Madison House Chef

Rhubarb Dessert

When we lived in North Dakota a woman named Betty Lou made the hands down, best, (should be) award winning rhubarb dessert ever. It was tart, yet sweet and the shortbread cookie style crust was buttery and flaky. We enjoyed it several times at her home and at potluck dinners -- she always took home a clean dish as there was never a single bite left. When I asked her about the recipe, she handed me a yellowed newspaper clipping that had been hand edited to double the recipe. I asked for a pen and paper to write down the information. "No, no. Just take it. I know how it's done," she replied. Once home I immediately attached it to a recipe card and covered it in plastic, knowing that this would be a family heirloom.  It is!

Figs with Goat Cheese and Honey

As I was walking through the produce department while picking up a few items for dinner, a couple boxes of beautiful figs caught my eye. They were perfectly ripe.  

Dessert!  

Now you have to understand that dessert is not a regular occurrence at our table, not because we don't like it ... trust me, my kids would have dessert after every meal, including breakfast if I'd let them ... but because most of the desserts that we yearn for are rich, creamy, high calorie, high fat, decadent plates that delight all the senses.  

The Secret Recipe for the most Tender & Delicious Ribs

I've been hungry for ribs and as we've traveled we've been looking for a good ribs place, but to no avail.  I may have to wait until we get home and have Ken make his soon to be famous ribs. 

The key to perfect ribs is time. 

Pasta alla Carbonara

 

This afternoon we drove up to my Mom and Dad's to surprise them -- they were. For supper tonight Ken and I made Carbonara for the 8 of us. Gregory has been craving it as his after-procedure comfort food and we decided to share it with the whole family.

 

 

 

"The Ragu Recipe"

A number of years ago I checked out of the library the book In Tuscany, a cookbook, photo journal by Frances Mayes.  I checked it out again...and again...and again.  We moved, and I checked it out of the library in our new town...twice.  Why, you ask?  For the Ragu recipe!  The dish instantly found it's way to the top ten list of favorite family foods (even GDG ate it).

FINALLY, I checked out the book one more time and actually took the time to write down the recipe.  I place it here on my blog as a Madison House Chef recommendation and as a permanent home ... yes, so that I don't have to check the book out of the library again.  LOL

Bok Choy with Mushrooms and Green Onion

Perusing the fresh vegetable aisle I often see Bok Choy, but rarely put it in my grocery basket.  With a recent intention to eat more vegetables and at the same time trying some new Japanese and Pan Asian recipes I impulsively put  a bunch in the cart.  It seems that bok choy may become a staple vegetable.  We're finding it to be delicious.

 

 

 

Fresh Mushroom Cream Soup

There has been a request for cream soup, so this one is for you, Susie.

This mushroom cream soup is light, yet full of flavor.  It's creamy, but not 'greasy' like some mushroom soups can be.  The recipe is essentially original based on reading and reviewing several cream of mushroom style soups.

I served it with fresh bread and a glass of Cabernet.

 

Soup of the Day: Salmon Chowder

Salmon Chowder was this evening's Soup of the Day.  It took a day longer than expected to make/eat it because when we came home yesterday with salmon and potatoes (by the way, it's potatoes that differentiate chowder from soup) we realized we did not have any fish stock or other seafood stock. We didn't want chicken tasting soup (we have lots of chix and turkey stock) with fish in it.  What to do?  We made risotto with shrimp and before the risotto was even in the pan began to make seafood stock with the shrimp shells, which incidentally turned out to be luscious.  It happened so quickly that there aren't even photos of stock making this time.  

Soup of the Day: Italian Vegetable Soup

 

This soup is quite good (Ken:  B   Denise:  B) and a nice cross between minestrone and regular veggie soup.  It's essentially from another recipe in the Soup Bible.  Another good way to sneak veggie servings into the daily menu.

 

 

 

Risotto Addiction

I'm addicted to cooking RISOTTO. 

I've eaten some delicious risotto over the past years, as a main dish, as a pasta course, and as a side dish, but never really had taken the time to learn how to make it at home.  It's not as if it's in the category of lamb (which to date I've refused to perfect at home for fear of looking at the menu and thinking, "I make that, and that, and that... I'm not paying $26.95 for 'that' because I made that last week...), but I've simply been under the (false) assumption that since risotto needs to be attended for 25 minutes, it's simply not feasible for someone with 2 kids, a telephone, and various other distractions to stand and stir a single dish to prepare it perfectly.

Finally, after a true craving for risotto I decided to give it a try and began with Mario Batali's (Mushroom Risotto) Risotto al Porcini: Porcini Risotto.  Amazing!  Delicious!  Much easier than I ever imagined.

Next, Mario's Risotto Milanese: Risotto in the Style of Milan.  I added small pieces of shrimp to the stock pot and added them a little at a time and then toward the end of the cooking time I added some cooked shrimp and renamed the dish "seafood risotto."

Today I made Batali's Risotto al Vino Rosso: Red Wine Risotto.  It was fine, but not as rich as the other two.  I used a cheap table wine -- perhaps a good pinot would make a difference?

Next time, I'm going to try this fine Cooking recipe which contends that risotto doesn't need to be monitored so closely as I imagine. 

As for a cooking pan, I've been using my 14 inch Calphalon pan which for the most part works well, but at times it seems that there is too much surface area to attend to and to cover with stock.  I may try a smaller pan (10") in the future or even a 2.5 q pan to see if it makes a difference.

Ah, the joy of perfecting a recipe.

Why do I have BRICKS in my refrigerator?

Why do I have BRICKS in my refrigerator???  Because my brother gave me some of the most wonderful salmon filets and I'm making gravlax.

1 C salt, kosher
2 C sugar
a handful of peppercorns
a large bunch of dill, pulled apart and gathered in large-ish handfuls

Prepare two layers of plastic wrap by laying them out on the counter.

Rinse salmon.
Place salmon on plastic wrap.
Combine salt, sugar, and peppercorns.
Place a generous amount of the curing mixture on the fish.
Place a handful of dill on top of the mixture.
Wrap the fish tightly with plastic wrap.
Put into a ziploc bag and place into a dish.

Place a brick (or other heavy object) on the fish.

Place in the refrigerator for 3 days.  (May be turned over every 12 hours)

I'll let you know in three days how it went and what's next...

(Yes, one of the bricks look suspiciously like the heiroglyphic message from GDG's Ancient Egypt unit)

Crab Cakes with Roasted Red Pepper Couli

KAG is perfecting his (soon to be famous) roasted red pepper couli.  Most recently he added it atop Maryland style crab cakes. 

Delicious.   

The couli begins by roasting the red pepper in the oven at 400 degrees for at least 45 minutes.  Place the pepper uncovered in a foil lined baking pan. The foil helps keep the pan from ending up with much pepper-sludge, though we now have an old pan that is being used solely for roasting red peppers so the sludge issue is not much of an issue.   (KAG prefers oven roasting to over the flame roasting.  Oven roasting keeps it from inheriting a 'burnt' taste -- we want roasted here, not burnt!) 

Midway through the roasting, puncture a small hole in the side with a sharp knife to allow the excess pressure from the moisture/steam to escape.  If the red pepper is tight it has a good chance of exploding in the oven.  Can you say messy?

After 45 minutes or when pepper is very tender and collapsed, remove from oven, peel skin, cut into large pieces. After the pepper is prepared, place it and 2 tsp of balsamic vinegar (give or take depending upon the size of the red pepper)  in food processor and process until very smooth.  That's it!   Serve on, under, along side, with ... a myriad of 'nibblies.'

Crab stuffed Salmon

A delicious salmon lunch on a meatless day in Lent welcomed me thanks to KAG.  (The photos didn't do the fish justice thus I excluded them, but I'm certain you'll be able to get a sense of the finished product)

Crab stuffed Salmon

2 or 3 4 oz salmon fillets
6 ounces crab
1/3 C seasoned breadcrumbs
1 egg
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1. Remove skin and trim fillet, reserve any small pieces of salmon

2. Combine crab, breadcrumbs, egg, mustard, worcestershire sauce, Old Bay seasoning, and any pieces of salmon trimmings (mince - no skin, obviously) in a small bowl. Adjust seasoning amounts to your personal taste.

3. Place equal amounts of crab stuffing on the fillets, roll, secure with toothpick(s).

4. Place salmon-crab roll on its side in a baking dish.

5. Season top of roll with fresh ground pepper.

6.  Bake, uncovered at 400 degrees for 15 minutes (Time will vary slightly with thickness of fillet. If at the end of baking time fish is beginning to look dry, but is not quite finished, remove rolls to microwave safe dish and microwave for 45-60 seconds.)

Serve with a green vegetable and a spinach salad.

Mexican Wedding Cakes

One of KAG's favorite cookies is the Mexican Wedding Cake.  The recipe that I have is written in pencil, long hand scribble on the back of the a piece of paper from Leonard detailing the Advent devotional (the first).  The recipe contains no temperature, no baking time, and no directions.  Yet, I've never had them fail.

The actual recipe (at least how I make it) goes something like this:

Mexican Wedding Cake

1 C shortening
1/2 C powdered sugar, plus p.sugar for rolling hot cookies in
2 c flour
1 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
2 C chopped nuts (I use walnuts)

1. Cream shortening and sugar together in mixer until light and fluffy (1.5 - 2 minutes)

2. Add four, salt and vanilla.  Gently blend to mix.

3. Chop nuts, I use the food processor and grind them to a very fine chop; if a bit of 'walnut flour/dust' results that's perfectly fine and adds to the flavor

4. Mix nuts into dough.

5. Shape dough into 1/2 inch - 1 inch balls.  Place on parchment lined cookie sheet.

6. Bake at 350 degrees for 14 minutes.

7. Remove from oven and roll in powdered sugar.

Enjoy!

Maryland Style Crab Cakes

One of the delightful benefits of living out east was the abundance of fresh seafood.  Soft shell crabs, crab legs, fresh fish all season at reasonable prices (at least compared to the midwest price and availability).

Many an evening during soft shell crab season we sat at an old restaurant called Lincoln Logs (long since out of business) where newspaper covered long tables were graced with half bushel baskets full of soft crabs.  The meal came with salad bar and bread, but I don't know anyone who ate but a leaf or two of lettuce ever.  Crabs and beer; we'd eat until we couldn't move and then sit around later and pick the Old Bay Seasoning out of our fingers.

We miss crab probably more than anything, but from time to time we pick up a can (sigh, yes can) of crab and make crab cakes from the Phillip's (wonderful restaurant in D.C) recipe.

Maryland Style Crab Cakes

1 lb. Crab -- or whatever you've got
1 tsp. seafood seasoning
1/2 C breadcrumbs (panko works best)
1 egg
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 tsp. dry mustard
2 T mayo
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 T melted butter
1 tsp. parsley

1. Combine all ingredients except crab meat. Gently fold in crab meat.

2. Shape into cakes.

3. Pan fry or bake at 375 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes until cakes are evenly browned and reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

The crab cakes shown in the photo above was today's lunch.  Delicious.  Served on a bed of fresh organic spinach.  We only had one tiny can of crab today so the cakes aren't as crabby as they would be with a full pound, but let me tell you...  nothing went to waste.