Category Archives: Type of Food

Grandma Friese’s Whole Cranberries

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By Kurt Friese

Grandma was famous in our family for writing out recipes that began with things like “Take a bottle of cream…” without any indication, for those of us who grew up in the post-milkman era, what the size of a “bottle” might be. And that’s the way this recipe was originally handed down to me. She used to make these cranberries way ahead of time and let them ferment; they have quite a kick.

whole-cranberries-recipe
1 cup water
2 cups port wine, divided
1 cup raw sugar
2 cinnamon sticks
1 tablespoon lemon zest (cut into long strips)
1 pound whole cranberries

Mix together water, 1 cup wine, sugar, cinnamon sticks and lemon zest in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil for 10 minutes. Add the cranberries, reduce heat to medium-low and cook for 8-10 minutes, just until cranberries are bursting. Add remaining cup of wine, let cool and store in a sealed container for at least a day before serving.

Makes 2-1/2 cups

Guatemalan Avocado Salad with Arugula and Chile-Lime Dressing

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This is the salad I’ve settled on serving with the Pollo en Jocon we’ll be having for Thanksgiving—a mixture of creamy and rich and light and crisp (it’s a variation on a traditional Guatemalan recipe from the excellent book, False Tongues and Sunday Bread). I could tell you about how healthy the monounsaturated fats from the avocados are, but you already know that. Instead, just enjoy the dish.

avocado-salad-recipe

2 large, ripe avocados
1 hard-boiled egg, peeled and coarsely mashed
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion
1/4 cup jicama, peeled and cut into a 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup lime juice, divided
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh hot chiles
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Canola oil
6 cups arugula, cleaned and dried

Scrape the flesh from the avocados into a bowl and roughly mash it with the egg. Mix in the onion, jicama, 2 tablespoons lime juice, oregano and salt and pepper to taste, but take care to only mix enough to blend, not so much so that it becomes smooth.

In a tight sealing jar, shake together remaining lime juice, chiles, vinegar, oil and salt and pepper to taste. Let sit for at least 20 minutes.

To serve, toss arugula with dressing and arrange on a platter. Mound avocado salad on top and serve with hot tortillas.

Note: This also makes a great variation of guacamole — just omit the arugula and serve with chips.

Serves 4 as a main course, 8 as a side

Noemi’s Remixed Party Mix

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Use an extra-large roasting pan for this update on the classic Chex mix recipe, or split the party mix between two smaller ones. The more contact the mix has with the bottom of the pan, the more yummy, crispy, savory crusties there will be.

noemis-remixed-party-mix-recipe

4 cups Barbara’s Multigrain Shredded Spoonfuls
4 cups Nature’s Path Organic Heritage Heirloom Whole Grain Bites
2 cups mini pretzel twists
2 cups Annie’s Cheddar Bunnies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons Canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon dried mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground fennel
1 teaspoon celery salt
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F.

Mix together cereals, pretzels and Cheddar Bunnies in a large roasting pan (or, if splitting it between two smaller roasting pans, a large mixing bowl).

In a small bowl, whisk together butter, oil, spices and salts.

Pour spiced oil mixture over cereal mixture and toss, thoroughly but gently, with your hands until every piece is coated somewhat evenly. Spread mixture evenly in roasting pan(s) and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, stirring with a spatula every 20 minutes.

Stores for several days in an air-tight container.

Makes 12 cups (24 servings)

Chef Kurt’s Mom’s Wild Rice Dressing

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by Kurt Michael Friese

The spirit of the harvest season, the richness of my mother’s kitchen and an acknowledgment of my Heartland roots, all brought together in one enameled, cast iron casserole.

wild-rice-dressing-recipe
1 pound Manoomin wild rice, washed three times in cold water (if using “plain” wild rice, forgo the rinsing)
4 tablespoons butter
1 pound pork sausage
4 cups chicken broth
2 portobello mushrooms or about 10 cremini mushrooms, diced
1/2 onion, minced
1 tablespoon parsley, chopped
1 stalk celery, diced
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350.

Boil rice in broth for 20 minutes (if using wild rice other than Manoomin, follow package directions).

Melt butter over medium heat in an enameled, cast iron casserole and brown pork for 8-10 minutes, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Add broth, mushrooms, onion, parsley, celery and thyme. Season with salt and pepper and simmer for 10 minutes. Then mix in rice (and any broth left over from cooking), cover and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and continue to bake for 10 more minutes, until dressing has got a bit of a crust on top.

Serve immediately or cool and freeze.

Serves 8

Big City Lamb Souvlaki

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When I lived on Corfu, souvlaki meant skewers of grilled, marinated pork. But on a trip through Athens seeking out the best street food and mezedhes, we found this version of souvlaki to be utterly addictive. These Greek kebabs are moist and tender with just the right amount of spice. Serve these lamb skewers on platters with tzatziki, or in pitas with chopped tomato and onion.

big-city-lamb-souvlaki

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Garlicky Butterflied Grilled Shrimp

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Leave the shells on grilled shrimp while they cook? Yep! Leaving the shells on during grilling adds to the flavor of the dish. Be sure to source domestic shrimp so you know you’re making a smart, sustainable choice.

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Chocolate Crostini with Orange Zest and Sea Salt

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I’m of the notion that a simple square of good dark chocolate is a treat in and of itself. But if you feel like dressing it up a bit, this is an easy, elegant way to do it.

chocolate-crostini-with-orange-zest-and-sea-salt

3 ounces dark chocolate
1/4 teaspoon finely grated orange zest, plus additional for garnish
1/4 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
12 thin baguette slices, toasted
medium-coarse sea salt

Melt the chocolate with the orange zest and olive oil in a small, heavy-bottom pot over ultra-low heat (if you’re a double boiler-lover, feel free to use one here), swirling it around occasionally. Give it all a good stir once it’s super soft but not completely melted, and take it off the heat.

Spread chocolate mixture on baguette slices and sprinkle with a generous pinch of sea salt. Garnish with long, thin strips of orange zest if you like.

Makes 12 crostini