Archive for November, 2011
Crab Stuffed Sole with Goat Cheese Creamed Corn
Posted by: · Nov 22 2011 · Comments
When I came up with this dish at the grocery store I forecasted a long night in the kitchen and almost talked myself out of cooking it all together. I was pleasantly surprised by the ease and short cooking time required of this very elegant meal. I opted to use snow crab for this recipe which I found to be sweet enough to offset the heat from the peppers.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
Fish
- 1 LB crab legs, snow or king crab
- 1 LB sole, preferably 4 thinly sliced fillets
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 small chili pepper, seeded and finely diced
- Salt for seasoning
Corn
- 4 cups corn, either cut off the cob or frozen
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 4 ounces goat cheese
- 1 cup cream
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 400°.
Fill a large stockpot fit with a steaming rack with enough water to just brush the bottom of the rack. Bring to a boil and add the crab. Cover and steam for 12 minutes.
Remove the crab from the pot with tongs and use a shell fish cracker to remove the meat from the shells. Heat a sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the 1 tablespoon of butter followed by the pepper and the crab meat. Sauté for 4 minutes and remove from heat. Place a few spoonfuls of the crab mixture in the middle of each fillet and fold over the edges to encase the crab. Place the fish on a baking dish seam side facing down and season with salt. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the fish is cooking start on the corn. Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the corn and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the cream, salt, sugar and goat cheese. Bring to a slight boil then reduce to medium-low heat. Cook until the cream thickens, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. Serve the fish atop a generous serving of the corn.
Carrot-Coconut Soup with Apples and Mussels
Posted by: · Nov 18 2011 · Comments
Yesterday was the first legitimately cold day of the season in Chicago. The first taste of winter’s cold is always a shock to the system and especially in my house where my husband likes to keep the house at 60° during the day. After a brisk walk with the dogs, a long bath and hot soup were all I needed to counter the cold-both inside and out. This soup is hearty enough to serve as a main course and light enough to serve as a starter when prepared without the mussels.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 6 cups chicken broth
- 6 large carrots, peeled and chopped into fourths
- 1 LB yams, peeled and chopped in fourths
- 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons grated ginger
- ½ cup bitter ginger ale (I used Blenheim Ginger Ale http://www.blenheimgingerale.com/)
- 1.5 teaspoons garam masala
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 2 cups chopped Fiji apples, about 2 apples
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1.5 LB’s mussels, cleaned and debearded
- Extra salt and pepper for seasoning
Instructions:
Pour the broth into a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the carrots and yams and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the garlic, ginger, ginger ale and garam masala. Cover the pot with a tight fitted lid and cook for 30 minutes or until the carrots and yams are very easily pierced with a fork. Carefully pour the contents of the pot into a food processor and mix until completely smooth. This typically takes a few minutes. Return the contents of the food processor to the stockpot over medium-high heat. Stir in the milk, cream and salt and simmer for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the apples and sauté for 5 minutes. Spoon the apples and any remaining butter into the stockpot. Add the mussels to the pot, cover and let cook for an additional 5 minutes on medium heat. The soup is done once the mussels have completely opened. Season with salt and pepper and serve.
Whole Wheat Gnocchi with Madeira Grape Sauce
Posted by: · Nov 16 2011 · Comments
I was just about to make this gnocchi with white flour when my husband interjected and asked that I make it with wheat flour so not to derail him from his health kick. Not only was the substitution a healthy upgrade, it was also a wonderfully tasty deviation from the standard preparation. The dish is just fantastic when combined with this simple but decadent sauce.
Serves 6
Ingredients:
- 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2/3 cups shredded Romano cheese
- 3 cup whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 tablespoons Madeira wine
- 1 tablespoon chopped truffles
- 1 cup chopped seedless red grapes
Instructions:
Bring a large stockpot filled half way with water to a boil. Add the potatoes and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork- about 40 minutes. Strain the potatoes in a colander and then let them cool to room temperature. Once the potatoes are cool, run them through a potato ricer, transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
In a small bowl whisk together the eggs and the 1 teaspoon of the salt. With clean hands, fold the egg mixture into the potatoes, followed by the cheese and then the flour. Mix until a smooth dough forms. Separate the dough into 6 equal size portions. Roll each portion into a ball on a clean and floured surface then use both hands to roll the ball into a long ½” in diameter cylinder. Using a pastry knife, cut the cylinder along its width into ½” pieces. Place the gnocchi pieces onto a sheet of wax paper while you roll and cut the remaining dough.
