SO MANY RECIPES, so little room in our collective stomach! Ah, I know you are saying, “Quit griping! You guys have the best jobs around.”
But at the end of the year, when we leaf through all the Good Eating sections (or scroll through, as the case may be), looking for our favorite recipes, the thoughts of all those calories we’ve eaten really hits home. We’ve chowed down on a lot of great food in 2007. (And no, we’re not going to add up the calories — we know we have to start working out!)
But 2007 seemed a particularly abundant year for great-tasting dishes. We had a hard time choosing just 10 recipes from a long list that ranged from authentic Northern Thai, Italian and Polish dishes to all-American steaks and chops. But we did it.
Here are the recipes that finally made it to the top of the list. Enjoy them in the coming New Year! And forget the calories, just this once.
–Carol Mighton Haddix
Pounded eggplant dip (Dtam makhya)
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
For her February story on “Forgotten Thailand,” freelance writer Robyn Eckhardt described this dip from the northern region of Lanna. “There are uncooked and cooked versions of dtam makhya; this recipe is an example of the latter.” Look for shrimp paste (bplaa raa) at Thai or Asian food markets.
1 pound Asian or Italian eggplants
5 to 7 green chilies, stemmed
2 each, chopped: garlic cloves, shallots
1/2 teaspoon shrimp paste
1/8 teaspoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mint sprigs
1. Grill, broil or cook the eggplants over a gas flame until soft and browned all over. Let cool 2 minutes; peel. Chop by hand to a very rough puree; set aside in a mortar.
2. Thread chilies onto a wet wooden or metal skewer; grill, broil or hold over a gas flame until skins begin to wrinkle and brown. Set aside until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes; chop. Add to the eggplant. Add garlic, shallots, shrimp paste and sugar; mix with a pestle just until mixed, about 2 minutes. Add fish sauce, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to taste. (If your mortar is not large enough, mix in batches. Or mix in a food processor, but you will lose the rough consistency.)
3. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant mixture; cook, stirring, until the color begins to deepen (without browning), about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl; scatter mint sprigs on top.
Nutrition information per serving: 97 calories, 65% of calories from fat, 7 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0.2 mg cholesterol, 9 g carbohydrates, 2 g protein, 121 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Flank steak with green peppercorn sauce
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
Standing time: 15 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
For a March story on gastropubs, Craig Fass, co-owner of Cooper’s — A Neighborhood Eatery, shared this rich steak recipe. The restaurant serves it over garlic mashed potatoes.
Rosemary rub:
1/3 cup coarse salt
2 tablespoons each: sugar, chopped fresh rosemary
Green peppercorn sauce:
2 tablespoons oil
1 white onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons green peppercorns, drained
1/2 cup brandy
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
Steak:
1 flank steak, about 2-3 pounds
1 2 cup Worcestershire sauce
1 4 cup vegetable oil
1. For the rub, combine the salt, sugar and rosemary in a small bowl; set aside. For the green peppercorn sauce, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat; add the onion. Cook, stirring, until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic; cook, stirring, until garlic begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add peppercorns; cook, stirring, 1 minute. Add brandy; set aflame with a long kitchen match. Watch carefully until flame burns out. Stir in the cream; reduce heat to medium. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mixture is reduced and thickened, about 25 minutes. Set aside.
2. Place flank steak, Worcestershire sauce and oil in a large food storage bag. Seal; press to coat steak. Set aside 15 minutes. Meanwhile, heat grill or broiler. Remove steak from bag, discarding marinade. Rub steak with reserved rosemary rub. Grill, turning once, to medium-rare, about 8 minutes, or to desired doneness. Let steak rest 5 minutes; slice across the grain into thin strips. Drizzle with peppercorn sauce.
Nutrition information per serving: 550 calories, 68% of calories from fat, 42 g fat, 19 g saturated fat, 139 mg cholesterol, 11 g carbohydrates, 33 g protein, 613 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
Panko-crusted chicken with cilantro vinaigrette
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
For a September cover story, “Bored with the bird?”, food and wine critic Bill Daley contributed this recipe using Japanese panko bread crumbs. “Panko have a coarser texture than the usual crumbs, but also a certain degree of lightness, making them an ideal coating in this recipe,” he wrote. Panko is available at specialty and Asian markets as well as some larger supermarkets.
