Marinated Radicchio and Orange Salad - Bon Appetit

With all this roasting poultry the fall and winter brings, I find myself with a taste for salad to bring tart balance to the plate.

Last night we enjoyed this delicious Marinated Radicchio Salad with Orange and Walnuts
found in Bon Appetit. (Yes, this is their picture, by the way.) I made the salad with shredded apple and tangerines when the orange I'd saved for the meal mysteriously disappeared. It was perfect. Toasted walnuts and the slight bitter bite of the radicchio sitting in the tangerine vinaigrette. Scrumptious even.

How about you? What's happening with salads in this lovely cold season?

But first, cuteness.

You might think they're watermelons.









Baby watermelons?

But, in fact, they're Cutecumbers. 

Little, crisp, slightly lemony cukes. If they had them at the grocery store or the Farmer's Market, I'd put them just like this in my salads, or dip them in a nice tangy dip. I might even make a tomato/Cutecumber salad using mini Roma tomatoes. 

My beautiful neighbor & friend is a produce Forager. She finds the best and most interesting things growers are growing. And then she'll call me and say, "Come see what I've got!" 

These made my heart skip a little beat. 

When we can buy them, we'll have fun, don'tcha think?

Chicken Broth update

Ok, I went and got the chicken.
But I went to Whole Foods (but not this one in Austin, Texas).

I became distracted by beautiful kales

Purple cauliflower

Sumo Mandarins

And the salad bar. 

Ai, ai, ai! My daughter and I spent over an hour looking and touching and dreaming. I grabbed some whey protein for morning smoothies and shocked my girl when I showed her the spinach I'd be adding. She's still recovering.

So, yes, we bought the chicken. But with the salad bar, right near the cold case where I picked up some cold roasted brussels sprouts (I promise, both my grandmothers are rolling over in their graves.) I acquiesced immediately to my girlie's request for their rotisserie chicken. Dinner? Done!

Last night I finally got to the Chicken Broth and I'll say this. It is worthy of some time. I roasted the chicken in the dutch oven as Chef John suggested, but I'm finicky about the breast meat coming up to 160 degrees. It took a bit longer than 45 minutes. Do temperature test the chicken when you try this. 

Then, after the stove top caramelizing and about one hour of simmering, I gave up for the night and put it in the refrigerator to wait. (I did cool it first.) So more on that later. The fragrance is superb and I can't wait to finish it tonight for chicken soup. 

I promise, we'll report on it when it's finally complete. Chef John's recipe is a keeper, or at least seems so for now. What I love over and over about his point of view is this, more of the chicken, less of the extras. This recipe doesn't want you to add anything to the broth as you go but one celery stalk, one onion and three little bruised garlic cloves.

It took a lot not to let my Dear have a spoonful. Mais non! It is not ready for tasting.

To be continued.

Til then, 

Vicki

  

Baked Eggs in Individual Cups

We started a quiet morning with beloved Streusel muffins and baked eggs. My Dad was an egg guy. A master of omelettes and one who loved a poached egg on corned beef hash and occasionally, a shirred egg in the right restaurant. This morning I was musing about the tenderness of the well-cooked egg and thought about baked eggs.

Keep it simple.

Heat an oven to 325 degrees and place individual ramekins in a pyrex or other oven-loving baking dish. Carefully fill the baking dish and not the ramekins so the water comes to about the 3/4 mark. 

Now, enjoy inventing:

• use either a bit of butter or cooking spray in each ramekin to ensure easy removal
• break an egg into the dish and add a touch of salt 
• chose your favorites: shredded cheese (I used some jalapeno jack), roasted tomatoes or peppers, sauteed mushrooms, onions, panko breadcrumbs, croutons perhaps, the whole grain on this one is hemp 

Place in the oven and bake. About 20 minutes to tender but set. Check as you go. I finished one of the eggs in the broiler to brown the cheese for my cheese lover. You'll add lots of individual touches and I bet you can come up with lots of wonderful ideas. Like Caesar Eggs for the anchovy lover.

Ooooh! I'm excited to hear what you might do with just an egg and a ramekin!

Do share.

Kale Salad, again

Kale Salad for breakfast.
The Kale Salad recipe with berries and a whole pomegranate, raisins and nuts and Oh! La! La!

We loved this at our New Year's Brunch.

Chicken & Mushrooms. Done!

We did it. And when I say we I mean my 15 year old son was at the helm.
We made this: just chicken and mushrooms.

The meal is really simple with a little bit of finesse. Chicken breasts down to sear, flip, continue, add mushrooms, move to the oven, remove breasts, cook on the stovetop, deglaze with water, cook down and serve.

Oh my.

No original pics today, the boy needed his sous chef! (This is from foodwishes, you need to see this fabulous site.)


We served these alongside sweet potatoes( baked at 400 for almost 90 minutes) and a miners leaf salad with just olive oil and tomato vinegar. Yum.

