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There's a Chef in My Kitchen Culinary musings of an amateur chef and home to The Virtual Supper Club. |
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October Recipes Classic Basil Pesto 2 cloves garlic, peeled Food Processor Method Wilted Endives, Cranberries, and Yams There is bitter all over this recipe -- you have bitter endive, bitter in the almonds, and bitter in the cranberries -- but when all is said and done, it is not a bitter dish. Instead, the bitterness in every case allies with a sweet, tangy, or salty component. The point is, bitter never stands alone. It is a taste that always needs a context in which to work, but given that context, it works like a charm. Our Taste Notes Serves 4 Toss the endive slices, half the lemon juice, the salt, oil, and sugar together in a bowl. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a high-sided skillet over medium-high heat. Add the endive mexture, stir to coat with butter, then cover. Cook 2-3 minutes, lifting the cover to stir once or twice. Add the yams and cranberries. Cook 3-4 minutes, then add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reseason with the remaining lemon juice and additional salt and sugar if necessary, then serve. Cranberry Glaze Ingredients Combine ingredients in a saucepan, except for the cranberries. Bring to a boil. Add one cup of cranberries and cook only until the berries pop. Remove cooked berries and repeat with remaining cranberries. Reduce liquid to a thick syrup and return cranberries to the sauce pan. Chef's Notes: When opting to use the recipe for a dipping sauce, rather than a glaze or garnish, cut the amount of berries in half, and perhaps even allow them to cook down a bit, infusing the port, maple and spiced syrup even more. For an added punch, I you might mash or puree some of the berries and add them into the reduced syrup. Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Balsamic Brown Butter Recipe Summary 1 butternut squash, about 2 pounds, halved lengthwise, seeds and fibers removed Garnishes: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Rub the cut slices of the squash with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and season with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the white pepper. Set the squash, cut side down, on a baking sheet and roast until tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the oven. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh from the squash and place in a large bowl, discarding the skin. Mash into a chunky puree with a potato masher, then let cool, about 15 minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon white pepper, oregano, chopped sage and nutmeg, and work into the warm squash. Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and using your hands, work into a smooth, soft dough. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let rest for 30 to 45 minutes. Turn onto a lightly floured surface and divide into 4 equal portions. Roll each portion between your palms into a long rope, about 3/4-inch thick. If the rope won't hold together, return it to the bowl with the remaining dough and work in more flour, 1 teaspoon at a time, as needed. Cut each rope of dough into 3/4-inch long pieces. Press each piece against the tines of a floured fork, then drop into the lightly floured surface. (Gnocchi also can be placed in a single layer on a lightly floured baking sheet and refrigerated for several hours. Alternately, the gnocchi can be frozen for 1 hour then transferred to an airtight container and frozen for up to 1 month.) In a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt to a low boil. Add the gnocchi in batches and cook just until they float to the top, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes (or 3 minutes for frozen gnocchi.) For the Balsamic Brown Butter: In a medium saucepan, cook the butter over medium heat until brown bits form and it has a nutty aroma, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the shallots, balsamic vinegar, and sage. Stir well. Adjust seasoning, to taste. Remove the gnocchi from the water with a slotted spoon and dry on towels. Transfer to a large serving dish and gently toss to coat with the balsamic butter. Garnish with black pepper, parsley, chives, and shaved Parmesan. Bosc Pear Carpaccio with Microgreens, Pecorino Romano, and Balsamico Tradizionale Makes 4 Servings The recipe calls for aged balsamic vinegar, a potent elixir that delivers a complex range of sweetness and acidity and should be used sparingly because of its power and its value. When purchasing balsamic vinegar, be sure the label bears the full designation, Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena. (This means it is produced in the town of Modena, the home of balsamic vinegar, though a few are also produced in the vicinity of Reggio.) A different, or abbreviated name usually indicates a lesser-quality vinegar with sugar or caramel added to imitate the effect of the real thing. Special Equipment: Mandoline-type slicer Drizzle the pears