Spice Crusted Tuna Steaks with a Caprese Salad

On Sunday, Derek and I bought a nice big container of fresh basil in hopes to use it with the calamari and red sauce we were thinking of making. When I found the recipe that we ended up using (Mario Batali's 2-Minute Sicilian Calamari) we decided it best to hold off and not include basil into the already complex flavors of the dish. Thus, a mission for the week - use basil!

Both components of Tuesday night's meal included basil in some form.

Caprese Salad & Seared Tuna

For the Caprese Salad - no recipe was necessary. I used:

2 small-medium vine-ripened tomatoes, cut into slices
5 marinated mozzarella balls, cut in half and flattened
9 basil leaves
1 T. oil from the marinated mozzarella container
balsalmic vinegar (aged)
salt and pepper

Arrange tomato, mozzarella slize, basil in a repeating pattern. Drizzle with oil and drops of balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Make sure the tomatoes and really good quality, it makes all the difference in the world!!

For the tuna:

Recipe adapted from Jamie Oliver's Spice-Crusted Tuna Steaks with Cilantro and Basil
(we omitted the cilantro)

Ingredients
1 small dried red chile, stemmed
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 small garlic clove
1/2 cup finely chopped basil leaves (used extra due to no cilantro)
1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro omitted
Juice of 1 lemon
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Vegetable oil, for brushing
Four 8-ounce tuna steaks about 1/2-inch thick (we bought one large tuna steak - just under a pound)

Directions
1.In a mortar, coarsely grind the chile with the coriander seeds. Add the garlic and mash to a paste. Stir in the basil, cilantro and lemon juice. Season the herb paste with salt and pepper.

2.Lightly brush a grill pan with vegetable oil and set it over moderately high heat until very hot but not smoking. Season the tuna steaks with salt and pepper and rub the herb paste all over both sides. Sear the tuna steaks for 1 minute per side for rare or until cooked to desired doneness. Serve at once.

Derek and I were debating. "Which is better: tuna raw or tuna seared?" (obviously not even throwing in the option of fully cooked tuna - not even a question)

Derek's thought is: seared. Hmmm...what a concept! I've been into the "raw is so much better" mindset lately - but he really had a point. Searing it obviously changes the entire flavor, but it really gives it MORE flavor, without losing the delicious flavor of the tuna meat. I'd like to do a side by side comparison. For me - I think it just depends on my mood!

Thai Curry Vegetables with Coconut Lime Scented Quinoa

Sitting at my desk on a Monday morning, I think to myself - what do I want for dinner tonight? What time is it? Oh probably only about 10 AM. So what? My mind wanders at work...and planning the evening meal is quite enjoyable.

Where did my mind lead me this time? THAI. Healthy, of course. It's a Monday - need to start the week off right as I know it slowly goes downhill throughout the week...

I used a recipe from another blog to serve as my guideline for this quick and easy meal.

The base: THAI CURRY VEGETABLES with COCONUT LIME SCENTED QUINOA

I made a full recipe, knowing full well that I would eat the leftovers. And my, my - just now I am looking at the empty plate to my right...previously filled with - what better than - leftovers!!

Ingredients

1 cup quinoa (I used red)
1 13.5 ounce can lite coconut milk
3 cups low sodium chicken broth
1 tsp. agave nectar
1 T. cornstarch
3 tablespoons green curry paste (recipe called for far less, and for red)
1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite sized pieces
1 "twig" of broccoli, cut into bit sized pieces
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut into 2 inch sticks
1 zucchini, cut into half rounds
1/3 lb fresh sugar snap peas
Sea Salt
zest of one lime
juice of half a lime

Thoroughly rinse quinoa in a mesh strainer to prevent quinoa from being bitter. Bring the quinoa, coconut milk, and 1 cup water to a boil, cover and simmer. Cook until the quinoa has soaked up all the liquid (about 25 minutes).

Meanwhile, bring the chicken broth and green curry paste to boil. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and carrots and allow to simmer until the vegetable are tender, about 10 minutes. Using a slotted spoon remove the cauliflower and carrots and transfer to a large serving dish. Add the sugar snap peas and zucchini to the simmering broth and cook until tender, approx 5 minutes. Using the slotted spoon, transfer the sugar snap peas and and summer squash to the serving dish. Allow broth to reduce to 1/2 cup. Stir in cornstarch (pre-mixed with a bit of the liquid to avoid clumping)a nd agave nectar. Season with salt to taste. Pour over the vegetables.

Once the quinoa is fully cooked remove from heat and mix in the lime zest and juice. Salt to taste. To serve, spoon the vegetables and broth into individual serving bowls and top with a scoop of the quinoa. Enjoy!

I was surprised that this recipe lacked garlic, onion, oil...

However, it was quite cook - nice and light but the quinoa added a nice jam packed surprising flavor - especially attributed to the lime. It was a light meal but the quinoa is definitely a protein packed grain (6 grams per 1/4 cup dry) + the coconut milk (well that adds a good portion of your daily allotment of saturated fat...but I'll disregard that)...together they added some good substance.

Oh - and to top it off, I toasted some cashews and sprinkled them on it. I thought it would add a nice, well-rounded crunch.

And it did!

If you're looking for something healthy, light, but substantial enough - this will do!

2-Minute Calamari, Sicilian Lifeguard-Style

It seems to have been a recurring Sunday desire to have pasta and homemade pasta sauce. Therefore, my suggestion for cooking this Sunday was - you guessed it....pasta...though, this time with out leftover sauce from two weeks back (still delicious). Spaghetti however, was not necessarily on top of my want list. I was thinking FRESH pasta - maybe ravioli or something yummy like that. So Derek and I go to this nice grocery store in Sausalito, we're looking at the fresh pasta...debating whether or not to get the $7 ravioli (not cheap, but hmm...it looked good)...when SUDDENLY Derek peeks over at the seafood counter and proceeds to make an instantaneous decision right then and there. We are having calamari. And no, not that pretty, cleaned, nearly ready to eat calamari...Derek wants the full body - skin, inside gooeyness, beak, eyes...the whole shebang!

PAUSE - Rewind.

Let's go back to a few months ago...a time when we made calamari for the first time using the full body. Guess who was stuck cleaning it while Derek was at his friend's house......ME.....and do you remember the pictures?

YUCK. I swore...never again.

Fastforward. My extreme hesitance as Derek and I quarrel in front of the innocent man behind the seafood counter. I had no shame in boldly stating my horrid disgust with the mutilation of the little creatures. However, in the end, I lost.

Fresh, cheaper, full squid wins over previously frozen, more expensive, cleaned squid.

Ok fair enough, I guess it makes sense.

So we know calamari and pasta sauce. I say with my carb-centric cravings of late - pining for crusty bread each day......."let's get bread to sop up the yumminess" - so that's what we did. After debating on the type of bread (I won....sourdough baguette vs. whold wheat round loaf)...and picking up a few more items (mushrooms) - we were ready to tackle the dreaded SQUID.

I had recalled this one dish that I had seen on a menu while perusing what I would order if we made it to Babbo (Mario Batali's restaurant in NYC). I had decided upon the cheapest dish - calamari. Though we never made it to Babbo while living there - we were able to bring a little bit of Babbo to San Francisco on Sunday.

Our choice for the night: our version of Mario Batali's 2-Minute Calamari, Sicilian Lifeguard-Style

The original recipe calls for Israeli couscous to go with the calamari. While that might have been good - we had that good crusty bread instead. Yummm.

Ingredients
Kosher salt
2-3 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
2 tablespoons pine nuts
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons currants
4 T. capers
pinch hot red pepper flakes (recipe calls for more but our tomato sauce already had some)
8 medium button mushrooms, sliced
1/4 cup white wine
2 cups homemade tomato sauce
1 1/2 pounds cleaned calamari, tubes cut into 1/4-inch rounds, tentacles halved
Freshly ground black pepper
Parsley, for garnish
Parmesan Cheese, grated, for garnish

Directions
In a 12 to 14-inch saute pan, heat the oil until just smoking. Add the pine nuts, garlic, currants, caperberries and red pepper flakes, and saute until the pine nuts are golden brown, about 2 minutes.


Add the mushrooms and cook until they just start to give off their water.

Add the white wine and tomato sauce and bring to a simmer.


Bring to a boil. Add the calamari, stir to mix, and simmer for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the calamari is just cooked and completely opaque.


Season with salt and pepper, pour into a large warm bowl, sprinkle with the parsley and parmesan cheese, drizzle with olive oil and serve immediately.


OH MY GOODNESS THE CALAMARI WAS SO TENDER!!!!! A short cooking time really does the trick.

It was FABULOUS. I would definitely serve this dish while entertaining. Besides the cleaning part, it's a sinch.

And you may be wondering - did I help clean the squid? Answer: yes

Though I said I wasn't going to, I did. I sucked it up and helped skin gut and clean those suckers.

It was still gross.

The meal, however, was good. And I think that it probably is best to buy the whole guys when the other option is to have something that was previously frozen. With something as delicate as a squid, I'd hate to freeze it...perhaps that's a major source of the occasional chewy squid?

