Here is Good Eating’s holiday gift to you, a reprise of 10 of our favorite recipes from 2002, all tested in our kitchen. It was a bountiful year, filled with great stories, outstanding dishes and plenty of calories. By our reckoning, the test kitchen staff has tested more than 400 recipes this year, so it was tough to narrow them down to 10 favorites.
In the end, we came up with a great variety, from the rich and satisfying macaroni and cheese developed by our test kitchen chef Mark Graham to the surprising grilled meat loaf from Weber Grill restaurant. And we didn’t forget dessert! Our favorites included the rich butterscotch praline ice cream sundae from the Atwood Cafe and a tangy lemon meringue tart from freelance writer Matt McMillen.
If you missed these great dishes the first time around, clip them now or print them from our Web site, chicagotribune.com/goodeating (where they are available free for one week) and enjoy them in the New Year!
Spinach and fingerling potato salad with warm bacon dressing
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 25 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
In a May story, “Back to bacon,” writer Kristin Eddy described how this breakfast staple had renewed its image with new artisan brands. Accompanying the story was this appealing salad with a warm vinaigrette dressing. It was developed in the Tribune test kitchen.
1/2 pound each: fingerling potatoes, thick-cut bacon
2 large shallots, minced
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 teaspoons minced orange zest
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound baby spinach
1/2 cup pine nuts, toasted, see note
1. Heat a large pot of salted water to boiling; add potatoes. Cook until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes. Drain; let cool until just warm. Cut into 1/4-inch slices; set aside.
2. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium-low heat until just crisp, 8 minutes. Drain bacon on paper towels. Let cool. Chop or crumble into bits; set aside. Pour all but 1 tablespoon fat from skillet; wipe clean. Turn heat to medium-high. Cook shallots until golden, 1 minute.
3. Mix bacon, oil, shallots, vinegar, maple syrup and orange zest in a small bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Heat in microwave until warm, about 30 seconds. Toss potatoes and spinach in large bowl with dressing. Garnish with pine nuts.
Note: To toast pine nuts, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring nuts occasionally, until golden brown, 1-2 minutes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Nutrition information per serving:
350 calories, 76% calories from fat, 30 g fat, 5.5 g saturated fat, 11 mg cholesterol, 420 mg sodium, 8 g protein, 13 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber
Home-style BBQ meat loaf
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Chilling time: 2 hours
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Cooking time: 55 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This unusual but delicious grilled meat loaf is adapted from a recipe from Weber Grill restaurants. It calls for two kinds of bottled barbecue sauce, one for the meat mixture and one for basting. William Rice included the recipe in a 4th of July story about grilling inexpensive meats.
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Spanish onion, peeled, chopped
2 pounds ground beef, 80 percent lean preferred
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs, such as Japanese panko
1/3 cup bottled barbecue sauce
2 large eggs
3 tablespoons ketchup
1 tablespoon steak sauce
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons hickory smoke barbecue sauce
1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Heat oil in a heavy skillet; add onion. Cook over medium heat until onion softens and begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes.
2. Transfer onion to large bowl. Add meat, bread crumbs, 1/3 cup barbecue sauce, eggs, ketchup, steak sauce and salt. Mix ingredients until thoroughly blended. Pack into an 8-by-4-inch loaf pan. Smooth the top; brush with a thin layer of the hickory smoke barbecue sauce.
3. Place loaf in a baking pan to catch any overflow; cook in oven until center reaches 155 degrees on instant-read meat thermometer, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven; let cool. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Prepare grill. If using charcoal, start the fire in the center of the grill. When coals are covered with ash, separate into 2 equal piles on either side of the grill. If using gas, heat the grill with all burners on medium; then turn off middle burner.
5. Remove loaf from pan; slice crosswise into 6 equal slices. Place slices directly over coals; grill 2-3 minutes. Turn; grill 2 minutes. Move slices to center of grill; brush lightly with hickory-flavored sauce. Grill 2-3 minutes to glaze.
Nutrition information per serving:
375 calories, 56% calories from fat, 23 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 160 mg cholesterol, 1,200 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, 26 g protein, 1 g fiber
Butterscotch praline ice cream sundae
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 6 sundaes
Vanilla ice cream is, for many of us, “a lifelong obsession, a romance that never gets stale,” wrote Renee Enna, an assistant Good Eating editor, in a July cover story. Included was this deliciously decadent recipe from Heather Terhune, executive chef at Atwood Cafe in Chicago.
Butterscotch sauce:
1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
3/4 cup each: light corn syrup, whipping cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
Candied pecans:
12 ounces whole pecans
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon salt
Ice cream:
1 quart premium vanilla ice cream
Whipped cream, optional
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. For sauce, put butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, cream, vanilla and salt into a heavy-duty saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, whisking constantly, until it boils. Boil, uncovered, 2 minutes. Cool to room temperature, whisking occasionally so butter does not separate. (Sauce may be made ahead and refrigerated for up to 1 week.)
2. For pecans, put nuts, granulated sugar, butter and salt into a stainless-steel bowl; toss until thoroughly coated. Place on cookie sheet; bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Do not overbake. Cool.
3. Scoop ice cream into 6 bowls. Top with about 1/3 cup of the butterscotch sauce, a few candied pecans and whipped cream.
Nutrition information per serving:
1,200 calories, 61% calories from fat, 85 g fat, 31 g saturated fat, 140 mg cholesterol, 1,100 mg sodium, 114 g carbohydrate, 9 g protein, 5 g fiber
Jelly-filled doughnut-muffins
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Rising time: 2 hours, 15 minutes
Yield: 16 muffins
These breakfast gems are a delightful cross between a fried jelly doughnut and a moist muffin. This recipe appeared in a Recipe Doctor column last spring.
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons canola oil, plus more for coating
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
3 cups flour, plus more for kneading
1 package active dry yeast
1/2 cup jelly (raspberry and cherry work well)
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Microwave milk on high until fairly hot, about 1 minute. Combine 2 tablespoons canola oil, sugar, cream cheese and salt in bowl of electric mixer; beat on low until well blended. Slowly pour hot milk into the mixture, beating all the while. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Combine 2 cups of the flour and yeast in a large bowl. Add the flour mixture slowly to the milk mixture, beating on low speed until smooth. Beat in the remaining 1 cup flour to make a soft dough. Turn dough onto a well-floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, 5-8 minutes. Place dough in a large mixing bowl that has been lightly coated with canola oil. Turn the dough over to coat the entire surface. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour, 15 minutes.
3. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of canola oil to the bottom of each of 16 muffin cups. Punch down dough; divide into 16 equal balls. Press each ball into a circle; spoon about 1 1/2 teaspoons jelly into the middle of each one. Bring up the sides of the dough to wrap up the jelly; squeeze the dough ends together to seal. Place each ball in a muffin cup; roll the ball around to cover the entire surface with oil, place the muffin ball seam side down. Let rise in a warm place until almost double in size, about an hour.
4. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake until top is nicely browned, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, combine confectioners’ sugar, water and vanilla together in a small bowl; stir until smooth. Roll each warm muffin into the glaze. Let cool briefly on a rack.
Nutrition information per muffin:
190 calories, 15% of calories from fat, 3.2 g fat, 0.7 g saturated fat, 30 mg cholesterol, 36 g carbohydrates, 4.3 g protein, 175 mg sodium, 0.8 g fiber
Lemon meringue tart
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 5 hours or overnight
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
Freelance writer Matt McMillen took up the case for lemon cream in a spring article. “Making lemon cream is for pastry-phobes and -philes alike. There are few recipes as simple and as fail-safe and as sublime,” he wrote.
Tart dough:
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Lemon cream:
1 cup sugar
Zest of 4 lemons, finely chopped
4 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2 1/2 sticks (1 1/4 cups) butter, softened, cut into small pieces
Meringue:
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1. For dough, beat butter with sugar in bowl of electric mixer until fluffy. Mix in egg yolk and vanilla. Slowly mix in flour and salt just to combine. Remove dough to floured surface; knead dough by hand briefly until flour and butter are fully combined. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Chill dough at least 1 hour. (The dough can be frozen up to a month. Let thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.)
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out the dough 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured surface; place in 10-inch tart pan. Trim any overhanging edges. Place in the freezer at least 15 minutes. Prick the surface with a fork; line with greased aluminum foil. Fill the shell with weights or dried beans. Bake 5 minutes. Remove the weights and foil; return to the oven until a light golden brown, 7 minutes. Let cool.
3. For lemon cream, place the sugar and zest in a double boiler set over simmering water; stir to mix. Heat until aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and lemon juice. Heat, stirring constantly, until temperature reaches 175 degrees and mixture is thick, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; let cool, stirring occasionally, to 140 degrees, about 10 minutes. Transfer mixture to container of a blender or food processor. Turn on the blender; add the butter a couple of pieces at a time. Blend 3-5 minutes to fully emulsify. (Use at once or store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for one month.) Refrigerate in bowl 4 hours or overnight.
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4. For meringue, combine egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar in a stainless-steel bowl of electric mixer; place over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the water touch the bottom of the pan. Whisk the eggs constantly until sugar melts completely and whites are frothy and hot to the touch, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat; whip on high speed until the whites are glossy and hold stiff peaks. Reduce speed to medium; whip until the egg whites have cooled to room temperature, about 5 minutes.
5. Heat broiler. Fill the cooked tart shell with lemon cream; smooth the surface. Spread meringue over the surface in a thick, even layer, making sure that the meringue covers all of the lemon cream and attaches to the crust to form a seal. Make a pattern of peaks and swirls with the back of a spoon. Place under the broiler until meringue is lightly browned, about 2 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
670 calories, 58% of calories from fat, 44 g fat, 26 g saturated fat, 240 mg cholesterol, 65 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 500 mg sodium, 1.1 g fiber
Macaroni and cheese with bacon and tomato
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
This recipe was developed by Mark Graham in the Tribune test kitchen for a February story about the upscale return of macaroni and cheese. It adds color (from the tomatoes) and texture (from crisp bits of bacon) to a rich macaroni and cheese base.
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 package (1 pound) cavatappi or penne pasta
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 tablespoons flour
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 quart milk
1/2 teaspoon each, or to taste: salt, freshly ground pepper
1/2 pound each, shredded: Gruyere cheese, processed cheese (such as Velveeta)
1 pound bacon, cooked, crumbled
3 ripe plum tomatoes, diced
3 tablespoons olive oil
1. Generously butter a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Add 1/4 cup of the bread crumbs; shake to coat dish evenly. Heat large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta until al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain. Place in large bowl.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in large saucepan. Whisk in flour; cook, stirring, 2 minutes. Add nutmeg; cook 1 minute. Whisk in milk all at once. Heat to boil; simmer, stirring, 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; stir in cheeses until melted.
3. Add sauce to pasta, mix well. Spoon 1/2 of the mixture into prepared baking dish. Add bacon and tomatoes in an even layer. Top with remaining macaroni mixture. Combine remaining 1/2 cup bread crumbs with olive oil in small bowl. Sprinkle over macaroni. Bake until golden and bubbly, 45 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
690 calories, 50% calories from fat, 38 g fat, 18 g saturated fat, 90 mg cholesterol, 1,075 mg sodium, 56 g carbohydrate, 31 g protein, 2.3 g fiber
Swiss chard gratin
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
William Rice, Tribune food and wine columnist, explored the bold flavors of winter greens in a February cover story. “The legend of greens as overcooked, tissue-textured, pork- and vinegar-flavored, bitter-tasting side dish is a creation of the antebellum South and, like most Southern legends, just won’t go away,” he wrote. This recipe, adapted from “The Herbfarm Cookbook,” by Jerry Traunfeld, proves greens can be sublime.
Gratin:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup fresh bread crumbs
1 pound Swiss chard, any color
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot or 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
Sauce:
2 tablespoons each: unsalted butter, flour
1 1/2 cups whole or low-fat milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh oregano
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
1 cup (4 ounces) grated Gruyere cheese
1. Coat a 1 1/2-quart gratin or baking dish with the softened butter. Spoon in 2 tablespoons of the bread crumbs; tilt the dish to coat the buttered surface.
2. Slice the chard stems and leaves into 1 1/2-inch pieces. Wash in cold water; drain in a colander but don’t dry them. Heat the olive oil in a 6-quart Dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat. Add the shallot and garlic; cook, stirring constantly, until softened but not browned, about 1 minute. Add the chard. Sprinkle with salt. Cover tightly. Steam until chard has wilted to half its original volume, 2-3 minutes. Uncover; cook the chard, turning occasionally with tongs, until all the water in the pan evaporates, 5 minutes. Season with pepper; set aside.
3. Heat oven to 400 degrees. For the sauce, melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour; cook, whisking, until mixture bubbles up and turns lighter in color, about 1 minute. Pour in the cold milk all at once; whisk vigorously. Add salt and bay leaf. Heat, whisking, until it boils and thickens, about 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to low; simmer 2 minutes. Stir in nutmeg, oregano, thyme and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Remove from heat; discard bay leaf.
4. Mix cooked chard and sauce; spoon into prepared pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup bread crumbs and remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Bake until golden and bubbly, 35 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
260 calories, 64% calories from fat, 19 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 605 mg sodium, 14 g carbohydrate, 10 g protein, 1.6 g fiber
Fried rice croquettes (Arancine)
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooling time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yield: 12 croquettes
In a January Bookshelf column, writer Kristin Eddy favorably reviewed “Saveur Cooks Authentic Italian” (Chronicle, $40), from the editors of Saveur magazine. This recipe, adapted from the book, is for warm croquettes of saffron risotto. It comes from Wanda Tornabene of Gangivecchio, Sicily. Carnaroli is a short-grain rice that is preferred for risotto; it may be available at Italian specialty markets, or substitute arborio rice. The rind from real Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese adds flavor to the rice; you may omit it.
Risotto:
5 to 6 cups chicken broth
1/8 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups carnaroli or other risotto rice
1 piece (3 ounces) Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese rind
1 egg yolk, room temperature
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
Salt, freshly ground pepper
Arancine:
3 ounces mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch dice
3 thin slices of cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch squares
2 egg whites, whisked until just foamy
2 cups dried bread crumbs
Sunflower or vegetable oil
1. For risotto, heat broth in a saucepan over medium heat until it just boils; reduce heat to low. Add saffron.
2. Melt butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add rice and cook, stirring with wooden spoon, until rice just begins to turn translucent, about 2 minutes. Add cheese rind. Add 3/4 cup of the simmering broth, stirring constantly until almost all of the liquid has been absorbed. Add another 3/4 cup broth; continue cooking and adding broth (you may have some left over) until rice is cooked but firm to the bite, about 20 minutes. Discard rind. Stir in egg yolk and grated cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Pour risotto onto a baking sheet; let cool.
3. For arancine, dampen hands with water. Divide cooled risotto into loose balls, each measuring about 1/3 cup. One at a time, flatten risotto balls in the palm of one hand. Place 2 cubes of mozzarella and a piece of ham in center of each. Work the rice to enclose filling completely. Shape each risotto ball into a 3-inch oval. Dip arancine into whisked egg whites; roll in bread crumbs. Refrigerate on a baking sheet 30 minutes.
4. Pour oil into a large, deep frying pan to depth of 2 inches. Heat over medium heat to 325 degrees on a thermometer. Gently lower arancine into hot oil with a slotted spoon, working in batches; fry until golden brown, turning often, 2-3 minutes. Drain on paper towels; serve hot.
Nutrition information per croquette:
325 calories, 44% of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 33 g carbohydrates, 13 g protein, 825 mg sodium, 0.9 g fiber
Cream of mushroom soup with pecans
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
This rich mushroom soup recipe was included in Kristin Eddy’s review of “The Big Book of Soups and Stews,” by Maryana Vollstedt. It’s definitely special enough for a dinner party.
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 leek, white and light green parts only, sliced
1 pound white mushrooms, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup flour
3 cups chicken broth
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1 1/2 cups half-and-half or whipping cream
2 tablespoons dry sherry or white wine
1/4 teaspoon each: salt, dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1. Melt butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and leek; saute 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic and lemon juice; saute until vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes longer. Add flour; stir until bubbly. Add broth; stir until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Add half-and-half, sherry, salt, thyme and pepper.
2. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer, uncovered, until flavors are blended, about 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls; sprinkle with chopped nuts.
Nutrition information per serving:
250 calories, 66% of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 10 g saturated fat, 45 mg cholesterol, 15 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 590 mg sodium, 2.6 g fiber
Napa slaw with charred salmon
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
This recipe, perfect for a lunch or light dinner, appeared in an August story by William Rice on the many guises of coleslaw. It is from Michael Altenberg, chef of Campagnola in Evanston and Bistro Campagne on Lincoln Avenue.
3 shallots, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons Champagne or white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons dark brown or turbinado sugar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Cracked pepper, three-color peppercorns preferred
1 each, cut into matchsticks: red, yellow bell pepper
1 carrot, peeled, cut into matchsticks
1 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced
1 bulb onion or 4 green onions (white only), chopped
1 fillet (8 ounces) salmon
1 to 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
1. Combine shallots, vinegar and sugar in a blender; puree until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. Combine with vegetable matchsticks and cabbage in a large bowl; toss. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Prepare a grill or heat a grill pan or broiler. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Grill 4 minutes; turn. Grill 3 minutes; brush thin film of mustard on fillet with a pastry brush. Turn; cook about 45 seconds. Brush other side with mustard; turn. Cook until medium-rare and lightly charred, about 1 minute. Spread slaw on a serving platter. Flake salmon; scatter over the slaw. Drizzle olive oil over salad.
Nutrition information per serving:
255 calories, 40% calories from fat, 12 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 35 mg cholesterol, 450 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 17 g protein, 2.4 g fiber