Picked up some delicious, fresh, local baby spinach at Green Fields Market a few days ago. I love that we can get local greens all winter long now! Add some local feta to it here and, if you were lucky enough to get some at Winter Fare, polenta from local corn.
If you are using plain, unseasoned tomato sauce, zip it up with a bit of sauteed garlic and onion and a bit of oregano.
3 cups water
1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
1 cup polenta cornmeal
Olive oil
3/4 cup tomato sauce
1/4 lb baby spinach, stemmed and chopped
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
3 oz. shredded mozzarella
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the salt, and whisk in the polenta meal. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to stir with a spoon. Be careful, as the cooking polenta is viscous and can bubble up and burn you. Cooking time will vary with the type of polenta you are using. The kind I get at Green Fields Market, in the bulk section, thickens up very quickly. You want it to be pretty stiff for this application. When the polenta is cooked, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for now.
Oil a 10-inch oven-proof skillet or a 7x11-inch baking dish. Spread the cooked polenta in the bottom. Top with the sauce, then pile on the chopped spinach. Sprinkle with feta, then top with mozzarella.
Bake the polenta for about 15 minutes, until the cheese begins to brown and the spinach is wilted. Serve hot.
Serves about 4.
Monday, February 28, 2011
Saturday, February 26, 2011
Pesto Pizza with Roasted Potatoes and Feta
This is a really good one. I love having a stash of pesto in the freezer all winter long. You can add mozzarella on top of this if you like, but it's not at all necessary and the presentation is quite lovely without it.
3 small potatoes (about 1/2 lb), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 14-inch pizza crust
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 medium shallot, minced (optional)
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the slices potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet and paint lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until soft.
While the potatoes roast, form the pizza crust and paint it lightly with olive oil. Spread the pesto over the crust.
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Lay the potatoes in a single layer over the pesto. Sprinkle the shallots over the potatoes, then add the feta. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.
Serves 3-4.
3 small potatoes (about 1/2 lb), peeled and sliced 1/8-inch thick
olive oil
Salt and pepper
1 14-inch pizza crust
1/2 cup basil pesto
1 medium shallot, minced (optional)
2-3 oz. crumbled feta
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Lay the slices potatoes out in a single layer on a baking sheet and paint lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until soft.
While the potatoes roast, form the pizza crust and paint it lightly with olive oil. Spread the pesto over the crust.
When the potatoes are done, remove them from the oven and turn the heat up to 450 degrees. Lay the potatoes in a single layer over the pesto. Sprinkle the shallots over the potatoes, then add the feta. Bake for 15-18 minutes, until the crust is done and the cheese begins to brown.
Serves 3-4.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Sweet and Savory Balsamic-Braised Beef Shanks
Another great winter braise to make on the weekend. If you don't have beef shanks, this would also work well with any other tough, bone-in cut, such as short ribs, or even a pot roast. This is excellent with mashed potatoes.
I like to make this type of braise by browning the meat in the oven, then simmer on the stove top, partly because it's easy and you can do all the meat at once and partly because it involves a lot less smoke. But you can also brown on the stove top. For that matter, you can also cook the braise in the oven (at about 300 degrees) if you prefer. I like to do it on the stove top so I can check on it more easily.
If you like, you can substitute dry red wine for some of the beef stock.
4 lbs beef shanks
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried lemon zest (or 1-2 tsp fresh)
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, finely chopped (frozen or canned is fine)
1/2 cup raisins
A few cups of beef stock
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the beef shanks all over with salt and pepper, then place them in a single layer in a roasting pan and brown in the oven for about 25 minutes.
While the beef browns in the oven, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the onions and saute over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until nicely soft and a bit browned. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Then add the lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, and raisins.
When the meat is browned, place it in the Dutch oven with the other ingredients. Add enough beef stock to cover the meat about three quarters of the way. Bring the whole thing to a nice simmer, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 2-3 hours, covered. The meat is done when it is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Serves 4-6.
Tip: You'll probably have a few cups of braising liquid leftover when you finish the shanks. Don't throw it away! Stick it in the freezer (well labeled, of course) and pull it out later for an instant sauce. This is especially great for a slow cooker meal - just stick chicken legs and braising liquid in the cooker, all still frozen in the morning, and enjoy a delicious meal at dinnertime.
I like to make this type of braise by browning the meat in the oven, then simmer on the stove top, partly because it's easy and you can do all the meat at once and partly because it involves a lot less smoke. But you can also brown on the stove top. For that matter, you can also cook the braise in the oven (at about 300 degrees) if you prefer. I like to do it on the stove top so I can check on it more easily.
If you like, you can substitute dry red wine for some of the beef stock.
4 lbs beef shanks
Salt and pepper
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 large onions, finely chopped
6-8 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp dried lemon zest (or 1-2 tsp fresh)
3/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 lb plum tomatoes, finely chopped (frozen or canned is fine)
1/2 cup raisins
A few cups of beef stock
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle the beef shanks all over with salt and pepper, then place them in a single layer in a roasting pan and brown in the oven for about 25 minutes.
While the beef browns in the oven, heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven. Add the onions and saute over medium-high heat for 6-8 minutes until nicely soft and a bit browned. Add the garlic and saute another minute. Then add the lemon zest, balsamic vinegar, sugar, tomatoes, and raisins.
When the meat is browned, place it in the Dutch oven with the other ingredients. Add enough beef stock to cover the meat about three quarters of the way. Bring the whole thing to a nice simmer, then reduce heat to very low and cook for 2-3 hours, covered. The meat is done when it is very tender and easily pierced with a fork.
Serves 4-6.
Tip: You'll probably have a few cups of braising liquid leftover when you finish the shanks. Don't throw it away! Stick it in the freezer (well labeled, of course) and pull it out later for an instant sauce. This is especially great for a slow cooker meal - just stick chicken legs and braising liquid in the cooker, all still frozen in the morning, and enjoy a delicious meal at dinnertime.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Pizza with Goat Cheese, Corn, and Roast Beef
Some leftover roast beef, some of last summer's corn (still so, so sweet) from the freezer, some goat cheese from Winter Fare...yum. Don't forget the garlic! Feel free to substitute steak or even pot roast for the meat here.
1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 - 3/4 cup diced cooked roast beef
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 oz. goat cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.
Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then sprinkle with the diced beef and corn. Sprinkle the garlic over that, then dot with goat cheese. Add a small sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese just begins to brown.
Serves 3-4.
1 14-inch pizza crust
olive oil
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 - 3/4 cup diced cooked roast beef
1/2 cup corn kernels (frozen is fine)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 oz. goat cheese
Salt and pepper
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Lightly paint the pizza crust with olive oil.
Spread the tomato sauce over the crust, then sprinkle with the diced beef and corn. Sprinkle the garlic over that, then dot with goat cheese. Add a small sprinkling of salt and pepper.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until crust is done and cheese just begins to brown.
Serves 3-4.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Valentine's Menu
We celebrated Valentine's Day yesterday, when we had a bit more time and leisure to work with. I made the following menu:
Roast Eye of Round with Garlic
Winter Squash Risotto
Green Beans with Shallot Mustard Sauce
And for dessert, Peach Compote with freshly whipped cream.
Roast Eye of Round with Garlic
Winter Squash Risotto
Green Beans with Shallot Mustard Sauce
And for dessert, Peach Compote with freshly whipped cream.
Roast Eye of Round (Beef) with Garlic
Our beef share came with an eye of round roast, a cut I had not previously encountered but that I understand to be quite a good quality roast. I prepared it yesterday via this technique, a recipe shared with me by my mother-in-law. It was delicious!
1 3-lb eye of round roast
3-4 cloves garlic, cut into slives
Salt and pepper
If the roast is frozen, thaw it completely. Let it sit on the counter for an hour or two before roasting, so it comes closer to room temperature. When you're ready to roast, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Using a sharp, slender knife, cut slits into the meat and push slivers of garlic into them. Do this generously on all sides of the roast. Then sprinkle the roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
Place the roast in a roasting plan or casserole and put it in the oven (do not cover or add any liquid, just put it in as is). Immediately turn the heat down to 475. Roast for 21 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the roast in the oven for another 2 1/2 hours; do not open the oven door during this time. The roast will come out cooked rare, tender and delicious.
You can serve the roast at room temperature, as for a buffet, or warm it back up before serving at the table.
Serves about 6.
1 3-lb eye of round roast
3-4 cloves garlic, cut into slives
Salt and pepper
If the roast is frozen, thaw it completely. Let it sit on the counter for an hour or two before roasting, so it comes closer to room temperature. When you're ready to roast, preheat the oven to 500 degrees.
Using a sharp, slender knife, cut slits into the meat and push slivers of garlic into them. Do this generously on all sides of the roast. Then sprinkle the roast generously on all sides with salt and pepper.
Place the roast in a roasting plan or casserole and put it in the oven (do not cover or add any liquid, just put it in as is). Immediately turn the heat down to 475. Roast for 21 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave the roast in the oven for another 2 1/2 hours; do not open the oven door during this time. The roast will come out cooked rare, tender and delicious.
You can serve the roast at room temperature, as for a buffet, or warm it back up before serving at the table.
Serves about 6.
Winter Squash Risotto
Use whatever type of winter squash you like for this. Depending on your taste, you can dial the sweetness up or down a bit by increasing or decreasing the amount of lemon juice.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-large shallot, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 tsp dried sage
4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (preferably warmed)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup cooked mashed winter squash
1 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a pressure cooker. Add the shallot and saute for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the rice and saute for another 1-2 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the sage. Add the stock, stir well, then put the cover on the cooker, lock, and bring to pressure. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, then release. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve hot.
Serves about 6.
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 medium-large shallot, minced
2 cups uncooked Arborio rice
1 tsp dried sage
4 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable stock (preferably warmed)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1 cup cooked mashed winter squash
1 tsp lemon juice (or to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat the olive oil in the bottom of a pressure cooker. Add the shallot and saute for 2-3 minutes over medium-high heat. Add the rice and saute for another 1-2 minutes, until translucent. Stir in the sage. Add the stock, stir well, then put the cover on the cooker, lock, and bring to pressure. Cook on high pressure for 7 minutes, then release. Stir in the remaining ingredients. Serve hot.
Serves about 6.
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