Category Archives: Menus

Home Cooking IV: Fire up the Stove!

“Lack of time is not the issue. It’s a question of priorities. Look in the mirror and ask yourself, “Am I worth 30 minutes? Is my family worth 30 minutes?” That’s what it takes to make a good meal.”

Joyce Goldstein, author, teacher, chef, restauranteur, and home cook

“When I was raising my kids, cooking dinner was the worst part. The question, “What’s for dinner?” still makes me shudder.”

Becky Howe, weight lifter, teacher, and personal trainer

On those occasions when she’s home alone, Joyce Goldstein not only makes herself a tasty dinner, she’s written a book about it (Solo Suppers: Simple Delicious Meals to Cook for Yourself.)

Becky Howe’s idea of a fine solo dinner is a protein bar, a banana, and a good book.

Well, friends, there’s a middle road.

Jessica Glenn, who happens to be my daughter, cooks for a growing family on a daily basis and has this to say:

“With a tight budget, cooking at home is the only choice and I’ve found it gets easier with practice. I can come up with 30 minute meals and also, 15 and 20 minute ones. Everything in my refrigerator is spoken for because I buy only what I need. I think we eat well and lots of times, I get cheers from the crowd, which feels good. But many of my friends don’t cook and for them, the whole process seems horrible.”

Cooking does get easier with practice and easier still once it becomes a routine. If you’re ready to rattle the pots and pans, summer is a great time to get started. There’s a lot less cooking and more salad making. The fruits and vegetables available now make for quick suppers without a lot of kitchen time.

When the first dog days of summer rolled around in Washington, D.C. (often in May), my sister-in-law Debbie Giese would announce, “That’s it! No more cooking for the summer.” Twenty years ago, what this meant was “I’m not going to use the oven.” Dinner still made it to the table on a nightly basis but there were salads rather than stews and we used the charcoal grill rather than the stove.

Even as recently as fifteen years ago, most people I knew made dinner every night and worked full-time. We used processed convenience foods but more often than not, they constituted a small part of the meal, such as bottled salad dressing or a can of soup. Slowly but surely, what was an insignificant part of a home-cooked meal began to take over and from there, it was a quick road to take-out or going out.

I mention all this not to wag my finger at the current state of dining culture but simply to point out that home cooking didn’t go into decline all that long ago and for thousands, it never went away at all.

In other words, the system is not broken or antiquated; it just needs a little dusting off.

So even though we all know that day’s end can be especially chaotic, let’s creep into the kitchen and cook dinner.

Consider the evening meal a set part of every day. Put another way, identify the after-work routine as the reverse of the morning routine. Does it take an hour to dress, have breakfast, and leave the house? Morning activity in most households is focused. In the same way, allow for focused time when you get home. Perhaps you need 15 to 20 minutes when you come in the door to do some or all of the following: check the mail, change clothes, listen to messages, supervise homework and baths, walk the dog, or water the garden.

After that, head for the kitchen. Here are 6 steps, 7 tips and A Week of Menus to ease your way. Bonus section: Equipment and 4 How-Tos.

A Weekly Menu circa 1980 with Shopping List and 5 year old daughter's additions

A Weekly Menu circa 1980 with Shopping List and 5 year old daughter’s additions

Step 1: The Preliminaries. Write up a Week’s Menus and do your Shopping in advance.

When you get home after a long day, dinner can be quickly put together if you have your ingredients and know what you’re making. Son-in-law JB says:

“On Sundays, I write down menus and Rachael helps with the list. Since I’m the cook, I do the shopping. We usually have one take-out meal and one with leftovers and end up making a stop at the store once during the week.”

Not so different from my 1980 menu (see photo above) which is a little hard to read but Sunday is “Out” and Thursday is called “Potluck” (i.e. leftovers.) Hmm, that week we had roast chicken, steak, and hold on! Is that Ranch Dressing on my shopping list?

For inspiration, there are websites to help with the menu planning: At Epicurious.com, go to Articles and Guides and under that Everyday Food. Select ‘Weekly Dinner Planners.’ There’s a different seasonal menu every week plus a shopping list. At This Week For Dinner (www.thisweekfordinner.com) , the author of this blog posts a menu every Sunday and invites anyone to comment or post their own menus. The New York Times now has a cooking newsletter than shoots rapid encouraging recipes to your inbox a few times a week. They are usually quick to make and very tasty.

If you know in advance what’s for dinner, that question doesn’t seem so bad.

Step 2: In the Morning, check the Menu and locate the Ingredients. Defrost any food you will use later.

Run the dishwasher at night and empty it in the morning. That way, everything will be clean for the evening rush. If you have a delay button on your dishwasher, program it for after midnight (you’ll save $$ on energy bills.)

If you have even 5 minutes to spare in the morning, do one small job to make the dinner preparation go faster. This might be peeling some potatoes (leave them in a bowl of cold water), or hard-boiling a couple of eggs. Some advance preparation can be done days in advance such as washing and spin-drying the lettuce.

Step 3: When You Come in the Door, put a large pot of water onto boil and/or light the grill.

In other words, don’t waste time waiting for the grill to heat or water to boil. Start in right away and you’ll save time. If speed is your goal, the week-night meal is not the time to try a new recipe. In fact, don’t use a recipe at all. Use techniques such as grilling, boiling, steaming, chopping, sauteeing, and tossing. Season well, add a little butter or a dash of olive oil, and your food, while perhaps a bit plain, will taste very good.

Step 4: Set the Table (or enlist a member of your household to do this task every night.)

Put out everything you need including salt and pepper, water, plates, glasses, drinks, and condiments. This means that when dinner is ready, the table will be ready too, and the food won’t get cold.

Step 5: Triage or Who gets attention first?

If you have a screaming toddler, this question doesn’t need asking. But don’t be sidetracked. Throw your offspring a piece of fruit, a cracker, or a carrot, and carry on. Believe me, children are impressed by a show of fierce concentration. Likewise, once you begin the cooking, don’t answer the phone, do the laundry, or check your e-mail. We’re only talking about a half hour of concentration.

Step 6: Multi-tasking or How to Cook Everything at Once

It takes practice, but several operations can be done nearly simultaneously in the kitchen. If you’re having something grilled and a salad, get the cooking started first. For example, slap the chicken on the grill, dash back into the kitchen and put the lettuce in the salad bowl. Drizzle with oil and vinegar, salt and pepper, find the salad servers, and put it on the table. Turn the chicken. Slice some tomatoes, arrange on a plate and onto the table. Yell at everyone to come to dinner. (Time: 15 minutes, give or take a few.)

