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Saturday, November 26, 2011

turkey and dumplings

***Content source:
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/turkey-and-dumplings-recipe?go=EM111124J3&utm_source=EM111124&utm_medium=email&utm_content=&spMailingID=4237822&spUserID=MTYxNzM4Njg3NzcS1&spJobID=254505670&spReportId=MjU0NTA1NjcwS0
(go to content source website for pictures and more info)



dumplings
  • 1 3/4 cups All-Purpose Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh herbs (chives, parsley), or 2 tablespoons dried (optional)
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg

pot pie filling
  • 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
  • 1/2 cup All-Purpose Flour
  • 3 cups turkey stock, or a combination of stock and leftover gravy (or chicken stock)
  • 1 teaspoon dry thyme
  • 1 bay leaf
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 4 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken
  • 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1. For the dumplings: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Stir in the herbs, if using. Cover and refrigerate this mixture while you're making the pot pie filling.
2. For the pot pie filling: Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for 1 minute.
3. Add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, whisking it into the roux to prevent lumps. When all the stock and/or gravy is added, season with the thyme, bay leaf, salt, pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer the sauce for 15 minutes, then stir in the meat and vegetables.
4. Return the filling to a simmer, and transfer to a 4-quart baking dish with a lid. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
5. To assemble: Once the hot filling is in the dish, whisk the buttermilk and egg together, and add, all at once, to the dry mixture.
6. Stir together until evenly moistened.
7. Scoop the batter on top of the simmering liquid, leaving space between the dumplings (they'll almost double as the cook). Put the lid on top, and bake at 350°F for 25 to 30 minutes.

tips from our bakers
  • If you don't have buttermilk on hand for the dumplings, you could thin 1/2 cup sour cream with 1/4 cup milk. Plain yogurt would also work as a substitute.
  • You can make the pot pie filling in advance, as well as the dumpling recipe (stop before adding the buttermilk and egg). When you're ready to cook, preheat the oven while you bring the filling to a simmer. Mix the buttermilk and egg into the dumpling mix, scoop, and bake.
  • This is a good recipe for using odds and ends of vegetables, if you have them: gather any stray mushrooms, onions, carrots and leeks you have in the refrigerator, and saute them until tender before adding them to the sauce.
  • The steam from the sauce helps to keep the dumplings tender, so try not to peek at them while they're cooking, at least for the first 20 minutes. Your patience will be rewarded with lighter, fluffier dumplings.
  • Don't mix the dry dumpling mix with the wet ingredients until you're ready to put the casserole in the oven. If you let the mixture sit too long before baking it, its baking powder will lose some of its rise while waiting.



Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Black Cod with Miso (Miso-marinated Black Cod)

***Content source: http://rasamalaysia.com/recipe-black-cod-with-miso/2/

Adapted from Nobu: The Cookbook

Ingredients:
2-3 black cod fillets (about 1 lb)

For the marinate:

1/4 cup sake
1/4 cup mirin
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons sugar

Method:
  • Mix the marinate ingredients thoroughly in a plastic container (with lid) and set aside. Save some for plating purposes.
  • Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and put them into the plastic container with the marinate. Cover the lid and leave to steep in the refrigerator overnight or for 24 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degree F.
  • Preheat an indoor grill at the same time.
  • Lightly wipe off (with fingers) any excess miso marinate clinging to the fish fillets but don’t rinse it off. Place the fish on the grill and lightly grill on both sides until the surface turns brown.
  • Transfer the fish fillets to the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes.
  • Add a few extra drops of the marinate on the plate and serve hot.


Cook’s notes:
You can substitute black cod for see bass or salmon or any kinds of flaky fish fillets.
There are many different kinds of miso (red, brown, white, and more). Make sure you get white miso.
I like my miso cod more intense with the flavors of sake and miso, and that being said, the marinate sauce might be too watery for plating purposes as one of my readers pointed out. Heat up the sauce to thicken it if you wish to use it for plating. Or if you like, you can reduce the amount of sake and mirin to slightly less than 1/4 cup each.
Use 5 tablespoons miso if you prefer a deeper miso flavor.

Thursday, November 17, 2011

Persimmon and Orange Salad


***Content source:
http://dinersjournal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/11/15/can-you-suggest-some-easy-side-dishes-that-will-break-up-the-monotony/?smid=fb-nytimes&WT.mc_id=OP-E-FB-SM-LIN-TFO-111711-NYT-NA&WT.mc_ev=click




THE PERSIMMONS Squat, roundish Fuyu persimmons are the ones to use raw in salads. (The pointy Hachiya variety is better ripened to softness for desserts.) Paired with sweet oranges and watercress, they make a refreshing autumn salad. They barely need dressing at all, but a little sherry vinegar adds brightness.

Persimmon and Orange Salad
Time: 20 minutes

1 small shallot, minced
2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
Salt and pepper
4 tablespoons fruity olive oil
4 navel oranges
4 Fuyu persimmons
1 bunch watercress, curly cress, or upland cress, optional.

1. Put the shallot and vinegar in a small bowl and macerate 5 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and a little pepper. Whisk in the olive oil.
2. With a serrated knife, peel the oranges, then slice into 1/2-inch rounds. Arrange the orange slices on a platter.
3. Peel the persimmons, cut into 1/2-inch thick slices or wedges and arrange over the oranges.
4. The salad can be covered and refrigerated up to 3 hours. Just before serving, whisk the dressing again and drizzle over the fruit. Garnish with watercress sprigs, if you like.
Yield: 8 to 10 servings.