Recipe, interrupted

Recipe: Devilled Eggs with Smoked Paprika and Tarragon

Here’s an idea for those leftover Easter eggs. After all the fuss in the kitchen this weekend, these came together quickly and disappeared even more quickly. I’m a big fan of smoked paprika, which goes really nicely here with the egg yolks, shallots, low-fat mayonnaise (a small repentance for the Easter brunch gluttony), mustard, and a little sprinkle of fresh tarragon. If you want to fancy the eggs up a bit, use a pastry tube to fill the eggs. I just spooned the filling right into the yolks.

 

Makes 6 devilled eggs

Preparation time: 10 minutes

 

3 hard-boiled eggs, cooled

1 teaspoon minced shallots

4 teaspoons mayonnaise

¼ teaspoon smoked paprika

½ teaspoon mustard (I used Colman’s which is hot and just a tad sweet; Dijon mustard would also be good)

Minced fresh tarragon, as garnish

Pinch Kosher salt, to taste

 

1. Cut eggs in half lengthwise. Scoop or pop out the yolks into a small mixing bowl.
   
   
2. Add shallots, mayonnaise, paprika, mustard and salt to yolks. With an electric hand mixer, blend the ingredients on medium speed until smooth and slightly lightened, about 3 minutes.
   
   
3. Lay the egg whites face up and spoon the filling into the egg white hollows.
    
4. Sprinkle with a few bits of minced tarragon.
   
   
5. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Recipe: Spinach Matzo Latkes

I devoted a good portion of yesterday to preparing a Passover Seder meal – that’s my excuse for not putting up a Monday post. However, the quickest, easiest, and most last-minute addition to the meal gave me the material to write today’s post.

I had matzo meal that I wanted to use but the only thing I really knew to do with it was make matzo balls (that’s tonight’s dinner). Then I came across this recipe for matzo meal latkes on Serious Eats. To make them a little more savory and vitamin-packed, I added onions and spinach. (I also put in a little more matzo meal and took out the sugar.) They were such a cinch to make – I just mixed all the ingredients together in a large measuring cup and fried the batter up like regular pancakes. And the texture was just right, not at all chewy or dense but with enough substance to serve as a starchy side to the braised short ribs I had prepared.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 15 minutes

 

3 eggs, lightly beaten

¼ cup pureed cooked spinach, drained well

½ cup minced onion

¾ cup water

¾ cup matzo meal

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

Grapeseed oil for frying, about 3 tablespoons

 

1. Blend together eggs, spinach, onion, water, matzo meal, and salt in a mixing bowl (or large measuring cup).
   
2. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add about 2 tablespoons of oil, enough to provide a thick coating to the bottom of the pan.
   
   
3. When the oil is hot, ladle the batter onto the skillet, forming pancakes about 3 inches in diameter. Flip when they are lightly browned on the bottom, after about 4 minutes. Brown on the second side and transfer to a warmed serving plate.
   
4. Continue with remaining batter, adding oil to skillet as necessary. 

 

Recipe: Leek and Sausage Frittata

There are so many variations on this theme, this recipe is just one example that you could use as a guideline. If you stick with the basic formula of egg + dairy + add-ins, you can get creative with just about anything in your fridge.

Because you don’t have to flip it or stir the eggs, this frittata is much easier to make than an omelet. And when you prepare it in a small skillet it comes out nice and thick like a quiche.

 

Serves 4

Preparation time: 20 minutes

 

2 medium-sized leeks, washed, trimmed and cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons olive oil

Kosher salt, to taste

6 eggs

¼ cup heavy cream or half-and-half

¼ cup ¼-inch cubes dry sausage (or cooked bacon)

½ cup peas (if fresh, blanched; if frozen, defrosted)

¾ cup cubed sharp white cheddar cheese

 

1. Heat a medium pan over a moderate flame and add 2 tablespoons of oil. When oil is hot, add leeks and a large pinch of salt. Stir to coat well with oil and cook until leeks are softened, stirring occasionally to prevent browning, about 7 minutes.
   
   
2. In a small mixing bowl, beat together eggs, cream (or half-and-half), and a pinch or so of salt.
   
   
3. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
    
4. Preheat a small, oven-proof skillet (I prefer cast iron) over a moderate flame. When oil is hot, transfer leeks into pan and stir in sausage and peas, spreading them evenly in the pan. Pour egg mixture over vegetables and sausage and reduce heat to medium-low. Sprinkle cheese on top. Cook on the stove for a few minutes, just until the edges begin to set.
   
   
   
   
5. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until eggs are set throughout and the top is golden, about 5 minutes.
   
   
6. Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before transferring to a serving platter. Slice and serve hot or at room temperature.

 

Technique: How to Trim and Wash a Leek

There’s dirt hiding in leeks. Large clumps of it tucked deep in the layers. Rather then ending up with a muddy cutting board of chopped leeks, see how you can easily and neatly get leeks squeaky clean.

Slice off the root end.

Trim away the dark green portion, preserving most of the light green part. This is a little fussy on my part, but I like to trim away the first three or four layers in tiers, each one where the dark green portion begins. That way, I’m not trimming any usable light green parts underneath. After that, I simply chop the rest of the remaining dark end off.

Cut a slit along the length of the leek. This will allow you to open up and expose the inner parts of the leek to water as you wash it.

Wash and squeeze out excess water. Hold the leek under running water and allow the soil and sand to run off. Give the leek the slightest twist and squeeze out excess water. Now you are ready to chop, slice, or stuff your cleaned and trimmed leak. 

 

Recipe: Sake- and Dashi-Poached Cod

This fish came from Blue Moon Fish who sell their locally caught fish every weekend at the Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket in Brooklyn. Cod cooks very quickly and has a tenderness and slight sweetness that goes very nicely with the sake- and dashi-based poaching liquid. You can use other fleshy white fish fillets. I’ve even used tilapia, which takes a little longer to poach.

To complement the sweet, umami-rich flavors of the fish and broth, I like to garnish the dish with a bitter green and add a few drops of chili and roasted sesame oils. Pictured here are daikon radish greens. Mustard greens or broccoli rabe would also work well. The katsuoboshi on top add a final touch of rich, slightly smoky flavor, plus the way the delicate flakes flutter brings this dish to life.

 

Makes 4 servings

Preparation time: 30 minutes

 

1 batch dashi broth (see recipe), about 3 cups

¾ cup sake

2 tablespoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

4 six-ounce cuts of line-caught cod fish fillet (or other sustainably caught white fish)

3-4 cups chopped bitter greens, such as daikon greens

Juice of 1 lime, or as needed

1 teaspoon chili oil

1 teaspoon roasted sesame oil

¼ cup katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes)

 

1. In a sauté pan with straight sides, combine the dashi, sake, soy sauce and sugar and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
   
2. You will probably need to shallow poach the fish in two batches: set aside half of the heated poaching liquid for the second batch. Place the first two fillets in the remaining liquid and poach gently over medium-low heat until the edges just begin to become opaque, about 2 minutes. The poaching liquid should just barely bubble. Turn and cook the second side. The fish is done with it is opaque and tender and can be easily flaked, but not falling apart. Thick fillets – an inch or thicker – will need more time.
   
   
   
3. Transfer fish into warmed shallow bowls. Increase heat to medium-high, add half of the bitter greens (if working in two batches) to poaching liquid. Cook until tender, but still bright green, about 3-4 minutes.
   
4. Ladle poaching liquid over the fish. Garnish with bitter greens.
   
5. Prepare the second batch.
   
6. Squeeze lime juice over fish and broth. Drizzle with chili oil and roasted sesame oil. Top with a large pinch of katsuoboshi and serve. 

 

Technique: How to Make Dashi

This is a recipe for ichiban, or “first,” dashi. Often, the kombu and katsuoboshi are re-used to make a second batch, or niban dashi. Dashi forms the basis of many Japanese soups and simmered and braised dishes, but is not an ingredient I cook with every day or use very much of, so I just make ichiban dashi. If I have extra dashi left over, I’ll freeze it for another day.

Another variation would be to use dried shiitake mushrooms in place of, or along with, the kombu. 

 

Preparation time: 45 minutes

Makes 3 - 3 ½ cups

 

One 6- by 1-inch piece of kombu (dried kelp)

4 cups water

½ cup katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes)

 

1. Put the water and kombu together in a saucepan and allow the kombu to soak for about 30 minutes.
   
   
2. Heat the water and kombu over medium heat. Just as the water begins to simmer, remove the kombu. Add the katsuoboshi. Simmer for 5 minutes.
   
   
   
3. Strain through a fine chinois or a colander line with paper towels.