Author: lkd_admin

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My Favorite Simple Roast Chicken

Thomas Keller’s recipe is great and so easy. http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/My-Favorite-Simple-Roast-Chicken-231348

  • One 2- to 3-pound farm-raised chicken
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons minced thyme (optional)
  • Unsalted butter
  • Dijon mustard
  1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Rinse the chicken, then dry it very well with paper towels, inside and out. The less it steams, the drier the heat, the better.
  2. Salt and pepper the cavity, then truss the bird. Trussing is not difficult, and if you roast chicken often, it’s a good technique to feel comfortable with. When you truss a bird, the wings and legs stay close to the body; the ends of the drumsticks cover the top of the breast and keep it from drying out. Trussing helps the chicken to cook evenly, and it also makes for a more beautiful roasted bird.
  3. Now, salt the chicken—I like to rain the salt over the bird so that it has a nice uniform coating that will result in a crisp, salty, flavorful skin (about 1 tablespoon). When it’s cooked, you should still be able to make out the salt baked onto the crisp skin. Season to taste with pepper.
  4. Place the chicken in a sauté pan or roasting pan and, when the oven is up to temperature, put the chicken in the oven. I leave it alone—I don’t baste it, I don’t add butter; you can if you wish, but I feel this creates steam, which I don’t want. Roast it until it’s done, 50 to 60 minutes. Remove it from the oven and add the thyme, if using, to the pan. Baste the chicken with the juices and thyme and let it rest for 15 minutes on a cutting board.
  5. Remove the twine. Separate the middle wing joint and eat that immediately. Remove the legs and thighs. I like to take off the backbone and eat one of the oysters, the two succulent morsels of meat embedded here, and give the other to the person I’m cooking with. But I take the chicken butt for myself. I could never understand why my brothers always fought over that triangular tip—until one day I got the crispy, juicy fat myself. These are the cook’s rewards. Cut the breast down the middle and serve it on the bone, with one wing joint still attached to each. The preparation is not meant to be superelegant. Slather the meat with fresh butter. Serve with mustard on the side and, if you wish, a simple green salad. You’ll start using a knife and fork, but finish with your fingers, because it’s so good.
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Always a Hit Shrimp Dip

  • 8oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 2 TBS. Hellman’s mayonnaise
  • 1 TBS. freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
  • 1/2 tsp. hot sauce (or to taste – I used Sriracha)
  • 4oz. can tiny shrimp, drained
  • 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
  • 1 hard-boiled egg, chopped

Stir together cream cheese, mayo, lemon juice, Worcestershire sauce, and hot sauce until smooth. Stir in shrimp, green onions, and hard-boiled egg. (The shrimp will fall apart – that’s fine.) Cover and chill.

Best made a day ahead to develop flavors. Serve with pumpernickel breadsticks, whole-grain crackers (not sweet), or cocktail rye bread.

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One-pot pasta with tomatoes

LD note: This is a good base recipe to which you can add any number of extra ingredients. My favorite is to add cooked, crumbled spicy Italian sausage along with a bag of arugula or baby spinach just before serving. I also like to sauté the onions and maybe some mushrooms before adding everything else to the pot.

Throw it all in the pot, INCLUDING the uncooked pasta, and cook! Bring it to a boil, and then reduce to a simmer. The starch leaches out of the pasta and makes a rich, warm sauce for the noodles. The other ingredients cook right along with the pasta. From Simply the Best You…Healthy and Happy.

12 ounces pasta (I used linguine)
1 can (15 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained (plain or a seasoned flavor)
1 large sweet onion, cut in julienne strips (I sauté in the pan first, but you don’t need to)
4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 large sprigs basil, chopped
4 cups vegetable broth (regular broth and NOT low sodium)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Parmesan cheese for garnish

Directions

Place pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, basil, in a large stock pot. Pour in vegetable broth. Sprinkle on top the pepper flakes and oregano. Drizzle top with oil.

Cover pot and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low simmer and keep covered and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes or so. Cook until almost all liquid has evaporated, being careful to not overcook the pasta. It will continue to absorb liquid after you turn off the burner.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, stirring pasta several times to distribute the liquid in the bottom of the pot. Serve garnished with Parmesan cheese.

 

 

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French Green Lentil Salad

French green lentils are smaller than others, and cook up firm with a nice bite – not mushy. I find them in the Whole Foods bulk aisle.

For on the boat: In the morning, chop onions, carrot, celery, and garlic; cover and refrigerate.

  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 med. onion, finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, finely chopped
  • 1 celery stalk, finely chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tsp. mustard seed
  • 1 tsp. fennel seed
  • 1 ¾ c. vegetable stock
  • 1 c. French green lentils, picked over, rinsed and drained
  • 1 Tbs. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 Tbs. sherry or red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbs. olive oil
  • 1 Tbs. Dijon mustard
  • 2 Tbs. minced fresh parsley
  • ½ tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

In a large saucepan, sauté onion, carrot and celery in 1 Tbs. olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, mustard seed, and fennel seed and sauté until the spices are fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock, lentils, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until the lentils are tender but still firm, about 25-30 minutes. Drain the lentils, reserving the cooking liquid, and discard the bay leaf. Transfer to large bowl.

