Cranberry Chutney

Cranberry Chutney

Wednesday, November 27, 2019

Cranberry Chutney

3 cups (750ml)

Feel free to use any type, or combination, of dried fruit. Dates, figs, raisins, apricots, candied ginger, dried cherries, cranberries, pineapples, or other favorites, work well. (Of course, there's no need to chop the raisins or dried cranberries or cherries, if using.) You could also include chopped candied orange or lemon peel in the mix. Any tart apple is fine to use, but if using Golden Delicious apples, make sure to chop them very fine (unless you like chunks of apples in your chutney) as they don't break down as other apples do. If using frozen cranberries, no need to thaw them in advance. Just add them frozen and cook as directed. An interesting addition is to cook the chutney with a very small branch of rosemary. It'll lend an herbaceous note to the chutney. Remove it after the chutney is cooked. Or a tipple of whiskey (or an anise-based spirit, such as pastis) added right before the end of cooking could also be nice.

12 ounces (340g) cranberries, fresh or frozen (if using frozen, no need to defrost before using)

1 cup (125g) diced dried fruit (see headnote)

1 tart apple, peeled, cored, and finely diced

2/3 cup firmly-packed (140g) light brown sugar 

1/2 cup (125ml) orange juice

6 tablespoons (90ml) apple cider vinegar, plus more if desired

1 tablespoon honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground dried ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

pinch red chile flakes

pinch salt

1. Mix all the ingredients together in a large saucepan. 

2. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until the cranberries pop and begin to break down and release their juices, and the apple pieces are cooked through. Time will vary but it'll take about 10 minutes or so.

3. Remove from heat and when the chutney is cool enough, taste and add 1 (or 2) tablespoons additional vinegar, if desired. 

Serving: Serve with turkey (at Thanksgiving or another holiday), or with poultry, pork, roasted vegetables, or even cheese.

Storage: Store in jars in the refrigerator until ready to use. The chutney should keep for at least a month. It can also be frozen for up to six months. If you wish to can it, you can find guidelines at the National Center for Home Food Preservationwebsite.

Thanksgiving Slaw

Thanksgiving Slaw

Thanksgiving Slaw

SERVES8

INGREDIENTS

For the dressing:

• 1/3 cup 
  vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup 
  apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons 
  maple syrup
• 4 teaspoons 
  Dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon 
  kosher salt
• 1/2 
  medium 
  red onion, finely chopped

For the salad:

• 1 
  small head green cabbage (about 2 1/2 pounds, or about 10 cups shredded cabbage)
• 3/4 cup 
  sliced almonds, toasted
• 3/4 cup 
  dried cranberries
• 3/4 cup 
  fresh Italian parsley leaves, coarsely chopped
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Make the dressing: Whisk the vinegar, oil, maple syrup, Dijon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add the red onion and stir to combine. Let sit at least 10 minutes for the flavors to meld. Meanwhile, prepare the cabbage.
2. Make the salad: Cut the cabbage into eight wedges through the core, then cut the core from each piece. Thinly slice the cabbage wedges crosswise to shred.
3. Add the shredded cabbage, almonds, cranberries, and parsley to the dressing and toss to combine. Taste and season with salt and pepper as needed.

RECIPE NOTES

Make ahead: This slaw can sit out at room temperature for up to 2 hours without wilting, making it a great make-ahead or buffet dish.

Storage: Leftover slaw can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 day.

Tips: 

BTW, I use a couple bags of Trader Joe's cruciferous crunch (which is shredded cabbage, brussel sprouts, kale, and broccoli), and mix with my own dressing, nuts, dried cranberries, a little gorgonzola cheese, and any other fresh fruit I want (pears, persimons, whatever I have). This is my pot-luck go-to, my dinner party go-to, and my "bring salad to work all week" go-to. Because there is no "lettuce" you can dress this and still have a crunchy salad days later.

Green Beans

Green Beans

The Best Green Beans for Green Bean Casserole

My mother always made green bean casserole with store-bought canned green beans because her mother made green bean casserole with canned green beans. But my grandmother’s canned green beans were picked and canned from her home garden. When I make green bean casserole, I skip canned all together and head for the freezer instead because frozen green beans are the best green beans to use for green bean casserole. 

Frozen green beans are blanched and flash-frozen, usually within a few hours of picking, which means they have their peak-season flavor preserved and don’t require any additional cooking before going into the casserole. Just be sure to thaw and drain the green beans before adding to the casserole — otherwise their excess moisture may thin the mushroom gravy. 

Tip: Quickly thaw the green beans by placing them under running water in a colander. Let the beans drain while you prepare the rest of the casserole. 

Make-ahead tip: Assemble the casserole without the crisp onion topping and store tightly wrapped in the refrigerator for up to three days. Remove from the refrigerator while the oven preheats. Top with the fried onions and bake. 

Honey-Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots

Honey-Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots

Brown Butter Is the Secret to the Best Roasted Carrots

Brown butter makes pretty much everything better, and roasted carrots are no exception. The process of browning butter is simple: you’ll simply cook butter a bit past the point of melting it, caramelizing the milk solids and leaving you with a nutty, decadent sauce. Here, that butter is infused with garlic and honey to create both a marinade and glaze for roasted carrots.

A Smart Sauce That Doubles as a Marinade and a Glaze

Half of the sauce is drizzled on the carrots before they roast, allowing them to soak up the flavors of the garlic and honey as they cook. Once they’re out of the oven, they’re tossed in the remaining sauce, making them glisten with buttery goodness. A sprinkling of chopped parsley and flaky sea salt adds freshness and pizzazz before they become the talk of the dinner table.

Tips: 1 tsp. Sea salt per pound of vegetable.

Sub chopped tarragon for parsley.

Honey-Garlic Butter Roasted Carrots

SERVES6 to 8

PREP TIME:5 minutes

COOKING TIME:35 minutes to 39 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 2 pounds 
  carrots
• 3 tablespoons 
  unsalted butter
• 3 
  cloves garlic, minced or grated
• 1 1/2 tablespoons 
  honey
• 1 teaspoon 
  kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon 
  freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons 
  coarsely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley leaves
• Flaky sea salt (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 425°F.
2. Peel and trim the carrots. If they are more than 1-inch thick, cut them in half lengthwise; otherwise, leave them whole. Cut the carrots diagonally into 2-inch-long pieces. Place on a rimmed baking sheet; set aside.
3. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter has a nutty aroma and is a golden-tan color, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter is toasty-brown, about 30 seconds more. Remove from the heat, add the honey, and whisk to combine. 
4. Drizzle half the brown butter sauce over the carrots and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt and pepper and toss to coat again. Spread the carrots into an even layer. 
5. Roast 15 minutes. Flip the carrots, then roast until the carrots are tender and the edges are charred and crispy, 15 to 20 minutes more.
6. Transfer to a serving bowl. Drizzle the remaining half of the brown butter sauce over the carrots, add the parsley, and toss to combine. Finish with a generous pinch of flaky sea salt, if using. Serve immediately.

RECIPE NOTES

Storage: Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Libby Pumpkin Pie

Libby Pumpkin Pie

Recipe notes: You’ll need a 9- or 9 1/2-inch pie dish. For a homemade crust, we recommend this Flaky Pie Dough.

The pie can be made up to 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate.

Active time : 15 mins Total time : 1 hour 10 mins, plus cooling time Servings : 8 to 10 (makes one 9-inch pie)

Ingredients

One 13.4-ounce can dulce de leche, such as La Lechera brand

1 t easpoon ground cinnamon, plus more for optional garnish

1 t easpoon ground cardamom

3 /4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 /2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 /2 teaspoon salt

2 l arge eggs

One 15-ounce can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 c up evaporated milk

One unbaked 9 or 9 1/2-inch pie shell, store-bought or homemade (see related recipe above)

Whipped cream, for garnish (optional)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees with the rack in the middle.

Step 2

Transfer the dulce de leche to a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on HIGH for 45 seconds to 1 minute. It should be just warm, not hot, and soft enough to be easily incorporated into the filling. Let cool slightly.

Step 3

In a small bowl, whisk together the cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, nutmeg and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until combined. Whisk in the pumpkin and spice mixture. Gradually whisk in the evaporated milk. Whisk in the dulce de leche a little at a time, fully incorporating after each addition. Pour the filling into the pie shell.

Step 4

Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. The pie will be mostly set but still jiggle a bit in the center.

Step 5

Cool on a wire rack for 2 hours. Top with the whipped cream and dust with cinnamon, if desired. Serve immediately or refrigerate until needed.

Recipe source

From Voraciously lead writer Becky Krystal, adapted from a recipe on the Libby’s Pumpkin label.

Momo Chutney

Momo Chutney

Friday, November 22, 2019

Tomato Chutney
www.spontaneoustomato.com
(Adapted from The Nepal Cookbook.)
(Makes a little over 2 cups)
Active time: 20 minutes; Total time: 50 minutes.
Ingredients:
~ 11⁄2 lb. tomatoes, rinsed and dried ~ 3 cloves garlic, peeled
~ 1-inch ginger, peeled and chopped ~ juice of 1⁄2 lemon
~ 1⁄2 bunch fresh cilantro (1 cup), chopped ~ 1 tsp. chili powder
~ 1⁄2 tsp. black pepper
~ salt, to taste
~ 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
~ 1⁄4 tsp. fenugreek seeds
~ pinch of asafoetida (optional)
How to make it:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Place tomatoes upside-down in a ceramic (or any non-reactive) baking dish, and bake for 30 minutes. At the halfway (15 min.) point, toss the peeled cloves of garlic in with the tomatoes.
2. Remove the tomatoes and garlic from the oven and let cool (if you have time). Transfer the tomatoes and garlic to a blender, along with the ginger, lemon juice, cilantro, chili powder, pepper, and salt. Pulse until the ginger and garlic have been broken up well, then blend until smooth. (Be very careful when blending hot ingredients to continually lift the lid between pulses to release hot steam from the blender!)
3. Transfer the blended tomato mixture to a bowl. To temper the chutney: In a very small saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over medium until hot and shimmering, then add the fenugreek seeds and asafoetida powder, and let the fenugreek seeds sizzle until they darken slightly and become fragrant. Then immediately use a rubber spatula to scrape all of the oil and fried fenugreek into the chutney, and stir well. Cover and refrigerate if making ahead of time. Serve warm or at room temperature as an accompaniment to momos.

Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric

Spiced Chickpea Stew With Coconut and Turmeric

Saturday, November 16, 2019

4 to 6 servings
55 minutes


Spiced chickpeas are crisped in olive oil, then simmered in a garlicky coconut milk for an insanely creamy, basically-good-for-you stew that evokes South Indian chana and some stews found in parts of the Caribbean. While the chickpeas would be good as a side dish, they are further simmered with stock, bolstered with dark, leafy greens of your choosing and finished with a handful of fresh mint. When shopping, be sure to avoid low-fat coconut milk, coconut milk meant for drinking or cream of coconut: All are very different and would not be suitable here.

INGREDIENTS

• ¼ cup olive oil, plus more for serving
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 large yellow onion, chopped
• 1 (2-inch) piece ginger, finely chopped
•  Kosher salt and black pepper
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric, plus more for serving
• 1 teaspoon red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 2 (15-ounce) cans full-fat coconut milk
• 2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• 1 bunch Swiss chard, kale or collard greens, stems removed, torn into bite-size pieces
• 1 cup mint leaves, for serving
•  Yogurt, for serving (optional)
•  Toasted pita, lavash or other flatbread, for serving (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add garlic, onion and ginger. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally until onion is translucent and starts to brown a little around the edges, 3 to 5 minutes.

1. Add turmeric, red-pepper flakes and chickpeas, and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring frequently, so the chickpeas sizzle and fry a bit in the spices and oil, until they’ve started to break down and get a little browned and crisp, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove about a cup of chickpeas and set aside for garnish.

1. Using a wooden spoon or spatula, further crush the remaining chickpeas slightly to release their starchy insides (this will help thicken the stew). Add coconut milk and stock to the pot, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any bits that have formed on the bottom of the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until stew has thickened and flavors have started to come together, 30 to 35 minutes. (Taste a chickpea or two, not just the liquid, to make sure they have simmered long enough to taste as delicious as possible.) If after 30 to 35 minutes you want the stew a bit thicker, keep simmering until you've reached your desired consistency. Determining perfect stew thickness is a personal journey! 

1. Add greens and stir, making sure they’re submerged in the liquid. Cook a few minutes so they wilt and soften, 3 to 7 minutes, depending on what you’re using. (Swiss chard and spinach will wilt and soften much faster than kale or collard greens.) Season again with salt and pepper.

1. Divide among bowls and top with mint, reserved chickpeas, a sprinkle of red-pepper flakes and a good drizzle of olive oil. Serve alongside yogurt and toasted pita if using; dust the yogurt with turmeric if you'd like.