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Archive for October, 2013

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 25, 2013| 13 Comments »

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

Autumn.  The best of all the seasons, even if it’s only brief here in Minnesota.  Yes, Spring is a close second, but when Autumn rolls around, I’m really, truly happy.  I love the brilliantly colored, crisp, maple leaves that my daughter brings me as bouquets for our dining room.  We live in an old Victorian with dark wood and decor in our living and dining rooms.  I always think about re-painting to brighten things up, but when Fall rolls around, it feels so comfortably warm and cozy, and I’m thankful I haven’t changed a thing.

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

On of my favorite Fall (and even winter, for that matter) dishes is this amazing Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette.  The combination of beef and sauerkraut is incredible.  It’s also a bit nostalgic for me.  I grew up with huge pots of meatballs that had been simmering in tangy sauerkraut for hours.  Wonderful stuff.  This galette showcases those flavors.  Just like my other galettes, the crust is crisp and light.  The potatoes add substance, while the fresh mozzarella ensures that the dish is moist enough.  Of course, you can substitute another mild cheese, like grated regular mozzarella, if you like.  I really wanted the tang from the sauerkraut to be showcased here, rather that hidden underneath a more assertive cheese.  I’m planning to share with you all a quick sauerkraut recipe and technique very soon.   I really hope you give this galette a try– I think you’ll really enjoy it!

Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Rustic Potato, Sauerkraut, and Beef Galette

Use this pie crust recipe  (with 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary and 1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme mixed into the dough)

1/2 pound ground beef

1/4 cup chopped white onion

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

black pepper

3/4 pound small steamed yellow potatoes, sliced

1/2 cup sauerkraut, drained a bit

6 slices of fresh mozzarella  (or a bit more)

1 teaspoon fresh chopped parsley, plus more for garnish

olive oil

1 egg mixed with 1 teaspoon water, for an egg wash

Follow these directions to make the pie dough.  You will only be using one of the dough balls for this recipe.  Freeze the other one for another time.  Add the fresh herbs when you are mixing the dough.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.  Proceed.

Preheat your oven to 375°F.

In a large skillet, brown the ground beef over medium/high heat.  Drain and discard the grease.  To the skillet of ground beef add the chopped onions, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, and a bit of black pepper (you may want to add a glug or two of olive oil, if the pan seems a little dry). Sauté for a couple of minutes until the onions are tender.  Remove from heat and set aside.

On a lightly floured piece of parchment paper, roll the pie dough out to a 12-inch circle using a lightly floured rolling pin.  Place the sliced potatoes on the dough, leaving about 1 1/2-inch space around the edge.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the potatoes.  Next, put the sauerkraut on top, followed by the chopped parsley.  Then add the ground beef mixture, and finally place the fresh mozzarella on the very top.  Fold the edges of the dough up and pinch together to seal the seams as much as possible.  Use a pastry brush to apply the egg wash to the edge of the dough.  Sprinkle salt and pepper on the egg wash.

Slide the parchment paper with the galette onto a baking sheet and bake for 43-45 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown.  (Keep in mind that every oven is a bit different.  If you don’t already have an oven thermometer, I highly recommend you get one.  Cheap ones are about $7 and work great.  My oven runs 15 degrees hot.)  Top the galette with chopped parsley and a drizzle of olive oil before serving.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!

xo

Laurie

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Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Posted in Soup, tagged , , , on October 12, 2013| 6 Comments »

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

You already have a nice stockpile of frozen red peppers to get you through the winter, right?  No?  Well it’s time to get on that.  I figure that here in Minnestota you can still get one, maybe two last visits in to the farmers market to stock up.  If you come across a box or two of red peppers–buy them!  You’ll be happy you did.

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

Now here’s what I want you to do with those peppers: broil them in the oven for just a few minutes until they are nice and black, then throw them in a large plastic resealable bag.  The trick here is that the steam in the bag will loosen the blackened skin.  When they’ve cooled a bit, slip off the skin with your fingers.  Next, put the peppers in a food processor, or chop with a knife.  Finally, place your chopped peppers in a plastic freezer bag, or vaccum seal it and freeze it.  Now you’re set.  Whenever you want to make this incredible soup this winter, you can do so in about 20 minutes.  How’s that for a quick dinner plan?

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

This roasted red pepper soup is one of my favorites.  It has a silky texture and amazing flavor.  Drizzle a little olive oil on top, and serve it with a piece of crusty homemade bread.  Of course, you can do so many other things with those roasted peppers, as well.  You can make roasted red pepper hummus, or throw them in your favorite pasta dish.  Really, the possibilities are endless.  Just get them now and freeze those babies!

Roasted Red Pepper Soup | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Roasted Red Pepper Soup

(serves 4)

About 8 large red peppers  (3 1/2 cups chopped roasted red peppers)

1/2 medium white onion  (3/4 cup chopped)

5 garlic cloves, minced

1 quart chicken broth  (4 cups)

1 large anchovy filet, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme ( or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano ( or 1/2 teaspoon dried)

1 dried bay leaf

extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and cracked black pepper

1 lemon

parsley, for garnish

To Prepare the Red Peppers:  Place oven rack close to the broiler unit.   Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  Cut the peppers in half and remove the insides.  Place peppers on baking sheet and press down with your hand to flatten them.  Place under broiler and broil them for about 15 minutes, or until they are very black.  You will need to move the pan around and perhaps even rotate some of the peppers using tongs.  Keep a close eye on them.  Once they are done, remove from the pan and immediately place in a large resealable plastic bag.  The steam will loosen the black skin.  After 10 – 15 minutes or so, remove from the bag and slip the skin off using your fingers.  It should come off easily.  Discard the blackened portion.  Chop the peppers in a food procesor or by hand.

To Make the Soup:  In a Dutch oven, heat about 3 tablespoons of olive oil at  medium/high heat.   Add the chopped onions and garlic and a generous sprinkle of salt.  Sauté for a couple of minutes until tender. Then add the peppers, chicken broth, oregano, thyme, anchovy, bay leaf, and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for about 15- 20 minutes.  Remove bay leaf and purée  with an immersion blender or carefully pour the soup into a stand blender.  Blend until smooth.  Taste and re-season with salt and pepper, as needed.  Since there are so few ingredients in this soup, the amount of salt plays a big role in bringing out the flavors– make sure to salt it properly.  To serve, squeeze a bit of lemon to taste on the soup (also plays a big role), a drizzle of olive oil, and some fresh parsley.  Enjoy!

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

xo

Laurie

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Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 9, 2013| 11 Comments »

Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes | Relishing It

As much as I love to dabble in the kitchen all day long, I admit that there are days when our family is busy or I just don’t feel like dedicating  that much time to dinner.  The problem is, I don’t like to fall back on some overly-processed meal-in-a-box as the alternative.  Sound familiar?  I’ve found that it’s helpful to have a few quick, delicious dishes up my sleeve, and in talking with friends and family I’ve come to realize that I need to blog more about those types of meals.  If you need a little inspiration, I hope you find it in a few of the coming recipes for quick meals that I’ll be writing about throughout the winter.

Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes | Relishing It

This orecchiette with sausage, broccoli, and sun-dried tomatoes, takes barely any time at all.  Maybe 30 minutes to get it on the table, if even.  I love to load a meal up with a healthy vegetable– the broccoli (or broccoli rabe, if you prefer) is just lovely in this dish.  Pairing it with sweet italian sausage is always a good decision.  Make sure to buy a good sweet italian sausage– we get ours locally and the spices are amazing!  And remember all of those sun-dried tomatoes I’ve been making?  The ones I put in a jar of olive oil are absolutely sublime in here.  If you didn’t dedicate the time to preparing your own, you can always buy a jar at your local market.  I like to kick this dish up with a few sprinkles of red pepper flakes and some freshly grated parmesan.  So, even if you’re pressed for time, I hope you can sit down and enjoy a delicious home-cooked meal.  Enjoy!

Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Orecchiette with Sausage, Broccoli, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

(serves 4)

1 pound sweet Italian sausage

1 large head broccoli, cut into small florets (around 4 1/2 cups)

1/2 pound dried orecchiette

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/4 – 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil  (or substitute part of it with the olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes, if you can spare any)

1/3  cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil

1/3 cup (or more) parmesan cheese, for garnish

red pepper flakes, for garnish

Fill a large saucepan with water and bring to a boil.

In a large 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, brown the sweet italian sausage.  Drain grease.  Meanwhile, cook the pasta.  To the skillet add the olive oil (if you can spare any from the sun-dried tomatoes, the flavor is incredible), garlic, and broccoli and cook until the broccoli is tender, but not mushy– about 5 minutes.  When the pasta is al dente (follow the cooking instructions), reserve a bit of the water, and drain the rest.  Add the hot pasta to the pan of sausage and broccoli.  Toss in the sun-dried tomatoes.  If more moisture is needed, either loosen with more olive oil, or a bit of pasta water.  Salt and pepper, as needed.  This is big– don’t forget the salt!  Top with parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

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The Best Apple Bars

Posted in Breakfast, Dessert, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 4, 2013| 14 Comments »

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

I know it’s a bit much to say that these are the best apple bars that exist in the world.  But the truth is, I’ve never had better.  These are the apple bars that I grew up with– the ones that my Mom made.  I begged for these beauties throughout my childhood.  And I haven’t found a better apple bar in the last 30 years.

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

This is almost identical to recipe that my Mom used– it still has the wonderful unique qualities that make these bars so good.  There are crushed cornflakes on the bottom layer, which may sound a bit odd.  But they add something amazing– something magical– to the texture of the bars.  I wouldn’t say it’s a “crunch”, but whatever it is, it’s necessary.  The meringue is still there, too.  Meringue on apple bars isn’t standard, but on these it adds a little wow-factor in both appearance and texture.   I sometimes increase the amount of meringue, because my daughter and I fancy it so much.

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

The one thing that I did change about the recipe is substituting butter for the shortening that my Mom used.  I’ve actually made them both ways in order to see if using shortening was worth it (I don’t generally cook with shortening).  I used a butter-flavored shortening for comparison, and while it did lack a bit in flavor, it also made for a sturdier crust.  In the end, I decided that butter was the better option.  The crust is still amazing, and I’d rather put good, quality butter into my kids’ diet than shortening.  So, you can decide which route you want to go– either way will make an amazing apple bar.

The Best Apple Bars | Relishing It

A side note:  I’ve been a mother for seven years as of yesterday.  This sweet boy has brought so much joy to my life.  He’s an old soul, a funny trickster, and has a huge heart.  I’ve loved every day with him.  Happy Birthday to our sweet Aanen!

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The Recipe:  The Best Apple Bars

For the Dough:

2 1/2 cups (11 7/8 ounces) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 cup (2 sticks) cold, unsalted butter, cubed (or coarsely grated, if frozen)

1 egg yolk in a measuring cup, then filled with milk to reach 2/3 cup total

For the Filling:

about 9 medium apples (or more), thickly sliced

1 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of kosher salt

1 cup coarsely crushed cornflakes

1-2 egg whites (depending upon how much meringue you like)

For the Icing:

about 1 cup powdered sugar

splash of milk

To Make the Dough:  In a large bowl, whisk the flour, 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, and salt together.  Use a pastry blender to cut in the butter until it is crumbly (it should resemble small peas).  Then, use a fork to mix in the egg yolk and milk mixture.  Mix until all of the dry ingredients are wet.  Put the mixture onto a flour surface and knead a couple of times and divide into two.  Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 2 hours.  (Follow these photos, if you feel the need for visual help.)

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Peel and slice the apples.  You may need more or less apples depending upon the size of them.  You’ll want enough apples to fill the pan to the top.   In a medium bowl, toss the apples, cinnamon, sugar, and a pinch of salt together.

On a lightly floured surface, roll one ball of dough out to fit into a 9 x 13 x 1 inch pan.  It should hang over the edge just a bit.  Sprinkle the crushed cornflakes onto the pan.  Then top with the apples.  Roll out the other ball of dough to fit on the top.  Fold the two layers of dough together along the edge and then press together with a fork to prevent leaking.  Meanwhile, using a stand mixer, or handheld, beat the egg white(s) until somewhat stiff.  Gently place the egg whites on the top of the bars.  This can be somewhat unruly and you may have to use your fingers.  Bake for about 50 minutes, or until the crust is a deep golden brown.  Make sure the meringue doesn’t get too dark.  Remove from oven and let cool completely.  Mix the powdered sugar and milk together and drizzle over the bars.   These bars are best eaten within the first two days.  Store leftovers underneath a tea towel.  Enjoy!

Thank you so much for stopping by Relishing It!  Have a wonderful weekend.

xo

Laurie

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“Sun-Dried” Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme

Posted in Appetizers, Savory, tagged , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2013| 4 Comments »

Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme | Relishing It

Alright, I’m using “sun-dried” very loosely here, as these little beauties are not…well…sun-dried at all.  I just couldn’t bring myself to call these “sitting on a counter in a dehydrator” tomatoes.  No, I like to imagine that they were patiently crafted in Italy, with tables upon tables of tomatoes laying out in the sun, as I sipped a Chianti and and read a good book.  Alas, my reality is Minnesota, and I used a food dehydrator.  Not quite as romantic, is it?  Even so, these tomatoes are fantastic, and seriously recommend you give making them a try.

Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme | Relishing It

I love having a nice supply of sun-dried tomatoes to get me through the winter.  Buying jarred versions at the market can be expensive, and to be honest, they’re just so simple to make.  You can use any type of tomato, though smaller ones will require less cooking time.  Roma’s are a fantastic choice– simply cut them in half or quarters.  The tomatoes take time to dehydrate– perhaps a day or more for the thicker end pieces.  I sprinkle mine with rosemary, thyme, with a little sea salt and cracked black pepper.   The flavors are wonderful!

Su-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme | Relishing It

You can snack on them as soon as they’re dried, or preserve them to use later.  As for the texture, some like them a bit chewier– I made sure mine were completely dry since I intended to preserve them.  It’s really up to you how dry you want them to be.  These tomatoes can be kept in airtight containers (plastic bags work well), vacuum sealed, or even stored in the freezer.  I also made a jar of sun-dried tomatoes in olive oil, and they are ridiculously delicious.  These would make fabulous gifts around the holidays if you’re looking for something homemade to share.  I hope you give these a try!

Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme | Relishing It

Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme | Relishing It

The Recipe:  Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Rosemary and Thyme

any variety of tomatoes, sliced or halved

fresh rosemary, chopped

fresh thyme, chopped

sea salt and fresh cracked pepper

To Dehydrate the Tomatoes:  Slice the tomatoes or half them, depending upon their size.   Sprinkle with the chopped herbs, salt and pepper.  It will take about 24 hours to dehydrate a full load, sometimes longer depending upon how thick the tomatoes are sliced.  Store in a resealable bag and use within a few weeks.  Freeze any amount you want to keep longer.

To Oven-Dry them:  Preheat oven to 200°F.  Slice tomatoes and sprinkle with chopped herbs, salt and pepper.  Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  It will generally take between 2-6 hours (possibly more) to dry the tomatoes– much will depend upon how thickly they are sliced.  Store in a resealable bag and use within a few weeks.  Freeze any amount you want to keep longer.

To make Sun-Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil:  Prepare dehydrated tomatoes by dipping them in white wine vinegar (this help keep bacterial growth from occuring) and shaking off any excess.  Place in a small jar along with 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar.  Then fill the jar up with olive oil.  Make sure that all of the tomatoes are submerged.  Store in the refrigerator and try to use within 2 weeks.  If placing fresh herbs or garlic into your mix, you must use up the jar within 1 week.  The olive oil will become hard in the refrigerator, simple let sit at room temperature for a few minutes before using.  Be mindful to use clean utensils when removing the tomatoes from the jar.

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It today!

Laurie

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