from the los angeles times
Cream of parsnip soup with crisp-fried pancetta
Total time: 1 hour, 35 minutes
Servings: 6
Soup ingredients
2 pounds parsnips
2 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
Salt
1 boiling potato, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cups chicken or vegetable broth
4 cups water
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
Freshly ground black pepper
Sugar (optional)
2 egg yolks
1/4 cup heavy cream
Crisp-fried pancetta (recipe follows)
1. Lightly peel the parsnips and discard the peels. Shave each parsnip with a vegetable peeler, working all the way around the vegetable until you get to its woody core. You'll know you've reached it because it will be rough instead of smooth and ivory-colored. Discard the core and place the shavings in a large bowl. Repeat with the remaining parsnips; you should have about 4 cups, lightly pressed. Discard the cores and reserve the shavings.
2. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or soup pot over medium heat, add the onion and carrot and 1 tablespoon of salt, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes. Do not let them scorch.
3. Add the shaved parsnips and the potato, cover and continue to cook until the parsnips begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Add the wine, cover and cook until the vegetables are quite tender, about 20 minutes.
4. Add the chicken or vegetable broth, water, the bay leaf, nutmeg, a good grinding of black pepper and salt to taste. Cover and bring to a simmer. Cook until the vegetables are extremely soft, about 20 minutes. You should be able to crush the potato against the side of the pot.
5. Discard the bay leaf. Using a slotted spoon, fill a blender about half full with the vegetables. Purée on low speed until coarsely ground. Then, with the motor running, slowly ladle in enough of the broth from the pot to make a smooth purée. Transfer the purée to a large bowl and repeat, using the remainder of the vegetables and broth (it will take about 3 additions).
6. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the parsnips were bitter, you may need to add up to 1 teaspoon sugar to balance it. (The soup can be made up to this point 3 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.)
7. When almost ready to serve, return the soup to the saucepan, pouring it through a strainer to remove any grainy bits. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat.
8. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and the whipping cream until they are smooth. When the purée has reached a simmer, spoon 1/2 cup of it into the cream and egg mixture and whisk until smooth. (This tempers the egg yolks, cooking them slightly so they won't curdle as easily when they're added to the saucepan.)
9. Slowly whisk the cream and egg mixture into the purée and continue to cook, whisking frequently, until the soup has thickened slightly and the texture is silken, about 5 minutes. Do not let the soup boil or the egg will curdle. This makes about 9 cups of soup.
10. Divide the soup among 6 shallow bowls and garnish with the crisp-fried pancetta. Serve immediately.
For vegetarians, you can substitute crisp-fried shallots: slice shallots thinly, dust them lightly with flour and then deep-fry them until they are crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Do not let them scorch. Season with salt before serving.
Pancetta ingredients
4 slices pancetta
Canola or vegetable oil
1. Cut the pancetta into thin cross-wise slices (this is most easily done if the pancetta is still well-chilled).
2. Heat 1 inch of oil in a medium skillet until it is hot enough to sizzle when a piece of pancetta is dipped into it. Fry the pancetta slices a few at a time until they are crisp, 20 to 30 seconds.
3. Remove to a plate lined with a paper towel to drain. Once cooled, the pancetta will stay crisp at room temperature for several hours.
Each of 6 servings: 301 calories; 7 grams protein; 37 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams fiber; 14 grams fat; 6 grams saturated fat; 99 mg. cholesterol; 1575 mg. sodium.
Warm barley and kale salad with roasted pears and candied prosciutto
Total time: 1 1/2 hours
Servings: 8 to 10
Note: When looking for Tuscan kale, keep in mind that it goes by many names -- lacinato, dinosaur kale and black cabbage among them. Substitute regular kale if desired. The salad can be prepared up through step 4 one day in advance, with the components stored individually (wrap and refrigerate the barley and kale mixture separately; store the prosciutto in a sealable plastic bag at room temperature). Reheat the barley and kale before proceeding with the recipe.
Ingredients
3 ripe but firm red Bartlett pears (about 1 1/2 pounds), cored and cut into 3/4 -inch cubes
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon chopped thyme, divided
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/4 pound thinly sliced prosciutto
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups pearl barley
1 onion, thinly sliced
2/3 cup dry white wine
3/4 pound Tuscan kale, stemmed and roughly chopped, about 8 cups
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped, toasted and peeled hazelnuts (optional)
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, gently toss the pears, 1 tablespoon oil, 1 teaspoon thyme, one-fourth teaspoon salt and several grinds of black pepper. Spread out the pears in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast, turning occasionally, until golden brown and fragrant, about 25 minutes. Remove and allow to cool.
2. On a large, parchment-lined baking sheet, arrange the prosciutto slices, making sure they do not touch. Sprinkle the sugar evenly over the slices. Bake the prosciutto until the slices are caramelized and glossy, 8 to 10 minutes. Rotate the tray while baking for even coloring, and watch toward the end of baking that the sugar does not burn (it burns quickly). Remove and allow to crisp and cool completely.
3. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the barley and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 30 minutes; drain well.
4. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, one-fourth teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the wine, then return the pan to medium-high heat. Cook until most of the wine is absorbed, about 2 minutes, stirring often and removing any bits of flavoring from the bottom of the pan. Stir in the kale and season with one-half teaspoon salt and one-eighth teaspoon pepper. Cover and cook for 2 minutes until the kale is just wilted and a vibrant green. Stir again, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook until the kale is tender, an additional 5 minutes. (Recipe can be prepared to this point up to 24 hours in advance; store the barley and kale mixture separately, tightly wrapped and refrigerated; store the prosciutto in a sealable plastic bag at room temperature.)
