Winter Gatherings (10 page)

Lamb Shanks with Feta and Olives

Makes 4 servings

Meaty lamb shanks are one of my favorite cuts for winter cooking. They are so hearty that it’s hard to imagine serving them during warm weather. Nonetheless, the tomatoes and rosemary in this braise gives the dish a sunny Mediterranean feeling. Serve it spooned over orzo, pasta, or rice, or, as my Greek friends do, with roasted potato wedges.

2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more as needed

4 lamb shanks, about 1¼ pounds each

1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 cup hearty red wine, such as Shiraz

One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes in puree

One 15½-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

1 tablespoon crumbled dried rosemary

½ teaspoon crushed hot red pepper flakes

1 cup pitted and coarsely chopped Kalamata olives

¾ cup (6 ounces) crumbled feta cheese

• 1.
  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 300°F.
  
• 2.
  Heat the oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Season the lamb shanks with the salt and pepper. In batches, add them to the Dutch oven and cook, turning occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate.
  
• 3.
  If needed, add a little more oil to the Dutch oven and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook until it gives off its fragrance, about 1 minute. Add the wine and bring to a boil, stirring up the browned bits in the Dutch oven with a wooden spatula. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, diced tomatoes with their juice, rosemary, and red pepper flakes. Return the lamb shanks to the Dutch oven and bring to a boil.
  
• 4.
  Cover tightly and bake until the lamb is very tender, about 2½ hours. During the last few minutes, stir in the olives.
  
• 5.
  Season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. Serve the lamb shanks hot, sprinkled with the feta cheese.
  

Black Bean Chili in Roasted Acorn Squash

Makes 6 servings

There’s nothing like spicy chili to warm you from the inside out. But even when the weather calls for hearty fare, I sometimes prefer something a little lighter than the typical meaty bowl of red. When that happens, I turn to this vegetarian stew. Serving the chili in roasted squash halves looks dramatic, and the sweet squash is a nice accent for the zesty chili.

A
CORN
S
QUASH

Olive oil for the roasting pan and squash

3 acorn squash, about 18 ounces each

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

B
LACK
B
EAN
C
HILI

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 medium onion, chopped

½ green bell pepper, seeded and ribbed, diced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

8 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon dried oregano

Two 15-to 19-ounce cans black beans, drained and rinsed

One 15½-ounce can diced tomatoes in juice

½ to 1 canned chipotle chile in adobo, finely chopped, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

• 1.
  Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400°F. Lightly oil a roasting pan.
  
• 2.
  To prepare the squash, cut each squash in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. Brush the cut surfaces with oil and season with salt and pepper. Place, cut sides down, in the roasting pan. Add ½ cup water and cover with aluminum foil. Bake until tender, about 45 minutes.
  
• 3.
  Meanwhile, make the chili. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and green pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to brown, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cumin and oregano. Stir in the beans and the tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer until the tomato juices thicken, about 20 minutes. Stir in the chipotle, being judicious, and the cilantro. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  
• 4.
  Place an acorn half, cut side up, in each of 6 bowls. Fill with the chili and serve hot.
  

Winter Squash Waffles with Maple-Apple Compote

Makes about six 8-inch square waffles

Winter mornings mean digging into a warm breakfast while still in a flannel robe and slippers. I like to serve these waffles as a special treat on Christmas or New Year’s Day, when a big breakfast will hold us over until our late-afternoon holiday supper. They are really great with fresh squash, but if you don’t have any handy, use canned pumpkin or puree thawed frozen butternut squash in a food processor or blender. Note that waffle irons vary greatly in size, so your yield will vary. My waffle iron makes 8-inch square waffles that are divided into quadrants.

M
APLE
-A
PPLE
C
OMPOTE

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for serving

2 Golden Delicious or Fuji apples, peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch dice

1 cup pure maple syrup

W
AFFLES

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups winter squash puree (see Note)

2 cups whole milk

4 large eggs, separated

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Cooking oil spray for the waffle iron

• 1.
  To make the compote, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the apples and cook, stirring occasionally, until just tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the syrup and remove from the heat.
  
• 2.
  To make the waffles, preheat a waffle iron according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 200°F. Line a baking sheet with two clean, fragrance-free kitchen towels (meaning ones that have not been washed with softeners or the like).
  
• 3.
  Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. Whisk the squash puree, milk, egg yolks, and melted butter together in another bowl. Pour into the well and stir just until combined—the mixture will look a little lumpy.
  
• 4.
  Whip the egg whites in another bowl until soft peaks form. Stir one-fourth into the batter to lighten it, then fold in the remaining egg whites.
  
• 5.
  Spray the waffle iron grids with the cooking spray. Add about 1 cup of the batter to the center of the bottom grid and close the waffle iron. Cook until the waffle is golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to the baking sheet, wrap loosely in the towels, and keep warm in the oven while making the remaining waffles.
  
• 6.
  Serve warm, topped with the compote.
  

Note

To prepare winter squash puree, start by choosing the right squash. Hubbard or butternut are reliably dense and make a firm puree. Cut the unpeeled squash into large chunks (the exact size will depend on the shape of the squash), and remove the seeds and fibers. Place in a roasting pan and add ¼ cup water. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake in a preheated 400°F oven for 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until the squash is tender when pierced with a knife, 15 to 30 minutes (depending on the variety of squash). Cool until easy to handle and cut off the peel. Puree the flesh in a food procesor or blender. Transfer to a bowl. To judge the thickness of the puree, stand a wooden spoon in the puree. If it falls over, the puree is too thin. Transfer the puree to a cheesecloth-lined wire sieve placed over a bowl and let drain until the puree is thick enough to support the spoon. The puree can be covered and refrigerated for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months.

PASTAS

Asian Chicken Salad with Spicy Orange Vinaigrette

Shrimp Jambalaya Ziti

Baked Penne with Farmhouse Cheddar and Leeks

Linguine with Mussels and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

Winter Greens and Walnut Lasagna

Cheese Ravioli with Wild Mushroom and Marsala Sauce

Homemade Spaetzle with Herb Butter

Asian Chicken Salad with Spicy Orange Vinaigrette

Makes 4 to 6 servings

Although winter is the time for rib-sticking food, there are times when a lighter meal would be appropriate—maybe you live someplace where the weather is warm, or you need a refreshing entrée to serve to company for lunch. This salad gives off bursts of flavor; however, it is the familiar but welcome taste of orange that brings it all together.

2 chicken breast halves with skin and bone (about 1 pound total)

Three ¼-inch slices fresh ginger

1 scallion, white and green parts, coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon salt

S
PICY
O
RANGE
V
INAIGRETTE

2 seedless oranges

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1½ tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2 teaspoons hoisin sauce

1 teaspoon Asian hot sauce, such as sriracha

½ cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon Asian dark sesame oil

½ pound dried Chinese noodles or linguine

1 cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into ¼-inch-thick half-moons

2 scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

½ red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut into thin strips

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro or mint

• 1.
  Place the chicken, ginger, scallion, and salt in a saucepan and add enough cold water to cover the chicken. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Simmer until the chicken loses its raw look, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken (the broth can be reserved for Asian recipes). Let the chicken cool until easy to handle. Remove and discard the skin and bone. Pull the chicken meat into shreds.
  
• 2.
  To make the vinaigrette, grate the zest from 1 orange into a small bowl and reserve. Cut off the peel from the oranges. Working over another bowl to collect the juices, cut between the membranes to release the orange segments. Squeeze the juice from the membranes, if necessary, to measure 2 tablespoons.
  
• 3.
  Whisk together the orange juice and zest, soy sauce, vinegar, hoisin sauce, and hot sauce until combined. Gradually whisk in the vegetable oil, then the sesame oil.
  
• 4.
  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the noodles and cook according to the package directions until tender. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Drain well.
  
• 5.
  Transfer the noodles to a bowl. Add the chicken, orange segments, cucumber, scallions, and bell pepper. Add the vinaigrette and toss well. Sprinkle with the cilantro. Taste and season with soy sauce and hot sauce, as desired. Serve at room temperature.
  

Shrimp Jambalaya Ziti

Makes 6 servings

Mardi Gras is usually celebrated in winter, when it reminds the celebrants that spring will return, just as it does every year. Even if you aren’t in New Orleans, this dish celebrates the holiday with Cajun flavors. And consider serving it as the main dish at a Super Bowl party.

2 tablespoons olive oil

8 ounces andouille or kielbasa sausage, cut into ½-inch dice

1 large onion, chopped

1 medium red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and diced

2 medium celery ribs, chopped

3 scallions, chopped

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon sweet paprika, preferably Spanish or Hungarian

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper