Place the corned beef in a large slow cooker and scatter the pickling spices on top. Layer the rutabaga, carrots, potatoes and leek in the cooker (in this order for even cooking). Add enough hot water (4 to 5 cups) to cover the meat by at least 1 inch, put the lid on the slow cooker and cook on high, 7 to 8 hours.
Remove the meat and vegetables from the slow cooker and keep warm. Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe dish with 2 cups cooking liquid from the slow cooker, cover and microwave until tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Meanwhile, boil another cup of cooking liquid in a small skillet until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Mix with the horseradish and creme fraeche in a small bowl.
Slice the corned beef and serve with the slow-cooked vegetables, cabbage and sauce; reserve about a quarter each of the meat and vegetables and 1 1/2 cups cooking liquid for Corned Beef Hash.
1. Whisk 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon Chinese rice wine or dry sherry, and 1 tablespoon cornstartch. Toss with chicken; cover and refrigerate, 1 hour.
2. Mix 3/4 cup chicken broth, 2 teaspoons cornstartch, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 teaspoons soy sauce, 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon sesame oil.
3. Drain the excess marinade from the chicken. Place your sauce, vegetables, and chicken near the stove.
4. Heat 1/4 inch peanut or vegetable oil in a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the chicken; slowly stir until almost opaque.
5. Heat the pan over high heat, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons oil, then 2 cloves minced garlic, 1 to 2 tablespoons minced ginger, 2 minced scallions, and a pinch each of salt and sugar; stir-fry about 30 seconds. Add the vegetables, starting with the ones htat take the longest to cook; stir-fry until crisp-tender.
6. Add the chicken and sauce and stir until the sauce is thick and the vegetables and chicken are cooked through, about 3 minutes. Think with chicken broth, if needed. Garnish with sliced scallions, sesame seeds, and/or cilantro.
2 10-ounce packages frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Directions
Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Pat the steak dry and brush lightly with olive oil. Season with 11/2 teaspoons salt and 2 to 3 teaspoons pepper. Cook, turning once, 10 to 13 minutes total for medium rare. Transfer the steak to a cutting board to rest, about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Remove from the heat and gradually whisk in the milk. Return to medium heat and simmer, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the spinach, 1/4 cup water, 1/2 cup parmesan, the lemon zest and nutmeg and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce thickens and the spinach is tender, about 10 minutes. Thin with water, if needed. Stir in the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan and salt to taste.
Thinly slice the steak and serve with the spinach.
2 medium eggplants (about 2.5 pounds), unpeeled, cut into 1-in. cubes
1 tablespoon coarse salt
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 large red bell peppers, steamed, seeded, and cut into 1-in pieces
4 medium zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-in. chunks
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence (French dried herbs)
Salt and coarsely ground black pepper, to taste
2 cans (28 oz each) plum tomatoes, drained (juices reserved) and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
Directions:
1. Sprinkle the eggplant with the coarse salt. Let drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat dry.
2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Spread the eggplant on the prepared baking sheet and toss with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Cover well with another sheet of foil. Bake until soft, about 45 minutes, tossing once or twice. Set aside.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons of the remaining olive oil in a large heavy pot over medium-low heat. Add the onions, garlic, and peppers and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until wilted, 10 to 12 minutes.
5. Add the zucchini, baked eggplant, and herbes de Provence; cook uncovered, stirring, to soften the zucchini and blend the flavors, 10 minutes. Season generously with salt and pepper.
6. Add the tomatoes, 1 cup of the reserved juices, and the tomato paste. Simmer uncovered 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and cook for 5 minutes longer.
7. Stir in the parsley and thyme. Adjust the seasonings. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
Serves 12
**I first made this in January 2009 for my family with chicken, and it was delicious. I couldn't wait to make it again. Then last summer my host mom in France served ratatouille with rabbit. Ratatouille goes great with rabbit, she said. So when our summer roommate wanted to know what French food was like, I knew exactly what to make for her. This time we just had the ratatouille as the main course, with Italian white wine to go with it! :-)
Shoemaker Chicken, Lemon-Pepper Fettuccine, and steamed green beans
Pollo Alla Scarpariello (Sauteed Chicken, Shoemaker Style) from How the World Cooks Chicken by H.J. Mussen
Ingredients 1 3-pound Chicken, cut up 1 cup flour salt and freshly ground pepper 1/4 cup olive oil 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 cup dry white wine Juice of 1 lemon Parsley sprigs for garnish
Directions Wash the chicken pieces and pat dry. Combine the flour with a little salt and pepper and dredge the pieces thoroughly. Heat the oil in a large skillet and brown 1 clove of minced garlic, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Place the chicken in the pan and cook over low to moderate heat, uncovered, for 10-12 minutes on a side. When done remove and keep warm. Now saute the second clove of garlic in the same pan, then remove with a slotted spoon and discard. Deglaze the pan with the wine, add the lemon juice, and return the chicken, coating each piece. Cover and cook for 2 or 3 minutes to reheat. Serve on a warm platter garnished with parsley sprigs. Serves 4.
**Note: most recipes in this book call for a whole 3 pound chicken, I usually just use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Also, I did not use parsley to garnish this dish (as is apparent from the photo).**
1/3 cup grated pecorino cheese, plus more for garnish
Freshly ground pepper
Crusty bread, for serving (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the fettuccine and cook as the label directs. Drain, reserving about 1/2 cup cooking water.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 3 minutes. Whisk the cream, egg yolk and lemon zest in a bowl. Reduce the heat to low and add the cream mixture and cheese to the skillet. Cook, whisking, until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and 2 to 3 teaspoons pepper.
Add the pasta to the skillet and toss, adding enough of the reserved cooking water to loosen the sauce. Divide among bowls and garnish with more pecorino. Serve with crusty bread, if desired.
**Note: The pecorino cheese is a must here! It's a little bit more expensive, but it is so delicious!**
1/2 cup chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)
Directions
Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven, such as Le Creuset. Add the bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon is lightly browned. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon to a large plate.
Dry the beef cubes with paper towels and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. In batches in single layers, sear the beef in the hot oil for 3 to 5 minutes, turning to brown on all sides. Remove the seared cubes to the plate with the bacon and continue searing until all the beef is browned. Set aside.
Toss the carrots, onions, 1 tablespoon of salt, and 2 teaspoons of pepper into the fat in the pan and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add the Cognac, stand back, and ignite with a match to burn off the alcohol. Put the meat and bacon back into the pot with any juices that have accumulated on the plate. Add the wine plus enough beef broth to almost cover the meat. Add the tomato paste and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover the pot with a tight-fitting lid, and place it in the oven for 1 1/4 hours, or until the meat and vegetables are very tender when pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven and place on top of the stove.
Combine 2 tablespoons of the butter and the flour with a fork and stir into the stew. Add the frozen onions. In a medium pan, saute the mushrooms in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until lightly browned, and then add to the stew. Bring the stew to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes. Season to taste.
Rub each slice of bread on one side with garlic. For each serving, spoon the stew over a slice of bread and sprinkle with parsley.
**NOTE: If I were to make this recipe again, I would not use as much brandy, use the full 2 1/2 cups of broth, and also add the frozen onions a little earlier so that they are completely cooked through. The carrots ended up absorbing all of the brandy and tasted like booze instead of vegetables. However, the meat was delicious!**
