Apple Crumble

Blogger.com and I have been quarreling about vertically oriented photos all morning so you might want to put your sideways glasses on before reading...

My mom always made apple crumble (or as some say apple crisp) when I was growing up.  While I love apple desserts of almost any variety- a crispy oatmeal streusel crust atop perfectly spicy-sweet-tangy tender apples can't be beat.  I typically have all of the ingredients for this recipe on hand at any given time so it is often the perfect answer to weeknight sweet tooth attack or an impromptu dinner party.

This recipe serves 4.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Apple Filling:

3 large apples (I like honeycrisp or granny smith)

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

scant 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
zest of an orange (only use half)
zest of a lemon (only use half)
juice of a lemon

Peel and slice the apples.  I slice the apples as thinly as possible to ensure they get nice and tender while baking.  Toss the apple slices in a large bowl with all other ingredients until the apples are evenly coated. 

Transfer the apples to a medium size BUTTERED baking dish.  A 9 x9 square dish would work, I like an oval dish because that's what my mom always used.

Crumble Topping:

3/4 cup flour

1/2 cup oatmeal

1/2 cup of brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

pinch of salt

1 stick of cold butter, diced

**I actually added 1 tablespoon of ground flax seed as well which packs a mega nutritional punch of omega threes. You won't even notice its there.

The easiest way in my experience is to measure all ingredients into a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix on medium speed until the mixture starts to come together into large crumbs.  This could take 1-2 minutes.  If you let it go too far, it will come together like a cookie dough which is hard to spread over the apples- so keep an eye on it.

If you don't have a standing mixer- you can use your hands to work the ingredients together, rubbing the mixture between your fingers to break down the butter into crumbs.

Spread the topping over the apples- you might have a bit more topping than you need, but I like a nice thick crunchy layer on mine so I pack on as much as I can...It's my favorite part.

I set the dish on top of a cookie sheet lined with foil to catch any crumble pieces that try to escape and then bake for 1 hour.  The top should be golden brown and you'll see caramely bubbles all around the edges.

Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes (the wait can be excruciating, sorry) and then serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

The soft apples literally melt in your mouth while you get a hearty crunch from the topping.  The balance of flavors from the citrus and warm spices is wonderful.  It really gives it that special something.

More of my favorite fruit crumble combinations:
*Peaches and raspberries or blackberries
*Strawberry-rhubarb
*Pear-cranberry
*Cherry-almond

Braised Bourgignon-Style Short Ribs

There is nothing cozier on a cold winter night than a big bowl of this... 

A bottle of great red wine and a fire in the fireplace... That is exactly how John and I kicked off Christmas weekend last Thursday night.  Like most inexpensive cuts of beef, short ribs require a low-slow (3 hrs) cooking method but the result is fall-right-off-the-bone tenderness and a gravy that will make you lick your bowl clean.

Ingredients:   Serves 4 with leftovers

Braising:
3 1/2 pounds bone in beef short ribs, cut crosswise into 2 inch pieces
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 of a 750 ml bottle of dry red wine
8 sprigs of flat leaf parsley
6 sprigs of fresh thyme
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
2 fresh or dried bay leaves
1 head of garlic, halved crosswise
3 cups of beef stock (low salt)

Garnish:
3 slices of bacon
1 large shallot- chopped
2 medium carrots, peeled and chopped
1 package cremini or baby bella mushrooms, halved/quartered
2 thyme sprigs, leaves removed
2 tablespoons of brandy or dry vermouth
1/4 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped

In a large cast iron dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons of the vegetable oil over medium-high/high heat.  Season the ribs generously with kosher salt and black pepper.  In two batches, brown the meat on all sides - roughly 2 minutes per side.    Don't disturb them except for to rotate after 2 minutes.  This allows them to develop a nice crust.  Remove and drain on a papertowel.

Pour the fat out of the pan (do not rinse) and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil back to the pot.  Lower heat to medium.  Add the onion, celery and carrots.  Cook for 4 minutes, stirring often.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees at this point.

Add the flour to the pot, toss to coat the vegetables and cook for 2 minutes before adding the wine.  Scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen all of the bits with the help of the wine.  Add the ribs back to the pot and bring to a boil.  Lower the heat to medium and simmer for 15-20 minutes until the wine has reduced a bit.

Add the beef stock, garlic and fresh herbs (whole on the stems is fine).  Cover the pot and place in the oven.  Cook for nearly 3 hours or until the bone can be easily pulled out of the meat.

