Kitch n Therapy

Courtesy of Susie Middleton from Fine Cooking.  Aug/Sept 2015

Serves 6

3 to 4 medium ears fresh corn

2 oz. (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter

1 large clove garlic, smashed and peeled

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 1/2 cups half and half

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

7 oz. ham steak, skin removed, ham cut into small dice (about 1 1/3 cups)

2 medium yellow onions, cut into medium dice (about 2 cups)

3 medium ribs celery, thinly sliced (abut 1 cup)

1 large red or yellow pepper, cut into medium dice (about 3/4 cup)

1 Tbsp minced fresh garlic

1 1/2 tsp. finely chopped fresh jalapeño

1 lb. yellow potatoes (unpeeled), cut into medium dice (about 3 cups)

1 quart lower-salt chicken broth

Louisiana hot sauce, such as Tabasco

3 Tbsp. thinly sliced fresh chives

Directions:

Snap each ear of corn in half.  Cut off enough kernels to yield about 2 1/2 cups.  Scrape the cobs with the back of knife to release the corn “milk”  and any remaining bits of corn; reserve the cobs.

In a 10-inch straight-sided skillet, melt 2 Tbsp. of the butter over medium heat.  Add the corn and corn milk, smashed  garlic, 1/4 tsp. salt, and a few grinds of pepper.  Cook, stirring, util the corn is slightly shrunken and browning develops  on the bottom of the pan, 5 to 8 minutes.

Add the half-and-half and stir, scraping with a wooden spatula, until the browned bits are incorporated into the corn mix.  Remove the pan from the heat and let the mixture steep, stirring occasionally to prevent a skin from forming.

In a 5 1/2 to 6 quart heavy-duty pot, heat the remaining 2 Tbsp. butter and the oil over medium heat.  Add the ham, onions celery, bell pepper, and 1 tsp. salt.  Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables soften, 6 to 8 minutes.  Uncover and continue cooking until the vegetables start to brown, about 6 minutes more.  Add the minced garlic and jalepeno and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Stir in the potatoes and 1 tsp. salt.

Add the reserved corn cobs, chicken broth, and 1 cup water to the pot.  Stir up any browned bits stuck to the bottom.  Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, cover partially, and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

Using tongs, remove the cobs from the pot.  Stir in the corn mixture, and immediately remove the pot from the heat.  Transfer 2 cups of mostly solids and some liquid to a blender and puree.  Return the puree to the soup.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and hot sauce.  Stir in half of the chives and serve garnished with the remaining chives.

Makes 8 servings.

Ingredients:

1 small honeydew melon

1 seedless cucumber, thinly sliced

1 lime, thinly sliced

12 fresh mint leaves

1/4 cup lime juice

2 Tbsp honey

1/4 cup brandy

1 750 milliliter bottle Sauvignon blanc or other semi-dry white wine, chilled

1 bottle Prosecco, chilled

Directions:

Cut the melon in half; remove and discard seeds and rind.  Cut melon into thin slices.  In a large pitcher combine melon, cucumber, lime slices, and the 12 mint leaves.  In a small bowl stir together lime juice and honey until combined; pour over melon mixture.  Add wine, stirring gently.  Cover and chill for a least 2 hours.

To serve, stir in Prosecco and pour into glasses.  If desired garnish with additional mint.

Basic recipe from Wholefoods.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped , chopped
1 green bell pepper , cored, seeded and chopped
2 jalapeños , seeded and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic , finely chopped
1 pound ground white or dark meat turkey
1 can diced tomatoes, with their liquid
1 can pumpkin purée
1 cup water or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper , to taste
1 can kidney beans , rinsed and drained

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeños and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned. Add tomatoes, pumpkin, water, chili powder, cumin, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and add beans. Cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes more. Ladle chili into bowls and serve.  Serve with sour cream, cheese and cilantro as garnish.

