Barley And Spring Vegetable Medley

Barley And Spring Vegetable Medley

Ingredients: 

3 cups baby bok-choy, chopped
1 12-ounce package of ready baked fava bean tofu or ready
    baked soy-based tofu
1 cup dried barley, rinsed
1 cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup carrots, julienned
1 cup snap peas
½ cup green onions, sliced
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
1 tablespoon grapeseed oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Sesame-ginger dressing:  

½ cup grapeseed oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon maple syrup
Pinch of salt, to taste
Directions:
Cook barley until tender, following package instructions, then let
cool. Cut tofu into ½-inch cubes and set aside. Blanch bok choy,
broccoli, carrots, and snap peas until just tender, then plunge them
into ice water bath to retain their vibrant color.

In large bowl, combine barley, vegetables, and green onions.
Toss barley and vegetables with sesame-ginger dressing until well
coated. Top salad with tofu and drizzle on more dressing. Sprinkle
toasted sesame seeds and chopped cilantro over the medley before
serving.
Sesame-ginger dressing:
Prepare sesame-ginger dressing by vigorously whisking together
grapeseed oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, ginger, sesame oil, garlic, 

maple syrup, and pinch of salt.
Notes: Ice Bathing Vegetables Blanching and ice bathing
vegetables is a technique used to retain their vibrant colors, crisp
texture, and nutritional content. It’s particularly useful when
preparing vegetables to be frozen or to maintain their freshness in
salads.
Directions: 

Wash and trim the vegetables as needed. Cut them into uniform sizes for for even cooking. Bringa pot of water to a rolling boil,using enough water to fully submerge the vegetables.
Carefully place vegetables into the boiling water. Allow them to cook for a short period, typically 1 to 3 minutes, depending on the type of vegetable. Blanching helps preserve color and kill enzymes that can cause loss of flavor and texture.
While the vegetables are being blanched, prepare a large
bowl filled with a generous amount of ice cubes in cold water.
Using a slotted spoon or tongs, quickly transfer the blanched
vegetables from the boiling water to the ice bath. This rapid cooling
process, known as ice bathing, instantly halts the cooking. After the
vegetables have cooled in the ice bath for a few minutes, drain them
and pat them dry with a clean kitchen towel or paper towel.

Smoky Red Wine - Braised Turkey Legs

Smoky Red Wine–Braised Turkey Legs

Dark turkey meat can stand up to red wine. Lean into that by braising turkey legs in a bottle of Pinot Noir. There’s no risk of drying out anything, and you can pretty much finish it all a couple of days ahead. Serve with your favorite mash and side vegetables, or do Thanksgiving-in-a-bowl by stirring three 540-mL (18 oz. each) cans of drained and rinsed cannellini beans into the pot when you add the mushrooms.

Ingredients:

4 turkey legs, about 5 lbs (2.27 kg) total, thighs and drumsticks   separated

2 tsp (10 mL) Diamond Crystal kosher salt

1/4 tsp (1 mL) freshly ground black pepper

3/4 tsp (4 mL) ground allspice

1 tbsp (15 mL) canola or grapeseed oil

12 small shallots, peeled, root end intact

1 bottle (750 mL) Pinot Noir

3 cups (750 mL) homemade chicken stock or 30% reduced‑salt 

   chicken broth

2 sprigs rosemary

2 bay leaves

4 oz (115 g) double-smoked bacon, in one piece

1 tbsp (15 mL) butter

8 oz (225 g) small cremini mushrooms, trimmed

1/4 cup (60 mL) chopped parsley

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C).

Add turkey parts to a large bowl and sprinkle with salt, pepper and allspice.

Set a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Once hot, add oil and brown turkey parts all over,  working in batches if necessary, about  12 minutes total per batch. Remove to a plate.

In same pan, brown shallots all over, 6 minutes total. Pour wine and chicken stock overtop, add rosemary, bay leaves and bacon; boil 10 minutes.

Return turkey and juices to pot, cover and place in oven. Cook 1 1/2                                              hours

Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook                                 mushrooms until browned, about 7 minutes.

Remove turkey and shallots to a platter and tent with foil. Discard                           rosemary, bay leaves and bacon.   Set Dutch oven over medium-low                                       heat, add mushrooms and simmer 15 minutes. 

