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Oct 11

SCHEDULE FOR MAKING HOLIDAY FOOD AHEAD

SCHEDULE FOR MAKING HOLIDAY FOOD AHEAD

After talking last week about the practicality of shopping ahead for the winter holidays, it’s logical to discuss preparing food for them in advance as well. It’s a topic I address each fall, and though I don’t usually re-run a post, I thought this year I’d combine parts of several and update them to answer some questions I’ve been asked.

Preparing food ahead for the holidays doesn’t actually ‘save’ time, it amortizes it. A dish takes a given amount of time to prepare no matter when it’s done. However, nothing is a greater relief during the hectic holidays than realizing something is ready and waiting, without having to gorge a chunk out of your busy schedule to do it. Preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them provides just that.

Personally, the idea of preparing ahead for the holidays appealed to me because as the nest emptied and family grew, the tasks didn’t increase in number, but they did in size. Fewer hands around to help meant a lot more work for me alone. Professionally, the idea intrigued me. The main function of a personal chef service is to provide meals for its clients to consume later. This combination of motives has given me the incentive for the past several years to explore how far I can push the envelope.

However, nothing opened my eyes like a request from a fellow personal chef. She contracted to cater a wedding reception for 400 and asked for help from others in our U.S.P.C.A. chapter. The job held some real challenges; the bride had downloaded the menu and recipes, most distinct variations on classics; the venue offered a wait staff and dining needs, linins etc., but only a ‘holding ‘ pantry, no real kitchen. All the food had to be delivered ready to serve. How the chef, an experienced caterer, solved the obvious problems doesn’t disguise the fact that most of the food, hors d’ouvers plus two courses and dessert, had to be prepared days ahead. I learned this is normal for caterers dealing with large events and was amazed at the ways these experts in safe handling food, keep it unspoiled and fresh tasting.

The point is that, many dishes can be prepared ahead, but the storage is as, or perhaps even more, important than the cooking. Produce, of course, needs refrigeration. If bought far in advance, or to be served out of season, consult my blog of Sept 22, 2016 on freezing fresh produce and there are more reference posts in the site archives Generally, supplies bought ahead should be kept in the original package and stored at the same temperatures as in the market. In fact, safe handling, or Safe Serve as it’s called, is a course in which all chefs need to be certified. Knowing how to freeze different foods is a major asset. For a crash course, see my posts of January 11, 19, 25 and February 2, 2012. Click Table of Contents on the Home Page header and then click the dates to link to the posts. Most foods require some degree of refrigeration, so be sure you have adequate space before embarking on making several dishes in advance.

Advance preparation is straightforward, but has a few simple rules. One is never re-freeze anything without cooking it. If adding a thawed vegetable to a dish, cook it first. Be aware that most seafood, especially shellfish is frozen for transport. The only exceptions are fish your monger guarantees were caught within 24 hours and shellfish steamed in store daily. The second is that if exists in the markets’ glass freezer cases, you can try it, but if it doesn’t there is usually a good reason, so don’t try to innovate. This is particularly true of imitation ‘diet’ and/or ‘no-cook’ cream sauces, which tend to separate when frozen. Third, Egg dishes, generally, should be cooked just before serving. Fourth, if you are open to communal contributions, be sure that you’re not going to spend the afternoon juggling things to finish them or keep them warm. Plan with your guests the way to use your space and appliances wisely.

The process of planning to prepare dishes in advance of an event is highly individualized. Your menu choices and personal schedule must figure in your calculations and, therefore, it’s difficult for me to give any specific directions other than the advice contained in the posts cited above. Perhaps the best way illustrate the process in a general way is to share my Christmas timeline, which I’ve printed below, to give you a general idea of the process to adapt to your needs. I can tell you that now I wonder how I ever did things “seasonally” and I’m grateful that I have time to relax and enjoy the trappings and companionship. There are still plenty of last-minute tasks, but no real pressure either on my schedule my nerves, or my wallet.

As an extra ‘tip’ I’m including my New Year’s buffet in this timeline to show you how easy it is to include a party in your holiday schedule. Buffets are easier to prep ahead than seated dinners. Food served at table should be hot, but even roasts can be cooked ahead and served room temperature at a buffet. Casseroles and sauced meat dishes are the darlings of advance preparation. They can be cooked, frozen, thawed, reheated and still taste fresh. Of course, cold foods are a natural. They can be prepared and simply chilled until served or frozen and just thawed. No effort is needed at the last minute and minimizing the last-minute work load is one of the main reasons to do advance preparation

Another plus is being able to use leftovers from one event to build another. Please note that the foods for the New Year’s party, with the exception of the necessary fresh items, had been purchased well in advance, along with the other holiday supplies. So it was really a breeze to arrange, with no extra strain on the schedule or wallet.

Desserts are a good category to reference to illustrate the optional levels of advance food prep. Cookies, as noted, can be made 6-8 weeks ahead if stored in air-tight tins. All kinds of pastry freeze well rolled and stacked with paper dividers or lining pans, even whole unbaked fruit pies and turn-overs can be made months ahead. However, baked pastry products only hold well for 24 hrs. After that they become soggy as the fillings lose their moisture and harden. To have these desserts table-ready, you must leave room in your schedule, as well as your oven’s, at the earliest the afternoon before, to bake the items and/or make the fillings. This can be a strain during a hectic holiday week.

So what dessert can be made ahead and produced the day of a major dinner ready to be served? Cake! Several years ago my Yule log survived Christmas dinner almost intact. I decided to freeze it to serve sliced with a bowl of whipped cream on New Year’s. I froze it uncovered for an hour to firm up the icing, and then I wrapped it snugly in plastic wrap and put the whole cake, still on the platter, in a plastic bag in the freezer. I was pleased to see it looked fresh on New Year’s morning but surprised that it tasted fresh too. I served it on the original platter, without the cream, and had many compliments with no leftovers.

This brings up a frequently asked question; “How much space will I need?” The answer, of course, depends on your menu, but usually not as much as you may think and it will be a changing amount. Cookie dough is chilled, but cookies are stored in tins. The bulk of my freezer usage is for vegetables and the turkey (read entrée meat). Just before the holiday I add two cakes, but that’s my personal option. If I served fruit parfaits as my Mother did, I would store ice cream and need less space. More things are kept in the refrigerator than the freezer, but not large items, other than possibly a ham or other smoked entrée choice and if you live in a Northern climate that can be kept in a cold place like a garage.

Space is a consideration when planning the menu, especially for a newbie. Your food will require the most room right before and right after the dinner. Visualize the dishes that will need chilling, then calculate the area you will have to clear for them. To give you firmer idea, I’m going to review the list below and mark each entry with an ‘r’ for refrigerator or an ‘f’ for freezer. Equate item sizes I’m serving with dishes you want and use it to form a clearer picture of your needs. If space is limited, in colder climates, a garage comes in handy. Ice chests are another solution, and perhaps a friend will offer to keep some things. I had a neighbor who annually rented a small freezer for two months, November to January and by the third year bought it to use on other events and in the summer. Most of the year, it sat unplugged, tucked away, but well worth its price when needed.

Another frequent question is; “How do I plan my time to do all this ahead?” Of course, your schedule is another prime consideration. I can tell you the type of things which can be made ahead and how far, but you must decide your own timeline according to your schedule. Perhaps you’re free weekends and can combine several tasks or maybe you need to spread them out over week nights working for short periods. The menu choices will affect this aspect of prior preparation too. Keep a balance between things that can be made well in advance and those that can’t and remember, the more involved a dish the more time required to make it. In any case, it’s far easier to find the time to do things over a long period than to have to cram them into a brief one, especially one filled with other obligations.

Obviously acquiring required items over weeks, rather than having to schedule, or “work in” special shopping trips is a time saver in itself.

1) Early Oct. –1) Process celery and onion mixture for the stuffing and freeze -f

2) Bake fruit breads. See 10/29/15 post for recipe-r

2) Mid Oct. – 1) The salad dressing for Christmas is ready in the fridge-r

2) The Cumberland sauce for one hors d’ouvres is made-r

3) End Oct. – 1) The sautéed croutons for the stuffing are in an airtight can-tinned

2) The cheese spreads are made and chilling in crocks. (Extra stored in plastic
containers)-r

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2) Cranberry salsa made and kept well chilled-r

MID NOV—Thanksgiving preparation- task schedule similar to Christmas as detailed below

5) End Nov.-Make cookie batter-store in fridge-r

6) Early Dec. – 1) Make cookies- tinned

2) Bake cakes and freeze them-f

7) Xmas Week –1) Make any add-ins for vegetables=sautéed onions or mushrooms, toasted nuts
etc.-r
2) Roast, thaw, prep vegetables for sides, put them in dishes in which they can
be heated and served. Cut and soak salad greens –Refrigerate all

3) Thaw turkey-r (date depends on size)

4) Store everything plated and ready to serve—cookies on covered platters etc.
5) Prepare any other hors d’ouvers and chill – r

DEC. 24th – 1) Make stuffing and chill.-r
2) Brine turkey-r

DEC. 25th – Cook bird, thaw cakes, finish vegetables, toss salad, and make gravy.

