Chinese chicken soup casserole

Photo By Debra Samuels
Globe Correspondent / January 21, 2009

This Chinese chicken hot pot combines the heartiness of a casserole with a light, warming chicken broth. Slices of fresh ginger root and scallions are two aromatics that signal that this is not Grammy Greenberg's Jewish penicillin. But like hers and other pots of chicken soup, this begins with a whole bird. Here, it's cut up and browned first, which cuts the simmering time to 20 minutes. Add strands of transparent noodles, which float like threads among the pieces of chicken. Soy sauce seasons the broth, along with fresh shiitake mushrooms (or use soaked dried shiitakes and add the soaking liquid to the broth). Serve bowls of steamed white or brown rice beside the brimming bowls of soup. You'll put a smile on any grandmother's face.

Recipe
2 ounces transparent noodles
2 tablespoons canola oil
3 thick slices fresh ginger
3 scallions 2 halved and thinly sliced
1 small onion thinlt sliced
1 frying chicken, cut up ( cut breasts cut into thirds)

1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
3 1/2 cups water
10 fresh shiitake mushrooms, halved
1 small head Chinese (Napa) cabbage, cut into quarters, with stem intact
1. In a medium bowl, combine the noodles and cold water to cover; set aside for 30 minutes.
2. In a large flameproof casserole over high heat, heat the oil for 30 seconds. Add the ginger, scallions, and onion. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.
3. Add the chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides for 2 minutes.
4. Sprinkle the chicken with soy sauce and continue cooking
for 1 minute. Transfer the
chicken, onion mixture, and juices in the pan to a bowl. Wipe out the pan.
5. Add the water, mushrooms, and cabbage pieces. Nestle the chicken and onion mixture among the vegetables. Tip the juices from the bowl into the pan. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and cover the pan. Simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Drain the noodles and add to the soup. Cook for 5 minutes more. Taste for seasoning and add more salt or soy sauce, if you like. Return the soup to a boil. Cook for 1 minute.
7. In four large bowls, place a quarter of the cabbage, some of the chicken pieces, and mushrooms. Ladle the broth into the bowls and set the noodles on top. Sprinkle with scallions and more pepper.
Adapted from "The Key to Chinese Cooking."

Kasha varnishkes

By Debra Samuels, Globe Correspondent December 17, 2008

Serves 8
Eastern-European Jewish immigrants brought kasha varnishkes to this country at the turn of the 20th century. Kasha is roasted buckwheat groats; varnishkes means noodles in Yiddish (bow ties are now classic), and Wolff's Kasha is the brand most cooks use. Mix eggs into uncooked groats to keeps the groats firm. The grains cook in about 10 minutes. Add sauteed mushrooms and let sit for five minutes. The dish goes with beef brisket, or can be a vegetarian entree with more veggies. This is stick-to-your-ribs cuisine.

1 teaspoon salt, and more for the pasta water
8 ounces bow tie pasta
4 tablespoons canola oil
1 large onion, coarsely chopped
2 celery stalks, coarsely chopped
2eggs, beaten to mix
2cups coarse kasha
4cups water
1/2teaspoon pepper, or to taste
10ounces white mushrooms, sliced

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the bow ties and cook, stirring, for 10 minutes or until the pasta is tender; drain.
2. In a large skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil. Add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring often, for 5 minutes.
3. In a bowl, combine the eggs and kasha. Add the kasha mixture to the onion mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until the kasha is dry and the grains are separated.
4. Add the water, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover, and turn the heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
5. Meanwhile, in another skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cook the mushrooms for 4 minutes or until their liquid evaporates. Stir the mushrooms into the kasha. Cover and set aside for 5 minutes.
6. Stir in the bow ties. Add more salt and pepper, if you like. Adapted from Wolff's Kasha

© Copyright 2009 The New York Times Company

Buttermilk pancakes

Buttermilk was originally made from liquid left over after churning butter. My butter churn is next to the spinning wheel somewhere in the basement.

Today, buttermilk, which has a month long refrigerator life, is made from pasteurized skim milk that is slightly fermented. The thick consistency and slightly sour taste add a light texture and tang to baked goods and salad dressings.

Buttermilk is wonderful and indispensable in pancakes , but unless you make buttermilk pancakes all the time, who keeps a quart of the liquid on hand? That's where powdered buttermilk comes in . Saco makes a cultured powdered blend that you add directly to dry ingredients (as opposed to reconstituting it first). When it's time to mix the liquids you simply substitute water for milk or fresh buttermilk.

You can even make your own pancake mix, which I started doing, beginning with a recipe on the Saco box and adapting it. When it's time for breakfast, take out your own mix, add water and an egg, heat the griddle, and fluffy pancakes will be ready in minutes.

If you're headed to someone's summer house, the pancake mix makes a nice host gift. Package the dry ingredients in a cellophane bag and tie it with ribbon. Add a pancake recipe, a jar of pure maple syrup, a new nonstick skillet, if you're staying more than a night, and you have a practical present. It will last longer than the summer, get put to use on busy school mornings come fall, and you may be invited back next year.

Makes about 10

1 1/2 cups buttermilk pancake mix (see recipe)
3/4 cup water
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. In a bowl, stir together the pancake mix, water, egg, and vanilla.

2. In a large skillet, melt the butter. Turn off the heat. Take 1 tablespoon of the melted butter
and stir it into the pancake batter. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes.

3. Reheat the skillet of butter until it begins to foam. With a 1/4 - cup measure, pour pancake batter into the hot pan. Cook until bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake s . With a spatula, flip the pancakes over. Cook for 1 minute more. Serve with syrup or confectioners' sugar.

Buttermilk pancake mix

Makes about 3 cups (enough for 20 pancakes)

2 cups flour
1/2 cup dry buttermilk
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl blend the flour, buttermilk powder, baking soda, sugar, and salt.

2. Store in an airtight container. Adapted from Saco Cultured Buttermilk Blend

Escarole and meatball soup

Escarole and meatball soup
Serves 4 as a main course

Often referred to as Italian wedding soup, this hearty bowl has been mistranslated for many years. The name, minestra maritata, really means "married soup," which refers to the pleasing combination of vegetables and meatballs. Light but substantial, the soup contains escarole, curly bitter greens, and pork and beef meatballs simmered in homemade or prepared chicken stock. Near the end of cooking add dried pasta -- ditalini, bow ties, orzo -- and top with shredded Parmesan. Add crusty bread and salad and you have a satisfying supper. No license required.

SOUP
8 cups chicken stock
2 carrots, thickly sliced
1 celery stalk, thickly sliced

1. In a soup pot over medium heat, bring the chicken stock to a boil.
2. Lower the heat and add the carrots and celery. Simmer for 30 minutes.

MEATBALLS
1/2 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
2[1 ]eggS, lightly beaten
1/2 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon salt, and more to taste
1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and more to taste
1 head escarole, rinsed and chopped
1/2 cup small pasta (ditalini, bow ties, orzo)
Extra shredded Parmesan (for sprinkling)

1. In a bowl, combine the beef, pork, egg, parsley, Parmesan, garlic, breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. With your hands, shape small balls (about 1 tablespoon each). You should get about 40.
2. Add the meatballs and escarole to the simmering soup. Cover and cook for 15 minutes.
3. Add the pasta and cook, uncovered, 10 minutes more or until it is tender but still has some bite. Taste for seasoning, add more salt and pepper, if you like. Ladle into bowls and sprinkle with Parmesan. Adapted from Alice Taverna

Layered omelet with ham and cheese

Summer stretches ahead with its picnics, beach days, weekend guests, and impromptu suppers. Often that means looking for ways to feed friends and family without much fuss. This colorful layered omelet can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated overnight. It leaves the kitchen cool and the cook unflustered. Begin by making three thin egg and scallion omelets, then layer them with a dill-flecked mayonnaise and ham, cheddar cheese, and slices of crunchy cukes. After you get the hang of it, you can experiment with thinly sliced tomatoes and fresh basil leaves, use turkey instead of ham, or replace the mayonnaise with sour cream and chives. At the table, cut the round into wedges and pass the icy drinks.

Ingredients: Serves 6

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
4 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 scallion (white and green parts separated), each finely chopped
1 tablespoon canola oil
10 slices cheddar cheese
1/2 English cucumber, cut into 30 thin slices
8 slices honey baked ham, cut in half

Directions:

1. Have on hand a serving dish with a 9-inch flat surface.

2. In a small bowl mix the mayonnaise, mustard, and dill; set aside.

3. In another bowl, beat the eggs, salt, and white part of the scallions.

4. Heat a 9-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. With a paper towel, wipe most of the oil from the pan. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Using a 1/3-cup measure, pour the egg mixture into the skillet, swirling it around so it covers the bottom of the pan. Let it sit for 1 minute or until it sets. Carefully slip a spatula under the omelet and flip it over. Let it cook for another 30 seconds. Turn it out onto the counter.

5. Repeat the omelet layer 2 more times, turning them out in a stack.

6. Using a small offset spatula, spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise dressing onto 1 layer of the omelet. Set it on the dish. Lay 5 or 6 pieces of cheese on top of the omelet to cover the entire surface. Add half the cucumber slices to cover the cheese completely. Then add half the ham.

7. Spread another omelet round with 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise. Set it, mayonnaise down, on the ham. Add the remaining cheese, cucumbers, and ham.

8. Spread the omelet round with the remaining mayonnaise. Set it, mayonnaise down, on the ham. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the top layer. Cover the entire dish with foil and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to overnight. Sprinkle the green scallion on top. Cut into wedges.

Debra Samuels

Baby bok choy

Serves 4

Baby bok choy, steamed with slivers of fresh garlic and plenty of ginger, is ready in about 10 minutes and produces a flavorful dish of mini green bundles. The small greens are often used in Chinese dishes as a bed for tofu or scallops, but this mild member of the cabbage family can stand on its own cute little stalks. Bok choy (in Cantonese it's pronounced pak-choi) is sometimes called white cabbage or Chinese chard. Each bunch consists of white stalks with green leaves at the top; they're entirely edible. Larger bok choy are sliced for stir-fries; the babies, each between 4 and 6 inches long, are more tender and can be served whole or halved. Both have a celery-like crunch with a mild cabbage flavor. Very young baby bok choy can even be eaten raw.


8 bunches baby bok choy
1 tablespoon canola oil
2 slices fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
2 cloves garlic, cut into thin matchsticks
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup water, and more if necessary
1 tablespoon soy sauce

Directions:

1. Halve the bok choy lengthwise.

2. In a wok or medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add the ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 20 seconds. Add the bok choy and salt. Stir-fry for 1 minute.

3. Add the water, bring it to a boil, and cover with a lid. Let the vegetables steam for 2 minutes. Remove the lid and continue to cook for 1 minute or until the water evaporates.

4. Add the soy sauce and cook for 30 seconds more. Sprinkle with pepper.

Caponata

Makes about 2 cups

Caponata is the sweet, sour, and salty Sicilian eggplant appetizer that looks like a relish and often comes as one of the tastes in an antipasti course. The dish begins with sauteed eggplant cubes, which lend their deep purple color to the mixture, and is cooked briefly with chopped green olives, cherry tomatoes, and golden raisins. The tangy spread also contains vinegar, sugar, raisins, and pine nuts, a combination that reflects the influence of Arab cuisine on the Sicilian table. The classic version we have adapted here from "Treasures of Sicilian Cuisine," by Paolo Salerno et al., calls for deep-frying the eggplant, but we give it a saute in olive oil, which lends a nice caramelized taste. Celery and capers make the caponata chunky, and the final effect is jewel-like. Spoon it on slices of crusty bread or over fillets of fish before roasting.


5 tablespoons olive oil
1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 celery ribs, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup green olives with pimento (preferably Sicilian), chopped
1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons pine nuts
1/4 cup golden raisins
5 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil. Add the eggplant and cook, stirring often, for 8 minutes or until it is softened but not mushy. Transfer to a bowl.

2. In the same skillet, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil. When it is hot, cook the celery and onion for 3 minutes.

3. Add the olives, cherry tomatoes, capers, pine nuts, and raisins. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes.

4. Add the vinegar and sugar. Let the mixture come to a boil. Return the eggplant to the pan and add salt and pepper. Turn down the heat and simmer for 3 minutes until the eggplant is cooked through.

5. Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool to room temperature.

Debra Samuels