Sheet-pan Baked Feta with Vegetables

I made this this past holiday season with the last of my garden tomatoes and thought it one of the most beautiful dishes I've cooked; tastes great, too.

On it's way to the oven

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Sheet-pan Baked Feta with Vegetables

Adapted from:  NY Times Cooking
Serves: 4, as a main dish; more if a starter

1 bunch broccolini, trimmed and thick stalks split lengthwise or cut in chunks or broccoli, cut into bitesize pieces
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved (about 2 c)
1 small red onion, peeled and cut into thin slices 
3 cloves garlic, peeled and halved, optional
3 T olive oil, plus more for serving
1 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas red pepper flakes, or to taste
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 lemon, zested and cut in two, one half for squeezing and one for serving wedges 
2 (6- to 8-oz) blocks feta, cut into slices, half inch to an inch thick or vertically into strips
1/2 c fresh basil leaves or cilantro leaves and tender stems, roughly chopped (optional)

Set your oven rack in the lower third and preheat the oven to 400F. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, and onion wedges on a sheet pan and drizzle with the olive oil; toss. Sprinkle with the cumin and red-pepper flakes, and some salt and pepper, and toss once more. Place in the oven and cook for 5 minutes. Pull the baking sheet out and add the broccolini and lemon zest. Squeeze one half of the lemon over all and toss to combine. Place the feta slices among the vegetables. It's all right if they break up a bit (at least one NY Times commenter prefers crumbling the feta into good sized chunks).

Place in the oven and cook for 15-20 minutes, stopping half way through to stir as well as you can while avoiding disturbing the feta. Cook until the broccolini is charred at the tips and the stems can be pierced easily. The tomatoes should break down a bit and their skin should blister.

Remove from the oven; drizzle with more olive oil. Top with herbs, if using. This can be served as is with crusty bread or over orzo, pearl couscous, or farro. Pass remaining lemon wedges.

Notes:

At my altitude (nearly 5000 feet, I had to cook this longer than the suggested time.

If you go to the NY Times Cooking website and peruse the comments, you'll find that this recipe is quite versatile. Home cooks have employed a grill for roasting, have used different seasonings (Italian herbs, for example), and have added other vegetables, including corn, red peppers, summer squash, potatoes and/or olives. There are suggestions for marinated tofu or a different cheese, such as halloumi. Commenters have added chicken thighs (cooked for 35 minutes before adding the rest of the ingredients), sausage, and shrimp (added late so they don't overcook). And some have added canned (and drained) beans. 

Slow-cooker Salmon with Peppers, Onions, and Charmoula

Using a slow-cooker to cook salmon may seem strange especially since it only cooks for an hour. But during a hot summer it is nice to heat up only that small space.

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Slow-cooker Salmon with Peppers, Onions, and Charmoula

Source:  Mediterranean Slow Cooker by Michele Scicolone
Serves: 6

Charmoula is a green, herb based sauce served with fish, meat, or vegetables in several countries in the north of Africa.


For the salmon:

1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 large bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
1 large yellow bell pepper, cut into narrow strips
salt and freshly ground pepper
1 thick salmon fillet (about 2 pounds) cut into 6 serving pieces
1/2 c water

For charmoula sauce:

1/2 c fresh cilantro
1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped
1 teas ground cumin
1/2 teas paprika
1/3 c olive oil
2-3 T fresh lemon juice

Drop the onion and peppers into the bottom of the insert of a slow-cooker. Spread the pieces of salmon over the top and pour the water over all. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place the insert in the slow-cooker, cover with the lid, and cook on high for an hour. Test the fish by cutting into the thickest part. If it is just barely translucent it will be done.

In the meantime, place the cilantro, clove, cumin, paprika and salt to taste into a food processor or blender and process until chopped finely. Add the oil and lemon juice and process until emulsified. Taste for seasoning and add salt if necessary.

Serve the salmon on top of the vegetables and pass the charmoula for drizzling over the fish.

Note:

I am sure you could increase the amount of vegetables if you prefer. I wouldn't increase the water, though.

Skillet Macaroni and Cheese

Although we already have a good mac and cheese recipe in our collection, I'm going to include this one, too. I like the idea of an almost one pan meal (depends on if you want to count supplementary bowls) and I like that this cooks on the stove-top.

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Skillet Macaroni and Cheese                     

Source:  Cook's Country Magazine

Serves: 4-6

2 T unsalted butter

2 slices sandwich bread pulsed in food processor until coarsely ground to equal 2 c crumbs

salt and pepper

3 3/4 c water, plus more if needed

1 (12-oz) can evaporated milk, divided

3 c elbow macaroni

1 teas cornstarch

2  teas hot sauce, or to taste

3 c shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese

In a 12-inch skillet melt butter over medium-high and add bread crumbs, 1/4 teas salt and 1/4 teas pepper. Cook and stir frequently until the crumbs are deep golden brown. Move to a bowl and let rest.

Wipe out the skillet with a paper towel. Replace on stove at medium-high heat. To the skillet add the water, 1 1/4 c of the evaporated milk, and 1/2 teas salt and bring it to a simmer. Add the macaroni, stir. Cook until macaroni is al dente remembering to stir often. 

In a small bowl mix the cornstarch with the remaining evaporated milk and stir in the hot sauce. Stir this mix into the skillet and continue to simmer until the sauce has thickened slightly, about a minute. Remove from heat and stir the cheeses in, one handful at a time, adding water if needed to adjust the thickness of the sauce. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and serve.

Note:

Because of all the cheese, I believe the amounts of salt called for in cooking may be reduced somewhat.

Also, you could tempt fate and use salted butter on the bread crumbs which would save a step. 

This was plenty cheesy for me, but I realized I used extra sharp cheese which is stronger in flavor. It will be fine if you use what is called for. 

Maple Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

This meal feels seasonal to me; it's substantial and comforting food for those places that are still having some winter weather. 

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Maple Pork Chops and Sweet Potatoes with Bacon

Source:  Simple Weeknight Favorites from America's Test Kitchen

Serves 4

1 1/4 pds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4 inch chunks

6 slices bacon, chopped

4 (8 oz) bone-in pork rib chops, 1 inch thick, trimmed

salt and pepper

2 teas fresh thyme or 1 teas dried

1/2 c maple syrup

1 T cider vinegar

2 teas Dijon mustard

Place the sweet potatoes a large microwave safe bowl, cover, and cook in the microwave until tender but not falling apart; they'll have some additional cooking time. Meanwhile, in a 12-inch nonstick skillet on medium to medium-high heat cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside. Pour the bacon fat into a small bowl--you'll use some in the following steps.

To keep the chops from buckling, make shallow slices through the fat on the edges of the pork chops; 2-3 cuts should probably be sufficient. Pat them dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides. Replace about 1 tablespoon bacon fat into the skillet and heat over medium-high heat until it begins to smoke. Add the chops and allow to cook until browned about 4 minutes each side. According to the USDA the chops should reach an internal temperature of 145F. Remove the chops from the skillet and place on a plate; tent foil loosely over them while you proceed.

Add another tablespoon bacon fat and the sweet potatoes to the skillet; cook and stir occasionally until they are browned. Stir in thyme and reserved bacon and sprinkle with salt and pepper and taste for seasoning. Add salt and pepper if needed. Place in a bowl for serving. Cover to retain the heat.

Reduce the heat to medium. In the empty skillet, add maple syrup, vinegar, and mustard and cook until thickened. Add the chops back to the skillet and pour in accumulated juices. Let the chops simmer while you turn them. When coated by the glaze serve the chops with the sweet potatoes.

Chicken, Chard, and Carrots, a One Pan Meal

I first tried this recipe in the spring when I had a bunch of chard in the garden and I was happy to find a way to use it. The dish turned out to taste richly garlicky and meaty. It is convenient, too, since the vegetables are included.

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Chicken, Chard, and Carrots, a One Pan Meal

Adapted from Cook It in Cast Iron: Kitchen-tested Recipes for the One Pan That Does It All from America's Test Kitchen's Cook's Country

Serves:  4-6

Note: Although I am enthusiastic about this recipe, I find it heavy on the meat and light on the vegetables, especially the chard. The book indicates it serves four, meaning that each diner will eat two thighs. If you'd like to increase the vegetables, do so, although more chard will be look like it won't fit into the skillet (give it time to cook down). For my tastes, I think I'll increase the vegetables but reduce the amount of chicken pieces by two.


8 5-7 oz bone-in chicken thighs, trimmed but not skinned
1 T vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped finely
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 T minced fresh thyme or 1 teas dried
2 anchovy fillets, rinsed and minced (don't skip this recipe if you don't have this)
2 T flour
1 c chicken broth
1 pd carrots, peeled and halved crosswise, or into thirds and quarter the thick ends
1 1/2 pds Swiss chard, (or more if your family likes veggies) stemmed and halved and cut into 1 inch strips
3 T whole-grain mustard
1 T butter, melted
1 teas grated lemon zest plus 2 teas lemon juice

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Place a 12-inch cast iron skillet (any oven-safe skillet will work) on stove top over medium-high heat and allow to heat for 5 minutes. Add the oil and let heat until it is beginning to smoke. Brown the chicken in batches, making sure the skin is dark brown. Transfer chicken to a plate or tray while you continue.

Preheat the oven to 335F.

Pour off most of the oil; leave about 1 T in the skillet. Add the onions and cook until softened. Add the garlic, thyme, and anchovies and cook briefly (half a minute will do). Add the flour and cook for a minute, stirring. Gradually add the broth, making sure to scrape up the fond on the bottom of the skillet. Make sure there are no lumps of flour. Add the carrots and bring to a simmer.

Place the chicken, skin side up, on top of the carrots. The skin should be above the level of the liquid. Pour over the chicken any juices that accumulated while set aside. Transfer to the oven and cook until about 165F or until the meat offers little resistance when poked with a tip of a knife but isn't falling off the bones. At this temperature it took about 45 minutes in my oven. (The original recipe calls for a 325F oven and says it will take 60-75 minutes). I advise checking the chicken with a thermometer at the 45 minute point. Keep cooking if it isn't at 165 degrees.

While the chicken is braising, clean and prepare the chard. Mix together the mustard, butter and lemon zest and juice in a small bowl.

Remove the skillet from the oven. Keep one pot-holder resting on the handle even when you aren't holding it so you don't forget and grab the hot handle. Remove the chicken to a platter and cover lightly with foil (tightly would make the skin steam and get flabby). Place the skillet back on the stove top and stir in the chard handful by handful. You'll think it won't fit but pile it on and stir after each addition. Place a lid over the skillet if you have one. This will cook down fairly quickly but I advise you remove it from heat as soon as the chard wilts; it will continue to cook while you add the final ingredients. Stir in the mustard mixture. Either place vegetables and chicken on a platter, or dish up into shallow bowls and serve. If you think you will have left overs, you may want to remove the food from the hot cast iron so the chard won't become over cooked.

I found this to provide quite a bit of "gravy" so recommend serving in a bowl. Serve with bread to sop up this delicious sauce.