While the ribs are in the oven- prepare the vegetables for the garnish.  This is where the bourgignon style bit comes in... Render the bacon in a saute pan over medium heat.  Remove the bacon once crispy.  Add one teaspoon of olive oil, the shallot, carrot and mushrooms to the pan and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender and beginning to brown.  Add the thyme leaves for the last minute.

Add the vermouth/brandy and cook (or flambe if you like drama of a flame) until the liquid has evaporated.  Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Now back to the ribs... remove the ribs from the pot and set in a separate dish.  Strain the gravy through a sieve to remove the remaining vegetables, herbs, etc.  Return the ribs to the pan and pour the gravy over.  Gently fold in the garnish mixture and fresh parsley.

Serve over your favorite whipped potatoes (I like to whip half boiled potatoes and half boiled parsnips with butter and thyme and garlic infused cream) or buttered egg noodles with crusty bread for dipping.  You can crumble the bacon over the top as well.  I served a baby kale salad with balsamic vinaigrette, parmesan and pomegranate seeds on the side. 

While the recipe has numerous steps and takes 4 hours total, I assure you it is simple and the active time is minimal-  perfect for a Sunday or Saturday afternoon.  These are great for entertaining too as the short ribs can be made up to a day ahead of time and reheated before serving.  Add the parsley at the very last minute.

Qunioa with Fennel and Pomegranate Seeds

If your Christmas week was half as decadent as mine was (and I have a few more recipes along those lines coming)- you're probably looking for a couple of healthy meals in this lull before New Year's Eve parties.  I personally struggle with making the transition from the decadence back to nutritious because the taste buds are still amped so I try to pack the flavor in where ever possible.   Lemon, tangy vinaigrette and fresh herbs are a great way to do so.

Inspired by a recipe in the January issue of Bon Appetite magazine (not yet published to epicurious.com) this quinoa dish is great warm or at room temperature - as a side dish or a standalone meatless dinner or lunch.  You can make a big batch and enjoy it for a couple of days...

Ingredients:

1 cup quinoa
1 medium fennel bulb- diced
1 small onion- diced
3 cloves of garlic- minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
3 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette
generous 1/2 cup freshly chopped herbs (I used parsley, dill and mint)
zest and juice of 1lemon
2 tablespoons olive oil
pomegranate seeds for garnish

Saute the fennel and onion in a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat until just starting to caramelize, 10-12 minutes.  Season with a pinch of kosher salt and some black pepper.  Add the garlic and cumin and cook one minute more.  Add the balsamic vinegar and cook until the liquid is evaporated, 1-2 minutes.  Remove from the heat and let sit while you prepare the quinoa.



Cook 1 cup of raw quinoa according to package instructions.  This typically requires rinsing the grain, simmering in boiling water for 10 minutes and draining.  Make sure you strain any left over cooking liquid.  While the quinoa cooks- chop your herbs and juice/zest the lemon...

Combine the cooked quinoa with the vegetable mixture, the herbs, lemon zest, juice and olive oil.  Toss gently to combine.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Garnish the dish with pomegranate seeds.  Look for these at your grocery store by the grapefruit segments in the refrigerated produce section- Pom brand is selling them now.   You can remove the seeds by hand from the whole fruit if you can't find them.

The tiny hint of cumin gives the dish a nice warmth in contrast to the tang of the reduced balsamic and lemon.  The herbs and pomegranate seeds pack in more flavor and freshness.  Don't be afraid of the fennel- if you cook it down this way, it loses virtually all of the licorice/anise taste.  However you could add any combination of sauteed or roasted veggies to this as well.

Pork Tenderloin with Arugula, Endive and Walnut Vinaigrette

Much like I'm trying to squeeze a few healthy/lighter meals in between the holiday parties, sweet treats and other indulgences- I figured I'd offer up a quick and easy weeknight dinner salad before I post more of the goodies I have on deck for you...

This salad was hearty, winter-esque AND uber nutritional.  As I've said before, John's not a huge dinner salad kind of guy but even he was a fan.

Ingredients:     serves 2 with leftovers

1 pork tenderloin

2 Belgian endives, cut crosswise into bite sized pieces

4 cups of baby arugula

1 cup of walnuts, toasted (divided)

1 garlic clove, roughly chopped

1 tablespoon of water
1/4 cup sherry vinegar (or red wine vinegar)

1/4 cup olive oil

goat cheese for crumbling

optional:2 oven roasted tomatoes (could substitute 2 oil packed sun dried tomatoes)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Salt and pepper the pork tenderloin and heat a tablespoon of olive oil in an ovenproof skillet.  Sear the pork for approximately 2 minutes on all sides-  transfer the pork to the oven and roast for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 160 degrees.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the pork is cooking/resting, make the dressing...  in a food processor, combine 2/3 cup of the toasted walnuts, garlic, oven roasted or sun dried tomatoes (again you can leave these out, the original recipe did not call of them), vinegar, and water.  Pulse into a paste forms.  Then with the blade running, pour the olive oil in slowly until it comes together to a smooth consistency.  Add salt and pepper to taste.

