Delightfully Crispy, Buttery, Creamy, and Cheesy...All in One Dish

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday. I've said before that Easter is a great holiday for food, and Thanksgiving is more set in stone when it comes to the menu, but there is something so cozy and comforting about a feast with family and friends in the fall. The sentiment surrounding the holiday--giving thanks for all that we have-- is just right, and it's never really been marred by rampant commercialism. I look forward to Thanksgiving every year, though it seems to have crept up on me this time. But I've still got two weeks left, so that gives me plenty of time to think about what I'm going to bring this year.

Usually, my Mom asks that I make a side with butternut squash. I'm considering keeping it simple this year, and serving my squash mashed, with an additional offering. We'll have to see what the second dish is. Something that's a bit less expected would be ideal, as long as it's not totally out of place. I'm not really one for flagrantly non-traditional dishes at Thanksgiving; it needs to adhere to the idea of a traditional harvest-time feast. Whatever tradition it follows is up to you, but I like an "honest American" type of cuisine.

Regardless of your tastes, the possibilities are endless. I'm heavily leaning on making these biscuits, which, as I've mentioned before, are ridiculously good. But, as there are a lot of conflicting needs in my family (two vegetarians, one turkey hater, two vegetable haters, and three people who will pretty much eat it all--I'm a member of the last group), maybe a vegetable dish that everyone--except for one person--will enjoy could be just thing (maybe he'll try it, too). It's more of a spring dish, but it's very special and oh-so-good. It would also make a great Christmas dinner dish, as it's rich, cheesy, and something that should be eaten once, maybe twice a year, tops. But you'll want it more often. Don't say I didn't warn you.

Asparagus Gratin
Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens' Easy Menus for Dining Inn
Feel free to insert your favorite vegetable in place of the asparagus, maybe something that's in season for Thanksgiving. I'd recommend artichokes, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, or turnips for fall. However, my version was inspired by another recipe for a gratin using leeks. I tried it this way, but the leeks were a little stringy. With the asparagus, it's got a pleasant crunch.

Ingredients:
2 bunches tender asparagus, washed and trimmed
1/2 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons dried marjoram, or 3 tablespoons fresh, snipped
2 slices French or Italian bread, or 1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons butter, melted, plus more for the dish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Run two or three slices of bread through a food processor to make larger-sized breadcrumbs that will crisp wonderfully in the oven.

Generously butter a 2 quart rectangular baking dish or gratin dish (something you can bring from the oven to the holiday table is ideal). Arrange the asparagus in the bottom of the dish, overlapping if necessary.

In a small bowl, combine the whipping cream and broth, pour over the vegetables. Sprinkle with salt pepper, and half of the marjoram. Carefully cover the dish with foil, and bake for 15 minutes. About halfway through, check the asparagus to make sure it is not cooking too quickly, as asparagus can vary greatly in thickness.

While the asparagus is baking, combine the remaining marjoram, bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and melted butter in a small bowl. Remove the asparagus from the oven and remove the foil. The asparagus should be fork-tender, but not limp. Sprinkle the bread crumb mixture evenly over the asparagus. Bake the gratin uncovered for 10 to 15 minutes, checking halfway through. The cream will have thickened, and the bread crumbs and cheese will be browned.

Nice and Easy Does It

At the start of the week, I expected to have at least two good recipes to share with you. But some things didn’t really go as planned. I made corn muffins that were so-so, and a really disastrous cake with olive oil, rosemary, lemon and cornmeal. I guess I should have known that with such a long descriptive, it would never live up to expectations. It tasted ok, but it completely fell apart, even though the toothpick test proclaimed it to be done. I’ve never seen anything like it.
I guess it goes to show that a few good ingredients prepared in a simple, classic way is often the way to go. The recipe that follows isn’t pure genius by any means, but it is satisfying and enjoyable. And it won’t collapse, I promise.



