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Monday's Leftovers: Mussels, Linguine & Red Pepper Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 18 May 2009 07:50:26 -0700

If you've got a half an hour to spare, you can make time this Monday evening to have an epicurean feast with your loved ones. Impress them with a modern twist on the old Italian standby, linguine with clams. Switch up the traditional marinara sauce with a roasted red pepper purée, and use leftover mussels for a familiar replacement to clams. Serve with al dente pasta and a glass of Italian white, and you'll be looking at the new family favorite when you read more.

Mussels With Linguine In Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
From Every Day With Rachael Ray

Ingredients

Salt
Two 9-ounce packages fresh linguine
One 12- to 16-ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained and halved
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 to 4 cloves garlic, grated or finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup dry white wine
One 14.5-ounce can crushed fire-roasted tomatoes
Black pepper
36 mussels (about 2 pounds), debearded

Directions

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente.
While the pasta is working, using a food processor, puree the roasted peppers.
In a deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and crushed red pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the wine and reduce for about a minute, then stir in the pureed peppers and the tomatoes; season to taste with salt and black pepper. Add the mussels to the pan, cover tightly and cook until the shells open, about 5 minutes (discard any unopened mussels).
Divide the mussels among 4 large, shallow bowls and spoon a little sauce on top. Using tongs, transfer the cooked pasta from its water to the sauce in the skillet and toss to coat. Pile the pasta alongside the mussels.

Serves 4.

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Chicken Enchiladas Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 13:00:17 -0700

Can't make your way to Mexico? Take a hiatus with a Monterrey-inspired meal. While the basic chicken enchilada recipe calls for salsa verde, which often already includes roasted poblano chiles, the second recipe requires roasting the peppers yourself. Don't be intimidated by the task -it's as simple as holding the poblanos for a few minutes over a flame and then peeling off the charred skin - but this roasting technique adds another complex layer of flavor to an already delicious dish. To get both recipes, read more.

Beginner Chicken Enchiladas
From Rachael Ray

Ingredients

8 soft corn tortillas
Filling
3 cups chicken broth
4 pieces boneless skinless chicken breast, 6 to 8 ounces
1 bay leaf, fresh or dried
2 sprigs fresh oregano
1 small onion, quartered
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon chili powder, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Sauce
2 cups tomato sauce
2 teaspoons hot cayenne pepper sauce, several drops
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 2 pinches
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack

Directions

Preheat the oven to 275°F.
Wrap corn tortillas in foil and warm in the oven.
Bring broth to a boil in a sauté pan. Set chicken into broth with bay and oregano and onion.
Return to a boil, cover and reduce heat to simmer. Poach chicken in broth 10 minutes.
Remove chicken breasts to a bowl and shred with 2 forks. Add 1/2 cup of cooking liquid and tomato paste, spices and salt and work through the chicken using the forks.
Combine all sauce ingredients and heat through, keeping warm until needed.
Remove tortillas from oven and switch broiler on high.
Pile chicken mixture into warm corn tortillas and roll.
Line casserole or baking dish with enchiladas, seam side down.
Pour hot tomato sauce over the chicken enchiladas and top with cheese. Place in enchiladas in hot oven 6 inches from broiler and broil 5 minutes to melt cheese and set enchiladas.

Serves 4.

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Expert Chicken Enchiladas
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

2 poblano chiles (8 ounces total)
6 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
12 (5- to 6-inch-diameter) corn tortillas
4 cups salsa verde, divided
2 cups shredded roasted chicken, divided
3/4 cup sour cream, stirred to loosen, divided
6 oz (1 1/2 cups packed) grated Emmentaler, Muenster, or Mexican Chihuahua cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
Pickled red onions

Directions

Char chiles directly over gas flame or in broiler until blackened all over. Enclose in paper bag; let stand 10 minutes. Peel and seed, then cut into 2x1/2-inch strips.
Preheat oven to 375°F. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in medium skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tortilla to skillet; cook until slightly softened, about 15 seconds per side, turning with tongs. Transfer tortilla to paper towels to drain. Repeat with remaining tortillas, adding oil to skillet as needed.
Spread 1/2 cup salsa over bottom of 8x8x2-inch glass baking dish. Arrange 4 tortillas over salsa, covering bottom of dish completely, overlapping slightly, and extending about 1 1/2 inches up sides of dish. Scatter 1 cup chicken over tortillas, then half of poblano strips. Spoon 1 1/2 cups salsa over, spreading evenly. Spoon 1/4 cup sour cream over in small dollops. Cover with 4 tortillas, overlapping slightly. Layer with remaining 1 cup chicken, remaining poblanos, 1 cup salsa, and 1/4 cup sour cream. Cover with remaining 4 tortillas, then 1 cup salsa, and remaining 1/4 cup sour cream. Sprinkle with cheese.
Bake casserole until bubbling and cheese is lightly browned, about 35 minutes.
Cut into 6 pieces; divide among plates. Sprinkle with cilantro. Spoon pickled red onions alongside.

Serves 6.

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Source and Source

Reader Recipe: Powderhorn Potatoes

Yum Community — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 12:50:11 -0800

This story was written by member b1uebunn and comes from the Kitchen Goddess group in the YumSugar Community.Check out her family's Thanksgiving recipe when you read more

Monday's Leftovers: Quick Cioppino

YumSugar — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 09:00:01 -0700

The beginning of the workweek is always on the strenuous side, so keep Monday nights as effortless as possible by selecting a swift dinner recipe that calls for ingredients you've already got on hand.

By doubling up on the amount of halibut and clams that you needed for last night's meal, you won't have to worry about hitting up the supermarket again.

Take a stab at a stress-free riff on cioppino, the classic San Francisco stew. With a mere 30 minutes, you can make a savory soup that's sure to allay any of your weekday stresses. See the recipe when you read more.

Need Dinner in 15 Minutes? Make This Salad!

partysugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 06:50:03 -0700

It's not a new technique for celebrity chefs, magazines, and television networks to capitalize on Americans' lack of time - Rachael Ray's entire existence depends on creating 30-minute meals. What is less common, however, is a recipe that can actually be made in the allotted (short) amount of time.

When I saw this recipe for chicken salad in a Bon Appétit article entitled 15 Dishes in 15 Minutes, I was beyond skeptical. I decided to put it to the test, and surprisingly, it was ready in exactly 15 minutes!

Combine shortcuts like using rotisserie chicken and feta crumbles with minimal chopping, and the result is a dish that is wildly fast, wonderfully easy, and ridiculously delicious. If you're in need of a quick, simple, and balanced meal, consider this salad. To check out the recipe, read more.

Chicken and Watercress Salad With Almonds and Feta
From Bon Appétit

With its white balsamic vinegar and almond and grapeseed oils, the ingredient list is a bit pretentious; I subbed in sherry vinegar and olive oil.

Ingredients

1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 large shallot, chopped
3 tablespoons almond oil, walnut oil, or grapeseed oil
3 tablespoons grapeseed oil
3 large bunches watercress, thick stems trimmed
2 fully cooked chicken breast halves, meat torn into bite-size pieces
3/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
4 apricots, pitted, each half cut into wedges
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted

Directions

Combine vinegar and shallot in medium bowl. Whisk in both oils. Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.
Place watercress, chicken, cheese, and apricots in large bowl. Add dressing; toss.
Divide salad among 4 plates. Sprinkle each with almonds.

Serves 4.

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Food Section Sampler - Sept. 9, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 12:50:23 -0700

Why Japanese bento boxes have developed a cult following. - New York Times
Previewing Xoco, the new Mexican street food spot by Rick Bayless. - Chicago Tribune
Thirty things to do with tomatoes during harvest season. - Los Angeles Times
With sales plummeting, Champagne producers have slashed this year's harvest and bottling. - Wall Street Journal
In a tasting, which brand of lemon sorbet proved the sweetest? - Boston Globe
How one beet dish won over a beet-averse eater. - San Francisco Chronicle
Fast, healthy, and exotic, sabji stir-fry should be the home cook's new 30-minute meal. - Washington Post

Source: Flickr User luckysundae

Fast & Easy Dinner: Peach and Snow Pea Stir-Fry

partysugar — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 08:00:37 -0700

During the Summer I'm always looking for innovative new ways to serve stone fruit. While I've had my fair share of nectarine salads and muddled cherry cocktails, I've never enjoyed a peach stir-fry.

This creative and scrumptious dish combines succulent peaches with snow peas, tofu, and water chestnuts. The mixture is tossed with a quick homemade teriyaki sauce and served atop a bed of slippery noodles.

This meal comes together in less than 30 minutes, but if you are really pressed for time, simply use your favorite store brand teriyaki. Get the vegetarian recipe now.

Rachael Ray: Love Her or Leave Her?

partysugar — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 04:00:17 -0800

Earlier this week celebrity "cook" Rachael Ray appeared on ABC's Nightline. She spoke about how her $18 million empire makes her queasy, how she's not embarrassed to promote Dunkin Donuts, her love of Anthony Bourdain, and her pictures in FHM. With the recession, Ray - who's known for her fun affordable meals - is extremely accessible.

After the show aired, everyone from Epicurious to The New York Times wondered if the food world is finally starting to accept, and possibly adore, Ray for who she is. The Feedbag's Josh Ozersky even declared that "Rachael Ray is now officially cool."

I've been a fan of Ray's since day one and continue to enjoy 30 Minute Meals and her magazine on a regular basis. With so much industry talk about her lately, I want to know: How do you feel about her, readers?

Source

Chatting It Up With Iron Chef Challenger Ron Siegel

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 09:00:15 -0800

Now that Top Chef is over, I've got another professional chef showdown to discuss: Iron Chef. I'm a huge fan of not only the American version, but also the Japanese version that started it all. Recently, I had an opportunity to catch up with America's very first Kitchen Stadium winner, chef Ron Siegel, now the executive chef at The Dining Room at The Ritz-Carlton, San Francisco.

On a sunny morning I met with the chef in his kitchen, which recently launched a small bites and half bottles menu. I was taken by his humility - "I'm not doing a great service here," he told me, "I'm just cooking" - and his candidness. To see what else he had to say, read more.

YS: How did winning Iron Chef change your life?
RS: When you're younger, you're not necessarily open-minded. I was younger, and set in my ways of cooking. Going to Japan introduced me to a lot of other influences. I don't watch TV. I haven't even seen Iron Chef in 10, 11 years. But I'm sure there are some great chefs; there are great chefs everywhere.

YS: How would you describe your style of cooking?
RS: It's very simple - everything is made based on what's available. The menu changes every day, and the farmers market sets the tone. The preparation is similar, but the garnishes may change. [Points to fruit he's cutting.] These are pineapple guavas from my neighbor - I gave his kids a ride, so he told me to take them. I don't know what I'm going to do with them, but they have a great smell.

YS: Who are your culinary influences?
RS: Thomas Keller, George Morrone, and Daniel Boulud. When I worked for Thomas Keller as his opening sous chef [at The French Laundry], it was crazy, long hours. But I've learned a lot; I've learned about perfection. And Julia Child. She wasn't some hottie; she just knew how to make great food. But she probably couldn't get a show now.

YS: How has food changed since you first started cooking?
RS: In the '70s, everyone was smoking and drinking. People are definitely lighter these days. They don't want something that's going to make them feel bad at the end of the day. Also, people want to be who they are - they don't want to have to put on a suit to go out for a good meal.

YS: Where are your favorite places to eat in the Bay Area?
RS: I love Picco and Marché Aux Fleurs. Manka's was probably my favorite before it burned down.

YS: What's your advice for the home cook?
RS: Work on your knife skills! It's all about practicing until you get better at it. Going to the farmers market is a great way to understand seasonality and introduce yourself to things. If you go every week for two years, you're going to know what's in season and what's not. Don't rush cooking food. It's a labor of love, like what I'm doing now [running chicken stock until it comes out clear]. Home cooks can bring that same passion to their food. It's a lot of time, and a lot of work. I'm not sure how I feel about those 30-minute meals.

How Often Do You Burn Things?

partysugar — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 09:00:30 -0800

It seems like in every episode of 30 Minute Meals that I watch, Rachael Ray makes a comment about how she "always burns" things in the broiler. Although I've never actually seen her burn an item, she does seem like the type of person who could be prone to burning. I'm usually pretty good about not burning bread or bacon, but recently, when I made sloppy Joe's, I totally forgot about the buns! How about you? When was the last time you burned something? Is there one item you are more likely to burn than others?