Wednesday, October 30, 2013

Light Stunt: Chicken Noodle Soup

Chicken Noodle Soup


Now that we are a full month into autumn, I have noticed many of my food blogger colleagues have embraced the flavors of pumpkin. A quick look at my facebook news feed will reveal countless dishes that use the flavor. Me? I enjoy it. I can see the appeal and I even published my own pumpkin dish last year, but I am vehemently opposed to using canned pureé. My feeling is that if you're going to use pureé, make it fresh. Not sure how? My friend, Willow of Will Cook For Friends, wrote a beautiful demonstration a couple of years ago.

However, today I'm not here to discuss pumpkin. The change of seasons also brings a change of weather. In fact, you could also call this time of year the start of cold and flu season, so I present a comfort food classic from scratch and come full circle to close the month of October like I opened it: with a soup. I advise to leave the canned soup next to the canned pumpkin at the supermarket and make some ahead of time to freeze it so you have it when you need it. After all, do you really want to subject your body to all those un-natural chemicals in the can when your immune system is weak?

The Source

I poached my chicken using the method described on page 20 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set primarily because I didn't like the method Tyler Florence uses in his recipe I found on foodnetwork.com. I already had chicken stock on hand and I couldn't see using a whole chicken for 1 1/2 cup of shredded chicken meat.

Ingredients

2 quarts chicken stock
5 chicken thighs, skins removed
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 celery ribs, halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
4 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
8 ounces dried wide egg noodles (I used mini farfalle)
1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Poach the chicken: In a large stock pot (I used my 5-quart Dutch oven), combine the chicken thighs and chicken stock and bring to a simmer over medium heat, approximately 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the chicken from the stock with a wooden spoon and shred into bite size pieces once cool enough to handle. Reserve both the stock and chicken, but set aside.


2. Finish the dish: In a separate stock pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the mirepoix components along with the bay leaf, garlic and thyme and sweat for approximately 6 minutes. Stir in the reserved chicken stock and raise heat to boil. Reduce to a simmer and add the egg noodles and cook until soft, approximately 5 minutes. Fold in the reserved chicken, and continue to cook until heated through. Season with salt and pepper, then spoon into warmed bowls, and garnish with fresh parsley. Serve immediately.


Successful?

Mrs. Stuntman fell asleep early the evening I prepared it, but brown bagged some leftovers the next day. She texted me during her lunch break to tell me how much she enjoyed it. On a side note, I re-injured the same toe I referred to in August but hope to be back with you soon. In the meantime, Happy Halloween!

Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Bloody Rice for a Halloween #SundaySupper

Bloody Rice


No, I didn't actually cook rice in blood, but 'fess up and admit that I provoked you to click on my link out of curiosity, huh?

This week's #SundaySupper event has taken on a Halloween theme and is being hosted by Kathia of Basic N Delicious. I thought I'd get into the spirit by renaming my red wine risotto. In discussing risotto with some other food blogger colleagues, I have found a love/hate relationship with the dish. They either love preparing it or are scared of it. You might note where my allegiance lies with my numerous risotto dishes I've published already. It isn't a difficult dish to prepare; it just requires constant attention so a completed mise en place is essential before beginning.

The Challenge

Risotto doesn't get more basic than this version. Could the flavor of the wine stand alone?

The Source

I used Chef Fabio Viviani's recipe I found on his website.

Ingredients

1 quart chicken stock
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice
1 cup red wine
1/3 cup shredded parmesan plus more for garnish
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh tarragon, chopped for garnish

Method

1. Place the chicken stock in a medium saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onions to the oil and sweat them until softened, approximately 5 minutes. Add in the rice to toast and stir so that each grain of rice is coated in the oil. Deglaze the pan with red wine and stir the rice continually to loosen any fond until most of the liquid has been mostly absorbed. Add one ladle of the simmering chicken stock to the rice and stir continually until it has been absorbed. Continue the process of adding stock and stirring until absorbed until the rice is al dente and the mixture is creamy. Periodically taste the rice after the first two or three additions of stock to determine when the rice has cooked through. You may or may not need all of the stock. Once the rice has cooked, remove from heat and stir in the butter and parmesan, then season with salt and pepper to taste. Spoon into warmed bowls and garnish with extra parmesan and tarragon.

