Obsessed with Dinner

Shaksuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)

2011-11-25T09:00:00.000-08:00

As I'm approaching the one year mark for posting anything on this blog, I've been feeling pressure to come up with a post. The problem is that I've been repeatedly cooking recipes from the blog, but I haven't been coming up with anything new. Then I had a craving for a stewy, spicy, yummy tomato and egg dish I had once at Eltana. But when I went there to have it, I was too early. Even though it has eggs in it, it's really a lunch or dinner dish. So, darnit, I had to come home and make my own version. Suddenly, a blog post was ready. The Eltana version has more vegetables than mine and it comes with a bagel to dunk in it. I think there are a ton of variation possibilities - add zucchini, eggplant, more spicy peppers, olives, artichoke hearts. It's so quick and easy.
P.S. Part of starting to post again is promising myself I won't skip a recipe just because I didn't get a great picture!

Shaksuka (Eggs Poached in Spicy Tomato Sauce)
serves 2

1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno
2 Anaheim peppers (or bell peppers if you can't find these)
1 1/2 T cumin
1 T smoked paprika (or substitute hot paprika)
pinch of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
1 14.5oz can of whole tomatoes
1 cup water
4 eggs
feta cheese for sprinkling
bread for dunking

Get the jalapenos and peppers ready by cutting off the ends and scraping out the seeds. Chop the jalapenos tiny and the Anaheims just a little smaller than bite-sized.
Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a wide, deepish pan. Saute the onion for a few minutes and then add the garlic. Let them cook until they're just turning brown.
Add the jalapenos and peppers and cook for a few minutes to soften them.
Add the cumin paprika and toast for a minute or two. If they start to stick too much, just skip to the next step.
Dump the liquid from around the tomatoes into the pan to stop the spices from sticking. Then squish up the tomatoes with your hands and add them in. You could probably really easily substitute canned tomatoes, but I haven't tried that yet.
Add the cinnamon, bay leaf, and water and simmer for about 15 minutes to get the flavors all together. If you need to splash in a little more water, that's no problem, just do it a bit at a time so it doesn't get too thin.
Crack each egg into the pan so they aren't touching. Put a lid on and let them cook for about a minute to set. Then I learned a great trick from my new favorite cookbook - use a soup spoon and baste the whites of the eggs with the sauce. This makes them taste better and set better.
The dish is done whenever the eggs are done to your liking. I don't like a really runny yolk so we let ours cook for about 10 minutes.
Serve sprinkled with feta cheese and with toasty bread for dunking in the sauce. It would probably be great over pasta too.

Broccoli Rice Bake (a.k.a. Leftovers Casserole)

2011-04-05T09:47:00.000-07:00

Now it seems like a no-brainer to cover some leftovers in creamy sauce, bake them up with some cheese, and then - voila - a whole new dinner, but I'd never tried it until I saw a recipe similar to this in a Cook's Illustrated special issue about quick meals. I love that magazine for ideas and tips, but even the quick recipes are so fussy I often don't follow the exact instructions. It's not that I doubt their version is more efficient and maybe even better, they're just so bossy. But the interchangeability of this meal is undeniable. You could make it with rice, pasta, or even potatoes for the "base," then add just about any protein (or not), and a wide variety of vegetables. All you'd make is the sauce. I do make it sometimes with no leftovers at all, but it's better to wait until I have some rice and chicken in the fridge so it's less work (the only thing I wouldn't use - veggies that are already on the soft side). And it freezes well. Oh, I forgot to mention it's delicious.

Broccoli Rice Bake (a.k.a Leftovers Casserole)
serves 4 generously

4 cups cooked/1.5 cups uncooked brown rice
2 chicken breasts (about 1.5 pounds)
4 cups broccoli
4 T butter

1 onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
1 cup stock
1 cup cream
1 t mustard
1.5 cups cheese (I like a mix of Parm and Cheddar)

If you're not using leftovers, cook the rice; steam the broccoli until it's still a little crunchy (so it doesn't turn to mush when baked); then cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and saute in a couple tablespoons of butter or oil until light brown and cooked through. Set these aside.
In a large, high-sided frying pan that can go in the oven,* melt the butter and add the onion. Saute until the edges start to brown and then add the garlic.
Saute until the garlic softens (a couple of minutes) and then sprinkle the flour over the onions and garlic. Stir well so the flour has a chance to brown for a minute or two, but not burn (it will stick to the pan, but don't worry).
Dump in the cream, stock, and mustard and whisk vigorously.
Add the broccoli, chicken, and 2/3 of the cheese and stir well.
Add the salt and pepper to taste.
If you're using leftovers, stir this on the heat for a few minutes so that the ingredients are heated through.
Sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top and pop under the broiler until brown and bubbly.
Allow to cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

*If you don't have a big enough pan, you can combine everything in a bowl and then transfer it all to a broiler-safe dish in the end.

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup with Cheesies

2011-01-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

I blame learning to crochet for my recent lack of blog posts. It's not that I haven't been making dinner, it's that I'm spending all my free mornings making hats instead of writing up blog posts. Add to this John's new, let's call it challenging, work schedule and it also hasn't been a month for much experimenting in the kitchen. Enter Tomato Soup with Cheesies. I hadn't made this soup in years, but I remembered it as the great Emergency Soup from when I was cooking. We always had roasted garlic in the fridge, cans of good tomatoes on the shelf, cream in the pastry department, and that's about all it takes. It's a rich enough soup that I like to eat it with Cheesies (that's what we called toast with melted cheese on top when we were kids) instead of the usual grilled cheese sandwich. I don't keep roasted garlic around now (though maybe I should), so that was the one element I had to plan ahead for. You could probably skip it if you're in a hurry.

Roasted Garlic Tomato Soup with Cheesies
served 2 for dinner with 4 servings left to put in the freezer for lunches

1 head of garlic
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 T tomato paste
2 cans of whole tomatoes
1 t dried thyme
pinch of red pepper flakes
4 cups stock*
1 cup cream
2 T balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil (or sub1 T dried and add it with the thyme)
a few slices of your favorite sliced bread and cheese

To roast the garlic, start by cutting off the top of the head so that some of the tips of the cloves are exposed. Set the head on a square of tin foil, drizzle with olive oil, and close it up in a little packet. Roast in a 350 oven for about an hour. The cloves will be soft and brown. This keeps in the fridge for about a week.
In your soup pot, saute the onion in a little olive oil until it is nicely browned - about 8 minutes or so.
Add the tomato paste and stir and cook until it's just starting to stick to the bottom of the pot.
Add the tomatoes with all their liquid, stock, thyme (and basil if using dried), red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
Squish the roasted garlic cloves out of their skins and add.
Simmer 30 minutes to an hour depending on how thick you like your soup. Remember that you're going to add cream next, so let it be a little on the thick side.
Remove from the heat and add the cream, basil, and balsamic.
Blend with a hand blender or in batches in a food processor or blender.
Serve with Cheesies: toast one side of the bread under the broiler until it's just about to start turning brown. Flip the bread over, top with cheese, and broil until the cheese is melted.

*I use a stock base (Better than Bouillon) instead of liquid stock so that I don't have to simmer the soup as long to get it to the right consistency. So for this recipe I'd add 2 cups of water and 4 t of stock base instead of 4 cups of stock. If you don't have, or don't like, the paste stock consider putting your liquid stock in a pot and reducing it by half while the garlic is roasting. It will make the actual soup making part go faster.

Creamy Rosemary Potato Gratin

2010-12-21T09:40:00.000-08:00

My mom and The New Basics Cookbook are to blame for my addiction to this incredible, easy potato side dish. Mom used to make it in a huge roasting pan for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner and just about any other time it made sense. Then I made it as a vegetarian main dish for the lunch special at The Still Life (served with a simple salad and sometimes half potatoes and half sweet potatoes). The hardest part is cutting potatoes thinly, but the whole thing can be made the day before, cooked halfway, then finished on the day of. If I'm making it ahead, I leave off the parm and bread crumbs, cover it with foil, and cook it for about half an hour. Then just pick up at the sprinkle stage in the directions and cook for about 45 minutes more (uncovered).
It comes with a warning - do not try this if you don't want to crave it on almost every chilly, wintry day.

Creamy Rosemary Potato Gratin
serves 6

3 pounds Russet potatoes
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 cup finely chopped shallots (sub onion if you can't find shallots)
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 T finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 t paprika
salt & pepper to taste
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs

Preheat the oven to 325. Oil the bottom of a 9x13 pan.
Peel and very thinly slice the potatoes. To keep them from turning brown as you work, put the slices in a bowl and toss with 3/4 cup of cream.
Melt the butter in a large frying pan then add the shallots and garlic. Saute until soft and just starting to get a brown edge or two.
Add the bay leaves, rosemary, remaining cream, cream cheese (break it into little chunks), paprika, salt and pepper. Whisk it until the cream cheese melts and the sauce is smooth.
Toss the sauce gently with the potatoes.*
Dump everything in the 9x13 pan and smooth out any potatoes that are sticking up. You don't need to do a fancy scalloped potato layering job, but you also don't want major air pockets.
Sprinkle with the Parmesan and then the bread crumbs.
Bake until the potatoes are tender and the top is golden and bubbly - a little over an hour.

*To make this on a busy work day, I made the sauce the day before (including the 3/4 cup cream that gets tossed on the pots). Then I warmed up the sauce and slid the sliced potatoes into the pan as I cut them. Worked great and split the prep into two little pockets of time that I had.

Roasted Squash and Leek Gratin

2010-12-07T09:19:00.000-08:00

I don't usually choose the vegetarian option for my main dish, but when my mother-in-law served this at a family dinner a while ago I fell in love. Yes, I like just about anything with leeks, but I generally don't like butternut squash (it all goes back to this butternut mole soup I had to make every Friday for months...). This dish is really about the combination of flavors - the sweet-but-not-too-sweet roasty squash, the savory perfectness of the cooked leeks, the tang of the goat cheese, and then the toasted nuts and barley to round it out.
When I make this I think of Rachel Ray because you get the first three steps going all at once (and that's what she's all about - how many pots can you get going at once). So you rush around for 20 to 30 minutes getting everything set up, but then you pop it in the oven for the last 30 minutes and you're relaxed by the time it's ready.

Roasted Squash and Leek Gratin
serves 4 for dinner, 6 to 8 as a side

1 cup pearl barley (measured before cooking)
2 to 3 cups stock
1 large butternut squash, peeled and cut bite-sized
2 large leeks
2 T butter
5 oz. goat cheese
1 cup cream
3/4 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped

Get the barley going (it cooks pretty much like rice): Rinse the barley, bring the stock to a boil, add the barley to the stock, cover, reduce the heat so it simmers for about 30 minutes. You can also leave the barley out if you want.
Get the squash in the oven: Toss the peeled cubes with salt and pepper and olive oil, spread them out over two cookie sheets, roast in a 400 degree oven for about 20 minutes. They should be mostly cooked and just starting to brown on the edges.
Get the leeks on: Remove the tough green parts and the roots, slice longways and then into thin half-moons, rinse well, saute in the butter until super soft - about 15 to 20 minutes.
Spread the barley in the bottom of a buttered 9x13 pan.
Toss the leeks and squash together gently (the squash might want to fall apart here) and layer over the barley.
Dot the top of the casserole with pieces of the goat cheese, then drizzle the cream over everything and sprinkle the hazelnuts on top.
Bake for 30 minutes in a 375 degree oven. Let it cool for a few minutes before serving.

Bratwurst with Cabbage and Granny Smith Apple

2010-11-13T10:08:00.000-08:00

I'm a little obsessed with sausage right now. We sell our Sugar & Salt products out of the case at The Swinery and they make fantastic sausages (at first I thought the price was too high for our budget, but now that I've tried them it's hard to go back to the cheaper ones). They make the best bratwurst I've ever had. And they make Bacon Brats. Since the grill is covered for the season, I've been trying to come up with an excuse, I mean a recipe, to use these brats. There's one more complication - I don't love sauerkraut. I don't hate it, but if I bought some and didn't use the whole container it would sit in my fridge until it went bad. Maybe it can't go bad, but still, my fridge is full of pickles, I can't have sauerkraut taking up space. So here's a recipe that uses brats, fresh cabbage, and an apple to make it more interesting. We had it with buttered egg noodles on the side, but it would be great with boiled potatoes too. And some good mustard, if you like that sort of thing.

Brats with Cabbage and Apple
serves 4

1 pound (usually 4) bratwurst, substitute pretty much any other German sausage
1 onion, sliced thin
1/2 a cabbage (about 4 cups), use green or purple or savoy or your favorite
2 T butter
2 t caraway seeds (optional)
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 t mustard
1 Granny Smith Apple, grated

In a large, high-sided frying pan brown the brats on both sides over medium heat. You may need to add a little oil depending on the fat content of the sausages. Set aside - no need to cook them through because they're going back in later.
Melt the butter in the same pan and add the onion. Saute until it's very soft.
Shred the cabbage as thin as you can and add it to the pan with the caraway. Saute for about 10 minutes - until the cabbage has softened.
Turn the heat to medium-low and add the brats back to the pan with the vinegar and salt & pepper to taste. Cover and cook for 15 minutes. Check in once during that time and add a splash of water if the pan seems dry.
Add the apple and cook for 5 more minutes. If you like the liquid level in the pan, put the lid back on. If it seems too wet, leave the lid off.
Serve with egg noodles or potatoes, dollops of sour cream and mustard, and maybe a sprinkle of parsley.

Warm Spinach and Brussel Sprout Salad

2010-11-10T09:02:00.000-08:00

This didn't start out as a blog post dinner, it started off as a way to use up a huge stalk of brussel sprouts I impulse-bought when I was at a pumpkin farm. My favorite way to eat brussel sprouts is shredded up in this salad, but here's the part I hadn't thought of: I have an on-again-off-again relationship with vegetables anyway, I certainly wasn't going to be in the mood for a cold salad when it's been so dreary here lately. So the brussel sprouts were just sitting there taking up half my fridge. Then I thought to adjust that great salad recipe into something better suited for a seriously rainy day and now I'm hooked on warm salad. If you want to leave out the bacon and/or bacon fat, just substitute warmed olive oil. If you make extra dressing it will keep for at least a week, just reheat in the microwave before using.

Warm Spinach and Brussel Sprout Salad
serves 2 as a dinner

Dressing:
2 - 3 cloves garlic
4 slices of bacon
1 t mustard
3 T red wine vinegar
olive oil (maybe)
S & P to taste

Salad:
1/2 a bunch of spinach (about 6 cups), roughly chopped
12 - 15 brussel sprouts

Shred the brussel sprouts just like they are mini heads of cabbage (cut off the ends, cut them in half from top to bottom, then cut in super thin strips).
Cut the bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook in a pan until crispy.
Remove the bacon, but leave the fat in the pan. You need 3 tablespoons of fat and it depends on the bacon you use if you'll have that. If it seems like you don't have enough, add some olive oil. If it seems like you have too much, take some out of the pan (but save it in case you want to adjust the flavor later).
Add the other dressing ingredients (not too much salt because most bacon is salty) to the pan on very low. Whisk well for a minute or two to heat the dressing and combine all the flavors.
Toss the spinach, brussels, bacon, and dressing together and you're done (unless you want to add toasted walnuts, which I'm going to try next time).

Middle Eastern Meatball Soup

2010-11-01T10:54:00.000-07:00

This soup inspired me to add (finally!) something new to the Basics page because it was yet another easy and delicious dinner and it also uses every one of my "Soup Tricks." It's a little on the complicated side because you have to make the meatballs and do some pureeing, so I'll call it a weekend or entertaining soup - great for a day when you have a little more time, but of course you still don't want to slave at the stove. I love the combination of lamb and mint and lemon and tomatoes. Right after I took this photo, I dropped in a dollop of plain yogurt and, oh my goodness, that tangy, creamy addition pushed it up to the level of New Favorite. Serve with warm pita or flatbread, a little hummus as an appetizer maybe, and you have a whole evening set.

Middle Eastern Meatball Soup
Serves 4 to 6

For the meatballs:
1 pound ground lamb (it's a little pricey, but the rest of the soup is pretty inexpensive)
1/4 cup fine bread crumbs or Panko
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 T parsley, minced
1 t fresh mint, minced
1/2 t oregano (I used dried, but fresh would have been great)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Put all meatball ingredients together in a bowl and mix gently. Try not to mix anymore than is needed.
Roll the mixture into small, bite-sized balls and set aside.

For the soup:
4 T butter
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T paprika, hot and smoked if you can find it
2 T cumin
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon
1 28oz can whole tomatoes
2 15oz cans of garbanzo beans/chick peas
4 to 5 cups stock
juice of 1 lemon
1 t fresh mint, minced
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
3 cups spinach, chopped

Saute the onion in the butter in the bottom of a soup pot. When it starts to brown, add the garlic and saute until it just starts to brown.
Add the paprika, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper flakes and saute for about a minute to get them a little toasty.
Have the tomatoes open in case the spices start to stick too much - you can quickly dump them in and prevent anything from burning.
Simmer for about 20 minutes to cook off the extra liquid in the tomatoes. Stir occasionally, breaking up the whole tomatoes.
Puree this in a blender or food processor or with a hand blender. You can make it as smooth or chunky as you want. I like it pretty smooth.
Put the puree back in the soup pot and bring it back to a simmer. Drop in the meatballs (do your best to not have them piled on top of each other) and simmer for about 5 minutes.
Add the stock and garbanzo beans and simmer for about 30 minutes to finish cooking the meatballs and get all the flavors happy together.
About 5 minutes before serving, add the lemon, mint, parsley, and spinach. Once the spinach is wilted, you're ready to go.

Didi's Potatoes

2010-10-31T20:51:00.000-07:00

This is one of those great recipes that reminds me that simple is often best. When I first tried these, at a family reunion a few years ago, I figured there was a complicated spice mixture involved or some secret step. I even got the recipe from my aunt, but never made them (it was too easy, it seemed like she must have left something out). Then family reunion time rolled around again and I stood at my aunt's shoulder and watched her make them. It's really as easy as it sounds. We had them for dinner recently alongside a very simple grilled chicken breast and green beans, but I had to use the photo from the family reunion - luckily I cut in line to snap a shot before the potatoes were all gone.

Didi's Potatoes
serves 4 (as a side)

2 pounds medium-sized red potatoes, skins on
4 T butter or olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 t turmeric
2 t cumin
cayenne to taste
generous salt to taste

Boil the potatoes whole in plenty of water (time varies depending on the size) until a knife slides in the potato easily.
Cut them in half and then slice into half circles. You can peel them if you want, but my aunt doesn't do that, so I don't either.
In the bottom of the pot used for the potatoes, saute the garlic in the butter until it is just starting to brown.
Sprinkle on the spices and toast for a minute.
Remove from the heat and toss in the potatoes and salt, stir well, and you're done.

Portuguese Kale and Linguica Soup

2010-10-26T10:32:00.000-07:00

Here's another favorite soup from my cooking-at-the-Still-Life days. With the sausage, potatoes, kale, and tomatoes it works great as a dinner. I'm not good at serving sides with soup (unless a grilled cheese sandwich or buttered toast count, but I think they don't) so I love it when my green veggies for the meal are already in there. Linguica is a spicy, smoky Portuguese sausage that gives this soup so much flavor. If you can't find linguica, substitute kielbasa or even spicy Italian sausage. As I'm writing this the wind is knocking over garbage cans and the rain is sneaking its way down my chimney into my basement - a perfect night for something warming and stress-free.

