Recipes That Rock: 2008

[Pierogi]

I've been following this thread from the beginning, but somehow I missed the original tomato and Gorgonzola pasta post.  Could someone please help me out here?

Hi Pat,

I originally posted it with pix over on the "DINNER" thread. Check your PMs and you'll have a copy ! I think you'll really like it. Dead simple and so good.

[Pat W]

Hi Pat,

I originally posted it with pix over on the "DINNER" thread.  Check your PMs and you'll have a copy !    I think you'll really like it.  Dead simple and so good.

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Thank you Pierogi! If I can lay my hands on some Gorgonzola, tonight's dinner is in the bag.

pat w.

[Jean Blanchard]

Anna,

I made the tomato balsamic soup last night also for a dinner party tonight. Great, instense flavor. The idea of the carrot or just a little sugar added at the end appeals to me also. Thanks for the link!

Jean

[Emily_R]

Yeah -- its funny. I had more of the tomato balsamic soup this afternoon, and the flavor is so strong its both a little addictive, but both times after eating it I've craved some very plain starch -- last night I had to have a bowl of cheerios immediately after eating it as a palate cleanser! :-)

Edited April 18, 2008 by Emily_R (log)

[sadie4232]

Today I made Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (props to Simply Recipes) that are amazingly, wonderfully, deliciously good. Just the right balance of sweet and slightly tart. Will definitely add this recipe to my "go to" file.

[Anna N]

Here's a recipe I made earlier this year that made it instantly into my permanent collection.

THE MINIMALIST'S CRISP BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Scroll down to the last recipe.

Note that is this is an OPEN BRAISE. Do not cover the dish when you place it in the oven. The skin on the duck legs will crisp up wondrously and the meat will be meltingly moreish.

[Pat W]

Now that I think about it, the one recipe that really rocked my world this year was Zoe Francois's artisan bread. There is a thread dedicated to this in the baking forum. Before I stumbled upon this recipe (I think it was in the New York Times) I rarely made bread more than once or twice a month, even though I have a bread making machine.

Now I bake bread at least three and maybe four times a week. Since the first time I tried this, I've never been without a batch of dough in the fridge and we very rarely actually buy bread anymore. The bread ends up costing about 30 cents a loaf, is ridiculously easy to make and tastes far better than anything we can buy locally. It also makes great toast (as well as grilled cheese sandwiches).

I don't have much experience being an evangelist, but this stuff rocks.

pat w.

Edited to add that even though the recipe is free from the NYT, I ended up buying the book and... to be completely accurate, I have no experience being an evangelist. I'm much more comfortable in the role of naysayer.

Edited April 19, 2008 by Pat W (log)

[ElsieD]

A couple of people have sent me a pm requesting the focaccia recipe so here it is:

Focaccia with Rosemary and Sea Salt

(Cuisine at home, October 2006, Issue 59, p. 45)

Makes: One 9 x 13 Total Time: 4 Hours + rise for the biga Rating: Intermediate

For the Biga—

Whisk Together; Add:

1 1/2 cups water, room temperature

1 packet instant dry yeast (1⁄4 oz. or 21⁄4 t.)

1 cup bread flour

For the Dough—

Combine; Let Rise:

Biga

2 cups bread flour

2 t. fine sea salt or table salt

1/2 t. sugar

Top Dough with:

2 T. fresh rosemary needles, blanched

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 t. coarse sea salt or kosher salt

Whisk the water and yeast together for the biga in a glass or metal bowl. Add 1 cup flour and whisk until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and chill overnight (but no longer than 16 hours). (Can also be left at room temperature for 3 – 4 hours. This is what I usually do. Elsie) Before preparing the dough, bring the biga to room temperature, setting it on the counter for 1 hour. It will be thick and foamy.

Combine the biga, 2 cups flour, 2 t. salt, and sugar for the dough in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed for 1 minute, or until incorporated. Increase speed to med.-low and mix until smooth, 5 minutes. If the dough is not wet, sticky, and falling from the hook, add water, 2 t. at a time, until it is. Transfer dough to a bowl coated with nonstick spray. Pull the dough up and over itself until its top is smooth, then coat with nonstick spray. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, 11⁄2–2 hours. When the dough is doubled, it’s ready to go into the baking pan. Drizzle 3 T. olive oil in a 9 x 13" baking pan, then smear it to coat using your hands. Press dough evenly into the pan, cover with plastic, and let rise until 1" thick, about 1 hour. Preheat oven to 400°.

