Springerle with Fiori di Sicilia

My husband's family has German roots, and makes traditional Springerle cookies every Christmas. We've collectively worked our way through several variations of the recipe: we started with his grandmother's, moved on to the Joy of Cooking, and then stumbled across this gem from King Arthur Flour.

The King Arthur version steers clear of the traditional anise flavor and instead uses a floral and citrus extract called Fiori di Sicilia. We didn't want to invest in a bottle of fancy extract just for one recipe, so I whipped up a close approximation from extracts we already had on hand. The rose water adds a nice floral note, but is optional.

Springerle with Fiori di Sicilia
makes 2-3 dozen cookies

Combine to create home-made Fiori di Sicilia:
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. orange extract
1/4 tsp. lemon extract
1/8 tsp. rose water

Beat together for 5-6 minutes, until the mixture falls in thick ribbons from the beater:
3 large eggs
3 cups (12 oz.) powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. lemon or orange zest
1/4 tsp. Fiori di Sicilia flavoring

Slowly add in 3 cups (12 oz.) of cake flour to form a stiff dough. (AP flour is an okay substitute, but results in a denser cookie.)

Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and allow it to rest at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Flour your rolling surface and Springerle molds. Working with half the dough at a time, roll it out 1/4" thick. Press the mold firmly into the dough, then remove. Cut around the design and transfer the cookies to a greased baking sheet.

Allow the unbaked cookies to dry at room temperature, uncovered, for 24 hours. Turn them over once after 12 hours.

Bake at 250 for 35-40 minutes, until firm but not browned. Transfer them to a cooling rack.

Shopping list
3 large eggs
1 lemon or orange for zest

Check the pantry
3 cups powdered sugar
3 cups cake (or AP) flour
vanilla extract
orange extract
lemon extract
rose water

Southern Green Beans

This is a classic "low and slow" Southern dish. The beans are cooked over a low simmer, not boiled. This recipe is a great to make in advance, since these beans are far better on the second day. This is thanks to the magic of pot liquor (aka pot likker), the broth produced during the stewing process.

DO NOT substitute canned or frozen green beans - they'll just turn to mush.

Southern Green Beans
serves 4-6

Combine in a large stock pot:
2 pounds green beans, trimmed and cut into thirds
1/3 pound thick-cut bacon, cut into roughly 2" squares
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 tsp. salt
1.5 tsp. fresh ground black pepper
enough cold water to float the beans

Cover the pot. Bring it to a boil, then immediately reduce to a very low simmer. Simmer covered for 1 hour, then adjust the salt level and simmer for about another 30 minutes.

Partially drain the beans, retaining 1-2 cups of liquid.

Finish with 1 tbsp. of butter (or rendered bacon fat if you have it).

Shopping list:
2 pounds fresh green beans
1/3 pound bacon
1 yellow onion

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon

Adapted from Food & Wine. I tried this out for Thanksgiving this year. I made the olive oil and lemon dressing as instructed, but found it very bitter. I added apple cider vinegar to offset those flavors and was pleased with the result. Rather than using fresh basil so far out of season, I incorporated dried basil in the dressing.

The pine nuts are an expensive ingredient and require the extra step of toasting. While they add a nice texture to the dish, it would be just fine without them.

Roasted Broccoli with Lemon
serves 4-6

Preheat the oven to 400°.

Cut 4 heads of broccoli into florets. In a large bowl, toss florets with olive oil, then season with salt and pepper. Transfer broccoli to a baking sheet.

Roast the broccoli in the oven at 400° for 20 minutes on a baking sheet, until browned and tender. Toss half way through.

If including pine nuts: Meanwhile, in a small skillet, toast 1/4 cup pine nuts over medium heat for 5 minutes, until golden all over.

Whisk together the dressing:
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
4 tbsp. olive oil
2 tbsp. garlic-infused olive oil
1/2 tsp. dried basil
salt and pepper to taste

Scrape the broccoli into a serving bowl. Just before serving, add the dressing and pine nuts. Toss to coat.

Shopping list:
4 heads of broccoli
1-2 lemons (for 2 tbsp. juice)
optional: 1/4 cup pine nuts

Check the pantry:
apple cider vinegar
garlic olive oil
dried basil

Dijon beef stew

Toned down from Smitten Kitchen, which in turn adapted it from the NYT.

This stew takes forever to make, and has lots of hands-on work. You've got to commit to this one. However, the results are hard to argue with. It's so good it will make me eat carrots, and my husband eat mushrooms. I recommend serving it with egg noodles or mashed potatoes.

Dijon beef stew
serves 4 to 6

In a Dutch oven or large stock pot, cook on low until rendered:
1/4 lb. bacon, diced

Remove crisp bacon bits. Set aside.

Add and cook on medium-low for 15 minutes:
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced

Use a slotted spoon to transfer the cooked onions to a large bowl.

Chop 2 pounds beef chuck into ~1-inch cubes. Salt and pepper the beef cubes, then coat with flour. Brown the cubes in the Dutch oven, one third at a time to avoid crowding the pan. Add additional butter to the pan between batches as needed. Cook over medium-high heat until the beef cubes are well browned and crusty on all sides, then transfer them to the bowl with the cooked onions. Repeat with the remaining beef.

Add 1/2 cup brandy to the empty pan and scrape to deglaze it.

Add and whisk to blend:
2 cups beef stock
1/2 cup smooth Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon coarse mustard

Return cooked meat and onions to the pan. Cover the pot most of the way and simmer on low until the meat is very tender, about 1 1/4 hours.

Add 4 med. carrots, sliced into even pieces. Continue simmering until the carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.

While they cook, heat 2 tablespoons butter in medium skillet over medium-high heat, and sauté 1/2 pound mushrooms (stemmed, cleaned and quartered) until browned.

Stir in:
cooked mushrooms
3 tbsp. coarse mustard
1/4 cup red wine
reserved bacon bits

Simmer 5 minutes, then adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Serve hot.

Shopping list:
2 pounds beef chuck (sometimes labeled "stew beef")
2 cups beef stock
2 large onions
4 medium carrots
1/2 pound mushrooms
1/2 cup smooth Dijon mustard
4 tbsp. coarse or whole grain mustard

Check the pantry:
4 tbsp. butter
2 tbsp. flour
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup cooking brandy

Other drinks

Elderflower martini
Invented by my husband when he was looking for an excuse to use our St. Germain.

2 oz Saint Germain elderflower liqueur
1.5 oz gin
1.5 oz lime juice (~2 limes)

Shake with ice and serve neat.

Garlic and tomato braised beef

The best 3-ingredient recipe ever. From Gourmet Magazine, by way of Smitten Kitchen.

Garlic and tomato braised beef
serves 6

28 ounce can of whole tomatoes
3.0-3.5 pound boneless beef chuck roast, tied with a string
1 head garlic, separated into cloves, left unpeeled

Preheat the oven to 300°F. 

Tie up the roast into an evenly shaped log with butcher's twine. Put it in an ovenproof casserole with a lid, such as a Dutch oven.

Coarsely chop tomatoes with their juice in a food processor (or just chop them in their can with kitchen shears). Pour chopped tomatoes over the roast. 

Scatter unpealed garlic cloves around it. 

Season generously with salt and pepper. 

Braise for 3-4 hours, covered, in the middle of oven. 

Cut roast into 1/4-inch-thick slices and serve with sauce and garlic (squeezed from its peels), over orzo pasta.

Cumin lime chicken thighs

This recipe comes from Nerds with Knives. It's not fast, so make it on a Sunday, but it's delicious. The best part is the loose sauce, so be sure to serve this with crusty bread to mop it up.

Cumin lime chicken thighs

serves 4-6

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Create spice rub in a small bowl:

1 tbsp. kosher salt

1 tbsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground black pepper

Pat 6-8 chicken thighs dry, and season each thigh on both sides with the cumin rub.

Add 1 tbsp. olive oil to a heavy-bottomed skillet or dutch oven, on medium-high heat. Add the thighs, skin-side down. Work in batches to avoid crowding the pan.  

Cook 5-7 minutes, until the skin is deeply browned. Turn and brown other side for 3-5 minutes. Remove thighs to a plate and set them aside.

Remove most of the oil, leaving about 1.5 tablespoons. Lower the heat to medium. 

Add:

1.5 tbsp flour

6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 

4 sliced white scallion bottoms (saving green tops for later)

Stir well to coat the flour in oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Add and let simmer for 3 minutes to deglaze:

1 cup dry white wine

Add and bring back to a simmer:

2 cups chicken broth

1.5 tbsp. honey

2 tsp. lime zest (from 1-2 limes) 

3 tbsp. lime juice (from 2 limes)

half bunch of cilantro, roughy chopped

Add the chicken, skin-side up. Move the dish, uncovered, into the oven. Cook for 35-40 minutes, until chicken is cooked through. 

To finish, stir in:

remaining half bunch cilantro, roughly chopped

4 green scallion tops

Shopping list
6-8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
2 limes, for zest and juice
bunch of scallions
fresh cilantro

Check the pantry
dry white wine
garlic
honey

Scones for tea

This is a wonderful and easy scone recipe, served by my friend Kathleen at a Sherlock Holmes themed party. Best served with tea and lemon curd. Be prepared to get crumbs everywhere. 

Cream Scones with Currants

makes 8 scones

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and preheat the oven to 425°F.

Pulse 6 x 1 second in a food processor to combine:

2 cups (10 oz.) AP flour

1 tbsp. baking powder

3 tbsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

Add and pulse 12 x 1 second:

5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Add and pulse one more time:

1/2 cup currants

Transfer the dough to a large bowl.

Add:

1 cup heavy cream

Stir with a rubber spatula until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a counter-top and knead the dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. 

Mold the dough using a cake pan: press the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. 

Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)

Bake at 425 until the scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Variations

Glazed Scones: Brush the tops of the scones with 1 tablespoon heavy cream, then sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon sugar just before baking.

Ginger Scones: Substitute 1/2 cup chopped crystallized ginger for the currants.

Cranberry-Orange Scones: Add 1 teaspoon grated orange zest with the butter and substitute 3/4 cups dried cranberries for the currants.

Lemon-Blueberry Scones: Add 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest with the butter and substitute 1/2 cup fresh or frozen (not thawed) blueberries for the currants. Mix the dough by hand after adding the blueberries to keep them plump and whole. 

Cakey Scones: An egg changes the texture and color and helps these scones stay fresher longer, up to 2 days in an airtight container. Follow the recipe above, reducing the butter to 4 tablespoons and the cream to 3/4 cup. Add 1 large egg, lightly beaten, to the dough along with the cream.

Shopping list

2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a lower-protein brand such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury

baking powder

granulated sugar

5 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup currants (or other fruit from the "variations" list)

Turmeric Coconut Chicken Curry

Turmeric Coconut Chicken Curry
serves 6

Saute in a large pot for 5 minutes:
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
2 inches fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced

Add and bloom for 2 minutes:
1.5 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

Add and saute until sealed, 5-7 min:
2 lb. chicken, diced

Add and simmer, covered, for 30 minutes:
1 15-oz. can of tomatoes, drained thoroughly
1 bay leaf
1/2 tsp. salt

On the side, combine:
1 13-oz. can coconut milk
1 tbsp. cornstarch

Stir the coconut milk mixture into the curry over medium heat, until the sauce begins to thicken. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle fresh cilantro on top if desired.

Shopping list
1 medium red onion
2 inches fresh ginger
2 lb. chicken
15-oz. can tomatoes
13-oz. can coconut milk

Check the pantry
3 cloves garlic, minced
1.5 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
1 tbsp. cornstarch
2 tbsp. olive oil

Improved Chicken & Dumplings

This is a classic Southern recipe. The version I learned from my grandmother in North Carolina was stripped down simple: just a whole chicken, boiled in "stock" made from water and Campbell's condensed chicken broth, and dumplings made from flour and Crisco. It was my go-to comfort food as a child, but these days I find myself wanting more out of this dish. I decided to amp it up by treating the first half of the recipe - boiling the chicken - like making chicken stock, and the second half - boiling the dumplings - like making chicken soup.

First, I picked up the classic chicken soup veggies: onions, celery, and carrots. Then I took the leftover bits from the vegetable mis en place and added them to the boiling stockpot while the chicken cooked - waste not, want not! I also added in the spices typically found in stock recipes: whole black peppercorns, thyme, and a bay leaf. Finally, I switched out Campbell's condensed chicken stock for Better Than Bouillon. For the second half, I updated the dumplings to include leavening and swapped the water for milk, then added the chopped veggies in with the dumplings to cook side by side.

Bring to a boil in a large stock pot:
12 cups of water
4 tbsp. "Better Than Bouillon" chicken base, reduced sodium

Add:
1 bay leaf
1 tsp whole black peppercorns
1 large spring of fresh thyme, whole
1 whole head of garlic, sliced in half horizontally
celery: about 1 stick worth of tops and bottoms
top and bottom of 1 onion
tops, bottoms, and peels of 4 medium carrots
4-5 lb chicken
* Remove the giblets from the chicken's cavity and toss them in as well.  Include the heart, gizzard, and neck if you have them, but discard the liver - it will add off flavors to the broth.

Boil covered for 45-60 minutes, rotating the chicken once about half way through. When finished, set the whole chicken aside to cool in a large bowl.

Strain the stock to remove solids, then pour it back into the pot and return to a boil. Meanwhile, make the dumplings.

Dumplings
Mix in a food processor:
3 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder

1.5 tsp. salt
0.5 cups cold Crisco solid vegetable shortening

Add and process just to combine:
~1 cup milk (or cold water), as needed (just enough to bring the dough together)

Roll out dumplings about 1/8” thick on a floured counter top. Cut into ~2" squares (a pizza wheel is excellent for this).

Add to boiling stock for 20 min:
dumpling squares

Simmer covered over medium low heat, about 20 minutes until pastry is mostly cooked. Leave the lid slightly ajar to avoid boil over. Stir once or twice to redistribute the dumplings floating on top. 

Add and boil a further 20 min:

1 white onion, diced
4 medium carrots, diced
3 sticks celery, chopped
4 springs of fresh thyme, tied together

To finish, pick all the meat off of the chicken carcass and return it to the pot.  Squeeze one half lemon into the pot. Adjust salt & pepper to taste. 

Shopping list
4-5 lb. whole chicken
fresh thyme
whole head of garlic
1 white onion
4 medium carrots
celery (3 stalks)

lemon

Check the pantry
Better than Bouillon chicken stock base, 4 tbsp.
Crisco vegetable shortening, 1/2 cup
all purpose flour, 3 cups
bay leaves
whole black peppercorns