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Shaved Apple-Fennel Salad

Posted on September 22, 2010 by amydeline

This past weekend, we took the boys apple-picking. As I’ve mentioned after our berry picking excursions, the boys are highly skilled fruit pickers. The looks of concentration on their faces, as they go about their work, is priceless. And we always end up with far more fruit than we needed.

Such was the case this past weekend. The boys moved through the aisles of apple trees with focused eyes and hands, proudly filling their bags with ripe McIntosh and Cortland apples, until the bags were too heavy to be carried. We brought home at least a peck per picker. In layman’s terms, that’s a boat-load of apples. **Author’s note: The more accurate descriptor of our quantity of apples is a poop-load, but it struck me as unappealing to use the word poop in a blog about food. Oh drats, it seems that I wrote it anyway.

Well, when you’ve got a poop-load of freshly-picked apples sitting around, you need to start thinking creatively. Of course, I could bake more apple crisp, but since I gorged myself with it again last night (after consuming a massive BLT) I think it’s better for my waistline that I refrain from baking any more. Apple pie would, of course, be delicious. But, then I’d face the same self-control problem I’m having with the apple crisp in my fridge. So, thinking on the lighter side, I decided to incorporate some of the fresh, crisp apples into a salad with a bit of thinly shaved fennel and a white balsamic vinaigrette.

Fennel conjures up strong images of Thanksgiving at my Italian Grammy’s house. Thanksgiving at my Grammy’s house is a marathon of eating, which challenges even my expert ability to overeat. It starts with an antipasto platter; layers of rolled meats and cheese, adorned with spicy peppers, marinated mushrooms and artichokes, and black olives, dressed in a spicy, tangy vinaigrette. Following the antipasto, we sit down at the table for fruit salad. Then, the pasta course comes out; typically a lasagna, baked ziti, or stuffed shells with garlic bread. And then, after all of that meat and cheese and fruit and pasta and the occasional stolen dessert cookie; then we sit down for a traditional Thanksgiving meal; turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, creamed onions, green beans, cranberry sauce, and rolls. After which, there is dessert, of course; usually a selection of pies, cookies, cheesecakes, and trifle. It’s quite the feast.

So, where’s the fennel come in? Well, before the feast begins, there are nuts, olives, and fennel. As a child, the presence of this strange, celery-looking, licorice-tasting vegetable alongside the olives always confused me. Even more confusing was that my Italian family members pronounced it in a way which sounded like FUH-nook. But then again, I was also taught to pronounce ricotta like Rrrr-GOAT (don’t forget to roll your r’s) and mozzarella like Mootz-a-REL.

In my mind, fennel equals Thanksgiving at Grammy’s. I’ve never actually used fennel in any of my own recipes, but I was inspired recently by a salad which was featured in my grocery store’s seasonal magazine. Their salad blended fennel with oranges and onions over spinach in a vinaigrette. I’m taking inspiration from the apples in making my own twist on a fennel salad, using a light, crisp white balsamic vinegar in my dressing. If you can’t find white balsamic, you can easily substitute regular balsamic. The tastes are similar. The addition of walnuts and applewood smoked bacon to the salad add a wonderful complement in flavors and a perfect bit of crunch.

Shaved Apple and Fennel Salad

Ingredients

  • 2 Apples
  • 1 Fennel Bulb
  • 6 cups Spinach
  • 1/2 cup Walnuts, chopped
  • 6 Slices Bacon, cooked and crumbled*

For the Dressing

  • 1/4 cup White Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/3 cup Olive Oil
  • 1 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Mustard
  • Salt and Pepper

*Use applewood smoked bacon, if available.

Directions

Cut the apples in half and remove the core. Cut the fennel bulb in half. Using a mandoline slicer, very thinly slice the apples and fennel bulb. If you don’t have a mandoline, use a knife to slice the apples and fennel as paper-thin as possible. Make the dressing by whisking together all ingredients. Toss the spinach in a small amount of dressing. Divide the spinach onto four plates. Toss the apples and fennel in a small amount of dressing. Place a mound of the dressed apples and fennel on top of the spinach. Top with walnuts and crumbled bacon.

Serves 4


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Honey-Balsamic Salmon over Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash

Posted on September 16, 2010 by amydeline

I must be dreaming about fall lately. Perhaps it’s the cool evening breeze coming through the barely opened windows, just enough to adjust the temperature in the room to perfect down-comforter weather. Whatever it may be, I’ve been waking up with fully formed fall dishes on my mind. Well, almost fully formed. The details take a moment to come to me, almost in the way you have to strain to put together the pieces of a dream.

Most recently, I awoke thinking of honey-glazed salmon. Yes, that sounds good. With pureed sweet potatoes. Correction; pureed gingered sweet potatoes. Wait, that’s still not right. It should be a sweet potato hash with apple. Yes, that’s it… Honey-Glazed Salmon with Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash. I didn’t decide to add the balsamic until I actually got cooking. And it was a wise addition, indeed.

There’s not much else to say about this dish. It’s simple, delicious, and perfectly fall-icious.

Honey-Balsamic Salmon over Gingered Sweet Potato and Apple Hash

Ingredients

For the Salmon

  • 4 4oz. Salmon Fillets
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/8 cup Honey
  • 1/8 cup Balsamic Vinegar

For the Hash

  • 2 Sweet Potatoes
  • 1 Apple
  • 2-3 tsp Fresh Ginger, grated
  • 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 3 Tbsp Butter
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place the salmon fillets in a baking dish and season with salt and pepper. In a small bowl, combine the honey and vinegar. Stir until well combined. Pour the mixture over the salmon fillets. Place the baking dish in the oven. Cook for 15-20 minutes, until cooked through. Periodically spoon some of the honey-balsamic mixture over the fillets as they cook.

For the hash, peel the potatoes and apple. Use a box grater to shred the potatoes and apple. Combine with the grated ginger. Toss with a bit of lemon juice to prevent the apples from browning. In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sweet potato mixture and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring and flipping often to prevent burning. Season with salt and pepper, as desired.

To serve, place a mound of the sweet potato-apple hash in the center of the plate. Place a cooked salmon fillet on top. Drizzle with a bit of the honey-balsamic sauce from the baking dish. Garnish with sliced green onions.

Serves 4


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Eggplant Parmigiana

Posted on September 15, 2010 by amydeline

Winter comes on fast here in Syracuse. It seems like one week you’re sweating in 90 degrees weather at the fair and the next week you’re rummaging through the house trying to figure out where you stashed your scarf when winter finally ended in June. It’s a long, cold, snowy winter ’round here, predominated by gloomy, gray skies and frostbitten noses.

But, there’s a short period of time between the summer and winter, where the sun is still shining, but the air carries just a touch of chill; sweater weather. The leaves turn a beautiful rainbow of rusty reds, burnt oranges, and golden yellows. Apples are ripe for picking. It’s perfectly autumn.

And though I don’t particularly care for the long periods of Syracuse winter gloom, I feel a buzz of excitement on the day I wake up to that perfectly autumn weather. To me, the first cool day in September is shouting one thing, loud and clear… Welcome to Comfort Food Season!

Comfort food season. It’s the time for spending a little longer in the kitchen. Time for heating up the oven and letting the warm aromas permeate the house. Time for hot, cheesy dishes, casseroles, and slow-cooked meats with roasted potatoes. Time for forgiving stretchy pants and bulky sweaters. Comfort food season makes this Gourmand Mom a very happy girl.

So, in honor of comfort food season, I’m making one of my childhood comfort food favorites. You see, I’m Irish, Scottish, and Armenian by heritage, but a good part of my family is Italian. I was raised on Italian food. There may not be a drop of Italian blood in me, but there’s the heart of an Italian cook hiding in there. And, as far as I’m concerned, when it comes to comfort food, it doesn’t get much better than Eggplant Parmigiana. Breaded and fried eggplant, layered with cheese and tomato sauce, then baked until perfectly hot and delicious.

My recipe is based on the recipe I was raised with. The secret comes from the combination of three different cheeses between each layer of eggplant; parmigiano-reggiano, mozzarella, and ricotta. The ricotta’s the real key, if you ask me. You can use any kind of tomato sauce in the dish. Homemade marinara or a high-quality store-bought sauce would be fine. I’m using a jar of Bertolli’s spicy Arrabbiata Sauce, which I received in the welcome gift bag over the weekend.

My process for making eggplant parmigiana begins with salting the eggplants. If you’re using freshly picked or baby eggplants, you can probably skip this step. For larger eggplants, which have been off the plant for a few days, salting serves a dual purpose. The salt draws out the bitter liquids which can accumulate in older eggplants, leaving you with a better flavor. Also, as a result of removing some of the liquid, you’ll have a firmer eggplant which will absorb less oil during the frying process.

