Arsip Tag: simple

simple, essential bolognese – smitten kitchen

Dipublikasi pada November 16, 2023 oleh pbnbigesdi

The very first thing I cooked in our Inside Days was ragú bolognese. Previous to having all of the time in the world, I didn’t make it very often; we were too busy during the week and on the weekend, I preferred to be away from the stove. But that weekend! Our apartment smelled phenomenal as it gently bubbled on the back burner all afternoon, and I realized it had been way too long since we’d had the luxury of a multi-hour buildup to an anticipated meal.


I also remembered I’d been cheating on this site’s bolognese recipe for many years, and it was time to come clean. Previously, my go-to recipe was embedded in the lasagna bolognese, and to echo that recipe’s caveat: I think there are as many interpretations of Bologna’s famous braise there are people who make it — if you’ve found yours, I see no reason to veer from it. Marcella Hazan’s in The Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking has long been what you could call an industry leader, but I loved Anne Burrell’s, a milk-free, red wine-forward version that put the utmost care into building base layers of flavors.

what you'll needcube-free bolognesea well-cooked mirepoixa little milkwhen it's donedrained, al dente

But tastes shift. These days, the SK house bolognese is a little bit Hazan, a little bit Burrell, and bunch of things I’ve found I prefer: a moderately tomato-forward flavor (which is less traditional), white wine instead of red (which can give off too much of a bourguignon vibe), and enough milk to give the bolognese some body but not so much that it’s pale. If I have pancetta, I might add it first; if I don’t, I’ll start with olive oil. I look out for less lean beef (80/20 or 85 works well here), which holds up better to long cooking times. And apparently — and my family finds this funny but we all have our Things — I cannot abide cubes of anything in my bolognese. All of my bad ragú memories come from versions where the canned dice of tomatoes,* carrots, and/or celery were still intact in the final sauce, confettied throughout. I prefer a more harmonious ragú, and so I use tomato paste instead of whole or chopped tomatoes, and I roughly mince my vegetables. Neither garlic nor pepper flakes are accepted on the Italian Academy of Cuisine ingredient list for ragù alla bolognese, but I like to live on (er, timidly approaching) the edge.

Finally, once you’ve built the foundation of flavor you must — there is no negotiating here — braise your bolognese for three to four hours. Beef takes three hours to cook to that wonderfully mellow, collapsed texture (it’s why you see similar cooking times for stew, short ribs, and brisket). Some recipes call for up to six hours, and although I don’t find I need it to get the ragú of my dreams, given that time is an abstract concept these days, you’re welcome to let it glurp longer on the stove. While the cooking is mostly hands off, you’ll want to visit the pot every 30 minutes and check the water level. Water is added gradually during the cooking time because we are braising, not boiling (shudder), the meat. Go ahead and taste it too, adjusting the seasoning as you need to, so by the time you’re ready to serve it, it’s absolutely perfect. You deserve nothing less.

* many are, in fact, treated</a/> so that they hold their shape

bolognese + pasta water + pasta

 

Previously

Six months ago: Roasted Cabbage with Walnuts and Parmesan
One year ago: Austrian Torn, Fluffy Pancake
Two years ago: Chilaquiles Brunch Casserole
Three years ago: Rhubarb Upside-Down Spice Cake
Four years ago: Perfect Garlic Bread, Shaved Asparagus Frittata and Palm Springs Date Shake
Five years ago: Potato Scallion and Kale Cakes, Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies, and Crispy Broccoli with Lemon and Garlic
Six years ago: Blue Sky Bran Muffins and Fresh Spinach Pasta
Seven years ago: Spring Vegetable Potstickers and Essential Raised Waffles
Eight years ago: Bacon, Egg and Leek Risotto
Nine years ago: Sour Cream Cornbread with Aleppo and Ribboned Asparagus Salad with Lemon
Ten years ago: Radicchio, Apple, and Pear Salad, New York Cheesecake and Shakshuka
Eleven years ago: Black Bread and Ranch Rugelach
Twelve years ago: Chocolate Walnut Cookies + More Flourless Dessert, Almond Cake with Strawberry-Rhubarb Compote
Thirteen years ago: Corniest Corn Muffins and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

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simple cauliflower tacos – smitten kitchen

Dipublikasi pada November 15, 2023 oleh pbnbigesdi

Don’t throw your cauliflower core away; you can trim and dice it too and it will roast up deliciously here.
Note: You can watch an Instagram Story demo of this recipe over here.
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons cold water
  • 1/4 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • Kosher salt
  • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large (3 pounds) head cauliflower, trimmed, chopped small, including core
  • Red pepper flakes
  • 1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 lime, halved
  • 1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 12 small (4 to 5-inch) or 8 medium (7-inch) corn or flour tortillas
  • 1/2 to 1 avocado, thinly sliced (to taste)
  • 1/2 cup crumbled cotija cheese
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Hot sauce and/or pickled jalapeños
Heat oven to 450 degrees F.

Pickle onion: Combine vinegar, water, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a small bowl. Add onion and toss to coat. Set aside until needed.

Coat large baking sheet with 3 tablespoons olive oil. Add cauliflower to pan, sprinkle with 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, red pepper flakes (to taste), and cumin and toss to coat, adding another tablespoon of oil if needed. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing pieces at the 15 minute mark so they take on a deep brown crisp on as many sides as possible. Remove from oven and immediately squeeze the juice from half a lime over the tray. Add black beans to pan, so they warm a bit before serving.

Meanwhile, heat your tortillas. Wrap them tightly in foil and place the packet in the oven for 5 minutes. For more color and texture, sometimes I char them first on the gas flame on the stove, or blister them in a dry pan. Keep them warm in a covered dish until ready to assemble.

To assemble tacos, scoop cauliflower-bean mixture onto a warmed tortilla. Add avocado, pickled red onion, cotija, cilantro, and hot sauce to taste. Serve with remaining lime half in wedges. Eat right away.

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simple chicken tortilla soup – smitten kitchen

Dipublikasi pada November 10, 2023 oleh pbnbigesdi

Let’s talk about heat! There are so many ways to impart both chile heat and flavor here, and this recipe works with any of them: 1 minced jalapeño or serrano, or more to taste. Ground chile powder (not the spice blend for chili, the dish), chipotle powder, or even smoked hot paprika or cayenne will give it a kick. You could used a minced chipotle from a can, or just a spoonful of the puree around it. You could add some dried chiles, first toasting them in a dry pan, soaking them in hot water until soft, and blending them. Each will change the flavor of the soup slightly, and deepen it.

If you only have bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, start with 1.3 pounds and cook it 5 minutes longer.

    Soup
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 large white onion, finely chopped
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 jalapeño, finely chopped (see Note about other heat options)
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground chile powder (see Note about other heat options)
  • 4 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3 to 4 cups chicken stock or broth
  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (see Note)
  • 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen corn kernels (optional)
  • Kosher salt and black pepper
  • Juice of half a lime
    • Finishes, choose your own
  • Cotija cheese, crumbled
  • 1 medium avocado, sliced
  • Sour cream or Mexican crema
  • Second half of lime, cut into wedges
  • Chopped fresh cilantro
  • Corn tortillas, cut into thin ribbons, to fry (instructions below)
  • Hot sauce
Make the soup: Heat a large or 4-quart soup pot over medium-high. Once hot, add olive oil. Once oil is hot add onion, garlic, and jalapeño and cook, stirring, until softened and beginning to brown at the edges, about 5 minutes. Add cumin and chile cook one minute. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, until one shade darker, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add 3 cups chicken broth and stir to combine. Add chicken thighs and bring the soup to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and cover, simmering for 15 minutes, until chicken is very tender and cooked through. Remove chicken with tongs and transfer to a cutting board. Add beans and corn (optional; still frozen is fine to soup), gently simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. While it simmers, use two forks to shred chicken into bite-sized pieces. Season soup well with salt and black pepper. Return shredded chicken to soup and warm through, 1 minute. If the soup is too thick for your liking at this point, add all or part of remaining 1 cup broth and bring back to a simmer. Check seasoning again and adjust to taste.

Remove from heat and squeeze lime juice of half a lime over. Serve with any finishings of your choice; shown here with avocado, cilantro, cotija, tortilla strips, and hot sauce.

Want to make fried corn tortilla strips? In a large nonstick frying pan, heat a generous 1/4-inch of a neutral/high heat-safe oil over medium-high until a drop of water flicked in sizzles dramatically. Add a handful of corn tortilla strips and cook, stirring a bit, until they begin to brown at the edges, 2 to 3 minutes. Scoop out with tongs or a slotted spoon, shaking off excess oil, and transfer to paper towels to drain. Season immediately with salt. Repeat with remaining strips. I promise, there will be no leftovers, but if there are, they keep in a bag at room temperature for a few days.

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simple eggplant parmesan – smitten kitchen

Dipublikasi pada November 7, 2023 oleh pbnbigesdi

Prepare the eggplant: Arrange eggplant slices on a large (half-sheet) baking pan in one layer. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons kosher salt and set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat oven: To 425°F (220°C) degrees.

Roast eggplant: Transfer eggplant slices to paper towels and blot them of as much excess water as possible. Dry the baking sheet, too, and coat it with 3 tablespoons of olive oil and sprinkle the oil with several grinds of black pepper. Arrange eggplant slices in one layer. Drizzle with 2 more tablespoons of oil and more grinds of black pepper. Roast until nicely browned underneath, 20 to 25 minutes. Use a thin spatula to turn eggplant slices over and roast until browned underneath on the second side, another 10 minutes. It’s okay if they’re not cooked through yet. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F (175°C).

Meanwhile, make sauce: While eggplant roasts, open your can of tomatoes and use kitchen shears or very well-washed scissors to chop the tomatoes into small bits. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium/large saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add onion and cook until it softens, about 8 minutes. Add garlic and pepper flakes and cook another minute. Add tomatoes (beware the splatter!), oregano, and season with 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste. Let mixture simmer over low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. If you’d like the sauce smoother than it is now, you can mash the tomatoes further with a potato masher as it cooks, or use an immersion blender for a completely smooth sauce. Stir in basil then taste the sauce; adjust salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble: In a 1.5- to 2-quart baking dish (holding 6 to 8 cups; I’m using this), spoon about 1/2 cup of the sauce. Arrange about half of the eggplant slices, slightly overlapped, in one layer. Spoon another 1/2 cup sauce over and spread it evenly. Arrange remaining eggplant slices, then ladle more sauce over it so it’s as saucy as you like. [Keep unused sauce in fridge for another day; it will keep for 4 to 5 days.] Sprinkle top with mozzarella and parmesan.

Bake: For 30 minutes, until cheese has melted and sauce is bubbling all over. For more color on top, you can run it briefly under your oven’s broiler.

To serve: Once baked, let the eggplant parmesan rest at room temperature, if you can bear it, for 15 minutes before digging in — this helps the ingredients settle and come together more. It’s not mandatory, but this is excellent with a side of garlic bread.

Do ahead: Eggplant parmesan keeps fantastically in the fridge for up to 5 days. Rewarm in a 350-degree oven, covered for the first half of the time, for about 25 to 30 minutes. You can also freeze it, well wrapped, for a few months.

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