“Between my family, my website, my cookbooks, and my TV show, I make a lot of food around here,” writes Ree Drummond about the subject of her newest cookbook, The Pioneer Woman Cooks—Super Easy!“As much as I’ve always loved cooking—and of course, eating. It seems that more and more these days, I’m looking for ways to simplify my life in the kitchen. I find, because they free me up to have more time–and energy–for other areas of my life. This also makes cooking less of a chore and more of a pleasure—exactly what cooking should be.”
Creating 120 shortcut recipes, Drummond offers myriad recipes that can be quickly assembled for a delicious meal. Think Sheet Pan Quesadillas, Grilled Pineapple with Cream, Waffle Sandwiches, Roasted Greek Salad, and Cheeseburger Pizza, to name just a few.
“I’ve absolutely fallen in love with this new generation of recipes,” continues Drummond, “including Butter Pecan French Toast, Buffalo Chicken Totchos, Speedy Dumpling Soup, Broccoli-Cheese Stromboli–so great for kids, and an entire section of pastas and grains, such as One-Pot Sausage Pasta and colorful and fresh Hawaiian Shrimp Bowls.”
At 7 p.m. CT, October 21st, she’ll be at Anderson’s Bookshop to celebrate her newest book, The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy! All books will be pre-signed; the event will include a presentation and talk from Drummond. The event is being held at Anderson’s Bookshop at Community Christian Church, 1635 Emerson Lane, Napierville, Illinois. Reservations are required and space is limited. Click here to register. To see other stops on Drummond’s book tour, click here.
White Turkey Chili
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 generous tablespoon Tex-Mex or taco seasoning
3 cups shredded cooked chicken
Two 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles, undrained
Two 15-ounce can cannellini beans, drained
4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium chicken broth
Hot sauce (such as Cholula or Tabasco)
2 tablespoons masa harina (corn flour)
½ cup heavy cream
One 10-ounce bag frozen fire-roasted corn (no need to thaw)
Kosher salt
Sour cream, for serving
1 avocado, sliced
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
2 limes, cut into wedges
In a soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Stir in the onion and garlic, sprinkle in the Tex-Mex seasoning. Cook, stirring often, until the onion starts to soften, about 3 minutes.
Add the chicken and stir to combine. Add the green chiles, beans and chicken broth. Add a few dashes hot sauce. Stir and bring mixture to a gentle boil.
In a measuring cup, combine the masa and heavy cream; stir with a fork into a thick paste. Pour the masa mixture into the soup then stir and let chili cook and thicken for about 10 minutes. When the chili is thick and bubbling, add the corn. Stir until the corn is hot, about 2 minutes. Taste and add salt and more seasoning if needed.
Serve topped with sour cream, avocado, hot sauce and Monterey Jack. Have lime wedges for squeezing.
Makes 6-8 servings
From “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Super Easy!” by Ree Drummond
Are you ready for live music, specialty beers, games and local food trucks? Then Perrin Brewing Company’s Backyard Bash is the event for you. Celebrate the Michigan-based brewery’s 9th Anniversary Celebration and Backyard Bash on September 25 from 4-11pm. Tickets are available here.
Music
The day’s funky local music lineup will include:
The Polyphonic Element 3:15pm – 4pm
Nathan Walton and the Remedy 4:15pm – 5:15pm True to the Michigan rock and roll spirit of Bob Seger, Rare Earth and Grand Funk Railroad, the soulful West Michigan native’s original music delivers a level of compassion, understanding and depth well beyond his years.
Melophobix 5:35pm – 6:35pm Cage-free funk from Grand Rapids. Melophobix presents dynamic live performances driven by genre-bending songwriting, and fueled by depth of instrumentation and vocal capabilities.
Flexadecibel 6:45pm – 7:45pm A high-energy seven-piece funk/rock/soul band that brings the heat!
The Hacky Turtles 8pm – 9:15pm Hailing from Grand Rapids, The Hacky Turtles whip up an eclectic recipe of Alternative Funk/Rock with a decent dollop of Durty Folk.
Desmond Jones Band 9:30pm – 10:30pm A sensational midwestern jamboree complete with twangy rock and rocking twang.
Beer
Every backyard hang needs great beer, so Perrin’s brewers crafted something special for the 9th anniversary Backyard Bash: Bashtoberfest (5.5% ABV). Offered on draft and in 6-packs of 12 oz. cans, this sessionable German lager offers notes of biscuit and caramel with aromas of black pepper for a sweet, malty finish.
Malted Milk Ball (12% ABV) will also return in 2021 on draft and in 22 oz. bottles. The beer deconstructs the flavor profile of a malted milk ball treat into a malt beverage brewed with lactose and spiced with vanilla and cacao nibs and laid down to age in oak bourbon barrels.
Cornhole
While you’re enjoying a freshly crafted Perrin beer, test your hand-eye coordination! The annual cornhole tournament will take place at 3pm. Early Registration is required. Cost is $40 for a team, and the fee includes admission to the party. Register here.
Other on-site vendors will include Nothing Bundt Cakes, offering mini bundt cakes; Pop Daddy Snacks, who will sample pretzels and popcorn; Maddie Ann Soap Co., with soap, candles, bath bombs and lotion; and MMS Pottery, with pottery and beer glasses. You can also find art by Old Growth Creative; creams and other products by Purely CBD; handmade headbands from Leopard and Lotus; etched glassware and collectibles from Cheers & Happiness; and freshly printed tees from Citizen Shirts.
