Salmon & Pea Risotto

Ingredients:
5 cups chicken or fish stock
3 cups chopped cooked salmon
1 cup frozen peas
2 large shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
2 tablespoons olive oil
zest one lemon
salt
pepper


Directions:
In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan Saute the garlic and shallot until lightly caramelized. Add the rice, salt and pepper and saut� for 2-3 minutes, stirring continually. Add the broth a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before each addition. When you only have about 1/2 cup broth left, add it, the salmon, zest and frozen peas to the pan and continue to stir. When the risotto is creamy and the rice is al dente remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan.

My thoughts:

Can you tell I am done with winter? I have been trying to slip in bits of springtime into my meals as much as possible. I've been accomplishing this with varying success by using frozen vegetables and fruit. Actually, I think frozen peas are better than fresh because they are frozen right after being picked instead of sitting around waiting for me to go to the store, pick them up and peel them myself. This is also a great meal to use up leftover salmon. I used fresh this time but flaked smoked salmon (the kind that looks like a whole chunk of fish, not lox) works equally well.

Rapini + Leek + Rice Soup

Ingredients:
3 leeks, sliced (white parts only!)
1 bunch rapini, chopped
6 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup (uncooked) jasmine rice
1/4 cup dry vermouth
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 bay leaves
juice and zest of 1 Meyer lemon
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
In a wide-bottomed pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil and butter. Add the garlic, rapini, parsley, rice and leeks. Saute until the leeks start to soften and the rapini starts to wilt. Pour in the broth, vermouth, juice, zest and spices. Cover and cook until the rice is fully cooked, about 15 minutes.

My thoughts:

A local grocery store chain often has some somewhat surprising fruits and vegetables. Cactus pears, Seckel pears, rapini, many varieties of apples, Vidalia onions still with their greens, broccolini, the list goes on. I guess none of those items is terribly exotic but a lot of that are things that until fairly recently, we could only buy at a specialty store or the farmers market. We only have one year-round farmers market since nothing is in season here during the winter so any store that has fresh, varied produce gets our vote. Lately it has been an embarrassment of riches when it comes to rapini (aka broccoli rabe), leeks and other dark greens. This recipe came about because I have a ton of stock in my freezer (anyone want to point me in the direction of a good, affordable pressure canner? I have ham, lobster, chicken and turkey stock taking valuable space.), lovely rapini and some leeks that looked shifty. Luckily, it was one of those happy accidents when everything came together in a delightful manner. I am not even a soup fan and I loved it.

Thyme and Portobello Un-Stuffing

Ingredients:
25 slices torn sandwich bread
2 large onions, diced
1 bunch celery, diced
1/2 cup chicken or turkey stock
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 eggs, beaten
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced parsley
4 portobello mushroom caps, diced
1 teaspoon white pepper


Directions:

In a large pan, saute celery, mushrooms and onions in butter and olive oil over very low heat until the onions are translucent. Do not brown. Add to bread cubes in bowl and add the spices and herbs.

Combine with egg and broth. Form medium-sized balls. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to overnight.


Place balls in the bottom of the roasting pan under the rack and around the turkey (or chicken) on the rack for the last 1/2 hour of roasting and cook until cooked through.


Yield: 8-10 servings

My thoughts:

I love stuffing. Sometimes I make a whole turkey or chicken just so I can make stuffing. Of course, this is technically not "stuffing" but it is way better than the in-a-separate-dish "dressing" people make. It is the best of both worlds: infused with juices from the turkey and crispy around the edges. Yum, yum, yum. My mom made stuffing this way growing up but much plainer. The herbs and meaty mushrooms add a lot to the awesomeness. My brother was so enthralled by it, he packed a baggie full of stuffing scraps to take home.

Also pictured:
slow cooked sauerkraut
hot pepper butternut squash
fig glazed turkey
herbed green & wax beans

Split Pea Soup with Smoked Ham

Ingredients:
5 cups ham stock
2 cups cubed smoked ham
1 cup green split peas
1 cup yellow split peas
2 carrots, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 large shallot, minced
1 teaspoon celery flakes
1 teaspoon dried tarragon
1/2 teaspoon dried chervil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1 bay leaf
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper

Directions:
Pick over split peas to remove any stones or stems that might be present. Place all ingredients EXCEPT the ham in a 4 quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low 10 hours. Stir in the ham during the last 45 minutes of cooking. Fish out the bay leaf prior to serving.

My thoughts:

This a wonderful soup, if unphotogenic. I have a slightly less traditional split pea soup that I love and a third recipe for it in my book but I think this is my favorite when you really just want a classic split pea. The smokiness of the ham adds a lot to the depth of flavor. I also think it is the best use of ham stock that I know. But perhaps better than all that is how easy this soup is to make. The split peas do not need to be soaked before using and if you want to have this for lunch, just start it before you go bed. How much easier can you get?

Homemade Rice-A-Roni

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup broken vermicelli or angel hair pasta
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
salt
pepper

Directions:
Melt the butter in a saucepan that has a lid. Saute the pasta, rice, garlic and shallot until the pasta starts to brown. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered for 15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork.

My thoughts:

For this recipe, I did something I normally don't do; I made a homemade version of a food that has never been anything but a commercially made, shelf stable product. While the San Francisco treat can be oddly comforting and certainly quick to make, it is also on the salty and bland side. Making it at home is just as quick but much more flavorful.

How to: Ham Stock

Ingredients:

the basics:
cold water
1 large ham hock or the bone leftover from a roasted ham
3 carrots, cut up
2 onions, quartered
1 large shallot, quartered
1 bunch celery, cut up
1 head garlic
2 tablespoons black peppercorns
1 tablespoon whole allspice
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon mace blades
1/2 stick cinnamon

Directions:
Place the ham, spices and the vegetables in a large stockpot (I use my lobster pot). Add water until the pot is nearly filled. Bring to a rolling boil. After 4-5 hours, strain into a large bowl or smaller stockpot. Cool immediately by placing the bowl in an ice filled sink. Do not refrigerate hot stock. Refrigerate the cooled stock overnight, then skim off any fat that rose to the surface. Package in air tight containers or freezer bags to store. I like a mixture of 2 and 4 cup quantities.


I suggest freezing any stock you don't use right away. In using freezer bags, lay the bags flat so they freeze in a shape that takes up the least amount of room. To defrost simply remove the block of stock from the container and place it in a sauce pan. Heat on low for 3-5 minutes.

Yield: about 8 quarts

My thoughts:

I love making my own stocks. Not only are they more flavorful than store bought, they are incredibly cheap to make and I feel good about making something from something that I normally would thrown away. I always hesitate about posting stock recipes here but invariably every time I call for a stock I get an email from someone asking how they can make it themselves, especially for the more difficult to find stocks. So after a lot of requests for a ham stock tutorial, here it finally is. While you can a more neutral tasting stock similar to chicken or turkey stock, I like to use the flavors often found in ham dishes or spice rubs for ham in the stock because the foods I end up using the stock in are often enhanced by those flavors. Don't worry, the stock isn't too heavy spiced, it is just a wonderful background note.

Island Style Salmon Chowder

Ingredients:
3 slices thick cut bacon
15 oz canned diced tomatoes
5 1/2 cups fish stock
1 lb cooked salmon, cut into chunks
2 cups peeled, diced white potatoes
3/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
1/4 cup dark rum, optional
2 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, chopped
1 large shallot, minced
1 green onion, diced
1 or 2 Scotch Bonnet pepper(s), minced
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1/8 teaspoon cloves

Directions:
Cook the bacon in a skillet until crisp. Drain on a paper towel lined plate. Crumble the bacon and set aside. In a large pot, saute the onion, shallot, garlic, pepper, potatoes, celery and carrot in a couple tablespoons of bacon grease until the onions are softened and translucent. Add the tomato, spices, bacon, broth, Worcestershire sauce and rum. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat. Simmer until the potatoes are nearly fork tender. Stir in the thyme, green onion and parsley and salmon. Cook until the salmon is heated through. Discard the bay leaf prior to serving.

My thoughts:

This recipe was somewhat inspired by Bermuda's fish chowder and the conch chowders popular in the Caribbean. I've been researching vacations (oh, for a break from cooking and dish washing) and of course, that involves researching the local cuisines. While salmon isn't the traditional fish found in these local chowders, the fact that I had a pound of it leftover after another meal made me give it ago. It worked really well! Salmon is "meaty" enough that it doesn't breakdown in the soup and its richness contrasted well with the lush spice of the broth. It is also the perfect chowder as we creep towards warmer weather, it isn't as heavy as most chowders and everyone knows spicy foods cool you off!

Rachel's Hot n' Spicy Shrimp �touff�e

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons Creole seasoning
1/4 cup flour
2 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, diced
1 stalk celery, diced
2 habanero peppers, minced
1 1/2 cup lobster or shrimp stock
2 teaspoons hot sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 large tomato, diced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound shrimp
2 tablespoon minced Italian parsley
1/2 cup diced green onion

cooked white rice to serve

Directions:
Place the butter, Creole seasoning, and flour in a skillet. Cook 1 minute, stirring twice. Add the garlic, onion, celery, and habanero. Saut� until the mixture is golden. Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, tomato, and thyme. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture has thickened. Add the shrimp, parsley, and green onion. Stir. Cook 5-10 minutes or until the shrimp is fully cooked. Serve over rice.

My thoughts:

I can't believe I haven't shared my recipe for �touff�e until today! I searched my archives like five times before accepting that I haven't posted it before. That is just wrong. My �touff�e rocks. Traditionally it is made with the holy trinity of Cajun cuisine: onions, celery and bell pepper but I find bell peppers insipid so I use habanero peppers instead. Their fruity hotness really adds a ton of flavor and takes the whole dish to a new level of awesomeness. I also simplified the roux process a bit so it is nearly foolproof but still has the nutty, rich flavor only roux can provide. No one could tell the difference between an �touff�e made the traditional way and one made using my quick and dirty method. The trick is making sure the flour gets good and golden during the vegetable sauteing set. So don't fear the roux! It is what gives the �touff�e its signature creaminess and depth of flavor.

It is pretty hot, if you are wimpy about spice, halve the amount of habaneros I call for or use jalapenos instead but don't sub bell peppers, they are way too bland to be a part of my hot n' spicy �touff�e.

Lemon-Chive Asparagus Risotto

Ingredients:
5 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups bite sized pieces of asparagus
2 large shallots, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups Arborio rice
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated
1/4 cup chopped chives
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
zest one lemon
salt
pepper


Directions:
In a saucepan, bring the broth to a simmer. Heat oil and butter in a large saucepan Saute the garlic and shallot until lightly caramelized. Add the rice, salt and pepper and saut� for 2-3 minutes, stirring continually. Add the broth a 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, and waiting until the liquid is absorbed before each addition. When you are about half way through the broth, add the asparagus to the rice.



Continue to add broth and stir. When the risotto is creamy and the rice is al dente remove from heat and stir in the Parmesan, zest and chives.

My thoughts:

I am excited to see the first stalks of asparagus making their way into the market. After a winter marked by two very large, late snow storms any sign of spring and warm weather is very welcome. The big farmers market opened for the first time this weekend. May is the first month one can find local produce with any sort of regularity or variety in Baltimore, some smaller markets are open year round but until now they were sparsely stocked with dairy and meats. So this time of year I eat lots and lots of asparagus.

Creamy risotto is one of my my favorite ways to use asparagus. It is easy, the asparagus really shines and typically it is not so hot yet as to make the prospect of stirring a pot over a hot stove seem unbearable. The lemon and chives add to the springy fresh flavor and complement the asparagus perfectly. What more could you ask of a weekday meal?



Note: As I normally do when I have leftover risotto, I made arancini di riso. Rather then dig through and cut the asparagus into smaller pieces, I just sort of tucked the larger bits towards the middle and surrounded them with rice.

Better Than Split Pea Soup

Ingredients:
5 cups chicken or ham stock
2 cups cubed smoked ham*
1 1/2 cup frozen peas
1 cup green split peas
1 cup yellow split peas
1/4 cup diced apple (I used a Stayman Winesap)
2 carrots, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 large shallot, minced
1 small to medium bulb fennel, diced
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon celery flakes
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 teaspoon dried chervil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seed
1/2 teaspoon summer savory
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon dillweed
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard

Directions:
Pick over split peas to remove any stones or stems that might be present. Place all ingredients except for the frozen peas in a 4 quart slow cooker. Stir. Cook on low 12-15 hours. If you would like thicker soup, cook uncovered on high for 30 minutes to thicken. Stir in the frozen peas during the last 15 minutes of cooking.

*If you have a minute, saute the ham cubes in a nonstick skillet until just starting to brown. This helps seal in the flavor but isn't strictly necessary.

My thoughts:

We get up super early so I can put this up in time for dinner** but in the past, I've put it in my slow cooker right before I go to bed and had it the next day for lunch. I came up with this super long cooking technique because I don't have to soak the peas before making the soup but it you have more patience than I do, prep the peas according to the package instructions and then the soup will only take about 8 hours or so in the slow cooker. The copious amount of herbs and vegetables add a flavor that is a more complex than the typical pea soup and the peas added at the end lend a real pop of freshness that is always welcome in a long simmering soup. The perfect minimal work, high flavor weekday dinner for a dreary, rainy spring day.


**Especially if I had chopped and refrigerated the vegetables the night before. I've even measured the split peas and spices out and left them (covered) in the cold (not plugged in) slow cooker or in a small container overnight.

Steamburgers

Ingredients:
1 lb very lean ground beef
2 cups beef stock
1 onion, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika
salt
pepper

to serve:
mustard
minced onion
soft rolls

Directions:
Heat oil in a large, shallow skillet. Saute the onion and shallot until just beginning to soften. Add the beef until the fat starts to render, breaking the meat into small bits. Drain off the fat. Add the Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, paprika and stock. Simmer until the stock has totally evaporated. Serve sprinkled with onion on buns with a smear of mustard.

My thoughts:

Steamburgers are the signature dish at Stewart's Root Beer out on Pulaski Highway just outside of Baltimore. My grandpop used to tell me about getting them long before I or even my mother was born. If that doesn't make a family tradition what does? They are basically a loose meat sandwich, sort of like a sloppy joe but without the sauce. Served on a soft bun with onions and a smear of mustard or with cheese melted on, they are a bit of retro heaven. I've heard of similar sandwiches sold in other parts of the country but I've never encountered them outside of Stewart's which not only has been serving steamburgers since 1945 but draft root beers, regular burgers, chili dogs, fries and summery side dishes like coleslaw and potato salad. Stewart's is only open 6 months of the year (the warmer months) so I've long wanted to develop a recipe so I can eat a steamburger whenever the mood strikes. It took some experimenting but I think I've come as very close to the taste of the original as I could but like many homemade versions of fast food is a lot less greasy. (Sorry, Stewarts!) It is very meaty and juicy but fresh tasting. If you are still not convinced, steamburgers taste very much like a traditional hamburger but in a more rustic, crumbly form.

Lobster Roll

Ingredients:
2 lobsters' worth of meat (3 cups, chopped)
1 stalk celery, diced
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
salt
pepper

butter
New England style rolls (split top)

Direction:
Toss the celery and lobster, together in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, whisk mayo, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over the lobster and celery and stir until the lobster is lightly coated. Refrigerate 20-30 minutes. Melt a bit of butter in a skillet and lightly toast the rolls on either side. Generously fill with lobster.

Yield: 6 lobster rolls

My thoughts:

Unfortunately our trips this year do not include a visit to the lobster roll epicenter, Maine. But that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a lobster roll. We bought a couple of lobsters (and since the store offered, let them steam them since we knew we'd be eating them cold anyway) and I tried to get as much meat out of them as possible, my years of crab practice really paid off. Lobsters are so much easier! I was sort of tempted to buy the (cheaper) lobster tail but I am glad I went for the whole lobster, the meat was juicy and claw meat was super sweet. A welcome addition to the mix. The trick to the lobster roll is not overwhelming the lobster. I wanted to add some zip so I decided on using the subtle tarragon vinegar and a splash of lemon juice to thin out the mayo without being overpowering. I was excited to find the "New England style rolls" at Wegmans last week, while technically you could use hot dog rolls, these rolls were perfect. The sides toasted up wonderfully and they weren't as deeply split as hot dog rolls are so they really support the lobster. I hate when you bite into a sandwich and the filling falls out. Not a problem with these lobster rolls. They are crisp and slightly buttery and warm and super lobster-y. The perfect sandwich to ease you into spring.



Note: Since lobsters are pretty pricey I decided to stretch them even further by making lobster stock. I added the shells, any juices I could save, a sliced lemon, 2 onions (cut up), 3 carrots, a bunch of limp celery, parsley stems and a couple of shallots (cut up) to a big (lobster) pot of water and cooked it until a bunch evaporated. Then I divided up in 2 and 4 cup portions and froze it for future use. It will be great in risotto or any sort of seafood dish.

Chicken & Broccoli

Ingredients:
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast cut into bite sized pieces
3 cups broccoli florets
8 oz button mushrooms, thinly sliced
canola oil
1 teaspoon cornstarch, dissolved in 1 teaspoon water
cooked rice to serve (I made ours in my rice cooker and added a drop of sesame oil, some sesame seeds and chives prior to cooking)

for the marinade:
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 clove garlic, minced

for the sauce:
1/4 cup chicken stock
3 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon shaoxing
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon hoisin


Directions:
Place the chicken and marinade ingredients in a resealable bag. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Set aside. Steam the broccoli until just crisp. Heat some oil in a wok. Add the chicken and cook until nearly cooked through. Add the sauce, mushrooms and broccoli. Bring to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch and cook until it thickens, just a minute or two. Serve over rice.

