Wow, it's been a while since I've added a recipe but this one is certainly worth trying. I was incredibly impressed with the quality of this dish and the ease with which it could be put together. Overall, I enjoyed the warm, soothing flavors added by the roasted leeks and garlic with the natural flavors of the roasted tomatoes. Outstanding, quick dish. Below is the recipe:
Rigatoni, cooked in salted water (be sure to save 1/2 c. of the pasta water)
Leeks (or shallots), sliced into strips
Cherry tomatoes
5 garlic cloves
White mushrooms, sliced into large chunks
Swiss Chard, sliced into strips, including the stem
Olive Oil
Garlic Salt
Salt
Pepper
Parmesan Cheese (optional topping)
Preheat oven to 450 F. Place aluminum foil on a cookie sheet and make a compartment with edges turned upward. Start by placing the tomatoes, leeks, and garlic into a sealable bowl. Lightly drizzle olive oil over the mixture and add salt and pepper. Seal and shake until all is thoroughly covered. Pour mixture onto the aluminum foil and place in the oven to roast for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5-7 minutes.
In the meantime, start boiling the water for the pasta and place the mushrooms into a separate sautee pan. Coat with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste. Cook mushrooms until softer and starting to brown. Add the chopped swiss chard to the mushrooms and drizzle with a bit of olive oil and salt. Continue to saute. Remove from heat and set aside.
When pasta is cooked, pour through a strainer, collecting around 1/2 cup of the water. Add the mushroom-chard saute and the oven-roasted mixture to the boiling pan. Add the 1/2 cup of cooking water back to the pot and heat on medium heat with the veggie mixture. Add in the pasta and mix. Cook about 5 minutes. Serve and garnish with shaved or grated Parmesan.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, November 29, 2009
A Norwegian Specialty: Lefse
Different cultures have various special foods prepared only during the holiday season. In Norway, people prepare Lutefisk, a type of jellied white fish served with lots of butter. Another favorite is Lefse, a potato-based flatbread. I recently prepared Lefse for our holiday festivities and have the recipe my grandmother uses to prepare for our family get-togethers.
Lefse
5 c. cooked, mashed potatoes
2 c. Flour
Grooved rolling pin
Lefse Griddle (or flat aluminum untextured griddle)
Lefse stick (for flipping)
Prepare 5 c. of mashed potatoes with butter and salt by boiling peeled Idaho potatoes until soft. Mash potatoes until no lumps remain in the mixture. Add 4-5 tablespoons of butter and salt to taste. Let potatoes sit overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, mix in 2 c. of flour into the potato mixture. You may need to mix this flour in with your hands, I used a hand mixer to get a homogeneous mixture. In the meantime, heat a griddle to 425 degrees. Flour your rolling pin (be sure to do so heavily, as the potato mixture is quite sticky). Flour the space where you will roll out your lefse.
Form the potato-flour mixture into palm-sized balls and store them in the refrigerator until use. Take an individual ball, place on the floured surface and press with hands to flatten. Roll the dough until very thin. Slide the lefse stick under the flattened dough and transfer to the griddle. Cook on each side, flipping with the Lefse stick as needed.
Serve with butter and cinnamon-sugar. Roll the finished lefse and serve. To store, place lefse in between two sheets of wax paper and store in a bag. Good for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
Lefse
5 c. cooked, mashed potatoes
2 c. Flour
Grooved rolling pin
Lefse Griddle (or flat aluminum untextured griddle)
Lefse stick (for flipping)
Prepare 5 c. of mashed potatoes with butter and salt by boiling peeled Idaho potatoes until soft. Mash potatoes until no lumps remain in the mixture. Add 4-5 tablespoons of butter and salt to taste. Let potatoes sit overnight in the refrigerator.
The next day, mix in 2 c. of flour into the potato mixture. You may need to mix this flour in with your hands, I used a hand mixer to get a homogeneous mixture. In the meantime, heat a griddle to 425 degrees. Flour your rolling pin (be sure to do so heavily, as the potato mixture is quite sticky). Flour the space where you will roll out your lefse.
Form the potato-flour mixture into palm-sized balls and store them in the refrigerator until use. Take an individual ball, place on the floured surface and press with hands to flatten. Roll the dough until very thin. Slide the lefse stick under the flattened dough and transfer to the griddle. Cook on each side, flipping with the Lefse stick as needed.
Serve with butter and cinnamon-sugar. Roll the finished lefse and serve. To store, place lefse in between two sheets of wax paper and store in a bag. Good for up to 1 year in the refrigerator.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Easy Side Dish: Apple Onion Smashed Potatoes
In an effort to blend in the "flavors of the season", I thought about the different flavor combinations that tend to work well together. We were having pork tenderloin and I remembered that as a child, we always had apple sauce with pork. Here is a new recipe that integrates a couple of flavors together that lead to a fantastic side dish.
6 Mini Red Potatoes
1-2 Apples, cored and diced
1 Sweet Yellow or White onion, diced
Olive Oil
Salt (Garlic or regular)
Pepper
Promise or Butter
Milk (splash)
Boil potatoes until soft (when you can easily stick a fork into potatoes, they are ready). While the potatoes are boiling, combine olive oil, apples and onion in a frying pan. Saute over high heat, adding salt and pepper for flavor to taste. Set aside until potatoes are finished.
