nina in the kitchen

Roasted Rhubarb Cobbler

Posted on May 27, 2021 by nina in the kitchen

Roasted Rhubarb Cobbler Drizzled with Cream

Easy to make cobbler by Melissa Clark published in the New York Times is as good as they say!! Definitely making this again!!

Ingredients

Rhubarb Filling

1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 pounds rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 inch pieces, about 7 cups
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon orange zest, optional
Pinch of kosher salt

Biscuit Topping

3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch of kosher salt
3 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1/3 cup heavy cream plus 1 tablespoon plus more for serving
Demerara sugar or turbinado sugar for sprinkling

Directions

Preheat oven to 425. Into a 1 1/2 – 2 quart gratin or baking dish add the rhubarb, sugar, salt and zest. Then scrape in the vanilla paste or add extract. Stir well. Let macerate while making biscuit dough.
To make the biscuit dough, in a medium bowl whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Toss in and coat butter cubes. Cut in butter with a pastry blender, 2 knives or pinch and mix with your fingers until pea size morsels develop. Add 1/2 cup heavy cream and mix just until blended with a rubber spatula or spoon.
Pour dough onto a lightly floured surface. Pat gently into a ball. Divide into 6 pieces. Form each piece into a round disc. Place on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 30 minutes to 6 hours
Place rhubarb in oven. Roast about 25-30 minutes or until tender and a syrup develops. Stir halfway through.
Place the dough rounds over cobbler evenly spaced. Brush rounds with remaining 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with Demerara sugar.
Lower temperature to 375 and bake 20-30 minutes or until biscuits are lightly browned.
Serve warm or at room temperature. Drizzle each serving with heavy cream just before eating.
Voila!

Citrus Baked Fish Fillet

Posted on February 11, 2021 by nina in the kitchen

I love this quick and bright flavored method of cooking fish. It’s a recipe from “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat, a most informative cooking instruction and creative foolproof cookbook! This is a slow-roasted process that insures even perfect cooking. Just don’t bake it too long

I used clementines I had on hand. Samin recommends blood oranges or Meyer lemons. I did use the lemon zest for the oil rub as she directed. Her recipe was for salmon while I used halibut or whitefish. In her cookbook it’s called Slow-Roasted Salmon

Ingredients

2 – 4 oz halibut fillets
Salt for seasoning
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 thinly sliced orange, any variety

Directions

Preheat oven to 225 Degrees F
Line baking sheet with parchment
Arrange orange slices in 2 areas about the size of each fillet
Lightly salt the fish on both sides
Nestle the fish on the orange slices
In a tiny bowl combine oil and lemon zest
Rub the oil mixture over the fillets
Place in oven. Slow roast at 225 F about 15 minutes or just until fish begins to flake when you poke it with a knife

Use any quantity of fish you want. Samin Nosrat used a 2 pound fillet of salmon with 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 2 tablespoons olive oil in her recipe. She also used blood oranges or Meyer lemons as her bed of citrus.

Samin Nosrat also recommends pulling any salmon fish bones out with a tweezers before preparing it. Great idea, right?!

If you’re roasting a 2 pound salmon fillet, plan to slow-roast for about 40 minutes or just until thick part begins to flake when poked with a knife.

I hope you give this recipe a try. Let me know what you think!

Voila!

2 Comments

Posted in main dishes and tagged citrus, Salt Fat Acid Heat, saltfatacidheat, Samin Nosrat, slow roasted. Bookmark the permalink.

Lemon Tahini Dressing

Posted on February 10, 2021 by nina in the kitchen

Blanched Baby Broccoli Drizzled With Tahini Sauce

Tahini, Olive Oil, Lemon Juice, Garlic & Water!
That’s all you need!

Rachel AMA’s “Vegan Eats” introduced me to this recipe. It reminds me of the flavors of Turkey. Tahini, lemon, garlic. The sauce can be drizzled over cold salads, hot steamed vegetables, as a dip with naan or pita bread, or a sauce for anything!

It’s a mix of tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, garlic, & salt. Whisk it all together in a bowl and you’re done. Keeps well in frig too. I use it up in a few days

I’ve used various brands of tahini. Some are thicker and heavy and some are thin and syrupy. Rachel lives in London, so metric weights are used. It was extremely helpful to know 50 grams of tahini was needed since the various concentrations of tahini make a difference in the same volume. I have a new OXO digital scale I love and I use it daily! It weighs in metric and non-metric.

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!

I grilled this baby broccoli on a grill pan. It was a new blackened broccoli flavor!

Ingredients

50 grams tahini
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons water
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon salt, optional

Directions

In a small bowl combine all ingredients
Whisk together
I added the salt. It’s up to you. I’ve been using more salt since reading “Salt Fat Acid Heat” by Samin Nosrat

Voila!

2 Comments

Posted in side dishes, uncategorized and tagged lemon juice, Rachel AMA, tahini, vegan Eats, vegetables. Bookmark the permalink.

Italian Tomato Sauce

Posted on November 10, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

Tomato Sauce at the Beginning of Cooking

The Antoinette Pope School predates Julia Childs cooking school and was popular in Chicago mid century. My mother took lessons there in the 1940s and 1950s. These classes were taught by a couple who were French and Italian.

Here is my adaption of the recipe from their cookbook, The New Antoinette Pope School Cook Book by Antoinette and Francois Pope

Ingredients

6 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
3 large cloves garlic, finely minced
1 cup finely diced celery
4-28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
2-3 teaspoons salt
3 dried bay leaves
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
3/4 cup red dry wine, like Cabernet, optional

Directions

In a large tall cooking pot heat oil over medium heat
Sauté onion and celery over low heat until softened. Add garlic and sauté until fragrant, less than a minute
Add seasonings and sauté less than a minute
Add tomatoes and stir well. Bring to a boil. Simmer covered 4 hours
Be careful not to scorch bottom of pot. Tomatoes burn easily! Stir often
Add wine during last 30 minutes of cooking

This freezes well and can be used with many Italian style foods

Voila!

1 Comment

Posted in main dishes and tagged Antoinette Pope School Cook Book, Francois Pope, Italian tomato sauce, tomatoes. Bookmark the permalink.

Sweet-Sour Green Beans

Posted on November 9, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

This recipe is one I grew up with. My German grandmother Lulu Stoeckig Sanders shared it with us. We all loved this tasty dish and served it at many family gatherings

Ingredients

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed, cut and cooked till tender, drained and kept warm
6 sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch strips
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Directions

In a large frypan cook the bacon until slightly crispy
Add sugar and red wine vinegar
Stir over low heat until sugar is dissolved
Add more sugar or vinegar to taste
Add green beans to marinade
Let marinate 1 hour over very low heat before serving.

Voila!

1 Comment

Posted in side dishes and tagged bacon, German green beans, Lulu Stoeckig, sweet sour. Bookmark the permalink.

Skillet Speedy Ravioli Lasagna

Posted on October 15, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

This recipe is super quick, especially if you use a prepared tomato sauce. My sauce is from a combination of a red pepper sauce I made and a store bought Italian tomato sauce. This recipe here is from Food 52 and includes their sauce.

Everything is made in one skillet. The ravioli is frozen cheese ravioli. It is cooked in the sauce. Then part of the pasta is removed from the pan. Cheeses are layered and the ravioli is returned to the skillet, topped with more cheese and baked in the oven. Easy!

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 large garlic cloves, sliced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
Pinch or so dried red pepper flakes
1 28 ounce can tomatoes
2 large fresh basil leaves plus more for garnish
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh black pepper
1 1/2 pounds frozen cheese ravioli
8 ounces or 2 cups mozzarella, preferably fresh
2 tablespoons or so shaved or grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 F and place a rack in center of oven.
Pour your sauce into a large oven proof skillet or make it as follows in the same size skillet. Add 1 cup water to your sauce.
To make this sauce: Heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and stir 1-2 minutes until softened but not browned. Add tomato paste stirring until darkens slightly, about 1-2 minutes.
Add red pepper flakes, tomatoes, basil, sugar, salt, pepper and 1 cup water. Increase heat and bring to a boil.
Add frozen ravioli to sauce and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until the sauce is very thick and the ravioli just tender, about 15 minutes.
Spoon half the ravioli and sauce into a bowl.
Arrange the remaining ravioli in an even layer. Sprinkle with half the mozzarella. Arrange remaining ravioli and sauce on top and sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
Bake the lasagna until bubbly and cheese is lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Use your broiler if it doesn’t brown in that time frame. Scatter extra basil leaves on top and let rest 10 minutes before serving.

Voila!

Thank you again Food52!

Chocolate Dump-It Cake

Posted on October 10, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

I discovered this recipe on an Instagram video by Amanda Hesser, a co-founder of Food 52. It’s a favorite family recipe she shared from her home kitchen. The ingredients are literally dumped into a saucepan. It’s not a fussy recipe. A tube style pan is used. No layers to stack or frost. My granddaughter and I made it this summer and everyone loved it as much as the Guinness Stout Cake, another favorite!

