Fish and Chips From Martha Stewart Living Site

Martha Stewart Living, March 2002

·         Yield Serves 4

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Ingredients

·         2 large russet potatoes (about 1 pound), scrubbed

·         Four 6-ounce Chilean sea bass or cod fillets (about 1 inch thick), skin removed

·  For the Seasoning

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

·         1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

·  For the Coating

·         1/3 cup low-fat buttermilk

·         1/3 cup yellow cornmeal

·         1/4 teaspoon paprika

·  For the Garnish

·         Lemon wedges

·         Malt vinegar

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Arrange racks in upper and lower thirds of oven.

2.     Cut potatoes lengthwise into 1/4-inch thick strips. Rinse well in a large bowl of cold water, and pat dry with a kitchen towel. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon oil, and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper; toss well. Arrange strips in an even layer on the sheet. Bake on lower rack until golden and crisp, about 30 minutes.

3.     Meanwhile, place fish fillets in a large bowl. Add buttermilk, and gently turn fish to coat. In another shallow bowl, combine cornmeal, paprika, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper. Add fillets to cornmeal one at a time, turning to completely coat. Transfer to a plate while repeating with remaining fillets.

4.     Heat a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining tablespoon of oil; swirl to coat. Add fillets, being careful not to overcrowd pan. Cook until nicely crusted, about 1 minute; turn over with a spatula. Place skillet in top third of oven, and cook until firm but beginning to flake when pressed in the center, about 8 minutes. Transfer to plates, and serve with potatoes. Serve lemon wedges and malt vinegar on the side.

Butternut Squash and Sage Lasagna From Martha Stewart Living Site

Ingredients

·         3 1/2 pounds butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1-inch pieces

·         2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

·         Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

·         1 pound whole-milk ricotta cheese

·         1/2 cup heavy cream

·         2 large egg yolks

·         1/2 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)

·         Freshly grated nutmeg

·         2 tablespoons unsalted butter

·         1/3 cup loosely packed fresh sage leaves, coarsely chopped

·         1 1/4 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium chicken stock

·         Fresh Lasagna Noodles, (you will need only 1/2 of the batch), cut into 4-by-13-inch strips and cooked, or store-bought dried noodles, cooked

·         4 ounces finely grated Parmesan cheese (1 1/4 cups)

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Toss squash, oil, and 1 teaspoon salt on a baking sheet. Season with pepper. Bake until light gold and tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool.

2.     Reduce oven temperature to 375 degrees. Combine ricotta, cream, yolks, mozzarella, and a pinch of nutmeg in a medium bowl. Season with salt.

3.     Melt butter in a small saute pan over medium-high heat. As soon as it starts to sizzle, add sage, and cook until light gold and slightly crisp at edges, 3 to 4 minutes.

4.     Place squash in a medium bowl, and mash 1/2 of it with the back of a wooden spoon, leaving the other 1/2 in whole pieces. Gently stir in sage-butter mixture and stock. Season with salt and pepper.

5.     Spread 3/4 cup of ricotta mixture in a 9-cup baking dish. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1/2 of the butternut squash mixture over noodles. Top with a layer of noodles. Spread 1 cup of ricotta mixture over noodles. Repeat layering once more (noodles, squash, noodles, ricotta). Sprinkle Parmesan over ricotta mixture.

6.     Place baking dish on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until cheese is golden and bubbling, 30 to 35 minutes. Let stand for 15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Cook's Note     

Because fresh pasta is more supple than dried, the uncovered edge of store-bought noodles will crisp more readily than the fresh version.

Baked Shells with Winter Squash From Martha Stewart Living Site

Ingredients

·         Butter, for baking dish

·         4 tablespoons olive oil

·         2 large onions, halved and thinly sliced

·         Coarse salt and ground pepper

·         2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary leaves

·         1 pound small pasta shells

·         1 package (12 ounces) frozen winter squash puree, thawed

·         1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

·         3 slices crusty baguette, cut into 1/4-inch cubes (1 1/2 cups)

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions; season with salt and pepper. Cover; cook until onions are soft and release liquid, 15 minutes. Uncover; raise heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until onions are browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir in 1 teaspoon rosemary.

2.     Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water 2 minutes less than package instructions suggest. Drain, reserving 1 1/2 cups cooking water. Return pasta to pot.

3.     Stir squash and reserved pasta water into onions; simmer 2 minutes. Toss squash mixture and 1/2 cup Parmesan with pasta. Transfer to prepared dish.

4.     Combine bread cubes with remaining Parmesan, rosemary, and oil; season with salt and pepper. Top pasta with bread cubes; bake until golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes

Baked Ravioli From Martha Stewart Living Site

Ingredients

·         2 tablespoons olive oil

·         1 medium onion, chopped

·         3 cloves garlic, minced

·         Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

·         1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme, or oregano

·         1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes

·         1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes

·         2 pounds store-bought frozen ravioli

·         1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella

·         1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, and season with salt and pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, until sauce is thickened and reduced to about 5 1/2 cups, 20 to 25 minutes.

2.     Meanwhile, cook ravioli in a large pot of boiling salted water just until they float to the top (pasta will continue to cook in oven). Drain pasta; return to pot.

3.     Toss sauce with pasta. Pour pasta into a large gratin dish or 9-by-13-inch baking dish, and sprinkle with cheeses. Bake until golden, 20 to 25 minutes. Cool slightly before serving