November Daring Cooks Challenge: Rise and Shine! Cheddar, Bacon and Scallion Souffle

Dave and Linda from Monkeyshines in the Kitchen chose Soufflés as our November 2010 Daring Cooks’ Challenge! Dave and Linda provided two of their own delicious recipes plus a sinfully decadent chocolate soufflé recipe adapted from Gordon Ramsay’s recipe found at the BBC Good Food website.

Our hosts were generous enough to let us go rogue and pick our own recipes as well as long as we made a real souffle and not some cheap knockoff.  I knew I wanted to do a savory souffle first (although the chocolate souffle sounded to die for), so I hunted around.  I also knew that I had one big souffle dish and not quite as many ramekins as most of the recipes called for.  So I went to Epicurious and Gourmet Magazine and tried the Cheddar, Bacon and Scallion Souffle.  It was as good as it sounds. 

I understand completely why souffles are a natural choice for a Daring Cooks challenge.  There is a lot of mystery around souffles.  It's mostly nonsense.  I'm not saying that souffles are easy.  They are certainly not. But they only involve the mastery of some basic skills that you should have in the kitchen anyway.  

First, carefully read the recipe before you begin.  The timing of a souffle is somewhat delicate, since you're dealing with heat and eggs and cheese.  This recipe lent itself perfectly to pretending you are a TV chef and filling up your little bowls of ingredients and getting your mise en place together before you do anything.  Then, proceed to master skill number two.

Almost final souffle batter ready for egg whites. Second, at least the first time through, follow the recipe exactly.  I think you can get spontaneous with a souffle once you understand the way it works.  A good abstract thinker might even be able to look at ten recipes and come up with one independently.  I'd recommend, however, taking a good basic recipe and working it through before playing with it.  There are souffle-sasters and following a recipe to the letter will help the first one be a confidence booster instead of a story to tell at the dinner party where you end up ordering pizza.

Mysterious stiff egg white peaks.The third and final skill that I think you need for a souffle is a little bit subtle since most recipes seem to assume this knowledge.  You must know how to very carefully separate eggs.  For any dish where you need to get your egg whites into stiff peaks (and since much of the drama of a souffle comes from that airy light rise), it is crucial that there are no yolks in your egg whites.  The separated yolks can have a bit of white in them if things get messy, but no yolks in the eggs at all. The contamination can ruin the whole adventure.

Fold, baby, fold. (Note: don't fold with a whisk!)I'm happy to say that, having already gotten wind of the egg white secret, I worked my patience and skills and ended up with a delicious savory souffle! I felt very American using what also amount to fantastic cornbread ingredients in a souffle, but it fit the ingredients we had available and sounded like something I could my husband excited about.  Now that he's had one, I have all kinds of other ideas and will get cracking on a sweet version as well.  

Souffles are also a great way to feature local and organic dairy products! I used New York Cheddar, Ronnybrook Farms Creamline whole milk, Vermont farm fresh eggs and Amish butter.    I had hoped to use the last of our garden scallions, but I couldn't get as much as I needed from our remaining harvest.  The dairy products were great, though, and made the dish! 

Cheddar, Bacon and Scallion Souffle (from Epicurious)

1/2 cup finely chopped scallion

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 slices of lean bacon, cooked, drained, reserving 2 tablespoons of the fat, and crumbled

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/3 cups milk

cayenne to taste

1 1/2 cups coarsely grated Cheddar (about 6 ounces)

4 large eggs, separated

1. In a small heavy saucepan cook the scallion in the butter and the reserved bacon fat over moderately low heat, stirring, until the scallion is softened, stir in the flour, and cook the roux stirring, for 3 minutes.
2. Add the milk in a stream, whisking, and boil the mixture, whisking, for 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and whisk in the cayenne, the Cheddar, and salt and pepper to taste, whisking until the cheese is melted.
3. Add the egg yolks, 1 at a time, whisking well after each addition, and whisk in the bacon.
4. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the cheese mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly.
5. Pour the mixture into a buttered 1 1/2-quart soufflé dish and bake the soufflé in the middle of a preheated 375°F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until it is puffed and golden. Serve the soufflé immediately.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Cheddar-Bacon-and-Scallion-Souffle-12789#ixzz15Gdnh7pr

