Looking for some inspiration when it comes to your vegetable accompaniments? A side of broccoli rabe makes a good counterpoint to rich hearty dishes in the Winter. And with leeks, you can never go wrong, so make sure to get this Sautéed Broccoli Rabe with Leeks on your radar for an upcoming meal. Here, bitter broccoli rabe is mellowed by the softened leeks and empowered by a hit of garlic and red pepper.

A limited number of ingredients and little in the way of prep or cooking, make this an ideal weeknight side dish. Initially what may seem like a lot of greens, actually cooks down to only about four servings so don’t cut back. The evening I made it, it was paired with two thick, bone-in pork chops that were sprinkled with adobo seasoning, pan-seared and finished in a 400 degree oven for about 15 minutes.

Add the sliced leeks and some red pepper in hot oil until softened.

It took closer to 7 minutes for the leeks to soften and begin to brown.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large, or 2 medium leeks, white and light green parts only, very thinly sliced and thoroughly rinsed
• 1 1/2 tsp. Aleppo pepper or red pepper flakes
• 1 lb. broccoli rabe, trimmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 14 cups), rinsed and left slightly damp
• 1 Tbs. finely chopped garlic
• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• Kosher salt to taste

After the broccoli rabe leaves have started to wilt, add the garlic and remaining red pepper, then cover and cook for another 15 minutes.

Directions

1. In an 8-quart pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
2. Add the leek and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and cook, stirring often, until the leek is tender and beginning to brown, 3 to 5 minutes.
3. Add the broccoli rabe, toss, and cook until the leaves have wilted, about 1 minute.
4. Reduce the heat to low, and add the garlic and remaining pepper.
5. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the stalks are tender, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Stir in the butter until melted, season with salt to taste, and serve.

I’m gonna save you a few bucks here—you can thank me later. Classically made with filet mignon, this version of Steak Diane uses less pricey flank steak. The beefier nature of the cut holds its own against a bold sauce featuring sherry, Cognac, Worcestershire sauce, and herbs. What’s not to like here?

It’s been widely agreed that New York City appears to be the source of Steak Diane’s genesis. But when and where it actually evolved has as many viewpoints as it does recipe variations. One thing is for sure, in it’s infancy, Steak Diane was flambéed table-side making it all the rage at NYC high-style establishments in the 50’s and early 60’s; but went out of fashion and was considered a has-been by the 1980’s.

Steak Diane is similar to steak au poivre, because it is either cut thinly, or pounded thin so that it cooks rapidly with seasonings, then sautéed in butter. A sauce is prepared from the pan juices. The ingredients vary from recipe to recipe but may include butter, mushrooms, mustard, shallots, cream, truffles (another pricey item), meat stock, and Worcestershire sauce. Another money-saving step is to use brandy in place of the more expensive Cognac.

I’ve always thought it odd that when you’re cooking a beef dish, the ingredients list chicken broth rather than beef. What I learned was, even if your dish calls for beef broth, you’ll get a much better flavor if you use chicken broth instead. This is because, despite the fact that there is no minimum protein requirement set by the USDA, most boxed or canned chicken broth contains around 60 parts liquid to 1 part protein, twice as much as in beef broth. Homemade beef broth is plenty flavorful, so this only pertains to the store-bought variety.

One accompaniment was Roasted Carrots with Blood Orange and Rosemary.

Our other low-carb side was a cauliflower mash garnished with chives.

This easy meal was not only fabulous tasting, it was also all around low-carb because our accompaniments were Roasted Carrots with Blood Orange and Rosemary, and Cauliflower Mash (both shown above and both of which I will be posting soon.)

While there is no show-stopping flambéing going on with this version of Steak Diane, it is an ideal dinner for two—romantically luxurious and indulgent. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner… just sayin’…

Ingredients

• 1 1-1/2-lb. flank steak
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tsp. peanut or vegetable oil
• 3 Tbs. finely chopped shallot
• 3 Tbs. medium sherry, such as amontillado
• 2 Tbs. Cognac
• 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbs. lower-salt chicken broth
• 2 oz. (4 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
• 3 Tbs. thinly sliced fresh chives
• 2 Tbs. finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice, more to taste

Our flank steak weighed in at two pounds and almost didn’t fit the carbon steel skillet.

After 7 minutes in the 400 degree oven, the steak then rests for 10 minutes before cutting into.

There was no fat to wipe out before we added the shallots, sherry, Cognac, and Worcestershire sauce to the pan.

Directions

1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F.
2. Pat the steak dry and season generously with salt and pepper. In an ovenproof heavy-duty 12-inch skillet (preferably cast iron or carbon steel), heat the oil over high heat until shimmering hot, about 2 minutes.
3. Brown the steak on both sides, about 4 minutes total. Transfer the skillet to the oven and continue to cook until an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of the meat reads 135°F, about 5 minutes. Transfer the steak to a platter, cover loosely with foil, and let rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, pour off the fat in the skillet (be careful of the hot handle). Set the skillet over medium heat, add the shallot, sherry, Cognac, and Worcestershire sauce.
5. Simmer, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula to release any browned bits, until the sauce is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes.
6. Lower the heat to low, add the chicken broth, butter, chives, and parsley and whisk, swirling the pan occasionally, to emulsify the butter; the sauce should look creamy.
7. Remove from the heat, whisk in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice.
8. Cut the steak in half with the grain, then slice the meat on the diagonal across the grain into 1/8-inch slices. Serve with the sauce.

Steak recipe by Arlene Jacobs from Fine Cooking

Lower the heat to low, add the chicken broth, butter, chives, and parsley.

Whisk the sauce, swirling the pan occasionally to emulsify the butter.

Remove from the heat, whisk in the lemon juice and season to taste with salt, pepper.

Cut the steak in half with the grain, then slice the meat on the diagonal across the grain into 1/8-inch slices.

Arrange the meat on a platter, pour over the juices from the carving board and then spoon on some of the shallot mixture.

Put the remaining shallot mixture in a small bowl for diners to add more if desired.

Chicken alla cacciatora, or hunter’s style, can be found all over Italy—but tomatoes were scarce for quite some time. Most Americans, including us, are more familiar with the southern Italian version with tomatoes, but this one is from Umbria, in the country’s center, and it’s made savory with lemon, vinegar, olives and rosemary instead of tomatoes. It’s lovely served with steamed greens dressed with a fruity olive oil, over homemade mashed potatoes or polenta. You really have to try it!

This meal is comfort food all the way!

We can’t say enough about this fabulous dish! Absolutely divine, with so much flavor we kept oohing and ahhing all through dinner. The cooking vehicle of choice was our smaller Le Creuset pan “Baby Blue,” which was just the right size to hold all of the ingredients. Our sides included creamy garlicky mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach in olive oil and roasted garlic paste—thank goodness we’re both fans of garlic. Upon completion, there is enough luscious sauce to spoon over every item on your plate if desired—and desire we did!

Step 1 instructs you to remove the browned chicken pieces and wipe the pan clean before returning the chicken and adding the sliced onions. Why in heck would you do that? Those browned bits contain a lot of seasoning and will flavor the onions as you caramelize them. And buy brined olives with the pits because they also lend another layer of flavor, and the meat almost melts off the pit into your mouth.

While you can buy already cut-up chicken parts, we purchased a 5-pounder because Russ likes to hack up the chicken with his heavy-duty meat cleaver to get the extra bony parts for making stock. I secretly think it’s his inner Neanderthal making an appearance…

Recipe by Letizia Mattiacci, author of the cookbook “A Kitchen with a View“

There is no doubt we will be repeating this dinner over and over!

Here’s the perfect antidote to brighten up a short, cold, Winter’s Day. Most Sunday’s when we have the opportunity, Russ likes to throw together a soup that incorporates any one of our homemade stocks. When we came upon this Lemony Carrot and Cauliflower Soup by New York Times chef/author Melissa Clark, we knew it was “the one” for the upcoming week.

Russ chops parts of a whole chicken, the bony parts of which he’ll add to his collection of other chicken parts to make stock. The main chicken parts we used in our Umbrian-Style Chicken dinner…

The finished stock cools in the pressure cooker.

The stock is strained into a colander lined with cheese cloth.

Since we were out of chicken stock, it prompted us to make another batch, now quite simple and less time consuming since we own a pressure cooker. While the stock was cooking, we prepped the soup ingredients, knowing that we’d include 4 cups of the homemade stock in place of water.

Even though there’s not a drop of dairy, it is super creamy and luscious! The addition of miso paste and crushed coriander to the broth zips things up without negating the comfort factor. The flavors all come together in the end with the final lemon juice, sea salt, cilantro, and smoky chili powder, so I highly recommend you don’t omit these ingredients.

The beauty of a soup like this—other than its bone-warming properties—is that you don’t need a recipe. You can pretty much simmer together any combination of vegetables with a little water or broth, purée it, top it with good olive oil and salt, and end up with something good to eat.

While the stock was cooking, we prepped the soup ingredients.

In a large, dry pot over medium heat, toast coriander seeds until fragrant and dark golden-brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the carrots and crushed coriander to the pot of cooked onions and garlic.

Five minutes after the broth is added, stir in cauliflower and cook, covered, over medium-low heat until the vegetables are very tender, about 10 minutes.

Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth.

As a topper, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with chile, sea salt and cilantro leaves.

I’m sure you’ve heard the old Aesop’s fable “The Tortoise and The Hare,” an account of a race between unequal partners. It’s a common folktale theme in which ingenuity and trickery are employed to overcome a stronger opponent. Well, in this recipe of slow versus fast, there is no clear winner.

Salmon with Lentil Hash and Bacon turns out great whether you take it slow with a hands-off approach or hit the fast-forward button and crank it out in mere minutes. How’s that? Choose to utilize a slow cooker versus a pressure cooker, but end up with the same luscious results.

In the January 2017 Better Homes & Gardens Magazine, there was an article “Slow vs. Fast” that highlighted several meals that could be cooked using either method, and this intrigued me. Keep in mind the techniques are not the same, and the instructions matter.

I would have initially chosen the pressure cooker if it had been a work night. But since I was off between the Winter holidays, I had time on my hands and decided to use our slow cooker. With this method you slow cook the lentils and vegetables on low for 5 to 6 hours (or 2 1/2 to 3 hours on high) and then place the salmon on top for another 25 minutes on high.

If using the pressure cooker, the salmon, spiced lentils, potatoes and cauliflower literally cook in 60 seconds of high pressure to give you a one-pot, one-step wonder in a snap! Next time we plan to use the fast method and see if there are any differences… stay tuned…

“Don’t brag about your lightning pace, for slow and steady won the race!” Not so in this case… for both methods you’ll want to embrace!

