Gnocchi Scampi

This is a quick and delicious- lemony and garlicky- one-pan dish. I now realize that I prefer pan-seared gnocchi over boiled. It was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Great.

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Melissa Clark. I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet, modified the method, and doubled the garlic. It was a perfect meal served with a big green salad. We didn’t have any leftovers!

Yield: Serves 3 to 4

• 3 T extra-virgin olive oil, divided, plus more for serving
• 1 pound gnocchi (fresh, frozen or shelf-stable) (I used Trader Joe’s shelf-stable)
• 2 T unsalted butter
• 4 to 8 garlic cloves, finely grated or minced
• 1/2 cup cup dry white wine, clam juice, or stock (I used chicken stock)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/8 tsp red-pepper flakes, plus more for serving
• 1 pound large or extra-large shrimp, shelled (I used tail-on 21-25 count)
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup flat-leaf parsley, chopped (about 1/2 cup chopped)

1. In a large, preferably nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. (I used a 12-inch cast iron skillet.)
2. Add gnocchi to the pan, breaking up any that are stuck together. Cook for 8 to 12 minutes, tossing every 1 to 2 minutes, so they get golden and crispy all over. Transfer to a bowl or plate. (I reduced the heat to medium half-way through this step.)
3. In the same skillet over medium-high, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and all of the butter, letting it melt for a few seconds.
4. Add the minced garlic and sauté until fragrant, 30 seconds to 1 minute.
5. Add wine/stock/clam juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and all of the red-pepper flakes. Bring to a simmer, and let the liquid reduce by half, about 2 minutes.
6. Add shrimp and sauté until they just start to turn pink, 2 to 3 minutes, depending on their size.
7. Return gnocchi to the pan and add another 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a Microplane or other fine grater, quickly grate the zest from the lemon into the pan.
8. Add chopped parsley, tossing well. If your pan looks dry, add a splash of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, tossing to combine, then remove pan from the heat. (I didn’t have to add any additional liquid.)
9. Cut the zested lemon in half and squeeze in the juice from one half, gently tossing to combine. Taste and add more salt if you like. Cut the remaining lemon half into wedges for serving.
10. Drizzle with more olive oil and more red-pepper flakes, if desired, and serve with lemon wedges on the side.

The New York Sour

My husband really enjoys making cocktails (for me!) but rarely drinks one himself. This wine-spiked whiskey sour was especially great because he and I both enjoyed one. 🙂

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Mary-Frances Heck. We used an Italian Barbera and agave nectar instead of simple syrup. Nice.

Yield: 1 cocktail

• 2 ounces rye or bourbon whiskey
• 1 ounce freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 ounce simple syrup or 3/4 ounce agave nectar
• 1/2 ounce fruity red wine (such as Shiraz or Malbec)

1. Combine whiskey, lemon juice, and simple syrup/agave nectar in a cocktail shaker.
2. Fill shaker with ice, cover and shake until outside of shaker is frosty, about 30 seconds.
3. Strain into a rocks glass filled with fresh ice.
4. Gently pour wine over the back of a spoon held just above the drink’s surface so wine floats on top.
5. Serve.

Pork Chops with Lemon-Caper Sauce

After reading the printed version, I received multiple emails from The New York Times about this dish. Sam Sifton was over the moon about this recipe and the book, Toni Tipton-Martin’s Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking. He described the book as “excellent and invaluable” and noted that this was his favorite recipe in it. I had to try it.

I agreed with Sam Sifton. 🙂 Lemon-caper sauce is incredible! This wonderful dish was prepared very quickly and was packed with flavor. Tipton-Martin learned the sauce technique that elevates these smothered pork chops from restaurateur B. Smith.

I added additional flour to the sauce to make it more of a gravy. We used fresh bread to mop up all of the remaining sauce on our plates. I served the pork chops with sautéed spinach and roasted red and sweet potatoes on the side.

This recipe was adapted from Jubilee: Recipes from Two Centuries of African-American Cooking, via The New York Times, contributed by Sam Sifton. I slightly modified the proportions.

Yield: Serves 4 to 5

• 4 bone-in pork chops (about 8 ounces each) (I used 5 boneless pork chops)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme leaves
• 2 T olive oil
• 4 T unsalted butter, divided
• 1 very small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 teaspoon)
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 2 T drained capers
• 2 T minced fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
• 1 tsp freshly grated lemon zest, plus 2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
• hot sauce, optional

