Thursday, May 27, 2010

White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies

You can also do what Samantha did and use half white chocolate chips and half chocolate chips.
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted & cooled
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups white chocolate chips
1 cup chopped macadamia nuts

Adjust an oven rack to lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl.

In a large bowl, beat the melted butter and sugars together with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until combined.

Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until combined. Mix in the white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts until incorporated.

Working with 2 tablespoons of dough at a time, roll the dough into even balls and lay them on the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.

Bake the cookies until the edges are set and beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, about 16 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Chicken Bouillabaise

A few notes about this recipe. I didn't read it carefully before I went shopping and I bought a whole chicken. I followed the directions but kept it whole and then when it was done I cut off big hunks of meat and but it back into the stew, then let it sit for a while to absorb more of the flavors. Also I do not cook with wine so I substituted chicken stock for the white wine and beef stock for the pernod. We really, really liked this one. Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics

1 (4 to 5-pound) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
Good olive oil
1 large head garlic, separated into cloves and peeled
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1 (15 ounce) can tomato puree
1 1/2 cups good chicken stock, preferably homemade
1 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons Pernod
1 pound baby Yukon gold potatoes, halved
Rouille, for serving, recipe follows


Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season it generously with salt, pepper, and the rosemary. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven and brown the chicken pieces in batches until nicely browned all over, about 5 to 7 minutes per batch. Transfer the browned chicken pieces to a plate and set aside.

Lower the heat to medium-low and add the garlic, saffron, fennel seeds, tomato puree, chicken stock, white wine, Pernod, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon of pepper to the pot. Stir and scrape up any browned bits on the bottom, and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, until the garlic is very tender, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

Carefully pour the sauce into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Puree until smooth. Return the sauce to the Dutch oven and add the sliced potatoes and browned chicken pieces with their juices. Stir carefully.

Cover the pot and bake for 45 to 55 minutes, until the potatoes are tender and the chicken is done. Check the seasonings and serve hot in shallow bowls with big dollops of Rouille and slices of crusty bread.
Rouille:
nocoupons

* 4 large garlic cloves
* 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
* *1 extra-large egg yolk, at room temperature
* 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 teaspoon saffron threads
* 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1 cup good olive oil

Place the garlic and salt on a cutting board and mince together. Transfer the mixture to a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, saffron, and red pepper flakes. Process until smooth.

With the machine running, pour the olive oil in a thin, steady stream through the feed tube to make a thick mayonnaise emulsion. Transfer the rouille to a serving bowl and store it in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Tomato and Goat Cheese Tart

This was really good. I love sauteed onions and I am a big fan of goat cheese so this really hit the spot. We had it as a light dinner and it was perfect.


1 package (17.3 ounces/2 sheets) puff pastry, defrosted
olive oil
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions (2 large onions)
3 large garlic cloves, cut into thin slivers
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons dry white wine
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 ounces shaved with a vegetable peeler
4 ounces garlic-and-herb goat cheese
1 large tomato, cut into 4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices
3 tablespoons julienned basil leaves

Unfold a sheet of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface and roll it lightly to an 11 by 11-inch square. Using a 6-inch wide saucer or other round object as a guide, cut 2 circles from the sheet of puff pastry, discarding the scraps. Repeat with the second pastry sheet to make 4 circles in all. Place the pastry circles on 2 sheet pans lined with parchment paper and refrigerate until ready to use.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium to low heat and add the onions and garlic. Saute for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions are limp and there is almost no moisture remaining in the skillet. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, the wine, and thyme and continue to cook for another 10 minutes, until the onions are lightly browned. Remove from the heat.

Using a sharp paring knife, score a 1/4-inch-wide border around each pastry circle. Prick the pastry inside the score lines with the tines of a fork and sprinkle a tablespoon of grated Parmesan on each round, staying inside the scored border.

Place 1/4 of the onion mixture on each circle, again staying within the scored edge. Crumble 1 ounce of goat cheese on top of the onions. Place a slice of tomato in the center of each tart. Brush the tomato lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with basil, salt, and pepper. Finally, scatter 4 or 5 shards of Parmesan on each tart.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the pastry is golden brown. The bottom sheet pan may need an extra few minutes in the oven. Serve hot or warm.

Cornbread

I got this from Down Home with the Neely's. Good basic recipe for cornbread. If you're from the South then you're used to cornbread that isn't sweet, and that's what this is. They also make it in a cast iron skillet, just like my father, so it's round. The first time I saw cornbread that wasn't round was when we moved to Utah!

2 c. flour
2 c. yellow cornmeal
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. salt
2 1/4 c. milk
2 large eggs
6 Tbsp. melted butter, slightly cooled
1 Tbsp. rendered bacon fat (or butter, shortening or veg. oil)

Preheat oven to 400. Place a 10 inch cast iron skillet in the oven and heat for at least 30 minutes.
Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, eggs and melted butter. Make a wekk in the center of the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients into the well. Use a fork to stir until evenly combined.
Remove the skillet from the oven, add the bacon fat or oil, and swirl to coat. Pout the batter into the skillet and spread evenly across the pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Wednesday, February 3, 2010

Turkey Meatloaf

3 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large onions)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves (1/2 teaspoon dried)
1/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup chicken stock
1 1/2 teaspoons tomato paste
5 pounds ground turkey breast
1 1/2 cups plain dry bread crumbs
3 extra-large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a medium saute pan, over medium-low heat, cook the onions, olive oil, salt, pepper, and thyme until translucent, but not browned, approximately 15 minutes. Add the Worcestershire sauce, chicken stock, and tomato paste and mix well. Allow to cool to room temperature.

Combine the ground turkey, bread crumbs, eggs, and onion mixture in a large bowl. Mix well and shape into a rectangular loaf on an ungreased sheet pan. Spread the ketchup evenly on top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours until the internal temperature is 160 degrees F. and the meatloaf is cooked through. (A pan of hot water in the oven under the meatloaf will keep the top from cracking.)

Baked Virginia Ham

I didn't like it. I prefer the glaze that comes with the ham.
1 (14 to 16-pound) fully cooked, spiral-cut smoked ham, on the bone
6 garlic cloves
8 1/2 ounces mango chutney
1/2 cup Dijon mustard
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 orange, zested
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice



Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the ham in a heavy roasting pan.

Mince the garlic in a food processor. Add the chutney, mustard, brown sugar, orange zest, and orange juice and process until smooth. Pour the glaze over the ham and bake for 1 hour, until the ham is fully heated and the glaze is well browned.

Split Pea Soup

I had to make it once. Not really my favorite, but it wasn't too bad. The peas were hard and I'm not sure if you're supposed to soak them overnight. Barefoot Contessa doesn't mention it in the recipe. I also added some leftover ham that I had from the Baked Virginia Ham recipe I tried.

2 yellow onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. olive oil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 Tbsp. salt
2 tsp. pepper
6 carrots, diced
6 small red potatoes, diced
2 lbs. dried split peas
16 c. chicken stock

saute onions and garlic with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper 10-15 minutes. add carrots, potatoes, 1 1/2 lbs. split peas and chicken stock. bring to a boil then simmer uncovered 40 minutes. add remaining split peas and continue to simmer for another 40 minutes. season with salt and pepper.

Cheddar Corn Chowder

Another Barefoot Contessa. Yum!

4 ounces bacon, chopped
4 Tbsp. olive oil
2 large chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
6 cups chicken stock
1 lb.medium-diced white boiling potatoes
5 c. frozen corn kernels
1 c. half-and-half
1/4 pound sharp white cheddar cheese, grated

Over medium-high heat, cook the bacon and olive oil until the bacon is crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and reserve. Reduce the heat to medium, add the onions and butter to the fat, and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the chicken stock and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the half-and-half and cheddar. Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Roasted Eggplant Spread

A healthy alternative to sour cream and mayo based dips. This has lots of flavor and my kids, minus Scott, really liked it. Barefoot Contessa.

1 medium eggplant, peeled
2 red peppers, seeded
1 red onion, peeled
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. Tomato paste

preheat oven to 400. cut veggies into 1 inch cubes and toss with garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread on a baking sheet. Roast 45 minutes, tossing once during cooking. Cool slightly. place in a food processor, add tomato paste and pulse to blend. Serve with pita chips or crackers.

Outrageous Brownies

Oh my gosh, I ate so many of these, they made me sick. It was so good. I am not usually a chocolate fan, but these had to be the best brownies I have ever eaten. From the original Barefoot Contessa Cookbook.

1 pound unsalted butter
1 pound plus 12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
6 ounces unsweetened chocolate
7 large eggs
3 tablespoons instant coffee granules (I used Pero instead)
2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter and flour a 12 x 18 x 1-inch baking sheet.

Melt together the butter, 1 pound of chocolate chips, and the unsweetened chocolate in a medium bowl over simmering water. Allow to cool slightly. In a large bowl, stir (do not beat) together the eggs, coffee granules (Pero), vanilla, and sugar. Stir the warm chocolate mixture into the egg mixture and allow to cool to room temperature.

In a medium bowl, sift together 1 cup of flour, the baking powder, and salt. Add to the cooled chocolate mixture. Toss the walnuts and 12 ounces of chocolate chips in a medium bowl with 1/4 cup of flour, then add them to the chocolate batter. Pour into the baking sheet.

Bake for 20 minutes, then rap the baking sheet against the oven shelf to force the air to escape from between the pan and the brownie dough. Bake for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Do not overbake! Allow to cool thoroughly, refrigerate, and cut into 20 large squares.

Fish Tacos

adapted from Tyler Florence. These were so good I am still talking about them.

2 pounds cod
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 eggs, lightly beaten
4 tablespoons water
2 cups panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil, for frying
1/2 head savoy cabbage, finely shredded
1 bunch cilantro, leaves picked
1 bunch chives, chopped
3 limes, cut into wedges for garnish

Pink Chile Mayonnaise:

1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayonnaise
3 chipotles in adobo, plus 2 tablespoons of adobo sauce
1/2 lemon, juiced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Cut the fish into cubes. Place flour in a shallow bowl, the beaten eggs in a seperate bowl and then the panko crumbs that have been seasoned with salt and pepper. Dredge the pieces of fish in flour, egg then bread crumbs. Once all the fish is breaded deep-fry in small batches in (375 degrees F) oil. Drain on paper towels and season with salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.

For the pink chile mayonnaise, put the chipotles in the food processor and pulse until smooth. Add the sour cream, mayonnaise, adobo sauce and lemon juice and continue to process until the mixture is consistent and creamy. Season with salt and pepper and refrigerate until ready to use.


To serve, set a pile of shredded savoy cabbage, cilantro leaves, chopped chives and lime wedges next to the fish. Toast the corn tortillas and serve with chile mayo.