Not Chili

Well, I call it chili. But the husband insists that if it has rice in it, it can't be chili, no matter how good it is (and it is good!). This is how my ma always made chili at home - served over rice - and it's still my favorite (and it might soon become the husband's, too).

1 1/2 cups white rice
2-3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
Olive oil
A little salt
A little ground pepper
1 lb ground beef, thawed
1 tbsp chili powder, plus more
1/2 tsp ground cumin, plus more
1 28 oz can whole tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
1 can red kidney beans (you know, whatever the size is between 8 oz and 28 oz - the regular size), drained and rinsed

Cook your rice.

Meanwhile: drizzle a healthy amount of olive oil into the bottom of the pot, then add your garlic and heat over medium, adding a little salt and ground pepper. Just let that get hot and aromatic, then mix in the ground beef, red chili powder, and cumin. Let the beef brown.

Once the beef is browned, add your tomatoes and tomato sauce. Break up the whole tomatoes well with a wooden spoon. Bring the sauce to a boil, then turn to low and partially cover, simmering for about 1/2 to a 1 full hour. You can sprinkle more chili powder and cumin in at this point, according to your taste.

15 minutes before the sauce is done, add the kidney beans and cook another 15 minutes.

Serve over/mix into rice - yes, RICE! - and enjoy!

Broccoli Rabe with Garlic

For the second half-post of the day, we have a side dish: broccoli rabe (or maybe it's broccoli di rabe, or rapini, or what have you), sauteed with garlic, olive oil, and red pepper flakes. Broccoli di rabe, as previously discussed, is not for everyone - it's bitter, biting, unusual. I think Joef summed it up best: "It's so angry!" And that's why we like it. Plus, when you're not feeling well, as I'm not this weekend, eating something "angry" makes you feel like you're really giving your cold what-for.

Here ya go:
1/2 large bunch broccoli rabe, bottom stems removed, washed
2-3 tbsp or so olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, a couple sliced and a couple minced
Red chili flakes to taste
Salt to taste
3/4 - 1 cup water

Prep your rabe, then add olive oil and garlic with some chili flakes and salt to a pan over medium heat. Let those warm up and let the flavors combine, then add all your rabe to the pan. Let it start to wilt, stirring it around. Add more salt and chili flakes, if you want. Then add the water. Continue to cook and rotate until the rabe wilts and most of the water has boiled off. Serve as a side dish.

Pesto with Chicken

Two posts today, since one is a side dish and the other is really just a variation on a prior recipe. First, the prior recipe, pesto - this time, with grilled chicken added. (You know, just like they do at Noodles and Company, hehe!) This turned out really good and was a nice way to make pesto a little heartier.

It's essentially the same recipe, only I used 3/4 lbs of pasta, and I grilled up two chicken breasts and added them in. Nevertheless, here it is again, updated:

2 oz fresh basil leaves
Garlic (2-3 cloves) (note that this makes a VERY garlicky sauce)
Olive oil (1/2 cup)
Parmesan cheese (1/2 cup grated)
2 chicken breasts, sliced into cutlets
Pasta - something with ripples or ridges to hold the sauce (3/4 pound)

Sprinkle your chicken cutlets with a little salt and pepper, then grill each cutlet until fully cooked. Slice into strips or cubes.

Cook the pasta (I used shells).

Put the garlic in the food processor first. Chop it up and scrape it off the sides as needed. Next, add the basil and do the same. Add the olive oil a 1/4 cup at a time - grind it up until it starts to make a paste, scraping off the sides as needed.

Put the paste into a large bowl and mix it with the parmesan. Add the pasta into the bowl and mix it until all the pasta is coated, then add chicken and do the same. Serve with more parmesan cheese as needed.

ALT: Noodles and Company style, with cavatappi and tomatoes!

