Short Ribs Kabik

Recipe from Season 5 Mexico--One Plate at a Time

Serves 4
Ingredients

1 head garlic, broken apart, but cloves not peeled
6 hot banana peppers
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 bone-in short ribs (each about 9 ounces)
Salt
1 15-ounce can tomatoes in juice (preferably the fire-roasted variety)
1 medium red onion, sliced ¼ inch thick
½ medium green pepper, stemmed, seeded and sliced ¼ inch thick
1 teaspoon black pepper, preferably freshly ground
1 teaspoon oregano, preferably Mexican
1 large branch fresh epazote, if available
½ of a 3 ½-ounce package achiote seasoning (such as Yucateco, La Anita or Mar�n brand)
2 tablespoons vinegar
For the salpicon garnish:
4 green onions, cut crosswise in ¼-inch pieces
1 habanero chile (or as much of it as you like), stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
The juice of 1 lime
Directions

1. Roasting the garlic and chile. In a very large (9- to 10-quart) Dutch oven (you’ll use it for braising the meat), roast the garlic cloves over medium heat, turning from time to time, until soft and blackened in spots, 10 to 15 minutes. While the garlic is roasting, roast the chiles over an open flame or 4 inches below a preheated broiler, turning regularly, until the blistered and blackened in spots. Let the garlic cool until handleable, then peel and roughly chop. Cut a slit in the side of each chile.

2. Searing the short ribs. Turn the oven on to 325 degrees. Set the Dutch oven over medium-high heat and film with the oil. Sprinkle the meat with salt, lay in the hot oil and sear all sides to a rich golden brown—this will take about 10 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

3. Braising the meat. With the pot still over medium-high, pour in the tomatoes, along with the roasted garlic, red onion, green pepper, black pepper, oregano and epazote (if you’re using it). Cook until the mixture starts to thicken, about 10 minutes. Meanwhile, mash the achiote paste and vinegar together until smooth. When the sauce has reduced, stir in the achiote mixture and enough water (usually about 2 cups) to bring the depth to about ¾ inch. Taste and season with salt, usually about 1 teaspoon. Nestle the meat and whole roasted chiles into the sauce, cover the pot and slide into the middle of the oven. Cook until the meat is so tender that it’s nearly falling apart, about 2 hours.

4. Making the relish and serving. Mix together the chopped green onion with the habanero. Moisten it with a little fresh lime juice and season with salt.
Transfer the short ribs to deep serving plates (pasta bowls work well here). Spoon off the fat that has risen to the top of the sauce. Taste and season with more salt if you think necessary. Spoon the brothy sauce over the short ribs, topping each serving with one of the banana peppers. Serve right away, passing the salpicon separately for each person to use al gusto.

Yucatecan Black Bean Dinner

Recipe from Season 5 Mexico--One Plate at a Time

Serves 6 as a meal
Ingredients

1 pound (about 2 ½ cups) dry black beans, picked over to remove any stones or debris
1 ½ to 2 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of extraneous fat and cut into 2-inch cubes
Salt
About 3 tablespoons fresh pork lard or vegetable oil
2 medium white onions, thinly sliced (divided use)
2 15-ounce cans of diced tomatoes in juice (preferably fire-roasted), undrained
1 to 2 habanero chiles, stemmed
1 ½ cups rice, preferably medium-grain
6 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
1 large ripe avocado, peeled, pitted and sliced for garnish
Sprigs of cilantro, for garnish
3 limes quartered, for garnish
About 1 cup xnipec salsa (optional) (recipe below)
Directions

1. The Beans. Rinse the beans, then scoop them into a large (6-quart) pot (preferably a Dutch oven or Mexican earthenware olla) and add 2 quarts water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, partially covered for 1 hour.

2. The Pork. While the beans are cooking, sprinkle the pork liberally with salt. In a very large (12-inch) skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the lard or oil over medium-high, and brown the pork on all sides in an uncrowded layer—it’ll take about 10 minutes. (With a smaller skillet you’ll have to brown the pork in 2 batches.) Remove the pork to a plate and set the pan aside. When the beans have cooked an hour, add the pork to the pot, along with more water, if necessary, so that everything is submerged. Partially cover the pot and continue simmering, until meat and beans are tender, about an hour more.

3. The Tomato-Habanero Sauce. Return the pork-frying skillet to medium heat and drizzle in a little more lard or oil, if necessary, to coat the bottom. Add half of the sliced onion and fry until golden, about 7 minutes. In a blender, coarsely purée the tomatoes and the juices. Now, either cut a slit in the side of the habanero(s)—this will give you some habanero fruity flavor without much heat—or cut the habanero(s) in half. Add to the onions along with the tomato purée, then simmer, partially covered, stirring often for 10 minutes or so, until reduced to the consistency of a thick sauce (it shouldn’t be dry). Taste and season with salt, usually 1 teaspoon.

4. Finishing the beans. When the beans are tender, scrape half the tomato sauce into them, add a little more water to the pot, if necessary, to ensure that the pork and beans are nicely covered with liquid. Taste and season the beans with salt, usually about 1 ½ teaspoons.
With a large spoon, carefully remove the pork from the beans and transfer it to an ovenproof dish, cover with foil and keep warm in a low oven. Pour the beans into a colander set over a large bowl, return the beans to the pot and measure 2 ½ cups of the broth into a saucepan to use for the rice. Return the remaining bean broth to the beans. There should still be enough broth to yield somewhat soupy beans; if not add more water.

5. The rice. Add ½ teaspoon salt to the pan of bean broth and set over medium heat. In a medium-size (3-quart) saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of the lard or oil over medium. Add the rice and remaining onion and cook, stirring regularly, until the rice turns from translucent to milky-white, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook a minute longer, then pour in the hot bean broth. Stir once, scrape down any rice kernels clinging to the side of the pan, cover and cook over medium-low for about 15 minutes; uncover and check a grain of rice—it should be nearly cooked through. If the rice is just about ready, turn off the heat, re-cover and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes longer to complete the cooking. If the rice seems far from done, continue cooking for 5 minutes or so, retest, then turn off the heat and let stand for a few minutes more.

6. Serving. When you’re ready to serve, reheat the tomato sauce and remove the habanero chiles. Ladle the beans into six small bowls. Spoon the rice onto each of 6 large warm dinner plate and nestle the pork in the center. Spoon a little of the warm sauce onto one side of each plate. Onto the other side, arrange a few slices of avocado. Garnish with sprigs of cilantro. Serve right away, passing the lime wedges and chopped xnipec salsa, if you wish.

To make about a cup of xnipec salsa:
½ small red onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoons fresh lime or sour orange juice
6 radishes, chopped into small dice or matchsticks
½ fresh habanero chile, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
A dozen or so large sprigs of cilantro, chopped
Salt, about ½ teaspoon

Scoop the onion into a strainer and rinse under cold water. Shake off as much water as possible, then transfer to a small bowl and stir in the juice. Add the remaining ingredients, season with salt, usually about ½ teaspoon, and it’s ready.

Grilled Chicken with a Roasted Poblano Cream Sauce

Total: 1 1/2 hour including making the pepper sauce ahead and time to marinade chicken
Active: 30 minutes / Makes: Serves 4

I put down a thin layer of corn in the center of the plate and then top with the grilled chicken and top with the spicy cream sauce. The cream accents the chicken and the corn and a side of my “romaine salad with black beans, avacado and a lime vinaigrette.”


INGREDIENTS

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup lime juice (marinade)
2 tablespoons cumin (marinade)
1 tablespoon paprika (marinade)
2 tablespoons garlic (marinade)
1/4 cup olive oil (marinade)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (marinade)
1 teaspoon dried oregano (marinade)
1 teaspoon chili powder (marinade)

Pepper Cream Sauce
2 large poblanos roasted, peeled and seeded
2 teaspoons minced garlic
12 oz evaporated milk
1 teaspoon chicken bouillon (not broth)
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons flour
Salt and pepper to taste

Indian Shrimp (Dry) Curry

Indian Shrimp Curry
Diary of a Foodie: Season Three: Chile Peppers: Playing with Fire
Serves6

* Active time:45 min
* Start to finish:45 min

August 2008
You can tell this recipe hails from a tropical environment because of the way the first bite of chiles causes a light sweat to break out on your brow. Then a breeze blows by, and—ahh—you're instantly cooled off and refreshed, able to fully enjoy the sweetness of plump shrimp and an evolving harmony of spices.

Watch this Diary of a Foodie episode and view its accompanying recipes. Plus, explore all episodes and more recipes from the show.

* 6 to 8 fresh serrano chiles (2 oz total)
* 20 fresh curry leaves (optional)
* 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 tablespoon finely chopped peeled ginger
* 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
* 1 teaspoon whole mustard seeds
* 1 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
* 1 medium onion, chopped
* 1 lb tomatoes, chopped
* 2 1/2 oz finely grated fresh or dried unsweetened coconut (1 cup)
* 2 lb large shrimp in shell, peeled and deveined

*
Serve with:
white rice

*
Quarter chiles lengthwise (seed and devein if you want less heat). Cook chiles, curry leaves, garlic, and ginger in oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat, stirring, until very fragrant and chiles are just softened, 1 to 2 minutes.
*
Reduce heat to medium and add spices, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Cook, stirring, until mustard seeds just begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes.
*
Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add tomatoes and coconut, then cook, covered, until tomatoes are softened, 4 to 6 minutes.
*
Add shrimp and cook, uncovered, stirring, until just cooked through, 3 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Recipe by Ian Knauer

Photograph by Romulo Yanes

Chile and Bell Pepper Frittata

Diary of a Foodie: Season Three: Chile Peppers: Playing with Fire
Serves6

* Active Time:30 min
* Start to Finish:1 hr


Watch this Diary of a Foodie episode and view its accompanying recipes. Plus, explore all episodes and more recipes from the show.

* 8 bacon slices, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 3/4 lb organic waxy potatoes such as fingerlings, Peruvian purple, or Yukon Gold, sliced crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
* 4 to 6 assorted hot and sweet chiles such as Hungarian wax, Cubanelle (Italian green frying pepper), habanero, serrano, and/or jalapeño
* 1 yellow bell pepper, cut into strips
* 1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
* 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
* 1 cup sour cream
* 12 large eggs

*
Preheat oven to 350ºF with rack in middle.
*
Cook bacon in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium heat until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add potatoes, 1/2 tsp salt, and 1/4 tsp pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes.
*
While potatoes cook, stem, seed, and devein chiles, then finely chop.
*
Add chiles and bell peppers to potatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are softened, 10 to 12 minutes. Add garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 3 minutes.
*
Whisk together sour cream, eggs, 3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper, then pour over vegetables in skillet.
*
Transfer skillet to oven and bake until eggs are just set, 18 to 24 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Buckwheat Crêpes

1 cup low-fat (2 percent) milk
1/3 cup water
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup buckwheat flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
3 tablespoons canola oil

1. Place the milk, water, eggs and salt in a blender. Cover the blender, and turn on at low speed. Add the flours, then the canola oil, and increase the speed to high. Blend for one minute. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for one to two hours.

2. Place a seasoned 7- or 8-inch crêpe pan over medium heat. Brush with butter or oil, and when the pan is hot, remove from the heat and ladle in about 3 tablespoons batter. Tilt or swirl the pan to distribute the batter evenly, and return to the heat. Cook for about one minute, until you can easily loosen the edges with a spatula. Turn and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Turn onto a plate. Continue until all of the batter is used.

Yield: About 12 8-inch crêpes

Advance preparation: These freeze well for several weeks. Stack them between pieces of wax paper or parchment, and wrap airtight before freezing. You can make and refrigerate them up to a day ahead of serving.

Buckwheat Crêpes With Spinach and Egg

In France the crepe is made on a large, flat, hot griddle, and the egg is cracked right on top of it. That doesn’t work well in a home crêpe pan. It’s easier to have the crêpe already made and then top it with the fried egg.

6 ounces baby spinach
Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 buckwheat crêpes, above
2 eggs, poached or fried for four minutes
2 tablespoons grated Gruyère cheese

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil, and add the spinach. Blanch for 20 seconds, and transfer to a bowl of ice water. Drain and squeeze dry. Chop and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the crêpes in a dry skillet over medium heat (or use the skillet you used to fry your eggs). Top with a spoonful of spinach, and top the spinach with the egg, setting the egg to one side so you can fold the crêpe over. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, fold the crêpe over, and transfer to a plate with a spatula. Serve hot.

Yield: Serves two

Advance preparation: You can have the spinach blanched and the eggs poached hours before you assemble these.

