Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

I am sharing another crock pot recipe with all of you.  When I have many chores to accomplish, the crock pot is my friend.  We are also trying to lighten things up a bit.  By using ground turkey and lots of vegetables this Italian sauce is light and goes well with a spinach linguine that is also lower in calories than regular pasta.Pasta Valente is made in Charlottesville, Virginia by a Mother and Daughter team.  It is handcrafted, vegan and flavorful.  Plus it cooks in minutes. I found it at my local supermarket.
The Turkey Ragu Bolognese comes from one of my favorite slow cooker cookbooks, The Italian Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone.  Another recipe that I shared with everyone last year was her Spicy Tuscan Sausage Ragu.  I make it often.

We traveled to Washington DC last week to attend the funeral and burial of General Earl E. Anderson in Arlington National Cemetery.  He was a part of our extended family.  His list of accomplishments in life is beyond belief, but his demeanor was always humble and kind.

It was a full marine battalion procession to the grave site with a 21 gun salute and a fly over.  The tribute to this amazing man was truly awe inspiring.

We are back at the cottage this week, cleaning, sweeping and freshening both the interior and the exterior of the house.  This Turkey Ragu Bolognese is the perfect slow cooker dinner to have on hand while spring cleaning.

TURKEY RAGU ALLA BOLOGNESE

Makes 10 Cups

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium celery ribs, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, finely chopped
2 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1 28-ounce can Italian peeled tomatoes, drained and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream

In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, carrots, and garlic and cook until tender and golden, about 20 minutes.  Stir in ground turkey and cook, stirring often, until browned, about 15 minutes.  Stir in the tomato paste, wine, and broth and bring to a simmer.

Scrape the mixture into the slow cooker and add the tomatoes, nutmeg, and salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and cook on low for 6 hours, or until thick.  Stir in the cream and cook for 15 more minutes.

Note:  I saved the liquid from the can of tomatoes and added it to the crock pot also.

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This is a recipe with a long history.  About 15 years ago Robin Chapman from Ripley, Mississippi made this roast in her crock pot. It required a stick of butter, dried ranch dressing mix, dried “au jus” mix and a few pepperoncini.  As most good recipes do, it was passed around, eventually landing in a church cookbook.  But when it hit the Pinterest boards it went viral.  I can appreciate that fact because my Crock Pot Teriyaki Chicken did the same thing with thousands of pins.

But what brought the Mississippi Roast to my attention, was an article in The New York Times.  This recipe had hit the big times. I was kind of wondering why The New York Times would be publishing a recipe with such weird and artificial ingredients.  But it turned out that the back story of the recipe was the real reason for sharing it.  You can read it here.  And true to their beliefs in more sophisticated ingredients, Sam Sifton modified the recipe cutting down on the butter, increasing the number of pepperoncini, and making a homemade ranch dressing to slather over the top of the roast.

The New York Times version of the Mississippi Roast is the one that I prepared on the day before we left our Florida house for our return to North Carolina.  It was a beautiful Spring day and it seemed fitting that we should eat outside.  The shredded beef can be served with mashed potatoes or buttered noodles, but I decided to make sandwiches with it.

This a very good roast indeed.

Happy Easter Everyone!  I saw this table arrangement on Pinterest.  Thought you might like it.

MISSISSIPPI ROAST

• 1 boneless chuck roast or top or bottom round roast, 3 to 4 pounds
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more to taste
• 1 ½ teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tablespoons neutral oil, like canola
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 8 to 12 pepperoncini
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• ¼ teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1 teaspoon buttermilk, optional
• Chopped parsley, for garnish

1. Place roast on a cutting board and rub the salt and pepper all over it. Sprinkle the flour all over the seasoned meat and massage it into the flesh.
2. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan set over high heat until it is shimmering and about to smoke. Place the roast in the pan and brown on all sides, 4 to 5 minutes a side, to create a crust. Remove roast from pan and place it in the bowl of a slow cooker. Add the butter and the pepperoncini to the meat. Put the lid on the slow cooker, and set the machine to low.
3. As the roast heats, make a ranch dressing. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, dill and paprika in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify. Add the buttermilk if using, then whisk again. Remove the lid from the slow cooker and add the dressing. Replace the top and allow to continue cooking, undisturbed, for 6 to 8 hours, or until you can shred the meat easily using 2 forks. Mix the meat with the gravy surrounding it. Garnish with parsley, and serve with egg noodles or roast potatoes, or pile on sandwich rolls, however you like.

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While our friends were visiting, I made a batch of scones.  Scones have all of the qualities of good biscuits but with the sweetness and flavor amped up.  Orange and cranberry flavors are just right.  This is an Ina Garten recipe, so what else do you need to know?  They are so darn good. Plus they are so easy to make because they are blended in the Kitchen Aid Mixer.  Just add the flour, flavorings, butter and turn on the paddle attachment.  I actually made these scones ahead of time and reheated them for breakfast.  It couldn’t have been easier.

Flakey, impressive and just the right kind of breakfast accompanied by fruit.  I have been known to make decadent breakfasts for this group of friends, but we are all getting older, trying to eat better and much more aware of our health.  The guys went on to eat crazy lunches at bike week venues, but we girls had a lovely lunch in St. Augustine, one of my favorite locales.

St. Augustine has such a unique vibe.  It is a small city with the historic fame of being one of the first settlements in the United States.  The historic district is charming and the shops and restaurants are quaint.  After lunch we walked around the cobbled streets and I was drawn to this small outdoor eatery.  Love the ladies dining in straw hats.  It was a beautiful Spring day.  What more could you want?

Please try Ina’s Cranberry Orange Scones.  You will be as happy as we were.  My friend Barbara is making them for her Easter Brunch.

CRANBERRY ORANGE SCONES

4 cups plus 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar, plus extra for sprinkling
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons grated orange zest (2 oranges)
3/4 pound (3 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
4 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons water, for egg wash
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
4 teaspoons freshly squeezed orange juice

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix 4 cups of flour, 1/4 cup of granulated sugar, the baking powder, salt and orange zest. Add the cold butter and mix at the lowest speed until the butter is the size of peas. Combine the eggs and heavy cream and, with the mixer on low speed, slowly add to the flour and butter mixture. Mix until just blended. The dough will look lumpy! Combine the dried cranberries and 1/4 cup of flour, add to the dough and mix on low speed until blended.

Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and knead it into a ball. Flour your hands and a rolling pin and roll the dough just under 1 inch thick. You should see small bits of butter in the dough. Keep moving the dough on the floured board so it doesn’t stick. Flour a 3-inch round plain or fluted cutter and cut circles of dough. Place the scones on the prepared sheet pan. Collect the scraps neatly, roll them out and cut more circles.

Brush the tops of the scones with the egg wash, sprinkle with granulated sugar and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are browned and the insides are fully baked. The scones will be firm to the touch. Allow the scones to cool for 15 minutes, then whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and orange juice and drizzle over the scones.

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I know all of you have had a raw broccoli salad.  But I have to say that this particular recipe is a little different and, in my opinion, a real winner.  It comes from blogger Kathleen at Gonna Want Seconds.  What makes it so special is the addition of orange zest and juice to the dressing.  It also incorporates grapes into the mix.  It is beautiful to look at and even more refreshing when you taste it.

We have had company for the past week.  Our good friends were here for bike week.  David made ribs on the grill for the first night they arrived. Instead of the usual coleslaw, I made this broccoli salad to rave reviews.  This is something you need to add to your Summer repertoire.

I admire Jackie and Barbara for swimming in our frigid pool.  It is not heated and usually swimmable only after April.  We had spent the previous day at the beach and, as you can tell by the picture, Barbara overdid the sun.  I did also.

So with this preview of summer, I hope you enjoy the salad.  Thank you Kathleen for a great recipe.

BROCCOLI SALAD

• Salad:
• Broccoli Florets, Cut into Bite Sized Pieces – 4 Cups
• Red Seedless Grapes, Cut in Half – 2 Cups
• Pecans, Roughly Chopped – 3/4 Cup
• Red Onion, Chopped – 1/2 Cup
• Bacon, Cooked and Chopped – 12 Ounces
• Mozzarella, Cut Into Small Cubes – 1/2 Cup
• Dried Dates or Cranberries – 1/2 Cup
• Dressing:
• Mayonnaise – 1 Cup
• Orange Juice – 1/2 Cup
• Sugar – 1/4 Cup
• Apple Cider Vinegar – 2 Tablespoons
• Fresh Orange Zest – 1 Tablespoon
• Dijon Mustard – 1 Teaspoon
• Salt – 1/4–1/2 Teaspoon
• Black Pepper – 1/4Teaspoon

1.  In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, orange juice, sugar, apple cider vinegar, orange zest, Dijon, salt and pepper until smooth and creamy.
2. In a large salad bowl, toss together the broccoli, grapes, pecans, red onions, bacon, cheese, and dates. Toss the salad with half the dressing. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours. Adjust seasoning, adding more salt and pepper and dressing as needed. Serve.  (I used all of the dressing)

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There are many reasons to love the cookbook Heritage by Sean Brock.  But one of the best reasons is this version of roast chicken.  I have roasted many chickens in my lifetime, but this is arguably the one I love the most.  It cooks very quickly.  It is broken down into 2 halves with the back bone removed, seared over high heat then finished in a hot oven.  The pan sauce with garlic and lemon that goes with it just gilds the lily.

The house smelled of garlic, lemon and crisping chicken skin.  Although there were lots of splatters and heavy pots to contend with, it was well worth the mess.  I have learned over the years that the more you mess up your stove and work space, the better the results on the table.  It might be easier to open cans of already prepared sauces or broths, but the effort to make a dish from scratch is the way we were meant to eat.

The flowers of Spring are also reminders of the way things are supposed to be.  Renewal through Spring buds.  We are looking forward to returning to the season in the mountains of North Carolina.  We have a few more weeks in Florida; friends will be visiting next week and then we have to get the house ready for showings.  We are hoping that it will sell this Spring.

We really enjoyed this chicken.  Hope that you will give it a try.  Spring is in the air and we are thankful for the change in season.

CHICKEN SIMPLY ROASTED IN A SKILLET (Heritage by Sean Brock)

Garlic Confit:
6 large garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Chicken:
1 whole chicken (about 3 pounds)
Kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup canola oil (or 1/4 cup if you brown the chicken in one pan)

Pan Sauce:
2 cups Chicken Stock
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves cut into very thin strips
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

For the Garlic Confit:  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Cut two 12-inch squares of aluminum foil and lay one pice on top of the other.  Place the garlic cloves on the foil.  Sprinkle with the sugar, salt, and pepper.  Pour the olive oil over the garlic cloves.  Shape the foil into a pouch by bringing the edges of the foil together over the garlic and sealing them.  Flatten the bottom of the pouch so it will stay upright in the oven and place it on a baking sheet.  Roast the garlic for about 30 minutes, until the cloves are very soft but not falling apart.  Set the garlic aside in the pouch.  Leave the oven on.

For the Chicken:  Using kitchen shears, cut down along both sides of the backbone, then clip it out.  Cut the wings off at the first joint.  Split the chicken in half.  Use paper towels to dry the skin.  Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  Place the chicken in a baking dish and let it sit at room temperature for 20 minutes.

Place two 12-inch cast-iron skillets over high heat.  When the skillets smoke, add 1/4 up of the canola oil to each.  (I fit the chicken into 1 skillet with 1/4 cup oil.)  As soon as the oil smokes, carefully add a half chicken to each skillet, skin side down.  (Or add to one skillet if they both fit).  Weight the chicken halves with another heavy skillet or pan so it stays flat and browns evenly.  Cook the chicken, with the weights on it, until the skin is crispy and evenly browned, 5 to 7 minutes.  Remove the weights.

Flip the chicken over, and place the skillet or skillets into the oven.  Roast the chicken for about 20 minutes, until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh reads 155 degrees F.  Place the chicken on plates to rest while you make the sauce.

For the Pan Sauce:  Combine the roasting juices and fats from both skillets into one;  set aside.  Place the other skillet or a saucepan if you used just one skillet on the stove over medium heat.  Pour 1 cup of the chicken stock into the skillet or saucepan and stir.  Bring to a gentle boil and cook to reduce by half, about 5 minutes.  Add the remaining cup of stock and set aside.

Place the skillet with the roasting juices over medium heat.  Sprinkle the flour evenly over the juices and gently whisk it in until there are no lumps.  Reduce the heat to low and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with the whisk; do not let the roux get too dark around the edge.  Whisk in the the chicken stock, making sure to fully emulsify it.  Increase the heat to high and bring the sauce to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-high and reduce the sauce until it coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.  Add the parsley, lemon zest and juice, and 2 tablespoons of the garlic oil from the pouch of garlic and whisk to combine.

To Complete;  Place the garlic and pan sauce over the chicken and enjoy.

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