Toss the greens with 2/3 of the dressing and plate.  Garnish with additional toasted walnuts and goat cheese crumbles.  Finally lay the sliced pork over the top and drizzle with the remaining vinaigrette.

The endive and arugula is a great combination of crunch and peppery.  The walnuts give the vinaigrette a warm toasty flavor while also adding richness (and heart healthy omega 3's!).   The tomatoes don't add a tomato flavor per se- its really more a depth of flavor and tangy sweetness which works well.  You could omit them and toss some apples and dried cranberries to the salad as well.

Quick- easy- healthy- yummy!  Now back to the holiday indulgences...

Bolognese Sauce

I know I've blogged about Bolognese before but I want to share this latest iteration because John and I believe that I have finally perfected it! John is an afficianado of Bolognese so this is quite a feat for me. This sauce is heavenly served with your favorite fresh or dried pasta and some good crusty bread.

Fresh Bolognese Sauce:
1/2 or 2/3 pound of sweet Italian Sausage
1/2 pound ground beef (we used Chuck)
1/2 of a large onion, diced
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
2 cups of fresh wild mushrooms, sliced (we used shitake, baby bellas would work too)
1/2 teaspoon of dried crushed rosemary
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon of dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon of kosher salt and some black pepper
1/3 cup white wine
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups of jarred marinara or tomato sauce
1/4 cup of fresh parsley, chopped

Saute the onion in olive oil over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the sausage (remove from casing) and ground beef and brown over medium high heat, breaking apart with a spoon while it cooks. (I skimmed off some of the residual oil with a spoon as the meet cooked down to avoid a super oily sauce.) When the meat has almost browned all over, add the mushrooms- cooking for 3-4 minutes. Then add the garlic, dried herbs, peppers and salt- cooking for another 2-3 minutes.

Add the white wine to deglaze the brown bits from the pan- cooking until the liquid it is almost completely evaporated. Next add the stock, cooking 2 minutes before adding the tomato sauce or marinara. Turn the heat down to med-low/low and simmer for at least 15 minutes until everything comes together to a rich looking sauce.

I like an even consistency to my bolognese, so I use an immersion blender to break it down at the very end. I pulse the blender to avoid pureeing it, the goal being to blend the mushroom and meat bits together into a cohesive sauce. Stir the fresh parsley in at the very end to give it a freshness of flavor.

I've tried a dozen bolognese recipes and I'm pretty sure this one is the keeper! The beef is rich (I've actually swapped this out for ground turkey which I thought was great for a lower fat option), the sweet pork sausage adds depth of flavor with the flavors of fennel seed, and the mushrooms add an earthiness and lightness to the sauce.

This sauce was the PERFECT match for our homemade potato gnocchi!

Honey Marinated Pork with Gremolata

I'm always looking for ways to jazz up chicken breasts and pork tenderloin. My arsenal has at least a dozen stand-by marinades, spice rubs, and pan sauces yet from time to time I get bored with them. This marinate/gremolata combo that I found in the February Bon Appetit magazine is simple and unlike anything I've had before. The balance of fresh earthy herbs and bright citrus over the perfectly caramelized pork is wonderfully refreshing any time of year.

Ingredients: Two 12-14 ounce pork tenderloins, trimmed 1/3 cup honey 4 large garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon of orange juice, freshly squeezed 1 teaspoon (or more) of kosher salt 1 tablespoon of olive oil 1/4 cup of dry white wine 1 tablespoon finely grated orange peel 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary 1 teaspoons chopped fresh sage

Whisk the honey, garlic, and orange juice together in a measuring cup or a small bowl. Place the pork in a baking dish and pour the marinade over, turning to coat them evenly. Then sprinkle with kosher salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours or up to overnight.

Meanwhile- to prepare the gremolata mixture for sprinkling over the cooked pork, mix the orange zest and chopped herbs together in a small bowl. You can cover this and place in the fridge for later.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Move the pork over to a plate and SAVE THE MARINADE. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium heat for one minute. Then sear the pork, rotating to brown each side for about one minute. I didn't have a skillet large enough to do both, so I did them one at a time.

Transfer them back to a baking dish and bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until a thermometer reads 150 degrees. Let the pork rest for 10 minutes before slicing.

(I'll definitely try this on the grill when the weather improves a bit.)

Meanwhile, I prepared a sauce in the same skillet that I used to cook the pork... pour the reserved marinade and the white wine into the pan and cook over medium high heat until reduced to half a cup. This takes anywhere from 3-5 minutes.

Serve the sliced pork with a drizzle of the pan sauce and a sprinkling of the gremolata. You could serve the pork with roasted potatoes, couscous or your favorite veggie. I made a fennel risotto that worked well with the citrus flavor and some garlicky green beans. Check back soon for a detailed risotto "how to."

Beef Bourguignon

John and I have the travel bug lately and we're working on preliminary plans for a trip to France, hopefully in the fall. Nothing sounds better on a frigid, snowy winter day than a rich, rib-sticking beef stew (ideally in a cozy Brasserie in Paris, but in this case, home was going to have to do.) French Food at Home is a great show on the Cooking Channel. People are often intimidated by the idea of cooking French Food but she makes it very approachable. I was virtually drooling on the remote when she made this dish so I decided to give it a try. I adapted the recipe to cut it in roughly in half which served 4 people generously. (Note, this takes about three hours to cook slowly in the oven, active cooking time is only 40 mins or so. Definitely a Saturday or Sunday meal.) Ingredients: 2 pounds boneless stew meat cut into large chunks, I used a sirloin tip roast 1 cup of baby carrots (or 1-2 carrots peeled and cut into pieces) 1 small onion, quartered 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 3 tablespoons of flour 1/2 bottle of dry red wine, I used a Bordeaux 2 1/2 cups beef stock 2 bay leaves 4 sprigs of fresh parsley, whole including stems 4 sprigs of fresh thyme, whole 3 slices of bacon, sliced thinly into lardons 20 pearl onions, I used frozen 1- 8oz package of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, quartered Preheat the oven to 325. You want the rack in the bottom third of the oven so that a dutch oven will fit. Cut the sirloin roast into large pieces, 2-3 inch squares, and then seasoned it with kosher salt and black pepper. I browned the meat in some olive oil over medium high heat in a large dutch oven (you need one with a lid for baking.) I cooked the pieces in two batches to avoid crowding them. I cooked the beef for 2-3 minutes on all sides until it was brown. As soon as it gives way easily when you try to pick it up, its done. If its clinging to the pot, give it a minute more.

Next, I removed the beef from the pan, turned the heat down to medium and added the carrots and the quartered onion. (You'll strain these out later which is why you don't have to cut them up.) I cooked them for 3-4 minutes until golden before adding the garlic cloves, cooking one minute longer. div>Next, I sprinkled the flour over the vegetables- tossing to coat. This helps to thicken the sauce as the stew cooks. Lastly, I added the liquids and fresh herbs to the pot- scraping all of the brown bits from the bottom of the pot as they deglazed it. The beef pieces are tucked down into the liquid and then the covered pot goes into the oven for about 2 hours. I let mine go closer to 2 and a 1/2 hours. The meat should be falling-apart-tender and your kitchen smells mouth-wateringly delicious.

I wish this picture wasn't so hazy but you can see the richness that develops as the vegetables flavor the cooking liquid that then slowly braises the meat.

During the last 30 minutes of cooking time, I prepared what Laura refers to as the traditional French garnish for this dish. I first crisped the bacon lardons in a pan, rendering all of the fat. I strained the bacon pieces out and set aside for later. I then browned the pearl onions (I set them out to thaw a bit first) in the bacon fat until they were golden, 6-7 minutes.

I strained the onions out into a large glass bowl and then browned the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes. (To get nicely toasted mushrooms, use a large skillet so they aren't crowded and don't stir them too often.) I added a tablespoon of butter to the bacon fat as they browned.

When they were brown and tender, I poured the mushrooms into the bowl with the onions and set aside. At this point, you carefully transfer (using tongs) the chunks of beef from the pot to the bowl with the onions and mushrooms. You then strain the cooking liquid from the pot into another large bowl. The carrots are probably super mushy which is why Laura removes them- mine weren't too bad so I actually kept some of them in. You want to remove the onions, herbs, garlic skins, etc.

My sauce had thickened to my liking- however as Laura suggests in her recipe- you can transfer the liquid back to the pot and boil down to a thicker sauce if you prefer. You then add the beef and garnish back into the pot with the liquid. You can serve immediately or reheat to serve later. This keeps well for a day in the fridge. I served the stew over some buttermilk whipped potatoes, garnished with some freshly chopped parsley and the crispy bacon lardons. I did a quick saute of haricot verts (thin French green beans) and garlic in some butter as well. Make sure you have a crusty French baguette to help soak up the delicious sauce. I can't wait to try the real thing a Paris some day soon! Bon Appetit!

