Greens and Fennel Gratin

So I just Googled Greens Gratin and there are roughly a million recipes out there. But mine has fennel, and its the best, so you should try it anyway.
I actually owe the basis of this recipe to the Winter 2009 edition of Edible Seattle and the stunning recipe for Greens Gratin with Sausage they have in there. You should make that one too.

Imagine everything that is lovely about a gratin: rich, creamy, cheese laden and comforting, plus more flavor and better for you than potatoes alone. That's Greens Gratin with Fennel. I make this year round and everyone demands the recipe.

Greens Gratin with Fennel and Maybe Sausage

You Will Need:
1 Bunch each of  Dino Kale, Collard Greens, Kale and Chard. Cleaned, de-stemmed and chopped large. You will have way more than you think you can possibly eat, but they cook down.
1 Fennel Bulb, trimmed and sliced
1 Italian Sausage if your into that
Olive Oil
Butter
1 Cup Chicken Stock (OR if you prefer no stock, add a splash of Soy sauce and a pinch of curry powder to your greens once steamed. Trust me, its amazing.)
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 1/2 to 2 cups grated cheese. Swiss and Cheddar or Jack make a great combo
1/2 to 3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
1 Egg
1-2 Tbs Flour
1-2 Tsp Italian Herb seasoning blend. Or a few sprigs each of fresh Thyme, Rosemary and Oregano are even better.

To Make:
Preheat oven to 350 and then get a big pot with a lid. Seriously, the biggest pot you own. Heat to medium-high and add a generous bit of butter and the onions and fennel. Stir while cooking for a minute or so until the onions begin to go clear. Add the sausage if your into that, and cook until done, letting it brown on the bottom of the pot. Remove from pot and set the onions, fennel and sausage aside in a bowl. Return the pot to  heat and add a drizzle of Olive Oil to the pot when its hot. Add greens to the pot until its about half full, stirring as they cook. Add a few Tbs of the chicken stock and cover. You can use water if you prefer no stock. Repeat, adding greens and stock/water until they are all cooked down. Don't go crazy with the stock because you will want too cook off the excess liquid at the end. Once the greens are tender remove the lid and turn up the heat, stirring consistently until the extra liquid is gone. Now is the time to add the soy sauce/curry powder if you have not used stock. Sift in the flour and stir to coat the leaves, then stir in the herbs, onion, fennel and sausage. Stir in grated cheese.

Remove from pot and pile greens etc. onto a buttered pie plate. Whisk your egg and cream together and then drizzle evenly onto the greens and add some pepper to the top. Bake until lightly browned and bubbly, usually 30 minutes.

Super YUM.
xoxo

Spring Greens! What should I do with them.....?

While sharing dinner with my girlfriends the other night, we came to the question of what to do with the ENORMOUS quantities of spring greens that are now beginning to grace the Farmers Market and CSA boxes on doorsteps. I decided a few greens focused posts were in order, so here you have them, my bread and butter of greens cookery.

Braised Greens for Any Meal

You Will Need:
1 Bunch cooking greens. Kale, Chard, Dino Kale, Broccoli Raab, Collard Greens, Spinach or Broccoli Leaves are all delicious on their own or mixed together. Keep in mind that Chard and Spinach cook faster than the rest, so they are best cooked alone or added later.
Olive Oil
1/2 Lemon
A few dashes of Cumin
Salt
A few Tbs water

To Make:
Clean and chop greens into large chunks, dispose of stems. Heat a large skillet or pot with a lid to medium high. Drizzle pot with olive oil right before adding greens. Add your greens and a few Tbs water, then cover. If they aren't making a racket, its not hot enough. Cover for 30 seconds and then stir before covering again. Add more water if they dry out before they are cooked through. Cook to desired tenderness, between 1 and 3 minutes. I like mine toothy, so 1 minute is usually enough for me. Greens a pretty forgiving though, as long as they stay bright green and don't turn brown, you haven't over cooked them. Turn heat up to cook of any excess water, then down to low. Add either the juice of 1/2 lemon, a few dashes of cumin and salt to taste. I like mine best a little on the salty side. Stir to incorporate and serve immediately.

These greens are also tasty seasoned with Balsamic vinegar and salt or with sauteed garlic and lemon.

Fresh Baked Pumpkin (Kabocha) Pie

If you are a squash enthusiast like myself, then you already know that Kabocha is the squash of squashes.

If you are a novice squash admirer, let me extol the Wonders of Kabocha.

1. Its BEAUTIFUL. Dark or brilliant orange outside, deep gold inside. It also turns a very pretty purple when it molds....

2. Its freakin' TASTY! Full, round, slightly nutty flavor with delectable squashy sweetness, it tastes good in everything.

3. It has PERFECT TEXTURE. Somewhere between buttery and silky smooth and very fine, this is a squash made for cheesecakes, custards and pies. The pies are less inclined to crack too, for reasons which remain mysterious to me.

Now that you too have learned the glory of Kabocha, here is how to make it into a pie. I cant lie, I didn't know how much squash I would need, so my pie is actually a Kabocha/Acorn Squash pie. I like using the two for variety, and I think the Acorn Squash may haven given the pie a lift because the Kabocha is so fine. But I don't know. Feel free to experiment with different squashes, they are pretty forgiving creatures.

This recipe takes about 4 hours, but a lot of that is wait time and can be also used to clean your house, bond with your cat, watch movies or cook the rest of Thanksgiving dinner that you forgot to do last night.
This will make 1 Pie.

You will need:

For The Crust:
1 Stick cold butter (8 Tbs)
1 Cup Flour, with extra set aside
1 Tsp Sugar
Dash Salt
6-8 Tbs Very Cold Water
A food Processor, ideally. If not, a pastry cutter will do.

For the Pie
1 Medium Kabocha Squash, 1 Small Acorn Squash,  
together equaling 2 Cups Cooked Squash
3 Large Eggs
1 1/2 Cup Heavy Cream
3/4 Cup Sugar
1 1/2 Tsp Poudre Duce
OR
1 Tsp Cinnamon
1/2 Tsp Ginger
1/4Tsp Cloves
Dash/Shaving of Nutmeg

To Make:

First the Pie Crust. Add the flour, salt and sugar to your food processor or big mixing bowl. Chop your stick of butter into tablespoon sized chunks. Add to flour mixture. If using a food processor, blitz until the consistency of wet sand or fine gravel. If using a bowl, take to it with your pastry cutter until the consistency of fine gravel.  Pour into or keep mixture in mixing bowl. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, gently folding it into the mixture with a spatula each time. My philosophy about pie crust is that you are encouraging the butter and flour molecules to sit next to each other but not actually mix. So you must be very gentle with it.

The crust will hopefully be mostly doughy by this time. Gently form it into a ball and place in a plastic bag or saran wrap, wrapping it up and patting it into an air tight little disk-wad. Place in the fridge to relax for 1 hour minimum (you can also make this up to 3 days in advance).

While your pie crust is relaxing, you bake your squash. Pre heat your oven to 350 degrees. Chop off the stem and split your squash(es) in half. Do not peel or remove the seeds. Place face down in a cooking pan with a little water (approximately 1/3 cup). Bake this way for 40 minutes to an hour. Test for tenderness by periodically piercing with a fork, and be sure to always keep a little water in there. For a richer caramelized squashy flavor, feel free to bake longer at a lower temperature. It is done when easily pierced with a fork and very tender.

When your squash is baked, remove it from the oven a let it cool a bit. Once cool enough to touch, or whenever you get back to it, scoop out the seeds and discard. Scoop the rest of the squash into a mixing bowl and discard the rind as well. With your beaters on medium, blend the squash until it reaches a smooth-ish uniform texture.

You will probably have more than you need. Set Two Cups aside for the pie, and put the rest in the freezer for later use, ideally in two cup packages. You now have the makings of squash pies, breads and scones for the rest of the year. Yay!

If it hasn't been at least an hour by now, your a faster cook than I. Take your pie crust out of the fridge and  place on a cool floured surface. Dust flour on the top, and gently roll out into a circle, about 1/4 inch thick. Wrap it around your floured rolling pin or fold gently into quarters and place it into a pie dish. Unfold, press gently in, trim the excess and make your favorite pattern to decorate the edges. A fork pressed down along the edge works well for when I'm uninspired. Place back in the fridge until you need it.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl beat eggs, sugar and spices together. Add your two cups baked squash and mix well. Gradually add the heavy cream and blend well. Pour mixture into pie crust, place on a baking sheet and carefully slide into your oven.

Bake at 425 for 15 minutes, before reducing the heat to 350 and baking for 40 to 50 minutes. It is done when a knife comes out mostly clean, or only the middle jiggles a little bit when the pie plate is shaken. Cool for 2 hours.
Eat with family/neighbors/friends, and loads of whipped cream.

xoxo

Breakfast Risotto with Cranberries (Rice Pudding Jen-style)

SOOOO YUMMMMMMYYY!

I call this Risotto because instead of the eggs and milk combination generally used to thicken rice pudding, I have used Arborio rice which thickens on its own as you cook it. Not only are eggs no longer needed, but now the recipe can also be made Vegan if you so chose. Yay!

I add cranberries to make it festive-and because they were all I could find in my cabinet. Raisins work just as well. And don't turn it a delicate pink, but I kind of like the color options.

You Will Need:

2 1/2 Cups Whole Milk or Rice/Soy Milk (be sure your Soy is Organic and non-GMO)
Do not use Low Fat anything, it won't thicken properly.
1/3 Cup Arborio Rice
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon
1/4 Tsp Ginger
Handful Dried Cranberries (Or substitute chopped dates, figs, pears, apricots, apples or raisins)
Dash Salt
1/3 Cup Water

To Make:

Combine the milk, rice and dash salt in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Bring to a boil over high heat, stirring frequently to prevent the rice from sticking. Once it has reached a boil, turn heat down and allow to simmer until rice is tender, usually 20-25 minutes. Be sure to stir consistently, I have learned from experience that nothing smells worse than burnt milk.

As it cooks, the mixture will thicken. If it starts to become dry or too stiff, feel free to add up to 1/3 cup of water, a little bit at a time.

When the rice is tender, add the sugar, spices and dried fruit. Take off heat and stir thoroughly. Feel free to heat a little longer if still too thin.

Dish into bowls, eat with shameless abandon!

xoxo

Roasted Fall Veggies with Sage Butter

It is a annual fall ritual. I can feel it coming for a few weeks: first I see the sweet potatoes and fennel are in. Then the apples and squash. Finally, when the Kabocha squash start coming in, I know its time to begin roasting things!

In the long, gray wetness that is a Seattle winter, nothing makes me as happy as warm and slightly caramelized roasted things. I will roast just about anything to see if its tasty, but I usually end up with a mix like this due to over-zealous market shopping the week before. The best bit is that it is terribly easy to make and almost impossible to mess up. I do not give exact measurements on this one because eyeballing it always seems to work.

This particular blend of flavors was taught to me by my friend Rosanna, who lived in Italy for some time and brought home excellent cooking skills.

You can use almost any combination of roasting veggies here, just make sure they all lean towards the sweet, not savory. This dish is no place for an onion.

You will need:

Some combination of the following. Always be sure to have an apple, and roughly equal amounts of all veggies.
Kabocha, Delicata, Acron or Carnival squash.
Sweet potato or Kumara
Parsnip
Fennel 
Tart apple (Smokehouse, Braeburn, Granny Smith)
Carrot
Beet (will make all things pink)

Cinnamon
Ginger
Salt
Lemon or orange juice
Sage (fresh or dried)
Butter

To Make:

Heat over to 375 degrees. While it warms, chop your veggies and apple into large chunks. If your squash is very fresh you don't need to skin it, but you can if you prefer. Chop roughly equal amounts of everything. Place them all in a large bowl, and sprinkle with cinnamon, ginger and salt to taste. Sprinkle on citrus juice, just enough to moisten. Stir it all together to evenly distribute spices. Eat a piece of apple as a taste test. If it tastes good now, you are set. If not, tinker as necessary. Don't get over-zealous with the citrus.

Butter a large baking dish with a lid. Tip all veggies into the baking dish, cover and bake until tender, usually 45 minutes to a little over and hour. When done they should pierce easily with a fork and be separating from their skins a little bit. I like mine very done, so if your into tender-crisp, begin checking at 30 min.

Remove from over and set aside for a bit to cool. Put enough butter to lightly dress your veggies in a dish with a small amount of crumbled or chopped sage. Melt butter until it begins to separate and sage is infused. Dish up your veggies and sprinkle with sage butter to taste. MMMMMMMmmmmmm!

I ate the other half for dinner....

xoxo

Heirloom Tomato Ragu with Thyme and Truffle Butter

This savory sweet ragu has a surprising blend of robust flavors that balance each other very well. The end result us something unanticipated and delicate. Served over grilled eggplant slabs, my imaginary french grandmother used to make this in place of the more traditional Ratatouille.

 

Truffle butter is not essential, but does improve the dish. This all started because I have said truffle butter in my fridge, but for such a coveted ingredient and flavor, I really have no idea what to do with it. While subtle here, it gets along nicely with the thyme and brings out the sweetness of tomatoes and butter.

Had I been planning this better, I would have had buttered french bread and a dry Rose` to go with it.

C'est la vie.

You will need:

3 Tbs. Butter 

1 Medium Eggplant, slicked thickly (1/2 inch) and salted.

2-4 Yellow/Red Heirloom tomatoes, chopped large.

1/2  of a Medium Onion, chopped.

2-4 cloves garlic, depending on size and preference. Chopped fine.

1 Small clove garlic to grate.

6-8 Stems Fresh Thyme

1Tsp Black Truffle Butter

1/8 Tsp Ground Cumin

Salt 

To Make:

Melt butter over medium heat and add onions and chopped garlic. Be sure to set that one small clove aside for later. When onions are translucent, add 4-6 Thyme sprigs and saute for a moment before adding tomatoes. Saute over medium heat until tomatoes begin to cook down and sauce begins to form. 

Add cumin and salt to taste. Be gentle with the cumin, you won't need much. Cook gently for 3-5 minutes depending on how juicy your tomatoes are. When you like the sauce consistency, lower the heat and stir in Truffle butter. 

Once butter is melted in, do a taste test. I like my garlic a little bit hot. If you do not, cook a bit more and then take of heat.  If you DO like more bite, grate in your last little clove of garlic, raise heat for a moment while stirring it all together, then take off heat, set aside and cover.

If you have salted your eggplant and left it to its own devices, it should be dewy and ready to go. Rinse off and pat dry. Heat a pan to medium high, add oil of choice and pan sear the eggplant until just tender. It usually starts to look dark and a little translucent. Don't futz with it much, or it will fall apart.

Remove your Thyme twigs from the tomato sauce and serve spooned over the eggplant. Sprinkle with extra fresh thyme leaves just before serving.

xoxo

Curry Scallops with Coconut Cumin Risotto

The curry sets off the sweetness in the scallops, and the slightly crisp veggies in the risotto add a nice textural crunch. This is my homage to all the lovely Thai food here in Seattle. Serves two very happy people.

A warning for those with tender sinuses- searing your curry scallops will make you sneeze.

You will need:
6-8 Large, preferably Sashimi grade, Scallops. You can substitute Cod or Ling Cod if you like.
1/2 Cup risotto rice
3/4  (ish) 13oz can of Coconut milk.
1/2 chopped onion
3 larger cloves of garlic, grated or minced
Handful french green beans, trimmed and chopped large
A small yellow squash, chopped large
2-3 Tsp dry ground Ginger
2 Tsp fresh Madras curry powder
1 Tsp or cube bullion dissolved in 2 cups water.
1/2 Tsp dry Lemongrass
1/4 Tsp Cumin
Pinch (6 threads) Saffron
1 Lime
Olive oil

To Make:
First we make the Risotto. Keep your scallops in the fridge as this takes about 20-30 minutes.

  Heat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium till very warm. Drizzle in enough oil that you will be sure of your onions and garlic not sticking. Add onions to the oil. While they cook, grate TWO cloves of garlic over them. Set the third aside for later. Cook gently till the onions are translucent, being sure to stir regularly so the garlic doesn't stick or burn. Add your risotto rice and a little more oil to the pot, stir and cook for a minute.

Pour in 1/4 cup of bullion water into rice and add Saffron, 1 Tsp Ginger, 1/4 tsp Cumin, 1/4 tsp of your lemongrass to the pot. Stir. Allow to cook until there isn't much water, then add 1/4 more bullion. This time also add 1/4 cup coconut milk. Keep adding water and coconut milk, stirring and cooking off until rice is tender and slightly saucy. It should be like a rice pudding. Stir in beans and squash, remove from heat and cover. Set aside.

Take the scallops and rinse them in cool running water. Blot dry. Very dry. Don't squish them, just dry them thoroughly.

In a low, shallow bowl, grate your last clove of garlic. Add the Madras curry power, and the remaining Ginger and Lemongrass along with a splash of oil. Stir it all together with a fork.

This next bit needs to be done quickly, and then your food will be ready, so make sure your table is set, and everything else is ready to go.

Taste test your risotto-add salt, ginger or cumin to taste. Cover and set aside.

Heat a cast iron skillet or heavy bottomed pan until very hot. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil to the pan. Take your scallops and press each side firmly into the curry sauce to give it a nice coating.  Place your scallop in the hot pan and don't touch it. Quickly repeat with remaining scallops. Tilt pan to be sure each scallop has oil under it.

If your terribly quick, give your scallops a bit before flipping. If your like me, the first scallops in the pan will be ready to flip by the time you have finished laying the last scallop down. The edge against the pan should be browning and the sides beginning to opaque. Lift a corner of one for a test-it should be brown and caramelized looking. If it is, flip 'em and begin to dish up your risotto. By the time your plate is ready, your scallops should be also. Place on top of risotto and garnish with a large, juicy lime wedge. The cooking is more or less the same with fish-though the fish will be more forgiving than the scallops.

Ta-Da! Dinner to impress all your friends. Tastes best with a clean white wine and terribly ripe figs for dessert.
xoxo