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CookTeaser

“Photos, Recipes & CookTales For Those Who Enjoy Cooking”

Category Archives: Vegetables

September 21, 2011 Italian Sausage, Red Peppers, Onions, Oregano and Basil


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

On Mulberry Street in New York’s Little Italy, the next ten days celebrate The Festival of San Gennaro. How vividly I recall many September evenings being pushed thorugh the mass of humanity strolling with Funnel Cakes, Zeppoles, Cannolis and of course Sausage and Peppers on a Hogie Roll held tightly in their hands. Last evening though 110 miles away, our dinner was strictly Neopolitan. I must readily admit it was by coincidence…

INGREDIENTS

4 Links of Italian Sausage (sweet & hot or all sweet)
2 TB of Butter & more as needed
1 TB of EVOO & more as needed
1 Medium Onion (sliced on a mandoline)
1 Medium Red Onion sliced on a mandoline)
4 Garlic Cloves (thinly sliced)
1 Large Red Bell Pepper (sliced)
1 Green Bell Pepper or Green Frying Pepper (sliced)
1/2 TB of fresh Basil (cut to a chiffonade)
1/2 TB of dried Oregano
1/4 Cup of White Wine
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD

1. Place the Sausage in a large saute pan over medium heat, & brown on all sides. Remove from skillet, & slice into pieces.
Set aside.

2. Melt 1 TB of Butter in the skillet. Add both of the Onions & the Garlic slices. Saute until translucent & tender. Remove to a bowl. Set aside.

Note: It’s Important to saute each vegetable seperately & combine them in the final stage of cooking. This gives you complete cooking control over each ingredient.

3. Add a TB of Butter & 1/2 TB of EVOO to the pan. Add the Red Bell Pepper & the Green frying or Bell Pepper, saute until tender & beginning to char. sprinkle on the dried Oregano.
Set aside.

4. Return the sliced Sausage to the pan. Reduce heat to medium low, & cook for no more than 5 minutes, or until the Sausages are cooked.

5. Return the Onions & the Peppers to the pan with the Sausages & gently toss them all together. Season to your taste with Salt & Pepper, add the Basil chiffonade, & prepare to plate.

September 20, 2011 Corn off the Cob with Onion, Zucchini, & Scallions


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

Three ears of Corn have been sitting in the fridge since Saturday’s Farmer Market. With Cathies approval, (realizing they were brought home for her), off the cob they came. Also pre-prepared for the dish were compatible vegetables to round it all . What an end of Summer treat this was!

INGREDIENTS

3 Ears of Corn off the cob
1 Medium Onion (diced)
1 Yellow or Green Zucchini (to a medium dice)
3 Scallions White & Green pieces (diced)
1 small Garlic Clove (thinly sliced)
2 TB of Butter for sauteeing (more if required)
1 TB of EVOO for sauteeing (more if required)
Kosher Salt & fresh Black Pepper

METHOD

1. In seperate bowls, prepare the first 5 ingredients.

2. Heat a deep sided saute pan to medium & add EVOO & the Butter. When the Butter stops sizzling add the Garlic. Remove to it’s bowl just before it begins to brown.

3. Add the diced Onion & if required a bit more Butter & EVOO. Saute until tender & translucent. Remove to it’s bowl.

4. Add the diced Zucchini & again, if required a bit more Butter & EVOO. Saute until tender & lightly browned. Remove to it’s bowl.

5. Add the Corn & if required a bit more Butter. Saute for no more than 3 minutes. To the sauteed Corn return all the other sauteed vegetables. Gently toss them together, add Salt, Pepper & the Scallions.

6. Ready to Plate

September 18, 2011 A Napoleon of Roasted Eggplant, Mozzarella, Basil Leaves & Tomato Sauce.


