Some of my favorite flavors all combined into a delectable salad...bacon, roasted sweet potato, walnut, mustard, maple, pomegranate. Baby spinach does a great job holding it all together.
Serves 2
Takes about 25-30 minutes from fridge to table
6-8 cups baby spinach
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced into 1/2-3/4 inch cubes
small handful walnut halves/pieces, toasted
2-3 thick cut strips of good quality bacon (Trader Joe's Applewood Smoked)
seeds from 1/2 small pomegranate (about 1/3 cup)
1 tablespoon whole grain mustard
2 tablespoons good quality olive or walnut oil (I used walnut)
1-2 tablespoons maple syrup (Grade B is most flavorful)
1-2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
1. Preheat broiler to 450 degrees F. Toss sweet potatoes in a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and spread out into a single layer on a large baking sheet near the top of the oven (either top rack or 1 rack down). Broil for 15-20 minutes until sweet potatoes are soft and crispy at the edges. Stir about halfway through.
While the potatoes are roasting, prepare remainder of the salad, including prepping the pomegranate, toasting walnuts, and washing the spinach.
2. Slice bacon into small strips. Heat large skillet on medium-high and fry the bacon. When it is golden and crispy, about 5-10 mins, add mustard and turn down the heat to low. Be careful because the oil will spatter and the mustard seeds will pop wildly and fly all over the place. Give them a good stir, then add oil, maple syrup, and vinegar, stirring in between each addition. Let the dressing simmer a bit, glazing the bacon nicely.
3. Transfer the sweet potato cubes into your skillet, stirring them around to coat with dressing. Make sure everything is nice and hot.
4. In a large salad bowl, toss spinach, warm potato mixture, walnuts, and pomegranate seeds. Season to taste with freshly cracked black pepper and sea salt.
Enjoy with a lovely glass of Cabernet :)
Friday, December 10, 2010
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Winter Stuffed Peppers
I had forgotten how much I love eating stuffed vegetables. Stuffed eggplant, squash, bell peppers...all delicious! This recipe uses a minimum of meat/refined carbs and a maximum of fresh seasonal veggies (well, except a few). All the vegetables I used in this recipe came from my CSA share or my garden.
Serves 6-8
5 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds removed (I used green, but any color will do)
1 cup rice
2 strips of good quality smoked bacon, sliced (I used Trader Joes Applewood-smoked thick cut)
2 leeks, sliced lengthwise and then chopped into small half-moons
1 large carrot, diced
1 rutabaga, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 pound ground pork (I just ground up the meat from 2 pork chops)
4 cups stock or water (I simmered bones from the 2 pork chops in some water)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Parboil rice in plenty of salted water for about 10 minutes, then drain
2. In a large frying pan, heat up a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon and saute for a couple of minutes until starting to brown. Add leeks and cook until softened. Add root veggies and garlic and saute about 5 more minutes until just beginning to lose their hardness. Then add tomato sauce, thyme, sage, rice, and salt and pepper to taste. Remember to make it slightly more salty than normal, as you will be adding the ground meat shortly. Remove from heat, stir in the ground meat, then stuff into peppers.
3. Arrange into 2 baking dishes. Carefully pour stock over all the stuffed peppers. This provides some of the liquid to fully cook the rice. Bake at 375 F for 1 hour until rice is cooked through.
Serves 6-8
5 large bell peppers, halved lengthwise, seeds removed (I used green, but any color will do)
1 cup rice
2 strips of good quality smoked bacon, sliced (I used Trader Joes Applewood-smoked thick cut)
2 leeks, sliced lengthwise and then chopped into small half-moons
1 large carrot, diced
1 rutabaga, diced
1 medium sweet potato, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups tomato sauce
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried sage
3/4 pound ground pork (I just ground up the meat from 2 pork chops)
4 cups stock or water (I simmered bones from the 2 pork chops in some water)
salt and pepper to taste
1. Parboil rice in plenty of salted water for about 10 minutes, then drain
2. In a large frying pan, heat up a couple of tablespoons of vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Add bacon and saute for a couple of minutes until starting to brown. Add leeks and cook until softened. Add root veggies and garlic and saute about 5 more minutes until just beginning to lose their hardness. Then add tomato sauce, thyme, sage, rice, and salt and pepper to taste. Remember to make it slightly more salty than normal, as you will be adding the ground meat shortly. Remove from heat, stir in the ground meat, then stuff into peppers.
3. Arrange into 2 baking dishes. Carefully pour stock over all the stuffed peppers. This provides some of the liquid to fully cook the rice. Bake at 375 F for 1 hour until rice is cooked through.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Feast from Fall
I have tons of delicious Fall veggies sitting around in my from my CSA share that needed to be used, so I dreamed up this dinner menu. My mother-in-law, her sister, and two friends from Norway joined us. They had never had roasted squash in lieu of potatoes before!
Menu serves 6-8
APPLE CIDER MARTINIS
(this made 6 cocktails)
6 shots vodka
juice from 1/2 orange
juice from 1 1/2 lemons
9 shots apple cider
1 shot maple syrup
garnish with orange peel and thinly sliced apples
Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into martini glasses.
FALL SLAW
1 small head red cabbage, thinly shredded
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 large crisp fall apple, in matchsticks
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice from 1/2 orange
handful of fennel leaves, chopped coarsely
a few tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
ROASTED WINTER SQUASH
1 medium sized kobocha squash
1 butternut squash
handful fresh thyme
handful fresh parsley
hefty drizzle olive oil
salt to taste
Peel, seed, and cube squash into 1/2 inch dice. Toss with olive oil, herbs,and salt. Spread into a thin layer on 2 baking sheets. Roast at 500 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until browned.
PANCETTA, MUSHROOM, AND LEEK STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST WITH WHITE WINE CREAM SAUCE
5 large chicken breasts (about 4.5 pounds)
1/4 pound pancetta or good quality bacon
1/2 pound brown mushrooms
2 leeks
2 cloves garlic
1.5 cups light cream
1 cup white wine
Finely dice pancetta and mushrooms. Thinly slice leeks. Saute mushrooms for a few minutes to release juices and concentrate flavor. Remove from pan. Saute pancetta, then add 1/2 of the leeks. Once leeks have gone translucent, stir in the mushrooms. You don't need much if any salt since the pancetta is pretty salty. Cut pockets into the chicken breasts. It might be easier to just cut a breast in half and then cut pockets into each half. Stuff with the pancetta mixture. Brown each side of the chicken in a hot pan and then set into a large roasting pan. Saute the remaining leeks until translucent, then add garlic and whatever you have left of the stuffing mixture. Add wine and let this cook for a few minutes. Then turn down heat and add the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the chicken. Bake about 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree F oven until the chicken is cooked through.
Menu serves 6-8
APPLE CIDER MARTINIS
(this made 6 cocktails)
6 shots vodka
juice from 1/2 orange
juice from 1 1/2 lemons
9 shots apple cider
1 shot maple syrup
garnish with orange peel and thinly sliced apples
Shake with ice in a cocktail shaker and strain into martini glasses.
FALL SLAW
1 small head red cabbage, thinly shredded
2-3 green onions, sliced
1 large crisp fall apple, in matchsticks
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
juice from 1/2 orange
handful of fennel leaves, chopped coarsely
a few tablespoons olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
ROASTED WINTER SQUASH
1 medium sized kobocha squash
1 butternut squash
handful fresh thyme
handful fresh parsley
hefty drizzle olive oil
salt to taste
Peel, seed, and cube squash into 1/2 inch dice. Toss with olive oil, herbs,and salt. Spread into a thin layer on 2 baking sheets. Roast at 500 degrees F for 20-30 minutes until browned.
