Rotisserie Chicken with Dried Fruit and Pine Nuts

Food & Wine, 2005
Makes 4 servings
    1 tablespoon evoo                                              
    1/2 cup pitted prunes (3 oz)                                   
    1/2 cup dried apricots (3 oz)                                  
    1/4 cup dried tart cherry xx                                   
    2 tablespoons pine nuts                                        
    1/2 cup tawny port wine                                        
    1 med. cinnamon stick                                          
    1 rotisserie chicken cut to 8 pieces, save drippings           
    1/2 cup chicken broth   
                                      
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the prunes, apricots, cherries and pine nuts and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until the pine nuts are golden and the fruit is browned in spots, about 3 minutes. Add the port and cinnamon stick and cook over moderate heat until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and chicken drippings and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, brown the chicken pieces over high heat until the skin is golden and crisp, about 2 minutes. Scrape the dried fruit sauce and liquid into the skillet with the chicken and bring to a boil, turning the pieces of chicken until they are nicely coated with sauce, about 1 minute.

Transfer to plates and serve.

MY NOTE: The fruit sauce is really good.  It would taste good with pork or over ice cream or pound cake.

MXF

Rosebud's Butter-Topped White Bread

The Curvy Carrot.com

4 and 1/2 teaspoons dry active yeast (or the equivalent of two packets)
3/4 cup warm water
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature and cut into pieces
2 and 2/3 cup additional warm water
9-10 cups all-purpose flour (*I swear by King Arthur brand…also sidenote…I am moving 5 minutes from their factory soon….woohoo!)
4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, melted, for brushing the tops of the loaves
Additional butter/cooking spray, for greasing your rising bowl and loaf pans

In the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, dissolve the yeast in 3/4 cup of warm water, about 5 minutes.

Add the sugar, salt, butter, additional 2 and 2/3 cup warm water, and mix gently to combine.

Slowly add 5 cups of the flour, mixing on low speed until smooth.

With the mixer on its lowest speed (you don’t want flour everywhere…as I have discovered), slowly add the remaining flour until the dough is smooth.

Switch to your dough hook attachment and knead the dough for 10 minutes. ***Now, if you have a smaller mixer, I would recommend kneading the dough in two portions so as not to burn your motor out-this is a lot of dough.  Alternatively, like my grandmother used to do, you can knead all of the dough by hand.

While the dough is kneading, lightly grease a large bowl with butter or cooking spray, as well as two loaf pans (I used 9″).

Once the dough is ready, place the dough in the greased bowl and turn over to completely coat the dough with butter/cooking spray.  Cover, and set in a warm place to rise for 1 hour.

After an hour, punch down the dough (yes!) and divide it into two portions.

Working with one portion at a time, roll (with a rolling pin) the dough out into roughly 12″ x 12″ rectangles, making sure that the thickness of the dough is uniform throughout.

Slowly and tightly roll up each rectangle, sealing the edges firmly.

Tuck the ends of the roll tightly under the bread and place into your prepared loaf pans.  Repeat with the second loaf.  Cover the loaves, set in a warm place, and let rise until doubled, about another hour.

Place one rack on the lowest position in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Bake the loaves for 15 minutes, then cover each loaf with aluminum foil to prevent the tops from browning too much.

Once covered with foil, bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Remove the loaves from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool, and lightly brush the loaves with the melted butter.

My Note: Don't overfill the loaf pans or the bread will be too dense. If there is leftover dough, make free-form rolls. I added rosemary and black pepper to one loaf. It seems there are loads of possibilities.

MXF

Roasted Squah with Chesnuts and Pomegranate

Food & Wine, 2005
Makes 8 servings
    2 sm. red kuri of kabocha squash (3 lb), wash, HLW, seed       
    5 tablespoons unsalted butter (3 tbsp melt)                    
    3 tablespoons dark brown sugar                                 
    Salt and pepper                                                
    6 ounces whole roast chesnuts (1 c)                            
    12 sprigs thyme                                                
    1/2 cup red currants or seeds from 1 pomegranate               
    1 1/2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses (see Note)  
           
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 30 MIN

Preheat the oven to 350°. Set the squash on a large rimmed baking sheet, cut sides up, and brush with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle the sugar in the cavities and season the squash with salt and pepper. Turn the squash over on the baking sheet and roast for about 1 hour, or until tender and browned at the edges.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a medium skillet. Add the chestnuts and thyme sprigs and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the chestnuts are lightly browned and glazed with the butter, 8 to 10 minutes. Discard the thyme sprigs.

Cut each squash half into 4 wedges and arrange on a large platter. Sprinkle with the glazed chestnuts and the red currants. Drizzle the squash with the pomegranate molasses and serve.

MAKE AHEAD The baked squash halves can be refrigerated overnight; rewarm in the oven before drizzling with the molasses.

NOTES Sweet-tart pomegranate molasses is available at specialty-food shops and Middle Eastern markets.

Pan-Roasted Salmon with Soy Ginger Glaze

Food & Wine, 2005

Makes 4 servings

    1/4 cup soy sauce                                              
    1 teaspoon fine grate fresh ginger                             
    1 teaspoon honey                                               
    1 teaspoon dijon style mustard                                 
    2 teaspoons evoo                                               
    4 6 oz. skinless salmon fillets                                
    Pepper                                                         
    Cilantro for garnish     
                                    
Preheat the oven to 350°. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce and ginger and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and stir in the honey and mustard.

Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick ovenproof skillet. Season the salmon with pepper and add it to the skillet, skinned side up. Cook over high heat until golden and crusty, 2 to3 minutes.Turn the salmon and spoon the ginger-soy glaze on top. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake the salmon for 5 minutes, or until cooked through. Using a slotted spatula, transfer the salmon fillets to plates, garnish with the cilantro and serve.

ONE SERVING 348 cal, 21 gm fat, 4 gm saturated fat, 2 gm carb. 0 gm fiber.

My Notes: Simple to prepare and tasty. I probably used more than 1 tsp. of honey and actually wouldn't have minded a little more. Also a squeeze of lime would have been nice.

MXF 

Oven-Fried Rice Balls with Gruyere

Food & Wine, 2005
MAKES ABOUT 30 RICE BALLS

    1 tablespoon evoo                                              
    1 med. shallot minced                                          
    1 clove garlic mince                                           
    1 cup arborio rice                                             
    2 cups water                                                   
    3/4 cup gruyére cheese (2.5 oz)                                
    1/2 cup fine grate parmesan cheese (1.5 oz)                    
    1/4 cup chop mixed herbs like thyme basil, oregano             
    Salt and pepper                                                
    2 lg. egg whites                                               
    1/2 cup panko bread crumbs   
                                  
ACTIVE TIME: 30 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 1 HR

Preheat the oven to 450°. Lightly oil a large, rimmed baking sheet. Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallot and garlic and cook over moderate heat until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Stir in the water and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the water has been completely absorbed, about 10 minutes. Scrape the rice into a bowl and let cool to room temperature.

Stir the Gruyère, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and all of the chopped herbs into the rice. Season the rice with salt and generously season with coarsely cracked pepper.

In a medium stainless steel bowl, beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until firm peaks form. Stir one-fourth of the whites into the rice to loosen the mixture, then stir in the remaining whites. Roll the rice into 1 1/2-inch balls.

In a shallow bowl, toss the panko with the remaining 1/4 cup of Parmesan. Dredge the rice balls in the panko crumbs and transfer to the prepared baking sheet. Bake the rice balls in the upper third of the oven for 25 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Let stand for 5 minutes, then transfer to a platter and serve.

Maple Buttermilk Pudding Cake

Food & Wine, 2005
MAKES ONE 8-INCH SQUARE CAKE
    1 1/3 cups dark amber maple syrup                              
    1 stick +3 tbsp unsalted butter room temp                      
    1 cup flour                                                    
    2 teaspoons baking powder                                      
    1/2 teaspoon salt                                              
    Pinch mace                                                     
    1 egg                                                          
    1 egg yolk                                                     
    1/3 cup buttermilk                                             
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract                                    
    2/3 cup sugar       
                                          
ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 1 HR 5 MIN

This sweet and gooey pudding cake with crisp candied edges, a Maine favorite borrowed from neighboring Quebec, is known as pouding aux chômeurs--the unemployed guy's pudding.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly butter an 8-inch square glass or ceramic baking dish. Line the bottom of the dish with a piece of parchment paper and butter the paper. In a medium saucepan, boil the maple syrup over moderate heat until reduced to 1 cup, about 6 minutes. Remove the syrup from the heat, whisk in 3 tablespoons of the butter, then pour into the prepared baking dish.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour with the baking powder, salt and mace. In another small bowl, whisk the whole egg and egg yolk with the buttermilk and vanilla. In a large bowl, beat the remaining stick of butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the liquid ingredients; beat until the batter is smooth.

Evenly dollop heaping tablespoons of the batter on top of the maple syrup. Bake the pudding for 35 minutes, or until the top is nicely browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

MAKE AHEAD The pudding can be made earlier in the day and served at room temperature or reheated in a 350° oven for 10 minutes.

SERVE WITH Unsweetened whipped heavy cream or crème fraîche.

Magnolia Chicken Jambalaya

Food & Wine, 2005

Makes 6 servings

    1 1/4 cups long grain rice                                     
    2 tablespoons vegetable oil                                    
    1 1/2 pounds skin- bone-less chicken thighs cut 1/4-in         
    3 sm. green bell peppers seed, cut 1/2-in                      
    1 spanish onion cut 1/2-in                                     
    1 carrot fine dice                                             
    1 rib celery fine dice                                         
    1 clove garlic mince                                           
    1 teaspoon paprika                                             
    1 bay leaf                                                     
    14 ounces diced tomato drained                                 
    1 cup dry white wine                                           
    1 cup chicken broth                                            
    Salt and pepper                                                
    Cayenne pepper                                                 
    2 tablespoons mince parsley                                    
    Hot pepper sauce for serving
                                 
ACTIVE TIME: 20 MIN/TOTAL TIME: 40 MIN
From Howie Velie, the chef and owner of Magnolia, in Scottsville, Virginia. This jambalaya is only mildly spicy, which is true to the Creole tradition of favoring flavor over heat. Feel free to substitute shrimp or crawfish for the chicken.

In a medium saucepan, bring 6 cups of salted water to a boil. Add the rice and cook until just al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain well, shaking out the excess water.

In a large enameled cast-iron casserole, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the chicken and cook over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the chicken to a plate. Add the peppers, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, paprika and bay leaf and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, 10 minutes.

Add the tomatoes and the chicken to the casserole and cook, stirring, until all of the liquid has evaporated, about 3 minutes. Add the wine and boil over high heat until nearly evaporated, about 4 minutes. Stir in the rice. Add the stock, season with salt, pepper and cayenne and bring to a boil. Cook uncovered until the rice is tender, about 5 minutes. Discard the bay leaf. Stir in the parsley and serve with hot sauce.

MAKE AHEAD The jambalaya can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Stir in the parsley before serving.