pork — Page 2

prosciutto lamb burgers

06/25/2013 By bridget

The first place Brady, Nicole, and I went to when we met up in Austin for the BlogHer Food conference was Whole Foods. I love wandering around Whole Foods anyway, but this particular store is a special case – it’s a little ridiculous, in fact, how big it is. I went back on Sunday before I left Austin, and there were cops directing traffic in the Whole Foods parking garage, if that gives you an idea of the insanity.

Still, on Thursday evening when I was there with my friends, it was a lot more subdued than Sunday afternoon. We spent an hour or so wandering around the store, comparing the selection to our hometown stores and trying every sample in sight. These are the things food bloggers like to do together.

Dave, not so much. Now that he has an interest in cooking fish, he can at least spend a few minutes checking out that selection, but he spends most of the time in fancy grocery stores giving me impatient looks in between playing with his phone. It was a miracle when, on our last visit to Albuquerque to see my family, he went to Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, a local butcher, and a giant liquor store with me all in one day, with no complaint. He’d better be careful of the precedent he’s setting.

Maybe because he knows that the payoff is really good lamb, one of his favorite foods. I was just a bit concerned about adding so many flavorings to something that tastes great on its own, but I know Elly loves lamb as much as we do, so I put my faith in her. And in fact, the prosciutto complements the lamb nicely, adding its hint of funk to the lamb’s. And this is why I love food shopping so much, gathering riches that will eventually turn into Sunday night burgers, cooked in the backyard on a hot summer night.

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Prosciutto Lamb Burgers (adapted from Giada DeLaurentiis via Elly Says Opa)

Serves 4

I skipped the parsley and the basil, the parsley because I forgot and the basil because I didn’t have it. Neither were missed. I also used parmesan instead of pecorino, again, simply based on what I had. I made 6 burgers out of this mix instead of 4, just because I like my burgers a bit smaller.

I’ve gotten in the habit of leaving the salt out of the meat mix and sprinkling a generous amount on each side just before cooking, based on this article.

½ cup breadcrumbs
¼ cup freshly chopped parsley
1 large egg, beaten
½ cup (1 ounce) Pecorino Romano
¼ cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
¾ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
1 pound ground lamb
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
4 slices of prosciutto
4 hamburger buns, toasted
fresh basil leaves
fresh tomato slices

1. Lightly mix together the breadcrumbs, parsley, egg, milk, Romano, sun-dried tomatoes, salt, pepper, and lamb. Form the mixture into 4 patties.

2. In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, vinegar, and olive oil.

3. Prepare a medium-hot grill. Using a paper towel, grease the grates with vegetable oil. Grill the patties for 5 minutes; flip, add slices of prosciutto to the top of each patty, and continue grilling another 5 minutes.

4. Spread the mayonnaise mixture on both sides of the buns, then place the patties on the bottom of the hamburger buns and top with fresh basil leaves and tomato slices. Serve immediately.

Filed Under: grilling, lamb, pork, sandwiches

asparagus bacon and egg salad

06/18/2013 By bridget

I have a nephew who is so picky that he wouldn’t eat blueberries in the middle of the summer. Blueberries! They might as well be candy that happens to be good for you. He was in elementary school then, but things aren’t much better now that he’s starting high school in the fall. Last winter, he balked at asparagus.

Dave, understanding teenaged boys all too well because he still thinks like one (I dare you to tell him a poop joke), found the trick to making picky adolescents eat asparagus – tell them that their pee will smell like asparagus later. For better or worse, this is a phenomenon I have never noticed myself. My nephew choked down a few spears, but either it wasn’t enough or he isn’t subject to the asparagus pee smell either, because he responded in the negative when we quizzed him the next day.

If you’re less interested in discussing (I accidentally typed “disgusting” first, which probably isn’t a coincidence) the smell of urine at the dinner table, perhaps adding bacon is a better way to make asparagus seem tempting. With eggs added as well, this is more like breakfast than a salad – which is exactly how I like my salads, as a light meal masquerading as a decadent one. Not being a huge fan of asparagus myself, this might be my favorite way to eat it – and I, personally, find the lack of asparagus pee the next day to be a relief.

