New Orleans Red Beans & Rice

Despite this tragedy:

...the Knicks actually pulled out a rare road victory in New Orleans!  If you look closely, the Pelicans' jersey sponsor is Zatarain's.  Coincidentally, I'd already decided to go behind their back and give this recipe a shot.

Recipe

1 lb kidney beans
1 lb andouille sausage, sliced
1 onion, finely chopped
1 green bell pepper, finely chopped
4 celery stalks, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
~1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground sage
4 sprigs thyme
3 bay leaves
salt & pepper & oil

optional
hot sauce
cider vinegar
1 smoked ham hock
8 oz pickled pork shoulder
white rice

OK you have to start by soaking the beans in (a lot of) salted water, 8-16 hours, then drain and rinse.

Once you're ready to get started, heat a tbsp of oil (or lard) in a big dutch oven and brown your andouille.  Then add the vegetables (and a sprinkle of salt) and soften, then the garlic briefly, then the cayenne, sage and a bunch of black pepper also briefly.  Next in go the beans, cover them with water (6-8 cups), and add the thyme and bay leaves.  Boil, cover, and simmer 2 hours, give or take, until the beans are soft.  Remove the lid and continue to cook until it thickens.  Remove the inedibles (bay leaves, thyme stems), add hot sauce and cider vinegar, and serve over rice.

Notes

This one takes a long time!  (Denver elevation probably didn't help get those beans soft quickly.)  Ton of flavor between the sausage and spices!  And there's actually a good bit of vegetables in there with the "Holy Trinity" - but I added an avocado even though it's not technically cajun but it ended up fitting in nicely.  My main mistake seemed to be adding too much water so the gravy didn't seem too thick - next time I'd start more conservative and add more as needed.

Dan Bing

Saw this a while ago; no idea if dan bing is (still?) cool but finally got around to giving it a shot.

Recipe

Crepe
1/4 c flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 c water

Eggs
1 egg
1 scallion, sliced
sesame oil
salt & pepper

Sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
chili / sesame oil
garlic

Mix together the crepe, egg, and sauce elements.  Heat a lightly-oiled nonstick skillet over medium, add crepe batter, and swirl to to coat the bottom.  Cook until the top is set (3-4 minutes) and flip over (maybe slide off onto a plate then back on?).

Add the egg, keeping it mostly on top of the crepe, and cook until mostly set.  Flip and finish for about 10 seconds.  Roll it up, slice it, and serve it with the sauce.

If you want to scale up, you still have to do each serving individually like this - can make one bowl of batter and another of sauce, but do the eggs one at a time.

Notes

Pretty good!  Obviously have a ways to go before getting up to Taiwanese grandmother level of proficiency overall (or even French crepe fluency).  Pic coming once I refine the technique...

Skillet Sausage Pasta

Stuck at home recovering from losing soccer finals / a foot injury; unclear which one hurt more :( but the second thing made it tricky to get to the store.  A little Google homework and turned up this recipe.

Recipe

1 lb sausage
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 c broth
8 oz pasta (~2 1/2 c)
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes
1/2 c half and half or cream
Monterey jack cheese
green onion, sliced
olive oil, salt & pepper, crushed red pepper

Start the sausage and onion in some olive oil in a skillet.  Once that's lightly browned, add in the garlic for a minute or so, then the broth, pasta, tomatoes, some crushed red pepper, and salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the pasta is cooked.  Once that's done, stir in the cream and simmer for a minute or two.  Remove from heat and springkle with grated cheese and green onion.

Notes

This one actually worked out with most of the ingredients already on hand, with some minor tweaks (water instead of broth, milk instead of cream, chopped up old cherry tomatoes instead of canned diced, gouda instead of jack).  All worked pretty well for an easy, more southwestern pasta!

Stir Fry Mix & Match

Keeping with the formulaic recipes, had to share this!

Recipe

So you pick your protein, vegetables, sauce, and other stuff like aromatics and garnish - your own or the suggestions provided.

Salt and pepper up your protein and start it in your wok with a tbsp or 2 of oil - let it sit for a couple minutes before you stir to coat.  You want it golden brown, doesn't have to be cooked through, then remove it.  Add another tbsp or so of oil (you can wipe out the wok first), and cook the aromatics and then vegetables next.  Add back in the protein, and create space in the center for your sauce.  Let it darken, then stir and finish.

Notes

I started with the Orange Scallion Tilapia - tilapia (duh), bok choy, orange-ginger sauce, etc.  Didn't get the tilapia as crispy as I might have liked, but it ended up with a ton of flavor anyway!  Lots more to try, including vegetarian...

not the best pic - thought I took a much nicer one in the bowl but I guess not...

Roast Chicken

This is kind of straightforward and not too formulaic, but since the NYT Cooking site is pretty inconsistent letting non-payers into the recipe I wanted to record things here...

Recipe

Brine your chicken
For a 3-4 lb bird, use a tsp or 2 of salt, along with other delicious stuff: pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic, lemon zest, whatever.  Rub it over the chicken, inside and out.  Let it sit for at least an hour, but up to a full day.  You may want to prop it up on something so the moisture doesn't collect in the bottom of the vessel and negate your dry brining efforts...

Once you're ready to cook, a roasting pan with a rack may be best - but in general you want something that elevates the bird and lets heat flow around and under.  Not having the recommended dishware, I've used a baking dish with a later of potatoes, onions, etc.  Pop it in the oven at 450 degrees, 45 minutes to an hour and a half.  It's done when the interior temperature is 165 degrees, you can cut into the thigh and see no more red flesh, and the juices run clear.

Notes

Comes out looking and tasting pretty awesome.  Picture next time!

Tofu Pesto Pasta

Getting back into Veggie Monday and finding new recipes to try out.  This one looked promising...

Recipe

1 lb pasta (tricolor spiral recommended)
1 lb tofu, drained and cubed
1 lb mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 c black olives, sliced
1 tbsp capers
1/4 c grated Parmesan
1 sprig basil

Pesto (if not using pre-made)
1/4 c olive oil
2 c milk
1 oz pesto paste

Start your pasta water (and blend the pesto if you're doing it).  Heat 2 tbsp of olive oil at medium.  Add the tofu, season with salt & pepper, and brown evenly.  Remove the tofu, and add the mushrooms for about 5 minutes.  Then stir in the olives, capers, some of the Parmesan, then the pesto and tofu.  Serve over the pasta with basil.

Notes

This was actually a lot easier to prepare than I thought - took (much) longer to boil the water for a big batch of pasta than it did to chop everything.  Lots of good flavors between the pesto, 'shrooms, olives, and capers - no problem eating enough to fill up!

Crockpot Garlic Parm Chicken

Once I realized this wasn't chicken parm, it looked like an interesting crockpot option.  From here, vaguely garbled via Reddit...

Recipe

2 lbs bone-in chicken thighs
1 lb baby red potatoes, quartered
5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
lots of grated Parmesan cheese
parsley, chopped
olive oil, salt & pepper

Heat 1/3 c or so of oil in a large skillet, season your chicken with salt & pepper, and sear golden-brown on both sides, about 3-4 minutes.

In your slow cooker, toss the potatoes with garlic, thyme, some parm, salt & pepper, and a couple tbsps of olive oil.  Chicken goes on top; feel free to toss more, and sprinkle with more garlic and cheese.  Cover and cook on high 4 hours or low 8 hours.  Garnish with more cheese and parsley.

Notes

Browning the chicken takes away from some of the appeal of one-pot crockpot recipes.  But the crispy chicken skin is pretty worth it.

I bumped up the veggie / produce quotient a bit with the remainder of a bag of baby carrots and an onion.

Awesome garlic smell; not so awesome burned crust on my crockpot...

Catfish Curry

Southern recipe via a Denver native and texted (back) to me from Boston...

Recipe

1 lb catfish fillets

2 c water

1 onion, finely chopped

1 tbsp flour

1 tsp curry powder

1 tbsp butter

Cut your catfisth into 2" pieces, and plop in a saucepan with the water, onion, salt & pepper.  Bring to a boil and simmer 8-10 minutes, until the fish is cooked but not falling apart.  Remove the catfish and boil the water down to about a cup.

Meanwhile, combine the flour, curry, and butter.  If it forms a nice paste, great - roll it into tsp-ish balls and add gradually to the water (over low heat)  Otherwise, gradually add your powdery, gooey mix...  Simmer a few more minutes until it thickens into a gravy.

Serve over rice!

Notes

This impromptu recipe came out pretty well!  The fish pieces didn't fall apart while cooking, but they did shed some little morsels that mixed into the gravy very nicely.  It seems healthy enough on its own, contrary to soul food's reputation...  But I added a pour of frozen veggies while boiling down the water, and served with some avocado too:

Sausage & Balsamic Grapes

Grapes are part of at least one family favorite dinner recipe (is that Chicken Pesto up here somewhere).  So I thought this one from ATK was worth a try:

Recipe

sweet Italian sausage (~1 1/2 lbs, or really as much as you want) - actual whole sausages!

1 lb seedless red grapes, halved

1 onion, sliced thin

1/4 c water

1/4 c white wine (dry)

1 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp fresh mint, chopped

vegetable oil, salt & pepper

Heat a tbsp or so of oil in a skillet over medium, then brown the sausages on 2 sides.  Drain some oil/fat (optional!) and add the onion and grapes around the sausage, and add the water and cover.  Cook the sausages (about 10 minutes), turning halfway through.  Remove the sausages, and heat things up, adding some salt & pepper.  Brown the onions / soften the grapes (a few minutes), then add the white wine and oregano.  Scrape up brown bits while reducing by about half.  Stir in vinegar and serve over your sausage.

Notes

I messed up the first try at this by getting bulk sausage - luckily plenty of ways to use that up too (i.e. an improvised grape Korvgryta).  The official recommendation is to serve with salad or polenta, but some mashed potatoes worked very nicely - soaked up some of the sweetness.  Overall a kind of classier, sweeter version of the sausage & peppers...