Top dough with rosemary. Coat fingers with nonstick spray, then press them into the dough to “dimple”—not too many or the dough will collapse. Drizzle dough with 4–5 T. oil and sprinkle with coarse salt. Bake until the top is golden and sides pull away from the pan, 25–30 minutes. Transfer the bread to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before slicing. Focaccia is best served the same day it’s baked.

Note: This freezes well. I usually re-heat in a 350 oven for 10 minutes or so.

Edited April 19, 2008 by ElsieD (log)

[Hombre]

Trying to eat more veg, so Manjula's Kitchen on Youtube has been a godsend. My favorite is her

. Utterly delicious, and she shows you how to make a yogurt sauce that won't break. The Food Network needs this woman.

[Pat W]

Trying to eat more veg, so Manjula's Kitchen on Youtube has been a godsend. My favorite is her

. Utterly delicious, and she shows you how to make a yogurt sauce that won't break. The Food Network needs this woman.

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Thank you for that link. She's great! It looks like I'll be spending some time watching the rest of her videos. Do you have any more recommendations?

pat w.

[eldereno]

Here's a recipe I made earlier this year that made it instantly into my permanent collection.

THE MINIMALIST'S CRISP BRAISED DUCK LEGS

Scroll down to the last recipe.

Note that is this is an OPEN BRAISE.  Do not cover the dish when you place it in the oven.  The skin on the duck legs will crisp up wondrously and the meat will be meltingly moreish.

←

Thanks for the link. I have some duck confit in the fridge that I have been meaning to do something with. That hash recipe looks great.

At the new grocery down the street, I can regularly get duck legs. Looks like the Crisp Braised Duck Legs are also in my future!!!!!!

[Jujubee]

I tried a couple of recipes off a blog that turned out surprisingly well. I say surprisingly because the recipes look pretty plain, like they wouldn't be anything special, but are actually quite delicious.

http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/baked...th_potatoes.htm

It's basically baked fish and potatoes and it looks like it would be quite bland, but the potatoes get a nice, crispy, top with a moist interior (probably due to the healthy glug of olive oil) and have a pleasant bit of heat and flavor from the red pepper flakes and wine. I make extra of the initial oil mixture and just use that to drizzle over the fish.

http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/spicy_shrimp_pasta.htm

I'm telling you, that full cup of olive oil makes it taste good. I've tried making it with less, and while it was certainly good enough to eat, it is better as written. The oil becomes nicely infused with the flavor of the tomatoes, onions, and chili powder and the pasta is a beautiful golden color.

This doesn't quite count because I actually tried these two recipes in the past, but the Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes and Wheatberry Salad on that site are both very good too.

[ElsieD]

Thanks to Pierogi, I rushed over to my copy of the October 2007 edition of Cuisine at Home and found the recipe for Tomato-Gorgonzola Sauce with Pasta Shells. I made it on the weekend and it was sublime. Absolutely wonderful. I can't wait to make it again. Thanks for the recommendation!

[Pat W]

Thanks to Pierogi, I rushed over to my copy of the October 2007 edition of Cuisine at Home and found the recipe for Tomato-Gorgonzola Sauce with Pasta Shells.  I made it on the weekend and it was sublime.  Absolutely wonderful.  I can't wait to make it again.  Thanks for the recommendation!

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Elsie, I also am indebted to Pierogi. I made this last weekend. Not only was it lovely that evening, but it reheated very nicely the next day. The only down side to this dish is that you eventually run out of it and end up gazing sadly at the bottom of the empty bowl.

pat

[ElsieD]

HI Pat:

Sadly, I was not the one looking at the bottom of the bowl - that would be my husband, who took the leftovers to work. I had some chicken that I was planning to use for a stir fry and when I decided to make this pasta, I chopped it up, sauted it, and added it at the end of cooking the dish. That worked well. I'm thinking the addition of scallops or shrimp would be good also. Actually, I think I could just eat the sauce and skip the pasta, it was that good.

[Emily_R]

I tried a couple of recipes off a blog that turned out surprisingly well.  I say surprisingly because the recipes look pretty plain, like they wouldn't be anything special, but are actually quite delicious.

http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/baked...th_potatoes.htm

It's basically baked fish and potatoes and it looks like it would be quite bland, but the potatoes get a nice, crispy, top with a moist interior (probably due to the healthy glug of olive oil) and have a pleasant bit of heat and flavor from the red pepper flakes and wine.  I make extra of the initial oil mixture and just use that to drizzle over the fish. 