PANCETTA, MUSHROOM, AND LEEK STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST WITH WHITE WINE CREAM SAUCE
5 large chicken breasts (about 4.5 pounds)
1/4 pound pancetta or good quality bacon
1/2 pound brown mushrooms
2 leeks
2 cloves garlic
1.5 cups light cream
1 cup white wine
Finely dice pancetta and mushrooms. Thinly slice leeks. Saute mushrooms for a few minutes to release juices and concentrate flavor. Remove from pan. Saute pancetta, then add 1/2 of the leeks. Once leeks have gone translucent, stir in the mushrooms. You don't need much if any salt since the pancetta is pretty salty. Cut pockets into the chicken breasts. It might be easier to just cut a breast in half and then cut pockets into each half. Stuff with the pancetta mixture. Brown each side of the chicken in a hot pan and then set into a large roasting pan. Saute the remaining leeks until translucent, then add garlic and whatever you have left of the stuffing mixture. Add wine and let this cook for a few minutes. Then turn down heat and add the cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Pour sauce over the chicken. Bake about 15-20 minutes in a 400 degree F oven until the chicken is cooked through.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Greek Style Quinoa Salad
PERFECT for summertime when the tomatoes are ripe off the vine.
Makes 4-6 main dish servings.
1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
a little salt, like 1/2 teaspoon
1 pound tomatoes, diced
1 pound cucumbers, preferably pickling cukes, peeled and diced
1/2 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion, about 1/2 cup diced
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup minced parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
juice and zest from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Boil up water in a medium saucepan and add a little salt once boiling. Add quinoa, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the kernels are just translucent. Remove from heat, fluff, and cover until ready to use.
While quinoa is cooling, prepare the veggies and make a dressing from the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
Toss everything together in a big bowl.
Makes 4-6 main dish servings.
1 cup quinoa
1 3/4 cup water
a little salt, like 1/2 teaspoon
1 pound tomatoes, diced
1 pound cucumbers, preferably pickling cukes, peeled and diced
1/2 medium Vidalia (sweet) onion, about 1/2 cup diced
4 ounces feta cheese, cut into small cubes
1/2 cup black olives, sliced
1 cup minced parsley
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup olive oil
juice and zest from 1 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Boil up water in a medium saucepan and add a little salt once boiling. Add quinoa, turn heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes until the kernels are just translucent. Remove from heat, fluff, and cover until ready to use.
While quinoa is cooling, prepare the veggies and make a dressing from the olive oil, lemon juice, and garlic.
Toss everything together in a big bowl.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Summer Pesto
Every time I have a basil overload, I make tons and tons of pesto. My pesto usually contains: masses of basil, a little garlic, lots of olive oil, toasted walnuts, and a bit of salt. I leave out the parmesan (it's expensive and I can always add it to the pasta later), and forgo expensive pine nuts. This recipe is one way I use the boxes of frozen pesto from my freezer while incorporating tons of veggies.
Serves a good 6-8 people quite easily given the large volume
1 pound whole wheat fusilli (I used Trader Joes, which is excellent)
8 ounces pesto
3 medium summer squash, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 green peppers, diced
1 bunch of rainbow chard, sliced thinly
about 1-2 inches of nice salami, sliced thinly into strips
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and saute until softened over medium-high heat. Add salami strips and cook for a few seconds until they begin to sizzle. Then add green peppers, summer squash, and chard one at a time, sauteeing for a few minutes in between each addition. When everything is just cooked to your liking, remove from heat and empty out into a large bowl. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
Prepare pasta according to box directions, but remember to leave the pasta pretty al dente so it doesn't get overcooked. Save a little of the pasta water in case you need to thin out the pesto. Drain pasta and dump into the large bowl with the summer veggies. Toss everything with the pesto, adding pasta water and olive oil as needed until the pasta is nicely coated.
Serves a good 6-8 people quite easily given the large volume
1 pound whole wheat fusilli (I used Trader Joes, which is excellent)
8 ounces pesto
3 medium summer squash, diced
1 medium onion, diced
4 green peppers, diced
1 bunch of rainbow chard, sliced thinly
about 1-2 inches of nice salami, sliced thinly into strips
olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large saute pan. Add onions and saute until softened over medium-high heat. Add salami strips and cook for a few seconds until they begin to sizzle. Then add green peppers, summer squash, and chard one at a time, sauteeing for a few minutes in between each addition. When everything is just cooked to your liking, remove from heat and empty out into a large bowl. Season to taste with a little salt and pepper.
Prepare pasta according to box directions, but remember to leave the pasta pretty al dente so it doesn't get overcooked. Save a little of the pasta water in case you need to thin out the pesto. Drain pasta and dump into the large bowl with the summer veggies. Toss everything with the pesto, adding pasta water and olive oil as needed until the pasta is nicely coated.
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Paella!
This one will be in Norwegian, so for a translation, just cut and paste into Google Translator.
til 4-6 folk
0.5 liters jasminris
500 g reker, uten skaller
140 g bacon, i biter
1 purre, i biter
1 paprika, i biter
125 g sopp, i biter
1 løk, i biter
4 fedd finhakkede hvitløk
1 boks (400 g) hakkede tomater med juice
3 spiseskjeer oliven olje
1 teskje gurkemeier
2 teskjeer salt
0.5 teskje malt sort pepper
0.5 teskje rød pepper flakes
250 ml tørr hvitvin (jeg brukt chardonnay)
circa 250 ml kylling kraft eller vann
50 g sørt oliven
litt fersk persille, finhakkede
(blåskjell ville vært fint også)
Bruke en stor og tung stekepanne med lokk (jeg brukte circa 25-30 cm). Forberede alle ingrediensene at de er klar til å kaste inn i pannen.
Warm opp en spiseskje olivenolje, og stek bacon til det begynner å bli gylden brun. Legg i løken og stek litt til. Diretter legge til sopp, hvitløk, purre, og paprika en av gangen, steking i et minutt eller to i mellom hver. Legge til risen og resten av olivenolje plus gurkemeier, salt, sort og rød pepper. Rør godt, belegg på ris med olje og krydder. Legge til tomater med juice, hvitvin, og halveparten av kyllingkraft og skru ned warmen til risen er bare bobler. Dekk med lokk og la risen til damp i ca 20 minutter til den er akkurat møre. Sjekk på ris hvert 5-10 minutter for å sørge for at bunnen ikker er brenning og legg til litt kyllingkraft hvis det blir for tørt.
Når risen er ferdig, forsiktig ordner reker (og blåskjell hvis du har) og oliven på toppen, dekk med lokk og damp i ytterligere 6 minutter til reker er bare kokt.
Dryss persille over toppen og server med en fin frisk grønn salat.
til 4-6 folk
0.5 liters jasminris
500 g reker, uten skaller
140 g bacon, i biter
1 purre, i biter
1 paprika, i biter
125 g sopp, i biter
1 løk, i biter
4 fedd finhakkede hvitløk
1 boks (400 g) hakkede tomater med juice
3 spiseskjeer oliven olje
1 teskje gurkemeier
2 teskjeer salt
0.5 teskje malt sort pepper
0.5 teskje rød pepper flakes
250 ml tørr hvitvin (jeg brukt chardonnay)
circa 250 ml kylling kraft eller vann
50 g sørt oliven
litt fersk persille, finhakkede
(blåskjell ville vært fint også)
Bruke en stor og tung stekepanne med lokk (jeg brukte circa 25-30 cm). Forberede alle ingrediensene at de er klar til å kaste inn i pannen.
Warm opp en spiseskje olivenolje, og stek bacon til det begynner å bli gylden brun. Legg i løken og stek litt til. Diretter legge til sopp, hvitløk, purre, og paprika en av gangen, steking i et minutt eller to i mellom hver. Legge til risen og resten av olivenolje plus gurkemeier, salt, sort og rød pepper. Rør godt, belegg på ris med olje og krydder. Legge til tomater med juice, hvitvin, og halveparten av kyllingkraft og skru ned warmen til risen er bare bobler. Dekk med lokk og la risen til damp i ca 20 minutter til den er akkurat møre. Sjekk på ris hvert 5-10 minutter for å sørge for at bunnen ikker er brenning og legg til litt kyllingkraft hvis det blir for tørt.
Når risen er ferdig, forsiktig ordner reker (og blåskjell hvis du har) og oliven på toppen, dekk med lokk og damp i ytterligere 6 minutter til reker er bare kokt.
Dryss persille over toppen og server med en fin frisk grønn salat.
Sunday, June 27, 2010
My first guest blog- Rodger does Chilaquiles!
Chilaquiles con crema and grilled chicken, scrambled eggs, refried beans, queso blanco and avocado.
(pronounced Chee-lah-KEE-less, alternately, I've also heard Chee-lah-KEE-layes)
This is one of my favorite Mexican foods, partly because the base is basically recycled food, partly because a variety of salsa/sauces can give this basic recipe very different tastes and partly because you can have this dish anywhere in mexico, where it is universally loved.
It is a widely spoken idea that chilaquiles are good for helping with hangovers, but if you are forking these down hungover, you'll be missing out on the deliciousness.
People from different regions across mexico will be very particular about the preparation of this dish and so I readily admit that my interpretation is a bit of a generalization, although still true to form.
Makes approx enough to serve 6-8 people (this version became breakfast for 7 with leftovers).
You will need:
~30, 20cm (~8in) corn tortillas.
3 medium chicken breasts, grilled and pulled apart (I cheated and used chicken I had previously grilled and frozen)
800g ( ~30oz) of refried beans (again, cheating here, I used two cans of Trader Joe's refried beans)
Queso Blanco, crumbled, to be spooned on as garnish (I purchased mine from Whole foods market)
3 avacados, sliced
2 cups cilantro, chopped. Alternately you can use epazote (delicious and authentic, but somewhat tough to find easily) but go easy with the epazote as it has a pungent taste.
4 whole eggs, scrambled with 3tbs Crema Mexicana
Crema Mexicana, is a cool, smooth, general topping for many foods. I made this with equal parts heavy cream and sour cream. Alternately this can include buttermilk.
Salsa. This is where regional variation can have a heavy influence. A white sauce can be used in north western mexico, whereas in other areas a salsa verde, spicy or mild red salsa or even mole are thought appropriate. In any case, fresh salsa is best. Epipurists will doubtlessly want to make their own and I invite you to use your salsa of choice (they've probably already scoffed at my hack recipe and will gasp at what I'm about to say next). I've cheated even more here, and used two jars of Trader Joe's Salsa Authentica. I then used the time I saved making salsa to write this Guest-blog!
Preparation
In addition to the preparation (or lack thereof ) suggested above:
Crema Mexicana. Bring the whole cream to room temperature in a saucepan and whisk in the sour cream. When the whole mix is again at room temperature, let cool in the refrigerator for 4-8 hours for a consistency somewhere near room temperature honey. I cheated and quick-cooled mine in the freezer. Yes, heretical but functional.
¡The Chilaquiles!
Here is where the recycling comes in. Ideally, these are stale-ish tortillas you've had lying around for a few days so they've become slightly leathery/crispy. Alternately, if you are making this from fresh tortillas, you can dry them in the oven. Tortillas are cut radially into triangles ~5cm (2in) at the base). Coat a large sauté pan with corn oil and heat on medium to high. When the oil is hot, add the proto-chilaquiles and stir fry gently until they are golden brown and slightly crispy. Lastly, sprinkle on a bit of salt. If you prefer to use alot of oil, be prepared to place the chilaquiles on paper towels to soak up the excess oil. Less oil works fine. Let the chilaquiles cool slightly and combine them in the pan with the salsa, folding over the chilaquiles until they are warm and coated with salsa. Fold in 1.5 cups of cilantro and serve (save the other 1/2 cup of cilantro as garnish).
This is the central part of the dish where the rest of the portions can be combined with it around the plate. Cilantro and queso blanco can be sprinkled and crema drizzled on top of everything.
Enjoy!
¡Thanks! to Teri & Bernt for inspiring me to Guest-blog and, in alphabetical order, as they were equal contributors in preparation and potential victims in the eating, I thank Emily, Marga, Megan, Mollie and Will for allowing me to practice this recipe on them.
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Sesame-Ginger Dressing, Oh My!
This is my new favorite dressing. Period. I even managed to sneak a little flax oil into the mix, as the sesame flavor covers up the grassy/slightly fishy flavor of the flax pretty well.
Makes approx 3/4 cup of dressing, enough for 2 large salads.
The measurements for this recipe are a little loose, but it is hard to really mess it up. If you decide to use fresh ginger, make sure to add a little honey or brown sugar to sweeten things up a bit
a few pieces (approx 2-3 tablespoons) of candied ginger with syrup (recipe follows, but you can also use freshly grated or store-bought candied ginger)
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
2 tablespoons flax oil
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
about 1/4 cup water
Use an immersion blender or regular blender to make this recipe. Blend all ingredients except the sesame seeds. Adjust ingredients to taste. Thin with a little water if you like. Stir in sesame seeds at the end so that you don't end up with sesame puree.
FLANK STEAK, QUINOA, AND PEAR SALAD WITH SESAME-GINGER DRESSING
I had some leftover flank steak that I had marinated with a Korean BBQ sauce and seared on the grill. For a 2 person meal, I used:
6 ounces grilled flank steak, sliced thin
1 small head of green lettuce
a few handfuls of mizuna
1 ripe pear, sliced thin
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 cup red quinoa, simmered for 15 min with 2/3 cup water and a little salt
about 1/3 cup sesame-ginger dressing
CANDIED GINGER IN SYRUP
This is a great way to preserve ginger for later use. I always purchase more ginger root than I actually use and the poor rhizome sits around my crisper drawer getting more and more shriveled out and dejected looking. In a more inspired moment about 6 months ago, I made a nice jar of candied ginger in syrup that I finally am getting around to actually using.
The syrup is great in cocktails and lemonades. The ginger can be used in the dressing as above, chopped up in baked goods, or as a neat way to sweeten herbal teas.
There are really no measurements to this recipe, though the proportions may be helpful.
2 parts granulated sugar
1 part water
1 part ginger root, peeled and sliced thinly
Melt sugar and water together until a thick syrup forms. Add ginger and simmer for at least 30 minutes to infuse the syrup and to make sure the ginger gets cooked and sterilized to preserve it. Pour while hot into a sterilized glass jar and store in the fridge once cooled.
Korean-veggie-blast
Oh, how I love Korean food. The combination of savory, sweet, and spicy really does it for me. One of the few types of packaged foods I actually keep around the house is this Korean brand of ramen noodles called Nong Shim Shin Ramyun Noodle Soup in the "Gourmet Spicy" flavor. One package is more than enough for 2 people if you beef it up with tons of veggies and a protein source like a fried egg or some tofu.
