Mussels a la Mariniere

Mussels are delicious, and ridiculously easy to make. I made this one night for a snack. Very easy and pretty tasty for the amount of effort required. Serve with crunchy bread to soak up the sauce.

Ingredients...

• 16 fresh mussels, scrubbed and debearded
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup white wine
• 2 teaspoons margarine or butter
• 1 green onions, chopped
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1 roma (plum) tomatoes, chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions...

1. Place mussels in a large bowl with cold water to cover. Let them soak for about 20 minutes to remove any dirt or sand.
2. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-low heat. Add garlic, and saute for one minute, but do not brown. Add the chopped green onion and tomatoes, and cook until almost tender. Pour in the white wine, and stir in the parsley and butter. Bring to a boil, and allow to boil until the liquid has reduced by half, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
3. Add the mussels to the pot, cover and allow to cook until the shells are opened, about 10 minutes. Transfer the mussels and sauce to a large serving bowl, discarding any unopened shells. Serve with bread.

Source: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/pattis-mussels-a-la-mariniere/detail.aspx

Asparagus Alla Fontina

Love asparagus so this dish was a must-try. It's kind of like a quiche without the crust. Also love the prosciutto and Gruyere cheese in this dish.

Ingredients...

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 pounds thin asparagus, trimmed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• Freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/3 cup grated Gruyere or fontina cheese
• 3/4 cup finely minced or slivered prosciutto (about 4 ounces)
• 2 tablespoons minced flat-leaf parsley
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 3 to 4 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, 3to 4 minutes. Drain.
2. Cut the asparagus into 1- to 1 1/2-inch lengths. Return the asparagus to the pot, add the butter, and season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Set over low heat and stir to melt the butter.
3. Turn the asparagus and butter into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate, and arrange in an even layer. Sprinkle with the Gruyere, prosciutto, and parsley. Pour the beaten eggs on top, gently shaking the pan to  distribute. Top with the Parmesan.
4. Bake until eggs are set into a custard and a golden brown crust forms on top, above 35 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

Fettucine with Preserved Lemon and Roasted Garlic

I made this pasta dish to accompany the Parmesan chicken (posted previously). It's a nice dish. I had never heard of "preserved lemon," but luckily I found it in the grocery store with little problems. P.s., not the best picture... oh well.

Ingredients...

• 2 heads garlic
• 1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons olive oil
• Salt
• 1 pound fettucine
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 preserved lemon, pulp and rind finely chopped
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Chop the top  third of each head of garlic and discard. Drizzle the heads with a teaspoon each of olive oil, wrap in foil, and roast until the garlic is very soft and golden brown, 50 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly.
2. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins. Set aside.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the fettucine until al dente. Toward the end of cooking, scoop out about 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water and reserve. Drain the pasta and place in a serving bowl. 
4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining tablespoon of olive oil and the butter in a small pan over medium-low heat. When the butter melts, add the roasted garlic and preserved lemon and cook for 1 minute.
5. Toss the fettucine with the preserved lemon  mixture. Toss again with the Parmesan and parsley, and season generously with salt and pepper. Add a little of the reserved pasta water if needed.

Serves 4 as a light main course, 6 as a first course.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Recipe by: Molly O'Neill

Breaded Chicken Breasts with Parmesan Cheese

Great chicken recipe, flavorful and juicy. Great go-to weeknight chicken recipe. Will definitely do again, and soon...

Ingredients...

• 4 small skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 1/4 pounds total)
• Salt and freshly-ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 large egg
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 cup coarse fresh bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons corn, peanut, or vegetable oil
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped tarragon
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions...

1. Cut away and discard any white membranes or traces of fat from the breast halves. Sprinkle each with salt and pepper. Put the flour in a shallow dish. Dip the breasts in the flour. Coat well, and shake off the excess.
2. Combine the eggs with the water and salt and pepper to taste in another shallow dish and beat to blend. Combine the bread crumbs with the Parmesan cheese in a third dish and blend.
3. Dip the breast halves  in the egg mixture, coating thoroughly. Drain off excess. Dip the pieces in the bread crumb mixture, also coating thoroughly. Put the pieces lightly with the side of a large knife to make the crumbs adhere.
4. Heat the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, over medium-high heat. Add the breasts (can do in 2 batches) and cook until golden brown on one side, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until golden brown on the second side.
5. Transfer the chicken to a warm platter; pour off the fat, if there is any, from the skillet. Add the butter and cook the butter until bubbling. Add the tarragon and lemon juice; blend. Pour the sauce over the chicken.

Serves 4.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Recipe by: Pierre Franey

Conchiglie Al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio

I made this dish a few months ago, and I've made it twice. The first time I cooked it in a large pyrex rectangular dish. I advise against this because since this kind of dish is shallow, you will have too many crispy noodles. When I made it again in a 2-quart casserole dish, it turned out much better. If you want to make this dish, you must love cheese. There is Parmesan, Bel Paese, and Gorgonzola cheese in this recipe so it is very rich and cheesy.

Ingredients...

• Salt
• 6 ounches shiitake mushrooms, cleaned
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 pound conchiglie rigate (medium ridged pasta shells)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)
• 2 1/2 cups heavy cream
• 2 small heads raddicchio, cored and finely shredded
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded Bel Paese cheese
• 1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• Coarse salt
• 6 sage leaves (optional)

Note: If you can't find Bel Paese cheese, ask someone in the store for their most similar cheese.

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4 inch thick. Melt 6 tablespoons butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are softened. Remove from the heat.
3. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. Add the olive oil, if desired. Drain the pasta. Run cold water over it to stop the cooking process, then drain again.
4. Combine the cream, shredded radicchio, Parmesan, Bel Paese, Gorgonzola, and mushrooms in a large bowl. Add the pasta and toss. Stir in salt to taste and the sage leaves, if desired.
5. Butter a glass or eathernware baking dish (casserole dish). Transfer the pasta mixture to the dish. Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter.
6. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes,  until the pasta is bubbly and crusty brown on top. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6 as a main course.

Source: The Essential New York Times Cook Book
Adapted from George Germon and Johanne Killeen.

Mushrooms Stuffed with Duxelles and Sausage

I love mushrooms, so naturally I saw this recipe and had to make it. I've made these mushrooms twice and I plan to make them again on Christmas Eve for my family. These stuffed mushrooms are delicious and very juicy. A must-try if you're a mushroom fan like me. This recipe is by Craig Claiborne, as seen in the Essential NYTimes Cookbook.

Ingredients...

For the Duxelles

• 1 pound large white mushrooms, trimmed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vegetable or olive oil
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For  the Stuffing

• 1/4 pound sweet Italian sausage (casings removed)
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons fresh bread crumbs
• 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

Directions...

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. To prepare the duxelles, remove the stems from the mushrooms. Reserve the 12 largest caps. Finely chop the stops and remaining caps. Measure out 1 cup.
2. Heat the  butter and  oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and shallot and cook until wilted. Add the chopped mushroom stems and stir. Sprinkle with the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until all of the moisture has evaporated. Let cool briefly.
3. To make the stuffing, add the sausage and parsley to the duxelles and blend well. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the reserved mushroom caps with the sausage mixture, mounding it a bit. Sprinkle with a blend of the crumbs and cheese. Dot with the butter.
5. Grease a baking dish and arrange the caps stuffed side up in the dish. Bake for about 20 minutes, basting occasionally if there are any cooking juices (if not, don't worry), or until heated through and browned. Serve hot or cold.

Serves 4.

Chicken Marsala

This week I made veal marsala in preparation for the meal that my brother asked me to make for his birthday dinner. I've chosen to post the recipe for chicken marsala instead, which I cooked a few months ago, because I  think more people would rather the chicken, whatever their reasons may be. I found this recipe on epicurious.com, and modified it slightly. At the end of the original instructions, I chose to thicken the sauce and simmer the chicken in the sauce to make the meat softer. My revisions add significantly more cooking time, but it's worth it to not to have tough chicken. The same logic goes for veal marsala.

Note: If you plan to serve the chicken over pasta, DOUBLE the ingredients for the sauce.

Ingredients...

• 1 3/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (14 fl oz)
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 10 oz mushrooms, trimmed and thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (2 lb total)
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons dry Marsala wine
• 2/3 cup heavy cream
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions...

1. Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 200°F.
2. Bring broth to a boil in a 2-quart saucepan over high heat, then boil, uncovered, until reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 20 minutes.
3. Cook shallot in 3 tablespoons butter in an 8- to 10-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until shallot begins to turn golden, about 1 minute. Add mushrooms, 1 teaspoon sage, salt, and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid mushrooms give off is evaporated and mushrooms begin to brown, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from heat.
4. Put flour in a wide shallow bowl. Gently pound chicken to 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of plastic wrap using the flat side of a meat pounder or a rolling pin.
5. Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper, then dredge in flour, 1 piece at a time, shaking off excess. Transfer to sheets of wax paper, arranging chicken in 1 layer.
6. Heat 1 tablespoon each of oil and butter in a 10-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides, then sauté half of chicken, turning over once, until golden and just cooked through, about 4 minutes total. Transfer cooked chicken to a large heatproof platter, arranging in 1 layer, then put platter in oven to keep warm. Wipe out skillet with paper towels and cook remaining chicken in same manner, then transfer to oven, arranging in 1 layer.
7. Add 1/2 cup wine to skillet and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, about 30 seconds. Add reduced broth, cream, and mushrooms, then simmer, stirring occasionally, until sauce is slightly thickened, 6 to 8 minutes. Add lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons wine and 1/2 teaspoon sage. 
8. *For thicker sauce, sprinkle in flour and whisk into sauce at medium high heat. 
9. *Once you have reached desired thickness, add the chicken to the sauce and simmer at low heat for at least 30 minutes or until desired tenderness.

Serves 4

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Chicken-Marsala-232152#ixzz1hK8Ry53e

Potato, Shiitake, and Brie Gratin

I love au gratin potatoes, so finding a gratin recipe with shiitake and brie was a pleasant surprise. I made this dish a few months ago, and I plan to make it again soon. It's easy to make, and it's a great side dish. This recipe is by Regina Schrambling, as written in the Essential NYTimes Cookbook.

Ingredients...

• 6 good-sized new red potatoes, scrubbed
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
• 1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 1/2 pound fairly firm Brie, rind removed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon chopped thyme
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Directions...

1. Using a mandoline or sharp knife, cut the potatoes into slices about 1/8 inch thick. Place them in a large bowl of cold water and soak for 30 minutes, changing the water twice. Drain and pat the slices dry.
2. Set one rack on the middle shelf and one in the bottom third of the oven (with enough room in between for the gratin dish) and heat the oven to 425 degrees. Butter a shallow gratin dish or glass baking dish about 10 inches across. Thinly slice the shiitake caps.
3. Using your fingers, pinch the Brie into gumdrop-sized pieces. Layer a third of the potato slices in the dish. Lay half the shititakes and half the cheese evenly over the top. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Add another third of the potatoes and top with the remaining shiitakes and Brie. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the remaining potato slices on top. Combine the cream, garlic, and thyme and pour over the potatoes, pressing down on them so that all the liquid is absorbed. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake on the center oven rack for 30 minutes.
4. Combine the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and season with salt and pepper. Remove the foil from the pan and sprinkle the crumbs over the potatoes. Place the pan on the bottom oven rack and bake for 30 to 40 minutes longer, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is crusty and dark brown.

Serves 6 to 8.

Shepherd's Pie with Curried Meat

I was first introduced to shepherd's pie in high school by a family I babysat for. I was then reminded of this dish when I visited Nashville last November. I saw that this dish used curried meat so I was tempted to make it. All in all, great comfort food, love the addition of curry. This recipe is by Craig Claiborne, as seen in Essential NYTimes Cookbook. I look forward to making this again.

The Ingredients...

• 6 white potatoes (about  1 1/2 pounds)
• Salt
• 1 tablespoon peanut, vegetable, or corn oil
• 3/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon finely minced garlic
• 1 1/2 tablespoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon  ground coriander
• 2 pounds lean ground beef
• 1 cup crushed canned imported tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• Freshly ground pepper
• 2 cups cooked fresh or frozen green peas
• 1/2 cup hot whole milk, plus more if needed
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

Directions...

