A Plateful of Spring

For years now, at least since the early '90s, I've been making the same dinner every year on the first day of spring. I do salmon patties, new potatoes boiled and slathered in butter before being sprinkled with snippets of fresh dill, and steamed asparagus stalks with lemon or lime juice mixed with melted butter for dipping. Jeannene says spring has not sprung in our house until I've made this dinner. This year on the first day of spring, I was enjoying a yummy chicken casserole at a Lenten dinner at work and Jeannene was in Michigan for her job. So, we were late celebrating. That's okay, the spring weather is late, too, with a big snowstorm on its way.

Springtime Salmon Patties

14 oz. can salmon, drained & flaked
1 sleeve of saltines, crushed
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
A healthy splash of Worcestershire sauce
1/4-1/2 c. oil

Mix everything but the oil. Form into patties (it'll make 4-5). Heat oil in a skillet and fry patties until they are browned on both sides. I like mayonnaise or tartar sauce on mine, but ketchup or cocktail sauce would also be good, if you like those better.

Boeuf Bourguignon, Simplified

Our church has a lovely tradition called Dinners for 8, a collection of dinner parties scattered across the congregation, the purpose of which is for people to enjoy one another's company and get to know one another better. I love attending. It's one of my favorite things. However, given the 4 late nights I worked last week and the upcoming Holy Week, combined with an early Saturday work morning at Breakfast with the Bunny (we like to eat), I knew I would be too fried to stay in town all day. So, I made the wise decision to skip this dinner I'd so been looking forward to attending. However, I'd promised a parishioner that if she & her husband hosted, I would cook. I wasn't about to break that promise, so I made 2 pots of boeuf bourguignon Friday night. One was for Dinners for 8, one for our own Saturday supper. It turned out wonderfully! I served ours over mashed potatoes, while the church diners got noodles for theirs. My recipe is based upon one from Ina Garten's wonderful "Barefoot in Paris" cookbook. I may have posted this recipe before---It's my go-to recipe for entertaining and also one Jeannene likes for her birthday---so forgive me, if so. This serves 6-8 & is best the next day.

Boeuf Bourguignon, Simplified

1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 lb. bacon, diced
2 1/2 lbs. sirloin steak, cut in 1" cubes
Salt & pepper
1 lb. baby carrots
2 onions, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c. cognac or good brandy
1 bottle good dry red wine (I used a nice Malbec last night)
2-2 1/2 c. beef stock
1 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tsp. or so fresh thyme
1/2 stick butter, room temp
3 tbsp. flour
1 lb. frozen pearl onions, thawed
1 lb. mushrooms, thickly sliced

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Heat oil in large Dutch oven (or oven-safe pot---I just treated myself to a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven and it's perfect). Add bacon and cook 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Remove to plate. Pat beef cubes dry, then salt & pepper them. Sear, in single layers, in hot oil 3-5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove to plate with bacon. Cook carrots, onion slices, 1 tbsp. salt, 2 tsp. pepper in bacon grease and oil in pan, 10-12 minutes, until onions are brown. Add garlic & cook another minute. Add cognac, stand back (not kidding!), ignite, and allow flames to die down on their own. Return meat to pot. Add wine, plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Stir in tomato paste & thyme. Bring to boil, cover with tight-fitting lid, and bake about an hour & 15 minutes, until everything is very tender. Remove from oven. Mix 2 tbsp. butter with flour, then stir into stew. Add pearl onions. Sauté mushrooms with 2 tbsp. butter about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. Add to stew. Bring to a boil, then simmer, uncovered, another 15 minutes. Adjust seasonings and serve over mashed potatoes or noodles or in a bowl with garlic-rubbed toast.

February 2013 Menus

Here are some of the things I plan to cook this month. It will be a lower cooking month than usual, with Valentine's & Mardi Gras dinners out, a weekend retreat, and Jeannene's birthday dinner possibly out, as well.

-Porcupine meatballs, broccoli stir-fry, fruit
-Cream of zucchini soup, sourdough, fruit
-Sour cream & herb burgers, garlic-rosemary potato wedges, corn
-Jambalaya pasta, macque choux, salad
-Ants climbing a tree (Chinese New Year potluck contribution)
-Chicken cordon bleu, scallion mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole
-Roast turkey breast, roasted root veggies, dilly beans
-Halibut/Grouper/Tilapia/Red Snapper with coriander-pepita butter, Greek pan-crushed potatoes, farmer's salad
-Picadillo chili dogs, crinkle fries, salad
-Herb-rubbed steak with olives provençale, Tuscan kale with raisins, potatoes & artichoke hearts with wine & coriander
-Fettucine Alfredo, grilled veggies, bruschetta with tomato & basil
-Turkey pepperoni Reubens
-Pasta frittata
-Chocolate chip brickle bars
-Pumpkin bread
-Banana bread
-Lacy Susans
-Popcorn balls
-Chocolate rum balls
-Chile-spiked wedding cakes
-Marshmallows
-Gingerbread butter

Swoony Vodka Sauce & Heart-y Salad

Jeannene's favorite things to eat are steak and pasta. Last week, I wanted to make a special dinner for her, so I went with Rachael Ray's vodka cream sauce on pipe rigate, with a salad starring romaine, hearts of palm, and artichoke hearts, and a loaf of Italian bread. At first, I was distressed over how thin the sauce looked, thinking I was going to end up with bland pasta and a puddle of sauce at the bottom of the pan. However, once I tossed the pasta with the sauce, it was vividly flavorful. I will definitely be making this one again! I ate the leftovers for lunch and dinner and lunch again last week, too. I am still not tired of them. The recipes come from her 30-Minute Meals 2, which is a great collection of entire meals, including dessert, that you can make easily after work. Lots of terrific ideas, from family dinners to romantic special occasion meals. Here's my adaptation:

