My introduction to this French country dish was, oddly, in London.  And the first time I had it, I had never heard of it.  Since my graduate school days, I have made an annual pilgrimage to London, extending the trip each year, to spend enough time to settle in and not feel rushed or overwhelmed.  Sure, I go to museums and historical sights and see friends, but my main focus, as is always the case, is food.  The first thing I do when I arrive is hit the various markets in town to stock up on whatever is fresh and in season. I rent a flat for my stay so I have access to a kitchen.  Several years ago, in my neighborhood, a new street market began.  And it is fabulous.  Not big like Borough Market, but a perfect gem of a Saturday stop.  The vendors offer mostly prepared foods in such a diverse array it’s like vacation with in a vacation.  Oysters driven up from the South coast that morning, two Syrian brothers who sell sticky, sweet pastries.  An Indonesian family making unbelievable rice flour fritters with curry and shrimp. A young English woman who sells the most meltingly delicious handmade fudge.  Homemade Portugese jams, freshly baked breads, an array of cheeses from all over England, and another booth specializing in French cheese. When I plan my schedule, I make sure to be in London on as many Saturdays as possible to visit this jewel-box market.

A few years ago, as I was wandering and planning my meals for the next day, I came across a charming table decorated with flowers and a French flag, stacked with lovely little terra cotta casseroles.  I of course stopped to chat with the vendor, a charming young British woman selling petite dishes of classic French casseroles.  The earthenware dishes were filled with escargots in garlic butter, cassoulet, boeuf bourguignon, and coq au vin, all ready to pop in the oven and enjoy.  I was a bit dazzled by the choice and asked the vendor (the traiteur, really) which dish to take home for supper, and she told me the hachis parmentier was her favorite.  In fact, she confided, she liked it much better than traditional British cottage pie or Shepard’s pie (the former being made with beef, the latter with lamb).  With that endorsement, I went home with my hachis for Sunday dinner.

The little dish was enough for two meals, but I devoured the greater part of it in one sitting.  The remains, I dissected and made notes on, trying to tease out all the flavors so I could recreate it at home. I made notes, and jotted down a few questions for my traiteur the next week.  There was a £1 deposit on the terra cotta dish, so you could return it the next week and choose another casserole.  I dutifully carried my dish in my bag to Saturday’s market, but the vendor was not there.  And I have never seen her since, at that or any other London market.  But she left me with a lasting favorite meal, and a lovely little dish (though I never make hachis for one, it’s just too good).

Hachis Parmentier

French Cottage Pie

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped (about 2 cups)

7 slices (about 6 ounces) bacon, finely diced

2 carrots, finely diced (about 1 ½ cups)

2 celery stalks, finely diced (about 1 cup)

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

2 ½ pounds ground beef chuck

1 750 ml bottle of red wine

1 ¼ cup reduced sodium beef broth

2 Tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons sugar

½ teaspoon ground cloves

7-8 generous sprigs fresh thyme

3 bay leaves

4 large russet potatoes (about 3 pounds)

½ cup (1 stick) butter, diced

½ cup dry vermouth

½ cup milk (possibly a bit more)

Salt and pepper to taste

1/3 cup grated parmesan

Preheat the oven to 450°.  First, prep all your vegetables and the bacon.  Now you’re really French-cooking with your mise-en-place.

Pour the oil into a large (5 quart) Dutch oven, then add the finely diced onions. Sauté over medium high heat until the onions start to turn golden and begin to caramelize, about 15 minutes.  Add  ¼ cup of water about halfway through to speed up the process.  When nicely golden, add the diced bacon and sauté for five minutes until it begins to cook.  Add the carrots, then the celery and continue to sauté until the vegetables start to soften and brown.  Stir in the garlic and sauté for about a minute.  Add the ground beef and stir, breaking the meat up into small pieces, until browned and no longer pink.  Carefully drain off any accumulated fat, then return the pot to the heat.  Add the red wine, beef broth, tomato paste, sugar and cloves and stir well to combine.  Drop in all the thyme sprigs (count how many you add so you can remove the stalks later) and the bay leaves. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 1 ½ hours, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, prick the potatoes all over with a sharp knife and place on the rack in the oven to bake.  Cook until the potatoes are soft when squeezed, about 1 ½ hours.  When the potatoes are done, remove from the oven and carefully, wearing oven mitts or using a folded towel, cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop the flesh into a large bowl.  Add the butter, vermouth and milk and mash with a fork or potato masher until smooth.  Salt to taste (remember that the meat will be flavorful).