Japanese Spinach With Sesame Dressing

This cold spinach bathed in a nutty sesame dressing is my all-time favorite Japanese appetizer. Recipes for it vary; some call for rice wine vinegar, others for dashi, a soup stock. Most versions are much sweeter than this one.

2 6-oz. bags baby spinach (or 1 1/2 pounds, stemmed and washed)

3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

2 teaspoons sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon water (more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

1. Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the spinach for 10 to 20 seconds in the boiling water and transfer to the ice water using a deep-fry skimmer. Drain and gently squeeze out water. Chop coarsely.

2. Make the dressing. If your sesame seeds have not been toasted, heat a dry skillet over medium heat and add the sesame seeds. Stir and shake the pan constantly, and as soon as the seeds turn golden and smell nutty, transfer to a suribachi mortar and pestle or to a spice mill. Allow to cool. Grind the seeds just until crushed.

3. Combine the soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the sake and water, then stir in the ground sesame seeds. Thin out with water. Toss with the spinach and stir together until the dressing infuses the spinach. Be careful not to bruise the spinach leaves. Divide into four small bunches and place in the middle of four small plates or bowls. Drizzle on a few drops of sesame oil. Serve at room temperature.

Yield: Four small servings

Advance preparation: You can blanch the spinach up to a day in advance. The dish can be assembled and refrigerated several hours before serving.

Chickpeas With Baby Spinach

By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN

This is mostly a pantry dish, very quick to put together. You can serve it on its own, with couscous or pasta, or over a thick slice of toasted bread rubbed with garlic.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground

Salt, preferably kosher salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 (15-oz.) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, or water

Cayenne to taste

1 6-oz. bag baby spinach

1. Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic, cumin, tomato paste and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring for one to two minutes, until fragrant and the tomato paste has turned a darker color. Add the chickpeas, the stock or water, and the cayenne, and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

2. Stir in the spinach, a handful at a time, stirring until each addition of spinach wilts. Add salt to taste and simmer uncovered, stirring often, for five minutes. Add lots of freshly ground pepper, taste and adjust salt and cayenne, and serve.

Note: Another way to make this dish is to blanch the spinach separately in salted boiling water for 10 to 20 seconds. Transfer to a bowl of ice water, drain and squeeze dry. Add to the chickpeas as in step 2, but stir together for only two to three minutes.

Yield: Serves three

Advance preparation: This can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated, but when you reheat you’ll want to add a little more liquid. It can sit on top of the stove for a few hours.

Fried Corn

Ingredients

* 4 tablespoons butter
* 1 (16-ounce) bag frozen corn, defrosted
* 3 tablespoons white sugar or honey
* 1/3 cup heavy cream
* Salt
* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Directions

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 4 tablespoons butter. When butter is foamy add the corn stirring to coat with the butter. Cook stirring frequently for 1 minute. Add sugar or honey and cook for 2 minutes more. Increase heat to high and add heavy cream-continue to stir so corn won't stick to pan. Add salt and pepper. Cook corn until most all of the cream has absorbed about 5 minutes more. Remove add serve hot.

Kat's Walnut Chicken Stew (in progress)

Prep Work:

1) Poached a pound of breast chicken fingers in one can of chicken broth, celery, two carrots, one onion, garlic cloves, salt, pepper, and water.

2) Remove chicken

3) Strain remaining broth to save

4) Puree remaining vegetables with one 12oz can diced Italian tomatoes

5) Add 1 small can tomato paste into mixture and simmer 30 mins. Season to taste.

6) Set mixture aside.

7) Soak 1 handful raisins in hot water 2 mins. Add 1 tbs honey. Mince 1/2 cup walnuts. Puree mixture with the soaking water until smooth.

Final Stew:

1/2 cup shredded poached chicken sauteed in EVOO and butter and OJ

Walnut/Raisin/Honey mixture

1 cup tomato mixture

Black Bean Enchiladas

- 1 pot Simmered Black Beans
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, lightly toasted and ground
- 2 to 3 teaspoons mild chili powder (to taste)
- 1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
- 6 ounces medium or sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
- 12 to 14 corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
- Chopped cilantro for garnish
- Fresh salsa for serving

1. Make the black bean sauce. After making the beans as directed, pour off half the liquid and set aside. Puree half the beans in some of the remaining liquid and stir back into the pot. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium-high heat in a large, wide nonstick skillet, and add 1 tablespoon of the cumin and 1 to 2 teaspoons of the chili powder. Allow the spices to sizzle for about 30 seconds, then stir in the beans. Allow the beans to bubble and thicken for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom and sides of the pan. They should resemble runny refried beans. Taste, adjust seasonings and transfer back to the bean pot. Clean and dry the pan.

