Ruminations on a Le Creuset challenge completed

Remember that time at New Years 2010 that I resolved to cook 52 recipes in my brand new Le Creuset in one year?  I do, fondly.  That me was about 5 years younger, still in grad school, living in the loveliest pseudo-commune in our dumpy castle on a hill with the loveliest roommates, who were more than happy to try my recipes at the weekly potluck we hosted for our friends on Thursday nights.  That me was (not surprisingly) 10 pounds heavier, could barely carry my Le Creuset, and had curiously less “white-blonde” highlights in her short, short hair.  In the span of a few weeks, it started become clear that I may have been a little overzealous with my goal making.  As you well know by know, my pot makes Strega Nona volumes of food, and when I finished grad school, got a for real career new job, and moved to a smaller apartment in short order, I realized I had to rework the time frame.  I figured as long as I did it and finished by some point, I’d still get the benefits of learning to cook many things in one pot.  And boy howdy, did I ever, and I certainly got more than I bargained for.  I’ve made things sweet, things savory, things that turned out way better than expected, things that didn’t even a few make the cut to get on here, and some things that I hope to make and make and make again.

Then:
Only slightly off, this is from New Years eve 2009,
aka 11 months before the challenge was hatched under my Christmas tree.

Five years is a long time, and I like to think I’ve grown quite a bit, in part because of this challenge.  I’m older.  Obviously.  I have a job I love as a library director, a major career goal I’m so proud and lucky to have achieved by 30.  Except...I’m still a terrible photographer, but hey, I can admit it!  This blog is about the phood, not the photograpy, right?  I’m a lot healthier in 2015 than I was in 2010, something I like to think you can see developing in the recipes over the history of this project (ie. cheese is no longer my base ingredient…).  I’m stronger, probably because I actually work out regularly (curious how that works), but also because I’ve lifted and moved and cleaned and lifted my Le Creuset so very often over the years.  

I’m stronger in other ways too; my confidence has grown considerably since I started this project (I mean, I was crazy enough to try making a souffle in one of these iron maidens…).  Obviously, that goes hand in hand with like...life, but I’m less reliant on the advice, recipes, and direction of others, both in life and as a chef.  I’m daring in ways and about things I was frightened by (remember that time I went to Egypt like ten minutes after a revolution?), and consequently have been influenced to cook things I never thought to try, both in and out of my giant blue pot.  I've broken bread with so many wonderful people over the course of the challenge, and I'm so grateful for the time I've spent with anyone who dared to eat my food, who shared a recipe with me, or who taught me some valuable culinary lesson! Most important though?  Even when I did not succeed, even when I failed, I learned.  There are so many recipes I still want to try but just have run out of challenge time (like wings, beer can chicken but with soda, pot pie, sausage and grapes, goulash, some kind of soup with dumpings, Thanksgiving in a pot, etc.).  I’m so very glad I did this, and so thankful Santa my Mom gave me the best gift ever back in 2009. (Thanks Mom, even though you won't read this!).

Now:
Director to Director: the key hand off in August, 2014

Well, there it is.  I knew these pots were heavy.  I just didn’t realize how heavy they’d be, in the best possible way.  Thanks for a great five years of food and friendship, Le Creuset, and for a good 50 more!  

I'll end this post with a picture (and the top ten list). In December had a once in a (my) lifetime opportunity to participate in a gallery show (at work, don't get too excited) on crafts. Yes. Let that sink in. As you know, I have zero to negative one million artistic abilities, outside of occasionally throwing some food in my giant pot and hoping for the best. But participate I did, thanks to the encouragement of a very open minded artist/superstar art teacher, and my lovely coworkers. I think the photographic evidence of my Le Creuset on display in an art gallery with some of my terrible food photographs as the background is a great way to end this challenge!

My top 10 favorite recipes in from the Le Creuset challenge:

Stracotto with Porcini: Recipe 1!

Stracotto with Porcini over
creamy polenta

With not too much further ado (after all, you’ve waited five years for this, all my zero long-time readers), here is the last recipe!  For context, I ate this at an Italian wine tasting at a slice of heaven, Dave’s Fresh Pasta.  My good friend and I liked it so much (despite already eating five plates of food…), that I wrote them to request the recipe a few days later.  They replied and told me they’d just used Giada’s recipe, and sent me the link.  

This recipe is easy, smells great while cooking, and could feed the entire army of...Vatican City?  According to the Internet, it’s a country, so I’m stickin’ with it!  Clearly this called for a crowd, so I sent out a call for meat eaters, and Hannah, Emily, Zoe and Peter turned up hungry.  I fed them this over some creamy polenta (ie. milk instead of water and some parmesan and spices stirred in) and made sure they left feeling disgustingly full and a little tipsy after serving them the Smitten Kitchen’s delicious recipe for Red Wine Chocolate Cake (I'll share that recipe later, but here is the link).

Good friends = good eating times

Despite me having a celebratory Old Fashioned that caused me to forget to add salt and pepper at the end, they all claimed to really like it (but don’t forget to season it; it does enhance the flavor, duh). And, despite five hungry grown adults (although Emily and I might only count as one standing on each others shoulders), I had at least five servings left over.  I can attest to this, like chili, deepening in flavor over time, especially when you say, add some more wine when you reheat it…All in all, it was a great dinner, with great company, and a delicious way to cap of my 52 Le Creuset Project!  I’ll have some thoughts on that for you tomorrow, along with my top 10 list from the project.  

Stracotto with Porcini

Serves 8-10

Recipe adapted from Giada/Food Network

Stracotto with Porcini and Polenta

Ingredients

1 5lb boneless chuck roast

2-3 Tbsp olive oil

2 onions, chopped

6 cloves garlic, crushed or minced

1.5 cups red wine

1.5 cups beef broth (low sodium)

½ oz dried porcini mushrooms (rehydrated and rinsed)

2 sprigs fresh rosemary, destemmed and chopped

6-8 sprigs of fresh thyme, destemmed

salt & pepper

(Freekeh) Red Lentil Mujadara: Recipe 2

Freekeh Red Lentil Mujadara

 I envisioned this post would be about warming foods in cooler fall temperatures.  In fact, there were cooler fall temperatures when I made this a few weeks ago in late September.  Back then, all I could think about was how I was suddenly cold all time time, how good Honeycrisp apples are, when the leaves were going to explode, and as always, what I would have for dinner.  Every day, guys.  Every. Day.  But then, we seemed to have a resurgence of late summer weather, and despite thinking about what I wanted to eat for dinner every day, all day, it just seemed weird to suggest  a warming, cozy dish when turning your fan back on or false starting on breaking out your fall-weight sweaters and jackets, even if the colors in New England are exploding this year (dinner thoughts: what else can I put hummus on?).  It also seems like great timing as I spent some quality time with good friends in New Hampshire last weekend, hiking, cooking, and country fairing it up as we generally enjoyed New England at its best.  Bonus pictures of adorable baby oxen/steer/cows at the bottom of the post.  Can you tell I'm from the 'burbs?

Is there anything as good as Medjool dates, besides a giant bowl of Medjool dates?
Trick question: you already knew the answer was no. 

This apple, guys.  

Today seems like an appropriate day for to finally post this, though.  It's cool and overcast in Boston, there are leaves everywhere (which may or may not be a player in the creation of a sprained ankle that appeared early on Friday morning...other contenders include a crack in the sidewalk, clumsiness, badweekitis...all in all, should make the half I'm running in four weeks really, really easy, right?), and it is October, after all.  Anyways, enjoy this warming Middle Eastern inspired dish.  I tried it with Freekeh, because I like to say it and also: Halloween! Freaks! Works, right?  But: traditionally it's made with bulgur, and I think I might make it with farro next time (because it is the bestest).  It's simple, relatively quick, and filling.  It goes well with fall, friendship, and viewings of Outlander (omg omg omg you guys, it's actually GOOD.  SQUEE.  Also: phew!).  

(Freekeh) Red Lentil Mujadara

Serves 4-6

Freekeh Red Lentil Mujadara

Red Wine and Thyme Tomato Jam (Recipe 3)

Red Wine and Thyme Tomato Jam

Yes, I know how long it has been since I last posted anything substantive. Yes. And yet, I refuse to feel bad, because a) summer, b) I've been enjoying actually reading books to read them instead of reading them to review them, and c) I've excitingly taken a new job as a library director and, duh, had to learn to do my job. For all other quibbles, I refer you to point the first, otherwise known as a. It was summer, it has been hot, and who really wants to hover over a pot, even a pretty one like my bluetiful Le Creuset?

That said, it has been end of summery, which to me always means the best tomatoes of the year, in quantities you can barely fathom. In fact, when one of my girlfriends went a-honeymooning after her marvelous wedding, she bequeathed me her bountiful, juicy, delicious weekly share of tomatoes from her farmshare. Most survived to see the pot; several were devoured directly on the spot. I've been a fan of tomato jam since I first travelled to the Carolina's and tried it at Asheville's now defunct Tomato Jam cafe. The South is onto something, Northern friends. Tomato jam is where it's at!

Red Wine & Thyme Tomato Jam

(adapted from The Boston Globe Magazine)

Makes roughly 28 oz.

3 lb ripe tomatoes, cores removed and chopped

¾ c + 1tbsp turbinado sugar

5 Tbsp red wine vinegar

3 medium shallots, minced

1.5 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme

1 cup red wine

¼ tsp salt

1 Tbsp olive oil

1) In a food processor, pulse tomatoes, ¾ c sugar and vinegar until it is finely chopped.

2) In a large Le Crueset/Dutch oven, or huge and deep pan, warm olive oil over medium high and saute shallots, thyme and salt for roughly three minutes until they are soft.  

3) Add the 1 Tbsp sugar to the pot and saute another minute or two over medium until incorporated.

4) Add the wine and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring occasionally to prevent burning/sticking to the bottom of the pot and cook down until most of the liquid has evaporated and a rougher liquidy glaze starts forming, roughly 5-7 minutes.

5) Add the tomato mixture, stir, bring to a simmer, and cook for about an hour until the volume of liquid has reduced dramatically and mostly cooked off.  

6)  Serve, or cool and save!

Notes:

- A lot of the adaptation of this recipe was born of necessity; ie.  I had a LOT of tomatoes, turbinado sugar, and a huge bunch of thyme...so upped the other ingredients too.  The gist of the idea comes from the Globe’s recipe, though I found their suggested cooktime woefully off, and consulted the Down Home Kitchen cookbook for a much more accurate cooktime 1-1 ½ hours!

- I worked in batches because my food processor is too tiny to accomodate the masses of tomatoes I used.  Just pour into a large bowl and stir when you’re done with all!

- Other versions of this include spices like ginger, cumin, cloves, cinnamon, lemon, etc.  I decided to stick with the basics here, but may experiment with those later!

- I chopped everything very finely, and ran it through a food processor.  If you prefer a much rougher version of this, don’t do that!

- If you can can, can.  If you, like me, are not so proficient, this should keep for about two weeks in the fridge or you can freeze it.  

- This obviously goes well with biscuits.  But some of us don’t readily have access to good biscuits (#notfromthesouth)...so I’ve tried it on toast, English muffins, as a spread in sandwiches, and on chicken so far.  All good!  

Red Lentil Soup (Recipe 4)

March guys.  March.  Let’s debrief.  Calling it a rollercoaster is not even a stretch; there were some lows, some sorrows, some craziness, some whirlwind highs, a whole lot of busy, and a really great trip down to see one of my bestest gals: Ms. J.  No, not that Ms. J. 

This Ms. J:

She and I have been buds since 1996, when I walked into my first summer camp cabin and she was there, all braces, curls, and sass.  We lived together in our castle in the clouds after college, and she’s solely responsible for my more guilty ladynerd pleasures. Ahem, ahem, OUTLANDER. Ms. J and I decided it was high time we take our friendship to a new level: honeymoon.  Sure, we’re not married to each other, or at all.  But shouldn’t best galpals get a honeymoon too?  Our ladymoon took us to some excellent eating and watering holes in Durham, NC, Savannah, GA, and Asheville, NC, but one of the most memorable meals was one that Ms. J made my first night in Durham.  

Breaking out alllll the Le Creusets

Her recipe is actually a favorite one of her mom’s, which was obtained at a cooking class at one of their hometown restaurants, Kareem’s.  Kareem’s (and the Ms. J parentals) are located in the fair city of Watertown, MA, made internationally famous for sadder reasons just about one year ago when the Boston Marathon bombing suspects when on the lam and had a dramatic shootout throughout this normally sedate town.  Watertown is home to a ton of delicious Syrian, Albanian, and Lebanese restaurants, and this recipe, adapted from Kareem’s original one, will bring a delicious spoonful of Syria via Watertown right to your own table, wherever you may be.

I did some light adapting, mostly because I am lazy, making it totally vegan, and by using things I had on hand (ie. I was too lazy to squeeze a lemon, so I used the lime juice I was using to make Moscow mules for my guest and I).   It is super quick, super easy, massively delicious, and I’m super glad to report it’ll likely become part of my repertoire for weeknight recipes.  Coincidentally, I am also super glad to have Ms. J as a friend (for more reasons than this recipe, duh).  

Red Lentil Soup (Recipe 4 - Le Creuset Challenge)

Red Lentil Soup

Red Lentil Soup

Adapted from an adaptation of Kareem Restaurant’s recipe for Ahmad’s Red Lentil Soup

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

2 cups red lentils

½ cup farro, quinoa, or other hearty ancient grain (or a mix)

6 cups water

1 14 oz can lite coconut milk

1 medium onion, minced

2-3 Tbsp coconut oil

6 cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp red pepper flakes

½ tsp ground cumin

2 tsp kosher salt

¼ c fresh lime juice

8 oz fresh spinach

Directions

Dijon Pulled Chicken (Recipe 5)

Dijon Pulled Chicken

There's no good reason I was a chicken for so long about trying any sort of braised/pulled/roasted meat, especially now that I can confidently say that I wish I'd done this sooner, so I could have optimal levels of this Dijon Pulled Chicken for my whole life. I love Dijon Chicken, but that's a pretty straightforward yet delicious recipe.  Pondering my options, I began to wonder if I could do a BBQ pulled meat with a totally different flavor profile (I live near a really good BBQ place that I can smell allllll summer long, so I suspect that is where this idea originated). However, pulled anything just seemed so...complicated, what with all the smokers and roasting and rubbing...I never thought it could be pulled off in a Le Creuset! Oh, how wrong I was.

It is shockingly easy, but a definite time commitment. Luckily, this winter is never ending and relentless, so you've got ample time on your hands after the fiftytenth snow/ice storm/cold snap of the season, and probably most of the ingredients on hand already. If you need a really good reason never to leave home again until spring for the afore mentioned reasons, get cooking and get some some of this deliciousness in your belly. Having never cooked BBQ or pulled anything, I consulted several recipes for flavor profile ideas and cooking techniques (The Kitchn's BBQ Shredded Chicken and Braised French Onion Chicken and Pete's Recipes Pulled Chicken were especially helpful). I gobbled mine up with some lightly sauteed brussels sprouts, kale, and garlic and served it over quinoa, but I'd say any of the usual BBQ pairs would go well with this riff on the typical BBQ pulled dish (ie. cornbread, a baked sweet potato, on a roll, rice, cole slaw, etc.).  I drank it with a nice Cote du Rhone (c'est French, mes amis), but I suspect a nice crisp white or beer would be great with this lightly sweet and savory mess of deliciousness.  Warning: this even tastes good cold out of the fridge in the morning.  Trouble.  

By the way - only FOUR more recipes to go before I finally complete my New Years 2011 challenge to cook 52 Le Creuset Recipes in a year! 

Dijon Pulled Chicken in a Le Creuest

Chicken Masala Soup (Recipe 6 - Le Creuset Challenge)

Chicken Masala Soup

I have been daydreaming about making this soup for nearly a full term human pregnancy at this point. 6 months, right? KIDDING. I know it's a year. But seriously, since reading The Moonstone this summer (more on that later), and honestly, even a bit before, I felt like I needed to try a totally different flavor profile that I'm not too familiar with: Indian food! I like Indian food, especially things involving bright green peas, deliciously roasted cauliflower, anything chickpeas, and anything involving more spices than I have fingers to count on. However, I hardly ever remember to get it when thinking about eating out, which is both my own fault and a damn shame. Anyways. I digress! I got an idea for this soup when a smarter friend than I mentioned it was her favorite Indian food dish; naturally my brain was like "Hmm, I wonder if I can make that, and double wonder if I can make it as a soup!?" Spoiler alert, yes. Yes, you obviously can, or else I wouldn't be writing a post about having made it. Anyways. I have big, future plans involving bringing back my Dinner Train Book Club dinner party for The Moonstone with this recipe, but first I need to actually make said moonstones. Don't worry, I have a plan for those too. Stay tuned...probably until forever, but stay tuned nonetheless - it'll hold me accountable to actually make moves to make them happen (and let me know if you want to read with me!)

Onto the pressing matter: this soup is actually delicious. I know I say that about all the soups, but I really mean it this time. I'd go as far as to too my own horn and to say it's one of my best recipes. Try it, and let me know if I'm right or if I am right. Though there are more ingredients than there are grains of sand on a tiny beach, they combine to make something scintillating. Having no clue how to make any Indian food (I'd never cooked with garam masala before, can you believe that?), I read up a lot on other recipes, and this is adapted from many places with recipes for Tikka Masala, Chicken Masala, etc., including but not limited to The Soup Addict, The Smitten Kitchen, Serious Eats, and Eating Well. All are different, include different ingredients etc. I had the full intention of using coriander, as many recipes do, but that plan was thwarted when I realized I had three jars of cumin and no jars of coriander. I didn't notice. Anyways. That's enough out of me. Make this warm, warming soup wherever you are wintering, and day dream about India with me, why don't you?

Chicken Masala Soup

Chicken Masala Soup

Serves roughly 6-8

Ingredients 

Chicken

1.5 lb skinless chicken

½ tsb ground cumin

½ tsp cumin seed

½ tsp garam masala

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp tumeric

1 tsp curry powder

¼ tsp cayenne

¼ tsp ground pepper

¼ tsp kosher salt

Soup

1 Tbsp coconut oil

1 medium/large onion, diced

2-4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed

2 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 serrano pepper, seeded and diced small

3 tsp garam masala

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp ground cumin

½ tsp curry powder

½ tsp tumeric

1 Tbsp tomato paste

28 oz canned diced tomatoes in juice

2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro

32 oz low sodium chicken stock

15 oz chickpeas

8 oz fresh spinach

15 oz frozen peas

salt & pepper to taste

½-1 cup Greek yogurt to serve

Directions

1) Combine chicken rub spices and rub onto chicken to coat.  Cover and let sit for at least one hour in the fridge.  

2) Preheat the oven to broil.  Broil chicken for approximately 15 minutes until darkened and the juices run cool - bonus points for blackened bits.  About halfway through, turn the chicken over.  Remove from the oven, let sit for 8-10 minutes, and chop into small, bite-sized pieces.

3) In a large Dutch oven or Le Creuset over medium, melt coconut oil and saute onion for roughly 5-7 minutes or until translucent.

4) Add garlic, ginger, pepper, and spices and saute for 3 minutes.

5) Add tomato paste, tomatoes with juice, and 1 Tbsp cilantro, stirring to combine occasionally.  Cook for about 5 minutes.

6) Add chicken stock and bring to a vigorous simmer (but not a full boil to prevent burning).  Cook at least 15 minutes at said vigorous simmer to reduce the liquids a bit.

7) Remove from heat and blend until mostly combined using an immersion blender.  It’s okay if some chunks of tomato or onion remain!

8) Put back on heat, bringing back to a low simmer this time.  Add chickpeas, cooking roughly 3 minutes.

9) Stir in the diced chicken, cook for a minute or so.

10.  Add spinach to the top of the pot, do not stir, and cover the pot for about 3 minutes to let wilt.

11) Uncover and add peas, remaining 1 Tbsp cilantro, stirring to combine, and cooking for roughly 5 more minutes.

12) Taste and season accordingly with salt and pepper.

13)  Serve with a generous tablespoon dollop of Greek yogurt per portion if you know you will have leftovers, or, stir in ½ to 1 cup of Greek yogurt if you will be serving all of this immediately.

14) Go back for seconds.

Chicken Masala Soup: roasted rubbed chicken process

Chicken Masala Soup: a watched spinach will never wilt!

Notes:

- Use this chicken rub any time - on the grill, on it’s own, not in soup, etc.  It’s really simple, really delicious, and really, really easy.  

- Use the chickpea can (rinsed out, duh) to measure out your 15 oz of frozen peas! Always add them last to maintain their vibrant flavor and even more vibrant green color, instead of fatigue green (gross).  

- Vegetarians: sorry.  BUT.  I got to thinking while doing this, and would like one of you to try the following.  In lieu of chicken/chicken stock, use veggie broth, 1 extra can of chickpeas and peas, and/or roast some cauliflower with the spices and a small dash of oil.  Please let me know how it turns out!

- Again - if you plan to save some of this for later, especially for freezing purposes, do not add the yogurt to the pot directly.  Cream soups never, ever, never defrost in an attractive or appetizing way.  This is why I recommend adding the yogurt directly to individual portions - allowing people to add to their personal preference too!

- I used boneless, skinless chicken thighs. I'd say any skinless cut of chicken will work, even if it is on the bone.

- Pair this with nan, roti, or other tasty Indian flat bread.  It would also be great with a crisp white wine or cold beer!

Chicken Masala Soup

Chicken Masala Soup:
Once you add in the yogurt, just you try and wait to take a picture before devouring it.
It's impossible