Broccoli Cheese Soup

Pioneer Woman, Food Network

Ingredients
1 stick butter
1 whole onion, diced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
2 cups half-and-half
1 pinch nutmeg
4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 cups grated cheese (mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, Jack, etc.)
Chicken broth, if needed

Directions
Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, and then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, and then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in the milk and half-and-half. Add the nutmeg, and then the broccoli, a small dash of salt and plenty of black pepper.

Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and allow to melt.

Taste the seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree in a blender, return the soup to the heat and allow to heat back up. Splash in some chicken broth if needed for thinning.)

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ree-drummond/broccoli-cheese-soup-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Flat Roasted Chicken with Tiny Potatoes

Smitten Kitchen

One	3 to 3½ pound chicken, backbone removed (the butcher at your store should be able to do that for you - if not, use a pair of sharp kitchen shears to remove the backbone)
	Table salt
	Freshly ground pepper
1½	pounds tiny yellow potatoes, peeled (I used varied colors and did not peel them)
2	T melted butter or olive oil, for potatoes
1	lemon, to finish
1	T minced fresh thyme leaves, to finish

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Season the cavity of the chicken generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Lay the chicken breast side up, in a roasting pan or a 12” cast iron skillet. Gently pat the breast skin dry with a paper towel. Generously season the top of the bird with more salt and freshly ground black pepper. Nestle the potatoes around the chicken, and drizzle them lightly with butter or olive oil. Sprinkle the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Roast the chicken for 30 to 45 minutes, or until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165 degrees. Toss the potatoes after about 20 minutes, so that they cook evenly. When the chicken has finished cooking, transfer potatoes to a large serving platter. Remove the legs, thighs, wings, and breasts from the spatchcocked chicken, and arrange them with potatoes. Squeeze juice of entire lemon over dish, then sprinkle with thyme. Serve with simply cooked vegetables (I served with roasted haricots vert). Eat at once.

Comments: would probably add some garlic next time

Balsamic and Beer Braised Short Ribs

Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:
5 lbs. bone-in short ribs, at room temperature, trimmed of excess fat
Kosher salt and black pepper
2 tbs olive oil
1 large red onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tbs Worcestershire sauce
2 bottles (24 oz. total) dark beer, such as black lager
2 to 3 cups beef stock

Directions:
Season the short ribs generously on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat a large Dutch oven over high heat, and add olive oil to coat the bottom. Once the oil is hot, brown the short ribs on all sides, in batches. Transfer the browned ribs to a plate.

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

Once all the ribs are browned, turn your heat down to medium-high and pour off all but one tablespoon of fat. Add the onion, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic cloves and saute 3 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for another couple of minutes, until thickened. Now add the vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and beer, scraping all the yummy bits stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Return the browned ribs to the pot; try to place them in meatiest sides down. If not all will fit this way, put some in standing on their sides with the bones facing vertical. Add enough stock just to cover the ribs. Bring the liquid to a simmer, then turn off heat. Cover the pot tightly with foil, then with the pot’s lid.

Bake for 3 hours, or until the meat can easily be pierced with a knife, or pieces can be torn back with a fork. 

Remove from the oven and let rest for 15 minutes, uncovered. Skim as much fat as possible off the top.
Preheat your oven to 420 F. Remove ribs from the braise and spread them out on a baking sheet (I greased mine with cooking spray first). Roast for 15 minutes, or until the edges start to crisp. Meanwhile, strain the braising liquid into a saucepan and simmer it over high heat for 10 to 15 minutes, longer if you want a thicker glaze.

To serve, place a mound of parsnip puree on your plate, then top with 1-2 short ribs and ladle with sauce.

Leek Fritters with Garlic and Lemon

Smitten Kitchen

• 2 pounds (905 grams) leeks (about 3 very large ones)
• ½ teaspoon table salt, plus more for pot
• 2 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
• ¼ cup (30 grams) all- purpose fl our
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch of cayenne pepper (optional)
• 1 large egg
• Olive or vegetable oil, for frying

garlic lemon cream

• ½ cup (120 grams) sour cream
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
• lemon juice
• Few gratings of fresh lemon zest
• Pinches of salt
• 1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed

prepare the batter Trim the leeks, leaving only the white and pale- green parts. Halve them lengthwise, and if they look gritty or dirty, plunge them into cold water and fan the layers about to remove any dirt and grit. On a cutting board, slice the leeks crosswise into ¼- inch strips. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook them for 3 to 4 minutes, until they are slightly softened but not limp. Drain, and wring them out in a dish towel or a piece of cheesecloth.

Transfer the wrung-out leeks to a large bowl, and stir in the scallions. In a small dish, whisk together the fl our, salt, baking powder, freshly ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper, if you’re using it. Stir the dry ingredients into the leek mixture, then stir in the egg until the mixture is evenly coated.

cook the fritters Preheat your oven to 250 degrees, and place a baking sheet covered in foil inside. Stack a few paper towels on a large plate. In a large, heavy skillet— cast iron is dreamy here— heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop small bunches of the leek mixture onto the skillet—only a few at a time, so they don’t become crowded— and lightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters until they are golden underneath, about 3 minutes. If you find this is happening too quickly, reduce the heat to medium- low; I find I have to jump the heat back and forth a lot to keep it even. Flip fritters, and cook for another 3 minutes on the other side.

Drain the fritters on paper towels, and transfer them to warm oven while you make the remaining fritters.

I like to let the fritters hang out in the oven for at least 10 minutes after the last one is cooked— they stay crisp, and this ensures that they’re cooked through, even if they finished quickly on the stove.

to serve Whisk together the garlic lemon cream ingredients until smooth. Dollop on each fritter before serving. These fritters are also delicious with a poached or fried egg on top. Trust me.

do ahead Fritters keep well, either chilled in the fridge for the better part of a week, or frozen in a well-sealed package for months. When you’re ready to use them, simply spread them out on a tray in a 325-degree oven and heat until they’re hot and crisp again.

Mustard Chicken Milanese

Smitten Kitchen

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper
3/4 cup flour
2 large egg whites
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
Zest of 1 lemon
1-1/2 cups Italian breadcrumbs
Oil (mix of vegetable and olive), to fry
Lemon wedges, to serve

1. Slice each chicken breast in half, butterfly-style, so that you have six thin cutlets of chicken.  Use a meat pounder to pound the chicken to about 1/4-inch thick.  Season with salt and pepper.
2. Line up three large plates on the counter.  Place the flour on the first.  In a small bowl, whisk together the egg whites, Dijon, oregano, garlic powder, Aleppo pepper, and lemon zest.  Pour half onto the second plate, and reserve the rest.  Finally, pour the breadcrumbs onto the final plate.
3. Dredge each piece of chicken the flour, then coat well in the egg white-Dijon mixture, and finally dunk into the breadcrumbs on both sides.  Once you've done three pieces of chicken, add the remaining egg white-Dijon mixture to the middle plate and finish up the chicken.  Pop the plate with the chicken into the fridge while you heat the oil.  (Or, you can chill the chicken for up to one day.)
4. Heat two large non-stick skillets over medium-high heat.  Fill each with about half an inch of oil - a mix of vegetable and olive oil.  When it's hot - i.e. when a drop of water sizzles nicely - very carefully add the chicken, three pieces per skillet.  Cook 3-4 minutes on the first side and then carefully flip and cook 2-3 minutes on the second side.  The chicken should be golden brown.
5. Line a large plate with paper towels.  When the chicken is cooked, transfer it to the plate.  Cover with another layer of paper towels and blot away any excess oil.
6. Serve the chicken with a squeeze of lemon.

Roast Chicken with Grapes and Olives

Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken parts (thighs, drumsticks, and/or breasts), with skin and bones
• Table salt (I used kosher)
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil (or enough to coat your skillet)
• 1 cup seedless grapes
• 1 cup pitted Kalamata olives
• 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450 degrees with a rack in the middle. Pat chicken dry, and season generously with salt and freshly ground pepper. Heat oil in an ovenproof 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers. Working in two batches, brown the chicken, skin side down first and turning them over once, about 5 minutes per batch. Take your time here: the browner the chicken, the better the dinner will be.
2. Return the pieces to the pan, skin side up, and surround the pieces with grapes, olives, and shallots. Roast the chicken in the oven until it has just cooked through and juices run clear, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken, grapes, and olives to a platter, then add wine and chicken broth to the pan juices in the skillet. Bring liquid to a boil, scraping up any brown bits, until it has reduced by half, for 2 to 3 minutes. Strain sauce, if desired, then pour it over the chicken. Garnish with rosemary, if you have it, and (quoting Deb): “see how long it takes guests to offer to slurp the sauce up with a spoon.”

Scallops with Potato Celery Root Puree

Ina Garten

Ingredients

• 5 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 6 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (4 leeks)
• 4 cups (1½ pounds) Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
• 4 cups (2 pounds) celery root, peeled and diced into ¾" cubes
• 3 cups heavy cream
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 24 to 26 large "dry" sea scallops
• 4 Tbsp. grapeseed oil, divided
• Basil-infused olive oil, for serving (optional)
• Minced fresh chives, for serving

Directions

Active time: 35 minutes
Total time: 1 hour

Melt butter over medium heat in a large (8" to 10") saucepan or Dutch oven. Rinse leeks well in a colander, spin dry in a salad spinner, and add to pot. Sauté over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add potatoes, celery root, cream, 4 tsp. salt, and 2 tsp. pepper to the pot, stir, and bring to a boil. Lower heat to very low, cover pot, and simmer gently 25 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are tender. Be careful—don' let the vegetables scorch on the bottom of the pan! In batches, pour mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until coarsely pureed. Taste for seasonings, return to saucepan, and keep warm over very low heat. If mixture gets too thick, add a little more cream.

If it hasn't already been removed, peel off the tough strip of muscle on the side of each scallop. Pat scallops dry with paper towels and season generously on both sides with salt and pepper.

Heat two 12" sauté pans over medium-high heat. Add 2 Tbsp. grapeseed oil to each pan, and when oil is almost smoking hot, add half the scallops to each pan. (If you don't have two 12" sauté pans, cook scallops in batches and keep the first batch warm in a 250° oven until second batch is ready.) Cook undisturbed about 3 minutes, until golden brown on the bottoms. Don't crowd scallops, or they'll steam rather than sear. Using a small metal spatula, turn scallops and cook on the other side 2 to 3 minutes more, until just barely cooked through. (If the pan is hot enough and you let the scallops cook undisturbed, they will not stick to the pan.)

To serve, spoon warm puree onto 6 plates. Place scallops on puree, drizzle with basil oil (if using), and sprinkle with chives.

Crispy Mustard Roasted Chicken

Ina Garten
 
4 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups panko (Japanese bread flakes)
1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
2 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
½ cup Dijon mustard, such as Grey Poupon
½ cup dry white wine
1 (3½- to 4-pound) chicken, cut in eighths
 
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
 
Place the garlic, thyme, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a food processor fitted with the steel blade and process until the garlic is finely minced.
 
Add the panko, lemon zest, olive oil, and butter and pulse a few times to moisten the bread flakes.
 
Pour the mixture onto a large plate. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the mustard and wine.
 
Pat the chicken dry with paper towels. Sprinkle generously all over with salt and pepper.
 
Dip each piece in the mustard mixture to coat on all sides, and then place skin-side down only into the crumb mixture, pressing gently to make the crumbs adhere.
 
Place the chicken on a sheet pan crumb-side up.
 
Press the remaining crumbs on the chicken pieces.
 
Bake the chicken for 40 minutes. Raise the heat to 400 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes, until the crumbs are browned and the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Veal Chops with Carmelized Shallots

Ina Garten

15 whole shallots, trimmed with roots ends intact
24 whole garlic cloves (2 heads)
2 tbsp (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, divided
Kosher salt and ground pepper
1/3 cup good sherry vinegar
1/2 cup ruby port wine
1 1/2 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme leaves
4 (10-14 oz) bone-in rib veal chops, 1 to 1 1/2 inches thick
3 tbsp good olive oil, plus extra for grilling

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2. Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add shallots and garlic for 15 seconds. Drain and peel them; blanching makes peeling easier. If any shallots are very large, cut them in half through the root so they stay intact.

3. In a large oven proof saute pan, melt 2 tbsp of butter, add shallots, garlic, 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper, and saute for 2 minutes over med-high heat.

4. Place the pan in the oven for 30 minutes, tossing once, until the shallots and garlic are lightly browned.

5. Place the pan on the stove-top, add in remaining 2 tbsp of butter and saute over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add in vinegar and port, bring to a boil, and simmer for 6 minutes until liquid is reduced. Add in brown sugar and thyme and cook for 1 minute, until syrupy.

6. Meanwhile, place the veal chops on a board and pat dry. Rub all over with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Set aside for 30 minutes while you prepare charcoal fire or heat gas grill to medium heat (or you can use grill pan on stove-top) If you are using charcoal, make only one or two layers of coals.

Grill veal chops for 6-8 minutes per side, until nicely browned and cooked to internal temp. of 145 degrees F. Transfer to a serving platter, cover tightly with foil and let rest 10 mins. Reheat the shallots and garlic and spoon over veal chops, sprinkle with extra thyme and salt, serve hot.

Salmon and Melting Tomatoes

Ina Garten
 

Good olive oil
1 cup (250 mL) chopped sweet onion, such as Vidalia
2 tsp (10 mL) minced garlic
2 cups (500 mL) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) good balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp (22 mL) julienned fresh basil leaves

2 lb (1 kg) salmon fillet, cut crosswise into 4 pieces

Preheat the oven to 425F (220C).
 
Heat 3 tbsp (50 mL) of the olive oil in a medium (10-inch/25-cm) saute pan.
 
Add the onion and saute over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until very tender but not browned.
 
Add the garlic and saute for 1 more minute. Stir in the tomatoes, 1 tsp (5 mL) salt and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the liquid evaporates and the tomato sauce thickens slightly.
 
Off the heat, stir in the vinegar and basil.
 
Meanwhile, place a large (12-inch/30-cm) cast-iron pan over high heat for 5 minutes.
 
Brush the salmon all over with olive oil, sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper, and place it skin side up in the pan. Cook the fish for 3 to 4 minutes without moving them, until browned.
 
Turn the salmon skin side down with a small metal spatula and transfer the pan to the oven for 8 minutes. (The salmon will not be completely cooked through.) Remove the fish to a serving platter, cover with aluminum foil, and allow to rest for 5 minutes.
 
Reheat the tomatoes, season to taste, and serve hot, warm or at room temperature along with the salmon.

YUM