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, flattened to 1/4 -inch thickness, see note
1 teaspoon each: salt, freshly ground pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups panko bread crumbs
1/2 cup flour
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
3 tablespoons olive oil
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Cilantro vinaigrette:
4 cloves garlic
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/2 cup olive oil
1. Season chicken with the salt and pepper. Place eggs, bread crumbs and flour in three separate shallow containers. Mix the cilantro into the crumbs. Heat the 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Dip each breast in the following order to coat: flour, egg and bread crumbs. Add chicken to skillet (do not overcrowd). Cook until the chicken breasts are cooked through and golden brown, about 5 minutes per side; drain on paper towels.
3. Meanwhile, for the cilantro vinaigrette, place the garlic and cilantro in a blender or food processor; blend or pulse into a rough paste. Slowly add the lemon juice, blending until incorporated. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil to create an emulsion. Spoon the vinaigrette over the chicken. Refrigerate any remaining vinaigrette for another use.
Note: To flatten chicken breast halves, place them one at time in a heavy food storage bag. Use a mallet, hammer or rolling pin to pound the chicken breast to desired thickness.
Nutrition information per serving: 609 calories, 47% of calories from fat, 31 g fat, 5 g saturated fat, 179 mg cholesterol, 43 g carbohydrates, 37 g protein, 978 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Mortadella, provolone and roasted pepper panini
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Panini, those perfectly grilled Italian sandwiches, make a great simple supper for dreary winter nights. For a January “Dinner Tonight!” column, writer Joe Gray included this version.
1 jar (7 ounces) roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained
1 clove garlic, minced
Freshly ground pepper
8 slices rustic Italian bread, 1 2-inch thick
8 slices mortadella, about 8 ounces
4 slices aged provolone
1 bunch baby arugula
1 tablespoon olive oil, if needed
1. Place peppers, garlic and pepper to taste in the bowl of a food processor; pulse just until it becomes a rough paste. Set aside.
2. Place 4 bread slices on counter; divide mortadella slices among them. Layer with provolone and the roasted red pepper spread; top with arugula. Place top slice on sandwiches, pressing down gently; set aside.
3. Heat panini pan, grill pan or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat until hot. (If using a skillet, brush tops and bottoms of sandwiches with a little olive oil.) Place 2 sandwiches at a time in pan; top with panini pan top, or a heavy skillet or a foil-wrapped brick. Cook until golden and cheese melts, about 3-6 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining panini.
Nutrition information per serving: 477 calories, 58% of calories from fat, 31 g fat, 13 g saturated fat, 61 mg cholesterol, 24 g carbohydrates, 25 g protein, 1,478 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Chocolate Guinness cake
Preparation time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes
Cooling time: 2 hours
Yield: 10 servings
For a Father’s Day feature, we included this chocolate Guinness cake from cookbook author Nigella Lawson. We loved its moist crumb and rich, decadent flavor.
Cake:
1 cup Irish stout
1 stick (1/2 cup) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons
2 cups superfine sugar
3/4 cup each: unsweetened cocoa, sour cream
2 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 cups flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
Icing:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Pour the beer into a large saucepan over medium heat; add the butter. Cook, stirring, until butter melts, 4 minutes. Whisk in the sugar and cocoa; set aside.
2. Beat the sour cream, eggs and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, about 5 minutes; blend in the reserved beer mixture. Add the flour and baking soda, beating just until combined. Transfer batter to a 9-inch springform pan lined on the bottom with parchment paper; bake until cake springs back when lightly pressed with your hand, about 45 minutes. Set aside to cool completely on a wire rack. Remove cake from pan; transfer to a serving platter. Set aside.
3. For icing, beat the cream cheese until smooth with a mixer on medium speed; sift confectioners’ sugar over the cream cheese. Beat until mixture is thoroughly combined, about 2 minutes. Add the cream; beat just until mixture is soft enough to spread. Spread icing over the top and sides of the cake.
Nutrition information per serving: 595 calories, 43% of calories from fat, 29 g fat, 18 g saturated fat, 121 mg cholesterol, 79 g carbohydrates, 8 g protein, 413 mg sodium, 3 g fiber
Marinated grilled London broil with cilantro-mint vinaigrette
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Marinating and standing time: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
For a June column, chef Wolfgang Puck described how to add an Asian touch to a London broil.
