Gotta Sing, Love to Cook

Early Spring Dish Torta Di Bietole (Swiss Chard Pie)

2012-02-28T09:35:00.001-08:00

Hello everyone, Chef Elizabeth here.

A couple of weeks ago, I taught my bi-annual, Italian Cooking class. I do one in the Spring and one in the Fall. I wanted to share with you one of the recipes from this last class as it is perfect for this time of year. It is called: Torta Di Bietole or Swiss Chard Pie. This deliciously-satisfying pie presents you with another wonderful way to use Swiss chard and benefit from it, as it is a great source of nutrition.

This beautiful, leafy green packs a whollop of minerals, as most dark green vegetables do. However, lots of folks only know one way to cook them. Typically, sautéed with olive oil, then garlic added then drizzled with vinegar and usually with bacon. This is quite good, but one needs to “branch out”.. oh man…. did I really just say that?

First off, you’ll need about 1, ½ Pounds of Swiss Chard. Silverbeet is a good variety, pretty red stems and thick leaves. Wash the Chard in a large bowl of water to rinse off any of the sand that accumulates. Store bought should be washed too as they never get all the dirt off. Pull the leaves off the woodie stems , tossing the stems and reserving the leaves.

Bring a large pot of filtered water to a boil add salt. Once water is boiling, place all the chard into the pot and allow to cook for three minutes, or, until chard is wilted. Remove chard from water and drain. Reserve chard water for a refreshing cold tea… (see more on tea, at end of blog.)

While chard is draining, you will need to make your crust.

2 cups flour, ½ cup salted butter, 2 to 3 tlbs. water or more if needed.

I typically make my pie crusts using a food processor. Placing the flour and the butter in the bowl of the processor then pulsing until pea sized balls form. I then drizzle the water as the machine is running until it forms a ball. Once this is done, pull ball from processor and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Note) Sometimes, I just make the crust right away without refrigeration and it comes out fine. However, the experts like the dough to sit and chill for better consistency.

Once chilled, roll dough out onto flour-covered counter, then, place into either a tart pan, or a pie dish. I did both. The tart I made in the pie dish had a more rustic look as I did not play with the crust. I simply folded over edges, coated with an egg wash and baked.

Be sure to butter which ever pan you use, using one of the tlbs. of butter called for in the recipe.

If using a tart pan: Press dough into pan and up against walls, so it takes on shape of pan. Then using the rolling pin, roll over top edge of tart pan. This will cut overlapping dough off.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

For Filling: You will need: 1/4 pound of ham (sliced into matchsticks) 1/4 pound Emmenthaler Cheese (this is a swiss cheese) you can use a domestic variety. (Slice into matchsticks) 3Tlbs salted butter, 2 eggs, one pinch of nutmeg, pinch of salt and pepper and 1/8 cup pine nuts. Squeeze all remaining water from chard. Rough chop. Place two tlbs. butter into non-stick skillet. Add the chard and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes to take on some flavor. Add the pine nuts to the chard and stir. Meanwhile, add two eggs to a large mixing bowl and whisk. Add the ham, cheese and nutmeg. Mix well. Add the chard and pine nuts and mix well. Pour all of this into the tart or pie pan.

Remember if using the pie pan and going for that “rustic” look to fold extra dough over pie, then make an egg wash and brush onto of pastry. This makes a beautiful pie.

Bake for 40 minutes, checking at 30 minutes for doneness, as all ovens are different. If top of tart starts to brown too fast, cover lightly with foil.

Once done, allow to cool on rack slightly. If using a tart pan, remove from tart pan and onto a serving plate. Makes a wonderful brunch, or even a wonderful appetizer with a good cold Pinot Grigio wine or a tall glass of cold water.

Chard Ice Tea: The water you saved from when you cooked your chard is pink, if you used the Silverbeet. This water contains lots of minerals and would be a shame to waste. So here’s what I did: I added 3 Cinnamon-apple tea bags to the hot chard water. Plus, 5 cloves, a cinnamon stick and a couple of tablespoons of honey and the peel to from an orange. This is best done while water is hot to dissolve and allow for the flavors to meld together. Stir well and allow to sit for a couple of hours, strain and place into a pitcher and refrigerate. Serve cold and folks won’t notice the chard flavor.. however, they will get lots of added nutrition. I call this a “tonic” more than a tea and something we should all drink more of.