Indian Tofu Scramble with Spinch

Derek's gone - I get to experiment some more with tofu. In my latest issue of Food & Wine magazine, I came across this recipe and thought it looked pretty easy and pretty tasty!

I followed it to a T - well until the end when I realized it needed something else...but basically followed the complete recipe

Ingredients

1 pound firm silken tofu, drained and crumbled
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 head of cauliflower, cut into 1/2-inch florets (2 cups)(I did a mixture of cauliflower and broccoli since that is what I had)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon turmeric (optional)- I used it
3 cups baby spinach (3 ounces)- I probably used a little more
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

My addition:
1/2 tsp. curry
1 T. chopped cilantro (on top)

Directions

1.Spread the tofu on paper towels to drain for 20 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the cauliflower and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 12 minutes. Add the garlic and ginger and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cumin, coriander and turmeric and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

3.Stir in the tofu and cook over moderately high heat until warm, about 2 minutes. Add the spinach and scallions and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the scramble onto plates and serve.

Served a big portion of the scramble with a piece of toasted pita bread.

Result? Hmm..it was good...but not great. Something was missing and I was having a hard time putting my finger on what it was. And then, AHA - it came to me - tomatoes! For some reason, I think that adding some diced tomatoes would really round out the dish, adding some acidity and juiciness (both of which it lacked). It would also tone down the spice flavors...at least, this is my hypothesis.

I'll try it again - but add tomatoes, I'll be curious to see the outcome!

Marinated Flank Steak with Southwestern Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Derek made a funny observation in relation to this meal. While walking through Safeway, he glanced over at the meat display case and noted that the Filet Mignon at Safeway was cheaper per pound than the Flank Steak that we had purchased the previous day at Whole Foods.

"That's absurd"

Well. Yes and No. Not really. The flank steak that we picked up was an All-Natural, Grass-Fed beef, coming in at about $14.99/lb. We were shocked by how lean the meat was, the texture was consistant, red all the way through. And if you've ever eaten a grass-fed piece of meat, it actually tastes different. So that is why our flank steak was more than a filet mignon from Safeway - coming from who knows where (not that the filet likely isn't tasty - I'm sure I'd love it...but still...).

Derek had the full idea for tonight's meal. He wanted Southwestern - Bobby Flay-esque. I let him take charge. However, I did have him sputter of just what he put into the dish, since he didn't really follow a set recipe and I wasn't exactly in the kitchen observing him.

On the menu:
Southwestern Citrus-Marinated Flank Steak 
Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Derek started out by marinating the steak - a must for flank. He was going to marinate it overnight but then had read that it's not good to have a citrus marinade on a steak for over 4 hours...so the day of - the steak was juiced up.

Marinade for Steak:
1/3 cup evoo
Juice of 1 blood orange
1 lime, juiced
½ tsp. coriander (ground)
½ tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ancho chili powder
1 tsp. chili powder
Pinch red chili pepper flakes
½ tsp. agave nectar
1 spring onion (white) finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. flank steak (score meat against bias), cover while marinating

Mix together all of the marinade ingredients. Add meat. Marinate for 4 hours, flipping half-way through.

Leave the meat out at room temperature for an hour before cooking - you don't want to cook cold meat.

Heat up a grill (or grill pan) and cook about 6 minutes on each side (for medium rare).

Let rest for about 6 minutes. Cut against the bias into thin pieces (the thinner the better - our thicker pieces were a bit less tender).

Done.

Stuffed Poblano Peppers

Rice
2/3 cup long grain brown rice
1 1/3 cup water
2 vine ripened tomatoes, seeds and juices, chopped
½ medium yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, chopped fine
1 bay leaf
Salt pepper
1 tsp. paprika
Heaping ¼ tsp. turmeric

Sweat onions w/salt in 1 T. EVOO(5-7 min).
Add garlic - 30 seconds.
Add bay leaf and rice. Stir constantly for a few min.
Add spices and tomatoes and water (or chicken broth).
Boil stirring. Cover and simmer for 45 min.

2 poblano peppers, roasted, seeded, and cut on one side (to allow for filling)
1 jalapeno, roasted and seeded
1 ear of white corn, charred and taken off the cob
1.5 oz. triple cream brie

Once the rice is done, add in the jalapeno and corn. Mix until evenly incorporated. Divide the rice filling between the two poblano peppers. Top with "dabs" of the triple cream brie.

Place in the over (350 degrees) for about 10 minutes.

Serve.