When the liquid with the meat is almost completely reduced, with just a little sauce clinging to the meat, remove from the heat. Remove the thyme stalks (the leaves will stay behind) and the bay leaves. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Scoop the meat filling into an 11 by 7 inch baking dish and spread out to make a smooth top.  Dollop the mashed potatoes over the filling, then spread out to cover the meat.  Using slightly damp fingers is a good way to do this.  Try not to let the meat or sauce poke through the potato topping.  Use a fork to scrape light lines across the smooth top of the potatoes.  This will give a lovely browned crispy effect.  Sprinkle the parmesan over the top.

The hachis parmentier can be cooled, covered and refrigerated for up to two days at this point. When ready to serve, preheat the oven to 350° and cook until heated through, golden with some bubbling around the sides, about 25- 30 minutes.

Serves 6

I love a good pumpkin dish for Halloween, and this one hits all the right notes.  It’s easy to make, reheats well after a busy night trick-or-treating and is packed full of flavor.  It is also a Halloween appropriate blend of orange and black!  And chili is always a crowd pleaser, and extra fun for a gathering if you provide fun toppings to customize each bowl like sour cream, lime, diced avocado, or tortilla chips.  If you are industrious, save the seeds from the pumpkin and toast them with a little salt for a crunchy topper.  You could even serve this chili over rice.  And of course, a wedge of Pumpkin Cornbread would be the perfect accompainment.

Look for small “pie” pumpkins, sometimes labeled sugar pumpkins.  Sorry, but the flesh from your jack-o-lantern won’t work.  Those pumpkins are decorative and have tough flesh with little flavor.  If your market sells pre-cut pumpkin, feel free to use it, and yes, you could substitute pre-cut butternut squash, though that takes out some of the Halloween authenticity. The cinnamon in this chili adds real depth and brings out the flavor of the pumpkin.  It does not make it sweet or taste like cookies, I promise.

A word about chorizo.  For this dish you’ll use the more common Mexican chorizo, which is a soft uncooked sausage, not hard salami-like Spanish chorizo.  I have found that the flavors of readily available chorizo vary enormously.  I recommend a brand made in Mexico, which I find easily at my regular grocery store, or if you can, a freshly made variet from a Hispanic grocer.  Choose mild over spicy if there is an option – you can always add spice, but you can’t take it away. The brand I commonly find is packed with flavor and very spicy, so it requires little else to make this chili pack a punch.  That is why I recommend cooking small bit of the chorizo first and tasting it.  If you find it bland, add chili powder to taste, and even a little hot sauce if you feel the need.

Spicy Chorizo, Pumpkin and Black Bean Chili

2 pounds Mexican chorizo (please read above)

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

4 cups (32-ounce box) chicken broth

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Chili powder (optional)

3 – 4 pound pie pumpkin

2 (14-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

Salt and pepper to taste

Topping Ideas:

Sour cream

Lime wedges

Diced avocado

Chopped cilantro

Crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese

Tortilla chips

Oyster crackers

Toasted pumpkin seeds (pepitas)

Pinch off a small piece of the chorizo and sauté it in a small skillet until cooked through.  Taste the chorizo to determine its flavor and spice level.

Break the chorizo up into a 5-quart Dutch oven and sauté over medium heat, breaking up the meat into small pieces until the bright orange juices are running.  Add the chopped onion and continue cooking, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan until the onions are soft. Pour in the chicken broth, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Stir in the cinnamon.  Add chili powder to taste if you feel the chorizo doesn’t have enough flavor and spice.

While the chorizo is simmering, prepare the pumpkin.  Cut the pumpkin in half and scoop out the seeds and fibrous innards.  Cut the halves into quarters and cut away the orange rind and any green-tinged flesh.  Use a very sturdy and sharp knife and go slowly and carefully.  Cut the pumpkin flesh into bite size chunks.  Remember you’ll be eating this with a spoon, so size the pieces accordingly.  Add the pumpkin to the simmering chorizo. Cook for about 10 minutes, then add the drained black beans.  Continue to simmer the chili until the pumpkin is tender and the chili has thickened. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serve warm with sour cream and fresh limes to squeeze over the chili, and a selection of toppings.  The chili can be made up to 24 hours ahead and gently reheated.

