Summer Sabbatical is Over

Dear Salt And Pepper Readers/Fans,

I am writing on behalf of my dear mother, Susan. Don't worry. This is still her blog, and she is still the amazingly creative and faithful chef of our home. After experiencing ups and downs of chronic back-pain all summer, she admits, 'It has been difficult finding the energy to blog!' (For those of you who blog, you'll probably understand this...) So, as today is August 29, and the end of the summer is upon us, I decided to jump in here and give the Salt and Pepper Blog a little boost before fall recipes begin!! I also posted some various dishes that I prepared alongside Mom this summer on my blog (see link).

The following recipe combines a lot of fresh ingredients to make for a flavorful and light dinner meal. It converts a typical bland-tasting salad into a juicy, sweet salad. Although we used fresh nectarines, I'm sure that ripe peaches would also taste great. I would imagine that this salad would still be great throughout September. This is probably one of our family's summer favorites.

Grilled Chicken-Nectarine Salad

4 boneless chicken breast halves
4 T lime juice
2 T fresh copped thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. plus 1 T Olive oil
1 T pine nuts (toasted in oven)
1/2 Cup fresh raspberries

1 small clove garlic, minced
5 medium nectarines, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
6 Cups mixed, torn, packed salad greens

Marinate chicken w/ 1 T lime juice, 1 T thyme and 1 tsp. oil. Season with SALT AND PEPPER. Cover and refrigerate 1-4 hours.

Turn on grill/barbeque to medium-high. Grill chicken about 5 minutes per side. Cool & cut diagonal slices.

Whisk 3 T lime juice, 1 T thyme & 1 T oil and garlic in large bowl. Season with SALT AND PEPPER. Place nectarines in small bowl; add 1 T of the dressing.

Add salad greens & toss to coat. Arrange chicken atop greens. Top with nectarines, pine nuts and raspberries.

Serves 4.

Enjoy!!!

Plan B

Ever have one of those nights when the meal you had written down wasn't going to work? Well, that has happened a lot in my cooking life and even after 29 years, it still happens....like the other night, when after a busy day of errands and grocery shopping, i came home, looked at my meal plan, got out the recipe, only to find out that the chicken needed to marinate overnight. Well, I quickly looked through the fridge and freezer and in my last 3 issues of Food and Wine and found a recipe that I could make in 30 minutes.
It is called Broken Pappardelle with Shrimp and Zucchini

A Lovely Spring Dessert

Recently I tried a new cake recipe from Food and Wine, May 2007. It is called:
Lemon Cake with Crackly Caramel Glaze

A few suggestions:
1.Err on the side of baking it for less time(check at 30 min).
2. When they say, deep honey color for the caramel, err on keeping it lighter, rather than darker.

Spring Chicken

It's time to fire up the grill and what is better than barbecued marinated chicken. But, what shall we marinate it in? Food and Wine this month has a number of different marinades to pick from: Vietnamese, Peruvian and Greek. On Monday night I used the Peruvian marinade and the outcome was delicious!!

Peruvian Marinade(makes 4 servings)

1/2 cup vegetable oil(I used olive)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
8 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. turmeric
1 tablespoon hot paprika
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper

In a bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. Place the chicken in a large resealable bag and add the marinade. Seal the bag and toss to coat. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.(I marinaded the chicken for 24 hours). Grill over moderate heat.

Comfort in March Madness

Yes, its that time of year again!! A whole month of NCAA Basketball! Well, we have passed the first 2 rounds and are down to the Sweet Sixteen. Now, you probably are wondering why this commentary on a recipe blog. In the last couple of years, I have sought to get a "little more into it" than just filling out the brackets. In the Jansen family, we all fill out the brackets, making our picks, etc.(My whole goal is to beat my husband!) But, to take it up another notch, I now purchase favorite snacks for the guys and plan special meals around the important games. For selection Sunday, we had Philly Cheese Steaks made with Comforting Beef and Oatmeal,Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies(I think we added a salad as a side). For the next weekend we hosted for the 1st time a March Madness 1st round tournament party, complete with Nachos and Homemade Buttermilk Cupcakes with Chocalate Ganache Frosting. So, ladies there is still time to make those basketball weekends special: there are 3 more weekends to go. Join in by cooking up something special, sit down next to your man and enjoy the madness.


Comforting Shredded Beef

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 bottom round roast(4 pounds)
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/2 cup Cognac
2 cups Beef Stock
3 cups(or as needed) Chianti or other full-bodied red wine


1. Heat the butter and oil in a Dutch oven(Le Creuset pans are excellent, fyi) over medium-high heat. Rub the roast all over with salt and pepper. Brown the beef on all sides in the hot butter and oil. It should take about 10 minutes.

2. Pour the Cognac into the pan, warm it, and flame with a match.(Make sure and step back as the flame jumps up high).

3. Pour the stock and 1/2 cup of the wine. Cover and simmer slowly over low heat for about 3 hours, adding more wine so that there is always about 1 cup liquid in the pan.

4. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature. Remove the beef and shred onto small pieces, following the natural grain of the meat. It should fall apart quite easily.

