Guo Tie

Who doesn't love a potsticker? We had to make some. This makes a ridiculous amount of filling so either get more wrappers or throw it in with some fried rice. The dipping sauce is the base we used. I know we added a lot of other stuff to it. Go crazy and make it to taste.

Guo Tie and Dipping Sauce via Traditional Chinese Recipes:

Makes so many (at least 20)

1 lb. ground pork

1 lb. napa cabbage

2 green onions, white and green portion minced

1 Tb. minced ginger

1 Tb. Shao Xing rice wine or dry sherry

2 Tb. sesame oil

1 Tb. soy sauce

1 tsp. salt, to taste.

1 Tb. cornstarch

¼ to ¾ c. chicken or pork stock

At least 20 gyoza wrappers

Dipping Sauce:

½ c. soy sauce

¼ c. sweet soy

2 Tb. Shao Xing wine or dry sherry

2 Tb. rice vinegar, or Qing Kiang vinegar

1½ Tb. finely minced ginger, steeped in ¼ c. hot water for 30 min.

Make the dipping sauce first. Mix all of the ingredients together plus whatever fun stuff you come up with and set aside.

Separate cabbage leaves and blanch in boiling water for about two and a half minutes. Allow to cool. Wring out the water from the blanched cabbage using a kitchen towel, and chop to 1/4" to 1/2" pieces. Mix this together with meat and all remaining filling ingredients, adding cornstarch last. Add chicken or pork stock slowly as you mix the filling in one direction. Continue adding stock until mixture is visibly wet and "sloppy." If you've overdone the addition of liquid, and the filling is impossible to handle when making the dumpling, add more cornstarch to firm it up. Keep in mind that the filling will firm up when it is refrigerated. Covered, the filling can be refrigerated for up to five days. When you are ready to fill the dumplings, make one and boil it to test the flavor and texture, and making any adjustments at that time.

Moisten the edge of a wrapper all the way around with water, then using a spoon or chopsticks, place approximately a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Fold the skin, and before the edges touch, grasp them with your right thumb and index finger, and beginning at the fold, pleat the outside edge, guiding the dough with your left fingers and press it to the inside. As you do this from right to left, you will create a dumpling, which, when set aside on a piece of parchment paper or floured board, will form a flat side perfect for browning when making potstickers. With a little practice, this process will become second nature.

Pre-heat a flat bottomed, well-seasoned pan or skillet on medium heat; add peanut oil to a depth of approximately 1/16 inch. Arrange guo tie close together with the flat side of the dumpling in the oil. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes; after a couple of minutes, lift one or two of the dumplings to see how the browning is progressing. Add water to a depth of about 1/8”—be careful, this will spatter. Cover again and turn heat down to low or medium low, for about 4 minutes. After the potstickers are well steamed, uncover and cook for another two minutes, to evaporate any remaining water and to re-crisp the dumplings. Remove dumplings to a platter, and serve with browned sides facing up.

Like with frozen potstickers, these stuck to the pan. It's a matter of getting them before all the oil is absorbed into the potsticker itself. The timing might be hard, but the food is delicious. Made all the better when you have a unicorn friend to hang out with your dumplings.

I saved the best for last. Check out the amazing bao we made tomorrow.

Siu Mai

Somewhere, about 50 billion years, Kirsten and I really wanted to have a dumpling day. The main goal was bao, but first I wanted to share the two other dumplings we made. Siu mai is something I go nuts over at dim sum restaurants. As you'll see below, we definitely did not have the deft skill to perfectly seal these delicate dumplings like you see at dim sum places, but they were tasty nonetheless.

Siu Mai slightly modified via About Chinese Food:

Makes about 20 dumplings

6 oz. peeled deveined large shrimp

1 green onion

1 tsp. minced ginger

¾ c. ground pork

1 Tb. oyster sauce

1 tsp. Chinese rice wine or dry sherry

1 tsp. sesame oil

½ tsp. granulated sugar

About 20 gyoza wrappers

Soak the shrimp in warm, lightly salted water for 5 minutes. Pat dry. Mince the shrimp and green onion. Combine with the ginger and pork. Stir in the seasonings. Mix the filling ingredients thoroughly.

Lay a gyoza wrapper in front of you. Wet the edges. Put 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling in the middle, taking care not to get too close to the edges. Gather up the edges of the wrapper and gently pleat so that it forms a basket shape, with the top of the filling exposed.

Steam over boiling water until the filling is cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes.

These pair well with bao and the guo tie I'll post tomorrow. It's fun trying new things! Even with the not so great pleating, they were so good.

Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese and Lime Crema

I am the worst at blogging. This is an example. I meant to post this, after meaning to post it forever ago before that, almost a month ago. And these are really bad cell phone pictures, which aren't usually really bad, but these ones are. Believe me when I say this tastes a lot better than it looks here.

Baked Ranchero Eggs with Blistered Jack Cheese and Lime Crema via The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook:

Serves 4-6

1 jalapeno

3 c. whole tomatoes (from a 28 oz. can), fire roasted if possible

1 medium white onion, roughly chopped

1 large garlic clove, crushed and peeled

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

1¾ c. cooked black beans (or from a 15 oz. can), drained (optional)

2 Tb. olive oil

4 small (6 inch) corn tortillas

Salt, to taste

12 large eggs

1¼ c. coarsely shredded jack cheese

2 Tb. freshly squeezed lime juice, from about 1 lime

1 c. crema mexicana or sour cream

¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro

Halved in 9 inch skillet or quartered and baked in 1-quart gratin dish

Make ranchero sauce first. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. First, taste your jalapeno for heat. Adjust the amount accordingly, halving or quartering the pepper, if needed, and toss into a blender. I like it spicy, so I just went for the whole thing. Add the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and several pinches of salt and pepper, and blend until smooth. Pout into a 12-inch ovenproof skillet, add black beans, if using them, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes, or until it has reduced slightly.

Meanwhile, brush a baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Cut the tortillas into ½-inch-wide strips, and arrange them on the oiled tray. Brush the tops of the tortilla strips with the remaining tablespoon of oil, and sprinkle with salt. Bake for 3 to 6 minutes, or until they are brown and crisp. Mine are a little thicker, so it needed to bake a little longer, more like 10 minutes. Turn them over once if needed. Remove the strips from the oven, then preheat broiler.

In a separate bowl, stir together the lime juice, crema, and a pinch of salt.

Once the sauce has thickened slightly, remove the pan from heat, and break the eggs across the surface of the sauce, distributing them as evenly as possible. Return to heat, cover the pan, and simmer the eggs gently in the sauce for about 10 to 12 minutes, until the whites are nearly but not completely opaque. Sprinkle the surface of the tomato-egg mixture with cheese, and broil until the cheese is bubbly and a bit blistered, just a few minutes.

Garnish with dollops of lime crema, broken-up pieces of tortilla strips, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

I ended up overcooking the eggs a bit while trying to get the whites to set. It still tasted really good, but without that unctuous yolky flavor and mouthfeel. I would definitely make this again. The sauce is awesome and it makes enough for using on another dish later on.

30 Before 30: Sweet Onion Tapenade (#30)

What's faster than tapenade? This is just a little slower because of the onions, but it is very bold and perfect with cheese and wine and pickles.

I also used a tablespoon and a half of Thai fish sauce instead of the anchovy. Why? It's made from the first pressing of anchovies. Easier and always on hand.

Sweet Onion Tapenade via Ad Hoc at Home:

Makes about 1½ cups

3 Tb. canola oil

2 c. chopped red onions

1 salt-packed or oil-packed anchovy

¼ c. whole milk

1 c. pitted Kalamata olive, rinsed and drained

1 tsp. capers, rinsed and drained

1 medium garlic clove

¼ c. plus 2 Tb. extra virgin olive oil

Heat the canola oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Add the onions, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook slowly, adjusting the heat as necessary to keep the onions from coloring, for about 30 minutes, until very soft. Transfer to a food processor.

Meanwhile, soak the anchovy in the milk for 30 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Add the anchovy, olives, capers, garlic, and olive oil to the food processor and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary and blend, scraping down the sides as necessary, to a coarse puree.

Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 1 week.

Recipes Complete: 30

Recipes to Go: 0

You'd think that's it, but it was my 30^th birthday. So there are actually 2 more. I love to overdo it.

30 Before 30: Baked Asparagus and Prawns (Gamberi al Forno con gli Asparagi) (#25)

Well, I had a lot of shrimp. It was Alaskan and from one of my favorite families and it was delicious and now it's all gone.

I'm really liking the necessity of digging through my cookbooks and looking at new ways of cooking cuisines that I normally stay within my comfort zone when I cook them. This recipe is a great example. It's simple, but I'd normally just plop a lot of this stuff over pasta. The inspiration comes from a risotto Marcella Hazen had in Venice. I think if you took out the potatoes and went for a risotto, it would also be quite fantastic.

Also, Aaron cooked bacon and had me add it. It's always a good idea.

