Cassoulet

We resurrected our dinner club this month.  We hosted and the theme was French food so we decided to tackle cassoulet for the main.  It was pretty easy (decided against including Duck Confit to the mix) and it was tasty.  Probably better saved for a cold January night, but it was fun.  Great for a dinner party as you can make it ahead and was great for leftovers as the favors seemed to be even  better the next day.

The cassoulet was accompanied by delicious mussels for starter, carrots and turnips, green beans for sides and we finished off the meal with creme brulee which was also a crowd pleaser!

Cook's Illustrated Cassoulet:

	Table salt
1	pound dried cannellini beans (about 2 cups), rinsed and picked over
2	medium celery ribs
1	bay leaf
4	sprigs fresh thyme
1 1/2	pounds fresh French garlic sausage (see note)
4	ounces salt pork , rinsed of excess salt
4	tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2	pounds pork shoulder , cut into 1-inch chunks
1	large onion , chopped fine (about 1 1/2 cups)
2	medium carrots , peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice (about 1 cup)
4	medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 4 teaspoons)
1	tablespoon tomato paste
1/2	cup dry white wine
1	(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
4	cups low-sodium chicken broth
	Ground black pepper
4	large slices high-quality white sandwich bread , torn into rough pieces
1/2	cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

INSTRUCTIONS

1. 
   
   
   1. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt in 3 quarts cold water in large bowl or container. Add beans and soak at room temperature, 8 to 24 hours. Drain and rinse well.
2. 
   
   
   2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 300 degrees. Using kitchen twine, tie together celery, bay leaf, and thyme. Place sausage and salt pork in medium saucepan and add cold water to cover by 1 inch; bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat to simmer and cook 5 minutes. Transfer sausages to cutting board, allow to cool slightly, then cut into 1-inch pieces. Remove salt pork from water; set aside.
3. 
   
   
   3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat until beginning to smoke. Add sausage pieces and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Transfer to medium bowl. Add pork shoulder and brown on all sides, 8 to 12 minutes total. Add onion and carrots; cook, stirring constantly, until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Return sausage to Dutch oven; add white wine, using wooden spoon to scrape browned bits from bottom of pan. Cook until slightly reduced, about 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes, celery bundle, and reserved salt pork.
4. 
   
   
   4. Stir in broth and beans, pressing beans into even layer. If any beans are completely exposed, add up to 1 cup water to submerge (beans may still break surface of liquid). Increase heat to high and bring to simmer. Cover pot, transfer to oven, and cook until beans are tender, about 1 1/2 hours. Remove celery bundle and salt pork and discard. (Alternatively, dice salt pork and return to casserole.) Using large spoon, skim fat from surface and discard. Season with salt and pepper. Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake, uncovered, 20 minutes.
5. 
   
   
   5. Meanwhile, pulse bread and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in food processor until crumbs are no larger than 1/8 inch, 8 to ten 1-second pulses. Transfer to medium bowl, add parsley, and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper.
6. 
   
   
   6. Sprinkle 1/2 cup bread-crumb mixture evenly over casserole; bake, covered, 15 minutes. Remove lid and bake 15 minutes longer. Sprinkle remaining bread-crumb mixture over top of casserole and bake until topping is golden brown, about 30 minutes. Let rest 15 minutes before serving.

Baked Ziti

Some friends of ours recently had their second child. While they are the most low key parents I know, and seem to be able to tackle anything life thows their way with the greatest of ease, I wanted to do something nice to try and make their lives a bit easier as they juggle a newborn and a nearly three year old.

Looking for something that I thought would hold up to freezing in case they wanted to keep it for another time, I saw this recipe for baked ziti by Cook's Illustrated. I've never made it before, and I must confess a put a little of it to the side and baked it in a separate dish for us so I could try it. It was pretty good - I find baked pasta usually mushy but this held up pretty well. It tastes better than it looks.

Serves 8 to 10. Published March 1, 2009. From Cook's Illustrated.
The test kitchen prefers baked ziti made with heavy cream, but whole milk can be substituted by increasing the amount of cornstarch to 2 teaspoons and increasing the cooking time in step 3 by 1 to 2 minutes. Our preferred brand of mozzarella is Dragone Whole Milk Mozzarella. Part-skim mozzarella can also be used, but avoid preshredded cheese, as it does not melt well. For tips on cooking with cottage cheese, see related How To Cook.

Ingredients
1 pound whole milk cottage cheese or 1 percent cottage cheese
2 large eggs , lightly beaten
3 ounces grated Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/2 cups)
Table salt
1 pound ziti or other short, tubular pasta
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
5 medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 5 teaspoons)
1(28-ounce) can tomato sauce
1(14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
1teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream (see note)
8ounces low-moisture whole-milk mozzarella cheese , cut into 1/4-inch pieces (about 1 1/2 cups)

Instructions
1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk cottage cheese, eggs, and 1 cup Parmesan together in medium bowl; set aside. Bring 4 quarts of water to boil in large Dutch oven over high heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta begins to soften but is not yet cooked through, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain pasta and leave in colander (do not wash Dutch oven).