New Year’s Week-Dec. 26th –1) Strip carcass, saving enough meat for a large casserole-r
2) Freeze the rest and the stuffing separately in 2 portion size
packages for future use. -f
3) Boil the bones and freeze broth for future use. -f

Dec. 27th -29th-1)Make turkey casserole, and a mixed vegetable one with pasta and/or grains-r
2) Refresh cheese crocks, bake ham and muffins(if needed) for dessert tray.-r

Dec. 30th– 1) Shop for fresh items, seafood, salad greens, bread and cream. -r
2) Chop and soak greens. Prep any hot hors d’ouvres. -r
3) Have everything ready on or in serving vessels.-r

Jan.1st– Cook casseroles, heat hors d’ouvers and bread, toss salad, make Eggnog.

If you’re looking for recipe ideas, you’ll find loads in my archives, everything from leftovers to vegetables, to salads and dressings. There’s even one on muffins and rolls that may appeal. Just click Table of Contents, or view the panorama and choose posts that interest you.

So save yourself expense and stress this holiday season, by remembering what the Boy Scouts always say; ”Be prepared!” —-then you can relax and enjoy the festivities.Oct 5

Oct 4

AMORTIZE THE HOLIDAYS-SAVE TIME, MONEY, STRESS

I’m not jumping-the-gun. I used to prepare for holidays as they came too. I planned for Thanksgiving after Halloween and bought the ingredients for Christmas cookies, along with the rest of the dinner in December, that is until a few years ago. I’d noticed the prices in early fall and was pleased they seemed very reasonable. So I was shocked when I started to shop and found them much higher. When I asked, I was told I’d missed the seasonal sales.

When the same thing happened the next year, I realized this was a permanent sales maneuver and that the main sales on holiday food supplies, especially baking ingredients, occur during the weeks before Thanksgiving. Each year since, I’ve written a post on the subject. Taking advantage of the prices saves money and relieves stress with the knowledge that when it’s time to tackle a kitchen project, everything needed is at hand. Above all, it lessens the financial burden of the holidays by amortizing the food expenses.

Time can also be ‘amortized’ by preparing dishes as early as their recipes allow or making and preserving them, mainly by freezing. Nothing is a greater relief during the hectic holidays than realizing something is ready and waiting, without having to gorge a chunk out of your busy schedule to do it, except, perhaps, knowing the cost has been defrayed.

Personally, the idea of preparing ahead for the holidays appealed to me because as the nest emptied and family grew, the tasks didn’t increase in number, but they did in size. Fewer hands around to help meant a lot more work for me alone. Professionally, the idea intrigued me. The main function of a personal chef service is to provide meals for its clients to consume later. This combination of motives has given me the incentive for the past several years to explore how far I can push the envelope.

I always made my fruit breads and cheeses a month or more ahead, to give them time to age, using liquor as a preserving ingredient. Then I found rolled cookie batters could be prepared two weeks before baking. Next I learned that elements of stuffing could be made well in advance. Raw seasoning ingredients, celery, onion, herbs can all be chopped or blended as early as summer and frozen. Bread cubes can be toasted or fried and keep in tins for weeks as do decorated, unfrosted Christmas cookies.

All these discoveries brought welcome savings but nothing opened my eyes like a request from a fellow personal chef. She contracted to cater a wedding reception for 400 and asked for help from others in our U.S.P.C.A. chapter*. The job held some real challenges; the bride had downloaded the menu and recipes, most distinct variations on classics; the venue offered a wait staff and dining needs, linins etc., but only a ‘holding ‘ pantry, no real kitchen. All the food had to be delivered ready to serve. How the chef, an experienced caterer, solved the obvious problems doesn’t disguise the fact that most of the food had to be prepared days ahead. I learned this is normal for caterers dealing with large events and was amazed at the ways these experts in safe handling food, keep it unspoiled and fresh tasting.

Imagine being able to duplicate the catering methods for your personal holiday preparations! The first step is to review your normal seasonal routine. Do you host a major dinner; throw a party, entertain house guests, make food gifts or donate a culinary effort to a bazaar or other event? If you follow my weekly shopping schedule you’ll know the next move is to plan your menus for each occasion and compile a detailed list of all the ingredients required. Then as you read the market flyers to plan each week’s shopping trip, if you see an item your holiday list, you make a note to get it at the sale price.

Remember though, supplies bought ahead should be kept in the original package and stored at the same temperatures as in the market. Produce, of course, needs refrigeration. If bought far in advance, or to be served out of season, consult my blog of Sept 22, 2016 on freezing fresh produce and there are more reference posts in the site archives. There are also great sales on frozen vegetables and other products now. I always bought a fresh turkey for Christmas, but having braved a blizzard five years ago, to pay three times more than the price a month earlier, I changed my ways. Now, I buy a frozen bird at Thanksgiving and store it. No one has noticed the difference and the forecast of a White Christmas doesn’t scare me.

Amortizing time with advance preparation is equally straightforward, with a few simple rules. One is never re-freeze anything without cooking it. If adding a thawed vegetable to a dish, cook it first, or cook the dish and plan to re-heat it. Be aware that most seafood, especially shellfish is frozen for transport. The only exceptions are fish your monger guarantees were caught within 24 hours and shellfish steamed in store daily. The second is that if exists in the markets’ glass cases, you can do it, but if it doesn’t there is usually a good reason, so don’t try to innovate. This is particularly true of imitation ‘diet’ and/or ‘no-cook’ cream sauces, which tend to separate when frozen,

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Buffets are easier to prep ahead than seated dinners. Food served at table should be hot, but even roasts can be cooked ahead and served room temperature at a buffet. Casseroles and sauced meat dishes are the darlings of advance preparation. They can be cooked, frozen, thawed, reheated and still taste fresh. Of course, cold foods are a natural. They can be prepared and simply chilled until served or frozen and just thawed. No effort is needed at the last minute and minimizing the last-minute work load is one of the main reasons to do advance preparation.

Desserts are a good category to reference to illustrate the optional levels of advance food prep. Cookies, as noted, can be made 6-8 weeks ahead if stored in air-tight tins. All kinds of pastry freeze well rolled and stacked with paper dividers or lining pans, even whole unbaked fruit pies and turn-overs can be made months ahead. However, baked pastry products only hold well for 24 hrs. After that they become soggy as the fillings lose their moisture and harden. To have these desserts table-ready, you must leave room in your schedule, as well as your oven’s, at the earliest the afternoon before, to bake the items and/or make the fillings. This can be a strain during a hectic holiday week.

So what dessert can be made ahead and produced the day of a major dinner ready to be served? Cake! Several years ago my Yule log survived Christmas dinner almost intact. I decided to freeze it to serve sliced with a bowl of whipped cream on New Year’s. I froze it uncovered for an hour to firm up the icing, then I wrapped it snugly in plastic wrap and put the whole cake, still on the platter, in a plastic bag in the freezer. I was pleased to see it looked fresh on New Year’s morning but surprised that it tasted fresh too. I served it on the original platter, without the cream, and had many compliments with no leftovers.

Now I bake my Yule logs three weeks ahead and limit my December holiday desserts to cookies and cakes. I’ve tested other cakes, layer cakes, bar cakes, even a multi-layer sponge Opera Cake, with the same great results. Planning this way allows me to take the time to be sure I do a good job creating the cakes, and it’s soooo relaxing to know the whole dessert portion of my dinner is ready and waiting. All I have to do is open the freezer.

In point of fact this feeling of freedom is a major part of the overall concept of amortizing holidays. Buying the food as it appears on sale during the preceding weeks and preparing things ahead, saves money, defrays costs and assures time for careful preparation. It provides the security of knowing what you need is on hand when you decide to start a project and the confidence of having been able to do it well, rather than rushing through slip-shod. Above all there is the comfortable assurance that everything’s y ready and you are free to enjoy the festivities.

So set yourself up right and enjoy!!

*United States Personal Chef Association

 

Sep 27

APPLE RECIPES FOR EACH COURSE

Apples are as much a part of autumn as the falling leaves and just as visible, raw in produce displays, candied on sticks, baked in pastry and pressed into cider, they’re everywhere. The focus and recipe concentration is on desserts and sweets, but apples are so much more. Last year, I wrote two posts on the subject. The first on Oct. 26, contained suggested dishes for serving apples in other courses of a meal. The second on Nov. 2, is a nod to the seasonal trend and gives recipes for unusual apple desserts. This week’s post continues that thought by offering unique ways to prepare apples for serving throughout meals.