Bacon Egg and Asparagus Salad (adapted from Dorie Greenspan’s Around My French Table via A Taste of Home Cooking)

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 bunches (about 2 pounds) asparagus, ends trimmed, cut into 2-inch pieces
kosher salt and ground black pepper
4 ounces (about 4 slices) bacon, diced
6-8 eggs
4 cups spring mix
1 avocado, peeled and diced

Dressing:
½ teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry or red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Place a rimmed baking sheet in the oven and heat to 450 degrees. Once hot, spread the oil over the pan and add the asparagus; season with salt and pepper and stir to coat with oil. Return the pan with the asparagus to the oven and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring once halfway through cooking.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all about 1 tablespoon of fat from the pan. Crack the eggs into the pan, season with salt and pepper, and add 2 tablespoons of water. Immediately cover the pan and cook for 4 to 6 minutes, until the whites are set and the yolks are soft.

3. Mix all of the dressing ingredients.

4. Combine the spring mix, avocado, bacon, asparagus, and dressing. Top each serving with 1-2 eggs.

Filed Under: eggs, gluten free, pork, spring, vegetables

argentinian hot dogs

02/08/2013 By bridget

Dave and I had an impromptu get-together last fall, the same day I made cupcakes for a wedding. I already had these hot dogs planned for dinner that night, and without time to plan and shop for anything new, I had to accept that hot dogs would be the first thing I would ever cook for some of these friends. But at least they were fancy hot dogs.

They were one topping less fancy than when Dave and I made these recently during what was basically Hot Dog Week, because I simply ran out of time and energy to make chimichurri. But homemade buns, all-beef dogs, chorizo, pickled onions, Hatch green chile, and queso fresco were plenty of toppings. These were declared the fanciest hot dogs anyone had eaten. The chorizo stole the show, as it usually does.

But it’s too bad I didn’t get to the chimichurri the first time I made these, because it really does add a nice green element to the sandwich, which balances all the fat in the meats and cheese. Chorizo on its own makes one heck of a great hot dog topper, and I know one of our guests that day won’t make hot dogs at home without it now, but I love my hot dogs with something intensely vinegary, and this is even better because it has two different ways of drawing that flavor in, the onions and the chimichurri. The only disadvantage is that this is so much stuff to fit into a hot dog bun that you’re bound to lose some of it on the plate, but serving hot dogs with a fork to scoop up extra goodies is a small price to pay.

One year ago: Marinated Roasted Tofu
Two years ago: Pasta e Fagioli
Three years ago: Oatmeal Pancakes
Four years ago: Crispy Bagel Sushi Roll
Five years ago: Olive Oil Bread

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Argentinian Hot Dogs (from San Jose Mercury News via Oishii)

Makes 8 sandwiches

For the pickled onions:
1 red onion, halved and thinly sliced
¼ cup white wine or champagne vinegar
¼ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon sugar

For the chimichurri:
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 bunch parsley leaves
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 small lemon
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
⅛ teaspoon salt

To assemble:
8 grilled beef hot dogs
8 buns
8 ounces ground chorizo, cooked
8 ounces queso fresco , crumbled

1. For the onions: In a small bowl, combine the onion, vinegar, salt, and sugar. Set aside for at least 15 minutes.

2. For the chimichurri: Add the garlic to a food processor; process until minced. Scrape down the sides of the bowl; add the parsley and process until chopped. Add the remaining ingredients; process to combine.

3. Heat a grill to medium-high heat. Grill the hot dogs until they are browned and heated through, about 5 minutes. Toast the buns on both sides. Transfer the buns and hot dogs to plates. Fill each bun with a hot dog, chorizo, queso fresco, pickled onions, and chimichurri. Serve immediately.

Filed Under: beef, cheese, grilling, pork, sandwiches, vegetables

egg sandwiches with goat cheese, scallions, and prosciutto

12/11/2012 By bridget

Egg sandwiches are my favorite breakfast. Yes, I’m making such a bold statement. And it’s generally not something I need much creativity in. A slice of salty ham, some bracingly sharp cheddar, and tender eggs on pretty much any kind of bread is just right for me.