Bash Your Own Backyard
For the second year in a row, Perrin will offer Bash Your Own Backyard take-home kits. Can’t make it to the celebration? We’ve got you covered. The Bash Your Own Backyard box includes:
6-pack of Bashtoberfest
Two cups
Two koozies
Nothing Bundt Cake
Spotify Playlist of the Bands
Surprises from Vendors
Stickers and pin
Each box costs $28.99, and can be preordered online here. Boxes can be picked up from the Pub September 21-26 during Pub hours.
Senior Marketing Manager, Lindsey VanDenBoom said, “The Pub is a community-focused spot, and every year we look forward to putting on this fun backyard party for all of our friends and neighbors. We’re making up for missing last year’s bash, so bring your dancing shoes and come ready to party!”
No matter if I’m eating by myself or cooking for friends and family, I want to enjoy a good meal. And when time is short or I don’t want to fuss, The “I Love My Instant Pot Cooking for One” Recipe Bookauthorized by Instant Pot is a great book to turn to. Written by Lisa Childs, author of the blog TriedTestedandTrue.com, there are 175 recipes and lots of great color photos. Childs, who has been developing recipes for Instant Pot since 2016, provides accurate details so that even if you’re not familiar with using an Instant Pot, she makes how to do so easily understandable.
Childs’ Instant Pot recipes, designed for one person, are perfect when cooking just for yourself but can easily be shared by two with the addition of a side dish—say corn on the cob or freshly sliced tomatoes.
The following recipes are from The “I Love My Instant Pot Cooking for One.”
Easy Teriyaki Chicken Thighs and Rice
Tender chicken thighs and white rice cook together in the Instant Pot® with premade teriyaki sauce for the simplest, easiest one-pot meal. With only a few ingredients, anyone can make a delicious and quick meal at home.
• Hands-On Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
Serves 1
2 (8-ounce) boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1⁄2 cup teriyaki sauce
1⁄2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1⁄2 cup water
1⁄2 tablespoon sesame seeds
1⁄2 tablespoon chopped green onion
To the Instant Pot®, add chicken and pour teriyaki sauce over the top. Place the trivet on top of chicken.
In a 6″ cake pan, combine rice and water. Place uncovered pan on trivet.
Close the lid; turn the knob to Sealing.
Press Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust time to 10 minutes.
When the timer beeps, allow 5 minutes to naturally release the pressure, then remove the lid. Press Sauté button and adjust to High.
Carefully remove pan from the Instant Pot® and fluff rice with a fork. Place chicken (leave teriyaki sauce in Instant Pot) on top of rice and set aside. Cover to keep warm.
Cook down remaining teriyaki sauce about 5 minutes until reduced and thickened. Pour over chicken and rice, then top with sesame seeds and green onion. Serve.
Place chicken on the trivet, then season with salt, black pepper, and Italian seasoning.
Close the lid; turn the knob to Sealing.
Press Manual or Pressure Cook button and adjust time to 15 minutes.
While the chicken is cooking, prepare Bruschetta. In a small bowl, mix together all Bruschetta ingredients. Let chill in refrigerator until ready to serve.
When the timer beeps, allow 5 minutes to naturally release the pressure, then remove the lid. Place mozzarella slices on top of chicken and replace the lid. Let sit 5 minutes with lid on to allow the cheese to melt slightly.
Remove to a serving plate and top with Bruschetta. Serve immediately.
Credited with popularizing Spanish cuisine in Great Britain. His cookbook, Basque (Hardie Grant 2021; $22.95), is a great way to explore the beautiful Basque region of Spain.
“The Basque Country is feted across Spain, and indeed the world, for its culinary creativity,” says Pizarro. “It has more three Michelin-starred restaurants than anywhere else, and I can understand why – there are so many local products that you can be inspired by here.”
Chicken Stewed in Cider & Apples
“My inspiration for this dish, as with many of my recipes, came from seeing the ingredients together,” says Pizarro. “When I see them, I just have to create a plate of food. When we were in Astarbe in a beautiful cider house, I saw the chickens hopping around the apple trees, and that was it.”
The Astarbe Experience includes a restaurant and an assortment of wonderful foods and tastings of their ciders.
Serves 6
olive oil
1 free-range chicken (1.8–2 kg/4 lb–4½ lb)
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 apple, peeled, cored and halved
2 onions, finely sliced
2 bay leaves
6 sage leaves
1 cinnamon stick
500 ml (17 fl oz) cider
400 ml (13 fl oz) fresh chicken stock
25 g (1 oz) unsalted butter
3 apples, peeled, cored and sliced into 8 pieces
1 teaspoon caster (superfine) sugar
75 g (2½ oz) sultanas
Preheat the oven to 160ºC (320ºF/Gas 3).
Heat a layer of oil in a large casserole dish. Season the chicken inside and out and brown all over in the casserole dish. Set aside and put the halved apple inside the cavity.
Add the onions to the casserole and fry for 10 minutes to soften. Return the chicken to the pan and add the herbs and cinnamon.
Pour in the cider and bubble for a few minutes, then add the stock. Bring to the boil, then cover and transfer to the oven to cook for 1 hour.
Meanwhile, heat a little oil and the butter and fry the rest of the apples with the sugar until golden and caramelised. Add the sultanas and toss in the buttery juices. Add to the casserole about halfway through the cooking time.
Remove the lid of the casserole and turn up the oven to 220ºC (430ºF/Gas 7). Cook for 10 minutes more to brown the top of the chicken, then serve.
Photo by Laura Edwards.
