Recipes That Rock: 2010

[dividend]

I very much enjoyed the "Recipes That Rock" threads for 2008 and 2009, and several of recipes from those threads have become staples in my repertoire. You know the drill - post recipes that you try for the first time this year, that knocked your socks off.

I'll kick it off for 2010. I'm in love with the recipes from Real Simple magazine. Always easy, delicious, and made from fresh ingredients. This one, from the February '400 calorie meals' section on the website, is a killer. 15 minute including prep, healthy, and massively flavorful. It's going right into regular weeknight rotation.

Honey-Soy Glazed Salmon with Spinach

[eldereno]

So glad you resurrected this!!! One of my favorite threads in the last year! Now to find some fabulous things to make that I have never made before!

[merstar]

These were fantastic cookies - I made them with some tweaks, ie, used instant espresso (half the amount), instead of instant coffee, plus added some salt, omitted the nuts, etc., and baked at 350 F (didn't like the results with the listed 325 F):

CHOCOLATE CHUNK COFFEE COOKIES

http://sweetmary.typepad.com/my_weblog/2008/12/chocolate-chunk-coffee-cookies.html

Edited February 12, 2010 by merstar (log)

[Emily_R]

I love this thread too. Made a recipe about a week ago that was fantastic. Haddock in Charmoula sauce... http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Haddock-in-Charmoula-Sauce-104887

I didn't follow the full deal with putting the fish on the bed of pre-cooked peppers and potatoes, instead just baked the fish in the sauce and... The sauce was to die for. I cut back on the olive oil a bit, but the blend of parsley, cilantro, lemon, garlic, cumin and paprika was divine. The cumin and paprika really added a depth that I haven't gotten in other similar pureed herb sauces. I licked the pan that I baked the fish and sauce in, and stirred the extra into rice which was great too.

[eldereno]

Made a recipe that I have had in my file for quite awhile but had not made it until last night. Pretty easy and wildly good. My husband, who eats to fill his stomach, commented repeatedly on how good this was.

My link

I also thought it was yummy!

BTW, I did not make the sauce or Romesco. Served with a Caesar Salad.

edited to add stuff

Edited March 8, 2010 by eldereno (log)

[Anna N]

Made a recipe that I have had in my file for quite awhile but had not made it until last night. Pretty easy and wildly good. My husband, who eats to fill his stomach, commented repeatedly on how good this was.

My link

I also thought it was yummy!

BTW, I did not make the sauce or Romesco. Served with a Caesar Salad.

edited to add stuff

Looks delicious. If you have never tried Romesco sauce I can highly recommend it. I make the version from the Zuni Cafe book but the one you linked to looks very similar.

[Scallop]

Those cookies: delicious! Thanks very much.

[suzilightning]

from serious eats:

olive oil pumpkin bread

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2009/10/the-crisper-whisperer-olive-oil-pumpkin-bread.html

[Anna N]

This recipe for chicken pieces from David Lebovitz is simplicity itself but so good! I was eating alone so I removed the chicken from the bone, cut it into bite-size chunks, tossed it with some greens, dressed it with the degreased cooking liquid, topped with some roasted and spiced pumpkin seeds and it was a lovely meal.

[cathyeats]

I've been making a lot of vegetable and bean stews lately, as I'm on a healthy eating kick (well, not a kick, a mandated lifestyle change). They are always good, but this Moroccan vegetable and chickpea stew is definitely my favorite. It's sweet and spicy and very satisfying. Here is the recipe. If you want to see what it looks like, you can take a look at the photo at http://whatwouldcathyeat.com/2010/05/06/moroccan-vegetable-and-chickpea-stew/

If you make this, please comment and let me know what you think!

Moroccan vegetable and chickpea stew

2 T. extra virgin olive oil

2 c. chopped onions

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 carrot, cut into 1/2 inch half-moons

1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets

1 large or 2 small sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cubed (about 3 cups)

1 t. turmeric

1 t. coriander

1/2 t. salt

1/4 t. cayenne pepper

1 t. paprika

pinch cinnamon

1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 c. raisins

2 c. vegetable broth

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed (recommend Eden brand – bpa-free cans)

1/2 c. slivered almonds, toasted

Harissa, purchased or homemade

Heat the oil in a dutch oven. Add the onions and saute for 5 minutes. Add garlic, spices and salt and cook for 2 minutes more. Add all of the vegetables and stir to coat. Add tomatoes, raisins, broth and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, partially covered. Add a bit of extra broth if the stew gets too dry. (It will need more if the stew sits and thickens after you cook it.) Serve the stew on whole wheat couscous, topped with the toasted almonds and a dab of harissa.

