Turkey Stuffed Cabbage

Good, old-fashioned comfort food, made healthy.  Ground Turkey and rice make up the base of the stuffing, wrapped up in steamed cabbage leaf ladled with a Sweet and Sour Tomato Sauce courtesy of the infamous Barefoot Contessa.  


Ingredients for Eight People

For the Sauce:
from Barefoot Contessa At Home 

3 Tbsp of good Olive Oil
2-3 chopped onions
2 28  oz cans of good quality Tomatoes, whole or crushed
1/4 cup of red wine vinegar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup of golden raisins
1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt
3/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper
optional add-ins:  cinnamon 1 tsp., 4-5 bay leaves, 1 teaspoon of allspice, ground

For the filling, I have adapted Ina Garten's recipe

2 lbs of Ground Turkey, browned in 1-2 Tbsp. of oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup of plain dried breadcrumbs
3/4 cup white rice, dry
1 1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper
1 teaspoon of garlic powder/granules
3 Tablespoons of light brown sugar
1 cup of golden raisins
1 cup of sweet & sour sauce from above

1-2 heads of Green Cabbage, depending on size

Directions:

Start the sauce by sautéing the chopped onions over medium high heat in olive oil, stirring occasionally, till translucent.  This should take you 8 minutes.  If you're tomatoes are whole, crush them before adding them to the onions.  Once tomatoes are added, add all additional items listed for the sauce.  The optional add-ins are completely up to the cook.  Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cover for 20-30 min.

Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil, for the cabbage.  Then place a medium pot of water with 8-10 cups of water to boil, for the rice.  Add a tablespoon of kosher salt.  When the rice water comes to a boil, add rice and boil like pasta for 14 min.  Then drain and set aside to let cool.

Core the inside of the cabbage with a paring knife.  You can use your fingers to help pull the core out.     When the water comes to a boil, drop the cabbage in the pot, covered for five minutes dropping the heat slightly.  Then place on cookie sheet, to cool.  Repeat with the second head if using.

Assemble the filling together in a large bowl.  Place all of the filling ingredients together, and mix well with a rubber spatula, adding a cup of sauce.

To assemble the rolls.  Pull one of the steamed leaves off, and place it on a cutting board.  Put about a 1/3 cup of filling toward the bottom of the inside of the leaf.  Bend the sides of the leaf in and roll away from you, creating a little parcel.

Add a cup and a half of sauce in the bottom of a large pyrex or ceramic roaster.  Line up rolls side by side.  Ladle about two cups of the sauce over the top of rolls.

Bake at 350 for 30 min.  Tent with foil during the last 15 min. of baking.

Chicken Bolognese

Chicken Bolognese

Nothing. . .  is more comforting than a bowl of pasta.  Anytime of year, this bolognese can bring a smile to anyone's face.  Ground Chicken is simmered with tomatoes, chicken stock, vegetables, white wine, laced with herbs, braised with milk creating an irresistible sauce.  The finale of pasta, simmers al dente in the sauce with a smidgen of good butter, freshly ground Parmesan and/or Pecorino Romano and topped off with fresh basil.

Ingredients

1 pound of ground chicken, preferably organic 

1/2 of large Vidalia onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1-28 oz can/box of tomatoes, crushed or crush by hand
1 cup of good quality low salt chicken stock

1/2 cup of white wine

1/2 cup of evaporated milk

1/2 cup total of Parmesan and/or Romano

2 tbsp of tomato paste

2 tbsp of olive oil

salt & pepper to taste

thyme branches and/or bay leaves, and/or cheese rind
unsalted butter and/or fresh basil to finish

Prepare ingredients.  Warm-up saute pan with 2 tbsp of olive oil.

Saute over medium heat for five minutes. 

Turn up the heat slightly, and brown ground chicken. 

When brown, add two minced cloves of garlic, two tbsp of tomato paste, salt & pepper.

Deglaze with a half cup of white wine, keeping heat at medium high.

