Outstanding in the Field: The Menu

Sorry for the lack of posts over the last week. I went to NM and then to Baltimore to surprise my friend at her baby shower! We just got back home last night. Now I'm really behind in showing you what I've been up to!

But first I need to finish telling you about the Outstanding in the Field dinner we went to. Here's a photo of the menu.

Every single item in each course was amazing!



The chef was from the restaurant six89 in Carbondale, CO. One of my favorite items of the night was the burrata cheese that he made. That cheese combined with the blistered cherry tomatoes and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar was to die for. (Note to self: Find out how to make burrata cheese!)

I mentioned in my last post that the green beans were the most fantastic things I've eaten in a long time. When that farmer was introduced, he practically got a standing ovation! His farm is Osage Gardens in New Castle, CO. They apparently have one of the finest herb gardens in the country and supply many Whole Foods stores. Next time my mom and I are looking for a field trip, we might have to check this place out in person.

When we first sat down at our table and saw the menu, I admit that my heart skipped a beat when I saw GOAT on the menu. I'm not a vegetarian (not even a little bit), but I've always been weird about the types of meat I'll eat. To me, it's normal to eat chicken, pork, and beef. Anything beyond that is just weird, and no matter how good it tastes, I can't get past the weirdness of eating it.

But for this event I didn't want to miss out on anything, so I tried it. And you know what? It was delicious!! I'm sure it had a lot to do with how it was cooked and the sauce that it was in, but wow. I actually went back for seconds.

What do you think? Have any of you ever eaten goat or any other kind of meat that might not be considered "normal"?

Peach lime sorbet

There are some things in life that you must accept without questioning. I've learned that recipe suggestions from my friend Kathleen fall into this category.

She recently suggested that I try this recipe for peach lime sorbet from Eating Well. She said it was awesome. That girl don't lie.

So grab yourself some peaches and limes, and make this as soon as humanly possible. You won't be sorry.



Ingredients

1 1/2 cups water
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 pound fresh peaches or nectarines, halved and pitted
1 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest
6 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

1. Stir water, sugar and corn syrup in a large saucepan over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Add peaches and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes.

2. Pour the fruit-syrup mixture into a blender. Add lime zest, juice, and salt, and blend until smooth. Pour into large bowl and refrigerate until 4 hours or overnight.

3. Freeze the mixture in an ice cream maker. Or, pour into ice cube trays and freeze until solid. Remove from trays, and place in a food processor with a chopping blade. Process until smooth but still icy.

Note: I doubled this recipe but only put in 9 tablespoons of lime juice and it was really lime-y, so you may want to add the lime juice a little at a time until it suits your taste.

Curried butternut squash soup

In the last year or two I've developed a real fondness for winter squash. I recently tried this soup recipe, and I'm lovin' it.



Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup diced shallots or onions
3 whole cloves garlic
1/4 cup minced ginger
4 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (I used about 1 teaspoon because the husband likes extra zing!)
2 1/2 pounds butternut squash (about 1 medium), peeled and cut into chunks
1 1/3 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon curry powder
2 cups chicken stock, heated
1-inch chunk palm sugar (I left this out)
1 15-ounce can low-fat coconut milk

Directions:
1. In a deep pot over medium heat, heat the oil. Add shallots/onions and stir for a few minutes.
2. Add garlic cloves and ginger.
3. When shallots start to soften, add bay leaves and red pepper, and saute for another 2 minutes.
4. Add squash, salt, and curry powder. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes.
5. Turn heat to medium-high and add stock. Cover and bring to a boil. Immediately lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Stir about every 5 minutes, and mash the squash.
6. Add the coconut milk and palm sugar (if used), and cook for another 15 minutes, stirring and mashing every 5 minutes.
7. Remove the bay leaves and continue to mash the squash to the desired consistency. Use an immersion blender if a creamy texture is desired (I prefer to have some chunks).
8. Garnish with chopped chives or curry leaves, if desired.

From Tangy Tart Hot and Sweet by Padma Lakshmi

Things to do in 2010: Part 1

I am just starting to put some thought into what my New Year's resolutions should be, and already I've decided to have a list of things I want to accomplish in 2010 instead of general resolutions that I can't cross off a list.

First up on my list is to expand the number and variety of things that I cook at home. I came up with a list of 10 things that I want to make an effort to include in my regular meal plan, or at least try once to see if I hate it. I'm a bit embarassed to admit that I've never tried things like beets, parsnips or rutabagas!

1. Parsnips. I see these and other root vegetables listed over and over in recipes, but for some reason these things never make it into my cart at the grocery store. I saw this recipe for roasted parsnips in the latest issue of Sunset magazine, and I decided there's no time like the present to start trying them.

Their other suggestions included mashing them with butter and milk like potatoes, mashing for a soup with crumbled bacon and thyme, shredding raw parsnips with apples and using in a creamy slaw with green onions and grapes, and frying thin slices in hot oil for parsnip chips. Sounds pretty good, huh?

2. Turnips. See #1 above. They just doesn't ever see the inside of my shopping cart. But this recipe for glazed baby turnips and carrots sounds easy enough that I'm willing to give them a go.

3. Rutabagas. Am I starting to sound like a broken record? Are you starting to wonder how I've managed to spend so much of my life living under a rock? But smashed rutabagas with ginger roasted-pears? Are you kidding me? Sign me up!

4. Beets. For some reason, beets have always made me feel slightly uneasy. But this year I'll try 'em. At least once. We'll start with some beets and caramelized onions with feta.

5. Chinese cabbage. Just recently I bought regular cabbage and made two varieties of slaw. I can't remember the last time I bought cabbage before that. I'd like to expand into some of the other cabbages out there, and the Chinese cabbage looked like a good place to start. So I think I'll order some seeds for tenderheart Chinese cabbage and see how it goes.

6. Quinoa. I've heard so much about how good and healthy quinoa is, but have yet to try it. This recipe from Gourmet for quinoa with mango and curried yogurt sounds good.

7. Bison. I've had a bite or two of the husband's bison steak or meatloaf when we've been out to eat, but I haven't really tried making a meal out of it yet. I love beef, but I fear what it is doing to my cholesterol level. So I'm hoping I can get past the mental image and learn to like bison. Did you know that bison has just 1.8 g of fat and cholestrol verus beef's 18g? I'm ready to dig right into this NY strip steak from High Plains Bison!

8. Risotto. I tried making this once several years ago, and I really liked it. I'm going to make an effort this year to make it more often and try some of the bazillion variations out there. I absolutely love cornish game hens, sweet potatoes, and cranberries, so this recipe for cornish game hens with sweet potato risotto and cranberry sauce sounds perfect.

9. Fish (not salmon!). I try to cook salmon fairly often, but I generally avoid all circumstances that involve any other kind of fish. I'm too intimidated by the thought of preparing them (and the thought of eating most fish sort of makes me want to gag). But the husband really likes fish, and we have a lot of good fishing holes pretty close to us where we can get some darn nice trout.

The cookbook I got on our trip to Boulder, Utah, With a Measure of Grace, has a great-sounding recipe for cowboy skillet trout, which involves a molasses marinade and a cornmeal-pecan breading. Yeah, I think I'm gonna like having trout.

10. Bread (and biscuits and pastries). I love carbohydrates but I need to come up with a good way to control my intake of them. Allowing myself to eat only those carbs that I make seems like an easy way to do it. I want not only to learn how to make good bread, biscuits, and pastries, but also develop the patience to actually make them. My previous experience years ago with a bread making machine doesn't count. I'm talking about old-school style, kneading and rolling dough. I might start with the blue-ribbon black-powder buttermilk biscuits from With a Measure of Grace. We had them at the restaurant and they are a-mazing. And with pictures and recipes like this one for spinach feta bread, I'll probably spend a lot of time on The Knead for Bread.

What about you? Do you have any new foods that you want to try? Better yet, do you have any recipe suggestions for any of the foods on my list?

Salmon with sweet and spicy rub

I don't like fish. Well, that's not totally true. I'll eat fried fish if there is a ratio of breading to fish of approximately 3 to 1, and if it's covered--and I mean completely covered--in tartar sauce. And there have been a few times at a restaurant where I've tried a bite of the husband's fish and didn't totally gag. But I generally stay clear from the stuff. It just sort of grosses me out.

I do like the idea of salmon, though. It isn't as fishy as some fish, and it's the only fish I'll attempt to serve at home. But when it is on our menu, I usually end up eating just a bit of it before I'm grossed out by the thought of what I'm eating. I'm weird that way.

But this recipe literally changed my life, or at least the department of my life devoted to eating salmon. When I make salmon using this recipe, I scarf down the whole thing, to the husband's great disappointment. And the best part is that it's super easy.



Ingredients:
Cooking spray
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Six 5-ounce salmon fillets, skin* and pin bones removed (I usually use just one large piece of salmon)
1 tablespoon olive oil



Directions:
1. Coat grill or grill pan with cooking spray and preheat over medium* heat.
2. While the grill is heating, combine brown sugar, chili powder, cumin, salt, and pepper.
3. Brush each salmon fillet with 1/2 teaspoon of olive oil, and rub each fillet with about 1/2 teaspoon of the spice mixture.



4. Grill the salmon, spice side down,* until charred, about 4-5 minutes.
5. Flip the salmon and cook another 5-6 minutes for medium doneness. For well-done fish, cook an additional 1-2 minutes.
6. Transfer to platter and serve immediately.



* I leave the grilling to the husband. He likes the unpredictability of cooking with fire. We leave the skin on the salmon. The husband places it on the grill with the skin side down and covers the grill. The skin gets nice and crispy. I peel the skin off right before I plate the salmon, and then Sadie does back flips and other neat tricks for the crispy little treat. If you have the time, cook the salmon over low coals (for about 15-20 minutes). It takes longer, but the salmon retains so much moisture it's well worth it.

From The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life by Ellie Krieger.

Canning swap parties

It's still not too late this season to can some fruits or vegetables--whether it's the harvest from your own garden or the bounty you brought home from your local farmers' market.

But unless you want to embark upon a canning marathon to achieve a nice variety of canned goods, what does one do with 28 jars of peach jam (other than eat a lot of peanut butter and peach jam sandwiches)?

One awesome solution is to have a canning swap party, a very cool idea a friend told me about over at Food Routes. And it's really easy to do. Gather your friends who are canners; have each person bring their canned goods--canned fruits, salsa, pickles, jams, etc; and swap canned items with each other, giving extra credit (i.e., extra jars) for more-difficult-to-produce items.

If everyone can bring enough items to the party, you can even open a jar for a taste test.

Here are some tips for hosting your own swap party:
1. Plan ahead, if possible, and remind fellow canners throughout the growing season to keep everyone motivated.
2. Try new recipes.
3. Be aware of how time-consuming some items are, and trade fairly.
4. Consider including other preserved items, such as dried fruit, jerky, or home-brewed beer.

If you've never tried your hand at canning before, do it this year. It's really quite easy. The Pioneer Woman has great illustrated tutorials on making jam here and here. My only addition to her instructions is to be sure to alter your boiling time based on the elevation where you live. The higher the elevation, the longer you need to boil the jars (i.e., at less than 1,000 feet, boil for 10 minutes, and increase boiling time by 1 minute for each additional 1,000 feet of elevation). When in doubt, check out the USDA food safety page for some guidelines.



And don't be afraid to try new recipes or make your own. For the last two years I've made a wide variety of jams. Shown here in the top row are peach cherry and apricot cherry jams (made from cherries from the husband's uncle's cherry orchard and our apricots), and on the bottom row are spiced peach, orange pear, and plum jam (made from our own blood plum trees). I also created some other recipes including peach almond, ginger pear, and cranberry pear jams, but they were dang good and we already ate all of them.

So, take some time over the holiday weekend and try it out if you've never done it before.

Happy canning!

Temecula Olive Oil Company

The other day I mentioned that I made two great discoveries while in San Diego. The first is the restaurant Whisknladle. The second is the Temecula Olive Oil Company.

While browsing through the shops in Old Town San Diego with my mom, we came across a tasting room and retail outlet for the Temecula Olive Oil Company. We sampled a variety of their olive oils and balsamic vinegars, and each one was amazing.

I left with their olive oil sample pack--including Olivum, a blend of several varietals; Citrus Reserve, which has the essence of blood oranges; and Roasted Garlic, which I can't wait to try on pasta. But I didn't stop there. Oh, no. I also got a larger bottle of their Rotture di Oro, a rich, Tuscan-style extra virgin olive oil with strong, grassy flavors. Yum.



But wait, there's more. Much more, because it turns out that they also offer an amazing selection of balsamic vinegars! So, I bought a bottle of their vanilla and fig balsamic vinegar, which is aged for more than two years and is imbued with the essence of California ripe figs and a touch of vanilla. I practically start drooling thinking of trying this on some Brie cheese.

And not being one to let over-weight luggage slow me down, I rounded out my purchase with a bottle of California Balsamico vinegar and a bottle of their California Balsamico Blanco vinegar, a white balsamic vinegar which sadly is not currently available online.



At the first opportunity to place an online order, I'm planning on getting some of their California pomegranate vinegar (which goes incredibly well with the citrus olive oil) and some of their spices and sea salts. If you're ever in need of a gourmet cooking gift for someone, I highly recommend this place!

Whisknladle

I made two phenomenal discoveries while in San Diego.

The first is the restaurant Whisknladle in La Jolla. I ate there three times! There is a very good reason why it was voted number 1 of 105 hot new restaurants worldwide by Conde Nast Publications in 2008.



The restaurant has partnered up with local farmers, ranchers and fisherman to provide the best product in the most conscientious way. They also bake, cure, age, pickle, and churn everything in house, so the amazing menu changes with the season.

During each of my visits I had a summer salad of arugula, avocado, white and yellow corn, grapefruit, and hearts of palm. A-mazing! Other notable items I devoured include the scallops, a summer squash ravioli, two different flat breads, a tomato salad with heirloom tomatoes, the best danged herb fries on the planet, a bourbon chocolate torte with butter pecans and mocha ice cream, and a dark chocolate ice cream that was so good it had me and my mom fighting over who could lick the bowl!

I probably gained 5 pounds from eating so much, but it was well worth it.

Crab salad in crisp wonton cups

If you can eat shellfish without going into anaphylactic shock, I think you'll like this recipe. I am a big fan of recipes that can be prepared well in advance and then assembled and served at the last minute, and it's super easy to make.



For the wonton cups, you'll need:
Cooking spray
18 wonton wrappers, thawed if frozen
2 teaspoons canola oil
1/4 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 375F.
Coat mini muffin tins with cooking spray.
Brush both sides of wonton wrappers with canola oil and place in the muffin tin so they form little cups.
Sprinkle with salt.

Bake about 8-10 minutes until browned and crisp.
You can prepare the cups the day before and store at room temperature in an airtight container.

For the dressing, you'll need:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon finely grated lime zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil

Whisk ingredients until well combined.

For the salad, you'll need:
1/2 pound lumb crabmeat (be sure to check for parts of shells)
1 stalk celery, finely diced (1/4 cup)
1/2 cup peeled and finely diced ripe mango
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and green parts)
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

In a medium bowl gently combine the ingredients, taking care not to break up the lumbs of crabmeat.
Add the dressing and gently toss to combine.



You can prepare the salad the day before and store in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Then fill each cup with the crab salad and serve immediately.



