Gallo Pinto Rice and Beans
September 30, 2013
Traditional Costa Rican dish, serve with fresh sunny side eggs & fruit. Cast iron skillet. January 2008 from our days in Costa Rica: Monteverde, Heredia, Hotel Bougainvillea, Peace Lodge, Pacuare River rafting trip, Encanta la Vida – Cabo Matapolo on the Osa Peninsula.
Serves 6-8
- 3 Cups day old rice (brown short grain)
- 2 cups cooked black beans
- 1 onion finely chopped
- 1 red pepper finely chopped
- 1 or 2 celery stalk diced small
- 2 TB fresh cilantro finely chopped 3 strips bacon cooked, drained & crumbled OR use smoky paprika.
- 2 TB oil
- Salsa Lizano to taste (or mix of Worcestershire Sauce & Tobasco)
Saute onion, pepper,celery in oil on medium heat.
Add beans, cook 2 minutes more.
Add rice, cook 3 minutes more.
Add Salsa, cilantro, garnish with bacon crumbs.
Vegetarian chili
January 8, 2013
From SF Chronicle, Nicolette Niman. Make in cast iron Dutch oven, 8-10 servings
Rinse canned beans in colander:
- 15 oz can Black beans
- 15 oz can Pinto beans
- 15 oz can kidney beans
Heat spices in fry pan over med heat
- 4 tsp cumin seeds, toast until fragrant 2-3 min, then add
- 2 tsp dry mexican oregano, toast 10 SEC. Remove pan from heat. Using mortar and pestle, crush toasted oregano & cumin.
Sautee onions med-low heat until translucent, stir frequently, 8 minutes in large pot (Dutch oven)
- Heat 1 TB Canola and 2 TB olive oil in pan, add
- 3 onions diced small, saute until translucent, then add spices
- Add the toasted cumin, oregano.
- S & P to taste
- 2 garlic cloves coarsely chopped
- 4 tsp sweet paprika
- 3 TB ground red chili
Add tomatoes and cilantro to pot, heat on med until it begins to bubble, then add beans.
- 28 oz can chopped stewed tomatoes
- 15 oz can tomato sauce
- ¼ Cup chopped fresh cilantro
Add beans and simmer on low for 1 hour. Add S&P and Chili as needed.
Just before serving, add dash red wine vinegar.
Garnish with shredded sharp cheddar, sour cream, finely chopped cilantro
Kale, farro, currants
December 19, 2012
WSJ 2012, Suzanne Goin, prep time 40 min
Blanch Kale & cook farro
- 3 TB currants, cover with hot water, soak 10 min, drain.
- 1 LB kale (cavolo nero) , center ribs removed. Blanch kale 1-2 minutes boiling water, remove kale, cool and chop. Save water to cook farro.
- Add 1½ C farro to boiling water, cook 12 minutes or until tender. Drain and spread on baking sheet to cool.
Cook onion, herbs & kale.
- Heat 4 TB olive oil in a saute pan med-hi.
- Add 1 med red onion thinly sliced,
- 1 TB thyme leaves
- 1 sprig rosemary
- 1 dried mild chili thinly sliced (chile de árbol)
- ½ tsp salt
- Cook 5-6 minutes until onion softens, add chopped kale, cook additional 5 min. Transfer to serving dish, discard rosemary sprig.
Saute farro and add back kale
- Wipe pan clean to cook farro.
- Add 2 TB olive oil, add cooked farro, cook 5 min,while stirring as grains crisp.
- Add kale back to pan, stir 2-3 min.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in currants
- Add 3 TB roasted pine nuts
- add 2 TB chopped parsley
- Transfer to serving dish.
Reduce balsamic vinegar
- Wipe pan clean. Return to heat, add ¼C balsamic vinegar, reduce to scant 1 TB.
- Stir reduced balsamic vinegar into farro dish. Adjust salt & pepper to taste.
Couscous shallots garlic & almonds
December 17, 2012
Saute grains before submerged in liquid, pilaf method. The Week Dec 2010
- 3 TB unsalted butter
- 2 C couscous
Heat butter in saucepan med-hi heat. Add couscous, cook stirring frequently until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add 3 thinly sliced shallots. cook until softened and slightly browned, about 5 minutes.
- Add 1 clove minced garlic, cook until fragrant 30 seconds.
- Add 1 C water plus 1 C chicken broth, stir briefly, cover, remove from heat.
- Let stand until grains are tender, about 7 minutes. Uncover, fluff with fork.
- Stir in ¾ C toasted sliced almonds, ¼ C minced parsley, 2 tsp lemon juice, ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest, ground black pepper.
Farro salad
December 17, 2012
Williams Sonoma, Savoring Italy.
- 1 C farro (spelt) Cover with water, soak 2 hours, drain.
- In large pot, bring to boil with 4 cups water, 1 tsp salt.
- Reduce heat to low, cook uncovered 40-60 minutes until soft.
- Drain, pour into large bowl,
Mix with following ingredients:
- 4-6 radishes sliced thin
- 2 chopped tomatoes
- 1 small cucumber chopped
- 1/3 c ( 2 oz/60g) chopped pitted Gaeta or other Mediterranean black olive.
- ¼ C fresh basil leaves cut into strips
- 3 TB olive oil
- Black pepper
Line a platter with lettuce leaves. Add 4 hard boiled eggs, peeled & quartered.
Lentils Braised
November 5, 2012
From Williams-Sonoma 2012, 8 svgs
Saute vegetables and Bacon in frying pan medium heat
- 3 oz diced bacon saute until fat rendered 4-6 min
- 1 TB olive oil
Add diced vegetables, saute until softened 6-8 min
- 1 onion diced
- 1 carrot diced
- 1 stalk celery diced
Add garlic, saute about 1 min
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Turn heat up to med hi, add wine, cook 3-4 min to reduce liquid
- ½ cup dry white wine
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 large fresh thyme sprigs
Add broth and lentils, bring to a boil, reduce heat, simmer covered 35-40 minutes
- 3 Cups chicken broth
- 2 cups dry lentils, rinsed, drained
Remove bay leaf & thyme sprigs, serve with duck confit or chicken thighs.
Mormor’s Potato Salad
May 12, 2012
- Boil small size red potatoes and or yellow dutch (8 oz) 15-20 min. Drain, cool. cut into bite size pieces.
- ¼ cup minced Clausen dill pickles (1 large) & 1 tsp juice.
- Hard boil 2 eggs (bring to boil, remove from heat, let sit in boiled water 12-15 minutes).
- ¼C minced red onion
- 1 TB parsley minced
- ¼ C celery (1 piece) minced.
- ¼C creme fraiche (plus more if needed or maybe a dollop of mayo)
- Coleman’s dry mustard a pinch to ½ tsp
- white pepper, salt
- adjust ingredients, add more if needed to taste.
Farro, braised greens, pistachios & ricotta
February 19, 2012
WSJ Feb 2012, serves 4
- 1 1/2 C Farro
Bring med sized pot of water to a boil, add farro, boil until tender 15-20 min. Drain in strainer & toss to dry
- 3 TB olive oil
- 1 clove garlic sliced thin
- 1 small yellow onion sliced thin (about 1 1/2 C)
- 1 tsp Aleppo pepper(paprika)
- 1 lemon sliced into thin rounds
- 1 1/2 – 2 bunches swiss chard, stems removed, washed and leaves cut into 1/2 inch strips. (8 Cups)
Wide pot with fitted lid, med low heat. Heat 3 TB oil, then add garlic, onion, lemon & pepper. When onion is translucent (7-10 min) stir in chard, Cover and cook until chard is wilted, about 5 min. Uncover, stir often and cook additional 12 minutes until greens are soft. Add fresh lemon juice to taste.
- 1/2 TB olive oil
- 1/2 C pistachios roasted and coarsely chopped
- 1/3 C fresh Ricotta (or feta)
- Pomegranate syrup or fresh seeds for taste.
In medium bowl, season farro with 1/2 TB oil and pinch salt.Stir pistachios into grains. Top with greens, garnish with dollop of ricotta and pomegranate.
Risotto Oven baked
February 5, 2012
Arborio Rice, from Mari Betta (Ben’s mother) serves 4-6. Preheat oven 375°, Bake 25 min.
- Saute 1/4 C chopped onion in 1/4 c olive oil until softened.
- Add 1 C rice to pan, stir until coated.
- Add 2 C chicken broth, bring to a boil.
- Transfer to baking dish, cover with foil.
- Optional – after 20 min, take out, add 1/2 C green peas, Bake 5 min more.
Baked Fingerling Potatoes with Bacon & Cream
January 25, 2012
Sunset 2011, made this for Thanksgiving. 8 Svgs. Preheat oven 400°
- 4 Lbs fingerling potatoes, halved if large.(Makah Ozetta)
- 12 oz red pearl onions
Bring potatoes to a boil in pot salted water, simmer until tender (10-15 min). Drain and put into bowl. Blanch onions in boiling water 2 mins, rinse to cool, then peel.
- 2 Tbs unsalted butter, melted
- 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp salt (Maldon flakes)
- 1/2 tsp pepper
Add butter, oil & spices to potatoes & onions, stir. Divide onto two baking sheets, bake, stir occasionally about 25 minutes. (Until potatoes are tender & golden.) Transfer to shallow serving dish.
- 1/4 C Crème fraîche
- 1/4 C heavy cream
- 1/4 C chopped chives
- 4 oz bacon (cooked until crisp, chpd fine)
- 1/4 tsp salt and 1/8 tsp pepper
Beat creams together with electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Stir in chives, bacon and S&P. Top potatoes with ceam mixture, stir to coat.
Olsson Recipes 