Eat First

New product alert: Hofmann chicken sausages

I grew up on Hofmann hot dogs and have been eating them my entire life. In moderation. I like the German franks and beef franks with natural casing. Grill 'em up outdoors or on the stovetop and add a thin stripe of German-style mustard -- I don't even need a bun. It's a true taste of Syracuse.

 

The Hofmann Sausage Company has been around for more than a century and continues to evolve and reach new customers by introducing new products, like beef jerky, hunter sticks and condiments. The company recently introduced a line of chicken sausages and asked Central New York-based food bloggers to give them a try. Before long, a big box of well-iced sausages and condiments showed up on our doorstep.

 

With less fat and calories, chicken sausage is a healthy alternative to traditional sausage. All of Hofmann's new chicken sausages are fully cooked, gluten free and made without fillers. The flavors are interesting and won't overwhelm your taste buds.  You can see bits of ingredients like apple, basil and roasted red pepper in the sausages.

 

 

Our package included: 

 

• Harvest Apple Chicken Sausage: Just a hint of sweet.

• Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausage: Nice and savory.

• Roasted Garlic Chicken Sausage: Garlic flavor is mild/mellow, not in your face.

• Roasted Red Pepper and Asiago Chicken Sausage: The peppers give this sausage a bit of color and bite.

• Maple Sausage Breakfast Links: Sweet and savory sausages made with pork. Perfect for a winter morning.

 

To get an idea of the flavors, we pan-fried some of the chicken sausages and served with fried potatoes and a green salad. The apple sausage would make a great "sheet pan" breakfast or supper medley with onions, winter squash and other vegetables. The tomato and basil, roasted garlic and roasted red pepper sausages would make a great addition to "Sunday gravy.''

 

I pulled out a chili recipe that originally called for turkey sausage or turkey Italian sausage and subbed in three-quarters of a pound of the Hofmann chicken sausages (roasted garlic and tomato and basil), slicing the sausages into rounds and searing them in olive oil. The sweetness from the potatoes and the "umami" from the sausages work well together.

 

Look for Hofmann's chicken sausages at Tops Friendly Markets; Green Hills Farms, Syracuse; Spera's Meat, Deli and Grocery, Cicero; Nichols Supermarket, Liverpool, and other area grocery stores. Shipping is available nationwide. For more information on Hofmann Sausage Company and its products, CLICK HERE.

 

Sweet Potato and White Bean Chili with Hofmann Chicken Sausage

(Adapted from a Co+Op Deals sales flyer)

 

2 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 pound Hofmann chicken sausage, sliced into rounds (we used roasted garlic and tomato basil)

1 large yellow onion, chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 14.5-ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes (undrained)

3 cups chicken broth

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon cumin seed, toasted and ground

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or to taste

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 15-ounce cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

Additional salt and pepper to taste

Bunch of scallions, white and green parts sliced (optional; for garnish)

 

Heat oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add sausage and cook until nicely browned on both sides. Using a slotted spoon, remove meat to a bowl and cover to keep warm. Add onion and red pepper to pot and cook for about three minutes. Add sweet potato; give everything a good stir and cook for five to six minutes. Add garlic and cook for one minute.

 

Add tomatoes, broth, spices and salt to pot and give everything a good stir. Return meat to pot and stir to combine. Bring chili to a boil then reduce meat to medium-low and stir in beans. Cover and simmer until chili thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper as needed. Serve immediately and garnish with scallions, if using.

 

Makes 6 to 8 servings, depending on size.

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

 

Got zucchini? Make zucchini butter

It's that time of year: The zucchini in your garden seems to multiply overnight. Or someone shows up at the office with a shopping bag full of zucchini and says, "here -- take some home.''

 

Had your fill of zucchini bread and zucchini boats? Try something different -- zucchini butter. It takes about an hour to cook a couple pounds of zucchini down into a soft, buttery paste that can be tossed with pasta, spread on grilled bread or used in place of sauce on a pizza. Or, spread it on toast and top it with a poached egg -- one of my favorite work-from-home lunches.

 

I went with a recipe from one of my favorite cookbook authors and food bloggers, Marissa McClellan, tweaking it slightly to add a bit of heat. I cooked the zucchini down for a full hour, leaving it slightly chunky but soft enough to spread -- not total mush. 

 

Zucchini Butter

Adapted from "Preserving by the Pint,'' by Marissa McClellan

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
4 plump garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
Big pinch of crushed red pepper (optional)

2 pounds zucchini or a combination of zucchini and yellow squash, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 5 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped off stems)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Place a large skillet over medium heat and melt the butter and olive oil together. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper (if using) to the pan and cook for a minute. Add the zucchini cubes.

Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until the zucchini has begun to soften. Add salt, pepper and thyme at this point. Reduce the heat and continue to cook the zucchini, stirring often. The goal is to cook the moisture out of the zucchini and create a soft, flavorful paste. If the zucchini starts to brown and stick to the pan, add a splash of white wine or some vegetable broth and reduce the heat a bit more.

 
Total cooking time should be about an hour. I left the zucchini butter a bit chunky, but soft enough to spread. 

 

When done, cool the zucchini butter and store it in half-pint jars in the refrigerator. It will keep up to 2 weeks in the fridge or a year in the freezer.

 

Note: Serve the zucchini butter with pasta, on crusty grilled bread or on pizza. 

 

                 Early stage of cooking the zucchini down

 

                 Linguine with zucchini butter

 

 

All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise noted

 

 

 

Cooking at home with Shelly Bornemann

Shelly Bornemann has been cooking most of her life, but her food philosophy and priorities took a turn in 2006, when she visited an animal sanctuary in Maryland with a close friend. 

 

"What impacted me the most that day was when we visited the pig barn,'' Bornemann recalls. "I was surprised to see how expressive their eyes were,  just like human eyes. One of the pigs was roaming freely around the grounds and followed me like a faithful dog and it made a huge impact on me. My experience that day was the catalyst to my vegan journey.''

 

Bornemann became a vegetarian first and then a vegan. A decade later, she says, it feels right and natural to live a life completely free of animal products. She has become more adventurous and experimental with her cooking and more committed to animal rights activism and sharing her experiences as a vegan with others.

 

Bornemann, 49, lives in Baldwinsville with her fiancé, Dave, and is an underwriter for Empower Federal Credit Union. She is also one of the organizers for the Syracuse Vegan Living Program, a five-week free mentorship program that began in Baltimore in 2011 and has since expanded to other cities.

 

The education program takes a personal approach, pairing vegan coaches with pledges who want to learn about the practical side of veganism, like nutrition, cooking and menu planning, as well as the ethical considerations. "Each week we have guest speakers that discuss various topics such as health, fitness, the environment, etc.,'' Bornemann says. "We also provide samples of delicious vegan food, set up a private tour at Farm Sanctuary in Watkins Glen and have a graduation ceremony and potluck celebration where everybody brings a vegan dish to share.''

 

To date, more than 1,200 pledges nationwide have completed the program. 

 

How long have you been cooking? I started cooking relatively early on in life. I loved helping my mom in the kitchen and was fascinated by how methodical and quick she was. She’s a phenomenal baker and as a child she spoiled us weekly with homemade breads, cinnamon rolls, cookies, etc. I learned to cook not only at home, but also by trial and error. If I had something at a restaurant that I loved, I tried breaking it down and making it myself at home.

 

How would you describe your style of cooking? I love using fresh ingredients and of course I love simple, one-pot meals. My fiance would probably disagree with me using just one pot. Though I strive for simplicity a lot of times I end up using several pots, several cutting boards and several gadgets like a garlic press, the lemon juicer, a blender, zester, etc... but I’m a perfectionist and want everything to taste and look amazing.

Do you have a signature dish? I love making Tuscan bean stew, which is my "go-to” when I have dinner guests because it’s simple and sophisticated. It consists of cannellini beans, mushrooms, spinach, vegan pesto and wine. I love pairing it with fresh garlic bread and a dry wine. It’s heavenly. 

Favorite cookbook or cooking show? "The Joy of Vegan Baking" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau has been my go-to for over a decade. The pages are falling out and as much as vegan cooking and baking has evolved, it’s still the best. 

What have you been cooking during stay-at-home life? I’ve been using this time to cook healthy, comforting food. I’ve been experimenting a lot with making “fish.'' For example, I made "scallops" using king oyster mushrooms (shown at left), smoked lox using shaved carrots and mock tuna salad using chickpeas.  

Favorite place to shop: Wegmans, Trader Joe's and Green Planet Grocery. We have a subscription to Misfits Market that delivers discounted organic produce. There’s a lot of food waste because most grocery stores want only perfect looking produce. Fortunately Misfits Market’s business model helps reduce that waste. For me, it doesn’t matter if I get an apple or an eggplant that’s bruised.

Any advice for people who are new to vegan cooking? Experiment, be open-minded and have fun. I love “veganizing” dishes and will look at various recipes online and in books for ideas. Don’t expect your dishes to taste just like an animal product, but experience it for what it is. You may find it’s even more delicious than what you’re accustomed to.

 

Creamy Dairy-Free Cheese Sauce

From Shelly Bornemann

 

16 ounces Yukon Gold potatoes (about 3 medium)

2 to 3 large carrots

1/4 of a small to medium onion

1/2 cup water (used to boil potatoes)

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon brown mustard

1/8 teaspoon turmeric (optional; creates nice golden color)

 

Wash and peel potatoes and carrots and chop into uniform pieces. Dice the onion. Boil the vegetables for 10 to 15 minutes and reserve half a cup of the vegetable water. Vegetables are done when you can pierce them easily with a fork.

 

Using a slotted spoon, transfer vegetables to a blender. Add a quarter cup of vegetable/potato water to the blender. Pulse to mix, slowly adding more water until the sauce is of your desired consistency. Add remaining ingredients and adjust accordingly.

 

Notes:  The sauce can be used several ways. Stir some salsa or diced tomatoes and green chilies into the sauce. Pour in a bowl and serve with tortilla chips. The sauce can also be used to make vegan macaroni and cheese. You will need about a pound of cooked elbow macaroni (or other pasta). Stir cooked pasta into sauce.

 

Photos courtesy of Shelly Bornemann

 

Cooking at home with Julie Platt-Opanhoske

Julie Platt-Opanhoske is used to cooking for a crowd. At home in Sennett, near Auburn, she cooks for her husband, Chris, and four kids (ages 10, 16, 18 and 20). And as owner of Carriage House Catering, she cooks for gatherings of 50 to 100 or more.

Opanhoske (pronounced Ah-PEN-ah-ski), 43, has been cooking all of her life. Her grandfather DeMassi was a cook in the Army and he and her grandmother, "Nana Rose,'' cooked Italian-American specialties and regularly hosted family dinners with adults and kids crowded around the table. "I think that's where I get my 'cook for an Army mentality,''' she says. Prior to launching her catering business, Opanhoske worked alongside Culinary Institute of America-trained chef Chris Lego at The Restaurant at Elderberry Pond, where she "soaked up as much knowledge as I could to refine my skills.''

For Opanhoske, life in the time of coronavirus is an opportunity to cook comforting food for her family and to plan the next level of her business, which will include a learning kitchen and interactive dining. She plans to offer cooking and baking instruction as well as brunches and dinners with herself, guest chefs and others in the Central New York hospitality industry.

How long have you been cooking?  I have been cooking my entire life. My grandpa DeMassi and Nana Rose were always cooking something and it was usually straight from the garden. Zucchini fritters with the flowers, broccoli raab drowning in olive oil and garlic and pots and pots of tomato sauce and meatballs. Between my Italian grandparents and my Irish grandmother, I developed a love for not only cooking but for feeding people. My Irish grandmother, Mary, always had a knack for creative cooking. She would start one day with a soup, then the next it was a casserole just by adding a few other ingredients. I suppose she learned that from raising eight children. It didn't matter which grandparents house I was at cooking and feeding people always brought me incredible joy. 

How would you describe your style of cooking? I would describe my style of cooking as "simple." I like food to taste like it is intended without too much manipulation from its original state. 

Do you have a signature dish? I would say any kind of soup, but to be more specific, "Pasta Fagioli" (pasta and beans) -- at least this was the consensus after asking my friends and family. I learned from my grandpa and Nana Rose many years ago. I have probably put my own spin on it through the years but I can say that every time I make it, the smell alone brings me back to the good old days and I'm right back in the tiny kitchen on Garrow Street in Auburn, sitting around a cramped table, elbow-to-elbow with all my cousins, indulging in grandpa's Pasta Fagioli and sipping on mini glasses of wine.

Favorite cookbook or cooking show? I would say my favorite cooking show would be "Lidia's Kitchen.'' I love her simple way of cooking easy recipes. Cooking should be fun and simple.

What have you been cooking during "quarantine life"?  I have been cooking everything. Last week I made Bolognese sauce and pasta, roasted pork with rosemary and thyme served with butter potatoes, Pigs In a Blanket soup and last night I made a creamy Cajun sausage pasta. I have lots of kids here to feed, so I'm doing my best to keep them satisfied with comforting food. Oh, and the baking: carrot cake cupcakes, chocolate chip cookies, cheddar garlic bread and banana muffins on the menu for today.

Favorite place to shop: I try to shop local and organic as much as possible. Living in New York, that's hard to do this time of year. I buy all my meat from Indelicato's Market in Auburn. They are wonderful people who've run a successful, high-quality market for over 100 years. When she's open for business, I source all my vegetables from Jacqui McCarthy at The Produce Station in Elbridge. She does a beautiful job growing local, organic produce for the community.

Any advice for people who are new to cooking: Keep it simple and use the best ingredients you can get. When you start good you end good. Whenever I try something new, I follow the recipe to a T, then I change what I need to to fit my taste. A lot of cookbooks and cooking shows can be overwhelming. I would suggest "Lidia's Kitchen" and "Barefoot Contessa." I have used many of their recipes and they are very easy and always good.

Photos courtesy of Julie Platt-Opanhoske

Pasta Fagioli
From Julie Platt-Opanhoske

2 pounds dried Great Northern Beans (preferably Goya)
1 smoked picnic ham with bone (approximately 12 pounds)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch celery, chopped (including leaves)
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 6-ounce can tomato paste
1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry (optional)
2 14.5 ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes
4 or 5 bay leaves
1 pound ditalini pasta

Prepare beans: Place beans in a bowl and soak in cold water overnight in the refrigerator. Make sure beans are covered by a few inches. The next day, drain beans, rinse, and set aside.

Prepare ham: Cut off any excess fat and cut remainder into large chunks but small enough to stir in the pot, including the bone.

Prepare soup: In a 12-quart stock pot, heat olive oil on high. Add onions and celery, cook about 10 minutes then add garlic. Cook five more minutes then add tomato paste and let it toast on high heat until it begins to caramelize. Add 1/2 cup white wine or dry sherry to deglaze the pan. This step is optional but does add some dimension to the flavor. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, beans and ham chunks (don't forget to use the bone) and fill with water to the bottom of the handle rivets. Toss in the bay leaves, bring to boil and reduce to a simmer.

It usually takes about four to five hours to really cook the beans down and make the ham tender. You may need to add more water as the beans absorb it.  When the ham is tender, remove all the large chunks (including the bone) and let cool for a few minutes while you put water on for the pasta. Cut the ham into bite-size chunks and add back to the soup.

Cook pasta al dente then add to the pot. Serve the Pasta Fagioli with a topping of Parmesan cheese and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Mangia! Makes about 24 two-cup servings.

Notes:

• Recipe can be cut in half.
• Soup will keep for about a week in refrigerator.
• If you plan to freeze soup for later use, portion it off before adding pasta.

 

A charcuterie spread for one of Julie's catering events

 

Cooking at home with Chad Miller

Chad Miller presents a platter of Chicken Yakitori. See recipe, below.

Chad Miller has a passion for music, photography and art. So, it’s no surprise that he also likes to express his creativity in the kitchen.

Miller, 43, grew up in the Oneida County village of Holland Patent and took early note of his mother’s skills in the kitchen and appreciation of good food. He has since branched off in his own exploratory, global-influenced direction. He’s not afraid to experiment and being an artist, he’s all about presentation, too.

Miller says cooking at home in the time of coronavirus isn’t much different than cooking any other time. He uses his charcoal grill year-round, invites his girlfriend and son to join him in the kitchen and sees dinnertime as “a spiritual gathering’’ with plenty of talk and no tech (no phones at the table).

I met Chad more than a decade ago, when we both worked for The Post-Standard, in Syracuse. The food photos he posts on Facebook always make me hungry. He’s a driver for Uber and Lyft and lives on Onondaga Hill with his girlfriend, Brenda Latella. His son, Gavin, is a frequent visitor.  

How long have you been cooking? It all started with a kids’ cookbook my Mum picked up for me when I was nine. My Mum is an exquisite cook and I was always interested in her process of food preparation. She got me started with an Italian red sauce which actually turned out pretty stellar.

How would you describe your style of cooking? It’s an international mixed bag of exploration and experimentation. I also do quite a few southern Cajun dishes, like a Bangin’ Gumbo and Rippin’ Vidalia Onion Pie.

Do you have a signature dish? German Beef Stroganoff. I’ve got this recipe down to a science. Passed down from my German ancestors who owned a bistro in Frankfort, Germany around the late 1800s. It’s the best with a smoked grilled steak.

Favorite cookbook or cooking show? Favorite cookbook when I first started was “Cooking with Soup: a Campbell Cookbook.” As far as cooking/travel shows: Any show Anthony Bourdain has ever filmed and Mary Ann Esposito with “Ciao Italia.” I also love the creativity and art design of Thomas Keller’s culinary skills. Check this guy out.

Favorite place to shop? Either Wegmans or Green Hills Farms. Wegmans offers me everything I need to dress up a dish for presentation. The hard-to-find ingredients are always fresh and available. I tend to explore the Asian and ethnic sections in any grocery store looking for new ideas.

Any advice for people who are new to cooking? Start with the basics, perfect those with simple ingredients. When you’re comfortable in some of the staples, experiment with new spices, flavors and ethnic dishes. My girlfriend’s mother travels abroad quite often and sends us exotic spices from around the world. These have been a source of inspiration. Find a local international market to spice up your culinary arts. Garlic is king! Food is art and art is delicious.

Photos courtesy of Chad Miller

 

Chicken Yakitori on the grill

Chicken Yakitori
Recipe from Chad Miller

Yakitori literally means grilled chicken and also refers to skewered food in general. Yakitori is commonly made with bite-sized pieces of chicken meat, chicken offal or other meats and vegetables skewered on a bamboo stick and grilled over charcoal.

You will need:
Bamboo skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes, or metal skewers

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil


1 teaspoon sesame oil


2/3 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup white wine

2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1
clove garlic, minced
Sea salt and black pepper, as needed for seasoning

2 pounds chicken breast (boneless and skinless), cut into 1-inch-wide strips

Chopped parsley and scallions for garnish (optional)

Instructions:

Make marinade: Combine the oils, soy sauce, water, white wine, mirin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger and garlic in a bowl. Add chicken and marinate for 24 hours before cooking.

Getting ready to cook: Miller uses a charcoal grill but says a gas grill will work, too. When ready to cook, remove chicken from marinade and thread it on skewers.

Prep the grill: Start by placing mesquite chips around the heat source and heat your grill. On charcoal grill: You want the coals to be hot. Cook for 30 minutes "off heat,'' to the side of any flames, flipping the skewers half-way through. Arrange chicken skewers on platter and garnish with parsley, scallions or hot sauce, if using. Makes 4 to 6 servings. 

Note: Serve the chicken yakitori as an appetizer or as a main course, with rice on the side.

 

Cooking to comfort: Macaroni and cheese

I thought about making a big pot of soup for friends who are grieving the loss of their sister to cancer. I also thought about making each of them a healthy salad. I considered making a couple of quiches. I also pondered baking some muffins or cupcakes for them.

 

Then I thought about food writer and cookbook author Alison Roman's opening line in her guide to making macaroni and cheese that appeared in The New York Times: "Macaroni and cheese is like a hug wrapped in a warm sweater, unparalleled in its ability to comfort and satisfy.''

 

Bingo. That's what my friends need, I decided: a hug in the form of food. And I would make a big enough batch to also share with a homebound family member and a friend recovering from a wrist injury to her dominant hand.

 

I waited several weeks to do so, figuring the grief-stricken friends would be inundated with food. That was not the case, they said, perhaps because they were out of state at the time of their sister's passing. The simple act of cooking to bring them comfort got us talking about the tradition of making food for people in their darkest hours, when they're doing everything it takes to get through the work day and care for their families -- while not necessarily nourishing themselves.

 

Macaroni and cheese is an all-American dish that even the pickiest of eaters seem to love. One recipient described this recipe as the "best mac and cheese ever.'' While that's nice to hear, I can't take credit for the recipe. But I did tweak it to include a super flavorful combination of cheeses: Yancey's Fancy XXX-sharp cheddar, smoked gouda and Asiago cheese. I also like to add a little Colman's Original English Dry Mustard to the cheese sauce.

 

I hope the tradition of cooking for the comfort of others never disappears. It made me happy to know I was giving a good meal and some respite to folks in need of a night or two off from cooking. 

  

Macaroni and Cheese for Giving/for a Crowd

(Adapted from a recipe in The New York Times)

 

For the macaroni and cheese:

1.5 pounds cavatappi pasta (or other tube-shaped pasta)

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
¼ cup plus two tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon Colman's Dry Mustard

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Salt (optional) and freshly ground pepper
1.5 pounds extra sharp cheddar cheese, grated

6 ounces smoked gouda cheese, grated

6 ounces Asiago cheese, grated

For the topping (optional):

1 cup coarse bread crumbs or panko bread crumbs
2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

 

Butter a 13-by-19-inch baking dish and a 9-by-9-inch baking dish (or as many casseroles as needed if you are sharing this recipe). See note, below.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until it's not quite done (it's going to continue to cook in a hot oven). Drain, rinse well under cold water and set aside.

Heat butter in a pot over medium heat (the pot should be large enough to hold the cooked pasta later). Whisk in flour and cook, whisking constantly, until flour is foamy and starting to turn a light golden brown, about 4 minutes. Slowly whisk in milk to avoid clumping. Bring liquid to a simmer and continue whisking constantly, until the milk mixture has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add black pepper, dry mustard, smoked paprika and cayenne at this time. Add grated cheese and whisk to blend until the cheese is completely melted.  Add cooked pasta, stirring to coat well. Taste for seasoning and add pepper and salt, if needed.

Heat oven to 425 degrees. 

Make the optional topping: Melt the butter in a small pan; add olive oil and stir to combine. Place bread crumbs in a medium-sized bowl. Add the butter and olive oil and stir well to combine (I used a fork for this). Season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Transfer the macaroni and cheese mixture to buttered baking dishes and sprinkle bread crumbs over the top of each, if using. Place casserole/casseroles on a baking sheet and bake until macaroni and cheese is bubbling and breadcrumbs are golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Makes 8 to 10 servings (or more), depending on portion size.

Note: The mac and cheese can be made in advance and frozen in baking dishes (double wrapped) for later use. Thaw in refrigerator before baking and follow instructions above.

Another favorite recipe for macaroni and cheese: CLICK HERE 

 

Note: All photos by Margaret McCormick unless otherwise indicated.

 

 

Winter CSA, Main Street Farms

Winter CSA share, Main Street Farms, Week One

'Tis the season for cookies and candy and rich meals. But vegetables can be in short supply. That's one of the reasons we decided to sign up for the Winter CSA offered by Main Street Farms, in Cortland.

Main Street Farms offers a "market style'' CSA that runs six weeks -- every two weeks from December to February. In Syracuse, pick-up is at the Central New York Regional Market, where Main Street Farms owner Allan Gandelman and his team set up each week. While there, we can pick up our favorite yogurt and cheese curds from Wake Robin Farm and check out all the other offerings at the market.

 

The winter share isn't a typical box share, with the contents selected for you. Instead, bring your shopping bags to the Main Street Farms stand and make eight selections from what is available. On December 1, our first week, we came home with onions, carrots, kale, cabbage, beets, Brussels sprouts and spaghetti squash. I used the carrots to make one of our favorite soups. And a recent dinner at Moro's Kitchen in Skaneateles inspired the beet bruschetta appetizer (below), which we enjoyed with a side dish braised kale and fried potatoes.

 

Each week of the CSA share includes a "value added'' local product. The first week, it was naturally fermented sauerkraut from local producer Food and Ferments -- look for them in the market's C Shed each week. On subsequent weeks, we're told, we'll enjoy local pasta, pesto, goat cheese and more.

 

This is our first experience with a CSA and we're loving it so far. Every two weeks works well for us -- the vegetables keep well and there isn't the pressure to do something with them immediately. We can always use things like carrots and onions and Main Street Farms grows salad greens year-round in greenhouses and using aquaponics -- a definite plus. I am not a turnip fan, but we'll give them a try, roasted with beets, onion and potatoes or sweet potatoes.

 

Did I just Google kohlrabi? Yes, I did! This member of the cabbage family looks like a pale green alien from outer space. The CSA is an opportunity to try new things. Maybe a slaw with apples and toasted walnuts? Or stir-fried kohlrabi seasoned with chili powder or crushed red pepper?  

 

The six-week CSA costs $150, or $25 per week. Considering what we come home with and what we could/would spend at the grocery store for food that has traveled thousands of miles, it's a great value.

 

We'll keep you updated on what we're doing with our winter CSA produce. For more information on Main Street Farms, CLICK HERE or call 607-218-2101.

 

Roasted Beet Bruschetta Salad for Two

(Inspired by an appetizer at Moro's Kitchen, Skaneateles)

 

Diced, roasted beets (roast in advance; see below)

8 slices from a baguette of your choice, sliced diagonally

Butter

Goat cheese (I used Lively Run Goat Dairy)

2 cups arugula for salad

Balsamic vinaigrette dressing (see below)

 

To roast the beets: Wash beets, trim them if necessary and dry lightly. Pierce the beets with a fork. Place in a foil-lined pan and roast, covered, in a 450 degree oven. This will take an hour or more, depending on the size of the beets. Cool beets, remove skins and dice a couple of them -- how much you use depends on how much you like beets!

 

For the vinaigrette: Combine one-third cup olive oil and one-quarter cup balsamic vinegar or blended balsamic vinegar (like fig balsamic) in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well. Place the arugula in a bowl and toss lightly with dressing.

 

For the toast: Heat a skillet or griddle over moderate heat on the stove. Butter both sides of the bread slices and grill until nicely browned. Remove grilled bread from pan and spread one side generously with goat cheese.

 

To serve: Place the arugula in the middle of a medium-sized plate. Arrange the cheese-topped bread slices around the salad and top each slice with a spoonful of diced beets. Drizzle a little vinaigrette on top of the bruschetta. Enjoy bites of the bruschetta with bites of the salad.

 

 

 

 

 

Basil Thai Cuisine, Phoenix

Photo courtesy of Robert Poormon

A reader of my food stories in the Syracuse New Times reached out to sing the praises of Basil Thai Cuisine restaurant in Phoenix, Oswego County, and suggest I check it out. That was more than a year ago. I heard more enthusiastic reviews and made a mental note to check it out when out that way. But I'm rarely out that way.

After Christmas, craving something fresh and flavorful, we made our way there. The restaurant is about 25 miles from our home on the east side of Syracuse and a couple miles north of the busy crossroads of Routes 57 and 31 in the northern suburbs.

 

THE VIBE: No-frills. There's no beer, no wine and not much in the way of atmosphere. The food is the star at this storefront restaurant. There's a TV at the counter and about 10 small booths and tables. Walls are a sage-y green and posters of Thailand, the kind you see in travel agents' offices, decorate the walls. The restaurant is owned and operated by chef Pong Siripornsawan and his wife, both natives of Thailand. She handles the front counter and takeout orders and waits on those who opt to eat-in. He does the cooking. We ordered tea (served in tall Styrofoam cups) and pondered our options.

 

CHOWING DOWN: From the short, uncomplicated menu of starters, soups, salads, rice dishes, noodle dishes, curry and meat dishes, we each decided on an appetizer, soup and main course. The deep-fried egg rolls ($1.79) are long and thin, stuffed with pork, carrots, cabbage and glass noodles, and served with a sweet dipping sauce flecked with red pepper. We could have eaten six apiece and called it dinner. 

 

Next, we turned up the heat a little with two soups. Robert had the tom kha soup with chicken ($3.49). This classic coconut milk based soup contains lime juice, galangal, lemon grass, straw mushrooms, baby corn and scallions, brightened further with cilantro. The soup, ordered medium hot, lacked heat but was full of fresh flavor. My tom yum soup with chicken ($3.49) had a nice, peppery punch, especially toward the bottom of the bowl, where the pepper appeared to settle. The soup is bright and slightly sour, with layers of flavors, thanks to lemongrass, lime juice and lime leaves, along with baby corn, mushrooms, scallions and cilantro.  It's the kind of soup you want to pick up the bowl and sip every last drop.

 

For our mains, we settled on a noodle dish and a curry. Robert ordered the pad see ew with chicken ($8.99) and was pleased with the al dente "chew" of the large noodles, tossed with broccoli, straw mushrooms, baby corn, carrots, cabbage and shredded chicken. My red curry with shrimp ($9.99), arrived with a plate holding a mound of jasmine rice and a small tureen with the curry. The savory sauce of red curry paste and coconut milk contained green pepper, bamboo shoots, basil leaves and about six perfectly cooked-medium large shrimp. The gentle spice of the curry pairs perfectly with shrimp and vegetables and was a refreshing change of pace after rich holiday fare like turkey, ham and the trimmings.  

 

SAVE ROOM FOR DESSERT? The menu lists just two desserts, Thai custard and ice cream sundaes. Neither of them called out to us. We decided to pass.

 

WHAT'S A VEGETARIAN GOING TO FIND? Plenty! Appetizers like vegetarian egg rolls, mee krob (crispy rice noodles with sweet and sour orange sauce), deep fried tofu with sweet chili sauce, curry puffs. All noodle dishes, several curry dishes, and most "meat" entrees can be made with tofu.

 

WOULD WE GO BACK? Yes. Especially if we find ourselves in Baldwinsville or Clay -- the restaurant is about five miles north of Great Northern Mall.

 

NEXT TIME: We'll try the chicken satay with peanut sauce, fresh rice paper spring rolls and pad Thai or one of the beef, pork, tofu or tilapia dishes. And the Thai iced coffee or Thai iced tea.

 

DAMAGES: $41 (including tip) for two appetizers, two soups, two entrees and two cups of tea.

 

Basil Thai Cuisine is at 219 County Route 57, Phoenix, in the Three Rivers Plaza (about seven miles north of Liverpool). The restaurant is open Tuesday to Saturday for lunch, dinner and takeout. Information: 315-695-2545, http://www.basilthaicny.com

 

Red curry with shrimp 

The Recipe File Project -- Part 2

I've probably killed a tall tree or two over the years, printing out recipes from favorite websites like Epicurious, Food52, the Food Network, etc. I've also been socking away pages of recipes clipped from magazines like Martha Stewart Living, Cook's Illustrated, Real Simple and others.

Until recently, I kept all these recipes in a big, fat, three-inch thick heap, stuffed inside an old Cook's Illustrated magazine until the magazine came apart. Then one day, I could no longer stand it. I pulled the recipes out, went through them one by one and downsized the pile to make it more manageable. Bye-bye recipe for cassoulet. I might order cassoulet at a restaurant, but clearly I'm never going to make it. So long, recipe for dark chocolate chunk sea salt cookies. We've got enough cookie recipes to carry us through the afterlife. 

And on and on. The surviving recipes were arranged in stacks, by category (pasta, egg dishes, cakes, cookies, etc.), on the dining room table and transferred to an envelope-style plastic organizer with multiple, labeled and divided sections. I picked it up for $5 at OfficeMax, after debating the merits of a three-ring binder. I like the divided organizer better.

Some of you are going to say, "You could have scanned all the recipes on to your computer and made a PDF file to share and access on the computer or print out.'' You're right. I could have. But that would have taken even more precious time. Now I have this recipe file right where I want it: on a shelf, in the kitchen -- in its own sort of portable document format.

 

For my next recipe project, I'm looking into ways to digitize all or parts of my mother's and grandmother's recipe files. Each contains hundreds of recipes. Several kind souls have volunteered to assist with this. If you have any suggestions, let me know in the Comments section, below.

 

The Recipe File Project Part 1 (2010)

 

Macaroni and Cheese for Grown-Ups

My friend Peg Roblin Maroney, weathering the winter in Buffalo, has it right: "This abominable weather calls for the delicious cheesy comfort of a great mac and cheese,'' she said recently on Facebook.

It's March now, and while we might have had our fill of soups and stews and casseroles, the weather still calls for comfort. As I type this, the snowbanks are so high you can't see out of some windows. And it's snowing. Again. March brings "wintry mix."

This recipe, from the Canal House restaurant in New York City, is featured in Marian Burros'  2003 cookbook, "Cooking for Comfort: More Than 100 Wonderful Recipes That Are as Satisfying to Cook as They Are to Eat'' and was included in The Post-Standard Food section some years back. A friend reminded me about it. She said her kids didn't care for it, but that she liked to make this mac and cheese for herself and her husband.

 

Hence the nickname "Macaroni and Cheese for Grown-Ups." The flavor punch comes from extra extra sharp Cheddar cheese and a spoonful of Dijon mustard. It's really good. I mean REALLY good. Hard-to-eat-just-one-serving good.

 

Use the sharpest aged cheddar you can get your hands on and cavatappi instead of the usual macaroni elbows. We used four-year-old Great Great Grandad cheddar from Jewett's Cheese House, in Earlville.

Enjoy!

Canal House Macaroni and Cheese

(from "Cooking for Comfort,'' by Marian Burros)

1 cup diced onion
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups low-fat milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
10 ounces extra-sharp aged white Cheddar, grated, plus 2 ounces, grated
Salt and freshly ground white pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
8 ounces cavatappi or other corkscrew pasta
2 tablespoons grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/4 cup Panko breadcrumbs, toasted on the stove (optional)

In a large saucepan, cook the onion over low heat in the melted butter until the onion is soft but not browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Stir in the flour. Remove from heat and whisk in the milk until thoroughly blended. Return to medium heat and cook, stirring, until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in mustard, 10 ounces Cheddar, salt, pepper, nutmeg and hot sauce.

Meanwhile, cook the cavatappi according to package directions until just al dente. Drain but do not rinse. Stir immediately into prepared cheese sauce until well blended. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

Spoon the mixture into a 9-by-9-inch buttered baking dish. Top with the remaining 2 ounces of Cheddar and the Parmigiano-Reggiano, then top with the toasted panko breadcrumbs (if using). I recommend using them. They add a nice bit of crunch.

Place oven rack in the bottom third of oven. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 30 minutes, until the mixture is hot, bubbling throughout, and golden. Makes 4 generous main course servings.

Note: The finished casserole can be refrigerated before baking. To serve, let the dish return to room temperature and bake as directed.