Baked Shrimp with Asparagus (Gamberi al Forno con gli Asparagi) via Marcella's Italian Kitchen:

Serves 6

2 lb. asparagus

Salt

2 lb. medium shrimp, in their shells

½ lb. potatoes

2/3 c. onion

5 Tb. butter

1 Tb. vegetable oil

¼ c. heavy cream

½ c. freshly grated Parmesan, plus 2 Tb. for topping

Black pepper in a grinder

Trim the asparagus, cutting off 1 inch or more of the hard root end and peeling away the tough green skin from the lower half of the stalk. I personally ascribe to the snapping asparagus school, so do what you normally do to prep it. Wash asparagus thoroughly in 1 or 2 changes of cold water.

Choose a shallow pan that can accommodate all the asparagus lying flat. Pour in about 2 inches of water and bring it to a boil over medium-high heat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt and, when the water resumes boiling, slip in the asparagus and cover the pan. Cook for just a few minutes – depending on the freshness and thickness of the vegetable – until the asparagus is barely tender, but still firm to the bite. Drain and set aside to cool. When the asparagus has cooled, cut it into pieces 1½ inches long.

Shell the shrimp, remove the dark vein just below the surface of their backs, and wash them in cold water. Pat thoroughly dry with kitchen towels.

Wash the potatoes and boil them, unpeeled, in abundant water. When they are done, drain them, peel them, and pass them through a food mill or potato ricer. Though I'm sure it would drive Hazen crazy, I don't have either of those, so I mashed them with a potato masher. Not a big deal when you see how they are used. Put your potatoes in a bowl large enough to accommodate all the other ingredients later.

Turn the oven to 450 degrees.

In a medium saucepan put the chopped onions, 3 tablespoons of the butter, and the vegetable oil and turn on the heat to medium. Saute the onion until it becomes colored a deep gold of even very lightly brown. Add the asparagus, turn up the heat to high, and saute the asparagus, turning them constantly, for 3 to 4 minutes.

Transfer the asparagus with all the pan juices to the bowl containing the potatoes. Add the cream, ½ cup of grated cheese, salt, liberal grinding of pepper, and the shrimp. Toss thoroughly. Choose a 12-by-9-inch oven-to-table baking dish. Smear the bottom with a little butter. Pour into it all the contents of the bowl, leveling with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with 2 tablespoons of grated cheese, and dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter.

Bake in the uppermost level of the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the thickness of the shrimp. After removing the dish from the oven, allow it to settle for 5 minutes before serving.

This is an easy recipe to break into smaller steps and comes together relatively quickly. Make sure you have some crusty bread to go with this.

Recipes Complete: 25

Recipes to Go: 5 

30 Before 30: Celery Root with Melted Onions (#19)

One thing that has been great about this challenge is using my cookbooks to help me out with some of the seemingly random contents of my CSA. Celery root, or celeriac, is something I know about (thanks Chopped), but have never used. Now that I've made this, I'm totally down with it. This would be a perfect addition to any fall or winter meal, especially around the holidays.

Celery Root with Melted Onions via Ad Hoc at Home:

Serves 6

4 large celery root (about 4 lb. Total)

8 Tb. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 Tb. thyme leaves\

4 cloves garlic crushed, skin left on

1 c. melted onions

½ c. chicken or veggie stock, plus more if needed

Cut off the top and bottom of each celery root. Stand each one up on a cut side and cut off the skin in strips, from top to bottom, working around the celery root. Quarter each one lengthwise and then, with a Japanese mandoline or knife (or food processor with a slicing attachment, like I did), cut crosswise into thin slices.

Heat two large saute pans over high heat until hot. Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to each pan, the pull the pans off the heat and let butter brown. Add one-quarter of the celery root to each and cook over medium heat for 1 minute, without stirring. Add one-quarter of the thyme and 1 garlic clove to each pan and cook, stirring from time to time, until the celery root is tender throughout, 9 to 10 minutes total cooking time. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Drain the celery root on paper towels. Pour off any excess fat from the pans (and remove any thyme); discard the garlic cloves. Repeat with the remaining celery root.

Add the melted onions to one of the pans and cook to give them a little color, about 3 minutes. Drain the onions to remove the excess fat, and return them to the pan. Add the celery root, stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper as needed. Increase the heat to high and swirl in ½ cup stock. Bring to a simmer, adding additional stock or water if needed to create a creamy dish. Transfer to a serving bowl.

Celery root tastes like a cross between super intense celery and a potato. I really enjoyed this dish, especially paired with Aaron's pork chops.

Recipes Complete: 19

Recipes to Go: 11

30 Before 30: Melted Onions (#18)

Thomas Keller really emphasizes the importance of basics and this importance really can't be overstated. These melted onions were an essential component of the next post and because of that I decided to give them their own post. These work well for sandwiches, added into sauces or salads, or as something to snack on while you're working on the rest of the meal (hmm, what?, who does that?).

