Archive for March, 2015

This easy rib recipe from the March 2015 issue of Bon Appetit yields delicious results. Pulse chiles, garlic, oil, vinegar, rosemary and hot pepper flakes together in your food processor, smear all over the ribs, wrap up tightly in foil and bake at a low temperature for three hours. Then just run them under the broiler until browned. The meat falls off the bones, and the spicy marinade is delicious. Cook’s note: Fresno chiles look like red jalapenos. If you can’t find them, use green jalapenos instead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the rice vinegar has no preservatives. I use Marukan brand.

Coat the ribs with the sauce and wrap tightly in foil

After three hours, the ribs are very tender

Brown the ribs under the broiler

Ingredients:

1 rack St. Louis–style pork ribs (2–3 lb./900 g to 1.36 kg)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

5 Fresno chiles, seeded if desired

10 garlic cloves

½ cup (125 ml) olive oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh rosemary leaves

½ teaspoon (5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped fresh parsley

Lemon wedges (for serving)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 250° F (120° C. Place a double layer of foil large enough to wrap ribs on a rimmed baking sheet (to catch any drips). Set ribs on top and generously season with salt and pepper.

Pulse chiles, garlic, oil, vinegar, rosemary, and red pepper flakes in a food processor until mixture is almost smooth (a few larger pieces should still be visible). Rub ribs all over with marinade and pour any excess over top. Wrap up tightly in foil.

Roast ribs until meat is tender but not quite falling off the bone, 2½–3 hours. To check doneness, run a paring knife through 2 or 3 ribs; it should slide easily into flesh.

Heat broiler. Once ribs are cool enough to handle, remove foil and reserve juices. Place ribs on a clean rimmed baking sheet and broil until charred in spots and marinade has formed a golden-brown crust, 8–10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and let rest at least 10 minutes.

Slice meat into individual ribs. Drizzle with reserved juices and top with parsley. Serve with lemon wedges. Serves 4.

From the March 2015 issue of Bon Appetit

This recipe from the January 2015 issue of Bon Appetit is a little unusual, but it is very good. It also introduced me to an ingredient I had never tried before — nutritional yeast. These yellow flakes, a form of deactivated yeast, add a cheesy, nutty flavour to foods and are popular with vegans and vegetarians. A little Google research indicated that a good brand was Purely Bulk, so we picked some up at the health food store. They did add a depth of flavour and umami (savoury taste) to the broccoli. I used a combination of chopped cashews and almonds instead of peanuts.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Marukan seasoned rice vinegar, which has no preservatives. Check the label of the nuts, as they can contain additives and preservatives.

Nutritional yeast adds savoury flavour

Cook the florets in a dry skillet until they start to brown

Roasted and charred broccoli with nuts

Ingredients:

1 bunch broccoli (about 1½ lb./680 g), ends trimmed, stems peeled

3 tablespoons (45 ml) olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons (30 ml) unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted, roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped

½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) sugar

2 tablespoons (30 ml) nutritional yeast, plus more

4 scallions, thinly sliced

Flaky sea salt (such as Maldon)

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450° F (232° C). Slice broccoli stems on a diagonal ¼” (0.6 cm) thick. Transfer to a rimmed baking sheet, toss with oil, and season with kosher salt and pepper. Gather up loose pieces of left-behind florets and finely chop. Roast stems until browned around edges, 15–20 minutes. Add vinegar; toss to coat.

Meanwhile, heat a dry medium skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high. Add florets. Season with kosher salt and pepper and cook, stirring often, until bright green and lightly charred in spots, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add peanuts and sugar. Cook, stirring, until nuts are golden brown. Stir in 2 Tbsp. (30 ml) nutritional yeast; season again.

Serve broccoli stems and florets topped with scallions, sea salt, and more yeast. Serves 4.

From the January 2015 issue of Bon Appetit

Spring may be just around the corner, but while there is still a chill in the air try this delicious baked pasta from Lucy Waverman. This is comfort food at its best – Italian sausages, a creamy sauce and five kinds of cheese. Enjoy it with a salad and a glass of wine.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for sausages without fillers or preservatives and for wine with a sulfite count lower than 10 parts per million. Cheese may contain colour, so read the label carefully. Use butter that contains only cream.