2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil two 2-quart baking dishes. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of the oil and a generous pinch each of cumin and chili powder. Add 3 tablespoons of the tomato sauce and stir together. One at a time, soften the tortillas in the mixture, turning as soon as the tortilla begins to buckle, about 10 seconds on each side. Use a spatula to scrape off excess sauce. Remove from the heat, and set aside in the baking dish or on a sheet pan. Add oil, spices and tomato sauce to the pan as needed, and continue to soften all of the tortillas.

3. Set aside 1 1/2 cups of the black bean sauce and 3/4 cup of the grated cheese. If necessary, thin out the bean sauce with the black bean broth that you set aside. To assemble the enchiladas, spread a large spoonful of black bean sauce over each tortilla, then a sprinkling of grated cheese. Roll up and place seam-side down in the baking dish. Fill each baking dish with one layer of the enchiladas; you should be able to get six enchiladas in each pan. When all of the tortillas have been filled, pour on the reserved sauce and sprinkle with the reserved cheese and the optional walnuts. Cover tightly with foil, and bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling. Uncover, garnish with chopped cilantro and serve using two spatulas, as these tend to fall apart. Pass salsa at the table.

Yield: Serves six

Advance preparation: The beans can be made through step 1 up to three days ahead. The enchiladas may be assembled and kept in the refrigerator overnight. Cover tightly with plastic and foil. Remember to remove the plastic before heating in the oven.

Tuna and Bean Salad

This easy, light meal salad offers both protein and omega-3 fatty acids. A more authentic version would call for tuna in olive oil, but I actually prefer water-packed tuna.

- 1 small red onion, peeled and very thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 1 (6 1/2-ounce) can water-packed tuna, drained
- 1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans or borlotti beans, drained through a strainer and rinsed
- 3 fresh sage leaves, slivered
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 small or medium garlic clove, finely minced
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon plain low-fat or nonfat yogurt (or omit and use 4 tablespoons olive oil)
- 1/2 Japanese cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and sliced, for garnish

1. Place the onion in a bowl and add 1 teaspoon of the vinegar and cold water to cover. Let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water, then dry on paper towels.

2. In a medium bowl or salad bowl, combine the tuna, beans, onions, sage, and parsley.

3. In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix together the remaining vinegar, salt to taste, freshly ground pepper, garlic, and Dijon mustard. Whisk in the olive oil and the yogurt. Toss with the tuna and beans and serve, garnishing each plate with cucumber slices.

Yield: Serves two as a main dish, four as a starter

Advance preparation: This salad will keep for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Kale and Potato Soup

This soup is inspired by the Portuguese national dish caldo verde (green soup), but this version contains no chorizo sausage. I’ve added a Parmesan rind to the bouquet garni to enrich the broth.

INGREDIENTS:

- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 4 large garlic cloves, minced
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
- 1 3/4 to 2 pounds starchy potatoes (such as Idaho potatoes), peeled and thinly sliced
- A bouquet garni made with a bay leaf, a couple of sprigs each parsley and thyme, and a Parmesan rind
- 1 pound kale, stemmed and washed thoroughly
- Freshly ground pepper

1. Heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot, and add the onion. Cook, stirring, until tender, about five minutes. Add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds to a minute. Stir in the potatoes, the bouquet garni and two quarts of water. Bring to a boil, add salt, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 30 to 40 minutes until the potatoes are falling apart. Remove the bouquet garni.

2. While the soup is simmering, prepare the kale. Stack the leaves, about six or eight to a stack, roll them up tightly and slice crosswise into very thin filaments.

3. When the potatoes have begun to fall apart, mash them in the pot with a potato masher or blend the soup with a hand blender. Stir the kale into the soup, and simmer 10 to 15 minutes, uncovered. The kale should be tender but should not become a drab olive green, if possible. Taste, adjust salt and add pepper. Stir in the remaining olive oil, and serve with crusty bread.

