when i grow up, i want to cook like martha. so when i heard she was coming to town for a cooking demo highlighting recipes from her new cookbook martha’s entertaining: a year of celebrations, i knew i had to be in the audience. & luckily she did not disappoint…
during the actual cooking demo & book signing, martha was full of sass & personality (i loved the leather leggings & stilettos she rocked that evening). & the seafood stew, glazed carrots, perfect white rice, & pear crostata she made for us to taste was absolutely delicious. & she whipped up the entire meal (with the help of her lovely assistant) in less than 30 minutes. so, it’s the perfect winter meal…
cook like martha: seafood stew
ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 fennel bulb, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced, plus fronds for garnish
1 large tomato, cut into large dice
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 ounces skinless striped bass or red snapper fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, or diver scallops, or a combination
Crusty bread, for serving
directions
- in a medium dutch oven or saucepan, combine oil and garlic; cook over medium-high until garlic is fragrant, 1 minute. add fennel and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. add tomato, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring frequently, until tomato is breaking down, about 3 minutes.
- stir in broth and bring stew to a gentle boil. reduce to a simmer.
- gently fold in seafood. return to a bare simmer and cook until seafood is opaque throughout, about 3 minutes. serve stew topped with fennel fronds and a drizzle of oil, with bread alongside.
cook like martha: glazed carrots
ingredients
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 pounds baby carrots, trimmed
1 1/2 cups fresh orange juice (from 4-5 oranges)
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
directions
- melt butter in a large saute pan over medium heat. add carrots, orange juice and thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until carrots are tender, about 5 minutes.
- season with salt and pepper. serve warm.
cook like martha: perfect white rice
ingredients
1 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
directions
- bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan.
- stir in rice and salt and return to a boil over medium high heat.
- reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook until rice is tender and has absorbed all the liquid, 16-18 minutes (check only toward the end of cooking time).
- the rice should be studded with craters, or steam holes, when it is ready. remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 10 minutes. fluff wit fork and serve.
cook like martha: pear crostata & tart dough
tart ingredients
tart directions
- in a food processor, pulse flour, salt, and sugar several times to combine. add butter. pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining.
- sprinkle with 2 tablespoons ice water. pulse until dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed with fingers (if needed, add up to 2 tablespoons more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time). do not overprocess.
- turn dough out onto a work surface; form dough into a 3/4-inch-thick disk. wrap tightly in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
- before baking, unwrap dough; place on a large piece of floured waxed paper. roll dough to a 14-inch round. using paper, lift and wrap dough around rolling pin (discarding paper); carefully unroll over a 9-inch pie plate. Gently fit into bottom and up sides of plate.
- trim overhang to 1 inch; fold overhang under itself. pinch between thumb and forefinger to make a uniform edge around the rim. crimp edge; refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.
pear crostata ingredients
pear crostata directions
- toss fruit with granulated sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, and set aside to macerate.
- preheat oven to 375 degrees. flour a large (at least 18 inches long) piece of parchment. place dough on parchment. using your knuckles, press edges of dough so it doesn’t crack during rolling. lightly flour top of dough to prevent sticking; roll into an 18-inch round, about 1/4 inch thick. transfer dough (still on parchment) to a large baking sheet.
- mound fruit in the center of dough, leaving a 2-inch border all around. fold dough over fruit, pleating it as you go. brush the exposed dough with the egg wash and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
- bake until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbling in the center, 45-50 minutes. transfer sheet to a wire rack, and let tart cool completely.
thanks to the fabulous lindsey, the mod chik, for documenting our amazing martha stewart encounter.
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