But this weekend I was in the mood for something brighter. Remembering the perfection of the combination of goat cheese, chives, and scrambled eggs in this (handy) scrambled egg tutorial, I mixed up goat cheese with the scallions I had in the fridge. The hint of funk in prosciutto would complement the tangy cheese.

And for a sandwich I had such high hopes for, only just the right bread would do; the sweet honey-glazed rolls in the freezer were not the right choice. This meant mixing up two quick pre-doughs the night before I wanted my sandwiches, one whole wheat with salt to soften the whole grains, and the other white bread flour with yeast for complexity of flavor. It meant putting the pre-doughs in the mixer with more salt, yeast, and flour first thing in the morning while I waited for my tea to steep.

It meant waiting well over two hours for breakfast to be ready while the dough rose (in the turned off oven with the light on and a mug of steaming water) and baked. But it was worth it, oh it was. The rolls were perfect, light and tender but sturdy enough to hold up a thick layer of creamy cheese with slivers of ham and a perfectly cooked layer of egg. The scallions added just the right amount of green flavor to the sandwich. They were even better on the second day in a row that we ate these, when the bread was already made, so breakfast took 15 minutes to make and not two hours.

One year ago: Puffed Poached Pear Tart
Two years ago: Oreo Cheesecake Cookies
Three years ago: Bourbon Pound Cake
Four years ago: Red Velvet Whoopie Pies

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Egg Sandwiches with Goat Cheese, Scallions, and Prosciutto

4 medium (about hamburger bun-sized) sandwiches

4 ounces goat cheese, softened
4 scallions, white and green parts, minced
4 eggs
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons olive oil
4 medium rustic rolls (like ciabatta), halved crosswise
4 ounces sliced prosciutto

1. In a medium bowl, combined the goat cheese and scallions; set aside. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the eggs, salt, and milk until a few large bubbles form.

2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the egg mixture and lower the heat to medium-low. After about a minute, gently stir the eggs. After about another minute, they should be starting to set; use a large spatula to flip sections of egg so the other side can set as well. Turn off the heat but don’t move the pan. Residual heat from the pan will finish cooking the eggs without drying the out while you build the sandwiches.

3. Spread the cut sides of both halves of each roll with the goat cheese mixture. Top the bottom half with a layer of eggs, then sliced prosciutto. Top with the other half of the roll. Serve immediately.

Filed Under: breakfast, cheese, eggs, favorites, pork, vegetables

meatier meatloaf

12/05/2012 By bridget

The first time I made meatloaf, Dave swore up and down that he didn’t like meatloaf – and then, of course, he was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. The second time I made it (years later), he was still pretty sure he didn’t like meatloaf, but then, of course, enjoyed it. This time when I asked him beforehand whether he liked meatloaf, he said he wasn’t sure. We’re making progress.

I understand that the idea of meatloaf can be unappetizing. “Meat” and “loaf” are words that shouldn’t necessarily be used together unless you’re getting out a loaf of bread to make sandwiches. But, really, meatloaf is little more than seasoned ground meat, with some sort of starch added to help the mixture hold on to moisture while it cooks.

Generally, adding bread (or oatmeal, etc.) to meat, while improving the texture, will dilute the flavor. In this case, meaty flavor is added back in with nearly every trick in the book – mushrooms, soy sauce, tomato paste. The result is a sliceable loaf of meat that tastes plenty beefy without being tough. Hopefully the third time is a charm, and Dave will remember how good this was next time I make meatloaf.

One year ago: Lentil Marinara
Two years ago: Pasta with Brussels Sprouts and Pine Nuts
Three years ago: Brioche Raisin Snails
Four years ago: Pumpkin Ginger Muffins

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Meatier Meatloaf (from Cooks Illustrated)

I only made a half recipe.

There’s no salt in this recipe, and I think it would be better with about ½ teaspoon (for a whole recipe).

Meatloaf:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 onion, chopped fine
6 ounces white mushrooms sliced and trimmed
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons plus ½ cup chicken broth
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
½ slice hearty white bread, torn into 1-inch pieces
⅓ cup minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
¾ teaspoon peppers
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 pound ground pork
1 pound 85 percent lean ground beef

Glaze:
½ cup ketchup
¼ cup cider vinegar
3 tablespoons packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon hot sauce
½ teaspoon ground coriander

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Fold heavy-duty aluminum foil to form 9 by 5 inch rectangle. Center foil on wire rack set in rimmed baking sheet. Poke holes in foil with skewer (about ½ inch apart). Spray foil with vegetable oil spray.

2. Melt butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Add onion and mushrooms; cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly, until browned, about 3 minutes. Reduce heat to low; add 3 tablespoons broth and garlic; cook, scraping bottom of pan to loosen any browned bits, until thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl to cool.

3. Whisk eggs, remaining ½ cup broth, and soy sauce together in bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over egg mixture and let sit until gelatin softens, about 5 minutes.

4. Pulse bread in food processor until finely ground, 5 to 10 pulses. Add gelatin mixture, cooled mushroom mixture, parsley, mustard, pepper, and thyme to bread crumbs and pulse until mushrooms are finely ground, about 10 pulses, scraping down bowl as needed. Transfer bread-crumb mixture to large bowl. Add pork and beef and mix with hands to thoroughly combine.

5. Transfer meat mixture to foil rectangle and shape into 9 by 5-inch loaf using wet hands. Bake meatloaf until it registers 155 to 160 degrees, 75 to 90 minutes. Remove from oven and turn on broiler.

6. While meatloaf cooks, bring all the ingredients for the glaze to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and syrupy, about 5 minutes.

7. Spread half of glaze evenly over cooked meatloaf; place under broiler and cook until glaze bubbles and begins to brown at edges, about 2 minutes. Remove meatloaf from oven and spread evenly with remaining glaze; return to broiler and cook until glaze is again bubbling and beginning to brown, about 2 minutes longer. Let meatloaf cool for 20 minutes before slicing and serving.

Filed Under: beef, mushrooms, pork

pizza with ricotta, caramelized onions, and prosciutto

10/21/2012 By bridget

My pizza making goes in phases. I’ll go through long stretches where, every other Friday, I’m arranging turkey pepperoni over green chile-spiked tomato sauce. If I want to get fancy, I’ll add sliced mushrooms.

And then that will turn around, and each pizza for months will be different from last. Rarely do these varied pizzas have tomato sauce and mozzarella; it seems that if I’m choosing anything resembling a traditional pizza, it’s going to be topped with that pepperoni and green chile. In fact, of the last few pizzas I’ve made, this is the only one that even uses predominately Italian ingredients.

But those ingredients make it a safe bet, because you can never go wrong with creamy fresh ricotta, salty prosciutto, and sweet onions. The original recipe made the onions into a marmalade with sugar and balsamic vinegar, but I think caramelized onions are plenty sweet on their own. I chose to add the prosciutto after removing the pizza from the oven, instead of before baking, because I find the baked prosciutto turns into little more than crisp bits of salt. Letting the heat of the pizza soften the bite-sized pieces of ham leaves their meaty flavor. Altogether, it makes for a worthy departure from pepperoni and green chile.

One year ago: Turkey Ricotta Meatloaf
Two years ago: Red Kidney Bean Curry
Three years ago: Brown Rice with Black Beans
Four years ago: Mulled Cider

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Pizza with Ricotta, Caramelized Onions, and Prosciutto (adapted from The New York Times via Smitten Kitchen)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, halved and sliced
salt
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 ounces prosciutto, cut or torn into approximately 1-inch pieces
1 cup ricotta cheese (made from 4 cups milk, if homemade)
1 pound pizza dough, fully risen and at room temperature (⅓ of this recipe)

1. Place a pizza stone on the bottom rack of the oven and heat the oven to 500 degrees.

2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat until shimmering; stir in the onions and a pinch of salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions just begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the crushed red pepper flakes, and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions have softened and are medium golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.

3. Meanwhile, shape the dough into a ball. Set it aside for 10 to 30 minutes, loosely covered, to allow the gluten to relax.

4. Working on a lightly floured surface or a damp cloth, flatten the dough, then pick it up and gently stretch it out, trying to keep it as circular as possible. Curl your fingers and let the dough hang on your knuckles, moving and rotating the dough so it stretches evenly. If it tears, piece it together. If the dough stretches too much, put it down and gently tug on the thick spots. Transfer the round of dough to a large square of parchment paper; slide the parchment with the dough onto a pizza peel.

5. Spread the ricotta evenly over the dough, then evenly disperse the onions over the ricotta. Slide the pizza with the parchment onto the hot baking stone. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the crust is browned around the edges. Transfer the pizza to a cooling rack without the parchment. Top with the prosciutto. Let the pizza rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: cheese, italian, pizza, pork, vegetables

barbecue cowboy beans

08/28/2012 By bridget

I feel like I should wait and do a comparison post with this recipe, because I have a friend who makes some seriously good cowboy beans. Hers are full of meat with a dominant sweet flavor. They’re always one of my favorite dishes on the potluck table.

For my own version though, I wanted something lighter to serve as a side dish to barbecued ribs. When you’re spending hours cooking big slabs of meat, you don’t really need ground beef in your side dish. A few slices of bacon provide plenty of meaty depth, combined with sweet-bitter molasses and a slew of acidic ingredients like ketchup and beer.

To be honest, I’m not sure what makes a pot of beans “cowboy” instead of just “baked.” A lot of recipes contain ground meat, but not all of them. This is the only one with spicy chiles. But honestly, I don’t much care. What matters most is that these are perfect along barbecued meat, and if I want a chile-less, meatier version, I can have that too.

One year ago: Grilled Pita Breads
Two years ago: Whole Wheat Bagels
Three years ago: Amaretto Cheesecake
Four years ago: Blackberry Swirl Ice Cream

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Barbecue Cowboy Beans (adapted from Something Edible)

Serves 6

If you don’t want to buy two kinds of beans, feel free to choose one or the other.

I didn’t use the liquid smoke because I didn’t have any, so I can’t attest to how it affects the beans. I doubt adding smoky flavor would be a bad thing though.

6 ounces (about 1 cup) dry pinto beans, rinsed and sorted
2 ounces (about ⅓ cup) dry kidney beans
salt
6 slices (about 6 ounces) bacon, chopped
½ medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon allspice ground
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dry mustard
¼ cup beer
1 (10-ounce) can diced tomatoes with chiles
¼ cup ketchup
¼ cup molasses
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon hickory liquid smoke (optional)

1. Heat the oven to 300 degrees. Place the beans and 1 teaspoon salt in a 5-quart Dutch oven; add enough water to cover the beans by 1½ inches. Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover the pot and transfer it to the oven. Cook for 75 minutes, until the beans are tender. Drain the beans. Increase the oven temperature to 400 degrees.

2. Add the bacon to the now-empty Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat until fat begins to render, 3-4 minutes. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, 5-6 minutes. Add the garlic, allspice, coriander, black pepper, and mustard; cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the beer and scrape the bottom of the pot to release the browned bits. Add the tomatoes and chiles with their juice, the ketchup, molasses, cider vinegar, liquid smoke (if using), and 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.

3. Cover and transfer the beans to the oven. Bake for 4 hours. Serve.

Filed Under: beans, freezer friendly, pork, side dish, summer

mushroom prosciutto lasagna

08/07/2012 By bridget

So much lies in a name. If you offer me mushroom lasagna, I’ll gladly take a square of earthy dairy-rich pasta. But if you instead are giving away mushroom prosciutto lasagna, I’ll snatch it out of your hand. Roasted portobello prosciutto lasagna? Even better, and I don’t even love portobellos – but something about that more precise label makes it sound even more appetizing.

That’s how I ended up making a lasagna recipe that isn’t, once you get down to it, all that original. It’s sautéed mushrooms with béchamel, swiss cheese, and pasta, which certainly sounds delicious but, except for possibly the Gruyère, is a fairly standard lasagna filling. The prosciutto, however, is a key factor, because I love that salty, meaty, spiced ham.

Of course, it was good. How could it not be, with such a track record? It’s not just a name either – roasting the mushrooms (I used cremini instead of portobellos) concentrates their flavor, and the prosciutto adds a great dimension to a lasagna that could have easily ended up bland or overly earthy without it. This lasagna certainly lived up to its enticing title.