2 large London broil steaks, about 1 1/2 pounds each, trimmed
Marinade:
6 green onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup each: soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake)
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 1/2 teaspoons each: minced fresh ginger, crushed red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper
Cilantro-mint vinaigrette:
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons each, coarsely chopped: mint, cilantro, parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons honey
1 piece (3/4-inch long) ginger root
1 egg yolk, optional, see note
1 1/2 teaspoons chili oil, optional
1/2 cup peanut oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1. Place the steaks side by side in a shallow, non-reactive pan; set aside. For marinade, combine the green onions, garlic, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, ginger, red pepper flakes and black pepper to taste in a medium bowl; pour the mixture over the steaks. Cover; refrigerate 1-2 hours.
2. Remove the steaks from the marinade, discarding the marinade; let steaks come to room temperature. Meanwhile, heat a grill, broiler or grill pan.
3. For the vinaigrette, combine the vinegar, mint, cilantro, parsley, honey, ginger, egg yolk and chili oil in a blender or food processor; blend or process until a smooth paste has formed. With the machine running, slowly drizzle in the peanut oil to form a smooth emulsion. Season with the salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a bowl; set aside.
4. Grill or broil steaks, turning once, to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Remove the steaks from the grill; set aside to rest in a warm place about 10 minutes. Slice the steaks diagonally across the grain into thin slices; place on plates. Drizzle the slices with some of the vinaigrette.
Note: Omit the egg yolk if you are concerned about eating raw eggs. The dressing will be less rich and thick but no less delicious. Or use a pasteurized egg.
Nutrition information per serving: 331 calories, 39% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 83 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 46 g protein, 1,017 mg sodium, 0.3 g fiber
Baked pork chops with figs and walnuts
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Staff reporter Robin Mather Jenkins jazzed up a baked pork chop with this great stuffing of figs and nuts for a “Dinner Tonight!” column in May.
4 boneless pork loin chops
1 package (9 ounces) dried Mission figs
1 small onion, quartered
1 clove garlic
2 slices whole-grain bread, torn into small pieces
1/4 cup chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons fig or raspberry jam
1/2 teaspoon each: dried thyme, salt
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Freshly ground pepper
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Make a horizontal cut about halfway through each pork chop to form a pocket, but do not cut through the chops; set aside.
2. Combine figs, onion and garlic in a food processor or blender; pulse several times, until mixture is just coarsely chopped. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl. Stir in bread, walnuts, jam and thyme; season with salt and pepper to taste. Divide mixture among the 4 chops, stuffing it into each pocket. Place chops in shallow baking dish. (If you have more stuffing than pork, add remainder to the baking dish; lay stuffed chops over extra stuffing.) Bake until pork is no longer pink, about 30 minutes.
Nutrition information per serving: 579 calories, 34% of calories from fat, 22 g fat, 7 g saturated fat, 105 mg cholesterol, 56 g carbohydrates, 42 g protein, 435 mg sodium, 8 g fiber
Homemade maple-sage breakfast sausage
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
For her April “Slow Cooking” column, staff reporter Robin Mather Jenkins wrote: “Homemade sausage takes less time than you think and delivers stellar results.”
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, lean and fat, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons each: salt, minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon each: freshly ground pepper, hot red pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1. Place the cubed pork on a plate; freeze 10 minutes to firm. Transfer to bowl of food processor, in batches if necessary; pulse until pork is coarsely chopped in pea-sized pieces. Transfer pork to a large bowl; add remaining ingredients. Using hands, combine ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
2. Shape into 16 equal-size patties about 1/2 -inch thick. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook patties, in batches if necessary, until well browned, about 5 minutes; turn. Cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Nutrition information per serving: 138 calories, 38% of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 486 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
Homemade maple-sage breakfast sausage
Preparation time: 25 minutes
Chilling time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 10 minutes
Yield: 8 servings
For her April “Slow Cooking” column, staff reporter Robin Mather Jenkins wrote: “Homemade sausage takes less time than you think and delivers stellar results.”
1 1/2 pounds pork shoulder, lean and fat, cut into 1/2 -inch cubes
1/4 cup cold water
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons each: salt, minced fresh sage
1 teaspoon each: freshly ground pepper, hot red pepper sauce
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1. Place the cubed pork on a plate; freeze 10 minutes to firm. Transfer to bowl of food processor, in batches if necessary; pulse until pork is coarsely chopped in pea-sized pieces. Transfer pork to a large bowl; add remaining ingredients. Using hands, combine ingredients until well blended. Refrigerate until needed, up to 3 days.
2. Shape into 16 equal-size patties about 1/2 -inch thick. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium heat. Cook patties, in batches if necessary, until well browned, about 5 minutes; turn. Cook 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
Nutrition information per serving: 138 calories, 38% of calories from fat, 6 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 50 mg cholesterol, 4 g carbohydrates, 17 g protein, 486 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
Babka
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Standing time: 2 hours, 50 minutes
Cooking time: 2 hours
Yield: 12 servings
Dobra Bielinski of Delightful Pastries bakery in Chicago shared this recipe with Good Eating for an Easter story on the Polish traditional yeast cake.
Dough:
1/4 cup very warm water (105-115 degrees)
1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast or 1 piece (1/2 ounce) fresh yeast
1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
3 1/2 cups flour
6 egg yolks
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
Finely grated zest of 2 lemons
1 cup raisins
1/2 cup candied orange peel, see note
Soaking syrup:
1 cup water
1/2 cup each: sugar, rum
1 teaspoon vanilla
Glaze:
1 cup confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1 to 3 tablespoons water
Raisins, candied orange peel, optional
1. For the dough, mix the water, yeast, 1 teaspoon of the sugar and 1/4 cup of the flour in a bowl with electric mixer (fitted with a paddle, if you have one). Sprinkle another 1/4 cup of the flour on top of the mixture. Let mixture stand until it rises and cracks on the sides, about 45 minutes.
2. Change the mixer paddle to a dough hook; add the egg yolks, butter, remaining 1/2 cup of the sugar, milk and salt. Mix until blended together. Add 1/4 cup of the flour, mixing to a smooth consistency. Set aside 1/2 cup of the flour. Add remaining flour slowly, mixing until dough is silky and smooth, about 2 minutes. If the dough is smooth and comes away from the sides of the bowl, do not add more flour. If dough is still wet, add the reserved flour.
3. Stir in the lemon zest, raisins and orange peel. Transfer dough to a floured surface; knead into a round ball. Allow to rest 10 minutes.
4. Shape the dough into a tire shape in a well-greased kugelhopf pan or tube pan. Cover with a kitchen towel; let rest in a warm, draft-free place until dough rises to 1/4 inch below the top of the pan, about 2 hours.
5. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Bake the cake until an inserted tester tests clean, 45-60 minutes. (Cover with foil if it browns too quickly.) Remove the cake from the mold; transfer to a baking sheet. Return to the oven until cake browns completely on all sides, about 5-10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 15 minutes.
6. Meanwhile, for the soaking syrup, heat the water and sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook until sugar dissolves, about 1 minute; remove from heat. Add rum and vanilla; pour into a bowl big enough to hold the cake. Place the cake in the bowl with the syrup. Carefully rotate the cake to coat all sides with syrup; remove to the baking sheet. Let stand 10 minutes before glazing, allowing the rum syrup to slowly penetrate.
7. For the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar with water to desired consistency. Drizzle the glaze over the top of the cake; sprinkle with raisins and candied orange peel. Slice with a serrated knife.
Note: Candied orange peel is available in the baking section of some specialty markets.
Nutrition information per serving: 438 calories, 28% of calories from fat, 14 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 133 mg cholesterol, 74 g carbohydrates, 6 g protein, 118 mg sodium, 2 g fiber
Giardiniera
Preparation time: 1 hour
Chilling time: 2 1/2 days
Yield: 3 cups
Test kitchen director Donna Pierce included this recipe for giardiniera, a spicy Italian relish, in an October “What’s Your Dish?” column after a reader wrote to request one. The giardiniera will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.
6 jalapeno chilies, thinly sliced
2 each, diced: green and red bell peppers
1 each, diced: celery rib, carrot, yellow onion
1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
1/2 cup salt
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped stuffed green olives
2 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
1/2 to 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup each: apple cider vinegar, extra-virgin olive oil
1. Combine the jalapenos, bell peppers, celery, carrot, onion and cauliflower florets in a large bowl; stir in the salt. Add cold water to cover vegetables; cover bowl. Refrigerate 12 hours. Drain salt water; rinse vegetables. Set aside in the bowl.
2. Combine the garlic, olives, oregano, red pepper flakes, celery seeds and black pepper to taste in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Pour the vinegar into a medium bowl; whisk in the seasonings. Whisk in the olive oil. Pour over the vegetable mixture; toss lightly. Cover; refrigerate at least 48 hours before using.
Nutrition information per tablespoon: 49 calories, 84% of calories from fat, 5 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 300 mg sodium, 1 g fiber
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For more “Best of 2007” stories, go to chicagotribune.com/2007.