Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

It’s a Mystery to Me

February 21st, 2009

I love a good mystery and I love reading about food. One of the best authors who combines the two brilliantly is Rex Stout. Nero Wolfe is a detective who weighs 1/7 of a ton because of his passion for food. His other passion is orchids, which he raises in a greenhouse at the top of his brownstone house in New York City. He rarely leaves his home and has two employees who are indispensible to him. Archie Goodwin is his assistant who ventures forth from the brownstone to help solve the cases that Wolfe undertakes and Fritz Brenner is his Swiss born, European trained chef who collaborates with Wolfe in creating inspired meals. These books make me happy and I have been collecting them. They were originally published from 1934 to 1975. Many of them may appear dated, but it is like watching an old black and white movie from the 40’s. Some truths are universal and eternal. Dining well is one of them.

Breakfast in the brownstone was taken by Wolfe in bed. Now that is a custom that I could get used to. Fritz Brenner refused to fry eggs so his egg dishes were omelets, coddled eggs or this recipe for shirred eggs. Rex Stout even talks about a shirred egg dish for single servings. It would be interesting to find one in an antique store. I’m assuming he is talking about a kind of ramekin. For my serving I used a 6″x 8″ casserole and it was perfect. By the way I found 6 of these at The Dollar Store a few years ago. The recipe for shirred eggs and many more of the dishes discussed in the Nero Wolfe Series can be found in The Nero Wolfe Cook Book published in 1973 by Rex Stout and the editors of Viking Press.

SHIRRED EGGS

4 breakfast sausages ( I used diced ham )

1 Tbls. butter

4 Tbls. light cream

4 large eggs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2 dashes paprika

chopped fresh chives

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Brown the sausages in a skillet and set them aside to drain on a paper towel. Butter 2 shirred-egg dishes generously, add 2 tablespoons of cream to each, and slip in the eggs, 2 to a dish, being careful not to break the yolks. Arrange the sausages in each dish and sprinkle with salt, pepper, paprika, and chives. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until the eggs are done to the desired firmness. Serves 2.

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Roasted Vegetables

February 18th, 2009

We have had a lot of company lately. I enjoy all of our friends and family who visit us in Florida. And soon we will have more. It is a pleasurable challenge for me to come up with great meals that everyone will like. I don’t know about you, but one of the things that always has me fretting is – what kind of vegetable dish should I serve with my stupendous main course. I spend so much time with the entree that sometimes the side dishes become whatever is easy or expedient. Easy peasy is green beans or broccoli. A salad would do and usually does. But sometimes I really want vegetables that stand on their own. I love to roast vegies. The caramelization they receive in the oven renders them sweet and succulent. Even cauliflower loses it’s bitter bite. Carrots and sweet potato chunks are beautiful roasted and you can add cumin to them for an unexpected flavor. I like to halve baking potatoes lengthwise, place a pat of butter, fresh rosemary sprigs and salt and pepper on them and bake cut side down until done. The cut side becomes deeply brown with the rosemary embedded decoratively in the flesh. For this particular meal I was looking for something colorful. We had been to the farmers market last week and I had peppers, squash, onions, and asparagus that needed my attention.

Placed on a baking sheet, the vegetables are so colorful and the roasting process maintains their vibrant color. Maybe next time I will experiment with red and yellow beets. What do you think?

ROASTED VEGETABLES

1 Green Pepper, cut into 2″ chunks

1 Red Pepper, cut into 2″ chunks

1 Red Onion, cut into large chunks

4 small Yellow Squash, cut into chunks

12 to 14 Asparagus Spears, trimmed

3 to 4 Tbls. olive oil

Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Put all vegetables except the asparagus on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 3 Tbls. of olive oil and salt and pepper and toss to cover. Roast for approximately 20 minutes turning once. Add the asparagus and toss again. Roast an additional 10 to 15 minutes.

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Something Fishy

February 12th, 2009

My husband, David, likes fishing and motorcycles, and also occasionally likes to try his hand in the kitchen. Recently, when one of his riding buddies called to confirm their plans for Daytona Bike Week, Ron happened to mention that he had just enjoyed a delicious seafood corn chowder in a restaurant. The corn chowder had incorporated both salmon and smoked trout, and Ron loved it. That started the wheels turning in David’s head due to the happy coincidence that he had several smoked blue fish chilling in the fridge without a good plan for their ultimate use. When he broached his plan with me, I was less than enthusiastic because not only am I not a fan of smoked fish in general, I have an aversion to blue fish in particular. He agreed that if I let him experiment with a seafood corn chowder, he would prepare two versions….one with salmon only for me, and the other with both salmon and smoked blue fish for his exclusive consumption. So, today I am turning the blog over to David. I loved his Seafood Chowder.

A quick Google search for corn chowder yielded a very basic and simple recipe that served as a good starting point. It called for one can each of both creamed corn and whole kernel corn, diced potatoes, celery, and condensed milk. Instead of the condensed milk, I substituted Skim Plus milk and some half-and-half, and added onion, green pepper, jalepeno pepper, garlic, and a little butter and sherry to the mix. The results were quite tasty, although I admit to overdoing it a bit on the smoked fish in my batch. Penny’s batch, with salmon only, was pretty good, and I think if I had it to do over again (and I will), I wouldn’t put a whole smoked fish into the rather small pot that I made for myself. A little smoked blue fish goes a long way in a chowder. It can take the place of the bacon, or pancetta, or salt pork that some recipes call for, but it would probably require only two or three tablespoons to impart a nice smokey flavor to a whole pot of chowder – a whole smoked fish in the pot was a little overpowering.

I should also mention the toasted sourdough french baguette with olive oil and pepper that I made to go with the chowder. I make this toast several times a week these days and we have both become seriously addicted to it. The baguettes are readily available at the ubiquitous Publix grocery stores here in Florida, but when we head back to Lake Lure in the spring we will either have to do without (I foresee severe withdrawal symptoms) or learn to make them ourselves. The simple recipe for the toast is included below.

SEAFOOD AND CORN CHOWDER

2 medium potatos, peeled and diced

2 stalks celery, diced

1 medium onion, diced

1 small green pepper, diced

2 jalepeno peppers, diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 can creamed corn
1 small package of frozen corn niblets
1 fresh salmon fillet (about 3/4 lb) skinned and cut into 3/4 inch cubes
Diced Smoked fish to taste (don’t overdue it, a little goes a long way, but it adds a nice smoky flavor, and takes the place of smoked bacon or fatback called for in many chowder recipes)
1/2 cup Skim Plus milk (or milk of your choice)
A little half-and-half, maybe 1/4 cup — add more or less milk and/or half-and-half to achieve the consistency you desire in the chowder. I wanted it kind of thick.
1 Tbs olive oil for sweating the vegetables
1 Tbs sherry (just for the nice flavor it imparts — leave it out or use more as you desire)
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes for a little more kick
2 Tbs butter
salt and black pepper to taste

Directions:

Saute the potatoes, celery, onion, green pepper, jalepeno pepper, and garlic in a little olive oil in a large pot over medium heat to soften them and give them flavor. Add enough water to just cover the vegetables and simmer for 10 minutes or until potatos are cooked. Drain the water and add the creamed corn and corn niblets to the pot, followed by the milk, half-and-half, sherry, butter, and red pepper flakes. Add the cubed salmon and smoked fish and then salt and black pepper to taste. Simmer for about 20 minutes to be sure the salmon is cooked. Serve and enjoy with any bread of your choice, but if you have access to sourdough french baguettes, try the toast below.

Sourdough French Baguette Preparation:

Slice a sourdough french baguette on a diagonal making slices about 1/2 inch thick
Arrange slices on a baking sheet
Liberally coat each slice with olive oil and rub the oil in
Top each slice with fresh ground black pepper to taste
Place in a toaster oven or under the broiler of an oven until nicely browned

