Trying to Stay a Little Healthy: Kale Chips

Potato chips are a food group unto themselves in our household.  Ridged, wavy, hand-cooked, kettle-cooked, Hawaiian, barbecue (usually known as bar-b-q) and fried with the skins on.  I especially love a combination of russet and blue potato with sweet potato chips.

But I’m trying… trying to limit my chip intake.  And I’ve discovered kale chips are a nice alternative.  First, they are actually roasted, not fried, so they are super easy to make at home.  Second, well, they are kale, which is packed with vitamins K, A and C plus iron, calcium, vitamin B6 and fiber – all the things I and, I suspect, you need this time of year.

I’ve never really excelled at cooking kale.  My mother often sautés it with tomato sauce and pepperoni, like her mother used to make, or parboiled potatoes.  But there is a real leatheriness to both of these dishes.  Kale chips, on the other hand, are like air… slightly nutty, crispy, almost-bitter air.  Plus they look gorgeously dark in a white or red bowl.  Somewhere between bottle green and obsidian black.

This recipe comes from Bon Appetit magazine and differs from other recipes I’ve read in its low cooking temperature.

12 large Tuscan kale leaves, rinsed, dried, cut lengthwise in half, center ribs and stems removed

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preheat oven to 250°F.  Toss kale with oil in large bowl.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Arrange leaves in single layer on 2 large baking sheets.  Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes for flat leaves and up to 33 minutes for wrinkled leaves.  Transfer leaves to rack to cool.

I follow the recipe as written except I let the kale leaves break into their natural ruffles, so they are bite-size like actual chips.  I use one tablespoon of oil per 6 leaves of kale.  Also, I have no idea how to fit all that kale in one bowl, so I toss it in two batches.  I’m pretty generous with the salt and pepper.

Now, I must stress that kale chips are great alternatives to steamed or sautéed kale or deep-fried potatoes but in no way capture the lovely, greasy decadence that is eating a bag of potato chips!  So don’t try and fool anyone.  But snack to your heart's content.

Roasted Asparagus

Asparagus is so wonderfully abundant and affordable right now.  I try to make some at least once a week.  Fresh, steamed asparagus is my favorite, but cooking it can go very wrong, very quickly.  So, I’ve developed this more-forgiving, roasted asparagus recipe for those evenings when I’m busy or just plain tired.

You need:

1 pound fresh asparagus
Extra virgin olive oil
Lemon or lime juice
And Mrs. Dash (we prefer the Original Blend)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Rinse asparagus spears and snap off the woody bottom of each asparagus.  You can peel the spears if you like, but I seldom do.

Place asparagus in a ceramic or glass baking dish.  Drizzle with olive oil (about 2 tablespoons) and juice (about 1 tablespoon).  I usually choose lime over lemon juice.  And finally sprinkle with Mrs. Dash (1.5-2 tablespoons).

Toss asparagus with herbs.  Bake for 10-15 minutes.  Tonight’s batch took 12 minutes.  Serve warm.  Or chill completely and serve as a salad over greens.  This slightly tangy asparagus is a natural accompaniment to salmon, pork or scrambled eggs.

Roasted asparagus with beer-braised pork and onions plus potato pierogies and a pint of beer.
Those are diced prunes sprinkled over the pork.  Yummy.

You could create your own herb mixture with the following dried herbs: basil, parsley, oregano, cumin, coriander, a dash of cayenne pepper, plus 1 clove garlic, minced, a little lemon zest, celery salt and ground black pepper, or… make a similar blend of fresh herbs.  Keep in mind, the ratio is usually 1 tablespoon fresh herbs for every 1 teaspoon of dried ones.  And 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

This recipe calls for almost 2 tablespoons or 6 teaspoons dried herbs = 6 tablespoons fresh herbs.

It sounds like a lot, but it just works out to about 1/3 cup of fresh herbs.

We’ve also used this recipe exactly to roast Brussels sprouts;

eliminated the juice to roast cauliflower;
and substituted orange juice and extended cooking time to roast baby carrots.
So why not parsnips, hearts of Romaine, slightly blanched green beans, or even something sweet, like under-ripe pears?  When working with these other vegetables, just make sure you divide them into somewhat equal pieces, so everything cooks evenly.  And experiment a little.  The possibilities are actually endless.

