Harvest Farro Salad

December 01, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Gotta love the post Thanksgiving week for looking back on slices of pie consumed, walks planned but half-heartedly taken, and naps interrupted by cocktail hour (with snacks, of course.) Even the most dedicated health nut can have his head turned by cornbread stuffing laced with turkey gravy – and to be clear, I’m certainly not advocating a lettuce only diet when there are so many delicious things to eat. What I am suggesting is that in those in between moments that a return to balance is needed with something that ups the veggie intake without sacrificing flavor or satisfaction.

Perhaps it’s a coincidence, or maybe divine Providence, that the Upper West Side is home to the newest sweetgreen outpost; which for the uninitiated is salad-centric restaurant with a huge array of locally sourced greens, grains, and toppings mixed together in made-to-order combinations. I’ve become pretty obsessed with sweetgreen’s “Harvest Grain Bowl” and decided that as much as I loooove having someone else make dinner once in a while, it’s probably not financially sound to get takeout every night.

And, so I give you my version of a healthful meal that’s really simple to make and can be endlessly adaptable to what’s in the fridge. Don’t like sweet potatoes? Try acorn squash. Arugula too bitter? Baby spinach works great too. Want more protein or don’t have pecans? Toss in some shredded turkey from last weekend or a handful of almonds instead. The sky’s the limit and you won’t feel bad at all later when you have a cookie or two at the next holiday party.

Harvest Farro Salad (Yield: 2-4 Servings)

Ingredients:
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 cup (1 medium) yellow onion, diced
1 cup pearled farro
2 cups chicken stock
Kosher salt
Ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
4 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
6 cups baby arugula greens
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup unsalted pecan halves
Vinaigrette dressing, for serving (My favorite: Brianna’s Real French Vinaigrette)

Instructions:
Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the butter in a large, deep sauté pan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and sauté until the onions turn golden and translucent, approximately 10-12 minutes.

Sprinkle the whole grain farro into the sauté pan and gently stir to coat with the onion and olive oil, about 2-3 minutes. Add 1 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and the thyme to the pan and pour in the chicken stock.

Stir to combine the ingredients and bring the mixture up to a simmer, then cover the pan and reduce the heat to low. Continue to simmer with the pan covered for 40 minutes until the chicken stock is absorbed and the farro is tender, but al dente.

While the farro is cooking, peel the sweet potatoes and dice in 1/2 inch cubes. Scatter onto a rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, sprinkle with kosher salt and black pepper. Roast at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, turning part way through the cooking time, or until the pieces are tender and easily pierced with a fork.

Allow the sweet potatoes and farro to cool before tossing with the arugula, dried cranberries, and pecans. Drizzle with your favorite vinaigrette and serve chilled or at room temperature.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes! I used a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, large deep sauté pan, and one rimmed baking sheet. I also used a vegetable peeler, liquid measuring cup, measuring spoons, and a wooden spatula. A large bowl for tossing the ingredients together is helpful, or just use the cooled sauté pan!

The Verdict:
It’s great to have something that can be made ahead of time and kept on hand to pack in a lunch, but a salad isn’t going to cut it if I’m starving an hour later. So not the case here thanks to the farro and sweet potatoes. The farro in particular has a nutty richness and chewy texture that makes me forget there’s no meat, while the sweet potato has just enough starchiness to stick with you well into the afternoon. No 4pm crash and burn that sends me to rifle through the pantry for a treat. Crisis averted on all fronts.

Winter Greens Gratin

November 19, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

It’s easy in the frenzy of holiday preparations to get caught up in more, more, more – more butter, more options on the sideboard, more going crazy trying to make everything perfect. I’ve been trying to resist being caught in that trap this year and focus instead on less. Not less care, just redirecting my effort into singular dishes that make a meal feel special. If it can be made ahead leaving more time on Thanksgiving Day for watching parades, playing board games and hanging with my family; even better.

This Winter Greens Gratin fills the bill on all accounts, but I won’t lie – it does take a voluminous amount of fresh kale and mustard greens, like possibly all the kale in Brooklyn. It’s a little intimidating at first, but slowly the mountain is tamed down to a manageable amount and then stirred together with cream steeped with garlic and thyme. Thankfully (intentional pun alert!) ninety percent of the prep can be done a day or two ahead and then layered in a baking dish to find it’s way into the oven at the appropriate moment. Mischief managed.

Winter Greens Gratin (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
3 pounds (2 large bunches) lacinato kale
2 1/2 pounds (2 medium bunches) mustard greens
Kosher salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan
1 cup coarsely grated Gruyère
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, divided, plus 7 sprigs thyme
1 cup (2 large) thickly sliced shallots
1 tablespoon unsalted butter plus more for dish
2 cups half and half
7 garlic cloves, smashed
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice cubes.

