Super-Chunky Granola

Once again this recipe does not come from The Box, but from the magazine "Cook's Illustrated", Number 115, March & April 2012.  Actually, several granola recipes reside in The Box, the Super-Chunky Granola tastes the best, and contains simple ingredients.

ALMOND GRANOLA WITH DRIED FRUIT (makes about 9 cups)

Chopping the almonds by hand is the first choice for superior texture and crunch.  If you prefer not to hand chop, substitute an equal quantity of slivered or sliced almonds.  (A food processor does a lousy job of chopping whole nuts evenly.)  Use a single type of your favorite dried fruit or a combination.  Do not use quick oats.

1/3     cup maple syrup
1/3     cup packed (2 1/3 ounces) light brown sugar
   4     teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2     cup vegetable oil
   5     cups old-fashioned rolled oats
   2     cups (10 ounces) raw almonds, chopped coarse
   2     cups raisins or other dried fruit, chopped

1.  Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and hear oven to 325 degrees.  Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

2.  Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in large bowl.  Whisk in oil.  Fold in oats and almonds until thoroughly coated.

3.  Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8 inch thick).  Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact.  Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking.  Remove granola from oven and cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour.  Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size.  Stir in dried fruit.  (Granola can be stored in airtight container for up to 2 weeks.)

GRANDMA'S PORTUGUESE STEW

This recipe comes from Florence Bussey Carson Rodges, June Redo's mother.  Guess what? It is from the box with the added benefit of being delicious and healthy.

1 pound stew meat
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 or 5 carrots, chopped
2 or 3 potatoes, chopped
1  small can tomato sauce
1 can water
1/2 tsp. cloves
salt & pepper to taste

Put in saucepan in the order given, bring to a boil, and simmer at least 2 hours.

This very simple recipe makes a good dinner with French bread and a salad or a cooked leafy green vegetable.  If in Portugal no doubt kale would accompany the stew.

At our house we used leftover cooked meat and then just brought to a boil and simmered for 20 minutes until the onions, potatoes, and carrots cooked.

Portuguese Stew accompanied by a side of spinach.

Easy poires Bourdaloue

Lemon Pastry

In a small bowl, blend together 1 1/3 cups four, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel.
Add 1/2 cup cold butter (cut in pieces).  Crumble with your fingers until mixture is mealy and has no large particles.  With a fork, stir in 1 egg yolk until blended: then work dough with your hands until it holds together as a smooth, non-crumbly ball.

Press dough evenly over bottom and sides of an 11-ilnch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Bake in a 300 degree oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown.  Set aside to cool.

Pear and Almond Filling

1 (1lb 13 oz) can pear halves, drained
1 3 oz package of cream cheese
1 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon each almond extract and vanilla
2 tablespoons kirsch
2/3 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup sliced almonds

In a food processor or with a mixer beat the cream cheese, then slowly blend in the whipping cream.  Add the powdered sugar, lemon peel and juice, almond extract, vanilla, and kirsch.  Beat until mixtures is as thick as stiffly beaten cream.  Spoon the filling into the tart.  Arrange remaining pear halves cavity side down around center. Gently, push pears into the filling.  Cover and chill until firm, about an hour.  Heat the apricot jam until melted and spoon over the pears and filling forming a thin glaze over all.  Cover with a tent of foil and refrigerate until serving time.  Before serving distribute almonds around the edges and center.

Tom's Pork Chops in Beer

Tom worked in San Ramon for a few days at the beginning of November.  He stopped by to visit and prepared this melt-in-your-mouth pork chop dinner after a hard day at work.  A special flavor exists from searing the pork chops on the barbecue.

Ingredients:

4 thick-cut rib pork chops
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 bottle porter or other dark beer
2-3 tablespoons Balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup sour cream
Chopped fresh dill or chives (optional)

Prepare the grill to sear the 4 chops 4 minutes per side.

Season the chops generously with the salt, pepper, dill, and dry mustard.

Heat the oil in a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat, and caramelize the thinly sliced onions.

Now the fire burns hot on the barbecue so sear the chops, approximately 4 minutes per side.

When they looked well seared remove to a plate.

Arrange the chops on top of the onions.

Pour in the beer and vinegar, cover, and cook at a simmer for about 30 minutes or until the meat is quite tender.  

Transfer the chops to a platter and keep warm.

Add the remaining mustard to the pan, and reduce the sauce to a syrupy consistency.  

Off the heat, stir in the sour cream, and pour the sauce over the chops. Garnish with optional dill or chives.

Apple-Brined Smoked Rotisserie Turkey

No pictures, but this turned into a delicious Thanksgiving turkey dinner.  If no rotisserie exists just do it on the grill turning occasionally.

Apple Brine:
8 cups apple juice or apple cider
1/2 bunch sage
1/2 bunch savory, marjoram, or tarragon
1/2 bunch thyme
6 bay leaves
1/2 cup coarse sea or kosher salt
2 T cracked pepper

Place all of the above in a sauce pan and bring to a boil, stir until salt dissolves. Take off heat and cool to room temperature.

Next take a 9 to 14 pound turkey, remove the giblets and neck from inside the turkey and rinse the turkey in cold water. Place turkey in a brine bag, add the Apple Brine plus enough water to cover the turkey.  Seal tight and put into refrigerator for 24 hours.  The brine bag makes this meal more expensive as it costs around $10, at your local grocery store or on line, all the same.

After 24 hours remove turkey from brine, rinse in cold water, and pat dry.  Now stuff the cavity with the remaining one half bunches of herbs. Truss the turkey with string, brush the exterior with oil, place on the barbecue spit and then put over the fire.  Cook for two hours or until an instant read thermometer in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 170 degrees F.  Transfer the turkey to a platter, tent loosely with aluminum foil, and let it rest for 20 minutes before carving.

Yummy Cauliflower Puree

This recipe started being served at a holiday meal and became just something everyone liked.  The ease of making this accounts for how often it might be served.

1  head cauliflower
2  T butter
fresh ground pepper
fresh ground nutmeg

Cut the cauliflower into florets, place in an appropriate container to cook on top of the stove or in the microwave oven.  Add enough water to cover if on stove top, or one quarter cup water for the microwave oven, cover container and cook until tender ( approximately 15 minutes on stove top, 8 minutes in microwave).  Drain and place in a food processor with the butter, puree.  One might use a food ricer or a chinois to puree the cauliflower then add the butter.  Season with the nutmeg and pepper. Enjoy!!

Back In The Out Box

After looking in the Box for exciting recipes, it became apparent that in the time of the Box most recipes contained many processed foods.  This begins the new Box for good, nutritional, delicious food.  Anyone who would like to add recipes may get access to this Box.