While many of us look forward to a new year, the Good Eating staff also looks back: Paging through a year of Good Eating sections brings forth memories of hundreds of dishes tasted and photographed.
Our task? Choosing the top recipes of the year. A difficult job, yes, but one filled with pleasure. Almost all of the recipes printed each year are sampled in the Tribune’s fourth-floor test kitchen, where staff members gather daily to critique the dishes. Some of them are rejected outright. Others need to be revised and improved. But then there are those that taste so good, we want to save those recipes for filing away in our own kitchens.
So here are our top 10 picks of 1997. Perhaps you missed these winners the first time around. If so, take scissors in hand (or if you are part of the computer-literate world, go on-line to our Web site, chicago.tribune.com) and clip and save these recipes. They are our gift to you during this bright holiday season.
In a May story, “Bowled Over,” free-lance writer Nancy Ross Ryan looked at the popularity of one-dish meals. She interviewed Jack Daniel Jones, chef-owner of Daniel J’s restaurant in Chicago, who said that one-dish meals are the answer to a busy cook’s prayers: “It’s a way to cook that’s simple, clean, quick and easy. At the same time you can come up with complex dishes and a variety of ingredients. It’s also fun.” His recipe for penne uses one pot, one skillet and is mixed and served in one bowl.
DANIEL J’S PENNE WITH CHICKEN, SMOKED MOZZARELLA, DRIED TOMATOES AND SPINACH
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Chilling time: 1 hour or overnight
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cubed
Marinade, recipe follows
1 pound penne or other tubular pasta
2 tablespoons each: extra-virgin olive oil, minced shallots
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 pounds fresh ripe plum tomatoes, blanched, peeled, seeded, chopped, or 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes in juice
1 2 oil-packed dried tomato halves, patted dry, julienned
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 bag (10 ounces) fresh spinach
1/2 pound smoked mozzarella, diced
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Red pepper flakes, optional
1. Toss chicken with marinade in a non-aluminum bowl. Cover and refrigerate at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, heat olive oil over high heat in 12-inch non-stick skillet. Add chicken; cook, stirring occasionally, until chicken begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Add shallots; cook 30 seconds. Add garlic; cook until golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
3. Add white wine to pan; stir, scraping bottom to loosen caramelized bits. Add plum tomatoes. Heat to boil. Add dried tomatoes and chicken broth. Lower heat; simmer, stirring frequently, until sauce thickens, about 5 minutes. Add spinach, stirring just until wilted.
4. Drain pasta; place in large serving bowl. Add chicken mixture and mozzarella. Toss until cheese begins to melt. Season with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste.
Marinade: Combine in glass or plastic bowl 2 tablespoons each extra-virgin olive oil and chopped fresh basil, 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh chives, fresh thyme and red onion, 1/2 teaspoon minced garlic, salt and ground pepper to taste.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 495 Fat ………… 16 g Cholesterol .. 70 mg
Sodium …… 315 mg Carbohydrates .. 49 g Protein ……. 38 g
Wok cooking offers a sensible solution for fresh, healthful weekday meals, according to writer Pat Dailey, who devised this quick dish for an April Fast Food column. The dish can vary depending on the flavored oil you use. Choose from cilantro-, lemon grass-, garlic- or chili-flavored oils.
SPICY TANGERINE CHICKEN WITH BOK CHOY
Preparation time 20 minutes
Cooking time 6 minutes
Yield 4 servings
1 teaspoon minced tangerine or orange zest
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
6 tablespoons tangerine or orange juice
3 tablespoons seasoned ricevinegar
2 teaspoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 3/4-inch slices
4 teaspoons Asian-flavored vegetable oil
1 large sweet onion, cut into 12 wedges
1 small head bok choy, about 12 ounces, cut diagonally into
3/4-inch pieces
1. Heat wok or heavy skillet over high heat. Add zest and 1/4 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 45 seconds. Transfer to medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the tangerine juice, 1 tablespoon of the vinegar and 1 teaspoon of the soy sauce. Stir in chicken; toss to coat. Set aside. (Chicken can marinate up to 4 hours in refrigerator.)
2. Combine remaining juice, vinegar, soy sauce and 1/4 teaspoon of the red pepper flakes in small bowl; set sauce aside.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in wok over high heat, adding 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes if a hotter dish is desired. Add chicken; stir fry just until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Remove from wok; set aside. Heat remaining oil in wok. Add onion and bok choy; stir-fry until crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes, adding half of the reserved sauce to pan after 1 minute. Return chicken to pan along with remaining sauce. Cook briefly, just until heated through.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories ……. 205 Fat ………… 6 g Cholesterol .. 65 mg
Sodium …… 240 mg Carbohydrates .. 8 g Protein ……. 28 g
Staff writer Charles Madigan spent a day in June in the kitchen with chef Michael Maddox of Le Titi de Paris restaurant in Arlington Heights to learn some of his kitchen secrets. This delicious dish is an example of Maddox’s flair for French food. If you can’t find hard cider (try larger liquor stores), dry white wine may be substituted.
SAUTEED SALMON WITH CIDER SAUCE
Preparation time 25 minutes
Cooking time 4-6 minutes
Yield 8 servings
9 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, chopped
1/2 cup dry hard cider
1/2 teaspoon tomato paste
1/4 cup whipping cream
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1 leek, julienned
2 pounds fresh spinach, washed, stems removed
2 apples, peeled, cored, sliced
3 pounds fresh salmon fillets
1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in small skillet. Add shallot; cook until tender, about 3 minutes. Add cider and tomato paste. Cook until mixture reduces to 1 tablespoon. Add cream; heat to a boil. Gradually add 3 tablespoons of the butter, bit by bit, whisking constantly. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in skillet. Add leek; cook 3 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in same pan; cook spinach until slightly wilted, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from pan; set aside. Repeat with apple slices. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in skillet. Add fillets; cook 2 minutes. Turn fillets; continue cooking 2 minutes. To serve salmon, top with spinach; garnish with apples and leek. Pour sauce over top.
Chef’s secret: If cider sauce separates, quickly whisk in 1 to 2 tablespoons more hot whipping cream until the sauce is smooth.
Nutrition information per serving
Calories ……. 385 Fat ………… 23 g Cholesterol .. 115 mg
Sodium …… 165 mg Carbohydrates .. 14 g Protein …….. 33 g
Developed by Tribune test kitchen director Alicia Tessling, this colorful tart combines the tang of plums and lemons. The recipe was part of a September story by Kristin Eddy on the many uses of the seasonal fruit. The lemon curd filling is quite tart. If you want a sweeter filling, increase the sugar used in it from 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup.
TANGY LEMON-PLUM TART
Preparation time: 1 hour
Standing time: 1 hour
Baking time: 18-22 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
5 to 6 plums, pitted, cut into 1/4-inch slices
Zest and juice of 2 lemons
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2 large eggs
1/3 cup whipping cream
1/8 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup plum preserves
9-inch baked, cooled pie crust
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups of the sugar and water in medium saucepan. Heat over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Increase heat to medium; heat to a boil. Boil until syrup reaches soft ball stage, 238 degrees on a candy thermometer. Add plum slices; return to boil. Remove saucepan from heat. Let stand 1 hour.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine zest, lemon juice, eggs and remaining 1/4 cup sugar in bowl of electric mixer; beat until light. Add cream and salt; beat until smooth. Pour into cooled crust; bake until set, about 18 to 22 minutes. Cool.
3. Remove plum slices from syrup, drain and arrange on top of filling. Heat preserves in small saucepan over medium heat. Pour through mesh strainer; discard plum pieces. Brush over plum slices. Serve.
Nutrition information per serving: (including crust):
Calories ……. 565 Fat ………… 23 g Cholesterol .. 140 mg
Sodium …… 110 mg Carbohydrates .. 89 g Protein ……… 5 g
Free-lance writer Mickey Rathbun described the cranberry as “the designer fruit of the `90s” in a November Good Eating story. “No longer relegated to the role of sidekick to the Thanksgiving turkey, the mouth-puckering red berries are popping up everywhere, in every season,” she wrote. Once you try the following recipe, which appeared with the story, you`ll be cooking with cranberries more often too. Adapted from “Nicole Routhier`s Fruit Cookbook.”
SICILIAN ROASTED VEGETABLES
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 25-35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 pint (2 cups) pearl onions, see note
2 tablespoons each: extra-virgin olive oil, balsamic vinegar, light brown sugar
3 large carrots, sliced 1/2-inch thick
3 medium turnips, peeled, sliced into 1/2-inch thick wedges
Salt, freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup dried cranberries, plumped in hot water for 30 minutes, drained
2 tablespoons each: dried currants, toasted pine nuts, shredded fresh basil leaves
1. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Heat large pot of salted water to boil. Add onions. Quickly drain onions; rinse under cold water. Peel.
2. Combine olive oil, vinegar and brown sugar in a 13- by 9-inch baking dish. Add carrots, turnips, onions; toss to coat with seasoning. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Roast, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are crisp-tender and caramelized, about 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from oven; stir in cranberries, currants, toasted pine nuts and basil. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Note: 2 cups peeled, frozen pearl onions may be substituted for fresh.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 230 Fat …………. 9 g Cholesterol .. 0 mg
Sodium …… 300 mg Carbohydrates .. 36 g Protein ……. 4 g
American classics often are amenable to new flavors borrowed from the Pacific Rim. Take potato salad. It easily adapts to the flavors of Vietnam or Thailand, as the following recipe by Pat Dailey proves.
GREEN CHILI POTATO SALAD
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12-15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
2 pounds small red potatoes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 stalk lemongrass, trimmed, minced
1 to 2 serrano chilies, minced
1/4 cup low-fat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons coconut milk
Salt to taste
1/2 small sweet onion, finely diced
1/3 cup minced fresh cilantro
1. Put potatoes in large saucepan with water to cover. Heat to boil over high heat; cook until potatoes are just tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain well; set potatoes aside. Wipe out pan.
2. Heat oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add lemongrass and serrano peppers. Cook, stirring until slightly softened, 1 minute. Remove from heat; transfer to large bowl. Add yogurt, coconut milk and salt.
3. Quarter potatoes; add to bowl along with onion and cilantro. Mix lightly. Serve at room temperature.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories …… 140 Fat …………. 4 g Cholesterol .. 1 mg
Sodium …… 13 mg Carbohydrates .. 22 g Protein ……. 5 g
For an October story we called “Sadistic Seasonings,” writer Kristin Eddy came up with the following creative use for pungent horseradish.
CHICKEN AND SPINACH RAGOUT WITH HORSERADISH MASHED POTATO CRUST
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 65 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Chicken ragout:
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, sliced
1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons flour
2 medium tomatoes, seeded, diced
1 bag (10 ounces) fresh spinach, stems removed, rinsed, drained
Mashed potatoes:
2 1/2 pounds (about 4 large) russet potatoes, peeled, cut into cubes
1/2 cup freshly grated horseradish root
1/4 cup each: milk, sour cream
1/4 cup unsalted butter, plus 2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Salt, ground black pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat; cook onions until limp. Add mushrooms, chicken strips, salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes or until chicken is golden. Stir together chicken broth and flour until flour is dissolved. Add to pot with tomato and spinach. Cook 2 minutes, stirring; set aside and keep warm.
2. Boil potatoes in water to cover until soft, about 10 minutes. Drain; mash together potatoes, horseradish, milk, sour cream, 1/4 cup of the butter, salt and pepper to taste.
3. Place chicken ragout in a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish; place dish on a baking sheet to catch drips. Mound mashed potatoes over chicken; drizzle with 2 tablespoons melted butter. Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes. Uncover and bake 10 minutes or until top is browned. Serve hot.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 400 Fat ………… 15 g Cholesterol .. 90 mg
Sodium …… 640 mg Carbohydrates .. 38 g Protein ……. 29 g
In January, writer Pat Dailey took on a mission: finding the perfect beef stew. This is one of the recipes that fulfilled her criteria. Stew, she wrote, must be “a gentle, unassuming dish that reveals itself gradually.”
GOULASH
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 8 servings
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 ounces salt pork, finely chopped
2 pounds beef round or chuck, cut in 1-inch cubes
Salt, freshly ground pepper
3 medium red potatoes, cut in 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium green bell peppers, cut in 1-inch pieces
2 medium onions, diced
1 1/4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons tomato paste
4 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
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1/2 cup sour cream, reduced-fat or regular
1 1/2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1. Melt butter in large, heavy Dutch oven over medium heat. Add salt pork; cook until browned. Pat beef dry. Add half to pan and season with salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until well browned on all sides. Remove and set aside. Add remaining beef, season lightly and brown well.
2. Return all meat to pan. Add potatoes, bell peppers, onions and broth. Stir together wine, tomato paste and paprika in small bowl. Add to pan. Cover; simmer gently until meat is tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Remove from heat. Stir in sour cream and caraway; adjust seasoning.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 350 Fat ………… 18 g Cholesterol .. 95 mg
Sodium …… 425 mg Carbohydrates .. 18 g Protein ……. 29 g
Carol Field, author of “In Nonnas Kitchen,” preserved the stories and recipes of older Italian women in her book. In a June review, writer Kristin Eddy described most of the food from the grandmothers’ kitchens as unfussy. We loved this beautiful dish of baked sea bass with a confetti of green olives, capers and parsley.
