Christmas Eve

Patrick, my dad, and I got dinner ready for this eve, while our hard working female counterparts worked the day away. It was gooooood.

Asian-Marinated Flank Steak

1 cup soy sauce

1 cup sake

1/2 cup sugar

1 large bunch fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped (about 1.5 cups)

1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into thick slices

4 cloves garlic

1.25 tsp dried crushed red pepper

STEAK

Combine first 7 ingredients (...not the steak) in a food processor or blender, blend until pureed. Pour marinade into a large heavy-duty freezer bag. Add the steak to marinade in bag and seal.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 1 day, turning bag occasionally.

Remove steaks from marinate and grill over medium heat to desired doneness.

Rigatoni with Gorgonzola Cheese

2.5 Tbsp butter

.5 cup fresh breadcrumbs

1.25 cups whole milk

.5 cup whipping cream

1 Tbsp flour

12 oz Gorgonzola cheese, crumbled

1 lb rigatoni or penne pasta

.25 cup grated Parmasan cheese

Preheat oven to 400°. Butter 13x9x2 inch glass baking dish. Melt 1/2 Tbsp butter in small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add breadcrumbs and stir until golden, about 4 minutes. Remove skillet from heat.

Bring milk and cream to simmer in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Melt remaining 2 Tbsp butter in another medium saucepan over low heat. Add flour, stir for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk mixture. Whisk until slightly thickened, about 4 minutes. Add Gorgonzola and whisk until cheese melts and sauce is almost smooth. Set aside.

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Return pasta to pot. Add Gorgonzola sauce to pasta and toss to coat. Season pasta to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs. Bake pasta until sauce bubbles, about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

We also made green beans with vinaigrette, the sweet potato biscuits, and a salad.

Balls of Chicken

Chicken and Cilantro Bites

makes about 30

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup rice vinegar

1 lb ground chicken (not breast meat)

1 large egg

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

2 scallions, finely chopped

2 tsp Asian sesame oil

1 tsp salt

3/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Stir together soy and vinegar in a bowl for dipping sauce.

Stir together chicken, egg, cilantro, scallions, sesame oil, and salt with a fork until just blended.

Spread cornstarch in a shallow baking pan. With wet hands form chicken mixture into 1 inch balls, transferring them to baking pan as formed. Wash and dry your hands, then gently roll balls in cornstarch until coated.

Heat 1/4 cup vegetable oil in a 12 inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook half of balls, turning occasionally, until firm and golden (they will flatten slightly), 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add remaining 1/4 cup oil to skillet and cook remaining balls in same manner.

Serve meatballs with dipping sauce.

Sesame Noodles

1 lb whole-wheat spaghetti

1/2 cup soy sauce

2 Tbsp sesame oil

2 Tbsp canola oil

2 Tbsp rice-wine vinegar or fresh lime juice

1.5 tsp crushed red pepper

1 bunch scallions, sliced, divided

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided

4 cups snow peas, trimmed and sliced on the bias

1 medium red bell pepper, thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook spaghetti. Drain; rinse under cold water.

Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, sesame oil, canola oil, vinegar (or lime juice), crushed red pepper, 1/4 cup scallions and 2 Tbsp cilantro. Add noodles, snow peas and bell pepper; toss to coat.

To serve, mix in sesame seeds and garnish with remaining scallions and cilantro.

Carrot Curry with Shallots and Chiles

2 Tbsp corn or peanut oil

5 Tbsp chopped shallots

1 fresh hot green chile, finely chopped

1 lb medium carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch thick rounds

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1/2 tsp ground fennel

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1/4 tsp ground turmeric

10-15 fresh curry leaves if available

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup coconut milk, from a well-shaken can

Pour the oil into a heavy medium pan and set over medium heat. When the oil is hot, put in the shallots and chiles. Stir and fry for 2 minutes, or until the shallots have softened a bit. Add the carrots, cumin, coriander, fennel, cayenne pepper, turmeric, curry leaves, and salt and continue to stir and fry over medium heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer very gently for 5 [or as long as 25] minutes.

Chili

1 lb ground beef

1 large onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped

2 cans kidney beans

1 Tbsp chili powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

32 oz tomato sauce

Brown the meat and add the onion and garlic and cook until done. Add the chili powder, salt, and pepper to this and cook for a couple of minutes. Add the beans and tomato sauce and simmer for 30 minutes.

Tamara, this is from you, I believe?

Brudding

We found this to be good, but a bit bland. Try using more cheese and sharper cheese.

Bread Pudding

8 oz slightly stale bread, torn into 2 inch pieces

3/4 cup grated cheese, such as Swiss or cheddar, or a combination of mild cheese and hard grating cheese

1/2 cup finely chopped mixed fresh herbs, including scallions or chives or basil

1/4 cup chopped smoked ham

3 cups whole milk

5 extra-large eggs

3/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat the oven to 350°. Place a rack at the middle level. Butter a 9 by 12 inch gratin dish.

In a large bowl, toss the bread pieces with the cheese, herbs, and ham, then spread in the gratin dish.

In a large bowl, whisk the milk eggs, salt and pepper, then pour over the bread.

Bake the bread pudding for 45 minutes or until golden brown and the custard is set.

Chowda

Scallop and Corn Chowder

2 cups canned creamed corn

1 quart heavy cream or half-and-half

1/2 lb applewood-smoked bacon or another smoked bacon

1/2 cup diced onion

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced leeks

2 cups diced all-purpose or waxy potatoes

2 cups low-sodium chicken stock

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

16 large sea scallops, cleaned

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

8 Tbsp (1 stick) butter

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

2 Tbsp chopped chives

Juice of 1 lime

Simmer the corn with the cream for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, cook 2 strips of the bacon until crisp. Drain and reserve. Pour off the bacon grease. Combine the onion, celery, leeks, potatoes and the remaining slices of bacon in the saucepan. Add the chicken stock and the cream-corn mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes and season with salt and pepper.

Season the sea scallops with salt and pepper. Heat a nonstick skillet and sear the scallops until caramelized all over and medium-rare, just a couple of minutes on each side. Remove from the pan, add the oil and let it heat, then return the scallops to the hot pan, cooking for an additional minute. Add 4 Tbsp of the butter and simmer for 1 minute, taking care not to overcook.

Season the chowder with cilantro, reserving a little for a garnish, and chives. Dice the remaining 4 Tbsp of butter and swirl it in, along with the lime juice to taste. Arrange the scallops in the center of soup plates, ladle the chowder around them and crumble the reserved bacon on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cilantro and serve.

We also had: corn muffins, salad, green beans, roasted broccoli with breadcrumbs, and GREAT chicken breasts cooked with wine...will have to get that down here sometime.

Zuppa

This soup is great. Bread in soups is a good old peasant contribution, adding some density and creaminess to it. The pancakes are also much better than one might suspect. And if you are thinking about leaving out the yogurt, DON'T, it's awesome.

Zuppa Arcidossana

2 Tbsp olive oil

1/4 lb sweet Italian sausage, removed from casings

1 cup .5 inch diced carrots

1 large onion chopped

3 or 4 cloves garlic, chopped

Salt and black pepper

1 cup stale bread (use coarse, country-style bread), cut in 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 lb spinach, trimmed, washed and roughly chopped

1/4 to 1/2 cup ricotta salata, cut in 1/2 inch cubes (feta may be substituted)

1. Put oil in a large pot or deep skillet and brown sausage over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally. When sausage is cooked through and leaving brown bits in pan, add carrots, onion and garlic, and continue to cook until vegetables begin to soften and brown, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

2. Add bread to pan and stir for a minute or 2; add spinach and continue cooking just until it wilts, a couple of minutes.

3. Add about 2 cups water and stir to loosen any remaining brown bits from pan. This is more of a stew than a soup, but there should be some broth, so add another cup of water if necessary. When broth is consistency of thin gravy, ladle stew into serving bowls and top with cheese and some freshly chopped parsley if you have it.

Zucchini Pancakes

For the Pancakes:

3 medium zucchini, shredded

Salt and pepper

3 large eggs, beaten

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 cup crumbled feta cheese

3 scallions, finely chopped

1/3 cup finely chopped dill

1 tsp baking powder

4 to 6 Tbsp vegetable oil, more as needed

For the Yogurt Sauce:

2/3 cup plain yogurt

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 250°. Place zucchini in a colander over a bowl, and mix with 1/2 tsp salt. Allow to drain for five minutes. Transfer to a cloth kitchen towel, and squeeze hard to extract as much moisture as possible. Squeeze a second time; volume will shrink to about half the original.

2. In a large bowl combine zucchini and eggs. Using a fork, mix well. Add flour, 1/2 tsp salt, olive oil, feta, scallions, dill and 1/2 tsp pepper. Mix well, add baking powder, and mix again.

3. Place a cast iron skillet or other heavy skillet over medium heat. Add 2 Tbsp vegetable oil and heat.

Fry 5-6 minutes.

Asian

We did have green beans and salad with this meal, but these two dishes have a good asian feel to them, which is fitting with our heritage....am I right?

Fried Rice

(really you can put whatever vegetables you want into this)

2 Tbsp canola oil

1 cup peeled, finely diced broccoli stems

3/4 cup finely diced carrots

3/4 cup finely diced red bell peppers

3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame

3/4 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen

4 scallions, (green and white parts) thinly sliced

2 Tbsp finely grated fresh ginger

2 large cloves garlic, minced

4 cups very cold cooked brown rice

3/4 cup finely diced ham

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

Heat up all but 1 tsp of the il in a large nonstick skillet or stir-fry pan over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli stems, carrots, and bell pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the edamame and corn and cook until the edamame is thawed, about 1 minute. Add the scallion, ginger, and garlic and cook, stirring, until the raw garlic aroma subsides, about 1 minute. Add the rice and ham and cook, stirring, until heated through, 3 to 5 minutes.

Make a three inch well in the center of the rice mixture. Add the remaining tsp of oil, then the eggs, and cook, stirring, until the eggs are almost fully scrambled. Stir the eggs into the rice mixture.

Stir in the soy sauce and serve.

Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

1 10- to 12- oz boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 stalks fresh lemongrass or 1/4 cup dried

4 cups chicken stock

1/4 cup thickly sliced galangal or fresh ginger

8 kaffir lime leaves or 4 thin strips lime zest

1 cup "lite" coconut milk

2 cups fresh mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tsp cornstartch dissolved in 1 Tbsp water

4 to 5 Tbsp fish sauce

4 to 5 Tbsp fresh lime juice

12 fresh basil leaves, julienned

1 to 4 jalapenos, thinly sliced widthwise (optional)

1. Wash and dry the chicken breast and trim off any fat. Slice the chicken breast on the diagonal as thinly as possible.

Trim the green leaves and root ends off the lemongrass stalks and strip off the outside leaves. Cut the lemongrass sharply on the diagonal into 1/4 inch slices.

2. Combine the chicken stock, lemongrass, galangal, and kaffir lime leaves in a large saucepan and simmer for 5 minutes. Add the coconut milk and bring to a boil, stirring steadily. Reduce the heat and simmer the soup until richly flavored, about 5 minutes. Strain the soup into another saucepan, discarding the flavorings, or remove them with a slotted spoon.

3. Stir in the chicken and mushrooms and simmer until the chicken is cooked, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the dissolved cornstarch and bring the soup to a boil: It should thicken slightly. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, basil, and chilies. Correct the seasoning, adding fish sauce or lime juice as necessary to achieve a balance between saltiness and tartness.

The First Real Snow

I'm not sure how much it snowed here while I was gone last week, but I'm calling this the first REAL snow, about a half foot. We also had Sam Kanner over for dinner tonight, so thats great.

Indonesian Ginger Pork

1 cup honey

3/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup grated peeled fresh ginger

1/4 cup minced garlic (8-12 cloves)

2 pork tenderloins

In a small saucepan, cook the honey, soy sauce, ginger and garlic over low heat until honey is melted. Place the pork in a large shallow roasting pan, and pour on the sauce. Marinate overnight in the fridge.

Bring to room temperature before cooking. Roast at 350° for 30 minutes, or until pork reaches 130° on an instant-read thermometer.

*For chicken: Need 2 3.5 pound chickens, quartered, backs removed. Bake the chicken at 350°, covered for 30 minutes. Uncover the pan, turn the chicken skin side up, and increase the oven temperature to 375°. Bake for 30 minutes more, or until the juices run clear when you cut between the leg and the thigh and the sauce is rich dark brown.

Tagliatelle with Mascarpone and Breadcrumbs

1 lb dried egg tagliatelle

1 lb mascarpone cheese

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup olive oil

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1.25 cups freshly grated Parmesan

sea salt and pepper

Herb breadcrumbs:

1 loaf french bread, made into coarse crumbs

1/2 cup olive oil

6 garlic cloves, left whole

3 Tbsp each of chopped fresh thyme (or dried, but slightly less) and marjoram

Slowly mix the mascarpone and egg yolks together in a food processor. Add the oil, drop by drop, as for mayonnaise. Stir in the chopped garlic and Parmesan. Season with salt and pepper.

Heat the oil for the breadcrumbs in a small saucepan and add the whole garlic cloves.
Cook gently until a deep golden color, then remove the cloves. Add the bread crumbs to the garlic-flavored oil and cook until golden. Just before they turn brown, add the herbs.

Immediately remove the bread crumbs and herbs from the oil using a slotted spoon, and drain on paper towels.

Cook the tagliatelle in a large pan of boiling salted water until done, then drain. Mix with the mascarpone and generously cover with the herb breadcrumbs.

We also had sweet potato biscuits, roasted broccoli and salad.