5. Return the shredded beef to the liquid in the pan. Heat until warmed through. Serve as is, sprinkled with parsley, on toast, or as a wonderful base for a cheese steak sandwich.

6-8 portions

The Silver Palate Good Times Cookbook, pg.354




Buttermilk Layer Cake(Cupcakes)

Have all the ingredients at room temperature, 68-70 F. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour cupcake pans or use liners.

Sift together:

2 1/3 cups sifted cake flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

In a large bowl, beat until creamy, about 30 seconds:
12 tablespoons(1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
Gradually add and beat on high speed until lightened in color and texture, 2-4 minutes:
1 1/3 cups sugar
Whisk together, then gradually beat in, taking about 2 minutes:
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Add the flour mixture in 3 parts, alternating with, in 2 parts:
1 cup buttermilk
beating on low speed or stirring with a rubber spatual until smooth and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Pour the batter in the cupcake tins, filling to 1/2. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 25 minutes or so. Check after 20 minutes in case your oven runs hot. Let cool and then frost with your favorite frosting or with Chocolate Ganache.Makes about 2 dozen.

Joy of Cooking, pg.939



Chocolate Ganache Glaze or Frosting

Bring to a boil in a small saucepan:
3/4 cup heavy cream
Remove from the heat and add:
8 ounces semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

Stir until most of chocolate is melted. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Stir or whisk very gently until completely smooth. Stir in:
1 tablespoon liqueur, or more to taste(optional)

For a pourable glaze, let stand at room temperature, stirring occasionally, until the mixture cools to 85-95F. For frosting, let stand until spreadable. If the frosting becomes too stiff, set the pan in a larger pan of hot water and stir until softened; or remelt and cool to 85-95F. for use as a glaze. This keeps for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 1 week refrigerated. Or freeze for up to 3 months. Soften or melt befor using.

Joy of Cooking, pg. 1103



Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Walnut Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats(not instant)
12 ounces semisweet chocolate chips(2 cups0
1 1/2 cups chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350F. Cream the butter with the sugars in a mixer or by hand. Add the vanilla, milk, and eggs. Add the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder to the creamed mixture and beat to combine. By hand, stir in chocolate chips, oats, and nuts. Either drop 1 1/2" apart on greased cookie sheets or roll dough into a log shape and slice them in 1/2" slices. I roll the dough and then wrap it in saran wrap and put into the refrigerator. Then, I just slice off what I want on a given evening and one has fresh baked cookies! Bake for 10-13 minutes depending on size. Let sit 1 minute, then remove to cooling racks.

The Frog Commissary Cookbook, pg. 253

Meat Loaf Anyone??

This has become a family favorite. Even a non meat loaf lover will like this one(I think?...let me know) For a wonderful variation: Try mixing ground veal and pork in equal proportions with the ground round!

Italian Meat Loaf with Fresh Basil and Provolone

Winter Soup

With all these cold, winter days...soups are in order....here is a new one to try:

Lentil and Roasted Garlic Soup with Seared Steak
Enjoy!!

The Monday Night Blahs

It's cold, snowy and Monday! We are in need of comfort food! I had planned on making Lentils with Chicken Sausage, but alas forgot to buy more lentils last week. So plan B: another favorite with some variations and it worked!
The men love this recipe but it in its original state is rather high in fat. So, in order to serve my waistline and my heart patient husband, I substituted the sausage for chicken sausage, used whole milk instead of whipping cream and skipped the mascarpone cheese. But by all means, try the original and enjoy:

Penne with Sausage, Peas and Mascarpone
Serves 6

3/4 lb. hot Italian sausages, casings removed
3/4 lb. sweet Italian sausages, casings removed
1 cup chopped onion
1 1/4 cups whipping cream
3/4 cup canned low-salt chicken broth

1 1b. penne

2 cups frozen peas
2/3 cup mascarpone cheese*

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese


Saute sausages in Dutch oven over high heat until brown, breaking into small pieces with back of spoon, about 12 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon drippings. Add onion and saute until light brown, about 6 minutes. Add cream; boil 5 minutes. Add broth; boil until reduced to sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Return sausage to pot.
Cook penne in large pot of boiling salted water until pasta is just tender but still firm to bite.
Meanwhile, bring sauce to simmer over medium heat. Add peas and mascarpone and simmer until peas are tender, about 6 minutes.
Drain pasta. Add to suce; toss to coat. Mix in Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl; serve.
*Italian cream cheese available at Italian markets and some supermarkets. If unavailable, mix 6 tablespoons cream cheese with 5 tablespoons whipping cream.


This was a fun little salad that I threw together to add a little variety and brightness to a cloudy,cold day. Yes, I threw it together without a recipe! Unlike my daughter, Nora who doesn't always need a recipe, I do. Because I have had variations of this salad, I felt more confident to try and pull it off. It helped that I love all these ingredients and had them on hand.