In a small bowl, combine vinegar, mustard, and remaining olive oil. Add the vinaigrette, parsley, salt and pepper to the lentils and toss gently to mix and coat evenly. Add reserved cooking liquid as needed. Serve warm, but it’s also good cold, especially left over. Serves 6.

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Yucatan Shrimp

This is really easy and very tasty. Adapted from Greg Nelson at Doc Ford’s Sanibel Rum Bar and Grille, Sanibel Island, Fla. Printed in NY Times, May 10, 2010.

Advance prep for making on the boat: In the morning, 1) thaw shrimp under running water, about 6 minutes, then lay out in a single layer on a paper-towel-covered plate, cover and refrigerate; 2) chop garlic and jalapeno, cover and refrigerate.

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1 large clove garlic, minced
  • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and chopped (optional)
  • 1 pound peeled, tail-on large shrimp
  • Juice of one or two large limes
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

In a large skillet set over medium-low heat, melt 2 tablespoons of butter. Add the garlic and jalapeño, if using; cook, stirring for 2 minutes. Increase the heat to medium-high, add shrimp and saute for a minute or two, turning once. If your skillet is small, cook shrimp in batches – don’t crowd!

Add remaining tablespoon of butter, lime juice, chili sauce, salt and pepper. Stir gently until butter melts, then turn off the heat and allow to rest a minute or two. Sprinkle with cilantro and toss again. Serves 4, messily.

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Pineapple Goo (AKA Escalloped Pineapple)

This is Shirley Dare’s (my dear, late mother-in-law’s) exact recipe from her mother, Alta Brown. I usually make it in an 8″x11″ pan for more exposed, crunchy surface. Shirley typically served it as a side dish at holiday meals, but it works better as a dessert, IMHO.

  • 3 to 4 c. cubed bread; let bread dry out overnight
  • 1 c. pineapple tidbits or chunks (canned)
  • 1 c. white sugar
  • 1/2 c. butter, melted (must use butter)
  • Dash salt

Combine. Put in 8″ or 9″ greased pan. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.

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Easy Hollandaise Sauce

This is the best and easiest Hollandaise ever. From my mom, Durema F. Kohl.

  • 2 egg yolks
  • 2 Tbs. lemon juice
  • 1 stick (1/2 c.) butter, cold

 

Mix egg yolks and lemon juice in small, non-reactive saucepan. Cut butter in half. Stick a fork in one half. Holding saucepan up from heat, stir egg-lemon mixture with the butter on fork until butter is all melted. Use other half of butter the same way. Never set pan down on burner, and never let mixture boil. By the time the second piece is melter, sauce will be done. Serve immediately, if possible. If necessary, reheat over hot (not boiling) water.Makes about 1 cup.

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Sautéed Kale with Smoked Paprika

 

  • 1 lb fresh kale, carefully rinsed, stems and center ribs cut away and discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
  • 2 Tbsp olive oil
  • 1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (also sold as Pimenton), sweet or hot
  • Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
  • Salt

Bring a large pot (4 qts) of water to a boil. Add a Tablespoon of salt to the water. Add the chopped kale. Cook until wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the smoked paprika and crushed red pepper. Add the kale and sauté for several more minutes. Sprinkle on more salt and smoked paprika to taste. Serves 4 Adapted from a Deborah Madison recipe in Bon Appetit magazine (http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/sauteed_kale_with_smoked_paprika/).

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Anadama Bread

 

  • 1 pkg. active dry yeast
  • ¼ c. warm water
  • 1 ¼ c. boiling water
  • ¼ c. cornmeal
  • 1½ tsp. butter
  • 1½ tsp. salt
  • ¼ c. molasses
  • 1½ c. whole wheat flour
  • 1¼ c. all-purpose flour
  1. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
  2. Pour the boiling water into a large bowl. Stir in cornmeal. Add butter and salt, stirring well. When the cornmeal mixture has cooled to lukewarm, add the molasses and yeast water, and mix thoroughly.
  3. Stir in the whole-wheat flour, and add 1 c. white flour. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes, adding more flour as needed to make a non-sticky dough.
  4. Place in a greased bowl, spray top with Pam, cover and let rise in a warm place one hour or until doubled in bulk.
  5. Punch dough down, knead lightly, and then shape into a loaf. Place in greased 9” x 5” loaf pan and spray top with Pam. Cover and let rise again until double in bulk.
  6. Preheat oven to 400°. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 350° and bake 35 minutes longer. Remove from pan and let cool on a rack.

(To make 2 loaves, double ingredients except for yeast and ¼ c. warm water.) Recipe from The Picnic Gourmet by Joan Hemingway (granddaughter of Ernest) and Connie Maricich, 1978.

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Tom Thumb Cookie Bars

  • 1 stick butter
  • 1 c. flour
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Mix first three ingredients and press into greased 9" x 13" pan. (A food processor makes this very easy. Process until the butter is well incorporated.) Bake 10 minutes.

  • 1 c. brown sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking powder
  • 2 Tbs. flour
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 c. walnuts
  • 1 1/2 c. grated coconut

 

Mix the rest of ingredients and spread over the first mixture after it has baked. (If using food processor, no need to clean after first mixture. Just put all the remaining ingredients in and pulse until mixed, being careful to not pulverize the nuts and coconut.) Bake 20 minutes longer at same temperature, until light golden brown. Cool completely and cut into bars.