When wine is left at just a few tablespoons add your crushed tomatoes, chicken stock, bay leaves, thyme, cheese rind (optional) and bring to a boil.

Once at a boil, reduce heat to a simmer, and add 1/2 cup of evaporated milk.  Let gently cook at a simmer for 45 minutes.  Season with salt & pepper.

To achieve the finished dish:

1. Cook the pasta a minute or two shy of al dente in well-salted water, saving some of the seasoned pasta water.
2. Warm a generous helping of sauce in a saute pan, adding some of the pasta water, marry the two.
3. Add the pasta with a little salt, pepper and a little unsalted butter.
4. Sprinkle some grated cheese over the pasta, stir, and bring to a gentle boil.
5. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve with an extra sprinkling of cheese.
6. Garnish with fresh cut basil.
7. Shown above with glazed green beans.

Butternut and Black Bean Turkey Chili

Butternut and Black Bean Turkey Chili

Tired of your same old chili recipes?  Butternut Squash "jumps in" to lend a subtle sweetness to offset the spices.  Black bean and corn bring this chili even further from the norm.  Simple, yet complex in flavors, this chili deserves a spot alongside your favorite chili recipe.

Ingredients

1 lb of ground Turkey

15 oz can of black beans, well rinsed

1 (24-28 oz) box or can of strained tomatoes

1 (24-28 oz) box or can of chopped tomatoes

1 Butternut squash, diced

1/2 cup of frozen or fresh corn

1 medium red onion, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 medium carrots, peeled and diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 fresh bay leaves, if available, remove before serving

2 tbsp. of olive oil

1 tbsp. of tomato paste

2 tsp. of ground cumin

2.5 tsp. of ancho chili pepper, to taste

1 tsp. of ground coriander
1/8 tsp. of cayenne

1 tbsp of salt or to taste (salt will depend on salt content in tomatoes)/boxed tomatoes have very low 

     sodium levels.

To finish:

1 Tbsp. of Apple Cider vinegar

2 Tbsp. of Maple syrup

Recipe Notes:

Ancho chili pepper contains a sweet, smoky and raisin like quality, unique to other chili powders.  The heat level is relatively mild in strength.  Keep this in mind, if you're adding a stronger chili powder.  I like to serve this chili with a scoop of buttery rice and sweet potato tortilla chips.   I garnish the chili with shredded smoked mozzarella, Vermont cheddar, and scallions.

Directions:  

Brown Turkey, in a dutch oven over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

While meat is browning, dice shallots, onion, celery and carrots.

Once meat is browned, remove the meat, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the now empty pan.  Add all veggies, except butternut squash.  Now, dice up your squash while starting your sauté.

Next, add your squash to your veggie mix.

While your sauté is going on, measure out your spices, tomato paste and mince your garlic.

Now, add spices, tomato paste, bay leaves, if using, and garlic. Sauté, for a good ten minutes with the lid askew on top of your dutch oven.

Add strained tomatoes, chopped tomatoes, beans, corn and cooked ground turkey.

Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer.  Position the lid askew.  Simmer for an hour.  Then check to confirm that the butternut squash is fully cooked.

Next, add your 1-2 tbsp of apple cider vinegar, and two tbsp of maple syrup.  Taste to check if your chili needs more salt or chili powder.  If so, add, cook ten more minutes.  Taste again.

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Moroccan Vegetable Stew

Wonderfully light, laden with fresh produce, heavy on flavor with subtle heat and a bright citrus note.  Easy, one dish, make ahead meal that can be a weeknight staple or worthy enough for a dinner party.  After the holidays, a light vegetarian meal can be very alluring.  Cumin and coriander and smoked paprika tantalize your palate with flavors that aren't in your everyday menu.  Keeping your culinary creations exciting, yet healthy.  

Chef Mourad Lahlou, who has two restaurants in San Francisco, creates menus based on Moroccan  and North African cuisine, using the best produce California has to offer.  He inspired me to come up with a Vegetable Stew using the Moroccan flavor profile with easy, accessible ingredients that can be interchanged for ease in cooking in the home.  The Wall Street Journal ran an article on on Jan 3 2015 showcasing his Vegetable Tagine.  He topped his off with a poached egg, that cooks right in the Tagine, vegetable stew.  Brilliant!

Now, by no means does one have to follow my recipe exactly.  This is only guideline.  Use what is accessible to you.  Taste as you go. Very important!  For company add a cheese course, olives and some wonderful bread.  For everyday, add a salad and cornbread.  Be creative.

Ingredients

3 tablespoons of olive oil

3 carrots, diced

2 celery, diced

2 mixed color peppers

1/4 pound of green beans, cut in one inch pieces

1 red onion, diced

3 yukon gold potatoes, diced in one inch pieces

2 turnips, diced in three quarter to one inch pieces

28 oz can of Tomatoes, diced with puree

1 orange, zested and juice reserved

2 teaspoons of smoked paprika

1.5 teaspoon of coriander

1.5 teaspoon of cumin

4 tablespoons of tomato paste or 2 Tbsp. if paste is concentrated

3 teaspoons of brown sugar, light or dark

1.5 teaspoons of salt, more to taste

1/2 teaspoon of aleppo pepper or 3/4 teaspoon of red pepper flakes

and. . . 4 eggs

Serves:  4 

~ ~ ~

Dice your carrots, celery, red onion and mixed peppers.  Warm large dutch-oven over medium heat.  Add 3 tablespoons of olive oil.  When warm add carrots, celery, red onion, and mixed peppers, stirring from time to time.  Now, while that's sautéing, dice your potatoes and turnips and add to mixture in pot.

Measure out your spices, and zest and juice your orange.  Add your spices, salt, sugar, tomato paste to veggies, and stir constantly for one minute to prevent burning.  Now, deglaze with your juice.  Add your tomatoes and string beans.  Bring to a boil.  Simmer with lid on for one hour. Check to make sure all your vegetables are nice and tender.  Taste for seasonings and adjust.  If not serving, right away let cool down.  Then refrigerate when just warm, not piping hot.

When ready to serve, bring to a steady simmer.  Crack an egg into a cup, and make an indentation in the stew for the egg.  Repeat three times with each egg.  Cover and simmer till eggs are lightly poached about four to five minutes.  Sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Serving Suggestions:  Shredded Smoked Cheddar/Corn Bread

Swedish Apple Pie

Swedish Apple Pie

This dessert is the perfect ending for a holiday feast or a weekend treat.  You can easily throw this together with just a few ingredients.  No crust to roll out.  Serve this pie with fresh whipped lightly sweetened cream or vanilla ice cream.  This is sure to be a staple on your holiday table.

Simplicity is at the heart in this dessert.

Adapted recipe from Ella, an upstate NY, Lake George resident, friend of my Grandmother's.  Both were excellent cooks.

Ingredients:

Four good sized apples, peeled and sliced, 1/3 of an inch thick

1 cup of all-purpose flour

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1/2 cup of light brown sugar

1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, lightly toasted

1/2 cup of unsalted butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 Tbsp of granulated/or sugar in the raw (preferably)

1 teaspoon of cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon of salt

Use the butter wrapper to grease your pie plate.

Topping Ingredients.

Mixing of the topping.

Apples all ready to be covered.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350.

Fill a nine inch pie plate two-thirds of the way with sliced apples.

Mix 2 Tbsp of sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and sprinkle on the apples.

In a small bowl combine, 1/2 cup of light brown sugar, 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and 1 cup of flour.

Add 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt, 1/2 cup of chopped nuts, lightly toasted, 1 egg, beaten and 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted.  Mix well.  Pour mixture over apples.  Use hands to lightly spread over all apple slices.

Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown.

Serve slightly warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream or fresh vanilla whipped cream!

Ready for the oven.

It should have nice bubbly sides, and a beautiful tan crust when finished.