theperfectpantry.com recipes

Herbed cheese spread

Makes approximately 2 cups.

8 oz whipped butter
16 oz cream cheese
2 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp each basil, dill weed, black pepper, thyme

Blend all ingredients together in a food processor fitted with metal blade. Transfer to a bowl or container, and let sit in the refrigerator for two hours or more before serving, to allow the flavors to combine.

Stir-fried garlic lettuce

Inspired by a recipe in Breath of a Wok by Grace Yang, this dish serves 4.

1 Tbsp shao hsing rice wine or dry sherry
1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
3/4 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
A pinch of mild red pepper flakes (optional)
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
5 medium garlic cloves, smashed and roughly sliced
1 lb iceberg or romaine hearts, cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
1 tsp sesame oil

In a small bowl, combine the shao hsing wine, soy sauce, sugar, salt and pepper flakes.

Heat a wok. Swirl in the vegetable oil, add the garlic, and stir-fry 5 seconds. Add the lettuce and stir-fry 1-2 minutes or until the lettuce is just limp. Stir the sauce, swirl it into the wok, and stir-fry 30-60 seconds or until the lettuce is just tender and still bright green. Remove from the heat and drizzle on the sesame oil.

Caipirinha

Makes 1 cocktail; can be doubled, tripled or more.

Cut a fiery red diablo lime into eighths (or use a regular Mexican green lime if that is all that is available). In a bowl, muddle (crush) the lime with 2 tablespoons of sugar using a wooden "muddler" stick or a pestle, until all of the juice is extracted from the lime segments and the sugar has dissolved into the juice. (remove any seeds). Add 1/4 cup (2 oz or 2 jiggers) of cachaça and stir to mix. As an optional step, you can stir with your impecably clean finger and taste, adjusting with more lime or sugar as necessary. Then pour over ice in an Old Fashioned glass, including the lime segments. No garnish necessary, but a sprig of fresh mint is always nice. Sip and enjoy.

Ropa vieja ("old clothes")

Serves 10-12; tastes best when made ahead, and can be frozen.

3-4 lbs flank steak, visible fat removed
Dozen or so black peppercorns
6-8 oz favorite salsa (I used Trader Joe's habanero-lime, very spicy)
8 oz tomato sauce
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp mild chili powder
2 cups water

Place the meat in a slow cooker with a few black peppercorns, and water to almost cover. Cook on low for 9 hours. Remove meat and let it cool to the touch. (Note: you can refrigerate or freeze the cooked meat at this point, and finish making the ropa at a later time.)

Cut the meat across the grain into 3-inch wide strips. Then, with your hands, shred the meat and place in a large nonstick frying pan. Add remaining ingredients, and stir well to combine. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes or until liquid is absorbed and the meat has turned to "rags."

Use as a filling for quesadillas or burritos, or a main dish served over rice and beans.

Hot buttered rum

If you're planning to stay up late to watch election returns, a drink might come in handy. And though this recipe comes from the San Francisco classic Fog City Diner Cookbook, by Cindy Pawlcyn, it's particularly good for a cool November night in New England.

1-1/2 oz Myers's Rum
1 Tbsp *hot buttered rum mix (see below)
Boiling water to fill glass
1 cinnamon stick
1 roaring fire (optional)

Heat a 6- to 7-oz short-stemmed cocktail glass by filling it with hot water. Pour out the water, pour in the rum, add the Rum Mix, and pour in boiling water to fill. Garnish with a cinnamon stick. Best served by the (optional) roaring fire.

*Hot buttered rum mix
4 Tbsp dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 cup butter
Pinch each of nutmeg, cinnamon, ground cloves
Zest of 1/2 lemon
Zest of 1/2 orange

Mix all ingredients together and keep chilled.

Butternut squash soup

Make it vegan by substituting water for the chicken broth. Serves 6-8.

4 tsp olive oil
2 small butternut squash, peeled, cut into large chunks
1 small sweet potato, peeled, cut into chunks
1 medium onion, cut into chunks
2 small tart apples, cored (but skin left on), cut into chunks
2 tsp sweet curry powder
1 heaping tsp ras el hanout
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 quart chicken stock (homemade or low-sodium store-bought)
1 Tbsp agave nectar or honey
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

In a 6- or 8-quart stockpot, heat the oil over medium heat, and add the squash, sweet potatoes and onion. Stir and cook for 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent, and the squash is starting to lose its raw appearance. Add the apples, stir, and cook for 3 minutes. Add curry powder, ras el hanout, and cayenne, and stir to combine. Cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes, or until the spices are a bit toasted. Add chicken stock, plus water to almost cover the vegetables. Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and cook partially-covered for 30 minutes, until the vegetables are quite soft.

Remove the pot from the stove, and puree with an immersion blender (or puree in batches in a blender or food processor) until smooth. Season with agave, lemon juice and black pepper and, if you want more heat, add a few drops of Tabasco sauce. Return the pot to the stove, and simmer over lowest heat for 5 minutes to blend the flavors; or, if you would like a thicker soup, continue to simmer, uncovered, to desired consistency.

Mushroom and asparagus paella

Inspired by Paella! Spectacular Rice Dishes of Spain, this vegan recipe is a dramatic centerpiece to a meatless meal. Serves 6-8.

1/4 tsp crumbled saffron threads
Kosher or sea salt
4 Tbsp minced flat-leaf parsley
4-6 cloves garlic, minced
Pinch of smoked sweet paprika (pimenton)
6 cups vegetable broth, store-bought or homemade (I used Swanson's Garden Vegetable Broth)
8 Tbsp olive oil
3/4 lb thin asparagus spears, chopped into 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, quartered
4 artichoke hearts (canned or frozen), quartered
3/4 cup dry red or white wine
1-1/2 lb mushrooms (a mix of white, cremini, cepes, etc.), brushed clean, stems trimmed, very coarsely chopped (or, if small, left whole)
1 cup canned chopped tomato (I use Pomi)
3 cups bomba, Valencia or Arborio rice
12 strips piquillo or roasted red pepper, for garnish

In a mortar or miniprocessor, mash to a paste the saffron, 1/4 tsp salt, parsley, garlic and smoked paprika. Heat the broth in a large pot over the lowest heat.

Preheat oven to 400F for gas oven, 450F for electric.

Heat the oil in a 17-18 inch paella pan, or in a shallow casserole of similar size, over 2 burners if necessary. Saute the asparagus and onions over medium heat until softened, then add artichoke hearts and mushrooms, and cook 1-2 minutes more. Add the mushrooms and tomato, and cook 1-2 minutes. Pour in the wine, and boil away most of the liquid, then stir in the rice and coat well with the pan mixture. Pour in the hot broth and bring to a boil. Add the mashed saffron-parsley-garlic paste, taste for salt (it will likely need a bit), and continue to boil, stirring and rotating the pan occasionally, until the rice is no longer soupy and sufficient liquid remains to continue cooking the rice, about 5 minutes. Arrange red pepper strips like the spokes of a wheel, on top of the rice.

Transfer to the oven and cook, uncovered, until the rice is almost al dente, 10 minutes in a gas oven, 15 minutes in electric. Remove to a warm spot, cover with foil, and let sit 5-10 minutes, until the rice is cooked to taste.

Green bean sesame sauce toss

Sabina added Gadgetology: Kitchen Fun with Your Kids, Using 35 Cooking Gadgets for Simple Recipes, Crafts, Games and Experiments, by Pam Abram, to my cookbook library. This recipe from the book serves 4-6.

4 Tbsp white sesame seeds
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sugar
1 lb fresh or frozen green beans, cooked and cooled

Pour the sesame seeds into a dry frying pan and roast over high heat until they start to pop, turn color, and give off a nutty aroma, 3-5 minutes. Allow to cool, then put the sesame seeds in a mortar and grind them with the pestle. Push hard! When the seeds resemble a rough paste, transfer them to a small mixing bowl or cup. It's fine if there are some whole seeds left.

Stir in the soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sugar, and mix well. Toss the sauce with the green beans and serve right away.

Mulled cider

Adapted from Some Like It Hot: 50 Drinks to Warm Your Spirits by Holly Burrows and Katie Walter. Serves 12; can be doubled or tripled.

12 cups apple cider
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp grated orange zest
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 cinnamon sticks
4 whole cloves
2 whole allspice berries
Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
Pinch of kosher salt
12 cinnamon sticks for garnish

Mix all ingredients except the 12 cinnamon sticks in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat, strain, and discard the solids. Ladle into mugs and garnish each with a cinnamon stick.

Note: You can also make this in a slow cooker on low for 3-4 hours. Great for a party!

Love in pieces

Makes 12-15 pieces.

Filling:
Fruit of 1 pineapple, grated or pureed in the blender
1 coconut, grated, or 1 cup unsweetened dried coconut
3 eggs
1 heaping Tbsp butter
2-1/2 cups sugar
A few cloves, and a piece of cinnamon stick

Mix all ingredients together in a sauce pan and cook oven medium heat until thick enough that it coats the bottom of the pan (it should be quite thick). Cool, and remove the cloves and cinnamon stick.

Pastry:
1 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp baking powder
Juice of 1/2 lime
All-purpose flour -- 1 cup to start, then add just enough to make a dough that you can roll out

1 egg, beaten with a tsp of water
Additional sugar or large-crystal sugar, for topping

In a large bowl or a Kitchenaid type mixer, cream the butter and sugar; then add the eggs, baking powder and lime juice, and add just enough flour to obtain a dough that you can roll out easily with a rolling pin. Let rest a few minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425F. Butter a shallow metal 12” X 8” (or thereabouts) baking pan. This is just like making a rectangular two-crust pie. Divide the dough in half. Roll out the first half into a rectangle and line the bottom and sides of the pan with the dough. Add the filling and spread evenly. Roll out the remaining dough and lay on top of the filling. Pinch the edges to seal. Brush lightly with beaten egg and sprinkle with sugar.

Place the pan in the oven and turn the heat down to 350F. Bake until golden, approximately 30 minutes. Cool and cut in pieces to serve.