shaking things up

On a recent trip to Delicious Orchards, I picked up two small zucchini thinking I would bake zucchini muffins with cinnamon crunch topping, zucchini bread or a chocolate chip zucchini cake. In the end, I decided we didn’t’t need any sweets so I opted for a Frittata with Zucchini and Goat Cheese, a recipe from Williams-Sonoma. I thought it would make for a nice light supper and leftovers would be eaten for breakfast. The recipe takes 20 minutes to prep and 20 minutes to cook.
 
For the recipe you’ll need eggs, salt, unsalted butter, 2-3 small zucchini, fresh oregano leaves, fresh flat leaf parsley and goat cheese. The directions in the recipe assume that you have one of Williams-Sonoma’s frittata pans.  I don’t have one, but used my non-stick fry pan and cooked my eggs until I have incorporated them into the filling. Next, cover the pan with a lid until the eggs are set. To finish, I put the pan under the broiler to add color to the top. After removing from the oven, I run a spatula around the perimeter of the pan, place a large dish on top and invert the frittata onto the dish. I also try to slide the frittata out of the pan on to a platter.

The frittata was delicious. I served it with a side of breakfast sausage to make for a well-rounded meal. It was light and had a bit of tang from the goat cheese. It was even delightful the next day for breakfast.
 
Every so often my son-in-law scrolls on line for recipes and sends them to me. Recently he sent me an interesting risotto recipe, Butternut Squash Risotto with Leeks from the website Feasting at Home. Although the recipe was created to be made in an InstaPot, I opted to try making risotto in my pressure cooker.
 
For the recipe you will need in olive oil, leeks, fresh garlic, fresh sage leaves, Arborio rice, butternut squash, white wine, vegetable or chicken stock, salt, white pepper (black can be used), nutmeg, baby spinach or chopped kale and Parmesan cheese (there are other options for this recipe). Last week’s CSA box, contained spinach, so all I needed was squash and leeks. The prep and cook time for this recipe is 15 minutes for each. (Note: if you don’t use baby spinach, make sure that you chop it before mixing into the risotto.)
 
I sautéed the rinsed and sliced leeks olive oil in the pressure cooker. Next, I added the garlic, sage and rice and stirred for 2 minutes. The squash was added and cooked until it had some color. A small amount of white wine was added and cooked for 2-3 minutes before adding the stock, salt, pepper and nutmeg. All the ingredients were given several good stirs before placing the lid on and locking the cover. After approximately 10 minutes or so, pressure built and a timer was set for 6 minutes.
 
After the six minutes, I turned the heat off and let the pressure drop on its own. Finally, I put the pot in the sink and ran cold water over a third of the pot to fully release the pressure. Once the cover was off, spinach was added with the residual heat cooking it. I added a tablespoon of butter and the parmesan cheese. As I stirred the small, softened cubes of butternut squash got incorporated into the mixture. What a delightful and delicious meal! This was the first time I used my pressure cooker to make risotto and it came out terrific. The flavors were wonderful, the rice was tender and the spinach added not only color, but a bit of lightness to the dish. 
 
Another new recipe I tried was for pork chops. You can grill them, egg/bread/fry them, but this time I sautéed them in a pan and created a pan sauce. The recipe, Skillet Pork Chops with Dijon-Buttermilk Sauce was in Southern Living Magazine October 2021 and was fabulous! For the recipe you’ll need olive oil, 1” thick pork chops, kosher salt, black pepper, unsalted butter, a shallot, fresh garlic, all-purpose flour, fresh rosemary, unsalted chicken stock, coarse-grained Dijon mustard and buttermilk.
 
The pork chops are seasoned with salt and pepper and cooked on one side. They are removed and the sauce is made. It’s made with butter, shallot, garlic, flour and rosemary. Next the stock and mustard go in and is simmered until slightly reduced and thickened. The pork goes back in the pan, uncooked side down, and placed in a preheated oven for just about 6-8 minutes or until a meat thermometer registers 145°. Transfer the pork to a plate, cover and keep warm while you finish the sauce with a bit of buttermilk. 
 
The pork chops were set atop egg noodles and the sauce was poured on top. This was a creative way to prepare pork. The chops were tender and moist and savory sauce complemented the pork perfectly.
 
Overall, three new recipes that were easy to prepare and made for wonderful eating! The recipes were quick to prepare and used different ways to incorporate vegetables and protein into a family’s diet. 

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Frittata with Zucchini & Goat Cheese
From Williams-Sonoma Kitchen
 
Prep: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Serves: 8-10

Ingredients:

• 10 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 2 to 3 small zucchini, sliced 1/8 inch thick
• 2 Tbs. fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tsp. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, plus more
    for garnish
• 4 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

 
Directions:
In a bowl, whisk together the eggs and 1/2 tsp. of the salt. Set aside.
 
In the deep half of a frittata pan over medium heat, melt 1 Tbs. of the butter. When it foams, add the zucchini and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 tsp. salt. Sauté for 30 seconds. Add the oregano and the 2 tsp. parsley and cook for 30 seconds.
 
Add the eggs and, using a rubber spatula, quickly and lightly stir the eggs in a small circular motion to combine them with the zucchini. Using the spatula, gently lift the cooked edges to allow the uncooked eggs to flow underneath. Sprinkle the cheese on the frittata; do not stir. Reduce the heat to low and cook, without stirring, 4 to 5 minutes more.
 
Meanwhile, in the shallow half of the frittata pan over medium heat, melt the remaining 1/2 Tbs. butter. Place the shallow pan upside down on top of the deep pan and flip the frittata into the shallow pan. Reduce the heat to low and cook, covered, for 3 minutes. Remove the top pan and continue cooking until the eggs are set, about 5 minutes more.
 
Using the spatula, loosen the edges of the frittata and gently slide it onto a plate. Garnish the frittata with parsley. 

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Butternut Squash Risotto with Leeks (InstaPot or stove-top)
From the website www.feastingfromhome.com
Author Sylvia Fountaine
 
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
 
Ingredients
 
2 tablespoons olive oil (or butter)
2 cups sliced leeks (one extra-large leek)
4 garlic cloves, rough chopped
8 sage leaves, chopped
1 cup Arborio rice or short-grain Spanish rice (Bomba)
2 heaping cups butternut squash, cubed
1/4 cup white wine (or skip it)
2 cups veggie stock or chicken stock or broth (or water and one teaspoon or cube veggie bouillon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper (or sub black pepper to taste)
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg the nutmeg makes this- don’t leave it out!
2–3 handfuls baby spinach or chopped kale
 
OPTIONAL: 1/4 – 1/2 cup parmesan, pecorino, Manchego, goat cheese, vegan cheese or cashew cheese – or the leave cheese out and use LEEK OIL for garnish. Or stir in 1-2 tablespoons of butter or ghee, or a drizzle of olive oil.
Optional: Maple Glazed Pecans
 
Directions
 

1. Slice and rinse leeks, separating rings (rinsing will help them to soften faster).
2. Set Instant Pot to the “Sauté” function.
3. Heat oil in the instant pot, add the rinsed leeks and stir for 2 minutes. Add garlic, sage and rice, stir for 2 minutes.
4. Add butternut squash, and keep stirring for a couple of minutes, until there is a bit of browning on the bottom of the instant pot.
5. Add the wine and scrape up the browned bits- a wooden spoon is good for this. Let all the wine cook off, about 2-3 minutes. Add the stock or broth. Scrape up more browned bits. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg, and give a good stir.
6. Seal the instant pot and pressure cook on HIGH for 6 minutes. Naturally, release for 5 minutes, then manually release.
7. While the Instant pot is going you could make the leek oil and/or the maple glazed pecans.
8. Stir the risotto, adding the spinach and cheese or butter if you like, or leave them out. As the butternut breaks down a bit, it will add a nice natural creaminess to the risotto.
9. Garnish with optional leek oil or maple glazed pecans.

 
Notes
 

• To elevate this, make the leek oil and maple glazed pecans, and perhaps top it with some additional roasted or pan-seared butternut that has been nicely caramelized.

 

• The butternut in the instant pot will break down and almost becomes the sauce here.

 
Stovetop Instructions (you will need 4-5 cups of warm stock)
 

1. ROAST BUTTERNUT: Toss the butternut with olive oil, salt and pepper and ROAST the butternut in a 400 F oven on a parchment-lined sheet pan until caramelized and tender 25-30 minutes. At the same time make risotto.
2. RISOTTO: In a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the washed leeks. Sauté until fragrant and tender, covering with the lid for a few minutes to let them steam a bit. Add garlic and sage, sauté 2 more minutes until fragrant.
3. Add the rice and sauté 1 minute, stirring. Add a splash of white wine, and cook this off. Add the salt, pepper and nutmeg. Add 1-2 cups warm stock (enough to cover the rice), stir and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed.  Continue adding broth 1 cup at a time, letting the rice absorb it slowly, stirring often over med-low heat, until the rice is plumped, slightly al dente, yet creamy, about 20-25 minutes. If adding kale, add it with the last cup of broth. If adding spinach, you can stir it in at the end. Keep the risotto thick and hearty or add more stock to loosen it up a bit.
4. Stir in the roasted butternut and spinach and optional cheese or butter. Taste, season and adjust salt and pepper.  If bland, it probably needs more salt.
5. Garnish with the leek oil and maple glazed pecans.​  

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Skillet Pork Shops with Dijon-Buttermilk Sauce
Southern Living Magazine, October 2021
By Lisa Cericola and Patricia S. York 
Active Time: 20 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes 
Servings 4

Ingredients
1-1/2 tablespoons olive oil
4 (9-oz., 1-inch thick) bone-skin (or boneless) center cut pork chops
1-1/4 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 black pepper
1 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped (1 tablespoon)
1-1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary, plus more for garnish
1 cup unsalted chicken stock
2 teaspoons coarse-grained Dijon mustard
1/2 cup whole butter milk
Hot cooked egg noodles for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Heat oil in a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Pat pork chops dry. Sprinkle both sides evenly with salt and pepper. Add pork to skillet. Cook, undisturbed, until bottoms are golden brown, 5 to 6 minutes (pork will not be cooked through). Transfer pork to a plate; set aside
2. Reduce heat under skillet to medium. Add butter to skillet; scrape up brown bits stuck to bottom of skillet using a wooden spoon. Add shallot, garlic, flour, and rosemary. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in stock and mustard. Bring to a simmer over medium. Simmer, undisturbed, until slightly reduced, about 3 minutes. 
3. Return pork, browned side up, and any juices to mixture in skillet. Transfer skillet to preheated oven; roast until a thermometer inserted into thickest portion of chops registers 145°F, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from oven. Transfer pork to serving plates. 
4. Return skillet to stovetop; bring mixture to a simmer over medium. Simmer, undisturbed, 2 minutes. Whisk in buttermilk; return to a simmer over medium. Simmer, whisking often, until buttermilk sauce is slightly thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve pork alongside hot cooked egg noodles and buttermilk sauce; garnish with additional rosemary.

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