Mystery Lovers' Kitchen: 02/01/2024

Thursday, February 29, 2024

Chicken Leek Gnocchi Soup @LucyBurdette

LUCY BURDETTE: I’ve told you about my bean club, and maybe I’ve mentioned ordering poultry and beef from Butcher Box (since the pandemic.) But now I’m testing a new to me vegetable mail order company called Farmer Jones Farm. For some reason, good produce doesn’t seem to make its way down to Key West, even though it’s warm (or hot!) here most of the year. So far, I’ve gotten two shipments of vegetables and they’ve been so much better than what I see at the grocery store, not to mention regeneratively grown.

This soup was the result of bits and pieces I had left to use—leeks, carrots, and kale. Apparently, Olive Garden has a popular chicken gnocchi soup though I’ve not tasted it. But I started with that recipe and tweaked it to add more vegetables. It’s a good recipe to use up leftover cooked chicken that you have in the freezer.

Ingredients

3-4 tablespoons butter

4 or so small leeks or two large

3 sticks of celery, sliced

1 cup carrots, diced

2 small garlic cloves or one large, minced

¼ cup all-purpose flour

1 to 2 cups half-and-half or whole milk

4 cups chicken broth

½ teaspoon mustard powder

2 cups diced cooked chicken

12 oz. frozen potato gnocchi

1 cup fresh spinach or kale, roughly chopped

Fresh parsley

½ tsp red pepper flakes, optional but really good

Salt and pepper, to taste

Slice the leeks, the celery, and the carrots. Melt the butter in a large pan and sauté those vegetables for a few minutes until soft. Add the chopped garlic and sauté for a minute or more. Add the 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour and the mustard powder and stir that until beginning to thicken. Slowly add the chicken broth, stirring frequently like a gravy. Sprinkle in black pepper and red pepper.

Simmer for 10 minutes or so, then add the chicken and the gnocchi. Simmer another few minutes until the pasta is cooked through.

Add the milk and the kale and simmer until the kale is soft. (I also added some chopped fresh parsley because I had it in the fridge.)

We found this delicious—I added no salt, but more black pepper. And served with corn bread. Yummy!

Lucy Burdette writes the Key West food critic mystery series including USA Today bestselling A CLUE IN THE CRUMBS. You can order that wherever books are sold. If you’re all caught up, try Lucy’s first women’s fiction title, THE INGREDIENTS OF HAPPINESS.

Also follow Lucy on Facebook, and sign up for her mailing list right here.

USA TODAY BESTSELLING A Clue in the Crumbs, #13 in the Key West food critic mystery series, in stores now!

"Food lore, island delights, and mystery provide something for everyone."

—Kirkus Reviews

“But how many new ways can an author concoct for the protagonist to find a dead body? I needn’t have worried – and neither should fans. This Key West murder mystery has twists, turns – and cake.” –Cathy Salustri, The Gabber

Order the book wherever books are sold!

Wednesday, February 28, 2024

Japanese-Style Curried Tofu and Vegetables #recipe by @LeslieKarst

Curry was brought to Japan in the 1800s by Anglo-Indian officers of the Royal Navy, and was quickly reinvented to suit Japanese tastes and ingredients. The result is a delicious dish, quite different from traditional Indian curries, typically served with short-grain rice.

Although it can be made from scratch, the Japanese I know generally use store-bought curry blocks—a spice blend mixed with oil and a thickening agent of some sort—which make for an easy and quick-to-prepare dish. This recipe uses Golden Curry, a popular brand of curry mix, but there are many different kinds to choose from (as well as mild to hot varieties).

Japanese-Style Curried Tofu and Vegetables

(serves 6)

Ingredients

1 pkg. (14-16 oz.) medium-firm or firm tofu

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons corn starch

1/3 cup neutral oil

4 small or 2 medium russet potatoes

4 small carrots

3 stalks celery

1 medium onion

1” fresh ginger, minced

½ package (4 cubes—about 4 oz.) Japanese curry mix

3 heads baby bok choy or 1 large head bok choy

Directions

Cut the tofu into 1” cubes, then toss with the salt and let sit for 15 minutes.

