Finding Tasty

A Slight Move

2011-05-26T19:21:00.000+01:00

FINDING TASTY HAS MOVED!!

All the same recipes, stories and rants (and then some) can now be found at www.findingtasty.com

no 'dot blogspot' anymore.

I would like to have sent a message to every follower, but couldn't figure out how...

Please sign up to follow Finding Tasty dot com!! I'll miss you, if you don't : )

~ Jenny B

Artichoke, Pancetta and Lemon Pasta

2011-04-25T14:41:00.000+01:00

I may sound like a broken record, but this recipe is not only delicious, it's healthy, too. It was a family pleaser last night (EXCEPT FOR MY FINICKY 13 YEAR OLD: I WON'T NAME ANY NAMES BUT YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE). The pasta is elegant enough to serve to adult friends, too.
Start the sauce when you put the pasta water on to boil-- it goes that quickly.

4 ounces pancetta, thin slices
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
1 large shallot, minced
2 fat cloves garlic, minced or pressed
Hefty glug of dry white wine
2 healthy squeezes of lemon (1/4 juicy lemon or 1/2 of a not-so-juicy one)
Zest of one lemon
1 can whole artichoke hearts, drained and sliced into quarters
1 and 1/4 cups chicken stock
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, plus more for passing
1 pound slowly dried pasta

1) Place a large, covered pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Set a non-stick skillet over medium heat and allow it to get hot, then cook the pancetta, as you would bacon, turning halfway through, until crisp (this takes mere minutes). Set aside on paper towels.

2) Pour off all of the rendered fat from the pan then add in butter or olive oil, add in the shallot and garlic. Turn the heat up to medium high and sauté until soft. *If the pasta water has come to a boil, put the dried pasta in now* Deglaze the pan with a glug of wine and lemon juice, simmer strongly for a minute or two, then add in the artichoke hearts and lemon zest. Bubble for a minute or two more, and add in the chicken stock and bring to a gentle bubble.

3) Drain the al dente pasta well, and chick into the pan with the sauce, or toss together in a large serving bowl. Crumble the crisp pancetta into the pasta, as well as the Parmesan. Toss.

Serves 6. Serve with liberal amounts of freshly crack black pepper and more Parmesan

Persian Chicken

2011-04-12T16:25:00.000+01:00

In keeping with the Middle Eastern Palooza going on in the world these days, I decided to cook with some flavors from that region.
This one's a keeper. The yogurt/olive oil marinade keeps the chicken juicy, the saffron, cumin and garlic give it lashings of flavor, and the lemon adds zing.
Perfect for a barbecue.

1 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
4 fat cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 1 lemon
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon saffron threads, soaked in 2 tablespoons hot water for 10 minutes
1/2 teaspoon roasted coriander powder
1 whole chicken cut up, OR 6 bone-in breasts, OR 10 boneless, skinless breasts

1) Mix the yogurt marinade ingredients together, then slather over chicken and set in the fridge for at least 4 hours, but over night is better.

2) 30 minutes before you are ready to grill, remove the chicken from the fridge and lay the pieces on a large tray or platter. Salt all sides of the chicken, then grill, getting some nice char marks on the meat.

Roasted Baby Artichokes

2011-04-06T18:22:00.000+01:00

Growing up, my parents tended not to keep junk or snack food in the house-- they simply didn't eat it and never bought it. I learned at a very young age that if I wanted something to snack on in between meals (which was frowned upon), I'd better have an open mind (and palate).

There were only ever two things always found in the family fridge-- Dijon mustard and marinated artichoke hearts. To this day, those are two items I reliably stock in my own fridge. As a little kid, I would munch away a jar of artichoke hearts while watching Gilligan's Island reruns. And when I got older, as a poor college student, one snack I could afford was Saltine crackers smeared with Maille's Dijon mustard.

While pots of Dijon mustard are readily available, baby artichokes are seasonal, and now's the season! Look for them, packaged in better grocery stores (gourmet or natural food shops). This method of preparation is simple, if not a bit time consuming, but worth every second!

9 baby artichokes (more or less, as you like)
Lemon juice
Extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
more lemon juice
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Dill weed
Parmesan cheese

1) Preheat the oven to 375F. Have a large bowl filled with water and lemon juice (this is called acidulated water), at the ready. Snap off the outer leaves of the artichoke, about 2 layers of leaves. Cut te top 1/2 inch off and trim the bottom, as well as the stem to remove the tough, fibrous outer bit (it should look like this one to the right here) Cut the chokes into quarters and place into the acidulated water, while you trin the rest of the chokes.

2) Dry the chokes off with a tea towel then toss them with evoo, lemon juice (2 parts evoo to 1 part lemon juice), salt and plenty of black pepper and then dill weed. Bake on a non-stick pan for 20 minutes, until soft, then sprinkle Parmesan cheese over top and bake a few minutes longer, until the cheese has softened and begun to melt.

Serve hot, warm or room temp. Serve 2 chokes per person for an appetizer.

Ghosts... again

2011-03-30T03:11:00.001+01:00

So, I've just returned from Florida's, Amelia Island. It was gorgeous, and historic, and it had great restaurants, yes-- but what I want to talk about is ghosts.

Last night I went on a ghost walk. I was the only one on the tour which was cool, because that meant that I could ask all the question I wanted. And I did ask a lot because I am a huge fan of ghosts. Maybe, 'fan' isn't the right word. I am intrigued by them, as long as they are not residing in my house, as they (she) did when we lived in England.

I won't bore you with the details of my private ghost tour, but I will tell you that it was supposed to last 1 hour 45 minutes and ended up lasting close to three hours. The woman, my 'guide' was unlike any other I have ever met (I'm like a ghost tour groupee)-- she was not the classic, 'sit yeself down while I spin ye a tale of haunts and hags' ghost story teller. She was an a-typical ghost tour guide, mostly because she was so normal. Except she wasn't

She was totally and completely in touch with ghosts and spirits. Not in a creepy way, it was all matter of fact, not at all dramatic-- but she had clearly been touched. She told stories about her own life that I totally believed. But I am known to be gullible. She related tales of spirits that roamed downtown Fernadina (the quaint old village on Amelia Island) without hesitation. But she could have just studied up on those.

No, the reason I say that she was 'touched' is because of this: My guide and I both took lots of pictures of inanimate objects, trees, houses, hotel porches, graveyards-- and all of mine came out looking as they should when taking a picture on a dark night in the rain-- smeared and black. But all of her pictures, as she was taking them on her digital camera, had orbs, orbs of varying colors, and foggy-looking shapes. She had big light spots appearing on her photos, as we looked at them in the view finder, that simply were not there-- in person or in the images that I was taking at the same time, standing right next to her.
It
was
crazy

After my marathon ghost tour, as I drove back to our hotel along the very empty streets of Amelia Island, I came up with two questions:

1) Why is it, when one sees a ghost, they have almost no expression at all. Certainly never laughing or even smiling. I've seen a ghost once and this was the case--she was most serious. Reading accounts of other people's sightings, this expression of apathy seems to be the norm. Why? Don't ghosts have a sense of humor? Is that the 21 grams that evaporates when one dies--the sense of humor?

2) Why is it, except in the movie, 'The Sixth Sense' ghost are seen only in 18th and 19th century clothes? Why don't we ever hear tales of a spirit haunting a bedroom of a B&B in platform shoes and white satin hot pants?

These two questions are what keep me from fully committing to a life of ghost hunting.

Any and all answers are most welcome.

Crustless Quiche with Roast Tomatoes, Leeks and Gruyere

2011-03-22T19:57:00.000+01:00

Crustless, so it is healthier. Roast vegetables, so that it is vegetarian. Gruyere so that it is goooooood.

1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
2 small leeks, trimmed and sliced into rounds up to dark green part
5 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped
extra virgin olive oil (evoo)
sea salt
1 cup thinly sliced collard leaves, spinach, Swiss chard or kale
1 tablespoon butter, softened
1/2 cup homemade breadcrumbs, or crushed garlic croutons
4 large eggs + 1 egg white
1 cup lite sour cream
1/2 cup milk (whatever you drink, skim, 2%, whole)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup shredded Gruyere, or any sharp cheese you like

1) Preheat the oven to 400F. Place the halved tomatoes into a large bowl. Separate the leek rounds into individual pieces with your hands and add them in with the tomatoes, add in the garlic, too. Drizzle bout 1-2 tablespoons evoo over the mess and toss with your hands. Sprinkl with sea salt and place into the oven. Roast until the tomatoes are soft and edges of the leeks are beginning to caramelize, between 20-40 minutes depending on your oven. When they are done, remove from the oven to cool slightly, then place all of it into a strainer above a bowl-- catching the juices that run out (save 1 tablespoon of the tomato jus-- drink the rest as a delicious soup!) This will also dry out the vegetables a bit, which is good. Allow the veggies to sit in the strainer until completely cool. While that's going on, sauté the greens over high heat in a bit of evoo until wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt.

2) Turn down, or preheat the oven to 325F. Butter a 9", deep-dish pie pan with 1 softened butter, then pour the breadcrumbs in and roll the pie dish around in your hands until all the butter os coated with the crumbs.

4) Whisk the sour cream, eggs, egg white, milk, 1 tablespoon tomato jus and Dijon mustard together. Lay the greens on the bottom of the pan, then scatter 1/2 of the cheese and pour the egg/sour-cream/milk mixture over top. Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from the oven and place the roast tomatoes and leeks on top (it will still be soft) and scatter the rest of the cheese over the tomatoes. Place back in the oven and continue to bake for 20 minutes more.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes.

Serve warm, room temp or chilled. Makes 8 slices.

Fun Mexican Tortilla Soup

2011-03-11T14:54:00.002+01:00

The 'fun' lies in that I served this with tostadas rather than tortilla strips. Wahoo! I get my kicks in the most simplistic of ways. But my kids had fun dipping and crunching the tostada into the soup. They did not, however care for chopped avocado-- that was optional (but delicious to the adult palate).

8 cups chicken broth
1, 14 oz can chopped tomatoes, with juice
3 boneless, skinless chicken breast
1 poblano chili pepper, charred or roasted to remove skin, chopped fine
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
a very small pinch cinnamon
Salt to taste
1, 15 oz can pinto beans
5 green onions, sliced thin
Handful of chopped cilantro

1 avocado, cubed with lime squeezed over top
Shredded sharp cheddar or Mexican cheese
8 tostadas

1) Char or roast the pepper, stick into a Tupperware, cover tightly and allow to steam the skin from the pepper. Remove the skin and chop.

2) Pour the chicken broth and tomatoes into a large soup pot and slip the chicken breasts in. Bring to a simmer and cook until the chicken is cooked through, about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken and set aside to cool.

3) Add the chopped pepper, cumin, oregano and cinnamon to the soup and simmer. Taste and season with salt. Chop the chicken into small dice. Just before serving, add the beans, green onions and cilantro, bring to a simmer and serve. Top with cheese and avocado and a tostada.

Serves 6

Stuffed Shells

2011-03-04T15:37:00.000+01:00

Really satisfying and perfect when it's blustery outside.

8 oz pancetta, cubed
1 yellow onion, chunked
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 pound lean ground beef
15 oz can crushed tomatoes
28 can crushed tomatoes

24 jumbo pasta shells

32 oz part skim ricotta
1 and 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan
Handful of freshly chopped basil
Salt to taste
Dash o' nutmeg
1 egg
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

1) Place pancetta cubes into the food processor and pulse until it is crumbled.

Add the onion

Pulse again until minced.

Sauté in a large, dry pan (no oil needed) until cooked.

Deglaze the pan with white wine and simmer until almost evaporated, then add in the beef and sauté until no longer pink.

Add in the tomatoes (I love San Marzano tomatoes-- they are the type the pizza guys use to make sauce for pizza in Naples, Italy)

Simmer sauce for 10 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning. You may not need any, because the pancetta is salty.

While the sauce is cooking, boil the shells until just slightly under cooked (a minute or two shorter than boxed directions). Drain, rinse in cold water and drain again.

Mix the ricotta with the Parmesan, basil and nutmeg. Taste it and add salt if you like. When it tastes good and flavorful, add in the egg.

Spoon some of the sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish to cover the bottom. Stuff about 1 tablespoon of ricotta into each shell and set into the pan.

Spoon the rest of the sauce over top, pile mozzarella cheese over that and bake, covered with foil in a 350F oven for 30 minutes, remove foil and continue to bake until golden and bubbly.

This can also be made up to the point of baking and held in the fridge for up to a day before baking as above (or a smidge longer).

Serves 6-8

Thai Beef Salad

2011-02-25T16:46:00.000+01:00

I developed this recipe to serve to a friend who was coming to visit. I hadn't seen my friend Ted in 15 years, and was excited to catch up when he Facebooked me to let me know that he would be in town. In addition to feeling excited, I was a bit nervous, too. 18 years ago, Ted was my boss, the executive chef at a restaurant where I served as the lowly prep and occasional line cook. It took me a while to get used to his dry wit and direct honesty, but we eventually bonded over books on tape. He'd pop a casette into the tape deck, hit the giant, thumb-size button and we'd silently lose ourselves in the story as we chopped, sliced and diced, in preparation of that evening's manic service.
It was at that job that I realized I didn't want to become an executive chef. But I did enjoy the gentleness of listening to stories being read aloud, as we worked behind the scenes away from the mayhem of a busy professional kitchen.
So last night, Ted arrived, we chatted, he showed me pictures of his daughter and played with mine, then we ate. Talking all the way through dinner, no one mentioned the food. I wondered what my former boss thought of the salad. Finally, Ted proclaimed it to be outstanding-- although I'm not sure if he was being facetious. I need to readjust to that dry wit.

Dressing/Marinade
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 teaspoons confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1-2 teaspoons minced serrano chile
1/3 to 1/2 vegetable oil (lesser will produce a more tart vinaigrette)
3 cloves garlic, minced (not to be added to the dressing-- read below)

Salad
2 pound Flank steak
3 green onions, sliced thinly
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1 cup fresh mint leaves
8 cups mixed greens
Pint of very ripe cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 an English cucumber, sliced into bite size pieces
Handful of chopped, lightly or unsalted peanuts

1) Mix the dressing up. Pour 1/2 into a container large enough to hold the flank steak and add in the garlic. Place the steak in there and marinate at room temp for 30 minutes, or in the fridge for up to 8 hours. Hold the rest of the dressing aside.

2) Start the grill, or broiler. Remove the steak from the marinade and dry well with paper towels. Sprinkle with sea salt and grill or broil until medium rare, between 4-6 minutes per side on a hot grill. Broiling in the oven will take about the same amount of time, unless you have a Salamader, in which case you must be A) wealthy, and can have your cook prepare dinner, or B) work in a restaurant in which case, you don't need me to tell you how to cook flank steak. Remove the steak from the grill and/or oven to a platter and cover to loosely with foil or, in an effort to cook greener, invert another platter over top. While the meat is resting, make the salad.

3) Toss the greens with the green onions and herbs, dress the salad and toss again, then scatter the tomatoes and cucs. Slice the beef thinly, against the grain and layer the strips on top of the salad. Sprinkle peanuts over top and serve it up!
Serves 4 with left-over steak which will make an awesome sandwich tomorrow for lunch.

Chicken-Stuffed Shells with Sharp Cheddar Cheese Sauce

2011-02-21T19:33:00.003+01:00

This is a great dish for a family dinner night. It can be made ahead and held in the fridge until ready to bake. Kids and adults like this one.

1 and 1/2 cups low fat or skim cottage cheese
1 egg
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Handful of fresh, chopped herbs, (basil, parsley, or dill-- or your favorite)
1/2 cup chopped, fresh tomatoes (seeds squeezed out before chopping)

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts-- cooked and cut into small cubes
salt and pepper to taste
20-24 jumbo shells
Cheddar cheese sauce (recipe below)

1) Whiz the cottage cheese and egg in a blender, food processor or with an immersion blender. Add in the Parmesan and herbs and whiz again to incorporate. Mix this with the chopped tomatoes and cooked chicken. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

2) Cook shells until just al dente-- do not overcook, as they will cook again when baking. As they are cooking, make the cheese sauce. Drain and rinse the pasta with cold water, drain well again and stuff with the chicken mixture. Spoon the cheese sauce over top of the stuffed shells and bake in a preheated, 350F oven until golden and bubbling, about 45 minutes.

Cheese Sauce
1 tablespoon butter
1/4 cup chopped shallots
1/4 cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons Wondra or all-purpose flour
2 cups milk (full fat, low fat or skim)
Dash of nutmeg
6 ounces shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese, the stronger the cheese, the better the flavor
Salt and cayenne pepper to taste

1) Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add in the shallots and cook until soft, then pour in the wine and bring to a strong bubble. Cook for a minute or two then shake the milk and flour together in a jar and pour into the saucepan. Bring this all to a very gentle simmer and bubble away for three minutes-- stirring often. Remove from the heat and add in the shredded cheese, stir well, taste and season with salt and a dash or two of cayenne pepper. Allow to cool a bit, then pour over the shells and bake.

Serves 6-8

Creamy Tomato Pasta Salad

2011-02-13T23:59:00.000+01:00

Inspired by salad caprese-- a pasta salad for tomato sauce lovers.

1 pound penne, macaroni or farfalle pasta
1 and 1/2 cups simple tomato sauce (homemade is best, or good quality store bought)
1/2 cup mayonnaise (regular or reduced fat)
1 bunch basil, chopped
4 green onions, sliced thin
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Optional additions: chopped sun dried tomatoes, sliced cherry tomatoes, cubed mozzarella, crumbled blue cheese

1) Start a huge pot of salted water on to boil. Once boiling, place the pasta in to cook and make the sauce. Combine the rest of the ingredients in a large serving bowl. Set aside.

2) When the pasta is cooked just al dente, drain, rinse under cold water until completely cool, drain again very well. Toss into the bowl with the sauce and mix well. It may seem soupy at this point, but as the salad chills it will absorb much of the sauce. Stash in the fridge for at least 1 hour but up to 8 hours.

Makes 8-12 side dishes

Asheville, NC and the Biltmore Estate

2011-02-09T20:30:00.004+01:00

If you are within a 6 hour drive of Asheville, NC plan on making your way to the enchanting, small city for a night or two-- for so many reasons, it's well worth it.

I'll start with the most well known draw...

In just six years, between 1889 and 1895, George Vanderbilt oversaw the building of the Biltmore, his French chateau style home amongst the rolling hills and forest of rural North Carolina. What strikes many visitors, is that because the Biltmore site was out in the middle of BFE, roads, factories and workers had to be built and brought in before construction on the house itself could begin.

The result is nothing short of amazing. It remains the largest privately owned home in the United States-- the Vanderbilt family emphasizes that the Biltmore is indeed a 'home'.

Living in Europe for so many years, we dragged our children to countless castles, UNESCO World Heritage sites and historic properties; Biltmore rivals them all. It is truly spectacular. The interior spaces are vast and sometimes opulent, but they are balanced by the more homey decor of the family rooms. The guide book points out that children were born, raised and played here-- and one gets a sense of that.

The grounds are extensive; a remarkable place to go on a rambling walk. In the warmer months, the manicured gardens are sumptuously colorful.

Aside from the house, there is the newly opened Antler Hill Village; a place to shop, eat, visit a black smith or tour the winery (I was surprised to learn that the Biltmore's winery is the most visited in the States).

Ticket prices to get into the Biltmore house, garden and grounds are steep. According to the time of year, they range in the low season (months after Christmas) $29 to after April 2, up to $59. If you are thinking that you would ever be able to visit again in the same year, buying the annual pass seems to be a good value; we paid $150 for our family of six to have unlimited access for 12 months (children under 16 are free with an annual pass holder).

Although tickets are expensive, I do think they are worth it, with one complaint: I didn't find enough information about the history, architecture or the Vanderbilt family included in the guidebook (free) or even the audio tour ($10 per person). They offer several guided tours that give more in-depth information, but at $17 per person for a tour, that felt like a bit of a rip-off.

We had dinner in Antler Hill Village at The Bistro. It was very good. We shared a pork terrine with pickled okra and toast points as appetizer, then I had a Parmesan, smoked artichoke and sun dried tomato risotto, while my husband had the lamb special (featuring meat reared on the estate). We both had a glass of wine from the winery and our bill came to $70-- had we not had wine, our bill would have been just $55. The food was very good (although I liked the risotto better than the lamb) and we both felt that this was good value for money.

We stayed at the Inn at the Biltmore-- an outstanding property. It is a solid 4 star, probably missing its fifth star only because of what it lacks in some amenities, not ambiance or decor. The public spaces are grand, but decorated with warm fabrics, wallpapers and furnishings that make it comfortable, like you are staying in a very, very wealthy friend's home. The setting is gorgeous (again-- those fabulous foothills) and the atmosphere polished.
My only complaint about the Inn was the spa-- it was very small (nice, just small) and expensive ($205 for an 80 minute massage) and it offered none of the thermal rooms, saunas or steam baths that are de rigueur now in finer resort spas. Also, the pool: Outdoor only (closed in the winter) and fairly small.

On to Asheville: beloved by hippies and foodies alike, as well as artists and outdoorsmen. It is a charming small city, not so much for the architecture, which in places is a bit dated, but for it's 'vibe'. Asheville is a place that people seek out. You'll meet people from all over the country who specifically came to live in Asheville -- they want to be there. This gives the city a sincerely positive feel.

Restaurants abound from homestyle, southern specialties to classic French, to some seriously good vegetarian. We had lunch at Laughing Seed Café, a place that is consistently ranked as one of the top restaurants in Asheville, in spite of, or maybe because of, the fact that it is vegetarian. Although a carnivore, I can go veg pretty easily, but my my husband is convinced that he needs meat (!) to make a meal complete. That's what make Laughing Seed so good; even the most ardent meat eaters find something to enjoy. I had the falafel and Jeff had the polenta over salad-- Both were truly inspiring plates.

Asheville is a fabulous, laid-back long weekend destination. As a parent I can say that it is especially fun without children.

There are a million cool shops in Asheville, but two of my favorites are:
Mast General Store
Tops for Shoes

If you've been to Asheville and/or Biltmore-- please share some of your favorite places to visit/shop/eat/stay!

Grilled Salad with Blue Cheese and Walnuts

2011-02-02T19:33:00.000+01:00

I've been hearing about grilled salads for some time now, but it wasn't until last week that I tried one at a restaurant. Grilling the Romaine transforms it-- takes it from an average salad to a WOW salad-- and it is remarkably easy to do.
This works well inside with a grill pan, or outside on the barbecue-- gas or charcoal, doesn't matter. The important element is that the grill is very hot; you are searing the lettuce, not cooking it.

1 head Romaine lettuce, washed dried well and sliced in half, from top to bottom
Extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt flakes
1/4 cup creamy blue cheese dressing (homemade or best quality store bought)
Crumbled blue cheese
Handful of toasted walnut pieces

1) Heat grill until very hot. Brush cut side of the lettuce halves with olive oil and scatter a wee bit of salt. Place both halves on the grill, cut side down and grill. If you are using an grill pan that is not SUPER hot, place a baking tray on top of the lettuce and weight that with a heavy pot. Grill like this for 30-90 seconds-- until you can see grill marks, then brush the uncooked side with oil, sprinkle salt and carefully flip over. Grill the other side for the same length of time.

2) Remove from the grill and plate up. Sprinkle with crumbled blue cheese, then spoon dressing at the end of the lettuce halves and scatter about walnut pieces.

Serve at once. Serves 2

Best Day Ever

2011-01-27T04:40:00.002+01:00

As much as I hate to admit it, yesterday was like most other days; take an unsatisfying shower (not long/hot/saturating enough), pull on clothes from the, not-quite-dirty pile, forget make-up and get out the door. Wearing cargo pants (on their last day in the not-quite-dirty-pile), a wrinkled, linen shirt and running shoes (Ha-Ha!!! When was the last time these show ran anywhere???), brushing my teeth and hair was the extent of my beauty regimen for the day.

I was only stopping in to the health food store to grab a few things for dinner. I placed my firm tofu, Paul Newman pretzels, organic romaine lettuce and bottle of California Chardonnay on the conveyor belt (which charmingly has not worked in six months—customers push or drag their goods down the short, black rubber strip in charade that it is conveying), and waited my turn to pay.

The tattooed and remarkably pierced young cashier scanned my few goods through, then stopped when it came to the bottle of wine.

‘Can I see your I.D.?’ She said

I chuckled a second, then looked at her and realized that she was not sharing my laugh and asked, ‘My I.D.? Really?’

‘Yes,’ she apathetically bit at her nail.

‘Do you ask everyone for their I.D.?’ I pressed her.

‘No,’ she said ripping into her cuticle.

‘Honestly, tell me the truth—are you supposed to ask everyone for I.D.?’ I cajoled.

Now, impatience setting in, she looked at me, ‘No. You looked on the border, so just to be safe, I’m asking.’

The woman behind me, who looked to be about my early forties age, tapped me on the shoulder and said with a knowing nod, ‘Congratulations.’

‘Thanks! I really can’t believe this,’ I said and turned to the cashier, ‘I mean, I am old enough to be your mother!’ I was so proud.

I hunted through my dishevelled wallet, unable to locate my driver’s license.

‘I can’t find my driver’s license, but it doesn’t matter, don’t sell me the wine—you have made my… decade.’

The young woman took pity on my misplaced glee and said, ‘No, it’s okay, you have an honest face.’

I walked out of the health food store and thought, this is the best day ever.

2011-01-26T19:16:00.000+01:00

I used to scoff at people who used mixes of any sort (sweet or savory). Freshly graduated from culinary school 17 years ago, I was truly a food snob. Sheesh...
Then I got married, had a bunch of kids and wised up. Food is supposed to make you happy, it is supposed to taste good and make you feel good. Whatever that means to you, whatever feeling good or tasting good means to you-- if you can achieve this when you prepare a meal, then you are a good cook.
My friend Aimee gave me a version of this cake. I changed it a bit, but am so thankful to her for sharing the original recipe. It is as easy to bake as a cake can be, and everyone loves it. It is the moistest cake I have ever tried-- so moist, in fact that to frost it would seem redundant.
As a culinary gauge, this recipe runs about equivalent to one of the better dessert recipes from a Junior League cookbook.

1 box cake mix, vanilla
Ingredients required to make that box cake (usually eggs, vegetable oil and water)
Add to this:
1 small box vanilla pudding mix (powder)
1 small container (8 ounces) sour cream
1 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 cup (2.25 ounces) chopped macadamia nuts
Serve with:
Chopped, fresh pineapple

1) Pre-heat oven to 350F. Make the cake according to package directions, but add in the pudding mix, coconut and sour cream. After you've beaten the daylights out of the cake batter, stir in the macadamia nuts.

2) Pour batter into a well greased bundt pan and bake for about 1 hour-- when a wooden or metal skewwer inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean, it is ready. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then pop the cake out of the pan and allow to cool completely.

Serve with freshly, chopped pineapple.

Bang Bang Chicken (Salad)

2011-01-19T18:55:00.000+01:00

This is a great salad if you are trying to eat healthfully in the new year; It's got TONS of flavor, and the only fat is from the tahini in the dressing. The dressing tastes sort of like peanut satay sauce.
Use tofu rather than chicken to make this a vegan dish.
The whole recipe can be made ahead of time-- perfect for entertaining.

Bang Bang Dressing
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 and 1/2 tablespoons Vietnamese garlic.chili sauce (spicy)
1/4 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1) Mix the vinegar and sugar together until the sugar dissolves, then whisk in the soy sauce and chili sauce. Now whisk in the tahini until smooth. If you find it difficult to get the dressing smooth, use an immersion blender to whip it all together. Stash in the refrigerator until ready to dress the salad.
Makes 3/4 cup dressing, enough for 4 entree salads.

Salad
1 English cucumber, cut into match sticks
Big handful of shredded carrots
4 green onions, sliced thin up to the dark green part
1 head Romaine lettuce, sliced very thin
Handful chopped, fresh coriander
Equal parts fish sauce and lime juice (optional)
1/2 chicken, poached or roasted, or 3 cooked chicken breasts, meat shredded, cold

Lay the vegetables nicely on four plates, drizzle the fish sauce/lime juice over top (if using). Lay the shredded chicken on top and spoon over the dressing.

Serves 4 entree salads

Asian Poached Chicken with Noodles

2011-01-12T21:45:00.000+01:00

This dish is as simple to make as your Granny's old fashioned chicken and noodles recipe. It's just as comforting, too, but more delicate and delicious.
Top with steamed or sauteed vegetables, like: Asparagus, broccoli, shiitake mushrooms, snap peas, edamame, grated carrots, bok choi, etc.
Using whole grain pasta amps up the health benefits to this.

1 whole chicken (giblets, neck removed)
1, 3" piece ginger, not peeled, cut in half
1/4 cup miso paste (I used the light, shiro miso)
2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass-- 1 or 2 stalks
1/2 lime
1/2 lemon
3 cloves garlic, peeled, halved
3 tablespoons fish sauce
Handful of chopped green onion

1) Trim any excess fat from the chicken (if you want to remove the skin, that's cool, too). Place the chicken into a deep pot and cover with water by 1 inch. Add in everything except the fish sauce and green onion, cover and bring to a gentle simmer, then crack the lid and continue to simmer very gently.

2) After 90 minutes, check the chicken, it should be faling apart, if this is the case, remove the chicken, ginger pieces, lemon and lime halves. Allow the chicken to cool then shred the meat. Set aside.

3) Bring the chicken stock to a boil and add in 1 pound pasta. Cook until just al dente, then remove from the heat-- do not drain. Toss the shredded chicken and sliced green onions, as well as the fish sauce into the noodle/soup. Serve up a bowl of noodles with broth and chicken and top with cooked vegetables.

Serves 8

Vegan Chili (and you would never know it)

2011-01-11T23:45:00.000+01:00

Snowed in for the past few days, I was making due with what I could find stashed away in the cupboards and freezer. Chili seems appropriate, but I had no ground meat. I riffled through the freezer and, way at the bottom beneath a half used bag of petite pois, I found Morning Star Farms Ground Vegetarian Beef.

I have used this in Shepard's Pie before and had great success with it. Luckily, it worked in this recipe, too-- after a day of sledding, the kids licked their bowls clean.

1tablespoon vegetable oil
1 large onion, diced
2 fat cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 pound vegan ground (minced) beef
1 bottle amber beer (I used Saranac, Sam Adams would be good, or Bass Ale in the UK)
1/2 square (1/2 ounce/15 grams) unsweetened chocolate
28 ounce/795 grams tin crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups/450 ml water
2 beef or vegetable bullion cubes
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon chili powder
dash of oregano
dash of thyme
14 ounce/400 grams tin red kidney beans, lightly drained
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
Sea salt to taste

1) Heat the oil in a large pot, add in the onion and garlic, cook until soft then add in the vegan beef and cook for just a moment. Now add in the beer and bring to a simmer then add in the unsweetened chocolate and allow to melt. Stir, then add in the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, water and bouillon cubes, and all the spices, just not the beans, red pepper flakes, or salt. Bring to a simmer, lower the heat so that it just occasionally bubbles. Cook uncovered for at least 30 minutes, but up to several hours (just watch the liquid level and add more water of needed). 30 minutes before serving, pour in the beans, continue to cook then season with red pepper flakes and sea salt, if needed.

I served with Fritos, shredded sharp cheddar cheese and plain yogurt (rather than sour cream)-- although this changed it from vegan to lacto-ovo, it was still pretty tasty.

Makes 6 bowls.

Baked Caprese

2011-01-03T18:06:00.001+01:00

I watched Giada's cooking show for the first time this weekend. It's hard not to hate that woman; gorgeous, skinny, ultra straight, white teeth and she seems to actually EAT. I much prefer Ina. But, at least in the episode that I saw, Giada's recipes did look really delicious.
The one dish that impressed me the most was this dish that incorporated layered ingredients of Salad Caprese topped with thick slices of bread, drizzled with extra virgin olive oil and baked until the mozzarella melts and the tomatoes release their juices and the bread is golden and crisp and oh...
It.
Looked.
So.
Good.

So I made (my version of) it and it WAS so, very tasty.

Here's my take on skinny Giada's baked Caprese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 small red onion, sliced very thin
2 pounds (1 kilo) tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 inch slices
Handful of fresh basil leaves, or Gourmet Garden's Italian Herb (squeezable herbs in a tube)
1, 8 ounce (200grams) ball mozzarella (cow or buffalo's milk), pulled into pieces
4 thick slices par-baked bread (bake and serve, not yet baked) or more if needed
Garlic powder
Sea salt

1) Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Place the tomato slices on paper towels to draw out some of the liquid. If using buffalo mozzarella, press some of the liquid out of that, as well.

2) Smear half of the olive oil over the bottom and sides of a baking pan (I used an 8" by 8" square pan). Lay the thinly sliced onions, then the thick tomato slices, season well with sea salt. Squeeze some of the Italian herb goo over the tomatoes, or scatter fresh basil leaves. Now assemble the mozzarella chunks over the tomatoes and place the bread slices on top, the top should be covered with bread-- drizzle with remaining olive oil, sprinkle on garlic powder and more sea salt.

3) Bake uncovered for 25-45 minutes, depending upon your oven (convection or not, etc), until the bread is golden and crisp and the cheese has gone all gooey. Serve at once.

Serves 4 as a side or 2 main course vegetarian meals.

Love Your Doggie Liver Treats

2010-12-28T16:24:00.002+01:00

We just got a puppy. I had to lobby hard for that canine. You see, I am a dog person through and through, and my husband claims not to be-- although we both know that deep down, he really is. But he's also a neat freak and the mere thought of furry tumbleweeds rolling across the kitchen floor really bums him out. So, it was an arduous task getting him to agree to adopt a four-legged friend.
Mission accomplished, our tiny boy has made the transition from nestling amongst his litter-mates to settling in amongst his, now predominantly female, human housemates.

I am the sort of dog person that creeps out non-dog people. Risking the threat if tiny, needle-sharp teeth, I stick my nose fully into my puppy's mouth when he yawns to inhale deeply his skunky breath. His furry, floppy ears, too are fair game for sniffing. Rolling around on the floor, making out with my dog is one of my favorite ways to pass an hour.

My children refer to me as the Disturbing Dog Lady and plead with me to chill out or take into the bedroom when their friends are over.

I especially like making dog treats for my furry fella. I had only ever made peanut butter and oatmeal snacks in the past, but decided to venture out into the offal realm and made a batch of liver treats last night.

When I pulled the tray of baked chicken liver pudding out from the oven last night, my kids gathered hungrily around asking what what was for dinner. They were only momentarily dissuaded when I explained that these were liver treats for the dog; we all ate a few pieces and were pleasantly surprised to find that they tasted almost as good as they smelled, save for a lack of salt. Although we enjoyed the liver treats, it was the dog who went nuts for them. They cost about $1.50 to make a tray of over 100 small treats and keep well in the freezer for months.

1 pound raw chicken livers
1 cup plain flour
1 cup corn meal
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 egg

1) Pre-heat oven to 400F. Whiz everything together in a food processor until smooth and pudding-like. Spread into a sided jell-roll pan sprayed well with non-stick spray. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes, until set but not brittle. Remove form the oven, allow to cool, flip out onto a cutting board and cut into small, bite size diamond shapes.
Freeze the treats on the jelly-roll pan. After they are fully frozen, the treats can be piled into a freezer bag and stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temp before feeding them to your dog buddy.

Arroz Con Pollo Verde

2010-12-21T23:17:00.000+01:00

A Peruvian dish, this 'green rice with chicken' is a knock-out for flavour. My husband request this dish regularly and three of my four children love it; the youngest, is the exception, I caught her holding her nose as she ate it for dinner last night.
There is a synergy that comes when cumin and fresh cilantro (called coriander in Europe) are brought together. This dish makes great left-overs, too.

1 large bunch cilantro (2 packets fresh coriander in the UK/Europe), most stems removed
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 and 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into 1" chunks
2 cups long grain rice
4 cups chicken stock
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 large potato, peeled and cubed
1 cup fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1/4s
1 cup frozen (or fresh) green peas
Salt to taste

1) Whiz the fresh cilantro/coriander with the water in a food processor, to make a 'sauce'-- you should have 1/2 cup. Set aside.

2) Over medium-high heat, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in the olive oil, until soft. Add in the chicken and continue to cook for just a minute or two, then add in the rice, stir well, then pour in the chicken broth, stir, add the cumin, stir, then the potato, stir.

3) Cover the pot and bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to medium-low and gently cook the arroz con pollo until the liquid is almost absorbed-- about 20 minutes-- then add in the green beans, frozen peas and cilantro/coriander sauce, stir and cover again. Cook for 15-25 minutes longer, over medium-low heat. When the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, the dish is ready. Taste and add salt (I also add cayenne pepper). Serve at once.

Serves 8

Pizza Party Bread

2010-12-15T19:39:00.001+01:00

This is such a fun party food! And it is really good, too-- so good, in fact, that my family ate it last night before I could take a picture to share with you. Sorry. It's also a very versatile dish; here I make the party bread with pizza ingredients, but it could easily be made more grown-up and vegetarian by using blue cheese instead of mozzarella and omitting the pepperoni and sauce.

1 round loaf, crusty bread
1/2 stick butter, softened
3 pencil thin green onions, chopped
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 to 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
2 ounces/55 grams pepperoni, chopped (optional)
4 ounces/110 grams shredded mozzarella

Pizza sauce

1) Preheat oven to 350F/175C degrees. Slice the bread loaf in 1 inch slices, stopping slicing 1 inch from the bottom of the loaf (do NOT slice through), then turn the loaf and slice the same way, making cubes (again, not slicing completely through).

2) Mix the butter with the green onions, garlic powder and Parmesan and spread in between the cubes (using hands works best). Now carefully shove the pepperoni pieces in there, as well, followed by the mozzarella-- although it is good to leave some of the mozzarella cheese on top, too. Tent the stuffed loaf with foil, so that the foil is not touching the top of the loaf (otherwise the cheese will stick to it). Bake like this on a baking tray for 30 minutes, then raise the temperature to 375F/190C, remove the foil and continue to bake for 15 minutes more, or until the cheese on top is golden.

Serve hot-- people simply pull cubes from the loaf and dip into warm pizza sauce.

Weekend Salmon Burgers

2010-12-10T17:56:00.001+01:00

These are so quick to throw together, they could easily be a week-night dinner, but I like the celebratory feel of calling them 'weekend' fare. Super healthy and a favorite for kids as well as adults.

Burger before cooking

Remarkably juicy-- so tasty

1 small shallot, minced
Handful of fresh, chopped cilantro or parsley
24 ounces (680 grams) fresh salmon filet (skinless), roughly chopped
3 ounces (85 grams) cold smoked salmon, roughly chopped
1 egg
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Pinch of salt

1) Place the shallot and cilantro or parsley into the work bowl if a food processor-- pulse until finely chopped. Now add in the fresh salmon and smoked salmon, pulse until just chopped-- not a paste. Remove to a bowl.

2) Whisk the egg with the Dijon mustard, and pour into the bowl with the fish, stir well to completely combine, cover and set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (up to the night before).

3) When you are ready to saute, grab the fish mix and stir, shape into 4 burgers. Get a griddle or large saute pan good and hot over medium heat. Spray the pan with non-stick spray or drizzle in oil, lightly salt the burgers and place in the pan to cook, without moving until golden brown on one side, about 4 minutes. Spray the top with more non-stick spray (or oil), salt and carefully flip over-- cook until some white proteins are released from the burger and the other side is golden, about 2-3 minutes longer. Serve at once on Kaiser rolls with lettuce, mayo, etc.

Makes 4 burgers

Hearty Cous Cous

2010-12-08T15:38:00.000+01:00

I used Israeli cous cous (larger than Moroccan cous cous), but any type cous cous would work, as would quinoa or even barley. No fat and high in protein and fiber, this makes a healthy, tasty side dish.

1 and 1/2 cups dry Cous cous, or specialty grain
Beef, chicken or vegetable stock (follow package directions for quantity)
3 green onions, sliced
1 can pinto beans, drained
1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

Cook cous cous or grain according to package directions, replacing the water with stock. 2 minutes before the cous cous is done, toss in the green onions, beans and pine nuts, stir, cover and allow to finish cooking. Serve at once.

Makes 4-6 servings

Dinner for the night after Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T18:53:00.002+01:00

This deceptively easy. Just the ticket for the day after Thanksgiving chaos.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium, yellow onion, chopped
8 ounces (220 grams) Jerusalem artichokes/Sunchokes-- peeled and chopped
2 cups (2 big handfuls) shredded left-over turkey (or chicken)
Sea salt, black pepper
Dry oregano
1/2 pint (8 oz/220 mls) cream

1 pound dried pasta

Have a very large pot of salted water boiling. When you place the pasta in to boil, begin the sauce.

1) Pour the olive oil into a large saute pan, set over medium high heat and add in the onions. Saute until soft, then throw in the Jerusalem artichokes and continue to saute for a minute or two longer.

2) Now chuck in the shredded turkey or chicken, season with salt and a few hefty pinches of oregano. Toss. Pour in the cream and bring to a simmer, allow it to reduce, simmering as the pasta continues to cook.

3) Just before the pasta is cooked, scoop out one or two ladles of cooking water (depending on the size of the ladle) and pour it into the sauce, stir to incorporate. Taste again and add more salt, oregano or black pepper. Drain the pasta well and toss with the sauce. Serve with Parmesan.

Serves 6

Nonna's Braciola (Beef Olives)

2010-11-16T18:59:00.000+01:00

This is exactly what my Italian Nonna would have made, had I had one. It is so very old school and lovely a dish to prepare on a chilly evening. You can make it ahead up until the baking time and stash in the fridge, or even make it the whole way through, refrigerate over night then reheat the beef rolls in the sauce the next evening for dinner-- it is quite an accommodating dish, just like my imaginary Nonna.

1tablespoon extra virgin olive oil- EVOO
4 ounces (120 grams) pancetta, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large shallot, minced
1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
1 cup chopped parsley
Freshly cracked black pepper
6 ounces (170 grams) Parmesan
3 eggs, whisked

6 large slices beef round (or any lean, slow-cooking cut), pounded thin about 8"x3"
No-cook tomato sauce (recipe here) or good, jarred sauce
Splash of dry wine (white or red)

1) Have the tomato sauce ready. Saute the pancetta in EVOO until just beginning to crisp then add in the garlic and shallot. Cook until soft (2 minutes). Splodge into a bowl and add in the breadcrumbs, parsley, black pepper and stir. When completely cooled, add in the Parmesan and whisked eggs-- combine well.

2) Preheat the oven to 350F (175C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray. Lay the beef slices ona a clean surface and sprinkle with a bit of salt. Scoop 1/6th of the stuffing and place at the fattest end. Now roll up, but not tightly because the stuffing will expand. No need to secure with toothpicks. Place into the baking dish as you roll them up. Add a glug of wine to the sauce and spoon it around the beef rolls to come half way up the sides. Cover and bake for 90 minutes to 2 hours, covered the whole time. Make sure that the tomato sauce does not dry out-- if it does, add some water.

Peppers and Pepitas

2010-11-09T21:23:00.000+01:00

As is, this recipe is vegetarian, but could easily be vegan or for meat eaters, with the addition of cooked, ground beef. Pepitas, or hulled pumpkin seeds add a slight crunch, great flavor and fiber, they are also a very good source of magnesium, iron, vitamin K and protein.

1 cup long grain brown rice (or white, if you wish)
2 cups stock
1 ounce Pepitas
1, 4-ounce tin chopped chillies (miled or hot)
Chopped, jarred jalapeno peppers (optional) to taste
6 ounces shredded cheese, like Mexican verole queso, mozzarella or sharp cheddar
6 large Anaheim peppers, tops removed, any seeds and membrane scooped out

1) Cook the rice with stock according to package directions. When it is done, preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

2) Now, mix the rice with the pepitas, chillies and jalapenos (of using). When it is completely cool, stir in the shredded cheese and stuff into the peppers. Place into the baking dish, cover with a lid or foil and bake for 45-60 minutes, until the peppers are soft. Serve at once.

Makes 6 peppers

3 Bean Soup with Kale

2010-11-05T15:47:00.001+01:00

I love any sort of bean soup: Brazilian black bean, classic navy bean, Mexican pinto bean, Italian cannellini or middle eastern chickpea-- I love them all, indiscriminately, regardless of their ethnicity-- I'm super open-minded like that.

To this bean soup I added a bunch of chopped kale. It made the soup prettier, tastier and way healthier. My four kids didn't mind the kale a bit and gobbled down the soup, with big crusty wedges of buttered bread, for dinner last night.

Because I always forget to soak my beans over night, and don't like to use canned beans in soups, I am giving this recipe starting with dried beans. If you would rather use canned, do by substituting 4, 14 oz cans beans for the 1 pound dried. Or, if you are really good, soak the beans overnight and start the recipe at step 2.

1 pound/half kilo mixed, dried beans, picked through
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 fat carrot, chopped
1 big baking potato, peeled (or not) and chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion (any color), peeled and chopped
1 red bell pepper, trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons tomato paste (puree)
2 twigs fresh rosemary plus one fresh bay leaf, tied with butchers twine
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
4 cups kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
Stock or water to cover by 3 to 4 inches (several quarts)
14 ounces/380 grams sausage-- any type you like-- I used a smoked sausage, chopped into small pieces

1) Prep the beans: Place them into a large stock pot and cover in water by six inches. Bring to a simmer (not a boil) and cook gently for 1 hour. Drain and begin soup recipe.

2) Place everything except the kale and sausage into a large stock pot. Cover with stock or water by three inches, cover and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook for 1 hour this way, then add in the chopped kale and sausage and simmer for 30 minutes longer. Remove the rosemary and bay-leaf, then mash the soup with a potato masher to break everything up slightly, not pureeing it. Taste to see if it needs salt. Serve with crusty bread.

Makes 10-12 servings

Crockpot Chicken Chili

2010-11-01T15:35:00.002+01:00

This is simple and makes your house smell delicious! Great for parties or for when you will be out most of the day. If you don't have a slow cooker, simmer very gently (covered) on the stove top for a couple of hours.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion (any color), minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 pounds/1 kilo ground chicken
1 pound/500 grams spicy chicken sausage (squeezed from their casing like toothpaste) Make sure it is raw, not smoked or partially cooked-- it should be squishy.
3, 4-oz/122 grams tins chopped green chillies, mild or spicy, not drained
1 pound/500 grams fresh or tinned tomatillos, chopped
3 teaspoons cumin powder

1 pint chicken stock

3 tablespoons Wondra or regular flour
2, 15oz/420 grams tins white beans (canellini, navy, northern, garbanzo) not drained

1 cup chopped fresh cilantro/coriander

Pickled jalapenos, chopped
Sharp white cheddar, shredded
Fritos or tortilla chips

1) Turn the crock pot on high. In a very large pan, saute the onion and garlic in olive oil for just a minute or two then add in the ground chicken and chicken sausage-- breaking the meat up as you go. You are simply getting this stuff hot, not thoroughly cooking it. This is the safest way to cook with a crock-pot-- have everything HOT when it goes in. Add the chillies, tomatillos and cumin to the pan to heat through. Now, shake the chicken stock with the Wondra flour, then pour in the pan and bring to a simmer, stirring often.

2) Dump this whole mess into the hot crock-pot, cover and bring up to a gentle simmer, then turn the pot down to low, keep covered and cook for a few hours.

3) 1 hour before you would like to serve, add in the undrained beans, stir to combine. 15 minutes before service, stir in the cilantro/coriander.

Serve with chips, chopped jalapenos and cheese along side. Makes about 8-10 bowls.

Mexican-American Pizza

2010-10-27T20:03:00.000+01:00

With three ethnicities represented in this recipe, something's got to be good about it, right? This is cool because it can so easily be vegetarian (hold the chicken) and no one would know. Heaving with beans, cheese and chillies, I was pleasantly surprised that even my 5 year old twins liked this.

1 can refried beans (fat-free, low sodium, traditional-- any style)
1 teaspoon taco seasoning mix
1 ball pizza dough (enough to make a large pizza)
Shredded Mexican cheese
1 or 2, 4oz can mild or hot chopped chillies
1 chicken breast, cooked and shredded (about 1 cup)
Salsa

1) Preheat the oven to 400F (200C). Roll out the dough to roughly fit into your greased baking tray. Dock the dough, that is, gently stab a fork into the dough all over-- this will help prevent the dough from bubblig as it bakes. Place the dough into the oven and bake for 10 minutes, until partially cooked-- this will keep the crust crisp and can be done up to 6 hours ahead and held, uncovered at room temperature.

2) When ready to bake the pizza: Pre-heat the oven to 400F. Mix the refried beans with the taco seasoning and spread most of it (I had 1/4 cup left) over the pizza base. Now, sprinkle the cheese over top, then scatter chopped chillies and shredded chicken. Bake until golden and bubbly. Spoon salsa over top before serving.

Herby Chicken

2010-10-24T17:25:00.000+01:00

Just a quick idea: After roasting, grilling or sautéing chicken pieces, toss them (still hot) with equal parts chopped fresh herbs-- chives, dill weed and parsley. Serve immediately.

Charleston, South Carolina

2010-10-22T20:13:00.010+01:00

One of the prettiest, most interesting small cities in the U.S. to visit, in my opinion, is Charleston, South Carolina.
Ask ten people what they like about Charleston and, as the saying goes, you will probably get ten different answers.
Here below are my reasons for loving this city:

Historical architecture The sheer volume of the pristinely kept antique homes and buildings is simply breath-taking. You can walk for hours through neighborhoods dating from the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, meandering through narrow alleys and rambling along coloful, shady streets. In addition to private, piazza-graced homes, Charleston's churches are spectacular, too.

Restaurants Charleston restauranteurs take seafood sustainability and locally produced ingredients seriously. They realize the abundance of fabulous foods grown and produced in their own backyard and utilize these goodies effectively. Bonus: It is very easy to eat really good food on the cheap in Charleston.
Some of my favorite places:

$ Jestine's It's well known and well loved for a reason. This tiny restaurant has an ever-present line out the door (no matter the weather). I finally had lunch there a few weeks ago and it was truly a treat; all southern soul food like your Granny (or, in this case, Jestine) would have made. Fried chicken, locally caught, friend shrimp, collards, gumbo, cornbread-- and if you are into desserts, they do not disappoint, in fact the Jestine's bakery is right next door so that you can take a pecan pie or red velvet cake home. Absolutely worth the wait.

$$ Hank's Seafood Restaurant Hank's has long been a personal favorite. The food is dependably, always very good. If you are in a celebratory mood (and have got a generous bank account) try the seafood tower-- iced platters rising above the table filled with fresh seafood, some cooked, like shrimp and crab claws, fewer, like small clams and oysters are raw. Towers are decedent, delicious and best consumed with champagne. The atmosphere is lively and somewhat retro; High-backed leather booths, servers in white coats, you expect to see the Rat Pack sauntering up to the very long bar.

$$ Slightly North of Broad Great location, great atmosphere, beautiful building and very good food. Fun for lunch and brunch, but great for dinner, too!

$$$ Charleston Grill Charleston Grill is located in the Charleston Place Hotel (my favorite hotel in the city). It is cool and regal and the food is truly exceptional, excellent even. The prices reflect this, but it is a great place top go for a celebration or special, romantic dinner.

$ Hominy Grill Truth be told, I have not yet eaten here and probably shouldn't recommend it because of that-- BUT, I know the guy who supplies the Hominy Grill with their grits, and I have been told by countless people that this place purveys a fantastic taste of the Charleston, old school. It is purported to be an excellent place to eat breakfast thru dinner. Great southern classics most of which you can enjoy for under $10, fewer entrees in the $15 range.

$-$$ Fleet Landing This is Charleston's only waterfront dining and it is great fun. Comfortable, gleaming clean, sparkling water-views with very good food to match. You can choose to sit outside or in. Great for lunch or dinner-- excellent salads, sandwiches and local fried shrimp, oysters and fish.

(and, just for drinks...)
Pavilion Bar There is no better place to relax above Charleston, looking out over the harbor and back at the city. This is a gorgeous place to have drinks at sunset and in to the evening. The enforced dress code keeps tank-top wearing meatheads at bay.

What to do Far from being an exhaustive list, the following are just a few of my favorites:

1) Walk the streets early in the morning. The sun has just risen, the streets are empty and quiet, this is a great way to intimately feel the history of the city.

2) Take a walking tour. There are lots of tours to choose from: Ghost, Civil War, photography, Gullah, African American history, architectural, general history, pub. I've taken about a dozen lead by different companies and never been disappointed.

3) Carriage ride. Maybe not for everyone, and honestly, you only need to take one once, but it is a great way to get an overview of the city and learn a bit about it's remarkable history.

4) South Carolina Aquarium. If you are into aquariums, or you are traveling with a child, this is a fabulous facility. Opened just 10 years ago, it still feels new (in an entirely good way). The staff is friendly and helpful, too. For a nominal fee, you can take a 'backstage' tour of the aquarium or visit their new Sea Turtle Hospital-- awesome.

5) Shop. For trinkets, souvenirs or just a look around, The Old Market is great fun. For serious shopping at big ticket shops and some independent boutiques, head to King Street.

6) Take a boat tour or dinner cruise. I've not done this, but there are many companies providing such adventure and loads of people partake. Looks fun!

7) USS Yorktown Aircraft Carrier. Massive, intimidating and utterly interesting.

8) Get to a plantation. If you've got a car and a 1/2 day to spare, get out to a plantation. I've been to almost all and my favorite is Middleton Place. It's not cheap, but bring a picnic, there's lots to see. Spend the day strolling the property, pretending like you own the place.

Great Hotels There are lots and lots of quaint Bed and Breakfasts in Charleston. I've not stayed in any of them; I'm a hotel girl. I like staying in very nice hotels, but I also like getting a good deal. Tip: I've found in most touristy cities, if you can stay Sunday through Thursday night, you will pay up to half what you pay on the weekend. I've personally stayed in all of the hotels listed below, with the exception of the French Quarter Inn, but I did tour that property extensively.

$$$ Charleston Place Hotel This is an oasis of tranquility. An Orient Express hotel, it's common rooms are grand, the guest rooms are swanky, a fantastic spa, and it's location perfect. It's pricey, about $229 on a super-saver deal, but worth it.

$$ Mills House Hotel Maybe even better located than the Charleston Place, this is a grand dame in an historic building. The rooms are very nice, with maybe some worn spots, but it is welcoming and airy and, for Priority Club members, a Holiday Inn.

$$$ The French Quarter Inn Located right next to the Old Market, this is an exceptional place with luxurious rooms.

$$$ Harbourview Inn Located on the Charleston harbor, this is a newer intimate property that is gorgeous, truly gorgeous.

$$ Holiday Inn Historic District Not as well located as the others, this property is about a 5 block (completely safe) walk to the Old Market, but it is newer property with very nice rooms and a good pool, at a good price.

$$-$$$ Marriott Renaissance Historic District This is well located with very nicely decorated, spacious rooms. What you would expect from a Renaissance.

Have you got Charleston favorites of your own? Comment and share your thoughts!

Breakfast

2010-10-20T14:19:00.000+01:00

I've declared my adoration for Marmite before, it is the best yeast-by-product-sedimentary-sludge-spread on earth. It tastes even better when one has been without it for a few months. This morning I opened my big food box from England and pulled out my beloved Marmite.

Squeezed, ever so daintily over a slice of whole wheat toast, blanketed in sharp cheddar cheese and broiled until bubbly, it made my heart leap! And my breath stink...

Making Friends in Your Pajamas

2010-10-19T15:56:00.002+01:00

'Making friends takes time, it's a process'. This is what I've told my children during the many moves we've made. I've always envied children's place in the social stratosphere; being in school all day, orbiting around other kids with varying degrees of commonalities-- making friends is almost inevitable.

For parents, well it can be trickier; there simply aren't that many potential friends wandering around the inside of my house. It takes longer to make friends when you are not sloshing around a mosh-pit of peers.

But, 'making friends takes time, it's a process' I tell myself. And I am lucky because I actually like being alone most of the time. It's just that some of the time, I wish I had a confidant-- a girlfriend.

I met another mommy in the neighborhood a month or so ago. Her name's Jen, too. Jen's tall, blonde, naturally beautiful, spunky and totally upbeat. The worst part is that she is ridiculously kind, self deprecating and grounded. It's simply not fair; there is nothing not to like about this woman- not one quirk that I can focus on, to bolster my pudgy self up.

Making friends takes time, it's a process. You'd think that my new potential friend, Jen and I would make time to get together during the days, considering all we stay at home mommas do is sit on the couch with our feet on the coffee table, watching our stories on the TV and eating bricks of chocolate fudge. But we move in different directions and have not yet made it a point to get together.

Yesterday afternoon, Jen and I were talking on the phone about carpool when she told me that she was going on a rare date with her husband. She said that she was going to see the author David Sedaris read from his new book.
'Have you heard of him?' She asked.
My heart literally skips a beat when anyone mentions David Sedaris' name. It was reading his book, 'Me Talk Pretty One Day' that brought laughter back into my life after the traumatic turn of events that surrounded my twins premature birth. His autobiographical stories elicit from me, warm tears and embarrassing snorts of laughter. I treasure his books, and was dying to go see him, but because my husband is (seemingly permanently) out of town and my lack-of-friend situation, when the tickets went on sale, I stoically passed.
'Have I heard of him?' I screeched into the phone at Jen (my new friend-- her fondness for Sedaris solidified this). 'I love him. I've read all of his books twice and I love him. I like to imagine that maybe he and Julia Child had a baby, and it is me.' I gasped.
'Well, come with us, then!' Jen enthused.
I grimaced at the pile of dishes in my kitchen sink. A couple of my daughters were still getting over strep throat, two had broken body parts and I had not yet found a babysitter in our new town.
I couldn't go.

I wished Jen a good time, hung up the phone and I got on with doing the dishes.

This morning, my car idled in Jen's driveway as we waited for her son to come out of the house. It sat sort of slumped in the front seat. I was wearing my nightgown under a ratty, old sweatshirt and hadn't had time to brush my teeth. Jen came bounding out the front door in her pajamas; her legs looked 8 feet long and perfectly toned, her teeth super white and not a swipe of make-up on; she looked fresh as a perfectly, white daisy in a grassy, summer knoll.
I sunk deeper down into my seat and popped a Altoid in my mouth.

'He'll be right out,' referring to her son.
'How was David Sedaris?' I asked.
Jen said nothing, as she brought her hand out from behind her back and handed me Sedaris' newest book.
Before I could say anything, she said, 'Open it'.
Inside the cover David Sedaris had signed it, 'To Jenny, I am really angry that I missed you-- David Sedaris'

I don't hug and I don't cry. I've built a reputation on these two character ~~flaws~~ traits. As I tried to open my mouth and say 'thank you', my voice cracked and I began to awkwardly cry. Jen's son looked uncomfortable as he eased his way into the backseat. Jen reached into the car and hugged me. I got a bit of snot on her pajama top (one more reason to avoid hugging and crying). I finally croaked out a beleaguered, 'thanks' and sped off to school.

Making friends takes time, it's a process. And sometimes realizing that you have made a friend, catches you off guard.

Autumn Squash Soup with Sage

2010-10-12T18:29:00.000+01:00

Autumn is such a cool time to be a cook. Pretty much no matter where you live in the States, there are seasonal foods to be found; more obviously found than in other months, anyway.

Pumpkins are an incredibly under-utilized vegetable here in the States. In Europe, the squash are found in endless savory dishes this time of year in restaurants and in home kitchens. In fact, it is rather unusual to find pumpkin in a sweet dish across the pond.

Last year at Thanksgiving time, being the only Americans in our little, English village I felt it my duty to bring some pumpkin pies into my daughter's 4th grade class. Not one of the 27 children had ever heard of using pumpkin in a pie. Some had had it in entrees when they had traveled to Italy, France or Spain on holiday, but none had eaten it as a dessert; and none of the children wanted to that day, either.

Lucky for me, English school teachers are extremely strict (Pink Floyd's, Another Brick in the Wall, was really not that far off), the class teacher insisted that every child try the pumpkin pie. 20 of the children loved it, 3 felt ambivalent, and 4 spat it out.

I took those ratios as a compliment.

So, taking a cue from the Europeans, I developed this recipe for pumpkin and acorn squash soup. It is not at all sweet, rather savory and velvety. The Pecorino croutons add so much to the final dish-- they are most definitely worth making.

Soup

1 acorn squash, halved, seeds and stringy membrane scooped out, flesh and skin cut into cubes

1 pie pumpkin (small pumpkin, about the same size as the acorn squash), processed as above

1 large yellow onion, peeled and halved

1 head garlic, top cut off to expose some of the cloves

Drizzle of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 and 1/2 quarts (1 and 1/2 litres) chicken or vegetable stock

8 leaves fresh sage

Sea salt to taste

Heavy cream (optional)

Croutons

1/2 baguette (preferably a day old)

EVOO

Grated Pecorino cheese, or Parmesan

Cayenne pepper

Popcorn or fine salt

Pre-heat oven to 375F (190C). Scatter the squash, pumpkin, onion and head of garlic, skin side down across a baking tray and drizzle over EVOO.

Bake for about 45 minutes, until fairly soft. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then peel the skins off. Toss the cooked vegetables into a soup pot with the stock and bring to a simmer.

Chuck the sage leaves into the soup (you don't need to tie them together, I just thought was a pretty shot). Simmer all-together for 20 minutes, then puree with an immersion blender (or transfer to a blender and puree).

While the soup is simmering, cut the old bread up into small squares and toss with EVOO, cheese, cayenne and a bit of salt. Bake in that hot 375F oven for about 10 minutes, then toss and continue to bake for 5 minutes more.

Just before serving, drizzle some heavy cream on top (of you like), place a few croutons strategically in a spot and serve hot.

Makes 2 quarts (2 litres), serves 6

Potatoes Kracker

2010-10-05T17:30:00.000+01:00

My neighbor's nickname is Kracker. She even had it on her license plate until she caught wind of the other meaning of the word, then she changed plates. Everyone still calls her Kracker, though.
Our family went over to Kracker's house for dinner on Saturday. I brought a smoked pork shoulder I'd tended to all day and Kracker made everything else. It was such a tasty meal... I honestly do feel that everything tastes better when someone else makes it (even a sandwich).

