RECIPE: Rec: Italian Spinach and Radicchio Salad...a new to me take on a wilted salad, delicious!

RECIPE:
C

curious1

Well-known member
This recipe is from Cook's Country the new sister magazine of Cook's Illustrated and attributed to Jack Bishop, one of the test cooks. I can't wait to make it again!

Italian Spinach and Radicchio Salad

8-10 servings

My Italian grandmother always made sure we had radicchio and fennel on the holiday table. She would tell us that crimson radicchio looked festive. As for the fennel, she was a firm believer in it's healing powers. "Eat the fennel and it will make room for the rest of the big meal," she would tell my siblings and me. I suspect this was just a trick to get us to eat a salad with vegetables, but it worked- Jack Bishop

2 6-ounce bags baby spinach (about 18 loosely packed cups)

2 medium heads radicchio, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 6 cups)

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 large red onion, halved and thinly sliced

2 small fennel bulbs, sliced very thin

salt

6 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

pepper

Toss spinach and radicchio together in large bowl. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add onion, fennel, and 3/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are softened and browned, 6-8 minutes. Stir in vinegar and pepper to taste and cook until syrupy, about 30 seconds.

Scrape fennel mixture into bowl with spinach and radicchio. Toss until salad greens wilt slightly about 1 minute. Serve immediately.

 
Rec: Crab Chops from Emeril's "Louisana Real & Rustic" another winner!

Loved these, the addition of the bechamel made a really moist delicious cake. I was a little worried about the amount of crackers, not liking to add to many, but when I got them crushed, there was only a little more than half cup and it worked. I was looking at two different Emeril recipes and had minced 1/2 cup red onion as well as the green onion tops, so threw it in. Didn't seem to hurt them any, lol. The Creole Tartar sauce is to die for, not thick like mayo, sort of a thick drizzily. I made a smaller amount of Rustic Rub (about 1/3 cup) by using teaspoons instead of tablespoons.

Crab Chops

7 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over for shells and cartilage
20 saltine crackers, finely crushed in a blender or food processor
1 cup dried fine bread crumbs
1 tablespoon rustic rub (recipe follows)
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Melt 3 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk for 2 to 3 minutes, or until well blended.

Add the green onions, salt, cayenne, and black pepper. Stir for 2 to 3 minutes. Slowly add the milk and stir constantly until the mixture thickens, about 4 minutes. Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg with the crabmeat and cracker crumbs. Mix gently so as not to break up the crabmeat. Fold in the milk mixture and let cool. Divide the mixture into 6 equal portions and shape into patties, in the shape of chops if you wish. In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs and the rub.

Heat the remaining 4 tablespoons butter and the oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Dredge the patties, coating evenly, in the bread crumb mixture. Fry the patties for 3 to 4 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

Drain on paper towels and serve hot. 6 servings

Creole Tartar Sauce

1 egg
1 tablespoon garlic, minced
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
2 tablespoons green onion, chopped
1 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon Creole or whole-grain mustard
1 teaspoon salt

Put the egg, garlic, lemon juice, parsley and green onions in a food processor and puree for 15 seconds. With processor running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Add the cayenne, mustard and salt and pulse to blend. Cover and let sit for 1 hour in the refrigerator before using. Best if used within 24 hours.

1 1/2 cups

RUSTIC RUB

8 tablespoons paprika
3 tablespoons cayenne
5 tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
6 tablespoons garlic powder
3 tablespoons onion powder
6 tablespoons salt
2 1/2 tablespoons dried oregano
2 1/2 tablespoons dried thyme

Combine all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Blend well.

Can be stored in an airtight container in your spice cabinet for up to 3 months.

2 cups

 
Rec: Double-Baked Potatoes With Mushrooms And Cheese

from Epi while I'm at it, they're delicious and went well with standing rib roast. I used Boursin garlic and herb instead of cream cheese because I had it. Hey, two for one at Publix, how could I resist?

DOUBLE-BAKED POTATOES WITH MUSHROOMS AND CHEESE

This rich, creamy version of twice-baked potatoes can be assembled and refrigerated one day before the final baking.

6 small russet potatoes (about 7 ounces each), scrubbed
5 tablespoons butter, room temperature
12 ounces mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 large green onions, chopped

3 ounces cream cheese, room temperature (about 1/2 cup)
1/3 cup sour cream
1 1/4 cups coarsely grated white cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375°F. Pierce each potato in several places with fork. Place all potatoes directly on oven rack and bake until tender, about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms; sauté until beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 7 minutes. Add green onions; stir until wilted, about 1 minute. Set aside.

Using oven mitts as aid, cut each potato lengthwise in half. Scoop cooked potato flesh into large bowl, leaving skin intact. Add cream cheese, sour cream, and remaining 4 tablespoons butter and mash well. Mix in mushroom mixture and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound mashed potatoes in potato skins. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon cheese. Place on baking sheet. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.)

Preheat oven to 375°F. Bake potatoes until heated through and cheese melts, about 25 minutes, or 35 minutes if potatoes have been refrigerated.

Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appétit
March 2002

 
Rec: Curried Red Lentil and Swiss Chard Stew with Garbanzo Beans..1 more

This was also really delicious. Another Epi recipe. I used garam masala from Penzeys. And I ended up adding an extra can of veggie broth because it was so thick.

CURRIED RED LENTIL AND SWISS CHARD STEW WITH GARBANZO BEANS

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
5 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 14-ounce cans vegetable broth
1 large bunch or 2 small bunches Swiss chard, tough stalks removed, coarsely chopped (about 12 cups)
1 pound red lentils (about 2 1/4 cups)
1 15-ounce can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained
Plain yogurt

Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté until golden, about 13 minutes. Mix in curry and cayenne. Add broth and chard. Increase heat; bring to boil. Add lentils and garbanzos; reduce heat to medium.

Cover; simmer until lentils are tender, stirring twice, about 10 minutes. Divide stew among bowls. Top with yogurt.

Makes 6 servings.

Bon Appétit
Every-Night Cooking
December 2005

 
And a question about lentils>>

After 10 minutes, the lentils were al dente and a few minutes later they were mushy. Is this the normal texture or did I overdo it? This was my first time to cook red lentils, do they cook more quickly than the regular brown ones? REcipe cooking times seem to vary quite a lot. These had been in my pantry a while, but were fine, just wondered if age has anything to do with it. I bought them from a bulk food store and didn't have directions.

 
Red lentils do cook faster....

than the brown or green ones. They do mush down very nicely, in short order. Yellow lentils do about the same. I don't think that the amount of time they had been in your pantry affected the cooking time much.
I'm fond of a nice thick red or yellow lentil soup/stew, and your recipe will be on my "to try" list.
I have 2 red lentil soup recipes, if you'd like to try another one. Just holler, and I will post.

 
Boy, Curious, it sounds like you were cooking up a storm

for Christmas! The salad sounds wondeful. Red lentils have gome to mush on me every time I've tried them. I'm sure the stew was delicious anyway.

 
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