Jan
5
Chim Chiminey Chimichurri
Filed Under Recipe, Main Dish, Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
What can I say about chimichurri? It’s delicious. Versatile. Easy to make. Check. Check. Check.
Chimichurri is like pesto’s zestier, lighter, Latin cousin. It’s an Argentinian sauce that is traditionally served with grilled meat. I think you can use it on anything. Eggs. Pasta. Fish. Bruschetta topping. Use it as a salad dressing base. It would make a good dip mixed with some sour cream and mayonnaise — heck, skip the dairy and just scoop it up on its own with a chip.
It was even my secret weapon served as a condiment in this year’s chili contest — while I think my chili was great, I’m pretty sure the chimichurri sauce put a seal on my first-place finish.
While this is hardly *my* creation, I’ve never actually followed any sort of recipe while making it. This is how I throw it together.
Chimichurri
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small bunch flat leaf parsley
1/4 small red onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2 tbsp. white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste
optional, pinch red pepper flakes
Toss the cilantro, parsley, onion, garlic, and vinegar into a food processor. Pulse a few times to chop everything up. Add the olive oil and whiz until everything is finely chopped and it’s a relatively smooth sauce (it will look pesto-ish.) Season with salt and pepper until it tastes good to you. Add the red pepper flakes if you’re feeling spicy.
Chimichurri served over eggs and potato cakes.
Sep
2
Crispy, Oven-fried Eggplant
Filed Under Recipe, Main Dish, Appetizer, Side Dish, Vegetarian, Healthy, Vegetables, Quick & Easy, Eggplant | 7 Comments
Recently, I had an eggplant hanging around and I had some leftover spaghetti sauce, so it made sense to make eggplant parmesan. I didn’t really want to take the time to fry it — plus, I really hate the mess that frying makes. And, while I do LOVE fried foods, I’m also trying to be more conscious of what I’m shoving into my face.
So, I decided to oven-fry my eggplant — and it came out DELICIOUS! It made for fantastic eggplant parm. And tonight, I decided to oven-fry another eggplant and stuff it into pitas with hummus and call it dinner.
Ok, ok, I know you’re wondering, “What the hell is oven-frying!?!” Basically, by oven-frying, I’m referring to breading a product and then cooking it in the oven at a super high heat so that it gets a nice, crispy texture that’s somewhat close to the texture you’d get when frying. I do this a lot with poultry, fish, and veggies — this is the first time I’ve tried it with eggplant.
I think it might actually be the best version of oven-frying I’ve tried. It was super crispy on the outside and soft and creamy on the inside. Aside from eggplant parm, and pita stuffing, I this eggplant would also be great on homemade pizza or just munching on as a snack.
Crispy, Oven-fried Eggplant
1 eggplant, cut into 1/4′’ rounds
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup egg beaters (or a few eggs, beaten)
1/2 - 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
Spread the eggplant out over a cookie sheet. Sprinkle liberally with salt and wait 15-20 minutes. The salt will draw out water from the eggplant and you will see water start pooling up on top of the eggplant. After 15-20 minutes, use a paper towel to dry off the water — this will also remove some of the excess salt.
Set up a breading station — flour, eggs, and bread crumbs. Dip the eggplant into the flour and shake off the excess. You only need a thin layer of flour. Then dip into the egg and then the bread crumbs. Evenly coat the eggplant with breadcrumbs.
Place the breaded eggplant slices on a cookie sheet that you thinly coated with oil (or sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Flip the eggplant and bake for another 10 minutes. Eggplant should be brown and crispy.
Jul
13
My first paid cooking gig! And lessons learned…
Filed Under Gigs | 4 Comments
My mom’s boss’s boss was looking for someone to cater a family reunion and Fourth of July party at her beach house in Hull. Fortunately, my mom had enough confidence in me to suggest my name to her higher up. And, my first paid cooking gig was planned.
Of course, the pressure was on — my mom’s job was on the line (kidding…I think…) After speaking with her uber-boss over the phone a few times, I suggested a menu, visited the house to see the kitchen (I’d be prepping and cooking all the food at her house on the 4th), and started planning the day.
After my initial planning, I realized I bit off more than I should have. I scheduled out every second of the day — and under a best case scenario, I’d be working 10 hours straight to get the food on the table in time. Luckily, Sean offered to help out (for free!) and I had to take him up on the offer.
It went really well, but both of us were busy for 10-hours straight! I don’t know how I thought I’d be able to do it all on my own.
The good:
- Sean and I worked together amazingly well — I suppose that’s part of the reason we’re married.
- Sean was able to actually cook a good amount of food for me. I think he’s learned by osmosis!
- No disasters occurred. Despite the cramped kitchen and lack of burners on the stove, we churned everything out on time.
- I got rave reviews about the food. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?
- The client was awesome! Seriously, I couldn’t have asked for a better first gig especially because this client was very laidback and accommodating.
- It didn’t rain. I may have, sorta, guaranteed that the weather would be great — and it was!
The bad:
- Holy cow, I conceived a tremendously arduous menu for 30 people with only 5 hours of prep and cooking time before the first course was served!
- Almost all of the kitchen towels we brought were sopping wet in the first hour of cooking — we had to have a dry zone so we had a couple of dry towels to use as pot holders.
- We didn’t have time for even a 5-minute break — I think having a break would have helped toward the end when I thought I was going to die from exhaustion.
- We didn’t bring water, soda, or snacks with us. By the end I was practically drinking water straight from the tap I was so dehydrated.
- I didn’t charge for two cooks even though I really needed an extra hand — did I mention that my husband is the best?
But overall, I’d call it a success. I took on this job knowing it would be a good learning experience. I think with a few tweaks, my next gig should go even better!
Fourth of July Family Reunion Menu
Appetizers:
Onion Dip from Scratch with Potato Chips
Salsa and Guacamole with Tortilla Chips
Spinach and Artichoke Dip with Tortilla Chips
Tomato, Mozzarella, and Basil Crostini with Proscuitto
Shrimp Cocktail
Clam Chowder
Dinner:
Baked Macaroni and Cheese
Herb Roasted Potatoes
Cole Slaw
Black-eyed Pea and Fresh Corn Salad
Italian Sausages with Onions and Peppers
BBQ Pulled Pork
Lobsters
Dessert:
Mixed Berries with Fresh Shortcake
Jun
22
Strawberry Oreo Ice Cream
Filed Under Recipe, Dessert, Vegetarian, Strawberries | 5 Comments
It’s strawberry season in Massachusetts! It’s also ice cream season and I’ve been slightly addicted to making ice cream lately. I came up with the idea of strawberry Oreo ice cream by combining a couple of ideas. My favorite ice creams of all time contain Oreo’s. Give me cookies ‘n cream — better yet, give me mint cookies ‘n cream — and I’m a very happy girl.
But lately, I’ve been craving strawberry especially combined with chocolate. Classic Neapolitan ice cream attempts to meet my berry and chocolate desires, but it’s always tricky getting the right amount of both in your bowl. Plus, then what do you do with the sad block of vanilla left over?
Strawberries, meet Oreos. What a perfect combination — strawberry and chocolate in every cold, creamy bite. I think I have a new favorite!
Strawberry Oreo Ice Cream
Makes 1 Pint
3/4 cup whole milk
3/4 cup half & half
3/4 cup. sugar
1 egg yolk
8 oz. strawberries, hulled and cut into quarters
1 1/2 tbsp. Triple Sec
10 Oreo cookies
Combine strawberries, Triple Sec, and 2 tbsp. of sugar in a medium bowl. Mix well and let stand for 10-minutes. Then mash the strawberries with a potato masher until mostly smooth.
In a medium sauce pan, combine milk, half & half, and the rest of the sugar. Heat to a simmer.
Meanwhile, whisk egg yolk in a small bowl. When milk mixture comes to a simmer, slowly whisk in half a cup of warm milk to the egg. Once combined, slowly whisk the egg & milk mixture back into the sauce pan with the rest of the milk. Stirring constantly, warm the mixture back to a slow simmer and cook about 10 minutes until slightly thick (the mixture will coat the back of a spoon and when you run your finger through it, the mixture won’t run together.)
Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and cool to room temperature.
Once the milk mixture is cooled, add the mashed strawberries — all the juices, too. Stir to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for at least three hours.
In a gallon-size Ziplock bag, smash the Oreos into bite-sized pieces.
Once the ice cream base is chilled, churn in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturers directions — mine took about 15-20 minutes to get to soft-serve consistency. Once at soft-serve consistency, fold in the Oreo chunks.
Move to a plastic container and freeze until hardened.
Jun
8
Thai Tea Ice Cream
Filed Under Recipe, Dessert, Cuisine, Asian | Leave a Comment
Last year, my friend and co-worker, Steve, suggested making an ice cream that tasted like Thai iced tea. I thought it was a brilliant idea, but apparently not brilliant enough to create until a year later.
I finally made the ice cream this weekend. I found Thai tea bags at an Asian grocery store when I was in Seattle. I’m not super clear what makes Thai tea, Thai tea. The package says the tea bags contain Thai black tea and star anise, so I maybe it’s the star anise that makes Thai tea so magical.
This ice cream is sweet and creamy just like Thai iced tea you’d order from your favorite Thai restaurant, but possibly more refreshing on a hot, summer afternoon.
Thai Tea Ice Cream
Makes a pint of ice cream
1 cup whole milk
10 Thai tea bags
2 tbsp. brown sugar
6 oz. sweetened condensed milk
6 oz. evaporated milk
Heat the milk in a medium sized sauce pan until it comes to a simmer. Add the Thai tea bags and simmer for 10 minutes or until the milk takes on a light coffee color. Remove tea bags and squeeze each tea bag between two spoons to strain all of the liquid and flavor from each bag. Add the brown sugar, condensed milk, and evaporated milk.
Chill the ice cream base covered in the refrigerator for about 8 hours.
Pour the ice cream base into an ice cream machine. Churn according to the manufacturers directions — mine took about 30 minutes to get to soft-serve consistency. Serve as is or move it into a freezer-safe container and freeze until it hardens.
Jun
2
I had the incredibly good fortune to visit New Orleans twice this year. The first time, I carefully arranged it so that the family cruise left from the Port of New Orleans — we were there for New Year’s Eve. I was afraid the crowds were going to be unbearable, but the city knows how to host a party and the crowds were friendly and fun with plenty of security at every block to ensure a safe celebration. I was very impressed. It was amazing to ring in the new year with several drinks along Bourbon street and beignets from Cafe Du Monde.
Bourbon Street on New Year’s Eve
After the cruise was planned, Gracie asked Sean and I if we’d be interested in a foodie trip to the Big Easy. We couldn’t turn that down, so in March, we met up with Gracie, Ku, Adrian, Mia, Kate, and John for a food frenzy. It also happened to be the weekend before St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s Day means parades and parades mean beads! Gracie, Sean, and I braved the pouring rain to see the parade, kiss some Irish guys (Gracie and I), catch some cabbages (Sean), and rake in the beads (all of us!) We were lucky enough to have some local guides showing us around — Tiger and Patty, Gracie’s old family friends, helped make the trip extra-special by taxiing us around while giving us the background on the buildings and neighborhoods.
St. Charles Street Car to the St. Patrick’s Day Parade
Sean is the King of Cabbages and Beads!!!
Of course, I can’t talk about New Orleans without talking about the food. Here’s a long list of the amazing food we sampled along the way.
Lüke
Lüke is a John Besh restaurant. It’s more casual and less spendy than August. It’s basically an Alsatian brasserie that also serves local New Orleans favorites. We visited Lüke on both trips. The food was really good while the service was great during first visit and very friendly, if a little shaky, the second. But, Sean’s $13 choucroute maison — a saurkraut and pork fiesta (sausage, pork belly, cochon de lait, and pork knuckle) was and incredible value and worth the shaky service. It was so delicious, he got it both times we were there. We also greatly enjoyed the flamenkuche tart (bacon, onion, and cheese on a crispy flatbread) during both visits. The frites were delicious and the burgers were reportedly perfectly cooked (and HUGE.)
Mother’s
Mother’s is an institution in New Orleans and another restaurant we visited on both trips. I only ate breakfast at Mother’s, so I can’t speak to the lunch and dinner menu items, but I found Mother’s to be a mixed bag for breakfast. During my first visit, I got a basic breakfast with grits, ham, eggs, and a biscuit. The grits didn’t knock my socks off which was disappointing since I love them and you can really only get them cooked right in the south. The meal as a whole was fairly forgettable except for that biscuit! Mother’s biscuits amazing — they bake up tall and fluffy and pretty near perfect. Damn, I want one now! I’ll admit, the ham was delicious, too. On my second visit, I smartened up, stuck with biscuits, and was very happy.
Biscuits at Mother’s
Gumbo Shop
It’s funny, I rarely see the Gumbo Shop mentioned on foodie boards, but it’s one of my favorites. Possibly because it’s one of the places I ate during my first ever visit to New Orleans. But, I think it’s also because it serves up tasty, comforting New Orleans fare at reasonable prices. We ate at the Gumbo Shop on both visits — it was the only place I trusted without a reservation on New Year’s Eve. It’s one of Gracie’s favorites, too, so we had to go with her as well. I love that the Gumbo Shop serves warm french bread loaves at the table. All the food was great on both visits. I especially liked the oyster and andouille gumbo I had on the second visit.
New Year’s Eve at the Gumbo Shop
Cafe Du Monde
There’s probably no better place to grab a cup of chicory coffee, a warm, sugary beignet, and people watch than Cafe Du Monde in Jackson Square. We got to ring in the new year with little French donuts and cafe au lait — a great start to 2009. Though, I have to admit, on my second visit to NOLA, we stopped at Cafe Beignet and I actually thought the beignets there were some tough competition — bigger than Cafe Du Monde and a little more airy. When I suggested I might like those beignets better, though, my foodie friends couldn’t agree, so you should try both versions and decide for yourself if you’re ever in New Orleans.
Central Grocery
Yes, it’s touristy, but there’s no doubt that Central Grocery serves up a mean muffuletta. A whole sandwich loaded with Italian meats and olive salad is bigger than my head. Gracie, Sean, and I bought a whole one to share and we carried it out to the banks of the Mississippi River to chow down. Sean and I also tried the version at the Napoleon House, however, I didn’t like it as much. The Napoleon House’s olive salad was way too chock full of large pieces of celery and it was toasted. I prefer my muffuletta cold. I do recommend the Napoleon House for great ambiance and a classic New Orleans drink — they are known for their Sazeracs and Pimm’s Cups.
Eating a Central Grocery Muffuletta on the Banks of the Mississippi
Acme Oyster House
Acme was my first choice for New Year’s Eve dinner — I really wanted some oysters and crawfish! But by the time we were able to meet for dinner, it was closed (early for the holiday!) I had to wait until our foodie trip to get inside the door, but it was worth it. Our group devoured raw and grilled oysters, spicy boiled crawfish, and crawfish fritters along with cold Abita beer. Nothing fancy about Acme, but who needs fancy when you’re getting crawfish seasoning all over your fingers?
Jacque-Imo’s
Everytime I’ve been to New Orleans, I read restaurant reviews and message boards that extol Jacque-Imo’s — yet I never seemed to actually make it there. Lucky for me, Kate decided to make reservations during our foodie trip. I am grateful for this because, woah, what delicious food! The menu was huge and it was tough to decide what to order. But, amazingly, everyone in our group of 7 order something different so we played pass the plate and we all got a taste of the other dishes. Not a bad dish in the bunch — Jacques-Imo’s is known for seafood and there was plenty of it all fresh and tasty. Of course, I knew it was going to be good when we passed through the kitchen on the way to our seats and I saw one of the cooks liberally brushing butter on freshly baked corn muffins.
Camellia Grill
“If I get into heaven and I don’t wind up here, I’ll be mad.” That’s a quote I heard while sitting in the Camellia Grill waiting for my pecan pie to be warmed up on the griddle. It was from what I assumed was a Tulane student — he was sitting with friends opposite Sean and I at the old-school counter that serves as the only place to eat at the diner. I think I might have to agree with him and I’ve only ever ordered the pecan pie ala mode. Great service, obscenely delicious pie. I never miss going to the Camellia Grill when I visit New Orleans.
Johnny’s Po-boys
Tucked into a small shop on a side street in the French Quarter, Johnny’s Po-boys was a delicious stop. Friendly counter service and a huge po-boy stuffed with crispy fried oysters won my seal of approval.
I am Queen of the Beads!!!
Apr
30
Smile!
Filed Under Misc., Fun | Leave a Comment
Not really an original recipe, but I made these smiley face cupcake pops for my cousin Megan’s wedding this month. She had a candy buffet and wanted to add these to the table. I won’t lie…trying to make 100 of these was tedious. If I try cake pops again, I’ll stick to making a more sane number.
They are a very cute concept — many more ideas at Bakerella’s blog.
Apr
30
Ginger Orange Chicken with Green Beans
Filed Under Recipe, Main Dish, Cuisine, Meat, Chicken, Asian, Healthy, Vegetables, Carrots, Fruit, Green Beans, Quick & Easy, Oranges | Leave a Comment
Sean and I just joined Boston Organics. It’s a really great deal for organic fruits and vegetables — and they deliver, to boot! I was pretty excited about it because they send a basically random box every week. I figured it would help me be creative every week in what I make for dinner.
This week, we got green beans and some organic oranges. I’ve noticed those two items go bad fast, so I wanted to use them. We also received 5 pounds of carrots last week and a huge bulb of ginger. Since one of our favorite Chinese take-out dishes is spicy string beans, I decided to try and make something similar with all of these ingredients we need to use up.
Ginger Orange Chicken with Green Beans
Serves 4
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. boneless chicken thighs
1 lb. green beans, trimmed
2 large carrots, sliced on the bias
1 small onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
zest of 1 orange
juice of 1 orange
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger, divided
1 tbsp. rice wine vineger
4 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1/2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. chili garlic sauce or siracha
2 tbsp. honey
Cut chicken thighs into 1 inch cubes. Put into a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of the soy sauce to season the chicken. Toss to coat. Set aside for 10 minutes.
Mix together half of the ginger, orange juice, orange zest, rice wine vinegar, the rest of the soy sauce, sesame oil, chili garlic sauce, and honey. Whisk to combine. Set aside.
Heat olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over high heat. Once the oil is very hot, add the chicken and cook until it’s cooked through — about 7-10 minutes. Remove from skillet. Set aside.
Once you remove the chicken, make sure the pan is still very hot, and add the onions, rest of the ginger, and garlic. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes. Add the green beans and carrots. Stir fry until the carrots and green beans are al dente, about 10 minutes.
Add the chicken back to the pan and pour in the sauce. Cook uncovered for another 2-3 minutes, stirring, until the sauce is mixed into the chicken and vegetables well and starts to thicken. At this point, if you need to cook the vegetables a little more, cover for a couple of minutes to let the vegetables steam.
Serve over rice.
Apr
26
Java Chip Cookies
Filed Under Recipe, Dessert, Vegetarian, Books | 1 Comment
Almost every year at Christmas, I try to make some homemade treats to send to my friends and family who don’t live near me. This year, I decided to put together some little boxes with all kinds of cookies and sweets (including pecan-bacon brittle — recipe to come, soon.) My favorite cookie in the box was this java chip cookie.
I’d had the idea of a java chip cookie in my mind for a while. I wanted to incorporate espresso and cocoa nibs and chocolate. I used a base chocolate chip cookie recipe from The King Arthur Flour Baker’s Companion: The All-Purpose Baking Cookbook
The cocoa nibs work so well in this recipe because they’re crunchy and a little bitter like a coffee bean.
Java Chip Cookies
Makes 3 Dozen Cookies
12 tbsp. butter
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup instant espresso powder
1/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract
3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup dutch processed cocoa powder
1 cup dark chocolate chips
1 cup cocoa nibs
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Beat the butter, espresso powder, brown sugar, and corn syrup together until fluffy. Beat in the vanilla, baking powder, salt, and baking soda, and then mix in the egg. Beat well.
Beat in the flour and cocoa powder. Then stir in the chocolate chips and cocoa nibs.
Drop cookie dough by rounded teaspoons on to a lightly greased cookie sheet.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, just until lightly browned at the edges. The cookies will look slightly underdone in the middle, but will set up as they cool.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container once cooled.
Apr
26
Corn and Poblano Chowder
Filed Under Recipe, Main Dish, Appetizer, Cuisine, Mexican, Vegetarian, Healthy, Vegetables, Corn, Soup, Leeks, Peppers | 2 Comments
Poblano peppers are my favorite type of peppers. They add heat, but that heat doesn’t get into the way of their great slightly-smokey flavor. I thought that they would work well in a vegetarian corn chowder since I was losing the smokey flavor from bacon that I’d normally use. A touch of cumin also helps create a smoky flavor. The sweetness of the corn plays well with the heat from the poblano.
The secret, I found, is steeping the corn cobs in the milk. I was really amazed at the intense corn flavor the cobs brought to the chowder! I also didn’t use a ton of butter or cream in this chowder. The creaminess came from reducing the liquid by simmering the soup and by blending the peppers with some of the corn kernels to give the chowder a thick, creamy texture without cream or a roux.
It would be awesome with some chopped avocados for garnish — but I didn’t think of that until it was too late this time!
Corn and Poblano Chowder
Serves 4
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup leeks, cleaned thoroughly and chopped
2 poblano peppers, sliced into ½ strips
4 ears of corn
1 quart whole milk
½ tsp. cumin
salt, to taste
Heat olive oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks, and poblano peppers. Cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes or until the leeks and peppers are soft.
Meanwhile, take the husk and silk off the corn cobs. Cut the corn kernels off the cobs and reserve. Cut the cobs each into three pieces. Add to pot once the leeks and peppers are soft.
Add milk. Bring to a simmer and cover. Simmer for about 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, remove the corn cobs and discard. Add 3/4 of the corn kernels and simmer for about 10 minutes uncovered.
Then, use a stick blender to blend the corn, peppers, and leeks until smooth.
Add the remaining corn kernels, cumin, and salt. Simmer for another 10 minutes uncovered. Serve and garnish with chopped avocado.