One year ago: Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
Two years ago: Yogurt-Marinated Lamb Kebabs
Three years ago: Tortellini Soup with Carrots, Peas, and Leeks
Four years ago: Summer Rolls

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Roasted Cremini and Prosciutto Lasagna (adapted from Bon Appetit via epicurious)

Serves 6

While I sautéed the prosciutto with some shallots, I think you could save a dish and roast them with the mushrooms instead.

To boil and rinse the pasta, follow the instructions in step 4 of this recipe.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt
Ground black pepper
6 ounces prosciutto, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 large shallots, diced
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
4 cups milk
1 bay leaf
¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
8 ounces (about 2 cups) Gruyère cheese, shredded
½ cup (1 ounces) grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 pound fresh lasagna noodles, boiled and rinsed

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position; heat to 400 degrees. On a rimmed baking sheet, combine the oil, mushrooms, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Roast, stirring twice, until browned, 30-40 minutes. Remove from the oven; set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

2. In a small skillet over medium heat, sauté the prosciutto, stirring occasionally, until fat begins to render, 4-5 minutes. Add two of the shallots and the herbs; continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are softened and lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

3. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. When the foaming subsides, add the remaining shallots, the garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are softened and translucent. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Whisking constantly, slowly add the milk. Add the bay leaf, increase the heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer, whisking constantly. Reduce the heat to medium-low, add the nutmeg and ½ teaspoon salt, and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in ¼ cup parmesan.

4. Spread ½ cup of the sauce on the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Cover the sauce with a slightly overlapping layer of boiled noodles, cutting them as needed to fill any gaps. Evenly spread 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles. Top with half of the mushrooms, then half of the prosciutto mixture and half of the Gruyère cheese. Cover with another layer of noodles, then repeat the layering of 1 cup sauce, the remaining mushrooms, and the remaining Gruyère. Layer a final layer of noodles, then cover with the remaining sauce and the remaining ¼ cup parmesan.

5. Cover the baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until the top is browned and bubbly, 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Filed Under: casserole, cheese, italian, mushrooms, pasta, pork

bacon mushroom breakfast skillet

07/16/2012 By bridget

I’m pretty sure there was a time, not even that long ago, when I would make complicated breakfasts every weekend morning. (Well, every weekend morning that I wasn’t baking scones straight from the freezer.) I vaguely remember asking myself, while surrounded by dirty dishes, why I did this to myself. But the next weekend I’d be back in the same place, always unable to resist a shiny new recipe.

Probably I’ll swing around to that phase again, but for now, I’m loving simple breakfasts – things that only briefly keep me away from drinking coffee while mindlessly surfing the internet. Even these quick meals are a lot more complicated than the yogurt and frozen berries I spend five minutes blending together every morning before work, so they’re still a treat.

In this case, it’s a simple matter of cooking bacon and mushrooms, topping them with eggs (poached, fried, your choice; I chose fried because it’s easier), mixing in some spinach just until it softens, and if you want to get fancy, you can add a slice of toast. I love the earthiness of the mushrooms and spinach combined with bacon, and getting in a serving of vegetables for breakfast is a great way to start the day. But what makes me the happiest is that I get all that in well under half an hour, so I can get on with the rest of my weekend, whether than means working out, relaxing in the backyard, or spending all day messing up the kitchen with other projects.

One year ago: Thai Grilled Beef Salad
Two years ago: Basic Pancakes
Three years ago: Brioche
Four years ago: Salad with Herbed Baked Goat Cheese

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Bacon Mushroom Breakfast Skillet (adapted from Tyler Florence Family Meal via Joy the Baker)

I did not wilt the spinach for the pictures, but I should have.

Serves 4

4 slices bacon, coarsely chopped
2 cup (8 ounces) cremini or button mushrooms, halved or quartered if large
1 cup oyster mushrooms, coarsely chopped
6 to 8 eggs
salt
ground black pepper
2 cups spinach leaves

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook the bacon until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate.

2. Pour off all but about 1 tablespoon of fat from the skillet. Add the mushrooms, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown, 8-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, heat about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat to a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the eggs (I crack them into small dishes first), season with salt and pepper, cover the pan, and cook until the whites are set and the yolks are soft (or however you like your eggs), about 5-7 minutes.