Changing Seasons: Rainbow Chard and Bacon Risotto

There is a chill in the air as we move towards autumn.  Even though I will quickly remind you that summer is not yet over, I will also admit that the time is coming for cooler weather foods.  I'm still getting plenty of greens at the farmers' market and they lend themselves nicely to in-between weather comfort dishes.  

I also, as you may have noticed, have been spending some time hanging around the Amish farm stand at our greenmarket.  There are plenty of local dairy options at the bigger farmers' markets in the city (and of course Ronnybrook is readily available from Fresh Direct or Brooklyn Fare or any number of other conscientious markets), but, of course, my approach is that the local-est is best and I'm happy to support a community who brings us single ingredient items.  You want butter? It's made with cream.  Period.  Yum.  

Over time, we've expanded our take from the Amish stand to include eggs, a variety of cheeses and now, bacon.  And really, isn't that all we need in life? I recently bought a pound of sliced bacon and began dreaming up ways change our world.  Mix in those late summer greens and I had a plan.  My first adventure with this bacon was to make my collard greens, which, in retrospect, was a very good plan.  

By making something I could make in my sleep, I became quickly familiar with how the Amish bacon was different from others that I've used before.  Amish bacon (at least from this particular stand) was subtler, less salty and almost lighter, if bacon can be such a thing.  For collard greens, it was almost too subtle.  And so, rainbow chard and bacon risotto was born.  

To bring out the bacon's strengths, I crisped the bacon and rendered the fat in the pot I'd use for the rice.  Then, I cooked garlic and onions in the bacon fat and added the arborio rice to get it saturated in the bacon fat and other flavors.  The bacon was still subtle, but it was able to come through in a creamy, simple rice dish.  The rainbow chard added earthiness which complemented the bacon without overwhelming it.  Finally, against my husband's protests, I used a simple red wine to bring it all home.  

Now that I've learned about my product, I'm looking forward to new ways to make it work for us.  And, when I need that stronger bacon-y element, there's always Niman Ranch. 

Rainbow Chard and Bacon Risotto

• 5 cups organic chicken broth
• 4 slices bacon (nice and streaky, local if you can find it), cut into about 1 inch pieces 
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (LINK)
• 4 cups rainbow chard, trimmed and chopped (about 1 bunch)
• sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste
• freshly grated Pecorino Romano

1. Heat chicken broth in a pot over medium heat.  Lower if it starts to boil. 
2. In a separate pot, cook bacon pieces until fat is rendered and bacon reaches desired crispness.  (I like it nice and crispy to add texture later.)
3. Add onions and garlic to bacon fat and cook until translucent. Add rice and chard.  Cook about 3 minutes until rice is well coated and greens have wilted. 
4. Add wine to rice mixture, stirring constantly, and cook until dry. Add broth in 1/2 cup intervals, cooking until dry. 
5. Mix in grated cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Add bacon and give it one last stir to combine.  Enjoy! 

Rainbow Chard with Anchovies, Pine Nuts and Cranberries on Polenta

On a cool rainy morning, it is hard to believe it is summer.  I'm sure many of you out there are grumbling and a bit blue, but, aside from the fact that I generally love cool rainy mornings most of all, I'm particularly satisfied because I'm stuck at home for a little while and I don't feel like I'm missing out on quite so much outdoor fun when it's gloomy. 

The other upside is that I have a chance to explore some summer comfort food.  Even on cool days like this, summer comfort food can't be too heavy or thick.  I crave warmth and a smooth texture, but still some lightness.  What could satisfy that call better than polenta? 

I used to buy the pre-prepared tube of polenta from Trader Joe's to keep on hand for these sorts of meals.  After buying a box of polenta, I realized how silly I was.  The biggest pain is that you have to keep stirring the polenta to discourage clumps, but otherwise there is no finesse and hardly any time involved in making a nice base for all manner of soothing meals. 

For this one, I took advantage of the beautiful rainbow swiss chard that we picked up from Phillips Farms at the farmers' market and turned to my friend Mark Bittman for inspiration.  I'd like to say that I tinkered and played with his recipe and improved on his perfection.  It's generally not possible since Bittman has a nice healthy simple (Minimalist, if you will) approach and his recipes generally do not go wrong.  I did use anchovy paste instead of anchovy fillets, cranberries instead of raisins and the polenta was all me.  His recipe was also for greens generally and I, of course, used the chard.  

I was drawn to this recipe because of the anchovies.  As gross as I always believed them to be, I can no longer deny that they are good for you.  Even my husband asked me to somehow slip more of them into our food after reading Real Food by Nina Planck (I haven't even read it yet and I'm eternally grateful for its effect on my household).  I use the anchovy paste to sneak some into pasta dishes and have come to like it.  This recipe was my attempt to go more full throttle into the world of anchovies.  Expect more to come.  

The most exciting addition was 1/2 of a Hot Portugal chili pepper straight from our garden.  I only used half because I had never worked with a Hot Portugal before, but they are on the light side, so I would use at least a whole one in the future.  If you don't have fresh chilis on hand, you can substitute about 1/2 teaspoon of red chili flakes or as much or as little as you prefer. 

Rainbow Chard with Anchovies, Pine Nuts and Cranberries on Polenta (adapted from Mark Bittman's The Minimalist Cooks Dinner)

• At least 2 servings prepared polenta (find your favorite slow version, it's worth it)
• 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp anchovy paste or up to 8 anchovy fillets to taste (or more if you're really a fan)
• 1/2 fresh small red chili pepper, sliced (optional)
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries or raisins
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts
• 4 cups trimmed rainbow swiss chard or other greens, washed, dried and chopped
• sea salt
• freshly cracked black pepper

1. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large deep skillet over medium heat.  Add garlic, chili slices and anchovies.  When garlic is pungent and anchovies dissolve into oil, turn heat to low. 
2. Stir in cranberries and pine nuts.  Cook for one minute. 
3. Add greens and 1/2 cup water.  Cover and cook until chard is tender (about 10-12 minutes). 
4. Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. 
5. Serve greens over polenta in a bowl with greater proportion of greens than in the picture above.  Pour broth generously over each bowl. Enjoy!

Easy Braised Collard Greens and Chili-Roasted Carrots

Don't let "easy" make you think "quick". I had a couple of false-starts after finding this recipe on The Kitchen because I failed to notice the amount of chopping and the decent amount of braising time. I will say this, however: MAKE THIS.

My husband developed a taste for collard greens in Pensacola last summer and hasn't looked back. We've tried collards at every imaginable opportunity since then. This recipe has gotten the official stamp of approval. Even after Blue Smoke in Manhattan (I know. Why would there be good collard greens in Manhattan, but it's Blue Smoke!), if I may say so myself, we liked this recipe better.

I give partial credit to the recipe I started with (10 cloves garlic, wine, good broth and chili flakes? Yes, please.) and the rest to the Niman Ranch bacon I used the first time. Subsequently, I also tried this recipe with medium-slice deli ham and was very pleased with the results. (Trust me, though - try it first with the bacon.)

After classifying this dish as a Southern-style stir fry, I was also able to serve it as a main dish with a generous bowl of rice. In order to round out the meal, I improvised some Chili-Roasted Carrots with a sad little bag of baby carrots left in the crisper. They had a smoky sweetness that complemented the collards well and so, my friends, today you get two recipes for the price of one.

Braised Collard Greens (adapted from The Kitchen)

• 1 bunch collard greens (usually 1 1/2 - 2 pounds)
• 10 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, minced
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• Red pepper flakes, to taste
• 1/4 pound bacon, ham or other smoked pork (try smoked turkey even if you don't eat pork...)
• 1/2 cup wine (any wine is fine - I always used some sort of leftover white wine)
• 2 cups chicken broth
• Salt and pepper, to taste

1. Cut and trim the tough stems away from the collard leaves. Stack the leaves, roll tightly and slice into ribbons. Wash the ribbons thoroughly and set aside to drain.
2. Cut the bacon (or other smoked meat) into 1-inch pieces.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large high-walled skillet or extremely wide pan over medium heat,  add red pepper flakes and bacon. Cook until bacon is getting crispy. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside.
4. Add the onion and garlic to the skillet with bacon grease and turn the heat to low. Cook them slowly, stirring frequently, until soft and golden (about 10 minutes). Don't let them get too dark, althoug a nice caramelization is nice. 
5. Add greens and bacon to the skillet, stirring until wilted. Add wine and chicken broth and season with a little salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer, cover, and cook for about 30 minutes over low. (This keeps the collards a bit al dente, if you will, so cook longer if you like them with a softer texture)
6. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve with broth over rice. 

Chili-Roasted Carrots

• 1 bag baby carrots
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• sea salt and fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat oven (try the toaster oven - less energy use, cooler kitchen) to 450F.
2. Combine all ingredients in baking pan covered in foil (the foil will save you a huge headache later). Toss well to make sure carrots are completely coated.
3. Roast for 20-25 minutes.  Enjoy!

Sausage and Leek Pasta, or New Experiences with Local Pork

The last couple of weeks have been intense in Forager land, with excitement happening as far away as Mexico and, of course, right here in Brooklyn.  I'm back on track on this spring day that feels like summer to tell you about a recipe that was born out of a winter day that suddenly turned into spring.  

I love spring! It offers up brief baths of sunshine in the coldest days of winter and, for a couple of weeks, plays hide and seek as well.  On one of the first beautiful spring days, I hit the Grand Army Plaza Farmers' Market to take advantage of the textile recycling and see what was on offer.

In poking around the booths, I found Bradley Farm , based in New Paltz, NY, with beautiful pork sausage on display.  I loaded up on onions for the Tigress Can Jam and got some late winter butternut squash and greens.  These seemed like the perfect ingredients for a last cold weather casserole, until spring came out from hiding in full force, screaming for something lighter - less squash, more leeks.

I went with a recipe from Lidia Bastianich using sausage, leeks and campanelle.  I've actually not made one of her recipes before and can't imagine why I never did.  The recipe was simple, flavorful and really beautiful.  I found tricolor vegetable radiatore at Trader Joe's that mimicked the campanelle just enough to catch the sauce and bits of sausage.  It also called for just a small amount of sausage which stretched a pricey and amazingly tasty product a long way. 

Sausage and Leek Pasta (adapted from Lidia Bastianich)

• 2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 2/3 lb sweet Italian sausage (casings removed), crumbled
• 2 large leeks, trimmed, light green and white parts cut into 1/2-inch pieces, washed well, and drained
• 1/2 small white onion, minced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 cups frozen young peas
• 1 cup homemade or low-salt chicken broth
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 lb. campanelle or other shaped, dried pasta
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano, plus more for serving if you like

1. Heat large pot of salted water for the pasta.
2. In a large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Cook the sausage, breaking up the lumps, until golden, about 5 minutes.
3. Add the leeks and cook, stirring, until soft, about 8 minutes. Stir in the onion and cook for 1 minute.
4.  Add 1 Tbs. of the butter, the peas, and the broth. Heat to a boil, reduce the heat to medium low, and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, cover the skillet, and set aside; keep warm.
5. Meanwhile, cook the pasta, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain the pasta and return it to the pot over low heat. Add the sausage and leek sauce to the pasta and toss well. Remove the pot from the heat, add the remaining 1 Tbs. butter and the grated cheese; toss well.
6. Transfer to a warmed serving platter or individual bowls. Serve immediately, with more grated cheese on the side, if you like.