Sautéed clams with garlic, lemon & parsley
“Clams are popular all over the world as they are so versatile,” says Pizarro about this wonderful dish. “When you are planning to cook for more than a couple of people, this is something that you must consider; ingredients and dishes your friends will love but are also quick prepare, so that you don’t spend the whole time at the stove.
“You can boil some pasta with this for a really easy lunch, and add some chilli for an extra kick.”
1 kg (2 lb 3 oz) fresh palourde clams, cleaned few sprigs of thyme, leaves stripped
handful of finely chopped flat-leaf
parsley
Heat a little oil in a deep heavy-based stockpot. Fry the garlic and lemon slices for 30 seconds, then increase the heat to high, tip in all the clams and cover with a lid. Cook for 2–3 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally, until the clams have all opened (discard any that refuse to open).
Add the lemon juice and herbs and serve with lots of crusty bread to mop up the juices.
Photo by Laura Edwards.
Pan-fried hake with sautéed wild chanterelles & sage
“Hake is one of the most sought-after fish in the Basque Country,” says Pizarro when sharing this recipe. “I really don’t know why it’s not as popular here in the UK, particularly as it’s plentiful – I think most of the catch from the sea here goes to Spain!
“In my family, our favourite way of cooking hake is a la romana, or Roman
style, which means that it’s battered.
“In this recipe, I bring two big flavors together, the sage and the mushrooms, but they complement the fish very well.”
Serves 4
olive oil 2 French shallots, finely chopped 2 garlic cloves, crushed few small sage leaves 300 g (10 1⁄2 oz) chanterelles, cleaned
100 ml (31⁄2 fl oz) fresh fish stock sea salt and freshly ground black pepper 4 hake fillets (175 g/6 oz each)
Heat a little olive oil in a pan and gently fry the shallots for 5–10 minutes until really soft. Add the garlic and sage and cook for 30 seconds, then increase the heat and add the mushrooms. Fry for 4–5 minutes, then add the stock and bubble for a couple of minutes. Season and set aside.
Heat a heavy-based frying pan with a little bit of oil. Add the hake skin side down and cook for 4–5 minutes until almost cooked through. Flip over and cook for 30 seconds more.
Put the cooked hake, skin side up, into the pan with the mushrooms. Cook for a minute or two more, then serve.
Recipes excerpted with permission from Basque by José Pizarro published by Hardie Grant Books, March 2021.
After more than a decade of living in California, Shauna Sever resettled with her family in her home state of Illinois and rediscovered the storied, simple pleasures of home baking in her Midwestern kitchen, developing what she calls the 5 tenets of Midwest baking: Bake Big, Bake Easy, Bake with Purpose, Bake from the Past, and Bake in the Present. You may have seen Shauna discussing these tenets and sharing some of her favorite Midwest foods recently on CBS This Morning: Saturday.
As she’ll tell you: “From the Dakotas to Ohio, from Minnesota to Missouri, the Midwest is a veritable quilt of twelve states full of history, values, recipes, people, and places that make up the baking culture of the Heartland.” And with MIDWEST MADE, Sever offers bold recipes for treats we’ve come to know as all-American—from Bundt cakes to brownies—most traced to German, Scandinavian, Irish, Polish, French, Arab, and Italian immigrant families that came to call the American Midwest their home. Recipes include Swedish Flop, Polish Paczki, Danish Kringle, German Lebkuchen, Candy Bar Baklava, Ozark Skillet Cake, Cleveland-Style Cassata Cake, Nebraskan Runzas, Apricot and Orange Blossom Kolacky, Dark-Chocolate Pecan Mandelbrot, Marshmallow Haystacks and so much more…
Here’s one that you’ll be sure to love.
Honeyed Raspberry and White Chocolate Cream Pie Serves 8 to 10 From the outset, this pie appears to be one of those floaty, feminine food things, because it’s just so dang pretty. However! The fluff factor here—a cloud of white chocolate cream, bolstered by cream cheese—is quickly tempered by the thick raspberry layer beneath it, sharp and nubbly with all those nutty little berry seeds, which I happen to love. The mix of cooked and raw berries help to intensify the raspberry flavor, making you wonder: why there aren’t more raspberry pies out there, anyway?
Midwest Made by Shauna Sever.
CRUST: 2 ounces/57 g high-quality white chocolate, chopped 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream 1 single batch My Favorite Pie Crust (see recipe at bottom), blind baked and cooled FILLING: 2/3 cup/132 g granulated sugar 1/4 cup/32 g cornstarch 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 cup/225 g lukewarm water 3 tablespoons/63 g honey 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 4 cups/500 g fresh raspberries, divided 1 tablespoon unsalted butter TOPPING: 1 cup/240 g heavy whipping cream, very cold 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract 4 ounces/113 g full-fat cream cheese 4 ounces/113 g high-quality white chocolate, melted and cooled
Prepare the crust: Combine the white chocolate and cream in a small, microwave-safe bowl. Microwave with 20-second bursts on medium, stirring until smooth. Spread evenly over the bottom of the cooled crust. Allow to set at room temperature.
In a 3- to 4-quart/2.8 to 3.75 L saucepan, whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt until lumpfree. Whisk in the lukewarm water, honey, and lemon juice. Add 2 cups/250 g of the raspberries. Cover and set the pan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Once the berries begin to break down and the mixture is slowly bubbling all over the surface like lava, cook for 2 timed minutes, stirring often. Stir in the butter. Remove the pan from the heat and let cool completely, about 1 hour.
