Working on Cookbooks Two and Now Three

It's official, I have a signed contract in my hand. Which means I can finally tell you the big news—I've got a THIRD cookbook in the works! It'll be all about marinades, and it's slated for publication in the spring of 2014. I've already begun recipe development and testing—15 down out of 200. At the same time, I'm still in the midst of working on Flavored Butters. Every meal at my house involves something that's soaked in a marinade and then topped with a compound butter, and I can tell you things have been very tasty lately. This is such an exciting time. I've never been so inspired as I am at this very moment!

So here's a recipe for a side that I served with one of my many marinated, butter-topped creations. Of course, it was inspired by the goodness at the farmers market. Substituting chard for the traditional spinach yields a dish with more flavor and texture.

Creamed Chard
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ yellow onion, diced
1 1-pound bunch Swiss chard, preferably rainbow chard, stems and ribs diced and leaves cut into 1-inch strips, blanched, and squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup heavy cream
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Generously butter 4 individual baking dishes. Heat a medium, heavy sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add the remaining butter and the onion and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the chard stems and ribs and sauté another 4 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 to 2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Remove from the heat, stir in the chard leaves, cream, and nutmeg, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Divide among the baking dishes and sprinkle evenly with the Parmegiano. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately.

Serves 4. It’s important to squeeze all of the liquid from the blanched chard leaves or the dish will be soupy. The recipe can be prepared up to a day in advance, covered, and refrigerated and baked right before serving.

Chestnuts and Thanksgiving

Are chestnuts a part of your holiday celebrations?


For the first time, they'll be a part of ours. That's because on our last trip to the Hood River Valley the hubby and I discovered a lovely little chestnut orchard.


Bernardo, the orchard owner, was so welcoming and generous I became a fan instantly.


I don't know why we never realized the orchard was there before, and I don't know why I never cooked with chestnuts before, but I guess better late than never…


So I've been experimenting with different ways to roast chestnuts. I've tried open fire, I've tried the oven, and I've even tried the microwave (which until now had been relegated to melting butter and reheating leftovers), all with fine results. And with every batch, I've been noticing that the chestnuts are getting better with age—they've changed from crisp to fluffy and sweet over the two weeks since we got them. Apparently, keeping them in a paper bag in the crisper section of the refrigerator works wonders.

While chestnuts are popular in sweets and desserts, to my taste they're more suited to savories and for snacking. They make me think of sweetened Russet potatoes, so they feel like a natural addition to any number of Thanksgiving side dishes. Hence my combination of chestnuts, Brussels sprouts, and bacon.


Side note: For more Thanksgiving recipe inspiration, check out the cool mosaics on Pasplore. Somewhere in there you'll find a few of my Thanksgiving recipes.

May your Thanksgiving be happy, healthy, and delicious!

Pan-Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Chestnuts, Shallots & Bacon
Printable Recipe

6 ounces chestnuts
3 slices bacon, diced
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 pound Brussels sprouts, halved
6 small shallots, quartered
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 400ºF. Using a chestnut knife, cut an X in the cheek of each chestnut. Arrange the chestnuts in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until tender. Let rest for about 5 minutes, or until just cool enough to handle. Peel and dice.

Meanwhile, heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium-low heat until hot but not smoking. Add the bacon and fry, tossing frequently, for 7 to 8 minutes, or until rendered. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl. Add the butter to the pan and heat until it melts, bubbles, and the foam subsides. Add the Brussels sprouts, shallots, and chestnuts and toss to coat with the butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Transfer the pan to the oven and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the Brussels sprouts are tender and golden brown. Toss in the bacon, transfer to a bowl, and serve immediately.

Serves 6. Enjoy in the fall, when both Brussels sprouts and chestnuts are in season. Chestnuts are easiest to peel when they're hot. For the best results, be sure not to overcrowd the pan.

Fries

Behold, a basket of perfect fries. Irresistibly crisp and delicious.


And oven-fried. Yes, it’s shocking but true, these really are Oven Fries! For the record, I don’t make them this way because they’re healthy, I make ’em this way cuz I’m lazy. Not that deep-frying is difficult or time consuming, but oven-frying is even easier. Plus, there’s less of a mess to clean up and no used oil to deal with. I want to reiterate these aren’t just roasted potatoes—they’ve really earned the title of fries. They cook up so crisp that more than one person has mistaken them for deep-fried.

Oven Fries
Printable Recipe

Nonstick pan spray
2 large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3 ½×½×½-inch sticks
¼ cup canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Grease a baking tray with nonstick pan spray. Toss together the potatoes and oil in a large bowl, making sure that the potatoes are evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on a baking tray and bake for 30 minutes. Using tongs or a spatula, turn the potatoes and bake for another 14 to 16 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a bowl, season to taste with salt and pepper, and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4. For the best browning, use a heavy baking tray, like the aluminum sheet pans used in restaurants, and be sure not to overcrowd the pan.

