Showing posts with label lemon zest. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lemon zest. Show all posts

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Christina's Moroccan Rib Roast

from Better Homes and Gardens

2 tablespoons coriander seeds, crushed 
2 tablespoons finely shredded lemon peel 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds, crushed (or just use a few dashes of cumin)
1/2 to 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt 
1 4- to 5-pound beef rib roast (I used country-style pork rib chops instead)
8 cloves garlic, peeled and cut into slivers 
Assorted peeled and cut-up vegetables, such as carrots, turnips, and sweet peppers 

1. In a small bowl stir together coriander seeds, lemon peel, olive oil, cumin, red pepper, and salt. Rub surface of meat thoroughly with coriander mixture. 

2. Cut 1/2-inch-wide slits randomly into top and sides of meat. Insert garlic slivers deep into slits. If desired, cover and chill meat for up to 24 hours. 

3. Prepare grill for indirect grilling. Test for medium heat above the drip pan. Place meat on the lightly oiled grill rack over the drip pan. 

4. Cover and grill for 1-1/2 to 2 hours or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center of the meat registers 155 degree F for medium doneness. Add assorted cut-up vegetables to grill during the last 45 minutes of grilling, removing and setting them aside as they become tender. Carve meat and serve with the grilled vegetables. Makes 8 to 10 servings. 

Test Kitchen Tip: You may prepare this recipe using leg of lamb instead of a beef rib roast as part of a more authentic Moroccan feast. For a 3- to 4-pound leg of lamb, grill for 2 to 3 hours or until a meat thermometer registers 155 degree F for medium doneness. 

Christina's Rosemary-Lemon White Bean Dip

source unknown

This takes less than 10 minutes if you start with canned beans, but is best made with freshly cooked dried beans: Cook them in water to cover, with a couple of bay leaves, until very tender. 
2 cups cooked white beans, like cannelini, drained but moist 
1 to 3 cloves garlic, peeled 
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste 
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 
2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary 
Grated rind of 2 lemons 

1. Put the beans in the container of a food processor with 1 clove of garlic and a healthy pinch of salt. Turn the machine on, and add the 1/4 cup olive oil in a steady stream through the feed tube; process until the mixture is smooth. Taste, and add more garlic if you like; then, puree the mixture again. 

2. Place the mixture in a bowl, and use a wooden spoon to beat in the rosemary, lemon zest and the remaining tablespoon of olive oil. Taste, and add more salt and pepper as needed. Use immediately, or refrigerate for as long as 3 days. 

Variations 
The puree can form the basis of a wonderful sandwich. For example, combine a thick layer of puree with grilled vegetables and a little olive oil on rolls or between thick slices of crusty bread. It can be used to thicken and flavor cooked beans. Just stir a few spoonfuls of the puree into simmering white beans (if you have pesto, add some at the same time). Thinned with the cooking water from beans or pasta, it makes a good pasta sauce. 

A small mound of the puree served next to braised chicory or other bitter greens (both drizzled with olive oil) makes a fine side dish. Similarly, serve it at the center of a plate of lightly and simply cooked vegetables: carrots, green beans, turnips, asparagus, potatoes or cauliflower. 


Layer the puree with grilled eggplant or zucchini and bake or broil to form a simple vegetable napoleon. You can make this dish even more elaborate by incorporating thin-sliced toast and grated Parmesan cheese in the layers. 


Or roll smoked salmon or thin-sliced cooked vegetables -- again, zucchini and eggplant are good candidates -- around a bit of the puree, and serve as hors d'oeuvres. 

Tuesday, March 9, 2010

Christina's Green Goddess Rice

from Kate's Kitchen

4 c. cooked rice, still warm
2 avocados
2 c. basil leaves
1/2 c. chopped parsley
2 lemons, juice and zest
2 T. olive oil, the greener the better
a pinch cayenne
salt and pepper

In a blender of food processor, mix avocado, basil, parsley, lemon, oil, cayenne, salt, and pepper until creamy. Fold into warm rice.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Christina's Lemon Meringue Bars

adapted from Martha Stewart

Crust:
2 Sticks of Butter, unsalted
2 C flour
1/2 C powdered sugar
2 Teaspoons lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt

Lemon:
6 large whole eggs
2 C granulated sugar
1 C lemon juice (at least half should be fresh squeezed for best results)
2 T lemon zest

Meringue:
4-5 egg whites
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Make crust: Put butter, flour, confectioner's sugar, lemon zest, and the salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Transfer mixture to a 9 x 13-inch rimmed baking sheet. Press batter evenly into baking sheet. Bake 20-22 minutes till golden brown. Chill in freezer for 10 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack.

Make filling: Whisk together whole eggs, granulated sugar, the lemon juice, and lemon zest. Pour over crust. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes making sure the filling is set. Let cool completely on a wire rack. Keep oven at 350°.

Make meringue topping: Put egg white in the clean bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Beat on medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Add sugar and mix at end.

Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread meringue over filling, swirling to create soft peaks. Bake until meringue begins to brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool completely. Cut into bars. Bars can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

Christina's Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

from Smitten Kitchen

2 eggs, well beaten
1 1/2 cups of milk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3 medium Granny Smith apples, grated
1 tsp cinnamon
a few dashes nutmeg
1 tsp lemon zest or 1 TBSP lemon juice

1. Mix the eggs with the milk in a large bowl.

2. In a smaller bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar together.

3. Combine the wet and the dry ingredients and stir in the apples, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice or zest.

4. Heat nonstick skillet over low to medium heat. Drop large spoonful of batter into the pan and flatten it out a little and cook until golden brown underneath. Flip the pancakes and cook them for an additional two or three minutes.

5. Either dust with powdered sugar or serve with maple syrup.

Christina's Asparagus and Green Bean Salad

from Rachael Ray

1/2 pound green beans
3/4 pound regular or pencil asparagus
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup flat-leaf parsley
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 cup fresh basil or 1 1/2 TBSP dried basil
1 small clove garlic or 1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Romano
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
2 plum tomatoes, seeded then thinly sliced lengthwise

Bring 1-inch of water to a boil, add salt then green beans, cover and cook 2 minutes, then add asparagus and cook 3 minutes more. If using pencil asparagus, blanch for 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well and cold shock vegetables in ice water to stop cooking process. Drain the vegetables on clean kitchen towels to dry completely. Thinly slice the green beans lengthwise on an angle; pile them together and run your knife through them cutting them into 2-inch pieces. Halve the asparagus lengthwise if thicker, leave in spindles if thin, then cut the spears into 2-inch pieces on an angle. Combine the beans, asparagus, 1/2 cup of parsley and onion in a shallow bowl.

Combine the lemon zest and juice, remaining 1/2 cup of parsley and herbs in a food processor with cheese. Turn processor on and stream in extra-virgin olive oil. Season the dressing with salt and pepper and pour over the salad. Season the sliced tomatoes with salt and garnish salad with them.

Christinas' Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Sauteed Apples

from Smitten Kitchen

For the sautéed apples
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1.5 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
fresh lemon juice to taste

For the pancakes
2 large eggs, separated
2/3 cups ricotta
3/4 tablespoons sugar
3/4 tablespoons freshly grated lemon zest
¼ cup all-purpose flour
melted butter for brushing the griddle
maple syrup as an accompaniment

Prepare the sautéed apples:
In a large heavy skillet sauté the apples in the butter over moderately high heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes, or until they are softened, sprinkle them with the sugar and the cinnamon, and cook them over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until they are tender. Stir in the lemon juice and keep the mixture warm.

Make the pancakes:
In a bowl whisk together the egg yolks, the ricotta, the sugar, and the zest, add the flour, and stir the mixture until it is just combined. In a bowl with an electric mixer beat the egg whites with a pinch of salt until they hold stiff peaks, whisk about one fourth of them into the ricotta mixture, and fold in the remaining whites gently but thoroughly. Heat a griddle over medium low. Working in batches, pour the batter onto the griddle by 1/4-cup measures and cook the pancakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, or until they are golden, brushing the griddle with some of the melted butter as necessary. Transfer the pancakes as they are cooked to a heatproof platter and keep them warm in a preheated 200°F. oven.

Serve the pancakes with the sautéed apples and the maple syrup.

Monday, June 22, 2009

Christina's Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

from Smitten Kitchen

1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
1/2 teaspoon (2 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 stick (56 grams) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup (146 grams) plus 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1 large (57 grams) egg
1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 oz)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and set aside. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 2/3 cup (146 grams) sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about two minutes, then beat in vanilla and zest, if using. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in three batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter raspberries evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons (22 grams) sugar.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

Monday, May 25, 2009

Christina's Cheesecake with Lemon Curd

from Epicurious

* 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh lemon zest
* 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

For crust

* 1 1/3 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs (5 oz)
* 1/3 cup sugar
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling

* 3 (8-oz) packages cream cheese, softened
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 large eggs
* 3/4 cup sour cream
* 1 teaspoon vanilla

* Accompaniment: blueberries (optional)

Make lemon curd:
Whisk together zest, juice, sugar, and eggs in a 2-quart heavy saucepan. Add butter and cook over moderately low heat, whisking frequently, until curd is thick enough to hold marks of whisk and first bubbles appear on surface, about 6 minutes.

Force lemon curd through a fine-mesh sieve into a wide shallow dish, scraping bottom of sieve, then cover surface with wax paper. Cool completely, stirring occasionally, about 30 minutes.

Make and bake crust:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Invert bottom of springform pan (to make it easier to slide cake off bottom), then lock on side. 3Stir together crust ingredients in a bowl, then press onto bottom and 1 inch up side of springform pan. Place springform pan in a shallow baking pan and bake 10 minutes, then cool crust completely in springform pan on a rack.

Make filling and bake cheesecake:
Reduce oven temperature to 300°F.

Beat together cream cheese and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low and add eggs 1 at a time, beating until incorporated. Beat in sour cream and vanilla until combined.

Pour two thirds of cream cheese filling into crust, then spoon half of lemon curd over filling and swirl curd into filling with a small knife. (Avoid touching crust with knife to prevent crumbs getting into filling.) Repeat with remaining filling and curd.

Bake cheesecake until set 1 1/2 inches from edge but center trembles when pan is gently shaken, about 45 minutes. (Center of cake will appear very loose but will continue to set as it cools.) Transfer springform pan to a rack and immediately run a knife around top edge of cake to loosen. Cool completely, about 2 hours, then chill, uncovered, at least 4 hours. Remove side of springform pan before serving.

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Christina's Roasted Broccoli

from Barefoot Contessa

Two large bunches of broccoli
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Pepper
4 garlic cloves, peeled and sliced
1 lemon
pine nuts (optional)
Parmesan cheese

Put the broccoli on a cookie sheet. Toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Now add 4 garlic cloves that are peeled and sliced and toss them in, too. Roast in the oven 20 to 25 minutes at 425 degrees, until crisp-tender and the tips of some of the florets are browned.

When it's done, take it out of the oven and zest a lemon over the broccoli, squeeze the lemon juice over the broccoli, add 1.5 Tbs more olive oil, 3 Tbs toasted pine nuts (optional), and 1/3 cup of freshly grated Parmesan cheese. Can also 2 Tbs julienned fresh basil (optional), but I left that out.

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Christina's Citrus Garlic Shrimp Pasta

from All Recipes

1 (16 ounce) package linguini pasta
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup orange juice
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 cloves garlic, peeled
5 teaspoons grated lemon peel
4 teaspoons grated orange peel
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook linguine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the next eight ingredients; cover and process until blended. Pour into a large skillet; heat through.

Add the shrimp; cook for 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Drain linguine; toss with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and parsley if desired.

Sunday, May 4, 2008

Christina's Chocolate Babka

from Smitten Kitchen

Dough
4 1/4 cups (530 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 teaspoons instant yeast
Grated zest of 1 small lemon or half an orange (optional)
3 large eggs
1/2 cup water (cold is fine) and up to 1 to 2 tablespoons extra, if needed
3/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
2/3 cup unsalted butter (150 grams or 5.3 ounces) at room temperature
Sunflower or other neutral oil (coconut), for greasing

Filling
4 1/2 ounces (130 grams) dark chocolate (or approximately 3/4 cup chocolate chips)
1/2 cup (120 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
Scant 1/2 cup (50 grams) powdered sugar
1/3 cup (30 grams) cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Streusel Topping
3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2/3 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, and butter. Using a fork, stir until fully combined with clumps ranging in size from crumbs to 1 inch.

Make the dough: Combine the flour, sugar, yeast and zest in the bottom of the bowl of a stand mixer. Add eggs and 1/4 cup water, mixing with the dough hook until it comes together; this may take a couple minutes. It’s okay if it’s on the dry side, but if it doesn’t come together at all, add extra water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the dough forms a mass. With the mixer on low, add the salt, then the butter, a spoonful at a time, mixing until it’s incorporated into the dough. Then, mix on medium speed for 10 minutes until dough is completely smooth; you’ll need to scrape the bowl down a few times. I usually found that after 10 minutes, the dough began to pull away from the sides of the bowl. If it doesn’t, you can add 1 tablespoon extra flour to help this along.
Coat a large bowl with oil (or scrape the dough out onto a counter and oil this one) and place dough inside, cover with plastic and refrigerate. Leave in fridge for at least half a day, preferably overnight.
[To make this on the same day, see my fourth note below.]
Make filling: Melt butter and chocolate together until smooth. Stir in powdered sugar and cocoa; mixture should form a spreadable paste. Add cinnamon, if desired. [If you're wondering what happened to the pecans and granulated sugar, see my third note below.]
Assemble loaves: Coat two 9-by-4-inch (2 1/4 or 1kg) loaf pans with oil or butter, and line the bottom of each with a rectangle of parchment paper. Take half of dough from fridge (leave the other half chilled). Roll out on a well-floured counter to about a 10-inch width (the side closest to you) and as long in length (away from you) as you can when rolling it thin, likely 10 to 12 inches.
Spread half of chocolate mixture evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border all around. Brush the end farthest away from you with water. Roll the dough up with the filling into a long, tight cigar. Seal the dampened end onto the log. I found that transferring the log to a lightly floured baking tray in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes made it much, much easier to cut cleanly in half. Repeat with second dough.
Trim last 1/2-inch off each end of log. Gently cut the log in half lenghtwise and lay them next to each other on the counter, cut sides up. Pinch the top ends gently together. Lift one side over the next, forming a twist and trying to keep the cut sides facing out (because they’re pretty). Don’t worry if this step makes a mess, just transfer the twist as best as you can into the prepared loaf pan. In one batch, mine was long enough to “S” inside the pan and I nested the trimmed ends of the log in the openings. Even if you don’t (and choose to bake them separately in a little pan, as I did in other batches), the dough will fill in any gaps by the time it’s done rising and baking, so don’t worry.
Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to rise another 1 to 1 1/2 hours at room temperature. Repeat process with second loaf.

Heat oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove towels. Crumble 1/2 of streusel topping over each loaf. Place each loaf on the middle rack of your oven. Bake for 30 minutes, but there’s no harm in checking for doneness at 25 minutes. A skewer inserted into an underbaked babka will feel stretchy/rubbery inside and may come back with dough on it. When fully baked, you’ll feel almost no resistance.




Sunday, January 20, 2008

Christina's Lemon Risotto

This is hands down my favorite way to make rice!
from Smitten Kitchen

6 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
3 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 large shallots, chopped
2 cups arborio rice or medium-grain white rice
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4 teaspoons grated lemon peel

Bring broth to simmer in large saucepan over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; cover to keep warm. Melt 1 1/2 tablespoons butter with oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and sauté until tender, about 6 minutes. Add rice; stir 1 minute. Add wine and stir until evaporated, about 30 seconds. Add 1 1/2 cups hot broth; simmer until absorbed, stirring frequently. Add remaining broth 1/2 cup at a time, allowing broth to be absorbed before adding more and stirring frequently until rice is creamy and tender, about 35 minutes. Stir in cheese and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Stir in parsley, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Season risotto with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl and serve.