Tasting Table's January 2011 Menu

Transcription

1 Tasting Table's January 2011 Menu Ribollita with Sausage and Kale Coconut-Curry-Braised Short Ribs Southwestern Chicken and Dumplings page 2 page 4 page 6 page 1

2 Ribollita with Sausage and Kale MAKES 6 TO 8 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS 8 cups chicken stock, preferably homemade, divided 2 cups cooked or canned cannellini beans, divided 4 thick slices Tuscan bread (12 ounces), cubed and divided (5 cups) 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided 4 ounces Italian sausage, casing removed and crumbled ½ medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup) 2 small carrots, chopped (about 1/3 cup) 2 stalks celery, chopped (about ½ cup) 3 garlic cloves, minced 1 tablespoon tomato paste 1 small bunch dinosaur (Tuscan) kale, quartered and cut into thin strips (about 4 packed cups) One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, in their juice 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (about 1 cup) DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to In a blender, combine 1 cup of the chicken stock, 1 cup of the beans and 1 cup of the bread cubes and puree. Reserve. 3. In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the sausage and cook, stirring frequently, until This soup recipe is forgiving; if you don t have carrots and/or celery, leave one or both out. You can substitute spinach or escarole for the kale. As the soup sits, its flavor improves, but it also thickens: Just thin it to the desired consistency with water or chicken stock when reheating. page 2

3 the sausage begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the onion, carrots and celery and continue cooking until the vegetables soften, 5 to 8 minutes more. Add the garlic, tomato paste and kale and cook, stirring frequently, until the garlic becomes fragrant and the kale has wilted, about 3 more minutes. 4. Add the diced tomatoes, the rest of the chicken stock, the remaining beans, the reserved bean-bread puree and the Parmesan cheese. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 45 minutes. 5. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, toss the remaining 4 cups of bread cubes with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to coat; arrange on a baking sheet and bake until crisp and brown, about 12 to 15 minutes. 6. Divide the soup among the serving bowls and top each with a generous handful of bread cubes. page 3

4 Coconut-Curry-Braised Short Ribs MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste One ½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped 1 bunch scallions (about 7 scallions), white and green parts, coarsely chopped 3 garlic cloves, chopped ½ cup water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil 3 pounds boneless beef short ribs (about 10 short ribs) Salt and freshly ground pepper 1 cup chicken stock or low-sodium broth One 4-inch piece lemongrass, lightly crushed ¾ cup coconut milk Tips from 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1 jalapeño pepper, minced ½ cup cilantro ¼ cup fresh lime juice Steamed white rice, for serving DIRECTIONS 1. Preheat the oven to 275. In a blender, combine the curry paste, ginger, scallions, garlic and water and process until smooth. Set aside. 2. In a large Dutch oven, heat the vegetable oil over high heat. Season the short ribs liberally with salt and pepper. When the oil just begins to smoke, add the short ribs and cook until browned on one side, about 4 minutes. Turn over and cook until browned on the other side, about 3 minutes. Pour off and discard the fat in the pan. Add the chicken stock, lemongrass and reserved curry mixture. Bring to a simmer, cover and transfer to the oven. Braise until the short ribs can be easily pulled apart by a fork, about 3 to 4 hours. page 4

5 3. Transfer the short ribs to a cutting board; skim and discard the excess fat from the surface of the cooking liquid. Shred the meat into large pieces and return to the cooking liquid. Place the Dutch oven on the stove over medium-low heat and add the coconut milk, brown sugar, jalapeño, cilantro and lime juice. Cover and cook until the stew is hot but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Serve immediately over rice. Note: If you are serving some short ribs immediately and saving some in the refrigerator or freezer, do not add the lime juice. Instead, serve with lime wedges. page 5

6 Southwestern Chicken and Dumplings MAKES 4 TO 6 SERVINGS INGREDIENTS Chicken 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 chicken, cut up into breasts, wings, thighs and drumsticks (about 4 pounds chicken pieces), carcass reserved for making stock 2 Anaheim chiles, chopped 1 medium onion, chopped 1 teaspoon cumin ¼ cup flour 3½ cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth ¼ cup half-and-half Dumplings 1 cup all-purpose flour ½ cup fine cornmeal 1 tablespoon baking powder ¾ cup whole milk ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces) 2 tablespoons minced chives, plus more for garnish DIRECTIONS 1. In a large pot, heat the vegetable oil. Add the chicken pieces, skin side down, and cook over medium-high heat, without turning, until brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and brown the other side, about 3 minutes. Transfer to a plate; remove and discard the skin. If you don t want to butcher a whole bird, substitute 4 pounds of chicken thighs. page 6

7 2. Add the chiles and onion to the pot and cook until the vegetables have begun to soften, about 8 minutes. Add the cumin and flour and stir to coat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the flour smells slightly nutty, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the chicken broth and half-and-half and bring to a boil. Return the reserved chicken to the pot, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. 3. When the chicken has finished cooking, transfer it to a large cutting board, remove and discard the bones and tear the meat into large pieces. Add the chicken to the broth mixture, cover and keep warm over low heat. 4. Make the dumplings: In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, milk, cheddar and chives and stir to blend. Increase the heat under the chicken stew to medium-heat and bring it to a simmer. Drop the dumpling batter in heaping tablespoons about ½ inch apart over the surface of the stew (you ll make about 15 dumplings), cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the dumplings have puffed up, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately. Tweak this dish into a different winter warmer by omitting the dumplings and spooning the chicken stew over cheddar-rice biscuits. page 7