Category Archives: SIDE DISH RECIPES

GRUYÈRE CHEESE SOUFFLÉ

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OK, I don’t care what anyone says, soufflés are really cool. But for some unknown reason, they have kind of gone out of fashion. And I don’t have the foggiest idea why that is. They are fairly inexpensive to make and could not be easier to prepare. The kind of cheese you use can be whatever you happen to have on hand, so there’s no reason anyone need even make a special trip to their local cheesery. And eggs, who doesn’t have eggs on hand? So what is preventing cooks from making this light and fluffy delicacy? Well I don’t know about anyone else, but I sure as heck know why I stopped making soufflés for about 10 years! I truly doubt anyone else out there has a similar excuse, but please allow me to tell you my true story about soufflés, a couple of cans of shrimp, my 4 kids, and why I disdained soufflés for such a long time.

When my kids were young, and their father and I were both working at good jobs, but paying a mortgage ($210 a month) that at the time seemed outrageous (remember I’m almost 71, so this was a long time ago), I made dishes like soufflés on a regular basis. Of course I didn’t use imported Gruyère cheese, but even with sharp cheddar cheese or inexpensive Swiss cheese, soufflés were delicious and actually quite inexpensive to prepare. Plus, everyone in my family loved them. So to kind of fancy up my soufflés, I would often make a shrimp sauce to go on top. Well, like I said, we weren’t rich, not technically poor by any means, but with 4 kids, baby sitter expenses, car payments, etc. we kept close tabs on our grocery dollars. And in those days, (the early to mid 70’s) canned shrimp was readily available and cheap, plus you couldn’t just go to your local grocery store and buy fresh shrimp and cook it yourself. Canned shrimp was just about the only way to go. And usually there was no problem with the quality.

But this one time, I made my usual basic sauce, opened a couple cans of shrimp, drained them off, and added them to the pot. We sat down to dinner, and the soufflé was perfect. But the sauce, OMG, there must have been more shell in the cans than there was shrimp. It was absolutely crunchy and absolutely inedible. I was so mad. Here I had made this perfect soufflé, and because of the sauce, the entire meal had to be thrown away. I don’t remember where we went to eat that evening, but it sure wasn’t our dining room! And I truly don’t think I made another soufflé for at least 10 years!

But as I got older and wiser, a) I stopped buying canned shrimp, b) I refrained from covering a perfect soufflé with a sauce, (what was I thinking?) and c) I forgave the soufflé, even though it wasn’t its fault in the first place!

So unless you have a reason as irrefutable as mine for not fixing a soufflé, give this recipe a try at your earliest convenience. You just won’t believe how lovely and creamy this soufflé feels in your mouth. It’s like eating a puffy bite of warm cheese. Just don’t try and dress it up with a fancy sauce. But if you must, just don’t use canned shrimp. Sometimes lessons can be learned at someone else’s expense. And I paid the piper already, so you have a free pass!

  • 5 T. unsalted butter, room temperature, divided
  • 3 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
  • 4½ T. flour
  • 1½ c. milk (whole milk is best)
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • ¼ tsp. paprika
  • pinch of freshly grated or bottled nutmeg
  • 7 large eggs, room temperature, separated
  • 2 c. grated imported Gruyère cheese (5-6 oz.) or cheese of choice

Grease the inside of a 2 quart casserole dish with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Sprinkle the finely grated Parmesan cheese along the bottom and sides of the dish. Set aside.

Melt the remaining 4 tablespoons of butter in a heavy saucepan. Whisk in the flour. Cook for a couple of minutes. Remove from heat and slowly whisk in the milk. Return pan to heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and allow to burble until very thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and add the salt, pepper, paprika, and nutmeg. Whisk in the egg yolks one at a time.

Place the egg whites in a mixing bowl and beat to stiff peaks. (Be sure not to get any of the yolk in with the whites when you are separating the eggs or the whites won’t whip up as light and fluffy.)

