Basics: Roasted Beets

I love me some root veggies! If Mr. Smith and I are out to eat and there's a beet salad on the menu- I. Own. It.. The sweet, intense, earthy, deliciousness paired with a creamy cheese, a couple toasted nuts, a crisp green lettuce and I'm in business. I'm often asked how to roast them so I figured I would share it here. I assure you, it is not cold fusion, and this method is used in many other kitchens, so I can not even begin to take ownership. But once you have this down you can roast just about anything. The trick is a hot oven, and an oil with a high smoking temperature. I love olive oil as much as the next person, but the low smoking point does not make it desirable for roasting (aka- after about 10 minutes Mr. Smith is cursing and pulling the smoke detectors off of the ceiling), so use a vegetable oil. Also, I often find recipes that advocate for peeling and chopping the beets before roasting, but I find it leaves them dry and deprives them of their sweetness. Leaving them whole and peeling post-roast will return the favor for a couple pink fingers in spades!


Roasted Beets

1 bunch beets, (4-5) with greens removed and gently washed to remove soil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon ground sea salt
1 tablespoon fresh ground pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
Clean beets and arrange them in an oven proof dish for roasting without having them touch one another.
Sprinkle with oil, salt, and pepper and rub to coat evenly.
Place in oven and roast for 45 minutes. Check for tenderness with a knife, and remove or add time accordingly (if knife slides in without much fight- remove).
Let beets rest until they are cool enough to handle. Once you can handle them the skins should rub off easily without resistance (if needed use a vegetable peeler).
Leave them whole until ready to use. I often roast a bunch on the weekend and use them in my lunches all week, or immediately chop and top a salad for a crowd!

Chicken Enchiladas

When the temperature here in Boston dipped into the single digits this weekend, I remembered this recipe from Josie at Pink Parsley and couldn't stop thinking about it. While I am a fan of spicy food, I'm often worried about overdoing it on the heat. Looking at the recipe with its' two jalapenos and 3 tablespoons of chili powder made me want to cut back, but I assure you it is perfection. The added step of cooking the enchiladas at high heat before adding the sauce and cheese gives them a great crunch and prevents them from becoming mushy. Mr. Smith is typically not a huge Mexican fan, but managed to attack half a dozen of these bad boys. If you're in the need for a meal to warm you up- look no further!


Chicken Enchiladas with Red Chile Sauce
From: Pink Parsley

1 medium onion, chopped fine
2 jalapenos, seeded and and ribs removed, chopped fine
1 teaspoon canola oil
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
3 teaspoons sugar
1 15-oz can tomato sauce
1 cup water
1 large tomato, seeded and chopped
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts)
1 cup extra sharp white cheddar, shredded
1 cup monterey jack cheese, shredded
1/2 cup minced fresh cilantro
12 (6-inch) soft corn tortillas
cooking spray
salt and ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. Combine the onion, jalapeno, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and oil in a large saucepan. Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the onions and peppers have softened, 8-10 minutes. Stir in the garlic, chili powder, cumin, and sugar, and cook until fragrant, less than 30 seconds. Stir in the tomato sauce, water, and chopped tomato. Bring to a simmer, and cook until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
Nestle the chicken into the sauce. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until chicken is cooked through (thickest part reaches 160 degrees), about 12-20 minutes.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, and set aside to cool.
Strain the sauce through a strainer into a medium bowl, pressing the onion mixture to extract as much liquid as possible. Transfer the onions to a large bowl and set aside. Season sauce with additional salt and pepper to taste.
Shred the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the onion mixture, and add 1/4 cup of the enchilada sauce, 1 cup cheese, and the cilantro. Toss to combine.
Stack the tortillas on a plate and cover with plastic wrap; Microwave on high until warm and pliable, 40-60 seconds. Spread the tortillas on a clean work surface, and spoon 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture evenly down the center of each. Tightly roll each tortilla and lay seam-side down in a greased 9x13 inch baking dish.
Lightly spray the tops of the enchiladas with cooking spray. Place in the oven, uncovered, for about 7 minutes, or until the tortillas start to brown slightly (skip this step if you don't like the crunch).
Reduce heat to 400. Remove enchiladas and pour sauce evenly on top. Top with the remaining cheese. Cover dish with foil, and bake an additional 20 minutes, or until heated through.
Remove foil and bake another 5 minutes, until cheese browns. Remove from oven and let stand 10 minutes before serving.
Serve with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, additional cilantro, rice, etc.

