Entries tagged as ‘Bon Appetit’
Since I am still on a quest for the perfect bolognese sauce, I decided this recipe from the March Bon Appetit was a good use for the last of the ground beef from the steer.
This recipe is from a “back country” menu, so it calls for antelope sausage and venison. I didn’t have easy access to either so I substituted spicy Italian sausage for the antelope sausage and ground veal for the venison. The only other changes I made were to halve the recipe and to use a bit more tomato paste than the directions called for.
I bought fresh fettuccine — the store didn’t have fresh pappardelle — to serve with the sauce and I prepared a simple green salad as a side.
The hearty sauce was delicious and rustic! The four different meats — beef, sausage, bacon, and veal — provided wonderful flavor. And, there is plenty left over for another meal this week. I bet the sauce will taste even better when we have it later this week. This just might become my go-to bolognese recipe.
Homemade Pappardelle with Bolognese Sauce
Bon Appetit
- 5 tablespoons butter
- 7 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- 1 1/4 cups chopped celery
- 3/4 cup chopped carrot
- 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (15% fat)
- 1 1/2 pounds antelope sausages or spicy Italian sausages, casings removed
- 3/4 pound ground venison or ground beef (15% fat)
- 3/4 pound bacon, chopped
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk
- 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
- 3/4 cup tomato paste (about 7 1/2 ounces)
- 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus additional for passing
- 2.5 – 3 lbs fresh pappardelle
Melt butter with oil in heavy large pot over medium heat. Add next 4 ingredients. Sauté until vegetables are soft but not brown, 12 to 14 minutes. Add beef, sausage, venison, and bacon. Increase heat to high. Cook until meat is brown, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 15 minutes.
Stir in milk, wine, and tomato paste. Reduce heat to low. Simmer until sauce is thick, flavors blend, and juices are reduced, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and chill. Rewarm over low heat.
Cook pasta in very large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring often, 4 to 5 minutes if cooking immediately or 5 to 6 minutes if previously chilled. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid. Return pasta to same pot. Add warm Bolognese and 1 cup cheese. Toss over medium heat until heated through, adding reserved cooking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer pasta to large shallow bowl. Serve, passing additional cheese.
Categories: Beef · Pasta · Pork
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
I can’t believe how few pieces of beef we have left! Last weekend I cooked our eye of round roast. Like many of the cuts we had, I had to do a little research to figure out what to do with it.
I found this recipe on epicurious.com and it looked easy yet flavorful. The roast cooked perfectly and I really enjoyed the mustard-caper sauce. My only big mistake, and piece of advice to anyone who cooks this cut of beef, is to slice the beef very thinly. I made the slices much too thick. I am not good at carving meat — I think I need to take a carving class!
I served the beef with an easy version of potato au gratin. A delicious Sunday night meal.
Roast Beef with Dijon-Caper Sauce
Bon Appetit
Roast Beef:
- 1 3-pound eye of round beef roast, trimmed of excess fat and sinew
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 2 cups low-salt beef broth
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons drained capers
For roast beef:
Sprinkle beef with 1/2 teaspoon salt; let stand 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix thyme, basil, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in small bowl. Heat oil in large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef; cook until browned on all sides, turning occasionally, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with herb mixture. Transfer skillet to oven. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of meat registers 130°F, about 40 minutes. Transfer to cutting board; let rest.
For sauce:
Place skillet with juices over medium-high heat. Add butter; stir until melted. Add flour; whisk until smooth. Gradually whisk in broth; bring to boil. Boil until sauce is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, whisking often, about 6 minutes. Whisk in mustard and capers. Season sauce with pepper.
Cut beef crosswise into very thin slices. Transfer beef to platter. Serve with sauce.
Test-kitchen tip:
Eye of round is not the most tender cut of beef. For the best flavor and texture, be sure to slice it very thinly.
Categories: Beef
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
Here’s a very tasty and easy shrimp dish. The recipe is basically a spicy version of shrimp scampi. It’s very simple and fresh tasting.
I didn’t make any changes to the dish other than adding some freshly grated pecorino romano to the panko mixture. Serve the dish over your favorite pasta or some crusty bread. I served it over orzo on Saturday night. Yum!
Scampi Fra Diavolo
Bon Appetit
- 3 tablespoons butter, divided
- 1/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley, divided
- 1 1/4 pounds uncooked large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails left intact
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced red onion
- 5 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
- 2/3 cup dry white wine (preferably Sauvignon Blanc)
- Lemon wedges
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add panko and stir until golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Transfer to small bowl; mix in 2 tablespoons parsley. Wipe out skillet.