White Bean Chicken Chili

This is a delicious and nutritious alternative to making a big pot of chili on a cold day. I've had these "white" or "green" chili's in the past- the major difference is that the warm spice of Cumin and Oregano stands alone without the heat of the red Chili powder- also there are no tomatoes. I used cubed white meat chicken which eliminates the majority of the fat associated with ground beef.

All healthy talk aside, the flavors are big and a bowl of this chili will warm you up and and fill you up just the same.

Ingredients
serves 8-10 people

2 medium yellow onions
2 fresh poblano peppers
5 large garlic cloves
1.5 tablespoon of dried Mexican Oregano
1.5 tablespoon of Cumin
2 bay leaves
1 large and 1 small can of chopped green chiles
3 chicken breasts bone-in, skin on**
6 cups chicken stock (see recipe below for homemade)
2 cans of cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup fresh Cilantro- chopped

**Shortcut: Use the white meat (and maybe a little bit of the dark meat) from 1 large rotisserie chicken from your grocery store.

If starting with split chicken breasts, I roast them on a rimmed baking sheet at 375 degrees for 35 or 40 minutes. I drizzle them with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper first. I let them cool completely before removing the skins and cutting the meat from the bones. This ensures that the meat holds onto all of the flavors. (They come in packages of two so I roasted all four breasts and then reserved one to make a chicken salad with later.) I then cubed the meat and refrigerated it until I was ready to make the soup.

**I then made a simple fresh Chicken Stock from the bones of the four breasts. (You could also do this with the rotisserie chicken once you've picked the meat.) See recipe below if you're interested, if not, store bought is just fine as well.

White Bean Chicken Chili:

While warming a large heavy bottomed soup pot drizzled with two tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat, I gave the onions a rough chop with a knife and then pulsed it into a fairly fine dice in the food processor. I poured the onion into the pot and let the onion start to cook while I chopped the peppers.

Next, I removed the stem and the majority of the seeds from the poblanos- gave them a rough chop and then used the processor to break them down to a dice. I added the pepper to the onion and cooked the veggies together for another 4 minutes or so (total of 7 minutes ). The onion should be translucent but not too brown and the pepper softened. I seasoned the mixture with a generous teaspoon of kosher salt and some black pepper at this stage.

Next I grated the garlic cloves into the pot using a rasp, added the cumin and oregano- letting them toast for one minute before adding the chopped green chiles, the cubed chicken, the beans, the chicken stock and the bay leaf. I brought the soup to a boil and then reduced to medium-low heat to simmer for 30-40 minutes- giving the beans time to soak up lots of flavor. I stir in the fresh cilantro just before serving, using some extra for garnish.


Serve with tortilla chips, a dollup of sour cream, some grated pepper jack cheese or maybe a jalapeno cheddar corn bread. It freezes great as well if you want to stash some away for a lazy rainy day.

**Fresh Chicken Stock: Place the bones and all of the juices in the bottom of the baking sheet into a large pot. I then added a handful of baby carrots, one onion, cut into quarters, three cloves of garlics that I whack with a knife to release more flavor (you can leave the peel on), three sprigs of fresh thyme, and a bay leaf. (A stalk of celery would be great too if you have one, I didn't in this case.)


I filled the pot with water so that it was just covering the bones (about 8 cups) and placed it over medium-high heat. As soon as the mixture reached a boil, I lowered the heat to low and covered the pot, cooking for an hour or 90 minutes until the liquid is a toasty golden brown. Bonus: Your house smells like delicious chicken soup when its done. Strain the stock through a fine sieve into a pitcher to remove all of the veggies to and refrigerate or freeze until you're ready to use.

Potato and Leek Soup

I've always wanted to try the classic French staple that is Potato and Leek Soup. It is beautifully simple yet elegant at the same time. (Not to mention a whole pot costs a whopping $5 or $6 to prepare. Certainly helps balance out all of the recent Christmas shopping!) I studied a few recipes online and learned quickly that they all say almost exactly the same thing... Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of butter 1 bunch- 3 large leeks, white and pale green parts only 2 large russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into one inch pieces 2 bay leaves 1 teaspoon of chopped fresh thyme 2 bay leaves 4 cups chicken stock 2 cups water If you've not cooked with leeks before, beware they are sandy, dirty little things. The best way to clean them is to cut the dark green tops off and then slice them in half lengthwise. Soak them in a bowl of cold water, scrubbing in between the layers with your fingers to be sure you get all of the dirt out. Pat them dry with papertowels and then slice into pieces about 1/4 of an inch thick Melt the butter over medium heat in a large heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven. Sautee the leeks for 5-7 minutes until wilted and tender. Meanwhile, peel and cube the potatoes and mince the fresh thyme leaves. Season the leeks with a pinch of kosher salt before adding the the thyme and bay leaves to the pot. Cook for one minute more until fragrant and then add the stock and water to the pot. Bring it to a gentle, simmering boil and let it go for anywhere from 20-30 minutes until the potatoes are absolutely fork tender.

