Recipes

Ingredients
Okra, sliced into ¹⁄₂ inch rounds
Flour
Seasoning (I used Emeril’s Essence)
Oil, for frying (I used peanut oil)

Instructions
1. Place okra slices in a ziptop bag or container.

2. Season well with seasoning of your choice. Shake well. Add flour one spoonful at a time and shake after each addition. Add enough flour so that okra is evenly coated.

3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add okra and cook until browned and crispy. Drain on paper towels and serve.  

Comments
This is my second experience with okra.  I asked one of the wonderful farmers at my market for advice on how to prepare it and this was her advice.  They turned out well, crispy, and tasty.  If I get more okra during the season, this is probably how I’ll prepare them.

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Ingredients
1 pound chicken breasts, cut into strips (or use chicken tenders to begin with)
Buttermilk, enough to cover chicken plus ¹⁄₂ cup
1 ¹⁄₂ cups flour
2 teaspoons seasoning (I used Emeril’s Essence, you can use whatever blend of seasoning you like)
Oil for frying (I used peanut oil)

Instructions
1. Place chicken in a container and cover with buttermilk.  Marinate for at least 20 minutes.  

2. In shallow container, combine flour and seasoning. Mix together. Add ¹⁄₄-¹⁄₂ cup of buttermilk and stir lightly with a fork while adding. Your goal is to form small lumps in the flour.  

3. Heat 1 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-low to medium heat.

4. Dredge chicken in flour mixture, pressing flour to ensure it adheres well. Cook strips a few at a time for about 1-2 minutes per side.

5. When golden and crispy remove to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve with dipping sauces of choice.  

Comments
This is a recipe from the Pioneer Woman.  The technique of mixing some buttermilk with the flour worked perfectly to create a lovely, crispy coating.  These were fantastic and I can’t wait to make them again.

Internet - Pioneer Woman

Ingredients
4 tablespoons butter, cold
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons baking powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
³⁄₄ cup milk
1 tablespoon lemon zest
1 egg
1 cup carrot, grated

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 350*F. Grease a 9x5-inch loaf pan with butter.

2. Stir together the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into bits, and then use a fork, 2 knives, or your fingers to cut or rub it into the dry ingredients until there are no pieces bigger than a small pea. (You can use a food processor for this step but not for the following step.)

3. Beat together the milk, zest, and egg. Pour into the dry ingredients, mixing just enough to moisten. Fold in the carrots then pour and spoon the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for about an hour, or until the bread is golden brown and a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes before removing from the pan.  

Comments
This recipe is from the 10th Anniversary Edition of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything.  I was looking for some way to use up all the carrots I have from the past few weeks of the CSA and I remembered that my dad is a great lover of carrot cake.  While looking for a recipe for carrot cake I ran across this recipe for carrot bread and was sold.  The recipe is simple to double, which I did.  I gifted loaves to both my parents and brother.  Luckily my parents were kind enough to serve it for breakfast, so I was able to try some and take a picture as well.

How to Cook Everything (10th Anniversary)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 tablespoons dried herbs, such as oregano, basil, red pepper flakes, or a good Italian herb blend
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 pounds tomatoes, cored and halved pole to pole (I used good heirloom tomatoes from the market, red and yellow)
6 medium cloves garlic, peeled
1 small onion, peeled and cut into ¹⁄₂-inch rounds
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
¹⁄₂ cup red wine
Fresh basil, chopped

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 475*F. Combine tomato paste, 1 tablespoon oil, thyme, pepper flakes, ³⁄₄ teaspoons salt, and ¹⁄₄ teaspoon pepper in large bowl. Toss tomatoes, garlic, and onion with tomato paste mixture until evenly coated. Place 4-inch square of foil in center of wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil and arrange tomatoes, cut side down, around garlic and onion. (I used my roasting pan with V-rack for this because I don’t have a wire rack suitable for oven use.  It worked fantastically.)  

2. Roast until vegetables are soft and tomato skins are well charred, 45-55 minutes. Remove baking sheet from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Transfer garlic and onion to food processor; pulse until finely chopped, about five 1-second pulses. Add tomatoes, vinegar, and remaining tablespoon oil to food processor. Pulse until broken down but still chunky, about five 1-second pulses. Using rubber spatula, scrap down bowl; season with salt and pepper to taste. Continue to process sauce until slightly chunky, about five 1-second pulses.

3. Pour sauce into a saucepan, add wine, and simmer until desire thickness is reached.  Stir in basil prior to serving.  

Note: If not using immediately, freeze before step 3.  

Comments
This is from the March & April 2007 issue of Cook’s Illustrated.  The recipe was designed to make grocery store winter tomatoes into a delicious sauce and I figured that it would make delicious summertime tomatoes even more delicious.  

I’ve wanted to make fresh tomato sauce for a while and this recipe appealed to me.  Since I’m after a sauce that freezes well, I made this on Sunday and put it in the freezer until dinner on Thursday.  I thawed it for about 6 minutes in the microwave and then transferred it to a large pot to thaw it the rest of the way.  I proceeded with step 3 at that point and added the wine, tasted it for seasoning, and then added the basil just prior to serving.  

This is a fantastic sauce.  The roasted tomatoes are just amazingly flavorful.  It is also a fairly basic sauce that would make a great base for other additions such as meats or other vegetables.  I will definitely be making a big vat of this in the near future for freezing.  This sauce tasted fresher than any other pasta sauce I’ve tried.  

Shown here with Maroni’s Meatballs.

Cook’s Illustrated 2007

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (I use the most humanely raised and leanest ground cow I can get)
¹⁄₂ cup dried bread crumbs (Seasoned are fine)
4 large eggs
¹⁄₂ cup milk
³⁄₄ cup Parmesan cheese, grated
¹⁄₂ cup onion, minced
¹⁄₄ cup garlic, minced
¹⁄₄ cup fresh parsley, minced
¹⁄₄ cup fresh basil, minced

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray a baking sheet with olive oil cooking spray or place a sheet of parchment paper on the baking sheet.  

2. Mix all ingredients thoroughly in large bowl. If mixture seems a little wet add more bread crumbs.

3. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop meatballs onto the lined baking sheet.  If you don’t have a disher, roll meatballs into balls about the size of a golf ball and place on baking sheet. Cook for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through.

Comments
One day I was watching an episode of Throwdown with Bobby Flay on Food Network.  He challenged a meatball expert and the expert won with this recipe.  I never really cared for meatballs; I often find them to be dry and tasteless.  

These meatballs are neither of those things.  They are moist and extremely flavorful.  They freeze perfectly as well which is always a bonus!  I’ve made them in muffin tins as well which makes them turn out like little meatloaves.  I’ve even given them as gifts to people I’ve visited.  They’re perfect.  

Shown here with Roasted Tomato Sauce.

Internet - Food TV

Ingredients
2 tablespoons cumin seeds
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
1 tablespoon mustard seeds (brown are preferred)
1 tablespoon whole cloves
1 tablespoon peppercorns
2 tablespoons ground turmeric
1 tablespoon ground ginger (Jamaican if available)

Instructions
1. Add the cumin, coriander, poppy and mustard seeds to a nonstick pan, toast them over medium heat until the mustard seeds start to jump about.

2. Add the cloves and pepper and mix.

3. Remove from heat and grind the mixture either with a mortar or a food processor/blender.

4. When finely ground, mix well with the turmeric and ginger.

5. Store in a well-sealed container.  (I’ve been using the same container for at least 6 months with no loss of flavor.)

Comments
When I first decided to make Chicken Sancoche I realized that I had no access to Caribbean Curry Powder so I would have to make my own.  I found this recipe somewhere online and decided to give it a go.  It’s fantastic stuff.  I believe this recipe makes around a cup of powder.

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Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1 cup onion, chopped
3 cloves fresh garlic, minced
2-3 tablespoons chives, chopped
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 2 teaspoons dried parsley
1 tablespoon Caribbean Curry Powder
¹⁄₂ teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1-2 tablespoons butter
1 can coconut milk (Lite is equally delicious.  Make sure you use the unsweetened stuff)
¹⁄₂ cup half and half

For Rice
2 cups rice of your choice
4 cups water (or the correct amount of water to prepare your desired rice)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 pinch salt
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced or 2 teaspoons dried parsley

Instructions
1. In a large bowl or container, combine chopped onion, two cloves of minced garlic, chopped chives, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, curry powder, turmeric, salt, pepper, and vinegar.  Add chicken and toss until chicken is thoroughly coated with spices. Let this stand in the refrigerator for one half hour.

2. In a large skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add the entire seasoned chicken mixture from bowl. Stirring often, cook until chicken is cooked through. Gradually add coconut milk and continue stirring. Once sauce has begun to thicken, add cream. Continue stirring until sauce has reached desired thickness.

3. For the rice, prepare as usual, adding garlic, butter, salt and parsley.   Serve curry over rice. 

Comments
I found this recipe about a year ago in a cooking community I belong to.  I’ve been making it on a semi-regular basis ever since.  (Semi-regular for me is probably once a quarter.  Heh.)  Everyone in the house loves it.  I love that, once you make the curry powder, it’s extremely easy to throw together.  This is a basic, delicious, flavorful curry.  The heat level is mild which means it’s also a good “starter” curry for the uninitiated.

