Recipes that Rock: 2012 and 2013

[chezcherie]

Chicken with fennel, lemon and thyme from "Good Things to Eat" by Lucas Hollweg. This book is a recent acquisition for me and I'm both charmed by his relaxed approach to food and his writing style. This simple recipe is a dream come true for a mid-week no-fuss meal that tastes like you fussed a lot.

Lots of sliced fennel tossed with sliced lemon,garlic and some olive oil in a roasting pan. Add skin-on chicken thighs (skin up) with lots of sprigs of fresh thyme. Roast in 400F oven for 40 minutes, baste & add a splash of white wine. Increase heat to 450-475 and give it another 10 minutes.

The chicken is golden and crispy and the thyme-flavoured fennel/lemon mix a delicious accompaniment. Although the recipe called for 8 chicken thighs, I halved the amount and regretted it as soon as I tasted it. Serve in wide bowls with a couple of pieces of chicken atop the fennel/lemon mixture. Lucas suggests serving after it cools slightly for 5 minutes and he was right.

That recipe sounds very similar to one posted on The Kitchen last year. Maybe their inspiration came from that book- Difference was that they used skinless, boneless chicken thighs, Meyer lemons and no thyme. I've been making it using thighs with skin and bone and sometimes even substituting preserved lemons.

You're right- love the ease of this and the results-so tasty.... Thanks for mentioning this book. Now I have to go find it- not that I need another cookbook but, if the recipes are as good as this one it would be a keeper.

i make a very similar dish, but stovetop (braised)--i toss in a handful of black and/or green olives, which looks festive, and complements the other flavors really well.

[heidih]

Yeah, I would have thought they'd grow in Mexico at least?

Actually I think it is a marketing issue. We in North America are unfamiliar with the fruit, so it would take a marketing program to educate people to even want to buy them and then know how to use them. Perhaps that niche has just not been filled or has not yielded good numbers for possible sales. Growing conditions are not an issue.

[mukki]

Passionfruit are around. We receive them at the office in our weekly Fruit Guys delivery in the fall. I've also ordered them from White Dove Passion Fruit Farm in Santa Paula, CA. I've heard that Berkeley Bowl carries them, as well.

[Rover]

Over at Food 52 Alice Medrich's New Classic Coconut Macaroons. I made these for a gluten-free friend at work and there was practically a stampede. It was a fun technique and I was certainly happy with the response - nothing left except the plate.

Coconut Macaroons

[Snadra]

I posted in the Teachers morning tea thread about this, but I really need to rave some more. Pille's Estonian Rhubarb Cake totally rocks (I made it with plums and didn't mix them with sugar). Gorgeous and slightly resilient bottom layer, then fruit encased in a softer sponge on top. This is a great way to turn fruit into cake. I used the 400 grams of fruit, but I think next time I will use a little more, as the cake can take it. It has really simple flavours and highlights the fruit. I loved the tart contrast of the plums against the sweetness of the cake. It would be amazing with the original rhubarb or with gooseberries.

[Darienne]

I posted in the Teachers morning tea thread about this, but I really need to rave some more. Pille's Estonian Rhubarb Cake totally rocks (I made it with plums and didn't mix them with sugar). Gorgeous and slightly resilient bottom layer, then fruit encased in a softer sponge on top. This is a great way to turn fruit into cake. I used the 400 grams of fruit, but I think next time I will use a little more, as the cake can take it. It has really simple flavours and highlights the fruit. I loved the tart contrast of the plums against the sweetness of the cake. It would be amazing with the original rhubarb or with gooseberries.

Thanks for posting this one. We have hundred year old rhubarb patch near our house and I forgot about it this year. Will go out and check this morning and try the cake for Easter dinner.

[dividend]

I just made a batch of Olive Oil and Maple Granola, and it is so delicious. Every word of her poetic waxings about this are true. It's good warm. Good at room temperature by itself. Good on yogurt. And, in a stroke of genius on the part of the boyfriend, good with Coconut Häagen-Dazs and chunks of fresh pineapple. If you like granola, make it now.