BEEFED UP KOREAN RAMEN NOODLE SOUP
Serves 2
I beef this soup up with a bunch of yellow squash "noodles". That way, two people can share one package of instant noodles, thus halving the calories and saturated fat, and simultaneously getting a belly-filling veggie kick. Watch out, because these noodles are spicy!
1 package (4.2 ounces, 120g) of Nong Shim Shin Ramyun noodle soup
3 yellow squash
4 small eggs
1 green onion, chopped
salt
Use a vegetable peeler to peel off long strips of squash, making a "pasta". Keep peeling all the way around the squash until you get to the center part with seeds. You can either throw this away or dice it and save it for another use (i.e. in soups, or sauteed in an omelette).
Boil water with about 1 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan. Add the ramen noodles and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the squash and simmer 2-3 minutes more until the squash is just cooked but not squishy. Drain and rinse briefly with cool water to stop the cooking process.
Heat about 2 cups of water in a saucepan. Add the soup base and seasoning mix that comes in the ramen package. Taste, and add another cup or so of water if it seems too concentrated. If you don't do very spicy, take it easy on the soup base package (the one that is bright red with red pepper flakes).
While the soup base is simmering, fry eggs in a little oil in a pan. Sunny side up works great in this recipe because the yolk gets extra cooking from the hot soup.
Divide the noodle/squash mixture into two serving bowls. Top with soup, then eggs, then green onions.
"PICKLED" MIZUNA WITH SESAME SEEDS
We get a ton of mizuna in our CSA shares. It is a mild mustardy flavored green that tastes great in salads and stir fries. I quickly "pickled" these for this recipe because I rarely plan far enough ahead to pickle things properly (though I do love kimchee).
1 large bunch mizuna (or spinach or radish greens)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon flax oil (I keep trying to find new ways to work flax oil into my diet)
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
salt to taste
Wash and coarsely chop the mizuna. Place in a heatproof bowl. Sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of salt. Heat up a pot of water until boiling and pour it over the mizuna until the greens are covered. Let sit for 5 minutes until the greens are just tender but still retain some crunch. Drain and squeeze out any remaining water.
Toast sesame seeds in a small saucepan over medium heat. Be careful, because they burn quickly. Watch them like a hawk!
Mix greens with the sesame seeds, oils, and hot pepper flakes. The greens should already be pretty salty, but if not, season with salt to taste. Serve chilled or at room temperature as an accompaniment to the food.
Watermelon Mojitos!
Summer has arrived, and with it comes watermelon, mint, and refreshing alcoholic beverages. We got the idea for this drink from a fantastic Peruvian-fusion restaurant in Sarasota, Florida, called Selva Grill. Bacardi melon rum reminds me distinctly of watermelon flavored Jolly Rancher candy. If this conjures up good memories for you, you will love this drink. If not, skip it.
Makes 2 stiff and refreshing drinks
1 sprig mint
1/2 lime or lemon, sliced
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup watermelon chunks
3 ounces Bacardi melon rum
seltzer water
watermelon slices for garnish
ice
Prepare mint flavored simple syrup: Pour 1/4 cup boiling water over the sugar and a few crushed mint leaves. Allow to steep for at least a few minutes before making the drink.
In a large cocktail shaker, muddle lime/lemon slices and remaining mint with a wooden spoon or muddler. Add watermelon chunks and smash into bits to release juice. Add rum and continue to mix. Stir in mint syrup. Pour into two tall glasses filled with ice. Top with seltzer water to taste.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
Tex-Mex Quinoa Stuffed Acorn Squash
I bet this would be -even- more delicious stuffed into a roasted portobello mushroom cap. I had 2 lonely acorn squash sitting on my counter for the last 3 weeks. After my acorn-butternut-kabocha squash overload last year, I have almost shuttered at eating another squash. However, I wanted to give a quinoa stuffed squash recipe a try.
The quinoa and squash can be prepared ahead of time. They can be assembled about 30 minutes before you want to eat them.
Serves 4
2 acorn squash
4 teaspoons butter
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 cup quinoa (I used red, but the regular variety works)
1 1/2 cups boiling water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small vidalia onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small bunch green onions, sliced thinly
1 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen or canned
1/2 cup canned black beans
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon spicy salsa
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 ounces of queso fresco, mild fresh white cheese
Bake acorn squash on a baking sheet in a 350 F oven for 1 hour. Cool, then cut in half to make 4 bowls. Place back on sheet, cut side up. Dot with butter, sprinkle on cumin seeds and salt to taste, and return to oven at 400 F for about 30 minutes until squash is nice and soft.
While squash is baking, prepare quinoa. Rinse quinoa to remove any traces of bitter saponins that coat the kernels. Set aside to drain. In a medium sized saucepan, heat oil on medium heat and saute onions until translucent. Add garlic and green onions (saving a small handful for decoration) and saute until fragrant, about 1-2 min. Add quinoa and stir well. Then add corn, black beans, tomatoes, salsa and salt to taste. Pour water over the top, reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the water is absorbed and the quinoa is tender.
Arrange roasted squash bowls in a heatproof pan (I used a glass 8x8 inch pan). Pile in the quinoa mixture, though you will almost certainly have nearly half leftover. Sprinkle on the fresh cheese and green onions. Bake at 400 F for 20-30 minutes until heated through and the cheese is beginning to melt.
BABY BEETS DONE TWO WAYS
The baby beets themselves are roasted whole and then peeled and sliced. The delicate greens are sauteed with a little olive oil and garlic. Everything is tossed together with a generous squeeze of lemon.
1 large bunch of baby beets (or any old beets, cooking times will just be longer)
a tablespoon or two of olive oil
1 sprig of rosemary
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 lemon
salt and pepper to taste
Wrap the baby beetroots in some aluminum foil along with a sprig of rosemary and a drizzle of olive oil. Bake at 450 degrees F for about 20-30 minutes until the beets are softened. Larger beets will take more time. Cool, then slip off peels and either serve whole or slice into halves or quarters.
Wash and roughly chop the tender beet greens. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and beet greens and sautee until just softened, about 2-3 minutes. Toss into a bowl with the roasted beetroots and squeeze lemon over the top. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Shrimp on the Barbie
This makes enough marinade for about 2-3 pounds of shrimp. You can make this ahead of time, then toss it in a bag with the shrimp and let it sit in the fridge for a few hours before threading the shrimp onto skewers (use two so that the shrimp don't spin around).
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon (heaping) cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon honey
4 limes, zest and juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
large handful cilantro, minced if you don't have a stick blender
Heat a few tablespoons of the oil. Add cumin seeds and pepper flakes and sizzle until golden (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Pour the hot oil mixture over the minced garlic cloves in a heatproof bowl or cup. Add the remaining ingredients and either stir or blend.
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon (heaping) cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
4-6 large cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon honey
4 limes, zest and juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
large handful cilantro, minced if you don't have a stick blender
Heat a few tablespoons of the oil. Add cumin seeds and pepper flakes and sizzle until golden (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat. Pour the hot oil mixture over the minced garlic cloves in a heatproof bowl or cup. Add the remaining ingredients and either stir or blend.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Pizza Night
We have some barley flour from Four Star Farms in Northfield, MA (www.fourstarfarms.com), that we received in our CSA share. This is great in pizza, adapted from Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything. This recipe makes 3- 9x13 inch pizzas, enough for around 6 people. If you have a pizza stone, that's great. However, we had a bad experience with a pizza stone a while back (composite material + soap = stinky stone), so we just roll the dough out onto Silpat mats (silpat.com- awesome kitchen tool!) and throw them directly onto the oven racks.
1.5 cups barley flour (or substitute whole wheat or regular)
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
Combine half the flour with salt, yeast, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 cup water. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining water if the mixture is too dry. Now slowly add the remaining flour, a little at a time until you can't stir anymore. Dump everything out onto a board and knead in the rest. Stop adding flour when the dough is -just- not sticky anymore. Too much flour will make the dough dry, but this recipe has a lot of wiggle room.
Put the dough ball into a bowl greased with 1 teaspoon oil, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. You can let it rise longer, if you are patient. Roll the dough out into thin crusts, about 1/8 inch thick.
PIZZA TOPPINGS:
I first brushed the edges of the crusts with a little olive oil. Then I topped the pizzas with a thin layer of prepared marinara sauce from Trader Joe's, though of course you can easily make your own.
For 3 pizzas, I used:
2 packed cups shredded mozzarella
about 5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
about 1-2 ounces pepperoni slices (happened to have this around after a party)
1 bunch of swiss chard, shredded
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch slices, drizzed with olive oil and salt and broiled for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, then cut into cubes
Once the toppings are on, preheat the oven to 475 F (max temp for the Silpat is 480 F), then bake in the lower middle of the oven for 7-9 minutes until crust is crispy and golden.
Delicious!
I served this with GREEK SALAD
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 x 1 x 2 inch block of feta cheese, in cubes
1/2 of a sweet Vidalia onion, sliced
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
a few tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
1.5 cups barley flour (or substitute whole wheat or regular)
1.5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dry yeast
1 1/4 cups water
2 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon olive oil
Combine half the flour with salt, yeast, 2 tablespoons oil, and 1 cup water. Stir until smooth. Add the remaining water if the mixture is too dry. Now slowly add the remaining flour, a little at a time until you can't stir anymore. Dump everything out onto a board and knead in the rest. Stop adding flour when the dough is -just- not sticky anymore. Too much flour will make the dough dry, but this recipe has a lot of wiggle room.
Put the dough ball into a bowl greased with 1 teaspoon oil, cover, and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour. You can let it rise longer, if you are patient. Roll the dough out into thin crusts, about 1/8 inch thick.
PIZZA TOPPINGS:
I first brushed the edges of the crusts with a little olive oil. Then I topped the pizzas with a thin layer of prepared marinara sauce from Trader Joe's, though of course you can easily make your own.
For 3 pizzas, I used:
2 packed cups shredded mozzarella
about 5 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
about 1-2 ounces pepperoni slices (happened to have this around after a party)
1 bunch of swiss chard, shredded
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/2 inch slices, drizzed with olive oil and salt and broiled for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, then cut into cubes
Once the toppings are on, preheat the oven to 475 F (max temp for the Silpat is 480 F), then bake in the lower middle of the oven for 7-9 minutes until crust is crispy and golden.
Delicious!
I served this with GREEK SALAD
1 cucumber, peeled, seeded and cut into cubes
a few handfuls of cherry tomatoes, cut into quarters
1 x 1 x 2 inch block of feta cheese, in cubes
1/2 of a sweet Vidalia onion, sliced
1/2 head of Romaine lettuce, shredded
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
a few tablespoons of olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Spa Food at Home: Mesquite Grilled Salmon with Arugula Pesto Sauce, Green Beans with Roasted Garlic, and Roasted Root Veg
I have been hankering for salmon these days and have eaten it at least 5 times this past month. Today I bought some delicious wild sockeye salmon and decided to try out the mesquite powder that I bought on vacation in Sarasota, FL, at a little spice/tea shop called The Spice & Tea Exchange (http://www.spiceandtea.com/smoke-powders-mesquite-p-115.html)
Mesquite Grilled Salmon (The Cheater Mesquite)
Serves 2
2- 6 ounce fillets (skin on) wild sockeye salmon
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon mesquite powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
pepper to taste
Marinate salmon fillets at least 30 minutes, then grill over medium heat.
Arugula Pesto Sauce
I had some arugula pesto that I made last summer stored in the freezer, so I mixed a couple of tablespoons of this with about 1/2 cup of full fat Greek yogurt and added about 1 T fresh squeezed lemon juice. Delish.
Green Beans with Roasted Garlic
I also had some roasted garlic cloves leftover in the fridge that I stored in olive oil. In a frying pan, I mashed 4 of these with some of the olive oil and sauteed about 1/2 pound fresh green beans until crisp-tender. Seasoned with a little salt, this was fantastic.
Roasted Root Veg
I cut up 2 small sweet potatoes and 4 small yukon gold potatoes into 1 cm cubes. Placed in a baking pan, drizzed with a little olive oil, sprinkled a little sea salt, roasted 450F for 15 min, stirred them around, then another 5 minutes or so until the edges had gone toasty.
Pictures to come....when I finally upload them from my camera
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
After a hiatus....Mac & Cheese & Red Russian Kale
Our farmshare from Heaven's Harvest CSA this week had a lovely large bunch of Red Russian Kale. I decided to turn this into my own tasty version of mac & cheese, served with a nice glass of locally brewed Narangansett lager and some fresh kale chips.
1 large bunch red russian kale (or other kale), chopped finely
2 ounces or so of nice salami (I used Trader Joe's salami), sliced into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper if you like a kick
salt to taste
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups tasty cheese (I used Tuscan Black Pepper from Trader Joe's), 1/2 cup set aside
salt & pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente (about 7-8 minutes)
Preheat oven to about 425 F
Saute salami over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add crushed pepper and garlic, and then the kale. Saute until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Make cheese sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Using a whisk, stir in the flour and let cook for about 2-3 minutes until just golden. Carefully pour in the milk, stirring vigorously the whole time because it gets thick quickly. Stir to prevent too many lumps from forming. Turn heat down to medium and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Turn heat down to low. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the cheese.
Mix macaroni, veggie mixture, and cheese sauce in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese (or add more if you are a true cheese lover). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top.
1 large bunch red russian kale (or other kale), chopped finely
2 ounces or so of nice salami (I used Trader Joe's salami), sliced into matchsticks
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper if you like a kick
salt to taste
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1/4 cup flour
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups tasty cheese (I used Tuscan Black Pepper from Trader Joe's), 1/2 cup set aside
salt & pepper
1 pound elbow macaroni
Boil macaroni in salted water until al dente (about 7-8 minutes)
Preheat oven to about 425 F
Saute salami over medium-high heat in a large pan. Add crushed pepper and garlic, and then the kale. Saute until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Set aside.
Make cheese sauce: In a saucepan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Using a whisk, stir in the flour and let cook for about 2-3 minutes until just golden. Carefully pour in the milk, stirring vigorously the whole time because it gets thick quickly. Stir to prevent too many lumps from forming. Turn heat down to medium and allow to simmer for a few minutes. Turn heat down to low. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in 1-1/2 cups of the cheese.
Mix macaroni, veggie mixture, and cheese sauce in a 9x13 pan. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese (or add more if you are a true cheese lover). Bake for about 30 minutes, or until bubbling and golden on top.
Sunday, March 7, 2010
Letterboxing and pina coladas...a fantastic day
One day weekends just seem too short. There is enough time to enjoy being off but not quite enough to get used to it.
A classmate from medical school introduced me to letterboxing a few years ago. (http://www.letterboxing.org/). Letterboxing is a scavenger hunt in which you follow clues in order to find tupperware boxes protecting stamps from the elements. You use the stamps to stamp your keepsake book and use your own personal stamp to leave a mark that you were there. Although I've only been a few times, it is a great way to get to know your own neighborhood and to explore new ones. Today's letterboxing adventure took us to the northwestern part of Worcester, where there is over 350 acres of conservation land including a lovely waterfall in the woods. The letterboxing theme today was "Life is Good" based on the flagship brand. We were only able to find 3/4 of the stamps, even after rambling around the woods digging around all trees that had a hole or something resembling one for over an hour. I hope to take Liam letterboxing once he is old enough to make his own stamp and to enjoy the thrills of the hunt.
