I’ve been trying to write something here for days now.  I approach the task with the best intentions but know that it’s really only my conscience goading me.  No words come.  I scrounge for a memory worth sharing, then wonder if it’s one I’ve already written about and catch myself wanting to waste time sorting through archived posts to make sure.  It’s an old procrastination ruse, so I’m onto it most of the time.

Photos of recipes I’ve tried and liked are accumulating, waiting for something to be said about them, or the ingredients they were made with,  whether they’re in season, local, organic….or not.  Because you know, that matters, right?

I can’t muster up the energy because it all sounds so trivial.

I’m like an ostrich avoiding reality.  I’d rather edit photos (which qualifies at least as legitimate procrastination), or sprawl on my bedroom floor in front of the big windows on this blustery day watching the storm come in off the Pacific — probably the last we’ll have until next winter.  Mother Nature seems to have gotten March all wrong this year, with its entrance more like that of a lamb’s and its exit resembling a lion’s — at least in San Diego.

I could grab a book and lose myself for a while or think again for what seems to be the millionth time about whether the windows need drapes, and whether I should make them myself — except I’m not sure which closet that sewing machine is in and even if I did, my heart wouldn’t be into it.

A walk in the rain would also be nice, but the force of the wind is rattling the skylights and whistling down the chimneys.  I’d make it out the door and realize how silly a decision it was since I’m nothing like the thin woman clad in white who just sprinted past my window, nor like anyone the Brontës might write about, a thin figure whose dark dress is flapping about her ankles on the hauntingly beautiful Yorkshire moors and proof of a pained existence etched across her brow.

So ridiculously unfocused and thinking none of it really matters.

I’ve been thinking about perspective quite a bit this past week.  Counting my blessings.  Thinking about life, loss, what I take for granted (see foolish exhibits A, B, C, and D above) and what others in the world right now have lost and may never, ever recover.  I’m watching it on the news, in the photos that stream through a variety of websites, and can’t begin to understand.  How can anyone not actually experiencing the magnitude of such devastation understand?  I’m weighing the pettiness of any complaint, feeling short with others for their narrow mindedness, and all in all just very sad and angry.

It’s overwhelming.

So on this first day of spring and all it traditionally represents with respect to birth, new growth, and renewal, I hope the best for people in so many places on Earth right now devastated by things beyond their control.

If you’re someone who has thought about donating to a relief fund for Japan’s recovery, you may be interested in this piece by Stephanie Strom from the New York Times, “Charities Rush to Help Japan, With Little Direction.”

Donations can be made directly to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

More information about other ways to help are listed in “The Lede” at The New York Times:  “Japan Earthquake and Tsunami:  How to Help”

Lasagne with Béchamel and Spring Vegetables

1/2 lb. no-boil lasagne noodles

3 T olive oil

3 zucchini, sliced thinly lengthwise

1 c. frozen peas

salt & pepper to taste

1 lg. sweet onion, sliced thinly

2 sm. leeks, split, rinsed and sliced thinly, white and light green parts only

2 lg. cloves garlic, minced

1-1/2 c. ricotta

1 tsp. fresh lemon zest

1 T fresh chopped chives

pinch of cayenne

2 c. Bechamel

1/2 lb. fresh mozarella, sliced

1/3 c. Fontina, grated

1/3 c. asagio, freshly grated

1/3 c. pecorino romano, freshly grated

For the Béchamel…

2 c. milk

1/4 c. chopped onion

1 bay leaf

pinch of salt

a few cranks of freshly ground pepper

4 T unsalted butter

1/4 c. all-purpose flour

a bit of freshly grated nutmeg

a bit of cayenne

To make the Béchamel…

To a medium saucepan, add the milk, onion, bay leaf, and seasonings.  Over medium heat, bring to a low simmer, stirring occasionally until reduced by a quarter.  Pour through a fine-meshed strainer and set aside.  Heat the milk in the microwave so that it’s not quite hot and have it ready to pour.

Rinse out the sauce pan and melt the butter over medium heat, stirring in the flour and over low heat stirring, allow to cook 2-3 minutes to get the floury taste from it.  After it’s bubbling, whisk quickly while pouring the milk into the flour mixture.  It will immediately begin to thicken, so keep stirring until all of the milk is incorporated.  Over low heat and stirring occasionally, continue to cook for 20 minutes until very thick.  Set aside until ready to use.

To make the lasagne…

Prepare the zucchini first by heating the oven to 450 degrees F.  On a parchment lined baking sheet, arrange zucchini slices in a single layer and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.  Bake for about 5 minutes, or until the slices are dry and beginning to brown.  Remove from oven and allow to cool.  Turn the oven heat down to 350 degrees F.

Saute the leeks and onions in a bit of the olive oil until softened, about 5 minutes, and remove from the heat.  Mix the ricotta with the lemon zest, chives, pinch of cayenne and salt in a small  bowl and set aside.  Have the frozen peas ready.

Spray a 9×13″ pan lightly with oil and spoon a liberal amount of the Béchamel into the pan.  Spread over the bottom surface area.  Layer the no-boil pasta over the top of the Béchamel — about 1/3 of the noodles.  Spread a third of the ricotta mixture over the noodles, a third of the onion-leek mixture, over the ricotta, a third of the frozen peas, and 7-8 strips of the zucchini.  Sprinkle a bit of the minced garlic over the zucchini and lightly season with salt and pepper.

Repeat twice, ending with the last zucchini strips.  To finish, layer the fresh mozzarella slices over the top of the zucchini, add the grated asagio and pecorino romano, and finish with the remainder of the Bechamel.

Bake about 40-45 minutes or until the lasagne is bubbling and beginning to brown.  Allow to sit at least 15 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• Béchamel is a versatile sauce which can be used to make great macaroni and cheese, or sausage “gravy” and biscuits to name a few simple dishes I grew up with.  My mother called it “white sauce” though, and that works for me.  Think equal parts butter to flour and then add milk and seasonings and she was ready to go with it.  I know she’d scratch her head over the cooking time in this recipe, as did I, because I thought it would be burnt, but it wasn’t.  Very, very thick?  Yes, so there’s no “drizzling” with this as the original recipe directs.  It’s tasty stuff, though.
• the kitchn has a great piece on “Soup to Souffle:  6 Ways to Use Béchamel” for more ideas on what Béchamel can be used for
• This absolutely wonderful recipe was adapted from “Spring Vegetable Lasagne” as published in Frank Sitt’s Bottega Favorita:  A Southern Chef’s Love Affair With Italian Food.  The flavor is mild and satisfying without that cheese overload I don’t appreciate in some of the more traditional lasagne recipes I’ve tried over the years.  The peas and zucchini work nicely together with the sweetness of the onions and leeks.  Very nice.
• The original recipe calls for whole milk ricotta, a whole pound of fresh mozzarella, and whole milk for the Béchamel, but I used low-fat milk, ricotta, and only half the quantity of mozzarella.  It was quite tasty.
• I haven’t had great results with some brands of no-boil noodles, but the 365 brand from Whole Foods surprised me (no I’m not being paid to say that).  Often when I bake pasta, I use regular noodles without boiling, and they work fine as long as the filling is moist enough.  I don’t think that would work in this recipe because it’s not floating in the sauce (which is fine by me).  To use regular noodles, boil them until al dente, drain, and lay on a clean towel until used in the recipe and bake as directed above.
• If you don’t want a pronounced garlic flavor, then saute the garlic with the onions and leeks to mellow it out.
• I was tempted to add some sauteed mushrooms to this and decided not to, but know I’d love it.
• This is one of those forgiving recipes I’m sure you could do just about anything with with respect to ingredients and quantities.  There are quite a few steps, but it really doesn’t take that much time to construct.
• Make it ahead as written, allow it to cool at room temperature, then cover and chill.
• To freeze, cool and cut into about 6 big sections, then wrap well.  To serve after freezing, thaw in the microwave before reheating.  Very tasty like this as well.

I think the first time I heard anyone mention cassoulet, it was Martha Stewart years ago in the first version of her television show.  Outside of remembering that the main ingredients were white beans and a huge amount of meat for what could be classified as a one pot meal, I know she described it as one of her traditional holiday party menu items.  I also remember wondering how a preparing a pot of beans could be so involved.  Really?

Now I know.

To say that cassoulet is simply a bean stew or “dried beans and meat” is humorous because I grew up eating what could be called bean stew.  Beans go in a pot with few additional ingredients and not much attention.  Time goes by and a tasty dinner is served.  Bear in mind in this scenario, the bean to meat ratio is in favor of the legumes.  Cassoulet is anything but that, but I’m thinking it shouldn’t have to be.  At the same time, if I set out to make one of the many recipes I glanced at for “easy” cassoulet I’d feel I’d cheated somehow.  Perhaps I’d have something with flavor similar to cassoulet, but I’d miss out on what I often enjoy so much about tackling an involved recipe for the first time:  all the thinking I do.  There’s something very gratifying about methodically working through a recipe that takes some thought and effort.

