Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as an appetizer. From Cooks Illustrated. Published July 1, 2006.
The shrimp and sauce (see related recipes) finish cooking together on the grill, so prepare the sauce ingredients while the coals are heating, then carry them out to the grill with you. To fit all of the shrimp on the cooking grate at once, you’ll need three 14-inch metal skewers. (Wooden skewers will likely burn.) Serve with grilled crusty bread brushed with olive oil as an appetizer; add rice salad or couscous for a main course.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds extra-large shrimp (21/25), peeled and deveined, tails left on
2 - 3 tablespoons olive oil for brushing skewers
Table salt and ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 recipe Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce or Charmoula Sauce
Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
1. Pat shrimp dry with paper towels. Thread shrimp onto 3 skewers, alternating direction of heads and tails. Brush both sides of shrimp with oil and season lightly with salt and pepper. Sprinkle one side of each skewer with sugar.
2. Light large chimney starter filled with charcoal (6 quarts, or about 100 briquettes) and allow to burn until coals are fully ignited and partially covered with thin layer of ash, about 20 minutes. Empty coals into grill; build modified two-level fire by arranging coals to cover one-half of grill, piling them about 3 briquettes high, leaving other half empty. Position cooking grate over coals, cover grill, and heat until hot, about 5 minutes; scrape grate clean with grill brush.
3. Set disposable aluminum pie plate with sauce ingredients over hot side of grill and cook, stirring occasionally, until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer plate to cooler side of grill. Place shrimp skewers, sugared sides down, on hot side of grate; use tongs to push shrimp together on skewer if they have separated. Grill shrimp, uncovered, until lightly charred, 4 to 5 minutes. Using tongs, flip and grill until second side is pink and slightly translucent, 1 to 2 minutes longer.
4. Using potholder or oven mitt, carefully lift each skewer from grill; use tongs to slide shrimp off skewers into pie plate with sauce. Toss shrimp and sauce to combine and transfer pie plate to hot side of grill; cook, stirring, until shrimp are opaque and fully cooked, about 30 seconds. Remove from grill, add remaining sauce ingredients and toss to combine. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately with lemon wedges.
******
Spicy Lemon-Garlic Sauce for Shrimp Skewers
Makes enough to sauce 1 1/2 pounds shrimp.
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 4 pieces
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice , from 2 lemons
1/2 - 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
Combine butter, lemon juice, pepper flakes, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until butter melts, about 1 1/2 minutes; transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding parsley just before serving.
******
Charmoula Sauce for Shrimp Skewers
Ingredients
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 small red bell pepper , stemmed, seeded, and diced very small (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 small red onion , minced (about 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 medium cloves garlic , minced or pressed through a garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1/8 teaspoon table salt
Disposable 10-inch aluminum pie plate
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon
Instructions
Combine oil, bell pepper, onion, paprika, cumin, cayenne, garlic, and salt in pan. Cook over hot side of grill, stirring occasionally, until vegetables soften, about 5 minutes (2 or 3 minutes longer if using gas grill); transfer to cooler side of grill and proceed to grill shrimp, adding cilantro and lemon juice just before serving.
Friday, August 14, 2009
Thursday, August 6, 2009
TBL Panzanella
Recipe courtesy Alton Brown
Prep Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
* 4 cups French bread cut into 1-inch cubes and dried overnight
* 6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, drippings reserved
* 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons oil, for searing
* 2 cups halved yellow pear tomatoes or roughly chopped heirloom tomatoes
* 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
Vinaigrette:
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon chiffonade mint
* 1 tablespoon chiffonade basil
Directions
Toss bread cubes in the bacon drippings. Sear the halved grape tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of oil, cut side down, until caramelized about 5 minutes, set aside.
Combine red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl, slowly whisk in olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
Combine all tomatoes, bread, bacon, and lettuce and dress with vinaigrette, toss well, garnish with mint and basil and serve.
Prep Time: 20 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients
* 4 cups French bread cut into 1-inch cubes and dried overnight
* 6 slices bacon, cooked, chopped, drippings reserved
* 2 cups halved grape tomatoes
* 2 tablespoons oil, for searing
* 2 cups halved yellow pear tomatoes or roughly chopped heirloom tomatoes
* 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce
Vinaigrette:
* 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 3 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 tablespoon chiffonade mint
* 1 tablespoon chiffonade basil
Directions
Toss bread cubes in the bacon drippings. Sear the halved grape tomatoes in 2 tablespoons of oil, cut side down, until caramelized about 5 minutes, set aside.
Combine red wine vinegar, salt and pepper in a bowl, slowly whisk in olive oil in a thin stream until emulsified.
Combine all tomatoes, bread, bacon, and lettuce and dress with vinaigrette, toss well, garnish with mint and basil and serve.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Dilly Beans
For the best dill flavor, use dill seeds—not dill weed—in the pickling brine (see related quick tip, Dill Seed or Weed?).
Makes 1 quart
1 pound green beans , stem ends trimmed
Salt
2 tablespoons dill seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
6 garlic cloves , peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1. BLANCH BEANS Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add beans and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain beans in colander and immediately transfer to ice water. Once cool, drain again and dry thoroughly with paper towels. (Beans can be refrigerated in zipper-lock bag for 24 hours.)
2. MAKE BRINE Heat dill seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in empty pot over medium heat until fragrant and seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture darkens, about 5 minutes.
3. PICKLE Pour vinegar mixture through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl; discard solids. Add cooled beans and fresh dill, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 weeks. Serve.
Canning takes time, effort, and special equipment. Could we make these crisp pickled beans in one hour with one pot? Here’s what we discovered:
Test Kitchen Discoveries
* Blanch the green beans in salted, boiling water until tender, followed by a shock in ice water to prevent overcooking. The salt in the cooking liquid flavors the beans through to the center. It also helps keep the green beans bright green.
* Dill comes in three forms: seed, dried (or weed), and fresh. We found that dill seed was the most pungent and aromatic—exactly what was needed to boost flavor in the shortened pickling time.
* Toast the dried spices (dill seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns) in a hot, dry pan to maximize their flavor. After a few minutes, add the vinegar, water, sugar, and garlic and cook until the liquid is infused with the spices.
* We strained out the spices before combining the liquid with the cooled beans—that way, we wouldn’t crunch on them while munching on the beans.
* For a fresh-from-the-garden touch that reinforced the dill flavor, we added chopped fresh dill before marinating the beans in the liquid—refrigerate the beans and marinade for at least an hour before serving.
Makes 1 quart
1 pound green beans , stem ends trimmed
Salt
2 tablespoons dill seed
1 tablespoon mustard seeds
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 1/2 cups white vinegar
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
6 garlic cloves , peeled and crushed
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
1. BLANCH BEANS Fill large bowl with ice water. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot over high heat. Add beans and 1 tablespoon salt and cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain beans in colander and immediately transfer to ice water. Once cool, drain again and dry thoroughly with paper towels. (Beans can be refrigerated in zipper-lock bag for 24 hours.)
2. MAKE BRINE Heat dill seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns in empty pot over medium heat until fragrant and seeds begin to pop, about 2 minutes. Add vinegar, water, sugar, garlic, and 1 teaspoon salt and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until mixture darkens, about 5 minutes.
3. PICKLE Pour vinegar mixture through fine-mesh strainer into large bowl; discard solids. Add cooled beans and fresh dill, cover tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 2 weeks. Serve.
Canning takes time, effort, and special equipment. Could we make these crisp pickled beans in one hour with one pot? Here’s what we discovered:
Test Kitchen Discoveries
* Blanch the green beans in salted, boiling water until tender, followed by a shock in ice water to prevent overcooking. The salt in the cooking liquid flavors the beans through to the center. It also helps keep the green beans bright green.
* Dill comes in three forms: seed, dried (or weed), and fresh. We found that dill seed was the most pungent and aromatic—exactly what was needed to boost flavor in the shortened pickling time.
* Toast the dried spices (dill seeds, mustard seeds, and peppercorns) in a hot, dry pan to maximize their flavor. After a few minutes, add the vinegar, water, sugar, and garlic and cook until the liquid is infused with the spices.
* We strained out the spices before combining the liquid with the cooled beans—that way, we wouldn’t crunch on them while munching on the beans.
* For a fresh-from-the-garden touch that reinforced the dill flavor, we added chopped fresh dill before marinating the beans in the liquid—refrigerate the beans and marinade for at least an hour before serving.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Ultimate Iced Coffee
While it has not exactly been iced coffee weather in New England so far, we can bet on hotter times coming soon. Here is a method for making iced coffee that really rocks. The sweet fruit flavors locked in really fine coffees simply sing; there is no more refreshing drink! We printed this last year and it is time to roll it back out!
Enjoy -
George Howell
Iced Coffee Like You've Never had Before
I have always brewed hot coffee and then let it cool before adding ice. Never again; the aromatics and special fruit qualities of fine coffee are long gone. I have learned that the secret to making a great iced coffee is all in the FRESHNESS OF THE BREW. It must be captured then and there. The key is to brew a concentrated coffee beverage of exactly the right strength and extraction directly over ice. Some of you who try this may never go back to hot coffee.
Items needed (recommended)
1. Drip Brewer, ideally a Technivorm brewer, and filter.
2. Burr Grinder: Setting = medium drip (grind = 28 on a Baratza Virtuoso).
3. Kitchen scale to weigh coffee and ice in grams or ounces
4. Fresh roasted coffee
5. Timer to measure in seconds
Preparation:
1. Weigh, then grind 102 Grams (3.6 oz) of coffee and place in filter basket.
2. Fill Technivorm brewer to 6 "cups" (= ¾ Liters or 25 fl. oz.) on the reservoir scale.
3. Set the filter basket flow control to STOP.
4. Weigh 480 Grams (17.0 oz) of ICE and place in brewer carafe.
5. Place all covers on brewer. Start brewer (with filter basket OFF)
6. When reservoir reaches the 4 "cup" setting (17 fl. oz. or ½ liter) switch brewer OFF and start timer. This provides a pre-wet period for the coffee.
7. At 1:30 minutes restart the brewer and open filter holder to open; this allows the extracted coffee to flow out of basket). Liquid coffee concentrate begins to enter the ice filled carafe. Allow the brewer to complete normally.
When brewing has finished, stir the contents briefly: just about all the remaining ice will melt. You will have approximately 1.1 liters, a bit over a quart, of fresh ICED coffee concentrate. The total Brew time required for full extraction is about 5 minutes.
Fill your chilled glasses about 2/3 with ICE, and then pour your fresh-brewed concentrate and serve immediately. The cubes will melt very slowly because the coffee concentrate is already iced and cold.
© 2009 George Howell Coffee Company
Enjoy -
George Howell
Iced Coffee Like You've Never had Before
I have always brewed hot coffee and then let it cool before adding ice. Never again; the aromatics and special fruit qualities of fine coffee are long gone. I have learned that the secret to making a great iced coffee is all in the FRESHNESS OF THE BREW. It must be captured then and there. The key is to brew a concentrated coffee beverage of exactly the right strength and extraction directly over ice. Some of you who try this may never go back to hot coffee.
Items needed (recommended)
1. Drip Brewer, ideally a Technivorm brewer, and filter.
2. Burr Grinder: Setting = medium drip (grind = 28 on a Baratza Virtuoso).
3. Kitchen scale to weigh coffee and ice in grams or ounces
4. Fresh roasted coffee
5. Timer to measure in seconds
Preparation:
1. Weigh, then grind 102 Grams (3.6 oz) of coffee and place in filter basket.
2. Fill Technivorm brewer to 6 "cups" (= ¾ Liters or 25 fl. oz.) on the reservoir scale.
3. Set the filter basket flow control to STOP.
4. Weigh 480 Grams (17.0 oz) of ICE and place in brewer carafe.
5. Place all covers on brewer. Start brewer (with filter basket OFF)
6. When reservoir reaches the 4 "cup" setting (17 fl. oz. or ½ liter) switch brewer OFF and start timer. This provides a pre-wet period for the coffee.
7. At 1:30 minutes restart the brewer and open filter holder to open; this allows the extracted coffee to flow out of basket). Liquid coffee concentrate begins to enter the ice filled carafe. Allow the brewer to complete normally.
When brewing has finished, stir the contents briefly: just about all the remaining ice will melt. You will have approximately 1.1 liters, a bit over a quart, of fresh ICED coffee concentrate. The total Brew time required for full extraction is about 5 minutes.
Fill your chilled glasses about 2/3 with ICE, and then pour your fresh-brewed concentrate and serve immediately. The cubes will melt very slowly because the coffee concentrate is already iced and cold.