Vodka Cream Pasta

1 tbsp. olive oil 28 oz. can whole tomatoes, crushed by hand

1 tbsp. butter Salt and pepper, to taste

3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 c. heavy cream

1 small onion, finely chopped 16 oz. small, shaped pasta (penne, pipe rigate, shells)

1 c. vodka 20 leaves basil, torn into bits

1 c. chicken stock

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook garlic & onions in oil and butter about 3-5 minutes. Add vodka and cook about 3 minutes, to reduce by half. Add stock and tomatoes, with their juice. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer. Season with salt & pepper, then allow to cook gently. Meanwhile, cook pasta until al dente. While everything's cooking, make your salad. Then, stir the cream into the sauce and heat through. Drain pasta and toss with sauce and basil leaves. Serves 4-6.

Heart-y Salad

1 heart of romaine, sliced thin horizontally 14 oz. quartered artichoke hearts, drained

A generous handful of torn basil leaves 4 oz. shaved pecorino or asiago (I used shredded. Don't.)

14 oz. salad-cut hearts of palm, drained Balsamic vinegar & olive oil

1/4 lb. prosciutto, torn into narrow strips Salt & pepper

Toss romaine with basil. Wrap hearts of palm in prosciutto. Add to romaine, along with artichoke hearts. Scatter cheese on top and drizzle with oil & vinegar. Season with salt & pepper. Serves 4-6.

My First Tagine

I have always thought it would be cool to have a tagine, but it seemed such a speciality piece of equipment that I never asked for one as a gift or bought myself one. However, for Christmas, Jeannene decided I should have one. I never spoke of my interest in a tagine to her until the day she, unbeknownst to me, bought it. We were out to dinner that night and I noticed a Moroccan-spiced salad on the menu. I expressed a desire to learn more about Moroccan cooking and mentioned the tagine. Jeannene later told me she'd been flabbergasted. She thought I'd somehow spotted my gift. But it was just one of those weird coincidences. The tagine, from World Market, came with a recipe, so that's the first thing I made. I served it with couscous and salad. Here's my adaptation:

Honey & Cardamom Chicken with Olives & Garbanzos

2 large chicken breasts, with skin and bones & a couple/few thighs
2 tbsp. cumin seeds
7 cardamom pods
2 tbsp. honey
1 1/2" chunk ginger, finely grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch crushed red pepper
6 tbsp. olive oil
Salt & pepper
1 lg. red onion, thinly sliced
2 c. chicken stock
1 can garbanzos, drained
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
Handful of pitted green olives

Toast the cumin until it begins to pop. Grind with mortar & pestle to a coarse powder. You could probably use pre-ground cumin, instead. Open the cardamom pods and crush the tiny black seeds inside with the mortar & pestle. Indian groceries are a good, usually less-expensive source for these spices. Mix the two spices together in a small bowl. Add honey, ginger, garlic, pepper flakes, and 4 tbsp. olive oil. Add salt & pepper and rub all over chicken. Marinate a couple hours. Heat oil in skillet & brown chicken on both sides. Put in tagine & pour marinade over top. Scatter with onion, then pour stock over the chicken. Add garbanzos, tomatoes, and olives. Put lid on and bake an hour, on a baking sheet, until chicken is tender and cooked through. Serves 4.

Spiced Beef Stew with Carrots & Mint

A couple weekends ago, Jeannene & I were slated to be at a retreat. When it was postponed, we were unexpectedly home for lunch, so I cooked up this Bon Appetit stew for our lunch. When I make it again, I think I'll serve it over couscous with some fattoush as a starter. It is a terrific midwinter treat! Here's my version:

2 tbsp. olive oil
12 oz. sirloin steak, cut in 1" cubes
1 onion, sliced
8 oz. baby carrots
2 tsp. cumin
1 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 tbsp. flour
2 1/2 c. beef broth
1/3 c. chopped mint

Season the beef and sauté in 1 tbsp. oil for about 3 minutes. Place in bowl. Add 1 tbsp. oil to skillet and sauté onions & carrots until they are golden, 3-5 minutes. Add spices & cook, stirring, half a minute. Add flour and cook another half minute. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature to medium and simmer 10 minutes. Add beef and cook until sauce thickens slightly. Adjust seasonings. Stir in 1/4 c. mint. Serve garnished with additional mint. Serves 2.

Mexican Quiche

We love avocados here at our house and this recipe makes beautiful use of them. You could add some chile and cumin to spice it up, but this plain version is very good as it is. I served it with a big, citrus-embellished salad.

1 c. sour cream
3 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 c. pepper jack cheese, shredded
1 1/2 c. cheddar, shredded
Salt & pepper
7 chopped scallions
1 can diced tomatoes, drained
1 avocado, sliced
Pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sour cream with eggs and cheese. Add salt, pepper, scallions, and tomato, mixing well. Place pie shell in pie plate and cover bottom with avocado. Pour egg mixture over avocado, spreading evenly. Bake 40-45 minutes. Remove from oven & let stand 10 minutes before slicing into wedges to serve.