Penny | Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

Winter Tomato Casserole

January 31st, 2009

There is nothing better than a vine ripened tomato warm from the summer sun. I have not always liked tomatoes, but over the years I have learned to appreciate them. What can I say – I was a picky eater as a child and the closest I came to liking vegetables was canned corn and french fries. Tomatoes took a while, but now they are my friends. In the summer I love a slice of tomato on lightly toasted bread with basil leaves tucked beneath, a drizzle of olive oil and pepper on top and placed back in the toaster oven to warm and soften the tomato. Speaking of friends, I discovered last year that I have a friend from high school who has published a complete book on tomatoes. And it was nominated for a James Beard Award! It is now out of print, but I bought a copy on Amazon. It is called Tomato Imperative and you can buy it here. There are more than 130 recipes and it covers everything from using the first green tomatoes, to recipes for canned tomatoes. Sharon is also a fellow blogger and you can visit her at . . . thrice shy, listed in my favorite blogs. One recipe that Sharon included that is unusual is for Sweet Tomato and Bread Pudding which turns out to be very similar to a recipe that I have been cooking for a while.

My recipe came originally from a woman nicknamed Mama Dip. She has become well known in North Carolina because she has a restaurant in Chapel Hill. But she is known nationally because she has published several cookbooks, one of which is Mama Dip’s Kitchen.

The thing that is so refreshing about Mama Dip is that she never follows recipes. She learned from an early age the process of “dump” cooking – dump in a little of this, a little of that, a pinch of seasoning, a palm full of sugar. And then taste. By trial and error a dish was created. Mothers passed the recipes to children by hands on cooking and observation. When Mama Dip was asked to write a cookbook she was forced to measure for the first time in her life in order to be sure that all of us who lacked her innate sense of taste would not fail. Another feature of her dishes is cooking with what you have- no fancy ingredients required. It is good down home cooking and usually seasonal in its approach. Since this time of year we are relying more on canned tomatoes, Mama Dip’s tomato casserole is a winner. I have to warn you, you may think you are eating dessert when you try this because it is a little sweet. But what better way to get non-lovers of tomatoes to eat what is good for them. This recipe was printed in Southern Living magazine.

MAMA DIP’S TOMATO CASSEROLE

2 (14 1/2ounce) cans whole tomatoes, drained and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups soft white bread cubes (about 3 slices) – I used 5 slices of Pepperridge Farm Original White Bread
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/4 t. pepper

Stir together all ingredients. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 9 inch baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes.

Zinfandel Beef Ribs

January 26th, 2009

When I was working in the world of retail, Saturday was our biggest day. That meant that on a day that I would have loved to kick back and relax with my husband, I had to look good, be creative, sell furniture and solve computer problems. It was never my favorite day of the week. That is why I looked forward to the end of the day when I returned home to wonderful aromas wafting from the kitchen. My husband had free rein in the meal preparations on Saturdays and I think he loved it because I was not there to question why in the world he wanted to mix some odd ingredients or serve pork necks. Who in the world eats pork necks? We actually had friends for dinner one Saturday and that is what he served – being a good friend Jim said ” I believe this is the first time I have ever eaten pork necks by candlelight.” To be honest they were tasty. The point of all of this is that because David has no preconceived ideas of the rules of cooking, he is a much more creative cook than I am. One Saturday he found a recipe for Short Ribs of Beef in a Wine Country Living magazine. It called for Zinfandel wine, orange rind, a cinnamon stick and a dried Ancho chili – if I was cooking I would have thought this combination strange. But David breezed ahead with the recipe and it was sublime! There was just a hint of cinnamon, the heat was not overpowering and the orange rind calmed the richness of the meat. We all should come home to meals like this.

ZINFANDEL BEEF RIBS – Adapted from Wine Country Living

2 T. Vegetable oil

2 lbs Beef Short Ribs ( I use 3 lbs boneless short ribs)
1 large onion, cut into medium dice
2 medium carrots, cut 1 inch thick
2 cups Zinfandel
1 cinnamon stick
1 Dried Ancho Chile
2 cups Beef Stock
1 zest from a medium orange, cut into thick strips
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put vegetable oil in large pot, just filming the bottom and heat to high. Brown beef while seasoning generously with salt and pepper. When nicely browned on all sides remove to platter.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add carrots and onions and cook until vegetables begin to brown. Deglaze the pan with the zinfandel and add the cinnamon stick, orange peel and chile. Continue cooking until wine is reduced by half.

3. Return ribs to the pot and add enough beef broth to cover ribs. Bring to a simmer and adjust seasoning. Cover pot and place in 300 degree oven for 2 1/2 hours to 3 hours.

4. Remove meat from pot and reserve. Strain the sauce and puree the strained vegetables after removing the cinnamon stick. Boil the sauce to reduce it then add the pureed vegetables and stir to combine. This thickens the sauce. Pour over the ribs. Serve with a hearty starch.

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Strawberry Inspiration

January 21st, 2009

There is an unassuming small restaurant in a former corner grocery store in Durham, NC that holds a treasure of talent and flavor. The name of this restaurant is Magnolia Grill and the chef-owners are Ben and Karen Barker, winners of James Beard Awards, Bon Appetit Recognitions and mentions in Gourmet, Food & Wine, The New York Times, and Southern Living Magazine.My husband and I have had several memorable meals there and I was fortunate to participate in a cooking class that they held at Roosters Gourmet Market in Greensboro, NC and you will find more info about their franchise opportunities through this post. Their innovative Southern cooking is complex in flavor and brilliant in food pairings. Ben is the chef and Karen is the pastry chef and both have come up with recipes that are unique and thought provoking. Ben’s recipe for Spicy Grilled Shrimp with Grits Cake, Country Ham and Redeye Vinaigrette combines so many Southern cliches – shrimp and grits, country ham and redeye gravy -and turns the whole into something sublime and different. One of Karen’s recipes really caught my eye. It is a recipe for Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream drizzled with bittersweet Chocolate Sauce. It is described as “a cross between strawberry shortcake and an ice cream sandwich.” These recipes and many more like them can be found in the Barker’s wonderful cookbook, Not Afraid of Flavor.

I made an adaptation of Karen Barker’s Double Chocolate Waffles with Strawberries and White Chocolate Ice Cream. For one thing I do not have a waffle iron here in Florida, nor do I have an ice cream maker. It is characteristic of many of the Barker’s recipes that many separate preparations are required for one final presentation. To simplify, I made a batch of chocolate pancakes instead of waffles and did them ahead of time as you would crepes, and right before serving time all I had to do was crisp them on a cookie sheet in the oven. They are supposed to be crisper than a pancake just off the griddle anyway. Also the recipe makes at least 24 4″ pancakes which is enough for 12 servings so the extras can be frozen or the recipe can be halved. Instead of ice cream, I whipped heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla and piped onto the plate. I have included the recipe for the Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce, but you could also use a purchased chocolate sauce. The Strawberries were fresh from Plant City, Florida and required only a little sugar to bring out the juices.

STRAWBERRY CHOCOLATE PANCAKES

For the Pancakes:
1 cup flour
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/8 t. salt
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 T. unsalted butter
1/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 t. vanilla
1. Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda,salt and sugar into a large bowl.
2.Combine the butter and semisweet chocolate chips in a double boiler. Place over low heat until melted. Cool for a few minutes and then add beaten eggs, milk and vanilla and whisk to combine.
3. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry and combine until all of the dry ingredients have been incorporated.
4. Heat a large non-stick frying pan over moderate heat, add a small amount of oil. When pan is hot drop pancakes in by scant 1/4 cups each and cook until bubbles form. Turn gently and cook on other side a few minutes. Do not crowd pan. I cooked 3 at a time. Remove pancakes when they are done to large platter and continue until all batter is used. Add more oil as needed for each batch. When cool you can place in plastic bags and refrigerate until ready to assemble or place the ones you will need on a cookie sheet and crisp in a 350 degree oven for 5 to 10 minutes.

For Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
5 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped into very small pieces
3/4 cup sugar
a few grains of salt
1. In a saucepan, bring the cream to just under a boil
2. Combine the chopped chocolate, sugar and salt in a stainless bowl. While whisking, very gradually pour the hot cream over the chocolate. By the time you whisk in all the cream, the chocolate should be melted and the sugar dissolved. If necessary, you can put the bowl over a pot of simmering water and whisk until the sauce is smooth.

Whip heavy cream with a little sugar and vanilla until stiff. Put in pastry bag.

Wash and halve strawberries. Sprinkle with sugar and allow to sit until juices form

For Assembly:
Place a few strawberries and chocolate sauce on plate. Top with one pancake. Add more strawberries and piped whipped cream. Place second pancake on top. Add more strawberries and whipped cream and drizzle plate with chocolate sauce.