Edit: It has been determined that this recipe should always be doubled.  Otherwise, it doesn’t make enough for leftovers and that makes everyone sad.

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Ingredients
¹⁄₂ pork loin roast, trimmed
2-3 cups Salsa Verde, freshly made or store bought

Instructions
1.  Cut pork into 4 large chunks.  Place pork and half salsa into the slow cooker.  Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.  

2. Place a sieve in a large bowl and pour the contents of the slow cooker into the sieve.  Remove sieve from the bowl and put the contents of the sieve back into the slow cooker.  

3. With two forks, shred the pork in the slow cooker.  Add 1-2 cups of the cooking liquid from the bowl until pork has reached desired wetness.  

4. Serve with remaining salsa, sour cream, cheese, and warmed tortillas.  

Note: This recipe can easily be doubled.

Comments
I’ve been making this for a while but this is the first time I’ve tried using freshly made Salsa Verde.  It turned out very well with the homemade stuff!  This recipe is ridiculously easy, one of the strong points of slow cooker cooking.  I serve it with yellow rice from a box (I prefer Zataran brand) that I doctor up with quartered cherry tomatoes and sometimes green onions.

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Ingredients
10-12 tomatillos, husked and rinsed
2-4 poblano or other mild fresh green chiles, roasted and cleaned
3 tablespoon olive oil
2 large onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1 cup water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
¹⁄₂ cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
¹⁄₄ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 400*F. Put the tomatillos on a baking sheet and roast until the skins are lightly browned and blistered, about 20 minutes. Remove the tomatillos; when they’re cool enough to handle, chop them finely along with the chiles, saving their juices.

2. While the tomatillos are roasting, put the oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until they are very soft and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add the tomatillos, chiles, oregano, water, and a large pinch of salt and pepper; stir and bring to a low simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens slightly, 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Stir in the cilantro and lime juice, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for up to 2 days.  

Note: Roast chiles until blackened on a grill, broiler, or straight on the stove burner if you have a gas grill.  Once well charred, place in a zip-top bag and seal for 10 minutes.  Remove the peppers from the bag and gently scrap off the charred skin with a knife.  Rinse under running water.  Cut off the stem, slice the pepper in half, and scrap out the seeds and membranes.  

Comments
This recipe is from the 10th Anniversary Edition of Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything.  I used a mixture of green and purple tomatillos and four mild chiles.  Sadly I didn’t get a picture of this but it turned out deliciously.  I used it to make Slow Cooker Pork Chile Verde.  One recipe of this salsa is enough for ¹⁄₂ of a pork loin roast.

Edit: Using cooking liquid from crock potted pork in replace of the water makes this even more delicious.

How to Cook Everything (10th Anniversary)

Ingredients
1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
2 tablespoons all purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped, or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons salt
³⁄₄ teaspoon ground black pepper
2-3 pounds small potatoes, cut into ¹⁄₈-inch-thick rounds
12 ounces yellow crookneck squash, cut into ¹⁄₈-inch-thick rounds
6 teaspoons olive oil

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.  Grease a 9x12-inch baking dish.  Set aside ¹⁄₄ cup sliced green onions. Toss remaining green onions, cheese, flour, thyme, salt and pepper in medium bowl to blend.

2. Layer ¹⁄₃ of potatoes in bottom of prepared pan, overlapping slightly. Layer ¹⁄₂ of squash atop potatoes. Drizzle with 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with ¹⁄₃ of cheese mixture. Repeat with ¹⁄₃ of potatoes, remaining squash and 2 teaspoons oil. Sprinkle with ¹⁄₃ of cheese mixture. Top with remaining potatoes. Drizzle with 1 teaspoon oil. Sprinkle with remaining cheese mixture and press gently to flatten.

3. Cover pan with foil. Bake until potatoes are almost tender, about 40-50 minutes. Remove foil; bake uncovered until torte begins to brown and potatoes are tender, about 25 minutes longer.

4. Sprinkle torte with ¹⁄₄ cup green onions, cut into pieces, and serve.

Comments
This recipe is inspired by Epicurious.com.  Sadly it sort of fell apart when I was plating it for pictures, but it was amazing.  At the first bite Art declared “You have got to make this again!”  The squash and potato worked very well together.  I used a mixture of fresh and dried thyme since my thyme plant didn’t have quite enough for the recipe.  It added great flavor.  

Lance enjoyed this more than a typical gratin because it was much drier and not quite as creamy or cheesy.  Don’t skimp on the salt, it really helps to bring out the flavors of the potatoes.  

This recipe would work quite well with any summer squash such as zucchini or pattypan.  Feel free to use a mandolin for the potatoes and squash if you have one, otherwise consider this recipe good practice for your knife skills.  

Shown here with Mustard Tarragon Grilled Chicken.

Internet - Epicurious