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Archive for October, 2014

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on October 27, 2014| 2 Comments »

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

We have had a busy couple of weeks, in the most wonderful way.  We went on an epic vacation to Disney World with our extended family.  There were twelve of us in all– six adults and six children– and it was fantastic,  I’m more than a little sad that this long-planned trip has now come and gone.  Luckily, the transition back to our normal lives here in Minnesota was pretty easy.  We’re having a beautiful fall, with stunning colors and perfect temperatures.  October is my favorite month anyway, and this one is living up to every expectation I’ve ever had.  Both of my sweet little ones celebrate birthdays this month– which makes me love it even more.

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

As for that getting back into the swing of things, we went to a neighborhood potluck last night where our friends smoked an impressive 36 pounds of pork.  It was ridiculously delicious!  I made this autumnal dish for the get-together and received some nice comments, so I figured I’d share it with you as well.  It’s a cross between a side dish or a salad, or maybe even a main course.  Let’s just call it food, shall we?  It has a wonderful feel of fall to it and contains some of my favorite things.   I fancy rice and squash as a combination, and a few of you may remember this dish from last year? This time I went with the nutty, toothsome, wild rice.  I’ve been tossing it into soups and salads whenever I can.  I also stocked up on Winter squash at the farmers market yesterday, so I figured I’d add some in as well.

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash , and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

Then I decided to make this delicious citrus curry dressing to pour on top of everything.  I’d been dreaming about this dressing after having recently gone out to lunch with a couple girlfriends.  This dressing was on all of our salads and it was insanely delicious.  (No worries, ladies– I think I’ve got it down.  Or something very close and fantastically delicious in it’s own right.) The dressing’s base is orange juice that has been reduced to amp up its flavor.  The curry addition makes it unique and almost addictive.  Bite after bite, you’ll keep wanting more.  I also decided to add some kale into the mix, since I had a bit left from my final CSA box.  I massaged it first with a tiny drizzle of olive oil and salt for about 3-5 minutes.  Massaging kale helps it soften a bit, and in this dish, it is worth the little extra effort.

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

I came across some wonderful honey goat cheese at our co-op and knew it would work perfectly in this dish.  Wow!  There is a smidge of honey in the dressing, so it tied in beautifully.  Of course regular goat cheese would work fine, too.  I topped the dish with coarsely-chopped roasted and salted hazelnuts, but walnuts or even almonds would serve the purpose, too.  Anything that provides a little crunch for texture. The dish can be served warm, but I prefer it at room temperature.  Which makes it a perfect make-ahead dish for the holidays.  Hope you are all doing well– enjoy!

Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing | Relishing It

The Recipe: Wild Rice, Roasted Butternut Squash, and Kale with Citrus Curry Dressing

1 cup uncooked wild rice

1 medium-large butternut squash, peeled and cut into small cubes

1 1/2- 2 cups coarsely chopped kale (any variety will work)

roasted and salted hazelnuts, for garnish (about 1/2-3/4 cup)

crumbled honey goat cheese (or regular), for garnish (about 1/2 cup)

olive oil

kosher salt and cracked pepper

For the Citrus Curry Dressing:

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice, from 2 oranges  (Valencia worked great)

1 tablespoon finely minced shallot or red onion

1 garlic clove, finely minced

1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1 tablespoon cider vinegar

2 teaspoons sweet curry powder

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

kosher salt and cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Place the diced butternut squash on a large rimmed baking sheet and coat with a little bit of olive oil, salt, and pepper.  Roast for about 20-25 minutes, or until tender.  Turn the squash once while roasting.  The amount of roasting time will depend on how big or small the squash pieces were cubed, so keep a watchful eye.  Remove from oven when tender and let cool a bit.  Squash that is really hot is fragile and will fall apart more easily.

Meanwhile, rinse the wild rice in water and place into a large saucepan with 4 cups of cold water a little salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.  The rice should be tender after about 45 minutes.  Then drain the remaining water and fluff with a fork.  Let cool for a bit. This method uses a bit more water than usual, but helps in that you don’t have to keep such a watchful eye so it doesn’t burn.

To make the dressing, begin by placing the orange juice into a small saucepan and reduce (uncovered) over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, or until 1/3 cup orange juice remains.  Stir often. Let cool.  Then you may begin making the dressing by using one of two methods.  The first method uses an immersion blender (which I couldn’t live without).  Place all of the dressing ingredients into a tall cylinder shaped container (my blender came with one) and pulse a few times with an immersion blender until the dressing is uniform and well blended.  If you don’t have an immersion blender, you can simply use the bowl and whisk method to make the dressing (or even shake in a lidded jar).   Add all of the ingredients to the bowl, except the olive oil.  Mix together, and then slowly whisk in the olive oil.  Season with kosher salt and cracked pepper.  You may be surprised that you’ll have to add a bit of salt to bring out the flavor of the dressing.

Add the coarsely chopped kale to a medium-sized bowl and drizzle with a tiny bit of olive oil and salt. Massage kale for a few minutes until it is tender and has wilted a bit.

When all of the ingredients are ready, add them to a huge serving platter or bowl.  Pour half of the dressing over everything and gently mix.  Taste.  Add more dressing if you like.  Season with salt and pepper.  Then top with crumbled goat cheese and chopped roasted hazelnuts.  I prefer this dish at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

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Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs

Posted in Savory, tagged , , , , , on October 7, 2014| 6 Comments »

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

Full disclosure: this is a blog post in two parts.  First, I lure you in with this recipe for these amazing ribs.  Then “POW!”, I hit you with some truth about what’s wrong with the way we as a society eat and what we can do about it.  Deal?  Alright, let’s start with the ribs.  My husband was still raving about them days later– they’re that good.  Honestly.  Subtly-sweet and balanced with just the right amount of salt.  The ginger, garlic, and orange juice are key.

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

I happened to have some gochugaru (Korean red chili pepper powder) left from making homemade kimchi. It worked wonderfully in this dish, but don’t worry if you don’t have it– it will still be amazing without it. Oh, and don’t forget to buy your ribs from someone you can trust, because quality matters.  These beauties came from Bar Five.  Braising season is here, and you really should put these ribs high on your priority list of things to make.

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

Now for my sermon.  I was on a run this summer listening to a podcast– because tricking myself into forgetting that I’m running by listening to something interesting is the only way I can tolerate it.  I believe the podcast was the brilliantly-titled ‘Go Fork Yourself’ with Andrew Zimmern and Molly Mogren.  The hosts were discussing the documentary ‘Fed Up‘– an excellent take-down of the Big Food industry.  After hearing them chat, I had to see the film, which came out on DVD a few weeks back.  Now I read a fair amount on food and health, so I was mostly aware of the threats that the large-scale processed-food industry pose.  Even so, this film was eye-opening.  As a passionate food blogger that cares about eating healthy food and really wants the best for not only my family, but yours too– I really think you need to see this documentary.

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

So, what is ‘Fed Up’ all about?  Basically, it’s an investigation into why we as a society have become morbidly obese over the past few decades.  It follows food fads, big corporations, nefarious political lobbying efforts, the costs to our health and healthcare system, and in the end provides an answer.  The real reason we’ve become so overweight, why childhood diabetes has exploded, why for the first time children will have a lower life expectancy than their parents comes down to… sugar.  Intrigued?  You should be.

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

The industry would have you believe that we’ve become overweight because we’re lazy, or that they’re just offering more choices and it’s up to us to make healthy decisions.  But that is a finely-crafted message backed by millions of dollars in advertising and lobbying payouts to politicians.  It’s hard to make the right decision when there is so much misdirection.  It’s hard to make the right choices when we subsidize sugar, rather than whole fruits and vegetables, making processed foods the the affordable option.  The fact is, we’re addicted to sugar– in all of its confusingly-named forms.  And that’s exactly how they want it.  I was stunned to see how hard people try to make the right food choices– to eat healthy– but to be dead-wrong because of the flood of misinformation.  The most heartbreaking part is watching how children suffer because they have no choice in the matter.  The majority of public school lunch programs have been co-opted by corporations like Coca Cola and Pizza Hut, serving up nachos, soda, and sugary tomato paste (which the government counts as a vegetable).

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

Yes, I make homemade food from scratch because it tastes better, but I also do it so I know that my family is eating real, nourishing food.  This is why I rarely buy food in packages– most of it is loaded with unnecessary sugar.  And the key here is “unnecessary sugar.”  I cook and bake with sugar.  There’s a place for it in my kitchen.  But at least I know just how much my family is taking in when we sit down to eat a meal.  And yes, my kids still get to eat ice cream, and cookies, and candy.  But it’s in moderation, and balanced by the fact that the majority of their calories come from real food– not the hidden sugar in a box of so-called “healthy” cereal.  There.  I’ve said my peace.  Sometimes it’s good to get things off of one’s chest.  I really do hope you watch this film, think about it, talk about, and share it with others.  It’ll be difficult, but we can get a conversation going in this country and make things happen.  Thanks for listening, friends.

Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs | Relishing It

The Recipe: Braised Korean Beef Short Ribs

(serves 4)

3 pounds of grass-fed beef short ribs

1/2 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup chopped white onion

6 garlic cloves, minced

3 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1/4 cup fresh orange juice and zest from 1 orange

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 teaspoon gochugaru (korean red chili pepper powder), optional

salt and pepper

olive oil

toasted sesame seeds and chopped green onions, for serving

Preheat oven to 325°F.

Heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil a large Dutch oven.  Sprinkle ribs with salt and pepper and then brown for a few minutes on each side, or until they become dark brown in color. You may want to brown the ribs in two batches, depending upon the size of your pan.  Use more olive oil, as necessary.

Meanwhile, in a food processor or blender, blend the soy sauce, onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, rice vinegar, orange juice and zest, sesame oil, and gochugaru until smooth.  Pour the liquid over the browned ribs, cover, and braise for about 2 hours, or until the meat is fork tender and practically falling off of the bones.  If after 2 hours, it doesn’t do that, braise a bit longer.

Feel free to spoon off some of the fat that will rise to the top before eating.  Serve ribs with plenty of sauce, rice, toasted sesame seeds, and green onions.  Enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by Relishing It!

Laurie

 

 

 

 

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Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on October 1, 2014| 4 Comments »

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

So, I’m assuming you have all made your homemade batch of enchilada sauce from my post a couple days ago, right?  Now, what are you going to do with that bowl of deliciousness?  You could use it for regular ol’ enchiladas, but why not try something different– like this enchilada bake? An enchilada bake is kind of like an Italian lasagna but with a Mexican twist.  It’s a lot of layering of ingredients of your choosing separated by tortillas, cheese, and sauce.  And it’s wonderful.

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

Of course, you can use any sort of filling that you want, but I chose to go with butternut squash because it’s in-season right now.   Shredded chicken probably isn’t necessary as the black beans give this dish protein and a nice Mexican vibe.  With that said, the chicken was perfect in this dish– and my husband probably would have rioted without it.  Plus, I had some in my refrigerator from making broth the other day.  I love the combination of the squash, black beans, and chicken– they compliment each other so well.  And the enchilada sauce ties everything together.

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

If you’re not entirely sure how to cut into that butternut squash, I took a few photos that should help you out.  It’s quite easy to dice.  And if you have extra squash, roast it and freeze it for later.  I love doing that this time of year, since they are so plentiful and inexpensive at the farmers markets.  Something to think about if you’re like me and stocking your freezer full of summer goodness to get you through the winter.  Be well, my friends.

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken | Relishing It

The Recipe: Enchilada Bake with Butternut Squash, Black Beans, and Shredded Chicken

(makes an 11 x 8 casserole)

1 butternut squash, cubed into small pieces (you’ll only use about 1 1/2 cups of it)

1 cup cooked black beans

1 1/2 cups shredded monterey jack cheese

about 12 corn or flour tortillas, or more depending upon your pan size

1 cup shredded, cooked chicken ( *see note)

2 cups homemade enchilada sauce, plus more for serving

olive oil

salt and pepper

green onions, sour cream, and jalapeños, for garnish

*Note: If you don’t have any cooked chicken on hand, you can easily roast some.  You’ll need about 2 bone-in, skin-on chicken breasts.  Place on a small baking sheet lined with foil.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Bake at 375°F for about 45 minutes, or until the chicken reaches between 165-170°F when inserted with a thermometer. You can bake the chicken and squash at the same time, the chicken will just need to bake a bit longer.  Let the chicken rest for at least 10 minutes before shredding it

Preheat oven to 375°F.  Place the cubed squash on a large baking pan lined with parchment paper.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Roast for about 25 minutes, or until tender.  Remove from oven.  You will not use all of the squash.  Store remaining squash in the refrigerator to use throughout the week, or freeze.

Next, begin layering the enchilada bake.  The amounts I listed were for a casserole dish that measures 11 x 8.  Use whatever dish you have, but just know that you may need to make adjustments to the amounts.  Start by putting 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce on the bottom, followed by about 1 cup of roasted squash.  Then place about 4 tortillas on top of that, followed by 1/2 cup of black beans, 1/2 cup of shredded chicken and 1/2 cup shredded cheese. The next layer will be 4 more tortillas, 1/2 cup of black beans, 1/2 cup of shredded chicken, and 1/2 cup of roasted squash.  Then, the final layer is 4 tortillas, 1 1/2 cup of enchilada sauce topped with about 1 cup of monterey jack cheese. Slightly push down on the layers, as you go.

Bake uncovered at 375°F for about 40-45 minutes, or until the cheese is a beautiful golden brown.  Remove from oven and serve with extra enchilada sauce, sour cream, chopped green onions, and jalapeños.  Leftovers can be kept in the refrigerator and are wonderful when served with a little extra enchilada sauce.  Enjoy!

As always, thanks for stopping by!

Laurie

 

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