BOUNTIFUL BRISKET, SPICY GINGERBREAD

 

                            Bountiful brisket, spicy gingerbread

 

          It was tempting to paraphrase the old (1805) poem “The North Wind” by Anonymous these past weeks. “The north wind doth blow, And we shall have snow, And what will the ‘cook’ do then Poor thing? She’ll sit in her kitchen and keep herself warm, And cook for her folk, without care, Poor thing!.”

          A warm kitchen and food requiring a long cooking time are a good combination in times like this. Beef brisket, one of the primary cuts of meat, is relatively inexpensive with great flavor and can feed many people or serve several meals. Its drawback is that it is a tougher cut of meat requiring a long cooking time. It has recently regained popularity with many complicated recipes requiring searing and other steps during hours of the cooking period. The following simple recipe goes back many years in my kitchen, when time and money were short, and growing sons could rival a swarm of locusts at the dinner table. The flavor still remains incredibly rich despite the ease of preparation.

                                     Brisket with onions and mushrooms

          In a small dish mix: 1 ½ tsp. kosher salt, 1 tsp. lemon pepper, 1 ½ tsp. paprika. Rub this evenly all over a 3 lb. brisket and place it in a dry Dutch oven, fat side up. Lay 2 large bay leaves on top. Thickly slice 4 large onions and together with 2-3 chopped garlic cloves, cover the top and sides of the brisket. Do not add any liquid. Cover the Dutch oven tightly and bake in a preheated oven at 325 degrees for 3 ½ hours. Soak 1 oz. dried porcini or wild mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes.  Remove mushrooms and decant liquid from any debris and set both aside.

          After 3 ½ hours of baking, remove cover and add to the pot: 4 large, peeled potatoes cut in quarters, 2 large carrots cut in 2-inch pieces and the soaked mushrooms. Baste vegetables with the accumulated liquid from meat and onions, cover again and continue to bake for an additional hour.

          Remove meat on a large platter and surround with vegetables for serving. Cover lightly to keep warm while preparing the gravy. On medium heat, melt 2 tbsp. butter in a pan and make a roux with 2 tbsp. flour, slowly stir in reserved mushroom liquid, 1 cup juices from the roasting pan, 1 cup beef broth, 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce and 2 tbsp. balsamic vinegar. Cook with stirring until thickened and adjust with additional beef broth to desired thickness. Serve meat with gravy on the side. Leftover slices can be reheated in gravy and served with biscuits. Cold leftovers make great sandwiches with onion dip or sour cream and horseradish.

          Soft and dense old-fashioned gingerbread is not only rich in flavor but will perfume your house with its mouthwatering fragrance.

                                              Gingerbread coffee cake

          In a large bowl cream ½ cup soft butter with ½ cup sugar with an electric mixer until fluffy. Beat in 1 egg and ½ cup molasses or treacle beating for 2 minutes. In a small bowl combine 1 ½ cups flour, ¼ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. baking soda, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. allspice. Blend together ½ cup milk with 2 tbsp. sour cream (substitute for buttermilk) and 1 tsp. freshly grated ginger. Using a wooden spoon, beat the flour mixture into butter mix alternately with milk, starting and ending with flour mix. Turn batter into an 8x8x2 inch baking dish treated with baking spray and smooth out the top. Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick tester comes out clean. Serve with whipped cream.

          Now may be time to hope in the Northeast for that “January Thaw”, supported by both folklore and science.

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day:” and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

SPINACH NEEDS MORE RESPECT

 

                                Spinach needs more respect

 

          One of the least favorite childhood memories of most people is being told to ‘eat your spinach’.  Old cookbooks are filled with recipes for creamed spinach, which tried to improve its image. There was even a comic strip character, Popeye the Sailor Man, who downed cans of spinach before and after each heroic deed, but his diet never caught on.

          Then came the dietary recognition of the value of green leafy vegetables and suddenly kale was the new darling of every chef. We also suddenly became aware of the nutritional benefits of Swiss chard, Romaine, Bok choi and even collards. And yet, spinach should remain on the top of that list with only 7 calories/cup, containing high amounts of carotenoids, iron, potassium, calcium and vitamins like C, B and K. It is a fast grower in home gardens and is available year-round in stores, making it easy to include in a variety of recipes. Its delicate texture allows it to be served both raw and quickly cooked.

                                     Hearty spinach-red pepper salad

          Dressing, mix in a small jar: ¼ cup apple cider vinegar, 1 ½ tbsp. Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp. finely grated Parmesan, ¼ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper and 3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil. Shake the jar to mix the dressing for use and store the remainder in refrigerator.

          In a large bowl assemble: 6 oz. baby spinach, 1 red bell pepper seeded and diced, 2 chopped scallions, ¼ cup dried cranberries, ¼ cup shredded aged Asiago (or Parmesan) cheese, ¼ cup toasted pecan pieces. Just before serving, toss with 2 tbsp. dressing and sprinkle each serving with additional cheese.

                                              Creamy Avgolemono soup

          Bring 5-6 cups of chicken broth to boil in a 4 qt. pot. Stir in ½ cup orzo pasta and cook for 8 minutes. (To make it GF, substitute 1/3 cup white rice for the orzo and cook for 15 minutes.) In the meantime, whisk 2 eggs in a small bowl with ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice, ½ tsp. lemon pepper and 1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce. Remove 1 cup of hot broth from the pot and gradually whisk into the egg-lemon juice mix.  Add

3 cups baby spinach to the cooking soup and turn heat down to simmer. When spinach is wilted, slowly whisk in the egg-lemon-broth mix into the cooking soup. Continue to slowly whisk the soup without boiling until creamy and thickened. Serve hot.

