The Home Creamery (16 page)

¾ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Cook the broccoli rabe in a large pot of boiling, salted water until almost tender, about 4 minutes. Drain. Rinse under cold water and drain thoroughly. Cut the broccoli rabe into 2-inch lengths and set aside.

2.
Beat the eggs with the ricotta and ¼ teaspoon each of the salt and the pepper in a large bowl.

3.
In a medium cast-iron or ovenproof nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the broccoli rabe and the remaining ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

4.
Arrange the broccoli rabe in the skillet and pour in the egg mixture. Cook, without stirring, until the edges start to set, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the Parmesan over the top and bake until firm, about 25 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

SERVES 4

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

These chicken enchiladas are not difficult to make, and your family and friends will love them. They can be assembled ahead then covered tightly and frozen for up to 3 months.

1 (14½-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice

1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles

1¼ teaspoons salt

½ teaspoon ground coriander (optional)

1 cup
HOMEMADE SOUR CREAM (
PAGES 50
AND
52
)

2½ cups chopped cooked chicken

½ cup
HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE (
PAGE 60
)
, softened

¼ cup finely diced onion

10 flour tortillas (6- to 7-inch diameter)

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 4 ounces) Cilantro (optional)

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Place tomatoes, chiles, ½ teaspoon salt, coriander if desired, and sour cream in a food processor and process about 1 minute or until almost puréed.

2.
Combine chicken, cream cheese, onions, and remaining ¾ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl and mix well.

3.
Heat tortillas in a stack in microwave on high for 45 seconds to soften. Place ¼ cup of chicken filling on each tortilla and roll up.

4.
Spray a 9- by 13-inch glass baking pan with cooking spray. Place filled tortillas seam side down in the dish, making 2 rows of 5 tortillas each. Pour blended tomato mixture over tortillas. Cover pan with foil.

5.
Bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with cheddar, and bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Serve hot with a sprinkling of fresh cilantro if desired.

SERVES 6

CRISPY BUTTERMILK CHICKEN

Marinating chicken in buttermilk gives it an extremely tender and juicy texture, and it also imparts a wonderful tangy flavor to the coating. Adding cornmeal to the breadcrumb coating gives the skin extra crunch.

1 cup
HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK (
PAGES 38
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39
)
, stirred well

1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 pounds chicken parts, such as legs, thighs, and wings, rinsed and patted dry

4 cups fresh breadcrumbs

1 cup cornmeal

¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1.
Mix the buttermilk, hot pepper sauce, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the chicken, turning to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.

2.
Preheat oven to 400°F. Generously rub a baking sheet with oil.

3.
Mix the breadcrumbs, cornmeal, Parmesan, thyme, and oregano on a large sheet of waxed paper. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk mixture one piece at a time, shaking off the excess. Dredge the pieces in the breadcrumb mixture, turning to coat evenly. Arrange the chicken pieces on the prepared baking sheet.

4.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until the chicken is golden brown and no longer pink in the middle. Serve hot.

SERVES 4 TO 6

CHICKEN CURRY WITH YOGURT

Serve this mildly spiced curry over rice with bowls of mango chutney, raisins, sliced almonds, and toasted coconut as accompaniments.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 cooked chicken breast halves (about 1 pound) cut into ½-to 1-inch pieces

1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup
HOMEMADE YOGURT (
PAGE 15
)

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 teaspoon ground cumin

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in the chicken, chickpeas, yogurt, curry powder, and cumin and mix well to blend.

2.
Cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until heated through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cilantro. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

SERVES 4

EASY CHILES RELLENOS

Traditionally, these chiles are stuffed, batter-dipped, fried, and then baked. This version is much simpler: The cheese filling is spread on the chile, rolled, and then baked.

1½ cups (12 ounces)
HOMEMADE RICOTTA (
PAGES 70
AND
72
)

⅔ cup (5 ounces) crumbled
GOAT’S MILK FETA CHEESE (
PAGE 80
)

⅔ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

¼ cup minced fresh cilantro plus additional sprigs for garnish

2 tablespoons minced fresh oregano
or
2 teaspoons dried

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 (7-ounce) cans whole green chiles, rinsed and patted dry Prepared tomato salsa, warmed

1.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix the ricotta, feta, cheddar, cilantro, oregano, garlic, cumin, and chili powder in a large bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

2.
Spread a heaping ¼ cup of filling onto each chile. Roll up chiles, starting with a narrow end, to enclose the filling. Transfer the chiles to a 9- by 13-inch baking dish. Cover and bake until cheese mixture is very hot, about 15 minutes. Transfer chiles to plate. Serve with salsa and garnish with cilantro.

SERVES 4

SUPER SIDES

Side dishes have always been stars in the making, and now their time has come to shine because the addition of fresh, soft cheese and dairy products to these dishes elevates them to star status!

Garlicky Smashed Potatoes

Creamy Parmesan-Pepper Dressing

Green Salad with Fresh Herb Dressing

Spinach Salad with Herbed Goat Cheese

Coleslaw with Buttermilk Dressing

Tomato-Mozzarella Salad

Beet Salad with Goat Cheese and Bacon

Buttermilk Onion Rings

Tomato Gratin

Cornmeal Biscuits

Twisted Whey-Wheat Rolls

GARLICKY SMASHED POTATOES

White potatoes can be used instead of Red Bliss or other red-skin potatoes, but their skins lack the rosy color that Red Bliss skins add to the finished dish. Try to get potatoes of equal size; if only larger potatoes are available, increase the cooking time by about 10 minutes.

4 tablespoons
HOMEMADE BUTTER (
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31
)

1 garlic clove, minced

2 pounds red-skin potatoes such as Red Bliss (each about 2 inches in diameter)

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1½ teaspoons salt

1 bay leaf

½ cup (4 ounces)
HOMEMADE CREAM CHEESE (
PAGE 60
)
, softened

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1.
Heat the butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring often, about 30 seconds or until fragrant. Remove from the heat.

2.
Place potatoes, peeled garlic, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and the bay leaf in a large saucepan and cover by 1 inch with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce heat and simmer gently until potatoes are just tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Reserve ½ cup cooking water, then drain potatoes. Return potatoes to pot. Discard bay leaf and remove and set aside the garlic cloves. Let the potatoes stand, uncovered, about 5 minutes.

3.
While potatoes dry, combine butter mixture, cream cheese, and cooked garlic cloves in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth and well blended. Add ¼ cup of the reserved cooking water, the remaining ½ teaspoon salt, and the pepper.

4.
Using a rubber spatula or the back of a wooden spoon, smash potatoes just enough to break skins. Stir in cream cheese mixture until most of liquid has been absorbed and chunks of potatoes remain. Add more cooking water, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed, until potatoes are desired consistency. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper and serve right away.

SERVES 4 TO 6

CREAMY PARMESAN-PEPPER DRESSING

This delicious dressing is good served over leafy greens or spinach or try it with a coleslaw mix or blanched fresh vegetables.

⅔ cup
HOMEMADE BUTTERMILK (
PAGES 38
AND
39
)
, stirred well

⅔ cup
LARGE-CURD COTTAGE CHEESE (
PAGE 64
)

⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese

4 teaspoons white wine vinegar

1 teaspoon minced garlic

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper

Combine the buttermilk, cottage cheese, Parmesan, vinegar, and garlic in a food processor and process until smooth. Transfer the mixture to a small bowl and stir in salt and pepper.

MAKES ABOUT 1½ CUPS

GREEN SALAD WITH FRESH HERB DRESSING

This leafy green salad is refreshing before, with, or after dinner. The dressing can be made ahead and refrigerated airtight for up to 1 day. Stir well before using.