D is for Dinner: October 2010 Archives

Wednesday October 27, 2010

D is for Dinner - Pumpkin "Ghoulash"

Just in time for Hallowe'en, Angela Grant-Saunders from Saunders Farm visited our studio with a recipe for Pumpkin Ghoul-ash....

Serves 6

6 pie pumpkins, each about 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter
1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons (135 ml) olive oil, divided
salt and pepper
6 boneless skinless chicken thighs
2 medium-size onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic
1-1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups (500 ml) pumpkin, diced to 1 inch (2.5 cm)
2 cups potato, diced to 1 inch (2.5 cm)
1 cup (250 ml) carrots, diced
1 cup (250 ml) parsnips, diced
1 cup (250 ml) low-sodium chicken broth
one 14-ounce (398 ml) can diced tomatoes
2 tablespoons (25 ml) fresh cilantro, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350F (180C). To prepare pumpkins, cut off the tops and scoop out seeds and pulp. Rub olive oil inside cavity and season with salt and pepper. Place pumpkins with their tops right-side up on baking sheets and roast 25 minutes. Remove tops and remove. Turn pumpkins upside-down and roast another 25 minutes, until flesh is tender and firm. Let cool to room temperature.

2. Heat 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season chicken with salt, pepper and saute in Dutch oven until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken; set aside. Add onions, garlic, curry powder, cumin, cinnamon; saute 1 minute. Return chicken to pot and add diced pumpkin, potato, carrots, parsnips, broth and tomatoes. Cover and simmer 30 minutes.

3. Uncover and simmer until chicken and potatoes are cooked through and liquid is slightly reduced, about 10 minutes. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

4. Divide the stew among pumpkin shells. Place on baking sheet (without pumpkin tops) and bake until pumpkins are soft, about 15 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and replace pumpkin tops to serve.

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Categories: Columnists, D is for Dinner

Wednesday October 20, 2010

Mac n' Cheese - Mom's Way

For good old-fashioned comfort food -- or simply a reminder or your college-years diet -- what's better than KD Mac & Cheese?

Well, how about a homemade version?

Christine Tea, of the foodie blog Tea for Two , grew up on Chinese food and mac & cheese -- her mom's special take. In fact, she didn't know as a kid that the KD version even existed. And these days, Christine is perfecting her own recipe.

Today on D is for Dinner, Christine shares that recipe with all of us. Perfect stick-to-your-ribs food for a cold fall night!

Christine Tea's Mac & Cheese

1 cup Macaroni, Rotini or Baby Shells

2 tsp butter

2-1/2 tsp flour

1/2 cup milk/water

1-1/2 tsp Chicken Bake

1/2 cup cheese (mild or old cheddar)

Sprinkle of black pepper

Note: measurements are approximate. The Recipe can be altered to your taste -- if you want more sauce, just add more butter, flour, milk, chicken bake and cheese. It's the proportions that matter here.

Boil some water and add enough salt to make the water taste like salt water. Cook the pasta to your liking. (My dad likes it a lot softer, so he leaves it to cook longer.) I cook it until it's al dente, which takes about 8 minutes. Strain the pasta and do not rinse.

While the pasta is cooking, bring out butter, flour, milk/water, chicken bake and slice/shred the cheese. Be sure to have more than enough of everything close by, in case you need to make adjustments.

Once the pasta has been strained, add the butter and flour into the pot over medium heat. Stir and cook the roux until it starts to turn golden.

Add milk to the roux and stir/whisk until there are no more lumps. This is bechamel sauce.

Turn off the heat and add half of the chicken bake. Stir and taste. If you need more, which you probably will, add a bit more, stir, taste and then add more if necessary. You don't want to have the chicken bake too strong, as the cheese will add more salt to the sauce.

Add the cheese and strained pasta. If, at this point, it looks like you need more sauce, just add a bit of milk/water. Season to taste with black pepper and serve.

Makes about 2 servings.

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Categories: Add category, D is for Dinner

Thursday October 7, 2010

Matzo Balls

Auntie Lorna's Baked Matzo Balls

(from the memoir When My World Was Very Small by Ruth Rakoff)

"Auntie Lorna would painstakingly fill each delicious lump of divinely dense yumminess with fried onions, whereas I simply mix the fried onions into the batter. I like to bake them in mini muffin tins (kind of like Jewish Yorkshire puddings).

"For the batter I've provided basic proportions, though I have never in my life made only two eggs' worth of matzo balls. I usually factor about half an egg per person, rounding up of course and then just to be sure there will be enough add two more."

Onions:

Use at least one medium onion or more (never less) for every egg.

Chop and fry onions slowly on low heat until beautifully caramelized. Traditionally this would be done in chicken fat, but I use olive oil. Allow the onions to cool.

Batter (basic proportions):

2 eggs

2 tablespoons oil or chicken fat

½ cup matzo meal

1 teaspoon salt,

2 tablespoons soup or water

Lightly scramble eggs and oil together. Mix with matzo meal and salt until paste-like. Add water and stir out any lumps. Add generous amount of caramelized onions and stir into batter. Refrigerate for an hour or more.

Spoon ragged-edged lumps into greased muffin tins and bake at 350 degrees Farenheit until golden brown, about 12 to 15 minutes.

Try to wait until they cool before eating them.

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