One week from today is St. Patrick’s Day!  Here are a few fun St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Day facts from Wikipedia:

• Blue was the original color associated with St. Patrick, not green.
• St Patrick used the three-leaf shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity (the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit) to the Irish  people.
• St. Patrick died on March 17th 461 AD.
• The Irish Society of Boston organized what was not only the first Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the colonies but the first  recorded Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in the world on 17 March 1737.
• The first parade in Ireland was not until the 1931 parade in Dublin.
• Chicago dyes its river green and has done so since 1962 when sewer workers used green dye to check for sewer discharges  and had the idea to turn the river green for St. Patrick’s Day.
• St. Patrick’s Day is a one-day reprieve from the forty days of fasting during the season of Lent. For many Christians this  includes indulging in ale.
• Saint Patrick’s Day is widely celebrated in America by Irish and non-Irish alike. Many people, regardless of ethnic  background, wear green-colored clothing and items. Traditionally, those who are caught not wearing green are pinched,  usually affectionately.
• And of course, corned beef and cabbage is the food most associated with St. Patrick’s Day in the United States.

According to Wikipedia, “Corned beef refers to a particular style of brine-cured beef. The “corn” in corned beef refers to the “corns” or grains of coarse salts used to cure it. The consumption of corned beef has become associated with St. Patirick’s Day. Although corned beef did not originate in Ireland, it has been an integral part of Irish-American culture. In Ireland, the closest traditional dish is Bacon and Cabbage (more akin to Canadian style bacon or ham). Corned beef and cabbage became popular in America after Irish immigrants in the eastern United States used corned beef instead of pork in their traditional dish.”

All that said, although I am 100% Irish, I cannot stand corned beef and cabbage! So when I volunteered to appear on Channel 12 Valley Dish for the St. Patrick’s Day show, I was expected to make something along those lines – yuck! So after mulling it over, I came up with the perfect solution – Pizza! Yes, pizza, a traditional Italian dish would solve all my issues with that Irish-American dish I so despise. I mean, what’s not to like; bread, cheese, potatoes (very Irish!), cheese, caramelized onions, garlic, and more cheese. With those stellar flavors to cover up the other two- I knew I couldn’t go wrong. And I was right!  This sauceless pizza is one they should be making and selling at Sauce! Although, the other 364 days of the year, I’d prefer it with crisp crumbled bacon (like a true Irishwoman!) rather than corned beef.  So get to the store this week, buy the ingredients and make it along with me at 4:30 on Channel 12 Valley Dish with Tram Mai on March 17th – St. Patrick’s Day… I’ll drink to that!

Corned Beef, Cabbage, and Potato Pizza

5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium red onion, peeled, halved through the root end and thinly sliced
1 cup sliced green cabbage
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 large or 2 small Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
1 pound prepared whole-wheat pizza dough (available at Trader Joe’s)
1 cup shredded Fontina cheese
3 ounces thinly sliced cooked Deli corned beef, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil with 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and cook over medium heat until caramelized. Add the cabbage and garlic, season with salt and pepper and sauté until just soft, about 4 more minutes, set aside.

Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 500 degrees. Toss the potato slices with 2 tablespoons olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast in a single layer on a baking sheet in the preheated oven, until golden, about 12 to 14 minutes, turning potatoes over, halfway through.

Roll dough into a 14-inch round. Place the round on a pizza peel sprinkled with cornmeal (if baking on a stone) or a large oiled pizza pan if you do not have a stone; drizzle dough with 2 tablespoons olive oil. Scatter the Fontina cheese evenly over the crust, leaving a clean 1/2-inch border all the way around. Top with onion-cabbage mixture, corned beef, and potatoes. Sprinkle the top with the mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Carefully slip the pizza onto the hot stone, if using, or place the pan in the oven. Cook until golden and crispy, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Makes 1 large delicious Irish pizza

