Month: December 2009

Risotto alle Castagne

/ Ren

Creamy risotto with chestnuts, wild mushrooms, onions, spinach, Parmigiano-Reggiano and freshly-grated nutmeg..

Risotto alle Castagne

For the Vegetable Stock (recipe from Gourmet magazine)

1/2 lb portabella mushrooms, caps and stems cut into 1-inch pieces
1 lb shallots, left unpeeled, quartered
1 lb carrots, cut into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell peppers, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs (including stems)
5 fresh thyme sprigs
4 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 bay leaves (not California)
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes
2 qt water

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Toss together mushrooms, shallots, carrots, bell peppers, parsley and thyme sprigs, garlic, and oil in a large flameproof roasting pan. Roast in middle of oven, turning occasionally, until vegetables are golden, 30 to 40 minutes.

Transfer vegetables with slotted spoon to a tall narrow 6-quart stockpot. Set roasting pan across 2 burners, then add wine and deglaze pan by boiling over moderate heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, 2 minutes. Transfer to stockpot and add bay leaves, tomatoes, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 45 minutes. Pour through a large fine sieve into a large bowl, pressing on and discarding solids, then season with salt and pepper. Skim off fat.  Use within 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

For the Risotto (adapted from a recipe by Judith Jones)

2 cups vegetable stock
1 tablespoon pastured butter
1/4 cup Spanish onion, diced
1/4 cup wild mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup chestnuts, peeled, blanched and sliced
1/4 cup fresh spinach, blanched, squeezed and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 oz white wine
2/3 cups Arborio rice
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4-1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Heat the butter in a stainless steel skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions, mushrooms and garlic until soft and lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the chestnuts and sauté another minute.

Add the white wine, salt and pepper and reduce.  Slowly add half the stock and cook, stirring continuously until absorbed.  Add the spinach, nutmeg and the rest of the stock and cook, stirring continuously until almost all the liquid has been absorbed, about 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and stir in the cheese.  Serve immediately.

This post is in support of Meatless Monday, whose goal it is to goal is to help reduce
meat consumption by 15% in order to improve personal health and the health of our planet.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

/ Ren

Old-Fashioned chunky peanut butter cookies with chocolate chips..

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Makes about 2 dozen  (adapted from a recipe by Bon Appétit)

1 1/2 cups organic wheat flour (can use soaked or sprouted flour)
1/2 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 cup cultured butter, room temperature
2/3 cup organic chunky peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/2 cup rapadura
1 large pastured egg
1/2 cup organic grain-sweetened chocolate chips

Mix flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat together butter, peanut butter and vanilla until smooth. Mix in sugar and half of the dry mixture.  Mix in egg and the other half of the dry mixture.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and arrange 2 inches apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Flatten each cookie with the back of a fork, forming a crosshatch pattern.  Bake at 350 degrees until dry on top and golden brown on the bottom, about 12 minutes.

Red Chili Grits

/ Ren

Stone-ground corn grits simmered in chicken stock with green onions and ancho puree, served with pork belly and fried eggs..

Red Chili Grits with Pork Belly and Fried Eggs

Serves 3-4  (adapted from a recipe by Taylor Ranch)

For the Grits

3 cups homemade chicken stock
1/4 green onions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper
3/4 cup organic, stone-ground coarse corn grits
1/4 cup ancho puree
2 tablespoons pastured butter
3/4 cup raw milk cheddar, grated, divided

Bring the stock to a boil, then add onion, garlic and salt & pepper.  Slowly whisk in the grits and simmer until tender, about 10-15 minutes.  Stir in the ancho puree, butter and half of the cheese.  Spoon onto serving plate and top with additional cheese, onions and a dollop of ancho puree. Serve with fried eggs and pork belly.

For the Ancho Puree (makes 3/4 cup)

1 cup filtered water
3 ancho chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 Roma tomato, chopped
1/4 cup yellow onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly-ground black pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Lower heat and simmer 2 minutes. Cover, remove from heat and allow to steep 20 minutes.  Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth.

