Run2cook's Blog

Toasted Macaroni with Mushrooms

run2cook — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 03:02:04 +0000

This unorthodox treatment of browning uncooked pasta in olive oil is a cooking method that I have been doing for years.It contributes a wonderful new flavor directly into the pasta. It is not boiled in the traditional sense, rather , stock is added to plump up the macaroni as it creates a sauce.Recipe adapted from Jim Fobel’s Big Flavors..

Serves 2-4 (I usually double)

1/2 pound cremini or white button mushrooms, cleaned, halved and then sliced thin
1/2 pound large elbow macaroni ( I use the large elbow)American Beauty and Barilla make this size.
2 cups vegetable stock
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 small shallots, finely chopped
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crumbled
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 cup light cream
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Salt to taste, if needed

1. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the olive oil into a large heavy skillet set over high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute’ until browned, 3-4 minutes. Reduce the heat; add the minced shallots, garlic, parsley and dried herbs; cook for 2 minutes. Pour in the wine and simmer for 3 minutes or so to allow the mushrooms to soak up the wine and the alcohol to evaporate. Remove from the heat and reserve.

2. In the same skillet over medium-high heat, spoon in the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the macaroni, stirring constantly until the pasta is toasted golden, 3-5 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally, over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the pasta is almost tender and the stock is almost absorbed, about 10-12 minutes.

3.Stir in the mushroom mixture and the cream and cook for 3-4 minutes to blend the flavors. Remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup of the parmesan, along with pepper to taste. If necessary, add a little salt to taste.Remove from heat, divide among pasta bowls, and serve immediately.

Variations:

Non Vegetarian: Chicken Stock may be used in place of vegetable

To make a complete meal: Adding diced or sliced cooked chicken can be added at the end before serving.

Homemade Croutons

run2cook — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 01:43:15 +0000

Not only does making homemade croutons allow you to utilize pieces of bread you weren’t going to eat anyway, but it also allows you to make delicious, fresh croutons to add to your salads and soups. You will never again experience that disappointing moment when you suddenly realize you forgot to buy croutons at the store and that the salad is now ruined. Sound familiar?

The beauty of making homemade croutons is that you control what is in them. The ingredient quality, lack of preservatives or any other nasties, and the flavor. You don’t have to buy several different varieties depending on your mood. Instead, just change up the seasonings.

These can be baked while you are preparing your salad or soup, and in 15-20 minutes you something that is SO much better than store bought. Two things that I never buy …croutons and salad dressing.

how to make homemade croutons

1. Start with quality bread for quality croutons. Leftover homemade bread is perfect for this, especially if it is a couple days old. Baguette or French Bread are my favorite choices. If you can’t use homemade, use a nice bakery loaf.

2. Cut the bread into 3/4 to 1 inch sized cubes. They won’t all be perfect, but try to get them at least close to the same size so the smaller ones don’t over-cook while you wait for the larger ones to be done.

3. Drizzle the bread cubes with 1 tablespoon of melted butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil per 2 cups of bread cubes, tossing to evenly coat.

4. Add any seasonings you desire. I prefer to keep them pretty basic, so they do not overwhelm the dish that they are going to be served on: salt & pepper to taste, 1/2 teaspoon each garlic powder and onion powder.

5. Bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 375 degree F oven for 10-20 minutes, or until the bread cubes have reached your desired crunchiness. Stir the croutons every couple of minutes to ensure even browning.

6. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container to maintain freshness and crunch. They should keep for several days.

Irish Soda Bread

run2cook — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 03:18:11 +0000

I’m only part Irish, but I do love me some Irish soda bread! It’s so plain, and yet so satisfying. Studded with little bits of raisins, accompanied by some salty creamed butter. I mean really, what’s better? When you need a little something extra with a meal, or perhaps to accompany a brunch, you can create this amazing creation in no time, with very few ingredients. The bread flour makes for a more delicate crumb. The key to a moist and tender final product is to work the dough as little as possible, just enough to bring everything together. This recipe makes two large loaves, and can be halved, but I prefer to make 4-8 smaller loaves and then share with friends! Tuck them inside a treat bag and tie with a cute ribbon…perfect !

Soda bread is best served warm from the oven, with butter of course, but can be kept for a day or two wrapped and makes fine and fragrant toast. It also freezes great, just double wrap and take out a cute little treat whenever!

4 cups bread flour
1 tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup raisins or dried currants, soaked in hot water (or brandy) and patted dry
2 cups buttermilk

Into a large bowl sift together the flour, the baking powder, the salt, and the baking soda and stir in the raisins and incorporate well. Add the buttermilk and stir the mixture until it forms a dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and gently knead for 1 minute. Halve the dough, with floured hands shape each half into a round loaf, and transfer the loaves to a parchment covered baking sheet. Cut an X 1/4 inch deep across the tops of the loaves with a sharp knife and bake the loaves in the middle of a preheated 350°F. oven for 40-50 minutes for larger loaves-or- 20-25 minutes for smaller or until a tester comes out clean. Transfer the loaves to racks and let them cool.

Dutch Baby with Lemon Sugar

run2cook — Sat, 25 Feb 2012 03:38:33 +0000

What is it that turns four ordinary ingredients — butter, eggs, milk and flour — into such a regal creation as the Dutch Baby pancake? Is it magic? A culinary sleight of hand that only the gifted cook can pull off?

The Dutch Baby, its golden bowl shape ripe for filling with the freshest seasonal fruit, is indeed a showstopper dish. But it’s one that brings even the most unlucky cook success. Just follow a few simple rules.

The first: Begin with a very hot oven, set at 425 degrees.

The second: Choose the right size pan; if too big, the pancake will remain flat, but if too small, the center will rise more than the sides. Once the pan size is determined, just about any type will do. A heavy, cast-iron skillet is perfect, as it conducts heat well. (And because it also retains heat, the pancake can be filled and served right from the pan.) A round or rectangular cake pan can also be used, but place it in the center of the oven to prevent the bottom of the pancake from browning too much.

The third rule: Put butter in the pan, and let melt until bubbly. It’s the combination of high heat and hot fat that pushes the batter along the sides of the pan into a bowl shape.

The fourth rule: Don’t open the oven door until a few minutes before you think it may be ready, 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the size of pan. If cooler air hits the pancake before it has a chance to form and stabilize, it could deflate.

1/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 large eggs at room temperature 30 minutes
2/3 cup whole milk at room temperature
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick unsalted butter, cut into pieces

Put skillet on middle rack of oven and preheat oven to 425°F.

Stir together sugar and zest in a small bowl.

Beat eggs with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and frothy, then beat in milk, flour, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt and continue to beat until smooth, about 1 minute more (batter will be thin).

Add butter to hot skillet and melt, swirling to coat. Add batter and immediately return skillet to oven. Bake until puffed and golden-brown, 18 to 25 minutes.

Serve immediately, topped with lemon sugar or fresh fruit.

Each Dutch Baby is a little unique, but here are some characteristics to look for: The sides should have risen higher than the bottom, and they’ll be quite brown. The bottom of the pancake should be golden brown.

The Dutch Baby makes a beautiful brunch or light lunch dish and can be filled, depending on the season and mood, with berries, peaches or sautéed apples. A dusting of powdered sugar or pure maple syrup provides the final touch. Now taste. It is magical, after all.

Lemon Ricotta Cookies with Lemon Glaze

run2cook — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 18:11:03 +0000

If you like the fresh flavor of lemon then these cookies are for you! The cookie itself is incredibly moist because of the ricotta cheese; and the glaze, made of pure sugar and lemon, is sweet and lemony. Both the cookie and the glaze contain lemon zest, which boosts the lemon flavor up a notch. Meyer Lemons also work incredibly well in this recipe!

Note: Giada’s original recipe says to scoop 2-tablespoon size balls, but I always go smaller. If you go with 1-tablespoon size balls you’ll get a huge amount of cookies.

Ingredients

Yield: 6 dozen (approx)cookies

For the cookies:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 (15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 lemon, zested

For the glaze:
2-3 cups confectioners’ sugar
3-6 tablespoons lemon juice
1 lemon, zested

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter and the sugar. Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Add the ricotta cheese, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Beat to combine. Stir in the dry ingredients.

Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Spoon the dough (about 1 tablespoon for each cookie) onto the baking sheets. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until slightly golden at the edges. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 20 minutes.

To make the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice, and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir until smooth. I like my glaze a little on the thick side, but if it is too thick gradually add more lemon juice. Dip each cookie into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Let the glaze harden for about 2 hours before serving. I store my cookies in an airtight container, separated by layers with wax paper.

Source: adapted from Giada De Laurentiis

Butternut, Corn and Coconut Soup

run2cook — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:39:57 +0000

This is a delicious creamy soup that morphed from a different soup recipe that called for kabocha squash. I had to use ingredients that I had readily available, so I substituted the kabocha for a butternut squash and a beautiful organic garnet red yam. The end result was what I think is a creamier textured soup! Don’t be tempted to skip the corn relish, It is a necessary finishing component!

For soup:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems
2 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 (2 -pound) piece butternut squash halved lengthwise then halved crosswise, seeded (4 pieces total)
1 medium red garnet yam (preferably organic) sliced in half lengthwise
3 cups water
1 can well-stirred canned unsweetened lite coconut milk
3 ears of corn , kernels cut off and all but 1/3 cup reserved for relish (below)
2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne

For corn relish:

4 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of sugar
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups (approx)corn kernels (see above)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon finely chopped shallot

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover a large baking sheet with foil. Generously spray foil with cooking spray. Place squash and yam skin side up and roast until squash and potato are fork tender and slightly carmelized, about 30-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool while preparing soup.

Make soup:
Heat oil in a 4- to 5-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté onion, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and edges are browned, about 4 minutes. Add cilantro stems and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, 3 minutes. Scrape squash and potato and to pot. Cook, stirring frequently, 3 minutes. Stir in water, coconut milk, 1/3 cup corn, salt, and cayenne and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until squash is very tender, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let soup set for at least 15 minutes to cool and for the flavors to meld together.

Prepare corn relish while soup simmers:
Whisk together lime juice, salt, and sugar in a bowl, then add oil and whisk until combined.

Add corn kernels to dressing along with cilantro and shallot and toss well to coat.

Finish soup:
Purée soup in batches in a blender (use caution when blending hot liquids) until smooth. As with all squash soups, I prefer to strain the finished product in a metal colander just to elevate the creaminess factor. Taste for additional salt, if needed.

Divide soup among bowls and gently stir 1/4 cup corn relish into each.

Soup (without corn relish) can be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat before serving.
Corn relish can be made 1 hour ahead and kept, covered, at room temperature.

Skillet Baked Ziti

run2cook — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 17:08:10 +0000

Yield: Servings: 6 to 8

Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 25 min

This recipe is really so easy, it almost makes you feel guilty ! But trust me, it really is delicious with the pasta cooking itself in the sauce, releasing all of the yummy starch and absorbing the garlic and tomatoes . If you have a cast iron skillet, I would recommend using it for this dish. There’s just something about a one dish meal that is so comforting!

ingredients:

1 Tablespoon olive oil
6 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
3 cups water
12 ounces good quality ziti or penne pasta (I use penne)
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 475°F. Place oven rack in middle position. Measure out water and pasta.

2. Combine oil, garlic, pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in 12-inch oven-safe skillet (I use a cast-iron) and sauté over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add crushed tomatoes, water, ziti, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and cook, stirring often and adjusting heat as needed to maintain a vigorous simmer, until pasta is almost tender, 15 to 18 minutes. While pasta is cooking, measure out cream, Parmesan and basil.

3. Stir in cream, Parmesan and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle mozzarella evenly over pasta. Transfer skillet to oven and bake until cheese has melted and browned, about 10 minutes. Serve.

tips:

*Be sure to preheat your oven before assembling the ingredients.
*If your skillet is not ovensafe, transfer the pasta mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole dish before sprinkling with the cheese and baking.
*Penne may be used in place of ziti.

Israeli Couscous With Cranberries and Pecans

run2cook — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 03:56:19 +0000

Based on a delicious product prepared nationwide at Whole Foods Markets. This recipe was originally posted on chowhound.com, with several modifications to suit my own preferences. I have made this delicious salad much to rave reviews. For a main course meal, grilled chicken or shrimp served on top would be terrific!

Serves 4-6 people

If you are lucky enough to find this great product, I highly recommend using the tri-color variety of Israeli couscous!

Salad:
2 cups Israeli couscous, uncooked
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 cup toasted pecans, coarsely chopped
2 scallions, minced

Dressing:
3 tbsp canola oil
1.5 tbsp champagne -or- white wine vinegar
zest of 1 orange
1/2 orange, juiced maybe a little more to taste
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp dried tarragon
Salt and pepper to taste

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and add the couscous. When it’s done (roughly 8-10 mins, or when it’s al dente), drain it but do not rinse. Set aside and let cool while you mince the scallions, toast and chop the pecans, and make the dressing.

In a small bowl, whisk together the canola oil, vinegar, orange zest and juice, spices and salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the couscous, cranberries, pecans and scallions. Pour the well-whisked dressing over it and toss to combine.

Serve immediately, or chill in the fridge for a few hours to blend the flavors. Best served at room temperature. Enjoy!

Homemade Olive Oil Crackers

run2cook — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 01:13:13 +0000

I needed crackers to serve along my delicious restaurant style hummus. I contemplated going to Whole Foods and buying that 7 dollar bag of fancy crackers, but really?? I wondered to myself — how difficult is it to just make crackers yourself? Not very hard at all. They’re quick to roll out and bake, they cost next to nothing, they’re infinitely customizable, and they’re as wholesome as the flour you use to make them. So now I make them all the time. Especially because my husband is a cheese and whatever kind of guy. These are healthy, easy and so rewarding to make. On Sunday, I make some crackers and then we’re basically set for a mid day snack: a good piece of cheese, a handful of crackers, a fresh apple, and a nice cold micro brewed beer from Colorado!

I never thought that using baking powder instead of yeast would result in such an amazing, light, lavash-like cracker in a lot less time than lavash would! This recipe is a keeper.

Yield: 25 crackers

250g -or- 2 cups all purpose flour (or half AP and half semolina-or-whole wheat)
1 tsp baking powder
7-9 T water
2 T extra virgin olive oil
Freshly coarse ground pepper
Sea salt to taste
For topping: coarse salt, black pepper, and seeds: poppy, sesame, caraway, celery, flax, pumpkin, whatever you like More olive oil for brushing

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, or the bowl of a Kitchen Aid add the flour baking powder, water, olive oil, salt and pepper. Knead the dough for 5-6 minutes until it all comes together.
Make walnut sized balls and roll them out as thinly as you can into long, oval shapes. Alternatively, you could roll half the dough out into a very thin rectangle and just use a knife or pizza cutter to cut into any desired shape you like.
Place the rolled out crackers on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, brush with olive oil and sprinkle with pink Himalayan salt (or poppy seeds, sesame seeds, za’atar, etc).
Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the crackers are golden brown in color. Keep a close watch!
Cool completely, they will continue to crisp. Store any leftover crackers in an airtight cracker container. They will keep for about a week or so (if they last that long…)

Restaurant Style Hummus

run2cook — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 00:13:28 +0000

There was a fantastic recipe titled “Best Hummus” in the May-June 2008 issue of Cook’s Illustrated, and I’ve been using it as my go to hummus.Many times I have tried to duplicate this delicious spread served at our favorite Mediterranean place. I mean, the taste was always ok, but I yearned for that perfect texture, both light and fluffy.So when my office potluck rolled around once again, I really needed to step up and find that perfect recipe of yummy, beany goodness. The following hints should help prevent disappointment in homemade concoctions.First, everybody’s taste in hummus is slightly different, but when in doubt, I prefer a texture with more light fluffiness and less pastiness, and this recipe achieves that goal.

Ingredients

To make ~1 1/2 cups hummus.

1/2 cup dried chickpeas (or 1 15-oz can, rinsed and drained)
3 TB lemon juice
1/4 cup water
6 TB tahini
2 TB extra-virgin olive oil (at least)
1 clove garlic
1 tsp kosher salt (1/2 teaspoon of the more finely grained kind)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 TB minced fresh cilantro or parsley (this is another optional-but-delicious ingredient that can be increased if you’re looking for more flavor)

Directions

If you’re starting from dried chickpeas, cook them first! Pre-soaking is really nice here because garbanzos are huge and sometimes need to cook for two hours even when soaked. The Cook’s Illustrated recipe suggests cooking the beans with 1/8 teaspoon baking soda, which I have never tried but the idea intrigues me. Combine lemon juice and water and set aside. Whisk tahini and 2T olive oil and set aside. Reserve 2 T of chickpeas. Process chickpeas, garlic, salt and cumin in food processor until almost ground about 15 seconds. While running, add lemon juice mixture in a stream and process 1 minute. Add oil/tahini mixture in a stream and process until smooth and fluffy, about 30-60 seconds. The idea being to make an emulsion, like vinaigrette, with oil smoothly coating everything). Be sure to scrape down the sides of your food processor periodically during this process. Spread hummus in a thin layer on a small platter or plate, then drizzle with olive oil, chickpeas and parsley. Best served the day it is made!

Serve hummus as a spread for sandwiches (falafel if you’re so inspired), use it as a dip with raw veggies or bread for dipping (pita is particularly nice), or some homemade olive oil crackers.

More possible garnish ideas: fresh herbs (as mentioned before); keep a few chickpeas aside; drizzle with olive oil; sprinkle with spices (cumin is especially nice roasted up a bit in a dry skillet or toaster oven).