Melted Onions via Ad Hoc at Home:

Makes 2 cups

8 c. sliced onions (about 3 large onions)

Kosher salt

8 Tb. unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces

1 sachet (1 bay leaf, 3 thyme leaves, 10 black peppercorns, 1 garlic clove, smashed and peeled)

Lay out a 7-inch square of cheesecloth. Put the bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and garlic near the bottom of the square and fold the bottom edge up and over them. Roll once, tuck in the two ends of the cheesecloth, and continue to roll. Tie the cheesecloth at both ends with kitchen twine.

Put the onions in a large saute pan, set over medium-low heat, sprinkle with 2 generous pinches of salt, and cook, stirring from time to time, for about 20 minutes, until the onions have released much of their liquid.

Stir in the butter, add the sachet, cover, and cook slowly over low to medium-low heat for another 30 to 35 minutes. The onions should look creamy at all times; if the butter separates, or the pan looks dry before the onions are done, add a bit of cold water and stir well to re-emulsify the butter. The onions should be meltingly tender but not falling apart or mushy. Season to taste with salt.

Once cooled, the onions can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

These would be perfect with day after Thanksgiving sandwiches and they are so wonderful with an interesting side dish as you'll see in the next post.

Recipes Complete: 18

Recipes to Go: 12

30 Before 30: Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage (#11)

Midweek dinners are one of the hardest ones to throw together based on ingredients in the fridge and a cookbook collection. Fortunately I have a cookbook dedicated entirely to pasta. Pasta is designed for midweek oh my gosh we need dinner now moments.

If you're looking for fantastic sausage, check out the meat counters at New Seasons or Sheridan's.

PS: Passata is crushed tomatoes. I had to look it up too.

Rigatoni with Spicy Sausage via Pasta:

1 lb. fresh spicy Italian sausage

2 Tb. olive oil

1 onion, chopped

1¾ c. passata

2/3 c. dry red wine

6 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained

1 lb. rigatoni or similar pasta

Salt and ground black pepper

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, to serve

Squeeze the sausages out of their skins into a bowl and break up the meat (or buy it bulk).

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan and add the onion. Cook for 5 minutes until soft and golden. Stir in the sausage meat, browning it all over and breaking up the lumps with a wooden spoon. Pour in the passata and the wine. Bring to a boil.

Slice the sun-dried tomatoes and add to the sauce. Simmer for 3 minutes until reduced, stirring occasionally. Season.

Cook the pasta in plenty of boiling salted water according to the instructions on the packet. Drain well and top with the sauce. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Quick and wonderful. Make sure you have a crusty bread to go with this one or maybe some bruschetta? That's coming up.

Recipes Complete: 11

Recipes to Go: 19

30 Before 30: Leek and Golden Potato Soup (#9)

Want to know something strange? The only potato leek soup recipe I could find in my cookbooks was from my Weight Watchers Cookbook (yeah, I know). Seriously? Since I had a leek and potato leek soup was going to happen, I did it. It is instances like this that make you really appreciate the Internet. Was it the worst soup ever? No. Was it super boring? Yup. This is an interesting part of my challenge – posting boring stuff and failures. I often just skip those until I either a) find a better way to do it or b) forget it ever happened.

I know that because this is Weight Watchers, they want you to buy the broth to insure that it is fat free and low sodium. Make your own. It's really easy and you can better control the salt that way. As for fat, there's usually not a lot in my chicken or veggie stocks, but I don't measure it because homemade tastes better than store bought every time and I don't care! Okay, moving on.

So here it is in case you feel like using this as a base for a better soup.

Leek and Golden Potato Soup via Weight Watchers Cookbook:

Makes 6 servings

4 Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces

4 large leeks, about 2½ lb., white and pale-green parts only, cleaned and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

5 c. fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth

¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Combine the potatoes, leeks, onion, broth, and pepper in a large pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the vegetables are tender, 22-25 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 10 minutes.

Transfer the mixture to a blender and puree, working in batches, if necessary, to prevent overflow.

Eat it and like the biscuits you made more. Add more salt and pepper and still find it incredibly boring. Adding herbs of any kind would vastly improve this dud of a soup. Or dairy, though it is pretty creamy on its own.

Good base. Boring soup. If you improve on it, let me know.

Recipes Complete: 9

Recipes to Go: 21

30 Before 30: Mustard and Bourbon-Glazed Pot Roast (#7)

If you want to talk about adventures in cooking, making a pot roast was, for me, a great adventure. I've never really cooked beef before, especially a big hunk like that. Give me some fish or chicken or most seafood and I've got it. Ground meats? Okay. But a big piece of chuck? That was a totally new one on me. Aaron went through his Great Meat Cookbook (greatest birthday present ever? It's in the running at least) and when he found this one, he told me I was making it during my challenge month. And you know what? It turned out just fine.