ALMOND MILK CARAMEL SAUCE

1 cup Califia Farms unsweetened almondmilk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cane sugar
1 tbsp brown rice syrup
1/8 tsp cream of tartar

In a medium size saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk, sugars, brown rice syrup, and cream of tartar; stir with a silicone spatula (or any silicone device capable of such a task) then let the mixture cook for 25 minutes, without stirring. While cooking, it should boil as shown in the photo above. If it’s not boiling after five minutes on the stove, increase your heat just a bit. After 25 minutes, give it a good stir with the spatula then remove from heat if you prefer caramel sauce that’s thick but pourable from the fridge. If you’d prefer something that needs to be warmed (in a hot water bath) before pouring, cook for an additional 2 minutes. Pour caramel sauce through a sieve and into a glass jar then seal with a lid (do not let it cool without a lid, as you may get a thick layer of hardened caramel on top). Refrigerate for at least four hours; sauce will thicken as it cools. Will keep in the refrigerator for up to one week.

Yield: about 1/2 cup caramel sauce

Deep Dark Chocolate Cake

 I make a special Oreo cake for my son-in-law Shea on his birthday.  This old time recipe is the best I have found.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup HERSHEY’S Cocoa or HERSHEY’S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa

1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup boiling water

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour two 9-inch round pans or one 13x9x2-inch baking pan.

2. Stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla; beat on medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes. Stir in boiling water (batter will be thin). Pour batter into prepared pans.

3. Bake 30 to 35 minutes for round pans, 35 to 40 minutes for rectangular pan or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. (Cake may be left in rectangular pan, if desired.) 8 to 10 servings

FOR THE SALAD
4 cups arugula
1 cup steamed and chilled french green beans (cut in half)
1 cup sliced english cucumber
2 green onions (sliced thin)
1 avocado (diced)
1/4 cup raw pepitas (optional)
1 oz goat cheese (optional)

FOR THE VINAIGRETTE
sea salt & pepper (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon french dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons avocado oil
4 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon chopped basil

To prepare the vinaigrette:
In a mason jar (with screw top lid), add ingredients in the order listed above. Shake it, baby!

To prepare the salad:
In a large bowl, combine all ingredients, adding avocado and goat cheese as final ingredients. Toss gently with vinaigrette. Top with pepitas and serve.

Simple Ingredients

Making a well for the egg, olive oil and salt.

The Atlas used for rolling and cutting.

Tagliatelle

Fresh Pasta
adapted from The Fine Art of Italian Cooking by Giuliano Bugialli

Ingredients:

1 cup of unbleached all-purpose flour
1 extra-large egg
1 teaspoon olive or vegetable oil
pinch of salt

The proportion of ingredients to each other is given, rather than a fixed amount per serving, because the amounts vary depending on which dish the pasta is being made for. White flour is used in making fresh pasta but Bugialli notes that Semolina should be used when making dried pasta.

Directions:

Place the flour in a mound on a pasta board. Make a well in the center and put in the egg, olive oil, and salt. With a fork, first mix together the egg, oil and salt, then begin to incorporate the flour from the inner rim of the well, always incorporating fresh flour from the lower part, pushing it under the dough to keep the dough detached. When almost half of the flour is absorbed, start kneading using the palms of the hands in a folding motion. Continue kneading until almost all of the flour has been absorbed. This process can take up to 10 minutes. Then the pasta is ready for the machine. If more than one egg has been used, cut the dough into as many pieces as eggs used. For each piece of dough, begin at setting 1 and pass dough through the rollers. Then fold the dough into thirds and press down. Sprinkle with flour and repeat the rolling and folding eight to 10 times until the dough is very smooth. These steps take the place of hand kneading. However, if you prefer hand kneading, then repeating the rolling and folding can be skipped. With whatever process you use, then move the wheel to the next notch and pass the dough through once, do not fold. Move the wheel to each successive notch to produce thinner layers of pasta. Stop when the layer reaches the thickness desired. Sprinkle a cotton dishtowel with flour and lay the sheet of pasta upon it until a think film forms, before cutting. Once cut, let the tagliatelle stand one a pasta board, or hang as in the photo above, until needed. When cooking fresh tagliatelle, add coarse salt to boiling water, then pasta, stir with wooden spoon and let cook for only 30 seconds. Drain and arrange on serving dish with prepared sauce. Serve immediately.