Cold Weather Comfort Foods
Cold weather means that we are going to be in need of a warm pick me up at the end of the day. These following 7 recipes are amazing comfort foods to eat on a cold winters day. As an added bonus you can make enough for leftovers (lunch) the next day.
Clam Chowder
Ingredients
4 slices bacon, diced
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 1/2 cups water
4 cups peeled and cubed potatoes
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
ground black pepper to taste
3 cups half-and-half
3 tablespoons butter
2 (10 ounce) cans minced clams
Instructions
Place diced bacon in large stock pot over medium-high heat. Cook until almost crisp; add onions, and cook 5 minutes. Stir in water and potatoes, and season with salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, or until potatoes are fork tender.
Pour in half-and-half, and add butter. Drain clams, reserving clam liquid; stir clams and 1/2 of the clam liquid into the soup. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until heated through. Do not allow to boil.
Tomato Bisque
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon minced bacon (about 1/2 ounce)
1 Spanish onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
5 cups chicken broth, homemade or low-sodium canned
1 (28-ounce) can whole, peeled tomatoes (with liquid), roughly chopped
3 parsley sprigs
3 fresh thyme sprigs
1 bay leaf
1 cup heavy cream
1 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
Heat the butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook, stirring, until crisp and most of the fat has rendered, about 1 minute. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. Lower the heat to medium, add the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until soft and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Stir in the flour and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Pour in the broth and tomatoes and bring to a boil while whisking constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, thyme, and bay leaf together with a piece of kitchen twine and add to the pot. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
When the soup base is cool, remove and discard the herb bundle. Working in batches, transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. Using a sieve over a large bowl, strain the tomato puree. Return the puree to the pot and reheat over medium heat.
Whisk the heavy cream and salt into the soup and season with pepper to taste. Divide among warm soup bowls, garnish with the crispy bacon, and serve immediately.
Pork and Green Bean Stir-Fry
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds pork sirloin chops or pork blade steaks, bones removed
1 1/2 cups jasmine rice, rinsed
Zest of 1 lemon, removed in wide strips with a vegetable peeler
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed and halved
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 red jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
Chopped fresh cilantro and/or mint, for topping
Instructions
Put the pork in the freezer while you prepare the rice. Put the rice in a medium saucepan and add 2 cups water, the lemon zest and 1/2 teaspoon salt; bring to a boil. Stir, then cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook until the water is absorbed, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand 10 minutes. Fluff the rice with a fork.
Meanwhile, cut the pork into 1 1/2-by-1/2-inch strips. Season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat until very hot. Add half the pork and cook until browned, about 2 minutes per side. Remove to a large bowl; repeat with the remaining pork.
Add another 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet over medium heat. Add the green beans, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/3 cup water; cook, stirring, until the water evaporates and the green beans start browning, about 6 minutes. Add to the pork.
Add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, the garlic, jalapeno and ginger to the skillet and cook, stirring, until golden, 1 minute. Add the brown sugar, fish sauce and 1/4 cup water; cook until the sauce is thick and bubbling, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the pork and green beans to the sauce and toss until glazed, about 1 minute; season with salt. Serve the stir-fry with the rice; top with cilantro and/or mint.
Baked Spinach Ravioli
Ingredients
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 9-ounce packages refrigerated cheese ravioli
1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 ounces low-moisture mozzarella, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup grated grana padano or parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the broiler. Melt the butter in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion, garlic and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until the onion is soft and just starts browning, about 6 minutes.
Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring, until smooth and bubbling, about 2 minutes. Stir in 2 cups water, the milk, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer. Stir in the ravioli and cook, stirring occasionally, until the ravioli are tender and the sauce thickens, 5 to 7 minutes.
Remove from the heat. Discard the rosemary sprigs and stir in the spinach. Sprinkle with the mozzarella and grana padano. Place the skillet under the broiler until golden and bubbling, about 5 minutes.
Pulled Pork Sandwiches
Ingredients
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon paprika
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 pork shoulder roast (also called pork butt)
4 onions, cut into halves
1 bottle good barbecue sauce and good-quality hamburger rolls, for serving
Instructions
Stir together the brown sugar, chile powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper and cayenne in a small bowl. Rub the mixture all over the pork shoulder. Wrap the pork in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours or preferably overnight.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
Place the pork in a large pot on a bed of the onion halves. Roast until fork-tender and falling apart, about 7 hours. Remove the pork from the pot and set it on a cutting board. Slice some of the onion.
Place the pot on the stove over medium-high heat and add 1/2 to 1 cup of hot water. Scrape the pan to loosen up the bits and cook for 5 minutes to reduce. Pour in the barbecue sauce and stir to heat.
Shred the meat with two forks, add the sliced onions to the pork and then toss in the barbecue sauce until it's coated to your liking! Serve on hamburger rolls.
Pulled Jack-fruit Sandwiches
Ingredients
1 tablespoon | 15 ml olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 20 oz cans young, green jackfruit in brine (NOT syrup)
1 cup BBQ sauce
1 cup | 240 ml water
1-2 tablespoons sriracha or chlili paste (optional)
salt + pepper to taste
8 gluten free burger/sandwich buns
Instructions
Drain and rinse jackfruit.
Heat the oil in a large skillet. When the oil is hot add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes until the onion is soft.
Add the rinsed jackfruit, BBQ sauce and water to the skillet. Stir well and cover leaving to cook on a medium low heat for at least 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Preheat oven to 400°F/200°C. Line a large baking sheet with baking parchment and set aside.
Use a potato masher or spatula to mash and pull apart the jackfruit so that it resembles pulled pork. Taste and season with chilli paste (if using) and salt and pepper.
To finish, spread the pulled jackfruit across the lined baking sheet in an even layer and bake in the oven for 10 minutes.
Stir in additional BBQ sauce if desired. Add to your burger buns and serve.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Ingredients
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more for the dish
Kosher salt
8 ounces mini penne pasta
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole milk
1 bay leaf
Pinch of cayenne pepper
1 1/2 cups grated monterey jack cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups grated gruyere cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup grated sharp cheddar cheese (about 3 ounces)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter a shallow 2-quart baking dish; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook as the label directs for al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain.
Meanwhile, melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, whisking, until smooth and lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Add the bay leaf, cayenne and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook, whisking occasionally, until the sauce comes to a simmer and thickens slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
Remove the bay leaf from the sauce and whisk in the monterey jack, gruyere and cheddar one cheese at a time, allowing each cheese to melt before adding more. Add the pasta and stir until coated, adding the reserved cooking water as needed to loosen (the sauce will thicken as it bakes).
Transfer the pasta mixture to the prepared baking dish. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the microwave. Add the panko, parmesan and a pinch of salt; stir to combine. Scatter over the pasta and bake until the crumbs are browned and crisp, 15 to 20 minutes.