Of course it was extra confusing for my first big meat adventure because you need to use the cooking instructions from a different recipe if you're not grilling. The directions below are for braising in the oven. Fortunately it sounded much more complicated than it ended up being. Give it a shot. If I can do it, you can too.

Mustard and Bourbon-Glazed Pot Roast via The Great Meat Cookbook:

Serves 6 with leftovers

Mustard-Spice Rub-

2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 tsp. dry mustard powder

2 tsp. paprika or California chile powder

2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. salt

Mustard Glaze-

¼ c. Dijon mustard

2 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1 4 lb. boneless chuck-eye roast, tied, or 4 lb. Flat-cut brisket

½ c. homemade beef stock, canned low-sodium chicken broth, or water, plus more if needed

½ c. bourbon

2 tsp. unsulfured molasses

1 Tb. Coarse-grain mustard

2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced, about 4 c.

4 garlic cloves, peeled

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

To make the rub, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. If using brisket, to keep its flat shape and ensure that it does not break apart during cooking, tie several loops of butcher's twine around the diameter and length of the roast. Sprinkle the rub generously over both sides of the roast. If time allows, wrap the roast in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

In a cast iron skillet, sear the roast over medium high heat until nicely browned, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer the roast to a large Dutch oven. Whisk together stock, bourbon, molasses, and mustard in a small bowl and pour over the meat. Scatter the onions and garlic on top. Cover, place in oven, and cook for 1 hour.

Turn over the roast so that the onions are now on the bottom, and add more stock or water if needed. Continue to cook, uncovered, for 1 hour, checking every 20 to 30 minutes to make sure there is still liquid in the pot and to stir the onions so that they brown evenly; add more stock or water if needed.

Replace the lid on the pot and cook for 1 hour more if using chuck, 1½ to 2 hours if using brisket, or until the meat is tender; check every 30 minutes. For best results, let cool, then remove the meat, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight; refrigerate sauce separately. I did the initial refrigeration, but not this one.

If not refrigerating, remove the meat from the cooking liquid. Scrape any onions adhering to the meat into the cooking liquid. Remove the twine and pat the meat dry. Discard the fat from the cooking liquid.

Make the glaze by combining ¼ cup of the cooking liquid and onions, the mustard, and rosemary in a food processor or a blender and puree. Brush some glaze over one side of the meat and place glaze side down in a pan heated over medium heat. Brush the top of the roast with more glaze. When the glaze turns brown, turn over the meat and brown the other side.

Meanwhile, reheat the cooking liquid (if need be. Mine was still hot) and season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove the twine if necessary, slice the meat into ½-inch-thick slices, ladle over the cooking liquid, and serve.

This was pretty good for my first attempt. I did overcook the meat a little, but that was also because we did a half size roast and it could have used maybe 30 minutes less braising time. However, the sauce was amazing and if I had done the second refrigeration, this would be a very easy midweek meal.

Recipes Complete: 7

Recipes to Go: 23

30 Before 30: Saffron Rice (#2)

I needed something to go with my salmonmeuniere and when it comes to fish dinners, rice is usually the answer. Again I used this 30 before 30 challenge to do something other than just rice. I grabbed Ad Hoc at Home (and with the meuniere, I had my two largest cookbooks in the kitchen at once) and tapped into the genius that is Thomas Keller. This rice is basically paella without the rest and tasted amazing with the salmon. I used homemade chicken stock, but you can easily use veggie stock and make this vegetarian or vegan. It tastes great the next day too.

Saffron Rice via Ad Hoc at Home:

Serves 6

1/4 c. canola oil

3/4 c. finely chopped onion, cut just smaller than a grain of cooked rice

Kosher salt

1 tsp. saffron threads

2 c. short-grain rice

2 3/4- 3 1/2 c. chicken or vegetable stock

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium heat until hot. Add the one and season with a sprinkling of salt. Reduce the heat and cook gently for 3 minutes. Add the saffron. Reduce the heat to very low and cook for another 2 minutes. Do not brown the onions and saffron. Add the rice and cook over medium heat, stirring often, to toast the rice for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add 2 1/2 cups of the stock, stir once, scraping the side of the pan if necessary and cover. Bring the stock to a simmer and simmer, adjusting the heat as necessary, for about 8 minutes, until most of the stock is absorbed. Taste the rice and, if necessary, continue cooking, adding up to 3/4 cup more stock 1/4 cup at a time, as necessary, until the rice is almost tender and the final addition of liquid is almost absorbed. Turn the heat to low to allow the rice to absorb the remaining liquid, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and serve hot.

Simple, delicious, and a little different.

