Pasta With Fennel, Sausage, And Tomato

Chef and Writer Gail Monaghan wrote recently in The Wall Street Journal about Fennel.

Inspired by one of her recipes, I combined Cheese Tortellini with Fennel, Apple/Chicken Sausage and Tomato and the result was delicious. Gail's recipe called for Penne, which I did not have, and Sweet Sausage; my partner in the kitchen, Sous Chef Susan, prefers the Apple/Chicken Sausage.

Gail writes:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Remove outer layers of 2 large bulbs fennel. Finely chop fronds and set aside. Roughly chop bulbs and stalks and toss with 2 yellow onions, cut into thin half moons, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes. Roast in a baking pan, stirring frequently, until tender and golden, about 15 minutes. 

Meanwhile, make sauce: In a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, cook 2 pounds sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings and crumbled, until cooked through, 10-15 minutes. Strain sausage and discard grease. Return sausage to skillet. Add one 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes and ½ cup coarsely chopped mixed fresh basil and parsley and simmer until most liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Add ¼ cup heavy cream and roasted vegetables and simmer, stirring, 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, cook pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add 1 pound penne and cook until al dente. Drain penne, reserving 1 cup cooking water. Return penne to pot, add vegetable sauce and cook to heat, stirring occasionally, 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, add¼ cup grated Parmesan, salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste and½ cup coarsely chopped mixed fresh basil and parsley, chopped fennel fronds and 1 teaspoon fennel pollen (optional). Serve with more grated Parmesan on the side.

Rack Of Lamb In The Crockpot With Lingonberry Sauce

It was New Year's Day.

I had a rack of lamb.

I wanted to keep it simple.

Why not see, I thought, if there was a way to cook it in my crockpot.

This is what I found, from Fresh: (Changes to recipe noted in bold.)

"There will be people out there that say you can’t cook rack of lamb in the crockpot. Well, they need to try this recipe! This has to be one of my favourite crockpot lamb recipes. This NZ rack of lamb recipe is worthy of a dinner party."

"The roasting piece I’ve chosen for this particular slow cooker recipe is a lamb rack, which worked brilliantly because it was partially sliced between each rib and this allowed the flavours to penetrate the lamb rack. So if you’re using another cut of lamb, I suggest you score it well with a sharp knife to allow the flavours in."

Serves 4-6 (Serves 2)
Crockpot Rack of Lamb:

2 lamb racks (1 Rack)
1 cup plum jam (or any flavour you like or need to use up) (I used Lingonberry Sauce.)
1 tablespoon of tomato sauce or relish (again, anything tomatoey you need to use up in the fridge) (I used 1/4 cup tomato sauce.)
1 lemon (cut the cheeks of each side to add to the crockpot)
Lemon zest from the left over middle part of your lemon
1 tbls lemon juice (from your leftover lemon after the cheeks have been cut off)
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1 tsp grated ginger or half teaspoon ground ginger
1 tsp sweet chilli sauce
1 sprig rosemary from your garden (I used 1 tsp dried.)

How to:

"Turn your slowcooker onto Low.
Put the lamb racks x 2 in the crock pot.
Combine all the other ingredients and pour over the meat.
Cook on low for about 8 hours (or about 4 hours on high if you’re our of time).
Then as you carve up each rack, drain out some of the liquid from the crock pot and put it in a saucepan, and boil. In a cup, add about 2 teaspoons of cornflour to enough water to make a paste and added it to the saucepan whilst stirring. This will make the sauce thicken and in doing so will separate off the oil. Pour any oil off and use the sauce with the rack of lamb - delicious!
Serve with mashed potato, greens and your lamb jus gravy."

I served this with smashed red potatoes to which I added cooked leeks, bacon, portobella and shiitake mushrooms. And asparagus.

Greek Beef Stew with Quinces

Writing in The Wall Street Journal, chef and author and teacher Gail Monaghan states:

"Quince call for low, slow cooking. But the scrumptious, succulent results are worth the wait.

"The elusive quince is quirky as well as delectable."

I made her basic poached quince which I then roasted with some maple syrup.

But a few days later and with a bowl-full of quinces on the kitchen table it was time to find a recipe that would satisfy our yearnings for something rich and deep in flavor for a cold Sunday night.

I found it in The New York Times International Cookbook, edited by Craig Claiborne. You MUST make this!

Ingredients (serves 6--8)

5 pounds center-cut chuck or plate of beef, cut into 2-inch cubes (I used 2+ pounds for 2 so there would be enough for leftovers)
Flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging
8 shallots, finely chopped
5 tablespoons butter
2 carrots, scraped and sliced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 sprigs parsley
1 cup Tomato sauce
1 cup Beef Stock
3 cups dry red wine
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 pound fresh mushrooms, quartered (I used a gourmet blend of bella, shiitake, portabella)
3 quinces, peeled (Gail says you do not need to peel.), cored, and cut into 8 equal slices

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Dredge the meat in the flour and set aside.
3. In a large, heavy skillet (I used a large Le Creuset pot) cook the shallots in three tablespoons of the butter, stirring, about two minutes. Add the floured meat and cook, stirring, about two minutes longer. Add the carrots, bay leaf, thyme, parsley, tomato sauce, stock, wine, salt, pepper and sugar. Simmer, uncovered, on the top of the stove fifteen minutes.

4. Cover and place the stew in the oven. Bake one and one-half hours.
5. Meanwhile, cook the mushrooms in the remaining butter until they have a nut-like odor and are golden brown.
6. Add the mushrooms and the quince slices to the meat, cover and bake forty minutes longer, or until the meat and quinces are fork tender.

Easy Skillet (Cast Iron) Apple Pie

This was the first time I ever made an apple pie---and the pie pastry---and OH MY GOSH was it DELICIOUS!!!

Ingredients

• 2 pounds Granny Smith apples*
• 2 pounds Braeburn apples*
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated piecrusts**
• 1 egg white 
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• Butter-pecan ice cream 

 Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350º. Peel apples, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick wedges. Toss apples with cinnamon and 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
2. 2. Melt butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat; add brown sugar, and cook, stirring constantly, 1 to 2 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat, and place 1 piecrust in skillet over brown sugar mixture. Spoon apple mixture over piecrust, and top with remaining piecrust. Whisk egg white until foamy. Brush top of piecrust with egg white; sprinkle with 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar. Cut 4 or 5 slits in top for steam to escape.
3. 3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly, shielding with aluminum foil during last 10 minutes to prevent excessive browning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes before serving. Serve with butter-pecan ice cream.

Mrs. James Wright, Chattanooga, Tennessee, Southern Living
SEPTEMBER 2011

 

*NOTE: I used the apples I bought at a local orchard: Northern Spy and Baldwin.

**NOTE: I made my pie pastry. Recipe from Smitten Kitchen.

MURGHI DOOPIAZA (Chicken with Onions) from The Art of Indian Cuisine

Easy and delicious!

Ingredients:

5 tablespoons ghee (I used butter)
2 pounds yellow onions, cut into think slices (I used one large sweet onion cut into thin slices)
3 whole chicken breasts, cut in half lengthwise (I used 2 and cut each into 8 pieces---after frying)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom
1 1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 1/2 teaspoon finely minced gingerroot
1 1/4 teaspoon salt (I did not use salt)
2-4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped (I used 1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes)

Directions:

1. Heat ghee in a large skillet and fry the sliced onions until light brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the chicken breasts and fry over moderate heat, about 5 minutes a side, or until pieces are well browned. As chicken breasts brown, transfer them to a large shallow baking dish (It was at this point I cut them into 8 pieces).

2. Preheat oven to 350. Add turmeric, cayenne pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, paprika, gingerroot, salt, garlic, tomatoes and onion to pan in which chicken was browned, adding more ghee/butter is necessary. Cover over moderate heat, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom, for two minutes. Pour sauce over chicken in baking dish. Cover baking dish and bake in oven for 30 minutes, or until chicken is tender and sauce has thickened.

I serve this with Basmati rice with turmeric.

The Art of Indian Cooking by Pranati Sen Gupta

Cashew and Wonton Chicken Salad with Honey Sage Vinaigrette

Best. Salad. Ever!

A favorite for lunch at the Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa.

Ingredients:

2 (5-ounce) chicken breasts
1 tablespoon olive oil (if not using grill method)
2/3 cup wonton strips
2 cups mesclun
1/2 cup julienned carrots
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup mandarin oranges (I used canned.)
Honey sage vinaigrette (see below)
Salt and pepper

Directions:

Preheat grill or oven to 350.

Season chicken with salt and pepper. If grilling (I did), place on hot grill and cook on both sides for 5-6 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. If baking, heat a small saute pan over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Carefully add the chicken and sear on both side for 3 to 4 minutes or until golden brown. Place in oven and bake until internal temperature is 165. Remove from heat and chill.

Place wonton strips on a baking sheet and place in oven for 8 minutes or until golden brown, turning occasionally. Remove from oven and reserve at room temperature.

Place all other ingredients, except vinaigrette and wontons, in a small bowl. Add 4 to 6 tablespoons of dressing and coat thoroughly.

Place on a plate or in a bowl. Slice chicken breasts and fan over the salad. Garnish with baked wontons.

Honey Sage Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup champagne vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage
1/6 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon salt

Combine all ingredients and mix thoroughly. Keep refrigerated until needed.

Serves 2.

From "Pathways To Plate, Destinations And Dishes From Delaware North." This cookbook is filled with so many great recipes---and photographs!

More about Delaware North.

Spicy Eggplant and Olive Sauce with Linquine and Toasted Slivered Almonds

Last summer I had so much eggplant growing in my garden that we seemed to have it grilled with every dinner every night of the week!

This summer, alas, my plants produced only ONE eggplant!

So I thought I had better make something special and indeed I did. Read on!

Ingredinets:

6-8 tablespoons olive oil
1 small (about 1 lb.) eggplant, trimmed, pared, and cut into ½ inch chunks
1 cup chopped onion
2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 14 ounce can diced tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped green olives
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons rinsed and drained small capers
1 tablespoon chopped, fresh basil
2 tablespoon chopped Italian flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

Freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of sugar
1/4 cup slivered almonds, toasted

Directions:

Heat 4-6 tablespoons (I started with 4 and then added 2 more tablespoons) of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat; add the eggplant. Saute, stirring constantly, until eggplant is tender and browned, about 10 minutes.  Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to drain.

Add remaining 2 tablespoons oil to skillet. Add onion, pepper and celery; sauté, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in the eggplant, tomatoes, garlic, olives, capers, basil, parsley, vinegar, salt, pepper and sugar. Cover and simmer 25-30 minutes, stirring frequently.Toss with linguine, saving 1 cup of sauce.
Serve on plates or bowls, adding 1/2 cup of sauce of top of each serving. Top with slivered almonds.

Based on recipes from 365 Ways to Cook Pasta and Recipes from a Kitchen Garden.