Lemony Smoked Salmon Dip

January 23, 2017 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

This is a recipe I think Ina would appreciate, especially when she notices that I followed her high/low rule by serving elegant smoked salmon with simple potato chips straight from the yellow Lay’s bag. This recipe also closely follows the make-ahead and low or no-cook rule by helpfully improving with time in the refrigerator and requiring a minimum of mixing and prepping to be incredible.

Last time I made this dip I whipped up a batch the night before knowing it was exactly the type of item I could hand off to literally any early arrival - up to and including a middle-schooler - and say “put this in a bowl, sprinkle it with these herbs, and pour chips around it” with utter confidence it would be perfect when guests walked through the door.

SuperBowl parties are coming up, so add this baby to your repertoire and sleep soundly smug in the knowledge you have a knock-out appetizer up your sleeve and it took almost no effort to prepare.

Lemony Smoked Salmon Dip (serves: 8-10)

Ingredients:
8 ounces smoked salmon
2 cups whole milk greek yogurt (I prefer a milder flavor like Fage here)
2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup minced fresh chives, plus more for serving
1/3 cup tablespoon minced fresh dill, plus more for serving
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper

Instructions:
In a medium bowl, stir together the yogurt, minced herbs, lemon juice, salt* and pepper until well combined. *Both smoked salmon and potato chips are pretty salty (duh) so go easy here!

Using your fingers, pull the smoked salmon into large pieces and fold into the yogurt mixture until evenly distributed.

Just before serving, sprinkle the top of the dip with more chives, dill and freshly ground pepper. Dip can be made 2 days ahead. Place in an air-tight container and refrigerate.

Re-written and adapted from Bon Appetit’s Lemony Smoked Trout Dip by Alison Roman.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
100%. I used a medium mixing bowl, chef’s knife, medium cutting board, and rubber spatula. The recipe is easy to eye-ball, but if you want to be precise then measuring cups & spoons.

Bruléed Grapefruit Tart

January 16, 2017 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

It’s citrus season again and the produce section is once more bursting with oranges, pink lemons, and my favorite: grapefruits. When I was younger the only way I could eat bracingly tart grapefruit was with heaping spoons of sugar. I admit, this pretty much defeats the purpose of consuming fruit in the first place, but that’s neither here nor there. As my taste buds matured I needed less and less sugar and today I sip freshly squeezed grapefruit juice without wincing.

My mood needs the bracing boost of sharp citrus. But for folks still on the fence, this bruléed grapefruit tart strikes a happy medium between lovely sweetness and teeth aching acidity by combining the milder ruby red or pink grapefruit variety with just the lightest sprinkle of toasted sugar and a simple, crisp crust.

Now, if it just tasted delicious I’d be sold, but this dessert has the extra benefit of also looking impressive. Elegant, concentric overlapping circles of grapefruit segments glistening under the melted sugar fooled my friends into thinking it came from a bakery. High praise. Imagine my enjoyment when I revealed that the entire process took place entirely in my own kitchen.

Bruléed Grapefruit Tart (serves 8)

Tart Shell Ingredients:
10 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
3-4 tablespoons cold water

Filling Ingredients:
4 large ruby red or pink grapefruits
1/4 cup orange or citrus marmalade
1/3 cup finely crushed butter cookies or honey graham crackers
6 tablespoons coarse sugar

Instructions:
In a large bowl, combine the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer. Add the vanilla. Add the flour and salt and mix on low speed until the dough starts to come together.

Press the dough into a 9 inch round false-bottom tart pan making sure that the finished edge is flat and the corner between the sides and bottom is sharp. Refrigerate until firm, about 1-2 hours.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prick the bottom of the chilled tart shell all over with a fork, then line with parchment paper and fill with dried beans or pie weights. These steps will prevent the shell from puffing up. Bake for 20 minutes. Allow to cool slightly before removing the paper and beans.

Increase the oven temperature to 425 degrees F.

To prep the filling, cut a thin slice from both ends of each grapefruit. Place the cut end on a cutting board and cut away the peel and the white part of the rind. Slip the knife along the sides of the membrane dividing the segment to remove the slice of grapefruit.

