Ally's Kitchen: Super Antioxidant Kale Greens

I don't know what to say about this kale other than the name doesn't do this dish justice.  It would much better be called The Kale to End All Kale Dishes, The Side Dish That Demands To Be the Main, Ender of Complaints About Veggies.  All jokes aside, this kale is so good that I almost ate the whole darn pot in one sitting.  I could see this being fabulous with some rice or maybe some fresh bread.  Certainly did not miss my meat at all.  And you might even convert some veggie haters.

Super Antioxidant Kale Greens
Adapted from Ally's Kitchen

2 bunches lacinato kale

½ cup bacon drippings
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
2 teaspoons Badia Complete seasoning
½ teaspoon red chili flakes
1 cup chicken broth

Wash the kale well. Destem and chop up the kale. 

In a large pot over medium-high heat, melt the bacon drippings, if solid from the refrigerator.  Add the seasonings to the hot fat and stir to mix.  Add the chopped kale and use tongs to start tossing with the fat and seasonings.  The kale will begin to wilt.

When the kale is well-coated with the seasonings, add the chicken broth.  Toss again and turn the heat down to medium.  Cover and cook for about 20 minutes.  Remove the lid and turn the heat back up, allowing any extra liquid to bubble off, leaving a nice saucy coating on the kale.

Makes 2 servings

Kalofagas Greek Food and Beyond: Chicken Giouvetsi

I actually found this recipe on Pinterest, and I wanted to make it as authentically as possible, so I went out to Amazon and ordered myself some kritharaki.  It's similar to orzo, but the shape is slightly different, so if you don't want to go to the extent I did, you can certainly substitute.  This is a pretty simple one dish dinner, and since I'm the sole dishwasher, I definitely appreciate that.

Chicken Giouvetsi
Adapted from Kalofagas Greek Food and Beyond

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 whole chicken, separated into pieces (or four leg quarters)
1½ cups diced onion
1 cubanelle pepper or 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and diced
1½ cups kritharaki (or orzo pasta)
2 bay leaves
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup tomato purée
⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon ground allspice
Salt and pepper, to taste
Grated Kefalotyri cheese (or Pecorino Romano), for serving

Preheat oven to 375°F.

In a skillet, over medium heat, heat the oil and brown the chicken pieces, then remove and set aside. Add the onions and peppers and sweat for 5 to 7 minutes or until softened. Add the kritharaki and bay leaves and stir for a few minutes to toast the pasta. Add the hot stock, tomato puree, and seasonings and bring to a boil while stirring.

Transfer to an oven-proof baking vessel, add the browned chicken pieces on top, and bake uncovered for 45 minutes to an hour or until most of the juices have been absorbed and the top is golden brown. Serve hot with some fresh ground pepper and grated Kefalotyri cheese.

Makes 4 servings

Ina Garten: Lemon Curd

What do you do with a pile of lemons you couldn't stop yourself from toting home from the store?  That's an excellent question.  If you also happen to have a pile of eggs from your sturdy backyard hens, you make lemon curd.  And this lemon curd is so good, I was eating it with a spoon.  You might want to be slightly less crude and put it in a tart shell, but to each their own.

Lemon Curd
From Ina Garten

3 lemons
1½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 extra-large eggs
½ cup lemon juice (from 3 to 4 lemons)
⅛ teaspoon kosher salt

Using a carrot peeler, remove the zest of 3 lemons, being careful to avoid the white pith. Put the zest in a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Add the sugar and pulse until the zest is very finely minced into the sugar.

Cream the butter and beat in the sugar and lemon mixture. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, and then add the lemon juice and salt. Mix until combined.

Pour the mixture into a 2 quart saucepan and cook over low heat until thickened (about 10 minutes), stirring constantly. The lemon curd will thicken at about 170°F, or just below simmer. Remove from the heat and cool or refrigerate.

Makes 3 cups

So Much Food: Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder and Gordon Ramsay: Parsnip Purée

I got a beautiful piece of bone-in pork at the store, and they were also having a sale on apples, so I figured it was time to make something with the produce of the season before we started getting into spring.  Thankfully, I was able to grab some apple cider still, which is a huge reason this dish turns out so deliciously.  Instead of potatoes, I wanted to take advantage of the beautiful parsnips I found, and this mash is actually some of the most delicious stuff I've had lately.  Definitely lick-the-bowl worthy.

Apple Cider Braised Pork Shoulder
From So Much Food blog

4 to 5 pounds pork shoulder, cut into large chunks (boneless or bone-in)
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 cups fresh apple cider
2 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dehydrated minced onion
1 head garlic, top sliced off opposite of the root end
3 rosemary sprigs
4 thyme sprigs
1 red onion, cut into thick slices
2 firm and slightly tart apples (such as Honeycrisp), peeled and cut into wedges
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat an oven to 325°F.

Pat the pork pieces dry with a paper towel and season liberally all over with kosher salt and pepper. If you're using boneless pork, aim for 4 large pieces of pork. If you're using bone-in, opt for 2 large pieces, cutting around the bone.

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, arrange the pork in a single layer. Sear for 4 to 5 minutes per side until the pork is deeply browned. Repeat on all sides. Depending on the size of your Dutch oven, you may need to do this in batches.

While the pork is searing, whisk together the cider, broth, Dijon, and dehydrated minced onion together and set aside. Use kitchen twine to tie the rosemary and thyme together in a small bundle.

Once the pork is browned all over, pour in the braising liquid. Arrange the herbs and garlic head in the pot with the pork, cover and place in the oven.

Braise for 3 hours or so (start checking at 2 and a half hours for boneless), flipping the pork halfway through. Once the pork is just shy of fork tender, remove the pork from the oven and arrange the onions and apples around the pork. Cover and return to the oven for another 45 minutes to 1 hour. The pork should be very tender at this point.

Remove the pork and let it rest in its juices for 30 minutes before serving.


Makes 6 servings

Parsnip Purée
Adapted from Gordon Ramsay as seen at The Food XP blog

1½ pounds parsnips, peeled and cubed

2 cups heavy cream

2 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, smashed
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cubed
1 teaspoon kosher salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (or to taste)

To a pot containing slightly salted water, add peeled parsnip cubes and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes until the parsnips are tender.

To a saucepan, add cream, thyme, and garlic cloves. Cook over low heat and bring it to a simmer.  Strain out the garlic and thyme and set aside.

Drain the cooked parsnips and transfer to a blender.  Add the butter and 2 to 3 tablespoons of the cream and begin blending the mixture. Slowly add more heavy cream until the mixture is smooth and the desired thickness.  Season with salt and pepper.

Makes 4 to 6 servings

So Much Food: Roasted Pumpkin Red Curry

After all the meat and heavy foods that I ate over the holidays, I've been feeling a lot more like I need to get some veggies into my diet.  And I definitely don't mind if it's delicious enough that I don't even miss the meat.  I'm a big fan of Thai curry, and when I can add some fabulous kabocha squash, I'm even more excited.  Seasonal produce is always a big win.  This curry is incredibly flexible; use whatever veggies you want

Roasted Pumpkin Red Curry

Adapted from So Much Food blog

1 (2-pound) kabocha squash
3 tablespoons peanut oil, divided use

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 to 3 tablespoons Maesri red curry paste

4 large kaffir/makrut lime leaves

1 or 2 Thai chilies, thinly sliced
2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon fish sauce
1½ ounces palm sugar or 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 onion, cut into chunks
1 red bell pepper, sliced
½ pound Japanese eggplant, cut into chunks

¼ pound shimeji/clamshell/beech mushrooms

2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water to make a slurry

Thai basil leaves
Steamed jasmine rice, for serving
Chili oil, for serving

Preheat an oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Cut the kabocha squash in half and scoop out the seeds using a spoon. Cut the squash into wedges and place them on the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, until just tender. Cool for 15 minutes and then peel the skin off or use a small paring knife to remove the skin.

Heat a Dutch oven or braiser over medium heat and add the remaining oil. Add the curry paste and kaffir lime leaves and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until the curry paste is very fragrant. Add the Thai chilies and coconut milk and stir until very smooth. Bring to a simmer, then add the fish sauce, palm sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Add the onion, bell pepper, eggplant, and mushrooms, stir and cover for 7 to 10 minutes. Once the vegetables are tender, add the cornstarch mixture to the curry and stir well. Simmer for another 5 minutes or so, until very thick.  Add the roasted kabocha squash and Thai basil leaves and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, just to warm pumpkin and wilt basil.  

Serve over jasmine rice with more Thai basil leaves and chili oil.

Makes 6 servings

Petee's Pie Company: Nesselrode Pie

I had originally planned on making this pie during the holidays, as the ingredients are definitely are in the holiday vein, but time got away from me, and here we are.  This does take some pre-planning, as the fruit needs to be steeped in rum, but other than that, it's pretty easy to pull together.  I was afraid the chestnut flavor would be overwhelming, but it takes a back seat to the boozy rum, and the whipped cream is the perfect finish.

Note:  This recipe makes a lot of filling.  A. LOT. OF. FILLING.  I used a regular frozen 9-inch pie crust, filled it to overflowing, and I STILL had at least a cup left.  If you look at the picture from Edible Manhattan, her pie is grossly overfilled also.  Not sure why she doesn't just tell you to use a 10-inch shell, but this is your warning.

Nesselrode Pie

From Petee's Pie Company as seen at Edible Manhattan or from the Pie For Everyone cookbook

3 large eggs, separated
¼ cup plus ⅓ cup granulated sugar, divided use
1¼ cups whole milk
¾ cup heavy whipping cream
1 (1-ounce) envelope unflavored gelatin
¼ cup chestnut puree
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup mixed candied fruits*, soaked overnight in rum then drained
1 (9-inch) baked pie crust - SEE NOTE ABOVE
Whipped cream, for topping (optional)

Chocolate shavings, for garnish (optional)

Put a ceramic or metal bowl in the freezer.

Beat 3 egg yolks and ¼ cup sugar with mixer until pale yellow and thick.

Heat milk and cream in saucepan until warm. Sprinkle milk and cream with gelatin and stir until dissolved.

Add egg yolk mixture to gelatin milk and mix until combined. Continue to heat until mixture reaches 180°F. Remove from heat, add chestnut puree, vanilla extract, and salt and beat briefly until combined. Transfer into the pre-chilled bowl and place in fridge. Chill for about 30 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes to ensure it sets up consistently.

In a very clean bowl or stand mixer, beat 3 egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating as you add ⅓ cup sugar in a stream.

Fold egg whites into milk mixture, then gently fold in candied fruits and pour into pie crust. Refrigerate for 3 hours until set. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

To serve, slice with a hot wet knife and top with whipped cream.

*Petee's uses equal parts homemade candied sour cherries, glazed orange peel, and candied citron. If you’d like to simplify, you can use the mixed glazed/candied fruits that are available at the supermarket.

365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking: Creamy Tortellini, Spinach, and Chicken Soup (a.k.a. "The Soup")

This soup is literally everywhere lately, so I figured it was about time for me to jump right in and make this bad boy in all its glorious creaminess.  It really is a pretty fantastic slow cooker dish, which are normally kinda blah and boring, and it makes enough for a small army, so you'll have plenty to eat in the days to come.  This would be especially fantastic if the weather is particularly frigid.  Easy and warm.

Note: Full disclosure - I did not make the paste the way it says in the recipe, because it sounds...unappealing.  I got out my skillet, heated the olive oil, sautéed the onions until translucent, added in the garlic, cooked another 30 seconds or so, added the dried herbs, salt, and pepper, added the tomato paste and let it sauté for about a minute or so, just to amp up the flavor, then sprinkled everything with the flour and let it cook for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, to cook out the raw taste.  Dumped it in the slow cooker.  I'm not sure how the steps below save time or dishes (bowl vs. skillet?) while sacrificing flavor, but I left the instructions as is in case someone reading doesn't have a stovetop.

Creamy Tortellini, Spinach, and Chicken Soup (a.k.a. "The Soup")
From 365 Days of Slow + Pressure Cooking blog

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, diced

6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 teaspoons dried basil

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried thyme

2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons tomato paste

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

4 cups chicken broth
2 (14½-ounce) cans petite diced tomatoes

1 to 1½ pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

4 cups cheese tortellini (either frozen or fresh)
3 or more cups packed fresh baby spinach
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup heavy cream, warmed

In a microwave-safe bowl add the onions, flour, basil, garlic, tomato paste and drizzle with olive oil. Microwave for 5 minutes, stirring every 90 seconds or so. (The mixture will be pasty and look weird but don’t worry it will all be okay in the end). Add the mixture to the slow cooker.

Add broth, tomatoes, chicken, salt and pepper to the slow cooker. Stir. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 to 6 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours (or until chicken is very tender).

Remove the lid use a fork to remove the chicken out of the slow cooker. And add in tortellini, spinach, Parmesan cheese, and warmed cream (cream should be warmed because it may cause curdling if added in cold).

On a cutting board, shred or cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Add the chicken back into the slow cooker. Put the lid back on and cook on HIGH for about 10 more minutes, or until the tortellini are cooked through. Ladle into serving bowls and enjoy!

Makes 8 servings

The Hungry Excavator: XO Fried Noodles

Well, it's a brand new year, and I'm trying to keep the home cooking going, so I needed to start making some dishes to carry me over the next week.  A little while ago I had picked up a very fancy package with XO sauce inside of it, but it wasn't until I got home that I realized I wasn't entirely sure what to use it with.  Cue me googling frantically.  While I don't have a wok, per se, I do have something wok-ish, and it turned out this plate of yum.  I was afraid the chili oil would be too spicy, but I honestly kinda wish I had used the full 2 tablespoons.  Season as you wish.  You could also dump in some sliced mushrooms, chopped cabbage, whatever suits your mood.

XO Fried Noodles

Adapted from The Hungry Excavator blog

XO Sauce (see below)
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 large eggs
Dash of kosher salt
¾ cup diced yellow onion
1 pound ground pork
7 ounces rice vermicelli (soaked for 1 hour, then drained)
1 cup shredded carrot
1½ cup chopped green onions (approximately 12 green onions)
Fried shallots, for garnish (optional)

For the XO sauce:
5 tablespoons XO sauce
1 tablespoon oyster sauce
1½ teaspoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 to 2 tablespoons chili oil (optional)
3 tablespoons water

Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl and set aside.

Heat up a wok with the oil on high heat. Once hot, add the eggs and salt and scramble the eggs with your spatula until cooked. Dish and set aside.

In the same wok, fry the onions until fragrant. Stir in the minced meat and fry until almost cooked while breaking up the meat with your spatula continuously (so that it doesn't lump together).

Add in the drained rice vermicelli and carrots. Stir in half of the sauce mixture. Stir everything until evenly coated. Sometimes, doing this with chopsticks might be easier. Stir in remaining sauce until completely even.

Add the scrambled eggs and chopped spring onions before giving it a final stir. Serve while hot and garnish with fried shallots, if using.

Makes 5 servings