Silky Peppers

From "In Julia Child's Kitchen With Master Chefs", by Julia Child.  


George Germon and Johanne Killeen have a fantastic restaurant in Rhode Island called Al Forno.  We actually made a point of eating there on our one trip to the area, and it was awesome.  I highly recommend it if you ever find yourself in Providence.  Their chapter in Julia's book is, hands down, my favorite.  I've made every dish in their section.  This recipe is the easiest, and the most popular, among the people I feed.

6 to 8 red bell peppers (Substitute an orange or yellow pepper or two if the season allows.)
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon (firmly packed) brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf Italian parsley

1. Wash and dry the peppers.   Halve them lengthwise, seed them, cut each half into thirds, and remove the inner ribs.

2. Toss the peppers in a 12-inch skillet with the vinegar, brown sugar, and salt. (I mix the vinegar, sugar, and salt together in the pan with a whisk before adding the peppers.)  Cook at the barest simmer until they have softened but still retain their shape-10 to 12 minutes.  Remove with a slotted spoon to a serving dish, leaving the cooking juices in the pan.

3. Increase the heat under the skillet and let the juices reduce almost to a syrup for several minutes, scraping up any bits adhering to the pan.  Stir in the olive oil, thyme leaves, and parsley, heating just to warm the oil.  Pour over the peppers; while they are cooling and marinating, a half hour or more, they will soften and absorb flavor.  Serve at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers in a screw top jar (anything will do), where they will keep nicely for several days.

Oven Roasted Tomatoes

Ingredients

• 12 plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise, cores and seeds removed
• 4 tablespoons good olive oil
• 1 1/2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 large garlic cloves, minced (or 1/2 teaspoon of recently purchased garlic powder)
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275 degrees F.

Arrange the tomatoes on a sheet pan, cut sides up, in a single layer. Drizzle with 1/4 cup of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with the garlic, sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 2 hours until the tomatoes are concentrated and begin to caramelize. Allow the tomatoes to cool to room temperature.

All-in-the-Pan Chewy Chocolate Cake with Chocolate Butter Icing Cake

From Regan Daley's "In the Sweet Kitchen", an awesome baking book with lots of great recipes.

1 1/2 cups AP flour
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. natural unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
6 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp white vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cups cool water

1/4 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 3 Tbsp milk or water
2 TBSP natural unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350- degrees F. Sift flour into an ungreased, unfloured 8 inch squarebaking pan.

In a small bowl, whisk together the sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add this mixture to the flour in the pan and stir well with a fort of small whisk to blend the ingredients.

With the back of a teaspoon, make three indentations or wells in the dry mixture: one large, one medium-sized, and one small. In the large well, our the vegetable oil. In the medium well, add the vinegar. In the small well, add the vanilla extract, and then pour the water over everything. With a for, stir the mixture until well blended, making sure you reach into the corners and sides to catch any dry pockets. Do not beat this batter, but just mix enough until most of the lumps are smoothed out, and there are no little patches of overly thick or thin batter. A few lumps are fine.

Bake the cake for 30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean & the top feels springy when lightly touched. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool the cake completely before frosting.

In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cups of the confectioners’ sugar until butter is well distributed. The mixture will be very dry and powdery. Stir in 1 Tbsp. of milk or water, then sift the cocoa powder over the mixture and cream to blend. Mix in the vanilla then add the rest of the sugar. Add as much of the remaining liquid as needed to make a thick and creamy frosting.

Meatloaf Shepherd's Pie

If you’re bored, play the “Spot Reggie” drinking game with this episode.  One drink every time you see him.  Two drinks if you see him eating or drinking, and three drinks if I refer to him by name.

As for the recipe?  A great way to use up leftover meatloaf!

Prepare...

1 recipe of mashed potatoes (using two pounds of potatoes.)

Add...

2 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Chop up...

2 carrots

1 onion

8 oz. mushrooms

1/2 of a 2 lb. recipe of leftover meatloaf

Saute carrots, onions, and mushrooms in a 12” nonstick skillet until lightly browned.

Add 2 tablespoons all purpose flour.  Stir until no more traces of flour are visible.

Add the meatloaf, and stir to combine.

Add...

1 3/4 cups of stock or broth (any kind will do.)

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1 cup frozen peas

1 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly.

Pour into a 9x13 baking dish (or similar.)

Top with mashed potatoes.

Bake in oven preheated to 400 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is beginning to brown.

Let rest five minutes, then serve!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

A quick, easy, and delicious appetizer.

Toast...

1/4 cup walnuts

...in a skillet on top of the stove for five minutes, never taking your eyes off of them.  Put them into your food processor with...

2 slices of good quality whole wheat bread

Pulse until crumbly.  Then add...

1 large (12 oz. or more) jar of roasted red bell peppers (or 2 small jars)

1/4 cup of pomegranate molasses

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cumin

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Pulse until just blending together.  Then add...