Makes: 4 servings
Total Time—includes hands on prep
Slow Cook: 5 hrs 45 mins to 6 hrs 45 mins (low); or 3 hr 15 min to 3 hr 45 min (high)
Pressure Cook: 21 min, plus time to build and release pressure

Ingredients

• 2 cups chicken broth (preferably homemade)
• 1 pound baby yellow potatoes, quartered
• 1 small head cauliflower (1 1/2 pounds), cut into large florets
• 1 cup brown lentils, rinsed and drained
• 1 large onion, cut into quarters
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 pound salmon fillet, skinned
• 6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked, drained, and crumbled
• Fresh mint leaves

Fry up the bacon and when cool, crumble and set aside.

In a slow cooker, stir together the broth, potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, onion, garlic, curry powder, salt, the cumin, coriander, and cayenne.

After the requisite amount of time for the veggies to cook, open the lid for the salmon.

Cut salmon fillet in half crosswise; season with salt and black pepper.

Place salmon on top of vegetable mixture and cover.

Cook about 25 minutes more, then divide salmon and vegetable mixture among serving bowls.

Directions

1. SLOW COOKER: In a 6-qt. slow cooker stir together the broth, potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, onion, garlic, curry powder, salt, the cumin, coriander, and cayenne. Cover; cook on low 5 to 6 hours or high 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
2. Cut salmon fillet in half crosswise; season with salt and black pepper. Place salmon on top of vegetable mixture. If cooking on low, turn to high.
3. Cover and cook about 25 minutes more or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Divide salmon and vegetable mixture among four serving bowls. Top with crumbled bacon and fresh mint.

1. PRESSURE COOKER: In a 6-qt. electric or stove-top pressure cooker stir together the broth, potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, onion, garlic, curry powder, salt, the cumin, coriander, and cayenne.
2. Cut the salmon fillet in half crosswise and place on top of the lentil mixture; season with some salt and black pepper. Lock the lid in place. Set electric cooker on high pressure to cook 1 minute to start the cooker.
3. When cooker reaches that pressure, immediately release the pressure according to manufacturer’s directions. For stove-top pressure cooker, bring up to pressure over medium-high heat according to manufacturer’s directions.
4. Remove from heat once it reaches that pressure. Quickly release the pressure according to the manufacturer’s directions. Open lid carefully.
5. Divide the salmon and vegetable mixture among four serving bowls. Top with crumbled bacon and fresh mint.

Top with crumbled bacon and fresh mint.

Need something to pick you up and dust you off during the January Winter doldrums? This brightly colored meal option wraps it up and delivers.

Lettuce wraps have been a “thing” for a few years now, popular at Asian restaurants as well as other ethnic establishments, including American. And I have to say, we love ’em not only because they are low-carb, but they’re very versatile, so tasty, and so fun to assemble (just make sure to have a few extra napkins on hand.) The zesty flavors in these Korean-Style Spicy Steak Lettuce Wraps make them a standout—at least in our humble opinion.

Place as much, or as little, of each ingredient in the lettuce leaf, then roll and eat.

Most high-end supermarkets will now carry gochujang, which can be found in the ethnic food aisle. It is a savory, spicy, and pungent fermented Korean condiment made from red chili, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt. Now that may not sound too appealing to some of you, but we really like it. The finished product is a dark, reddish paste with a rich, piquant flavor.

Think of gochujang as similar to miso paste — a little goes a long way, and it’s just as versatile. It can be used in marinades for meat dishes like Korean bulgogi (another favorite of ours), stirred into dipping sauces, or used to punch up stews or soups. And like miso, once opened, it should be stored in the refrigerator, with just as a long shelf life. Best of all, gochujang is considered a diet-friendly superfood because it’s rich in protein, antioxidants and vitamins, but low in fat and calorie content.

Kimchi on the other hand will be located in the refrigerated section of a grocery store or Asian market. The reddish fermented cabbage (and sometimes radish) dish, is made with a mix of garlic, salt, vinegar, chile peppers, and other spices. It is another superfood chockfull of many health benefits. I’ve read that Koreans eat so much of this super-spicy condiment (40 pounds of it per person each year) that natives say “kimchi” instead of “cheese” when getting their pictures taken.

We were definitely smiling after eating these fun and tasty wraps!

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 lb. skirt steak
• 1/4 cup gochujang (Korean red chile-bean sauce)
• 2 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
• 2 Tbs. soy sauce
• 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 Tbs. rice vinegar
• 4 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 2 medium carrots, grated
• 1 large head Boston or butter lettuce, leaves separated
• 1-1/4 cups prepared cabbage kimchi, coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt

Mix gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce and minced garlic to create a paste.

Rub the paste all over both sides of the skirt steak and let sit for 10-30 minutes before broiling.

After broiling, the meat rests for 5 minutes before slicing.

Cut thin slices against the grain, collect the juices and pour into the remaining paste mixture.

There are usually large chunks of cabbage in the kimchi, so give it a coarse chop.

Plate all of the ingredients and let each diner assemble their own. You can add the gochujang mixture to the pile of meat, or let each person add some directly to their wraps—or both.

