Classy Comfort Food

My go-to comfort food is a simple chicken-rice casserole.  Yesterday I tried out a recipe from Deb Perelman's Smitten Kitchen blog.  Recipes on this blog are tend to be a little more time-consuming than I generally cook, but I was seduced by this recent recipe.  I love chicken marsala, so this was a chance for the same kind of tastes, but in a casserole.  You can also make this without the chicken if you prefer vegetarian.  It turned out really, really good.  I will definitely be rotating it into my cooking.  Next time, I may try it with a little less cheese.

MUSHROOM MARSALA PASTA BAKE

http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2015/01/mushroom-marsala-pasta-bake/

serves 4 (can be doubled for a crowd)

8 ounces chunky pasta (e.g., penne, ziti)

1 T. olive oil

12 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced (regular, cremini, or a mixture)

1 medium onion, halved and sliced thin

salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1/4 c. marsala wine

3 T. unsalted butter

3 T. flour

1-1/2 c. broth (chicken, vegetable, or mushroom)

1/2 c. finely grated parmesan cheese (divided in half)

4 ounces mozzarella (either shredded or cut into small cubes)

2 c. cooked chicken, diced (optional)

3 T. chopped flat leaf parsley (divided 2 T and 1 T)

·      Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  To save on how many pots get dirtied, cook the pasta in a 3-4 quart pot that can also go in the oven.  Directions below assume you're doing that.  If not, you'll be using a total of 3 pots instead of 2.

·      Cook the pasta to the firm side of al dente, about 1-2 minutes before fully done.  Drain the pasta and set it aside.  Set aside the pot without washing.

·      While the pasta is being prepared, start the sauce.  Heat a large pan over high heat.  Add oil and heat it up.  Add mushrooms and cook until they've begun to get shiny, but have not yet released their liquid.

·      Reduce heat to medium-high, add onions, salt, and pepper and sauté until the liquid the mushrooms give off is evaporated.  (It's OK if there's still a little liquid left in the pan.)

·      Add the marsala and cook the mixture, stirring, until it is almost all evaporated.

·      Add butter and stir until melted.

·      Add the flour, stirring until it is all absorbed.

·      Add the broth, a small amount at a time, stirring continuously, and scraping the bottom of the pan as you stir.  Continue adding broth until all has been added.

·      Simmer the mixture for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  If using the cooked chicken, stir it in now.  Then add 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, all the mozzarella, and 2 T. of the parsley and stir all in together.

·      Spray with olive oil the pasta pot.

·      Transfer the sauce and the drained pasta to the pot.  Sprinkle the remaining parmesan cheese on top.  Bake for about 30 minutes, until the edges of the pasta are golden brown.  Sprinkle with 1 T. parsley and serve.

By the way, this is a good example of how I change up the recipe some if I'm sharing a recipe from someone else.  Some bloggers make explicit what they expect if someone re-posts a recipe:  1) Re-write the instructions in your own words.  (Doesn't have to be entirely new.)  2) Provide a link back to the original recipe.  If I haven't changed anything in the ingredients or process, or if I think the wording is perfect as is, I would just give you a link to the recipe online.

Excellent Recipe Source

You may or may not have noticed that a number of the recipes I've posted have their origin in Elise Bauer's blog, Simply Recipes:  http://www.simplyrecipes.com/  Elise posts a recipe every 2-3 days, and almost all of them look interesting enough that I read through them, and I print out a good many of them as well.  The recipes run the gamut of all types of food, and they tend to be fairly simple, and usually healthy, recipes.  The website has an extensive collection of recipes by category, as well as an index.  You can also subscribe to the blog to see the regular postings.  If she had a cookbook, I would buy it!

Simple Poached Salmon

SIMPLE POACHED SALMON

http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/poached_salmon/

This is about as simple as you can get for preparing salmon.  I purchase very high quality wild-caught Alaskan salmon from Sitka Salmon Shares, and this recipe showcases the flavor of the salmon, pure and simple.  It also takes just a few minutes to prepare and cook.  The other day I felt like making a somewhat elaborate side dish (stuffed peppers), so I decided to try this recipe, to save some time on the salmon.  I will be making it again soon!

Amount of salmon:  figure on something between 4-7 ounces per person.  Up to about 1-1/2 lbs should fit in a standard pan.  When I cooked an 8 oz. fillet, I used the same amount of liquid as indicated for a larger amount, and it turned out fine.

• salmon steaks or fillets, up to about 1-1/2 lbs (or as much as will fit in one layer in your pan
• salt
• 1/2 c. dry white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/2 c. water
• 1 shallot, sliced, or a few thin onion slices
• a sprinkle of dried dill (or a few sprigs of fresh dill if you have it)
• a few sprigs of parsley
• freshly ground black pepper
• a wedge of lemon—one per serving.

Into a sauté pan, put the wine, water, dill, parsley, and shallots/onions.  Turn up heat to medium and bring to a simmer.

Sprinkle a little salt on the salmon.  Place salmon in the pan, skin-side down.  Cover the pan and cook 5-10 minutes, depending on how thick the fillet is.  (The sockeye fillet I cooked was done in 6 minutes one night, and 7 minutes the next.)  Serve with freshly ground pepper and lemon slices.

Beet, Orange, and Almond Salad

Sometimes I like a vegetable salad on the side, instead of a green salad.  This beet salad is not as dramatic as one with nuts and blue cheese or goat cheese--which I like very much--but I also like the fresh taste of this one.  Nice colors too, though by the second day everything will turn red.

BEET, ORANGE, AND ALMOND SALAD

adapted from Simply Light Cooking: 250 Recipes from the Kitchens of Weight Watchers

makes 4 servings

2 small navel oranges

3 cups drained, canned whole beets, cut into largish bite-size pieces (or use freshly roasted beets, below).  If using fresh beets, you'll need about a bunch and a half.

1/4 cup sliced scallions (about three scallions)

2 t. seasoned rice vinegar

1 t. sesame oil

1 t. olive oil

1 ounce slivered almonds, toasted

1.       Toast the almonds. (Or skip—fine with the nuts not toasted.)

2.       Put cut-up beets into a medium-sized bowl.  Add scallions. Peel the oranges and cut sections into the beets.  Squeeze the juice from the rest of the orange into a small bowl. 

3.       Add vinegar and oils to the reserved orange juice and whisk to combine.  Add dressing to beet mixture and toss to coat.

4.       To serve, sprinkle with almonds

Roasting Beets:

Heat oven to 425.  Wash beets and trim off ends, but don't bother to peel them.  Put large piece of foil on a roasting tray or jelly roll pan.  Put beets on top of foil and then pull up foil around beets to make a closed package.  Bake for about an hour, or until beets can be pierced easily with a knife.  Let beets cool a bit and then rub off the skin.

Cranberry Pie with Pecan Crumble

For Thanksgiving this year, David requested my mother's Pumpkin-Coconut Chiffon Pie, and I'm fond of the recipe also, so that's what I made.  But I was very intrigued by a recipe for Cranberry Pie posted earlier in November by Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen blog.  Happily, I had an occasion the week after Thanksgiving for which I needed to contribute a dessert, which gave me a chance to try out this pie.  It is wonderful!  I like all pies, but do prefer fruit to creamy ones.  This one is on the tart side, but very pleasing.  (It's also quite a bit easier to make than the pumpkin chiffon.)  Said one taster, "I don't usually try new things, but I really like this!"

I've included the recipe for the pie crust, but you can definitely make this pie with a purchased pie crust.  I think the Pillsbury ones are very good, and used them for years, as the few pie crusts that I had tried to make on my own over the years invariably stuck to the counter and ended up not flaky in any case.  I also disliked cleaning up the mess of all the flour on the counter.  Then my friend Louise mentioned how easy the cleanup was with a silicone mat (just bring it to the sink and rinse off), as well as how easy it is to roll out the dough on the mat, without sticking, so I indulged in one.  Definitely a big improvement!  Now I enjoy making my own crusts.  I have this one, and like it very much.  Yes, expensive (even more now than when I purchased it), but I'm glad to have it.

Cranberry Pie with Thick Pecan Crumble

adapted from http://smittenkitchen.com/blog/2014/11/cranberry-pie-with-thick-pecan-crumble/

Yield: 1 standard 9-inch pie (not deep-dish)

Crust (can be made a day or two in advance )
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick cold unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup very cold water, plus an additional tablespoon if needed

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and pulse machine until mixture resembles a coarse meal and the largest bits of butter are the size of tiny peas. Turn mixture out into mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup cold water and stir with a wooden spoon until large clumps form. Knead the dough together with your hands, right in the bottom of the bowl. If the dough is too dry to stick together, add the additional tablespoon of water.

Wrap dough in a sheet of plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour, or up to 48 hours, or you can quick-firm it in the freezer for 15 minutes.

On a floured counter or silicone mat, roll the dough out into a 12 to 13-inch circle.  Fold dough gently in quarters without creasing and transfer to a 9-inch standard (not deep-dish) pie plate. Unfold dough and trim overhang to about 1/2-inch. Fold overhang under edge of pie crust and crimp around the edge. Return to fridge until ready to fill.

Filling
4-1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries (about 1-1/2 12-ounce bags)
1 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 to 2 more tablespoons, if desired, to taste
a few gratings of orange zest (clementine zest also fine)
pinch of salt
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine all filling ingredients in a medium saucepan over medium heat. (No need to defrost frozen cranberries—just cook a couple of extra minutes.)  After about 5 minutes, berries will begin to leak juices. Cook, stirring for 5 minutes more until filling is loose. Transfer filling to a bowl to let it cool slightly for 5 to 10 minutes while you make the crumble topping.

Streusel
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

2/3 cup rolled oats ("old-fashioned," not "quick")
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup light or dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon coarse or sea salt
3/4 cup pecans, toasted if you have the time

Melt the butter and put it aside to cool.  Toast the pecans.  Grind the oats to a powder in a food processor (close to flour in grain). Add pecans and coarsely grind them with the oats. Add remaining ingredients except the butter, pulsing a few times to combine. Add butter, pulsing until crumbles form. Sprinkle topping over cranberry filling.

Bake pie 

Bake pie for or 45 to 50 minutes, until juices are bubbling enough that come up a bit onto the crumb topping. If pie browns too quickly, cover top with a piece of foil for remaining baking time. Transfer to a wire rack to cool a bit before serving.

To serve
I served the pie just as is, and it was wonderful.  You could also top it with powdered sugar, sweetened whipped cream with a little vanilla extract added, or vanilla ice cream.

Baked Apples

I don't often make baked apples--I think about how wrinkly and ugly they look, and about how few ingredients there are, and if I'm going to go to the trouble of making dessert, I turn to something more elegant.  But I was looking for a simple dessert for a small dinner with guests last week, and turned to this recipe, which I've used before.  I need to make them more frequently--they truly are delicious, just like the recipe title says.  And next time, I'll make a couple of extra, so we can have them again for breakfast the next day.  By the way, the source for this recipe is one of my favorite cookbooks.

DELICIOUS BAKED APPLES

adapted from Jane Brody's Good Food Gourmet

serves 4

3/4 cup dry white wine

6 T. apple juice or cider

3 T. sugar (optional)

1-1/2 T. butter 

rounded 1/8 t. cinnamon

4 Golden Delicious apples (be sure to use a cooking apple, e.g., not Granny Smith)

about 1/3 c. golden raisins (as much as it takes to fill cavities in apples)

Preheat oven to 350.

Core the apples.  (I don't have an apple corer.  I start the hole by cutting into the center of the apple with a paring knife.  Then I use a potato peeler to scrape away a deeper hole, taking out all the seeds.)  Make a cavity about an inch wide.

In a small saucepan, combine the wine, apple juice or cider, sugar (if using), butter, and cinnamon.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring it occasionally, lower the temperature, and simmer for 5 minutes.

Peel the top third of each apple, and place the apples, peeled side up, in a baking dish (8" square works fine).  Fill the cavities with raisins and pour the wine mixture over the apples.

Place the uncovered dish in the middle of oven and bake the apples, basting them a few times with the wine sauce, for 1 hour 20 minutes or until the apples are tender but not mushy (poke a knife in to test); at the last basting, pour any remaining sauce over the apples.  Serve the apples warm, chilled, or at room temperature with the wine sauce spooned over them.

Vanilla ice cream is nice on the side, but the apples are a really nice dessert all on their own!

A Simple Stir-Fry

SIMPLE STIR FRY

serves 3

The starting point for this stir-fry was a recipe for "Spicy Garlicky Tofu and Broccoli" in my favorite Asian cookbook, Jaden Hair's Steamy Kitchen's Healthy Asian Favorites.  I had picked up some beautiful snap peas at Mariano's on a drive home from Chicago, and wanted to do a simple stir-fry with what I had in the house.   Turned out that meant a half-pound of ground turkey to go with the snap peas.  So, what I cooked doesn't have either tofu or broccoli in it, but the basic outline of the recipe served me well.  Obviously, feel free to substitute other ingredients!

2 t. cooking oil

3 cloves garlic, finely minced

2 t. grated or finely minced ginger

1/2-lb ground turkey

several handfuls of snap peas*

3 T. stir-fry sauce or oyster-flavored sauce (I used House of Tsang bottled sauce, found at my grocery store)

1-1/2 T. water

1 T. white balsamic vinegar

Sriracha sauce to taste

basmati or other rice

1.  Put the rice on to cook.

2.  Chop the garlic and ginger.

3.  Mix together the stir-fry sauce, water, white balsamic, and Sriracha sauce.

4.  When the rice is about 5-7 minutes from being done, heat the oil in a wok or large sauté pan.  Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry about 1 minute.  Add the ground turkey, and sauté until meat is no longer pink. 

5.  Add the sauce mixture to the pan and stir into the meat mixture.  Add the snap peas and stir-fry for a minute or two, until the peas are cooked but still crispy.  That's it!

*If you are using a vegetable that needs more than 1-2 minutes to cook, you'll want to pre-cook it part-way before assembling the stir-fry.  For broccoli, for example, Jaden Hair puts it a head of broccoli in 1 cup of boiling water for 2 minutes, cooking until crisp tender, and then drains and puts it aside until the last step of the stir-fry.