Goodbye Earl

well, Earl himself was a bit of a dud...few leaves down in my yard but that was it. Had lots of fun waiting for him though...what else is a self-respecting foodie to do but to hunker down....and chow down ? And what better way to welcome a hurricane...but Hurricanes ? Mark was in charge of those, opening oysters, and crab cakes (Paula Deen's recipe is great)...my contribution was my grandmother's clam fritters, and my own quickie Cajun Remoulade.

recipes follow the pictures....

Hurricanes !







mmm oysters...







crab cakes cooking away







clam fritters with Cajun Remoulade

The Recipes :

Hurricane

2 oz light rum
2 oz dark rum
2 oz passion fruit juice
1 oz orange juice
1/2 oz fresh lime juice
1 tbsp simple syrup
1 tbsp grenadine

Shake all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a hurricane glass. Garnish with a cherry and an orange slice

Mark's Basic Cocktail Sauce :
(all measurements very approximate)
 
2 T horseradish
2 T ketchup
2 t lemon juice
dash of chipotle Tabasco to taste (we like a lot :) )

Mix together and serve

Karen’s Quickie Cajun Remoulade
(this is good on all sorts of things...last night it went with the clam fritters and the crab cakes)

2 minced scallions
1 ½ cups Hellmans
¼ cup ketchup
1 T prepared mustard
1 t garlic powder
1 t celery salt
½ t chipotle powder
½ t Tabasco
2 minced white anchovies

 Mix well....good to let sit about 15 minutes or so for the flavors to meld 
 
Clam Fritters 
(I'm still trying to perfect this one to come out like Grammy's...this is pretty close though ! ) 
 
1 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
dash of salt
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup milk
2 cups chopped clams (save the liquid) 
 
Mix together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt. Combine with egg and milk. Mix in clams and enough of their liquid to make fritter batter....should be somewhat stiff, but you should still be able to drop it off a spoon. Fry in hot oil in a skillet, turning once, until nice and brown on both sides.
 
Paula Deen's Crab Cakes

1 pound crabmeat, picked free of shells
1/3 cup crushed Ritz crackers 
3 green onions (green and white parts), finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 egg
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash cayenne pepper

Flour, for dusting

1/2 cup oil

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients, except for the flour and oil. Shape into patties and dust with flour.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully place crab cakes, in batches, in pan and fry until browned, about 4 to 5 minutes. Carefully flip crab cakes and fry on other side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. Serve warm.

 
 

content source

Inman Square - spices and sustenance

off to Inman Square last weekend to hit Christina's Spices (no website, but reviews and info here )...what a treasure this place is...so cool !! You walk in and your nose doesn't know what to make of it...every smell you can think of and a few you've never considered. The spices are tucked in everywhere - bags, jars, bins and boxes, you name it - not to mention unique groceries, loose teas...could get lost in there for days. It's not a fussy store, and that seems to extend to the hours...though scheduled to open at 10, no one had bothered to open the door by the time we got there.

So, what does one do at 10 AM on a sleepy Sunday in Inman Square ? Why, go to the S + S for breakfast, of course. I adore the S + S...my mother has been taking me there literally all my life, it's one of her very favorite places. An Inman Square fixture since 1919, it's a traditional deli gone wild...the menu is huge, everything is reliably fantastic, and I can satisfy my lox-and-eggs addiction day or night. "Es" means "eat" in Yiddish, and you'd best be prepared to "eat and eat" when you get there.

In a slight departure from my traditional choice, I went with Eggs Copenhagen - a truly delectable take on Eggs Benedict :

oh yeah baby !

Poached eggs, Nova Scotia lox, sauteed onions and Hollandaise sauce over really good English muffins, home fries and fresh fruit on the side. Serious culinary orgasm...so incredibly good.

My dining partner opted for another take on Eggs Benedict - Eggs Oscar :

unfortunately, Mark opted out of appearing on camera :)

This was amazing - poached eggs on potato pancakes topped with crabmeat, asparagus and Bearnaise sauce. Putting this over potato pancakes was brilliant - the perfect foil.

Spicy !

The S also does a decent take on a Bloody Mary...not super strong, but quite tasty.

Perfect start to a shopping expedition !!

content source

lobster mac + cheese

Culinary Orgasm...defined

Seriously, what could possibly be better than mac and cheese...oh yeah, mac and cheese and LOBSTA. This is the kind of stuff that makes you moan and sigh while you eat it....that you eat way too much of (and yet you can't stop)....that you dream about...this, readers, is a Culinary Orgasm.

I've been making homemade mac and cheese for years...never been able to abide the powdery orange stuff, but once I figured out how to make the real deal I was hooked. The key to good mac and cheese (without embellishments) is the cheese...a mix of Cabot Extra Sharp and Seriously Sharp (or Hunter's Sharp). My basic version plus lobster is quite tasty, but I've been tweaking it a bit for the lobster version the last few times I've made it. You want it cheesy, but you also want to be able to taste all the lobstery goodness - so not as sharp as when the cheese gets star billing. I think I've now hit on the proper combination...a good Cheddar, a nice creamy Fontina, and some Gruyere. I also use a bit more of the cream sauce for the lobster version - the creaminess really sets off the lobster.

Herewith, I think, is the direct route to nirvana :

Lobster Mac & Cheese

Cooked, canned frozen lobster meat is available at Shaw's....and that's usually the only place I can find it. I think the cans are 12 oz (I've used all mine up, so can't look and tell you :) ) . Though I am a lobster snob by birth (fresh Cushing lobster is the only way to fly), I have to admit this product works perfectly in this dish.

Makes a huge amount...which will all be eaten, I promise :) Easily halved...

1 lb cellentani, cavatappi or similar pasta
6 T butter, plus 4 T for topping
6 T flour
3 cups milk
3 cups cream
6 cups grated cheese (cheddar-fontina-gruyere mix highly recommended)
2 cans lobster meat
1 cup panko crumbs

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

For cream sauce : melt 6 T of the butter in saucepan and whisk in flour. Slowly whisk in milk, then cream. Simmer 5 minutes or so, to get rid of raw flour taste. Whisk in about 2 cups of your cheese mixture.

Melt the remaining butter, and stir in the panko.