4. When the eggs are ready, add the spinach and the cooked bacon to the mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, until the bacon is warm and the spinach just wilts, about a minute. Serve, with the eggs, immediately.

Filed Under: breakfast, eggs, gluten free, mushrooms, pork, vegetables

barbecued spareribs

06/30/2012 By bridget

Last year’s barbecued pulled pork went so well that I assumed slow-cooking other meats on the grill would be just as easy, but ribs has proved me wrong. I tried baby backs first, mostly because they’re more famous, but also because they’re what I remember eating as a kid. Since they’re smaller than spareribs, I assumed they’d cook faster, and that didn’t hurt either.

A week after the baby back ribs spent 2 hours on the grill becoming jerky, I bought spareribs and, comparing Cooks Illustrated’s recipes for the two ribs, saw that they recommend nearly the same cooking time for the two very different types of ribs. Leaner, smaller baby backs supposedly need 2 hours on the grill with 4½ quarts of briquettes plus a second wave of fresh coals halfway through, while larger, fattier spareribs spend 2-3 hours on the grill with only 2½ quarts of charcoal and no refresher. That doesn’t sound right.

It certainly didn’t work right, as the poor baby backs were desiccated at the end of their two hours. The spareribs, however, fared much better, juicy and smoky and tender, just like ribs should be. In fact, this method – less charcoal, basically – worked so well that I want to try the same thing with baby back ribs now – although I won’t cook the smaller ribs as long as I did the larger ones, which seems like it should be obvious.

One year ago: Sour Cream Chocolate Cake Cookies
Two years ago: Rum-Drenched Vanilla Cake
Three years ago: Coconut Roasted-Pineapple Dacquoise
Four years ago: Kung Pao Shrimp

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Barbecued Spareribs (from Cooks Illustrated’s The New Best Recipe)

Serves 4 (according to CI, but this would serve at least 6 people with my appetite)

At the end of about 2 hours, the coals were completely extinguished. Fortunately, the meat seemed cooked and tender by then. I didn’t bother with barbecue sauce; the dry rub contributes plenty of flavor.

Dry rub:
3 tablespoons paprika
1½ tablespoons chili powder
1½ tablespoons ground cumin
1½ tablespoons ground cumin
1½ tablespoons dark brown sugar
1½ tablespoons salt
2¼ teaspoons dried oregano
2¼ teaspoons sugar
2¼ teaspoons ground black pepper
2¼ teaspoons ground white pepper
¾-1½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 full racks spareribs (about 6 pounds total)
2 (3-inch) wood chunks or 2 cups wood chips
2 cups barbecue sauce (optional)

1. Rub both sides of the rib with the dry rub and let stand at room temperature for 1 hour. (For stronger flavor, wrap the rubbed ribs in a double layer of plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 1 day.)

2. Soak the wood chunks in cold water to cover for 1 hour and drain, or place the wood chips on an 18-inch square of aluminum foil, seal to make a packet, and use a fork to create about 6 holes to allow smoke to escape.

3. Meanwhile, light a large chimney starter filled a bit less than halfway with charcoal briquettes (about 2½ quarts, or 40 coals) and allow to burn until covered with a thin layer of gray ash. Empty the coals into one side of the grill, piling them up in a mound 2 or 3 briquettes high. Keep the bottom vents completely open. Place the wood chunks or the packet with the chips on top of the charcoal. Put the cooking grate in place, open the grill lid vents completely, and cover, turning the lid so that the vents are opposite the wood chunks or chips to draw smoke through the grill. Let the grate heat for 5 minutes and clean it with a wire brush.

4. Position the ribs over the cool part of the grill. Barbecue, turning the ribs every 30 minutes, until the meat starts to pull away from the bones and has a rosy glow on the exterior, 2 to 3 hours. (The initial temperature inside the grill will be about 350 degrees; it will drop to 250 degrees after 2 hours.)

5. Remove the ribs from the grill and wrap each slab completely in aluminum foil. Put the foil-wrapped slabs in a brown paper bag and crimp the top of the bag to seal tightly. Allow to rest at room temperature for 1 hour.

6. Unwrap the ribs and brush with the barbecue sauce, if desired. Cut the ribs between the bones and serve immediately.

Filed Under: gluten free, grilling, pork, summer