This recipe was requested by the mother of one of my former (all grown-up now) students to be placed on the blog. We made this fresh and full-flavored bruschetta during a summer session several years ago. It thrills me when people put in requests for specific posts. Moms, you know what I mean, every night you have to think of something to feed your family, sometimes it comes to you easily and other times, you struggle. Same here! The people who request items most often, are my own two darling kids. Marissa usually asks for something specific and Connor… well Connor usually wants chocolate or bacon! So to appease him, you have the option of garnishing these tasty toasts with crumbled bacon… there you go Connor, your request was not denied! Oh, and that gorgeous yellow tomato in the picture below… from my garden…I’m just a little proud of it!

Tomato & Fennel Bruschetta

4 large ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed and diced, fonds reserved for garnish
1/4 cup finely diced red onion
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
16 slices baguette or Italian bread, cut 3/4-inch-thick
3 garlic cloves, peeled and flattened
4 slices crisply cooked and crumbled bacon (optional)

Preheat broiler.  Toss tomatoes, fennel, onion, olive oil, vinegar, and basil together in a large bowl.  Season with salt and pepper.

Place bread slices on baking sheet.  Broil until golden brown on both sides.  Transfer bread to serving plate.  Rub garlic onto hot bread on one side.  Mount tomato mixture atop bread slices, sprinkle each with fennel fonds and bacon, if desired.

Serves 8

In yesterday’s post we were able to use preserved lemons that we made two weeks ago, today the wait will be a bit longer. Eighty days to be exact, that does take a bit of patience! The first step takes 40 days and the second step another 40 days, so if we get going on it today, we will be sipping our limoncello at the end of May, just as the kids are getting out of school (at least here in Scottsdale, when the last day is May 26th!) On April 17th, we will do step two and on May 26th, we will not only complete the process but there will be a wonderful celebratory pie recipe using limoncello awaiting you too! It WILL be worth it!

Limoncello is an Italian lemon liqueur produced mainly in Southern Italy in the region around the Amalfi coast and the islands of Procida, Ischia, and Capri. Traditionally, it is made from the Sorrento lemon, although any lemon will produce a fine limoncello. It is traditionally served chilled as an after dinner digestive, served in small ceramic glasses which are also chilled.

Limoncello has only recently become well known in other parts of the world. It is a popular ingredient in cocktails, as it brings a strong lemon flavor without the bitterness of lemon juice. The liqueur gained notoriety in the United States in November, 2006, when actor Danny DeVito appeared on the The View still drunk from drinking limoncello the night before with his friend George Clooney. DeVito announced, “I knew it was the last seven limoncellos that was going to get me.”  I’ve never before wished I could have been Danny DeVito! Ah, to be enjoying the wonderful limoncello with the wonderful George Clooney, a dream come true!

There are many recipes for Limoncello, my favorite comes from Joanne Weir, an award-winning cooking teacher, cookbook author, and chef. This version comes from her book, Weir Cooking – Recipes from the Wine Country. Joanne is an annual teacher at Les Gourmettes Cooking School and always produces the most fantastically flavorful food. Joanne’s recipe makes 4 bottles (750 ml each), I only make that much during the holidays to give as gifts, here I’ve cut it in half for my own supply.

A little explanation on the pictures: #1 The jar doesn’t need to be That big – but it does need to be large, because after the 40 days, an additional 4 1/2 cups of liquid will be added. #2 No explanation needed – it’s George Clooney for goodness sake! #3It is extremely important to wash the lemons well, with soap and then rinse well. The only part of the lemon you are using is the peel and you need it to be clean! #4 The lone piece of peel on the right has too much pith on it, the other pieces are perfect, just use a light hand when peeling the lemons, don’t press in too hard.

Limoncello

7 large lemons
1 bottle 100 proof vodka (750 ml)

Wash the lemons well with soap and water and rinse well. Peel the lemons with a vegetable peeler, avoiding the white pith from the back of the peel.  Place the peels in a large glass jar along with 1/2 of the bottle of vodka (1 1/2 cups). Cover and place in a dark place for 40 days.

