Comfort Foods | Megan Peck Cooks

Middle Eastern Vegetable Bake

March 1, 2015 by Megan Leave a Comment

It can be difficult to eat healthy this time of year. Especially here in the Northeast where we just made it through one of the coldest February’s on record. Heavier fatty foods like mac and cheese or meatloaf and mashed potatoes are often enticing while really fresh produce is harder and harder to find. We have to remind ourselves to “eat your vegetables” like our mothers always said, because the idea of a salad for lunch when it’s 5 degrees outside, just doesn’t cut it. Enter the Middle Eastern Vegetable Bake. This vegetable mélange is the solution to healthy eating and cold weather cravings – with a touch of warmth.

An old-fashioned recipe, straight from “The Art of Good Cooking,” by my grandmother Paula Peck – this is a healthy lunch or side dish that is sure to provide those daily servings of vegetables you’re missing. Easy-to-find vegetables like zucchini, eggplant, red pepper, cabbage, onion, potatoes, and carrots are thrown together into a casserole then baked until softened and the flavors are combined. The fragrant aroma of garlic and fresh parsley fills the kitchen as it bakes. Any excuse to use the oven to help heat the house up this time of year is a bonus but the resulting guiltless veggie dish makes it even better.

I’m not sure what makes this dish Middle Eastern – if I had to guess, it would be the addition of grapes. It sounds a bit strange but baked grapes add a sweetness that the other vegetables are missing and balances the dish. The different textures and juices of the vegetables in this simple casserole, will make remembering to eat your vegetables this winter, a much easier task.

Middle Eastern Vegetable Bake

Ingredients

½ cup olive oil

1 small eggplant, cut in cubes

2 small tomatoes, sliced ½ inch thick

1 medium zucchini, cut in ½ inch slices

1 medium red pepper, cubed

8 cloves of garlic, sliced

1 onion, sliced

3 stalks of celery, diced

1 cup shredded cabbage

1 cup diced green beans

3 carrots, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch slices

2 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into ½ cubes

1 cup seedless grapes

1 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

½ teaspoon crumbled bay leaf

salt

pepper

hot sauce (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour a few tablespoons of the olive oil in a large casserole or baking dish. Make one individual layer of each of the vegetables (including a layer of garlic) and grapes, seasoning each layer with salt, pepper, parsly, oregano, basil, bay leaf, and a little olive oil. Make the top layer an assortment of all of the vegetables. Bake uncovered for 30-50 minutes or until all vegetables are tender. Serve warm with hot sauce (if using).

Serves. 8

Baked Sriracha BBQ Chicken

February 22, 2015 by Megan Leave a Comment

Have you heard of a little hot sauce called Sriracha? This Asian inspired chili sauce phenomenon continues dominate condiment sales across the US and seems to be a never ending trend. I’m a big fan so it was only a matter of time before this tasty spicy sauce made into one of my recipe posts. Combining an old fashioned classic BBQ sauce with hot sriracha seemed like a natural step. The sweet and spicy flavors of this sauce and tender pieces of chicken are like long lost friends. This pairing was meant to be.

Classic BBQ Chicken (the oven baked version with BBQ sauce) has recently been climbing the ranks of my favorite comfort foods list. Although BBQ Chicken is usually associated with summer grilling, there’s something comforting about baking chicken brushed with BBQ sauce and eating it with mash potatoes to suck up the flavorful juices. The only thing missing was a little spice. Sriracha chili sauce adds the spicy warmth this traditional dish was missing.

The base of the BBQ sauce recipe came from “The James Beard Cookbook,” by James beard – friend and mentor of my grandmother, Paula Peck. By omitting a few ingredients and adding sriracha and lime juice, this recipe turned into an addictive sweet and spicy sauce that marries well with not only chicken, but other meats and vegetables alike.

Although both my grandmother and James Beard never had the chance to taste sriracha or experience this nationwide obsession, I think they would have enjoyed it. As reflected in her cookbooks and recipes, my grandmother loved international cooking and ingredients. I imagine that if given the chance, a bottle of sriracha would have been a permament staple at the Peck household. She may have even created a sweet and spicy Sriracha BBQ chicken recipe such as this – garnished with finely chopped cilantro and a cooling side of avocado to balance the spice, of course.

Note: this BBQ chicken is also great on the grill!

Baked Sriracha BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

Sriracha BBQ Sauce

¼ cup olive oil

1 onion, finely chopped

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 cup tomato puree

½ cup chicken broth

¼ cup Worcestershire sauce

½ cup honey

½ cup sriracha chili sauce

juice of 1 lime

Any combination of skinless chicken:

6 legs and 6 thighs or

6 legs and 3-4 chicken breasts

Instructions

Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add dry mustard and sauté for 1 minute. Add tomato puree, chicken broth, Worcestershire sauce, and honey. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in Sriracha sauce and lime juice. Allow sauce to cool slightly before using on chicken.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly oil a 9 x 13 baking dish. Place chicken pieces in the dish in one layer. Brush or spoon BBQ sauce over chicken.

Bake in oven for 45 minutes – 1hour or until juices run clear, basting chicken with sauce every 15 minutes.

Serve with avocado and chopped cilantro.

Turkey Chili with All The Fixins

February 8, 2015 by Megan Leave a Comment

Warming one pot meals are a welcome site this time of year. After shoveling multiple inches of snow in the bone-chilling cold, coming home to a hot steaming bowl of chili could not be more comforting. Plus this chili is healthy (bonus!). I used turkey instead of beef for this lowfat version but the spices and an uncommon special ingredient round out the flavors of this dish to make it just as tasty as the beef version. The special ingredient is chocolate. Yes, chocolate. Not the sweet kind but unsweetened and no, you won’t taste it. It simply adds a deep rich flavor to the chili.

This recipe is a combination I created from recipes I’ve made in the past by both my mother and grandmother. I always liked the zing of the canned diced tomatoes and green chile in my mother’s recipe – pantry items are always a plus this time of year. While my grandmother used beef brisket instead of ground turkey in her beef chili recipe in “The Art of Good Cooking,” she also used that magical special ingredient, chocolate. Together with beans, garlic, onion, and of course, chili powder, this is one irresistible easy weeknight meal.

The harshest days of winter may have come late this year but they are here now and it’s probably no surprise that I turn to classic dishes such as this to get me through the worst of it. I can eat this chili all week, it gets better as it sits. Just change up the toppings: avocado and cheese for a few days then tomato and sour cream. Top it off with a sprinkle of cilantro and the freezing snowy days seem just a little more bearable.

Turkey Chili with All The Fixins

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 lb of ground turkey

½ teaspoon salt

3 cloves of garlic, minced

1 onion, diced

1 ½ tablespoons of chili powder

1/8 teaspoon cumin

¼ oz unsweetened chocolate or ½ tablespoon cocoa powder

2 tablespoons tomato paste

14.5 oz can diced tomatoes in juice

4 oz can chopped green chiles

15 oz can pinto beans, rinsed and drained

2 cups of broth or water

salt and pepper

Toppings

diced avocado

grated cheddar cheese

chopped cilantro

diced tomato

sour cream

chopped onion

Instructions

Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and heat for 1 minute. Add ground turkey and sprinkle with ½ teaspoon salt. Brown while breaking up meat with a spatula until pink is no longer visible. Remove turkey from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil and leftover turkey juices over medium heat. Add onion and garlic. Let sauté for a few minutes, until onion is translucent. Add chili and cumin. Add chocolate and allow to melt. Stir in tomato paste, diced tomatoes, green chiles.

Bring to a simmer and add beans. Add broth or water and bring to a simmer. Add cooked ground turkey and bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Allow to simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Serve hot with choice of toppings.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

January 18, 2015 by Megan 2 Comments

Macaroni and Cheese is an American classic. It’s practically a staple in our diets, or at least the boxed version was while growing up in the 80’s and 90’s. When craving the favorite cheese drenched pasta, how do you decide which one to make? From baked and boxed to fancier truffle and healthier spinach versions – there’s a variation to match any specific craving. I keep it simple: if I’m craving comforting mac and cheese and willing to consume large amounts of this caloric delight for dinner, I want the real deal. Extra cheesy baked macaroni and cheese with a lightly crunchy top – no funny business.

This mac and cheese recipe is not from my grandmother’s books or any of her colleagues, it’s a creation of my own. As I expand this blog to include other classic recipes besides those of my grandmothers, classic baked mac and cheese was a obvious necessity. My grandmother had very few pasta recipes – I’m not sure if this was due to the time period (1960’s), or if it was just a category she was still in the process of mastering. Either way, there are some great classic pasta recipes out there, such as mac and cheese, that I felt should be included here.

Although this is a classic baked version, it is extra cheesy. This recipe includes four different types of cheeses: sharp cheddar, gruyere, parmesan, and mozzarella. Cheddar and gruyere are used in the cheese sauce and the mozzarella and parmesan are used in the gooey yet crunchy bread crumb topping. The combination of cheeses not only provides different textures but also different layers in flavor.

Another minor difference between this recipe and classic mac and cheese, is the pasta. While macaroni can easily be used, I prefer cavatappi pasta. This squiggly pasta is like macaroni with ridges and an extra curl at the end. The result is more pasta and more crevices for the cheesy sauce to hide. Rich with tender noodles and melted sharp cheese, each bite will satisfy that common craving for this American tradition.

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup bread crumbs

1 lb cavatappi or elbow macaroni pasta

3 1/2 cups milk

3 tablespoons flour

1 teaspoon mustard

pinch nutmeg

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

5 ½ cup grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup grated gruyere

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly butter a 9- by 13-inch baking dish.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter. Place the parmesan and bread crumbs in a small bowl and stir in the melted butter.

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the pasta until al dente (just tender). Drain the noodles (do not rinse).

In a small saucepan over moderate heat, warm the milk just until it simmers— careful not to boil. Remove from the heat.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter. Whisk in flour. Cook just until the mixture starts to turn a golden/tan color, about 3 minutes. Slowly add the warm milk, whisking constantly until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the dry mustard, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Add 5 cups grated cheddar cheese and gruyere. Stir until it's completely melted. Season to taste.

Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked pasta and stir to coat the pasta in the sauce.

Pour the macaroni and cheese into the prepared baking dish and top with mozzarella, remaining ½ cup of cheddar and the bread crumb mixture. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Beef Stew

January 11, 2015 by Megan Leave a Comment

As the darkest and coldest part of the winter looms, the next three months or so are the most difficult to get through. There’s little to look forward to (the Super Bowl doesn’t quite do it for me) and spring seems so far away. This is when I remind myself that it’s stew and soup season. These hearty but often healthy dishes can be as comforting as a fire in a fireplace (which most of us don’t have in NYC) on a cold winter day. If this winter becomes anything like last years – and lets hope it doesn’t – stews and soups are like that forgiving friend that’s always there for you. The cook times can work around your schedule and often the longer a soup or stew sits, the better it tastes. An easy one pot meal that can be made in the slow cooker while you’re at work.

Though it may not be the prettiest, this beef stew is a classic recipe that I adapted from my good old friend, “The James Beard Cookbook.” I also referred to a version by my grandmother, Paula Peck, in “The Art of Good Cooking.” Instead of just the standard, beef, potatoes, carrots, and onions – I also added mushrooms, tomatoes, and celery. Feel free to experiment with whichever vegetables you prefer. Since the beef needs to be cooked slowly to break down the fat and make it tender, I added each vegetable throughout the cooking process accordingly to my preferred doneness for each one. However, both the vegetables and beef could all easily be thrown together in a slow cooker. After just a few hours, the house smells of rich beef broth with scents of onion and thyme. Serve alone or over rice – the broth acts like a thick gravy that will be devoured with each steaming beefy bite. It may even make you forget about the long stretch of winter ahead, at least for the moment.

Beef Stew

Ingredients

2 lbs beef round or lean beef chuck, cubed

½ cup all purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, large dice

1 clove garlic

2 ½-3 cups beef stock or broth

1 bay leaf

4 red potatoes, diced

4 carrots, peeled and diced

3 stalks celery, diced

3 sprigs parsley

2 sprigs fresh thyme

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1 tomato, seeded and chopped

Instructions

Place flour in a shallow dish and add salt and pepper. Roll meat cubes in flour mixture.

Melt butter in a large heavy soup pot or dutch oven over medium heat. Add garlic and beef cubes. Brown beef cubes on all sides.

Add enough stock to fully cover meat. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer. Add the bay leaf. Simmer, degreasing occasionally, until beef is tender (1 ½-2 hours).

Halfway through cooking (about 45 minutes), add the potatoes, carrots, celery, parsley, and thyme. Add the mushrooms and tomato about 15-20 minutes later.

Serves 6-8

Remove the thyme stems and bay leaf. Serve hot in large bowls or with rice.

The Best Recipes of 2014

December 28, 2014 by Megan Leave a Comment

It’s been an interesting year. From the disappearance of Malaysia flight 370 to the Ebola outbreak and many other poignant news stories, those compiling this year’s lists of highlights and countdowns have their work cutout for them. Since I’ve never done a list of highlights on this blog before but I always catch myself reading those that I come across, I thought I would give it try – for my recipe posts, not news events of course (I have no business discussing those). So I went back and reviewed the roughly 30 recipe posts of 2014 and picked my favorite 5 recipes, almost exclusively based on taste. Yes, pretty photos and writing are important but what we really want is a darn tasty recipe, right?

Before we get to the top 5 picks, other notable highlights of 2014 for Megan Peck Cooks include the a few stories I wrote for Edible Magazine:

Striped Bass Plaki on Edible East End – a story about my grandmother’s amazing whole striped bass dish made with local Eastern Long Island seafood.

Linzer Torte on Edible Manhattan (featured in the Holiday Issue) – holiday memories surrounding my grandmother, Paula Peck’s, festive cocoa scented Linzer Torte Recipe.

I also had the honor of participating in the research for “1000 Foods to Eat Before You Die,” by Mimi Sheraton – just recently released and can be purchased on amazon (available in bookstores January 13th). It was such a pleasure to work with Mimi Sheraton, a good friend of my grandmother’s.

Now for my top 5 recipe posts of 2014:

Classic Baked Lasagna

A classic lasagna recipe made with béchamel sauce instead of ricotta cheese. This will quickly become your favorite lasagna recipe and replace that tomato sauce-drenched version from the local mediocre Italian restaurant.

Smoked Salmon in Sour Cream-Horseradish Sauce

Horseradish, salmon, and dill add a freshness to this dip-like spread. Add a few slices of cucumbers for a refreshing crunch and this is the perfect light lunch or appetizer.

Salad Nicoise with a Twist

A salad nicoise that doesn’t follow any of the rules. Purple Peruvian potatoes, cherry tomatoes, and garlic scapes are added to make an amazing seasonal salad, exploding with flavor.

Stuffed Baked Apples with Homemade Caramel Sauce

Baked apples are taken to a whole new level with this crisp stuffed version. Oats, sugar, butter, and cinnamon are stuffed into a whole apple then baked and topped with homemade caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream. Excessiveness never tasted so good.

Ginger Almond Sandwich Cookies

Lemon buttercream fills these spicy ginger almond sandwiches. A Paula Peck cookie favorite turned into irresistible sandwiches that will disappear as fast as you can make them.

Happy New Year and hope to see you all in 2015.

Asparagus au Gratin

June 8, 2014 by Megan Leave a Comment

As asparagus floods the farmers markets, Spring is quickly turning into summer. This seasonal vegetable along with arugula, are often a few of the first signs of warmer weather yet to come. Now, with the abundance of fresh summer produce within reach, it’s time to end Asparagus season with a bang. Asparagus au Gratin is a rich decadent dish that sounds a little fancier than it really is. Think cheesy asparagus…or better yet: Mac & Cheese (minus the Mac).

It may seem like a shame to take a healthy vegetable like asparagus and make it somewhat unhealthy. Many French dishes have a knack for doing this but once you taste them, you forget why you were ever concerned in the first place. This is one of those dishes. Another delightful recipe adapted from “The New York Times Cookbook” by my grandmother’s friend and dear colleague, Craig Claiborne. Cheddar and Parmesan cheeses are added to a simple béchamel style sauce and then layered with barely cooked fresh green asparagus spears. A quick browning in the oven blends the two together and gives this dish the final touch. Perfect as a side dish for grilled meat, chicken, or even fish – this gratin is a crowd pleaser. And don’t worry, your beach body diet can wait an extra day…

Asparagus au Gratin

Ingredients

1/4 cup unsalted butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

1/4 cup light cream

3/4 cup grated Cheddar cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

salt and pepper

36 asparagus spears

Instructions

Cook asparagus in a large pot of boiling, salted water until just barely tender. Strain and set aside.

In a saucepan, melt the butter, add the flour and stir with a wire whisk until well blended. Meanwhile bring the chicken broth and cream to a boil and add all at once to a butter-flour mixture, stirring vigorously with the whisk until the sauce is thickened and smooth. Add the cheeses, salt and pepper, and stir until cheeses melt.

Place alternate layers of sauce and asparagus in a buttered casserole, ending with a layer of sauce. Sprinkle with additional Parmesan cheese and brown quickly under a preheated boiler or bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 5 minutes.

Adapted from “The New York Times Cookbook,” by Craig Claiborne.

Chicken Saltimbocca

October 7, 2012 by Megan Leave a Comment

Saltimbocca has become somewhat of a classic. Originally Mediterranean, the name Saltimbocca is Italian for “jump in mouth” – a reference to the flavor explosion that takes place while eating this dish. There are varying ways to make saltimbocca. Veal, sage, capers, and sometimes provolone cheese are common ingredients. However, in each scenario the basics remain the same: the chicken or veal is sautéed and prosciutto is always involved (though I see no reason why you couldn’t use ham for a less expensive version). This recipe for Chicken Saltimbocca from “The Art of Good Cooking” happens to include black olives, which is somewhat rare but the beauty of this dish is its flexibility. Though I didn’t add it here, I think roasted red pepper could also make a nice addition to the center filling. The mozzarella is a natural match with the prosciutto and the crunchiness of the breading that soaks up some of the garlic butter is a combination that’s worth it alone – the other ingredients are just a bonus!

Note: the original recipe did not include toothpicks. I find that it’s easier to ensure the filling stays between the two cutlets by securing each package with a couple of toothpicks. Just make sure to take them out after cooking!

Chicken Saltimbocca

Ingredients

6 chicken breasts, boned, skinned, and cut in half (or 12 thin chicken cutlets)

6 thin slices of prosciutto, cut in half

12 pieces of mozzarella cheese, about ½ inch thick rectangles

12 pitted black olives, halved

1 teaspoon ground black pepper

½ cup flour

1 egg

3 tablespoons milk

2 cups bread crumbs of your choice

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 cloves garlic, finely minced

½ cup chopped Italian parsley

toothpicks (optional)

¼ cup butter and ¼ cup olive oil (or enough to cover the bottom of a large skillet to a ¼ inch depth, equal parts)

Instructions

On one side of each breast or cutlet, place a piece of prosciutto, a piece of mozzarella, and two olive halves. Sprinkle with freshly ground pepper. Fold unfilled side over to cover filling, and press edges firmly together to enclose filling or secure with toothpicks.

Flour each package so it is dusted on all sides. Beat egg slightly, adding milk. Dip chicken packages into mixture on both sides. Then dip into bread crumbs. Chill for at least a ½ hour or longer.

Melt ¼ cup butter in a small saucepan. Add half the chopped garlic and parsley. Keep warm until chicken is cooked.

Heat butter and olive oil in skillet with remaining garlic and parsley until fats are hot but not smoking. Place breaded chicken in skillet and turn heat to medium high. Saute chicken quickly, only until golden. Turn once to cook the other side.

Remove to heated serving dish. Remove toothpicks, if using. Pour warm garlic parsley butter on top.

Serves 8-10.

Adapted from “The Art of Good Cooking,” by Paula Peck.