January 2011 Daring Cooks' Challenge: Confit and Cassoulet

Our January 2011 Challenge comes from Jenni of The Gingered Whisk and Lisa from Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives. They have challenged the Daring Cooks to learn how to make a confit and use it within the traditional French dish of Cassoulet. They have chosen a traditional recipe from Anthony Bourdain and Michael Ruhlman. You can get the full scoop on their challenge and all the related recipes here.

Since I tackled this project on Wednesday night with Friday as the deadline, I made the Garlic Confit and Vegetarian/Vegan Cassoulet. As I type this out I realize I didn't 100% complete the challenge as I just have been eating the garlic confit on the side (of everything) rather than incorporating it but that is close enough for me. Hopefully our wise hostesses will forgive me for this oversight! This was a great challenge and I'm glad I followed through with completing it.

I see this cassoulet appearing again in my winter dining; it is very hearty and the aroma alone tells you something good is on its way.  I found it more filling than similar chicken and vegetable soups, which the ingredient list and flavor profile was reminiscent of in spite of missing meat. I used canned beans and some aging, ailing whole wheat pitas to make the crumb topping, which while nice won't be essential for my dining pleasure in the future. It seemed like a lot of fuss for a marginal amount of added flavor and texture to me.

As for the Garlic Confit, if you have the patience to peel lots of garlic cloves, or are willing to pay for the pre-peeled variety, and have an hour or so you can make it. To summarize, you poach garlic cloves in oil with some spices, which results in garlic infused oil you can use on its own and smooth, creamy garlic bulbs that are decadent smeared on bread, on their own and, I assume, in other things. This elegant looking blog has a shortcut for peeling cloves, so I might try that if/when I make this again to cut down on the time involved and the sticky fingers. Or I might just stick to roasting garlic since it is less fussy.

Vegetarian/Vegan Cassoulet
Adapted slighty from Gourmet Magazine, March 2008

3 medium Leeks (white and pale green parts only)
4 medium Carrots, halved lengthwise and cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
3 Celery Ribs, cut into 1-inch-wide pieces
4 Garlic Cloves, chopped
1/4 cup Olive Oil
4 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
2 Fresh Parsley Sprigs
1 Turkish or 1/2 California Bay Leaf
1/8 tsp Ground Cloves
3 cans Cannellini or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
4 cups Water
4 cups Coarse Fresh Bread Crumbs from a Baguette (I used whole wheat pitas.)
1/3 cup Olive Oil
1 tablespoon Chopped Garlic
1/4 cup Chopped Parsley

1. Halve leeks lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces, then wash well and pat dry.
2. Cook leeks, carrots, celery, and garlic in oil with herb sprigs, bay leaf, cloves, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a large heavy pot over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and golden, about 15 minutes. Stir in beans, then water, and simmer, partially covered, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender but not falling apart, about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to moderate 350 degrees Fahrenheit with rack in middle.
4. Toss bread crumbs with oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon each of salt and pepper in a bowl until well coated.
5. Spread in a baking pan and toast in oven, stirring once halfway through, until crisp and golden, 12 to 15 minutes.
6. Cool crumbs in pan, then return to bowl and stir in parsley.
7. Discard herb sprigs and bay leaf. Mash some of beans in pot with a potato masher or back of a spoon to thicken broth.
8. Season with salt and pepper. Just before serving, sprinkle with garlic crumbs.

Garlic Confit Adapted slighty from Saveur, Issue #129
Yields approximately 1 cup

3/4 cup Olive Oil
3/4 tsp Kosher Salt (Note: use half this amount if using table salt)
5 Whole Black Peppercorns
2-3 Fresh Thyme Sprigs
32 Garlic Cloves, peeled (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 Dried Bay Leaf

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Place ingredients in a 1/2 quart pot fully submerging the garlic in the oil. Cover pot. Bake until garlic is golden brown and tender, about 1 hour. Let cool.
2. Transfer mixture to a glass jar; cover surface of oil with plastic wrap and then close the jar. This can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.

If you think the confit looks creepy here wait until you refrigerate it and the oil coagulates. 

Thank goodness it smooths back out quickly at room temperature and tastes better than it looks.

Pumpkin Spice Chickpeas

Clearly I am on a roll... I have been eating pumpkin spice again thanks to Sarah of Peas and Thank You's Pumpkin Spice Chick Peas, which I've made twice now. They are easy and addictive with their crisp exterior and slightly sweet flavor. For my second batch I added a bit of cayenne pepper and halved the maple syrup to up the savory factor. We'll see what happens next time.

To keep things simple, this time I also just mixed my salad (spinach, carrot shreds and a little bit of cheddar cheese) in the bowl I mixed the chickpeas in prior to roasting them. I only needed a touch more apple cider vinegar, salt and pepper to have it ready for the finished chickpeas. No waste and no extra bowl...also not vegan...but we'll tackle that some other time. The sweet and savory combo can't be beat.

Mama Pea's Pumpkin Spice Chickpeas
1 can of chickpeas, rinsed, drained and patted dry
2 T. maple syrup
1 t. canola oil (or oil of your choice)
1 t. apple cider vinegar
1/8 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
1/4 t. ginger
3/4 t. cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place all ingredients in a mixing bowl and stir them until evenly coated.
2. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (for easy clean-up) and spray it with olive, canola or another oil.
3. Place the baking sheet in the oven for 25 minutes. Be sure to wiggle them periodically to encourage even crispness.

Okra Fries

Lara's easy guide to Fried Okra, which I've never attempted to make though I love it, reminded me that I haven't mentioned my favorite way to eat okra of late. Kath of Kath Eats Real Food posts about Okra Fries sometimes and the idea imprinted on my brain. Once I saw okra arrive at the Greenmarket ($4/pound here in New York City), I had to make them right away and have made them once a week for a while now. Kath eats them with ketchup but I find the "fries" more than enough on their own.

This is a very simple way to enjoy okra's crunchy, slightly slippery texture. Since there isn't any tearing involved, these are even simpler than Kale Chips though the process is similar.

Three notes --
1) Red okra will turn green when you cook it (sad).
2) Be careful handling okra because it has prickly hairs on the outside that can get under your skin and cause minor discomfort.
3) I don't eat the stems; I'm all about fiber but that is a bit much for me.

Okra Fries
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit Rinse the okra and pat it dry.
2. Spritz or rub it down with oil, sprinkle with Salt.
3. Roast for approximately 20 minutes in the oven until it begins to brown and shrink a bit in size.
4. Savor as best you can because they will go quick if you're anything like me.

 Jeff sweet talked me into making dinner Sunday night. I served okra fries, sauteed potatoes with persillade (that didn't stay crisp) and sauteed pork chops with a rustic* blackberry-concord grape and shallot sauce.

For dessert we ate leftover Almond-Yogurt Cake with Raspberry Sauce and Candied Ginger Pieces. It was baked in a loaf pan but the texture allowed me to use my cookie cutter to pretty up the presentation. My plate had leftover bits and pieces, which tasted just as good.

*Meaning I didn't strain the sauce to make it smooth! I felt lazy and all my "washable cheesecloth" was waiting for laundry to happen thanks to the raspberry sauce and gazpacho.

Roasted Vegetable and Bean Salad

Life felt crazy last month - two major events at work, preparing for the move from the Upper East Side to Fort Greene, Brooklyn and simply dealing with summer's heat in the 4th story walk-up and life's random surprises. With so much going on, I had to step away from eating at home, from putting my eating into words and just focus on getting things done and trying to decrease my clutter. Besides I didn't have internet at home for 3 weeks of the month (that was SO hard...I'm an addict!).

I have plenty more to go through (years of magazine clippings to organize for example) but it felt really good to get rid of so much prior to being here where I have one roommate, not two, my room has bright SUNLIGHT rather than dim light from an air shaft and I am not haunted by squawking pigeons daily. I walk up a mere flight of stairs to my place. My commute is longer but that just means I can read more while in transit and I'm beside most of the train lines. There even is a suburb-size grocery store 3 blocks away.

Life is good, home feels more peaceful and I'm excited to settle into this new adventure. Since I'm just starting to stretch out and greet summer and the new changes I kept it simple when I prepared my first meal here without my parents, who generously helped me move.

This simple roasted vegetable and bean salad was satisfying, savory and aromatic. I really loved the bright bursts of tomato juice and the velvety roasted garlic with the roasted vegetables' richness. This meal requires very little attention and time, which never hurts, and reheats well.

Roasted Vegetable and Bean Salad
2 servings as a main course*


1/4 lb. Green Beans
1/2 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
1 Broccoli Crown
5 Garlic Cloves
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cover a baking sheet with foil, if you want easy clean-up.

Rinse the green beans, broccoli crown and cherry tomatoes. If desired, swirl them all in a salad spinner to remove excess water. Snap the ends off of the green beans, cut the broccoli into smaller sections and add all the veggies to a medium bowl. Add the 5 garlic cloves and 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Toss the mixture with your hands or tongs.

Wrap the garlic in foil and then put it and everything else on the baking sheet in the oven for 25-40 minutes. When your green beans are shriveling and the broccoli is browning on the edges the veggies are done. If desired, flip the veggies and turn the pan around midway for even roasting.

While the veggies cook open the can of beans and rinse them in a colander. Put them in the medium bowl from prepping the veggies.

Once the veggies are done roasting remove them from the oven, opening the foil packet of garlic, and let them cool briefly. When you can handle the garlic remove its skin. Add the green beans, broccoli, tomatoes and garlic to the beans and toss everything together. If desired add salt and pepper to taste. Then enjoy!


*You could make this go further by adding a grain, like Quinoa which I was too lazy to make, or eating it with bread.

Kale Chips

I'm with April; Kale Chips taste awesome and are amazingly nutritious. They are even easier than my usual method of dealing with kale: cooking it down in liquid until it is barely recognizable. And this way the kale ends up with a visually appealing tie-dyed appearance.

The chips are salty, crunchy and an excellent replacement for potato chips. I can see why Cathy of Not Eating Out in New York, whose recipe I used, garnished soup with them. Perhaps I'll do that next time but this time I just enjoyed them on their own.

Curly Kale, conquered.

For a year now I've been trying to find a way to eat kale since it is so healthy. I've followed countless sets of instructions off the internet: I've cut it into ribbons, I've steamed it, I've sauteed it and I've even made cashew cream to top it, which was real feat without a food processor. Regardless of the preparation, kale just was too bitter and chewy. Nothing about kale made me happy. I gave up.

Then in early December I ended up taking a GIANT Whole Foods veggie platter home after an event. How could I let that go to waste? It was calling to me to take it home. I found easy uses for the asparagus, carrots, celery, etc., but the whole thing was lined with kale. I had to do something with it, so instead of throwing it away, I tossed it in some chicken vegetable soup I was making. It was in there about 25 minutes simmering. Turns out Kale can be good. It just needs to be cooked until it is very, very tender while retaining it's shape.

Ultimately kale is reminiscent of spinach with more texture, if cooked enough. This made it a perfect complement to another one of my healthy winter concoctions, which I'll definitely recreate at a later date. The flavors of this dish went well together and I liked the crunchy, earthy mouth feel. Plus, I knew everything I was eating was great for my health! It's a full bunch of curly kale cut into ribbons and cooked down, cubed sweet potatoes, skins on, tossed in olive oil, cinnamon and cumin and roasted in the oven, and quinoa.

Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Apples

I finally made it to the Greenmarket a few weekends ago for the first time in months. When hauling my groceries home, I realized why I really should stick to visiting irregularly or at the very least stick to my shopping list. Everything is so tempting that I end up grocery shopping like the apocalypse is coming.

Does one person really need a 3 pound bag of apples, a full stalk of brussel sprouts, 4 pounds of chicken, etc.? Not so much. Oh well! At least I put the ingredients to good use. My successfully met cooking goals for the week were making from scratch shredded chicken and veggie soup (needed salt but otherwise decent), chicken broth, pumpkin bread, and Shredded Brussels Sprouts and Apples.

As I had never purchased brussel sprouts on the stalk cutting them off without cutting myself was a bit of an adventure. While my bravery with trying new dishes has improved over time, I haven't gained knife skills. In spite of this the brussel sprout dish was a success. I'll definitely make it again, probably using pre-cut brussel sprouts, as it was refreshing, light and filling. My co-worker Lauren actually thought it looked tasty, which never happens, and I felt healthy eating it.

My favorite aspect was the maple syrup browned tofu, a unique preparation that I suspect could be used in other dishes.

Cilantro Hummus

After purchasing the biggest bunch of cilantro ever for $1.50 at Green Market, I was forced to find a creative way to use a lot of it at once before it went bad. This simple recipe for Lime Cilantro Hummus was perfect.

I don't have a food processor, but my hand held blender wand worked fine to process the ingredients. My only other substitution was lime juice from a squeeze bottle instead of lime zest and fresh squeezed juice.

The resulting flavor was amazing (I LOVE cilantro) and the whole process took maybe 20 minutes. I will definitely revisit this and make my own hummus moving forward. To make the lime flavor more pronounced, I might even follow the directions next time.