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Tag Archives: Dinner
Brussels sprouts and shallots are slowly roasted in duck fat until caramelized to bring out the natural sugars and flavors.
We both dislike Brussels sprouts; yes, we are haters! Which may seem odd since I am posting a recipe for just that. Recently we were at the Foodbuzz awards dinner and one of the dishes was Brussels sprouts. I have to admit I was not happy to see this on the menu, how was I going to gag these down at a dinner party? I was pleasantly surprised that they were amazingly ….. amazing. In fact, I loved them; slightly crispy with that nice golden color of being roasted. Unfortunately, I still was not convinced nor did I ever plan on attempting to put a Brussels sprout on the table! Then I saw a few different posts floating around about the “Brussels sprout”.
While Allison was showing me around the farmer’s market a couple weeks ago, I asked her about her Brussels sprout dish. She said she was inspired by the same Brussels sprout at Foodbuzz and that her dish was really good. This convinced me (as well as the duck fat addition) to give them another try. Last weekend we had a little pre-Thanksgiving dinner with my family and I decided I would spring this Brussels sprout dish on them. I did end up changing Allison’s dish somewhat, only because there was a whole lotta cranberries already happening on our table. I left out the almonds and cranberries and added caramelized shallots instead. The result …. delicious! Everyone loved them, even my 2 year old nephew, who kept saying “more”. Keep in mind this recipe is for an army of eaters, so you can half it if need be.
Recipe: Duck Fat Roasted Brussels Sprouts
*inspired by Local Lemons
4 pounds Brussels sprouts
8 oz duck fat
2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
kosher salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
Heat oven to 450. Slowly melt all of the duck fat, except for 2 tablespoons, in a saucepan. Remove outer leaves of the Brussels sprouts, keep the ones that do not have any blemishes. Cut off and throw out the bottom of each Brussels sprout, and cut them in half. Lay in a roasting pan and drizzle the melted duck fat over the top. Sprinkle on a little salt and pepper. Roast for about 30 minutes until golden brown and caramelized. Gently stir the sprouts about 15 minute into the roasting. While the sprouts are roasting, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of duck fat in a frying pan. Thinly slice the outer leaves that you saved. Add the shallots to the duck fat and slowly cook, over low heat, until lightly crisped. Add the outer leaves and give a quick stir, just to coat the leaves, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Before serving stir the shallots/outer leaf mixture into the roasted Brussels sprouts. Serve. Eat.
Roasting kabocha and yellow yellows together until caramelized brings out the sweetness as well as the earthiness of these vegetables before turning them into a rich vegetarian based soup.
I have been seeing a lot of kabocha recipes in my Australian Gourmet magazines. I finally found both green and red varietals at the Berkeley farmers market. What is a Kabocha? It is also known as a Japanese pumpkin throughout Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia. It is the short stubby cousin to our native pumpkin. The kabocha is round but also rather bumpy with knobby skin, the color is either a dull green or red but the insides are an intense red-orange color. It is naturally sweet, even sweet than a butternut squash with a similar texture of a pumpkin. I thought the flesh tasted rather earthy like a russet potato. It is rich in beta carotene, iron, vitamin C and potassium.
I found the history of the kabocha interesting as well. It is believed that all squash originated in Mesoamerica, but may have been independently cultivated elsewhere. However the kabocha was introduced to Japan by Portuguese sailors in 1541, who brought it with them from Cambodia. The Portuguese name for the pumpkin, Cambodia abóbora, was shortened by the Japanese to kabocha.
This was my first time using a kabocha and I decided that I wanted to make it into a soup. I slowly roasted it with some yellow onions and olive oil until it was caramelized. Then I simmered the flesh as well as the onions with plain water – I find that vegetable stock changes the flavor of soups and takes away from their natural taste. I then pureed the mixture and served it with a piece of fried sage and a drizzle of the sage oil. It was rich in flavor but light in calories. This soup would make a perfect soup course for your Thanksgiving table.
Here is another recipe that would be perfect with kabocha.
Recipe: Roasted Kabocha Soup
1 3 pound kabocha, cut into quarters
1 yellow onion, cut into quarters
drizzle of olive oil
3 cups of water
maldon salt, to taste
fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
sage
Heat oven to 425. Put kabocha and onion in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Roast for about 30 -45 minutes until soft and caramelized. Remove from oven and gently remove the flesh of the kabocha from the skin. Put it into a large saucepan with the onion and water. Simmer over low heat for about 30 minutes. Puree with a food processor in small batches, return to a saucepan. Gently reheat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Heat a small amount of olive oil in a small frying pan and gently fry sage leaves. Before serving drizzle a bit of the sage infused olive oil over the top of soup and float the fried sage leaf in it. Serve. Eat.
