Recipes
Tangy Potato Salad with Scallions
This is a great basic potato salad recipe. If you have any fresh herbs on hand they would be amazing added in. Last week I made a similar version and added in fresh basil - it was to die for.
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pounds Yukon gold or other waxy potatoes, scrubbed, halved, and sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/2 cup white-wine vinegar
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup olive oil
Set a steamer basket in a large pot. Fill with enough salted water to come just below basket. Bring to a boil; place potatoes in basket, and reduce heat to medium. Cover, and steam, gently tossing occasionally, until crisp-tender, 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine vinegar and scallions in a large bowl; season with salt and pepper. When potatoes are cooked, transfer to bowl with vinegar mixture. Toss to combine; let cool, tossing occasionally.
Step 3
When potato mixture is cool, mix in oil; season potato salad with salt and pepper.
Potatoes in Cilantro Sauce
This mildy spicy cilantro sauce is an excellent match for potatoes, and particularly suited to baby potatoes. You don't need any particular type of potato, though. Feel free to just cut giant Russet potatoes into bite-sized pieces and proceed from there!
1 to 2 lbs. potatoes, preferably tiny bite-size potatoes
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tsp. ground coriander
2 Tbsp. vegetable or grapeseed oil
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 hot green chile (optional)
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
Garam masala (optional)
Lemon juice (optional)
Scrub whatever potatoes you're using clean but do not peel them. If they are bigger than bite-size, cut them into large bite-size pieces. Set them aside (in a bowl of cold water if they're cut). Whirl the ginger and coriander with 1/4 cup water in a blender. Set the ginger purée aside.
In a large saute pan or pot heat the oil over high heat. Add the cumin seeds and cook until they start changing color, about 30 seconds. Add the ginger puree, chiles, and salt. Cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.
Drain the potatoes and add them to pan with 1/3 cup water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
Add the cilantro and stir to combine with the potatoes. Serve hot or warm sprinkled with the garam masala and lemon juice to taste, if you like.
Sauteed Chard with Toasted Breadcrumbs
This is another recipe to keep on hand, for any cooking greens. Breadcrumbs add a great crunch to a bowl of hot buttery greens.
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 bunch chard
In a 5-quart saucepan, melt 1/2 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add fresh breadcrumbs and a pinch each of coarse salt and ground pepper. Cook, tossing, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Set aside; wipe pan with a paper towel. Slice chard crosswise 3/4 inch thick, keeping stems separate from greens.
In pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high. Cook stems, stirring, until tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Add greens; cover and cook over medium-low until wilted, 5 minutes. Uncover; cook, stirring, over medium-high until pan is dry, 6 to 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper; add a pinch of sugar, if desired. Top with breadcrumbs.
Orange Curry Carrots
This dish is a great accompaniment to a chicken curry; it's a fine side salad or even a simple vegetarian meal served over rice. The thick, sweet-savory sauce nicely compliments the tender carrots.
1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 cup water
4 cups 1/4 inch sliced carrots
1/2 cup raisins
2 tbsp ghee or butter
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp turmeric
seeds from 3-4 cardamom pods, freshly ground (optional)
2 tbsp flour
1 very ripe banana, peeled, mashed
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper
chopped fresh cilantro
Bring the orange juice and water to a boil in a medium pot. Add the carrots and reduce the heat to a simmer; cook, uncovered, until barely tender, about 6 minutes. Stir in the raisins and remove the pot from heat; let stand.
Melt the ghee or butter in a large skillet or pot over medium-high heat. Add the curry powder, turmeric, and cardamom seeds; cook, stirring constantly, just until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and stir constantly until a smooth paste forms. Remove from heat.
Drain the carrots and raisins, reserving the orange liquid. Add about half of the liquid to the curry powder mixture in the skillet, return the skillet to medium heat, and stir to combine. When the sauce thickens nicely, slowly add in the rest of the liquid, and then stir in the mashed banana. Add the carrots and raisins and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Garnish with cilantro and serve immediately.
Braised Chicken with Celeriac and Garlic
Cooking the garlic inside the skin not only saves time but also mellows the harshness of its flavor and results in tender cloves that can be peeled easily. Squeeze the cloves out of their skins and eat them with the chicken and the bread. Reading the reviews on line suggested to add paprika and/or red chili flakes to the dish as well as some lemon slices or juice to the braising liquid.
