Showing posts with label Ina Garten Fridays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ina Garten Fridays. Show all posts

11.07.2014

Ina First Fridays: Cranberry and Apple Cake


Our Ina First Friday group is coming to an end. Never fear, we'll all still be making Ina dishes, but we agree it's time to move on to new things. You can always go to our Ina Pinterest board and find recipes. As we make Ina recipes in the future, my hope is everyone will pin them there. I'm going to. It's been a fun experience, making new blog friends and seeing everyone's take on Ina Garten recipes. Ina is the greatest!

 Ina labels this cake easy. Something we all like to read this time of year. The recipe was inspired by a cranberry pie from Sarah Chase's book Cold Weather Cooking. (I love Sarah's cookbooks and am going to look up her pie recipe ASAP!) The cake didn't take any time at all to prepare and I think everyone in the family will enjoy it. Ina used a 10" pie plate and I used a lovely Emile Henry ceramic pie dish my DIL gave me....somewhat smaller, but deeper. When I looked the recipe up online, every photo looked different. It all depended on size of your pie pan. My cake was a tad moist at the bottom, no doubt the result of using frozen cranberries. Use fresh if available. I was using up frozen cranberries from last year. Still, it was light and delicious. 

 Easy Cranberry and Apple Cake
2010, Barefoot Contessa, How Easy Is That?


Ingredients:
12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and picked over for stems
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and diced
1/2 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
1 tablespoon grated orange zest (2 oranges)
1/4 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/8 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup sour cream
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

Method:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Combine the cranberries, apple, brown sugar, orange zest, orange juice, and 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon in a medium bowl. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs on medium-high speed for 2 minutes. With the mixer on medium, add 1 cup of the granulated sugar, the butter, vanilla, and sour cream and beat just until combined. On low speed, slowly add the flour and salt.

Pour the fruit mixture evenly into a 10-inch glass pie plate. Pour the batter over the fruit, covering it completely. Combine the remaining 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar and 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon and sprinkle it over the batter. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean and the fruit is bubbling around the edges. Serve warm or at room temperature. 




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Ina Fridays participants:
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10.02.2014

Ina First Fridays: Conchiglie al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio


While having lunch the other day, I was watching Ina Garten's TV show (no doubt a repeat) and she made this pasta dish. I don't eat a lot of pasta, but looking down at my boring salad and then looking up at this pasta dish coming out of the oven, what do you think I decided? I had to make it. That day and for dinner. 
After driving over to Whole Foods for the pasta, I was ready to go. This is a snap to make, doesn't take much time to put together and only 10 minutes in a really hot oven to finish. Ina was right. Again. This dish was fantastic. All those cheeses, the slight bitterness of the radicchio, those garlicky shiitake mushrooms and the crisp pasta on top! Best pasta dinner in ages. And....how easy was that?

Conchiglie al Forno with Mushrooms and Radicchio
Barefoot Contessa, International Pasta; recipe by Johanne Killeen, Al Forno Restaurant


Ingredients:
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups (2 medium heads) finely shredded radicchio
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup coarsely shredded fontina (1 1/2 ounces)
1/2 cup crumbled Gorgonzola (3 ounces)
2 teaspoons ricotta
6 leaves fresh sage, chopped (see note)
1 pound imported conchiglie rigate (pasta shells)

 Method:
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

 Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil in a stockpot.
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and slice the mushroom caps about 1/4-inch thick. Heat 6 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet; add the mushrooms and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Saute over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes.

 In a large mixing bowl, combine the mushrooms, radicchio, cream, cheeses, sage, and remaining salt.

 Parboil the pasta shells for 4 minutes; drain and add to the ingredients in the mixing bowl. Toss to combine.

 Divide the pasta mixture among 6 to 8 individual, shallow, ceramic gratin dishes (1 1/2 to 2 cup capacity). Dot with the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and bake until bubbly and brown on top, about 7 to 10 minutes.