Sprinkle shrimp with salt and pepper. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter with olive oil in same skillet over high heat. Add red onion and sauté until beginning to soften, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic and crushed red pepper and sauté 1 minute. Add shrimp and sauté until barely opaque in center, about 1 minute per side. Add white wine and simmer until liquid is slightly thickened and reduced, 2 to 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in remaining 6 tablespoons parsley. Transfer to shallow bowl. Sprinkle sautéed panko over and serve with lemon wedges.
Categories: Fish · Pasta
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
We have lots of ground beef from the half steer. I typically make turkey chili but figured beef chili was perfect for a frigid day in Becket (windchill was negative 15 degrees!) and a good use for the copious amounts of ground beef in our freezer.
We really enjoyed this chili recipe — lots of flavor and heat. But it definitely is a meatier chili than I typically make. Not a ton of liquid in the recipe. The lime crema was a nice touch to the dish. I don’t like sour cream on a standalone basis but enjoyed a touch of the lime flavored sour cream on the chili.
I was disappointed I halved the recipe otherwise I’d be having the leftover chili for lunch today.
Chipotle Beef Chili with Lime Crema
Bon Appetit
- 3 pounds ground beef
- 3 cups chopped onions
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1/2 cup chili powder
- 2 14 1/2-ounce cans beef broth
- 1 cup canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
- 1/2 cup stout or dark beer
- 2 tablespoons minced canned chipotle chilies
- 2 tablespoons yellow cornmeal
- 2 15 1/2-ounce cans black beans, drained, rinsed
- 1 1/2 cups sour cream
- 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 1 tablespoon grated lime peel
Heat heavy large pot over high heat. Add beef; sauté until cooked through, breaking up meat with spoon, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl. Add onions and garlic to same pot. Sauté until onions are tender, 8 minutes. Add chili powder. Sauté until fragrant, 3 minutes. Add beef, broth, tomatoes, stout and chilies. Cover partially; simmer until chili is thick, stirring often, about 1 hour 10 minutes.
Gradually stir cornmeal into chili. Stir in beans. Simmer until heated through. Season generously with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Rewarm over medium heat.)
Whisk sour cream, lime juice and lime peel in small bowl. Season with salt.
Spoon chili into bowls. Spoon lime crema atop chili. Serve with chips.
Categories: Beef · One-pot meal · Soups, Stews, Chilis
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
We are working our way through the 50 pounds of grass-fed beef we have in our freezer. I defrosted some beef shanks but wasn’t sure what to do with them. I was pretty sure it was a cut of meat that required braising but was on the hunt for an interesting recipe. I searched Epicurious for beef shanks and found this delicious looking ragu recipe.
I halved the recipe because it serves 10 to 12. Next time I might not reduce the liquid quite so much because when I took the pot out of the oven there was very little liquid left so I added about 14 oz. of crushed tomatoes.
The ragu was absolutely delicious! Incredibly rich and flavorful. The whole wheat pasta with parmesan and olive oil added some nice flavor as well. Tim thought it was so good that he had leftovers for breakfast with some eggs!
Beef Shank and Sausage Ragù with Whole Grain Spaghetti
Bon Appetit
Ragù:
- 2 teaspoons fennel seeds
- 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 2 pounds hot Italian sausages, casings removed
- 3 1/2 to 3 3/4 pounds 1 1/2-inch-thick beef shanks with bone (about 3 pieces)
- 5 cups chopped onions (about 3 large)
- 2 28-ounce cans diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 750-ml bottle dry red wine
- 8 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 4 fresh bay leaves
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
Pasta:
- 1 1/2 pounds multi-grain or whole grain spaghetti
- 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 2/3 cup (packed) freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 2 ounces)
- 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
For ragù:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Toast fennel seeds in small dry skillet over medium-low heat until slightly darker in color and very fragrant, about 3 minutes. Set aside.
Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large oven-proof pot over medium heat. Add sausage. Cook until brown and cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 10 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl.
Add 1 tablespoon oil to pot. Sprinkle beef shanks with salt and pepper. Add to pot and sauté until brown, about 6 minutes per side. Transfer shanks to bowl with sausage. Add onions to pot and sauté until brown and tender, scraping up browned bits, about 10 minutes. Return shanks, sausage, and any accumulated juices to pot. Add tomatoes with juice, wine, garlic, bay leaves, oregano, crushed red pepper, and toasted fennel seeds. Bring to simmer.
Cover pot and place in oven. Braise until shanks are very tender, about 2 1/2 hours. Transfer shanks to work surface. Cut meat off bones and dice. Discard bones. Tilt pot. Spoon off fat from surface of pan juices. Return diced shank meat to pot. Simmer until liquid is reduced enough to coat spoon, about 10 minutes. Season ragù to taste with salt and pepper. DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled. Rewarm over medium heat, stirring occasionally, before continuing.
For pasta:
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Add oil and toss to coat. Add cheese and parsley; toss to coat. Season pasta with salt and pepper.
Divide pasta among 12 shallow bowls. Ladle ragù over and serve.
