I cannot wait for next Wednesday, March 12, when Top Chef season 4 begins.
Padma Lakshmi, Tom Colicchio, Gail Simmons, and Ted Allen will return to Bravo, along with 16 contestents, each one who will think he or she can out-cook the others. Chicago will provide the windy backdrop for their challenges, so hats may fly as competitors vie for the top chef title.
The other night I was trying to make use of some items before they went bad and ended up with a new, fun salad. (I often find those are some of my best and most creative meals.) For the dressing, I squeezed the juice of half a lime into a bowl, then added a pinch of thyme and one of sugar–to temper the tart acidity. With the whisk (and my left arm) working hard, I drizzled in about two and a half times extra virgin olive oil and continued whisking until it was emulsified. The romaine lettuce, already clean and cut, was simply waiting to be dressed.
While the flavors were soaking in, I took an ear of corn and rana knife down each side to cut the kernels off, sauteeing them for a few minutes in a small pat of butter and a pinch of salt. I also cut an avocado half into small chunks. Topping the salad with the corn, avocado, and a handful of cherry tomatoes made for a tasty side dish. I also added crumbled goat cheese, but ended up pushing most of it to the side because the flavors weren’t quite melding.
As it wasn’t the main dish, I didn’t pair a wine, although it would have gone nicely with a crisp sauvignon blanc or unoaked chardonnay.
You could also grill some shrimp, maybe after a dip in a tequila-lime marinade, and do the tomatoes the same way, while you’re at it, making this a nice lunch or a light supper.
And I didn’t even have to make it. Last week BK fixed me the most wonderful dinner. Having stopped at Whole Paycheck, he had some raw oysters and a thick slice of Ahi tuna, cut to oder at a little over an inch. He made a salsa of tiny tuna chunks, corn, and mushrooms to dip soy flavored rice chips into, and shucked the oysters. Meanwhile, he toasted sesame seeds and patted them onto the filet, then seared the tuna quickly on each side, slicing down the length of it. Oh, but it was good! One of the best meals I’ve had in a while.
I find that for those occasional nights where I give in to the ease and price of getting Chinese take-out, I need to spiff it up somehow. The best way to do that is with a bottle of bubbly. Sparkling wine goes well with the saltiness of your chow mein, the fried egg rolls, or sweet and sour chicken. That particular bottle in the picture is an Oregon brut, but you could use almost any bubbly.
If you like sweet wine, though, make the meal a little spicier to provide good contrast.
Most meals I try to make relatively healthy, especially compared to some of the recipes on Food Network shows like Barefoot Contessa and Paula’s Home Cooking. However, my lady Paula can make something lowfat when she tries. Her grilled pork tenderloin with soy sauce and green onions has saved me in that “What am I going to make for dinner?” panic more than once. It’s easy and contains items I usually have on hand. ( I try to always keep a pork tenderloin in the freezer because it’s so versatile.)
This particular time, Read the rest of this entry »
Paula’s Home Cooking, grilled pork tenderloin with soy sauce and green onions
So, I had a nice, simple dinner planned for BK last night for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out so much. The halibut (from Trader Joe’s freezer section) I rubbed with garlic and Himalayan pink salt then seared on each side in sizzling olive oil. Not so bad, a little dry. The rice—I had wanted to make curry with raisins, so I found a recipe that sounded marvelous on Naughty Curry. I was immediately drawn to the unique writing style, the humor, and charm. However, my rice didn’t turn out so well. I followed the directions pretty accurately, but it wasn’t cooked enough and therefore had to let it sit on the stove after it was already mixed together, while the halibut got cold. Fortunately, I had started out on a good note, with the heart-shaped goat cheese I bought at Farmstead Cheeses and Wine that morning. Tangy and creamy, it was delcicious over the rustic baguette from the Feel Good Bakery. The cheese was Le Coeur d’Alvignac which came with a small jar of rose honey. And I did pour the Domaine Carneros Le Reve Blanc de Blancs, which makes everyone more forgiving, I think.
If you’re looking for a Valentine’s dessert, I’ve got the one for you. I have made Paula Deen’s chocolate bundles more times than I can count. They’re easy and tasty and really impress, looking like you worked harder than you actually did. …
What to do
Set the oven to 350 degrees. Starting off with a puff pastry sheet that is room temperature, I make smaller bundles than Paula, cutting the sheet into 9 equal squares. And instead of Hershey’s kisses, I use Nestle’s Treasures dark chocolate truffles, which you should go ahead and unwrap—one for each square. Also, crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk in a teaspoon of water for a wash. Then on a floured surface, roll each pastry portion out a little to make the square about 4-5 inches. Brush a bit of the egg wash on the inside, place the candy in the center, then pull up the sides and twist to close. Then place on a cookie sheet with parchment paper and brush the top with the egg wash. Repeat all squares then bake in the oven for 25 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. (Paula calls for longer, but these bundles are smaller and don’t take as long.)
I usually serve these with fresh whipped cream with vanilla. Though the last time, I did make the ganache from the recipe, and it was oh so good.