                                Spinach-goat cheese-sundried tomato quiche

          Heat 1 tbsp. olive oil in a large pan and sauté 3 cups of spinach leaves and 2 cloves of garlic until wilted, most of the liquid is evaporated and set aside.

          Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a 9-inch pie with a pre-made rolled crust, pat sown and crimp the edges. Line curst bottom with aluminum foil weighted down with pastry weights or dried beans and baker for 10 minutes. In a large bowl beat 4 eggs with an electric mixer, 1 cup milk, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp. pepper, ½ cup loose chopped fresh dill and 8 oz. crumbled goat cheese. Remove beater and thoroughly fold in ½ cup sun-dried tomatoes cut in julienne and the spinach. Pour the filling in the pre-baked crust, return to the oven and continue baking for an additional 40 minutes until the custard is set. Cool slightly and cut in wedges to serve. It makes great leftovers to store in the refrigerator and eat at room temperature.

          The pithy humorist Ogden Nash is supposed to have noted in the last century: “Parsley is scarcely within an inch of being spinach” as an insult to both greens. However, modern cooks are finding interesting ways to serve spinach in a variety of delectable dishes that provide solid nutritional value.

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day:” and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

 

 

LEISURELY WINTER BREAKFASTS

                                    Leisurely winter breakfasts

 

          Winter holidays and weekends are perfect for taking a bit of extra time to prepare and enjoy breakfast, whether you are looking at a snowy scene outside your kitchen window or unseasonable rain beating against the windowpane. It is a perfect time to enjoy the warmth, comfort of home, food and people closest to you.

          The Sunday brunch offered by some restaurants exploit our need to leisurely wake up on occasion and start the day without a rushed cereal or toast breakfast as we hurry off to our chores for the day. Victorian novels love to dwell on elaborate breakfast buffets.  Modern day vacation resorts and cruises tend to do the same with elaborate spreads. Alas, the hired ‘live-in’ cook has disappeared from most homes, and the home cook is not likely to want to go to a lot of work early in the morning. The following recipes are designed to provide special breakfasts to be savored at leisure, made easier with advance preparation.

                                          Gluten-free breakfast bake

          Most breakfast bake recipes use cubed day-old bread as its base component soaked in an egg-milk blend, but a little extra effort with blanched potato slices, makes for a wonderful GF version.

          The night before, crisp 6 slices of bacon and drain on paper towels. Peel and slice a very large potato in ¼ inch slices, cook in boiling salted water for 2 minutes, drain and set aside. Beat 6 eggs in a large bowl with 1 ½ cups ricotta cheese, ½ tsp. salt and ½ tsp. lemon pepper. Butter a 9x9x2 inch baking dish and spread the potato slices evenly over the bottom and crumble with crisp bacon. Spread with 6 oz. cubed Gruyère cheese, ½ cup julienned sundried tomatoes, ¼ cup Parmesan, ¼ cup pitted and halved Kalamata olives, and pour the egg mixture over evenly. Layer with 1 thinly sliced Roma tomato and finish with another ¼ cup Parmesan. Cover and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, uncover and allow to come to room temperature for 30 minutes before baking in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes, cut and serve warm with a fruit salad on side.

                                              Raised yeast pancakes

          It is said that pancakes make people happy and at our house blueberry pancakes are featured quite regularly. However, a little foresight provides a very different, fluffy and delicious substitute.

          In the evening before, mix ¼ cup warm water, ¼ tsp. sugar and 1 pkg. dry yeast.  After 2 minutes, whisk in a bowl with 1 cup warm milk and 1 cup flour. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

          Next morning, in a medium bowl beat 2 eggs, 1 ½ tbsp. sugar, 3 tbsp. melted butter, ½ tsp. salt. Stir in 1 cup flour and 1 tsp. baking soda. Remove the yeast mixture from the refrigerator, stir down the foam and thoroughly mix into the egg and flour mix. Fry pancake mix in 1 tsp. oil and 1 tsp. butter using large tablespoonfuls of dough. Serve with sour cream and lingonberry jam as fit for a Swedish king. If your tastes are not Northern European, raspberry jam and whipped cream are equally colorful substitutes.

          This last recipe originated around the Mediterranean sometime around 16^th century in parts of the N. African Ottoman empire. It has evolved in Southern Italy under the name of “Eggs in Purgatory” and Morocco, Turkey and other Mid-Eastern countries under the name of “Shakshuka”. 

                                  Eggs in Purgatory/Shakshuka with Feta

          The sauce can be a bit time-consuming and can be prepared the previous day, refrigerated and reheated before the addition of the eggs.

          Sauce. In a large pan heat 2 tbsp. olive oil and sauté 1 chopped medium onion, 1 seeded and diced green pepper, 1 diced medium zucchini or fennel bulb and 2 chopped garlic cloves for 5 minutes. Stir in 2-3 tsp. mild canned chilies, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. pepper, 1 tsp. oregano and 1 tsp. smoked paprika.  Add 2 cups diced tomatoes and ¾ cups liquid (or 28 oz. of canned crushed tomatoes). Cook for 10 minutes until thickened but saucy.

          Continue on medium high heat as you break 4 eggs one at a time, and slide each into a depression in the sauce, made with a spoon. Cook for 3 minutes until the bottoms of the eggs start to set and then cover the pan to set the top of the eggs while leaving the yolk runny. Remove the cover, sprinkle with ½ cup crushed Feta and serve hot with pita wedges. Fresh pineapple chunks make a delicious accompaniment.

          Let us savor the quality of time, comfort of food and good company this winter.  

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day:” and “Uncharted Journey from Riga”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)