Yield: Serves six to eight

Advance preparation: You can make the soup through step 1 a day ahead. Bring back to a simmer, and proceed with the recipe.

Buckwheat Pasta With Kale

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (or omit butter and use 2 tablespoons olive oil)
- 2 large leeks, white and light green parts only, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced and cleaned
- 4 fresh sage leaves, cut in thin slivers
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
3/4 pound kale, stemmed, washed thoroughly, and cut crosswise in strips
- Freshly ground pepper
- 2 ounces Parmesan, grated (1/2 cup)
- 2 ounces fontina or Gruyère cheese, cut in 1/4 inch dice
- 3/4 pound buckwheat pasta (pizzoccheri or soba) or whole wheat fettuccine

1. Begin heating a large pot of water. Meanwhile, heat the butter and oil in a large, heavy nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the leeks and sage, and cook, stirring often, until the leeks begin to soften, about three minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, and continue to cook, stirring often, until the leeks are tender, about five minutes. Remove from the heat.

2. When the water comes to a boil, add a generous spoonful of salt and the kale. Boil for four minutes, until tender but still bright. Using a slotted spoon or a skimmer, transfer to the pan with the leeks and stir together. Keep warm over low heat.

3. Bring the water back to a boil, and add the pasta. Cook al dente (soba will cook quickly, usually in under five minutes, while pizzoccheri and whole wheat fettuccine will take longer). When the pasta is al dente, add 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the pan with the kale and leeks, then drain the pasta and toss in the pan or in a warm pasta bowl with the leeks, kale and the cheeses. Serve at once.

Yield: Serves four to six

Advance preparation: You can make the dish through step 2 several hours ahead. Remove from the heat, then reheat when you cook the pasta.

Collards and Israeli Couscous

Collards:
Prepare in advance and chill
- Collards
- 1 can chicken broth
- 1 onion large chop
- 2 cups water
- salt, pepper
- 1 onion
- 4 cubes Smoked Ham/Bacon
- 1tsp sugar
- White Vinegar to taste after they have cooked

Israeli couscous:
- 1 cup israeli couscous
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 cup chicken broth

1) Saute in 1tbs EVOO until golden
2) Add 1/2 can chicken broth and 1 cup water
3) Cook about 5 minutes until tender
4) Drain if necessary
5) Add chilled greens and some of the juice to the couscous

Barley Soup With Mushrooms and Kale

From: The New York Times
This is a comforting winter meal in a bowl based on a classic Central European mushroom and barley soup.

Ingredients:

- 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
- 2 cups boiling water
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, as needed
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed and sliced thick
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- Salt, preferably kosher salt, to taste
- 3/4 cup whole or pearl barley
- 1 1/2 quarts chicken stock or water
- A bouquet garni made with a few sprigs each thyme and parsley, and a bay leaf and a - Parmesan rind
- 8 to 10 ounces kale (regular or cavolo nero), stemmed and washed thoroughly
- Freshly ground pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl or a Pyrex measuring cup, and pour on two cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Set a strainer over a bowl, and line it with cheesecloth. Lift the mushrooms from the water and squeeze over the strainer, then rinse in several changes of water. S queeze out the water and set aside. Strain the soaking water through the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Add water as necessary to make two cups. Set aside.

2. Heat the oil in a large, heavy soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until just about tender, about five minutes, and add the sliced fresh mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are beginning to soften, about three minutes, and add the garlic and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Continue to cook for about five minutes, until the mixture is juicy and fragrant. Add the reconstituted dried mushrooms, the barley, the mushroom soaking liquid, and the stock or water. Salt to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, cover and simmer 45 minutes. Meanwhile, stack the kale leaves in bunches and cut crosswise into slivers.

3. Add the kale to the simmering soup, and continue to simmer for another 15 to 20 minutes. The barley should be tender and the broth aromatic. The kale should be very tender. Remove the bouquet garni, taste and adjust salt, add a generous amount of freshly ground pepper and serve.

Yield: Serves six to eight

Advance preparation: The soup will keep for about three days in the refrigerator, but the barley will swell and absorb liquid, so you will have to add more to the pot when you reheat.