I could have just had the stuffed pepper and been happen. Boy-oh-boy it was PERFECT. So delicious. Derek successfully cooked brown rice and wow - the corn really made it by varying the texture and adding a touch of sweetness. The poblano had just a touch of spice but not too much - the jalapeno added an additional hint of heat.

The rice mixture would have been delicious by itself as well.

So flank steak and stuffed poblano pepper - a filling and fabulous meal.

.....wine?

Yes, we went to Cellar 360 (our wine club) to bascially get our free tastings. However, we usually feel obligated to buy something - so in spirit of tonight's meal, Derek and I picked out a Merlot - a variety not usually found in our kitchen but when it's a good bottle - it's a good bottle.

We went with St. Clement's 2006 Merlot - Napa Valley - retailing at $28 - but then we got a 20% discount. The tannins paired well with the steak and it was not overpowering at all. A nice combination - really nice actually.

A good meal before a work-week full of quick and easy - leftover heat-ups - cooking solo as Derek will be in Arizona. Not that I mind that - I wouldn't want to eat this well every night - I'd lose the appreciation for it :)

Cheers.

Halibut on Mashed Fava Beans with Mint

Here's a meal that I put on my "recipe radar" as it sounded so fresh, light, and spring-like. Bonus part? It was easy - and we only had to purchase two items: fava beans and the halibut.

Before I get into how we made the main dish - I have to mention our appetizer. CHEESE. It's so fun to serve cheese and baguette on my marble cheese plate that I got for Christmas - and a Triple Cream cheese, well that has become one of our favorites. It's spreadable and just plain delicious. I'm not huge on sharp cheese so these soft ones are just A-OK for me.

This was a Seal Bay Triple Cream, described as: "King Island, Australia - Rich, creamy triple cream cheese made with fresh King Island milk and enriched with pure cream. White bloomy rind, rich golden center with slight nutty flavor. Pair with champagne or any sparkling wines."

Paired with bread that was still hot in Whole Foods when we got it - nice and crusty...hmmm that and a glass of wine, and maybe some olives or grapes - well that would have been just fine for me for the enjoyable evening. However, we had a delicious meal to follow.

Halibut on Mashed Fava Beans with Mint

Ingredients:
1.5 pounds fresh fava beans in pod, shelled
1 teaspoons plus 1/8 cup chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel, divided
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 pinch of dried crushed red pepper, divided
2 5-ounce 3/4-inch-thick halibut fillets (Derek's was a little bigger - mine was probably about 6 ounces...together our were 1 lb)
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
All purpose flour (for dredging)

Cook fava beans in large saucepan of boiling salted water 2 minutes; drain. Transfer to large bowl of ice water. Cool beans; peel if using fresh beans. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.

Mix 1 teaspoon mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 pinch of red pepper in small bowl. Arrange fish on large rimmed baking sheet. Rub mint mixture all over fish. Cover and chill. (NOTE: This didn't quite seem to be enough, I threw in a little more mint and lemon...)

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add fava beans. Sprinkle with coarse salt, black pepper, and pinch of red pepper. Cook until heated through and tender, stirring occasionally and adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry, about 5 minutes. Using potato masher, mash beans to coarse puree, adding water by 1/4 cupfuls if dry. Season with salt and pepper. (NOTE: Derek used the immersion blender to blend the beans...hand mashing was a little too coarse, not puree enough).

Dredge fish in flour, shaking off excess. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in each of 2 heavy large skillets over medium-high heat. Cook fish until lightly browned and just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, into fava bean puree, stir in remaining 1/8 cup mint, 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel, and add more EVOO if necessary.

Divide fava bean puree among plates. Top with fish and serve.


The meal tasted so fresh but not without depth - that's what I liked about it. For the fava bean puree, I was expecting a hummus like taste and texture. However, Derek and I both agreed that it was really akin to a pesto. It even had an almost cheesy taste, but there was no cheese in it! I could have used even more of the puree as it didn't make quite as much as I would have liked. However, since it was pretty rich, the amount that we had was probably just fine.

As for the fish, the flavor of the halibut really came through. It was simply accented by the lemon and mint - but not overpowered. I would have maybe wanted a touch more lemon, but it was quite nice. For $19.99/lb, I wanted to be able to taste the actual fish - and we did.

Oh and one of the most exciting parts of the meal - the WINE. We opened up a bottle that we had picked up during our last trip to wine country. A small production winery that sells only from the tasting room (I think) and that specializes in Rhone-stlye wines - Frick. We were "wowed" by the Viogner which had such a unique, bright taste. It was fantastic. Luckily we have another bottle - but this is one that I'd like to always keep on hand. At about $25/bottle - it's pretty nice :)

Minestrone Soup

Time for another recipe from Derek's big bible of cooking! On the menu for tonight, Minestrone Soup - tweaked, of course.

Ingredients:
1 oz. salt pork
2 T. EVOO
1 cup diced onions (also added one slice spring onion)
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
1/2 cup diced green peppers (we used red)
3/4 cup diced green cabbage
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup tomato, seeded and crushed
2 cups chicken broth (you may need to add more later on)
salt, as needed
ground black pepper, as needed
1 tsp. dried thyme (our addition)
8 oz (half-can) of black-eyed peas
3 oz. cooked ditalini pasta (about 1/2 cup dry)
chopped parsley (for garnish)
grated parmesan (for garnish)

Directions:
1. Render the salt pork in the oil. Do not brown.

2. Add the onion, celery, carrots, pepper, cabbage, and garlic and swear until the onions are translucent.

3. Add the tomato, stock, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer until the vegetables are tender, 25 to 30 minutes. Do not overcook.

4. Add the black-eyed peas and ditalini (already cooked). (This is where you may want to add more broth depending on how liquidy you want the soup). Simmer the soup until all the ingredients are tender, 10 to 12 minutes more.

5. Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Garnish individual portions with grated parmesan and parsley.

Serve with crusty bread and, if desired, a side salad. We bought a yummy fresh olive baguette from "La Boulange" - a french cafe nearby. Yum!

Chicago Fizz (Cocktail)

While in New York, we went to our favorite cocktail bar, Little Branch. It's the sort of place that you go and tell the bartender what you are in the mood for - fruity, citrus, spicy, dark rum, rich, light - whatever floats your boat. My request was something relaxing, a "night cap" if you will, that contained egg whites but was not too sinful. I ended up with a port wine, light rum, lemony, delicious drink. What an odd mix! However, it left me wanting to have it again!

When I realized that we, in fact, had every ingredient that comprises the drink, I had to try it!

So our Saturday night creation:

Chicago Fizz
Ingredients

1 ounce dark rum (some recipes say use light rum - I tried both, and surprisingly, with good dark rum, its even better!)
1 ounce ruby port
1/2 ounce lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon superfine sugar
1 egg white
club soda


Shake the rum, port, lemon juice, sugar, and egg white with cracked ice in a chilled cocktail shaker, then strain into a chilled small glass and fizz with club soda or seltzer water (you only need about an ounce).

The egg white adds a touch of "creaminess" or thickness - something I've really grown to like in drinks. We use organic eggs, locally grown, so I feel like those are fresh enough to use for this.

(A martini glass is not the best way to serve it, but that's what we have - it's recommended to use a Tom Collins glass).

Very tasty - I wouldn't say we perfected it - but not bad - I'll keep making it! It's nice to branch beyond the traditional Bacardi Limon and Diet Coke for once!

Jamaican Jerk Chicken with Red Beans and Rice and Braised Swiss Chard

Excitement flourished as Derek set his eyes upon an object of desire - an innocent little cornish game hen, all wrapped up in its own tight, individual packaging. Price tag? about $12. This same excitement, however, was not shared by Derek's counterpart (me) - as a plain chicken breast looked a bit more appetizing than having to dissect a little bird (though tasty, I must admit).

Derek's plan for this little bird: Jamaican Jerk.

The recipe came from "The Professional Chef" - an over 1200 page monster book that Derek purchased around Christmas-time. Given that the recipes are typically for 10+ people (a restaurant manual, if you will), Derek had to scale it down. For me, he used the same rub, same technique, just used a chicken breast and therefore, cooked it a bit less time.

Jerked Game Hens

Ingredients:

• 2 game hens (well, one game hen and one chicken breast)
• 1/4 cup Jerk Rub (recipe follows)
• 1/6 tsp salt

JERK RUB
Make sure you wear gloves when working with the rub; if the oil from those Scotch bonnets comes anywhere near sensitive skin, it burns like fire.
Makes 3/4 cup

• 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 Scotch bonnet, chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped thyme
• 2 tsp ground allspice
• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground cloves
• 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Directions

1. Combine all the Jerk Rub ingredients in a blender and puree to a smooth, thick paste. Refrigerate until ready to use. Store any unused rub in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

2. Remove the backbone of each game hen by holding it upright, with the backbone facing you. Run a knife down either side to remove the bone, then lay it on its back and press on the breast to flat- ten the hen.

3. Rub the jerk rub on the game hens to coat evenly. (Wear gloves when working with the rub.) Transfer to a shallow pan, cover, and let marinate in the refrigerator for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.