Pasta with Broccoli Rabe and Ceci

(adapted from Loukie Werle's "Italian Country Cooking")

UPDATED 2/5/11
Alright. I just made this again, and I made it slightly differently, and it was both easier to make and more delicious. So, give this a shot:

2 thick slices pancetta, diced
Olive oil
1/2 can ceci beans, drained
Habanero flakes, to taste
1/2 bunch broccoli rabe, chopped large
2 cloves garlic, smashed flat
1 cup chicken broth
3/4 lb pasta

Drizzle olive oil in a large pan and turn heat to medium-high, then add the pancetta. Cook for a couple of minutes, turning down if necessary. Add the ceci (and habanero flakes, if you choose) and let them cook together for a few more minutes as the pancetta renders its fat. Remove the ceci and pancetta and set aside. Add the rabe and garlic into the same pan, adding a little olive oil if you need it. Add more habanero flakes, if using. Turn back up to medium-high and add the chicken broth. Cook until wilted and your pasta is ready, then add the chicken and ceci back into the rabe and cook for a minute or two, then add the cooked pasta and mix. Finish with a final drizzle of olive oil, and serve. Not half bad with grated parmesan.

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ORIGINAL POST
I can't get enough of this cookbook. This woman is brilliant. The recipes are simple, using just a few common ingredients, and the outcomes are delicious and different. This particular recipe gave me an excuse to buy pancetta again, and also the chance to cook broccoli rabe for the first time. Broccoli rabe is like the arugula of the broccoli world - bitter; probably an acquired taste (at least it was for me, growing up). It's much leafier than typical broccoli; cook it up with plenty of garlic and it's great.

I decided to add red pepper flakes to this - optional, but I think a good variation. And I didn't have dried chick peas/ceci/garbanzos, so I had to improvise a little bit there.

So:
1 cup canned ceci beans, drained
2 large cloves garlic, flattened/crushed with the flat side of a knife
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
2 tsp olive oil, plus 3 tbsp
5 oz pancetta (I got 3 thin slices, more wouldn't have hurt), thinly sliced
1 large bunch broccoli rabe, tough stems removed, cut across into 1/2 inch strips
Red pepper flakes to taste
Salt and pepper
3/4 lbs short pasta

Put the ceci in a small pot with the crushed garlic, a little salt, and 2 tsps olive oil. Add water to cover. Place them over low heat on the stove. (You may be able to skip this step - I was trying to get as close as possible to her directions for dried beans.)

Combine 3 tbsp of olive oil and the pancetta in a large saute pan over medium heat until the pancetta turns crispy and golden brown. Remove from the pan and set aside on a paper towel.

Add the 4 chopped garlic cloves to the pan and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then add the broccoli rabe. Saute until it all wilts.

Drain the ceci in a colander set over a bowl to retain the liquid. Add the ceci to the rabe, then add a cup of the reserved liquid and stir it in to the rabe and ceci. Add crushed red pepper flakes Cook another 10-15 minutes, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

In the meantime, cook your pasta in salted water, reserving a cup or so of the pasta water. Add the cooked pasta right to the rabe in the pan and toss around for about a minute, adding the pancetta. Add pasta water if it seems dry. Serve!

Goat Cheese, Tomato, and Caramelized Onion Omelette

Here we go, another "recipe" whose name pretty much sums things up. But I've never actually successfully made an omelette, so this was an accomplishment for me. Plus, say you have leftover goat cheese from a certain salad, and leftover tomatoes from a certain fish dish...well, there you go.

3 eggs, beaten
Butter
1/4 cup (ish) cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup (ish) white onion, sliced or chopped
A few sprigs arugula
As much goat cheese, crumbled, as you want

First, caramelize the onions: take a frying pan and grease the bottom with butter, then add the onions and cook them on medium until they begin to soften and brown. Put them aside.

Second, do the same with the tomatoes (will take less time).

Butter the pan again and pour in the egg (turn up the heat a tad). Lift the pan and shift the eggs until the bottom of the pan is covered; you can lift up the sides a bit and let the egg run under itself a little, too. Cook until the top is nearly not runny, then add the onion, tomatoes, arugula, and cheese to one side. Fold the other side over the filling, then flip. Repeat the flip until the cheese is melty and all the egg is cooked. You could even serve it with a little arugula salad on the side.