Successful?

I've documented the risotto process in my other dishes, but I wanted to share the striking photo I took when I deglazed the rice.


Despite it being a rather plain dish, the red wine in addition to the other seasonings made the dish flavorful. I especially liked the tarragon garnish because it provided a contrast in flavor, however I think I might try some additional flavors next time. This dish is also reminiscent of a risotto bianco that can be found on page 121 of Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking by Michael Chiarello with Janet Fletcher. Chef Chiarello recommends using this it as a base and then stirring in sauces such as pesto or Bolognese to add flavor.

Other Sunday Supper Participants

Sunday Supper Movement

And finally, please check out this week's other Sunday Supper contributors:

COCKTAILS

SWEETS AND DESSERTS

CUPCAKES, COOKIES AND MORE

APPETIZER, MAIN MEALS

Posted by at 17 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, October 20, 2013

Chicken with Mushroom Demi-Glace for a Sauce It Up #SundaySupper

Chicken with Mushroom Demi-Glace


This week, the team at #SundaySupper Movement has decided to Sauce It Up so I thought I would take the opportunity to profile one of five mother sauces of classic French cuisine. In the past, I've only prepared two of the five in their purest form: Hollandaise and tomato; plus I've prepared derivatives of the Hollandaise and a Béchamel. This week, I have decided to prepare a derivative of a Espagnole: the demi-glace.

The Challenge

Expand my understanding of the five mother sauces.

The Source

I adapted this Robert Irvine dish I found on foodnetwork.com

Ingredients

3/4 ounce dried shiitake mushrooms
1 chicken, cut into 8 pieces: 2 breasts, wings, thighs, legs (I used 4 bone-in skin-on thighs)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoon vegetable oil, divided
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, lightly crushed with the side of a knife blade
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/2 cup chicken stock
4 large tomatoes, cut into wedges
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Leaves from 1 large sprig fresh thyme
Spinach leaves, for garnish

Method

1. Complete your mise en place. Place the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour hot water over them and let them soak for 30 minutes to rehydrate. Once complete, strain the mushrooms through paper towels, reserving the soaking fluid and the mushrooms. Set aside. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Pat the chicken dry with paper towels, then season on all sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.


2. Cook the chicken. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large sauté pan over medium high heat. Once hot, brown the chicken on all sides, then remove to a foil-lined baking sheet. Place the chicken in the oven and cook until the fluids from the chicken are clear and is fork tender, approximately 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and rest to allow for any carryover cooking.


3. While the chicken is in the oven, prepare the demi-glace. Heat the remaining oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the red onion, garlic and celery and sauté until lightly browned and softened. Deglaze the pan with red wine, scraping any fond from the bottom of the pan. Let most of the wine evaporate, then add the chicken stock, tomatoes, parsley and thyme. Bring to a boil and reduce the liquid by half, then strain out the solids. Place the fluid back into the saucepan and whisk in 1/2 cup of the reserved mushroom soaking fluid. Warm the sauce so that the flavors infuse. Remove from heat and fold in the mushrooms. Season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, if necessary. To plate, spoon some sauce onto a warmed plate, top with chicken and garnish with spinach leaves.


Successful?

Unfortunately, there was a gap in time between when I finished the preparation of the dish and when I finally sat down to taste a cold meal. While the chicken was flavorful, the flavor of the mushrooms over-powered every other flavor in the sauce and not one of my better tasting dishes. I can't imagine this sauce being a classic and not being flavorful so I'll make another attempt in the future.