4. Preheat a gas grill to medium. If you are using a charcoal grill, build a fire and let it burn down until the coals are glowing red with a moderate coating of white ash. Spread the coals in an even bed. Clean the cooking grate.

5. Brush off any excess rub from the game hens. Season the hens with the salt. Grill the game hens over direct heat until marked, about 4 minutes per side. Move the hens to indirect heat and continue to grill, covered and turning as needed, until cooked through (165°F), about 12 to 15 minutes more. (NOTE: Derek had to cook it a good deal more - he did about 12 minutes on each side and then had to bake it for about 10-15 minutes more...wanted to make sure the bird was completely cooked!!)

Marinating the meat overnight really makes a big difference!! The chicken was super tender, you could just tell by looking at it. Sometimes chicken has that separated/stringy look when you cut into it - but not this. This was more like the look of one of those processed deli meats that is perfectly blended together - not the best image (processed deli meat) but you get the picture.

The flavor of the chicken was very familiar to me, and I immediately pinpointed the source - my favorite rum drink at "Smuggler's Cove" - a rum/tiki bar in San Francisco. The drink contains good rum (obviously) and a mix of spices, predominately allspice. And wow - it's fantastic, just like the chicken.

Derek thought it could be a bit hotter - have a bit more sprice to it, and I wouldn't disagree - but only a tad bit more as there was a very pleasant heat that followed each bite.

To go with the Game Hens/Chicken, Derek planned Red Beans & Rice and Braised Swiss Chard.

Red Beans & Rice
recipe adapted from Bobby Flay's "Jamaican Rice and Peas"

Ingredients

3/4 cups dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight and drained, reserving 1 cup of bean water
1 clove garlic, smashed
1/2 cup chicken broth
1-2 green onions, thinly sliced, plus more for garnish
1/2 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1.5 sprigs fresh thyme
3/4 cups long grain brown rice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Soak the dried beans in water overnight.

Place beans and garlic in a medium saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring to a simmer and cook until the beans are tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. (NOTE: Derek started the beans in the crock-pot as we went to the gym - that worked too!)

When the beans are tender, stir in the chicken broth, reserved bean water, green onions, jalapeno, and thyme, and increase the heat to a boil. Stir in the rice, cover the pot, and cook until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid. (NOTE: This took forever!!! Brown rice has an outer shell on it that makes it take a lot longer to cook that regular white rice - this tested our patience...and we ended up pulling the dish before the rice was completely done - we were hungry)

The flavor of the dish was really awesome - I was surprised by how much flavor came out of the simple ingredients that went into the dish. Really tasty. I wonder if you could slow cook the entire dish?

Braised Swiss Chard

Ingredients

1 tsp. butter
1 slice of bacon, finely chopped
1 bunch, red swiss chard, chopped (1 in. strip), stems and leaves divided
1 medium shallot, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Place butter and bacon bits in a deep pot/pan (we used our dutch oven) and cook until bacon is cooked and has rendered its fat. Remove a bit of the rendered fat (to your liking, but leave at least 1 tsp.)

Add the chard stems and cook for about 3-4 minutes (these are tougher than the leaves, this will give them a little head start).

Add the shallots and cook for about 2 minutes.

Now put the chopped swiss chard leaves into the pot, pour chicken broth, and apple cider vinegar and cook until the leaves cook down (about 3-4 minutes).

Turn the heat to low and cover the pot, letting the chard braise for about 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.



Yum. Something about cooked greens is always appealing to me. We ended up eating the whole pot, which I would say was probably about 4 servings, but, hey, it's vegetables. Derek said he could have had a little more bacon and things that the recipe could have used another 1/2 to full slice of bacon, as well as a touch of red pepper flakes. He didn't add the pepper flakes due to the heat of the meat, but for future executions with non-spicy meals, that would be tasty.

Sort of brought me back to Jamaica when we would go to the outside grill and have unlimited Jamaican Jerk chicken served to us - all-inclusive resorts are great...

Easter Dinner (Moroccan Lamb)

Being super-traditional when it comes to holidays - the idea of spending Easter away from my family and away from anything that remotely elicits the comfort of tradition, is a bit saddening. Especially knowing that my family was getting together to celebrate and feast without me.

C'est la vie.

Perhaps that means I'm just getting older. Though, I believe, age knows no limit to corny tradition. I look forward to an Easter basket even still at the ripe old age of 23. It's not so much the content, but just the surprise, and the ritual. The day needs to be something a little out of the ordinary. Thus, my attempt to do the holiday justice for the first time on my own.

