in an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and parsley and cook until the vegetables are soft but not colored, about 10 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and let the mixture cool.

Add the bread to a medium bowl and pour in the milk. Let the bread soak while the onions are cooling. Combine the meats in a large bowl. Add the egg and cheese and season generously with salt and pepper. Use your hands to squeeze the excess milk out of the bread and add it to the bowl along with the cooled onion mixture. Gently combine all the ingredients with your hands until just mixed together. Don’t overwork the mixture or the meatballs will be tough. Divide the mixture into 8 equal pieces and shape them into 8 nice looking meatballs. Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Meat Pasty

Meat Pasty

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Yield: 6 servings
Recipe courtesy Santos Loo for Cooking Channel
  • 3cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling dough
  • 1cup shortening or lard
  • Kosher salt
  • 1cup ice cold water
  • 8oz ground beef
  • 4oz rutabaga, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1medium carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • 1small yellow onion, finely chopped
  • 1small russet potato, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
  • ¼cup picked fresh parsley leaves, chopped
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 1egg, whisked

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Add the flour, shortening and a pinch of salt to a food processor and run the motor until the dough starts to clump together. With the motor running, drizzle in the water. Stop the motor when a ball begins to form. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for about 1 hour. This step allows the glutens to relax and makes for easier rolling.

Mix together the beef, rutabaga, carrots, onions, potatoes and parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside until ready to form the pies.

Cut the dough into 6 even pieces, about 5 ounces each, and form into balls. Make sure the dough is cold for easier handling. Flour a work surface and roll out each ball of dough into an 8-inch circle. Evenly divide the filling (about 3/4 cup per pastie) on one half of each dough circle. Fold the dough over to cover the mixture and crimp the edges using a fork. Slice 3 small slits on top of each pocket. This prevents steam from building up and splitting the dough. Brush the pasties with the egg and bake on the prepared baking sheet until the crust is golden brown and flaky, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Serve with ketchup.

Cook’s Note: Pasties can be baked and then frozen. To reheat, place in a 300°F  oven until warmed through, about 20 minutes.

Cornish Pasty

Cornish Pasty

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Yield: 4 Servings
Adapted from Food Wishes

This Cornish pasty is one of those rare recipes that novice cooks will find easier to make than experienced bakers. That’s because to make this to its original, and very sturdy specifications, you’re forced to over-mix the dough…a cardinal sin that literally gives pie makers nightmares.
Like any pastry dough, we’re just adding just enough ice water to bring everything together, but unlike classic pie dough, we’re going to knead the mixture for a couple minutes past that point. Thanks to a little thing called muscle memory, this is not going to be easy for some of you.
Get over it; because once you taste and feel the final product, it will all make sense. The tougher, but not tough dough is the perfect delivery system for the meaty filling. Speaking of which, I went with a fairly traditional version, and provided the recipe below, but this great crust will work with all sorts of stuffing’s.
You could use cooked meat in these, but part of what makes them so good, is how the raw ingredients cook in their own juices, while encased in the tasty dough. I can’t imagine many things that wouldn’t be great in these.

Dough

  • 4cups bread flour
  • 2oz (4 TBS) cold butter
  • 3oz (6 TBS) cold lard
  • 1½tsp salt
  • ⅔-¾cup ice water, or enough to just bring dough together (start with about 1/2 cup, and then drizzle in more as needed)

For the steak filling:

  • 12oz cubed beef skirt steak
  • ½cup diced onions
  • 1cup diced gold potatoes
  • ⅓cup diced turnip or carrot
  • 1½tsp salt
  • 1tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch of cayenne
  • 2TBS butter, cut into 8 thin slices

For the egg wash:

  • 1large egg, beaten with 1 tsp water

Dough: Add flour and salt, butter and lard into food processor and pulse to cut butter to pea size pieces. Add ice water and pulse until it comes together.

Dump on work surface and hand knead for a couple of minutes until it makes a smooth ball. Wrap in plastic and chill a few hours.

Filling: Preheat oven to 350°F.

Mix all filling ingredients in a medium bowl.

Pasty: Cut dough into 4 equal pieces. Roll out until about 8 inches wide and 1/4 inch thick. Coat with egg wash over entire surface.

Add one quarter of filling to each piece of dough, off-center and top with a couple of thin pieces of butter.

Fold over the door, press all around the edge. Trim excess dough. Crimp with fork.

Poke fork into top to make steam hole. Paint with more egg wash to coat.

Bake pasties at 350°F for about an hour or until browned and bubbly.

Cool for 15 minutes, serve.

Korean Bulgogi

Korean Bulgogi

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Yield: 4 Servings
Bon Appétit

For this basic bulgogi recipe, cutting the meat into very thin strips allows it to absorb the hot-sweet-salty marinade in minutes, not hours.

  • ¼pear, grated
  • 1garlic clove, grated
  • 2TBS soy sauce
  • 1TBS gochugaru (coarse Korean hot pepper flakes), or 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1TBS grated peeled ginger
  • 1TBS light brown sugar
  • 1TBS toasted sesame oil
  • 1lb boneless pork loin, trimmed hanger steak, boneless short rib, or skinless, boneless chicken breasts or thighs
  • 2TBS vegetable oil, divided
  • Kosher salt
  • Sliced scallions (for serving)

Combine pear, garlic, soy sauce, gochugaru, ginger, sugar, and sesame oil in a large resealable plastic bag or medium bowl. Using a sharp knife, slice meat into very thin strips. Add to marinade, seal bag, and squish everything around until the meat is coated. Let sit at room temperature 30 minutes, or chill up to 8 hours.

Heat 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high until oil is shimmering. Remove half of meat from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag; season lightly with salt and cook in a single layer without moving until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Toss meat and continue to cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and crisp at edges, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, remaining meat, and more salt.

Serve topped with scallions.