Remove the bay leaves and puree using an immersion blender if you have one. (Transfer to the blender if you don't.) David Lebowitz warns that using a food processor could cause the potatoes to take on a gummy texture so avoid that method in this case.

The soup will likely need more salt if you use a low sodium stock so taste and season until you get it just right. Some use white pepper to avoid black flecks in the soup but that doesn't bother me. I cracked some black pepper in there as well.

I served the soup piping hot with a dollop of sour cream and a few snips of green onions. (I also made a rather elementary style "ham and cheese toast" with some dijon mustard, black forest ham and gruyere cheese to eat alongside the soup. I topped some fresh, lightly toasted, ciabatta bread with a drizzle of dijon, a slice of ham and some thin slices of gruyere. I then toasted it under the broiler for a minute before serving.

Perfectly hearty on a chilly winter night!

Roasted Vegetable Salad

I love roasted vegetables year round but especially in the winter. Squash, potatoes, asparagus, beets, brussels sprouts, broccoli... the options and combinations are endless. This salad is a great way to use up whatever veggies you have on hand in the fridge or to reinvent leftover roasted veggies for lunch the next day.

I had three fresh beets, approximately one cup of fresh brussels sprouts, half of a yellow bell pepper, one small sweet potato and the white ends of three very large green onions on hand in this case. I peeled/cleaned the veggies and diced them into 3/4 inch pieces- halving the brussels sprouts and green onion bulbs. I kept the beets in a separate bowl so they wouldn't stain everything ruby red. It is actually pretty that way too but I like to have a variation of colors.

I tossed the veggies with olive oil, kosher salt, black pepper and a pinch of dried thyme and roasted them for 25-30 minutes at 400 degrees until all of the veggies were golden brown and tender. I used two cookie sheets lined with tin foil and lightly sprayed with Pam for easy clean up. I wanted to be sure the vegetables weren't crowded so they would roast and caramelize without steaming.

I served them at room temperature over a bed of arugula drizzled generously with a quick homemade balsamic vinaigrette. I shaved some good parmesan cheese over the top as well- using a vegetable peeler to get nice wide ribbons.

Balsamic Vinaigrette:

3 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon of Dijon mustard

a squeeze of honey

half of a garlic clove, grated with a rasp

sprinkle of kosher salt and pepper

This would be fantastic with goat cheese crumbles instead of parmesan, you could also add some oven roasted shrimp or left over rotisserie chicken for some protein.

Coq au Vin

This past weekend we got not only a first real taste of fall but a sneak peak at winter! With lows in the 20s and highs in the low 40s, it was the perfect slow cooking kind of Saturday. I decided to try Coq au Vin for the second time. The first attempt, two years or so ago, was not necessarily a huge success, nor was it terrible. I'm thrilled to say that this last go-round was quite delicious. Coq au Vin (translated simply to "chicken in wine") is typically prepared using bone-in chicken pieces however I read a Cook's Illustrated version of the recipe using boneless chicken thighs that looked intriguing. I liked this concept 1) because it reduces the cooking time substantially and 2) requires less fuss as far as picking chicken off the bones while eating it. I actually ended up fusing the Cook's Illustrated recipe with Ina Garten's recipe found in the "Back to Basics" cookbook. Again, I'll toot my own horn to say that it was a pretty stellar combination. This method does have a number of steps but I assure you the effort is worth it. Ingredients: (serves 4) 4 slices of bacon, cut into 1/4 inch slices 1 package of boneless, skinless chicken thighs (approx 1.3 pounds total) 1/2 large sweet onion, sliced thinly 3 cloves of garlic, minced 4 medium-large carrots, sliced

1 package of cremini/baby bella mushrooms, sliced 12 pearl onions- roughly 1/4 of a bunch of parsley 3 sprigs of fresh thyme 1/4 cup of brandy or cognac 1 and 1/2 cups of chicken stock 2/3 of a bottle of full bodied red wine 1 tablespoon of flour

3-4 tablespoons of butter Combine the red wine and chicken stock in sauce pan. Add half of the parsley and the thyme sprigs to the pan, stems and all, and cook the mixture over medium-high heat for approximately 25 minutes or until reduced to roughly 2 cups. Meanwhile, in a large heavy bottomed dutch oven, render the bacon in a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat until the bacon is crisp (7-8 minutes). Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the rendered bacon fat, discard the rest. Next, season the chicken pieces with salt and pepper and brown them in the bacon fat over medium high heat, approximately two minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside on a plate. At this point, I removed a little bit of the fat remaining in the pan before adding the mushrooms and pearl onions. (I left just enough to coat the bottom of the pot.) Sautee the veggies for 6 or 7 minutes (don't stir too often or they won't brown) until they are just turning golden. Add the cognac and ignite it with a long stemmed lighter, letting the flame burn off the alcohol. (If you're not one for the dramatic effect, you can simply let it reduce down over the heat.) Season the veggies with a pinch of salt and pepper and then transfer them to a bowl on the side.

Melt one tablespoon of butter in the hot pan and add the sliced onions and carrots. Cook these veggies for another 5-6 minutes until they are barely tender, adding the minced garlic in to cook for the last minute. (I promise these steps go pretty fast... by the time you're done with the browning/sauteeing of each layer, your wine/stock has reduced and you're ready to go. Not to mention you have the remainder of the bottle of red wine to keep you company.) Strain the parsley and thyme stems from the wine/stock mixture and then pour it into the larger pot with the carrots and onions. Add the chicken thighs back in and let it all simmer together over medium low heat (with a lid on the pot) for another 30 minutes or until the chicken is fall-apart-tender. The last step... you're almost there. Mix the tablespoon of flour together with a tablespoon or so of water or stock in a small bowl. As soon as the mixture is lump free, pour it into the pot and stir until it is incorporated. This should thicken the sauce as you cook the mixture for a few minutes more. Lastly, add the mushrooms and onions back in along with another tablespoon or two of butter to give the sauce a silky sheen and toss in some freshly chopped parsley.

I served the chicken (with a generous drink of the sauce) over buttered egg noodles with a large slice of french bread and a green salad on the side. (I threw a few of the crispy bacon bits over the top as well.) The chicken thighs were melt in your mouth tender and the sauce was perfectly rich and savory. A ten on the yummy-scale and certainly worth every ounce of the effort.

Polenta with Sausage and Mushrooms

John proclaimed this dish a recent favorite from the Accidental Syrup kitchen which was a pleasant surprise. I threw this dish together on a whim having seen a similar recipe online somewhere recently. The earthy richness of mushrooms cooked with wine and herbs gives the dish flavor you'd expect to have come from slow cooking all day... but in reality, its essentially a 30-minute meal. (Don't be mislead by the lengthy post, I was a bit wordy in describing the details.) Mushrooms and Sausage: 3 sweet Italian sausage links, removed from casings * 1 package of cremini (baby bella) mushrooms, sliced 1/2 package of shitake mushrooms, whole if not too large 2 small/medium shallots, thinly sliced 2 garlic cloves, grated or pressed 5 sprigs of fresh thyme 1/2 teaspoon of fresh rosemary, chopped pinch red pepper flakes 1/2 cup of dry red wine (we were drinking a Rioja so I used some of that) 1/2 cup of chicken stock salt and pepper to taste 1-2 tablespoons of butter to finish the sauce *optional In a skillet, I warmed a few teaspoons of olive oil over medium high heat. I added the sausage to the pan and cooked for 4-5 minutes until the sausage was brown on the outside and just cooked through. (Using a wooden spoon to break up the sausage as it browned.) The mushrooms and shallots went it at this point- at first it seems like a ton of mushrooms but they cook down significantly. I cooked the mixture for 6-7 minutes until the mushrooms were tender and golden brown and the shallots were soft I then added the garlic and herbs, cooking for one minute longer before adding the wine. Using the wine to deglaze the pan, I scraped all of the little bits that were sticking to the bottom to incorporate the extra flavor into the sauce. Once the wine had reduced by half, I added the chicken stock and let the sauce simmer for 8-10 minutes over medium low heat while I prepared the polenta and toasted some ciabatta bread to serve on the side (Add more stock a few tablespoons at a time if you feel you need more liquid.) *I used a locally raised Italian style pork sausage that is leaner than the average grocery store variety. If you prefer to lighten it up a bit, you can remove the sausage from the pan once brown and discard some of the rendered fat before sauteing the vegetables. The ticket to a speedy preparation is quick cooking Polenta. I personally stock up on the Delallo's brand at my local Kroger but there are other brands out there. Cooking the polenta the traditional way takes 30 minutes of nearly constant stirring whereas the "quick" variety cooks in just one minute. One package (9.2 oz) is poured slowly into 4.5 cups of boiling, lightly salted water- whisking constantly. (You might turn your heat down to medium as you do this, otherwise is starts to splatter.) Whisk the polenta mixture for another 45 or 60 seconds until the polenta is tender. (Consult the package instructions if using another brand.) I removed the polenta from the heat and added: 1/2 cup whole milk (warmed a bit in the microwave) 3 tablespoons of butter cut into cubes 1/4 cup grated parmesam 1/4 cup grated gruyere cheese (could use all parmesan if you don't have it handy) *I had chicken stock open for the mushrooms and sausage saute so I used a few tablespoons to thin the polenta to the desired creaminess. The polenta resembles the texture of grits but it has a richer "corn" flavor and a creamier texture. (Alternatively, you can pour the warm polenta into a lightly greased baking sheet and refrigerate until set. It can be cut into squares, triangles, or however you like and then grilled, pan fried, etc.) At the very last minute, I finished the mushrooms and sausage with a pat of butter to add some silkiness to the sauce and then served a heap over a bed of polenta. (I recommend serving in a rimmed soup bowl to keep the sauce contained until soaked into the polenta.) A sprinkle of fresh parsley over the top would have been ideal as well. a)

b)

White Bean and Kale Soup

The Lacy Kitchen has recently reopened for business after a small renovation project has been completed. I decided to step up my cooking digs a little bit as we settle into our new home. We've upgraded counter tops, added some cabinetry, created bar seating and plans to change out lighting and tile the backsplash are currently under way. Unfortunately changing counter tops requires that plumbing be disconnected for 12 days hence the lack of Accidental Syrup posting activity... Now the oppressively hot days of July/August might not have you in the mood for soup- but for some reason, it sounded like a yummy way to use up some delicious summer veggies. John was on call and I had the evening to myself to putz in my new kitchen.... Ingredients: 3 tablespoons of olive oil 2 Adelle's Organic Italian style Chicken Sausage links (any Italian style or smoked sausage would do) - cut into small cubes 1/2 a large Vidalia onion- chopped 2 large cloves of garlic- grated 1/2 of a red bell pepper- chopped 2 ribs of celery- chopped 2 carrots- peeled, halved and cut into small pieces 1 bunch of kale-inner ribs removed and leaves torn into pieces 4 springs of fresh thyme- leaves removed 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes 1 small zucchini- diced 1- 15 oz cans of Cannelinni beans- drained and rinsed 1 tablespoon soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper 1- 23oz carton of low sodium Vegetable Stock 2-3 cups of water There is something almost therapeutic about making soup... the prepping of all of the ingredients, layering them into the pot just so to ensure everything cooks evenly, and then patiently waiting for all of the flavors to marry together. There is lots of tasting and seasoning, tasting and re-seasoning... searching for that little something that might be missing. There is no fine science and the chances of making a soup exactly the same way twice are slim. I started with the olive oil over medium heat in a large heavy bottomed pot and then added the sausage and onion simultaneously. The sausage is already cooked through so I was really just trying to sweat some of the spicy savory flavor out of the sausage, browning it slightly as the onions softened to translucent. After about 5 minutes, I grated the garlic in with a rasp and then added the celery, peppers and carrots, thyme, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. I tossed it all together and let the veggies soften a few minutes while I rinsed the kale thoroughly. I then tore the kale into pieces- tossing them into the pot as I went. I tossed it all together and cooked 2-3 minutes until the kale was bright green and slightly wilted. I then added the stock, soy, water, and beans. I turned the heat up to medium-high and brought everything to a boil. After 5-10 minutes, I added the zucchini and let simmer at a low boil for another 5-10 minutes. As soon as the carrots and zucchini were tender, I turned the heat down to medium low and cooked 10-15 minutes more to be sure the beans and veggies soaked in lots of flavor, creating a more flavorful broth. I enjoyed the soup, doused generously in freshly grated parmesan cheese, alongside a simple salad of arugula and fresh radishes dressed with a quick lemon vinaigrette: Juice from half a lemon 1 teaspoon of red wine vinegar 2 tablespoons of olive oil 1/2 teaspoon of dijon vinegar (add a pinch of sugar if you don't like it really tart.. I do.) Light and healthy - hearty and delicious. Lots of left overs for the week. I actually froze 1/3 of the pot in an airtight tupperware container to enjoy another lazy day soon. Fall is just around the corner!