Celery and Baked Apples

Tom brought us over some home grown celery from his garden. We didn't know what to do with it. Here is a new recipe for us. Celery is definitely not one of my favorite things. This recipe for: Celery Stir Fry is actually quite good. I have become a convert.

Cathy made Baked Apples for dessert. It is a great dessert, and like most desserts has a wonderful aroma while it bakes. You can find the recipe on our blog of: January 10, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Celery Stir Fry

Simply Recipes

I was intrigued when I saw a recipe for celery stir-fry in my friend Nancy Hachisu’s Japanese Farm Food cookbook, a simple celery stir-fry with chili infused oil and soy sauce.

We found the best way to julienne the celery is to slice off the root end and any part of the celery beyond the main stalk. Cut the stalks in thirds, or if they are very long, quarters, and then cut each of those pieces in half lengthwise. This gives you a manageable, flat surface to slice into matchsticks.

Nancy's original recipe calls for using a high quality rapeseed oil (another name for canola oil) and/or light sesame oil. We added a little dark sesame oil at the finish which was just lovely, so you might want to try that too.

Ingredients

2      Tbsp high quality canola oil, rice bran oil, or other cooking oil

3      small dried chile peppers, broken in half (can sub a 1/8 teaspoon of red chili flakes)

4      cups julienned celery (cut into pieces about 2 inches long)

1-2   Tbsp soy sauce (to taste)

A few drops of dark sesame oil (optional)

1. Heat the oils and chiles in a wok or frying pan over high heat for 90 seconds, or until the chiles become fragrant and the seeds sizzle.

2. Add the celery and stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add the soy sauce and stir-fry one more minute. Drizzle with dark sesame oil if using. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Home Made Bread

Like everyone else in quarantine, we made bread. We followed The New York Times recipe for No Knead Bread. It is fairly easy and fool-proof. You can get the recipe on our blog of: December 11, 2010. Click the date to get the recipe.

Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles

Stir-Fried Beans with Pork and Chiles is a recipe that we repeatedly make. It isn't like eating in a Chinese Restaurant, but close to the flavors we like. It is a wonderful recipe. You can find it on our blog of: November 9, 2018. Click the date to get the recipe.

Smoked Turkey and Polenta Soup

We had purchased a Smoked Turkey. We froze half of the turkey for future use. It was an excellent investment, we had several dinners and lunches of turkey. We started with Polenta Soup. This is a great thick soup. You can find the recipe on our blog of: November 28, 2012.

Polenta Soup

Asparagus Pasta

Nothing says spring is arriving more than making Asparagus Pasta is so easy and so good! It just requires young fresh asparagus and good Cheese. You can get the recipe on our blog of: April 17, 2007. Click the date to get the recipe.

Chicken Vesuvio

Chicken Vesuvio is an old-time Chicago recipe. The history of it is rather murky. The taste however is excellent. You can find the recipe and the history of this dish on our blog of: October 21, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe.

Salmon

We had purchased Smoked Salmon at Cookbook  and served it on a Salad with the left over Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole. It made for an excellent easy to prepare dinner.

Ham Bone Soup

In our continued use of the leftovers of our huge Ham, we made Ham Bone Soup. It was hearty and good and lasted for several lunches! Good soup!

Ham Bone Soup

New York Times

This hearty soup requires a good afternoon simmer, filling your house with the aromas of all things good and warming. The marrow imbues the broth with a silkiness and richness, and the kale is thrown in for color and health. You might want hot sauce, or not. Either way, a bowl of this is the kind of thing that cures what ails you.

Ingredients

4          strips bacon, thick cut, sliced into 1/2-inch pieces

3          large carrots, peeled and sliced

2          celery stalks, trimmed and sliced

1          large onion, peeled and diced

3          garlic cloves, finely chopped

1          ham bone 1 1/4 pounds, cut in half or in thirds ask your butcher to do this

1          bay leaf

2-½      teaspoons salt, plus additional to taste

½         head green cabbage, shredded about 8 cups

3          cups cooked beans rinsed and drained if canned, such as cannellini, navy or pinto

1          small bunch kale, ribs removed and leaves chopped into bite-size pieces 6 cups

Black pepper, to taste

Hot sauce or apple cider vinegar, to taste

PREPARATION

Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp, 5 to 7 minutes; remove with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add the carrots, celery and onion to the pot. Stir until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute. Drop in the ham bone and bay leaf. Cover with 8 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes. Stir in the cabbage and simmer 30 minutes. Add the beans and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in the kale and simmer until soft, but vibrantly green, about 15 minutes. Season with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt (or more to taste). Add lots of pepper and a dash of hot sauce or vinegar. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole

This recipe for Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole is a riff on France's favorite dish: Cassoulet. It was a hit. My kind of dinner. We will hopefully make it again!

Creamy White Bean and Fennel Casserole

New York Times

This one-pan recipe melds roasted fennel, creamy white beans and salty Parmesan, and tops it with crunchy lemon-zested panko. Fennel is often dismissed because of its perceived licorice notes, but the anise flavor is significantly muted after the vegetable is cooked. Tuck fresh, sliced sausages into the mixture before baking to imitate a simplified cassoulet, turn it into a side dish by pairing it with meat or let the dish live as a main, served with a simple green salad and some rustic bread to sop up the sauce. Reserve the fresh fennel fronds for garnish, which add concentrated fennel flavor and a pop of green.

Ingredients

6       tablespoons olive oil

2       large fennel bulbs (about 2 pounds)

Kosher salt and black pepper

2       garlic cloves, minced

2       (14-ounce) cans white beans, such as cannellini, great Northern or navy

½      cup heavy cream

1       teaspoon fresh lemon zest plus 2 tablespoons juice (from 1 lemon)

½      cup panko

½      packed cup finely grated Parmesan (about 1 ounce)

Preparation

1. Heat the oven to 425 degrees. Trim the fennel. Cut it in half lengthwise and slice it crosswise, about 1/4-inch thick (reserve about 1/4 cup roughly chopped fennel fronds). Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium. Add the sliced fennel, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened but still retaining a little bite, about 12 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, pour 1 can white beans and its liquid into a blender. Add the heavy cream, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons olive oil and purée until smooth. Drain and rinse the remaining can of beans and transfer it to the skillet along with the bean purée. Season generously with salt and pepper.

3. Mix the panko with the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a small bowl. Add the Parmesan, lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and toss to coat. Sprinkle evenly over the fennel-white bean mixture.

4. Bake until bubbly and lightly golden on top, about 15 minutes. Broil until topping is browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes, if desired. Top with reserved fennel fronds and serve.

Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

We made a new recipe: Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta. I really enjoyed this Lasagna like dish. Actually I like all baked pasta! This was a good one.

Baked Penne with Sausage and Creamy Ricotta

Food and Wine

Ingredients

3        tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2        garlic cloves, smashed

1        pound hot or sweet Italian fennel sausage, casings removed

One 28-ounce can tomato puree

1-1/2   cups water

1-1/2   teaspoons sugar

1          bay leaf

¼         teaspoon ground fennel

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1          pound penne

3          cups Creamy Ricotta

½         pound fresh mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

¼         cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

How To Make It

1.    Preheat the oven to 400°. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Add the garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Add the sausage and cook, breaking up the meat, until browned, about 8 minutes. Add the tomato puree, water, sugar, bay leaf and fennel. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat until thickened, about 30 minutes. Remove the garlic, mash it to a paste and stir it back into the sauce; discard the bay leaf.

2.    Meanwhile, cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Using a slotted spoon, add the cooked sausage to the pasta, then add 1 cup of the tomato sauce and toss to coat the penne.

3.    Spoon the pasta into a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Pour the remaining tomato sauce over the pasta and dollop large spoonfuls of the Creamy Ricotta on top. Gently fold some of the ricotta into the pasta; don't overmix—you should have pockets of ricotta. Scatter the mozzarella on top and sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Bake the pasta for about 45 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top. Let rest for 20 minutes before serving.

Make Ahead

The baked penne can be refrigerated, covered, overnight. Rewarm before serving.

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Fish With Sizzling Olive Butter

I really like Fish With Sizzling Olive Butter. Actually I like anything with olives (especially Martinis). This is a fish dish I would make again!

Fish With Sizzling Olive Butter

New York Times

Sizzling butter is an excellent base for several classic sauces for fish, including amandine and meunière. Here, garlic, sliced olives (try a mix of green and black), fennel seeds and lime juice are thrown into the pan, adding tangy, bright and aromatic flavors. You can use this sauce for any kind of fish, whether pearly fillets of cod or meaty tuna or salmon. It even works with shrimp and chicken breasts. After all, there are few things that aren’t improved by a drizzle of garlicky melted butter. Serve this over rice or with crusty bread to catch all that butter.

Ingredients

¼       cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)

1        tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

1        cup mixed olives, such as Kalamata, Castelvetrano, Moroccan or Picholine, pitted and sliced

2        garlic cloves, minced or finely grated

½       teaspoon fennel or coriander seeds, coarsely crushed (use the flat side of your knife or a mortar and pestle)

4        (1-inch-thick) pieces flaky white fish fillet, such as cod (about 6     ounces each), patted dry

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2        lime wedges, plus more for serving

¼       cup chopped cilantro or parsley, leaves and tender stems

¼       cup chopped dill, leaves and tender stems

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat a large, oven-safe skillet over medium. Add butter and oil, and cook until butter melts and starts to sizzle, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in olives, garlic and fennel or coriander, and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes.

2. Season fish fillets with salt and pepper, then nestle them in one layer in the skillet. Carefully spoon some of the butter mixture over the fish, basting the fillets, then transfer pan to the oven.

3. Bake until fish is opaque and flaky, 8 to 13 minutes, basting halfway through. Remove from oven and transfer fillets to serving plates.

4. Squeeze a wedge or two of lime into the butter mixture and spoon sauce over fish. Top with black pepper, cilantro and dill, with extra lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Soy Braised Short Ribs

We have enjoyed cooking from the Lucky Peach Cookbook by Peter Meehan. The recipes are relatively easy and almost all of them have worked out. This was a delicious Soy-Braised Short Rib recipe. The ribs were from McCall's, of course. The meat just falls off of the bone and is extremely tender. This is a must make dinner! You can get the recipe on our blog of: November 6, 2017. Click the date to get the recipe.

Shakin Beef

We made Shaking Beef. This is a dish that we always order at our favorite Chinese Restaurant: Newport Seafood. We really like it. You can find the recipe on our blog of: April 22, 2019. Click the date to get the recipe.

Pork Loin

Even though we are in Lock Down, we had a Pork Loin in the refrigerator that I rotisseried. It was excellent. We started with an Asparagus Salad with Brown Butter, Hazelnuts and Burrata. It is a great salad, especially in the Spring when we first have Asparagus.

With the Pork Loin we had Japanese Yams. These are amazingly sweet. Even though it is a Yam it tastes like candy!

We coated the pork with Fennel Rub that Mozza2Go sells. It is an excellent choice for pork. The key was cooking by an indirect method, without having the coals directly under the pork, low and slow. We studded the pork with slivered garlic and placed it on the spit. It actually is easier to use a rotisserie then to grill, because you don’t have to watch it as closely. Simply have an estimate of how long the pork should take per pound (about 20 minutes) and occasionally glance at the rotisserie to make sure the coals were still hot adding more if needed. When the allotted time was up we checked the temperature with an instant read meat thermometer, and continued to cook until the pork reached the temperature we were looking for (about 160).