In a really large casserole dish, layer the pasta, lobster, cheese, and sauce...then another layer of pasta, lobster,cheese, and sauce...then top with a last layer of cheese Top with the buttered crumbs, and bake in a 375 oven until bubbling and a bit golden (20 - 30 minutes, depending on your pan)

content source

Turkey Soup with Barley and Mushrooms

Soup is good food....

ahhh, Thanksgiving...the holiday that keeps on giving. At least the leftovers do...

How good is turkey soup ? I mean, chicken soup is great and all...but there is just something about turkey soup. So rich, so flavorful...just so good. Growing up, my aunts in Maine made the best turkey rice soup on earth - probably the most requested dinner by the various cousins staying at the house (myself included). Whatever might be wrong in your world, this soup would fix. Once old enough to make my own soups, the turkey rice was one of the first I did...and I have to say, I really got it down. (When my sister was staying at the hospital with my newborn nephew, she wouldn't eat anything except my soup). Eventually, though, we needed to alternate with something a bit different...enter barley. Barley just elevates turkey soup to the stratosphere - the richness of the turkey complements the nutty barley perfectly. And mushrooms and barley are just so good together...

For this one, rather than a recipe I'm just going to give you the general method I follow. If you'd like more specific directions, definitely email me. (The Anadama Bread I made with it - included in the photograph - will be written up as a separate entry, because that's got a pretty cool story behind it).

My method of making soup out of leftover birds - Thanksgiving birds in particular - is a bit, well, odd. This, I am sure, will surprise no one that knows me. :). Since we tend to cook ridiculously large birds around here (26 pounds, this year) I've discovered I'm better off splitting the goods into two soups - for one thing, half a giant bird is a heck of a lot easier to fit in a stockpot. We basically pick and pick until we can't look at the carcass anymore, and then I take my poultry shears and split whatever's left in two. (I have the most amazing German-made poultry shears, inherited from my grandmother...those bad boys will cut through anything). The halves go in to heavy duty freezer bags until I'm willing to say the word "turkey" again.

Once the muse strikes me (like, say, on a rainy Sunday full of Christmas shopping and a late Patriots game) , I take one of my turkey-sicles and throw it into a stockpot (still frozen), with a handful of tiny onions or a couple of small ones (skin on) and plenty of salt and pepper. I add enough water to cover, bring everything to a boil, and turn it down to a simmer. I then start my bread and get on with my afternoon.

An hour and a half to two hours later, I turn off the turkey pot and start chopping some vegetables..usually leeks, carrots and celery in equal amounts, maybe two cups of each. I start these in a clean stockpot in which I've melted about half a stick of unsalted butter, and saute them until they start to cook down a bit. (I picked up this tip from the Silver Palate - it really makes a huge difference in the flavor). I add salt and pepper again, then measure in eight cups of broth from the turkey pot and a cup of barley, bring it to a boil, and reduce it to a simmer.

Once the turkey remains in the other pot are cool enough to handle (okay, truthfully I always end up burning my fingers a bit :) ), I collect up all the usable meat from the stockpot, stripping it off the bones and chopping it up a little if needed. I also slip the onions out of the skins, and I add all the good turkey and onion parts to the simmering pot with the vegetables, stock and barley. I taste it at this point, and if I feel like the broth isn't strong enough I'll add 2 - 4 Knorr's Chicken Bouillon cubes (yes, it has to be Knorr's...everything else is just salt and yuck). The last step is to slice up about a cup of mushrooms and add them to the pot. If you feel like the soup needs more broth, add a few ladlefuls of whatever is left from your turkey stock pot, or use chicken stock - broth ratio is a personal preference, we tend to do it a little thick around here - make it however you like it, it's your soup ! In any event, once the mushrooms are cooked to your liking the soup is done.

Soup is, indeed, good food....

content source

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo







not the best picture - it's really saucier !!

There are probably a million variations on this dish...all (okay, most) of them delicious. I mean, even the names are confusing - most people would call this Chicken, Broccoli and Ziti, or Chicken, Broccoli and Penne...but since the variation I usually make is the cream sauce one - and since I don't always use ziti or penne - Chicken Broccoli Alfredo it is. Except...there are probably a million versions of Alfredo sauce too. Technically, mine is a cream or white sauce, since it starts with flour and butter. I have to do it that way, because Mark likes "Alfredo" sauce super thick. All I can tell you is that whatever you want to call this works for me...and that's what this dish does : works. It's been a staple here for years for a good reason - everyone loves it.







see ?

 There are actually two ways to make this at my house...method du jour depends on how much time and/or kitchen help I have. I give you the very slightly more involved version first...this is easy enough to do on your own, but very enjoyable to do with help. Tonight Mark sauteed the chicken and broccoli, Alex grated the cheese, and I made the sauce and pasta. I love family kitchen night :).

Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo

1 pound pasta
1 stick unsalted butter
1/2 cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups cream
salt, grated nutmeg and/or cayenne pepper (optional)
2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups broccoli florets
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced into 1/4 inch thick chunks
2 tsp minced garlic
olive oil for pan
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, make sauce : melt butter in good-sized saucepan over medium heat and whisk in flour. Whisk in milk, a little at a time, then add cream all at once and whisk well. Simmer 5 - 10 minutes, whisking often, until thick. Add seasonings to taste....definitely salt, a small sprinkle of nutmeg, and a few grains of cayenne (you're not trying to make the sauce spicy - just warms up the flavors. Although if you do like spicy, you can add a good amount of chipotle and make a very different - but still tasty - dish. ).

While sauce is simmering, make chicken and broccoli : heat oil in a saute pan, saute chicken and garlic (seasoned with a bit of salt and pepper) together until done, then saute broccoli in the same pan until done.

Combine pasta, sauce, chicken and broccoli in large bowl or pot. Pass extra Parmesan at the table.

Optional Method

The other way of doing this, if you're somewhat pressed for time...make pasta and sauce as directed, but add the broccoli to the pot with the pasta for the last minute or so of cooking, then drain everything together. Leave the chicken breasts whole, and when you start the pasta start the chicken poaching in a separate pan (cover with chicken stock, bring almost to a boil, turn down to a really low simmer for 20 minutes or so until done). Drain, and cut up the chicken before mixing with the other components of the dish.



content source

Football Food !!

well, the menu got juggled a bit...never got around to making the brownies, everyone was way too full ! And I really need to start taking blog pictures with my real camera instead of the crackberry....but for now, this will do.  

Here's what we ended up with :

Italian Paninis
Buffalo Wings
Onion Rings
Frijoles Borrachos
Pepperjack Cornbread

Not really a recipe for the Paninis - your basic Italian :). Ciabatta roll layered with a little olive spread, prosciotto, capicola, sopresata, mortadella, provolone, hot peppers and lettuce. Should have grabbed a pic - delicious !

Wings and rings are two of Mark's specialties...

Buffalo Wings

1/4 cup margarine, melted. (You have to use margarine; otherwise it doesn't coat the wings right)
1/2 cup Texas Pete hot sauce
few generous shakes of Chipotle Tabasco
large package of chicken wings

Deep fries the wings - 12 minutes at 375 in the deep fryer - then toss with the sauce. Serve with blue cheese dressing and plenty of beer...

Onion Rings

For these, he basically slices up onions into thin rings and soaks them in buttermilk for a half hour. Drain, shake in a bag with flour, then deep fry....375 again; they take about four minutes. Sprinkle with salt as soon as you take them out of the deep fryer.

Oh, and Mark says always use canola oil in your deep fryer.

Frijoles Borrachos.

This recipe is mine...sort of evolved, from a bunch of different recipes and a lot of trial and error. Frijoles are beans, and "borracho" is drunken - and yes, these involve beer.

1 16 oz package of dry pinto beans

1 package double smoked bacon (12 oz ? )
1 medium sized onion (diced)
2 cloves of garlic (chopped)
12oz (1 can or bottle) beer
2 cups chicken stock
1 - 2 chipotles, toasted and diced, stems and seeds removed
1 tablespoon dried cilantro
Cumin (optional)
Salt to taste

Soak beans overnight OR use “quick soak” method on bag
Saute bacon in pan until somewhat crispy
Saute onion and garlic in bacon fat until translucent
Combine beans, bacon, onion and garlic, and rest of ingredients except salt in crockpot, and stir well. Add more liquid if needed to cover beans.
Cook on high one hour, then on low for 5 – 6 hours or until tender. Check occasionally and add more liquid if it goes below top of beans.
Salt to taste

Pepperjack Cornbread

Yes, Southern folks, I know "real" cornbread doesn't involve sugar....but I'm a Yankee, and I need a little in there. This one definitely is not as sweet as most - really hardly at all - and the pepperjack cheese is just awesome in it, though this bread is good without it too. Light, moist, and delicious. The buttermilk is really key, as the slight acidity reacts with the baking powder to create the lightness. If you don't have any but really want cornbread (though not quite as spectacular), put two tablespoons white vinegar in a one cup measuring cup, fill the rest of the cup with milk, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes. Or you can sub half sour cream/plain yogurt and half milk.

1 1/4 cups flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable/canola oil
1 egg, beaten
about a half pound block of pepperjack cheese, cut into largeish cubes

Heat oven to 400, and grease a 9 inch square pan. Mix dry ingredients, then stir in wet ones and combine just until moist. Add cheese last..spread in pan. Bake 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick stuck in the non-cheesy parts comes out clean. Serve warm.

Oh, and most important....Pats won. GO PATS !!

content source

Not Quite Ready For Prime Time (but delicious anyway !)

way better than it looks !

Today's cooking adventure/Sunday dinner was amazing, but I don't want to post all the recipes yet...the flavors were all right there, but I feel like I really need to refine the techniques a little before putting my name on them :) (Well, to be honest, if we'd cooked the lamb like I wanted to it would have been perfect....and I know exactly what I need to do with the fig sauce next time ! )

The menu : Butterflied Leg of Lamb (hey, had to use the new knife !) stuffed with a leek stuffing, served with a Port-Fig-Balsamic sauce, Roasted Rosemary Potatoes, and Italian-Style Spinach.

The problem : the lamb was cooked too low and too slow...so it literally fell apart when we sliced it. The taste was amazing - especially the stuffing, which I will give the recipe for - but I was going for more of a neat slice, with the pretty spiral of stuffing inside. The fig sauce tasted amazing as well, though a little heavy on the fig (two less next time), and I didn't take the time to defat my stock - a more serious error.  We will definitely make this one again, and I will post the final recipe. (Potatoes and spinach were delicious - both are recipes I make often).

Wine with this meal was a blackberry wine from the Russell Orchards trip - absolutely PERFECT with the flavors of this meal !!

Here's what's ready to share...

stuffing ready to go

the stuffed lamb, ready for the oven

Leek Stuffing

This came about because a) I love leeks...serious love and b) I had a loaf of stale sourdough and half a whole wheat ciabatta to use up. I hope I have that combination of extras to use up often, because this stuffing was simply sublime...it would also be fantastic with poultry...or even by itself (though I'd probably throw another egg in if I did that)

1/4 cup (half stick) butter
3 leeks, white and tender green only, cleaned and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary leaves
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped (stems and all)
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups stale sourdough bread, cubed
4 cups whole wheat bread, cubed
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup (approximately) white wine

Melt butter in large pan. Saute leeks, carrots, celery and garlic until tender, adding herbs for the last 5 minutes or so of cooking. Toss with remaining ingredients, adding wine last...just enough to moisten. Stuff into main course of choice, or you can bake separately if that's how you roll (325 for about 45 minutes)

Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

2 pounds baby white potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup olive oil
3 - 4 fresh rosemary sprigs, roughly chopped
kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients in a roasting pan large enough to spread potatoes out in a single layer (I use a stoneware baking dish for best results). Roast at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or so - stir every 10-15 minutes. (test them after 45 minutes - they should be golden on the outside and done completely through - if not, back in the oven they go...timing depends on what else is cooking in the oven).

Italian-Style Spinach

1 pound spinach (baby, or regular with large stems removed)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
juice of 1/2 lemon
kosher salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

In a large heavy pan, saute garlic in olive oil until just turning golden. Throw in the spinach, cover, and turn heat to low. In a few minutes the spinach will start to wilt...stir it into the oil and garlic and cover again. Cook another 5 minutes or so, until done to your liking. Add lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve.

mmm mmm good !!!

content source

Chicken Soup Silver Palate style

soup is good food...

Just a quick blog entry to let you know that I am, in fact, alive :). Busy time of year for me...it's time for one of my other hobbies to take center stage for a bit, singing and concert management for the Newton Community Chorus. Our Winter Concert is this Saturday...so of course, what happens this week ? I get an absolutely brutal cold, of course...damn plague carriers I live with !! I feel like my head and lungs are full of cold, wet oatmeal and I can hardly open my eyes. Definitely not C.O. material.

I know if there's any substance in this world that has a chance of getting me in shape to sing by Saturday, it's the chicken soup from the Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook....so as exhausted as I am, I made a pot when I got home instead of giving in to the urge to snuggle with my pillows and blankie. I love chicken soups of all kinds, and I do all sorts of variations on simmering chicken frames for hours with a medley of delicious items. This soup is a little different - chock full of veggies (including lots of leeks...I have a serious leek obsession) and noodles for staying power...but it's made with boneless skinless chicken breast, and comes together in under an hour. I swear, you can feel yourself ingesting health and well being with every bite.

I am including the recipe here with my own very well tested modifications - I have made this more times than I can count, and it is nothing short of spectacular every time. Basically, I use more of the leek and more chicken than called for...change the proportions and timing a bit...and I go through less steps and use less dishes. Much as I love the SP, I usually see no need to use as many pots and pans as they call for...who has time to clean all that stuff ? I can hear my bed calling from here...

Chicken Soup, Silver Palate style

4 leeks, white and tender green parts only
water to cover leeks
2 T cider vinegar
2 sticks unsalted butter
3 carrots, peeled and chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 t kosher salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
2 1/2 quarts chicken stock
1 c white wine
2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breast (4 good sized pieces)
1 cup sliced mushrooms
2 cups fine egg noodles (uncooked)
4 oz fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch lengths
3 T chopped Italian parsley

Cut the leeks in half lengthwise, and rinse well (leeks trap mud like crazy). Soak for 15 minutes in a bowl with water to cover, to which you have added the cider vinegar.

Once the leeks are soaking, start the chicken poaching in the stock and wine - bring to a boil, turn way down and barely simmer for about 15 minutes, or until just done. Remove the chicken when done to let it cool.

Chop the leeks, the carrot, and the celery. Melt the butter in a large stockpot, and gently saute the veggies for about 10 minutes, then season with the salt and pepper. Add the stock in which you poached the chicken, the mushrooms, and the green beans. Let simmer for 5 minutes, then add the egg noodles. Cook for another 5 - 10 minutes, or until the noodles and the veggies are done to your liking.

Shred the chicken and add to the pot with the parsley. Heat through, add salt and pepper if needed, and serve.

content source

simple things...

Cider-Glazed Chicken with Browned Butter-Pecan Rice

Tonight's dinner was very, very simple...right from my latest issue of Cooking Light. Their recipes are also available online, but I like having the print version too...reminds me to cook light once in a while :)  Link to this recipe is here : Cider Chicken

This combination is really excellent - the brown rice, butter and pecans compliment the apple cider flavor so well. The only change I made was to the rice - I used frozen brown rice from Trader Joe's. Usually I make my own  rice, of course, but this is an awesome thing to have around for a quick meal...it's just plain brown rice, already perfectly cooked, that heats in a few minutes. Dressed up with pecans and browned butter, it's absolutely wonderful. Quick weeknight dinner - under 30 minutes - that meets both my foodie and healthy requirements. Done !

content source

Anadama Bread...or I Have A Bread Machine And Im Not Afraid To Use It.

Anna, damn her !!

Yeah, that's right....I have a bread machine. And I like it :)

Now, don't get me wrong....I love making bread by hand. There's something inherently satisfying about the whole kneading and punching down process...excellent way to work out your aggressions. And I also love the dough hook option on my Kitchen Aid stand mixer...the hook is especially good for sticky doughs, as it takes a lot less time to extract than your fingers. I'm not ashamed to admit, though, that I've gotten a lot of use out of my breadmaker in the 15+ years I've owned it. I don't think it's a coincidence that many of the soups I like to make take about 2 1/2 hours...which just so happens to be the amount of time it takes for my Regal to turn out a loaf of yummy bread. And though I would dearly love to spend every minute of my day in the kitchen, the sad truth is that sometimes the rest of life (laundry, family, super-awesome football teams) get in the way.

If you use the same quality ingredients that you do for "by hand" bread - and you keep an eye on the dough for the first 20 minutes to make sure it looks right - bread from a machine will taste just as good as bread from your oven. And you won't have to worry about finding a warm spot for the bread to rise or anything - the machine takes care of that (in fact, I use the "dough" setting all the time for making dough for pizza, rolls etc). Just follow your machine's guidelines, adding ingredients in the recommended order (mine is liquid, then butter, then flour, then yeast and salt) and you'll be all set.

Today I decided to tackle Anadama Bread, as a compliment to my turkey soup . I've always wanted to try making Anadama Bread, as I love the various stories behind it - none of which are probably true, but that doesn't make them bad :). The most often heard version is that the bread was named by a husband cursing his wife for serving him nothing but cornmeal and molasses porridge, which he decided one day to add yeast and flour to, then bake - cursing "Anna, damn her !" the whole time. A less-heard version has it that Anna was such a skilled baker that her husband says "Anna, damn her" while happily eating her delicious bread. Regardless of where the name comes from, Anadama Bread has been a New England specialty since the 1800's, best known on the North Shore (Massachusetts, where your intrepid blogger is based), and it is known for a reason - it is absolutely delicious. Recipes vary, but all of them contain flour (always white, sometimes whole wheat and/or rye), cornmeal, and molasses.

When I set out to make this today, I came up with a recipe using a method that's worked pretty well for me in the past...research a few recipes, take the parts I like from each, then add my own twist. Often times, doing it this way requires a bit of tweaking...but this one was a winner from the start. Sweet, but not overly so...sturdy but tender texture, lovely crust, beautiful golden brown color all the way through...in short, a win :).

Anadama Bread

1 1/4 c water
1/3 c molasses
2 T butter
1/3 c yellow cornmeal
2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 c whole wheat flour
2 1/4  t yeast
1 t salt
Pinch of nutmeg


Add ingredients in order specified by your bread machine manufacturer, and use the setting for a larger loaf (as opposed to smaller). Dough tends to be heavy and sticky, so make sure it's kneading when it's supposed to...

content source

one hell of a Cassoulet

in my article on crockpot cooking, Crockpot Conversations, I mentioned Cassoulet as one of the dishes that adapts very well to the crockpot . As I also mentioned, one of the really cool things about Cassoulet is that you can change around the ingredients to suit whatever you happen to have. Another thing I love about this dish is that you set it all up and basically forget about it...making it perfect for NFL Sundays. Today's version was so good, it gets its own entry :)

Basically, I followed my own recipe as written, with the following variations :

Used one bag of navy beans, and about a third of a bag of cannellini beans (to use them up) . Had to do the Quick Soak method, as I was too wiped out from Sprigs to do much prep last night.