Hey Jujubee --

I made the baked fish with potatoes tonight, and it was both easy and delicious! I gave the fish a squeeze of lemon which is always must for me... I used cod as I didn't have halibut, and the more of it I ate the more I wanted! Not to mention it made the house smell divine...

Thanks for posting -- its a keeper for me!

Emily

[Jujubee]

I tried a couple of recipes off a blog that turned out surprisingly well.  I say surprisingly because the recipes look pretty plain, like they wouldn't be anything special, but are actually quite delicious.

http://julia.typepad.com/julia/files/baked...th_potatoes.htm

It's basically baked fish and potatoes and it looks like it would be quite bland, but the potatoes get a nice, crispy, top with a moist interior (probably due to the healthy glug of olive oil) and have a pleasant bit of heat and flavor from the red pepper flakes and wine.  I make extra of the initial oil mixture and just use that to drizzle over the fish. 

Hey Jujubee --

I made the baked fish with potatoes tonight, and it was both easy and delicious! I gave the fish a squeeze of lemon which is always must for me... I used cod as I didn't have halibut, and the more of it I ate the more I wanted! Not to mention it made the house smell divine...

Thanks for posting -- its a keeper for me!

Emily

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I'm so glad you liked it! I find it mysteriously addictive too...

[Pierogi]

Thanks to Pierogi, I rushed over to my copy of the October 2007 edition of Cuisine at Home and found the recipe for Tomato-Gorgonzola Sauce with Pasta Shells.  I made it on the weekend and it was sublime.  Absolutely wonderful.  I can't wait to make it again.  Thanks for the recommendation!

Elsie, I also am indebted to Pierogi. I made this last weekend. Not only was it lovely that evening, but it reheated very nicely the next day. The only down side to this dish is that you eventually run out of it and end up gazing sadly at the bottom of the empty bowl.

pat

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!! I am *so* glad you guys liked it ! And good to know it reheats, Pat. I was so afraid the sauce would break if I tried to heat it up the next day. Good deal !!

[merstar]

Thanks to Pierogi, I rushed over to my copy of the October 2007 edition of Cuisine at Home and found the recipe for Tomato-Gorgonzola Sauce with Pasta Shells.  I made it on the weekend and it was sublime.  Absolutely wonderful.  I can't wait to make it again.  Thanks for the recommendation!

Elsie, I also am indebted to Pierogi. I made this last weekend. Not only was it lovely that evening, but it reheated very nicely the next day. The only down side to this dish is that you eventually run out of it and end up gazing sadly at the bottom of the empty bowl.

pat

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!! I am *so* glad you guys liked it ! And good to know it reheats, Pat. I was so afraid the sauce would break if I tried to heat it up the next day. Good deal !!

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This sounds so good! Unfortunately, I don't have any of my old Cuisine At Home magazines anymore. Would anyone be kind enough to PM the recipe to me?

Edit: Never mind - I found it!

http://www.recipezaar.com/250859

Edited April 23, 2008 by merstar (log)

[Tangelo]

I love this! I've been printing recipes for the past 45 minutes and I can't wait to try some of these! Let me add my vote for the Cuisine at Home focaccia recipe. Try the one with the grapes in it too. Yum!

Speaking of Cuisine at Home, the Dec 07 issue had a recipe for fondue cheesecake bites with red grape relish that were delicious. Great for a wine party I had.

Come to think of it, I would guess that at least 30-40% of my "keeper" file is from Cuisine At Home. It's my favorite "just recipes" magazine, I think. The highest percentage of great recipes/dud ratio, imo.

I just made the Oct 07 recipe for petite sirloins with gingered tomato chutney and dijon potatoes last week. This was the 6th or 7th time I've made it and it's showing no signs of getting tired.

I found the best fried rice ever this year and I can't imagine that I will ever make a different one...ever. It's here: Foreign Devil Fried Rice It's amazing good.

I discovered two perfect salads this year that are now permanent parts of my file and that I have used at several catering gigs as well to rave reviews:

Winter Fruit Salad with Lemon Poppyseed Dressing

"That Good Salad"

Thanks for sharing all of yours, everyone. I've got a pile printed out that I will be adding to my menus for the next month at least!

[feedmec00kies]

Thanks to Pierogi, I rushed over to my copy of the October 2007 edition of Cuisine at Home and found the recipe for Tomato-Gorgonzola Sauce with Pasta Shells.  I made it on the weekend and it was sublime.  Absolutely wonderful.  I can't wait to make it again.  Thanks for the recommendation!

Elsie, I also am indebted to Pierogi. I made this last weekend. Not only was it lovely that evening, but it reheated very nicely the next day. The only down side to this dish is that you eventually run out of it and end up gazing sadly at the bottom of the empty bowl.

pat

YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY !!!!!! I am *so* glad you guys liked it ! And good to know it reheats, Pat. I was so afraid the sauce would break if I tried to heat it up the next day. Good deal !!

←

Pierogi, I just made that recipe last night, after your recommendation and those rave revies from Elisie and Pat W. My boyfriend doesn't like tomatoes as a general rule (he only eats tomato sauce on pizza, and usually he gets white pizza), but he said he'd be willing to try it... probably because of the gorgonzola. It was great, and a few bites in he said that we have to make the recipe again. He even ate a piece of tomato or two! Thanks for letting us know about that one!

[Emily_R]

...Marcella Hazan's "Marcella Cucina" is new to my bookshelves, and while leafing  through it I found culinary Kismet :page 88 Swiss Chard, Cannellini Bean and Barley Soup... What a recipe! Dead easy: sweat the celery and onion, add the chard and tomato, sweat until tender. The barley is boiled separately, and the water is added to form the base of the soup. Add the beans to the soup. No stock. The seasoning is salt and pepper.

And it rocked!! It's a beautiful to behold soup, with layers of flavor.

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Hey Maggie -- Just wanted to say, after reading your post I got Marcella Cucina out of the library, and just made that soup tonight... And you're right -- it was delicious! Amazingly rich given the no-stock and no spices... A real keeper :-)

Thanks!

[maggiethecat]

...Marcella Hazan's "Marcella Cucina" is new to my bookshelves, and while leafing  through it I found culinary Kismet :page 88 Swiss Chard, Cannellini Bean and Barley Soup... What a recipe! Dead easy: sweat the celery and onion, add the chard and tomato, sweat until tender. The barley is boiled separately, and the water is added to form the base of the soup. Add the beans to the soup. No stock. The seasoning is salt and pepper.

And it rocked!! It's a beautiful to behold soup, with layers of flavor.

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Hey Maggie -- Just wanted to say, after reading your post I got Marcella Cucina out of the library, and just made that soup tonight... And you're right -- it was delicious! Amazingly rich given the no-stock and no spices... A real keeper :-)

Thanks!

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You're so welcome, Emily! Yes, healthy, cheap, easy and tasty. I'll make it again in a couple of weeks. (I have the Easter ham bone taking up room in my freezer, so it's Senate Navy Bean as the soupe de la semaine this week.)

[prasantrin]

I finally, finally made the Tomato Gorgonzola Pasta recipe Pierogi was kind enough to PM me ages ago.

I love it!

I had to make a few changes (what I thought were diced tomatoes in my pantry were really whole tomatoes, and gorgonzola is much too expensive in Japan, so I used cheap bleu from Ikea).

My sauce was rather watery (maybe because of my canned tomatoes?), so I cooked my shells to the hard side of al dente, then I finished them off in the sauce. Worked out quite well, I thought, and I have leftovers to last throughout the week!

[maggiethecat]

MSL's Spinach and Ricotta Gnudi with Sage Butter. Absolutely delicious!

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Geezo Pete! Since you posted this suggestion, I've been intrigued, and went to the MSL site to see the video wherein she shows the Sarah (not so) Brightman how to make them. I happened to have all the ingredients and an an hour on my hands, fresh sage from the garden, and with much trepidation, I made them. The "dough" seemed way too soft, and I expected these dumplings to fall apart in the boiling water.

Har. Why should I doubt Martha? These were light, cheesy, spinachey. I used a few new techniques, had that cool suspense -- it wouldn't work, and -- it did!

Don't be afraid, as I was, that the gnudi are too soft when you form them. Give them the flour dust, the refrigeration, and watch them bob from the bottom of the stock pot ready to be sauced.

Mukki, U rock. Thanks.