[Sunday Supper Menu] "Summer's Bounty" Menu - Roast Chicken and Summer Produce

I really like seasonal menus.  Many restaurants have them, but the one that stands out to me is Park Avenue, a restaurant in New York City that not only changes menus with the seasons but its decor as well.

While the decor in my apartment changes little (though occasionally I'll have seasonal flowers), Sunday Supper often follows the seasons.  It's unfortunately already the tail-end of summer, but to the extent you'll have company over one last time, I present the "Summer's Bounty" menu.

"Summer's Bounty" Endive and Sugar Snaps with Parmesan Dressing
a recipe by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
Buy the full recipebook here on Amazon!

This salad recipe makes me want to join one of those farm collectives-- they're called CSAs (community-supported agriculture) (and you can check them out here if interested).  The reality is that my schedule likely wouldn't allow for weekly preparation of 5 random pounds of produce a week, but a girl can dream.  Or, you know, just buy enough summer produce for a 12-person dinner party.

Ingredients
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
2 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
3/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1-1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
3 tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oi
1-1/2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
8 ounces sugar snap peas, trimmed and strings removed
4 yellow or red Belgain endive, leaves separated
1/2 cup chopped fresh herb leaves, preferably a mix of flat-leaf parsley, tarragon, dill, and chervil

Directions
1.  Combine the cheese, vinegar, lime juice, mustard, salt, and pepper in a blender.  Puree until smooth.  With the machine running, add the oils through the feed tube in a slow, steady stream to emulsify the mixture.

2.  Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Fill a large bowl with ice and water.  Generously salt the boiling water and then add the snap peas.  Cook just until bright green, about 30 seconds.  Drain, transfer to the ice water, and drain again.  Slice very thinly at an angle.

3.  Toss the endive and snap peas with the dressing.  Top with the herbs.

"Summer's Bounty" Parmesan-Crusted Summer Squash - Recipe in This Post

"Summer's Bounty" Tagliatelle with Spinach, Mascarpone, and Parmesan
a recipe by Jamie Oliver
Buy the full recipebook here on Amazon!

I wanted a starch that would be light and tasty, allowing the chicken and chorizo to shine.  This very simple pasta fit the bill exactly.

Ingredients
1 lb. tagliatelle or spaghetti
olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
2 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
1/2 a nutmeg, freshly grated
14 oz. fresh spinach, washed thoroughly and finely sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream
5 oz. mascarpone cheese
2 handfuls of freshly grated Parmesan cheese (or more-- to taste)

Directions
1.  Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, add the pasta, and cook according to the package instructions.
2.  Meanwhile, get a frying pan or wok warm, add a drizzle of olive oil, the butter, garlic, and nutmeg.  When the butter melts, add the spinach.  After 5 minutes, it will have wilted down and will be nice and dark.  A lot of the liquid will have cooked away at this point.  Season with salt and pepper t taste, then add the cream, mascarpone, and a little ladle of cooking water from the pasta.  Let this come to a simmer and then season again.

3.  Drain the pasta, reserving some of the cooking water, then stir it into the spinach sauce.  Add 2 handfuls of Parmesan cheese and toss everything together.  Loosen to a nice, silky consistency with some of the reserved cooking water so it doesn't become too dry.  Check once more for seasoning and serve right away.

"Rustic Charm" Spanish Roast Chicken - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

"Summer Lovin'" Strawberry Tiramisu - Recipe in This Post

Regular readers of my blog/followers of my Facebook or Instagram feed have likely figured out my not-so-secret secret: I'm very much into strawberries.  They are such a lovely summer fruit and yet easy to work with in baking (as opposed to, for example, watermelon, another summer love of mine that is somewhat more difficult to incorporate into delicious goodies-- although perhaps that should be my next challenge... ).   This strawberry tiramisu was a very popular, refreshing ending to the Sunday Supper summer run.

[Recipe] [Blue Apron] Matzoh-Crusted Chicken with Orange, Fennel and Golden Beet Salad

Restaurants are bad.  There, I said it.

I don't mean they're bad as in, they don't serve delicious food.  I mean they're bad as in, the portions are gigantic and everything is smothered in butter and cream and deep fried.  It's so delicious, but it's also incredibly easy to gain weight, even if you keep otherwise relatively healthy habits.

As you've probably surmised, I love to cook, but I generally cook for one (except when I'm throwing a dinner party), and my worklife keeps me so busy that it's often difficult to go shopping for groceries.  Plus, there's the part where I live in NYC, making it much more difficult to shop for groceries alone—I just can't carry that many bags back with me from the store.  Never have I missed suburbia more.