Categories: Beef · Pasta
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
Here’s a delicious Christmas cookie recipe that my friend Julia introduced me to — two cake-y chocolate cookies with peppermint flavored buttercream sandwiched between! DELISH! The filling gets its flavor from peppermint extract, which you can find in most gourmet grocery stores.
We brought the cookies to the two holiday parties — one Christmas party and one Hanukkah party — we attended over the weekend. I rolled half of the cookies in crushed candy canes and the other half in blue sugar crystals. Both looked very festive!
The only note I would make is that the recipe only produced about 10 to 11 sandwich cookies not 18 as the recipe states.
Chocolate Candy Cane Cookies
Bon Appetit
Cookies
- 1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
Filling
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 2 drops (or more) red food coloring
- 1/2 cup crushed red-and-white-striped candy canes or hard peppermint candies (about 4 ounces)
For cookies:
Whisk flour, cocoa, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Using electric mixer, beat sugar and butter in large bowl until well blended. Beat in egg. Add dry ingredients; beat until blended. Refrigerate dough 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out dough by level tablespoonfuls, then roll into smooth balls. Place balls on prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. Using bottom of glass or hands, flatten each ball to 2-inch round (edges will crack). Bake until cookies no longer look wet and small indentation appears when tops of cookies are lightly touched with fingers, about 11 minutes (do not overbake or cookies will become too crisp). Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Transfer chocolate cookies to racks and cool completely.
For filling:
Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar and butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add peppermint extract and 2 drops food coloring. Beat until light pink and well blended, adding more food coloring by dropfuls if darker pink color is desired. Spread 2 generous teaspoons filling evenly over flat side of 1 cookie to edges; top with another cookie, flat side down, pressing gently to adhere. Repeat with remaining cookies and peppermint filling.
Place crushed candy canes on plate. Roll edges of cookie sandwiches in crushed candies (candies will adhere to filling). (Cookie sandwiches can be made ahead. Store in single layer in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days or freeze up to 2 weeks.)
Categories: Cookies · Dessert
Tagged: Baking, Bon Appetit, Cooking, Dessert, Food, Holiday recipes, Recipes
December 14, 2009 · 1 Comment
Here’s a quick and easy weeknight chicken dish that might just satisfy both adults and kids. The chicken has a wonderful crispness and the mustard-maple sauce provides a nice sweetness to the dish. I served the chicken with green beans and couscous for a well-balanced meal.
One of the great things about this dish is that you probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry.
Enjoy!
Panko-Crusted Chicken with Mustard-Maple Pan Sauce
Bon Appetit
- 2 8-ounce skinless boneless chicken breast halves, cut crosswise in half
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
- 2 teaspoons plus 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 1 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup low-salt chicken broth
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
- 1 tablespoon chilled unsalted butter
Using meat mallet or rolling pin, pound chicken in resealable plastic bag to 1/3-to 1/2-inch thickness. Whisk egg, parsley, and 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard in large bowl. Place chicken in egg mixture; turn to coat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Dip each chicken piece in panko; turn to coat. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook until brown and cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.
Meanwhile, whisk broth, syrup, coarse-grained mustard, and remaining 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard in glass measuring cup.
Transfer chicken to plates. Add broth mixture to skillet; boil until reduced to 3/4 cup, stirring occasionally, about 4 minutes. Add butter; whisk until melted. Spoon sauce alongside chicken.
Serves 4.
Categories: Poultry
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
I was in the mood for a classic fall sweet treat so I turned to the pumpkin for inspiration. Since I consider pumpkin pie a Thanksgiving dessert, I thought a pumpkin bread might be a good early fall alternative.
The recipe was very easy and quick to make. You probably have every ingredient on hand other than the canned pumpkin. Remember to buy solid pack pumpkin, not canned pumpkin pie filling.
After reading the recipe reviews, I decided to reduce the amount of ground cloves to 1/2 teaspoon and added 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
The recipe yields two loaves. Since the preface to the recipe stated that the bread freezes well, I decided to make the full recipe and freeze one loaf. And, as a special treat, I added semisweet chocolate chips to the bread we’re feasting on now. We each had a slice for dessert and breakfast. Guess it was a hit!
Spiced Pumpkin Bread
Bon Appetit
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 large eggs
• 1 16-ounce can solid pack pumpkin
• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts (optional)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour two 9×5x3-inch loaf pans. Beat sugar and oil in large bowl to blend. Mix in eggs and pumpkin. Sift flour, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda, salt and baking powder into another large bowl. Stir into pumpkin mixture in 2 additions. Mix in walnuts, if desired.
Divide batter equally between prepared pans. Bake until tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to racks and cool 10 minutes. Using sharp knife, cut around edge of loaves. Turn loaves out onto racks and cool completely.
