Before I get caught up in this week's post, let me explain why I haven't been around since November. Right after my last posting, I went on vacation and came back to find out my dad had a heart attack and was in Cardiac ICU. Two weeks later, he died while ungoing cardiac surgery. I was Daddy's girl. Well, I was born Daddy's girl, went to middle school as Mom's Girl, went to high school convincing myself I was no one's girl. It took my dad's being in a major accident my sophomore year of college for me to realize what I was missing and I was Daddy's girl every since. When he died in December, it was like I was a boat without oars - just drifting. Over the last year, other family members have passed on or have had major medical crises as well. Two new babies have been added to my extended family and two new babies have been born to teammates at work causing the only thing that kept me going - I haven't had time to think!
I haven't been very creative in the kitchen, and that has meant a lot of quick and comforting foods.
Quesadillas became one of those cheap, easy and comforting way to have dinner on the table. On the fly at a local natural foods market, I picked up cilantro, poblano peppers, and bell peppers and added some frozen black beans and corn kernels and sauteed it all together to make an easy dinner. Well, I made quesadillas a few more times, but then just couldn't muster up the will to make it again so it all just sat around in the fridge waiting for either the garbage disposal or for me to get it together.
Welcome the quesadilla omelet! I diced up one large garlic clove, a handful of cilantro, one poblano pepper, and a yellow bell pepper. I grated some sharp cheddar cheese. I cracked a few farm fresh eggs. About ten minutes later at the stove and a dash of hot sauce, I had dinner!
It was so great, it was requested again! When my husband said it was blog worthy, I realized how long it has been since I heard that and it was the motivation I needed to get back to being Seduced by Produce. Having problems posting pictures, so this is going up sans-photographs.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Sunday, December 4, 2011
Kosher Cottage Pie
I have been craving some serious comfort food recently. I love playing with new and special ingredients, and I love fresh and fancy produce. However, when I need comfort, I do not turn to salad. I was raised in a house that relied heavily on meat and starch, after all.
Enter Cottage Pie. So many people were invited for Thanksgiving last year, that two Cottage Pies ended up as part of the spread to appease the masses. For me, it stole the show! Cottage pie is a type of meat and vegetable pie topped with mashed potatoes. Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with lamb, while Cottage pie is made with ground beef. Traditionally, the mashed potatoes are enriched with dairy and topped with cheese, but when paired with meat or at least not in our house! While trying to figure out what to make, I had never really thought of a savory pie because they so often combine meat and dairy. Typically, making a kosher savory pie means either making it meat free or making it with faux ingredients using chemicals of which I've never heard. Because of this, I avoided even trying. I typically just substitute oil for butter when cooking a meat meal, but then I found Earth Balance spread - kosher, pareve, vegan, and all natural. My Aunt's pie tasted so good, I decided I had to try! It turned out so well, and hit the spot on the need for comfort food. This is definitely a make-again recipe. So good, I have no pictures! Serve with a salad if your feeling fancy.
For the Meat Filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
3 large carrots, diced
1 cup chicken broth, reserved from Matzo Ball Soup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons unbleached, all purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
1 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and Pepper to Taste
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
3 Large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch pieces
3 tablespoons Earth Balance Spread
3 tablespoons caramelized onions, reserved from Onion and Thyme Rolls
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or one roasted garlic clove if you've got it
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan and cover with salted, cold water. Set over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until tender and easily pierced with a fork, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the spread, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the egg until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
Add the peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into a large glass casserole dish or . Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Enter Cottage Pie. So many people were invited for Thanksgiving last year, that two Cottage Pies ended up as part of the spread to appease the masses. For me, it stole the show! Cottage pie is a type of meat and vegetable pie topped with mashed potatoes. Shepherd's pie is traditionally made with lamb, while Cottage pie is made with ground beef. Traditionally, the mashed potatoes are enriched with dairy and topped with cheese, but when paired with meat or at least not in our house! While trying to figure out what to make, I had never really thought of a savory pie because they so often combine meat and dairy. Typically, making a kosher savory pie means either making it meat free or making it with faux ingredients using chemicals of which I've never heard. Because of this, I avoided even trying. I typically just substitute oil for butter when cooking a meat meal, but then I found Earth Balance spread - kosher, pareve, vegan, and all natural. My Aunt's pie tasted so good, I decided I had to try! It turned out so well, and hit the spot on the need for comfort food. This is definitely a make-again recipe. So good, I have no pictures! Serve with a salad if your feeling fancy.
For the Meat Filling:
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 medium sized onion, diced
1 pound ground beef
3 large carrots, diced
1 cup chicken broth, reserved from Matzo Ball Soup
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
2 tablespoons unbleached, all purpose flour
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary chopped
1 teaspoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup frozen peas
Salt and Pepper to Taste
For the Mashed Potato Topping:
3 Large Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into one inch pieces
3 tablespoons Earth Balance Spread
3 tablespoons caramelized onions, reserved from Onion and Thyme Rolls
1 egg
1 teaspoon garlic powder, or one roasted garlic clove if you've got it
Salt and Pepper to Taste
Peel the potatoes and cut into 1inch pieces. Place in a large saucepan and cover with salted, cold water. Set over medium-high heat, cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cook until tender and easily pierced with a fork, approximately 10 to 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes in a colander and then return to the saucepan. Mash the potatoes and then add the spread, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and continue to mash until smooth. Stir in the egg until well combined.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the filling. Place the canola oil into a 12-inch saute pan and set over medium high heat. Once the oil begins to shimmer, add the onion and carrots and saute just until they begin to take on color, approximately 3 to 4 minutes. Add the beef, salt and pepper and cook until browned and cooked through, approximately 3 minutes. Sprinkle the meat with the flour and toss to coat, continuing to cook for another minute. Add the tomato paste, chicken broth, Worcestershire, rosemary, and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer slowly 10 to 12 minutes or until the sauce is thickened slightly.
Add the peas to the beef mixture and spread evenly into a large glass casserole dish or . Top with the mashed potatoes, starting around the edges to create a seal to prevent the mixture from bubbling up and smooth with a rubber spatula. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 25 minutes or just until the potatoes begin to brown. Remove to a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Three Sisters Tamale Casserole
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| Bubble, bubble, toil and casserole? |
Enter what I like to call Three Sisters Casserole.
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| Nom nom nom |
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