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The INDEPENDENT, January 1, 2009
Food for Thought
By Leslie Barnes
Here are some winter comfort foods, great for snowy, cold weather, as long as
you have the power to cook them.
COQ AU VIN
Serve this over garlic mashed potatoes for a nice winter
meal.
2 T olive oil
4 oz good bacon or pancetta, diced
1 (3 to 4-lb) chicken, cut into 8 pieces
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb carrots, cut diagonally in 1-inch pieces
1 yellow onion, sliced
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup Cognac or good brandy
1/2 bottle (375 ml) good dry red wine such as Burgundy
1 cup chicken stock, preferably homemade
10 fresh thyme sprigs, or 1 tsp dry crushed thyme
2 T unsalted butter, at room temperature, divided
1-1/2 T all-purpose flour
1/2 lb small whole onions, peeled
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms, stems removed and thickly sliced
TURKEY LASAGNA
2 T olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-1/2 lb sweet Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1 (6-oz) can tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, divided
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
2 tsp kosher salt
3/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb lasagna noodles
15 oz ricotta cheese
3 to 4 oz creamy goat cheese, crumbled
1 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/4 cup for sprinkling
1 extra-large egg, lightly beaten
1 lb fresh mozzarella, thinly sliced
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Heat olive oil in a large (10 to 12-inch) skillet. Add onion and cook for 5 minutes
over medium-low heat, until translucent. Add garlic
and cook for 1 more minute. Add sausage and
cook over medium-low heat, breaking it up
with a fork, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until no
longer pink. Add tomatoes, tomato paste, 2
tablespoons of parsley, basil, 1-1/2 tsp salt,
and 1/2 tsp pepper. Simmer, uncovered, over
medium-low heat, for 15 to 20 minutes, until
thickened.
Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with the
hottest tap water. Add the noodles and allow
them to sit in the water for 20 minutes. Drain.
In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, goat
cheese, 1 cup of Parmesan, egg, the remain-
ing 2 tablespoons parsley, remaining 1/2 tsp salt
and 1/4 tsp pepper. Set aside.
Ladle 1/3 of the sauce into a 9 by 12 by 2-inch rectangular baking dish, spread-
ing the sauce over the bottom of the dish. Then add the layers as follows: half the
pasta, half the mozzarella, half the ricotta, and one 1/3 of the sauce. Add the rest
of the pasta, mozzarella, ricotta, and finally, sauce. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup of Parme-
san. Bake for 30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.
Preheat the oven to 250° F.
Heat the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or other heavy
kettle. Add bacon and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10
minutes, until lightly browned. Using a slotted spoon, trans-
fer bacon to a plate.
Meanwhile, lay the chicken out on paper towels and pat
dry. Liberally sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt and
pepper. When bacon is removed, brown the chicken
pieces in batches in a single layer for about 5 minutes,
turning to brown evenly. Remove browned chicken to the
plate with the bacon and continue until all the chicken is
browned. Set aside.
Add carrots, onions, 2 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper to the pan
and cook over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the
onions are lightly browned. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute. Add Cognac and
put the bacon, chicken, and any juices that collected on the plate into the pot. Add
wine, chicken stock and thyme; bring to a simmer. Cover the pot with a tight fitting
lid and place in oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is just not pink. Remove
from oven and place on top of the stove.
Mash 1 tablespoon butter and the flour together and stir into the stew. Add
onions. In a medium sauté pan, add the remaining 1 tablespoon
butter and the mushrooms; cook over medium-low heat 5 to 10
minutes, until browned. Add to stew. Bring the stew to a simmer
and cook for another 10 minutes. Season to taste. Serve hot.
N EHALEM V ALLEY B IBLE C HURCH
Church Directory
GARLIC MASHED POTATOES
1/2 cup garlic cloves, peeled (about 1 head)
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 lb Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and quartered
Kosher salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup heavy cream, half-and-half, or creme fraiche
In a small saucepan, bring garlic and oil to a boil, then reduce
heat to low and cook uncovered for 5 minutes, or until garlic is
lightly browned. Turn off heat and set aside; garlic will continue to
cook in the hot oil.
Place potatoes in a large pot of salted water, bring to a boil, and
cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. With a
slotted spoon, remove potatoes from water, reserving the cooking
water. Remove garlic from the oil, reserving the oil.
Process potatoes and garlic through a food mill fitted with the
medium disk. Add reserved olive oil, 2 tsp salt, the pepper, cream,
and 3/4 cup of the cooking water; mix with a wooden spoon. Add
more cooking water, if necessary, until the potatoes are creamy
but still firm. Season, to taste and serve hot.
Gary Taylor, Pastor
Grant & North Streets, Vernonia
503 429-5378
Sunday School 10:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Nursery available
Wednesday Service 7:00 p.m.
V ERNONIA F OURSQUARE C HURCH
Carl Pense, Pastor
850 Madison Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-1103
Sunday Worship Service: 10:30 a.m.
Children’s Sunday School
C HURCH OF J ESUS C HRIST
OF L ATTER D AY S AINTS
Marc Farmer, Branch President
1350 E. Knott Street, Vernonia
503 429-7151
Sacrament Meeting, Sunday 10 a.m.
Sunday School & Primary 11:20 a.m.
Relief Society, Priesthood and
Young Women, Sunday 12:10 p.m.
S EVENTH D AY A DVENTIST
F IRST B APTIST C HURCH
Gary S. Walter, Pastor
2nd Ave. and Nehalem St., Vernonia
503 429-8301
Morning Worship, 11:00 a.m.
Sabbath School 9:30 a.m.
359 “A” Street, Vernonia
503 429-5190
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Sunday Worship Service 11:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer Meeting 7:00 p.m.
A SSEMBLY OF G OD
S T . M ARY ' S C ATHOLIC C HURCH
Wayne and Maureene Marr
662 Jefferson Ave., Vernonia,
503 429-0373
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m
Rev. Luan Tran, Administrator
960 Missouri Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-8841
Mass Sunday 12:00 Noon
Religious Educ. Sunday 10:30 a.m.
V ERNONIA C HRISTIAN C HURCH
V ERNONIA C OMMUNITY C HURCH
Sam Hough, Evangelist
410 North Street, Vernonia
503 429-6522
Sunday School 9:45 a.m.
Morning Worship 11:00 a.m.
Every Wednesday:
Ladies' Bible Study 9:30 a.m.
Ladies’ Worship 10:00 a.m.
Children’s Choir 3:00 p.m.
Family Bible Study 7:00 p.m.
Grant Williams, Pastor
957 State Avenue, Vernonia
503 429-6790
Sunday Breakfast 9:00 a.m.
Morning Worship 9:45 a.m.
Children and Nursery 10:00 a.m.
Youth Group 6:00 p.m.
Preschool Mon. & Wed. 9:00 a.m.
Wednesday Prayer 6:00 p.m.
Tues. & Fri. Adult Volleyball 7:00 p.m.