Enter, "meals by mail," programs/packages that aim to make cooking as easy as, well, checking your mail.  For a fee, they deliver the precise amount of groceries you need to make a set number of meals for one or two people (or a family of four, if that's what you are) directly to your door.  The Blue Apron kit comes with beautifully photographed step-by-step instructions.

I had my first shipment this weekend and am already so excited about my refrigerator full of home-cooked meals, which I'll be bringing to work for lunch and/or dinner all week.  I'll be posting a few recipes from the program as I go, as well as pictures of some of the other meals (without recipes).  Check out this link to see which of these services is right for you-- and let me know your thoughts!

Matzoh-Crusted Chicken with Orange, Fennel and Golden Beet Salad

A recipe by Blue Apron

I decided to post this recipe, out of the three that I received this week, because I'm so enamored of this salad.

Ingredients

2 chicken breast cutlets, pounded

1/2 cup matzoh meal (if you don't have matzoh meal, panko bread crumbs will suffice)

1 fennel bulb

1 golden beet

1 red onion

1 navel orange

1 bunch parsley

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

water
2 to 3 tablespoons canola oil

1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
salt

pepper

Directions

1.  Prepare the produce.  Wash and dry all the fresh produce.  Peel and thinly slice the onion.  Peel the beet and cut it in half lengthwise; very thinly slice the halves.  Cut off and discard any fennel stems and fronds (that is, the green, thread-like tops of the plant).  Halve the fennel bulb lengthwise; remove and discard the core.  Thinly slice the fennel bulb.  Pick the parsley leaves off the stems; discard the stems.  Cut off and discard the peel and pith of the orange; medium dice the orange.

2.  Pickle the onion.  In a medium pan (non-stick, preferably), combine the sugar, vinegar, onion and 1/4 cup of water, and season with salt and pepper.  Heat to boiling on medium-high heat.  Once boiling, cook 1 to 2 minutes, or until the liquid is slightly reduced in volume.  Transfer the onions and pickling liquid to a heatproof bowl and set aside.  Carefully rinse and dry the pan.

3.  Coat the chicken.  In a large bowl, combine the mustard and 3 tablespoons of water.  Pat the chicken breast cutlets dry with paper towels; season with salt and pepper on both sides.  Place the matzoh meal in a bowl.  Working one at a time, coat the seasoned chicken cutlets in the mustard-water mixture (letting the excess drip off), then the matzoh meal (tapping off any excess).  Transfer the coated chicken cutlets to a plate.

4.  Cook the chicken.  In the same pan used to pickle the onion, heat a thin layer of canola oil on medium-high until hot.  Add the coated chicken cutlets and cook 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown and cooked through.  Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.

5.  Make the salad.  Reserving 1 tablespoon of the pickling liquid, drain the pickled onion.  In a large bowl, combine the orange, fennel, beet and drained pickled onion.  Add the reserved pickling liquid; drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Here's the final product of the other recipe I liked in this batch: 

Korean Beef Dukbokki with Quick Kimchi and Fresh Peas

Dukbokki is a Korean cylindrical rice cake.  We Taiwanese have a rice cake as well—ours is flat, but I think, for these purposes, the cylindrical rice cake really kicks butt, as they're easier to saute in shallow oil for a crunchy exterior and soft interior that is seriously addictive.

One part of this recipe is especially worth repeating/posting: the "quick kimchi" was truly tasty and took very little time.  I'm not able to eat super spicy foods, so I don't usually love kimchi, but this was incredibly refreshing.

Ingredients
1/2 pound Napa cabbage
1 clove garlic
1-2-inch piece of ginger
(up to) 2 teaspoons gochugaru (Korean chili flakes)
extra virgin olive oil

Directions
1.  Wash and dry the fresh produce.  Peel and mince the garlic and ginger.  Cut out and discard the core of the cabbage; thinly slice the leaves.
2.  In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, the garlic, the ginger, and as much gochugaru as you like, depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be.  Stir in a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt to taste.  Set aside and let marinate, tossing occasionally, for at least ten minutes.

[Recipes] Christmas Dinner 2013

I love Christmas.  Oh, I know you may have surmised by now that I love many things, especially holidays and special occasions (there's just so much beauty and happiness), but Christmas is special for me.  I like to think I'm not particularly materialistic, so it's not the presents that excite me so much as the overall air of the season.  I love the tinkling, happy music; the twinkling, beautiful lights; the way everyone (barring any Scrooges) suddenly has smiles and good cheer to spare; the spirit of charity that seems to be everywhere (although, seriously, that should be a year-round thing); and the sparkle in someone's eyes as they unwrap that perfect gift you've gotten them.  Even if you're not religious (though I am), Christmas has come to be almost a neutral holiday in many senses, a holiday for friends and family to gather and exchange presents and eat deliciously iced sugar and gingerbread cookies.

This year, both Christmas and New Year's fell on Wednesdays, meaning that I only got one day off from work for each.  I managed to go home to my family the weekend in between the two holidays, but a number of my friends and colleagues weren't so lucky.  They were just... well, stuck.

So, for Christmas this year, my friend and I took in these so-called "Christmas orphans" for a night of veritable feasting and general merriment.

"Fancy Schmancy Pants" Pomegranate and Pear Champagne Salad
a recipe inspired by Guy Fieri

I dare you to find a salad more festive than this.  I had the idea that pomegranate salad would be great for the winter holidays, and the icing on this cake (and yes, I am aware of the irony in using this idiom in describing a salad) is its usage of champagne vinegar.  I was just as surprised as you are to discover that Guy Fieri created this dish.  Not that I dislike him—I'm actually addicted to Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives—but it's just, well, so light and elegant.

I didn't follow the recipe exactly, in part due to personal preference and in part due to ingredient constraints.  I actually couldn't find champagne vinegar—but the store did carry pomegranate champagne vinegar, which was even better.  I also purposely used some sort of fruit cheese (raspberry brie, I think) because I dislike Gorgonzola.  *runs away*  It has a very distinct, overpowering flavor that might give the salad extra pop.

Salad - Ingredients
8 cups baby spinach or romaine lettuce
1 ripe pear, cut in half
1/3 cup pomegranate seeds
2 ounces Gorgonzola or fruit-based cheese
Fresh cracked pepper
1 tablespoon honey

Champagne Vinaigrette - Ingredients
1/4 cup [pomegranate] champagne vinegar
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions
1. For the Vinaigrette: In a small bowl or glass jar, add all the ingredients for the vinaigrette except the olive oil.  Mix well, then slowly drizzle in the olive oil to combine.  Refrigerate until ready to use.
2.  In a decorate bowl or platter, add the spinach or romaine.  Cut the pear into fans and then slice again on the diagonal, add the greens and pomegranate seeds, crumble the Gorgonzola (or other cheese) onto the salad and then drizzle with about half of the vinaigrette.  Top with fresh cracked pepper and lightly drizzle the whole salad with the honey.  Serve immediately.

"Back to Basics" Brussels Sprouts
an original recipe by tammiest (the Passionfruit Fashionista)

Have you ever noticed that there's a very short list of truly classic American sides?  They tend to accompany every major family meal, holiday or otherwise.  I made three classic holiday sides for my holiday dinner, but they're perfect for any night of the week.

I've previously mentioned how much I love brussels sprouts, despite its being one of the top ten foods reviled by children.  I never had them as a child, though, being the child of Asian immigrants, and it's unclear why I ever thought I should purchase them at that farmers' market one fateful day two years ago, but I'm so happy I made the leap.  They're just so deliciously nutty, and they pick up flavor so well.

Ingredients
1 lb. brussels sprouts
2 tablespoons butter, unsalted or 2 tablespoons EVOO
sea salt
Freshly cracked black pepper

Directions
1.  Wash brussels sprouts thoroughly and cut off the brown ends of the brussels sprouts.  In a large stockpot, blanch the brussels sprouts in salted, boiling water until bright green and just tender, about 5 minutes.  Remove the brussels sprouts from the water and set aside to cool.
2.  Add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or EVOO to a medium skillet and add blanched brussels sprouts.  Cook in the skillet until softened and browned, stirring occasionally, about 6-10 minutes.  Season with sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste.

"Back to Brown [Sugar]" Glazed Carrots
a recipe by Tyler Florence

The second of my classic holiday sides, the glazed carrot recipe I used is Tyler Florence's.  Super simple flavor profile, just brown sugar and chicken stock to enhance the carrots' natural sweetness.

Ingredients
1 pound carrots, peeled and cut in wedges (or baby carrots, for simplicity's sake)
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar

Directions
Combine the carrots, chicken broth, and 1 tablespoon of butter.  Simmer, covered, over medium heat until the carrots are tender and the liquid is cooked down.  Add the remaining butter and brown sugar.  Rotate the pan around to coat the carrots with the syrup.

"These Mashed Potatoes Are So Creamy" Mashed Potatoes
a recipe inspired by Tyler Florence

That's a line from While You Were Sleeping, which is probably my most favorite movie ever, and points to you if you recognized it.

