Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

This casserole would have been the perfect side dish for St. Patrick’s Day.  Colcannon is an Irish dish which usually contains potatoes and cabbage or kale.  Making it with sweet potatoes and adding a kick of cayenne pepper and bacon elevates it from drab to very interesting indeed.  The original recipe called for pancetta, but I think the bacon does just as well. We had already had our corned beef and cabbage with boiled potatoes and carrots when I found this recipe on the FOOD52 website.  Since corned beef was still on sale, I bought another one and made it along side this and a scrumptious sauerkraut salad.  It was a new take on the St. Paddy’s Day menu.

I am loving my new Staub cookware that I won from FOOD52.  The quality and sturdiness are unsurpassed.  But then I am also sold on the less expensive Lodge cast iron cookware.  My Le Creuset enameled cookware is also put to good use in my kitchen, but the enamel does stain after time no matter how well I clean it.  I would be interested in your thoughts on this matter.  What about copper?

I hate it when I get in the picture.  I loved this shot of my sweet potatoes until I saw my orange glad self in the reflection in the spoon.  Oh well.  The potatoes are still very photogenic and I highly recommend this dish.  Next time I will add even more cayenne pepper.  More bacon too.  Hope you like it as much as I did.  We are packing.  One more week until we return to North Carolina.

SWEET POTATO COLCANNON WITH BACON  (Adapted from FOOD52)

• 1/3pound kale, rinsed well and stripped of coarse stems
• 1 1/2pounds sweet potato, peeled and cut in 1/2-inch cubes
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 slices of bacon, diced and fried until crisp
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1medium yellow onion, finely chopped
• 1/8teaspoon cayenne powder, plus more as desired
• 1/2cup half-and-half

1. Place kale in salted boiling water for 8 minutes, until tender and bright green. Reserving the boiling water, remove with a slotted spoon, drain well and squeeze out excess water, then chop fine.
2. Boil the sweet potato in the water used for the kale for 15 minutes, covered, or until tender. Drain and pass through a potato ricer or food mill, into a large, heat-proof pot. (Note: If you have neither a ricer nor mill, push potato through a sieve or otherwise be sure to mash thoroughly until smooth.)
3. Add the chopped kale to the sweet potato. Season with salt and pepper to taste, keeping in mind that the inclusion of cayenne and bacon later in the recipe will boost the levels of both salt and spice; be judicious.
4. In a medium skillet over moderate heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove using a slotted spoon and let drain on a paper towel.
5. In the same pan you used to cook the bacon, melt the butter. Add onion and cayenne and sauté over medium heat, until onion is translucent and has lost its crunch. Set aside.
6. In a small saucepan, heat half-and-half, then beat it into the sweet potato-kale mixture (I just used a fork, which worked best). Add the bacon. Add the onion and the fat from the pan. Combine all ingredients well, and serve warm.
7. This dish may be prepared in advance. In fact, it tastes even better the next day. Also, try pressing the colcannon into a pie plate and chilling overnight: The next day, cut into wedges and fry up in additional butter or oil to accompany a breakfast of scrambled eggs.

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I haven’t been posting as often these days.  We have been busy getting the Florida house in order so that we can sell it.  We have come to the conclusion that owning two houses is not in our best interest.  But before I get to all of that, I wanted to share this recipe with you for Chicken Marsala.  Several people have mentioned this dish recently; Monique in particular.  Monique tried David Lebovitz’s recipe for the dish.  About a month ago, I tried a rendition from allrecipes.com.  But after Monique’s rave about David’s recipe, I decided to give it a look.  This time I ended up combining the two recipes for my own version of the dish.

From the allrecipe recipe I added the chopped tomatoes.  They add color to the dish.  From David’s recipe I added more Marsala.  You can never have too much Marsala.  I think I ended up with a winner.

Here is our house as it used to look.  We called it “Big Pink”.  Pink houses are not uncommon in Florida.  Plus the color seemed to work with the roof tiles.  We decided that it might sell better if it were more neutral; to be quite frank, I hate neutral.

Here is the new paint color.  The beige has a bit of pink in it but is subdued.  We also added some landscaping to the front of the house.

We painted the front double doors black because I like black.  The painter and hubby did not like that idea, but I prevailed.  We replaced the garage light fixtures with larger black lanterns.

Here is a close up of the front door.  The only problem with having glass doors is that our dog Daisy is usually sitting right in front of the doors barking at anyone who walks by.  But it does give the entrance area lots of light.

Another area we worked on, besides the kitchen, was the Master bathroom.  The vanity in this room is low.  Lots of bathroom vanities were low when our house was built in the early 90’s.  Instead of replacing the vanity, we installed two tall vessel sinks with tall swivel faucets.  We also replaced the countertop with granite.  The other update was getting rid of the horrible wall to wall flat mirror and replacing it with two black framed mirrors.  There was a medicine cabinet to the left of the mirror on the adjoining wall.  That is also gone.  This has turned out to be a very user friendly bathroom.  I am happy with it.  Did I mention that the bathroom used to be painted red?  That was David’s great idea.  Somehow, I could hear prospective buyers saying “WHOA!” if we kept it that way.  Neutral seems to work here.

Here is my combined recipe for chicken marsala.  I assembled this plate after we had enjoyed the chicken last night so it is not as full as it would be if you served it to company. In other words, these are leftovers.  We are getting packed up to return to Lake Lure, so posts may be sporadic in the next few weeks.

CHICKEN MARSALA

2 pounds chicken cutlets, pounded thin
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
8 ounces button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
4 tablespoons butter, divided
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2/3 cup Marsala wine
1 small tomato, diced
1 1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Chopped parsley

Season chicken cutlets with salt and pepper.  Pour flour into a shallow dish.  Press chicken cutlets into flour to coat each side, shaking to remove any excess flour.  Set aside.

Melt 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter in large skillet.  When hot, add sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook stirring occasionally until browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.  Add garlic and cook for another minute.  Remove the mushrooms to a plate and wipe out pan.  Add 1 more tablespoon oil and butter to pan.  Add half of the chicken cutlets and saute until they are browned on each side.  Remove to a plate.  Add another 1 tablespoon of oil and butter to pan and repeat with remaining chicken pieces.  While chicken is browning mix together the chicken broth and cornstarch.  Stir until cornstarch is dissolved.  Add the Marsala wine.

When second batch of chicken is done, remove it from the pan.  Add to wine mixture to the pan and scrape up the browned bits.  Stir until it starts to thicken slightly.  Return the mushrooms and chicken to the pan.  Add the diced tomato and cook for about 6 minutes.  Add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, the balsamic vinegar and the chopped parsley.  Stir to combine.  Serve with noodles, mashed potatoes or rice.

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It is strawberry time in Florida.  I wanted to make a simple cake to showcase berries.  This flavorful cake was the perfect vehicle.  It is citrusy with the orange zest and a bit crumbly with the cornmeal.  I really love this easy cake; so much so, that I am going to be making it from now on for strawberry shortcake, a simple tea cake, or served with ice cream.  David ate it last night with chocolate sauce.

Yummy cake indeed.  Even if baking is not your thing, this is so quick and easy that you cannot fail.

On another note, the light is returning.  It may not be Spring yet, but we bloggers tend to have an eye for the quality of light.  I have been struggling all winter trying to take good pictures in less than perfect light.  The shift in the angle of the Sun has improved my photography.  Spring shows itself in subtle ways.  Some sense it in the smell of fresh soil and the warming air currents.  Some sense it by listening to new bird calls and some, like me, can feel it in the light.  May this returning light brighten your days.

This cake will also brighten your days.

ORANGE ZEST CORNMEAL CAKE

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/3 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Grease a 9-inch round cake pan with butter.  Add a round of parchment paper and grease again with butter.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Combine butter, sugar, orange rind and vanilla in a stand mixer.  Blend on medium speed until well combined.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.  Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture and cornmeal alternately with milk, beating just until evenly incorporated.  Scrape into prepared pan, spreading evenly.

Bake 30 minutes or until a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack.  Invert, remove parchment paper and flip to top side. Slice and serve when cool.

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This is a quick meal that brings back memories of an earlier time.  And a more simple time.  Most people equate salisbury steak with the TV dinners that were popular in the ’50’s and ’60’s.  We have come a long way since that time.  Even though that time was known for TV dinners, it was also the era of simple meals of meat and potatoes.  My Mother was known for her pork chops, meatloaf and mashed potatoes.  We never had such exotic food from other countries like pizza pie.  Technology and Julia Child changed all of that.  With the advent of cooking programs on television, many people were introduced to food from other nations.  Now with the internet, we can even cook the same food that is currently being prepared in home kitchens all over the world.  Social media has introduced us to quinoa, chia seeds and hemp hearts among other things.  I have been adding hemp hearts to my morning oatmeal.  Who would have thought?

But sometimes, an old-fashioned meal like this “updated” salisbury steak with French onion gravy is most welcomed.  Instead of potatoes it is served with  toasted slices of sourdough bread with Swiss cheese.  The gravy is a riff on French onion soup with beef broth, lots of onions, a little wine and a touch of tomato paste.  I enjoyed this combination.

Hope you enjoy this blast from the past.  To be honest, I am glad that we now have so many options, but still love the classics.

FRENCH ONION SALISBURY STEAK  (Adapted from Cuisine at Home )   

1 1/4 ground chuck
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
2 Tablespoons scallions, minced
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Black pepper to taste
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon olive oil
2 cups onions, sliced
1 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups beef broth
1/4 cup dry red wine
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley for garnish
4 teaspoons Parmesan cheese, shredded
Cheese Toasts – Recipe follows

Combine chuck, parsley, scallion, salt, and pepper.  Divide evenly into 4 portions and shape each into 3/4-inch-1-inch thick oval patties.  Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge each patty in flour.  Reserve 1 teaspoon flour.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add patties and saute 3 minutes on each side, or until browned.  Remove from pan.  Add onions and sugar to pan; saute 5 minutes.  Stir in garlic and tomato paste; saute 1 minute, or until paste begins to brown.  Sprinkle onions with reserved flour; cook 1 minute.  Stir in broth and wine, then add the salt and thyme.

Return meat to pan and bring soup to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 10 minutes.  Serve steaks on Cheese Toasts with onion soup ladled over.  Garnish with parsley and Parmesan.

CHEESE TOASTS

4 slices French bread or Sourdough baguette, cut diagonally (1/2-inch thick)
2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
Pinch of paprika
1/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Place bread on a baking sheet.  Combine butter garlic, and paprika, and spread on one side of each slice of bread.  Combine cheeses and sprinkle evenly over butter.  Bake until bread is crisp and cheese is bubbly, 10-15

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What a fun meal!  I am going to adapt this idea to all kinds of different fillings.  Meat pies, or pasties, have a long tradition.  When Cornish miners migrated to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula in the 1800’s they brought this meat pie recipe with them.  It was later adopted by the wave of Finnish miners who followed.  It was easy to eat while underground.  The miners reheated their hand pies on shovels set over mining candles.

I have mentioned before that David’s Mother’s family were Finnish and settled in the UP.  Their last name was Syrjanen.  David’s Grandfather Gus Syrjanen founded the Trenary Home Bakery that is still in operation today.  It is known for its Trenary Toast.  There is also a family connection to designers and architects Eliel and Eero Saarinen.  When we were in the UP researching family history we enjoyed eating pasties at several small restaurants.  At the time, David did not love them, but the version I made this time was a real hit.

It was probably the hot chicken sausage that did it for him.  Most pasty recipes use ground beef and potatoes, which can be rather bland.  This was very tasty with the sausage, onions, red bell peppers and spinach.  The crust was made from Pillsbury pie dough so was easy to assemble.  You could make your own pastry but I needed a quick dinner the night that I made these.  They were perfect over a tossed salad.

Pasties or hand pies are so versatile.  You can fill them with anything.  How about a Mexican filling with ground beef, cumin, salsa and cheese.  Or make it vegetarian with black beans and cheese.  My DIL Kristen made a version using pizza dough, seasoned chicken, sour cream and cheese.  There are so many possibilities.

SAUSAGE AND SPINACH TURNOVERS (Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine )

1 Tablespoon canola oil
1 Medium red potato, peeled and diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 (3.5 oz.) links of hot chicken Italian sausage, casings removed
3 cups bagged washed baby spinach
2 Tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Salt to taste
1/2 package refrigerated pie dough (such as Pillsbury)
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg white, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil.  Add potatoes, bell pepper, and onion to pan; saute 4 minutes or until onion begins to brown, stirring frequently.  Add sausage; cook 4 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble.  Stir in spinach; cook 2 minutes or until spinach wilts.  Stir in basil, crushed red pepper, and salt.  Remove from heat.

Cut dough into 4 equal portions.  Roll each portion into a 5-inch circle.  Spoon about 1/2 cup sausage mixture on half of each circle, leaving a 1/2-inch border.  Fold dough over sausage mixture until edges almost meet.  Bring bottom edge of dough over top edge; crimp edges of dough to form a rim.

Place turnovers on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.  Combine 1 tablespoon water and egg white in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk; brush evenly over dough.  Sprinkle about 2 teaspoons cheese over each turnover.  Bake at 400 degrees for 18 minutes or until golden brown.  Let stand at least 5 minutes before serving.

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