Step #1: Invite friends over so I'm not just having a feast with Derek (check, recruited another couple, Grainger and Mari - but no more since we have a total of 4 chairs)

Step #2: Plan feast. Check. Spent valuable working hours doing research to settle on:
- Moroccan Style Roast Leg of Lamb
- Cinnamon Scented Toasted Israeli Couscous
- Spinach, Blood Orange, Date and Almond Salad
- Roasted Carrots and Turnips
- Strawberry Mascarpone Tart with Port Glaze

Step #3: Go shopping. Check. Spent way too much money...$26.99/lb for pinenuts? So spent almost $7 for about 1/3-1/2 cup!!! AND then found out we already had some. Bummer. Total Bill - $110.00 (though, when you think about it $27.50 per person for a feast featuring organic vegetables and grass-fed lamb isn't terrible).

Step #4: Find a Church. Check. Nice contemporary place not too far from home. "The Journey"

Step #5: Execute the full plan effective April 4, 2010.

Well, really, the execution began the day before to we could marinate the lamb and bake the tart crust. This meal, truly, was painless. Well thought out by a master menu planner if I do say so myself. I took the responsibilities of making the salad and dessert while Derek took care of the main course.

Our Masterpiece.

Spinach, Blood Orange, Date and Almond Salad
a Katie original

2 cups spinach
3 small blood oranges, segmented (juice from scraps reserved for dressing)
6 dates, pitted and sliced
1/3 cup slivered almonds

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1.5 Tbsp. fresh orange juice
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp. honey
pinch cinnamon
2 T. EVOO
salt and pepper

Mix together dressing ingredients from lemon juice to cinnamon. Slowly stream in the EVOO while whisking to creat an emulsion. Season with salt and pepper.

Arrange the spinach, orange segments, dates, and almonds evenly between four plates. Drizzle with dressing and serve.


Moroccan-Style Roast Leg of Lamb

1 cup (packed) very coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup (packed) fresh mint leaves
1 cup light olive oil
1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger
8 garlic cloves, peeled
4 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons freshly cracked black pepper
12 whole cardamom pods
1 1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
1 teaspoon ground coriander
One 3.5 pound boneless leg of lamb
2 cups canned reduced-sodium chicken broth

Puree first 12 ingredients in food processor. Place lamb fat side down in center of pan. Rub 1/2 cup spice puree inside lamb, reaching between string to get into crevices and rubbing over outside of lamb. Turn lamb fat side up. Cover and refrigerate lamb and remaining spice puree overnight. Let lamb stand 2 hours at room temperature before roasting.

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 450 degrees F. Roast lamb 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Roast until meat thermometer inserted into center of lamb registers 130 degrees F, about 1 hour 10 minutes.

Transfer lamb to platter. Place roasting pan over 2 burners on stove top at high heat; add 2 cups broth and bring to boil, scraping up browned bits. Boil until reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 8 minutes. Pour into sauceboat. Spoon fat off surface of pan juices and discard. Whisk 2 tablespoons spice puree into pan juices. Set aside.

Carve rested lamb into 1/2 in. thick slices. Spoon pan sauce over slices.

Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

8 small carrots (different colors), peeled
1 large turnip, peeled and cut into roughly the same shape as carrots
3 T. spice puree (from lamb recipe)

Toss all ingredients together and lay out on a baking sheet. Roast in the oven alongside the lamb for about 30 minutes.

Cinnamon Scented Toasted Israeli Couscous

1/3 cup pine nuts
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
1 1/2 cups (8 oz) Israeli couscous
1 small or 1/2 large cinnamon stick
1 dried bay leaf
1 3/4 cups low-salt chicken broth
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley

Preheat a small skillet over medium heat and add pine nuts. Toast until the pine nuts are golden brown, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Set aside.

Set a medium saucepan over medium heat and add butter. Add shallots to the saucepan. Sauté until the shallots are golden brown, 5-6 minutes. Add Israeli couscous, cinnamon stick, and dried bay leaf. Cook until the couscous is just beginning to brown, stirring frequently, about 5 minutes. Add chicken broth and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the couscous is tender and the liquid is absorbed, 10-12 minutes.

Remove the cinnamon stick and bay leaf. Stir in 1/4 cup minced fresh Italian parsley and the toasted pine nuts. Serve.

Serves 4 as a side dish (with leftovers!)


though I must point out - Derek was NOT happy about the color of the meat. He pulled the lamb when it was just perfect - then had the salad while the meat sat under the tented foil...and well, proceeded to cook a bit more. HOWEVER, I must say - it was still so tender and flavorful - so despite the not-so-picture perfect look, it turned out quite nice.

and for the finale.........