Buried a smoked wild turkey wing in the soaked beans, then added about four cups of chicken stock and a cup of leftover sauce from the Sprigs chicken livers (saving the livers themselves for later in the process).

Let the beans simmer about two hours on high, then added chicken thighs that I had browned on both sides, three chorizo sausage links from Hager's (cut into quarters and browned), and the sauteed veggies as per my recipe.

After another hour on high, I stirred in the rest of the livers and turned the temperature to low .

Two hours later...the breadcrumb topping, with chopped fresh parsley mixed in, a loaf of fresh bread, and happy fed football fans.

Ah....Sundays :)

Cassoulet

content source

tasty fishes

Miso salmon, Asian coleslaw, rice...

So this blog is more a funny story about the foodie I've raised - though since it's me, there is actually food involved. The whole idea started because a) sockeye salmon was on sale at Stop + Shop and b) I had some tasty miso glaze in the fridge from my last trip to H Mart. Ahh...H Mart...there will be a whole blog shortly about H Mart, as I'm planning a field trip soon...but I digress.

Marinating the fish for miso glazed salmon takes about two hours, and I was stymied as to how to get this done after work (as the fish was not in residence at the time). Suddenly, light dawned...I have a teenager at home currently doing...nothing. I left him a detailed shopping list (3 items, with a guide to where in the store to find them), my Stop + Shop card, and more than enough money. Or so I thought...

My cell phone rings at work. "Mom, they're out of sockeye". I inquire as to the availability of other types of salmon..."Nope. I don't like the look of it. I'm going to Whole Foods". Mind you, this kid is on a bike, and the Whole Foods is a few miles away. "Up to you", I say.

"Ring a ding ding ding dong..." (yes, his ring is the one from the Geico ad. Don't ask). "Well", he says, "I got the salmon...the only one I liked was the king, and it was expensive but I think it was worth it:. I'll put it in the marinade in a little while". I'm actually cracking up by now, as I ask how much. "$42", he says.

Only my kid would be sent to the store for $15 worth of sockeye and come home with the most gorgeous $42 king salmon fillet you ever saw - via a 5 mile bicycle trip - simply because he wouldn't compromise for inferior fish.

I'm so proud :).

The only recipe I'm giving here isn't even much of a recipe. The miso salmon was just the purchased marinade and that gorgeous, gorgeous fish, and the rice was pretty stock (though we use chicken stock instead of water to make it). The coleslaw is really just a very quick throw-together, I'm embarassed to even give the recipe (more directions, actually) but it's really yummy and goes great with any kind of Asian cooking...so here you go :

Karen's Asian Coleslaw

1 package coleslaw veggies (regular and/or broccoli both work well )
1 bottle ginger dressing (I use Makoto)....1/2 bottle if you're using one of the small bags of coleslaw mix
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon sesame seeds.

That's about it...toss and enjoy :)

content source

Blueberry White Chocolate Bread Pudding

best use of white chocolate ever !

I made this tonight to go with the whole Filet Mignon dinner, but this bread pudding is so amazing that it really deserves its own entry. It's an adaptation of Emeril's White Chocolate-Cherry Bread Pudding, with a few serious tweaks...one is that I use dried blueberries instead of dried cherries (we're big blueberry fans around here), and the other is that I use....bagels.

Yes, bagels. Calm down...this is a Culinary Orgasm, I promise:). The bagels are how this actually started - at my old job, the father of the owner used to bring us breakfast every day (god I miss that man), and Fridays were Bagel Day. He used to get upset if no one brought the leftover bagels home, and very often I ended up with them. Staring at the bag one Saturday morning, I started to wonder if it was possible to make bread pudding out of them. The answer is yes...yes yes yes yes YES !!! Bagels are actually perfect - they're sturdy enough to hold their texture when soaked and baked, but soft enough to let all the flavors and custardy goodness of the pudding in. Just make sure you use a plain or sweet type of bagel....this isn't the dish to throw the "Everything" ones in ! 

The other thing that may seem odd about this dish (if you've even stayed with me this far !) is the white chocolate. As I've mentioned before, I am not a fan of white chocolate...I don't even consider it chocolate. However, what it is...sweet and creamy, with a smooth mouthfeel - is actually perfect in a pudding or custard type dish...it really enhances it.

I have made this for many a family party, and it always meets with rave reviews....try it; you won't be sorry !

my well-used Pampered Chef stoneware :)

Blueberry-White Chocolate Bread Pudding

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus 2 tablespoons, melted
4 large eggs
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
6 cups 1/2-inch cubes day-old bagels (plain, egg, etc...)
6 ounces white chocolate, chopped
1 cup dried blueberries

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 X 14-inch baking dish with the room-temperature butter.

2. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the cream, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the bread, chocolate, and dried blueberries and stir well, then mix in the melted butter. Pour into the prepared dish.

3. Bake until firm when pressed in the center, about 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack until just warm, about 20 minutes. Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

content source

Ceviche...

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device.

content source

Oktoberfest !

oh yeah baby !!

So, Sundays at my house are all about two things : football, and food. My goal is always to do something that I can mostly have done prior to the kickoff of the 1 PM game...possibly something last minute that I can do during halftime (after the highlights of the other games of course).

This past Sunday, the decision was made to do a Sauerbraten - sort of a happy early Oktoberfest :). I love German food...I am German (well 1/4 anyway), but it's not just that. It's happy memories of my childhood, yes..even though its only one quarter, it's a quarter I identify very strongly with - and food-wise, something I did get to see in action quite often (though I SO wish I had taken better notes !) .  Sauerbraten is basically a pickled roast - marinated at least three days, though Oma had a system where she'd marinate it for two weeks. Bit scary, that :). However long you marinate it, when you're ready to cook it, you basically go pot roast style - brown the sides, then cook. On top of the stove works fine, but we usually bake it in the oven...then take it out and thicken the gravy with gingersnaps. Rotkohl (red cabbage) and Kartoffelkloesse (German potato dumplings) are the usual accompaniments around here - Mark loves red cabbage, and the dumplings were one of Oma's specialties. It's taken me a while to perfect them - I think having her potato ricer is key :). We call them "footballs", since that's what my mom called them growing up - who the heck can say "Kartoffelkloesse" ? . (According to my sister everyone in Germany calls them footballs, but that's a story for another time :) ) 

Mark is definitely the master when it comes to Sauerbraten. The Martins were already well versed in German food even before I married in, courtesy of some Austrian heritage. I just pitch in where assigned :).  He usually does the red cabbage as well...but the footballs are all mine :)

Sauerbraten , Martin style

Marinade :

1 1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup cider vinegar
2 cups water
2 large onions, chopped
6 stalks celery,  chopped
6 carrots, chopped fine
8 peppercorns, 8 whole cloves, and 8 whole allspice berries - cracked in mortar and pestle
1/4 tsp mustard seed

5 lb bottom round roast

Mix all marinade ingredients, then place in ziplock bag. Poke holes in roast, place in bag, and marinate for at least three days in fridge, turning at least once a day.

Brown all sides in pan. Bake in covered pan (we use stoneware, but a heavy pan with foil will do) with 2 cups of the marinade liquid - 350 for 30 minutes, then 325 for about three more hours.

Gravy - strain remaining marinade into saucepan, and simmer on stove for 30 minutes. Put in blender with 8 - 10 gingersnaps (or use immersion blender), then return to saucepan for another 10-15 minutes, until nice and thick.

Rotkohl (Red Cabbage)

1/2 pound bacon
1 onion
2 apples
1 head red cabbage, chopped.
1/2 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Saute bacon in Dutch oven. Remove and saute onion in fat a bit, then add rest of ingredients. Add bacon back in and simmer for about three hours. Salt and pepper to taste.

Kartoffelkloesse (German potato dumplings)

Makes about 9. Easily doubled.

6 potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup potato starch
dash of nutmeg, shake of salt
9 croutons - usually I use a slice of good German wheat bread pumpernickel, cubed up and sauteed in a little butter

Peel and boil the potatoes until done, then run though a ricer (or mash well, if you don't have one) Let cool a bit, then mix in the egg, flour, potato starch, nutmeg and salt . Take some in your hand and form each dumpling around a crouton - it should come together almost like making a good heavy snowball. If it't hard to work with or starts falling apart, just add more potato starch to the mixture.

Take a large but sort of shallow saucepan, fill about 2/3 way halfway with water and bring to a boil. Drop the dumplings in - don't crowd the pan, if you can't fit them all you're much better off using two pans. Lower the heat to a simmer and simmer them about 20 minutes.

content source

Pasta Bolognese

I really need some new dishes :)

*this post made possible by the Dutiful Dish Slave, aka the best son in the world. He's been a trooper during the evolution of this blog, doing stacks and stacks of dishes with nary a complaint. Thank you, Alex :) *

Busy times here at Chez C.O. ...we just love Christmas around these parts. Decorating, present shopping, caroling...and, of course, fun in the kitchen. Preliminary baking has been completed, with much much more to happen this week. My actual dinnertime cooking has been suffering a bit as a result...which is good news for Mark, as he's been able to get into the kitchen unhindered

We've both been craving Bolognese sauce for a while...not that we've ever made it, mind, but we wanted it all the same. Bolognese is a rich, meaty sauce...a combination of beef and pork, with ingredients such as chicken livers and milk or heavy cream often added to enhance that rich, luscious taste and feel. Traditionally there is not lot of tomato going on - the focus is the rich meaty flavor.

Other than coming out strongly in favor of chicken livers, I really left Mark alone on this one...and, as usual, he has come up with a winner here :

Mark's Pasta Bolognese

1/4 c olive oil
1 T butter
5 oz Canadian Bacon
1 good sized yellow onion, chopped
2 carrots, minced
2 celery stalks, minced
3/4 cup tiny mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb ground beef
1 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
6 chicken livers
1/2 cup veal or beef stock
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup Marsala
1 28 oz can whole Italian plum tomatoes
3 oz tomato paste
1 t salt
1/2 t thyme
1/2 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
1 t smoked paprika
1/4 cup heavy cream
fresh chopped parsley

1 to 2 pounds mafaldine pasta , cooked according to package directions

Melt the butter in a heavy saute pan and add half the olive oil. Saute the onions, carrot and celery for about five minutes, then add the mushrooms and garlic and saute another 5 - 10 minutes (until soft, not brown) . Transfer to a heavy stockpot or Dutch oven.

Heat the remaining oil to brown the meats, and let the meat mixture cook a bit - until almost dry. Transfer the meat to the pot, and deglaze the pan with the red wine. Add the wine, Marsala, and stock to the pot.

Drain the liquid from the tomatoes into the pot, then crush the tomatoes themselves with your hands and add them as well. Add the tomato paste and spices, mix well, and let simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours, uncovered. Stir in the heavy cream at the end, and sprinkle with the parsley.

*Mafaldine pasta is not super easy to find....other pastas would work as well; tagliatelle, fusilli, fettuccine, or whatever you like. Amount to make depends on your personal pasta-sauce ratio preference. We cooked two pounds and had about half a pound left over.

content source

Cranberry Sauce CO style...

so yes, there is Thanksgiving food love going on...first up : cranberry sauce. I got this recipe out of the Boston Herald about a million years ago, and have made it for every Thanksgiving since. The combination of ingredients looks a little unusual, but I promise - this one always gets rave reviews.

Cranberry Sauce

1 1/2 c. sugar
3/4 c. water
12 oz bag cranberries
6 oz apricot preserves
1/4 c. lemon juice
1/2 cup slivered almonds, toasted

In a large saucepan, bring the sugar and the water to a boil. Simmer 5 minutes; do not stir. Add the cranberries and simmer until they all burst. Remove from heat and add preserves and lemon juice. When cool, stir in the nuts.

Makes about one quart - keep refrigerated until needed.

content source

Cioppino - Quick and Healthy

tasty...delicious...and good for you !!

okay, so I realize "quick" and healthy" are not terms you usually think of, reading this blog. I definitely know how to do both, though...and this soup/stew/whatever is the perfect example. It helps that a) the base is mostly tomatoes, with a little olive oil and fish stock...all inherently healthy ingredients and b) this is a fish dish - also inherently healthy. Hard for even me to fatten this up :) And because it's fish, you don't want to cook it forever...half hour tops, and you're done here. (Well, I did have my own fish stock ready to go in the freezer, which helped...but that's a blog for another day).

