Baked Cod, Sausage and White Beans

Fish and sausage?! Does that sound weird to you?

If you’re Portuguese, you’re saying, oh no, not weird at all. The Portuguese are longtime masters of mixing seafood and pork. One of the most famous examples is Porco com Amêijoas à Alentejana, or Alentejo-Style Pork with Clams. That’s going on my “recipes to try” Pinterest board. Another popular dish, Amêijoas na Cataplana, is made with clams and sausage. It’s cooked in a cataplana, a pot with a hinged lid that is sealed with a clamp during cooking, and looks a bit like a clam shell

I found this recipe on the Eating Well website. The original recipe calls for 1-1/4 pounds of cod and only 2 ounces of chorizo. I didn’t want that much cod because I was only making dinner for two. Even though I used less cod, I kept all the other ingredient the same,  and increased the sausage. The original recipe calls for chorizo which would have been great, but my market didn’t have any, so I used andouille instead. The andouille’s spiciness was perfect for this recipe. If you’re in Portuguese-American country (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, California), linguica would also be fantastic.

For sides, I roasted asparagus with some garlic and then tossed it with lemon juice and zest once it was done. I also parboiled cubes of sweet potato and then sautéed them with onions and smoked paprika. I softened the onions before adding the sweet potatoes to the pan.

Holy moly, everything was so good. I will make this dish again and again. I may go lighter on the sausage to make it healthier, or try to find a chicken sausage with that same type of heat and flavor. You can tell from the photo that my dish was quite liquidy. That was a surprise because it wasn’t that liquidy when it went into the oven. Maybe I didn’t need those extra tablespoons of wine.

I highly recommend this one!

Baked Cod, Sausage and White Beans

You’ll need a medium saucepan, baking dish large enough for your fish fillets and deep enough for sauce on top, and foil.

• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 5 ounces andouille (2 sausages) or chorizo, diced
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
• 1/2 cup dry white wine, divided
• 1 15-ounce can great northern or cannellini beans, rinsed
• Salt, to taste
• 3/4 pounds Pacific cod, cut into 2 pieces
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 425°F. Coat baking dish with cooking spray.

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallot, sausage and thyme and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes and 1/4 cup wine. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes are broken down and the wine is almost evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Stir in beans and salt, to taste, and remove from the heat.

Sprinkle fish with salt and pepper, and place it in the prepared baking dish. Top each piece of fish with equal amounts of the tomato mixture. Pour the remaining 1/4 cup wine (or less, if you wish, I only put in a few tablespoons) into the pan and cover the pan with foil.

Bake until the fish is just cooked through, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve the fish with the sauce spooned over the top.

Original recipe: Baked Cod with Chorizo & White Beans, Eating Well

Hoppin’ John Soup

I first made Hoppin’ John soup for New Year’s Day last year. It’s a Southern tradition that eating black-eyed peas and greens will bring you luck the coming year. 2011 was a pretty good year, so I’m a believer.

I was going to make it again for New Year’s Day this year, but when the day came, we had a refrigerator full of food. I wasn’t about to add a big pot of soup to it.

It only took a few days for the frig to start looking normal again — we’re good at leftovers. It was freezing outside on Tuesday so it was the perfect night for a comforting soup. Plus I had a ham bone that I stole from Starr, our elderly border collie. Ok, I snatched it out of Jim’s hands before he gave it to Starr. Before I came along, Starr always got the ham bone, but now he has to make do with ham juice and scraps.

I used kale for the soup instead of collards because the collards in the store didn’t look so great. I bet if I had gone to a farm stand I would have had better collard luck. The original recipe called only for water, but I supplemented the water with some leftover chicken broth. You can cut back on the liquid if you want the soup to be thicker. I also added extra jalapeno and garlic, a green bell pepper and some thyme and paprika.

I was going to make cornbread as a side, but we are both so fat from the holidays that I decided we really didn’t need it. If you haven’t seriously overindulged in pies, cookies, eggnog, cheese, snacks and huge meals, cornbread would make a tasty accompaniment for Hoppin’ John. We both sprinkled some Texas Pete on our soup. Despite the two jalapenos, it really wasn’t that hot, maybe because I removed the seeds and ribs, cutting down on the capsaicin.

I know New Year’s has past, but this is a great soup for any occasion or cold night. We’ll enjoy it again tonight!

Hoppin’ John Soup

You’ll need two large Dutch ovens or large pots (6 and 12 quart capacity). Serves about 8-10 people, depending on appetite and whether you make cornbread too.

•  1 pound dried black-eyed peas
• 1 ham bone (or smoked ham bone or hocks)
• 1⁄4 cup canola oil
• 1⁄2 cup chopped cooked ham, either from your bone or elsewhere
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 jalapeños, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 1 large green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 rib celery, chopped
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 pound kale (or collard greens), ribs removed, leaves roughly chopped
• 5 cups of chicken broth and 7 cups of water
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 5-6 cups cooked long-grain white rice

Bring peas, ham bone and 8 cups water to a boil in a pot (the smaller of the two). Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, skimming foam occasionally, until peas are tender, about 45 minutes. Drain peas, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid along with the ham bone; set aside.

Heat oil in the larger pot over medium-high heat. Add ham, garlic, jalapeños, carrot, onion, green bell pepper, celery, thyme, paprika and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 8 minutes. Add reserved black-eyed peas, ham bone and reserved cooking liquid, along with kale, chicken broth and water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer until kale or collards are tender, about 1 hour. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon rice into bowls and ladle soup over rice.

Original recipe: Hoppin’ John Soup, Saveur

Shrimp Broiled with White Beans and Tomatoes

This recipe was a pleasant surprise. I knew it had to be good, the ingredients promised that, but it surpassed my expectations. It reminds me of a Tuscan white bean dish but the flavors are a bit different, in fact, this dish is bolder, plus it has shrimp. Oh, yeah.

Lowes Foods had large North Carolina shrimp on sale last week for $5.99. What a price! Shrimp had the starring role in our dinners twice. Another night I made a Thai red curry dish with shrimp – that recipe’s to come.

Originally a Martha Stewart recipe, the guys at The Bitten Word made suggestions to improve it, and I listened, plus made a few of my own. I didn’t use a cast-iron skillet because, well, frankly, Jim uses ours for tailgating and it looked like it needed a good cleaning. I wasn’t in the mood to deal with it, so I used a Dutch oven instead.

Although the recipe looks pretty simple, it is packed with flavor. I was surprised at how good it was. The addition of capers is genius, although the next time I make it I will use less than the 2 tablespoons in the original recipe because their flavor was a bit overpowering. I made a few other changes: added red pepper flakes, lemon juice and fresh oregano, and substituted white wine for some of the chicken broth.

Have a baguette or garlic bread on hand because you’ll want to soak up the tasty sauce.

Shrimp Broiled with White Beans and Tomatoes

You’ll need a large heavy oven-safe skillet or Dutch oven and two bowls.

• 2 cups grape tomatoes
  
• 1 can (15.5 ounces) white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1-1/2 tablespoons brine-packed capers, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 4 cloves)
• 1/2 teaspoon red hot pepper flakes
• 1 to 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• Salt
• 1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano

Heat broiler. Preheat a large, heavy ovenproof skillet or Dutch oven on top rack for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, toss together tomatoes, beans, capers, garlic, red pepper flakes, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a bowl. Toss shrimp with remaining tablespoon oil and 1/4 teaspoon salt in another bowl.

Remove skillet from oven and add tomato mixture. It will sizzle. Put the skillet back in the oven and broil until the tomatoes are charred and beginning to collapse, about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, and stir in broth and wine, then the shrimp. Return to the oven to broil for 2 minutes, then stir in the oregano. Return to the oven and broil until the shrimp are opaque, about 1 or 2 minutes more. Drizzle with oil, if you wish.

Original recipe: Broiled Shrimp with Tomatoes and White Beans, The Bitten Word

White Bean Dip with Homemade Pita Chips

In my mission to nosh on healthier snacks than Snyder’s Jalapeno Pretzels, I’ve come to rely on hummus with celery sticks. I love hummus but I’m getting tired of the same thing all the time, so I’m looking for easy alternatives. Have I given up my jalapeno pretzels? I wish I were that strong, but when they’re on sale and I have a coupon, how can I resist?

Bean dips (without cheese) are a good healthy choice. If you google “white bean dip,” you’ll see many variations with different herbs, spices or lemon. This version from Serious Eats is described as Provencal but I saw many others described as Tuscan. I honed in on this one because it mimics a dip the writer enjoyed at Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bistro in Yountville, CA.

I’ve never dined in Keller’s restaurants – Bouchon, French Laundry, Per Se or Ad Hoc. Before I moved to California, French Laundry in Yountville was his only restaurant, yet I could never plan my trips west early enough to get a reservation. By the time I moved to California and could afford his restaurants, I was no longer into high dollar dining. However, I once indulged in many treats from his Bouchon Bakery.

When my brother turned 40, his wife took him on a surprise (blindfold and all) weekend trip to Napa. They took a hot air balloon ride, visited wineries and then had mud baths and massages in Calistoga Springs. Later that evening, a few of us surprised him by joining them for dinner in Yountville. Good times. The next morning I loaded up my front seat with Bouchon goodies for the drive back to Sacramento. Way too many pastries for the miles.

That was as close to Keller as I’ll ever get. I used to own his first book, The French Laundry Cookbook, but never made a thing in it. I appreciate his genius and wouldn’t think of turning down a meal at any of his places as long as someone else is paying. There’s a chapter in one of Tony Bourdain’s books about a night at The French Laundry that shows why dining can be more than just a meal. Crazy good food.

This simple bean dip is more my style. It’s a snap to make, although you do have to plan ahead because you’ll need an hour to roast a head of garlic. Adapt it to your taste: add lemon; drizzle it with olive oil; sprinkle it with smoked paprika, cayenne pepper or fresh herbs.

You could serve this with celery or other crudités, but I had a hankering for pita chips. Since I had time to kill while the garlic was roasting, I made my own instead of paying $4 for a little bag. Best pita chips ever! I’ll never buy them again. Jalapeno pretzels on the hand? I’m making no promises.

White Bean Dip

You’ll need a small baking dish and food processor.

• 1 15-ounce can cannellini or other white beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 head roasted garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Leaves of 1 stem of fresh rosemary
• Leaves of 3 stems of fresh thyme
• Salt and pepper to taste

To roast the garlic, slice off the top quarter of the garlic, drizzle a bit of olive oil into the head, wrap in foil and bake at 350 in a baking dish for 1 hour. Once it’s cooled enough to handle, unwrap and squeeze the flesh out of the skins.

Add all the ingredients to a food processor and puree until smooth. Season to taste.

Original recipe: Provencal White Bean Dip, Serious Eats

Homemade Pita Chips

You’ll need a baking sheet. You can toss the wedges in oil on the sheet or in a bowl. I eyeballed all the ingredients. I only used enough oil to glisten the wedges and allow the oregano, salt and pepper to adhere.

• Pita bread
• Olive oil
• Dried oregano
• Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400. Slice each pita in half so you have two sides. Then slice each half into 8 wedges. Toss the wedges with oil then arrange them on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with the oregano, salt and pepper. Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until toasted and golden. Serve the chips warm or at room temperature.

Photo by Christine Leiser

Hot and Smoky Baked Beans

I might have a thing for baked beans, maybe because I grew up in Massachusetts where I swear we had franks, beans and brown bread every Saturday night. This recipe from Bon Appetit has been a winner twice in the last month or so, both times for family cook-outs. It has a bit of smoky heat from the chipotles (don’t they make everything better?), sweetness, bacon and beer — everything good beans need! I made it once in the oven and once in the crockpot. It’s a keeper.

If you don’t use all the chipotle and sauce in the can, save it, either for a little time in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Once you know you have it ready to go, you’ll be surprised at all the dishes you can add it to for some smoky background heat. Last night we had some in brown rice with a little onion, very tasty.

Hot and Smoky Baked Beans

• 

  photo by Steve Cohen for Bon Appetit

  6 bacon slices

• 1-1/2 cups chopped onion
• garlic, minced — my addition to recipe
• 1-1/4 cups barbecue sauce – I used Bull’s Eye
• 3/4 cup dark beer – I used oatmeal stout
• 1/4 cup light molasses
• 3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 3 Tbsp packed dark brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4-6 tsp minced canned chipotle chiles (the amount will depend on your audience)
• 6 cans (15 oz) Great Northern beans, drained

Preheat oven to 350. Cook bacon in skillet over medium heat until crisp. Transfer to paper towels and drain. Transfer 2-1/2 Tbsp of the bacon fat to a large bowl. Chop bacon and add to bowl. Add onion to skillet and saute until just softening. Add garlic, sauteing until just turning golden — the original recipe didn’t call for sauteing onion but I like it that way. Add to bowl. Add barbecue sauce, beer, molasses, mustard, sugar, Worcestershire and soy sauce to bowl. Whisk to blend. Whisk in chipotles. Stir in beans. Transfer beans to 13×9 Pyrex baking dish and bake uncovered until liquid bubbles and thickens slightly, about 1 hour. Cool 10 minutes. Or cook in crockpot on setting desired until the beans look ready.

Original recipe – Hot and Smoky Baked Beans