 Ina's notes: In the absence of fresh sage, do not substitute dried. As a substitute, choose one of the following: 1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon OR 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves OR 8 leaves fresh rosemary OR 1/4 teaspoon fennel seed.
Makes about 5-6 servings.


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9.04.2014

Ina First Fridays: Roasted Winter Vegetables


I don't mean to rush us into winter with that post title, but this month's Ina First Friday's recipe choices are soups, salads and sides and that's Ina's recipe title!  Besides, it is September and this side is a perfect addition to fall dinners. There's nothing better than roasted veggies, I make them all the time, all year round. But this combo is particularly good...I never cared for parsnips until I tasted them roasted like this. My mother used to throw parsnips in the pot when she made corned beef and cabbage. My sister and I hated them. Boiled parsnips....yuk. Roasted...yum. 

 Roasted Winter Vegetables
2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style

Ingredients:
1 pound carrots, peeled
1 pound parsnips, peeled
1 large sweet potato, peeled
1 small butternut squash, peeled and seeded (about 2 pounds)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

 Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

 Cut the carrots, parsnips, sweet potato, and butternut squash in 1 to 1 1/4-inch cubes. All the vegetables will shrink while baking, so don't cut them too small.
Place all the cut vegetables in a single layer on 2 baking sheets. Drizzle them with olive oil, salt, and pepper. Toss well. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes, or until all the vegetables are tender and a little caramelized, turning once with a metal spatula.
Sprinkle with parsley, season to taste, and serve hot.

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Ina Fridays participants:



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7.31.2014

Ina First Fridays: Gougeres


This month, we're concentrating on appetizers. I make Ina's gougeres all the time, couldn't be simpler and everyone loves them. This photo is an old one, taken in a hurry before everyone grabbed them off the plate LOL. Don't they look light, puffy and cheesy?
You can shape the little gougeres and freeze them for up to 2 months before you bake them. There's no need to defrost the frozen puffs, just bake them a couple of minutes more. How easy is that?

Gougeres
From Barefoot in Paris, 2004

Ingredients:
 1 cup milk
1/4-pound (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch nutmeg
1 cup all-purpose flour
4 extra-large eggs
1/2 cup grated Gruyere, plus extra for sprinkling
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water, for egg wash

Method:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a saucepan, heat the milk, butter, salt, pepper, and nutmeg over medium heat, until scalded. Add the flour all at once and beat it vigorously with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together. Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat for 2 minutes. The flour will begin to coat the bottom of the pan. Dump the hot mixture into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Immediately add the eggs, Gruyere, and Parmesan and pulse until the eggs are incorporated and the dough is smooth and thick.

Spoon the mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a large plain round tip. Pipe in mounds 1 1/4 inches wide and 3/4-inch high onto the baking sheets. With a wet finger, lightly press down the swirl at the top of each puff. (You can also use 2 spoons to scoop out the mixture and shape the puffs with damp fingers.) Brush the top of each puff lightly with egg wash and sprinkle with a pinch of Gruyere. Bake for 15 minutes, or until golden brown outside but still soft inside.

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Ina Fridays participants:




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6.05.2014

Ina First Fridays: Tuna Rolls


Ina serves these in a grilled hot dog roll, but I wanted fewer carbs so served it as a salad. The tuna would be super done on your grill, but it works fine stove top as well. Just make certain to follow the directions for time because you want it rare on the inside. I served the tuna in a lettuce cup, so I omitted the arugula.

Grilled Tuna Rolls
2009, Ina Garten

Ingredients:
Good olive oil 
1 pound very fresh tuna steak, 1-inch thick 
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 
1 lime, zest grated 
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes) 
1/2 teaspoon wasabi powder 
1 teaspoon soy sauce 
5 dashes hot sauce (recommended: Tabasco) 
1 firm, ripe Hass avocado, medium-diced 
1/4 red onion, chopped 
1 tablespoon minced scallion, white and green parts 
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds 
9 hot dog rolls, grilled or toasted 
1 bunch baby arugula, washed and spun dry

Method:
Heat a charcoal grill with hot coals. Brush the grill with oil. Brush both sides of the tuna with olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Cook the tuna over the hot coals for about 2 1/2 minutes on each side. Remove to a plate. The tuna should be seared on the outside and raw inside. Allow to cool and cut into cubes.

