Shepherdess Pie

After reading more magazine articles than I care to admit about utilizing Thanksgiving leftovers, I thought I'd break out of the sandwich mold and get a little creative. Don't get me wrong, I had a delicious sandwich yesterday too, but I wanted to branch out with the sides. Cue the truffled mashed potatoes! I used these beauties to glam up a comfort food favorite - Shepherd's Pie. I had some extra veggies sitting around leftover from making a stock, so all I had to grab really was so ground meat.

If you don't have truffle oil to add to your potatoes, you could try a teaspoon of truffle salt as well.

Truffled mashed potatoes

2 pounds russet potatoes
3 tablespoons butter
~ 1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon truffle oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 teaspoons fresh thyme, chopped (optional)

Peel potatoes and cut into 2 inch pieces. Place in a large pot of cold, salted water (that covers the potatoes) and bring to a boil. Cook until potatoes are soft, about 20 minutes. Drain and replace in warm pot. Add butter and milk and blend until smooth, adding more milk or butter to taste. Stir in truffle oil, salt and pepper and thyme if using.

Shepherdess Pie

1 pound ground lean lamb
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
3-4 carrots, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
4 ounces fresh spinach
Truffled mashed potatoes
1 cup white cheddar (such as Seaside), grated

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, cook the lamb until browned over medium heat, about 7 to 8 minutes. Drain the fat and set aside in a bowl. Add the oil to the skillet then throw in the onion, carrots and galic and saute about 5 minutes on medium, until soft. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in rosemary. Add spinach and stir until just beginning to wilt, about 1 minute.

Add lamb mixture to a 2 quart baking dish and top with an even layer of mashed potatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Snuggle up and enjoy!

Noble Pig Charcuterie

I don't think I've ever been to a charcuterie before. I certainly didn't know what exactly it meant until I looked it up on Wikipedia. Basically a charcuterie is a specialty shop that sells preserved meats, especially pork based ones.

I had also never been to Noble Pig, although it's been on our list of places to visit for a while. When Noble Pig invited us to come sample some of the new items they will be serving from their about-to-open charcuterie, we found it hard to refuse.

Like I said, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. I think I was expecting something more like a very fine deli. I was pleasantly surprised to find quite an assortment of imaginatively prepared and preserved meats. Of course sausages and pastramis were available, but also on the list was prosciutto, terrine (both linguisa and pork), duck pate, and finally spiced pork rillettes.

All of the meats were delicious, but the toppings and garnishes were also a large part of the flavors. On the menu were compotes, 2 different kinds of pickles (each equally attractive), and apricot mustarda. All the different flavors were light and crisp enough that both Lindsay and I went back for seconds!

I'll certainly be back to Noble Pig for some sandwiches next time I get a craving (although check their website, currently they are mostly open for breakfast and lunch), and I'll also be keeping TNP Charcuterie in mind for party plates of pate or terrine.

Mrs. Apron Tackles Thanksgiving - TWICE!

Greetings from the new Mrs.! The wedding was such a wonderful blur of happiness, fun and love. Luke and I had such an amazing time celebrating with our friends and family. We then quickly jetted off to the Dominican Republic to experience our first all inclusive resort. The food was not the best part, but the resort was lovely and we had a blast!

Coming back to the states immediately thrust me into the holiday spirit. I absolutely LOVE Thanksgiving (a holiday celebrating food? Yes please!!) I'm thrilled to get to celebrate TWICE this year - once with the Robisons and again with the Lehfelds. My sister and I host Thanksgiving at her house and start planning several weeks in advance, complete with a multi-page itinerary to keep us on track. These are our usual suspects:

- Brined and roasted turkey (this year we're letting my brother in law fry it!)
- Truffled Pommes Anna (We ALWAYS Make mashed potatoes, so this is pretty daring for the Lehfelds. But with such a high recommendation from Cooking Inside the Lines, we're going for it!)
- Homemade green bean casserole with a fontina cream sauce
- Cornbread stuffing with prosciutto (This is a DELIGHTFUL recipe from Eddie V's that we've slightly adapted. It's not online that I'm aware of, so I posted it below)
- Sweet Potatoe Casserole (this is, surprisingly, a new one for us. My sister is making, and I'll be sure to share her recipe!)
- Honey baked ham (I know Thanksgiving should be all about the turkey, but we just LOVE ham (and especially the leftovers!) )
- Pumpkin pie courtesy of my mom :)
- Plenty of wine

For the Robisons, I'm bringing in some Brussels sprouts. Like my family, they're a little skeptical, but little do they know that when you cook them in rendered bacon fat, they're IRRESISTABLE. Coupled with that I'll be making my to-die-for apple crumble pie and creamy pumpkin pie.

What are your Thanksgiving traditions? Do you stick strictly to the rulebook or adventure out every year?

Cornbread and Prosciutto StuffingSlightly adapted from a recipe provided by Eddie V’s

3 ribs of celery, finely chopped
1 medium white onion, finely chopped
4 sprigs of fresh sage, chopped
1/3 lb. prosciutto
3 boxes Jiffy cornbread, prepared
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons of whole salted butter
1 pint of chicken stock, plus extra as needed
2 teaspoons of poultry seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add celery, onions, poultry seasonings, salt and pepper and saute until tender. Next add prosciutto and herbs, stir to combine.

Crumble cornbread into mixture leaving sizable chunks, then gently combine. 6. Gently fold to combine. Add enough chicken stock to moisten, and allow to heat through.

Cook in oven for 10 minutes, then enjoy!


My sister and I hosting our first Thanksgiving together in 2009!

Please hold...

Apologies for the lack of blogging lately! Turns out wedding planning takes up a lot of a girl's free time - who knew?! That said, I did want to share this tasty gem with you - only the BEST PIZZA I'VE EVER MADE. It's funny, because I made this on a night when I was feeling totally lazy and didn't want to try that hard. Sometimes, laziness pays off :)

Sun Dried Tomato and Goat Cheese Pizza

1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound whole wheat pizza dough (I picked mine up from the Whole Foods Market pizza guys)
1/4 cup prepared pesto (I had some leftover from dinner a few nights before)
1 4-oz jar sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 4-oz log goat cheese
5-6 fresh basil leaves, chopped

Pound chicken breast to 3/4 inch thickness and season with salt and pepper to taste. Grill on a grill pan until done. Set aside to rest, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread out pizza dough on a baking stone or baking sheet and spread evenly with pesto, getting close to the edges. Bake in the oven until set and beginning to brown, about 8 minutes.

Remove pizza from oven and cover with sun dried tomatoes and goat cheese, then top with chicken. Bake an additional 4-5 minutes until goat cheese is melting and crust is golden. Remove from oven and top with fresh basil. Slice it up and enjoy!


See, it's so good we ate half of it before we could take a picture :)

Wink Restaurant Review

Today Lindsay and I shared our anniversary together. In order to celebrate our two years together as a couple, I took us to Wink, located on Lamar just north of 6th Street. For some reason we hadn't been to Wink yet, despite it being high on our to-do list (and many Best of Austin lists) of date-worthy restaurants for some time. One of the amazing things about Wink is their dedication to fresh seafood and produce from local producers, and their constantly (daily!) changing menu to accommodate the ingredients they have available.

We were still feeling a little full from a slightly-too-late lunch, so we forwent the 5 course Chef's tasting menu for a hand-picked 3 course meal. Narrowing our list down to only 6 unique choices was difficult considering the wide range of options available, but we eventually settled on our decision.

First Course:

Arugula Salad - A delightful starter with oranges and a refreshing lemon cream dressing.

Tuna Poke - Even though this was the first course on the chef's tasting menu, I thought it was a little heavy to start with. The Poke was a bit under-salted, though eaten with the plantain chips it was perfectly balanced.

Second Course:

Dayboat Scallops - Incredibly tender, although a little too salty (even for me) at certain bites. The bright pink prickly pear cactus sauce was a very pretty and appropriately sweet counter-flavor, but we wanted more of it!

Steamed Pei Mussels -An ample bowl of very tender mussels in a white wine sauce with some shaved elephant garlic scattered throughout. I was a little disappointed that the jalapeno flavor didn't shine though more but pleased with the amount of mussels provided.

Third Course:

New York Strip - A thick and nicely cooked grassfed steak, but nothing about the plate really impressed me, with the possible exception of the incredibly flavorful kennebec potatos.

Seared Foie Gras - We both voted this the best plate we had. Served on a slice of brioche with a sweet almond crumble in a pear port reduction on the side. I'm not a huge fan of Foie Gras, so the meat itself didn't excite me (but Lindsay thought it was melt-in-your-mouth delicious), but the brioche provided nice body, and the sweet nuts and pears combined well to make the dish exceptional. The pear port reduction was such a nice sweet contrast, we were one step away of licking it off the plate for dessert!

Overall the waitstaff and ambiance was very good. Our waitress was rather brief and unenthusiastic, and didn't describe the first course she set down, but the front of house manager delivered the rest of the dishes to us with a detailed description and a smile. I received a very considerate confirmation call on the day of our reservation, and despite my failing to mention our anniversary (much to Lindsay's disappointment, they typically make unique menus), they were eager to satisfy my request for a table with some ambient light for pictures.

We were very pleased with our visit, but had a couple of critiques. Even though Wink prides themselves in being an "un-pretentious white tablecloth parlor," we both felt that the decor inside and the external face of the restaurant left a little to be desired considering we were paying $15-$30 per plate. While the ingredients used were highly local and fresh, often the dishes didn't quite come together to give you the "oh my god this is amazing" reaction (more of a "wow this is really good" reaction). I found nothing really wrong with any of the dishes but was only impressed with the foie gras.

We certainly plan on returning to Wink. Their constantly changing menu and intimate atmosphere make for a very romantic date night, but next time I'll be sure to let them know ahead of time what we are celebrating in order to stay out of trouble :)

Simply Spiced Salmon and Chickpea Salad AND....

My 3 year blog anniversary! That's right, Apron has come a long way. Now in addition to original recipes, you can sometimes find fun reviews here by my partner in blogging and soon-to-be partner in life, Luke. We've been all a-flurry with wedding planning, not leaving as much time as I'd like for cooking, and even less for blogging! Luckily, simple dishes like the one below have been sustaining me during this stressful but exciting time. Looking forward to the next year of Apron's Adventures!

Simply Spiced Salmon and Chickpea Salad
Based off Cooking Light's Cumin-Spiced Chickpeas and Carrots with Couscous

1 cup chicken broth
Zest and juice from 1 lemon
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 carrot, grated
1 jalapeño pepper, finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup steamed, chopped broccoli
4 cups warm cooked couscous
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound salmon, skin removed

Whisk together broth, lemon zest and juice and tomato paste in a small bowl and set aside. Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat and warm 2 tablespoons oil. Add chick peas a cook a few minutes until beginning to brown, then set aside on a plate. Heat remaining oil and add vegetables and saute 3 to 5 minutes. Add in cumin, salt and pepper, cayenne and toss to coat. Then add reserved broth mixture and simmer about 3 minutes. Stir in steamed broccoli and remove from heat.

While vegetables are cooking, heat oil in a medium non-stick pan. Combine chipotle powder, cumin and salt and rub over both sides of salmon. Cook salmon in hot skillet about 4 minutes on each side.

Place bed of couscous on each plate and top with chickpea mixture. Top with a piece of salmon and a few dollops of greek yogurt. Sprinkle with cilantro and enjoy!

Cooking Light's Market Salad

Thank you, Cooking Light, for providing the recipe for the most delicious salad I've ever had. And yes, this even beats out the bacon salads that are plentiful on my blog - well, most of them :)

Why oh why do I love thee, Market Salad? Here are the reasons:
1. Perfectly roasted beets
2. Juicy tomatoes
3. Delightfully tangy, satisfying and light vinaigrette dressing
4. Crisp green beans and chickpeas adding substance and texture
5. Did I mention the beets?
6. Fresh herbs (I used basil and mint instead of tarragon and mint, because that's what I had!)
7. GOAT CHEESE

Ok, if you're not convinced, read through the recipe below. Here's a link to the original, and below is my slightly tweaked version. Thanks again Cooking Light!

Market Salad with Goat Cheese and Shallot Vinaigrette
2 medium beets (about 3/4 pound)
8 ounces green beans, trimmed and cut into 2-inch pieces
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
1 tablespoon chopped fresh mint
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved (CL's version calls for Heirloom tomatoes, but alas, I forgot to pick them up. The cherry tomatoes were fantastic, but try with heirloom if you have them!)
2 cups spinach
1 cup arugula
1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled goat cheese

Preheat oven to 350°. Scrub beets with a brush and wrap in heavy-duty foil. Bake at 350° for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until tender. Remove from oven; cool. Put on plastic gloves if you have them to avoid staining your hands. Trim off beet roots and stems; rub off skins. Cut each beet into 8 wedges. I did this the night before to make the salad assembly quick!

Cook beans in boiling water 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and plunge beans into ice water; drain well. Combine beans and chickpeas in a large bowl and add in beets and sliced tomatoes.

Combine shallots and the next 8 ingredients (through pepper) in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour half of dressing over beans, chickpeas, beets and tomatoes and toss to combine. Add in greens and goat cheese, then pour remaining dressing and toss.

Photo courtesy of John Autry; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross