Dutch Oven Cornish Game Hens with Red Potatoes

For Easter this past spring, my husband decided he wanted to cook Cornish Game Hens in the Dutch oven.  I was totally on board, and am I ever glad!  They were sooooo beautiful and delicious!

Here's how we did it.  The amounts below aren't exact; adjust the recipe to suit the size of your Dutch oven and/or how many people you are serving.  We serve 1 whole Cornish game hen per person, the kids just LOVE having their own "little chicken." 

Dutch Oven Cornish Game Hens with Red Potatoes
Serves as many people as there are hens

Red potatoes, scrubbed and whole if small, halved or quartered if bigger, to at least cover bottom of Dutch oven
thinly sliced bacon (2 slices per hen)
2-3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Fresh rosemary sprigs
1 Cornish game hen per person

We used a 16" round Dutch oven for 7 Cornish hens.

Layer potatoes on bottom of Dutch oven, scatter shallots and rosemary on top and season with salt & pepper.  Nestle hens on top of potatoes.  Top hens with bacon (my husband liked an "X" of bacon on each hen), more shallots and rosemary, and sprinkle with salt & pepper.

Prepare charcoal for cooking.  My husband says the general Dutch oven rule is "2 under and 2 over" the diameter of your oven, so for a 12" oven you'd start with 10 hot briquettes evenly spaced under the Dutch oven and 14 hot briquettes on top.

That being said, he cooked our hens quite a long time, and used more charcoal to speed things up.  He probably cooked for about 2 hours total, adding more hot coals as needed.  Every half hour, he rotates the pot and the lid (spin without lifting) in opposite directions to eliminate any hot spots.  He says Dutch ovens are very forgiving, so it's hard to go wrong.  More charcoal makes things cook faster, and it's kind of hard to burn them.  You want to cook your hens until they are golden and the joints move freely, and potatoes are tender.

This dish is flavorful and aromatic, and perfect for a special occasion.  The potatoes end up in the savory juices from the bacon and chickens, which makes a fine topping or you could make it into gravy on the stove top.

Potato-Fennel Gratin

My friend gave me this recipe after we each received a big fennel bulb in our weekly Bountiful Baskets.  She said it's one of her favorites, and when she says that you know it's good!

This is a savory, comforting dish, with the delicate flavor of fennel and sauteed onions.  I used regular Swiss as I was out of Gruyere and it was great.  Next time I'll watch mine a little closer, I had to run a long errand and put my husband in charge, and the edges were a bit burned, but still delicious!

Try some the next time you run across some fresh fennel!

Potato-Fennel Gratin 
From Ina Garten, The Barefoot Contessa Cookbook
Total Time: 2 hr 15 min

Prep 20 min
Inactive 10 min
Cook 1 hr 45 min

Yield: 10 servings

2 small fennel bulbs
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons good olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 pounds russet potatoes (4 large potatoes)
2 cups plus 2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 1/2 cups grated Gruyère cheese (1/2 pound), or regular Swiss cheese
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Butter the inside of a 10-by-15-by-2-inch (10-cup) baking dish.

Remove the stalks from the fennel and cut the bulbs in half lengthwise. Remove the cores and thinly slice the bulbs crosswise, making approximately 4 cups of sliced fennel. Saute the fennel and onions in the olive oil and butter on medium-low heat for 15 minutes, until tender.

Peel the potatoes, then thinly slice them by hand or with a mandoline. Mix the sliced potatoes in a large bowl with 2 cups of cream, 2 cups of Gruyère, salt, and pepper. Add the sauteed fennel and onion and mix well.

Pour the potatoes into the baking dish. Press down to smooth the potatoes. Combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of cream and 1/2 cup of Gruyère and sprinkle on the top. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, until the potatoes are very tender and the top is browned and bubbly. Allow to set for 10 minutes and serve.

Potatoes with Personality

Potatoes with Personality
1 onion, chopped
2 teaspoon margarine
2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 carrots, sliced
1/4 cup whipped topping (believe it or not - it replace sour cream, which I did not have)
salt to taste
chives, chopped ( a handful)

Method:

In a small skillet, saute onion in margarine until golden brown. (8 minutes)
In a medium saucepan, place carrots and potatoes and cover with water.
Bring to boiling point. Lower heat and cover saucepan.
Cook for 15 minutes until tender.
Drain in colander.
Put carrots and potatoes in a baking dish. Add cooked onions.
Add the whipped topping, chives and salt and mix well.
Put in 350 degree oven for 10 minutes and serve.

This was a popular dish. I have no idea how the sour cream would have worked but this was a sweeter dish, as a result of using the cream.


If you would like to learn about the personality of potatoes, stop by Bizzy B. Bakes

Salt 'n' Vinegar Roasted Potatoes

Another recipe from Everyday Food magazine. If you haven't checked this magazine out yet, by all means do it soon! Every single month there are multiple recipes that I want to try, and the majority of them are great.

H-Bomb had a friend over after school yesterday, and he wanted hot dogs for dinner. I made these to go with them. None of the boys ate any (didn't even try them), but Number One and I like them a lot. Serve them with extra malt vinegar for sprinkling on top.

I also like that you can make these ahead of time. But you already knew that.



Salt 'n' Vinegar Roasted Potatoes
Serves 4 Active time: 10 minutes Total time: 1 hour You can make these potatoes ahead of time. Boil and smash them, cover and refrigerate overnight, then finish them in the oven the next day.

1 1/2 pounds small round or fingerling potatoes
coarse salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup malt vinegar*

In a medium pot, bring potatoes to a boil over high heat in salted water. Reduce heat and cook at a rapid simmer until potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 20 minutes; drain. Place a folded dish towel on a work surface and place a hot potato inside. Gently smash potato so that it is flattened but still in one piece (edges will split). Repeat with remaining potatoes.


Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Brush a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil. Place potatoes on sheet (I used a spatula to transfer each smashed potato to the pan) and brush tops with olive oil. Bake until crisp and golden, 35 minutes, flipping them halfway through. Remove from oven, toss with vinegar, and season with salt.

*You could also dress the potatoes with cider vinegar and flaky sea salt instead of malt vinegar.

Perfect Pulled Pork & Scalloped Potatoes

Hi, everybody! My name is Megan, and I'm owner/writer of Kitschy Suburbia, a blog about family, food and nail polish. Weird combo, I know, but it works! I found The Bad Girl's Kitchen while searching for a new recipe to try. Not only did I find some great recipes, I found a community of great cooks that I wanted to be a part of.

I "found" this recipe when a fellow blogger gave me the head's up. It's from Kevin & Amanda - they have a *bunch* of great recipes. This is the first I've tried and I promise I'll be trying more (and sharing them with you, of course). Don't be intimidated by the amount of ingredients or the number of steps - they are ALL worth it.

Perfect Pulled Pork

1 whole bone-in Boston butt

Dry Rub
1 Tbsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp chili powder
1 Tbsp cayenne pepper
1 Tbsp salt
1 Tbsp ground pepper
1 Tbsp paprika
1/2 cup brown sugar

Mix well and store in an air-tight container.

Brine Solution
1/2 cup salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 quarts cold water
2 bay leaves
3 Tbsp dry rub mix


Add salt to cold water and stir until all the salt is completely dissolved. Then add the brown sugar, dry rub and bay leaves. Stir well to combine.

Pork shoulder prep:
Rinse the pork shoulder and place in a large container. Pour in the brine solution until the shoulder is completely covered. Cover the container and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours. Remove pork shoulder from brine solution; pat dry with paper towels. Place pork shoulder in baking pan that is bigger than the shoulder by at least an inch in length and width and at least 3-inches deep. Sprinkle dry rub on to the surface of the shoulder and massage in so that it adheres to the surface. Coat all sides and be sure to get in to all the nooks and crannies. Make sure the fat layer on the hsoulder is facing up before cooking! Place baking pan, uncovered, in a 225* oven on the middle rack. Insert a probe thermometer into the center or the thickest part of the shoulder, but not touching the bone. Monitor the temperature throughout cooking (a digital thermometer with an alarm function is the easiest way to do this). Do not remove from the oven until the center of the shoulder reaches 200*; shut off the oven and let the roast cool for a couple of hours before removing from the oven. If the bottom of the pan is dry (or crusted with dried spices), cover the pan with foil to retain internal moisture of the meat during the cooling period. When the temperature drops to 170*, remove from the oven. Place on a large clean work surface, such as a cutting board, and remove the large sheet of crusted fat off the top. Pull apart with two forks; it will pull apart very easily.

NOTES: This is a VERY looooong process. I cheated and didn't let the pork get all the way up to 200 and then cool back down because we ended up being short on time. I put the pork in the oven at 11 and it wasn't finished even at 7. I had no idea it would take THAT long! It didn't shred quite as easily than if we had waited the entire time, but it was still delish!

BONUS RECIPE!

I got this wonderful recipe from my bestie. She's my partner in crime - whether as a fellow mom, a kitchen goddess, or beauty queen, this lady is always there for me!

Scalloped Potatoes
6-8 large baking potatoes
shredded Cheddar cheese - 1 small bag
Heavy Cream- 1 1/2 to 2 cups
Seasoned salt - as desired
Salt- as desired
Dried thyme- as desired

Preheat oven to 400*
Use 9x10 baking dish - grease lightly

Slice all potatoes thinly, add a layer in baking pan
Add a layer of cheese and spices
2 layers of Potatoes
Layer of cheese and spiced
Do this until all the cheese and potatoes have been used. Make sure you have enough cheese for the top of the potatoes.
Once you have layers complete, pour heavy cream over entire thing and sprinkle left over cheese on the top.

Bake for 60 minutes.

NOTES: This is my bestie's recipe and it's from memory, so it's not the most precise, but you get the picture.

Be sure to have some disposable gloves for this one - it gets messy!

The hardest part of making this recipe was smelling the pork in the oven ALL day. It smelled soooo good - it was very hard to wait.

The end result. We served the pork with fresh deli rolls and a couple BBQ sauces. The pork was not dry by any means, we just had some really good sauces to share that we picked up from the Fiery Foods Show back in March.

So...it was nice to meet you! Here's to many new bloggy buddies and many great new recipes to be had.

Taste & Create: Baked Potato Soup

It's Taste & Create time again! And this time, I can happily tell you that I recently spent two whole days in person with my friend, Nicole, the creator of Taste & Create!! We met in a small town in Colorado, where she was vacationing with her family and inlaws, and my family and I, well, we just went over there to hang out with them! Nicole and I took turns cooking meals for everyone, made fabulous cookies, and just talked for hours while our kids played together. It was so much fun, and I can't wait to see her again.

Taste & Create is Nicole's fabulous food blog event, in which participants are randomly paired up. Each participant chooses a recipe from their partner's blog, makes it, and blogs about it. You never know who you're going to be partnered with, and participants are from all over the world, which makes things interesting! You should definitely participate in this event! Go here for How it Works and sign up!!

My partner this month was Carol of No Reason Needed. Carol is from Canada, and she has some great recipes. We've been paired together for Taste & Create before, but I always like to check all the new recipes she's posted since the last time!

I was seriously considering making the Strawberry Shortcake Cookies (even though she didn't like them), or many of her desserts, actually. I will totally make her Chocolate Waffles for my boys this weekend (topped with strawberries and whipped cream). But for now, I was intrigued by this recipe for Baked Potato Soup.

Like Carol, I have never been to a Tony Roma's...we may be the only two people who can claim this, but that's okay. This soup sounds good. I really had to remember to plan enough time ahead to bake the potatoes.

I would like to make this soup again, without cornstarch and probably without instant mashed potatoes. I just like my soup to have ingredients that aren't processed, and adding that much cornstarch kind of grossed me out (although I did it anyway to follow the recipe).

My husband and I liked the soup, H-Bomb did not like it, and Sawed Off refused to try it. It was easy to put together, even with the baking potatoes ahead of time and scooping out the insides. And it tastes great with the toppings! I'm just not convinced about the need for adding more starch to starchy potatoes, but that could be in my head.

So, how would you tweak this recipe?


Tony Roma's Baked Potato Soup
Serves 6 to 8

2 medium russet potatoes
3 Tbsp. butter
1 C diced white onion
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
4 C chicken broth
2 C water
¼ C cornstarch
1½ C instant mashed potatoes, dry
1 tsp. salt
¾ tsp. ground black pepper
½ tsp. dried basil
1/8 tsp. dried thyme
1 C half-and-half

GARNISH
½ C shredded Cheddar Cheese
¼ C crumbled cooked bacon
2 green onions, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake the potatoes for 1 hour or until done. When potatoes are done, remove them from the oven to cool.