Drain water from potatoes and smash potatoes using a masher. Add the Promise, a touch of milk, and the saute and mix together. Serve hot.
**One addition I thought might make for an excellent flavor combo would be the addition of turkey bacon or regular bacon with the onion and apple mixture. This would add some much needed salt to the dish.
6 Mini Red Potatoes
1-2 Apples, cored and diced
1 Sweet Yellow or White onion, diced
Olive Oil
Salt (Garlic or regular)
Pepper
Promise or Butter
Milk (splash)
Boil potatoes until soft (when you can easily stick a fork into potatoes, they are ready). While the potatoes are boiling, combine olive oil, apples and onion in a frying pan. Saute over high heat, adding salt and pepper for flavor to taste. Set aside until potatoes are finished.
Drain water from potatoes and smash potatoes using a masher. Add the Promise, a touch of milk, and the saute and mix together. Serve hot.
**One addition I thought might make for an excellent flavor combo would be the addition of turkey bacon or regular bacon with the onion and apple mixture. This would add some much needed salt to the dish.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Stuffed Green Peppers
Last night, for a quick meal, Katie and I cooked up some Stuffed Green Peppers. We first sauteed some ground turkey and seasoned with garlic salt, cumin, Tabasco sauce, and ground pepper. Mixed the ground turkey with some brown rice and spicy Southwestern Salsa. Add to hollowed out green peppers and bake. I think we can tweak the recipe a bit to add significantly more flavor. The recipe is below:
1 lb ground turkey (use the kind with a bit more fat, the extra lean turkey wasn't great)
2 green peppers (seeds removed and hollowed out)
spices/seasoning
1 c. Salsa (your favorite kind)
shredded cheddar cheese (I think extra sharp would be great here!)
Olive oil
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and add ground turkey. Season meet to taste with ground cumin (adds a nice Mexican flavor), basil, crushed red pepper, and garlic salt. Most ground turkey is not salted, so be sure you add salt, otherwise the turkey will be very bland. Cook turkey until it is browned. Add to collander and rinse with warm water to remove excess fat.
In the meantime, start your brown rice. Cook until tender. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey and salsa and mix until all is blended together. Spoon in the mixture to the green peppers and cook in over or on the grill (great smoky flavors) until peppers are no longer crunchy (about 20 minutes). In the last 5 minutes, add cheese to the top and allow to melt. Serve.
1 lb ground turkey (use the kind with a bit more fat, the extra lean turkey wasn't great)
2 green peppers (seeds removed and hollowed out)
spices/seasoning
1 c. Salsa (your favorite kind)
shredded cheddar cheese (I think extra sharp would be great here!)
Olive oil
Heat olive oil in a frying pan and add ground turkey. Season meet to taste with ground cumin (adds a nice Mexican flavor), basil, crushed red pepper, and garlic salt. Most ground turkey is not salted, so be sure you add salt, otherwise the turkey will be very bland. Cook turkey until it is browned. Add to collander and rinse with warm water to remove excess fat.
In the meantime, start your brown rice. Cook until tender. Add to a large mixing bowl. Add the ground turkey and salsa and mix until all is blended together. Spoon in the mixture to the green peppers and cook in over or on the grill (great smoky flavors) until peppers are no longer crunchy (about 20 minutes). In the last 5 minutes, add cheese to the top and allow to melt. Serve.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Pan Fried Basa Swai
We were walking through the grocery store the other day and stopped by the seafood counter. We saw a deal on a fish we weren't familiar with called Basa Swai. I asked the fish monger what his thoughts were and he told me it was by far the best fish they had, his favorite. Now, was he a really good salesman or could it be that the cheapest fish at the counter would taste delicious? Desperate times call for desperate measures, so we decided to give it a shot, along with getting some culinary advice from the monger himself. He said, pan fry with the Zatarain breading. So, that's what we did.
What an excellent recommendation! The breading stayed nice and crispy with an added degree of salt and spiciness! Outstanding. No extra salt needed, no extra spice needed. And the fish held up nicely, staying firm and not gelatinous.
Here is the recipe:
2 filets of Basa Swai, thawed
Zatarain Breading
Olive Oil
Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat over highest heat. In the meantime, rinse and pat dry the filets and toss them in the breading mixture. Carefully add the filets to the oil in the pan and heat each side, turning as necessary. The end product should be a nice golden brown, crusted filet. Serve.
What an excellent recommendation! The breading stayed nice and crispy with an added degree of salt and spiciness! Outstanding. No extra salt needed, no extra spice needed. And the fish held up nicely, staying firm and not gelatinous.