This one is for Rachel – All of her favorite foods. Wish she were here to eat it.

Healthier Mexican Comfort Food

January 18th, 2009

I have a weakness for a certain Mexican Taco Dinner Kit in the Supermarket that makes me feel guilty every time I buy it. But to me it is really good and easy to make – just grab a pound of ground beef and throw it together. But my mind is working while preparing this dinner. What is in this Taco seasoning? What kind of cheese is this that I’m squeezing out of this small foil packet. Surely there is a better value in buying a 12 pack of flour tortillas than the 4 tortillas in this box. So the last time I was strolling the international aisle of the supermarket and was tempted by the siren call of this convenience food, I paused and decided that maybe, just maybe I could make my own so called dinner kit. And maybe I could make it healthier. I decided to substitute ground turkey for the ground beef and as a bonus, the turkey is less expensive than the ground beef. I substituted multi-grain flour tortillas for the flour tortillas and decided I could make my own taco seasoning from the herbs and spices in my pantry. The only liquid in the store taco kit is water, so I bought canned tomatoes. And last but not least I bought real cheese, not the grated variety but real block cheese. To go with this, I added black beans, lettuce, tomatoes, scallions and avocado. I should have gotten sour cream too but thought I had it in the fridge. It was a comforting meal. From now on I plan to keep my dinner kit ingredients in the pantry, fridge and freezer.

MEXICAN CASSEROLE

1 pound ground turkey
1/2 t. chili powder
1/2 t.cumin
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried oregano
1 10.75 oz. can tomato puree
1 10 oz. can Ro-Tel
4 Multi-grain flour tortillas – 8 inch
3 to 4 ounces sharp cheddar, grated
3 to 4 ounces monterey jack cheese, grated

Brown turkey in 12 ” skillet breaking apart until no longer pink. Drain off any liquid. Add herbs and spices and cook for 1 minute. Add tomato puree and ro-tel and cook at medium low heat until liquid is somewhat reduced about 15 minutes. Film a deep dish pie plate with oil. Place 1 tortilla in dish. Top with 1/4 of turkey mixture and 1/4 of each cheese. Layer 3 more times ending with cheeses. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 30 minutes. Cut into 6 wedges. Serve with heated black beans, lettuce, tomato, scallions , avocado, and sour cream. I dressed the lettuce with vinegar and oil. Add other condiments to your taste.

Eating Seasonally

January 15th, 2009

On Christmas Eve at my Son and Daughter-In-Law’s home, Kristen served a fragrant Winter Squash Soup and all of us decided that it should become an annual tradition. Since returning to Florida the days have been warm and my thoughts and appetite have dictated a grill mentality, but even Florida gets cold when the weather in the Northeast is below zero, as it is this week. So my thoughts returned to that warming soup and cooking seasonally. I try to go to the local farmer’s market every week. We are fortunate to have a longer growing season than most of the country, so it is easier to buy produce that is grown locally.

The lettuce looked beautiful and was much less expensive than the grocery store bagged variety.

At the end of this row were beautiful winter squash, both butternut and acorn. Dinner was inevitable – Winter Squash Soup and Salad. Kristen researched Butternut squash soup recipes on Epicurious and this recipe received the highest rating.
WINTER SQUASH SOUP WITH GRUYERE CROUTONS
Soup
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 large onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
3 14 1/2 ounce cans low-salt chicken broth
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled butternut squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
4 cups 1-inch pieces peeled acorn squash (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 1/4 t. minced fresh thyme
1 1/4 t. minced fresh sage
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 t. sugar
Melt butter in large pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and saute until tender, about 10 minutes. Add broth, all squash and herbs; bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmner until squash is very tender, about 20 minutes. Working in batches, puree soup in blender. Return soup to same pot. Stir in cream and sugar; bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made ahead. Chill. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.)
Croutons
2 T. (1/4 stick) butter
24 1/4 inch thick baguette bread slices
1 cup grated Gruyere cheese
1 t. minced fresh thyme
1 t. minced fresh sage
Preheat broiler. Butter 1 side of each bread slice. Arrage bread, buttered side up, on baking sheet. Broil until golden, about 1 minute. Turn over. Sprinkle cheese, then thyme and sage over. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Broil until cheese melts, about 1 minute. Ladle soup into bowls. Top each with croutons and serve.

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