Saturday, August 11, 2007
Tuesday, August 07, 2007
Dinner for a Recovering Friend
Our friend Michael got quite the surprise last week. He went into Eisenhower Hospital for a routine operation and came out a week later with a triple bypass. So when he was up to it, we had him and his partner Tom over for dinner on Saturday to give them a night out. I hope everything was okay for his new heart-healthy diet.
The starter recipe I got off of the KARE 11 website the other day while looking for videos of the bridge collapse. It's from a restaurant called Cue in Minneapolis. Very refreshing and lots of flavors going on all at the same time.
Green Gazpacho with Lime Sour Cream
For the gazpacho:
1 c. honeydew melon, peeled and seeded
1 T. jalapeño peppers, gilled and seeded (I used ungrilled)
¼ c. green bell peppers, gilled and seeded (I used ungrilled)
¼ c. green onions, chopped
½ c. English cucumbers, chopped skin on
1 c. tomatillos, husked and chopped
1 c. sweet onions, peeled and diced ¼" (I used shallots)
2 T. Banyuls vinegar or other red wine vinegar (I used sherry vinegar)
2 T. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 t. fine sea salt
½ t. white pepper, freshly ground
For the sour cream:
1 c. sour cream (I used low fat)
2 T. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 t. sea salt
½ t. Tellicherry black pepper, freshly ground
(I thought it was a bit thick for drizzling so I added a bit of water to thin it down.)
Preparation:
For the gazpacho:
Purée the fruits and vegetables with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Transfer to a labeled container with a tight fitting lid, and refrigerate immediately. (Thin with some water if too thick)
For the sour cream:
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly in a stainless steel mixing bowl until well blended.
For the plate:
Ladle six ounces of gazpacho into a chilled serving bowl. Garnish with sour cream and some freshly chopped chives. (the store didn't have chives, so I used thinly sliced green part of scallion)
- - - - - - -
For the salad I made a refreshing salad of watermelon, shallots, feta and olives. Recipe adapted from a recipe in Food & Wine.
Watermelon Salad with Feta
SERVES: 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon harissa or other hot sauce (I used harissa)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (I used shallot)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Moroccan or other oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and harissa and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the watermelon slices on a platter and sprinkle with the onion, parsley, olives and feta. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve.
- - - - - - -
Next up was a recipe that came in a weekly newsletter from The Splendid Table for using the season's best tomatoes in a amazingly simple recipe. It just so happens the grape tomatoes from Costco this year are sugary sweet; so they were perfect for part of the sauce. Allow the maximum time for the tomatoes to give up as much juice as possible. In addition to rubbing the bowl with garlic, I pressed a clove into the tomatoes as well. Start with only half the sea salt; 1 teaspoon seemed to be excessive. You can always add more later.
Mellowed Fresh Tomatoes for Pasta
Copyright 2007 Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish
1 clove garlic, split
3 pounds richly flavored tomatoes (if possible, one-third cherry type, one-third mellow-tasting, and one-third low-acid), unpeeled, unseeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 generous pinches hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil (I used Goya brand Spanish)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti, or linguine (Barilla brand)
6 quarts boiling salted water
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, or to taste
3 tight-packed tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
1. Vigorously rub a pasta serving bowl with the garlic and discard the clove. Add the tomatoes, red pepper, oil, and the salt. Gently combine. Let stand at room temperature from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
2. When ready to eat, cook the pasta in fiercely boiling salted water, stirring often, until tender yet firm to the bite. Drain in a colander and turn it into the pasta bowl. Quickly add the black pepper and basil, and toss everything together. Taste the pasta for seasoning and serve. If you like, pass cheese at the table
Here's a tip from Lynee:
• "I discovered a trick for making pasta with raw tomato sauces taste lustier. Slightly undercook the pasta. Drain it. Spoon the juices that raw sauces always throw off into the empty pasta pot. Set it over medium-low heat, add the pasta and toss until the juices are absorbed, then add the pasta to the sauce. Pasta and raw tomato sauce are served at room temperature, never chilled."
- - - - - - -
I thought some protein was needed to bump up the pasta, so I made a batch of breaded chicken breasts. So moist and tasty. I strayed from the recipe by browing both sides and finishing them off in a 325 oven for about 25 minutes, until the internal temperature reached about 165. The recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated online.
Crisp Breaded Chicken Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed
1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 - 8 slices high-quality white bread such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed and torn into rough 1 1/2-inch pieces
Ground black pepper
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup vegetable oil
lemon wedges for serving
1. Pound chicken breasts to even 1/2-inch thickness. Dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart cold water in gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Add cutlets and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate 30 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels.
2. Remove cutlets and lay in single layer on baking sheet; cover with another triple layer of paper towels and press firmly to absorb moisture. Allow cutlets to dry for 10 minutes. Process bread in food processor until evenly fine-textured, 20 to 30 seconds (you should have about 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs). Transfer crumbs to baking dish. Carefully peel paper towels off cutlets, sprinkle cutlets with pepper, and set aside.
3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread flour in baking dish. Beat eggs with 1 tablespoon oil in second baking dish. Spread bread crumbs in third baking dish.
4. As shown in illustrations below, bread the cutlets, one at a time. Dredge cutlet in flour, shaking off excess. Using tongs, dip both sides of cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into baking dish to ensure very thin coating. Dip both sides of cutlet in bread crumbs, pressing crumbs with fingers to form even, cohesive coat. Place breaded cutlets in single layer on wire rack set over baking sheet and allow coating to dry for about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons remaining oil in heavy-bottomed 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Lay two cutlets gently in skillet; cook until deep golden brown and crisp on first side, gently pressing down on cutlets with wide metal spatula to help ensure even browning, about 2 1/2 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until meat feels firm when pressed gently and second side is deep golden brown and crisp, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes longer. Line warmed plate with double layer of paper towels and set cutlets on top; return plate to oven.
6. Discard oil in skillet and wipe skillet clean using tongs and large wad of paper towels. Repeat step 5 using remaining 6 tablespoons oil and now-clean skillet to cook remaining cutlets; serve along with first batch with lemon wedges.
- - - - - - -
For dessert I made very low-fat milkshakes using nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1% milk and reduced-fat Oreos. Yummy! Turned them slightly mocha with some instant espresso powder.
The starter recipe I got off of the KARE 11 website the other day while looking for videos of the bridge collapse. It's from a restaurant called Cue in Minneapolis. Very refreshing and lots of flavors going on all at the same time.
Green Gazpacho with Lime Sour Cream
For the gazpacho:
1 c. honeydew melon, peeled and seeded
1 T. jalapeño peppers, gilled and seeded (I used ungrilled)
¼ c. green bell peppers, gilled and seeded (I used ungrilled)
¼ c. green onions, chopped
½ c. English cucumbers, chopped skin on
1 c. tomatillos, husked and chopped
1 c. sweet onions, peeled and diced ¼" (I used shallots)
2 T. Banyuls vinegar or other red wine vinegar (I used sherry vinegar)
2 T. fresh Italian parsley, chopped
1 t. fine sea salt
½ t. white pepper, freshly ground
For the sour cream:
1 c. sour cream (I used low fat)
2 T. lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 t. sea salt
½ t. Tellicherry black pepper, freshly ground
(I thought it was a bit thick for drizzling so I added a bit of water to thin it down.)
Preparation:
For the gazpacho:
Purée the fruits and vegetables with the remaining ingredients in a high speed blender until smooth. Transfer to a labeled container with a tight fitting lid, and refrigerate immediately. (Thin with some water if too thick)
For the sour cream:
Mix all of the ingredients thoroughly in a stainless steel mixing bowl until well blended.
For the plate:
Ladle six ounces of gazpacho into a chilled serving bowl. Garnish with sour cream and some freshly chopped chives. (the store didn't have chives, so I used thinly sliced green part of scallion)
For the salad I made a refreshing salad of watermelon, shallots, feta and olives. Recipe adapted from a recipe in Food & Wine.
Watermelon Salad with Feta
SERVES: 4
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon harissa or other hot sauce (I used harissa)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 pounds seedless watermelon, rind removed, fruit sliced 1/4 inch thick
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (I used shallot)
1/4 cup coarsely chopped flat-leaf parsley
1/4 cup pitted Moroccan or other oil-cured black olives, coarsely chopped
2 ounces feta cheese, crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
1. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil with the lemon juice and harissa and season with salt and pepper. Arrange the watermelon slices on a platter and sprinkle with the onion, parsley, olives and feta. Drizzle the dressing on top and serve.
Next up was a recipe that came in a weekly newsletter from The Splendid Table for using the season's best tomatoes in a amazingly simple recipe. It just so happens the grape tomatoes from Costco this year are sugary sweet; so they were perfect for part of the sauce. Allow the maximum time for the tomatoes to give up as much juice as possible. In addition to rubbing the bowl with garlic, I pressed a clove into the tomatoes as well. Start with only half the sea salt; 1 teaspoon seemed to be excessive. You can always add more later.
Mellowed Fresh Tomatoes for Pasta
Copyright 2007 Lynne Rossetto Kasper
Serves 6 to 8 as a first course, 4 to 6 as a main dish
1 clove garlic, split
3 pounds richly flavored tomatoes (if possible, one-third cherry type, one-third mellow-tasting, and one-third low-acid), unpeeled, unseeded, cut into 1/2-inch dice
2 generous pinches hot red pepper flakes
1/3 cup good tasting extra-virgin olive oil (I used Goya brand Spanish)
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 pound spaghetti, or linguine (Barilla brand)
6 quarts boiling salted water
1/8 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper, or to taste
3 tight-packed tablespoons fresh basil leaves, torn
1 cup fresh-grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (optional)
1. Vigorously rub a pasta serving bowl with the garlic and discard the clove. Add the tomatoes, red pepper, oil, and the salt. Gently combine. Let stand at room temperature from 30 minutes to 3 hours.
2. When ready to eat, cook the pasta in fiercely boiling salted water, stirring often, until tender yet firm to the bite. Drain in a colander and turn it into the pasta bowl. Quickly add the black pepper and basil, and toss everything together. Taste the pasta for seasoning and serve. If you like, pass cheese at the table
Here's a tip from Lynee:
• "I discovered a trick for making pasta with raw tomato sauces taste lustier. Slightly undercook the pasta. Drain it. Spoon the juices that raw sauces always throw off into the empty pasta pot. Set it over medium-low heat, add the pasta and toss until the juices are absorbed, then add the pasta to the sauce. Pasta and raw tomato sauce are served at room temperature, never chilled."
I thought some protein was needed to bump up the pasta, so I made a batch of breaded chicken breasts. So moist and tasty. I strayed from the recipe by browing both sides and finishing them off in a 325 oven for about 25 minutes, until the internal temperature reached about 165. The recipe is adapted from Cook's Illustrated online.
Crisp Breaded Chicken Cutlets
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (6 to 8 ounces each), tenderloins removed
1/2 cup kosher salt or 1/4 cup table salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
5 - 8 slices high-quality white bread such as Pepperidge Farm, crusts removed and torn into rough 1 1/2-inch pieces
Ground black pepper
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3/4 cup vegetable oil
lemon wedges for serving
1. Pound chicken breasts to even 1/2-inch thickness. Dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart cold water in gallon-size zipper-lock plastic bag. Add cutlets and seal bag, pressing out as much air as possible; refrigerate 30 minutes. Line rimmed baking sheet with triple layer of paper towels.
2. Remove cutlets and lay in single layer on baking sheet; cover with another triple layer of paper towels and press firmly to absorb moisture. Allow cutlets to dry for 10 minutes. Process bread in food processor until evenly fine-textured, 20 to 30 seconds (you should have about 1 1/2 cups fresh bread crumbs). Transfer crumbs to baking dish. Carefully peel paper towels off cutlets, sprinkle cutlets with pepper, and set aside.
3. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position, set large heatproof plate on rack, and heat oven to 200 degrees. Spread flour in baking dish. Beat eggs with 1 tablespoon oil in second baking dish. Spread bread crumbs in third baking dish.
4. As shown in illustrations below, bread the cutlets, one at a time. Dredge cutlet in flour, shaking off excess. Using tongs, dip both sides of cutlet in egg mixture, allowing excess to drip back into baking dish to ensure very thin coating. Dip both sides of cutlet in bread crumbs, pressing crumbs with fingers to form even, cohesive coat. Place breaded cutlets in single layer on wire rack set over baking sheet and allow coating to dry for about 5 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, heat 6 tablespoons remaining oil in heavy-bottomed 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking, about 2 minutes. Lay two cutlets gently in skillet; cook until deep golden brown and crisp on first side, gently pressing down on cutlets with wide metal spatula to help ensure even browning, about 2 1/2 minutes. Using tongs, flip cutlets, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook until meat feels firm when pressed gently and second side is deep golden brown and crisp, 2 1/2 to 3 minutes longer. Line warmed plate with double layer of paper towels and set cutlets on top; return plate to oven.
6. Discard oil in skillet and wipe skillet clean using tongs and large wad of paper towels. Repeat step 5 using remaining 6 tablespoons oil and now-clean skillet to cook remaining cutlets; serve along with first batch with lemon wedges.
For dessert I made very low-fat milkshakes using nonfat vanilla yogurt, 1% milk and reduced-fat Oreos. Yummy! Turned them slightly mocha with some instant espresso powder.
Monday, July 23, 2007
My Favorite Tomato Soup Recipe
Tomatoes were on sale last week, and so I made up a batch of my favorite tomato soup. Good thing because we had last-minute guests for dinner, so the timing was perfect. It's very easy to make, and you can control your seasonings to taste, such as the herbs and hot pepper flakes.
For dessert I had already planned rice pudding. The day before I made up a batch of jasmine rice in the rice cooker, and then it dried out in the fridge for a day. Then it's a snap to throw it together and bake it off a couple of hours before it's eaten. That way, it has a chance to cool but still be warm enough to enjoy with a drizzling of heavy cream. Fresh fruit would also be good. Leftovers, reheated, are a delicious and filling breakfast.
Olive oil & butter
Shallots
1 stalk celery, halved
salt, pepper
Sweat above, covered; then add to the above
pepper flakes
thyme
smoked paprika
1 – 2 T tomato paste
2 T brown sugar
2 T flour
Stir in well; then add to the above
About 5 lb tomatoes, either Roma or on-the-vine, coarsely chopped
Lower heat; simmer, covered, until tomatoes give up their juice and reduce a bit. Then add to the above
2 – 2 ½ cups water
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer; simmer, covered, 30 minutes; then process and strain or run through food mill. Then bring to a boil and reduce and then add to the above
Cream, about ½ cup
Retaste for salt and pepper.
This recipe came from the Sterns website called Roadfood.com. They do a segment each week on The Splendid Table show on NPR. It's very conveniently available on podcast, free, through iTunes.
4 cups cooked rice
1-1/2 cups sugar
4 cups whole milk
1 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
dash of salt
Heavy cream
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all ingredients in a mixing bowl and mix well.
3. Pour into a casserole and bake 1-1/2 hours until the top is browned.
4. Serve warm, topped with a fine dust of nutmeg if desired. Drizzle with
cream.
Friday, July 20, 2007
Hairyspray -- Best Movie Ever???? Well, One of the Best!!!
Okay, so we went to the very first show today of the Hairspray premiere day. It was very good. Well, hell, it was effing incredible!! Go see it lots of times.
Enough? Alright already.
Enough? Alright already.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
Poor-Man's Osso Buco alla Milanese
The other day we drove down valley to Indio to shop at a new Latino market called Cardenas. Wow! Fantastic produce and meats. And the bakery is just like the ones in Mexico where you go through with a tray and tongs and pick out a variety of things. We'll definitely go back soon. Most memorable were the cheese-jalapeno rolls (ate them on the way home) and the Telera rolls. Way better than the ones we get from Ralph's.
MILAN-STYLE BRAISED VEAL SHANKS
Kitchen twine
6 center-cut veal shanks (each about 2 inches thick)(I only used 4 beef shanks)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups finely chopped onions
3/4 cup finely chopped carrot
3 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
(the onions, carrots, garlic I whizzed in the processor for quicker softening, and less chopping)
All purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice (I drained the juice really well; then reduced to a thicker consistency so the sauce wouldn't be so watery.)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 3 x 1/2-inch lemon peel strips (yellow part only)
3 cups (or more) canned beef broth (I used closer to 4 cups.)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Tie kitchen twine around circumference of each veal shank so that veal will hold shape while cooking. (Securing the twine was kind of tricky/slippery; so I just left it off and they came out fine. When finished, the meat separated from the bone anyway because it was so tender.) Set a heavy large pot over medium heat (pot should be big enough to accommodate meat arranged in single layer). Add 1/4 cup butter to pot and melt. Add onions, carrot and 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic and sauté until vegetables are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Coat veal with flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef to skillet and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer veal to pot with vegetables. Discard fat in skillet.
Add 1 cup white wine to skillet and boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, scraping up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Pour over veal and vegetables. Add canned tomatoes with juices, 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped basil and lemon peel strips to pot. Add enough beef broth to cover veal. Bring mixture to boil. Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil, then lid. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until veal is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (I brought it to a boil; then transferred to 325 convection oven for about 2 1/2 hours.) (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)
Transfer veal to platter; cover to keep warm. Boil sauce until slightly thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (I didn't bother reducing, because it was nice and chunky and not to thin as it was.)
(The following for gremolata was in the recipe, but I forgot to mix it up and it turned out fine.)
Mix grated lemon peel, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and 2 tablespoons parsley in small bowl. Pour sauce over veal. Sprinkle with lemon peel mixture.
Serves 6 (or 4 if making only 4 shanks)
Notes on the recipe:
Definitely a keeper. Next time, though, I'll sweat the vegetables as suggested, but instead of the messy browning step, I'll season the meat, place on a sheet pan in a hot oven, and roast them about 30 minutes until nicely browned; then deglaze the sheet pan with the wine. Lots less cleanup. To help thicken the sauce, I'll sprinkle the vegetables with flour and mix in well.
I started this in the afternoon, with the vegetables and browning steps; then deglazed. Cooled it all, stored it covered in the fridge until the next day and picked up with the rest of the recipe.
Served it up with sour cream garlic mashed potatoes.
Tonight we'll strip the meat from the remaining 2 large shanks and mix it with the sauce, top Telera rolls from Cardenas market in Indio, and mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Kitchen twine
6 center-cut veal shanks (each about 2 inches thick)(I only used 4 beef shanks)
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
2 cups finely chopped onions
3/4 cup finely chopped carrot
3 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
(the onions, carrots, garlic I whizzed in the processor for quicker softening, and less chopping)
All purpose flour
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups canned diced tomatoes in juice (I drained the juice really well; then reduced to a thicker consistency so the sauce wouldn't be so watery.)
4 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 3 x 1/2-inch lemon peel strips (yellow part only)
3 cups (or more) canned beef broth (I used closer to 4 cups.)
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
Tie kitchen twine around circumference of each veal shank so that veal will hold shape while cooking. (Securing the twine was kind of tricky/slippery; so I just left it off and they came out fine. When finished, the meat separated from the bone anyway because it was so tender.) Set a heavy large pot over medium heat (pot should be big enough to accommodate meat arranged in single layer). Add 1/4 cup butter to pot and melt. Add onions, carrot and 2 1/2 teaspoons garlic and sauté until vegetables are tender but not brown, about 10 minutes. Remove pot from heat.
Sprinkle shanks with salt and pepper. Coat veal with flour, shaking off excess. Heat 1/4 cup olive oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add beef to skillet and cook until brown, about 5 minutes per side. Transfer veal to pot with vegetables. Discard fat in skillet.
Add 1 cup white wine to skillet and boil until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup, scraping up browned bits, about 3 minutes. Pour over veal and vegetables. Add canned tomatoes with juices, 2 tablespoons parsley, chopped basil and lemon peel strips to pot. Add enough beef broth to cover veal. Bring mixture to boil. Cover pot tightly with aluminum foil, then lid. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer until veal is very tender, about 1 1/2 hours. (I brought it to a boil; then transferred to 325 convection oven for about 2 1/2 hours.) (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cool, cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium-low heat before continuing.)
Transfer veal to platter; cover to keep warm. Boil sauce until slightly thickened and reduced to 4 cups, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (I didn't bother reducing, because it was nice and chunky and not to thin as it was.)
(The following for gremolata was in the recipe, but I forgot to mix it up and it turned out fine.)
Mix grated lemon peel, remaining 1 teaspoon garlic and 2 tablespoons parsley in small bowl. Pour sauce over veal. Sprinkle with lemon peel mixture.
Serves 6 (or 4 if making only 4 shanks)
Notes on the recipe:
Definitely a keeper. Next time, though, I'll sweat the vegetables as suggested, but instead of the messy browning step, I'll season the meat, place on a sheet pan in a hot oven, and roast them about 30 minutes until nicely browned; then deglaze the sheet pan with the wine. Lots less cleanup. To help thicken the sauce, I'll sprinkle the vegetables with flour and mix in well.
I started this in the afternoon, with the vegetables and browning steps; then deglazed. Cooled it all, stored it covered in the fridge until the next day and picked up with the rest of the recipe.
Served it up with sour cream garlic mashed potatoes.
Tonight we'll strip the meat from the remaining 2 large shanks and mix it with the sauce, top Telera rolls from Cardenas market in Indio, and mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!
Monday, July 02, 2007
10-Day Forecast
High /Low (°F) Precip. %
Today
Jul 02 Sunny 116°/81° 10 %
Tue
Jul 03 Sunny 118°/83° 0 %
Wed
Jul 04 Sunny 121°/86° 10 %
Thu
Jul 05 Mostly Sunny 121°/88° 10 %
Fri
Jul 06 Partly Cloudy 118°/84° 10 %
Sat
Jul 07 Sunny 112°/80° 10 %
Sun
Jul 08 Sunny 109°/78° 10 %
Mon
Jul 09 Sunny 108°/78° 0 %
Tue
Jul 10 Sunny 108°/80° 0 %
Wed
Jul 11 Sunny 109°/78° 0 %
High /Low (°F) Precip. %
Today
Jul 02 Sunny 116°/81° 10 %
Tue
Jul 03 Sunny 118°/83° 0 %
Wed
Jul 04 Sunny 121°/86° 10 %
Thu
Jul 05 Mostly Sunny 121°/88° 10 %
Fri
Jul 06 Partly Cloudy 118°/84° 10 %
Sat
Jul 07 Sunny 112°/80° 10 %
Sun
Jul 08 Sunny 109°/78° 10 %
Mon
Jul 09 Sunny 108°/78° 0 %
Tue
Jul 10 Sunny 108°/80° 0 %
Wed
Jul 11 Sunny 109°/78° 0 %
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Friday, June 22, 2007
AB's Swiss Steak for Dinner
I was in Von's today -- actually there to pick up a gift card for a friend's 90th birthday party tomorrow -- and meandered down the produce aisles and grabbed some fresh fruit. Cherries, peaches, grapes. Got some U Bet chocolate syrup to try making my first egg creams; can't wait for that. The syrup, seltzer and milk are all chilling for later. Then I got the idea to try Alton Brown's Swiss steak for dinner and grabbed a nice top round steak. I know he recommends a bottom round, but this works fine too. We had picked up at TJ Maxx one of those meat tenderizers he used on his show, and I wanted to try it out. So here's how I made it.
Alton Brown's Swiss Steak
2 lb. top round, cut into serving-size pieces
salt and pepper
flour
vegetable oil
Season the meat with the salt and pepper; don't skimp on the salt. Dredge in flour, tapping off the excess. Tenderize with your device of choice. Dredge again in flour, tap off excess. Heat 1/4 cup oil in pan; when oil shimmers, brown a few pieces of meat about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Do not crowd. Remove when browned to plate. Repeat with remaining pieces.
2 onions, peeled, halved, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, sliced (AB's recipe called for celer; we didn't have any.)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Add onions and bell pepper to pan. Saute a few minutes. Add the garlic.
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Add paste to the pan with the vegetables. Stir to coat. Add the garlic.
Add to the pan:
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
28 oz. can chopped tomatoes (AB's recipe called for 14 1/2 oz can.)
1 1/2 cups beef broth (used water and a boullion cube)
Bring to a boil. Add the meat and accumulated juices back to the pan. Push the meat in so it's nestled in the sauce. Cover; transfer to preheated 325 oven. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until meat is fork tender.
It's been in the oven over an hour, and the house smells fantastic. Can't wait to try it with nice steamed rice and some mixed vegetables on the side.
2 lb. top round, cut into serving-size pieces
salt and pepper
flour
vegetable oil
Season the meat with the salt and pepper; don't skimp on the salt. Dredge in flour, tapping off the excess. Tenderize with your device of choice. Dredge again in flour, tap off excess. Heat 1/4 cup oil in pan; when oil shimmers, brown a few pieces of meat about 3 or 4 minutes on each side. Do not crowd. Remove when browned to plate. Repeat with remaining pieces.
2 onions, peeled, halved, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded, sliced (AB's recipe called for celer; we didn't have any.)
3 garlic cloves, minced
Add onions and bell pepper to pan. Saute a few minutes. Add the garlic.
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Add paste to the pan with the vegetables. Stir to coat. Add the garlic.
Add to the pan:
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon oregano
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
28 oz. can chopped tomatoes (AB's recipe called for 14 1/2 oz can.)
1 1/2 cups beef broth (used water and a boullion cube)
Bring to a boil. Add the meat and accumulated juices back to the pan. Push the meat in so it's nestled in the sauce. Cover; transfer to preheated 325 oven. Bake for 1 1/2 to 2 hours, until meat is fork tender.
It's been in the oven over an hour, and the house smells fantastic. Can't wait to try it with nice steamed rice and some mixed vegetables on the side.
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Best Meal in a Long Time -- and We Only Had to Travel to Minneapolis To Get It!
Here's a link to a fantastic restaurant in downtown Minneapolis. One of the best meals we've had in years.
rioja, marqués de céceres, spain 2004
blue prawns w/ rooster mayo
lamb scottadito w/ goats milk yogurt
sea scallops w/ oyster mushrooms
stringozzi w/ lamb sugo
nori encrusted sirloin w/ ponzu
cauliflower fritters
tres leches cake
A very relaxed atmosphere with efficient and friendly wait staff. Definitely looking forward to a repeat visit.
Sunday, May 06, 2007
Newest TV Addiction
This is our newest TV addiction. It's like watching a train wreck; you know it's going to happen, but cannot turn away.
Chicken legs with kumquats, prunes and green olives
Last Wednesday my brother and sister-in-law left their Tucson winter nesting spot and stopped by Palm Springs for a visit. They sold out everything in Chicago a couple years ago, bought a motor coach, hitched the Honda SUV to the back, loaded up the golden retrievers and hit the road. They rented a spot at a nice RV park in Cathedral City and just drove over for visits. The dogs loved it here, nice green lawn to do their business on, not desert sand. They were good fun and company.
While here we took Dan and Carol to the Coahella Valley Nature Preserve, an area of natural palm groves which sits atop the San Andreas fault line. Water bubbles up at that exact spot; the docent told us the seeping water from the mountains filters down, and when it hits the fault, and cannot go anywhere else, it bubbles up through cracks. Aside from the palms, there are nice hiking trails with signs explaining the surrounding plants and animals.
Chicken legs with kumquats, prunes and green olives
Total time: About 2 hours, 15 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Note: Adapted from "The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook." "This dish was inspired by Moroccan braises with preserved lemons and an old favorite 'Silver Palate' recipe," writes Saltsman. Serve with couscous or rice. Harissa, Moroccan hot sauce, can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets and gourmet stores such as Nicole's in Pasadena, Monsieur Marcel in Los Angeles and Surfas in Culver City.
1/2 pound prunes, or 6 ounces pitted prunes (used pitted, whole)
1/2 pound kumquats (last of the crop from the yard)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 pounds whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh) (used all thighs)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped (used shallots)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped (used 2)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup mild green olives, pitted (used Lindsay ripe green pitted canned olives)
About 1/2 cup chicken stock
Harissa (optional)
1. If using prunes with pits, bring one cup of water to a boil and pour the boiling water over the prunes to soften, about 15 minutes; drain and use a scissors to pit them. Quarter the prunes. (Left whole)
2. Quarter the kumquats lengthwise, remove the seed and center pith, and if you feel energetic, cut the quarters in half again lengthwise. Set the prunes and kumquats aside.
3. In a wide pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and brown, turning as needed, until golden on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. (Browned in the A.M., cooled, covered and put in fridge until dinner time.)
4. Pour off all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onion. Stir well, scraping the pan bottom to loosen the brown bits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring to deglaze the pot, until the liquid is reduced by slightly more than half, about 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the pot and add the prunes, kumquats, olives, and a little salt and pepper. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Add one-fourth cup of the stock, and simmer covered until the chicken is very tender, about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the sauce and adding stock, if needed, to keep the chicken half-submerged in the sauce. The dish may be made a day ahead and reheated. Serve with couscous or rice. To serve with harissa, remove a little of the sauce from the chicken and stir in harissa to taste; drizzle over plated dish.
Each serving: 368 calories; 28 grams protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 93 mg. cholesterol; 318 mg. sodium.
(Next time double the liquids so there’s more yummy sauce. Served with jasmine rice made with part stock, part water, salt, splash of xvoo.)
While here we took Dan and Carol to the Coahella Valley Nature Preserve, an area of natural palm groves which sits atop the San Andreas fault line. Water bubbles up at that exact spot; the docent told us the seeping water from the mountains filters down, and when it hits the fault, and cannot go anywhere else, it bubbles up through cracks. Aside from the palms, there are nice hiking trails with signs explaining the surrounding plants and animals.
Friday we all took a ride up the Palm Springs Aerial Tram. Even though it was fiercely windy in town, the ride up was surprisingly calm. Very strong gusts kept us close to the building at the top, but we all enjoyed the ride. Totally breathtaking. The rotating cars ascend two and a half miles to an altitude of 8,516 feet. Eddie and I bought summer season passes for a very reasonable price of $50 each, and just two more trips up and the tickets will be paid for. We look forward to lots of time up there this summer to escape the daily heat of the desert.
That morning, before leaving, I started to prep dinner, a recipe I saw last week in the LA Times food section. I actually had kumquats in a tree on the side of the house, so I wanted to try this recipe. I browned the chicken thighs in the morning, covered and chilled them, and also did all the slicing of the vegetables and fruit. When we got back from the tram, the rest was easy to throw together.
We started dinner with sliced Campari tomatoes, sliced fresh mozarella, fresh basil from the yard, drizzled with good olive oil, seasoned only with kosher salt and pepper. Jasmine rice was a perfect starch to soak up the yummy, but limited, sauce. For dessert, I broiled sliced golden pineapple, sprinkled with brown sugar, then topped with vanilla ice cream and a swirling of reduced berry-wine puree from the freezer.
All in all, a definite keeper to be repeated again many times in the future. A good substitute for kumquats would be lemon rind, sour orange, or Meyer lemon.
Total time: About 2 hours, 15 minutes
Servings: 6 to 8
Note: Adapted from "The Santa Monica Farmers Market Cookbook." "This dish was inspired by Moroccan braises with preserved lemons and an old favorite 'Silver Palate' recipe," writes Saltsman. Serve with couscous or rice. Harissa, Moroccan hot sauce, can be purchased at Middle Eastern markets and gourmet stores such as Nicole's in Pasadena, Monsieur Marcel in Los Angeles and Surfas in Culver City.
1/2 pound prunes, or 6 ounces pitted prunes (used pitted, whole)
1/2 pound kumquats (last of the crop from the yard)
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 1/2 pounds whole chicken legs (drumstick and thigh) (used all thighs)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 large onion, chopped (used shallots)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped (used 2)
3/4 cup dry white wine
1 cup mild green olives, pitted (used Lindsay ripe green pitted canned olives)
About 1/2 cup chicken stock
Harissa (optional)
1. If using prunes with pits, bring one cup of water to a boil and pour the boiling water over the prunes to soften, about 15 minutes; drain and use a scissors to pit them. Quarter the prunes. (Left whole)
2. Quarter the kumquats lengthwise, remove the seed and center pith, and if you feel energetic, cut the quarters in half again lengthwise. Set the prunes and kumquats aside.
3. In a wide pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Working in batches if necessary to avoid crowding, add the chicken, season generously with salt and pepper, and brown, turning as needed, until golden on all sides, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the chicken to a plate. (Browned in the A.M., cooled, covered and put in fridge until dinner time.)
4. Pour off all but 1 to 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pot, reduce the heat to medium-low, and add the onion. Stir well, scraping the pan bottom to loosen the brown bits, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent and soft, 5 to 7 minutes.
5. Add the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute more. Add the wine, raise the heat to medium, and cook, stirring to deglaze the pot, until the liquid is reduced by slightly more than half, about 3 minutes.
6. Return the chicken to the pot and add the prunes, kumquats, olives, and a little salt and pepper. Stir, cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Adjust seasoning as necessary. Add one-fourth cup of the stock, and simmer covered until the chicken is very tender, about 1 hour, basting occasionally with the sauce and adding stock, if needed, to keep the chicken half-submerged in the sauce. The dish may be made a day ahead and reheated. Serve with couscous or rice. To serve with harissa, remove a little of the sauce from the chicken and stir in harissa to taste; drizzle over plated dish.
Each serving: 368 calories; 28 grams protein; 21 grams carbohydrates; 4 grams fiber; 18 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 93 mg. cholesterol; 318 mg. sodium.
(Next time double the liquids so there’s more yummy sauce. Served with jasmine rice made with part stock, part water, salt, splash of xvoo.)
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Yes, There's an Upside to a Partially Defrosted Freezer!
I haven't posted for a week or so because we took a little trip to Laughlin, NV. Friends had received 2 free comps and invited us for a night, and we had received 2 free nights too and added them on. So we had four very nice days at the Colorado River, just as the big Laughlin River Run event was getting started. This is one of, if not the largest biker events in the West. All the hotels had tents set up in their front parking lots for vendors and food stands. Neeless to say, there were some very interesting (i.e., scary!) looking characters in town, and I think we got out just before all the madness was to start.
We did manage to take a little side trip to Oatman, an old mining ghost town on Historic Route 66. The wild burros come into town every day, wait for the tourists to feed them purchased carrots, and then head back to the hills at night. They're just too cute. I found this picture on Wikipedia.
So what does all this have to do with a defrosted freezer? Well..... when we got home, Eddie did some ironing and put the cooled-down iron on top of the freezer, but the cord was hanging over the front and when we went into the freezer, the cord kept the door open a bit, and this morning the temperature alarm started beeping and then we knew we had a problem on our hands. So we started taking food out and putting the still frozen things in ice chests with blue ice blocks and threw out old and damaged goods.
So here's the good part: we weeded out some old stuff and found some great things in the back where items tend to get lost and forgotten. I'm thawing out for dinner two containers of pozole from last year. I'm looking forward to that. Also, there was a package of turkey necks, so I started a stock with onions, carrots and celery. As I came across more stuff, in the pot they went. So now in addition to the turkey, there are chicken breasts on the bone, cooked chicken breasts, two bags of corn cobs, a container of chicken broth, and the usual stock herbs and spices like bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme. I threw in a head of garlic cloves too. So this should be a very complex and interesting stock. So I'll post again regarding how I ended up using the stock and some of the other goodies we came across.
We did manage to take a little side trip to Oatman, an old mining ghost town on Historic Route 66. The wild burros come into town every day, wait for the tourists to feed them purchased carrots, and then head back to the hills at night. They're just too cute. I found this picture on Wikipedia.
So what does all this have to do with a defrosted freezer? Well..... when we got home, Eddie did some ironing and put the cooled-down iron on top of the freezer, but the cord was hanging over the front and when we went into the freezer, the cord kept the door open a bit, and this morning the temperature alarm started beeping and then we knew we had a problem on our hands. So we started taking food out and putting the still frozen things in ice chests with blue ice blocks and threw out old and damaged goods.
So here's the good part: we weeded out some old stuff and found some great things in the back where items tend to get lost and forgotten. I'm thawing out for dinner two containers of pozole from last year. I'm looking forward to that. Also, there was a package of turkey necks, so I started a stock with onions, carrots and celery. As I came across more stuff, in the pot they went. So now in addition to the turkey, there are chicken breasts on the bone, cooked chicken breasts, two bags of corn cobs, a container of chicken broth, and the usual stock herbs and spices like bay leaf, peppercorns, thyme. I threw in a head of garlic cloves too. So this should be a very complex and interesting stock. So I'll post again regarding how I ended up using the stock and some of the other goodies we came across.
Friday, April 20, 2007
Simple but Oh So Good Steak Sandwich
Last night neither one of us were terribly hungry, so we ended up defrosting a couple of Costco beef tenderloin steaks and a Wal-Mart (Yes, this is the very best there is!) French baguette. I like to get the steaks out well before cooking so they're at room temperature and also I like to season them well ahead also. Kosher salt and black pepper on each side. Half an hour is okay, but an hour is even better. A filming of olive oil in a nonstick pan, heated over medium high heat, and in they go. About 4 minutes each side. I test using the push-on-the-meat-with-tongs method. Medium rare is good for us. Then a nice rest of at least 10 minutes. While they're resting, the defrosted baguette goes into the oven to heat up and crisp up the crust a bit. Split it lenthwise, a bit of softened butter, a bit of freshly ground pepper, the thinly sliced steak. Heaven! For myself, I added a slathering of herbed fig & honey tapenade/spread, made by La Terra Fina, purchased at Costco. It's so tasty with the meat. On the label it suggests using it with: sandwiches, fine cheeses, toast, grilled meats, grilled fish, salads, chips and crackers, flat breads and pita. I hope they still carry it when this jar is empty. If not it might be fun to try a batch on my own. The ingredients are: balck mission figs, figs, onions, honey, roasted red peppers, rice wine vinegar, herbs de Provence, cornstarch, chives, sea salt. Nothing too hard to find.
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Amateur Gourmet: Eggs Benedict video
Adam definetely has a future on TV. I think a great concept for Food Network would be exactly this type of show. A real hoot!
Breakfast for Dinner Night
I've had a hankering for a breakfast-for-dinner night for a while and decided to try a multi-grain waffle recipe I'd seen on the Eating Well site. I had on hand all the ingredients, except I used the suggested substitution of corn meal for wheat germ. The oatmeal soaks for a while in the buttermilk, and I think this made for a nice smooth batter. Also on hand, and in need of cooking, was the remainder of a package of Niman Ranch bacon from Trader Joe's. As our oven is caput (new one being installed tomorrow!! Keep your fingers crossed all goes well), it was a perfect time to use our tabletop convection oven. It worked out great; the bacon came out crisp without the wrinkling usually produced by pan-frying. Also, this was our first opportunity to make scrambled eggs in our new set of Circulon cookware from Costco. I was holding my breath because, to me, if the pans don't perform well on something as simple as eggs, then they have to go back. No disappointment here; no sticking, even heating, easy cleanup. Extra bonus: the extra waffles made for a delicious breakfast -- spread with peanut butter and sprinkled with chopped pecans. Yummy!
Multi-Grain Waffles
Makes 8 servings, 2 waffles each
2 C buttermilk
½ C old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 C whole-wheat flour
2/3 C all-purpose flour
¼ C toasted wheat germ or cornmeal
1 ½ Tsp.s baking powder
½ Tsp. baking soda
¼ Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ C packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tsp.s vanilla extract
1. Mix buttermilk and oats in a medium bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ (or cornmeal), baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Stir eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla into the oat mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.
4. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon in enough batter to cover three-fourths of the surface (about 2/3 cup for an 8-by-8-inch waffle iron). Cook until waffles are crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. (our waffle iron is larger, so I think I used about a full cup of batter for each waffle.)
Makes 8 servings, 2 waffles each
2 C buttermilk
½ C old-fashioned rolled oats
2/3 C whole-wheat flour
2/3 C all-purpose flour
¼ C toasted wheat germ or cornmeal
1 ½ Tsp.s baking powder
½ Tsp. baking soda
¼ Tsp. salt
1 Tsp. ground cinnamon
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
¼ C packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp. canola oil
2 Tsp.s vanilla extract
1. Mix buttermilk and oats in a medium bowl; let stand for 15 minutes.
2. Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ (or cornmeal), baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl.
3. Stir eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla into the oat mixture. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; mix with a rubber spatula just until moistened.
4. Coat a waffle iron with cooking spray and preheat. Spoon in enough batter to cover three-fourths of the surface (about 2/3 cup for an 8-by-8-inch waffle iron). Cook until waffles are crisp and golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter. (our waffle iron is larger, so I think I used about a full cup of batter for each waffle.)
Monday, April 16, 2007
Opera in the Park
Yesterday afternoon was the yearly Opera in the Park, presented by the Palm Springs Opera Guild. Fantastic event! The cool and threatening weather held out, with only a few raindrops. The young singers were outstanding as was the orchestra. Can't wait for next year's event.
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