Horn and Hardart's Baked Macaroni and Cheese

New York Cookbook by Molly O’Neill is one of those cookbooks you can just pick up and read any time.  Chock full of historical and anecdotal information:
notes on New York’s culinary firsts,
descriptions of its seafood markets and window displays,
examples of different barbecue traditions,
a dictionary of “deli speak”,
lists of street fairs and neighborhood festivals
and explanations of what makes New York cuisine so New York,
it is a cookbook, travel guide and social history.  I’ve owned a copy since 1993.

New York Cookbook includes hundreds of recipes from all over the city.  Some are courtesy of professional chefs, renowned and not-so-well-known, and cosmopolitan, gastronomic institutions, like the “21” Club, Zabar’s, Le Cirque, Serendipity, The Four Seasons, Lord and Taylor and The Algonquin.  Plus there are recipes from folks you know… just not as cooks!...  Bill Blass’ Meatloaf, Bianca Jagger’s Salmon a la Basilique, Katharine Hepburn’s Brownies, Ed Bradley’s Shrimp Creole, Oscar de la Renta’s Pumpkin and Crab Soup and Robert Motherwell’s Brandade de Morue.

But most of the recipes have been contributed by folks just like you and me.  And they draw on the different immigrant, religious and cultural customs that make up New York and the American experience.

Horn and Hardart’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese is one of my favorites and comes directly from the celebrated Automat.  This recipe is incredibly easy and creates a beautifully creamy Mac and Cheese.  It reads as follows:

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
1 teaspoon salt
Dash of freshly ground white pepper
Dash of cayenne pepper
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
½ pound elbow macaroni, fully cooked and drained
½ cup canned tomatoes, drained and chopped
1 teaspoon sugar

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease a 2-quart baking dish.

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat.  Whisk in the flour, then add the milk, salt and both peppers.  Stir almost constantly until the mixture thickens and is smooth, 8 to 10 minutes.  Add the cheese and cook, stirring until it melts.  Remove from the heat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the macaroni and the sauce.  Stir in the tomatoes and sugar.  Transfer the macaroni mixture to the greased baking dish.  Bake until the surface browns, 30 to 40 minutes.

Serves 4 to 6

Stirring the milk and butter sauce before I add the shredded cheese.

So, here’s the deal… I don’t add the tomatoes.  I prefer my vegetables on the side.  And because I don’t add the tomatoes, I don’t add the sugar.  And I don’t need a separate bowl to mix the sauce and the pasta.  So, once I’ve drained the pasta, I just mix it right into the pot of melted cheese sauce.

Usually I’ll use elbow or medium shell noodles.  This time I used Barilla’s Piccolini Mini Rotelles.  Just because I thought they looked cute.  Horn and Hardart’s Baked Macaroni and Cheese is a great winter lunch and keeps well if you want to make it ahead and reheat portions in the oven or microwave.

I never visited a Horn and Hardart Automat, except for the one on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C.  Joe Horn and Frank Hardart opened the first American Automat in 1902, in Philadelphia, not New York.  But the business eventually grew to 85 restaurants between the two cities.

Horn and Hardart coaster in the New York Historical Society's collection

Automats were hugely popular during the first half of the 20^th century.  They were “waiterless” cafeterias that served home-style diner food out of huge vending machines, essentially “fast food” before burgers and fries and drive-thrus.  In addition to Macaroni and Cheese, Horn and Hardart was famous for their chicken potpie, Salisbury steak, fruit and cream pies, and of course, puddings.  The New York Cookbook includes a recipe for Horn and Hardart’s Baked Beans as well.

Green Beans in Brown Butter

It’s countdown to Thanksgiving Day, and of course, the Thanksgiving meal.  Thanksgiving can be stressful for all of us, no matter what our role in the festivities: cook or carver, host or guest, traveler or welcome committee.  And I think part of that stress is due to expectations and so-called traditions, especially involving what should be served for dinner.

Pumpkins pretty enough for your Thanksgiving table

My honest feeling is that you should make what you like to eat and what you feel confident preparing.  I’ve been known to make salmon fillets or pork tenderloin.  We’ve eaten pasta with turkey breast.  One year I served chicken and potatoes as the main course and Grillswiths for dessert.  I’ve never cooked a whole stuffed turkey, and I bet I never will.  Besides, my favorite dishes at most meals are the sides.

I adore green beans.  Stir-fried, sautéed, tossed in salads or pickled in a sweet brine.  But I hate the green bean casserole lots of folks serve on Thanksgiving.  So I asked Chef Francesco Benincasa if he would share his Green Beans in Brown Butter recipe.  It reads as follows:

Steam green beans to desired doneness… a shorter time if you prefer crunchier; a longer time if you prefer softer.

Take butter solid and place in a saucepan (not non-stick) until butter solid turns brown.  This usually takes 10-15 minutes on medium heat, depending on how much butter you use.

Strain butter only if butter solids turn black (as opposed to brown).  The brown bits are tasty -- black ones are bitter.

Toss steamed green beans in brown butter and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste.

Our friends Francesco (“Franky”) and Meredith co-own the Sheridan Livery Inn and Restaurant with his parents.  It is housed in a 19^th-century stable and carriage livery, in downtown Lexington, Virginia, within walking distance to the very picturesque campuses of Washington and Lee University and VMI.  The Livery is a huge place and includes twelve guest rooms, a full-service restaurant, outdoor dining areas and two banquet rooms.

View from Sheridan Livery dining room

Francesco is the head chef, and he cooks up a huge spread for Thanksgiving.

Sheridan Livery Thanksgiving Buffet

November 24, 2011

Soup & Salad

Butternut Squash Soup

Sheridan Mixed Greens Salad

Pasta Salad

Fruit Salad

 Carving Station

Prime Rib with Horseradish Sauce

Roasted Turkey with Gravy

Buffet Table

Pick and Peel Shrimp

Roasted Pork Loin

Baked Salmon with Olive Tapenade

Green Beans in Brown Butter

Sweet Potato Mash

Mashed Potatoes

Macaroni & Cheese

Bacon, Onion, and Rosemary Stuffing

Cranberry Relish

Dinner Rolls and Butter

Dessert Station

Assorted Cakes and Cookies

So, you can make the Green Beans in Brown Butter for yourself.  Or just let Francesco do it for you.  The Livery is open from 11:00 am until 3:00 pm on Thanksgiving Day; reservations are a must!

Confetti Mashed Potatoes

Lately, I’ve had several requests for my Confetti Mashed Potatoes recipe.  So… here it is.  I hope it lives up to everyone’s expectations!  I created this very simple recipe from several more complicated dishes.  It’s basically mashed potatoes with some healthy bits, and you can make as much or as little as you want.

You need equal amounts of potatoes and sweet potatoes and a little less than half their amount in carrots.  Usually I start with about 3 lbs each of potatoes and sweet potatoes and 1¼ lbs carrots for 6-8 large servings.  Peel the sweet potatoes and carrots but not the potatoes.  I like red-skinned potatoes for extra color.  But Walter’s sister brought us these beautiful “German Butterball” potatoes from her and her husband’s garden up in northern Minnesota.  They have golden yellow flesh and hardly any skin.  And they look really lovely in the mix.

Cut all the root vegetables into somewhat equal pieces.  They can be big chunks.  I only use the fat ends of the carrots and save the skinny ends for another meal.

Put all the vegetables in a large stockpot, salt and cover with cold water.  Bring to a boil.  Lower heat and simmer until the vegetables are just tender.

Drain.

I usually return the vegetables to the stockpot to mash in batches.  I prefer chunky potatoes, so I mash by hand.  If you like whipped potatoes, then use an electric mixer after you have mashed by hand.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter per pound of vegetables.  Salt and pepper to taste.  I add cream-style horseradish to taste as well.  But you could use fresh horseradish, fresh ginger, roasted garlic, fresh chives, apple or orange pulp, crumbled bacon or even dried cranberries to taste… whatever you like to flavor your potatoes.

You can also use buttermilk in place of the butter.  This size recipe – 7¼ - 8 lbs of vegetables – would need about ¾ cup of buttermilk.  I suppose the buttermilk is less fatty than butter.  The only downside: the buttermilk often separates later, so refrigerated leftovers look watery.  No problem.  Just stir everything together and reheat.

That’s it.  Yummy comfort food.  Last night I served Confetti Mashed Potatoes with leftover salmon fillet and steamed broccoli.  Very pretty and pretty healthy.

This is still a starchy dish, but potatoes, especially with their skins, are high in potassium, vitamin C and fiber.  Both sweet potatoes and carrots are high in vitamin A, beta-carotene and fiber.  Plus sweet potatoes have a good amount of vitamins B5 and B6, and cooked carrots have potassium and vitamin K.  So you don’t have to feel as guilty when you have a heaping serving!