My thoughts:

While chicken & broccoli is a pretty popular Chinese takeout choice, I really wasn't too interested in (it seemed too plain) but once a friend ordered it and had them add mushrooms that I tried it and got slightly hooked. I haven't had it in years but when I found myself in possession of chicken, broccoli and a bunch of button mushrooms on the verge of spoiling I thought I'd try my hand at making it myself. It was super easy and so much lighter and fresher tasting than I remember. I personally like it a lot more with the mushrooms than without but the mycophobic could leave them out and it would be just fine. You could also sub in an equal amount of firm or fried tofu, beef or pork for the chicken.

Pork & Shrimp Eggrolls

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
2/3 cup diced char siu
1/2 cup diced, peeled & cooked shrimp (or 1/2 cup cooked tiny "salad" shrimp)
6 (fresh) shiitake mushrooms, minced
1 carrot, julienned
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or ginger juice

for the sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon black vinegar
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1/2 tablespoon water



1 lb package refrigerated or defrosted frozen egg roll wrappers*
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water

Directions:
Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Heat in a small pan, whisking until the cornstarch has dissolved. Set aside. Quickly saute the vegetables, ginger, garlic, shrimp and pork until the cabbage is just starting to wilt. Remove from heat. Add sauces and toss to evenly distribute. Allow to cool slightly. Heat canola oil to 350. Place a small amount of filling (about 1/4 cup) in the center of the egg roll in sort of a log shape on each wrapper. Place the wrapper so it like a diamond in front of you then fold each side towards the middle and roll towards the top. Seal each seam with the egg wash. Paint the seams again with egg wash. If you find that your egg rolls leak, try using less filling, the size of egg roll wrappers vary slightly by brand. Fry until golden, flipping occasionally, drain on paper towel lined plates.

Yield: about 10 egg rolls

*Not spring roll wrappers, not lumpia wrappers or rice paper wrappers. Look for them in the refrigerated section (normally near tofu or fresh noodles) or in the freezer section of a well stocked supermarket or Asian market. Try to find an Asian brand for best results.

My thoughts:

One of my favorite food related books is about Chinese food and more specifically, American Chinese food. It is a great look into the difference between traditional Chinese food and the evolution of Chinese food in the country. It doesn't have any recipes but every time I pick it up, I am once again inspired to make some homemade versions of takeout. I mean, I love takeout Chinese food but we just don't have a consistently good place to get it. One place will have good won ton soup but the dumplings are bad. Another place has great appetizers and soups but their entrees are uniformly greasy. It has become easier just to make my favorites at home.

A good egg roll is a thing of beauty. A bad egg roll is a soggy, oily, bland mess. Luckily it isn't terribly difficult to make egg rolls at home. Even the frying adverse can handle it, they float and do not need to be deep fried. Plus you get to put whatever you want in it! I like shrimp and pork and lots of cabbage in mine and of course, I prefer the slightly chewy skin of an egg roll verses the splintery crisper wrapper of the spring rolls some restaurants try to pass off as egg rolls. They really aren't difficult to make at all, it just involves a lot of chopping. I actually like make them the same day I make lo mein because they use a lot of the same ingredients which makes the prep for both go easier. These egg rolls have a lot of flavor from the various flavors and well, people are always impressed when you make something as ubiquitous in the takeout world as egg rolls at home. The fact that they are more flavorful and fresher tasting than their carry out compatriots is almost icing on the cake.

Now, I hear egg rolls freeze well and I froze one to give to friend to test this theory out but even living in a two person household we can easily blow through the whole batch in a couple of days. If you do want to freeze them, place them (fully cooked)in a air tight container in the freezer. Then when ready to eat place them (frozen) in the oven on a paper towel lined pan at 325 until heated through.

Pork Lo Mein

Ingredients:
1 lb char siu, cut into 1/4 inch thick, 2 inch long slices*
2 carrots, julienned
2 stalks celery greens included, diagonally sliced to 1/4 inch pieces
2 cups shredded napa cabbage
4 oz sliced bamboo shoots
10 (fresh) shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 small shallot, sliced
1 bunch green onion, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch knob ginger, minced
2 tablespoons canola oil

for the omelet:
2 eggs
1 bunch green onion, sliced
drizzle sesame oil

for the sauce:
1/4 cup hoisin sauce
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon shaoxing

to serve:
1 lb (fresh if possible) lo mein noodles
1 small bunch green onion, chopped (for garnish)

Directions:
Cook noodles according to package directions. In a small bowl, mix together all of the sauce ingredients, set aside. In another small bowl, mix together all of the omelet ingredients. Pour into a small hot nonstick skillet or crepe pan. Allow to cook through in a single layer to form a sort of egg pancake. Remove to a plate and slice. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the pork, ginger and garlic and stir-fry until the pork is just about heated through then push meat to the side and add all of the vegetables and the omelet. Stir-fry until the pork and vegetables are warmed through. Add the sauce and cook 1 minute. Toss with the noodles, garnish with green onion. Serve hot.

*We followed this recipe with the addition of a bit of red fermented bean curd mashed into the marinade. To make dinner a little quicker, we marinated the pork overnight on a Thursday, roasted it on Friday then refrigerated it overnight and used it to make lo mein on Saturday. This made the meal come together very quickly, there was no "downtime" on Saturday while the pork was roasting. The pork does not have to be hot when you add it to the wok.

My thoughts:

I don't think I have ever been in a American Chinese takeout joint where at least one customer wasn't eating or ordering lo mein. And why wouldn't they? You can't get more comforting or familiar than a heaping mound of noodles, vegetables and meat. Unfortunately, the lo mein found in most restaurants is a either a. very salty, b. very greasy, c. lacking many vegetables or d. all of the above. Luckily, lo mein is one of the easiest things to make at home. The most difficult thing to part is finding the fresh lo mein noodles but just about any Asian (we have the most luck at the Chinese and Korean stores) grocery or even a very well stocked "regular" supermarket will have them in the refrigerated section. Dried lo mein noodles are an acceptable substitution but the texture won't be quite the same and frankly, I don't find them any easier to find than the fresh variety. Anyway, making lo mein at home is a revelation if you've only had the takeout variety, it is fresh tasting and while the sauce tastes pretty much the same, it is grease-free.

Rachel's French Onion Soup

Ingredients:
4 lbs yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 quarts beef stock
1/3 cup vermouth
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
6 sprigs thyme (tied together)
2 bay leaves

to serve:
bread rounds (day old slices of a baguette or artisan white does well)
shredded Gruy�re (I used cave aged Gruy�re)

Directions:
Heat the olive oil and butter in large skillet or saucepan. Add the onions. It is okay if they are mounded high in the pan, they will cook down quickly. Cover and cook the onions until just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally so they cook evenly. Stir in the balsamic and remove the lid. Cook until the onions are caramelized, stirring very occasionally, about 40 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the vermouth. Add the stock, salt, pepper, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the bay leaves and thyme. Bake the bread and cheese on a baking sheet for 5 minutes at 350 and transfer them to the top of the soup. Alternatively, divide the soup among oven safe bowls. Top with a slice or two of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 350. If you have broiler safe bowls and a roomy broiler, top with bread and cheese and broil until the cheese melts.


Note: I wanted to speed up the dinner process so I caramelized the onions and deglazed the pan in the morning and then refrigerated them until I was ready to make dinner. You could do this the night before if desired. Follow the rest of the directions as written about.

My thoughts:

I don't see French onion soup on menus very often anymore (too '60s?) which is shame because it is one of the few soups that can pull off being elegant and rustic at the same time. Luckily, it is easy to make at home. It is slightly time consuming, there is nothing difficult about the recipe. Caramelizing onions is a hands off activity for the most part and you barely need to stir the soup as it cooks. There are a lot of variations in recipes for the soup: everything from using sweet onions (not needed, yellow onions a quite sweet once caramelized, no need to make candy) to including apple cider (ew!) and a lot of different cheeses. I created this recipe to make my own ultimate French onion soup, one that is very flavorful but not too rich. I dispense with the sugar many recipes call for and use balsamic vinegar to help along the caramelization process while adding to the depth of flavor. I am also fond of floating a slice of bread on the top of the soup rather than broiling the whole thing. Same flavor, maybe slightly less cheese and no need to buy broiler safe bowls.

Moo Shu Duck

Ingredients:

for the duck:
1 6 lb duck
zest of one lemon
2 tablespoons five spice powder
1 1/2 tablespoons ginger powder
1 1/2 tablespoons salt
1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

for the filling:
1/3 cup dried tiger lily buds
6 dried cloud ear mushrooms
5 dried black or shiitake mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 bunch green onions, cut into 1 inch chunks
4 cups shredded napa cabbage
1/2 cup chicken or duck stock
2 tablespoons shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with an equal amount of water
1 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

for the omelet:
2 eggs
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
1/4 cup diced green onion

for the pancakes:
2 cups flour
3/4 cup boiling water
sesame oil


Directions:
Preheat oven to 325. In a small bowl, whisk together the zest, ginger, sugar, salt, pepper and five spice powder. Rub the dry rub into the skin of the duck. Place the duck on a roasting rack on a roasting pan and roast for 2 hours or until cooked though*. Allow to cool slightly then shred the meat and set aside.

Add the flour and boiling water to a boil. Whisk together. Flour a clean, flat surface. Knead the dough until smooth, 3-5 minutes. Cover in plastic wrap and let sit for 30-40 minutes. Roll the dough into a tube about 1 1/2 inches thick. Cut into 16 equal pieces. Use the palm of your hand to flatten each one slightly. Brush the top of half the rounds with sesame oil. Top with a second pancake. Roll them together until they are 5-6 inches wide. Stack, covered with a damped cloth until ready to heat. Heat a nonstick pan and cook each pair for about 2 minutes on each side. Separate them into individual pancakes. Wrap the stack in foil until ready to serve. If needed, steam in a bamboo steamer or microwave them for a few seconds to reheat.


Meanwhile, rehydrate the mushrooms and lily buds in hot water. Cut off any hard bits on the lily buds and tie them in a knot. Thinly slice the mushrooms. Set aside. Whisk the omelet ingredients together. Cook the eggs in a flat layer in a nonstick skillet or work. Slice into strips. Set aside. Heat the oil in a wok. Add the vegetables, lily buds, mushrooms and broth. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Add the soy sauce, sesame oil and shaoxing. Stir fry for 1 minute then add the cornstarch mixture. Cook until the mixture boils. Add the egg and duck. Stir fry for 2 minutes. Serve in pancakes with hoisin sauce.



*If you would like to reserve the duck fat for another recipe, drain it off the bottom of pan every 1/2 hour to 45 minutes and pour into a heat safe container. Duck fat is amazingly tasty to cook with.

My thoughts:

This is a bit of a time consuming recipe, I admit, but it is worth it. The pancakes are super simple to make (who knew?) and the duck is so flavorful that when you sit down to eat, you won't remember that it took the better part of an evening. If you are a planner, make the duck ahead of time and just toss it in with everything else when you actually want to eat. Normally moo shu is made with pork (or occasionally chicken) but we found a duck for a good price and thought it would make an excellent variation. We were right, the meat is succulent and adds a richness to the mixture that is similar to what you would get from pork but slightly more complex. Not to slight pork, you know how deep my love for pork runs, but it is a wonderful, delicious change. Some of the ingredients are a bit exotic but any Chinese (or even Korean in our experience) store will have them and since they are dried they keep for ages, possibly even years. I really would try to find them all, they add the perfect textures and flavors to the dish and are sorely missed if absent.

Leftovers hold up surprisingly well. Just refrigerate the pancakes and filling (separately)in air tight containers and reheat them over low heat the next day. What a treat it is to have homemade moo shu pancakes for lunch!

Broccoli-Cauliflower Cheddar Soup

Ingredients:
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock, divided use
1 1/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar
1/2 cup milk
1 medium onion, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 head cauliflower, chopped into florets (about 4 1/2 cups)
1 head broccoli, cut into florets (about 3 cups)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
salt

Directions:
In a large pot, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and celery and cook until the onions and shallot are soft and translucent. Do not let them brown. Add the cauliflower, spices and 2 cups stock. Bring broth to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce to a simmer and cook 20-30 minutes or until the cauliflower is tender and easily cut, stirring occasionally. The broth will not totally cover the cauliflower but don't worry- stirring will be enough to ensure the cauliflower cooks through.

Using a regular blender or immersion blender, blend the cauliflower mixture until very, very smooth and creamy. If you are using a regular blender, you will probably have to do this in steps so pour the blended soup into another large pot as you go. If using an immersion blender, you can blend the soup right in the same pot. Once blended, add the milk, remaining stock, vinegar and broccoli. Return to heat and allow to simmer until the broccoli is fork tender. Pulse the blender until the soup is mostly smooth. Stir in the cheese and serve.

My thoughts:

I love the idea of broccoli-cheddar soup more than I actually like the soup itself. It is just a little too rich for me. I've seen "light" versions of the soup but they all seem to call for reduced fat cheese (blah) or using milk which I think makes the soup too thin. I remembered how creamy this cauliflower soup was that I made (could it really be four years ago?) and posted. That soup was rich and creamy but the body of the soup came from the cauliflower, not heavy cream. Why couldn't I use pureed cauliflower as a base for a broccoli soup? I experimented and I have to say, the results were great. The cauliflower blends into a smooth, creamy soup that has a rich, thick mouthfeel without the need for heavy cream and unless you were told, I don't think most people would guess that the "secret ingredient" was cauliflower. The broccoli and cheddar flavor is much stronger and of course complements each other just as it does in the full fat versions.

Rachel's Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie

3 cups cubed, cooked chicken breast
2 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 3/4 cup milk
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup peeled, diced Klondike Goldust potatoes
1/2 cup flour
1/2 cup peeled, cubed rutabaga
1/8 cup dried porcini mushrooms
2 carrots, cut into coins
2 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 parsnips, cut into coins
1 onion, diced
1 shallot, minced
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 tablespoon minced dill (or sage)
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 bay leaf
1 egg, beaten
salt
freshly ground black pepper


puff pastry (if using defrosted frozen, you will only need one sheet)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Rehydrate the mushrooms in hot water. Drain, dice and set aside. Melt the butter in a large skillet with high sides, a large saucepan or a stove top and oven safe 2 quart casserole. Add the onion, garlic, shallot, celery, carrots, potatoes and rutabaga. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent. Stir in the flour and cook for one to two minutes. Add the milk, bay leaf, and stock. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 10-15 minutes. Fish out the bay leaf. Add the chicken, mushrooms, peas, herbs and spices. Stir to evenly distribute all ingredients. Cook for 2 minutes. If you reduced the liquid too much and it now looks dry, add a bit of white wine or the water leftover from re-hydrating the mushrooms or broth to the mixture. Divide into 6 10 oz ramekins or pour into a 2 quart casserole dish. Leave only about 1/4 to 1/2 inch of room at the top.



Top with a layer of puff pastry. Pierce with a knife. Brush with egg. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.

My thoughts:

I never gave pot pies much thought until I had a really good one with puff pastry and a hint of truffle at a restuarant this winter. I liked the lack of a bottom crust and while there were not quite enough vegetables for my taste, it was saucy but not soupy or too rich.

After that meal, I kept the idea of making a puff pastry topped pot pie in the back of my mind. Roasters went on sale this week so I roasted one for dinner with an eye on having lots of leftovers so I could make a pot pie later in the week.

The leftover meat was really flavorful and juicy so I knew it would make a great pot pie. With such a simple dish, you really need to use flavorful ingredients to avoid blandness. I added a lot of fresh winter friendly vegetables to make it an even more encompassing one dish meal.

Using puff pastry makes the dish much quicker to make than using a traditional homemade pastry crust and I like the texture contrast between the flaky crust and the creamy filling. Matt chopped up the rutabaga, parsnip, onion, shallot, garlic, carrot and celery the night before and we refrigerated them overnight in an air tight container which really speed up the process when I went to actually make the dish. Of course I had already roasted, cubed and measured the chicken earlier in the week. I am glad I took the time to assemble the ingredients because I ended up with a totally delicious meal that required little effort. It really was the ultimate chicken pot pie.



Bonus recipe: my secret for easy, juicy roasted chicken. Preheat oven to 325. Rub a 5-8 lb roasting chicken with olive oil. Sprinkle liberally with Montreal Steak Seasoning (also available generically as "Canadian" Seasoning but I like McCormick's because you can buy it in very large shaker containers). Roast until the chicken is fully cooked. Allow the chicken to cool until it can be handled. Dust off most of the spices and discard the skin. Remove the meat. I like to cube it and store white and dark meat separately.

Spicy Herbed Breakfast Sausage

Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/4 pound ground pork
1 shallot, grated
1 1/2 teaspoons sage
1 1/2 teaspoons thyme
1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon crushed rosemary
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon allspice


Directions:
Place all ingredients in a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly to combine. If you have the time, refrigerate the mixture for a bit or up to overnight. Form into small, flat patties. Cook in a nonstick skillet, turning once halfway through the cooking time. Cover briefly if your patties are rather thick to insure that they cook all the way through.

My thoughts:

It always amazes me how easy it is to make breakfast sausage patties that taste so much fresher and better than store bought. The spices are ones that most cooks would always have on hand and of course, ground pork is readily available. I like to stock up on ground pork (or grind my own) and freeze it in 1 lb portions for future use, it freezes really well and defrosts overnight in the refrigerator.

In this part of the country I find that sausage links are more popular (if you order sausage in a restuarant, links are almost always automatically served) but patties are much simpler (no casings!) to make at home and are just as tasty. I like to make the mixture and form it into patties the day before so I can just pop them in the skillet in the morning.

Note: Normally I wouldn't add sugar to a savory dish but in this instance, it really is needed. Leaving it out results in a patty that is more like a spicy burger than a breakfast sausage. The sugar is what makes it taste like it is for breakfast. Who knew?