RECIPE

Serves 2

A CookTale

This was an evening when it all went right. At the Saugertie Farmer’s Market I found Eggplants that resembled bowling balls. I checked it out the type on Google, and if you’re ready the name is, LISTADA DE GANDIA EGGPLANT aka STRIPED GUADALUPE EGGPLANT. Whatever you call it it was a fine Eggplant. Oven roasted with EVOO, Salt and Pepper and layered with the other ingredients, it was a light and delightful accompaniment.

INGREDIENTS

1 Large Eggplant (any round variety)
2 TB of EVOO (1 TB for each Napoleon)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
12 Basil Leaves
Fresh Mozzarella (in slices)
Marinara Sauce (homemade or a fine brand like Rao’s)

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Cut the Eggplant into 3/4″ slices (as even as possible).
Place on a sheet pan in a single layer & sprinkle with Salt, Pepper, & the EVOO. Roast for about 10 minutes. You’ll know when to remove them. The skin will look shrinkled & the meat will have softened.

3. Allow to cool before assembling. At serving time place the Napoleons in the hot oven for a minute or so to melt the Mozzarella. Plate using a wide flat spatula, they can be quite fragile.

4. On the plate, spoon a puddle of tomato sauce, topping with the Napoleon and garnishing with Basil Leaves

September 18, 2011 Veal Rib Chop, Tomato Jam, and Sweet Italian Peppers


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

Last evening, thanks to Fred Brill, Meat Manager, par excellence at Adam’s FairAcre Market we grilled a great 1-3/4″ Veal Rib Chop. It was seasoned with Salt and Pepper, then Sage leaves and EVOO were whirled in a small food processor to form a Pesto, that was brushed on both sides. The Veal Chop was accompained by Tomato Jam and oven roasted Sweet Italian Peppers.

INGREDIENTS

A Double Veal Rib Chop ( at least 1-3/4″ thick)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
18 fresh Sage Leaves + 2 TB of EVOO
Tomato Jam (recipe follows)
Sweet Italian Peppers

METHOD

1. If refrigerated, allow the Veal Chop to get to room temperature. Season with Salt & Black Pepper. In a small food processor add the Sage leaves & with the processor on, add the EVOO. (through the processor’s cover.)

2. Heat the oven to 400 degrees, & heat a grill Pan on the stove over medium high heat. Add the Veal Chop to the pan & grill each side for 2-1/2minutes, weighed down with a meat press. Remove the grill pan with the Veal Chop from the heat & set aside.

3. 15 minutes before serving time, place the grill pan in the oven, & roast for about 8 to 10 minutes. Check occasionally with an instant thermometer. When the Veal Chop reaches 115 to 118 degrees, remove & allow to resettle. While resting, it will add a couple of degrees.

4. In the heated 400 degree oven, place the Italian Peppers on a sheet pan, douse with EVOO & roast for 15 to 20 minutes until charred & tender.

5. At serving time, cut the Veal Chop horizontally down the center into two serving slices & proceed with the plating. The Tomato Jam adds great flavor.

RECIPE Tomato Jam

INGREDIENTS

2 Pounds of ripe Tomatoes (peeled Plums preferred)
1 Cup of Sugar (or less for a more piquant taste)
2 TB freshly squeezed Lime Juice
1 TB of fresh grated or minced Ginger
1 tsp of ground Cumin
1/4 tsp of ground Cinnamon (optional)
1/8 tsp of ground Cloves
1 tsp of Kosher Salt
Jalapeño or other Pepper, stemmed, seeded & minced, or Red Pepper Flakes or Cayenne to taste.

METHOD

1. Combine all the ingredients in a heavy medium saucepan, Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often.
2. Reduce the heat & simmer, stirring occasionally, until mixture has the consistency of thick jam, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Taste & adjust seasoning, then cool & refrigerate until ready to use.

September 17, 2011 Cucumber Kimchi


RECIPE

An Adaptation from the New York Times of a recipe by Hooni Kim of the Danji Restaurant in New York

A CookTale

When I come across a Kimchi recipe, my eyes open wide. The classic method calls for Cabbage cut into a slaw. Here it was made with Cucumbers from our garden, which has yielded a bounty crop of Market Mores and Lemon Cucumbers. The result was a less “violent” Kimchi. I suppose you could add more hot pepper, but I don’t know why. This version is delicious.

INGREDIENTS

3 small Cucumbers, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 small Onion (thinly sliced on a mandoline)
2 TB of Kosher Salt
1 TB of Sugar
1 TB Red Pepper Flakes.
1/4 Cup of Mirin
6 TB of Rice Vinegar
1 tsp of grated Garlic

METHOD

1. Place the Cucumbers in a medium-size bowl, then sprinkle with the Salt. Let stand 20 minutes.

2. Rinse the Cucumbers in cold water to remove Salt, drain & dry with paper towels.

3. Return Cucumbers to bowl, add the Onion & all the other ingredients, toss to combine.

4. Cover tightly and place in refrigerator overnight or until ready to use.

September 17, 2011 Chicken Thighs With Roasted Fennel


 
RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

We generally only buy Chicken Thighs. For us, they’re the juiciest, most flavorful part of the bird. With skin on and bone in, they roast in an oven, or saute in a cast iron pan to perfection- that is, if they’re not overcooked. I remove them when the internal temperature is about 140F. They wil continue to cook internally while resettling. I also add a Buttery mixture under the skin, Curry or Dijon, whatever suits your fancy. Try it this way and see if you don’t experience a terrific dinner of Chicken with roasted Fennel.

INGREDIENTS

2 8-Ounce Chicken Thighs (skin on & bone in)
2 TB of softened Butter
1 TB of Curry (mild, medium or hot, to your taste)
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
A dash of Paprika
1 TB of EVOO + 1 TB of Butter (for the pan)
1 Head of Fennel

METHOD

1. Slice a Fennel into 3/4″ pieces vertically. Add them in a single layer to a sheet pan. Coat them with EVOO, Salt & Pepper.

2. Heat the oven to 450F & add the sheet pan of Fennel. Roast for 30 minutes or until the Fennel is tender & has taken on color.
Remove & keep warm.

3. Whisk together 2 TB of softened Butter with 1 TB of Curry into a smooth paste. Carefully lift the skin of the Thighs & with a butter spreader, add about a TB under the skin. Season with Salt & Pepper & set aside.

4. We used an electric frying pan heated to 350F. If you don’t have one, you can use a cast iron frying pay. Add 1 TB of EVOO & 1/2 TB of Butter. Add the Thighs, skin side down & grill for 10 minutes or until the skin has crisped & browned. Turn them over & continue to cook for 10 minutes more, partially covering the pan to keep in the heat. When your instant thermometer reads 140F, remove to a platter.

5. On each plate, Add one or two Fennel slices & a Chicken Thigh. Spoon the pan Butter Curry sauce on & around the Thigh.

September 15, 2011 Julienned Zucchini with Basil, Lemon Juice, EVOO, Pine Nuts & Slivers of Parmesan


 

RECIPE

SErves 2

A CookTale

At dinner at our good friend Maureen’s, who is a food stylist, food editor, cookbook writer and an exceptional cook, was this delightfully fresh first course. I made a note that one day soon it would be on our dinner table. I sent her an e-mail recipe request, and her response was, “I didn’t use a recipe. I used a julienne peeler for the zucchini – tossed it with olive oil, lemon juice, s&p, then added chopped fresh basil, shaved Parmesan, and toasted pine nuts. That’s it!” And it was what I anticipated, a fresh delicious appetizer and it took no time to prepare just before dinner.

INGREDIENTS

2 Zucchini (cut in half to 4″ pieces)
1 TB of EVOO
Kosher Salt & Pepper
The juice of 1 Lemon
12 Basil Leaves (cut to a chiffonade)
1/4 Cup of Toasted Pine Nuts
Parmesan Cheese (wide shavings with a vegetable peeler)

METHOD

1. With a julienne peeler or a mandoline slice about 4 cups of Zucchini

2. Chiffonad the Basil Leaves.

3. Toast the Pine Nuts

4. Toss the two ingredients together in a large bowl. Add the Salt, Pepper, EVOO, Lemon juice, and Pine Nuts. Plate & top with the Parmesan shavings.

September 12, 2011 Roast Duck,Turnips Roasted in the Duck Fat, Sauteed Broccoli Rabe & Apple Peach Sauce


RECIPE
Serves 2 With leftovers
A CookTale

The Smokehouse of The Catskills is expanding every week. The newest addition to their great meats, fowl and charcuterie is Organic Free Range Duck from a local farm in the Valley. It is so different from supermarket duck that all i can say is you have to taste it to believe it. The bright yellow fat within its cavity renders down to a great duck fat, turning simple oven roasted turnips into a gourmet side dish. Of course, in our opinion the perfect green to accompany the Duck is Garlicky Broccoli Rabe. It was a successful 9/11 birthday dinner.

INGREDIENTS For the Duck

1 5 Pound Organic Free Range Duck
Kosher Salt & fresh Black Pepper
1 TB of Sweet Paprika

METHOD

1. With the point of a sharp knife, lightly pierce the entire Duck breast. This will help eliminate the fat.
2. Season the Duck with the Salt, Pepper & Paprika.
3. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Add 1/2″ of hot water to the floor of the pan for the first step, steaming the Duck.
4. In the heated roasting pan with a non-stick rack (preferred), add the Duck, breast side down. Steam for about 20 minutes, helping to render the fat. Remove from the oven to a plate & discard the greasy water from the pan. Return the Duck to the dry pan with the breast side up.
5. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees & roast for about 45 minutes. Occasionally baste it with the juices at the bottom of the pan.
6. Remove when the Duck’s skin has browned & the internal temperature is 135 degrees. It continues to cook as it resettles.
You do not want the meat to dry out.

RECIPE Madeira (or Port or Marsala) Sauce

INGREDIENTS

2 ounces of Butter
1/4 Cup of diced Shallots
1 tsp of Black Peppercorns (crushed)
3 Sprigs of fresh Thyme
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 Cup of Madeira (or Port or Marsala) 1/2 Cup of Red Wine
2 Ounces of Veal Demi Glace
4 Ounces of Water

METHOD

1. Cut the Shallots in a fine dice.
2. Melt the Butter in a small sauce pan, add the Shallots, the crushed Peppercorns, Thyme, Bay Leaf & saute until the Shallots are tender, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the 1/2 Cup of Madeira (or Port or Marsala) & the 1/2 Cup of Red Wine. Cook until it is reduced by half.
4. Add the Demi Glace & the Water. Whisk vigorously until completely dissolved. If the sauce is too thick, add Water a little at a time, until it reaches the consistency of heavy cream.
5. Set aside.

Li

September 10, 2011 Swordfish Paillard With An Orange Dijon Mustard Sauce, Leeks & Grilled Peaches


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

How often have I praised Mario Batali? I can’t count the times. I was about to prepare his recipe for Swordfish with Leeks and Grapefruit, but there was no Grapefruit. I did have lovely Swordfish from Adam’s Fairacre Farm, a dozen young Leeks, purchased at the Saugerties Farmers Market (from a farmer named Jacob of Deep Roots Farm), and Peaches.
The result was different from Batali’s, but according to my dependable taster, Cathie, it was as good as the Grapefruit version.

INGREDIENTS

3/4 Pound of Swordfish, sliced horizontally into 2 pieces 3/8″ thick, (with a sharp boning knife or by the fishmonger)
Sea or Kosher Salt & Black Pepper
1 TB of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
4 Small Leeks (the white part only, cut 4″ long & sliced horizontally in half)
1 Cup of Orange Juice
1 TB of Dijon Mustard
1 TB of Mustard Seed
1/3 Cup of EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)
1 TB of Lemon Juice.
2 Peaches (cut in half)
A pinch of Sugar (to help caramelize the Peaches)

METHOD

1. Prepare the sauce, by combining the Orange Juice, Dijon Mustard, Mustard Seed & the 1/3 cup EVOO. Whisk together to emulsify.
2. Heat in a small sauce pan. Simmer until it’s reduced to the consistency of heavy cream. Set aside.
2. Season the Swordfish with Salt, Pepper & 1 TB of EVOO.
3. Add Salt & Pepper to the Leeks.
4. Heat another sauce pan with 3″ of water. When it comes to a boil, add 1 TB of Salt & the Leeks. Reduce to a simmer & cook for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove & plunge into a bowl of ice water. Drain well & set aside.
5. Heat a grill pan to high. Add the 2 slices of Swordfish & grill for no more than 1 minute a side. If you have one, weigh the fish down with a cast iron grill press. Remove & keep warm with a foil cover.
6. In the same grill pan wiped clean, add a splash of EVOO & the Peaches, cut side down. Grill for about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove and keep warm with a foil cover.
7. Toss the drained Leeks in the Swordfish/Peaches pan for a few minutes to warm up.
8. Add all the components to serving plates.

September 8, 2011 Grilled Loin Lamb Chops, Merguez Lamb Sausages, Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms and Roasted Japanese Eggplant


RECIPE
Serves 2

A CookTale

The natural disaster of the day is flooding. The rain began on Monday, today is Thursday with no letup.
So into the freezer we searched and came out with Loin Lamb Chops and Merguez Lamb Sausage. We had on hand fresh Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms and Japanese Eggplant. A very easy-to-prepare dinner. The Lamb in a grill pan, the Mushrooms in a saute pan, and the Eggplant in the oven. The Tomato Jam made two days ago, came right out of the jar.

INGREDIENTS

2 Loin Lamb Chops (1-1/2″ thick)
1 TB of Pomegranate Molasses (available online & specialty markets)
2 Merguez Lamb Sausages
8 Ounces of Shiitake & Oyster Mushrooms
1 Japanese Eggplant
2 TB of EVOO
1 TB of Butter
Kosher Salt & Black Pepper

METHOD For the Lamb

1. Season the Lamb Chops on both sides with Salt & Pepper & brush on the Pomegranate Molasses.
2. With a fork prick the Sausages.
2. Heat a grill pan to high, but not smoking. Add 1 TB of EVOO & add both the Chops & the Sausage. Grill the Chops for 2-1/5 minutes to a side, 4-1/2 minutes to 120 degrees. Remove to a warm plate. Keep grilling the Sausages until thoroughly cooked. Add them to the Chops. Cover with foil or place in a 110 degree oven to keep warm.

INGREDIENTS For the Mushrooms

1 Basket of Oyster & Shiitake Mushrooms (8 Ounces)
1 TB of Butter
1 TB of EVOO
1/4 Cup of Dry Sherry
1 Ounce of Demi-Glace (dissolved in 1/3 cup of water)
Kosher Salt & fresh White Pepper

METHOD

1. Slice some of the Shiitakes & the Oysters & leave some whole.
2. Heat a saute pan to high, & add the Butter & EVOO. When the Butter stops sizzling add the Mushrooms. Saute until tender & beginning to brown. Carefully add the Sherry (it will splatter) toss & reduce it to a TB. Add the dissolved Demi-Glace and gently toss again. Saute for another minute or so.
3. Season to taste.

INGREDIENTS Japanese Eggplant

1. Eggplant sliced vertically in half
1 TB of EVOO
1 tsp of Salt + 1 tsp of Pepper

METHOD

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. With the point of a sharp knife cut a criss cross pattern lightly into the meat of the Eggplant. Add 1 TB of EVOO to both halves.
2. Place the prepared Eggplant in an oven proof
dish. Place in the oven & roast for 30 to 40 minutes. You want the Eggplant to be lightly charred & very tender.
3. Remove & keep warm