Cracked potatoes: fun with food

Posted on April 19, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

Tom brought home some lovely little Yukon gold potatoes last week. They were the size of golf balls, about two bites each. I decided to bash the heck out of them.

When you whack a whole, skin-on potato with just the right amount of force, they crack but remain otherwise intact, enabling the cooking liquid to moisten the interiors without turning the potatoes to mush.

Then there’s the aggression-releasing rush that always comes with smashing things with virtuous intent. I use the flat side of my tenderizing mallet, but a rolling pin or the bottom of a heavy skillet will work quite well too.

As long as the potatoes are small, and roughly the same size, any type will do. Baby reds are terrific this way, as are fingerlings. It’s important to leave the skins on, or you’ll end up with mashed potatoes.

I cook them in olive oil and chicken stock; use vegetable stock for a vegetarian or vegan dish. The potato skins get brown and crispy, and the potato flesh becomes creamy and flavorful from the stock.

I made a double batch, and served them with some chive-pistachio pesto mixed with sour cream. They’re also a perfect accompaniment to roast chicken with pan sauce, but can also stand on their own.

The next night, I cut the leftover potatoes in half horizontally and browned them, cut sides down, in a little olive oil in a hot pan. The salty, crispy bites were just the thing with our turkey burgers.

Cracked Potatoes
serves 4

1 1/4 pounds small whole potatoes
1 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
1-2 cups chicken or vegetable stock

Scrub the potatoes, but don’t peel them. Dry them well. Place a potato on the cutting board and give it a good whack with a mallet. The goal is to initiate a crack or two, not to mash the potato into oblivion. Repeat with the remaining potatoes.

Drizzle the oil in the bottom of a large skillet (preferably nonstick) and add the potatoes. It’s important that the potatoes fit in one layer; they won’t brown if they don’t have contact with the bottom of the pan. Season well with salt and pepper.

Pour enough chicken stock to come up halfway up the potatoes. Cover the pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook for about 30 minutes until the taters are tender and the liquid is mostly evaporated. (Check after 20 minutes of cooking; if the liquid evaporates before the potatoes are tender, add 1/2 cup or so more.)

Remove the lid and cook over medium-high heat until the potatoes are nicely browned on the bottom. You can serve them right a way, or flip the potatoes to brown on the second side.

To cook any leftovers, split the potatoes in half horizontally. Warm a little olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the potatoes, cut sides down, and cook until well browned, about 6 to 8 minutes.

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Chive-pistachio pesto

Posted on April 8, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

My chives are loving the weather lately. They are both lanky and bushy. When they’re flourishing, I top everything short of dessert with minced chives.

I’m thinking pesto would be a bright note with the simple pan-seared chicken breasts I was planning for dinner. I had a bouquet of parsley* sitting on the counter, next to a bowl of pistachios. Methinks ’tis time for chive pesto.

*(Y’all know that you can keep a bunch of parsley on your counter, right? Just trim the stems, plunk them in a vase or glass, and they’ll last for a week. And they look darned pretty.)

This pesto is intensely green, with a grassy note from the parsley and mild onion flavor from the chives and scallions. A squeeze of lemon is just enough to bring the herbs into focus.

My Tom hates basil with a devout passion, so it took some work to convince him to try this pesto. He was a convert. I knew he would be; he loves all things onion. Now, Luke loves basil pesto, but has disliked onions his whole life. He too approved of this version.

What we made next with it: potato-prosciutto pizza. Beyond fantastic.

I’m already thinking of all sorts of uses: A spoonful coating some steamed baby red potatoes, a dollop mixed with sour cream or Greek yogurt for a dip, a dab swirled into a bowl of roasted potato soup.

Pistachio-Chive Pesto
makes a generous cup

1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios
1 small clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/2 cup roughly chopped chives
1/4 cup roughly chopped scallions (green part only)
1 1/2 cups roughly chopped parsley, packed
1/3 cup olive oil (about)
juice of half a lemon (about 1 tbs.)
salt  to taste
1/4 cup grated parmesan

Put the pistachios and garlic in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the chives, scallions, and parsley. Drizzle with half the oil. Pulse several times until finely chopped. Add more oil and pulse until the pesto is smooth and a consistency that makes you happy. Season with salt. Stir in the parmesan.

It’ll keep for several days tightly covered in the fridge, or for months in the freezer.

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Feta & greens omelet: one-handed lunch

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

I’ve been swamped with editing work lately, so the girls haven’t gotten much play time. On Sunday, I took them to the dog park for some much-needed energy release.

When we got to the park, it was occupied. Normally that’s a good thing; the girls love nothing better than a romp with doggie friends. On Sunday, the occupants were: one elderly dog, one woman, and three very young, energetic children. The park rules (posted on the entrance gate) clearly state that no children under the age of 12 are allowed. This rule is in place to protect the children. And it is, after all, a dog park.

Cleo is scared of kids. If I let her in, she’d sneak past them and run to the far end of the park. Libby on the other hand, loves kids. I didn’t want her to jump on the children to give them kisses. I asked the woman to have her kids sit quietly at the picnic table. The plan was to keep Libby on her leash so I could control her greeting.

The minute the gate was open, Libby took off. I’m not quite sure what happened next, but somehow my end of the leash (attached to my hand) didn’t make it through the gate.

So this is my fashion statement for the next four to six weeks. Unless I need surgery, that is. The ER doctor says I sprained and partially dislocated my right thumb. The orthopedic surgeon will review the x-rays next week.

Luckily, I’m left-handed, but it is still remarkable just how much we do with our non-dominant hands. So I’m taking suggestions for dishes that can be made with one hand.

Today’s lunch was an omelet stuffed with sautéed onions and greens, with some crumbled feta. Chopping is difficult right now, but I found I could slice an onion and toss it into a skillet. Once they were golden, I tossed in a few handfuls of salad greens: baby spinach, arugula, radicchio, and leaf lettuce. (Yes, you can cook lettuce.) Feta cheese adds a salty tang. (It would also be fabulous with black olives  and homemade ricotta instead of the feta.) It was a perfect lunch: light, healthy, colorful, and satisfying.

Omelet with Wilted Greens, Sautéed Onions, and Feta
serves 1

2 eggs
1 tbs. butter
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. Aleppo pepper flakes, optional
2-3 handfuls fresh mixed greens (spinach, arugula, watercress, lettuce, or any combination)
black pepper
1 oz. crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. minced chives, optional

Beat the eggs with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl; set aside.

Melt half the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and Aleppo (if using), and cook until the onion is golden. Rinse the greens lightly and add them to the pan, with just the water clinging to the leaves. Add the black pepper. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes  until just wilted. Scrape the filling out of the pan and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add the rest of the butter. When it’s melted, pour in the eggs. Let them cook undisturbed for a minute. Add the greens to one half of the omelet. Top with the feta. As soon as the eggs are fully cooked, flip  the plain side over the filling, top with chives, and serve. The whole egg-cooking process should only take a few minutes.

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Potato-ham hash: it’s not just for breakfast

Posted on March 31, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen


One of these days I need to make hash for breakfast. Crispy potato bits, maybe topped with a lovely fried egg with a runny yolk… . What a great way to start the day.

It’s not that I’ve never made hash; I make it all the time. We just prefer it for dinner.

Do you have half a steak in the fridge from last night’s dinner, or one pork chop, or a lonely chicken breast? It’s not enough to feed the family, I know. But it’s fine for hash. Heck, if I wasn’t living with two fish-phobics, I’d use some leftover salmon.

I’ve made hash with all of the above (except the salmon), and more. We love adding a cubed leftover ham steak or slow-cooked bone-in ham. This combo is even better if you add a sweet potato into the mix.

We are of two schools in the Rivertree household as to the proper treatment of the potatoes. I prefer my taters cubed, but the guys lobby consistently for shredded potatoes. I usually let them win (see above photo). Usually.

As enamored as I am with my cast iron skillet, I leave that aside and reach for the nonstick skillets for this dish. It could be that my cast iron is still in need of some seasoning, but I find the hash just sticks too much in it.

*And yes, I said “skillets.” This works best if you can cook the hash in two large skillets; you have the most surface-to-tater ratio, which helps browning. If you only have one large skillet, use that; it may take a little longer.

And for us, it’s all about the browned bits. You could certainly eat serve the hash as soon as the potatoes are cooked through and are exhibiting a few browned bits. But why would you? The best parts, as everyone knows, are those toasty edges, so why not go for as many toasty edges as possible?

Top the hash with some fried or poached eggs if you wish. Serve it with a green salad, or with the always fabulous roasted grapes.