1. Put the potatoes into a pot and add water to cover and salt to taste. Bring to a boil and cook  for 20 to 30 minutes, until the potatoes are  tender to the core when pierced with a fork.
2. While the potatoes cook, heat the oil in a large skilled. Add  the onions and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted. Add the curry powder, cumin, and coriander and cook briefly, stirring. Add the meat and cook, stirring down with the side of a heavy kitchen spoon to break up the lumps, until it's lost its raw color. Add the tomatoes, broth, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 30 minutes.
3. Heat the broiler. Drain the potatoes and mash the potatoes in the hot pot. Stir in the peas and heat briefly. Add the hot milk, 2 tablespoons butter, and  pepper, preferably white, beating with a wooden spoon. If the mixture is too thick, add more hot milk.
4. Spoon the piping-hot curried meat into a 2 1/2 quart baking dish (I used a casserole dish). Top with the hot mashed potatoes. Smooth over the top. Dot with the remaining tablespoon of butter.
5. Run the mixture under the broiler until the top is golden brown.

Serves 4 to 6.

Spicy Chungking Pork

I broke out the wok this week to make this Sichuan dish. This was my first time using pork tenderloin on the wok. As with all of the dishes from Helen Chen's Easy Chinese Stir-Fries, I was not disappointed. Very yummy. This dish only added to my great week!

The Ingredients...

• 3/4 pound pork tenderloin
• 2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons fermented black beans, coarsely chopped
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste
• 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 pound green cabbage, cut in 1 1/2-inch chunks (about 3 cups)
• 1 medium red bell pepper, cored and cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks
• 3 slices unpeeled fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed with the side of a knife and peeled

 Directions...

1. Slice the tenderloin crosswise 1/8 inch thick. In a  medium bowl, whisk together the wine and 2 teaspoons of the cornstarch. Add the pork and mix well. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining cornstarch in 1/4 cup  water, make sure it is completely dissolved.
2. In another small bowl, stir together the black beans and crushed red pepper. In another small bowl, stir together the hoisin sauce and soy sauce.
3. In a wok or stir-fry pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the cabbage; it should sizzle. Cook, stirring, for about 3 minutes. Add the red bell pepper and cook for 2  minutes more. The cabbage may brown slightly. Remove to a plate.
4. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil to the same  pan and heat over high heat. Add the ginger and garlic and stir until the oil is hot and the ginger and garlic sizzle. Do not brown. Stir up the pork mixture, add to the pan, and cook, stirring briskly, until the pork is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Add the black bean mixture and stir a few times. Stir up the sauce mixture, and add to the pan, mixing well. Return the vegetables to the pan, stir, then add the cornstarch mixture, and stir for 30 seconds. Remove and discard the ginger and garlic, if desired. Serve immediately.

Note: I tend to substitute fresh ginger and garlic cloves for minced ginger and minced garlic. If you buy a jar of minced ginger or garlic, it'll last you awhile. Definitely worth it.

Penne with White Bolognese

This week I repeated my Thanksgiving day dish with some key changes that made the dish a lot better in my opinion. I modified Heidi da Emploi's 'Rigatoni with White Bolognese' (The Essential NYTimes Cookbook). The big changes were I swapped out dried porcini mushrooms for baby bella mushrooms, and eliminated the celery, carrots, and sausage. The original recipe called for 2 pounds of meat (1 pound ground beef and 1 pound mild Italian sausage) - which is a little excessive for my taste. Also, given the texture of the sauce, it ended up being a good choice using penne instead of rigatoni. I did a lot of improv in this dish, but I'll try my best to describe the steps and quantities used.

The Ingredients...

• 1 pound penne pasta
• 1 pound ground beef (not lean)
• 10 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups dry white wine
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1/3 cup half and half
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Black pepper
• Salt, to taste
• Parmesan cheese

The Directions...

1. Coat skillet with olive oil. Turn to medium heat, add onions and mushrooms and cook until tender.
2. Add ground beef and cook until well browned. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Add the wine, and  simmer rapidly until most of liquid is absorbed.
4. Add the beef broth, and simmer gently.  Add more salt and pepper to taste.
5. Meanwhile, cook pasta al dente and drain.
6. Add the cream to sauce and remove from heat.
7. Add sauce to pasta. Serve with parmesan cheese.