Eye for a Recipe

This delicious dessert from Ina Garten’s Modern Comfort Food would be a great ending to a dinner party or Easter brunch. Marinate peach wedges in Grand Marnier while you whip up a batter and add dry ingredients. Place the batter in a springform pan, top with peaches, sugar and almonds and bake for about 50 minutes. Cook’s note: I used Cointreau instead of Grand Marnier and brown sugar instead of raw sugar.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Make sure the butter contains only milk or cream, with no added preservatives or colour. Use pure vanilla and almond extracts. No Name sliced almonds are additive-free.

Place batter in springform pan and top with peaches, sugar and almonds

Bake about 50 minutes, until golden brown on top

Ingredients:

¾ lb (340 g) ripe peaches, unpeeled, cut into 8-10 wedges (2 large peaches)

2 tbsp (30 ml) Grand Marnier

¼ lb (113 g/1 stick) of unsalted butter, room temperature

¾ cup (187.5 ml) sugar

½ tsp (2.5 ml) vanilla extract

¼ tsp (1.25 ml) almond extract

2 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (250 ml) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5 ml) baking powder

½ tsp (2.5 ml) kosher salt

2 tbsp (30 ml) raw sugar

2 tbsp (30 ml) blanched, sliced almonds

Confectioners’ sugar

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 F (176 C). Grease an 8-inch (20-cm) springform pan, set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the peaches with the Grand Marnier. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for two minutes, until light and fluffy. With the mixer on low, add the vanilla, almond extract and eggs, one at a time, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Stir with a rubber spatula.

Pour mixture into prepared springform pan, smoothing the top. Gently press the peaches in concentric circles into the top of the batter. Sprinkle peaches with the raw sugar and almonds.

Bake about 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool slightly, dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve warm or at room temperature. Serves 6.

From Modern Comfort Food

If you’re looking for a hearty lunch after bringing home the perfect holiday tree, look no further than this delicious soup from Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten. It has all the flavours of a savoury chicken pot pie in a hearty soup — comfort in a bowl. The recipe calls for puff pastry croutons; I didn’t make them and the soup was still fantastic. I omitted the sherry and used fresh instead of frozen pearl onions. Adding a Parmesan cheese rind adds terrific flavour – I keep them in the freezer and use to enhance soups and tomato sauce.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Sherry often contains sulfites. I used Imagine Organic chicken stock. Genuine Parmesan cheese is additive-free.

Chicken pot pie soup

Ingredients:

Soup

3 chicken breasts, skin on, bone in (2½-3 lb/1.13-1.36 kg total)

Olive oil

4 tsp (20 ml) kosher salt, plus more to taste

1½ tsp (7.5 ml) freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

6 tbsp (90 ml) unsalted butter

5 cups (1.25 L) chopped leeks, white and green parts (3)

4 cups (1 L) chopped fennel, tops and cores removed (2 bulbs)

3 cups (½-inch/1.25-cm) diced carrots (5 medium)

1 tbsp (15 ml) minced garlic (3 cloves)

1 tbsp (15 ml) chopped fresh tarragon

¼ cup (60 ml) cornstarch

¾ cup (185 ml) cream sherry, divided

7 cups (1.75 L) chicken stock, preferably homemade

1 (2 x 3-inch/5 x 7.6-cm) Italian Parmesan cheese rind

1 (10-oz/285 g) box frozen peas

1 cup (250 ml) frozen whole pearl onions

¼ cup (60 ml) minced fresh parsley

Puff pastry croutons

½ (17.3-oz/490 g) pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed

Flour, for dusting

1 extra-large egg, beaten

1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preparation:

Puff pastry croutons

Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Lightly dust a board and rolling pin with all-purpose flour. Unfold puff pastry. Lightly dust with flour and lightly roll to smooth out folds. Use star-shaped or fluted round cookie cutters to cut out 12 stars or rounds; place on prepared pan. Combine and cream; brush over tops of stars or rounds. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake 8–10 minutes or until puffed and golden brown.

Soup

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).

Place chicken, skin side up, on a sheet pan. Rub with oil; season generously with salt and pepper. Roast 35 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 130°–140°F (54°-60°C). Set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove and discard skin and bones. Cut chicken into a 1-inch (2.54-cm) dice; set aside.