After browning sausage, mix ingredients in a bowl

Place pasta in glass baking dish and top with cheese

Bake until bubbling and brown on top

Ingredients:

12 oz (375 g) rigatoni

2 tbsp (30 ml) olive oil

3 mild Italian sausages, meat removed from casings (14 oz or 400 g)

½ tsp (5 ml) chili flakes

½ cup (125 ml) white wine

1 cup (250 ml) whipping cream

1 cup (250 ml) milk

8 oz (250 g) ricotta

1 4-oz (125 g) ball buffalo mozzarella, sliced

8 oz (250 g) grated fontina

4 oz (125 g) grated ricotta salata (or feta)

1 cup (250 ml) green peas, defrosted if frozen

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tbsp (15 ml) butter

½ (125 ml) cup grated Parmesan

Preparation:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add rigatoni and cook for 6 to 8 minutes or until pasta is slightly undercooked (it will continue to cook as it bakes). Drain and reserve, reserving 1 cup (250 ml) cooking water separately.

Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble in sausage meat and cook, breaking up with a fork, until it loses its pinkness, 4 to 5 minutes. Add chili flakes and cook for 1 more minute. Add wine and bring to boil. Boil until wine is reduced by half, about 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in reserved cooking water. Return to a boil then remove from heat.

Transfer contents of skillet to a bowl and allow to cool. Stir in cream, milk, ricotta, buffalo mozzarella, fontina, ricotta salata and green peas. Stir in pasta. Taste for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Butter a 9 x 13-inch (23 x 33 cm) baking dish. Pour pasta mixture into dish and dot with butter. Cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with Parmesan. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes longer or until mixture is bubbling and cheese is golden on top. Serves 6-8.

From Lucy Waverman

This comforting and nutritious soup from Anne Lindsay is very easy to make and ready in less than 45 minutes. Saute onion and garlic, add cumin, red lentils and stock and simmer for a half-hour. Finish with some lemon juice and top with cilantro or parsley.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I use Imagine brand chicken stock, which is additive-free. Use freshly squeezed lemon juice, as the concentrates are bitter and contain preservatives.

Rinse the lentils well before using

Saute lentils with cumin, onion and garlic

Add stock and simmer for a half-hour

Lemony lentil soup

Ingredients:

2 tsp (10 ml) olive oil

1 onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves finely chopped

A pinch or two red hot peper flakes

1 tsp (5 ml) ground cumin

1½ cups (375 ml) red lentils, rinsed

6 cups (1.5 L) chicken stock

2 tbsp (30 ml) lemon juice

2 tbsp (30 ml) finely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Preparation:

Heat oil in Dutch oven. Add onion, garlic and hot pepper flakes and cook on low heat for three to five minutes, until fragrant.

Add cumin and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in lentils and combine well.

Add stock, salt and pepper and bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender and soup is beginning to thicken, about 25 to 30 minutes.

Soup can be pureed, partially pureed or left thick. Add extra stock or water to thin if necessary. Add lemon juice and taste, adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve sprinkled with cilantro or parsley. Serves 6.

From Anne Lindsay

This recipe from Martha Stewart Living is perfect for entertaining. You can use a whole chicken, cut up, or chicken pieces. Roast the chicken with lemon and orange juice, wine, dates and thyme, adding olives partway through. Once the chicken is done, boil the sauce to reduce it and serve over the chicken.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh fruit and their juices. Dates may contain sulfites, so read the label carefully. I used a white wine from Frogpond Farm with no sulfites added and President’s Choice garlic-stuffed green olives.

Squeeze juice over chicken and nestle citrus wedges into chicken

The chicken takes about 40 minutes to cook

Roasted chicken with dates, citrus and olives

Ingredients:

1 whole chicken (about 5 pounds/2.25 kg), cut into 10 pieces

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

3 tablespoons (45 ml) extra-virgin olive oil

1 lemon, quartered

1 orange, quartered, plus ½ cup (125 ml) fresh juice (from 2 to 3 oranges)

¼ cup (60 ml) dry white wine, such as Sauvignon Blanc

12 large soft dates, such as medjool or khadrawi, halved and pitted

3 sprigs thyme

1 cup (250 ml) large green olives

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (232 degrees C). In a large roasting pan, season chicken with salt and pepper; drizzle with oil. Squeeze lemon and orange over chicken, then add fruit to pan. Add wine, orange juice, half of dates, and thyme. Roast 25 minutes.

Remove pan from oven; rotate chicken pieces if browning unevenly. Add olives and remaining dates. Roast until a thermometer inserted in chicken breast (avoiding bone) registers 160 degrees F (71 degrees C), about 15 minutes more. Transfer chicken and citrus to a platter.

Place roasting pan over high heat, mashing some of dates with the back of a wooden spoon, until sauce is reduced and thickened, about 3 minutes. Pour over chicken; serve. Serves 6.

From Martha Stewart Living