Portuguese Kale and Linguica Soup
serves 6 to 8, we freeze the leftovers

1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 T tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 14 oz cans diced tomatoes
1 pound Linguica (or other sausage*), cut into thin coins
1 bunch kale (after washing and chopping it's about 4 cups)
6 medium red potatoes, cut bite-sized
8 to 10 cups stock
1 t paprika (hot and smoked if you can find it)
1 T thyme
1 T mustard powder (substitute dijon mustard if you have to)
2 bay leaves
pinch of red pepper flakes
pinch of cinnamon

This starts the way almost everything I make starts - saute the onion in a couple tablespoons of olive oil until it just starts to brown, then add the garlic and saute until it just starts to brown.
Add the paprika and tomato paste and cook them until they're stuck to the bottom of the pan and just starting to brown. Then dump in the wine so nothing burns.
Reduce the wine for about 5 minutes, just to cook off the alcohol. Then add everything except the kale (hold back a little on the stock so you can decide how thick you want it).
Simmer for at least 45 minutes. You can eat it as soon as the potatoes are done, but I like to give the sausage more time to flavor everything.
About 10 minutes before serving, add the kale.

*Linguica and kielbasa are already cooked. If you're substituting a fresh sausage like hot Italian, cook it before cutting into coins.

Barley, Wild Rice, and Currant Pilaf

2010-10-20T09:59:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been working on a new sort-of-blog called Remember These Recipes. It's a place to post images of old family recipe cards that I've found. Because it's not just the dishes themselves that I love, it's the handwriting of my relatives (many who aren't here anymore), the drips on the sides, the little notes people scribbled on the back. Looking through these images I have, of course, been craving some family dinners. This pilaf recipe is one that my grandma made at many many Christmas dinners. I don't have an old card with her handwriting for this. Instead I had to interpret my own bad handwriting and terrible shortcutted directions that I jotted down at her kitchen counter. We ate it with garlic pork chops to try to get close to the garlic pork loin she usually served with it (there's a recipe I'd love to have). I took a bite and immediately remembered sitting on her long couch in the condo with a plate balanced on my lap, a puzzle in progress on the coffee table, Grandpa watching the game from the LayZboy, and family all around. Also, it's delicious.

Barley, Wild Rice, and Currant Pilaf
serves 2 as a generous side

2 T butter
1/2 an onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/ 2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup barley
1/2 cup diced celery and carrots
1/3 cup currants (or raisins in a pinch)
1 bay leaf
1 t dried sage, or 2 fresh leaves, minced
1 t thyme
2 cups stock (chicken or vegetable)
salt and pepper to taste

In a small saucepan, saute the onion in the butter until it is starting to turn translucent. Add the garlic and saute about 2 minutes more. If you ever feel like the butter is starting to get too brown, dash in a little olive oil.
Add the wild rice and saute until the onions and garlic are light brown - about five minutes more.
Add the barley, currants, herbs, pepper to taste, and stock.
Bring it to a low simmer with the lid. Stir occasionally to check if it's sticking. If it seems to be drying out too quickly, add about 1/2 cup more water.
Check the tenderness of the barley and rice, and the liquid level after 45 minutes. If there is too much liquid near the end, simmer for the last 10 minutes more with the lid off, stirring a little more frequently.

The Dinner Sandwich with Kale, Gouda, and Roasted Sweet Potato

2010-10-13T22:10:00.000-07:00

Whenever John is away on a night that I work late I end up eating a white sandwich (toasted sourdough bread, mayonnaise, sharp cheddar cheese, that's it) for dinner. Not only do I love a cheese sandwich, but I also don't really cook for myself. Cook is something I do for other people. But he's going to be away more on these late evenings, so I came up with the Dinner Sandwich. It's a variation on something I made when I cooked for The Essential Baking Company. If you don't have a panini press (because, really, why do I have a panini press), just make this in a frying pan with butter on the outside of the bread - like an old-fashioned grilled cheese.

The Dinner Sandwich
serves 4, but I used the leftovers for other meals

1 red garnet yam (which is really a sweet potato)
1 bunch of kale (or spinach or chard)
1 head of garlic
4 slices Gouda
2 slices of good, hearty bread
olive oil, salt, and pepper
sliced turkey - very optional

Peel the sweet potato and slice into thin coins. This will make more than you need, but it's great as a snack, on another sandwich tomorrow, or cut up and sprinkled on a salad.
Toss the sweet potato slices in olive oil and salt and pepper and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees.
Cut the top off of the garlic head and set on top of a square of foil. Drizzle with olive oil and close up the foil so the garlic is sealed in a little bag. Put this in the oven under the sweet potatoes and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. The cloves will be browned and soft. You can just squeeze them out of the papery skin and use as a spread.
Drizzle a tablespoon or two of olive oil into a frying pan on medium high heat. Rinse the kale and shake off the water (but don't worry about getting it dry). Tear pieces of the leaves off the woody stem and drop them right into the pan.
Stir the torn kale getting it all coated in the oil for about 5 minutes. Put the lid on and let it wilt for about five minutes more (you can skip this if you're using spinach or chard). You're going for cooked, but not mush.
You can either refrigerate everything now and use it cold later, or go right on to assembling the sandwich.
The main trick to great paninis (or grilled cheese) is to be sure that the cheese is the thing touching both sides of the bread. So for this sandwich I built it in this order: bread, cheese, roasted garlic squished around, sweet potato slices, kale, turkey, a little more garlic, cheese, bread again.
Get it all toasty and melty and you're done. You don't even need a side dish!

Gnocchi in Browned Butter Sage Sauce

2010-10-04T12:35:00.000-07:00

I have a sage plant that just won't quit. I bought it looking like nothing more than a sprig stuck in some dirt at least 5 years ago. I've transplanted it and mostly ignored it except to chop it down to the ground once a year, but it still comes back. It begs me to make this dish all summer as it's looking lush and full, but this is a comfort food that has to wait for fall. I've tried drying the leaves for use all year-round, but they're too tender (or I'm doing it wrong). I use dried sage from the grocery store when I need this dinner when the plant is dormant and it's still very good, but not quite as great. I first had it when the Still Life in Fremont was in it's transformation stage (not the old, funky Still Life anymore, but not The 35th Street Bistro yet either). They served it with roasted chicken. We usually just pound and pan sear chicken breasts and then slide them into the simmering sauce when the gnocchi goes in the water.

Gnocchi in Browned Butter Sage Sauce
Serves 2

4 T butter
4 cloves garlic, sliced
pinch of red pepper flakes
3 to 6 fresh sage leaves (depending on how sage-y you like it)
1 cup white wine
16 ounce package of gnocchi

Put your pot of water on to boil. This comes together quickly.
Have your garlic sliced and ready. In a frying pan big enough to hold the gnocchi and sauce at the end, melt the butter over medium low heat. Let it foam and bubble away until it is light brown - usually about 5 minutes. If you're worried it's gotten too dark (and might burn in the next step), dash in a little olive oil. This will stop the butter from browning further.
Add the garlic, thinly shredded sage leaves, and red pepper flakes. Saute until the garlic is light brown and the butter is slightly darker.
Add the wine and let simmer until reduced by not quite half, about 5 minutes more. Sometimes I don't feel like buying a bottle of white wine just for this dish, so I substitute diluted chicken stock and the juice of a lemon to equal 1 cup.
If your gnocchi isn't done cooking, turn off the heat and wait for it.
Add the cooked gnocchi to the pan and stir it for about a minute. The gnocchi itself will thicken the sauce.

Creamy Zucchini & Basil Pasta

2010-09-18T11:05:00.000-07:00

This was my favorite recipe invention of this past summer (past already!), but I never got a great picture of it so I kept holding off posting. Part of the problem - squished up roasted zucchini is delicious, but not very photogenic. The "creamy" in the title comes from the texture of the zucchini, not from the optional cream. I served it as a dip at a dinner I made for my family and when the bowl was almost empty someone took a piece of bread and carefully cleaned out the last remnants - that's the sign of a good dip. It has the bright, summery flavor of fresh basil and the more autumnal, savory flavor of toasty, roasty zucchini. That makes it a great dinner for this in-between-seasons time.

Creamy Zucchini & Basil Pasta
serves 2, generously

4 cups zucchini, cut into bite-sized pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup heavy cream (optional)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
salt, pepper, and olive oil
3/4 pound short pasta
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs*
2 T butter

Toss the zucchini in olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread onto 2 cookie sheets. Roast in a 450 degree oven for about 20 to 25 minutes. Put the pans a few shelves apart in the oven and switch half-way through so that both pans get nicely browned.
Meanwhile, saute the garlic in a small pan until just starting to brown. Set that aside in a bowl big enough to hold the pasta.
In the same pan, toast the bread crumbs in the butter until brown.
When the zucchini are dark brown, scrape them into the bowl with the garlic. Add the basil, cream, and Parmesan and mix really well, squishing the zucchini against the side of the bowl.
Mix in the hot pasta. Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top of each serving to keep them crunchy.
To make this as a dip, omit the bread crumbs and pasta and just serve it with slices of bread or crackers.

*I used 2 pieces of good, white, sourdough bread that I toasted a little, cut into small pieces, and ground up in my Cuisinart.

Mom's Almond & Fruit Crumble

2010-09-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

Is it a crisp or a crumble? I can't decide. I do know that the first Fourth of July that Mom made this it was a crazy hit - plums, blackberries, and the marzipan flavor from the almond paste along with the melting creaminess of the ice cream. We all asked for it again and again after that. She got the idea from Bon Appetit magazine and when I went looking for the recipe I was surprised to discover that it was actually supposed to be a tart, but Mom just stole the idea for the topping. If you like almonds and crisps/crumbles/whatevers, you'll love this. I make it in the winter with plums I've frozen from the fall. Now is the perfect time to discover you love it too and put away some stone fruits and berries for when a taste of summer will save you from the winter doldrums.

Mom's Almond & Fruit Crumble
serves 12

Topping:
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cold almond paste (about 5 oz.)
1/2 cup brown sugar
6 T cold butter
1/4 cup almonds

2 1/4 pounds fruit,* cut into bite-sized pieces
1/2 cup sugar
3 T cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Combine the topping ingredients, except the almonds, in a food processor and pulse until combined. Or cut everything together using a pastry blender. Then mix in the almonds.
Toss the fruit with the sugar and cornstarch and spread into a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle the topping over the fruit
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The fruit should be bubbling (this activates the corn starch) and the topping golden brown.
Let sit for 15 minutes before serving so that it can cool and set a little. Don't worry, it will still be warm. You'll be tempted to serve it right away, but it will burn your mouth, trust me.
Serve with ice cream.

*I think it's best with stone fruit and berries, especially Italian plums with blackberries or nectarines with blueberries, but many different combinations would work.

Feijoada (Brazilian Style Black Beans with Orange)

2010-09-01T11:57:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe that I used to worry someone who really knew how to make it would get mad at me for my non-traditional interpretation. Then I looked around on the internets and discovered that there is already a huge debate about what should be considered "traditional" Feijoada (it is considered by some to be the national dish of Brazil). I'd never even heard of it until one day I saw it upcoming on the menu at the Still Life and I was supposed to make it as a soup. This was before I could just Google it and find 50 different versions. I found it in one international cook book, one take on it as a side dish, and I invented a soup out of that (because almost anything can be reinterpreted as a soup). Now I'm back to serving it as side dish. The orange makes me think a little of the Caribbean. We eat it along side spiced, grilled meats, just as is with rice and tortillas, or as a soup with double the stock listed below.

Feijoada (Brazilian Style Black Beans with Orange)
serves 4, as a main dish with rice and tortillas

3 cups dried black beans, or 3 to 4 cans of beans
3 slices bacon, cut into small pieces (optional)
2 garlic cloves
4 cups stock
1 orange
2 limes
2 bay leaves
cayenne to taste
8 cloves
4 cardamon pods
1 cup chopped cilantro
3 cups kale, chopped (optional)

In the morning (or the night before if you're organized), rinse the beans and cover with cold water. In the evening, discard the soaking water
Cut the peel from the orange (save the peels), then slice out the pulp. See the directions below.
Saute the bacon in a stock pot until it just starts to brown. Add the garlic and saute until it starts to brown.
Add the beans along with the cayenne, orange peels, lime juice, bay leaves, and stock.
Tie the cloves and cardamon into a cheese cloth bundle, smack a few times with a heavy pot, and add to the pot.
Simmer for 2 hours (1 hour if using canned beans), adding water if needed. You'll need to stir more often near the end to keep it from sticking to the pot.
If you want to add the chopped kale (it makes for a heartier main dish), add it about 30 minutes from the end.
When the beans are tender, remove the cheese cloth bundle, stir in the orange juice and pulp, cilantro, and salt. Done.

To cut out the orange supremes:

Cut the very top and bottom off of the orange - just enough to see the pulp.
Start cutting from the top, "skinning" the orange until the pulp is showing. Don't worry about going entirely from top to bottom, you can just flip the orange and cut away any peel that you missed.
Holding the skinned orange in your hand over a bowl, slowly cut down both sides of the pith so that the supremes fall into the bowl with the juice. It's a little creepy to cut towards your hand, but if you go slow and don't apply too much pressure, you'll be fine.

(The photos function on Blogger is not working - again! - so I'll add photos of how to do this later. In the mean time, there are a bunch of decent video demonstrations online.) It's really not necessary to do a careful job for this dish because you're going to stir the pulp into the beans and break it all up anyway.

Mississippi Mud Bars

2010-08-10T09:45:00.000-07:00

I don't know where this recipe originally came from, but it's one of the most "mom recipes" that I can think of (along with salad dressing, potato salad, and a few others). She used to cut these into star shapes and send them in our care packages to summer camp and college. I kept them hidden in the bottom of my closet when I was in New York for grad school. When I made these recently to take to a Clark family dinner, they went so fast I didn't have time to take a picture. It's a "boiled cake" which makes for a strange looking recipe if you haven't made one before. The frosting is very sweet so I recommend serving it in bite-sized squares or star shapes.

Mississippi Mud Bars
makes at least 24

Combine in a mixing bowl:

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t baking powder

Boil in a medium sauce pan:

1 cup butter (2 sticks)
3 T unsweetened cocoa
1 cup water

Mix the chocolate mixture with the flour mixture and then mix in:

2 eggs
1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick)
1 t vanilla

Pour everything into a jelly roll pan (a high-sided cookie sheet) that has been buttered and floured. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.

While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting. It needs to be spread on very quickly right when the bars come out of the oven, so be ready.

Boil:

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
dash of salt
1 t vanilla
2 T unsweetened cocoa

Add this gradually to 1 pound of powdered sugar that has been sifted. Then add 3 to 6 T of milk until the frosting is smooth.

Pour the frosting onto the hot cake and spread it with a butter knife as quick as you can. The frosting will start to set so it's best not to try to go back over it, just dump, smooth, and let it be.

Orzo Salad

2010-08-09T17:02:00.000-07:00

This is a dish that is so simple, and so open to endless variations, that it seems a little silly to write it down as a recipe. But I've been working on orzo salads all summer and they are worthy of a post. You can change pretty much every part of this, but keep the orzo. There's something about its tiny, rice-like shape that makes for the best cold pasta salads. Try it with roasted vegetables off the grill, shrimp, an Italian vinaigrette, raw zucchini sliced very thin, chick peas and Moroccan flavors, just about anything.

Orzo Salad
serves 4 as a main dish

1 pound orzo
about a 1/3 cup olive oil (just enough to keep the orzo from sticking)
juice of 3 lemons
2 chicken breasts (optional)
2 tomatoes, seeded and cut small
1 cucumber, seeded and cut small
1/2 pound feta (I really like feta), crumbled
1 cup plain yogurt (Greek-style with fat works best)
1/2 cup mixed fresh herbs, minced (basil, mint, & oregano are my favorite)
1/2 a red onion, cut very very small
salt & pepper

Cook the orzo just like regular pasta, but pay attention to your colander. Mine has holes that the orzo fits through so I have to use a mesh strainer.
Toss the orzo with the olive oil and half of the lemon juice. Set aside to cool while you prepare the rest.
Grill the chicken breasts with salt and pepper, cute into bit-sized pieces, and set aside to cool.
When the orzo and chicken are cool toss everything together in a large bowl.
For best results, let it sit for at least an hour before serving. Sometimes I make it a few days ahead, but then I hold out the tomatoes and cucumber until I'm closer to serving it.

Rigatoni with Roasted Zucchini and Crispy Prosciutto

2010-07-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

Pardon me if this gets boring, but I'm madly in love with my vegetable garden. I stroll by it several times a day, shaking my tomatoes in hopes of getting them to set, noting the progress of the mess of Delicata Squash vines taking over the path, pinching off the bolted stems of the arugula so I can get one more spicy pizza out of it, standing at the potato barrel resisting the urge to dig down and see what's happening. It's about as organic as a city garden can be. We even splurged and put in a drip irrigation system so we haven't been wasting water. Here's the problem: I'm not much of a vegetable eater, but I planted all this to to challenge myself to figure out how to add more veggies to my diet. And it's working because I would make this again even if I didn't have a plant shooting out a zucchini a day.

Rigatoni with Roasted Zucchini and Crispy Prosciutto
serves 4

1 onion, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
8 slices of Prosciutto, cut into thin strips (sub thinly sliced ham, if needed)
olive oil
4 smallish Zucchinis, or enough to really cover a cookie sheet, cut into coins
lots of grated Parmesan cheese
1 T chopped fresh oregano
1 pound Rigatoni

Start by crisping the Prosciutto in a pan that has been heated to medium-high and drizzled with a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Drop the strips into the oil and give them a stir so they don't stick. Cook until they're crisp - about 10 minutes - then remove to a plate.
Toss the zucchini coins in olive oil, salt, and pepper and lay them out on a cookie sheet. Roast in the oven at 450 for about 15 minutes or until they are nice and browned. If it's too hot outside to turn on your oven, just do them on the grill.
Cook the onion and garlic in the same pan as the Prosciuitto (adding more oil if needed). If you have a little extra time, it's nice to cook the garlic first separately, letting it get perfectly brown, and then set it aside with the Prosciutto. Then do the onion until nicely browned. If you're a little more rushed, cook the onion until it starts to brown on the edges, then add the garlic and do the same.
When the pasta is done, toss it with the onion, garlic, Prosciutto, oil from the pan, oregano, and a generous amount of grated Parmesan. Top with the zucchini coins. It's great warm or cold.

Easy Empanadas

2010-06-29T16:35:00.000-07:00

When people complain about the weather here, I'm usually one of those annoying natives that says, "I like the rain." But Seattle's average temp so far this June has been 58, and that's just not OK. My plan has been to conjure Summer by cooking food that makes me think of warmer climates. Enter empanadas. They are so easy to make (don't ask me if this is authentic) and very adaptable to whatever is in season, whatever you're craving, or whatever happens to be in the back of the fridge about to go bad. The meat in this is highly optional. We're planning a batch with pizza toppings inside.

Empanadas
serves 2 for dinner, more as an appetizer

Dough:
2 cups all purpose Flour
1 t baking powder
1 t salt
1/2 stick butter (cut into small pieces)
1/2 c cold water

Filling:
1/2 a large yellow onion, diced
4 cloves of garlic, diced
1/2 pound beef (or maybe mushrooms or beans)
1/2 t ground cumin
1/2 t paprika
2 T fresh oregano
cayenne and salt to taste
1 T tomato paste
3 cups hearty greens (kale, chard, spinach), cut into bite-sized pieces.