Here is the recipe:
2 filets of Basa Swai, thawed
Zatarain Breading
Olive Oil
Coat the bottom of a frying pan with oil and heat over highest heat. In the meantime, rinse and pat dry the filets and toss them in the breading mixture. Carefully add the filets to the oil in the pan and heat each side, turning as necessary. The end product should be a nice golden brown, crusted filet. Serve.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Oven-baked Cuban-Style Pork Tenderloin
Tonight, I decided to become a bit more adventurous with my cooking. On the docket, my clean palate of pork tenderloin, the perfect meat to test out new spice combinations. Pork is used across a wide variety of cultures and as such has many different flavors associated with it. One of my favorite dishes is a Cuban-style pork that I had while in Ft. Lauderdale. While I was not sure what the specific spices were associated with this meal, I could sense definite garlic notes, a spice of cumin and paprika, and perhaps something else that I couldn't put my finger on. So, I thought, let's try a blend of these three flavors I knew were associated with this incredibly memorable meal at the Las Vegas Cuban Cuisine in Ft. Lauderdale. The taste of this meal that I prepared was truly fantastic. A nice salty, spicy (not hot spicy, but actually full of flavor) piece of pork that remained incredibly moist and tender. I'll definitely make this again!
Here is my recipe:
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned of silver skin
Garlic salt
Olive oil
Paprika
Cumin
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an oven-ready dish, coat the bottom with olive oil and roll the pork tenderloin in the oil to coat it. Mix together the garlic salt, paprika, and cumin into a single rub. Rub the mixture onto the olive-oil coated pork. Cook for 25-35 minutes, testing for temperature at 20 minutes. Pork should be cooked to 165 degrees and allowed to rest for 5-15 minutes after cooking prior to cutting. The resting of the pork allows the juices to stay in the meat. If you cut the meat open immediately after cooking, the pork will leak all of the fluid and lead to a potentially less tender piece of meat.
Here is my recipe:
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned of silver skin
Garlic salt
Olive oil
Paprika
Cumin
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In an oven-ready dish, coat the bottom with olive oil and roll the pork tenderloin in the oil to coat it. Mix together the garlic salt, paprika, and cumin into a single rub. Rub the mixture onto the olive-oil coated pork. Cook for 25-35 minutes, testing for temperature at 20 minutes. Pork should be cooked to 165 degrees and allowed to rest for 5-15 minutes after cooking prior to cutting. The resting of the pork allows the juices to stay in the meat. If you cut the meat open immediately after cooking, the pork will leak all of the fluid and lead to a potentially less tender piece of meat.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Dining Review: Dinner at Incanto
You may have heard of Incanto, the restaurant where Chris Cosentino,contestant on Food Network's "The Next Iron Chef" & "Chefs vs. City" serves as executive chef. I had the great opportunity to visit Incanto recently with my wife Katie in celebration of my birthday. My thoughts on the visit are listed below.
This trip was my first to Noe Valley, an affluent neighborhood on the outskirts of San Francisco. The area was incredibly quaint, with lots of little shops on the main street and nicely restored Victorian homes. We parked on a side street and walked down to Incanto. We arrived early so we found a spot at the bar, which was placed right next to the incredibly busy kitchen. We reviewed the menu, a single page devoted to all offerings (i.e. starters, pastas, entrees, and sides). On the other side, we found the wine list. I'm a wine lover (as can be seen by my wine blog) and Incanto focuses on one of my favorites, Italian wines. We chose the Mystery flight and were offered 3 very unique wines (a white and 2 reds).We decided to pair our wine flight with the Harvest Grapes starter.
The Harvest Grapes salad was an interesting and exciting dish. Green, red, and small yellow grapes were sauteed with shaved turnips and toasted sliced almonds and finished with fresh ground black pepper and fennel and hints of shallots. The dish, unexpectedly, was served cold, but was delightful. Juicy grapes coupled with the almonds produced a wonderful blend that reminded me of fall in Wisconsin.
We moved to our dining table and ordered our entrees for the evening. As expected, Katie ordered the Chanterelle risotto while I chose what the waiter called a "more adventurous dish" in the Paccheri with cippolini and gorgonzola with bitter greens.
Katie's risotto was creamy and perfectly cooked. The abundance of beautiful little mushrooms topped the risotto, which had a very creamy, tan-colored sauce. Needless to say, the dish stood little chance of survival at our table.
The Paccheri dish was an interesting creation. Paccheri is a large tubular pasta that was cooked al dente and subsequently sauteed with the bitter greens and cippolini (little sweet onions) and topped with ground gorgonzola cheese. The dish was very full of flavor. Unfortunately, the bitter greens dominated the dish. The cippolini tried their best to overcome the pungent flavor of the greens, but had little chance of defeating the combined flavors of bitter greens and gorgonzola. I thoroughly enjoyed the cheese and onion mixture, with a nice roasted sweet flavor of onion combined with the salty, blue cheese flavor from the gorgonzola. In this dish though, the greens dominated and the pasta offered little "extra" flavor.
Then, we ordered dessert. The Spiced Panna Cotta with pumpkin jam and cranberry was truly exquisite. Panna cotta is a cross between a creme brulee and flan, with a very distinct ricotta cheese flavor combined with nutmeg and cinnamon flavors. When combined with the pumpkin jam, which I could have eaten by itself, and the cranberry syrup, the dessert was an excellent finish to a wonderful evening.
Overall, Incanto offers an exciting opportunity to try an inspired chef's latest creations. I highly recommend Incanto for special occasion dining or for those who simply love food.