Potato-Ham Hash
serves 4

1 small onion, chopped
1/2 a bell pepper, chopped (or use the whole thing)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. olive oil (or a bit more if you need it)
3-4 large russet potatoes, scrubbed clean
salt and pepper
1 tsp. paprika or Penzey’s Cajun seasoning
2 tbs. butter
1-2 cups leftover chopped ham
2 tbs. minced parsley
2 tbs. minced chives, optional

Divide the oil, onion, garlic, and bell pepper between two large skillets.* (See above.) Set them over low heat to jump-start the cooking while you prepare the potatoes.

Peel the potatoes if you wish (it’s not necessary), and 1) cut them into 1/2-inch cubes, or 2) grate them with a box grater or in your food processor. Dump the cubes or shreds in a colander and rinse them well. Pour them into a clean dish towel and pat them dry (for the cubes) or squeeze the heck out of them (shreds). This will remove some of the starch and help them to brown.

Divide the potatoes between the two skillets and stir to combine with the now-softened vegetables. Season well with salt, pepper, and paprika. Dot with butter and turn the heat up to medium-high. Every 5 to 10 minutes, flip the hash and break it up. The goal is to achieve maximum crunchy bits.

Since the ham (or your choice of meat) is already cooked, Add it toward the last 10 minutes or so of cooking.

If you’re more into the contrast between a crisp exterior and a tender inside, leave the hash alone for a good 15 minutes, then flip and cook for another 10-15 minutes.

If you want to reach hash nirvana, continue to cook, break up the hash and cook some more until you are happy with the way it looks. It takes about an hour the way we make it. Top with parsley and herbs and serve.

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Chickpea-olive pasta: dinner in 20 minutes

Posted on March 21, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

We’ve been enjoying the warm summer breezes for two weeks. This is worth mentioning because 1) we live in Wisconsin, and 2) this is March, when normally we’re still shoveling snow on a regular basis.

My workload is heavy right now (not a bad thing), so for the most part I’m enjoying those toasty breezes as they waft through the open windows, ruffling the stacks of notes as I edit. The girls have been pretty darned patient so far, but they’re overdue for a trip to the dog park.

Libby and Cleo rearranging the couch cushions to their liking.

In order to justify a trip outside, I needed to make the most of my morning time. This means making lunch as quickly as possible. I also wanted that speedy lunch to be healthy and delicious, of course.

These great intentions are complicated by a severe lack of fresh produce at the moment. Here’s where having a well-stocked pantry and freezer come in handy. I pulled out a can of chickpeas, some soba noodles, and an onion — all nutrition-packed ingredients — and garlic, black olives, and pesto for flavor.

This dish is based on the Italian dish pasta e fagioli, or pasta with beans, substituting toasted chickpeas (one of our favorite munchies) for the beans. Toasting the chickpeas makes them creamy on the inside and slightly crunchy outside, and brings out a subtle smoky flavor.

You could use any pasta for this dish, but the buckwheat soba noodles have more flavor than regular pasta, and they cook in just a few minutes; so quickly, in fact, that I recommend finishing the sauce before you put the noodles in the boiling water. For color and herbal goodness I added pesto (homemade, frozen in ice cubes) and fresh parsley from the bunch sitting in a glass on my counter.

Quantities here are completely up to you. This is a throw-together dish. Use green olives if you don’t have black. Add a handful of chopped, toasted walnuts to enhance the nutty flavors. If I’d thought of it, I’d add a carrot cut into ribbons with a vegetable peeler.

The crowning glory: snipped fresh chives from our very own patch. Never have they grown so early. What a treat!

This was actually taken in early March; they're a foot tall now.

Toasted Chickpea-Olive Soba Noodles
serves 4

1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. aleppo pepper flakes or 1/2 tsp. hot red pepper flakes, optional
3 tbs. olive oil
1 can (15 oz.) chickpeas, rinsed and drained (or 2 cups cooked chickpeas)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives (green olives would also work)
1/4 cup pesto
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock (or more as needed)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbs. minced fresh chives

Put a big pot of water on to boil for the noodles. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, garlic, and aleppo in the oil over medium heat until softened. Add the chickpeas, season lightly with salt, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned and the chickpeas are toasty. Season with pepper. Stir in the olives, pesto, and stock. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer while you cook the noodles.

Add a good amount of salt to the boiling water and stir in the soba noodles. Cook for about 4 minutes until they’re still just slightly chewy. Lift them out of the pasta water and add to the chickpea mixture.

Raise the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring to combine everything, until most of the liquid has been absorbed and the noodles are cooked through. This should only take a minute or two. Add more stock or a spoonful of the pasta water if the noodles are too dry. Sprinkle with the parsley and chives and serve hot.

Posted in main courses, pasta, rice, and grains | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Spicy tomato-artichoke chicken

Posted on March 17, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

When you go to Florida every March, as we do, you get a brief preview of summer long before the 80-degree days will appear at home. It’s heavenly to start the day with a walk on the beach. On the last day, Tom and I got one last beach walk in before we left. I brought my camera, and took a few last shots of seabirds and surf.

Actually, the photo above is from the second-to-last day of vacation. On that last walk, on the last day, I dropped my camera in the ocean. Salt water, it turns out, means instant death for cameras. So now, a week and a wad of cash later, I have a new camera.

When packing to head to Florida, I noticed that my summer clothes had all mysteriously shrunk. (It must be that dry air in my closet.) Seeing my pasty white, comfort-food-enhanced body in a bathing suit was a shock, but I have several weeks to get it in shape before the bathing suit has a return engagement here in Wisconsin.

Anyway, after a week of trying to squeeze into clothes that had fit just fine last summer, I returned home resolved to eat better. By that I mean adding more veggies, fruit and whole grains, less fats and sugars, and generally aiming for more quality, less quantity.

So I inaugurated our healthy eating with a trip to the pantry. Tomatoes are one of the few vegetables (or fruits) that have more available nutrients when cooked. Onions, garlic, peppers, chiles, artichoke hearts, and a secret dash of anchovy paste turned those canned tomatoes into a rich, complex sauce with a definite kick.

Simmering chicken in the sauce transferred some of that flavor to the white meat. We loved the breasts this way, but I’d make it again with thighs, or even turkey cutlets. I’ll also try doubling the sauce, then shredding the chicken into the sauce when it’s cooked and serving it over pasta.

Cooking the sauce before adding it to the chicken develops the flavors, but if you’re in a time crunch you could brown the chicken and set it aside, cook the fresh veggies in the same pan, then add the remaining ingredients along with the browned chicken and simmer away.

A note on the anchovies: If you don’t have a tube of anchovy paste in your pantry or fridge, get one now. Now add a dab of that paste to almost any dish and taste. Anchovies add an umami richness without any of the fishiness you’d expect. And a tube of anchovy paste will last a long time in the refrigerator.

We ate that chicken with a gorgeous loaf of bread from my friend Bonni’s restaurant, and some fresh fruit on the side. We loved every bite. Just goes to show you that healthy food can be delicious.

Chicken in Spicy Tomato-Artichoke Sauce
serves 4 

1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tsp. olive oil, divided
1 bell pepper, chopped
1 jalapeño or fresno chile, minced*
1 hefty pinch hot pepper flakes or Aleppo pepper, optional
1 tsp. anchovy paste or 1 anchovy fillet, optional
1 cup coarsely chopped artichoke hearts (frozen or canned)2 cups chopped fresh tomatoes, or 1 can (16 oz.) diced tomatoes*
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup chicken stock (or more wine)
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. dried basil, or 1 tbs. chopped fresh basil
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 thighs
2 tbs. chopped fresh parsley

Start the sauce: Place a large skillet with a lid over medium-high heat. In 2 tsp. of the oil, sauté the onion, garlic and bell pepper until the veggies are tender and lightly browned.

(*If your tomatoes are fresh or plain from a can, add a chile here. I used Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilies, so I skipped the fresh chile. If using hot pepper flakes, add them when you start to cook the onions.) Mash in the anchovy until it’s dissolved. Add the artichoke hearts and cook for another few minutes.

Transfer the vegetables to a saucepan. Stir in the tomatoes, wine, basil, and stock. When the sauce comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and set aside while you prepare the chicken. Grind in some black pepper, give it a taste, and add some salt if the sauce needs it.

Heat the remaining 2 tsp. oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Season the chicken well with salt and pepper. Brown the pieces well on one side; this should take about 5 minutes. Flip the chicken. Pour the sauce around and over the pieces. Cover the skillet, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook for 20-30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through and very tender. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.

Posted in main courses, meat, poultry,and fish | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Chicken chili with black beans

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

We are a two-chili family. Tom makes a fantastic red chili with sausage and kidney beans; I make white chili with chicken and white beans. Tonight we had some lovely leftover chicken, so it was my turn.

Once my onions and garlic were cooking away on the stove, I searched the pantry for some habichuelas blancas or cannellinis. In vain. No beans at all, in fact, except for one lonely can of black beans.

Now, I believe I mentioned that I make white chili. That means using a light meat and white beans. It’s kept light-colored with yellow bell peppers and green or yellow chiles, so yes, it’s not exactly white, but it’s pale and creamy. Black beans do have pale interiors, but the overall effect is the opposite of white. (I confess it never occurred to me to make chili without any beans.)

Did I panic? No! Well, yes, but only for a minute. I decided to charge ahead with abandon and add the black beans. Since all hope of whiteness had been lost, I also added a reconstituted ancho chile and a few of my beloved red Fresno chiles.

The ancho added a deep, smoky fruitiness, and the Fresnos some sweet heat. The chicken was mostly dark meat, which held up well against the big flavors.

If I’d panicked at the lack of white beans, if I hadn’t been willing to veer from the recipe, we wouldn’t have had what was, according to Tom, one of the best chilis I’d made.

Chicken Chili with Black Beans
makes 4 servings

1 large ancho chile
1 tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 small summer squash or zucchini, chopped
1 fresno chile, minced
2-3 tsp. chili powder (use your favorite)
salt and pepper
1 1/2-2 cups chicken stock
2 cups cooked black beans (or 1 can black beans, rinsed and drained)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro, optional
grated cheddar, chopped avocado, sour cream for garnish

Put the ancho chile in a small bowl and pour just enough boiling water over to cover. Set aside for at least 15 minutes to allow the chile to soften. (I break the chile into pieces and discard the seeds and stem before soaking, but it’s not necessary.)

Meanwhile, warm the oil in a stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook for 2-3 minutes until softened. Add the bell pepper, squash, and chile, season with chili powder, salt and pepper, and cook for 5 minutes longer or until they’re soft. A few brown spots are just fine.

Discard the seeds and stem of the softened ancho chile (if you haven’t already), but keep the soaking liquid. Tear or chop the chile into small pieces and add to the stockpot along with the soaking liquid. Add the beans and 1 1/2 cups of stock. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer the chile for at least 15 minutes until the flavors have melded and the veggies are very tender.

Use a stick (immersion) blender to purée some of the chili to thicken it. You’ll want to leave a good amount of the chili chunky. If you don’t have a stick blender, you can use a food processor or blender to purée about a third of the chili. Stir the purée back into the chili. Add more stock if the chili is too thick.

Stir the chicken into the chili and heat through. Garnish as desired with cheddar, avocado, and sour cream.

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fried egg sandwich with roasted pepper

Posted on February 29, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

If there’s one food trend that I’m right on top of, it’s the fried egg sandwich. An egg is perfect foil for so many flavors. I confess that part of the reason I add peppers is as justification for the buttery egg and gooey cheese. I figure the vitamins, fiber and antioxidants from the pepper balance out the fats in the other ingredients. But roasted red peppers are also deliciously sweet, and add gorgeous color to an otherwise bland-looking sandwich.

We’re currently residing here:

We’re staying at my mother-in-law’s in Florida. The top photo shows the railing of the pool deck. Yes, there is a pool right at the beach, which is right at the condo. We start each day with a long walk on the beach, followed by some pool time, then lunch, then more beach and pool time, maybe another walk, then a leisurely dinner, all in the company of Tom’s mother, who is a calm, easygoing woman and a delight to be around.

We come each year. It’s the one vacation that is genuinely relaxing, every time: no agenda, no stress; just easy days with plenty of sun and surf.

We eat together, but everyone makes whatever they want for lunch. While this often involves leftovers from dinner the night before, there are always sandwich fixings on hand. I had a version of this sandwich yesterday. It’s so quick to make, and requires so few ingredients, that it is a breeze to whip up on vacation.

Egg, Roasted Pepper, and White Cheddar Sandwich
makes 1 sandwich

1 or 2 slices of your favorite bread
1 oz. sharp white cheddar, sliced
1-2 tsp. butter
1 tsp. olive oil
1 small roasted red pepper, sliced
1 fresno chile, minced, optional
salt and pepper
1 large or extra-large egg

Pop the bread in the toaster. When it’s golden, top one hot slice with the cheddar. Butter the second slice if you wish, or skip the second slice and serve your sandwich openfaced.

Warm the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Slice the roasted pepper thinly and add to the skillet along with the fresno. Season lightly with salt and pepper and sauté for a few minutes to heat through. Scrape the hot peppers onto the cheese-covered slice.

Add a teaspoon or so of butter to the skillet (still over medium heat). Crack the egg into the melted butter. Season with salt and pepper. Cook the egg to your preferred doneness. Slide the egg onto the peppers, top with the second slice of bread (or not), and eat while it’s hot.

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Bacon-broccoli quiche

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

Bacon is tasty. Bacon from a locally cured organic pig is wondrous. It’s rich and full of porky goodness but never too salty. As my friend Brett Laidlaw says on his fantastic blog Trout Caviar, homemade (or locally produced) bacon is worlds away from nitrate-laden, overly preserved, inexpensive grocery store bacon.

The key to preparing fairly healthy dishes that are still enticingly delicious is using less nutritious flavor bombs like bacon in small amounts to maximize the flavor without necessitating a call to the cardiologist. It really doesn’t take a large quantity for bacon to be a star.

I’ve used our bacon before, in BLT risotto. We happened to have a lot of eggs, so this time bacon quiche was the logical choice. Cleo and Libby were crashed after a long hike, but the scent of bacon woke them right up. They each got a small spoonful of bacon fat stirred into their food.

Top Chef and The Chew host Carla Hall says that she likes a proportion of 1 egg per 1/2 cup milk (or cream) for her quiche base, which makes a light, creamy custard. I prefer a firmer, eggier quiche, so I use 2 ounces (1/4 cup) milk per egg. Adjust proportions as you see fit. If you’re feeling decadent, use cream instead of milk. If you’re feeling virtuous you can use 1 or 2 percent milk and less cheese. If you’re saintlike you can skip the bacon and the crust, and use half the cheese, but where’s the fun in that?

I am absolutely terrible at making a short pastry, otherwise known as pie dough. Cardboard comes to mind when describing my pastry. I know the theory; I just can’t create it in actuality. Yet.

So I buy premade crusts. Anything — and I do mean anything — would be better than my current attempts. Broccoli adds a green, healthy element to balance that fabulously fatty bacon and cheese. I used roasted bacon left over from the previous night’s dinner, but steamed or sautéed broccoli would be fine as well.

Swiss cheese is traditional in quiche, but Luke’s not fond of it, so I used a mixture of gruyère and sharp cheddar. Use what makes you happy, as long as it melts well.

The bacon will not continue to cook in the quiche, so cook it to your preferred doneness ahead of time. While well-cooked bacon is undeniably fabulous, raw bacon is … well, it’s not good.

Bacon-Broccoli Quiche
serves 4

1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked
4 slices thick-cut bacon
1/3 cup minced onion
1 small clove garlic, minced
3/4 cup chopped cooked broccoli (see Roasted Broccoli below)
2 cups grated cheddar (or cheddar plus swiss or gruyere)
4 eggs
3/4 cup whole milk
salt and pepper
1/4 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tbs. minced fresh thyme, or 1 tsp. dried

Heat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line the crust with foil or parchment, and weight down with pie weights or dry beans. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the weights and foil; bake for 3 minutes longer. Set crust aside but don’t shut the oven off.

While the crust is baking, cook the bacon over medium heat until crisp and well-browned. Place on paper towels to drain. Pour off most of the fat. Add the onion and garlic to the pan; cook for 5-8 minutes until onion is tender and lightly browned. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes longer, just to meld the flavors.

In a small bowl (I use a quart-sized measuring cup, which makes it easy to pour), beat the eggs. Whisk in the milk, salt and pepper. Grate in the nutmeg, then stir in thyme.

Sprinkle about a third of the cheese over the bottom crust. Top with the broccoli mixture. Crumble bacon over the top. Add another third of the cheese. Pour the egg mixture over. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until set and lightly browned on top. (I shake the pan gently; if it jiggles, bake it for a few more minutes and check again.)

Let the quiche rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. Serve hot or warm.

Roasted Broccoli
This is one of Tom’s favorite vegetables. My sisters top theirs with a squeeze of lemon juice, a sprinkle of Aleppo pepper flakes, and/or a few shavings of good parmesan. Leftovers are perfect not only for the quiche but also for a broccoli version of the Orzo Salad with Green Beans and Olives.
serves 4

4 large stalks broccoli
2-3 tbs. olive oil
salt and pepper
1 clove garlic, minced, optional

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Wash the broccoli; remove and discard the thick stems. (You could probably peel and slice the stems and roast them as well; I haven’t tried that yet.) Cut the heads into smallish florets with long stems. Slice really thick florets in half so they’ll cook evenly. Place all the florets on a kitchen towel and gently rub them to remove as much moisture as possible.

Dump the florets on a cookie sheet and drizzle with 2 tbs. olive oil. Massage it gently into the broccoli. You want the broccoli to be evenly and very lightly coated with oil. Add a little more oil if you need it. Spread the florets out into one layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and garlic if you’re using it.

Roast for 10 minutes, give the broccoli a good stir to redistribute, and roast for about 5 minutes longer until the broccoli is crisp-tender and has browned spots.

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Chicken-spinach enchiladas for Tom

Posted on February 12, 2012 by Rivertree kitchen

Last Sunday was my lovely husband Tom’s birthday. It was also Superbowl Sunday, so you know what this sports-obsessed household is doing — even though the Packers are not in the game.

Let us pause for a moment of mourning for the Packers and their fans.

Tom and I like to hike on our birthdays. Since we live in Wisconsin, this is not always possible, even for hardy folk like us. Luckily, last Sunday was in the 40s and sunny, much kinder weather than we had any right to expect.

We are lucky enough to live 10 minutes away from Hartman Creek, a beautiful state park. The last time we hiked there, on my birthday, Libby flew out of the car like a rocket and had her own personal tour of the park while Tom and I followed in a panicky manner, screaming “Hey Libby! Come!” in maniacally happy voices for 20 minutes. Libby finally showed up when Tom sat himself down in the middle of the path with Cleo, on-leash and calm, at his side.

[For those who don’t know — or who haven’t figured it out yet — Libby and Cleo are our young dogs.]

This time around, we were better prepared, and Libby was better behaved. We all had a very nice walk. (Actually, Cleo and Libby dragged us behind them for the first mile or so, then settled down to a reasonable pace.)

Since it was his birthday, Tom got to choose the menu for dinner. We started with some basic guacamole (mashed avocado, minced onion, lemon juice, salsa, salt and pepper) and chips as a pre-game snack. Luke was off to a Superbowl party with his friends, so it was just us.

For the main course, he chose chicken-spinach enchiladas, a dish I’ve been making for years. It’s evolved from the original version, a vegetarian filling of spinach and onions with a rich chili-cream sauce. I’ve toned down the fat level and boosted the protein. It’s one of Tom’s all-time favorite dinners.

The filling mixture is pictured above: onion, garlic, chiles, chicken and spinach. I could easily just eat that straight out of the pan. But the next step is to fill tortillas with that gorgeous mixture.  They’re nestled in a creamy/spicy sauce, topped with cheese, and baked until everything’s bubbly under a golden crust.

Chicken-Spinach Enchiladas
serves 3-4

1 1/2 cups salsa (use your favorite)
1 cup sour cream (I use low-fat)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 small chile, minced (I used a Fresno)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. aleppo pepper flakes, optional
4 cups fresh spinach, chopped (or half a 10-oz. pkg. of frozen spinach, thawed)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken
6 tortillas (8-inch; Tom prefers flour but you can use corn)
2 1/2 cups grated sharp cheddar or pepper Jack

In a small bowl, stir together the salsa and sour cream. Set aside. Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, chile, and garlic. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion is tender and a bit browned at the edges. Add the aleppo, the spinach, and a few tablespoons of water. (If you opt for frozen spinach here, just squeeze it a bit and don’t add any extra liquid.) Cook for a few minutes until heated through. Add the shredded chicken, stir to combine, and set aside.

Spread the tortillas on a cutting board or on your counter. Stir about 1/4 cup of the reserved sour cream-salsa sauce into the chicken mixture just to moisten the filling. Divide the filling evenly between the tortillas. Top the filling with about 3 tbs. grated cheese per tortilla. Roll each one up and place, seam side down, into a 7×11-inch baking dish.

Spoon the remaining sour cream-salsa sauce over the tops of the tortillas. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the cheese is browned.

Posted in main courses, meat, poultry,and fish | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments