Bear Cuisine

Crisp Parmigiano-Reggiano Wafers

Christine Hickman showed us how to make these fabulous wafers which can be a knock-out appetizer, a garnish for soup or a container for salad. If you have seen these pre-made in the grocery store, you know they cost an arm and a leg. If you make them yourself, you not only save a lot of money; but you will also impress your guests with your culinary skill.

 

FRICOS

• 1 pound Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 2 tablespoons finely grated lemon rind
• Vegetable oil ( if using a skillet)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.*

Coarsely grate the cheese. It is important that the cheese NOT be finely grated.

Spread 2 tablespoons of the Parmigiano mixture onto a silicone-=lined baking sheet and lightly pat down.

Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture, spacing spoonfuls about 1/2-inch apart. Bake for 3 to 5 minutes or until golden and crisp. Allow to cool about 2 minutes and use a flat spatula to transfer to paper towels.

*Alternately, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Brush the skillet with a thin film of oil (not olive oil) Spread about 2 tablespoons of the grated cheese in a circle about 3 inches in diameter. Be sure not to make the layer of cheese too thick, or the wafers will be chewy instead of crispy.

Let the cheese coo without disturbing it or moving the [am until the fat that separates from the cheese begins to bubble around the edges, about 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. It should have a golden brown underside.

Using a heatproof rubber spatula, carefully free the crisp from the pan and flip it over. It it is sticking to the pan, cook a bit longer and try to free again.

Cook the wafer until golden and set on the other side, about 1-2 minutes more, taking care not to let it darken to more than a light golden color or it may become bitter.

Transfer the wafer to paper towels to drain. Brush out any crumbs from the pan, brush lightly with oil and repeat with the remaining cheese.

When the wafers are completely cool, they are ready to serve.

These can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container at room temperature.

The wafers can be made larger and placed over the bottom of an inverted small cup to cool. Once cook, they can filled with a salad of lightly dressed baby greens for a first course.

Oeufs En Cocotte

These baked eggs are one of my favorite things to make, especially when fresh tomatoes are available locally. the timing on these is tricky and I have subjected Kay to this breakfast many times in my efforts to get it just right. She says she doesn't mind and claims to like even the less-than-perfect versions. 

OEUFS EN COCOTTE

• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 6 to 8 scallions sliced
• 1 tomato, diced
• Salt and pepper
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F . Melt the butter . Add the scallions and fry until they are a golden brown. Season with salt and pepper and put them in the ramekins. Spread the diced tomato on top of the scallions.

Break an egg into each ramekin; then, spoon 1 tablespoon of cream over each egg. Place the ramekins in a roasting pan and pour boiling water in the pan until the water comes half-way up the ramekins.

Put pan in the oven and bake the eggs 8 to 10 minutes until the whites are just about set. The eggs will continue to cook for a minute or two in the hot ramekins after you take from the oven.

You can vary the ingredients in these and play with the combinations that you like. In the version shown here, I used a bit of chorizo. A New Mexican riff on a French classic. Why not?

Green Chile-Cheese Grits Souffle

Grits! How do I love them?  Let me count the ways. One of the ways I love them is to make a Green Chile-Cheese Grits Casserole or Souffle. I  haven't read a recipe for this dish, although there are are probably several floating around in the food universe. This has just evolved over the last several years and changes a little every time I make it. Combining southern and New Mexican ingredients, this is a wonderful side for just about any roasted meat. It could even find a place on your Thanksgiving table.

You must start with the best possible grits you can find. This means that no instant grits are allowed. Some folks swear by Anson Mills, but my favorite continues to Hoppin' John's Old fashioned Speckled Grits.

GREEN CHILE-CHEESE GRITS SOUFFLE

First you have to cook the grits. This is a slow process, but the time you take will reward you later with creamy and full-flavored grits.

• 4 cups water
• 1 cup grits
• 2 tables spoons salted butter
• 2 to 4 cup cream

Heat the butter and water in a heavy saucepan until the water is boiling. Pour in the grits, stirring as you do so that lumps won't form. Bring the grits to a boil, then turn down the heat to a simmer. Cook , stirring from time to time, until the water is absorbed. This could take from 10 to 12 minutes. When the liquid has been absorbed, add a half cup of cream and , again, simmer for 10 minutes or so until the liquid is absorbed. Repeat this process until the grits have reached the grits are thick enough so that they won't run on the plate; the cooking time should be at least an hour. Now the grits are ready to be transformed in a souffle.

• 1 to 1 1/2 cups chopped roasted chile ( hot,medium or mild or a combination)
• 1 to 2 cups shredded sharp cheddar
• Kosher Salt and  Freshly Ground Pepper
• 4  extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

If you want your casserole to be more like a souffle, separate the yolks from the whites. Whip the whites until they hold soft peaks. Stir  the yolks, cheese, chiles, salt and pepper into the grits until all the ingredients are thoroughly mixed. Then fold in the egg whites. Place the mixture in a buttered casserole or souffle dish and cook at 350 degrees F. for approximately an hour. When the tip of a knife inserted in the center, comes out clean, the souffle is done. This won't be like a cheese or dessert souffle, light and airy; but it won't be as dense as it would be if you simply stir in the whole eggs.  Either way, the dish is delicious and satisfying.

If you have any left over, you can spread it in a pan and put in the refrigerator. In the morning you can cut into squares, dip in egg and breading and fry for breakfast. Some even like the left-overs better than the original dish.

Hashed Brown Turnip Cakes with Ham and Eggs

One evening I was looking through Julia Child's The Way to Cook and came on this recipe. We had turnips, leftover ham.potatos and eggs which needed using ; I resolved the make this the very next day for supper. It was absolutely delicious and made me feel ever so thrifty.

Ham

• 1 1/3 cups diced, cooked ham
  
• 2 tablespoons butter
  

Eggs

Poach the eggs and set in cold water; just before serving, place them in a pan of lightly salted simmering water for 1 minute to reheat.

For a quick lesson on poaching eggs, take a look at this offering on Rouxbe.com

Turnip Cakes

• 2 large white turnips
  
• 1 russet baking potato, the same size as one of the turnips
  
• 1/4 cup sour cream
  
• 1 large egg
  
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
  

Just before sauteing them, grate the turnips and the potato, then twist them in a clean towel to extract as much liquid as you can. You should have about 3 cups after squeezing out the liquid. To prevent discoloration, blend these ingredients in a bowl with the cream and egg. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Film a large heavy pan with butter or oil, and set over moderately high heat. Quickly form 4 cakes about 1/8-inch thick in the hot pan. Lower the heat to moderate, cover the pan, and cook slowly for about 5 minutes, or until lightly browned on the bottom. Turn the cakes carefully, cover the pan and cooker 5 minutes more on the other side.

Reheat the ham and the eggs. Serve the cakes on hot plates, garnished with a spoonful of diced ham, topped with a poach egg and, if you like, a pinch of parsley.

The homemade ketchup on the side gave the dish just the right amount of spice to enliven the sweetness of the ham and turnip. I 'm betting that even people who think they don't like turnips would like this.

Twenty-First Century Mac 'N' Cheese

Our family loves macaroni and cheese. Summer, Fall, Winter, Spring. There is no season in which I can't elicit smiles and great anticipation whenever I answer the question of 'What's for dinner?" with this continuing family favorite. 

I have sung the praises of The Splendid Table's How to Eat Supper before. (Just click on Cookbooks in the categories list and you will find it mentioned.) Here is another fabulous recipe from this wonderful collection. This is my new favorite and Hallie likes it too. You know it has to be a winner.

21ST-CENTURY MAC 'N' CHEESE

(serves 4)

1. 1/2 pound imported elbow macaroni or penne pasta
   
2. 1 large egg
   
3. 1 cup milk, half-and-half or heavy cream
   
4. 1 small garlic clove
   
5. 3/4 medium onion, coarsely chopped
   
6. 1 generous cup (5 ounces) good-quality extra-sharp cheddar cheese
   
7. 5 ounces cream cheese, crumbled
   
8. 2/3 cup (3 ounces) shredded gruyere, or Manchego cheese
   
9. 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
   
10. 1/8 teaspoon salt
    
11. 1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
    
12. 1/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
    
13. 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
    
14. 12 saltines, coarsely crumbled
    
15. 3 quarts salted water in a 4-quart pot.

Bring the salted water to a boil. Drop in the macaroni or penne. Boil, stirring often, until the pasta is tender but still with a little firmness. Drain in a colander.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dish, and ad the cooked macaroni.

In a blender or food processor, combine the egg, milk, and garlic. Process for 3 seconds. Add the onion, cheeses, red pepper flakes, salt, black pepper, ad paprika, and blend for 10 seconds or until the onion is cut down to small pieces and the ingredients are blended. Turn the mixture into the dish, folding it into the macaroni.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan, add the saltine crumbles, and coat them with the butter. Spread them over the top of the casserole. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until thick yet creamy. If the top is not golden brown, slip the casserole under the broiler for a minute. Remove it from the oven,let stand for 5 minutes, and serve.

The last time I made this I substituted a creamy chevre for the cream cheese and it worked just fine. I also omitted the saltines with no loss in flavor. I've quit using Saltines ever since I discovered that they are made with High Fructose Corn Syrup, an ingredient never found in nature.