Lake Lure Cottage Kitchen

Spring is actually showing signs of arriving.  I have received pictures from friends in North Carolina of the dogwood and red bud trees beginning to bloom.  I am ready for it.  We will be heading back from Florida to North Carolina next week and it is always such a soul satisfying experience to see nature renewing itself.   Here in Florida the changes are subtle.

Spring vegetables are always favorites.  The first fresh asparagus holds many memories for me.  In Michigan, where I grew up, asparagus was ready to pick at the end of April, as I recall.  I know I have shared this story before, but for those of you who haven’t heard it, I will repeat it.  The rest of you can skip ahead if you would like.  The year I was to graduate from high school, my best girlfriends and I skipped school one day.  There were nine of us.  We had a good reason.  Our friend Judie’s family farm had a problem.  The asparagus crop was ready to harvest but the migrant workers had not yet arrived for the season.  We thought we would help them out by picking the asparagus.  Believe me, that is not an easy job.  It was a day of back-breaking drudgery.  To complicate matters, a group of the senior guys got wind of what we were doing and decided they wanted in on the action.  Some ulterior motives might have been involved.  With so many of us absent from our small high school, it is no wonder that the principal took notice.  Our dear Mothers could not bring themselves to lie about the reason for our absences.  At that time you had to have a signed excuse from the parent for any days missed at school.  It was only when we presented ourselves to the office with our excuses the next day that were were confronted by Mr. Small, THE PRINCIPAL.  He had found out what we were up to and had decided that if we were truthful about our whereabouts, it would be an excused absence.  If we claimed  sickness or anything else, we would not be able to participate in the graduation proceedings.  He understood the farming community around us and was ready to concede the circumstances.   Our parents understood the imperative of honesty.  It was a lesson learned by all of us.  Everyone did the right thing.  But the biggest lesson I learned was that I never wanted to pick acres of asparagus again.  To this day,every time I look at a stalk of asparagus,  it all comes back to me.  But isn’t it a wonder that at one time we could actually pick our own?

In spite of the earlier experience,  I do love to eat asparagus.  This recipe for Spring Vegetable Pizza with Gremolata appeared in Cooking Light Magazine.  I adapted it to our tastes.  David likes a little meat on his pizza, so I added some diced and cooked chicken thighs.  The other vegetables are a fresh fennel bulb with fronds and peas.  The light sauce is a combination of ricotta cheese and pecorino Romano cheese.  The gremolata of parsley, lemon rind and garlic add another level of freshness.  Instead of a homemade pizza crust I used a purchased Stone Fired Crust.  It was perfect for this.

I loved this pizza.  David was not so enthused.  It probably had something to do with the lack of pizza sauce and mozzarella cheese.  But if you like a white pizza with light spring vegetable flavors, you will love this.  Think I’ve lost you Larry, Dave and some of the you other internet guys.  But the “Asparagus Picking Gals” would be proud.  See you all at our 50th reunion this September!  We still Rock.

 An update:  According to my high school friend, we had unexcused absences.  What our principal did was clear us for graduation.  I guess he did the right thing.  I just wish my version was correct.  Homer, you could have done better.

SPRING VEGETABLE PIZZA

1 12-inch store bought Stone Fired Pizza Crust
1 fennel bulb with stalks
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup frozen green peas
1 1/2 cup (3-inch) pieces asparagus, cut in half lengthwise
5 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 skinless, boneless chicken thigh, chopped and cooked in a little oil with salt, pepper and paprika until done
2/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
3 1/2 tablespoons 2% reduced-fat milk
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 ounces pecorino Romano cheese, grated (about 1/3 cup)
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon grated lemon rind
1 large garlic clove, minced

Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Place pizza crust on a round pizza pan

Remove stalks from fennel bulb; reserve 1 tablespoon fronds.  Cut trimmed bulb into thin slices.  Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add oil to pan; swirl to coat.  Add sliced fennel bulb slices and cook for at least 1 minute.  Add peas, asparagus and sliced garlic to pan; saute 2 minutes.

Combine ricotta, milk, pepper and pecorino Romano cheese; spread evenly over pizza crust, leaving a 1/2-inch border.  Bake at 500 degrees F for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove pizza from oven.  Top pizza with pea mixture.  Bake at 500 degrees for 5 minutes or until crust is browned and crisp.  Remove from oven; sprinkle evenly with salt.  Combine reserved fennel fronds, parsley, rind, and minced garlic;  sprinkle over pizza.  Cut into wedges.

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While going through my file of old recipes, I found the tuna noodle casserole that was so popular years ago.  We all had that recipe and it included cream of mushroom soup.  I rarely ever use cream of mushroom soup anymore.  So I decided to try and update the recipe with fresher ingredients.  A trip to Costco had yielded some nice cans of Italian tuna packed in olive oil.  I think tuna packed in olive oil has so much more flavor.  Instead of canned soup I made my own white sauce enhanced with sherry.  The recipe is one that I adapted from Epicurious.

