Fajitas

These are really easy to make and are always a hit. Make more than you think your family or guests will eat because people will gobble them up! Give yourself an hour to get these on the table, unless you have chopped the vegetables in advance.

4 lbs. skirt steak, cut to fit your grill pan or grill
2 green peppers, seeded and cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 large white or sweet onion, cut into 1/4" strips
1/2 lime
1 large tomato, diced
15-16 flour tortillas, soft taco size
1 pint sour cream, for garnish
Chimichurri Sauce, for garnish
Guacamole, for garnish
kosher salt
black pepper, freshly ground

Special equipment: grill pan or grill, non-stick frying pan


I use a round Le Creuset grill pan because I've had it for years. Le Creuset now makes square and rectangular grill pans, either of which would be a great investment. Le Creuset cookware conducts heat beautifully, but it is very heavy!

1. Preheat the grill pan over medium-high heat. Season both sides of the skirt steaks with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and a little lime juice.
2. When the pan is hot, but not smoking, place two or three skirt steaks on the grill. Grill for 3 minutes on one side, flip the steaks and grill for 3 minutes on the other side. This meat will be medium-rare to medium. When the steaks are cooked, remove them to a warm, covered tray to stand for a few minutes; a warming oven works well also. Repeat this step for the rest of the skirt steaks.
3. While the steaks are cooking, preheat the non-stick pan over medium heat. Warm one tortilla at a time, for approx. 10 seconds a side. Remove the warm tortilla to a warm plate and cover with foil. Repeat this step until all the tortillas are warm.
4. While the steaks are resting, grill the onions until they are nearly caramelized and the green peppers until they are soft. You can even cover the grill pan to speed up this process. Toss occasionally while cooking to avoid scorching. Remove to a serving bowl.
   
5. When the cooked steaks have rested for a few minutes, slice each steak across the grain into very thin (1/8") slices. Place the sliced steak back on the warm try while you set out the meal.

Serves 4 adults or 2 adults and three children.

Serve the meat on a tray. Serve the Chimichurri Sauce and Guacamole in bowls. Serve the tortillas on the warm, covered plate. Serve the diced tomatoes in a bowl. Serve the sour cream. Each guest places a warm tortilla on her plate and adds a few pieces of skirt steak. Garnish with any or all of the tomatoes, grilled vegetables, sour cream, Chimichurri sauce, and Guacamole. The best way to roll up the little fajita is to fold up the bottom third of the tortilla; fold in the sides, and roll the whole thing up.

For those who prefer not to eat beef, you can substitute chicken or an assortment of grilled vegetables for a delicious vegetarian meal.

Tomato Dill Soup

It's been a while since I've posted here. I just came across a delicious recipe for tomato dill soup that is light enough for summer fare.

1 stick butter
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, peeled and diced
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh garlic
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 28-ounce can whole Italian plum tomatoes, drained and retain juice
1 1/2 cups tomato juice
1/4 cup tomato puree
1 1/2 cups juice from drained Italian tomatoes
4 cups chicken stock
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh dill
3/4 teaspoon dried basil
3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
1 tablespoon sugar
1 2/3 cups heavy cream
Sour cream or creme fraiche for garnish
Dill sprigs for garnish

Special equipment: heavy skillet, 6-quart saucepan, food processor, potato masher

1. In a large skillet, sauté carrots, celery, and garlic until tender. Pour mixture into a food processor and process until smooth. Do not drain these vegetables, but set them aside.
   
2. Put the butter into a heavy saucepan set on medium low heat. Add flour and cook this roux for five minutes, until the roux is light brown and smells nutty. Add the vegetable mixture to the roux and turn the heat to low.
3. In a mixing bowl, mash the whole Italian plum tomatoes with a potato masher, until the tomatoes are in chunks less than 1/2 inch. Add the mashed Italian plum tomatoes to the vegetable and roux mixture in the saucepan and stir.
   
4. In a separate bowl, stir together the retained juice from the canned tomatoes, the tomato juice, and the tomato purée. Add the sugar to this tomato juice mixture and stir well to blend.
5. Add the chicken stock to the tomato juice mixture, and then add this liquid mixture to the vegetables in the saucepan. Bring the vegetables and liquid to a boil.
6. Turn down the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.
7. Add cream to the soup and mix thoroughly to blend. Add dill, basil, thyme, and tarragon to the soup and stir well.
8. Remove the soup from the heat. Serve each bowl of soup with a dollop of sour cream and a sprig of fresh dill.

Serves 6-8.

Roasted Vegetables With Balsamic Vinaigrette

The original recipe appeared on Gourmet's website and included endive. Blech! While I mostly like endive, it was a bitter and disharmonious addition to this recipe. That's why I adjusted things and made it my own.

1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into 1/4" circles
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 lbs. zucchini, washed, dried, and cut on an angle into 1/4" circles
2 large red onions, sliced into 1/4" circles
2 medium red bell peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1" squares
2 medium yellow peppers, cored, seeded, and cut into 1" squares
1 lb. yellow squash, washed, dried, and cut on an angle into 1/4" circles
salt and pepper to taste

Special equipment: 2 jumbo zipper bags (2-gallon), 2 large baking sheets, wire whisk

1. Preheat the oven to 450ºF.
2. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. Divide the eggplant, zucchini, red onions, peppers, and squash between 2 2-gallon zipper bags. Pour 1/3 of the vinaigrette into each bag and seal. Gently toss the vegetables in the vinaigrette until well-coated. Pull out the eggplant circles and lay some in a single layer in each pan; add one bag of vegetables to each pan and distribute evenly.
4. Place one baking sheet on the bottom oven rack and the other on the middle oven rack. Roast the vegetables for 10 minutes and remove them from the oven. Turn all the vegetables, including the eggplant slices, and return the pans to the oven. Make sure you swap the top pan for the bottom and vice versa (rotate shelves). Roast the vegetables for another 10 minutes and set them aside to cool. Season each tray of vegetables with salt and pepper to taste. The vegetables should still have a crisp bite to them when they are done.
   
5. Once the vegetables are cool, arrange them on serving platters and drizzle them with the remaining vinaigrette. Serve at room temperature.

Makes 8-10 servings.

Drunk Mushrooms

Serve these with your favorite beef dish, or even better, with my Roasted Tenderloin of Beef.

16 oz. cremini (baby portobella) mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
1/2 cup diced onion
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry red wine
Kosher salt
Black pepper

1. Slice the mushrooms cross-wise into 1/8" slices.
2. Melt butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat.
3. Sauté onion and garlic until soft but not brown. Add mushrooms, salt, and pepper, and continue sautéing until the mushrooms soften.
4. Add the red wine and cover the saute pan. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue cooking for 10-15 more minutes. The mushrooms are done when they are wine-colored and soft.

Serve with beef. Serves 8-10 people as a side dish.

Wild Mushroom Tart

Another savory tart that is a big hit in the autumn, especially at Thanksgiving.

Pastry dough
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 lb. mixed fresh wild mushrooms: cremini (baby bella), oyster, chanterelle, shiitake,
quartered lengthwise
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallot
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme (1/2 tsp dried thyme OK)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup creme fraîche (OK to substitute sour cream)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 whole large egg
1 large egg yolk

Special equipment: 9"x1" round, fluted tart pan with removable bottom, pie weights or raw rice

MAKE SHELL:

1. Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into an 11-inch round. Fit into tart pan, trimming excess dough. Chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
2. While the shell is cooling, put oven rack in the middle position and preheat oven to 375ºF.
3. Lightly prick bottom of shell all over with a fork, then line the shell with foil and fill with pie weights or raw rice. Bake until the sides are set and the edge is pale golden, approx. 18-20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil and weights and bake shell until bottom is golden, 10-15 minutes more.
4. Cool shell completely on a rack.

MAKE FILLING AND ASSEMBLE TART:

1. Heat butter and oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until foam subsides. Sauté mushrooms, shallot, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper, stirring frequently, until mushrooms are tender and any liquid released is evaporated, 8-10 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temperature.
2. Whisk together creme fraîche, heavy cream, whole egg, egg yolk, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a medium bowl until combined.
3. Reduce oven temperature to 325ºF.
4. Place the tart pan on a baking sheet. Scatter mushrooms evenly in tart shell and pour custard over them. Bake tart in pan until custard is just set and slightly puffed, 35-45 minutes.
5. Cool tart in pan on a wire rack at least 20 minutes, then remove side of pan. Serve tart warm or at room temperature.

