Dayrecipe Food Community

This hearty winter stew has rich, deep flavors that improve if the stew rests in the refrigerator overnight. what to drink: Rioja, Syrah, or any medium-bodied red wine with soft berry fruit and some spice.

Makes 6 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 9chicken thighs with skin and bones (about 4 pounds), well trimmed2tablespoons olive oil
• 1pound chicken andouille sausage or other fully cooked spicy smoked sausage, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
• 3medium carrots, peeled, diced
• 2large onions, chopped
• 1/2cup chopped fresh marjoram (from about 2 large bunches)
• 6garlic cloves, minced
• 1teaspoon grated lemon peel
• 1/4teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1cup dry white wine
• 214 1/2-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
• 2cups low-salt chicken brothcampanelle pasta with parsley butter

DIRECTIONS Place chicken thighs, skin side down, on work surface. Using sharp knife, cut each thigh lengthwise along each side of bone, forming 2 pieces of meat (some meat may remain on bones); reserve bones.

Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken and bones with salt and pepper. Working in batches, sauté in pot until brown, about 6 minutes per batch. Transfer to bowl. Add sausage to pot and sauté until brown, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer to bowl with chicken. Add carrots and onions to pot and sauté until onions are tender and golden, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1/4 cup marjoram, garlic, lemon peel, and crushed red pepper; sauté 2 minutes. Add wine and boil until reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with juices and broth; bring to boil. Add chicken, bones, sausage, and any accumulated juices from bowl. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 35 minutes.

Using slotted spoon, transfer chicken and sausage to bowl; discard bones. Boil liquid in pot until reduced to 3 cups, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup marjoram. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return chicken and sausage to pot. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate uncovered until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated. Rewarm over medium heat before serving.) Spoon ragù over Campanelle Pasta with Parsley Butter.

What a fun idea for the summer party season thats now on our door step. These cuties were designed by Rebecca Berry are “Inspired by 1960’s home decor, these unique “Chinese Lantern” earrings, from Rebecca Berry, feature a large lantern shaped lucite bead embossed with a gold colored design dangling from a gold plated lever-back French hook and finished off with a gold plated tassel! The perfect compliment for any outfit – dressy or casual!”

I found them at http://www.stylehive.com/bookmark/Chinese-Lantern-Earrings-by-Rebecca-Berry-635038. These will be great to wear (you know how much fun it is to give your head a sharp little turn and send the dangly earring style flying) to that BBQ or pool party.

There is a more that likely chance that you have to beat the teens back because you already know that they are going to want to borrow them all of the time. A better idea would the go to Rebecca Berry earrings and get a pair for them in advance. Of course you could always make the earrings a reward for watching the baby, cleaning their room, vacuuming the car? Well really, the bribe possibilities are almost endless aren’t they! I just wanted to pass this discovery on to you. Enjoy shaking your tassels!

Posto, cardamom pods, and whole dried red chiles are available at Penzeys (800-741-7787; penzeys.com) and Kalustyan’s (800-352-3451; kalustyans.com).

Active time: 30 min Start to finish: 2 1/2 hr

Makes 4 main-course servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/2to 2 cups hot water
• 1/2cup posto (white poppy seeds; 2 oz)
• 3/4stick (6 tablespoons) unsalted butter
• 6whole green or white cardamom pods
• 1(3-inch) cinnamon stick, broken into several pieces
• 4turkish bay leaves or 2 california
• 2large onions, halved lengthwise, then thinly sliced lengthwise
• 1(2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced (2 1/2 tablespoons)
• 8garlic cloves, minced (2 tablespoons)
• 2lb boneless lamb shoulder, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2teaspoons salt
• 1to 2 tablespoons sugar
• 6(3-inch) whole dried red chilesaccompaniment:steamed white rice

DIRECTIONS Pour 1/2 cup hot water over posto in a small bowl and let stand.

Melt butter in a 4- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderate heat, then cook cardamom, cinnamon, and bay leaves, stirring, until cardamom starts to pop, about 1 minute. Stir in onions, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are pale golden, about 15 minutes.

Add lamb, salt, and 1 tablespoon sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until meat is lightly browned, about 4 minutes. Add chiles, posto (with soaking liquid), and enough hot water (1 to 2 cups) to just cover lamb and simmer, covered, over low heat until lamb is very tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Season with salt to taste and enough sugar for stew to taste slightly sweet (up to 1 tablespoon). Boil until most of excess liquid is reduced and lamb is coated with thickened sauce, 15 to 25 minutes. Do not eat bay leaves.

This combination of white beans, tomatoes, and cipolline is exceptionally delicious. Letting your tomatoes cook to the point where they become caramelized and start to fall apart adds sweetness and a layer of deep flavor to the dish.