Turkey Corn Chili

Oh Rachel Ray, how you irk me with your orange and green kitchen, your EVOO, and all those "sammies" and "stewps". But somehow I let you in, back in my early years, to teach me about smashing and peeling a garlic clove with the back of your knife and putting your pasta water on to boil when you start your meal- so it's waiting for you, not you waiting for it.... (rocket science I tell you). I first saw your picture in the Globe as you trotted after a vacation on $40 a day here in Boston. After a quick search, I discovered this thing know as "the Food Network" (and let me tell you it's been a full blown war with Mr. Smith over the remote control ever since... suck it ESPN). Somewhere along the way I even bought your first cookbook, and allowed some of the recipes into my kitchen. If you come looking for this book at my house, I assure you that I hide this guilty pleasure in the back of the pantry where I keep the crock pot, in fear of embarrassment that someone actually sees I have it.


Turkey Corn Chili
Adapted from: Rachel Ray's 30 Minute Comfort Meals

1 tablespoon corn oil
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 – 1 1/2 pounds ground turkey meat
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cups frozen corn kernels
1 (28-ounce) can crushed or diced tomatoes
1 (12- ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon poultry seasoning
1 tablespoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce
3 scallions, white and greens, chopped
salt & pepper

Heat a deep pot over medium high heat. Add oil to your pot and heat one minute. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes until softened. Add garlic and cook for additional minute. Add in turkey and cook until thoroughly cooked and broken up (5-7 minutes).
Add pepper, corn and tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Stir in spices, pepper sauce, and scallions and reduce heat to medium low, and simmer for 7 to 10 minutes. Season with a little salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish chili with chopped scallions and cheddar cheese and serve with tortilla chips or quesadillas.

Maple- Ginger Vinaigrette

Mr. Smith and I traveled to Burlington, Vermont to celebrate our first wedding anniversary not too long ago. We stayed at the Lang House Inn downtown and had the most amazing breakfast delivered every morning. Like most places in the area, the Inn is dedicated to providing the freshest possible ingredients from local sources and they shine through in their simply prepared meals. While we visited the area, I treated Mr. Smith to dinner at the nearby Shelburne Farms to celebrate. On the shores of Lake Champlain, the Inn and farm that it sits on are absolutely beautiful, and meals there are truly remarkable. All of the ingredients are raised sustainably there on the farm including the most delicious lamb I have ever had and all of the cheese we ate for dessert. Even the egg that was used in my gin fizz was laid earlier that morning. When we were there I was psyched to learn they had published their own cookbook, and I snatched one up as a memento of our trip. The recipe I'm sharing here was the dressing we had that evening. With the soft maple flavor and perfect amount of ginger, it is sure to be a favorite of yours as well.

Inn at Shelburne Farms Maple- Ginger Vinaigrette
From: Cooking with Shelburne Farms

1 medium clove garlic
1 medium shallot
1- inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and coarsely chopped (I buy a bunch at at time and keep it wrapped in my freezer)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard (a stone ground mustard will also work well here)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons pure Maple Syrup
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup canola oil (vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste

Put first 7 ingredients into a food processor and combine until well blended.
With the motor running on low, pour the oils slowly through the hole at the top until emulsified.
Adjust seasoning to taste, and strain if necessary.

Hermits

Now when I say hermits, I don't mean crazy uncle Henry that only comes out on the holidays- I'm talking about delicious, molassas and spice tinged goodness. I can remember my parents buying these at the Smith farmstand near where I grew up. The bakers taking them fresh out of the oven, and there I was tuning up my nose and ordering an M&M cookie. What a fool I was! Thankfully my tastes have changed, and I'll take a batch of these anytime! Now don't make the same mistake I did the first time I worked with molasses- stay away from the Blackstrap which is too strong in flavor to use in anything but medicine. In place use a "first" molasses that is meant for baking (there is a brand called Grandma's you can find in almost any baking isle).

Hermit Bars
From: The King Arthur Flour Baker's Companion

1⅓ cups Sugar
½ cup plus 2 tbsp Vegetable Shortening
4 tablesspoons Unsalted Butter (1/2 stick)
¼ cup Molasses
¾ teaspoon Salt
¾ tteaspoon Ground Allspice
¾ teaspoon Cinnamon
1¾ teaspoons Baking Soda
2 Large Eggs
5 cups sifted Cake Flour
⅓ cup Water
2 cups Raisins

Glaze
3 tbablespoons Milk
1 cup sifted Confectioners’ Sugar

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Lightly grease a 10 x 15 inch jelly roll pan, or into a 9 x 9- inch square pan and a 9- inch round cake pan.
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the sugar, shortening, and butter, beating at medium speed until fluffy. Add the molasses, salt, spices, and baking soda. Mix for 1 minute, then stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add half the flour. Once it’s mixed in, add the water, then the other half of the flour. When the batter is mixed completely, add the raisins and stir until combined. Spread the batter in the prepared pan.
Bake the hermis for 18 to 20 minutes, until the edges are light brown. If you are using the two pan method, check them at 15 minutes to make sure they do not overcook. They’ll puff up in the oven and the top will get shiny. As soon as you see this, pull the pan from the oven. The top will fall back down and the interior of the cookies will have an almost fudgy consistency. If you leave them in the oven longer, you’ll get a product that’s more like a cake-type brownie, and it won’t be as moist and irresistible. Remove the hermits from the oven and cool them in the pan on a rack before glazing.