This trip was my first to Noe Valley, an affluent neighborhood on the outskirts of San Francisco. The area was incredibly quaint, with lots of little shops on the main street and nicely restored Victorian homes. We parked on a side street and walked down to Incanto. We arrived early so we found a spot at the bar, which was placed right next to the incredibly busy kitchen. We reviewed the menu, a single page devoted to all offerings (i.e. starters, pastas, entrees, and sides). On the other side, we found the wine list. I'm a wine lover (as can be seen by my wine blog) and Incanto focuses on one of my favorites, Italian wines. We chose the Mystery flight and were offered 3 very unique wines (a white and 2 reds).We decided to pair our wine flight with the Harvest Grapes starter.
The Harvest Grapes salad was an interesting and exciting dish. Green, red, and small yellow grapes were sauteed with shaved turnips and toasted sliced almonds and finished with fresh ground black pepper and fennel and hints of shallots. The dish, unexpectedly, was served cold, but was delightful. Juicy grapes coupled with the almonds produced a wonderful blend that reminded me of fall in Wisconsin.
We moved to our dining table and ordered our entrees for the evening. As expected, Katie ordered the Chanterelle risotto while I chose what the waiter called a "more adventurous dish" in the Paccheri with cippolini and gorgonzola with bitter greens.
Katie's risotto was creamy and perfectly cooked. The abundance of beautiful little mushrooms topped the risotto, which had a very creamy, tan-colored sauce. Needless to say, the dish stood little chance of survival at our table.
The Paccheri dish was an interesting creation. Paccheri is a large tubular pasta that was cooked al dente and subsequently sauteed with the bitter greens and cippolini (little sweet onions) and topped with ground gorgonzola cheese. The dish was very full of flavor. Unfortunately, the bitter greens dominated the dish. The cippolini tried their best to overcome the pungent flavor of the greens, but had little chance of defeating the combined flavors of bitter greens and gorgonzola. I thoroughly enjoyed the cheese and onion mixture, with a nice roasted sweet flavor of onion combined with the salty, blue cheese flavor from the gorgonzola. In this dish though, the greens dominated and the pasta offered little "extra" flavor.
Then, we ordered dessert. The Spiced Panna Cotta with pumpkin jam and cranberry was truly exquisite. Panna cotta is a cross between a creme brulee and flan, with a very distinct ricotta cheese flavor combined with nutmeg and cinnamon flavors. When combined with the pumpkin jam, which I could have eaten by itself, and the cranberry syrup, the dessert was an excellent finish to a wonderful evening.
Overall, Incanto offers an exciting opportunity to try an inspired chef's latest creations. I highly recommend Incanto for special occasion dining or for those who simply love food.
A Quick Meal: Turkey Tostadas
Tostadas are the Mexican version of the open-faced sandwich. This recipe uses extra lean ground turkey in place of ground beef to make for a healthier alternative. I love adding extra spices to the meat to create unique flavors one might find at a Mexican restaurant. This meal is fast, requiring about 15 minutes from start to serve.
Recipe:
1 package of Ground Turkey
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Chopped fresh basil
Shredded cheese (I like cheddar with this meal)
Tomatoes, chopped
Spices (I use cumin or Adobo seasoning from Penzey's)
Tortillas
Black olives (optional)
The recipe is so easy. Simply cook the turkey with the chopped onion, garlic, preferred spices and basil, until the turkey is browned. Rinse the meat in a collander under warm water. This step helps to remove any excess fat from the meat and makes for a leaner meal. In the meantime, be sure to toast tortillas. Tortillas require about 5-7 minutes in a 350 degree oven (we use the toaster oven). After allowing the turkey to drain, add it back to a deep frying pan with the tomato sauce and cook for 5-10 minutes. Spoon the turkey mixture onto the middle of your toasted tortilla and add your "fixins". Serve and eat as an open face sandwich. Don't be afraid, these are messy but lots of fun.
Recipe:
1 package of Ground Turkey
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
1/2 white onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
Chopped fresh basil
Shredded cheese (I like cheddar with this meal)
Tomatoes, chopped
Spices (I use cumin or Adobo seasoning from Penzey's)
Tortillas
Black olives (optional)
The recipe is so easy. Simply cook the turkey with the chopped onion, garlic, preferred spices and basil, until the turkey is browned. Rinse the meat in a collander under warm water. This step helps to remove any excess fat from the meat and makes for a leaner meal. In the meantime, be sure to toast tortillas. Tortillas require about 5-7 minutes in a 350 degree oven (we use the toaster oven). After allowing the turkey to drain, add it back to a deep frying pan with the tomato sauce and cook for 5-10 minutes. Spoon the turkey mixture onto the middle of your toasted tortilla and add your "fixins". Serve and eat as an open face sandwich. Don't be afraid, these are messy but lots of fun.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Light Faire: Bowtie Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach
Tonight, I didn't feel like cooking. We had Red Snapper planned, but I simply didn't have the energy. So, we created a pasta dish that was fast, delicious, and nutritious. We chopped fresh mushrooms and sauteed them in olive oil with garlic salt and fresh ground black peppercorn until they were nice and golden brown. In the meantime, we started the pasta and waited to the last minute to make our wilted spinach. To finish the dish, we drizzled garlic olive oil from the Stinking Rose and fresh ground pepper. The dish may have been better with parmesan cheese added or as my wife Katie mentioned, a fresh chopped tomato.
Bowtie Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach:
Bowtie pasta
Mushrooms, sliced
Fresh Baby Spinach
Olive Oil
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Cook the pasta to preference. Saute mushrooms in olive oil and garlic salt until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes over high heat. To wilt spinach, place sufficient water in a pot to cover spinach. Boil the water and add the spinach. Stir the spinach for 2-3 minutes until the structure of the spinach leaf is floppy. Mix all ingredients together and drizzle with olive oil. Optionally, top with fresh chopped basil, tomato or parmesan cheese.
Bowtie Pasta with Sauteed Mushrooms & Wilted Spinach:
Bowtie pasta
Mushrooms, sliced
Fresh Baby Spinach
Olive Oil
Pepper
Garlic Salt
Cook the pasta to preference. Saute mushrooms in olive oil and garlic salt until golden brown, about 8-10 minutes over high heat. To wilt spinach, place sufficient water in a pot to cover spinach. Boil the water and add the spinach. Stir the spinach for 2-3 minutes until the structure of the spinach leaf is floppy. Mix all ingredients together and drizzle with olive oil. Optionally, top with fresh chopped basil, tomato or parmesan cheese.
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Restaurant Review: Cascal Restaurant-Mountain View, CA
Most people know that the dining scene in the Bay Area is fantastic. We had an opportunity to visit a restaurant in Mountain View, CA called Cascal. This restaurant focuses its energies on providing Latin food, with lots of tapas plates and a few big dishes, including Puerco Cubano and Paella. We started out the evening with the wild mushroom and manchego cheese with truffle oil empanadas. Perhaps not the most "authentic" in terms of its Latin qualities, the tapa was flawless. Served piping hot, the cheese oozed out upon cutting. Puff pastry surrounds the mushroom-cheese mixture and was nicely baked to perfection. The flavor combination was excellent, with some sweetness from the truffle oil and earthy flavors from the wild mushroom. So far, so good.
I ordered the Puerco Cubano en Mojo (Marinated slow-roasted pork shoulder with Cuban black beans, steamed rice and sweet potato-plantain mash). The pork was succulent and fell apart, wonderfully cooked. The overall flavor of the pork was juicy with a slightly salty, lime flavor. Combine this with the sweet potato-plantain mash, which by far stole the show at our table, made for an excellent combination. Then, the Cuban black beans and rice....ah, I love Cuban food and these black beans did not disappoint. With small chunks of bacon or ham, these beans were wonderfully spiced and complemented my meal perfectly.
My wife ordered the paella cascal (Saffron rice, chicken, pork, chorizo sausage, shrimp, mussels, clams, smoked paprika sofritto, peas, piquillo peppers). She indicated that the flavors were wonderfully segregated, meaning each seafood could be tasted independently of the other. This is a great sign to me, meaning the seafood must have been fresh to prevent overwhelming the dish. She loved the flavor and had ample left over for lunch the next day.
My mother-in-law ordered the Crab & Shrimp Tostaditos (Crisped corn tortillas topped with fresh crab, shrimp, chipotle aioli, guacamole and shredded romaine). She indicated that there was a spiciness that was perfectly displayed. My observation was that there was an elegantly displayed tapa, with crisp shredded romaine and certainly ample red onion.
Overall, an excellent visit, but we weren't finished yet. We ordered the fried plantains for dessert, and they didn't disappoint. Plantains are in the banana family and as such, display some similarities to banana. Frying the plantains added a nice, salty crust that, when doused in dulce de leche.
Excellent meal, excellent company, bon apetite.
I ordered the Puerco Cubano en Mojo (Marinated slow-roasted pork shoulder with Cuban black beans, steamed rice and sweet potato-plantain mash). The pork was succulent and fell apart, wonderfully cooked. The overall flavor of the pork was juicy with a slightly salty, lime flavor. Combine this with the sweet potato-plantain mash, which by far stole the show at our table, made for an excellent combination. Then, the Cuban black beans and rice....ah, I love Cuban food and these black beans did not disappoint. With small chunks of bacon or ham, these beans were wonderfully spiced and complemented my meal perfectly.
My wife ordered the paella cascal (Saffron rice, chicken, pork, chorizo sausage, shrimp, mussels, clams, smoked paprika sofritto, peas, piquillo peppers). She indicated that the flavors were wonderfully segregated, meaning each seafood could be tasted independently of the other. This is a great sign to me, meaning the seafood must have been fresh to prevent overwhelming the dish. She loved the flavor and had ample left over for lunch the next day.
My mother-in-law ordered the Crab & Shrimp Tostaditos (Crisped corn tortillas topped with fresh crab, shrimp, chipotle aioli, guacamole and shredded romaine). She indicated that there was a spiciness that was perfectly displayed. My observation was that there was an elegantly displayed tapa, with crisp shredded romaine and certainly ample red onion.
Overall, an excellent visit, but we weren't finished yet. We ordered the fried plantains for dessert, and they didn't disappoint. Plantains are in the banana family and as such, display some similarities to banana. Frying the plantains added a nice, salty crust that, when doused in dulce de leche.
Excellent meal, excellent company, bon apetite.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Appetizer: Steamed Artichoke with Garlic-Rosemary Aioli
We went out to Monterey Bay this last weekend and enjoyed the fruits of the land, so to speak. One of the main crops in the area are artichokes. This recipe represents a traditional preparation that is delicious!
Steamed Artichoke with Garlic-Rosemary Aioli
1 Artichoke, stem cut to 1 inch maximum
Mayonnaise (I used the olive oil based version)
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary
Olive oil
Steam one artichoke for 45 minutes in a vegetable steamer with the artichoke stem facing upward. In the meantime, prepare the garlic and rosemary. Saute the garlic and rosemary for roughly 5 minutes, enough time to release wonderful flavors. Place about 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise into a small bowl. Add the saute to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Slice the artichoke in half and serve.
To eat: Artichokes are a little awkward to eat if you've never done so, but they really are delicious. To eat, take a leave and drag your teeth across it to remove the "meat".
Steamed Artichoke with Garlic-Rosemary Aioli
1 Artichoke, stem cut to 1 inch maximum
Mayonnaise (I used the olive oil based version)
Garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 sprigs of rosemary
Olive oil
Steam one artichoke for 45 minutes in a vegetable steamer with the artichoke stem facing upward. In the meantime, prepare the garlic and rosemary. Saute the garlic and rosemary for roughly 5 minutes, enough time to release wonderful flavors. Place about 2 teaspoons of mayonnaise into a small bowl. Add the saute to the bowl and mix thoroughly. Slice the artichoke in half and serve.
To eat: Artichokes are a little awkward to eat if you've never done so, but they really are delicious. To eat, take a leave and drag your teeth across it to remove the "meat".
Turkey Tenderloin Stir Fry
This recipe is an easy favorite to make. We use turkey tenderloin instead of chicken or pork as we love the flavor turkey adds to this meal. You can easily substitute tofu as well. There is one trick with stir fry, you must use very hot oil. As such, this recipe is a bit intimidating if you're not used to working with very hot oil that can splatter when you add in any vegetables/meats with high water contents. You can prevent this to some degree by working to remove excess water from the surfaces of your ingredients. Nonetheless, this recipe is a favorite because it contains your major subgroups. To make the recipe faster, we use instant brown rice that cooks in roughly 10 minutes.
Here it is:
Turkey Tenderloin Stir Fry
1 Turkey Tenderloin, cut into cubes
Green Pepper, chopped
Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Mushrooms, sliced
Teriyaki Marinade
Salt
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
Olive Oil
Brown Rice, cooked
3 Eggs, fried
Start by washing your turkey tenderloin. Remove any excess fat or tendons to prevent chewiness. Cube the turkey tenderloin and place in a bowl containing the Teriyaki sauce with some cracked black pepper. Marinate the turkey for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator, shaking the bowl to redistribute the marinade every 5 minutes. After marinating, heat some olive oil in a frying pan and add the turkey. Cook until browned.
In a wok, heat a sufficient volume of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Be sure the oil is hot by flicking a drop of water into it, checking for splatter. The oil is hot and ready if it splatters in response to the water. Add all vegetables and saute. When the mushrooms begin to brown, add a few splashes of Teriyaki sauce and continue to saute. Add the turkey and eggs and mix. Add in crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper for spice. Saute and serve over rice.
Here it is:
Turkey Tenderloin Stir Fry
1 Turkey Tenderloin, cut into cubes
Green Pepper, chopped
Onion, chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
Mushrooms, sliced
Teriyaki Marinade
Salt
Pepper
Crushed Red Pepper (optional)
Olive Oil
Brown Rice, cooked
3 Eggs, fried
Start by washing your turkey tenderloin. Remove any excess fat or tendons to prevent chewiness. Cube the turkey tenderloin and place in a bowl containing the Teriyaki sauce with some cracked black pepper. Marinate the turkey for 10-15 minutes in the refrigerator, shaking the bowl to redistribute the marinade every 5 minutes. After marinating, heat some olive oil in a frying pan and add the turkey. Cook until browned.
In a wok, heat a sufficient volume of oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Be sure the oil is hot by flicking a drop of water into it, checking for splatter. The oil is hot and ready if it splatters in response to the water. Add all vegetables and saute. When the mushrooms begin to brown, add a few splashes of Teriyaki sauce and continue to saute. Add the turkey and eggs and mix. Add in crushed red pepper or cayenne pepper for spice. Saute and serve over rice.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
A Breakfast Idea: Granola-Crusted French Toast
I love french toast. The flavors remind me of my childhood, sitting at the kitchen counter, waiting with maple syrup and a tall glass of milk. Well, this is a new take on the old-style form of french toast. The Granola Crusted French Toast gives a nice crunch to the old form, and adds a bit of sweetness. Here's my recipe.