Ingredients

2 cups sugar
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/4 pound unsalted butter
1 cup water
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 cup milk
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla

Icing

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups sour cream, room temperature

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F. Place a baking sheet on bottom rack to catch spills.
Use a medium to large saucepan. This will be your main “dump-it” style mixing bowl.
In this saucepan over medium heat combine sugar, butter and 1 cup water. Stir till melted and blended. Cool.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
In a 1 cup measuring cup combine milk and vinegar
Butter and flour a 9 inch tube pan with a removable bottom.
Whisk the milk mixture and eggs into the chocolate mix.
In several additions whisk in the flour mix.
When the batter is smooth, add the vanilla and whisk a few times.
Pour batter into prepared tube pan. Bake on the middle rack until a skewer comes out clean, about 30-35 minutes.
Remove from oven and let cake cool completely, then remove from pan and place on a rack to cool further.
Meanwhile, melt the chocolate chips in a double boiler, then cool to room temperature. It is very important that the chocolate and sour cream be the same temperature, or the icing will be lumpy or grainy. (Test by stirring a little bit of chocolate and sour cream together in a bowl. If it mixes smoothly it’s ready.)
Stir the sour cream into the chocolate, 1/4 cup at a time, until the mixture is smooth.
Place the cake on a serving platter. Ice the sides and then the top.

I hope you enjoy this delish and easy to make cake!

Butter and Flour a Tube Style Baking Pan

Combine and Melt Chocolate, Butter and Water in a Large Saucepan

Whisk the Milk and Eggs into the Chocolate Mixture

Whisk Flour Mixture into Chocolate Batter

Cool the Melted Chocolate Chips and Combine with Sour Cream

Voila! And thank you again to Food52!

Mediterranean Bean Salad

Posted on October 9, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

The Original Dish is one of my favorite food bloggers. My recipe is based on her version of the traditional 3 Bean Salad. I will definitely make this again!

I substituted dried oregano for her fresh parsley, mint and basil. I also substituted black eyed peas for her chickpeas and added feta cheese and fresh tomato! My recipe here is like Village Greek Salad meets 3 Bean Salad!

This recipe has some flexibility. Try any combination of 3 varieties of canned beans. Suzy and I both agree that there are better options than canned green and yellow wax beans.

Ingredients

1 15 oz can dark red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 15 oz can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
1 green pepper, cored and chopped
1 red pepper, cored and chopped
1 English cucumber, diced
1 tomato, cut in large chunks, optional
1 cup chopped red onion
1/3 – 1/2 cup capers
4-8 ounces block style feta cheese, cut into cubes, optional
1/2-1 tablespoon dried oregano

Garlic–Dijon Vinaigrette

2 large garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and black pepper

Directions

In a large bowl or on a large platter place beans, peppers, cucumber, onion, capers, tomato and feta. Decide to either keep all items separate on a platter for serving or mixing them all up in a bowl.
Sprinkle oregano over all
In a small bowl whisk together vinaigrette ingredients till combined and thick.
Pour vinaigrette over platter of beans or mix into bowl of these same ingredients. Cover and refrigerate an hour or so before serving so beans absorb the vinaigrette.

Village Greek 3 Bean Salad Ingredients Seperated

Whisk Together Vinaigrette and Pour Over Salad

Omit the Feta for a More Traditional 3 Bean Salad

Thank you Suzy from The Mediterranean Dish for your inspiration!

Voila!

1 Comment

Posted in salads and tagged 3 bean salad, black eyed peas, cannellini beans, the Mediterranean Dish, vegetarian, Village Greek Salad. Bookmark the permalink.

Focaccia from Genoa

Posted on October 5, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

This focaccia combines olive oil, wine and water to make a haunting flavor, light porous texture and crispy crust. Carol Field published the cookbook Focaccia in 1994 which includes this recipe and it’s a classic!

Ingredients

SPONGE

2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 package)
2/3 cup warm water (105-115 degrees F)
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

DOUGH

1/2 cup water, room temperature
1/3 cup dry white wine or sherry
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Sponge, above
2 1/2 cups plus 2 teaspoons unbleached all- purpose flour, plus 1-2 tablespoons as needed
2 teaspoons sea salt

TOPPING

About 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3/4-1 teaspoon sea salt or flaked salt
1 cup ice and water for a separate pan in the oven

Instructions

Sponge: In a large heavy duty mixer bowl sprinkle the yeast over the warm water, whisk it in and let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in flour and beat until smooth. Cover and let rise until puffy and bubbling, about 30 minutes.
Dough: Place sponge bowl and mixer paddle in place in the mixer. Add the water, wine and olive oil to the sponge. Add the flour and salt and mix until the dough comes together. Change to the dough hook and knead for 3 minutes at medium speed, stopping to press the dough into a ball. Use the 1-2 tablespoons extra flour to finish kneading by hand briefly on a smooth surface.
FIRST RISE: Place the dough in a large lightly oiled bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
SHAPING AND SECOND RISE: The dough will be soft, full of air bubbles and stretch easily. Press into a lightly oiled 10 1/2 x 15 1/2 inch pan. Dimple it well with your fingertips or knuckles, cover with a towel, and let rise until puffy and doubled, about 45 minutes.
BAKING: Preheat oven to 425 F. On the bottom rack place a large shallow baking pan. Also place a baking stone if you have one on the middle rack. When all are hot, again dimple the dough. Drizzle olive oil so it pools in the indentations and sprinkle with sea or flaked salt. Place the focaccia on the stone. Pour 1 cup cold water and ice into the bottom rack pan. Quickly shut the oven door and turn temperature down to 400 F. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove from the pan and cool on a rack. Cut into large squares or rectangles. Serve warm or room temperature.

Finish kneading by hand briefly on a smooth work surface

Spread dough into pan with your fingers and dimple too!

Cover with a towel and let rise until puffy and doubled

Voila!

Thank you Carol Field, author of Focaccia Simple Breads from the Italian Oven!

3 Comments

Posted in baking and tagged Carol Field, Focaccia, Focaccia: Simple Breads from the Italian Oven, Genoa, Italian, Liguria, sponge, vegetarian, yeast. Bookmark the permalink.

Gumbo

Posted on May 26, 2020 by nina in the kitchen

This recipe is from Chef Paul Prudhomme’s Louisiana Kitchen cookbook. We’ve added shrimp this time, but this original recipe is without shrimp

For a big crowd we double the recipe. One recipe makes about 3- 4 quarts. We enjoy it either with the traditional rice or a crusty bread

The most unusual part of this recipe is making the roux. You can purchase roux at some grocery stores or specialty shops. Making it is not difficult, but it is surprising. The first time I made it I was certain I made a mistake and threw it out! The real flavor of gumbo comes from the roux. It is a pungent flavor on its own, but combined with the seasonings and other ingredients it’s divine!

This gumbo has a lot of broth that is not thick. It is full of flavor and is a dark color. You can make your own homemade chicken stock or broth. Or you can use store bought chicken stock. Or you can make a stock using a concentrate like Better Than Bouillon Organic Chicken Stock base. These store versions can be salty, so limit your added salt if you use these types.

If you have the shrimp shells, simmer them in about 2-3 cups of water or so for 30 minutes. Strain the shells through a fine mesh strainer. Use this as part of your 7 cups of stock if you use shrimp

Ingredients

1 pound large shrimp with shells reserved, optional
6 chicken thighs, skinless and boneless
Salt
Garlic powder
Cayenne pepper
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped green pepper
3/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 – 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder, plus another 1-2 teaspoons
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Vegetable oil
7 cups chicken stock ( including 2 cups of shrimp shell stock)
1/2 pound andouille smoked sausage, cut into 1/4- 1/2 inch pieces
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Hot rice, optional
Sliced green onion
Tony Chachere’s Original Cajun Seasoning, optional

Directions

Remove excess fat from chicken. Rub a generous amount of salt, garlic powder, and cayenne on both sides of each piece, making sure each piece is evenly covered. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
In a medium bowl combine onion, green pepper and celery. Set aside.
In a paper or plastic bag combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper. Add the chicken pieces and shake until the chicken is well coated. Reserve 1/2 cup of the seasoned flour.
In a large heavy skillet heat 1 1/2 inches vegetable oil until very hot (375-400F). Fry the chicken until the crust is browned and the meat is cooked, about 5-8 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels.
Carefully pour the hot oil into a glass measuring cup, leaving as many browned particles in the skillet as possible. Scrape the pan with a metal whisk to loosen any stuck particles. Return 1/2 cup of the hot oil to the skillet.
Making the roux: Place the pan over high heat. BE VERY CAREFUL! This burns if it splashes on your skin! Using a long handled metal whisk gradually stir in the reserved 1/2 cup seasoned flour. Whisk constantly until the roux turns a dark red-brown to black color. This is where I thought I made a mistake! It isn’t though. Do this cooking with a fan in a well ventilated area. It takes about 10 minutes to reach the brown color.
Remove from heat when you’ve reached the right dark chocolate brown color. Immediately add the vegetables, stirring constantly until the roux stops getting darker. Return pan to low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly and scraping the pan bottom well. You may even use a metal spatula to do this scraping.
Meanwhile place the stock in an 8 quart stock pot and bring to a boil. Add roux mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Return to a boil, stirring and scraping the pan bottom often.
Reduce heat to a simmer and stir in the garlic and andouille. Simmer uncovered about 45 minutes, stirring often toward the end of cooking. Add as an option 1-2 teaspoons garlic powder and cook another 30 minutes to mellow the flavor.
While the gumbo is simmering, cut the chicken into larger bite size pieces. When the gumbo is cooked add the chicken. Adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic powder. Add the shrimp if desired
To serve ladle 1 1/4 cups gumbo into a large soup bowl. Then using a scoop or mold place a rounded 1/3 cup of cooked rice in the center of the gumbo. Garnish with sliced green onion and a sprinkling of a cayenne pepper seasoning mix like Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning.