Roasted Vegetables and Pasta

At one time I was a stickler for following recipes. I'd make special trips to the grocery store to track down one ingredient for a recipe. Now I usually allow the ingredients I have on hand to determine the direction of a recipe, and as I get older, I find myself ditching recipes altogether. Some of you know that this is the best way to cook.This approach was handy during this recent bout of winter weather when going to the grocery store wasn't an option. The following is a recipe that I adapt to fit ingredients I might have on hand. I encourage you to do the same:

Roasted Vegetables and Pasta

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Cut up a variety of vegetables. Last week I used mushrooms, cherry tomatoes, onions (cut into wedges), zucchini , yellow squash, and garlic. Place the veggies in a roasting pan.
3. Mix 1/3 cup olive oil with 1-2 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar.
4. Pour olive oil-balsamic vinegar over the bowl of veggie mixture, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
5. If you want some meat with your meal, feel free to add it. I used Italian sausage this time. I just removed the casing, and cut the sausage into chunks. You could also use chicken or shrimp. If you use shrimp, I would add it the last 3-4 minutes. If you use meat, simply place it on top of the veggies.
   
6. Place roasting pan in the oven and roast for 30 to 45 minutes. I usually stir everything about half way through cooking.
7. Serve with cooked pasta and some Parmesan cheese.

The aroma of the vegetables roasting will make you very happy, and it might inspire you to knit a scarf. The taste will make you sound a barbaric "yawp over the roofs the world." Even if you choose not to add any meat to the dish, the yawp will be barbaric.

throw the map out the window and drive,

muddy

Japanese Pan Noodles

(Picture of the stir fry, minus the sprouts and cilantro)

After visiting the Asian market, I''ve armed my pantry with fermented black beans, rice wine vinegar, and several varieties of soy sauce, and I've embarked on preparing a variety of stir-fry recipes.

Today I'm sharing a copycat recipe of Noodle and Company's Japanese Pan Noodles, which are describe on the menu as "satisfying and hearty, caramelized Japanese udon noodles in a sweet and spicy soy sauce."

I've tried this recipe twice, and I've been quite pleased with the results. It's a quick, tasty summer dish and seems to be similar to the version Noodles and Company serves.

Here are a few things to keep in mind as you prepare this recipe:

• I found the udon noodles at my local Dillon's near the ramen noodles. I you can't find udon noodles, I would simply use linguine.

• If you don't have access to rice wine vinegar, simply substitute apple cider vinegar with a pinch or two or sugar.
• Don't leave out the cilantro! I love the way it rounds out the flavors in this recipe.
• If you want, you can leave out the sprouts. They add some crunch, but overall I'm not too found of sprouts.
• After I chopped my vegetables, I boiled some water and blanched the broccoli and carrots for about two minutes. I then placed them in a colander and rinsed them in cold water. Doing this will give your veggies more color, and gives you a jump start on cooking them before they hit the skillet. You could even blanch the veggies the day before you prepare the stir fry.
  
• I had trouble caramelizing the noodles. I might need experiment more with this.
• I don't know if it's worth it to add the black sesame seeds, unless you're into aesthetics. I'm all about the flavor.
  
• Feel free to substitute and experiment with this recipe.
  

Japanese Pan Noodles

Ingredients:

• 3 cups hot cooked udon noodles (Japanese wheat noodles)
• 12 ounces steak, thinly sliced (optional)
• cornstarch
• salt to taste
• 2-3 drops, toasted sesame oil
• 4 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
• 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
• 2 large cloves minced garlic cloves
• 1 tsp red chili flakes
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced
• 1 cup Asian sprouts
• 2 cups broccoli florets
• 1/2 cup (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot
• 1 tbsp black sesame seeds
• 1 cup freshly chopped cilantro leaves
  

METHOD:

1. In a mixing bowl, add the beef strips and mix with a little cornstarch.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Flash fry the beef strips and remove quickly.
3. To the wok, add the carrots, mushrooms, and then broccoli. Stir fry 2-3 minutes and then remove.
4. Add a little oil, the saute the ginger & garlic. After a minute or so, add the well drained noodles and let caramelize.
   
5. Add the red chili flakes. Add the sesame oil, teriyaki sauce and rice wine vinegar. Add all of the other ingredients and toss to coat well. Serve.
   

wax on,
muddywaters

Single Skillet Baked Ziti

Last Friday my students turned in their ten-page autobiographies, so this weekend I was faced with reading over 650 pages of student writing. There were stories that made me laugh, stories that made me cry, and stories that had me scratching my head. Although reading the autobiographies was time consuming, the experience made me feel blessed to be a teacher. Today I allowed students to quiz me over their autobiographies. I felt like I was facing a firing squad, but I held my own and correctly answered almost 80 percent of their questions.

After working so hard this weekend, I wanted to cook something that wasn't time consuming; I found it as I watched baked ziti being prepared in a single skillet on PBS's America's Test Kitchen. This recipe exceeded my expectations. I'm amazed that something that required so little effort achieved such a rich flavor. This recipe will be a staple in our household. I didn't take any pictures, but I'll do it the next time I prepare this dish.



Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3-6 cloves crushed garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
  
• 28 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
• 3 cups of water
• 12 ounces ziti
• 1 teaspoon salt
• pepper to taste
• pinch of sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1/2 cup half & half
  
• 2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
  

Instructions:

NOTE: Make sure you use an oven-proof skillet for this recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees.
   
2. Add the olive oil, garlic, and crushed red pepper to a cold skillet. Heat skillet to medium-high heat.
3. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add the can of crushed tomatoes, the water, salt, pepper, and sugar.
4. Add pasta and cover. Lower heat to medium-low. Cook for 10-12 minutes until pasta is cooked to your liking.
5. Once the pasta is cooked, add the basil and half & half. At this point the sauce might seem a little runny, but it will thicken in the oven.
6. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top of the ziti. Place the skillet in the oven, and cook the ziti until the cheese gets nice and brown. This should take about 10 minutes or so.
7. Serve and enjoy.
   

Spicy Asian Noodles

A few weeks ago I developed an intense craving for Spicy Asian noodles. While I have a few places in Lawrence to get good noodles, I'm an independent, self-sufficient soul, so I scoured the internet and my cookbooks for the perfect recipe.

A lot of recipes called for multiple types of soy sauces or exotic ingredients. While I don't mind using such ingredients, I wanted an economical recipe that utilized ingredients in this Kansans pantry. I eventually found such a recipe in Mark Bittman's book How to Cook Everything. The only new ingredient I purchased was fish sauce. The following recipe makes two big servings:

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces wide rice noodles
• 1 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 pressed garlic clove
  
• 2-3 small dried hot red chiles
• 1 chicken breast (or substitute other protein source)
  
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce and 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce, or a combination of either
• 1/2 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice or other vinegar
• 1 chopped green onion
  
• 1/2 cup shredded fresh basil leaves

Directions:

1. Prepare the noodles according to the directions on the package. I soaked the noodles in very hot water for 15 minutes or until they were soft. Drain noodles and toss them with half the oil.
2. Heat the remaining oil until hot over medium-high heat in a deep skillet. Crush the chiles using your favorite method. Add the garlic and chiles. Stir and cook for about one minute.
3. Add the meat and turn down the heat to medium.
   
4. When all traces of pink disappear in the chicken, add soy/fish sauce and the sugar. Stir and then add the drained noodles. Toss everything to evenly combine.
5. Add vinegar and most of the basil.
6. Serve garnished with remaining basil.
   

Overall, I'm happy with the recipe. I would like the noodles to be more colorful and saucier, so I'll work on it. With recipes like this I'm a tad bit outside my comfort zone. I like this. This child of the Great Plains grew up on food seasoned primarily with salt and pepper, so using these basic Asian flavors expands my culinary range.

Pass the soy sauce,
muddywaters

Mexican Beef Cassserole

Two months ago I spent some time contemplating possible foods to represent Kansas. I now have a few ideas that I can half heartily stand behind, so I'll share those with you now. Remember, I'm just thinking out loud here, so feel free to chime in on the discussion.

Growing up it seemed like casseroles were a permanent fixture on my family's dining room table: Tuna casserole, tator tot casserole, Mexican casserole, green bean casserole, hash brown casserole. Not only were these omnipresent at home, but I found them at family dinners, church suppers, athletic banquets, and community potlucks. The casserole was king.

I think the casserole represents Kansans well. Kansans, like casseroles, are practical. We're no nonsense, meat and potato folk. I find no shame in this; in fact, I'm proud of this, and I nominate the casserole as our state's culinary representative.

It should be noted that most casseroles contain cream of chicken or cream of mushroom soup and sometimes both. When we're at Costco, my wife reaches for a case of cream of mushroom soup like it's the Holy Grail. My wife, who is a good cook and a great baker, loves the utilitarian nature of casseroles. Most of the ingredients to prepare a casserole are on hand, and you're guaranteed great leftovers for a few days.

Last week we attended a family reunion, and of course, there were a variety of casseroles on the table, and of course, my wife brought a casseroles. Her recipe for Mexican Beef Casserole comes from a book published in 1973 titled The All Beef Cookbook. My dad, who likes his food straightforward and seasoned with only salt and pepper, raved about this recipe.

Sorry for the absence of photos. Most casseroles aren't very photogenic.

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can condensed cream of chicken soup
• 8 - 10 corn tortillas or you can use some tortilla chips
• 2 cans of chopped green chilies.
  
• 1 pound grated cheese

Instructions:

1. Brown ground beef and drain fat.
2. Add onion and cook until tender.
3. Add soups and 1/2 soup can of water.
4. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
5. Line bottom of baking dish with 1/2 tortillas or chips.
6. Cover with 1/2 meat mixture, then 1/2 of the chilies, and 1/2 of the cheese.
7. Use rest of the tortillas for next layer, then meat, chilies, and cheese.
8. Bake until hot and bubbling, about 30 - 45 minutes.

Carnitas

"There are two things in the world you never want to let people see how you make 'em: laws and sausages." --- Leo McGarry from The West Wing.

My wife has prohibited me from making my own sausage. I won't go into the reasons for her edict, but a lot of it probably has to do with Mr. McGarry's above observation. Someday I will make my own sausage, and when I start learn the art of sausage making, I'll consult Bruce Aidells, the sausage king. I'll pick up his book on sausage making.

Since I'm barred from making sausage, I've spent time trying recipes from two other books written by Mr. Aidells: The Complete Meat Cookbook, and The Complete Book of Pork. He's a guy who knows how to cook a piece of meat, and both of these cookbooks are indispensable compendiums of recipes, various cooking methods, and information about various cuts of meats.

The carnita recipe is from The Complete Book of Pork. I love this recipe because it's flavorful, it's economical, it feeds a crowd, it freezes well, and it makes great leftovers. Also after the initial preparation, it requires very little effort, so while the pot simmers, I use my time to fix some great side dishes, like guacamole, pico de gallo, and salsa.

Carnitas

Spice Rub

• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander seed
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 2 teaspoons chili powder

• 3 pounds boneless Boston butt, cut into 1 2/2 inch pieces and trimmed of visible fat

• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/2 cup red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 large onion, diced

Instructions:

1. Make dry rub by combining all spices in a medium bowl.

2. In a bowl toss pork and coat with dry rub. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight.

3. In a dutch over or deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. In small batches, brown the pork. When meat is browned, transfer to a plate, and continue cooking the remaining pieces.

4. In a small bowl, stir the vinegar with the honey until the honey dissolves. Stir in chicken broth and add mixture to the pot, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom.

5. Add the onion and bring the liquid to a boil.

6. Lower the heat until the pot simmers.

7. Return pork to the pot, cover, and cooking until pork is fork-tender, 1 1/4 - 2 hours.

8. Remove the cover and increase the heat slightly to maintain a lively simmer. Continue to cook until the liquid has evaporated - about 30 minutes.

Chorizo Tacos

Since we'll be out of town this weekend, we're trying to clean out the fridge of any leftovers, so I haven't been doing a lot of cooking this week. I did try a new apple dumpling recipe last night, but you'll have to wait until fall for me to share it.

Today, I thought I'd take a little bit of time to share a fabulous recipe for Chorizo Tacos that I prepared for last Friday's supper. It's a quick, easy recipe from Rick and Lanie's Excellent Kitchen Adventures: Recipes and Stories, a book written by Rick Bayless and his daughter. Mr. Bayless is a Chicago chef who has garnered numerous awards, including the James Beard National Chef of the Year. I've tried several of his recipes and haven't been disappointed yet. He seems to be rooted in using simple, fresh, and seasonal ingredients, and he doesn't get too uppity about food.

The success of this recipes hinges on two important elements:

1. Roasting your own green chiles. You could make this recipe with canned green chiles, but I like the flavor of fresh peppers. I also like the whole experience of roasting chiles. I usually use a poblano chile, but you could easily substitute an Anaheim. For a guide to chile peppers, click on the following link at The Cook's Thesaurus: A guide to chile peppers. If you're unsure of how to roast a chile pepper, consult the following link: How to roast a chile pepper.

2. Good chorizo. I'm sure you could make this with a less expensive chorizo, but I like the sausage made by The Community Mercantile in Lawrence. I don't know a lot about chorizo, but I look forward to learning more in the coming years. If you're a vegetarian, there's a product called Soyrizo that you could use in place of chorizo. I haven't tried it, but I plan on slipping it into a meal in the near future.

Chorizo Tacos

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces (1 cup) Mexican chorizo sausage
• 3 medium (3/4 pound) red potatoes
• Salt
• 2 medium poblano chiles roasted
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (I think you could get by with a little less)
  
• 1 small onion

Condiments

• salsa
• guacamole
• sour cream
• cheese
• cilantro

1. Cook chorizo in large skillet. Break it up as it throughly cooks. If there's a lot of fat, drain it off. Remove chorizo from the skillet.
   
2. Cut potatoes in half, then cut each half into 4 pieces. Place potato pieces in non-metal bowl. Sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high power for 4 to 5 minutes, until completely tender.
3. Pour oil into skillet and heat over medium heat. Add sliced onion and stir regularly. Cook for 2 minutes until onions are translucent.
4. Add potatoes and cook. Stir regularly and cook for 5 minutes until browned.
5. Stir in chiles and chorizo. Cook for 2 or 3 minutes more. Taste and season with salt if necessary (Although I've never needed to salt this recipe because there's plenty of seasoning in the chorizo.)
   
6. Keep warm over very low heat.
7. Serve: Heat corn tortillas according to directions on the package. Serve with your choice of condiments. I usually keep this taco very simple as you can see in the pictures. I usually only eat it with a little cilantro and maybe some guacamole.

Enjoy,
muddywaters

Bistec Empanizado (Cuban Breaded Steak)

Occasionally my family will have dinner & a movie night, when we'll plan a menu around one of our favorite films. Dinner and a movie night is always an anticipated event in our household because it allows us to be creative while doing something we love and there are always suprises involved in the event. Unfortunately, the daily grind of life keeps us from doing this as frequently as we'd like. My wife has reminded me on numerous occasions that it's been awhile since I've hosted a dinner and a movie, so I'm trying to generate ideas for a possible dinner and a movie this month.

To get me in a creative mindset, Thursday night I revisited one of the recipes I used in a dinner revolving around the movie Wrestling Ernest Hemingway. The movie, set in Miami, focuses on the relationship of two senior citizens played by Richard Harris and Robert Duvall. Since Cuban culture plays a role in the film, my menu showcased Cuban cuisine. My main dish was Bistec Empanizado, a simple Cuban Bread Steak, and since it received rave reviews and I was scratching my head for possible dinner ideas, I decided to make this for dinner.

I like the simplicity of the this recipe.

• 1/4 cup olive oil


• 1/2 cup sour orange juice (see Note)


• 2 tablespoons vinegar


• 1 cup finely chopped onion


• 1-1/2 pounds tenderized round steak


• 1 cup cracker meal (finely ground crackers - I used Club Crackers)


• 2 teaspoons garlic powder


• 1/2 teaspoon salt


• 2 egg whites, beaten


• Olive oil for sauteing


• Fresh cilantro, chopped


• Freshly ground pepper

1. Mix olive oil, sour orange juice, vinegar and chopped onion to make a marinade. Add unpounded beef steaks, cover, and marinate for 20 minutes.


2. Remove steaks from marinade and place them, one at a time, between two pieces of waxed paper. Using a meat mallet, pound steak to 1/4 thickness. Return steaks to marinade. (If you are in a hurry, proceed with the remaining steps. Otherwise, refrigerate and continue marinating for 1 to 4 hours.)


3. In a medium bowl, combine cracker meal, garlic powder and salt. Dip wet beef in egg whites, then dip in cracker mixture, coating well on both sides. Fry to desired doneness in from pan and place on plate.

Note: Sour orange juice, naranha agria, is a popular in Cuban cooking.
You can find it by the can in some Latin supermarkets. Or make your own substitution by using 2 parts orange juice, 1 part lemon juice and one part lime juice.

Nutrition facts per serving: 496 calories, 21 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 81 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 42 g protein, 436 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

I served this with some sauteed spinach and cilantro-lime rice. Later I'll post the recipes for each of these dishes. I'm still not feeling comfortable snapping photos of my food. It just seems unnatural, but I'll still plug away at perfecting my culinary presentation.