BAKED SEA BASS WITH GREEN SAUCE
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Standing time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 40-45 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
1 whole sea bass (about 3 pounds) or 3 pounds fillets
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
Sea salt, freshly ground black pepper
1 slice lemon
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 cup (3 ounces) drained green olives in brine, pitted, cut in half
1 tablespoon capers, preferably salt-cured, very well rinsed
3 tablespoons dry white wine
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
Green sauce (salsa verde):
1 1/2 cups tightly packed flat-leaf parsley, washed, stemmed
1/2 clove garlic, roughly chopped
2 tablespoons capers, preferably salt-cured, very well rinsed
7 green olives in brine, rinsed, pitted
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
Sea salt, freshly ground pepper
1. Clean fish well, inside and out. Dry. Chop garlic and parsley together until they are fine and mixed. Cut a number of small incisions in fish on each side and press garlic and parsley mixture into them. Season cavity with salt and pepper; place 1 lemon slice inside.
2. Coat bottom of baking dish with olive oil. Rub both sides of fish with olive oil and dried oregano. Cover top of fish with halved green olives; sprinkle with capers. Drizzle white wine over top. Leave for 1/2 hour. Season with salt.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Bake fish 30 to 35 minutes. After 10 minutes, spritz top with vinegar. Check for doneness by sliding a knife along backbone; the fish is ready when the flesh pulls away from bone.
4. While fish is baking, make green sauce. Place parsley, garlic, capers, green olives, salt, pepper, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a blender or food processor; process until you have smooth puree. Serve fish and pass the sauce separately.
Test kitchen note: The 1/2 cup olive oil for rubbing the baking dish and the bass can be reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
Nutrition information per serving (with sauce):
Calories ……… 615 Fat ……….. 37 g Cholesterol .. 180 mg
Sodium …… 1,055 mg Carbohydrates .. 4 g Protein …….. 65 g
William Rice heralded the return of steak in a March Tribune Magazine column: “A steak dinner doesn’t have to be a larger-than-life feast to be enjoyable and satisfying. At home it can be a normal family meal … with the meat served in portions that fit easily within the dietary guidelines.” This soup fits the bill. Adapted from Rice’s “The Steak Lover’s Cookbook.”
HUNGARIAN STEAK SOUP
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 40 minutes in pressure cooker
Yield: 6 servings
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 1/2 pounds boneless round steak, 3/4-inch thick, excess fat removed, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
1 medium sweet onion, half coarsely chopped, half thinly sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, half cut into chunks, half cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 red bell pepper, seeded, half cut into chunks, half cut into 1/4-inch strips
1 teaspoon each: sweet paprika, hot paprika, Hungarian preferred
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, toasted briefly
6 cups beef broth
2 bay leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
Salt
6 ounces wide egg noodles
Sour cream, for garnish
1. Heat oil in uncovered pressure cooker or stockpot over medium-high heat. Add half the meat; brown on all sides, about 4 minutes. Transfer to bowl with slotted spoon. Repeat with remaining meat.
2. Add chopped onion and chopped bell pepper to pressure cooker. Stir frequently until vegetables soften, 4 to 5 minutes. Add paprikas, black pepper and caraway; stir 1 minute. Pour in beef broth. Add bay leaves, garlic, tomato paste and steak.
3. Cover pressure cooker; seal. Heat to full pressure over high heat. Regulate heat; cook 20 minutes. (If using conventional pot, simmer meat, partly covered, 1 hour.) Release pressure and uncover. Meat should be cooked through and tender. If not, re-cover pot; regain full pressure and cook 5 minutes longer.
4. Pour soup through colander into bowl, leaving as much of meat as possible in pot. Pick out meat cubes in colander; return to pot. Discard vegetables in colander and any in pot. Add uncooked onion and bell pepper strips to pot; return broth to pot. Heat to boil over high heat; turn heat to low. Simmer until vegetables are just tender, 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat water to boil in large saucepan. Add salt and noodles; cook until just tender, about 5 minutes. Drain noodles. Portion 1/2 cup of the cooked noodles into each of six soup plates. Ladle hot soup over noodles. Pass sour cream.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories ……. 315 Fat ………… 10 g Cholesterol .. 95 mg
Sodium …… 855 mg Carbohydrates .. 20 g Protein ……. 33 g