My meatballs

1 pound lean ground chuck
1 eggs
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1 white onion diced caramelized
1 tspn dried oregano
2 tspn salt/pepper/garlic salt mixture
1 tblsp minced garlic
dash cinnamon

Mix, brown, finish in the oven on 350

Basic Crepes

1 cup whole milk
1 cup all-purpose flower
2 large eggs
6 tablespoons water
3 tbls unsalted butter melted/browned
1/2 teaspoon salt

Blend and let rest for 30 minutes. Heat 8" non-stick skillet over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove pan from heat and pour a little more than 1/8 cup into the pan. Swirl. Cook 30-60 seconds flip, 30 seconds.

Breakfast Strata with Spinach and Gruyere

Makes one 8 by 8-inch strata, serving 6 To weigh down the assembled strata, we found that two 1-pound boxes of brown or powdered sugar, laid side by side over the plastic-covered surface, make ideal weights. A gallon-sized zipper-lock bag filled with about 2 pounds of sugar or rice also works. This recipe doubles easily; use a 9 by 13-inch baking dish greased with only 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and increase the baking time as directed in step 4. Feel free to substitute any good melting cheese, such as Havarti, sharp cheddar, or colby.
Ingredients

INGREDIENTS

- 8 - 10 slices Supermarket French bread (1/2-inch thick) or Italian bread (6 - 7 ounces)
- 5 tablespoons Unsalted butter , softened
- 4 Medium shallots , minced (about 1/2 cup)
- 1 (10-ounce) package Frozen chopped spinach , thawed and squeezed dry
- Table salt and ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup Medium-dry white wine , such as Sauvignon Blanc
- 6 ounces Gruyère cheese , grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 6 Large eggs
- 1 3/4 cups Half-and-half

Preparation

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 225 degrees. Arrange bread in single layer on large baking sheet and bake until dry and crisp, about 40 minutes, turning slices over halfway through drying time. (Alternatively, leave slices out overnight to dry.) When cooled, butter slices on one side with 2 tablespoons butter; set aside.

2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Sauté shallots until fragrant and translucent, about 3 minutes; add spinach and salt and pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach and shallots are combined, about 2 minutes. Transfer to medium bowl; set aside. Add wine to skillet, increase heat to medium-high, and simmer until reduced to 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes; set aside.

3. Butter 8-inch square baking dish with remaining 1 tablespoon butter; arrange half the buttered bread slices, buttered-side up, in single layer in dish. Sprinkle half of spinach mixture, then 1/2 cup grated cheese evenly over bread slices. Arrange remaining bread slices in single layer over cheese; sprinkle remaining spinach mixture and another 1/2 cup cheese evenly over bread. Whisk eggs in medium bowl until combined; whisk in reduced wine, half-and-half, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste. Pour egg mixture evenly over bread layers; cover surface flush with plastic wrap, weigh down (see note, above), and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

4. Remove dish from refrigerator and let stand at room temperature 20 minutes. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Uncover strata and sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese evenly over surface; bake until both edges and center are puffed and edges have pulled away slightly from sides of dish, 50 to 55 minutes (or about 60 minutes for doubled recipe). Cool on wire rack 5 minutes; serve.

STEP BY STEP: Assembling the Strata

1. Layer the bread and filling in the baking dish.

2. Pour the custard mixture evenly over the assembled layers.

3. Cover the surface flush with plastic wrap and weight the strata.

Eggs 101

Hard-Boiled Eggs:
Place in water, bring to a rapid boil, turn heat off, cover for 10 minutes, place in an icebath for 5 minutes

Fried Eggs:
Heat 12" skillet on the lowest heat for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbls butter, crack 2 eggs each into 2 bowls (4 eggs) pour into skillet at the same time, season, cover and cook undisturbed for 2 minutes. Check eggs, cook for up to 3 minutes longer if needed.

Poached Eggs:
Fill a 12" skillet nearly to the run with water, add 2 tbls white vinegar, 1tsp salt, bring to a boil over high heat. Crack eggs into 4 teacups (can do 2 each). Touch the rim of the inner teacups to the water and gently pour in. Remove skillet from heat, cover and poach for 5 minutes (add 30 seconds for firm yolks)

Scrambled Eggs:
8 large eggs
1/4 cup half and half
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tbls unsalted butter

Wisk together the eggs, dairy, seasons. Melt the butter in a 10" non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, swirling to coat the pan. Add the eggs and cook while gently pushing, lifting, and folding them from one side of the pan to the other until they are nicely clujped, shiney and wet, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat quickly.