For a cold dinner of salads and cold meat or fish, do all the prep work first. Arrange everything on a platter or in bowls, putting the dressing on last. Vinaigrettes and dressings keep very well refrigerated. Make double portions and save the extra for the next meal.

Now to fine tune the process, here are 7 tips.

Tip 1

Don’t get discouraged. If nightly cooking seems like a terrible chore, keep in mind that repetition and practice will reward you.

Tip 2

Don’t get bogged down by recipes. Start with some dishes that you can cook without running back and forth to check what to do next. “if I use a cookbook, dinner takes 5 times as long.” again from Jessica.

Memorize how to cook rice, how to bake and boil potatoes and how to hardboil eggs. See below *.

Tip 3

Don’t buy too much food. You’ll use what you buy, your refrigerator won’t be bursting, and you’ll save money.

Tip 4

Clear the decks. Try to get some room on the counter to work. Get rid of the mail, your backpack, and anything else that is cluttering up that space.

Tip 5

Trust your own common sense. Don’t be a slave to timing instructions. Pasta is a good example: the box may instruct you to cook the pasta 9 minutes but don’t stand around waiting for it. At about that time, taste a strand. If it’s done, drain it. Otherwise, hold off a minute or two and taste again.

Tip 6

Learn to use high heat when you cook. It is one of the hardest things to convince newer cooks to do but turning up the heat on the stovetop will improve your cooking. Without a hot pan, you can’t sear, stir-fry, saute, or brown foods successfully. Foods will absorb less fat if sauteed in very hot oil.

Tip 7

Use salt and pepper. Plenty of it. Butter, olive oil, and herbs as well. Season your food and taste it before serving.

A Week’s Menus

Monday

Jessica says this dinner take 20 minutes tops! And no complaining from the young ‘uns either.

  • Pork Chops with Rosemary
  • Corn on the Cob
  • Tomato and Cucumber Salad
  • Cookies

Preheat oven to 400. Bring a big pot of water to a boil. Salt and pepper thin sliced pork chops (1 per person, maybe 2 for Dad), sprinkle with rosemary, and put in a baking dish. Bake for 15 minutes turning once.

Chop up a couple of tomatoes and a cucumber, season, and drizzle with olive oil and vinegar.

Meanwhile, shuck corn (1/person, maybe 2 for really hungry folks.) Cook in boiling water 2 minutes only. Have butter and salt on the table.

Tuesday

Salade Nicoise is a composed salad which means lettuce is the bed, the other ingredients are arranged on top in clumps, and the dressing goes on last.

  • Salade Nicoise for 4 or 5 people
  • French bread
  • Cherries

Ingredients: 1 head romaine lettuce, a can of tuna, 2 hardboiled eggs, a big handful of fresh string beans, 4-6 small potatoes, some cherry tomatoes, a can of anchovies, if you like them.

In the morning, boil the eggs and peel the potatoes.

As a first step, boil or steam the potatoes for about 6 minutes. Add the beans to the same pot and cook 5 more minutes. Check the potatoes for doneness. Drain, cool down, and cut the potatoes into halves or wedges. Quarter the eggs. Put the lettuce in a big bowl and strew all the ingredients over the top.

Make a vinaigrette with garlic, olive oil, and vinegar or lemon and drizzle over the salad.

Wednesday

  • Pasta with Pesto
  • Zucchini salad
  • Watermelon

For the salad, use raw zucchini, very thinly sliced or in little cubes. Drizzle with basalmic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Fast pesto: Can be made in advance! 2 packed cup of basil leaves, 3 tablespoons of pine nuts (or walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds – whatever you have on hand), 1/2 cup olive oil, pinch salt, a garlic clove, 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 3 tablespoons butter. Puree all these ingredients in a blender or food processor. At serving time, stir in a few spoonfuls of the hot pasta cooking water.

This can also be frozen in small containers for super quick suppers!

Thursday

Use the grill or a hot oven to roast chicken. I like skin-on chicken with bones; it’s so tasty! It should take about 20 minutes. Mash a few tablespoons of butter with a minced garlic clove. Slice partway through a baguette and drop in some of the butter mixture. Wrap in foil and put to the side of the hot grill (or in the oven) until hot (about 10 minutes or so.)

  • Grilled Chicken
  • Green Salad
  • Garlic Bread
  • Blueberries with ice cream

Friday

You made it through the week! Don’t cook – just put this on a big plate and enjoy your dinner!

  • Hummus, olives, sliced tomatoes, sliced cucumbers, pita bread
  • Green yogurt with honey and walnuts

Fast hummus that’s cheap too: 1 can chickpeas, 2 tablespoons (or more if you like it) sesame tahini, 1 small garlic clove, salt, pepper, juice of 1 lemon, 2 – 4 tablespoons of water. In the food processor or blender, add all the ingredients and puree. Taste for seasoning. Put in a bowl and drizzle olive oil over the top.

Saturday

I’ll write the recipe below but this takes only a few minutes of concentration and the rest is nearly automatic. Relax! It’s the weekend.

  • Fish tacos
  • Mango floats

To make quick fish tacos: Make the slaw and dressing first. Cook fish right before serving.

Slaw: 1 small green cabbage, shredded finely; bunch of cilantro, chopped; a shredded carrot, and a bunch of radishes (optional), chopped. Mix this together, add salt and some squeezes of lime juice.

Sauce: Mix together juice of 1 lime, a couple of tablespoons each of yogurt (or sour cream) and mayonnaise. Pinch salt. Pinch sugar. Garlic clove minced. Hot sauce or a minced chipotle chile.

Fish: Cut 1 pound of white fish filets (I use frozen) in strips. Toss in a bowl containing 2 tablespoons flour and 4 tablespoons cornmeal, several big pinches of cumin, pepper, and salt. Heat a thin layer of vegetable oil in a frying pan and cook until light brown on both sides (about 5 minutes.)

Corn tortillas (flour is ok): Spread with dressing, top with slaw and fish. Put on plates or a big platter. Serve hot sauce on the side. 4 – 5 servings.

Mango (or peach) Floats: slice up the fruit, put in tall glasses with ice cream and club soda. Eat with a spoon.

Sunday

I knew a surgeon who used to save leftover salad, add some tomatoes and presto! he had gazpacho. I don’t often have leftover salad but I still think it’s an original idea.