Fold a third of the yolk sauce and a third of the Gruyère into the egg whites. Do not over-blend. Add the next third of the sauce and cheese into the whites and again fold gently. Add the final third of sauce and cheese into the whites. Scoop the mixture into the prepared casserole. Bake the soufflé in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until it has puffed and the top is nicely browned and firm to the touch. (A long skewer inserted into the soufflé should come out fairly clean.) Serve immediately.

 

 

SPINACH AND MUSHROOM WILD RICE PILAF

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Recently I have become totally obsessed with finding healthy side dish recipes. So I can’t begin to tell you how delighted I am to share this recipe with you today. And who better to share my obsession with, than a captive audience sitting in front of a computer screen? (I figure you wouldn’t be visiting my site unless you too weren’t hungry (so to speak) for new and exciting ways to prepare healthy and delicious dishes.)

So, a couple of days ago I was at our local Bartells. (For those of you who live outside the Seattle area, Bartells is a local drug store chain.) And whenever I go to Bartells for legitimate drug store items, such as makeup, I always peruse the middle isle for packaged foods that are featured at a discounted price.

This last visit I found great prices on flavored almonds and Lundberg rice products. So I bought two packages of their wild rice blend.

When I got home I immediately went on line and visited the Lundberg site for recipe ideas. And this recipe literally jumped off the screen and onto a word document before I even knew what hit me. It is gluten free (if you use GF tamari), vegetarian, and full of nutritious ingredients. What can be better than that? Well the fact that it’s absolutely delicious sure doesn’t hurt either!

So however you want to approach this recipe, as a delicious side dish or as a healthy side dish, you’re 100% covered.

So hurry up and read the recipe and get thee to the grocery store if you need ingredients, or straight to the kitchen if you don’t, and build your family a side dish that comes with its own PhD. (P-painless to prepare, h-healthy, D-delicious) And thank you Lundberg for both the lovely wild rice blend and the recipe. (Sorry for the slight modification.)

  • ¾ c. dried mushrooms* (shiitake, chanterelle, porcini) cut or broken into small pieces
  • 1 c. very hot water
  • 1 c. combination wild and whole grain brown rice (or Lundberg Wild Blend)
  • 1¾ c. vegetable broth (I use Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base)
  • 1 T. olive oil
  • 1 med. onion, finely chopped
  • 2 c. fresh button mushrooms, halved and thinly sliced (about 8 medium mushrooms)
  • 6 garlic cloves, minced
  • 6 oz. spinach, stems removed and rough chopped
  • 1 T. gluten-free tamari soy sauce
  • 1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. sliced green onions or chives, garnish

*if you don’t have dried mushrooms, use another 2 cups of fresh button mushrooms

Place dried mushrooms in a bowl. Add the hot water and set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium sauce pan, bring the broth and rice to a boil. Cover with a tight fitting lid, reduce heat to a low simmer, and cook for 45 minutes. Remove from heat (with lid on) and let steam for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté the onion until translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook until softened; stir in garlic and cook 1 minute more. Drain the re-hydrated mushrooms and add to the pan along with the spinach; cook until spinach just starting to wilt. Stir in the tamari, red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper.

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Gently fold mushroom-spinach mixture into cooked rice and garnish with green onions or chives.

YUKON GOLD AND SWEET POTATO GRATIN WITH MANCHEGO CHEESE

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I love regular old fashioned potatoes cooked any old way. Mr. C on the other hand, does not. But he does love sweet potatoes as much as I do. So when I had four Yukon Gold potatoes and one large sweet potato on hand that really needed to be eaten, I immediately went into research mode. I started investigating the possibility of combining members of the Solanaceae or nightshade family with a member of the Convolvulaceae family in the form of a gratin. But would that be like asking the Hatfield’s and the McCoy’s to sit down to Sunday dinner together? The thought did arise.

My saner side soon disqualified my concern as ridiculous (yah think?) and I proceeded to seek out the perfect gratin recipe featuring tubers* and tuberous roots.

I found several recipes that looked good to me, but none that looked perfect. So I made a few changes, additions, and replacements here and there using several of the recipes I found, and came up with this version.

We both loved the gratin. The potatoes each had a definite texture of their own, and the Manchego cheese paired with the fresh thyme gave the whole dish a light savory flavor. A perfect entrée side dish when served with a mild flavored meat, chicken, or seafood.

And I do believe that those of you with small children or family members who disdain even the thought of sweet potatoes, could get this dish past the discriminating palates of even your most picky eaters. Just don’t tell them what’s in the gratin. Or, if you must tell them something, tell them it’s basically macaroni and cheese, but made with potatoes instead of pasta. That should do the trick!

*potatoes are technically tubers, not roots; while sweet potatoes are tuberous roots (some distinction, right?)

  • 2 T. butter, plus more for greasing the casserole pan
  • 1 lb. Yukon gold potatoes (about 4 medium sized), thinly sliced (peeled or not peeled, your choice)
  • ¾ lb. (about 1 good sized) sweet potato, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1 loosely packed cup of grated Manchego cheese*
  • 1 medium sized shallot, thinly sliced
  • 1 garlic clove, pressed
  • 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves, chopped
  • 1½ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • pinch ground nutmeg
  • 1 c. whole milk
  • ½ c. whipping cream

Liberally butter a covered casserole dish. Layer the potatoes on the bottom of the prepared dish, overlapping each slice by half. Alternate each layer with a different kind of potato. When the first layer of potatoes is complete; sprinkle with some of the cheese. Repeat until all of the potato slices and cheese are in the casserole pan.

Melt the 2 tablespoons butter in a saucepan. Add the shallot and cook for about 2 minutes, or until translucent. Add the garlic and cook for one minute. Add the thyme, salt, pepper, nutmeg, and milk. Bring to a boil; then carefully pour the hot liquid over the potato slices. Press the potatoes down with a fork or whatever cooking implement works best for you. Cover the casserole pan and bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven until the potatoes are almost tender and the milk is almost absorbed, about 45 minutes. Uncover and pour the cream over the top.

Return the casserole to the oven and bake uncovered for about 20 minutes or until the top is golden brown in spots and the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven, cover, and let sit for at least 10 minutes before serving.

*Manchego cheese is made from the milk of sheep of the Manchego breed. To be true “queso Manchego”, the cheese must come from the La Mancha region of Spain. Luckily Manchego (the real deal) can be purchased at Costco. (That’s a very good thing for us, because it’s Mr. Cs favorite cheese and he nibbles (and I use the term loosely) on it almost every day.)

SPLIT EMMER FARRO AND WILD RICE PILAF

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OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI found this recipe on the Bluebird Grains Potlatch Pilaf package. (Say that three times in a row for your daily tongue twister teaser!) Anyway, like I started to say, I found and prepared this dish (made a few minor changes here and there), loved it, and I am very excited to share the recipe with you.

Now I know that some of you are not in the habit of buying packages of grain and grass seed* except for the ones found in the bird-food section of your grocery store. But I’m going to ask you to put on your big kid pants, conquer your fear of growing feathers and wanting to fly south for the winter, and give this organic, healthy, protein rich, and GMO-free product a try. Plus, for all you locavores**, the farro is grown in the upper Methow Valley of Eastern Washington. (That’s local enough for this locavore!) The organic wild rice unfortunately is not grown locally. But I’m sure that doesn’t surprise you one little bit since Washington isn’t known for its wild rice production. (We leave that distinction to Minnesota, the land of 15,000 lakes.)

So, regardless of where the grains were raised, and despite the fact that we don’t really know whether the grains were lovingly tended and exposed to classical music as they were growing up***, all of us could profit from a few more healthy grains like farro and wild rice in our diet. So, fly to your local grocery store (and I mean “fly” figuratively rather than literally), and bring home a grain or two with which you are completely unacquainted. Then give it or them a try. You are going to find that the likes of quinoa, red rice, farro, and wild rice are just delicious. And I can’t overemphasize their nutritional value. Oh I could, but I think I have already nagged said enough on that subject!

For more recipes that feature farro, type “farro” in the search field at the top of the “home” screen.