(If you don't want to heat a grill, you can sear the tuna in a dry saute pan over high heat. Heat the pan for 2 minutes, add the tuna steaks and cook for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes on each side until seared on the outside and still raw inside.) 

 For the dressing:
Whisk together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the lime zest, lime juice, wasabi powder, soy sauce, hot sauce, 2 teaspoons kosher salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Toss the avocado in the dressing and then add the tuna, red onion, scallion, and sesame seeds. Line the rolls with arugula leaves, fill with the tuna mixture, and serve. 
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Ina Fridays participants:
 Alyce @ More Time at the Table
Ansh @  Spice Roots  
Bhavna @ Just a Girl From AAmchi Mumbai..
Chaya @  Bizzy Bakes
Linda,  @ Tumbleweed Contessa
Mary @ The Egg Farm
Minnie @ The Lady 8 Home
Mireya @ My Healthy Eating Habits
Patti @ Comfy Cuisine
Peggy@ Pantry Revisited
Rocky Mountain Woman @ Rocky Mountain Woman
Shiloh @ Cheese with Noodles


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5.01.2014

Ina First Fridays: Shrimp Salad


Honestly, I don't think you can beat Ina's shrimp salad. Love, love love it. Such a simple recipe, but I always have compliments when I serve it. It sits in the fridge until you're ready to serve, in fact sitting in the fridge helps meld the flavors. I like to serve it in a radicchio cup with some tomatoes and hard boiled eggs. Perfect for summertime....a great supper and a super lunch for company.

Ina's Shrimp Salad
From Barefoot Contessa Parties, 2001




Ingredients:

 4 pounds large shrimp in the shell (16 to 20 shrimp per pound)

1 lemon, cut into quarters
2 cups mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
6 tablespoons fresh dill, minced
1 cup red onion, minced
3 cups celery, minced

Method:
Bring 5 quarts of water, 3 tablespoons salt and the lemon to a boil in a large pan. Add half the shrimp, reduce heat and cook uncovered for only 3 minutes or until shrimp are barely cooked through. Remove with a slotted spoon and immerse in cold water. Bring the water back to a boil and repeat with remaining shrimp. Let cool, then peel and devein the shrimp.

In a large bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, salt, pepper and dill.
Combine with the shrimp. Add the red onion and celery and check the seasonings.

Serve or cover and refrigerate for a few hours.

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 Ina Fridays participants:
 Alyce @ More Time at the Table
Ansh @  Spice Roots  
Bhavna @ Just a Girl From AAmchi Mumbai..
Chaya @  Bizzy Bakes
Linda,  @ Tumbleweed Contessa
Mary @ The Egg Farm
Minnie @ The Lady 8 Home
Mireya @ My Healthy Eating Habits
Patti @ Comfy Cuisine
Peggy@ Pantry Revisited
Rocky Mountain Woman @ Rocky Mountain Woman
Shiloh @ Cheese with Noodles
Veronica@ My Catholic Kitchen

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4.03.2014

Ina First Fridays: The Juice of a Few Flowers


Because I usually make an appetizer for this round of Ina's First Fridays, I tend to forget it also includes drinks. So I thought it would be fun to do a drink this month. Enjoy!

Several years ago I posted a rather lengthy piece about the famous Juice Of a Few Flowers and its origins. It was the story of Gerald and Sara Murphy and began in the 20's. This young, newly married couple wished to escape the snobbish, elite world into which they were born (which, one must keep in mind, supported them) and the strictures of their parents. And so they moved to Paris, soon to become the darlings of that era, hobnobbing with Picasso, Hemingway, Fitzgerald, Cole Porter et al. Their generous hospitality, spontaneity and extraordinarily adventurous spirit made them the trend-setters of the time. F. Scott Fitzgerald famously quipped about the Murphys saying: “The rich are different from us.” But the Murphys weren’t really filthy rich, just well off and knew how to live with great flair and style.

It was a fun post and if you'd like see some photos, read about their fascinating life, the gaiety, the tragedy and their final years, click HERE.  

At any rate, cocktail hour became quite a performance with Gerald Murphy at the bar and he was very mysterious and secretive about his concoctions. When someone would ask what was in this or that drink he would always answer: "Just the juice of a few flowers."  Murphy eventually turned this favorite description of  "Juice of a few flowers" into  a cocktail. It was made of freshly squeezed juices -- one ounce orange, one ounce grapefruit, a half ounce lime, a half ounce lemon -- together with an ounce of gin. Gerald Murphy's instructions:
"The mint should be put in the shaker first. It should be torn up by hand as it steeps better. The gin should be added then and allowed to stand a minute or two. Then add the grapefruit juice and then the lime juice. Stir vigorously with ice and do not allow to dilute too much, but serve very cold, with a sprig of mint in each glass."

In 2008, I watched Ina Garten make a drink she called Juice of a Few Flowers and, having read all about the Murphys in several books,  I smiled and knew I had to try it. You're going to love it. It’s a drink with a tart citrus punch and a nice kick of vodka. An ice-cold glass, a sugared rim, a sprig of mint. Pretty darn close to Gerald Murphy's description.

Juice of a Few Flowers
2008, Barefoot Contessa, Back to Basics



Ingredients:
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed orange juice (2 oranges)
1/2 cup (125 mL) freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice (1 grapefruit)
1/4 cup (50 mL) freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
1/4 cup (50 mL) freshly squeezed lime juice (2 limes)
1 cup (250 mL) vodka
extra lemon juice
granulated sugar
fresh mint sprigs

Method:
Combine the orange juice, grapefruit juice, lemon juice, lime juice and vodka in a pitcher.
Dip the rims of 4 martini glasses first in a dish of lemon juice and then in a dish with sugar. Set aside to dry.
Pour the cocktail mix into the glasses, garnish with mint and serve.

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Ina Fridays participants:

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3.06.2014

Ina First Fridays: ÎleFlottante (Floating Island)


Welcome to another Ina First Friday. Desserts are the subject this month and I've chosen an old family favorite. My mother made it for us when we were children and I have her original recipe. The only change I've made over the years is I now bake the meringues,  à la Ina, much simpler than poaching them in milk as my mother did. Besides, I love shaping the meringues into peaks which, when baked, are touched with a little color.

 Americans don't make this dessert much, unhappily. It was originally a French nursery dessert called île flottante: a single "island" of meringue floating in a "sea" of crème anglaise. Oeufs à la neige is another name used, indicating many small eggs floating rather than one large one. I have enjoyed this dish often when in France (where it is more commonly found on a dessert menu than in the U.S.); they usually serve a large square island floating in the crème anglaise. It makes sense for a restaurant to make portions in a large pan rather than individual "islands". The rare times I have found it on a menu in this country, they try to improve it with the addition of fruit; it doesn't work. Why mess with perfection? This dessert is better the way it was served in the nursery: plain and simple. If you're in a rush, skip the caramel. It's still ambrosial.


Île Flottante
From Ina Garten, 2004, Barefoot in Paris. EPISODE:Rehearsal Dinner


Ingredients for the meringues:
2/3 cups sugar, divided
1 cup water, divided
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, divided
8 extra-large egg whites, at room temperature
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

 Ingredients for the Creme Anglaise:
4 extra-large egg yolks 
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1 3/4 cups scalded milk
1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or 1 teaspoon vanilla)
1 1/2 teaspoons Cognac (I don't add this)

Ingredients for the caramel sauce:
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 Method:
Make the Creme Anglaise:
Beat the egg yolks and 1/3 cup sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed for 3 minutes, or until very thick. Reduce to low speed, and add the cornstarch. With the mixer still on low, very, very slowly pour the hot milk into the eggs. Pour the custard mixture into a saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until thickened. The custard will coat the spoon like heavy cream. Don't cook it above 180 degrees F or the eggs will scramble! Pour the sauce through a fine strainer, add the vanilla bean paste and Cognac, if using and then chill. Yield: 2 cups

 Make the meringues:
Set the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper.

