Buttery-tasting Yukon Gold potatoes can now be found in grocery stores and farmers' markets all across the country, but this recipe can certainly be made with russet potatoes instead.
Serves 2.
INGREDIENTS
1 pound yukon gold potatoes (about 4 medium), peeled, cut into 2-inch pieces
1/2cup (about) canned low-salt chicken broth
3 tablespoons sour cream
pinch of ground nutmeg
DIRECTIONS
Cook potatoes in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain well and return potatoes to same saucepan. Coarsely mash potatoes, adding enough chicken broth to moisten. Stir in sour cream and nutmeg. Season potatoes to taste with salt and pepper and serve.
A delicious soup from Tágide.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound medium uncooked shrimp, peeled, deveined, shells reserved
4 cups fish stock or bottled clam juice
1 cup dry white wine
1 bay leaf
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 tablespoons tomato paste
1/4teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 14 1/2-ounce can diced peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon butter
3 tablespoons brandy
3/4cup whipping cream
DIRECTIONS
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add reserved shrimp shells (cover and chill shrimp) and sauté 5 minutes. Add stock, wine and bay leaf; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer 25 minutes. Strain shrimp stock into bowl.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in same saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot and garlic; sauté 5 minutes. Mix in tomato paste and cayenne. Add tomatoes with their juices and shrimp stock. Simmer soup 5 minutes.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add shrimp; sauté 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Add brandy and ignite with match. When flames subside, return shrimp to heat; sauté until shrimp are cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer 6 shrimp to small bowl. Mix remaining shrimp into soup. Add cream to skillet; bring to boil. Stir cream into soup.
Puree soup in processor in batches. Strain through coarse sieve set over large saucepan, pushing most of solids through sieve with rubber spatula. Bring to simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Ladle into 6 bowls. Top with reserved shrimp.
This dessert, from The Cascades Restaurant, is made with a cookie crust and a brownie filling. The chef serves it with whipped cream, passion fruit sauce and raspberry sauce.
Serves 12.
INGREDIENTS
crust
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (packed) golden brown sugar
1 ounce unsweetened chocolate, chopped
pinch of salt
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
filling
1/2cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/8teaspoon salt
3/4cup all purpose flour
1/2cup chopped pecans, toasted
topping
2 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/4cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 ounces good-quality white chocolate, chopped
DIRECTIONS
FOR CRUST: Blend first 4 ingredients inprocessor until finely chopped. Add butter; cut in using on/off turns until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add milk and vanilla; process until moist clumps form. Using plastic wrap as aid, press dough over bottom and up sides of11-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. Freeze 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake crust until just set and beginning to brown around edges, about 8 minutes. Transfer pan to rack and cool crust completely. Maintain oven temperature.
FOR FILLING: Stir butter and chocolates in medium saucepan over low heat until melted. Cool slightly. Beat sugar, eggs, vanilla and salt in medium bowl until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Whisk in chocolate mixture. Mix in flour and nuts.Pour batter into crust. Bake until filling puffs around edges and tester inserted into center comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 40 minutes. Transfer to rack and cool completely.
FOR TOPPING: Stir semisweet chocolate, butter and oil in small saucepan over low heat until melted. Spread over tart. Chill until set, about 15 minutes.
Stir white chocolate in top of double boiler over simmering water until melted. Drizzle atop tart. Chill until set, about 10 minutes. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Serve at room temperature.
Beets and red cabbage are a great combination. In this recipe, the two are grated and then slowly cooked with onions. The result is a side dish that would go well with roast veal, pot roast or sausages.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
3/4pound red cabbage (1/2 small head), cut into wedges, cored
4 medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter), peeled, cut into 1-inch
pieces
1/4cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 onions, chopped
1/2cup (or more) water
1/4cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
DIRECTIONS
Working in batches, coarsely grate cabbage and beets in food processor fitted with grating blade. Set aside.
Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until brown, about 15 minutes. Mix in cabbage and beets. Add 1/2 cup water and vinegar. Cover; simmer until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by tablespoonfuls if mixture is dry, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; top with parsley.
This simple sauté is a perfect complement to roast chicken, pork or duck.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
10 medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter), rinsed, tops trimmed
1 cup water
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/4cup chopped fresh chives or green onion tops
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover and bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool beets. Peel and cut into 1/2-inch wedges.
Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add beets; stir until heated through. Mix in chives, parsley and tarragon, then vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
A hearty meal-in-a-bowl for blustery March days. Short ribs add flavor, while sliced cabbage contributes texture. At the end, the only things you need are a dash of vinegar and a dollop of sour cream.
