EclecticCook.com » Rice and Pasta

Couscous with Raisins and Toasted Almonds

Karen — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 00:55:40 +0000

For many Americans, couscous is a bit like the mystery meat at the school cafeteria; everybody’s eaten it, but nobody really knows exactly what it is. It’s pasta, itty bitty teeny weeny pasta. Couscous is made from coarsely ground semolina and wheat flour, and is a dietary staple in North African countries like Morocco, playing the same role as rice in Asian countries.

The real deal couscous is traditionally cooked in a couscoussière, which looks like a large steamer. Veggies and meats go in the bottom pot, and the couscous goes into the perforated basket on top, to be steamed as the main dish cooks under it.

I am not ambitious enough to either own my own couscoussière or to cook the real deal stuff. I buy the instant couscous, the kind that you add to boiling water, wait 5 minutes and voilà, instant gratification. I’m all about instant gratification when I get home from work and have to feed my hungry brood. It’s a nice change from rice or pasta, and there are countless flavoring combinations, both savory and sweet, to keep you from getting bored with it.

Here is a simple recipe that is full of flavor. Serve it with grilled Moroccan Chicken Brochettes that you marinated the night before, and you have dinner on the table before the kids and/or significant others start gnawing on the furniture for sustenance.

Couscous with Raisins and Toasted Almonds

1 cup instant couscous
½ cup golden raisins
2 tbsp unsalted butter
¼ tsp turmeric
1½ cup chicken broth or stock
½ cup slivered almonds, toasted
Salt and pepper to taste

Toast the almond slivers in a dry pan over medium high heat until they just turn golden. Soak the raisins in a bowl with enough hot water to cover them. Set aside while you prepare the couscous. In a saucepan, bring the chicken broth and turmeric to a boil. Add the couscous, mix, and remove from heat. Cover and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff couscous with a fork, then drain the raisins and fold them in to the couscous along with the butter. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

(Printable Recipe)

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©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toCouscous with Raisins and Toasted Almonds | 12 comments |

Affordable Beef Stroganoff

Karen — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 16:42:32 +0000

I found myself pondering mushrooms and marriage the other day.

Back in the early days of our relationship, I would often quiz my husband about foods he liked to eat, foods he disliked, and foods that he wouldn’t eat if they were the last edible items on earth. One dish he said he loved was Beef Stroganoff. I thought,”Sweet! So do I!” However, mushrooms were in the “not with a ten foot pole” category. This led me to my first question: how can anyone hate mushrooms? Which was quickly followed by my second question: how exactly do you love beef stroganoff and hate mushrooms? Mushrooms are as integral to Beef Stroganoff as, well, beef! And finally, my third and most important question: could I still marry him after such a glaring flaw was pointed out to me? The conversation may, or may not, have gone something like this:

Me: What do you mean you don’t like mushrooms?
The husband: I just don’t.
Me: All mushrooms?
The husband: Yes, all mushrooms.
Me: Poop.
The husband: Sorry.
Me: Beef Stroganoff is made with mushrooms.
The husband: No it’s not.
Me: Yes it is. I’ll google it, you’ll see.
The husband (post goggle): Huh. The kind I always had didn’t have mushrooms.
Me: What kind was that?
The husband: You know, the one in the commercials. The box has a picture of a hand with a face on it.
Me: You mean Hamburger Helper?!?
The husband: Yeah! That’s it!

*sigh*

Years went by, during which time I tried countless variations of a mushroomless Beef Stroganoff, trying to find one that was so good, you forgot it was missing the best part. Some turned out ok, some not, but none of them were the real deal, just homemade hamburger helper. This mushroom-free era was a dark and difficult time in my life, but I like to think it made me stronger in the end.
Skip ahead to the present day. I prod the husband for dinner ideas, like I often do. He suggests Beef Stroganoff. The conversation may, or may not, have gone something like this:

Me: So you know I have this food blog thingie, right?
The husband: Uh-huh.
Me: I’d like to post this recipe.
The husband: Ok..
Me: Well, how would you feel if, um, I made it…..with mushrooms?
The husband: Sure.
Me: I’m sorry, what?
The husband: I said sure. I love everything you cook, so I’m willing to give the mushrooms a try.

*blink*

So what do mushrooms have to do with marriage? These flavorful fungi, besides tasting wonderful sautéed with a little butter, have helped me become more aware of a few things; that I did indeed marry the right man, that any good relationship stays healthy through mutual compromise, and that someone you thought you knew as well as you know yourself still has the capacity to surprise and delight you.

And for the record, he wasn’t thrilled with the mushrooms, but loved the overall flavor, and he ate every bite.

Most Beef Stroganoff recipes call for beef tenderloin, or top sirloin, and you can go ahead and use that cut with this recipe, just skip the marinade step. For those of us (me) on a tighter budget, use a more affordable top round roast and a buttermilk marinade. The buttermilk tenderizes the meat without adding any unwanted flavors that acids like vinegar or lemon juice bring to the party. The tang of the buttermilk blends in with the tang of the sour cream. The other trick is to slice the meat at least 1/4 thick and fry it for no more than 30 seconds to 1 minute per side, otherwise it will dry out and get tough.

Many of the ingredients in this recipe have been scaled or substituted to make this an affordable, budget friendly, family dish that doesn’t need to come out of a box.

Some people sprinkle paprika as a garnish when serving. I think it deserves a starring role, so I add it during the cooking.

Mushrooms, glorious mushrooms. How I missed you.

You must, *must* have plenty of sauce to drizzle over the egg noodles. It is required.

Affordable Beef Stroganoff
Adapted from Bon Appétit, September 1999 via Epicurious
Serves 6

2 lbs top round roast
2 cups buttermilk
2 tbsp canola or grapeseed oil
3 tbsp butter
1 med onion, diced
1 pound button mushrooms, sliced thick
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp flour
1 cup beef broth or stock
2 tbsp dry Sherry
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

Cut the meat into strips about 2 inches long, 1 inch wide and 1/4 inch thick. Place the meat in a large plastic freezer bag and add the buttermilk. Seal the bag and massage to make sure the meat is completely coated in buttermilk. Marinate at least overnight and up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.
Drain the meat and pat dry with paper towels. Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a skillet on med high heat. Fry the beef in batches until lightly browned, about 30 seconds per side. Remove from skillet and set aside. Reduce heat to medium and add butter to the same skillet. Add onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme and paprika and cook until the mushrooms have softened and any liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, stir and cook for about a minute. Add the beef broth and the Sherry, reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 more minutes. Return the meat and any juices to the pan and cook until just heated through, 2 – 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the sour cream, Dijon and parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve over rice or egg noodles.

(Printable Recipe)

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©EclecticCook.com, 2009. | Permalink toAffordable Beef Stroganoff | 14 comments |

Risotto with Smoked Italian Sausage

Karen — Sun, 28 Jun 2009 17:09:37 +0000

There is a sausage crisis in my freezer… If I don’t bring down my sausage population soon, there may be a revolt, or a mass migration to the freezer next door.

I can’t really help myself. I have a passion for that moist, sometimes juicy, perfectly seasoned, perfectly packaged meat product that is the humble sausage. I don’t discriminate; any sausage will do just fine. With the summer grilling season well under way here in Kansas, there are great deals to be had on a plethora (bonus points for using that word in a sentence) of sausages at the grocery store, farmers market and butcher shops. I have andouille, chorizo, Italian, smoked Italian, kielbasa and brats a plenty.

So blinded by my need to cull my sausage herd, I decided to cook a sausage risotto; in the summer, in Kansas, when even the thermometers are sweating. I was forced to contemplate my sanity as I stood over my boiling pot of risotto, stirring for all I was worth, and praying for a stray breeze from a passing cat. I love this recipe though, so I suppose my brush with heat stroke was worth it in the end. My husband, who was parked in the cool comfortable basement for the entire ordeal, certainly thought so.

This recipe calls for sweet Italian sausage, but I used a smoked Italian style sausage this time around. Both versions are very good. The smoked sausage version is a more earthy and complex tasting, while the sweet Italian is fresher, with a simpler flavor.

Risotto almost always starts the same; cook the rice in some fat (usually oil or butter) for a few minutes, add wine, then add a boiling liquid a bit at a time, making sure it gets absorbed after every addition. Any variation to the theme after that is up to the individual.

Did I mention the stirring? Yeah, it’s a bit of a pain. I have to admit I slack off on the stirring, at least during the first half. I stir when I add the liquid, then maybe once or twice more. I pick up on my stirring during the last half of the cooking, and I haven’t really had an issue. My risotto still comes out nice and creamy.

If you add the spinach right at the end, after you have taken the pot off the heat, it stays bright green and fresh-picked tasting. Sorry Popeye, but I like my spinach much better this way.

Risotto with Smoked Italian Sausage
Adapted from Everyday Food
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 lb smoked Italian sausage, cut into a ¼ inch dice (can substitute regular italian sausage)
1 cup Arborio rice
½ cup dry white wine at room temperature
1 28 ounce can diced tomatoes with their juice
2 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups water
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 9-10 oz bag baby spinach, washed
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the tomatoes and their juices, the chicken stock/broth, the water and the Italian seasoning and bring to a bare simmer in a small pot.
Heat the olive oil in heavy saucepan or Dutch oven and add the onions, garlic and sausage. Cook over med heat until the sausage starts to brown and the onions are tender, about 5 minutes.
Add the rice and stir to coat with the oil and cook for about 3 minutes. The rice will start to become translucent around the edges. Add the wine and stir until completely absorbed.
Start adding the tomato/broth mixture about a cup at a time, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost absorbed before adding another cup. For the last few additions of liquid, stir the rice almost continually. This will help make the risotto nice and creamy. The total cooking time should be about 25 to 30 minutes, and the rice should be just tender. You may not need all of the tomato/broth mixture.
Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the butter, cream and parmesan. Add the spinach and mix until the spinach is just wilted.
Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve right away.

(Printable Recipe)

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Fish and Noodles with Lemon Ginger Sauce

Karen — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 18:54:46 +0000

99 Pieces of Fish in the Fridge: Part I

My husband went fishin’ with the menfolk this past weekend (you have to say fishin’ if you want to sound cool). I stayed home, which was fine with this particular wimmenfolk, because it was 95°F in the shade, and there isn’t much shade in a boat in the middle of a lake. Apparently the fish were really biting, and hubby came home with a ton (well maybe closer to 20 pounds) of fish. I can’t for the life of me remember what species they were other than aquatic and not catfish.

Of course this sent me into a fish cooking frenzy. That first night I made this recipe from Steamy Kitchen, which is adapted from the book Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson . I substituted about a pound of my husband’s fish haul for the tofu and added a tablespoon of fresh cilantro and 3 thinly sliced scallions right at the end. It was fantastic! The lemony dressing works perfectly with the fish. I also served this dish warm. The next time I make it (there will be many next times!) I will probably use linguini noodles, and cook the fish more carefully. When you *stir* fry what turns out to be a delicate fish, you end up with mostly fish flakes and some larger chunks of fish by the time it’s done. Lesson learned. We still ate every last bite.

I had wanted to try this recipe ever since it did the rounds on some the food blogs I read. Check out some of the other versions on Simply Recipes and on The Amateur Gourmet. When I make this dish again, I’ll take some pictures and get them up on the blog. We were hungry, and it was 10 PM, so the camera stayed in the bag this time!

Join us for the next installment of 99 Pieces of Fish in the Fridge: Fish with French Herbs and Spring Veggies.

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