4 tablespoons of olive oil

Continue to pulse or run until it reaches a slightly chunky consistency (like chunky salsa)

Don’t over blend!

Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Chicken Thighs with Pineau

Chicken Thighs With Pineau de Charentes (aka Chicken on Fire!)

All of my notes through this recipe are in italics.

-J.D.

Pineau de Charentes is a delicious, yet tricky to find, fortified French wine.  Paula suggests using white wine with some cognac (brandy) stirred into it if you can't find the stuff.  I have done it both ways, and the substitution works just fine.

The sauce here is “short,” meaning there isn't much of it, but it's strong and aromatic, and every drop—just like the Pineau—is downright luscious.

INGREDIENTS

   * ½ ounce dried French cèpes or Italian porcini

   * 5 tablespoons unsalted butter

   * 2 pounds chicken thighs, 6 to 8 pieces, preferably from free-range chickens (I cook this recipe with 8 boneless skinless thighs.)

   * Salt and freshly ground pepper

   * 1 cup Pineau de Charentes, or substitute 2 tablespoons Armagnac or Cognac mixed with 1 cup semisweet white wine(The substitution works great.)

   * 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallots

   * ½ pound fresh cremini or white mushrooms, quartered

   * ½ cup heavy cream

   * 1 tablespoon minced fresh chives

   * 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh flat‐leaf parsley

INSTRUCTIONS

  1. Crumble the cèpes or porcini into a strainer and rinse well under cold running water. Put in a bowl and cover with 1 cup hot water. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. Drain the cèpes into a sieve lined with a paper coffee filter or several layers of damp cheesecloth set over a small bowl; reserve the cèpes and soaking liquid separately.

  2. Set a heavy 12-inch skillet over moderately high heat. Add 3 tablespoons of the butter; as soon as it sizzles, add the chicken thighs, skin side down (smooth side if using skinless.)Season with salt and pepper and cook without turning just until browned, about 5 minutes. Tilt the skillet and remove almost all the fat. Add the Pineau and, using a long kitchen match and averting your face, carefully ignite the liquid while it is still warm; the flames will flare quite high. When the flames subside, add the shallots and continue cooking, stirring, for l minute. Turn the chicken over, cover the skillet, and continue cooking over moderate heat until the juices from the thighs run clear when pricked and the pan juices are reduced to a glaze, about 25 minutes. Turn the chicken over and glaze the skin, then transfer the contents of the skillet to a platter. Wipe out the skillet.

  3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet over moderate heat. Add the cèpes and fresh mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes. Add the reserved soaking liquid and cook until reduced to a glaze, about 10 minutes. Add the heavy cream and boil until reduced to a sauce consistency, about 5 minutes.

  4. Return the chicken thighs to the skillet, skin side up, partially cover, and gently reheat. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve at once with a dusting of parsley and chives.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

A favorite recipe from one of my favorite cookbooks (see below.)

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Serves 6-8 ( This made way more  like 10 rich servings)

Topping:

4 slices white sandwich bread torn into quarters

2 T unsalted butter melted

Mac & Cheese:

salt

1 pound elbow macaroni

1 med garlic clove minced or pressed through a garlic press

1 tsp dry mustard

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

6 T all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups low sodiem chicken broth

3 1/2 cups whole milk

16 ounces colby cheese shredded about 5 1/3 cups

8 ounces extra sharp cheddar cheese shredded about 2 2/3 cups

Ground black pepper

1. For the topping: Process the bread and butter in a food processoor fitted with a steel blade until coarsley ground, about 6 1 second pulses. Set aside.

2. For the Mac & Cheese: Adjust oven rack to middle and heat oven to 400. Boil 4 quarts water in a dutch oven over high heat,. Stir in 1 T salt and macaroni. Cook til al dente about 5 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander, set aside.

3. Wipe pot dry. Add butter and return to medium heat until melted. Add the garlic, mustard and cayenne pepper: cook until fragrent about 30 seconds. Add the flour nad cook, stirring constantly until golden brouwn about 1 minute. SLowly whish in chicken broth and milk. Bring to a simmer and cook. whisking often, until large bubbles form on the surface and the mixture is slightly thickened about 5-8 minutes. Off the heat, whisk in the cheeses gradually until completely melted. Season w/ salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the drained pasta to the cheese sauce and stir. Pour into a 9 X 13 baking dish or shallow casserole of similar size. Sprinkle with bread topping and bake until golden brown and bubbling around the edges. 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Planning ahead: Assemble casserole as directed in step 4 but do not sprinkle with bread topping or bake. Wrap dish tightly.- Refriderate for up to 3 days or freeze for 2 months.

Allow casserole to sit at room temp for 1 hour before baking. Wrap dish with foil and bake until casserole is moderately hot 25-30 minutes. Remove foil and continue to cook until 

bread crumbs are brown 25 minutes longer. Allow to cool for 10 minutes.