Succulent lamb stew meat is seasoned with sumac, lightly browned and then simmered with stock to make a flavor rich stew, the finishing touches are the freshest baby potatoes, green beans and carrots; add a loaf of crusty bread and a full bodied red wine and you have the perfect comfort food.
Last month I had just made a steamy latte, turned on the computer, opened up the October issue of Saveur (this is a drool worthy edition, the photos (by Penny De Los Santos) are amazing) and was in the middle of reading A Shepherd’s Life, when I was “dinged” that I had a new email. Normally, I would have just kept reading, but I put the magazine down and opened my email. Now don’t get me wrong the article was very interesting and I was very intrigued as it was about Basque sheepherders in Idaho and this is of great interest to me as I am of Basque decent, particularly from the Pyrenees. But, there in front of me was an email from an Annie and the subject line read “Chez Us & Grass Fed Lamb”. Hmmm, small world and quite strange as I was in the middle of reading about “lamb”. I opened the email and even odder was that Annie is from a ranch in the Lava Lake area of Idaho, exactly the same area I was currently reading about. I immediately put down the magazine and proceeded to read her email.
Annie is with a ranch called Lava Lake Ranch, they are an artisan producer of 100 percent grass-fed certified organic lamb. They raise their lamb on a family owned ranch near Sun Valley Idaho. Not only are they raising grass fed lamb (100%) but they are dedicated to the same values we have with regards to eating, “you are what you eat”. Their lambs are raised without antibiotics, growth hormones and are never placed in a feed lot, they only graze on what is certified as organic and they only drink their mother’s milk. The end result is a tender and very flavorful lamb.
After a few emails back and forth, getting to know each other better, Annie asked if we would be interested in trying their lamb. The answer was simple as I have been looking for lamb that is grass-fed as well as close to home. Don’t get me wrong New Zealand as well as Australian lamb is great but we really cannot call it “sustainable” when it is taking a flight over to my dinner table.
Given the root of where the lamb came from and that I was reading an article on Lamb and the Basque country while this all transpired, I should have made a Basque Lamb Stew but instead I was inspired to make a Middle Eastern inspired lamb stew. My friend Jacqueline recently sent me some sumac, when I could not find it here and I had yet to use it! I had never used sumac before so I was not sure where this dish would be going but I do have to say I made the right choice.
You may be asking yourself what is sumac? Sumac comes from berries that are harvested from a bush that can be found throughout the Mediterranean, it is NOT related to the sumac plant in North America, which is poisonous. Dried sumac is made by harvesting the berries, drying and crushing them. It has a somewhat lemony flavor and a beautiful vibrant purplish red color. You will find it in the ingredient list for many middle eastern dishes.
For this recipe, I simply floured the lamb with the sumac and browned the meat until golden. Then I used beef stock and let the lamb slowly simmer for a couple hours. A few minutes before serving I stirred in small yellow creamer potatoes, green beans and baby carrots. The lamb was amazingly tender, no gnawing through tough meat or struggling to cut. As well the slightly “green” taste was very pleasant as it was somewhat herb like, a really nice compliment to the fresh vegetables as well as the lemon essence of the sumac. I have had my fair share of lamb and I have to admit this was really the best lamb stew meat I have ever eaten!
We have a few selections of lamb that we will be featuring (may even make a Basque dish), as well we will be telling you more about Lava Lake Ranch, so be sure to come back for more grass fed lamb!
Recipe: Middle Eastern Inspired Lamb Stew
1 lb lamb stew meat
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon sumac
1/2 yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons sumac
salt, to taste
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups good beef stock
1/2 pound baby yellow creamer potatoes
1/2 pound green beans, ends snipped and cut in half
1/2 pound baby carrots, tops removed, left whole
Lightly toss the lamb with the flour and 1 tablespoon of sumac. Brown in olive oil over low heat, do not use high heat or it will burn. Once browned move the meat to a plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook until slightly soft, about 5 minutes, add the garlic and give a quick stir. Return the meat to the pan and add the broth, sprinkle the remaining sumac over the top. Lower the heat to a low simmer, cover and let cook about 1 1/2 hours – 2 hours. The longer it cooks the more the flavor develops. About 20 minutes before serving add the potatoes and green beans, cook for 10 minutes. 10 minutes before serving lay the carrots on top, keep heat at a low simmer and cover for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve. Eat.