While the tofu is sitting, cut the vegetables into bite-size pieces. For the bok choy, separate the white from the greens (which need only be roughly chopped).

Toss the tofu with the corn starch. (Using your hands works best to ensure they’re all evenly covered.)

Heat the oil in a large skillet, then brown the tofu on both sides over medium-high heat. Drain tofu on a paper towel and set aside. Pour the oil from the pan and reserve for later use.

Place the potatoes in the skillet and pour enough water in to almost cover them. Simmer, until they’re just starting to get tender, then add the carrots.

Once the water simmers away and evaporates, add 2 tablespoons of the reserved oil to the pan, then add the celery and stir fry until it starts to soften. Add the onion and ginger and continue to stir fry until they start to brown.

Pour in 2 ½ cups of water, then break up the curry blocks and stir them in. Bring the sauce to a boil, then simmer until it thickens. (You can add more water, if necessary.) Add the white part of the bok choy and continue to cook until it softens.

Add the tofu and stir in.

Add the greens from the bok choy and continue to simmer until they wilt.

Serve over steamed rice.

🌱 🍋 🌿

Coming April 2!

MOLTEN DEATH

Orchid Isle Mystery, book 1

available for pre-order here!

“Karst’s first Orchid Isle novel is part murder mystery, part vividly evocative, colorful sketch of Hawaii and its history, geography, tradition, culture, food, language, and people. Armchair travelers and mystery aficionados alike will find it entertaining.”

Booklist

This first book in my brand-new Orchid Isle mystery series features retired caterer Valerie Corbin and her wife Kristen who, on a trip to the Big Island of Hawai‘i, swap surfing lessons for sleuthing sessions when a hike to an active lava flow turns deadly.

Advance praise for MOLTEN DEATH:

“a compelling read that will enlighten, engage, and entertain, leaving readers longing for their next trip to the Orchid Isle.”

--New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay

“a terrific debut to a series that will go on my must read list!”

--USA Today bestselling author Deborah Crombie

A SENSE FOR MURDER

has been short-listed for the Lefty Award

for Best Humorous Mystery!

This newest Sally Solari mystery

is available for purchase here !

Praise for A SENSE FOR MURDER:

“[Sally is] sassy, irresistible company... Culinary cozy fans will be in heaven.”

--Publishers Weekly

“An enjoyable read for mystery mavens and foodies alike.”

--Kirkus Reviews

Also now available:

Justice is Served: A Tale of Scallops,

the Law, and Cooking for RBG

(available for purchase here)

"a suspenseful, exhilarating memoir; Karst relays her determination to serve the 'perfect' meal to RBG alongside an uplifting, enlightening portrayal of one of the most admired justices in the history of the Supreme Court."

-Foreword Reviews (starred review)

"[This] book is a romp from cover to cover—and, just like a great meal, left me ready for more."

-Karen Shimizu, executive editor, Food & Wine-

All of the Sally Solari Mysteries are available through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Bookshop.

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

Cleo Coyle's Mini Meatloaves with Creamy Roasted Garlic Gravy #comfortfood

From Cleo Coyle: Our amateur sleuth, intrepid coffeehouse manager Clare Cosi, prepares these adorable mini meatloaves in our Coffeehouse Mystery series, and the recipe is thematically appropriate. No, she doesn't add coffee, but she does use a mystery ingredient...

Cleo Coyle writes two
bestselling mystery
series with her husband.
To learn more, click here.

Typically, the binders in meatloaf recipes range from breadcrumbs to torn bread slices, but many home cooks (including my own mother) used this "special" ingredient instead, which produces a lighter loaf of meat with a fluffier texture, like the very best meatballs. You'll see the ingredient in the recipe below.

Marc and I are also sharing our recipe for creamy roasted garlic gravy, which adds amazing flavor to this classic comfort food dinner. This easy, three-step gravy is versatile too. Drizzled over chicken, fish, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, rice, or potatoes, it brings simple dishes to an even tastier level. So, let's start cooking!

~ Cleo

Order Up!

For a free, downloadable PDF

of this recipe that you can

print, save, or share, click here.

Click here for the
free Recipe PDF.

☕ Cleo's Mini Meatloaves

with Creamy Roasted Garlic Gravy

Makes 4 to 5 mini meatloaves

Ingredients:

2 to 2-1/2 pounds ground beef

1/3 cup white onion, finely chopped

1 cup crushed Special K cereal (measure after crushing)

2 eggs, beaten lightly with fork

1/2 cup evaporated milk

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard powder

1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon ketchup

Roasted Garlic Gravy (recipe follows)

Step 1 – Prep oven, pan, and cereal: First preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat the foil lightly with non-stick spray. Using clean hands, gently crush the Special K cereal and measure 1 cup, set aside.

As mentioned above, Special K as the binder (rather than breadcrumbs or torn bread slices) will produce lighter and fluffier loaves of meat, like the very best meatballs.

Step 2 – Mix and form loaves: In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, chopped white onions, crushed Special K cereal, beaten eggs, evaporated milk, mustard powder, Worcestershire sauce, and ketchup. Use clean hands to mix the ingredients. Form four or five meatloaves and place them on the foil-covered baking pan, at least two inches apart.

Step 3 – Bake 30 to 35 minutes in your preheated 350 degrees F. oven. Mini meatloaves are done when exteriors are well-browned and interiors register 165 degrees F. Remove from oven and let the loaves sit ten minutes before serving—this sitting time allows the juices to recollect and keeps the meat moist.

Serve hot with potatoes and a happy

splash of Creamy Roasted Garlic Gravy.

Cleo's Creamy
Roasted Garlic Gravy

Garlic's health benefits are many, but what my husband and I love most about garlic is the sweet yet pungent flavor it adds to recipes. This creamy, white gravy with a light garlic taste is incredibly delicious on so many foods: meatloaf, roasted chicken, baked fish, mashed potatoes, rice, broccoli, cauliflower, string beans, asparagus, and so much more.

This three-step recipe is easy to make and master, and it’s versatile. You can tweak this gravy to suit your taste. Use less garlic for a milder cream sauce, more for a stronger garlic impact. The broth can be changed up, too. Chicken or vegetable broth will give you a lighter flavor; beef broth makes a heartier gravy.

In our kitchen, we usually use chicken broth (with some pan drippings for added flavor), and about 13 or 14 cloves of garlic suits us fine. When the gravy is reheated, you’ll find the flavors are stronger, so keep that in mind if you make the gravy in advance. ~ Cleo

Makes about 2-½ cups

Ingredients

12 – 16 cloves peeled garlic

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon butter

3 cups chicken, vegetable, or beef broth

3 – 4 tablespoons pan drippings (optional)

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons (5 ounce can) evaporated milk

4-½ teaspoons corn starch (or 3 tablespoons Wondra flour)

Salt and pepper to taste

Step 1 – Pan-roast your garlic: In a saucepan over low to medium heat, melt the butter and add the olive oil. When the oil and butter are hot, add the peeled garlic cloves and toss them to coat. Saute for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often to brown the cloves evenly. Keep the heat low and be careful not to burn the garlic.

Step 2 – Make the gravy: Add the chicken, veg, or beef broth (your choice) and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the garlic is soft. Mash the garlic cloves with a fork against the side of the pan (or use an immersion blender if you like). Whisk the pot until the crushed garlic is mostly dissolved. If adding pan drippings for extra flavor, pour them in now, and whisk for another minute. Finally, stir in 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk and bring the gravy to a simmer.

Step 3 – Thicken and finish: For a velvety, lump-free gravy, make a paste out of your corn starch (or Wondra flour). To do this, take out a small bowl and whisk together 2 T. of your evaporated milk with your corn starch (or Wondra flour).

While the pot of broth is still simmering, slowly whisk in the paste. While continuing to gently whisk or stir, allow the gravy to simmer for 3 to 5 more minutes, until it becomes thick enough to coat the bottom of a spoon. Salt and pepper the gravy to your taste and serve warm.

This gravy reheats beautifully. Simply store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container. Reheat on the stove or in a microwave. The gravy holds together well, but you may need to whisk it lightly after reheating.