Garlic Rice Pilaf

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Garlic Rice Pilaf

This is one of those side dishes that have been a staple in our kitchen for a while now, but I’d never gotten around to sharing with you guys. Rice is so wonderful and versatile – accepts so many flavors into it’s little white grains.

This rice pilaf takes a little bit more time to put on the table than your standard white rice, due to the fact that it bakes in the oven. But, it’s not hands on – giving you time to finish up dinner while the rice is cooking. The burst of flavor from the garlic is unparalleled though, and well worth the extra time in the oven.

If I have leftovers, I’ll mix in some chopped up veggies and any make myself a make-shift fried rice for lunch the next day. If you’re feeding a larger crowd, the recipe can easily be doubled without having to increase the cooking time.

Garlic Rice Pilaf

2 tbsp. butter
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup long-grain white rice
2 1/2 cups chicken or vegetable broth, divided
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
Squeeze of lemon juice

Preheat the oven to 375 F.  In a saucepan or skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the garlic and rice to the pan and cook until both are golden brown, about 3-4 minutes.  Stir in 1 cup of the broth, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.  Pour the mixture into a 2 qt casserole dish, cover, and bake for 25 minutes.

After 25 minutes, remove from the oven and stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cups broth. Re-cover and bake for another 45 minutes.  About 15 minutes before it is finished baking, stir in a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.

Source: slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats, originally from What’s Cooking in the Orange Kitchen?

Indonesian Pork Tenderloin

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Indonesian Pork Tenderloin

Last week it was in the 60’s here, all week long (albeit raining). Then, on Thursday it got cold enough to get a little bit of snow. Enough for Andrew to have a little bit of fun in at least! And now, it’s REALLY cold. So, when I came across a recipe for this pork tenderloin I thought it looked great, something to transport me to a warm tropical beach – and away from the freezing tundras of coastal Maryland.

Super duper easy too. I just threw together a marinade, let the pork do it’s thing – and then used the method that I’ve used for pork tenderloins in the past; seared it off on the stove first, then finished cooking in the oven. Since I didn’t want to let all that delicious flavor in the marinade go to waste, I went ahead and brought it to a boil on the stove then served it as a sauce alongside the sliced tenderloin.

I love the flavor that the peanut butter and soy sauce lend, as well as the little kick of heat from the crushed red pepper. The original recipe called for mango chutney, which I didn’t have, so I just used some peach-hot pepper jelly that I’d gotten from TS Smith & Sons last year – and it turned out beautifully. But, orange marmalade or apricot preserves would be good too; just something that’s sweet, with a little bit of chunkiness to it.

I served it with garlic rice pilaf (recipe coming tomorrow) and sauteed snow peas – and everyone cleaned their plates. If you’re looking for a change of pace, or to bring some exotic new flavors to the dinner table – definitely mark this one down on your menu soon!

Indonesian Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin (about 1 pound)
1/4 cup apricot preserves
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 lime, juiced
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped

Combine preserves, garlic, coriander, soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, peanut butter, lime juice, orange juice, crushed red pepper and black pepper in a small bowl. Whisk well to combine, paying attention to break up the peanut butter.  Place pork tenderloin in gallon sized Ziploc bag and pour the marinade on top. Squeeze out the air, and seal, using your hands to squish bag and distribute marinade evenly. Place in refrigerator and let marinade for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours.

Preheat oven to 425. Heat  the vegetable oil in large oven-proof skillet (I like cast iron) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork tenderloin, and sear on all sides, until it’s nicely browned – about 7 minutes or so. Place the entire skillet into the preheated oven, and cook until a meat thermometer registers 160 degrees – about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

While the pork is in the oven, pour the marinade into a small saucepan. If it seems too thick, add a splash or orange juice or water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then turn off heat. Pour sauce over the sliced tenderloin and sprinkle with chopped cilantro for garnish.

Source: adapted from Kitchen Confidante

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

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Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

Last year when Meyer lemons turned up in my local grocery store, I might as well have done back-flips right there in the produce department. The previous year, I’d driven 2 hours to go to the nearest Whole Foods – mainly to find these little beauties. I do that occasionally, take a trip up to the “fancy” grocery stores to stock up on things that I can’t find here. What can I say? I’m a crazy foodie.

Meyer lemons are a cross between a standard Eureka lemon and a mandarin orange. Thin skinned, and a gorgeous rich yellow color. They originated in China, and were brought to our country in 1908 by an agricultural explorer, Frank Meyer, who was an employee of the US Department of Agriculture. Their popularity surged in the 1990’s when they became popular in the California cuisine front, and then gained more notoriety from Martha Stewart – who used them in virtually everything from spaghetti to ice cream.

And, I love using them just as much as Martha. From a glass of lemonade, to shrimp scampi, lemon bars, and even a simple pound cake with glaze. I love pound cakes, they take virtually no time to put together. And, they’re great for breakfast in the morning – or a sweet treat later at night. The flavor of the lemon really shines through in this cake, from the addition of the zest to the cake batter. The glaze is delicious, with just enough of a pucker from the lemon juice. If you’re fortunate enough to find these little beauties in your grocery store, do yourself a favor and pick up a bag. They really are wonderful!

Meyer Lemon Pound Cake

For the pound cake:
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons Meyer lemon juice
1 1/2 tablespoons Meyer lemon zest
1 cup granulated sugar plus 2 additional tablespoons
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
5 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten

For the syrup:
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup Meyer lemon juice

For the glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon juice

Preheat oven to 325 F. Spray a 9×5 loaf pan with non-stick cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt; whisk to combine. Whisk the sour cream and lemon juice together in a small measuring cup.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the lemon zest and sugar. Rub together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter to the bowl and beat the butter/sugar mixture on medium speed until very pale and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the eggs in 3 additions, beating well after each addition until the mixture is smooth (stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl as necessary). With the mixer on low, alternately add the dry ingredients in 3 additions and the sour cream mixture in 2 additions, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Once all the ingredients have been added, scrape down the bowl then beat on low for another 30 seconds to fully combine. Use a rubber spatula to make sure the batter in the very bottom of the bowl is uniform.

Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Smooth the top then tap the pan on your work surface to release air bubbles. Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted near the center comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let the cake cool for 10 minutes, then turn it out.

While the cake is in the oven, make the syrup. Combine the sugar and lemon juice in a small saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat and set aside.

Once you’ve turned the cake out of the pan (cake will still be warm), brush the top and sides with the lemon syrup. It seems like a lot of syrup, but make sure to use it all. Let the cake cool completely, about 2 hours.

To make the glaze: Combine the confectioners’ sugar and lemon juice in a small bowl and stir until smooth. Pour over the top of the cake, covering completely. Let the glaze set for at least 15 minutes before serving.

This cake keeps well. Store at room temperature tightly wrapped for up to 5 days, or freeze (unglazed) for up to 1 month.

Souce: Cook’s Country, April/May 2006 via Tracey’s Culinary Adventures

Rustic Dinner Rolls

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Rustic Dinner RollsAs I mentioned a couple of weeks ago during the New Year’s round up posts, I’ve gotten a lot more into bread baking the past year. One thing I had the opportunity to make yet was crusty breads. To achieve that crusty effect, most recipes require a “sponge”, which usually is made the night before you plan to bake the bread. Which, of course – I never seem to have my act together enough to plan ahead for that.

We were having soup for dinner last week, and I wanted some French-type rolls to go along with. But, it was cold and rainy – really wasn’t feeling going to the store. So, I turned to my cookbook for inspiration. Cook’s Illustrated had a recipe for dinner rolls that claimed the crunch of a crusty roll, without the time commitment. It was a few more steps than your standard yeast roll recipe, but I was pretty sure the finished product was going to be worth it.

The rolls were airy and chewy on the inside, with a nice thick crunchy crust. This will definitely be my go-to bread when I want something with a little more body than a traditional yeast dinner roll. The batch made enough for one dinner’s worth for us, as well as another meal’s worth that I stuck in the freezer for a rainy day.

Rustic Dinner Rolls

1 1/2 cups plus 1 Tbsp water, room temperature
2 tsp honey
1 1/2 tsp instant dry or rapid-rise yeast
3 cups plus 1 Tbsp bread flour (16.5 ounces), plus extra as needed
3 Tbsp whole-wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp salt

Whisk water, honey, and yeast together in the bowl of a stand mixer until dissolved. Transfer bowl to stand mixer fitted with dough hook. Add bread flour and whole-wheat flour and mix on low speed until a cohesive dough forms, about 3 minutes; cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Sprinkle salt evenly over dough and knead on low speed for 5 minutes. Increase speed to medium and continue to knead until dough is smooth and slightly tacky, about 1 minute. If dough is too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour and continue mixing for 1 minute. Transfer dough to large, lightly greased bowl; cover tightly with plastic and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

Spray rubber spatula with vegetable oil spray. Fold partially risen dough over itself (in half)by gently lifting and folding the edge of the dough toward the middle. Turn bowl 90 degrees; fold again. Rotate bowl again and fold once more. Cover with plastic and let rise for 30 minutes. Repeat folding, replace plastic, and let dough rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes longer.

Grease two 9-inchround cake pans. Transfer dough to floured counter and sprinkle top with more flour. Using bench scraper, cut dough in half and gently stretch each half into 16-inch log. Cut each log into 8 equal pieces and dust top of each piece with more flour. With floured hands, gently pick up each piece and roll in palms to coat with flour, shaking of excess. Arrange rolls in prepared pans, placing 1 in center and 7 spaced evenly around the edges lengthwise, making sure cut side faces up. Loosely cover pans with lightly greased plastic and rise until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.

Thirty minutes before baking, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees. Spray rolls lightly with water, bake until tops of rolls are brown, about 10 minutes, then remove them from the oven.

Reduce oven temperature to 400 degrees; using kitchen towels or oven mitts, invert rolls from both cake pans onto rimmed baking sheet. When rolls are cool enough to handle, turn them right-side up, pull apart, and space evenly on baking sheet. Continue to bake until rolls develop a deep golden brown crust and sound hollow when tapped on the bottom, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer rolls to wire rack and let cool to room temperature, about 1 hour, before serving.

Source: The Science of Good Cooking by America’s Test Kitchen