A Life, Lived

Paella

It is hard to believe that this is that last Sunday Slow Supper post! It has been an interesting (and tasty) run since we started off with Smoked Paprika Roasted Chicken  in January. One of the best things about the cooking challenge is that it forces you to try things that you might not normally make. This recipe was a cook example of this - sure, paella I'd make but I'd never use mussels in it. I've never cooked with mussels. I have now.

There are many recipes out there for Paella . . . originally a dish from Valencia, now many regions in Spain make a variation of it with the ingredients changing to match what is available. In some regions there is more seafood, in areas away from the sea there is more meat. This recipe is a good example of what is called a mixed paella - paella mixta.

'Junior Balloon' AKA Brian selected this recipe. We had the pleasure of meeting he and his wife four (!) years ago when they joined us on a walking tour of Venice. He pulled together bits and pieces from various paella recipes and came up with one that he loved. Brian took the experiment very seriously, buying a paella pan and cooking it over an open flame. I didn't buy the pan, nor did I cook it over an open flame as the Spanish would, but I did take the rest seriously.

When following the recipe I noticed that there was an ingredient missing - it called for onions to be added to the oil with the garlic yet there were no onions listed. I added half of an onion chopped up. I ended up using more mussels that the recipe called for because I had bought 2 lbs of them and they needed to be used up.

I made a similar dish last summer with the Daring Cooks group that was finished off with allioli. It was such a brilliant addition that I made some and served it with last night's paella.

This was wonderful! Word to the wise though - it makes a lot! LOL I'm heading out on Tuesday for the rest of the week so Paul will be eating leftovers for the rest of the week.

Paella

10 pieces Split Chicken Wings or Wing Drumettes
1 Lb Pork Short Ribs (have your butcher cut the ribs into 1" sections, crosswise cutting the bones)
Note: Give both of the above some salt and pepper before browning.
1/2 pound Chorizo
½ Lb Shrimp (with shells)
3 large Scallops cut in half (or 6 small)
1 Lb Assorted Mussels and Clams
½ to 1 cup Tomate Frito, tomato sauce, or tomato puree.
4 Cloves Garlic (minced or chopped)
3-6 Piquillo Peppers (sliced into strips) plus a few strips reserved to use as garnish
½ cup Peas
1 cup Green Beans (cut into 1" sections)
1 tsp. Saffron Threads or ¼ to ½ tsp. Powdered
1/4 tsp of smoked Spanish paprika
½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
2 cups Paella Rice
4-6 cups Shellfish Broth (recipe below) or substitute Chicken Broth or bouillon.
Salt to taste

Prep Time/ Cook Time
30 minutes preparation, 35 minutes cooking (cooking time may vary depending on the type of burner/stove/oven you are using)

Note: If using Chicken Stock heat before hand. I also like the idea of adding the Saffron to the stock (as I've done before with Rissoto) I did not include the shell stock recipe. I'm sure most of you have made such many times. As for the shrimp and whether you should shell them or not, of the recipes I read it was done both ways. I am going to split then down the back so they can be cleaned, but leaving the shells on for cooking.

1. Add the Olive Oil to the Paella Pan and Sauté the Chicken Wings and Pork medium-high heat for 20 minutes or until almost done. Set aside.
2. Add Onion and garlic saute for a few minutes.
3. Add the Chorizo and cook for a few minutes.
4. Add the Tomate Frito, Piquillo Peppers, Smoked Paprika and Cook for 2-3 minutes more.
5. Add the Rice and stir the mixture to coat, about 1 minute.
6. Add the Chicken wings and rib pieces.
7. Add the Peas, Green Beans and Saffron. Stir under medium heat for 1 minute to incorporate the mixture.
8. Add the hot Shellfish Broth (or chicken stock) to the Rice Mixture (add 6 cups if using Bomba Rice, otherwise add 4 cups.) Cook a for a few minutes.

NOTE: Tip From Yaya's Kitchen: From the point of adding the Hot Shellfish Broth and the liquid coming to a boil, the total cooking time to completion of the recipe will be about 15-18 minutes (it may take a few minutes longer for deep pans, if using a small burner/stove, or if using a slow-cooking rice such as Bomba.) Do not stir after this point, and control the heat so the bottom is not scorched.

9. Add Shrimp and Scallops
10. A few minutes before the rice is done arrange the Mussels and Clams tucking them into the rice.
11. When the rice is almost done, raise the heat and carmelize (“socorat”) the rice on the bottom of the paella pan.
12. Remove from the heat, garnish with reserved peppers, cover with a sheet of newspaper and let sit for 5- 10 minutes.

Grilled Pizza with Spicy Italian Sausage

It was Kim's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Supper crowd to play with. Her area was BBQ. She posted a recipe that she first brought to my attention 3 years ago - in fact, it was the recipe that started my love of pizza on the grill.

If you love pizza and you own a grill you really should try this. I remember when I first made pizza ont eh grill - I was at the receiving end of some unusual looks from the dinner guests. Sure, they understood steak, chicken, salmon, and perhaps some veggies - but pizza? That wasn't a grill-worthy item to them.

Silly folk.

You wouldn’t know by reading the instructions how ridiculously easy this is. The instructions are so long I didn’t even want to read them at first. Having made this recipe a few times I can assure you that it looks complex but it breaks down into manageable chunks - chunks that can be shared if there is more than one person around to do the cooking.

The finished pizza has a thin, crispy crust . . . not unlike a pizza made in a commercial wood burning brick oven. The difference is that you can make it yourself without spending $5000 on a brick pizza oven.

Try it once - you won't want to go back to delivery again.

The one draw back of this recipe is that there are far too many toppings. In fact, I think that you could use half of the called for toppings and it would still be good. You could save the rest of the sausages and grilled veggies to make an amazing grilled sausage sandwich. MMMMM

Grilled Pizza with Spicy Italian Sausage

Dough
1 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 tablespoon sugar
1 envelope dry yeast
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 cups (or more) all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
preparation

Combine water and sugar in a food processor. Sprinkle yeast over; let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add oil, then 3 cups flour and salt. Process until dough comes together, about 1 minute.

Turn dough out onto floured work surface. Sprinkle with rosemary. Knead until dough is smooth and elastic, adding more flour by tablespoonfuls if dough is sticky, about 5 minutes. Lightly oil large bowl. Add dough; turn to coat with oil. Cover bowl with plastic, then towel. Let stand in warm draft-free area until dough doubles, about 1 hour. To test that the dough has risen sufficiently, push two fingers into it. The depressions should remain.

Punch down dough. Knead dough in bowl until smooth, about 2 minutes. Divide dough into 4 equal pieces. Stretch out each piece on floured surface to 9-inch round. To prevent the dough from sticking as you stretch it, use flour sparingly; too much will result in a tough crust.

Toppings

3/4 cup olive oil
6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary
1 pound spicy Italian sausages
2 yellow or red bell peppers, cored, lengthwise
1 large red onion, peeled, cut through root end into 1/2-inch thick wedges

Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Let vinaigrette stand 15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate up to 2 hours.

Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Arrange sausages, peppers and onion on baking sheet. Brush with some of vinaigrette. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill sausages until cooked through and peppers and onion until slightly charred and crisp-tender, turning and basting occasionally, about 12 minutes for sausages and 8 minutes for peppers and onion.

Transfer sausages and vegetables to cutting board. Cut sausages into 1/2-inch pieces and peppers into thin strips.

Final preparation

2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups crumbled chilled soft fresh goat cheese (such as Montrachet)
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, chopped
3/4 cup chopped green onion tops Add coals to barbecue if necessary. Place 2 dough rounds on grill. Grill over medium heat until top of dough puffs and underside is crisp, about 3 minutes. Turn rounds over. Grill 1 minute. Transfer to baking sheet with well-grilled side up. This side of the dough becomes the surface that will hold the toppings.

Repeat with the remaining 2 dough rounds. Sprinkle each with 1/4 of mozzarella and Parmesan. Top each with 1/4 of sausage, peppers and onion, then with 1/4 of goat cheese, tomatoes and green onions. Drizzle each with 1 1/2 teaspoons vinaigrette.

Using large metal spatula, return 2 pizzas to grill. Close grill or cover pizzas loosely with foil. Grill until cheeses melt and dough is cooked through and browned, using tongs to rotate pizzas for Transfer to plates. Repeat grilling for remaining 2 pizzas.

Baked Rabbit with Fennel (Coniglio al Forno con Finoccio)

It was Palma's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Suppers group on slowtravel to play with. Her category was roast and she posted this recipe which while calling for rabbit could also be made with chicken thingh or even breasts. The recipe is from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food by Lynn Rossetto Kasper.

I was going to do the chicken version and then I remembered the hunt for goat and how much I enjoyed being pushed out of my food comfort zone. I've eaten rabbit while on trips to Italy but never cooked with it. I LOVE the taste of rabbit. So if I went to that much effort to try a meat I had never eaten and didn't know if I would even like the taste then why the heck wouldn't I cook with Thumper?

Of course it made no sense at all - which is often the case with most food phobias.

Palma wrote:

The first time I made this I used a rabbit, and it was amazing. The scent in the kitchen was heavenly. Using chicken thighs, it has become a standard at our house. It is also a great company dish, as it requires very little last minute effort once it is in the oven. It's great with chicken, but if you can find/deal with eating a rabbit, it is worth the expense.

Yesterday we got to experience just what she spoke of.

I was able to find rabbit at my regular grocery store. The butcher kindly chopped it into eight pieces for me. While he was doing that he removed something from inside the carcass - I presume it was similar to the gizzards in a turkey or chicken. He seemed quite put out when I said that I didn't want to have them. No doubt thye taste wonderful but to me it was just 'EWW'!

In fact, the most challenging part of the recipe was the fennel. I never have trouble finding fennel. We love the stuff - either in a dish or chopped up in a salad. MMM I can sniff it out easily but for some reason the fennel this week was TINY. There was no way I was going to pay $ 3 for a bulb of fennel that was smaller than my fist. Even this food obsessed fool has his limits. Finally, after three stops, I was able to find 2 bulbs of fennel that wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen out in public.

Yesterday was one of those days that seemed to get away from us. Lots of work. Some visiting fun. A long nap. The next thing I knew it was 5 and this hadn't gone in the oven! I had seasoned the rabbit the night before and left it in the fridge overnight so as tempted as I was to order a pizza I really had to cook that bunny.

ARGH

Anyway, it came together quickly and soon the entire house was filled with the intoxicating aroma. OH WOW. I could NOT wait to dig in. Sadly it was to be delayed gratification because this bunny had to roast for a good long time.

The recipe itself was easy to follow and I made no changes at all to it - unusual for me. 'Why mess with perfection,' I say.

We sat down to eat at 8:30 - apparently we're on Italy time - perfect for an Italian themed dinner. We both loved this dish. The rabbit was 'fall-off-of-the-bone tender' and the amazing caramelized fennel was the perfect thing to go with it. The great thing about this recipe is that it also works with chicken so now I shall have to try that as well. MMMM

Coniglio al Forno con Finoccio

2 1/2-2 3/4 lb rabbit, cut into 8 pieces
or 8 chicken thighs

Seasoning the Rabbit
1 large clove of garlic (I used 4)
1 1/2 inch sprig of rosemary (I used 4)
1/2 t. salt (I'm sure I used a t. of sea salt)
1/8 t. pepper (you got it)

Cooking the Rabbit
2 bulbs fennel cut into 1 1/2 " wedges
1 large onion, cut into 1 1/2 " wedges
3 oz. pancetta, minced
3 cloves of garlic, split
1 t. fennel seeds
1/2 c. coarsely chopped fennel leaves
4 T. extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/2 c. white wine

Pan Sauce
1/4 c. white wine
1/2 c. chicken stock

The rabbit or chicken tastes best when seasoned one day ahead. I blended the first four ingredients in the food processor with a drizzle of olive oil to make a paste. Rub on the rabbit pieces, and refrigerate overnight in a zip lock.

Two hours and 15 minutes before you would like to eat, preheat the oven to 350. Use a roasting pan or baking dish large enough to hold the rabbit pieces and onions and fennel. Scatter fennel, onion, pancetta, garlic, and fennel seeds around and between the pieces, and put half the fennel leaves on top. Sprinkle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast 30 minutes.

Add wine, and roast for another hour. Baste every 15 minutes with pan juices. If pan becomes too dry, add a little more wine or water. (Mine was nice and juicy.)

Raise the heat to 450. Cook 15 more minutes until rabbit becomes golden brown. Turn rabbit pieces, and roast another 15 minutes, basting once more. Veggies should be caramelized.

Transfer rabbit and vegetables to a heated platter and keep warm in the oven while you make a quick pan sauce. Set the roasting pan over two burners on high heat, and de-glaze with the wine and stock. Scrape any brown pieces from pan and boil down liquid to about half. (Be careful of heat level if you are using a pyrex pan). De-glaze for 3-5 minutes. Scatter remaining fennel leaves over rabbit and serve sauce in gravy boat or bowl alongside rabbit.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

This week the Sunday Supper group worked with pasta. Nancy selected a healthy recipe for butternut Squash and Leek lasagna that she found on the Kaiser Permanente website. The recipe is by Bruce Weinstein & Mark Scarbrough who often write for Cooking Light magazine so I knew that it would be good.

I googled to see how it compared with other squash lasagna recipes out there. It seems that it is impossible to be a celebrity cook without having a squash lasagna recipe! Giada's uses whole milk, basil (?????), and a whopping 2 1/2 cups of whole milk mozzarella and 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese! Now it also adds some crumbled amaretti cookies with the squash which I do think would be nice. Martha's uses 1 lb ricotta, 1/2 cup whipping cream, 2 egg yolks, 1/2 lb mozzarella cheese, and 1 1/2 cups parmesan cheese. Michael Chiarello uses 3 cups of cheese, whole milk, and 1/4 lb of butter. Jamie Oliver has a deconstructed version. Mario Batoli has a version with a rich bechamel. You get the picture . . .

Rachel Ray has a version as well but given that I used the proviso 'cook' I won't include her.

Anyway, the recipe that Nancy selected is healthy. Only 2 tablespoon of added fat. Low-fat milk. No cheese other than a good quality parmigiano (which is a very low-fat cheese). It's pretty well just veggies, pasta, and some dairy. We were curious to see how it would taste with all of that gooey-goodness from pounds of cheese removed . . .

The only ingredient changes that I made was to add a tsp of ground sage because we really like the combination of butternut squash and sage; I also left out the salt.

After hearing about Sandi's unfortunate butternut squash grating incident I decided to just chop the squash up fine in the food processor - this seemed to work.

I didn't add any additional cheese (although I was sorely tempted to do so) and it was fine as is.

It wasn't identical to the butternut squash lasagna that we buy pre-made from Pass da Pasta in Stratford but it was sure approaching it in taste!

Squash is one of those flavours that I associate with fall. I do hope that I remember this great lasagna when butternut squash is plentiful in October!

Butternut Squash Lasagna

10 ounces lasagna noodles, preferably whole-wheat
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 large or 5 medium leeks, pale green and white parts only, thinly sliced and washed thoroughly (about 6 cups)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups nonfat milk
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 2-pound butternut squash, peeled, halved, seeded and grated using the large hole side of a box grater
6 ounces Parmigiano Reggiano, grated using the large hole side of a box grater
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts, (see Tip)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook noodles until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes less than the package directions. Drain; return the noodles to the pot and cover with cool water.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add leeks; cook, stirring often, until softened, about 6 minutes. Sprinkle flour over the leeks; stir well. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Whisk in milk in a slow stream and cook, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling, 8 to 10 minutes. Whisk in thyme, salt, nutmeg and pepper. Remove from the heat.

Assemble lasagna in the prepared baking dish by layering one third of the noodles, one third of the sauce, half the squash, one third of the cheese, half the remaining noodles, half the remaining sauce, all the pine nuts, all the remaining squash, half the remaining cheese, all the remaining noodles, all the remaining sauce and all the remaining cheese. Cover with parchment paper then foil.

Bake the lasagna for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake until bubbling and lightly browned, 30 to 45 minutes more. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving (or follow make ahead instructions).

Tip: To toast pine nuts, cook in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until fragrant and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.

Recipe Nutrition:
Per serving: 277 calories; 9 g fat (4 g saturated fat, 2 g mono unsaturated fat); 19 mg cholesterol; 37 g carbohydrates; 14 g protein; 6 g fiber; 464 mg sodium; 514 mg potassium
Nutrition Bonus: Vitamin A (150% daily value), Calcium & Vitamin C (30% dv), Iron (15% dv)
2 Carbohydrate Servings
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 vegetable, 1 high-fat meat

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

This week Eden selected a stir fry for the Sunday Slow Supper group to play about with. She wrote that she doesn't normally follow a recipe when making stir fries - something that I can relate too as well.

Stir fries look simple but are prone to disaster if you're not prepared - there is nothing worse than serving up a plate of sodden, over-cooked vegetables. BAH

I learned early in my cooking life that the secret to success is to have absolutely everything sliced, diced, measured, and ready to go - even the sauce ingredients. Seriously - even 30 seconds can be all it will take for your stir fry to turn from a wonderful array of crisp veggies to a mush mess only suitable for serving at an old-age home where the seniors might actually prefer mushy food.

Eden's stir fry was quite easy to follow. When I make it again I'd make one change - the cabbage cooked to a mush. I think in the future I'd add it at the very end - after the sauce has thickened . . . stir it about for 30 seconds and then serve it up.

Of course I did make a modification (or five). I cut the oil back to 1 tsp. I didn't add any sugar at all. I used low-sodium soy sauce. I added a sliced jalapeno and asian chili-garlic sauce (although some in the household thought that it was a tad too spicy then). I also added some chopped cilantro at the end! MMMM

Thanks Eden for a speedy Saturday dinner - just what we needed at the end of a hectic day!

Garlic Chicken Stir Fry

2 tablespoons peanut oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 onions, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced cabbage
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 cups sugar snap peas
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch

Heat peanut oil in a wok or large skillet. When oil begins to smoke, quickly stir in 2 cloves minced garlic, ginger root, green onions and salt. Stir fry until onion becomes translucent, about 2 minutes. Add chicken and stir until opaque, about 3 minutes. Add remaining 4 cloves minced garlic and stir. Add sweet onions, cabbage, bell pepper, peas and 1/2 cup of the broth/water and cover.

In a small bowl, mix the remaining 1/2 cup broth/water, soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch. Add sauce mixture to wok/skillet and stir until chicken and vegetables are coated with the thickened sauce. Serve immediately, over hot rice if desired.

Tuscan Roast Pork

This week was Sandi's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Suppers group to play with. She selected an amazing Tuscan Roast Pork recipe that was quite similar to one that Paul and I made in our vacation rental back in 2006. The main difference was that that roast also had hard boiled egg inside the pork (the pork was cut in half, the egg went in there, then the entire thing was rolled in herbs/garlic, wrapped in pancetta, then bread, and tied). Of course, the other difference was that we bought it oven ready at the butcher in San Quirico.

Even thought it has been almost four years since we had eaten that meal, we both still remember it fondly. (Yes, we ARE food obsessed - in case you hadn't noticed!) When Sandi posted her recipe we were happy to trip back down memory lane - even if it meant that we had to do ALL of the work to get the roast ready to go.

Sandi writes:

Since it is my turn to pick our supper this sunday. I immediately thought of a Sunday Roast.

So that is what we have~ a Sunday roast with a Tuscan twist. This recipe for a Tuscan roasted pork is adapted from Once Upon a Plate.

Tuscan Pork Roast

2 teaspoons fresh chopped sage
3 teaspoons fresh chopped rosemary
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cloves garlic, minced
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1-2 pound pork tenderloin
1 loaf crusty baguette
kitchen string

Preheat oven to 375°.

Mince sage, rosemary, pepper, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper together. Sear the tenderloin in a frying pan over medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of oil for 8-10 minutes, rotating to brown all sides. Roll the pork in the herb mixture and set aside.

Cut the baguette in half the long way and scoop out most of the soft insides. Brush the inside of the baguette with the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and any spices that may not stick to the meat.

Set the pork inside the baguette so that the pork is well enclosed. Trim off the excess ends of the bread if needed. With string, tie the bread to secure the pork at 1 to 2 inch intervals. Place the pork on a baking sheet and roast until done (when instant read thermometer is inserted into the thickest part of the tenderloin it should read 155°-160°) About 25 to 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven, allow to rest 10 minutes. Remove the strings and cut into slices. Either serve it warm or at room temperature.

Braised Turkey Thighs

This week was Jan's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Supper group to play with. The selected cooking technique was braising and the recipe was Braised Turkey Thighs. After two weeks in the California sun and heat it was a shock to return home to Ontario. Yes, it was still 'braising weather' here!

Jan wrote:

I have made this bunches of times and probably never the same twice. So, you can easily fool with the veggies. Sometimes I throw in a handful of frozen peas at the end or grated lemon zest. To me one of the keys is removing the skin from the thighs after they're browned.

For a change I made few modifications to the recipe at all.

Once you recover from the shock of that last sentence, feel free to continue.

I did remove the skim from the turkey thighs prior to browning. I also cut back on the oil considerably to reduce the fat content (after munching my way through California nd Texas for more than 2 weeks I NEED to do that! *smile*).

Tonight with dinner the braised turkey thighs were served on some white polenta.

MMMMM This was classic comfort food - perfect for those of us who jetted back to cold, gray Ontario after having been in the warm sun of California.

Thanks for sharing Jan!

Braised Turkey Thighs

4 tablespoons olive oil
2 turkey thighs
1 cup dry white wine
2 large onions, diced
4 medium carrots diced
3 medium stalks of celery diced
8 oz. Mushroom, sliced
4 medium cloves garlic minced
1 1/2 cups chicken stock or water
2 bay leaves
1 28 oz. Can crushed tomatoes
parmesan cheese rind (if available)

¼ cup chopped parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 325

Heat 2 tbs oil in a Dutch oven, over medium high.

Salt and pepper both sides of the thighs.

Brown them, about 6 minutes each side, in the oil.

Remove from pot. Pour off all the fat.

Add the next 2 tbs to the pot to get hot. Then add the onions, carrots and celery and cook about 7 or 8 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic for another couple of minutes. Add the wine and deglaze the pot (scrape up the brown bits left on the bottom).

Mix in the stock or water, the crushed tomatoes, bay leaves and more salt and pepper. Add the cheese rind, if you have one. Remove the skin from the turkey thighs and return them to the pot, nestling them down into the liquid. It should just cover the thighs. Bring it up to a boil and then put into the oven with the lid on.

Cook until the meat is falling off the bones—about an hour and a half—maybe 2.

You can get all the meat off and serve it in the sauce or just cut large pieces off. Don’t forget to remove the cheese rind and the bay leaves.

Great over hearty pasta, sprinkled with the parsley and some grated parmesan

Green Chili and Chicken Casserole

It is quite fitting I suppose that I post this recipe from San Antonio, home of great Tex-Mex food. To make it even more fitting I am eating the BEST FREAKING BREAKFAST TACOS EVER! More on that later, but really, MMMMMMMMMMMM

I have digressed all over the place. Mind you, that is what I do.

This week was Marcia's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Supper group to play with. She selected the category of 'casserole' and posted this recipe.

This is what she said about it:

I picked casseroles for a variety of reasons, one of them being the fact that I am a big fan of the one dish meal - raising 3 athletic children, and working, meant suppers that would serve many, and serve them quickly. As a younger cook, I learned to make enchiladas the traditional way, dipping tortillas in hot oil and then sauce, filling and rolling, etc. As a mom I switched to this dish, using the layer and stack method. It can be even quicker if you use canned enchilada sauces. This recipe is in the "suiza" style, which refers to yes, the Swiss, but in Mexican cooking, it is usually a creamy sauce, using more cheese, green chiles, etc. This casserole can be served with rice, beans, a simple green salad, guacamole and chips, or a combination of the above. It is also good reheated.

I love recipes like this - family favourites that have been made time and time again to the point of perfection. You know that when you attempt to make it at home you'll be in for a treat - and we were! This was a quick and easy dinner to pull together.

Now that Marcia has shared her family tradition with us we have to make it unique to our family (and because we can never resist tinkering with a good thing). I think when we make this again we'll add some veggies - likely corn and some black beans. Other than that one doesn't want to tinker with this too much as it is already delicious as is!

Green Chili and Chicken Casserole

4 chicken breasts, cooked, shredded (or use rotisserie chicken, skinned, boned and cut into small pieces)

1 lg. onion, chopped
4 tbsp. butter
4 tbsp. flour
2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
1 1/2 c. chicken broth
2 tsp. chili powder
1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, drained
1 small can diced tomatoes, drained
Chopped cilantro to taste, @ 2 tblsp.

12 corn tortillas, torn into small pieces

1 c. grated Cheddar cheese
2 c. Monterey Jack cheese (mix cheese together) - lighten dish with low-fat cheeses

Make sauce by first sauteing onions in butter, then add flour, stir to make a roux, add liquids and salt - cook stirring until smooth and slightly thickened. Add chopped green chilies (drained) to sauce. Add chili powder. Add tomatoes to sauce (both well drained). Add cilantro. Taste, and adjust seasonings for "hot" factor.

Place a layer of chicken in bottom of greased 3 quart casserole, then a layer of torn tortillas, then cheese and sauce. Repeat ending with cheese on top. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven until bubbling, 20-25 minutes. Let sit 15 minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

May be prepared ahead and baked the next day or may be frozen thawed and baked at serving time.

Zuppa Osso Buco

This week was Sheri's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Supper group to play with. She selected the category of 'other' and I was anxious to see what 'other' was. I thought that we had most possible categories selected but wouldn't you know it, there was one more that we hadn't though of.

Sheri wrote:

Several years ago when my kids became interested in more than pizza,chicken fingers and Mac n Cheese, they used to watch the Food Network and print out recipes they wanted me to make. Of course it is not Osso Buco, but it is a really tasty dinner on a cold, wintry night. It is quick to put together and the ingredients are usually on hand. Since my family likes protein and they tend not to think of Soup as dinner, I usually double the amount of ground veal (making larger dumplings) and the egg noodles, while using 1 1/2 X the liquid. We especially love the Gremolata topping. This will easily serve 6 - 8.

The recipe that Sheri posted was Rachel Ray's Zuppa Osso Buco. Now apparently Rachel Ray has her own invented word (That. I. Shall. Not. Use.) for a soup that in her mind is heartier than a normal soup. In fact, in her mind it is a cross between a soup and a stew. In her mind this is a new category of food. In her mind she is eminently qualified to invent a new category of food to cover off this soup.

Enough.

It's soup. It's good. It's quick. It is also the first Rachel Ray recipe that I have ever made. We LOVED it. I won't be racing out to make more Rachel Ray recipes nor shall I purchase her cookware.

In case you haven't picked up on it I don't much like Rachel Ray. Anyone that perky is either possessed, on drugs, or ill. Sometimes the TVs at the gym are turned to the food network and she pops onto the screen. I'm not diabetic but within 5 minutes I'm searching for insulin. Too cheerful and perky. When I'm sweating my ass of on the treadmill perky just won't do.

I also think that she is not a very good cook. She has no formal training, and it shows. For those of you who are interested her story can be read here. Now I'm not saying that you need to be a formally trained chef to know how to cook - because there are scads of brilliant cooks out there who never darkened the doors of le Cordon Bleu. However, if you're going to go on TV and teach others to cook some good formal chef techniques wouldn't hurt. Celebrity=chef  . . . I will spare you my food network rant.

Anyway. I made a Rachel Ray recipe. It is Sheri's fault.  As it turns out, We LOVED this recipe. SIGH I didn't want to but I did. It reminded me of my favourite Italian Wedding soup (without the greens). It was easy to make, tasted wonderful, and I would certainly make it again with minor modifications - as indicated in the recipe below).

Thanks Sheri for turning me on to this brilliant soup!

Zuppa Osso Buco

Veal Dumplings:
1 pound ground veal  (I used ground chicken to lower the fat/calorie content)
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs, a couple of handfuls
1/4 cup, a generous handful, grated Parmigiano or Romano
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg, eyeball it
Coarse salt and black pepper

Soup:
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 carrots, peeled
2 ribs celery and their greens
1 medium yellow skinned onion, peeled and halved
Coarse salt and pepper (I added no salt)
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
1/2 cup white wine (I used 1 cup)
1 (14-ounce) can white beans, cannellini, drained
1 (15- ounce) can diced tomatoes in puree or coarsely ground tomatoes
3 cups chicken stock, available in re-sealable boxes on soup aisle (I used 4 cups of low-fat, and 50 % reduced sodium broth)
2 cups beef stock, available in 1 cup small boxes on soup aisle (I used 3 cups of low-fat, and 50 % reduced sodium broth)
1 cup egg pasta, broken egg fettuccini or medium egg noodles (I used fussili)

Gremolata: (NOTE - this is a classic topping for Osso Buco - the wonderful slowly cooked veal shank recipe from Milan)
2 cloves garlic, cracked away from skins
1 (2-ounce) tin flat fillet anchovies, drained
Handful flat-leaf parsley, about 1/4 cup loosely packed
1 lemon, zested

Crusty bread, to pass at table

Combine the veal and the next 5 ingredients then reserve mix and rinse off your hands. (some chopped garlic would ahve been nice in the 'dumplings' - would someone explain the difference between a dumpling and a meatball?)

Heat a medium soup pot over medium to medium-high heat. Begin to chop veggies while pot heats up: dice carrots into 1/4 inch pieces, chop celery and onion. Add extra-virgin olive oil to hot pot and carrots. Turn carrots to coat them in oil and add celery and onion as you get them chopped up. Work near the stove so you can chop, then drop into the pot. Season the vegetables with salt and pepper and a bay leaf. Stir vegetables and cook 5 minutes to begin to soften. Do not let vegetables brown, reduce heat if necessary. (With classic cooking you want to really cook these down - this is where the floavour comes from. I cooked the veggies for about 15 minutes on a low heat.) Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Next, add beans and tomatoes and stock to the pot. Put a lid on the pot and raise heat to high. When soup boils, about 3 minutes, add 1-inch balls of veal dumplings directly to the pot. When you are done adding the veal, stir in the egg noodles. (greens would have been good in the soup - I'd add a few cups of spinach, chopped kale, or arugula here)

Simmer stoup for 6 minutes to cook noodles and meat dumplings. Adjust seasonings and turn the heat off, then let stoup stand a couple of minutes.

Pile garlic, anchovies, parsley and lemon zest on a cutting board and finely chop the mixture, then transfer to a small dish.

Serve stoup in shallow bowls with a couple of teaspoonfuls of gremolata on top. Stir the gremolata throughout the stoup and pass crusty bread at the table for dipping and mopping.

Goat Tagine with Fennel and Olives

Yes, I did type GOAT!

One of the interesting things about being a member of a cooking group is that sometimes you get your ass kicked way out of your food comfort zones. Most of us have these irrational notions of things we like and don't like  . . . often formed without any factual evidence (which is why I suggest that they are irrational). I am sure that this is a remaining vestige of childhood. Of course, this is likely why a similar ability to have strong opinions without any factual basis revisits us in old age (or any age if one is a particularly rabid conservative).

Anyway, this is a long-winded way of saying that I was not chuffed at all about the prospect of eating goat. Goat was gross. I don't know how I knew that, I've never knowingly eaten goat, but it was gross nonetheless.

This week was Deborah's turn to select the recipe for the Sunday Slow Supper group to play with. She selected the category of slow cooker (although I braised in the oven instead) and her selection was a Moroccan themed recipe that she found on one of her favourite blogs: Figments. When Deborah first posted it I was convinced that she was off her rocker or had been indulging in her famous home-made hooch.

I quickly decided that I would make the recipe with lamb and continue along in my non-goat eating ways.

As I amassed the ingredients for the recipe (AKA hunted for preserved lemons) I changed my mind. The entire point of belonging to a food group is to expand boundaries (but hopefully NOT my waistline). So with that in mind I went off to search for goat.

I was advised on the Chowhound discussion boards that there was a butcher not far from my office where I could find goat. On Friday I took a walk, explored an area of the city I hadn't really hung out in very much, got some exercise, and found some goat.

Kensington Meats only had full goat legs and Rosa (while sweet) would not hear of cutting the shanks off of all of the legs and only selling me those. She looked at me as if I was on drugs - kept pointing the the shank end and saying 'no meat, no meat'. She wasn't far off in her evaluation. I ended up buying two legs for $ 33. Rosa cut the legs into chunks so I had 8 'shank' sized pieces.

When I explained to mom that I was making goat for dinner on Saturday it wasn't long before she was down for dinner. She was more willing to make that leap than I was. Suddenly this was a great adventure for us all.

Yesterday the house was full of the most wonderful smells. When I served the goat up we sort of sat and stared at it for a minute or two. It smelled wonderful but no one wanted to taste it. Finally Paul was brave. He survived so mom and I dug in.

Amazing.

It was far less 'gamy' than lamb can be. In fact, goat was downright delicious.

Who knew? Obviously the millions of folks around the planet for whom goat is a regular food choice were on to something. Why had they kept this such a secret?

Of course they hadn't. I have just been so stuck in my ways all of these years that I had been missing out. Bad Jerry. Bad!

I've had Moroccan food before and loved the spice combination. If you missed my Moroccan chicken pie around Christmas time you should check it out. The post is here. I think that I need to experiment a bit more with the cuisine of North-west Africa.

We served the goat tagine on a bed of couscous to which I added chopped dried apricot, green onions, and toasted pine nuts.

Thanks Deborah for pushing open my food boundaries a wee bit more . . .

Goat Tagine with Fennel and Olives

6 meaty goat shanks
Sea Salt
Freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium onions, sliced in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices lengthwise
2 medium bulbs of fennel, cut in half lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch slices lengthwise
1 large pinch of saffron threads, lightly finger-crushed
6 medium garlic cloves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 teaspoons freshly toasted, ground coriander seed
1 teaspoons freshly toasted, ground cumin
2 teaspoons freshly toasted, ground fennel seed
3 tablespoons honey
3/4 cup fresh tomato peeled and chopped, or good boxed/canned chopped tomatoes
4 cups of chicken stock or water
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 bunch fresh coriander (cilantro), stem and all, tied with butcher string
1/2 cup oil-cured olives
1 large preserved lemon, rinsed and quartered

Preheat oven to 375.

Salt and pepper the goat shanks. Brown them over medium-high heat in a large, deep casserole that will fit all the meat and go in the oven. Remove shanks from the pan.

Add olive oil, onions and half the fennel and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add the saffron, garlic, ginger and all spices and cook another 5 minutes.

Add the honey and tomatoes and cook a few minutes.

Add stock and tuck shanks back into pot along with the cinnamon stick and tied cilantro.

Bring to a simmer.

Cover and braise in the oven until tender, about 3 hours. Check every so often; add more liquid if necessary.

Add olives, lemon and remaining fennel to the stew the last 15 minutes of cooking.

It is finished when the fennel is tender and the meat is buttery and falling off the bone.

Taste and season as necessary.