That’s it for now! You’ll get the rest of the recipe on April 17th, I told you, patience is a virtue, so be virtuous along with me!

Exactly two weeks ago I made Preserved Lemons and encouraged you to do the same, hopefully you did, because today is the day to crack those babies open and begin to enjoy their amazing flavor.

I’ll be serving my Moroccan chicken with a little couscous made with chicken broth and seasoned with cumin, cinnamon and a few currants… enough already! No more time to blog…time to eat!

Moroccan Chicken with Preserved Lemons, Olives, and Goat Cheese

3 ounces goat cheese, room temperature
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 teaspoon fresh minced oregano
1 teaspoon fresh minced thyme
Pinch of dried red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons minced green pitted olives
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 medium onions, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick
2 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
2 whole cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
8 pieces preserved lemon pieces
1/2 cup chicken broth
1/4 cup dry white wine
16 pitted green olives, halved
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro

In a small bowl mix together the goat cheese, garlic, oregano, thyme, red pepper flakes and minced olives.

Pat chicken dry, then season with salt and pepper. On the thickest side of each breast, cut a deep and long pocket. Using your fingers, stuff the goat cheese mixture into each pocket. Close by pressing the flesh together.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté chicken until golden brown, about 3 minutes on each side. Transfer chicken to a plate and keep warm, covered.

Add remaining tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter to skillet and reduce heat to moderate. Cook onions and garlic, stirring frequently, until softened and caramelized, 15 to 18 minutes. Add cinnamon sticks, saffron, cumin, ginger, and pepper and cook, stirring, 3 minutes.

Scrape and discard pulp from preserved lemon. Cut rind into thin strips and add to onions with broth, wine, and olives.

Return chicken, with any juices accumulated on plate, to skillet. Braise, covered, until chicken is cooked through, about 12 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks and serve sprinkled with fresh cilantro.

Serves 4

Inspiration for recipes comes from many places, such as giving a standard recipe a healthy makeover or combining recipes to make something just right. Plucking fresh food from your garden or a farmer’s market, using other cuisines to spice up an old favorite, or in this case, out of complete and utter desperation! Ever since last Friday, when I held a girl scout cooking class, my life and time management skills had been in a downward spiral. Some of that was due to my own bad planning, other parts were things out of my control, and the rest was just Murphy’s Law – “Anything that can go wrong, will go wrong.” So the light at the end of the tunnel of this tornado that was my life, came in the form of a party at my home. After racing from one thing to another and running on virtually no sleep, I had less than 5 hours to come up with a menu for the party, shop for the food and drinks, and make it all. Clean all the outdoor furniture (it’s been raining quite a bit here, so it was all a mess). And worst of all, clean a house that had not only been neglected, but literally treated (by me!) as if it were a landfill, where I was actually just tossing things on the floor or any flat surface. The picture below doesn’t really do justice to the mess the house was. The sun is shining so brightly against the more than a dozen glass bowls on the island that they are not really visible. But that was just one load of dishes spread out from unloading the dishwasher from the night before when I fell into bed right after putting in another (and the 3rd of the day) load.

So here is where this recipe begins. I had worked with Barb Fenzl at Les Gourmettes in the morning, where she taught a delicious class that included a Glazed and Grilled Asparagus. All the while I was thinking about what I could make, or pull from my freezer, or pick up at Trader Joe’s on my way home. There was leftover marinate from the asparagus, so I poured that in a jar and decided to make the asparagus as an appetizer instead of a side dish. I also had leftover sliced mozzarella, sliced black forrest ham, and basil in my fridge from a food styling event I’d done the day before… voila, a recipe is born. OK, it may not be the most inspired, creative, or original thing I’ve even come up with, but the point is, anyone can pull something together with what they have available to them by just giving it a little thought. The asparagus portion of this recipe is thanks to Barb Fenzl and I thank her for not only that, but for the delctable frozen Blue Cheese Galette dough she so generously sent home with me to use as well!

Marinated Asparagus Roll Ups

1 pound thick asparagus
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup whole grain mustard
1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon or orange zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon or orange juice
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 slices (12 ounces) sliced mozzarella cheese
12 slices black forest ham or prosciutto
12 large fresh basil leaves

Peel the asparagus and bread off the tough stem ends. Set aside.

In a shallow dish, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, olive oil, zest, juice, garlic, salt, and pepper. Toss in the asparagus, coating evenly.  Let stand at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, or may be done up to 3 hours ahead, covered and refrigerated.

Preheat grill or grill pan. Remove asparagus from marinade and grill over medium high heat, turning occasionally until the spears are tender and lightly blistered, about 8 minutes.  Return asparagus to pan with marinade and allow to cool.

Lay the ham slices on a work surface, top each with a basil leaf, then with a slice of cheese. Cut each in half and place 1 or 2 asparagus spears (dripping with the sauce) in the center of each half, roll up and secure with a pick.

Chill until ready to serve.

Makes 24

Tonight I was shocked to discover that I have not posted my biggest “go to” and one of my all time favorite recipes ever! I would feel terrible for holding out on all of you, but I can’t feel bad about something I didn’t realize I had (or in this case, hadn’t) done! The discovery occurred when I had about twenty good friends over to support another good friend in her new business venture.  You see, my friend Ronnie, is a fashion consultant and I hosted a home party for her tonight.  I served my Caesar Dip, which I have been making and serving at parties for the past two decades. Just ask any one of the employees at my husband’s office and they will tell you that they have had Caesar Dip.  We hosted the office Christmas Party for about 10 years running and it was there on the buffet year after year. So when a bunch of the ladies tonight were asking for the recipe, I was telling them to look here on the blog. One of them said they didn’t think is was posted, low and behold, she was right! Honestly, I would have thought that it would have been one of, if not the, very first recipe I would have put up.

My favorite crudités to serve with the dip and the ones I think compliment it the best are Belgian endive spears, cherry tomatoes, and new or fingerling potatoes. For the potatoes, just boil in salted water until they are easily pierced with a paring knife, drain and while still wet, toss in Kosher or sea salt.

Usually when a recipe is written and the list of ingredients are given, they are listed not only in the order they are added, but also in “most” to “least” order. For example, 1 cup milk, 1/2 sour cream, 1/4 cup salsa, 3 tablespoons horseradish, etc… but here I list the first 3 ingredients out of that order and instead in order of cleanest to messiest. Use a 1/2 cup dry measuring cup for all three and you won’t have to wash it in between. And, of course, I also use the little cubes of garlic from Trader Joe’s to make this even quicker and easier. So here it is, my favorite recipe ever…

Caesar Dip with Crudités

1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
1 cup low-fat mayonnaise
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
2 teaspoons anchovy paste or 1 anchovy fillet, finely minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Assorted crudités; such as cherry or pear tomatoes, endive spears, boiled and salted new potatoes, carrot, sugar snap peas, cucumber slices, carrot and jicama sticks.

Mix all ingredients in medium bowl. Season with freshly ground black pepper, to taste.

Caesar dip is best when make at least 3 hours and up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Serve with assorted crudités.

Makes 2 cups

Summer 2010 Classes are posted today. Go the the “Classes” page on the left to view the lineup. If you are interested in taking a week or two; then just go the “Registration” page, print and fill out the form and you’re on your way to a summer filled with good food, good friends, and good fun and you’ll even learn something new along the way! Hope to see you in June!

So you may recall that back on December 1st, for her birthday, we gave Marissa a gift certificate to go skydiving. You may also recall that part of the gift was that I would dive with her… well today was the day. The fact that I am posting this lets you know that we survived and in fact thrived! It was a blast and we have photos, t-shirts, and certificates to prove it.  One thing I will say though-  the g-forces put upon your face when you are free falling are not kind to faces over 30, as evident in my photo compared to my 22 year old daughters young, tight, sweet and gorgeous face! Love you Marissa!!!