The third classic side is, of course, mashed potatoes.   There are a number of ways to do it-- with or without garlic, with milk, half-and-half, sour cream, heavy cream, the list goes on.  I modified ever-so-slightly a recipe from Tyler Florence.

Ingredients
2 lbs. golden creamer potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 lbs. red-skinned new potatoes, peeled and cut into quarters
2 bay leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped chives

Directions
1.  Put the potatoes into a large pot, add the bay leaves, 2 tablespoons of salt, and cover with cold water.
2.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.  Drain them well and remove the bay leaves.

3.  While the potatoes are cooking, heat the cream, milk, and butter in a small saucepan.
4.  Put the potatoes into a bowl and smash.  (I like to leave a few larger chunks of potato, barely broken down, for texture.)  Add the hot cream slowly, in parts, and season with salt and pepper.  Mix together with a spoon and add the chives.

"Celebrate This Night" Red Wine Risotto - Recipe in This Post

"'Tis the Season" Roast Chicken with Leeks and Pears - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

"Heartwarming Good Cheer" Herb-Crusted Prime Rib Roast - Recipe in This Post (To Come)

"Holiday Refresher" Mint Julep Cupcakes - Recipe in This Post

"Ladyfingers Schmadyfingers" Tiramisu

[Recipe] "Pick of the Harvest" Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Salad

Growing up in (kind of, not really) rural Pennsylvania, it seems like every year we would take field and day trips to nearby farms and orchards in the fall and pick apples, harvest pumpkins, and take hayrides.  I went to a private school, so it was also an excuse for us to wear jeans and adorable flannel shirts—because there's nothing worse than scratchy hay on bare legs in pleated plaid skirts.  And we would munch on apples, sip on apple cider, and bring home a small basket full of apples for our mothers.  My mother, being Taiwanese, didn't make apple pie (though she does love it) or pumpkin anything, so she was always a bit perplexed when I came home with anything other than a jug of apple cider.  We would have apples in our lunchboxes for weeks afterwards to compensate.  Not that I'm complaining—I love apples.

It's been years since I've been apple picking, but I've been feeling pretty nostalgic lately.  I've toyed with the idea of organizing a trip up with co-workers, but until I work out those logistics, I satisfy myself with recipes that remind and taste like fall.  At my local farmers' market this Saturday, I spotted fresh whole butternut squash (one of my favorites—it's slightly sweet and nutty and so hearty, a perfect, perfect autumn comfort food) and resolved to use it in my cooking for the weekend.

First up: something both light and filling for my workweek lunchbox: butternut squash salad.  I modified this recipe by Ina Garten, better known as the Barefoot Contessa, to include a few more autumn flavors and a bit more protein.

"Pick of the Harvest" Roasted Butternut Squash and Apple Salad

a recipe inspired by Ina Garten

The star of this dish is definitely the butternut squash—just like I wanted.  I could eat a big bowl of it (shh... I may already have): the maple syrup glaze brings out all of its best flavors.  The slight tartness of the dried cranberries and the apple cider vinaigrette are the perfect complement to the sweetness of the butternut squash and the slight pepper taste of the arugula.  The avocado adds creaminess, and the nuts add crunch and highlight the slight nuttiness of the butternut squash.  I suggest adding Rotisserie chicken below but didn't actually use any in my version—I think it could be great, though (mm... salt), and would make the salad even more substantial.

Ingredients

1 (1-1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled and diced

olive oil

2 tablespoons pure maple syrup

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup apple cider or apple juice

1 minced shallot (should be approximately 2 tablespoons)

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

4 ounces baby arugula, washed and spun dry

2 ounces mixed salad greens, washed and spun dry

1 avocado, diced (optional)

1 Fuji apple, diced

3 tablespoons dried cranberries

1/2 cups walnut halves, toasted

Rotisserie chicken, shredded (optional)

3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Directions

1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2.  Place the diced butternut squash on a sheet pan.  Add 4 tablespoons olive oil, the maple syrup, at least 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and toss.  Roast the squash for 15 to 20 minutes, turning once, until tender.  Add the cranberries to the pan for the last 5 minutes.

3.  While the squash is roasting, combine the apple cider, vinegar, and shallots in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the cider is reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Remove from heat and whisk in the mustard, 1/2 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper.

4.  Place the arugula and mixed greens in a large salad bowl and add the roasted butternut squash, cranberries, walnuts, avocado, apple, chicken, and grated Parmesan.  Spoon just enough apple cider vinaigrette over the salad to moisten and toss well.  Sprinkle with sale and pepper.