Recipe Review from 2/11/08

Another quiet week in the recipe department - only three. I think the recipes we've been chosing have been making a fair amount of leftovers - which is fantastic - but it definitely cuts down on how many new dishes get made. And I realized, I completely forgot to snap a shot of any of them, so you will have to use your foodie imaginations to envision what they looked like!

Hearty Tuscan Bean Stew (Cooks Illustrated, Mar/April 08, pg 14) 3.5

This looked good from the moment I opened the magazine: beans, tomatoes, kale, pancetta, what could be better? The interesting thing about this recipe was the method to prepare the beans: brining. Now everything I've read about preping beans says NO SALT! and now I'm being told to use salt. The beans are soaked in a salt solution for 8-24 hours, then drained and added to the cooking pot. Everything is brought to a simmer and then popped into the oven to bake. This is supposed to produce tender beans that don't split. I had tender beans -that split. I place the blame on myself - my beans are very fresh (from last years garden) and I soakd them for nearly 18 hours. Too long! I could have skipped the oven bit completely.

This soup was flavorful and colorful. The recipe suggested to mash a few beans along side the pot for a heartier stew but some of mine had alread done that. The kale was a nice counter point to the pancetta and sweet beans. This made plenty for not only dinner, but lunches for the week as well. I would make this again with modifications.

Buffalo Stew with veggies (Husband's version)

We have made a slight shift in some of our eating habits, which include now buying buffalo instead of beef. Just down the road from us is Shady Lane Bison and because we were local, they were willing to sell us some small quantities of pre-packaged meat. The Husband picked up a couple roasts and 2 lbs of ground.

He had slow cooked stew on his mind and this was his own creation using what I had on hand in the fridge: buffalo roast, carrots, turnips and onion all simmered slowly in beer and it's own juice. The result was good. He felt it needed more seasoning; I liked it for it's simplicity. Made 3 meals. I should add - he made this for us for Valentines Day! Lucky me!

Fettuccine with Clams (RR Every Day, Mar, pg 100) 4

I've had the inclination for a while now to try something using real live clams or mussels. There are several problems to this: I live no where near fresh clams or mussels and it is in the depths of winter in my corner of the world so getting the little buggers home alive is a bonefide challange.

I've been carefully watching the seafood shelves at my local Cub each Saturday, assessing and contemplating, while paruesing my cooking magazines for just the right recipe. The stars and moon and planets must have come into some kind of alignment because I found just the right recipe and the weather cooperated so I could get them home.

This was a pretty simple recipe: saute kielbasa (subbed for chorizo) in some olive oil (what is with all the "EVOO"? Regular olive oil is so much better for cooking!) then added sliced garlic and cook till golden. Add white wine, toss in those littleneck clams, cover and cook till shells open. Add can of diced tomato. Contine to simmer. Add cooked fettuccine and serve.

Good? Oh yes! I'm glad I halved the recipe. I would make this again with the following modifiations - slice kielbasa smaller, add wine then tomato and bring to a simmer, then add clams and cook till done. This made two hearty helpings and one serving for leftovers.