Soup (from leftovers) – Gazpacho!

  • Crackers and cheese
  • Peaches

Fast gazpacho: use any leftover salad vegetables for this soup or gather up the ingredients in the recipe below.

  • 6 ripe tomatoes
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 1 small onion
  • 1 cucumber, peeled
  • 1 green or red pepper
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • salt, pepper
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups water or tomato juice or V-8, approximately

In a blender or food processor, blend the vegetables until they are in small chunks. Add enough water or juice to thin slightly. Season with salt, pepper, cumin and vinegar. Add a few spoonfuls of olive oil. Let the soup sit a while to develop more flavor. Taste for seasoning before serving.

Knives and Chopping Board

Knives and Chopping Board

Equipment:

Knives: Equip yourself with 3 good knives. In the photo above are the knives I use nearly exclusively. They are (from top to bottom) a small paring knife (serrated, in this case), an all-purpose chef’s knife, a bread knife (used for slicing meat and tomatoes too) and my new favorite a santoku knife. This last replaces my chef’s knife for most purposes and is a reasonable purchase (between $30 and $60). The serrated bread knife and paring knife are dirt cheap but when they get dull (and they will!), you must replace them. The key here is sharp. If you know how to sharpen knives, you are way ahead of the game. It’s easy to chop when you have a sharp knife. I can’t emphasize this enough.

Cutting Board: The knives in the photo are sitting on my cutting board which measures 15 by 20 inches and is made of rubber that is pleasant to chop on and easy to keep clean. No, I can’t fit it in my dishwasher but it is indispensable. Not easy to find in stores but restaurant supply stores have them. These stores are open to the public) and you can find sources on line.

When using a cutting board, anchor it to the counter by setting it on a damp towel or wet paper towel. Small boards that slip around as you chop are an invitation to the First Aid station.

The Everyday Useful Tools

The Everyday Useful Tools

Salad spinner, sieve, metal bowls, tongs, and box grater: I use these all the time. The bowls are very thin and light. I get them in several sizes at my local restaurant supplier for next to nothing. They are so much easier to use than heavy glass bowls and if one drops, so what?

A big pasta pot, a big heavy stew pot, a big frying pan and a medium-sized frying pan: I have assorted other pots and pans but the four mentioned are the ones I use all the time. I’m not too crazy about non-stick or otherwise coated pans but I do have a big one that comes in handy now and then. I like heavy duty stainless steel frying pans because you can really heat them up without damaging them.

2 baking sheets with rims, a roasting pan and a couple of baking dishes:Baking sheets (cookie sheets) can be used for all sorts of baking and lined with non-stick paper, they are a snap to clean. An 8 inch square and a 9 x 13 inch glass pan is a kitchen standard. A heavy duty ceramic or enamelled cast iron baking dish is very useful for roast chicken, potatoes au gratin, and all kinds of baked dishes from leftovers.

Food Processor: In the world of small electronic gadgets, a heavy duty food processor is my favorite. Small one or two cup processors are a waste of money, in my opinion, because they are usually not sturdy and don’t chop well. If you hate chopping onions, this will be a godsend. Likewise, if you have a lots of chopping, slicing, or grating to do (coleslaw, as an example), it will take seconds using a food processor. It’s great for soups sauces; fantastic for pie crusts and currently, I use it to make ground beef. I’ve used a Cusinart model with a lot of success. Ask for one for Christmas. It is so much better than a blender.

*HOW TO….

Bake potatoes: Scrub a russet or other baking potato (yes, there’s a difference! Ask your vegetable person at the store). Bake at 425 (you don’t need to preheat the oven) for an hour. For extra crispy skin, take out the potatoes after about 50 minutes of baking and let them sit a few minutes until the skins are soft and wrinkly). Put them back in the oven for an additional 5- 10 minutes.

Boil potatoes:Scrub boiling potatoes. Peel if desired and cut in halves, quarters, or leave whole. Put in a pan with cold water to cover and a spoonful of salt. Bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer until done – which will take about 15 minutes or so depending on how many potatoes you have. Test for doneness by plunging a knife into the side. Drain.

Make rice: Here it depends on the rice. Again, don’t be a slave to the timing – check your rice and taste a grain or two; when the water is absorbed, it’s done.

For long grain: 1 cup rice, 2 cups water, 1 tsp. salt. Bring the water and salt to a boil. Add the rice, stir once, cover and cook at low heat for 20 minutes.

For basmati, jasmine or Thai: 1 cup rice, 1 1/2 cups water, 1 tsp. salt. Rinse off the rice thoroughly in a strainer. Cook as for long grain but only about 10 minutes.

Hardboil eggs: Put eggs in a pan with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil, lower heat and cook for about 8 minutes. Drain and cover with cold water (I use ice cubes too sometimes). If an egg cracks during the boiling process, add salt – it will seal the crack.

Have fun in the kitchen!!

xoxo, Mary

Party Time!

Don’t wait for summer.  Have a party now. Spring is a great time for a small party: no more than 10 people.  In fact, no more than you can fit either around your dining room table or on your living room floor.  I’m talking about dinner parties, specifically dinners with friends.   

With people you know reasonably well, a good party to have on the floor is a Moroccan Party. Here is the menu: 

Hummous tahini with pita bread 

Chicken, Lemon and Olives with Couscous

Orange Salad with Rosewater or Dried Fruits and Nuts

Mint Tea and Rose wine

Make a large enough space in your living room (you may have to move furniture) and  put down some towels or a blanket over a largish area.  Cover this with either a sheet, table cloth, bed spread or some material that looks cheery but isn’t an heirloom.  When dinner is served, guests can lounge around the perimeter with the dishes in the center.  If you are a strict purist,  you may not want to have plates or flatware but simply use the pita bread as your vehicle to propel the food to your mouth.  Otherwise, give your guests plates and forks and dig in.  Recipes for the hummous, chicken and orange salad are given below.  Follow package directions for making couscous, making sure not to use too much water or it will be mushy.  Instead of the orange salad, you might have a big tray or platter of various dried fruits and whole nuts.  It can be pretty messy but keeps everyone on the floor for quite a while.   If there is a middle-eastern grocery in your area, you can buy some sweet pastries to go with your dessert.  A word about wine: there is a Moroccan rose wine called ‘Gris de Boulouane’ but any reasonably dry rose with go well with this menu.   Don’t forget candles and music.                                                                      

Another possible floor party is the Indian Party:

Sabz Ghost (Lamb stew with Coconut Milk)

Makhani Dal and Cucumber Raita

Basmati Rice, Chutney and Naan bread

Coconut Sorbet

Beer and Black tea

Because this Indian meal can be served lukewarm or room temperature, there’s no rush to get to the table so consider something a little rousing for your guests before sitting down (or lounging if you’re really taken with that idea).  Take advantage of the evening light and have a croquet match or a badminton game before dinner.  If you have no outdoor space or it’s raining, consider an Indian parlor game.  I have read about some extraordinary ones such as Ticklin’ Feather (quite gentle) and British Bulldog (a bit rough).   Recipes follow for the lamb, dal, raita and ice cream.  I do have a recipe for naan but it is fairly easy to buy so, I won’t include it unless hounded to do so.  Chutney and lime pickle are also easily purchased. 

When making basmati rice, remember to rinse it first, and cook it in only 1 1/2 times the amount of (salted) water to rice for about ten minutes.  Leave it covered and fluff it before serving.

Don’t have a Brazilian Party on the floor.  Eat while dancing. 

Caipirinhas

Roast Pork and Sausages

Black Beans and Rice

Orange and Red Onion Salad

Heart of  Palm salad

Greens, Farofa and Hot Sauce

Caramel Flan

 There are a lot of elements to this dinner but it’s a good one for vegetarians and non-vegetarians alike since the meats are cooked and served separately.  Farofa is ground manioc flour that is toasted and sprinkled over greens.  It is easy to prepare but not that easy to find unless you have some Brazilian source near you.  Nevertheless, I’m including the recipe because it is such a delicious accompaniment to the meal.  Be sure to play Brazilian music and warn the neighbors in advance. 

Now, these parties involve a little cooking but! It can all be done in advance.  Set it all up and when that doorbell rings, you’ll be there wearing something festive and primed to mingle.

The Moroccan Party:

 Hummous tahini

  • 1 can chickpeas                                                                                                                                                                                          
  • 2 – 4 tablespoons sesame tahini
  • 1 lemon, squeezed
  • 1 small clove garlic, minced or pressed
  • Salt                                                                                                                                                                                                         
  • Olive oil

In a food processor or blender or with the back of a wooden spoon, mash the chickpeas with a little of their liquid.  Stir in the tahini with an equal amount of water. Add the garlic and lemon juice.  Season with salt and taste.  You may need more lemon, tahini and salt.  Taste until it is seasoned to your liking (but don’t stress about this – the flavors do develop with a little time).  Film the top with olive oil and serve with pita bread.

Chicken with Lemons and Olives                                                                                                                                              This dish has many variations but this particular one has a lot of shortcuts (using boneless chicken, for example).  Ras el hanout (which means ‘top of the shop’) is a spice mixture that can be bought or made.  Vann’s spice company makes a version of it.  I’ll include a simple recipe for it as well as for preserved lemons.  If you don’t want to make preserved lemons, you can substitute fresh lemons.  Use the best quality chicken you can find for this – it makes a difference. 

  • 5 pounds boneless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup chopped parsley
  • 3/4 cup chopped onions
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • Salt                                                                                                                                                                                                             
  • 1/2 teaspoon saffron   (more if you have it and want to part with it)
  • 1 tablespoon ras el hanout
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 cup butter
  • 3 cinnamon sticks                                                          
  • 2 preserved lemons  (or fresh – but if you have time, try to make the preserved ones)
  • 1/2 cup lemon juice   
  • 8 olives, pitted and chopped (such as Kalamata olives)

Put the chicken into a large pot.  Add 2/3 cup of the parsley, the garlic, onion, salt, spices, half of the butter and the cinnamon sticks.  Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.  Simmer covered for about 40 minutes.  Chicken should be very tender.  Remove the chicken from the broth and remove the skin (if there is any).  Remove the cinnamon sticks from the broth.

Reduce the broth by boiling it to a thick rich sauce (about 2 cups).  Taste for seasoning.  Add the remaining parsley, olive, lemons, lemon juice, remaining butter and the chicken and cover and cook until just hot.  Can be made a day in advance and re-heated.

Preserved Lemons

  • 2 organic or untreated lemons
  • 1/3 cup coarse salt

Wash and dry the lemons and cut each into 8 wedges.  Toss with the coarse salt and squash the lemons into a pint jar, pressing them down to bring out the juice.  Pour in more fresh lemon juice to cover (a few tablespoons, usually) and seal with a non-metallic lid.  Leave at room temperature for 7 days, shaking the jar daily to distribute the salt and juice.  Add olive oil to cover, then refrigerate.  Keeps very well – about a month.  To use: rinse the sections well in water, otherwise they will be too salty.  Preserved lemon is delicious chopped up in couscous and on grilled vegetables or fish or tuna-fish salad.

Ras el Hanout

  • 1 tablespoon ground mace
  • 4 teaspoons each: nutmeg, ginger and salt                                                                          
  • 3 teaspoons allspice
  • 2 teaspoons each: aniseed, cinnamon, black pepper, clover, turmeric                                      
  • 1 teaspoon each: cardamom, cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients. Makes about 8 tablespoons.  Store in a small jar. 

Orange Salad with Rosewater                                                                                                                                                      Peel and slice into rounds one orange per person.  Sprinkle with rosewater and a little cinnamon and arrange on a large plate.

 

 

The Indian Party:

 

Sabz Ghost (Lamb in Coconut Milk)  

This dish can be made a day or two in advance and served hot or room temperature.  Be careful with the chilies: they do get hotter the longer they cook. 

  • 3 – 4 pounds lamb, cubed (use shoulder for a relatively inexpensive cut)
  • 1/4 cup  garlic, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh ginger, finely chopped
  • 1/4 cup cooking oil
  • 1/2 cup whole almonds
  • 1/2 cup raisins (golden or black)
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt
  • 2 teaspoons salt
  • 1 small green chili pepper   
  • 1 small dried red pepper (remove seeds) 
  • 1 can unsweetened coconut milk        
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped

Marinate lamb in the garlic and ginger for 2 hours.  In a large pot, heat the oil and fry the almonds and raisins briefly until they are light brown.  Set aside.  Using the same oil, add the cardamom, cloves and the lamb.  Cook stirring over high heat until the meat is browned.  Mix in the salt and yogurt and cook slowly until the yogurt is absorbed. 

