Experimentation

Good, but Not Great

There is something that sounds so amazingly appetizing about jumbo, lump crab meat, baked, buttered baguette slices, and cream! So, it is no surprise that when I came across this recipe in the February 2012 issue of Food & Wine Magazine for Buttery Crab Bread Pudding, I immediately abandoned my previous dinner plans. 

Much to my disappointment, the result was good, but not great.  The amount of lemon juice and cayenne called for is simply not enough to show through the creaminess of the custard.  I added more parsley than called for, and should have done the same with the chives. The custard is a great accompaniment, but be sure to cook the dish a little longer than called for.  The top of my baguette slices were browned, but the bottoms were soupy from the cream. 

Do-over:
1.  Add more chives, lemon juice, and cayenne pepper.
2.  Bake longer to allow the bread to become crusty on top and less soupy throughout.
3.  More crab!  I was afraid to over-stuff the dish, but I should have known better - more crab is always better!
4.  If you are not concerned about a heart-attack, add a little melted butter to the milk and half and half mixture.


 Tip: When combining a warm mixture and cold milk or cream, take a separate, small dish of the cold milk.  Slowly add a few spoonfuls of the warm mixture.  Add this mixture to the rest of the cold milk.  Wait a few seconds, and slowly spoon the rest of the warm mixture into the milk.




A Satisfying Side

My side dish turned out to be a much more worthy experiment.  The same issue of Food & Wine featured chef Jose Andres's Garlicky Potatoes, Green Beans, and Cauliflower.  I could eat this as a meal!

I used French green beans (sometimes labeled Haricot Verts in the grocery store - they usually come pre-packaged), smoked Spanish paprika, and red wine vinegar.  My grocery store was out of fingerling potatoes, so I used tiny red potatoes, cut in half. 

Oh, yum!  The drizzle of oil, and sprinkle of vinegar (although I like a little more vinegar) keeps the overall effect of the dish light, while the potatoes and cauliflower keep it satisfying.

Tip:  Use a lid and time your veggies!
 Using a lid will help bring the water to a boil faster, and help the veggies steam.

Add the cauliflower before the green beans.  You want them both tender, but firm (they should be a little crunchy).  They will both cook quickly, but the cauliflower will take just a little longer.  A good way to test the cauliflower is to stick a fork in one of the florets - you should be able to take it out of the pot, without it sliding off. 

Add the green beans absolutely last.  The water will be super hot, and they will cook very quickly.  So, a few seconds in the bath should be sufficient.

Wine Pairing:  My favorite winter white is Wente Chardonnay.  It's the perfect blend of buttery, creamy, oaken goodness and pairs perfectly with seafood, chicken, or pasta.

Cheers!

Busy cooking, not posting.

So it's been some time since my last post, but that doesn't mean I haven't been cooking up some delicious dinners!  While my recent obsession with Pinterest is wreaking havoc on my productivity, I am discovering all sorts of great new recipes!

This crispy cheddar chicken recipe is my new favorite comfort food.  Tender chicken dipped in milk, cheddar cheese, and ground Ritz crackers is heavenly on a cold winter's night.   I have also used turkey breasts instead of chicken.  I served mine with a side of asparagus and mushrooms.

Speaking of sides, Pinterest helped me discover these Parmesan Roasted Potatoes.  Smoky paprika, garlic, and Parmesan combine perfectly to create these addictive little wedges. 










Finally, my greatest feat was recreating my Gram's baby back ribs.  I am so accustomed to just throwing the whole slab in the oven and roasting that it never occurred to me to first cut the rack into individual ribs.  The key is to keep the ribs moist for the first hour and a half of cooking.  The result is amazingly tender, succulent, fall-off-the-bone-and-melt-in-your-mouth ribs.  This was by far my favorite experiment.

Barbecued Spare Ribs

Rack of baby back pork or beef ribs
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
BBQ sauce

Cut racks into individual ribs.
Oil and season with salt and pepper.
Seal the ribs in heavy aluminum foil.
Place on rack in a roasting pan with one inch of water.  Bake for 1.5 hours at 400 degrees, replacing the water to keep 1/2 an inch of water in the pan.  Remove from oven and unwrap.  Remove the rack and pour off the water.  Pour on BBQ sauce and toss to coat.  Lower the heat to 300 degrees and bake for 30 minutes (covered).  Uncover and bake 15 more minutes.  Serve with a side of BBQ sauce and some Texas Toast.  

A note on BBQ sauce:  Don't be afraid to make your own BBQ sauce, it's easier that you think!  Simmer some ketchup, onion, brown sugar, cider vinegar, a few extras and you've got yourself a great homemade sauce.  I use a entire large container of ketchup and save the bottle to store my excess sauce!  Contact me or comment for the full recipe!

Koulourakia (Greek Butter Cookies)

My Gram was famous for these soft, buttery, golden cookies.  Her kitchen was a constant mess of flour, baking soda, pots, pans, and sugar.  But from her oven emanated the most heavenly scent of creamy butter and vanilla with a just hint of orange.  I recently tried my hand at these golden twists, fully expecting an arduous, complicated undertaking.  The recipe turned out to be surprisingly simple. 

The experience itself was a welcome trip down memory lane.  I was nervous, never having made Gram's Koulourakia before (that, and I don't consider baking among my strengths, although I am trying).  But, as my senses took over, I began to remember running through Gram's house, stopping to sample a small piece of dough here, and a freshly baked cookie there.  I pictured her standing at the kitchen table, rolling out each, walnut-size piece of cookie dough with both hands, and then shaping twists ever so delicately.  As I baked, the sights, smells and tastes all came flooding back.  I truly felt her presence and love, guiding me along the way.

For me, the hardest part was sizing each cookie.  Some came out as perfect little, twisted confections, but others ballooned into fat, stubby treats.  In either case, the end result was met with applause from family and friends!

There are several different versions of Koulourakia recipes.   Below are two I like best.

 http://greekfood.about.com/od/cookiescakes/r/Koulourakia-Greek-Butter-Cookies-With-Sesame.htm
This first link calls for Ouzo and sesame seeds (neither of which I used), and omits orange.  I included the link because the directions are extremely clear, and helpful.  

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-specials/irenes-sweet-koulourakia-recipe/index.html
This second link is from foodnetwork.com, and is the closest to the one I used.  This recipe includes orange juice and omits the sesame seeds. 

απολαμβάνουν!  (Enjoy!)

Asian Inspired

This is a great, easy dish based on a recipe I found while browsing the Epicurious app for iPad.  The original recipe calls for short ribs, but after indulging in steak on more than one occasion this holiday season, I was in the mood for something lighter.  Shrimp are marinated in a sweet and spicy Chinese BBQ marinade and then skewered and grilled.  Ribbons of shaved zucchini lightly sauteed in a little olive oil and topped with sesame seeds are a great balance against the intense flavors of the shrimp.  I added a salad and tossed the greens with a fat free wasabi-soy dressing I had in the fridge, and mixed in some more sesame seeds.  The result was a light and tasty dish that left me feeling full and satisfied, with some leftovers for tomorrow!  The best part is that it only took about 30 minutes to prepare (excluding the marinating).

 

1 pound raw shrimp
One bottle of Asian BBQ sauce or marinade (I used Lawry's Sweet and Sour BBQ marinade)
1 small zucchini
Scallions
Sesame seeds
Olive oil

1)    Clean and shell the shrimp and place into a bag with enough marinade to cover.  Be sure to save some of the marinade for later.  Allow the shrimp to marinate for about 2 hours.

•  Tip:  You can marinate the shrimp a day before and let them soak up the flavor while you are at work or out.

2)    Light the grill and allow it to warm while you skewer the shrimp.  Spray the grill with cooking spray and grill the shrimp about 6-7 minutes on each side.

3)    While the shrimp grill, use a vegetable peeler to slice the zucchini.  Be sure to press down firmly.  You want to create nice flat strips of zucchini.  I would rotate around the zucchini to get even slices.

• Tip:  Mushy Middle - Rotate the zucchini when you get down to the soft, seedy middle.  The outer layers are tougher are better able to withstand cooking.  Strips of the seeds will become mushy, faster.

4)    Warm about one teaspoon of olive oil in a saute pan.  Once the oil is warmed, add the zucchini.  You only need to cook the zucchini for about 1-2 minutes because you want it to remain a little firm.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Sprinkle the zucchini with sesame seeds and toss. 

• Tip:  Add Onions - Onions also work very well with the zucchini/sesame seed mixture.  Just add some thinly sliced onion, although you may want to add the onion before the zucchini to allow it some extra cooking time. 
• Tip:  Don't cry - To prevent tearing while you cut onions, light a candle and keep it near your cutting board!

5)    Warm just enough of the BBQ sauce to coat the shrimp.  Chop one scallion and set aside.  Once the shrimp are done, remove them from the skewers and place into a bowl.  Toss the shrimp with the warmed BBQ sauce and scallion.  Serve with the zucchini.  You can also serve with salad and brown or white rice.

• Tip: More flavor please - I drizzled a little soy sauce over my zucchini for additional flavor.

Simple. Easy. Delicious.

Hello 2012!  So begins another year when so many of us will resolve to get fit, lose weight, and eat healthier.  However, I refuse to subscribe to some painfully boring or impossible diet craze (no-carb, low-carb, full-carb, smart-carb!).  I'm also not a fan of slaving away for hours in the kitchen, perfecting a béchamel.  I like food, I like carbs, and I like "my" time. 

My grandma taught me that easy recipes and simple, wholesome ingredients can create the most delicious meals.  I love to cook and I am seizing the opportunity to get back to my cooking roots!  The most memorable meals are the ones where the food stands out.  So join me as I forgo the box of au gratin potatoes to navigate some old family recipes, experiment with new ones, and create a few of my own along the way.  I'll be posting recipes, sharing meal and snack ideas for a busy work week, and tips on how to cut down on time in the kitchen, without sacrificing taste and health. 

My only rules are that the recipes be easy, the ingredients be simple, and the end results be delicious!