Lentil Stew w/smoked turkey and sweet potatoes

Another great recipe from Williams-Sonoma Fast + Fresh! This one was delicious the night I made it, and even more flavorful for lunch the next day.

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 3 tsp. minced fresh thyme
• 8 cups low-sodium chicken broth (I used veggie)
• 1 lb. smoked turkey leg, deboned, skinned and diced (about 2 cups meat) I used 2 hot Italian sausages as that's what I had on-hand...I'm sure the smoked meat would create a different flavor
• 1 1/2 cups brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
• 1 1/4 lb. orange-fleshed sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 1/2 bunch kale or chard, stems removed and leaves chopped
• Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
• Optional: I added some diced tomatoes to this because I love tomatoes and put them in everything :)

In a large, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and celery and sauté until almost tender, about 5 minutes. Add 2 tsp. of the thyme and cook, stirring, until the onion is brown, about 4 minutes. Add the broth, turkey and lentils. Cover, increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are almost tender, about 30 minutes.

Add the sweet potatoes to the pan and simmer until almost tender, about 12 minutes. Add the kale and simmer until wilted, about 3 minutes. Season the stew with salt and pepper. Stir in the remaining 1 tsp. thyme. Ladle the stew into warmed bowls and serve immediately. Serves 6.

Sausage and Pepper Ragout w/Polenta

I've gotten into a bit of a dinner rut. I have some great go-to meals that I can make with my eyes closed, but I've decided to make more of an effort to try new recipes at least one night per week. Good thing I have stacks of great cookbooks that have helped me spice things up in the kitchen :) 

This one comes from the Williams-Sonoma Weeknight Fast + Fresh. As with all new recipes, it took me a bit longer to prepare than it probably should have, but now that I'm familiar with the steps, the next time I make this it will be "Fast"

Olive oil, 2 Tbs

Hot or sweet Italian turkey or pork sausages (veggie sausage if you like it), 1 lb

Large red onion, 1, sliced

Large red bell peppers, 2, thinly sliced

Large poblano chile, 1, seeded and thinly sliced

Red pepper flakes, 1/2 tsp

Italian tomatoes, 1 can (28 oz)

Dry white wine, 1 C (I used a sauvignon blanc...I enjoyed a glass while I cooked)

Small white onion, 1/2, chopped

Coarse kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Polenta, 1 C (the recipe calls for uncooked, but I used instant polenta...just follow the instructions below, but add only about 1 C water or broth; it will need to cook just until it's to your desired warmth)

Romano cheese, 3/4 C, coarsely grated

Fresh marjoram, 4 Tbs, chopped (Whole Foods didn't have this, so I subbed with oregano)

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, warm 1 Tbs of the oil. Pierce the sausages several times with a small knife, and brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the sausages to a plate. Pour off all but 2 Tbs fat from the pan. Add the red onion, bell peppers, chile and pepper flakes, and saute until they begin to brown, stirring up the browned bits, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices and the wine. Simmer for 5 minutes to blend the flavors, breaking up the tomatoes with a wooden spoon. Return the sausages to the pan, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer, turning occasionally, until the sausages are cooked through, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, warm the remaining 1 Tbs oil. Add the chopped onion and saute until tender, about 5 minutes. Add 4 C water, 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper and bring to a boil. Gradually whisk in the polenta. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to low and simmer slowly, stirring frequently, until the polenta is thick, about 18 minutes. Mix in the cheese and 1 Tbs of the marjoram/oregano. 

Bring the sausage mixture to a boil. Mix in the remaining 3 Tbs marjoram/oregano. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon the polenta onto 4 warmed plates. Spoon the sausage* mixture on top of the polenta, dividing it among the plates, and serve right away.

*Cut the sausages at an angle into bite-sized pieces prior to serving

Pizza in a Cast Iron Skillet

My friend JJ recently posted his recipe for what he calls the "best" pizza.  The dough rises in the same cast iron skillet the pizza is eventually cooked in.  I can't wait to try it!

Here is exactly what he shared:

Here’s how I did it. Start with the dough. Store bought is fine, but making your own is so easy and much tastier. We use Pioneer Woman’s simple recipe, available here: http://thepioneerwoman.com/.../2010/02/my-favorite-pizza/
 
Once you’ve got the dough, grab a 12 inch cast iron skillet (smaller would work but then you’d probably want less dough). Drop some olive oil in the skillet, roll the dough around in the oil, cover with plastic wrap and let that sucker rise for about an hour.
 
In the meantime, make your sauce. Put a tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan, get it hot over medium heat but don’t burn it! Drop in 1-2 cloves of minced garlic for like 15-20 seconds. Add a can of diced tomatoes, salt, pepper, and a pinch of sugar. Cook that up for about 10 minutes, then add herbs of your choice. I went with straight basil but oregano would be a good choice as well. The tomatoes will cook down and you can mash them up, but I opted for an immersion blender to get it really smooth. Cook it until it reduces a bit and you look at it and say, “now that looks like pizza sauce.” Bam.
 
At some point, preheat the oven to 500.
 
When it’s time to start the fun, punch the dough down and arrange it in the pan so it covers the bottom and up the sides to your desired crust level. Put the sauce on there and whatever other goodness you crave (last night was ham, fresh mozzarella, and minced garlic). Fire up your stove-top burner at medium high and put the skillet on that for 4 minutes. This gives the crust a head start. Then, throw it in the bottom rack of the oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes, drop the temp to 400 and cook for another 5-15 minutes until done. Slide it onto a cutting board, resist the urge to attack it zealously, and let it rest for like 5 minutes.