Kitchen Improv

Confetti Fudge

During the holidays I love to make treats to share, but time usually dictates that I never get around to it. However, now that I’ve found the Condensed Milk version of making fudge, I can now turn out several batches of yummy and pretty goodies in just an hour or so.

This fudge version is very simple and nearly fool-proof. Gone are the days of fragile glass thermometers and crystallized batches of gooey ick. If you can watch a pot of melting chocolate closely, you can make this. It’s also a good method to use if your kids want to help you. My boys like to add the fruit and mix.

Variations on this recipe are endless. By using milk, semi-sweet, dark, or white chocolate chip varieties and various mix-ins, you’re sure to create a lovely variety of treats to share!

Ingredients
16oz milk or white chocolate chips
4 Tablespoons unsalted butter
14oz sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup each of sweetened, dried cranberries and dried Mediterranean apricots, chopped into small piece
1 teaspoon canola oil for lightly greasing pan

Method
In a double boiler, combine chocolate, butter, and sweetened condensed milk. Heat to melt butter and chocolate, stirring gently every 1-2 minutes to ensure thorough incorporation of ingredients. Don’t mix too aggressively or air bubbles may form. Once all chips are melted, remove from heat and fold in cranberries and apricots, again mixing gently. Pour into 8×8 lightly oiled glass pan (or other appropriate mold) and chill until firmly set. Cut into pieces and serve or store for up to two weeks.

Zucchini Masala

Whenever I cook Indian food for friends, they wonder where and how I learned. There seems to be a general misconception that Indian food is a difficult style to cook. I do have a bit of an edge since my family spent a lot of time in Singapore when I was a kid and my mom was able to learn many traditional recipes and techniques from our Indian friends. Though the spice combinations may be complex, reproducing them at home isn’t. Turning out a tasty, freshly prepared Indian dish doesn’t really take me any longer than most foods that I cook from scratch.

I find that the secret is having some key spices on-hand so you can prepare something without a lot of planning and extra trips to the market. I tend to keep turmeric, whole cumin, coriander, cardamom, cinnamon, and red chili powders around all the time. I also have Garam Masala, which is a spice blend. Though there are other spices common to Indian cooking, these are the ones most called upon by the recipes I like.

I love the fragrant spices in the Indian Aloo Gobi Masala dish. Potatoes give me hives in my mouth, though, so I just make this recipe with extra cauliflower and enjoy it as a simplified version. During the great zucchini flood of 2008 (aka zucchini, every night of the week) I tried something different by using zucchini from my garden as the base of this dish. I like it better than the original.

Though you may find it convenient to use prepared curry pastes from the supermarket or Indian specialty stores, this really is better if you use the traditional bhuna technique of mixing the individual spices and then pan-roasting them in oil. Yes, it will make your house smell a bit and takes an extra five minutes, but the flavor pay-off is well worth it!

Ingredients
4 cups zucchini, cut into 1-inch cubes.
1 cup fresh tomatoes, cored, seeded, and diced (I like to use cherry tomatoes cut in half)
3 tablespoons peanut or canola oil
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (ground will work, but whole seeds give the dish a better texture)
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh garlic, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/2 teaspoon sambal sauce (or sambal powder)
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped

Method
Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and sauté cumin seeds for about one minute. Add the remaining dry spices and roast in the oil while mixing gently for about two minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for about one minute more. Add the turmeric and gently mix. Next add the tomatoes, mix well, and cook for about five minutes, or until tomatoes become tender. Now add the sambal sauce and zucchini. Mix to coat and cook over high heat for two minutes while stirring occasionally. Turn heat down to medium-low and sauté for 10 minutes or until zucchini is tender, stirring every few minutes. When zucchini is cooked, remove from heat and serve, garnishing with a sprinkle of cilantro.

Blue Cheese Burgers

I love burgers, but am always disappointed in restaurant renditions of them. I always find something to complain about, from the bun containing soy to the patty being dry and crumbly. I have stopped trying to find the perfect restaurant burger and now just rely on my own guiles to make them the way I like them. My favorite is with blue cheese and red onion.

When choosing beef for burgers, it’s best to pick something of high quality. Whether the beef is all-natural and locally raised like mine or a simple ground sirloin, I recommend using something a cut above the usual supermarket floor scraps. It tastes better, is generally lower in fat, and will most often have fewer of those mystery chewy bits that none of us really like.

Lori, you know this is for you!

Ingredients
1lb ground beef
1/4 cup red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten (or substitute 1/4 cup egg white or Egg Beaters or similar)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Method
Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly, then form into quarter- or half-pound patties. Grill over medium flame 5-7 minutes on each side for medium or medium-well. Serve with all of your favorite burger accouterments.