Active time: 1 hr Start to finish: 9 1/4 hr (includes soaking)

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• for beans
• 1lb dried cannellini beans (2 cups), picked over and rinsed
• 1lb cipolline* or small boiling onions (left unpeeled)
• 1 1/2teaspoons salt (preferably sea salt), or to tastefor tomatoes
• 2lb large tomatoes, cored and halved crosswise
• 1lb cherry tomatoes (preferably mixed colors; 4 cups)
• 1teaspoon salt (preferably sea salt)
• 1teaspoon sugar
• 1/2cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/4cup torn fresh basil leaves

DIRECTIONS Cook beans:
Cover beans with cold water by 2 inches in a bowl and soak at room temperature at least 8 hours or quick-soak (see cooks’ note, below). Drain well in a colander.

Blanch onions in boiling salted water, 1 minute, then drain and peel.

Cover beans with cold water by about 1 inch in a 5- to 6-quart pot and bring to a boil. Add onions and simmer, partially covered, skimming froth as necessary, until beans and onions are tender, 40 minutes to 1 hour. Stir in salt and let stand (in cooking liquid), uncovered.

Roast tomatoes while beans are cooking:
Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 500°F.

Toss tomato halves and cherry tomatoes with salt, sugar, and oil in a shallow 3-quart baking dish, then arrange tomato halves cut sides up. Roast tomatoes, uncovered, until large tomatoes are very tender with brown patches and cherry tomatoes are falling apart, 35 to 50 minutes.

Assemble dish:
Transfer warm beans and onions with a slotted spoon to a deep large platter. Arrange tomatoes decoratively on top of beans and pour tomato juices on top. Sprinkle with basil leaves.

Cooks’ notes:
• Beans can be cooked 1 day ahead. Cool in liquid, uncovered, then chill, covered. Reheat in liquid over low heat, covered, stirring occasionally, before assembling dish.
• To quick-soak beans, cover dried beans with triple their volume of cold water in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook, uncovered, over moderate heat 2 minutes. Remove from heat and soak beans 1 hour.
• Tomatoes can be roasted 2 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Reheat, covered with foil, in 350°F oven until heated through, 15 to 20 minutes.

*Available at Italian markets and specialty produce markets.

We tested this recipe with both stone-ground and regular “old-fashioned” grits; we liked the stone-ground best here because of its pronounced corn flavor and appealing texture. If you already have the “old-fashioned” type on hand, it’s a fine substitute. Simply follow our procedure and disregard the cooking instructions on the package.

Active time: 1 1/2 hr Start to finish: 4 1/2 hr (includes chilling)

Makes 8 servings.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 1/2cups water
• 3tablespoons unsalted butter
• 4garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2teaspoons salt
• 1/2teaspoon black pepper
• 1cup coarse stone-ground white grits*
• 2cups all-purpose flour
• 2large eggs, lightly beaten with 2 tablespoons water
• 2cups plain fine dry bread crumbs
• 6cups vegetable oilspecial equipment:a deep-fat thermometer

DIRECTIONS Line a lightly oiled 13- by 9- by 2-inch baking pan lengthwise with a 24-inch-long sheet of wax paper, letting excess hang over ends.

Bring water, butter, garlic, salt, and pepper to a boil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot, then slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, covered, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 40 minutes. Remove lid and simmer grits, stirring frequently, until very thick and tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool grits in pot 10 minutes, then pour into lined baking pan, smoothing top, and cool completely. Chill grits, covered with plastic wrap, until firm, at least 3 hours.

Discard plastic wrap and transfer grits on wax paper to a work surface, then pat dry with paper towels. Cut grits into 8 (4 1/2- by 3 1/4-inch) rectangles, then diagonally halve each rectangle to form 2 triangles.

Put flour, eggs, and bread crumbs in separate shallow dishes. Dredge a grits triangle in flour, knocking off excess, then dip in egg, letting excess drip off, and dredge in bread crumbs. Transfer coated triangle to a large baking sheet. Coat remaining triangles in same manner.

Preheat oven to 300°F.

Heat oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until it registers 375°F on thermometer. Fry triangles in 4 batches, stirring gently, until crisp and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Return oil to 375°F between batches. Keep grits hot on a rack set in a baking pan in oven while frying other batches.

Cooks’ notes:
• Grits can be chilled in baking pan up to 2 days.
• Grits triangles can be fried 1 hour ahead and kept at room temperature on a rack in a baking pan. Reheat, uncovered, in middle of a 375°F oven 5 to 8 minutes.

*Availableat specialty foods shops and Hoppin’ John’s (800-828-4412; hoppinjohns.com).