Memorial Day Update -- 40 Recipes

Our neighborhood association put out flags along the sidewalk this year

What do you do when Memorial Day weekend in a washout and it is only 42 degrees outside?

Watch movies, read books and catch up on my backlog of recipes for Feast Everyday.

Today I've added 7 new recipes that I've developed during our long stretch of having to cook every night during the Covid pandemic.  

Most importantly, "Tom's Tab"  has been added, which is a heading on the home page for Tom's "Go-To" Recipes.  The tab has 33 of his favorites --- he picked what to put on the page.

Hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day weekend, takes the time to remember those who have served, and gets a little taste of normalcy again.

Barbara

Cheddar Cheese Pinwheels with Chives and Black Pepper

These freeze well, and can be pulled out and warmed up in the toaster oven for a quick hors d'oeuvre.

--B

Cheddar Cheese Pinwheels with Chives and Black Pepper

Makes 32

1 package puff pastry (2 sheets) defrosted

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1/2 cup chives

freshly ground black pepper

1 egg, whisked

sea salt (Maldon)

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out the first sheet puff pastry into a 12 x 16 rectangle.  Sprinkle the cheese over it in one layer, and then the chives and freshly ground black pepper.  Keep the second sheet in the fridge.

Fold the two long sides into the middle like making a paper airplane, press slightly, then fold in half again towards the middle.  And then fold the two sides on top of each other.  You will have a long log with a pinwheel design inside.  

Slice into 16 pieces and place on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Lightly brush with egg and sprinkle with sea salt.  

Bake for about 18 -20 minutes until fully puffed and golden brown on top.  (Cook longer if not fully puffed.)

Remove from the oven, place on a wire rack to cool.

Pull out the second sheet of puff pastry, and repeat.  

The second batch, I applied the egg wash to the puff pastry before adding the cheese and black pepper (and omitted the chives).  They were denser than the first batch but also tasty.  

B

Tuna Macaroni Salad with Red Grapes, Red Onion, and Celery

When you need a large salad to feed a crowd this would be a good option.  It uses the pasta you'd find in macaroni and cheese, little elbows.  You will need a large salad bowl with tightly fitting lid, like a glass Pyrex storage plus bowl for this recipe. 

---Barbara

Tuna Macaroni Salad with Red Grapes, Red Onion and Celery

Serves 12

1 box (1 lb.) small elbow pasta 

1 red onion, large, chopped

3-4 stalks celery, chopped

1 large bunch of red grapes, halved

2 - 3 cans Italian (or other high quality) tuna in olive oil

2 lemons

1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil, if needed

salt and pepper

red pepper flakes

pinch of dried mustard

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced

1 large bunch of cilantro, rinsed, dried and chopped

1 small jar Hellman's Light mayonnaise, or 1.5- 2 cups

Make the hard-boiled eggs, cool completely.

In the bottom of a large 4 quart salad bowl, add the oil from the cans of tuna without adding the tuna.  Zest the lemons, and add to the oil.  Then, juice the lemons and add to the bowl.  Could be right on the money now, but if needed add some more olive oil (up to 1/3 cup) to balance out the dressing.  Hold back on the salt, but taste, and add if needed, plus black pepper, red pepper flakes and a pinch of dry mustard.  Combine well with a whisk.  

Cook the pasta in salted water per directions on box, 6 to 8 minutes, drain well and add to bowl on top of the dressing. Add a generous amount of salt to the pasta --- about 1.5 - 2 teaspoons --plus ground pepper, and coat well with the dressing while the pasta is still hot.

Chop the onion into bite-size pieces, then layer it on top of the pasta.  Do not mix.  Add a pinch of salt to the onions.  

Chop the celery, add a layer, and a pinch of salt.

Halve the grapes, add a layer, and a generous grind of black pepper all over the grapes.

Put the tuna in the center.

Add the slices eggs around the outside in a circle.

Place the cilantro on top.  

Refrigerate until completely cold and it's time to serve.

Toss well.  

Add good quality light mayonnaise (Hellman's Light is the best) until you have the consistency you like, about 1.5 to 2 cups.  

B

Fish Sandwiches with Lemon Caper Tartar Sauce (New England Open House)

The lemon caper tartar sauce is fantastic and keeps well in the fridge.  This has been our go-to Friday fish sandwich.

---Barbara

Fish Sandwiches with Lemon Caper Tatar Sauce

(adapted from New England Open House Cookbook by Sarah Leah Chase)

Serves 2 - 4

1 nice large firm roll (Portuguese or Kaiser) per person

1 4-6 ounce white fish fillets (Cod or Halibut) per person

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

salt and pepper

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup cornmeal

olive oil

crisp lettuce leaves (Iceberg or Romaine)

lemon caper sauce (see below)

Make tartar sauce ahead of time.  see below.  

Defrost fish, bring to room temperature 1/2 hour before pan-frying.  Pat dry, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Set up two bowls for coating the fish before pan-frying.  In one bowl, combine the milk, egg, and add a pinch of salt.  In another bowl, combine flour and corn meal.  Add salt and pepper and mix.  

Heat a large, heavy skillet to medium-high, add a little olive oil to prevent sticking.  Be sure your pan in hot before adding the fish.  

Dip the fish into egg and milk, let drip.  Then dip, into flour mixture and shake off excess.  Place in hot pan.  Quickly do the next piece(s).  

Cook for 3 minutes without disturbing or moving the fish. 

Slice and toast the rolls.   

Flip over (it should be nicely browned on the first side) and cook until firm to the touch, usually 2-3 more minutes, depending on the thickness of your fish.  Do not overcook.  

Slather both sides of the rolls with tartar sauce, to the bottom half of the roll add a lettuce leaf, top with fish, a little more sauce, another lettuce leaf, and top with the second part of the roll. 

YUM!

Lemon Caper Tartar Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

2 T. capers, drained

2 T. minced shallot

1.5 T finely grated lemon zest

1.5 T. lemon juice

1 T. Dijon mustard

1 c. Light Hellman's mayonnaise

pinch of cayenne (optional)

1 T. minced fresh dill

freshly ground pepper

Combine all together, evenly.  Will keep in refrigerator, covered, for about a week.  

B

Chicken Liver Pâté with Prosciutto, Roasted Mushrooms and Shallots

During a Covid stock-up shopping spree, I purchased a container of chicken livers for the grand total of  $1.47 and put it in the freezer, not knowing how I would use it.  Eventually, I made this pâté from using a bag of frozen roasted mushrooms, and other ingredients I can remember using when making pâté in the past. It freezes well.  

We served it during our outdoor patio parties.  

The best little hors d'ouevres using this pâté is:   a small dry toast spread with a little cherry jam, a smear of pâté  and a cilanto leaf on top.  It also works well with crisp celery sticks. Or any good dry, firm cracker.

---Barbara

Chicken Liver Pâté with Prosciutto, Roasted Mushrooms and Shallots

Makes 8 cups

4 ounces prosciutto, cubed

1 cup shallots, chopped

8 ounce bag of frozen roasted mushrooms, defrosted, drained

1 container (2 cup) chicken livers, drained

1 T. red pepper flakes

 8 ounces cream cheese

1/3 cup brandy or cognac

1/2 cup butter

egg whites from 3 -4 eggs

1.5 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. grated nutmeg

1/4 t. ground cloves

1/2 t. sea salt flakes (Maldon)

1/2 t. garlic powder

On medium high heat, in a large skillet, saute prosciutto, shallots, with red pepper flakes until shallots are translucent.  

Add drained livers, drained mushrooms and cook gently, turning frequently until livers are the color of the mushrooms, and most of the liquid has evaporated.  

Combine spices in a small bowl.  

To the skillet, add butter to the mixture while on low heat.  Add egg whites in a stream along with the cognac and cook gently until butter has melted.  

Turn off.  

In a food processor, add the cream cheese in large chunks, then add the cooled mixture and process until very smooth, scraping down the sides if necessary.  

Taste, add salt if needed. (Doubt it.)

Scoop pâté into storage containers with tight fitting lids.  Freeze.

When ready to serve, pull out a container to defrost overnight in the refrigerator, and transfer to a pretty bowl or ramekin for serving.

B

Barbara's Chicken Pot Pie

Tom loves chicken pot pie, so I am happy to put the effort into making one from scratch.   I parboil the veggies separately in chicken stock with an herb or spice to suit each, and then make a blonde sherried roux for the sauce.  

Normally, we buy our chicken pot pie, frozen, from the Mennonites at Oak Hill Grocery near Penn Yan.  They make a good pie, but not as good as mine.  :)

---Barbara

Barbara's Chicken Pot Pie

Make a 10-inch pot pie

1 double crust pie dough 

Cooked chicken, picked (approx. 3 cups) -- 

    mostly white meat, fat and bones removed, jelly saved, 

    shredded into bite-size pieces

2 cups scraped carrots, cut into 1/4" rounds

1 cup defrosed green beans, 1 inch pieces

1 cup pearl onions, defrosted and drained well

2 15-ounce cans unsalted chicken stock

salt and pepper

2-3 T. unsalted butter

3-4 T. Wondra flour

1/8 t. dried French thyme

1/8 t. dried tarragon 

pinch of Porcini powder (optional:  see post)

pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

2 T. dried Sherry

2 pie dough crusts

flour for rolling out the pie dough

1 egg, beaten

Pick and shred the chicken.  Discard the fat and bones.  Save the jelly.  Place chicken and jelly in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with porcini powder, toss and set aside.

Defrost the veggies in separate bowls.

Defrost the pie dough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Prep the carrots:  scrape and cut into rounds.  Set aside in a small bowl. 

In a saucepan, bring 1 of the 2 cans of chicken stock to a boil.

Add the carrots and dried thyme.  Boil for 4 minutes.  Fish out the carrots with a spider or slotted spoon and return to their bowl.

Do not discard stock.

Using the same saucepan with the hot stock, add the green beans and the tarragon, and boil for 4 minutes.  Fish them out and return to their bowl.

Do not discard stock.

To the same saucepan with the hot stock, add the pearl onions with the grated nutmeg and boil for 8 minutes (onions need more time to cook through), fish out and return to their bowl.

The stock will have reduced to half or less and be a dark golden brown.  Add the remaining can of stock --- you need about 2 cups of stock in total.   If you are unsure, first pour the hot stock into a Pyrex measuring cup, then fill it up to the 2 cup mark with the extra stock.  You want 2 cups stock in total.

Keep the stock warm until needed for making the sauce.

In a separate small saucepan or in the microwave, gently reheat the chicken pieces, just until the jelly melts, stir, to coat the chicken.  Keep warm until time to fill the pot pie, but not too hot, or the chicken will dry out.  If you don't have any jelly leftoever from picking the chicken, you can use chicken stock to moisten the chicken.  

Roll out the bottom dough.  Place in the 10-inch pie plate, unfluted (i.e., leave the dough hanging over the edge) and place it in the refrigerator until needed.

Roll out the top dough.  Roll it around the rolling pie and place it in the fridge until needed, too.

Now make the sauce.  This requires your full attention for 10 minutes.

Measure out the Wondra flour and add lots of pepper to it.  In a saucepan, preferably with rounded edges, melt the butter.  When the butter starts to bubble, sprinkle with Wondra flour over the top, and whisk it quickly together until smooth and it becomes the color of baked cookies, a golden brown.  You will smell that the flour smell is gone and it will almost smell nutty.  Approx. 2 minutes.

Carefully, add the 2 T. of sherry, and quickly whisk together.  It will spit.  Quickly, add the hot stock in a stream, stirring the whole time with a whisk, to make a smooth sauce.  

Keep whisking for about about 6 minutes, probably 8 minutes, until the sauce thickens and becomes creamy.  Set aside.  

Now fill the pie.

The first layer is the chicken.  Evenly spread it out.

Then the carrots.

The the drained onions.  Avoid any excess liquid from the veggies or your pie will be watery.

Then the drained green beans.

Evenly pour the sauce over the top.

Place the second pie dough on top.

Bring the bottom pie dough up and over the first and crimp all along the edge to make a tight seal.  (It will be a thick edge.)

Brush the pie with the beaten egg on all edges, including the crimped seal.

Using a small sharp knife, cut 3- 5 vents in the center of the pie.  Short, deep slashes.  

Place the pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 1 hours 10 minutes until deep golden brown and the juices are bubbly in the vent holes.

Remove and let the pie rest for 15 minutes before serving.

Slice and lift a big wedge into a deep serving bowl.

You can see that inside the pie how the crust and the veggies are not soggy.  This makes all of the steps of parboiling before assembling, worth it.  

---Barbara

Lentil Salad Marbella

Look for French Green or Puy Lentils

A satisfying lunch or side dish for BBQ chicken. 

---Barbara

Lentil Salad Marbella

Makes 2.5 - 3 cups

1 sweet onion, roughly chopped

olive oil

1 red sweet pepper

1 yellow sweet pepper

1 garlic clove, smashed

1 large bay leaf, or 2 small

1 t. salt plus pinches as you go

1 can low sodium chicken broth

1 cup green French Puy lentils, rinsed

tender leaves of celery, finely chopped

Dressing:  leftover Marbella juices* or traditional balsamic vinaigrette, approximately 3/4 cup

Garnishes:  hard boiled eggs, olives

In a saucepot, heat olive oil, add onions and a pinch of salt, and saute while chopping the peppers.  Add peppers with a pinch of salt, add celery leaves, bay leaf, and smashed clove of garlic.  Saute until peppers begin to soften, not long.  Add washed lentils with 1 t. salt.  Add can of chicken stock.  Bring to a boil.  Turn down to med-low heat and cook until tender.  1/2 hour.  

Remove bay leaf.  Refrigerate, covered,  until cold.

Add dressing*, toss well, and serve with hard boiled eggs and sliced olives on top.  

Goes well with BBQ chicken, too.  

* Chicken Marbella (Modified Ottolenghi) and Chicken Marbella (Ottolenghi) and any version of Chicken Marbella you prefer, just save the pan juices and use them to coat the lentils.  If you don't have the time or like Chicken Marbella, use a traditional balsamic vinaigrette.  The dressing should be on the sweet side.  

B

Chicken Marbella (Modified Ottolenghi)

Roasted Red Peppers, Apricots, Green Olives and Garlic

The necessity of using what we had on hand during the Covid pandemic led me to modify the previously posted Ottolenghi version of Chicken Marbella, and now it has become our preferred version.  

Substituted apricots for the dates in the traditional version, and we like them better because they are less sweet.  Plus I added roasted peppers.  Tom accidentally bought unpitted olives which were a pain to de-pit, but doing so made the dish more cohesive, so we started slicing the olives before adding them to the marinade.

And downsized the whole dish, so we can have it first for  dinner with enough for leftovers another night.  

I like this recipe because it marinates in the fridge for up to 3 days, giving me flexibility to make it when it fits our schedule.

---Barbara

Chicken Marbella (Modified)

(adapted from Ottolenghi)

Serves 4

4 bone-in chicken thighs

Marinade:

5-6 garlic cloves, crushed, thinly sliced

1-2 t. dried oregano

3 T. red wine vinegar

3 T. olive oil

1 jar Castelvetrano pitted green olives, sliced in half

2 T. juice from the olive jar

1 small jar roasted red peppers, drained, sliced into strips

    or 2 fresh red peppers, roasted, peeled

4-5 ounces dried apricots, sliced lengthwise into thirds

2 bay leaves

salt and pepper

Baking:

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 T. molasses

1/4 cup brown sugar

Roast the red peppers (coat with oil first), if using fresh, until blistering black in 450 degree oven.  Place in a paper bag to steam.  When cool, remove the skin, seeds and stems, and slice lengthwise into strips.  

Up to three days in advance:

Combine marinade ingredients in a glass container with a fitted cover:  sliced garlic, dried oregano, red wine vinegar, olive oil, pitted green olives, 2 T. juice from jar, sliced roasted red peppers, sliced dried apricots, 2 bay leaves.  Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the container.  Coat with marinade, and place in fridge.  Turn once or twice a day.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  You can also bake at 400 degrees if in a hurry.

In a deep baking pan or casserole, place the chicken in one layer and surround with marinade ingredients but not on top of chicken.  Coat each piece of chicken with brown sugar.  Drizzle chicken with molasses.  Pour 1/4 cup of white wine into dish.  

Bake until done, usually 35 minutes for meaty bone-in chicken thighs.  

Chicken should be golden brown on top.  If not, you can broil it for a few minutes.

Serve with new potatoes or rice with juices. 

If there are leftover juices after serving, save and use for dressing a lentil salad.  (see next recipe.)

B