I used fewer egg noodles than what was called for in the old recipe.  Too much pasta tends to absorb the sauce, resulting in a dry casserole.  The topping could have been breadcrumbs or potato chips (Yikes!), but I am partial to Ritz crackers.  Most of the recipes also have a sprinkling of cheese on top.  I have included it in the printed recipe, but did not use it.  To my thinking fish and cheese do not go together.

Although the casserole required cleaning up several pans,  I felt it was worth the effort to freshen up an old classic.  I am having fun with my retro recipes.  I still want to post my classic Texas Pecan Torte, but will wait until a time when we have someone with whom to share it.  We can’t afford the calories right now.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped
• 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 8 oz mushrooms, trimmed and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup Sherry
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 (6-oz) cans tuna in olive oil, drained
• 8 oz dried medium egg noodles
• 2/3 of a sleeve of Ritz crackers, crushed
• 4 oz coarsely grated Cheddar (1 cup) optional
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil or melted butter

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish.

Cook onion in 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with a pinch of salt in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to moderately high and add mushrooms, then sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms begin to give off liquid, about 2 minutes. Add soy sauce and continue to sauté mushrooms, stirring, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated. Add Sherry and boil, stirring occasionally, until evaporated. Remove from heat.

Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter in a 2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderately low heat and whisk in flour, then cook roux, whisking, 3 minutes. Add broth in a stream, whisking, and bring to a boil, whisking. Whisk in milk and simmer sauce, whisking occasionally, 5 minutes. Stir in mushroom mixture, lemon juice, peas and salt. Flake tuna into sauce and stir gently. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Cook noodles in a 5- to 6-quart pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain noodles in a colander and return to pot. Add sauce and stir gently to combine. Transfer mixture to baking dish, spreading evenly.

Toss together cracker crumbs and cheese in a bowl. Drizzle with oil or melted butter and toss again, then sprinkle evenly over casserole. Bake until topping is crisp and sauce is bubbling, 20 to 30 minutes.

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One of my favorite restaurant breakfasts is corned beef hash.  If it is on the menu, it is on my plate.  I like it with crispy edges and crusty bits.  Up until now, I have never made it at home.  Probably because in order to make corned beef hash you need to have corned beef on hand.  We had company last week and I thought it would be fun to make corned beef and cabbage.  Corned beef is plentiful in the supermarkets this time of year.

Before I used my leftover corned beef for the hash, I did a little research on the internet.  One of the first requirements was to use a cast iron skillet.  It is also recommended to place your chunks for corned beef in a food processor and grind them to small bits.  All recipes included chopped onions, some called for chopped carrots and some for chopped peppers.  I decided to go with chopped red peppers for their color.  The tricky part is adding some kind of binder.  Some used beef broth, some used chicken broth and some used cream.

Then there is husband David’s suggestion…use chitlins.  He is reading The Nero Wolfe  series of books by Rex Stout.  The mysteries were written over a period of forty years starting in 1934.  There was also a short-lived television series a few years back starring Timothy Hutton and Maury Chakin.  You can order the DVDs of the series through Netflix.  We are enjoying them.  Nero Wolfe is a detective who loves his food, his beer and his orchids.  He has a chef named Fritz.  David was reading Cordially Invited to Meet Death  at the gym yesterday, and when he came home and found me making corned beef hash he said, “you are using chitlins aren’t you”?   In the book, Fritz and Wolfe are trying to solve the conundrum of dry corned beef hash.  A young Southern Belle comes to the rescue by telling them that corned beef hash must include chitlins.

“Chitlins!”  Wolfe bellowed.  Maryella nodded.  “Fresh pig chitlins.  That’s the secret of it.  Fried in shallow olive oil with onion juice.  “Good heavens!”  Wolfe was staring at Fritz.  Fritz was frowning thoughtfully.  “It might do”  he conceded . . . .   They loved it.

I used chicken broth.

CORNED BEEF HASH

1 pound cooked corned beef (about 3 cups),  pieces diced small in a food processor
6 medium size cooked red potatoes, cut into small dice (about 3 cups)
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 sweet red pepper, cut into small dice
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves, diced fine
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup chicken or beef broth
2 tablespoons canola oil
Parsley for garnish

Place the ground corned beef and the rest of the ingredients in a large bowl.  Stir to combine.  Heat the oil over medium-high temperature in an iron skillet.  Add the corned beef mixture.  Press mixture down with a spatula.  Turn heat to medium to medium low and cook undisturbed for about 5 to 10 minutes.  As the mixture starts to brown and crust up turn it gently.  Press down again with a spatula.  Leave alone to continue crusting for about 10 minutes.  Turn and continue the process two more times.  When browned to your liking.  Remove to plate, garnish with parsley and serve topped with a fried or poached egg.

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The only day of the week that we indulge in a large breakfast is Sunday.  I like to putter in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and the sun streaming through the windows.  Sometimes breakfast will be standards like bacon and eggs or pancakes and sausages.  But more often then not I will be experimenting with a new idea.  I found a brunch menu from an 1989 Gourmet Magazine.  By the way I think Gourmet was at its peak from the late ’80’s through 1996.  Most of the recipes that I truly love came from that time period.  This menu included a Leek and Potato Frittata and a Bacon, Tomato and Basil Salad.

We loved this.  The frittata was full of potatoes, leeks, Gruyere and Parmesan cheese.  The vibrant tomatoes were lightly dressed with oil and vinegar and enhanced with crispy bacon and fresh basil.  The only other thing that would have made this a company worthy brunch would have been sweet scones, muffins or croissants.  David would add some more bacon slices to that list.  I plan to make this again when our friends are here for “Bike Week” this weekend.

Since it was just the two of us this past weekend, I halved the recipe and cooked it in a 10″ skillet.  We still had leftovers and the slices of frittata were a quick breakfast zapped in the microwave earlier in the week.  The leftover tomatoes made a great topping for salads too.  This is a winner all around.

POTATO AND LEEK FRITTATA

1 1/2 pounds boiling potatoes
3 cups thinly sliced white and pale green part of leek, washed well and drained
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
12 large eggs
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyere
2 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 tablespoons olive oil

Cook the potatoes in water for 20 to 25 minutes until they are tender.  Drain, cool, peel and cut into thin slices.  In a 12-inch non-stick skillet cook the leek in the butter over moderately low heat, stirring, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until it is very soft, and add salt and pepper to taste.  In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan, 1/2 cup of Gruyere, the chives, the parsley, and salt and pepper to taste, and whisk the mixture until it is combined well.  Stir in the leek and the potatoes.  In the skillet, cleaned, heat the oil over moderate heat until it is hot but not smoking, pour in the egg mixture, distributing the potatoes evenly, and cook the frittata, without stirring, for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edge is set but the center is still soft.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the remaining 1/2 cup Gruyere over the top.  If the skillet handle is plastic, wrap it in a double thickness of foil.  Broil the frittata under a preheated broiler about 4 inches from the heat for 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden.  Let the frittata cool in the skillet for 5 minutes, run a thin knife around the edge, and slide the frittata onto a serving plate.  Cut the frittata into wedges and serve it warm or at room temperature.  Serves 6.

CHERRY TOMATO, BACON, AND BASIL SALAD

5 cups cherry tomatoes, halved
6 slices of lean bacon, cooked until crisp and crumbled
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh basil leaves, or to taste
2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons olive oil

In a bowl toss together the tomatoes, the bacon, and the chopped basil until the mixture is combined well.  In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and salt and pepper to taste, add the oil in a stream whisking, and whisk the dressing until it is emulsified.  Pour the dressing over the tomato mixture, toss the salad lightly until it is coated well with the dressing, and garnish it with basil sprigs.  Serves 6.

Printable recipes

What could be better than rich chocolate brownies with a sweet and tart cheesecake topping?  That would be the same with a hit of fresh raspberries.  I have been cleaning and organizing the Florida house in preparation for our return to Lake Lure.  In the little used cabinet over the refrigerator I rediscovered my notebook of recipes from a whole live time ago.  Yellowed pages, stained and annotated by a younger me, brought back memories of the young wife and mother I used to be.  Dishes that I have not prepared in years reminded me of specific dinners with friends and family.

This brownie recipe is one of them .  It is an old recipe from Gourmet Magazine.  They are relatively easy to make; only requiring a few steps to make the layers.  My husband has always claimed the brownie prowess in our family.  He won a blue ribbon from 4-H for his recipe as a child.  But he is considering  yielding his status as “Brownie Expert” after tasting this rendition.  To me, the cream cheese layer lightens the richness of the chocolate brownie.  In addition, raspberries go so well with chocolate.

I feel like I have found a treasure trove of memories through recipes.  Another recipe I will share soon is my Texas Pecan Torte.  It was a dinner party favorite for many years.  I just hope our diets can survive this onslaught.

RASPBERRY CHEESECAKE BROWNIES

For Brownie Batter:
4 ounces fine-quality bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

For Cheesecake Topping:
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups raspberries
1 tablespoon sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and butter and flour a 13-by 9-inch baking pan.

Make Brownie Batter:
In a metal bowl set over a pan of barely simmering water melt chocolates with butter, stirring, and cool.  Whisk in sugar and eggs, 1 at a time, and whisk in vanilla and salt.  Whisk in flour until just combined and spread batter evenly in prepared pan.

Make Cheesecake topping:
In a bowl with an electric mixer cream together cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy and beat in lemon juice, egg, vanilla, and salt.  Beat in flour and spread mixture in an even layer over batter.
Scatter raspberries over topping and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake brownies in middle of oven 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is puffed and pale golden and a tester comes out with crumbs adhering to it.  Cool brownies completely in pan on a rack and chill, covered, at least 6 hours or overnight.

Cut brownies into bars and sprinkle with confections’ sugar if desired.  Serve brownies cold or at room temperature.  Makes about 24 brownies.

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