November 27, 2009
Posted by Blake Royer, November 24, 2009 at 4:15 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
I admit, considering that two days from now you'll probably be feasting on a whole turkey surrounded by family and friends, that it's possible you're not looking for a turkey recipe for dinner. But I can't help it—turkeys are everywhere this time of year, and using them for all kinds of cooking is very economical. I recently bought one to test recipes for Thanksgiving, and have braised its legs for a dinner party, used a breast to make a fricasee, and simmered the bones to make a rich yellow stock. A turkey will give you meals and leftovers for days.
But more than that, this is a great recipe. Surprisingly great, actually. Turkey is a deceptively rich meat that makes juicy meatballs, here filled with garlic, Parmesan, and parsley. The tomatoes are soft and sweet, broken down slightly in the skillet, and the mozzarella is creamy and melts with the residual heat. If you're had your fill of tryptophan, tuck this one away for late, but don't forget about it—, it's a keeper.
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Posted by The Serious Eats Team, November 21, 2009 at 12:00 PM
In honor of Thanksgiving, here's a recipe from Burgers Every Way by Emily Haft Bloom that uses the centerpiece poultry: rosemary turkey burgers from the Mustard Seed Cafe in Los Angeles. Bloom explains that the rosemary sourdough bread is what makes this burger special, but you can also use regular sourdough bread spread with a mixture of rosemary and butter. The patties also contain rosemary and use mayonnaise to keep moist.
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Posted by Kerry Saretsky, November 19, 2009 at 5:15 PM
[Photographs: Kerry Saretsky]
My love of turkey is only a recent development. And even at that, I only consent to eat it when it's freshly roasted, usually on Thanksgiving. Anything else—turkey sandwiches, turkey soups, turkey whatevers—just aren't going to happen. So I have a high sensitivity to those who want to try something other than turkey for Thanksgiving.
To me, these Quatre Épices Poussins are the perfect holiday bird. Something about Thanksgiving requires a bird, and I feel compelled to uphold that. But sometimes you want something smaller to alleviate leftover overflow in your apartment fridge, or something quick-cooking to disguise the fact that you were actually at work until two hours before your mother-in-law arrived, or something different from what you had last year. Tradition, after all, isn't for everyone. These young chickens are holiday poultry that cook quickly, are perfect for one (you can portion it for an army or a sweet dinner for two), are entirely unique, and have tremendous stage presence.
The stage presence comes from a traditional French spice blend called quatre épices, or four spices. Consisting of cracked black pepper, cinnamon, clove, and nutmeg, the blend is reminiscent of rich medieval dinners, centered around a great long table on which a roasted pig reclines, clenching an apple in its mouth. Highly spiced, and lightly spicy, it is a seasonal je ne sais quoi that makes these little crispy-skinned, succulent game birds special enough, and festive enough, for the holidays.
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Posted by Gracenotes NYC, November 18, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Note: Serious eater Grace Yang, the blogger behind Gracenotes NYC, swears by the spatchcocking method for a perfect Thanksgiving turkey. What is spatchcocking, you say? Grace explains.
[Photographs: Grace Yang]
Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. But as the host, it can be tough deciding which "fool-proof" method will insure the juiciest, most flavorful turkey.
After doing my research, I'm convinced spatchcocking is the way to go. Say wha? Spatchcocking? It involves butterflying the bird, removing its backbone and breaking the breastbone so it lies flat. The breast meat turns out very tender, the drumsticks are juicy and flavorful, and the entire thing is done in half the time.
While the typical turkey-roasting (for a 10- to 12-pound bird) can last about three hours, this shaves off at least half of that. Last weekend, I tested this approach and the turkey came out beautifully. Check it out, after the jump.
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Posted by Blake Royer, November 17, 2009 at 5:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
Fall is the one time of year I really look forward to getting my vitamins. When the season is in full swing, I cook up a batch of simple sautéed greens almost every night. Kale, collards, chard—doesn't matter, as long as it's full of sliced garlic, a pinch of chili flakes, and finished with a hint of lemon juice. They're completely addictive, especially when fresh from the farmers' market, when they're still tender and sweet. They're also affordable and healthful. Hardly a meal goes by without them.
However, sautéed greens do not a full meal make. Enter this recipe, which I found torn out of a copy of Bon Appétit in a bulging recipe file, from the May 2008 issue. Described as "a spicy main course that's popular in Tuscany," it's basically the typical greens recipe with the addition of squid, which is braised first in red wine. It gives the dish a rich, inky color and a complex flavor. If you don't like squid or if the squid isn't fresh, it's just going to taste fishy. But I loved it.
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Posted by Joy Manning, November 17, 2009 at 11:30 AM
[Photograph: Joy Manning]
A lot of people think it's hard to make fresh pasta, but it isn't such a big deal, especially if you aren't attempting to roll out super-thin sheets for ravioli. Most machines come with a spaghetti attachment that makes it easy to have fresh pasta on the fly. If you aren't into it, feel free to use a pound of dry instead. Any shape will do. For an excellent meatless meal, simply swap the chicken stock for veggie, omit the sausage, and sauté the shallots in olive oil.
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Posted by Kerry Saretsky, November 12, 2009 at 6:30 PM
[Photographs: Kerry Saretsky]
I love this time of year. Not only is November home of Thanksgiving and my birthday—the two greatest dessert experiences per annum—but it's finally, definitely, and indisputably cold. While others pull out cashmere scarves and fleece-lined gloves, I pull out the enamel stew pots. It's braising season.
These sweet-tart lamb shanks fall of the bone with the prick of an eager fork. Tender, but bright, they don't lull the taste buds to sleep like many another seasonal stew. The meat is braised with windowpanes of garlic, dry white wine, rosemary, and lemon confit. Roasted pearl onions add a delicate, earthy sweetness that complements the deep citrus acidity of the lemon. The result is still comforting, with the braised, autumnal texture, but the flavor is pert and unexpected.
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Posted by Blake Royer, November 10, 2009 at 5:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
If cream of broccoli soup has a bad reputation for you—as it does for me, conjuring up a picture of thick sludge—then this might be the soup for you. I pulled it from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, entranced by the use of onions sauteed in butter, a splash of white wine, and sour cream. I imagined a rich yet balanced broth, neither gluey or floury, made to complement, not hide, the broccoli.
The wine and sour cream are indeed essentials here, the wine bringing a gentle acidity and the sour cream a key tartness. Heavy cream is often used in soups like this, which is undoubtedly luxurious, but I preferred the roundness and balance of the sour cream. I also took Bittman's suggestion in the recipe description to have the soup next to a grilled cheese sandwich, a natural pairing.
Apparently, I'm in the mood for creamy soups—last week's corn soup with roasted poblano, now this. It must be the time of year.
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Posted by Robin Bellinger, November 10, 2009 at 3:45 PM
[Photograph: Robin Bellinger]
This is about as fast as dinner gets at my house. That isn't saying much, but an hour from start to finish for meat-starch-veg is nothing to sniff at, especially when the cook can put her feet up (or fold laundry—or amuse the baby) for a good chunk of that time.
I usually make this with thighs only but this time bought the whole legs to save money. In the past I have tried this rub-and-roast with skinless pieces, and it seemed to work just as well.
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Posted by Tara Mataraza Desmond, November 10, 2009 at 11:30 AM
[Photograph: Tara Mataraza Desmond]
A few weeks ago I gave a friend a verbal whupping for calling a concoction he'd made of vegetables and melted cheese atop a piece of naan a pizza. On any given day, this guy is Mr. Italian American, gushing about Sunday "gravy" and salty meat and cheese sandwiches, so I was flabbergasted by his irreverent pizza misnomer.
"Pizza," though, has already been stretched thin by recipe adaptations. There are saag paneer pizzas, ramen pizzas, Pizzaritos, and French pizzas, to name a few. The intent isn't to oust authentic Italian originals (or Italian-American iterations) but to underscore the infallibility that the culinary basics of a pizza--breadlike bottom and toppings, fired in a hot oven--are genius and almost ubiquitously appreciated. My friend's naan creation is another case and point.
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Posted by Joshua Bousel, November 6, 2009 at 7:15 PM
[Photograph: Joshua Bousel]
Between brisket and the forthcoming turkey, I was able to get in a nice big leg of lamb, one of my favorite large cuts of meat.
Seemingly designed for the grill, a butterflied leg of lamb comes out perfectly medium-rare exactly when the outside develops a nice crust over medium-high heat. In addition to the easy cooking technique, this leg of lamb has a smooth lamby flavor with just the right amount of chew, making every bite a pleasure.
It's hard to improve on something already so good, but add mint to the equation and you're talking some seriously, seriously delicious eats. The two come together here as part of a tahini and lemon based marinade, which added a minty tang to the crust, only heightening this leg of lamb into one of the best pieces of meat to come off my grill this year.
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Posted by Carolyn Cope, November 3, 2009 at 8:30 AM
Note: You may know Carolyn Cope as Umami Girl. She stops by on Tuesdays to help us cook through seasonal surplus with ease.
It occurred to me recently that I have a very specific conception of what it means to be a serious eater. Decades before I met this website, I developed a deep admiration for--and eventually an identity as--the kind of person who kicks off Thanksgiving dinner with a generous helping of lasagna. I'm not sure I'd named her until a few weeks ago, but that particular serious eater has been my companion for as long as I can remember. I think about her almost as much in the off-season as in the days leading up to the big game.
She's not loud or flashy about her ability to pack in, as a pre-turkey palate cleanser, that which any reasonable person would consider a substantial main course. In fact, while she's sociable during dinner, she'll often get quiet for a minute or two at a time, focused on the flavors that consume her as she consumes them. And while she'd be the first to say that eating should be about the singular pleasures of the moment, she takes her training seriously, too.
About a week in advance of turkey day, she selects an outfit with minimal waist restriction and dry cleans if necessary. Maybe she packs a pair of drawstring sweatpants for the car ride home. On Turkey Eve, she eats a bulky dinner designed to stretch the stomach without lasting caloric repercussions. Early the next afternoon, her pleasant smile greets you at the door, but it's her A-game you notice stepping across the threshold.
I think she would be happy with this Acorn Squash Lasagna with Béchamel Sauce. She'd call it autumn on a fork. She'd appreciate the interplay of the sweet roasted squash and the Parmigiano's deep umami. She'd be glad that it's simple to prepare, and that it doubles as a main course for vegetarians.
She would savor every bite. And then she'd move on to the turkey.
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Posted by Kerry Saretsky, October 28, 2009 at 10:30 AM
[Photograph: Kerry Saretsky]
For a Halloween main course, I love this spicy black steak with sweet orange mash. The steak is done simply—just crusted in black pepper, and seared to medium-rare, then sliced. The mash, mixed from russet potatoes and sweet potatoes, is sweet but tangy from the crème fraîche. The sweet-spicy contrast is as perfect as the colors.
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Posted by Tara Mataraza Desmond, October 27, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Editor's note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
Pork, mushrooms and broth simmer together to make this sauce rich with complex savory flavors. The studs of sweetness from the pears are an unexpected but appetizing partner for the other ingredients. Plus, the pears soften and help thicken the ragu, while keeping their shape and adding texture to the final dish.
Just a quarter-pound of pork forms the foundation of the sauce, creating the fond (better known as "tasty brown bits"), which are deglazed up from the bottom of the pan and into the simmering liquid. Use ground turkey, chicken or veal if you prefer any of them over pork. For a vegetarian version, brown the mushrooms first and proceed with the rest of the recipe.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 20, 2009 at 5:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
A friend of mine recently gave me a bag of homegrown fingerling potatoes from her father's garden in Iowa, where he grows vegetables for his restaurant and always donates extras to his children. With more than enough to go around, I was the lucky recipient of my own stash. I immediately wanted to roast them and preserve their lovely small size. While any big potato can be cut into strips or mashed, the fingerling would be wasted on these methods. As a waxy potato, it forms a crisp brown crust when roasted while the interior goes creamy.
To make it a full meal, I bought a couple sausages (one per person is about right) and used half a box of mushrooms with the idea of cobbling together a roast. The potatoes went in first because they take the longest, then I pulled out the roasting tray, scattered the mushrooms about, and nestled the sausages in snugly. The sausages leaked their wonderful fat into the tray, which helped crisp the potatoes. The mushrooms sucked up the rest. The result was the hearty stuff of fall days, with barely more effort than turning on the oven and tossing everything in.
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Posted by Robin Bellinger, October 20, 2009 at 2:45 PM
[Photograph: Robin Bellinger]
Shopping List
1 onion: $0.50
1 green bell pepper: $1.32
2 serrano peppers: $0.25
1 cup uncooked lentils: $1.00
1/2 cup uncooked beans: $0.25
2 or 3 canned plum tomatoes (pro-rated): $1.00
Cilantro (pro-rated): $0.50
1 cup uncooked millet: $0.50
2 ounces pepper jack (optional): $0.50
Pantry items: Oil, garlic, ground cumin, paprika or pimenton, dried thyme, dried sage, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, salt, cornmeal, yogurt or sour cream (optional).
Total cost (for 4 portions): $5.82
Despite my pedigree as an enthusiastically carnivorous Texan, I've made plenty of vegetarian chilis in my time, all unremarkable. They got the belly-filling job done, more or less, but this Madhur Jaffrey bean chili is the first non-meat chili I've ever made that was still being enthusiastically eaten on the third day.
Except for the bell pepper and jalapenos or serranos, you probably have on hand all these ingredients. I used some of the pre-cooked beans I keep in my freezer, but canned would be fine, too. A spoonful of yogurt or sour cream makes the meal surprisingly richer; in fact, as long as you have that creamy kick, you won't miss cheese, if you don't happen to have any. And millet may sound like a punishingly healthy choice for serving, but its texture and bulk actually remind me of the ground beef in a chili con carne. If you're skeptical, make rice (or use your extra two dollars and change to buy corn tortillas or chips). Jaffrey says this is also good with polenta and doubles or triples well.
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Posted by Joy Manning, October 20, 2009 at 11:30 AM
Editor's note: Philly food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by weekly with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
[Photograph: Dan Call]
Everyone loves a plate of pasta, but most pasta preparations are more comforting than nutritious, usually calling for more than the recommended 2 ounce serving of pasta. This recipe is half spaghetti and half hearty kale sliced into spaghetti-like ribbons. A tiny amount of pancetta lends good flavor to the greens, and wine and tomato make for a familiar sauce that complements both the pasta and the kale. It's a soul-satisfying plate of spaghetti that doesn't overload you on carbs or make you feel like you're watching them.
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Posted by Robin Bellinger, October 13, 2009 at 3:30 PM
[Photograph: Robin Bellinger]
Shopping List
1 pound ground pork: $4
1 cup French green lentils: $1
1 carrot: $0.25
1 stalk celery: $0.20
1 onion: $0.50
Pantry items: Salt, pepper, fennel seeds, garlic, chile flakes, vinegar, olive oil, mustard.
Total cost (for 3 portions): $5.95
One day this summer when everything was in disarray--we had just moved from New York to California with an insatiably curious and surprisingly locomotive baby--I broke down and bought hot dogs to heat up for dinner. "And so it begins," I thought, shoveling minced frankfurter into a mouth accustomed to homemade purées, "our descent into dinners dictated by family chaos."
But since I can't seem to stop planning life around dinner instead of the other way around (and since, to be honest, the hot dogs weren't half bad), soon enough I was thinking, "I should make my own sausage for last-minute dinners!" When I mentioned this plan to Andrew, his worried glance at our mountains of laundry and unpacked boxes forced me to acknowledge that making more of our food from scratch, though gratifying, would not actually be a time-saver.
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Posted by Tara Mataraza Desmond, October 13, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Editor's note: Philadelphia food writers Joy Manning and Tara Mataraza Desmond drop by each week with Meat Lite, which celebrates meat in moderation. Meat Lite was inspired by their book, Almost Meatless.
I can skip the usual preface observing the seasonal bounty, endless variety, and countless purposes of apples, because that propaganda is well-covered by all food publications this time of year already. This recipe, though, suggests grilling apples, which may be a less common approach to cooking our fall favorite. And if nothing else, it certainly makes an argument for extending grilling season way into autumn, because it's definitely more pleasant to stand around a red hot grill when it's 50 degrees out, than when it's 90 degrees, no?
I prefer crisp, sweet and tart apples for this recipe and for munching in general, but feel free to experiment with your own preferred and/or local varieties. The salad is full of texture, easy on the meat, and light without lacking any flavor- particularly with a generous drizzle of the cider maple vinaigrette.
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Posted by Blake Royer, October 8, 2009 at 4:00 PM
[Photograph: Blake Royer]
After Nick praised Rick Bayless so thoroughly yesterday as the most reliable authority on Mexican cuisine, I hungrily went straight to my copy of Mexican Everyday in search of a recipe for dinner. It is his most accessible book, full of straightforward recipes that don't require too-unusual ingredients.
That's definitely the case with this lovely recipe, which calls for a can of chipotle chiles in adobo sauce to be blended into a marinade for skirt steak (nothing else needs to be added). After brushing this on the steak, the steak is seared in a pan and served with caramelized onions, then doused in a quick salsa of blended charred tomatillos, garlic, and a couple of chipotle chiles. The acidity of the tomatillos lends the salsa a clean, bright flavor, while the smoky charred flavors mingle with the chipotle. Wrapped up in a warm tortilla, it's hard to beat a combination like this.
My only addition was a little chopped onion and cilantro, because I love a little crunch in my tacos.
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