Prepare the topping: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, whip the cream with the vanilla and almond extract until stiff peaks form. Transfer the whipped cream to a clean bowl. Swap out the whisk attachment for the paddle. Add the cream cheese and melted white chocolate to the mixer bowl (no need to clean it). Beat on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Gently stir about a third of the whipped cream into the cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then carefully fold in the remaining whipped cream.
Assemble the pie: Scatter 1 cup of the remaining berries over the bottom of the crust. Spoon the raspberry filling over them, then add the remaining berries on top. Pipe or dollop the white chocolate cream topping over the pie, leaving a 1-inch/2.5 cm border of the ruby red filling all around the edges. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours to set. Let soften at room temperature for about 20 minutes before serving.
My Favorite Pie Crust Pie crust purists will likely object, but I’m a big believer in using a food processor for pie crust making. If you don’t overdo it, it just doesn’t get any easier or faster.
We’ve all heard a thousand times that keeping the fat as cold as possible is the key to great pie crusts, and that’s certainly a great tip. But I add a few pinches and splashes that I consider insurance, for when the kitchen is hot or I’m distracted by any number of children or things. Vinegar is great for tenderness: I like red wine vinegar, but cider vinegar is good, too. A little pinch of baking powder makes a flakier crust a little more foolproof in case you happen to overwork the dough (happens to the best of us). For a crust with a savory filling, I include the smaller amounts of sugar as listed here for flavor and browning. For sweet pies, use 1 or 2 tablespoons, as you like.
SINGLE MAKES: 1 (9- or 10-inch/23 or 25 cm) round bottom pie or tart crust 11/3 cups/170 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon granulated sugar (see headnote) 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/8 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 cup/113 g very cold unsalted butter, cubed 1/4 cup/57 g ice water 11/2 teaspoons red wine vinegar SPECIAL NOTES > Pat the finished dough into a round disk before wrapping and chilling to make rolling it into a circle later much easier.
DOUBLE
MAKES: 1 (9- or 10-inch/23 or 25 cm) round double-crusted or lattice-topped pie 22/3 cups/340 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 2 teaspoons to 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (see headnote) 1 teaspoon fine sea salt 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 1 cup/225 g very cold unsalted butter, cubed 1/2 cup/113 g ice water 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar SPECIAL NOTES > Divide the dough in half before shaping and wrapping. For a lattice top, make one disk slightly larger for the bottom crust.
SLAB MAKES: 1 (10 x 15-inch/30 x 43 cm) slab pie 51/3 cups/680 g unbleached all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled 4 teaspoons to 4 tablespoons granulated sugar (see headnote) 2 teaspoons fine sea salt 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 cups/453 g very cold unsalted butter, cubed 1 cup/225 g ice water 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
SPECIAL NOTES: Make the dough in 2 batches (2 recipes of the doubled recipe, left), for the top and bottom crusts. Shape and wrap each batch separately.
METHOD: In the bowl of a food processor, combine the flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Pulse a few times to blend. Sprinkle half of the butter pieces over the dry ingredients. Process until the mixture resembles cornmeal, about 15 seconds. Add the remaining cold butter and pulse about 10 times, until this batch of butter cubes is broken down by about half.
In a measuring cup, combine the water and vinegar. Add about three quarters of the liquid to the bowl. Pulse about 10 times, or until the dough begins to form a few small clumps. Test the dough by squeezing a small amount in the palm of your hand. If it easily holds together and your palm isn’t dusty with floury bits, it’s done. If not, add an additional 1/2 tablespoon of vinegared water and pulse 2 or 3 more times. Repeat this process as needed just until the dough holds together. Turn out the mixture onto a work surface. With a few quick kneads, gather the dough into a mass.
For a single crust, pat the dough into a disk, wrapping tightly in plastic wrap. For double crust, divide the dough in half and shape into disks. For 2 slab crusts, shape each half of the dough into a 5 x 8-inch/12.5 x 20 cm rectangle. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before rolling. TIP > The dough will keep tightly wrapped in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 6 months.
So, before we start talking about Danielle Renov’s wonderful new cookbook, Peas Love and Carrots (Me’sorah Publications, Ltd. 2020; $28.93 Amazon price) I want to take a few moments to whine. I write a lot about food, I have a food blog, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram accounts where I post about food and travel. I often think it’s lucky I have a large family including cousins who I am able to cajole into following me so I have at least some followers.
Some don’t seem to need large families to get followers. At least four or five times a year, I interview a cookbook author who started with an Instagram or Facebook or Twitter account and ended up with tens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of followers. I’m not saying I’m anywhere near their level of ability and creativity. Far from it, but still—comparatively my numbers aren’t even close. I’m not writing this to make people feel so sorry for me that they follow me—but hey, if you want to it’s okay. it’s just that with Renov I ran into it again. Four years ago, with her husband out of town and her kids tucked away in bed, she decided to start Instagramming.
Tuna Salad A` La Moi. Photo by Moshe Wulliger.
Last year, she had around 43,000 followers. This year, as of May, the number was edging close to 60,000. She now is talked about as a kosher and food influencer—someone who has the audience and credibility to persuade others. To give an example of what that means, Kim Kardashian may be the ultimate influencer with 200 million followers across social media channels. Yes, 200 million. That’s more than half the number of people who live in the United States.
Burnt Cauliflower and Herb Salad. Photo by by Moshe Wulliger.
