Spring Comfort Food - Shrimp Risotto with Bacon Gremolata

Comfort food is generally associated with winter weather.

But what comforts you when a spring day turns wet, gray and cold?

Light yet satisfying, this dish is best made in the spring when asparagus is at its peak. Spring peas work just as well.

Shrimp Risotto with Bacon Gremolata: serves 4

Shrimp Stock:
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined - set aside. Reserve shells
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 shallot, peeled and cut into 4 pieces
6 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
small bunch (a couple of sprigs) fresh parsley

Place the shrimp shells, water, broth, shallot, peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley in a large stock pot. Bring to a small boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the stock through a sieve and discard vegetables and shells.

Place stock in a large heavy saucepan. Keep warm over low heat.

Risotto:


2 tablespoons plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup shallots, chopped
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup steamed, diced asparagus spears
nutmeg - a few good grinds
salt to taste
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Bacon Gremolata:


4 strips bacon, cooked until crisp and drained
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced

Break bacon into small pieces, toss with the parsley, lemon zest and garlic. Set Aside

Melt butter in a large saucepan. Add shallots and saute over medium heat until transparent, about 2 minutes. Add rice and continue to saute another 2 minutes. Rice will turn from white to almost opaque. Add wine and cook until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add shrimp stock by 1/2 cup full, cooking after each addition until almost all the liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. This should take about 20-25 minutes.
Stir in shrimp and asparagus and cook until the shrimp are pink and firm. Stir in a few good grinds of fresh nutmeg. Take off heat and stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and the Parmesan cheese.

Spoon into shallow bowls and top with the bacon gremolata.

Eat with a smile. The spring rains are watering your summer vegetables.

A Cook's Notes: What the heck is gremolata? Gremolata (or gremolada) is a chopped herb condiment typically made of garlic, parsley, and lemon zest. It is a traditional accompaniment to the Italian Osso Buco. Although it is a common accompaniment to veal, the citrus element in gremolata makes it an appropriate addition to seafood dishes.

A Long Day and A Long Recipe - Cassoulet

We live in a very progressive school district.

When there are delays due to inclement weather, parents receive both an email and an automated phone message from the school district. It's all very high tech and efficient.

So as not to clog the system, the phone calls go out in alphabetical order, beginning around 7:00 pm the night before (when the weather can be predicted that far out).

Since our name is located somewhat far back in the alphabet, our automated phone message came at 4:30 am. Just after the plows finished their 8th. sweep of our street - which they began at 3:30 am.

The phone is on my side of the bed.

"Hey Mom, they woke me up too!"

Since I was up I thought I may as well put together a cassoulet.

If you've only heard about, but never eaten, cassoulet you may be expecting everything french like butter and cream and wonderful herbs and bread and cheese all rolled into an exotic fare fit for a king. In reality, cassoulet is a french country dish. It was traditionally prepared using leftover meats and vegetables and would be cooked over the course of 2 or 3 days. Cassoulet is good country comfort food.

There are as many versions of cassoulet as there are frenchmen in France. Here is my humble version, an American who adores french food.

Cassoulet starring sausage, lamb and duck* (serves a crowd or 4 very hungry people with leftovers - and the leftovers are fantastic)

1 pound andouille sausage

4 lamb shanks

1/2 pound bacon, diced and divided into half

2 duck leg confit (or 3 chicken thighs*)

32 ounces beef broth

red wine

5 tablespoons tomato paste

1 pound large white beans (lima or great northern white)

1 large onion, diced

4 stalks celery, diced

6 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thirds on the diagonal

sprig of fresh thyme

sprig of fresh rosemary

2 medium bay leaves

salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups fresh bread crumbs

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Large crock pot or large dutch oven.

If you are using a crock pot, set to low. If you are using a dutch oven, follow all the instructions and you will then cook everything on a very low flame.

Soak the beans overnight OR place in bottom of heavy pan, cover with hot water and boil for 2 minutes. Let cool in cooking water for 1 hour.

Cook 1/2 the bacon in a large dutch oven.

When the bacon is crisp remove with a slotted spoon and place in the crock pot. Add to the pot with the bacon fat, the onions, carrots and celery (the mire-poix) and cook gently until onions and celery are softened. Place in crock pot with the bacon.

Pour the beef broth into the crock pot.

Add the tomato paste and stir around to combine.

Make an herb garni using cheese cloth and the thyme, rosemary and bay leaves. Tie and add to the crock pot.

Add the soaked beans (strain) to the crock pot.

Slice the andouille sausage and add to crock pot. This is what your cassoulet looks like so far:

Place the remaining bacon into the dutch oven and cook until crisp. Remove the crisp bacon with a slotted spoon and place in crock pot.

Sprinkle pan searing (or wondra) flour over lamb shanks. Add the shanks to the dutch oven with the hot bacon fat and brown all over, about 10 minutes.

Add the browned lamb shanks to the crock pot.

Deglaze the dutch oven with a cup of red wine.

Scrape up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add to the crock pot. Place a lid on the crock pot and walk away. Cook on low for 6 hours. You can do all this the night before. Just cook it the next day, on low, all day long.

Final presentation:

One and a half hours before dinner, preheat oven to 400 F.

Taste and season with salt and pepper. Spoon Cassoulet into an oven proof casserole, arranging the beans and vegetables on the bottom. Add sliced duck confit*. Add any cooking juices to cover the beans and vegetables. Top with lamb shanks. Sprinkle with 2 cups dry white bread crumbs mixed with 1/2 cup chopped parsley. Drizzle with a bit of olive oil and bake, uncovered for one hour.

Serve with crusty french bread and a young red wine. Prepare to be wowed.

A Cook's Notes: *if you are not using Duck Leg Confit, use 3 chicken thighs. Brown them in bacon fat or olive oil and add to crock pot. After 5 hours, remove chicken thighs, remove skin and bone and shred, adding chicken back to the crock pot with beans and vegetables.

This recipe seems long and complicated, but it really isn't. Just follow the steps, adding the ingredients to the crock pot or second dutch oven. Then just walk away and let the slow cooker do the work.

If you are using a dutch oven, place on back burner of stove over very low flame and let cook for 5 hours; stirring occasionally.

A Question for You

In my life I have known both rags and riches. I am thankful for both as they have made me who I am today.

In my early twenties and thirties finances were very tight and there were always too many days between paychecks.

I have known both single parenthood and dual parenthood - where I was the only one contributing to the welfare of both myself and child and later, with a competent, responsible partner.

In later and recent years, finances improved. Savings accounts became a reality. Modest, yearly vacations became doable. Extras, once only dreamed of, became within reach.

This leads me to today's post.

Yesterday I was in my favorite market doing my holiday shopping. Mind you, I was not shopping for tonight's dinner or staples for the kitchen cupboard. I was shopping for holiday extras. Cheeses, breads, ingredients for special hors' doerves. A little crab, even some caviar. Champagne.

When I finally arrived at the checkout counter and began to unload my delicacies I became aware of a middle aged woman and her son, about college age, waiting in line behind me. I couldn't help overhearing their conversation. The woman was crying (not loudly) and was saying to the young man, "I'm doing the best that I can, I'm sorry"... the young man with her was rubbing her shoulder and assuring her that "it was okay, mom.. it's going to be alright".. She was clearly trying to hide her anguish.. to no avail.

At one point, the woman walked away as the clerk continued to ring up my purchases. I couldn't help myself and asked the young man, "is that your mom?" He said, "yes". I then asked if they were having a hard time of things during this holiday season. He responded by shrugging his shoulders and said, "yeah, a little bit".

My heart broke. I looked down at their cart. Oatmeal. Pasta. Rice. Bread. Milk. Not a specialty item in sight. I looked at my purchases...

My question for you, my readers... What would you have done if you were me?

The Dangers of Being a Food Snob

I have recently been called a food snob. I've been called worse in my life, but a food snob? Moi?

Yes, I will admit, I am particular when it comes to restaurant food. Is that a crime? I know what perfectly prepared food looks and tastes like. I'm on to the tricks restaurants use to stretch their food dollars. I have been down the road of plate coverage and I have eaten my share of "bad" food. I can spot food that has been prepared with quality ingredients, passion and love as soon as it prances out the kitchen door. And I can spot a fake at first bite.

When the best husband in the world and I go out to eat, the restaurant, pub, grill, bistro or sidewalk vendor is carefully selected. 

We can tell you (in our opinion) where the best burger joint is in a three state radius. 

French Country? No problem. Just up the street at a little place called A Toute Heurre (At Any Time) that also happens to serve only locally grown or produced foods. It is packed every night.

Best hot dog in the state? Hot Dog Johnny's in (my kids still laugh at this) Butzville, NJ.

Burger? Wertz's, Home of the Wertz Burger - across from the old Allentown Fairgrounds in Allentown, PA.

Intimate dinner for two featuring the best tapas around? Apollo Grille, Bethlehem, PA.

Favorite Micro Brewery? Bethlehem Brew Works, Bethlehem PA. 

Pizza - toss up between Emma's Brick Oven and Calabria's Sicilian Style right here in town.

 

Best Wine Bar in the state for food and wine value and sexy ambiance? The Wine Loft at the Piers in Long Branch, NJ.  

New York City - wow - I'd run out of blog space. Bobby Flay's Bar American for great food, cocktails and service. Bouley for atmosphere, gourmet excellence and a lovely little lemon cake they send home with you. TriBeCa Grill for cocktails and rack of lamb. Gotham Grill for squab.

 

Le Bec Fin in Philadelphia - a once in a lifetime treat. The Chef's Choice 9 course with wine is to die for.

Cafe TuTu Tango in Orlando Florida for roasted pear salad and other tapas meant for sharing while watching professional Flamingo Dancers whirl past your table and local artists working on their most recent creation. 

The Boat House in Bar Harbor that serves up steaming, fresh caught Maine Lobsters on hard wooden tables spread with newspapers and cold frosty mugs of beer. 

Best Mexican food north of the border? Tinga in Westfield, NJ. A little place where you order your food standing at a counter and if you're lucky they bring it to you when it's ready. 

The best meal of our life? In Bayeux France in a 11th. century manor house - the chef's choice. course after course of tiny bites of unbelievable flavor with perfectly paired French wines and Calvados made from neighboring orchards as an after dinner drink. 

We love food, all kinds of food. But a food snob, me? No way. 

The danger of being a food snob is well, just too dangerous. What would I miss out on? Pastrami and Swiss on fat sliced rye bread from a little corner deli? Funnel cake at a church bazaar, hot from the oil, still sizzling, dusted with powdered sugar? Ham , eggs and pancakes all puffed and golden at a silver diner located on a road to no where? A fresh Jersey peach picked right at the orchard, eaten immediately with juice running down your sleeves. It's too risky to be a food snob. 

AND what about my all time guilty pleasure, eaten in secret, hiding in shame and embarrassment at my lack of will power- oh the childhood memories of ... Fluffernutters on white bread - "oh sweet mystery of life I think I've found you". 

Salty JIF peanut butter with just the right amount of Marshmallow Fluff on way too fresh, soft white bread... would a bonafide food snob eat a Fluffernutter Sandwich? I think not. 

See, it doesn't matter what the main ingredients are, the ethnic background, the price tag - or where it is cooked. What matters is the freshness and quality of the ingredients, prepared with passion and attention to detail; served with pride. So walk-up window, casual neighborhood diner, 5 star rated restaurant, doesn't matter - as long as all of the above is mixed in. 

Food Snob? Moi? Never! Pass the Jif and Fluff please.

Fluffernutter Sandwich (serves one kid in you)

2 pieces white bread (crust on, because you will get curly hair if you eat your crusts)

2 tablespoons peanut butter of choice

2 tablespoons marshmallow fluff

Spread peanut butter on one slice of bread

Spread marshmallow on the other slice of bread

Moosh the two slices together. 

Eat

Smile

I Laughed My --- Off with These Good Cooks

I laughed my butt off this weekend. Well, not really (I wish) but I did laugh until my stomach hurt! Seriously, my stomach and rib cage is sore today. 

Women's Wine Weekend (WWW), notice there is no H in wine, was fun, fun, fun. Nine women all together, cooking, laughing, walking, drinking wine (and spirits of many flavors), and sharing stories. What could be better?

This is a picture of the WWW's, all chipping in to make dinner Saturday night. A nice ritual that women have been doing together for, well, forever. Think about it. Quilting bees, making breads in a church basement, baking cookies at Christmas. All things women get together to do. Many hands make short work is what my grandmother would have said. 

But there's more to it than that isn't there? It's really not about the task at all. That's the excuse to get together and the excuse that keeps the men at bay. :-)

It's the doing that brings us together. And the telling. And the sharing. And the caring. And, oh yeah, the laughter. 

So here's to all of you,  my fellow Good Cooks of WWW. Thank you, it was wonderful. I love you all and can't wait to see you in the Fall for our next great adventure. 

Tuna Steaks with Roasted Cipolline Onions

I keep getting fooled by Mother Nature. This morning it was snow flurrying on Holly Bear and I at the dog park. Brr... Everyday I look out my kitchen window promising the grill we will get reacquainted only to be foiled by nature. 

Tonight I think I'll fight back with a little comfort food (for my spring cold) and a little bit of spring by grilling indoors. I adapted this recipe from an original by Giada De Laurentiis. (who I secretly hate because she weighs 1 1/2 pounds fully dressed).

Roasted Cipolline Onions:(chip-o-lean-ee)

1 pound cipolline onions- skins removed. (to easily remove skins, drop in boiling water for 2 to 3 minutes. cool. The skins will slip right off)

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Whisk it all together, coat onions, put in a small oven proof casserole and roast at 450 degrees for about 30 minutes(uncovered). You will know they are done when they are soft and the balsamic vinegar has reduced to a syrup stage. Salt & Pepper to taste.

Tuna Steaks: (enough for 4 people)

2 tuna steaks (about 1/2 pound each)

1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil

3 T lemon juice (don't make me say it... FRESH SQUEEZED.. throw that bottle out)

2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped

1/2 teaspoon salt, few grinds fresh black pepper. 

Whisk everything together, place tuna steaks in marinade, turning to coat and let rest for about 5 minutes per side.

Now the comfort food part:

Polenta with wilted arugula (you could also use spinach or blanched asparagus tips)

2 cups chicken broth (low salt)

2 cups water

3/4 cup polenta (quick cooking)

1 clove minced garlic

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, finely grated

1/2 stick unsalted butter

1/4 cup heavy cream (I told you this was comfort food)

2 cups fresh arugula - rough chopped

Heat the broth and water to simmering. Slowing whisk in the polenta (your Italian grandmother will tell you that you have to stir in only one direction). Continue to cook until thick and smooth - about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic. Stir. Add the cheese. Stir. Add the butter and cream and stir until butter is melted. Stir in the arugula. Season to taste with salt and pepper (easy on the salt - remember to taste because the cheese will add salt).

Back to the tuna:

Preheat your grill pan to medium high. Remove tuna steaks from marinade and grill about 3 minutes per side for medium. Cut the steaks in half. Plate - spoon the onions and balsamic sauce over. Pass the polenta. 

Take that Mother Nature. 

Rainy Day Monday Roast Chicken

It's a rainy day here in the Northeast. The kind of day that promises spring is just around the corner. Gentle misty kind of rain, overcast. I've got laundry to fold and other household chores but first I want to begin the first step of making my family's favorite comfort food. Crisp skin and succulent meat - hint of winter and the lemony scent of spring. 

Nothing warms and brightens my kitchen more than the scent and sound of a lemony, herb infused chicken roasting away in my oven. I'm going to start first by taking my thawed 4 pound roaster, drying it thoroughly (very important) and rubbing it inside and out with a combination of:

Kosher Salt

Zest of one Lemon (save the zested lemon, we'll use later)

Fresh Chopped Rosemary

I'm even going to tuck some of this under the skin, between the breast meat and skin.

That's it for now. I place my little bird on a cookie sheet and put it in the downstairs refrigerator UNCOVERED. 

more later...