5. In a large bowl, combine the barley with the lemon juice, butter and remaining thyme. Stir in the kale. Gently stir in the pears and hazelnuts if using and check seasoning. Spoon salad onto a serving platter; crumble the candied prosciutto over the top before serving.
Each of 10 servings: 290 calories; 8 grams protein; 46 grams carbohydrates; 9 grams fiber; 8 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 16 mg. cholesterol; 345 mg. sodium.
from the baltimore sun
Roasted sweet potatoes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
4 sweet potatoes, 8 to 10 ounces each, cleaned but not peeled
2 Tbsps. butter or sunflower oil
1. Prepare a fire in a barbecue kettle cooker with lump charcoal, or preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Rub sweet potatoes with butter or oil. If using the grill, wrap them with 2 layers of aluminum foil. If using the oven, set the potatoes unwrapped on a baking sheet.
3. Place wrapped sweet potatoes directly in glowing coals. In the oven, place pan on a rack.
4. Roast until one "test" potato can be pierced easily with a skewer - about 30 minutes in barbecue cooker, about 45 minutes in the oven.
5. Potatoes cooked in coals will have a slightly smoky flavor. Both cooking methods caramelize the potatoes' natural sugar.
6. Use tongs to remove potatoes from heat. Wear oven mitts to remove foil. Serve immediately.
Adapted from "Local Flavors," by Deborah Madison
Per potato: 297 calories, 5 grams protein, 6 grams fat, 4 grams saturated fat, 58 grams carbohydrate, 8 grams fiber, 15 milligrams cholesterol, 83 milligrams sodium.
from the chicago tribune
Catalan escarole
Total time: 25 minutes
Servings: 4
Jose Garces uses dried guindilla chilies, but more common Anaheim, California or guajillo chilies can be substituted. This recipe is adapted from his book, "Latin Evolution."
Ingredients
1 cup pine nuts
3 Tbsps. unsalted butter
1/2 tsp. coarse salt
2 Tbsps. vegetable oil
3 shallots, finely minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dried black currants
1 head escarole, cut into chiffonade
1 mild to medium hot dried chili, soaked until soft, seeded, thinly sliced
1 Toast the pine nuts in a small skillet over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add 1 Tbsps. of the butter and 1/8 tsp. salt. Continue stirring until the butter has melted and coats the nuts; set aside.
2 Heat the oil in a small skillet over low heat; add the shallots and garlic. Cook until shallots are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the reserved pine nuts and currants; cook 1 minute. Raise the heat to high; add the escarole and chili; season with 1/2 tsp. salt. Stir escarole until it begins to wilt, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 Tbsps. of the butter; stir until melted.
Nutrition information: Per serving: 503 calories, 65% of calories from fat, 39 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 39 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 330 mg sodium, 8 g fiber.
from food.realsimple.com
Tuna with black pepper, artichokes, and lemon
Servings: 4
Tip: Look for artichokes packed in water or oil, not marinade. If you can't find them, rinse the artichokes thoroughly with water, then pat them dry.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
3 6.5-ounce jars artichoke hearts, drained and halved
1 lemon, cut into 8 slices
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
4 sprigs fresh thyme (optional)
1 1/2 pounds fresh tuna, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups cooked rice
1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the artichokes, lemon, garlic, and thyme (if using). Cook until heated through, 3 more minutes. Transfer to a plate.
2. Season the tuna with the salt and pepper. Heat the remaining oil in the skillet. Cook the tuna, turning to brown all sides, to the desired doneness, about 2 minutes for medium. Return the artichoke mixture to skillet and toss to combine. Serve over the rice.
Nutrition information: calories 405.19 (19% from fat); fat 8.67g (sat 1.38g); cholesterol 76.54mg; calcium 46.99mg; carbohydrate 35g; sodium 1001.47mg; protein 45.37mg; fiber 4.12g; iron 2.52mg.
from the associated press
Shredded turkey and arugula Caesar salad
Total time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
This hearty Caesar salad with leftover turkey from "How to Cook a Turkey and All the Other Trimmings," by the editors of Fine Cooking magazine, will be a refreshing change from the heavy feasts of Thanksgiving. To save time, make the croutons ahead.
Ingredients
4 oil-packed anchovy fillets
2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tsps. finely grated lemon zest
2 Tbsps. plus 2 tsps. lemon juice
1 Tbsps. Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black peppercorns
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
4 slices French baguette, cut 1-inch thick on an extreme diagonal
1/4 pound baby arugula (about 5 cups loosely packed)
2 cups each: shredded cooked turkey, halved cherry tomatoes
1. Heat a grill pan or broiler. Combine the anchovies, garlic, 6 Tbsps. of the olive oil, lemon zest and juice, mustard, salt and peppercorns in a blender; blend thoroughly until most of the peppercorns are well broken up and the dressing is emulsified. Add 2 Tbsps. of the Parmesan cheese; blend to incorporate.
2. Brush the bread with the remaining 2 Tbsps. olive oil; season with salt, if you like. Grill or broil the bread until dark around the edges and golden brown at the center, 1-2 minutes per side. Cut each slice into 10 cubes (the bread also can be served whole).
3. Pulse the dressing in the blender; place the arugula in a large bowl. Add a bit of the dressing; toss to coat. Divide the arugula among 4 serving plates; sprinkle with 1 Tbsp. of the Parmesan. Toss the turkey in a bowl with the remaining dressing; divide it among the plates of arugula. Sprinkle with remaining 1 Tbsp. of the Parmesan; arrange the croutons and tomatoes around the salad.
Nutrition information: Per serving: 593 calories, 47% of calories from fat, 31 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 42 g carbohydrates, 37 g protein, 1,013 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.