Serves 8 as a first course or 6 as a main course. The tart shell can be baked a day ahead and cooled completely, then kept in its pan and wrapped well in plastic bag (or sealed in a zipper bag), at room temperature. The baked tart can be made 2 hours ahead and kept, uncovered, at room temperature. Serve at room temperature.

Leek and Goat Cheese Tart

For Anne.

Pastry Dough
3 leeks, white part only, sliced thin
3 tablespoons butter
8 oz. goat cheese
2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk
3/4 cup half-and-half
1/2 teaspoon salt
Black pepper to taste
Pinch of grated nutmeg

Special equipment: 10" round tart pan with removable bottom or quiche pan; rolling pin; pie weights or dry beans

1. Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin. Roll out pastry dough into an approx. 11" circle. Fold dough in quarters and place the point of the triangle in the center of the tart pan. Unfold the dough and fit into and around the edges of the pan, without stretching the dough. Place tart pan in the freezer and chill for 15 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Line the chilled tart shell with aluminum foil. Weight down the foil with pie weights or dry beans. Bake the shell for 10 minutes and let cool before filling it.
3. Cook the leeks in the butter in a wide saucepan or skillet over low to moderate heat until they are soft but not brown.
4. Transfer the leeks to the tart shell and distribute them around evenly.
5. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients. Pour this custard mixture over the leeks.
6. Return the tart to the oven to finish baking, approximately 30 minutes or until the top surface is lightly browned and springs back when gently pressed. Let the tart cool at least 20 minutes before serving.

Serves 8.

: Note: I have made this tart ahead of time and reheated it in a 300º oven. If you do make it ahead of time and reheat, run it under a low broiler for a couple of minutes to crisp the crust and lightly brown the top.

Stuffed Peppers

This is my much-requested recipe for meat- and rice-stuffed green peppers. It feeds a small crowd.

10 large green peppers
1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons butter
1 cup chopped onions
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 lbs. ground lamb or veal, or a combination of the two
4 cups cooked rice (or two bags of Success white or brown rice, cooked and drained)
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 oz. goat cheese
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1 cup beef broth or red wine

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF.
2. Wash the pepper and cut off the top 1/4" to 1/2" below its "shoulder". Carefully remove the seeds and the pith from the bottom of the pepper, without puncturing it. Repeat for the rest of the peppers. Keep each pepper's top with its matching bottom.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil and the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and garlic and sauté until the onions are transparent. Add the ground meat and cook until it is no longer red.
4. Transfer the meat and cooked rice to a large mixing bowl. Stir in Parmesan cheese, goat cheese, and parsley. Add salt and pepper to taste. The mixture should look well blended and slightly creamy.
5. Stuff the peppers tightly with the meat and rice mixture and place them in a large baking pan. You might have to use two pans to hold all the peppers. Pour enough broth or wine in the bottom of the pan to cover it. Pour a little broth or wine into each stuffed pepper to moisten the mixture. Place the top on each pepper, matching up the lobes.
6. Bake for 1 hour, 15 minutes. The peppers should be soft and well-done.
   

Spinach-Artichoke Casserole

1/4 lb. butter
26 oz. frozen chopped spinach (16 oz. bag + 10 oz. box)
2 large cans artichoke hearts, drained
1 1/2 pints sour cream (reduced fat OK)
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
   
2. Place spinach in a microwave-safe dish and add 1/3 cup water. Cover the dish and microwave on High for 8 minutes. Drain the spinach.
3. While the spinach is cooking, sauté the onions in the butter until soft and translucent but not brown.
   
4. Dice artichokes or pulse them in a food processor for a few seconds, until they are roughly chopped.
5. Mix spinach, artichokes, onions, sour cream, and Parmesan cheese together. Add a few grinds of fresh pepper. Taste and add salt if necessary.
6. Place mixture in a 13"x9"x2" or a 10"x2" round casserole dish and spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes.

Serve warm with assorted crackers.