My favorite side dish of the night were these potatoes. Kracker told me that a friend of her sister-in-law's gave her the recipe-- it goes that way down south, friends of friends of friends-- there are never any strangers.
The potato recipe came from a man named Corky. 'Everything Corky makes is delicious!' Kracker told me when I asked for the recipe. 'Everything is buttered, or covered in cheese and always with a dollop of Duke's Mayonnaise and a dash of Lawry's Season Salt,' she continued.
A food snob would scoff at that, but I know that it is those very staples that make southern food taste so good. Just ask Paula Dean.

If the idea of mayonnaise, butter and cheese slathered over your roasted potato bums you out, remember that you're only using a little bit. If you are still cholesterol-conscious, simply roasting the potatoes this way is a great idea for dinner parties-- and because no oil or butter is used, it's a healthy preparation, too.

2 large baking potatoes, scrubbed and halved length-wise
Vetegtable cooking spray
Lawry's or Sea salt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 stick butter (2 or 3 tablespoons), softened
2-3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
2 green onions, chopped

1) Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Score the cut side of the potato to create diamond patterns and spray the halved potatoes with cooking spray, sprinkle liberally with salt and place, scored-side down on a heavy baking tray. Roast for 45-60 minutes; other than checking after 45 minutes to see if the scored side of the potatoes are golden, do not move them.

2) While the potatoes are roasting, make the awesome sauce by mixing everything together. Set at room temp-- do not refrigerate or the sauce will start to harden.

3) When potatoes are golden and gorgeous, remove from the oven, place on a serving platter and spread with the awesome sauce-- ooh and ahh, as the sauce melts into all those scored crevices. Serve hot.

Makes 4 potato halves.

Borscht

2010-10-02T22:18:00.009+01:00

When I was about 10 my mom took me to Russian restaurant for dinner. This type of cuisine was remarkably unusual in our small, suburban Ohio town. Although housed in a strip mall, I remember that the place seemed exotic; the way it was decorated, the patterns and colors used.
I also remember trying Borscht there for the first time. Borscht- that Russian soup made famous because of its deep, beet-red color. My mother tried to convince me to order the chicken Kiev, rather than the Borscht, but I insisted on the soup. Secretly, I was as surprised as she when I realized that I loved the Borscht.
Although I don't often make it, (it rarely comes to mind, when thinking of seasonal soups), I am always happy when I do. It is lovely.
This recipe I made with cubed beef in the soup-- this is delicious and makes the dish heartier, but if you want to save time (and a cow), skip that step and don't use the beef roast.

4 quarts beef stock
1 and 1/2 pounds lean beef roast (optional)
1 bunch (2 large and 2 small) fresh, raw beets, trimmed of leafy tops
1 bunch (roughly 7) parsley roots, peeled (see pic below) or 1 parsnip
3 large leeks, trimmed of the dark green
Half head cabbage, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Sea salt

2 tablespoon fresh, chopped dill
1/2 cup sour cream

1) Place the beef roast in the beef stock, cover and bring to a very gentle simmer. Cook over low heat until fork tender, about 2-3 hours. this can be done the night before and stashed (beef AND stock) in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2) At the same time, wrap the beets in foil and place on a roasting tray. Roast in a preheated oven for 30 minutes, then add in the parsley root and leeks. Roast for 30 minutes more. Remove from the oven and allow to cool, then peel the skin from the beets. Cut all the vegetables up into chunks. While you are waiting for the beef to cook, mix the dill weed into the sour cream and stick back in the fridge.

3) When the beef os very tender, remove from the stock, place on a plate and allow to cool. Add the roasted vegetables and sliced cabbage into the stock and simmer for 20 minutes. Once cool, chop or shred the beef into very small pieces. Now, blitz the soup and vegetables with an immersion blender or puree in a blender, return to the pot to heat, add in the lemon juice and season with salt.

To serve: Ladle Borscht into bowls, pile in some beef and dollop in some sour cream. Serves about 10.

Thy Neighbor's Bread

2010-09-30T15:07:00.000+01:00

I have so much respect for people who love cooking, but have to work in other fields, yet still pursue their passion for food late into evenings and on weekends. This is dedication-- it's easy to do something that you love when you have time, much harder when you must make the time.

My neighbor, Chris is one of those people who loves to cook (it's in his blood; his brother is a chef), but works in a job that has nothing to do with food. He made Gumbo last week that, I am not kidding, was as good as you could get in N'awlins. He spent half and hour alone getting the roux to a perfect, deep mahogany color. His house smelled divine.

Later, Chris brought over two loaves of bread that I figured he had bought from an artisanal bakery. He didn't-- he made them. No, he crafted them.
Chris claims that it was 'nothing' to whip up; that it was the easiest bread he had ever made. 'I didn't even have to knead it,' he told me.
I asked Chris for the recipe so that I could share it with you all and he was happy to oblige.

Did I mention that Chris has a blind passion for food?

His bread recipe begins with making the dough and allowing it to sit in the refrigerator for 14 days. This is a true sourdough recipe. And one that was so complicated that I will not be posting.

For Chris, and people like him, cooking is a labor of love. To spend half a month making a loaf of bread is nothing. I am in absolute awe of him, but won't be making his bread anytime soon. I'm just glad I live next to a man who likes to cook, bake and share.

Simply Pasta

2010-09-28T19:52:00.002+01:00

Yesterday the container holding our worldly goods arrived from England. Furniture, bikes, small appliances and 365 boxes (not kidding) were carted into our modest house and piled, teetering one on top of the other. The house was a maze of boxes stacked taller than me. My little girls loved it, and ran through the house screeching that it was like being in the jungle.
I felt completely overwhelmed.
But, I still wanted to cook dinner. I rooted through the nearly empty refrigerator and bare cupboards and came up with a jar of anchovies, a small bunch of sprouting broccoli, garlic, a lemon, a box of pasta and some stale bread. That was enough for me to squeeze dinner from; and it turned out surprisingly tasty.

Petite Spicy Croutons
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
1 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, sliced in half
4 small pieces good quality, stale bread (or fresh, toasted in the toaster), ripped into small pieces
Couple of shakes of cayenne pepper
Sea salt

Pasta
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 tablespoon butter
4-5 anchovy fillets
1 large shallot, sliced
1 small bunch sprouting broccoli, chopped into small pieces (or 1/2 bunch regular broccoli, chopped)
Zest of 1 lemon, minced
Juice of 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons heavy cream
Parmesan or Pecorino cheese
8 ounces pasta

Petite Spicy Croutons
Melt the EVOO and butter in a pan set over medium heat. Add in the garlic and cook until fragrant. Now add in the bread pieces, sprinkle with cayenne and salt and toss. Cook until they are golden-ish and crunchy. Set aside.

Pasta
Have water boiling. Start the sauce when you put the pasta on to boil. Pour the EVOO, butter and anchovies into a large saute pan. Set over medium-high heat. Once the oil/butter are hot, the anchovies will begin to dissolve, swirl the pan and add in the shallot. Cook until the shallot is soft, then add in the broccoli and lemon zest. Swipe a ladle of pasta cooking water from the pot and pour into the sauce pan along with the juice of half a lemon. Cover and cook, on high, until the broccoli is just barely tender (about 2-5 minutes, depending on how big the pieces are). Uncover and drizzle in the heavy cream, taste and add salt if desired.

Drain the pasta and add it to the sauce, toss and sprinkle with cheese. plate it up and top with the petite, spicy croutons.

Serves 2-4

Greek Family

2010-09-22T14:22:00.001+01:00

I was surprised that this pleased all of my children, but it did. Me, too. It's a Greek family favorite!

Israeli Veggie Couscous

Israeli couscous is larger than typical north African couscous. Really delicious, similar in size and texture to orzo or pearl barley.

2 and 1/4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

1 and 1/2 cups dry Israeli couscous

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

1 small shallot, minced

1 red bell pepper, trimmed and chopped small dice

1 small zucchini (corgette), trimmed and chopped small dice

A small handful of fresh, chopped parsley

A small handful of fresh, chopped cilantro (coriander)

1) Place the chicken stock into a medium sauce pot and bring to a boil. Add in the cous cous and bring back to a simmer. Cook for 8-10 minutes, until the stock is absorbed.

2) While the couscous is simmering away, saute the shallot, red bell pepper and zucchini (corgette) in the olive oil, until just tender-crisp (about 5 minutes). Once the veggies are softened, remove from heat and toss in the chopped herbs.

3) When the couscous is done, toss in the veggie/herb mixture. Serve hot.

Greek Chicken Pie

Having nothing to do with authentic Greek cuisine, I did use the typical seasonings for this. It's like a giant chicken burger and remarkably good (if not elegant).

1 pound ground chicken breast

1/2 small shallot, minced

1 fat clove garlic, mashed or minced

Hefty pinch of dried thyme

Same of dried oregano

Same again of sea salt and black pepper

EVOO

Sesame seeds

1) Mix all the ingredients (except EVOO and sesame seeds) in a bowl (use a spoon, it's messy). Cover and set aside in the refrigerator until ready to cook.

2) When you are ready to cook: Dollop a teaspoon or two of EVOO in a heavy saute pan set over medium heat; allow to heat up. When the oil is quivering, dump the chicken mixture into the pan and shape into a large patty with a metal spoon. Cover with a lid and cook until the top edges turn white, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle that side with sesame seeds, then CAREFULLY tip the 'burger' onto a plate, re-oil the pan and flip the burger, sesame seeds side down into the pan, cover again and cook for another 5 minutes-- until cooked through.

Cut into wedges and serve with tahini sauce and veggie couscous.

New Look

2010-09-21T12:18:00.000+01:00

Hey friends,
I am going to have some work done on Finding Tasty. All the same content will remain, I just want to jazz up the look and feel of the site-- want it to be more interactive.

But, before I do... what do you like about Finding Tasty? What do you dislike? Any suggestions for changes?

All comments welcome!!

Thanks,
JennyB

Autumn Sauce

2010-09-20T14:30:00.000+01:00

We are still getting fantastic tomatoes, and probably will for a few weeks yet. I was staring down a pound of very ripe, red beauties that sat warming themselves on my sunny windowsill. My husband loves pasta, me... not so much. I think what I don't like about pasta is how heavy it can feel, (and how heavy I feel after eating a plate of it.)
So, my personal mission became to create a very light tomato sauce that would just skim over al dente penne. I also wanted to change tack, moving away from basil to season my tomatoes. I went with rosemary, because I knew that I would also be incorporating slivers of country ham into my sauce.
The rosemary brought a savoury sense of autumn to the sauce.

The basic sauce has just 4 ingredients and can be used as is, or as a base for a more elaborate sauce. I give instructions for both below.

Basic Rosemary Sauce
1 tablespoon (dessert spoon) extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
1 pound very ripe tomatoes, squeezed of seeds, roughly chopped
1 sprig fresh rosemary (whole)

1) Set small sauce pan over medium heat, pour in the EVOO and scatter in the garlic. Allow them to warm up together. When the garlic becomes fragrant, add in the tomatoes and bring to a gentle simmer, then sink the rosemary sprig into the tomatoes. Simmer until the tomatoes have broken down and most of the leaves have fallen form the rosemary sprig, about 20 minutes.

2) If you are using the sauce as is, season with sea salt now. If you are carrying on with this recipe, do not add salt (the additional ingredients are quite salty). Remove the rosemary stick and mash with a fork, or whiz in a blender, or use an immersion blender to smooth out the sauce.

Autumn Sauce
12 oz penne
1 teaspoon EVOO
8 oz (220 grams) country ham (very salty, southern ham) or prosciutto, cut into slivers or small cubes
1 shallot, minced
handful of green olives, chopped
1 glug dry white wine (best from the glass you are drinking)
Basic Rosemary Sauce
Several shakes of red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper
A ladle (1/2 tea cup) of pasta cooking water
2 tablespoons, pats, of butter or EVOO

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add in the pasta and start the sauce. In a large saute pan, pour 1 teaspoon EVOO and add in the salty ham and shallot. If using country ham, it needs to be cooked, if using prosciutto, it simply needs to be warmed. Now add in the green olive and deglaze with a glug of wine. Allow to bubble away for a minute or two then add in the Sauce and a ladle of pasta cooking water. Bring to a gentle simmer and allow to bubble until the penne is done. Once done, drain the pasta and add the butter or EVOO and red or cayenne pepper into the sauce. Incorporate, then toss in the penne.

Serve with Parmesan and freshly cracked black pepper. Serves 4

Exceptionally Average

2010-09-16T19:38:00.002+01:00

In high school I was average at just about everything. Most people knew me; some liked me, some found me annoying. I did okay academically (my guidance counselor used the word, 'underacheiver' a lot). I could throw a ball alright, but was afraid to catch it.

Generally, I was comfortable in my own skin, until walking in to a room where the cool kids were; 5th period study hall, or a party at the football player's house. I guess that's pretty standard stuff for a teenager; for confidence to wax and wane.

A few days ago I landed a job interview to write about food for a good size magazine. I was full of confidence. I was in an improv troupe in college, which is really all that job interviews are-- improvization, right?

Not so fast. Even as an adult, confidence is a tricky mistress.

It started last night, when I realized (as the babysitter stood in front of me, hand extended) that I had lost my wallet. And inside my wallet was not only the usual suspects like credit and debit cards, cash, drivers' license, but also my check book and, especially worrying, a small folded piece of paper with all of my family's social security numbers written on it, name by name with the words, "Social Security Numbers" written in bold at the top.

Keeping this paper in my wallet, was not so average. I would classify it more as an exceptional move.

Needless to say, this morning, after spending the night fretting over the identity theft of my family, I dropped the kids at my neighbor, Kracker's house (that is a story unto itself) and rushed to get to the interview in the city (a city in which I had only even been once before). I was a bit of a basket case. I had chosen to wear the most fashionable shirt I owned; I floaty, black, swishy thing that was sort of see-through, so I wore a black camisole beneath (my black bra was in the wash, so I went comando, which in my case, is perfectly doable) and a pair of baggy cargo pants. It was an acceptable outfit. I looked, average-- Not a head-turner, but not offensive, either, which is where the bar has been set for some years now.

I inevitably got lost making my way into the bowels of the city, stopped and asked for directions at a derelict gas station and arrived at the interview, sweaty and more flustered than I had been in years. So much for the confidence.

We were meeting at a Starbucks, and here's my confessional: I have never been into one. Except for that one particularly cold, damp winter in England, I don't drink coffee, so I've really had no need to enter a coffee house.

In the parking lot I noticed many, very fit, very stylish mommies entering the building. I thought about my baggy pants and sagging body and felt a bit sheepish. But this emotion passed as soon as I entered, and was replaced instantly with self-loathing. Everyone, I mean everyone in that Starbucks was gorgeous. Even the counter girls. Gleaming teeth, shiny hair, sun-tanned faces-- and everyone was thin. And (AND!) everyone was either on a Blackberry, an IPhone or using a laptop. It was like walking into the imaginary office of Playboy Magazine-- Everyone happily multi-tasking and gorgeous in Lycra. I stood there breathless and sticky, holding my empty purse, a notebook (as in paper, not computer) and a map.

I felt as if it was 1985 and I had just absentmindedly sat down at the cheerleader's lunch table, and by the time I realized, and noticed them all staring at me, it was too late to leave. And a few people were staring at me; some with bemused expressions and some in an uncomfortable way.

My nose whistled loudly as I exhaled. I was waiting in line to order an ice tea. Finally, it was my turn and a very polite, absurdly beautiful, blonde girl took my order. After I paid her, she said, 'Ummm...', cleared her throat, then looked at my chest and quickly away. I looked down and realized that my left boob had popped out of my camisole and was staring right back at all the attractive people in Starbucks. 'Oh shit!' I whispered as I readjusted. Without eye-contact, I thanked Miss America and took my ice tea to find a table and wait for the interview that I was now preparing myself to epically blow. At least I'd have a good story to tell friends.

But life doesn't always work out the way you imagine it will. In the end, I got the job. I tightened my camisole straps, pulled my confidence back out of the abyss and somehow managed to make a good enough impression on the editor that she gave me my first assignment on the spot (and that was after admitting my wardrobe malfunction to her... to be honest, I think the idea that I had never before been in a Starbucks made more of an impression.)

In so many ways, I am average. But in other, sometimes disturbing ways, I am exceptional. And that seems about right.

2010-09-15T18:59:00.000+01:00

This morning I woke up early and wandered downstairs to find you in the kitchen as usual. I took you in my hands, ‘Hey you…’ I trailed off gazing with big, love crumb eyes.

I feel like a teenager with a heart-wrenching case of puppy love. My feelings for you are strong because you are so new to me. My head acknowledges, rationally that I am just experiencing the ‘honeymoon’ phase of our relationship, but my heart, oh my heart spins in circles wanting simply to consume you! I can’t seem to get enough.

I’ve found the swarthy love I have been searching for ALL MY LIFE. In a grocery store, of all places. Sure, my husband doesn’t like the idea. He says it stinks. My kids, too for that matter. But their reaction is to be expected I guess. They just don’t understand. They have no grasp of depth of my feelings.

Yesterday after breakfast with my amour, I went to kiss my huband goodbye as he dashed out the door to work, only for him to quickly move his face to the side so that my kiss hit his cheek rather than his lips, ‘Eck—you smell of Marmite’ he said with an uncomfortable wince.

Marmite! Who knew I would come to love a wasted yeast by-product so unconditionally?

My husband may not have eyes or the palate for Marmite, but he does have more in common with it than he realizes. This fudge-colored smudge of a spread tastes exactly like my husband smelled throughout his college years—the bottom of a warm, drained beer keg the morning after a clamorous fraternity party. Let me emphasize that this is a quality much more becoming of a condiment than a hung-over, unkempt twenty-two year-old in his second senior year at university.

But Marmite is supposed to taste like fermented, old beer because that’s pretty much what it is. Marmite is made when the good lads at the Marmite factory in Burton-on-Trent in England, trot over to their neighbors, Bass Ale and collect the wasted yeast from the brewery. This is the basis of an unusually nutritious (high in B vitamins and riboflavin), salty and sticky food product. (I say ‘product’ because I’m not sure how I feel about actually referring to Marmite purely as a food)

I had heard about Marmite and its rather uneven reputation before moving to England. Every British person I’ve known has stood staunchly in one of two camps. Like all things worth having an opinion about, (politics, religion, Pee Wee Herman) when it comes to Marmite, Brits do seem to fall into only two categories—love or hate. I think most people hate it, but those of us who love that sludge of spread, love it deeply and madly. A smear over toast in the morning with the paper-thin piece of mature Welsh cheddar makes my heart sing (and my breath stink—seriously, like feet). Chased by a strong cup of coffee and I am flying solo for the rest of the day. Independence is good.

Maybe my initial attraction to you Marmite was precisely because you are the underdog, because most people not only don’t like you, but actively avoid you. Maybe the first time I brought you home with me, a little bit had to do with wanting to seem like I didn’t care what your reputation was—you were the bad one and I was determined to like you. But now it’s become so much more than that. I don’t like you Marmite, I love you. And I am in this for the long haul. I want to see you every morning at breakfast for the rest of my life. The end. To hell with the naysayers! I’ll stand on my dining room chair loud and proud and shout, ‘I love a yeast by-product scraped from the bottom of a brewer’s ale kettle!’

Cheese Pennies, aka: 'the crackers I can no longer bake'

2010-09-15T15:44:00.001+01:00

I have friends who love to bake but rarely bake the sweets the adore, because they will eat them. All. And I never really understood this. Not having much of a sweet tooth, I couldn't figure out why just one bite of a rich, fudgey brownie or a sliver-thin slice of Keylime pie wouldn't be enough to satiate them. It would be for me.
I began to realize the ignorance of that train-wreck of thought yesterday after I baked up a batch of Cheese Pennies. Pulled warm from the oven, these little devils are crisp on the edges, flakey on the top and soft in the middle. Bursting at the seems with tangy cheese flavor, these guys are tiny but mighty.
One batch makes about 7 dozen pennies. As the moon rose high in the sky over my house last night, I was closing in on finishing my 5th dozen.
I now have a deeper understanding of exactly why my friends who love to bake and love to eat sweets, have certain desserts that are off limits. I've found my match in a cheese penny.

I've got two recipes here: The first is for the classic cheddar cheese penny, the second is for a more unusual type of penny. I call it the Gruyere cheese penny (Gruyere being the mac daddy of all Swiss cheeses). I used aged Gruyere (pricy, but worth it) and a secret ingredient, onion soup mix. Okay, I admit this is not a cracker for food snobs, but it is a delicious cracker. It's got hint of French onion soup. Friends who tried both cheese pennies unanimously liked the Gruyere best.

Easy to make up a batch, stash the raw dough-logs in the freezer, retrieving them when friends of family come around. They bake in a jiffy (and yes, I do realize how dated the term, 'jiffy' is. It just seemed to fit.)

Cheddar Cheese Pennies
8 oz (225 grams) very sharp cheddar cheese, cut into chunks
1 cup (125 grams) flour
1 stick/half cup (113 grams) cold butter, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (for very slight heat, 1/4 teaspoon for serious spice)

1) Place the cheese into the bowl of a food processor and pulse until it is grated up, probably 4-6 pulses. Do not over-work the cheese. Add in everything else and pulse until it pulls into large crumbles-- this happens quickly.

2) Turn the dough crumbles out onto a clean work surface and smash into 2 balls, then roll, with your hands into a rough log shapes. Place it in some wax paper (grease-proof paper, for my friends in the UK) and roll neatly into logs about 2" (4 cm) in diameter. If baking soon, place the logs into the freezer for 30 minutes. If baking within 24 hours, stash in the refrigerator. If baking in the next 3 months, stack in the fridge, but stick the logs into a freezer bag first, to avoid freezer burn. Allow frozen logs to thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes before slicing.

3) To bake: pre heat the oven to 400F (200C). Slice the logs into 1cm, slices and lay on a non-greased baking tray. they can be close together, as they will not spread much. Bake for 12 minutes, until they are just crisp on the edges, but still soft in the middle. Cool and eat. All of them. At once. If you manage to have any left over, make sure to keep them in an airtight container.

Gruyere Cheese Pennies (or, French Onion Soup Pennies)
Make these in the exact same way as above, omitting the salt and cayenne, and adding in 1/2 packet of dry onion soup mix (hey Brits! You can use 1/2 a beef bouillon cube, crumbled and 1 dessert spoon of dried onions), also depending on how dry the Gruyere is, you may need to add a tablespoon (dessert spoon) of water to bring the dough together. Carry on with the recipes as above.

Makes 7 dozen

Baked Cheese Grits with Okra

2010-09-11T17:28:00.000+01:00

I'm trying to like okra. I really am. I do like the flavor, I just can't get past the...slime. By roasting the cut okra on top of the grits most of the slime dries up. This is great, southern comfort food.

2 cups (420 ml) chicken stock
1 cup (210 ml) 1/2 and 1/2 (light cream) or milk
1 cup stone ground grits
6 oz (170 grams) grated cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup okra, sliced

1) Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C) degrees. Bring the stock and cream or milk to a simmer, then lower the heat, add in the grits and stir. Slowly bring the grits to a simmer, stirring all the time. Cook for just 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir to cool the grits.

2) Grease a casserole dish. When the grits are only warm, not hot and not cold (but juuuuuuust right), stir in 1/2 of the cheese until it melts. Now add in the beaten eggs, stir well, then pour into the casserole dish. Scatter the rest of the cheese over top and toss the sliced okra over the cheese. Bake uncovered for 20 minutes, then turn the heat up to 400F (205C) and continue to bake for 20 minutes more, until the cheese is golden and the grits are set. Serve hot.

Serves 6-8

Potato Bake

2010-09-07T15:31:00.000+01:00

I'd like to apologize up front about the many, many years that I have lambasted home cooks who used a can of 'cream of...' soup in recipes. I never tried it, yet felt that I had the right to 'take the mick', (as my British friends would say) out of those recipes. And there are LOTS of those recipes out there.
Now, some of those recipes that call for a tin of cream-of-whatever soup are truly scary to read; using processed ingredients almost exclusively. But, some (those that are light handed with the artificial stuff) are actually pretty good.
Yesterday, I was in a rush to make dinner. I hate that, and avoid it whenever possible. But last night, at 6pm, I found myself in the grocery store looking for something that I could make for dinner that all of my children would eat. I settled on Teriyaki salmon (never fails me), green salad and some sort of potatoes... Didn't want to to fries, or baked potatoes or even mashed. I wanted something different, something creamy but also something healthy. It was there in the soup aisle that the idea hit: I love simmering celery root with potatoes for mashed potatoes, why not try cooking cubed potatoes in cream of celery soup. My expectations were low, but that's good, right?
I accidentally grabbed a can of healthy (reduced fat/sodium) cream of celery soup (which was highly irritating), but even so I was surprised to find that this little dish turned out to become a new family favorite! Easy to do ahead, hands-off cooking in the oven, these potatoes go great with pretty much everything. And they hit the spot with kids as well as adults.

1 can cream of celery soup (regular of low fat)
1 can milk (2%, skim--whatever type you drink)
1 small yellow onion, chopped
3 small ribs celery, chopped
handful of chopped parsley
Sea salt and pepper to taste (especially if using the low sodium soup)
6 medium baking potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
handful of good quality breadcrumbs (homemade or Panko)
handful of grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1) Preheat the oven to 375F (185C). In a round casserole dish, mix together the soup, milk, onion, celery and parsley. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add in the cubed potatoes and toss well to evenly coat (it will be a soupy consistency).

2) Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove cover and sprinkle the breadcrumbs and Parmesan over top. Drizzle with a bit of melted butter, place back into the oven and continue to bake for about 15 minutes, until the crumbs are golden.

Serve at once, but this dish is a good one to take to a potluck because, covered, it stays warm for some time.

Serves 6

The Ant Diet

2010-09-06T14:04:00.003+01:00

My husband and I share our home with one teenager, one tweenager, two five year olds and roughly one thousand ants, give or take. It’s autumn and, I have been told, this is the time of year for lots and lots of ants. The running joke in our (new) neighborhood is that this subdivision was built on an anthill. Everyone here battles the formidable Formicidae.

These ants are tolerable; small, and easily smudged beneath an index finger. And they can be kept at bay for a day or two with ant traps and poisonous powders. Being around them so much though, I am starting to pay more attention to them—you know, their behavior, what seems to motivate them.

I’ve decided that ants really are pretty smart, colonizing critters. I knew that they were strong and extremely fast for their body size, but it’s their food choices I have come to admire most.

Ants seem to be on an all-carb diet. Breadcrumbs on the floor? Ants. Finished off bottle of wine in the recycling bin? (Drunk) ants. Smear of ice cream on the kitchen counter? Super happy ants. Apple pie? Don’t even get me started on the six-legged, frenetic mayhem.

I tried the Atkins Diet once and hated every second of that carb-free month. I’m trying the Ant Diet now.

I’ll start off the morning light with a packet of Saltine crackers (a little aged Gruyere cheese on top couldn’t hurt), followed by several slices of (well-buttered) whole wheat toast with peach jam. Mid morning snack will be pretzels (made tolerable by Ranch dip) and a cupcake (with sprinkles). Lunch will be pasta (specifically mac and cheese), and a bowl of cookie dough ice cream for dessert.

Please note, my dedication.

A simple afternoon snack of a rustic bread sandwich (with salami, butter and mayonnaise wedged in-between the bread slabs) will be followed by a super-charged carb dinner of two, large baked potatoes (with cheddar cheese, sour cream and bacon crammed in the top), brown rice (smothered in beef Stroganoff) and a Bavarian Cream Puff for dessert. Of course, to really follow the Ant Diet, I should drink wine (of any color) with all meals (and snacks).

If, after three or four months on the Ant Diet, I am not speedier and stronger than I have ever been I will be shocked. But I realize that to truly succeed on a diet requires a life-style change; they don’t necessarily work over night. I am willing to stick with this diet for years, if I need to.

Labor Day Lemon Cake

2010-09-04T22:15:00.000+01:00

In culinary school, you must chose to major in either cooking or baking. I've found that it is pretty true in life, too. People tend to like one or the other, rarely both. I sit squarely on the cooking side of the fence, but many of my friends (especially the gals) are all about baking.

I was talking to one of my daughter's friend's mothers on the phone today, and she was telling me about how much she hates cooking, but adores baking. She mentioned that she was baking a lemon cake as we spoke. Then, she mentioned something that really piqued my interest: She was using a recipe for the lemon cake that called for Sprite. I begged Beth, the mom, for the recipe and asked if I could come over to her house to photograph it; she kindly agreed.

Although I am a cook at heart, this recipe strikes me as so very Americana, I may be tempted to bake a Sprite Lemon Cake for my family this labor day weekend.

Cake
1 package white cake mix
1 package lemon instant pudding mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 cup (250 ml) Sprite, 7-Up or ginger ale
1 and 1/2 teaspoons finely minced lemon zest, if desired

Glaze
1 cup (113 grams) powdered sugar (icing sugar in the UK)
2 teaspoons lemon juice

1) Pre-heat the oven to 350F (175C). Mix together all of the cake ingredients until smooth. Pour into a greased bundt pan and bake for 40 minutes. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan.

2) Mix up the glaze and when the cake is completely cool to the touch, drizzle the glaze over top. Garnish with slices of lemons.

Tomato Concasse

2010-09-04T19:29:00.000+01:00

Sitting on a terrace in Marbella, Spain, in the Costa del Sole, looking out over the Straights of Gibraltar across to Africa, I tucked into a plate of Serrano ham and a spoonful of extremely simple, and heart-stoppingly ripe tomato concasse. No garlic, no onion, no flourish of herbs; Just this, the most beautifully cured ham and the ripest, sweetest tomato I had ever tasted.
It was a moment in time that I will never forget.
It was truly magic.

Tomato Concasse (con-ka-say) is a fancy way of saying 'chopped tomatoes'. It is a bit more involved than simply chopping a ripe tomato, and in most cases I like to skip steps and keep things simple, but on some occasions, it is nice to have a perfectly diced, ripe tomato without a hint of skin or seeds.

Here's how you do it:

Take a ripe tomato

Score, (shallow slice) an X in the bottom (the end opposite the stem)

Now, get a big pot of water boiling. As soon as the water is boiling, chuck the tomato into the water and let it simmer there for just a minute or two, until the skin starts to peel off. As soon as that happens, pull the tomato out of the boiling water and plunge it into ice water

Now, peel the skin off, slice the tomato in half and scoop the seeds out. Slice what remains into strips, then cut those strips into small dice. That's tomato concasse. I like to sprinkle with the tiniest bit of sea salt and drizzle some fruity extra virgin olive oil over (this is when expensive olive oil is worth it).

Lunch today: Country ham, sauteed with EVOO (extra virgin olive oil) and topped with tomato concasse.

Pasta with Fresh Artichokes and Prosciutto

2010-08-31T21:25:00.000+01:00

My sister's best friend from college was coming to visit me for lunch. We had not seen each other in thirty years, but I remembered him as very sweet. I also knew that he is a man of impecable taste, being a recognized and well respected interior designer in the south east of the States. I was a bit nervous-- what to cook for him? He eats out all the time, he styles for magazines and designs professional athlete's homes.
In the end, I gave up trying to figure out something sophisticated and went for simplicity: Pasta with fresh artichokes and prosciutto (or Spanish Serrano). Some rich, fruity olive oil, some scratchings of Parmesan and a sprinkling of homemade, crunchy breadcrumbs and it made a fine, rustic lunch.
This dish is heavy on the prep work, BUT, after that is done it's a snap to throw together just before serving.

2 fresh artichokes
4 ounces prosciutto- the best quality you can afford
Extra virgin olive oil
Handful of freshly made breadcrumbs
1 large, banana shaped shallot, or 2 round shallots, peeled and minced
More olive oil
Handful of freshly grated Parmesan cheese

12 ounces slow dried pasta (tastes better/worth the money)

1) Prepare the artichokes: Rip all of the leaves off and discard or simmer and eat later. Scoop the choke out (the soft, fury center). Trim the tough, green outer part off of the stem and base, discard, then slice what's left thinly. You can store in acidulated water (H2O with lemon) but I find that the artichokes turn sort of grey/green after being cooked anyway, so, in this dish, why bother? Simmer the artichoke pieces in salted water for 5 minutes, until just softened. Drain and set aside.

2) Slice the prosciutto up into small bite size pieces, set aside.

3) Prepare the breadcrumbs by toasting some bread, letting it cool, then smashing it into crumbs, in a zip lock bag, with a rolling pin. Then, saute for just a few minutes over a gentle heat in some olive oil and maybe some butter until crisp. Set aside.

4) Start a big pot of water to boil for the pasta. When you put the pasta into the boiling water, start the sauce-- it's THAT quick.

5) Place the pasta in the boiling water. Now, coat the bottom of a saute pan with olive oil. Don't be stingy. Now add in the shallots and saute over medium-high heat until they are soft, then add in the artichoke slices and saute for a few minutes. Drain the pasta (cooked al dente) and toss it into the saute pan. Chuck in the prosciutto and a handful of Parmesan, and toss well. Drizzle over more olive oil if you like. Plate up and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Serve with freshly cracked black pepper.

Serves 4-6

Pasta with Healthy(er) Meatballs, Kale, Cannellini Beans and Tomato Jus

2010-08-24T14:14:00.001+01:00

This is a yummy way to get kale into your family. I actually used collard greens, because I love them, but any dark, leafy green would work in this recipe. The meatballs are delish-- if you don't want to use ground turkey or sausage meat, use whichever minced meat you like with the same accompanying ingredients. And last, the tomato jus: So light and tasty-- perfect for this time of year.

Meatballs
1 tablespoon butter or olive oil
1 medium leek, light green and white part only, washed well, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, peeled, minced or pressed
1 pound/425 grams ground (minced) turkey or chicken
1 pound/425 grams sausage meat
1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs (homemade is better, or use crumbs of your choice)
3 tablespoons good quality, grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dry white wine
1/4 -1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt (I like salt and used 1/2 t)

1) Heat the butter in a saute pan and saute the leeks and garlic until just soft ('sweat' them). Now, squish everything together with your hands in a large bowl, cover and set in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, but up to 24 hours.

2) When ready to cook: Roll into small balls, about the size of a ping pong ball. Using a heavy saute pan (I like cast iron), pre heat the pan over medium heat, then place the balls in the dry pan (this is if you used good 'ol fatty sausage meat in the mix-- if you used a leaner meat, oil up the bottom of the pan). The pan can be full, but the meatballs should not touch. Saute, browning the outside until all the meatballs are golden/brown, then cover and allow to steam in their own juices for about 10 minutes. Keep an eye on the heat, shake the pan occasionally and make sure that the pan stays moist-- otherwise add in a bit of water). Remove the lid at the end to crisp up the meatballs. Makes about 48 meatballs-- more than you will need for this recipe. Enough to serve 8-12 people. Can easily be halved.

Pasta Sauce
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups chopped kale, collards, chard or spinach
Sea or kosher salt
1/2 cup No Cook Tomato Sauce (or good quality, thick store-bought)
1/2 cup good quality chicken broth (or vegetable broth for a vegan sauce)
1 regular size tin of cannellini beans, drained/rinsed

1) Heat the oil over mediu-high heat then add in the greens and saute until wilting, turn the heat down, season with salt and allow to cook until getting soft (for heartier greens, like kale and collards, this takes about 5 minutes-- for spinach this happens instantly).

2) Add in the tomato sauce, broth and beans, stir well and simmer gently for 5 minutes.

Cook 12 ounces of pasta until al dente. Toss with the sauce and snuggle in the meatballs. Serve with copious amounts of grated Parmesan cheese. Serves 4 adults or 4 little kids and 2 adults.

No Cook Tomato Sauce

2010-08-24T13:53:00.001+01:00

Can't believe I forgot to post this one-- I've been making it all summer, and there are VERY few recipes that I make more than once. This is GREAT on homemade pizza, as well as pasta. It also takes just minutes to make.
1 large tin plain, chopped tomatoes
1 large clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste (puree in the UK)
2-3 teaspoons dry oregano (for pizza sauce, less for pasta)

1) Whiz everything together in a blender, food processor, or immersion blender. Stash in the refrigerator until ready to use-- up to 5 days. Use as is -no need to cook- spread away on pizza dough, then cover with cheese or slather onto hot pasta, toss and serve.
Makes just shy of 2 cups

Japanese Ginger Salad Dressing

2010-08-16T21:09:00.000+01:00

When I turned 16 years old, my parents told me that I could take my five best buddies out for dinner at a nice restaurant of my choosing. My favourite restaurant at the time (and still a fun place to go on occasion today) was the Japanese Teppanaki restaurant in our city, The Japanese Steak House. I loved the drama of sitting around the chef as he chopped, diced and tossed our dinner ingredients in the air before stir-frying them alongside a volcanic, fire-spitting onion.
It was magical.
And delicious.

Eating in that Japanese Steakhouse was a rare treat, and one that I coveted. Although the food served there was a far cry from authentic Japanese food, (sort of what Taco Bell is to Mexican cuisine), it introduced my teenage taste-buds to Japanese flavours, (soy sauce, ginger root, miso paste, to name a few) and lead the way for my life-long interest and love of all foods Japanese.

The first Japanese food revelation I had at the Steak House was the salad dressing. It was not creamy, but it was thick. It wasn't vinegary, but had an acidic bite. It was fresh and light and I always ordered a salad when eating there.

I still love that dressing, and today and finally got around to figuring it out. It couldn't be easier to make at home-- if you've got a blender, you are set. A food processor or immersion blender work great, too.

1/2 vidallia onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1/2 cup ginger root, peeled and chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and chopped
1 celery stick, chopped
1 small clove garlic, peeled, chopped
2 teaspoons honey
1 tablespoon good quality soy sauce (I like Kikkoman)
2 tablespoons ketchup
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
1/4 cup rice vinegar (or cider vinegar)
1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt flakes (less if using fine salt)
1/4 teaspoon wasabi (optional)

1) Place everything in a blender and puree. Stash in the refrigerator until ready to use. Keeps for at least 4 days. Makes about 1 cup.

Broodje Haring (you heard me)

2010-08-15T13:34:00.001+01:00

I'm standing in the middle of Albert Cuyp Market, in Amsterdam checking out a pair of size 39 orange clogs, you know for kicking around in, when my husband, Jeff says he wants to take me to lunch. I narrow my eyes, put down the clogs and look at him—trying to gauge where this is going. I am leery because of this: My husband is the cheapest man on earth. End of story. He feels visceral and real pain if he has to spend even the smallest amount of money for anything (importance is irrelevant.)

We were in Amsterdam for a weekend away and I was holding out hope that in those three, kid-free days we might actually eat somewhere nice-ish; a place that had stools, a bench, possibly even chairs. A dining experience that did not begin with, ‘Can I take your order?’, or involve vending machines.

We walked for a while toward the mystery lunch destination, taking in the beautiful architecture, admiring the canals and the quite streets, when we were bamboozled by a plump, naked lady dancing in her window. This didn’t make any sense; we were blocks from the Red Light district. Okay, she had an illuminated red light on outside her window, but it seriously looked like she was in her living room—it was so out of context. I imagined, five minutes before she was watching the Dutch equivalent of All My Children, eating some Gouda and crackers, maybe drinking a glass of milk and decided that she’s rather open the curtains, strip down to her thong and dance around the poll she had installed in her family room.

Equally upsetting though was the special lunch ‘treat’ Jeff told me I was in for; broodje haring: raw herring and raw onion sandwich. ‘It is what you eat when in Amsterdam,’ he chortled.

I don’t know which one made me more uncomfortable, the porky housewife practically vacuuming while naked, or the Dutch fishwich my husband was blathering on about. Oddly, he was at ease with both ideas. Maybe it’s because he travels to Amsterdam often for work and is desensitized to naked women dancing in front of their living room windows, and eating penguin food for lunch, or maybe it’s because he’s simply a human-garbage-disposal-woman-admiring-man. I discovered later at lunch, that he was so comfortable with both concepts, he ate a broodje haring while watching the naked lady swirl around a poll—to him this was multi-tasking.

Back to the sandwich. The idea of it honestly scared me. After my run-in with rollmops a few months ago, the gastronomic potential of a couple fillets of raw herring (bones included) and copious amounts of raw onion piled into a white bun was lost on me. I mean, sashimi is a thing of beauty; the attention to design, the way the unadulterated fish is arranged on the plate. Herring, on the other hand, raw or cooked, looks like the fish-model that animators use when drawing a cartoon about a mangy alley cat searching through trash cans for dinner.

Like the pop-up naked dancing lady, there was no escaping the threat of a lunch filled with broodje haring—Amsterdam is home to dozens of Vishandles, market stalls selling broodje haring (among other seafood). They are popular as an inexpensive place to get a snack. And the idea of super-fresh seafood, so affordable and quick is what I am all about—but I was sincerely still shell-shocked from my experience with the pickled herring I had gagged on in England and was reluctant to try the oniony Dutch version.

We stood at the Vishandle. I shifted my weight anxiously from side to side as I felt the first few raindrops. There were plenty of other sandwiches I could order, but I knew that I should try the broodje haring. Jeff nudged me, ‘Don’t be such a baby. Get the herring,’ he whispered. He held up his thumb and index finger and said, ‘Twee broodjes haring, met uien, alstublief’ (two herring sandwiches, with onions, please—but he was just showing off, every Dutch person I’ve ever met speaks better English than all the Americans I know). The lady handed us two soft white buns brimming with chopped onions, and raw herring. I must have looked like every other American tourist about to eat their first broodje haring, because the lady said, ‘Don’t worry madam, you can eat the bones.’

We thanked the lady and walked on toward Anne Frank’s house. I figured the best way to eat this sandwich was to dive in at the deep end—no smelling, no more looking it over, just take a huge bite and chew fast.

I opened my mouth wide, like an Anaconda about to slither down a baby wildebeest and bit into the fluffy bun. Within a second or two of chewing quickly, I began to slow down, to savour this sandwich. My taste bubs registered that this was a good sandwich. A really good sandwich. I took another bite, breaking easily through the fresh raw fish and bones, inhaling the sharpness of the onions. So surprised and happy that I had gone with the broodje haring that I didn’t even notice we had come to a stop and were standing in front of another poll-dancing, huisvrouw’s window.

We walked around the city for the rest of the day. As we burped our way around Amsterdam, I figured out my husband’s thrifty plan: Broodje haring was an economical lunch that we repeatedly ~~enjoyed~~ experienced all afternoon.

7 Minute Mexican Green Sauce for Grilled Meats

2010-08-06T12:35:00.007+01:00

2 minutes prep time and 5 minute to simmer; this is an easy, quick sauce that adds so much to grilled steak, chicken, pork or even seafood. I dolloped it over grilled skirt steak that I had rubbed with equal parts cumin and oregano and a good dash of thyme, then I stuck it into a resealable bag with 2 tablespoons of table sugar, the same amount of soy sauce and a drizzle of vegetable oil and stashed it in the fridge. A few hours later, I sprinkled the meat with sea salt and quickly grilled it on a scorching hot grill.

2 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium shallot, minced
3 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 small jalepeno, seeded and minced
4 ounce can mild green chiles
11 ounce can green tomatoes/tomatillos, drained, chopped
1/2 teaspoon lime juice
Sea salt

1) Heat the olive oil in a pan and add in the shallot, garlic and jalepeno. Saute just until soft, about 2 minutes. Add in the tinned chiles and green tomatoes/tomatillos, and bring to a simmer-- cook for 5 minutes. Squeeze in lime juice and season with salt.

Makes about 1 cup. Serve hot, warm or room temperature.

Lobster Stuffed Flounder with Truffle Salt

2010-08-01T03:08:00.005+01:00

It started with free lobster bodies.

I wanted to make seafood risotto for our friends gathered together in Cape Cod last week. Of course, the cornerstone to good risotto is great stock, but as I entered the simple, village fish market I was still questioning how I would come up with a really good seafood stock.

Then I laid my eyes on a stainless steel container stacked with lobster bodies. Stripped clean of the tails and claws (to be used in lobster salad) the bodies were worthless to the fish market, but priceless to my risotto stock. When the counter girl told me that the bodies were free, I took the lot and, elated, practically skipped out of the small shop.

Simply simmering the bodies in water for 30 minutes, then seasoning with salt, a stock was born. I snuggled fresh mussels, local scallops and littleneck clams into the rice, lavished the lobster stock in, and the dish turned out pretty good. Bonus: I had 5 cups stock left-over.

The next day on the beach, my friend Laura (mama to many daughters, too) told me stories about the 16 pound lobster (16 pounds!) she, her grown daughters and their significant others shared the night before. So much lobster that they couldn't finish it and were going to make a lobster risotto that night.
'You need a good lobster stock,' I said.
'Yeah, that would make it better, wouldn't it...' Laura trailed off (still thinking of her previous night's lobsterfest).
'I've got some and it is yours,' I said.
Laura fiend reluctance, but quickly accepted my offer.

The next day, Laura shared with me wonderful stories of her lobster risotto dinner, and happy Cape Cod memories made with her daughters. She also shared with me a small bag filled with truffle salt.
'Have you ever tried truffle salt?' She asked.
I hadn't, and was tentative because of my previous, disappointing run-in with truffle. But that was nearly twenty years ago. I opened the bag and inhaled. The fragrance of the salt was sublime. I knew that I would use that salt the same night.

And so, what began with 12 free lobster bodies, became stock for two dinners, and shared truffle salt for a third. I remember Sesame Street's, Elmo chirping that, 'It's nice to share' and it is indeed, especially when it is lobster and truffles.

Lobster Stuffed Flounder with Truffle Salt
If you can't get ahold of lobster, use good quality crab meat-- it will be equally delicious. If it is at all possible to get truffle salt, grab it-- it is worth the money! If not, sea salt will be yummy, too.

Stuffing
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 large Vidalia onion, minced
1 ear of corn, kernels cut from the cob
1/2 pound cooked lobster meat, chopped into bite size pieces
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs (or homemade)
1 egg, beaten

Truffle salt

8 flounder filets
1/2 cup dry white wine

1) Melt the butter in a non-stick saute pan, over medium high heat. Once the butter is frothy, add in the onion and saute for 2 minutes, then add in the corn kernels and continue to saute for several minutes longer, until the corn is cooked and the onion is translucent. Add in the lobster meat and season with truffle salt-- begin with a light hand, you can always add more.

2) Remove from the heat and allow to cool, then add in the bread crumbs and beaten egg. Now turn on the oven to 400F (200C). Place the stuffing into the refrigerator and allow to chill for 15 minutes.

3) Grease a baking dish. Lay the flounder filets, attractive side down (and there IS an attractive side) and season with truffle salt. Lay 1/8th of the stuffing in the middle of each filet, then roll them up and place them, seam side down, into the baking dish. Pour the wine into the dish and bake, covered in the hot oven for about 30 minutes, depending on your oven. The fish should separate easily when cut with a fork.

Summer Lemon Potato Salad

2010-07-24T17:42:00.000+01:00

Visiting my folks in Cape Cod, our first night my mom served up steamed lobster and this delicious lemon potato salad. 'The recipe's from a magazine,' she told me sheepishly. 'Which magazine?' I asked, as I watched her chopping, simmering, tossing and stirring-- paying no attention to quantities, not written recipe in sight. 'I don't know. An old one...' she trailed off as she diced stalk after stalk of celery. She stuck her finger into the dressing, tasted it and adjusted the salt, then she mixed it all together and let me try it. It was sublime (and that's saying something for a potato salad). The lemon is in no way over-powering, it's actually quick subtle. This is perfect to serve with summer grilled seafood or chicken.

4 pounds salad potatoes, halves, if necessary to make them a uniform size
Juice of 1/2 a lemon
Zest of 1 and 1/2 lemons, chopped fine
1/4 cup chopped, fresh chives
1 cup Hellmann's mayo (lite or regular)
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
5-7 stalks celery, chopped

1) Place the potatoes into a pot of cool, salted water, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10-15 minutes until the potatoes are just tender. Drain in a colander in the sink and immediately squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the potatoes. Allow them to cool completely there in the colander.

2) Make the dressing: Mix together the chives, mayo, sugar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning, if you like. Toss the dressing with the cooled potatoes and chopped celery. Stash in the fridge until ice cold and ready to serve.

Passing Judgement

2010-07-08T20:00:00.004+01:00

Every weekday morning, as I drive home from dropping my eldest daughter off at school, my minivan passes by a small boy walking along the busy, morning rush-hour road. He can't be more than 7 or 8 years old. He wears the same uniform that my younger children wear. Although he is a stranger, I know by that uniform that he attends the same school.

His walk is determined, his pace quick; he's got to make the mile and a half walk down that busy road to get to school on time. He walks alone, with just his book bag bouncing off his back as he takes his tiny strides.

On the occasion that my children, who attend his school, are in the car with me, I've asked them who the boy is. They know him, but only by reputation-- 'His name is Tom and he's a naughty boy,' one of the twins says.
'Why is he walking to school, by himself? On this busy road?' I ask my girls. They just shrug and we drive on.

I think about his mother. I try not to judge-- I don't walk in her shoes... but how could a little boy like that be allowed to walk to and from school each day, down such a fast-traveled street-- alone? I imagine if I were a single mom, in the same situation, wouldn't I try and get a job that didn't require me until after I could deliver my boy to school safely? Or get a neighbor to walk him to school, if I had to get to work early?

I don't know.

I really, really tried not to pass judgement on this story that I knew so little about, on this woman whom I knew so little of, but criticism hung thick in the air around me.

Last week, I went into the children's school to cook with one of the classes. I broke it down into groups of 5 children at a time. In the middle of working with the second group, I paid closer attention to the boy to my right. He knew so much about food and liked trying all different flavours. I looked at him for a second, and recognized him as the boy I pass in the car each morning. 'Tom, you're really good at cooking!' I said to him. 'Yeah, I like to cook.' he said, but didn't look up at me.

Later, I told his teacher about how well all the children did in cooking class, but especially how well this young lad did. I told her about how I see him walking alone to school each morning.
'Yes,' she said.
'Wish I could offer to drive him to school-- would his mother feel awkward about that?' I asked.
'He hasn't got a mother. She died. He lives with his dad, and his dad...' the teacher trailed off.

As hard as I fought it, tears welled up in my eyes, as I thought about this boy's mommy looking down on him, watching him walk to school day after day, on his own. I thought about how horrible I had been passing the boy on the street, as I passed judgement on his mother.

I thought about how quick I am to judge people. I say that I see the gray scale in life, not just the black and white-- maybe I'm wrong.

I asked the teacher to try and think of any way that I could help this kid out. It's complicated. There are tricky circumstances.

But I don't want to just pass this child by anymore.

Today, after school I was talking to the school secretary when I noticed Tom on the phone next to me. He hung up and looked glum. I said hi and he returned the greeting, but quietly.
'Do you need a ride home, Tom?' I asked.
'Well, my Dad isn't answering his phone, so I'm just going to walk.' He said.
'Nah, come on with me. I'll give you a lift.' I ran my palm across the top of his prickly buzz cut.

I stopped in front of his apartment building, got out and opened his car door. 'You know, in cooking the other week, you were really good, Tom. I mean it-- you should be a chef one day. Cooking can take you anywhere in the world.'

For the first time he looked at me and sort of smiled. He said thanks for the ride and fished his housekeys out of his backpack. Then he pushed the big door to his apartment house open and walked inside.

Soupe au Pistou

2010-06-30T13:21:00.001+01:00

We are all familiar with pesto, right? Okay, well pistou is simply the French equivalent. It is fresh basil, garlic, olive oil, cheese and tomato (there's the difference) mashed together, classically in a mortar and pestle, or whizzed up in a food processor. Soupe au pistou is French vegetable soup with a dollop of pistou dropped into the soup just before serving. It is garlicky, herby and marvelous.

Pistou
1 medium clove garlic, peeled
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 medium tomato (slightly smaller than a tennis ball), halved, the seeds/goo squeezed out, chopped
1 big handful of fresh basil leaves
3 ounces (100 grams) hard, aged cheese, like Mimolette or Old Amsterdam, grated
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Mash the garlic with the salt in a mortar and pestle. Add in the tomato chunks and mash. Drain off any accumulated liquid, add in the basil and continue mashing. Last, add in the grated cheese and oil and combine. Can be made up to 2 days ahead and stashed in the refrigerator.

Soupe
8 cups vegetable stock
2 small leeks, using only the tender white to light green bit, chop and wash
1/2 cup chopped fennel bulb (including fronds, if you like-- pretty!)
1/2 cup chopped, peeled potato
3/4 cup fresh peas (or thawed frozen)
1 small zucchini, trimmed and chopped
1 tin cannellini or navy beans, drained

Shlamp the stock and leeks into a soup pot and bring to a simmer. Cook gently for 15 minutes, then add the fennel and potato chunks. Cook 10 minutes, then add in the peas, zucchini and beans. Bring to a simmer then cook for about 3 minutes, so that the peas are tender but still bright green. Serve up in pretty bowls with a dollop of pistou on top and some crusty bread on the side.

Makes 4 entree size servings

2010-06-29T17:28:00.000+01:00

Spring peas from Yorkshire for dinner tonight

ANZAC Biscuits

2010-06-28T18:43:00.001+01:00

My littlest girls’ nursery school class is studying Australia this week. When I was in nursery school at the YWCA in New Jersey, I am sure that we did little more than sit on our carpet squares listening to stories read aloud, and play in the sand/litter box. I remember loving it, until the day that my sweetheart, Joey, threw sand in my face.

I cook with the twins’ class every Monday morning and thought about tying Australia in with our baking exercise. After a brief snoop around Google I came up with ANZAC biscuits. ANZAC stands for Australian and New Zealand Army Corps and these little biscuits (or cookies, as we Americans would say) are said to have been by sent to soldiers by their wives during WWI. After reading that one of the reasons ANZAC biscuits were so treasured by army wives was that the cookies lasted months before spoiling, I wasn’t expecting much in the way of flavor.

I was totally wrong—they are delicious—like a simple, satisfying oatmeal cookie. And they are so easy to make, my ten year old made a batch by herself.

ANZAC biscuits are lovely on their own, but are also perfect with a cup of tea or coffee for dunking.

1 cup plain flour
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup light, soft brown sugar
½ cup shredded coconut
125 grams butter (1 stick)
2 tablespoons golden syrup (honey in the States)
3 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

1) Pre-heat the oven to 160C (325F). Mix the flour, oats, sugar and coconut together.

2) Melt the butter then stir in the golden syrup (or honey), water and bicarbonate of soda (baking powder). Mix this into the dry until a stiff dough forms.

3) Grease a baking tray. Roll the dough into walnut size balls—you should come up with about 24. Place them on the baking tray and bake for exactly 12 minutes.

Food Memories

2010-06-25T13:45:00.004+01:00

We moved to Augusta, Georgia June of 2000. My oldest daughter was three years old, and would start pre-school in later that summer. One of the first people I got to know (someone who remains a dear friend today) was my daughter, Claire’s pre-school teacher, Martha. Martha was a true Augustan. An old school southern lady of a ‘certain age’, who possessed the most beautiful, rich Georgian accent; listening to her made me imagine honey cascading over fluffy, buttermilk biscuits.

Martha had been a pre-school teacher at Claire’s school for fifty years. Fifty consecutive years of three olds… that alone won my immediate respect.

What Martha and I talked about most (when she had a rare, spare moment), was food. Martha introduced me to true southern cuisine, the types of foods served at family picnics, not written about in gourmet food magazines (sautéed okra) or served from a hot food bar in Piggly Wiggly (although, their fried chicken is killer). She told me about artichoke relish that a handful of old families still spent waning, sun-filled fall weekends putting up for the rest of the year. Martha knew the ladies who made the best relish in town. Or, Pimento cheese—a ridiculous spread made, classically from just three or four ingredients: Grated cheddar cheese, Duke’s mayonnaises, finely chopped roasted red pepper and maybe a bit of finely minced onion. The synergy of that artery-clogging spread is remarkable and worth every, delicious spoonful.

But it was talking with Martha about barbecue that taught me the most. Up north, to say, ‘barbecue’ indicates a grill (charcoal or gas) loaded with burgers, hotdogs, maybe some chicken or sausages, occasionally kebobs.
‘No,’ Martha sternly corrected me. ‘In the south, barbecue means only pork barbecue. Barbecue to Augustans is a pork butt [Boston butt], smoked over hickory wood for hours until it is falling apart. Of course you’ve got to make some mustard sauce for it, and serve it on slices soft, white bread—the cheaper the better.’

This was a revelation. To me, barbecue was a generic term, synonymous with Saturday evenings and assorted meats, sizzling quickly over hot coals. To Martha though, barbecue was a process an adored all-day affair that would, simply by its size, bring together family or friends to share in the huge roast that lay resplendent, shredded and smoked along side coleslaw, deviled eggs, tomato pie and pimento cheese, on the southern family’s picnic table.

I began teaching myself how to properly, authentically smoke pork. Noticing how the mahogany color of the roast gives way to the interior pink ring that indicates how well the smoke permeated the meat. I figured out the right balance between charcoal briquettes, lump, hardwood charcoal and soaked wood shavings. I loved the process, the hours it took, tending to the fire.

I also made my own mustard sauce—instantly loving its sweet/tart flavour with the zing of red pepper flakes. It complements the richness of the pork so well.

I’ve always deciphered my surroundings by the foods I find there. I try to assimilate, or at least learn about the people and culture through what they eat—which dishes they hold dear. Recipes are so historic and hold such a wealth of information about the people who make them; what they value.

I’ve been using my cheap Webber grill to smoke pork shoulder for ten years now. Georgia, Switzerland and England—that grill has done some traveling. I always making my own mustard sauce, and every time I pull the roast off the grill, bring it into the kitchen and its fragrance wafts through the house, it brings me straight back to Augusta and my dear, southern friend Martha.

Mustard Barbecue Sauce

2010-06-25T13:40:00.001+01:00

Simple and straight-forward-- this is a great sauce to try if you've never tasted it. It's the only one I make now for pork barbecue. Don't be put off by the amount of sugar, it's perfectly balanced with the cider vinegar and tang of the yellow mustard.

200 mls (about 7 ounces or a bit more than 3/4 cup) cider vinegar
3 X 397 gram (14 ounce) bottles French's yellow mustard (American style)
Roughly 450 grams (2 cups) packed, soft brown sugar
1-2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, minced

Place everything in a pot and set over medium-low heat. Once it begins to slightly bubble. turn it down to low and allow to cook until all the sugar is dissolved and the onion is cooked. Puree in a blender, if you like. Keeps for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Makes about 8 cups (enough for 25 people). Recipe is easily halved or quartered.

The Serendipitous Salad

2010-06-24T14:54:00.002+01:00

It occurred to me in the autumn of 1984, as I spilled my third heaving ladle of Ranch dressing over my DIY fast-food salad (made up primarily of grated cheddar cheese, croutons, sunflower seeds, raw mushrooms, a wee bit of shredded lettuce and a dollop of chocolate pudding—not kidding), that maybe salads, regardless of what my mother told me, maybe sometimes salads were not the healthiest option—at least the salads my 16 year old self made.

I have had rocky relationship with salads ever since. In the ‘90s, skinny reporters spoke about the health threat of full-fat salad dressings. They said that you might as well eat a brownie a la mode, if considering a green salad topped with a creamy dressing. Blasphemy! Ranch, blue cheese or creamy Caesar dressings were the only aspect of a salad worth eating, I lamented.

So, I have struggled with how to prepare salads that are tasty, satisfying and healthy for years... Okay, maybe ‘struggled’ is a bit dramatic; I just thought about it a lot. I tried making dressings that were low in fat and on occasion succeeded, but more often failed.

But my approach was all wrong. I was looking at what to put on the salad, rather than what to put in it. Dressings are important, for sure, but if the salad is a melange of textures and flavours, utilizing raw and cooked foods—the dressings can be used sparingly (thus adding less fat).

Then, I had an epiphany: Sweet Pea Paste. You heard me, sweet pea paste. Its nothing more than fresh peas (frozen will do, too), simmered in vegetable broth for mere moments, then whizzed up in a blender or food processor with some of the broth and a bit of extra virgin olive oil and fresh mint. Smear this on the plate, before piling the salad on, and it creates this surprise taste and texture element that catapults even the most mundane of tossed greens into the flavour stratosphere. Add in some toasted pumpkin seeds and ribbons of grilled courgette (zucchini) to the salad and you will see salads in a whole new lite (misspelling intended).

Sweet Pea Paste also makes a fabulous sandwich spread—just had it for lunch, spread on a crunchy roll with grilled chicken, fresh cracked black pepper and cucumber slices. Heaven.

Sweet Pea Paste

1 cup fresh peas (or frozen and thawed)
2 cups vegetable broth
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
4 large mint leaves

Simmer the peas in the vegetable broth for about 2-3 minutes, until just cooked, but still bright green. Drain the peas, catching 2 tablespoons of broth-- Drink the rest like soup (yum!). Puree the cooked peas, 2 tablespoons broth, 1 tablespoon olive oil and mint leaves. Add salt if needed.
Makes 1/2 cup paste. Store in the fridge. Keeps up to 5 days.

Cheeseburger Roll-Ups

2010-06-23T15:17:00.006+01:00

Who says dinner always has to be fancy, healthy and PC? Not me; posh food has it's place, but that place is not after realizing I have almost no food in the house while four hungry kids stare me down menacingly. My girls had a blast making the cheeseburger roll-ups and gobbled them up as soon as they were out of the oven.

8 oz (250 grams) minced beef (ground beef), raw
1/2 beef bullion cube, crumbled into powder
1 tablespoon dried onions or 1/2 small shallot, minced fine
8 slices sandwich bread, crusts removed
Non-stick (or olive oil) spray
Grated cheese of your choice
Toothpicks

1) Mix the beef with the bullion cube powder and onion (or shallot). Set aside-- can be done up to 4 hours in advance and held in the refrigerator.

2) Pre-heat the oven to 180C (375F). Roll the slices of bread with a rolling pin to get them very thin. Now roll the beef into 8 log shapes the width of the bread, place at one end of each slice of bread, line some grated cheese along side, then roll up and secure with toothpicks. Repeat until all the rolls are made, then line them up on a baking sheet and spray with non-stick or olive oil spray. Bake until slightly golden, about 30 minutes, remove toothpicks and serve. Makes 8 roll-ups

Longest Day of the Year

2010-06-21T19:22:00.002+01:00

Our backyard at 10:30pm June 20th

It's 7pm and my two 5 year olds just went outside to play. Haven't even begun to think of making dinner. The sun is shinning like it is 12:45 in the afternoon; this has got all of us turned around and confused.

Today is summer solstice, the longest day of the year and it just seems a bit sweeter because we live in an area that is most usually cold and rainy. Tourists come to northwest England to go to Liverpool and live the Beetle's Experience or tool around County Cheshire looking at the ancient, bucolic scenery, but not for the weather.

I woke up last night thinking that I had overslept -- the sun was blazing in through my drapes-- what time was it? Disoriented, I reached for the clock, rubbed my eyes and saw that it was 10:30pm. What the...?

I know that I will pine for this intrusive light come December; for as sunny and bright as these summer days are, the winters are equally dark.

Pizza Bread

2010-06-19T09:45:00.000+01:00

My two oldest daughters are beginning to get really interested in cooking. At 10 and 12 years old, they are able to negotiate the stove top pretty well.
This morning Camille, 10, made fried bread. This is a recipe she made up while at sleep away Girl Guides (UK equivalent to Girls Scouts) camp; she was in charge of making the morning campfire and cooking breakfast. She said that everything tasted so good at camp because they had to really work for their meals-- build a fire, cook the food and do the dishes.
The fried bread she made at home this morning had the addition of grated Parmesan cheese on one side that, when briefly fried in oil, crisped up and turned all golden and fragrant. She spooned a dollop of my no-cook pizza sauce on the side and we sat down to a delicious, albeit garlicy, breakfast. And it did taste especially good.

Fabulous No-Cook Pizza Sauce

2010-06-18T21:42:00.005+01:00

This is so straight forward, simple and ultimately, delicious. You can whip it up in literally seconds-- and it is infinitely better than jarred pizza sauce.

2, 400 grams (14 oz) cans tomatoes (stewed, whole, chopped, cherry-- doesn't matter)
1 tablespoon (dessert spoon) tomato paste (puree in the UK)
2 fat cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 teaspoons dry oregano
1 teaspoon salt

Whiz al the ingredients up with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor...

Then spread onto pizza dough (no need to cook and cool first). Top with cheese, etc and bake in a scorching hot oven.

Makes 3-4 cups sauce

Chickpea Curry with Lime Pickle

2010-06-17T12:49:00.003+01:00

I am key-razy about lime pickle! Spicy, salty and sour- it is a great condiment served simply along side of grilled fish, but incorporated into a dish, like a curry and its affects are transformative. If you like the salty/sour/bitter taste of North African preserved lemon, you will love this.

This dish takes mere minutes to make and is vegan.

1 tin (400 grams or 14 ounces) chickpeas, drained
1 tin (same size) chopped tomatoes
1 fat inch piece fresh ginger root, peeled and chopped fine
2 teaspoons garam masala
1 teaspoon curry powder (mild or hot, as you like)
1/4 teaspoon cumin powder
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste (I like heat and used about 1/2 teaspoon)
1/4 cup store bought lime pickle (in every UK supermarket, many specialty markets in the US, and all Indian markets world wide)
1/2 tin (400 gram, 14 ounces) light coconut milk
4 green onions (spring onions), chopped and/or a handful of chopped, fresh coriander (cilantro)

1) Throw everything except the coconut milk and chopped green onion into a small soup pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Allow to cook uncovered for 10-15 minutes, then add in the coconut milk and green onions (and coriander, if using), stir and allow to simmer gently for just 5 minutes. Serve over rice.

Makes enough curry as a main course for two people, or 4 as a side dish.

Fresh Noodles with Poached Salmon and Shrimp

2010-06-11T10:36:00.000+01:00

If you can find fresh, thick noodles, like Udon, in an Asian store, snap them up! They are infinitely better than the dried type—thick and chewy and really satisfying. If you do not have access to fresh Asian noodles then use dry Udon and if you cannot find Udon at all, use fresh linguini.

What you place on top of the noodles is completely up to you and your taste buds. I like seafood (salmon and shrimp here) but poached chicken would be nice or grilled, rare beef slices would be delicious, as well. Going all veg would be the healthiest choice—and tasty, too.

Broth

1” piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced into thick pieces

2” piece fresh lemon grass, white part only, smashed with the back of a knife

2 heaping tablespoons (dessert spoons) white miso paste

2 teaspoons fish sauce

1 tablespoon sake or dry white wine
Pinch of red pepper flakes

3 cups water

Noodles to serve 2 (dependent upon which type of noodle you are using)

1 6 oz. filet salmon

4 large shitake mushrooms, stem removed and sliced

½ pound shrimp, shelled and deveined

2 heads bok choi (pak choi), sliced

4 thin green onions (spring onions), sliced up to the dark green part

Soy sauce to taste

1) Place all the broth ingredients into a pot and bring just to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to low and allow to steep.

2) While the broth is steeping, bring a large pot of water on to boil and cook the noodles to package directions until al dente (be careful not to over-cook). Drain and set aside.

3) Poach the seafood and veg: Turn the heat up under the broth, bring it to simmer and place the salmon and shitakes into the broth, simmering for 3 minutes, then add in the shrimp and continue to simmer until the shrimp turn pink (3 minutes or so). Remove from the broth, cover to keep warm and set aside. Also at this time, pick out the ginger and lemon grass—discard. Now add the bok choi into the broth, remove the pan from the heat and cover. Leave covered for 5 minutes to steep.

4) Toss the sliced green onion into the broth with the bok choi. Place the noodles into 2 bowls and pour the broth over and lay the seafood on top. Drizzle with a bit of soy sauce and serve warm.

Serves 2

Preppy Party Nosh

2010-06-07T09:41:00.002+01:00

Like many children of the '80s, The Official Preppy Handbook was my Bible when it was released 30 years ago. I was not nearly cute enough to reflect the gentile WASPY spunk illustrated on its pages, but I tried to dress the part of a Prep (this was a good thing in those days). The fact that lime green, motif-embroidered pants and hot pink head bands did not complement my 12 year old brace face was not something I was willing to concede and I continued calling attention to myself with aforementioned brash colour choices well into my twenties.

So it is in honor of the anniversary of the book’s publication that I created this recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms; they are a classic throwback to 1980’s cocktail parties. Regardless of their retro nature, I think these mushrooms are swell… or, as my friend Muffy used to say, OOC!

Stuffed Mushrooms...They are so choice
8 rashers smoked, streaky bacon

1 small shallot, minced

2 cloves garlic, pressed or mashed

24 medium size button mushrooms (white or brown) stems trimmed, removed and chopped fine—caps wiped clean

One good glug of dry white wine

¼ teaspoon dry thyme

2 tablespoons (dessert spoons) extra virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons (dessert spoons) melted butter

1 cup (85 grams) shredded, mature cheddar cheese

½ cup (40 grams) good quality bread crumbs (Panko if you can get them)

Sea salt/black pepper to taste

2 heaping tablespoons (dessert spoons) low fat crème fraiche

1) Cook the bacon, crumble and set aside. Discard any rendered fat from the pan, spray with non-stick spray and sauté the chopped mushroom stems, shallots and garlic until the mushrooms pieces have released their juice and all vegetables have gone soft. Deglaze the pan with a good glug of white wine and season with thyme—allow the wine to just evaporate, then remove from the heat.

2) Pre-heat the oven to 375F (190C). Toss the mushroom caps with the olive oil and melted butter—set aside. Let the mushroom/shallot/garlic cool, then mix with half the cheddar cheese and bread crumbs, stir in the crème fraiche and season with salt and pepper. Now stuff the caps evenly. Spray a baking dish with non-stick spray, stuff the mushroom caps and place into the dish. Sprinkle the remaining cheese over top and bake uncovered, until melted and bubbly (25-45 minutes depending on oven).

Serve hot or warm.

Scotland

2010-06-06T11:40:00.007+01:00

Remarkable Beauty

We took a family vacation up to Scotland last week. It's a wonderfully, fascinating place for so many reasons-- not the least of which its people.
I think the average American tourist might overlook Scotland, hitting the more well known areas of the UK and Ireland like London, or Dublin, but I would choose to revisit Edinburgh before either of those better known cities.

Edinburgh is simply marvelous; in my mind it ranks up there with Paris, Rome and Prague. It's compact; full of history and beauty- lots to do- but completely walkable. It is a real, living city with individual neighbourhoods within. This was our second visit to Edinburgh and I would go back again in a minute.

Haggis with a Tobermory whiskey-cream sauce. Kids LOVED it.

Isle of Mull lies next to Isle of Skye on the west coast of Scotland and is the second largest island of the inner Hebrides. So far north, in the summer it has sun from about 3am until 11pm-- but it is equally dark in the winter months. Mull is a wildlife enthusiast's paradise. Apparently world renowned for bird watching. We didn't get into that, but we were all swept away by the island's rugged beauty. It really is breath-taking. Fishing is a staple industry on Mull, curiously though, it seemed impossible to buy fresh fish to cook at home. I was stymied and frustrated by this; watching fishing boats unloading lobsters, scallops, mussels, oysters and fish and all of it being whisked away to Spain, Portugal and France-- none for sale locally. It is possible to get fresh, local fish in the restaurants however, which is what most holiday makers would prefer, I guess.

Village of Tobermory and its brightly painted fishing cottages.

Loch Lomond is as peaceful a body of water as one can find. Not so much to do in the area, other than get out onto the water and cruise around, but it is absolutely gorgeous.

If you are into the outdoors, you could not find a better country to tour. If you love the city life, Edinburgh will not disappoint. Scotland seemed to have something for every type of vacationer.

Watch my Scottish Spring video here

Out of Office

2010-06-01T09:14:00.000+01:00

By 'office' I mean my kitchen. We are traveling around Scotland this week; had awesome fried, fresh King scallops last night for dinner, sitting at the town pier, on the gorgeously wild Hibernian Isle of Mull.

I will return to Finding Tasty, with Scottish recipes spilling forth, into cyberspace...

Until then: Think Salmon

JennyB

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Burgers

2010-05-27T07:44:00.006+01:00

I have a new favourite burger. This will be, hands down, the most awesomest Memorial Day burger in your neighborhood.

Blue Cheese Stuffed Buffalo Chicken Burger..? You had me at 'stuffed'

350 grams (12 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken thighs, roughly chopped
350 grams (12 ounces) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, roughly chopped
3 large green onions (spring onions), white and light green part only, roughly chopped
1 fat clove garlic, roughly chopped

Optional olive salad garnish (you could also simply use lettuce)
1 cup cabbage, sliced very thin
handful of green olive, chopped
1 small dill pickle, chopped

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Salt
Bottled Buffalo sauce (whichever brand you prefer)
4 large tablespoons (dessert spoons) blue cheese (whichever kind you like to eat-- I used a divine Oxfordshire blue)

Prepared Ranch dressing (I used homemade, but use whatever you like to eat)

1) Place the onions and garlic into the bowl of a food processor and chop until finely minced. Now add in the chicken and pulse until well chopped, but not paste-like. Place into a bowl, cover and stash in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill and firm up.

2) Make the olive sauce, but simmering the cabbage for just a minute, then draining and mixing with the chopped olives and pickle. Set aside.

3) When you are ready to eat: Fire up the grill of preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Wet your hands with cool water and gather 1/8 of the chicken mixture. Shape it into a sort of nest and place 1 tablespoon of blue cheese into the center, then cover with 1/8 more chicken and shape into a patty. Repeat with the remaining chicken. You will have 4 burgers. They can be placed back into the fridge for up to a day (in which case, turn the oven off), or cook immediately. Drizzle a scant amount of veg oil over both sides of the burgers and a light sprinkle of salt then grill evenly on each side, basting with Buffalo sauce or bake for 15 minutes, douse both sides with Buffalo sauce and flip the burgers. Continue to bake for 15 more minutes.

This recipe is easy to double or triple. Serve on a soft bakery bun with olive sauce (or lettuce) and Ranch dressing. Be prepared for a gush of melted blue cheese when you reach the center of the burger...Mmmmmm

Italian Baked Eggs with Mozzarella and Prosciutto

2010-05-25T07:52:00.001+01:00

I rediscovered The Talisman Italian Cookbook on my kitchen bookshelf a few days ago. It is a classic Italian cookbook; full of simple, gorgeous recipes. Many of the recipes are not obviously Italian (read: tomatoes, oregano, olive oil, etc), but all sound like something an Italian Nonna would prepare for her grandchildren.
I have yet to get past the section on 'eggs', which inspired this recipe. This takes 'baked eggs' to new gastronomic heights and made a tasty, simple supper.

Extra virgin olive oil or butter
1 Pound cooked potatoes-- cube shape work best, but slices are fine (good for using up left-overs)
1 Ball fresh mozzarella, buffalo or cow's milk
4 Thin slices prosciutto (optional)
4 Large, fresh eggs
1-2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Salt and pepper

1) Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Grease a small, shallow baking dish with olive oil or butter and layer in the potatoes- season with salt and pepper. Shred the mozzarella by hand and scatter over the potatoes. Wrap each prosciutto piece into a small nest shape and place equal distance apart in the baking dish (if not using prosciutto, make slight indents in the potatoes.) Now crack the eggs into each 'nest', season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle over the Parmesan. Bake, uncovered for 15-20 minutes (15 will have runny yolks, 20 minutes will be hard cooked). Serve with Oven Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce.

Serves 2-4

Oven Roasted Tomato and Garlic Sauce

2010-05-25T07:34:00.000+01:00

This is not a typical tomato sauce; it is richer and more concentrated due to the oven-roasting. Mixing in the extra virgin olive oil turns this into a sort of condiment. Because there are so few ingredients in this, it is important to use the best you can get your hands on, especially the olive oil.

4 Medium, ripe tomatoes

4 Cloves garlic (the larger, the more pronounced their flavour will be), peeled and halved

Extra virgin olive oil

Sea salt

Half a lemon

1) Preheat the oven to 200C (400F). Cut the tomatoes in half around their bellies and squeeze out the seeds. Place them, cut side up on a baking tray and snuggle a 1/2 clove garlic into each half. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. Roast for about 30-35 minutes, then allow to cool completely.

2) Once cool, puree the tomatoes and garlic with an immersion blender or food processor then, with the motor running, drizzle in about 1-2 tablespoons olive oil. Taste, season with salt and pepper and squeeze in some lemon juice- start with just 1/2 teaspoon- add more if you like it more tart.

Makes roughly 1 cup

Smoked Pork Roast with Crackling

2010-05-24T11:14:00.002+01:00

Crackling, if we ever move fron the UK, I will miss you the most...

I had never heard of 'crackling' until I was forty and a newly minted British resident. Crackling is nothing more than the skin of the pig that is wrapped around a pork roast. It works a gastronomic hat trick by keeping the meat moist, uuuuuuuuuunnnnn-believably flavourful and lastly (bestly, too) roasts up into a crunchy, salty, rich nosh. Although crackling is meant to be served along side the carved roast, in my family's case, it is always eaten within seconds of cooling down and being chopped; on more than one occasion, fingers have been narrowly missed by the chef's knife as little hands dark onto the cutting board to snatch a crunchy rectangle of crackling.

Crackling is plentiful here in the UK; many Brits would not consider buying a pork roast without it. In the US though, it is unheard of. Bring your butcher a batch of homemade chocolate chip cookies then ask him to wrap the skin around a pork roast (make sure that he scores the skin before wrapping-- this helps it crisp up).

If you do not have a smoker (I've not got anything fancy, just a Webber charcoal grill), roast this up inside in the oven-- it will be equally tasty.

2 kg (4.5 pound) pork roast with crackling
1 large bunch rosemary
Sea salt chards or flakes

1) Get the grill, smoker or oven going. For my grill, I simply pile the charcoal up into a pyramid (as you would to cook burgers), and once the coals are ashen and red hot, push them equally to either side of the grill, place the grate on. Soak the wood chips for 30 minutes. For the oven: Pre-heat to 170C (350F).

2) Snake the rosemary snuggly underneath the pork roast-- sort of wedging it up into the meat. Rub the outside of the roast with sea salt. That's it. Scatter a handful of wet wood chips onto the hot coals then place the roast onto the middle of the grill, so that there are no hot coals directly beneath it. Cover and smoke for about three hours-- make sure to keep adding coals and more wood chips about every 30-45 minutes. In the oven: Forget about it and let it roast away filling your kitchen with the maddening aroma of pork, crackling and rosemary for three hours.

3) When the roast is mahogany in colour, remove to a platter, cut the butcher's twine off the crackling and remove the crackling from the roast. Place it into an oven set at 200C (400F) for 10 minutes to really crisp it up. Slice the meat, discard the rosemary and crack the crackling into bite size pieces.

Serves 8-10

Gumbo

2010-05-19T10:05:00.000+01:00

Gumbo is one of the hardest recipes to get down on paper. It seems as if there are no two gumbo recipes alike, and everyone has an opinion on what makes a good gumbo and, if you are talking to someone form the deep south, they use their great-great granny's secret Creole recipe. Gumbo can be intimidating to make, until you realize that the most important aspect of making a really good gumbo is to cook with your heart, not your head. That sounds trite, but in no dish is it more important to follow your heart, than in making a rich pot of gumbo.

Put into the gumbo what you like—shrimp, crab, fish, chicken, sausage, duck. Use roux if you like (I do), but skip it if you want to and thicken the gumbo with okra or filé powder (one or the other, never both). I think good stock is important, but many recipes call for water instead.

Below is my recipe for gumbo—feel free to change it around and make it your own. If you've got a favourite gumbo recipe, I'd love to see it-- post it in the comment box!

4 ounces (about ½ cup) vegetable oil

4 ounces (about ½ cup) flour

8-10 cups good chicken, fish, or shellfish stock

2 tins chopped tomatoes (including juice)

8 ounces boneless, skinless chicken thighs, chopped

8 ounces smoked sausage (Andouille is the best, of you can find it), sliced

1 and ½ cups fresh okra slices (or frozen)

1 large onion, chopped

2 green peppers, chopped

1 cup chopped celery

Seasoning: Cajun or Creole mix, or black pepper, cayenne pepper, thyme, bay leaves, mustard powder, paprika

1 pound raw shrimp, shelled

1) Combine the stock and tomatoes into a large stock pot and bring to a gentle simmer. Add in the chicken. While that is going on, make the roux: Whisk the oil and flour together over medium to medium-low heat. You must be vigilant—watching, and stirring your roux constantly until it is the color that you like—I prefer a light roux and this takes close to 45 minutes-- the darker you like it the longer it will take-- and don;t take your eyes off that roux! Once it is the color that you like, dump in the chopped veg (the holy trinity-- green bell peppers, onion and celery), to stop the cooking process and soften the vegetables. Stir the vegetables around for a bit, off the heat (if the roux is threatening to burn), then add this mess into the pot of stock/tomatoes/chicken and bring to a simmer, stirring. This will flavour and thicken the gumbo.

2) Cook the sausage in a pan sprayed with non-stick spray (or a bit of oil) until just browned up a bit, set aside. In the same pan, dry cook the okra until not stringy (this will get the slimy goo out of the okra), set aside. You can skip this step, just make sure to cook the okra in the gumbo for at least 60-90 minutes to render it goo-less.

3) Whew! Now add the sausages and okra into the gumbo, stir and add in seasoning to your liking and any salt you may want. Last, add in the shrimp and simmer, gently until they are just pink and cooked—anywhere from 10 to 25 minutes. This is the last step and should not be done until everything else in the pot is cooked to your liking and you are ready to serve up the gumbo-- cooking the shrimp for too long will make them tough.

Gumbo is best made a day ahead, ‘cured’ in the refrigerator overnight, and reheated the next day (or day after that). Serve with white rice, chopped green (spring) onions and hot sauce. Serves 8

Chicken Cacciatore

2010-05-16T10:19:00.003+01:00

Growing up, my favorite part of Thanksgiving (which has always been my favorite holiday) was sneaking a piece of crispy, salty, Heavenly skin from the roasted turkey before dinner. It was like crack and I was a junky willing to cheat, steal or lie my way into more of the golden good stuff.

When I was 22 I worked in a posh, little bakery/prepared foods shop on Cape Cod. Ahead of its time, really. One of the dishes it was known for was its chicken salad. I would get into work at 6am, six mornings a week and begin my day by roasting dozens of chicken breasts. When the chicken was perfectly roasted, and the sea salted skin was blistered and screaming my name I would rip all the skins off (eating several for breakfast) and chop the meat up into fat chunks to make the famed luncheon salad. I would stash two or three crispy skins aside, before (sadly) throwing the rest away into the trash bin.

At lunch I would retrieve my beloved chicken skins from the refrigerator, pop them into the oven to crisp up, then slather two, thick pieces of homemade white bread with cold sour cream and a sprinkling of freshly crack black pepper. I'd place the hot, crispy skins in between the bread slices and, sitting on the back porch alone, I'd dig in, sincerely enjoying every mouthful. It was the best sandwich ever, and I ate it almost ritualistically every day that summer.

Curiously, I did not gain weight during those few, blissful months, but I chalk that up to the fact that, because I was to report to work at 6am every morning, I was not out drinking beer with friend the night before.

That was the summer of sedate, solo gastronomy.

Sometimes-- very rarely-- I think that poultry skin is superfluous. This is one of those recipes. I see no point in keep ing the skin if it will simply become soggy in the braising liquid, so I remove it before cooking.

This was originally a Jamie Oliver recipe, and I DO love his recipes. I've tweaked this, removing several steps (as well as the chicken skin), and added capers. It is really delicious and very hands-off, but you do need to think ahead with this one, as there is ample marinating time and it is a slow-cooking dish. Get the chicken marinating tonight for a fabulous dinner tomorrow.

1 chicken, cut into 10 pieces (cut the breasts in half)

1/2 bottle Chianti

2 twigs rosemary

3 whole cloves garlic, peeled

3 bay leaves

2 tins chopped tomatoes

6 anchovy fillets (just do it, you do not taste anchovies in the finished dish)

1 tablespoon capers

3 cloves garlic, pressed or minced

Handful of good quality olives (that you would like to eat)

1) Place the chicken pieces into a re-sealable plastic bag, or Tupperware container. Pour in the wine and toss in the rosemary, 3 garlic cloves and bay leaves. Close the bag or container and slosh around, then stash in the refrigerator and forget about it for a day (over night or up to 24 hours, but at least 2 hours).

2) Two hours before you want to serve: Pre-heat the oven to 180C (375F). Pour the chicken and all of the marinade into a very large roasting pot and add in the tinned tomatoes, anchovies, caper and garlic. Cover and braise for 1 hour. After 1 hour add in the olives, cover and continue to braise for 30 minutes more.

Taste and adjust seasoning (salt/pepper, if desired). Serves 4.

Forking Foreigner: Blood Sausage

2010-05-12T09:45:00.001+01:00

Blood sausage—there, I said it. That is as gruesome as this post will get.

But I wanted to put it out there, blood sausage. It’s not something I grew up thinking about, certainly not eating. In my small town in the middle of Ohio, Wonderbread and tuna salad ruled, not this deeply cultural food found in equally uneventful, small European villages.

Boudin Noir in France, blutwurst in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, black pudding in the UK, and in Spain it is named morcilla. Regardless of the country, they are all made from the similar ingredients: pork, herbs, spices and one key ingredient—pig’s blood. Yes, they may dress the name up, make it a bit more palatable, but take just one look at the deep purple sausage and there is no mistaking what, indeed it is.

We moved to Europe seven years ago and up until that point I had managed to avoid blood sausage for the most part. There were references to it in charcuterie class in culinary school of course, but that amounted to no more than the answer to a multiple choice question on a final exam.

When we moved to Switzerland in 2003, blutwurst was displayed in every butcher’s shop window. It lay snugly shrink-wrapped in the supermarket meat case. It hung from the ceiling of specialty sausage-making shops. I became used to its presence, but resisted actually trying it.

Have you seen how it is made? I don’t want to talk about it. I said that mentioning the term ‘blood sausage’ was as gruesome as I would get, and I’m sticking to it.

Then a couple of years ago we moved to the UK and found black pudding; it sounds so benign, like something your granny would place down in front of you on a lace doily, in a pretty, glass cup for dessert. It’s not. It’s sausage made from the blood of pigs.

And maybe that is my hang-up—the fact that it is made mostly from blood. I mean, I am a card-carrying carnivore, I happen to love leberwurst (pig’s liver made into a paste). And, the last time we were in Scotland, my husband and I ordered Haggis (sheep’s heart, liver and lungs—for God’s sake—that are minced, mixed with herbs and oats then stuffed into its own stomach and boiled for three hours—sorry, I said things wouldn’t get more gruesome, but I think I just turned that corner) anyway, we ordered haggis and loved it. Maybe it was because we had just come from a whiskey tasting on empty stomachs, but it seemed pretty good at the time.

Strolling the sausage section of my local grocery store (and most grocery stores in the UK do have a section devoted entirely to sausages) I began to think, what up Holly Hypocrite? You’ll eat a sheep’s innards, and a pig’s liver, but not its blood? And you call yourself a foodie?

So I bought what is supposed to be the best brand of black pudding, brought it home and cooked it up for breakfast that Sunday morning. We had an official ‘Full English’ that British weekend brunch consisting of black pudding, bangers (sausages), fried eggs, grilled tomatoes, grilled mushrooms and fried bread (…and Alka-Seltzer).

In my life as an eater, there have been just a handful of foods that I simply could not swallow. My motto is, try everything, swallow most, spit-out few. Black pudding joined the ranks of the select few. And it’s not that it tasted bad—it didn’t, it tasted mostly of the herbs that seasoned it, but even the thought of it now… it makes me shudder. I couldn’t do it, that morning at breakfast I couldn’t swallow the black pudding. My husband, on the other hand, cleaned his plate then finished my black pudding, as well. He’s even requested it several times since then (but bare in mind that this is a guy who travels often to Asia, digging into plates of unrecognizable things that are still moving when he puts them in his mouth, so his opinion doesn’t really count.)

A friend of ours named John, (who sounds exactly like Sean Connery), loves black pudding; he grew up eating it and adores it. Savours it. I asked him to come over, eat a plate of black pudding and explain to me why he loves it so.

He got as far as holding a forkful of warm black pudding to his nose and smelling its essence. Eyes closed and inhaling deeply, he let out a satisfied sigh then said, “It smells of old socks.” And he meant it.

I told him to enjoy (!), turned around and did the dishes.

So the mystery continues. Thousands of years ago, when animals were slaughtered for food, blood sausage was also made, and enjoyed, not just by one exceptional culture, but in most regions in Europe. It is no less loved now that it was hundreds of years ago, when eating meat was a great luxury. And it transcends socio-economic divisions. Rich or poor, it doesn’t matter; eating blood sausage is a cultural thing. For many devoted Europeans, enjoying it is simply in their blood.

Beef and Mushroom Pie

2010-05-11T19:08:00.004+01:00

It's May. It's sunny. It looks as if it would be warm outside. It's not. It's a cold, windy English day. Eh, at least we will eat well.

2 pounds lean, stewing (casserole) beef
500 grams (2 cups) beef stock
1/2 bottle dry, red wine
1 bay leaf
Fat pinch of dry thyme
1 small onion, peeled and quartered
2 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
1 tablespoon tomato paste (puree in the UK)

1 leek, (white and tender green part only), chopped
150 grams (4 ounces) button mushrooms, trimmed and quartered
1 large potato (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into cubes
1/2 teaspoon Marmite (if you've got it)

1/2 cup (250 mls) cold water
2 tablespoons plain flour

1/2 cup frozen peas

1 sheet puff pastry

1) Load the beef, beef stock, wine, bay leaf, thyme, onion, garlic and tomato paste (puree) into a large, heavy pot, cover and bring to a simmer. Cook gently simmering, covered for 1 hour. After an hour, remove everything but the beef chunks from the broth (discard) and add in the leek, mushrooms, potato cubes and marmite into the stock with the beef. Bring back to a simmer and cook gently, covered for 30 minutes more.

2) Place a colander over a pot and drain the beef and vegetables into the colander catching all of the stock in the pot below. Place the pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer. Shake the water and flour together in a jar and pour into the beef stock. Whisk until it comes to a strong simmer, then allow it to bubble away for a few minutes. Taste, add in salt and/or pepper and remove from the heat. Stir in the beef and vegetables and the frozen peas (still frozen-- this will help cool down the stew). Stir and allow to cool almost to room temperature before placing into the refrigerator to cool off completely. This is important! If you try and place the puff pastry over hot stew it will melt
: {o} sacre bleu!

3) Pre-heat the oven to 185C (375F). Pour the cooled stew into a large casserole dish and cover the top with the puff pastry sheet. Slice a pretty vent in the top and fix the extra bits of dough all around for decoration. You can brush with a beaten egg to make it shiny if you like. Bake until golden.

Can be made several hours ahead, stashed in the refrigerator and baked just before serving.
Serves 6

Pasta Salad

2010-05-10T12:21:00.003+01:00

I made this with the twins' class this morning. The kids all loved chopping and mixing... some of them even ate vegetables that they swore they didn't like.

This recipe is such a throw back to the '80s. A classic. I loved it then, as a spritely high school girl, and I love it now, as a haggard, old woman. This is great to make with children-- let them chop up the vegetables with a butter knife, or if they are old enough, a proper paring knife. Let them choose what to put into the salad. The only required ingredients are pasta and dressing; everything else is up for grabs.

1 pound small pasta (macaroni, shells, penne, etc)

1 cup your favourite salad dressing (we used homemade Italian)

1 sweet red pepper

1 sweet yellow pepper

2 large carrots

½ large English cucumber

1 cup tinned chickpeas

1 cup cooked peas

200 grams cheddar cheese, grated

2 cups cooked, chopped ham, chicken, salami or 2 tins drained tuna (optional)

If you or your children don’t like any of the above ingredients, replace them with favourites. Frozen and thawed corn would be nice, or celery, tomatoes, cooked broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower—whatever you fancy.

Cook the pasta until just done. While it is cooking, chop up the vegetables into small pieces. Drain the pasta and run under cold water until cool. Drain again well, then toss with the salad dressing. Now toss in all the vegetables, cheese and any meat you may use. Serve room temperature or cold. Makes great left-over lunches!

Serves 8

Forking Foreigner: Percebes

2010-05-06T09:41:00.002+01:00

Look at these monsters. Take a good, long look. They are called percebes, gooseneck barnacles or stalked barnacles. People all over Europe have the nerve to swear on their grandmother’s sight that these frightening, gnarled-claw crustaceans are not only edible, but delicious, too. Never mind the fact that percebes fetch more money than lobster per pound; you’d think that after looking at these beasts, nobody in their right minds would consider chewing on one. You would expect a foreigner who happens upon these reptilian toes in a foreign country to turn on her heel and head in the opposite direction in haste.

And that is exactly what most rational people do—they walk away. I, on the other hand bought a pound of them for my children to eat. We were in Paris at the time. Had we been in America I could have been arrested for child-abuse.

I bought them from a reputable-looking fishmonger just a few blocks over from the Louvre. I speak enough French to ask ‘Ou est le Poste?’ (where is the post office) and ‘Mes souliers sont orange, et ses chaussures sont bleu’ (my shoes are orange and her shoes are blue’) but I was struggling to negotiate a mid-afternoon seafood snack with this guy. The kids were clambering for food at a fevered pitch. Anxiously I stammered out, ‘Feed-moi, vite!’ feed me quick! But, looking back, maybe I said, ‘Feed me feet!’ because that is pretty much what it looked like he handed over to us; a bag of mutated feet.

Those two years I spent repeating remedial French in high school were not paying off the way I had hoped.

The fishmonger watched me (as I butchered his language) with a look on his face residing somewhere between boredom and irritation (I can’t say I blame him). Looking at me through his round, wire glasses, he chuckled a little bit and discharged a huge scoop of the aforementioned creatures into a clear, plastic bag.

My husband was standing to the side of me. I looked at him, his eyes widening, silently pleading with me No, not those—not THOSE! His face made an impassioned, silent scream, as he furrowed his eyebrows and stared directly at the harmless, cooked prawns. He mouthed the word ‘crevette’, but I ignored him. It was too late anyway, we had barely the vocabulary to piece together the request of food, there was no way we could backtrack now summoning enough French to say ‘We’ve changed out minds and actually don’t want the tiny crocodile claws, thank you’-- without looking like twits.

Before handing me the bag of primordial toes, the fishmonger was kind enough to wordlessly demonstrate how to eat the barnacles. Grabbing the nail end, he pinched the bit of meat at the other end, twisted and pulled a sort of slug-like looking thing out and popped it into his mouth. Chewing with his eyes closed, he smiled. ‘It tastes of… the sea. Enjoy!’ he said in perfect English (forking Frenchman).

Don’t judge a book by its cover (or a crustacean by it’s clawed foot)

I grew up eating steamers (soft shell clams). I’ve been told that some people find them off-putting. If by ‘off-putting’ they mean that they feel uncomfortable with the manner in which one must slide the coarse, condom-like membrane off the freakishly phallic clam neck before tossing into one’s mouth, then I can see their point, but I’ve always adored them. The clam is sweet, with textures varying between a velvety soft belly and a firm, chewy neck. It was as a teen, eating steamers and raw oysters in the Cape that I developed this theory: If a food is horribly ugly or smelly (this applies mostly to cheese), but still remains popular with locals then it must taste good. I mean it’s got to have something going for it, right?

I trotted my children out to an empty bench in Jardins des Tuileries, carrying my bag of percebes like a prize. My husband grimaced and shook his head in defeat. We sat down and my three year old contemplated the percebes for a moment then asked as a matter of fact, “Are these turtle legs?” I told her no, handed her one and she gobbled it down. After the first hesitant taste, so did the rest of us.

We all hunkered over the plastic bag in the springtime sun, sucking and slurping, twisting these critters that spent their lives clinging to the side of Spanish sea cliffs, free from their claw-like home and savouring their meat, sweet like scallops and at the same time salty like the sea, and reminiscent of oyster.

They were sublime.

As seawater streamed down our hands and forearms, my little girls tried in vain to lick their elbows; an attempt to catch the last bit of briny flavour.

It was the best meal we had in Paris.

Farmer’s Market Ragu

2010-05-05T15:10:00.001+01:00

Visiting our local farmer’s market Sunday I was determined to use only ingredients I found there to make dinner. The problem was not in finding enough gorgeous ingredients, rather deciding which to choose: seafood, gourmet sausages, cheeses, produce, organic meats even an Italian guy selling fresh pasta. I wanted to make an economical supper and decided on fresh pasta with a sauce of organic beef, porcini mushroom powder and a good measure of Parmesan. All was going swimmingly until I made my last stop at the Italian guy’s stall and asked for enough pasta for four adults (in our family, 2 adults + 4 kids = 4 adult portions). He layered some linguine into a pretty brown box (I should have been tipped off by the niceness of the box) and handed it to me. I placed the it into my basket and asked how much, to which he replied, ‘£10’ (that’s $16). I was too much of a baby to hand the pasta back to him, so I gulped hard and gave him a tenner. What are you gonna’ do? My cheap dinner turned out to be rather dear—but it was delicious all the same.

Because there are so few ingredients in this sauce, it is important to use the very best you can afford (not $16 per pound pasta, but...) Normally I say that bouillon cubes can replace beef stock, but not here—use the best stock you can get your hands on. And use the best beef you can find.

The Porcini powder amps up the beefy flavour-- It's like magic!

2 tablespoons dried Porcini mushroom powder (directions below)

1 tablespoon (dessert spoon) olive oil

2 thin leeks, trimmed, using the tender white to light green part only, chopped

2 pounds organic or very good quality lean, minced (ground) beef

2 cups good quality beef stock

½ cup dry white wine

2 tablespoons (dessert spoons) flour

Salt and black pepper to taste

75 mls (1/4 cup) single cream

Parmesan cheese

1) Place a small handful of dried Porcini mushrooms into the bowl of a clean coffee grinder (one that has never been used to grind coffee), or pound in a mortar until pulverized. You should have about 2 tablespoons powder.

2) Sweat the leeks in olive oil until just soft, do not brown at all. Add in the mince beef and sauté until just barely cooked through, then add in the Porcini powder, stir and pour in beef stock. Bring to a gentle simmer. Shake the wine in a jar with the flour and pour into the simmering ragu—stir well. Bring back to a very gentle simmer and cook, GENTLEY for 30-60 minutes (check to make sure the sauce does not get too dry—add some water if it does). Just before tossing with pasta, drizzle in the cream and stir.

3) Cook 1 pound of pasta, drain and toss well with the sauce. Serve with lots of parmesan.

Serves 8 (adults)

Forking Foreigner: Rollmops

2010-05-02T10:58:00.002+01:00

Introducing a new element to Finding Tasty-- the Forking Foreigner. In this weekly column I will discuss, quite emotionally at times, new foods I find, as a foreigner traveling around England, Europe, even back in the States. If it's is new (to me) and unusual (to most), I will eat it and discuss. Sometimes I like the weird foods I eat, sometimes I do not. But I will always give an honest, if not dramatic, recount of the experience.

Rollmops

What the fork, England? You had me going for a while I’ll give you that. What with your characteristically quaint fish and chips (fried up the old school way—in beef drippings—like fast food places in the States used to, until they caved to the food-do-gooders), and historic steak and ale pie, just like King Henry VIII used to eat (pie crust so fantastically flaky because, again, it’s made with suet, psst—that’s beef fat), and your cheddarific Welsh Rarebit (okay, granted this one is from your neighbour Wales, but that’s a detail I can overlook), and surprisingly delicious crackling (pig skin fried until light, salty, crispy and eyes-rolled-in-the-back-of-my-head scrumptious). I was living the gastronomic dream in Ye Olde food porn.

Then, last week you bamboozled me with rollmops—rollmops! Originally from Scandinavia (need I say more?) it’s herring, skin left on, then soaked in a sweet and sour brine for a couple of weeks until horrible.

Are you having a laugh? I trusted you, England. I thought that you would supply me with only familiar, comforting, fattening foods; foods that, although ultimately leading to my obese demise, would successfully see me through the worst bouts of PMS, or lonely binge eating. I mean, you invented roast beef with Yorkshire pudding and beef gravy (a meal that, in case you didn’t get enough beefiness with your roast beef and beef gravy, made sure that you got more beefy-goodness in the beef drippings used to make the Yorkshire puddings)— for crying out loud!

I was so naïve. Browsing the breakfast buffet line at that posh restaurant Saturday morning, I never thought in a million years there would be anything as unpleasant as a sweet-pickled and preserved herring lurking amongst more refined Kippers and Abroath Smokies. No label, no nothin’; just ostensibly reliable white fish fillets, rolled and glistening on the silver platter beckoning me to add them to my already heaping over-priced breakfast plate.

I didn’t even have to put on my ‘I’ll try anything once’ hat—to my unsuspecting eyes this was as conventional a breakfast as one could hope for.

I was like a lamb being led to slaughter.

I slid the rollmop (don’t even get me started on the name) onto my plate beside two always-dependable bangers and made my way to table. Saddling down beside my daughters, contentedly dipping their toast soldiers into their soft-boiled eggs—loving their breakfasts— I had a bite of sausage (squish-Yum!), a corner of buttered toast (crunch-Mmmm), then cut off a piece of rollmop and brought it confidently into my mouth. Instantly, I was assaulted by the acrid taste of vinegar, followed by the one-two punch of saliva-inducing sweetness, and finished with the taste of fermented fish.

I literally gagged. I have never, ever, in my life gagged from food. Instinctually, without thinking (I was in fight or flight mode now) I spit the rollmop into my white, linen napkin and gasped for air. My little daughters just stared at me, wide eyed and shocked. ‘Oh my God,’ I uttered, breathlessly as I flailed for my water glass, ‘I can’t get the flavour of low-tide out of my mouth.’

A few days later I went to lunch with my tall, British friend, Jonathan. I related my story to Jonathan assuming he would lend me some much deserved sympathy, but no. “You’re mad!” he screeched like a woman. “Rollmops are brilliant! Best eaten with a proper pint. Biting through that fleshly, little lump of fish is like a juicy, taste explosion!” I shook my head in disbelief (I had always thought Jonathan to be a rational man). He continued, “If you don’t see the virtues of rollmops, you need to have your head examined, mate.’

That was the last time I spoke to Jonathan. He is dead to me now. Not because he insinuated that I was insane, but because he loves rollmops.

So, way to go England! Pip, pip cheerio! After being assaulted by you’re plebe the rollmop, it will take some time to win me back. As long as Spotted Dick is a genuine dessert option in this kooky country, I’m not sure if I will ever be able to bring myself to trust again.

Got an unusual food in mind that Forking Foreigner should try? Would love to know about it! Leave me a comment!

Manchester

2010-05-01T21:15:00.000+01:00

Manchester is like the Chicago of England. Here's the video of an afternoon we spent there.

'Maters

2010-04-28T18:27:00.000+01:00

I never really liked tomatoes until I was 32 years old, moved down to Georgia and ate my first exquisitely ripe tomato. It was there in a funky roadside produce stand that I discovered the beauty of a flavorful tomato; loaded with character and aroma.

The owner of the market, Jimmy was a rotund man straight out of the Dukes of Hazards; bushy mustache and all. He was a true southern character and he knew his tomatoes. From about April through October Jimmy stocked reliably delicious tomatoes, sourced in the early spring from Florida, moving northward as the summer came and went, ending finally with tomatoes from New Jersey in the fall.

One week in the very end of October I went in to Jimmy’s produce stand and asked to buy 20 pounds of ripe tomatoes. He looked at me like I was truly crazy and said, ‘Lady, what you gonna do with 20 POUNDS a ‘maters?’ I told him that I was going to make sauce and freeze it for the coming winter. He shook his head and mumbled, ‘Yankees…’ and walked into the shed behind his produce shack. He chuckled as he sold me a box heavy with tomatoes.

Since moving away from Georgia seven years ago I have never had tomatoes as good. Not even when we vacation down in South Carolina—there was just something about those 'maters from Jimmy’s broken down produce stand that tasted so good.