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All the News That's Fit to Eat - Feb. 4, 2009

YumSugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 14:00:39 -0800

Few things are simpler, less expensive, and more satisfying than homemade shortbread. - Los Angeles Times
Restaurants, facing dire consequences, are now willing to bend over backwards for customers. - New York Times
How has the classic martini transformed itself over the years? - Washington Post
Coconut comes in different varieties; pick the sweetness and texture that suits your palate. - The Oregonian
This Winter welcome the earthy, bittersweet flavors of radicchio into your kitchen. - San Francisco Chronicle
Did you know that avocados are better sipped than dipped? - Chicago Tribune
This Valentine's Day, give in to the allure of complex chocolate desserts. - Boston Globe

Fast & Easy Dinner: Warm Winter Salad

partysugar — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 06:45:25 -0800

Jam-packed with crisp vegetables and poached chicken, this salad is a healthy, filling meal in itself. The dressing calls for sherry vinegar, but if you don't have it in your pantry simply use white wine vinegar.

To toast the walnuts, cook in a small skillet over medium-low heat until they are fragrant and lightly browned.

Check out the recipe and read more.

Warm Winter Salad
From Eating Well

Ingredients

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast, trimmed of fat
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 pear, sliced
1 small shallot, minced
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 small head radicchio, thinly sliced
1 small fennel bulb, cored and thinly sliced
1 large carrot, cut into matchsticks
1 tablespoon chopped walnuts, toasted
1/8 teaspoon salt, or to taste
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper, or to taste
6 large butter lettuce leaves
1/4 cup crumbled Gorgonzola or goat cheese

Directions

Place boneless, skinless chicken breasts in a medium skillet or saucepan and add lightly salted water to cover; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until chicken is cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, 10 to 12 minutes. Use 2 forks to shred into bite-size pieces.
Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pears and cook, stirring occasionally, until they start to brown, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
Whisk shallot, vinegar and mustard in a small bowl; add to the pan and cook, stirring constantly, for 30 seconds.
Add the cooked chicken, radicchio, fennel, carrot and walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Return the pears to the pan. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide lettuce leaves between 2 plates. Top with the warm chicken salad and sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 2.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 395 calories; 17 g fat (5 g sat, 7 g mono); 75 mg cholesterol; 32 g carbohydrate; 31 g protein; 8 g fiber; 548 mg sodium; 1,058 mg potassium. Nutrition bonus: Vitamin A (140% daily value), Vitamin C (40% dv), Potassium (30% dv), Calcium (20% dv), Folate (19% dv).

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What's Cooking at Slashfood

partysugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 04:00:33 -0700

We love Slashfood so much that every Thursday we round up their most delicious stories. Here are this week's finds:

Learn how to get free drinks at your local watering hole.
75 percent frosting, 25 percent cake!
Do you write notes in your cookbooks?
The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys want you to eat better when at the ballpark.
Radicchio is in season; it pairs perfectly with raisins and pine nuts.
How important is it to preheat your oven?
It's a great time to enjoy pumpkin ale.

Source

Sunday Slow Cooker: Vegetable Casserole

YumSugar — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 06:00:00 -0700

This casserole of polenta and vegetables uses canned beans and store-bought pesto to cut down on preparation time, but the slow cooker does all the hard work.

The recipe calls for an Italian cheese blend and specific vegetables, but feel free to mix things up with an American or Mexican cheese blend and different beans and vegetables, if you like.

To learn more about this easy-to-make, one-pot meal, read more.

Vegetable Casserole
From Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients

2 19-oz. cans cannellini beans
1 19-oz. can garbanzo or fava beans
1/4 cup purchased basil pesto
1 medium onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-1/2 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
1 16-oz. pkg. refrigerated cooked plain polenta cut in 1/2-inch-thick slices
1 large tomato, thinly sliced
1 8-oz. pkg. finely shredded Italian cheese blend (2 cups)
2 cups fresh spinach
1 cup torn radicchio

Directions

Rinse and drain beans.
In large bowl combine beans, 2 tablespoons of pesto, onion, garlic, and Italian seasoning.
In 4- to 5-quart slow cooker layer half of bean mixture, half of polenta, and half of cheese. Add remaining beans and polenta.
Cover; cook on low heat setting for 4 to 6 hours (or on high heat setting 2 to 2-1/2 hours).
Add tomato, remaining cheese, spinach, and radicchio.
Combine remaining pesto and 1 tablespoon water. Drizzle pesto mixture on casserole.
Let stand, uncovered, 5 minutes.

Makes 8 servings.

Calories 360, Total Fat (g) 12, Saturated Fat (g) 6, Cholesterol (mg) 26, Sodium (mg) 926, Carbohydrate (g) 46,Total Sugar (g) 8, Fiber (g) 10, Protein (g) 21, Vitamin C (DV%) 16, Calcium (DV%) 36, Iron (DV%) 19

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Mango Caprese Salad

YumSugar — Tue, 03 Jun 2008 15:00:08 -0700

Every day when I water my small herb garden, I get a whiff of fresh basil. My first thoughts always go to one of my favorite summertime dishes: caprese salad! However, the tomatoes I've picked up lately are rather disappointing. Luckily, I stumbled across this recipe that puts a new twist on the classic caprese. It's made with mangoes instead of tomatoes.
This salad is a simple mix of mango, mozzarella, and radicchio all tossed with a basil vinaigrette. The sweetness of the mangoes balance out the bitterness of the radicchio creating a combination that is satisfying in both taste and texture. Rather than use the traditional presentation of thin layered slices, I chose a more rustic approach with bite-sized mango and pearl-like mozzarella. To learn how to make this updated classic, please read more.

Mango Radicchio Caprese
From Bon Appétit magazine

Ingredients

2/3 cup chopped fresh basil, plus 8 whole large basil leaves
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
16 radicchio leaves, thick ends trimmed (small head)
4 large mangoes, peeled and cut in chunks
8 oz. perlini mozzarella

Directions
1. Blend chopped basil, oil, and vinegar in mini processor until most of basil is pureed. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Chop radicchio and mangoes into bite-size pieces. A trick to cutting mangoes: cut the two sides with majority of the flesh. Using a small paring knife to cut the mango in both directions. Flip the mango inside out and cut the bite-size pieces off of the skin.

3. Mix radicchio, mangoes, and mozzarella. Toss with vinaigrette and garnish with basil leaves.

Serves 8.

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Simple Tip: Use Radicchio As a Serving Bowl

partysugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 16:13:33 -0700

At the Junior Achievement's Wine Tasting and Auction, I was inspired by their servingware. Instead of offering guests olives and marinated cheeses in regular bowls, they were festively placed inside radicchio leaves. The bright purple leaves made the antipasto display pop with color!

This is a great idea for the eco-conscious hostess. No bowls need to be washed and the empty leaves can be placed into the compost bin. Iceberg and romaine lettuce leaves would also work well for serving salsas, olives, cheese, crackers, and more.

Got another edible alternative to a serving bowl? Share your ideas with us below!

Come Party With Me: Passover - Menu

partysugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 08:23:51 -0700

At a traditional Seder dinner, no flour products are consumed, so my menu consists of flavorful and delicious dishes that are Passover friendly. To start things off create a cheese display with matzo crackers and cured olives. Once guests have had time to mingle, ask everyone to join you at the table. Serve a parsley, radicchio, and napa cabbage salad with lemon vinaigrette as the first course. For the main dish offer guests heaping plates of melt in your mouth brisket and scrumptious vegetables.

Fried artichokes - with crisp outsides and tender centers - are a nice compliment to the juicy brisket. If you are interested in looking at the recipes, please read more.

Parsley, Radicchio, and Napa Cabbage Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette
From Gourmet magazine

Ingredients

1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups thinly sliced Napa cabbage (1/2 lb; from 1 head)
4 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves (3 large bunches)
2 cups thinly sliced radicchio (1/4 lb)

Directions

Whisk together lemon juice, zest, sugar, salt, and pepper until sugar is dissolved, then add oil in a slow stream, whisking until emulsified.
Just before serving, toss cabbage, parsley, and radicchio in a large bowl with just enough dressing to coat, then season with salt and pepper.

Serves 8.

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Passover Brisket
From Food and Wine magazine

Ingredients

1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
One 5-pound beef brisket, trimmed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large onions, sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 pounds carrots, cut diagonally 1/8 inch thick
2 cups Coca-Cola
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup ketchup

Directions

In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, salt, garlic powder, cayenne, paprika, black pepper, cinnamon, cocoa, coriander and white pepper. Rub the mixture all over the brisket, set it in a baking dish and cover with foil. Refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil. Add the brisket, fat side down, and brown well over moderately high heat, 6 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Reduce the heat to moderate and add the onions. Stir well, cover and cook, stirring, until softened, about 15 minutes.
Add the carrots, cover and cook, stirring, until the carrots begin to soften, 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl.
Add the Coca-Cola, tomatoes and ketchup to the pot and stir over moderate heat. Add the brisket and any juices and spread the onions and carrots around the meat. If necessary, add enough water to half-submerge the brisket in liquid. Cover tightly and braise in the oven for 2 1/2 hours.
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board, cover with foil and let stand for 30 minutes. Raise the oven temperature to 425°. Slice the meat across the grain 1/4 inch thick, return to the casserole and spoon the sauce over the meat.
Return the pot to the oven and cook uncovered for 1 hour, or until the meat is fork-tender. Check every 20 minutes; if necessary, add water so the meat is half submerged. Remove from the oven and let stand for 15 minutes.
Transfer the meat to a platter, spoon the onions, carrots and sauce over and serve.

Serves 8.

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Fried Whole Artichokes
From Saveur magazine

Ingredients

6 artichokes
1 lemon, halved
Vegetable oil
Salt

Directions

For each of the artichokes, pull off the tough green outer leaves until you get to those that are mostly yellow. Cut stem down to about 1" and peel. Slice 1" off top of artichoke. Spread open leaves and scoop out fibrous white choke, using a spoon. Rub artichokes all over with a halved lemon to prevent discoloration.
Pour oil into a medium saucepan to a depth of 3" vegetable and heat over medium-high heat. When oil is very hot but not smoking, add 2 of the artichokes.
Cook, turning to brown evenly, about 8 minutes. Drain on paper towels and repeat process with remaining artichokes.
Place each fried artichoke, stem side up, on a work surface and flatten by pressing under a plate. Return each artichoke to hot oil and cook, turning to brown evenly, about 6 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
Sprinkle with salt and serve whole. The outer leaves will be crispy (they taste like vegetable chips); the heart, stem, and inner leaves will be tender.

Serves 6.

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Soup's On: Radicchio Soup

partysugar — Thu, 20 Mar 2008 11:45:41 -0700

Today marks the first day of Spring and the last day of my Winter soup-making series. I wanted to go out with an exceptionally superb soup, but like my father and the Rolling Stones said, "You can't always get what you want."

I'd been holding on to this recipe for a while and hoped it would create a brilliantly purple soup. Unfortunately, I failed to realize that naturally, the radicchio would brown while cooking. Luckily, the soup had a wonderfully comforting, robust flavor and delicious, lush taste. The radicchio is mild and the final product is very similar to French Onion soup with radicchio in place of the onions. To see how it's made, read more.

Radicchio Soup
From Michele Anna Jordan

Ingredients

3 tbsp. olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 medium potato, peeled and finely diced
salt and black pepper to taste
8-10 ounces radicchio, about 6 cups, sliced thin
4 cups chicken stock, beef stock, or vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
4-6 slices sourdough bread, toasted
lemon wedges, for serving

Directions

Put the oil in a large soup pot and heat over medium-low heat until warm.
Add the onion and saute for about 10 minutes until soft.
Add the potato and stir constantly for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Add radicchio and saute, stirring until it just wilts. Season.
Pour in stock and 2 cups water. Simmer gently until potatoes are just tender, 8-10 min.
Using potato masher or immersion blender, mash or puree part of the soup. Don't worry too much about this - it is rustic soup.
Taste and correct seasonings. Divide the cheese among 4-6 bowls. Ladle soup over cheese, drizzle with oil if desired and serve with the toasted bread and lemon wedges.

Serves 4-6.

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Fast & Easy Dinner: Penne with Roasted Chicken & Radicchio

partysugar — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 09:03:33 -0700

Although I enjoy eating radicchio, I rarely cook it at home. However, I've decided to change that by incorporating it into my everyday meal plans. With its gorgeous red pink color, radicchio has a bitter taste that softens when cooked. For tonight's dinner, the radicchio is paired with whole wheat pasta, parmesan cheese, and a store bought roast chicken. It's a delicious, quick meal that will introduce your family to a new flavor. It's Friday, so why not pair it with a glass of red wine? Sound scrumptious? Wait till you see the recipe, read more

Penne with Roasted Chicken & Radicchio
From Eating Well

1 pound whole-wheat penne
1 head radicchio, torn into 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 2-pound roasted chicken, skin discarded, meat removed from bones and shredded (4 cups)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, 8 to 10 minutes or according to package directions.
Drain the pasta, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid.
Place radicchio and the reserved liquid in the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes.
Stir in the pasta, 2 tablespoons Parmesan, oil, chicken, vinegar and pepper and continue cooking until the cheese starts to melt, 1 to 2 minutes.
Serve the pasta garnished with walnuts and the remaining cheese.

Serves 6.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: Per serving: 463 calories; 12 g fat (3 g sat, 4 g mono); 60 mg cholesterol; 60 g carbohydrate; 30 g protein; 7 g fiber; 223 mg sodium.

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'Wich of the Week: Gorgonzola, Radicchio, and Honey

YumSugar — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 14:00:46 -0800

Unlike Summer produce that you can toss into a salad, Winter veggies often require roasting, which has the added benefit of warming up your house. This week, I took another page from Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book to prepare roasted radicchio sandwiches with a seasonal side of Brussels sprouts.Though I'm not usually partial to open-faced sandwiches, this Italian-inspired recipe won me over with a surprising combination of ingredients and comforting, wintry flavors. The punchy gorgonzola and slightly bitter radicchio get a sweet assist from honey and candied walnuts. You can make the walnuts from scratch if you want, though I used store-bought candied pecans. For more details on the recipe and to see how I made it, read more.

It's not the easiest sandwich to eat, but it would be nearly impossible without a knife and fork, so the open-faced format makes sense. Plus, the presentation according to Silverton's directions is stunning. This sandwich is highly sophisticated in flavor and appearance yet relatively easy to make. I'd certainly make it again.

Gorgonzola, Radicchio, Honey, and Walnuts Open-Faced Sandwich
Modified From Nancy Silverton's Sandwich Book

Ingredients

1 medium head radicchio (about 10 ounces) cut in half through the core
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
4 slices walnut, white, or whole-wheat sourdough bread
8 ounces gorgonzola dolce*
Approximately 3 tablespoons honey, preferably buckwheat or chestnut
1 cup candied spiced walnuts, coarsely chopped, plus 8 candied walnut halves**
Approximately 1 bunch chives, minced

Directions

For the radicchio: Adjust the oven rack to the middle position, and preheat the oven to 400°F.
Cut each radicchio half into 5 wedges. In a cast-iron or other ovenproof 10-inch skillet, combine 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and 2 teaspoons of the vinegar. Arrange the wedges of radicchio in the skillet in a concentric circle. Drizzle the remaining olive oil and vinegar over the radicchio and sprinkle over the salt.

Cover with foil and roast in the oven for 15 minutes. Remove the foil to allow the steam to escape.
Turn the wedges of radicchio over, and on the stovetop over medium heat, cook the radicchio about 3-5 minutes to caramelize slightly, being careful not to burn it.

To make the sandwiches: Grill the bread or toast in the oven for 5 minutes. Place the slices on serving plates.

Spread an uneven layer of the gorgonzola over each slice of bread, and spoon about 2 teaspoons of honey over the cheese.
Scatter about a 1/4 cup of chopped walnuts (or pecans) over each, and evenly distribute the radicchio, leaving a border of the gorgonzola around the edge. Sprinkle the sandwiches with chives, and place 2 candied walnut (or pecan) halves overlapping in the center of each.

Serves 4.

*I used about half the amount of gorgonzola suggested.
**Silverton's book includes a recipe to make your own candied spiced walnuts, but I used store-bought candied pecans instead.

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