In Jennie's Kitchen

sweet potato, ricotta & leek soufflé

I’ve been really inspired by leftovers lately. That whole idea of waste not, want not, makes a big difference on the weekly grocery bill too. This past Rosh Hashanah, I was “winging” it for the side dish. I knew it would be something with sweet potatoes, since I’d picked them up at the farmer’s market, but I didn’t really have a plan. That is until I saw the leeks at the market too. I started thinking about mashed sweet potatoes paired with some sautéed leeks. Then that morphed into a soufflé. When I got home and started unloading ingredients, and spied some leftover homemade ricotta I’d made earlier in the week, my side dish was finally complete—a sweet potato, leek and ricotta soufflé would share the table with apple-onion braised brisket. It’ll also make a nice addition to my Thanksgiving table this year too.

Twice as Nice: Vegetable Fried Rice

Growing up in Brooklyn there were always two reliable takeout options: pizza and Chinese. While you can still get an awesome slice of pizza, some of the best, least expensive and most convenient pies come from my own kitchen. The same now holds true for Chinese food.

True, Chinatown is mere minutes away by subway, but it's too busy and the frenzy rattles my nerves. Not to mention schlepping with two kids is not my idea of a fun night out. Instead of settling for a mediocre meal in the neighborhood, I've started building my own collection of Asian recipes. Some are from other bloggers and authors (I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak at the new Steamy Kitchen Cookbook by Jaden Hair—and boy are you all in for a treat). Another book I enjoyed recently is Chop, Sizzle and Stir: Easy Recipes for Fabulous Stir-fries by Nadia Arumuga. I tested some recipes for the October issue of Working Mother magazine, and especially loved the Beef with Butternut Squash and Szechuan Pepper.

Then, there are the are the recipes that come from what I have on hand. I always keep soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and black bean sauce in the pantry for seasonings. My other secret weapon is rice—leftover rice specifically. The grains tend to hold their shape and absorb the flavors better the next day, so I always make extra to have on hand for later in the week.

Using a rice cooker comes in handy for a few reasons. One, you don't have to worry about anything boiling over. Most are coated so there's no sticking to the pot, either. And most importantly, they just plug into the wall, so you can measure ingredients, add, then push a button and get on with preparing the rest of the meal. Both Aroma Housewares and Panasonic sent me some models to test. The 3 cup, very compact, and inexpensive Panasonic did a kick-butt job, but the rice didn't stay hot for very long. Probably a good choice if you don't have kids and can actually eat your food the moment it's cooked. For volume cooking and rice that stays nice and hot a long while, I'd go with this Aroma model. It also has a setting for brown rice and a quick cook feature. The water reservoir is also a nice touch. 

Now, enough tech talk. The real reason I love fried rice is because it's a quick, easy meal. While most people think of it as a side dish, I'm happy to sit down with a bowl and call dinner done. It's got veggies, eggs and if you want to make it even more filling, then go ahead and add some chopped up roast pork or leftover rotisserie chicken. And while I consider a wok indispensable (it was the first piece of cookware I ever bought), you can also make this recipe in a large nonstick skillet.

 

 

Vegetable Fried Rice

Serves 6 to 8

1 Tablespoon canola oil, plus more as needed

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 small onion, chopped

1 carrot, diced 1/4-inch

½ cup sliced baby bella mushrooms

¼ cup frozen peas

4 cups leftover white rice

4 teaspoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon oyster sauce

1 teaspoon sesame oil

Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

¼ cup sliced scallions

In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, oyster sauce and sesame oil together; set aside.

Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a wok or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions, carrots and mushrooms and saute until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add peas to wok and stir-fry for 1 minute. Push vegetables to outer sides of wok or skillet and heat another teaspoon of oil over medium-heat. Add egg and use a chopstick or fork to scramble.

Add rice and remaining oil, plus more if rice is still to sticky, and stir fry vigorously to mix well and break up any large clumps of rice. Pour reserved soy sauce mixture over rice and stir well to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Add scallions, toss well and serve while hot.

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Homemade Pizza                Coconut Peanut Sauce Beef

            

Polenta "Creamed" Spinach + A Great Steak Story

  

Meet my food soul mate Stacie from ChowMama.com. After reading her guest post, it was clear that we are two gals who think as one. And if you're looking for steak in the Carroll Garden's section of Brooklyn, visit Dan from Grazin' Angus Acres at the Greenmarket in front of P.S. 58, and tell him Jennifer said hi.

***

A Steak House Meal Closer to Home 

By Stacie Billis of ChowMama.com

The dog days of summer are upon us and I have been feeding my family light, refreshing eats to help them beat the heat. Chilled wedges of melon; crispy, cooling salads; juicy, fresh fruit; sweet homemade popsicles. But all the while, I’ve had a hankering for steak. Not the summery kind, like a quick-grilled skirt steak with corn relish. But, rather, a steak house steak. The heavy, fatty kind you get in dark, wood paneled rooms that are perfectly cozy on a cold winter night.

I’ve been ignoring my hunger for a steak house meal for a while now, but I’m also 8 months pregnant. There’s no escaping a craving. I’d finally decided to satisfy my desire on a date night at New York institution Peter Luger. (Yes, New Yorkers—I’ve been around the steakhouse block and maintain that Peter Lugers is, deservedly, my favorite. Discuss amongst yourselves.) But a series of fortunate events changed my plan. 

Here’s what led to a homemade steak house meal that I was able to share with our ChowBaby. Yes, without fear of clogging his tiny little arteries. I hope it, along with my recipe for a healthier “creamed” spinach, will inspire you, too!

I fell in love

I have a thing for butcher shops. The funky odor, sawdust covered floors, even the bloody aprons (especially charming when worn by old, cranky men). But I’ve fallen hard for a butcher shop without the typical ambiance I find so enchanting.

Japan Premium Beef is an immaculate butcher shop with an incredibly well informed and sharply dressed (white button downs and skinny black ties) Japanese staff. The bright, modern space specializes in Washugyu beef, a cross of Wagyu and Black Angus, raised in Oregon. Overseen by breeder Tad Yano, Washugyu cows are bred from the most revered cow bloodlines in Japan (bloodline is thought to be the key to excellent marbling) and are raised on a strict Japanese feeding program without, of course, antibiotics or other growth hormones.

Japan Premium Beef originally planned on exporting their gorgeous meats to Japan, but international shipping restrictions required a change of plans. Now that the beef has to stay in the States, we get access to their premium (but relatively inexpensive) meat. And, the other day, I finally found time to make my way to the Noho spot.

After checking out the T-bone, NY strip, skirt steak, and flat iron, I decided on something new: a flap steak. The polite gentleman behind the counter revealed that it was his current choice and I was sold. He explained that the cut was from the stomach and growing in popularity. (A quick Google search led me to this tidbit on the bistro favorite.)  And the best part? He gave me a 1 ½” cube of pure beef fat in which we were to cook our steaks, instead of butter and olive oil.

I was inspired by butcher Tom Mylan. No matter how good a casual cook you are, attempting to make a steak house style steak in a home kitchen is (or should be) intimidating. Perfect steak is the result of a very delicate balance between the right cooking equipment, access to great meat, and well-practiced technique. But a little guidance from a professional can make all the difference.

With my Washugyu flap steaks in hand, I pulled out my cast iron pan and pulled up this interview with Brooklyn’s star butcher, Tom Mylan, where he explains how to achieve a crusty, charred outside while maintaining a juicy, tender inside. His technique worked flawlessly. I have no notes, no adaptations. Just a strong recommendation that you follow his directions by the letter. And then raise a glass in his honor.

My conscience was eased… just a little bit
In 2007, the UN released a report called “Livestock’s Long Shadow” in which their Food and Agriculture Organization claimed that as much as 18% of global human-induced greenhouse gas emissions can be traced to meat production. Oye. Not good news for this eco minded meat enthusiast. (I lived without meat for eight years and, honestly, can’t go back.)

I’m committed to buying antibiotic and hormone-free meat, ideally from small producers. The expense means that we go meat-less pretty frequently, but I figure that’s all the better for both our health and the environment. But is it enough? While I can’t be sure, this article by one of our country’s most influential small-scale farmers sheds some light.

I’m loath to suggest that Coleman’s point of view is definitive, but it is an informed, alternative opinion on a complicated issue. And, if nothing else, if you have no intention of giving up meat, it provides thoughtful insight on how and why you should shop for meat. While my Washugyu flap steak wasn’t produced locally, I feel it’s a reasonably responsible treat.

So there you have it. The confluence of events that inspired me to trade in a dinner at Peter Luger for an attempt at cooking my own steakhouse meal: flap steak fried in a cast iron pan with nothing but beef fat, thick cut tomatoes and onions sprinkled with sea salt and good olive oil, and my healthier take on the steak house staple creamed spinach. It was perfect!

So, go buy some beef, follow Tom’s instructions, and make this ridiculously yummy side dish. It has all of the richness of the classic version (thanks to a decent amount of butter), but gets it’s velvety creaminess from polenta instead of heavy cream (which is normally used in addition butter and sometimes even bacon fat). It makes a great meal for toddlers on its own or can be served with tomato salad (sans meat) to older kids who aren’t yet into steak. 

With my steak craving sated, I’ve moved on. Probably until winter when I’ll surely make it back to Luger. And now, during these last, hottest days of summer, I’m back to wanting ice cream, frozen grapes, and quick pickled cucumber salad.

Polenta “Creamed” Spinach
A healthier take on a steak-house classic
Serves 2 to 3

4 tablespoons organic butter
1/2 cup organic shallots, chopped
1 pound organic spinach, trimmed, washed & well dried
1 cup organic chicken (or veggie) broth
1/4 cup organic yellow polenta
1 tablespoons organic all purpose flour
1/4 cup organic milk (2% or skim work fine)
1/4 cup grated organic parmesan
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until they begin turning golden brown. Add spinach in two batches—when the first has wilted completely, add the second, along with ¼ teaspoon salt. When all of the spinach has wilted, you'll find that it has released some liquid. Turn heat to high and allow liquid to cook off, about 7-10 minutes. Periodically press spinach against bottom of the pan to release excess liquid, allowing it to cook off. Set spinach aside.

Put broth on medium-low flame to heat through. In the meantime, whisk together polenta and flour. Set aside

Heat 3 tablespoon butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add flour/polenta mix, whisking with melted butter for about 1 minute. Add 1/3 of the hot broth and whisk until smooth. Repeat 2 more times. Once all of the broth is mixed in smooth, cook polenta for 1-2 minutes, whisking the entire time. Add milk, a little at a time, continuing to whisk. Once the milk is incorporated, cook polenta another 1-2 minutes.

Take polenta off heat. Immediately add spinach (excluding any liquid that has accumulated), parmesan, pepper, and remaining ¼ teaspoon salt.

Stacie Billis
www.ChowMama.com
Follow me on Twitter @ChowMamaStacie
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Fried Green Tomatoes

 

One of my favorite breakfast joints in New York City is Clinton Street Baking Company. I have no will power and am a creature of habit, so the Southern Breakfast is my meal of choice. Sugar-cured bacon, cheddar grits...and fried green tomatoes. Talk about a trifecta. Sure it's a heart attack on a plate, but life is short (and might perhaps be even shorter if I lived closer).

Green tomatoes are available now at my local farmer's market, so I decided to fry up a batch for lunch this week. I still can't believe I ate two whole tomatoes worth (in all fairness, the baby did eat one slice).  If anyone has a recipe for sugar-cured bacon, I'm in real trouble.

Fried Green Tomatoes

makes 12

1/4 cup canola or vegetable oil, plus more as needed

1/3 cup flour

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup cornmeal, breadcrumbs or panko

Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

dash of chipotle powder, optional

2 medium firm green tomatoes, sliced 1/4-inch thick

Heat the oil in a cast-iron skillet over medium-low heat. Place the flour, egg and cornmeal in separate bowls and season with salt and pepper. Add the chipotle powder, if using, to the cornmeal. Dredge tomato slices, one at a time, in the flour, shaking off excess. Then dip into egg, shaking off excess and coat with cornmeal.
Place in skillet with heated oil and cook for about 4 minutes on each side, or until golden. Repeat with remaining tomatoes. Drain on a paper towel-lined dish and serve immediately.

Mango Hummus + Island Time

Is it really Friday? I'm so thankful to have a busy work schedule given the economy and job market but I'm always torn between the sunny outdoors and air-conditioned confines of the home office. I've got some haricot vert and fingerling potatoes that I hope haven't passed their prime, along with a few tomatoes from the farmers' market, so I'm going to make something out of them for lunch. Before I do that, though, I wanted to post that mango hummus recipe I tweeted about a few weeks ago. I created it for Role Mommy as a back-to-school lunch snack. As I suspected, the mango lent a sweet undertone followed by a hint of spice from the garlic. It also doubles as a sandwich spread, and I used it on that eggplant and manouri cheese panini last week.

This is my last week before leaving for the sandy shores of Cape Cod. I cannot wait to switch my internal clock to "island time". I've got some great guest bloggers joining starting August 24th, so get ready for some extra company in the kitchen. September is also shaping up to be quite busy with the added project of editing and recipe testing a cookbook (specifics are top secret for now, and it's not my own, but a fun assignment nonetheless) and this little thing called BlogHer Food in San Francisco at the end of the month. I'm going to lay-low this weekend and maybe make my six-year-old's favorite breakfast on Sunday, buttermilk pancakes or perhaps some French toast bread pudding, while catching up with the morning news shows and Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. See you all on Monday.

   

Mango Hummus
Makes about 2 cups

One 15-ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
½ cup diced mango (about half a mango)
1 clove garlic, sliced
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

Add chickpeas, mango and garlic to the workbowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture forms a thick paste. Season with pepper. Slowly drizzle in olive oil and process until hummus is smooth and creamy about two minutes.

Zucchini Potato Hash

The irony of being a food writer is that some days I forget to eat lunch. Crazy and seemingly impossible, I know, but especially true when I'm testing desserts all day. A few weeks back, the hunger started kicking in, so I went to my old standby and took out some eggs (you know they're a nutritional powerhouse, right?). Looking for a companion on the plate, I rummaged through the fridge and found some zucchini from the farmer's market. I also spied some new potatoes and onions, so they came along for the ride. I had the makings for what is now known in my house as zucchini potato hash. A fresh handful of basil from the backyard gave it a nice spicy kick. Just the boost I needed too to get on with the rest of my workday.

Zucchini Parmesan Hummus

Waste not, want not has never been more important than today. Between the economy and general state of the planet, I view each meal as a gift to be savored and enjoyed. That being said, I sometimes go overboard at the farmer’s market this time of year. It’s hard to look at the bounty of fruits and vegetables and not get carried away. Last week I bought some zucchini that I’d planned to use in a frittata. They sat in the vegetable crisper for a few days. Fearful they’d go to waste, I sliced them and roasted with some olive oil, salt and pepper, intending to play around with some roasted zucchini muffin recipes.

A few days after that, the guilt became overwhelming. Between the normal breakfast, lunch and dinner routines, mountains of work, and the two kidlets, I never had the time to make those muffins. Then I found inspiration yesterday in Mark Bittman's column in the New York Times. He mentioned a friend of his purees whatever leftover side veggies he has on hand to make a dip. 

It happened to be lunchtime and I'd been staring at this can of chick peas I took out to make hummus. And so, my recipe for Zucchini Parmesan Hummus was born, giving that roasted squash a tasty new lease on life. It was the perfect lunch with some slices of toasted baguette, and I know it’ll also make an elegant appetizer at my next dinner party.

A few pantry notes before we cut to the chase. Soaking and cooking chick peas fresh is wonderful but how many of us really have the time (remember, I said I have two kids, right?). There are many good-quality canned options out there. One of my favorites is from a local store called Sahadi's. Unlike other brands which can be mushy and unappealing, the beans are "al dente" and retain their shape, almost like making them yourself. 

Let's also talk olive oil. Two store brand favorites are from Trader Joe's. There's a California reserve, which they were out of stock this week. My back up fave is the Sicilian Selezione, pictured below. I also keep, Lucini on hand for those special occassions, like garnishing this hummus with a swirl on top. (A big thanks to Lucini for providing a sample of their Fig & walnut Savory Balsamic Artisan Vinaigrette in the Food Fete media bags—it was divine). This weekend I'm buying more zucchini and even they sit in the fridge for a few days, at least I'll have a quick way to shed the guilt and yummy way to use 'em up.

Zucchini Parmesan Hummus
Makes about 2 cups

1 cup chick peas, drained & rinsed
1 cup roasted or grilled zucchini
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Add the chick peas, zucchini, lemon juice, cheese, salt and pepper to the food processor bowl attachment on your Cusinart Stand Mixer. Process until mixture forms a chunky paste, about 45 seconds. Slowly drizzle in oil and continue processing until hummus becomes smooth and creamy, one to two more minutes. Serve with cut up vegetables, crackers, pita or slices of baguette.

Related Links

Zucchini Muffins

Plantains 102

After my last plantains post, there was a flurry of email activity with my best friend (you know the one who taught me to make them in the first place). So, here's some backstory. There are two types of plantains you can buy: unripe and ripe. Let me start by clarifying that when you prepare the unripe, green ones by frying them up and smashing with a tostonera, they are called tostones.

Moving onto the second part of my plantain tutorial, I decided to give the ripened, yellowish-black ones a try based on Jeanise's preparation (said friend). I've never been a fan of them but I now know it's because I don't like them served split lengthwise. I much prefer small chunks, cut up and fried crispy golden in some canola oil.

 

They're a bit crunchy on the outside (especially with really ripe ones), and gooey inside when fresh from the frying pan (caution: they're obviously blazing hot too!).

 

Again, this is really no-recipe required. You can also create desserts from really overripe plaintains but we'll save that for another post. Jeanise even mentioned a Puerto Rican lasagna-like dish made with sweet plantains. I've yet to tackle that one. And feel free to chime in if you've got a favorite recipe too.