From Ellie Krieger's The Food You Crave: Luscious Recipes for a Healthy Life.

Chicken and pasta in asiago cream sauce

Yesterday my husband called me from work. He said, "You know that chicken pasta? It's outstanding as a leftover. Make that again." Wow, I guess I have another winner.

In the days since we had our Valentine's day dinner at a local restaurant, I've been obsessing over the dish I had that night--spaghetti with chicken and mushrooms in an asiago cream sauce. I decided to try to replicate it last week with a few additions, like onion, bacon, and wine. Yum.

Ingredients:

1 16 ounce box of pasta (I used orecchiette because I had a couple boxes in the pantry, but spaghetti or a bowtie pasta would also be good)
2 or 3 large chicken breasts
2 cups heavy cream
1 cube chicken bouillon, crumbled
1 1/2 cup grated Asiago cheese plus a bit extra
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in water
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup chopped prosciutto or bacon
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 cup sliced mushrooms (I used cremini mushrooms)
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon parsley flakes
3/4 cup white wine

Directions:

1. Gather all your stuff.

2. Cook the chicken. You can use boneless, skinless chicken breasts--just cube them and throw them in a skillet with some olive oil and cook 'em until no longer pink and juices run clear. Or, if you're obsessed with the really cool temperature probe that comes with your oven (like I am), you can cook some whole breasts in the oven at 350 degrees, then cool and chop up. (I also cooked some extra for a different purpose.)


3. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Don't forget to add some salt. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package. Drain and set aside.

4. Slice the mushrooms and chop the onion.


5. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and garlic and cook for about 5 minutes until the onion starts to become translucent.


6. In the meantime, pour the cream into a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Add the crumbled bouillon and cheese and whisk until well blended. Whisk the cornstarch into the cream sauce and cook for a few more minutes. Then remove from heat and set aside.




7. Back at the skillet, add the mushrooms and cook for about 3-5 minutes or until they start to look really happy.


8. Pour the wine into a measuring cup. Pour yourself a glass, too. In the process, try to support one of your local wineries, if you can.


9. Add the wine and parsley to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes or until the liquid reduces by about half.


10. If you're lucky, your significant other gets home from work right about now and you can put him/her to work cutting the chicken into about 1" cubes.


11. Add the chicken to the skillet and mix well.


12. Add the asiago cream sauce and mix well.


13. Add the bacon. Watch your husband (or significant other), because he'll probably try to thieve a few pieces.


14. Add the pasta and mix well. Leave the skillet over medium or low heat for a few minutes, stirring often, to make sure everything is warmed through.


14. Serve in a bowl and top with more grated asiago cheese.

Beef cassoulet

I found a gigantic chuck roast on sale the other day, which is always a sign to me that I need to make this recipe again. It's my version of a recipe by Padma Lakshmi in her cookbook, "Tangy Tart Hot & Sweet," and her recipe was a version of a cassoulet that doesn't use pork. But the point is that it's pretty tasty and is another good recipe for cleaning out the fridge and pantry.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
4 tablespoons butter
large boneless beef chuck roast, cut into large chucks (the one I used today was 4.5 pounds)
1 large yellow onion, quartered
1 medium red onion, quartered
5 cloves garlic, peeled
3 bay leaves
1 tablespoon dried rosemary (or 4 stalks rosemary 3 to 4 inches long, leaves stripped from stems)
1 red or yellow bell pepper, coarsely chopped
2 large carrots, cut into 1.5 inch pieces
1 tablespoon red pepper flakes (or more if you're not a wimp like me)
7 stalks whole celery, coarsely cut into large chunks, including the leaves
1 fennel bulb, quartered or cut smaller if it's a large bulb
1 1/2 tablesppons dried oregano
1 tablespoon marjoram
4-6 cups beef or chicken stock
6 ounces canned tomato paste
1 or 2 15-ounce cans white cannelini beans, drained

Directions:

1. Gather all your ingredients.


2. Wash, prep, chop, slice, and measure as appropriate. If you need to use the jar of garlic instead of whole garlic cloves, I won't turn you in to the food police. And don't be afraid to throw in that extra half yellow bell pepper that was lurking in the fridge.



3. Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Salt and pepper the meat and brown on each side. Remove the meat and place on a platter.

4. Saute the onions, garlic, bay leaves, and rosemary for 3-4 minutes. Add more butter or oil if necessary.

5. Add the bell pepper, carrots, celery, and fennel, and stir for another 5 minutes.

6. Add the oregano, marjoram, and red pepper flakes. Let this cook for about 10 minutes. During this time, dissolve the tomato paste in about 1 1/2 cup of the stock.

7. Nestle the meat down into the vegetables.



8. Add the stock with the tomato paste mixed into it, then add the remaining stock.

9. Cover Dutch oven and either continue to cook over medium to medium-low heat for 2 to 2.5 hours, or transfer to oven at about 300 F for 2 to 2.5 hours, or until the beef has become tender. (Note: I usually make this in the late morning and then put it into the oven around 225 to 250 and let it go all day. You could do the same using a crock pot.)



10. In the last 15-20 minutes, stir in the beans.

11. Serve hot. You can serve this by itself, but it also goes great with polenta, mashed potatoes, or some noodles to soak up the sauce. And it can be made a day ahead--just cool, cover, and refrigerate. In fact, the leftovers probably taste better than the original.

PS. If you want to follow Padma's recipe, also add 1 cup pitted large green olives, preferably Middle Eastern ones; 3/4 pound veal rib chop; 3 whole dry red chiles; 2 Omani lemons shattered with a mallot; and 4 links merguez suasuage, chopped into bits.

Lip smackin' good chili

My husband is a picky eater. Don't get me wrong--he'll eat anything I put in front of him, and will usually even have a second helping. But when he actually comments that something is "good," it makes my day. And when he raves about it, I know I have a major winner on my hands.

Such is the case with this chili recipe I found on epicurious.com a while back. I am trying to clean out my fridge and pantry and recipes like this are good for that sort of thing, so I decided to cook it for dinner last night. Without further ado, I present the Pork, Beef, and Black Bean Chili of Parker Ranch Grill, Kamuela, Hawaii (from the November 2002 issue of Bon Appetit), via epicurious.com.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound ground pork
1 pound ground beef
1 pound chuck steak, fat trimmed, cut into 1-inch cubes (I didn't have any handy, so I left this out)
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups water
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3 6-ounce cans tomato paste
2 teaspoons sugar
3 cups diced fresh tomatoes
3 cups diced onions (I used one white onion and half of a red onion)
3 cups diced red bell peppers (I used one whole red and one whole orange pepper)
3 cups canned black beans, drained, rinsed (from three 15-ounce cans)
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 3/4 cups (about) beef broth
Grated cheddar cheese

Important note before you start:
The instructions say to use a large pot and they mean it! I use a 5.5-quart round Le Creuset French Oven when I make this, and it is full to the tippy-top once I add everything. Also, the recipe says this makes 8 to 10 servings, but I think it's probably closer to 10-12 unless you're feeding professional football players!

Instructions:
Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and ground beef and saute until brown, about 3 minutes. (At this point I usually drain the fat off even though the recipe doesn't say to.) Add cubed beef and garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add 2 cups water; bring to boil. Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, and cayenne pepper. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 10 minutes. Add tomato paste and sugar and simmer 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, onions, and peppers and simmer until vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Add black beans and cilantro. Add beef broth 3/4 cup at a time until thinned to desired consistency. Bring chili to simmer. Ladle hot chili into bowls; top with grated cheese and serve. (My husband eats it this way. I prefer to add a dollop [or two!] of sour cream to the chili and then have on the side a tortilla covered with melted cheddar cheese. Mmmmmm...)



Bon Appetit!