Roasted Asparagus and Pecorino
Use the best ingredients that are available to you, especially fresh lemons for the juice and good quality parmesan or pecorino Romano cheese, and your favorite olive oil. You can serve this dish cold or warm. Just make sure to leave the dressing off the asparagus until ready to serve. Top with the cheese last.

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, divided
¾ freshly cracked black pepper, divided
4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (about two lemons)
2 ounces shaved fresh pecorino Romano cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
Place asparagus on a large sheet pan (you may need to use two). Drizzle with one tablespoon olive oil, and sprinkle with ¼ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Toss well. Bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes, tossing half way through the cook time. When the asparagus are done roasting, they should be crisp but tender. Allow the asparagus to cool slightly, if serving warm.
While the oven is preheating, combine 4 tablespoons olive oil with the remaining half teaspoons of salt and pepper and 4 tablespoons lemon juice. Stir with a whisk. When ready to serve the asparagus, drizzle the lemon juice and olive oil mixture and toss. Top with the pecorino Romano and serve immediately.

A Taste of Spring

Before we get to today's recipe, I wanted to follow up on a few things that I have mentioned before.

Firstly, I purchased an oven thermometer over the weekend. I found that my oven is at least 25 degrees too hot. All day Sunday, I worked with my oven to perfect the temperature while I made these cookies . Fortunately, they are so low-maintenance that I think they could be baked at a wide range of temperatures.
Secondly, I made some flatbread, also on Sunday, with some of my homemade pizza dough that was in the freezer. This was the first time I had used it. It tasted good, but the texture was rather tough and floury. I intend to use the dough that I have made, but the next time I make more pizza dough, I am going to have to follow Gallant's lead. As you can see in the picture, Gallant really enjoys his baked dough.

Now, to the recipe that I wanted to talk about today:



Last week, I made an asparagus risotto from the April 2009 issue of Cooking Light. For a Cooking Light recipe, this creamy, cheesy risotto is positively decadent. It calls for 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream! I used regular heavy cream, but after having eaten the dish, I think half and half would be adequate. Possibly whole milk, but anything less would be very watery. I also made a few other changes to the recipe, as I don't really see the purpose behind pureeing some of the raw asparagus. You can find the original recipe here. Regardless of which way you decide to make it, the end result is delicious.




Asparagus Risotto
Adapted from April 2009 Cooking Light
When making this recipe, it is most nutritious to use asparagus that has been grown locally, as it should be the freshest. While most risotto recipes command that you stir the risotto constantly, I have found that this is not entirely so. It is necessary to stir the risotto very frequently, and to keep an eye on the dish when not doing so. However, a risotto is a not a delicate sauce that will scorch immediately. It is completely possible to work on another, less high-maintenance, dish while cooking your risotto.





* 3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
* 1 1/2 cups water
* 1 tablespoon butter
* 2 cups chopped onion (about 1 large)
* 2 cups uncooked Arborio rice (it is recommended to use Arborio because its starchiness binds the ingredients together)
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 4 cups asparagus, cut into thirds (about 1 1/2 pounds or one large bunch)
* 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese, divided
* 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* 1/4 cup or less Fontina Cheese (or another flavorful cheese), for grating over top before serving.

In a small sauce pan, combine broth and water. Bring to a simmer, but do not boil. Keep warm over low heat.

Melt butter in a large heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 8 minutes or until tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in rice; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly (you want to let the rice toast a bit). Stir in wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring almost constantly. Add 1/2 cup broth; cook 2 minutes or until the liquid is nearly absorbed, stirring almost constantly. Add remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring almost constantly until each portion of broth is absorbed before adding the next (about 30 minutes total). About halfway through adding the broth, fold in half of the asparagus. Around the last 1/2 cup of broth, stir in remaining asparagus and continue to stir until the broth is absorbed.

Stir in 3/4 cup cheese, cream, salt, and pepper. Transfer risotto to a bowl. Grate fontina directly onto individual servings.