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Cast Iron Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms

27 Sep

Can you believe I’m actually posting a recipe? I know, I realize I’ve been posting much more about my vacations than actual recipes lately. I’m happy to report that I’ll be cooking much more in the foreseeable future – summer is over and I’m hunkering down for Fall days at home on Mendenhall Street. If you are a dwindling fan (I know they are out there), please come back!

Last week was a hard adjustment to the real world after returning home from sunny California to a very damp and humid North Carolina. I walked into my office this morning and my coworker said “I feel moldy.” I couldn’t agree with her more. I spent the weekend in total hibernation and crawled out of my house yesterday with the realization that my house was a total mess – snuggie thrown across my sofa, red wine and coffee stains on the white desk next to my bed, dishes in the sink, laundry in the dryer and an tossed-up unmade bed. Those weather guys are reporting sunshine and cooler weather later in the week. I’m furiously cleaning in anticipation of sunshine – and my mother’s 9 friends who are coming for dinner on Thursday night (more the latter).

In between naps and trips to the coffee machine, I did make my favorite rainy day comfort food – a roasted chicken. I improvised on my family’s recipe and added potatoes and mushrooms to the cast iron pan it roasted in. I tried this once mbefore and wasn’t terribly satisfied with the potatoes – they were greasy from the chicken. Somehow I perfected it this time. I won’t lie, parts of the chicken were eaten straight from the pan.

This is by no means scientific. Once you learn how to roast a chicken – just experiment, I find it pretty hard to mess up.

Cast Iron Roasted Chicken with Potatoes and Mushrooms

  • 1 3 lb organic chicken
  • 2 lemons, quartered
  • 1 head garlic, cut in half
  • 1 pint, or so, fingerling potatoes cut into 1 to 2 inch pieces.
  • 1 pint cremini mushrooms
  • 2 springs thyme
  • 1/2 cup chicken broth
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Rinse chicken, pat dry and place into a cast iron skillet. Season the cavity with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with lemon and garlic (if there is too much lemon and garlic - just allow them to roast at the bottom of the pan…the garlic will be amazing!). Using your fingers, create space between the chicken breast and the skin. Rub about a tablespoon of butter under the skin of each chicken breast. Rub the remaining butter on top of the bird. Season the chicken generously with salt and pepper. Throw potatoes, thyme and chicken broth into the bottom of the pan. Roast for 45 minutes. After 45 minutes goes by, toss the mushrooms in with the potatoes (if the potatoes arent browning, add a tiny splash of olive oil). You may want to toss them around a bit. Roast for another 45 minutes until chicken is brown and potatoes and mushrooms are tender. Taste the potatoes and mushrooms for any additional seasoning. Enjoy!

Grilled Flatbread with Blue Cheese, Apple, Country Ham and NC Honey (9.21.11 News & Record)

21 Sep

Every year a swarm of local aspiring beekeepers head to the NC Cooperative Extension for the Guilford County Beekeepers Association Beginner Beekeeping Course. My friend, Tim, was a student in this yearʼs colony (allow me to stick with bee-lingo) and has since set up his own honey-making production at home. Several weeks ago, Tim walked proudly into my office to share some of his home-harvested honey and the scoop on his class, handcrafted beehive and newfound hobby. I graciously accepted the jar of “Happy Bee Honey” and placed it in my kitchen windowsill with plans for a creative culinary experiment to compliment Timʼs ventures.

The Guilford County Beekeepers are an affiliate of the North Carolina Beekeepers Association, which happens to be the largest of itʼs kind in the country. From the coast to mountains, beekeepers have been working to organize, educate and share beekeeping and honey-making skills. Since 1975, the Guilford Beekeepers have been meeting monthly and growing their network. No North Carolinian would doubt the incredible variety and plentifulness of honey in our state. Just in the Piedmont alone, honeyʼs color and taste can be determined by anything in bloom -from dandelions to sumac, sweet clover to sourwood.

Outside of honeyʼs remarkable flexibility as a food source, I find its use as a term of endearment both irresistible and infinite. Is there anything sweeter? I certainly canʼt imagine calling my “honey-buns” – “stevia-buns!”

I spent this past Labor Day in the North Carolina Mountains with friends. A hint of fall was in the air and produce stands with apples and honey lined the winding roads of the Blue Ridge Parkway. We picked up a sampling and enjoyed homemade grilled flatbreads on the deck that evening. Iʼve never had much of a sweet tooth but I happily and sinfully make up for it with savory carbohydrates. I combined the two to create a sweet and savory creation that highlighted our roadside loot. My recipe for Grilled BlueCheese, Apple, Country Ham and Honey Flatbread is a unique treat for end-of-summer outdoor dining.

My neighborhood sommelier, Mark, recommends an acidic and sweet French Vouvray to compliment this sweet and salty flatbread. If you prefer to drink red wine, he suggests a light Pinot Noir or a Gamay grape (like a Beaujolais) – something light enough that youʼll want to chill slightly before serving.

While that cute honey bear at the store can be tempting, there is a growing amount of honey that is being “adulterated” meaning that a variety of products could be added to dilute your honey bearʼs contents. So, stick with the local stuff. According to the Guilford Beekeepers, September is the time to harvest the last batches of honey for the year. Luckily for us, honey is the only food that doesn’t spoil -so stock up now and save it through the winter for your hot tea, baking and salty & sweet cooking experiments.

Grilled Blue Cheese, Apple, Country Ham and Honey Flatbread

  • 1 packet dry active yeast
  • 1 teaspoon honey
  • 1 cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon salt
  • 3 cups bread flour
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil, plus more for flatbread brushing
  • 3 ounces blue cheese
  • 1 apple, sliced thin
  • 1/4 pound country ham
  • 1 tablespoon honey (to taste)
  • rosemary, chopped (optional garnish)

Mix together yeast, honey and warm water. Allow to sit until the yeast is activated (it will begin to bubble slightly). Meanwhile, mix together flour and salt in a stand- up mixer with a dough hook. With the mixer on low, gradually add the yeast liquid to the flour. Allow the dough to form and add the olive oil. At this point you may need to add more water if the dough is to dry. Feel free to knead the dough with your hands if you arenʼt getting the right feel (think elastic).

Place the dough in an oiled bowl and drape a warm damp towel over top. Allow the dough to rise in a warm spot for an hour or until doubled in size. Meanwhile, fry strips of country ham until crispy in a dry skillet on medium heat. Slice apple into thin slices.

Heat your grill to medium low. Roll out the dough to about 1/4 inch and brush with olive oil on both sides. Place dough on the grill grate and close the grill (watch the heat – all grills heat differently!) Your grill will act as an oven when closed. Allow the dough to brown on the bottom and then flip. Sprinkle the dough with blue cheese and close the oven to melt. Once melted – and the other side of the dough is beginning to crisp – top with apple and crisp country ham. Close to heat through and then remove the pizza from the grill. Drizzle with honey and garnish with rosemary. Enjoy!

Mountains Brunch: Shrimp & Grits with a Fried Egg

7 Sep

I saw this recipe for Shrimp in Grits in this month’s Bon Appetit Magazine and thought it would be the perfect brunch on our Mountain weekend. I’ve also been hanging on to some really quality grits from Bradley’s Country Store Milled Grits in Tallahassee, FL and have been dying to try them. I’ll tell myself that the stars aligned.

This meal is not recommended by your cardiologist, trainer or the CDC but we walked 4 miles up hills to prepare our hearts for this decadent dish. As a food advisor (trying not to use the word “foodie”), I advise you to try this (on a special occasion for a big enough group to finish all the grits).

I grew up eating a good amount of grits in Florida – although we tend to get them for dinner with fried fish, hush puppies and cole slaw. My Mom and I always sneak cheese in the grits despite my Dad’s purist wishes to keep them plain. Now, I’ll be insisting to add jalapeno because it was such an amazing addition (crunch, spicy, fresh = hello!). Speaking of, this dish would be just as perfect without the shrimp. If you are on a budget just skip the shrimp and make the rest (while abiding by all the other rules I’ve made up in this post).

Bon Appetit’s Shrimp & Grits with a Fried Egg

Ingredients

Grits

  • 1 cup yellow grits (not instant)
  • 1 cup (or to taste) grated sharp white cheddar
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
  • 1 jalapeño, seeded, diced
  • 1/4 cup half & half
  • Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Shrimp

  • 1/2 cup 1/3″ bacon lardons
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter, divided
  • 1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
  • 1/4 cup (or more) beer
  • 1/4 cup low-salt chicken stock
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
  • 1 tablespoon chopped chives

Grits

  • Bring 3 cups water to a simmer in a large saucepan. Gradually whisk in grits. Turn heat to low; gently simmer until grits begin to thicken. Continue cooking, stirring often and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if too thick, until tender, about 1 hour. Stir in cheese, butter, and jalapeño, then cream. Season with salt and pepper. Keep warm.

Shrimp

  • Meanwhile, heat a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add bacon; sauté until fat begins to render, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and 1 tablespoon butter; stir until butter melts. Add shrimp. When garlic begins to brown, add beer and chicken stock. Simmer until shrimp is cooked through, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat; set aside.
  • Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter to skillet; swirl to melt and cover bottom of pan. Crack eggs into pan and cook until whites are just set but yolks are still runny, about 3 minutes.
  • Divide grits among bowls, forming a well in center. Spoon shrimp mixture into center of grits. Top with egg. Sprinkle tarragon and chives over.


Homemade Beet Ravioli

29 Aug

I’ve revised this recipe a number of times after making it periodically through the weekend. That is the beauty of homemade ravioli- you can fill them with a variety of meats and produce – and dress them in any sauce. We made a huge bowl of beet and ricotta filling on Friday night during the cooking class and dressed them simply with brown butter. Sunday, I made another batch with the leftover filling and topped them with leftover sage and pine nuts from the parmesan crisps. They were delicious both times and had a subtle sweetness that made them extra unique (not to mention their color). These ravioli will also freeze exceptionally well (freeze on a cookie tray and then add to a ziplock bag).

These ravioli fit into my pink color scheme this summer. Enjoy.

Homemade Beet Ravioli

  • 2 large red beets
  • 1/2 cup whole-milk ricotta cheese, drained
  • pecorino romano cheese, divided to taste
  • package wonton wrappers
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • chopped sage and pine nuts, garnish

Preheat oven to 400F. Wrap beets in foil; place on baking sheet. Roast until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool. Peel beets. Add ricotta cheese, chopped beets to food processor – pulse to finely chop. Season to taste with salt, pepper and cheese. Spoon 1 teaspoon beet filling onto wrapper. Dip fingertip into egg wash and dampen edge of 1 round. Fold dough over filling, pushing out as much air as possible and pressing edges firmly to seal. Transfer to prepared towels. Repeat with remaining rounds.

Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat; keep warm. Working in batches, boil ravioli in salted water until cooked through, stirring often, about 2 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to skillet with melted butter; toss to coat. Divide ravioli among 8 plates; sprinkle with more cheese and a garnish of chopped fresh sage and toasted pine nuts.

Thompson Family Fried Chicken

4 Aug

It is was always a treat when my dad made fried chicken growing up. In the summer and over holidays, he would make big batches for dinner parties and we would eat it cold for picnic leftovers that week. My sister and I always request fried chicken when we visit our parent’s home over holidays. When putting together a Southern menu for 30 guests – I knew it was a perfect fit for my menu. Until I realized that it was going to be 95 on the day I needed to fry chicken for 30 people. One of Michael Pollen’s Food Rules is to not eat fried foods unless you make them yourself. After frying six pounds of chicken in the middle of a 95 degree summer day, I think I might never eat fried food under this rule.

After an hour of sweating over a cast iron skillet, I was actually quite satisfied. There was plenty to hold down the party (and soak up all the Southern Comfort Punch) and enough for leftovers the next day.

Thompson Family Fried Chicken Fingers with  Sour Cream and Horseradish Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

  • 1 pint buttermilk
  • 3 to 4 splashes tabasco sauce
  • 2 or 3 pounds chicken tenderloin/chicken breasts
  • 2 or 3 cups flour
  • salt and pepper
  • cayenne pepper
  • half pint sour cream
  • hot fresh horseradish

Assembly: Soak chicken in buttermilk and tabasco for 24 hours. When ready to fry, coat the chicken with a mix of plain flour with some salt, pepper and cayenne (to taste). Fry in a in a deep cast iron pan with hot canola oil (about 350 to 375 degrees).  Don’t crowd the pieces.  Once the first side looks good, turn the heat down to low and simmer the chicken for about 5 minutes , then turn the heat back up to crisp the other side.  If cooking chicken with bones, you will need to increase the cooking time.  The slow cooking is really what makes it good, but you’ve got to have the grease hot when you finish and take out the pieces, or they won’t be crispy.  Lightly salt when they come out of the oil. Use a deep cast iron pan if you have one—it holds the heat better. Cool completely before you refrigerate.

Mix sour cream and horseradish together to your taste. Serve on the side.

Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with King Trumpet Mushrooms, Summer Corn and Sage Brown Butter

26 Jul

What do you do after an hour and a half of a 90s Cardio Dance Party with your best friend from middle school? Laugh, a lot, and eat double starch, of course. This dish should not be taken lightly. It sits in your stomach like a tons of bricks. But, if you are looking for a carb overload “winter-like” meal that includes some great summer produce – go for it. This dish was inspired by a recipe in Sunday Suppers at Lucques that included chanterelle mushrooms and a shocking sprinkle of buttered bread crumbs at the end. We substituted some irresistible King Trumpet Mushrooms we found like perusing the Super G Mart and skipped the buttered crumbs for the sake of our hearts.

We did not master the art of gnocchi form but it still tasted pretty good.

Homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with King Trumpet Mushrooms, Summer Corn and Sage Brown Butter

  • 1 pound king trumpet mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 4 tablespoons butter, divided
  • 4 ears corn, cut off the cob
  • 2 large shallots, diced
  • 1 teaspoon fresh sage
  • parsley
  • salt and pepper
  • 1 batch of Ricotta Gnocchi
In a large cast iron skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with 2 tablespoon butter. Add the sliced trumpet mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Make sure not to move them around in the pan too much – you want them to brown! Once brown on both sides, remove the mushrooms. Add the remaining butter and allow it to foam. Add the sage, shallots and corn kernels.  Saute until tender. Season to taste with black pepper and salt. Add the mushrooms and gnocchi back into the pan. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Ricotta Gnocchi

25 Jul

This weekend one of my closest childhood friends came down to Greensboro for a visit.  We spent the weekend relaxing under ceiling fans, braving the heat, visiting the Super G Mart, eating LOCO Pops at the Bestway in Lindley Park, dancing to 90s music (taking us back to Camp Crystal and Westwood Middle School days) and doing a bit of cooking. Sunday night we arrived home from our adventures just in time for a (much needed) thunderstorm and a some quality time in the kitchen. We made a seasonal menu from the summer section in Sunday Suppers at Lucques including homemade Ricotta Gnocchi with fresh corn and mushrooms. We washed it down with Date Milkshakes with Crunchy Sesame Bars. I’m not sure when the last time I made a milkshake – it may have been back in the 90s when the two of us were still listening to Coolio Gansta’s Paradise on Kiss 105 and talking on our landlines every night! A fitting ending to a great weekend. I’ll post the recipes this week.

Ricotta Gnocchi

  • 2 cups flour (plus much more for dustng)
  • 15 ounces ricotta cheese, drained
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 2 eggs
Combine the flour, ricotta cheese, salt and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Cut with two knives until combined. Make a well in the center of the mixture and add the eggs. Using a fork, combine until a dough starts to form. Toss onto a well floured (and clean) countertop or cutting board. Knead lightly with your fingertips. If wet, feel free to add more flour until it stops sticking to the surface.
Roll into a ball and cut into four pieces. Roll each piece out into a rope about 3/4 inch wide. Cut into 1 inch pieces. Using a fork and your thumb form the gnocchi. I think the end of this video is very helpful.
Boil the gnocchi in a large pot of salted water in small batches. Once they float – allow them to cook just 1 minute longer.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon Puree

19 Jul

When I think of luxurious foods, I often think of meats that have been braised or stewed for hours during the deep winter…not often do I think of grilled meats during the middle of summer. But, this simple recipe for Grilled Lamb Chops is nothing but luxurious. As mentioned yesterday, this recipe is one that you have to flip around the book to figure out – but it is well worth it.  This is a dish you make for really good friends – and you don’t have to wait until Winter to treat them.

Grilled Lamb Chops with Lemon Puree by Michael Psilakis 

Souvlaki Marinade:
  • 1 cup olive oil
  • 3 clove garlic, chopped
  • 4 springs thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2 springs rosemary
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • black pepper and salt
Marinate the lamb for 24 hours in the Souvlaki Marinade. Grill and smear with Lemon Puree.

Grilled Trout over Fennel and Chilies

16 Jun

Aida and I made this recipe up over lunch. We originally wanted to grill a whole fish stuffed with fennel and lemons – but couldn’t find the right fish at the market. A large trout filet was a nice substitute. I added red chili oil to this dish to give it an extra kick. It is totally optional if you don’t have a jar or prefer a milder dish.

Grilled Trout over Fennel and Chilies

Ingredients:

  • one filet of trout large enough to feed two people
  • 1 fennel bulb, sliced
  • fennel fronds, garnish
  • 1 small mild red chili pepper, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • olive oil
  • hot chili oil
  • salt and pepper
  • lemon
Heat olive oil in a saute pan and add fennel. Cook on medium high until the fennel is tender and slightly caramelized. Add the garlic and pepper. Season to taste. Add hot chili oil to your preference. Sprinkle olive oil, salt and pepper on each side of the trout. Grill on both sides about 4 minutes or until cooked through. Display the fish over fennel pepper mixture. Squeeze lemon over dish and garnish with fennel fronds.

Grilled Caprese Pizza with Proscuitto

10 Jun

This pizza was a combination of everything we had left over at our grilling pizza extravaganza. Pesto, fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, basil and prosciutto. It turned out to be Jamey’s favorite pizza that night. I’m such a believer in skipping recipes when you can. But that doesn’t mean you should stop reading this blog.

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