Sesame-Crusted Roast Chicken

(from Godmommy Jen by way of the NY Times)

INGREDIENTS:

1/3 cup reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari sauce (or, allergen-friendly, Worcestershire sauce)

2 tbsp. toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp. sesame seeds

1 tbsp. grated fresh ginger

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 3 1/2-to-4 lb. whole chicken

1 lb. new yellow or red potatoes, scrubbed and halved 

1/3 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth (optional)

2 tbsp. coarsely chopped parsley (who cares.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 425. In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, 1 tbsp. sesame oil, sesame seeds, ginger, garlic, and 1tsp. freshly cracked black pepper. Set aside. Pat chicken dry, season with 1/4 tsp. salt. Fold legs up over breast and tie legs with 100% cotton kitchen string. Twist wing tips under back. *(I did none of those things ;-p

2. Heat 12-inch cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, 3 to 5 minutes. Add remaining sesame oil to skillet, heat 30 seconds. Place chicken breast side down in skillet, sear 3 minutes or until golden and crusty. Turn chicken over and sear 3 minutes more. Remove skillet from heat.

3. Scatter potatoes around chicken. Pour soy sauce mixture over chicken and potatoes. Roast 1 hour 15 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes until thermometer inserted in thighs reads 175. STIR POTATOES AND SPOON SKILLET DRIPPINGS OVER CHICKEN ONCE OR TWICE DURING COOKING. (If sauce evaporates during roasting, add broth.) Remove skillet from oven, cover chicken, let rest 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley before serving (if you're fancy).

NOTES: This is my FAVORITE roast chicken recipe now!! The sauce is SO addicting and the chicken completely soaks it in, not to mention how delish the potatoes get from sitting in all the sauce and juice. 

Roast Chicken & Fennel

Another NYT recipe that's very simple but seems at least somewhat refined?

Recipe

2 bulbs fennel, trimmed and sliced
3 lbs chicken drumsticks and/or thighs
olive oil, salt & pepper, lemon, parsley

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Toss the fennel generously with olive oil and some salt and pepper, and roast in a layer about 10 minutes.  Season the chicken and put it skin-side up on top, and drizzle a bit more olive oil.  Roast about 30 minutes, basting about halfway through.  Garnish with lemon wedges and parsley.

Notes

It's really too bad I dropped the ball on a photo.  The chicken looked amazing, with crispy brown skin - forgot to take a good pic before digging in.  The fennel was a little watery anyway, still tasty though!  I ate my whole half or so preparation of the recipe, maybe could use some potatoes or noodles or rice to add some bulk.

Cavatappi with Chorizo & Black Beans

Southwest twist on pasta, with a couple solid ingredients.  Source.

Recipe

1 onion, sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp chili powder
1/2 lb cured chorizo, sliced thin
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 c broth/stock
1 c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 lb cavatappi
oil, salt & pepper, lime juice, parsley

Heat some oil medium low, and saute the onion until it starts to soften, then add the garlic and spices.  Next add the chorizo, tomato paste, and broth.  Let it thicken for a few more minutes, then add the beans and lime juice.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta, and toss with the sauce and parsley.

Notes

I looked up cavatappi, I think from somewhere online claiming it was a superior pasta shape or whatever.  Turns out it's hard to find though, so I used the standard penne I had on hand.  One cup of black beans is a bit of a tricky amount - using a full can overwhelmed the dish a bit.  So maybe use this one when you're scaling up!

Pancakes IV: Ugnspannkaka

Possibly the worst food name ever, but otherwise a somewhat straightforward Swedish baked pancake:

Recipe

2 eggs
2 1/2 c milk
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1 1/2 c flour

Beat eggs with 1 c of the milk, then whisk in the salt, sugar, and flour.  Stir in the rest of the milk until you have a smooth batter.  Let it sit a few minutes (10 if you have the patience of a 50's housewife), then pour into a buttered baking dish.  Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and puffy.  Serve with jam or fruit puree.

Here's mine, with Ikea-classic lingonberry jam!

Sausage and Cabbage

The title sums it up pretty well, actually...  An unsurprisingly British dish courtesy of The New York Times...

Recipe

1 large cabbage (about 4 lbs, green or Savoy), cored and shredded
2 lbs Italian sausage
butter, salt & pepper

Boil the cabbage in salted water for about 3 minutes; drain and run under cold water.  Butter a baking dish (they recommend 9x13x2) and layer a third of the cabbage, then half the sausage.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and dot with butter.  Repeat with another layer, then top with the rest of the cabbage (and more butter dots).  Cover the dish with parchment paper and tin foil and cook at 300 degrees for 2 hours.  If there's still a lot of liquid, uncover.  Cook another 30 minutes.

Notes

Easy enough!  The cabbage step got a little messy - that's a lot of ruffage to cut and boil (even at about half size)!  Could use a bigger baking dish too, but the old reliable one did the trick:

They recommend serving with crusty bread and mustard, but I found it goes really well over mashed potatoes!