Recipes Complete: 2

Recipes to Go: 28

Basil Vinaigrette

Basil. Delicious. Herbaceous. Sometimes going limp in your refrigerator. If you’ve got a lot of basil, this recipe might be just what you need. It’s fast and fantastic with meats and salads. I like it enough to go buy basil. I didn’t have a shallot at the time, so you’ll see my substitution below.

Basil Vinaigrette from Simply Recipes:

Makes about 1 cup

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 Tb. chopped onion

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. sugar

½ c. roughly chopped basil leaves

¼ c. white wine vinegar

¾ c. olive oil

Place the salt, sugar, mustard, garlic, onion, and basil in a food processor. Pulse several times to combine. Scrape the sides of the blender down with a spatula. Add the vinegar and pulse again.

Turn the processor on low and take off the cap in the center of the lid. Slowly pour in the olive oil. It may sputter a little out of the open cap, so hold your hand over it to minimize splashing. When the olive oil is incorporated, turn off the blender and scrape the sides down one more time. Cover and purée everything for 1-2 minutes.

It’s great with a summer green salad and also dynamite with grilled chicken because of its pesto-esque flavor. It will keep in the fridge for about a week.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

My friend Patrice and her now husband make some pretty tasty things. I’ve featured her loveliness on the blog before and this is another one that I’ve had saved in my reader for forever. Other than cooking the onions, this is a low heat recipe – perfect for the hot days of summer to typical Alaskan days.

Caramelized Onion Hummus from The Fantastic Mr. Feedbag:

 1 large medium onion, chopped

3 Tbsp. olive oil

1 tsp. honey

4 to 5 garlic cloves, halved

1 can of garbanzo beans (rinsed & drained) or around 2½ c. soaked & cooked

2 Tbsp. tahini

1 lemon, juiced

¼ c. of olive oil

2¼ Tb. plain yogurt

Sea salt & pepper to taste

1 Tb. Aleppo pepper for topping

Heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add chopped onions and honey stir and cook for 10 minutes. Add garlic and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring often. Remove onion, garlic, honey combo and let cool.

While onion mixture is cooling use a food processor to combine the rest of the ingredients. Add more olive oil or water for a creamier texture.  Add onion, garlic, honey mixture to bean mixture and process until smooth. Let it hang in the fridge for a couple of hours to cool and get even more delicious.

This is the creamiest, best tasting hummus I’ve ever had or made. I recommend it and not just because it came from a loving household.

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables

Not too long ago I managed to get a copy of Thomas Keller’s Ad Hoc at Home for super cheap at Title Wave. Even though the weather has been warm (and then cold and then warm), chicken recipes, especially Thomas Keller’s chicken recipes, make for great weekend dinners. That’s why this Saturday and next Saturday I will be posting two recipes Aaron and I have made recently from Ad Hoc. They are good meals to share with family and friends and I’m excited to master them in the future.

Today is all about roasted chicken. Try to get one as close to the size listed below to match the roasting time. And nothing is better than a good meat thermometer. We like to get many of our meats from New Seasons because they specialize in ethically and locally raised animals. If it is available and affordable to you, why spend the time making a wonderful family meal based around sad, hormone laden chicken?

The root veggie part is great because you can use whatever it is you have available to you. I’m listing below what is in the recipe itself, but I’ll mention here that we used sweet potatoes, Yukon gold potatoes, leeks, an onion, and carrots. Use what you like because it’s your dinner. This is a long process, so make sure you give yourself plenty of time for prep and cooking.

Roasted Chicken with Root Vegetables from Ad Hoc at Home:

One 4-4½ lb. chicken

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

6 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled

6 thyme sprigs

2 large leeks

2 tennis ball sized rutabagas

2 tennis ball sized turnips

4 medium carrots, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half

1 small yellow onion, trimmed, leaving root end intact, and cut into quarters

8 small red-skinned potatoes

1/3 c. canola oil

4 Tb. unsalted butter, room temperature

Remove the chicken from the refrigerator and let stand at room temperature for 1½-2 hours, or until it comes to room temperature.

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.

Remove the neck and innards if they are still in the cavity of the chicken. Using a paring knife, cut out the wishbone from the chicken for easier carving later. Generously season the cavity of the chicken with salt and pepper, add 3 of the garlic cloves and 5 sprigs of thyme, and massage (yeah, I know) the inside of the bird to infuse it with the flavors. Truss the chicken.

Cut off the dark green leaves from the top of the leeks. Trim off and discard any darkened outer layers. Trim the root ends, cutting around them on a 45-degree angle. Slit the leeks lengthwise almost in half, starting ½” above the root ends. Rinse the leeks well under warm water.