Meanwhile, melt butter in a medium heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven over medium.

Add leeks, fennel and carrots; sauté over medium-high 10 minutes or until leeks are tender but not browned. Stir in garlic and tarragon; sauté 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. Add ½ cup (125 ml) sherry, stock, 4 tsp (20 ml) salt, 1½ tsp (7.5 ml) pepper and Parmesan rind. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes.

Add chicken, peas and onions. Simmer, uncovered, 5 minutes. Off the heat, remove Parmesan rind; add remaining ¼ cup (60 ml) sherry and parsley. Serve hot in large shallow bowls topped with 2 puff pastry croutons. Serves 6.

From Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten

This dish from the Barefoot Contessa is a great make-ahead side dish or vegetarian and gluten-free main dish. You can omit the cheese to make it vegan. Note: The recipe uses coarse kosher salt; if you are using a finer-grain kosher salt, use the smaller amount. You can make the salad up to two days ahead, but don’t add the feta until you are ready to serve it.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice and a feta cheese with no preservatives, such as Tre Stelle.

Cook quinoa until tender and toss with lemon juice, olive oil and salt

Combine vegetables and herbs in a large bowl

Add quinoa to vegetables and herbs and add feta just before serving

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) quinoa

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)

¼ cup (60 ml) good olive oil

1 cup (250 ml) thinly sliced scallions, white and green parts (5 scallions)

1 cup (250 ml) chopped fresh mint leaves (2 bunches)

1 cup (250 ml) chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1 hothouse cucumber, unpeeled, seeded and medium-diced

2 cups (500 ml) cherry tomatoes, halved through the stem

2 cups (500 ml) medium-diced feta (8 ounces/227 g)

Preparation:

Pour 2 cups (500 ml) of water into a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the quinoa and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of salt, lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes, until the grains are tender and open (they’ll have little curly tails). Drain, place in a bowl and immediately add the lemon juice, olive oil and 1 (5 ml) to 1 ½ (7.5 ml) teaspoons of salt.

In a large bowl, combine the scallions, mint, parsley, cucumber, tomatoes, 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) of salt and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of pepper. Add the quinoa and mix well. Carefully fold in the feta and taste for seasonings. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate and serve cold. Serves 8.

From the Barefoot Contessa

Several articles and food blogs claim that this recipe from the Barefoot Contessa is the best broccoli they’ve ever had. It’s very good; the roasting brings out great flavour from the broccoli and garlic and the lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, Parmesan and basil really dress this dish up. The recipe below calls for 4 to 5 lbs/1.8 to 2.2 kg broccoli to serve 6. That’s a lot of broccoli, so adjust accordingly.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use freshly squeezed lemon juice. Check the pine nuts to make sure they don’t contain a preservative. Genuine Parmesan cheese is additive-free.

Arrange broccoli on baking sheet with garlic, oil, salt and pepper

Roast until the broccoli is charred and tender

Top with lemon zest and juice, pine nuts, Parmesan and basil

Ingredients:

4 to 5 pounds (1.8 to 2.2. kg) broccoli

4 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced

Good olive oil

1½ (7.5 ml) teaspoons kosher salt

½ (2.5 ml) teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons (10 ml) grated lemon zest

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

3 tablespoons (45 ml) pine nuts, toasted

1/3 cup (85 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons (30 ml) julienned fresh basil leaves (about 12 leaves)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (218 C).

Cut the broccoli florets from the thick stalks, leaving an inch or two (2.5 to 5 cm) of stalk attached to the florets, discarding the rest of the stalks. Cut the larger pieces through the base of the head with a small knife, pulling the florets apart. You should have about 8 cups (2 L) of florets. Place the broccoli florets on a sheet pan large enough to hold them in a single layer. Toss the garlic on the broccoli and drizzle with 5 tablespoons (75 ml) olive oil. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper. Roast for 20 to 25 minutes, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

Remove the broccoli from the oven and immediately toss with 1½ tablespoons (22.5 ml) olive oil, the lemon zest, lemon juice, pine nuts, Parmesan, and basil. Serve hot. Serves 6.