I hope you will give this a try. If you have questions you can always reach me by going to my website: www.theOPERASINGINGCHEF.com Click on “contact us” at the top of the page. I’d love to see photos and receive comments on how it went for you. Don’t forget to check out my on-line gourmet kitchen store while you’re there. The 25-year old imported Italian vinegars are amazing and excellent with Swiss Chard.

Cooking Under Pressure

2011-05-11T10:05:00.000-07:00

Cooking Under Pressure by Chef Elizabeth Podsiadlo “The Opera Singing Chef” May 2011

When I was growing up, there was nothing I loved more than coming home and smelling the delicious fragrance of my mom’s cooking. Sadly, I don’t get to experience this much as I am the only one in my home that cooks. I, like many of you, work and my schedule is quite hectic. I don’t often have time to prepare those slow cooked meals but at the same time, I want my daughter to come home to a house filled with the good smells of dinner cooking

As recent as a year ago, I taught a cooking class on how to use a pressure cooker. I should preface this with the fact that I am no expert, but I decided to dive in head first. I purchased a pressure cooker and did some experimenting.

The first couple of dishes I made were “scary” to say the least, as I fully expected the cooker to blow up in my kitchen. Remember “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

I purchased my pressure cooker for less than $50 and was happy to discover that it came with a well written safety manual, a recipe book and a video. So, I had lots of “support.” The newer pressure cookers typically have three safety locks. You, as the user must be sure to follow the simple set of instructions before cooking. I guarantee you that once you try this method of cooking you will become a fan of cooking with pressure.

I recommend not trying to use “grandma’s aluminum pressure cooker” for several reasons. Firstly, Aluminum is not a good metal to cook in and a lot of the older cookers are made using aluminum. It leaches into your food and we don’t need any more contaminants than we already have. Two, the gaskets do get old with time and can cause leaking, which can make a great mess. Three, the pressure valve on top can become clogged with food or minerals from the steam. If this happens you have a real problem on your hands. Like a “ka-boom, splat” kind of problem.

If you are using a cooker that is less than 5- years old, examine the rubber gasket and be sure there are no cracks. It should be flexible and free of any debris. The pressure release valves on these units are typically built into the lids. Be sure it is loose and can be pushed up simply by pressing it from below. If you can’t find the manual, email the manufacturer. Tell them the model number and nine times out of ten, they will send you, at a small charge, a replacement manual or, they may have an online manual.

Why use a pressure cooker? Foods cook in less than half the time and they retain more of their minerals and vitamins. Plus, you get more flavor. In many cases, cooking with pressure pulls a lot more flavor from foods, like chicken for stock. Less cooking time. I cooked a beef brisket in one hour and 15 minutes, as oppose to four hours in the oven and it was tender and delicious. So it saves time, keeps more of foods original nutrition, pulls more flavor from foods, especially meats.

It can save you money and lower your salt intake. If you eat a lot of beans chances are you’re probably buying the canned ones. However, if you use dried beans, soak them overnight, then pressure cook for 15 minutes you’ll eat a much healthier bean. Home-cooked beans only have the salt you add in them, the canned has much more salt added to help stave off bacteria and to keep the beans flavor. Beans are about one dollar a can and after you drain off the liquid, you have about one and one half cups of cooked beans. The dried bags of beans after being soaked overnight, can add up more than 5 cups of uncooked beans. The cost; about $1.50 per bag. Half the cost of canned beans.

For the environment When you cook your beans in a pressure cooker the time it takes to cook is less by about an hour and a half. It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to cook beans in a pressure cooker, typically, and about 2 hours using a traditional method.

You may wonder, who thinks of these things, well, not just me. There is a food movement out there called; “Slow Foods” that originated in Italy a few years ago. It all started when a small Italian village boycotted a McDonalds Restaurant that tried to open in their village.

Eating Slow Foods means eating foods grown and raised locally and not eating processed or pre-prepared foods, like instant potatoes, instant rice, canned soups, lunchmeat, ect.

This concept of Slow Foods is big in the culinary world and is prevalent here where I live by how many more farmers markets there are now than just a few years ago. People want to know more about where their food is coming from. They want to meet the farmers.

Chef Harv, of Gourmet Central in Romney West Virginia, was a big supporter of buying local, supporting local farmers and educating the children, Being aware of where foods came from was Chef Harv’s “motes operandi.” Anyway, Chef Harv was one local chef from my hometown who was leading the charge way before this concept became popular.

I realize I am getting carried away and will definitely touch on this more in the future.

Essentially, I’m feeling the pressure to get back to the point.

When I was growing up in Romney West Virginia, my mother used to make chicken and dumplings. We raised our own chickens so they grew slowly and were extremely flavorful. They were free range. Most chickens you buy today are grown so fast and pumped full so full of a water and saline solution that they don’t have nearly the flavor they used to. I recommend looking for free range whenever possible or hormone and antibiotic free. However, no matter which chicken you use, the pressure cooker will pull more flavor from your bird than any other method of cooking.

There are some really great pressure cooking cook books out there. I have one called; The Best Pressure Cooker Book Ever, by Pat Daily. She has a great recipe for red beans and rice as well as Beef Brisket.

Here is a good recipe I came up with for Chicken and Dumplings. Definite Comfort Food. I don’t have my mom’s recipe in hand, but think this came pretty close to how she prepared it and my 12 year old loves it.

First of all, I found this awesome link on how to pressure cook a whole chicken. It is how I do it and already written out. So check it out. http://www.ehow.com/how_2305573_pressure-cook-whole-chicken.html

Three comments regarding this site: One, if you don’t have a rack for your pressure cooker, just cook the bird without it. Setting the bird directly on the bottom of the pan. You’re going to add the minimum amount of water your cooker allows. The water will keep the bird from sticking.

Two and three, before I brown my chicken, I add ½ of a medium sized brown onion. I cut it into big pieces and brown in the oil, ( I use avocado oil) higher flash point than olive oil. You could use a good canola oil or a blend of canola and corn oil if desired. I am flavoring the oil before browning the bird. Browning the onion for 2 to 3 minutes over a high flame, stirring to keep from burning. Add chicken, follow directions as indicated on link.

What you will need for Chicken and Dumplings.

Once you have pressure cooked the chicken to the above specifications. Remove chicken and allow to cool. Strain remaining liquid in pressure cooker and return to cooker.

Chicken and Dumplings

Ingredients for stew broth:

Two carrots, peeled and sliced.

One stock celery

4 peppercorns

1 teaspoon salt, (or to your taste)

4 springs of parsley, chopped fine including stems,

1 teaspoon chopped dry onion.

1 teaspoon, tarragon, dill or fennel leaves (optional).

Strained broth from pressure cooked chicken (approx. 6 cups)

Place all of the ingredients, (except the cooked chicken) into the pressure cooker along with broth, cover with lid. Place on pressure cooker setting and once the pressure indicator is up, turn down heat and cook for one minute. Remove from heat and place in sink. Pour cold water over the lid of the pressure cooker to immediately reduce pressure. You will hear a hiss and the sound of the release. Your pressure indicator will also drop back down.

Once pressure has completely released, remove lid. Turn heat off and allow to sit while you clean the meat from the chicken. Remove the skin, and bones. The size of the pieces of chicken is up to you here. Some folks like to keep them large, I’m in the middle. No matter how you like it, once all cleaned return to broth.

The Dumplings:

(the way my mom used to make them.)

NOTE: The dumplings are quick to make once the ingredients are all out and measured, however, it is important to note that the broth must be at a rolling boil as each dumpling is added, or otherwise, they can fall apart. Once the ingredients for your dumplings are all measured out, turn the flame on under your broth with meat and veggies. Cover with lid of cooker but do not cook under pressure.

Ingredients for Dumplings

1 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon parsley (optional, but recommended)

NOTE: There should be enough broth to just cover chicken before adding dumplings. Add water if necessary.

Using a wire whisk, mix flour, baking powder and salt together. Add the milk and parsley and stir using a wooden spoon until well blended.

Remove lid and set aside. Place spoon into the hot boiling broth to coat before loading with dumpling batter, that way, batter won’t stick when pushing off spoon into hot boiling broth. Dip spoon each time before measuring spoonfuls of batter into the hot broth. Do this step as quickly as possible. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.

You will notice when you remove the lid that the dumplings will shrink down very quickly, this is normal. Stir and serve in shallow bowls. Notice how the broth has thickened somewhat.

True comfort food.

Now before you go eat, be sure to rinse the lid of your cooker, so no starchy residue will clog the pressure valve for your next pressure cooker experience.

I recommend serving this dish with simple garden salad dressed with red-wine vinegar laced with oregano, olive oil, salt and pepper.

No Photos right now but will post when I get them. Enjoy!

And remember you can always email me with any questions you may have. Go to my website and click on (Contact Us) at the top of the page. www.THEOPERASINGINGCHEF.com

Now go have a glass of water ;)

-Chef Elizabeth Podsiadlo

a.k.a.

The Opera Singing Chef

See locking mechnism in handle, also interlocking metal tabs under lid

I couldn't figure hot to put these photos in order yet. This is the end product. Delicious and very satisfying. Children especially love this dish with its generous dumplings.

Ingredients to be added to chicken broth

Ingredients for dumplings

Always dip spoon in hot broth before placing into dumpling batter. That way it comes off the spoon very nicely and your finger gets super hot... ouch.. but worth it.

Dehydration, Frustration and that constant hungry sensation.

2011-03-04T15:09:00.000-08:00

Elizabeth’s Kitchen Food Blog #1 March 4, 2011

Dehydration, Frustration and that constant hungry sensation.

People think that because I am a chef that everything that goes on my table or in my families’ mouth is healthy. Sadly, this is not the case. It is a common conundrum. The roofer’s roof leaks, the painters house is peeling and the gardener’s grass needs mowed. I do try to make good snacking choices, but find the one thing I am always remiss on is not drinking enough water. Funny thing, water. It is quite important in helping us, think straight, reduce in water retention, and reducing acidity in our blood caused by eating red meats, wine, alcohol, coffee and sugar, to name a few. Cancer loves an acidic environment. Believe it or not, lemons are not acidic. Once you ingest them they turn alkali.

The water in your coffee, or soft drink, including sports drinks doesn’t count either. Oh, they contain water, but they also contain too many other triggers that cause your immune system to kick in and make you swell up. Your body does not recognize processed sugar as a food, but that’s an entirely different blog. If you have a constant hungry sensation it is probably because you are dehydrated.

Some benefits of drinking your daily allotted amount of water? Beautiful skin, better digestion and clearer thinking. I love drinking coffee and sometimes a glass of wine. However, I try to drink a glass of water before my coffee or wine. It eases my guilt, as it were.

One final word on water before I share some good snacking tips. Try to avoid using those plastic disposable water bottles. They do impart toxins into the water especially if you freeze the bottles, plus, they are horrible for the environment. Two, if you use the metal drinking bottles, try to find stainless steel. Stay away from aluminum. Three, try to always drink filtered water. You can purchase an inexpensive filtering pitcher if you don’t have a filter installed at your sink or refrigerator.

O.k., even if you are drinking your water we do sometimes get hungry in the middle of the afternoon. How do we grab for a healthier snack? We need to make it ahead. Yep, its going to take some planning. How about a nice hummus spread? It contains protein, and minerals from the herbs added to flavor your hummus and its fairly simple to do if you have a blender or food processor. The latter being the better of the two machines.

Once you have made your hummus spread it upon cucumber or celery slices. Again, you will need to slice these ahead and store them in an air-tight container in your refrigerator. While you’re at it, peel some carrots and quarter them. Make that air-tight container a large one and fill it to the top. Then pull it out and start munching those when you’re hungry. Celery, carrots, and sugar snap peas when in season.

Keys to help curb your cravings; Try to avoid sugars, because, sugar begets craving, begets eating more sugar it’s a vicious cycle. If you snack, perhaps have a piece of cheese. Try to avoid processed chips, and breads. If you’re gonna have the cheese on bread make it a whole grain. Drink a glass of water before you eat it and use only one slice of bread. Then get back to what you were doing. Working or playing. Don’t spend your life thinking about what you’re gonna eat next.

Final Word. Anytime you make a meal at home starting with whole ingredients, instead of processed, like mac and cheese or instant potatoes, or rice with a season packet, which contains msg., you are taking a step in the direction of healthier eating which will reduce you’re constant feeling of hunger. Now, go have a glass of water.

Spicy Orange Hummus

1/4 cup parsley leaves 2 tlbs. chopped onion

1 garlic clove 1/4 cup orange juice

2 tlbs tahini (sesame seed paste) 2 tlbs rice vinegar

2 tsp low-sodium soy sauce 1 tsp Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground coriander 1/4 tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/4 tsp paprika

1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas (garbanzo beans,) drained

Drop parsley, onion and garlic through food chute with food processor on, and process until minced. Add remaining ingredients, and process until smooth. Serve with pita triangles. Yield: 1 3/4 cups (serving size: 1 tablespoon).

NOTE: I always double the recipe because it works better in my blender.

Serve atop cucumber slices, on celery, or on pieces of sweet red pepper.

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