Empanadas

From NY Times - http://www.nytimes.com/2013/07/03/dining/empanadas-the-pies-with-a-passport.html?_r=0

Corn empanadas first, then beef below.


FOR THE DOUGH
4 ounces lard or butter, plus more for brushing tops
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
750 grams all-purpose flour, about 6 cups, more as needed

FOR THE FILLING
Lard or olive oil, or a combination, for sautéing
1 cup diced onion
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
2 cups fresh corn kernels
2 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon cumin seeds, toasted and ground
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
Salt and pepper
Chicken broth as necessary, or use water
2 red bell peppers, roasted till blackened, then peeled and diced
1 cup diced cooked ham or Canadian bacon, optional
1/2 cup ricotta
Large pinch cayenne
2 ounces grated Gruyère cheese
1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts

PREPARATION
1. Make the dough: Put 2 cups boiling water, 4 ounces lard and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.

2. Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured board, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Make the filling: Melt 3 tablespoons lard in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook briskly, stirring, until softened and lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, corn, garlic, cumin and thyme. Season generously with salt and pepper and stir well. Add about 1 cup broth or water and simmer until potatoes are softened and liquid has evaporated, about 5 to 7 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl. Add roasted peppers, ham, ricotta and cayenne and stir well. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor (intensity will diminish upon cooling). Stir in Gruyère and scallions. Cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

5. Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.

6. Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork.

7. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on parchment-lined or oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly with lard or butter and bake on top shelf of oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

YIELD 36 empanadas

NOTE: Dough and filling may each be prepared a day or two in advance. The empanadas may be assembled several hours ahead of time and refrigerated, uncovered. Bring to room temperature before baking.


Beef Empanadas:


FOR THE DOUGH
4 ounces lard or butter, plus more for brushing tops
1 1/2 teaspoons fine sea salt
750 grams all-purpose flour, about 6 cups, more as needed

FOR THE FILLING
1 pound beef chuck, in 1/8-inch dice (or very coarsely ground)
Salt and pepper
Lard or olive oil, or a combination, for sautéing
1 cup diced onion
2 ounces diced chorizo
1/2 pound potatoes, peeled and diced
4 garlic cloves, mashed to a paste
2 teaspoons chopped thyme
2 teaspoons chopped marjoram or 1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon pimentón dulce or paprika
Large pinch cayenne
Beef or chicken broth, as necessary, or use water
1/2 cup chopped scallions, white and green parts
1/4 cup chopped pitted green olives
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced

PREPARATION
1. Make the dough: Put 2 cups boiling water, 4 ounces lard and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in large mixing bowl. Stir to melt lard and dissolve salt. Cool to room temperature.

2. Gradually stir in flour with a wooden spoon until dough comes together. Knead for a minute or two on a floured board, until firm and smooth. Add more flour if sticky. Wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3. Make the filling: Season chopped beef generously with salt and pepper and set aside for 10 minutes. Melt 3 tablespoons lard in a wide heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and fry until nicely browned, stirring throughout to keep pieces separate, about 5 minutes.

4. Turn heat down to medium and add onion and chorizo. Keep turning mixture with a spatula, as if cooking hash, until onion is softened and browned, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes, garlic, thyme and marjoram and stir well to incorporate. (Add a little more fat to pan if mixture seems dry.) Season again with salt and pepper and let mixture fry for 2 more minutes. Stir in tomato paste, pimentón and cayenne, then a cup of broth or water. Turn heat to simmer, stirring well to incorporate any caramelized bits.

5. Cook for about 10 more minutes, until both meat and potatoes are tender and the sauce just coats them — juicy but not saucy is what you want. Taste and adjust seasoning for full flavor (intensity will diminish upon cooling). Stir in scallions and cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

6. Divide chilled dough into 1-ounce pieces and form into 2-inch diameter balls. Roll each piece into a 4 1/2-inch circle. Lay circles on a baking sheet lightly dusted with flour.

7. Moisten outer edge of each round with water. Put about 2 tablespoons filling in the center of each round, adding a little chopped green olive and some hard-cooked egg to each. Wrap dough around filling to form empanada, pressing edges together. Fold edge back and finish by pinching little pleats or crimping with a fork.

8. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Place empanadas on parchment-lined or oiled baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. Brush tops lightly with lard or butter and bake on top shelf of oven until golden, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve warm.

YIELD 36 empanadas

NOTE: Dough and filling may each be prepared a day or two in advance. The empanadas may be assembled several hours ahead of time and refrigerated, uncovered. Bring to room temperature before baking.

Lebanese Lentils, Rice and Caramelized Onions (Mujadara)

From Foodnetwork.com


Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/lebanese-lentils-rice-and-caramelized-onions-mujadara-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback


Ingredients
1 cup brown or green lentils (not lentils du Puy), sorted for debris and rinsed
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
3 medium red onions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt
3/4 cup basmati rice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (1-inch) cinnamon stick
2 tablespoons pine nuts, optional
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Greek yogurt, for serving, optional
Directions
Throw the lentils into a medium saucepan. Fill with enough cold water to cover the lentils by about an inch. Bring it to a boil over medium-high heat, then turn down to a simmer and cook until the lentils are tender but not mushy, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, as the lentils cook, grab a large skillet. Pop it over medium-high heat and add the oil. Allow the oil to warm for a minute, then drop in the cumin seeds and cracked peppercorns and cook, shaking the pan once in a while until the cumin seeds darken a touch, about 1 minute.

Add the onions, sprinkle with a dash of salt and cook until they turn dark caramel brown, stirring often. This will take about 15 minutes. Splash the onions with a little water if they stick to the bottom of the pan. You'll know they're done both by their deep chestnut color and by the slight crispiness developing on some of the onions.

Using a slotted spoon or spatula, remove about half of the onions to a paper towel-lined plate; these are for garnish later. Sprinkle in the ground cumin, cayenne and then add the cinnamon stick; saute about 1 minute.

Add the rice and cook, stirring often (but gently so you don't break the rice!) until some rice grains start to brown. Quickly, add the cooked lentils, 3 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt; bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low so that the pan is at a simmer, cover and cook 30 minutes. The water should be completely evaporated and rice should be tender. (If there's still too much water in the bottom, put the lid back on and cook for another 5 minutes.)

Turn off the heat, keep the lid on, and allow the rice to steam undisturbed for about 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the pine nuts, if using, in a small skillet over medium-low heat, shaking often, about 5 minutes.

Taste the rice for seasoning. Serve with the reserved caramelized onions, toasted pine nuts, if using, and a little squeeze of lemon juice. I also like to serve this with some dollops of Greek yogurt.

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aarti-sequeira/lebanese-lentils-rice-and-caramelized-onions-mujadara-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Oven-Poached Pacific Sole With Lemon Caper Sauce

From NY Times.  A fish piccata of sorts, this dish is easy to make and the sauce is perfect for delicate fish like sole or flounder, as well as more robust fish like swordfish.

Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds Pacific sole or flounder fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 cup dry white wine (you can also use rosé; the sauce will have a pink hue)

For the sauce
1 plump garlic clove, minced or puréed (more to taste)
2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 to 4 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Oil or butter one or two baking dishes large enough to accommodate the fish fillets in one layer. Lay the fish in the dish(es) and season with salt and pepper.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a small or medium skillet and add the shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender and translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the wine to the pan, bring to a boil, and pour the wine and shallots over the fish. Return the skillet to the stove (make sure the heat is off) for later use. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, until the fish is opaque and pulls apart easily with a fork.

3. While the fish is in the oven, whisk together the garlic, capers, lemon juice and olive oil. You can also mash the garlic in a mortar and pestle and work in the capers, lemon juice and olive oil, though I prefer the capers chopped, even some intact, and not puréed.

4. When the fish is done remove it from the oven and carefully transfer to a platter or plates. Cover and keep warm. Pour the liquid in the baking dish into the skillet and turn the heat on high. Reduce, stirring often, to about 1/4 cup – it should be thick – and stir in the garlic and caper mixture and the parsley. Whisk together, taste and adjust seasoning, pour over the fish and serve.

Yield: Serves 4

Advance preparation: This is all pretty last minute, but you can prep the sauce before you begin cooking the fish.

Hearty Whole Wheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Cheese and Potato

From the New York Times.


Title: Hearty Whole Wheat Pasta with Brussels Sprouts, Cheese and Potato
Yield: 8 entree servings
Time: 45 minutes, plus resting
Author: Nigella Lawson

Summary:
Adapted from “Nigellissima: Easy Italian-Inspired Recipes,” by Nigella Lawson


Ingredients:
1 3/4 pounds brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 (8-ounce) baking potato, peeled and in 1-inch dice
1 pound whole wheat or spelt tortiglioni or penne
Salt, to taste
1/2 cup ricotta
8 ounces Gruyère, in 1/2-inch dice
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
4 sage leaves, shredded
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Method:


1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water generously, then add brussels sprouts, potato and pasta, and let water come back to a boil. Cook for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until potato is tender and pasta is al dente. Just before draining, remove 2 cups of the cooking liquid and set aside.
2. Tip drained pasta, brussels sprouts and potato into an approximately 10 x 15-inch roasting pan (or a 9 x 13-inch lasagna dish), then add ricotta, Gruyère and 1 cup cooking water, and toss well to combine. Add more liquid if you feel the pasta is too dry.
3. Warm butter, olive oil and garlic in a small saucepan and, when melted and beginning to sizzle gently, add sage and fry for about 30 seconds. Spoon or dribble the butter and sage over the pasta. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 20 minutes, by which time the surface will be scorched a light gold. Let stand for at least 15 minutes before eating.
Source: The New York Times

Gordon Hamersley's Salt Cod Poached in Porcini Broth with English Peas & Pancetta

I have not tried this but it looked great on the Ming Tsai cooking show on PBS.  The link to the original recipe:

http://www.ming.com/food-and-wine/recipes/season-10-cooking-on-the-fly!/gordon-hamersleys-salt-cod-poached-in-porcini-broth-with-english-peas-and-pancetta.htm

Ingredients

2 4-oz. pieces salt cod
2 cups dry white wine such as Chardonnay
¾ ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 "no boil" lasagna sheets
½ cup fresh English peas, shelled
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1 ounce pancetta, sliced in 1/3- x 1/3- x ½- inch pieces
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 sun-dried tomatoes, julienned
½ cup lemon juice
½ bunch roughly chopped parsley leaves
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions

Two to 3 days ahead, place the salt cod in water in the refrigerator. Change the water frequently.
In a small pot, bring the white wine to a simmer. Add the dried porcini mushrooms and simmer for about 15 minutes or until they are plump and re-hydrated. Strain the mushrooms and reserve the wine.
Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling water, cook the pasta sheets for about two minutes or until they are al dente. Remove from the water and place on a cutting board with a long edge toward you. Slice into ½-inch thick ribbons and reserve.

In the same water, blanch the English peas for about 45 seconds or until they float. Drain and reserve. (If not using immediately for last step in this recipe, shock in an ice bath to stop the cooking process).
Meanwhile, in a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil, garlic, pancetta, shallot, and sun-dried tomatoes. Allow to soften, about 3 minutes, then add the lemon juice. Add the rehydrated mushrooms and about 1 cup of the hot wine to the poaching pan. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Season the fish with pepper and add it to the pan. Cover with a lid. Cook over medium-low heat until the fish just cooked through, 6 to 7 minutes.

Add the reserved pasta ribbons and the reserved peas to the sauté pan. Cover with parsley.
To plate: Using a slotted spoon or fish spatula, transfer the fish to a large bowl. Spoon the broth over the top and surround with the vegetables and noodles.

Rock Shrimp Scampi

This is a recipe from Gina at Ecco la Cuccina (http://www.eccolacucina.com).


Mom's Rock Shrimp Pasta
Serves 8

Ingredients:
3lb rock shrimp
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Hot pepper flakes, to taste
1 tbsp parsley, minced
1 teas dried basil (it's my mom's recipe)
1 teas dried oregano
1 teas sea salt
1 lb spaghettini or 1 ½ lb angel hair pasta

Directions:
Clean the rock shrimp:  take each tail and cut it lengthwise through the legs, taking out the sandy vein.  Butterfly each tail, it's okay if you cut all the way through as long as the halves are joined at the tail. Melt the butter with the olive oil in a small saucepan.  Add the garlic and hot pepper and take it off the heat.  Add the remaining ingredients and stir.

Taking each rock shrimp by the tail, dip them one at a time into the butter and oil, then lay them in a single layer on a sheet pan.  Pour the remaining sauce onto the tails.  Broil for 5 minutes until done.  Meanwhile, cook spaghettini or angel hair pasta until al dente and place in a large pasta bowl.  Pour the rock shrimp directly onto the bowl of pasta and toss, drizzling additional olive oil to finish.

If you can't find rock shrimp, substitute regular shrimp, shell and devein.  Heat the oil in a sauté pan with the garlic and hot pepper, add the remaining ingredients and then the shrimp.  Toss and cook on a high heat for 5 minutes until cooked through, toss with pasta and serve.

Mashed Winter Squash with Mascarpone

Ingredients:

• 1 large plus 1 small Winter squash (I used a large butternut plus a small delicata and acorn) cut into 1/2" cubes
• 1/2 tsp each ground  cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1 "shot" of strong coffee (I used a pumpkin spice, but plain is fine)

Directions:

Lay the squash pieces on a baking sheet and sprinkle with spices and just a little salt and pepper.  Roast the squash in a 350 degree oven until tender - about 30 minutes.  Let cool for a few minutes and then transfer to a bowl.  Add the coffee and cheese and mix, slightly mashing the squash as you mix (I like it "chunky" - if you want it more smooth, then mash more!).  Taste and adjust salt, pepper and cheese as necessary.

You can do the roasting ahead of time and then just reheat the squash in a bowl and add the cheese and coffee and adjust spices.