Pasta with Prosciutto, Snap Peas, Mint and Cream

WINNER: Your best recipe for spring peas.

 

★★★★☆

 Difficulty: Easy

Pasta with Prosciutto Snap Peas Mint and Cream recipe on Food52

Review:  We enjoyed this pasta dish.  After roughly chopping garlic, mint, peas and prosciutto, you add the ingredients to a saucepan. Good one pot meals are hard to find, so this was a winner in my book. I couldn't find fresh snap peas (I think it is a little too early for them), so I purchased English peas instead. 

Tip:  Next time if the store doesn't have snap peas I will just buy frozen.  Shelling takes too long with not that much of an added benefit.

What I learned:  Snap peas can be eaten with the shell on but English peas need to be shelled.

Final Thought:  This dish is pretty heavy so I don't see myself making it too often.  It will be perfect when we are in the mood for some rich comfort springtime food.  

Commercial Break: My favorite serving bowls.

Set of 2 Serving Bowls on Crate & Barrel

I was on a search for some good over-sized bowls to use for salads, pasta, etc.  I stumbled upon these bowls on crateandbarrel.com.  I was very excited because of the great ratings and inexpensive price.  I have been very happy with these bowls.  They are a nice sturdy weight and I have used them for numerous things.  They aren't too big that I can't use them everyday, but still nice enough to use for company.  5 stars in my book!

Chocolate Bundt Cake

WINNER: Your best chocolate cake.

★★★★☆ 

 Chocolate Bundt Cake recipe on Food52

Below is my sister's review of the chocolate bundt cake from the winter chapter.  As I mentioned, I gave up chocolate for Lent and could not bake this, so she reviewed it for me. 

Review:  I competed this recipe and clean up in around 25 minutes which is one of the highlights of this cake (I should note that the baking time was about 40 min).  This was an easy and basic chocolate cake.  I wasn’t amazed by the cake but I did enjoy the flavor and how moist it was. I enjoyed a slice with a glass of milk but I think I would serve it to company with some fresh berries and whip cream.  It was a bonus that I had all the ingredients in my pantry (except for the buttermilk), so it only cost me a few dollars.  

Tips:  I modified a few things.  I used low fat buttermilk instead of sour milk and Hershey Cocoa powder instead of the dutch process cocoa powder since it was in my pantry. 

What I learned:  Sour milk and buttermilk are pretty much the same thing.

Final thought:  Overall, I would make this again, depending on my audience.

Overview: Winter Chapter

Happy Spring everyone!  As we venture into the spring chapter of the Food52 cookbook, I'd like to recap the winter chapter.  Below I listed all of the recipe links separated by our rating categories.  Let me know if you plan to make any of these.

5-Star
Norma's Eggnog
Fregola Sarda with Caramelized Squash and Charmoula
Mussels for One (or Two)
Roasted Bagna Cauda Broccoli
(link to my review)
Jennie's Homemade Manicotti
Mashed Potatoes with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese
Creamy Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
Griddled Polenta Cakes with Caramelized Onions, Goat Cheese, and Honey


4-Star
Smoked Ham with Pomegranate Molasses, Black Pepper, and Mustard Glaze
Magical Coffee (aka Cafe Davio)
Lentil and Sausage Soup for a Cold Winter's Night
Whole Baked Fish in Sea Salt with Parsley Gremolata
(link to my review)
Moroccan Merguez Ragout with Poached Eggs
(link to my review)
Barbacoa Beef Cheek Tacos
Leek, Lemon, and Feta Quiche
Grilled (or Broiled) Oysters with a Sriracha Lime Butter
(link to my review)
Overnight Steel-Cut Oats with Almond Butter and Honey
(link to my review)
Lemon Posset
Wishbone Roast Chicken with Herb Butter
French "Peasant" Beets
Meatloaf with Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
Sweet and Spicy Horseradish Dressing 

(link to my review)

Yoghurt and Spinach Dip "Borani Esfanaaj," in the Persian Manner
Chocolate Bundt Cake

3-Star
Hot Spiced Drunken Apple Cider
Figgy Pudding Butter Cookies
(link to my review)
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chimichurri and Poblano Creme Fraiche
One-Pot Kale and Quinoa Pilaf
Autumn Olive Medley (Braised Lamb Shanks with Fennel, Celery Root, and Olives)
(link to my review)
Secret Ingredient Beef Stew
Ricotta and Chive Gnocchi
Olive all'Ascolana
Couscous with Roasted Fennel and Toasted Almonds
French Onion Soup

2-Star
Savory Grapefruit Sabayon
Airy Rosemary Citrus Pignole Bread Pudding
Feta Frozen Yogurt with Blood Orange and Mint Granita 
(link to my review)

1-Star
Caramel Rice Pudding with Brown Butter and Creme Fraiche

Did Not Make
I did not succeed on my winter chapter challenge.  Here are the recipes and their excuses on why they did not get made :-) If anyone makes these let me know and I will post it on the blog!