 For the meringues, beat the egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment on medium speed until frothy. Turn the mixer on high speed and add the remaining 1 cup of sugar. Beat until the egg whites are very stiff and glossy. Whisk in the remaining teaspoon of vanilla. With dessert spoons place 12 mounds of meringue on the parchment paper and bake for 20 minutes, or until a cake tester comes out clean.

 Make the Caramel sauce:
Mix 1 and 1/2 cups sugar with 1/2 cup water in a heavy-bottomed saucepan and bring to a boil. Stir with a wooden spoon and boil over medium heat until it turns a caramel color. Remove from heat and add another 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. It will bubble up, so be careful. Return to the heat and cook until it reaches 230° on a candy thermometer. Set aside until ready to use.

 For serving, pour creme anglaise on the bottom of individual plates. Place a meringue on top of each serving, drizzle with caramel sauce.
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2.06.2014

Ina First Fridays: Chive Risotto Cakes with Scallops


Welcome again to an Ina First Friday! 
My son requested risotto cakes when he was visiting a while back and it rather took me by surprise as I rarely make risotto to begin with. (And you don't have to with this recipe either, merely cook the rice.) Fortunately, I had seen Ina make these risotto cakes so had the perfect recipe for him. 
When I was a child, my mother used to take leftover rice, form it into patties and fry them simply in butter with salt and pepper. Nice and crunchy and buttery. They were good, but really, the flavor combo in Ina's recipe can't help but be way tastier. (Sorry, Mom.)   The chives, fontina and yogurt make for a delicious risotto cake; I served it with scallops, but it's perfect as a supper all on its own with just a veggie on the side. Fontina is such a lovely cheese and melts beautifully.
(Chef's note: mixture requires refrigeration for 2 hours or overnight.)

Ina's Chive Risotto Cakes
2008, Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics

Ingredients:
Kosher salt
1 cup uncooked Arborio rice
1/2 cup Greek yogurt
2 extra-large eggs
3 tablespoons minced fresh chives
1 1/2 cups grated Italian fontina cheese (5 ounces)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
3/4 cup panko
Good olive oil

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add 1/2 tablespoon salt and the Arborio rice. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. The grains of rice will be quite soft. Drain the rice in a sieve and run under cold water until cool. Drain well.

Whisk together the yogurt, eggs, chives, fontina, salt to taste and the pepper in a medium bowl. Add the cooled rice and mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, until firm.

Spread the panko in a shallow dish. Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Form balls of the rice mixture using a standard ice-cream scoop or a large spoon. Pat the balls into patties 3 inches in diameter and 3/4-inch thick. Place 4 to 6 patties in the panko, turning once to coat. Place the patties in the hot oil and cook, turning once, for about 3 minutes on each side until the risotto cakes are crisp and nicely browned. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and keep warm in a 250 degree oven for up to 30 minutes. Continue cooking in batches, adding oil as necessary, until all the cakes are fried. Arrange on a serving platter and serve hot.

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Ina Fridays participants:
 Alyce @ More Time at the Table
Ansh @  Spice Roots  
Bhavna @ Just a Girl From AAmchi Mumbai..
Chaya @  Bizzy Bakes
Linda,  @ Tumbleweed Contessa
Mary @ The Egg Farm
Minnie @ The Lady 8 Home
Mireya @ My Healthy Eating Habits
Patti @ Comfy Cuisine
Peggy@ Pantry Revisited
Rocky Mountain Woman @ Rocky Mountain Woman
Shiloh @ Cheese with Noodles
Veronica@ My Catholic Kitchen
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