2. As potatoes cool, prepare soup by melting butter in a large saucepan, and saute onion until light brown. Add the flour to the onion and stir to make a roux. Cook and stir for one minute.

3. Add broth, water, cornstarch, mashed potato flakes, and spices to the pot, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out contents with a large spoon. Discard skin. Chop baked potato with a large knife to make chunks that are about ½-inch in size.

5. Add chopped baked potato and half-and-half to the saucepan, bring soup back to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer the soup for another 15 minutes or until it is thick.

6. Spoon soup into bowls and top with shredded Cheddar cheese, bacon and green onion.

Baked Lemon Chicken with Potatoes & Sage

I got this recipe from Tara, when I participated in a recent "recipe exchange." I was excited because I don't usually get any recipes from these sorts of things, and because this recipe sounds fabulous.

Be sure to have everything ready before you start handling the chicken (plus a little extra), or you're going to be washing your hands a lot. Put the salt, pepper, olive oil in small bowls, juice your lemons, cut your potatoes, just get everything ready to go.

My sage plant has not fared well in the house this winter, but I managed to get about a dozen leaves. I ended up doubling the chicken and throwing in a couple extra potatoes so we'd have leftovers. I am very optimistic about this recipe! (I didn't use the artichoke hearts this time)

I assembled the dish ahead of time, covered with foil and put it in the refrigerator. After we get home from school today, I will be able to throw it in the oven (thereby saving loads of prep time and having dinner on time on a school night!)

The chicken is tangy and flavorful; we will definitely be making it again. The sauce was a little strong, the leftovers are delicious too. The boys didn't like the chicken that first night (too sour), but did enjoy a chicken leg heated in foil on our Christmas Eve campfire.

I do have a few notes about the dish:
- prepping ahead caused some of the potatoes to have brown spots, so don't make this ahead too far.
- Next time I will only use about 3 lemons--it went beyond tangy to sour. And I'm excited to try the artichoke addition!
- Leftovers MUST be reheated to mellow out that sauce.

All in all, I'd label it a success. And it's easy too! Thanks, Tara!!

Lemony Chicken & Potatoes
(ignore the brown spots; I assembled the dish too early!)

Baked Lemon Chicken with Potatoes & Sage

Tara says, "I love this dish, and it is really simple. I'm going to try and recite it from memory."


chicken thighs and drumsticks (6 of each?) with the skin is fine, and probably best for flavor *(I used two packages each thighs and drumsticks, and a huge roasting pan!)
plenty of olive oil
5 large lemons *(I will only use 3 lemons next time)
fresh sage
kosher salt
fresh ground pepper
6 large Yukon Gold potatoes



1.) preheat the oven (bake at 375 or so)

2.) rinse all the raw chicken, then hand rub each piece with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice squeezed from the lemons.

3.) Do the same thing with the potatoes, after you cut the potatoes in fourths. hand-rubbing them really makes a difference.

4.) Place the saturated potatoes and chicken pieces in a large rectangular pyrex baking dish.

5.) squeeze any remaining lemon juice from the lemons over the dish, and then cut them up and tuck between potatoes and chicken.

6.) take fresh sage leaves and dip in juices and place within the dish between the pieces of potatoes and chicken.

7.) lightly salt and pepper the surface of the contents of the dish.

8.) for extra flavor, add a jar of marinated artichoke hearts and pour the juice from the jar into the pyrex with the rest.

Bake this dish (covered with foil) in the oven for an hour to an hour and a half, until chicken is cooked and potatoes are soft. sometimes it is nice to let the dish cook for a little bit with the foil off at the end, to crisp the edges of everything. If you think the chicken will be overcooked, skip this step.

When done, you should have tangy flavorful potatoes and tender lemony chicken! This dish is especially wonderful on the second day as leftovers, when the potatoes have absorbed the juices.

Twice-Baked Potato Casserole

I was thumbing through Ree Drummond's The Pioneer Woman Cooks, looking for something to serve my cowboys, along with our version of Number One's Favorite Sandwich. I'd been craving some sort of stuffed baked potato, so her Twice-Baked Potatoes quickly caught my eye. I mentioned this on facebook, and my friend Jenny told me that when she makes twice-baked potatoes, she just puts them in a casserole dish instead of baking them individually. That sounded perfect for this crowd, especially since I'm serving at least 11 people tonight.

So these potatoes are loosely based on Ree's, technique influenced by Jenny, and the final product by me. I changed the quantities on some of the ingredients (mainly because I simply couldn't bring myself to add a whole pound of butter...) Feel free to reduce the quantities to serve your own crowd.

I like to dice my bacon before frying it (it's just easier to cook for me), and then for this recipe I diced it a bit smaller after it was cooked. I also did NOT peel the potatoes at all, ever. You need the peels to get the "baked potato" flavor. And the recipe is really so easy!


OMG. This casserole was soooooo good! It totally hit the spot and satisfied my baked potato cravings. Everyone loved it!!


Twice-Baked Potato Casserole
adapted from The Pioneer Woman Cooks' Twice-Baked Potatoes

13 baking potatoes, scrubbed clean
olive oil
kosher salt
1 pound thick-cut bacon, diced and fried and diced smaller
2 sticks butter, cut into slices
2 cups sour cream
1 cup milk
3/4 teaspoon Lawry's seasoned salt
black pepper to taste
3 to 4 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided
4 green onions, whites and greens sliced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Rub potatoes with olive oil to coat; place on baking sheet. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Bake for 45 minutes, or until baked through. (easily poked with a fork) Chop roughly. (do not peel)

Put butter, sour cream, milk, seasoned salt and pepper in a LARGE bowl. Add chopped potatoes, and mash together to mix. Add bacon, 2 cups cheese, and green onions, mix well with wooden spoon.

Dump entire mixture into a 9x13" pan, smoothing top. Top with about 2 cups cheese.

At this point, you can freeze or refrigerate, or bake.

Bake potatoes in a preheated 300 degree F oven until heated through and cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes if baked right away; around 20 minutes if refrigerated. (I don't know about the baking-after-freezing, if you try it let me know, or I'll report back next time)

Roasted Salmon with Potatoes

Here's another recipe from Real Simple's website that we had for dinner last night. I had some salmon fillets, but didn't know how I wanted to cook them. This is easy, and you only use one pan. The recipe calls for mushrooms, which I didn't have...I'm not sure how good they would have tasted with this, so let me know if you add them!

H-Bomb LOVED this, even with the sauce, and kept saying, "Thank you for making this salmon, Mom, I love it!" He said it at least three times. Sawed Off didn't like it one bit. Number One and I thought it was good.


Roasted Salmon with Potatoes (and mushrooms)

Serves 4
Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes

• 1 pound small new potatoes (about 10), halved
• 8 ounces mushrooms, optional
  
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• kosher salt and black pepper
• salmon fillets (1 large or 4 small = 1 per person)
• 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon whole-grain mustard
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 2 tablespoons fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped

1. Heat oven to 400° F. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the potatoes, mushrooms, 1 tablespoon of the oil, and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
2. Roast, tossing once, until the potatoes begin to soften, about 20 minutes.
3. Push the vegetables to the edges of the pan and place the salmon in the center. Season with ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper.
4. Roast until the salmon is opaque throughout, the mushrooms are tender, and the potatoes are golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, in a bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, honey, and parsley, the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil, and ¼ teaspoon each salt and pepper. Drizzle over the salmon and vegetables before serving.

Râpée Morvandelle [Gratin of Shredded Potatoes with Ham and Eggs and Onions]

My friend Jenny started a book club last year, and last month it was finally my turn to choose a book! It may not come as a surprise that I chose Julie and Julia. I had been wanting to read the book, but before I had a chance to, my step-mother-in-law and I went to see the movie together. She said something like, "it's about food, and blogging, and I knew you'd love it!" She is so very thoughtful, and we had a wonderful afternoon at the theater.

As soon as the book arrived (I wanted it in hardcover, not the movie tie-in re-release), I pored through it. Then I started in on Julia's My Life in France. I won't give away everything about the book, other than to say I loved it. I was also happy to see my favorite Poulet au Porto make an appearance (if only briefly on screen) in both movie and book! My only complaint is that I WANT TO KNOW what Julia said about Julie!! But no such luck.

Of course this all coincides with our trip to France this coming July!

So anyway, back to the dish at hand. Since I chose the book, I am hosting the book club gathering on Saturday. I wanted to serve something delicious (yet simple?) and of course it simply had to be out of Julia's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. (which may automatically seem to be an oxymoron in Julia's book) And I have to admit, I could never ever attempt Julie's "cook every recipe in the book" feat with this book. It's just too complicated and to me, it's hard to follow. Sorry, Julia, I had to say it. But the recipes I have tried have been fabulous!!

I was happy to find a little note in this recipe that read: "(*) May be prepared ahead to this point." Perfect.

This is a Gratin of potatoes, with ham, eggs and onions. I think it will be perfect with a simple salad served with Julia's vinaigrette.

This dish was fabulous, and there wasn't a crumb left, although I must admit I probably wouldn't make it very far in advance the next time...the potatoes didn't fare well in the fridge overnight, although they weren't too far gone to rescue. I should have put some plastic wrap directly on the mixture to prevent the blackening...and as Julia said, "who will ever know?" I'm just telling you so you can avoid it!

Râpée Morvandelle
Gratin of Shredded Potatoes with Ham and Eggs and Onions
For 4 people

1/2 cup finely minced onions
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup (3 ounces) finely diced cooked ham
4 eggs
1/2 clove crushed garlic
2 tablespoons minced parsley and/or chives and chervil
2/3 cup (3 ounces) grated Swiss cheese
4 tablespoons whipping cream, light cream, or milk
Pinch of pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 medium-sized potatoes

2 tablespoons butter
An 11- to 12-inch baking dish or skillet about 2 inches deep or individual baking dishes about 6 inches in diameter
1/2 tablespoon butter cut into pea-sized dots

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the onions slowly in the oil and butter for 5 minutes or so, until tender but not browned.

Raise heat slightly, stir in ham, and cook a moment more.

Beat the eggs in a mixing bowl with the garlic, herbs, cheese, cream or milk, and seasonings. Then blend in the ham and onions.

Peel the potatoes and grate them, using large holes of grater. A handful at a time, squeeze out their water. Stir potatoes into egg mixture. Check seasoning. (*) May be prepared ahead to this point.

Heat the butter in the baking dish or skillet. When foaming, pour in the potato and egg mixture. Dot with butter. Set in upper third of preheated oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until top is nicely browned. Serve directly from the dish or skillet.

Steak & Shrimp with Parsley Potatoes

For the main course of our At Home Valentine's Dinner, we'll be having Steak & Shrimp, along with these delicious-sounding Parsley Potatoes, Caesar Salad and Black Forest Upside-Down Cakes! Of course we're doubling the recipe to serve our family of four. All recipes are from Everyday Food magazine.

We decided at the last minute not to make the shrimp. I wasn't able to find large shrimp, forgot to get them out of the freezer ahead of time and didn't feel like peeling a bunch of size 51/60 per pound shrimp. Although H-Bomb was most disappointed, we'll have to have those another night.

We cooked the steaks as directed, and I have to say that the spooning of hot butter has fabulous results. You've got to try it! These steaks were great! I can't remember what cut I bought, but they were delicious.


Because we didn't make the shrimp, I just tossed the potatoes in the pan we took the steaks out of (no wiping) and added the butter and parsley. YUM. Even H-Bomb, not a potato lover~the kid doesn't even like french fries!~said they were the best potatoes ever.


I'll report back on the shrimp!

Steak & Shrimp with Parsley Potatoes
Serves 2
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 25 minutes

This classic surf and turf is easy to make at home. Spooning hot butter over the beef is a steakhouse trick that helps it cook evenly and enhances its flavor.

1/2 pound small new red potatoes, halved or quartered if large
coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 filet mignon, sirloin, or flat-iron steaks (6 ounces each)
3 sprigs thyme
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
8 extra-large shrimp (6 ounces total), peeled and deveined, tails left on
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Place potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water by 1 inch. Season with salt; bring to a boil over medium, then reduce to a rapid simmer. Cook until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain potatoes and return to pot.

2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium skillet over medium-high. Pat steaks dry with a paper towel and season generously with salt and pepper. When oil just begins to smoke, add steaks to skillet. Cook until browned well on all sides, turning with tongs as needed, about 10 minutes total (reduce heat to prevent burning as needed). Reduce heat to medium, top steaks with thyme, and add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet. When butter froths, tilt skillet slightly so butter pools and repeatedly spoon it over steaks, 1 minute. Transfer steaks to a plate and tent with foil.

3. Briefly rinse skillet under cold water and return to medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon butter to skillet; when it froths, add shrimp and cook until beginning to brown at edges, about 2 minutes, turning halfway through. Season with salt and pepper, add half the parsley and toss. Transfer to a plate.

4. Return skillet to medium heat and add cooked potatoes. Cook, stirring, until potatoes are heated through and starting to break down, 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon butter and remaining parsley and toss to coat. Season potatoes with salt and pepper. Serve steak and shrimp with potatoes.

Shepherd's Pie AKA Hunting Rancher's Pie

I was looking for something new to do with our ground beef (we have a lot in the freezer right now), and was paging through the new (Feb. 2010) Martha Stewart Living when I ran across her recipe for Shepherd's Pie. I was intrigued by the use of parsnips and yogurt in the mashed potato topping, but not by the ground turkey or the weird chili powder in the filling. (chili powder? in shepherd's pie??) Not that I've ever had shepherd's pie, but chili powder just doesn't sound right to me.

I pulled out my American Classics cookbook, written by the editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine. You know, the people who test the daylights out of recipes to come up with the "Best" way to make them? So they suggested using diced lamb shoulder chops for the best flavor, which is probably true, but I've got ground beef. If I remember today I'll check the freezer in town for some lamb to add to the beef.

Then I remembered Shell's Shepherd Pie recipe that she posted back in November. It looks quite similar to the American Classics recipe, except doesn't call for wine. I like wine. The measurements are almost identical, but Shell's also adds corn. I like corn, too.

So this is what I decided. I'm going to use ground beef, and maybe some lamb. I'm going to use the Martha's topping and Shell's/American Classic's filling, with wine and Shell's corn. I won't even have to go to the store for this!