Spread the marmalade over the partially baked crust. Sprinkle with the crushed cookies or graham crackers. Arrange the grapefruit slices over the crust in concentric circles starting from the outer edge. (You probably won’t use every single piece.) Sprinkle 3 tablespoons of the coarse sugar over the grapefruit.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 15-20 minutes or until crust is lightly browned. Remove tart from oven; turn on broiler (or pull out your kitchen torch). Sprinkle tart with the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar. Broil for 2 to 3 minutes or until sugar is lightly browned and the edges of the grapefruit just begin to singe.

Let cool to room temperature before slicing and serving.

Re-written and adapted from Better Homes and Garden’s Broiled Grapefruit Tart and Ina Garten’s Lemon Curd Tart.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes, indeed. I used a medium mixing bowl, an electric hand mixer, measuring cups and spoons, a rubber spatula, a 9 inch false bottom tart pan, a medium cutting board, a serrated utility knife, and a kitchen torch. Parchment paper and dried beans, uncooked rice, or pie weights round out the equipment.

Hearty Split Pea Soup

November 16, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Split Pea Soup with Fried Egg | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Split Pea Soup with Fried Egg** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

I originally wrote this post pre November 8th and couldn’t bring myself to publish it until now. I honestly felt silly writing about food and cooking after such a disappointing and troubling election outcome (understatement.) But, we will need nourishment for the struggle and if any recipe could offer that it’s this one. So without further apology…

It’s beginning to feel more and more wintery – the wind is whipping, the wool sweater brigade is in full effect, and I’ve found myself Pinning holiday ideas even though the Halloween candy hasn’t been distributed. While in some ways I wish I could hold off the really frigid part of winter, there’s something so cozy about a blustery, wet day.

I’d love to return home to a fire crackling away, but since our apartment doesn’t run to wood-burning fire places (probably for the best) instead I’ve been on the hunt for new soups and stews to lend that necessary warmth. I’ve been scouring the Bon Appetit archives and finding so many treasures that I think my cookbook collection is starting to feel neglected. So be it, because this soup is too good to keep to myself.

The humble combination of green split peas and potatoes are elevated by a rich blend of onions, leeks, and garlic; and studded with bits of smoky ham. It’s a healthful, satisfying dish that rewards the patient cook, but amazingly requires minimal hands-on time. As with other slow-cooked recipes, this soup only grows in power overnight, so make extra.

Full disclosure: the first time I made this recipe I completely misjudged the amount of liquid needed and ended up with more of a split pea hash than soup. I was afraid that I had completely ruined a perfectly good soup, but a quick taste revealed that the flavors were wonderful and tasted even better when topped with a fried egg. Highly recommend this approach when serving!

Hearty Split Pea Soup (serves 6-8)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup (1 medium) chopped onion
1 cup (2 medium) chopped leeks, white and pale-green parts only
1/2 cup (2 stalks) chopped celery
2 tablespoons (4 cloves) minced garlic
2 teaspoons Kosher salt, divided
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cups (2 medium) small diced Yukon Gold potatoes
1/3 pound (1 cup) minced smoked ham
8 fresh thyme stems
2 bay leaves
2 cups (16 ounces) dried green split peas
8 cups (32 ounces) chicken broth

Instructions:
Prepare the vegetables, chopping the onion, leeks, and celery into fine dice and mincing the cloves of garlic.

In a large French oven, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat. Add the vegetables and sauté for 10-12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Season with a sprinkle of kosher salt, about 1/2 teaspoon.

Meanwhile, wash the potatoes and cut into small dice (no need to remove the skins!) and finely mince the ham. Add the potatoes and the minced ham to the pot and cook for 8-10 minutes until the potatoes begin to soften. Season with another 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper.

Tie the thyme stems together with kitchen twine (it will make them easier to remove later) and add to the pot along with the bay leaves, dried split peas, and chicken broth.