with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season them lightly with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, toss the greens with the remaining 3 tablespoons of olive oil and the lemon juice. Season them with salt and pepper. Arrange a bouquet of greens on top of each pear half. Using a vegetable peeler, finish each plate with curls of Pecorino Romano. Serve Immediately. Variations: A blue cheese, such as Roquefort or Gorgonzola, will work brilliantly here in place of the Pecorino Romano. The sweetness of the pears and the balsamic vinegar will match the saltiness of the cheese bite for bite. Also, while Bosc pears are recommended for their crispiness and reliability, other pears, such as Bartlett and Anjou, will work well, too. If you’re not using balsamic vinegar, substitute a mixture of 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar and 3 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, which will soften the vinegar, taking the edge off its acidity. Herb-Crusted Pork Tenderloin You will need enough finely chopped herbs to season this generous crust on the pork, but if you use only potent herbs, the flavor will be overly strong. Here, bread crumbs and parsley combined, make up the majority of the mixture in this recipe. Parsley is bulk—it contributes flavor to the dish, but you can use quantities of it without its flavor taking over. Serves 6 to 8 Ingredients: 1 2 ½ to 3 lb pork tenderloin, trimmed For the brine: For the herb crust: 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter Cider Syrup (recipe follows) Prepare the brine: Prepare the herb crust: Prepare the pork tenderloin: Cook pork tenderloin: Remove the pork from the oven, transfer it to a cutting board, cover very loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Slice pork and serve. Serve with 1 tablespoon Cider Syrup Cider Syrup Originally published in Cooking Light Magazine, December 1999 INGREDIENT: INSTRUCTIONS: Caramelized Oranges – Oranges Caramelises 4 pounds (2 kg) oranges, preferably organic 1. Prepare the candied zest: Bring the sugar and water to a boil in a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the sugar dissolves. Add the orange zest, bring the syrup to a boil, and cook until the zest is translucent through, about 8 minutes. Using tongs or a slotted spoon, transfer the orange zest to a plate and let cool. Butternut Bisque INGREDIENTS: INSTRUCTIONS: Cut squash in half lengthwise; discard seeds and membrane. Place squash halves, cut sides down, on a baking sheet; bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour or until tender. Cool. Remove pulp; set aside. Place grated ginger on several layers of paper towels. Gather the edges of paper towels together; squeeze paper towel bag over a small bowl, reserving ginger juice. Discard solids. Set aside. Combine 1-1/2 cups cider, water, leek, and salt in a Dutch oven. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 40 minutes or until leek is soft. Add squash, ginger juice, and milk to leek mixture, stirring well. Cook 15 minutes. Place half of squash mixture in a blender or food processor; process until smooth. Pour pureed squash mixture into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining squash mixture. Return pureed squash mixture to pan. Keep warm. Ladle soup into bowls; drizzle with cider syrup. YIELD: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup soup and 1 tablespoon syrup)(Check back for recipes from the Neiman Marcus Cookbook (Clarkson Potter, 2003) Black Peppercorn Butter 1 14 ½-ounce can low-salt chicken broth Combine broth and peppercorns in small saucepan. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer until mixture is reduced to ¼ cup, about 15 minutes. Add brandy; simmer until mixture is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 10 minutes. Cool. Blend peppercorn mixture, butter, lemon juice, shallot and thyme in food processor until peppercorns are finely chopped. Can be made 2 days ahead. Chill. Use at room temperature. Or, freeze; thaw before using. Chef’s Note: Use this butter with steak or on baked potatoes.Sun-dried Tomato-Olive Butter A rich compound butter with flecks of sun-dried tomatoes and kalamata olives makes a simple bowl of white bean soup luscious. It also adds moistness and sweet-tart flavor to chicken when placed under the skin before roasting or grilling. Use it for topping baked potatoes for an extra treat. ¼ pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature 2. Spoon the butter onto a piece of parchment or plastic wrap and shape into a log about 2 inches in diameter. Roll up tightly and refrigerate until firm. Slice into ¼-inch medallions. (The butter can be prepared in advance and frozen for up to 1 month.) Spiced Butter Thinking ahead : The spiced butter may be prepared up to 8 hours in advance, covered and refrigerated.8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients. Cover and set aside at room temperature. Honey Pecan Butter Chef’s Notes : This is a wonderful accompaniment to pastry and breads, or serve with waffles or pancakes. |