I think it will be the Best of Three Worlds. I guess we'll see. It doesn't sound very fast, but I'm still making it on a weeknight.

~~~~~

I couldn't find lamb in the town freezer, but I did grab a package of ground elk. Should be interesting. And delicious!

Okay. Had there not been excitement on the way home and subsequent emailing and reporting, I would have started this dish much earlier. Oh well. You can't eat on time every night, right?

I didn't really end up following any of the three recipes, except for ingredient lists, so we'll see how this goes. It's such a mishmash of ingredients and techniques and amounts, I believe I've changed more than enough to take credit for it now! It is smelling and looking delicious...but dinner was served almost an hour late. I could have left it in the oven for 5 more minutes to get just a bit more golden, but we were hungry!


And it IS delicious! I really like how it turned out, and ate too much. Number One and H-Bomb liked it too. Sawed Off wasn't really into eating tonight, but I'm sure he would have liked it, if he had tasted it. I guess technically with the elk and beef it should be called more of a Hunter's Pie or a Ranching Hunter's Pie, a Hunting Rancher's Pie? What do you think?


Min's Shepherd Pie
Inspired by Martha Stewart, American Classics, Shell & Alton Brown!

For the topping:
1 1/2 pounds potatoes, cleaned and cut into 1-inch pieces (I don't peel potatoes)
3 parsnips (6 ounces), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup plain yogurt
salt and freshly ground pepper

For the filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground elk (or lamb)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 medium onions, chopped coarse
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4-inch slices
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 1/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup full-bodied red wine
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon thyme leaves (dried, or chopped if fresh)
1 teaspoon rosemary (dried, or chopped if fresh)
1 cup peas (I used canned, drained; if frozen, thaw first)
1 cup corn (I used canned, drained; if frozen, thaw)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Make the topping: Place potatoes and parsnips in a medium saucepan, cover with water by 2 inches, and bring to a simmer. Cook until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Drain, return to saucepan, add yogurt and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Mash and mix together; season with pepper.

Make the filling: Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add meat and start cooking. Add onions and carrots, cook until vegetables are softened and meat is browned. Add garlic, flour and tomato paste and cook until the garlic is fragrant, about 1 minute.

Add the broth, wine and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until some of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove from heat. Stir peas, corn, thyme and rosemary into meat mixture and check the seasonings. Pour the meat mixture evenly into a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish. With a large spoon, place the potato topping over the entire filling. Starting at the sides to ensure a tight seal, use a rubber spatula or a spoon to smooth out the potatoes and anchor them to the sides of the baking dish. (you should not see any filling).

Bake until the top turns golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes and serve.

Potage Parmentier (Leek and Potato Soup)

Although I already have an excellent recipe here for Martha's Potato Leek Soup, I've been reading Julie and Julia, and Potage Parmentier was one of the first recipes Julie made from Julia Child's Mastering The Art of French Cooking.

Although I'm not presuming to (gasp!) doubt Julia, her soup only has 6 ingredients (4 main ingredients). Martha's recipe has many more: subtle spices, shallots, garlic, and honestly I simply LOVE Martha's soup. I guess we'll have to see what happens with Julia's...I'm willing to give it a chance!

If you're not exactly sure how to clean the leeks, which can be quite dirty inside, please follow this link for a quick lesson!

I don't have a pressure cooker, but I've included those directions because I know a lot of people do. I stirred in cream at the end, but had I not had cream, I think butter would have been fine. We served our soup with a loaf of Artisan Bread. We were going to have a simple salad too, but I didn't get around to it. Soup and bread was plenty for us.

Julia's soup is simple and comforting, and yes, delicious! I should never have doubted it. I do still love Martha's soup, of course, but believe it or not, Julia's is sooooo much easier.

The boys started out dipping their Artisan Bread in the soup, and by the end of the meal, they were drinking the soup out of their mugs! I think H-Bomb even had seconds. If that isn't a Seal of Approval, I don't know what is.

You can also see this recipe featured on
OuR KrAzY KiTcHeN
in my very first spot as a Guest Host for
"Guess Who's Coming To Dinner"

Potage Parmentier
[Leek or Onion and Potato Soup]

Leek and potato soup smells good, tastes good, and is simplicity itself to make. It is also versatile as a soup base; add water cress and you have a watercress soup, or stir in cream and chill it for a vichyssoise. To change the formula a bit, add carrots, string beans, cauliflower, broccoli or anything else you think would go with it, and vary the proportions as you wish.

For about 2 quarts serving 6 to 8 people

a 3- to 4- quart saucepan or pressure cooker
3 to 4 cups or 1 pound peeled potatoes, sliced or diced
3 cups or 1 pound thinly sliced leeks including the tender green (and well washed); or yellow onions
2 quarts of water
1 tablespoon salt
4 to 6 tablespoons whipping cream or 2 to 3 tablespoons softened butter
2 to 3 tablespoons minced parsley or chives

Either simmer the vegetables, water and salt together, partially covered, for 40 to 50 minutes until the vegetables are tender; or cook under 15 pounds pressure for 5 minutes, release pressure, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.

Mash the vegetables in the soup with a fork, or pass the soup through a food mill. Correct seasoning. Set aside uncovered until just before serving, then reheat to the simmer.

Off heat and just before serving, stir in the cream or butter by spoonfuls. Pour into a tureen or soup cups and decorate with the herbs.

Shepherd's Pie

I have an alternative version of the traditional shepherd's pie that is made with just vegetables and is EXCELLENT. I wanted to attempt a more traditional shepherd's pie with meat and here it is! I found it on foodnetwork.com and it's a Alton Brown recipe. Mighty tasty and very easy to make! With mounds of mashed potatoes and meat & veggies in a tasty gravy, it is the ULTIMATE in comfort food for chilly fall evenings!

Here's what you'll need for the mashed potato top (or use your favorite mashed potato recipe!)

• 1 1/2 lbs russet potatoes
• 1/4 cup half n half (I used plain old milk with a bit more butter)
• 2 oz butter
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg yolk (I have to admit I've never used eggs in my mashed potatoes and I forgot when I made this recipe. Turned out just fine.

Here's what you'll need for the filling...

• 2 Tbs canola oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 carrots peeled & diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 lbs ground lamb, beef or turkey (I've used turkey and beef, both good)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 Tbs flour
• 2 tsp tomato paste (or a squirt of ketchup if you don't have it)
• 1 cup chicken broth (or beef broth if you're using beef)
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp fresh rosemary (or about 1/2 tsp or so of dry)
• 1 tsp fresh thyme leaves (or about 1/4 tsp of dry)
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn
• 1/2 cup fresh or frozen peas

Peel potatoes and cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a medium saucepan with water and bring to boil. Decrease heat to a simmer and cook until tender (10-15 minutes). Drain and return to pan. Add butter, salt & pepper and mash with masher or mixer. Add half n half (or milk) when the butter has melted and continue mashing/mixing until smooth. Add the yolk (if using) and stir until well combined.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the oil into a large saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil shimmers, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color (3-4 minutes). Add garlic and stir to combine. Add the meat, salt & pepper and cook until browned and cooked through. Sprinkle the meat with flour and toss to coat. Add tomato paste, broth, Worcestershire, rosemary and thyme and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly (10 minutes or so) until the sauce is thickened slightly.

Add corn and peas and stir to combine. Spread evenly in a 11 x 7 baking dish. Top with mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling thru. Place on middle rack and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown.

Let set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Min's Pork Chile Verde Stew