© 2009 George Howell Coffee Company
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Noodles with Mushrooms and Lemon Ginger Dressing
Ingredients
Lemon Ginger Dressing
3/4 teaspoon Asian chlli powder (or cayenne)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 inch section of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
The Noodles
9 ounces dried noodles (spaghetti, linguine, udon, soba)
7 ounces fresh mushrooms (enoki, shimeji, sliced button, sliced shitake)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (parsley, green onion, cilantro or basil)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method
1 Make the dressing by combining all ingredients, except for the sesame oil and olive oil in a food processor or hand blender. Run the blender for a few seconds, until all ingredients are combined. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.
2 In a pot, cook the dried noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3 Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the butter and when the butter starts bubbling, add the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 2 minutes.
4 In a large bowl, toss the cooked noodles with the mushrooms, fresh herbs, sesame seeds and some of the dressing (to taste.)
Serves 4.
Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com
Lemon Ginger Dressing
3/4 teaspoon Asian chlli powder (or cayenne)
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 inch section of ginger, peeled and grated
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
3 tablespoons olive oil
The Noodles
9 ounces dried noodles (spaghetti, linguine, udon, soba)
7 ounces fresh mushrooms (enoki, shimeji, sliced button, sliced shitake)
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced fresh herbs (parsley, green onion, cilantro or basil)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
Method
1 Make the dressing by combining all ingredients, except for the sesame oil and olive oil in a food processor or hand blender. Run the blender for a few seconds, until all ingredients are combined. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.
2 In a pot, cook the dried noodles according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3 Heat a frying pan over high heat. Add the butter and when the butter starts bubbling, add the mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms for 2 minutes.
4 In a large bowl, toss the cooked noodles with the mushrooms, fresh herbs, sesame seeds and some of the dressing (to taste.)
Serves 4.
Simply Recipes http://simplyrecipes.com
Monday, May 18, 2009
Salade Nicoise
Serves 6 as a light main course. Published July 1, 2002, Cooks Illustrated.
Prepare all of the vegetables before you begin cooking the potatoes and this salad will come together very easily. The classic garnish of tiny, briny, piquant Niçoise olives is a hallmark of salade Niçoise. If they're not available, substitute another small, black, brined olive (do not use canned olives). Anchovies are another classic garnish, but they met with mixed reviews from our tasters, so they are optional. If you cannot find tuna packed in olive oil, substitute water-packed solid white tuna, not tuna packed in vegetable oil. (Among water-packed tunas, StarKist solid white took top honors in our tasting of 10 leading brands.) Compose the salad on your largest, widest, flattest serving platter. Do not blanket the bed of lettuce with the other ingredients; leave some space between the mounds of potatoes, tomatoes and onions, and beans so that leaves of lettuce peek through.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 or 3 lemons
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Table salt and ground black pepper
Salad
4 large eggs
10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 medium heads Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
2 (6-ounce) cans olive-oil packed tuna , drained
3 small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 14 ounces), each cored and cut into eighths
1 small red onion (about 4 ounces), sliced very thin
8 ounces green beans , stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
1/4 cup niçoise olives
10 - 12 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 tablespoons capers , rinsed (optional)
Instructions
1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. For the salad: Place eggs in small saucepan, cover by 1 inch with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray ice cubes. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; let stand 5 minutes. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise; set aside (reserve ice water).
3. Meanwhile, bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute. Toss in 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
4. While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter. Place tuna in now-empty bowl and break up with fork. Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
5. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
6. Arrange reserved eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.
Prepare all of the vegetables before you begin cooking the potatoes and this salad will come together very easily. The classic garnish of tiny, briny, piquant Niçoise olives is a hallmark of salade Niçoise. If they're not available, substitute another small, black, brined olive (do not use canned olives). Anchovies are another classic garnish, but they met with mixed reviews from our tasters, so they are optional. If you cannot find tuna packed in olive oil, substitute water-packed solid white tuna, not tuna packed in vegetable oil. (Among water-packed tunas, StarKist solid white took top honors in our tasting of 10 leading brands.) Compose the salad on your largest, widest, flattest serving platter. Do not blanket the bed of lettuce with the other ingredients; leave some space between the mounds of potatoes, tomatoes and onions, and beans so that leaves of lettuce peek through.
Ingredients
Vinaigrette
1/2 cup lemon juice from 2 or 3 lemons
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot , minced (about 3 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh oregano leaves
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Table salt and ground black pepper
Salad
4 large eggs
10 small new red potatoes (each about 2 inches in diameter, about 1 1/4 pounds total), each potato scrubbed and quartered
Table salt and ground black pepper
2 tablespoons dry vermouth
2 medium heads Boston lettuce or Bibb lettuce, leaves washed, dried, and torn into bite-sized pieces (about 8 cups loosely packed)
2 (6-ounce) cans olive-oil packed tuna , drained
3 small vine-ripened tomatoes (about 14 ounces), each cored and cut into eighths
1 small red onion (about 4 ounces), sliced very thin
8 ounces green beans , stem ends trimmed and each bean halved crosswise
1/4 cup niçoise olives
10 - 12 anchovy fillets (optional)
2 tablespoons capers , rinsed (optional)
Instructions
1. For the vinaigrette: Whisk lemon juice, oil, shallot, thyme, basil, oregano, and mustard in medium bowl; season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.
2. For the salad: Place eggs in small saucepan, cover by 1 inch with cold water, and bring to boil over high heat. Remove pan from heat, cover, and let stand 10 minutes. Meanwhile, fill medium bowl with 1 quart water and 1 tray ice cubes. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs to ice water; let stand 5 minutes. Peel eggs and quarter lengthwise; set aside (reserve ice water).
3. Meanwhile, bring potatoes and 4 quarts cold water to boil in large Dutch oven or stockpot over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and cook until potatoes are tender when poked with paring knife, 5 to 8 minutes. With slotted spoon, gently transfer potatoes to medium bowl (do not discard boiling water). Toss warm potatoes with vermouth and salt and pepper to taste; let stand 1 minute. Toss in 1/4 cup vinaigrette; set aside.
4. While potatoes cook, toss lettuce with 1/4 cup vinaigrette in large bowl until coated. Arrange bed of lettuce on very large, flat serving platter. Place tuna in now-empty bowl and break up with fork. Add 1/2 cup vinaigrette and stir to combine; mound tuna in center of lettuce. Toss tomatoes, red onion, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange tomato-onion mixture in mound at edge of lettuce bed. Arrange reserved potatoes in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
5. Return water to boil; add 1 tablespoon salt and green beans. Cook until tender but crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. Drain beans, transfer to reserved ice water, and let stand until just cool, about 30 seconds; dry beans well on triple layer of paper towels. Toss beans, 3 tablespoons vinaigrette, and salt and pepper to taste in now-empty bowl; arrange in separate mound at edge of lettuce bed.
6. Arrange reserved eggs, olives, and anchovies (if using) in separate mounds at edge of lettuce bed. Drizzle eggs with remaining 2 tablespoons dressing, sprinkle entire salad with capers (if using), and serve immediately.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Spring Panzanella Recipe
1 lb loaf of hearty, day-old, whole wheat bread into 1-inch cubes
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme - just pluck leaves from the sprig
a couple pinches of salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into segments
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
4 handfuls spinach
1/4 cup small basil leaves
In a large bowl toss the bread with the garlic, shallot, thyme, salt and olive oil. Turn the bread out onto a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes - or until they are nice and golden and crunchy.
In a cold skillet pour in a splash of olive oil, a splash of water, and a couple pinches of salt. Dial up the heat and when the water starts to bubble stir in the asparagus. Cover, wait about twenty seconds, now add the peas. Cover, wait a few seconds, now add the spinach. Cover and cook just a few more seconds until the spinach starts to collapse just a bit.
Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Now pour the asparagus and peas and all the pan juices over the top of the bread.
Give it a good toss, add the basil leaves and toss again. Serve the salad family-style on a big platter.
Makes about 6 - 8 servings.
101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme - just pluck leaves from the sprig
a couple pinches of salt
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, cut into segments
2 cups peas, fresh or frozen
4 handfuls spinach
1/4 cup small basil leaves
In a large bowl toss the bread with the garlic, shallot, thyme, salt and olive oil. Turn the bread out onto a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes - or until they are nice and golden and crunchy.
In a cold skillet pour in a splash of olive oil, a splash of water, and a couple pinches of salt. Dial up the heat and when the water starts to bubble stir in the asparagus. Cover, wait about twenty seconds, now add the peas. Cover, wait a few seconds, now add the spinach. Cover and cook just a few more seconds until the spinach starts to collapse just a bit.
Put the bread crumbs in a large bowl. Now pour the asparagus and peas and all the pan juices over the top of the bread.
Give it a good toss, add the basil leaves and toss again. Serve the salad family-style on a big platter.
Makes about 6 - 8 servings.
101 Cookbooks http://www.101cookbooks.com/
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