Bret's Table » Main Courses

Lamb Burgers and Potatoes

BRETM — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 18:40:32 +0000

It’s only March 21, and this evening was already the second time that we have pulled out the Weber Grill. For a tasty but simple dinner we decided it would be lamb burgers and grilled potatoes. The burgers were from our friend Suvir Saran’s recipe that Allen Brothers carries on their website. Absolutely nothing is needed to enhance the flavor the lamb burgers. They are perfectly delicious right from the package.

For the potatoes, I microwaved 2 large russet baking potatoes until they were just soft when I gave them a pinch. I let them cool a bit, then peeled and cut them into ½ inch thick slices. I drizzled each slice with some olive oil, sprinkled with salt and pepper and some Garam Masala from Sameh Wadi’s Spice Collection. He is the chef owner of Saffron Restaurant and Bar.

After the coals were glowing red, the grate was laid over them. Using tongs, the potatoes were placed directly over the fire and turned often to prevent them from burning. A little more olive oil was brushed on those that seemed a little dry. Once they were cooked, all were stacked up off the direct heat, while the burgers were cooking. A couple of minutes before they were grilled to perfection, buttered sesame buns were placed on the grates to toast. Everything was then pulled off the grill and enjoyed with a Sam Adams Maibok.

Roasted Butternut Squash with Quinoa Salad

BRETM — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 03:53:35 +0000

I take the train to and from work so I’m generally reading the latest issue of Food & Wine or Bon Appetit during those 40 minutes each day. I discovered the following recipe by Michael Symon from the March 201o issue of F&W. Of course, I adapted it immediately as I didn’t have a Delicata Squash. I also wanted to give it a little zing, so I minced a dried red chili and added that as well.

Quinoa is definitely a superfood: a grain-like seed, it’s a “complete” protein containing all eight essential amino acids. Another plus is that it cooks much more quickly than most grains.

Instead of stuffing the salad into the squash, I diced the squash, roasted it and tossed it in with the other ingredients.

1 Butternut squash (about 1 pound), peeled, seeded and cut into ¾ inch cubes
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup quinoa
2 tablespoons golden raisins
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
1 teaspoon honey
1 Pink Lady apple, finely diced
2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ½ inch dice
¼ red bell pepper, roasted and cut into ½ inch dice
1 large shallot, minced
2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons chopped mint
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 ounces arugula (2 cups)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Toss squash with 2 teaspoons of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the squash on a baking sheet and roast for about 30 minutes, or until tender.

2. Meanwhile, in a saucepan, bring 2 cups of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the quinoa, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the raisins and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 5 minutes. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl and let cool.

4. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar and honey with the remaining olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

5. Add the dressing to the quinoa along with the apple, carrot, bell pepper, shallot, garlic, ginger, mint, and parsley and toss well. Add the arugula and toss gently. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

The quinoa can be refrigerated overnight. Bring to room temperature and add the arugula just before serving.

Morel Mushrooms and Raw Milk Cheddar, They’re great in a Frittata!

BRETM — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 18:39:07 +0000

Last spring, I was fortunate to have the opportunity to go morel hunting. I didn’t find any, but friends of mine did and they gladly shared their treasure with me. I dried most of the mushrooms using a dehydrator and luckily, I still had a few left in the pantry.

I reconstituted a ½ ounce of the dried morels and added them to some button mushrooms and other goodies to create a delicious vegetarian frittata. It’s on the PastureLand website. Here’s the link.

Add Some Spice!

BRETM — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 00:26:56 +0000

Minneapolis’s own Sameh Wadi, co-owner and chef of Saffron Restaurant & Lounge, competed last summer in Iron Chef America. He was up against Morimoto (his choice) and the secret ingredient was Mackerel. The show aired Sunday, January 24. To celebrate, Sameh and his brother Saed hosted a party at the Hotel Minneapolis to watch the competition. I believe everyone who was there that night would agree: he was robbed! Regardless, it was a great night to congratulate a very talented, rising star and enjoy the cuisine inspired by their restaurant.

Chef Wadi has created a line of spice blends from his restaurant kitchen, including mixes influenced by North African, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines. Don’t get me wrong and don’t think I’ve gone soft, as I still fully embrace cooking from scratch. However, when one needs to prepare a quick dinner and doesn’t have time to toast, grind, and mix spices, these are a great alternative.

Not long ago, I was in that very predicament. I had a couple of chicken breasts in the fridge that needed to be cooked. By the time it took my indoor grill pan from Le Creuset to heat, I had rubbed the chicken with a little olive oil, salt, and some Ras El Hanout blend. While the chicken was cooking low and slow, I quickly prepared some couscous and sautéed some vegetables. Within half an hour, a delicious weeknight dinner was on the table and deserving of a glass of Riesling to enjoy with it.

I was in the same boat yet again not too long ago and knew that I had a couple dozen large shrimp in the freezer. Here’s the recipe.

24 Shrimp, 13-15 count
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1½ teaspoons Dry Harissa blend
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat a grill pan over medium flame. Using a paper towel, pat the shrimp dry. Toss them in a bowl with the oil, spices, and salt. Cook the shrimp about 3 minutes per side or just until no longer pink.

A green salad with grapes and avocado shared the plate with the shrimp, as did a small bowl of spicy cocktail sauce. Having a bottle of Hou Hou Shou sake in the refrigerator, I thought, “Hey, I wonder how sake would pair with the shrimp?” It was quite nice, actually, with its clean, sparkling character against the spices of the Dry Harissa.

If you don’t have time to make your own spice blend, be sure to check out the wonderful combinations from Iron Chef Contestant and restaurateur Sameh Wadi.

Saturday Morning Breakfast Crêpes

BRETM — Sun, 17 Jan 2010 00:24:24 +0000

Oh my, it was the end of November when I last blogged about what’s been happening here at Bret’s Table. Wow! Where does the time go and what have I been doing all this time? Oh right, I launched a new website. YAY! Then there was my 50th Birthday, which was a 4 day celebration. What a blast that was! Jon really outdid himself with the planning and execution of all the fabulous parties. Friends came from across the country to celebrate with me. I am truly blessed!

Then of course, there was Christmas and New Year’s. I tackled the stuffed duck (or in my case goose) wrapped in pastry for dinner Christmas Day. If you’ve seen the movie Julie & Julia, it’s the last recipe Julie tackles. One of these days I want to make it again, for one reason to take photographs, and the other to streamline the process. There has to be an easier way to accomplish what Julia achieved.

Those two feasts also included a wonderful gift: a visit from my mom, sister, niece and nephew. It was great that they decided to come north to spend a week here, as they all live in Florida.

Now here it is the middle of January and I’ve been eating crêpes filled with sautéed bananas and pecans for the last three Saturdays. The recipe is now posted on the PastureLand Co-op website. Click here for the link to the recipe.

Chicken and Dumplings, Southern Style

Admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:37:50 +0000

This recipe is taken from watching my Grandmother making this for Sunday Dinner practically anytime we would visit. I never tired of it then and when I make it now, it always brings back fond memories of those Sundays visiting my grandparent’s home in Jacksonville, Florida.

2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into ¼ dice
3 shallots or 1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut into ¼ dice
3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
3 pounds chicken pieces, washed and dried
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1-2 teaspoons olive oil
1 bay leaf
3 thyme branches, fresh
2 rosemary branches, fresh
1 small sage branch, fresh
3 quarts of water
2- 2 ¼ cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus enough to flour the board
2 teaspoons salt

Heat olive oil in a 6 quart Dutch oven or French cocotte. Sprinkle chicken with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

When the oil is shimmering, brown the chicken (skin side down first) in batches being careful not to crowd the pan. Give the chicken a chance to turn a deep golden brown before turning it over to brown the other side.

Transfer the chicken to a plate after it is browned. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of fat. Add and sweat the carrots. Stir in the shallots (or onions) and cook about 3 minutes, scraping the bottom as you stir. Add the garlic, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary branches.

Deglaze the pot with about 2 cups of water, scraping up any brown bits. Return the chicken to the pot and cover with remaining water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour.

Remove the chicken to a plate. When cool enough to handle, remove the meat from the bone and set aside. Strain the stock and return it to the pot.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt and 2 cups of stock. Stir to combine. Add more flour as needed to make soft dough. Dump out the dough and knead just to bring it together. Divide dough in half and roll each half out on a lightly floured work surface to about a 1/8 inch. Use a bench knife or an off-set spatula underneath the dough to keep it from sticking.

With a butter knife, cut the dough into long strips. Lift the dough of the surface and pull each strip into about 3” strips, dropping each one into the pot of simmering chicken stock. Simmer dumplings about 20 minutes. Add chicken back to pot to reheat. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Enjoy this hearty, family favorite with a Sauvignon Blanc Semillon or Voigner.

Moroccan Stew

Admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:37:26 +0000

This recipe for Moroccan stew took less than 45 minutes to prepare; even on a Friday evening after a full day at the office. I served it with couscous (the 10-ounce box of Near East).

I cooked the couscous according to the directions on the box but I added half a dozen whole peppercorns, a 1-inch cinnamon stick, a bay leaf and a pinch of salt and a pinch of saffron threads to the water before it boiled.

A Starling Castle Riesling from Mosel, Germany was a great complement. With a bright golden hue and a nose of citrus and pear, it had a slightly sweet fruit flavor and a crisp elegant finish. It was perfect with the spiciness of the stew.

2 teaspoons cumin seeds
12 whole cloves
1 inch cinnamon stick 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 ¼ pounds, top sirloin steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 cups sliced onions
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces peeled baby carrots, sliced
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 ½ cups beef broth
½ cup dried apricots, chopped
½ cup chopped fresh mint, divided

Heat cumin seeds, cloves and cinnamon stick in a dry skillet until toasted. Let cool and buzz in a spice grinder or grind with a mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large enameled cast iron skillet over high heat. Sprinkle beef with salt and pepper. Add beef to skillet and sauté until cooked to desired doneness, about 2 minutes for medium-rare. Using slotted spoon, transfer beef to bowl.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add carrots and ¼ cup water. Let water evaporate then add onions. Sauté onions until golden, about 3 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds but do not let burn.

Add all spices; stir 30 seconds. Sprinkle flour over; stir 30 seconds. Stir in broth and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium; simmer until carrots are just tender, about 8 minutes. Return beef to skillet, add apricots and cook until sauce thickens slightly, about 1 minute.

Season stew to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in ¼ cup chopped mint. Transfer stew to bowls. Sprinkle with remaining chopped mint and serve.

Szechuan Chicken & Red Rice Salad with Sesame Dressing

Admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:37:04 +0000

By Robin Asbell from her book The New Whole Grains Cookbook, Chronicle Books

1 ¾ to 2 cups water
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast halves cooked & shredded
1 cup red rice, washed and rinsed
1 tablespoon sugar
3 tablespoons Tahini
1 tablespoon minced ginger
2 cups bean sprouts
¼ cup soy sauce
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded & sliced
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
½ teaspoon salt 4 scallions, slivered
1 tablespoon hot sesame oil
½ teaspoon crushed Szechuan peppercorns (optional)
¼ cup chopped peanuts (can use cashews)

In a 1-quart saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, bring the water to a boil, and add the washed rice. Return to a boil, then reduce the heat to a low simmer. Cover tightly, and cook for 25 minutes, or until the water is all absorbed. Take the pan off the heat and let stand for 10 minutes. Let the rice cool to room temperature.

In a measuring cup or small bowl, whisk the Tahini, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oils, sugar, ginger, garlic, salt and crushed Szechuan pepper (if using). Put the shredded chicken in a small bowl and measure 2 tablespoons of the sesame mixture over it. Toss to mix. Stir the remaining sesame mixture into the chilled rice.

On a platter, spread the rice then top with the chicken, sprouts, and cucumber slices. Scatter the scallions and peanuts over it all and serve.

Chinese-Style Roasted Chicken Thighs

Admin — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:36:39 +0000

6 garlic cloves, chopped
3-inch piece of peeled fresh ginger root, quartered
5 sprigs lemon balm
8 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
5 teaspoons honey
¾ teaspoon salt
3 pounds skinless chicken thighs

(Optional ingredients for marinade)
5 Spice powder
Red pepper flakes

In a blender purée the garlic, ginger root, and lemon balm with the soy sauce, vinegar, honey and salt.

In a re-sealable plastic bag or a large bowl combine the marinade with the chicken thighs and let the chicken marinate at room temperature for 15 minutes or it can be marinated for up to three hours in the refrigerator.

15 minutes before placing in the oven, remove from the refrigerator to start bringing it to room temperature.

Arrange the chicken on the rack of a foil-lined broiler pan, discarding the marinade, and roast it in the middle of a preheated 375°F oven for 20 to 25 minutes, or until it is cooked through. Serve with rice and roasted vegetables.?

Mac&Cheese, The Real McCoy, plus Veggies!

Admin — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:43:00 +0000

Jon planted a row of rainbow Swiss chard in the garden. It has been unbelievably prolific this summer. It’s great sautéed with some garlic or on the bottom of a quiche.

I decided, however, to layer some sautéed leeks as well as some of the sautéed chard between macaroni noodles and cheese. PastureLand Summer Gold butter as well as PastureLand Gouda and Sharp Cheddar cheeses are the star of the show in this updated yet recognizably classic dish. Check out the recipe at PastureLand Co-op.