For a while, we had a Schwan's delivery guy who used to be chef. He said he was "Irish-Mexican" and that his dream job would be cooking on a ranch like ours. He was large, round, friendly and nice, and we talked quite a bit about food. He shared the ingredients for his "secret" Green Chile, and I wrote them down. I didn't write down the technique, amounts, or anything else, so I'm just going to wing it here.

I think this should turn out just fine for a last-minute dinner for 14 hungry cowboys, don't you?

Just so you know, here are all the notes I started with:

Green Chile--
chicken stock
roasted green chiles
chicken bouillon
cumin
mexican oregano
pork sirloins or chicken
cornstarch to thicken (don't if freezing)
pureed tomatoes

And that's all I've got. He said that green chile is "peasant food" or something to that effect, and that he used to make and serve it in a restaurant where he cooked. He also said something about feeling okay to share the "recipe" with me because I live in the middle of nowhere, basically "who are you going to tell?" Ahem.

But, you know, I am making this up as I go along, and I'm also going to add more ingredients, and completely improvise the method. So it's not really like I'm divulging any big secrets here. I don't think, anyway, given the end result.

I pulled a 5-pound package of pork loin ribs out of the freezer, but didn't realize that they were not boneless, but that's all I had. That's okay, since I was cutting the meat up anyway, I just had an extra step of removing all the bones. Incidentally, the slab of meat wouldn't fit into our microwave for defrosting, so I did it a different way: I stuck it into the biggest frying pan I have (it didn't all fit, some was sticking over the edge), put a cup of water in the pan and perched the lid on top of the meat. I turned it on medium to sort of "steam-thaw" it until I could get the ribs apart and cut them into bite-size pieces. It worked pretty well, I just tried not to cook the meat very much in the process. It would be much easier with advance notice and having meat that was thawed.

And although this started out to be a somewhat "authentic" Chile Verde, it ended up being something quite different. I embraced the "peasant food" label and ran with it, boiling and straining the pork rib bones for broth, adding ingredients that we had in the pantry to extend the recipe when I didn't think it looked like enough to feed 14.

It was a bit too spicy for the kids, but they ate leftover pesto instead...If you're concerned about it being too spicy, just leave out the can of jalapeños and reduce the cumin. Either way, it's delicious!

Min's Pork Chile Verde Stew
serves about 14

Butter
Olive oil
5 pounds boneless pork ribs
1 cup flour
1 1/2 yellow onions, diced (about 2 cups)
2 carrots, peeled and cut in 1/4-inch dice
4 cans chicken broth (2 cans if using pork "broth")
7 cubes chicken bouillon
4 4-ounce cans fire-roasted diced green chiles
1 4-ounce can fire-roasted diced jalapeños
6 to 8 red potatoes, washed and cut in 1/4-inch dice
1 can garbanzo beans
1 can whole kernel corn
1 tablespoon cumin (or to taste)
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano, crushed
1 can diced tomatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pour flour into a large ziploc bag. Cut pork into 1/2-inch pieces, add to ziploc bag, seal and shake to coat. Starting with two tablespoon each, add butter and olive oil to a large soup pot over medium heat. Remove pork from flour with a slotted spoon, and fry in butter and oil until golden brown and cooked through, stirring occasionally. Remove cooked pork to a plate, and repeat until all pork is cooked and on a plate, using more butter and oil as necessary in equal amounts.

Add diced onions to the pan, along with an additional tablespoon each of butter and olive oil, if necessary. Saute over medium-low heat until onions are translucent. Add carrots, stirring in and cooking for a few minutes. Add chicken and pork broth, and chicken bouillon cubes. Return pork to the pot.

Add everything else except tomatoes, salt and pepper, and stir well. Reduce heat to low, and simmer until potatoes are tender. Stir in tomatoes and warm through. Taste and adjust for spices, add salt and pepper if needed.

Serve with tortillas or crusty bread on the side and plenty of Corona.

Taste & Create XXII: Spicy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

My favorite food blog event is here again, and this time I ended up with two partners! Created by Nicole of For the Love of Food, participating food bloggers are randomly paired off, to try and blog about one of their partner's recipes.

My other partner this month was Liza of Knick Nosh. You may remember last month I made her scrumptious Greek Salad and also her wonderful [Chicken] Burgers with Portabello Mushrooms, Spinach and Sundried Tomato Mayo. Both of those recipes were so good, I couldn't wait to try her Spicy Oven-Roasted Potatoes. Her Banana Oat Muffins are also on my list!

Tonight I only used about 5 or 6 potatoes, and it was more than enough for the four of us. Since I'm always cooking for little ones, I also substituted Cajun seasoning as Liza suggested. It was still a bit spicy, but Number One and I loved them. I was going to broil them at the end too, but I didn't. Man, I can't wait for my new kitchen...


Spicy Oven-Roasted Potatoes

10 red potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon red pepper
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper
(or 1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning instead of red pepper and garlic powder)
Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine red pepper, garlic powder, salt and pepper in small dish.

Scrub potatoes clean and slice into ¼-inch slices. Spray potatoes with cooking spray and place in microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 8 minutes. Remove potatoes from microwave and spread out on baking sheet.

Pour olive oil over potatoes and season with red pepper mixture or Cajun seasoning. Combine potatoes, oil, and seasoning. Spread into single layer on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, turning potatoes after 10 minutes. If crispier potatoes are desired, broil for last 2-3 minutes.

Dublin Coddle

We had our first monthly Bunkhouse Brunch last Sunday, and it was a smashing success! We had a great turnout, were surrounded by friends and family, and everyone brought such fabulous food! We made a Strata with Asparagus, Sausage and Fontina. Among the other dishes were roasted sweet potatoes, sausage links, donut holes, coffee, an assortment fruit, Yoghurt Coffee Cake (with roasted almonds instead of walnuts!), and fresh squeezed orange & grapefruit juice, and a new taste sensation, Espressicles. Quite a spread!

Since the brunch is a monthly event, we are already thinking about the next one...

Various things pushed the brunch a bit further into the month of March, but what a lucky thing that turned out to be. With the March Bunkhouse Brunch scheduled for March 15, we are running with an Irish theme in honor of St. Patrick's Day.

In preparation, and honestly just because they sound delicious, we are trying out several new recipes. My ancestry is almost completely Irish, but sadly the only Irish dish that comes to my mind is Boiled Dinner. I'm not a big fan, but I feel like I ought to give it another try at some point. Just not right now. First, I ran across this recipe for "Dublin Coddle."

The recipe sounds fabulous: bacon, sausage, potatoes, onions and carrots slow-cooked in beer or broth. I found it in The Gourmet Slow Cooker: Simple and Sophisticated Meals from Around the World, and I can't say if I've ever tried a recipe out of the book before. Looking through it the other day, I know I will be trying several more out of this fantastic little book. Lucky you!

This stew is savory, hearty and delicious, and H-Bomb says "Super yummy!"


Dublin Coddle
Serves 6 Dublin Coddle is true Irish comfort food: no fancy sauces, and none of the spices found in hotter regions. Yet every Dublin pub and every Dublin mum has a version of it. It sounds simple--just bacon, sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and water or hard cider--but the flavors meld together into a delicious stew. Note: This dish is an exception to the better-the-day-after rule. I like it hot out of the pot.

4 slices lean bacon (I used 6 slices)
1 1/2 pounds pork sausages (6-8 sausages) ~I used about 10 I think
2 yellow onions, sliced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 large potatoes, peeled and sliced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup water, hard cider, chicken stock or beer (I used a dark Oatmeal Stout beer)
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Heat a large saute' pan over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and fry for 7 minutes, or until crisp. (If there is one thing I can do with bacon, it is fry until crisp!) Using tongs, transfer to paper towels to drain.

Add the sausages to the pan and cook, turning frequently, for 10 minutes, or until browned. Using tongs, transfer to a plate. Drain any excess fat from the pan.