And to unwind after a long and exhausting day in 60 degree heat with beautiful rays of early afternoon sun streaming from between the naked trees, we made pina coladas!
PINA COLADAS
These are the best pina coladas I've ever made. I think the secret is to use frozen pineapple. You don't need to use quite as much ice, which makes for a less diluted drink.
Makes 5 drinks
3 cups crushed ice
1 lb frozen pineapple (we got it from Trader Joe's for under $2)
5 shots rum (2 coconut rum, 3 spiced dark rum)
3/4 can coconut cream
dark brown sugar dissolved in hot water to taste (I used about 4 tablespoons in 3 tablespoons hot water)
Blend into a thick smoothie.
Yum!
A classmate from medical school introduced me to letterboxing a few years ago. (http://www.letterboxing.org/). Letterboxing is a scavenger hunt in which you follow clues in order to find tupperware boxes protecting stamps from the elements. You use the stamps to stamp your keepsake book and use your own personal stamp to leave a mark that you were there. Although I've only been a few times, it is a great way to get to know your own neighborhood and to explore new ones. Today's letterboxing adventure took us to the northwestern part of Worcester, where there is over 350 acres of conservation land including a lovely waterfall in the woods. The letterboxing theme today was "Life is Good" based on the flagship brand. We were only able to find 3/4 of the stamps, even after rambling around the woods digging around all trees that had a hole or something resembling one for over an hour. I hope to take Liam letterboxing once he is old enough to make his own stamp and to enjoy the thrills of the hunt.
And to unwind after a long and exhausting day in 60 degree heat with beautiful rays of early afternoon sun streaming from between the naked trees, we made pina coladas!
PINA COLADAS
These are the best pina coladas I've ever made. I think the secret is to use frozen pineapple. You don't need to use quite as much ice, which makes for a less diluted drink.
Makes 5 drinks
3 cups crushed ice
1 lb frozen pineapple (we got it from Trader Joe's for under $2)
5 shots rum (2 coconut rum, 3 spiced dark rum)
3/4 can coconut cream
dark brown sugar dissolved in hot water to taste (I used about 4 tablespoons in 3 tablespoons hot water)
Blend into a thick smoothie.
Yum!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Austin Eats
Bernt and I have been in Texas on a working vacation. After biding our time eating free breakfasts and dinners in San Antonio, we have finally arrived in Texas' culinary mecca. We stopped in a beautiful town named Wimberly to eat at a cozy little cafe named The Leaning Pear (http://www.leaningpear.com/). It was eerily familiar- the kind of place I might have run if I had decided to run a cafe. Simple, tasty menu. Cheerful surroundings. Good prices. Just perfect for today.
Delicious cremini mushroom soup
Liam loved the soup
BBLT with brie, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes on grilled sourdough
Buttermilk and vanilla panna cotta with grapefruit and tangerine
Liam made off with the bread
Along the way to Austin from Wimberly, we ran across Driftwood Winery and tasted 6 different wines. Several were tasty, but we settled on a beautiful orange blossom muscat dessert wine as a gift for tomorrow night when we will have dinner with my college RA and his wife and 2 kids.
Once we arrived in Austin and checked into our hotel, we ventured out to see the Congress Bridge bats at dusk. Apparently 1.5 million bats migrate every year from Mexico to Austin, where they roost in the 16x1.5 inch ruts in the concrete under Congress Bridge. Unfortunately, they really don't arrive in Austin until mid-March with best viewing time in August when the babies start to fly. We hung around for a while but saw neither hide nor errant wing of those tiny bats. It must be incredible to stand under the hoards of bats 1.5 million strong heading out for the evening hunt. I already like them- they eat mosquitos!
In front of the Congress Ave. Bridge
We ate dinner at a place featured in Bon Appetit magazine called House Pizzeria (http://www.housepizzeria.com/). An unassuming little place, it used to be a KFC that is now transformed into a local pizza joint serving high quality organic food. We sat right by the jukebox and conveniently close to the bar. On tap were a bunch of tasty beers in addition to a raspberry lambic and Maine root beer (I met the owner of this company and his brother a few days ago at a food convention). We tried the Pecan Porter, (512) IPA, Big Oak Amber, and a tasty rye beer whose name I forget. One of our appetizers was roasted olives, which arrived sizzling in oil with garlic.
Starting with a spinach salad with crispy salami, shaved parmesan, and lemon wedges. Liam enjoyed the parmesan.
But he enjoyed the roll even more...
Pizza with broccoli rabe, homemade Italian sausage, and hot peppers
All in all, a gastronomically delicious day!
Delicious cremini mushroom soup
Liam loved the soup
BBLT with brie, applewood smoked bacon, lettuce, and tomatoes on grilled sourdough
Buttermilk and vanilla panna cotta with grapefruit and tangerine
Liam made off with the bread
Along the way to Austin from Wimberly, we ran across Driftwood Winery and tasted 6 different wines. Several were tasty, but we settled on a beautiful orange blossom muscat dessert wine as a gift for tomorrow night when we will have dinner with my college RA and his wife and 2 kids.
Once we arrived in Austin and checked into our hotel, we ventured out to see the Congress Bridge bats at dusk. Apparently 1.5 million bats migrate every year from Mexico to Austin, where they roost in the 16x1.5 inch ruts in the concrete under Congress Bridge. Unfortunately, they really don't arrive in Austin until mid-March with best viewing time in August when the babies start to fly. We hung around for a while but saw neither hide nor errant wing of those tiny bats. It must be incredible to stand under the hoards of bats 1.5 million strong heading out for the evening hunt. I already like them- they eat mosquitos!
In front of the Congress Ave. Bridge
We ate dinner at a place featured in Bon Appetit magazine called House Pizzeria (http://www.housepizzeria.com/). An unassuming little place, it used to be a KFC that is now transformed into a local pizza joint serving high quality organic food. We sat right by the jukebox and conveniently close to the bar. On tap were a bunch of tasty beers in addition to a raspberry lambic and Maine root beer (I met the owner of this company and his brother a few days ago at a food convention). We tried the Pecan Porter, (512) IPA, Big Oak Amber, and a tasty rye beer whose name I forget. One of our appetizers was roasted olives, which arrived sizzling in oil with garlic.
Starting with a spinach salad with crispy salami, shaved parmesan, and lemon wedges. Liam enjoyed the parmesan.
But he enjoyed the roll even more...
Pizza with broccoli rabe, homemade Italian sausage, and hot peppers
All in all, a gastronomically delicious day!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Lemon Coconut Bars
I made these delicious bars yesterday as a thank you give to the nurses and secretaries at my last clerkship location. They were a hit. I adapted a recipe I found on Epicurious to make them a little more user friendly.
Crust:
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 cup flour
Filling:
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
juice from 1 large lemon
zest from 1 large lemon
1 teaspoon flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Powdered sugar to sprinkle on top
Blend crust ingredients in food processor until a crumbly dough forms. Press into a 8x8 inch pan lined with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes until golden.
Whisk filling ingredients in a medium sized bowl. Pour over the crust and bake 30 more minutes at 350 degrees F until puffy. It should just spring back when you press down on it. Use the foil to lift it quickly out of the pan onto a cooling rack. Once cool, sift powdered sugar on top and cut into bars.
Enjoy!
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Tom yum soup = warm belly
Hilde and Bernt enjoy my soup
My tom yum soup is a combination between tom ka gai (a coconut chicken soup) and tom yum (sour and spicy soup). I make mine chock full of vegetables and protein so that it resembles a stew.
Makes 6-8 servings
2 large chicken legs (thigh and drumstick included)
8 cups water (about 2 liters)
4 dried shiitake mushrooms plus a bunch of extra stems
2 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced thinly
1/2 pound shrimp, peel but save shells for broth
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 cup ground tomatoes
4 heaping tablespoons tom yum soup base
3 tablespoons fish sauce or more to taste
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables (I used "Italian mix" that was hanging around my freezer- beans, zucchini, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower)
1/2 cup coconut milk
2 tablespoons frozen cilantro pesto (or 2 big handfuls fresh cilantro aka coriander, minced)
Make broth by simmering chicken legs, water, shiitake stems, shrimp shells, and ginger for at least an hour or two on low heat. The chicken should be just about falling off the bone. I left the stove on for about 4 hours. Strain broth and save the chicken meat. Shred chicken and set aside.
Soak shiitake mushroom caps in a little hot water for 10 minutes or so until rehydrated. Strain the liquid and add it to the broth. Slice mushrooms and add to broth. Add onion, tomatoes, tom yum base, and fish sauce. Simmer soup for a few minutes. Add frozen veggies (or whatever veggies you've got on hand). Simmer until they are heated through. Return chicken to the pot. Add coconut milk and cilantro. At the last minute, add shrimp and turn off heat. The shrimp will cook in 3-4 minutes.
Serve over brown or white steamed rice.
A little apprehensive...
This is how much Liam liked my soup. We mixed a little into his rice cereal.
After dinner drinks while watching the Olympics...
Banana-Pina-Colada
Makes 3 drinks
1 cup ice
3 shots spiced rum
4 chunks fresh pineapple
3 big tablespoons of coconut milk
dash milk
1/2 banana
3 tablespoons brown sugar
Give it a swirl in the blender. Decorate with fresh pineapple and freshly grated nutmeg.
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Berger in Retrospect
While I was studying for my masters degree in the Science and Medicine of Athletic Performance, I came across an interesting article entitled "Berger in retrospect: the effect of varied weight training programmes on strength" (RN Carpinelli, Br J Sports Med 2002, 36: 319-324). For me, this cast doubt on the theory that strength is best achieved using multiple sets with multiple reps with regular frequency of workouts. It suggested that there is a threshold effect to weight-lifting, that if you somehow push past a certain threshold, your body will adapt and increase in performance capability.
Bernt and I did a little experiment on ourselves after reading that article. Over a period of 3 months, we did once weekly workouts that consisted of 10 different strength exercises. The goal was to lift as much weight as possible for a total of 8 repetitions. If we did not achieve 8 reps, we would continue using that weight until it was possible. If we did more reps, we would increase the weight on successive workouts. With a sample size of 2, we saw that we had significant increases in strength over the 3 months. By the end we were easily capable of lifting at least 50% more weight than we had started out with.
After a nearly 4 year hiatus, we have decided to give this program a try again. Now that we have Liam, time is even more precious. This regime is a time-efficient way to gain and maintain strength. We decided that if we could do this every week interspersed with at least 2 other short workouts we considered ourselves active enough.
We decided on the following exercises:
1. pull ups
2. squats
3. one-armed row
4. deadlift
5. triceps press
6. bench press
7. knees to elbows
8. 50 strokes on the rowing machine for distance
We have been doing this for 4 weeks now with great improvement. The unlikely challenging exercise is the 50 strokes on the rowing machine. It is an exhausting combination of power and endurance. Whew!
Bernt and I did a little experiment on ourselves after reading that article. Over a period of 3 months, we did once weekly workouts that consisted of 10 different strength exercises. The goal was to lift as much weight as possible for a total of 8 repetitions. If we did not achieve 8 reps, we would continue using that weight until it was possible. If we did more reps, we would increase the weight on successive workouts. With a sample size of 2, we saw that we had significant increases in strength over the 3 months. By the end we were easily capable of lifting at least 50% more weight than we had started out with.
After a nearly 4 year hiatus, we have decided to give this program a try again. Now that we have Liam, time is even more precious. This regime is a time-efficient way to gain and maintain strength. We decided that if we could do this every week interspersed with at least 2 other short workouts we considered ourselves active enough.
We decided on the following exercises:
1. pull ups
2. squats
3. one-armed row
4. deadlift
5. triceps press
6. bench press
7. knees to elbows
8. 50 strokes on the rowing machine for distance
We have been doing this for 4 weeks now with great improvement. The unlikely challenging exercise is the 50 strokes on the rowing machine. It is an exhausting combination of power and endurance. Whew!
Monday, February 15, 2010
Rodger and Mole, Olé!
Our good friend Rodger came over for dinner tonight and brought the dinner with him. We were treated to a lovely mole negro, a specialty of Mexico. This kind, the "black sauce" is the most difficult to prepare, with several different types of chilies, nuts, and in this case, dark Belgian chocolate. It was earthy, rich, and complex. It also took him hours to prepare plus four hours on the stove simmering.
He also brought a pan de muerto, which is a sweet anise flavored bread baked specially for the Dia de los Muertos celebrated in Mexico on November 2.
To top it all off, we had sauteed bananas with my homemade cinnamon ice cream and a sauce Rodger had prepared using orange peel, agave syrup, and rum.
What a feast!
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My plate: roasted yam, salad with a spicy cilantro dressing, corn tortilla with rice, chicken, and mole negro.
Rodger gets the baby treatment
Liam forgoes ice cream for gnawing on a chair
My banana got a bit more than flambeed!
Cinnamon Ice Cream
2 cups cream
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Simmer cream, milk, salt, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Meanwhile, whisk 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Carefully whisk in a cup or two of the cream mixture (don't let it cook the eggs) and then pour it all back into the pan with the cream mixture and cook on low heat until thickened. Don't let it boil! Strain into a 1 quart ice cream freezer canister and stir in the vanilla. Cool down to room temperature, chill, and then freeze in an ice cream machine.
He also brought a pan de muerto, which is a sweet anise flavored bread baked specially for the Dia de los Muertos celebrated in Mexico on November 2.
To top it all off, we had sauteed bananas with my homemade cinnamon ice cream and a sauce Rodger had prepared using orange peel, agave syrup, and rum.
What a feast!
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My plate: roasted yam, salad with a spicy cilantro dressing, corn tortilla with rice, chicken, and mole negro.
Rodger gets the baby treatment
Liam forgoes ice cream for gnawing on a chair
My banana got a bit more than flambeed!
Cinnamon Ice Cream
2 cups cream
1 cup milk (I used 1%)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 cup sugar, divided into 1/2 cup and 1/4 cup
5 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Simmer cream, milk, salt, cinnamon and 1/2 cup sugar. Meanwhile, whisk 1/4 cup sugar and egg yolks until light and fluffy. Carefully whisk in a cup or two of the cream mixture (don't let it cook the eggs) and then pour it all back into the pan with the cream mixture and cook on low heat until thickened. Don't let it boil! Strain into a 1 quart ice cream freezer canister and stir in the vanilla. Cool down to room temperature, chill, and then freeze in an ice cream machine.
Beef with Burgundy Stew
Returning from a weekend in Lake Placid, I felt like making something warm, comforting, and most importantly, easy. This is a variation on the Beef Burgundy I usually make, since I didn't have any bacon or fresh brown mushrooms and did have some collard greens I wanted to use. I did have a large bone-in chuck roast from my grass-fed cow that I bought from Austin Brothers Farm in Belchertown, MA.
I read that, in order to tenderize the beef, it is vital to begin cooking slowly at low temperatures and then turn up the temperature nearer the end once the collagens, etc, have relaxed. I attempted this method, but found that the beef was just as tough over the first 1-2 hours as if you just cook over high heat the whole time. Next time, I'll just throw the whole pot in the oven for 3 hours and forget the simmering business.
Serves 8 people (or in this case 3 with lots of leftovers)
about 4 lbs (1750 grams) bone-in chuck roast
12 carrots (a few parsnips thrown in that were lying around)
3 yellow onions
4 cloves garlic
1.5 ounces dried oyster mushrooms (I would prefer porcini but didn't have them)
2 bay leaves, handful fresh herbs if you have (oregano, thyme, etc...I didn't)
1 bunch collard greens
2 cups water
1 bottle burgundy (or any other dry-ish red wine)
8 potatoes
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Round up your ingredients
Get them ready to go: soak the dried mushrooms in hot water then rinse and drain, chop carrots and onions in to large chunks, slice beef into evenly sized and easy to brown pieces, coarsely chop garlic, peel and quarter potatoes and cover with cool water, rinse and coarsely chop collard greens
Heat up your dutch oven on medium-high heat (Le Creuset in my case, large heavy pot if you haven't got one). Add a little vegetable oil. Be careful, because the oil will spatter a bit. Brown the beef a few pieces at a time to give them room to breath. The goal is to get a nice caramelized surface on as much of the chunks as you can. I usually just try to brown the two largest surfaces, because the pan quickly starts burning and smoking. Set beef aside. Don't wash the pan!
To your beefy pan full of brown bits, add the onions and saute until softened. Add mushrooms and saute a few minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, herbs and beef. Cover with water and wine and simmer gently. Once this gets going, dump in the collard greens, cover and simmer for 1 hour until "tender" (my beef was as tender as a rubber band at this point). For the remaining 2 hours or so, bake uncovered in a 425F (about 220 C) oven, stirring every 20 minutes or so and topping off with wine, stock, or water as you see fit. 30-60 minutes before you are ready to eat, stir in the potatoes.
This is what my stew looked like after 3 hours of cooking. If you like a soupy gravy, leave it like this. Otherwise you can thicken it by making a roux, thinning this with the sauce, and mixing it all back in the pot.
Roux:
In a small saucepan heat the butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat until thick. Slowly add some of the sauce by the ladleful until it makes a thick gravy. Stir this back into your stew pot for a luscious stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I served my stew with a golden beet and feta salad:
4 golden beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced thin
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 lemon, squeezed over the top
drizzle olive oil
I read that, in order to tenderize the beef, it is vital to begin cooking slowly at low temperatures and then turn up the temperature nearer the end once the collagens, etc, have relaxed. I attempted this method, but found that the beef was just as tough over the first 1-2 hours as if you just cook over high heat the whole time. Next time, I'll just throw the whole pot in the oven for 3 hours and forget the simmering business.
Serves 8 people (or in this case 3 with lots of leftovers)
about 4 lbs (1750 grams) bone-in chuck roast
12 carrots (a few parsnips thrown in that were lying around)
3 yellow onions
4 cloves garlic
1.5 ounces dried oyster mushrooms (I would prefer porcini but didn't have them)
2 bay leaves, handful fresh herbs if you have (oregano, thyme, etc...I didn't)
1 bunch collard greens
2 cups water
1 bottle burgundy (or any other dry-ish red wine)
8 potatoes
salt and pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flour
Round up your ingredients
Get them ready to go: soak the dried mushrooms in hot water then rinse and drain, chop carrots and onions in to large chunks, slice beef into evenly sized and easy to brown pieces, coarsely chop garlic, peel and quarter potatoes and cover with cool water, rinse and coarsely chop collard greens
Heat up your dutch oven on medium-high heat (Le Creuset in my case, large heavy pot if you haven't got one). Add a little vegetable oil. Be careful, because the oil will spatter a bit. Brown the beef a few pieces at a time to give them room to breath. The goal is to get a nice caramelized surface on as much of the chunks as you can. I usually just try to brown the two largest surfaces, because the pan quickly starts burning and smoking. Set beef aside. Don't wash the pan!
To your beefy pan full of brown bits, add the onions and saute until softened. Add mushrooms and saute a few minutes. Add the carrots, garlic, herbs and beef. Cover with water and wine and simmer gently. Once this gets going, dump in the collard greens, cover and simmer for 1 hour until "tender" (my beef was as tender as a rubber band at this point). For the remaining 2 hours or so, bake uncovered in a 425F (about 220 C) oven, stirring every 20 minutes or so and topping off with wine, stock, or water as you see fit. 30-60 minutes before you are ready to eat, stir in the potatoes.
This is what my stew looked like after 3 hours of cooking. If you like a soupy gravy, leave it like this. Otherwise you can thicken it by making a roux, thinning this with the sauce, and mixing it all back in the pot.
Roux:
In a small saucepan heat the butter until melted. Whisk in the flour and cook over medium heat until thick. Slowly add some of the sauce by the ladleful until it makes a thick gravy. Stir this back into your stew pot for a luscious stew. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
I served my stew with a golden beet and feta salad:
4 golden beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced thin
1 ounce feta cheese, crumbled
1/2 lemon, squeezed over the top
drizzle olive oil
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Beautiful winter day...and tuna salad
A fresh and delicious tuna salad
Hilde and I shared this along with 1 slice of wholewheat bread each:
2 large handfuls baby spinach
1- 6 ounce can tuna packed in water (I prefer in olive oil but had run out)
1/2 tomato in chunks
1/2 red onion, sliced thinly
4 inch cucumber chunk, sliced thin
1/2 can chickpeas
2 golden beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced thin
1 tablespoon capers
juice from 1/2 lemon plus zest
hearty drizzle olive oil
Babyfood: chickpeas and spinach
Handful canned chickpeas
Handful fresh baby spinach
Drizzle olive oil
Dash water
I blended all of these together into a pesto-like mixture in my Cuisinart hand blender small food processor attachment (I love that thing!)
Liam was not a huge fan of the chickpea-spinach combo, unfortunately. We'll try again another time...
We played peekaboo with Liam. It was great until the 5th time when I said "boo!" and he jumped, grimaced, and started crying! This picture was taken post cry when he was curious again.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Rainbows for dinner
Rainbow salad
3 big handfuls baby spinach
2 golden beets, roasted, peeled, and sliced thinly
1/2 tomato in thin wedges
2 inches cucumber, sliced
2 ounces feta cheese, in small cubes
1 inch (about 1 ounce) salami, sliced thinly
handful walnuts, toasted
3 slices wheat bread, diced, and toasted with olive oil to make croutons
1/2 lemon squeezed over the top
drizzle olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
Winter veggies with goat cheese
1 butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and sliced (save the seeds!)
2 medium sized rutabagas, peeled and sliced
drizzle olive oil
1 tablespoon Italian spice mix
salt and pepper to taste
4 ounces herbed goat cheese
toasted squash seeds
Arrange squash and rutabagas in a large baking pan. Toss with oil, spices, salt and pepper. Bake at 425 degrees F for 1 hour or until squash can be pierced easily with a fork. Slice the goat cheese over the top and sprinkle on roasted squash seeds. Return to oven for 5-10 minutes until cheese gets melty.
Dinner
Liam eats dinner, too
He even tries to lick the bowl!
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