Mixed Green Salad with Goat Cheese, Green Apple, and Walnuts

OK, so posting a "recipe" for a salad is cheating a little. I mean, the title of the post is basically the recipe. Done. But hey - it doesn't hurt to share the idea, right? Particularly if it's a three-minute idea that tasted pretty dang good.

1 container/bag mixed greens, plus a handful of arugula, if you please
Crumbled goat cheese to taste
Small bag of chopped walnuts
1 green apple, chopped
3 large spoonfuls/tbsp olive oil
1.5 large spoonfuls/tbsp balsamic

Combine all the dry ingredients in a large salad bowl, then add the olive oil and balsamic, and toss!

Tilapia with Beans and Tomatoes

(adapted from, what else, Loukie Werle's "Italian Country Cooking")

My goodness, it's been a whirlwind of activity around here lately. Not a cooking, whirlwind, clearly - or at least not of new recipes. I finally got the chance today for lunch, which worked out because I 1) had time (although this doesn't take much), and 2) wanted to cook something I knew the husband wouldn't go for (not a tilapia fan). I've had this recipe in mind ever since my dad called raving about it. And he knows what he's talking about.

This is a dinner dish as well, or maybe preferably. In any case, it's easy, fast, and delicious.

3 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp chili flakes
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup cannellini (great northern) beans, drained
1 handful flat-parsley leaves, coarsely chopped - or, in my case, a healthy dash of dried parsley
3 tilapia filets (or other white fish)
Lemon wedges, to serve (grilled bread suggested and highly recommended, if you have it, also to serve)

Heat the oil in a large saute pan over medium (it will need to be large enough to fit the filets next to each other without overlap, and it should have a lid). Add the garlic, chili flakes, tomatoes, and wine and simmer until the tomatoes get soft, about 10 minutes. Add salt partway through if you need it (I did). Add the beans and the parsley and cook another five minutes or so.

Lay the fish on top and season with salt (they can touch, but should not overlap). Cover the pan with a lid and cook on low heat until the fish cooks through and is flaky - about 10-15 minutes. Serve with lemon wedges and, if you're lucky, grilled bread. That's IT!

Boston Cream Pie Cupcakes

(from Martha Stewart's "Cupcakes")

Yesterday was Joef's and my one-year anniversary (!). Celebrations included running a 5K (you'll know why when you read this recipe), dinner at Pacifico (raw bar platter, shrimp ceviche, plantains, and duck quesadillas, mmmm), an upcoming stint in Cape Cod - and, these cupcakes.

Most people know how I feel about cakes and cupcakes, etc. I generally prefer, say, some ceviche or duck quesadillas, if they happen to be around. But I gotta say, there's a big difference when sweet things are made right - and (thanks to Martha Stewart), these were.

A shout-out to my other inspiration for the cupcakes - my mother-in-law, Betty - who makes a mean Boston Cream Pie that is pretty much one of Joef's favorite things in the world. I'm not sure these can top the actual "pie", but they're a fun alternative.

So, to make 20:

CUPCAKES
6 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces, plus more for tins
1 1/2 cups flour, plus more for tins
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup milk
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Pastry Cream (see below)
Chocolate Ganache Glaze (see below)

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Grease muffin tins with butter and dust with flour, tapping out excess. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Combine milk and butter in a saucepan and set over very low heat.

2. With an electric mixer on high speed, whisk eggs and sugar into thick, fluffy, and pale yellow - about 5 minutes. (The mixture should be able to hold a drop of itself on its surface for a couple seconds when you lift the mixer.) Reduce speed to medium, and gradually add the flour mixture, whisking just until it combines.

3. Bring the milk and butter just to a boil. With mixer on low, add the hot milk to the batter in a slow, steady stream, and mix just until smooth. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Divide batter evenly among prepared cups. (Note - the recipe says to fill the cups halfway; I ended up the first round with cupcakes that were too small and went for 3/4 full the next time around. Use your judgment based on the kind of muffin or cupcake tins you have.) Bake, rotating tins halfway through, until the cupcakes are golden and a cake tester comes out clean - about 15 minutes. Let tins cool for about 10 minutes, then remove the cupcakes from the tins and let them cool completely.