Directions

1. Position a rack 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high. Line a large heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan with foil and put the steak on it.
2. Whisk the gochujang, sesame oil, soy sauce, and garlic in a small bowl. Rub 3 tablespoons of the mixture all over the steak and let marinate at room temperature for 10 minutes. Whisk the vinegar into the remaining gochujang mixture and set aside in a small serving bowl.
3. Arrange the scallions, carrots, and lettuce on a large serving platter in individual mounds. Place the kimchi in a serving bowl.
4. Broil the steak, flipping once, until medium rare (125°F), 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly against the grain. Season to taste with salt and mound on the serving platter. Bring all the components to the table for everyone to assemble their wraps as they like.

By Ivy Manning from Fine Cooking

Are you kidding me?? This was my initial reaction when I saw how easy this French Onion Roast Chicken recipe was. Just a few ingredients, with just as few steps, and the rest is literally hands off! I must admit, few dishes are as simple to make as this one—juicy roast chicken with caramelized onions made right in the roasting pan.

It seemed almost too simple, so I was half tempted to rub some olive oil over the bird and/or into the roaster and insert some herbs in it’s cavity, but I refrained because I wanted to see if the meal would come out as spectacular as advertised—and by jove, it did. Look at that perfectly browned crispy skin!

Cooking-wise, our 4-pound chicken took the full hour, and probably because I sliced up three large onions as opposed to two medium, they weren’t as caramelized as they should have been when the chicken was done. So I moved the chicken to a cutting board, tented with foil, then stirred the onions and put them back in the oven for another 20 minutes—which did the trick.

A bed of sliced onions line the bottom of the roasting pan.

The onions took longer to caramelize once I removed the chicken, probably because I sliced three large as opposed to two medium onions. But as you can see, they shrink quite a bit.

A lot of juices released from the bird while it was being carved, so I poured those into the roasting pan with the onions and added the minced herbs, stirring it all together before plating. Wowser, they were heavenly, I’m so glad I made more than called for.

The rest of the meal was a breeze too because I just reheated a cheesy potato gratin and roasted a medley of brussels sprouts, butternut squash chunks and parsnip pieces tossed in oil, salt and pepper. Meal done!

NOTE: For a wine pairing, try a white Burgundy because both French onion soup and roast chicken are classic with Chardonnay, the same grape used in white Burgundy.

Ingredients

• 1, 4 to 5 lb. whole chicken, giblets removed, patted dry inside and out
• 2 medium yellow onions (I used 3 large onions)
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh herbs, such as thyme, rosemary, tarragon or parsley

The onions are sliced in half through the root end; then each half is thinly sliced crosswise.

Place the seasoned chicken, breast side up, on top of the sliced onions.

After about 30 minutes, stir the onions. As you can see, neither the bird nor the onions are very brown at this point.

After the chicken rested, Russ started carving it on a cutting board with a moat to catch the released juices.

We poured those pan juices, along with the minced herbs, into the caramelized onions before plating. 

Directions

1. Position a rack  in the center of the oven and heat to 425 degrees.
2. Season the chicken inside and out with 1 1/2 tablespoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3. Slice the onions in half through the root, then thinly slice crosswise. Transfer to a roasting pan, toss with a 1/4 teaspoon salt, and spread evenly in the pan.
4. Put the chicken, breast side up, on the onions. Roast, stirring the onions halfway through, until the meaty part of the thighs registers 165 degrees on an instant read thermometer, 45-60 minutes.
5. Transfer the chicken to a carving board and let rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Remove the onions from the roasting pan (they will range in color from light to dark brown) and toss with the herbs if using.
7. Carve the chicken and serve with the onions.

Found in Fine Cooking Magazine

Not usually one to eat the skin, it was so crispy and tasty, I couldn’t help myself.

Turkey and Vegetable Soup calls for “riced” cauliflower, which just means finely grated until the cauliflower is in pieces basically the size of rice. It gives the soup a nice hearty texture—a great trick for any vegetable-based soup that needs to be a little more filling. And many grocery stores sell it already packaged in the produce section so you don’t have to spend time ricing it yourself.

Depending on what vegetables you have lying around, this dish can absorb almost anything. Throw in whatever’s in the fridge, and if it starts getting too dense, well, just add more stock! And you know how I always sing the praises of homemade stock (which can be done in a pressure cooker for fast gratification.) Our last batch came compliments of a huge turkey carcass (with quite a bit of meat left on it) from our good friends Rosanne and Gary. Thanks guys!

They removed it from their freezer where it had been residing since Thanksgiving. Several weeks later we were the lucky recipients and we threw it into our freezer until such time it was convenient to make the stock—which happened to be in early January. And a week after that, Russ got around to making the soup. If you don’t have access to an entire carcass, get some bony turkey parts: necks, backs, and/or wings. You can usually ask a butcher to save them for you, or try purchasing them at a local Asian market.

Homemade turkey stock adds flavor—and other good stuff—to the broth, and also ekes every last bit of flavor out of the bird bones. The gut-healing benefits of the stock also make this one a great option if your holiday feasting was a little bit hard on your digestion. Cooking the vegetables provides most of the nutrients in a form that’s easier on the stomach, and soup in general is a nice light meal to follow up a day of impressive eating—and makes for great workday lunches too!

Soup Ingredients

• 2 cups leftover turkey, chopped;
• 1 onion, diced;
• 3 to 4 carrots, diced;
• 2 parsnips, diced;
• 2 celery stalks, diced;
• 1 cup cauliflower, riced;
• 1 ½ cups cabbage, shredded;
• 2 bay leaves;
• 2 garlic cloves, minced;
• 2 tsp. ground sage;
• 1 tsp. thyme;
• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper;
• Turkey stock

Stock Ingredients

• 1 turkey carcass or 5 lbs. turkey parts (preferably bony parts, like necks and backs);
• 2 yellow onions, quartered;
• 2 celery ribs, cut into big chunks;
• 2 carrots, cut into big chunks;
• 4 garlic cloves;
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme;
• 1 bay leave;
• 4 quarts cold water;
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Place the turkey carcass or parts in a saucepan, add all the remaining ingredients for the stock, and season to taste with pepper.
2. Fill the saucepan with water and bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat to a light simmer, and simmer 4 to 8 hours. (adding water if necessary).
4. Strain the stock with a fine mesh sieve, throwing away all the remaining ingredients. Set aside the stock for now.
5. Pick through the carcass. Remove any meat you find, and add it to the meat for the soup.
6. Add all the ingredients for the soup in a large saucepan. Fill the pan with the turkey stock, and season to taste.
7. Bring to a simmer, and simmer 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Recipe adapted from PaleoLeap.com

Mother Nature threw one of her curve balls the day of our intended party for members of Russ’s “Men’s Group” and their spouses. What was supposed to be a dusting of snow in our area turned into 4 or 5 inches (laughable by Michigan standards), and with the temps hovering in the teens to low 20’s, hazardous roads were a given.

Understandably, several of the attendees called to say they didn’t want to be out driving at night in those conditions; and with that Russ made an executive decision to postpone until the following day. Isn’t it amazing how in our 20’s, we wouldn’t have even thought about NOT going to a party over a little snow? Yes, I guess maturity and wisdom are the voice of reason in our later years…

Here’s the “dusting” of snow—and a few more inches fell after this!

Since we were hosting, we decided to make a large lasagna, however I was halfway through the prep when I learned the party was postponed. No biggie, I just finished assembling it, covered with foil and into the downstairs fridge it went. (The question then became, what were we going to do about dinner that night?)

Back to the lasagna. We wanted to use our gluten-free, no-boil noodles to eliminate the process of boiling and draining. Russ found just the ticket on Cook’s Illustrated’s website. The 12-minute tomato meat sauce is cooked using onions, garlic, and meatloaf mixture (ground beef, pork, and veal) and then adding cream and tomatoes. That was new to me—cream in the meat sauce?

To create a classic cheese layer quickly, we incorporated ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, fresh basil, and an egg to help thicken and bind the mixture. Covering the lasagna with foil before baking helped soften the noodles; removing the foil during the last 25 minutes of baking allowed the cheeses to brown properly. Of course, since ours was refrigerated over night, we put it on the kitchen counter about an hour before sliding into the preheated oven, and then also extended the cooking time.

If you can’t find meatloaf mixture for the sauce, or if you choose not to eat veal, substitute 1/2 pound ground beef and 1/2 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed, for the meatloaf mixture.

The assembled, unbaked lasagna, if wrapped tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil, will keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To bake, defrost it in the refrigerator for a day or two and bake as directed, extending the baking time by about 5 minutes.

Our lasagna casserole dish is somewhat larger than most so we increased the amounts of meat and cheeses, and cooked 15 minutes longer to compensate—but the recipe below is the original.

Ingredients

Smear the entire bottom of your baking dish with 1/4 cup meat sauce.

No-cook lasagna noodles are placed on top of the bottom meat sauce.

Drop 3 tablespoons ricotta mixture down the center of each noodle, then level by pressing flat with back of measuring spoon. 

For the top layer, sprinkle with remaining cup mozzarella, then with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan.

Directions

This isn’t your grandma’s recipe, but an interesting twist on an old stand-by. My first recollection of Swedish Meatballs came by way of an occasional outing to a family-style smörgåsbord in Michigan when we were kids. Their’s (and most others I’ve tried since then) had more of a sweet note, which as a youngster with a sweet-tooth suited me just fine—certainly not my preference today.

If properly and traditionally prepared, they are considered part of an authentic Swedish meal. But we weren’t going for authentic. The impetus for this recipe came via a house party invite with a request to contribute an hors d’oeuvre. Russ remembered Cook’s Illustrated ran a recent article on holiday appetizers, and he had an “ah-ha” moment when he happened upon their Swedish Meatballs recipe.

Usually when making meatballs, or meatloaf, one is instructed not to over-handle the meat. But in this recipe, along with the ones we recently made for the Italian Wedding Soup, the meats and spices are to be ground vigorously in a stand mixer producing substantial yet delicate meatballs with a sausage-like springiness.

To achieve the right texture, we followed their technique that combines beef, pork, bread, cream—and a surprise ingredient—baking powder, which keeps the meatballs delicate and juicy. Although to make them less sweet, we eliminated the brown sugar from the meatball ingredients altogether, and reduced the amount called for in the sauce. (The following ingredients reflect these changes.)

For the meatball gravy recipe, we emulated their light cream sauce instead of the traditional heavy brown gravy. To get this, you add a bit of cream to the stock to lighten it up and a splash of lemon juice for some bright flavor.