2. Meanwhile, heat oil and garlic in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until garlic is fragrant but not brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and oregano; simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Off heat, stir in ½ cup basil and sugar, then season with salt and pepper.

3. Stir cornstarch into heavy cream in small bowl; transfer mixture to now-empty Dutch oven set over medium heat. Bring to simmer and cook until thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove pot from heat and add cottage cheese mixture, 1 cup tomato sauce, and ¾ cup mozzarella, then stir to combine. Add pasta and stir to coat thoroughly with sauce.

4. Transfer pasta mixture to 13- by 9-inch baking dish and spread remaining tomato sauce evenly over pasta. Sprinkle remaining ¾ cup mozzarella and remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan over top. Cover baking dish tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

5. Remove foil and continue to cook until cheese is bubbling and beginning to brown, about 30 minutes longer. Cool for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons basil and serve.

Frittata with Asparagus, Tomato and Fontina

I've made Giada De Laurentiis's frittata with asparagus, tomato and fontina at least a dozen times. It's perfect for brunch or pair it with a fun salad and bread and you have an easy dinner. It's quick which makes it perfect for week night entertaining, high protein and delicious. The green asparagus, red tomatoes and yellow egg make this dish really colorful.

If you've never made a frittata before, they are really easy so don't be intimidated. Just be sure you don't over cook the asparagus the first time since it cooks twice and keep an eye on it while it's in the broiler! You can see I let this one go just a tad too far.

Cocoa-Salt Rubbed Basque Pork

We served this at a recent dinner party and it was a big hit - it was surprisingly moist which seems to be the chief complaint for pork. It comes from a fantastic cooking school on the Oregon Coast called EVOO.

While it takes a few hours for the pork to roast, it's pretty easy. It's great for dinner parties as it can mostly be made ahead and then finished off in the last few minutes.

Cocoa-Salt Rubbed Basque Pork

Serves four

1/2 C vegetable oil

2lbs pork butt (aka pork shoulder)

Cocoa powder

As needed - salt, pepper, and coriander

2 yellow onions diced

2 bulbs garlic, peeled

1 T cumin

2 t thyme leaves

1 t ground mustard

1 t smoked paprika

1 t cayenne pepper

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Heat oil in a large saute pan and season pork with salt, pepper, coriander and cocoa powder. Place pork in pan as oil is beginning to smoke. Sear on all sides and remove pork.

Remove excess oil form pan and discard. Place onions, garlic and spices in semi dry pan and cook to coat with pork fond. Cook until translucent and aromatic. Place vegetables in large roasting pan with two cups of water. Place rack in pan and place seared pork on rack and place in oven.

After one hour, flip pork and cook for an additional hour. Remove pork from oven when meat thermometer reaches 150 (or 160 if you are conservative). The pork will continue cooking and the internal temperature will rise about another ten degrees while it is resting.

When ready to serve, slide pork into 2" pieces. Heat oil (grape seed is best due to high smoke point) in saute pan on high heat and brown pork to give it a crisp finish (less than one minute per side if your pan is really hot).

Top with sauce of your choice, but we had it with avocado tomatillo salsa.

You can make two dishes with one shoulder by cooking the pork a third hour for pulled pork.

Chicken Stew with Biscuits

This is pefect for comfort food in January or February. You could also substitute the chicken for turkey and have a great post Thanksgiving leftovers dish. I've halfed this dish before and it came out just as good.


3 whole (6 split) chicken breasts, bone in, skin on
3 tablespoons olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade
2 chicken bouillon cubes
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
2 cups chopped yellow onions (2 onions)
3/4 cup flour
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 cups medium-diced carrots (4 carrots), blanched for 2 minutes
1 10-ounce package frozen peas (2 cups)
1 1/2 cups frozen small whole onions
1/2 cup minced fresh parsley

For the biscuits:
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Place the chicken breasts on a sheet pan and rub them with olive oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast for 35 to 40 minutes, or until cooked through. Set aside until cool enough to handle, then remove the meat from the bones and discard the skin. Cut the chicken into large dice. You will have 4 to 6 cups of cubed chicken.

In a small saucepan, heat the chicken stock and dissolve the bouillon cubes in the stock. In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the onions over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until translucent. Add the flour and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the hot chicken stock to the sauce. Simmer over low heat for 1 more minute, stirring, until thick. Add 2 teaspoons salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and the heavy cream. Add the cubed chicken, carrots, peas, onions, and parsley. Mix well. Place the stew in a 10 x 13 x 2-inch oval or rectangular baking dish. Place the baking dish on a sheet pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Bake for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the biscuits. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Mix in the parsley. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter.

Remove the stew from the oven and arrange the biscuits on top of the filling. Brush them with egg wash, and return the dish to the oven. Bake for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the biscuits are brown and the stew is bubbly.
Note: To make in advance, refrigerate the chicken stew and biscuits separately. Bake the stew for 25 minutes, then place the biscuits on top, and bake for another 30 minutes, until done.

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