Belgian Chocolate French Toast with Roasted Bananas and Whipped Cream

/ Ren

Homemade Belgian chocolate bread is soaked in custard, then fried in cultured butter and served with roasted bananas and whipped cream..

Belgian Chocolate French Toast with Roasted Bananas and Whipped Cream

For the bread (measure flour by weight, liquid by volume)

6 oz organic pastry flour
2 oz sprouted wheat flour
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons baking powder
2 oz non-refined sugar
4 oz cacao powder
4 oz Belgian chocolate, shaved
4 oz filtered water
4 oz plain kefir or yoghurt
2 large eggs
4 oz melted butter

Mix the dry ingredients (except Belgian chocolate) together in a bowl.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, water, kefir and butter.

Gradually whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.  Don’t over-mix.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a buttered 4×8 loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees until just set, approximately 45 minutes. Don’t overbake.

Allow loaf to cool on a rack for 15 minutes.

For the Custard

2 pastured eggs
1/3 cup fresh milk
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 pinch salt

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and beat with a fork until frothy.

For the Whipped Cream

1/4 cup fresh heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
pinch of salt

Use a whisk or hand mixer to whip all ingredients together until thickened.

For the Bananas

2 small bananas, split lengthwise
1 tablespoon melted butter
1 teaspoon granulated maple sugar

Place the bananas cut-side down on a baking sheet. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with maple sugar and roast in a 375 degree oven until golden brown and partially caramelized.

To Prepare

Soak thick slices of day-old chocolate bread in custard until completely saturated.  Carefully to transfer to a rack and drain for a few minutes.  Heat butter in a heavy skillet oven medium heat and fry soaked bread until light golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.  Place skillet and bread in a 375 degree oven and bake 7 minutes.

Place French toast on a plate and slide roasted banana on top. Garnish with whipped cream and serve immediately.

Santa Fe Hot Pot

/ Ren

Human occupation of New Mexico stretches back at least 11,000 years to the Clovis culture of hunter-gatherers, who left evidence of their campsites and stone tools. After the invention of agriculture the land was inhabited by the Ancient Pueblo Peoples who built houses out of stone or adobe bricks. They experienced a Golden Age around AD 1000 but climate change led to migration and cultural evolution into the modern Pueblo peoples who lived primarily along the few major rivers of the region. (Wikipedia)

A contemporary New Mexican-style pork stew with dried beans, toasted chilies, onions, peppers, onions and sweet potatoes with cinnamon, cloves, green garlic, cumin and corn flour..

Santa Fe Hot Pot

Serves 2

1/3 cup mixed dried heirloom beans such as yellow Indian woman, tepary, pinquito & black
4 cups chicken stock, divided
1/2 pound braised feral hog (substitute leftover pork belly or pork shoulder roast), cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons leaf lard (substitute bacon grease)
1/4 cup mild chili powder
2 dried New Mexico chilies, stemmed, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon freshly-grated cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly-ground cloves
1 large tomatillo, husked, rinsed and chopped
2 red Fresno chilies, sliced
1/2 Spanish onion, chopped
1/4 cup poblano pepper, chopped
1 bulb green garlic, including leaves, chopped
1/3 cup sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 teaspoon smoked black pepper
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon corn flour (not corn meal)
sea salt and freshly-ground black pepper

Rinse, pick over and soak a variety of dried beans overnight. Place in a pot with 2 cups chicken stock and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover and simmer until tender, about 1 hour.

Heat lard in a heavy skillet over medium heat.  Add diced sweet potatoes and cook until browned along the edges and somewhat tender.  Add onions, fresh and dried chilies, peppers and green garlic and sauté until softened.

Add tomatillo, pork, beans, stock, pork, chili powder, paprika, cinnamon and cloves, reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.  Add corn flour, stir and simmer until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes.

Add cilantro and season to taste with salt and pepper.  Ladle into bowls and serve with wedges of lime and corn chips or cornbread.

This post is part of the Nourishing Gourmet’s Pennywise Platter Thursday!