Rosemary Roasted Potatoes

versatile is a word that is not usually used to describe a recipe. you might hear flavorful, easy, fast….never versatile.  but versatile is the exact word i would use when talking about rosemary roasted potatoes.  you can make them in the oven, on the stove, in a toaster oven, a deep fryer, or even a grill if you also have a large sautée pan.  i’ve also made them with idaho potatoes, also known as russets, yukon golds, and even red skinned potatoes.  so when you hear versatile you know you’ve found a recipe that you can and will use over and over again.

rosemary roasted potatoes
5 red skinned potatoes, chopped into 1/4 inch half moons
2 sprigs rosemary, chopped
1/4 c olive oil
1 tbs salt

heat the oil over medium heat in a large sautée pan.  then add potatoes and sprinkle rosemary and salt.  let cook for 45 minutes, tossing the potatoes every 3-5 minutes to achieve crunchy potatoes.

if cooking in the oven cooked the potatoes at 400 degrees.  after cooking for 30 minutes, toss then cook for another 15 minutes.

Dill New Potatoes

mashed potatos are a go to dish for most people around the holidays.  they’re traditional.  and like some traditions the potato could use an overhaul.  the perfect potato balances smooth and creamy with crunchy and crisp.  but how?  try these dill new potatoes.  seriously look at that crust…

Dill New Potatoes
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
2½ pounds small new potatoes, scrubbed but not peeled
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons chopped dill

melt the butter in a large heavy-bottomed pot. add the whole potatoes (i cut larger ones in half so they all are roughly the same size), salt, and pepper and toss well. cover the pot tightly and cook over low heat for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are just tender when tested with a small knife. from time to time, shake the pot without removing the lid to prevent the bottom potatoes from burning. turn off the heat and allow the potatoes to steam for another 5 minutes. toss with the dill, and serve hot.

this recipe was taken from ina garten…isn’t she just amazing? you could also add other herbs like parsley or dill.

another one to try are crispy roasted rosemary potatoes…but i’m saving that for another snowy day. till then have a merry christmas!

Minestrone Risotto

i never like to eat the exact same thing two nights in a row.  there are too many tasty things in this world to eat from the same dish night after night.  so if i have leftovers i make them into a new dish.  last week we had leftover minestrone: a perfect starting point for risotto.

Minestrone Risotto
1 tsp oil
2 tbs onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 c arborio rice
3 tbs white wine
1 c soup broth
1/2 c soup veggies/meat
2 tbs parmesan cheese, freshly grated

in a sauce pan heat the soup broth over low heat covered.  in a seperate sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat then add the onions once the oil starts to smoke.  let cook for 4 minutes then add the garlic, cook till cooked (haha)…2 minutes.  then add the rice and toast until lightly browned.  pour in the wine and stir as it is added.  once the rice has soaked up all the liquid add 1/8 c chicken stock and stir as it is added.  once the rice has soaked up the liquid add more and continue till all of the chicken broth is used.  then mix in the peas and the cheese.  and enjoy.

Carbonara Risotto

so there i was in the kitchen and i needed to cook dinner to go.  i wanted carbonara and i wanted risotto….so i figured why not push them into a lovely marriage with one another.  in any other circumstance pushing something/someone into marriage would not be desirable…but this works.  this dish has the same creaminess of the carbonara with the bacon and peas, but in a risotto.  the recipe is for one dinner portion, the amounts for 4 servings are in parenthesis.

Carbonara Risotto
1 tsp oil (2 tbs)
2 tbs onion, diced (1/2 c)
1 slice of bacon (4 slices)
1 garlic clove, minced (4 cloves)
1/4 c arborio rice (1 c)
3 tbs white wine (2/3 c)
1 c chicken broth (4 c)
1/3 c peas (1 1/3 c)
2 tbs parmesan cheese, freshly grated (1/2 c)

in a sauce pan heat the chicken broth over low heat covered.  in a seperate sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat then add the onions once the oil starts to smoke.  let cook for 4 minutes then add the bacon and the garlic, cook till cooked (haha)…2 minutes.  then add the rice and toast until lightly browned.  pour in the wine and stir as it is added.  once the rice has soaked up all the liquid add 1/8 c chicken stock and stir as it is added.  once the rice has soaked up the liquid add more and continue till all of the chicken broth is used.  then mix in the peas and the cheese.  and enjoy.

tips

• arborio rice must be used to achieve the creamy texture that only their starch can provide.
• if you want to make the dish a little more figure friendly but eat your bacon too, cook the bacon seperately (whether in the microwave or on the stove) then crumble it in at the end.
• you can also use pancetta since that is more authentic, but bacon is what i had on hand.  you can also use ham.

Parmesan Polenta

this friday night i was all alone, but that didn’t stop me from cooking an amazingly delicious meal for myself.  it just meant i cooked a little less.  so i decided to make a turkey bolognese served over polenta.  i’ve tried to make polenta before, but it always comes out grainy and very thick.  and this time (my third time making it) i finally got it right.  if you’ve never had polenta before, it’s a lot like grits.  it’s basically the italian equivalent to mashed potatoes.  with that said, here it is:

Creamy Polenta with Parmesan Cheese
4 cups water
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
2 tbs butter

bring the water up to a boil in a large sauce pan.  then add the salt and gradually whisk in the cornmeal.  turn the heat down to low and cook until the polenta is tender and becomes thick, about 15-20 minutes.  you want to continue to stir it often as it cooks.  once it’s ready turn off the heat and add the milk, parmesan cheese, and butter.  taste for seasonings and then serve.

tips:

• in the grocery store you should be looking for polenta or yellow cornmeal.  they’re both the same thing.
• instead of parmesan cheese, you can also try gorgonzola or gruyere cheese.
• when you first add the cornmeal it’s important to use a whisk to get rid of any lumps.  if you’re  using a wooden spoon it will be a little tougher but possible. 
• you can also use a whole milk or cream instead of regular milk to make it even creamier.

A Fall Staple: Risotto

when i think of fall i think of a few things: football, foliage, cold temps, and hearty dishes.  i stock up on chicken broth and put on my sweats.  it’s time to make the type of food that warms your soul, and what better than risotto.  the combination of the rice and the cheese just makes you want to melt.  this is the recipe (from giada delaurentis) i used the first time i made it, so why shouldn’t it be yours?

Red Wine Risotto with Peas
3 1/2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup finely chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup arborio rice, or medium-grain white rice
1/2 cup dry red wine
1/3 cup frozen peas, defrosted, optional
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus additional for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper

bring the broth to a simmer over medium-high heat. cover the broth and keep it warm over very low heat.

melt the butter in a heavy large saucepan over medium heat. add the onion and saute until translucent, about 8 minutes. stir in the garlic and saute for 30 seconds. stir in the rice and cook for about 2 minutes until the rice is toasted. add the wine and stir until it is absorbed, about 1 minute. add 3/4 cup of hot broth; simmer over medium-low heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often, about 6 minutes. repeat, adding 3/4 cup of hot broth 2 more times, stirring often, about 12 minutes longer. at this point, the risotto can be made 4 hours ahead. refrigerate the risotto (the rice will still be firm) and remaining broth, uncovered, until cool, then cover and keep them refrigerated until ready to proceed.

bring the remaining broth to a simmer, then cover and keep it warm over very low heat. stir 3/4 cup of hot broth into the partially cooked risotto over medium heat until the broth is absorbed and the risotto is hot, about 3 minutes. add the remaining broth and simmer until the rice is just tender and the mixture is creamy, about 5 minutes longer. stir in the peas and parsley. add the 1/2 cup of parmesan. season, to taste, with salt and pepper. spoon the risotto into bowls. sprinkle additional cheese over and serve.

tips:

• when you are using wine in a recipe, where the wine is the star of dish (such as risotto)..you have to use a wine that is good enough to drink.  if you use something that is sub-par…you’ll taste it right away.
• the secret to a good risotto is to stir the rice whenever you are adding broth.  when you stir the rice you’ll be drawing out the natural starches from the rice to create the creamy texture of the dish.
• if you can’t find arborio rice, use another type of short grain rice.  short grain rices contain the most starch, which is very important to the risotto.

Succotash

let’s say you’re making some mexican.  what goes with mexican food besides beans and rice (that isn’t deep fried)?  well maybe nothing else goes with it naturally, but in my eyes succotash does.  succotash is a dish made from corn and lima beans, and to me anything with corn goes with tacos, fajitas, chili rellanos, etc.  even if you don’t put it on the side of some quesadillas, try it with your turkey this thanksgiving.  that’s a classic combination.

Succotash
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 ears of corn, or 2½ c frozen
1 (10 ounce) package lima beans
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
¼ cup basil

heat oil over medium heat and add onion and garlic. cook until onion is softened. add in corn and lima beans, cook for 5 minutes, then add tomatoes. season with salt and pepper and pour vinegar in. cook until tomatoes softened then turn stove off. sprinkle with basil and serve.

tips:

• have cherry tomatoes?  use them.  but please don’t use romas, beefsteaks, heirloom, or any other big variety of tomatoes…keep them small.  trust me, the big ones just don’t taste the same.
• leery of the vinegar?  don’t be, without it, the succotash won’t have enough flavor.
• frozen lima beans are great, frozen corn is not.  if corn isn’t in season, it’s better to go frozen since all frozen vegetables are frozen at the peak of perfection.  but something always gets lost when it gets frozen.  so if fresh is available…use it.

Sweet Corn Salad

it’s august, and it’s also the season for corn.  you can find it in plentiful amounts in the grocery store, but preferably at the farm stand.  well once you’ve had enough boiled, you need another solution.  luckily for me, ina garten saved me last year with her fresh corn salad.  since then i’ve been making my own adaptation.

Sweet Corn Salad

5 ears of corn, shucked
1/2 c small-diced red onion (1 small onion)
1/4 c orange pepper, diced
1/2 c baby arugula
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

place the corn in a large pot of water, and turn the heat up to high.  once the water has come to a boil turn off the corn and let it sit for 10 minutes.  then drain the water and allow the corn to cool on the cutting board.  once the corn is cool, cut the kernels off and place in a bowl.

then add the red onions, orange pepper, arugula, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.  serve the salad cold or at room temperature.

my tips:

• feel free to add any vegetables that you would add to a lettuce salad.
• looks are important.  not only do different colors look good together, they also mean you are getting a wide variety of nutrients.
• if you are not familiar with arugula, make sure you get acquainted.  it’s a peppery tasting type of lettuce, and to me it is the most undervalued lettuce.