Stir in the red and green chili peppers and half of  the chopped cilantro.  Add the coconut milk and cook slowly, stirring from time to time for about forty-five minutes to an hour.  When the lamb is tender, add the almonds and raisins.  Cover the pan and simmer to reduce the sauce, about 10 to 15 minutes. 

Taste for seasoning, adding additional coconut milk if too spicy.  Garnish with the remaining chopped coriander and serve hot, with chutney, Naan bread and rice. 

Makhani Dal                                                                                                                                                                                  Almost every Indian dinner is accompanied by some form of dal.  Split peas, dried beans or lentils are the basis of dal which is then seasoned and spiced in a myriad of ways.  Canned lentils in this recipe work well and make this an extremely easy dish to prepare.  As with the lamb, this can be made ahead and served warm or room temperature.

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil             
  • 2 cloves garlic, chopped          
  • 1 heaping teaspoon fresh ginger, grated                               
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 2 pounds canned lentils
  • 1 pound can of pureed tomatoes
  • 10 sprigs cilantro
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 cup cream

Heat butter and olive oil in a heavy pan and fry the garlic, ginger and chili powder for a few minutes.  Add the lentils and tomato puree, stirring well.  Separate the cilantro leaves from the stalks and chop each.  Add the chopped stalks to the lentils, season to taste with salt and pepper and leave to simmer over low heat about fifteen minutes.  Before serving, stir in the cream and the chopped cilantro leaves.

Cucumber Raita                                                                                                                                                                            Raita, a yogurt relish, cools down a hot Indian meal. 

  • 1 English cucumber, peeled and diced
  • 3 cups plain yogurt
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • Salt and pepper

Combine the diced cucumber, onions and yogurt.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Coconut Sorbet                                                                                                                                                                              There are wonderful Indian desserts and I confess this is not one of them but it does fall into the easy make-ahead category.  That said, it is very sweet (a hallmark of many Indian recipes) and you may want to double this recipe because it is very tasty!

1 can of Coco Lopez (cream of coconut – it’s sweetened)

Using a whisk, combine the cream of coconut with 1 cup of ice-cold water.  Pour into a glass baking dish ( 11 x 7 inch or and 8 inch square).  Freeze until frozen, stirring every 30 minutes (about 3 hours).  This can be make 2 days in advance.  Cover and keep frozen.  Make 2 cups.

The Brazilian Party                                                                                                                                                                             A tip of the hat to Melissa Voorhees who grew up in Brazil and Nilma Ottoni who is Brazilian for sharing their recipes.  Both wonderful cooks! 

Caipirinha: the Brazilian  cocktail!  

For this cocktail, you’ll have to prowl around and find cacacha, Brazilian cane liquor.  You can subsitute rum, but then you’ll have mojitos which are a fine substitute.

Basically, you need 1 1/2 parts lime juice to 1 part alcohol and sugar to taste (about 1 tablespoon per drink).  Make up a pitcher of these in advance and when ready to serve, be sure to fill the glasses with ice.  This is a strong one!  

Pork Loin and Sausages

  • 1 pork loin, about 3 pounds
  • 2 tablespoons cooking oil
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 or 3 onions, chopped
  • 4 or 5 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 2 pounds Italian sausages, mild 

Pre-heat the oven to 325. Dry the pork with paper towels and season with salt and pepper all over. In a  large pot, heat the oil and brown the pork loin on all sides.  Set aside and wipe out the pan. Add the olive oil and stir in the onions and garlic and saute a few minutes.  Place the pork on top of the onions, cover the pan and bake for 2 hours.  About 30 minutes before the end of the cooking time, prick the sausages on all sides and add the pan.

Black Beans

Cook one pound of dry black beans and then flavor with garlic or use 2 to 3 cans of cooked beans, drain and season.

Rice

For a party of 6 to 10, you’ll need 2 to 3 cups of rice, long grain or Basmati.

Orange and Red Onion salad

 

  • 4 oranges, peeled  and sliced
  • 1 medium red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
  • Black pepper
  • Olive oil

On a large plate, arrange the orange slices and top with the red onion. Drizzle with olive oil and crack fresh pepper over all.  The fruit and onions can be cut in advance and stored separately. 

Heart of Palm Salad

  • 2 cans heart of palm, sliced into spears or rounds
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 6 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Make a vinaigrette by mixing the mustard and vinegar and slowly adding the olive oil. Pour over the heart of palm at serving time.  Season with salt and pepper.

Brazilian style Greens

  • 2 pounds greens (kale, collard or mustard – I like kale best)
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 clove garlic

Wash the greens. Strip off the stems.  Make a stack of several layers of the greens, roll up tightly and slice across the roll into very thin strips.  Repeat until all the greens are shredded.  Place them in a large mixing bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Drain the water.  Heat the garlic in the olive oil in a pan large enough to hold the green.  Add the greens and toss until well coated and hot.  Check for tenderness and season with salt and pepper.  Do not overcook – the greens should keep a deep green color and be a bit crisp.

Farofa

  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 3-4 tablespoons finely chopped onion
  • 1 clove finely chopped garlic
  • 1 cup manioc flour
  • 1/4 cup pitted and coarsely chopped black olives
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, coarsely chopped

In a small pan, melt the butter and saute the onion and garlic until soft but not browned.  Add the manioc and stir continuously on medium heat until the manioc is very lightly browned.  Watch it carefully as it burns easily.  Add the olives and egg and remove from heat. Serve at room temperature – a few spoonfuls with the greens are heavenly.

Caramel Flan

  • 6 tablespoons sugar
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1/2 cup toasted almonds
  • 1/2 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 cups light cream

Measure sugar into an 8 inch cake pan.  Place the pan over direct heat and swirl constantly until sugar melts and turns a caramel color.  Remove pan immediately and place on a cool surface or it will burn (a cold wet cloth is good).  Let the caramel harden.  Put the eggs and yolks in a blender or food processor.  Add the almonds and brown sugar.  Add cream gradually.  Pour into the prepared pan and place in a larger pan with 1/2 inch hot water. 

Bake at 325 for 45 minutes.  Cool and refrigerate overnight or several hours.

Write with any questions and have a great party!

xoxo, Mary

 


HOME COOKING II: Okay, I’ll Cook! Now what?

So let’s say you’ve decided that home cooking is a sweet deal after all and you’re giving those clam shells and pizza boxes a quiet funeral out in the back yard. But now what? How to make the switch from someone else (or hundreds of someones) feeding you to your own efforts?

Start by making dinner for a week – or let’s say, six out of seven days. To achieve this, you need some food in the house and a plan. What happens if you’re invited out during this home-cooking week? This isn’t a problem: of course, go out! The goal here is to make home cooking a desirable habit not a condition of house arrest.

This is a 5 step plan.

  1. The Master List.
  2. A Week’s Menu.
  3. A Shopping List
  4. Shopping
  5. Cooking

The Master List (you only do this part once)

The Master List contains everything you always want to have on hand. Whether it’s diapers, bird seed or aspirin, what you need in the house should be on your list. When it’s time to shop, consulting the master list will remind you what you’re out of. It will also remind you what not to buy. For example, by consulting the Master List, you will recall that you already have 3 different kinds of cheese in your refrigerator and the Frugal You will determine to use those up before buying more. Tape the list to the inside of one of your cabinets.

Here’s a brief example. Your list can be as extensive as you wish – but remember it’s not really a shopping list. It’s an inventory.

Dairy
Milk
Butter
Eggs
Yoghurt
Vegetables/Fruits
Onions, garlic
Lettuce
Lemons
Bananas
Apples
Staples
Coffee
Olive oil
Cereal
Household
Paper towels
Toilet paper
Cleaning supplies
Misc.
Tuna fish
Peanut butter
Spices, salt, pepper

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Menu

The key here is keeping your menu very, very simple. Don’t stress over recipes, cookbooks or whether you think you’ll really want eggplant on Wednesday. Just write down some basic meals. In the following example, the menus may look slightly skeletal in their simplicity. This is on purpose.

If you find yourself toiling away composing menus, you won’t get to Tuesday in your home cooking plan. So just ponder briefly: Do I want fish twice this week? What about beets? Chicken? Okay. Plug some of these general choices into your menu. Just don’t repeat meals. A couple of salads are great but don’t count on eating the same vegetable every night. You’ll feel a lot more excited seeing a range of possibilities in the crisper than of 5 pounds of limp carrots.

A good tip: Keep a small notebook. Write the week’s menus on one page and the shopping list on the other.

Monday: Chicken, rice, salad

Tuesday: Turkey tacos, broccoli

Wednesday: Fish, red peppers, slaw

Thursday: Pasta with sausage, string beans

Friday: Pork chops, potatoes, spinach

Saturday: White pizza with artichokes, salad or… Something A Lot More Exciting

Sunday: Soup, grilled cheese sandwiches

Desserts for the week: Yogurt, fruit, ice cream, cookies

On to your Shopping List

Organize your shopping list by category following your Master List . This will save a lot of time in the grocery. Here’s a short sample list using the master list and the bare bones menu.

Dairy: Milk, yogurt, cheddar, Parmesan

Vegetables/Fruits: Onions, garlic, lettuce, cabbage, red peppers, cherry tomatoes, broccoli, potatoes, pears, bananas

Meat: Turkey, chicken breasts, pork chops, fish, sausage

Staples: Salt, cereal, peppercorns

Household: Paper towels, soap

Misc: Bread, tortillas, canned artichokes (in water)

The Actual Shopping

Here’s where things get a bit more creative. You’re in the store with your list but friends, you don’t need to be a slave to the list. Choose what looks good to you: you’ll be much more likely to cook it. You might think you want salmon but if the halibut is more appealing, that’s what you should get.

In other words, the list serves to remind you that you need food in the house. What’s available at your store really determines your choice. And be choosy: don’t buy produce that doesn’t look fresh. Don’t hesitate to make the guy in produce your friend. He will be more than happy to open a new case of string beans or (those magic words) ‘look in the back’ for more spinach.

Where to shop? If you want to get a jump on the week and cross a lot off your list, by all means, do a ‘big’ shopping trip. But once the basics are covered, you might make short trips to stores with high quality vegetables and meats. Stores like Whole Foods have quality meat, produce and fish but the prices are unreasonable and unfortunately, they’re looking more like cafeterias these days with all the troughs of prepared foods. Still, there are fewer aisles than the supermarkets. Bottom line: wherever you shop, hug the perimeter.

If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with farmers’ markets, CSAs*, food co-ops, or other stores that carry local products, your shopping may involve a few trips in order to complete your list.

How much should you buy? Not much but a lot of variety. For meat and fish, plan on 4 to 6 ounces per person. That means for a family of four, buy about 1 1/4 pounds of boneless chicken or one 3 1/2 pound roasting chicken. Pork chops? One each (not huge ones). When it comes to vegetables: indulge. Your salads can have 2 or 3 kinds of lettuce, some sliced fennel, cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Buy lots of greens. One bunch of chard or kale will serve two generously.

What about your budget? If you cook at home for a week and limit your purchases to mostly fresh food, you’ll save money. And here’s an important part of the plan: spend more for your food but buy less of it. Anyone who has grown a tomato or eaten a fresh caught fish knows that quality counts.

Cooking

Knuckle-cracking time! There’s food in the fridge but still, dinner seems hazy. If you’re really stuck for ideas, now is the time to get out a cookbook or go to a website like Epicurious. It’s amazing how quickly you can come up with something just by typing in an ingredient. If the recipe looks good, read a few of the reviews. Some are definitely wacky but you’ll get some ideas all the same. It’s 21st century back fence neighbor talk. If the dish turns out well, save a copy – it may become a favorite and of course, easier to make each time.

Say the idea of ground turkey tacos isn’t that thrilling. A few minutes of research later… Spicy turkey burgers! (See the recipe below) Sounds promising and the broccoli is good with that too.

But maybe, plain old broccoli is beginning to pall and this is where you pull out your stash of ‘accompaniments’. Toss it with some toasted pine nuts you keep in the freezer or make a little dressing with soy sauce, lemon juice and sesame oil. Even a generous squeeze of lemon juice, a small clove of chopped garlic and a spoonful of olive oil can make a big difference.

For our hypothetical week, I have purposely kept the menu, well, nearly generic. Depending on your time and how you feel, the ‘chicken-rice-salad’ might appear on the table as a zesty stir-fry or a cozy baked dish with salad on the side. Sundays are good nights for soup and a sandwich or – as they did in my family- breakfast for dinner: waffles or pancakes. After a long weekend and looking ahead to work and school, a simple homely supper is just right.

But hang on! What about Saturday night? Why not make things a little more exciting? If you have kids, feed them the pizza (see how below) and put them to bed. Shed the sweat pants and make yourselves oysters Rockefeller!

Did I mention dessert? It’s a good idea. If you’re eating meals with less meat and more vegetables and sticking to one helping, dessert makes a satisfying finish. If there are children in your house, the thought of dessert really does help that broccoli disappear. Plain yogurt with a spoonful of jam, honey, maple syrup or cinnamon sugar along with a couple of cookies (not huge) makes a good simple dessert. I’ve included a cookie recipe below. A dollop of ice cream on cooked or fresh fruit is another sweet idea.

Final Thoughts

Home cooking means real food, un-processed and cooked by you. Heating up the fancy deli’s lasagna doesn’t count. Neither does adding water to the Tandoori Rice Bowl.

Just to be clear: I’m not battling oatmeal, smoked salmon, olive oil or dried apricots. These are, of course, processed foods. What I’m talking about is what Michael Pollan, in an article in the Sunday New York Times magazine (January 28, 2007) “Unhappy Meals” describes:

“Don’t eat anything your great-great-grandmother wouldn’t recognize as food. (Sorry, but at this point Moms are as confused as the rest of us, which is why we have to go back a couple of generations, to a time before the advent of modern food products.) There are a great many foodlike items in the supermarket your ancestors wouldn’t recognize as food (Go-Gurt? Breakfast-cereal bars? Nondairy creamer?); stay away from these.”

Good luck with your cooking, I hope my suggestions help and that your week of home cooking turns into a second and then a third week. This is a challenging time of year to make a big change since we’re all beginning to get a little weary of winter. But take heart! Spring is just around the corner and in many areas, that means the farmers markets will be starting up and you may be planting your own garden. Soon there will be strawberries and asparagus and mushrooms… but for now, enjoy some soups and stews and the last of the season’s juicy grapefruits. Bon appetit!

*CSA stands for Community Supported Agriculture. Customers buy a subscription or a ‘share’ of locally grown produce. Subscribers receive a weekly box of high quality, super fresh food directly from the farms which are, in turn, supported financially by the shareholders.

Here’s a good website to learn more:http://www.localharvest.org/csa/

Spicy Turkey Burgers

One kitchen gadget I have used constantly is the food processor. Grinding meat is one of the easiest things to do with this handy machine and you instantly have the best, freshest hamburger anywhere. Try this with turkey.

For 4

  • 1 1/4 pounds turkey filets or ground turkey
  • 2 plum (Roma) tomatoes
  • 1 medium onion
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 1 bunch cilantro, washed and chopped
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce (or to taste)
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil

Chop up the tomatoes, onion, garlic and half the cilantro to make a salsa. Use a food processor for this step if you have one but don’t make the mixture too smooth. Add the olive oil and seasonings and taste, adding more seasoning if necessary. Set aside.

If you’re using fresh turkey, cut it in a few pieces, put it into the food processor and pulse until ground but not minced. Combine the turkey and the salsa and shape into 4 burgers.

Heat the oil in a skillet and saute the burgers for about 3 minutes per side. Serve with lettuce and the extra cilantro and pass the hot sauce.

String Beans with ‘Accompaniments’

It’s the middle of July. You’ve just come in from your garden, your hair flowing in the breeze, a slight flush on your cheeks. In your arms, there are green beans. Minutes later, you and your loved ones are swooning over these perfect beans which are unclothed save for a dab of butter and a little salt and pepper.

Wait a minute! Stop the cameras! It’s February: add some flavoring and texture to fully clothe your beans and help everyone have a good meal. Keep a stash of various nuts, spices, and exotic things like lime or lemon oil (a tiny bottle lasts for ages). Fresh ginger, by the way, keeps a long time in the fridge if you wrap it in paper towel and then in a small closeable plastic bag.

for 4

  • 1 pound green beans
  • 1/4 cup walnuts, almonds or hazelnuts, roughly chopped
  • 1 small piece of ginger, peeled and grated
  • A few drops of lemon oil
  • 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
  • Salt and pepper

Bring a big pot of water to a boil. In the meantime, wash the beans and snap off the ends. Cook the beans for 5 to 8 minutes or until just tender. (Check by fishing one out and tasting it) Drain the beans and put them back in the pot.

Toss with the remaining ingredients and taste for seasoning. Can be served hot or room temperature.

Super Fast Pizza for the Kids

Grown-ups like this too!

for 2 servings

  • 1 -2 small whole wheat pitas
  • 1 can artichokes (you’ll only need 1/2 can)
  • 1 slice ham or prosciutto, diced (optional)
  • 4 tablespoons grated Parmesan or shredded mozzarella
  • Olive oil

Heat the oven to 325. Split the pita into two halves, brush with a little olive oil and warm it up a few minutes on a cookie sheet. If you have trouble separating the pita or if it’s very thin, use two. Drain and chop up about half of artichokes. Divide them between the 2 pita halves, add the optional ham or prosciutto and top with the cheese. Bake about 5 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Serve with a few cherry tomatoes on the side.

p.s. the extra artichokes? Halve them and wrap in a slice of prosciutto, ham or cheese. This can be your hors d’oeuvre while you make the oysters….

Oysters Rockefeller

This Saturday night special serves two but you can easily double it or make a lot for a party. Buy your oysters the same day you cook them. My take on this classic involves a lot of spinach. Serve with champagne.

For 2

  • 6 to 8 large fresh oysters
  • 2 slices bacon
  • 1 bunch spinach
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 2 tablespoons Pernod or Herbsaint liqueur
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs

Fry the bacon until it is about halfway done. Drain on a paper towel.

Wash the spinach thoroughly, cut off the stems and chop roughly. Saute the shallot in the butter until soft and add the spinach stirring until it is wilted. In a strainer, drain and squeeze out the water with the back of a spoon. Put the spinach back in the pan, warm it, stirring and add the Pernod, cooking a minute or two to evaporate the alcohol. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.

Turn the oven on to broil. Arrange the oysters, rounded side down, on a baking sheet. Broil just until the shells ‘pop’ or look open. Remove from the oven, loosen the oysters with a knife, taking care not to spill the juice and discard the upper flat shell.

Place a mound of spinach on each oyster, a spoonful of the crumbs and top with a square of bacon. Broil the oysters (not too close to the heat) just until the bacon is crisp. Watch it like a hawk!!

Pop the champagne cork, tuck a white napkin into your pearls and dive in!

My friend Valerie’s Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Valerie Hill was the pastry chef at the Morrison Clark Inn in Washington, DC when I worked there. This is her incredibly good recipe, and you’ll find it makes several rolls which store well in the freezer. These are buttery but not overly sweet little cookies that melt in your mouth.

  • 1 1/2 pounds butter, unsalted, softened
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 tablespoon baking soda
  • 5 cups (1 1/4 lbs) cake flour, sifted
  • 4 3/4 (15 oz) cups oats
  • 2 1/4 cups (12 oz) golden raisins

Cream butter and sugar. Sift baking soda over mixture and blend thorougly. Mix in the remaining ingredients. I use a mixer for this. Shape into long rolls and wrap in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate until firm. Slice into about 1/4 inch rounds and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. I bake cookies on parchment paper so I don’t have to grease the cookie sheet.

The rolls can be frozen and baked as needed.

Cheers and xoxo, Mary

Sunday Brunch

Awake, hungry and convivial.  It’s the weekend and I want brunch.

Brunches are a wonderful way to entertain because they’re relatively inexpensive, don’t take all day to prepare and there’s still daylight afterwards. Since most brunches start at 11 or even noon, you don’t have to arise at dawn to cook.

 

Serving buffet style makes for a comfortable casual occasion. When planning the menu, I try not to have too many items, which crowd the plate. I also try to balance the ‘good’ (fresh fruit) with the ‘yummy’ (bacon). Count out the platters, plates and flatware in advance to get an idea of how to set up the table.  When the brunch is ready, you won’t have to go searching for the right plate.  My daughter-in-law Trina Giese always has something ready when children arrive with cups and paper plates in easy reach.  This frees up space for adults and makes things a little more relaxed.

Make plenty of coffee and have tea as well but make it just as guests arrive so that it’s fresh.  Mimosas and bloody Marys are always popular at a brunch.  Mimosas are simpler since you can provide a pitcher of orange juice and then your guests can add their own champagne or sparkling wine.

Here are some uncomplicated menu and recipe suggestions for a Sunday brunch.    

#1 American! 

The French toast is put together the night before leaving just the fruit to cut up and the bacon and sausage to cook.

Fruit Salad

Baked Blueberry Pecan French Toast with Blueberry Syrup

Bacon and Vegetarian sausage

#2 Slightly Italian 

The frittata can be cooked in advance so you can spend your time arranging all that salami… 

Sudi’s Artichoke Frittata

Salami, Parma ham and Proscuitto

Sliced tomatoes and cucumbers

Basket of breads: (include something sweet here)  

#3 Deli Special

If you make the muffins a day ahead, you can read the newspaper before your guests arrive! It’s that easy!

A smoked fish platter

 (salmon, trout, herring, etc.)

Bagels, cream cheese and sliced red onions

Sliced oranges (or other seasonal fruit)

Pear Ginger Muffins

Baked Blueberry-Pecan French toast with Blueberry Syrup

This is a great recipe to make for a crowd and also to travel with – I’ve made it twice at a rented beach house and found the ingredients easy to pack and put together once you arrive.  You can use frozen blueberries in the winter months. The syrup only take a few minutes to make but plain maple syrup is fine on its own.

  • 1 baguette
  • 6 eggs
  • 2 1/2  cups milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup pecans, (3 oz)*
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 2 cups blueberries (about 12 oz)

For the syrup:

  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

Preparation:

Butter a 13 x 9 inch baking dish.  Cut 20 – 24 slices (1″) from the baguette and arrange them in the dish in one layer. 

Whisk together eggs, milk, nutmeg, vanilla and 1/4 C brown sugar and pour evenly over bread.  Chill mixture covered at least 8 hours and up to 1 day. Flip all the pieces of bread in the pan once so all the liquid is evenly absorbed.

Toast pecans in a dry pan or microwave (about 30 seconds), checking constantly to avoid burning.

Pre-heat oven to 400. 

Sprinkle pecans and blueberries evenly over bread mixture.  Heat the butter with remaining brown sugar, stirring until butter is melted.  Drizzle butter mixture over bread and bake 30 to 40 minutes or until any liquid from blueberries is bubbling. 

Syrup: Cook blueberries and maple syrup over moderate heat until berries have burst- about 3 minutes. Pour syrup through a sieve pressing on solids.  Stir in lemon juice. 

Serve French toast with warm syrup.  About 10 servings.

 

*Nut tip:  Store all nuts in the freezer well wrapped.  They go rancid fairly quickly on the shelf.

Sudi’s Artichoke Frittata

This recipe comes from my good friend Sudi Press, a natural and welcoming party giver par excellence.  She called these simply  ‘artichoke squares’ and served them, cut small, for cocktail hors d’oeuvres.  They are so good I’ve given the dish a fancier name and serve it in larger squares for brunch. 

  • 4 (6-oz) jars marinated artichoke hearts
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 8 eggs
  • ½ cup breadcrumbs
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ½ teaspoon oregano
  • ½ teaspoon hot pepper
  • 1 pound shredded cheese (Swiss or cheddar)
  • ¼ cup parsley, chopped 

Drain marinade from 2 jars only of the artichoke hearts and discard.  Drain the marinade from the remaining jars and combine this liquid with the olive oil in a pan.  Heat and add the onion and garlic, cooking until soft. 

Combine eggs, crumbs, and seasonings.  Fold in cheese and parsley.  Chop artichokes and add them and the onions and garlic to the mixture.  Blend well. 

Pour into a greased large glass pan (13 by 9 inches).Bake at 325 for about 30 minutes.  The top will be browned and puffed slightly.  Cool a little before cutting into squares.   

Can be served hot or cold; can be prepared ahead and reheated 10 to 12 minutes. 

Pear Ginger Muffins

These very rich sweet muffins were baked at the Morrison Clark Inn in Washington, DC when I worked there.  

  • 12 tablespoons (6 oz) butter, melted
  • ¾ cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 2 eggs, slightly beaten
  • ¼ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
  • Big pinch salt
  • 1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground ginger
  • 2 firm pears, peeled and chopped in small chunks (about 1 cup) 

Combine sugars, flour, baking powder and soda and salt.  Add the eggs, milk, vanilla and butter and stir just to combine.  Should not be smooth.Add gingers and pears.

Bake in greased muffin tins (or use paper liners) at 375 for 20 to 25 minutes.

Makes about 1 dozen muffins.

Have a great brunch!

Mary