Granola-Crusted French Toast
2 Eggs
Vanilla (splash)
Cinnamon & Sugar Mixture (Dash)
Milk
4 pieces of bread
Granola cereal (I use honey-flavored)
Start by cracking the eggs into a bowl. Mix in a splash of milk, a splash of vanilla, and a dash of Cinnamon & Sugar. Whisk the egg mixture until completely mixed. In the meantime, coat a hot pan with butter/margarine (be sure you completely coat the pan). Spread some granola in a separate dish for dipping.
Quickly dip the bread pieces into the egg mixture and then into the granola. Place the bread pieces into the hot pan. Pay close attention to the bread, as the granola will burn if you do not turn the bread often. Maintain medium-low heat to cook the french toast. Serve with maple syrup and a tall glass of milk.
Granola-Crusted French Toast
2 Eggs
Vanilla (splash)
Cinnamon & Sugar Mixture (Dash)
Milk
4 pieces of bread
Granola cereal (I use honey-flavored)
Start by cracking the eggs into a bowl. Mix in a splash of milk, a splash of vanilla, and a dash of Cinnamon & Sugar. Whisk the egg mixture until completely mixed. In the meantime, coat a hot pan with butter/margarine (be sure you completely coat the pan). Spread some granola in a separate dish for dipping.
Quickly dip the bread pieces into the egg mixture and then into the granola. Place the bread pieces into the hot pan. Pay close attention to the bread, as the granola will burn if you do not turn the bread often. Maintain medium-low heat to cook the french toast. Serve with maple syrup and a tall glass of milk.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Today's Tip: Cooking Fresh Salmon Fillets
Here's the deal. If you've ever ordered salmon and found it to be really fishy tasting, there may be a good reason. Did you notice if there were different colors present in the fillet? Growing up in WI, I saw my fair share of fresh salmon being cleaned so I'm well acquainted with how to prevent this specific problem. When you get a fillet at the grocery store, whether it has skin on it or not, it is likely there will be a dark brown streak running through the fillet. This is called the "mud vein". Here is the "fishy" culprit. Cooking a fillet with the mud vein still present leads to an overall fishy flavor within the whole fillet. To prevent this from happening, be sure you remove the mud vein prior to cooking. Be sure you rinse the fillet after removal and then, voila, you're ready for fillet preparation and cooking. Bon apetit.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Pan-Poached Cod with Chesapeake Seasoning
Tonight was a rushed dinner, but we still pulled it off. We had bought some cod a while back and stored it in the freezer. Sometimes, the cod that has been refrigerated and then frozen loses a lot of its moisture and you end up with a dry, rubbery piece of fish. Tonight, we gave it another shot.
Pan-Poached Cod with Chesapeake Seasoning
1 Filet of Cod (no skin)
Butter or margarine (enough to coat a frying pan)
Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (Penzey's)
First, rinse the cod filet with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Coat a frying pan with melted butter (we used Promise). Turn the burner to low heat and dip each side of the cod into the melted butter mixture. Sprinkle the cod filet with the Chesapeake seasoning and cover the pan, maintaining moderate heat. Flip the filet after 5 minutes. You'll notice a lot of moisture in the pan, this is a good sign. Season the other side and cook another 5 minutes covered. Now, the next step is a place where things could take a turn. I decided to flip the filet and remove some of the excess fluid to add a bit of crisp to the filet. However, removing the fluid can cause the fish to dry out so you must work quickly. As such, be sure you have turned your burner to high heat and only keep the filet in for 1-2 minutes. Serve.
Overall, I really love the Chesapeake seasoning on cod. It's got a nice warm, comforting flavor that reminds me of fish fry's growing up in Wisconsin. The quality of the cod really makes a difference. If the cod smells really fishy, do not use it. Any fish should not have a "fishy" smell to it when it is cold. This is a sign that the fish has gone "past its prime". This is a nice, fast dish to prepare on nights when time is tight.
Pan-Poached Cod with Chesapeake Seasoning
1 Filet of Cod (no skin)
Butter or margarine (enough to coat a frying pan)
Chesapeake Bay Seasoning (Penzey's)
First, rinse the cod filet with cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel. Coat a frying pan with melted butter (we used Promise). Turn the burner to low heat and dip each side of the cod into the melted butter mixture. Sprinkle the cod filet with the Chesapeake seasoning and cover the pan, maintaining moderate heat. Flip the filet after 5 minutes. You'll notice a lot of moisture in the pan, this is a good sign. Season the other side and cook another 5 minutes covered. Now, the next step is a place where things could take a turn. I decided to flip the filet and remove some of the excess fluid to add a bit of crisp to the filet. However, removing the fluid can cause the fish to dry out so you must work quickly. As such, be sure you have turned your burner to high heat and only keep the filet in for 1-2 minutes. Serve.
Overall, I really love the Chesapeake seasoning on cod. It's got a nice warm, comforting flavor that reminds me of fish fry's growing up in Wisconsin. The quality of the cod really makes a difference. If the cod smells really fishy, do not use it. Any fish should not have a "fishy" smell to it when it is cold. This is a sign that the fish has gone "past its prime". This is a nice, fast dish to prepare on nights when time is tight.