Coco-Jitos

Whenever we have a dinner party or BBQ, my good friend Will makes these yummy mojitos. They’re tasty, refreshing, and are a perfect addition to good company and food on the deck. These have become a staple at our house during the hot summer months and I’ve gotten the recipe down to an art, whether it’s a single cocktail or entire pitcher.

Tonight I was really craving one and had limes, mint, and simple syrup ready to go. But alas, the rum was not quite right. We were out of white rum but had a bottle of Malibu from a recent rum-and-coke weekend up in the woods. Well… coconut rum + mojito sounded a little cheap, but I did it anyway and I have no regrets!

So here it is. I was thoroughly surprised that Will wasn’t ashamed of my unabashed adulteration of his recipe!

Ingredients
Fresh mint leaves
Ice Cubes
Juice of one lime
2 Tbsp simple syrup (made from cane juice or Turbinado sugar is best)
2 oz Malibu Coconut Rum
Club Soda
Fresh lime slices or wedges

Method
Add 8-12 mint leaves to a tall glass. Use a pestle (or the back of a large wooden spoon as I do) to pulverize the mint to release the oils. Next, add enough ice to fill the glass. Add the juice of one lime, simple syrup, and rum. Top with club soda and mix thoroughly. Garnish with a fresh mint sprig and slice of lime.

If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to make simple syrup, substitute 7-Up for the simple syrup and club soda. This isn’t as good, but it works if you’re serving for large groups or don’t have the effort to do it right.

Chile Verde

My step daughter, Kristin, always asks me to make burritos when she’s here. Specifically, she loves the Chile Verde I make from pork shoulder and a special organic sauce. She even wanted it the day she had her wisdom teeth pulled.

I’ve tried this with making the sauce from scratch rather than a jar, but I oddly prefer the jar. I use 505 Green Chile Sauce in the mild variety. It’s organic and domestically grown and cooked in our neighbor state of New Mexico.

Once cooked, this pork is best served in a burrito with fresh cilantro, cheese, sour cream, and lime, but it is great for nachos or a taco salad, too.

Ingredients
1.5 – 2lbs pork shoulder roast or country ribs (boneless is easiest)
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 16-oz jar of 505 mild green chile sauce
1 green Anaheim pepper, roasted and chopped (in a pinch, use a can of mild green chiles)
1 tablespoon chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, chopped (add more if you like it spicier)
Juice of 1 lime
1/3 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
Salt to taste

Method
Chop the onion and place in a Crockpot with pork on low heat. Let cook for 3-4 hours until pork is fully cooked, tender, and falls apart easily. If you have a bone-in roast, remove bone. Shred the pork with a fork. Add the chile sauce, Anaheim and chipotle peppers, and lime juice. Cook for another 30-60 minutes. Just before serving, add the cilantro and salt and then stir.

Serve immediately or store refrigerated for up to four days.

Italian Meatballs

Usually I prefer to eat pasta with a simple and vegetarian marinara sauce. However, Doug occasionally convinces me to make a batch of meatballs to toss in and it’s usually a nice change from the ordinary. I like mine moist, so I add cream and chicken broth to the mix. I’ve tried it with a half beef and half pork combination, but I like the simplicity of just beef.

I like making this mix ahead and then storing it in the freezer in an air-tight, zip-top bag for up to two months.

Ingredients
1.5lbs ground beef (I prefer 90% lean)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup heavy cream (half and half or whole milk are suitable substitutes)
1/4 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup freshly chopped Italian parsley
1 tsp fresh thyme, stemmed and chopped
1 tsp fresh basil, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh oregano, finely chopped
3/4 cup dry bread crumbs (in a pinch I’ve used packaged stuffing mix that has been run through the food processor)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Method
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and line a flat baking sheet with parchment paper.
Add all ingredients to a large bowl and combine thoroughly. Mix should be thick, moist, and slightly sticky.
Shape golf-ball-sized meatballs and lay on parchment paper. Space them about 1″ apart.
Bake for 18-20 minutes and then add to sauce.

Hawaiian Tacos

Someone I knew once made me tacos with teriyaki-marinated chicken. Other than the teriyaki flavor, these were pretty standard tacos, but I remember the uniqueness of the Asian-style chicken in the Mexican dish and like it quite well. Maybe that’s what people mean by “Asian Fusion?”

I’ve taken the idea of teriyaki-marinated chicken and blended it with pineapple, salsa, and cilantro. Yes, it sounds odd, but I’ve never met anyone who tried it and didn’t like it.

Ingredients
6-8 eight-inch flour tortillas
2 boneless, skinless half-chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup pineapple juice
1/4 cup teriyaki sauce (or use the soy-free variety here)
3/4 cup fresh (or canned) pineapple, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup roasted, diced green Chile peppers
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Sour Cream
Fresh Salsa

Method
Marinate the chicken in teriyaki and pineapple juice for 2-6 hours. Sautee in a skillet over medium heat until chicken is cooked, liquid is evaporated, and sauce is thick and slightly sticky.

Heat tortillas in an empty skillet over low heat with cheese. Remove once cheese is melted

Assemble tacos with about 2 tbsp chicken, pineapple chunks, fresh cilantro, green Chiles, salsa, and sour cream.

Makes 6-8 tacos.

Garlic Bread

This one owes a credit to my husband. He makes the best garlic bread and it has been our staple with pasta for the last 10 years. Any fresh loaf will do, but I prefer sourdough or sweet French without frills like whole grain, seeds, or other toppings.

Ingredients
1 loaf of fresh bread
5-6 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and trimmed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Method
Preheat oven on broil setting
Slice the bread to about 3/4 -inch thickness.
In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, salt, lime juice, pepper, and olive oil. Blend on high speed until garlic is thoroughly liquefied and entire mixture is slightly emulsified and opaque.

Brush the mixture over one side of each slice of bread and lay the bread on a baking sheet. Heat under broiler for 3-6 minutes or until bread is slightly browned and crunchy at the crust. Serve immediately.

Wilted Swiss Chard

Who is brave enough to grab a bunch of those bitter-looking greens bunched up in the leafy section of the super market? Who really knows what to do with those things, anyway? I’m not a fan of collard or mustard greens and kale makes me retch. But I’ve really taken a shine to Swiss Chard and its almost-salty flavor. It has a twinge of tangy bitterness, but not enough to overpower a dish. My favorite preparation is with some bacon, red onions, and a splash of white wine.

Ingredients
2 slices thick-cut, natural smoked bacon, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
4 tbsp dry white wine
1 bunch red Swiss chard

Method
Wash and dry the chard. Remove stems, then chop roughly into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet, fry bacon pieces with red onion until bacon is fully cooked and onion is soft and translucent. Add Swiss chard pieces and white wine. Sautee for 2-3 minutes, or until leaves are gently wilted and volume is reduced by about half.

Serve immediately.

Pasta e Fagioli Zuppa – Italian Bean & Pasta Soup

Whether it’s the dead of winter or the heat of summer, I love this bean and sausage soup. It all started when my good friend, Will, bought me this lovely box of a Christmas gift full of kitchen goodies. Not only did he pick an amazing, artisan-quality cheese board, he tossed in some gourmet dry bean soup mixes. One in particular was a Fagioli & Pasta mix. It was tasty, but as prepared I found it a bit thin and without a hearty body. Keep in mind it was a healthy and vegetarian recipe. I did, however love the combination of beans (I think there were four) but it inspired me to start over on my own to produce something healthy, yet so full of flavor that I’d want to recreate it for years to come. Here is my bean soup. Enjoy.

An Italian bean mix can be achieved a few different ways. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to start from dry beans, use 1 15-oz can each of dark red kidney beans and white kidney beans (cannellini) drained and rinsed. Or, if you prefer to slow-cook your beans, use 1 cup each of these dry, or use a pre-measured, dry Italian mix. Whichever way you choose, you’ll ultimately have about two pounds of cooked beans. (If you’re not familiar with cooking dried beans, look here. It’s really not as complicated as it’s often made out to be.

Ingredients
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 stalk of fennel, peeled, split, and thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1.5 quarts chicken stock (not broth, grown-up, full-bodied STOCK.)
2 lbs cooked Italian bean mix, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can diced, stewed tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaf (1/2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaf (1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaf, chopped (1/4 tsp ground)
1 tbsp fresh basil leaf, chopped (1/2 tsp dried)
2 dry bay leaves
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped (1 tbsp dried)
1/2 tsp Tobasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 cup conghigliette (small shells) or ditalini (small, short tubes) pasta
Fresh julienned basil and shredded Parmesan cheese to garnish.

Method
In a large dutch oven, brown the sausage until cooked through. The sausage I buy tends to be lean, and I find I need to add 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. In remaining oil, saute onions, carrots, and celery together with wine. As soon as the wine has evaporated, add the salt and sweat over medium heat for about 10 – 12 minutes. Add the zucchini and fennel and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add sausage, mix thoroughly. Add chicken stock, beans, and tomatoes. Heat to a simmer, then turn to low heat and cover.

Cook 45 to 60 minutes. Near the end of cooking, add Tobasco if you prefer a bit more spice than the sausage provides. Add the pasta, cook until done. Serve garnished with fresh julienned basil, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of thick, crusty Italian bread