Good Morning.
When I was growing up, the main seasonings for food were salt and pepper. We're talking plain old table salt that came out of a cardboard cylinder, not kosher or sea salt, and pepper that was poured from a can, not ground out of a pepper mill. Cinnamon and nutmeg were used in baking, sage turned up in the turkey dressing, and you stuck cloves into a ham, in a diamond pattern if you were particularly clever. You might lace the egg nog with brandy or the consomme with sherry, but that was it, baby. Julia Child said phooey to all that boredom, throw wine in almost anything, and use stuff like basil and marjoram, even lavender. They're herbs, pronounced with a silent h, not like your uncle's name. She taught us that garlic is sacred, not something to be avoided because a date might dump you at the front door without a kiss. Simon and Garfunkel had a song about parsley, sage, rosemary, and thyme. Later on we graduated to things like cumin and cilantro.
Today we offer recipes that are highlighted with a certain herb or spice and we begin with Rosemary Butternut Squash Lasagna.
12 lasagna noodles
1 butternut squash, peeled and cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
6 tbsp. flour
4 cups whole milk
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 1/2 cups grated Parmesan cheese
Cook the lasagna according to package directions and drain. In a bowl, combine the squash, olive oil, and half a teaspoon of salt. Place this mixture on a rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes until the squash is tender. Reduce the heat to 375. Place the flour and the rest of the salt in a saucepan and gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook for a couple of minutes until thickened and stir in the garlic and rosemary.
Spread a cup of this sauce on the bottom of a lasagna pan sprayed with cooking spray. Layer with four noodles, overlapping if necessary, then a third of the cheese, a third of the squash, and a cup of sauce. Repeat these layers to the top and end with a sprinkling of cheese. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for forty minutes. Uncover and bake another ten minutes until the top is lightly browned. Let stand for ten minutes before cutting in squares.
Pasta and butternut squash is a magical combination. Cheese, garlic, and rosemary make it even better. Serve with a salad
and a glass of wine. This business of milk with dinner should end when someone can vote or enlist in the armed forces.
In France, it probably ends when someone is learning the multiplication tables. Teeth and bones are maintained with Roquefort and Brie.
Next we have a Curried Chicken Salad.
3 whole chicken breasts with bones and skin. This means the meat will be juicier.
Olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/3 cup dry white wine. Vermouth is okay.
1/4 cup Major Grey chutney
3 tbsp. curry powder
2 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup raisins, optional
1 cup pecans, chopped
Place the chicken breasts on a baking sheet and rub the skin with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Remove the meat from the bones, discard the skin, and cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces. Place the mayonnaise, wine, chutney, curry, and a
teaspoon of salt in a food processor or blender. Process until smooth. Combine the chicken pieces with enough dressing to moisten. Add the chopped green onions and raisins if desired and mix well. Refrigerate for several hours. Add the chopped pecans before serving at room temperature on a nice bed of greens. Follow the advice given above. No milk. Pinot Gris.
Here's a quick breakfast dish for two, Scrambled Eggs with Basil.
4 large eggs
3 tbsp. sour cream
1/4 cup shredded Mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded cheddar
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 tbsp. chopped fresh basil
Whisk eggs and sour cream in a bowl until creamy. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and stir again. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Pour in the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, until the eggs reach a moist, lumpy consistency. Dry scrambled eggs are a sin. Add the chopped basil during the final minute of cooking. Do not follow the advice above. Coffee. Or a Mimosa.
Now we have Orange-Tarragon Pork Chops.
2 tbsp. olive oil
4 thick, bone-in pork chops
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
6 tbsp. dry white wine
1 1/2 cups orange juice
1 tbsp. dried tarragon
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. cornstarch
Water
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the chops with salt and pepper and cook until browned on both sides. Add the wine, orange juice, tarragon, and mustard. Cover the pan and simmer for 45 minutes. Remove the chops to a platter and keep warm under foil. Dissolve the cornstarch in a couple of tablespoons of water and stir into the liquid until the sauce thickens. Return the chops to the pan, coat with the sauce, and serve nice and warm.
Finally we have Cinnamon Noodle Kugel.
1 12 oz. package egg noodles - fettuccine would also be good
6 eggs, beaten
1 16 oz. carton cottage cheese
2 cups whole milk
1 cup sour cream
1 cup granulated sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1 4 oz. package cream cheese at room temp
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
Grease a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cook the egg noodles according to package directions and drain. Beat eggs, cottage cheese, milk, sour cream, a cup of granulated sugar, melted butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and salt with a mixer. Stir the noodles into this mixture and pour into the baking dish. Combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl and sprinkle on top of the noodles. Bake in a 350 degree oven for an hour. Cool for ten minutes before serving.
This is an entree or a very rich side dish but probably not a dessert. I have no idea what to recommend for a beverage. Let
your spirits soar to new heights.
Best regards,
Elisabeth
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