YumSugar

Fast & Easy Dinner: Salmon and Escarole Packets

partysugar — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:15:10 -0800

For a quick-cooking, healthy, and delicious meal, look no further than this recipe for salmon and greens in papillote. Crisp bitter escarole acts as a bed for the moist salmon and simple garlic-butter-tarragon sauce. The whole thing is wrapped in parchment paper and baked in the oven. The resulting dish is a package waiting to be opened and devoured. Although it's an uncomplicated technique, the final presentation makes this fish ideal for impromptu weeknight entertaining. To look at the recipe, read more.

Salmon and Escarole Packets
From Eating Well

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter
2 lemons
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon, or 1 teaspoon dried
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 cups chopped escarole, romaine lettuce or spinach
1 bunch scallions, thinly sliced
3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, divided
1-1 1/4 pounds skinned salmon fillet, preferably wild Pacific, cut into 4 portions

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F.
To prepare packets, start with four 20- to 24-inch-long pieces of parchment paper or foil. Fold in half crosswise. With the parchment or foil folded, draw half a heart shape on one side as you would if you were making a Valentine. Use scissors to cut out the heart shape. Open up the heart.
Combine butter with the juice of 1 lemon in a small pan; melt over low heat. Remove from the heat and stir in tarragon and garlic. Reserve 2 tablespoons for the fish.
Combine the rest of the sauce in a large bowl with escarole (or lettuce or spinach), scallions, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat.
Place one-fourth of the greens mixture (about 1 1/4 cups) on one side of each open heart fairly close to the crease and leaving at least a 1-inch boarder around the edges for folding.
Place 1 piece of fish on top of each portion of greens. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Brush the reserved sauce on the fish. Slice the remaining lemon and top the fish with the lemon slices.
Close the packet to cover the ingredients. Starting at the top, seal the packet by folding the edges together in a series of small, tight folds. Twist the tip of the packet and tuck it underneath to help keep the packet closed. Place the packets on a large rimmed baking sheet (packets may overlap slightly).
Bake until the fish is just cooked through and the greens are wilted, about 15 minutes. Carefully open one package to check for doneness;be cautious of the steam.) Let the packets rest unopened for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Say Cheese! Manchego Pizza With Chorizo and Shrimp

partysugar — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:00:06 -0800

My obsession with all things Spanish is no secret. From José Andrés to Crianza to paella, if it's Spanish, I love it! This affection includes manchego, Spain's most famous cheese. Manchego cheese is protected by a Denominación de Origen, meaning it can only be made from sheep that graze in the La Mancha region of Spain. The whole sheep's milk cheese must also be aged in natural caves for a minimum of two months.

Depending on how long it's aged, the flavor can range from mild to sharp. Manchego comes in a round shape and is cut into chunky wedges. The inedible rind gets its pattern from the manufacturing process that involves wrapping the cheese in sheets of a special woven grass. Manchego tastes creamy and slightly salty. Learn how to use the versatile Spanish cheese and check out the recipe for this scrumptious pizza when you read more.

For a simple snack, pair manchego slices with crackers, olives, and jamon Serrano. Shave on salads and roasted vegetables, or as Yum suggested yesterday, enjoy in a turkey sandwich with pear butter. Manchego is also a great cheese for melting. It can be used in quesadillas, grilled cheese sandwiches, or in my case, on pizza!

Although there only four ingredients in this pizza, the flavors combine sensationally.

The tangy manchego complements the bitterness of the escarole and the spiciness of the chorizo. The shrimp is an exciting addition. I definitely plan on making this tasty pie again.

Manchego Pizza With Chorizo and Shrimp
Modified from Food and Wine

Ingredients

1 large ball of refrigerated pizza dough
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 head escarole, cut into 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
6 ounces Manchego cheese, shredded (2 cups)
1/2 pound medium shrimp-shelled, deveined and halved lengthwise
1 1/2 ounces firm chorizo, thinly sliced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 500°F. If you have one, set your pizza stone on the bottom of the oven to heat for at least 30 minutes.
On a floured work surface, divide the dough in half and roll each half into a ball. Roll out 1 disk of dough to an 11-inch round. Transfer to a floured pizza peel or other baking sheet.

Prepare the toppings: In a large skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat until golden, about 1 minute. Add the escarole and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Lightly brush the edge of the dough with olive oil. Scatter half of the Manchego over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border at the edge, then top with half of the shrimp, chorizo and escarole.

Slide the pizza onto the hot stone (or baking sheet) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until the crust is browned on the bottom, the shrimp is cooked through and the other toppings are sizzling. Cut the pizza into wedges and serve immediately. Repeat with the remaining dough and toppings.

Serves 4.*

*When I made this pizza, I halved the recipe.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 13 Photos ›

Fast & Easy Dinner: Honey-Glazed Pork With Wilted Greens

partysugar — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 08:00:21 -0800

Jump-start your weekend with a healthy, heart-friendly dinner. In this uncomplicated recipe, pork is complemented by peppery greens.

A simple honey, red wine vinegar, and mustard glaze coats the pork, giving it a subtle sweetness and intense juiciness. Unlike some other pork recipes, no marinating is necessary.

Pair with a glass of fruity, light red wine. For the recipe, read more.

Honey-Glazed Pork With Wilted Greens
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
3 1/2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
4 tablespoons raw honey
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 teaspoon coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon plus 4 teaspoons olive oil
1 3/4 pounds pork tenderloin (about 2)
3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large fennel bulb, trimmed and sliced lengthwise into thin strips
1/2 head escarole, cut into 2-inch strips
1/2 pound spinach, washed well

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together 1 teaspoon mustard, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 2 tablespoons honey, garlic, rosemary, and 2 teaspoons oil.
Place pork tenderloins in a shallow baking dish; pour glaze over pork, turning to coat evenly. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt; season with pepper.
Roast in oven, spooning glaze over pork occasionally, until thickest part of pork reaches 155 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, 30 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; let rest until pork reaches 160 degrees, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, make vinaigrette: In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 tablespoons honey, 1 1/2 tablespoons vinegar, and 1 teaspoon mustard. Whisk until honey is dissolved. Slowly whisk in 1 tablespoon oil until emulsified. Whisk in any accumulated cooking juices from baking dish, if desired.
Heat remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a 12-inch saute pan over medium-high heat. Add fennel, escarole, spinach, and a splash of water; cook until greens are slightly wilted, about 1 1/2 minutes.
Add vinaigrette and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to pan, stirring just to coat greens, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat; divide among four serving plates. Slice pork about 1/2 inch thick; arrange alongside greens. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Print recipe with images | without images

Cooking the Cover: Gourmet's Grilled Cheese

partysugar — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 07:01:31 -0800

There is nothing as simply delicious as melted cheese and crispy bread. There are thousands of variations of cheese, bread types, and tasty extras, but recently I was dazzled by the grilled cheese on the cover of Gourmet magazine's February issue. Presented on a clean white plate with a pretty blue background, their uber grilled cheese features escarole, onion jam, and tallegio.

Unfortunately, I couldn't find onion jam nor tallegio, but luckily the recipe states the next best options - fig jam and fontina - both of which were at my local market. I cooked the sandwich over low heat to maximize the melt in the melted cheese. The final result was a divine treat with the sweet jam perfectly complementing the pungent cheese and bitter greens. For the plating, I used a simple white plate like Gourmet, but thought a pink placemat was more me. To see how I made my version of this super scrumptious sandwich, read more.

Grilled Cheese With Onion Jam, Talleggio, and Escarole
From Gourmet magazine

4 (1/2-inch-thick) center slices sourdough bread (from a 9- to 10-inch round)
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons onion or fig jam
12 to 14 oz chilled Taleggio or Italian Fontina, sliced
1/4 lb escarole, center ribs discarded and leaves cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

Brush 1 side of bread slices with oil and arrange, oil sides down, on a work surface.
Spread jam on 2 slices of bread and divide cheese between remaining 2 slices.
Mound escarole on top of cheese and season with salt and pepper, then assemble sandwiches.
Heat a dry 12-inch heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium-low heat until hot.
Cook sandwiches, turning once and pressing with a spatula to compact, until bread is golden-brown and cheese is melted, 6 to 8 minutes total.

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Print recipe with images | without images

View 9 Photos ›

Let's Dish: What Goes Into Your Perfect Grilled Cheese?

YumSugar — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 16:00:51 -0700

Between writing about the new marketing push for Kraft Singles and Bobby Flay offering sandwich-making tips, I've had grilled cheese on the brain. I'm a particularly huge fan of Hog Island's version, as well as Party's rendition with taleggio, escarole, and onion jam. Today, I'm making a variation based on ingredients I have on hand: sweet butter, aged gruyere, and artisan Pugliese bread. What's your perfect combination?