Hoppin' John

This is a classic dish as a main course or paired as a side. I am happy to use the wonderful pottery casserole I made with the artisan assistance of my dear friend, Young Sweet Anne! Hoppin' John means black-eyed peas, but I am not necessarily such a great fan of black-eyed peas, and you could also use other beans such as navy beans for a similar result. You may have to adjust cooking time a few more minutes with navy beans, however. Either way, this is a classic preparation to keep in your repertoire.
1 lb dried black eyed peas, picked over, rinsed and drained
1/4 lb bacon, or a good ham, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 stalks celery, peeled and diced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Cajun Bayou seasoning
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 quart of water
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp salt

In a large pot or pressure cooker, cook the bacon until just beginning to brown. Add the onion, celery, carrot and jalapeño, and cook another 8-10 minutes, to soften and begin to caramelize the veggies. add the remaining ingredients up to the water.
If using a pressure cooker, cover, bring to high pressure, reduce heat and cook 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to reduce naturally, about another 10 minutes. If cooking conventionally, bring to a boil, stir, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook about 45-60 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes, until beans are tender. I did these beans in a pressure cooker which I think is a GREAT answer to energy utilization in the kitchen - and convenience! Buy one; I implore you.

When beans are cooked, add the salt to taste, and tomatoes and simmer another 30 minutes, stirring vigorously 3-4 times, to cream-up the texture.Hoppin' John not only supposedly brings good luck on New Year's - a tradition throughout the New Orleans Cajun community - but frankly brings good luck as a pairing to roasted meats - an example here is chicken, kielbasa, brown sugar and wine vinegar; try it.

Coconut Sesame Pork Tenderloin over Polenta with a Shiitake Mushroom Ragout

1 pork tenderloin, cut into 2-inch pieces (tournedos)
2 Tbsp coconut butter (I use Trader Joe's)
2 Tbsp butter

1/2 cup polenta cornmeal
2 cups chicken broth
Palmful fresh parsley, minced
1/4 cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp butter
2-3 Tbsp half and half or light cream

1 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
2 tsp capers, drained
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sesame oil
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 Tbsp butter

Place shiitake mushrooms in a medium bowl of very hot water. Allow them to reconstitute for at least 15 minutes, flipping them over every once in a while. When they are soft, chop into 1/4-inch pieces, discarding the tough center stem, if necessary. You should have 1/2-3/4 cup.

In a large skillet, melt the butter and coconut butter over medium-high heat. Brown the pork tournedos for about 3-5 minutes on each side. Salt and pepper to taste as you cook the pork.

Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth to a boil in a small pot. Slowly whisk in the polenta and reduce heat to a low simmer. Cover and cook about five minutes.

When the pork is done, remove to a plate, cover with foil, and place in a warm oven. Add the mushrooms, capers and shallots to the skillet and sauté about 3-5 minutes to soften the shallot. Add the garlic and the sesame oil and cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine and bring to a boil. Whisk in the butter and remove from the heat.

Whisk the parsley, cheese, butter and half and half into the polenta. Divide the polenta among four plates. Place one or two tournedos on top of the polenta. Spoon some of the mushroom caper sauce on top of the pork and polenta. Serves four.

Black Bean and Sweet Potato Pilaf

1 cup short grain or Jasmine brown rice
1/4cup white rice
1 Tbsp red quinoa
2 Tbsp bulgar
3 cups water
1 tsp salt

1 medium sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Tbsp butter and 1 Tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, finely diced, about 1/2 cup
2-3 stalks celery, finely diced, about 1/2 cup
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup frozen petite peas, defrosted
1/4 tsp dried dill weed
1/4 tsp powdered cumin

In a two quart pot (that has a tight-fitting lid) sauté the rices, quinoa and bulgur in a bit of canola oil, for about five minutes, stirring often. Add the water and salt and bring to a boil. Stir, reduce to a low simmer, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, uncover, and place a clean kitchen towel over the pot and return cover to pot.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the sweet potato in the butter and olive oil for five minutes. Salt and pepper to taste, add 2 Tbsp water, cover and simmer for another five minutes. Uncover, and cook away any remaining water. Set the potatoes aside in a bowl. You want the sweet potatoes to be just barely cooked, and not at all mushy.

In the same skillet, sauté the onion and celery for about five minutes, until beginning to soften. Add the garlic and pepper flakes and cook another minute. Add the black beans, peas, dill and cumin and cook another few minutes to heat through and meld the flavors.

Carefully fluff the rice and fold into the veggie mixture in the skillet. Carefully fold in the sweet potatoes into the pilaf. Serves 4 as a main course.

Paella de Valencia at Home

4 chicken thighs
1/2 lb, 1-link, chorizo sausage, sliced
1/2 cup diced onion
1/2 cup diced carrot
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 red and/or yellow pepper, diced
1/2 cup diced shiitake mushrooms (optional)
1 cup short grain white rice
2 cloves garlic, sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or 1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1/2 tsp saffron threads, crushed
1/4 tsp cumin
1 cup white wine
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup frozen artichoke quarters
1/4 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 cup green olives, drained
12 large shrimp, peeled

In a big sauté pan, which can go under a broiler, brown the chicken thighs and the chorizo sausage in a bit of olive oil for about 10 minutes total. Turn chicken twice to brown both sides well. Remove chicken to a bowl, and add the onion, carrot, celery, red pepper, mushrooms and rice to the pan and sauté for about 6-8 minutes, stirring often, so as to soften the veggies, but not to brown the rice. Add the garlic, red pepper flakes, saffron and cumin and cook another 2 minutes. Add the wine, water and salt and stir. Nestlé the chicken thighs in the rice mixture, and submerge the artichokes about the chicken. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce to a slow simmer. Cook covered for 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. Uncover the paella and nestle the shrimp about the chicken pieces. Do not stir. Scatter the peas and olives about the dish. Spray the top of the dish with a bit of canola oil, and then broil for about 5 minutes, watching carefully. You want the chicken and the shrimp to brown and sizzle a good bit, but don't let it burn. Serve with lemon or lime. Serves four.

Beef Shepherd's Pie with Cornbread Sweet Potato Topping

This is a sweet and moist cornbread topping you can use whether you prepare a beef base or a bean base for the pie (see cook's note below).1 onion, diced
1 carrot, peeled and finely diced
2 small or one large stalk celery, finely diced
1 lb ground beef

1 small sweet potato, peeled and cubed

3 tsp butter
2 Tbsp flour
1 cup stock
1/4 cup red wine
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp beef stock base paste (or bouillon cube)

Dry topping ingredients:
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 Tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 Tbsp coarse corn meal or grits
1 cup grated cheddar cheese
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp dill weed

Wet topping ingredients:
2 eggs
1 cup milk
3 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 375F. In a small pot, cover potato with cold water. Bring to a broil, add a good pinch of salt, reduce heat and simmer until cooked through. Drain and mash well with a masher. Cover and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, sauté the onion, carrot and celery for about ten minutes, until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add the ground beef and brown well. Remove ground beef to a bowl and melt the butter in the same pan. Fry the flour for about 2 minutes and then whisk on the stock, wine, Worcestershire and beef stock paste ( or bouillon). Whisk until thickened. Then stir in the ground beef mixture into the sauce and mix well.

Whisk together the dry topping ingredients. Beat together the wet topping ingredients with the sweet potato. Spread the beef evenly on an oiled 9x13-inch casserole. Fold together the topping wet and dry ingredients and distribute evenly on top of the beef.

Bake for 35-45 minutes uncovered, until bubbly, and topping is well browned. Serves 4-6.

Cook's Note: You can also use this topping to make a bean-based Shepherd's pie. Here I used a mixed bean dahl as the base, and used individual ramekins for the dish. I also garnished with some grated cheddar cheese.

Crudité of Beet and Carrot

Many people ask why the French have such a low relative rate of heart disease compared to Americans. Not being an epidemiologist, I don't have the answer. But I suspect it might have something to do with the amount the French walk, the variety and limited portions of their food, and - I don't know - but maybe love and wine... Who knows?

One thing I do know that makes me feel well when visiting France, is their raw vegetable salads, or crudité. My French cousins tell me they are essential to good health, and I believe them.1 fresh beet, peeled and grated
2 carrots, peeled and grated
palmful parsley, minced
juice and zest of 1 lime
1 large or 2 small green onions, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed and minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/8 tsp cumin
dash salt and freshly ground pepper

Mix all ingredients together and allow to marinate for at least 15-20 minutes.Serve as crudité or as a topping for a green salad.

Salad Greens with Creamy Lemon Balsamic Vinaigrette

My sister-in-law Caline, inspired the soy sauce to replace salt in this delicious dressing. And she is in good company - Jacques Pépin uses soy sauce in his dressings (and dishes in general) quite a bit - good cross-cultural food fusion! And I also follow Jacques' cue for anchovies (salty, too) which add a great depth of flavor.On the bottom of a wooden salad bowl, crush a clove of garlic, and an anchovy with the tines of a fork, forming a paste. With the fork, whisk in a teaspoon soy sauce and the juice and zest of 1/2 lemon, and one Tbsp Balsamic vinegar. Then mix in 1/4 cup olive oil. Mix in freshly ground pepper. Top with about 6 cups salad greens of choice; in this version I used spring mix greens, grapes, grape tomatoes, yellow pepper, snow peas and pine nuts.

Makes enough for one large family-sized salad.

Cook's note: you can also use anchovy paste, which is much more convenient if you don't eat lots of anchovies, but just don't tell the purists!

Another great combo is to top the salad with a crudité like raw beet and carrot salad. Here, I kept the greens simple - just baby spinach, and I topped with feta (or blue cheese is great too!).

Pan-fried Rosti Potato Cake

2 lb potatoes, peeled and grated
2 green onions, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
Dash red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp Herbes de Provence or Italian herbs
Salt to taste and freshly ground pepper

Squeeze the water out of the potatoes - I find wrapping them in a clean kitchen towel and wringing them out works best. Toss the potatoes with the remaining ingredients. Heat a tablespoon each of butter and olive oil in a large non-stick skillet and distribute the potatoes evenly in a single layer on the pan. Allow to cook for about 10-15 minutes, undisturbed to brown the first side.

Check cooked side with a spatula. When nicely browned, place a plate over potatoes and flip cake onto plate. Slide it un-cooked side down, back into the pan. Cook another 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are cooked through. Slide onto a serving platter and cut into wedges.

Slow Cooker BBQ Baked Beans

I have had success with slow cooker beans as long as the beans are fresh - that is, within the last year's crop. Otherwise, I have found that older beans do not cook fully in a slow cooker no matter what - very frustrating. So long as your beans are fresh, the slow cooker is a fantastic way to prepare beans while you are at work! Think about the multitude of variations on this theme that are possible...1 lb dried red, pinto or Navy beans, soaked overnight

1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
3 stalks celery, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeño pepper, minced
1/4 lb bacon, diced or sliced

1 quart chicken stock
1 tsp cumin

1/3 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 rounded Tbsp molasses
1/4 cup lemon juice
freshly ground pepper

The night (day) before, sauté the onion, carrot, celery, garlic and pepper until softened and begin inning to caramelize - about 10-12 minutes. Lightly brown the bacon and toss with the veggies. Set aside and refrigerate until ready to use.

The next morning, drain the beans and toss in a slow cooker. Mix in the reserved veggies, stock and cumin. Stir and cook on low for 8-10 hours. Or if you have a programmable slow cooker, cook on high for 4 hours, and then low for the remaining 4-6 hours. When you get back home, stir in the remaining seasonings and cook another 30 minutes on high in the slow cooker, or crock in a 375F oven. Stir a few times vigorously, to thicken. Adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary. Serves 6-8 over rice or other grain.

Cook's note: the way I especially like to cook theses beans is when I have leftover meat, such as beef brisket or pork roast, etc. I submerge the leftover meat chunks into the beans in the morning and remove at the end of the slow cooking before I stir vigorously. I pull apart or chop the meat and return to the crock of beans. A leftover ham bone would also be wonderful here.

Slow-braised Mesquite Rum BBQ Beef Brisket

Long live the leg of lamb for Easter, a long-time tradition of ours. But after all these years, time for something different. Having just come from a visit to Texas, I imagine that lamb may not grace every Easter table there. Rather, I suspect some BBQ Beef brisket may sneak its way onto some Easter dinner tables down there.

During lunch on Good Friday, a colleague from Texas explained how their family did not smoke, but braised beef brisket, which quite surprised me of a Texan. But I'd have to say slow braising at relatively low temperature made the brisket very, very, succulent - and I simply don't have a smoker! Other than braising, I have no idea how he flavored his brisket, but others have told me acid, alcohol and a good BBQ sauce help! Of course there are myriad ways to make a good BBQ sauce, so I won't prosthelytize. Here's what I did.3 lb beef brisket (un-brined, not corned beef)

2 Tbsp mesquite seasoning rub
1 cup dark rum
2 cups water
1/4 cup rice vinegar (I like Marukan, seasoned)

BBQ Sauce:
1/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp molasses
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp Tabasco or Sriracha hot sauce (or to taste)

Preheat oven to 325F. Coat both sides of the brisket with the dry rub while you allow the meat to come to room temperature, about an hour at 70F. In a large pan, or in a Dutch oven large enough to hold the brisket flat, brown the brisket in a bit of oil for about 5 minutes each side. Place the brisket in an oven-going pan or Dutch oven which can fit the brisket laying flat, and that can be covered. De-glaze the pan with the water and pour the water into the Dutch oven beside the brisket. Pour the rum and rice vinegar around the brisket. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and bake for an hour. Flip the brisket, cover and bake another hour.

Uncover the brisket, flip it over and baste the brisket with half the BBQ sauce. Bake uncovered another hour. Finally, flip the brisket one last time, baste it with the remaining BBQ sauce, and bake one last hour. Remove brisket to carving board, cover with aluminum foil and let rest for 20-30 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk BBQ sauce to blend and pour into a sauce boat. Carve brisket and serve with BBQ sauce on the side. Serves 6-8, depending on the leftovers you like to have!

Cook's Note: use leftover brisket with slow-cooker BBQ beans!