If I may, I'd like to comment on a poultry producer that has been in the news recently. If you're unaware, the Food Safety and Inspection Service traced a salmonella outbreak to three plants owned by Foster Farms that sickened over 300 people in twenty states, mostly in the west. A public uproar followed after Foster Farms declined to recall it's product. Normally, I am skeptical of a company that refuses to take no action against a potentially dangerous product but in this case, I understand the position of Foster Farms. Salmonella is a naturally occurring bacteria in raw poultry, so what is one supposed to do? First, follow raw poultry safe handling practices to reduce the risk of cross contamination. Second, cook the chicken to a temperature of at least 165° Fahrenheit which will kill the bacteria. I also read to cook leg quarters and wings to 175° Fahrenheit just to be sure.

This week's Sunday Supper Participants

Sunday Supper Movement

And finally, please check out this week's Sunday Supper contributors:

Savory Sauces
Pasta Sauces and Pastas with Sauce
Entreés with Sauces
Sweet Sauces
Desserts with Sauces
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → >Sunday Supper Movement.

Posted by at 21 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Friday, October 18, 2013

Raviolo al'Uovo

Raviolo al'Uovo


This dish has been in the pipeline since the beginning of the year. The reason I wanted to prepare it is because I recognized it from Cook Like A Rock Star by Anne Burrell with Suzanne Lenzer while watching Worst Cooks in America. Chef Burrell used the dish in the final challenge and I wanted to re-affirm my skills as a home cook. I obviously got side tracked for a couple of months but it got moved up to a priority when Mrs. Stuntman was watching an Iron Chef America episode a couple of weeks ago and saw Chef Forgione re-imagine a carbonara dish as an egg yolk raviolo. The concept also appealed to me because I remember a carbonara dish I had a several years ago that was topped with a poached egg. It was extremely creative because the broken egg yolk made a perfect sauce for the dish.

The Challenge

Re-affirm my skills. Is one of the worst cooks in America better in the kitchen than me?

The Source

The recipe can be found on pages 116 to 117 of the book noted above, but Chef Burrell's adaptation she used on the show can be found here. I also used Chef Burrell's pasta dough recipe found on pages 102 to 104.

Ingredients

For the pasta dough:
3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
4 large eggs
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons water
kosher salt

For the filling and sauce:
2 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano, freshly grated
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
2 large eggs
8 egg yolks
Kosher salt
1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
2 cups chicken stock
1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped

Method

1. Make the pasta dough: On a clean, flat work surface, place the flour in a mound. Scoop a hole in the middle so that the pile of flour looks like a volcano. Ensure the hole (i.e. well) is large enough to hold the fluids. Separately, in a medium bowl, combine the eggs, egg yolk, olive oil, and water. Season with salt. Pour the egg mixture into the well. With a fork, slowly incorporate flour into the eggs but be mindful not to break the sides of the flour. When enough flour has been combined into the eggs so the mixture has thickened, combine the remaining flour using hands. Knead the dough until it's smooth and flexible, about 8 to 15 minutes. Once done, wrap it in plastic wrap and let it rest at room temperature for 1 hour, or if not using immediately, refrigerate but bring to room temperature before rolling.


2. Roll the dough: Once the dough has rested, unwrap the dough and cut in half. Rewrap one half for another use and cut the other half into two pieces. Rewrap the first piece, then flatten the second. Pass the dough through a pasta roller at the widest setting. Fold the dough into thirds and pass the dough through the roller at the widest setting a second time. Fold the dough into thirds a second time and pass the dough through at the widest setting a third time. Decrease the width by one notch and pass the dough through only once, then decrease the width by one notch again and repeat the process. If the dough becomes sticky or tacky, lightly dust it with flour in between passings.On my pasta roller, there are 6 settings and I went to the fifth setting. Unwrap the second piece of dough and repeat this process.

3. Prepare the ricotta filling: Combine the ricotta, Parmigiano, parsley, and 2 eggs in a medium bowl, then season with salt.