Grilled seasoned pork medallions with sweet corn and caprese orzo
This was a quick meal. Over the years I've struggled to get excellent flavor out of my grilled pork tenderloin. Pre-seasoning helps sometimes, but generally, the seasoning burns. So this time, I thought I'd create a "deconstructed" seasoned pork tenderloin for grilling. The result: excellent flavor for each medallion. The following is a great recipe for a dinner entree or even appetizers! The grilled sweet corn is excellent, with smoky flavors matching the corn's sweetness. One of my favorites.
The Caprese Orzo was a throw-together at the last minute. A Caprese salad usually consists of fresh basil, large sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese spritzed with olive oil and ground black pepper. This recipe is for a "mac & cheese" version of the salad. Overall, the flavors were there, but something was missing. Perhaps addition of garlic salt or fresh smashed garlic would have augmented this dish to the next level. The cheese melts really quickly so be sure to stir the pot quickly and serve immediately. Otherwise, the cheese congeals and causes the orzo to be very sticky. Overall, a great meal with a few tweaks here and there! This meal also was served with a 2004 Ridge Oltranti Zinfandel. For reviews on wines, visit: http://thewinedrop.blogspot.com/.
"Deconstructed" Pork Tenderloin for Grilling
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned of silver skin and excess fat
Favorite seasoning (I used Penzey's Galena Street or Barbecue of the Americas)
Pam Cooking Spray
Slice the pork tenderloin into half-inch thick medallions. Press the medallions with your fist to flatten. Add seasoning and rub in. Allow the seasoning to sit for 10 minutes to allow for the meat to take in the flavors. I seasoned only one side, as seasoning both sides would probably be overwhelming. Spray a hot grill with Pam cooking spray and immediately place the medallions on the grill, with the seasoning side up. Depending on the thickness of your meat and temperature of your grill, turn the medallions after 5 minutes. Keep a close eye, as these cook very fast. Cook another 5 minutes (maximum) and remove from grill. These are ready to serve.
Grilled Sweet Corn
2 ears of sweet corn, remove the fine "hairs" from the ear but leave the husks on
Large pot of water
Butter (optional)
Salt (option)
After removing the "hairs" from the corn, soak the ears of corn (husks included) in cold water for 30 minutes at room temperature. After soaking, place the ears of corn, covered with their husks, onto a hot grill. Be sure to turn the corn every 5-10 minutes. The corn is done when the husks have browned/blackened. Serve the corn with husks removed.
Caprese Orzo
1 box of Orzo
1-2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3-4 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
1.5 cups of fresh grated mozzerella
Salt to flavor
Boil the orzo until cooked to preference. Orzo cooks quickly. Strain the orzo but do not run under cold water. Add all ingredients back to the hot pot. Under low heat, stir in the cheese until melted. Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
The Caprese Orzo was a throw-together at the last minute. A Caprese salad usually consists of fresh basil, large sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella cheese spritzed with olive oil and ground black pepper. This recipe is for a "mac & cheese" version of the salad. Overall, the flavors were there, but something was missing. Perhaps addition of garlic salt or fresh smashed garlic would have augmented this dish to the next level. The cheese melts really quickly so be sure to stir the pot quickly and serve immediately. Otherwise, the cheese congeals and causes the orzo to be very sticky. Overall, a great meal with a few tweaks here and there! This meal also was served with a 2004 Ridge Oltranti Zinfandel. For reviews on wines, visit: http://thewinedrop.blogspot.com/.
"Deconstructed" Pork Tenderloin for Grilling
1 pork tenderloin, cleaned of silver skin and excess fat
Favorite seasoning (I used Penzey's Galena Street or Barbecue of the Americas)
Pam Cooking Spray
Slice the pork tenderloin into half-inch thick medallions. Press the medallions with your fist to flatten. Add seasoning and rub in. Allow the seasoning to sit for 10 minutes to allow for the meat to take in the flavors. I seasoned only one side, as seasoning both sides would probably be overwhelming. Spray a hot grill with Pam cooking spray and immediately place the medallions on the grill, with the seasoning side up. Depending on the thickness of your meat and temperature of your grill, turn the medallions after 5 minutes. Keep a close eye, as these cook very fast. Cook another 5 minutes (maximum) and remove from grill. These are ready to serve.
Grilled Sweet Corn
2 ears of sweet corn, remove the fine "hairs" from the ear but leave the husks on
Large pot of water
Butter (optional)
Salt (option)
After removing the "hairs" from the corn, soak the ears of corn (husks included) in cold water for 30 minutes at room temperature. After soaking, place the ears of corn, covered with their husks, onto a hot grill. Be sure to turn the corn every 5-10 minutes. The corn is done when the husks have browned/blackened. Serve the corn with husks removed.
Caprese Orzo
1 box of Orzo
1-2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3-4 Fresh Basil leaves, chopped
1.5 cups of fresh grated mozzerella
Salt to flavor
Boil the orzo until cooked to preference. Orzo cooks quickly. Strain the orzo but do not run under cold water. Add all ingredients back to the hot pot. Under low heat, stir in the cheese until melted. Serve immediately with fresh ground pepper.
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