Kopytka (Polish Dumplings)

 Kopytka, a word that translates to “little hooves,” are dumplings that are similar to gnocchi or spaetzle. This recipe is based on my mother’s oral recipe. Kopytka refrigerate well. Serve with a gravy or simply buttered.   -jb 12-31-12

2 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-1/2 pieces
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
2+ cups of flour
2 tablespoons butter (optional)

Fill a large pot with water, the potatoes and the salt. Boil the potatoes until fork tender.  Remove from heat, drain, and allow to cool, covered. When the potatoes are warm (i.e. not hot to the touch), mash them until they are smooth and not lumpy. Spread 2 tablespoons of flour on the working surface. Heat a large pot of water to boiling.

Add the eggs and mix well. Add the flour, one cup at a time, and work it into the  potatoes with your hands. Place the dough on the work surface and sprinkle with some flour. Create a log shape and squeeze it into the shape of a thin baguette. Use flour, as needed, but just until the dough is no longer sticky. The less you “work” the dough the better. Cut the dough into equal medallions (about 1” wide). (Or you can cut the “baguette” in half lengthwise and make smaller kopytka.)  Heat a large (microwave safe) bowl in the microwave. If you are planning to serve the kopytka without gravy, add 2 T of butter to melt.

Drop 1/2 of the medallions, two at a time, into the boiling water. In about 4 or 5 minutes, the kopytka will float to the surface. After a minute or two, remove them to the hot bowl with a slotted spoon. Repeat until all the kopytka are done cooking and transferred to the bowl. Mix them to coat them with the butter. Cover with aluminum foil to retain heat until serving.

The kopytka store well in the refrigerator. To reheat, simply add some butter and a tablespoon or two of water to a pan. Cover and place pan over low heat until warm. Optionally, you can fry them in butter.

Smacznego!  (translation: bon appétit!)

Oaxaca-inspired Eggs

Above, just before covering.

Above, the final product!

When Carolyn and I were in Oaxaca (Mexico) about 12 years ago, we had breakfast at a restaurant that served an interesting dish that consisted, essentially, of a bowl of tomato sauce in which the cook had floated a couple of eggs. The eggs were very soft (runny) and combined with the tomato sauce. Yesterday, we had tortillas and cilantro on hand and inspiration hit me. This is very different recipe, but the tomato sauce is a mental reference to that dining experience. You can make this in an 8” skillet, but ideally use two 6” skillets. You can use tomato sauce, but pizza sauce is thicker and more flavorful.

8 oz. pizza sauce
4 eggs
4 pcs. – corn tortillas
Onion powder
Cumin powder
Chile pepper powder
Cayenne pepper powder
Salt
Black pepper
Queso Chihuahua (grated or shredded)
Fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Divide the pizza sauce between the two skillets. Sprinkle with onion, cumin, and chile pepper. About 1/8 of a teaspoon of each. Then sprinkle a little bit of the cayenne pepper.

Turn on the heat to medium. When the sauce is hot (bubbling), add two eggs, carefully, so the yolks don’t break and turn the heat down to low (i.e. just above simmering). Quickly distribute about 1 tablespoon of cilantro leaves and about 3 tablespoons of cheese. Cover.

Place two microwave safe plates into the microwave. Add the four tortillas on top and cover with a piece of wax paper. Heat two minutes.

Place two tortillas on each plate and slide the contents of the skillets off on to each. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tortilla Soup

C and I really like the tortilla soup at Cosina Restaurant  in Chicago. This is my version. 12-15-12  -jb

2T – olive oil
1/2 cup – onion, thinly sliced and chopped
2 cloves – garlic, finely diced

32 oz. chicken stock
1 can (14.5 oz) – diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) – red beans, drained
1 cup – frozen or canned corn
1 carrot, thinly sliced & diced
½ t – cumin
1/2t – chili powder
1T – Vegeta
Juice of ½ of a lemon or lime

2 flour tortillas, cut into strips

1 – avocado, sliced
2T – mint leaves, chopped
2T – cilantro leaves
1 pc. – green onion, diced
2T – queso fresco, shredded

Sauté onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to sauté for another 5 minutes, until soft. Combine with the chicken stock and the next 8 ingredients. Simmer for 30 minutes. Add the lemon juice and avocado.

Slice the tortillas into very thin strips. Arrange on a piece of aluminum foil and toast in toaster oven. Set aside. If you don’t have a toaster oven, you can heat the tortilla strips in a skillet until they are crispy.

Ladle soup into bowls and garnish with the remaining ingredients. Top with the sliced tortillas.

Lemon Pepper Pappardelle Pasta

Cheap, fast and good. A rare combination. Pappardelle is a fairly wide and thick pasta noodle. ~ jb 12-3-12

1 lb. pappardelle pasta, prepared per instructions on package
1 teaspoon freshly coarse grated black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cans Tuna in oil (or drained tuna in water and add 2 T olive oil)
juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons of capers
1 tablespoon olive oil

Once the pasta is cooked and drained, add all the remaining ingredients, mix and serve in warmed bowls.

Note 1: Trader Joe’s sells a lemon and pepper pappardelle pasta that saves on having to have a lemon.

Note 2: The cherry tomatoes look great, but they didn’t seem to pair well with the tuna.

Lentil & Onion Soup

Carolyn and I are at Killasonna Lodge this weekend. The weather put us in the mood to hunker down. There is a brisk wind and the waves are loud. We scrounged around the pantry and came up with this simple soup. Perfect for a cabin, since no fresh ingredients are involved. Historical note: One week ago today marked the ten year anniversary of purchasing the land here.  -jb 11-11-12

1 package Lipton onion soup mix
1/2 lb. dried lentils
1 Knorr’s vegetable bullion
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.)
2 teaspoons garlic powder
4 cups water

Add the lentils and bullion to the water and bring to a boil. Cook for 20 minutes. Add the soup mix, garlic and tomatoes and cook an additional 30-40 minutes. Test the lentils for doneness.

Pasta al Pomodoro

The gold standard for pasta with a tomato sauce is the Spaghetti al Pomodoro at Pizza Art Café in Chicago. The sauce is thick and chunky and has a rich, complex flavor. They serve it without any meat, but I made this pasta with Italian sausages.

1 lb. Fusilli or Rotini pasta
3 Italian sausages (optional)
1 jar of Trader Joe's Bruschetta (or a 14 oz. can of any chunky red sauce)
1 can tomato paste
1T Vegeta (seasoning)(or 2 pieces of Knorr's vegetable bullion)
3T Garlic puree (or 3/4 cup of roasted garlic)
24 grape tomatoes, sliced in half (optional)
Hot pepper flakes, to taste (~1/4 teaspoon is a good start)
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 large red onion, diced
1T olive oil (I used an olive oil that was flavored with balsamic and garlic)
Parmesan cheese, grated

The first step is to caramelize the red onion: Peel and dice the onion; cook in 1 tablespoon of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of water, covered, over a low heat. Stir every 5-8 minutes and add some water, if needed, to keep it from burning. This process will take about 20-25 minutes.

Open the containers of bruschetta and pasta. Locate the other ingredients.

Next, fill a large pot of water for the pasta; add 1 or 2 tablespoons of salt, and heat to boiling, covered. Add 1 lb. of pasta and cook as indicated on package. Probably 10-12 minutes.

As soon as the water is heating, put the sausages on the grill (or cook them in a skillet on the stove) over a medium flame. (Turn on the exhaust fan).

Combine the bruschetta (or diced tomatoes), tomato paste, Vegeta, garlic, hot pepper flakes and sliced tomatoes and cook over medium heat, covered. Stir occasionally. Be careful not to burn.

Remove the sausages and cut them into 1/4" thick slices.  Place plates into the microwave and heat for 2 minutes.

Stir the onions into the tomato sauce--> Drain the pasta --> Add the tomato sauce to the pasta --> Stir in the sausage slices -->Serve the pasta on the plates --> Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Optional: Serve with garlic bread and wine.

4 generous servings.

Roasted Carrot Soup

Carolyn found this on the internet and doctored it up a bit. It’s a keeper . . . easy for daughters to whip up with their eyes closed!  10-22-12 Update: Natalie added a couple of dollops warm goat cheese and served it with garlic bread (image above).

This recipe serves 4

• 8 or 9 large carrots (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• Salt
• 1 Knorr’s vegetable bullions or 1 T Vegeta
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 piece fresh ginger, about an inch long, peeled
• 1 sprig fresh thyme (or 1 ½ T if dried), plus more for garnish
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Peel and cut the carrots into 1/2-inch rounds. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and sprinkle generously with salt. Set an oven rack 6 to 8 inches from the heat source and turn on the broiler. Broil the carrots until they brown and soften, turning them over with a spatula every 5 minutes or so; this should take 15 to 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, bring the stock to a boil.  Add one vegetable bouillon, the ginger and the thyme. Simmer gently for 15 minutes.
3. Put the onion in a medium stock pot with the remaining olive oil. Brown the onion over medium heat, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, and then add the carrots.
4. Remove the ginger (and thyme if using fresh) from the stock. Add the stock to the pot with the onions and carrots. Bring to boil and simmer for 5 to 10 minutes, until the carrots are soft enough to puree.
5. Use an immersion or a standard blender (cool before blending if using a standard blender) to puree the mixture until smooth. If the soup seems too thick, add more stock or water and reheat gently. Add salt and pepper to taste. To serve, garnish with chopped fresh thyme.