Serves 6 – 8

When I travel, one of my greatest joys is sampling as much of the local food as possible.  But on long trips, even I get a little weary.  Sometimes I crave more familiar flavors, sometimes I am just too tired to search out a specialty restaurant and just want what’s close.  And sometimes, this pays off.  I had amazing, perfect pizza in Toledo, Spain because that was the restaurant in front of us when we needed to escape the crowds.  Some of the best French fries I have ever eaten were in Cairo, when I just needed French fries.  In India, I’ll remember amazing curries and street snacks, but also a perfect osso bucco in Mumbai.

And that’s how this recipe came about.  Toward the end of three weeks in Southeast Asia, I needed a little break from sampling the local specialties.  So I ended up in an Italian restaurant in an upscale hotel in Bangkok.  The main course of veal crespelle was gorgeous and complex, the gelato sampler creamy and delicate.  But what struck me the most, the dish I knew I’d be making at home as soon as the plate hit the table, was this pasta with creamy gorgonzola, crisp green apples and toasted walnuts.  I was so amazed at its simplicity, the blending of ingredients that go so well together, I was a little astonished I’d never seen the dish before.  Or thought of it myself.  I am sure the restaurant chefs had a more complex recipe, and undoubtedly made their own pasta, but I’ve come darn close to the original.

So I came home from Thailand with recipes for pad thai, fish cakes, curry dishes, larb, sticky rice…and pasta with gorgonzola.  I make this for myself as a quick dinner all the time.  I’ve scaled it here to generously serve two as dinner, but feel free to go up or down.  Ingredients are what matter, not proportions.

Pasta with Gorgonzola, Apples and Walnuts

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

1 large green apple

1 cup walnut halves

1 Tablespoon butter

¾ cup half and half

½ pound gorgonzola cheese, cut into small pieces

½ pound thin pasta, like linguine or bucatini

Mix the lemon juice with about ½ cup water in a small bowl.  Core the apple and cut it into small pieces.  Drop the pieces into the acidulated water and stir to coat.  Make sure the apples are covered by liquid, adding more water if necessary.  Set aside. This step is important, as it prevents the apples from browning.

Toast the walnuts in a wide skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently.  The nuts are done when they are slightly browned and release a lovely, nutty fragrance.  Watch carefully so they do not burn.  Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool, then break into small pieces.

Melt the butter with the half and half in a saucepan over medium heat.  When the mixture is just bubbling (do not let it boil), drop in most of the gorgonzola and stir to melt. Save a bit to sprinkle on top the pasta. Remove from the heat.

Bring a large pot of well salted water to a boil and cook the pasta according to the package instructions.  Drain the cooked pasta, reserving some of the starchy cooking water, then place the noodles back in the large pan over low heat.  Pour in the gorgonzola cream and toss well to coat.  If you’d like a little thinner sauce, or need it to stretch a bit to coat the noodles, stir in a little of the pasta water.  Toss in the drained apple pieces and the toasted walnuts.

Serve the pasta in bowls, with some extra gorgonzola, apples and walnuts on top if you’d like. Salt to taste.

Serves 2

In my family, when we travel, we all have assignments. Subjects to learn about, information to share with the group.  Yes, homework for vacation.  Laugh all you want, but it has made for some really interesting trips.  I am generally given the topic of food.  I search out restaurants, food customs, typical local fare and markets.  And the training of my family vacations has worn off.  I generally do quite a bit of research before I travel, and always research the food I should be on the lookout for.

Before I traveled to South Africa some years ago, I read about bobotie, a traditional dish with Cape Malay origins. The Cape Malay have East Asian ancestry, so the spices and curries of their heritage have translated into the broader realm of South African cooking. When I first arrived, I started asking, and the friend I was visiting and new friends I met told me that bobotie was really the sort of thing people cooked at home, and they weren’t sure I’d see it on a menu anywhere.  But they gave me a general description of the dish, with a lot of “well, my mom always makes it….”  I of course, took copious notes.  I did eventually have bobotie, as a lunch with a green salad at a game lodge, and served in a charming little ramekin at an elegant country inn in the Cape Winelands.  I picked up a couple of cookbooks that had bobotie recipes as well.  All this proved to me why bobotie is a favorite dish.  I recently spent a wonderful week with a group of South African friends, and when asked what they considered a true South African dish, they all said bobotie.  It reminded me how delicious this dish is, and how easy it is to make a flavorful, exotic meal that’s a departure from our standard fare.  I bet you’ll want to add it into regular meal rotation.

I have combined my preferred features from my bobotie research for my recipe, and adapted it a little to what’s readily available to me.  Some recipes I gathered use only lamb, or only beef, but I like the depth of a combined version. South Africa offers a wide and varied selection of chutneys, and I have been admonished that a good bobotie is all about a good chutney.  I find the easily accessible Major Grey type chutney a perfect choice.

Bobotie (South African Curried Beef and Lamb Casserole)

If you have a large oven-to-table casserole dish, you can make this in one pan.

2 small onions, finely diced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 pound ground lamb

1 pound ground beef

2 Tablespoons curry powder

3 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed, torn into cubes

1¼ cup buttermilk

1 cup seedless golden raisins

2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 Tablespoon apricot jam

2 Tablespoons mango chutney (such as Major Grey)

3 large eggs

salt and pepper to taste

bay leaves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until soft and pale golden.  Stir in one Tablespoon curry powder and stir to combine.  Add lamb and beef and cook until just browned, breaking up the meat with a sturdy spatula.  Remove from heat to cool a little.

In a small bowl, place bread cubes and buttermilk.  Leave to soak for 5 minutes.  Using your clean hands, squeeze the bread to remove as much buttermilk as possible.  Reserve the remaining buttermilk.

Add the soaked bread, raisins, lemon juice, jam, chutney and the remaining Tablespoon of curry powder to the meat and onion mixture.  Add salt and pepper to taste and stir to mix completely. Transfer the meat mixture to an 5 quart inch casserole dish, spreading it out evenly.

Beat the eggs into the reserved buttermilk with a dash of salt and pepper.  Pour over the meat mixture in the casserole.  Stuff a few bay leaves into the meat.  If using fresh leaves, roll them up like cigars, dried ones can just be stuffed down into the mixture. Bake the bobotie for 30 minutes until the top is golden brown and set.

Serve warm, with additional mango chutney as an accompaniment.

Serves 6

My favorite summer treat is definitely fresh corn, straight off the cob. I eat more corn in summer than I ought to admit.  Usually just straight up, with a little butter and salt.  When corn starts appearing in the farmers market, I buy bushels of it to put up for the winter. I ration out those little frozen bags of golden jewels like they really are precious gems.  And when I light up the grill, I love to throw on some corn.  Usually way more than my guests and I will eat, so I can cut the leftovers off the cobs and enjoy it later.

Mexican-style grilled corn, or elote, is another one of those food ideas that I read about for years before ever actually trying it.  When I finally did take the plunge, slathering a freshly cooked cob of corn in mayonnaise and rolling it in salty cheese, I was hooked.  This is now my favorite way to eat corn on the cob.  When I started serving it at cook-outs, many friends were reluctant to try mayo on their corn, but the brave ones who did were hooked too.  Now there is an amazing Mexican deli in town that serves elote, and when I hear folks rave about it, I love to say I told you so.

When I have a smaller group of friends to serve, I grill the cobs and put them on a big platter.  Next to that I put a bowl of mayonnaise for spreading, a dish of chili powder for sprinkling, a plate of crumbled cheese for rolling and some lime wedges for squeezing.  Interactive food is always fun.  But with a larger group, that is not always practical, in part because I only have corn cob holders for six ears.  So when planning a larger gathering once, it occurred to me that maybe I could transform the idea into a salad.  It works beautifully, with all the flavor of a traditional elote.  It’s great for a crowd, but is also a great way to take fresh corn along to a party.  If you don’t have the grill going, it is perfectly fine with just-boiled kernels.

Mexican Corn Salad

Cotija cheese is a salty Mexican cheese you’ll find in with other Hispanic cheeses at most god groceries.  If you don’t find cotija, queso fresco is a good substitute.  I prefer to buy blocks and crumble it myself to get even chunks.

¼ cup mayonnaise (or more to taste)                                                                       

Juice of 2 limes

1 teaspoon mild chili powder

½ teaspoon ground cumin

8 ears of fresh corn, shucked and silks removed

1 cup crumbled cojita cheese (about 4 ounces)

Salt to taste

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, juice of one lime, the chili powder and the ground cumin.  Blend well and set aside.

Cook the corn on the cob. You can bring a large pot of water to the boil, drop in the cobs and bring the water back to the boil.  Remove the pot from the heat, cover it and let the cobs cook for five minutes. If you’ve got the grill going, you can then place the cobs on the grill to get a nice char on the kernels, but its fine if you don’t grill.  When cool enough to handle, cut the kernels from the cobs using a sharp knife.  Place the corn in a large bowl and squeeze over the juice of one lime.  Toss the kernels around to absorb the lime juice.  Add the cotija cheese and toss to combine.  Stir in the mayonnaise dressing to coat all the corn kernels.  Add salt to taste and mix well.

This salad will keep covered in the fridge for 24 hours.

Serves 6 – 8, can be doubled or tripled

I’ll be honest, I don’t actually know the history of Cinco de Mayo, I just know it’s a perfect excuse for a slap-up Mexican meal, and that is always a good thing.  And there is something so friendly and communal about a Mexican feast.  It’s a great way to gather friends and family, its interactive eating that everyone can enjoy. So for your own celebration, serve up some Smoky Beef Tacos or Green Chicken Chilaquiles, along with a side of Charro Beans.  Start your party off with some Green Chile Cheese Puffs.  And of course, don’t forget the Fresh Citrus Margaritas!

I have found some gorgeous red kidney beans at my local Latin/Asian/Caribbean/Middle Eastern supermarket from Guatemala called Frijol Pilay, but look for any dark burgundy, plump beans. Epazote is a popular dried herb in Mexican cooking, and I have been told that not only does it improve the flavors of beans, it aids in their digestion – and some of the impolite side affects. You’ll find it in the herb and spice section of Latin markets, but I pick it up at Penzey’s.  Mexican oregano has a more distinct flavor than standard (usually Turkish) oregano and is worth having around if you cook a lot of Latin dishes. My favorite restautant charro beans come with diced pieces of jalapeno floating in the broth, but I prefer a halved, cleaned pepper in to flavor the cooking liquid, instead of biting into pieces.  Do what you like, and add another pepper if you like it spicy.

Mexican chorizo is a soft, well-seasoned sausage (Spanish chorizo is hard and dry).  I buy freshly prepared at the Latin market, but it is readily available at many grocery stores.  It can range from mild to spicy, and if it’s labeled, choose mild so you can monitor your own flavor level.

Charro Beans

3 cups dried red kidney beans

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon epazote (optional)

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 jalapeno pepper, stem, seeds and ribs removed

5 cloves garlic

Handful cilantro (stems and leaves)

1 pound fresh Mexican chorizo, casings removed if necessary

6 strips bacon, cut into small pieces

Sort through the beans and pick out any that are shriveled or imperfect.  Soak the dried beans in 6 cups of water, uncovered, overnight. The next day, drain the beans, rinse well and place in the crock of a large slow-cooker.  Add 6 cups of water, the diced onion, epazote, oregano, jalapeno pepper and garlic cloves and stir well.  Cover the crock and turn the pot to high, 6 hour setting.

When the beans are halfway cooked (3 hours), sauté the chorizo until brown, breaking it up into small pieces.  Remove to a heavy layer of paper towels on a plate to drain using a slotted spoon.  Drain off the oil, then sauté the bacon pieces until crispy.  Remove the bacon to paper towels to drain.  Pat the chorizo to remove as much grease as possible.  With a good chorizo, it will be bright red, so try not to stain your clothes.  Add the chorizo and bacon to the beans in the slow cooker, stir, replace the cover and continue cooking until the beans are tender.

If you don’t have a slow cooker, you can cook the soaked beans in a large Dutch oven over low-heat for 2 – 3 hours until tender.  Check the beans occasionally and stir to prevent scorching on the bottom, adding water as needed.

Serves 8- 10

It is such a little bit of magic when something truly easy is also masterfully elegant.  And that is the case with this simple pasta dish.  So few ingredients, only a little fiddling around and you end up with bubbling deliciousness.  Maybe because the ingredients are just a little out of the norm or because it basically makes its own sauce in the oven.  Serve this up to your family or friends and they are bound to be impressed at your skill in the kitchen. 

Gnocchi are readily available in the pasta section of any big grocery – look for the vacuum packed varieties that are still soft.  I pick mine up at a local handmade pasta shop so I know they are fresh and pillowy.  And real gorgonzola is key here, the sharp, tangy taste is the dominant flavor.  A big green salad makes this a hearty meal. And yes, sometimes I reduce the recipe and make it just for myself.

Baked Gnocchi with Gorgonzola and Sage Cream

Individual, shallow gratin dishes work best for this, but a single shallow baking dish will work.

2 (1-pound) packages gnocchi

¼ cup butter

1 clove garlic, minced

½ cup fresh sage leaves

4 ounces gorgonzola cheese

½ cup heavy whipping cream

Salt and pepper

Preheat the broiler to high.

Cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions in plenty of salted water.  Drain the gnocchi and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan over medium heat.  Toss in the sage leaves and garlic and swirl around, cooking until the leaves begin to crisp and the garlic browns slightly.  Remove from the heat and strain the butter into a measuring jug.  Divide the butter between the 4 dishes, leaving a bit left for drizzling.

Divide the gnocchi between the gratin dishes. Crumble the gorgonzola and tuck the pieces into the gnocchi in the dishes.  Pour the heavy cream evenly over the gnocchi in each dish, season well with salt and pepper, and drizzle any remaining sage butter over the top.  Place the dishes on a baking sheet and slide under the broiler.  Cook until the gnocchi are warmed through, the cream is bubbling and the cheese is melty.  Watch carefully so they don’t burn.

Serve immediately, with a little of the cooked, crumbled sage leaves sprinkled over the top.

Serves 4

I am a newcomer to Corned Beef and Cabbage.  I have generally enjoyed my corned beef deli sliced on a sandwich and my cabbage in slaw.  My father is a big fan of corned beef and cabbage, but somehow it hadn’t trickled down to me.  I had certainly thought about developing a recipe for St. Patrick’s Day, but hadn’t gotten around to it.  Then, this winter, I was invited to a friend’s house for dinner, one of those fun nights when everyone contributes an element to the meal. One guest brought the appetizer – thinly sliced corned beef, perfectly cooked, served with dark bread and a variety of mustards.  It was gone as quick as it was put out.  And of course, I begged her corned beef cooking secrets.  She laid out the boiling and steaming method laid out here, and I knew I had to give it a try.  Okay, I did veer of her path a little by adding beer and some spices, but this method creates a tender corned beef proclaimed by my dad “a triumph.”

While making my second test round of the dish, I happened to be reading the book 97 Orchard about immigrant families in New York bringing the traditions of their home countries to their adopted home.  As the corned beef boiled, I read the section on Irish cooking, and learned that, counter to the popular tale that corned beef and cabbage is a purely American creation, it is in fact an old Irish tradition, and that Irish corned beef was packed for long voyages across the Atlantic in the days of the Pilgrims.  I’ve added my own culinary heritage with the bacon-braised cabbage of the South, and the final product is a real treat. 

Corned Beef and Cabbage Cooked in Beer

1 3 – pound thin cut corned beef brisket

1 (12-ounce) bottle pale ale or beer

3 bay leaves

1 teaspoon black peppercorns

1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds

1 medium head green cabbage

3 strips bacon, or 2 Tablespoons bacon grease

Discard any seasoning packet that comes with the corned beef. Rinse the corned beef and place in a large Dutch oven.  Pour in the beer and add enough water to cover the meat.  Drop in the bay leaves, peppercorns and mustard seeds.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, skimming off any scum that rises to the top.  Lower the heat to medium low, cover the pot and cook at a low boil for 3 hours, adding more water to cover the meat as needed.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.  When the meat has boiled, remove it from the pan to the rack of a roasting try. I use the one that came with my oven, which has a nice deep try and a slotted top rack.  Reserve all the cooking liquid.  Fill the bottom tray with as much of the cooking liquid as will fit without touching the meat.  Cover the whole very tightly with foil, sealing well.  The meat is meant to steam, so you don’t want the steam to escape. Cook for 2 hours.

Meanwhile, pour the remaining cooking liquid into a bowl or large measuring jug and put in the fridge.  Rinse out the Dutch oven.

When the corned beef has steamed for two hours, remove it from the oven and leave it covered until ready to carve. 

About 30 minutes before you’re ready to serve, cook the cabbage.  Skim any fat off the top of the reserved cooking liquid from them meat. Cook the bacon strips in the Dutch oven until crispy, or simply melt the bacon fat over medium-high heat. When the bacon is cooked, remove it to paper towels to save for another use and discard all but about 2 Tablespoons of fat.  Prepare the cabbage by removing the dark, outer leaves from the cabbage.  Then cut the head in half and remove the core.  Quarter the cabbage and cut each quarter into strips about ¼ inch wide.  Drop the cabbage strips into the hot bacon fat, riffling it to separate the leaves.  Quickly stir the cabbage to coat it in the bacon grease, cover the pot, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring halfway.  Pour in 1 – 1 ½ cups of the reserved cooking liquid, stir well, cover the pot and cook for about 10 minutes.  Feel free to cook the cabbage for more or less time, depending on how you like your cabbage – a little but crisp, or completely wilted.  Salt to taste.

When ready to serve, unwrap the meat, remove to a carving board.  Carefully cut off any fat from the top of the corned beef, then slice into thin slices.  Some of the meat may crumble off.  No worries, eat that as is or stir it into the cabbage.

Serves 6 -8, with some leftovers for sandwiches

Keep the St. Patrick’s Day spirit going with some Champ: Irish Mashed Potatoes with Green Onions or some Kiss Me, I’m Irish Cookies!

For most of my life, a taco was ground meat, a package of seasoning and hard shells from the box, with lots of cheese and maybe a little lettuce on top.  And I will tell you, I have nothing against that version.  But in the last few years, there has been a proliferation of Mexican restaurants in Memphis that serve what is considered more authentic Mexican food.  And I haven’t looked at a taco the same way again.  Real tacos, with homemade tortillas, complexly seasoned shredded meat, and a variety of fresh and unique toppings are a real revelation.

I said above that these restaurants serve what we are told is more authentic Mexican food, and I had no reason to doubt that, but no real proof either.  I visited Mexico with my family as a teenager and it was an amazing trip – Mexico City, Taxco and Cuernavaca.  I remember the food, particularly some very subtle and unique dishes, but I was not as adventurous then.  We ate mostly at restaurants – I wouldn’t have considered a taco at a roadside stand.  As far as I remember, I never tasted a real Mexican taco on that trip. 

But last year, I had the great good fortune to attend Food Blogger Camp in Ixtapa, Mexico.  And clearly, in the company of all those food bloggers, eating was our primary activity.  The resort offered a generous buffet at every meal, and I invariably made my way to the Mexican section and sampled some amazing food.  Tacos were a feature, with a lovely woman hand rolling and cooking tortillas, and a variety of meat fillings simmering away – from beef to pork to tongue to seafood – and an array of toppings to make your head spin.  One day, we ventured into the town of Zihautenjo for a market tour, and just to be sure, I sampled several tacos at market stalls.  I can hardly call myself an expert now, but I do know that the new breed of restaurants in Memphis do offer authentic Mexican tacos, and boy am I glad of it.

When I got home from camp, I set out to replicate a taco filling worthy of what I’d sampled in Mexico.  I started with some relatively complex procedures – roasting a variety of peppers, rehydrating dried ones, charring tomatoes, marinating meats, layering complex sauces with a multitude of ingredients, many of which required a trip to specialty Latin markets.  I had some great results, but in the end, realized these dishes where not something I’d put in regular rotation because of the time and effort.  And though I am glad I figured it out, what I was really after was an amazing dish for a casual, anytime taco night. So this is where I ended up.  Good meet, simmered in a smoky sauce quickly made from ingredients readily available. Saucy and smoky with warmth, not heat, this taco filling is a canvas for creativity in toppings.  I’ve made a list of suggestions, but it is up to you and your imagination.   I do make a special stop for fresh tortillas, and heat them quickly over the open burner on the stove.

Smoky Beef Tacos

4 pounds eye of round roast, excess fat removed (this may be 2 pieces of roast)

2 (8-ounce) cans tomato sauce

1 (3.5-ounce) can chipotle chiles in adobo, including the sauce

Juice of two limes

1 ½  teaspoon dried oregano, preferably Mexican

Handful of cilantro leaves

5 cloves garlic

Fresh corn tortillas

Suggested toppings:

Crumbled cotija or queso fresco cheese

Finely chopped cilantro

Sour cream or Mexican crema

Diced avocado

Diced fresh pineapple

Diced red onion

Chopped green onion

Fresh salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all the sauce ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Pour enough sauce in the bottom of a 5 quart Dutch oven to cover the bottom.  Place the roast in the pan and season with salt and pepper.  Pour over the remaining sauce.  Cover and place in the oven and cook for 3 hours, until the meat will shred easily with fork. 

Remove the meat to a bowl and shred using two forks.  Return the meat to the sauce in the pot and stir to coat.  Keep warm.

Heat the tortillas.  I think the best way to do this is to hold them over the open flame on the burner for a few seconds until they puff and go golden in spot, but you can also wrap them in a damp towel and heat them in a low oven.

 Serve the meat with the tortillas and a variety of toppings.

Will serve 8 hungry folks, with some extra meat leftover

Recipe ideas come to me everywhere, at any time and take me in odd directions.  I was reading a magazine during an interminable wait at a doctor’s office once and saw a recipe called “German Meatballs.”  My mind immediately went to bratwurst, beer and mustard so I was intrigued and kept reading.  But that magazine recipe involved frozen meatballs, French onion soup mix and ketchup.  That did not appeal at all, and I cannot imagine what qualifies as German about it.  But that first thought that popped into my head stayed there.

I rather doubt this version is anywhere near traditional German cuisine either, but it involves all the flavors I associate with German food, my knowledge of which is admittedly limited.  In fact, this is a take on my Swedish meatball recipe, made a bit richer with dark rye bread crumbs, tangy with sweet hot mustard and a sauce livened up with beer.  Use a good, pale lager – too dark or rich a beer overpowers the meatballs.  You can leave out the beer if you prefer, and replace it with an equal amount of additional beef broth.  And here’s an idea: pick up some pastrami while you’re at the store – leftover dark rye and sweet-hot mustard make and excellent sandwich.

Let me also share a few little meatball making tips.  These freeze really well, so consider making a double batch.  Once you get your hands in there and get on a roll, you might as well keep going.  And if you are making any type of meatball and want to check for seasoning, make one little meatball and sauté it in a little oil.  Taste the cooked portion and adjust accordingly.

German Meatballs

For the Meatballs:

4 slices dark rye bread (to make 2 cups crumbs)

2 pounds bratwurst, casings removed

2 eggs, lightly beaten

½ cup milk

1 Tablespoon sweet hot mustard

1 teaspoon caraway seeds

For the Sauce:

3 Tablespoons butter

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 cups low-sodium beef broth

1 cup lager beer

2 teaspoons sweet hot mustard

1 Tablespoon dark brown sugar

Salt to taste

For the meatballs:

Preheat the oven to 475 degrees.  Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with non-stick foil or foil sprayed lightly with cooking spray.

Tear the dark rye slices into chunks and drop in a food processor.  Process to small, rough crumbs.  You should end up with 2 cups of crumbs.

Place the bratwurst, bread crumbs and remaining meatball ingredients in a large bowl. Using your clean hands, squish everything together to mix well, making sure the meat is evenly distributed.  I find it easier to do this if the meat has been out of the fridge for about 15 minutes to take the chill off.  Roll the meat mixture into balls about the size of a ping pong ball.  A good, heaping tablespoon of mixture is about right.  Place the balls on the prepared sheets.  You should end up with about 30  – 35 meat balls.  Bake in the oven for 12 – 15 minutes until cooked through and browned.  Rotate the pans halfway during the cooking (top pan to bottom shelf).

Meanwhile, make the sauce.  Melt the butter in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven (the meatballs need to fit in) over medium high heat.  Sprinkle over the flour and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. Do not let the mixture darken. Gradually add the milk, the broth and the beer, whisking constantly. Whisk in the mustard and brown sugar and bring the sauce to a boil whisking frequently.  Reduce the heat and simmer the sauce until it thickens, about five minutes. Salt to taste. Remove from heat.

When the meatballs are done, remove them from the baking sheets to the sauce with a slotted spoon.  Stir to coat all the meatballs with the sauce. 

Serve immediately, or leave the meatballs and sauce to cool, stirring occasionally to coat the meatballs with sauce.  When cool, scoop into ziptop bags and seal. The meatballs and sauce can be refrigerated for up to three days or frozen for up to three months.

When ready to serve, scoop the meatballs and sauce into a saucepan.  Put ¼ cup of water in the ziptop bag, seal and shake to clean out any clinging sauce.  Pour the water into the pan with the meatballs and reheat slowly over medium heat stirring frequently. 

Serve over curly egg noodles and sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley.

Makes about 30 meatballs