recipes – Eat On Edgecliff

Corn Chowder

Bacon, Corn, Cream, Onion, Potatoes, Soup

Nothing better with good fresh corn. I like this recipe that we made recently with some local Ohio Corn

Corn Chowder

recipetineats.com

4 ears of corn (or 4 cups / 750g / 1.5 lb frozen or canned corn, drained)
1 tsp butter (or oil)
250 g / 8 oz bacon , chopped
2 tbsp / 30 g butter (use 3 tbsp if bacon is lean)
1 garlic clove , minced
1 small onion , diced (or half large onion) (yellow, brown or white)
5 tbsp / 60g flour
2 cups chicken broth , low sodium preferred
3 cups milk (I used skim milk and it was fine)
600 g / 1.2 lb potatoes , cut into 1 cm / 2/5″ cubes (about 2 large)
2 sprigs of thyme OR 1 tsp dried thyme
3/4 cup / 185 ml cream
3/4 cup shallots , green part finely sliced (green onions / scallions)
Salt and finely ground pepper to taste

Cut the corn off the cob. Place a small ramekin in a large bowl. Place corn on the ramekin then cut the corn off. Keep naked cobs.
Place 1 tsp butter in a large pot over medium high heat. Add bacon and cook until golden. Use a slotted spoon to remove onto a paper towel lined plate. Leave fat in pot.
Lower heat to medium high. Add 2 tbsp butter, once melted, add garlic and onion. Cook for 2 – 3 minutes until onion is translucent.
Add flour and mix it in. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
Add broth, milk, potatoes, thyme and bay leaf. Break naked cobs into 2 or 3 and add into the liquid. Put the lid on and simmer for 25 minutes (adjust heat so it’s simmering energetically but not bubbling like crazy or super gently).
Remove lid, remove corn cobs. Add corn and cook for 5 minutes or until cooked to your taste.
Stir through cream and 3/4 of the bacon and shallots. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into bowls and garnish with remaining bacon and shallots.

Apple Pie Squares

Apple, Desserts

My Grandma Holzheimer always made these. The recipe was originally from the first Utopia Beach Club cookbook in the late 1970s.

Filling

10-12 medium apples – Grandma Holz always used Granny Smith
1 1/4 cup sugar
1/4 t. salt
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. cloves
1/2 mace
3 T. flour
2 t. lemon juice
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (we usually don’t add these)
1/4 cup butter

Pastry

1 cup shortening
3 cups flour
1 t. salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup milk

Topping

1 egg white, stiffly beaten
1 T. sugar
1/8 t. cinnamon

Glaze

1/2 cup sifted confectioners sugar
2 t. milk – approximately

For filling: prepare apples, toss with remaining ingredients, except butter. Set aside.

For pastry: In bowl, cut shortening into flour and salt. Beat egg yolk with milk and stir into flour mixture until ball forms. Divide dough in half. Roll one part out on a floured cloth to a slightly larger than 15 1/2 x 10 x 1/2 jelly roll pan. Fit into bottom and up sides of pan. Top with apple mixture. Dot with the 1/4 cup of butter. Roll out the remaining dough and fit over the top. Seal edges. Cut vent into top crust.

For topping: combine stiffly beaten egg white with sugar that has been mixed with cinnamon. Brush over top of pie.

Bake in preheated 375 degree oven for 50 to 60 minutes.

For glaze: Combine confectioners sugar with enough milk to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over pie while still hot.

Notes: 1/2/2016: I made these for the first time yesterday and they worked out well – but I just realized I forgot to do the egg white topping before baking. Ooops. They were still good. I would also probably make 1 1/2 time the amount of dough and decrease the amount of spices just a bit.

Basil

Basil, Carrot, garden, Garlic, Main Dishes, Parsley, Pasta, Side Dish, Squash

It’s basil season on Edgecliff and we’ve got lots…

I grew four kinds this year. The standard genovese variety…

…a red variety I forget the name of – different than the one I usually grow (and don’t like it as much)…

…thai basil (going to try thai basil mojitos this weekend)…

If one has lots of basil then of course one needs to make pesto: One huge load of basil…

…about three heaping cups once trimmed and cleaned…

…a couple cloves of garlic (this beautiful garlic is from our CSA and is so much fresher and such a huge difference…who knew)….

Swirl it all together in the Cuisinart with a healthy dose of good olive oil et voila.

Pasta with super fresh pesto and lots of herbs, zucchini with lots of basil and some really cool purple carrots (sauteed in butter and maple syrup). A beautiful summer plate of freshness.

Peach Pie

Blueberries, Desserts, Peaches

This didn’t last long enough to get a good picture of the finished product

Happy Birthday Jack. 21! He always asks for pie instead of cake.

We have made this twice in the past two weeks. Made two pies yesterday for Jack’s birthday that were gone in 15 minutes. Both times I also threw some blueberries in also. I made regular pies instead of the mini pies in the recipe and the strussel topping is y u m m y.

Peach Pie
adapted from America’s Test Kitchen via http://www.mimis-kitchen.blogspot.com
2 1/2 lb peaches, peeled pitted and sliced about 7 cups
1 to 1 1/4 cup sugar
3 to 4 tablespoons corn starch (I used 4 as peaches were ripe and juicy)
1 Tablespoon instant tapioca (I didn’t use this)
Juice and zest of one lemon
Pinch salt
Freshly grated nutmeg
Toss the sliced peaches with lemon juice and zest, 1 cup of sugar, 3 tablespoons cornstarch and 1 tablespoon tapoica, salt and nutmeg. If your peaches are tart add up to 4 tablespoons more sugar. If they are very juicy add an additional tablespoon cornstarch. Divide filling among 4 mini pie tins or 1 nine inch pie pan lined with unbaked pie crust.
Strussel Topping
Adapted from America’s Test Kitchen
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon fine ground cornmeal.
pinch salt
6 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
.
In a small bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together. Drizzle with the melted butter and stir with a fork until roughly combined.
Cover pie(s) with streusel topping and bake in a preheated oven at 425 degrees for 25 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 degrees and continue baking until the juices are bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes longer. Cool before serving.

Garlic and Lemon Pasta with Arugula

Lemon, Main Dishes, Parmesan, Parsley, Pasta

the arugula is prolific in the garden now and our first crop of the year

Garlic and Lemon Pasta with Arugula

Bon Appetit, March 2005

1 pound spaghetti, dry
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chicken broth
2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 cup baby arugula (I would use twice as much)
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
Accompaniments: freshly grated Parmigiano-reggiano, sea salt, freshly ground pepper, squeeze of lemon

Cook spaghetti in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, heat oil and butter over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic, lemon peel, lemon juice, broth, basil, salt and pepper and raise heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes.

Drain pasta, return it to its cooking pot and immediately pour the heated sauce over it, along with the arugula and parsley. Use tongs to gently toss the pasta and sauce together. Transfer pasta to heated serving bowl. Top with grated Parmigiano-reggiano, a light sprinkling of sea salt and freshly ground pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Zucchini Crudo

Lemon, Salad, Zucchini

we don’t have a mandolin but a vegetable peeler works nicely

Zucchini Crudo, Michael Symon via Mary Cavanaugh

Ingredients

2 zucchini (about ¾ pound), thinly sliced

2 yellow summer squash (about 1½ pounds), thinly sliced

1 tablespoon plus ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1 shallot, finely sliced
Grated zest and juice of 3 lemons, or to taste
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup slivered or sliced almonds, toasted
1/3 cup chopped fresh dill

Combine the zucchini and yellow squash in a colander in the sink and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt over it. Toss to coat, and set aside for 10 to 15 minutes, no longer.

In a large bowl, combine the garlic and shallot, sprinkle with the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt, and whisk in the lemon zest and juice. Whisk in the olive oil in a steady stream, then the almonds and dill. Taste for seasoning and acidity (it should be nicely acidic). Add the zucchini and squash to the dressing, toss, and serve immediately.

Pea, Asparagus and Fava Bean Salad

Asparagas, Bacon, Beans, Lemon, Parmesan, Peas, Salad

This recipe is in the latest Bon Appetit and I thought it would be a great dish to serve for Easter dinner. It was tasty, pretty and very easy. A keeper.

Bon Appetit, April, 2013

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely grated Pecorino or Parmesan
1 tablespoon (or more) fresh lemon juice
Kosher salt, freshly ground pepper
2 cups fresh fava beans (from about 2 pounds pods) or frozen fava beans, thawed (I used frozen edame as I couldn’t find any fava beans)
2 bunches asparagus, trimmed, stalks peeled if thick
1 cup shelled fresh peas (from about 1 pound pods) or frozen peas, thawed
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 shallot, thinly sliced
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Whisk olive oil, Pecorino, and 1 tablespoon lemon juice in a medium bowl to blend. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. Set dressing aside.

If using fresh fava beans, cook in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a colander set in a bowl of ice water (do not cook frozen beans). Drain and peel; place in a large bowl.

Return water in saucepan to a boil; add asparagus and cook until just tender, about 4 minutes. Using tongs, transfer to colander in ice water.

If using fresh peas, return water in saucepan to a boil; add peas and cook until tender, about 3 minutes (do not cook frozen peas). Drain; transfer to colander in ice water. Drain vegetables. Add to bowl with fava beans.

Combine vegetable oil and shallot in a small saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until shallot is golden brown and crisp, 10-12 minutes. Transfer shallot to a paper towel-lined plate.

Add dressing to bowl with vegetables, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Transfer salad to a serving platter and top with shallot and bacon.

DO AHEAD: Dressing and vegetables can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover separately and chill.

Kartoffelpuffer – German Potato Pancakes

Main Dishes, Onion, Pork, Potatoes, Sour Crea

Potato pancake with homemade applesauce and sour cream. The way they should be.

We celebrated my Dad’s birthday on Sunday with his favorite meal of roast pork, potato pancakes – Kartoffelpuffers to be precise – and sauerkraut.

Kirsten has always been the head kartoffelpuffmisteress in the house.

Dad is always chef #2. (Mom always smartly stays out of the kitchen 🙂 )

Vince: der kartofflepuffer-bursche in training.

German Potato Pancakes (Kartoffelpuffer) – makes 16

Betty Crocker International Cookbook

4 medium potatoes
2 eggs, beaten
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup flour
1 t. salt
1/4 butter or oil

Shred enough potatoes to measure 4 cups; drain. Mix potatoes, eggs, onion, flour and salt. Heat 2 T. of fat in skillet on medium heat until hot. Pour in about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Flatten each with spatula into pancake about 4 inches in diameter.

Cook pancakes until gold brown, about 2 minutes on each side. Keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter. Add more oil/butter if needed.

I like mine with applesauce and sour cream.

Kids table. Penalty points for A-1 sauce with pork. Come on!

Owen fulfilling his duties as official present opener.

Happy Birthday Dad! Connor: bonus points for the sweet mustache.

Lemon Pound Cake

Desserts, Lemon

Our family has been making this cake for years and years and it is still the best , and simplest cake around.

from the Duncan Hines cake box (with my 2 cents)

1 pkg Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Cake Mix (any other brand simply will not do)
1 (3.4 oz) pkg instant lemon pudding and pie filling (the small box)
4 large eggs
1 cup water (I juice 1 lemon, and then add enough water to it to make 1 cup)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
(I also throw in the rind from aforementioned lemon in the batter)

Glaze:

1/2 cup Frosting from can (we always juice 1 lemon, or more, and add enough powdered sugar to get to the consistency you want)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and flour 10-inch tube pan.
Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs, water and oil in large bowl. Beat at medium speed with electric mixer for 2 minutes. Pour into pan.
Bake at 350°F for 50 to 60 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 25 minutes. Invert onto heat resistant serving plate. Cool completely.
For glaze, place frosting in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on high power 10 to 15 seconds. Stir until smooth. Drizzle over cake

Senate Bean Soup

Beans, Onion, Parsley, Pork, Soup

We have been making this soup for years whenever we have left over ham and a ham bone. It always tastes better the next day.

Senate Bean Soup

Soup Suppers, Arthur Schwartz

1 lb. dried white beans, rinsed and picked over
1 small ham hock (we usually use the left over bone from a ham)
3 quarts water
1 large onion
6 to 8 celery ribs, finely chopped
3 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 medium potato, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch cubes
1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon ground pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves

Soak the rinsed beans overnight in cold water to cover by several inches. (we usually skip this as we aren’t thinking that much ahead. Just a couple of hours soak helps though if you have time).
In a 5 to 6 quart pot, combine the drained beans, ham hock, and water. Cover and bring to a boil; adjust the heat, partially cover, and simmer briskly until the beans are tender, 1 to 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the onion, celery, garlic, potato, salt and pepper. Keep at a steady simmer another hour, stirring occasionally, until the beans are very tender and the soup is very thick.
Remove the ham hock and, if desired, strip the meat off the bones and put into soup. (we usually add more left over ham if we have it)
Serve piping hot.