1 chipotle chile (from a can of chipotles in adobo sauce), chopped, plus 2 Tbs. adobo sauce
3 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and chopped
2 Tbs. balsamic vinegar
2 tsp. light brown sugar
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
In a blender or food processor, purée the chipotle chile and adobo sauce, sun-dried tomatoes, vinegar, brown sugar, and mustard. With the machine running, slowly pour in 1/2 cup of the oil. Transfer to a measuring cup; season to taste with salt and pepper.
I usually add a clove of garlic and a squirt of lime to the dressing too.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Latkes
Hot potatoes
Warm up your holidays with simple, irresistible golden-fried latkes
By Adam Ried | December 6, 2009
Latkes -- golden fried potato pancakes flavored with onion -- afford a great deal of pleasure with just a few ingredients. Traditional at Hanukkah and welcome any time, they have a mild flavor that is pure comfort, and the two textures, crisp on the outside and creamy (not soggy) on the inside, always please. Many recipes include flour or matzo meal, but I think those ingredients weigh down the latkes. Instead, I add baking powder to lighten the mixture.
Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
Makes about 10 3-inch pancakes
This recipe doubles well, but use only 3 eggs instead of 4. Latkes are at their very best fresh out of the oil, but they can be kept warm briefly (long enough to finish frying subsequent batches) on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet in a 300-degree oven. Applesauce and sour cream are the traditional accompaniments.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper
Corn, vegetable, or canola oil, ½ inch deep in the skillet
Using the coarse grating disk in a food processor or the large holes on a box grater, grate the potatoes and onion. In a colander, briefly rinse the grated mixture under cool running water. Spread a clean kitchen towel on work surface, place the potatoes and onion in the center of the towel, gather the edges and corners, and twist hard over a sink to wring out as much liquid as possible. Empty the potatoes and onion into a large bowl, break up with a wooden spoon, add the eggs, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste, and mix well.
In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) set over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it begins to ripple. Working carefully, test the heat of the oil by dropping in about 1 teaspoon of the potato mixture and gently pressing with a heat-proof spatula to make a quarter-sized latke -- it should sizzle instantly, but not violently. Fry for about 1¼ minutes on each side, remove it from the oil, drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, and taste for seasoning. Adjust the potato mixture with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Scoop a scant ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the skillet, press gently with the heat-proof spatula to form a round, flat cake; repeat until pan is filled, leaving about 1 inch between the latkes. Cook until the latkes are deep golden brown on both sides, about 4½ minutes, not moving the latkes except to flip them once halfway through the cooking time; adjust the heat as necessary. Remove the latkes to a paper-towel-lined plate, drain briefly, and serve at once (or keep warm in the oven while frying subsequent batches -- you may need to replenish the oil in the skillet).
Variation
Latkes with Carrot and Dill
Follow the recipe for Latkes, substituting ½ pound (about 3 medium) grated carrots for half of the potatoes and adding 5 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill to the potato mixture.
Warm up your holidays with simple, irresistible golden-fried latkes
By Adam Ried | December 6, 2009
Latkes -- golden fried potato pancakes flavored with onion -- afford a great deal of pleasure with just a few ingredients. Traditional at Hanukkah and welcome any time, they have a mild flavor that is pure comfort, and the two textures, crisp on the outside and creamy (not soggy) on the inside, always please. Many recipes include flour or matzo meal, but I think those ingredients weigh down the latkes. Instead, I add baking powder to lighten the mixture.
Latkes (Potato Pancakes)
Makes about 10 3-inch pancakes
This recipe doubles well, but use only 3 eggs instead of 4. Latkes are at their very best fresh out of the oil, but they can be kept warm briefly (long enough to finish frying subsequent batches) on a paper-towel-lined baking sheet in a 300-degree oven. Applesauce and sour cream are the traditional accompaniments.
1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes (about 2 medium), peeled
1 medium onion, peeled
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon baking powder
Salt and pepper
Corn, vegetable, or canola oil, ½ inch deep in the skillet
Using the coarse grating disk in a food processor or the large holes on a box grater, grate the potatoes and onion. In a colander, briefly rinse the grated mixture under cool running water. Spread a clean kitchen towel on work surface, place the potatoes and onion in the center of the towel, gather the edges and corners, and twist hard over a sink to wring out as much liquid as possible. Empty the potatoes and onion into a large bowl, break up with a wooden spoon, add the eggs, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon of salt, and pepper to taste, and mix well.
In a large, heavy skillet (preferably cast iron) set over medium-high heat, heat the oil until it begins to ripple. Working carefully, test the heat of the oil by dropping in about 1 teaspoon of the potato mixture and gently pressing with a heat-proof spatula to make a quarter-sized latke -- it should sizzle instantly, but not violently. Fry for about 1¼ minutes on each side, remove it from the oil, drain on a paper-towel-lined plate, and taste for seasoning. Adjust the potato mixture with additional salt and pepper, if necessary.
Scoop a scant ¼ cup of the potato mixture into the skillet, press gently with the heat-proof spatula to form a round, flat cake; repeat until pan is filled, leaving about 1 inch between the latkes. Cook until the latkes are deep golden brown on both sides, about 4½ minutes, not moving the latkes except to flip them once halfway through the cooking time; adjust the heat as necessary. Remove the latkes to a paper-towel-lined plate, drain briefly, and serve at once (or keep warm in the oven while frying subsequent batches -- you may need to replenish the oil in the skillet).
Variation
Latkes with Carrot and Dill
Follow the recipe for Latkes, substituting ½ pound (about 3 medium) grated carrots for half of the potatoes and adding 5 tablespoons of finely chopped fresh dill to the potato mixture.
Chicken Cutlets with Brown Ale sauce
Serves 4. Published February 1, 2005.
To make slicing the cutlets in half even easier, pop the chicken into the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat, prepared according to the illustrations below
vegetable oil
Table salt and ground black pepper
Onion and Ale Sauce
1/2 medium onion , sliced very thin
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup brown ale
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer to large heatproof plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and repeat to cook remaining cutlets. Cover plate loosely with foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while making sauce.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Using potholder to protect hands from hot skillet handle, pour off most of fat from skillet; add onion, then set skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, ale, thyme, bay, and brown sugar; increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour accumulated chicken juices into skillet, reduce heat to medium, and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper, add vinegar and discard bay. Spoon sauce around chicken cutlets and serve immediately.
Step-by-Step
Pounding Superthin Cutlets
1. Tenderloins fall off during pounding, so remove and reserve them for another use.
2. Halve four breasts horizontally to form eight cutlets of even thickness.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon to center of plastic wrap. Turn one cutlet in oil to coat.
4. Top with second sheet of plastic and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding oil as needed.
To make slicing the cutlets in half even easier, pop the chicken into the freezer until firm, about 15 minutes.
Ingredients
Chicken Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), trimmed of excess fat, prepared according to the illustrations below
vegetable oil
Table salt and ground black pepper
Onion and Ale Sauce
1/2 medium onion , sliced very thin
3/4 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup brown ale
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon brown sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 3 pieces
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cider vinegar
Instructions
1. FOR THE CHICKEN: Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 200 degrees. Season both sides of each cutlet with salt and pepper. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until smoking; place 4 cutlets in skillet and cook without moving them until browned, about 2 minutes. Using a spatula, flip cutlets and continue to cook until second sides are opaque, 15 to 20 seconds. Transfer to large heatproof plate. Add 2 teaspoons oil to now-empty skillet and repeat to cook remaining cutlets. Cover plate loosely with foil and transfer to oven to keep warm while making sauce.
2. FOR THE SAUCE: Using potholder to protect hands from hot skillet handle, pour off most of fat from skillet; add onion, then set skillet over medium-high heat and cook, stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Add chicken broth, ale, thyme, bay, and brown sugar; increase heat to high and simmer rapidly, scraping skillet bottom with wooden spoon to loosen browned bits, until slightly thickened and reduced to about 3/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Pour accumulated chicken juices into skillet, reduce heat to medium, and whisk in butter 1 piece at a time; season to taste with salt and pepper, add vinegar and discard bay. Spoon sauce around chicken cutlets and serve immediately.
Step-by-Step
Pounding Superthin Cutlets
1. Tenderloins fall off during pounding, so remove and reserve them for another use.
2. Halve four breasts horizontally to form eight cutlets of even thickness.
3. Add 1/2 teaspoon to center of plastic wrap. Turn one cutlet in oil to coat.
4. Top with second sheet of plastic and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Repeat with remaining cutlets, adding oil as needed.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)