Return turkey and shallots to sauce, sprinkle with parsley and serve.                     Serves 6 to 8

Burnt Basque-Style Cheesecake

Burnt Basque-Style Cheesecake

 This Basque recipe takes all the fuss out of cheesecake: no crust, no water bath. It’s baked in a hot oven until purposefully burnt, leaving it with darkly caramelized edges and a super-creamy center. Topped with a roasted strawberry compote, it’s reminiscent of a classic New York–style cheesecake with a sophisticated twist. Prep time: 20 minutes Total time: 2 hours 5 minutes, plus 7 hours for cooling and chilling
Ingredients:
For the cheesecake:
2 2/3 cups (19 ounces) cream cheese, at room temperature
1 3/4 cups (14 ounces) soft sheep’s milk cheese, preferably MitiCrema 
brand, or any soft sheep or goat cheese, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
6 whole eggs plus 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cups heavy cream, at room temperature
For the compote:
1 pound strawberries, hulled, large berries cut in half lengthwise
2 teaspoons grapeseed oil
3/4 cup Tempranillo or other fruity Spanish red wine
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:
Make the cheesecake: preheat the oven to 425°F, with the rack in the center position.  Spray the entire inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray.  Place a 9-inch parchment paper circle inside the bottom of the pan, and line the sides of the pan with a 4 1⁄2–inch wide strip of parchment.  Overlap the ends of the parchment strip by approximately 2 inches on either side, to prevent the batter from leaking, and press the paper against the interior of the pan. This parchment collar will keep the cheesecake from overflowing during baking. Cover the outside of the springform pan with heavy-duty aluminum foil across the bottom and halfway up the sides of the pan to prevent the batter from leaking. Place the pan on a rimmed sheet pan and set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the cream cheese and sheep’s milk cheese, and beat them together on medium speed until very smooth, scraping the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the sugar and salt, and continue to beat on medium-high speed until the sugar has dissolved and the mixture is slightly aerated. Reduce the speed to medium and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, scraping the bowl often. With the machine running on low speed, sprinkle the flour in 3 to 4 batches, scraping the bowl as needed. Drizzle in the cream, and continue to beat until the batter is smooth and silky, with no lumps.

Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan just before baking, to prevent the batter from leaking excessively. Bake until the cheesecake is deeply browned, about 1 hour. Transfer the pan to a wire rack to cool for 1 hour, refrigerate for at least 6 hours, preferably overnight.

Make the compote: preheat the oven to 400°F, with the rack in the top third position.

Place the berries on a rimmed sheet pan, blot them with a paper towel, and toss them with the oil. Roast until the strawberries are softened and beginning to darken, about 15 minutes. Change the oven to the broil setting and continue to cook, watching carefully, until the strawberries begin to char all over, about 5 minutes more.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer the strawberries, including the juices and caramelized bits, to a medium saucepan. Stir in the wine, sugar, and lemon juice, and cook over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Increase the heat to medium and simmer until the mixture has thickened to a syrupy consistency and reduced slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer the compote to a bowl to cool, it will continue to thicken. The compote can be made in advance and refrigerated in a container up to one week. Bring the compote to room temperature before serving.  Serve each slice of cheesecake with a drizzle of compote.   Yield:  12 servings

Asian Pork Ribs With Hoisin, Sriracha and Honey Glaze

ASIAN PORK RIBS WITH HOISIN, 

SRIRACHA AND HONEY GLAZE

This is another recipe I received from my favorite instructor at Great News Cooking School, Phillis Carey.  Any recipe she offers is always a hit.

I have a slab of ribs in my freezer and will try recipe.

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Ingredients:
3 slabs baby-back ribs 
1 cup hoisin sauce
1/2 cup honey
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
2 T. minced garlic
3 T. minced ginger
2 T. Asian hot sauce (Sriracha)
1 T. Asian sesame oil
1/3 cup grapeseed or vegetable oil 
1/2 cup minced green onion tops

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Directions:

1. Cut ribs between the bones into individual ribs. In a large bowl, large enough to hold all the ribs and the marinade, combine the hoisin, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, ginger, Sriracha and sesame oil. Remove 3/4 cup; cover and refrigerate. Stir oil into remaining sauce and add the ribs, tossing to coat well. Cover and refrigerate ribs for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.

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2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fill the bottoms of a broiler pan or two half full of water. (Or you can place an oiled rack in a baking sheet or roasting pan and pour water in the bottom.) Oil the top rack and set on pan. Remove ribs from marinade, reserving any remaining marinade, and arrange on the pan; roast for 30 minutes, brush with any remaining marinade and turn ribs over. Roast another 30 minutes and brush with half the reserved refrigerated marinade and roast for 30 to 45 minutes longer or until tender and well browned.

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3. Remove ribs to a serving platter and drizzle with remaining reserved sauce and sprinkle with green onion tops.  Serves 8