Coq au riesling

August 20, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is one of the great Nigel Slater’s recipes. I love his food as it has so much flavor and is easy.
I know you’ve probably had Coq au vin many times, but this is ten times tastier, creamier and has a real depth in flavor.
Make sure you serve this with really good warm crusty bread because everyone will be wanting to mop up the incredible sauce.

Serves 2 but you can easily double or treble it

4 tbsp butter
1 tbsp olive oil
4 oz bacon (streaky) or pancetta, diced
2 onions, peeled and chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
4 joints of organic, free range chicken on the bone, seasoned with salt and pepper (I used whole chicken legs)
10 oz small cremini (brown) mushrooms, halved or quartered
16 fl oz medium dry white wine, such as Riesling
10 fl oz heavy cream
4 tbsp chopped Italian parsley

Melt the butter in a heavy shallow cast iron dish like the one in the photograph (Le Creuset) and pour in the oil.
Put in the diced bacon or pancetta and let it color a little then add the onions and garlic.
Leave to cook over a moderate heat until the onions have softened but not yet colored.

Scoop the bacon and onions out with a slotted spoon, leaving behind the cooking juices, then add the seasoned chicken pieces.
Let them brown lightly on all sides. A moderate heat is best for this but be prepared to add a little more oil if the butter shows signs of browning.

Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Add the mushrooms to the juices in the pan and continue cooking for 10 mins, then return the bacon, onions and chicken pieces to the pan.
Turn up the heat, pour in the wine and bring quickly to the boil and then turn it down to a simmer.
Let everything cook at a gentle bubble for 25 to 35 minutes, turning the chicken from time to time.

Lift the chicken out of the pan and pour in the cream. Season with salt and freshly ground pepper and stir in the chopped parsley.
Continue cooking at an enthusiastic bubble until the cream starts to thicken slightly.

Return the chicken to the pan.
When the chicken is thoroughly hot and the sauce has thickened it is time to serve!

Do-ahead · Fish · Pasta

Grown-up tuna noodle bake

August 18, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I can hear you thinking “Oh no, no way” but try it, it’s really tasty and is definitely a “grown-up ” version of that dreadfully dated American staple. It also freezes beautifully.

Serves 8

Butter, to grease the dish
12 oz fusilli pasta (or shells or wide noodles or whatever pasta you like)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups cremini mushrooms
1/3 cup minced shallots (about 2 large shallots)
4 large cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup dry white wine
3 tbsp all-purpose flour
3&1/2 cups whole milk
3/4 to 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano (NOT pre grated!)
3 tbsp capers, drained
2 x 5oz cans chunk light tuna, drained of oil
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup thinly sliced kale or spinach
1&1/2 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat the oven to 375F

Butter a 2 1/2 to 3 qt casserole dish and set aside.
Cook the pasta until al dente in a large pot of salted, boiling water. Drain and set aside

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat.
Add the mushrooms and shallots, cook for about 5 minutes or until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms are beginning to soften.
Add the garlic and continue cooking for 1 additional minute. Slowly pour in the wine, lower the heat to medium-low and cook until the liquid is reduced by half, about 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the flour to the pan and stir well to ensure all the mushrooms are coated.
Increase the heat to high and slowly pour in the milk, bringing the mixture to a boil.
Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring to avoid sticking or clumping, until the milk begins to thicken and starts to look more like a sauce, about 5 minutes.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the pasta, parmesan cheese, capers, tuna, flaked, sour cream, chopped kale or spinach, thyme, salt and pepper.
Pour the creamy mushroom sauce into the bowl and stir to coat all the ingredients.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared casserole dish and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sprinkle in the breadcrumbs and cook until fragrant and slightly toasty, 2-3 minutes.
Sprinkle the crispy breadcrumbs over the top of the casserole and bake for 20 minutes or until the top is lightly brown.
Remove from the oven and sprinkle chopped parsley on top.
Serve hot.

Cover and refrigerate the leftovers for up to 3 days or freeze immediately.

Appetizers · Meat

Italian sausage and gorgonzola stuffed baby Portabella mushrooms

August 18, 2013February 7, 2016 Belinda

Don’t say I didn’t warn you! Anything to do with Italian sausage with that gorgeous fennel flavor has me, and the addition of Gorgonzola (or St Agur Blue cheese) is just incredible.

Serves 10 to 16 people as an hors d’oeuvres

Preheat the oven to 350 F

1lb sweet Italian sausage
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
3/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 & 1/4 cups Mountain Gorgonzola (the creamy one) You can use a little less if preferred, but I like my flavors bold!
32 baby Portabello (Crimini) mushrooms
salt and pepper
a good handful fresh basil, shredded

Cook the sausage meat in a skillet, crumbling it with a fork until the pink is all gone.
While it’s cooking, take the stems out of the mushrooms and chop up the stems.
Add the crushed garlic and mushrooms stems to the sausage and cook for 1 minute and turn the heat to low.
Add the mascarpone cheese, breadcrumbs, gorgonzola ad shredded basil.
Season with the salt and pepper to taste.

Stuff the mushrooms with the cooked filling and line up on a lined baking sheet.

Bake in a preheated 350F for about 20 to 25 minutes

There will most likely be filling left. you can eat it on bread or crackers!

Do-ahead · Poultry

Chicken Marsala

August 14, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

Sometimes those old standards are just worth having available and they can still turn heads if you cook them right. This recipe is well worth it and tastes so good.

Pounding the chicken cutlets before cooking, renders them thin and terrifically tender.
Deglazing the pan with Marsala and stock after cooking the chicken creates a rich and quick sauce.

Serves 4 to 6

1 1/4 lbs chicken cutlets/tenders, pounded until 1/4 inch thick (about 8)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/3 cup flour
5 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp butter
8 oz button mushrooms, sliced (I use Cremini as they have more flavor)
2 tbsp minced shallots
1 large garlic clove, minced (or more if you like a good bold flavor)
1/3 cup dry Marsala wine
1/3 cup chicken stock
Italian parsley for garnish

Season the chicken after pounding, with salt and pepper and dredge in the 1/3 cup flour, shaking off any excess.
Heat 2 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a 12″ saute pan over medium high heat.
Working in batches, add the chicken and cook, turning once, until golden brown, (about 8 minutes)
Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
Add 2 more tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter then add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 8 mins.
Transfer to the plate with the chicken and set aside.

Heat the remaining oil in the skillet then add the shallots and garlic. Cook, stirring until soft, about 3 minutes.
Add the remaining flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
Add the Marsala and stock and cook scraping the bottom of the pan, until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes.
Return the chicken and mushrooms to the skillet and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes, then season with salt and pepper.

Garnish with chopped Italian parsley and serve with buttery egg noodles!!

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Soup

Intense creamy mushroom soup

August 13, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

This soup originally came from the Bernardus Lodge in Carmel Valley and is well worth making.

Serves about 4 generous portions

10 x 5inch Portabello mushrooms, cubed to about 1/2 inch
3 slices Applewood smoked bacon cut into 1/2″ pieces
10 shallots, skinned and sliced. (Shallots are sweeter than onions)
4 cups chicken stock
5 drops truffle oil, per bowl
salt and pepper
3 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 leek, sliced to 1/2 inch pieces and cleaned
1 750 ml bottle of Pinot Noir
4 cups cream
8 tbsp goat cheese, at room temperature
Chanterelle mushrooms, for decoration

In a heavy bottomed saucepan, sweat out the bacon, shallots, garlic and leeks in a mixture of butter and olive oil.
Add the Portobello mushrooms and continue to sweat until about 90% of the moisture from the mushrooms has evaporated.
Add the Pinot Noir and reduce until about 1/2 is left.
Cover the mushrooms with the chicken stock and reduce to a slow simmer.
Cook for about 20 to 30 mins, add the cream, slowly bring to a boil and simmer for 5 mins.
Puree in a blender.
Season well and pass through a fine sieve and keep warm.
When serving, sprinkle the truffle oil, the crumbled goat cheese, or sprinkle some sauteed chanterelles (in butter) or some small garlic croutons.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Meat · Whole30 compliant

Sausages with oregano, mushrooms and olives

January 12, 2013September 9, 2022 Belinda

I am a self-confessed sausage freak and although this is really simple, it is packed with flavor

Serves 4

1lb your favorite sausages
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp dried oregano
3 garlic cloves, slices
400g can chopped tomatoes or cherry tomatoes
7 fl oz beef stock
4 oz pitted Kalamata olives
1lb mushrooms, thickly sliced

Using kitchen scissors, snip the sausages into meatball sized pieces.
Heat a large pan and fry the sausage pieces on medium low heat in the oil for about 5 – 10 mins until golden all over.

Add the oregano and garlic, fry for 1 minute more, then tip in the tomatoes, stock, olives and mushrooms.

Simmer for 15 minutes until the sausages are cooked through and the sauce has reduced a little.
Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta

Do-ahead · Holiday Food · Meat

Butternut squash bread pudding

December 5, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda1 Comment

Gorgeous!! Serves 4 -6

Preheat oven to 375 F

3 cups butternut squash, cut into 1 inch cubes
2 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
ground or dried sage
4 cups sturdy, day old French or Italian bread, cut into large cubes
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp olive oil
3/4 cup minced shallots
3 garlic cloves
1/2 lb sweet Italian or spicy Italian pork sausage
1/2lb sliced mushrooms
1&1/2 cups kale, chopped
1 cup half and half
2 cups whole milk
4 large eggs
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
1 to 1&1/2 cups shredded mozzarella or fontina cheese

Cut the squash into 1 inch cubes. Oil a cookie sheet and toss the squash in the olive oil. Season with the salt, pepper and dried or ground sage. Bake at 375 F for 40 to 45 mins.

Cut the bread into large cubes and put in the oven for about 5 minutes while the squash is cooking.
Remove to a large bowl.

Meanwhile saute the minced shallot in the olive oil and butter until wilted.
Add the minced garlic and saute briefly until soft then add the mushrooms and cook them through.
When the mushrooms are browned and nearly done cooking, add the chopped kale and saute for a few minutes. If necessary, add a little more oil. Season all with salt and pepper then remove from the pan and place all the cooked vegetables in the bowl with the cooked bread.

Use the same pan to cook the sausage. Remove the casings from the sausages, break up the meat in the pan and cook through. Add a little more olive oil if there’s not enough in the pan, to keep the meat from sticking.
Add the cooked sausage to the bowl with the vegetables, along with the squash when it’s cooked through.

Whisk the eggs, in another bowl and add the half and half, then the milk and stir in the cheeses.
Pour the mixture into the large bowl with the bread/vegetable/sausage mixture and mix it all together with a wooden spoon.
Let it sit for at least 15 mins in order for the bread to soak up the liquid.
You can also make the recipe to this stage and refrigerate overnight letting the bread soak well in the juices.
Pour it into a greased 9 x 13 inch casserole dish and bake at 375 F for 35 to 40 minutes.
You can turn on the broiler to get it a little more browned near the ned of the cooking.

This recipe also reheats really well for leftovers!

Appetizers · Asian flavors · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free

Asian shrimp stuffed mushrooms with orange glaze

September 23, 2012September 9, 2022 Belinda

This is a killer appetizer. I have never made it without my guests taking their first bite and saying”wow!” It’s incredibly light, moist and unexpectedly intense in flavor.
Serves 4

Mushroom-Shrimp

2 tbsp peanut oil
sliced green parts of the green onions (for garnish)
24 small to medium button mushrooms or in my case I used 16 mini Portabellos as they are perfect for stuffing
1/2 lb raw shrimp
4 minced water chestnuts
1 green onion (spring onion) minced
2 tsp finely minced fresh ginger
2 tsp dry sherry
2 tsp light soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

Twist the stems off the mushrooms and discard. Set caps aside.
Shell, devein and chop the shrimp, not too finely as you need to keep some texture.
Combine the shrimp, water chestnuts, green onion, ginger, sherry, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly. Stuff the mushrooms with the shrimp mixture, put on a platter and refrigerate them until you cook them (This can be done ahead of time and don’t worry if the shrimp mixture starts to discolor, it will disappear when cooking)

Asian orange glaze sauce

1 cup chicken stock
4 tbsp dry sherry
4 tsp oyster sauce
2 tsp hoisin sauce
1/2 tsp Chinese chile sauce
1/2 tsp sugar
4 tsp grated orange rind

In a small bowl combine all the ingredients and stir well.
Set aside.

Final stage

Just before serving, place a large skillet (about 12″) over medium heat.
Pour in the peanut oil, then add the mushrooms carefully, button sides down. (stuffing upwards!)
Fry until the oil sizzles and the bottoms of the mushrooms are starting to brown, about 3 -4 minutes.
Pour in the Asian orange glaze sauce, cover the skillet and cook until the shrimp filling starts to turn white, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Remove the lid, turn the heat up to high and cook the mushrooms until most of the sauce has disappeared and glazes the mushrooms.
This is where the flavor gets really intense as the sauce has reduced so much and become very rich.
During the final minutes of cooking gently ladle what sauce is left over the tops of the mushrooms, glazing them with a shiny brown glaze.
Tip out the mushrooms and glaze onto a platter, decorate with the sliced green onion tops and serve immediately

Pasta

Orzo with shitakes, caramelized onions and spinach

August 9, 2012February 8, 2016 Belinda

Serves 8 to 10 as a side dish.

Orzo works really well with Asian flavors and this recipe makes a lot. It’s a great side for a dinner party but you can easily cut it in half.
Thank you to “Fine Cooking” magazine.

Kosher salt
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
5 tbsp peanut oil
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
pinch of dried red chile flakes
6 oz fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 tbsp dry sherry
freshly ground black pepper
1 large yellow onion, finely diced
10 oz fresh spinach, stemmed, washed and coarsely chopped
1lb dried orzo
4 scallions,(white and green parts) thinly sliced
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds
1 lime, cut into small wedges

Bring a large pot of well salted water to the boil.
In a small bowl whisk the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil and 2 tbsp of the peanut oil.
Set a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. When it’s hot pour in 1&1/2 tbsp of the peanut oil and after a few seconds add the garlic, ginger and chile flakes.
Stir for 20 seconds making sure the garlic doesn’t burn. (or it will go very bitter)
Add the mushrooms and stir fry until they soften, 2 to 3 mins.
Add the sherry and cook for another 30 seconds.
Season with salt and pepper and transfer the mixture to a bowl.
Reduce the heat to medium, heat the remaining peanut oil and add the onion. Season with salt and pepper then saute, stirring often, until the onion is soft and slightly caramelized, 9 to 10 minutes.
Add the spinach, cover the pan and steam, shaking the pan occasionally until the spinach wilts, about 3 minutes.
Remove and discard the garlic from the mushrooms, put the mushrooms back in the pan and toss.
Remove from the heat and season lightly with salt and pepper.
Reserve until needed.
Cook the orzo in the boiling salted water until it’s just tender, about 9 minutes.
Drain it well and put it in a large bowl.
Add the mushroom mixture, soy vinaigrette, scallions and sesame seeds and toss.
taste and season.
Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with lime wedges to squeeze over the pasta.