Leftovers schmeftovers

We don't get a lot of leftovers in this house. This is partly because however much I cook, it seems that the vast majority of it gets scarfed by those growing children who never seem to be sated. It is also because anything that IS leftover doesn't need repurposing, because it generally gets poured straight into a thermos for lunch boxes the following day - a necessity when you have children who are suspicious of sandwiches (seriously?!)

However, I was left with a big tub full of roasted turkey after Thanksgiving which gave me the chance to experience the leftover repurposing phenomenon for myself. And I'm kind of glad I gave this recipe a try, as it was truly delicious, so delicious in fact that I plan on doing it again using a rotisserie chicken, rather than waiting for leftovers to arise (which might be a long time in this house). I doubled the recipe below and it easily served all of us with enough remaining to fill those three thermos flasks today.

Turkey/chicken and Rice Soup with Lemon and Ginger
adapted from Cooking Light magazine
Serves 4

1 TBSP canola oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2 TBSP finely grated fresh ginger root
1 TBSP white miso paste (you can find this in Asian markets)
8 oz sliced brown mushrooms
4 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken, or leftover roasted turkey
3 cups chopped bok choy
1 can baby corn, drained and chopped
1 (8.5oz) package of precooked brown rice
2 TBSP soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 TBSP grated lemon rind
2 TBSP fresh lemon juice

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until softening. Add ginger and miso paste and sauté for a further 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to cook for 3 minutes until mushrooms start to release their liquid.
2. Add stock, chicken/turkey and bok choy and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 8 minutes.
3. While soup simmers, prepare rice in microwave according to directions. Stir rice, baby corn, soy sauce, salt and pepper into soup, and cook for another 4 minutes until bok choy is tender.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lemon rind and juice before serving.

It's what's for dinner!

Aaaah, beef! I used to think that the only thing preventing me from becoming vegetarian was bacon, but as I have aged (yes, I know it doesn't look like I have, but really I have), I have grown more and more fond of meat. And particularly meat cooked long and low in the oven or slow-cooker so it is meltingly tender. This recipe is an example of just the kind of stew that goes down well in the Farrar house at this time of year. And if the idea of a beef stew doesn't float your tastebuds' boat, then how about a stew cooked in a large quantity of beer.... Mmmmmmmm! Satisfying both the carnivore and the beer-lover in one fell swoop!

This recipe comes from one of those random post-it notes I found at the bottom of my 'Must-Cook-This' file. I have no idea where it came from. But I'm keeping it.

Beef and Ale Hotpot
Serves 6

olive oil
2lbs lean braising beef, cubed
1 large onion, chopped
3 TBSP flour
500ml/17 fluid oz brown ale (I used 'Arrogant Bastard', because, well, I like the name!)
4 tsp wholegrain mustard
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP tomato paste/puree
salt and pepper
400 ml/3/4 pt beef stock
14oz celeriac (celery root), peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/4lb baking potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 oz melted butter

1. Brown beef and onion with olive oil in a large skillet.
2. Add flour, stir to coat meat and onions, and then add in beer, mustard, sugar, tomato paste and season with salt and pepper.
3. Bring to the boil, then add stock and return to boil.
4. Pour into slow cooker.
5. Arrange celeriac slices overlapping over the top of the beef mixture, then the potatoes over the top of that. Brush with melted butter.
6. Cook on high for 5-6 hours.

Heralding the coming of winter

It's getting dark around 5pm, we just turned the heating on, and this morning there was this weird wet stuff falling from the sky. Yep, winter has arrived. I know I can't complain, since the East of the country is languishing under feet of the white stuff, which is wet and cold. Nevertheless, even in California, our diet changes somewhat with the seasons, even if the change in the seasons isn't quite as drastic. It is at this time of year that I crave bowls of steaming stew and soup, and my slow cooker comes into its own. This week has been no exception, with a couple of great new recipes filling the Farrar bowls.

This one is a recipe which came originally from Skinnytaste, but I modified it a little since it wasn't as rich and spicy as I wanted it (spicy as in flavorful, rather than hot!). And I added extra vegetables, since I wanted it to be a complete meal in a bowl, with no sides required. Other than that, I stayed true to the original. It even made enough to feed my evidently starving family. So go put on a sweater, load up the crockpot, and then languish under a duvet while it bubbles away...or do a full day's work, the choice is yours :-)

Moroccan-style Turkey and Chickpea Stew
Serves 6

1 1/4lbs ground turkey
olive oil
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 poblano/pasilla pepper, finely chopped
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
28 oz can petite diced tomatoes
2 cups chicken broth
2 tsp ground turmeric
3 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground coriander
2 bay leaves
3/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
2 tsp coarse sea salt
2 cans chickpeas/garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups chopped chard or spinach.
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
couscous to serve

1. In a large skillet, brown the ground turkey in some olive oil, breaking it up as you cook. Put the meat into the slow cooker stoneware.
2. Add more olive oil to the skillet if necessary and sauté the onions, garlic, carrots and celery together until softened (about 8 minutes).
3. Transfer to the slow cooker, and add the tomatoes, broth, spices and chickpeas.
4. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
5. 15 minutes before serving, stir in the spinach or chard.
6. Just before serving, stir in the fresh parsley. Serve over couscous with mint sprinkled over the top.

Sweet sides

I have often waxed (un)lyrical about how hard I find it to put on a traditional roast dinner. The knowledge that I'm British, and therefore should be able to rustle up a hearty table full of roast beef and all the trimmings without breaking a sweat or a whimper, only serves to reinforce the depth of my shame. Sigh. Occasionally though, I have my moments, and usually they are moments resulting from the discovery of some nifty shortcuts. One such shortcut is the possibility of roasting a chicken in the slow-cooker. That was an eye-opener. And don't get me wrong, I am also not averse to the odd purchase of one of those ready-roasted rotisserie chickens from the supermarket. With either of these options, all I need worry about is the sides, the trimmings for my roast dinner. And there is no point to a roast without the trimmings. They are often my favorite bits.

The two recipes below are awesome in the trimming department, mainly because any prep is done in advance, is reasonably limited, and then the cooking is done last minute in the oven, so there is no standing over a hot stove, wielding of basting brushes etc. You will notice that they can't easily be cooked simultaneously, since the cabbage cooks at a low temperature. However, the cabbage is very accommodating, and can easily be cooked in advance, and then left on a stove-top with the lid on to stay hot while the squash cooks, or simply reheated in fact. Both are dishes packed with great fall and winter flavors.

Braised Red Cabbage with Apples
from Delia Smith's Complete Cookery Course
Serves 8 as a side

2lb red cabbage, finely shredded
1 lb onions, finely chopped
1 lb sharp apples (e.g. Granny Smiths), peeled, cored and chopped small
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 whole nutmeg, grated
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
3 TBSP brown sugar
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1/2 oz salted butter
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2.  In a large bowl, mix together the onions and apples with the spices and sugar.
3. In a large dutch oven or lidded casserole dish, place a layer of shredded cabbage, seasoned with salt and pepper. Cover this with a layer of the onion/apple mixture. Continue alternating these layers until all the ingredients are in the dish.
4. Sprinkle over the wine vinegar and dot the butter over the top.
5. Put the lid on and cook in the oven for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, stirring once or twice during the cooking time.

Roasted Delicata Squash with Onions and Bacon
adapted from EatingWell
Serves 6 as a side

2lbs delicate squash
1 large red onion, sliced
2 TBSP olive oil
4 oz pancetta/bacon, in small cubes
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped
1 TBSP maple syrup
1 TBSP Dijon mustard

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
2. Cut squash in half lengthwise (do NOT peel), and scoop out the seeds. Cut squash into 1/2" thick slices. Toss with the onion, 1 TBSP oil and salt, and spread onto a large baking sheet in an even layer.
3. Roast until tender and starting to brown (about 30 minutes), stirring once during cooking time.
4. In the meantime, sauté the pancetta until crisp and brown.
5. Combine remaining 1 TBSP oil, rosemary, syrup and mustard in a small bowl.
6. Toss together the vegetables, dressing and bacon/pancetta and serve hot or warm.

Eat your heart out, Simon and Garfunkel

As I was cooking the other day, and chopping up deliciously copious quantities of fresh herbs, it occurred to me that there was, on my chopping board, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. Of course, that meant that I started humming Scarborough Fair to myself, and then couldn't stop. And now, writing about it, I can feel the section of my brain dedicated to long lost song tunes and lyrics (which is a large section, from what I can surmise) starting to kick into gear again. When you're wandering around the house, or trying to focus on who is trying to kill whom in the latest episode of Scandal, or trying to get to sleep, you can thank me profusely, as you gently hum.... all together now: "Are you going to Scarborough Fair? Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme...."

Seriously, there is nothing I like more than dishes containing a large selection of fresh herbs, and this is no exception. It is the first recipe I have tried from Martha Stewart's new book "One Pot". Don't worry, I am not going to go all Martha and start converting the spare bedroom into a gift-wrapping area, or making crafty gifts from old toilet rolls. Neither will any part of my house EVER look like ANYTHING seen in the pages of any of her magazines, (particularly Real Simple... I mean honestly, who can keep that tidy???). However, her recipes do often hit that spot, and this one certainly did. It isn't one for a quick crikey-I've-only-got-twenty-minutes-to-get-dinner-on-the-table weeknight, but it is worth the additional effort for day when you have a bit more time. Whilst it does claim to be a one-pot meal, if I didn't offer my boys some form of carbohydrate (and breadcrumbs do NOT count), then they would claim imminent starvation), so I served this with some Israeli couscous (also called pearl couscous), which I cooked, and then stirred in some shredded spinach, to up the veggie quotient.

Chicken, Sausage and White Bean Casserole
Serves 8

1 1/2 cups coarse fresh breadcrumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
3 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1 TBSP + 1 tsp chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 tsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tsp thinly sliced fresh sage leaves
salt and pepper
4 oz pancetta (or chopped bacon)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1" cubes (about 1 lb total)
1 1/2 lbs sweet Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 cup low sodium chicken broth

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Combine breadcrumbs, cheese, 1 TBSP each parsley and thyme, 1 tsp rosemary and 1/2 tsp sage, and season with salt and pepper.
3. In a dutch oven, cook bacon/pancetta over medium heat with some oil spray until crisp. Transfer to paper towels to soak up some of fat.
4. Add chicken to pot and cook until browned (about 6 minutes). Transfer to a plate. Add sausage and cook, stirring to break it up, until browned (about 5 minutes). Transfer to the plate with the chicken.
5. If you have a lot of fat in your dutch oven at this point, drain all of it except for about 2 TBSP. Add garlic and onion and cook, stirring, until softened. Add wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.
6. Stir in chicken, sausage, beans, tomatoes and broth, plus remaining 2 TBSP parsley, 1 tsp each rosemary and thyme and 1/2 tsp sage. Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.
7. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the top. Cover and bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until bubbling. Uncover and continue to bake for a further 10 minutes until golden brown. Sprinkle pancetta/bacon over the top and serve.

Salad days aren't over yet!

This time of year is confusing for us here in California: the evenings and mornings are chilly, but it can still reach into the 70s during the afternoon; you can get pretty sweaty running around outside or walking the dog in shirt sleeves, but the stores are full of winter sweaters or even ski gear. As for the supermarkets, they are full of root vegetables and squash and other such fall delights, and, alarmingly, some of them are already stocking eggnog and candy canes. Confusing indeed.

So, in order to embrace this season of mixed messages, here are two salad recipes - both of which are salady and cool enough to satisfy anyone still reeling from a warm afternoon and not up to sitting in front of a steaming bowl of wintery stew, but which also use classic fall ingredients, and therefore hark of the season to come.

Chicken, Pomegranate and Roasted Squash Salad
Serves  4

1/2 cup roasted pumpkin seeds
4oz crumbled soft goat cheese
5 cups baby spinach leaves
5 cups arugula (rocket) leaves
1 butternut squash, peeled, and cubed
oil spray
1 whole roasted chicken, stripped and shredded (you won't need the whole thing)
4 baby turnips, peeled and cut into thin strips (julienned)
1/2 cup pomegranate arils

Dressing:
2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBSP pomegranate vinegar
1/3 cup canola oil
salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put the butternut squash in a large rimmed baking tray sprayed with oil spray, spray the squash well with more oil spray, and season with salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 40 minutes until soft and turning brown on the edges. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
2. Make the dressing by combining the ingredients in a leak-proof jar and shaking to combine.
3. Toss the leaves, cooled squash, chicken and turnip to combine. Pour over dressing and toss to coat.
4. Sprinkle goat cheese, pomegranate arils and pumpkin seeds over the top.

Kale, Hazelnut and Squash Salad
from Martha Stewart
Serves 6 as a side

1lb (about 4 cups) of cubed butternut squash
6 TBSP olive oil
salt and pepper
4 large shallots, peeled and thinly sliced
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 bunches of lacinato kale (the curly leaved kale)
4 oz crumbled soft goat cheese
1/3 cup toasted hazelnuts, roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Toss the butternut squash with 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil and salt and pepper on a rimmed baking sheet and then bake in the oven until soft and starting to brown (about 40 minutes). Set aside to cool.
2. Toss the sliced shallots on a separate baking sheet with another 1 1/2 TBSP olive oil, salt and pepper, and roast in the oven for 30 minutes (you may need to toss them in the middle of the cooking time). By this point, they will be golden brown and soft. Set aside to cool.
3. An hour before you want to eat, prepare the kale. Cut the long central spine out of each of the leaves, and then cut the remaining leaves into thin strips and put into a large bowl. Combine the lemon juice and remaining 3 TBSP olive oil with a whisk and pour over the kale. Use your hands to rub the dressing into the kale so that all the leaves are coated. You will feel the leaves start to tenderize. Cover the bowl and leave for at least 30 minutes, and up to one hour.
4. Toss the cheese, nuts, roasted squash and shallots with the kale and serve.

Pumpkin, how do I love thee..

...let me count the ways.

OK, confession time: I don't like pumpkin pie. I know, shock, horror, I realize it's amazing they agreed to grant me American citizenship. It's a texture thing, I think. Can't explain it, just don't like it. However, you can put pumpkin in pretty much anything else, and I will gobble it up, particularly given the usual blend of spices that go alongside our 'squashy' fall friend. It is an American custom I have 99% (the remaining 1% being the pie) adopted with a smile, so bring on the muffins, cupcakes, cookies, cakes, even the lattes (and yes, I know that they haven't been anywhere near a real pumpkin, and that Starbucks is the devil incarnate, yada yada yada. I can't help it if they still hit that spot).

You find pumpkin featuring more rarely in savory dishes though, it seems to me. This dish is an example of why we should probably allow our squashy friend to branch out more often. It is also a dish where the pumpkin lends a substance but not a strong flavor, making it very kid-friendly. In fact, I could easily have billed this dinner as a new recipe Mac 'n' cheese and certain tablemates would have never guessed they were eating pumpkin (helped no doubt by the fact that they eat so fast that the food can hardly touch the sides on the way down).

The original recipe came from one of those waiting-for-the-kids-again-in-the-car-so-I-may-as-well-read-recipes-online-on-my-phone moments. Its a quick fix for those among us like me who are cookbook-addicted, but miles away from their stash, our own emergency little nicotine patch, if you will. Creds for the untweaked version go to Cooking Light online - however, the tweaks are all mine.

Rotini with Pumpkin and Pancetta
Serves 6

1lb rotini
6oz pancetta or bacon in a small dice
4 TBSP finely chopped fresh sage
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups canned pumpkin puree (NOT pie filling!)
1 cup grated parmesan
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
4 TBSP heavy cream (double cream)
4 TBSP chopped fresh parsley

1. Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Drain over a bowl, reserving 1 1/2 cups of cooking liquid. Set aside.
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add pancetta and cook for 4 minutes or until nearly crisp. Add 2 TBSP of the sage and the garlic, and cook for 1 minute more, stirring constantly.
3. Stir in pumpkin, parmesan, salt and pepper.
4. Add the pasta, reserved cooking liquid and cream and toss to combine.
5. Serve sprinkled with remaining sage and parsley.