Pink Peppercorn Crusted Cornish Game Hens with Arugula Salad

Cornish game hens are cute and dainty little things, aren’t they? But don’t be fooled by their small size- two people can dine quite well on a single hen. The best feature of Cornish game hens is the exquisite ratio of crisp, roasted skin to succulent meat because, unlike bigger birds, game hens have a much smaller amount of meat in comparison to skin surface. Game hens are also great because they’re ready to eat in less than an hour after minimal prep work, perfect for a night when you want something a little more special than plain old chicken but don’t have the energy to spend a lot of time beating a bigger hunk of meat into submission.

Game hens have a neutral flavor so they’ll taste great with almost any seasoning you’d like to try but make sure to use a liberal amount of salt because salt helps the skin crisp up in the oven. This recipe uses kosher salt, dill and pink peppercorns, which aren’t actually peppercorns but little dried berries that have a peppery yet sweet taste. If you can’t find pink peppercorns then substitute white peppercorns, although white peppercorns will have more bite and less sweetness.

PINK PEPPERCORN CRUSTED GAME HENS WITH ARUGULA SALAD

2 Cornish game hens, about 1 3/4 pounds each
2 tablespoon butter at room temperature
1 small lemon
1/2 tablespoon pink peppercorns, crushed
1 teaspoon dill
1 teaspoon kosher salt

2 cups arugula
1 large vine ripe tomato, sliced
1 large shallot, sliced thinly
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place the game hens in a small baking pan so that they are close together but not touching.

Use your fingers to massage one tablespoon of butter into the skin of each game hen.

Halve the lemon and squeeze one half over each of the game hens. Place the squeezed halves inside the cavities of the hens.

Mix together the peppercorns, dill and salt in a small bowl. Rub half of the spice mixture onto the skin of each game hen.

Roast in the oven for 40 to 45 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cover with foil. Allow to rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Meanwhile, arrange the tomatoes and shallots on top of the arugula in a serving bowl.

Whisk together the oil, vinegar and mustard. Drizzle over the salad.

To serve the game hens, use kitchen shears or a sharp knife to cut each one in half along the center of the breastbone and through the bones on the underside.

Serves 4.

Farfalle with Bacon & Kale

We ate this for dinner tonight. It was so good.

You need to experience the delectable joy of a big bowl of pasta blanketed with smoky morsels of bacon and wilted kale. Highly regarded as a “superfood” for the vitamin punch it packs, kale is an excellent source of calcium, beta carotene, vitamins C and K, and lutein. So, of course, what better way to incorporate some nutritious kale into your diet than to cook it up with a lot of bacon? (There’s a joke in there somewhere…) Sorry, vegetarians. You’ll want to avert your eyes for the next couple of minutes. Everybody else, feast your eyes upon this recipe and try not to drool all over your keyboard.

FARFALLE WITH BACON & KALE

1 1/2 pounds farfalle (bow-tie pasta)
10 slices thick cut bacon, chopped into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 pound of kale, chopped or torn into bite size pieces
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup crumbled ricotta salata
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Farfalle usually takes about 12 to 14 minutes to prepare once the water is boiling.

Meanwhile, saute the bacon over moderately high heat in a large saute pan with high sides. Cook until the bacon begins to brown lightly and releases most of its fat but is not crispy, about 5 to 7 minutes.

Drain off most of the fat. Lower heat to medium.

Add the onion and garlic. Saute until the onion becomes translucent, about 5 or 6 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic.

Add the tomatoes and saute until they start to soften and collapse a bit, about 5 minutes.

Spread the kale on top of the bacon mixture. Pour over the broth. Gently mix the kale and bacon a bit.

Cover the pan.

Return heat to a moderately high temperature and steam the kale until it is completely wilted, about 10 minutes. Most of the broth should evaporate during this time. It’s okay if some broth remains.

Remove the cover and season generously with black pepper.

Drain the pasta and pour into a serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the pasta. Garnish with the crumbled ricotta salata and chopped parsley.

Serves 6 generously – enough for a laid back dinner party. Try it with your favorite shiraz.

Movin’ On Up

If you check your address bar, you’ll notice that Revel & Feast has moved on from Blogspot and now resides at the simpler and more elegant http://www.revelandfeast.com. Please adjust your bookmark accordingly. Over the next few weeks, I’ll be sorting out the kinks and adding new features so let me know if there’s something you’d like to see on the new site.

Not Quite Jerk Chicken

I’m a huge fan of Afro-Caribbean food, especially the spicy dishes that make your tongue tingle and your cheeks flush pink. So, of course, Jamaican jerk chicken ranks high on my list of favorites. The heat in traditional Jamaican jerk seasoning comes from Scotch bonnet peppers, which are one of the hottest peppers on the planet. I’m talking light-your-mouth-on-fire screaming hot. My kids like heavily seasoned food so I knew that they would enjoy most of the spices used in jerk seasoning but their tender palates can’t handle Scotch bonnets so I created a kid-friendly chicken dish that is inspired by the bold, aromatic spices of traditional jerk chicken but leaves out most of the heat. A jalapeno pepper steps in for the Scotch bonnet so that you still taste a glimmer of heat but your head doesn’t feel like it’s going to explode. I also skipped over the traditional ingredients of rum and molasses because the chicken would taste too sweet without the spiciness of the Scotch bonnets for balance. Serve with white rice and wash down with Red Stripe for the adults, lemonade for the kids.

NOT QUITE JERK CHICKEN

4 pounds bone-in chicken pieces
1 red bell pepper, cut into large pieces
5 scallions, sliced into 3 inch long pieces
10 garlic cloves, smashed
2 limes, quartered
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 jalapeno pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place chicken pieces in single layer in a large roasting pan.

Nestle the pepper pieces, scallions and garlic among the chicken pieces.

For a mild hot pepper flavor, halve the jalapeno and discard the seeds and ribs. Mince finely and add to the pan. If you like more heat, don’t remove the seeds and ribs.

Sprinkle with the soy sauce and olive oil. Squeeze the limes over the chicken and add the squeezed pieces to the pan.

Mix together the ginger, allspice, salt, pepper and thyme in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the chicken pieces.

Bake the chicken for 1 hour, or until the juices run clear when a piece is pricked with a knife. If the skin hasn’t become crisp, turn the broiler to high and broil for a few minutes until crispy.

Serves 4-6.

Andouille Sausage with Warm Fennel & Endive Salad over Polenta

Anyone who has ever watched Emeril on the Food Network knows about andouille sausage because it was one of his favorite ingredients. But in case you don’t know, here’s a little primer:

1. Andouille sausage originated in France before making its way to America, where it is commonly used in Cajun delicacies like jumbalaya and gumbo.
2. Andouille sausage is made from pork and usually heavily spiced with pepper and garlic. Down in Cajun country, andouille is smoked over pecan wood and sugar cane, which give the sausage its smoky hallmark.
3. Andouille sausage is ridiculously delicious. Try some if you never have. You’ll love it.

In this dish, the andouille is sauteed quickly and and presented with a warm salad that is a cinch to put together. The overall preparation is simple but there is one catch – you must plan ahead by a few hours because you need to cook the polenta and then give it time to cool down before you can finish preparing the rest of the whole meal. You can even make the polenta the day before if that makes your life easier. Or, buy premade polenta at the supermarket. Look for it near the Italian specialty foods, like the capers and marinated artichokes. Premade polenta is usually wrapped in plastic and shaped like a cylinder. Peel off the wrapper, slice and saute. Very easy.

ANDOUILLE SAUSAGE WITH WARM FENNEL & ENDIVE SALAD OVER POLENTA

4 1/2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups quick cooking polenta
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons olive oil

12 ounces andouille sausage, cut on the diagonal into 1 inch thick slices
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium fennel bulb
1 head of Belgian endive
1 small yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, cut into slivers
salt and pepper, to taste
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
4 or 5 sprigs of fresh parsley

For the polenta:

Heat water and salt to a rolling boil in a medium saucepan. Slowly pour in the polenta, whisking constantly in one direction until all of the polenta is in the pot. Stir with a wooden spoon until the polenta thickens, about five minutes. Stir in butter, pepper and dried parsley.

Pour into a greased 9 inch square or circle pan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to cool completely in the refrigerator for about 4 hours. Polenta will become firm to the touch. Once firm, turn out onto a cutting board and slice into nine wedges.

Heat 1/2 teaspoon olive oil over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add a few slices of the polenta and saute until lightly browned, about three minutes. Flip over carefully and brown the other side. Remove to platter and cover with foil to keep warm. Repeat with remaining oil and polenta.

OR

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the polenta wedges with the olive oil and arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned on top, about five minutes. Flip over and brown the other side. Remove to platter and cover with foil to keep warm.

For the andouille, fennel and endive salad:

Shave the fennel, endive and onion using a mandoline or slice very thinly with a sharp knife.

Heat a large saute pan over medium heat. Add the andouille in a single layer and saute until browned and crisp. Turn over pieces and brown the other side. You might need to cook the andouille in two batches. Remove the andouille and place on the platter with the polenta.

Add the teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the onions and saute for 2 minutes, until slightly softened.

Add the fennel and garlic. Saute for two or three minutes, until the fennel softens but isn’t too limp.

Add the endive and season with salt and pepper.

Spoon the fennel mixture onto the platter. Cover to keep warm.

Add the red wine vinegar and olive oil to the pan. Whisk to combine, scraping up any brown bits that have collected on the bottom of the pan. Whisk in the dijon mustard. Season lightly with salt and pepper.

Drizzle the warm dressing over the fennel mixture.

Garnish with the parsley and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Slow Roasted Beef in Cabernet, Bay Leaves & Garlic

Well, I guess last week’s wishes for warmer weather didn’t pan out because the sky opened up last night and covered us with several inches of snow. Sure, it’s pretty to look at but just glancing at the snow drifts outside my window makes me want to snuggle up inside a fuzzy blanket and hibernate until May. On days like this, when I wake up to cold and blustery wind, I pull out the crock pot in the morning and get a jump start on dinner so that I can have more time to do other things, like brush the mountains of snow off my car or try to entertain the kids while they have a snow day off from school. I tend to use the crock pot mostly during the winter for large roasts and stews but it’s a handy tool all year round because once you prep the ingredients and toss them in, you can turn on the power and walk away for the rest of the day. It’s also a great investment because tougher cuts of meat, which are usually less expensive, really benefit from slow cooking and come out so tender that the meat practically falls apart into succulent bites. I’m not going to try to fool you into thinking that a chuck roast is on par with filet mignon but it does have its own charms that you won’t be able to deny once you sink your teeth into a forkful of meltingly tender slow roasted chuck. You will be back for seconds.

Like a lot of people, my favorite food to prepare in the crock pot is roast beef. There are as many roast beef recipes in the world as there are cooks in the world. And I have tasted a lot of them. I don’t think I’ve ever tasted a roast beef that I didn’t enjoy but this version is my all-time favorite because of the big handful of garlic and bay leaves that season the meat. This is a pretty traditional recipe- there’s nothing really unusual about the ingredients but that doesn’t mean it’s boring. This is comfort food at its best- familiar, delicious and easy to prepare.

SLOW ROASTED BEEF IN CABERNET, BAY LEAVES AND GARLIC

3 pound boneless chuck roast
10 large bay leaves
10 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/4 cups Cabernet
1 cup low sodium beef broth

Place 5 of the bay leaves and 5 of the garlic cloves in the bottom of the crock pot.

Season the beef on all sides with the salt, pepper, thyme and mustard.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.

Sear the beef well on all sides, until deep brown but not scorched.

Place the roast on top of the garlic and bay leaves in the crock pot.

Deglaze the skillet with the beef broth. Pour over the roast.

Pour wine over the roast.

Place the remaining bay leaves and garlic on top of the roast.

Cover and set the crock pot on a low setting so that it will cook for at least 6 hours.

Don’t peek for at least 6 hours! If you open the cover while the roast is cooking then the temperature inside will drop.

To serve, lift the roast carefully and place on a platter. The meat will be so tender that you should be able to pull it apart with a fork. Spoon over a little of the cooking liquid inside the crock pot.

Serves 4, with leftovers.

TIP: Save the cooking liquid and make a beef noodle soup using the leftover roast. Chill the cooking liquid overnight. Skim off the fat that rises to the surface. Saute one chopped onion, one chopped carrot, and 2 chopped celery stalks in a splash of olive oil until softened. Add one chopped tomato and saute for a few more minutes. Add 3-4 cups of low sodium beef broth and the leftover cooking liquid. Bring to a boil. Add 12 ounces of wide egg noodles and cook for 10 minutes. While the noodles are cooking, shred the leftover beef and add to the pot. The soup is done when the noodles are cooked through.

Or, save the cooking liquid for later. If you don’t want to re-use the cooking liquid right away, chill it overnight before skimming off the fat that rises to the surface. Freeze for later use. Thaw the liquid in the refrigerator before using.