From the Barefoot Contessa

This recipe from Ina Garten’s new cookbook Cook Like a Pro, is based on the farro salad served at New York City’s Charlie Bird restaurant. Farro is cooked in apple juice or cider, then tossed with a lemony vinaigrette, pistachios, parsley, mint, tomatoes and radishes. Delicious!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used pure apple juice instead of cider. Be sure to use freshly squeezed lemon juice, genuine Parmesan cheese that does not contain additives and pistachios with no colour or preservatives added.

This salad contains arugula, herbs, tomatoes, radishes and pistachios.

Toss the cooked farro with the vinaigrette and let stand for 15 minutes.

Charlie Bird's Farro Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup (250 ml) pearled farro (6 ounces/170 g)

1 cup (250 ml) fresh apple cider

2 bay leaves

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (125 ml) good olive oil

¼ cup (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup (125 ml) roasted, salted pistachios, whole or chopped

1 cup (250 ml) roughly chopped fresh parsley

1 cup (250 ml) roughly chopped fresh mint leaves

1 cup (250 ml) cherry or grape tomatoes, halved through the stem

1/3 cup (85 ml) thinly sliced radishes (2 to 3 radishes)

2 cups (500 ml) baby arugula

½ cup (125 ml) shaved Italian Parmesan cheese

Flaked sea salt, such as Maldon

Preparation:

Place the farro, apple cider, bay leaves, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) salt, and 2 cups (500 ml) water in a medium saucepan, bring to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes, until the farro is tender. (If all the liquid is absorbed before the farro is tender, add a little more water.)

Drain the farro and transfer to a large serving bowl. Discard the bay leaves.

Meanwhile, in a small measuring cup, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) salt, and ½ teaspoon (2.5 ml) pepper. Stir the vinaigrette into the warm farro and set aside for at least 15 minutes to cool. Before serving, stir in the pistachios, parsley, mint, tomatoes, and radishes.

Add the arugula and lightly fold in the Parmesan so as not to break it up too much. Sprinkle with the sea salt and serve immediately. Serves 6.

From Cook Like a Pro by the Barefoot Contessa

I’m a big fan of the Barefoot Contessa, especially her chicken recipes. This one does not disappoint. Warm minced garlic in oil, then add lemon zest, juice, wine, oregano and thyme. Pour over chicken pieces, bake and enjoy!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

I used a white wine from Frogpond Farm with a sulfite level lower than 10 parts per million. Be sure to use fresh lemon juice.

Pour sauce over chicken and bake until done

Ina Garten's lemon chicken

Ingredients:

¼ cup (60 ml) olive oil

3 tablespoons (45 ml) minced garlic, 8-9 cloves

⅓ cup (85 ml) dry white wine

1 tablespoon (15 ml) lemon zest, from about 2 lemons

2 tablespoons (30 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice, about 1 lemon

1 ½ teaspoons (7.5 ml) dried oregano

1 teaspoon (5 ml) fresh thyme leaves

Salt and pepper to taste (optional)

4 boneless, skin-on chicken breasts, 4 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs, or 2 skin-on half chickens, patted dry

Slices lemon, from remaining lemon after zesting

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C.

In a small sauce pan, warm the oil over low heat. Add the garlic and stir until fragrant. Do not let the garlic brown. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, stir together the wine, lemon zest and juice, oregano, and thyme.

Whisk the wine mixture into the warm oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

In an oven safe-baking dish, pour in about half of the wine and oil mixture. Place the chicken over the sauce, skin side up. Tuck the lemon slices under the chicken skin. Season the skin with salt and pepper, if using. Pour the remaining wine and oil mixture over the chicken.

Cook times: boneless skin-on chicken breasts: 30 – 40 minutes; boneless skinless chicken breasts: 25 – 35 minutes; bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs: 40 – 50 minutes; skin-on half chickens: 45 – 55 minutes. Serves 4.

From Ina Garten, the Barefoot Contessa

I always like to get a cookbook for Christmas, and this year I was happy to receive the latest from the Barefoot Contessa — Cooking for Jeffrey. This is the first recipe I’ve tried, and it’s a winner! Onion and fennel are sautéed with sausage and spices, simmered in a tomato-cream sauce, tossed with cooked pasta and baked. You can also make it ahead.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Look for sausages, Parmesan, tomato paste and spices with no colour or preservatives added. I used a white wine from Niagara-on-the-Lake’s Frogpond Farm organic winery that contains only naturally occurring sulfites.

Saute fennel, onion and sausage

Toss cooked pasta with sauce and press into baking dish, topping with Parmesan

I refrigerated the dish for several hours and then baked it until it was heated through and brown on top

Ingredients:

3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil

3 cups (750 ml) chopped fennel (1 large bulb)

1½ cups (375 ml) chopped yellow onion

1¼ lb (565 g) sweet or hot Italian sausage, casings removed

2 tsp (10 ml) minced garlic

½ tsp (2.5 ml) whole fennel seeds, crushed with a mortar and pestle

½ tsp (2.5 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

1 cup (250 ml) dry white wine

1 cup (250 ml) heavy cream (whipping cream)

2/3 cup (150 ml) half-and-half

2 tbsp (30 ml) tomato paste

1 lb (454 g) dry rigatoni

½ cup (125 ml) chopped parsley leaves

1 cup (250 ml) freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided

Preparation:

Heat the olive oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the fennel and onion and sauté for 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add the sausage and cook for 7 to 8 minutes, crumbling it with a fork, until nicely browned. Add the garlic, crushed fennel seeds, red pepper flakes, 2 tsp (10 ml) salt and 1 tsp (5 ml) black pepper and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the wine, bring to a boil, and add the heavy cream, half-and-half and tomato paste. Bring back to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil, add 2 tbsp (30 ml) salt and cook the rigatoni according to the directions on the package. Drain and add to the sauce, stirring to coat the pasta. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes to allow the pasta to absorb the sauce. Off the heat, stir in the parsley and ½ cup (125 ml) of the Parmesan. Press into a large shallow baking dish, sprinkle with remaining Parmesan and serve. To make ahead, refrigerate for up to a day and then bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 C).

From Cooking for Jeffrey by Ina Garten

This is another recipe from the Barefoot Contessa’s new cookbook, Make It Ahead. It is very easy, nutritious and, of course, you can make it ahead. If you aren’t adept at making a good seal with the parchment paper packets, use a stapler!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use fresh lemon juice because the concentrates contain sodium benzoate. I use President’s Choice garlic-stuffed olives.

Place fish on parchment and add seasonings and olives

The fish will steam inside the parchment and be done in about 15 minutes

Herb-roasted fish

Ingredients:

4 12 x 16-inch (30 x 40 cm) pieces of parchment paper

4 8-ounce (250 g) boneless fish fillets, such as snapper or cod

2 teaspoons (10 ml) kosher salt

1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

4 tablespoons (60 ml) freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 tablespoons (60 ml) good olive oil

8 large sprigs fresh thyme

8 large green olives with pits

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).

Place one fish fillet on a piece of parchment paper and sprinkle it with ¼ of the salt and ¼ of the pepper. Drizzle 1 tablespoon (15 ml) each of the lemon juice and olive oil over the top of the fillet. Lay two sprigs of thyme on top and place 2 olives next to the fillet. Repeat with the other three fish fillets.

Brush the egg whites around the edges of the parchment paper and fold in half. Carefully fold the edge of the parchment paper under and around the fish to make a package. Repeat for the other three packages. You can prepare the packages and refrigerate for up to one day. When ready to cook, place the package on a sheet pan and cook for 12 to 15 minutes, until the fish is cooked through. Serve hot in the parchment paper. Serves 4.

From the Barefoot Contessa’s Make It Ahead

The Barefoot Contessa’s latest cookbook, Make It Ahead, contains make-ahead instructions for every recipe it contains. This garlic and herb roasted shrimp is a terrific dish and so easy. Melt some butter, add olive oil, seasonings and lemon zest. Pour over the shrimp and pop the dish in the fridge. When you are ready to eat, roast the shrimp for about 15 minutes. Serve with crusty bread or rice, and a salad or green vegetable.

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

Use butter that contains only cream and look for shrimp with no additives.

Mix butter, oil and seasonings

Pour mixture over shrimp and top with lemon slices

Garlic & Herb Roasted Shrimp

Ingredients:

¼ pound (125 g/1 stick) unsalted butter

2 tablespoons (30 ml) good olive oil

2 tablespoons (30 ml) minced garlic (6 cloves)

2 teaspoons (10 ml) minced fresh rosemary leaves

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) crushed red pepper flakes

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 large lemons

2 pounds (1 kg) shrimp, peeled with the tails on

1 teaspoon (5 ml) coarse sea salt

4 slices country bread, toasted

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 C).

Melt the butter over low heat in a medium (10-inch/25-cm) sauté pan. Add the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, red pepper flakes, 1 teaspoon (5 ml) kosher salt, and ½ teaspoon (2 ml) black pepper and cook over low heat for one minute. Off the heat, zest one of the lemons directly into the butter mixture.

Meanwhile, arrange the shrimp snugly in one layer in a large (12-inch/30-cm) round ovenproof sauté pan (or 10 x 13-inch/25 x  33-cm baking dish) with only the tails overlapping. Pour the butter mixture over the shrimp. Sprinkle with the sea salt and ½ teaspoon (2ml) black pepper.

Slice the ends off the zested lemon, cut five (¼-inch/6-cm-thick) slices, and tuck them among the shrimp. Roast for 12 to 15 minutes, just until the shrimp are firm, pink, and cooked through. Cut the remaining lemon in half and squeeze the juice onto the shrimp.

Serve hot with the toasted bread for dipping into the garlic butter. To make ahead, prep the dish and refrigerate it in the pan. Roast before serving. Serves 4.

From Make it Ahead by the Barefoot Contessa

Everyone should have a good spaghetti and meatballs recipe in their arsenal, and this one from the Barefoot Contessa is a classic. The meatballs, which contain three kinds of meat, are simmered in a savoury tomato sauce. Serve on top of cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with lots of Parmesan cheese. This recipe takes a little time to prepare, but your family and friends will love it!

Avoiding Additives and Preservatives

White bread, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, nutmeg, red wine and canned tomatoes may contain preservatives, colour or sulfites. The bread and bread crumbs should contain only natural ingredients. I used a wedge of President’s Choice Parmesan cheese and red wine from Frogpond Farm that had no sulfites added. Buy whole nutmeg and grate it on a microplane grater – it will taste much fresher than pre-ground nutmeg, which can include anti-caking chemicals. I use Unico canned tomatoes, which contain only tomatoes and salt.

The meatballs are made with veal, pork and beef

Make about 15 meatballs, two inches in diameter

Brown the meatballs well

Saute the onion and garlic in the same pan

Deglaze the pan to incorporate the delicious brown bits, aka fond

Simmer the meatballs in the tomato sauce

Serve atop cooked spaghetti and sprinkle with Parmesan

Ingredients:

For the meatballs:

½ pound ground veal
½ pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 cup fresh white bread crumbs (4 slices, crusts removed)
¼ cup seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 extra-large egg, beaten
Vegetable oil
Olive oil

For the sauce:

1 tablespoon good olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion (1 onion)
1 ½ teaspoons minced garlic
½ cup good red wine, such as Chianti
1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes, or plum tomatoes in puree, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

For serving:

1 ½ pounds spaghetti, cooked according to package directions

Freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

Place the ground meats, both bread crumbs, parsley, Parmesan, salt, pepper, nutmeg, egg, and 3/4 cup warm water in a bowl. Combine very lightly with a fork. Using your hands, lightly form the mixture into 2-inch meatballs. You will have 14 to 16 meatballs.

Pour equal amounts of vegetable oil and olive oil into a large (12-inch) skillet to a depth of 1/4 inch. Heat the oil. Very carefully, in batches, place the meatballs in the oil and brown them well on all sides over medium-low heat, turning carefully with a spatula or a fork. This should take about 10 minutes for each batch. Don’t crowd the meatballs.

Remove the meatballs to a plate covered with paper towels. Discard the oil but don’t clean the pan. For the sauce, heat the olive oil in the same pan. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent, 5 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the wine and cook on high heat, scraping up all the brown bits in the pan, until almost all the liquid evaporates, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, parsley, salt, and pepper.

Return the meatballs to the sauce, cover, and simmer on the lowest heat for 25 to 30 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through. Serve hot on cooked spaghetti and pass the grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 6.

From Family Style by the Barefoot Contessa