Recipe Files

March 19th

Mashed Rutabagas 

Avocado, Beet, and Orange Salad

Peanut-Crusted Trout with Pineapple Cilantro Relish

Turkish Lamb Pitas with Tomato Sauce

Lamb Pizza

Strawberries and Vanilla Syrup

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

Mashed Rutabagas

Martha Stewart Living Television

2 small rutabagas, trimmed and cut into chunks

1/2 cup milk

1/4 cup buttermilk

1/4 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Dash of freshly grated nutmeg

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the rutabagas until fork-tender, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash using a large fork. Add the milk, buttermilk, vinegar, and nutmeg and mash until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

Avocado, Beet, and Orange Salad

Whole Living, October 2011

1 small bunch beets (1 lb), trimmed

2 slices rustic bread, torn into 1-inch pieces (2 cups)

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar

2 tablespoons orange juice

2 avocados, sliced

2 navel oranges, peel and pith removed, segmented

2 cups spinach

1 tablespoon toasted salted sunflower seeds

Heat oven to 425 degrees. Wrap beets tightly in foil and roast until tender, about 1 hour. Once cool, remove skin and slice. Meanwhile, toss bread pieces with 2 tablespoons oil, season with salt and pepper, and toast until golden, about 6 minutes.Whisk vinegar, orange juice, and remaining 2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper. Drizzle over beets, avocados, oranges, spinach, and croutons. Season with salt and pepper. Top with sunflower seeds.

Peanut-Crusted Trout with Pineapple Cilantro Relish

Gourmet  | September 2005

1 large bunch fresh cilantro including stems

1/3 cup unsalted dry-roasted peanuts

1 teaspoon finely chopped peeled fresh ginger

1 garlic clove

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 tablespoons fresh lime juice

1 1/4 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh serrano chile, including seeds

4 trout fillets with skin (1 to 1 1/4 lb total), pin bones removed

3 cups chopped peeled fresh pineapple (preferably labeled “extra sweet”)

2 teaspoons Asian fish sauce

Preheat broiler, then oil rack of a broiler pan.

Chop enough cilantro stems to measure 1/2 cup, then transfer to a food processor along with peanuts, ginger, garlic, pepper, 2 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon chile. Process until finely chopped, about 30 seconds, then transfer to a bowl. Do not clean processor.

Pat fillets dry and arrange, flesh sides up, tightly on rack of broiler pan (fillets should just touch). Spread peanut mixture evenly over tops of fillets.

Broil fish 3 to 4 inches from heat until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

While fish broils, chop enough cilantro leaves to measure 1 cup, then pulse in processor along with pineapple, fish sauce, remaining tablespoon each of oil and lime juice, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon chile until combined.

Turkish Lamb Pitas with Tomato Sauce

Bon Appétit  | January 2003

1 1/2 pounds ground lamb

1/2 cup fresh breadcrumbs made from crustless French bread

1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1/2 cup minced white onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh mint

1 large egg

1 large shallot, minced

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 teaspoons ground cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup finely chopped white onion

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 cups drained canned diced tomatoes in juice

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses*

6 6- to 7-inch-diameter pita rounds

1/2 cup chopped green onions

Plain whole-milk yogurt

Combine first 13 ingredients and 2 tablespoons oil in large bowl; mix to blend thoroughly. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Using moistened hands and 1/4 cup for each, shape lamb mixture into about 20 oval patties measuring approximately 3x1 1/2x1/2 inches. Arrange patties on sheet of foil.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add patties; cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Using slotted spoon, return patties to foil. Reserve drippings in skillet.

Heat drippings in skillet over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until onion is soft, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, lemon juice, and allspice. Bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Stir in pomegranate molasses. Return patties to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until patties are cooked through and tender, about 20 minutes. Transfer patties to bowl. Tilt skillet and spoon fat off top of sauce. Simmer sauce until slightly thickened, mashing tomatoes with back of fork, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Return patties to sauce. Remove from heat.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F. Wrap pitas in foil; bake 12 minutes to heat.

Simmer patties in sauce until heated through; mix in green onions. Cut pitas in half; gently open each half. Place 1 or 2 patties and some sauce into each pita half and top with dollop of yogurt.

*A thick pomegranate syrup that is available at Middle Eastern markets and some supermarkets.

Lamb Pizza

Epicurious  | August 2011   by Susie Cover    The Supper Club

Pizza Dough

2 tbsp olive oil

1 1/2 lb (750 g) ground lamb from the leg

2 cups (8 oz/250 g) chopped yellow onion

2 cloves garlic, chopped

2 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp dried oregano

3 cups (18 oz/560 g) canned plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, with their juices

1/2 cup (4 fl oz/125 ml) beef or lamb stock

1 tsp kosher salt

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Cornmeal and all-purpose flour for dusting

1. Make the dough and let rise the first time as directed.

2. To make the topping, in a large, heavy frying pan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil over medium-high heat. Add the lamb and cook, breaking it up with a wooden spoon, until browned, about 8 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the lamb to a bowl, then discard the fat in the pan.

3. Return the pan to medium heat and add the remaining 1 tbsp oil. Add the onion and garlic and sauté until tender and lightly golden, about 8 minutes. Return the lamb to the pan, add the thyme and oregano, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2–3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and stock and crush the tomatoes with a fork to release the flavor. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mixture is thick, about 45 minutes. Season with the salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and let cool completely.

4. Meanwhile, divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, shape each piece into a disk, and let rise for a second time as directed. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Dust 2 large rimmed baking sheets with cornmeal.

5. On a lightly floured work surface, roll out 1 dough disk into a round about 6 inches (15 cm) in diameter and 1/2 inch (12 mm) thick. Pinch around the edge to create a 1/2-inch (12-mm) rim, and place the round on one-half of a cornmeal-dusted baking sheet. Arrange one-fourth of the lamb mixture evenly over the crust, leaving the rim uncovered. Repeat to assemble the second pizza, placing it next to the first one on the other half of the baking sheet.

6. Bake until the dough is set and golden brown, 10–12 minutes. Meanwhile, assemble the remaining 2 pizzas on the second pan and slip them into the oven when the first batch is done. Cut all the pizzas into slices and serve.

Strawberries and Vanilla Syrup

Wholeliving.com

1 cup white grape juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup sugar

1 vanilla bean

1 pint fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, and sliced

Mint leaves, for garnish

In a small saucepan, combine the juices, sugar, and vanilla bean and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 15 minutes, or until the liquid is reduced by half.

Stir in the strawberries, remove from the heat, and divide among 4 dessert goblets. Garnish with mint leaves and serve.

Balsamic-Glazed Chickpeas and Mustard Greens

10 ounces mustard greens

1/2 large red onion, thinly sliced

4-6 tablespoons vegetable broth, divided

4 cloves garlic, chopped

1 pinch red pepper flakes

1/2 teaspoon salt (optional)

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

1/4 teaspoon agave nectar or sugar

1 cup cooked chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Remove any large stems from the greens and discard. Tear the leaves into bite-sized pieces.

In a deep pot or wok, sauté the onion in a tablespoon or two of vegetable broth until mostly faded to pink, about 4 minutes. Add the chopped garlic and red pepper and another tablespoon of broth and cook, stirring, for another minute. Add the mustard greens, 2 tablespoons of broth, and cook, stirring, until greens are wilted but still bright green, about 3-5 minutes. Stir in the salt, if using. Remove greens and onions from pan with a slotted spoon and place in a serving dish, leaving any liquid in pan.

Add the balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, and agave or sugar to the liquid in the pan (if there is no liquid, add 2 tablespoons of broth). Add the chickpeas and cook, stirring, over medium heat until the liquid is reduced by about half. Spoon the chickpeas over the greens and drizzle the sauce over all.  Serve warm, with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.