Steak and Chimichurri Toasts

1 c packed fresh parsley

3/4 c olive oil, plus additional

for brushing the toasts

3 T. red wine vinegar

2 T. dried oregano

2 t. ground cumin

salt

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t. dried crushed red pepper

Two 1-lb pieces flank steak

Freshly ground black pepper

16-0z thin French bread baguette, cut into 40 slices

To make the chimichurri sauce, in a food processor combine the parsley, 3/4 c. olive oil, vinegar, oregano, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, garlic and crushed red pepper. Process until smooth, then set aside.

Place the steaks in a large glass baking dish, then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brush about 2 tablespoons chimichurri sauce over the steaks, then refrigerate the remaining sauce. Cover the steaks with plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour (or up to a day.)

Preheat oven to 450 F. Place the bread slices on a large baking sheet, then brush them lightly with olive oil. Bake the bread until just firm, about 5 minutes. Transfer to large plantter.

Prehead the broiler.

Tansfer the steaks to a rimmed baking sheet. Broil until cooked to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium.

Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes. Cut each steak in half along the grain. Cut each half crosswise against the grain into 10 slices. Top each bread slive with 1 piece of meat and a bit of chimichurri sauce.

Arrange the toasts on a platter and spoon remaining sauce into small bowl and place in a center of the platter. Serve warm or let stand up to 2 hours at room temperature.

Vegetable Pot Pie from Stacey

Winter Vegetable Ragout

6 tablespoons unsalted butter

3 tablespoons canola oil

2 cups chopped leeks, white and pale green portions only

1 cup thinly sliced fennel

2 teaspoons minced or pressed garlic

12 ounces carrots, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 2 cups)

12 ounces rutabagas or turnips, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 2 cups)

12 ounces sweet potatoes or Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into matchsticks (about 2 cups)

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley or tarragon (I did tarragon…yum)

½ cup dry white wine

About 2 cups homemade vegetable stock or chicken stock, reconstituted vegetable bouillon, or canned chicken broth, low-sodium type

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup half and half

salt, pepper, nutmeg to taste

1 egg white beaten for moistening

1 egg yolk beaten with 1 tablespoon cream for glaze.

Prepare pastry and chill.

To make ragout, melt 3 tblsp of the butter with the oil in a heavy stew pot such as a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and fennel and sauté until soft but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, carrots, rutabagas or turnips, parsnips, potatoes, and about half of the herbs and sauté for about 3 minutes. Add the wine and stock, bouillon, or broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.

Strain the cooking liquid into a bowl and transfer the vegetables to a separate bowl. Melt the remaining 3 tables of butter in the cooking pot. Add the flour and cook, whisking or stirring, for 3 minutes. Gradually whisk or stir in the cooking liquid and half and half. Simmer until the liquid is thickened to sauce consistency about 5 minutes. Combine the sauce, vegetables, and the remaining herbs and spoon the mixture into a shallow 2-quart casserole or into 6 shallow baking dishes such as quiche dishes, measuring 5 to 6 inches in diameter. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate until quite cold.

On a lightly floured board, roll out the dough about ¼ inch thick. Using a ruler as a straight edge and a sharp knife or rolling pastry cutter, cut into long strips about ½ inch wide. Surround the edge of the dish with a strip of dough and pinch the edges to form a decorative pattern. Cut the dough strips to a length that will fit across the top of the casserole. Crisscross the dough strips to form a lattice design over the filling. Moisten the ends of each dough strip with beaten egg white and press together with the strip surrounding the dish edges. Pinch off any excess dough and smooth the edges with your fingers. Brush the top of the pastry with the egg glaze. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Alternatively, roll out the dough to fit the top of the baking dish, allowing for an overlap of 1-½ inches. Place the dough over the top of the dish and press with fingers to secure the edges to the baking dish. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

Preheat an oven to 450 F. Bake the pie for 0 minutes, ten reduce the heat to 350 F and continue baking until the crust is golden and crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

Spicy Cream Cheese Pastry (I used store bought which was great)

2 cups all-purpose flour

½ teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper

1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

In a bowl combine the flour, salt, and cayenne pepper and stir together. Using a pastry blender or two knives, but in the butter and cream cheese to form a soft dough. Alternatively, combine the dry ingredients in a food processor. Add the butter and cream cheese and process with short pulses until the dough just sticks together.

Gather the dough into a ball, enclose in plastic wrap or waxed paper, and chill for at least 30 minutes or for up to several hours.

Makes top crust for 1 large pot pie, or 3 individual pies.

Granola

3 c. oatmeal

1/2 c. walnuts, chopped

1/2 c. almonds, chopped

1/2 c. pecans, chopped

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. real maple syrup

Mix together. Spray baking sheet.

Bake 40 minutes @ 300 degrees, stirring occasionally

Toasted Pound Cake with Citrus Cream

Pound Cake:

Vegetable cooking spray

1 (10.75-ounce)frozen pound cake, thawed and cut into 9 (1-inch)slices

2 T. butter, melted

1/3 c. honey, for drizzling

Citrus Cream:

8 ounces mascarpone cheese

1/2 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 T. fresh orange juice

1 lemon, zested and juiced

1 lime, zested and juiced

1 t. orange zest

1 t. vanilla extract

2 large oranges, segmented

Directions:

For the pound cake:  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a baking pan with cooking spray.  Arrange the pound cake in a single layer on the prepared pan.  Brush with the melted butter and drizzle with honey.  Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly golden.  Set aside to cool for 10 minutes.

For the citrus cream:  In a medium bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat all the ingredients together until stiff peaks form, about 1 minutes.

To assemble:  spoon the citrus-cream filling on the cooled pound cake slices.  Top with orange  segments and serve.

Tri-Colore Orzo

1 pound orzo pasta

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus 1/4 cup

2 cups fresh arugula (about 3 ounces)

3/4 cup crumbled ricotta salata cheese (or feta cheese)

1/2 cup dried cherries

12 fresh basil leaves, torn

1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

3 T. lemon juice

1 1/2 t. salt

1 t. freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.  Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes.  Drain pasta and put the pasta on a large cookie sheet.  Drizzle the pasta with 3 T. olive oil, toss, spread out, and set aside to cool.  

Once the orzo is cool, transfer to a large serving bowl.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss gently to combine.  Serve

(Next time I will mix the cooled pasta with everything but the arugula and serve it on top of the arugula.)  

Chicken or Steak with Balsamic BBQ Sauce

Ingredients 

For the Balsamic BBQ Sauce:

1 cup balsamic vinegar

3/4 cup ketchup

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 garlic clove, minced

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 T. Dijon mustard

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

For the chicken or steak:

4 pieces chicken (any combination of breast or leg-and-thing pieces) or 4 pieces of New York strip or Club strip steak

Salt and pepper to taste

For the BBQ Sauce:

Directions

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan and stir until all the ingredients are incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Simmer over medium heat until reduced by 1/3, about 15 to 20 minutes.

For the chicken or steak:

Place a grill pan over medium heat or preheat a gas or charcoal grill.  Season the meat on both sides with salt and pepper.  Lightly coat with some of the BBQ sauce using a pastry brush. Place the meat on the grill.  Place the remaining BBQ sauce, still in the small saucepan, over low heat or on the edge of the grill and allow to gently simmer while the meat cooks.

Cook the chicken about 8 minutes per side.  Cook the steaks starting at about 4 minutes per side until a meat thermometer reads the desired temperature, 120 degrees F for medium rare, 135 for medium(about 6 minutes per side), 155 degrees F for well done (about 9 minutes per side).  Continually brush the meat with BBQ sauce every few minutes.  Remove the meat from the grill and let rest for at least 5 minutes.  Serve with the heated BBQ sauce alongside.

Alternately, the chicken can be baked in the oven.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  Place the chicken skin side up in a baking dish and bake for 25 minutes.  Remove the dish from the oven and spoon the BBQ sauce all over the top of the chicken.  Return the baking dish to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes.

Roman Summer Salad

1 cup balsamic vinegar

1 cup pitted green and black olives, halved

1/4 c. chopped fresh parsley leaves

3 anchovy fillets, drained and chopped (I use anchovy paste)

2  T. capers, rinsed and drained

1 garlic clove, thinly sliced

8 fresh basil leaves, shredded

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 pound vine-ripened tomatoes (about 3 tomatoes)

Directions:

Cook the balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat until thick, syrupy, and measuring 1/4 cup, about 20 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Combine the olives, parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil, pepper, and olive oil in a small bowl and toss to combine.

To serve, slice the tomatoes into 1/4 inch thick rounds and place, slightly overlapping, on a serving plate.  Spoon the olive and parsley mixture over the tomatoes.  Drizzle the reduced balsamic over he salad and serve.