Orange, Beet, Fennel and Pomegranate Salad

6 oranges,peeled & sliced
1 bulb of fennel, thinly sliced
6-8 beets, roasted(400 degrees for 50 min.)and cubed
1/2 cup of pomegranate seeds(Whole Foods is offering them already picked;in the fruit case)

Mix together with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Our Favorite Salmon Recipe

Yes, this past weeks fish night was a success. It too is a tried and true recipe, but this time I did not try any variations. The secret of its success is the mushroom ragout!! You really can have fun experimenting with different kinds of mushrooms(as far as your budget will allow; but remember they don't weigh very much). My experience is that the more rare varieties such as oyster, shitake, chanterelles make the more earthy and flavorful sauce. Now, to speak to the salmon: you can grill it(many a winter and even snow as not kept me from my 2nd oven!) or broil it.

Salmon Fillets with Wild Mushroom Ragout

Fish Pas

Oh, isn't it colorful! Spiced rubbed flounder topped with a tomato, cucumber and orange salsa, complemented by fresh green beans and rice pilaf! Oh, but behind this picture is a different story.

This recipe had been tried in its original form, but at the bottom of the recipe they suggest some variations, which I thought, why not? I decided to try the Old Bay Seasoning variation....well, I don't know what I was thinking, but I rubbed ever filet with the seasoning. We sat down to dinner only to discover that our mouths were quickly on fire. Before we knew it, we were scraping off as much of the Old Bay as possible and refilling our water glasses. So, as pretty as this looks, it didn't taste so good... Not a faux pas, but a fish pas!( The title came from my sister, Elizabeth)

Now for the recipe:

Spice-Rubbed Tilapia with Tomatillo, Black Bean & Mango Salad
by Leslie Pendleton

Tomatillos look like small green tomatoes surrounded by a papery husk. They’re common in Mexican cuisine, and their refreshing flavor is great either raw or cooked.

Serves four.

Ingredients
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed

1/2 pound tomatillos, papery covering discarded, fruit rinsed and small diced

1 ripe medium mango, peeled, pitted, and small diced

1/2 cup small-diced red onion (from about a quarter of a large onion)

1/3 cup fresh lime juice

1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper

11/2 teaspoons chili powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Kosher salt

4 skinless tilapia fillets (about 4 ounces each)(You can substitute flounder)

How to make:
Put a heatproof serving platter on a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 200°F.
In a medium bowl, combine the beans, tomatillos, mango, red onion, lime juice, 1/3 cup of the vegetable oil, cilantro, and a few grinds of black pepper; toss gently. Let the salad sit at room temperature while you cook the fish.

Mix 1/4 teaspoon black pepper with the chili powder, cumin, oregano, and 1 teaspoon salt. Rub both sides of the tilapia fillets with the mixture. In a large (12-inch) nonstick skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat until hot. Cook two of the tilapia fillets until lightly browned and the flesh is opaque and cooked through, about 2 minutes on each side. Transfer the fish to the platter in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining two fillets. Transfer the fillets to the platter, and spoon half of the salad on top. Serve with the remaining salad on the side.

Variations:

For a different spice combination, try rubbing the fish with Old Bay Seasoning. And for other salad combinations, try chickpeas or red beans in place of the black beans, and red tomato or cucumber in place of the tomatillo.

This recipe came from Fine Cooking, May 2006.

You can also access the recipe @ taunton./finecooking/recipes/tilapia_tomatillo_black_bean_mango.aspx

Tips:

• Buy yourself a good non-stick pan. I use All-Clad. It needs to be large if you have more than 4 people in your family or else you will be frying for a long time!!
• Buy yourself a splatter screen; it makes frying a heck of lot cleaner and easier.
• When they say a warm oven, they mean 200 degrees or less
• Costco has individual, flash frozen tilapia, salmon, flouder, mahi-mahi, ahi tuna in packages for under $15/package. Some of the packages have up to 12 pieces.

More with Less

So,to start this blog off, I want to first of all honor my dear husband for funding, encouraging and delighting in what has become more than putting food on the table for my family. Thanks Dennis!!


A little history on this recipe: Back 28 years ago, one of the first cookbooks I purchased was More-with-Less Cookbook. We were pursuing a simplier life with less sugar, more whole grains and even went as far as having a food co-op within our church. There are more than a few stories to tell about endless blocks of cheese being cut, honey by the gallons being poured and 50 lb. bags of this new thing called whole wheat!! Well, I had never heard of lentils until this cookbook. I can only say that it has stood the test of time and is one my husband Dennis's favorites. Peter still takes out the tomatoes though!


Baked Lentils With Cheese

Preheat oven to 375. combine in shallow 9x13 baking dish:

1 3/4 cups lentils, rinsed
2 cups water
1 whole bay leaf
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon each marjoram, sage, thyme
2 large onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups canned tomatoes

Cover tightly and bake 30 minutes. Uncover and stir in:

2 large carrots, sliced 1/8" thick
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery

Bake covered for 40 minutes until vegetables are tender. Stir in:

1 green pepper chopped(optional)
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

Sprinkle on top:

3 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Bake uncovered for 5 minutes until cheese melts.

This recipe serves 6.