KitchenCUE

Orange and Grapefruit with Candied Zest and Basil

Thank you to our reader Ellen who has inspired me to look to the grapefruit for some delicious winter fruit eating!  This is a simple, light and delicious way to partake in these seasonal fruits.  Enjoy!

ORANGE AND GRAPEFRUIT WITH CANDIED ZEST

AND BASIL CHIFFONADE

yield: 8 servings

3 navel oranges

3 grapefruit

1 c. sugar

1 c. water

Extra sugar for coating zest

Pernod, for garnish

Chiffonade of basil, for garnish

Remove the zest from one orange and one grapefruit with a peeler. Trim off any white pith from under the strips and julienne. Blanch zest by placing in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain & repeat to remove bitterness. Combine blanched zest, water, and sugar in a small saucepan and simmer until thick and syrupy, approximately 20 minutes. Remove zest with a slotted spoon to a rack set on parchment paper and let it drain. Toss zest in sugar to coat and reserve for garnish.

Imagining the citrus as a globe, slice off the North Pole and South Pole to the point where the flesh is exposed. Standing the citrus on one of the poles, start slicing off the rind by guiding the knife carefully along the flesh just inside the pith, going from top to bottom. After each section of peel is removed, rotate the fruit toward you and slice off another section. Once the entire fruit is peeled, remove each segment by carefully slicing between the membranes, working over a bowl to catch all the juice. There should be no pith remaining on the segments. Squeeze center of citrus into bowl to remove any juice and discard.

Arrange citrus segments in serving dishes. Moisten with some of the reserved juice and drizzle with Pernod. Garnish with candied zest and chiffonade of basil.

Caramelized Onion and Roasted Pepper Salsa

This delicious recipe is one from last years "Salsa Wars" that was held by the Denver Public Library's fabulous Fresh City Life cultural programming.  Make it now with fresh from the garden tomatoes and peppers and enjoy the last bit of summer!

CARAMELIZED ONION AND ROASTED PEPPER SALSA

yield: approximately 1 and 1/2 cups

1 T. olive oil

1 medium onion, sliced

Salt

pinch sugar

Approximately 3 T. water

2 red peppers, roasted whole, peeled, seeded, and diced

1 jalapeno, roasted, peeled, seeded, and diced

3 regular or 6 plum tomatoes, seeded and diced

¼ - ½ c. fresh lime juice

½ bunch cilantro, finely chopped

Heat olive oil in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and a pinch of salt and stir to coat in fat.  Cover with parchment and a lid and cook, making sure no steam is emanating from the pan, until the onions are meltingly tender.  Remove lid and parchment and increase heat to medium high.  Cook, stirring frequently until water has evaporated.  Sprinkle onions with a pinch of sugar and continue cooking until golden and caramelized. Deglaze pan with a few tablespoons of water and scrape the brown bits from bottom of pan. Transfer onions to a bowl and cool.

Chop caramelized onions.  In a large bowl combine roasted peppers, tomatoes and cooled onions.  Season with salt.  Stir in lime juice and cilantro to taste. 

Quick Pickling for Seasonal Vegetables (Beets Exampled)

½ cup cider vinegar

¼ c. water

2 T. sugar

½ t. mustard seeds

½ t. fennel seed

1 small bay leaf

1 t. whole black peppercorns

1 clove

1 t. salt

1 sprig fresh dill

1 bunch small (4 or 5) beets, washed

Bring all ingredients except beets to a boil in a 2- to 3-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Cover and let marinade steep, at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.  Strain marinade and discard spices.

Remove greens from beets, reserving for another delicious use!  Steam or boil beets, 20-40 minutes (depending on size) until barely knife tender. Drain beets; rinse under cold water and slip the peels off of the beets using your fingers.  Cut into ½” wedges.

Place beets in a glass jar and pour marinade over the top.  Allow beets to pickle in the refrigerator for at least 1 day or longer depending on your taste preference. 

 

Recipe provided by:     Chef Shellie Kark, KitchenCUE

                                    KitchenCUE is “everything you didn’t know about cooking”.  An interactive DVD series that shows you how to be a better cook not just how to follow a recipe. Distilling techniques down into easy steps gives you the ability to create hundreds of dishes using a simple process.  Make your recipe books better, enjoy your kitchens more and easily add variety to your meal routine. Join our community and download your FREE Pantry Resource Guide at www.kitchencue.com.

 

© 2010 Kol Ha’kavod, LLC.  The information here is not to be used or reprinted without permission.

Stuffings for Your Holiday Bird

As Thanksgiving approaches, the same questions and concerns about stuffing your turkey seem to surface. I love cooking my stuffing in the bird becasue it absorbs all of the delicious juices and gets moist and tender from the insulated cooking.  There is some concerns about the safety of cooking the stuffing in the turkey (or cooking stuffing in any protein for that matter) and I address all of those and tell you how to confidently do it in KitchenCUE's Volume 3: Roasting.

I have also just added some new video's to my Chef Shellie YouTube Channel that pertain to making stuffings and carving your bird.  Take a look and eliminate the turkey intimidation!

Here are a couple of stuffing recipes to inspire your Thanksgiving holiday!  Be well, be grateful and be happy! 

I'll see you in the kitchen...Chef Shellie

CHALLAH STUFFING

yield: stuffing for 12-14 pound turkey

 Olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely diced

¾ # mushroom, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 T. chopped fresh sage

¼ c. chopped parsley

8+ c. shredded challah bread – dryness is your preference

Broth to moisten (amount will vary based on dryness of bread but averages ½-1 cup)

In a large sauté pan set over medium high heat, film the bottom of the sauté pan with olive oil.   Add onion, celery and a pinch of salt and sauté until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 10-12 minutes.  Add mushrooms, another pinch of salt and sauté until mushrooms have softened and begun to release their water and caramelize.  Stir in sage and parsley and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

Pour mixture into a large bowl.  Mix in bread and enough broth to make a moist stuffing; it should still be fluffy, not soggy.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  COOL stuffing completely before placing inside the cavity of turkey.

 

SAUSAGE STUFFING WITH FRESH HERBS, PECANS AND BOURBON

yield: stuffing for 12-14 pound turkey

12 oz. mild flavored sausage (i.e. breakfast sausage)

Olive oil, if needed

1 large onion, finely chopped

4 stalks celery, finely diced

¾ # mushroom, chopped

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 T. chopped fresh sage

2 t. chopped fresh rosemary

¼ c. chopped parsley

8 c. ½” cubed hearty Italian or sourdough bread – dryness is your preference

1 c. toasted pecans

¼ - 1/3 c. Bourbon

Broth to moisten (amount will vary based on dryness of bread but averages ½-1 cup)

In a large sauté pan set over medium high heat, crumble sausage and sauté until browned.  Remove sausage to a large bowl.

Add a little olive oil if needed, to film the bottom of the sauté pan.   Add onion, celery and a pinch of salt and sauté until vegetables soften and begin to brown, 8-10 minutes.  Add mushrooms, another pinch of salt and sauté until mushrooms have softened and begun to release their water (do not cook until juice evaporates). Stir in sage, rosemary and parsley and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds. 

Pour mixture into the bowl with the sausage.  Mix in bread and pecans.  Stir in Bourbon and enough broth to make a moist stuffing; it should still be fluffy, not soggy.  Season with salt and freshly ground pepper.  COOL stuffing completely before placing inside the cavity of turkey.

Recipes provided by:Chef Shellie Kark

                                    KitchenCUE, everything you didn’t know about cooking

We are KitchenCUE; a company developed, devised, and dreamed by people who believe that we can help people utilize their inherent skills to create delicious, healthy meals with ease.  We distill techniques down into easy steps and give you the ability to create hundreds of dishes using a simple process.  Make your recipe books better, enjoy your kitchens more and easily add variety to your meal routine with this fun, educational, interactive DVD series.

Visit us at www.kitchencue.com to join our community and download your FREE Pantry Resource Guide.

© 2010 Kol Ha’kavod, LLC.  The information here is not to be used or reprinted without permission.

Green Tomato Salsa

Here is "Coleen's Amazin' Green Tomato Salsa" that was entered by Coleen Walsh into the Fresh City Life 2010 Salsa wars competition.  It is quite delicious and perfect for those green tomatoes we have hanging around at the end of the season!  Enjoy!

GREEN TOMATO SALSA

yield: approx. 3+ cups

 

2 - 3 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno with or without seeds depending on spice tolerance

4 large green tomatoes (heirloom are the best - pick the ones with just a little give)

1 almost all pink medium tomato

½ red bell pepper

½ medium red onion

¼ c. roasted green chiles

1/3 c. fresh corn kernels

1½ T. of cilantro

Juice of one lime

Capful of apple cider vinegar

Salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste

Coarsely chop all ingredients then put in food processer and puree to a fine chop (if needed – do in batches and stir together in bowl - you can also dice/chop everything finely yourself).  Add lime, vinegar, salt and pepper at end to taste.  Place all ingredients in serving bowl and let it sit and marinate at room temperature for one hour before serving with fresh baked/fried chips.

Salsa Puttanesca

 

The Denver Public Library has a fabulous crew (a crew of 2, actually!) that put together the most amazing cultural programming, FREE to anyone who wants to take part.  The program is called Fresh City Life and it is worth checking out!  KitchenCUE is always lucky enough to be involved and this last month we participated in a series of cooking demonstrations based in the concept of "Street Food of South America".  I did two demonstrations, one on making Kibbe, a classic street food from Brazil and one centered in Mexico as we made Memelitas with Caramelized Onions, Black Beans and Queso Fresco.

 

The month log celebration of Street Food culminated with a salsa competition in which anyone could submit an original recipe and have an opportunity to win a $600 prize package!  We recieved many entries and widdled the pile down to six. 

 

Three judges assembled on a lovely Saturday afternoon outside the library and amidst Salsa music and dancing, tasted all of the salsa's and after much deliberation, we proclaimed a 1st prize winner.  All of the salsa's were unique and delicious so we will be posting all six recipes on my blog, on KitchenCUE's facebook page and on my colleague, Andrea Juarez' delicious blog Fork Fingers Chopsticks.

 

Here is the 1st place winning recipe for you to try!  The Caramelized Onion and Tomato Salsa (3rd place) and the Green Tomato Salsa (did not place but is still delicious!) will be coming shortly.  Try 'em out...there will be one in the mix that you will love!

 

SALSA PUTTANESCA

Salsa Italian Style

Yield: approx. 2 ½ cups

 

Do not be intimidated by the anchovy in this recipe.  It is so mild you can barely tell it is in there, yet it adds a nice saltiness and roundness to the salsa.  Use this salsa to top a piece of fish or some shrimp as they come off the grill.

 

3 medium, ripe tomatoes, diced

3 jalapeño peppers, finely diced, leave the seeds and veins on the jalapeños if you like the heat

½ medium onion, finely diced

Salt and black pepper to taste

1 T. olive oil

1 stalk celery, diced

1 red pepper, diced

2 anchovy filets, chopped

1½ T. capers

6 large green olives, pitted and diced

6 large black olives, pitted and diced

1 T. lemon juice

2 t. caper brine (the liquid the

 capers are packed in)

Fresh basil, chopped or chiffonade

 

Place half of the diced tomatoes in a medium mixing bowl; crush with a potato masher or by hand. Stir in the balance of the diced tomatoes and the jalapeños. Add the onion, salt and black pepper and stir to combine.

 

In a medium sauté pan, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the celery and red pepper until tender; add the anchovy, capers and olives and sauté until mixture is heated through. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.

 

Pour the cooled puttanesca mixture into the tomatoes. Season with lemon juice, caper brine and a tablespoon or so of chopped basil. Allow this salsa to rest refrigerated several hours or overnight for the flavors to blend. Garnish with additional basil.

 

Submitted by: Beth Hewlett

Roasted Cranberry Chutney with Port Wine

This chutney is SO very easy to make and is a perfect compliment to any Thanksgiving table.  Once you try it, you just might never go back to the jellied variety that comes in a can. 

And its versatility only adds to its appeal. Read on for more inspiration...

ROASTED CRANBERRY CHUTNEY, THREE WAYS

yield: approximately 1¼ cups

1 bag (12 ounces) fresh cranberries

1 T. olive oil

½ t. kosher salt

¾ c. sugar

2 – 3” strips orange zest

4 green cardamom pods

4 whole cloves

2 sticks cinnamon

2 star anise flowers

½ t. finely chopped jalapeño, optional

2 T. Port wine or orange juice

Preheat oven to 450°.

In a large bowl, drizzle cranberries with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Stir to combine.  Add sugar, zest, cardamom pods, cloves, cinnamon, star anise and jalapeños, if using.  Stir to combine and pour out onto a foil lined baking sheet.  Fold edges of foil up to keep juices from running onto pan. 

Roast in preheated oven until cranberries burst and release their juices, 15 minutes.

Transfer roasted cranberry chutney to a bowl; stir in Port (or orange juice). Let sit for at least one hour so that the flavors meld. Remove and discard zest, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and star anise before serving.

Beyond the Thanksgiving table

Appetizer: Serve chutney cool or room temperature alongside a wedge of Stilton Blue Cheese and crispy wafer crackers.

Main Course: Chutney compliments a variety of meats and fishes; everything from smoked duck breast to salty hams and from roasted chicken to salmon and whitefish.

Breakfast: This beautiful chutney adds complexity and color to pancakes, waffles and French toast.  Serve them with butter, maple syrup and a dollop of this warm chutney.

I say Chilie, you say Chili

It's that time of year here in Colorado.  The chilie roasters line the streets with their iron drums filled with fresh Hatch green chilies, turning them over an open flame just to char the skin and flavor the meat with a delicate smokiness.

There are hundreds of chilies from fresh to dried and from mild to fire hot.  My palate prefers the mild chilies like the Anaheim, the Poblano or the mild hatch green chilies; they give food the flavor without all the heat.  Realizing that I am in the minority, I show you some of the spicier possibilities!  Feel free to boost your chilie experiences to the heat level you desire, using jalapenos, serranos, thai peppers or even habaneros!

Now don't be fooled; the round ones with the papery skin in the top center of the photo aren't chilies.  They are tomatillos or tomate verde as they are affectionately known in Mexico.  They are actually a member of the tomato family and I use them in stews and braises to add a delicate tang to the dish. Try them out, if you never have; just remove the papery skin and rinse them off.

Here is my recipe for a pork green chilie that is full of the flavors of Mexico with a little spice to remind me that it is actually warm in October...somewhere other than Colorado!

PORK GREEN CHILIE

yield: 8 servings

½ c. flour

1 T. each, ground cumin, dried Mexican oregano

1/2  t. ground pepper

2 t. kosher salt

3 # pork shoulder, trimmed of cartilage only, cut into 1½” cubes

Olive oil, to sauté

1 c. diced onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1T. plus 2t. chili powder

1 - 15 ounce can chopped tomatoes, drained

2 c. diced, roasted* (mild )green chilies, plus others as desired to increase heat

3 tomatillos, husks removed, chopped

Approximately 4 c. chicken broth

Sour cream, avocado, lime wedges, cheese, cilantro, tortillas, etc., as desired

Combine flour, cumin, oregano, pepper and salt in a flat dish or plate.  In a large braising pan, heat a thin film of olive oil over medium heat.  Lightly coat pork cubes in seasoned flour and shake off excess flour.  Working in batches if necessary, place an even layer of floured pork in the hot pan and sear until lightly browned on all sides.  Remove pork to a bowl.

Add a little more oil if necessary and add onions, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and continue to sauté until onions are transparent.  Add garlic and chili powder and cook until fragrant.

Stir in tomatoes, green chilies, tomatillos and seared pork cubes.  Add broth just to cover pork and simmer, covered, 2-3 hours until pork is tender.  Alternatively, green chilie can be transferred to a slow cooker and cooked for 4-6 hours until tender.  Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.  Serve hot.

*Note on Roasting a Pepper:  Peppers can be “roasted” on the top rack of an oven set to “broil” or on a grill.  Wash and dry whole peppers.  Brush very lightly with oil.  Place in preheated oven or on the grill.  Turn every 3-5 minutes, until skin is blistered and charred. Transfer peppers to a bowl and cover with plastic to steam.  When cool enough to handle, peel and discard charred skin, stem and all seeds.

KitchenCUE is an interactive DVD series that shows you how to be a better cook not just how to follow a recipe. Distilling techniques down into easy steps gives you the ability to create hundreds of dishes using a simple process.  Make your recipe books better, enjoy your kitchens more and easily add variety to your meal routine. Visit us at www.kitchencue.com

Wild Mushrooms

Wild mushrooms are not so wild.  Most mushrooms we find available to us in the grocery stores are actually cultivated and farmed.  But that is not all bad...we get good variety and lots of options that add texture, flavor and variety to our cooking!  If you do ever have the opportunity to forage with one who knows the difference between edible mushrooms vs. those that will make you loopy at best, and poison you or worse...jump on it!  It is fun, dirty, rewarding and delicious!  Until then, experiment with the bounty at the great markets across the country. They can get pricey, so balance the cost by using a smaller quantity of those that are more expensive and more of the moderately priced ones.

 Warm Wild Mushroom Salad with Pancetta and Pine Nuts

Yield: 8 appetizer servings

2 pounds wild/farmed mushrooms: ie. Oyster, Trumpet, Shiitake, Portobello, Matsutake, Morel 

Butter for sauté

6 cloves garlic, minced

1/3 c. chopped parsley

½ c. white wine

1 c. veal stock

Salt and freshly ground pepper

½ c. chopped pancetta

Olive oil for sauté, if necessary

2 heads frisée, washed, dried, trimmed

Lemon juice, salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

½ c. toasted pine nuts  

Clean mushrooms with a dry brush or towel and gently break or cut into visually appealing pieces.  The goal is to highlight the visual beauty of the mushroom as well as their natural flavor.  Keep mushroom varieties separate, as they will be sautéed individually.

In a medium sauté pan, heat a tablespoon of butter over medium high heat.  When foam subsides, add one variety of mushrooms in an even layer (doing batches if need be), a pinch of salt and sauté, without stirring, until mushrooms give up all their liquid and begin to color.  Stir, add a pinch of garlic and a healthy dose of parsley and continue to sauté until fragrant.  Remove to a large bowl and tent with foil to keep warm.  Repeat process with remaining mushrooms, accumulating them in the single large bowl.  When all mushrooms are cooked, de-glaze the pan with wine, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any browned bits.  Add the veal stock and reduce to glaze consistency.  Pour over mushrooms and reserve in a warm place.

In the same sauté pan, sauté pancetta over medium heat until fat is rendered and pancetta is crisp.  Remove with slotted spoon to the mushroom bowl.  Add enough olive oil to make a thin film on the bottom of the pan, if needed. Add frisée, a squeeze of lemon juice and a pinch of salt and toss to barely wilt the frisée.  Remove from heat and place on warm salad plates.  Top with mushrooms, pine nuts and freshly ground pepper.  Serve immediately.   

Ratatouille

This very rustic dish of the Mediterranean has been catapulted into fame thanks to Pixar's endearing mouse with a love for good food and a dream to be a chef.  While it is beautiful to make "Parisian style" it is found all along the French, Italian and Spanish coastlines in a much more rustic style.  All renditions contain eggplant but the Italian version, Caponata, is seasoned with honey, vinegar, capers and some toasted almonds and the Spanish version, Samfaina, is sweet and sour as well but cooked down more to a compote type consistency.  Ratatouille is the lightest in flavor, allowing the natural flavors of seasonal vegetables to speak for themselves.  Highlighted by a few herbs and some extra virgin olive oil, this is quintessential summer fare.

RATATOUILLE OF THE COUNTRYSIDE

yield: 8 servings

Olive oil

2 cups ¼” dice eggplant, salted and dried if necessary

1 Tablespoon minced garlic

¾ cup ¼” dice onions

½ cup each, ¼”dice red and green pepper

½ cup each, ¼” dice zucchini and yellow squash

1 cup ¼” dice tomato

Salt and freshly ground pepper

¼ cup chopped fresh basil

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, place a thin layer of olive oil and heat until hot but not smoking.  Add only enough eggplant to make a thin even layer in the bottom of the pan.  Do not move the eggplant until it has caramelized on the bottom side.  With a spatula, carefully turn the eggplant over in the pan, being careful not to smash the cubes.  Continue to sauté until the eggplant is completely cooked through, sporadically and gently turning the vegetable.  Add the minced garlic to the eggplant and toss gently.  Sauté until the garlic is just fragrant.

Remove the eggplant and garlic to a colander that is set over a bowl (to reserve the juice).  Repeat the process as necessary until all of the eggplant has been cooked in this manner.

In the same sauté pan, add another thin film of olive oil and add the onions with a pinch of salt.  Sauté until fragrant and add the peppers.  Season with salt and continue to sauté together until tender.  Remove vegetables to the colander, on top of the eggplant.

Again, in the same sauté pan, add another thin film of olive oil and add the zucchini and yellow squash and season with a pinch of salt.  Sauté until tender and add the tomato.  Cook just to warm the tomato and remove the vegetables to the colander, on top of the onions and peppers.

Let the juices drain through the colander, about 15 minutes.  Place the drained juice in a small saucepan and bring to a simmer.  Reduce to light syrup consistency.  When ready to serve, heat the vegetables up in a large pot, tossing them all together gently.   Add the reduced juice and season with salt, freshly ground pepper, parsley and basil.