Bring a stockpot filled half way with water to a boil. Add the gnocchi and boil until the gnocchi floats to the surface of the water. Strain the gnocchi and set aside.
In a large saucepan melt the butter over medium-high heat. Coat the pan evenly with the butter. Add the gnocchi and lightly brown on each side, stirring frequently. Add the Madeira, truffles, salt and grapes and continue to cook until the Madeira is reduced by half. Serve immediately.
Turmeric and Raisin Chicken
Posted by: · Nov 08 2011 · Comments
Oh the places one can find recipe inspiration. This meal came to fruition after a surprisingly delightful lunch aboard a flight from Newark to Chicago this past weekend. A mental note of some of the key ingredients allowed me to make my own version of the turmeric chicken I enjoyed on my last pre-baby flight. The resulting chicken recipe provided for dinner last night and lunch today.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
- 1 LB chicken breasts, trimmed of fat and chopped into ½” cubes
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup golden raisins
- ¼ cup roasted pumpkin seeds, can be found in the health food section of most grocery stores
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter
- 2 cups cooked brown rice
Instructions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large non stick skillet or sauté pan over medium-high heat. Evenly coat the pan with the oil butter and add the chicken. Cook on both sides for a few minutes or until slightly browned. Add the turmeric, cinnamon, salt, raisins, pumpkin seeds and peanut butter continue to cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and serve atop brown rice.
For a leftover lunch spoon chicken onto the center of heated wheat wrap along with a touch of mayonnaise and a handful of arugula. Wrap and enjoy!
Maple-Apple Muffins
Posted by: · Nov 06 2011 · Comments
As a native Vermonter, my father had a few undeniable Green Mountain characteristics. Visits back east from Colorado brought out a typically absent and abnormally thick accent, stories of his one room school house that we’d heard a million times before and stockpiling of maple syrup from his favorite farm. True to his heritage, dad put maple syrup on just about everything and I have to say it is a trait I have inherited. From poultry to sweets, the flavor can dress up the most boring of dishes. I used maple syrup and maple extract in this recipe for an extra punch of this favorite flavor.
Makes 16 muffins
Ingredients:
- 2 cups skinned, cored and diced Fiji apples (about 3-4 apples)
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup maple syrup plus extra for brushing tops of muffins
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened in the microwave
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1.5 cups milk
- ½ cup whipping cream
- 3 cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- White granulated sugar for dusting
Instructions:
Pre-heat oven to 425°. Grease a muffin pan or pans with butter and set aside.
In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients- the flour, oats, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
In a standing mixer fixed with a batter attachment cream the butter, eggs, sugar and maple syrup on medium speed. While the machine is running slowly add the cream and the milk. Add the maple extract followed by the dry ingredients. Mix until well incorporated then remove the bowl from the stand and gently fold in the apples. Spoon about ¼ cup portions of the batter into the muffin pan and transfer to the oven. Bake for 25 minutes then remove the pans and gently brush the top of each muffin with maple syrup using a pastry brush. Return the muffins to the oven and continue to cook for 10-15 more minutes or until golden brown. Remove the muffins from the oven and dust with the granulated sugar. Let cool in the pan for ten minutes before removing from the pan and allowing to cool on a wire rack for an additional 15 minutes before serving.
Simple Autumn Pasta
Posted by: · Nov 02 2011 · Comments
I know it seems a little counterintuitive to add cream and bacon to whole wheat pasta, but hey, one healthy trade off is better than none. This dish is the perfect easy fall dinner and so tasty.
Ingredients:
- 12 ounce box whole wheat pasta
- 1 LB large raw shrimp, shelled and deveined
- 3 pieces thick cut bacon, diced
- 1 yellow squash diced
- 1 cup diced Portobello mushrooms
- 2 cloves finely diced garlic
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup Marsala wine
- ¼ cup whipping cream
- ½ cup shredded provolone
- ¼ cup parmesan
Instructions:
Cook the pasta according to the instructions on the box. Strain, toss with a touch of olive oil and set aside.
While the pasta is cooking heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until browned. Strain the grease from the pan and return to the heat. Add the squash, mushrooms, garlic and parsley and sauté for 5 minutes stirring frequently. Add the shrimp and cook until they turn slightly orange. Stir in the wine, salt and cream and cook until the liquid is reduced by half. Now add the chesses and stir until fully incorporated and thickened. Fold in 5 cups of the cooked pasta ensuring that the pasta is thoroughly coated with the sauce. Remove from the heat and serve.