Cioppino is an Italian-style fish stew that originated in San Francisco. There are a million variations - it really lends itself to whatever the catch of the day is (even when the "catching" happens in your own freezer)  but the basic premise is a an herby tomato base in which you simmer delights of the sea. Pretty simple, really. Classic Cioppino as seen in nice restaurants and swankier dinner parties usually comes with lovely chunks of white fish and a gorgeous array of shellfish nestled in beautiful shells on top. On a Wednesday night at my house, though, it's just the actual edible parts of shellfish (mussels, clams, shrimp, squid etc....you can actually find decent frozen mixes, Trader Joe's has one) and whatever white fish is around - usually left over from our summertime deep sea fishing trip. I think tonight's guest was part of my massive pollock...check this bad boy out !

took me 10 minutes just to reel it up !

Soup is really just so forgiving...simmer in a fragrant liquid for a while, and that tired old frozen fish just thinks it's in heaven :). Some nice crusty bread , a glass of wine or a beer...yeah, that's what I'm talkin' about !

mmm yum !

Cioppino

As noted, really any combination of fish and shellfish goes well in this dish...use whatever you like and have around.

2 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 shallots, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh ground pepper
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp each dried basil, thyme, and oregano
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine
1 cup fish stock or clam juice
28 oz can chopped tomatoes, any flavor but Mexican
6 oz can tomato paste
1 pound shellfish (meat, no shells) - mussels, clams, shrimp, scallops, squid etc) - frozen works fine
1 1/2 pounds white fish (cod, haddock, pollock etc) , cut into chunks
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Heat oil in bottom of large stockpot. Add onion, shallot, bell pepper, celery, and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent, 5 - 10 minutes. Add herbs and spices (except parsley), wine, stock, chopped tomatoes (with their juice), and tomato paste, and bring up to a simmer. Add shellfish and white fish, and simmer another 10 - 15 minutes or until done. Stir in parsley just before serving.

content source

Posole

Posole and friends...blue corn chips, limes, queso blanco, avocado...

Posole - a Mexican stew of meat (usually pork), hominy corn and chili peppers - is one of those dishes that I've wanted to try for years. I'd like to be able to say that the reason I've had posole on the brain was from perusing my vast cookbook collection (which I do have, peruse quite often, and blame for many of my obsessions), or because of the influence of some heretofore unmentioned Mexican great grandma.  I'm afraid I can't lay claim to anything quite so cool, however. I've wanted to make posole because of... Jude Deveraux.

Jude Deveraux is a writer of romance novels, which I've had a secret passion for for many, many years. I'm a voracious speed reader of many genres - history, biographies, sci-fi...and. of course, cookbooks. I also love really good historical romances - there's nothing like throwing the occasional brain candy in the mix to keep things happy (there's a reason we call it "brain candy") Most of Jude's novels are indeed historical, but her later stuff is mostly set in the present (she's pretty much the only author I'll read as far as contemporary romance goes.)  In her book "Sweet Liar" the protagonist Samantha moves to New York and does...well, a bunch of stuff...including making posole that makes people cry  (and go back for more). Ever since I read that, I've wanted to make it. What can I say ? That's how I roll :)

 
The main ingredient in posole is hominy (itself also sometimes called posole or pozole). Hominy is a pretty cool food product - it's corn that's been treated with an alkali (basically a weak lye solution) in a process called nixtamalization. Among other things, nixtamalization makes the corn easier to grind,  gives it a longer storage life, makes it taste better, and improves the nutritional value. What's really amazing to me is that ancient Mezoamericans somehow figured out that soaking the corn in water treated with ashes was the way to go...wouldn't you usually throw out the food that fell in the dirty water ? Not the Aztecs and Mayans. Craaaazy. In any event, once the corn has been treated it can either be ground finely into masa harina for making tortillas and tamales, coarsely ground into grits, or left whole as hominy. Hominy can be purchased dried or canned...since I was a first timer, I went for the can. No shame in my game.

A little odd looking, to be sure...draining in the colander it looked like nothing more that wet Styrofoam. I must admit that my romantic notion of posole slipped just the tinest bit...but onward I went.

The next step was to roast myself some peppers. I ended up buying some really gorgeous poblanos because that's what looked good in the market - but use whatever you find. Hatch chiles are popular for posole when you can find them...New Mexico peppers would be lovely...or, of course, you can use canned - there are some very acceptable canned roasted chiles out there. For this recipe I also threw in a couple of minced jalapenos since poblanos aren't very hot...and next time I'll add even more, as the crockpot really tames the heat (plus according to my friend "Aunt Bea" the hominy soaks up the heat as well...thanks as always for you wisdom, AB :))  





photo courtesy of http://www.chilipeppermadness.com as I was too lame to take any :(

To roast peppers, place them over an open gas flame until they blister on all sides (bbq tongs are a wise tool choice here), then place them in a closed paper bag for about 10 minutes until they soften. They can also be roasted in an oven - more detailed instructions can be found here : http://www.chilipeppermadness.com/roasting-chili-peppers.html .

Now that you've got hominy and roasted peppers, it's a snap to throw the rest of the ingredients together in the crockpot and just go about your business. About 15 minutes before you're ready to eat, start putting together the garnishes - I have a long list below, but by all means don't feel pressured to put them all out. Just choose whatever sounds good and off you go !

Posole

2  lb boneless porkshoulder cut into cubes
1 large onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 green chiles, roasted, peeled and chopped (or equivilant amount of canned)
2 - 3 jalapenos, seeded, and finely diced
2 cans hominy (28 oz), drained
1 teaspoon salt (smoked is lovely if you have it )
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoons paprika (again, smoked if you have it)
1 quart (approximately) chicken stock 
Garnishes (see below)

Place posole ingredients except stock in crockpot and mix well.  Add enough stock to just cover ingredients in crockpot. Cover and cook on low setting for 6 - 8 hours or on high setting for 3 -4 hours. Serve with any or all of the following garnishes :

Chopped cilantro
Tortilla chips (blue are particularly nice, and a great contrast) - the guys crumbed these right into the posole
Queso blanco (Mexican white cheese) or other mild cheese, cut into small cubes
Lime wedges
Avocados, sliced or cubed
Sliced radishes
Finely chopped redor white cabbage

Sour cream is also recommended by many, but we didn't love it with this (and I love me some sour cream). If you have some, by all means try it out !

content source

Dark Chocolate-Pecan Bread Pudding

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts...I know, I'm a slacker :(. In my semi-defense, I've been home alone most of the last few weeks - which deprives me of my favorite foodie victims audience. Other than a new found fascination with BLT's (seriously, universe, why have you been holding out on me all these years and denying me the deliciousness that is the BLT ? Oh, yeah, it's because I don't like tomatoes and lettuce on sandwiches), I've barely been cooking.

