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| summer on a plate |
Happy eating, -s.
Happy eating, -s.
I will never complain about the heat while living in Wisconsin. Our summers are so short in comparison to our winters, that I will take the heat, the humidity, the severe weather and the bugs. But, I must say, this week is going to be hot; damn hot. Every day, all-day, 90+ degrees hot. The perfect remedy is my refreshing watermelon-lime slushy.
My younger brother and his wife were in town last week and Chris did the grocery shopping, as he was barbequing a 9-lb pork shoulder for the occassion. Back from Costco (where we typically don't get food items besides cooking olive oil and nuts), came a 3-pound container of sour cream (holy s%#$) and a huge-ass watermelon.
I'm still working my way through the sour cream (I tackled a sour-cream coffee cake for Sunday morning breakfast; I may be churning some sour cream ice cream to top a raspberry crisp ... or maybe some corn muffins with green onions and sour cream to accompany barbequed chicken ... any other ideas are welcomed!).
With the huge-ass watermelon, besides slices accompanying every meal, I've been whipping up watermelon slushies, which are in no way related to the artifically flavored/dyed 7-11 slushy. These are the essense of watermelon, with a kick of lime zest and juice. The perfect remedy to a hot day. Adults can add a jigger or two of rum or vodka, if they must.
Watermelon-Lime Slushies
serves 4 thirsty bambinos or adults
Ingredients
2-3 large wedges of watermelon, rinds removed
1/2 cup cold water or limeade, if you have it.
juice and zest of two limes
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups ice
Directions
In a blender, add the water and watermelon wedges. Blend until foamy, pink and smooth. Add lime juice, zest and sugar and blend until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more watermelon, lime juice/zest. I wouldn't add anymore sugar, but that's just me.
Add the ice and blitz until smooth and slushy.
Drink quickly with requisite straws.
At the Market
sugar snap peas
green beans
Dreamfarm goat cheese
baby zucchini
rainbow swiss chard
golden beets with greens
Italian paste tomatoes
carrots
red onions
Menu: week of 16 July 2011
Saturday: Key West shrimp salad sandwiches with green beans vinaigrette
Sunday: crunchy tacos with refried beans, sauteed beet greens and fresh goat cheese
Monday: sauteed baby zucchini and Italian sausage with oriecchiette and opal basil
Tuesday: pork and green bean stir-fry with cashews and steamed jasmine rice
Wednesday: chicken cutlets Milanese with oven-roasted paste tomatoes
Thursday: ricotta frittata with swiss chard and red onions
Friday: carryout
Happy eating, -s.
Sorry I haven't posted in a while. We've been consumed by buying a house and the associated packing that goes with it, but, don't worry, we have been eating (were you really worried about me not eating?). The last farmers' market of the season was on Saturday. It's always a little sad as it is a big part of our Saturday morning riutal and the weather has been pretty amazing, so that makes it even more bittersweet. I loaded up on squash, carrots, brussel sprouts, potatoes, and onions for our winter pantry, while also indulging in some fleeting frost-sweetened spinach and spicy mixed greens. With packing being our main focus, our menus have definitely simplified and leftovers are my best friend. We're really digging my simplified version of Suzanne Goin's roasted squash salad with bitter greens and lardons of bacon. It's divine and the only reason you need to pick up her gorgeous cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques.Here's what we're eating this week...
Menu: week of 7 November 2010
Sunday: Split pea soup made by my sister Holley (so nice and yummy)
Monday: Take out
Tuesday: Spinach and sausage pasta
Wednesday: Roasted squash salad with lardons and bitter greens
Thursday: Onion tart served with a fennel-apple salad
Friday: Potato and rosemary pizza with fresh ricotta
Happy eating, -s.
Ratatouille — I love this word. It's a fun one to say and a treat to eat. My version simplifies matters by roasting the vegetables instead of sautéing each separately in a sauté pan. After a caramelizing roast in the oven, the veggies get doused in some good olive oil and a squeeze of lemon. Besides being an ideal side dish to almost anything, it makes a mean grilled cheese sandwich filling, as well as a superb pasta sauce. Goat cheese is its friend, too — slather it on some crostini and top with some ratatouille; the perfect late summer starter.Oven-Roasted Ratatouille
make 6-8 side servings
Ingredients
1 large globe eggplant or 4 Asian eggplants, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell or heirloom peppers, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 green zucchini, quartered and sliced into large chunks
2 red onions, quartered and then sliced into large chunks
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
2 large cloves of garlic, minced finely
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, toss each vegetable separately with ½ teaspoon of herbes de Provence, some garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a large pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Place it on the sheet pan in one layer; continue with the remaining vegetables in the same manner.
Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft and caramelized. Toss everything together in a larger serving bowl and add the lemon and olive oil. Serve hot or a room temperature.
At the market:
corn
Dreamfarm eggs
eggplant: globe and Japanese
ginger gold apples
green beans
heirloom sweet red peppers
kale
mint
red and yellow onions
tomatoes: slicers and mixed cherry
yukon gold potatoes
zucchini
Menu: week of 5 September 2010
Sunday: fried chicken and gravy with buttermilk biscuits and steamed green beans
Monday: BLT pizza
Tuesday: ricotta frittata with ratatouille
Wednesday: Corn and potato chowder
Thursday: Sauteed kale with fresh ricotta bruschetta
Friday: Tomato sandwiches with black-bean and edamame salad
Happy eating, -s.
1 large globe eggplant or 4 Asian eggplants, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 red bell or heirloom peppers, chopped into 2-inch pieces
2 green zucchini, quartered and sliced into large chunks
2 red onions, quartered and then sliced into large chunks
2 teaspoons herbes de Provence
2 large cloves of garlic, minced finely
¼ cup olive oil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ lemon
Extra virgin olive oil (optional)
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. In a bowl, toss each vegetable separately with ½ teaspoon of herbes de Provence, some garlic, 1 tablespoon olive oil and a large pinch of kosher salt and a few grinds of pepper. Place it on the sheet pan in one layer; continue with the remaining vegetables in the same manner.
Roast for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until soft and caramelized. Toss everything together in a larger serving bowl and add the lemon and olive oil. Serve hot or a room temperature.
At the market:corn
Dreamfarm eggs
eggplant: globe and Japanese
ginger gold apples
green beans
heirloom sweet red peppers
kale
mint
red and yellow onions
tomatoes: slicers and mixed cherry
yukon gold potatoes
zucchini
Menu: week of 5 September 2010
Sunday: fried chicken and gravy with buttermilk biscuits and steamed green beans
Monday: BLT pizza
Tuesday: ricotta frittata with ratatouille
Wednesday: Corn and potato chowder
Thursday: Sauteed kale with fresh ricotta bruschetta
Friday: Tomato sandwiches with black-bean and edamame salad
Happy eating, -s.
The oppressive humidity and heat have finally lifted in Madison. Driving home last night, I had all the car windows open. With the breeze blowing in Pickle’s hair, he said to me, “it’s nice.” I had to agree.We’ve been eating loads of tomatoes and with reports of a possible late blight, everyone should eat up this capricious crop while it lasts. There’s nothing better or simpler than a tomato sandwich: toast two slices of hearty bread, slice some tomatoes, slather both pieces of toast with mayonnaise, layer on the tomato slices, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, top with other piece of toast and voila! Lunch or dinner is served. Add some sliced melon and you have yourself a full meal of summer delights.