Add the onions to the pan and saute', stirring frequently, for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Spread half of the onions in a layer in the bottom of the slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place half of the potatoes in a layer on top of the onions and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Lay the strips of bacon over the potatoes. Lay the sausages over the bacon. Spread the carrots over the sausages and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Spread the remaining onions over the carrots and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Top with the remaining potatoes and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Add the water. Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours, until the vegetables are very tender.

Transfer to a warmed serving dish and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve immediately.

To Drink: Harp Lager or Newcastle Brown Ale. (we'll be drinking Oatmeal Stout)

Potato Leek Soup

This is an excellent soup. I haven't made it in a long while, which is why there isn't a picture...yet. An old friend of mine just had 10 pounds of leeks given to her, and since this recipe uses 6 leeks, I thought it would be good to pass on. I'll keep my eye out for more! I love leeks.

It is from The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, and is so comforting and warm. I wish I had enough leeks to make this right now! This soup will get you through the winter. Make some!


Potato Leek Soup
Serves 8 to 10

2 dried bay leaves
6 sprigs fresh rosemary or 2 teaspoons dried and crushed rosemary
4 sprigs fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 celery stalks, strings removed, cut in 1/4-inch dice
6 leeks, white parts, thinly sliced and well washed (follow the link for a quick how-to)
4 shallots, minced
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 quarts homemade chicken stock or low-sodium canned broth
1 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Tie the bay leaves, rosemary, parsley and peppercorns in a piece of cheesecloth to make a bouquet garni. Set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium stockpot. Add the celery, leeks, shallots and garlic, cook on low heat until very soft, about 45 minutes, stirring only occasionally. Do not brown. Add the potatoes, chicken stock, and reserved bouquet garni. Cover, and bring to a boil; reduce to a gentle simmer. Cook, uncovered, until the potatoes are very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the bouquet garni and discard.

3. Working in batches, pass only half of the soup through a food mill fitted with a medium disk, (or process carefully in batches in a food processor), into a large saucepan. Add the remaining chunky soup. (I like my potato soup smooth and creamy, so I mill/process all the soup). Place the saucepan on medium-low heat to warm the soup. Slowly stir in milk and cream, and season with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas (Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs)

Instead of exchanging gifts this year, Number One's brother and sister-in-law suggested that we cook fabulous meals for each other and our families during their visit to the ranch. This is an excellent idea; each couple will get a night off to relax, socialize and drink a little more wine, and we will all enjoy splendid meals together.

To that end, I decided to prepare a Mexican feast. We have wonderful memories of our trip to Mexico with Number One's brother and our niece, and we all enjoy authentic Mexican food. H-Bomb declared that he doesn't want my Famous Lamb Tacos, so I pulled out my trusty cookbook. There are several recipes I've been wanting to try in Rick Bayless's Mexican Kitchen, and this is one of them. I plan to follow Rick's menu suggestions:

Golden Squash Blossom Crema
Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs
Chocolate Pecan Pie, Frontera Grill style

In Spanish, El Menu:

Crema de Flores de Calabaza
Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas
Pay de Nuez y Chocolate, estilo Frontera Grill

All three recipes sound like there will be some work involved, but not what I would call "labor-intensive." There is enough work that I am excited to tell you: all the dishes above can be made ahead of time! I will post the variations that I am preparing, due in part to an ingredient-deficient grocery store, as well as the original version. What are we waiting for? Let's get to it!




**I had planned to make this in advance. I had every intention of making this in advance. It did not happen. Dinner is in three hours, and I am preparing this dish now. **

Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas

I doubled the recipe below in order to serve 8 adults and 3 children. The store didn't have country pork ribs, so I used thick pork chops. I don't have a pan large enough to put all the meat in one layer, and I had already used my dutch oven pan for the squash soup, so I used my soup pot and browned the pork in batches. This greatly increased the time it took to prepare this recipe, and we ended up eating much later than anticipated. I also ran out of time and scrapped the dessert plans altogether. It didn't matter--the soup and the pork were so delicious that everyone ate plenty. Wine with dinner, and CG pulled out some store-bought truffles, and it was a perfect meal.

We will definitely make this again. Ahead of time.


Costillas de Puerco con Verdolagas Tomatillo-Braised Pork Country Ribs with Mexican Greens

Serves 4 to 6

FOR 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce Base:
1 1/2 pounds (15 to 18) tomatillos, husked and rinsed
Fresh hot green chile to taste (roughly 5 serranos), stemmed
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus a few sprigs for garnish
Salt, about 1 1/2 teaspoons, plus some for sprinkling on the meat
______________________________________

2 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil
3 pounds (about 6 good-size pieces) pork country ribs (or 1-inch-thick pork blade chops)
2 small white onions, finely chopped, plus a couple of slices separated into rings, for garnish
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
8 medium boiling potatoes (like the red-skin ones), quartered
3 cups (about 12 ounces) fresh purslane (verdolagas), rinsed and thick bottom stems removed
OR 6 cups loosely packed, sliced (1/2-inch pieces) chard leaves (you'll need a 12-ounce bunch)
OR two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped **this last "shortcut" variation is the one I have to go with.

1. Making 2 1/4 cups Essential Simmered Tomatillo-Serrano Sauce base. Lay the tomatillos and chiles on a baking sheet and place about 4 inches below a very hot broiler. When they darken and soften, about 5 minutes, turn them over and broil the other side.

Roughly chop the chiles, then transfer them and the tomatillos (along with any liquid) to a food processor or blender. Puree, then add the chopped cilantro, 3/4 cup water, and salt.

2. The meat and potatoes. Over medium-high heat, heat the oil in a Dutch oven or Mexican cazuela large enough to hold the meat in a single layer. Sprinkle the meat with salt, then brown on all sides, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Turn on the oven to 325 degrees. Pour off all but a thin coating of oil from the pan. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 4 minutes; add the garlic and cook 2 minutes longer. Stir in the tomatillo sauce base, let come to a rolling boil, then return the meat to the pan. Cover and bake in the oven until the meat is just tender, about 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and skim off any fat that has risen to the top of the sauce.

Add the potatoes to the hot pot, push them down into the sauce, cover and continue baking until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.

3. Finishing the dish. Stir the greens into the meat and potatoes, set the cover in place again, and bake 10 more minutes. Taste and season with a little more salt if necessary.
Transfer the ribs to a warm, deep serving platter. Arrange the potatoes around them, then spoon the sauce and greens over and around the meat. Strew the onion rings over the top, garnish with cilantro, and carry the impressive platter to the table.

ADVANCE PREPARATION--The dish may be prepared very successfully through step 2; cover and refrigerate. Bring to a simmer on top of the stove before continuing with step 3.

SHORTCUTS--Two 10-ounce packages frozen leaf spinach, thawed, squeezed dry and roughly chopped, can replace the fresh greens; add them just before serving.

VARIATIONS AND IMPROVISATIONS: The classic combination of purslane, potatoes and tomatillos can be made as a great vegetable dish or taco filling: Omit the meat, simply fry the onion and garlic, add the sauce base, then let reduce until thick; stir in 1 cup beef broth. Simmer until medium-thick, then add the potatoes, simmer 15 or 20 minutes, add the greens, simmer 5 to 10 minutes more, season, and serve (this is good with cubes of queso fresco as garnish).

An equal weight of chicken thighs or beef short ribs can replace the pork, as can thick tuna or swordfish steaks (thin the sauce base to a spoonable consistency with broth once it has come to a boil; add the potatoes-but not the browned fish-and bake 20 minutes, then nestle in the greens and fish and bake until both are as done as you like).