Do try.

A last word on Hatch Chilis

Just like the summer slow and busy life is over, the Hatch Chilis are just about gone. 

When last we met we were talking about tasty Hatch Chilis, weren't we?  Before we break out the pumpkin soup and the chai lattes, here are a few things we learned on our Hatch Chili adventure first: they are chilis. I've learned to think of Hatch Chili season as the season of Chili opportunity, not the harvest season for one species of chili pepper. Here we go:

• These long green chilis are all grown in one place, Hatch New Mexico. Hatch is not really the name of a specific variety of chili, more a range within a type of chili  (that would be long green)
• When I talked to one of my friends, she shared that she buys and roasts four pounds of Hatch Chilis each year, freezes them and uses them in all the recipes that call for chili
• Then I talked to another friend and: well, ditto
• Because they aren't all from the same chili variety, they're going to range in heat level - taste and divide as appropriate if you're using now or freezing
• And apparently, the variation in heat is just part of being a chili (my brilliant fruits and veggies officiando friend tells me the variation has much to do with the stress a plant endures as the chilis are forming. Hmmmm. The become hotheads when they're stressed? I love these chilis all the more.)
• When you roast, you can freeze them with skin on. The skin slides off more easily from the frozen state
• You'll never have to buy a can of Ortega Chili again. (Fresh is my favorite! And Fresh/Frozen is the next best.) This should bring me to a great recipe for chili rice and it very likely will in the week to come. 

Now I'm waiting for August like it's Chili Christmas!

Hatch Chilis: First, we try salsa.

Well, it's Hatch Chili season & I've been playing around with the fun little chili from Hatch, New Mexico in my California kitchen. Here are the first things I learned:

• Wash your hands
• Wash your hands
• Don't touch your face, (don't wipe your brow)
• And, wash your hands

Yikes! The oil in these babies is hot. I also note cooking with the Hatch Chili can be a little like playing Craps. You simply can''t predict the outcome. First, I taste a nice and mild one then a scorcher. Well, at least I'm clear on what I'm up against.  I stopped by my neighborhood specialty grocer for well, a specialty item, and they were having a Hatch Chili fest. They roast, you buy and even they were separating the hot from the mild as they tasted them! I'd prefer to roast them myself -  that's another post and it's coming.

The first attempt at Casa del My House, was Roasted Hatch Chili Salsa:

I sweated onions, roasted tomatoes and Hatch Chilis and combined them with salt and a garlic clove in the food processor.

Easy and tasty.

Next time, I'll go for Roma tomatoes, the big cherry tomatoes from my garden are yummy, but a little sweet. The salsa was a bigger hit day 2 than day 1. But, isn't it always?

Click here for the recipe.

Just a spot of lime juice along with the salt was a great idea. And voila!

Making Pizza Pie

I've been making Trailer Gypsy's quick pizza crust for a while now... I needed a replacement for the little bags of chemicals and magic (ok it's just dry bagged pizza crust) that costs too much money but is SOOOO easy. And the other quick pizza crust recipes I've tried taste like moonsand. Moist and gritty. And that is not how I like my pizza.

And I can honestly say.... I love this recipe. No moonsand. Just smooth and crispy pizza. Quickly. Who says things can't be quick, cheap and good?

Plus, we make two thin crust pizzas. One with just cheese, chicken and broccoli for the kids. And one with everything for the grown-ups-- this one was three cheese, Manzanilla olives and fresh spinach. Pizza is so versatile for this time of year when gardens are producing, farmers markets are bursting and the CSA box is a treasure trove-- any veggie you can possibly imagine could probably be a topping!

I did monkey with it a little bit. Here's the original recipe.

And here is mine with some tiny tweaks.... honey instead of sugar. High fiber flour (or all purpose flour), I just use high fiber flour. A bit extra salt for  a more rounded flavor-- in absence of extra spices (boo kids and their aversion to 'green flakes' on their pizza. For the record basil is not algae).

Trailer Gypsy's Pizza Crust

Ingredients:
1c. warm water - you want the water really warm, not lukewarm
1 Tbsp. honey
2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast - that is how much is in 1 packet
3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 cups flour - unbleached high fiber flour.
Spices-- I had to use 'hidden' spices. Nothing green you know.... onion powder, garlic powder....

Preheat oven to 425.

Mix water, sugar and yeast in a bowl until dissolved.
Add the olive oil, salt, and spices.
Add flour, stir until mixed well.

This will be a stickier dough than if you were making bread but it shouldn't be too moist either. Add more flour if you need to.

Let dough sit for at least 10 min. while you prepare your toppings.


On a floured surface roll dough out into two thin sheets. Will make about 2 medium pizzas.

Swiss Chard Saturday Night

Sometimes, for me, cooking is all inspiration.

My darling friend had some extra Rainbow Chard on her hands and gave it too me. You may not feel the same way, but with all the color, it was feeling like Christmas!