Increase the temperature to medium-high and bring the soup up to a low boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours stirring occasionally to keep the soup from burning or sticking. The soup is ready when the potatoes are very soft and have begun to break down and thicken the broth. Check the seasonings, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove the bay leaves and thyme stems. Serve with toasted rye croutons, a dollop of sour cream, a fried egg, or parmesan toast.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
100%. I used a large French oven (5.5qt), a chef’s knife, medium cutting board, measuring cups and spoons, along with a flat sided wooden spoon. That’s it!

Parisian Roasted Chicken and Tiny Potatoes

November 01, 2016 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Parisian Roast Chicken with Tiny Potatoes | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Parisian Roast Chicken with Tiny Potatoes** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

I’ve had this page in the Smitten Kitchen cookbook flagged with a post-it note for about 2 years and I am absolutely kicking myself that I just made it this fall for the first time. It has everything to recommend it – simple, short ingredient list; minimal equipment, classic French flavors – and yet I think I was intimidated by the process of spatch-cocking a chicken.

What that means in a nut-shell is removing the backbone so that a whole chicken can be cooked flat; reducing the total cook time. A slightly gruesome project, but one that is over and done with in less than five minutes presuming you have a sharp knife, or set of kitchen shears at your disposal. I recommend using the paper towel to keep the bird from skidding around on the cutting board while you undertake this process. But then it’s over and the more typical seasoning and roasting commence.

I called this chicken “Parisian” because Deb Perelman, the recipe’s author, tells the story of eating a similar dish on a trip to France and it reminded me of an Ina Garten recipe inspired by her own experiences in the City of Light. One bite and it’s clear why this dish makes a lasting impression.

The results are beautifully golden crisp skin – no need for oil or butter to accomplish it, just a few more paper towels for patting dry – juicy meat, and potatoes** that have absorbed all those amazing chicken-y flavors. Since there’s only a small roasting pan to contend with there’s still space for a sheet tray of Brussels sprouts or asparagus in the oven and dinner hits the table in under an hour.

Parisian Roasted Chicken with Tiny Potatoes (serves 4)

Ingredients:
2-3 pounds ping-pong sized Yukon gold potatoes, peeled**
3 1/2 - 4 pound whole chicken
2-3 tablespoons kosher salt
1 tablespoon black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
1 lemon

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Wash and peel the potatoes, then spread them in the bottom of a small roasting pan.

Place a layer of paper towel on a medium cutting board and prop the chicken up on its base with the back facing you. Use a chef’s knife to cut vertically along each side of the backbone to remove. (Or place the chicken breast side down and remove the backbone with sharp kitchen shears.) Discard the backbone or save for making chicken stock.

Turn the chicken breast side up and press along the breastbone to flatten. Pat the entire chicken dry - inside and out - with paper towels and sprinkle liberally with kosher salt and black pepper.

Drizzle the olive oil over the potatoes and toss together with kosher salt and pepper. Place the chicken on top of the potatoes, breast side up, using the vegetables as a makeshift roasting rack.

Roast the chicken in the hot oven for 45-50 minutes, tossing the potatoes and rotating the chicken halfway through. The chicken is done when an instant read thermometer reads 165 degrees F when inserted into the thigh. Allow the chicken to rest for 5-10 minutes.

Place the potatoes on a large serving platter. Then cut the chicken into pieces placing the legs, thighs, breasts and wings over the potatoes. Sprinkle the platter with the thyme leaves and a squeeze of lemon juice. Serve immediately with a simply cooked vegetable like roasted Brussels sprouts.

**Side Note: A note on the photos - I liked the rustic look of leaving the skins on and honestly peeling teeny potatoes is annoying, so I tested leaving the potato skins on and the results are good, but not amazing. Peeling or at least cutting the potatoes in half makes a BIG difference and allows the great chicken-y flavors to permeate, so it’s 100% worth it. If using a larger potato cutting them in small pieces achieves the same results.

Re-written from Deb Perelman’s Flat Roasted Chicken with Tiny Potatoes in The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook (pg. 173 – 174)

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Absolutely. I used a 9x13 metal roasting pan, a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, a vegetable peeler, and paper towels. That’s it!!