Also, I don't want you to think that all we eat around here is bread pudding. I know I talk about it a lot...again, not really my fault...it's that damn bread fairy. What else can I do when inundated with loaf after loaf of delicious artisan bakery bread...for free ? . There's too much Scots and Yankee frugality in me to let all that delicious bread go to waste. Good thing none of us have problems with gluten.

Basically, this is just a variation of the Blueberry-White Chocolate Bread Pudding that I make all the damn time (and everyone still seems to love). I do this all the time, and you should too - adapt for what you have around, or just what you like. Trust yourself !

Dark Chocolate-Pecan Bread Pudding

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
4 large eggs
4 cups heavy cream
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 cups 1/2-inch cubes day-old bread
1 12 oz bag bittersweet or semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 10 X 14-inch baking dish with the room-temperature butter.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Whisk in the cream, brown sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. Add the bread, chocolate chips (reserve 2 tablespoons of the chips) and pecans and stir well. Pour into the prepared dish.

Bake until firm when pressed in the center, about 1 hour. About a minute before it comes out of the oven, sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips on the top.

Cool on a wire rack until just warm, about 20 minutes.

Serve warm, with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream (pictured with Talenti Tahitian Vanilla Bean Gelato...great stuff !!)

content source

Blueberry-Pecan Waffles

Mmmm....

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device.

content source

Schultzs Sauerkraut and Pork

Sauerkraut and pork...ah, what fond childhood memories that phrase evokes.

I know what you're thinking. "Sauerkraut ? Pork ?? Happy children ????" No, I have not lost my mind. (Well, I think maybe I have, but it has nothing to do with my food memory !)

I've expounded upon my German heritage quite often here at CO...sauerbraten, potato dumplings and red cabbage was one of the first dinners I wrote up for this blog, and my Oma's Potato Salad has been written up as well. But the sauerkraut and pork...now that's old school, deeply ingrained memory stuff for me, something my German grandmother and great-grandmother made often. Oddly enough, it is a cherished childhood  memory for Mark too (shared heritage...one of the many reasons we make such a great pair in the kitchen. ) This one is Mark's recipe, and Mark's story.

Mark's grandfather was Austrian (well, as far as we know). The family stories about him are legendary and probably not all true, but fun to talk about anyway - they range from everything from him being a horse thief to a Ruthenian terrorist to some sort of royalty. Whatever he was, he came to this country prior to WW1, married a Canadian woman, and raised a family in Boston. He worked various jobs, including being a Pinkerton...and cooking at a resort on Long Island. The story behind the cooking goes that he used to spend a lot of time in the kitchens of the estate he grew up on, and learned some pretty impressive cooking skills along the way. Sadly, I never got to meet Grampy (he passed away in 1978 in his late 80's), but I am lucky enough to be the beneficiary of that delicious heritage. And one of the best examples is this sauerkraut and pork, passed down from Grampy and Mark's Uncle Jim. I know I've said this about a lot of things, but this is truly one of my favorite, favorite things that Mark makes.

A general note on the sauerkraut - we recommend the use of bagged. The bagged varieties seem to have a better flavor than the jarred, possibly because they are kept cold in the fridge instead of on the shelf at room temperature (which would  mean that they are probably pasteurized). If you can't find bags (usually kept near the hot dogs) use jarred. Canned sauerkraut just tastes like the can, and should be avoided if at all possible.

Potato pancakes and pumpernickel go perfectly with this - my bread machine version of pumpernickel follows. If you have the time and inclination, by all means make the pancakes from scratch...but we find the boxed mix (Carmel Kosher or Manischewitz) work perfectly fine, particularly if we have other things going on while the sauerkraut simmers. Potato dumplings (see link above) or even pierogies would be great with this as well.

We usually double this recipe, but I am giving directions for a normal potful here. The onion, apple and pork measurements are approximate - it all depends on the size of the apples and onions, and the meatiness of the pork. Exact measurements are really not important on this one !

mmm pork

onions and sauerkraut

first layer ready to go !

Sauerkraut and Pork

4 lbs sauerkraut, drained but NOT rinsed
2 -3 onions, sliced
2 - 3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 - 3 pounds country style pork ribs (bone-in pork chops work fine too)
2 tablespoons dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/2 cup water
6 tablespoons white vinegar
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup sweet pickle juice (drained from a jar of sweet pickles)

Place half of the sauerkraut in a large stockpot. Scatter half of the onions on top, then half of the apples. Lay half of the pork chops on top, and sprinkle with half of the mustard, caraway, and pepper. Repeat with remaining sauerkraut, onions, apples, pork and spices. 

Combine water and vinegars and pour over contents of pot. Cover tightly and bring up to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Leave undisturbed for two hours.

After the two hours is up, remove lid and stir well (the meat will probably start coming off the bones at this point). Cover again, and simmer for another hour or two (you can probably get away with one, but Grampy always said the longer the better). Add the pickle juice (stirring well) for the last 15 minutes of cooking.

Pumpernickel Bread (bread machine)

True fact : "Pumpernickel" means "Devil's Fart" in German. I love that :) . Traditional pumpernickel is baked from 16 - 24 hours to get that deep, dark color - or darkly toasted crumbs from the previous batch can be added. This one's a bit of a cheat, relying on a combination of dark, tasty ingredients...and a bread machine. Don't let that scare you off - it's still absolutely delicious !

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup Guinness (if you don't have one handy and open, just use regular beer or add more water. Guinness helps make it super dark though ! You could probably use cola as well).
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/3 cup molasses
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (the darker the better)
1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups flour (bread or all-purpose)
1 cup rye flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 packet (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast

Add ingredients to bread machine in order specified by manufacturer, and bake according to directions for "normal" or "basic" loaf.

content source