Ancho Chili-Cinnamon Chocolate Bark - I gave up chocolate for lent and waited too long to make this one.



Zesty Herbed Chicken Broth - I did not have the chicken carcases to make this but the word on the street is that KS is going to make this :-)

Sweet and Spicy Horseradish Dressing

WINNER:  Wildcard Winner.

 ★★★★☆  

Sweet and Spicy Horseradish Dressing recipe on Food52

Review:  We enjoyed the spicy and tangy flavors of this dressing.  It was very quick and easy to throw together.  I had leftover Greek yogurt flavored with honey (from the Feta frozen yogurt recipe), so I used that instead of plain yogurt and a tablespoon of honey.  I think it turned out great.  

I sauteed some shrimp with butter and then served the shrimp on top of frisee.  This dressing went really well with this combination.  I also had leftover smoked salmon and served that on top of a crostini with a dollop of this dressing. 

What I learned:  Whole Foods was out of creme fraiche and all I had on hand was cream cheese.  I think it got the job done in the recipe. Other substitutes for creme fraiche are sour cream, Philadelphia cooking creme, full fat Fage Greek yogurt (for sweet recipes), and crema Mexicana (for savory recipes).

Final thoughts:  This was a good change from our usual balsamic and olive oil dressings.  I would like to try this again with a potato salad and also when making coleslaw as suggested by some user comments.

Feta Frozen Yogurt with Blood Orange and Mint Granita

 WINNER: Your Best Dish with Blood Oranges, Feta, and Mint.

★★☆☆☆ 
Feta Frozen Yogurt with Blood Orange and Mint Granita Recipe on Food52

Review: Yep, this turned out just as weird as I thought it would be.  The blood orange and mint granita was very tasty and refreshing, but I couldn't get over the frozen chunks of feta. 

Tip:  I saved the discarded pulp from the granatia and plan to make a refreshing cocktail with it.  I figure its similar to muddling fruit and herbs. 

Final Thought:  If you like tart yogurt, you may like this.  It wasn't for me.  I do think I'll make the granita again this summer. 

Moroccan Merguez Ragout with Poached Eggs

WINNER: Wildcard Winner

★★★★☆   
Moroccan Merguez Ragout with Poached Eggs recipe on Food52

Review: I've skipped over this recipe a few times because I didn't get what it was.  I had to look up a few definitions for some of the ingredients (see What I learned section).  This recipe was very easy and quick and the flavors were unique and delicious.  I had a helper, (DS) and we whipped this recipe up in no time.  I thought the poached eggs were random but DS thought it made the dish more "brunchy".  I like my egg's well done but did enjoy the poached egg with this dish.  TS had the idea of serving leftovers for dinner over rice to soak up the heat and I think I may try that next time.  Be careful with the harrisa, it is caliente!

What I learned: 
-Merguez is a spicy sausage most commonly made with lamb and used in North African dishes.  It is available as a specialty sausage at Whole Foods (meaning it won't be in the case every day but they do sell it).  If you can't find it, chorizo or hot Italian sausage will do.

- Ras el hanout means "top of the shop" in Arabic and is popular in North African dishes.  It is a combination of the best spices a seller has to offer hence the name.

- Harissa is hot chilli sauce commonly eaten in North Africa.  It is made of different kinds of peppers and spices.

Tips:  I did not have time to visit a few stores to find the ras el hanout so I made my own.  I used the following ratio but don't feel like you have to go out and buy spices.  I would just add the "top of your shop"!

2 parts: Ginger, Cardamon, Mace

1 part: Cinnamon, Allspice, Coriander, Nutmeg, Turmeric

1/2 part: Black pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Anise seed

1/4 part: Cloves

Final thought:  Don't be intimidated by the unique ingredients.  Try this dish!

Figgy Pudding Butter Cookies

WINNER: Your Best Holiday Cookie.

★★★☆☆

 Figgy Pudding Butter Cookies recipe on Food52

Review:  Overall these cookies were good.  I enjoyed the texture and two of my friends who "love figs" (KS & EH), thought these were delicious.  As far as homemade cookies go I thought the recipe was pretty involved.

For the icing, we did not have any brandy on hand so my husband suggested using the Greek specialty Metaxa.  Metaxa is a blend of brandy and wine.  The icing was very sweet and good.  

Tips:
- I had to put the dough in the freezer for a few minutes because it was very sticky.  I had to use a lot of flour to roll the dough in.
- I would dice the figs very small.  I think mine were too big.
- I like more of a sweet cookie so I was generous with my icing "drizzle".

What I learned:  Metaxa was the first alcohol consumed in space. 

Final Thoughts:  I am more of a chocolate lover so I won't be adding these to my yearly line up.  But, if you like figs and cookies that aren't too sweet, these are for you!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

 (Even Lulu is Irish on St. Patty's Day!)

I hope everyone had a happy and safe St. Patrick's Day!  I thought I would share a recipe for Irish Potatoes.  No, they are not Irish, nor potatoes, but a Philadelphia specialty that is served around St. Patty's Day.  They get their name for resembling small potatoes.

Below is the recipe from allreceipes.com that I use.  They are a delicious, interesting, and unique treat that I bet not many people have had unless they are from the Philly area!

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1/2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese together until smooth. Add the vanilla and confectioners' sugar; beat until smooth. Using your hands if necessary, mix in the coconut. Roll into balls or potato shapes, and roll in the cinnamon. Place onto a cookie sheet and chill to set. If desired, roll potatoes in cinnamon again for darker color.

Irish Potato Candy Recipe on Allrecipes

Autumn Olive Medley

WINNER: Your Best Stew with Olives.

★★☆☆☆

Autumn Olive Medley recipe on Food52

Review:  As you can see by our rating we weren't impressed with this dish.  The medley of ingredients sounded good but overall there wasn't much flavor.  After browning the lamb and chopping the veggies, the stew simmers for an hour.  Then you add the olives and sun dried tomatoes and simmer for 30 more minutes. 

I should note, I did not have any Pernod to add to the stew.  This was listed as optional, but looking back maybe this would have intensified the flavor.  As suggested, we served the lamb over polenta.

Tip:  My FIL (who is a professional chef) informed me that it is worth it to pay a few more dollars for the domestic lamb instead of the New Zealand or Australian variety.

What I learned:
- The shank part of the lamb is fatty.
- If a recipe suggests letting the stew settle overnight to strengthen the flavor I will do it.  Again, it seemed more of an optional thing but I think that may have helped.

Final thought:  I already have a quick, easy and delicious lamb recipe in my repertoire (recipe below), so I will not be making this one again.

This is a traditional Greek dish that I found in a Greek cookbook given to my by my MIL.  It you aren't into lamb I would think you could substitute chicken for this recipe but I have not tried that yet.

Baked Lamb with Orzo (serves 6)
1/2 cup olive oil
3 lbs stewing lamb, cut into portions
3 cups pureed fresh or canned tomatoes
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 teaspoon sugar
salt and pepper
1/2 cup butter
1 lb orzo
2 medium tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 cup grated kefalotiri or Romano cheese, plus more to sprinkle

Heat the oil in a large heavy bottomed pan.  Add the lamb and lightly brown the pieces all over.  Add the tomatoes, garlic, sugar and seasonings to taste.  Cover and simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Heat the butter in a frying pan and saute the orzo for a few minutes over high heat, until golden.  Transfer to an oven proof dish.  Arrange the lamb portions on the orzo and pour the sauce over them.  Add 3 cups of hot water and cover the dish.  Bake for 1 hour, or until all of the water has been absorbed and the pasta is soft.  Add extra hot water if the dish seems too dry.

Fifteen minutes before it is completely cooked, remove the lid, arrange the tomato slices on top, and sprinkle with the grated cheese.  Continue to bake, uncovered, until the cheese has melted and is lightly browned.  Serve hot with additional grated cheese. 

Overnight Steelcut Oats with Almond Butter Honey

WINNER: Your Best Porridge.

 ★★★★☆  

Overnight Steelcut Oats with Almond Butter Honey recipe on Food52

Review: I thought this was a great weekday breakfast (I much prefer fluffy blueberry pancakes from TD Diner on the weekend).  This recipe was quick and warm and a lot healthier than the sugary cereals I occasionally indulge in when I'm limited on time.  

This recipe takes about 2 minutes to prepare.  After mixing your oats with milk, water, and salt you pop it in a slow cooker and fill the slow cooker halfway up with water.  In the morning, you simply pout the oats into the bowl and add the toppings.  The consistency of the oatmeal was creamy and like a pudding.   

Tips:  Experiment with different toppings until you find the combo you like.

Final Thought: This will be added to my breakfast rotation.

Grilled or Broiled Oysters with a Sriracha Lime Butter

WINNER: Your Best Way to Prepare Oysters.
 ★★★★☆  
Grilled or Broiled Oysters with a Sriracha Lime Butter recipe on Food52

Review:  We were excited for this recipe since it reminded us of eating oysters at the beach.  These oysters are broiled so its hard to compare them to their raw counterparts, but we really enjoyed these and obviously they were very easy.

We walked to Whole Foods and picked out two varieties of Oysters (one from VA and one from MD).  The fishmonger shucked the oysters and put them over ice in a nice carrying tray.  We got home and put the oysters on a baking sheet with a dollop of butter and viola.  They were done in 4 minutes.

What I learned:  Even though oysters seem pricey, it only takes a few per person to impress your guests.

Tip:  Make sure to make your butter before you pick up your oysters.  I made the mistake of reading the recipe after we purchased the oysters, and had to rush to make the butter since we didn't want the oysters sitting out for long.

Final Thought:  Traditional raw oyster fans may not like the broiled/grilled variety.  For those of you who do not like oysters, this may be a good recipe to change your mind.  Much like a non-sushi eater starting with a California roll.

Commercial Break: My favorite kitchen tool.

Microplane Zester on Amazon

The Microplane Zester is my current favorite kitchen tool.  I love the way it makes my lemon zest and Parmesan cheese so light and fluffy.  It took me awhile to purchase this, because I thought I did not need it.  But now that I have it, I find I use it almost every other day.  It is dishwasher safe which is important because I find it hard to hand wash.  The description states that you can use the grater for the following: Chocolate, Coconut, Ginger, Onion and Garlic. I'm looking forward to using it for these other ingredients.  I highly recommend it!

Roasted Bagna Cauda Broccoli

WINNER: Your Best Broccoli/Broccoli Rabe Dish

★★★★★

Roasted Bagna Cauda Broccoli recipe on Food52

Review:  What a great way to eat roasted broccoli.  This dish is very flavorful.  So much so, that the rest of our meal seems a little boring when this is served.  The anchovy's give the dish a nice smokey flavor.  This dish was very easy to make since the broccoli is roasting in the oven while you make the sauce.  The only downside to this recipe is that we didn't double it when we made it!   

  
What I learned:  Anchovy's, while salty, are very high in Omega-3 and have very low mercury.  A good way to add a lot of flavor.

Tip: I think this preparation could be served over some sort of pasta or grain, and perhaps used for other vegetables.

Final thought: I think I will make this again soon, doubling it and serving it over angel hair.

Whole Baked Fish in Sea Salt with Parsley Gremolata

★★★★☆  

WINNER: Your Best Way to Cook a Whole Fish

 Whole Baked Fish in Sea Salt with Parsley Gremolata recipe on Food52

Review:  I'm not sure why I find the whole fish so intimidating but I have been putting it off during the winter chapter.  We gave it four stars for its flavor and tenderness.  It was also very easy to make.  The good thing about this recipe was there weren't many ingredients or prep work.

We picked up a 2 1/2 lb fish so we cut the recipe in half.  After stuffing the fish with a few lemon slices and herbs you completely cover it in salt.  We used 2 lbs of salt (two entire plastic containers).  After it bakes for 25 minutes the salt forms a hard shell that we cracked open with a knife.  It was pretty cool.

This recipe was very easy.  We noticed that the house did not smell like fish.  I take it the salt absorbed the smell.  The fish came out very succulent and flavorful.  It was best right off the bone during the filleting process

What I learned:
- It took our fishmonger 15 minutes to clean and scale the fish, so visit the fish department first.
- Red Vermilion Snapper is the full name of Red Snapper.
- Fennel Fronds are just the leaves of the Fennel plant.

Tip: This recipe only uses the fronds on the fennel stalk and not the bulb.  I used the bulb to make a white bean dip that I will review shortly. 

Final Thoughts:  We had a lot of fish left over so it would be best making this for 4.  Does anyone have a good fish taco recipe we could use?  Making a whole fish isn't as scary as it seems.

Introduction

I came to the conclusion that during my thirties I would like to move up from the amateur cooking status to whatever the next level is.  Hopefully by the time I'm forty I will be able to whip up a gourmet meal without opening a cookbook.

A few years ago, I stumbled upon a blog called Food52 (www.food52.com).  The idea of the blog is every week, the blog creators post a food contest or two and chefs from around the country submit their own recipes.  Then, the blog authors select a winner.  At the end of the 52 weeks, they create a cookbook of all of the winning recipes from the year.  Even though I could never see myself submitting a recipe, I thought it was a great idea. 

After receiving the first Food52 cookbook for Christmas (thanks BIL), I decided to cook my way through the entire cookbook one season at a time.  It has been an adventure.  My panel and I give each recipe a star.  If a recipe gets a five star rating, I make it again in hopes of memorizing it and place it in a personal recipe collection.  There are 20 days left of winter, and 12 recipes remain in the winter chapter. 

I decided to start this blog as a diary of sorts as we begin the spring chapter.  I hope that my friends and family will find some new and interesting recipes on here as well.  Like a good Sunday potluck, I will post a variety of things I find interesting, but the majority of postings will be my conquest of Food52's first cookbook. 

I am in no way affiliated with Food52.  I am just a big fan, hoping to spend a little more time in the kitchen.