Weeknight Special

Last Tuesday I made a quick meal after a long day at work. It was a simple one, with few ingredients and uncomplicated procedures. I was pleasantly surprised to hear Pat claim that it was a winner, "one of your best!". The only thing I could reply with was, "Say, what??". I couldn't believe him. I usually spend at least an hour preparing a feast, using all sorts of seasonal and exotic (at times) ingredients. This meal - mashed potatoes, green beans, and mushrooms - was in his top 5? Maybe even his favorite? I was floored. So while this menu is super simple, as it was a "winner," here it is!

Balsamic Roasted Portobello Mushrooms: Yields 4 Servings (1 mushroom each)
4 large portobello mushrooms
1 cup prepared balsamic vinaigrette

1. Place mushrooms gill-side up in a baking dish. Pour vinaigrette over the top. Marinate for 1-2 hours, turning every 30 minutes.
2. Heat oven to 400. Roast until tender, about 8 minutes. Drain before slicing.


Parmesan Mashed Potatoes: Yields 4-6 Servings
2 lbs Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and large diced
salt, to taste
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Mascarpone cheese
2 T butter
2 T almond milk
pinch of nutmeg

1. Place potatoes in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Sprinkle with salt. Cover pan, venting slightly, and bring water to a boil. Remove lid and continue boiling until potatoes are fork tender. Drain.
2. Add Parmesan, Mascarpone, butter, almond milk and nutmeg. Season to taste with salt.


Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots: Yields 4 Servings
1 lb green beans, trimmed
2 T olive oil
3 large shallots, thinly sliced
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Blanch green beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender. Shock in ice water and drain.
2. Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and sweat until translucent, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook shallots until caramelized, about 4 additional minutes.
3. Add green beans and season to taste with salt and pepper. Toss in to combine.


Horseradish Cream: Yields 4 Servings
1/4 cup Creme Fraiche
1 T prepared horseradish

Combine in a small bowl.


Hope you all enjoy this quick and easy meal. It is definitely a time-saver, light on the wallet, and full of flavor. Last night, I held true to my word: I baked another pizza, utilizing the crust I froze last week. I was pleasantly surprised with the result. It was a little soggier, but that could have also been due to my slightly watery sauce. After making it, I realized that baking the crust to firm it up before topping would have been smart as well. All in all, it was a success. A gluten-free pizza crust that you can make once and enjoy twice? Check!

I most likely won't be publishing a new post for a little bit, what with the holiday fastly approaching. But I will give you a little clue as to what you have to look forward to: Blue Hill at Stone Barnes :) Happy Holidays fellow cooks, foodies, absent-minded readers, and bored Internet-browsers! Wishing you the best from my little NY kitchen.