End-of-the-year roundups in newspapers are as common as snowflakes in December. But we like to think our annual roundup is the tastiest.
After all, it includes recipes that Good Eating staff members raved over after trying them in the Tribune test kitchen throughout 2004. We narrowed the list to our top 10–all recipes, we agreed, that we would make at home ourselves.
Many of our favorites include quick-cooking dishes, reflecting today’s emphasis on easy-to-make recipes. They often originated in our weekly Dinner Tonight column, which has generated plenty of fast recipes that can be prepared in 40 minutes or less.
But more indulgent recipes also made their way into the pages of Good Eating this year, including Wolfgang Puck’s rich pork roast with caramelized maple onions to author Michele Urvater’s mocha devil’s food cupcakes.
Perfect for end-of-the-year celebrations, these recipes also deserve to find a home in your kitchen throughout the new year. Enjoy!
Top 10 recipes (in no particular order)
1. Double wasabi brisket
2. Thai crab cakes
3. Chicken thighs with onions and arugula
4. Mocha devil’s food cupcakes
5. Salmon with orzo, orangesand olives
6. Roast rack of pork with caramelized maple onions
7. Fennel risotto cakes
8. Yemeni-style chicken salad
9. Favorite things summer salad
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10. Provencal veal chops with warm bell-pepper slaw
1. Double wasabi brisket
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating and standing time: 9 hours
Cooking time: 5 hours, 45 minutes
Yield: 12 servings
An Asian take on barbecued brisket, this recipe was developed in the test kitchen and accompanied a story about wasabi, written by food and wine reporter Bill Daley. The brisket can be cooked a day ahead, then finished with the sauce an hour before serving. Wasabi powder and paste are sold in Asian and spice markets, and some larger supermarkets.
Rub and brisket:
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons each: Chinese 5-spice powder, ground cumin, sweet paprika
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 piece (3 inches long) ginger root, finely chopped
1 tablespoon each: wasabi powder, black pepper
1 teaspoon each: ground cardamom, ground coriander
1 beef brisket, first cut, trimmed, about 4 pounds
Finishing sauce:
1/2 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons each: Thai sweet red chili sauce, wasabi paste, brown sugar
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Combine rub ingredients in a small bowl; set aside. Place brisket in a 13-by-9-inch pan lined with foil overlapping by 7 inches on each side to allow the brisket to be sealed in the foil. Press spice rub into all sides of brisket; arrange brisket fat side up in the pan. Seal; refrigerate at least 8 hours.
2. Remove brisket from refrigerator; set aside at room temperature 30 minutes. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Cook brisket in oven 1 hour. Reduce heat to 275 degrees; bake until just tender, 4-4 1/2 hours. Remove from oven; let stand 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, for sauce, whisk together soy sauce, chili sauce, wasabi paste, brown sugar, garlic, mustard, salt and pepper to taste in a small bowl; set aside. Partially slice the brisket in thin slices against the grain, cutting almost through the meat but leaving the bottom attached. Pour sauce over brisket. Reseal foil pack-age; return to oven. Cook until fork tender, 45 minutes-1 hour.
Nutrition information per serving:
299 calories, 40% of calories from fat, 13 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 89 mg cholesterol, 14 g carbohydrates, 30 g protein, 1,553 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
2. Thai crab cakes
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 8 crab cakes
Tribune reporter Robin Mather Jenkins’ September review of Nancie McDermott’s “Quick & Easy Thai” included this stellar version of crab cakes. McDermott wrote: “Seaside cafes all along the Gulf of Siam make hearty, delicious crab cakes with pork, garlic and pepper. Fresh crabmeat is spectacular in this dish, but canned also works fine.” Asian markets sell cilantro with roots attached; if you can’t find it, substitute an equal measure of chopped stems and leaves.
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro roots, or stems and leaves, plus a handful of fresh cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
3/4 pound cooked lump crabmeat
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 cup bread crumbs or mashed potatoes
1 egg, beaten
Flour for dredging
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1. Combine the garlic, cilantro roots, water, fish sauce, soy sauce, salt and pepper in a small food processor or blender jar; blend well until fairly smooth. Combine the garlic-cilantro mixture with the crabmeat, pork, bread crumbs, cilantro leaves and egg in a medium bowl; mix gently. Shape the crabmeat mixture into 8 plump cakes, each about 3 inches in diameter.
2. Put the flour on a shallow plate. Dip each crab cake in flour to coat lightly; place on a platter.
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat about 1 minute, until a pinch of flour sizzles at once. Add 4 cakes to the oil; fry, turning once, until golden brown and cooked through, 5-7 minutes. Drain well on paper towels; repeat with remaining cakes. Transfer the cakes to a serving platter; serve hot or warm.
Nutrition information per serving:
171 calories, 49% of calories from fat, 9 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 5 g carbohydrates, 16 g protein, 576 mg sodium, 0.4 g fiber
3. Chicken thighs with onions and wilted arugula
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 35 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
“Chicken thighs make a good break from the ubiquitous deboned, skinned chicken breasts,” wrote assistant editor Joe Gray in a Dinner Tonight column in March. “They will cook faster and have a richer flavor.” He combined them with onions and wilted arugula.
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 red onion, halved, sliced
8 chicken thighs, trimmed
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 bunch arugula (about 4 cups) or baby spinach, coarsely chopped
1. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add onion. Cook until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper; transfer to skillet. Cook, turning, until brown on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Pour orange juice and vinegar over chicken. Cover; reduce heat to simmer. Cook until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Remove chicken from skillet; keep warm.
3. Increase heat to high; add arugula to skillet. Cook, stirring, until it just begins to wilt; about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. For each serving, place some arugula in a bowl; top with 2 chicken thighs. Top with onions.
Nutrition information per serving:
365 calories, 56% of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 114 mg cholesterol, 6 g carbohydrates, 33 g protein, 687 mg sodium, 0.7 g fiber
4. Mocha devil’s food cupcakes
Preparation time: 45 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 18 cupcakes
These adult cupcakes were based on a recipe from “Chocolate Cake,” by Michele Urvater, and appeared in free-lancer James P. DeWan’s February story on Chicago coffee roasters.
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
1 tablespoon instant espresso coffee powder
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
1 egg yolk, beaten, plus 2 whole eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, at room temperature
Mocha frosting:
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) butter, at room temperature
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 tablespoons prepared espresso, made from instant espresso powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4-6 tablespoons whipping cream
1. Combine 1/2 cup of the sugar, 1/2 cup of the milk and the espresso powder in small saucepan; heat to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Add chocolate; heat to a simmer, stirring. Remove saucepan from heat; stir until chocolate is melted. Whisk in egg yolk, whisking until mixture thickens to custard consistency, about 20 seconds. Stir in vanilla. Set aside.
2. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Sift flour with baking powder, baking soda and salt; set aside. Beat butter in bowl of electric mixer on low speed until light, about 1 minute. Gradually beat in remaining 1 cup of the sugar. Beat on medium speed, scraping down beater and sides of the bowl as needed, until mixture is thick and smooth, about 4 minutes.
3. Beat in whole eggs, one at time, until batter is smooth. Add cooled chocolate custard; beat on low speed until mixture is smooth and blended, about 1 minute. Fold dry ingredients into the batter in 3 additions, alternating each with remaining 1/2 cup of the milk. Beat with electric mixer on low speed until smooth, 1 minute.
4. Transfer batter to paper-lined cupcake pans, filling each cup two-thirds full. Bake until an inserted tester comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack, about 25 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, for frosting, place butter in the bowl of an electric mixer; beat on medium speed until soft, about 1 minute. Sift sugar and cocoa into butter; beat until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add espresso, vanilla and 2 tablespoons of the whipping cream. Beat until well blended, about 5 minutes, adding more cream if necessary to reach spreading consistency. Spread frosting on cupcakes.
Nutrition information per cupcake:
428 calories, 38% of calories from fat, 19 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 75 mg cholesterol, 65 g carbohydrates, 4 g protein, 114 mg sodium, 1.6 g fiber
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5. Salmon with orzo, oranges and olives
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 8 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Salmon fillets–hearty, rich and quick to cook in the broiler–are teamed with orzo, a delicious, ricelike pasta, plus olives and oranges. The recipe was created by assistant editor Renee Enna and appeared in a Dinner Tonight column in March.
2 salmon fillets
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 cup pitted black olives, chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each: honey, orange juice
1 cup orzo, cooked according to package directions
1 orange or tangerine, peeled, seeded, divided into segments
1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds, optional, see note
1. Heat broiler to high; place rack 6 inches from heat. Season salmon with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste. Place salmon on foil-lined broiler pan; broil until almost done, about 8 minutes. Set aside.
2. Meanwhile, mix olives, basil, oil, honey, juice, remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Add orzo; toss to coat. Transfer to a platter. Break salmon into large chunks; place over orzo with orange segments. Sprinkle sesame seeds over all, if desired.
Note: To toast sesame seeds, place in a dry skillet over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until light brown, 1-2 min-utes. Watch carefully to avoid burning.
Nutrition information per serving:
379 calories, 38% of calories from fat, 16 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 73 mg cholesterol, 28 g carbohydrates, 31 g protein, 642 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
6. Roast rack of pork with caramelized maple onions
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Wolfgang Puck is one of the country’s most well-known chefs and a Tribune columnist. He also is known for feeding the stars at the annual Governor’s Ball after the Oscars every March. This year, he suggested readers host their own Oscar parties, featuring this elegant do-ahead rack of pork.
1 rack of pork, 4-bone, about 2 pounds
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
1 piece (1-inch long) ginger root, crushed
1 each: cinnamon stick, whole star anise
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 cups apple cider
1. Season rack of pork with 1 teaspoon of the salt and pep-per to taste. Heat olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add pork. Cook on all sides until browned, 10 minutes. Remove pork; set aside.
2. Discard fat from pan; reduce heat to medium. Heat butter in pan until melted; add the onions, ginger, cinnamon stick and star anise. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions are golden brown, about 20 minutes; stir in maple syrup. Cook, stirring, until the onions are a deep caramel color, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to high; stir in the cider, scraping bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Cook until the liquid has reduced to a glaze, about 15 minutes; discard ginger, cinnamon stick and star anise. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and pepper to taste. Set aside; keep warm.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pork in a small roasting pan; cover with half of the onion mixture. Roast 25 minutes; spoon remaining onion mixture over the meat. Roast until pork registers 150 degrees (for medium) on an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the meat not touching bone, about 35 minutes. Or, cook to desired degree of doneness.
4. Remove pork from oven; cover with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Let rest 10 minutes. Cut between the bones into individual chops; transfer chops to serving plates. Spoon onions and juices from the roasting pan over the meat.
Nutrition information per serving:
572 calories, 50% of calories from fat, 32 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 104 mg cholesterol, 39 g carbohydrates, 32 g protein, 957 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
7. Fennel risotto cakes
Preparation time: 1 hour
Cooking time: 2 hours
Cooling time: 30 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
In August, freelance writer Heather Shouse wrote about a trend to smaller plates of food in area restaurants. “Even established restaurants are hopping the train, dumping the traditional appetizer-entree menu for a slew of small plates,” she wrote. This recipe for risotto cakes accompanied the story. It’s from chef/co-owner Shawn McClain of Green Zebra.
1 large fennel bulb, 3/4 of bulb minced, 1/4 thinly sliced
2 cups red wine
1/2 cup port
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1/2 cup licorice-flavored liqueur such as anisette, ouzo or sambuca
2 cans (14.5 ounces each) vegetable broth
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1 tablespoon fennel pollen, optional, see note
3 cups bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1. Heat oven to 250 degrees. Roast fennel slices until golden brown, about 30 minutes; set aside.
2. Meanwhile, heat red wine, port and sugar in a non-reactive saucepan over medium heat until it becomes syrupy, about 45 minutes. Remove from heat; set aside.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add minced fennel, onion and garlic; cook until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add rice; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add liqueur; cook until liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat vegetable broth in a medium sauce-pan over medium-high heat just to simmer; remove from heat. Add one-third of the warm vegetable stock to the rice. Cook, stirring, until liquid is absorbed into the rice, about 10 minutes. Repeat two more times until rice feels soft but not mushy, about 30 minutes total cooking time. (You may need a little more vegetable stock if the rice still tastes firm.) Remove rice from heat; fold in Parmesan, mascarpone and fennel pollen. Spread rice in 1 layer on baking sheet; set aside to cool, about 30 minutes.
5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place bread crumbs in a large pan or plate. Form cooled risotto into 8 small balls with your hands. Flatten balls; coat on all sides with bread crumbs. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in large skillet; cook cakes until golden, in batches if necessary, turning once, about 3 minutes each side. Return cooked cakes to baking pan. Season with salt and pepper.
6. Transfer baking pan to oven. Cook until crisp and deep golden, about 4 minutes.
7. Meanwhile, heat wine sauce over medium heat in sauce-pan until heated through, about 2 minutes. Whisk in butter. Serve with cakes.
Note: Fennel pollen, harvested from fennel flowers, has an intense sweetness. It is sold at The Spice House in Chicago and Evanston.
Nutrition information per serving:
440 calories, 26% of calories from fat, 12 g fat, 4 g saturated fat, 13 mg cholesterol, 69 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 972 mg sodium, 4 g fiber
8. Yemeni-style chicken salad
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
For an August Dinner Tonight recipe, reporter Robin Mather Jenkins came up with this version of chicken salad that uses an Arabic condiment called z’ug. “Sometimes spelled “zhoug” in a phonetic attempt to approximate its Arabic pronunciation, it’s a ferociously hot Yemeni herb condiment used to dress almost anything,” she wrote. “Pureed cilantro and parsley form its foundation; garlic, chilies and cumin rev it up. Finally, a splash of olive oil moistens the mix to smooth it into an aromatic sauce. Its proportions can vary according to your preference.”
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup each: mayonnaise, fat-free yogurt
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 red serrano chilies, seeded, stemmed, minced
3 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted, see note
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 rib celery, chopped
1 carrot, grated
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 cup each, minced: cilantro, flat-leaf parsley
1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
1. Place the chicken breasts in a large skillet with water just to cover. Heat to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to simmer. Cook until chicken is opaque, firm to the touch and no longer pink inside, 8-12 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, mix together mayonnaise and yogurt in a medium bowl. Add garlic, chilies, pine nuts, green onions, celery, carrot, cumin, cilantro and parsley; toss to combine. Set aside.
3. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside until cool enough to handle, about 2 minutes. Chop chicken coarsely; stir into mayonnaise mixture. Season with salt and pepper.
Note: Toast pine nuts in a small dry skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until aromatic, about 5 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving:
530 calories, 55% of calories from fat, 32 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 136 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 50 g protein, 893 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
9. Favorite things summer salad
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Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
“Consider this a warning before adding this main-course salad to your repertoire,” wrote test kitchen director Donna Pierce in a July Dinner Tonight column. “The lightly fried, flat nuts from Spain known as marcona almonds are com-pletely addictive–and one of the delicious reasons this salad has become a weekly routine at my house.” Look for marcona nuts at Whole Foods, or substitute regular roasted almonds.
Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1 shallot, peeled, chopped
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salad:
2 boneless chicken breast halves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground pepper
6 cups mixed baby greens
1 1/2 ounces Manchego cheese, very thinly sliced
12 pitted black olives, halved
4 anchovy fillets, chopped
1 avocado, halved, pitted
4 eggs, hard-cooked, peeled, quartered or sliced
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup Marcona or roasted almonds, coarsely chopped
1. Heat grill or grill pan to high. For vinaigrette, whisk together vinegar, shallot and mustard in a medium bowl; whisk in oil. Set aside.
2. Season chicken breast with salt and pepper. Grill, turning once, until golden and cooked through, about 18 minutes. Remove from grill; cool.
3. Meanwhile, toss together lettuce, cheese, olives and anchovies in a large bowl. Divide lettuce mixture between two plates. Remove avocado flesh from shell by sliding a spoon around shell; slice thinly. Slice chicken breasts into strips.
4. Garnish salads evenly with avocado, eggs, tomatoes and almonds; top with chicken slices. Whisk dressing to blend together; drizzle dressing evenly over both salads.
Nutrition information per serving:
459 calories, 65% of calories from fat, 34 g fat, 7.3 g saturated fat, 262 mg cholesterol, 13 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 590 mg sodium, 6.3 g fiber
10. Provencal veal chops with warm bell-pepper slaw
Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Veal is an expensive choice for a weeknight dinner, but if you are celebrating a special occasion, it is worth it for its mild, versatile flavor. This recipe, created by Carol Mighton Haddix for a May Dinner Tonight column, includes the spice mixture known as herbes de Provence and a side of lightly cooked bell peppers. The recipe also would work well with lamb chops.
3 tablespoons herbes de Provence
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
4 veal chops, about 1-inch thick
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 bell peppers, choice of red, yellow and purple, seeded, cut into thin strips
1. Mix herbs, olive oil, vinegar, salt and pepper in large bowl. Add veal chops, turning to coat all sides. Heat a large, heavy skillet over high heat; add the veal chops, reserving the marinade. Cook to brown one side, about 2 minutes. Turn; brown second side, 2 minutes. Turn heat to low; cook until desired doneness, about 5 minutes. Remove to a platter; keep warm.
2. Add garlic and peppers to same skillet. Turn heat to high; stir-fry until peppers are crisp-tender, about 2 minutes. Add reserved marinade; stir-fry 1 minute. Spoon peppers over veal chops.
Nutrition information per serving:
322 calories, 57% of calories from fat, 20 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 110 mg cholesterol, 7 g carbohydrates, 28 g protein, 394 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber.