Category: Recipes

Steak and Guinness Pie

, Valentina Rice

 

There’s something so comforting about taking a freshly baked pie out of the oven, breaking through the crust and watching the steam escape with all its delicious aromas. I’m a sucker for anything topped with puff pastry which is now so readily available and always in my freezer. Take any of your favorite stew recipes, add a layer of puff pastry, brush a little egg wash on top and you’ve got yourself a perfect savory pie to battle the cold away. I decided on a Steak and Guinness pie in honor of the upcoming St. Paddy’s Day. You can use this recipe as a guideline to create any basic beef stew. Don’t like guinness? Switch it out for another ale, wine or even beef stock. Add mushrooms, different herbs or other root vegetables. Just dream up your your favorite flavors and go for it! 

 

Steak and Guinness Pie

Serves 4

 

Ingredients:

2 tablespoon all purpose flour

1 1/2 lb of stewing beef (cut into 1″ cubes)

2 tablespoon olive oil

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 medium onions, chopped

1 clove garlic, finely minced

2 carrots, chopped

1 (14 oz) can of chopped tomatoes 

2 cups of Guinness

3 sprigs of fresh thyme

2 bay leaves

Puff pastry (you can find in the freezer section of most grocery stores)

1 egg

 

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. 

2. Put the flour in a large ziplock bag. Season the meat with salt and pepper and add to the bag with flour. Close the bag and shake well so the meat is coated with flour.

3. In a large Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium high heat. Remove meat from flour, shaking off any excess and transfer to the Dutch oven. Brown the meat on all sides being careful not to overcrowd the meat so it doesn’t steam. You may need to do this in several batches. Once you finish your first batch, remove it to a plate.

4. When all the meat is browned and on a plate, add the celery, onions, garlic and carrots to the Dutch oven and cook over medium heat for approximately 5 minutes. 

5. Return the meat to the pan along with any juices from the plate.

6. Add the tomatoes, Guinness, fresh thyme and bay leaves. Stir and season well with salt and pepper.

7. Bring to a simmer, cover well and cook in the oven for about 3 hours. Remove the lid for the final half hour of cooking after giving the stew a good stir. 

8. Remove the thyme stalks or any other fresh herb you may have used and transfer into a baking dish. If the sauce is too thin, you can remove the meat and vegetables first with a slotted spoon and reduce the sauce on the stove over a high heat. 

9. Beat the egg in a bowl and brush the edges of the pie dish with the egg mixture.

10. Roll out the pastry so that it is larger than the pie dish and gently lay over the dish. Cut off the excess pastry and crimp the edges with your fingers.

11. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg wash, cut two little slits in the middle of the pastry with the tip of a knife to let some air escape and bake in the oven for about 30 – 40 minutes until golden brown and flaky. 

 

 

A New Way to Save Your Recipes

, Valentina Rice

 

As we continue to add recipes to our blog we want to make it as easy as possible for you to save those recipes for easy access when hunger strikes. To that end, we just became a publisher on Yummly, a really wonderful recipe curation site. Check out our publisher page! Now you can pin your favorites straight to your recipe index by simply clicking on the YUM button at the top of each recipe page. We hope this makes your life even simpler and the aromas in your kitchen ever more enticing!

Super Bowl Wings

, Valentina Rice

 

Let’s just say Val is not the world’s biggest football fan so I took over for this week’s blog. My family is deeply invested in this game. Growing up in Seattle with most of my family hailing from the Pacific Northwest has us gunning for another Seahawks victory. Last year we celebrated my Grandma’s 90th birthday and the Super Bowl win was her favorite gift. I see no reason why Grandma doesn’t deserve another win for 91.

 

In all honesty though my family takes football pretty seriously (understatement of the year). My husband and I just had our first baby and his very first gift was a Seahawks onesie (size 24 months…I think my family is planning for a dynasty). My husband, the ultimate Giants fan, was none too thrilled with the gift and said it should come in handy for a week when we run out of diapers.

 

 

This year our newest little teammate, baby Jack, will be helping me as I lay out the game day spread. Wings are an absolute must at game day. Wings for me have to be crunchy and the sauce has to be plentiful and potent. The wing recipe below is actually an adaptation of White on Rice Couple’s recipe for Sticky Asian Fish Sauce Chicken Wings. We thought it was the perfect sauce as it combined honey, ketchup, chili sauce and fish sauce. With ingredients from four of our amazing small batch producers composing the flavor of these wings you cannot go wrong. We used some tips from Ashley Rodriguez’s (Not Without Salt) recently released cookbook, Date Night In, on how to get those wings super crunchy and low and behold the results were finger licking good. Definitely worthy of game day. Go Seahawks!

 

Super Bowl Wings

Ingredients:

2 lbs chicken wings and drumsticks

Sea Salt

Olive Oil

Scallions, sliced for garnish

 

Sauce: (from White on Rice Couple)

1/4 cup Sherry Ketchup

1/4 cup honey

2 tablespoons Spicy Garlic Fish Sauce

2 tablespoons Chili Oil (take out with a fork so you are getting mostly the peppers not oil)

1 lime freshly juiced

1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar

 

Method:

1. Lay out chicken pieces uncovered on a baking sheet and salt generously. Refrigerate, uncovered, overnight.

2. Preheat oven to 450° F. Lay out the chicken on a rack on top of a baking sheet and brush with olive oil. Bake for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine ingredients for sauce. Once wings have cooked baste once with sauce and return to oven for 5 minutes.

4. Remove wings from oven and baste once more generously with sauce. Garnish with scallions and serve warm with plenty of napkins.

Cree’s Meatloaf

, Valentina Rice

 

Now that I’m officially an American, I thought it was about time I learnt how to make Meatloaf. It’s always seemed like the quintessential American dish and one that seems to have a million and one variations. Rather than attempt to test a million and one recipes, I turned to my all-knowing and all-wonderful friend Cree. Her recipe for Bacon-Swaddled Meatloaf appears in her latest Cookbook, Pork and after trying it, there was no need to try another. Juicy, tender and oh so tasty, she has very kindly given permission to share it here.

 

Bacon-Swaddled Meatloaf

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon butter

1 red onion, finely chopped

2 shallots, finely chopped

1 tablespoon hot sauce or Sriracha

2 tablespoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

2 eggs

1/2 cup sour cream

1lb ground pork (at room temperature)

1lb ground veal (at room temperature)

1lb ground beef, 80% lean (at room temperature)

1/2 cup matzoh meal or superfine bread crumbs

1/2 cup chopped parsley

2 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves

2 tablespoon Champagne Ketchup

12 slices of bacon

 

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

2. Melt the butter in a frying pan and fry the onions on medium heat until soft and lightly colored (about 5-8 minutes). Turn off heat and leave to cool.

3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the shallots, hot sauce, mustard, salt, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, eggs and sour cream.

4. Add the pork, veal, beef and onions and mix until combined – good time to use your hands!

5. Add the matzoh meal or breadcrumbs, parsley and thyme and mix again.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil and transfer the meat onto the sheet. Mold into a loaf shape.

7. Brush the loaf with ketchup and then begin to swaddle in bacon. Start at one end, tucking the ends underneath the loaf. Each strip of bacon should slightly overlap the one before.

8. Place the meat loaf in the oven and cook until an instant read thermometer inserted into the center of the loaf reads 165° F. This should take about an hour and the bacon should be nice and crispy on the outside.

9. Leave to sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

I served it with buttery mashed potatoes, sautéed spinach and of course lots of extra ketchup.

 

Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni

, Valentina Rice

 

 

I’ve written a lot about my fairy godmother but not so much about my fairy godfather as I sadly see him and his family less. As a child, I was wholly unaware of his distinguished academic career at Harvard, which ran the gamut of teaching courses on repressive societies to presenting Nelson Mandela with an honorary degree. I was far more impressed by the fact that he was a bona fide member of The International Magician’s Guild and performed wondrous magic shows for me and my brother.

 

I have always attributed the fact that I am the lucky godmother to 6 super cool children to my constant bragging about my own godparents and how important and influential they have been in my life. I owe more to my godparents than I can ever express and I often think of how little I have done to show my gratitude. The only gift I’ve ever been able to give my godfather was to cook him his favorite dish. He’s quite verbal about his obsession with Cannelloni.