Cut off both ends of the rutabagas. Stand them on end and cut away the skin, working from the top to the bottom and removing any tough outer layers. Cut into ¾” wedges. Repeat with the turnips, cutting into wedges to match the size of the rutabagas.

Combine all of the vegetables and the remaining garlic cloves and thyme sprig in a large bowl. Toss with ¼ cup of the oil and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables in a large cast iron skillet or a roasting pan.

Rub the remaining oil all over the chicken. Season generously with salt and pepper. Make a nest in the center of the vegetables and nestle the chicken in it. Cut the butter into 4 or 5 pieces and place over the chicken breast. Put the chicken in the oven and roast for 25 minutes. Reduce the heat to 400 and roast for an additional 45 minutes, or until the temperature registers 160 in the meatiest portions of the bird (the thigh and under the breast where the thigh meets the breast) and the juices run clear. If necessary, return the bird to the move for more roasting and check every 5 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 20 minutes. Just before serving, set the pan of vegetables over medium heat and reheat the vegetables, turning them and glazing them with the pan juice. Cut the chicken into serving pieces, arrange over vegetables and serve.

Obviously not a warm weather dish, but it is perfect when the temperature dips. The taste is incredible and it just feels so homey and warm. Give it a shot when putting your oven on doesn’t sound like the worst idea ever.

Aaron's Cheesesteak

My food habits have changed quite a bit over the last few years. I eat all sorts of meat now and have started to venture into new meat territory. Well, new to me. So when Aaron suggested he make some cheesesteaks because the meat is really thin and I like everything else about them, I said okay. I’m glad I did because these are wonderful. This makes enough for two very hungry people and three regularly hungry people. All of this stuff saves well, so if you make a bunch for yourself, you can have sandwiches for a couple of days. No biggie.

Aaron’s Cheesesteak:

12 oz. thinly sliced steak

½ onion, sliced

½ - 1 green pepper, sliced

Olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

Flour

Butter

Milk

Cheddar cheese, grated

Mayo

4-6 garlic cloves

Kosher salt

Even more pepper

2-3 French rolls (depending on how hungry you are)

To make the garlic mayo, smash the garlic cloves with some salt a la the fried lemon recipe. Mix in with some mayo.  Add some freshly cracked pepper. Set aside.

Coat onion and peppers in olive oil and cook in a large cast iron or other heavy bottomed pan over medium heat until soft. To prepare the steak, season liberally with salt and pepper. Add to onion and pepper mixture and cook until browned. Turn heat to low while you prepare the cheese sauce.

The cheese sauce is easy and just like this one for mac and cheese. Make a roux with a knob of butter and some flour and cook until lightly browned. Slowly add in some cold milk and mix until a good consistency. Add in some grated cheese until it looks cheesy enough (is it ever?) Add some pepper and salt if you’re so inclined (I usually am).

Spread some mayo on the French rolls. Fill with meat, pepper, and onions. Cover in cheese sauce. Eat over a plate because these bad boys are messy. And really, really satisfying. 

Pimento Cheese

Hey, remember how a couple of weeks ago I said I was really busy? Yup, still busy. So is Kirsten, but somehow we managed to make some amazing food together during this crazy time (she also managed to already blog about it). It was so good that we are going to try another version of it. When we have free time. If we ever have free time again.

Anyway, this stuff is ridiculous and it is based on a story. Once upon a time, Kirst and I were classmates only and not friends (yet). And then one night out after class, we started talking about food. A lot. And then we started working together and then we started going to this place after working for pimento cheese dip and cocktails. It is a tradition that sadly we cannot participate in much anymore, but a good one regardless. Shortly after we started this, we thought that we should try to make our own. So this dip, ladies and gents, was a long time in the making. And we finally did it. And it is so good and you should make it too.

Pimento Cheese modified from Like Mother Like Daughters:

Makes enough to share

4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 c. cheddar cheese, grated (we went for sharp. Tillamook, ya heard?)
2 Tb. mayonnaise
2 tsp. red wine vinegar
4 oz. canned pimentos, drained
1 small onion, grated (we had to sub in rehydrated dried onion due to a complete lack of onion in my house, which is weird)
4 cloves of garlic, worked into a paste with kosher salt (kind of like what I did way back when)
½ tsp. smoked paprika
Hot sauce, to taste (Frank's Red Hot  was our choice)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Crackers for the snacking

Mix the red wine vinegar and the pimentos together. Mix remaining ingredients together and add red pepper mixture. Taste and adjust seasoning. Cover and refrigerate before serving to blend flavors. We managed to wait all of maybe 45 minutes before digging in and it was wonderful. The next day, though, I got a text from Kirst and she had eaten some of her portion and it was even better. I was already snacking away and it really is. So if you can help it, make this the night before or early in the day and go do something else and then eat it. It's worth the wait.