1. Dry the chops with paper towels, and season aggressively with salt, pepper and the thyme.
2. Swirl the olive oil into a large skillet, and heat over medium until the oil begins to shimmer.
3. Add chops, and cook until well browned on each side and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer chops to a plate, and cover to keep warm.
4. Drain most of the fat from the skillet, then melt 2 tablespoons of butter in it over medium heat until sizzling.
5. Add the shallot and garlic, and sauté until the aromatics soften, reducing the heat if necessary, about 1 minute.
6. Sprinkle in the flour, and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.
7. Whisk in the wine and chicken stock, raise heat to high and bring the liquid to a boil, scraping up the browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Reduce heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, until the liquid is reduced by half, 7 to 10 minutes.
8. Stir in the capers, parsley, lemon zest and juice and hot sauce to taste (if you’re using it)(I omitted it), and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes.
9. Stir in the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter until it’s melted and the sauce looks smooth.
10. Nestle the pork chops into the sauce, and allow them to warm up for a couple of minutes, then serve, pouring sauce over each pork chop to taste.
11. Garnish with more fresh parsley.

One-Skillet Rotisserie Chicken Pot Pie

Chicken Pot Pie is one of my ultimate favorite comfort food dishes. This version was fabulous! The use of rotisserie chicken meat in the filling and puff pastry as the crust were wonderful (and delicious) shortcuts.

This recipe was adapted from Bon Appétit, contributed by Molly Baz. I modified the proportions and used rainbow carrots instead of turnips in the filling to add a little color. GREAT.

Yield: Serves 8

• 5 cups coarsely shredded rotisserie chicken meat
• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 lb rainbow carrots or turnips, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 8 garlic cloves
• 1 T thyme leaves
• 3 T unsalted butter
• 2½ tsp Kosher salt, divided
• 1½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 3 T all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 2 cups heavy cream, divided
• 10 oz bag frozen peas
• 1 sheet of puff pastry (1/2 box/8.6 oz), thawed overnight

1. Place a rack in center of oven; preheat to 400°, preferably on convection.
2. Remove and discard skin from a rotisserie chicken. Using your hands, shred the meat into 1″ pieces until you have 5 cups; set aside. Reserve any leftover meat for another use.
3. Cut the onions in half through root, trim root ends, then peel. Finely chop onion and transfer to a medium bowl.
4. Peel the carrots (or turnips), then trim off the ends. Cut into 1/2-inch pieces. Transfer to another medium bowl.
5. Lightly smash the garlic cloves with the flat side of a chef’s knife. Peel, then coarsely chop. Transfer to bowl with the carrots/turnips.
6. Add thyme leaves to bowl with carrots/turnips and garlic.
7. Melt butter in a 12″ oven-proof skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. Add onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft but not browned, 5–6 minutes.
8. Add carrot/turnip mixture, season with 1 tsp salt and 1½ tsp pepper, and cook, stirring often, until just beginning to soften, 3 minutes.
9. Sprinkle flour over vegetables and cook, stirring constantly, until flour begins to stick to bottom of pan, about 30 seconds. The flour is going to help thicken the gravy you’re trying to create.
10. Add wine and cook, stirring constantly, to burn off some of the alcohol, about 1 minute.
11. Set aside 1 tablespoon of heavy cream. Add remaining cream, reserved chicken, peas, and 1½ tsp salt and bring to a simmer. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Cook, tossing occasionally, until warmed through, 3–4 minutes.
12. Transfer skillet to a rimmed baking sheet, which will prevent any juices that bubble out of the pan from spilling onto your oven floor.
13. Roll out the thawed puff pastry on a lightly floured surface into a 13″ square (large enough to cover skillet with a bit of overhang). Roll pastry up onto rolling pin. (You could use an empty wine bottle if you don’t have a rolling pin.) Unfurl pastry from rolling pin, draping it over skillet.
14. Trim pastry so that there is a 1″ border all around. Fold edge of puff pastry under itself. Crimp edges with a fork (just like you would do when making the top crust of a pie).
15. Using a pastry brush, brush top of pastry with reserved cream. Cut 5–6 small slits in the center so steam can escape.
16. Bake pot pie until crust is light golden brown, 22 to 24 minutes.
17. Reduce oven temperature to 350°, preferably on convection, and continue to bake until filling is bubbling around the edges and crust is well browned, 22 to 35 minutes longer.
18. Let sit 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

One-Pan Shrimp Scampi with Orzo

This is an incredibly full-flavored one-pan dish. I made it when my mom was visiting because she is such a fan of shrimp. She loved it! 🙂

This recipe was adapted from The New York Times, contributed by Ali Slagle. Fast and fabulous.

Yield: Serves 4

• 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined, patted dry
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice (from 1 lemon)
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 cup orzo
• ⅓ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups boiling water, seafood stock, or chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the shrimp, 1 tablespoon olive oil, the lemon zest, red-pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and half the garlic. Set aside to marinate (this step can be done up to 1 hour in advance).
2. To a medium skillet, add the butter, the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil and remaining minced garlic; heat over medium.
3. When the butter starts to bubble, add the orzo and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the orzo is toasted, about 2 minutes, adjusting the heat as necessary to prevent the garlic from burning.
4. Carefully add the wine (it will bubble) and stir until absorbed, about 1 minute.
5. Stir in the water or stock, reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until the orzo is al dente, about 12 to 16 minutes.
6. Add the shrimp in a snug, even layer on top of the orzo, cover, and cook until all the shrimp is pink and cooked through, 2 to 4 minutes.
7. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 2 minutes.
8. Sprinkle with parsley and lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Jacques Pepin’s Quick-Roasted Chicken with Mustard & Garlic

My mom roasted a lot of chicken seasoned with herbes de Provence during my childhood. This version also incorporated dijon mustard and was quite delicious. Splitting the chicken prior to roasting significantly reduced the cooking time.

This recipe was adapted from Food and Wine, contributed by Jacques Pepin. I increased the amount of garlic and reduced the roasting temperature. We ate it with roasted potatoes and roasted broccoli- which I cooked simultaneously in the same oven. I also served it with sautéed kabocha squash. It was quite a feast! 🙂

Yield: Serves 6

• One 4 to 4 1/2-pound chicken
• 8 large garlic cloves, minced
• 2 T Dijon mustard
• 2 T dry white or red wine
• 2 T extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 T soy sauce
• 1 tsp Tabasco (I used Chipotle Tabasco)
• 1 tsp herbes de Provence
• 1/2 tsp coarse salt

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees on convection roast or 450 degrees in a standard oven.
2. Using poultry shears, cut along each side of the chicken backbone and remove it. Turn the chicken breast side up and press on the breast bone to flatten the chicken.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut partway through both sides of the joint between the thighs and the drumsticks. Cut partway through the joint between the wings and the breast.
4. In a bowl, mix all of the remaining ingredients.
5. Turn the chicken breast down and spread it with half of the mustard mixture.
6. Set the chicken in a large skillet skin side up; spread with the remaining mixture. (I put the chicken in a 9″x13″ pyrex dish and let it marinate in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours.)
7. Transfer the chicken and marinade to a large skillet, skin side up, and place over high heat. (I used a 12″ cast iron skillet.)
8. Cook the chicken until it starts to brown, 5 minutes.
9. Transfer the skillet to the oven and roast the chicken for about 30 minutes, until the skin is browned and the chicken is cooked through. (I used the oven probe and roasted the chicken to an internal temperature of 165 degrees.)
10. Let the chicken rest for 5 minutes.
11. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board, cut it into 8 pieces and serve.

Note: The chicken can be prepared through Step 2 and refrigerated overnight.

Vanilla Poached Pears

This is an elegant and light dessert for a special occasion. Years ago, we were served this dish at a neighbor’s dinner party and my husband and I made it quite often for a few years. We loved it. I made this updated version to serve my family on Thanksgiving Eve this year. I thought that it was a perfect dessert for the evening before a day of indulgence. An added bonus was that the pears could be poached ahead of time and stored in the poaching liquid.

This recipe was adapted from Alton Brown via Food Network.com. I poached the pears cut in half rather than whole, and, as my neighbors did when they served this dish, added freshly whipped cream and crushed amaretti cookies as toppings. Lovely.

Yield: 8 servings

• 1 (750-ml) bottle white wine, Riesling or Viognier (I used Pinot Grigio)
• 1 cup water
• 5 ounces granulated sugar, approximately 3/4 cup
• 1 whole vanilla bean, split and scraped
• 5 firm Bartlett, Anjou or Bosc pears, peeled, halved, and cored (preferably using a melon baller)
• freshly whipped heavy cream, for serving
• crushed amaretti cookies, for serving

1. Place the white wine, water, sugar and vanilla bean and pulp into a 4-quart saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. (I used an enameled cast iron pan with a glass lid.)
2. Peel, halve, and core the pears.
3. Decrease the heat to medium low and place the pears into the liquid (cut side up), cover and cook for 20 minutes.
4. Turn the pears cut side down and continue to cook for an additional 15 minutes, or until the pears are tender but not falling apart. Maintain a gentle simmer.
5. Remove the pears to a serving dish and place in the refrigerator.
6. Remove the vanilla bean from the saucepan, increase the heat to high and reduce the syrup to approximately 1 cup of liquid, approximately 20 to 25 minutes. Do not allow the syrup to turn brown.
7. Place the syrup in a heatproof container and place in the refrigerator until cool, approximately 1 hour.
8. Remove the pears from the refrigerator, spoon the sauce over the pears. At this point, the pears can be stored overnight.
9. Place a pear half in a bowl and drizzle with sauce, top with a dollop of freshly whipped cream, and sprinkle with crushed amaretti cookies. Serve.