First let’s look at some ways to add apples to other foods as an accent.

  • Apple Coleslaw: Add 1 cup diced apples to each 2 cups cabbage and proceed as normal
  • Corn Muffins: Add ¼ cup diced apples to 1 box mix or batter for an 8 x 8 inch pan. Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the top before baking.
  • Apple Compote: This can be used in many ways; as a topping for ice cream, for a slice of cake, for pancakes with a pat of butter, for waffles with ice cream or whipped cream; as a filling for rolled tacos or puff pastry; mixed with bread cubes or crumbs as a filling for rolled pork, stuffed pork chops or poultry; mixed into cereal, optionally with milk or cream, served cold or hot as a breakfast dish or dessert. (Recipe at the end of this post.*)

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Now onto the RECIPES:

Apple-Pepper Relish:

Yield 1 pint
2 bell peppers-1 red and 1 green- cored and seeded
2 large onions-peeled and quartered
3 tart cooking apples- peeled, cored and halved
1 cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon zest
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. salt
Process apples, peppers and onions to a rough chop. Add zest and juice, bring to a boil and add zest, sugar and salt. Simmer 20 min. or until mix is thick as honey. Cool, seal in glass jars and store chilled.

Pickled Apples:

Yield 1 quart
4 ½ lb. cooking apples-pared, cored and quartered
3 lb. sugar
¾ quart cider vinegar
¾ pint water
1 Tbs. EACH broken cinnamon sticks and whole cloves
Mix water, vinegar and sugar. Cover apples and let stand overnight. Drain, add spices to fluid and heat slowly to a boil. When clear add apples and boil until tender, then place apples in jars and boil juice down a bit. Pour hot syrup over apples, cool, seal jars and store chilled.

Apple Ketchup:

Yield 1 quart
6 tart apples, peeled, cored and quartered. Cover with water and simmer until soft; process to a
pulp. To each pint pulp add 1 grated onion, ½ cup sugar, 1 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. mustard and ½ tsp. ground cloves. Bring to a boil, simmer 1 hr. Pour into glass jars, cool, seal and store in a cool place.

Scalloped Apples with Cheese:

Serves 6
4 apples-pared, cored and sliced
¾ cup fine breadcrumbs
2 cups shredded sharp cheese
2 Tbs. butter
milk
Salt to taste
½ tsp. melted butter
Line a greased baking dish with ¼ breadcrumbs, cover with about 1 apple sliced, ½ cup cheese and a sprinkle of salt. Repeat layering until ingredients are used. Pour over milk to cover and top with ½ cup breadcrumbs tossed with melted butter. Bake at 350 deg. until apples are soft, about 30 min.

Sautéed Onions and Apples:

Serves 4-6
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs. oil
4 cups onions- sliced
4 cups apples-quartered
2 Tbs. sugar
1 Tbs. salt
Melt butter in oil in a sauté pan, add apples and onions, cover and steam about 10 min. stirring occasionally, until onions are soft and apples tender. Add sugar and salt to taste. Serve hot, excellent with roasts and chops.

Apple-Pork Casserole:

Serves 6
6 medium cooking apples-peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups diced, cooked pork-dark meat chicken or turkey are acceptable
1/3 cup water
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
½ tsp. salt
1/3 cup fresh breadcrumbs
Cook apples in water, covered until soft. Place pork in the bottom of a casserole, add ½ the salt and ½ the apples. Repeat layer and top with breadcrumbs, bake in a 375 deg. oven for 30 min. until bubbling. Serve hot.

Liver and Apples:

Serves 6
1 lb. beef liver thinly sliced
2 large tart apples-peeled, cored and diced
1 medium onion-chopped
Salt and pepper
6 slices bacon – diced
½ cup water
Rinse liver and pat dry, place in a greased casserole. Cover with apples, onion and seasoning, top with bacon and pour water over. Bake, covered, at 350 deg. 1 hr. 10 min. Remove cover and bake 20 min. more to crisp bacon. Serve hot.

Apple-Cinnamon Buns

-This is a take on Roly-Poly, an old-fashioned dessert. The buns can be topped with sugar or frosting and served for breakfast or a snack.
1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 cup diced apple
½ cup raisins
½ cup sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Melted butter
Follow directions to thaw the bread dough and for 1st rising. Roll dough to a ¼ inch thick rectangle, and sprinkle with the next 5 ingredients, leaving a 1 inch margin. Roll jellyroll style, cut in 1 ½ inch slices and place in a greased pan, sides barely touching, for 2nd rising. Brush tops with melted butter before baking and bake as directed on package.

*Apple Compote:

Yield 3 cups—A multi-use recipe. It’s useful in desserts as an ingredient, but can be served as alone as a fruit course, as an accompaniment to meat or as a dessert with whipped or ice cream. A few tablespoons can be stirred into hot or cold cereal.
6 large cooking apples –Golden (NOT Red) Delicious, Granny Smith, Rome etc.
1 cup water
¼ cup sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
¼ cup raisins—optional
¼ tsp. cinnamon—optional
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts-for optional garnish
Peel, core and dice apples in ½ inch chunks. Bring sugar and water to a boil; add apples, raisins and juice. Cook until fruit is tender but not mushy. Taste if more sugar is needed, add cinnamon if desired. Serve warm or chilled, topped with nuts if desired.




 


 

Sep 20

FREEZING LATE SUMMER PRODUCE-PART II-RECIPES

 

Last week’s post was about freezing some items from late summer’s abundant produce to enjoy in the coming months. This is not the same as ‘stocking up’ for winter. Most of us have neither the time or space for such a big task. This is about preserving some mementos to remind us of warm, sunny days during cold snowy ones. I find them especially comforting and refreshing as accents in, or accompaniments to other dishes in meals during the heart of winter following the beginning of the New Year.

 

I promised recipes to show them off in this posting, but I think it might be useful to repeat the basics of the advice I gave last week for prepping the foods before I start relating the recipes. I would recommend anyone about to freeze foods to read the entire posting for Sept. 13, 2018 as well. Please remember, I’m focused on late summer produce here, but the direction can apply to any similar items. For example, freezing snap pea pods and Italian beans is the same procedure as that for green beans.

 

“Still, not all of the produce so plentiful in the early fall is suitable for freezing. The best way for the home cook to tell is to check the glass cases in the supermarkets. If an item isn’t there, it doesn’t commercially flash-freeze well and won’t survive the slower domestic process. This particularly applies to things with high water content and soft flesh, tomatoes, plums and eggplant for example. The frozen water content forms crystals which attach to the other frozen elements in their make-up, thaw faster and drain the item of its juice and flavor, leaving a deflated, pulpy mass. These items are better canned, or for tomatoes, optionally, dehydrated, allowing the juices to remain or dry in the flesh, retaining flavor

 

There are a few tips to simulate the commercial flash-freezing process which help to assure a good result. The difference between treatment of the 4 items discussed here is noted at each step. Of course, they should be cleaned and prepped first; the beans trimmed, any strings removed, the corn husked and silk brushed off, the peaches washed, stems removed, zucchini ends trimmed.

 

  • For corn and peaches bring a pot of water to a boil, for beans use a skillet.
    1) Immerse the beans only until they turn bright green (blanched) about10-15 sec.
    2) Dip the peaches about 10-30 sec. until the skins will peel easily
    3) Cook the corn on cob about 4 min. until just beginning to tenderize.

  • Immediately run cold water over the produce to stop the cooking

  • Spread a counter top with paper towels
    1) Lay the beans and corn cobs out, separated, to dry
    2) Using a sharp knife, peel the skin off the peaches. Do not allow to dry. Start freezing prep.

  • Cover cookie sheets with waxed paper
    1) Spread the beans out separately on the cookie sheet and freeze
    2) Brace the bottom of each corn cob in the center of a tube pan. Using a sharp knife, slice off the kernels, letting them fall into the pan. Spread them evenly over the lined sheet and freeze.
    3) Slice the peaches, about 4 per half, directly onto the lined sheet, not overlapping, and freeze.

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Freeze the produce according to your freezer’s rate, usually between 40-60 min. The Sept.13th post includes directions for packaging and cooking as well.

 

RECIPES

GREEN BEANS

 

Ham and Beans au Gratin: Serves 4
1 lb. beans
8 slices Deli ham – custom cut 1/16 to 3/8 of an inch thick
½ cup grated sharp cheese
2 cups milk
4 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. flour
¼ tsp. garlic powder
Salt& pepper
Paprika and dried parsley for garnish
1 envelope chicken bouillon granules –optional
Parboil the beans until crisp tender, about 8 min. Shock under cold water and drain well. Divide the beans into 8 piles of about 10 beans each, and wrap each bundle in a slice of ham. Place bundles in a greased dish, seam side down. Make a simple cream sauce by heating the butter in a saucepan until it foams, Add the flour and stir to a smooth paste. Quickly add the milk, return to medium heat and stir constantly until sauce becomes smooth and thick, about 3 min. Add seasonings; pour the sauce over the bean-ham bundles and top with the cheese and garnish. Bake at 350 deg. until bubbly and cheese melts and browns slightly, about 15 min. Serve hot at once. Tip: plate with a spatula, taking care to serve the bundles intact.

 

Green Beans with Soy Mushrooms: Serves 4-6
1 lb. whole green beans-cooked to tender and hot
4 oz. mushrooms-caps, caps with stems or sliced
½ tsp. butter-melted
Soy sauce to taste
Toss mushrooms in butter and bake in a 300 deg. oven until they release their juice. Add soy sauce and bake about 3 min. more. Serve over hot beans.

Chow Tao: Serves 4
1 ½ lb. whole green beans
½ lb. thinly sliced pork
1 Tbs. oil
1 tsp. chopped fresh ginger
Salt and pepper
Soy sauce
Heat a wok or sauté pan on medium, brown pork with ginger in oil until golden, add beans and soy sauce cook, 10 min. longer or until beans are tender Season with salt and pepper, drizzle optionally, with more soy. Let flavors blend 1-2 min. before serving..

 

CORN

 

Corn Salad: Serves 4
2 cups corn kernels-thawed and parboiled-see directions above
½ a jarred fire-roasted red pepper- in thin strips about ½ inch long
2 scallions-white and light green portions only, sliced thin
1/3 of a green bell pepper –finely diced
1/3 cup light vinaigrette
4 medium tomatoes seeds hollowed out or 4 Roma tomatoes, halved lengthwise and seeds removed.
Mix the vegetables, toss with the dressing, fill the tomatoes and chill before serving.

 

Bean Salad with Corn: Serves 2
(1) 15 oz. can pinto or pink kidney beans-drained and rinsed
5-7 grape tomatoes-halved OR 1 large jarred roasted red bell pepper julienned
½ cup corn kernels
Cider vinaigrette
Romaine or other green lettuce
Line plates with lettuce leaves. Toss beans with tomatoes or pepper strips and place on lettuce. Top with corn and drizzle with vinaigrette.

 

Arugula and Liver Salad with Corn: Serves 4-From French Bistro Cooking by John Varnom
2 Tbs. butter
4½ Tbs. walnut oil
2/3 cup corn
8 chicken livers
1 small head frisee lettuce or green leaf lettuce
1 small head of arugulia
4 ½ Tbs. balsamic vinaigrette
Arrange lettuces on the plates. Saute the livers in the butter and oil, over high heat, for 3 min. per side. Add corn and remove pan from the heat. Place 2 livers on each plate and deglaze the pan with the vinaigrette. Spoon the dressing and corn over the plated livers and serve warm.

 

PEACHES

 

Peach Salsa; Yield 3 cups
2 cups peaches
½ cup sliced grape tomatoes-or chopped tomato
½ green bell pepper-chopped
1 scallion-thinly sliced-white and green parts only
Generous dash garlic powder
Dash cayenne pepper
1 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and allow flavors to meld for about 20 min. Store covered and chilled for 2 days. Serve with fish, poultry and rice.

 

Peach Syrup Topping –Filling: Yield 1 ½ cups-Excellent over waffles, pancakes or ice cream or toasted slices of pound or angel food cake
1cup peaches
1 Tbs. butter
1/3 cup apple juice
1tsp.lemon juice
1 tsp. corn starch
Pinch powdered ginger-optional
Sugar to taste-if needed-preferably brown
1 tsp. > 1 Tbs. Brandy, rum, Madera or Triple Sec-optional—extracts may be substituted
Mix the liquids and flavorings in a cup and dissolve the corn starch. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat and add the peaches, gently stirring and shaking until the color brightens 1-2 min. Add the liquid and continue stirring gently until the mixture thickens and clarifies-3 min. Store extra chilled and slightly reheat to use again.

 

Quick Dessert Cups: Serves 6
12 wonton wrappers
2 Tbs. butter
1 ½ cups sliced or diced peaches
½ cup whipped cream or flavored yogurt
2 Tbs. all fruit spread-optional, but keeps pastry from becoming soggy if cups are preparedahead.
6 cup muffin pan
Place a wrapper diagonally in each muffin cup. Brush with butter and lay another diagonally across the first, so the 4 corners stand up in points. Brush with butter and bake in a preheated 350 deg. oven for 10 min. until golden. Cool and remove from the pan; can be done ahead. Spread a teaspoon of the jam in the bottom of each wonton cup, and divide the filling among them. Top with a dab of yogurt or whipped cream.

 

Don’t forget the thawed peach slices can be used by themselves scattered over ice cream, meats, in salads, mixed with winter fruits in compotes and other ways, even over cereal to brighten a dreary winter morning.

 

MINT SAUCE and WATERMELON PICKLE

 

Mint Sauce:
Per 1 bunch mint as sold in a market
Strip the leaves, and put in a saucepan.  Cover with cider vinegar. If vinegar is very strong, dilute with water to taste. Simmer about 8 to 10 min. until leaves are limp. Add sweetener to taste.Sugar is usual, but substitutes can be used as well for special diets. Just be sure it’s dissolved. Allow to cool in the pan. Blend until the leaves resemble coarse grains. Bottle and store in a cool, dark place. Keeps indefinitely. Use with lamb, vegetables and in sauces.

 

Watermelon Pickle
1 Watermelon- Green rind peeled and meat removed. White rind cut in 1 inch cubes.
1 cup cider vinegar per pound
1 cup water per pound
1 ½ cup sugar per pound
3 inches stick cinnamon per pound
4 cloves per pound
1 Tbs. sliced ginger root per pound
Cover melon cubes with salted water and soak for 2 hrs. Drain and rinse well.  Boil in fresh water until half tender, about 10 min. Drain again and rinse in cool water. Weigh melon and measure the other ingredients into a pot accordingly and boil them for about ½ hr. until a syrup forms. Add drained melon rind and boil for another 10 min. or until rind is crisp-tender. Allow to cool and pack cubes with syrup, including spices, to cover, into glass jars with secure fitting lids. Store refrigerated.

 

Top of Form

 

ZUCCHINI

 

Zucchini Base; Yield 8 cups
5 lbs. zucchini –shredded*
1 onion -finely chopped
1 garlic clove- minced
2 Tbs. oil
Saute onion and garlic in oil until softened. Add zucchini and stir until soft. Cool drain most of the moisture by squeezing in a towel or pressing in a colander. Freeze in desired sized containers with firm lids.
* To shred, use a food processor or the large teeth of a hand grater, but avoid the seedy core.

 

USES: Add salt and pepper as desired to all the below
Chilled Zucchini Soup: 4 servings
1 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
2 Tbs. butter
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. red pepper
3 ½ cups base
3 ½ cups chicken or vegetable broth
1cup plain yogurt
¼ cup chopped toasted walnuts
Saute the onion and garlic in the butter until soft. Add the base, seasonings and broth. Simmer 10 min. Add the yogurt and chill. Puree if desired and serve garnished with walnuts.

 

Hot Zucchini Soup: Serves 4
Follow the directions for the chilled soup omitting the coriander, reducing the curry powder to 1 tsp., changing the yogurt to light cream and optionally choosing beef broth. The addition of left-over meat is welcome as are cooked pasta, diced potatoes or rice.

 

Primavera Sauce: Serves 4
1lb. shaped pasta
Follow the directions for the soups, slicing the onion and substituting oil for the butter. Omit the seasonings and add 3 medium chopped tomatoes and 2 Tbs. chopped fresh basil with the base. Cook 2 min. and serve over cooked pasta garnished with ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese and pass extra cheese.

 

Stuffed Eggplant: Serves 4
2 eggplants -split lengthwise, seeds removed and most of the meat scooped out and diced
Follow the directions for the sauce, mix it with the diced eggplant and use it to stuff the eggplant shells. Top with the cheese and bake on a sheet in a preheated 350 deg. oven until tender, about 30 min. Serve at once.

 

 

 

Sep 13

FREEZING SUMMER PRODUCE-PART I

I’m a summer person. Growing up at the seashore, I became addicted to water sports as a child. More daylight hours energize me. I feel I can, and actually do accomplish more, resulting in a better night’s sleep. I enjoy being able to open a door and go out without having to grab a sweater, jacket or parka but above all I love the abundant seasonal produce. It’s always with renewed sadness that I watch it disappear each fall. I hang onto the freshness as long as possible by cooking the end-of-season yield but eventually, have to admit autumn is here and summer is over. I’m not completely defeated though. I preserve some reminders to enjoy during the cold months ahead by freezing them.

While in the process of preparing this year’s supply of simmer’s food mementos, I thought it might be fun to share my experiences and facts I’ve learned along the way with all of you. I remembered a couple of posts I’d written on the subject in Sept. 2016, looked them up and combined the essence of them both, plus new information I’ve gathered in this post. Please remember, I’m focused on late summer produce here, but the direction can apply to any similar items. For example, freezing snap pea pods and Italian beans is the same procedure as that for green beans I’ll follow this with a post on applications and recipe examples next week.

Several produce items available in late summer can be preserved to have handy during the months ahead. I’m not talking about ‘stocking up for the winter’. That’s far too time and space consuming for today’s lifestyle. This is about having enough of certain products to make a featured dish for a holiday feast, or to serve as occasional reminders of warm, sunny days during cold, snowy ones.

Still, not all of the produce so plentiful in the early fall is suitable for freezing. The best way to tell is to check the glass cases in the supermarkets. If an item isn’t there, it doesn’t commercially flash-freeze well and won’t survive the slower domestic process. This especially applies to things with high water content and soft flesh, tomatoes, plums and eggplant for example. The frozen water content forms crystals which attach to the other frozen elements in their make-up, thaw faster and drain the item of its juice and flavor, leaving a deflated, pulpy mass. These items are better canned, or for tomatoes, optionally, dehydrated, allowing the juices to remain or dry in the flesh, retaining flavor.

You’ll probably think that the best choices from the late summer crops to freeze, green beans, corn and peaches are ‘Ho-hum already done’ and you’d be right. However, I can promise you the difference in texture, flavor and appearance between commercially processed and what you do yourself, will be a happy surprise, no, make that shock.

There are a few tips to simulate the commercial flash-freezing process which help to assure a good result. The difference between treatment of the 4 items discussed here is noted at each step. Of course, they should be cleaned and prepped first; the beans trimmed, any strings removed, the corn husked and silk brushed off, the peaches washed, stems removed.

  • For corn and peaches bring a pot of water to a boil, for beans use a skillet.
    1) Immerse the beans only until they turn bright green (blanched) about10-15 sec.
    2) Dip the peaches about 10-30 sec. until the skins will peel easily
    3) Cook the corn on cob about 4 min. until just beginning to tenderize.
  • Immediately run cold water over the produce to stop the cooking
  • Spread a counter top with paper towels
    1) Lay the beans and corn cobs out, separated, to dry
    2) Using a sharp knife, peel the skin off the peaches. Do not allow to dry. Start freezing prep.
  • Cover cookie sheets with waxed paper
    1) Spread the beans out separately on the cookie sheet and freeze
    2) Brace the bottom of each corn cob in the center of a tube pan. Using a sharp knife, slice off the kernels, letting them fall into the pan. Spread them evenly over the lined sheet and freeze.
    3) Slice the peaches, about 4 per half, directly onto the lined sheet, not overlapping, and freeze.

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Freeze the produce according to your freezer’s rate, usually between 40-60 min.

To Package:

The reason for freezing the produce on cookie sheets is to capture color, freshness and taste. The reason to take pains to be sure there’s no overlapping is to avoid clumping and damage in storing, as well as to make it easy to remove a desired portion. It’s important the packaging maintain these assets.

  • Use zip lock bags or square plastic boxes with secure lids, like those used for dinner entrees.
  • Do not let the items thaw, package for storage quickly
  • Place the items in the containers individually, not overlapping
  • If layering is necessary to fill the container, separate them with accordion-like folds of waxed paper-not plastic wrap
    1) the corn is best in bags and should be spread to an even thickness
    2) The beans can be arranged in a uniform layers in bags or boxes.
    3) The peach slices should be placed individually in each layer, and dusted with a thin coating of powdered sugar before being covered with the paper for the next layer, in boxes.
  • Make room in the freezer to store these containers flat, even stacked, but never on end, allowing the contents to clump together

Cooking:

Because these items have been blanched and domestically frozen, which takes more time than the commercial flash method, they take a few minutes less time to cook. Here are some general guidelines. Individual recipes follow.

  • Normally green beans need 15 min.to steam or boil. These should be checked at about 10 min. frozen, 8 min. thawed. Take about 5 min. off roasting time too.
  • It takes about 2 ears of corn for a single serving as a side dish and that’s a lot to freeze. If you have room for this-fine, but if not use this corn to add to casseroles, salads, side combos or even salsa. Done this way it will stand up to cooking in a dish or just being tossed in a salad.*
  • The peaches quickly lose their juice when thawed and are best used directly from the freezer. Remember they have a thin coating of sugar and adjust other ingredients accordingly

*I come from a state famous for its white table corn. My Mother-in-Law was a master at freezing it. She taught me the tube pan trick and her winter dinners occasionally featured sides of buttered corn. She froze it in 1 cup bags which she considered a single portion or the amount usually required for adding to 4 portion dishes. She stored the bags in large plastic containers in the freezer. If you’re a corn lover and have access to a lot of it, plus the freezer space, this is the way to go.

Now on to specific freezing tips:

Beans:

Hand select the beans to be frozen, choosing the largest, firmest, straightest ones. This assures even freezing and makes the best presentation later. As stated above, they cook as directed for commercially frozen ones, only for a bit less time, depending on your appliances and can be used in the same ways. Always try to serve these whole; cut beans are too ordinary to be ‘special ‘.

Of course, the easiest and often most attractive way to serve green beans is simply to add toppings. Fresh herbs such as thyme, sage and rosemary are favorite toppings and mushrooms and Karmelized onions are popular add-ins too. Broiled portabellas, sliced, are wonderful, so are button caps first lightly broiled in butter with soy sauce added, then reheated, poured over the beans.

Corn:

Don’t try to freeze corn-on-the-cob. It isn’t that great commercially and even worse domestically. Make sure the ears are silk-free before you cut the kernels off because shreds of silk will mat when frozen and can ruin a dish.

As stated, the best use of the corn is as an addition to another dish, and, of course, that depends on the recipe for the dish. If it’s a cold salad or salsa, dip the bag with the corn into boiling water for about 3 min. then shock under cold. Otherwise just add to the recipe as directed. Using ‘fresh’ corn in salads is a wonderfully refreshing change in winter.

Peaches:

Keep the peaches in the boiling water only long enough to loosen the skin. The riper the peach the less time it takes. Hold the peach on a slotted spoon under cold water, until cool enough to handle; prick it with a paring knife and peel off the skin. Place the peaches on a waxed paper covered flat surface until all the fruit is peeled, then begin slicing each for freezing over the paper covered cookie sheet, making sure the slices don’t touch. Freeze, then lightly dust with powdered sugar as boxed.

When frozen, place the slices in a 4 inch square freezer box. Supermarkets sell these in 3-packs. Place the slices, without touching, in layers and separate the layers with a long strip of waxed paper woven accordion style between layers. Peaches are best used frozen and thawed in a dish’s preparation. Remember in using them that they are lightly sugared and adjust the recipe.

Frozen this way peaches consume more room than packaged in bags, so, unless you have a lot of space, they’re best reserved for accessory dishes like salsas and sauces. If you plan a dish using a quantity of them, like a pie, for a winter event, make it, then freeze it in a metal pan, and bake it frozen, just add about 15 min. to the oven time.

Don’t forget the thawed peach slices can be used by themselves scattered over ice cream, meats, in salads, mixed with winter fruits in compotes and other ways, even over cereal to brighten a dreary winter morning.

Zucchini:

At summer’s end we’re often so focused on the luscious stone fruits, peaches, plums, etc., the big, ripe tomatoes and the sweet yellow corn that we tend to take another currently plentiful produce item for granted– zucchini, which may be the most versatile ‘vegetable’ of all. (Zucchini is actually a fruit, specifically a berry.) It has an interesting history too.

Zucchini is not Italian, but like all squash, native to the Americas. It was brought to Europe centuries ago along with its cousin the yellow squash. Together they were called ‘summer squash’; a name still used for the yellow ones. The Northern Italians, especially the Milanese and Tuscans developed the green squash into the product as we now know it, as well as a golden version, and gave it its present name, which is generally universal, though in England it’s called a ‘Marrow’ and in France a ‘Courgette’. These squash returned to the U.S. in the late 19thcentury but remained relatively unnoticed until after WWW II.

Zucchini is very prolific and there’s often a surplus at the end of the season, even for back-yard gardeners. One partial solution, I’m told, is to eat the flowers before they mature. These are delicious prepared stuffed or fried in recipes readily available especially on the web, but usually there is still over abundance at this time of year.

Due to high water content, zucchini doesn’t freeze well, except by commercial flash-freezing. Whole, it deflates when thawed and slices clump. So how does one avoid wasting the extra? I’ve had some success for short periods, freezing thick slices on a cookie sheet before bagging them or freezing it in a sauced dish like ratatouille. However, one of the best ways to preserve zucchini is to accept the fact that it’s going to change texture, become limp and combine it, with other ingredients, into a ‘base’, which will keep for several months, for future dishes. Food Tips and Cooking Tricks by David Joachim has an excellent recipe for such a base and ideas on how to use it but, of course, once made, you can use it as you please.

Two other summer produce items which I prepare and set aside for winter are watermelon and mint. However, since I don’t freeze either of them, I’m not including them in my ‘Tip’ list this week. I am including them, with full directions in preparing them, in next week’s post when I discuss and list recipes examples for the presentations of these foods.

Watermelon:

Although I don’t freeze watermelon, I do pickle the rind, so I’m including it in my list of things I preserve to remind me of summer during cold winter days.

Mint:

I also preserve mint by pickling, in a sense. I make it into a ‘sauce’ or ‘dressing’ to be used as a flavoring or condiment.

Join me next week to get wonderful recipe suggestions for ways to enjoy these ‘gifts of summer’ all winter.

 

 

 

 

 

Sep 6

EASY WEEKNIGHT DINNERS

Labor Day is truly unique, from its conception to its annual effect on the American public. One week we’re still in ‘summer mode’, taking a more relaxed view of things, wearing casual clothes, and speaking of fall schedules as if they were something to deal with down the road. The next, after Labor Day Monday, within a matter of hours, we’re all business, blocking out our calendars, checking our watches and laying out tomorrow’s clothes.

In many states, school, with its rigid schedule, extra-curricular activities and parental obligations opens in this narrow window as well. Add the often sudden awareness that daylight hours are noticeably shorter, making us feel rushed and life seems to have become hectic overnight. One frequent casualty of this new state of affairs is dinner. Not just dinner hour, but the meal itself.

People get home at different times, or have to go out, perhaps again, and can’t wait. For the cook, there’s the added problem of not wanting to risk spatters and spills, with no time to change clothes. What’s needed are not just fast and easy recipes but ones which can be made with minimal mess, yet are more nutritious than take-out.

The following recipes offer solutions and are some of my favorites when I’m in a spot. All but two need nothing but a salad or bread. The poached salmon can be served cold or hot and the pork chops can be made ahead and kept cold or frozen. The Penne in Creamy Sauce has been a lifesaver for me many a night, the Pork Chops Basil are company ready anytime with suitable sides and both the Hot Pot and Tuscan Tuna Bean Salad can be made by kids. So relieve your ‘September Stress’ and give these a try.

RECIPES

Salad Veronique:

Serves 4

3 ½ cups cooked chicken
1 cup chopped celery
¾ cup halved seedless grapes
¾ cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream

½ tsp. curry powder
Salt and pepper to taste
½ cup chopped pecans or toasted walnuts – optional

Lettuce
Mix all the ingredients together and chill until ready to serve. Serve on lettuce lined plates.

Cranberry-Chicken Salad:

Serves 2
1 cup bite size pieces of meat
2 Tbs. craisins
2 Tbs. chopped walnuts
¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese
At least 4 cups of Bibb, Iceberg, Romaine or other salad lettuce in bite sized pieces
½ Tbs. olive oil
@3 Tbs. Raspberry vinaigrette
Toss the greens with the oil, then layer the meat, craisins and nuts over them. Pour the vinaigrette over and top with the cheese. Present layered as made.

.

Tuscan Tuna and Bean Salad:

Serves 4

6 oz. can solid white tuna in water- drained

16 oz. can cannellini or other white beans

2 plum tomatoes diced

2 tsp. dried basil

Ground black pepper

Salt to taste

1 Tbs. balsamic vinegar

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. powdered garlic

1 Tbs. oil

2 Tbs. Dijon or spicy mustard

Mix the last 5 ingredients well and set aside to let the flavors form a dressing. Gently toss the first 6 ingredients, then add the dressing. Allow the whole to chill for 30 min. at least to meld flavors. Serve on greens.

Poached Salmon:

Serves 4
(4) 5 oz. salmon fillets- frozen is O.K.
1 cup sour cream

¼ cup mayonnaise
1Tbs. dried dill weed
Bring about 2 inches of water to a boil in a skillet large enough to hold the fish fillets or do them in batches. Slide the fish into the water, lower heat and simmer about 8 min. per inch of thickness until just cooked, if still frozen add 4 min. Remove fillets with a spatula and run under cold water. If there is skin, peel it off with a knife, and place fillets on a plate to refrigerate, and firm until serving. Mix the other ingredients and chill as well, if doing ahead. To serve plate the fish and spoon sauce over, garnishing with a bit more dill or paprika. Can be served hot.

Open Faced Monte Cristo:

Serves 4
2 slices of a hearty bread-sourdough, French or Italian are favorites, but I like Jewish rye.
1/3 lb. sliced turkey
1/3 lb. sliced Swiss cheese
1/3 lb. sliced ham-or smoked turkey
1 envelope beef bouillon granules
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup Marsala
1 Tbs. cornstarch
Lightly toast the bread. Divide the meat into 4 stacks each and the cheese into 8 piles. Layer the bread slices with cheese, ham, cheese and turkey in that order. The melted cheese keeps the layers in place when cutting the sandwiches. Combine the water, wine bouillon and cornstarch, stir until the cornstarch dissolves, then heat the mixture and simmer until it thickens, about 3 min. Place the topped bread slices in a preheated oven until the cheese melts, then place 2 slices on each plate and drizzle with the sauce. Serve hot.

Quick and Easy Pizzas:

Serves 4
4 individual vegetable pizzas- favorite brand
1 cup mixed frozen broccoli flowerets and pepper and onion.
1 cup turkey or chicken pieces = 1/3 lb. from the Deli
¾ cup diced raw tomatoes or canned
(1/2) a 4 oz. can stems and pieces mushrooms—optional
1 Tbs. oil
Salt and pepper to taste
4 oz. shredded Cheddar cheese
Microwave the frozen vegetables in the oil for 2 min. Divide them over the pizzas. Do the same with the tomatoes, mushrooms, if using, meat and finally the cheese. Bake as per package directions Serve at once.

Vegetable Pizza:

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1 per person
(2) 8in. flour tortillas
1 cup leftover, or microwaved to crisp-tender fresh vegetables –See Frittata recipe below
1/3 cup leftover chicken or turkey OR 2 oz. double thick Deli sliced diced
¼ cup Salsa Verde, pesto or Riciato sauce + 2 Tbs. sour cream optional
2 Tbs. chopped tomatoes or diced canned-optional
½ cup Cheddar cheese
Preheat oven to 400 deg. With a pastry brush or sponge, liberally coat one tortilla with water. Cover with the second one and press to adhere. Cover the tortilla top with the sauce, leaving a 1 inch rim all around. Arrange vegetables over and top with meat. Sprinkle cheese over all. Bake 12 to 15 min. until cheese bubbles and edges are browning. Serve at once.

Penne With Ham and Peas in Creamy Sauce:

4 Servings
(1) 1 lb. box of penne –I like  the whole grain
2 cups frozen or fresh peas – not canned
4-5 oz. sliced ham cut in 1 inch squares  OR 2 cups leftover ham  in ½ inch pieces ***
2 Tbs. oil
¼ tsp. garlic powder—optional
1 cup milk, cream or mixture of the two **
¼ cup pasta water
Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese.
Cook the pasta according to box directions until just al dente= about 8-9 min. Drain over a bowl saving the pasta water. Return the pot to the stove. Add the oil and ham and stir over medium heat until ham pieces separate.  Add peas and if using, garlic powder. Stir to dissolve powder and coat all ingredients with the oil. (3 min. total) Return the drained pasta to the pot. Add the pasta water and milk and/or cream. Raise burner temperature to high, bring contents to a full boil. Occasionally lifting the pot to prevent sticking, maintain at a boil, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until a creamy sauce forms.( 4 min.) Remove from heat at once. Divide among plates and generously garnish with Parmesan. Serve piping hot.
*** Only heavy cream, half-and-half, and skim milk can sustain boiling without “breaking” or curdling.
***Smoked turkey, turkey bacon, or turkey ham are all good dietary alternatives.

Pasta a la ( insert your name)

Serves 2 –For more servings double recipe
2 servings or about (1/2 ) an 8 oz. box of penne or another firm, shaped pasta.
1 ½ cups leftover, or microwaved until crisp tender vegetables, I often use cut Brussels sprouts in this.
1 cup cooked bite-sized pieces of meat-optional
2 Tbs. chopped green and/or black olives and/or capers.
6 chopped fresh basil leaves or 1 tsp. dried
1 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves or ½ tsp. dried
8 halved or sliced grape tomatoes or equivalent fresh sliced or canned diced
2 Tbs. salad oil
1 Tbs. Balsamic vinegar
2 Tbs. pasta water
Dash garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste if needed
Cook pasta and drain well, saving some of the water. Mix the oil and vinegar in a cup. Toss all the ingredients except the salt and pepper with the vinegar and oil adding the pasta water to give body. Taste before adding salt and pepper.  Allow to sit a few minutes to meld flavors. Serve at room temperature.
Experiment with the vegetables, the herbs, the pasta shapes—Make it YOUR dish!!

Classic Frittata:

Serves 4
2 to 3 cups leftover or fresh vegetables microwaved to crisp tender
8 eggs
4 Tbs. milk or water
1 tsp. optional seasonings-curry powder, basil, oregano, rosemary, sage—-
Salt a& pepper to taste
! Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. oil
I usually add ½ medium onion diced, ½ stalk celery sliced thin, equal amount diced green pepper, 1/3 cup frozen broccoli flowerets and cook them in about 1tsp oil in the microwave until tender about 2 min. if I don’t have leftovers or want variety in those I have. Whisk the eggs, liquid and seasonings in a bowl. Melt the butter and oil in a 10 inch skillet, with heat proof handle, over medium heat. Swirl to coat sides, add the vegetables and stir to separate in the pan. Add the eggs, and stir briefly to distribute the vegetables. Preheat broiler and set rack on the 3rd. level. Cook eggs until almost set in the center about 3 min. If desired sprinkle about ½ to ¾ cup Cheddar cheese over the frittata and broil until golden and puffed about 3-4 min. Serve hot, cut in wedges with heated tomato sauce on the side as an option.

Frank, Bean and Potato Casserole:

Serves 4

A child can actually put most of this dish together.
8 hot dogs cut in 6ths to make 48 pieces
(1) 15.5 oz. can pinto or kidney beans – drained juice reserved
(1) 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes – drained juice reserved
2 cups frozen cut green beans
1 Tbs. oil
1 onion thinly sliced
1 envelope bouillon powder-beef, chicken or vegetable
4 potatoes – or (2) 15 oz. cans sliced potatoes, drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook onion in oil until soft. Mix the bouillon with reserved tomato juice and bean juice combined to make 1 cup. Add to pot along with all the other ingredients except the potatoes. Ring to a boil, add more reserved juice if necessary t get a stew-like consistency. Pour into a 1 qt. casserole. Microwave the potatoes about 2 min, until just crisp. Thinly slice and arrange to completely cover the top of the casserole. Bake at 400 deg. for 40 – 45 min. until potatoes are golden. Serve hot.

Pork Chops Basil:

Serves 4

This is an old family favorite, and it also works well for pork loin roasts. It can be refrigerated for three days or even frozen for two weeks, after the baking, so it can be made ahead and quickly ready when wanted. Veal chops or turkey cutlets may be substituted for the pork.

Children can prep the meat and get the ingredients ready for use.
(8) ½ inch thick center pork chops well-trimmed of fat

½ cup flour

1 Tbs. garlic powder

2 Tbs. dried basil

½ a small can frozen orange juice concentrate

Water to dilute juice

¼ cup cream sherry

Sprinkle half the garlic powder and half the basil in the bottom of an oven proof dish or pan that will hold the chops closely but not overlapping. Dredge the chops in the flour, by shaking in a plastic bag, one at a time, making sure they’re well coated. Place in pan, and sprinkle the rest of the garlic and basil over them. Cover and seal the pan with foil. Bake, preferably at 250 degrees for 2 hours, but acceptable at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, turn on broiler, and lift foil. Dilute orange juice with the sherry and just enough water to come almost to the top level of the chops in the pan, and pour over the chops. Broil until chops brown and the sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Aug 30

WATERMELON RECIPES FOR EVERY COURSE

Watermelon is synonymous with summer. It’s considered a traditional Labor Day food but it’s really much more than a seasonal icon. It’s a welcome addition to the salad dinners I discussed last week because its distinctive, fresh taste and crisp, delicate texture ‘play nice’ with other ingredients. For this reason, and because it’s now readily available all year, watermelon is being paired with lots of different ingredients in a variety of new ways.

Actually, watermelon is full of surprises nowadays. Long thought to be related to another melon indigenous to South-West Africa, it was believed to have evolved there and migrated north into Asia then Europe. It was also classified a vegetable close to cucumbers and pumpkins, because it’s a vine. However, DNA testing with 3,000 yr. old seeds from Egyptian tombs proved that watermelon originated in North Africa and moved north through the Near East probably branching off to Asia and Southern Europe about the same time.

Moreover, watermelon is now re-classified not only as a fruit, but as a berry because the seeds are located throughout the meat, rather than being clustered around a central core and the skin, though thick, is fragile if mishandled. The final surprise is that while containing no fat and only about 80 calories per 2 cups, it’s full of vitamins A, B & C, as well as lycopene, a phytochemical being studied now as a preventative for cancer and heart disease. Watermelon is truly a food for the 21st century.

Watermelons are harvested in the U.S. from April to November and imported ones are in stores from October through June. They come in several colors, yellow, pink, red and white but all have the same nutritional value. Generally, the larger the riper and sweeter, so test them by slapping them with the open palm. A ripe melon will have an almost musical ring said to resemble B Flat. Uncut melons will keep for two weeks at room temperature, longer if chilled. Cut melons should be covered with plastic wrap and refrigerated but last for several days.

Small families and single individuals usually choose the little Sugar Babies, but in view of the melon’s ability to keep fresh, given a wider variety of uses, the larger ones become an option for those buyers as well. I have always loved Watermelon Pickle and found, early on that I can make better than I can buy. So every year, about this time, I renew my annual supply. This results in at least two large bowls of melon meat, which gets watery in a day or so off the rind. There was no problem with the whole family still home and snacking, but in an empty nest one gets ‘watermeloned’ out before one is out of watermelon. At first I made a lot of granita to freeze, but then I saw a recipe combining the melon with tomatoes in a salad. When a friend dropped in unexpectedly, I decided to experiment and made a dinner salad she still raves about. Unstructured salads and other pairings of watermelon with various foods can make ‘excess’ vanish.

The recipe for my first salad is below along with others for you to try. Hopefully, watermelon will find a place on your menus all year. Its taste on a cold day is like a ray of warm sunshine, unexpected and most welcome. However, there are some restrictions in using watermelon in winter meals because the meat is very delicate. It renders all liquid and collapses into a pulpy mess when heated and wilts when combined with the heavier winter vegetables. So, though it may not figure into cold weather entrees there are still side salads, first courses, desserts, smoothies and ‘beverages’, especially the ‘beverages’ which know no season. As I said, now that watermelon is available all year, there’s a place for it in your menus all year.

RECIPES- Remove the seeds or use a seedless melon before making any recipe. Watermelon perks up with a pinch of salt and a dash of citrus, preferably lime over lemon. If looking for an extra flavor boost, add crumbled feta cheese. It has a special affinity for watermelon. Nuts are a great garnish, especially pistachios and peanuts. I like the dry roasted ones.

Watermelon Pickle:

Traditional recipe
Remove the meat and cut the green skin off the rind. Cut the white pith into about 1 inch pieces. Cover with well salted water and soak for 12 hrs. Drain and cover with fresh water and boil rapidly for about 10 min. until crisp tender and drain. For every pound of rind allow
1 cup water
1 cup vinegar
2 cups sugar
2-3 inches stick cinnamon
8 cloves
1 oz. fresh ginger root-sliced
Boil these ingredients until they form a syrup. Add the rind and return to a boil. Remove from heat and cool. Place in clean glass jars with tightly screwed tops. Store chilled. Keeps for years if kept cold. Excellent in place of sweet pickles or accompanying poultry.

Watermelon Caprese Canapes:

Per piece
Thread on longer toothpicks a cube of melon, a large, fresh basil leaf and a small ball of fresh Mozzarella. The cheese can first be lightly marinated in a vinaigrette or flavored oil if desired.

Spicy Watermelon Salsa:

Yield about 1 qt.- From allrecipes.com
3 cups chopped watermelon
½ cup chopped green bell pepper
2 Tbs. lime juice
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs. chopped scallions
1 Tbs. chopped jalapeno
½ tsp. garlic salt
In a large bowl, combine the watermelon, green bell pepper, lime juice, cilantro, green onions, jalapeno and garlic salt. Mix well and serve cold.

Watermelon Gazpachio:

Serves 4- From Food Tips and Cooling Tricks by David Joachim
6 cups watermelon cubes
1 peeled, seeded, cubed cucumber
½ chopped yellow bell pepper
3 chopped scallions
1 ½ chopped garlic cloves
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2 tsp. olive oil
½ tsp. hot sauce
1 cup chilled cranberry juice
3 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
Process ½ the melon with the next 7 ingredients until evenly chopped. Add reserved melon, juice and mint and process just until chopped. Serve chilled.

Watermelon-Shrimp Salad with Avocado:

Serves 4-6 – From Real Simple
1 pound frozen, fully cooked medium shrimp
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
4 cups watermelon, roughly chopped
2 jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped
2 avocados, roughly chopped


Vinaigrette


Juice of 1 lime
1 teaspoon honey
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped + leaves for garnish
Torn lettuce leaves for bedding, optional
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Steak and Watermelon Salad:

Serves 4—by Judy Kim for Delish (NOT the salad shown)

1. Tbs. brown sugar

1. tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. chili powder
Flank steak
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
4 cups arugula greens
1/4 cup Chopped red onion
1 cup croutons
2 cups watermelon, cut into chunks
1/2 cup feta
Sea salt
In a small bowl mix brown sugar, garlic powder and chili powder. Massage all over steak. Preheat grill or cast-iron grill pan on high heat. Grill steak for 5 minutes on each side, then let meat rest for 3 to 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix together vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Toss in arugula, onion, croutons and watermelon.
Slice the meat against the grain. Serve steak with watermelon panzanella salad and top with feta and a sprinkle of sea salt.

My Watermelon-Tomato Salad with Fish:

Serves 2
½ lb. firm fish-baked or broiled- I like Monkfish- cooked chicken is also good. A Louis Kemp product can be used as well.
2 medium tomatoes in thin wedges
2 cups watermelon in rough chunks
3 scallions sliced on an angle
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups green leaf lettuce – torn in bite sized pieces
Balsamic vinaigrette-commercial or DIY
Separate the meat into chunks, avoid cutting if possible. Place all the salad ingredients in a large bowl gently toss and plate. Drizzle with some dressing and pass the rest.

Watermelon-Orange Salad with Prosciutto:

Serves 4-From Food Tips and Cooling Tricks by David Joachim
3 cups roughly chopped watermelon
3 oranges in segments
4 slices red onion
2 Tbs. chopped mint
3 oz. sliced prosciutto
2 bunches arugula-torn
Dressing
½ cup oil
1 tsp. lemon or lime zest
½ tsp. EACH Dijon mustard and salt
½ garlic clove mashed
¼ cup lemon or lime juice.
Mix all dressing ingredients. Arrange salad ingredients in a platter or plates and drizzle with the dressing.

Watermelon Granita:

Serves 4- From 1-2-3 Ingredient Menu-Cookbook by Rozanne Gold
4 cups diced watermelon
¾ cup sugar
½ cup chocolate chips
Puree the melon and sugar until sugar is dissolved and mix is smooth. Place the mix in a shallow metal pan and freeze until slushy. Break it up with a fork and return it to the freezer. Repeat the process as it begins to harden until fully frozen, about every 20 min., usually about 6 times. Serve by scraping spoonfulls from the surface. Garnish with chocolate chips as ‘seeds’.

Watermelon Slush:

Serves 4
2 cups diced watermelon
1 cup white grape juice
1 Tbs. EACH lime juice and honey
Freeze melon. Blend half with the other ingredients until smooth, then add the 2nd cup of watermelon and, optionally 2 Tbs. of rum or other liqueur and blend just to a slush. Serve at once.

Nana’s Cooler:

My grandmother made a refreshing drink by pureeing the meat and straining the pulp. Add salt and chill, serve with a lime wedge and if available a sprig of mint. This doesn’t say “no” to a jigger of vodka, gin or tequila.

Tipsy Watermelon

Cut a plug about 2 inches square and deep in a melon. Pierce the meat several times with an ice pick or similar utensil and pour in liquor of choice, rum, brandy, wine something that will add flavor, filling melon. Replace plug and refrigerate melon 24 hrs. turning occasionally. Cut melon open and serve cut marinated meat and serve with juices.

Watermelon cocktails are trending -check the web.

 

Aug 23

SALADS THAT MAKE THE MEAL

I’ve been talking about moving the salad onto the dinner plate for two, no three years now, and making it part of the entrée. The idea stems from our desire for a healthier, lighter diet, relying more on whole foods and less on processed ones for all our meals and snacks. The concept is particularly well illustrated by this new type of dinner salad which is a major portion of the entrée and so easy to put together especially now at the height of produce season.

These salads differ in preparation and presentation because we want to maintain the identity of the fresh ingredients. So we cut them in larger pieces like wedges and indicate when possible the shape of the whole item by slicing not dicing and arranging in layers. The flavor is a medley of individual bites of contrasting or complimentary tastes, rather than a single one which unifies the whole dish by mixing chopped ingredients. Presentations are casual, even rustic rather than scripted. A photo might be captioned “Suggested Appearance” not “Approved Plating”.

I believe there are three roots to this movement; first, an awareness of maintaining good health and the important role food plays; second, improved transportation, refrigeration and dehydration methods free us from depending on ‘seasonal produce’ and open windows on the global marketplace even in the most rural supermarkets; third, growing familiarity not just with different cuisines but their ingredients as well. Experimenting with those ingredients and finding new uses for them has resulted in many ‘Fusion Cuisines’ and made cooking and eating fun adventures.

Ingredients crossing cuisines isn’t new, herbs and spices like cilantro and ginger have figured in both Eastern and Western ones for centuries. Stone fruits, native to Asia, are the base for traditional recipes in many cuisines. What is new is these products are being used in a wider variety of ways. Realizing that tomatoes, avocados and olives are fruits, accepted in serious salads for years, we are now letting other fruits, long favored as accompaniments to meat, join them and not just as accents, but as key players.

The changed construction of the salads requires a change in dressings. Lighter ones which complement the flavors are preferred and a drizzle of oil subtly unites those flavors but DIY is often recommended. Depending on the contents, many regular types of vinaigrette are a bit strong because fruits are acidic themselves. The touch of acid zing in the dressing is best delivered by the addition of citrus juice. Lemon and lime are regulars, but orange, grapefruit and other juices are often appropriate.

If I’m sautéing the meat, I frequently use the pan juice as dressing base or a bit of broth or the juice of a fruit ingredient, adding oil, citrus juice and/or zest and more of the herbs of the dish. Fresh herbs are another plus, the leaves used as actual ingredients, can really add bulk. One herb I’ve come to depend on in all salads is mint. Its flavor merges with anything and adds zip, losing its own distinct identity.

One thing is certain, heavy, thick dressings are out. If a creamy one is called for it will be based on sour cream or yogurt. Heavy cream goes back to desserts and mayonnaise is still prized but as a spread. Replacing them are not ‘substitutes’ but actual dressing recipes. I remember my first dinner in France. I was served a plate of what looked like gleaming Bibb lettuce leaves and was surprised in the first bite by the most vibrant tasting Blue Cheese dressing I’d ever eaten. It was totally invisible, except as a sheen on the leaves, but oh so good! The recipe, a classic in France, is a good example of ‘structured’ DIY. It follows a definite procedure but adjusts for the occasion. Simply dissolve about 1 Tbs. blue cheese in about ½ cup olive oil, and fresh lemon juice. All measurements are to taste, as dominant with the plain lettuce, or to compliment a specific combination of ingredients.

For the ‘creamy’ dressings based on sour cream or yogurt, oil is usually omitted, but citrus zest and/or juice, herbs, seasonings, and often, a touch of seasoned vinegar is added. Again, the mixture depends on the composition of the salad but the list of probable additives remains generally stable, nuts, seeds, spices etc.

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The important thing to remember is that everything is tailor-made to each meal and unless recorded in detail can be replicated but not repeated. Part of the emphasis on freshness, and fun of these meals is the fact that they are unique to the moment and following guidelines is much easier than the demands of a specific recipe. The only way to ‘mess-up’ is to over season the dressing but if you proceed cautiously, consistently tasting you’ll be fine and soon it becomes second nature to whip up a meal in no time.

Actually, these salad dinners are a win-win solution with autumn and busy winter schedules nearing. The fresh ingredients can be prepped and waiting, chilled in water and a healthy dinner can be on the table in short order with very little effort or mess. Get in some practice now when produce is in and by fall you’ll be an old hand with ideas for ready combinations from your fridge at your fingertips.

If looking for suggestions, I have several postings right on this site’s Home Page panorama. Just click on the photos and the articles will come up.

 

 

 

 

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