4. Make each ravioli: Dust a clean, flat surface with flour and lay out two sheets of pasta, each about 12 inches long, then brush each sheet lightly with water. Spoon 4 dollops of the ricotta mixture onto each sheet of pasta at about 1 inch intervals. Use the spoon to make a small well at the center of each dollop, then carefully place an egg yolk on each ricotta bed. Cover each pasta sheet with a second one of equal length. Using your finger, seal the pasta around each ricotta nest, then cut each raviolo separately using a fluted pastry cutter or dough roller. Each ravioli should be three to 4 inches in diameter. Reserve the ravioli on a flour dusted sheet pan.


5. Cook and finish the dish: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat, then melt half of the butter in a large skillet. Once the butter is melted, add half of the chicken stock, then season with half of the sage and salt. Bring the chicken stock to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add half of the ravioli to the boiling water and cook until they float to the top, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer the ravioli to the chicken stock carefully and simmer for two to three minutes, adding some boiling pasta water to the sauce if it reduces too much. Remove each ravioli to a serving plate spooning each with some of the sauce and garnish with freshly grated Parmigiano. Repeat this process with the remaining ravioli, butter, sage, stock and Parm.


Successful?

The one word I would use to describe this dish is sophisticated. The flavors, preparation and execution of the dish certainly were. I would definitely it this dish in the intermediate-to-advanced category, but my efforts were appreciated with Mrs. Stuntman noting that it was one of her favorites.

Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Preview Post for a Sauce It Up #SundaySupper

Photo courtesy of Carla of Chocolate Moosey

A couple of years ago, I inquired into a few local culinary schools. It ultimately proved to be not financially feasible for me but I did notice some consistencies with each of them: One prerequisite is a safety and sanitation, which makes sense because one would need this information to competently work in a commercial kitchen. I remember being a little surprised at the time with another which is soups, stocks and sauces. As I have prepared more dishes, I have realized how fundamental the concept is. Some of my favorite dishes are seasoned simply with salt and pepper, but it's the accompanying sauce that provides depth of flavor.

With this in mind, the team at #SundaySupper Movement has decided to further explore sauces this upcoming Sunday, the 20th, using the theme Sauce It Up. I'll be hosting again so I'd like to offer this preview of participating bloggers and their corresponding dishes.

This week's Sunday Supper Participants

Sunday Supper Movement

And finally, please check out this week's Sunday Supper contributors:

Savory Sauces
Pasta Sauces and Pastas with Sauce
Entreés with Sauces
Sweet Sauces
Desserts with Sauces
Join the #SundaySupper conversation on twitter each Sunday. We tweet throughout the day and share recipes from all over the world. Our weekly chat starts at 7:00 pm EST. Follow the #SundaySupper hashtag and remember to include it in your tweets to join in the chat. Check out our #SundaySupper Pinterest board for more fabulous recipes and food photos. Would you like to join the Sunday Supper Movement? It’s easy. You can sign up by clicking here → >Sunday Supper Movement.

Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , ,

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Oven-Braised Osso Buco with Orzo "Risotto"

Oven-Braised Osso Buco with Orzo "Risotto"


Earlier this year, I was in my local Sprouts Farmers Market when the weather was warm when I saw osso buco on sale. I didn't purchase it because I knew it had to be braised and wanted to wait for cooler weather. Ever since, I've looked whenever I went by and they hadn't had it in their bins, so when Whole Foods opened a highly anticipated location nearby a couple of weeks ago, I went and found some. I've certainly braised in the past (It's my favorite cooking method) but not this protein. Osso buco is a cross-cut section of a veal shank and is traditionally served with a saffron risotto, but saffron isn't the cheapest spice and I wanted to find an alternative.

The Challenge

Work with a protein I'd never prepared.

The Source

This Emeril Lagasse dish can be found on foodnetwork.com, but I decided to season my shanks with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper instead of Chef Lagasse's dry rub. It's a personal preference but something called the Essence of Emeril didn't sound very appetizing.

Ingredients

4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
8 veal shanks, about 1 1/2 inches thick, tied tightly around the middle with kitchen string
3 cups chopped onions
1 1/2 cups diced celery
1 1/2 cups diced carrots
2 tablespoons minced garlic
3 bay leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 1/4 cups dry red wine
1 1/2 quarts rich veal or beef stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, plus more for garnish
1 1/2 pounds orzo pasta (uncooked)
3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan, for garnish


Method

1. Braise the shanks: Preheat the oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a large Dutch oven. Season the shanks with salt and pepper then dredge them in flour, shaking to remove any excess. Sear the shanks in the oil until brown on all sides, working in batches if necessary, 6 to 8 minutes per batch. Remove the shanks to a roasting pan and set aside. Add the mirepoix items (i.e. carrots, celery and onions) to the Dutch oven and cook until softened and browned, approximately 4 to 6 minutes. Season the mirepoix with the garlic, bay leaves, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. Deglaze the Dutch oven with the red wine, add the stock and bring to a boil. Pour the mixture over the shanks in the roasting pan, cover and place in the oven for 2 1/2 hours or until the shanks are tender.


2. Prepare the risotto: Remove the roasting pan from the oven and stir in the orzo and parsley. Recover and place back in the oven for an additional 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and stir to combine, then cover and rest for 10 minutes. Serve immediately, 1 shank per person on top of a bed of orzo. Garnish with grated Parmesan and parsley.

Successful?

When I purchased my shanks, I chose them from the bins in the meat section. I should have spoken to the butcher at the meat counter because the shanks I purchased were too thin and the kitchen twine became loose easily so the meat fell off of the bone. The flavors of the dish were still very good but I was disappointed there wasn't much contrast in color. Lastly, my 5 year old daughter asked to photograph the dish and took the picture below.


Posted by at 2 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sunday, October 13, 2013

Herb Crusted Roast Beef for a #FamilyDinnerTable #SundaySupper

Herb Crusted Roast Beef


A note before I begin: I find this unusual. My experience with insurance companies has, for the most part, confirmed the stereotype that they exist solely to collect as much money as possible from their policyholders and pay out as little as they can so I appreciate this week's #SundaySupper event. For it, I was one of only twenty bloggers selected to participate in it.

What's going on?

Well, the Sunday Supper Movement has teamed with American Family Insurance to promote their Back to the Family Dinner Table campaign. They believe in this concept so much that American Family Insurance is having a “Share Your Recipe” sweepstakes for 6 weeks with a weekly prize is a $100 Williams-Sonoma gift card plus a grand prize of a $500 Williams-Sonoma gift card. For details visit https://contests.amfam.com/familydinnertable/. AmFam have also produced a YouTube video with more information which can be viewed here. In addition, I invite you to a G+ hangout that scheduled for later today at 2PM EST with our founder, Isabel.

AmFam Back To The Family Dinnertable Logo

You might be able to determine that I'm pleasantly surprised an insurance company has decided to put their money where their mouth is, so to speak to support a principle that is outside of their own profit motives. Please consider Liking them on facebook, plus following them on LinkedIn, YouTube, G+, twitter, and Pinterest. In the interest of full disclosure (if you haven't been able to tell by now), this post is sponsored by American Family Insurance. All opinions are my own.

Today's theme is big Sunday supper meals that makes leftovers to be re-invented for weekday suppers. The idea for this dish was born from a comment my father made last Christmas. While my family was opening their coffee liqueurs, I was busy preparing a roast beef. While the roast was in the oven, my father remarked, "This would make great leftovers." You know what? He was correct. There wasn't much that wasn't eaten that evening, but I took a couple of portions home and ate them as sandwiches the next day or two. I was reminded of the meal when I saw a couple of roast chickens featured this week and thought this concept would be perfect. I'd advise to plan for leftovers, purchasing something that is versatile so it can easily be reinvented later. For example, leftovers in this case could be used to make fajitas, a French dip sandwich, or stroganoff.

The Challenge

Prepare a dinner so that the leftovers can easily be repurposed into quick weekday meals.

The Source

I used the rub ingredients from page 55 of the recipe guide of Top Chef University DVD set, but the dish there uses a standing rib roast with potatoes so I used the method from the roast I prepared last Christmas which can be found on Food & Wine's website.

Ingredients

1 beef cross rib roast, approximately, 5 to 6 pounds
2 to 3 sprigs fresh sage
2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
2 to 3 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/2 bunch fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
1 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Method

1. Arrange your oven so your roasting pan will be in the lower one-third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit.

2. Complete the mise en place: Combine the sage, thyme, rosemary, parsley, salt, pepper and olive oil in a food processor and pulse until it forms a coarse paste. Place the roast on a rack in a large deep roasting pan.


3. Cook the roast: Slather the herb rub onto the top and sides of the roast and place in the oven until the internal temperature in the center reaches 125° Fahrenheit, approximately 2 hours. Once completed, transfer the beef from the pan to a cutting board. Tent the roast with aluminum foil and let it rest for 20 minutes. To serve, thinly slice the roast across the grain and place on a platter.


Successful?

I reduced the salt in the herb paste by half, but the roast was still well seasoned. Mrs. Stuntman was also surprised the roast was so juicy. We ultimately used the leftovers for sandwiches.

Other Sunday Supper Participants

Sunday Supper Movement

And finally, please check out this week's other Sunday Supper contributors:


Posted by at 19 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Light Stunt: Cheddar Ham Soup

Cheddar Ham Soup


Before I proceed, I have a confession. If you're a regular reader here, you know that one theme consistent throughout this website is me taking myself out of my comfort zone in an effort to learn something. Well, when I announced that I'd dedicate September to desserts, I never felt so out of place. A contributing factor in the number of dishes I produced is insufficient planning on my part, so I must apologize. Now that I have an ice cream machine, I'll publish one as I see fit.

Last week Mrs. Stuntman purchased a ham for our family that was rather large so I have been looking at recipes for leftovers, which is how this dish came about. I might equate this to a challenge on Chopped in trying to piece together a dish from odd ingredients. I like this dish from a conceptual standpoint because it's a creative way to use a Mornay sauce which is a derivative of a béchamel sauce. You might recognize a Mornay because it's a component of a Hot Brown sandwich and a macaroni and cheese.

The Challenge

Re-purpose leftover food

The Source

I used a recipe from Taste of Home's website.

Ingredients

2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups water
1/2 cup carrots, sliced
1/4 cup onion, chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% low-fat milk
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cups (approximately 8 ounces) cheddar cheese, shredded
1 1/2 cups cooked ham, cubed
1 cup frozen peas
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
1 tablespoon saltine crackers (for garnish)

Method

1. Prepare the base: combine potatoes, water, onions, and carrots in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, cover and reduce to a simmer and cook until the vegetables are tender, approximately 10 to 15 minutes.


2. Prepare the Mornay and finish the dish: While the vegetables are simmering, melt butter in a second saucepan. Create a roux by stirring in the flour and stir until smooth. Gradually add the milk then season with salt and pepper. Bring the béchamel to a boil and stir until thickened, approximately 2 minutes. Add the cheese and stir to melt. Add the Mornay to the undrained vegetables and then add the ham and peas. Serve immediately in warmed bowls, garnished with crackers and parsley.


Successful?

This dish would be perfect for a cold winter evening because it was a little rich, but the sweetness of the carrots balanced the saltiness of the ham well. I classified this dish a Light Stunt (appropriate for a weeknight) because I was able to finish cooking the dish in about 20 minutes, but please keep in mind that the mise en place is a little labor intensive.

Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)