Categories: Breads · Dessert · Fruit
Tagged: Baking, Bon Appetit, Cooking, Dessert, Food, Recipes
Tim and I are spending a quiet long weekend in the Berkshires. The cool mountain air inspired me to make soup. I asked Tim what kind of soup I should make. He answered (very definitively), “black bean soup, like Atticus.” Tim never demands particular foods or dishes so I decided I would try to recreate a classic from one of my all-time favorite spots in New Haven. I probably went to Atticus almost everyday my junior and senior years at Yale. It was conveniently located between where I lived, where most of my art history classes were, and the Yale Daily News where I spent countless hours. The had the most amazing soups, breads, and capuccino granitas!
I found the below recipe on Epicurous. The recipe looked too simple to be truly amazing but then I read the reviews. Everyone had the same reaction — wasn’t expecting much but the flavors came together beautifully. I have no idea if this recipe is remotely close to Atticus’s but it was delicious. I do know that Atticus uses a pork base. This recipe uses chicken broth. If you want to make the soup vegetarian, just use vegetable broth.
Instead of pureeing 3 cups of the soup in a blender, I used my immersion blender. I just pulsed the immersion blender 20 or 30 times to thicken the soup. The only other change was using petite diced tomatoes with jalapeno. I also added the fresh jalapeno but the spice really wasn’t overpowering.
I served the soup with feta cheese, avocado, and scallions. Plus, we had a simple cheese quesadilla. Overall a very delicious meal that I will be making again.
Black Bean Soup with Cumin and Jalapeño
Bon Appetit
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 carrot, chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 2 teaspoons ground cumin
- 1 to 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeño chile with seeds, divided
- 2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, undrained
- 1 15-ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
- 1 1/2 cups low-salt chicken broth
for serving
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped green onions
- Crumbled feta cheese
Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 6 minutes. Mix in cumin and 1 teaspoon jalapeño. Add beans, tomatoes with juice, and broth; bring soup to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and cook until carrots are tender, about 15 minutes. Transfer 3 cups of soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return puree to pot. Simmer soup until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and remaining 1 teaspoon jalapeño, if desired.
Ladle soup into bowls. Pass cilantro, green onions, and feta cheese separately.
Categories: Soups, Stews, Chilis · Vegetarian entree
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
September 20, 2009 · 2 Comments
Fall has arrived in the Berkshires which means it’s time to break out my big green Le Creuset dutch oven. I cook few meals up here in the fall or winter that don’t involve this pot (thanks to Judy & Irv for the great gift!).
I was in the mood for pasta and I could think of nothing better on a cool night than a hearty meat sauce. This dish was a delicious blend of sweet Italian sausage, mushrooms, and tomatoes. I served it over freshly made tagliatelle I bought at Guido’s.
The great thing about making a big pot of sauce is that you get some real bang for your buck and your effort. I have a nice size container in the freezer for another meal this fall and I am bringing a small container back to NYC for tomorrow night when Tim is out.
Just a few notes…I used cremini mushrooms because I think they are meatier and have a nicer flavor than regular button mushrooms. When a recipe calls for canned tomatoes I try to always use San Marzano tomatoes. They really have the best flavor.
The recipe called for 2 tablespoons of butter towards the end when you are adding the diced fresh tomatoes. I forgot to add the butter and it was still delicious! I guess it would have been a tad richer.
I did not forget or skimp on the pecorino — I bought a delicious pecorino Toscano from Nejaimes — our favorite wine and cheese shop in Lenox — that I grated into the dish.
This sauce is definitely a keeper! Tim and I both loved it.
Pasta with Sausage, Tomatoes & Mushrooms
Bon Appétit
- 2 1/2 pounds Italian sweet sausages, casings removed, crumbled
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds mushrooms, thickly sliced
- 3 cups chopped onions
- 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh basil
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh oregano
- 6 large garlic cloves, chopped
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 5 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
- 2 cups diced tomatoes (about 4 medium-large tomatoes)
- 2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
- 1 1/4 pounds pappardelle or mafaldine pasta (or any wide, flat noodles)
- 1 1/2 cups grated pecorino Romano cheese (about 4 1/2 ounces)
Sauté sausage in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until brown, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to large bowl. Add oil to drippings in pot. Add mushrooms and onions; sauté until tender and brown, about 15 minutes. Stir in 1 cup chopped basil, oregano, and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add wine; cook until almost absorbed, about 4 minutes. Add sausage and crushed tomatoes; cover and simmer over medium heat until thickened, about 25 minutes.
Add diced tomatoes and butter; simmer until tomatoes are soft, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before continuing.)
Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to bite, stirring occasionally. Drain well; return to pot. Pour sauce over pasta; toss to coat. Add 1/2 cup cheese and 1/2 cup basil; toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to serving dish. Serve, passing remaining cheese separately.
Categories: Pasta · Pork
Tagged: Bon Appetit, Cooking, Food, Recipes
