Thursday, December 31, 2009

Cabbage and Noodles

from Moosewood Restaurant New Classics by the Moosewood Collective

Cabbage and Noodles

2 cups thinly sliced onions
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1 ½ Tbs paprika
8 cups finely shredded cabbage (about 1 ½ lbs)
2 tsp salt
12 oz egg noodles
freshly ground black pepper
dollop of sour cream (optional)

In a pot with a tight lid, cook the onions in the butter on medium heat until golden, about 15 minutes. Add the paprika and saute for a few seconds more. Stir in the cabbage, add the salt, and cook for 5 more minutes, stirring now and then. Cover tightly and cook on very low heat for 40 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is very soft and brown.

When the cabbage is almost done, cook the noodles in boiling water until al dente. Drain them and toss well with cabbage mixture. Add a generous amount of pepper and, if desired, top with a dollop of sour cream.

Note: the book suggests serving it with homemade applesauce and rye bread for a warming winter meal.

Note: We typically make two-thirds of the recipe.

West African Peanut Soup

from Starting with Ingredients by Aliza Green

West African Peanut Soup

2 Tbs vegetable oil
1 large onion, chopped
1 Tbs chopped garlic
1 Tbs chopped ginger root
2 tsp ground cumin
2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
pinch ground cloves
pinch cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz) can chopped plum tomatoes or 2 cups fresh tomatoes, diced
2 large yams, peeled and cut up
6 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock, simmering
3/4 cup roasted peanuts
1/2 cup peanut butter, creamy or crunchy
1/2 bunch cilantro, leaved chopped
salt and pepper to taste
diced fresh tomato, cilantro, or chopped roasted peanuts for garnish

Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Saute the onion until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cinnamon, cloves, and cayenne. Saute together 2 to 3 minutes to release their fragrance. Stir in the tomatoes and yams and continue to cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally to meld the flavors.

Add the hot stock and peanuts, bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the soup from the heat. Using a food processor, blender, or immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. For extra-smooth soup, strain it through a sieve. Return the soup to the saucepan. Whisk in the peanut butter and cilantro, season with salt and pepper, and heat through. Top each serving with garnishes and serve piping hot.

Serves 8

Peanut-Curry Flank Steak

from Weber's Big Book of Grilling by Jamie Purviance and Sandra S. McRae

Peanut-Curry Flank Steak

2 Tbs peanut oil
2 Tbs Asian sesame oil
2 Tbs dry sherry
2 Tbs soy sauce
2 Tbs creamy peanut butter
2 Tbs hoisin sauce
2 Tbs rice vinegar
2 tsp curry powder
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp crushed red pepper flakes

flank steak, 1 ½ to 2 lbs about 3/4 inch thick

To make the marinade, whisk together the ingredients in a small bowl.

Trim the steak of any surface fat. Place the steak in a large, resealable plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Press the air out of the bag and seal tightly. Turn the bag to distribute the marinade, place on a plate, and refrigerate for 6 to 8 hours, turning occasionally.

Remove the steak from the bag and discard marinade. Allow the steak to stand at room temperature for 20 to 30 minutes before grilling.

Grill the steak over direct medium heat until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees for medium rare, 8 to 10 minutes, turning once halfway through grilling time. Remove from grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin diagonal slices.

Egg White and Avocado Salad

From marthastewart.com

Egg White and Avocado Salad

6 hard-boiled eggs, whites only, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces*
1 rib celery, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
1 avocado, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 Granny Smith apple, cut into 1/4-inch pieces
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
Butter lettuce, for serving - we put it in a tortilla instead

Place all ingredients except lettuce (or tortilla) in a large bowl; gently toss until well combined. Serve wrapped in lettuce leaves or (warmed tortilla).

Serves 4


*if you save one of the egg yolks you can use it in this recipe

Cheddar Chicken

from my family. This is one my childhood favorites. I'm sure my mom got the recipe from somewhere, but that info is long gone. It involves not one but two cans of the dreaded cream of ___ soup. I have no interest in making it more gourmet, as it is delicious as is.

Cheddar Chicken

2-4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 Tbs butter
1 small onion, diced
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can cream of celery soup
4 oz extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated.

In a medium sized pan, brown onions and chicken in butter. Remove from pan. Mix together soups and cheese. Return chicken to pan, spooning sauce over chicken. Reduce heat and cover. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until chicken is done, about 20 minutes.

Serve over rice.

Zesty Black and White Bean Chili

from the Pillsbury Complete Cookbook

Zesty Black and White Bean Chili

1 cup chopped onions
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 to 2 tsp chili powder
½ tsp cumin
1 ½ cups milk
2 (9 oz) packages frozen shoepeg white corn
15.5 oz can great northern beans, drained
15 oz can black beans, drained
14.5 oz can chicken broth
4.5 oz can chopped green chilies, undrained


Spray Dutch oven or large saucepan with nonstick cooking spray. Heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add onions and garlic and cook until onions are tender.

Gradually stir in flour, chili powder, and cumin. Gradually stir in milk. Add remaining ingredients.

Bring to a boil, constantly stirring. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.

Serves 5 (1 1/3 cup servings)

French Butter Cookies

French Butter Cookies

coming soon!