Modern 3 Bean Salad

Modern three-bean salad
From The Boston Globe
September 15, 2010

Serves 4

Once the result of several cans of beans tossed with sugar and vinegar, three-bean salad has been updated. For ease, keep at least one can in the mix (kidney beans) and toss in your favorite variety of frozen beans (such as limas). Blanched green beans add freshness, limas and kidneys protein, bell pepper and red onion some crunch. Instead of cilantro, substitute dill or parsley, if you like. Add chopped smoked salmon for a more substantial dish, and move the salad from the side table to the main course.

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 can (15 ounces) red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
2 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 package (10 ounces) frozen lima beans, rinsed with cold water
1 green bell pepper, cored and chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 pound green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. In a skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the ground cumin and red kidney beans. Stir well for 1 minute. When they are hot, stir in vinegar.

2. Stir in limas beans. Cook for 1 minute more.

3. In a large bowl, combine bell pepper, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper. Add kidney bean mixture. Toss gently and set aside for 30 minutes or until cool.

4. Bring a saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add green beans and cook for 3 minutes, or until tender but still have some bite. Drain and rinse with cold water until the beans are no longer hot. Pat them dry with paper towels.

5. Add the green beans and cilantro to the kidney bean mixture. Toss well. Taste for seasoning, and add more salt and pepper, if you like.

Karoline Boehm Goodnick

Foodista - Best of the Food Blogs

Woohoo! My recipe for farro with asparagus and mushrooms was selected to be an entry in the Foodista Best of the Food Blogs Cookbook! Thanks to all of you who voted. I can't wait to see the book; you can pre-order a copy at Amazon.com. Happy reading!

Hog Island - Tomales Bay

We've loved Hog Island oysters and their seafood bar at the Ferry Building for a long time now, but when you want to avoid the crowds and enjoy a serene picnic on the water, Tomales Bay is where its at!


Not only can you enjoy a perfectly packed picnic, but you can check out the farm as well -- watching the sorter spin round and round as hundreds of tiny bivalves fall to one side or the other.


Whole wheat pasta salad with grilled sardines

Serves 4-6

½ pound whole wheat pasta
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 large tomato, chopped
1 small red onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1 tablespoon capers
½ cup chopped olives
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons African basil flowers (or chopped basil)
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 whole sardines, fileted
Olive oil, for rubbing

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta, and cook for 7 minutes, or until al dente.
2. Drain pasta water, and set noodles aside.
3. In a large bowl, combine all other ingredients. Add warm pasta, and toss.
4. Let stand for 1 hour at room temperature. Set the oven to broil, or heat a grill to high heat.
5. De-bone sardines and portion into filets (you can also ask your fishmonger to do this for you). Season each side with salt and pepper. Rub each filet with olive oil.
6. Place the sardines on a metal baking sheet or sizzle plate. Broil or grill for 2-3 minutes, skin side down, or until cooked through.
7. Remove sardines from pan, and serve atop pasta salad.



A special thanks to Diana, the photographer for the day, since I forgot my memory card. And, thanks to Nick, whose name-dropping even saved us a few pennies!

Mexican Corn on the Cob

Mexican corn on the cob
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Globe Correspondent | August 18, 2010

Serves 6

Also known as elote, Mexican-style corn on the cob can be boiled first or grilled over hot coals until the kernels are charred and toasty. It’s a dish that began as street food and is now served in good restaurants. The white cheese cotija is at many specialty markets, but you can substitute a dry, crumbly cheese such as feta. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper for a kick of spice, guajillo for smoky notes, or paprika for sweet earthiness. Finish with a spritz of lime to make it pop.

Salt, to taste
6 ears of corn, shucked
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup crumbled cotija cheese
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper, guajillo, or paprika
2 limes, quartered
1. In a large shallow pot, bring several inches of salted water to a boil. Add the corn, cover, and cook for 3 minutes, turning once.

2. Remove the corn from the water, and pat dry with paper towels.

3. Spread 1/2 tablespoon mayonnaise on each ear. Sprinkle corn with crumbled cheese, pressing lightly so it sticks. Sprinkle with salt and cayenne pepper, guajillo, or paprika. Serve with lime.

Barbeclette

Have a meltdown
By Karoline Boehm Goodnick, Globe Correspondent | September 1, 2010

Raclette is both a European cow’s milk cheese and a popular Swiss dish which typically consists of melted cheese scraped onto a heaping pile of boiled potatoes, pickled onions, and gherkins. Today, there are a variety of instruments used to re-create this fondue-like appetizer at home, none simpler than the Barbeclette ($12.39). Made by Boska Holland, in the Netherlands, the nonstick tray has a heatproof handle for use on outdoor grills. A campfire setting was once an essential component for raclette, dinner for Alpine cattle herders. But the tool has other uses. Melt mozzarella as a topping for vegetable skewers; combine provolone, tomatoes, and oregano in the pan for a variation of provoleta; stick by the traditional Swiss or appenzeller, melted and poured over cured meats and grilled potatoes; or top your favorite burger. Whatever way you slice it, there are few things greater than gooey, melted cheese. Available at Boston Cheese Cellar, 18 Birch St., Roslindale, 617-325-2500; Idylwilde Farms, 366 Central St., Acton, 978-263-5943.

An Austrian Celebration

This year, my father celebrated his 60th birthday. Since he is the definitive "man who has everything," we decided to make him an old school dinner as a tribute to his Austrian heritage. (My great-grandmother, Karoline, was born in Vienna; as a young teen, she migrated to the U.S. where she worked as a professional cook!) Of course, when I think of Viennese cooking, I think of breakfast pastries (they invented the croissant), intricate tortes, and schnitzel. So, the choice of Sacher Torte for dessert was a given. But how exactly does one incorporate the fresh gulf catch of the day into a menu based on the cuisine of a small, landlocked European nation? Turns out that lightly poached fish topped with a cucumber sour cream sauce was the perfect choice! Check out the rest below...


Pretzel rolls from 1994 issue of Bon Appetit...so chewy and salty.


Ben's luxurious snapper bisque -- a high note of the meal, made even more surreal by the soothing sounds of Vienna's finest composers.


An old-school throwback of German-style potato salad.


Spinach souffle seemed a logical choice given the German name - Spinatauflauf Karoline! The recipe came from Gourmet magazine's hardback publication of "Old Vienna Cookbook" -- another vintage keeper!


The main course of poached snapper.


The famous Sacher Torte - named after a hotel in Vienna, it is a light chocolate cake, filled with apricot jam, and glazed with ganache. It's sinful when topped with whipped cream.


The final touch of the evening was the genuine silver coffee service. An extremely tarnished coffee urn was polished to reveal the United Airlines logo! It appears to be a retro pot from the 1970s, used for service in the first class cabin. The rest of the set came from a 25th anniversary gift to Ben's parents. Note the whipped cream (or "schlag") -- a worthwhile indulgence that takes coffee to another level! Happy Birthday, Dad! Hope you enjoyed the gastronomic virtual trip to the mother land!

(Mom - thanks for taking the photos while we cooked!)

More From Top Chef

Other recipes we've been working on at Top Chef are panzanella (Italian bread salad) and hummus! This salad recipe is a great way to get kids to eat their veggies; everybody wants to dive right into the salad that they made with their own two hands!


Hummus becomes extra magical when Auritte explains the ritual consumption in her homeland of Israel. Wipe it up with pita or spread it on a whole wheat dinner roll.


We make hummus at home from dried garbanzo beans, but canned is easier for the kids, and you might find out the same. This simple recipe has great results.


Hummus is a middle-eastern dip made with chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), seasonings, and tahini (sesame seed butter). The dip is often served with raw vegetables, spread on pita bread, or schmeared on a sandwich.

Drizzling in the olive oil helps us to understand the process of emulsification. Think about what happens when you try to mix oil and water. The oil will float to the top and will not mix in with the water. Emulsification is the process of blending the fat and liquid together. By drizzling the oil into the machine while it is running, we can emulsify the oil and create a smooth, homogenous dip.

Serves 6 people as a dip

1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas, drained
2 cloves garlic, smashed
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons tahini
2 tablespoons olive oil
Olive oil for drizzling
Paprika for sprinkling

1. Put chickpeas, garlic, lemon juice, salt, and tahini in a food processor. Process until slightly smooth.
2. With the machine running, slowly stream in the olive oil.
3. Continue processing until hummus is smooth.
4. Taste for seasoning. Add more salt or lemon juice if necessary. Garnish with olive oil and paprika.


Whole wheat dinner rolls
Makes 12

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (1/4-ounce) package active dry yeast
1 cup warm (105 to 115°F) milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, sugar, salt and yeast. Stir in milk, butter, and egg. Beat until the mixture is smooth.
2. Add all-purpose flour and mix again until the batter is smooth.
3. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
4. Stir the batter to deflate it slightly. Grease the muffin pans with pan spray. Scoop even amounts of batter into each muffin cup.
5. Cover with plastic and set aside. Proof for about 1 hour, or until rolls have grown up over the top of the muffin pans. Set the oven at 400 degrees.
6. Bake rolls for 15- 20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm with homemade butter.