I brought it into the kitchen thinking about a light dinner and before I knew it the chard was in a light wine sauce with some chicken Italian Sausage, pasta and a touch of Pecorino Reggiano.

Dinner was mild, light and easy on the eyes.

 

Here's how:

Recipe

1 Clove Elephant Garlic - minced
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 Cup Chicken Stock
1/2 Cup white cooking wine or Vermouth
1 Teaspoon salt (or to taste)
5 Chicken Italian Sausages sliced
One bunch Rainbow Chard - cleaned, dried, stems cut in bite sized pieces and separated from the leaves, leaves cut or torn into pieces
2 Cups cooked pasta
1 Tablespoon Butter
Pecorino Reggiano Cheese or Parmesian

1) Pour Olive Oil into pan and heat on low.

2) Add minced Elephant Garlic (this is a very mild flavored garlic, almost in the onion to leek flavor group). Saute on low until translucent.














3) Add Chicken Stock, (or Broth) and wine and cook over a low simmer to reduce.

4) Add chopped chard stems and cook 5 minutes.

5) Add chopped chicken Italian Sausage and continue to cook on low for 10 minutes.

6) Add the remaining chard leaves and cook, covered on low for about 5 minutes.
7) Add 1 Tablespoon butter and toss with about 2 cups of fresh, hot pasta. I used penne.
8) Plate and top with the Pecorino Reggianno.
Bon Appetit!

Brussels Sprouts, really?

Well, I have nothing to say for myself but, "really"?

My whole life parents and grandparents have tried to get me to eat Brussels Sprouts. I tasted once or twice and quickly became a vociferous naysayer. I wouldn't, couldn't, not gonna, ever, eat them. I could sit at the table for hours not eating them and the only things I like less than those bitter cruciferous sprouts are lima beans. So there. None. For years.

One day about 6 or 7 years ago I had a bite of my friend Anna's grilled Brussels Sprouts at Houston's Restaurant. They were not bad. But, it didn't convince me. And anyway, I don't live near a Houston's and reasoned  it must have been an anomaly of sorts.

Then a funny thing happened. Joan, of the Organic Kale Salad, offered to cook the mean little guys for our Thanksgiving celebration. I couldn't exactly turn down a dinner contribution. I figured I'd just have extra salad and forget to put them on my plate. But then something happened. I tasted them. And voila, I changed teams there and then. I love them. I love Brussels Sprouts and would eat them anytime, anywhere. Really.

Here's the trick:

Buy them organic. Buy them fresh. Cut away the base of the core. Peel any tarnished leaves. Cut them in half.
Heat a skillet to medium high with plenty of good olive oil*. Add the sprouts and a pinch of salt, and skitter them around in the pan for a while, til they start to just roast. You want some brown on the leave. Then add a bit more fresh olive oil - a sprinkling and the juice of 1/2 a lemon or so.

Then you eat them. Mmmmm.

My sister recommends finishing with Balsamic Vinegar. Or add a couple of teaspoons of brown sugar to the olive oil while their cooking and finish with either the lemon or the vinegar.
You really could eat them every day.
There are tons of recipes out there.

My mom (the one who tried to make me eat the boiled to death kind of Brussels Sprouts for all those years), was shocked when I served them with turkey the other night. Those are them swimming in the shimmery wine & stock gravy. Oh yes, they were very happy. And she was thrilled she'd finally convinced me!

All I have to say is "who knew"?

* Always Cold Pressed Extra Virgin and preferably organic. Laleli is my hands down favorite and you can buy it over the phone from the rep: Mary Landis.  (She's my friend and a fellow kitchen lover.) The flavored varieties are superb because they mash the olives and the fruits (herbs) together so there's some crazy marriage of flavors. (I suppose mashing will do that.) I prefer not to live without the lemon, the basil and the garlic flavor in my kitchen.

7 Meals for under $15

I was breezing through my email and What to my wondering eyes did appear, but a miniature post with 7 quick recipes under $15 (well, it started out like the poem).

I really like a lot of these recipes. And, I'm all for a vegetarian dinner at least once a week.

I, like Kerry, enjoy CSA fruits and veggies. Mine come straight to my door every other Monday in a box from my milkman. It's like a Christmas present every week. My teen son looks forward to it. He runs out to bring it in and almost always takes something to school. It's these Monday nights when I really get down to inspired menu planning, but I digress.

Here's the recipe list.

I think we'll each try one or tow and post as we go. Kind of a modified Julie and Julia deal. But, on a budget and not French and there is no Julie here.

Let us know if you try one and how it works out for you!

1. Warm Chick Pea Stew

2. Hearty Matzo Ball Soup

3. Hungarian Goulash

4. Falafel “Buffet"

5. Pulled Pork Tacos

6. Vegetarian Dahl

7. Osso Bucco 

   Photo from Cooking Light magazine