Britomart's Moroccan Lentil Stew

I know we have a bunch of lentil stew recipes, but here's another. Because I love stew. And I love lentils. And this one does have a different flavor. And it's easy! And yummy! Oh, and I threw this together tonight, so my memory is fresh & the amounts extremely accurate (for me).

The distinctive ingredient is Moroccan Lamb Sausage that I found at Whole Foods tonight. I was talking with the guy who actually makes the sausages there (they had their homemade chorizo, which is divine & sadly rare for my Whole Foods, so I was asking him about it), and he says that if you call ahead a couple days, they'll take requests & make up sausage for you. And you don't have to commit to buying a ton - they'll just make up a normal batch for sale & you can buy however much you want.

One of the things that impresses me so much about Whole Foods is how accommodating and friendly and well run they are. All reports seem to confirm that they're a fantastic company all around. But, yeah, I'm supposed to be writing a recipe, eh?

• 1 TBSP olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped finely
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 6 Moroccan lamb sausages
• 1 1/2 C red lentils
• 32 oz chicken broth
• 8 oz water
• 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes (plain)
• 2 tsps cumin
• 2 tsps cinnamon
• 2 tsps nutmeg
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP butter (real butter, skip if you have margarine)
  

Heat olive oil in soup pot over medium heat, and sautee garlic for a couple minutes. Add onions & continue cooking until soft and golden.

Heat a skillet to medium-high and cook sausages. Since they're lamb sausages, it's important to cook them completely & separately, so the excess fat ends up in the skillet, not the stew. Remove cooked sausages to cutting board & cut into thin slices. If there's any excess fat, pat them with a paper towel.

Add broth, water & lentils to your garlic & onions. Increase heat to medium high & bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.

Add sausage, tomato and spices. Cook on low heat for another 10 minutes or so, adding butter a few minutes before serving.

blue artemis' mother-in-law's Meatloaf

Thanks, blue artemis!

• 2 lbs ground meat (beef, turkey, pork, lamb) The best is a combination of two
• Some Italian sausage. ( I usually add about 1 lb. She left this out of the original recipe, and told me later)
• 1 bunch Italian parsley
• 1 bunch Swiss Chard (or one bunch spinach if you can't get swiss chard)
• 1 med onion chopped
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 egg
• 1/2 to 1 cup of bread or cracker crumbs

Wilt the swiss chard (just the leaves, discard the stems). Put the chard, parsely, onion, egg and seasonings in the blender or food processor until everything is blended and almost liquidy.
Mix the blended items into the meat and add enough bread crubs to get the texture dry enough.

Place in a 350 degree oven for 1-1/2 hours. At about 45 minutes, you can cover the top with ketchup and let it all finish cooking.

adharas' Paysum

I begged adharas for this recipe, and she sent it to me almost immediately! For this, she earns my slavish adoration whether she wants it or not. She warns that the amounts are approximate, so keep that in mind. Blue Artemis has made this before and did the cardamon & cashew/raisin thing.

I know this as Kheer, but since adharas' family is from southern Indian. This stupid American learned something useful today!

In a heavy bottomed pan, start out with whole milk. For 1/2-3/4 gallon, add a handful of raw white rice (half a handful if you've got big paddles). You can use long-grain rice, but not Minute rice for heaven's sake. Bring it to a boil, but not over high heat, stirring it quite often, so it doesn’t stick to the bottom. Once it comes to a boil, (this takes quite a while) be very careful, because it might boil over, you may have to take it off the heat for a minute, so it doesn’t.

Turn the heat to medium low, and let it cook, for about an hour, uncovered, so the milk condenses. Don't forget to keep stirring! You will know when it is done, because the rice should look like each grain is falling apart. That’s the big secret. Also, don’t hurry it along, because the flavor won’t be the same. Once the rice is cooked, add sugar. I think it is about 1 cup of sugar, you can add less or more, depending on how sweet you want it.

Stir in the sugar, you will see that the milk gets more liquid, as the sugar dissolves.

You can sprinkle some saffron in, crushing it as you do so, and let it sit for while after stirring it in, and you will see after half an hour that the color has been released.

Stir again, so it is even.

If you don't have saffron: Crush some cardamom pods, and add them. Again, according to taste, so if you like more, go ahead. You can also fry some cashew nuts and raisins in ghee (clarified butter) and add those in.

blue artemis' Roasted Mujer Head

This recipe refers to a specific mujer, she of the Hizzy & its ToE. The Hizzy recipe blog in no way condones the roasting of womens heads in general. Just our mujer's. Oh, and the salsa recipe is real. It isn't spicy, it is meant for roasted meats, like tongue or birria.

Take Mujer's Head, place in roasting pan. Season with a little salt.
Cover. Put in 350 degree oven, and roast for at least 5-6 hours.

When it is done, take it out of the oven. Make Mexican Rice.

Also, make the following salsa:

• 4 large tomatoes
• Those little yellow chile peppers that you get in a jar with vinegar (and often get at hamburger joints).
• cumin
• oregano
• 2 cloves
• black pepper
• salt

Boil the tomatoes, When they are done, peel them, and throw them in the blender with 3 little yellow chiles, a splash of the vinegar, a pinch of cumin, the 2 cloves, a large pinch of oregano and black pepper and salt to taste. If it is too thick, add a bit of the water you boiled them in.

Heat some corn tortillas, and make tacos. You may want to garnish with a little chopped cilantro.

Britomart's Wasabi Vinaigrette Salad

In lovely Duluth, MN, the lovely & historic Fitger's Hotel serves this wasabi vinagrette in its hotel restaurant. Or at least they used to... it's been awhile since I've been there. Figuring out how to make it myself a proud culinary moment for me. (And I even asked for the recipe! And they were all coy! Well, I guess I showed them, huh?) As you're probably used to from me at this point, I don't have an exact recipe, so you might want to play with the ratios a bit. This is awfully close, I think.

Salad dressing:
1-2 TSP Wasabi paste (pretty much to taste, though)
1/3 C Sesame seed oil
3 TBSP Rice-wine vinegar
1 TBSP Toasted sesame seeds
Salt & pepper to taste

Put wasabi paste in a small bowl and add about a TBSP of the vinegar. With a spoon, mush & stir wasabi until fully dissolved, adding more vinegar as necessary. Once it's all incorporated, add the rest of the ingredients and whisk vigorously.

Salad:
Standard-sized bag of mixed baby greens
2 ripe avocados
small onion, carmelized (see below)
1 TBSP oil (butter's better if you're not trying to be vegan)
1/2 C pine nuts & dash of olive oil

Heat oil (or melt butter) over medium heat and add minced onion. Stirring occasionally, cook onion until well-browned, but not burnt (e.g. carmelized!)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pine nuts in a pie pan & toss with a wee amount of oil - just so they're barely coated. Cook for 5 minutes.

Let cooked stuff cool; peel & slice avocado into bite-sized pieces.

Put all ingredients in a big bowl; toss with recently-whisked dressing.

Britomart's Vegetarian/Vegan Filet Mignon (for Wednez)

Okay, I think I'm cheating with this one - it hardly counts as a real recipe. Being the senile idiot that I am (DumbBrunette & Elen will both happily attest to this), there's another recipe I thought of earlier that qualifies as vegan & I just can't remember. And it's killing me. I used to make this for a good vegetarian friend of mine, though. I'll also post my wasabi-vinagrette salad I'd often serve with this.

Anyway, portabella mushrooms are so rich & succulent, I know people who hate mushrooms, but love these. They are a marvel in their own right.

• Large portabella mushrooms, cleaned & de-stemmed
• Olive oil
• Dried rosemary
• Dried thyme

Generously rub top & bottom of mushrooms with olive oil & then generously coat with rosemary & thyme. Grilling is ideal, but you can also use a toaster oven or your oven's broiler. You want to cook a couple minutes each side, until tender when stabbed with a fork.

Serve with bread - these will actually produce juices (just like real filet mignon!) that are delicious sopped up with bread.

Britomart's Vegan-Friendly (for Wednez) Curry Potato Stuff

I guess it qualifies as a stew. And this is one of those fun recipes without exact ingredients. I'll try my hardest, though! Anyway, whilst contemplating vegan cooking earlier today, this was one that I realized could easily be vegan! This is also ridiculously easy.

• 4 medium potatoes (with skins) cut into cubes (about 1-2")
• Chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 TBSP butter or vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion
• 3-6 cloves of minced garlic (depends on your love & tolerance for garlic)
• generous TBSP grated fresh ginger
• 2 TSPs curry
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 can diced tomatoes (Contadina or Hunts, and plain)
• Optional vegetables - I especially like mushrooms & zucchini with this.
• Salt & pepper to taste

In a good sized pot, melt butter (or heat oil), then sautee onions, garlic & ginger until soft. (4-5 minutes.)

Add potatoes and equal parts water & broth so that potatoes are covered by a good half an inch. Bring to a boil & continue for about 12 minutes.

Reduce heat to a simmer and add curry, cumin & tomatoes. Also add whatever optional vegetables! Cook until all thick & stew-like, an hour or two.

blue artemis' Potato Tacos

This is a fun recipe. Again, one of those lovely, I'm not sure of the amounts.

• Potatoes (as many as you are planning to make)
• cheese (I prefer mozzarella or monterey jack)
• garlic salt or garlic powder.
• corn tortillas
• oil or lard to fry in

Boil the potatoes until they are soft. Grate the cheese over them, and blend. Use as much cheese as makes the potatoes solid yet sticky. Add garlic salt to taste. If your cheese is a little salty, you could just use garlic powder.

Warm up the corn tortillas (a few seconds in the microwave will work) so that they don't break. Take a big spoonful of potatoes, and plop it into the tortilla, fold over the tortilla so it looks like a pregnant half circle (not too much potato mixture, or it will leak) and set aside. Do this until you use up the potato mixture.

In a large frying pan, heat the oil or lard. Set your tacos in the hot oil and fry to a light golden brown on each side.

I like to serve these with cabbage which has been shredded and coated with lemon juice and a little salt as well as some hot sauce. We prefer Pico Pica, but your favorite sauce should work.

MartianIceQueen's Chicken & Vegetable Skewers

This is an utterly vague recipe, because I measure by eyeball when I cook. This is adapted from a dish my mother always made when we had company over – we used to joke that you could only come over for dinner at my house once, because otherwise you’d have to eat the same thing each time.

Marinade:

• Italian dressing – I usually mix one from a packet of dry seasonings, or from the directions on the Penzeys container, using balsamic vinegar for all or some of the vinegar
• Worchestershire sauce
• Soy sauce
• Garlic (powder or fresh, chopped)

Mix the above ingredients together. Use as much or as little of the last three ingredients as desired. Can also add onion powder, various Italian seasonings.

• 1 lb chicken breasts, cut into approximately 1 inch chunks
• 2-3 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 onion, chopped into large chunks
• mushrooms, cleaned and de-stemmed
• bell pepper, chopped into 1-2 inch chunks
• potatoes
• Any other veggies you want – cherry tomatoes, etc.
• Wooden skewers

Prepare chicken, put into dish with enough marinade to mostly cover. Stir occasionally – let marinate for at least an hour, preferably overnight.

Peel and chop the potatoes into 2 inch chunks. Boil until mostly done, drain. While they are still warm, stir in some of the marinade.

Prepare remaining vegetables, add remaining marinade. Make sure to at least get marinade on the mushrooms.

Line up all the ingredients, and place on wooden skewers. Everyone says you should soak the skewers first, but I never do and have never had a problem. I just cover them almost entirely in food instead…Make sure to mix up meat and vegetables on each skewer.

Place on baking sheet and under broiler; turn occasionally. Remove when chicken is cooked all the way through.

Serve with rice – I always use wild rice.

tseliot's The UnDisgusting Split Pea Soup Recipe (for bibliosylph)

In honor of our Hizzy mini-con last night, I have finally chosen a recipe to post, which is unrelated to any of the recipes I said I might post.

• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2 lb. smoked ham, chopped*
• 4 medium leeks
• 1 c. ea. celery, sliced mushrooms, & sliced carrot [I also use onion]
• 6 cloves garlic
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 4 qts. beef or chicken broth*
• 4 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 c. split peas
• 3/4 - 1 c. barley (less if you like it thinner, more if y.l.i. thick)

*poss. sub. for these two ingredients: a day ahead, simmer a meaty ham bone in 4 qts. water for about 2 hrs. Remove bone and chill stock overnight. The next day, remove layer of fat from stock and remove all meat from the bone and return meat to stock before continuing with recipe.

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium high heat until hot. [Add ham and saute' until brown, c. 3 m.]
2. Stir in leeks, carrots, celery, mushrooms [and onion if using] and saute' until tender, c. 7 m. Add garlic and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 m.
3. Add broth [with ham in it if you followed sub. plan] and bay leaves.

Bring mixture to a boil. Add split peas/barley and return to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until barley and peas are tender (but not dissolving, bibliosylph!), about 45 minutes or so. Remove bay leaves (duh) and serve.

BeachBum's Pirate Stew

I just made this and it was pretty good! It's also EASY...

• 1 lb boneless chicken thighs
• 1 lb boneless chicken breast
• 4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
• 1 sm yellow onion, minced
• 1 stalk celery, minced
• 1 T fresh grated ginger
• 1 large carrot, thinly sliced
• 1 cup frozen peas, cooked
• 1/2 habanero or similar pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/4 cup tamari or soy sauce
• 1/4 cup frozen pineapple juice concentrate
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 cup water
• 1 cup basmati rice, brown or white

Put all ingredients except rice in large soup pot. Bring to boil, cover and lower heat to simmer. Cook for 25 minutes.

Add rice and 2 cups additional water. Cook another 20 minutes or until desired consistency.

Digmom3's Monkey Bread

Sumbitted by BeachBum! And it doesn't look like any monkeys are actually harmed in the making of this bread. Thanks, guys.

• 1/2 cup pecans (optional)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 t cinnamon
• 3 10oz cans refrigerated buttermilk biscuits
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 10" bundt pan. If desired, sprinkle pecans in the bottom of prepared pan. Combine cinnamon and sugar. Cut biscuits in half (or even quarters). Roll each piece in cinnamon sugar mixture and layer in pan. Combine brown sugar and butter, pour over the dough. Bake for 30-40 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes then invert onto a serving platter.

Mystery Contributor's Carrots in Dill Butter

My very favorite carrots-as-side-dish recipe. By Michele O'Sullivan, courtesy of allrecipes.com.

8 carrots, in 1-inch slices
(or, about 40 baby carrots)
1/2 cup water
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar (white or brown, you choose)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dill seeds

Throw everything in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer 20-25 minutes until just tender. Devour.

blue lucia's basic lentil & sausage stew

A basic lentil & sausage stew. As written, it is very mild, stick-to-your-ribs type comfort food. Very adaptable and flexible dish, throw in whatever veggies and spices suit your fancy. I never make it the same twice!

16 oz green lentils, rinsed well
2 lbs kielbasa, cut in 1/2 inch slices
3 stalks celery, sliced
3 carrots, sliced
14-oz can beef broth
3 cups water
salt & pepper to taste

Throw everything in the crockpot, cook for 8 hours. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top and serve with sourdough rolls. Leftovers freeze well.

Suggested additions/alterations: portobello mushrooms, apples, yams, red potatoes, water chestnuts, jicama, zucchini, yellow squash, cherry tomatos, onion, baby spinach, minced garlic, cumin, oregano, thyme, basil, dill, mint, lemon zest.... you get the picture.

jophan's Port and PrunesRecipe for MartianIceQueen

jophan found this online for MartianIceQueen. Thanks, jophan! This recipe is from Food & Wine, and there was a comment in the instructions that it's the perfect recipe for a clay cooker.

• 1 package pitted prunes
• 1 bottle port
• 2 pork filets -- butterflied
• 1/2 pound chorizo
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 stalks celery, minced
• 2 carrots -- grated
• 2 cloves garlic -- minced
• 1 cup bread crumbs
• Salt & Pepper
• Juice of one small lemon
• 1 egg

Soak prunes in port wine for at least 12 hours.

Pound pork filets until thin. Salt and pepper lightly.

Saute chorizo, onions, celery, carrots and garlic until vegies and chorizo are soft. You might want to drain the fat from the chorizo.

Combine bread crumbs, egg and lemon juice and incorporate vegie/chorizo mixture.

Lay pork filets on a work surface and spread out stuffing mixture. Roll and tie.

Cover rolled pork filets with port and prunes. Place in clay cooker (which has been soaked in cold water for 30 minutes) in cold oven and set temp at 500. Bake for one hour. (You can also cook it in a regular roasting pan with a cover.)

Check at 30 minutes, you may need to add water. Baste pork periodically to give it a golden brown color.

Slice into 1 inch pieces and serve with port sauce and prunes.

Zalgon 26 McGee's Blue Cheese Steakettes

A recipe invented by Zalgon 26 McGee & which he offers as a wonderful way to die of both cholesterol & great taste.

Take a fresh round steak, and with a great deal of care, partially freeze it and then slice it into four thin slices, which should end up to be about 4"x8".

Tenderize them down to 5"x10", and then pound a mixture of blue-cheese and garlic into them with the tenderizer.

Roll them up super-tight, and quickly pan-fry them until they're brown on all sides.

Tie them with a little bit of string, and let them finish cooking in a pot of spaghetti sauce for about two hours.

When served, they make a nice big bundle on the top of everyones plate of spaghetti. They can be sliced up thin and arranged nicely on the plate, too, if you want, but they're usually TOO tender for that. Personally, I cut it up into four or five bigger pieces and just eat it like that.

Peanut-Crusted Fish Fillets with Fried Bananas (for MartianIceQueen)

This is one of the odder sounding recipes, perhaps, but a lot of the reviews mentioned that skeptical spouses, children & others who were grossed out by the concept ended up loving the dish. A lot of people warned that while absolutely delicious, the finished dish looks messy & completely inelegant - not something to make if you want to impress someone with fancy food presentation.

Personally, I think plaintains (though you'd want them ripe) would work well with this dish, too. Very popular dish - extremely high marks. Suggestions include: use a mix of macadamia nuts & peanuts; mix in a small amount of bread crumbs with nut mixture so it clings to fish better; make sure to chop nuts very finely; increase cumin (lots of people said this).

• 2 unripe bananas
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• two 6- to 8-ounce skinless flounder or orange roughy fillets
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup finely chopped unsalted peanuts
• 4 teaspoons fresh lime juice plus lime wedges as an accompaniment

Peel the bananas and cut them lengthwise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. In a large ovenproof skillet heat 1 tablespoon of the butter and the oil over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, in the fat sauté the banana slices for 1 minute on each side, or until they are golden, and transfer them with a spatula to a plate. Pat the fish dry and sprinkle it with the cumin and salt and pepper to taste. Have ready in separate shallow dishes the egg beaten with the salt and the peanuts. Dip each fillet in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, and dredge it in the peanuts. To the skillet add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, heat it over moderately high heat until the foam subsides, and in it sauté the fillets for 3 minutes. Turn the fillets, top them with the banana slices, and sauté them for 2 minutes more. Drizzle the fish with the lime juice, transfer the skillet to the middle of a preheated 450°F. oven, and bake the fish for 5 minutes. Transfer the fillets with a spatula to 2 heated plates and serve them with the lime wedges.

Chicken Curry with Pineapple (for MartianIceQueen)

People loved this, but had lots of suggestions/comments: grated fresh ginger much better than the ground ginger; canned pineapple works just as well; add some garam marsala; add a little nutmeg & cloves; add plain yogurt to thicken the sauce.

• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• a 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into serving pieces
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 large garlic clove, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons turmeric
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3 carrots, chopped coarse
• a 14- to 16-ounce can whole tomatoes including the juice
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 1/2 cups chopped fresh pineapple
• cayenne to taste
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
• cooked rice as an accompaniment

In a heavy kettle heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it brown the chicken, patted dry, in batches, transferring it as it is browned to a bowl. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the fat and in the remaining fat cook the onion over moderate heat, stirring, until it is golden. Add the garlic, the turmeric, the coriander, the cumin, the cinnamon, and the ginger and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the carrots, the tomatoes with the juice, the broth, and the chicken including any juices that have accumulated in the bowl and simmer the mixture, covered, for 30 minutes, or until the chicken is no longer pink. Transfer the chicken to a plate, boil the sauce until it is thickened slightly, and stir in the pineapple, the cayenne, and salt to taste. Simmer the mixture for 1 minute, stir in the chicken and the parsley, and serve the curry over the rice.

Spicy Pork & Kumquat Stir-Fry (for MartianIceQueen)

Not too many reviewers suggested changes, except for kumquat substitutions (generally snow peas) which rather ruins the point of the fruit recipe! A couple people did warn that this was really hot & recommended cutting back a little on the hot oil and the five spice powder.

• 1 pound 1/2-inch-thick boneless pork loin chops (about 6) cut
• crosswise into 1/3-inch-wide strips
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 2 teaspoons Chinese five spice powder*
• 5 ounces kumquats, quartered lengthwise, seeded
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons hot chili oil or chili sesame oil*
• 2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1/2 cup canned chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

Blend first 5 ingredients in medium bowl. Combine kumquats and sugar in small bowl. Let stand 30 minutes, stirring kumquat mixture occasionally.

Heat oil in heavy large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add ginger and stir 1 minute. Add pork mixture and stir-fry until pork is just cooked through, separating pork strips, about 3 minutes. Add kumquat mixture, broth and vinegar and stir until sauce boils and thickens, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper.

Endive, Stilton & Pear Tart (for MartianIceQueen)

Another recipe with rave reviews. For those who don't want to deal with the puffed pastry, one reviewer recommended baking everything in a small casserole dish, then serving it warm as a spread for crackers. Which is how I might try it. Puffed pastry hates me. So does fillo dough. People didn't really have any other changes, but many recommended that you thoroughly drain the endive.

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 heads Belgian endive, cut crosswise into 1-inch slices
• 1/2 cup chopped shallots
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• 3 large pears, peeled, cored, coarsely chopped
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar or red wine vinegar
• 1 17 1/4-ounce package frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed (2 sheets)
• 1 large egg, beaten to blend (glaze)
• 1 cup crumbled Stilton cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add endive, shallots and curry; sauté until endive is golden, about 8 minutes. Add pears and vinegar and cook until pears are tender, about 2 minutes. Transfer to bowl and cool.

Preheat oven to 425°F. Place both pastry sheets on lightly floured work surface. Cut one 9-inch round from each pastry sheet. Place 1 round on heavy cookie sheet. Brush pastry with egg. Stir cheese and chives into endive mixture. Arrange endive mixture atop pastry round, leaving 1/2-inch border. Cover with remaining pastry round. Press and crimp edges to seal. Brush tart with egg. Using small sharp knife, cut small hole in center of tart. Freeze 10 minutes.

Bake tart until puffed and golden brown, about 25 minutes. Let tart stand 1 hour before serving.

Red-Wine-Braised Duck Legs with Roasted Pears & Onions (for Martian IceQueen)

This one is cool because a lot of the reviewers said the best part of it was the pear & onion side dish that you serve with the duck. So, if you don't like duck or want to make something simpler, you can just make the pear part of the recipe. People raved about this one, by the way. Reviewer suggestions: mix in some oil with the butter to prevent burning; marinate duck overnight; have friends over for a Pinot Noir wine tasting & serve this dish.

• 4 large duck legs* (about 2 3/4 pounds total, cut from two 5 1/2- to 6-pound ducks)
• a 750-ml. bottle light fruity red wine such as Pinot Noir (about 3 1/4 cups)
• a bouquet garni of 10 lightly crushed juniper berries**, 3 whole cloves, a 4 by 1 inch strip orange zest, and 1 bay leaf tied together in a cheesecloth bag
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 large carrot, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 large celery rib, cut into 1/4-inch dice
• 1 large onion , cut 1/4-inch dice
• 2 large fresh parsley sprigs plus 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves

For roasted pears and onions

• 3 medium onions, halved or quartered
• 2 ripe Bosc pears
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• a beurre manié made by rubbing together 2 tablespoons softened unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Trim excess fat from duck legs, reserving fat for the sautéed kale. In a large bowl marinate duck legs in wine with bouquet garni, covered and chilled, 2 hours.

Transfer legs to a plate, reserving wine and bouquet garni. In a heavy kettle large enough to hold legs in one layer heat oil over moderately high heat until hot. Pat legs dry with paper towels and season with salt. Cook legs, skin sides down, 20 minutes, or until skin is crisp and mahogany-colored, removing fat from kettle as it rendered with a metal bulb baster (or very carefully pouring it off). Turn legs and cook until browned on other side, about 2 minutes, transferring as browned to a plate.

Pour off all but about 2 tablespoons fat from kettle and sauté vegetables with salt to taste, stirring occasionally, until tender and lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Add duck legs, skin sides up, with parsley sprigs and reserved wine and bouquet garni and simmer, covered, 1 1/2 hours, or until tender. Braised duck legs may be prepared up to this point 2 days ahead and chilled, covered. Reheat mixture over low heat, adding 1/3 cup water, before proceeding with duck preparation.

Make roasted pears and onions during last hour of duck braising:
Preheat oven to 400°F.

In a shallow baking pan large enough to hold onions and pears in one layer melt butter in oven and swirl pan to coat. Add onion halves, cut sides down, and quarters, and bake 30 minutes. Add pears, cut side down, to pan and bake 20 minutes, or until pears and onions are tender and lightly browned. In a cup stir together lemon juice, honey, and salt and add to onions and pears, tossing to coat.

Transfer duck legs to a warm plate and keep warm, covered with foil. Discard parsley sprigs and bouquet garni and strain liquid into a 1-quart measuring cup, reserving vegetables. Let liquid stand until fat rises to top and skim and discard fat. Return liquid to kettle and simmer until reduced to about 2 cups. Add beurre manié, a little at a time, whisking, and boil 2 minutes. Stir reserved vegetables and minced parsley into sauce and heat through if necessary.

Serve duck legs, with sauce spooned over them and garnished with parsley sprigs, with roasted pears and onions.

Chicken with Peaches & Jalapenos (for MartianIceQueen)

This recipe was generally popular, and not too many changes were suggested. Reviewers did say, though, that frozen peaches worked just as well & recommended using boneless, skinless chicken instead.

• 2 whole chicken breasts with skin and bones (about 2 pounds total), halved
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 firm-ripe peaches, quartered
• 3 medium onions, quartered lengthwise
• 6 jalapeño chilies, quartered lengthwise and seeded (wear rubber gloves)
• 6 large garlic cloves
• 1 lemon, quartered

Accompaniment: basmati rice

Preheat oven to 450° F.

Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper and arrange, skin sides up, in an 18- by 11 1/2-inch roasting pan. Drizzle chicken with oil and roast 20 minutes. Scatter peaches, onions, jalapeños, garlic, and lemon over and around chicken.

Reduce temperature to 375° F. and roast chicken, covered with foil, 30 minutes more. Remove foil and roast chicken, basting occasionally with pan juices, until peaches and onions are soft, about 30 minutes more. Transfer chicken mixture to a platter, spooning any pan juices over it.

Serve chicken with rice.

Chicken with Sauteed Pears & Rosemary (for MartianIceQueen)

The reviews for this at Epicurious were great, people were almost crazed in their admiration of this recipe. A bunch of them did mention, though, that the sauce was a little too sweet & recommended that instead of 2 cups of apple juice, you substitute 1 cup of apple juice & 1 cup of chicken broth.Other reviewer recommendations: simmer sauce longer so that it thickens; double amount of pears; use olive oil instead of vegetable oil; substitute sage for the thyme, which might be fun to try for a different flavor; use more red pepper if you like it spicier; use pork instead of chicken; serve over polenta; add cinammon to the pears.

• 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 2 cups apple juice
• 1/2 cup red wine
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons dried rosemary
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
• Pinch of dried crushed red pepper
• 1/2 cup whipping cream

• 1 Bosc pear, quartered, cored, thinly sliced

• 4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
• 1/4 cup Marsala

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté until tender, about 5 minutes. Add apple juice, red wine, vinegar, rosemary, thym and crushed red pepper; bring to boil. Reduce heat; simmer until mixture is reduced to 1 1/2 cups, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Strain mixture into small saucepan; discard solids. Add cream a simmer until reduced to sauce consistency, about 12 minutes.

Meanwhile heat 2 teaspoons oil in heavy medium skillet over medium heat. Add pear slices; sauté until tender and golden brown, about 8 minutes. (Sauce and pears can be prepared 2 hours ahead. Cover seperately and refrigerate. Rewarm pears over medium-low heat before serving.)

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Add to skillet and sauté until cooked through and golden brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Add Marsala and bring to boil. Stir in reserved sauce, turning chicken once to coat. Cook until heated through, about 2 minutes longer.

Divide chicken among 4 plates. Spoons some sauce around chicken on each plate. Garnish with pear slices.

Gorgonzola & Red Pear Risotto (for MartianIceQueen)

Very popular recipe. Suggestions from reviewers include: using more gorgonzola; add broth mixture a little at a time for a creamier texture; add shitake mushrooms;

• 3 1/2 cups (about) canned vegetable broth
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil (preferably extra-virgin)
• 1 cup arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage or 2 teaspoons dried rubbed sage
• 1/3 cup crumbled Gorgonzola cheese (about 2 ounces)
• 1 ripe unpeeled red-skinned pear, halved, cored, diced

Bring vegetable broth and white wine to simmer in heavy small saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; keep mixture warm.

Heat oil in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes. Add all but 1/2 cup broth mixture to rice. Simmer uncovered 15 minutes, stirring often. Mix in sage. Cook until rice is tender but still firm to bite and risotto is creamy, adding remaining broth mixture 1/4 cupful at a time if risotto is dry, about 5 minutes longer. Mix in Gorgonzola and pear. Cook until cheese melts and pear is heated through,about 1 minute. Season with salt and generous amount of pepper.

Pinon (for MartianIceQueen)

I'd never heard of Pinon before, so I looked it up & it's either a classic Cuban or Puerto Rican savory pie. Both cultures seemed to stake an equal claim. Anyone of Cuban or Puerto Rican ancestry in the Hizzy who can chime in on this? ;) Regardless, though, it sounds amazing - I loooove platanos, so am going to have to try this at some point.

Some interesting suggestions from Epicurious reviews: if you don't like olives, subsitute capers; add a chipotle pepper & some chili powder for more heat; cook plaintains in microwave for a healthier version - 4 minutes per plaintain; use vegetarian ground beef substitute for a healthier and/or vegetarian version.

• 1 medium onion
• 1/2 small green bell pepper
• 1/2 small red bell pepper
• a 14- to 16-ounce can whole tomatoes
• 1/3 cup drained pimiento-stuffed green olives
• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons raisins
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground achiote (optional)
  

• 6 semi-ripe (yellow with some spots) plantains
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup olive or canola oil
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan

Cut onion and bell peppers into 1/4-inch dice. Drain whole tomatoes, reserving juice, and chop. Halve olives crosswise.

Heat a large nonstick skillet until hot and crumble beef into skillet. Sauté beef over moderately high heat, stirring and breaking up any clumps, until no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Stir in salt, black pepper, onion, and bell peppers and sauté, stirring, until vegetables are softened, any juices are evaporated, and meat begins to brown, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with reserved juice, olives, and remaining filling ingredients and simmer, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until most of liquid is evaporated, about 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves. Cool filling uncovered. Filling may be made 2 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Cut ends from plantains and peel fruit. Diagonally cut plantains into 1/3-inch-thick slices. In a large nonstick skillet heat 1/3 cup oil over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking and sauté plantains in batches, without crowding, until golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes on each side, adding remaining oil to skillet as necessary. With a slotted spatula transfer plantains as fried to paper towels to drain.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 2 1/2-quart baking dish (about 1 1/2 inches deep).

In a small bowl beat together eggs and water and pour half of mixture into baking dish, tilting to coat bottom and sides. Arrange about one third plantains over bottom and up sides of baking dish tightly in one layer. Spread half of filling in dish and sprinkle with half of Parmesan. Arrange half of remaining plantains on top of Parmesan in one layer. Top plantains with remaining filling and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan. Top pie with remaining plantains. Pour remaining egg mixture over pie, tilting dish so egg spreads to edges.

Bake pie, covered with foil, in middle of oven until heated through and bubbling at edges, about 1 hour. Cool pie 10 minutes. (If desired, unmold before serving: Run a thin knife around edge of pie, invert a serving plate on top of pie, and invert pie onto serving plate.)

Moroccan Lamb Stew with Blood Oranges (for MartianIceQueen)

Epicurious recommends serving this over couscous. Popular recipe, though there was a bit of a flame war! Some of the reviewers got very annoyed with each other - tres amusing. Anyway, suggestions/comments include: you can use regular or mandarin oranges if you can't find blood oranges; kick up the spices - increase amounts listed here, and add fresh garlic & cumin as well; substitute cilantro for the parsley.

• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3 1/2 pounds o-bone (round-bone) lamb shoulder chops, well trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces, or 2 pounds lamb stew meat
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 tablespoons minced peeled fresh ginger
• 1 1/3 cups water
  

• 2 large blood oranges
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1 tablespoon honey

Mix salt, pepper, cinnamon and allspice in medium bowl. Add lamb and toss to coat with spice mixture. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add lamb to pot and sauté until brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per batch. Return all lamb to pot. Add onion, garlic and ginger to pot and sauté 5 minutes. Add 1 1/3 cups water and bring to boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer until lamb is almost tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, grate peel from blood oranges and reserve. Cut all remaining peel and white pith from oranges and discard. Coarsely chop oranges. Add oranges and grated peel to lamb. Cover and simmer until lamb is very tender, about 20 minutes longer. Stir in parsley and honey. Season with salt and pepper.

Chicken Normande with Mashed Apples & Potatoes (for MartianIceQueen)

Brandy, apples and cream add a taste of France's Normandy region to this entrée. Well-reviewed and popular on Epicurious. Some recommendations included: adding oregano as well; making a day in advance to let the flavors meld; brown chicken before coating with flour.

• 3 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 8 ounces parsnips, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1 3/4 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 pound Golden Delicious apples (about 2 large), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 5 tablespoons butter
• 8 skinless boneless chicken thighs, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 6 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
• 1 cup frozen peas, thawed
  

• 1/3 cup brandy
• 1/3 cup whipping cream

Combine first 3 ingredients in heavy large pot and bring to boil. Reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer until parsnips are tender, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer parsnips to small bowl. Add potatoes and apples to same pot. Cover; simmer until very tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat. Using slotted spoon, transfer potatoes and apples to large bowl; add 3 tablespoons butter. Mash until almost smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Pour broth mixture from pot into medium bowl; reserve pot.

Sprinkle chicken with salt, pepper and 4 teaspoons thyme; dust with flour. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in reserved pot over medium-high heat. Add half of chicken. Sauté until brown and cooked through, turning with tongs, about 5 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer sautéed chicken to 11x7x2-inch glass baking dish. Repeat with remaining chicken. Top with parsnips, remaining 2 teaspoons thyme and peas. Return broth mixture to same pot; add brandy and whipping cream. Boil over medium-high heat until sauce is reduced to 1 1/4 cups, scraping up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon over chicken. Cover with potato-apple mixture. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Refrigerate until cold, then cover and keep refrigerated.)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake casserole uncovered until potato topping is crusty and chicken filling is heated through, about 35 minutes (about 45 minutes if refrigerated).

Ham and Peach Kebabs (for MartianIceQueen)

Not too many suggestions from Epicurious reviewers - but it sounds like you can skip the mustard (but why would you want to?!?) and that adding a little balsamic vinegar is yummy.

• 1/4 cup orange marmalade
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 8- to 10-ounce ham steak (1/2 inch thick), cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted, cut into 1 1/2-inch chunks

Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Whisk marmalade, oil, mustard and lemon juice in small bowl to blend. Alternate ham pieces and peach chunks on 4 metal skewers. Brush with marmalade glaze. Sprinkle with pepper. Grill until ham is slightly charred and fruit is softened, turning and brushing often with glaze, about 6 minutes.

Cumin-Crusted Lamb with Apricots (for MartianIceQueen)

These flavors and aromas transport me to Marrakesh, where our friend Latif, son of the late imam of the great mosque there, guided us through the bustling and mysterious spice markets. Here's how I've recaptured the memory: a boned leg of lamb is stuffed with intensely flavored dried apricots, high in beta-carotene and potassium, then rubbed with aromatic cumin. Buy your cumin from a Middle Eastern market or spice store for the most flavorful results.

7 pound leg of lamb, boned and butterflied by the butcher (net weight about 4 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup ground cumin
1/2 pound large good-quality dried apricots

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Remove all visible fat from the lamb.

In a small skillet, put cumin powder plus 2 teaspoons kosher salt. Heat over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until the aroma rises. Let cool.

Place apricots in a bowl. Pour boiling water over apricots to cover. Let sit for 15 minutes to plump. Drain thoroughly.

Open lamb and place on a work surface so that it remains flat. Sprinkle lamb with half the cumin-salt mixture and freshly ground black pepper.

Place drained apricots in a long, overlapping row, lengthwise down the center of the lamb. Roll lamb tightly around the apricot filling. Using heavy string, tie the roast at 1-inch intervals.

Rub roast with remaining cumin-salt mixture. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper.

Coat a large shallow roasting pan with nonstick vegetable spray. Place roast in pan. Roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until meat thermometer reads 135°F for medium-rare.

Remove roast from oven. Place on a large cutting board and let rest for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan bring 2 cups water to a boil. Pour off almost all the fat from the roasting pan and pour in the boiling water, scraping up browned bits. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into saucepan.

Carve lamb into thick slices. Add any juices from board to saucepan. Heat briefly, adding salt and pepper to taste. Pour over lamb.

Fettuccine with Figs, Rosemary & Pancetta (for MartianIceQueen)

Egg fettuccine, rather than regular durum pasta, makes all the difference in this dish. It's usually sold curled in nests or loose in trays.

Hugely popular & well-reviewed recipe at Epicurious. Suggestions/comments include: use more rosemary; add sundried tomatoes; go easy on salt - pancetta is very salty; good with spinach fettuccine; normal bacon works if you can't find pancetta; people used all sorts of different figs from fresh to dried & it all seemed good; add chopped baby arugula.

• 3 slices firm white sandwich bread
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 oz sliced pancetta, finely chopped
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, or to taste
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 3/4 lb firm-ripe fresh figs, trimmed and quartered lengthwise
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh parsley
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste
• 3/4 lb dried egg fettuccine

Accompaniment: freshly grated parmesan

Tear bread into pieces and pulse in a blender or food processor until reduced to coarse crumbs.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a deep 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then cook bread crumbs with salt and pepper to taste, stirring constantly, until golden brown and crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate to cool.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil in cleaned skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then cook pancetta, stirring, until golden brown and crisp. Transfer with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Add onion to skillet and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in wine and boil, stirring occasionally, until liquid is reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Remove from heat and stir in broth, figs, parsley, half of pancetta, and lemon juice.

Cook fettuccine in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta in a colander.

Add fettuccine to fig mixture with 1/4 cup reserved cooking water and salt and pepper to taste. Heat over low heat, tossing gently and adding more cooking water if mixture becomes dry, until just heated through.

Serve pasta topped with bread crumbs and remaining pancetta.

Pan-Grilled Sausages with Apples and Onions (for MartianIceQueen)

Extremely popular & well reviewed at Epicurious - might be the most popular dish I found today, actually. I'm definitely trying this myself. Comments/suggestions include: fresh sausage much better choice than pre-cooked; chicken sausage a good, healthier substitution; cut down on sweetness by halving the amount of apple cider & adding half a cup of chicken broth; serve with potato pancakes; good with chorizo sausage; add cabbage.

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 4 fully cooked sausages (13 ounces total)
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 1 medium-size tart apple, such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored, sliced
• 1 cup apple cider or apple juice
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in large skillet over medium heat. Add sausages and cook until beginning to brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Add onion and apple to sausages in pan; cook until onion and apple are tender and brown, stirring often, about 5 minutes. Add apple cider and chopped sage; increase heat to high and stir until liquid is slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Using slotted spoon, transfer onion and apple to 2 plates, dividing equally. Top with sausages. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons butter into cider mixture. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Drizzle over sausages and serve.

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples (for MartianIceQueen)

Okay, this recipe had eighty-one reviews!!! And the majority are decidedly positive - the extreme tenderness of the pork & ridiculous ease of this recipe seem to be the two big contributing factors. Comments/suggestions include: serve with red potatoes & double sauce for them to soak up; try non-grainy Dijon; fennel lovers added some - fennel haters reduced or cut out all together. All seemed happy; add white wine to sauce; use Calvados (apple brandy) instead of apple juice.

Oh, and this comment cracked me up, so I had to share. We need to make sure unpossible learns to cook this for ladies... "Holy rock my world Batman. I made this one my 1st anniversary with my GF, and served it up with nugget potatoes and green beans in butter. This has become my fave for Pork Tenderloin. Needless to say, guys, if you're looking to impress her, and enhance the *ahem* romance - then definately make this dish. The shaggability rating is off the charts!"

1 large pork tenderloin (about 14 ounces) 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1 large onion, sliced
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, sliced 1/4 inch thick

1/2 cup dry white wine or apple cider

Preheat oven to 450°F. Season pork with salt and pepper.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in large nonstick ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork and sear until all sides are brown, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes. Transfer pork to plate. Cool slightly. Spread mustard over top and sides of pork; press fennel seeds into mustard. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil to skillet. Add onion slices and apples; sauté over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes. Spread evenly in skillet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place pork atop apple-onion mixture.

Transfer skillet to oven and roast until apple-onion mixture is soft and brown and meat thermometer inserted into center of pork registers 150°F, about 15 minutes. Transfer pork to platter and tent with foil. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, pour white wine over apple-onion mixture in skillet. Stir mixture over high heat until slightly reduced, about 2 minutes. Cut pork on diagonal into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Spoon apple-onion mixture onto plates. Top with pork and serve.

Pork Loin with Apples, Prunes & Mustard Cream Sauce (for MartianIceQueen)

This dish, or some form thereof, can be found in most Scandinavian countries. The apples and prunes are usually stuffed inside the pork roast, but here we've put them in the sauce.

• 1 (4-lb) boneless pork loin roast, tied by butcher
• 1 3/4 teaspoons salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Granny Smith apples (3/4 lb total)
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup packed dried pitted prunes (sometimes called dried plums; 4 1/2 oz), quartered
• 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth (12 oz)
• 3/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons coarse-grain mustard
• 1/2 cup dry white wine

Special equipment: an instant-read thermometer

Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat oven to 375°F.

Halve pork loin crosswise, then pat dry and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and 3/4 teaspoon pepper (total). Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then brown pork, 1 piece at a time, turning occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes per piece. Transfer to a small flameproof roasting pan as browned (do not clean skillet) and roast pork until thermometer inserted diagonally at least 2 inches into meat registers 150°F, 40 to 50 minutes.

While pork roasts, peel, quarter, and core apples, then cut into 1/4-inch-thick wedges. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet, then cook onion in skillet over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add apples, prunes, broth, and water and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until apples are tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in cream and mustard and simmer until sauce is slightly thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and keep sauce warm, partially covered.

Transfer pork to a cutting board and let stand 10 minutes. Add wine to roasting pan and boil over high heat, stirring and scraping up brown bits, until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir pan juices into cream sauce along with remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt and remaining 3/4 teaspoon pepper and heat sauce over moderate heat, stirring, until hot.

Discard string from pork and cut each half crosswise into 4 slices. Serve pork with sauce.

Grilled MahiMahi with Pineapple Sambal (for MartianIceQueen)

In Indonesia, the term sambal encompasses a wide range of condiments and side dishes. Our version gets its sweet and spicy flavor from pineapple and chiles.

Another well-reviewed & popular recipe (would I choose anything else for our recipe blog?!?) Some suggestions/comments: add corn; canned pineapple is fine instead of fresh; add a dash of curry powder; cook pineapple longer so it's tender & slightly carmelized.

• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 3 oz shallots, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise (2/3cup)
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 2 fresh Thai or serrano chiles (2 to 3 inches long), minced, including seeds
• 3/4 pineapple (preferably not labeled "super sweet"), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch cubes (4 cups)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
• 6 (1- to 1 1/2-inch-thick) pieces mahimahi fillet with skin (6 oz each)

Cook garlic and shallots in 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Add chiles and pineapple, then sauté over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, until pineapple is softened, 4 to 5 minutes. Add fish sauce, sugar, and salt and sauté sambal, stirring, 30 seconds. Cool to room temperature, then stir in cilantro.

While sambal is cooling, prepare grill for cooking. If using a charcoal grill, open vents on bottom of grill, then light charcoal. Charcoal fire is medium-hot when you can hold your hand 5 inches above rack for 3 to 4 seconds. If using a gas grill, preheat burners on high, covered, 10 minutes, then reduce heat to moderate.

Brush fish all over with remaining tablespoon oil, then season with salt. Grill, skin sides down, on lightly oiled grill rack, covered only if using gas grill, until skin is crisp, 4 to 5 minutes. Turn fish over and grill until just cooked through, 4 to 5 minutes more. Serve fish with sambal.

Cooks' notes:
• If you can only find pineapple labeled "super sweet," omit sugar in sambal.
• Sambal can be made, without cilantro, 4 hours ahead and kept chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature and stir in cilantro before serving.
• If you aren't able to grill outdoors, fish can be cooked in a well-seasoned large ridged grill pan (without crowding) over moderately high heat, skin sides down first, turning over once, until just cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes total.

Spiced Lamb Steaks with Poached Quince (for MartianIceQueen)

The combination of meat and fruit is common in Middle Eastern cuisine. If you aren't familiar with quinces, you might mistake them for hard, yellow apples. They are too tart to eat raw, but become fragrantly delicious (and a lovely shade of pink) when cooked with sugar.

Only had three reviews on Epicurious, so not too many suggestions or comments. But the three reviewers were unanimously thrilled with this & gave it highest marks. One reviewer did say that she tried it with pork tenderloin & it was delicious.

For quince and sauce
2 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 quince (about 10 oz), peeled, quartered, cored, and cut into 1/2-inch pieces

For lamb
2 (3/4-inch-thick) bone-in lamb steaks from leg (1 1/2 lb total), trimmed of excess fat
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste

Poach quince
Bring water, sugar, and lemon juice to a simmer in a 2- to 2 1/2-quart saucepan, stirring until sugar is dissolved, then add quince. Cut out a round of parchment or wax paper to fit just inside saucepan and cover quince directly with parchment or wax paper. Simmer, gently stirring once or twice, until quince is tender, about 35 minutes. Drain quince in a sieve set over a bowl and reserve 1/2 cup syrup for sauce.

Cook lamb (10 minutes before quince is done simmering)
Pat lamb dry. Stir together salt, pepper, cumin, coriander, and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle spice mixture all over lamb. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking. Cook lamb 4 minutes, then turn over and cook 3 minutes more for medium-rare. Transfer lamb to a cutting board and let stand 5 minutes.

Make sauce while lamb stands
Reduce heat to moderate and add reserved quince syrup to skillet, then boil, scraping up any brown bits, until liquid is reduced by almost half, about 2 minutes. Transfer sauce to a gravy boat or small bowl and stir in lemon juice and salt to taste.

To serve
Thinly slice lamb and serve with quince and sauce.

Vietnamese Chicken & Pineapple Soup (for MartianIceQueen)

Kia Ly Dickinson of Miami, Florida (not a Hizzy member, but an Epicurious one!), writes: "This fragrant soup is so good you will be freaking out. It can be served hot or cold, with rice. The recipe is an ode to my homeland, Vietnam, and I'd like to share it with my new friends in America."

This recipe calls for fresh lemon verbena, but you can substitute 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass if lemon verbena is unavailable. Both ingredients are sold at specialty produce markets, but lemongrass is also sold at Asian markets and some supermarkets, so it may be easier to find. If using lemongrass, discard 1 or 2 outer leaves, then thinly slice lower 6 inches of stalk. Finely chop, then sauté along with chiles and garlic.

• 1 pineapple (preferably labeled "extra sweet"; about 3 1/2 lb)
• About 2 qt water
• 2 skinless boneless chicken breast halves (3/4 lb total)
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 4 (1-inch) fresh red Thai chiles*, minced, including seeds
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic
• 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce
• 1/2 lb fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded and caps thinly sliced
• 2 large tomatoes, chopped (2 cups)
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts (2 oz)
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
• 1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh lemon verbena
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Accompaniment: rice

Cut peel from pineapple in a thin layer and discard, then trim outer layer of pineapple, cutting just deep enough to remove eyes but allowing pineapple to remain intact, and transfer trimmings to a blender. Quarter pineapple lengthwise and cut out core, then coarsely chop core and transfer to blender. Purée with 2 cups water until smooth. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve into a 2-quart glass measure, pressing hard on solids (discard solids), then add enough water to measure 8 cups pineapple broth.

Cut remaining pineapple into 1/2-inch pieces and put in a bowl.

Place chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Gently pound chicken 1/4 inch thick with flat side of a meat pounder or with a rolling pin. Cut chicken across the grain into 1/4-inch-wide strips and transfer to a bowl, then chill, covered.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a 5- to 6-quart heavy pot over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chiles and 2 tablespoons garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add 1/4 cup fish sauce and boil until sauce is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. (Fish sauce will be extremely pungent when first added but will have a mild flavor in soup.) Add pineapple broth and bring to a boil. Stir in pineapple pieces, mushrooms, tomatoes, bean sprouts, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and return to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, 10 minutes. While soup simmers, heat remaining 2 tablespoons oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté remaining tablespoon garlic, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add remaining 2 tablespoons fish sauce and simmer until sauce is reduced by half, about 2 minutes.

Sprinkle chicken with remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper and add to garlic mixture, then sauté, stirring, until just cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Stir chicken into soup along with herbs and salt and simmer 1 minute.

Fig & Rosemary Pot Roast (for MartianIceQueen)

Bone-in cuts (like this pork loin roast) require a longer cooking time, but the payoff is big flavor and succulent meat. The meat closest to the bone is always the juiciest, and bone marrow enriches the sauce as the roast cooks. Market tip: You can use a center-cut pork loin roast (the most commonly available cut), but for more succulent meat, ask your butcher for a six-rib blade-end pork loin roast, which is fattier and a bit moister after braising. This cut isn't stocked by many markets, so be sure to order it in advance.

Not too many have reviewed this, but those that did say it's amazingly succulent & delicious. No changes were suggested, which is amazing at Epicurious!

2 cups dry white wine
1 8-ounce package dried Calimyrna figs, stemmed, halved lengthwise

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 6-rib blade-end or center-cut pork loin roast, chine bone removed, ribs cracked

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, peeled, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 14-ounce can low-salt chicken broth

1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 300°F. Bring wine and figs to boil in small saucepan. Remove from heat and let stand until figs soften, about 15 minutes. Drain figs, reserving wine and figs separately.

Meanwhile, heat oil in heavy large ovenproof pot over medium-high heat. Sprinkle pork with salt and pepper. Add pork to pot and cook until browned on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer pork to platter.

Add onion and carrot to same pot. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until onion is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes. Stir in rosemary and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add broth and reserved wine.

Return pork to pot, meat side down. Bring to boil. Cover and transfer to oven. Bake until thermometer inserted into center of roast registers 150°F, adding figs during last 10 minutes of roasting, about 1 1/2 hours.

Transfer pork to cutting board. Using slotted spoon, transfer figs to small bowl. Tent pork and figs with foil to keep warm. Spoon fat from surface of sauce. Bring sauce to boil. Stir butter and flour in medium bowl to blend. Whisk 1 cup sauce and mustard into butter mixture. Whisk mustard-butter mixture into sauce in pot. Boil sauce until thickened and slightly reduced, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Transfer pork to platter, surround with figs, and pour sauce over. Carve pork between rib bones.

Meldraw's Honey-Glazed Chicken Stir-Fry

This recipe has been brought to you by the Better Homes and Gardens cookbook, because Meldraw is not "slow" when it comes to cooking...she's "special."

• 12 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast halves or thighs
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 2 tablespoons vinegar
• 2 tablespoons orange juice
• 4 teaspoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
• 4 cups cut-up veggies (broccoli, sweet peppers, onions, squash, zucchini, WHATEVER)
• 2 cups hot cooked rice

1. Cut chicken into bite-size strips; set aside. For sauce, in a small bowl stir together honey, vinegar, orange juice, soy sauce, and cornstarch; set aside.
2. Pour oil into a wok or large skillet. (If necessary, add more oil during cooking.) Heat over medium-high heat. Add veggies to wok; cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes or until veggies are crisp-tender. Remove veggies from wok. Add chicken; cook and stir for 3 or 4 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Push chicken from the center of the wok. Stir sauce; add to center of the wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly.
3. Return cooked veggies to wok. Cook and stir about 1 minute more or until heated through. Serve over rice.

blue artemis' Mexican Rice

Good luck! I'm trying to recreate what I see when I cook this.

• Long Grain Rice (It has to be long grain.)
• tomatoes
• onion
• garlic (optional)
• chicken stock or bullion
• salt
• oil or lard

In the blender, put in 2 small tomatoes or 1 large one, about 1/4 to 1/2 an onion, (depends on size, and how much you like onion), and 2-3 garlic cloves if you want them. I like garlic in my rice. Set this aside. It is called recaudo.

Have either the chicken stock or some water at hand.

OK, for about 1 cup of rice, use a fairly deep frying pan or an all purpose type of pan.

Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil or lard. (I use oil. Mom says Mexican food needs lard. Choose your own grease, I say!)

Put the rice in, and stir fry it until it is starting to brown. Once that happens, pour in the tomato/onion mixture and stir that in.

Pour in the chicken stock almost to the top of the pan, leave about 1/2 inch from the top. Or, pour in the water to the same level, and add either 1 tsp of bullion or 2 bullion cubes. Add a little bit of salt. (You can taste the liquid so that the flavor is how you like it). Let it cook like that. Don't stir it, or the rice will break. Keep an eye on it, to make sure that it doesn't burn to the bottom. When all the liquid is absorbed and the rice is soft, it is done. If at any time, the rice is still hard, and there isn't enough liquid, you can add some.

WackieJackie's Chicken with Lime Ginger Sauce

When I made this I mis-read the recipe and put in two heads of garlic (yes I am an idiot). It still turned out good, if you like garlic. I like this recipe because clearly it cannot be ruined.

• 2 lbs boneless skinless chicken pieces
• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 3 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 tsp ginger root, grated
• salt and pepper (I used just a small sprinkle of each)

Mix together yogurt, lime juice, garlic, ginger, salt, and pepper.

Place chicken in a greased baking dish. Spoon yogurt mixture over chicken. Turn chicken pieces to coat both sides. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until no longer pink inside.

WackieJackie's Moroccan Oven Roasted Sesame Potatoes

I made these with deekay's Moroccan chicken, and they went great.

• 2 lbs potatoes, scrubbed (I used russets)
• 1 Tbsp harissa (I didn't know what this was or have time to find it, so I left it out, but I've recently learned that it a Moroccan chili paste which sounds excellent. They were good without it, but I'm excited to find the harissa and try them again)
• 2 Tbsps olive oil
• 1.5 Tbsp coarse sea salt (I used more - maybe 2.5 Tbsp)
• 1 Tbsp sesame seeds (I used more - probably 3 Tbsp)
• 1/2 a lemon

Preheat oven to 375F.

Peel the potatoes if you like, but as long as they are well scrubbed you can leave them on.

Cut potatoes into approximately 1" chunks.

Place chunks in a bowl, add harissa and toss until potatoes are evenly coated.

Add olive oil and toss again.

Sprinkle potatoes with salt and sesame seeds and toss again.

Spread foil on a large baking sheet and oil lightly.

Place seasoned potato chunks on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake potatoes at 375F for 30 minutes, then flip using a spatula and bake for 15 more minutes or until potatoes are tender and a deep golden color.

Squeeze lemon over potatoes and serve.

dandieandie's Artichoke-Parmesan Spread

I'm still diggin' for the Halloween/Thanksgiving-esque recipes, but in the meantime I stumbled upon this one.

• 1 cup mayo
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 cup soft bread crumbs (seasoned bread crumbs are extra yummy)
• 1/4 teaspoon worchestershire sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
• 2 14-oz cans artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• vegetable cooking spray

Combine first six ingredients, gently fold in artochokes, spoon into 1-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray, cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.