By dave on 11/2/2008
Serves 4 to 6. Cooks Illustrated November 1, 2005.
Serve this French beef stew with egg noodles or boiled potatoes. If niçoise olives are not available, kalamata olives, though not authentic, can be substituted. Cabernet Sauvignon is our favorite wine for this recipe, but Côtes du Rhône and Zinfandel also work. Our favorite cut of beef for this recipe is chuck-eye roast, but any boneless roast from the chuck will work. Because the tomatoes are added just before serving, it is preferable to use canned whole tomatoes and dice them yourself–uncooked, they are more tender than canned diced tomatoes. Once the salt pork, thyme, and bay leaves are removed in step 4, the daube can be cooled and refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Before reheating, skim the hardened fat from the surface, then continue with the recipe.
| 3/4 |
ounce dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed well |
| 1 |
boneless beef chuck-eye roast (about 3 1/2 pounds), trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch chunks |
| 1 1/2 |
teaspoons table salt |
| 1 |
teaspoon ground black pepper |
| 4 |
tablespoons olive oil |
| 5 |
ounces salt pork , rind removed |
| 4 |
large carrots , peeled and cut into 1-inch rounds (about 2 cups) |
| 2 |
medium onions , halved and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices (about 4 cups) |
| 4 |
medium cloves garlic , sliced thin |
| 2 |
tablespoons tomato paste |
| 1/3 |
cup all-purpose flour |
| 1 |
bottle red wine (bold, such as a Cabernet) |
| 1 |
cup low-sodium chicken broth |
| 1 |
cup water |
| 4 |
strips orange zest (from one orange), removed with vegetable peeler, each strip about 3 inches long, cleaned of white pith, and cut lengthwise into thin strips |
| 1 |
cup niçoise olives , pitted and drained well |
| 3 |
anchovy fillets , minced (about 1 teaspoon) |
| 5 |
sprigs fresh thyme , tied together with kitchen twine |
| 2 |
bay leaves |
|
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) whole tomatoes , drained and cut into 1/2-inch dice |
| 2 |
tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves |
- 1. Cover mushrooms with 1 cup hot tap water in small microwave-safe bowl; cover with plastic wrap, cut several steam vents in plastic with paring knife, and microwave on high power for 30 seconds. Let stand until mushrooms soften, about 5 minutes. Lift mushrooms from liquid with fork and chop into 1/2-inch pieces (you should have about 4 tablespoons). Strain liquid through fine-mesh strainer lined with 1 paper towel into medium bowl. Set mushrooms and liquid aside.
- 2. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position; heat oven to 325 degrees. Dry beef thoroughly with paper towels, then season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking; add half of beef. Cook without moving pieces until well browned, about 2 minutes on each side, for total of 8 to 10 minutes, reducing heat if fat begins to smoke. Transfer meat to medium bowl. Repeat with remaining oil and remaining meat.
- 3. Reduce heat to medium and add salt pork, carrots, onions, garlic, and tomato paste to now-empty pot; cook, stirring occasionally, until light brown, about 2 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Slowly add wine, gently scraping pan bottom to loosen browned bits. Add broth, water, beef, and any juices in bowl. Increase heat to medium-high and bring to full simmer. Add mushrooms and their liquid, orange zest, 1/2 cup olives, anchovies, thyme, and bay, distributing evenly and arranging beef so it is completely covered by liquid; cover partially and place in oven. Cook until fork inserted in beef meets little resistance (meat should not be falling apart), 2 1/2 to 3 hours.
- 4. Discard salt pork, thyme, and bay leaves. Add tomatoes and remaining 1/2 cup olives; warm over medium-high heat until heated through, about 1 minute. Cover pot and allow stew to settle, about 5 minutes. Using spoon, skim excess fat from surface of stew. Stir in parsley and serve.
Posted in Recipes | Tagged beef, soup/stew |
By dave on 11/2/2008
Serves 4-6. Published July 1, 2008. From Cook’s Illustrated.
You can substitute three 11-ounce cans of tomatillos, drained and rinsed, for the fresh ones in this recipe. Halve large tomatillos (more than 2 inches in diameter) and place them skin-side up for broiling in step 2 to ensure even cooking and charring. If you can’t find poblanos, substitute 4 large jalapeño chiles (with seeds and ribs removed). To increase the spiciness of the sauce, reserve some of the chiles’ ribs and seeds and add them to the food processor in step 3. Serve enchiladas with our recipe for Mexican Rice, (see related recipe).
| 4 |
teaspoons vegetable oil |
| 1 |
medium onion , chopped medium (about 1 cup) |
| 3 |
medium garlic cloves , minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon) |
| 1/2 |
teaspoon ground cumin |
| 1 1/2 |
cups low-sodium chicken broth |
| 1 |
pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 to 3 breasts), trimmed of excess fat |
| 1 1/2 |
pounds tomatillos (16 to 20 medium), husks and stems removed, rinsed well and dried (or canned, see note) |
| 3 |
medium poblano chiles , halved lengthwise, stemmed, and seeded (see note) |
| 1 – 2 1/2 |
teaspoons sugar |
|
Table salt |
|
Ground black pepper |
| 1/2 |
cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves |
| 8 |
ounces Pepper Jack cheese or Monterey Jack cheese, grated (2 cups) |
| 12 |
(6-inch) corn tortillas |
| Garnish |
| 2 |
medium scallions , sliced thin |
|
Thinly sliced radishes |
|
Sour cream |
- 1. Adjust oven racks to middle and highest positions and heat broiler. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering; add onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 8 minutes. Add 2 teaspoons garlic and cumin; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Decrease heat to low and stir in broth. Add chicken, cover, and simmer until instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 160 degrees, 15 to 20 minutes, flipping chicken halfway through cooking. Transfer chicken to large bowl; place in refrigerator to cool, about 20 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup liquid from saucepan and set aside; discard remaining liquid.
- 2. Meanwhile, toss tomatillos and poblanos with remaining 2 teaspoons oil; arrange on rimmed baking sheet lined with foil, with poblanos skin-side up. Broil until vegetables blacken and start to soften, 5 to 10 minutes, rotating pan halfway through cooking. Cool 10 minutes, then remove skin from poblanos (leave tomatillo skins intact). Transfer tomatillos and chiles to food processor. Decrease oven temperature to 350 degrees. Discard foil from baking sheet and set baking sheet aside for warming tortillas.
- 3. Add 1 teaspoon sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, remaining teaspoon garlic, and reserved cooking liquid to food processor; process until sauce is somewhat chunky, about eight 1-second pulses. Taste sauce; season with salt and pepper and adjust tartness by stirring in remaining sugar, 1/2 teaspoon at a time. Set sauce aside (you should have about 3 cups).
- 4. When chicken is cool, pull into shreds using hands or 2 forks, then chop into small bite-sized pieces. Combine chicken with cilantro and 11/2 cups cheese; season with salt.
- 5. Smear bottom of 13- by 9-inch baking dish with 3/4 cup tomatillo sauce. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets. Spray both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are soft and pliable,
2 to 4 minutes. Increase oven temperature to 450 degrees. Place warm tortillas on countertop and spread 1/3 cup filling down center of each tortilla. Roll each tortilla tightly and place in baking dish, seam-side down. Pour remaining tomatillo sauce over top of enchiladas. Use back of spoon to spread sauce so that it coats top of each tortilla. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and cover baking dish with foil.
- 6. Bake enchiladas on middle rack until heated through and cheese is melted, 15 to 20 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with scallions, and serve immediately, passing radishes and sour cream separately.
Posted in Recipes | Tagged mexican |
By dave on 11/2/2008
Serves 6-8 as a side dish. Published September 1, 2004.
Because the spiciness of jalapeños varies from chile to chile, we try to control the heat by removing the ribs and seeds (the source of most of the heat) from those chiles that are cooked in the rice. Use an ovensafe pot about 12 inches in diameter so that the rice cooks evenly and in the time indicated. The pot’s depth is less important than its diameter; we’ve successfully used both a straight-sided sauté pan and a Dutch oven. Whichever type of pot you use, it should have a tight-fitting, ovensafe lid. Vegetable broth can be substituted for chicken broth.
| 2 |
ripe tomatoes (about 12 ounces), cored and quartered (or 1 14.5oz can of tomatoes, undrained) |
| 1 |
medium onion , preferably white, peeled, trimmed of root end,and quartered |
| 3 |
medium jalapeño chiles |
| 2 |
cups long grain white rice (or long-grain brown rice, BUT SEE BOLD NOTES) |
| 1/3 |
cup canola oil |
| 4 |
cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 4 teaspoons) |
| 2 |
cups low-sodium chicken broth (or vegetable broth) (2 1/2 cups for brown rice) |
| 1 |
tablespoon tomato paste |
| 1 1/2 |
teaspoons table salt |
| 1/2 |
cup minced fresh cilantro leaves |
| 1 |
lime , cut into wedges for serving |
- Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Process tomatoes and onion in food processor until smooth and thoroughly pureed, about 15 seconds, scraping down bowl if necessary. Transfer mixture to liquid measuring cup; you should have 2 cups (if necessary, spoon off excess so that volume equals 2 cups). Remove ribs and seeds from 2 jalapeños and discard; mince flesh and set aside. Mince remaining jalapeño, including ribs and seeds; set aside.
- Place rice in large fine-mesh strainer and rinse under cold running water until water runs clear, about 1 1/2 minutes. Shake rice vigorously in strainer to remove all excess water.
- Heat oil in heavy-bottomed ovensafe 12-inch straight-sided sauté pan or Dutch oven with tight-fitting lid over medium-high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Drop 3 or 4 grains rice in oil; if grains sizzle, oil is ready. Add rice and fry, stirring frequently, until rice is light golden and translucent, 6 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium, add garlic and seeded minced jalapeños; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in pureed tomatoes and onions, chicken broth, tomato paste, and salt; increase heat to medium-high and bring to boil. Cover pan and transfer to oven; bake until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender, 30 to 35 minutes, stirring well after 15 minutes. (FOR BROWN RICE: 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring well after every 30 minutes.)
- Stir in cilantro and reserved minced jalapeño with seeds to taste. Serve immediately, passing lime wedges separately.
Posted in Recipes | Tagged mexican, rice/grains |
By dave on 11/2/2008
Our recent, brief visit to Eatonville, niece/cousin Madelyn, and more.
Posted in Gallery |