Printable recipe – Seafood and corn chowder

Barefoot Blogger’s Real Meatballs and Spaghetti

February 12th, 2009

The Barefoot Bloggers are a group of foodies who post twice a month on recipes from The Barefoot Contessa, Ina Garten. Each member has a turn picking a dish from one of Ina’s many cookbooks or recipes featured on the Food Network. The first choice for February, Real Meatballs and Spaghetti, was chosen by Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake. Visit her blog for a funny and informed look at cookery. The reason I became a Barefoot Blogger is because I find Ina Garten’s recipes to be straightforward ( no cream of mushroom soup here), seasonal, and usually delicious. Many of her recipes have become a permanent part of my repertoire. For the most part I liked this recipe. The meatballs were wonderful. I did cut way back on the salt though. To my taste, Ina overdoes the salt. I ended up with 22 meatballs as opposed to her 16. The three meats made for a flavorful combination and the addition of parmesan cheese added an extra tang. My problem was with the sauce. There was not enough of it and the flavor was just so so. If I were to do this again, I would double the sauce and add more aromatic herbs like basil, oregano and thyme. As it was, we had delicious meatballs left over for sandwiches on toasted sourdough bread. Thank you Rebecca! See all of you in two weeks for Meringues Chantilly.

REAL MEATBALLS AND SPAGHETTI

For the meatballs:
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
1/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt ( I used 1/2 teaspoon)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:
1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion ( 1 onion)
1 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1/2 cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt ( I used less)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:
1 1/2 pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions
Freshly grated Parmesan

Directions:
Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2 inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil intoa large (12 inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. ( I used less oil) Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs. Remove the meatball to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan.

For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan.

Printable recipe

Savory Leek and Ham Tart

February 8th, 2009

Pie crust has always been easy for me. I know many cooks claim to be intimidated by the prospect of making homemade pastry, but for some reason, I enjoy the mixing, rolling, trimming and crimping. It probably has alot to do with my Mother and Grandmother. I grew up in a small town in Michigan in the house where my Mother was born. My Grandmother lived with us and the two of them were always in the kitchen fixing comforting meals. When my brother and I were small, Grandma did a lot of the cooking, but over the years Mom took over most of it, with Grandma in the background offering encouraging comments like ” You aren’t going to have any potatoes left with the way you are peeling them”, or ” That pot roast is going to be dry if you don’t add more water.” But one thing they always agreed on was how to make pie crust. I have even inherited the measuring device they used for their Crisco. They never used butter in their pie crusts and I am sure that in her younger days my Grandmother probably used lard. So here is their recipe for pie crust if you would like to give it a try. For a 1 crust pie, use 1 cup of flour (with 1/4 tsp. salt), 1/2 cup Crisco cut into flour with a sharp knife until the shortening is the size of small peas, and then 1/4 cup milk stirred in. The ratio of 1, 1/2, 1/4 is easy to remember. A two crust pie would be 2,1,1/2. The dough is then rolled out on a heavily floured board. It is a very forgiving dough and can be rerolled without toughening it if you don’t get it right the first time. I have used this recipe for years, but have also discovered the flaky texture of pate brisee, the all butter alternative. And I have used some recipes that call for a mixture of both shortening and butter. But what I am sharing with you today is a pastry dough that I had never heard of before. It is made with olive oil.

In her book Bistro Cooking, Patricia Wells talks of a version of tart that is made in Provence with the local olive oil. The dish she describes is made with Swiss Chard, but having made it before, I found it to be too heavy and unappealing. I did like the crust though, so I came up with my own filling and tweaked the ingredients slightly for the crust. The advantage of this crust is that, when mixed together, it has the consistency of a cookie dough and all you have to do is is pat it into the tart pan. It does not have the buttery flakiness of most pie crusts, but it is crisp and thin and best of all, simple.

SAVORY LEEK AND HAM TART

Pastry:

1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 cup plus 2 Tbls water

1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil

Filling:

4 leeks, green stems removed, washed well and chopped

2 Tbls. olive oil

1/2 cup diced ham

1/2 cup grated Swiss cheese
3 eggs, beaten

1 cup half and half or heavy cream
Dash of nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For the pastry, combine the flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium size bowl. Stir in the water and then the oil, mixing until thoroughly blended. Knead briefly. The dough will be very moist, much like a cookie dough. Press the dough into a 10″ loose-bottomed metal tart tin.

Saute the leeks in the heated oil over medium low heat until limp. Add the ham and brown slightly. In a bowl combine the beaten eggs, cream and nutmeg. Place the leek mixture into the prepared tart tin. Top with grated cheese. Pour the egg mixture over all and place in oven and bake for 40 minutes.

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