*wild rice is a highly nutritious annual water-grass seed “zizania aquatica” naturally abundant in the cold rivers and lakes of Minnesota and Canada

**the practice of eating food that is locally grown

***my not too subtle dig directed at the kind of people who carry their need for information on food ingredients and growing conditions to the ridiculous

  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 10 button mushrooms, halved and then thinly sliced
  • ¼ c. chopped shallot or onion
  • 1 lg. garlic clove, minced
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. Herbs de Provence (preferably without lavender)
  • 1 c. Bluebird Grains Farm’s Potlatch Pilaf (or ¾ cup farro and ¼ c. wild rice)
  • ¼ c. dry sherry or dry white wine
  • 2 c. vegetable or chicken broth
  • 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds

In a medium sized covered saucepan, heat the olive oil. Add mushrooms, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms start to brown. Add the chopped shallot and cook for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for about a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Stir in salt, pepper, Herbs de Provence, and the Potlatch Pilaf mix. Stir frequently for about 3 minutes. Add the sherry and cook for about a minute, or until the sherry is evaporated. Pour in the broth, bring to a vigorous simmer, reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand for about 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork and stir in the toasted almonds just before serving.

 

 

COLLARD GREENS WITH SMOKED PORK HOCK

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So I know you are asking yourself, what someone who was not born in the true South could possibly know about cooking collard greens. Well, I must admit that I knew next to nothing about the cuisine of the South until I started doing some serious study on the subject. And over the years I have learned a lot. And I must say, if there is anything finer than White Cheddar Cheese Grits (thank you Eden), Shrimp Gumbo or my new recipe for Collard Greens with Smoked Pork Hock, then I do declare, someone step up to the line (the Mason Dixon line of course) and show me the error in my thinking! Until then, I’m tellin’ you true. You can unassailably bet your best corn bread recipe on the fact that I am going to continue researching and publishing recipes that fit the category “all food Southern”. Because all you all, Southern food is the bomb!

So next time you want to fix a big old pot of “good for you” and “really tasty”, get yourself to your local market and buy yourself some collard greens. I am positive you, your family, and your friends are going to thoroughly enjoy this quintessential Southern dish.

  • 1 T. extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 med. onion, diced
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • 2 c. chicken broth
  • 1/8 tsp. red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
  • freshly ground black pepper (not too much)
  • 1 smoked pork hock (I prefer to use Sunny Valley Smoked Pork Hocks obtained in our area at Haggen’s Market)
  • 2-3 bunches collard greens (depending on the size of the bunches)
  • pinch of sugar, if required
  • hot sauce on the side, opt.

In a large covered pot, add the olive oil and the chopped onions; sauté until tender. Add the garlic and continue cooking for a minute or until the garlic releases its aroma. Add the chicken broth, red pepper flakes, pepper, and pork hock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for about 45-60 minutes. (The simmer time helps the broth take on the delicious, smoky flavor of the meat!)

Meanwhile, remove the center stems of the collard greens by holding the leaf in one hand and stripping the leaf down with your other hand. (Tender young leaves don’t need to be stripped.) Stack 6 to 8 leaves on top of one another, roll up, and slice into ½-inch thick slices. Then cut those slices in half. Wash the collard greens thoroughly, drain and set aside.

When the broth has finished simmering for about an hour, add the cleaned and sliced collard greens. Cover the pan and cook on med-low heat until the leaves are tender, about an hour and 45 minutes. Stir once or twice during the cooking process. (You basically want to slowly cook the greens in the flavorful broth. They will wilt down as they cook.) After about an hour and 15 minutes, remove the pork hock from the pan and allow it to cool to the point where you can remove the meat from the bones, fatty and connective tissue without burning your fingers. Chop or shred the meat into bite sized pieces and add back to the pot. When the greens are tender, adjust the seasoning (including a pinch of sugar if the greens are particularly bitter) and serve piping hot.

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Note: I like to serve the collard greens in individual little bowls so everyone gets their share of the greens and the amazing liquid. I then pass around chunks of nice crusty bread or the more traditional corn bread to mop up the potlikker. The savory broth (or “potlikker” as we from the south like to call it) is an important part of the whole quintessential “collard” experience.

And OK, for those of you who know me, you know that my “south” is really the southern part of Bellevue, Washington where I lived for most of my adult years. That qualifies as “south”, doesn’t it?

Additional Note: Smoked turkey legs or wings can be used in place of the pork hock, but they are terribly hard to find.

For more Southern recipes, please look under the category “Southern Cuisine” on this site.

 

EINKA FARRO WITH KALE AND SLIVERED ALMONDS

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I just get so excited when I follow, or as in this case adapt a recipe for a healthy dish and it turns out to be amazingly delicious. And this modified version of Stuart Dietz’s recipe for Einka farro is no exception.

Last evening Mr. C again brought me a package of meat from the freezer that desperately needed to be eaten. His latest effort to clean out the freezer resulted in a package of chicken sausages with spinach and feta cheese. So wondering what would go well with the sausages, I glanced in the pantry for inspiration. After a cursory review of what was available, my eyes lit on my new unopened package of Einka farro. I glanced at the package for recipes, but none were exactly what I was envisioning. So I went on line and found Mr. Dietz’s recipe for Einka Salad with Tuscan Kale & Butternut Squash.

This recipe immediately appealed because I had leftover butternut squash purée in the refrigerator and some kale that was almost as old as I am! I thought I would use the puréed squash as a bed for the farro. However, after tasting the farro, I decided the squash would be better on the side. The farro was delightful in its own right. All I thought it needed was a little crunch. So I quickly toasted some slivered almonds and added them along with the fresh parsley just before serving. The result was a wonderful and healthy new whole grain side dish.

I love it when the stars are in alignment and dishes work out as planned. Just don’t ask me about the other recipe I tried yesterday. It sounded good at the time, but the reality was less than stellar. I love maple flavored sausage links, but they are expensive and contain ingredients (corn syrup and MSG) that I am trying very hard to eliminate from our diet. So I thought I would try my hand at making a maple flavored breakfast sausage. Does the term “stinko” mean anything to you? But I’m not going to let one little defeat get the best of me. Don’t hold your breath, but I am going to continue working on this recipe, because I know I am not alone in my love of maple syrup sausage links. Wish me luck!

In the mean time, put maple flavored pork out of your mind and think healthy. Give this recipe a try!

  • 1 c. whole grain Einka farro* (I use Bluebird Grain Farms brand Organic Whole Grain Einka Farro)
  • 2½ c. water
  • ¼ tsp. kosher salt
  • 2 c. ¼-inch sliced kale
  • 1 T. sherry vinegar
  • 2 T. extra virgin olive oil, divided
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ c. minced shallot
  • 1½ tsp. finely chopped fresh sage
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 3 T. dry white wine
  • 1/3 c. toasted slivered almonds
  • 2 T. chopped Italian parsley

In a medium sized covered saucepan, add the farro, water, and ¼ teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer over moderate heat until farro is tender, about 25 minutes. When done, add the kale, cover and remove from heat; let stand until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pour back into the pan. Add the vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the oil; season with salt and pepper and toss. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Add the shallots and a pinch of salt and cook over moderately high heat until shallot is translucent, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the sage and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook another minute, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the wine and simmer, stirring, until evaporated. Scrape the shallot and garlic into the pan with the farro and stir to combine. Adjust seasoning. When ready to serve, stir in the toasted almonds and parsley.

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Serve warm or at room temperature.

*You can substitute Emmer Farro for Einka Farro. Use the following cooking instructions if you make the substitution:

Place the water, emmer farro, and a pinch of kosher salt in a covered pan. Place on high heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 35 minutes or until berries are plump and chewy. When the farro is done, add the kale, cover and remove from heat; let stand until the kale is wilted, about 5 minutes. Drain well and pour back into the pan. Continue recipe as written above.

SAVORY TURKEY DRESSING

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Since we are trying to cut down on the amount of meat in our diet, I decided I better start by modifying my dressing recipe which normally contains either sausage or oysters. Because when you really stop to think about it, meat or seafood is kind of redundant in dressing. Good, but truly not necessary. I mean honestly, dressing’s only purpose in life is to justify slurping down great quantities of gravy anyway. And where does gravy come from? You got it in one – meat juices. So there really is a lot of protein action going on already without the addition of more meat in the dressing!

Now for those of you who are not gravy fans (all 2 of you), this recipe will probably not have enough flavor or be salty enough. But for those of us for whom gravy and heaven are synonymous, the seasonings in this recipe are not going to overpower the flavor of your gravy or be too salty in combination with the gravy.

So next time you want a good base for your turkey gravy, in addition to mashed potatoes of course, give this recipe a try. Just don’t over-bake it. All you really need to do is hot it up. Then sit back (after of course setting out the appetizers you plan to serve, slicing the turkey, mashing the potatoes, hotting up the green bean and sweet potato casseroles, dressing the salad, warming the rolls, opening the wine, and whipping the cream for the pumpkin pies) and enjoy a lovely Thanksgiving dinner with your family and friends. In fact, my advice would be that now would be a good time for a martini, Cosmopolitan (see recipe on site), or glass of wine. After all, who better deserves a reward for a job well done?

So here’s a toast to all of you who routinely provide your family and friends with wonderful and healthy food. Good food not only nourishes our bodies, it feeds our souls as well. And on this Thanksgiving eve I would like to take the opportunity to thank you for your support. I love hearing from you, so never hesitate to “Leave a reply”. And tell your friends about this site. Why should you be the only one in your group who has to put up with my nonsensical rhetoric?

  • ½ c. unsalted butter
  • 1½ c. chopped celery (stalks and leaves)
  • 1 lg. onion, finely chopped
  • 8 lg. or 5 extra lg. mushrooms, chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • 1/3 c. chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • 1 T. minced fresh sage
  • 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
  • 2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
  • 2 T. poultry seasoning
  • 1 tsp. savory, either powdered or dried leaves
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 16-20 oz. dry bread cubes (I use inexpensive sliced sourdough bread cut into cubes and toasted)
  • 3 eggs
  • 3 c. turkey or chicken stock, or more as needed

In a large sauté pan, melt butter and add celery, onion, and mushrooms. Cook for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic, parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme (sound familiar?), poultry seasoning, savory, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat. Place dried bread cubes in a large mixing bowl. Add the sautéed vegetables; mix thoroughly. Beat eggs in a separate medium sized bowl. If you are using stock that is simmering happily on your stove, vigorously whisk 3 cups of the broth into the eggs. (The hot stock will scramble the eggs if you don’t stir vigorously.) Pour the hot liquid over the bread cubes and gently stir. Add more stock if the dressing is dry. (Remember, this is dressing, not stuffing, and therefore is not going into the cavity of the turkey. So any moisture needs to be added while it is being prepared.) Taste the dressing and add additional poultry seasoning and/or salt if needed.

Place dressing in a buttered casserole dish, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake in a pre-heated 275 degree oven for 45 minutes or until hot. (I put mine in the oven when the turkey comes out.)

Note: recipe for Turkey Stock can be found under Herb Salted Turkey with Cognac Gravy on this site.

 

SAVORY GERMAN BREAD PUDDING WITH MUSHROOMS

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This is the second savory bread pudding I have posted to my blog. They are basically very similar. The recipe entitled Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding however has more of an Italian bent to it. For example, Parmesan cheese is one of the ingredients.

This recipe is much more consistent with a dish that would be served in Germany. Both savory puddings are delicious and a wonderful addition to any meal where the starch needs to be a key player but not become a participant in a “who’s the star” battle with the meat. (I hate it when food starts fighting right on my dinner plate.)

This dish can also be served as a vegetarian main dish. The mushrooms provide that toothsome mouth feel that is so necessary to a good vegetarian entrée.

So by all means, give this bread pudding a try. The sourdough bread gives the pudding a special tang, and the truffle oil – OMG, it really puts the mushroom flavor over the top. And as you can see, you only need 1 teaspoon of truffle oil to enhance the entire dish. But please do not be tempted to add more because of the old theory that if some is good, more is better. (I have never been an advocate of that practice.) Truffle oil is very potent stuff. It must be treated carefully and with great respect. (Think approaching a yellow jacket’s nest without appropriate head gear!) Or if you need a cooking analogy, using too much thyme. Not a good thing even though thyme is a lovely herb and used in many wonderful recipes.

And I know some culinary arts experts are saying that truffle oil is passé. Or if it simply must be used, it should only be used as a drizzle. Well to these experts I say – fooey! In my opinion you can take many dishes to a new level of deliciousness with the judicious use of a drop or two of this amazing ingredient.

Wonderful drizzled over scrambled eggs, in vinaigrettes, almost any dish with mushrooms, and the most decadent use of all – over popcorn along with a little salt.

So if you don’t already own a bottle of truffle oil, don’t hesitate to get yourself a bottle at your earliest convenience. In my opinion, white truffle oil is great as an ingredient or a drizzle. I tend to use black truffle oil only as a finishing oil, in much the same way I might garnish a dish with a light sprinkling of Fleur de Sel.

  • 1 c. very hot water
  • ¼ c. chopped dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 T. butter
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 lb. coarsely chopped mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, button)
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt, div.
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 c. milk
  • 1 c. whipping cream
  • 3 large eggs, room temp.
  • 1 tsp. white truffle oil (Trader Joe’s carries truffle oil certain times of the year or you can purchase on line)
  • ¼ tsp. dried thyme
  • 2 T. chopped fresh parsley
  • 4 c. packed cubed sourdough bread (1 or 2 day old bread is best for this recipe)

Place hot water and dried shiitake mushrooms in a small bowl. Set aside. Melt butter in a medium sized frying pan. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add the garlic and ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper; cook for one minute. Remove from heat and let cool. Meanwhile combine milk, cream, eggs, truffle oil, remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, pepper, thyme, and parsley in a large bowl. Gently fold in bread cubes and set aside. Scoop the reserved mushroom mixture into the bowl with the bread cubes. Drain the re-hydrated shiitake mushrooms and add to the mixture. Stir gently and pour mixture into a lightly buttered pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 45 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Serve immediately.

Can be made a day ahead and kept in the refrigerator until about 30 minutes before baking.

 

 

 

 

FRENCH MASHED POTATOES WITH GRUYÈRE AND MOZZARELLA CHEESE (ALIGOT)

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So, who among us doesn’t adore mashed potatoes? I personally don’t know one person who doesn’t love them. After all, what’s not to love? They are creamy and full of butter, and well, need I say more? (It’s the butter that gets you every time!)

But this amazing preparation for a simple Solanum tuberosum (Yukon Gold potato) is just over the top delicious. It simply takes the whole “mashed potatoes” as everyone’s favorite side dish to a whole new level of decadence.

Now granted, these mashed potatoes would not be good with turkey gravy. Or any gravy, for that matter. And the consistency is very different from most mashed potatoes because of the addition of cheese. But wait till you wrap your lips around these potatoes. If you aren’t moaning with pleasure, you may not still be alive!

Speaking of which, I’m going to tell you a story about a woman and her favorite toast (as in cheers, cin-cin, salute) that I recently read in her obituary. (And yes I do read the obituaries every day just to make sure I haven’t inadvertently passed over without my knowledge.)

This supposedly old Irish toast was provided at the bottom of a long testimony to how much the woman had loved life. And of course, to how much she was going to be missed by everyone who knew her. And if this toast is any indication of how this fun and obviously classy lady had lived her life, the entire world should be mourning her loss! And apparently she only started offering up this toast after she turned ninety. But then, by the time you reach 90, everyone pretty much lets you say or do whatever you darn well please anyway. (Like the age thing ever stopped any of my friends from doing or saying anything they darn well pleased!)

But on to the toast that I too plan to use when I am with good friends and about to partake of a lovely little drinky poo. (And no, I’m not going to wait until I’m 90 to offer up these sage words when I lift a glass. Life is simply too short for that much restraint!)

Here’s to those who love us!

And for those who don’t love us,

May God turn their hearts.

And if He cannot turn their hearts,

May He turn their ankles,

So we may know them by their limping!

  • 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes (about 4-6), peeled and diced into ½-1inch chunks
  • 3 T. unsalted butter
  • 2-3 cloves garlic, grated
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • about 1 c. whole milk, warmed
  • 4 oz. mozzarella cheese, grated
  • 4 oz. Gruyère cheese, grated

Cover the potatoes with cold water in a medium sized pot. Bring to a boil, salt the water, reduce heat and cook until the potatoes are fork tender, about 15-20 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return them to the pot. Add the butter, grated garlic, salt, pepper and ½ cup of the warm milk to the potatoes. Beat away until the potatoes are creamy and smooth with either a hand mixture or potato masher. Add additional milk as needed. Return the pot to the stove and turn the burner on low. Mix in the cheeses until completely melted and incorporated, stirring frequently. Adjust seasonings. Serve immediately or cover the pot and hold in a warm oven.

 

EGGPLANT, ZUCCHINI, AND TOMATO CASSEROLE (RATATOUILLE) – PROVENÇAL STYLE

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Since this is the time of year when zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes are in every farmer’s market or home garden in America, I decided to post an absolutely delicious way to serve these delightful vegetables. (And I know what you are thinking. Not another zucchini recipe. But if I may speak frankly, this is not just another zucchini recipe. This is a killer way to use zucchini if I say so myself!)

This dish came about because I started re-reading (for the third time, I think) Peter Mayle’s wonderful tale about the joys of living in Provence entitled “A Year in Provence”. For a foodie like myself, half the reading pleasure in this book is in the telling of the food they eat. So that got me researching recipes from the south of France. When I saw a variation of this dish using zucchini (I had 2 large zucchini in my refrigerator) and tomatoes (I had lots of cherry tomatoes from our garden), I decided I just had to work up a recipe that incorporated these two ingredients. And this recipe is the result.

This dish can be served as a meatless main course or as a side dish that compliments just about any meat you feel like serving. And it is easy to prepare. It takes a little time to cut up the veggies, but once you have the knife work done, the assembly goes rather quickly. I served it last evening with just a salad and it made for a perfect meal.

So if you too are looking for a way to say yes to your neighbor who keeps offering you zucchini, or if you yourself have zucchini threatening to take over your yard, give this recipe a try. Believe it or not, your love for this ever so easy to grow and abundant veggie will be restored with just one bite! In fact, you may never again have to turn down a free zucchini when a neighbor makes you an offer. And won’t that feel good. It’s the neighborly thing to do after all.

  • 2 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tsp. dried marjoram
  • ½ c. dry white wine (I use Pinot Grigio)
  • kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 lb. zucchini or yellow summer squash, sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick (combination is nice)
  • 1 medium sized eggplant, partially peeled and sliced lengthwise ¼-inch thick
  • 1 basket of cherry tomatoes, halved or 2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced ¼ inch thick
  • 2 T. chopped parsley
  • 3/4 c. finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese (combination is wonderful)

Heat the oil in a skillet to medium-high. Add the onion and sauté until transparent. Stir in the garlic and marjoram and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and cook until the liquid evaporates. Season with salt and pepper; remove from the heat.

Oil a 9-by-13-inch ceramic or glass baking dish. Arrange half of the zucchini on the bottom of the dish (single layer if possible but a little overlap is fine), drizzle with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Scatter half of the onion mixture on top, followed by half of the eggplant. Drizzle the eggplant with oil, season lightly with salt and pepper and sprinkle with half of the parsley. Arrange half of the tomatoes cut side down over the zucchini. Repeat the layering finishing with a drizzle of oil and a light seasoning of salt and pepper.

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Bake the vegetables uncovered in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 70-75 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese and continue baking until the edges are browned, the vegetables are very tender, and the cheese is melting and starting to brown, about 10 minutes more. Let cool for about 5 minutes before serving.