Keep your fingers and palms moist so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands.

Wait until all of your meatballs are formed before starting to cook them.

Keep a bowl of water nearby and dip your fingers after every two or three meatballs to prevent the meat from sticking as you form the balls. Another trick, when ready to start cooking, is to start near the skillet handle, arrange the meatballs in a clockwise spiral to keep track of the order in which they need to be flipped.

A 12-inch slope-sided skillet can be used in place of the sauté pan (use 1 1/2 cups of oil to fry instead of 1 1/4 cups.) The meatballs can be fried and then frozen for up to 2 weeks. To continue with the recipe, thaw the meatballs in the refrigerator overnight and proceed from step 3, using a clean pan. Serve the meatballs with mashed potatoes, boiled red potatoes, or egg noodles, or simply as an hors d’oeuvre like we did.

BTW, “köttbullar” is the Swedish word for meatballs.

Ingredients

Directions

Instead of buying an entire loaf of gluten-free bread for just one slice (which we wouldn’t use the rest of) we thawed a roll from the freezer and removed the crust. The scraps went to the birdies.

After combining the bread and cream, use a fork to mash it until no large dry bread chunks remain.

An onion is grated on the large holes of a box grater.

In a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, beat pork (and other meats, if using), onion, nutmeg, allspice, pepper, salt, and baking powder on high speed until smooth and pale.

Add bread mixture with ground meat and beat on high speed until smooth and homogeneous.

Arrange meatballs in hot oil in a spiral starting at the handle.

After a few minutes, start turning the meatballs over beginning with the one closest to the handle.

Remove all the meatballs from the pan to a paper towel lined platter.

When the foaming from the butter subsides, add flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is light brown.

Once the sauce is reduced to about one cup, stir in cream and return to simmer.

Finally, add meatballs to sauce and simmer, turning occasionally, until heated through.

Thanks to IKEA, Swedish meatballs are arguably the most well-known meatballs in the world. Initially they were only enjoyed by upper class Swedes but by the 1850s they were accessible to the middle classes as well. There are endless varieties with numerous sauces from white to dark brown and everything in between. So go ahead and try your (wet) hand at making this recipe!

Feeling a little bloated from a food hangover? Or just want to eat a little healthier in the New Year? I first saw this recipe when my sister Lolly posted the link on Facebook during Winter break. And I thought after all of the heavy, caloric food that’s been offered the past several weeks, this Lemon Chicken and Spaghetti Squash looked like a quick, healthy and delicious alternative. Had to get it on our upcoming meal repertoire ASAP!

Eager to try it, I got around to making it immediately after the holidays ended. In so doing, we incorporated our homemade turkey stock (we were out of homemade chicken stock) in place of commercial chicken stock. My guess is the dish may be too bland if you use packaged broth, but if you do, think about including some other spices and/or herbs of your choice to amp up the flavor.

A few other changes included adding some fresh cremini mushrooms, increasing the cherry tomatoes by about another cup, and decreased the baby spinach—only because our package weighed five ounces, not eight as the ingredients called for. Our two chicken breasts weighed in at 3/4 pound, which was plenty for two, with leftovers.

Cooked as instructed, the roasted squash came out perfectly! What a clever idea to “fork” the squash around the perimeter and then microwave for 5 minutes before you cut it in half. How come I never heard of this technique before?? I’m going to try this next time I roast an acorn squash too because they can be such buggers to try and slice open.

In a straight line around the perimeter, use a fork to make holes.

After microwaving for five minutes, cut the squash in half along the “forked” line.

Scoop out the seeds and fibers and place on a rimmed baking sheet.

Spread a little olive oil all over the cut side and season with salt and pepper. Make sure to turn the cut side down before roasting.

In addition, as toppers we sprinkled on some red pepper flakes (shocked, right?) and a tad of shredded parmesan cheese. I’m thinking some rendition of this will become a monthly dinner staple during the cooler months.

NOTE: To make it a vegetarian dish, use vegetable broth and tofu chunks in place of the chicken.

Everyone loves Italian Wedding Soup including us, but when we stumbled upon this recipe from Cook’s Illustrated we were intrigued by the atypical aromatics of anise and fennel as opposed to the standard celery and carrots. And according to the original directions, the broth gets simmered with ground pork and beef for a savory note. Although our grocery store didn’t have ground pork so Russ picked up meatloaf mix which included veal, beef and pork.

Skipping the fuss of a typical brodo doesn’t have to mean sacrificing flavor. By doctoring commercial chicken broth, you get comparably rich-tasting results in under an hour. HOWEVER, after reading the instructions, we could not fathom the thought of throwing away the meat once the broth was done! Instead we used our own homemade chicken stock which added plenty of flavor on its own, along with some prepackaged beef stock.

For the meatballs, beating the ground meat in a stand mixer distributes fat and moisture evenly so they have a springy bite. Plus, a few umami-packed ­porcini mushrooms and Worcestershire sauce amp up the broth’s meaty flavor. Substituting kale for the usual escarole was a “feel-good-about-yourself” swap—and a tasty one at that.

Without any fresh oregano on hand, we incorporated the dried herb, which had been picked directly from our garden in the fall and dehydrated, so it was “fresh” dried. Since Russ ordered about 30 packages of gluten-free pasta shapes a few months ago through Amazon.com, we have quite a selection and one of them was ditalini!

NOTES:
It’s best to use a rasp-style grater to process the onion and garlic for the meatballs.
Tubettini or orzo can be used in place of the ditalini.
If you don’t eat, beef, veal or pork, make ground chicken or turkey meatballs.

Ingredients

Directions

The chopped fennel, onion, dried porcini mushrooms and bay leaf (we did not add meat to this step) are cooked for about 5 minutes.

Kale is sliced down into strips.

After all of the strained liquids are added to the pot and simmered for a half hour, the kale and pasta are added.

1. Heat onion, fennel, garlic, porcini, pork, beef, (we did not add meat in this step) and bay leaf in Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook, stirring frequently, until meats are no longer pink, about 5 minutes.
2. Add wine and Worcestershire; cook for 1 minute. Add chicken broth (homemade if possible), beef broth, and water; bring to simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

When forming the meatballs, it’s best if you keep your hands wet, so keep dipping your fingertips into a bowl of water and touch your palms with the wet fingers after every two or three balls.

We made the meatballs earlier in the day and placed them on a wax paper lined baking sheet, covered with saran wrap and refrigerated until ready to use.

Without searing the meatballs beforehand, they are added at the end until heated through.

1. While broth simmers, combine bread, cream, Parmesan, onion, garlic, and pepper to taste in bowl; using fork, mash mixture to uniform paste.
2. Using stand mixer fitted with paddle, beat pork, baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt on high speed until smooth and pale, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed.
3. Add bread mixture, beef, and oregano; mix on medium-low speed until just incorporated, 1 to 2 minutes, scraping down bowl as needed. Using moistened hands, form heaping teaspoons of meat mixture into smooth, round meatballs; you should have 30 to 35 meatballs. Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day.
4. Strain broth through fine-mesh strainer set over large bowl or container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Wipe out Dutch oven and return broth to pot. (Broth can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Skim off fat before reheating.)
5. Return broth to simmer over medium-high heat. Add pasta and kale; cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Add meatballs; return to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

The soup made for great lunches at work.

Adapted from Cook’s Illustrated Italian Wedding Soup

In the dreary doldrums of Winter we need a bit of sunshine, enter the deep flavor of flat iron steak which works really well with the umami-rich soy sauce and sesame oil featured in Flat Iron Steak with Zucchini, Edamame, and Soba Noodles. Unfortunately our supermarket butcher told us they rarely carry flat iron steak, only if notified ahead of time. So, if you can’t find flat iron, substitute rib-eye like we did.

We had to make a few other alterations to the ingredients. The first was using rice noodles instead of soba noodles which contain wheat. The zucchini only came in large sizes so we just incorporated one, after all, it was just the two of us. Then, we opted for fresh edamame instead of frozen, but it was only an 8 ounce package, so next time I’ll make sure to add more because they not only taste good, they are rich in protein, dietary fiber, and micronutrients.

Finally, I cut back the amount of sugar from a 1/4 cup to just one tablespoon because the original amount just seemed like it would make a savory dish way too sweet. (And comments from reviewers verified that fact.) The recipe also calls for 3/4 cup of Mirin, an essential Japanese condiment similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content and higher sugar content. The sugar content is a complex carbohydrate that forms naturally during the fermentation process (with no sugars added) but increases the sweetness of the dish.

As you know by now, we are way more into spicy and savory than sweet so when we make this again, we are going to add a couple of hot chiles during step two to add that spicy note and to counterbalance the sweetness.

As far as the meat, I was skeptical about poaching steak—who wouldn’t be? But by jove, it came out perfectly medium-rare after 12 minutes and was incredibly tender. Make sure you slice it thin and against the grain to preserve the suppleness.

Pickled ginger, scallions and toasted sesame seeds are all optional ingredients. I originally planned to incorporate all three of them to develop more layers of flavor, but had a senior moment and forgot the pickled ginger. However, Russ added the garlic cloves and ginger slices back into the sauce as he reduced it (Step 4) which we believe intensified the piquancy of the liquid.

Our reduced sauce thickened to a molasses-like consistency, so I can image if we had used the entire 1/4 cup of sugar, how thick it would have ended up! So based on your own penchant for sweet or spicy, you can adjust the aromatics, spices and sweetners to suit your own taste.

Two cloves of garlic are lightly smashed, ginger is sliced into three 1/4″ rounds, zuchinni is cut into match sticks, and the scallions are thinly sliced on the diagonal.

Ingredients

• Kosher salt
• 8 oz. dried soba noodles
• 1 Tbs. Asian sesame oil
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3/4 cup mirin
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar (suggested you cut back to 1 Tbsp.)
• 3 1/4-inch-thick slices peeled fresh ginger
• 2 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 flat iron steaks (8 to 10 oz. each)
• 1 lb. zucchini (2 medium), cut into 2-inch matchsticks
• 1 12-oz. bag frozen shelled edamame, thawed (about 2 cups)
• 1 Tbs. chopped pickled ginger (optional)
• 2 small scallions, white and light-green parts, thinly sliced (optional)
• 1 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds (optional)

The steak is added to a combination of soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic, and water in a 10-inch straight sided sauté pan.

After 6 minutes simmering, the steaks are flipped and simmered for another 6 minutes.

Once the steaks are removed from the cooking liquid, the zucchini and edamame are simmered for a couple of minutes.

The cooked veggies are added to the noodles which were combined with sesame oil and kept warm.

To intensify flavors, Russ put the garlic and ginger back into the liquid as it reduced, but took them back out when reached to the correct consistency.

Once everything else was ready, Russ sliced the steak into thin strips against the grain.

The sauce reduction is partially spooned over the platter, while the rest was served for passing at the table.

Finally, sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds are tossed on top of the entire ensemble.

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil and cook the noodles until tender, about 4 minutes. Drain well, transfer to a large bowl, toss with the sesame oil, cover, and keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, combine the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, ginger, garlic, and 1 cup water in a 10-inch straight sided sauté pan. Bring to a boil, and then add the steaks. Turn the heat down and simmer gently, flipping once, until medium rare (130°F), 12 to 16 minutes. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board, reserving the liquid in the pan. Discard the garlic and ginger.
3. Return the liquid to a boil. Add the zucchini and edamame, return to a boil, and then lower to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are just tender, about 2 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the vegetables to the bowl of noodles. Toss well, cover, and keep warm.
4. Boil the cooking liquid until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
5. Thinly slice the steaks across the grain. Arrange the noodle mixture on a platter or divide it among 6 shallow bowls. Top with the beef and the pickled ginger, if using. Drizzle some of the sauce over the beef and garnish with the scallions and sesame seeds, if using. Serve, passing the rest of the sauce at the table.

After plating into individual bowls, more sauce is spooned on top.

Adapted from Lynne Curry of Fine Cooking

To all my shrimp loving friends, you’re gonna love Garlicky Shrimp and Tomatoes! The essence of the sauce is amazingly rich and delicious in this dish, and it ticks all of the boxes: tasty, healthy, easy, relatively quick, and company-worthy.

The combination of flavors in this robust dish is reminiscent of cioppino, San Francisco’s popular seafood stew. Unusual, but it’s not a mistake that raw garlic gets stirred into the sauce at the end of cooking—it provides a jolt of fresh flavor.

What a fabulous marriage it made with our side dish, Orange-Scented Rice Pilaf with Fennel, which was so light, fluffy and full of flavor. And since it can sit to up to 30 minutes, go ahead and make it first.

Russ happened to come home from work early (for him) that evening and inquired if I had opened the jar of clam juice yet. Since I had not, he suggested we use a couple cubes of our frozen shellfish stock, which I thought was brillaint and would add an additional depth of flavor.

I’m going to digress a minute here. When Russ makes homemade stock, of any kind, we’ve gotten into the practice of freezing some in our large ice cube trays. After they are frozen we pop them into a labeled ziploc and the individual cubes come in real handy when a recipe calls for a small amount.

Back to the regular blogcast… We thickened the sauce an additional 3-4 minutes past the recommended 12 minute time frame. However you don’t want to go overboard on this step, especially if, like us, you prefer saucier dishes. Neither dish is spicy at all but rather brimming with lots of subtle flavors.

Ingredients

• 30 jumbo shrimp (21 to 25 per lb.), peeled, deveined, and patted dry
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 5 Tbs. olive oil; more as needed
• 3 large cloves garlic, pressed or minced
• 1-1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, coarsely crushed
• 1-1/2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with purée (from a 15-oz. can)
• 6 oz. (3/4 cup) bottled clam juice (or shellfish stock)
• 3/4 cup dry white vermouth
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Two large frozen cubes of shellfish stock were unthawed in the microwave and used in place of bottled clam juice.

Partially cook the shrimp over medium-high heat in an oiled skillet.

After the shrimp are transferred to a bowl, add the remaining oil and about two-thirds of the garlic and all of the fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant.

Stir in the tomatoes, clam juice, and vermouth. Bring to a boil and cook until the sauce is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 12-15 minutes.

Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the remaining garlic and the parsley.

Add the shrimp and accumulated juices and cook until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes.

After the shrimp has fully cooked, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Directions

1. Season the shrimp with 1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper. Heat 3 Tbs. of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot. Add the shrimp and cook, stirring, until partially cooked, 3 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a large bowl.
2. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. oil to the skillet. Add about two-thirds of the garlic and all of the fennel seeds and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes, clam juice, and vermouth. Bring to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 12 minutes.
3. Turn the heat down to medium and stir in the remaining garlic and the parsley. Add the shrimp and accumulated juice and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

by Selma Brown Morrow from Fine Cooking

Orange-Scented Rice Pilaf with Fennel

Ingredients

• 3 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 3/4 cup finely chopped fennel (1/2 small bulb)
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion (1 small onion)
• 1-1/2 cups long-grain rice, preferably basmati
• 2-3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
• 2 strips orange zest
• 1 bay leaf
• 3/4 tsp. kosher salt

Lay a kitchen towel over the pot after the rice absorbs the liquid, replace the lid, and let sit for anywhere from 5 to 30 minutes.

1. Melt the butter over medium heat in a medium (3-qt.) saucepan. Add the fennel and onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes.
2. Add the rice and cook, stirring, until the grains are glossy and beginning to crackle, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the broth, orange zest, bay leaf, and salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and lower the heat to a simmer. Simmer until the rice is tender and all the liquid has been absorbed, about 17 minutes.
4. Off the heat, remove the lid, lay a kitchen towel over the pot, replace the lid, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork and serve.

By Molly Stevens, one of our favorite chef-authors