As promised, here’s a tasty way to use the leftover crab from yesterday’s crab cakes. Baby potato halves make excellent little hor d’oeuvre cups. And a small mellon baller is the perfect tool to hollow them out, so be sure to pick one up the next time you are at the grocery store – that’s right, you’ll find one in the “kitchen aisle” of your neighborhood grocery store. For another vehicle to hold the crab, try small mushrooms, just pull out the stems and use them either fresh or lightly roasted.

Crab Stuffed Baby Potatoes

24 small red and/or yellow potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, peeled and minced
1 garlic clove, peeled and minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 cup (packed) cooked lump crabmeat, picked over
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, divided
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tablespoons minced fresh chives

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes in half crosswise. Mix with oil, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl. Place cut side down on heavy large baking sheet. Set aside the bowl with any remaining oil inside. Bake potatoes until just tender, about 25 minutes.

While the potatoes are cooking; melt butter in a medium skillet. Add the shallots and cook until translucent.  Add the minced garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add the thyme and crab and cook until heated through, about 1 additional minute, remove from heat and set aside.

When potatoes are done, remove from oven and when cool enough to handle; cut a thin slice off the rounded end of each potato so that it will sit flat on the bottom. Turn the potatoes over and, using melon baller or small spoon, scoop out some of the center of each potato (reserve for later use for mashed potatoes, potato pancakes, or gnocchi). Lower the oven to 350 degrees.

Place the potato cups on a cookie sheet, brush the inside of the potatoes with the reserved oil from the bowl and return to oven for about 5 minutes to crisp.

Add the Parmesan cheese and 1/4 cup of the crème fraîche to the shallot-crab mixture, and stir to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Fill the potato cups with the crab mixture and place back on the baking sheet.

Return to oven for 5 minutes to heat through. Top each potato cup with a dollop of the remaining 1/4 cup crème fraîche and sprinkle with chives.

Makes 48

I have a dozen or so crab cake recipes but I chose this particular one for Peggy’s birthday because it is extra light. What makes it so, is separating the egg and folding in the whipped egg white just before cooking. The presentation with the herbed salad and aïoli is especially lovely, but the cakes are delicious on their own, so make it “easy-breezy” and leave those elements out, if you wish. I know I’ve mentioned before the fabulous real crab sold at Costco, but it is worth talking about again. The brand they used to sell was Phillips, now they carry Blue Star, both are exceptional quality and totally fabulous. What makes them so? Real lump crab that has been pasteurized with a “use by” date on the bottom of the container that is generally about 9 months to a year out. So there is no excuse to not have crab on hand anytime you need it. For this particular recipe, only about half of the container is used, so you can either double the amounts or be sure and use the remaining half container within a day or two.

To that end, I shall post another crab recipe tomorrow to finish it off. Another thing I have talked about before is the fact that the food processor has a special feature especially for making mayonnaise and aioli. If you need a refresher, click here to go back to that post. Finally, as always, if you don’t have Meyer lemons, no problem, just substitute regular lemons.

Crab Cakes with Meyer Lemon Aïoli on Herbed Greens

Aïoli
3 garlic cloves, peeled
1/3 teaspoon salt
2  egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
1 teaspoon whole-grain Dijon mustard
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon Meyer lemon zest

Crab Cakes
1 large egg, separated
1 tablespoon crème fraîche, Greek yogurt or sour cream
1 cup (packed) cooked lump crabmeat, picked over
4 tablespoons minced fresh chives, divided
1 small shallot, peeled and finely minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 1/3 cups panko bread crumbs, divided
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil

Herbed Greens
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh Meyer lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 cups (packed) mixed greens
1/2 cup (packed) fresh basil leaves, big leaves torn
1/3 cup (packed) fresh Italian parsley leaves
1/4 cup (packed) fresh cilantro leaves

Aïoli: With machine running, drop garlic cloves and salt through the feed tube of a food processor and run about 20 seconds. Open the machine and scrape down the sides. Add egg yolks, pepper, water, lemon juice, and mustard and turn on high for another 20 seconds to blend. Again, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Replace feed tube cover, turn on processor and pour olive oil in tube cover, allowing oil to drip into the machine at the correct speed, making an emulsion. Remove cover, taste, adding additional lemon juice, salt, or pepper, as needed.  Use a rubber spatula to transfer aïoli to a bowl, stir in lemon zest, cover and refrigerate. Makes 1 cup

Crab Cakes: Whisk egg yolk and crème fraîche in small bowl to blend. Gently mix in crabmeat, 2 tablespoons of the chives, shallot, parsley, and 1/3 cup of the panko. Place remaining cup of panko on a plate and set aside.

Beat egg white in medium bowl until stiff but not dry; fold into crab mixture.

Form crab mixture into 6 patties, lightly breading each in the panko, then placing on a baking sheet or plate, season each with salt and pepper.

Melt butter and oil together in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Cook cakes until bottoms are brown, about 4 minutes. Turn over, and cook until brown and cakes are cooked through, about 3 minutes longer.

Herbed Greens: Whisk oil, lemon juice and 1 tablespoon of the chives in large bowl to blend. Season with salt and pepper. Lightly toss in greens and herbs.

Mound greens on serving plates, top each with crab cakes and dollop each cake with aïoli, sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon chives. Serve immediately.

Makes 6 crab cakes

So, before we get to today’s recipe – how about that picture above? Those are just 3 of about a dozen cool cocktail napkins I have which have fun riddles for parties to work out. When using them, it is best to have guests try and solve them before too many beverages are consumed –  just a helpful little FYI.  Study them and leave me a comment if you figure out all three! (And just in case the top one isn’t completely visible – it reads, “52 C in a D +2 J’s”). Plus if you are a fan of the Les Petites Gourmettes Fan page on facebook, you already know something special, so put on your thinking caps and comment as soon as possible!

Last night I had two of my very best friends, Peggy and Anne, over for a little happy hour to celebrate Peggy’s upcoming birthday, which is actually on February 26th. Happy Birthday, Peggy-Sue! Now that all of our kids are teenagers (and beyond, in Marissa’s case!) – we just don’t get together as often as we used to or anywhere near as often as we would like. So when we do – men and children, be forewarned -watch out! As the aforementioned kids know, all too well, we love to be together! I made these spicy little empanadas, crab cakes (that recipe to be posted tomorrow), and grapefruit-cranberry martinis … love you girls! (and even with all the love I have for you both – you may not comment on the riddles – although I would still love to get a comment of any other sort!) xoxo

Mini Chorizo-Chipotle Chicken Empanadas

Dough
2  1/4 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoons salt
1/8 teaspoon ground chipotle chile powder (optional)
1 stick (1/2 cup) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg
1/3 cup ice water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar

Filling
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 large white onion, peeled and finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1/2 cup Spanish chorizo
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh minced oregano
1 cup finely minced cooked chicken
1 finely minced chipotle pepper with adobo sauce
Egg wash made with 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Dough: Place flour, salt, and chile powder into the bowl of a food processor and blend with a few pulses. Add in small butter cubes and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal with some (pea-size) butter lumps. (as pictured below)

Add the egg and vinegar and pulse of couple times. With the machine running, add the ice water through the feed tube and pulse until the mixture almost begins to come together, but do not allow it to form a ball. Test to see that dough will hold together by grabbing a handful and squeeze. You can see the piece I tested on the right below.

Empty out dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap. Use the wrap to bring dough together and form dough into a flat rectangle and chill, enclosed in the plastic wrap, at least 1 hour. (Although you will be rolling out little circles, by forming the dough into a rectangle, it is easier to divide into 24 equally pieces than it would be if you formed it into the usual flat disk)

While dough is chilling, make filling: Heat a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat, add oil and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until golden, about 12 minutes. Add garlic, bell peppers, salt, and oregano; cook, stirring frequently, until peppers are very soft, about 8 minutes. Add chorizo and stir to break up, until cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, blend together minced chicken and chipotle. Add to skillet and stir to blend. Cool filling to room temperature.

Position oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees. Use a pastry scraper or knife to divide dough into 24 equal pieces. Working with 4 pieces at a time, form each into a small flat disk, rounding out the corners by squeezing them in. Keep the remaining pieces covered in the plastic wrap to prevent drying. Roll out the 4 disks on a lightly floured surface with a floured rolling pin into 3 1/2-inch rounds.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon filling onto center of each round and fold dough in half, enclosing filling. Press edges together to seal, then crimp with the tines of a fork. Transfer empanadas to a baking sheet. Make 20 more empanadas in same manner, arranging on 2 baking sheets.

Lightly brush empanadas with egg wash. (may be made ahead at this point and either refrigerated for up to one day or frozen on baking sheets, then transferred to freezer zip-lock bags for up to 1 month.)

Bake in upper and lower thirds of oven, switching position of sheets halfway through baking, until golden, about 25 minutes. Transfer empanadas to a rack to cool at least 5 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Makes 24

There are a multitude of things I like about this soup; #1 It is super green – one of my favorite colors, #2 It is super healthy – no roux or cream to thicken, and #3 It is super versatile.

It is just right for St. Patrick’s Day thanks to it’s super greenness (only about 23 day away – yes I do count it down- I can’t help it – I’m 100% Irish !) It is already plenty healthy as is, but even more so when prepared vegetarian style using vegetable broth and tofu instead of chicken broth and chicken. And it is perfect for Lent, just replace the chicken with cooked and diced shrimp and you’re all set for a Friday night meal.

Spinach and Bell Pepper Soup with Chicken

2 yellow bell peppers
2 tablespoon olive oil, divided
1 large shallot, peeled and finely diced
4 garlic cloves, peeled and finely minced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 pound fresh baby spinach, divided
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice

2 cups shredded cooked chicken, warmed
1/2 cup minced red onion
1/2 cup diced seeded tomato
6 lime slices

Cut off the ends of the bell peppers, slit open each pepper and use knife to remove the membranes and seeds. Cut 1 whole pepper and three-quarters of the second pepper into a coarse dice. Finely diced the remaining one-quarter portion and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large soup pot, add the diced shallot and the coarse dice bell peppers, sauté for about 5 minutes until shallots and peppers are soft, season with salt and pepper. Stir in the garlic, cilantro and cumin; cook over low heat for 2 minutes.

Add all but 1 packed cup of the spinach to the pot, set the 1 cup spinach aside with the reserved finely diced bell pepper. Stir and continue to cook until spinach is wilted, add the chicken broth, increase heat to medium high and simmer for 10 minutes. Add lime juice and taste, adding salt and pepper as needed.

While soup simmers, heat a small skillet over medium-high heat and add remaining tablespoon olive oil; sauté red onion and the reserved finely diced bell pepper until soft, add the diced tomato and heat 2 minutes, remove from heat and set aside.

Make stacks with the reserved 1 cup packed spinach leaves, roll the stacks and thinly slice the leaves; this style of cut is called a chiffonade, set aside.

Using a slotted spoon, lift out the solids out of the soup pot and place in a blender. Using a ladle, add a couple ladlefuls of the liquid and blend until smooth, return to soup pot and stir to blend. Heat soup and taste again for seasoning, adding salt and pepper as needed.

Evenly divide the shredded chicken and the spinach chiffonade between 6 soup bowls. Gently pour or ladle the soup over and top each bowl with the sautéed onion-pepper-tomato mixture. Garnish each soup with a lime slice.

Serves 6