Our CSA box was burgeoning with vegetal goodness. Here’s what it held:
Bunch arugula
Broccoli
Cilantro
Collard greens
Corn
Cucumbers
Edamame
Eggplant
Garlic
Heirloom Tomatoes
Jalapeno Peppers
Patty Pan Squash
Red and yellow onions
Red Potatoes
Sungold Tomatoes
Sweet Mini Peppers
Tomatillos
Watermelon
Menu: week of 15 August 2010
Sunday: BLTs with heirloom tomatoes and arugula
Monday: sautéed sweet peppers and sausage pizza
Tuesday: roasted sungold tomato tart with caramelized onions served with sautéed corn
Wednesday: patty-pan squash and sweet pepper enchiladas with salsa verde and crema Mexicana
Thursday: patatas bravas served with steamed broccoli
Friday: eggplant cutlet sandwiches served with fresh ricotta, basil and marinara.
Happy eating, -s.
I’ve have slowly come to the realization that there are two parties in this world: beet lovers and beet haters (no political affiliations here!). I am head-over-heels, a beet lover. Thankfully, Chris is too. Pickle is still on the fence. The beet haters, as I’ve come to learn, think that they taste like dirt. This is understandable, since that’s where they grow, but their earthiness is so nicely paired with their inherent sweetness — especially when roasted — that I can't understand the anti-beet sentiment. Anyway, this recipe is for the LOVAHs out there who can get enough beets!
The inspiration for this dish was that fact that I had a heck of a lot of beets in the fridge and needed to do something with them — new. I had been counting the days for tomato season to begin, so naturally I had panzanella on the brain. With some day-old bread on the counter and a bevy of basil from our CSA, I thought, “beet panzanella.” I’m sure someone else has made this before me, but I seriously thought I had a moment of brilliance, especially since I was utilizing a whole slew of ingredients from my overflowing icebox.
I roasted the beets the night before, so they were ready to go. While I baked the croutons in the oven, I prepped all the other ingredients, first by making the vinaigrette. Here’s one thing I learned in making this: a tomato-based panzanella is juicier, so you’ll need more dressing for the beet version. When the vinaigrette hits the tomatoes, they start releasing their own juices and this gets mixed into the salad and good things start to happen. Beets don’t have a lot going on in the juice department (poor beets), so you’ll need to compensate for that in a little more vinaigrette, but still go slow in adding it to the salad because there is nothing worse than an overdressed, gloppy salad.
With that, get roasting and chopping and mixing and dicing your way to beet happiness.
p.s. as you can see in the photo below, a fortunate or unfortunate side effect is the fantastic Technicolor-pink hue the entire salad takes on the minute the dressing hits the beets.
Beet Panzanella
Serves 4 hungry adults as a starter or 2-3 for a main course
Ingredients
6 medium-sized mixed beets (ruby, golden and Chioggia), roasted – I used the Marc Bittman version from How to Cook Everything since it’s super easy.
½ a red onion sliced very thinly into half moons
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
A large bunch of basil, roughly torn into pieces
½ loaf of day-old bread cut into 1-inch cubes
Olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 8 turns on the peppermill)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. On the baking sheet toss the bread cubes with a few glugs of olive oil, a large pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss well and bake until the croutons are toasty browns and crisp all over – about 15 minutes.
While the croutons are baking, make the vinaigrette. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper until incorporated. While whisking, slowly pout the olive oil into the mustard-vinegar mixture until emulsified. Set aside.
Remove the blackened skin from the beet, trim the ends and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add them, along with the onions, cucumber, beets and basil to a large serving bowl.
The croutons should be done by now; remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Add to the salad and toss with hands to evenly distribute everything. Add the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Eat within the hour or the croutons start to lose their crispness.
Happy eating, -s.
The inspiration for this dish was that fact that I had a heck of a lot of beets in the fridge and needed to do something with them — new. I had been counting the days for tomato season to begin, so naturally I had panzanella on the brain. With some day-old bread on the counter and a bevy of basil from our CSA, I thought, “beet panzanella.” I’m sure someone else has made this before me, but I seriously thought I had a moment of brilliance, especially since I was utilizing a whole slew of ingredients from my overflowing icebox.
I roasted the beets the night before, so they were ready to go. While I baked the croutons in the oven, I prepped all the other ingredients, first by making the vinaigrette. Here’s one thing I learned in making this: a tomato-based panzanella is juicier, so you’ll need more dressing for the beet version. When the vinaigrette hits the tomatoes, they start releasing their own juices and this gets mixed into the salad and good things start to happen. Beets don’t have a lot going on in the juice department (poor beets), so you’ll need to compensate for that in a little more vinaigrette, but still go slow in adding it to the salad because there is nothing worse than an overdressed, gloppy salad.
With that, get roasting and chopping and mixing and dicing your way to beet happiness.
p.s. as you can see in the photo below, a fortunate or unfortunate side effect is the fantastic Technicolor-pink hue the entire salad takes on the minute the dressing hits the beets.
Beet PanzanellaServes 4 hungry adults as a starter or 2-3 for a main course
Ingredients
6 medium-sized mixed beets (ruby, golden and Chioggia), roasted – I used the Marc Bittman version from How to Cook Everything since it’s super easy.
½ a red onion sliced very thinly into half moons
1 cucumber, seeded and diced
A large bunch of basil, roughly torn into pieces
½ loaf of day-old bread cut into 1-inch cubes
Olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
For the vinaigrette:
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3 teaspoons red wine vinegar
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper (about 8 turns on the peppermill)
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
Directions
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. On the baking sheet toss the bread cubes with a few glugs of olive oil, a large pinch or two of salt and a few grinds of pepper. Toss well and bake until the croutons are toasty browns and crisp all over – about 15 minutes.
While the croutons are baking, make the vinaigrette. In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the mustard, vinegar, salt and pepper until incorporated. While whisking, slowly pout the olive oil into the mustard-vinegar mixture until emulsified. Set aside.
Remove the blackened skin from the beet, trim the ends and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add them, along with the onions, cucumber, beets and basil to a large serving bowl.
The croutons should be done by now; remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Add to the salad and toss with hands to evenly distribute everything. Add the vinaigrette. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Eat within the hour or the croutons start to lose their crispness.
Happy eating, -s.
Sorry, I’ve been MIA recently. With summer getaways and visitors, I’ve lost track of things. Let me catch you up!A couple of weekends ago, I went on a little mother-daughters’ weekend with my two sisters and my mom. I’ve never been away from Pickle for more than a day, so this was a big trip for me. Granted, he was with Chris, but still, I felt like I was constantly forgetting something (or someone)!
Anyway, we spent a very relaxing few days on beautiful Elkhart Lake drinking lots of rosé and eating delicious food. I’ll have a recipe for apricot-ricotta tartines for your once I get the photos from my sis (hint, hint :).
We also had a pretty exquisite meal at the Paddock Club, whose head chef spent time in the Bartolotta kitchens in Milwaukee, as well as a personal favorite, Lombardino’s in Madison. We shared many small plates, but the one dish we ordered seconds of was the grilled broccoli with red pepper rouille. It was really special and cooked to perfection, as well as a great inspiration for what to do at home on your own grill, with our without the sauce. Served simply dressed with a little olive oil and a squeeze of grilled lemon, it would be divine as a starter or side.
Grilled Broccoli
If you don’t have a grill, high-heat (425 degrees) roasting the broccoli would give you a similar effect to gas-grilling it, but you can't replicate the perfect charring of charcoal grill. Still worth a try, though!
Ingredients
1 lb grilled broccoli, cut into large florets
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2-3 tablespoons olive oil, plus more for serving
½ of a lemon (optional)
Directions
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Has a large bowl of ice water ready. Heavily salt the water and then carefully submerge the broccoli in the water; boil rapidly for 1-2 minutes and then removed to the ice bath. Once cool, drain very well. Toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil, as well as a good pinch or two of salt and lots of pepper.
When your grill is hot, place the broccoli on the grate and grill until nicely charred on one side – a minute or so; flip to the other side and do the same. Grill some halved lemons at the same time, if you have them.
Remove to a platter. Drizzle with a little more olive oil and a squeeze of the lemon. Serve immediately.
p.s. My sister Holley and my mom made this broccoli to put on a pizza with a roasted garlic sauce and mozzarella cheese; I must say that is a good idea and a definite must-try.
In the CSA box:
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumbers
Fresh Garlic
Garlic Chives
Green Beans
Green Zucchini
Napa Cabbage
New Red Potatoes
Patty Pan Squash
Rainbow Chard
Red Iceberg Lettuce
Red Mustard
Bonus: Basil
Menu: week of 17 July 2010
Saturday Lunch: open-faced sandwiches with garlicky sautéed zucchini and patty pans topped with melted Edelweiss Dairy two-year cheddar
Sunday: Iceberg wedges with homemade garlic-chive and Hook’s blue cheese dressing, served with a whole wheat baguette
Monday: roasted red new potatoes with a tahini-Greek yogurt sauce and a side of quick-sautéed green beans.
Tuesday: Swiss chard pizza
Wednesday: Concerts on the Square
Thursday: sautéed red mustard on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Friday: Cilantro-almond chicken tacos with shredded Napa cabbage
Lunches throughout the week: shredded carrot salad with whole-grain pita
To-do: pickle some cucumbers!
Happy eating, -s.
Broccoli
Carrots
Cucumbers
Fresh Garlic
Garlic Chives
Green Beans
Green Zucchini
Napa Cabbage
New Red Potatoes
Patty Pan Squash
Rainbow Chard
Red Iceberg Lettuce
Red Mustard
Bonus: Basil
Menu: week of 17 July 2010
Saturday Lunch: open-faced sandwiches with garlicky sautéed zucchini and patty pans topped with melted Edelweiss Dairy two-year cheddar
Sunday: Iceberg wedges with homemade garlic-chive and Hook’s blue cheese dressing, served with a whole wheat baguette
Monday: roasted red new potatoes with a tahini-Greek yogurt sauce and a side of quick-sautéed green beans.
Tuesday: Swiss chard pizza
Wednesday: Concerts on the Square
Thursday: sautéed red mustard on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Friday: Cilantro-almond chicken tacos with shredded Napa cabbage
Lunches throughout the week: shredded carrot salad with whole-grain pita
To-do: pickle some cucumbers!
Happy eating, -s.
Happy first day of summer!
I cannot find the cord for my camera to download pictures, which is really disappointing since I have some fantastic photos of delicious vegetables ( I'm sure you are super disappointed too). I have a feeling Pickle has put it where a set of keys has gone as well as a few other small household items. He's a master hider of little things that will magically show up a few months later when you aren't even looking for them. So, long story short ... I have no new food-related photos for this post.
But, I have a really great menu this week that will hopefully get you inspired to get in the kitchen. One of Chris's co-workers couldn't pick up his CSA so Chris brought home some additional veggies to add to the mix - cabbage, more sugar snaps, bibb lettuce and turnips. There's no doubt we'll be eating our veggies this week!
Menu: week of 20 June 2010
Sunday: Chris's father's day dinner of North Carolina-style slow-cooked pork shoulder sandwiched with green cabbage slaw and purple-potato oven fries
Monday: leftover pulled pork sandwiches with watermelon
Tuesday: Thai-style bibb lettuce wraps with ground turkey
Wednesday: sauteed Asian greens on ricotta bruschetta
Thursday: roasted broccoli pasta with lemon, pine nuts and golden raisins
Friday: fingerling potato and rosemary pizza
Happy eating, -s.
The market was really showing off this Saturday – the baby beets were becoming adolescents; the broccoli was burgeoning; strawberries adorned almost every table and the varieties of lettuce available knew no bounds. Besides tomato season (and maybe corn), this is my favorite time at the market. Everything is so fresh and crisp. Pickle was really digging the raw sugar snap peas and he munched on these until we bought our strawberries … then it was no-holds-bar with those sugary sweet treats. His mouth and chin were stained pink from the juice, but he was in bliss, asking for more every few feet.
Our dinner group is heading outdoors this month for a little evening picnic under the stars. My friend Katie has been brainstorming what to cook on her camping grill – besides her famous blue-cheese burgers (which are divine) and asked me if I had any ideas. It got me thinking about party friendly grilled foods – ones that are full-flavored, prep-ahead dishes that don’t require the cook to be manning the grill all night (which is never fun).
Here’s my top-five list of quick-grilling entrees.
p.s. successful grilling really comes down to two things: a clean grill (grate oiled if you’re doing fish) and a really hot fire. Don’t attempt these without those two.
Fish kabobs and cherry-tomato kabobs — kabobs are great for fish, since you don’t have to worry about the fish falling apart on the grill when you try to lift it.
Use this “marinade” for both the fish and the tomatoes — honestly, this is my go-to marinade for almost everything; I just modify it as needed with different herbs or spices:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane grater or minced by hand
2 teaspoons of minced fresh marjoram or oregano (if you have to use dried herbs, use marjoram) ½ a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
½-teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Our dinner group is heading outdoors this month for a little evening picnic under the stars. My friend Katie has been brainstorming what to cook on her camping grill – besides her famous blue-cheese burgers (which are divine) and asked me if I had any ideas. It got me thinking about party friendly grilled foods – ones that are full-flavored, prep-ahead dishes that don’t require the cook to be manning the grill all night (which is never fun).
Here’s my top-five list of quick-grilling entrees.
p.s. successful grilling really comes down to two things: a clean grill (grate oiled if you’re doing fish) and a really hot fire. Don’t attempt these without those two.
Fish kabobs and cherry-tomato kabobs — kabobs are great for fish, since you don’t have to worry about the fish falling apart on the grill when you try to lift it.
Use this “marinade” for both the fish and the tomatoes — honestly, this is my go-to marinade for almost everything; I just modify it as needed with different herbs or spices:
¼ cup olive oil
2 cloves of garlic, grated on a microplane grater or minced by hand
2 teaspoons of minced fresh marjoram or oregano (if you have to use dried herbs, use marjoram) ½ a lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon salt
½-teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound firm-fleshed fish, cut into 1-inch cubes – Check out Monterey Bay Aquarium’s website for a list of sustainable fish for your geographic region: http://www.montereybayaquarium.org/cr/cr_seafoodwatch/download.aspx
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes wash and de-stemmed
Mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl and then divide it between two bowls — one for the fish and one for the tomatoes. Toss to coat and then place on metal skewers (don't mix the two). Grill over a hot fire, for roughly 5-7 minutes total, turning once. Serve with grilled bread and wedges of lemon.
Skirt steak with chimichurri – just a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper on the steak, grilled for 2-3 minutes per side depending of the thickness, a good rest on the cutting board and a side of chimichurri are all you need for this ultra-flavorful meat. I’ve linked to a very traditional recipe, but I have made chimichurri with mint, cilantro, and basil. Use what you have and what’s in season.
Shrimp — Well, very sadly gulf shrimp is pretty much out of the question, but shrimp can take a good lashing of heat and spice and are super-fast cooking. Use the fish “marinade” above, replacing the marjoram with 1 teaspoon red chile flakes and 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika. Skewer them, allowing space in between each shrimp; they should take 3-4 minutes total to cook over hot coals. You don’t want to overcook them or they turn to rubber. Lemon wedges are a must.
Grilled halloumi and zucchini — this vegetarian dish is also a great starter. Halloumi is a firm cheese, usually made from sheep or goat’s milk that can withstand the heat of a grill. Again, use the marinade above for the zucchini. Just halve the zucchini, coat with the marinade and place on the grill — 2-3 minutes per side. Figure ½ a halloumi per person and one whole zucchini. Serve with grilled flatbread and grilled lemons and a little sambal chile sauce for adventurous eaters. I grill the halloumi whole (for about 5 minutes one side and 1-2 on the other) and then slice into ½-inch slices.
Burgers — I know, so obvious, but so gosh-darn good that it had to be include. Burgers really are the essence of summer on a plate. I use grass-fed ground chuck — that’s it. You can shape the burgers well in advance and keep them cold in the fridge, salt and pepper them just before grilling and serve with your favorite garnishes and condiments. I love mayo and ketchup mixed together, some lettuce, a slice of white onion and a slice of tomato (when in season), place it on a toasted brioche bun with sesame seeds and I am a happy girl.
At the market:
Baby carrots
Beets
Butter Pecan Ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery
Broccoli
Dried Horto beans
Eggs from dreamfarm
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Russian kale
Sassy Cow Organic Whole Milk
Strawberries
Sugar snap peas
Menu: week of 13 June 2010
Saturday: homemade rosemary foccacia with local blue cheese and honey, served with cured meats, strawberries and sugar snap peas
Sunday: Birthday BBQ; snack of escabeche-style pickled baby carrots and tortilla chips and a cold IPA
Monday: chilaquiles with sautéed beet greens and dreamfarm eggs
Tuesday: Sautéed Russian kale on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Wednesday: potato and locally made Mexican chorizo tacos served with white onion, cilantro, avocado and limes
Thursday: beef and broccoli stir-fry with jasmine rice
Friday: roasted beet and goat cheese pizza
Mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl and then divide it between two bowls — one for the fish and one for the tomatoes. Toss to coat and then place on metal skewers (don't mix the two). Grill over a hot fire, for roughly 5-7 minutes total, turning once. Serve with grilled bread and wedges of lemon.
Skirt steak with chimichurri – just a sprinkle of kosher salt and black pepper on the steak, grilled for 2-3 minutes per side depending of the thickness, a good rest on the cutting board and a side of chimichurri are all you need for this ultra-flavorful meat. I’ve linked to a very traditional recipe, but I have made chimichurri with mint, cilantro, and basil. Use what you have and what’s in season.
Shrimp — Well, very sadly gulf shrimp is pretty much out of the question, but shrimp can take a good lashing of heat and spice and are super-fast cooking. Use the fish “marinade” above, replacing the marjoram with 1 teaspoon red chile flakes and 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika. Skewer them, allowing space in between each shrimp; they should take 3-4 minutes total to cook over hot coals. You don’t want to overcook them or they turn to rubber. Lemon wedges are a must.
Grilled halloumi and zucchini — this vegetarian dish is also a great starter. Halloumi is a firm cheese, usually made from sheep or goat’s milk that can withstand the heat of a grill. Again, use the marinade above for the zucchini. Just halve the zucchini, coat with the marinade and place on the grill — 2-3 minutes per side. Figure ½ a halloumi per person and one whole zucchini. Serve with grilled flatbread and grilled lemons and a little sambal chile sauce for adventurous eaters. I grill the halloumi whole (for about 5 minutes one side and 1-2 on the other) and then slice into ½-inch slices.
Burgers — I know, so obvious, but so gosh-darn good that it had to be include. Burgers really are the essence of summer on a plate. I use grass-fed ground chuck — that’s it. You can shape the burgers well in advance and keep them cold in the fridge, salt and pepper them just before grilling and serve with your favorite garnishes and condiments. I love mayo and ketchup mixed together, some lettuce, a slice of white onion and a slice of tomato (when in season), place it on a toasted brioche bun with sesame seeds and I am a happy girl.
At the market:
Baby carrots
Beets
Butter Pecan Ice cream from Sassy Cow Creamery
Broccoli
Dried Horto beans
Eggs from dreamfarm
Potatoes
Rhubarb
Russian kale
Sassy Cow Organic Whole Milk
Strawberries
Sugar snap peas
Menu: week of 13 June 2010
Saturday: homemade rosemary foccacia with local blue cheese and honey, served with cured meats, strawberries and sugar snap peas
Sunday: Birthday BBQ; snack of escabeche-style pickled baby carrots and tortilla chips and a cold IPA
Monday: chilaquiles with sautéed beet greens and dreamfarm eggs
Tuesday: Sautéed Russian kale on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Wednesday: potato and locally made Mexican chorizo tacos served with white onion, cilantro, avocado and limes
Thursday: beef and broccoli stir-fry with jasmine rice
Friday: roasted beet and goat cheese pizza
Happy eating, -s.
Brrrr. It was a cold and blustery visit to the market this week. Pickle was throwing some major attitude around, so our trip was a quick one, but we did manage to pick up some delicious vegetables and other delectibles and I even snapped a photo of a vendor’s tulips — yes, I finally remembered my camera!I hope all the moms reading this post had a wonderful mother’s day. I did! Besides letting me snooze a little longer both Saturday and Sunday, my super-fabulous husband also gifted me with the Cuisinart Elite 16-cup food processor (it is just awesome). When I opened it, he said, “It’s bigger than you!” It’s not that big, but it does dwarf my little, on-its-last-leg, 11-year-old, 7-cup capacity Cuisinart. I am just so excited about it, so excited that I sliced open my thumb on one of the blades while washing all the parts. I am pretty tough when it comes to kitchen-related injuries (you should see my hands), but this one took my breath away and I went through about a half-roll of paper towel to staunch the bleeding. Needless-to-say, it's now officially mine :)
At the market
Asparagus
Baby red onions
Cottage cheese
Eggs from dreamfarm
Mixed baby greens
Mint
Spinach
Menu: Week of 9 May 2010
Saturday: Local cheeses and cured meats with crackers, fruit and wine
Sunday: Roasted pork tacos with pickled red onions, avocado and sprouts, served with a bean salad and mojitos
Monday: Pasta with sautéed sweet Italian sausage and spinach
Tuesday: Ricotta frittata served with roasted asparagus
Wednesday: Cuban sandwiches with mixed greens vinaigrette
Thursday: Minty pea and lima bean puree on crostini and topped with poached eggs
Friday: Pizza Bianca with mixed greens vinaigrette
Happy eating, -s.
Well, I couldn't be more excited about this post since it marks the beginning of farmers' market season (my favorite time of year) in Madison. My boys and I hit two markets on Saturday morning. First was the Dane County Farmers' Market that encompasses all four sides of our beautiful state Capitol. It was the perfect spring day: the sun was shining, the air was cool, the tulips' jaunty little heads swayed gently in the breeze, the stacks of vegetables at each table were green, green, green and people were especially happy to be out at 8 a.m. hunting for ingredients for their meals. After our circuit at the DCFM, we headed to the Westside Farmers' Market. It was our first time here and we were pleasantly surprised at the variety and quality of the stands. And since it is within walking distance of our house, we will definitely be hitting this one when time is a factor. Pickle was a big fan, since we picked up delicious treats from Madison Sourdough Co. for our post-market snack. All and all, a very good day.
At the Market:
Arugula
Chinese broccoli
Crimini mushrooms
Radishes
Spinach
Scallions
A French baguette from Madison Sourdough Co.
Baby new potatoes
Menu: Week of 18 April 2010
Saturday: Dinner group: ragout of morels with creme fraiche on toasted brioche; creamy pea and asparagus soup with poached eggs on a crouton; four-cheese lasagne with grilled romaine salad; Barefoot Contessa's strawberry cake; to drink: pomelo mojitos and lots of wine. Yum!
Sunday: Creamed scallions with spaghettini
Monday: Sautéed Chinese broccoli on fresh ricotta bruschetta
Tuesday: Spicy Italian sausage and arugula pizza
Wednesday: Roasted baby new potatoes with smoked paprika mayo and sautéed spinach
Thursday: herbed scrambled eggs with crostini of radishes, butter and sea salt.
Friday: Take-out
Happy eating! -s
Last Tuesday night was carry-out night, which gave me time to prep my squash and mushrooms for Wednesday and Thursday's dinners: squash and mushroom tacos and gingery squash soup, respectively.This combo of dishes was a little less time-consuming to execute than Dinners 1 and 2, but equally satisfying. We may make this a regular duo in our weekly repertoire.
I had two medium-sized butternut squash, one that I peeled and cubed into 2-inch pieces and the other I just halved and removed the seeds. For the cubed squash, I mixed up a spice-infused olive oil to provide a boost of flavor. I roasted everything at 425 degrees for 30 minutes. Then I added cleaned mushrooms to the cubed squash and roasted it for another 15 minutes. Everything came out caramelized and yielding to the touch. I let everything cool and then stored it in the fridge for the next night.
The tacos were great; the spice oil, smoky from the cumin, Spanish paprika and ancho chile powder, was a perfect counterpoint to the inherent sweetness of the squash. To serve, I heated a little olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat to reheat and recrisp the edges a little. I served the filling with warm corn tortillas, local goat’s cheese and crunchy scallions, which added a burst of freshness. Each taco was topped with a tuff of micro greens.
We had leftovers from both meals, allowing Pickle to eat cold mushrooms (I know, weird) and squash as supplements to his other meals and for all of us to have a lovely and warming soup lunch after spending a very cold Sunday afternoon outside looking for bunnies (Pickle’s latest fixation!).
Here’s my recipe for the tacos … the soup is again from Ethan Becker’s revision of his grandmother and mother’s famous tome, The Joy of Cooking.
Winter Squash and Mushroom Tacos
Ingredients
2 medium winter squash — butternut, Hubbard or kobucha are my favorites — one peeled, deseeded and cubed into 2-inch pieces; the other just halved and deseeded
16 oz. button or crimini mushrooms, cleaned and large stems trimmed
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon cumin
½ teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
½ teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
3 scallions, cleaned and sliced thinly on the bias
A large handful of micro or baby greens
6-8 corn tortillas
3-4 oz. goat cheese
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and place the halved squash, cut side down, on half the baking sheet.
In a large bowl combine the olive oil, cumin, paprika, chile powder and salt; stir to combine. Toss in the cubed squash and coat evenly with spice oil. Spread out on the other side of the baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, fold the mushrooms in with the cubed squash and roast 15 minutes longer. Remove from oven to cool slightly. If not using right away, store in the fridge over night. Reserve the halved squash for making the soup.
To reheat: heat a large sauté pan over medium-high and add ½ teaspoon each of olive oil and butter. When hot, add the squash and mushrooms in one layer and cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden and crisp along the edges. Use a spatula to turn the filling and cook the other side in the same manner. Serve warm with toppings.
Happy eating, -s.
I am honestly not a huge fan of leftovers, except a post-Thanksgiving turkey sandwich with cranberry sauce and my mom's stuffing. Nothing can beat that. Well, maybe some things can, but that's a top five in my book. To me, leftovers should be relegated to lunch or they get a little boring, but I have to say that they do help in getting through the week without having to actually cook every night.Magazines like Fine Cooking and Cookie (so sad they are shuttering this sophisticated guide to parenting) have recently focused a lot of their editorial real estate to this endeavor, but their focus is mainly meat. I like to look at vegetables for my leftover inspirations. So, this weekend, take a little time to cook ahead and see how much easier your weeknights are!
Here are some tips and recipes to stretch your efforts throughout the week:
No. 1: Roasted Vegetables
In a 425-degree oven, roast two trays of cleaned and trimmed carrots, onions, parsnips and winter squash (I slice into 1-inch thick half-moons) lightly coated with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper until soft and caramelized, roughly 30-45 minutes. Throw in a couple of heads of garlic, cloves separated but still in their skins. Here's how to use them:
As an entree: Roasted carrots, parsnips and squash in a cumin-shallot vinaigrette with chickpea-walnut hummus and whole-wheat flatbread;
As a side dish: serve alongside any protein, such as sautéed chicken cutlets, pork chops or turkey sausages
As a pasta accompaniment: cook pasta according to package; drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; squeeze two cloves of the roasted garlic into the cream, season with salt and pepper and whisk to incorporate. Cut up the roasted veggies into pieces the same size as your pasta (penne, rigatoni, farfalle and ziti are great for this). Reheat over medium-low heat, using the same pot you cooked the pasta. When warmed through, add the pasta and the garlic-infused cream. Toss to coat. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano.
No. 2: Spinach
Do not try this with pre-washed baby spinach, please! Use at least 2 lbs of "real" spinach, the kind that needs washing and has stem you need to remove. Once you do that, steam until wilted. Drain in a colander or sieve. Squeeze out excess water and be amazed at how much it cooks down! Here's how to use it:
As a side dish: serve hot, just-steamed spinach with butter and salt and pepper.
As a filling for a puff-pastry tart: Chop 1 cup of spinach, toss in 3 tablespoons of golden raisins, 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 1 tart apple, diced into 1/4-inch cubes and a 1/4 cup grated gruyere. You could add some diced prosciutto as well. Fold in a beaten egg. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Follow the directions for assembling and baking the tart here.
As a pasta sauce: In the bowl of a food processor combine 3/4 cup of spinach, 4 oz. goat cheese softened, 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, 2 tablespoons half-and-half (whole milk works in a pinch), 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Blitz in the food processor until smooth. Cook pasta according to package and coat hot pasta with the sauce.
As breakfast for dinner: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté a small yellow onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup chopped spinach to pan to warm through. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche — whatever you have on hand — and 1/4 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup grated cheese — gruyere, aged white cheddar, whatever you have in your fridge. Butter 4 ramekins and place in a shallow baking. Divide spinach mixture evenly among them. Make a "well" in the center of each and carefully crack an egg into the indentation. Bake in oven until whites are set, roughly 15 minutes. Serve with toast or warm, crusty bread.
As a side dish: serve alongside any protein, such as sautéed chicken cutlets, pork chops or turkey sausages
As a pasta accompaniment: cook pasta according to package; drain. Meanwhile heat 1/4 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat; squeeze two cloves of the roasted garlic into the cream, season with salt and pepper and whisk to incorporate. Cut up the roasted veggies into pieces the same size as your pasta (penne, rigatoni, farfalle and ziti are great for this). Reheat over medium-low heat, using the same pot you cooked the pasta. When warmed through, add the pasta and the garlic-infused cream. Toss to coat. Top with grated parmigiano reggiano.
No. 2: Spinach
Do not try this with pre-washed baby spinach, please! Use at least 2 lbs of "real" spinach, the kind that needs washing and has stem you need to remove. Once you do that, steam until wilted. Drain in a colander or sieve. Squeeze out excess water and be amazed at how much it cooks down! Here's how to use it:
As a side dish: serve hot, just-steamed spinach with butter and salt and pepper.
As a filling for a puff-pastry tart: Chop 1 cup of spinach, toss in 3 tablespoons of golden raisins, 3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts, 1 tart apple, diced into 1/4-inch cubes and a 1/4 cup grated gruyere. You could add some diced prosciutto as well. Fold in a beaten egg. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Follow the directions for assembling and baking the tart here.
As a pasta sauce: In the bowl of a food processor combine 3/4 cup of spinach, 4 oz. goat cheese softened, 1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano, 2 tablespoons half-and-half (whole milk works in a pinch), 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper to taste. Blitz in the food processor until smooth. Cook pasta according to package and coat hot pasta with the sauce.
As breakfast for dinner: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Sauté a small yellow onion until soft and translucent. Add 1/2 cup chopped spinach to pan to warm through. Add 1/4 cup heavy cream or crème fraîche — whatever you have on hand — and 1/4 teaspoon of each salt and pepper. Stir to combine. Stir in 1/4 cup grated cheese — gruyere, aged white cheddar, whatever you have in your fridge. Butter 4 ramekins and place in a shallow baking. Divide spinach mixture evenly among them. Make a "well" in the center of each and carefully crack an egg into the indentation. Bake in oven until whites are set, roughly 15 minutes. Serve with toast or warm, crusty bread.
No. 3: Beans and other legumes
I love beans. These versatile little numbers have it all: protein, fiber, complex carbs, B vitamins and iron. Make a big pot of beans or lentils on the weekend — use the method of your choice (I like an over-night soak and a slow simmer in a Dutch oven) and have a bean-filled week. Here's how to use them:
As a salad: Toss any cooked bean (rinsed and drained) with finely diced red onion (I rinsed these too), fresh herbs, a splash of vinegar or citrus juice, olive oil, salt and pepper taste. A diced apple is a lovely addition in the fall.
As a veggie burger: In the bowl of a food processor, blitz 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds into a fine meal. Add 2 cups beans and puree until slightly chunky. Remove mixture to a large bowl. Fold in one egg, juice from half a lime or lemon, 1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs, 1/4 cup minced onion, chopped parsley or cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of both cumin and coriander and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using 1/2 cup portions, form into six patties and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook for 4 minutes per side, using caution when turning them as they are fragile. These are bun optional, so top with sprouts, mixed greens, avocado slices, salsa, Greek yogurt, etc. whatever you fancy.
As a soup base: For any soup you will need:
2 cups of cooked beans
4 cups stock — chicken or vegetable
A classic mirepoix: carrots, celery and onions (leeks work too); sauté until soft.
Add seasonings: it all depends on what you use for your herbs and spice.
Tex-Mex version: to the mirepoix, add some cumin, dried Mexican oregano and minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
French version: toss in some fresh thyme, a pinch of herbes de Provence and minced garlic.
Italian version: could include some pancetta with the mirepoix and some rosemary and sliced garlic at the end of the sauté.
Indian version: could include some curry powder or garam masala
Once your seasonings become fragrant — usually after a minute of sautéing — add 2 cups of cooked beans, 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and simmer for 30-45 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. At this point you can either puree the mixture or leave it chunky; it’s up to you.
For enrichments, toppings and garnishes: Add cream (French), coconut milk or plain yogurt (Indian version). Top with crème fraîche, fresh chopped herbs, a drizzle of really good extra virgin olive oil, croutons, the list goes on and on.
I love beans. These versatile little numbers have it all: protein, fiber, complex carbs, B vitamins and iron. Make a big pot of beans or lentils on the weekend — use the method of your choice (I like an over-night soak and a slow simmer in a Dutch oven) and have a bean-filled week. Here's how to use them:
As a salad: Toss any cooked bean (rinsed and drained) with finely diced red onion (I rinsed these too), fresh herbs, a splash of vinegar or citrus juice, olive oil, salt and pepper taste. A diced apple is a lovely addition in the fall.
As a veggie burger: In the bowl of a food processor, blitz 1/4 cup toasted walnuts or almonds into a fine meal. Add 2 cups beans and puree until slightly chunky. Remove mixture to a large bowl. Fold in one egg, juice from half a lime or lemon, 1/2 cup whole-wheat bread crumbs, 1/4 cup minced onion, chopped parsley or cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon of both cumin and coriander and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Using 1/2 cup portions, form into six patties and chill in the fridge for 10-15 minutes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat and cook for 4 minutes per side, using caution when turning them as they are fragile. These are bun optional, so top with sprouts, mixed greens, avocado slices, salsa, Greek yogurt, etc. whatever you fancy.
As a soup base: For any soup you will need:
2 cups of cooked beans
4 cups stock — chicken or vegetable
A classic mirepoix: carrots, celery and onions (leeks work too); sauté until soft.
Add seasonings: it all depends on what you use for your herbs and spice.
Tex-Mex version: to the mirepoix, add some cumin, dried Mexican oregano and minced garlic and sauté for a minute until fragrant.
French version: toss in some fresh thyme, a pinch of herbes de Provence and minced garlic.
Italian version: could include some pancetta with the mirepoix and some rosemary and sliced garlic at the end of the sauté.
Indian version: could include some curry powder or garam masala
Once your seasonings become fragrant — usually after a minute of sautéing — add 2 cups of cooked beans, 4 cups of chicken or vegetable stock and simmer for 30-45 minutes to allow the flavors to combine. At this point you can either puree the mixture or leave it chunky; it’s up to you.
For enrichments, toppings and garnishes: Add cream (French), coconut milk or plain yogurt (Indian version). Top with crème fraîche, fresh chopped herbs, a drizzle of really good extra virgin olive oil, croutons, the list goes on and on.
Happy eating, -s.
Our first winter squash arrived in our CSA on Saturday; it’s a bespeckled carnival. Can't wait to roast it for a gorgeous salad of warm roasted squash, bacon lardons, dandelion greens and pecans from Suzanne Goin's amazing cookbook, Sunday Suppers at Lucques, which I L-O-V-E, love.Speaking of cookbooks, I've been reading Heidi Swanson's blog, 101 cookbooks, which is very inspiring in an oh-so-good-for-you kind of way. She is a vegetarian, but her food is gorgeous, flavorful and inspiring. Check her out if you haven't ... her book, Super Natural Cooking, is a great primer on whole foods as well.
With that, here's what we're eating this week.
In our CSA box:
Carrots
Carnival Squash
Cauliflower
Dandelion greens
Garlic
Heirloom Tomatoes
Leeks
Poblano Pepper
Purple Beans
Red Onion
Romanesco
Spinach
Sungold Tomatoes
Sweet Red & Orange Frying Peppers
White Globe Radish Yellow Potatoes
Menu: Week of 27 September 2009
Sunday: peperoni e pepperoni pizza Рair-cured organic salami with saut̩ed sweet peppers and onions
Monday: hummus, roasted sungold tomatoes and spinach cacik on grilled naan with roasted yellow potatoes
Tuesday: zucchini ricotta frittata served with white globe radishes on buttered toast
Wednesday: curried cauliflower with brown basmati rice
Thursday: roasted carnival squash salad with lardons, dandelion greens, pecans and manchego cheese
Friday: spicy sautéed romanesco with sesame noodles
Saturday: salad Niçoise with roasted yellow potatoes, purple beans and heirloom tomatoes
Happy eating! -s
Anthony Bourdain visited Vietnam on a recent No Reservations and it got me hankering for a banh mi. I love the one at Mermaid Cafe, but they are not open for dinner (but should be!) so I had to come up with my own. It's definitely not what you would get in Vietnam, but it's vaguely reminiscent and sometimes that's just as good.A traditional banh mi has julienned daikon in its "slaw," but since I’m trying to eat what is seasonal and local, the slaw in my recipe is comprised of carrots and broccoli stalks from our Driftless Organics CSA. The meats, both fresh and cured, vary from region to region and cook to cook, so I use roasted chicken breasts, as Pickle loves them, and took an idea from Gourmet’s recipe and use liverwurst instead of the traditional paté. This sandwich is all about assembly, so have everything prepped and ready to go before you start making the sandwiches. As the French say, "mise en place"… everything in its place!
Banh Mi
Serves 2, easily doubled
Ingredients
For the Slaw
1 small carrot, julienned
1 small broccoli stalk, julienned
Juice from ½ a lime
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cane sugar
For the chicken
1 whole chicken breast, split – you will have leftovers, which I use for Pickle's dinner the following night, but it also makes great chicken salad.
Banh MiServes 2, easily doubled
Ingredients
For the Slaw
1 small carrot, julienned
1 small broccoli stalk, julienned
Juice from ½ a lime
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 teaspoon cane sugar
For the chicken
1 whole chicken breast, split – you will have leftovers, which I use for Pickle's dinner the following night, but it also makes great chicken salad.
1 teaspoon Chinese five spice powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
For the sandwich
1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced on the diagonal
½ cup cilantro leaves and some stems
4 large or 8 small basil leaves, preferably Thai basil
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ inch disk of liverwurst, about 2 oz.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixed with one teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce
1 demi baguette or half a full-size baguette
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
On a foil-lined cookie sheet, place the chicken breast halves. Coat with olive oil and then sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Rub mixture into the skin to help penetrate. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool while prepping the other ingredients. When cool enough to handle, discard skin and shred meat into bite-size pieces and set aside.
Julienne carrot and broccoli stalk using the julienne blade on a mandolin or by hand. Stir together lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss with vegetables. Let slaw stand, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Then, drain slaw in a colander.
Meanwhile, split the baguette and trim ends if overly bulbous and heat baguette cut-side-down on rack in oven until crusty, about 5 minutes.
Mix together sesame oil, fish sauce, and soy sauce and brush on cut sides of bread. Spread liverwurst on bottom layer of bread and top with chiles, onion, basil and cilantro and lettuce. Spread top layer of bread with chile mayonnaise.
On top of the other fillings, arrange chicken, then slaw. Top with the other half and cut sandwich into two servings.
Happy eating, -s
½ teaspoon kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
For the sandwich1 tablespoon fish sauce
½ tablespoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 jalapeño, thinly sliced on the diagonal
½ cup cilantro leaves and some stems
4 large or 8 small basil leaves, preferably Thai basil
½ small red onion, thinly sliced
1 ½ inch disk of liverwurst, about 2 oz.
2 tablespoons mayonnaise mixed with one teaspoon Sriracha chile sauce
1 demi baguette or half a full-size baguette
Directions
Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.
On a foil-lined cookie sheet, place the chicken breast halves. Coat with olive oil and then sprinkle with the 1 teaspoon five-spice powder, salt and pepper. Rub mixture into the skin to help penetrate. Roast for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool while prepping the other ingredients. When cool enough to handle, discard skin and shred meat into bite-size pieces and set aside.Julienne carrot and broccoli stalk using the julienne blade on a mandolin or by hand. Stir together lime juice, vinegar, sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and toss with vegetables. Let slaw stand, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes. Then, drain slaw in a colander.
Meanwhile, split the baguette and trim ends if overly bulbous and heat baguette cut-side-down on rack in oven until crusty, about 5 minutes.Mix together sesame oil, fish sauce, and soy sauce and brush on cut sides of bread. Spread liverwurst on bottom layer of bread and top with chiles, onion, basil and cilantro and lettuce. Spread top layer of bread with chile mayonnaise.
On top of the other fillings, arrange chicken, then slaw. Top with the other half and cut sandwich into two servings.
Happy eating, -s
My husband Chris is obsessed with eggplant. During football season he makes numerous batches of Marc Bittman's delicious eggplant dip from How to Cook Everything. A new football-watching favorite is from his boss who is Italian; he shared his recipe for breaded eggplant "cutlets" that he serves hot with wedges of lemon – pretty divine, too. Well, we had an eggplant in our CSA box and it was just staring at me every time I opened the fridge. Since Chris LOVES eggplant, I thought I would showcase it for our lunch last weekend. Taking the simplicity of flavors in Bittman's dip with the crispy-creamy ying and yang of the cutlets, I came up with these "napoleons." I got two thumbs up from my eggplant connoisseur, which in my book is a success. I hope you like them too!Eggplant, Tomato and Fresh Mozzarella Napoleons
Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, peeled – cut one end off
1 medium-sized eggplant, sliced into ½-inch disks
1 large slicing tomato, sliced into ½-inch disks
1 ball of fresh mozzarella, sliced into ½-inch disks
¼ cup whole-wheat flour
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4-8 basil leaves
Sea salt for garnish
Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the pan is preheating, rub each eggplant cutlet with the cut end of the garlic clove. Add flour, a large pinch of salt and pepper to a Ziploc bag and shake the eggplant disks to lightly dust them with flour. Shake off excess flour and add a layer of eggplant to the pan – don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until dark golden brown and the interior yields gently to pressure. Drain on paper towels and cook other batch of eggplant in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
Layer the eggplant with a tomato slice (season with a pinch of salt and pepper), then 2 basil leaves and topped with mozzarella. Repeat layers once more and then drizzle with really, really good olive oil and pinch of flakey sea salt. Eat post haste.
¼ cup olive oil, plus more for drizzling
4-8 basil leaves
Sea salt for garnish
Directions:
Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. While the pan is preheating, rub each eggplant cutlet with the cut end of the garlic clove. Add flour, a large pinch of salt and pepper to a Ziploc bag and shake the eggplant disks to lightly dust them with flour. Shake off excess flour and add a layer of eggplant to the pan – don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side, until dark golden brown and the interior yields gently to pressure. Drain on paper towels and cook other batch of eggplant in the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil.
Layer the eggplant with a tomato slice (season with a pinch of salt and pepper), then 2 basil leaves and topped with mozzarella. Repeat layers once more and then drizzle with really, really good olive oil and pinch of flakey sea salt. Eat post haste.
Saturday was a good day. We had lots of visitors: my sister and her family came for a Café Soleil-supplied breakfast – the pastries were a big hit with the kiddies and adults; Chris's mom and dad both popped in for visits and Chris and I had a very grown-up date night at L'Etoile. The meal was pretty mind blowing. Can't wait to tell you all about it, but it deserves a post of its own, so you'll just have to wait! The market is hitting its peak-season stride and is literally spilling over with freshness. It is almost too overwhelming to make a decision on what to buy! We hit the Dane County Farmers' Market at o-dark 30 on Saturday morning and we still hit a major crowd – clearly people have the same idea as us: hit the market early for the good stuff. Here's the “good stuff” we picked up and a weekly menu to match:
At the Market
Apricots
Basil
Beets
Blueberries
Broccoli-kale hybrid – very interesting stuff; can't wait to use it!
Cilantro
Dandelion greens
Eggplant
Lettuce
Onions
Red bell pepper
Scallions
Sweet corn
Tomatoes: heirlooms and Juliette
Zucchini
Menu: week of 23 August 2009
Sunday: BLT pizza with roasted Juliette tomatoes, bacon, arugula and roasted garlic – we will be having this every weekend during tomato season, per Chris's request :)
Monday: Sautéed dandelion greens bruschetta with fresh ricotta and oven-baked fresh figs wrapped in bacon
Tuesday: BLTs with green beans vinaigrette
Wednesday: Ina Garten’s roasted vegetable orzo from Barefoot Contessa Parties
Thursday: Sautéed broccoli-kale with spicy sesame whole-wheat noodles topped with a fried egg
Friday: Pasta with corn and zucchini sautéed in brown butter with parmigiano reggiano
Saturday: TBD
Oh, summer, how I love thee! let me count the ways: tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes, tomatoes!On Saturday, we had a CSA delivery and we hit the Dane County Farmers’ Market, too. There’s just so much in season right now that we want to enjoy it fully since our growing season is so short!
Tomatoes and corn carry the menu this week. I’ve got some great recipes that will be posted soon, including:
Market tomato and goat cheese tart – a Pickle-tested, Pickle-approved recipe
Eggplant, tomato and fresh mozzarella napoleons
BLT pizza
In our CSA Box/At the Market:
Arugula
Blueberries
Carrots
Cucumbers
Cilantro
Edamame
Eggplant
Garlic
Jalapeños
Sweet peppers
Green leaf lettuce
Purple green beans
Red onions
Sungold Tomatoes
Sweet Corn
Tomatillos
Tomatoes – heirloom and slicers
Zucchini
Menu: week of 16 August 2009
Sunday: BLT Pizza – roasted Sungold tomatoes, bacon, arugula and roasted garlic
Monday: Sautéed zucchini and Monterey jack enchiladas with roasted salsa verde and an avocado salad
Tuesday: Mahi Mahi kebabs with lemon-scented, herbed Greek yogurt, naan and roasted sweet corn
Wednesday: out to dinner
Thursday: Fish tacos with shredded Napa cabbage and avocado crema
Friday: BLTs with green beans vinaigrette
Saturday: Date night
It was a two-basket trip to the market this week. Pickle wanted to be carried half-way through our circuit, so the stroller took over as a cart for all of our goodies. The weather is finally getting warm again and with that a return to more summery cooking. Our menu this week is loaded with vegetables – some more successfully executed than others (more on that in a later post).We picked up kale from our favorite heirloom tomato vendor who sells other gorgeous produce when her tomatoes are ripening (her red-skinned potatoes are also divine). I asked her when the first tomatoes will be at the market and she promised this coming Saturday! So, some tomato- and, hopefully, corn-heavy menus will be coming soon!
At the Market
Baby zucchini
Baby Yukon golds
Banana peppers
Blueberries
Carrots
Cilantro
English peas, shelled
Gentle Breeze honey
Green-leaf lettuce
Golden beets
Italian flat-leaf parsley
Kale
Raspberries
Sweet cherries
Pickle the picky eater?!
Pickle has decided not to like any of the food he used to scarf down. Anything in sandwich form will pass his lips, but the batch of gorgeous spinach-ricotta ravioli I just cooked up is barely getting a glance; tragic, indeed.
Here are some sandwiches I’ve been experimenting with (all are on toasted six-grain bread):
Scrambled egg, melted cheese, avocado and yogurt-curry sauce (Greek yogurt, Madras curry powder, squeeze of lemon juice, pinch of salt and pepper to taste)
Almond butter, mashed bananas, Organic Valley cream cheese
Fried egg (cooked yolk), green-leaf lettuce and veggie-herb cream cheese spread (softened cream cheese, yellow roasted peppers, parsley, cilantro blitzed in food processor)
Roasted zucchini and purple bell peppers with melted Cedar Grove Cheddar and garlic-herb chevre
Up next: roasted beet and goat cheese
Menu: week of 26 July 2009
Sunday: Grilled sirloin steak sandwiches on toasted sourdough rolls with chimichurri (parsley, cilantro, garlic, red pepper flakes, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper, blitzed in the food processor)
Monday: Holley's garlicky sautéed kale on ricotta bruschetta
Tuesday: Farfalle with green beans in a mint-pea pesto
Wednesday: Roasted zucchini and purple bell peppers with melted Cedar Grove Cheddar and garlic-herb chevre with roasted Yukon golds
Thursday: Chicken burgers with quick pickles and romesco sauce on whole-wheat buns and served with a roasted beet salad
Friday: Pizza with sautéed banana peppers and Fraboni’s sausage
One last item for the ladies: a great little article on the how and why of eating organic (it says you can drink red wine, so I’m buying it!): http://blogs.webmd.com/health-ehome/2009/07/5-organic-foods-every-woman-should-eat.html?ecd=wnl_lbt_072909
While fall may have arrived in Madison this weekend (it was 68 degrees and cloudy), our CSA delivery was summer in a box! I can't wait to cook this week; I need some kitchen therapy to recover from last week's horrendousness at work. Know that bumper sticker that reads, "Mean People Suck”? Well, they really do!But enough about that — time for the good stuff. Our Driftless Organics CSA box contained lots of goodies from all corners of the world. Italy was heavily represented with gorgeous cippolini onions, zucchini, Chioggia beets and basil. We’ll be hitting India with some curried cauliflower (aloo gobi); China with some lo mein and stir-fried green beans; France with some freshly ground sausage patties seasoned with herbes de Provence and served with cabbage sautéed in beurre noisette (aka brown butter). We’ll be heading across the border with some escabèche-style veggies that are great with a cold beer and some tortilla chips. Hopefully work won’t get in the way of cooking this week and I’ll have lots to share.
In our CSA box:
Basil
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Cippolini onions
Cucumbers
Collard Greens
Dill
Fresh Garlic
Green Beans
Garnet and Chioggia beets
Green Zucchini
Pickling Cucumbers
Red Cabbage
Red Romaine Lettuce
Menu: week of 19 July 2009
Sunday: Day of rest (even a foodie needs a day off)
Monday: Curried cauliflower with basmati rice
Tuesday: Garlicky sautéed collards on fresh ricotta bruschetta with roasted beet salad
Wednesday: Stir-fried green beans with spicy ground turkey
Thursday: Caramelized cippolini and zucchini pizza with chevre and oregano
Friday: Fresh garlic lo mein with stir-fried sesame broccoli topped with a fried egg
Saturday: Homemade sausage with sautéed red cabbage in beurre noisette
Extra, Extras! Escabèche-style pickled veggies, zucchini bread and a big batch of pesto for the freezer
What’s on the menu at your house? I would love to know what you’re cooking this week!