[Anna N]

This simple recipe really delivers on the flavour. I shared it with Kerry Beal and now it has become a staple in both of our households.

[Darienne]

I think I shall try the Moroccan Vegetable and Chickpea dish and also the Pumpkin bread but with sweet potatoes. We accidentally bought two loads of them and now I have all this cooked sweet potato which was headed for the freezer.

My dish for the year so far is Boozy Baked French Toast from Smitten Kitchen. So good. So easy. So convenient. Did I mention that it was so good? A breakfast dish to serve the bunch at the Annual Dog Weekend at the farm in August. Wow them!!

[Corinna]

I'll submit the recipe for Easy Chicken Masala from February's Bon Appetit. Tonight is the second time I've made it, and I will continue to go back to it. The yogurt marinade keeps the chicken very moist (even when I have used boneless, skinless chicken breasts) and flavorful. It is truly, as the title boasts, easy, with outstanding results!

[Emily_R]

So glad this thread is getting revived. I've got another one to add, also a smitten kitchen recipe... Chickpeas with spinach and smoked paprika, tomato, and cubed bread that melts into it. Really amazing -- totally more than the sum of its parts. I've had it for dinner over rice, for brunch over toast with a fried egg... I'll link to the recipe here, but I also want to post my *much* simplified instructions -- for some reason hers are really laborious and fussy (unusual for her recipes) when there is no need... http://smittenkitchen.com/2010/03/spinach-and-chickpeas/. Also note that I've added a leek to this whenever I've made it...

Here are my simplified instructions

Sauté garlic and leek in oil. When golden, add spices and toast about a minute. Then add tomatoes or tomato sauce, splash of wine, and chickpeas, and let cook a little (5 minutes?). Add bread cubes and mush them in to thicken the sauce. Add red wine vinegar and mix in. Then add spinach and cook until wilted.

[llc45]

The Moroccan chickpea stew sounds great - I'll definitely give it a try. Been meaning to thank suzilightning for the olive oil pumpkin bread - I've made it three times so far. Hasn't even made a dent in my overstock of canned pumpkin - the cans seem to be breeding in my pantry. Each batch makes three loaves - one for us and two to give away. People have been loving it.

[Darienne]

Perhaps some kind knowledgeable person might reply to my question about making the pumpkin bread with sweet potatoes of which I have an overabundance. Perhaps just cutting down on the sugar slightly might be an idea????

Or maybe finding a sweet potato quick bread is another...

[Emily_R]

Hey folks -- so I'm drowning in asparagus from our garden, and made this asparagus pesto the other night. It is absolutely delicious! A few notes -- I used almonds instead of pine nuts, and stirred in about 1/4 cup of ricotta to the pasta and pesto mixture... I think this would be over the top good with a few grilled shrimp...

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/asparagus_pesto_with_pasta/

Edited May 16, 2010 by Emily_R (log)

[kayb]

Hey folks -- so I'm drowning in asparagus from our garden, and made this asparagus pesto the other night. It is absolutely delicious! A few notes -- I used almonds instead of pine nuts, and stirred in about 1/4 cup of ricotta to the pasta and pesto mixture... I think this would be over the top good with a few grilled shrimp...

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/asparagus_pesto_with_pasta/

Drowning in asparagus. Now, THAT'S the way I want to go.

[blue_dolphin]

Hey folks -- so I'm drowning in asparagus from our garden, and made this asparagus pesto the other night. It is absolutely delicious! A few notes -- I used almonds instead of pine nuts, and stirred in about 1/4 cup of ricotta to the pasta and pesto mixture... I think this would be over the top good with a few grilled shrimp...

http://simplyrecipes.com/recipes/asparagus_pesto_with_pasta/

Thanks for posting this! I tried the asparagus pesto yesterday after seeing it in Bittman's Minimalist column last week and it was great - the flavors said, "Spring!" to me like basil pesto says, "Summer!" I tasted it on some crusty bread while I was waiting for the pasta to cook and it was so tasty I almost skipped the pasta!

Tonight, I'm going to try the spinach and chickpea dish from smittenkitchen that you posted earlier. I'm hosting a group for drinks after work and that and the leftover asparagus pesto should be nice to spread on toasted bread.

[cathyeats]

I was craving something tangy this weekend and threw together an impromptu quinoa salad. I didn't have great expectations, but I think it will be my go-to recipe for this summer. As I said in my blog post about this one, I thought I had a disaster on my hands because I added way too much lime juice - but then I added currants and it rocked. The almonds really add great texture, too. Here's the final recipe:

Tangy Quinoa Salad

2 t. olive or canola oil

1 c. quinoa (well-rinsed, unless you have the pre-rinsed variety)

1/4 t. ground cumin

1/4 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. paprika

1 3/4 c. water

1 clove garlic, minced

1/4 c. lime juice

1/3 c. chopped cilantro

1 t. sugar

1/4 t. salt

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

1/2 c. diced red onion

1 small red bell pepper, diced

1/2 c. chopped almonds, toasted

3 T. dried currants

Heat 2 t. oil in a saucepan. Add quinoa and spices. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes, until quinoa smells toasty. Add the water and bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender but still a bit crunchy. Spread on a baking sheet to cool.

Combine the garlic, lime juice, cilantro, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in the oil. Add the quinoa, onion, peppers, almonds and currants and mix well. Season with additional salt to taste.

[iguana]

I've been cooking a lot from Fine Cooking, as part of a Cook the Issue challenge, and I've found two recipes that really rocked my world:

Artichoke, Leek, and Taleggio Fritatta from Issue 104:

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/artichoke-leek-taleggio-frittata.aspx

And Grilled Flank Steak with Cucumber-yogurt sauce from Issue 105:

(Edited to add: made with a lovely tri-tip from Heartland Meats)

http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/grilled-flank-steak-cucumber-yogurt-sauce.aspx

Jen

P.S. Fine Cooking challenge:

http://www.finecooking.com/contest/cook-the-issue-2010

Edited May 18, 2010 by iguana (log)

[Darienne]

I was craving something tangy this weekend and threw together an impromptu quinoa salad. I didn't have great expectations, but I think it will be my go-to recipe for this summer. As I said in my blog post about this one, I thought I had a disaster on my hands because I added way too much lime juice - but then I added currants and it rocked. The almonds really add great texture, too. Here's the final recipe:

YES!!!!! Just made it for supper. Thanks, Cathyeats.

[kayb]

Perhaps the best banana bread I ever made:

http://leitesculinaria.com/409/recipes-banana-bread.html

[SobaAddict70]

A riff on a traditional spring salad at Chez Soba

It's a heart-attack on a plate but well worth it. Live a little.

Farfalle with roasted asparagus, soft-cooked pheasant and duck eggs, cheese and herbs

1 bunch asparagus, slivered

kosher salt

olive oil

farfalle pasta

3 pheasant eggs, soft-boiled for 3 minutes, then peeled and reserved

4 duck eggs, soft-boiled for 5 minutes, then peeled and reserved

2 T. unsalted butter

freshly grated Parmesan cheese

chopped onion chives

chopped parsley

Combine asparagus, a pinch of salt and 1 T. olive oil. Toss. Roast for 15 minutes at 350 F.

Meanwhile, prepare farfalle according to package directions. Drain. Stir in two tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits; some onion chives and parsley. Toss until farfalle are well-coated. Taste for salt if necessary.

Remove asparagus from the oven when done. Combine with farfalle. Quarter the eggs and add to the pasta mixture. Toss gently. Taste for salt, then serve immediately, passing cheese at the table.

Makes enough for four to five appetizer servings or three to four main-dish servings. It’s quite rich but well worth it, I think.

Time: 30 minutes, including prep.

[Emily_R]

WOW do I have a fantastic new recipe to submit here... I can't believe its been in my to-try pile for almost three years... In August 2007 the NY Times published this recipe for (Roasted) Eggplant Salad with Peppers, Mint, and Caper-Feta Vinaigrette -- http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/15/dining/151arex.html?_r=1 I finally made a (somewhat bastardized) version of this yesterday, and it was incredible. I didn't have red peppers, but the dish didn't need it (and actually I think the crunchy texture of raw peppers would have been strange with the softer roasted eggplant and fresh tomatoes -- next time I make this I'll try with some roasted peppers instead). I added fresh oregano to make up for the fact that I didn't have tons of mint... And I skipped the garlic and added lots of fresh chives instead. Also used less oil than the recipe called for. I know this sounds like I didn't really make the recipe at all, but the core of it -- roasted eggplant, tomatoes, capers, lemon juice, feta, and fresh herbs -- is totally outstanding. I was kicking myself that I forgot to add in some arugala I had, which I think would be amazing with this combo... Served this with grilled flatbreads and homemade hummus (inspired by the hummus thread here), and it was over the top good.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/15/dining/151arex.html?_r=1

Edited May 30, 2010 by Emily_R (log)