To make the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the milk and confectioners’ sugar until smooth, the glaze will be quite thin. Use a pastry brush to brush it on top of the hermits before cutting the bars.

Chicken with Mushrooms & Gruyere Cheese

So last night my darling hubby sat me down for a course in "how to get the pictures out of the camera thingy". The whole tutorial lasted no more than 3 minutes... how dumb do I feel? (And look at the picture below!!!) So in turn for his intellectual property, I made Mr. Smith one of his favorite meals, Chicken with Mushrooms and Gruyere cheese. This is a recipe that has been in our rotation since we first lived together in sin, and in fact it's one of the first Sunday dinners I ever made. 10 Years later he's still around, so it either my daring wit or this recipe.




Chicken with Mushrooms & Gruyere Cheese
Adapted From: From the Heart of our House

2-3 Chicken Breasts, boneless and skinless
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup of fine bread crumbs
1/2 cup of butter
1/2 lb fresh mushrooms (baby bellas work best), sliced
1 cup of Gruyere cheese, shredded
1 cup of chicken broth
1 tsp salt

Cut the chicken into strips. Combine the eggs and salt in a large bowl and mix well. Add the chicken. Marinate, covered, in the fridge for 1 hour.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, and discard remaining marinade. Coat the chicken with the bread crumbs. Melt the butter in a frying pan and cook the chicken in it until lightly browned. Remove to an ovenproof casserole dish.
Sprinkle mushrooms and then the cheese over the cooked chicken. Pour the broth over the chicken. Bake for 20- 25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and the cheese has melted.
Serve with Mr. Smith's favorite side- garlic mashed potatoes.

Variation: You can lighten this dish a bit by baking the chicken breasts in the 350 degree oven for 10 minutes instead of frying them in the butter. Also, I love panko bread crumbs, but find that this dish is better with plain bread crumbs to help develop that nice coating.

I'm still here

So you may have noticed the lack of photography on that last post, but please don't get all bored and run away. So here's the deal... I am absolutely in love with good photography, you know the kind that makes you want to try out a recipe no matter how many ingredients it has, or makes you want to put Kathmandu on the top of your "must see before I die" places. The problem is- I am a complete ignoramus when it comes to taking pictures and actually getting them off of my camera and into my computer. This is a problem, one of many, that I hope to remedy by starting this blog. Cart before horse- I'm not quite sure... but stick around won't you?!

Big Swede

Wow- first post down... what a relief! That little post took about 2 years to write as I tried to decide what I would do with this space. I am a home cook and lover of food that started way back in my grandfathers garden as a toddler. The smell of earth and the taste of peas straight from the pod are as much ingrained as a memory as learning to walk for me. In the spring, you can often find me at the Copley farmers market popping them in my mouth before I can even pay the vendors. Anywho... it is this same Swedish grandfather, Mofa (Mof-ah), whose parents did not know the difference between an apple and a tomato when they came to this country. One bite in to what they thought was their beloved native orchard fruit, and they had a big surprise. So to celebrate the love of a swede and his apple I give you my family's recipe for Swedish Apple Pie.

Swedish Apple Pie

9" oven proof pie dish
5-6 Apples, peeled and thinly sliced, (or enough to fill up the pan and make a little mound)
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, separated
1 tablespoon cinnamon
3/4 cup melted sweet butter, plus extra for buttering the dish
1 cup flour
1 egg, whisked well
3/4 cup chopped walnuts

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter the pie dish and arrange the apples in a mound inside the dish.
Sprinkle the apples with 1 tablespoon of the sugar and cinnamon.
Mix together the melted butter, remaining sugar, flour, egg, and chopped walnuts.
Spread over the apples.
Bake for 45 min or until the top is brown.

Serve with warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream!
This pie sits somewhere between a pie and a crisp, with no soggy pie shell and the topping pulls together for an beautiful crunch!

2010

Well hello there!
As part of the journey that this year will be I am lending my voice to the blogoshere here at Chop Whisk Stir. I am neither a writer, nor a chef, but am here to share what I'm cooking, eating, drinking, and celebrating with my friends and family and I hope you enjoy!
oxox
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