The entire process of composing the eggplant parmigiana is a little time-consuming, but not complicated. The great part is that is can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen until you’re ready to eat. If baking from refrigerated or frozen, be sure to add some additional cooking time to ensure that the dish gets thoroughly heated through.

Eggplant Parmigiana

Ingredients*

  • 2 medium/large Eggplants, sliced into approximately 1/3″ slices
  • Salt
  • 1 cup Flour
  • 3 Eggs, lightly beaten
  • 2 cups Bread Crumbs
  • 1/2 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 cups Tomato Sauce
  • 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
  • 2 cups Ricotta Cheese

* All measurements are approximate. Adjust according to the size of your eggplants and your preferences.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Arrange the eggplant slices on a baking sheet. Generously sprinkle the slices with salt. Allow the salted eggplant to rest for 15-20 minutes. You will begin to see droplets of liquid forming on the eggplant. Rinse the eggplant slices and pat dry.

Then, set up a dish of flour, bowl of the beaten eggs, and a dish of bread crumbs. Press both sides of each slice into the flour, dip in the beaten eggs, then press into the bread crumbs to thoroughly coat. Repeat this process with all eggplant slices.

Heat a few tablespoons of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Places slices of eggplant in a single layer in the pan. Cook for about two minutes, then flip and cook on the other side for two minutes. Both sides should be a golden brown. Place the slices on layers of paper towels to drain. Continue this process, adding more oil as necessary, until all of the eggplant has been cooked. If the bread crumbs remaining  in the pan between batches begin to burn, wipe out the pan and replace with fresh oil before beginning the next batch.

Pour a small amount of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish. To compose the eggplant parmigiana, spread a spoonful of ricotta onto a slice of eggplant. Place the slice on top of the sauce in the baking dish. Sprinkle with parmigiano-reggiano and mozzarella. Then drizzle a small spoonful of tomato sauce on top. Repeat with additional eggplant, cheese, and sauce to create layered towers of eggplant, cheese, and sauce, each without about four eggplant slices. After placing the final slice of eggplant on the tower, top with sauce, then parmigiano-reggiano and a generous amount of mozzarella.

Bake for about 30-35 minutes. For a firmer cheese crust, leave the baking dish uncovered. For a meltier, gooey cheese topping, cover the baking dish with foil for the first 25 minutes or so.

Serve over spaghetti with extra sauce and cheese.


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Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Posted on August 31, 2010 by amydeline

My culinary muse is just over 3 feet tall and weighs in at about 34 pounds. He’s the pickiest eater of the bunch, yet has a knack for generating the most interesting recipe ideas, such as Ice Cream Pizza and Vanilla Soup. And then, last night at dinner, he started talking about Pizza Salad. It was perhaps, just a slip of the tongue, as he was awaiting a pizza with the option of salad on the side. But, my interest was piqued.

Little Muse

A moment later, my Pizza Salad plan was in place; chunks of pepperoni, fresh mozzarella, and grape tomatoes, tossed with romaine lettuce and dressed with a tomato-balsamic vinaigrette. As a finishing touch, I’d add Italian seasoned pizza crust croutons and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. The result; a salad oozing with Italian pizza flavors! My little muse is pure culinary genius, though he refused to taste even a bite of his creation.

Sometime later in the evening, my tiny inspiration came running at me from the dining room, where his child-sized pretend kitchen is arranged. He had a small plastic pan with a cover in his hands. He was clearly distressed. As he approached me, he lifted the lid on the pan to reveal a single green leaf of plastic lettuce. He was shouting, Oh no! I burned the salad! So, maybe the kid has got a little to learn about cooking, but at least he’s got ideas!

Pepperoni Pizza Salad

Ingredients

For the Dressing

  • 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
  • 1/8 cup Olive Oil
  • 2 Tbsp Tomato Paste
  • 1 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 5-7 Fresh Oregano Leaves, chopped
  • Salt
  • Crushed Red Pepper

For the Croutons

  • 1 Thick Prepared Pizza Crust
  • Olive Oil
  • Garlic Powder
  • Dried Parsley Flakes
  • Salt

For the Salad

  • Romain Lettuce, chopped
  • Small Cherry Tomatoes
  • Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls (Bocconcini)
  • Pepperoni, halved or quartered
  • Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions

For the Croutons

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cut a thick pizza crust into large crouton-sized pieces. Arrange in an even layer on a baking sheet. Spray or brush the bread cubes with a bit of olive oil. Sprinkle with garlic powder, parsley flakes, and salt. Bake for about 12-15 minutes until the croutons are golden brown with a crispy exterior and slightly tender interior.

For the Dressing

Whisk to combine vinegar, oil, tomato paste, garlic, and oregano. Season with salt and crushed red pepper.

To Compose the Salad

Toss the romaine, tomatoes, mozzarella, and pepperoni in a small amount of dressing to lightly coat. Top with pizza crust croutons and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

6 Comments

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Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Posted on August 27, 2010 by amydeline

One of the benefit’s of making yesterday’s Pulled Pork and Peach Pizza is that you’ll end up with a mound of leftover pork…perfect for a few pulled pork sandwiches.

I can’t think about pulled pork without thinking of Dinosaur Bar B Que, our local barbecue biker bar. It’s definitely a place we like to bring visiting friends. Really delicious, authentic barbecue is the name of their game. It was even voted America’s best barbecue on ABC’s Good Morning America in 2009 and it will be featured in an upcoming episode of Travel Channel’s Man v. Food with Adam Richman.

Dinosaur Bar B Que’s smoked pulled pork puts mine to shame. It’s so very good. You can never go wrong with the Big Ass Pork Plate. Excuse my language, please. I blush a little every time I order it. Dinosaur’s Big Ass Pork Plate comes with a huge mound of pork, a chunk of their Honey Hush Corn Bread and two of their many delicious side dishes. One of my favorite side dishes is their Tomato-Cucumber Salad. It’s always a nice fresh balance to the pile of meat on the other end of the platter.

So, with my dinner of leftover pulled pork, I’m mixing up my take on this classic summer side dish. Simple, summer-fresh flavors are always a win in my book.

Tomato-Cucumber Salad

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
  • 1/8 cup olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 teaspoon sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon mustard
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 red onion, diced fine
  • 1 pound rom tomatoes
  • 1 large, seedless cucumber

Directions

Depending on the size of the tomatoes, cut them into fourths or eighths. Remove the seeds. Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise, then in half lengthwise again, to form four long quarters. Slice the cucumbers into small fan-shaped pieces. Combine the vinegar, oil, garlic, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Pour the dressing over the tomatoes, cucumbers, and red onions. Toss to combine.

If possible, make the salad a few hours before eating to allow the veggies to get comfy in the dressing.

If you’re feeling saucy, a batch of my Sweet Honey Corn Bread would work beautifully with this meal! Click here for that recipe.

13 Comments

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Chicken Marsala with Garlic Sauteed Broccolini

Posted on August 18, 2010 by amydeline

I’ve been meaning to make this dish for a while. I rarely order chicken when we go out to eat. It’s not that I don’t like chicken. I enjoy it quite a bit, but there’s just always something else which sounds better to me. There’s always some thick cut of filet mignon smothered in bernaise sauce or duck confit with a cherry-balsamic reduction calling my name. But there is one chicken dish that has the power to distract me from thick cuts of red meat and duck in sweet fruity sauces. That dish is Chicken Marsala. I rarely make it though. It’s not that it’s labor intensive or complicated to prepare. It’s simply that Chicken Marsala requires Marsala wine, which requires me to make a trip to the liquor store, which requires me to escort two extremely active toddler boys into a fun house of glass bottle towers. I avoid that situation like the plague.

But, my hubby stopped by the liquor store to pick up wine for last night’s steak dinner feast and I had him grab a bottle of Marsala. So, it’s Chicken Marsala for dinner tonight!

Marsala sauce is another in a family of wine reduction sauces that bring pure joy to my heart, like my beloved Bordelaise and Madeira sauces. We’ll start with a bit of Marsala wine, then simmer it down until it reduces to a thick, concentrated wine base. To that, we’ll add chicken stock and continue simmering to concentrate the flavors. The flour and oil remaining in the pan from cooking the chicken will act as our roux to help thicken the sauce. Mushrooms and thinly sliced garlic complete the sauce.

Chicken Marsala pairs beautifully with angel hair pasta, garlic mashed potatoes, or sauteed veggies. Tonight, I’m blanching a bunch of crisp broccolini just until slightly tender, then sautéeing it in a bit of olive oil and garlic.