3 lb chicken parts such as breasts and thighs (with skin and bone) and drumsticks
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 celery root (sometimes called celeriac; 1 1/4 lb), peeled with a sharp knife and cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 head garlic, cloves separated and left unpeeled
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (10 fl oz)
2 fresh thyme sprigs
Accompaniment: crusty bread
Garnish: fresh thyme
Pat chicken dry and sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown chicken, starting skin sides down, turning over once, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate and pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet.
Add butter to skillet and heat over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté celery root and garlic, stirring frequently, until celery root is browned, about 5 minutes.
Add broth and thyme and deglaze skillet by boiling, stirring and scraping up any brown bits, 1 minute. Return chicken, skin sides up, to skillet along with any juices accumulated on plate, then reduce heat and simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes for white meat, about 25 minutes for dark meat. Transfer chicken to a serving bowl as cooked and keep warm, loosely covered with foil.
When all chicken pieces are done cooking, transfer sauce and vegetables to bowl with chicken, discarding thyme.
Celery Root and Apple Soup
Crispy pancetta sprinkled on top adds a salty, savory flavor to this sweet soup.
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
4 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled celery root (from one 1 1/4-pound celery root)
3 cups 1/2-inch cubes peeled cored Granny Smith apples (from about 2 medium)
1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
4 cups (or more) low-salt chicken broth
1/2 cup chopped chives
1/2 cup grapeseed oil
Pinch of salt
3 ounces thinly sliced pancetta (Italian bacon), could also use bacon
Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add celery root, apples, and onion. Cook until apples and some of celery root are translucent (do not brown), stirring often, about 15 minutes. Add 4 cups broth. Cover and bring to simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer covered until celery root and apples are soft, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth, adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls to thin to desired consistency. Return soup to pot. Season to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.
Puree chives, grapeseed oil, and pinch of salt in blender until smooth.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange pancetta slices in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Roast until pancetta is browned and crispy, about 18 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Crumble pancetta. DO AHEAD: Chive oil and pancetta can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
Rewarm soup over medium heat. Divide soup among bowls. Sprinkle pancetta crumbles over each serving. Drizzle each bowl with chive oil.
Cilantro Spread - Two Versions
Both of these spreads are easy and fantastically flavorful. Try one with a platter of grilled vegetables. Both are great on rice noodles or other pasta.
2 packed cups very finely chopped fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, minced
finely grated zest of one lime
Spicy Cilantro-Peanut Version
freshly squeezed juice of 2 limes (3 to 4 tbsp)
1-2 chile peppers, stems and seeds removed, coarsely chopped
1 tbsp peanuts
salt
freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro-Ginger Version
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tsp finely chopped or grated fresh ginger
Put the cilantro, garlic, and lime zest in a bowl. Add the next 3 ingredients for the version you are making (either oil, lime juice, and ginger; or lime juice, peppers, and peanuts). Mix well with a fork or whisk until well combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
Ginger Tamari Slow Cooker Pork
If you don't have a slow cooker, you could prepare this dish by cooking in the oven in a covered baking dish that isn't overly large. A longer time in the oven at a lower temp would yield more tender , deeply flavored meat. However, you could also get the flavors of this dish more quickly by making this dish on a skillet on the stove top, with the burner on low.
1.75 lbs fresh ham steaks (or 4 pork chops)
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons tamari (or soy sauce)
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons honey (or a bit maple syrup, or maple sugar, or brown sugar)
dash cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon water to make smooth paste
Season fresh ham or pork chops with salt and pepper to taste. In a skillet over medium heat, heat olive oil. Add pork chops and sear until nicely browned on both sides. Transfer pork to crockpot. Add garlic to pan drippings and sauté until it begins to brown; stir in soy sauce, broth, sugar, and cayenne pepper. Stir to blend; bring just to a boil. Pour sauce over the pork. Cover and cook on low until pork chops are tender, about 6 to 7 hours. Stir in cornstarch and water mixture until well blended. Cover and cook about 20 minutes longer.
Easy pork chops recipe serves 4.
If cooking this dish on the stove top, you may want to add 1/4 to 1/2 cup water or stock to the pan. Some will evaporate while you cook. Allow the liquid to evaporate, trying to end up with some liquid (1/4 cup ideally) left in the pan so meat stays moist meat and you don't burn the soy, honey, or garlic. And so you have some liquid to add the cornstarch paste to so you can make a nice thick sauce.
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of Europe’s most loved apples. This Jonathan/Golden Delicious cross is a beautiful and sprightly apple with a balanced sweet-tart taste and a touch of spice. Great for fresh eating and baking.
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