Wash the kale and mustard greens carefully to remove any sand. Strip the leaves from the stalks and roughly chop in large pieces keeping the two types of greens separate.

Working in batches, drop 3-4 generous handfuls of the chopped kale into the boiling water. Use tongs to stir the leaves and cook for about 3 minutes. Transfer the kale with the tongs into the bowl of ice water and let cool for 1 minute. Remove the leaves from the ice water with your hands and squeeze as much water as possible from the leaves. Set aside on a cutting board, and repeat the process until all the kale is cooked.

Repeat the same process with all the mustard greens, cooking in the boiling water for 2 minutes per batch. Coarsely chop all the greens; you should have 6 cups tightly packed leaves. Discard the ice water and combine the kale and mustard greens in the bowl by loosening with your fingers. Set aside, or refrigerate in a food storage container.

Next prep the bread crumbs and cheeses in a mini food processor. Heat oil in a deep, 12 inch skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring frequently, until golden and crispy, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl allow to cool for a few minutes, then stir in Parmesan and 1 teaspoon thyme leaves. Set aside, or store in an airtight food storage container at room temperature.

***Greens and breadcrumbs can be made up to 2 days ahead.

To prepare the sauce, wipe out the skillet and melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring often, until slightly softened and lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer shallots to the bowl with greens.

Add half and half, garlic cloves, and thyme sprigs to same skillet; bring to a simmer. Cook until mixture is thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 10-12 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and garlic cloves; stir in nutmeg. Season the mixture with kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste.

Pour the sauce over greens in bowl and toss with a fork to evenly coat the greens and shallots in the cream.

Lightly butter a 3 quart baking dish and spread the greens mixture into the dish. Sprinkle with the grated Gruyère, then top with the toasted breadcrumbs. Cover the dish with foil.

***Gratin can be assembled 1 day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until filling is hot, about 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10-20 minutes until cheese is melted, edges are bubbling, and breadcrumbs are golden brown. Garnish with the remaining 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves.

Lightly adapted and re-written from Bon Appétit’s Winter Greens Gratin.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
A challenge to your small kitchen cooking skills, but doable if you clear the decks before starting. I used a large sauce pan, a deep sauté pan, a mini-food processor, two large bowls, a medium baking dish, and a large cutting board. A pair of tongs, measuring spoons, a chef’s knife, microplane grater, a rubber spatula, and foil will round out the kit. Food storage containers will make life easier and save the need for both bowls.

The Verdict:
Winter Greens Gratin blends the best of creamed spinach with the crisp topping and sharp tang of homemade mac and cheese. The proportion of greens to dairy is perfect and as a result the herbaceous flavor of the kale and mustard greens is highlighted, not masked by the garlic-y cream sauce and cheeses. The toasted breadcrumbs add a little crunch and texture. I made this as a contribution to a Friendsgiving dinner last weekend and the emptiness of the baking dish told the tale. No one will have to be reminded to eat their greens with this gratin on the table.

Herbed Butternut Squash & Apple Mash

November 12, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking

Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Mash | Image: Laura Messersmith — **Herbed Butternut Squash and Apple Mash** | Image: *Laura Messersmith*

It’s fall, early November to be exact, when thoughts of Thanksgiving are in the air, and that means the number of squash, pumpkin, and pumpkin spice recipes have reached a critical mass. No one could possibly make them all without turning into a gourd of some kind, so does the world really need another? Normally, I’d say no and move on to something else banking on our mutual pumpkin fatigue, but in this case I just have to share this recipe because to horde it all to myself would be depriving you of something awesome.

Some recipes are the result of careful planning – an idea, some tests, and then a final version that corresponds with the initial light bulb concept – while others are a happy accident. This is one of the latter. Remember the Cider Braised Chicken & Apples from a few weeks ago? Notice the butternut squash in the photo? That was what I would consider a classic mash – squash roasted in the oven until soft, then stirred together with butter, kosher salt, and ground black pepper. Solidly tasty, but nothing earth shattering there.

The magic moment was when that earthy, slightly sweet puree met the tangy mustard-cider sauce and tart apples. It nearly stole the show from the chicken and I realized that I had to come up with a way to combine those flavors intentionally. This is that recipe. See, I’m a humanitarian, not just some shill for the squash lobby.

Herbed Butternut Squash & Apple Mash (serves 8-10)

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup (1 large) minced shallot
4 pounds (2 large) butternut squash
1 1/2 pounds (2-3 medium) tart, firm apples
1 cup dry hard apple cider (I used Angry Orchard Stone Dry)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Instructions:
Peel, de-seed and cut the butternut squash into 1/2 inch cubes. Mince the shallots, and peel, core and dice the apples in 1/2 inch pieces.

In a large pot or dutch oven, melt together the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the minced shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes until they begin to turn translucent, watch them to be sure they don’t burn. Add the butternut squash pieces and stir to coat with the shallots and butter. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 8 minutes until the squash is just beginning to soften, stirring occasionally to prevent the squash from burning.

Whisk together the hard cider, Dijon mustard, apple cider vinegar, kosher salt and black pepper. Add the mixture to the pot along with the diced apples and stir to combine. Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes or until the squash and apples are very tender. Stir periodically. Uncover and cook 5-7 minutes more until most of the liquid has evaporated. Finally, add the minced thyme to the pot and mash the squash and apples into a thick puree or process in a food processor, according to your preference. Check the seasoning and serve hot.

Recipe written with reference to Martha Stewart’s Butternut Squash Mash and Fine Cooking’s Braised Chicken Legs with Cider, Apples, and Mustard.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Totally. I used my 5.5 qt French oven, which has taken up residence on the stovetop for the winter, a large cutting board, Y-shaped vegetable peeler, chef’s knife, a liquid measuring cup and spoons, and wooden spatula. I used a regular potato masher which gives the mash a chunkier, rustic texture, if you’d like more of a puree then a potato ricer or food processor is recommended.

The Verdict:
Can you tell I'm excited about this recipe? It’s the perfect blend of comfort food flavors with the peace of mind that it’s actually pretty healthy. It’s also incredibly easy to make and can be made in advance, which means it’s the perfect thing to whip up and have on hand as an awesome side through the week. For example, I found this recipe for “Vermont” Roast Pork Loin on Food52 the other day, and I think they’d be heavenly together. The slightly sharp edge from the cider and mustard keep the apples and squash from being too heavy – an excellent compliment to all your wintery dishes.

Italian Wedding Soup

November 09, 2015 by Laura Messersmith in Cooking with the Contessa

Each week I follow along with Ina Garten (aka the Barefoot Contessa) and attempt to recreate one of her dishes in my tiny New York City kitchen. The catch? This is my version of cooking school and I’m making these recipes for the first time. I’ll share both my successes and um, challenges, along the way and we’ll see if I can keep up with the Contessa!

Episode: “Food with Love”

The Set-up: Ina and Jeffrey are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with a special dinner and a trip down memory lane.

The Menu: Italian Wedding Soup, Brownie Pudding, Campari Orange Spritzer

0:42 – Ina is full of plans for her 40th wedding anniversary with Jeffrey, who true to form is stuck at work so it’s up to Ina to get the preparations under way.

1:18 – First up: Brownie Pudding. Brownies have a special place in the Garten relationship since Ina used to send them to Jeffrey at college.

2:33 – The recipe comes from Ina’s friend Anna Pump who owns a store called Loaves and Fishes, and wrote a cookbook, which I will now add to my Christmas list…

3:25 – Pro Tip #1: a tablespoon of framboise in the pudding mixture will add a subtle depth of unexpected flavor.

4:12 – Ina has apparently been getting some flack for her butter usage, but she is firmly pro-butter maintaining that “anyone who tries to make brownies without butter should be arrested!”

5:40 – Interesting, this is a pudding baked in a water bath so that it cooks very slowly and Ina says it can be made ahead of time.

6:06 – Oooh, Jeffrey has claimed he has to work but it’s all a cover for a romantic mission to locate a tent similar to the one they had on their camping trip through France. That is 1,000 brownie points (pun intended) in the making!

7:19 – We’re back with Ina as she talks us through the different liqueurs she uses in cooking and baking – framboise, coffee, cognac, it’s all quite boozy.

9:37 – On to the Italian Wedding Soup which Ina is making with chicken instead of beef or another red meat.

10:28 – A fun fact and Pro Tip #2: Using fresh bread crumbs will make the meatballs softer than dry bread crumbs.

11:51 – Ina is seasoning the meatballs with parsley, garlic and a combination of both parmesan and pecorino cheese. I’m surprised that she’s not doing her usual technique of grinding the cheese in the food processor.

12:14 – Can I just say how excited I am that these meatballs are baked not cooked in oil on the stovetop?!

13:39 – A quick check in with Jeffrey as he seeks out the tent. Alas, it won’t be very much like the original orange pup tent, but he’s assured by the proprietor that even a child could set it up. Sold.

14:43 – Moving on with the Italian Wedding Soup, it’s time to prep the vegetables to season the stock. Ina says as she chops that she doesn’t know the secret to a good marriage – she and Jeffrey just want each other to be happy. Simple.

18:56 – Vegetables are softened and now it’s time to add the chicken stock and a little white wine.

19:32 – A few more words of reflection from Ina – she says Jeffrey is the smartest person she knows, but that she balances him out by being “the practical one.”

20:07 – Well, now the absent minded professor is out in the backyard with the tent. Here goes nothing… He’s doing an excellent job of getting tangled up in the nylon shell. It’s close enough and that he better get back to his desk before Ina checks on him.

21:25 – Now for some cocktails. Campari Orange Spritzer with fresh orange juice and bitter liquor. Ina is going to bring one to Jeffrey and I bet after his struggles with the tent he could use a drink…

22:40 – He makes it just in time, she comes in the library just as he sits down at his desk. A split second later and he’d be caught!

23:58 – With the cocktails is a DVD trip down memory lane compliments of the production team splicing together some I+J greatest hits from past shows. They are just so darn cute!

26:16 – Back to put the finishing touches on the Italian Wedding Soup, meatballs are in, now some fresh herbs.

27:21 – I love with idea of wilting baby spinach into the soup at the last minute, I bet that tastes really fresh and wonderful. Ina isn’t kidding about this being a soup worthy of the main course.

28:35 – Ina says making Italian Wedding Soup is “corny,” but I think it’s so sweet. Embrace the corn! Brownie Pudding with ice cream is next and Jeffrey suggests having dessert outside… It’s surprise time….

29:48 – Ina can’t believe that Jeffrey put the tent together and they decide they should climb in and have dessert there. So much giggling and then the clincher: “If this tent be a rocking, don’t come a knocking.”

Final Thoughts:
I should try Campari sometime, it seems like it would be right up my alley.

I love Ina’s take on Italian Wedding Soup – it seems simultaneously more satisfying and lighter than the traditional version.

Oh Ina and Jeffrey, the two of them are just too much!

Lessons Learned:
I’ve made meatballs and I’ve made chicken soup, but never together and I was really curious to see how the process would work. Also, Italian Wedding Soup sounded like the perfect weekend dinner, so there’s that. Here’s what I learned…

Meatball Ingredients – I was a little worried about finding both ground chicken and chicken sausage and decided that pork sausage would be my back up plan, but thankfully both seem readily available in my grocery store. Bread crumbs are a different story – some stores sell bags of fresh bread crumbs in the bakery section but if those aren’t available and you don’t have a food processor, then use dried plain crumbs and add a bit more milk, starting with a tablespoon or two.

Meatball Mixing – Like with a cake, I’d recommend mixing the dry ingredients - breadcrumbs, cheese, and seasonings - together before adding the wet ingredients – ground meat, milk, and egg. I find that the mixture comes together more evenly and helps prevent over mixing. A fork is definitely the way to go to keep the meatballs light; a dense meatball is no one’s friend.

Portioning – Forty meatballs in 10 cups of broth, plus vegetables and pasta seemed like a lot especially because pasta tends to absorb a lot of moisture. So, I halved the meatball ingredients, but kept everything else in the recipe as written. When measured with a 1 tablespoon cookie scoop I yielded 24 meatballs which was perfect.

Vegetable Prep – Completely up to your preference, but I cut my vegetables slightly larger than called for in the recipe because I like them to keep their shape and still be firm after cooking. I also sorted through the fresh baby spinach and trimming off any slightly browning or particularly long stems. Much nicer to eat that way!

Pasta – I subbed Ditalini because it was the smallest pasta I could find. The only note here is to make sure to read the package directions for cooking time, especially if you’re using something else.

Small Kitchen Friendly?
Yes and no. It depends on whether you plan to make your own bread crumbs, if so then you’ll also need a mini food processor. At the minimum, I needed a large mixing bowl, two rimmed baking sheets, and a 5.5 qt French oven. I also used a medium cutting board, chef’s knife, tongs, a microplane grater, and a wooden spatula along with measuring cups and parchment paper. A 1 tablespoon cookie scoop isn’t essential, but will make portioning the meatballs much easier.

The Verdict:
Featuring meatballs and pasta I expected Italian Wedding Soup to fall firmly in the category of comfort food, and was surprised to discover that the chicken broth and vegetables actually make this soup quite fresh. The meatballs set the tone balancing depth of flavor from the sausage and cheeses against lean chicken, baking them instead of sautéing in oil – the results are light but satisfying. This soup is also one that can be made in stages as needed. I prepared everything up to the point of cooking the pasta one day, stored the meatballs and soup separately and finished assembling just before we were ready to eat. Perfect.