 

He and his granddaughter were visiting New York and I had long promised to make it for him. I had never made Cannelloni – it seemed like one of those dishes that was never quite worth the effort. One best ordered at a restaurant as it involved too many pots, pans and bowls let alone trying to use a piping bag or for that matter owning a piping bag! Surely there must be an easier way. And of course there was. What I thought would take hours to cook and clean up, can now be done in under half an hour in part thanks to the discovery of Jar Goods and their Classic Red Tomato Sauce which I unashamedly pour straight from the jar. This is the recipe I made for my godfather which, judging by his empty plate, seemed to satisfy his high standards.

 

Spinach and Ricotta Cannelloni
Serves 4

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons of butter
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 anchovy fillets rinsed and chopped
1 clove of garlic, finely sliced
700g (about 3 cups) of fresh spinach leaves, thoroughly washed and still wet
Grated nutmeg
1 pack of fresh lasagna sheets
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup of grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
Salt and pepper
1 jar of Classic Red Tomato Sauce
Fresh basil leaves

 

Béchamel 
Ingredients:
2 cups of whole milk
1 bay leaf
3 tablespoons of butter
1/2 cup of flour
Salt and pepper

 

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350° F.
2. In a large frying pan, heat the butter and olive oil. Add the anchovy fillets and mash them with the back of a wooden spoon until they become a paste. Add the garlic and fry for a minute or two until it begins to change color.
3. Begin adding the spinach and turning over using tongs. As the bottom layers begin to wilt, you will be able to keep adding until all the spinach fits.
4. When all the spinach has wilted (about 5 minutes), grate over some nutmeg, stir and transfer to a large bowl and allow to cool.
5. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to the boil and cook the lasagna sheets for 1 minute. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process. Then, lay the sheets flat on tea towels to dry.
6. Now that the spinach has cooled, squeeze out any excess liquid and chop finely on a board.
7. Return spinach to the bowl and mix in the ricotta and Parmesan. Then season well with salt and pepper.
8. Make the béchamel (see below)
9. In an ovenproof dish large enough to fit the cannelloni, spread a layer of tomato sauce.
10. Cut the lasagna sheets so that they are approximately 4” x 8.” Add 2 heaped tablespoons of the spinach mixture along the length of each lasagna piece and roll into a tube. Lay each piece (seam down) on top of the tomato sauce and continue until the dish is full.
11. Spread over another layer of tomato sauce, followed by a layer of béchamel. Sprinkle the remaining Parmesan cheese on top and bake in the oven for approximately 20 minutes or until the sauce is bubbling and beginning to brown.
12. Garnish with chopped basil and serve with extra Parmesan at the table.

 

Béchamel 
Method:
1. In a small saucepan, heat the milk with a bay leaf to just below a simmer.
2. In another saucepan, melt the butter over a low heat.
3. When butter begins to bubble, add the flour and cook together for a few minutes, stirring continuously, without allowing the mixture to color.
4. Remove butter mixture from heat and whisk in the milk gradually.
5. Return the mixture to the stovetop and stir over low heat until thickened and smooth – about 15 minutes. The consistency is right when it coats the back of a spoon when tested.

 

 

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

, Valentina Rice

 

My enthusiastic attempt to start 2015 on the right foot with a 7am run has come to an abrupt halt after catching the bug that seems to be afflicting everyone. I had been feeling a little smug that I had survived the holiday season without so much as a sniffle. The Polar Vortex seems to have returned to NY – it’s ‘hunker down and rummage through the freezer’ time. Thankfully, mine is chock-a-block full of goodies that’ll keep me fed for weeks! I never need venture out again.

 

The best discovery was Aurora’s Chicken Tortilla Soup that she had made for me late last year as the weather was turning. The heat from Zukali’s fire roasted poblanos were just what I needed and the Ancho Chile Salt was a perfect finish for those crunchy tortilla strips. Not only delicious but filled with magic powers as I was back on my feet in no time at all and ready to start the year!

 

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Serves 4-6 or 8 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

Canola oil for frying

5 corn tortillas, cut into strips 1/4″ thick

Ancho Chile Salt for seasoning tortilla strips

4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 lb chicken breasts (or 3 cups shredded if using leftover)

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 teaspoons cumin

1/4 teaspoon cayenne

1 large white onion, diced (approximately 2 cups)

1 fresh jalapeño, deveined and seeded then minced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

3 cups chopped tomatoes

2 quarts of chicken stock

1/2 cup Mexican salsa verde

1 jar of Zukali’s Poblanos (use 1 cup diced poblanos)

2 cups cooked black beans (cooked according to package instructions)

 

Garnish:

1 bunch cilantro, rinsed thoroughly, stems removed, coarsely chopped

1 bunch of scallions, sliced

1 lime juiced, plus extra for serving

1 avocado, chopped

Sour cream to taste

 

Method:

1. In a large skillet, fill the bottom of the pan with a thin layer of canola oil. Heat to frying temperature. To test simply add in one tortilla strip, once small bubbles start to form around the strip the oil is hot enough to go. Fry the tortilla strips till golden brown (about 2-3 minutes) and then place on a paper towel lined plate to cool. Sprinkle strips with Ancho Chile Salt and set aside.

2. In a cast iron pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add seasoned chicken breasts. Sear on medium-high heat until fully cooked and set aside.

3. In the same pot, add remaining olive oil and stir in spices (smoked paprika, cumin and cayenne). Cook about 1 minute, stirring to mix with oil then add in onion, jalapeño, garlic and tomato.

4. Cook onion mixture until caramelized, approximately 8-10 minutes.

5. Next add in stock and salsa verde. Bring mixture to a boil. Meanwhile, shred the chicken.

6. After soup mixture has boiled, reduce to a simmer. Using an immersion blender, puree mixture for about 2 minutes so that soup base thickens. 6. Add in poblanos, shredded chicken and black beans and keep at a simmer for 20 minutes.

7. Turn off heat and stir in 1/4 cup each chopped cilantro and sliced scallions. Squeeze in juice from 1 lime and season to taste with salt.

8. Ladle soup into bowls, topped with tortilla strips, avocado and sour cream. Keep extra cilantro, lime and scallions handy so everyone can garnish to taste.

Sunday Standing Rib Roast

, Valentina Rice

 

This is the perfect roast to share with a large gathering. Porter & York are known for the exceptional quality of their fresh meats and their Rib Roast stands alone. Perfect as a main course for the holidays this roast makes not only a beautiful presentation but also a deliciously rich feast. Most of the cook time is in the oven so with relatively little prep, you will have the perfect meal for the holidays. We hope you enjoy!

 

Sunday Standing Prime Rib Roast

Serves 10-12

Prep time: 10 minutes

Cook time: 4-5 hours

 

Ingredients:

8-10 pounds standing Prime Rib Roast, bone-in

About ½ cup kosher salt (1 teaspoon per pound of meat)

About ¼ cup fresh ground black pepper (1/2 teaspoon per pound of meat)

 

Directions:

1. 24-48 hours before you plan to serve the roast, rub it all over with salt and fresh ground pepper. Add fresh or dried herbs if you wish. This dry brining time creates a more well-seasoned flavor. Remove the meat from the refrigerator an hour before cooking.
2. Preheat the oven to 250° F.

3. Roast for about 25 minutes per pound of meat. Check the temperature 30 minutes early. You want 130° F for medium rare. Remove roast and let rest for 45-60 minutes.

4. Increase oven temperature to 500° F. Roast for 10 minutes to ensure the deeply golden crusty exterior and a juicy reddish pink interior.

5. Remove from oven and, since the meat is already well rested, simply carve and enjoy!

Hanukkah Donuts (Sufganiyot)

, Valentina Rice

 

Who doesn’t love fried foods and what better way to enjoy than an entire holiday devoted to them! These donuts, or sufganiyot as they are often called (though don’t ask me how to pronounce that), are a delicious addition to a Hanukkah feast. The recipe is simple and once you get your frying temperature right you’ll be done in a flash. Then comes the fun part of deciding what to fill them with. We work with so many wonderful makers of homemade caramel sauces, jellies, jams and fudges that we went wild. The result was a delicious smorgasbord of sweets that were still hot from the frying with crunchy outsides and fluffy, rich insides. It was as fun making them as eating them so this recipe is great to get family or friends involved. We hope you enjoy as much as we did!

 

Hanukkah Donuts (Sufganiyot)

Adapted from Quick & Kosher by Jamie Geller

Makes about 14 donuts

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups self-rising flour

2 (8-ounce) cartons Greek yogurt

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 eggs

6 cups canola oil

3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar (for dusting)

 

Filling:

Fleur de Sel Caramel Sauce

Fudge Sauce

Afternoon Strawberry Jam

Strawberry Jalapeño Jam

 

Method:

1. In a large bowl, mix flour, yogurt, sugar, honey, vanilla, cinnamon and eggs. Knead mixture until thoroughly combined and a sticky, doughy batter is formed.

2. Cover with a kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, Heat 6 cups canola oil in a 6-quart stockpot, over medium heat.

4. When dough is ready, test oil by dropping in 1 tablespoon of batter (ideally you want to be able to cook the donut 1 minute per side and have it be a golden brown color. If it darkens too quick or can’t last a minute per side then your oil is too hot. Allow it to cool before you do another test. Similarly if the batter stays a pale tan and doesn’t turn golden in a minutes time, your oil is too cool- turn up the heat and test again in 5 minutes).

5. To fry donuts, scoop out a tablespoonful of batter and drop in oil. (Don’t make the doughnuts too big, so they can cook through.)

6. Once your oil is the correct temperature, you should be able to fry about 7 doughnuts at a time. Using a slotted spoon, turn doughnuts when halfway browned, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.

7. Fry for another 2-3 minutes or until entire doughnut is deep golden brown and cooked through.

8. Remove doughnuts and let cool on paper towel-lined plates.

9. Repeat with remaining batter.

10. Fill a squeeze bottle with your desired filling and inject a little into each doughnut. Roll each doughnut in confectioner’s sugar. Serve up to your guests!

 

Coronation Turkey

, Valentina Rice

 

Coronation chicken has been a British staple since it was first served at Queen Elizabeth’s coronation in 1953. I’m far from the first person to make it with Turkey but since I’ve never seen it in America, I thought it might be a good time to introduce it as an alternative to the usual recipe ideas for your Thanksgiving leftovers. This version uses a mixture of Victoria Amory’s supremely delicious mayonnaise and greek yoghurt. I love the mix of flavors with sweet, savory and a touch of heat from the curry; a nod to the waning British Colonies.

 

Coronation Turkey

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup Greek yogurt

1/2 cup Classic Lemon Mayonnaise

3 1/2 cups cooked turkey, diced

5 tablespoons good mango chutney

1/4 cup golden raisins

1/2 cup chopped cilantro

1/2 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Lettuce for serving (we used radicchio and frisée)

 

Method:

1. In a medium bowl mix curry, Worcestershire, yogurt and mayonnaise.

2. In a large bowl combine turkey with mayonnaise mixture. Add in chutney and toss until well coated.

3. Mix in raisins and cilantro and half of the almonds then chill for at least an hour (recipe can be made a day in advance).

4. Once chilled, spoon coronation turkey onto a bed of greens and top with the remaining almonds. It also works well in a sandwich.

 

Cranberry Marmalade Sauce

, Valentina Rice

 

This sauce is a vibrant addition to your Thanksgiving spread and is the simplest side to throw together. By using marmalade instead of zest you not only produce an utterly delicious dish but you also save yourself the time of zesting all that citrus. This sauce also makes a killer sandwich spread for post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwiches.

 

Cranberry Marmalade Sauce

Ingredients:

1 apple (Honey Crisp, Fuji or Gala all work great)

12 oz bag fresh cranberries

1 orange, juiced (makes about 1/2 cup juice)

1 jar English Breakfast Marmalade

1 cup water

3 cinnamon sticks

1/4 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons brown sugar

 

Method:

1. Chop the apple into 1/4 inch chunks and combine with fresh cranberries in a medium-sized saucepan.

2. Squeeze the orange juice into pan and add marmalade and remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.

3. Reduce to a simmer and partially cover for 10 minutes, stirring from once or twice while cooking.

4. Remove lid and heat for 10 minutes on medium-low, stirring with a wooden spoon and mashing the apple and cranberry pieces as the sauce thickens.

5. Remove the saucepan from heat and allow to cool. Serve at room temperature and be sure to remove the cinnamon sticks before placing on the table. You can make this sauce in advance.