[Carolyn Phillips]

Passionfruit are around. We receive them at the office in our weekly Fruit Guys delivery in the fall. I've also ordered them from White Dove Passion Fruit Farm in Santa Paula, CA. I've heard that Berkeley Bowl carries them, as well.

My green grocer Felipe says that they are just too expensive to sell here in the Bay Area, and they rot before he unloads them. A trip to Berkeley Bowl confirmed that with some pretty fruits bearing scary prices. Good news: Latino markets often sell the pulp frozen. Mi Mercado in East Palo Alto sometimes has it. I'd call around to places like that to see if they have it in stock.

[JAZ]

I tried this Food & Wine recipe for braised chicken with mushrooms and artichokes and will definitely make it again. I did make a couple of changes -- I used dry sherry because I was out of white wine; I degreased the sauce; and I thought the cream was overkill (I served it with fairly rich mashed potatoes; maybe with a leaner side the cream would have worked). To serve, I garnished with gremolata. It was great.

[Darienne]

We are real salad hounds in our house and this is a new and wonderful chickpea salad just tried for the first time. "Curried Chickpea Salad" from How to Cook Everything: The Basics, posted in Mark Bittman Posterous. Soooo good.

Always collecting salad recipes, especially those which will be part of feeding a summer crowd!

[ruthcooks]

Sometime in the past year or two, I read a cookbook in which the author gives a recipe for a berry pound (?) cake her mother made each summer. I couldn't find the book on my shelves and the berries were a-wastin', so I made a sour cream pound cake and folded in a quart of rasp-, blue-, and diced strawberries. It would make two large loaf cakes, but since I didn't have the right size pans I made two small ones and a sort-of medium one in a larger size.

With whipped cream, this is one of the best things I've eaten within memory--even cooked in my horrible oven.

[HowardLi]

Well, the recipe that's rocked my year so far has to be the easiest and most delicious dessert I've had in ages: passionfruit semifreddo. Seriously, its work:payoff ratio is so incredibly good, and the texture is amazing for something that doesn't require an ice cream machine. I don't often make or like sweet things, but I LOVED this.

Not sure how common passionfruit are outside Australia but I imagine any fruit (maybe not kiwifruit or pineapple) should work.

And with the egg whites leftover, there's always the decidedly NOT 'new in 2012' classic pavlova!

If the syrup gets added to the yolks, won't they curdle?

[abooja]

I just made a batch of Olive Oil and Maple Granola, and it is so delicious. Every word of her poetic waxings about this are true. It's good warm. Good at room temperature by itself. Good on yogurt. And, in a stroke of genius on the part of the boyfriend, good with Coconut Häagen-Dazs and chunks of fresh pineapple. If you like granola, make it now.

I just made a batch of this granola -- my first stab at any granola. It's really delicious. I had it warm. I had it at room temperature. All by itself. Stuffed myself with it. Thanks for the recipe!

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Alas, passion fruit, like most tropical fruit, is not very common in the US... and I live the SF Bay Area which is not exactly a food desert.

I've never seen a fresh passionfruit in the US, sadly. I make sure to eat my fill whenever I travel outside of the US.

CalMart in San Francisco has them from time to time, but they are $3.98 a piece. Ouch.

[judiu]

Go to a supermarket in a hispanic neighborhood, and look for the Goya brand of frozen fruit pulp.It's sold widely here in south Florida.

[Emily_R]

So I've got a super simple recipe that's become a new favorite here: Swiss Chard with Ginger, Cumin, and Jalapeno. I've always thought of swiss chard with Italian flavors, never with Indian ones before... This recipe is a real treat -- more than the sum of its parts. I think I've made it three times in the last month! I serve it with rice and a fried egg, or with rice and a scrambled egg for lunch. Lately I've been using virgin coconut oil instead of the olive oil... And be sure to give it that squeeze of lemon at the end.

http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/swiss-chard-with-ginger-and-cumin

[chezcherie]

i wonder why so few recipes are rocking us in 2012? this has been one of my fav eG threads for several years, but it seems underposted upon in '12. here's one that has recently rocked my kitchen. http://www.food52.co..._caper_dressing. it's april bloomfield's lemon-caper dressing from "a girl and her pig". (emphasis on the LEMON, as it employs whole supremes). used it on grilled pork chops, on sauted fennel, red onion and green beans, and on fish. it's just so tasty! will def be a summer staple at our house.

Edited June 15, 2012 by chezcherie (log)

[abooja]

Over at Food 52 Alice Medrich's New Classic Coconut Macaroons. I made these for a gluten-free friend at work and there was practically a stampede. It was a fun technique and I was certainly happy with the response - nothing left except the plate.

Coconut Macaroons

I made these yesterday, and enjoyed them so much that I mail ordered three pounds of coconut chips. Thanks!

[dividend]

I've got 3 new new good ones (all very healthy, oddly enough) :

1. Pumpkin Cheesecake Yogurt. Mix 15 oz plain greek yogurt, 1 15 oz can plain butternut squash puree, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice. Use a whisk to get it all homogenous. This makes about 5 6 oz servings, and tastes like pumpkin pie cheesecake filling. I like it with 1 oz of toasted chopped pecans on top, as a very satisfying breakfast.

2. Carrot Ginger Soup. This is so simple, clean, easy, and tasty! The coriander really adds something special. (As written, this recipe made 2 servings, starting from a pound of carrots. Next time I will double or triple it.)

3. Eggplant "Lasagna". This was a nice way to use up a glut of eggplants in my CSA. I made a few modifications - doubled the tomato sauce quanity and added Italian seasoning to it, and added chopped garlic to the ricotta mixture. I also didn't have I think next time I'll make the time to salt and purge the eggplant strips, and broil them with garlic olive oil, although it was delicious prepared as written. It's a nice lighter alternative to a more traditional vegetable lasagna, and much quicker, too.

[Rover]

Another Food52 new favourite Summer Corn Chowder - there's even a video if you'd like to check it out. This corn chowder recipe blows all the others out of the water for me; it's chunky and soupy, just filled with the fragrance and flavour of summer. Obviously the fresh corn is the star, but the technique for the supporting cast of vegetables and the sneaky, subtle heat from the poblanos and jalepenos make this one is my best summer recipe, so far.

[Emily_R]

Ok Rover, I'll see your corn chowder and raise you one! I just made Martha Shulman's Creamy Corn and Poblano soup from the NY Times Recipes for Health. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/health/nutrition/creamy-corn-and-poblano-soup-recipes-for-health.html

It was fantastic! I liked it much better than any chowder I've ever made with cream or potatoes in it -- this was absolute essence of corn. The only thing that would have improved it would have been some grilled shrimp, but then again, I think shrimp improve almost anything...

[Emily_R]

Just made two great new recipes last night and tonight. The first was an eggplant and tomato dish with israeli couscous from Serious Eats...

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2012/08/eggplant-and-tomato-sauce-with-israeli-couscous-recipe.html

I added a can of chickpeas which was a good call... And there is no need to do it in two pots -- I basically cooked the eggplant and tomatoes for 10 minutes, then added the rest of the broth and the couscous and cooked it for another 10. I didn't have basil so I used oregano and mint. Its a winner!

And tonight, made this swiss chard gratin from Food 52. http://food52.com/recipes/14230_swiss_chard_gratin -- its really a nice recipe, not heavy at all, actually very little milk or cheese in it, but it was just delicious. The tiny pinch of nutmeg makes surprisingly big difference. I had it with baked fish an couscous... Yum!

[rod rock]

This carrot ginger soup from Dividend seems pretty interesting. Good recipe!

[Rover]

Roasted Chicken Breasts w/Green Beans & Potatoes Delicious, easy and a one-pot-meal that is embarrasingly easy.

[Rover]

Dolores's Brokenhearted Chicken from Saveur Magazine ... I couldn't resist the name and this simply prepared dish is so delicious, it might just be my personal choice for best mid-week dinner that Rocks for all of 2012. There are subtle hints of Spanish flavour from the sherry and caramelized garlic but it's unexpectedly sophisticated. I used chicken thighs instead of a cut up chicken, because that's what I had. Including prep this took me just over an hour and it perfumed the whole house.