Creamy Parmesan Orzo

It occurs to me that people have an odd idea of what a "staple" is. No, I don't have butter on hand, but I do have four different bottles of balsamic vinegar. Other items I don't have: bread (I hold the bacon in my hand), mayonnaise (it's gross and should never be used as a hair conditioner no matter what the women's magazines tell you), cheese (because cheese addicts shouldn't keep it in the house). My pantry/fridge is not all bacon and balsamic mind you, I have a copious amount of Greek yogurt, marzipan shaped like fruit, 10 microwave vegetable lasagnas....

But when I'm not eating directly from the fridge or microwave this creamy, Parmesan orzo is a nice New Years treat. The recipe is great for practicing various beginner cooking techniques and only requires a little patience and the ability to focus. FOCUS, do not check your phone or computer. Or make tea.

Important cooking skills like sharpening your knife, chopping veggies roughly the same size, rendering fat, sweating vegetables, deglazing, focusing (side note: I only have one knife, one pot and one cutting board and hate cleaning dishes so one-pot dishes are my bff).

The key to cooking risotto-like orzo, sweating the onions and rendering the bacon are keeping the heat low. I have the tendency to go medium/high for everything and felt pretty zen after keeping it low and chill for so long.

Globs of butter, crispy bacon, creamy cheese, warm pasta, umami-rich wine and mushrooms and a hint of dill.

Recipe Time: Creamy Parmesan Orzo
recipe as given, my substitutions in {}
2.5 quarts
1 hour-ish

1lb Orzo
3/4 lb shiitake mushrooms {baby bella mushrooms}
1 large sweet onion, medium dice {3 small yellow onions}
Stick and a half butter {1 stick unsalted butter}
1 cup white wine
1½-2 cups water {2½ C hot water}
2 cups Parmesan(grated) {1 C shaved Parmesan}
1/4 lb pancetta, thinly sliced {1/4 lb uncured bacon}

Over medium to low heat:
Roughly chop pancetta, and render out in pan you'll be using for Orzo. After all fat is rendered and pancetta is crispy, remove and set aside.

Add diced onions to pan, sweat half way.

Chop mushrooms to desired size and add to pan. Add butter at intervals as mushrooms will absorb the fat. Lightly deglaze with a bit of white wine.

When mushrooms have cooked half way, add Orzo and butter (if necessary). Stir until all parts are fully coated for roughly a minute. Add rest of the white wine and stir. Partially reduce (do NOT burn orzo) and add water in s mall batches until Orzo is al dente. Kill the heat and add parm, pancetta, stir.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and finely chopped parsley {I added dill} right before serving. Note: parm is salty.

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake (Something To Be Thankful For)

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake. A Slice of Heaven. All Your Thanksgiving Food Dreams on a Pedestal. This is the meal you've heard whispered about by people with a twinkle in their eye and a heart of Yukon gold potatoes. Plus it makes you happy. We couldn't stop laughing as we carefully slid it from pan to pedestal and carried it to the table. It's that awesome!

It took about 3 to 3.5 hours total to make all the layers of the cake, but you can make the mashed potatoes, sausage stuffing, cranberry orange sauce and sweet potatoes ahead of time and rewarm them when you need them. There was even time for last minute grocery shopping on Thursday morning.

The following instructions are adapted pretty faithfully from the Chow site, but I'll add a few personal notes. For example, if you use the Sausage Stuffing recipe, you will have a heck of a lot of stuffing. You'd better like stuffing. It's a good thing stuffing freezes. That's all I'm saying. Or I guess you could cut the recipe down by about an eighth.

Have you noticed how raw meat shots are really unattractive? The turkey loaves, or layers if you prefer, taste quite good (probably all the umami in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan cheese).

There's no getting around it, you'll need to use your hands to hold the stuffing in place as you mash it into the potatoes. Mashed potatoes are the glue of the culinary world.

The Mashed Potatoes recipe will leave you with about 2 cups left over. Good for late-night snacking or if some slips on the floor when you ice the cake.

Watch those marshmallows like a hawk. A hawk that likes perfectly toasted marshmallows.

The real reason the Cranberry Relish is on the side is because it wasn't done in time to go inside the cake. But now I like that is adds color to the table and the plate. Check out those nifty paper towel napkins!

Thanksgiving Turkey Cake with a fancy feather-shaped cranberry plating and a side of carrot almond soup. Yum.

Recipe Time: Thanksgiving Turkey Cake
adapted from Chow site
serves 8 to 10

Ingredients, Turkey Layers:
Unsalted butter, for coating the pans
2 pounds ground turkey breast
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoons minced dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 medium garlic cloves, minced

Cake Components:
About 5 cups or 1 recipe Greek Yogurt Mashed Potatoes, warm
1/2 cup Cranberry Orange Relish, chilled, excess liquid drained
2 1/2 cups Sausage Stuffing, warm
1 cup Sweet Potatoes, warm
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows  

Instructions, Turkey Layers:

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Coat 2 (8-inch) cake pans with butter; set aside.
3. Place all remaining ingredients in a large bowl and mix, using clean hands, until combined (don’t squeeze or overwork).
4. Divide the mixture evenly between the pans, spreading it to the edges and smoothing out the top.
5. Bake until cooked through and the cakes begin to pull away from the edges of the pans, about 25 minutes.
6. Remove from the oven (but leave the oven on), and let cool for about 10 minutes.
7. Using a paper towel, blot away any excess fat from the cake layers’ surface; set aside.

Assembling the Cake:

1. Arrange a rack in the lower third of the oven.
2. Unmold one of the turkey layers and place it bottom-side up on an overturned 8-inch cake pan or in an ovenproof serving dish.
3. Use a spatula to evenly spread 1 1/4 cups of the mashed potatoes over the top of the cake, leaving a 1/2 -inch border (keep the remaining potatoes warm).
4. Using the back of a clean spoon, spread the cranberry sauce evenly over the mashed potatoes. (optional)
5. Using your hands, gently pack the stuffing in an even layer over the cranberry sauce, using one hand to keep any stuffing from falling off the side. Press gently on the stuffing to make sure it adheres to the mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
6. Evenly spread another 1 1/4 cups of the mashed potatoes over the stuffing (keep the remaining potatoes warm).
7. Unmold the second turkey layer and place it bottom-side up on top of the mashed potatoes.
8. Transfer the cake pan or serving dish with the partially assembled cake to a baking sheet and bake until heated through, about 30 to 40 minutes (an instant-read thermometer should register 165°F).
9. Remove from the oven and set aside. Heat the oven to broil.
10. Evenly coat the outside (but not top) of the entire cake with the remaining mashed potatoes (you may have a little left over).
11. Spread all of the sweet potatoes on top of the cake. Arrange the marshmallows across the top and gently press them into the sweet potatoes.
12. Return the baking sheet with the assembled cake to the oven and broil until the marshmallows are golden, about 1 to 2 minutes (watch closely so the marshmallows don’t burn). Using two flat spatulas, carefully transfer the cake to a serving dish. Serve immediately.

Sausage Stuffing

MMMmmmm sausage. Focus! I disagree with the amount of broth in the original recipe, and maybe that's because I used dried bread instead of fresh, but it could also be a taste preference. I guess that's what happens when you shop for bread on Thursday morning and yet refuse to pay $3 or more a loaf - you buy dried bread cubes.

I like stuffing really moist, like a custard. I'd add at least 2 cups of broth and maybe more. You can always add liquid and rebake if it's not the right consistency for you.

Darn flashy cranberries, always stealing the show! This stuffing recipe made three times the amount seen in the above photo. I hope you love stuffing.

Receipe Time: Sausage Stuffing
adapted from Chow site
serves 10-12

2 pounds of dried bread cubes
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped celery (about 4 large stalks)
1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onion (about 1 large)
1 1/2 teaspoons paprika
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 teaspoons dried thyme
3/4 cup (if stuffing a turkey) or 1 1/2 cups (if baking separately) low-sodium chicken broth

1. Heat the oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle.
2. Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat until hot, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the sausage and break it into pea-size pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until it’s no longer pink, about 6 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sausage to a medium bowl.
4. Set the pan with the sausage drippings back over medium-high heat and add the butter.
5. Once melted, add the celery, onions, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are softened, about 6 minutes.
6. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
7. Add the reserved sausage and the herbs and stir to combine.
8. Add 3/4 cup of the broth and scrape the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to release any browned bits.
9. Transfer the sausage mixture to a bowl with the bread cubes and stir to combine. Let sit for 10 minutes. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper as needed.
10. If you’re using the stuffing in a turkey, let it cool to room temperature before proceeding (do not add the remaining 3/4 cup broth—the stuffing will moisten as it cooks inside the turkey).
11. If you’re baking it separately, add just enough broth to moisten the mixture (you may not need the entire remaining 3/4 cup). Taste and season with more salt and pepper as needed.
12. Transfer to a 4-quart baking dish, cover with a lid or foil, and bake 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until dry to the touch and golden brown on top, about 20 minutes more.

Smoked Paprika and Potato Soup

The last day of the farmers' market is a crazy day. Do we really need more produce if we never can or freeze? But there won't be good tomatoes until next year! It's rainy and cold, no one will be there. My life is a barren wasteland without fresh fruit! But every time I buy onions I get a bad batch. And so on ...but you can never go wrong with potatoes. Unless of course you have too many spuds and not enough space.

I wasn't going to post this recipe since it doesn't "come from somewhere," unless you count my desperate state as a destination, but once I tasted the spicy soup I don't regret only taking pictures at the halfway mark. This is a quick recipe and most of the time takes place in the microwave. The soup is also fairly hands-off except for watching the onions in the beginning and watching the knife when you cut the microwave softened potatoes into large chunks.

The flavor comes from a rough-chopped yellow onion cooked in a few teaspoons of olive oil with smoked paprika, dried parsley, dried thyme, salt and black pepper. Just throw it all in the bottom of your soup pot while you microwave eight medium potatoes (or whatever you've got on hand).

When the potatoes are fork tender carefully remove them from the microwave - those little devilspuds are HOT! The eight potatoes magically equals eight cups. How convenient. After the onions become translucent add four cups of chicken stock and the potato chunks. Let it simmer, check your Facebook, stir it around, get a drink, think about serving it, then decided to blend it with an immersion blender.

less creamy

more creamy

I'm always looking for a reason to use the immersion blender, mainly because it is the one kitchen gadget we own. For creamy but not overly smooth texture I removed roughly a cup of the soup before blending and then added that back to the blended portion. You do whatever makes you happy.

Recipe Time: Smoked Paprika and Potato Soup

serves 8

4 cups organic fat free or low-fat chicken broth
1 cup onions
8 cups potato
1 Tbsp parsley
1 Tbsp dried thyme
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp paprika
2 tsp table salt
2 tsp black pepper

1. Microwave the potatoes until they are fork tender.
2. While the potatoes are cooking roughly chop the onion.
3. Cook/sweat the onion in a stock pot with the oil and the seasonings until the onion turns translucent.
4. Add the chicken stock and simmer.
5. Cut the cooked potatoes into large chunks.
6. Add the potatoes to the soup and simmer about 10 minutes.
7. Eat or blend the soup with an immersion blender for a creamy texture.

Boulangère Pommes de Terre (Baker Potatoes)

My two years of French has made me somewhat capable of pronunciation en Français, but my middle-schoolesque humor negates those capabilities. While cooking this adaptable, easy potato recipe my lips said boulangère potatoes but my mind thought Lingerie Potatoes, ha ha! Panty Potatoes!!

I'm not used to weighing ingredients, otherwise I might not have been so amused by my tower of potatoes. That's 1kg placed jenga style on my tiny kitchen scale. Although the recipe ended up requiring two baking dishes and then more sliced potatoes, and then more salt and pepper, and then . . . (vicious cycle). Originally weighed out 1kg.

Before the pan/potato quantity issue I ran into the too lazy to make/buy chicken stock so will use beef stock issue. Because beef stock has a deeper bolder richer pimpier flavor I felt justified in adding 2 oz of water to make the required 500ml of stock. Ultimately, if you have to spread this dish out over multiple pans you might need more stock to cover the potato and onion slices.

So pretty. So tear-inducing. I wish I had a mandoline. The first and prettiest layer in the baking dish. Each subsequent layer seemed to hump up more in the middle. Might be due to my uneven slices.

For one of the baking dishes I remembered to put the dabs of butter on top after pouring the stock, that is not this dish. It doesn't really matter. It's hard to mess up this recipe. We ate this with roasted chicken* and a fresh tomato salad.


Recipe Time
(adapted from the Almost Bourdain site, also an adaptation, so this might be some freaky hybrid)
Serves 8ish

2.5 lbs potatoes
1 large onion
2 Tbsp finely chopped parsley (I used dried parsley which can be stronger than fresh but not in a bad way)
14 oz hot beef stock
2 oz water
2 Tbsp butter
salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F.
2. Thinly slice the potatoes and onion. Alternate layers of potato and onion in a 8"x8" baking dish (or whatever baking dish you think you can fit multiple layers in), sprinkle parsley, salt and black pepper between each layer. Finish with a layer of potatoes.
3. Pour the hot stock over the top and add dabs of butter.
4. Bake, covered with foil, on the middle shelf of the oven for 30 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake for another 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the top golden brown.

*And by "roasted chicken" I mean impulse buy chicken that we ate over the kitchen sink to save on plate washing.