the constant hunger

Baked Chicken with Swiss Chard and Bread

A couple of days into the new year and I am already lacking motivation to dig up new recipes and cook. I'm just having one of those weeks where I want to do nothing but watch TV and eat frozen pizzas and burritos. I've lost my cooking mojo.

On a brighter note, I have recently discovered the joy of shopping at Trader Joe's. I know, I know. You all must be thinking, "You mean you haven't been buying groceries there?" My answer is "no." I go to the wine shop and stock up on their house brand of inexpensive (not to say "cheap") wine which is surprisingly decent. In fact, I've had worse bottles of wine at 20 times the price of three-buck Chuck. Yes, it's $3 in New York. Anyways, Monday I did a little grocery shopping and discovered that everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, is cheaper at Trader Joe's. How do they do it? Sure the checkout lines are ridiculously long, but it goes by fast and at the end you are greeted by the most friendliest person who rings up your groceries and comments on your purchases. That never happens in New York. I don't see any reason to shop anywhere else. Boy, I should be getting paid for advertising. 

Tonight's recipe was made in my brand-new Dutch oven. To see shots of it, click here. I must say that cooking with a Dutch oven is genius. Just throw in all the ingredients and put it in the oven and dinner is ready in an hour or so. I found the recipe in December's Food and Wine and it features an ingredient I had never used before, Swiss chard. It's dark green and leafy and gives a nice texture to the dish. I adapted the recipe a little, omitting the raisins and extending the cooking time since the directions in the recipe were really off.

Baked Chicken with Swiss Chard and Bread

Ingredients:

1/2 pound stale, crusty bread cubed (a baguette is perfect)

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/4 capers, rinsed

1 large bunch Swiss chard finely chopped

3 shallots, thinly sliced

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tbs. fresh or dry thyme, chopped

8 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs or drumsticks

salt and pepper to taste

 

Method:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl combine the olive oil, bread, Swiss chard, shallots, garlic, capers and thyme. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. Spread the mixture in a Dutch oven.

Season the chicken with salt and pepper and arrange over the Swiss chard/bread mixture. Cover the chicken with a piece of parchment paper and place the lid. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Please note that you may need to cook the chicken a little longer, depending on your oven.

Remove the lid and the parchment paper and increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through.

Remove from the oven and let stand for about 6-7 minutes before serving. 

What a delicious and comforting meal!

Happy cooking! 

Light Eggplant Parmesan

Well, it's resolution time and like most people, I resolve to eat better and exercise. In fact, this morning, I did something I've never done before. I woke up at 7:00 a.m. and went for a (short) run. It was bitter cold and I had chest pains for the icy winds, but I toughed it out for 20 minutes, which in my world is amazing. You see, I hate exercising. I can't think of anything more mind-numbingly boring than getting on a treadmill or lifting weights. I have a hard time believing people when they tell me they enjoy it. I think they enjoy the results and not the process. Anyways, I am gonna invest in my favorite activity. Dance. It's the only way I will stick to moving by body on a regular basis.

In terms of my diet, I resolve to eat a little better. On the whole, my husband and I eat rather healthy. Sure, I love butter, cheese and heavy sauces, but I think I'll limit those recipes to once a week (or every two weeks). I also plan to make more budget-friendly recipes and include the price of each recipe with my posts. Today's recipe was made a couple of weeks ago so I don't remember how much it cost, but I'll try to include prices going forward.

One of my favorite dishes to eat is eggplant Parmesan. Layers upon layers of battered and fried eggplants, rich tomato sauce and melted cheese... It's the recipe for deliciousness and, sometimes, heartburn. It's no secret that eggplant Parmesan is a heavy vegetable dish, so when I had a lonely eggplant in my fridge I was determined to turn it into something a little lighter. How? By grilling the eggplant instead of frying it with flour and omitting eggs altogether from the recipe. Not only is the result a lot healthier, but it also took me a fraction of the time to prepare. 

 

Light Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients: 

1 eggplant sliced thinly (size of your choice)

6 cups basic tomato sauce, heated

1 small ball fresh mozzarella sliced or grated

salt and pepper

2 tbs. olive oil

 

Method:

Season both sides of the eggplant slices with salt and pepper.

You can grill the eggplant a couple of ways. You can BBQ them if you are living in a warmer part of the world. You can arrange the slices on a non-stick baking sheet and broil them, a few minutes each side. I grilled them on the stove top using my double-burner grill. Grill and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large casserole dish, drizzle the olive oil and a couple of tablespoons of the basic tomato sauce. This will prevent the eggplant from sticking.

Alternate one layer of eggplant with a small tablespoon of tomato sauce. Place a slice of mozzarella (or a bit of grated cheese) on top of the last layer of eggplant.

Bake for about 40-45 min. or until cheese has turned golden brown. Remove from the oven and let stand for 6-7 minutes. Serve.

Happy cooking! 

Kale and Sausage Soup

It was 7:00 a.m. on Monday morning. Can there be a more yucky time of the week? I woke up to my alarm and was in such a deep sleep, I had no idea what day of the week it was. When I realized it was Monday, I almost wanted to cry. But then another thought saved me. It was a short work week! A two-day work week! I love the holidays. 

I got most of my Christmas shopping done Sunday. It was an unpleasant experience trying to find things on my sister's wishlist in SoHo. It was a very obscure wishlist. If you're reading this, dude, you're only getting cash from me from now on. There are a couple of things to remember while doing your holiday shopping. It's similar to a marathon race, so you gotta make sure you have eaten a proper meal before heading out, something rich in carbs to keep you going. Be sure to have a bottle of water with you while you shop. Keeping yourself hydrated is key to combating fatigue and crankiness. A little snack is also a necessity. Keep a bag of almonds or a granola bar in your purse. You will need to refuel to keep your sanity and avoid punching the cashier who tells you "Sorry ma'am, we have no more gift boxes."

When you finally get home, kick off your shoes and rub your tired, old feet. It's always nice to have a hot meal ready, especially something from the soup family. Today's recipe is a nutritious soup made with kale and white beans. I've added some spicy Italian sausage to the mix to kick up the flavors. This is the third time I use the kale-sausage flavor combo. I've used it here and here, but they work so well together that I thought "Why not in a soup?" You can make this a day in advance and reheat it for dinner post-shopping. Let this soothing bowl of soup ease  your holiday stresses.

 

Kale and Sausage Soup

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons olive oil

6 small spicy Italian sausages

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 medium onion, chopped

kosher salt and black pepper

2 15-oz. cans cannellini beans, well rinsed

1 bunch kale, stems removed and roughly chopped (8 cups)

8 cups low-sodium chicken stock

1 loaf country bread, warmed

grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method:

Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Brown the sausages on all sides and set aside on a cutting board. No need to cook them through since they will continue to cook in the soup. Let them "rest" for a few minutes, then slice them.

Heat the rest of the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, celery, onion, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender.

Add the sausages, beans, kale, and chicken stock. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and let simmer on low heat for at least an hour. Test seasoning and check to see if kale is cooked through. 

Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with the Parmesan before serving. Serve with warm bread.

Happy cooking!

 

Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna

On Sunday my husband and I had planned a little day trip to Beacon, New York. An hour train ride away was a cool art space I had read about called Dia: Beacon.  There was also a barbecue joint across the street from the gallery, but I swear I was going there for art. Um... Yeah. Anyways, we never plan anything. We're fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants people, so it was no surprise to us that we decided to break our own plans and stay in the city, in the comfort of our apartment. If you had the world's most comfortable couch, you, too, would be tempted to forgo an afternoon of culture for an afternoon of being a couch potato. 

Now we didn't really end up vegetating on Sunday. In fact, we worked our little big butts off. You see, my husband and I used to cook together back in the day, the days when we were dating. Since we've been living together (and fighting for the corner seat on the world's most comfortable couch) we usually cook solo. I thought it would be great if we could cook together again, like we used to. We needed a recipe that demanded a fair amount of preparation since our day was now wide open. An eggplant and zucchini lasagna was the winner. Keep the time factor in mind when trying this recipe out. It will take roughly half a day to make. Since it will take quite some time to make, you're better off making two lasagnas and freezing one to eat at a later time.

 My husband got so hungry waiting for the lasagna, he prepared himself a nice midday snack.

Eggplant and Zucchini Lasagna (for one lasagna) 

Ingredients

1 small eggplant thinly sliced

3 zucchinis thinly sliced

one pot of basic tomato sauce 

1 lb. of lasagna noodles (usually 1 box)

3/4 cup ricotta 

1 cup Parmesan cheese 

extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

 

For the béchamel sauce:

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

5 cups milk, warmed

 

Method: 

Once your tomato sauce is made, you can begin by grilling or roasting your vegetables. This process will add a lot of flavor to the finished product. You may want to start by removing the water from the eggplant which will make the lasagna quite liquidy. Sprinkle the slices with salt on both sides and place in a colander. Place a plate over the eggplants and something heavy on top of that (I used a bowl of fruit). Let drain for about 30 minutes before roasting or grilling.

If you are roasting your vegetables in the oven, brush the eggplant and zucchini slices with olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place on baking sheets. Roast, turning once, until the slices are nicely browned, about 20 minutes total. You can also grill them. I used my double-burner grill. Set grilled/roasted vegetables aside.

Set a large pot of salted water to boil. During this time, make the béchamel sauce. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Continue cooking until fragrant, 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook, whisking occasionally, until thickened. Season with salt, pepper. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Once the lasagna noodles are very al dente you are ready to assemble your culinary masterpiece. Add a little olive oil and tomato sauce to the bottom of your lasagna dish. Start by layering the noodles. Next come the zucchini and eggplant slices. Dot the vegetables with spoonfuls of ricotta. Pour the béchamel and tomato sauces over the vegetables and cheese. Repeat until you have no more noodles left.

Over the last layer of noodles, pour some more béchamel and tomato sauce. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and bake for about an hour to an hour and a half. 

You'll notice that this lasagna recipe does not have any mozzarella. The authentic way is to top the dish with Parmesan cheese, not mozzarella.

My husband goes crazy for the crispy noodle part on the edge of the lasagna. 

I prefer the center.

We had a nice bottle of Dolcetta d'Alba with our dinner. So glad we stayed in.

Happy cooking! 

 

Cooking a Thanksgiving Meal

Okay, so I'm a little late in posting this, but anyways...

Last Thursday was officially my first time cooking a turkey. The idea was to make something a little different than the traditional roasted bird so Ina Garten's turkey roulade recipe seemed like a great option. I had watched her make it on Barefoot Contessa and thought it looked easy enough. She basically fills a whole boneless turkey breast with stuffing, rolls it like a jelly roll, ties it and roasts it. It's really beautiful once you slice into it. I was able to find a whole turkey breast and bought all the ingredients to make the stuffing. 

On Thanksgiving, around, say 2:00 p.m. I inspected the turkey breast. It had bone. Now I went into this knowing that I would be de-boning the bird, but as I stared at all the ribs and attached meat I knew two things were going to happen: 1. I would be unable to de-bone the turkey and keep all the meat in one piece and 2. I would be unable to de-bone the turkey and keep myself in one piece. In an effort to keep the breast intact (and avoid an emergency room visit) I decided to roast the turkey as is and make Ina's stuffing to accompany it. 

The results were delicious. The stuffing was out of this world and the turkey came out much more juicy than I had expected. We are still eating leftovers today. 

Roasted Turkey with Savory Stuffing adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients:

-3/4 cup large-diced dried figs, stems removed

-3/4 cup dried cranberries

-1/2 cup cognac

-1/2 stick unsalted butter

-1 large onion diced

-3 celery stalks chopped

-1 package white button mushrooms roughly chopped

-3/4 pound pork sausage, casings removed (I used spicy Italian sausage)

-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary 

-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

-1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage

-3 tablespoons almonds, toasted

-4 cups home-made breadcrumbs* (you can also use store-bought stuffing mix instead)

-1 1/2 cups chicken stock

-1 extra-large egg, beaten

-salt and freshly ground black pepper

-3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

-Turkey (size of your choice)

*Preheat oven to 400 degrees. To make your own breadcrumbs, roughly chop any stale bread you may have at home. Sliced bread, baguettes, sandwich rolls, they all work fine. Place bread on a lined baking sheet. Season with salt, pepper, dried parsley and garlic powder. Drizzle with two tablespoons melted butter and incorporate with your hands. Bake in oven till golden brown. Let cool thoroughly. Then, place toasted bread into a food processor and pulse. I like my bread crumbs to have some texture so there were still some big pieces.

 

Method: 

Place the dried figs and cranberries in a small saucepan and pour in the cognac and 1/2 cup water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then lower the heat and let simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large skillet or pot over medium heat. Add the onions, celery and mushrooms and saute until softened. Add the sausage, crumbling it into small pieces, and saute, stirring frequently, until cooked and browned. Add the figs and cranberries with the liquid, the chopped herbs, and pine nuts and cook for 2 more minutes. 

Place the homemade breadcrumbs (or stuffing mix) in a large bowl. Add the sausage mixture, chicken stock, egg, salt and pepper and stir well. 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. 

Generously season the turkey with salt and pepper, inside and out. Spoon in some stuffing. Do not over-stuff the turkey as the stuffing will expand in the oven. Place the extra stuffing in a buttered casserole dish and bake for about 45 minutes alongside the turkey.

Place the turkey in a roasting dish. Brush with melted butter and place in the oven. Cooking times will vary depending on the size of your bird. Use this chart as a guideline. 

Along with the turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes, I decided to make some butternut squash. I debated whether I wanted to mash it with the potatoes or simply roast them with some chopped sage and butter. Luckily, I came across a recipe from chef Michael Symon in Food and Wine. I made a few changes to his recipe, adapting it to my taste. The result was not only delicious, but the presentation was striking.

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Ingredients:

-1 butternut squash halved and seeded, size of your choice (mine was on the smaller side)

-5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

-1 cup quinoa

-2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

-1 teaspoon honey

-1 Granny Smith apple, finely diced

-1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

-1 large shallot, minced

-2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

-2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

-salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Preheat the oven to 350°. Brush the cut sides of the squash with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash on a baking sheet and roast for about 45 minutes, or until tender.

Meanwhile, cook the quinoa according to package directions. Transfer the quinoa to a bowl and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk the vinegar, honey and olive oil together and season with salt and pepper. Add the quinoa, apple, shallot, feta cheese, cilantro and parsley and toss well. 

Set the squash halves on plates. Fill with the salad and serve. Note that you can also use acorn squash instead of butternut.

 Happy cooking!