Recipes

Recipes
"Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time." Marthe Troly-Curtin

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Creamy Chive Potato Cakes

Makes 16 potato cakes
Prep: 1 hour 15 minutes
Chill: 3 hours
Bake: 36 minutes

Ingredients
2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
1 tablespoon salt plus 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
Cold water
4 ounces goat cheese (such as Montrachet), crumbled
3 tablespoons snipped fresh chives
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
2 tablespoons dairy sour cream
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 teaspoons olive oil, divided

Directions
1. Line a 9-inch square pan with plastic wrap, allowing a 6-inch overhang of wrap over two sides of the pan.
2. Bring potatoes, 1 tablespoon salt and enough cold water to cover to a boil in stockpot. Cook potatoes 30 to 35 minutes, until tender; drain. Coarsely mash half the potatoes in a bowl. Dice the other half and add to the mashed potatoes. Fold in cheese, chives, butter, sour cream, remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and the pepper. Spread potato mixture into pan; fold overhang of plastic to cover top. Refrigerate 3 hours, until firm.
3. Unmold chilled potatoes onto a cutting board; peel off plastic wrap. Spray a 2-1/2-inch oval or round cookie cutter with vegetable cooking spray. Cut out 8 ovals of potato mixture. Press scraps together to form a 3/4-inch-thick disk; cut out 4 more ovals. Repeat, making a total of 16 cakes.
4. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook one third of potato cakes, 3 minutes per side, until deep golden. Drain on paper towels. Repeat process 2 more times; cool completely. Transfer cakes to a jelly-roll pan.
5. Heat oven to 375 degree F. Bake potatoes 18 to 20 minutes, until heated through. Makes 16 potato cakes.
Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare cakes as directed above. Wrap jelly-roll pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate up to 24 hours. Unwrap and bake as directed above.

Nutrition facts per serving:
calories: 105
total fat: 6g
saturated fat: 3g
cholesterol: 10mg
sodium: 311mg
carbohydrate: 10g
fiber: 1g
protein: 3g

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Goat Meat Tacos

Adapted from Alexandro Garcia; Blue Agave Club, Pleasanton, CA
While on a research trip to San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, food editor Ian Knauer met restaurateur and fellow traveling cook Alexandro Garcia, who made a special point of sharing his family's recipe for goat. This dish combines the subtle perfume of bay leaves and cloves with the depth and spice of dried chiles. It's a combination so compelling we found ourselves going back for more even after we were full.

Active time: 45 min Start to finish: 5 hr

Servings: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients
3 dried guajillo or New Mexico chiles, wiped clean
2 dried ancho chiles, wiped clean
1 pound tomatoes
3 1/2 to 4 pound bone-in goat such as shoulder, neck, or leg
3 garlic cloves
1 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
5 whole black peppercorns
3 whole cloves
2 Turkish bay leaves or 1 California
16 to 24 corn tortillas

Accompaniments: sliced radishes; crumbled queso fresco; salsa verde; thinly sliced romaine or iceberg lettuce; chopped cilantro; chopped white onion; lime wedges

Preparation
Slit chiles lengthwise, then stem and seed (leave veins for heat). Heat a dry large heavy skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat until hot, then toast chiles in batches, opened flat, turning and pressing with tongs, until more pliable and slightly changed in color, about 30 seconds per batch.

Transfer chiles to a bowl and soak in hot water until softened, 20 to 30 minutes.

Cut a shallow X in bottom of each tomato and blanch in simmering water 20 seconds. Transfer with a slotted spoon to an ice bath to stop cooking. Peel tomatoes. Coarsely chop, reserving juice.

Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle.

Cut goat at joints to separate into pieces and put in a 3-qt shallow baking dish. Sprinkle all over with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Drain chiles, discarding soaking water, and pur´ in a blender with tomatoes and reserved juice, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining ingredients except tortillas until very smooth, about 1 minute.

Pour sauce over meat, turning to coat, then cover dish tightly with a double layer of foil and braise in oven until meat is very tender, 3 to 1/2 hours. Remove from oven and cool meat in liquid, uncovered, 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Coarsely shred meat, discarding bones, then mix into braising liquid in dish. Return to oven and cook, covered, until sauce is simmering, about 30 minutes more.

Fifteen minutes before goat is done, make 2 stacks of tortillas and wrap each stack in foil, then heat in oven on rack alongside baking dish. Serve goat with warm tortillas and accompaniments.

Cooks' note: Goat can be made 3 days ahead and chilled.

Barbecued Cabrito Goat

10 Servings

5 cl Garlic; chopped
4 c Vegetable oil
4 c Cider vinegar
2 c water
1 c Worcestershire sauce
2 ea Bay leaves
2 ea Lemons; halved
3 tb Seasoning salt
3 tb Pepper
1 tb Paprika
1 ea 8-10 pound goat loin; split
1 ea 8-10 pound goat hindquarter

Combine garlic, oil, vinegar, water, Worcestershire sauce, and bay
leaves. Squeeze lemons; add juice and lemon halves to mixture. Set
marinade aside.
Combine seasoning salt, pepper, and paprika; rub into goat, and place
goat in a large shallow container. Add marinade. Cover and refrigerate 8
hours, turning meat once.
Place 2 pieces of oak (each the length of the grill) at front and back
of grill. Place charcoal in middle. Start fire, and let burn until coals
are white.
Remove goat from marinade, reserving marinade. Rake coals to one end of
grill; place goat at opposite end with bone side down. Cover with lid, and
cook over indirect heat 4 hours or until meat starts to shrink from bone,
basting with marinade and turning every 20 minutes. Yield: 10 servings

Goat Chili with Eye of the Goat Beans

Recipe by Laurence Jossel

Spiced with árbol and guajillo chiles, this mellow, satisfying chilicontains both braised goat shoulder and Rancho Gordo's Ojo de Cabra (Eye of the Goat) beans. The recipe is also wonderful with pork shoulder in place of the goat and ordinary kidneybeans instead of the heirloom kind.

Pairing Suggestion Beer is a classic accompaniment to chili, partly because its light bitterness and cold temperature work so well with rich foods. Two good choices for Jossel's meaty goat chili are both crisp lagers: Samuel Adams' caramel-accented Octoberfest and the lightly hoppy Brooklyn Brewery Brooklyn Lager.
 ACTIVE: 1 HR
TOTAL TIME: 3 HRS 30 MIN PLUS OVERNIGHT MARINATING AND 4 HR SOAKING
SERVINGS: 8
HEALTHY
MAKE-AHEAD
INGREDIENTS
3 dried árbol chiles, stemmed and seeded
1 dried guajillo chile, stemmed and seeded
1 ancho chile, stemmed and seeded
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon hot pimentón de la Vera (smoked Spanish paprika)
Kosher salt
 2 pounds trimmed, boneless goat or pork shoulder, rinsed and picked over, then cut into 1-inch cubes
 2 cups dried Eye of the Goat or red kidney beans, rinsed and picked over, then soaked for 4 hours and drained
1 thick slice of bacon (1 ounce), cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 cup dark Mexican beer, such as Negra Modelo
2 cups chicken stock or low-sodium broth
 Freshly ground pepper
 Sour cream, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges, for serving

DIRECTIONS
1.. In a heatproof bowl, soak the árbol, guajillo and ancho chiles in the boiling water until softened, about 20 minutes. Drain the chiles, reserving 1/3 cup of the soaking liquid. Coarsely chop the chiles.
2.. In a small skillet, toast the cumin seeds over moderate heat until fragrant, about 20 seconds. Transfer the seeds to a blender. Add the chiles and their reserved soaking liquid along with the oregano, garlic, paprika and 1 tablespoon of salt. Puree until smooth. Scrape the chile puree into a large nonreactive bowl or baking dish. Add the goat and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
3.. In a large saucepan, cover the beans with 2 inches of water and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 1 hour; add more water as needed to keep the beans covered by 2 inches. When the beans are just tender but still al dente, season them with salt and let stand in their cooking liquid for 5 minutes.
4.. Preheat the oven to 375°. In a large, enameled cast-iron casserole, cook the bacon over moderate heat until the fat has rendered, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a large plate. Add the olive oil to the casserole. Working in batches, cook the chile-goat mixture over moderately high heat, turning a few times, until richly browned all over, about 4 minutes. Transfer the browned goat to the plate with the bacon.
5.. Add the onion to the casserole and cook over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the goat and bacon and any accumulated juices and stir well. Add the beer and boil over high heat until reduced by half, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken stock and bring to a simmer.
6.. Cover the casserole, transfer it to the oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until the goat is tender when pierced with a fork. Add the beans and bake, uncovered, for about 10 minutes, until they are warmed through. Remove the casserole from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer the chili to bowls and serve with the sour cream, cilantro sprigs and lime wedges.

MAKE AHEAD
The chili can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Tiramisu and Kahlua Magic

Ingredients
. 12 Pk ladyfingers
. 2 egg yolks
. 1/2 cup powdered sugar
. 4 oz softened cream cheese, beaten until fluffy
. 1/3 cup whipping cream, whipped
. 1/4 cup kahlua
. 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder, dissolved in 1 tablespoon water
. 1 oz semi-sweet chocolate, chopped fine
. 2 tsp unsweetened cocoa powder

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange ladyfingers in single layer on baking sheet. Toast in oven 10 minutes. Set aside. Whisk yolks with sugar until smooth and thck in medium bowl. Whisk in cream cheese. Fold In whipped cream. Stir kahlua into espresso mixture. combine chopped chocolate and cocoa in another small bowl. Place 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture in bottom of each of two (12 oz) wine goblets or desert dishes. Top each with 3 ladyfingers, 3 to 4 teaspoons Kahlua Mixture and 1/3 cup cream cheese mixture. Cover each with 1/4 of chocolate mixture, 3 ladyfingers and 3 to 4 teaspoons Kahlua mixture. Top each dessert with 1/2 of the remaining cream cheese mixtures; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate mixture. Cover; refrigerate several hours before serving. Serves 6.