September Cooking Group Recipes

A few of us from the Cooking Group got together to share recipes last week. The food was delish and the company was great--be sure to join us next time!

Broccoli Quiche
prepared by Natalie C

Oil Pastry crust:

1 1/3 C flour
1/2 t salt
1/3 C oil
3 1/2 to 4 T cold water

Mix salt and flour, then stir in oil and enough water to bring together in a stiff dough. Roll out, put in dish and then prick with a fork all over the surface. Bake at 425 for 5 minutes. Pull out of oven and add ingredients for filling.

Filling for Broccoli Tart:

2 C shredded cheddar cheese

Sprinkle half of cheese in tart shell

Add:

10 oz blanched broccoli
1/4 C chopped sweet onion

Blend together and pour into pan:

4 eggs
1 C milk
1 T flour
1/2 t salt
Dash of black pepper

Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Multi-Grain Focaccia
prepared by Lauren C

Poolish (Pre-ferment):
• 1 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C steel-cut oats, sometimes called Irish or Scotch oats
• 3/4 C water
• Pinch active dry yeast

Whisk the whole wheat flour, steel-cut oats, water and yeast in medium bowl. Cover with plastic and set aside at room temperature for 12 hours or overnight.

Dough:
• 2 1//4 C unbleached all-purpose flour, plus additional as needed
• 3/4 C whole wheat flour
• 1/2 C oat flour
• 1/4 C flaxseed meal
• 2 1/4 t active dry yeast
• 2 t salt
• 1 3/4 C warm water
• 1⁄4 C extra-virgin olive oil

Toppings:
• 6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, chopped (about 2 t)
• 1 sprig fresh rosemary, chopped (about 2 t)
• 2-3 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 T coarse salt
• 3 oz Parmesan, shaved into large pieces

Whisk the all-purpose, whole wheat, and oat flour, flaxseed, yeast, and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the poolish, water, and olive oil. Stir the wet ingredients into the flour with a wooden spoon to make a sticky loose dough. Cover with a kitchen towel and let stand for 30 minutes.

Turn the dough out of the bowl onto a well-floured work surface or prep mat. Coat your hands with flour and press dough into a 12 by 8-inch rectangle (long side towards you). Using a bench scraper, fold the dough as you would a business letter. (The dough is very wet and this may seem odd, but just move quickly with the scraper and fold 1 end of the dough over the other. Make sure you brush any raw flour from the surface of the dough before you fold over the second end). Spray with cooking spray and cover with a kitchen towel. Let stand 30 minutes.

Fold the dough again like a letter, and rest for another 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Divide the olive oil among 2 pans and swirl to coat the pan. Divide dough in half and transfer a piece to each pan, turn dough over to coat both sides with oil, then press dough evenly into the pans. Scatter the garlic, thyme, and rosemary over the top and press the toppings into the dough with your fingers. Sprinkle with sea salt and scatter the cheese on top. (See Cook's Note.)

Bake until golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. Slip focaccia from the pans and cool on a rack.

Cooks' Note: The focaccia dough can be tightly wrapped and refrigerated at this point for up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature for about 2 hours before baking.

Sausage Fusilli (or Penne)
prepared by Sara McC - (a tweaked Jamie Oliver recipe)
Serves 6-8

2 heaped t fennel seeds
1 - 1 1/2 t crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
a splash of olive oil
1 lb 6 oz good quality coarse Italian or other sausage
1 T dried oregano
6 oz white wine or white grape juice
zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 lb 2 oz fusilli or penne
sea salt and ground black pepper
1 T butter
handful of grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
small bunch of fresh flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and chopped

Bash up the fennel seeds and red pepper flakes in a pestle and mortar or flavor shaker until coarsely crushed, then put to one side. Heat a splash of olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan. (If sausage in skins, squeeze it out of the sausage skins.) Put meat into the pan, really breaking it up using the back of a spoon. Fry for a few minutes until the meat starts to color and the fat has rendered slightly, then crush it once more so it resembles coarse mince. Add the bashed-up fennel seeds and chili flakes and cook on a medium heat for around 10 minutes until the meat becomes crisp, golden brown and slightly caramelized.

Stir in the oregano, then pour in the white wine (or grape juice) and allow it to reduce by half. Add the lemon zest and juice. Turn the heat down to low while you cook your pasta in a large pan of salted boiling water according to the package instructions. When the pasta has cooked al dente, drain it in a colander, reserving some of the cooking water, and toss it in the pan with the sausage. Coat the pasta in all the flavors then add the butter, Parmesan cheese, chopped parsley and a few spoonfuls of the reserved cooking water. This will give you a lovely loose, shiny sauce. Taste and check for seasoning, then serve immediately with a little extra grated Parmesan sprinkled over the top.

Pollo Mole Poblano
prepared by JaneAnne P
serves 4 (smaller than pictured, which serves 8-10)

This recipe can be made with chicken breasts or thighs, depending on preference. I make it with breasts when I don't have a lot of extra time; I make it with thighs when I want them to simmer longer in the sauce. This time I made it with both.

1-2 T olive oil
1-1 1/2 lbs boneless skinless chicken
1 sm onion, chopped
1/3 jar mole sauce
1/2-3/4 C water or chicken broth
1/2 t sugar
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Heat oil in sauté pan over medium-high heat until shimmering, then brown chicken on both sides. Put browned chicken aside on plate, then heat a little more oil in pan, if needed. Add onion and sauté, reducing heat to medium, scraping up browned bits, until translucent and just starting to brown. Add mole sauce, sugar, salt and pepper, then gradually stir in water or stock until consistency is slightly thinner than desired end result. Put chicken back in pan, flipping to coat with sauce, then simmer, covered, until chicken is cooked through and sauce has thickened slightly. Serve over rice with sour cream on the side.

Note: empty mole jars make perfect tealight hurricanes for outdoor summer dining.

Pineapple Delight Cake aka "Pea Pickin' Cake"
prepared by Tiffany M

1 yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1/2 C oil
1 sm can mandarin oranges with juice

FROSTING:
1 16 oz can crushed pineapple with juice
1 sm (3 3/4 oz) pkg instant vanilla pudding
8 oz Cool Whip

Cake: Mix all ingredients together on medium speed. Pour into 3 (9 inch) cake pans that have been greased and floured. Bake at 350 degrees according to time on box.

Frosting: Mix pineapple and dry instant pudding. Fold in Cool Whip. Spread between and on top of cooled cake.

Refrigerate.