I’ll confess this all began with a small jar of duck fat I brought back from England recently.  I saw it and knew it would remind me of all the possibilities, so tucked it well into my suitcase until we arrived home, then stored it in the fridge to think about.  Many traditional versions of cassoulet are made with duck fat, but I needed a recipe that wasn’t swimming in it, which means I would need to choose a recipe lacking in, well, duck – or more specifically, duck confit.  My little jar’s quantity wasn’t nearly enough to make that.

Some may say a duckless cassoulet is sacrilege, but I know the recipe I chose, which uses tomatoes and a bread crumb topping, could also invite that complaint.  Cassoulet is a dish originally from the Languedoc region in Southern France, with the towns of  Castelnaudary, Toulouse and Carcassonne all claiming credit for its creation and there are as many variations as there are village cooks in that region.  Originally, I’d considered floundering through a Toulouse Cassoulet until I came to my senses realizing I hadn’t the time I needed to construct it.

I made the cassoulet, but I confess that I did not break the “film” that develops over it while it cooks seven times, so evidently, I did not create anything perfect.  Rich, yes.  Perfect, no.  With respect to all that’s good about home cooking, and for someone like me who truly enjoys the process of constructing a dish like this, it’s a great reason to gather a group of special friends for a special meal just because.

Especially on a cold winter’s day.

Cassoulet for 12

For the Beans…

3-1/2 c. dried white beans

1/2 lb. fresh pork rind

1 lb. lean pork belly

bones reserved from pork loin

2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, chopped

8 fresh flat-leaf parsley sprigs

4 fresh thyme springs

2 bay leaves

6 peppercorns

3 whole cloves

1 tsp. salt

3-1/2 qt. water

For the Pork Loin…

1-1/2 to 2 lb. boneless pork loin, bones reserved, tied

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves

1 tsp. minced fresh rosemary

2 T rendered pork, duck, or goose fat or olive oil

1 yellow onion, minced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 lb. tomatoes, peeled and chopped

1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine

For the Lamb…

2 T rendered pork, duck or goose fat or olive oil

2 lob. boneless lamb shoulder, cut into 2″ cubes

1 yellow onion, minced

2 cloves garlic, minced

3 fresh thyme sprigs

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. freshly ground pepper

1 bottle (750 ml) dry white wine

4 Toulouse or other well-seasoned pure pork sausages

For the Topping…

1-1/2 c. coarse dried bread crumbs

2 T chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1/2 c. rendered pork, duck, or goose fat, melted

Prepare the beans first.  Check for stones or bad beans, rinse and drain.  Pour into a medium sauce pan and cover with cold water by 3″.  Cook over high heat until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer about 30 minutes until softened.

In another sauce pan, cover the pork rind and pork belly with cold water by 3″ and bring to a boil over high heat.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for 20 minutes.  Pour out the water and rinse with cold water twice.  Cut into 1/2″ cubes and set aside.

Prepare the lamb.  In a large heavy pot warm the fat or oil over high heat.  Add the lamb, browning on all sides, 5-8 minutes.  Add the onion, garlic, and spices, mixing well.  Add the wine to the mixture and reduce the heat to low, cooking about 1-1/2 hours until meat is tender.

To prepare the pork loin, rub well with salt, pepper, thyme, and rosemary.  In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot, heat the fat or olive oil over high heat and brown the pork loin on all sides — about 8 minutes in all.  To the pot, add onions and garlic, stirring for 1-2 minutes.  Add tomatoes and 1-1/2 c. of the wine, reduce heat to low and cover, cooking until meat is tender, about 1 hour.

Prepare beans.  In a large pot, place softened beans, pork rind, pork belly, bones from the loin, onions, garlic, parsley, thyme, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, and salt.  Pour in 3-1/2 water and bring to a boil over high heat.  Turn the heat to low, and cook for about 1 hour, uncovered.

Once the pork loin is ready, remove it from the pan and add it to the bean pot.  To the remaining pork juices, deglaze the pan over high heat by adding the remaining 1-1/2 c. white wine making sure to scrape up any brown bits from the bottom.  Boil the liquid until reduced by half, then pour into the bean pot.

When the lamb is ready, scoop out pieces with a slotted spoon and add to the bean pot.  Set the remaining lamb cooking liquid  aside.  Now add the sausages to the beans as well and continue cooking the entire pot for an additional 30 minutes.

While the bean and meat mixture is cooking, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

When the bean and meat mixture is finished cooking, remove the pork loin, pork belly and sausages from the beans to a cutting board and cut them into 1/2″ pieces.  Set aside.  With a slotted spoon, remove lamb pieces from the beans to the same plate.  In a 3-1/2 to 4 qt. baking dish or oven proof sauce pan, add a 1″ layer of beans to cover the bottom of the pan.  Add a layer of mixed meat pieces, making sure to distribute types evenly.  Cover the meat mixture with another layer of beans, add another layer of mixed meats, and finish with a layer of beans.

Carefully pour in the lamb juices and enough bean broth to barely cover the top layer of the cassoulet.  Mix the breadcrumbs and parsley, then sprinkle evenly over the top of the cassoulet.  Finish by drizzling the duck or goose fat over the crumb topping.  Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes until a crust has formed.  At that time, use a large spoon to break through the crust, spoon out some broth and pour over the crust.  Bake an additional 15 minutes, and repeat.  Bake until crust is richly browned, about 15-20 minutes.

Serve immediately.

Notes:

• Printable recipe version.

• The recipe I used was adapted from Georgeanne Brennan’s Savoring France which is a Williams-Sonoma publication — a beautiful book I have enjoyed for years.  The list of ingredients above is written exactly as published, but I’ve resorted the directions for the recipe to an order which I strongly believe streamlines the process now that I’ve tried it.

• There were many contenders for my first venture in making cassoulet:

• Martha Stewart’s Cassoulet for 100 (immediately disqualified for obvious reasons) from The Martha Stewart Cookbook (1995 1st ed).  Not only did I lack 94 mouths to feed, I can’t imagine where I’d get the pots, pans, and refrigerator space to create a dish like this for that many, starting with the 16 pounds of beans.  Goodness.
• Julia Child’s “Cassoulet de Porc et Mouton” from Mastering the Art of French Cooking is very similar to the Brennan version (or vice versa) I made.  The biggest differences are:  1) roasting the pork loin, which makes much more sense to me than braising considering it’s a lean cut of meat; and 2) an included recipe for homemade sausage cakes instead of traditional Saucissed de Toulouse, which although tasty sounding, would only require more time and better planning.   She does provide additional variations or substitutions which are great.  But Julia is always great, isn’t she?
• As much as I truly wanted to try Paula Wolfert’s “Toulouse-Style Cassoulet” from Food & Wine, it was even more involved than the one I chose, and required more than a day to construct.  I knew this after having tagged it when it was first published, but in the end, I went with a cassoulet that could be prepared and eaten in one day.  Take the time to peruse her list of ingredients as a comparison.  It’s an interesting variation.
• The New Jersey Monthly published executive chef Dominique Filoni’s “Cassoulet Toulousain” earlier this year and I like the sound of it quite a bit, but couldn’t pull off the duck confit in the time I had.  It’s definitely one to save for later.
• Here’s a version published in the New York Times in 1992 which also includes the duck confit.  It caught my eye because the ingredient list is somewhat uncomplicated.
• Etienne Rousselot’s Cassoulet as published in a Saveur adaptation is the version I will experiment with next, and there will be a next time.  The ingredient list is manageable, it contains the duck confit, and serves fewer.  I like the head of garlic in the mix, as well as the use of ham hocks.  I love ham hocks.
• I did scan quite a few French translations just to consider authenticity, and although the ingredient lists and directions seemed much more simple, some things seemed to get lost in the translation and I wasn’t feeling that adventuresome.
• If you’re someone who just doesn’t get the whole point of spending a day or two — or three — constructing a pot of food for dinner, and wonder why cooking always seems so complicated, here are links for quick and easy cassoulet — 27,000 of them.  I have my own version of this coming soon inspired by a dish I enjoyed at The Crown Inn in Linton, Cambridgeshire, England when we were there this past October.  I asked the waiter if the chef might share the recipe, but never got response.  Oh well, right?

It’s been a couple of weeks since my youngest headed off to college, and it’s become very apparent that tailoring my cooking portions down by a third is not going to be as easy as I first thought.  Let’s discuss the fresh corn I purchased recently, shall we?

I bought four ears, restraining myself because they were 10 for a dollar.  Sure, I could have purchased 10, and like an organized consumer, freeze most of it for later use.  You should see my freezer.

No, I settled with the four ears knowing I’d be able to make a few recipes before we felt as if we were on corn overload.  Bear in mind that each ear of corn produces more than one cup of kernels and that one serving is only 1/4 cup.  Two recipes for two would mean 16 meals consisting of…

Corn.

Sweet, crunchy, versatile corn that, when enjoyed in a nice pie made with homegrown tomatoes, won’t get stuck in your teeth.

Fresh Corn and Tomato Pie

For the crust…

3/4 c. whole grain organic pastry flour

3/4 c. all purpose flour

large pinch of kosher salt

1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper

1/3 c. extra virgin olive oil

5 T iced water

For the filling…

3 lg. eggs

1/2 c. evaporated milk

1/2 c. 0% fat Greek yogurt

1/3 c. shredded cheddar

2 roma tomatoes, sliced

1 c. fresh corn kernels

1/4 c. chopped cilantro

2 green onions, sliced

salt & pepper

Prepare the crust first by whisking flours, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.  Pour the olive oil and cold water into the dry ingredients and stir just until moistened.  Press into a disk, wrap with plastic and place in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.

Heat the oven to 400 degrees F.  After the dough has chilled, roll it into an approximate 12-inch circle on a lightly floured surface, or between two sheets of plastic wrap. To blind bake, line a 9-inch pie pan with the dough, then with a piece of foil.  Fill with dried beans, pasta, or other pie weights.  Bake for about 20 minutes or until set.  Remove the foil and pie weights and cool on a rack for about 10 minutes.

While the pie shell is cooling, mix eggs, milk, and yogurt in a bowl until well combined.  Then sprinkle half of the cheese over the bottom of the pie shell.  Next, layer half the tomatoes over the cheese.  Add the corn, cilantro, and half the green onions.  Season with salt and pepper and add the rest of the cheese.  Layer on the remaining tomatoes, season again, and add the remaining onions.  Carefully pour the milk mixture over the vegetables.

Bake for about 40 minutes or until center is set and surface is lightly browned.

Notes:

• This recipe was adapted by one published in the August 2010 issue of Eating Well and that’s what we’ve been trying to do — eat well — as in be kind to our bodies.
• We enjoyed this for dinner and lunch for two days with maybe a breakfast thrown in for good measure. Thankfully,  I was able to get one of my older sons to eat the last generous slice when he stopped by for a visit.  Yes, I need to make a smaller pie.
• I guess I’ve been on a pie crust analysis kick lately, but this crust is excellent as well.  The cracked pepper makes it interesting, and the olive oil is a nice healthy addition.  The dough is very easy to work with, and the baked crust is firm, holding up quite well in spite of the moist filling.
• I was tempted to add prosciutto to this, but knew it wasn’t necessary — as in — do you really have to have meat in everything?
• I can think of so many other ways to adapt this with goat cheese, or feta instead of the cheddar.  Or roasted green chilis.  Bacon.  You’re thinking it, aren’t you?
• If you resist the urge to add meat, this is quite the healthy, low calorie recipe.

It's raining here today, so I'm as subdued as the grey skies.  After two mornings of very early morning walks as I attempt to get back into the "I, too, can be fit!" swing of things, I'm content to sit in the quiet sipping my coffee.  Thoughts come and go but hover around memories of our trip to the UK a few years go — the winding roads in Wales, ancient castle ruins tucked between soft green hills, engaging after dinner conversation with local farmers at an old country house, and Pub food. 
 

Last night, my husband's parents came by for an impromptu celebration in honor of my mother-in-law's birthday, and it seemed perfect to make a shepherd's pie.  I love to cook for them, and for years, they've indulged my culinary whims.  When we get together, inevitably, talk turns to travel, and specifically travel to the UK.  My father-in-law has always wanted to go, and so he graciously indulges us yet another sharing of our time there as we think of ways to get him there before too much longer.  He's 80 now. 

Of course the talk turns to food and a pub we enjoyed in Bath.  I don't remember the name of it because we made several attempts before we found one that would allow us to enter, my husband talking to someone inside while my son and I waited on the street.  Although pubs are more accepting of children than they used to be, not all of them are, and it was mortifying to my son that his presence caused us to have to search.  I felt badly for him knowing I would have been embarrassed as well. Finally we found one, and were led to the back, away from the bar to a small room.  So much for my romantic notions of cozy tables, old plastered walls and a roaring fire, no matter if it was the middle of summer with temperatures so uncharacteristically hot that everyone was talking about it.

Thank goodness for the waiter who indulged my husband with good-natured humor in answering a question about the rules of Cricket. He chided us about ordering "extra cold" beer and served us a meal of Shepherd's Pie that was truly memorable. 

Shepherd's Pie is a traditional English dish made of minced meat — usually lamb — and vegetables, then covered with mashed potatoes before baking.  If the dish contains beef, then it's referred to as a Cottage Pie.  Regardless, it's comfort food at its best, and one that will leave you smiling well into the evening after the plates have been cleared from the table.  You may have to waddle to bed, however, because it's quite filling.

Cottage Pie

For the filling…
2 T extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. lean ground pork
3/4 lb. ground sirloin
3/4 lb. ground lamb
1 c. onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
1 c. celery, chopped
2 zucchini, diced
1 large leek, light green and while parts only, sliced and rinsed
8 oz. crimini mushrooms, quartered
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 c. water
1 T concentrated tomato paste
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. dried thyme
4 c. beef broth
salt and pepper to taste

For the topping…
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. heavy cream
3 T unsalted butter
1 sprig fresh rosemary
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a medium sauce pan, add the milk, cream, butter, and rosemary over low heat, stirring occasionally until it begins to simmer. Remove from heat and allow to sit at least 20-30 minutes.

In a large pan, cover the potatoes with water, add a couple large pinches of salt to the water, and put a lid on the pan.  Heat over high until the potatoes begin to boil, then turn the heat down to a low simmer until potatoes are fork tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat the oil and add the ground meat, allowing it to begin to brown before stirring.  After the meat is browned, pour it into a bowl and set is aside. 

If necessary, add another T of olive oil tot the pan.  Add the onions, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, and water.  Stirring occasionally, cook over medium heat until vegetables begin to soften, about 10 minutes.  Add the mushrooms and leeks, stirring to incorporate, and continue to cook until the mixture is browned. 

Return the ground meat to the pan and mix well.  Add the tomato paste, and stir well.  Sprinkle flour over the mixture and let cook for at least a minute, stirring to make sure all the flour is mixed in.  Pour in the beef broth and stir, scraping up any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.  Allow to simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, about 10 minutes.  Taste and correct seasonings.

While the meat mixture simmers, mash the potatoes.  Remove rosemary sprig from the milk mixture and pour the milk into the mashed potatoes.  Mix well, and correct seasonings.

Lightly rub olive oil on the inside of a large casserole and pour in the meat mixture.  Spoon dollops of mashed potatoes over the surface, and with a fork, lightly spread the potatoes to cover.  Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until bubbling and top is golden brown.

Notes:

• If you've been reading here for any length of time, then you know I'm a reasonably diverse cook.  I'm horribly critical of what I produce, though.  It's rare that I don't like something I've made, but the times I've been truly wowed are few and far between.  This was one of those times.  I loved this dish.  It was piping hot, and so flavorful, I know not much time will pass before I want to try it again.  That almost never happens around here.  The only thing that would have made the meal more fun is being able to say "Cheers!" with glasses of Guinness or Boddington's.
• The inspiration for this recipe comes from Chef Tom Aikens whose recipe for Shepherd's Pie was featured in the January 2009 issue of Food & Wine.
• Continuing with my quest to use what I have on hand as much as possible, the biggest difference in the recipe was my mixture of meat.  I'd had some ground lamb in the freezer already browned and seasoned, so incorporated that with the other meat to create this very meaty dish.
• My veggie drawer is in much better shape than it's been in the past, so I was able to put the celery and carrots to good use in this even though both were a bit on the less than crisp side.  I had some snap peas and though about adding those, but decided there was plenty of veg in the mix.  
• I liked the mushrooms in this.  If you wanted to go meatless, bump up the mushrooms or use a mixture.  Plus, the original recipe calls for 2 turnips, so that would be quite substantial.
• This fed six hungry people large servings, but could easily feed 8.

It's been just about as cold as it ever gets here, hovering around 50 or so, and although the sun is bright, I'm freezing, so that means dinnertime is all about comfort food.

Comfort food warms me just thinking about it.  It comes in large pots or big casseroles, isn't always as complicated as it may first seem if I'm trying a new recipe, and is challenging to keep from helping myself to just one small serving.  What's best about comfort food is that time in the fridge over night improves the flavor.  And since I'm the one who gets to enjoy it for lunch, that matters quite a bit.

While my sister's family was here for the holidays, I made several dishes I'd say fit this bill — which provides yet another characteristic of comfort foods:  They can feed a big group, and if you're not sure whether everyone will be able to sit down to dinner at the same time, they're nearly always something that can be made ahead, and heated up.

I'm sure we all have our favorites, but one of mine is Macaroni and Cheese.  It probably tops my list.  In the last few months, I've sampled a variety of recipes, not so much trying to find the one we like best, but more to see just what each recipe can do with an old classic.

This version is similar to Ina Garten's, but I've included some thick bacon and parsley, and cut back on the cheese.  Not quite a Bacon, Lettuce, & Tomato Mac-a-Cheese, but the idea was there. 

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Tomatoes

1 lb. thick pasta
4 c. 2% milk
4 T unsalted butter
1/2 c. flour
4 oz. blue cheese, crumbled
6 oz. colby jack, shredded
6 oz. extra sharp cheddar, shredded
6 strips extra-thick bacon, cooked, drained, and chopped
4 small roma tomatoes, cored and chopped
2 T unsalted butter, melted
1-1/2 c. fresh bread crumbs
1/4 c. Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and position a rack in the center of the oven.  Spray a large casserole with oil and set aside.

Cook the pasta selected in well-salted water until al dente and drain.

While waiting for the pasta, fry the bacon just until it begins to brown, remove from pan and drain well. 

In a food processor, pulse 3-4 pieces of bread until fine crumbs appear.  Add the parsley and pulse a few more times.  Pour in the melted butter and pulse again until combined.

Heat the milk in a small sauce pan or the microwave until hot.  In a skillet, melt the butter and add the flour, stirring over medium low heat for 1-2 minutes.  Add the hot milk while continuing to stir, and cook until thickened, about 1-2 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the cheese, stirring until all is melted and smooth.  Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking. 

Stir the bacon pieces and tomato into the cheese mixture until combined, then add the pasta making sure all is coated. Sprinkle bread crumb mixture over the cheesy pasta mixture and bake until hot, bubbling and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes.

Notes:

• This is creamy, but not overly cheesy.  The combination of quantities keeps it from being greasy which is often the case with macaroni and cheese.
• The bacon is perfect in this, of course, and the tomatoes add a nice bit of tartness.
• We're fairly new to the idea of bread crumbs on this dish, but we like it.  The crunchy texture is a nice compliment to the creamy pasta.  Try panko or Japanese breadcrumbs, too.  They work very well if you're without a food processor.
• If you don't have fresh tomatoes with good flavor at this time of year, canned whole or diced tomatoes that are well drained will work just fine and taste great.
• Have fun choosing your cheese, but choose well.  I like to make this dish when I have odds and ends in the fridge.  Go easy on the blue cheese unless you love it.  It can take over the dish.
• Because I recently tried a mac-a-cheese recipe that included cauliflower, I'd say you could include that as well, or substitute it for the bacon and tomatoes.  We liked the crunch, and calorie-wise, it's better for you as long as you don't use the half-n-half or whole milk.  That recipe can be found here.
• A sprinkle of dried red pepper flakes finish this off before you take your first bite.
• I know steamed spinach would be great mixed in with this.  Or what about broccoli?  Maybe next time.

As a final note:  I often mention the food we enjoyed while I was growing up, and macaroni & cheese was a favorite.  Mom didn't use a cheese sauce — instead used a white sauce or bechemel and layered that with grated cheese, then poured milk over the whole casserole.  Although my memories are excellent, I can say I've tried enough versions over the past year — all which use a cheese sauce — and we're sold.  Sorry Mom.  I know you'd agree.

By the way, when are you coming for dinner?  Or lunch?  Remember — lots of left overs!

Green beans go way back in my family.  And when I think of them, it's usually not the crispy sauteed with garlic and a few shallots way I routinely fix them now, but something that's a meal in itself:  A big pot of fresh green beans with quartered, unpeeled potatoes, and lots of onions, sauteed in bacon fat, and then stewed slowly until the mixture is somewhere between a soup and a stew. We ate it for dinner, and I can imagine that it most likely was light on my mom's wallet.  It wasn't a favorite, but I wasn't allowed to mention that part because it was food.

I have found a happy medium for dinner now, occasionally.  Especially during the holidays when someone expects "Green Bean Casserole."  You know the casserole I'm talking about, right?  The one developed by the Campbell Soup company in the 1950's  and made with Durkee's fried onions?  Yes, that recipe.

Because my family never ate green beans in a casserole, and we'd never have had our version of beans at a special dinner, I'd never tried green bean casserole until I was well into my adult years.  And when it was my turn to make it for a holiday meal, I did what I normally do — alter the recipe. 

It had to be better if it was made with fresh green beans that still had a hint of crunch to them, didn't it?  And the creaminess had to be able to come from something other than a soup can.  Don't get me wrong.  If you've spent any amount of time reading here, then you know that I was raised eating very simple, wholesome food.  So, I played around with a fresh mushroom saute with caramelized onions, rehydrated mushrooms and used the broth, made a white sauce, added some garlic, but never quite got the flavors to blend well.  It always tasted like greenbeans with sauce on them.

A year ago, I saw a recipe in Saveur that I had to try.  The only problem with it was that I'd have to make crispy fried onions and couldn't imagine doing that on a busy holiday cooking day.  Who comes up with these ideas?  Clearly, someone who doesn't have responsibility for an entire meal.  The only problem is, even though I prepped everything the way the recipe read, I sort of forgot to think about the whole onion frying thing.  Oops.

Since then I've tried the recipe quite a few ways — fried onions and no fried onions, and have found the flavors so nice, that a few shallots works just fine when you're too busy to mess with deep frying.

This year, since we're seriously out of commission due to construction, I'm in charge of green beans for Thanksgiving dinner — and a bunch of other non-turkey items.  I'm going to fry the onions at home first, and store them in an airtight container to assemble the dish after the drive to my sister-in-law's house right before baking time.  I'll have to let you know how it goes since I am anything but the Queen of the Deep Fry.

Have green been casserole, will travel. 

Green Bean Casserole with Chantrelles

3 c. chicken broth
1/2 oz. dried chantrelle mushrooms
salt to taste
1-1/2 lbs. fresh green beans, ends trimmed
olive oil
1-1/4 c. flour
2 small onions, very thinnly  sliced
2 T butter
2 T olive oil
1/3 c. heavy cream
cracked pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat chicken broth in the microwave in a large glass measuring cup.  When hot, remove and add the dried chantrelles.  Let soak for at least 20 minutes.  When done, pour through a coffee filter to remove and sediment.  Reserve broth, and coarsely chop mushrooms.  Set both aside.

While the mushrooms are soaking, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and prepare an ice bath in an equally large bowl.  When the water comes to a boil, drop the green beans in all at once and cook until just before they're tender, no more than 5 minutes.  Scoop them from the hot water and immediately into the ice bath to stop the cooking.  Add additional ice if necessary.  When completely cool, remove, and drain on a clean towel.  Set aside.

In a pot with tall sides, pour a good amount of oil — enough to cook small batches of the onions without crowding.  If you have a cooking thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees.  Pour 1 cup of the flour into a wide bowl for dipping, and a handfull at a time, dunk the onion slices, pushing them around until they're well coated.  Remove them from the flour and shake off the excess.  Drop them into the hot oil and let bubble and cook until golden brown in color — about 3 minutes.  Remove and place on paper towels to drain.  There should be very little fat on the towel if your oil is heated properly.  Allow oil to reheat before repeating the process until all onions are fried. 

Spray a 3-qt. casserole with oil and set aside.  In a large skillet, heat the butter oil.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 c. flour into the skillet, stirring quickly and cooking about 1 minute.  Slowly add the chicken musroom broth, stirring well to avoid lumps of flour.  Bring to a boil and reduce to medium low, simmering and stirring occasionally until it becomes thick, 10-15 minutes.  Stir in the cream and remove from heat.

In the prepared casserole, add half the beans, half the fried onions, half the mushrooms, and half the sauce.  Repeat, but finish with fried onions on top.  Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes or until bubbly.

Notes:

• I'd recommend this if you were in charge of the beans — period.  You could have some fun with it, and the fried onions are seriously tasty if you make sure the fat is always at the right temp.
• The first time I made this recipe, I dusted the onions, and fried them in a cast iron skillet.  Not beautiful to look at, but delicious, the flour browning with the onions.  More of a homey look and taste.  That's what happens when I don't read the directions 10 times and am making 10 other dishes, right? 
• A nice version with much less work is to skip the sliced onions.  Chop some pancetta and saute then remove from the pan.  Mince or slice 1-2 shallots.  Brown them in the oil/butter mixture then add a couple of tablespoons of flour, stirring to cook off flour taste.  Then add the chicken mushroom broth and let thicken.  Then add cream.  When heated, add the green beans, stir, and let simmer to warm through.  Sprinkle pancetta over and serve. Truly tasty.  And yes, bacon is excellent…
• The layered effect in this version of the recipe allows the onions in the center to soften as the casserole heats in the oven.  The top layer of onions can get really brown, so keep an eye on them.
• If you want something easier to bite into, then cut the green beans.  We love them long. It does make it difficult to scoop from the baking dish, though.
• If you actually have any of this left over in any version, it's completely delicious the next day for lunch.  In fact, this makes a meal all by itself if you grew up like I did with a pot of green beans to eat for dinner. 
• The original recipe can be found on the Saveur site here.