5. To finish, use a serrated knife to split the cupcakes in half horizontally. Spread about 1 tbsp pastry cream on the bottom half of each cupcake. Spoon about 1 tbsp chocolate glaze over the top of each cupcake. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes before serving, if you can wait that long.

PASTRY CREAM
(Two notes: one, Joef and I agreed that while this filling was delicious, if you were strapped for time, you could probably use a mix. Two, I just realized that I used egg yolks and whites by accident when I made mine. Hmmm. Well, they turned out fine - but you, you follow the recipe, gosh darn it!)
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
Pinch of salt
2 cups milk
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

1. Whisk the egg yolks until smooth in a large bowl.
2. Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan, and heat over medium. Stirring constantly, gradually add the milk in a slow, steady stream, and cook until the mixture thickens and begins to bubble. (Be patient.)
3. Whisking constantly, slowly pour about 1/3 of the milk mixture into the egg yolks (you do this first to prevent curdling). Now pour this into the remaining milk mixture in the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils and is thick enough to hold its shape. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
4. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve (gets rid of any pieces of egg white). Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it right onto the surface to keep a skin from forming. Directions say to refrigerate until chilled and firm, about 2 hours - but who has time for that? I popped it in the freezer until the cupcakes were ready to go, but I found it a little too stiff. I'd probably just go with the fridge next time.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE GLAZE
6 oz semisweet chocolate chips
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp light corn syrup

1. Place chocolate in a small saucepan or heatproof bowl.
2. Bring cream and corn syrup just to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Pour the hot mixture over the chocolate. Let it stand without stirring until the chocolate begins to melt.
3. Use a flexible spatula to gently stir the chocolate and cream together until totally combined. It helps to begin near the center of the bowl and slowly work your way out. Don't overstir. Will be smooth and glossy. And delicious.

Archana's Apple Brownies

(from Archana, who got it from Jessica, who got it from...)

My friend Archana was generous enough to share this delicious recipe with me after our apple-picking excursion. I loved this recipe not just because it tastes amazingly good, but because it's simple. And my experience with baking to-date has been complicated and time-consuming. Don't get me wrong - it's still fun, and the results are worth it, but it's also nice to know you can whip up something sweet without too much effort.

I'm going to give it to you just as she gave it to me. Pass it on!

"1 C. softened butter
1 3/4 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. chopped apples (i have done them by hand or in a cuisinart)

combine butter and sugar. add eggs and vanilla. in a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. mix with wet ingredients until just moistened. fold in apples. bake in a greased pan at 350 for 45 minutes. can put a glaze on it made of 1/2 C. powdered sugar and 1/4 tsp. vanilla.

they are magical."

Yes, yes they are.

Risotto with Arugula and Parmesan

(adapted from Loukie Werle's "Italian Country Cooking")

I love risotto. I just do. It's the ultimate comfort food. And even cooking it is vaguely comforting, as you add the broth ladle by ladle and watch the rice soak it up. Maybe that part's just me. In any case, eating it is good. I really enjoyed the arugula in this (surprise) - the rice is savory, the arugula a little bitter, and it all works out.

The original recipe calls for taleggio rather than parmesan, but seeing as how I not only didn't have taleggio, but had to look up what the heck taleggio is, parmesan worked just fine.

Here we go:
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small/medium onion, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped
2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
6 cups chicken broth, simmering, with a few tablespoons reserved
1-2 handfuls arugula, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese

Combine the olive oil and onions in a large, deep saute pan, and cook over medium heat until the onion is soft, stirring frequently. Add the garlic and stir one more minute.

Add the rice and stir until all the grains are coated. Then add the wine and stir over medium heat until the wine absorbs into the rice. Then, add a ladle of the simmering chicken broth and stir it in until the broth is absorbed into the rice. Keep doing this until the rice is al dente and the broth is used up. If you run out of broth before the rice is cooked, you can use a ladle or two of simmering water.

When that process is complete, add your cheese, the reserved broth, and the arugula, and stir it into the rice. Reduce the heat to low (or turn it off entirely), cover, and let sit for three minutes. Season with salt as needed, and serve!