Learning to Love Fennel

I try not to discriminate. But no matter how hard I try, there is one food I don’t like. Actually, it’s a whole category of food: fennel and anything that tastes even vaguely like fennel. This obviously includes fennel, the vegetable, and fennel, the seed, and also tarragon, chervil, anise, star anise, licorice, and a whole range of alcoholic beverages. And I absolutely abhor root beer—I hate it so much that I can’t even stand when my husband drinks it.


I’m really traumatized—ashamed even—by my hang up with fennel. I mean, no self-respecting foodie should be in the position of having to avoid an entire category of food. Let’s just say that when you journey all the way across the country to dine at Chez Panisse, and the night’s menu features salad with raw fennel, it’s not embarrassing to cry in public. (That was like ten years ago, and I’m still scarred.)

Lest you think less of me, I want to point out in my own defense that I do love spicy Italian sausage (even though I sometimes pick out a few of the more obvious fennel seeds), I will devour a bowl of bouillabaisse in no time flat, I think of pho as comfort food, and I often sprinkle Chinese five-spice on duck breasts before I sear them. It takes lots of therapy, but I’m working really hard to overcome my fennel issues.


I’m proud to report that I’m making steady progress. Although raw fennel still makes me cringe, I’ve found that I like fennel when it’s cooked in ways that bring out its natural sweetness. I’ve even managed to create a fennel dish I absolutely love.


I hope you like it as much as I do. I think there’s hope yet for this fennel hater…

Unfortunately, in some perverse twist of karma, my puppy Alice (who just happens to be named after Alice Waters) just tore the only fennel that actually grew a bulb out of the garden and chewed it up to bits.

I’m sure I can’t be the only one out there with a funny food aversion. So I’m wondering, what’s your food hang up? And do you think it’s nature or nurture? Because neither of my parents can stand fennel either.

Braised Fennel with Shallots*
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 fennel bulbs, trimmed and quartered
4 shallots, halved
2 tablespoons white wine
½ cup chicken broth
2 sprigs thyme
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Heat a medium, heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the fennel and shallots and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, tossing about 2 times, until crusty and brown in spots.* Add the wine, broth, and thyme. Cover the pan, transfer to the oven, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until tender. Discard the thyme sprig and return the pan to medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and simmer for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the broth is thickened and saucy. Drizzle with the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish. Chop and toss with pasta and grated Parmegiano-Reggiano for a main course. Blend with more chicken broth for a soup.


*Searing the fennel and shallots in this manner adds tons of flavor to the finished dish. For a related Pork Tenderloin with Braised Fennel Sauce recipe and everything you ever wanted to know about searing, plus dozens of fabulous searing recipes, look for my book Seared to Perfection in stores in the fall of 2010.

Purple Asparagus

Asparagus season is still going strong, and I’m eating up while I can. Now the purple asparagus has made its appearance at the farmers market.


I had to get some just because it’s so pretty. It’s fun to watch it turn magically from purple to green as it cooks.

Purple Asparagus with Brown Butter & Herbs
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
¾ pound purple asparagus, trimmed of woody ends and blanched
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the butter and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until browned. Add the asparagus, chives, parsley, and thyme and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the asparagus is heated through. Toss in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4 as a side dish. Just as tasty with green asparagus.

Wow, That's a Lot of Leeks

I found the most beautiful leeks at the farmers market. They weren’t on my shopping list, but I couldn’t resist. I immediately thought Creamed Leeks and picked out four of the fattest ones I could find. My husband looked intimidated by all those leeks, but I assured him that leeks are sweet and subtle, gentle even, comparing to onions. I served the leeks with our dinner. He just nodded his approval as he chewed, too busy to say anything. And the leftovers were fantastic tucked into Eggs en Cocotte.


Creamed Leeks
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large leeks, pale parts only, sliced
1 cup heavy cream
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the leeks and sauté for 14 to 16 minutes, or until soft. Add the cream and nutmeg and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, or until thickened. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl, and serve immediately.

Serves 6 to 8. This snappy side dish is rich and comforting. It’s a perfect match for steak, chicken, or salmon. Leeks tend to be very dirty, so rinse them thoroughly after you slice them. For a delicious variation, substitute crème fraîche for a portion of the heavy cream. Also wonderful as a gratin—simply transfer the Creamed Leeks to a buttered baking dish, sprinkle with grated Parmegiano-Reggiano, and broil until bubbling around the edges and golden brown on top.

Asparagus Season

Oregon asparagus season’s in full swing! This time of year the asparagus is so succulent, I could eat it every single day. I like to make the usual grilled asparagus, roasted asparagus, broiled asparagus, and blanched asparagus. But I recently had a completely different idea. I was getting ready to cook a beautiful bunch from the farmers market.


As I was trimming off the woody ends, the raw asparagus just begged me to take a bite. And I didn’t take just one, it was so delightfully crunchy and juicy and sweet. A brainstorm ensued, and this little salad was borne.


I guess I'd never thought about eating raw asparagus before that moment, and I have no idea why. Have you ever tried asparagus raw? If not, I have to say I highly recommend it.

Shaved Asparagus Salad
Printable Recipe

¾ pound asparagus, trimmed of woody ends
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 small shallot, minced
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Using a vegetable peeler, shave the asparagus into paper-thin slices.


Whisk together the lemon juice, mustard, shallot, lemon zest, and oil in a small bowl. Toss together the asparagus and dressing in a large bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish. Select only thick asparagus spears for this recipe. The easiest way to shave them into paper-thin slices with a vegetable peeler is to start at the stem end.

Eat Your Greens

They’re good for you. Isn’t that what your mother always said? Did you think it was a convincing argument? Well, I’ve got a better one for you: eat your greens because they’re delicious.


By the way, that’s beautiful Winterbor kale at the farmers market.

Garlicky Braised Kale
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 to 6 cloves garlic, minced
Generous pinch red chile flakes
10 ounces kale
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the garlic and chile flakes and sauté for about a minute, or until fragrant. Add the kale and sauté for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until just wilted. Add the water. Cover, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the kale is tender. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 2 to 4. A fantastic side dish that will go with just about anything. Toss with pasta and grated Parmegiano-Reggiano to turn it into a simple and delicious complete meal.

Mexican Rice

This is the requisite side dish for any Mexican meal. But it’s so yummy, I could eat it all by itself.

Mexican Rice
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons canola oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
½ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 cup long grain white rice
1 ¾ cups chicken broth
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a small, heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Stir in the tomato paste, cumin, and Mexican oregano. Add the rice and stir until coated with the oil. Add the broth, season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish. Dried Mexican oregano, which has a unique floral character, can be found at some gourmet grocers and (usually for less than a dollar) at any Mexican market. If you can’t find it, just omit it from the recipe; don’t substitute common oregano.

Maitake Mushrooms

I just scored a pound of maitake mushrooms for cheap. I love their nutty flavor and crunchy texture, they sort of remind me of potato chips. The only trouble with having a whole pound of maitakes is deciding what to make with them.

Quinoa & Maitake Mushroom Pilaf
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound maitake mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups quinoa
2 ½ cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sliced green onions

Heat a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the butter and maitakes and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the quinoa and stir until coated with the butter. Add the broth and soy sauce, season to taste with pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the green onions and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish. Another name for the maitake is hen of the woods. If you cannot find maitakes, try this recipe with any cultivated or wild mushrooms that are available—a combination of oyster and shiitake mushrooms would be nice. And feel free to substitute vegetable broth or water if you prefer a vegetarian dish.

Quick Roasted

Crispy and savory and golden brown and delicious, this is. High heat does amazing stuff. It won’t be long before your steamer starts to feel neglected.

Quick Roasted Broccoli & Cauliflower
Printable Recipe

12 ounces broccoli florets
12 ounces cauliflower florets
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Toss together the broccoli, cauliflower, and oil in a large bowl, making sure that the florets are evenly coated. Season generously with salt and pepper. Spread on a baking tray and roast for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 6. For the best results, be sure not to overcrowd the pan. If you like, drizzle with freshly squeezed lemon juice before serving.

On the Side

How about a new side dish recipe to add to your repertoire? This one’s so good, everybody always asks for seconds.

Cauliflower with Breadcrumbs & Parmegiano
Printable Recipe

4 to 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted, plus more for greasing the baking dish
1 ½ pounds cauliflower florets, blanched
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 ½ cups panko breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
Generous pinch freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Butter an 11×7-inch baking dish. Add the cauliflower and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss together the breadcrumbs and butter in a medium bowl, making sure that the breadcrumbs are evenly coated. Stir in the Parmegiano, nutmeg, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Spread the breadcrumb mixture evenly over the cauliflower in the baking dish. Gently tap the dish on the counter a few times so that the topping settles. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6. A medium head of cauliflower will yield enough florets for this recipe.

Tomato's Last Hurrah

I know tomato season’s over. I’ve already taken drastic measures. But I’m not quite ready to face the harsh reality, life without fresh tomatoes is so hard. Thank goodness the market still had some nice looking grape tomatoes. Now I can say one last goodbye.


Roasted Grape Tomatoes
Printable Recipe

1 pound grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, oil, and a generous pinch of salt and pepper in a large bowl and gently toss to coat. Spread on a baking tray and roast for about 15 minutes, or until juicy and tender. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4. Nice as a side dish or tossed with pasta. Line the baking tray with foil or parchment for ease of cleaning.

Okra

People either love or hate okra. I happen to love it.

Stewed Okra & Corn
Printable Recipe

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 small red onion, diced
3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
½ pound okra, cut into ¾-inch pieces
3 cups corn kernels
1 14 ½-ounce can diced tomatoes, drained
1 teaspoon minced fresh oregano
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat a large, heavy sauté pan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and swirl to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the okra and sauté another 1 to 2 minutes, or until it turns bright green. Add the corn and sauté 2 to 3 minutes more, or until it turns bright yellow. Add the tomatoes and oregano, reduce the heat to low, and cook covered for about 15 minutes, or until the okra is tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper, transfer to a bowl, and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish. Perfect in the summertime, when okra and corn are in season. Select small okra, no larger than your pinkie finger, as it’s the most tender. Fresh corn kernels are best, but you can use thawed frozen kernels in a pinch. One ear of corn will yield about a cup of kernels.

Worthy

Last summer, we went to France. We ate our way through Paris, Lyon, the Camargue, and then western Provence. The final stop of our whirlwind tour was Chateauneuf du Pape. Our luggage was already too heavy with “souvenirs”, but we found room for a bottle of Domaine des Pères de L’Église Le Calice de Saint Pierre Heritage 2004. Bold and luscious, it tasted of blueberries and black currants.

When we got home, we put the bottle in the wine rack, and there it waited patiently for a special occasion. Until one day my husband said, “All I want for my birthday is a meal worthy of that wine.” A challenge.

The wine would be perfect with duck breasts. He didn’t want duck breasts. What about duck confit? He didn’t want duck confit. The negotiations continued for several weeks until two things were settled. The main course would be lamb, and we would have a salad with chicken gizzard confit, like the one we had in Arles. And there was a demand for a real dessert, birthday cake alone would not do.

How, how to fill out the menu? I agonized over this many days. I wanted it to be special, and I wanted it to be a surprise.

Finally it was time to open the wine.

For the first course, I put together a cheese plate. I selected Tomme de Savoie, Fleur d’Aunis, Lagioule, and Le Chevrot. After an exhaustive search, I managed to find an authentic saucisson sec, the dry cured pork sausage that’s ubiquitous in France, but frustratingly rare here, and his absolute favorite when we were traveling. Some niçoise and picholine olives, red grapes, and a baguette rounded it out.

Then came the aforementioned salad, rich and delicious.


For the main course, I marinated lamb ribs chops in olive oil, garlic, and herbes de Provence and grilled them medium-rare. For a side dish, I threw some hot Camargue red rice together with a bit of garlic, a couple of herbs from the garden, a drizzle of olive oil from Provence, and, because it was there, a spoonful of melted duck fat from the gizzard confit.


I made chocolate pot de crème for dessert.

The weather was beautiful, so we ate in the herb garden. The meal lasted for hours. In between courses we massaged our bellies. For that one evening, we were back in the French countryside, and everything was divine, worthy. Especially the rice, it was nutty and flavorful and crunchy. Of the entire meal, the rice was the best part.

The rice was the best part!

The rice was almost an afterthought! We went all the way to the Camargue and didn’t even bring any rice back with us. The windswept Camargue, with its marshes and flamingoes and swans and white horses and wild black bulls is famous for its rice and its sea salt. (In fact, Fleur de Sel de Camargue is one of my favorites, and we went all the way there just so I could see where it comes from.) But by the time we got there, I had already picked up two crêpe pans, two blini pans, a copper sugar pot, and forty tartlet molds, and guess who was carrying it all? I certainly couldn’t ask him to add a bag of rice to that load. It was only by chance that, several months after our trip, I stumbled upon a small bag of Camargue red rice at a discount store. I picked it up, figuring I better not miss my chance a second time.

Since that worthy birthday dinner, I’ve spread the word about the Camargue red rice. A few have managed to acquire some, and now they want my recipe.


Camargue Red Rice with Garlic & Herbs
Printable Recipe

1 cup Camargue red rice
2 quarts water
Kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, preferably from Provence
2 tablespoons rendered duck fat, melted
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon minced fresh thyme
2 tablespoons minced Italian parsley
Fleur de Sel de Camargue
Freshly ground black pepper

Combine the rice, water, and a generous pinch of kosher salt in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the rice is tender. Drain. Stir in the oil, duck fat, garlic, thyme, and parsley. Season to taste with fleur de sel and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 as a side dish. Look for Camargue red rice online. If you cannot find Camargue red rice, use any other variety of red rice that’s available. If you don’t have any duck fat, find some. If you can’t find some, look harder, you’ll be glad you did. If you still can’t find some, I suppose you can use unsalted butter.