White Bean Ragout with "Toast"

Another gem to come out of this Labor Day weekend has been a 2012 Bon Appétit Test Kitchen recipe that utilizes an Italian soffritto, or a mix of chopped aromatics. You'll only be using a half cup of the almost two cups this recipe produces, so I'd recommend either freezing it in preparation for your next sauce or soup, or adding it to just about everything for a next few days. (Ours has gone into a panini with mozzarella and basil and on eggs so far). 

The name of this recipe is misleading in that I can't say toast appeals to me unless I'm post-stomach flu and in search of the bland. Broth, anyone? Instead, the recommended preparation calls for sliced ciabatta, rubbed with garlic and sprinkled with parm before crisping in the oven, or per my preference, brushed with EVOO before grilling and rubbed with garlic post-grill. Either way, it's not your mama's toast. 


WHITE BEAN RAGOUT WITH TOAST

Ingredients:

3 medium onions, chopped (or 2 large onions)
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup EVOO, plus more as needed
Kosher salt & freshly ground pepper
4(+) garlic cloves -- 3 finely grated, 1 halved
2 teaspoons tomato paste
4-6 1"-thick slices grilled or toasted ciabatta (a better estimate is two slices per person)
8-10 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan, divided
2 15-ounce cans cannellini (white kidney) beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth, divided (or chicken broth)
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions: 

Pulse onions in a food processor until finely chopped but not puréed (you should have about 2 cups). Transfer to a medium bowl. Pulse bell pepper in processor until finely chopped but not puréed (you should have about 1 cup); add to bowl and mix well.

Two large yellow onions, post-food processor.

Shout out to my sous-chef/editor/hubby.
Also, food processor = best thing ever.

Heat EVOO in a large heavy skillet over medium heat. Add onion mixture carefully and season with salt and pepper. Sauté, stirring often, until vegetables are completely softened, about 30 minutes. 

The soffritto at the end of 30 minutes.
You'll need to stir almost constantly  for the last 5-8 minutes.

Add finely grated garlic (I used 4-5 cloves) and tomato paste (go for a TBS) and cook, stirring often, until tomato paste begins to turn deep red, about 3 minutes. Measure 1/2 cup soffritto and set aside; reserve skillet. Transfer remaining soffritto to a container and let cool completely, uncovered. Cover and store in refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Preheat oven to 375°F. Rub bread slices with cut sides of garlic clove, and place bread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon Parmesan over each slice. Toast until cheese begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Set aside. (Alternative: Heat grill to medium-high. Brush the ciabatta slices with EVOO on both sides. Grill, turning often, until crisp and browned around the edges with faint grill marks. Rub cut garlic onto top of each slice and set aside). 

Heat reserved 1/2 cup soffritto and beans in same skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring often, until heated through, about 1 minute. Stir in 3 cups broth and bring to a boil. Simmer, scraping up browned bits, until liquid is slightly thickened, 3-4 minutes. (NOTE: I simmered this for at least ten minutes, perhaps longer). Add tomatoes and remaining 1 cup broth; simmer until tomatoes are tender, 3-4 minutes. Stir in 2 tablespoons Parmesan, but if you'd like an especially rich flavor (or if you're like me and have four different blocks of parm in your fridge), add up to 1/4 cup. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Divide bread among bowls. Top with some bean mixture and broth. Garnish with Parmesan and parsley. Drizzle with oil, if desired, and serve warm. 

The ciabatta soaks up the beautiful Parmesan broth, and the fresh tomatoes and parsley  make flavors pop. 

Thanks, as always, Epicurious. ;) 

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/White-Bean-Ragout-with-Toast-395436

Grilled littleneck clams & Galveston

It was hard to see August go. The temperatures down south were just warm enough to allow for regular evening swims without scorching anything that ventured out during the day. There were plenty adventures to be had, and our steady stream of visitors continued, not to mention the exploration of both the restaurant scene and just what our kitchen is capable of. Houston's no doubt a big city, but the more I see the smaller it gets.

We made our way down I-45 south late Saturday morning, venturing to see the Galveston coast and explore what the port community had to offer. As it turns out (or rather, so we'd been warned), not too much. Many of the buildings, although historic, looked weathered and often times in disrepair, with the remnants of 2008's hurricane Ike still occasionally visible. The shopping stretch near the cruise ship port was occupied by tourists and locals, spending the afternoon drinking legally on the sidewalks while wandering in and out of kitschy shops and tattoo parlors, and the vacationers killing time before boarding the most recent ship to park itself in the harbor.

IKE WATER LINE, spray painted on a building on the northern side of the island.

Glad to have checked "Visit Galveston" off of the to-do list, we crawled back to Houston through the predictable weekend traffic in plenty of time to collect ourselves and head to Central Market, a culinary wonder and foodie paradise worthy of its own post. (600-some cheeses; 40+ varieties of olives at their olive bar; fresh duck, bison, and quail readily available any day of the week; a fish counter that would make the Seattle fish market blush; and a produce section that would make Leenie proud...)

Last night's dinner was so good we're having it again tonight. Seriously. The white bean ragout with toast will be a year-round winner (and an upcoming post), but get out and grill those littleneck clams while the temperatures are still warm, and a crisp summery white wine tastes especially good (or red if you're feeling Italian). Bon appeitit! 

GRILLED CLAMS WITH HERB BUTTER 

(This recipes claims six servings, but at just four clams a head, I beg to differ. Amuse bouche, anyone? They're petite little things post-grill, so I recommend at least 8-10 per person if serving as an appetizer with grilled bread. The butter goes a very long way, so don't worry about doubling.) 

Ingredients: 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature (Cold butter? Me too. Microwaving for 15 seconds does wonders).  

(NOTE: I halved the amount of butter called for but kept the herb quantities as-is).  
1 tablespoon chopped flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 tablespoon chopped scallion
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

24 littleneck clams, scrubbed
Lemon wedges

Ciabatta, sliced and brushed with EVOO

Directions: 

First of all, grilled clams -- who knew, right? 

Mix the first 5 ingredients in a medium bowl until well blended. Season the herb butter to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoal grill, or heat a gas grill to high. Place clams on grill rack and cover grill with lid. The recipe instructs to grilling until clams just open, 6-8 minutes, but I'm leaning toward the 5 minute mark, given the clams that opened early were almost tough. 

As an aside, don't be startled if it sounds like like a mini fireworks display inside your grill. However, do open the grill carefully at the end of the 5 minutes. As it turns out, a few of the outer shells splintered from the heat, literally popping. 

Use tongs to transfer to a platter, being careful to keep as much juice in the shells as possible (this is easier than it sounds). Discard any clams that don't open.

Grill the ciabatta, turning regularly until grill marks appear. (HINT: Leave the lid open and keep an eye on the slices, or you'll end up with charcoal toasts in no time flat). 

Dot clams with herb butter; let stand until butter melts. Serve warm with the grilled bread and with lemon wedges alongside for squeezing over.

Didn't like this one. ;)

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Grilled-Clams-with-Herb-Butter-395935