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Have I mentioned that I love Trader Joe’s? Yesterday after getting home from work, BK got dinner ready for us. It did not take too much to get it started. He had bought a lamb shoulder from Trader Joe’s that was already marinated, that you cook directly in the bag it comes in. 400 degrees for 45 minutes. He also chopped 2 potatoes into fat wedges and coated them with garlic, salt, paprika, and olive oil. Those went onto the same cookie sheet with the lamb and cooked right along side them while we went for a 40 minute walk. When we got back, the plates were loaded, along with some hummus and olives on the side. The lamb was juicy and tender, and the mint in the marinade really came through so that the meat was almost sweet. I mentioned to him I most likely would have walked right past pre-marinaded meat, but that it was really delicious. The potatoes were good, too: crispy on the outside and soft on the inside.
And now I have lunch for today…
I had blueberries, raspberries, and red currants that needed to be used, so I got online to find a recipe for a tart, thinking to make use of the quiche pan I got when returning one of two salad spinners I received for Christmas. However, the rustic berry tart I found on Eating Well sounded tasty, in addition to being healthier than many other versions. The crust was made partially from whole wheat flour, and there wasn’t too much butter or sugar called for.
I followed the recipe rather closely, except for a few things. I didn’t have the pastry flour called for and used brown sugar instead of white. And I found there was no need for the warmed jam because the tart was pretty bubbly, with the juices nearly running over. But my use of the somewhat sour red currants made for an even tart-er tart and not the best thing ever. When I served a slice a couple nights later with some light Häagen-Dazs vanilla bean, it was much yummier indeed. The sweet ice cream made for a nice contrast as it melted over the warm tart.
Now that I write a cooking blog, I’ve been reading other food-related blogs more often than simply when I need a recipe. Here are some interesting ones I have come acrrss recently that I recommend:
Waiter Rant: Wow, this guy is good. A good waiter and teller of restaurant tales. It brings back many memories, many of them bad, which make me even more happy with my current job. Damn, but some people are jerks!
The Food Whore caters and cooks and gives us reason to cackle.
Vanilla Garlic got me in with the name but kept me with the gorgeous photographs and interesting recipes and stories. Plus, he’s almost my neighbor.
Another blog with a great name: potlikker includes recipes with southern flair, which I can always use more of in my California residence.
Check them out….Good eats and good reads!
Here’s a great recipe to add to your repertoire. This is one of my absolute favorite salads that I make all the time. It’s quick and easy and oh-so-delicious.
Necessary ingredients
half a head of lettuce
6-8 oz. lump crabmeat (previously frozen is fine)
ruby red grapefruit: half sliced and a quarter juiced
4 oz. goat cheese
1 T dry white wine or champagne
extra virgin olive oil
half an avocado, sliced thin
pinch of thyme, salt, & pepper
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I love Trader Joe’s BBQ chicken pizza, but I was even more pleased when my friend Alisha made one from scratch. I decided to follow her lead and give it a go, as well.
I stocked up on
these ingredients:
bag of wheat pizza dough from Trader Joe’s
BBQ sauce ” ” ”
yellow corn
red onion
4 oz ball of mozzarella
can of pineapple chunks
2 chicken breasts
After pulling the dough out of the fridge, the first thing you’ll want to do is season your chicken breasts. I used chipotle chili powder, garlic, and a tablespoon on bbq sauce, mixed together and brushed on. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Go ahead and chop a few slices of red onion and drain the a few spoons of pineapple.
Later….
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If you use items and concoctions from the previous post, this next meal will be super quick, great for a lunch to take to work. Now that you’ve got basil pesto already made, you need something to put it on. Boil water for the penne from yesterday’s list of ingedients. While that cooks, assemble the mixed greens with the balsamic vinaigrette that also doubled as a marinade, along with the goat cheese and sliced red onions, optional. Pull out and reheat the 2-4 portabellas you previously grilled or baked and chop into small pieces. When the penne is done, drain all but a little of the starchy water, then stir in as much of the basil pesto as it takes to coat the noodles, and toss in the mushrooms as well.
Even though some of the ingredients aren’t cheap (portabellas, goat cheese, pine nuts)…when you consider that these two meals can each feed two or three people, it works out to be quite cost efficient.
I love to find quick and easy meals that serve dual purpose. For instance, the other night I made portabella sandwiches with pesto and goat cheese along with caprese salad, which turned into penne with pesto the next day for lunch, with possibilities for variation.
Ingredients to make sure you have on hand:
8 baby portabella mushrooms
balsamic vinegar
extra virgin olive oil
garlic
Italian seasoning, ground mustard
ciabatta bread or rolls
a tub of basil
pine nuts or walnuts
parmesan cheese
tomatoes
fresh mozzarella
mixed greens
penne
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Don’t think I haven’t been cooking. I know how to handle a food processor, a stove, crockpot, grill, toaster oven,etc, but technical difficulties are not my thing. We’ve been having issues on the network for a couple days, and now I must run off to pour and sell wine.
Rest assured that I have several tasty meals to share and will as soon as I can.
What's for dinner? Better yet, who has a good recipe for a favorite dish? Coaching Cooking provides recipes, cooking techniques, and foodie stories by someone who cares about food and about eating well. Expect to find information on delicious dishes and intriguing information about the world of cuisine including food trends, unusual ingredients, and fresh cooking ideas. Find inspiration for the next delectable feast!
Coaching Cooking Author(s)
» Farley