The creaminess as well as the tartness of goat cheese rounds out the sweetness that roasting brings to fresh squash, the garlicky tahini dressing is the added bonus.
We made this dish a couple weeks ago to serve with our lemon rosemary roasted chicken. When we were planning this menu we had no idea that the finished meal would be a “mini” pre-Thanksgiving. This acorn squash dish was inspired by a roasted pumpkin dish I found in Australian Gourmet. This dish is middle eastern inspired by using a garlicky tahini dressing, cilantro and goat cheese, which went very well with the roasted acorn squash. In fact, this would be a great substitution for those “yams” that always find their way onto a Thanksgiving table. As well it makes a great vegetarian meal.
Recipe: Roast Pumpkin Wedges with almonds, goat’s cheese and tahini dressing
*adapted from Australian Gourmet
3 lb kabocha pumpkin or sugar pie pumpkin * we used acorn squash as we could not find pumpkin
1/4 cup olive oil
85 grams natural almonds – we did not add the almonds, we were going to use pumpkin seeds but ran out of time
80 grams soft goat’s cheese
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tahin
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat oven to 350. Place pumpkin wedges, skin side down, in a roasting pan, drizzle with olive oil, season to taste and roast until tender 45 – 50 minutes. Meanwhile, roast almonds on an oven tray until golden, 6 – 7 minutes, cool, then coarsely chop. For the tahini dressing, crush garlic cloves to a smooth paste in a mortar and pestle, whisk in the remaining ingredients and season to taste. Divide pumpkin wedges among plates, crumble over the cheese, scatter with the almonds and cilantro leaves, and drizzle with the tahini dressing. Serve. Eat.
*photo courtesy of Bryan Alberstat Photography
Our friend Bryan was coming over for Sunday night dinner. I love Sunday night dinner and we have not done one in a very long time. When I planned this meal, I had hoped for a cold or at least crisp autumn evening, instead it was warm and somewhat balmy. Regardless it was still the perfect night for a little comfort food. As well is always fun to have an actual professional photographer roaming your kitchen while you are doing the cooking! Lenny was in charge of lights and Bryan worked his magic snapping away photos of our “Sunday dinner”.
This dish use to be my signature dish. Friends use to always ask me to make this for dinners. I actually cannot believe I have not shared it with all of you as we do eat it often enough. I like to start out by using a cage free and organic chicken as they always come out so plump and juicy, sometimes they are so plump, they could be a small turkey! After preparing the chicken I stuff it full of what I like to think of as heaven! There really is nothing like the smell of fresh rosemary from the garden after you pick it, the needles are slightly crushed and the scent against a balmy night takes one to the Mediterranean for a brief moment. Now combine that with ripe fragrant lemons and slightly sweet red onions and you have the perfect meal.
I am sure this dish will become your signature dish after you serve it to your family and friends.
Recipe: Lemon Rosemary Roasted Chicken
- 1 whole chicken 3 – 4 pounds
- 2 lemons, cut in half & then into quarters
- 1 small red onion, cut in half & then into quarters
- 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary or another herb of your choice
- Grape seed oil – it will not burn with high heat
Heat oven to 425. Remove any giblets, etc… from the chicken. Wash chicken inside and out. Pat dry. Lay the chicken in a roasting dish. Stuff the chicken with the lemons, red onions and rosemary. I grab a piece of lemon, onion, rosemary and stuff them in and alternate this process. Rub the chicken well with grape seed oil. Slide the chicken into the oven and let roast for 1 ½ hours – may be a little less or a little more depending on the size of your chicken. I test the meatiest part of the chicken let by slightly cutting into it, if there is any sign of blood, cook longer. Remove from the oven, let sit on the counter for 10 minutes. Serve. Eat.
*I usually save the bones and what little meat is left as well as the juices from the chicken and put it all into a zip lock bag and toss it into the freezer for a day when I will be making chicken stock. When I am making stock I add the contents to my stock pot.
This is not your typical can of tomato soup, while it is creamy, it does not have any dairy. This recipe is pure tomato goodness using only the freshest seasonal tomatoes.
I met Allison of Local Lemons at the Blogher Food Conference; we instantly hit it off! I was really glad to have met her for many reasons, the love of food being only one of them, one of the other reasons was I found this RECIPE!! As well her site is beautiful and I spend many a drool worthy minutes there. The post that was beaming at me when I first clicked on Local Lemons was a homemade tomato soup. When I saw that the main star of this recipe was dry farmed tomatoes, I knew I would be making this as often as seasonal.
I made this soup the night before we headed to Baltimore last month. Unfortunately, I had computer glitches and lost the photos before I could post all about it. Lucky for you and for us, the recipe made enough for the freezer. Yesterday before heading to the office, I took out a couple containers of the soup and on the way home I picked up a baguette and some parmesan, dinner instantly!
This recipe is so easy and amazily flavorful. You know me I always do some things a little differently. For instance, I did not peel the tomatoes as well I used shallots instead of cipollini onions. Allison added balsamic vinegar which was brilliant as it really drew out the sweetness of the tomatoes. The soup is rich, thick and velvety.
Be sure to check out Allison’s version as well, it is beautiful!
Recipe: Homemade Tomato Soup
* inspired by Local Lemons, permission given to post
3 ½ pounds dry-farmed, early girl tomatoes
3 shallots, roughly chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
2 tablespoons high-quality, aged balsamic vinegar
2 cups vegetable stock
olive oil
1 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
1 rustic baguette, sliced
drizzle of olive oil for garnish
parmesan cheese
Preheat the oven to 400F. Add tomatoes, onions, garlic, balsamic vinegar and a drizzle of olive oil to a roasting pan, stir to combine. Add a pinch of kosher salt. Roast for 30 minutes. Place tomato mixture in a food processor and puree until smooth. Heat up a stock pot over medium heat and melt butter. When it starts to bubble, add the flour and whisk continuously until it turns a light golden brown. Add pureed tomatoes to the roux and stir. Add stock and turn heat to medium-low. Let cook for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Lower oven to 350F. Sprinkle baguette slices with grated cheese. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 7-10 minutes, until toasty and cheese is melted.
Before serving ladle soup into a warm bowl, drizzle with olive oil and garnish with toasted bread. Serve. Eat.
Hay Hay it’s Donna Day and Jo of Have Fork Will Travel was the winner of last month’s HHDD Challenge. Jo will be our hostess for this month’s challenge and she has picked the perfect dish to help keep those Halloween Vampires away, a creamy pasta recipe. To read more about this dish and to get the recipe please visit Have Fork Will Travel.
To read learn about this Donna Hay event (HHDD) as well as a list of the rules for this challenge, please click here. The deadline for getting your entry in for this challenge is October 31st.
Looking forward to seeing your ghoulish dishes.
Creamy feta, rustic parmesan and spinach is layered in between delicate pieces of whole wheat filo pastry, to make the easiest spanakopita ever.
Our friend, Nanette, posed a recipe for an “easy peasy” Spanakopita a couple weeks ago. Now, I trust Nanette, but could this really be “easy peasy”? Ever since reading her post I have been itching to make this recipe. I finally had time this weekend. I don’t like to copy a recipe exactly when I am going to post it so I made sure to add a few extras to this dish, like toasted pine nuts and some shallots. I was completely amazed at how easy this recipe was, I literally had dinner on the table in less than an hour and it is incredibly “easy peasy”!
Recipe: Nanette’s Spanakopita *please refer to Nanett’es post for step by step photo instructions.
1 package whole wheat filo pastry
3 tablespoons olive oil
250g fresh spinach leaves
4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
1 small shallot, finely chopped
bunch of fresh dill, roughly chopped
170g feta, crumbled
142g grated parmesan
1 cup toasted pine nuts
3 organic eggs, beaten
172ml heavy cream
Preheat the oven to 400F. Grease a round baking dish with some olive oil and set aside. Heat olive oil in a pan and add the spinach, cook until wilted. I then took a pair of kitchen scissors and cut up. Lower heat, add garlic, shallots, and dill, cook over low heat for about 3 – 5 minutes. Allow to cool. Add the cheeses and the pinenuts. Season with kosher salt. Lay a couple of sheets of filo pastry on top of each other and then scatter a little of the spinach mixture. Scrunch the pastry up and place into your baking dish. Repeat until you have used all of your spinach mixture and the baking dish is full. Beat the cream and eggs together and gently pour the mixture the filo being sure to evenly cover the top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown. Allow the pie to rest for 5-10 minutes. Serve. Eat.
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