Kale Paella!

This is a Bobby Flay creation, which I ate at my birthday dinner at Gato in NYC last year. It is fabulous. But, unfortunately, Gato and all NYC restaurants are closed due to the virus. To my delight, the recipe was posted on his Food Network/FaceBook page and I couldn't resist. Here are the photos of my attempt and the recipe he posted. Try it! It's really great!

Bobby Flay's recipe, as posted on Food Network:

 Bobby Flay

May 1 at 7:39 AM · 

Wild Mushroom and Kale Paella with steamed Eggs and Saffron Sauce.. this is my homespun version of GATO’s all-time customer favorite. It’s a vegetarian paella that I cooked in a cast iron pan since I didn’t have a paella pan.

I cooked short grain rice with lots of cremini mushrooms and fresh garlic and warm broth (use vegetable to keep it fully vegetarian, OR go for chicken broth) until the rice was soft. Then, I pressed it down in the pan, fired up the burner to med-high and created a crusty bottom on the rice (soccarat in Spanish). I added some sautéed kale with olive oil and garlic around the edges, and made 3 small wells in the center of the rice. Next, dropped a whole egg in each of the wells, covered the pan and let the eggs steam.

The vinaigrette is made with white vinegar, lemon juice, saffron threads, and olive oil...then drizzled it on top. It’s all finished with some lemon zest.
With 2 large spoons get under the crust and mix the crusty rice with the silky rice. Break the eggs and mix all together. Serve with some crusty bread and a good Spanish Albariño #wecook Food Network

Here is the rice soccarat I created. Tip - it may be better to make the rice separately and then drain and put into the paella pan. Experiment and see what works for you.

Here is a photo of the sautéed kale placed over the rice. I sautéed the kale early in the day, let it soften, lots of garlic and olive oil.

 

Here are the three eggs placed over the kale and rice. Because the eggs make the sauce, they should steam only a few minutes. Then, mixed with the rice and kale.

This is what is looks like all mixed up with the soccarat, kale and eggs.

Here it is plated. Delicioso!

Savory Chicken Pot Pie

Here's a great way to use leftovers from a roast chicken. (Buy one in the rotisserie section of your grocer!) Steaming, piping hot from the oven, this homemade pie is a wonderful lunch or dinner entrée, loaded with vegetables, freshly sautéed mushrooms, and savory spices.  It takes only 50 minutes to cook, and 30 minutes to prepare. Served with a salad and an ice cold glass of beer, it's perfect for just the two of you (with leftovers), a  Friday night poker game with friends, or as an item on your buffet. Sure to please everyone from 5 to 50, and beyond.

Ingredients
Double crust pie pastry (refrigerated pie crust is fine) Or make your own!
2-1/2 cups cooked chicken, cubed (or turkey)
6 tbsp. butter
1/2 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced and sautéed
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup flour (if you substitute non-fat or low fat milk, add two additional tbsp. flour)
1-3/4 cups chicken broth
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables, or fresh carrots (chopped), green beans (halved) and corn kernels
Egg wash: one egg, slightly beaten with fork, plus 1 tbsp. cold water
Freshly ground pepper, salt and paprika to taste
1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped finely

Process
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Press bottom crust into a deep dish pie plate and brush lightly with egg wash.

3. In a 2-1/2 quart saucepan, melt 2 tbsp. of the butter and sauté the onion until wilted and golden, about two minutes.

4. Over medium heat, add flour, salt and pepper and stir until well blended. Gradually add the chicken broth and milk, stirring. Mixture will thicken and bubble.

5. Stir in mushrooms, chicken and vegetables. Mix well.

 6. Remove from heat. Spoon mixture into pie crust.

7. Cover with top crust, seal edges and flute. Brush with egg wash, and cut slits in top of pie to vent.

8. Slip pie onto a baking sheet and bake at 425 degrees for 50 minutes, or until top crust is golden brown.

9. Let stand five - 10 minutes before serving.

Enjoy!

Winning Hearts with a Heart!

 
Tell each other sweet nothin's over a heart shaped butter cake bursting with strawberries and vanilla-scented, sweetened whipped cream. This one is so easy to bake and assemble, you can do it in the morning, let it set during the day, and have it for dessert for three or more days. It also freezes really well. Serve it with a glass of sparkling Prosecco, or for the purists, a big frosted glass of milk.

Party Pumpkin Squares

A pumpkin for your thoughts! Pumpkin is such a wonderful food, so loaded with health benefits, and available throughout the year, that it's a wonder we don't eat it more.  Now, during this season of pumpkin pies, pumpkin ice cream and pumpkin casseroles, I pulled out an old favorite of mine from many years ago and decided to give it a few new twists by adding ground cloves and allspice.  The result was "Pumpkin Party Squares," great for a buffet dessert because, like brownies, they need no forks or spoons to eat them .... unless, of course, you put a dollop of freshly-whipped heavy cream on them, as I did, or vanilla ice cream.  The result is a sumptuous dessert and is a real treat on a cold October or November night. A great gift for your Thanksgiving hostess, too!

Ingredients


For the crust:

1 package store-bought pound cake mix
1 egg, slightly beaten with fork
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground allspice
2 tbsp. melted butter

For the topping:

8 oz. container of whipped cream cheese, at room temperature
1 can (14 oz.) sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs, slightly beaten with fork
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 can (16 oz.) pumpkin pie filling
1/3 to 1/2 cup of walnuts, or as desired

Process

(1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

(2) Mix crust ingredients in bowl and press into a lightly greased and floured 13" x 9" baking pan. Mixture will be crumbly but firm.

(3) Whip the cream cheese, eggs, condensed milk and pumpkin pie filling in a large bowl with an electric mixer or wire whisk until well blended.

(4) Add dry ingredients -- pumpkin pie spice, salt, cinnamon -- and stir to combine.

(5) Pour filling on top of crust. Sprinkle with walnuts.

Bake 45 minutes until set.

Cool, cut into squares, and serve with ice cream or whipped cream, or just as they are!

Italian Plum Cake - A Wonderful Late Summer Pastry

We've been enjoying this lovely European recipe for decades, which is best only at the end of the summer, when Italian plums are in season. Recently, we were delighted to learn that plum cake is a dessert widely eaten on Rosh Hashana, the Jewish New Year. Seems all ethnicities do come together at the table. (Props to Barrie Rubinstein for this sweet culinary info.)

It's simple, light and airy. The plums are tart, the sugar is sweet. And dusted cloves and cinnamon on top of the cake will fill your house with an irresistible autumn aroma. Enjoy with ice cream, more dusted confectioner's sugar, or plain with a cup of tea.

Ingredients

3 lbs. ripe Italian plums, pitted and quartered
1/4 lb. butter
3 eggs, separated
1-1/2 c. confectioner's sugar
1-1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
Ground cinnamon for dusting
Gound clovves for dusting
Granulated or sanding sugar for dusting

Process

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
2. Butter and flour a half cookie sheet.
3. Pit and quarter the plums and set aside.
4. Cream butter, 3 egg yolks and sugar with hand mixer.

5. Mix in baking powder and flour.
6. Beat 3 egg whites and gently fold into batter.
7. Spread on prepared cookie sheet.
8. Place plums on top of sheet, sprinkle with cinnamon, ground cloves and sanding/granulated sugar.

9. Bake for 30 minutes in 350F oven.

Finished, baked and ready to serve!

FATHER'S DAY BURGERS

Blue Cheese Stuffed Burgers

Not for the faint of heart or appetite, our blue cheese stuffed burgers, topped with caramelized red onion and sautéed cremini mushrooms, are a hearty dinner for Dads on their special day, and anyone else who loves burgers!  The magic of this meal is the complexity of flavors created by use of spices and herbs. It's easy! Here's how we did it:

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef

1/3 c seasoned breadcrumbs

4 T crumbled blue cheese

Salt & pepper

1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, chopped

1 red onion, sliced very thinly

Butter and extra virgin olive oil for sautéeing

Pinch granulated sugar for caramelizing

Whole wheat hamburger rolls (optional)

Vine ripened or heirloom red tomato (optional)

Dry white wine for deglazing

Pinch each of oregano and thyme for seasoning

Onion and garlic salt for seasoning

Process

1. Mix breadcrumbs into beef. Divide into four sections.

2. Add 1 T of blue cheese into center of each patty, fold over and seal.

3. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, oregano. Set aside.

4. Heat sauté pan with 1 T butter and 1 T extra virgin olive oil. Thinly slice red onion, and add to hot sauté pan. Sauté until limp, then deglaze with white wine. When wine has evaporated, lower heat, and allow to sauté gently until brown and caramelized.

5. In another sauté pan, heat 1 T butter and 1 T extra virgin olive oil. Add chopped creminis, and sauté until until soft (about 7 minutes). DO NOT ADD SALT OR PEPPER until cooking is complete. It will rob the mushrooms of their natural flavor. When mushrooms are done, sprinkle with thyme, salt and pepper. Set aside.

6. In third sauté pan, heat 1 T butter and 1 T extra virgin olive oil and add burgers to hot pan. Sprinkle with more salt, oregano, onion salt and garlic salt. AlsSear 6 mins on one side, flip and another 5-6 minutes on the other side.

7. Serve on toasted whole wheat buns. Note: Adding tomato slices on bottom of bun will absorb juices of burger and "cook" the tomato. Absolutely delicious!

Serve with a green salad and watch them disappear!

Chicken Soup for a Winter that Won't End

"Snow is cold, rain is wet, chills my soul right to the marrow ..." Carole King

If you're suffering the slings and arrows of an outrageous spring, with snow and wind and weather that resembles January rather than April, here's a way to warm it up inside. Put on a pot of chicken soup! It is a perfect dinner, rich and delicious lunch, pairs perfectly with crusty bread, white wine and pasta/noodles. It's easy (easier than it looks!) and can serve six or more. Just put it into the pot and let it simmer! Top with grated parmagianno reggiano or your favorite oyster crackers.

Total cooking time – about 3-4 hours including prep

 Ingredients

1 whole air-cooled or air chilled chicken (about 3 lbs)

1 large onion, quartered

3 stalks celery, cut in half lengthwise and then into 3” pieces

1 lb. carrots, cut into 3” pieces (or get the small ones in bag)

1-1/2 cups College Inn chicken broth

3-4 chicken bouillon cubes

6 cups water (be sure the water is warm or hot before you add it to the pot – I use cold water out of the tap, put the bouillon cubes with the water in a measuring cup, and microwave it for a minute or two, then add to the pot)

Salt and pepper (I use French Sel de Mer and freshly ground pepper)

2 tbsp. butter

2 tbsp. high quality organic olive oil

Bouquet garni – 6 cloves garlic, 10 sprigs fresh parsley, 4 sprigs fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried thyme), 1 tsp. herbes de provence – wrapped up tightly in cheesecloth

Process

1. Into a large stock pot, heat butter and olive oil.

2. Salt and pepper chicken, and place whole chicken upside down in butter/olive oil,

3. Sear until browned. Turn chicken and sear on the other side.

4. Add onion, celery, carrots, broth, water, bouillon cubes, bouquet garni. Be sure the liquid covers the chicken almost completely.

5. Simmer on medium for about three hours. Watch the pot, maybe put a lid askew on it so that all the steam does not escape.

6. As it is simmering, you might want to add a little dried thyme to the top of the chicken and/or more salt and pepper.

If you use the air cooled chicken, there is (magically!) no scum to skim!! The best chicken ever!

7. When the soup is done, remove the chicken from the pot and debone it. Throw away the bones and put the chicken back into the pot. 

Serve piping hot with bread, buttered noodles, salad or just by itself. 

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