Serves 10.
INGREDIENTS
beef stock
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 pounds beef short ribs, cut into 3- to 4-inch pieces
1 large onion, sliced
3 1/2 quarts water
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
12 whole black peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
borscht
10 medium beets (about 2 inches in diameter), rinsed, tops trimmed
1 cup water
3 cups (about) canned beef broth
2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup chopped onions
6 cups thinly sliced green cabbage (about 1/2 small head)
4 teaspoons minced garlic
1 large russet potato, peeled, diced
2 tablespoons (or more) red wine vinegar
sour cream
DIRECTIONS
FOR STOCK: Heat vegetable oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add half of beef ribs and sauté until brown on all sides, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plate. Repeat with remaining ribs; transfer to plate. Add sliced onion to pot. Sauté until golden, about 10 minutes. Return ribs and any juices to pot. Add 3 1/2 quarts water and remaining stock ingredients. Bring to boil, skimming any foam from surface. Reduce heat and simmer until ribs are very tender, skimming foam occasionally, about 2 1/2 hours.
Using tongs, transfer ribs to plate. Strain stock into large bowl. Chill stock until fat solidifies on top, at least 3 hours. Remove meat from bones; cut away excess fat. Shred meat finely. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover meat and chill. Keep stock chilled.)
FOR BORSCHT: Preheat oven to 375°F. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover; bake beets until tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour. Cool beets. Peel and cut into 1/3-inch dice.
Remove fat from surface of stock.Add enough canned beef broth to stock to measure 10 cups.
Melt 2 tablespoons butter in heavy large pot over medium-low heat. Add diced carrots and chopped onions and sauté 10 minutes. Add cabbage and garlic and sauté 5 minutes. Add 10 cups beef stock, beets, potato and 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar. Simmer until cabbage and potato are tender, about 20 minutes. Add shredded meat; simmer 5 minutes. Season with additional red wine vinegar, salt and pepper.
Ladle borscht into bowls. Top each with dollop of sour cream and serve.
Good cooks never discard the nutritious beet greens. Here, the greens are combined with roasted beets, capers and feta in a Greek-inspired salad. Offer this before roast leg of lamb with crisp potatoes.
Serves 6.
INGREDIENTS
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
7 medium-large beets (about 3 inches in diameter) with greens
1 cup water
2 tablespoons chopped drained capers
3/4cup crumbled feta cheese (about 3 ounces)
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375°F. Whisk oil, vinegar and garlic in small bowl to blend. Season dressing generously with salt and pepper.
Cut green tops off beets; reserve tops. Arrange beets in single layer in 13x9x2-inch baking dish; add 1 cup water. Cover; bake until beets are tender when pierced with knife, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Peel beets while warm. Cut beets in half and slice thinly. Transfer to large bowl. Mix in capers and 1/4 cup dressing. Season with salt and pepper.
Cut stems off beet greens; discard stems. Wash greens. Transfer greens, with some water still clinging to leaves, to large pot. Stir over high heat until just wilted but still bright green, about 4 minutes. Drain greens; squeeze out excess moisture. Cool; chop coarsely.
Transfer greens to medium bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Arrange beets in center of platter. Surround with greens; sprinkle with feta. Drizzle with any remaining dressing.
Here's a flourless chocolate cake with a light, soufflé-like texture. Serve it with some coffee ice cream.
Serves 8.
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate,
chopped
2 1/4 cups sliced almonds, toasted (about 8 ounces)
1 cup sugar
6 large eggs, separated
1/2teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8teaspoon cream of tartar
powdered sugar
chocolate curls (optional)
coffee ice cream
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter springform pan with 2 3/4-inch- high sides. Combine chocolate, almonds and 1 cup sugar in processor. Process until all ingredients are very finely chopped and mixture appears grainy. Using electric mixer, beat yolks and vanilla in large bowl until pale yellow and thickened, about 3 minutes. Add chocolate mixture to yolk mixture and fold together (mixture will be very thick). Using mixer fitted with clean beaters, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in another large bowl to stiff peaks. Fold whites into batter in 3 additions.
Pour batter into cake pan. Bake until top is golden and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Transfer cake to rack and cool. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.) Run knife around pan sides to loosen cake. Release pan sides. Transfer cake to platter. Sift powdered sugar over cake. Top with chocolate curls, if desired. Serve with ice cream.