Balsamic Vinaigrette with Grilled Salad

I love salad and I eat it all the time. It got a lot easier when Aaron discovered how much he loves balsamic. As much as I love salad, I do basically the same thing every time. I decided to go slightly out of the box with this one and make a dressing and grill some veggies.

Balsamic Vinaigrette with Grilled Salad:

For the vinaigrette-

¼ c. balsamic

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 small sprigs lemon thyme

Fresh ground pepper and salt to taste

Juice for ½ lemon

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil

For the salad-

Arugula

Lettuce (romaine, butter, red leaf)

Broccoli

Carrots

Green onion

Peppers

To make the vinaigrette, mix all of the ingredients together until well blended. Set aside.

For the salad, grill the broccoli, carrots, green onion, and peppers until slightly charred. Add the grilled veggies to a salad bowl with arugula and lettuce. Toss in vinaigrette. I added goat cheese and cherry tomatoes to mine.

It’s a quick and easy way to jazz up your salad.

Grilled Pizza

Today is the unofficial end of summer and I’ve decided to wrap it up with a week of grilled recipes that I haven’t posted yet. First up: grilled pizza. Obviously I love pizza and doing it a different way is fun.

Grilled Pizza:

½  recipe of pizza dough

Olive oil

Tomato-basil puree

Garlic, minced

Basil

Tomatoes

Mozzarella cheese, grated and sliced

Sausage, cooked

Grilled onions

Make your dough and roll out your pizzas. A full recipe can get your three good size pizzas for grilling. You want a smaller pizza so it cooks through well. Preheat your grill.

Oil the top of your dough, flip it over, and slide it onto the grill over medium-high heat. Grill until the bottom is cooked (it should have grill marks at this point). Oil the top and flip it over on the unheated side of the grill and quickly top it. Use a light touch with the sauces. We used the tomato-basil puree on two and just olive oil on one. Go light on the toppings too. You want it to cook through quickly.

Slide it back over the flames until the cheese is melted, your toppings are heated through, and the bottom side is cooked.

We had three pizzas. One was classic margarita: tomato, whole basil leaves, and mozzarella. The other was similar: tomato, basil, mozzarella, grilled onion, and garlic on an olive oil base. The last one was tomato sauce, grilled sausage, mozzarella, and basil.

There are a few moments of wondering if you can get it all together, but the results are so worth it. It would work well as an appetizer at a barbecue or just as a meal, which is what we did. If the weather is still nice where you are, I recommend doing this. It’s usually nice in Portland through September, so I think this will be happening again. Who says Labor Day is the end of summer?

Real French Onion Dip

Sometime last month Aaron and I were invited to a late night barbeque. As is always the case, we asked what we could bring. The reply was French onion dip. Not being one who likes to purchase when I can make for potlucks, I was ready to tackle it even with not much time prior to the event.

I had saved a recipe just for an occasion such as this and I was very pleased with the results. This is best made a day ahead of time, but it can work well even a few hours ahead. I made a half recipe of the original, but I am posting the full one below. Either way it's easy and worth your time as it is so much better than the stuff you get at the store. Promise.

Real French Onion Dip from Serious Eats:

Makes about 2 cups

2 tsp. sugar

3 large yellow onions, finely diced (about 1 qt.)

1 Tb. butter

¼ tsp. baking soda

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ c. water

¾ c. sour cream

½ c. mayonnaise

1 tsp. lemon juice

½ tsp. Worcestershire sauce

½ oz. finely grated Parmesan cheese

1 Tb. finely sliced chives (I used green onion since I had it on hand)

Heat sugar in a 12” stainless-steel skillet over medium-high heat until completely melted and light brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add onions and stir with wooden spoon to coat onions in sugar. Add butter, baking soda, 1 teaspoon salt, and a few grinds black pepper. Toss to combine. Cook, shaking pan occasionally until onions release all their liquid and brown coating builds up on bottom of pan, 6 to 8 minutes.

Add 2 tablespoons water shake pan while scraping with wooden spoon to deglaze brown bits from bottom of pan. Continue cooking, shaking occasionally until coating begins to build up again, 3 to 5 minutes. Repeat deglazing and cooking steps three more times until all water is used up and onions are deep brown. Transfer to medium mixing bowl and allow to rest at room temperature for 5 minutes.

Add sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parmesan, and Worcestershire and whisk to combine. For smoother texture, run through blender or food processor. I did not do this step as I felt it was fairly smooth on its own. Chill in a sealed container for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days (flavor will improve with time). Spoon into a bowl, sprinkle with chives, and serve with chips.

This was a big hit and went well with the burgers and other snacks.