First make the dough (or substitute frozen pie crust):

In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Add cold water and mix with a wooden spoon so the dough comes together.
Turn out dough onto a lightly floured work surface and knead 2 or 3 times to form a smooth ball.
Flatten with the heel of your hand then roll out to a thin sheet (about 1/8 inch thick).
Cut into circles with a bowl or cup (depending on what size you want).

Then make the filling:

Saute the onions and garlic in a little olive oil. When they've just started to brown, add the meat (either ground beef or a steak cut into small pieces). Cook until the meat is just done (about 5 minutes).
Add the tomato paste and spices and cook until things start to stick. Then add the greens and all their moisture will make things unstick (or add a smidge of water if this doesn't work).
Cook the greens for about 5 minutes. You want the filling to be moist, but not too wet.

Now assemble the empanadas:

Put a little filling on half of each dough circle. I've learned (from many empanadas that wouldn't close) to start with half as much filling as I think it will take.
Dip your finger in a cup of water and use that to wet the edge of the dough. This will help it stick when you fold over and pinch or fork the edges closed.
I haven't tried it yet, but I've heard that these freeze really well at this stage. You don't even need to thaw them, just take them out of the freezer and continue.

If you want, you can beat an egg and brush this on the tops of the sealed empanadas. Then bake at 400 for about 20 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Serve with hot sauce, chimichurri, homemade sour cream, or whatever you like.

Chimichurri

2010-06-18T09:10:00.000-07:00

Chimichurri is sort of South American pesto. I don't remember how I discovered it - maybe a birthday of Mom's years ago when we went to the Buenos Aires Grill - but now I'm totally obsessed with it. I want to eat it not just on red meat, which is traditional, but on chicken and pork chops and salad and pasta salad and chips and sandwiches. It's acidic and spicy and freshy and I started eating it with a spoon last night and sort of made myself sick. But the point is, make this and I hope you'll love it too.

Chimichurri
makes about 1/2 a cup, which is plenty because this is very flavorful stuff

2 cloves garlic, peeled
2 cups (loosely packed) parsley
2 cups (loosely packed) cilantro
2 T fresh oregano (or 1 T dried)
1/2 t cumin
1/4 t red pepper flakes
1/2 t smoked paprika
juice of 1 lemon
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste

If you're pressed for time use a food processor to blend everything together (do the garlic first, then dump all the rest in), but it's a little more authentic if you just chop everything really small and mix it together in a bowl. Let it sit for about half an hour to get all the flavors together.
If you know that you don't like things that are very acidic, hold back on half of the lemon and vinegar and add them bit by bit to taste.

Whole Wheat Penne with Spinach Pesto and Chickpeas

2010-06-15T10:21:00.000-07:00

This past weekend when I took a pair of garden shears to my spinach patch I thought, why did I plant this - I don't really like spinach. I prefer chard and beet greens and kale, all of which are exploding in the garden and I can't think of how to eat them all before they bolt. Then a friend suggested spinach pesto, which she makes exactly like basil pesto. Spinach pesto, even if it turned out as boring as I think spinach often is, would be garlicky and lemony and freshy. A pasta dinner started coming together in my mind. We were thinking we'd grill some chicken to add a little protein, but our budget for meat was busted (we're trying to only eat animal products from local, organic, ethical farms, but since we're on a serious budget around here that means we can't afford to eat as many as we used to). Inspired by my favorite ceci bruschetta topping, I added the chickpeas instead. It's a winner - fast, cheap, healthy, and super-flavorful.

Whole Wheat Penne with Spinach Pesto and Chickpeas
serves 3 to 4
printable

For the Pesto:
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
4 cups (loosely packed) spinach, washed and dried well
1 lemon
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup parmesan, grated

For the pasta:
1 pound whole wheat penne, or other short pasta
1 clove garlic, minced
1 15oz can of chickpeas (a.k.a garbanzo beans)
1 sprig rosemary (optional)
extra parmesan for garnish

While the water for the pasta is heating, make the pesto (or substitute store-bought basil pesto) by first grinding the garlic with a little salt and pepper in a food processor. Then add the spinach and lemon and grind again. Add the cheese and drizzle in the oil a little at a time until it is the consistency you like.
In a small frying pan on medium heat, saute one garlic clove in a little olive oil until it just starts to brown.
Add the (drained) chickpeas and the rosemary sprig. Cook, stirring only a few times, until the chickpeas have browned a bit - about 10 minutes.
Toss the pasta with the pesto, chickpeas, and salt and pepper. Garnish with more parm. It's great warm or cold.

Orecchiette with Hearty Greens and Spicy Sausage

2010-06-08T10:07:00.000-07:00

I didn't mean to have two posts in a row with the sausage/pasta/greens combination, but three things are at work here: 1) I love this combination 2) I have a small garden of mostly hearty greens and they are bursting out of their boxes, begging me to pick and eat them 3) I wasn't going to post this at all, but it turned into one of the best, fast dinners that we've made in a while. This is really just a variation on the Sausage Pasta that I've already posted, but see #3 above.

Orecchiette with Hearty Greens & Sausage
serves 4
printable version

1 regular onion, sliced
4 gloves of garlic, sliced
4 hot Italian sausages, casings removed (or a little less than a pound of bulk sausage)
4 cups (2 big handfuls) hearty greens like Kale or Chard, rinsed and cut into small pieces (sometimes you can find "braising mix" in the grocery store and that would be perfect)
1 pound Orecchiette, or other short pasta like Penne
plenty of grated Parmesan cheese

Put a pot of water on for the pasta.
In a large pan, saute the onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil (over medium heat, so they brown but don't burn), stirring often. When most of the edges are beginning to brown, add the garlic and saute that until it starts to brown.
Add the sausage to the onions and garlic, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. If the sausage is cooked through before the pasta is in the water, turn off the heat and set it aside.
When the pasta has about 5 minutes left to cook, add the greens to the pan (if you took it off the heat, turn it back on when the pasta goes in the water). Cook the greens while the pasta finishes.
Drain the pasta and toss it with the sausage mixture.
Serve sprinkled generously with salt, pepper, and grated Parm.

Simple (but so good) Chard and Sausage Lasagna

2010-06-04T09:31:00.000-07:00

When I cooked at The Still Life in Fremont I had a love/hate relationship with lasagna as the lunch special. Love because it's easy (serve with salad, done) and endlessly adaptable to what's on hand or in season. Hate because half the time it turned out a little too wet and slippery and made for terrible presentation. Then I learned a trick: don't cook the noodles ahead of time, and I mean regular lasagna noodles, not the no-cook kind. When the noodles cook right in the dish with everything else, they soak up a lot of the liquid so a lasagna with vegetables doesn't turn into a sloppy mess. The recipe below includes sausage and chard, but you can use just about anything (pre-cooked) for the "flavor layer" - butternut squash, zucchini, chicken, ground beef, mushrooms, and on and on. We make a 9x13 pan for dinner and freeze the leftovers for emergencies, a.k.a. nights when we're too tired to cook.

Lasagna with Chard and Sausage
makes roughly 8 servings

6 cups cups tomato sauce (about 1 1/2 jars)
11/2 pounds mozzarella, grated
1 cup grated parmesan
1 15 oz container of ricotta
15 dried, regular lasagna noodles
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 large bunch of chard (or other hearty greens)
1 pound hot italian sausage, out of the casing

Preheat the oven to 375.
Saute the onion in a little olive oil until the edges start to brown. Add the garlic and saute until its edges are just starting to brown.
Add the sausage and cook until done, breaking it up into small pieces as you go.
Cut the chard into thin strips and give it a rinse. Add this to the sausage and onions in the pan. Cook until wilted. This is your flavor layer.
Combine the parm and mozzarella and divide into three piles (the third one a little bigger than the other 2).
Heat up and doctor the sauce however you'd like. It's annoying that 1 jar of store-bought sauce is too little and 2 is too much. I use 1 jar, a can of tomatoes, about 1/2 a cup of red wine that's been reduced, and a bunch of herbs to make about 6 cups.
Set aside 2 cups of sauce for the final layer. If you are running short in the middle layer your can skimp on sauce, but you can't skimp on the top layer or the trick of the uncooked noodles won't work.
Follow this order to layer the lasagna into a 9x13 pan: sauce, noodles set down the short way (break off the ends to make them fit), sauce, flavor layer, ricotta (don't bother spreading it, just drop it down in little lumps), cheese, noodles, sauce, flavor layer, ricotta, cheese, noodles.

For the top, use a generous amount of sauce and make sure that all of the top noodles are covered. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese.
Bake covered for 45 minutes (do your best to tent the foil a little so it's not resting on the cheese), then remove the foil and bake until the top is browned - usually 15 minutes more. I put a sheet pan on the rack below to catch any drips of bubbling sauce.
Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving or it will goo all over and burn the roof of your mouth. I set the timer and make myself wait. Portion it out for leftovers the next day when it's cold.

The List, week of May 31st

2010-05-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Possible new posts (if the recipes turn out just right): Lasagna, Beans and Rice, Paella.

Carbonara

2010-05-23T11:27:00.000-07:00

I love Carbonara. First of all, what's not to like? It's a simple pasta made of eggs, cured pork (guanciale, pancetta, or bacon), Parmesan or Romano cheese, and black pepper. Second, I have a double dose of nostalgia for this dish. When I was growing up one of my most favorite dinners was one Mom called Bacon Spaghetti. She laughed to hear that is was my favorite because it was something she made when she was feeling broke and the cupboards were a little lean. It wasn't until I went to Rome in college that I realized that Bacon Spaghetti was really Spaghetti alla Carbonara. As I continued to travel in Europe I had Carbonara almost every time I saw it on a menu. In Italy, it is often came as a swirl of creamy, salty, perfect spaghetti with a raw egg yolk floating in the center. The second it arrives at the table you stir in the yolk.

The night we made this we splurged and bought guanciale (cured pork jowl) from Sea Breeze Farms and, though not necessary, it made it extra good.

Pasta alla Carbonara

serves 4

1 poound spaghetti or bucatini

8 oz. cured pork (guanciale, pancetta, or bacon)

1 egg and 3 yolks
1 cup finely grated Parmesan or Romano cheese, plus extra for garnish

black pepper and/or red chili flakes

Put your pasta water on to boil. This dinner comes together very quickly.
Cut the bacon into cubes and cook in a pan until just starting to brown. Sprinkle generously with fresh cracked pepper and a pinch of red chili flakes. Continue to cook until the pork is light brown (about 2 or 3 minutes more). If you're using pancetta or guanciale, add a little olive oil and be careful not to over-brown - they have less fat and are a little more sensitive to temperature than bacon
Remove the pan from the heat and let cool while you wait for the pasta.
When the pasta has about 5 minutes left, put the eggs, 1 cup of the cheese, and everything from the bacon pan, including the fat and the pepper, in a largish bowl. Using a fork, beat the heck of this mixture. It should be really well combined and maybe a little like a paste.
When the pasta is done, scoop out about a half cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta, and quickly add it to the bowl. Use your fork to mix everything together. Add a little pasta water bit by bit until the sauce is silky. Using very hot pasta and hot pasta water, is important so that the eggs are tempered.

Stacked Tomatillo Enchiladas

2010-05-19T22:07:00.000-07:00

My favorite recipes are ones that end up feeling almost like formulas (for every one person you'd like to serve use 1 part this and 2 parts that) rather than the usual recipes we're all used to. This enchilada recipe is one of those easily adapted formulas that works with any type of protein from chicken to pork to a vegetarian substitute, just about any flavor/type of beans, any flavor of salsa, and a couple different kinds of cheese. It's an excellent way to use up leftover meat or even take advantage of the convenience of a ready-to-go rotisserie chicken. The "formula" below is for my favorite version - an imitation of the green enchiladas they used to serve at Barbacoa on Queen Anne (I miss their cocktails too, and the Mexican Hot Chocolate Flan).

Stacked Tomatillo Enchiladas
serves 2

6 small* corn tortillas
1 to 2 cups grated jack cheese (depending on how cheesy you like it!)
2 cups Tomatillo Salsa
2 cups Easy Pinto Beans
2 cups shredded chicken
garnish with sour cream and cilantro

Start with hot ingredients. Heat the salsa in a small pot and grill your chicken just before assembling (or heat up your leftovers), etc...
To heat up the tortillas, brush a sheet pan with oil and lay out the tortillas on it. Rub the tortillas in the oil, then flip so that both sides are coated. Heat them under a broiler until they are soft - just a minute or two on each side.
Build the enchiladas in 2 wide, shallow, oven-proof bowls or (if you're like me and you don't own anything like that) in any small oven-proof container that can go under the broiler. I've made boats out of aluminum foil in a pinch.
Start with a generous cup of beans in the bottom of each bowl, then top with a tortilla.
Sprinkle 1/2 a cup of chicken on top, drizzle with salsa, and top with cheese and another tortilla.
Do one more layer of chicken, salsa, cheese and tortilla. Then top the whole pile with a little more salsa and cheese.
Place under the broiler on high for about 5 minutes, or until the cheese has started to brown. Don't walk away - the last minutes under a broiler the cheese changes quickly.
Serve with sour cream and salsa. Watch out for the hot plate!

* I like more layers so I trim regular corn tortillas when I can't find the really small ones. If you're feeling like these are going to be too big, just do one layer!

Clay Pot Chicken (Pot not required)

2010-05-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

I remember a couple of food trends from when I was growing up. There was the year of the fondue party (in my memory it was instead of a normal Thanksgiving, but that can't be right); the everything-gets-sundried-tomatoes year; the Microwaved Food Revolution year; and there was the year everyone got a Romertopf Clay Pot for Christmas. Except in my family that last one stayed around for a while because of one dish in particular - Clay Pot Chicken. Mom also called it Beggar's Chicken, but I recently discovered that that would normally be a whole chicken covered in clay and roasted. What it has in common with that traditional Chinese dish is the simplicity. This is just marinated chicken served with rice and vegetables, but that marinade - I love it so much I always sneak some spoonfuls before dinner. It's a perfect combination of soy sauce and sherry and sesame oil and spices. I wasn't thinking I'd ever post this recipe, but now I know that you don't even need the clay pot. John prefers the chicken grilled and I'm slowly coming around to agree with him. You can also just skip the chicken and cook the sauce down for a different sort of "teriyaki" sauce to use on everything.

Clay Pot Chicken (pot not required)
serves 4

Marinade:
1 c low sodium soy sauce
1/4 c sherry (in the stores near us you can find this with the vinegar and cooking wine, but don't get sherry vinegar)
1 T sesame oil
1 t Chinese 5 Spice (or substitute a pinch of anise, cloves, cinnamon, and fennel)
1 t white pepper
1 t ground ginger
1 T minced garlic

1 pound chicken - we use boneless thighs, but anything will work
1 t cornstarch
1 t cold water
rice and vegetables of your choice

Combine all the ingredients for the marinade together in a ziplock bag or bowl and whisk well to incorporate the powdered spices.
Add the chicken and mix it around so that it is coated in the marinade.
Let it sit for at least 30 minutes, but not all day or the chicken may become a little too salty.
Meanwhile, start your rice and prep your veggies.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade, and grill it however you'd like.
While the chicken is cooking, put the marinade in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Bring it to a boil for about 3 to 5 minutes to be sure you've killed any bacteria that may be in there from the raw chicken. If this feels too sketchy (but I promise we do this every time and we don't get sick), make a double batch of the marinade and save half for the sauce. If it seems to have cooked down too much in this step, add a little water.

Optional: Mix the cornstarch and water together in a tiny bowl. Remove from the sauce from the heat and whisk in the cornstarch slurry. Put the sauce back on the heat at low and just let it bubble for a minute or two to activate the cornstarch, stirring often.

You can simply steam the veggies in a pan or microwave, but we like to cook them in a little canola oil in a wide, hot frying pan.
When the chicken is done, cut it into strips and toss it with the vegetables and a tablespoon or two of sauce.
Serve it with rice and more sauce, then add a little more sauce to the sauce - get it?

Roasted Tomato Pasta (sort of Amatriciana Sauce)

2010-04-13T09:30:00.000-07:00

This is a perfect pasta for late Summer or for when some hothouse in B.C. is cranking out so many tomatoes that they're on super sale at the grocery store. Once they're roasted the tomatoes freeze well and are great to use on pizza, in dip, on a sandwich - so many things. This is basically an Amatriciana sauce - tomatoes, red chili flakes, and bacon or pancetta - though it would usually be served on spaghetti or bucatini (my new favorite). If you have the tomatoes on hand it only takes about 15 minutes to make. It's a great go to dinner - rich, spicy, simple, satisfying, and fresh.

Oops, too good to wait for the photo.

Roast Tomato Pasta
serves 4

5 pounds (about 15) ripe tomatoes
olive oil
salt & pepper
8 garlic cloves (papery skin still on)
4 slices of good bacon or equivalent of pancetta
2 generous pinches of red chili flakes
1/2 an onion, sliced
1 lb pasta
Parmesan cheese

Cut the tomatoes into eighths and spread them onto two sheet pans with the garlic cloves. I use a non-stick liner to make clean-up easier, but tin foil or parchment paper will work also. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper, and then toss to coat.
Roast in the oven at 325 degrees for about 2 hours - until they are dark, but not burned. I know that's a long time, but you can make these on the weekend, store them in the fridge for a couple of weeks or freezer for a couple of months, and you'll have the toms ready for whenever you want them.
Scrape the tomatoes and any good pan juices into a bowl. Peel the garlic, mush it with the back of a spoon, and mix it in with the tomatoes.
Put on your pasta water. I set a half cup measuring cup next to the pot to remind me to take out some of the pasta water before draining. This is the only way I ever remember to do it.
In a frying pan, cook the bacon until brown but not hard.
Add the onion and cook until it starts to brown, then add the chili flakes and cook for about 2 minutes more. Set aside.
Cook the pasta and before draining take out about half a cup of the salty, gluteny water.
Add the pasta to the bacon and stir in the tomatoes. Stir in the pasta water a bit at a time. If you forget this step, don't worry about it, it just smooths the sauce a little and helps it coat the pasta better.

Fresh Tomatillo Salsa

2010-04-12T16:06:00.000-07:00

This is the 3rd or 4th time I've tried to make my own Tomatillo Salsa, but it's my first success. I use this salsa in Stacked Chicken Enchiladas, Green Chile Pork Tacos, and just for eating with chips so it seemed worthy of its own post. Thanks to a great blog that I just discovered, Mexican Foodie, for giving me the initial recipe that I varied a little.
I updated this post when I made a huge batch to give away. Scroll down to the bottom for those instructions.

Tomatillo Salsa
makes 2 to 3 cups, depending on how juicy the tomatillos are

1 pound fresh tomatillos
1 jalapeno
1 serrano chile
1/2 a red onion
2 T oil (not olive)
2 garlic cloves
1 cup cilantro
salt
1 to 2 limes

Heat a heavy-bottomed (preferably cast iron) pan to medium-high. Place the jalapeno and serrano chile in the dry pan and roast until they have are mostly black. You'll have to turn them a few times over 5 to 10 minutes.

Remove the chiles and place the tomatillos, husks removed, in the same pan. Blacken top and bottom and, if possible, a little of the sides. Set them aside with the chiles.

Roughly chop the onion and and it to the pan. It will cook quickly because the pan is so hot from the roasting. After about a minute add the oil, stir well, and remove from the heat.

Remove the seeds from the chiles and put them in a food processor with the garlic, cilantro, juice of 1 lime, tomatillos, and onions. Add salt to taste and blend well.

Adjust the seasonings, adding more lime, salt, and maybe even another chile.

For a big batch, all the ingredients are the same, but I had to simplify the process or I would have been turning tomatillos in the pot all day.

Pre-heat the oven to 425.
Spread the tomatillos, onions, garlic, and serranos onto sheet pans that you've covered in foil (or else cleanup is a nightmare). Keep the different items as separate as you can because they roast at different speeds.
Roast in the oven until the edges of everything are blackened and at least a couple of the tomatillos have split. I pulled out the garlic first, then the onions, then serranos, and last the tomatillos.
Blend in batches according to the directions above. Combine all the batches together in a big bowl and check the seasonings.
Tomatillos, especially with lime added, are acidic enough to preserve just like you would do jam.

Lentil Caviar with Cod and a simple salad

2010-04-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

I don't usually post a whole meal, but these three simple elements - lentil "caviar," cod cooked in butter, and and the simplest arugula salad - worked so well together that I have to suggest making the combination. I set out just to post the lentils which are great as a hot side dish or as the base for a lentil salad. We buy the tiniest green-black lentils we can find, but simple french lentils or small green lentils should work as well. To turn this into a salad just allow it to cool and then drizzle on a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat and you're finished (unless you feel like adding some minced carrots and tomatoes and maybe a little feta, but then it doesn't look as much like caviar).

Lentil Caviar
serves 2 to 4

1/2 yellow onion, diced small
2 garlic cloves, diced small
1 carrot, peeled & diced small
1 1/2 cups tiny black lentils
3 cups stock
1 bay leaf
2 t thyme
1 t mustard
fresh ground black pepper to taste

In a small pot, saute the onion and garlic in a tablespoon of butter or oil for about 5 minutes.
Rinse the lentils and add them to the onions along with the rest of the ingredients.
Simmer uncovered on medium (don't let it boil too hard or the lentils will turn to mush) for about 30 minutes. If the lentils are cooked, but soupy just ladle off some of the water. If the liquid cooks away before the lentils are done, add a little water.

Simple Cod in Butter
serves 2

Cut 3/4 to 1 pound Cod (depending on how hungry you are) into 4 portions.
Heat 2 T butter in large skillet.
Salt and pepper both sides of the fish.
Pan cook the fish on medium heat until the fish starts to flake apart, about 10 minutes (flipping half way through cooking).

Green Chile Pork Tacos with Homemade Sour Cream

2010-04-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

My favorite thing to make in my slow cooker is a spicy, tomatoey pork taco filling. I used to say it was the only thing worth making in a slow cooker, but now I know about a few other things. Lately, I've been trying to make my own tomatillo salsa for Stacked Tomatillo Enchiladas (success finally!), but since I still can't quite get that right I keep ending up with tupperwares full of decent, but not fantastic tomatillo salsa. What to do, what to do... Last week I adjusted my old, favorite taco recipe to be green instead of red and we were shocked to discover that we like it better. Shocked! How could our most loved dinner be changed and improved? Our world is rocked over here.
Oh, and, we served it with homemade sour cream. Maybe that's why these were some of the best tacos I've ever made...

Green Chile Pork Tacos
serves 4 to 6

1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, diced
3 pounds boneless pork (just about anything will work, but you might need to trim off fat depending on which cut you use)
2 cups chicken stock (depending on your slow cooker)
2 T cumin
2 T oregano
2 cups tomatillo salsa (store-bought or try this recipe)
1 bunch cilantro
1 to 2 T pickled jalapenos, minced (they're spicy)
1 7 oz can green chiles, or equivalent fresh chiles roasted and diced
2 limes
avocado
corn tortillas
sour cream

Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and brown it on all sides - you're not cooking it now, just creating flavor. Put the meat in the slow cooker and put the lid on.
In the same pan, saute the onion until the edges start to brown, scraping up any good bits the pork left behind. Then add the garlic and saute just until it starts to brown.
Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the cumin. Have your stock ready. Toast the cumin until it starts to stick, then, quick, dump in your stock.
Add the rest of the ingredients BUT reserve 1 lime and some cilantro for the end. Bring this all to a bubble (I never put anything cold in my slow cooker) scraping the bottom to get all the toasted goodness off.
Pour this over the meat in the cooker and give it a bit of a stir so that the meat is coated. Scrape down the inside of the cooker so that no sauce is splashed above the line of sauce/meat (this helps with clean-up and prevents burned edges).
Cook on High for 6 to 8 hours. I check mine after 6 hours to see if it's too soupy. If it is, I cook it the last 2 hours with the lid off. Slow cooker vary a lot so you might need to stop after 6 hours or add a little more stock and keep going. The meat should me falling apart.
Add the juice of the second lime, break up the meat a little, and stir it in with the sauce. Serve it however you like tacos or with rice and beans.

Cauliflower & Tortellini Soup

2010-03-30T11:29:00.000-07:00

I got this soup idea from one my friend Jess made for me. It's so simple and delicious. We arrived for dinner one night and she had just thrown everything into a pot. By the time we were ready to sit down it was ready to be pureed and we had a bright, fresh soup course (she's so good with the courses! I never do that). The squeeze of lemon really makes a difference.We changed the pasta from bowties to tortellini to make it hearty enough for dinner. It would be very easy to make this even heartier (add chopped chicken) or vegan (go back to the bowties).

Cauliflower & Tortellini Soup
serves 4

1 onion, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
1 medium cauliflower, roughly chopped
2 medium-sized russet potatoes, peeled and roughly chopped
6 to 8 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1 t fresh thyme
pinch of nutmeg
salt & pepper to taste (always)
rind from a piece of parmesan (optional - it's just for extra flavor)
juice of 1 lemon
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 10oz package of tortellini (or other pasta)

As with almost every recipe I make, start by sauteing the onion in a few tablespoons of olive oil in the bottom of a medium soup pot. When the onion has just started to brown, add the garlic and continue until it just starts to brown.
Pour in half of the stock to stop the browning, then add the potatoes and and cauliflower. Add stock just to cover everything.
Stir in the bay, thyme, nutmeg, salt & pepper, and parm rind and bring to a low simmer. Let it bubble for about half an hour, stirring occassionally.
After about ten minutes I start the water for the tortellini (just cook it according to the package). It would be nice if you could cook pasta in soup, but I've never had good results with that. If the tortellini is done before the soup, be sure to toss it with a little butter so it doesn't stick together.
After the 30 minutes the potatoes and cauliflower should be falling apart. Fish out the bay leaf and the parm rind. Puree it with an immersion blender or let it cool just a bit so you can blend it in batches in food processor.
Stir in the grated parm, lemon juice, and the cooked tortellini. Done!

Spring Risotto

2010-03-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

I said it in my last post and I'll say it again - even when it's getting lovely out in Seattle in the Spring, it's still cold and I still need my comfort food. This is the time when I start making adjustments to many of my Winter favorites so that they're lighter, but hearty enough to satisfy after a day of gardening in the drizzle. I always make risotto the same way (my mom taught me and I think she learned it from Marcella Hazan's book, so I'm not fooling with it). If you have argula or sorel around instead of spinach, or different herbs, maybe a little white wine even, it's an endlessly flexible meal. Just keep the basics the same - 2 cups of rice, 6 to 8 cups of liquid, onion, flavorings, butter, Parm. I made a step-by-step instructable for a slightly different risotto, if you feel like you want a little more instruction.

Spring Lemon & Herb Risotto
serves at least 6, but it works well to cut this recipe in half

2 to 3 T olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c Arborio Rice, or short-grain sushi rice in a pinch
7 c chicken stock, simmering
1 large lemon
3 T mixed fresh herbs (I used oregano, thyme, and chives)
2 large handfuls baby spinach
1 T butter
1/2 c Parmesan plus more for garnish

In a thick-bottomed saucepan, heat the olive oil until hot. Add the onions and saute until they are starting to become translucent. Add the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes more. If things start to brown, turn down the heat a bit and move on to the next step. For the record, risotto doesn't traditionally have garlic, but I like it.
Add the rice to the pot and saute until you see one or two grains start to brown. If you don't see that, just saute for 5 minutes and move on. This is a great time to twist in a little pepper, but not salt (it will make the rice tough).
Add 2 cups of stock to get started and stir well. Adjust the heat so that the rice is bubbling, but not furiously boiling. You should be able to walk away and just give it a stir every 2 or 3 minutes.
Now you'll add the stock in 1 cup batches when the liquid has mostly cooked off, but the rice isn't sticking to the pan (every 5 minutes or so). I think this is the intimidating part, but you can't really mess it up unless you let it stick and burn. For the first couple of additions you should be able to see the bottom of the pot when it's time to add more.
While the risotto is going, chop all your herbs and spinach and squeeze the lemon.
Before adding the last cup of stock, give the risotto a taste. It should be creamy and thick and the rice should be almost cooked, but not mushy. You should be able to eat it with a fork. Sometimes I don't need the last cup, sometimes I need 1 cup extra.
With the last cup of stock, add the spinach, herbs, lemon, butter, and about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir vigorously.
Serve with a sprinkle of Parm and a little more herbs if you'd like.

Dreams of Summer Fish Stew

2010-03-16T10:56:00.000-07:00

We didn't go on a vacation to sunny weather this Winter, but this Seattle Spring has been so lovely it's almost making up for it. We're already craving lighter dishes, spending time in the garden, going on more walks. That also means we're running into the Summer dilemma of wanting to cook and post things to the blog, but not wanting to spend the time inside to do that. So Sunday evening we searched around online looking for inspiration for dinner. It needed to be something very fast (John had spent three days making cakes and cookies), light but hardy, and it had to satisfy the dreams of Summer that the weather was conjuring. We found it on the Everyday Food page (a great resource if you're comfortable tweaking the sometimes bland recipes). This would be a wonderful dish for entertaining because it all comes together so quickly and it's unusual, but delicious. It's one of our new favorites.

Dreams of Summer Fish Stew
serves 4 to 6

2 pounds firm-fleshed fish (we used Cod)
2 limes
1 onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 t cumin
cayenne to taste
2 T tomato paste
2 cups chicken or fish stock
1 15oz can coconut milk
2 15oz cans of diced tomatoes
rice and chopped cilantro for serving

Cut the fish into two-bite pieces (remove bones if there are any) and put this in a bowl. Squeeze the limes over the fish and let this sit while you work on the rest (about 15 minutes). Give it a stir after a few minutes to keep the fish coated with the lime.
In a small soup pot, saute the onion in a little olive oil. When the edges just begin to brown, add the garlic and let that saute for a few minutes.
Sprinkle the cumin and cayenne over the onions and garlic. Toast the spices for about a minute and then add the tomato paste. Stir well (so that the paste can toast, but not burn) for about 2 or 3 minutes.
Add the tomatoes, coconut milk, and the fish - including the lime juice - to the pot. Add salt to taste.
Add the stock a little at a time, stirring gently. Stop adding stock when the consistency is how you like it.
Simmer for 15 minutes, or until the fish is just starting to flake apart.
Ladle the stew over cooked rice and sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

Homemade Yogurt

2010-03-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

Here's what I learned about making yogurt - it isn't hard to make and it isn't hard to screw up. The overall time seems long, but the time you're actually doing something is only about 20 minutes. For my second batch I tried to find an easier, faster method and it turned out thin and sticky and weird. But my most recent batch was exactly what I was hoping for - thick enough, tangy but not too tangy, and with a quick plum "jam" mixed in it tasted like having cobbler for breakfast. I eat yogurt almost every morning, but I'm weird about which store-bought kinds I like. Combine that with my effort to cut as much wasted packaging, plastic, and preservatives from my diet and this recipe is a dream come true.

Homemade Yogurt
makes about 8 servings and a little left as the starter for the next batch

Gather up what you'll need:

- 1/2 gallon of whole or 2% milk that is not Ultra-Pasteurized (This has to do with the temperature it was pasteurized at. If milk has been Ultra-Pasteurized it must be labeled that way, so it's generally easy to avoid. Unfortunately, the only organic milk I've found that will work is from Trader Joe's)
- 1 small plain, all-natural yogurt that has live cultures (like Nancy's)
- thermometer
- slow cooker or double-boiler
- small bowl, stirring spoon, and ladle
- an oven or closed space that you aren't going to need for 8 hours
- towel
- tea-kettle or pot with lid
- butter muslin or cheese cloth if you like thick (Greek-style) yogurt

Clean all the equipment you'll use very well, being sure to get all the soap residue off. Just to be sure, I like to boil a pot of water and dump it in my slow cooker and the bowl. Then I swish a stirring spoon, ladle, and the thermometer in the hot water. You want to avoid adding any other bacteria to the milk so that you can just cultivate the good, yogurt bacteria.
Heat the milk to 180 degrees in the slow cooker on high (or in a double-boiler). It takes my slow cooker about an hour and a half, but it needs very little attention through this stage.
Turn off the heat and let it cool to between 100 and 115 degrees. This takes about 1/2 an hour to an hour. It goes faster if you stir.
In a clean bowl combine the store-bought yogurt with 1 cup of the warm milk and mix well.
Add this yogurt mix back to the slow cooker.
Wrap the slow cooker (lid on) in a thick towel and put it in the oven with the light on. Boil some water in the tea kettle or pot and put that in the oven too. This keeps my oven at a perfect 100 degrees.
Let this sit undisturbed for 6 to 12 hours, depending on how tangy you like your yogurt. I do 8 hours.
Ok, now you should have yogurt! Put it in the fridge to stop the fermentation process and help it firm up. If you think you might make another batch, save about 1/2 a cup for the next time instead of using a store-bought yogurt.

You can be finished now, but I like thick yogurt so I line a colander with a square of butter muslin and scoop yogurt into it, then pick up the four corners and tie it into a little hobo bundle (this batch had to be divided into 3 bundles).
I hang my yogurt over a bowl for about an hour to drain before mixing in sugar and fruit that I've cooked down for about an hour (depending on the fruit, I do 4 to 6 cups fruit, 1 cup sugar, and half a lemon).

I developed this recipe from a ton of online sources with most of the credit going to these two sites: A Year of Slow Cooking and How to Make Yogurt

Split Pea Soup with (optional) Ham Hock

2010-02-09T10:48:00.000-08:00

When I say optional ham hock I really mean optional. I used to make this at The Still Life without the ham hock and it wasn't uncommon for vegetarian customers to complain that they'd been served a meat soup. There is something about the marjoram and cumin, maybe the wine also, that makes it so hearty and savory that people assume there's meat in it. A few years ago I added the ham hock mostly out of curiosity about cooking with a ham hock - they're sort of out of place and cavemanish in the grocery store, I think - and now I always include it. I love the smokiness from the hock, and the chewy bits of pork. This soup makes great leftovers, but you'll probably need to splash in a little water when you reheat.

Split Pea Soup with (optional) Ham Hock
makes about 6 servings

1 onion, diced
1 shallot, diced (optional, but yummy)
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 cup white wine
2 cups dried split peas
6 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces (or equivalent amount of sweet potatoes)
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 bay leaves
1 T dried thyme or about 4 fresh sprigs
2 t marjoram
2 t dried mustard
1 T cumin
red pepper flakes to taste
salt & pepper to taste
1 ham hock (preferably smoked)

Saute the onions, shallots, and garlic in a few tablespoons of olive oil until they are starting to brown.
Sprinkle the cumin over this and saute about 1 more minute, or until things start to get too dry.
Add the wine and simmer for about 3 minutes just to cook off the alcohol.
Add the rest of the spices, the peas, carrots, potatoes, stock, and the ham hock (if you want meat in the soup, but you can't deal with a hock, you can add diced ham).
Bring the soup to a low simmer and let it bubble for about an hour. Stir a few times in the beginning, but since split pea is a thick soup it might try to stick to the bottom of the pot near the end - just keep your heat low and stir a little more frequently.
Remove the ham hock and pick off all the good meaty bits, returning them to the pot.
Serve with buttered toast or croutons. Seriously, don't skip the toast.

Turkey & Green Chile Chili

2010-02-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

If it seems like the only thing I eat is soup, that's actually pretty close to the truth. It's so warm and comforting and it packs well for lunch the next day. If it seems like at least half of what I cook falls into the tangy/acidic category, this is also pretty accurate. Put it all together into something that is hearty, limey, packable, easy, made in my slow cooker, and is an excuse to let myself eat Fritos and you have one of my favorite meals.

Turkey, White Bean, and Green Chile Chili
serves 4 to 6

1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1.25 lbs ground turkey (because that's the only size they sell in the store near my house!)
3 T ground cumin
3 T oregano
1 T chili powder
1 t mustard powder
smidge of cayenne
4 cups chicken stock
5 cups cooked white beans*
1 T pickled jalapenos, minced
14 oz diced green chiles (2 cans)
7oz green salsa (1 can)
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 lime
sour cream
grated cheese
Fritos

In a large frying pan, in a few tablespoons of oil, saute the onion until the edges start to brown. Add the garlic and saute it until it starts to brown.
Add the ground turkey and break it up into bite-sized pieces as you stir.
When most of the pink is gone from the turkey, sprinkle the cumin over everything and saute until the cumin is toasty or until the pan is getting dry. Add the stock and warm it up (this makes your slow cooker work more efficiently).
Add all of this to the slow cooker along with the rest of the spices, green chiles, salsa, pickled jalapeno, half of the cilantro, the lime juice, and the beans.
Set the slow cooker on high and leave it for 6 to 8 hours. If you're not using a slow cooker, do all of the above steps in a large soup pot and let it simmer for and hour at least.
Serve topped with the rest of the cilantro, sour cream, grated cheese, and Fritos.

*I'm trying not to used things in cans (when reasonable) so I cooked the beans from dried. It's so easy. Just rinse 2 cups of dried white beans, cover with 8 to 10 cups water, and simmer for about an hour. Rinse off the cooking liquid before using them. You can also add some spices and watered down stock to give them more flavor.

Chilaquiles Soup

2010-01-23T09:04:00.000-08:00

This recipe came together so quickly last night and it was so good that I'm rushing to get it on the blog so that you can make it for dinner tonight. Chilaquiles traditionally are tortillas chips simmered in sauce and then topped with different things (chicken, scrambled eggs, etc...). It's not much of a stretch to turn them into a soup and I find them easier to eat this way. I found this recipe in the '97 Joy of Cooking, they credit Rick Bayless for giving them the recipe, then I adjusted it to my tastes, and now I'm passing it on to you. Psst... pass it on.

Chilaquiles Soup
serves 3 to 4
instructables version (lots more pictures)

1 or 2 fresh jalapenos
2 garlic cloves, unpeeled
1 28oz can whole tomatoes, drained
1 medium yellow onion, sliced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 chicken breasts
1 T cumin
1 T oregano
2 to 4 medium handfuls of thick/authentic style tortilla chips
1/2 cup cilantro
sour cream
grated jack or cheddar cheese

In a dry, thick-bottomed pot or pan (cast iron is great) roast the jalapeno and garlic over medium-high heat. It takes about 15 minutes and it seems strange, but you just leave them in the bottom of the pan, turning them as each side turns dark brown/black.
In a bit of oil, in a small soup pot, saute the onion until it is soft and starting to turn brown.
Peel the garlic and take the stem out of the jalapenos. Puree them in a food processor or blender. Add the drained can of tomatoes and blend again.
Transfer this to the soup pot of onions and heat for about 5 minutes.
Add the stock, raw chicken breasts, cumin, and oregano and simmer for 20 minutes. Don't taste it until it has simmered for a bit because it's the simmering that kills any bacteria that might be in the chicken.
Remove the chicken and cut it into cubes. Add this back to the pot along with the cilantro and tortilla chips. Simmer for about 3 to 5 minutes - just until the chips are soft.
Serve topped with sour cream and cheese. Muy Sabroso!

P.S. I've tagged this as vegetarian because it would be so easy to leave out the chicken (maybe add beans?).

Twice-a-Year Macaroni & Cheese

2010-01-20T10:07:00.000-08:00

I feel like I've been working on a Mac & Cheese recipes for ages. It's a hard one to test because it's so rich you really can't eat it more than once a month (at least I can't and that's saying something). I do have a plan to make a lighter, less health-devastating Mac (what one of my my aunts would call French-style), but that's not what I was in the mood for when I was working on this one. I call this Twice-a-Year Mac because it's seriously rich, but seriously delicious. So many Macs that I've had (and made) are too dry. The cheese and sauce are sucked into the noodles and you get good flavor, but not good sauce. I finally let go of the basic recipe I started from (Martha's) and tried some real experiments and - Voila! - it came together. I have Brussel Sprout and Kale Salad on the side so I don't feel quite so guilty.

Macaroni & Cheese

serves about 6

4 T butter

4 T flour

3 cups whole milk

2 cups grated jack cheese

2 cups grated Swiss cheese
4 oz cream cheese, cubed

1/2 t garlic granules

1/2 t paprika

1/2 t mustard powder

salt & pepper to taste

1 pound of noodles (anything short)

2 cups bread crumbs* combined with 2 T melted butter

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

The sauce takes about the same amount of time as it takes for water to boil and pasta to cook, so have that going while you work on the rest. It's best if the pasta is al dente since it's going in the oven at the end.
Over medium heat, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a large pan (you can cook the whole dish in this pan if you have one big enough). When the butter is bubbling, sprinkle the flour over the top and whisk it well to combine. Keep whisking until the flour is light brown. Pour in the milk and stock and whisk like crazy. Ok, you made the roux, that's the only hard part.
Sprinkle the spices over the milk/roux sauce and blop in the cream cheese. Stir until the cream cheese is mostly melted.
Sprinkle in the jack and Swiss (or Gruyere if you feel like splurging) while stirring until melted. Keep the heat on the low side or the cheese might separate.
Stir in the al dente noodles and top with the breadcrumbs and Parmesan.
Put this in a 350 degree oven for about 15 minutes. If the top isn't golden and the Parm melted, broil it for a few more minutes.
Let it stand for about five minutes before serving or you will burn the you-know-what out of your mouth.

* The best bread crumbs for this are homemade and cut like a small crouton. I take the crusts off of a few pieces of sourdough bread and cut them into cubes. Then I toast them in the oven while I'm grating my cheese. If you use really fine bread crumbs you'll probably only need about a cup.

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad

2010-01-19T11:18:00.000-08:00

For the record, I would normally say that I don't like brussel sprouts, raw kale, or anything sweet in my salad dressing. I've already written that I don't really like salad or most vegetables either, but this is a great exception to all of that. My sister brought this crunchy, delicious dish to Thanksgiving and I've adapted it just enough to not get in trouble by the magazine she got it from. I always try to make myself eat something healthy when I've having something that is really bad for me and now that I have this recipe I don't mind one bit. Serve it with the Macaroni and Cheese I'm going to post soon. Thanks Hanna!
(I recently added a variation for the colder months when I want this warm.)

Kale and Brussel Sprout Salad
serves 6

1 pound brussel sprouts
1 bunch (8 to 12 leaves) Lacinato kale - a.k.a Dino kale, but you can also use regular
1 cup toasted, salted sunflower seeds

dressing:
2 T dijon mustard
1/2 cup lemon juice (or red wine vinegar in a pinch)
2 T maple syrup
1/4 cup non-olive oil
2 to 4 cloves garlic
salt and pepper to taste

Remove any icky outer leaves on the brussel sprouts. Shred them and the kale as fine as you can manage. (Do you have a mandolin that you never use? Get it out now.)
Mix all the ingredients for the dressing except for the lemon juice in a food processor or by shaking vigorously in a jar.
Add about 3/4 of the lemon juice, mix, taste, and add more if needed.
Toss with the brussel sprouts, kale, and sunflower seeds. Serve alongside anything you're feeling guilty about eating.

Dan Dan Noodles

2009-12-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

When I fall for a food, I fall hard. Lately, I can't stop thinking about the Dan Dan noodles I had at Seven Star Peppers. Now that I've done some research I know that saying Dan Dan noodles is almost like the Szechuan version of saying spaghetti sauce - it implies something very general. The dish that I love is the soupy, peanutty kind of Dan Dan so that's what I've tried to recreate here (with lots of help from a recipe I found in Food & Wine magazine and, of course, Johnny). If you haven't had good Dan Dan noodles you might not realize that you need to make this right now, immediately, tonight. I don't even have a picture to post because it was so good the night I made it that I was finished eating before I could think of getting the camera. I'll add a photo next time I make it (probably tomorrow because I could eat this every other day). Oh, I almost forgot one of the best parts - it takes maybe 15 minutes to make this.

Dan Dan Noodles
serves 4
printable version

Sauce:
1/4 c peanut oil (or other non-olive oil)
1/2 c toasted peanuts (use very plain toasted ones or toast them with the oil in a pan)
1 jalapeno, de-seeded and chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
1/4 inch of ginger, skinned and chopped
5 T soy sauce
2 T water
2 T Sri Racha (Asian hot sauce that is widely available and good to have in the cupboard)
1 T sugar
2 t sesame oil

1 pound ground pork or chicken
2 c chicken stock
1 c slivered carrots
3 baby Bok Choys, or about 2 cups shredded cabbage
Noodles to serves 4 - I used Udon that I found in my grocery store, but you could use other Asian noodles or even fettuccine

Put all of the sauce ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.
Saute the pork in a pan large enough to have the noodles and sauce added later.
When the pork is done, add the Bok Choy and saute for a couple of minutes, just until the Bok Choy is wilted.
Add the carrots and stock and heat through.
Add the cooked noodles (if you're using Udon noodles, don't cook them on the side first, just add them to the sauce and simmer for about a minute). Done.

Slow-cooked Leek and Proscuitto Pasta

2009-12-15T11:08:00.000-08:00

That Jamie Oliver, he sure has a way with leeks. My Leek and Chick Pea Soup (that is pretty much everyone's favorite on this blog) was adapted from his recipe and now I had another adaption of one of his - Slow-cooked Leek and Proscuitto Pasta. This is so crazy good I lick my plate when we have it. I suggest making a huge batch of the slow-cooked leeks and keeping them on hand (they'll keep in the fridge for a week or two and would probably freeze fine, but I never have them around long enough to test that) for pasta or for an even faster version of the soup. This is a very monochromatic dish so I've been holding off posting it in hopes of having a good picture. Oh well, it's too good to keep secret any longer.

Slow-cooked Leeks & Prosciutto Pasta
serves 4
printable version

4 leeks
3 T butter
1 T olive oil
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 c chicken stock
1 c dry white wine
4-6 slices of prosciutto
1 pound rigatoni, penne, or similar pasta
grated Parmesan

Prep the leeks by cutting off the root end and the green top (I use the green up until it gets stiff, but leek purists don't use any green). Slice them lengthwise and then into thin half-moons. Leeks can have dirt in between their tight layers so I rinse mine well and then dry them in a salad spinner.
In a wide, deep frying pan, melt the butter and heat the oil (the bit of oil keeps the butter from browning). Add the leeks and garlic and saute for about 10 minutes or until you are just starting to see browning.
Add the wine and stock and then lay the slices of prosciutto over the top (see the photo above). You can substitute salami or ham, you'll just need enough to cover the leeks.
Reduce to a simmer for 30 to 40 minutes. Do a couple checks to make sure the leeks aren't sticking, but don't stir in the prosciutto. If it seems like the pan is drying out you can put a lid half on and/or add a little water.
Prepare your pasta while the leeks are simmering.
Remove the prosciutto and slice it into thin pieces. Stir this into the leeks.
Toss the leeks with the cooked pasta, top with Parm. and you're done.

Cupboard Soup: Chicken, Green Chile, Tortilla Soup

2009-11-16T08:40:00.000-08:00

A Cupboard Soup comes together on one of those days when I ask myself, "what do I have in the cupboard that could make a meal because I've already been to the grocery store 4 times this week?" This is one of my best successes so I thought it would be a good example of how to throw something together. I always keep onions, garlic, and my good old concentrated stock stock around. You also need something for flavor (herbs, tomatoes, salsa, chilies, sausage, leftover side dishes that won't turn into mush) and something for bulk (beans, lentils, split peas, potatoes, canned or fresh veggies). I also like a protein (if that isn't where my main flavor is coming in) and I usually have that in my freezer from some budget-breaking trip to Costco. Follow the method below and you can change the ingredients around a million ways. I didn't have anything for bulk except tortillas so this turned out a little thin (I'm really more of a stew person than a soup person), but so good. It could have used maybe corn or potatoes or black beans.

Chicken, Green Chili, Tortilla Soup
serves 6
printable version
instructables version

2 chicken breasts
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
8 c stock
1 7oz. can of green salsa
2 4oz. cans diced green chiles
8 corn tortillas, cut into strips
1/2 bunch cilantro (more if you want garnish)
juice of 2 limes
1.5 T cumin
1 T oregano
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of cayenne
sour cream for garnish

Rinse and pat dry the chicken breasts, then sprinkle one side with salt & pepper. Heat a tablespoon or two of oil in a soup pot (or saute pan if you're going to use a slow cooker) on medium-high heat. Place the salted side of the chicken down in the pan. Now sprinkle the other side with S&P. Brown both sides well, but don't worry about cooking them through. This searing step is optional, but it adds flavor.
Remove the chicken (either set it aside or put it in the slow cooker). In the same pan, saute the onions until the edges are starting to brown , then throw in the garlic and saute until it starts to brown also. You might have to add a little more oil.
Toast the cumin by sprinkling it over the onions and garlic and stirring it for a few minutes.
Pour a few cups of stock into the pan and scrape all the good browned bits off the bottom.
Add everything except the sour cream and half of the tortillas to the soup pot or slow cooker. This soup is best if you put it on early and let it simmer for a couple of hours (I put it on high in the slow cooker while I'm at work all day).
When you're almost ready to eat, take the chicken out of the pot and cut it into bite-sized pieces. I like to give it a quick blend with my hand-blender before adding the chicken back in, but that's optional.
For a great garnish, spread the remaining 4 tortillas (cut into strips) on a cookie sheet. Drizzle the strips with oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Give them a quick toss to coat everything and pop these in the oven for about 10 minutes at 350, or until they're brown.
Serve with the toasted tortilla strips and a generous dollop of sour cream.

Lemon Lentils

2009-11-04T11:14:00.000-08:00

Over ten years ago my mom and I watched Ishmail Merchant make this on the old (better) Martha Stewart TV show. His recipe is a little complicated for lentils, so I simplified it. This is the BEST lentil soup or side dish I know how to make. I freeze this for lunches later, but it's very important to remove the lemon halves (and the cinnamon sticks, while you're at it) after it has cooked or else they can make all the leftovers bitter. We learned that the hard way.

Lemon Lentils
serves 4 to 6
printable version
instructables version

4 cups red lentils (Masoor Dal) picked over for stones
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 onion sliced and 1/2 an onion diced
4 bay leaves
4 3inch cinnamon sticks
1 diced garlic clove
1 Tbs. fresh grated ginger
1 tps. cayenne pepper
1 lemon - squeeze out the juice, but save the halves
8 to 10 cups hot vegetable or chicken stock
maybe salt depending on your stock (don't add it until the end because most stock is really salty)

Saute the onions in the oil until the edges brown. Add the garlic and saute until it just starts to brown.
Add the ginger, bay, cinnamon, and cayenne and saute for a minute or two to toast the cayenne and get everything hot.
Add the lentils, stock, lemon juice, and squeezed lemon halves. Simmer this for about 45 minutes. You have to stir it sort of frequently so that the lentils don't stick to the pot.
I often have to add 2 more cups of stock because I like it like a soup. If you want it to be a side dish you just have to stir it more frequently at the end to avoid adding the extra water.

Chai (not for dinner)

2009-11-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

I can't quite decide how to tag things that aren't for dinner. Lately, as I've been a little bored with our meals and frustrated with the cookbook, I haven't been as inspired to post dinners, but we're still having fun in the kitchen. Like this Chai that I make for us on the weekends - it's so simple, but so wonderfully warming on these dreary days. I keep the extra in the fridge and microwave it for my morning tea the next day. Buying the spices in bulk, and using tea that's not as nice as what I drink just plain, keeps this really inexpensive. Thanks to Elise for introducing me to the recipe (which is adapted from this Gourmet, I think).

Homemade Chai
fills two16oz mugs
Instructable version

3 scoops/teabags black tea (Darjeeling, English Breakfast, etc...)
1 inch fresh ginger, cut into rounds
1 cinnamon stick
2 t black pepper corns
10 or so whole cloves
5 cardamon pods
3 cups water
1 cup milk/soy (I use whole milk)
1/4 c brown sugar

Put all of the spices in a sealable plastic bag and bruise them well by pounding with a rolling pin or hammer. Don't go crazy, though, you're bruising not destroying.
Add the spices to the water in a small pot. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes. It helps to partially cover so you lose less liquid, but that's optional.
Add the tea and let steep for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on the tea and how strong you like it.
Strain the Chai into a bowl and then add the liquid back to the pot (I usually have to give it a rinse to get out all the bits).
Add the milk and sugar and bring back up to hot.
Serve with cookies on a rainy day.

Red Wine Risotto with Mushrooms

2009-10-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

I've been wanting to put risotto on the blog since I first started it. It's one of those things (like making a roux) that has a mostly undeserved reputation for being difficult. Mom got an old copy of Marcella Hazan's cookbook and taught herself from there. Here's the first myth busted - you don't have to stir it constantly. You do need to hover a bit so it's not great for when you're busy with a million other things. The 2nd myth to discard - it doesn't take forever to make. I timed this one and from when I picked up the knife to cut the onion to serving it took 45 minutes. Again, not an every night thing, but even Rachel Ray can't be too unhappy with that. Make risotto just to prove to yourself that you can; make it because it's so creamy and satisfying; make it because you want something insano purple on your plate just for fun.

Red Wine Risotto with Mushrooms
serves at least 6, but it works well to cut this recipe in half
printable version

1 yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 c Arborio Rice, or short-grain sushi rice in a pinch
2 c red wine
6 c chicken stock, simmering
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced
4 T butter
1/2 c Parmesan plus more for garnish

Click here if you want more step-by-step instructions and photos.
In a thick-bottomed saucepan, heat 2 T of the butter until bubbling. Add the onions and saute until they are starting to become translucent.
Add the garlic and saute for about 5 minutes more. If things start to brown, turn down the heat a bit and move on to the next step. For the record, risotto doesn't traditionally have garlic, but I like it.
Add the rice to the pot and saute until you see one or two grains start to brown. If you don't see that, just saute for 5 minutes and move on. This is a great time to twist in a little pepper, but not salt (it will make the rice tough).
Add the wine and stir well. Adjust the heat so that the rice is bubbling well, but not furiously boiling. You should be able to walk away and just give it a stir every 2 or 3 minutes.
Now you'll add the heated stock in 1 cup batches when the liquid has mostly cooked off, but the rice isn't sticking to the pan (every 5 minutes or so). I think this is the intimidating part, but you can't really mess it up unless you let it stick and burn. For the first couple of additions you should be able to see the bottom of the pot when it's time to add more. I've also seen recipes that just dump all the stock in and have you stir frequently (they claim to be just as good, but I've never tested this).
While the risotto is going, saute the mushrooms in a hot pan with 1 T of butter until they are browned.
Before adding the last cup of stock, give the risotto a taste. It should be creamy and thick and the rice should be cooked, but not mushy. You should be able to eat it with a fork. Sometimes I don't need the last cup, sometimes I need 1 cup more.
To finish the risotto, add 1 T butter and about 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese. Stir vigorously and the risotto turns creamier and it's done.
Now you can add the mushrooms and adjust the salt.

P.S. This basic method works great for a simple (non-purple) risotto as well. Just omit the wine and use 2 cups more stock. You can also skip the mushrooms and add just about any cooked ingredient that suits the mood you're in - asparagus, roasted squash, shrimp, peas, corn and lime, herbs and lemon.

Succotash (that turns into soup)

2009-10-26T16:24:00.000-07:00

I once had to make a soup version of Succotash even though I'd never even tasted the real thing. Since this was in the dark ages before Epicurious I completely winged it based only on knowing that it should have corn, lima beans, and probably ham. I've since discovered that there are endless variations and arguments about what should be in Succotash. So my made up recipe that starts as a side and becomes a soup may not be what you (probably Brian) think of as Succotash, but it'll do. Serve it with all sorts of summery dishes, as a main when you see the last fresh corn on sale (like we did), or in the dead of Winter when you are missing corn. Also, John thinks he doesn't like Lima beans so I used black-eyed peas, but I think little baby Limas are great.

Succotash
makes a ton - enough for 4 to 6 as a side and then there will be leftovers for the soup below
printable version

5 ears fresh corn (or 2 cans)
1 pound good ham, diced (I use Black Forest from The Swinery)
4 cloves garlic, diced
5 medium yukon gold potatoes, cut bite-sized
2 cups cooked black-eyed peas (or other bean)
Tabasco or other hot sauce
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t thyme

Start your potatoes either in a pot of water or in the oven to roast.
Saute the garlic in a little olive oil until it just starts to brown.
Add the ham cubes and saute until they have brown edges.
Cut the kernels from the corn and add it to the ham along with the peas, cumin, thyme, cooked potatoes, and a few dashes of Tabasco.
Saute on medium until the peas are heated through and the corn is cooked, about 10 minutes. Splash in a little hot water or olive oil if your pan is getting dry.
You're done.

Soup from the Leftovers
3 cups leftover Succotash (or whatever the equivalent corn & beans & ham would be)
1 onion
2 cloves garlic
4 to 6 cups chicken stock
thyme & cumin to taste
1 medium-sized winter squash, peeled and diced (2 -3 cups)
1 cup cream (optional)

Saute the onions and garlic in the bottom of a soup pot until the edges are starting to brown.
Roast the squash cubes in a 400 degree oven simply by tossing in olive oil, salt & pepper and letting them cook until the edges are brown.
Add the leftovers to the pot and cover with chicken stock, adding it bit by bit until it's the consistency you like - you'll be adding the squash to bulk it up, but them cream to thin it again.
Once it's all warm enough to taste adjust the seasonings.
Simmer this on low for at least 30 minutes (an hour or more would be good if you have it).
Stir in the cream about 10 minutes before eating.
Serve with buttered toast (always!).

Beef Stroganoff

2009-10-20T22:28:00.000-07:00

Now that I know how to make a real, yummy, sort of fancy, Beef Stroganoff I never make the simple Hamburger Stroganoff that I grew up with. Partly it's because I don't do recipes that require a can of Cream of Anything Soup (too many mysterious ingredients), but it's also because now that I know this version, even nostalgia can't make me crave the other one. That's my warning: you might never go back. This isn't the simplest recipe I know, but it is one of my most favorite comfort foods to make at home. In the steps below I've include a way to short-cut things if you just don't feel like dealing with making a roux.

Beef Stroganoff

serves 4

printable version

3/4 pound Crimini mushrooms (or white button), sliced

1 1/2 pound top sirloin cut into bite-sized strips

1 yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

4 T butter

2 T flour

1 1/2 cups beef stock

1 T Dijon mustard

5 T sour cream

1 T paprika

1 t dill

serve with:

1 pound egg noodles tossed in butter and a pinch of salt

Melt 2 T of butter in a high-sided frying pan. Toss the beef with salt & pepper. Cook hot & quick in the butter just until the edges are brown. Remove to a bowl leaving as much butter and juices in the pan.
Add the onions and mushrooms to the pan. Add a little more butter or oil if needed, but try not to. Mushrooms will dry out the pan at first, but then they start to release all their juices and you'll be fine.
When the mushrooms have started to brown, add the garlic and cook until it is just starting to brown as well. Add this all to the bowl with the beef (this time getting the pan as clean as possible).
Now make a roux to thicken the sauce: melt 2 T of butter in the pan and sprinkle it with 2 T flour. Whisk it well until it starts to brown (I like it medium brown, just about the color of caramel). Add the beef stock in a steady stream while whisking like crazy.
Whisk in the sour cream, mustard, dill, and paprika.
Add all the reserved ingredients and adjust the salt & pepper.

Shortcut:

Cook the beef, mushrooms, onions, and garlic together until the beef is cooked through and the mushrooms are tender.
Add the paprika, dill, half the stock, and half the sour cream. Mix well.
Add more sour cream and stock until it is a consistency and flavor you like (without the flour-butter roux it won't be as thick and rich, but it's still yummy).

Leek and Chick Pea Soup

2009-10-09T08:28:00.000-07:00

My sister served me this soup one afternoon and I was startled by how good it was. She's a great cook, but the ingredients list was just too simple. The first time I made it myself, I grilled her about the recipe - she must have left something out. After getting in trouble for doubting her, I agreed to try it without overly doctoring it up. It was great again. It reminds me to let the ingredients come out; it reminds me to cook with leeks more often. This recipe originally came from Jamie Oliver (who wrote that he got it from a friend), then I got it from my sis who had modified it a bit, and now I've made some adjustments. I love passing along recipes and watching them change.
P.S. What am I going to do about all these lame soup photos? It's so hard to take a picture of soup!

Leek & Chick Pea Soup
serves 6 to 8 (I freeze it for lunches)

1 T butter
2 T olive oil
3 to 4 leeks (depending on size)
4 cloves of garlic
2 T of ground cumin
5 cups cooked Chick Peas (about 2 cups uncooked, or 2 cans)
8 little red potatoes, quartered
8 to 10 cups stock
bay leaf
salt & pepper

Prep the leeks by first cutting off the tough green ends, then slicing them lengthwise before cutting into thin half-circles. Rinse them well - leeks are dirty.
Heat the olive oil and butter in a large soup pot and then throw in the leeks and garlic. Cook these down until the pan is pretty dry (about 10 minutes, stir frequently).
Sprinkle the cumin over this and continue to cook until the cumin is stuck to the pan (about 2 minutes)
Add the potatoes, chick peas, bay leaf, salt & pepper, and 8 cups of stock.
Simmer for 30 minutes to an hour. Add more stock if needed.
Adjust the salt & pepper and serve with Parmesan cheese on top.

I make this in my slow cooker just so that it's ready when I come home from work, but that's completely optional. I also add chicken to make it even heartier. It's so simple to just put two raw chicken breasts in when you add the stock. Then fish them out after work, chop them up, and add back to the soup.

Chicken Cacciatore

2009-10-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

The first time I looked up recipes for Chicken Cacciatore I was amazed by how much the different versions varied both by ingredients (olives, peppers, mushrooms, eggplant and zucchini, or none of those things) and by cooking method (oven, stove top, slow cooker). The heart of this dish is chicken cooked with tomatoes to make a hearty not-quite-stew that I like to serve with polenta. What I'm really saying is feel free (like I did) to change this around as much as you'd like and let me know how it goes!

Chicken Cacciatore
serves 4 to 6
printable recipe

3 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, sliced
1/2 pound crimini mushrooms, quartered
1 red bell pepper, sliced (or roasted red peppers)
1 T tomato paste
1 cup red wine
2 cans (15oz) diced tomatoes
1 T oregano
smidge of cinnamon
1 big sprig of rosemary
pinch of red pepper flakes
1 bay leaf
5 to 10 olives of your choice
Parmesan cheese

Heat a couple tablespoons of olive oil in a deep-sided saute pan (or soup pot if you don't have a saute pan big enough). Sprinkle one side of the chicken with salt & pepper. Place the salted side down in the pan and cook until it's a little brown. Sprinkle the other side and repeat. You will probably have to do this in two rounds. Set the chicken aside.
In the same pan, saute the onions and garlic (add a little more oil if needed) until they are just starting to brown.
Add the mushrooms (keep the heat high, mushrooms like that) and peppers and saute until they are starting to get brown edges. If the onions and garlic start to head in the direction of too brown, just go to the next step and it will all still turn out great.
Add the tomato paste to the vegetables and saute for about 2 more minutes. Tomato paste always tastes better if it is browned.
Add the wine and bring to a boil for a couple of minutes. Scrape all the good browned bits off the bottom of the pan.
Add the chicken, tomatoes, herbs and spices, and the olives.
Give it all a good stir and allow it to simmer, uncovered, for 30 to 40 minutes. Just check it a couple of times to be sure nothing is sticking
Serve with pasta or polenta and top it with grated Parmesan cheese. Yum!!

PS - No, I still don't really like olives, but I do use them to season dishes. I just don't eat them.

Chocolate Zucchini Carrot Spice Cake

2009-09-23T20:57:00.000-07:00

If you have ever grown zucchini (or had a friend or neighbor who has) you know that this is the time of year for baseball-bat-sized vegetables that aren't good for much other than the compost bin. But this cake, oh my, this cake is so moist, so perfectly chocolaty without being over-sweet, that you'll never regret letting your zukes stay on the vines too long again (or you might go beg your friend to rescue one from the compost heap in exchange for a slice). I don't do nutritional information, but this has to be relatively healthy - no butter and lots of veggies.

It's so good, you'll even buy zucchini to make it. My Mom often made this at the holidays and it's always a hit. It doesn't even need ice cream on the side and I never say that about cake.

2 cups flour
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon each of:

   cinnamon
   baking soda
   baking powder
1/2 teaspoon each of:
   nutmeg
   allspice
   salt
1 1/2 cups grated zucchini
1 1/2 cups grated carrots (peeled first)1 bag (16 oz) chocolate chips
1 cup oil (canola or something other than olive)
4 eggs

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and oil a 9x13 pan.
Sift all of the dry ingredients together into a large bowl (or the bowl of a mixer).
Stir in the carrots, zucchini, and chocolate chips.
Beat the eggs and oil together until well combined.
Add the wet things to the dry things and mix well.
Pour into the prepared pan.
Bake for 50 to 55 minutes. If you test with a toothpick you might spear a gooey chocolate chip and that might make it seem like it's not done. Mine took the full 55 minutes.

Pozole - Mexican Pork & Hominy Stew

2009-09-21T12:49:00.000-07:00

I first had Pozole when I was living in New York on the edge of Spanish Harlem. A friend took me to a tiny Mexican restaurant that served the soup every Friday. It was a steaming bowl of broth, slow-cooked pork, and hominy served with onion, cilantro, lime, avocado, radishes, and hot sauce on the side (imagine Mexican Pho). It was instantly my favorite soup. Later, when I was turning all the foods I loved into soups for work, I developed a recipe that didn't have everything on the side so that it would be easier to serve. I've often said that this is the best recipe I've ever developed myself (maybe the best-tasting dish I know how to make), but I was never sure if I should really call it Pozole. The first time I ordered Pozole in Mexico I was sure I needed to come up with a different name for mine because it was, again, had a delicious clear broth with all the fixins on the side - not so much like the thick, red stew I make. But then, wait, I ordered it somewhere else on another visit and what came to the table might have come from my own kitchen! I made John try it to confirm I wasn't giving in to wishful thinking. I discovered that I make Pozole Rojo. Hurray!

Pozole Rojo
serves 8, so I freeze it (without the avocados) or make it when friends are coming over
printable version

2 pounds boneless pork (use whatever cut is on sale)
1 onion (yellow or white, not sweet), rough chop
4 cloves of garlic, rough chop
2 T cumin
smidge of cinnamon
2 cans (15 0oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (4 oz) diced green chilies
1 T dried oregano
1 t dried sage (or a couple fresh leaves)
1 bay leaf
1 dried ancho chili*
3 limes
1 bunch (about 2 cups) cilantro
1 can (29 oz) hominy
8 to 10 cups chicken stock (or pork stock if you have it, but who does?)
Avocado for on top

I make this in my slow cooker so that I can have it on a weekday, but you can make it on the stove top if you're going to be home for a few hours to stir.

Heat a little oil in a large saute pan (or the bottom of your soup pot) to nice and hot, but not smoking.
Sprinkle one side of the pork with salt & pepper and put this side down in the pan. Sprinkle the other side now.
Sear the meat for about 5 minutes per side (until it's all nicely browned, but don't worry about cooking it through) and then transfer it to the slow cooker.
In that same pan, saute the onions and garlic (you're going to puree later, so don't waste time with careful chopping) until the edges are starting to brown.
Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the cumin and cinnamon. Have the cans of tomatoes open and ready while you toast the spices until you're worried they're sticking.
Dump in the tomatoes, green chilies and the rest of the spices. Stir well to get all the good bits off the pan. Remove the seeds and stem from the ancho and tear it into pieces before adding it to the rest. Anchos are not very spicy, so you may want to sprinkle in some cayenne here if you want a spicier soup.
Put all of this in the slow cooker along with 8 cups of the stock, cilantro (reserve a little for garnish later), and the juice of two and a half limes. Cook on high for 4 hours (about 2 hours on the stove top - until the meat is falling apart).
Remove the meat and the bay leaf. Blend what's left in the cooker until it is smooth (using an immersion blender or in batches in a regular blender).
Break the pork up into bite-sized pieces. Add it back into the soup along with the hominy. Add more stock until it is the consistency you like. Cover and cook on high for another 2 hours. My slow cooker is small so I actually have to switch to the stove top at this step, stirring more frequently.
Serve the soup with chopped cilantro, a wedge of lime, and cubes of avocado.

* I don't make many recipes with "specialty ingredients," but Pozole is one of them. It just isn't the same without the ancho chili (dried poblano). They're in many of the grocery stores in Seattle, or online. If you really can't find them, try substituting (maybe roasted peppers and jalapenos?) and let me know how it goes.

Turkey & Green Chili Chili

2009-09-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

I was supposed to take a pretty picture of this chili so that I could put it with the post, but when I got home from work at 8:30 on a rainy evening my house was so full of the smells of spices and limes and chilies that I completely forgot about taking pictures. Chili and the Slow Cooker are best friends. All the spices that give Chili its flavor can be gritty and harsh if they aren't cooked for a while, but I pretty much refuse to make most things that have to be tended over a long period of time (I've never roasted a turkey or made a pot roast in the oven or baked a loaf of yeasty bread). Except for rare special occasions, I run out of patience at about an hour. This Chili requires about 20 minutes of working time. It's also a perfect September recipe because it has a Summery feel, but it's warm and comforting (for weather that can't make up its mind). On top of that, it freezes well for leftovers.

Turkey & Green Chili Chili
(Printable Version)
serves 4 to 6

1 onion, diced
6 cloves of garlic, minced
20 oz. ground turkey (I never have just a pound because of the stupid way it comes packaged around here)
2 T cumin
4 T chili powder (I use one low in salt from a natural foods market)
1 T dried oregano
1 t garlic powder
cayenne to taste (start with a pinch)
14 oz (2 cans) Herdez Salsa Verde, or your favorite brand
8 oz (2 cans) diced green chilies
4 cups chicken stock
4 to 6 cups cooked beans (white or pinto) depending on how thick you like your chili
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
juice of 2 to 4 limes (I like 4, but it's pretty limey)
sour cream for garnish

Saute the onions and garlic for a couple of minutes and then add the cumin, chili powder, and cayenne. Saute until the spices are toasty or until they start to stick to the pan.
Add the turkey and cook until it's no longer showing pink (it doesn't matter if it's cook all the way through).
Add the oregano, garlic powder, salsa, green chilies, and stock to the pan and bring to a simmer. You can skip this step and just put it all right in the slow cooker if you want. I find that mine works a little better if the ingredients are warm when they go in.
Transfer this to the slow cooker and add the beans. Cook on high for 4 hours. 2 hours will do (in most slow cookers) if you're in a hurry or if you're doing this on the stove top.
Add the cilantro (reserving some for garnish if you want) and the lime juice. Cook for another 2 hours.
Top with sour cream and cilantro and serve with corn bread or toast.

Coq au Vin (the quick version)

2009-09-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

A few years ago we made Coq au Vin for a friend's Birthday Dinner. We used a great recipe from the Balthazar cookbook (which is one of my favorite French cookbooks). You have to plan ahead to marinate the chicken overnight and then the whole process takes about 4 hours the next day. It is by far one of the best comfort food meals.
Here in Seattle, the first week of September has been more like the first week of October, so of course I instantly started craving Fall/Winter meals. I wanted Coq au Vin, but we've been cooking so much (two food blogs in one household it a lot to keep up with!) that I knew I wouldn't have the time or patience for the long version of this French classic. We brainstormed and came up with a great quicker version (it's a little silly to call it "quick" because it still takes 30 to 45 minutes of active time and about an hour and half total, but that's a lot less than usual). I know, there's no real substitute for time, but sometimes we just don't have time. I cheated a little by using a roux to thicken the sauce. Coq au Vin is really all about the sauce. A great alternate name for this dish would be Mushroom, Bacon, Red Wine Gravy with Chicken. Serve it with mashed potatoes - incredible.

"Quick" Coq au Vin
serves 4

1 onion
2 carrots
2 celery stalks
4 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
4 fresh thyme sprigs
fresh cracked black pepper
1 T tomato paste
1 bottle red wine (I used a Cabernet)
1 lb crimini mushrooms, sliced
1/3 lb bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 lbs boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or about 3 lbs with bones)
2 cups chicken stock (I always use Better than Bouillon at half strength and add more if needed)
2 T butter
2 T flour

I know I'm getting a little Rachel Ray with this recipe by having a couple things going at once (which I usually find totally unrealistic - all of her 30 minute meals would take me an hour), but that's what makes the sauce for this so good without as much time.

Roughly chop the onion, celery, carrot, and garlic. You don't even need to worry about getting all the skin off the garlic or peeling the carrots because this will be strained. Saute all of this in a little olive oil in a sauce pan for about 5 minutes (the onions will just be starting to color).
Add the tomato paste and saute until the bottom of the pan is light brown with stuck tomato paste.
Add the bottle of wine, the bay leaves, pepper, and the thyme sprigs and scrape the bottom of the pot to get all the brown goodies off.
Let this simmer until it has reduced by half, stirring a couple times, while you work on the rest. I stick my stirring spoon in the liquid to measure so that I have an idea of when half will be. By the time you need this later in the recipe it should be ready.
On high heat, saute the mushrooms in a little olive oil in a deep sided saute pan (or a pot if you don't have a saute pan big enough). Keep them moving so that they get some good brown edges, but don't burn - mushrooms like high heat. Set these aside on a plate for later.
Cook the bacon in the same pan until it is nicely browned. Set aside with the mushrooms. Leave just enough of the bacon fat in the pan for searing the chicken.
Sprinkle one side of the chicken with salt and pepper. Place this side down in the hot pan with the bacon fat. Now sprinkle the other side of the chicken.
When the first side has some good brown edges, flip it and do the other side. You're not cooking through here so don't worry if they're still raw in the middle.
When the second side of the chicken has browned, strain the reduced wine and add to the pan. It should bubble and lift off the good brown bits that have formed on the bottom.
Add the stock, cover, and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water (or thinned stock) if needed.
After 20 minutes, flip the chicken over and simmer uncovered for 10 more minutes.
When you've flipped the chicken, it's time to get your roux ready. Don't be intimidated, roux is just cooked flour.
Melt the butter in the pot you used to reduce the wine. When it is bubbling, sprinkle the flour over it and whisk to make it smooth.
Keep whisking until the flour has started to lightly brown, then ladle in about a cup of the cooking liquid from the chicken and whisk a lot. (I think this is the scary step because the roux will start to thicken the liquid right away and I always worry I'm making lumps, but just keep whisking and add more liquid if it seems too thick.)
Add this to the chicken along with the mushrooms and bacon. Give it all a good stir.
Taste for salt. Whenever I cook with stock I add very little salt until the end. Even half-strength stock, or low-sodium stock, is pretty salty.
Simmer for about 5 minutes more (or longer if you feel like it isn't thick enough, but you'll have to stir more now that the roux has been added) and you're done.

Seriously, it's worth all the effort.

Corn & Chicken Chowder

2009-09-04T22:41:00.000-07:00

This is my the first soup of the season and I'm not sad to see the our weekly menus turning toward Fall dishes. After I left my last kitchen job I had to take some time away from soup (I still have mild PTSD around Butternut Squash thanks to that mole soup I made once a week at Essential), but I'm slowly re-learning all my old favorite recipes. I remember now that the reason I was (mostly) a soup chef for 4 years was that I love soup - the comforting warmth of it, the fact that it takes a little set up, but then is mostly left alone, and I also just love things served in a bowl.
This Fall I hope to post Pork Posole (both the long way and a quick variation), a Portuguese sausage and Kale soup that's so good, two kinds of Chili, Rosemary and White Bean soup in the slow cooker, just to name a few. I'd love to hear your favorite soup ideas.
If you're doing corn and chicken at a late Summer barbecue, cook a little extra so that you can use the leftovers for this chowder.

Corn and Chicken Chowder
serves 4 to 6

1 yellow onion
4 cloves garlic
1 T cumin
1 T oregano
1 t dried sage (or a few fresh leaves)
1 t mustard powder
2 bay leaves
smidge of cinnamon
smidge of cayenne
8 cups stock (or enough stock base to make that)
2 pounds chicken (cooked and cubed)
6 ears of corn, cooked (or 2-3 cans)
2 fresh jalapenos
2 russet potatoes, cut bite-sized (I like skin on)
8 shakes hot sauce
6 T each of butter and flour
2 cups cream

Like just about every recipe I know, start by sauteing the onions in a little oil until they're just starting to brown. Then add the garlic and saute until it just starts to brown.
Add the spices (except the oregano) and let them toast for just a minute or two.
Add the oregano, stock, corn that's been cut from the cobs, the cobs too(!!), potatoes, chicken, and jalapenos.
Allow this to simmer (not boil) for about an hour. Give it a stir from time to time to make sure it doesn't stick. Add more stock if you need to.
Remove the corn cobs and add the hot sauce.

Now we're going to make a roux to thicken the soup. Don't be afraid. Just read this through first and if you haven't made a roux before have someone there to help pour the liquid for you because that's the scary part.

Melt the butter in a frying pan (best if it's not non-stick) over medium-low heat.When it is bubbling, have a whisk and a ladle ready.
Sprinkle the flour over the butter while whisking. Keep the butter and flour moving (but you don't need to go too crazy) and you should notice the color start to lightly brown. The mixture should also be bubbling. If you were making gravy you'd keeping going until the flour was dark brown, but this is for chowder so you just want a light brown.
Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream in a steady stream (not a dump or you might get lumps) while whisking vigorously (now you can go crazy). Add a couple of ladles of the broth from the soup so that the roux stays smooth.
Add this roux, cream, and broth back into the soup and stir well.
Adjust the salt and pepper.
Try adding a little lime or cooking the onions with bacon and bacon fat.

Here's a quick summary of my tricks for soup:
-use more spices than you think you should,
-sneak in some mustard powder (it's often the secret something that makes my soups flavorful and I don't even really like mustard!),
-use a stock paste instead of liquid stock (like Better Than Bouillon) because then you can control the stockiness and also because a lot of liquid stocks taste too much like carrots or celery or fake things,
-add tough and sharp things (meats, fresh sage, beans, onions) in the beginning so they can mellow, add soft things (basil, soft veggies, dairy) at the end so you don't end up with mush.

Pasta with Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Tomatoes, and Red Onions

2009-09-01T11:39:00.000-07:00

There was a lot of pressure on last night's dinner. The night before we had a disaster dinner. We'd gone to see Julie & Julia and, since we didn't have time to make Boeuf Bourguignon, we decided to splurge on the ingredients for a really good Carbonara. If I hadn't burned the pancetta into gross little bits of fat/stryofoam I would be putting that recipe on right now (it's so rich and easy). So then, last night as I was throwing together a pantry pasta to go with the best, simplest grilled chicken (I'll turn that into a link soon) I was worried that it would flop again (we had bad burritos earlier in the week and once in a while we go on a stretch of disaster dinners).
Nope, this is one of our new favorites.

Pasta with Artichoke Hearts, Roasted Tomatoes, and Red Onions
serves 2 as a main or more as a side

1 can artichoke heart quarters
1 can of fire-roasted tomatoes, or (even better) equivalent of home-roasted tomatoes (that will also be a link soon)
4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1/2 of a red onion, thinly sliced
a sprig or 2 of fresh rosemary
3/4 pound short pasta (Penne or similar)
Parmesan cheese for on top
lots of olive oil, salt, & pepper

Start this super-fast sauce when you put the pasta in the water. Most short pastas cook in about 10 minutes and that's about how long this sauce takes.
In a large pan, saute the onion in a good bit of olive oil (a little more than is really necessary because this will be part of the sauce) until it is just starting to brown. Add the garlic and saute until it's also starting to brown.
Add the rosemary, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. If you're using canned tomatoes, cook out some of the liquid before adding the artichoke hearts.
When the pasta is done you can either snag about a 1/4 of the cooking liquid and add it to the sauce or just do a bad job of draining it and enough liquid will still be with the pasta. Either way, add the pasta and some of the cooking liquid into the sauce.
Check the salt and pepper levels and adjust as needed.
Once you plate it, sprinkle generously with grated Parm.
This is perfect side for best, simplest grilled chicken (link soon), or as a vegetarian dinner (Hi Kelly).

Simple Steamed Mussels

2009-08-16T12:15:00.000-07:00

Growing up spending time in the San Juan Islands I never ate crab or shellfish. I loved to help collect it - the excitement of chasing the squirts coming up from the sand when we went clam digging, setting a crab pot so that later I could watch the basket emerge from the blue-green, murky depths full of treasure (there was always something in it, but not always crab), a trip to a fallen tree that hung into the water where, at just the right time in the tide, we could pick mussels like they were fruit - but the only thing I ever ate was the bread dipped in the cooking broth or melted butter. Now that I'm grown (supposedly) I enjoy the main dish too, but still I make these mussels when really I'm craving a meal of bread and butter. This recipe makes the best broth. You can fancy it up by simply calling it by its real name - Moules a la Mariniere. The simple method here also works if you want to change around the flavors - sprinkle some curry seasonings over the onions and use coconut milk instead of wine.

Mussels a la Mariniere
serves two

1 pound freshest mussels
1 onion, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 roma tomatoes
2 cups white wine
sprig of thyme (optional)
a really good baguette
lots of butter (fancy if possible)

Get the mussels ready by giving them a little scrub to get off any seaweed/scum and ripping out the wiry beards (it's great if you can buy them from a place that already does this!).Never cook a mussel that isn't closed (or doesn't close when you tap it). Some websites recommend purging the mussels first, but this isn't needed in the Northwest because they don't grow in the sand here.
Saute the onions until they are translucent and then add in the garlic. Saute both until they're just starting to turn brown.
Cut the tomatoes in half and squish out the seeds, then dice. Add to the browned onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the white wine and thyme and simmer for about 5 minutes more to reduce the sauce and cook off the alcohol.
Toss in the the mussels and stir well to coat. Immediately cover with the lid. Give the pan a good shake, holding the lid on.
After 3 minutes give a little peak under the lid. Most of the mussels should be open. If not, put the lid back on for 2 more minutes, but don't wait until every mussel is open - some might not open at all, some will open at the table from the residual heat, and the ones that need even more cooking time have to be sacrificed so that the rest aren't overcooked.
Divide the mussels and the broth into two bowls and serve with plenty of bread and butter (see above).

Creamy Herb Dressing with Two Uses (a.k.a. Grilled, Breaded Chicken and salad)

2009-07-26T17:25:00.000-07:00

Lately, we've been working on the part of our cookbook that we call "Two-Use Sauces." It's a kind of clumsy name for one of my favorite sections (suggestions?). It's sort of a salad dressing chapter, but it's so much more than that. In each recipe we make a no-cook sauce, usually a vinaigrette, and then divide it in half to use as both marinade and salad dressing. Sometimes there's a slight variation to the sauce to make it better for one thing or the other. This buttermilk herb dressing - yes, it's pretty much Ranch - is so good that whenever I make it I want to spread it on everything - potatoes, crackers, vegetables, hot wings...

Creamy Herb Dressing with Two (or more!) Uses
makes about 1 cup - enough for the chicken marinade and the salad dressing, or serve with a plate of hot wings or crudites

3 garlic cloves
6 sprigs fresh herbs
3 T sour cream
3 T mayo
1/4 c cider vinegar
1/4 c buttermilk
1/3 c olive oil
1/2 t mustard
salt & pepper

1 c fine, dry breadcrumbs
2 chicken breasts, cut into strips
salad greens and salad accessories (tomatoes, avocado, etc...)

Start by making the dressing. Grind the garlic, herbs (I usually use rosemary, thyme, and oregano but you can also add/combine in basil, cilantro, dill, tarragon, etc...), salt, and pepper in a Cuisinart or something like it (or if you want to go low-tech, chop everything extra fine, put it in a jar, and shake it very very well).
Add the rest of the elements, but just half of the oil, and blend. Taste to adjust salt and pepper.
It should be a little strong right now, which is perfect for a marinade. Reserve about 1/4 c of the dressing for the salad and pour the rest over the chicken.
Finish the dressing by blending in as much of the remaining oil as you want.
When you're ready to cook the chicken remove it from the marinade and give it a little shake to get off the excess. Have the bread crumbs ready in a shallow bowl and coat the chicken on both sides.
Grill the chicken by first using indirect heat* for about 10 minutes per side. Move the chicken over the heat to toast the breadcrumbs for about 2 minutes per side (or until you like the color).
Compose your salad and eat!

*This just means that you keep it to the sides rather than over the flames so that the bread crumbs don't burn. You're basically using your grill like a very flavorful oven.

Cilantro or Basil Pesto

2009-07-13T13:25:00.000-07:00

This is a special post for my friends who came over for tacos the other night. I don't have a good photo of it, but I made a cilantro pesto for the tacos and I can't believe we ate it all (as usual there was way too much of everything else). It was a nice night for trying something not traditional because we made our own tortillas and Tres Leches cake, and tried to do an authentic Al Pastor pork for the filling. It was all muy sabroso!

Cilantro or Basil Pesto

3 - 4 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 bunches of cilantro or basil, stems removed (probably about 4 cups, loosely packed)
2 limes or 1 lemon
1/4 to 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup cheese (parmesan with basil, half parm and half cojito with cilantro)
Salt & Pepper to taste, as usual

Grind the garlic and S & P in a food processor.
Add the cilantro/basil and the lime/lemon and grind again.
Add the cheese and 1/4 cup of the oil and mix it all again. Add more oil (drizzle in while it's grinding if possible) until it is the consistency you like.

Curry

2009-07-08T11:31:00.000-07:00

I'm surprised by how hard I'm finding it to write about this simple chicken curry recipe. I think of it as the first recipe that I really developed on my own, but it's also a recipe I strongly associate with my Mom. When I was 19 and getting ready travel around the world, with a 3-month stop in India, Mom thought I should probably try Indian food before I left. We ended up at a little Indian place on Broadway (where there is now just an empty pit waiting for a train station). I don't really remember the food, but I remember how much she wanted me to be happy and fed on my long trip. We worked on this recipe together when I got back. I found several empty cans of the spice mixture (that I gave as gifts one Christmas) among Mom's things. I was gone for 9-months in the end and tried so many types of food, but the foods of France and India are the ones that have stayed with me.
I'd hate to make this curry for someone who really knows Indian food and find out that it is terrible. This has become a comfort food for me. It works just as well in the slow cooker or bubbling away for an hour on the stove top. Make up a batch of the spices and use it to coat potatoes before roasting or chicken before grilling.

Simple Chicken Curry
Spice Mix:
1 T whole mustard seed
1 T whole cumin seed
3 T ground cumin
1 T turmeric
2 T coriander
1/2 t cayenne (which makes it a little spicy)

The Rest:
1 large yellow onion, diced
6 chicken thighs or 3 breasts
3 T butter
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 T tomato paste
1 15 oz can of Garbanzo Beans, drained
1 cup of stock (or even better a stock paste like Better Than Bouillon)

Melt the butter in a large saucepan, add the onion and saute until the edges are just starting to brown. If you worry that the butter is starting to scorch, add a little oil (anything but olive) and this will stop the butter from browning.
Have your tomato paste and canned tomatoes ready to go, but first sprinkle all the spices over the sauteed onion. Stir the onion and spices until the bottom of the pan is starting to get coated with brown (usually the mustard and cumin seeds will just start to pop), then add the tomato paste and cook all of this until you're worried it will start to burn.*
Add the chicken (this should add enough juice to prevent burning, but if you're worried add just a little of the liquid from the tomatoes) and stir this for a few minutes to coat the chicken with spices.
Dump in your cans of tomatoes and Garbanzo Beans. If you have liquid stock, add 2 cups now. I always prefer to use a paste stock like Better Than Bouillon because then the water can come from the rinsed out can of tomatoes, the packaging is way less than liquid stock, and I can control how much I add much (I always start by making it half strength and then add more if needed).
Once this has started to bubble you can either put it in a slow cooker for about 6 hours on high, or reduce the heat to a simmer and let it cook on the stove for about an hour (stirring a few times to be sure it doesn't stick).
Serve with plain, full-fat yogurt and Basmati rice.

*This step of toasting the spices and cooking the tomato paste is really important. I do this now whenever dried spices or tomato paste are called for in a recipe (don't do it to dried or fresh herbs).

Remember, big T is tablespoon, little t is teaspoon.

Italian Slow Cooker Variation

2009-06-23T08:35:00.000-07:00

During our almost 29 straight days of sun here in Seattle we had maybe 2 cloudy, cool nights. On one of them, we decided to make comfort food suitable for a dark day in December. This is absolutely one of my favorite dinners for simple reasons - I just love the taste of tomatoes, rosemary, wine, and braised anything, but also because upon opening the door after work the house is filled with the smell of a meal all ready to go.
The Creamy, Cheesy Polenta for the side dish is key for my enjoyment, but if you're in a hurry it would be a great with buttery noddles or roasted potatoes. It's made the exact same way as our Slow Cooker Pork Taco Filling so I've just copied those instructions with a little variation.

Slow Cooker Pork, Italian Flavors

3 to 4 pounds pork
1 15 oz can of diced tomatoes, drained
1 cup red wine*
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 - 2 big springs of fresh rosemary
1 T oregano
2 bay leaves
tiniest smidge of cinnamon

Trim the fat from whatever boneless pork is on sale (but don't go crazy, fat=flavor). If you're doing meat in the oven, the fat renders and drips into the pan, but if you're doing meat in the slow cooker all the fat stays in the cooker.
Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and brown it on all sides - you're not cooking it now, just creating flavor (because brown also = flavor). Put the meat in the slow cooker and put the lid on.
In the same pan, saute the onion until the edges start to brown, scraping up any good bits the pork left behind. Then add the garlic and saute just until it starts to brown.
Add the the tomatoes and wine and boil for about 5 minutes (save this pan to the side in case you need to reduce a little wine later to add in).
Pour this over the meat in the cooker, add the bay leaves and rosemary, and give it a bit of a stir so that the meat is coated. Scrape down the inside of the cooker so that no sauce is splashed above the line of sauce/meat (this helps with clean-up and prevents burned edges).
Cook on High for 6 to 8 hours.*
Break the meat into chunks and serve it over Creamy, Cheesy Polenta (be sure to spoon the sauce over the top).

* I have an old slow cooker so High is plenty high enough, but I'm not sure it really equals the High of a new, fancy cooker. If you have a hot cooker (or if you're not sure), check to see if it needs more liquid after 6 hours. If yes, add another cup of wine, but be sure to simmer the wine for about 5 minutes first. Wine added right to the cooker can make the dish taste a little alcoholy.

Creamy, Cheesy Polenta

2009-06-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

Oh yum. I know it's not for everyone (especially my friend who can't stand creamy things), but I love polenta. It's a savory version of cream of wheat, basically, and I love cream of wheat. Polenta, like risotto, has an undeserved reputation for being both time-consuming and labor-intensive, but that's not entirely accurate. Besides, there are decent instant polentas and pre-made polenta loaves that are simple to doctor up. The Bob's Red Mill Polenta that I buy actually says Corn Grits in big letters on the bag as well. Who knew?
This recipe is pretty much straight from The New Best Recipe. I love this cookbook.

Creamy, Cheesy Polenta

1 cup polenta (medium grind cornmeal or Grits)
4 cups water
2 T butter
handful Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Bring the water to a boil in a medium, heavy-duty sauce pan or pot. Add a pinch of salt and then slowly add the polenta to the water while really stirring.
Reduce the heat to really low and cover. Stir this for about 10 seconds every 5 minutes (that's the Best Recipe anal-ness coming through) being sure to scrape the edges and sides well.
After about 20 minutes it should be soft and smooth (some recipes say 30 minutes, but I've never had it take that long). Stir in the butter, Parmesan, and pepper.
Serve immediately because it can get hard. If that happens, add a little boiling water and stir over low heat until smooth again. This won't work multiple times, so if you know you need to make the polenta in advance, just cook it halfway and finish when you're just about ready to eat.

Jambalaya

2009-06-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

Even snap peas fresh from the Farmer's Market couldn't make this Jambalaya photograph better. Don't hold that against it. This is one of my favorite fast, fake recipes. I promised myself I'd stop actually putting the word "fake" in the recipe titles because most of them are simplified versions of already known dishes. When I worked at The Still Life in Fremont I had to come up with tons of soup ideas. With the help of the awesome book Culinary Artistry, I figured out that any great combination of flavors can be turned into a simple version. The great combo in Jambalaya is tomatoes, rice, bell peppers, seasonings, and Andouille sausage. Traditionally, there would be other proteins (chicken, shrimp, ham), but this is a fast home version.

Jambalaya

2-3 cloves garlic, sliced
1 red or green bell pepper, cut bute-sized
3 or 4 Andouille sausages, sliced (It's a little like kielbasa, so you can substitute anything else that's smoky and spicy. Aidells makes a brand that is in a lot of stores around here.)
1 recipe of our easy Spanish Rice which is:
1 cup white rice
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
1 onion, diced
1T oregano
1t garlic powder
1T cumin
1T chili powder
smidge of cinnamon & cayenne
1T butter

Saute the onion (in a little oil) in a smallish pot with a good lid.
When the onions have just started to brown, add the garlic, peppers, and sausage and saute until the edges are starting to brown. Most Andouille that I've seen is pre-cooked so it won't need a lot of time here. If you're using raw sausage, just cook it a little longer
Add the rice and sprinkle in all the spices (no salt) and saute until you're worried they're sticking to the pot.
Stir in the butter, water, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover for 20 to 30 minutes.
I know that rice usually has a strict time for cooking and you're not supposed to take the lid off, but I find that with all the added extras that doesn't work quite as well. I sneak a peak after 20 minutes, give it a little stir and then usually cook it for about 5 minutes more.
When it's finished, add salt to taste. I like a dollop of sour cream, but that's optional (and not traditional).

Spanish Rice

2009-06-17T09:28:00.000-07:00

Dear Zatarain's Spanish Rice,
I love you. I've loved you for years now, but it's finally over. I'm sorry. You're processed and I just can't make an exception anymore. I've gotten rid of almost all the processed foods I eat and you're one of the last to go. I know, I know, I still use canned tomatoes and beans, but that's different - I can't figure out how to effectively substitute them. We've made a recipe of our own (and I really like it), but I'll still miss you.
Love always,
Lil

Spanish Rice

1 cup white rice
1 15oz can diced tomatoes
3/4 cup water
1/2 an onion, diced
1T oregano
1t garlic powder
1T cumin
1T chili powder
smidge of cinnamon & cayenne
1T butter

Saute the onions (in a little oil) in a smallish pot with a good lid.
When the onions have just started to brown, sprinkle in all the spices (no salt) and saute until you're worried they're sticking to the pot.
Stir in the rice, butter, water, and tomatoes and bring to a boil.
Reduce the heat to a low simmer and cover for 20 to 30 minutes.
I know that rice usually has a strict time for cooking and you're not supposed to take the lid off, but I find that with all the added extras that doesn't work quite as well. I sneak a peak after 20 minutes, give it a little stir and then usually cook it for about 5 minutes more.
When it's finished, add salt to taste. It's optional, but nice to stir in a little cilantro and lime at the end too.

The List - at the end of the week

2009-06-15T09:53:00.000-07:00

Just so I don't seem too crazy I thought I'd show how much the list changes by the end of the week. This past week was a good example partly because John's insanely-good BBQed, whole chicken made enough for 8 people so we had to find a way to use it up.
The list is about planning on a day off, when there is time to think, so that we don't have to plan during the week when I can't make decisions. I bet part of why I don't eat enough vegetables is that the list is best when there aren't a lot of perishables on it (I just throw meat in the freezer if we end up not using it). The challenge I'm making to myself is to stop forgetting to use my vegies! Two zucchinis from two weeks ago are about to go to the compost bin.
We used the chicken for enchiladas, by the way, and we never did have peanut sauce (a.k.a. Dip for Dinner), but we're going to try to have it this week.

The List, week of 5.25.09

2009-05-27T11:31:00.000-07:00

I think I've already said somewhere that I'm, well, obsessed with what I'm having for dinner. Here's a little example of how John and I handle that. The original idea for this blog was that we'd post the list and then every dinner that week. Then we realized that our food is not as interesting as all that.
We still make the list, though. Picture us in our bathrobes on Monday morning sipping tea and coffee at our sunny kitchen/dining table. In honor of Spring I went to the trouble to put out a retro table cloth - white with a floral border. There's always a little angst as we get down to one day left to fill, but it's usually a mellow weekend ritual.
The starred days are meals that I think will make good blog posts (so ambitious!).

(Fake) Saltimboca

2009-05-25T11:22:00.000-07:00

Oops, blog burnout. Ok, really it was recipe testing burn out. I had one too many nights getting off work at 8pm, rushing home, scribbling notes as I furiously cooked dinner, and then trying to take photos (while starving) and sitting down to eat at 9:30. That's no good. The recipe didn't even work that last night two weeks ago because the above is really a recipe for a disaster dinner (and arguments about camera settings).
To get back into the swing of things I thought I'd post a super simple variation on the pasta dish I always make. This one is inspired by Saltimboca, which I love, but is too time consuming for a weeknight. It usually involves pounding chicken into thin pieces (or paillards), then attaching prosciutto and sage leaves to it before flouring and frying in a pan. Seriously, it's so good. This dinner takes my favorites flavors from Saltimboca, but with a throw-it-all-together method.

(Fake) Saltimboca
(serves about 4)
2 chicken breasts
1 small, yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
4 prosciutto slices, cut into thin strips
4 - 6 fresh sage leaves, minced
juice of 1 lemon
4 cups short pasta (usually penne, measured before cooking)
a generous handful of fresh spinach cut into thin strips
sprinkles of Parmesan (optional)
salt and pepper to taste, of course

Start the pasta water. On my stove is usually takes 30 minutes (from cold water to straining) to cook penne, so the timing is just about right.
Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces. If you feel like taking the extra time to cut these thin it will cook faster and be a little more Saltimboca-y.
In a largish, high-sided frying pan, saute the onion in a bit of olive oil until it just starts to brown. Add the garlic and saute until it is just starting to brown.
Add the chicken pieces and prosciutto* and saute for about five minutes - they just need to get some color, they'll continue to cook through the rest of the preparation.
Hopefully your pasta water is ready. Throw in a generous pinch of salt and the pasta.
Add the spinach and lemon to the pan and stir this around as the pasta finishes cooking. It's ready when the spinach is cooked and most of the liquid is gone.
Toss with the pasta and sprinkle with a little parmesan. Yum!

*If you have time, the prosciutto is even better if you crisp it before starting anything else. Just saute it in the pan with a tiny bit of olive oil. When the strips are crisp (almost like bacon, which would be a fine substitution) set them aside on a plate and start at the beginning of the recipe. Add the prosciutto when you mix in the pasta.

Thai-ish Beef Salad

2009-05-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

There is something about this dinner that screams Summer to me. Yes, it's grilled and that's a warm-weather activity. It's also on the lighter side, focusing mostly on fresh flavors, and that's Summery too. More than anything I think it's the combination of herbs - cilantro, basil, parsley minced fine and tossed with the greens - that conjures a tropical/not-Seattle setting. We've come to associate these flavors with an improvement in the weather. It would be sort of sacrilegious to call this Thai Beef Salad because it only hints at what a real Thai Salad should be. Try adding a dash of fish sauce to make it more authentic. The recipe makes enough dressing for the marinade and the salad itself and feeds about four people. It's also great as a dipping sauce for potstickers.

For the dressing & marinade:
2 T soy sauce (low-sodium)
1 t sesame oil
1 cup rice wine vinegar
1/2 cup canola oil (or other non-olive oil)
juice of 2 limes
1 clove of garlic, minced
1/2 t ground ginger
1/2 t five spice
1/2 t mustard powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t black pepper
Sri Racha to taste (or other hot sauce)

Start by putting everything except the oil in a deep measuring cup or Cuisinart. I use the dried spices on purpose because I like the consistency, but you can substitute a little more fresh ginger and a little less mustard from a jar, no problem.
Add the oil and blend it all to death. There's more acid than oil in this dressing so I think it would be impossible to blend it too much.
Set aside about a 1/2 cup for the final salad and use the rest for the marinade. Or, if you're skipping the meat, the extra will keep in the fridge for at least a week (maybe two - just taste it, nothing in this will hurt you if it has gone bad).

Grilling Instructions:
the rest of the marinade from above
1 flank steak (about 1 and 1/2 pounds)

Put the meat in a large ziplock bag with the marinade for about an hour. Squidge around the marinade about halfway through to be sure the meat is well coated.
When you're ready to eat, prepare the grill (gas or charcoal).
Let the marinade drip off the meat before you put it on the clean & oiled grill.
Grill the meat for about 7 to 10 minutes per side.
When it's done to your preference (medium-rare please) set it aside to rest for about 10 minutes before slicing thin.

For the Salad itself:
1 head of Romaine
1 red pepper
1 cucumber
2 carrots (or about a handful of those fake baby carrots)
1/2 cup peanuts, roughly chopped
1/4 cup basil (Thai if you can find it), minced
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
just a bit of Italian parsley, minced

To assemble the salad just prep the Romaine and veggies however you like them (I sometimes get all crazy with julienne-ing, but that's optional).
Toss the greens, herbs, and dressing in a large bowl.
You can either sprinkle the toppings on each salad or set them all on the table in colorful bowls for people to serve themselves (it makes a pretty table setting).

Pasta with Chorizo, Red Peppers & Queso Fresco

2009-04-27T19:56:00.001-07:00

One of the main staples of our dinner repertoire is a very simple dish we call "Sausage Pasta." It started as a combination of two pasta recipes - one with sausage and onions (which required a side dish and I'm usually too lazy to make a side), and one with broccoli and parmesan (good as a side, but...). I'll post that recipe soon, but here's a variation I've had bouncing around as an idea for ages and the result is delicious. The basic idea is almost too easy to be good - sauteed onions and garlic, some sort of sausage, any short pasta, a complimentary vegetable, and a cheese to top it off. There is a dinner out there for pretty much every sausage flavor (maybe not brats...).

Pasta with Chorizo, Red Peppers & Queso Fresco
1 regular onion, sliced (or 2 of the small ones that come in the bulk bags - such a deal)
4 gloves of garlic, sliced
4 chorizo sausages, casings removed (or a little less than a pound of bulk sausage)
1 red bell pepper, sliced into about 1 inch pieces
1 t cumin
1 T oregano (fresh when possible)
hot sauce (we like Cholula) to jazz it up a bit
about 4 cups of uncooked rigatoni or penne
Queso Fresco*
cilantro

Put a pot of water on for the pasta.
In a large pan, saute the onions in a few tablespoons of olive oil (over medium heat, so they brown but don't burn), stirring often. When most of the edges are beginning to brown, add the garlic and saute that until it starts to brown.
Add the chorizo to the onions and garlic, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. You may have to add a bit more oil, but the chorizo will release its fat any second now so add sparingly.
Add the cumin and oregano.
Have the pepper ready so that when the pasta goes into the water you can add it to the sausage mixture. If you have good brown bits stuck to the pan, splash just a little of the pasta water into the pan and scrape them up.
When the pasta is cooked, toss it with the sausage mixture, and some hot sauce to taste.
Serve sprinkled with the cheese and cilantro.

*I'm going to test cheddar or maybe asiago- Queso Fresco is $8 a package around here and that's a little rich for my blood.

Blackened Fish Tacos

2009-04-23T11:12:00.000-07:00

I don't know where my weakness for fish tacos came from. When I was growing up tacos were something served in a hard shell, nothing else (and a burrito was ground beef with taco seasoning, cheese, and sour cream in a tortilla - no variations), but a few years ago I discovered fish (soft) tacos and I'm never going back. Yes, these tacos would probably be more exciting if I bothered to buy some cabbage to shred up and sprinkle on top (it's such a great crunch!), but I'm never able to use up the rest of the cabbage, so I skip it.

Blackened Fish Tacos
serves two big eaters (not that I am one, but...)

1 pound (or a little less) of a flaky white fish (use whatever is on sale, or try the frozen section at Trader Joe's)
blacken seasoning to sprinkle
1 lime
6-8 corn tortillas
whatever you like in your taco - we do sour cream, a simple salsa (usually tomatillo), avocado, cilantro, hot sauce, and cheese (cheddar when we're feeling broke, queso fresco when we're not)

Sprinkle one side of the fish with a generous amount of the blacken seasoning. Heat a small amount of oil (probably not olive, canola or something like that) in a pan. When it's hot, place the fish in the pan spiced side down - now you can sprinkle the other side.Cook each side for about 4 minutes.
Meanwhile, do your little bit of prep for the tacos.
When the second side is almost done, break it up a bit (one great thing about fish for tacos is that you don't have to worry about it all falling apart).
With the pan still hot, squeeze the lime over the fish and cook for just a minute or two longer to get rid of the extra moisture and finish the fish.
Heat the tortillas and build your tacos (I like my tortillas toasted on a dry cast-iron griddle I have, but as long as they're warm, they'll be great).

Best Everyday Dressing, 2 ways

2009-04-16T12:23:00.000-07:00

A Big Salad, a.k.a using up Easter Eggs

The love of a salad compose (basically Seinfeld's Big Salad) is one of the gifts my trips to France gave me - tender greens, a simple vinaigrette, an egg in some form, always bacon (or lardons when I find/make them), cubes of Gruyere when I'm feeling flush, and whatever else I can get my hands on (tomatoes, asparagus tips, green beans, artichoke hearts, avocado, and on). I don't eat many vegetables and I really don't eat salad. It's usually a waste of calories (almost no nutritional value and little taste), but great ingredients and this dressing make it a worthy dinner (especially in the Summer or when you need to use up some Easter eggs).
This dressing made the lemon way is my favorite for Caesar salad or marinating chicken for the grill. If you do the vinegar option you can just keep blending and it will thicken into a spread (almost) that's great on toasted bread. This is my Mom's famous "Mom Dressing" that everyone loves above all other dressings. When she used to make it I'd save a piece of bread so I could clean my plate completely (I've also been known just to lick it).

Best Everyday Dressing, 2 Ways

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (about 1 lemon) OR red wine vinegar
2 - 4 cloves of garlic, chopped (I use all 4, but I like my dressing garlicky)
1 T mustard (pretty much anything but yellow)
S & P to taste
1/2 cup olive oil

In a smallish glass measuring cup (I use a weird 3-cupper I have, but a 2 will work fine) combine all the ingredients except the oil. I give this a little stir with the spoon I used for the mustard to let the acid start eating up the other stuff. If you add the garlic, etc... to the oil it will all be coated in oil and won't blend as well (maybe it's all in my mind, but this order just seems to make a better dressing).
Now add an equal amount of olive oil - a little over 1/4 cup - and blend it with a hand blender* in short bursts until it's the consistency you like. I know most recipes say to stream in the olive oil, but I don't find that to be true unless eggs are involved.
Now taste it. I like a very acidic dressing, so I'm usually done here (except for adjusting the S & P), but now's the time to add more oil if you like a mellower dressing.

*If you use a food processor just check the consistency a little more often, but even a dressing that almost gets turned into mayonnaise will still be great - call it Creamy Italian! You can even shake it in a jar, but then you have to mince the garlic and it doesn't get as thick as I like it.

Braised Moroccan Chicken

2009-04-11T10:30:00.000-07:00

This may be surprising to many of you who know me, but I think my food flavor soul mate is actually Moroccan. I cook mostly Mexican, French, and plain-old American food at home, but the combination of mint and parsley, paprika and yogurt and almonds and honey and, well, a lot of things associated with Moroccan and North African cuisine just can't be beat (it all falls apart when I think of how often sweet and savory are used together because I don't mix my sweet and savory). The recipe below is like so many things I make - if you vary the spices, but keep the rest the same, you have another great dish. Change the spices to curry powder and it's my most basic Indian dinner, or change the spices to Italian, and the beans from garbanzo to white, and you have a great braise to serve with a big salad or sauteed greens. Hmm... you could even make the spices Mexican, and the beans black, and serve it with lime and japalpeno rice... So many possibilities.

Braised Moroccan Chicken Thighs
8 chicken thighs (with or without bones)
1 yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup chicken stock
1 15 oz can of tomatoes (with liquid)
1 15 oz can of garbanzo beans (drained)
1 T paprika (smoked if possible)
2 t cumin
white pepper to taste
smidge of cinnamon
1 bay leaf
salt
1 lemon (or 2 T red wine vinegar)
Garnish:
chopped mint and parsley
plain yogurt (preferably not lowfat)

Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a large, deep pan. Saute the onions until they just begin to brown, then add the garlic and saute until it just begins to brown.
Have your stock ready and your cans opened, then sprinkle the spices over the onions and toast the spices until the pan is dry (and starting to make you worry you'll burn it).
Add your chicken thighs (breasts will work too) and splash in a little stock so that things don't actually burn. Cook this all together for a few minutes to allow the spices to soak into the thighs. This was an accidental innovation! I used to always sear the thighs first and add them back in here with all the other ingredients, but something about sauteing them for just a bit with the spices and onions created my best batch ever.
Add the stock, garbanzos, and tomatoes and bring to a nice bubble (but not a crazy boil). It will be ready in about 30 minutes, but it's even better if you simmer for an hour adding just a smidge more stock if needed.
When you're about to serve it, add the lemon or vinegar and adjust the salt.

I like to serve this with couscous and the garnishes mentioned above. Follow the directions on the package (or from the bulk container, which is the cheapest way to get couscous), but add a splash of red wine vinegar and a pat of butter to the boiling water.

I heart My Slow Cooker

2009-04-08T11:13:00.000-07:00

There are a lot of new-fangled slow cookers out there (removable inserts for easy cleaning, multiple heat settings, timers to change from low to medium to high), there are also a lot cookbooks with slow cooker recipes that range from vegetable soup (vegetables in slow cooker = mush) to chocolate cake (why?), but I love my $1.00 thrift store special! I think that there are two things that work well in a slow cooker and both are different ways of doing meat. The recipe below is my favorite. Change the cans to 2 of green salsa and you have chili verde, change the seasonings to something Italian (and the cans to just tomatoes) and you have a great main dish to serve with pasta or polenta.

Slow Cooker Pork Taco Filling
3 to 4 pounds pork
1 can of El Pato tomato sauce
1 can of Herdez Salsa Ranchero
1 onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, diced
1 T ground cumin
1 T oregano
1 T chili powder
tiniest smidge of cinnamon

Trim the fat from whatever boneless pork is on sale (but don't go crazy, fat=flavor). If you're doing meat in the oven, the fat renders and drips into the pan, but if you're doing meat in the slow cooker all the fat stays in the cooker.
Sprinkle the meat with salt and pepper. Heat a little oil in a large frying pan and brown it on all sides - you're not cooking it now, just creating flavor (because brown also = flavor). Put the meat in the slow cooker and put the lid on.
In the same pan, saute the onion until the edges start to brown, scraping up any good bits the pork left behind. Then add the garlic and saute just until it starts to brown.
Sprinkle the onions and garlic with the cumin, oregano, cinnamon, and chili powder. Have your cans open and ready so you can toast this mixture until the pan is dry and things are sticking. Then, quick, dump in your cans and bring to a bubble (I never add anything cold to my cooker) scraping the bottom to get all the toasted goodness off.
Pour this over the meat in the cooker and give it a bit of a stir so that the meat is coated. Scrape down the inside of the cooker so that no sauce is splashed above the line of sauce/meat (this helps with clean-up and prevents burned edges).
Cook on High for 6 to 8 hours.
Serve this in any way that you like tacos. We usually toast some corn tortillas and top with cilantro, sour cream, and a squeeze of lime. It's also great with beans and rice, or as a sandwich.

Camarones Feast

2009-04-01T10:19:00.000-07:00

I can't help it. Now that I've started, I just want to get in the habit. This was one of the best meals we've had lately. We were getting ready to go to Mexico and tried to recreate a fabulous meal we'd had there the year before. It made a lot of dishes to wash, but all of the elements were very simple - Shrimp (sauteed with lime, garlic, and cilantro), rice, Easy Pinto Beans, avocado salad, and a farmer's market squash that John rubbed with Blacken Seasoning and roasted in the oven.

Blacken Seasoning

2009-04-01T10:07:00.002-07:00

We use this when we make one of our favorites - fish tacos, but it's also great to sprinkle it on potatoes or squash before roasting. If you mix this in a grinder that you also use for coffee beans grind some stale bread (especially the heels) before and after so your spices don't taste like coffee and your coffee doesn't taste like cumin. You can also just mix it in a jar and give it a shake before using it.

Blacken Seasoning

3 T cracked pepper
2 T kosher salt
1 T dried thyme
1 T paprika (smoked or not)
1 T dried mustard
1 T granulated garlic
2 t cayenne (that's the little t for teaspoon!)
1 T powdered sage
1 T cumin (even better if you've toasted and ground cumin seeds)

Easy Pinto Beans

2009-04-01T10:07:00.001-07:00

Easy Pinto Beans

4 cloves of garlic, sliced
1 30 ounce can of Pinto beans with the liquid (I like Sun Vista brand)
1 15 ounce can of tomatoes with the liquid
2 T pickled jalapenos, diced (watch out, these bring the heat!)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime

Saute the garlic in a little oil in a largish frying pan until the garlic has started to brown. You can easily use a smallish sauce pan, but the liquid cooks down quicker in a frying pan and I'm always running late with this.
Add the pinto beans, tomatoes, and pickled jalapenos. Simmer, stirring once in a while so the beans don't stick, until they are the consistency you like. For us, it takes about half an hour. Stir in the lime juice and cilantro and simmer about 5 more minutes.
It's a great side dish for the feast shown above, but these also make a perfect filling for enchiladas or tacos (cooked a little longer so they aren't too runny).

Cod in Parchment Packets

2009-03-31T10:25:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you've just got to start at the start. I've had this blog set up for almost two years and I haven't posted anything for all sorts of stupid reasons (usually it's time, but often it's because I don't like the photo of the meal!).

So I'm just going to post for the sake of getting going. I'm not going to think about a long introduction. I'm not going to worry about the fact that the background picture at the very top is actually a baking picture and not a dinner picture. Oh well.

John and I made a great, easy meal and here's how you can make it too:

Cod in Parchment Packets
2 servings

1 pound Cod or other flaky fish (we got a pack from Costco and froze the rest for fish tacos)
1 lemon
1 roma tomato
half a small onion (yellow or sweet)
few sprigs of thyme
olive oil
s & p
2 pieces of parchment paper about 3 hand widths square (I think aluminum foil might work just as well)

Preheat the oven to 400.

Slice the lemon, onion, and tomato as thin as you can. Remove any bones from the fish and cut into 2 portions (this doesn't need to be in 2 neat pieces, our packets had multiple pieces in each). Drizzle a little olive oil in the center of the 2 parchments and then layer on each: onion, lemon, fish, thyme, s&P, and the tomatoes. Drizzle this again with a little oil.

Lift the edges of the paper up over the top of the pile and then fold the edges over each other to seal the packet lengthwise. Fold each end under until it's a fairly tight little packet.

Bake the packets on a cookie sheet for about 20 minutes. The parchment will brown as it cooks, but it won't burn. The delicious liquid inside is almost the best part, but it will flood the plate if you rip the packets. Either open the packets on the cookie sheet and take the contents out (spooning some of the liquid over the fish), or carefully lift the packets onto plates. Serve it with something that can soak up some of the liquid. I did risotto in the photo above, but I think little roasted potatoes and a salad would be perfect.