Chicken Marsala

Ingredients

  • 4 Thin-Cut Chicken Breasts
  • 3 cloves Garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 cup Mushrooms, sliced
  • 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Flour, for dredging the chicken
  • 3/4 cup Marsala Wine
  • 1 can (about 2 cups) Chicken Stock
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

In a large pan, heat about half of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the sliced garlic and the mushrooms. Cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are tender and brown and the garlic is lightly toasted. Remove from the pan and set aside. Dredge the chicken breasts in the flour to evenly coat both sides. Heat the remaining olive oil in the same pan used for the mushrooms. Cook the chicken for 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown. Remove the chicken and set aside. Add the marsala to the pan and use a wooden spoon to scrape up all of the tasty brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Bring the marsala to a simmer, allowing the wine to reduce until about 1/4 cup remains. Add the chicken stock. Bring to a simmer and cook until about 1 cup of liquid remains. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Return the chicken and mushrooms to the pan. Cook for a few minutes to coat the chicken in sauce.

Garlic Sautéed Broccolini

Ingredients

  • 1 bunch Broccolini
  • 2 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Blanch the broccolini, by placing it in the boiling water and cooking for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the boiling water and gently pat dry. In a pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook for a minute or two. Add the blanched broccolini. Toss in the oil and garlic. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste

Little Man in Big Shoes, keeping busy while Mommy cooks.

5 Comments

Posted in Food, Main Course, Poultry, Recipes, Sauces, Side Dishes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

Steak Dinner. Yummy, yummy.

Posted on August 17, 2010 by amydeline

We’re enjoying a visit from my in-laws this week. Tonight I had the pleasure of preparing a tasty steak dinner for our dining enjoyment. I mean, we have to eat something. It might as well be steak!

We started with an appetizer of Warm Goat Cheese Bruschetta with Cherries, Mango, Mint, and Almonds. Simply dice a few cherries and some mango, chiffonade a few mint leaves, and mix. Spread goat cheese on slices of French baguette. Top with a bit of the cherry, mango, mint mixture. Garnish with a sliced almond or two. Bake in a 350 degrees oven for 8-10 minutes.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Dice a Mango. Make the cuts close together for a fine dice.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Chiffonade Basil. Use the same procedure to chiffonade your mint leaves.

I cooked our dinner as we enjoyed the warm goat cheese hors d’oeuvres. There was broiled flank steak, seasoned with salt and pepper, then broiled for 15 minutes. After allowing it to rest for 5 minutes, I cut thin slices across the grain.

Over the flank steak, we enjoyed a Roasted Garlic Sauce. To make the sauce, melt 2 Tbsp butter in a saucepan. Add 2 Tbsp flour and whisk together. Cook over medium heat for a minute or two. Gradually whisk in 1 1/2 cups of milk. Bring to a gentle boil and continue cooking for a few minutes, until the sauce thickens. Season with a teaspoon of mustard, some salt, pepper, and a touch of nutmeg. Whisk in roasted garlic paste from one small head of garlic, until smooth.

Click here to see my photo guide on How to Roast Garlic. Once it’s roasted, squeeze out the soft garlic and sprinkle with a bit of coarse salt. Use the side of a knife to press the roasted garlic into a smooth paste.

On the side, we enjoyed Roasted Red Potatoes with Rosemary and Garlic. Cut baby red potatoes into fourths or eighths, depending on their size. Toss with a bit of olive oil, minced garlic, fresh rosemary, salt, and pepper. Spread onto a baking sheet and cook in a 350 degrees oven for about an hour, until they are tender, golden brown, and surprisingly sweet.

We also enjoyed  a side of Green Beans Almondine, my absolute favorite way to prepare green beans!

Click here to see my recipe for Green Beans Almondine.

Add a little Chianti and it’s a lovely meal!

2 Comments

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Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Posted on August 14, 2010 by amydeline

When I retrieved my ice cream maker from its hiatus in the basement, I told myself that I wouldn’t post too many ice cream related recipes. I recognize that not everyone has an ice cream maker lying around and I’d rather post recipes that don’t require any special equipment. I’m not doing a very good job of limiting the ice cream recipes though. It’s summer and I’m really enjoying the novelty of my ice cream maker. I’ve been finding myself dreaming of ways to use it. Some of my ideas are inarguably fantastic; others not so much. Last weekend, after a few glasses of wine, I was ready to whip out the machine to make some sort of Swedish Fish ice cream. I got some strange looks from the crowd, so we abandoned that mission. But I recently had another idea that I just had to try and since there was no one around to talk me out of it, I did. To make up for the fact that I’m sharing my third ice cream recipe in the past two weeks, I’m going to throw in a super simple, delicious bonus recipe which makes a easy, tasty dinner and requires no special equipment.

Remember earlier in the week when I mentioned the candy-sweet local corn, which I added to my pesto pasta with salmon and tomatoes? I wasn’t joking when I said it was candy-sweet. It seriously tastes like it’s been watered in syrup and grown in a bed of brown-sugar soil. I fed some to the kids and told them it was candy. They never paused for a second to question it. I’ve been dreaming about that corn ever since, plotting other ways to take advantage of its awesomeness. I wanted to use it as a dessert. It’s really that sweet. Sweet corn frozen custard came to mind.

Truth be told, this recipe was not a complete success. I contemplated whether I should share it or not, but I figured that if you’re crazy about corn, this recipe might be right up your alley. I fed a spoonful to my husband without telling him what it was and his reaction was less than enthusiastic. Confused would be the most appropriate description of the look on his face as he tried to process what he was tasting. His sentiments were that you can’t just feed people a bowl full of corn ice cream; that it needs to go with something. I agree. So, I made a homemade caramel sauce and served it with a graham cracker…sort of a caramel corn sundae, I suppose.

This frozen custard has a definite sweet corn flavor. The only added sweetener comes from a few tablespoons of honey. I used buttermilk to make up part of the cream base, sort of a play on my sweet honey cornbread with buttermilk, but I think the buttermilk was a mistake. The final custard was not nearly as creamy as I’d hoped. It had more of a firm, icy texture. I’m no ice cream making expert, but I suspect the iciness was a result of the buttermilk…perhaps a freezing point issue? If I were to repeat the recipe, I think I’d use an all cream base. Fairly certain that would produce a creamier result. The recipe I’m sharing with you excludes the buttermilk.

Summer Corn Frozen Custard

Ingredients

  • 3 Cobs of Sweet Corn
  • 2 cups Light Cream
  • 3 Tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 2 Egg Yolks, lightly beaten

Directions

Boil the corn for 8 minutes. Cool. Cut the kernels off of the cob. Save the cobs. Use a blender or food processor to blend the kernels with the cream, honey, and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture in a saucepan and add the corn cobs. You can break the cobs, if necessary, to fit in the pan. Heat the mixture, stirring often, until it begins to bubble. Remove from heat. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, pressing the mixture to remove all of the the corn-flavored cream. Add a small amount of the hot liquid to the egg yolks to temper the yolks. (Adding a small amount of the hot liquid allows the egg yolks to heat gradually and prevents them from scrambling.) Add the tempered egg yolk mixture to the hot cream. Return the mixture to a saucepan. Heat the mixture until it begins gently bubbling. Cook for about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and refrigerate until it is completely cooled. Then, pour the mixture into your frozen ice cream bowl and freeze according to your machine’s directions. Serve with caramel, if desired.

Now, on to that super easy, super delicious, no-special-equipment-required recipe. A few weeks ago, a friend of mine sent me a message wondering if I had any ideas for how to make use of some chorizo she had on hand. Yum. Chorizo. I gave her a few general ideas at the time. And then I couldn’t get chorizo off the brain. Chorizo is a spiced pork sausage that is typically available as chorizo picante (spicy) or chorizo dulce (mild). Spanish chorizo is cured and can be eaten as is. My supermarket carries cured chorizo near the deli and cheese section. Chorizo is also available as a fresh sausage which you would probably find in the meat section of your supermarket. Fresh sausage needs to be cooked prior to eating. I love the combination of chorizo with seafood, especially shrimp. It occurred to me that both shrimp and chorizo would pair well with pineapple. So, I decided to put together some super fast Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas. I’ll definitely be making these again.

Shrimp, Chorizo, and Pineapple Quesadillas

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Spanish Chorizo, chopped
  • 1 cup cooked salad-size Shrimp
  • 1/2 cup Pineapple, finely chopped
  • 2 cups Mexican Blend Cheese
  • 8 Flour Tortillas

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Heat the chorizo in a pan over medium heat until it begins to release its oil. Add the shrimp and pineapple. Stir to combine. When the shrimp and pineapple are warm, remove from heat. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup cheese onto each of four tortillas. Evenly distribute the chorizo, shrimp, pineapple mixture over the four tortillas. Top with another 1/4 cup cheese on each. Cover with the remaining four tortillas. Bake for about 10-12 minutes until the insides are hot and melty and the tortillas feel slightly crisp. Press down on the quesadillas about halfway through to help them melt together. Allow the quesadillas to cool for a minute or two before cutting.

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Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Posted on August 12, 2010 by amydeline

The summer night is quiet. A couple rests peacefully in their comfortable feather-topped bed. The windows are open; the low hum of a fan filling the air as it sends a soothing breeze throughout the room. The couple has drifted off into a tranquil dreamland, never suspecting what lie ahead.

Down the hall, a door swings open; the constant murmur of the fan providing cover to the sound.

Tap.

Tap. Tap.

Tap, Tap, Tap.

Taptaptaptaptaptap.

The sound of small, bare feet on hardwood floors.

She doesn’t feel the breath upon her face. She isn’t aware that she is being watched. Until it yells, Snuggle up!

The Snuggle Monster (post watermelon feast)

Startled and confused, she reaches over and lifts the small, warm person into bed and does as he commands. Snuggle up. And they begin drifting back to sleep; the midnight snuggle attack a roaring success. Until the small person begins talking. Mommy? Mommy? Mommy? At which point the slumbering man awakes and demands that the small noisy person return to his bed.

Don't be deceived by the snuggle monster's cute ploys.

Thus began a mostly sleepless night.

And so it is a great joy to me that today’s post was actually last night’s dinner. Cooking complete. Food taste-tested. Photos taken. Recipe written. Just a matter of a few edits and done for the day. Leftovers for dinner…

Above all else, tasty food starts with tasty ingredients. Fresh ingredients at their prime require minimal fuss to produce outstanding results. When it comes to homemade tomato sauce, most of the year, your best bet may be canned tomatoes. Has lack of sleep made the gourmand mom lose her mind?? But, no. Tomatoes are canned at the peak of their ripeness at the peak of their season, their flavorful prime. You’d be hard-pressed to find fresh tomatoes nearly that tasty mid-winter. When tomatoes are not in season, canned crushed or whole tomatoes will offer you the most flavorful, nutrient-rich option.

But, there is a window of time when the ripe tomatoes, fresh from your garden, the farmer’s market, or your local grocery store are bursting with flavor. And in the Northeast, that time is now.

We’ll start with ripe, fresh tomatoes. (Taste one to ensure that they have vibrant, sweet tomato flavor.) Use a knife to make an ‘x’ at the bottom of each tomato. This will allow the skins to slip off easily.

Drop a few tomatoes at a time into a pot of boiling water. Allow them to sit in the boiling water for about 30 seconds.

Use a slotted spoon the remove the tomatoes.

Immediately place them into an ice bath to cool. The skins should begin slipping off on their own. Use your fingers to peel the tomatoes.

Once the tomatoes have been peeled, they’ll only require a few simple steps and a handful of fresh ingredients to become a flavorful marinara sauce. Make a big batch and freeze a few containers for some fresh tomato sauce, post peak tomato season.

Serve the sauce over pasta as is, or add a few more ingredients to make your own tomato sauce variation. Try olives, ground meat, roasted red peppers, mushrooms, or roasted garlic.

Basic Fresh Tomato Marinara Sauce

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 pounds ripe Plum/Roma Tomatoes
  • 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
  • 4 cloves Garlic, smashed
  • 2 small Onions, chopped
  • 1/2 cup Basil, chiffonade*
  • Salt (about 1 1/2 tsp)
  • Crushed Red Pepper, to taste

*Click here to see my photo guide on How to Chiffonade Basil.

Directions

Cut the top off of the tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in half. Squeeze the seeds from the tomatoes into a strainer. Reserve the strained tomato liquid. Rough chop the tomatoes. In a large saucepan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and smashed garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the chopped tomatoes and tomato liquid to the pan. Cook for about 25 minutes over medium heat, until the tomatoes have broken down. For your safety, allow the mixture to cool slightly. Then, use a blender, food processor, or immersion blender to blend the mixture to your desired consistency. Be careful while blending hot liquids. Add the basil and season with salt and crushed red pepper. Continue cooking for about 10 more minutes to allow the flavors to blend and condense.

**You can make this recipe using canned tomatoes too. Look for canned whole or crushed tomatoes with no added salt. If you really want to use fresh tomatoes, but they’re not at their flavorful best, try adding a bit of tomato paste. The concentrated tomato flavor will do wonders for your sauce!

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Ratatouille Repentance

Posted on August 2, 2010 by amydeline

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. It’s all about balance.

Yesterday, I served you a heart attack on a bun and called it a burger. I have to admit that I used my healthy side of steamed broccoli to wipe up the cheese, chili, and egg yolk, which dripped from my burger. But, today I’m making up for it with a delicious, fresh spinach salad for lunch and a healthful dinner, chock full of vegetables and oozing with nutrition. That, and a nice long run should set us right back on track.

Months ago, while watching the Disney-Pixar movie, my son asked me to cook him ratatouille. Now, what mom is going to say no when their son requests a dish that is completely loaded with vegetables? Then I lost track of his request and the months went by, until last week, when I spotted the most irresistible package of vegetables at the supermarket.

Instantly, I knew I would be cooking eggplant very soon. I started running through my mental library of eggplant recipes. My first thought was Eggplant Parmesan, one of my favorite dishes, but it seemed sacrilege to cover those beautiful baby eggplants with bread crumbs. That’s when I remembered the pending ratatouille request.

In the big climax of the movie, Ratatouille, little chef Remy, decides to serve a dish of ratatouille to the most discriminating food critic, Anton Ego. Chef Collette is appalled. But, it is a peasant dish, she exclaims. Remy astounds everyone by transforming this traditional Provencal stewed vegetable dish into something elegant and mouthwatering, which pulls Ego back in time to warm memories of his childhood. The culinary genius of a mouse saves the restaurant with his comfort food makeover.

The real-life chef mastermind behind Remy’s ratatouille is famed chef Thomas Keller of The French Laundry in Napa. For the film, he designed a layered version of ratatouille inspired by the Turkish dish, Confit Byaldi; same flavor profile of a traditional ratatouille, same slow-cooked flavor, prettier presentation. In his version, a pipérade of roasted peppers, onions, and garlic is spread in a baking dish, topped with layers of fresh eggplant, tomatoes, and squash, then slow cooked until the vegetables are tender and sweet. The final dish is topped with a drizzle of balsamic vinaigrette.

Inspired by that package of beautiful eggplant, I decided that we would make Keller’s version of ratatouille. I told my son that we were going to make a fancy ratatouille, just like in the movie. His response was, I don’t want to make a fancy ratatouille! I want to make a smiley-face ratatouille! Where in the world does he get this stuff?? Anyway, we met in the middle with both a fancy and a smiley faced ratatouille. We’re serving our ratatouille with balsamic vinaigrette marinated, broiled fillets of salmon.

For the complete recipe, as published a few years ago in the New York Times, click here.

Here’s what we did…

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cut a red, yellow, and orange bell pepper in half. Remove ribs and seeds. Roast in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, slice up some baby eggplant, plum tomatoes, and yellow squash.

When the peppers have finished roasting, place them in a ziploc bag or cover with plastic wrap. This will help the skins to separate as they cool. When cool enough to handle, remove the skin from the peppers. Chop into small pieces. Turn the oven heat down to 275 degrees.

In a pan, heat a little olive oil. Cook a chopped onion until softened. Add minced garlic and thyme. Cook a few minutes more.

Add the chopped peppers, cook for a few more minutes. This your pipérade. Spread the pipérade in an even layer on the bottom of a baking dish.

Arrange the sliced vegetables in an overlapping pattern on top of the pipérade.

The kids worked on their smiley-face version of ratatouille.

Drizzle a mixture of olive oil, minced garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper over the vegetables.

Cover with foil and bake in a 275 degrees oven for 2 hours. Remove the foil and cook for 30 minutes more.

**If you have leftover sliced vegetables, toss them in a bit of the oil and garlic and arrange them on a baking sheet. Place them in the oven for about 45 minutes. You’ll have some delicious roasted vegetables, which make great roasted veggie sandwiches with a bit of fresh mozzarella.

This dish is best made a day ahead of time and reheated in the oven before serving. Drizzle with balsamic vinaigrette and enjoy.

The kids enjoyed tasting their smiley-faced ratatouille.

6 Comments

Posted in Cooking with Kids, Food, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegetable and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.
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