Renov, who grew up on Long Island, New York and moved to Israel about 13 years ago, deserves her followers. The 254 plus recipes she created for Peas, Love & Carrots reflect her many life experiences, her family’s heritage, her Sephardic and Ashkenazi roots and her own interest in food in her new homeland including her weekly shopping expeditions to the Machane Yehuda Shuk, a sprawling 19th century market in Jerusalem selling among many other items, a variety of foods. In writing the introduction to her recipes, Renov tells a story about it, often displaying a sense of humor.
“Dinner again?” she writes in the introduction to Crispy Baked Chicken fingers. “I know. it’s crazy. No matter how many times you go through it, it comes back again and again. It’s almost like laundry. Only you can’t eat your laundry, so at least there’s that. This (recipe) is for those days. And since those days happen more than we’d like to admit, I gave you three versions so that you can change things up. You’re welcome.” But food is also serious for Renov, who returns frequently to New York where she records cooking videos for kosher.com. She wants her recipes to work, to be easily accessible for both kosher and non-kosher cooks and to offer tastes beyond the everyday.
Describing her Savory Stovetop Turkey recipe as an ode to her father who doesn’t eat a lot of read met, Renov says she’s always on the hunt for tasty turkey recipes.
Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers. Photo by Moshe Wulliger.
“What I never saw was a turkey roast recipe where I felt like the turkey was treated like a proper beef roast,” she says, and I have to agree which is another reason why this recipe looks so intriguing. From the photo, and I’ll soon have my own photos too as I’m making it for company tomorrow, it looks like a richly braised beef roast.
“That’s what was aiming for here,” she says, “Turkey that was deeply savory, moist, and extremely satisfying.”
Go ahead and follow Renov, I won’t mind. Really. She posts her recipes, cooking tutorials, lifestyle tips and inspirational ideas for the kitchen, home, and family on both her blog peaslovencarrots.com and Instagram feed @peaslovencarrots.
The following were excerpted from Peas Love & Carrots by Danielle Renov. Copyright 2020 by ArtScroll Mesorah Publications, photos by Moshe Wulliger. Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. All rights reserved.
Herb Salad 1⁄2 cup chopped parsley 1⁄2 cup chopped cilantro 1⁄2 cup chopped scallions (from about 4 scallions) 2 tablespoons chopped mint, optional 1 small purple onion, finely diced (about 1 cup) 1-11⁄2 Tablespoons white vinegar kosher salt, to taste Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Cauliflower Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line a baking sheet with heavy duty foil; coat with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Toss frozen cauliflower with 2 tablespoons oil, garlic, salt, pepper, turmeric, sumac, and paprika. Spread out on baking sheet in a single layer.
Roast undisturbed for about 45 minutes (DO NOT OPEN OVEN DOOR DURING THAT TIME!). After 45 minutes, cauliflower should begin to get crispy and charred.
Open oven door remove baking sheet, and squeeze both halves of the lemon over the cauliflower. DO NOT MIX OR STIR. Just squeeze over the top, return to oven and cook for 5-6 minutes. Serve and enjoy.
Herb Salad While cauliflower is roasting, combine parsley, cilantro, scallions, mint, and onion in a large bowl. When cauliflower is done, add to the herb mixture, tossing to combine. Add vinegar; toss to combine. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve warm or cold. Note: If not serving the same day, combine herbs with cauliflower before serving time.
Tuna Salad A` La Moi “This is my favorite lunch salad,” says Renov. “I could eat it, on repeat, every day. I know, mercy. Ok, fine. every other day. It’s filling, the flavors are punchy, and it’s my absolute favorite way to eat tuna. Make it today, double the recipe, and store it in an airtight container for tomorrow. it is actually better the second day.”
2 cups shredded purple cabbage 1 cup shredded radicchio 1 cup chopped scallions 1 cup chopped cucumber 1 cup finely chopped celery 1⁄2 cup diced purple onion 1 cup parsley, chopped 1 cup chopped preserved lemons 1⁄2 cup chopped capers 15 ounce canned tuna in water, drained,
Roughly chopped juice of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons paprika, 1 teaspoon, cayenne pepper, 1 teaspoon kosher salt and 1⁄2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper.
Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Toss well to combine.
Let sit for 5 minutes. Toss again.
Savory Stovetop Turkey 1 large whole deboned turkey breast 1 Tablespoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper 1 1⁄2 teaspoons granulated garlic 1 1⁄2 teaspoons paprika 1 tablespoon neutral oil 1 onion, thinly sliced 4 cloves garlic, minced 2 Tablespoons tomato paste 1 1⁄2 cups dry white wine 2 bay leaves 1 tablespoon white vinegar 2 cups chicken broth 1⁄4 cup duck sauce
In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper, garlic, and paprika. Season turkey breast with mixture on all sides. Heat a pot over medium heat. Add oil; place turkey top side down and sear for 4 minutes on each side. Remove turkey from pot; set aside.
Add onion; cook for 12 minutes.
Add garlic and tomato paste to the pot. Cook for 2 minutes until fragrant.
Add wine, bay leaves, and vinegar, stirring to scrape up any bits on the bottom of the pan.
Cook for 2 minutes; add chicken broth and duck sauce.
Return turkey to the pot, spooning some of the mixture over the top.
Bring mixture to a boil, cover pot, and reduce heat to low. Cook for 1 1⁄2 hours, basting every 20 minutes or so. Serve hot and enjoy. Tips + Tricks If making in advance, slice turkey when it’s cold, return to sauce, and reheat gently.
Crispy Baked Chicken Fingers:
Crispy Asian Baked Shnitsel 1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) OR 12 thin cutlets 1 cup mayo 2 tablespoons minced garlic 2 tablespoons honey 1-2 teaspoons sriracha (depending how spicy you like it!) 1 Tablespoon white miso 1⁄4 cup soy sauce 3 cups panko breadcrumbs Barbecue Crispy Chicken 1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) OR 12 thin cutlets 1⁄4 cup mayo 3⁄4 cup favorite barbecue sauce 1 teaspoon granulated garlic 1 teaspoon granulated onion 3 cups panko breadcrumbs
Honey Mustard Crispy Chicken 1 package chicken tenders (about 18 pieces) or 12 thin cutlets 1⁄4 cup mayo 1⁄4 cup Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons honey 3 cups panko breadcrumbs Preheat oven to 350°F
Coat a baking sheet liberally with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine flavoring ingredients (aside from chicken and breadcrumbs) in selected recipe. Add chicken to wet mixture; mix to coat. Dip coated chicken into breadcrumbs, then place flat on prepared baking sheet. Spray the top of the chicken pieces with a little more nonstick spray. Bake for 30-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through.
“Our lives, as Jews, revolve around food in a way that’s at once fanatical, logical, and comical, and to be honest, kind of pathological,” writes Bloom in the introduction to his book. “Especially when family is in town. Meals are plotted with the care and calculation of a presidential campaign. While spreading the cream cheese on our bagels, we discuss where we should go for lunch; while the Russian dressing drips from our Reubens, we ruminate over dinner reservations; while arguing over the best way to get to the airport in the morning, we wonder if we’ll have time to pick up egg-and-cheese sandwiches on the way. (We won’t.)”
The touch of humor begins when you first open the book to find a page titled: “A Jewish Life in Meals a.k.a the Table of Contents” with such chapter headings as “Visiting the Grandparents in the Sunshine States,” “Dinner with the Goyim In-Laws,” “First Meal Home from College” and “J Dating: “Are you Meeting New People? (I Hope They’re the Right Kind.)”
Besides the recipes and the jokes, Bloom also added family photos and recollections (centered around food, of course), illustrations, food shots of some of the recipes and intriguing tidbits including how frequently Chinese take-out is served in Jewish homes for Christmas Dinner. The later is something Bloom says dates back to at least 1935 when the New York Times ran a story about Eng Shee Chuck, who owned a restaurant in Newark, New Jersey, brought enough chow mein to feed 80 as well as toys wrapped in red ribbon to a Jewish Children’s Home. It’s that kind of book.
The following recipes are reprinted from Eat Something by Evan Bloom with permission by Chronicle Books, 2020
4 slices American cheese (or Cheddar, if you must)
4 sesame seed challah buns
¼ cup Russian Dressing (see recipe below)
16 Pickled Cucumbers Bread & Butter Style (see below)
¼ cup chopped yellow onion
2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
Full sour dill pickle spears for serving
Finely chop the pastrami or pulse quickly with a food processor, taking care not to over process, which will heat the meat. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef and chopped pastrami. Use clean hands to mix the meats together until well combined, but do not overmix. Use a kitchen scale to weigh out four 5 oz [140 g] portions or simply eyeball them, forming each into a smooth round ball between your palms. Gently press each patty into a flat puck, tossing and patting between your hands until you have a nice flattened patty, about 5-inches across and ½-inches thick. Transfer to a large plate, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to cook. The patties can be made up to 1 day in advance.
Set a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and coat evenly with the oil. When the oil is shimmering, remove the patties from the refrigerator and sprinkle the tops liberally with half the salt, flip, and sprinkle with the remaining salt. Add two patties to the pan and cook until a light brown crust forms on the bottom and the burger is turning from pink to brown at the edges, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip with a spatula and place a cheese slice over each burger. Cook for 2 minutes more for a medium-rare to medium burger. The cheese will have melted well at this point. Transfer the cooked burgers to a plate or baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining patties.
With the oil and beef fat still in the pan, place the buns, cut-side down, in the pan and cook over medium-high heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until a golden, toasty crust has formed. Flip and cook for 1 minute more to heat the buns completely.
Put a heaping spoonful of dressing on the bottom half of the bun, spreading it out to the edges. Spread out four bread and butter pickle coins on top, and sprinkle with onion. Place the cheese-covered patty on top, and cover with a heap of lettuce. Spread a bit more dressing on the top bun to “glue” it to the burger toppings and use your palm to gently smush everything down. Serve with a sour pickle spear.
Russian Dressing
½ cup mayonnaise
1½ tablespoons ketchup
1½ tablespoons grated yellow onion (use the small holes of a box grater)
1 tablespoon dill pickle relish
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
½ teaspoon sriracha
Pinch of garlic powder
Freshly ground black pepper
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, onion, relish, Worcestershire, sriracha, garlic powder, and a few grinds of pepper until well combined. Store, covered, in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes about 3/4 cup.
Pickled Cucumbers Bread & Butter Style
Makes enough to fill a 1 quart jar
1 recipe Sweet Brine (see recipe below)
12 ounce Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 teaspoon brown or yellow mustard seeds
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
4 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
While the brine mixture is heating, toss the cucumbers and onions together in a small bowl to evenly combine, then transfer to a clean 1 qt [960 ml] glass jar and add the mustard seeds, turmeric, and garlic. Slowly pour the hot brine into the jar and let the entire mixture cool on the counter until it reaches room temperature. Seal with a tight-fitting lid and refrigerate. The pickles will be ready to eat within 24 hours but will get better with age. They will keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Sweet Brine
Makes about 2 ¼ cups
¾ cup sugar
1 tablespoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
Heat the sugar, salt, vinegar in water in a small, heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat until the liquid begins to bubble, whisking once or twice to make sure the sugar and salt are dissolved. Cook for 30 seconds more and remove from the heat.
Wise Sons’ Brisket
Serves 8 (with plenty of leftovers)
1/3 cup spicy brown deli mustard (any mustard will work in a pinch), plus more as needed
4 1/2 tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
One 6 to 8 pounds beef brisket
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
3 cups homemade stock, low-sodium chicken, beef, or vegetable broth, or water
12 ounces bottle of beer (something dark and sweet, like a porter) or ½ bottle dry red wine (such as Cabernet or Zinfandel)
5 whole pitted prunes
2 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon packed dark brown sugar
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
3 medium yellow onions, thinly sliced
8 garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with the flat side of a knife
2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (optional)
Mix the mustard, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Slather all over the brisket and place it on a baking sheet. Let sit, uncovered, in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or overnight for maximum moistness.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Heat the oil in a Dutch oven or another large heavy-bottomed, ovenproof pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add the brisket and sear until browned on both sides, about 5 to 8 minutes per side. You want a nice golden crust. Transfer to a platter and set aside.
Increase the heat to medium-high, add the stock to the pot, and bring to a simmer, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pot.
Add the beer, prunes, bay leaves, and brown sugar. Cook until the sugar has dissolved, stirring if necessary. Remove from the heat.
Return the brisket to the pot, fat-side up, and scatter the carrots around the meat. Blanket the meat with the onions and garlic. Cover the pot tightly with a lid or heavy-duty aluminum foil. Transfer to the oven and braise the brisket for about 3 hours, flipping the brisket every hour. Cook until a fork inserted into the center rotates easily, with just a little resistance, but without tearing the meat to shreds.
Remove the brisket from the pot and use a large, sharp knife to cut the brisket against the grain into ¼ in [6 mm] thick slices. Remove the bay leaves from the pot and discard.
Using an immersion blender directly in the pot, purée the jus and the remaining tender vegetables—this will give the gravy a sweet taste and enough body to slick over the brisket. (At this point, the brisket and gravy can be transferred to a roasting pan, ready to reheat, with the brisket fanned out and smothered by the gravy. Or store in separate containers.
Either way, let cool, cover, and refrigerate overnight.
If reheating the brisket straight out of the refrigerator, preheat the oven to 300°F.
Use a spoon to skim off any fat on the surface of the gravy. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil and warm for about 30 minutes, or until heated through.)
In the deli, we like a thicker gravy. To achieve this, transfer half of it to a small heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a medium simmer. Return the sliced brisket to the pot with the remaining gravy and keep warm on a burner at its lowest setting. Cook the gravy in the small pot until reduced by half, 30 to 40 minutes, stirring as needed so it doesn’t burn. If you like, whisk in the butter for extra sheen, body, and richness, and then a bit more mustard to taste. Transfer the brisket to a platter, spoon the thickened gravy over the meat, and serve.
Grandma’s “secret” recipe . . .
Season a beef brisket heavily with salt and pepper, and transfer to roasting pan, fat-side up. Add a packet of Lipton onion soup mix, a can of Coca-Cola, a bottle of Heinz chili sauce (yes, the entire bottle), a few thinly sliced yellow onions, and some chopped carrots. Cook for 3 hours in a 350°F oven.
Jane Ammeson can be contacted via email at janeammeson@gmail.com or by writing to Focus, The Herald Palladium, P.O. Box 128, St. Joseph, MI 49085.
Short on time? Sarah Copeland has a recipe for you.
Want a
dinner that tastes like Saturday night when you’ve had all day to putter around
in the kitchen on a Wednesday? Don’t despair. Sarah Copeland, author Feast, has
a new cookbook out that’s just right for you.
In Every Day Is Saturday: Recipes + Strategies for Easy Cooking, Every Day of the Week (Chronicle, $29.95), Copeland, a former food director of Real Simple magazine, restaurant chef and mother of two young children as well as a New York Times contributor, zeroes in time management, maintaining a well-stocked pantry, and cooking dishes that do double duty. She also emphasizes healthy.
Her
recipes with prep time and total cooking time help you decide what fits in with
your busy day.
Reprinted
from Every Day Is Saturday by Sarah Copeland with permission by Chronicle
Books, 2019
MIGHTY YOGURT BOWLS WITH CURRANTS AND PEACHES
PREP TIME: 5 MINUTES
TOTAL TIME: 5 MINUTES or overnight
SERVES 4
Quick-to-make chia pudding, with the right touch, can turn an everyday yogurt bowl into something beautiful and irresistibly creamy.
The secret is to keep the chia mixture loose, and treat it like a condiment, rather than the main event. (Chia thickens as it sets in liquid, so you’ll need to add fewer seeds if you plan to let it sit overnight.) Serve this creamy, coconut-milk goodness with loads of fresh fruit, as a quick morning breakfast bowl that’s nearly ready to go when you wake up.
¾ cup whole milk, or almond, coconut, or hazelnut milk
2 to 3 tsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 to 3 Tbsp chia seeds
Plain yogurt, for serving
Currants, peaches, berries, honey, or maple syrup, for
topping
Combine the milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons chia seeds in a mason jar or any glass container with a tight-fitting lid. Give it a shake or a stir and refrigerate up to overnight, or stir in the remaining chia to thicken if you plan to use right away. Spoon the chia mixture over yogurt, and top with fresh fruit and honey or maple syrup.
Sarah Copeland will be in conversation with Jeanine Donofrio of Love & Lemons at Read It & Eat in Chicago on Saturday, June 29, 2019 from 2 to 4 p.m. (773) 661-6158. 2142 N Halsted Street Chicago, IL
The largest marketplace of all things doing with Italian edibles in the U.S., the 63,000-square-foot Eataly in Chicago is a mecca for food lovers, a vast space crowded with a variety of venues including unique specialty restaurants, stalls selling meat, cheese, breads, sweets and fish (though really stall is too plebian a term—these are sparkling and enticing places where you can get lost for seemingly hours looking at all the delectable offerings), rows of olive oils and wines and even a Nutella Bar (be still my beating heart). One of more than 40 worldwide concepts, Eataly Chicago, owned by Joe Bastianich and Mario Batali, not only offers a plethora of ingredients, classes and events but also an expanse of cookbooks including the second in their Eataly series, All About Pasta: A Complete Guide with Recipes (Rizzoli 2018; $25).
With the guiding philosophy of “the more you know, the more you enjoy,” this book immerses readers into a world of pasta from the easily recognizable—spaghetti and linguine—to the rarely found and more esoteric—maltagliati (translation: badly cut), mallopredus (pasta dough with saffron) and tajarin—thin egg pasta strands also known as taglierini. Of course, you’re never going to learn all the different types of pasta because even the experts don’t know since no one has successfully completed a survey of all the pasta shapes in the world. There are simply too many different shapes and multiple names for each.
But there are ways of differentiating one from another and how to use them in creating delicious meals which the book shares. Take long and short pastas. As a basic rule, long dried semolina pasta pairs with oil-based sauces, smooth tomato sauces and seafood. Tube-shaped semolina pasta, known as la pasta tubolare, with its hollow centers, is perfect for capturing the ingredients used in the sauce.
Le pastine or small pasta is most often cooked in either broth or chunky soups. Other pasta types include le perle del Mediterraneo–semolina pastas made by rubbing hard wheat flour with water until small balls form, cereali antichi is made with heirloom or ancient grains, while croxetti ot corzetti is the name for two different types of pasta that are pressed or stamped rather than rolled out.
We told you was complicated and it gets even more so as the book explores the different types of flours used for making pasta, the different sauces and il tocco finale—the finishing touch which can be such flavorful ingredients as cheese, basil, spicy chili oil or just a handful of minced flat leaf parsley to add a bright herbaceous flavored to almost any dish.
The wonders of this book, with its immense amount of information as well as recipes, is that you can go deep or you can just choose the information you want. Either way, you’ll end up knowing a lot more about pasta—”a world fashioned out of flour and water.”
The following recipes are courtesy of Eataly.
Vesuvio al Ragu di Salsiccia e Scarola
Vesuvio Pasta with Sausage Ragu and Escarole
Serves 12
12 ounces sweet sausage
1 tablespoon red wine
One cup tomato puree
½ cup chicken or beef stock
3 cup shredded escarole
Find sea salt to taste
Coarse sea salt for pasta cooking water
1 pound Vesuvius pasta or other short pasta preferably with a complex shape
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
Grated Romano, pecorino or parmesan cheese for serving
Remove the cost sausage casings and crumble the meat into a bowl. Sprinkle the wine over the meat and massage the wine into the meat by hand until it is soft and elastic, about two minutes about two minutes.
Place the meat in the cold skillet with high sides. Placed the skillet over low heat and slowly cook the meat until it’s no longer raw looking., about two minutes. Do not brown the meat.
At the tomato puree and stir to combine. Increase the heat until the tomato puree is simmering gently.
Pour in the stock, stir once, and decrease the heat until the ragu is at a very gentle simmer, with a bubble just occasionally breaking the surface. Simmer uncovered without stirring for two hours. The meat should poach in the liquid and turn very soft.
When the sauce is cooked, carefully spoon off and discard any liquid remaining on the top. Stir in the escarole and cook until just wilted, about two minutes. Season to taste with sea salt. Remove from heat.
Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. When the water is boiling salted add the pasta. Cook until the pasta is al dente. Smear a small amount of the sauce on the bottom of the warm pasta serving bowl. Then transfer it immediately to the serving bowl. Top with remaining sauce and toss vigorously to combine. Drizzle on the olive oil and toss again. Serve immediately with grated cheese on the side.
Spaghettoni al Tonno (Pasta with Tuna)
Yield: 4 servings
1 pound spaghettoni (or bucatini)
1 (7-ounce) jar Italian tuna preserved in olive oil, drained
2 tablespoons salted capers, rinsed & drained
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup breadcrumbs
1 yellow onion, minced
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 Calabrese chili pepper in olive oil, drained & minced
Zest of 1 lemon, grated
Coarse sea salt, to taste
Place 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a large pan over medium-low heat. Add the onion, garlic, and chili pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion and the garlic are golden. Flake the tuna into the pan, and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes. Stir in the capers and the lemon zest, and remove from the heat.
Toss the breadcrumbs with the remaining olive oil, and toast in a toaster oven or cast-iron skillet over medium heat until crisp.
Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the sea salt and spaghettoni. Cook, stirring frequently with a long-handled fork, until the spaghettoni is al dente. Drain, reserving about 1 cup of the cooking water.
Transfer the pasta to the pan with the tuna. Toss vigorously over medium heat until combined, about 2 minutes. If the pasta looks dry, add a small amount of the cooking water, and toss until it looks moist.
Garnish with the toasted breadcrumbs, and serve immediately. For another taste of Calabria, repeat tomorrow.