Strawberry Mascarpone Tart with Port Glaze
recipe courtesy of Gourmet Magazine

For tart shell:
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
Rounded 1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
3 tablespoons cold water

For filling:
1 1/2 pounds strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts), trimmed and halved lengthwise
1/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup ruby Port
1 pound mascarpone (about 2 cups)
1/4 cup confectioners sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract


Equipment: a 10-inch fluted tart pan with removable bottom; pie weights or dried beans

Blend together flour, sugar, salt, and butter in a bowl with your fingertips or a pastry blender (or pulse in a food processor) just until mixture resembles coarse meal with some roughly pea-size butter lumps. Beat together yolk, vanilla, lemon juice, and water with a fork, then drizzle over flour mixture and stir with fork (or pulse) until mixture comes together.

Gently knead with floured hands on a lightly floured surface until a dough forms, then gently knead 4 or 5 times. Press into a 5-inch disk. Place in center of tart pan and cover with plastic wrap. Using your fingers and bottom of a flat-bottomed measuring cup, spread and push dough to evenly cover bottom and side of pan. Prick bottom of tart shell all over with a fork and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.

Line tart shell with foil and fill with pie weights. Bake until side is set and edge is pale golden, about 20 minutes. Carefully remove foil and weights and continue to bake until shell is deep golden all over, about 20 minutes more. Cool in pan, about 45 minutes.

Make filling while tart shell cools:
Stir together strawberries and granulated sugar in a bowl and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Strain in a sieve set over a small saucepan, reserving berries. Add Port to liquid in saucepan and boil until reduced to about 1/4 cup, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl to cool slightly.

Meanwhile, whisk together mascarpone, confectioners sugar, lemon juice, zest, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until stiff.

Assemble tart:
Spread mascarpone mixture evenly in cooled tart shell, then top with strawberries. Drizzle Port glaze all over tart.


I have to say, it was so nice to host people and have wonderful food. I did my mom proud by setting the table and even printing out corny name tags.


You may ask...well, what about the wine? This critical element was supplied by Grainger and we enjoyed a delicious Chenin Blanc as well as a Pinot Noir from Williamette...and then another Chardonnay from CA...

Lots of food - lots of wine...a little bit of spiritual uplift - not a bad Easter.

Speck and Vegetable Frittata with Turnip-Potato Hashbrowns

All that you will ever need to know about "Speck": Italian Speck has some similar characteristics to smoked bacon. However unlike American bacon that comes from belly portion of the hog (same as Pancetta), Speck is made from hog legs. Speck originates from the Alto Adige region where it is still a home made process protected by a PGI designation. The meat is seasoned with salt and spices that include pepper, laurel and juniper berries before being allowed to rest for about a month. Speck is then smoked using flavorful beechwood, ash or juniper for ten days. The meat is then aged for months to produce a smoky and slightly spicy product with a distinct pink/red interior with a small amount of fat. Speck is often served sliced thin or diced but can also be used to cook with, easily replacing bacon or as a smoky alternative to Pancetta.

I must admit - my prediction was wrong. I never thought Derek would actually want to make this frittata for dinner, especially not on a Friday night! However, he took the liberty to go to the store and select some tasty ingredients to suppliment our current collection of vegetables and then proceeded to whip up one heck of a good creation. I give him full credit for the fritatta - and will give myself full credit for the hashbrowns that were only partially successful.

Speck and Vegetable Frittata

4 t. butter, divided
1 leek, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
8 white button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 medium broccoli crown
1 slice of speck (1/8 in. thick), diced
4 eggs
2 egg whites
scant 1/4 cup milk
2-3 sprigs chives, minced
2-3 sprigs thyme, leaves separated
1/3 cup sharp white cheddar cheese, grated
salt and pepper

Melt 2 teaspoons of butter in an 8 or 9 inch nonstick, ovenproof skillet over low heat. Add the leek and garlic and cook very slowly, stirring frequently, until soft and golden, about 10 minutes, then remove from skillet and set aside.

Meanwhile, fill a large bowl with water and ice cubes and set aside.

Bring a skillet of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the broccoli crown and cook until blanched, about 5 minutes. Immediately drain the asparagus in a colander, then plunge into the bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain broccoli again.

Separate broccoli crown into bite sized florets. Set aside.

Heat remaining 2 teaspoons of butter in the saucepan. Add the mushrooms and speck. Cook until the mushrooms have released their water and are soft.

Add back to the pan the leeks and broccoli. Add chives and thyme.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place the eggs and milk in a medium bowl and whisk to combine. Add chives and thyme and season with salt and pepper.

Add the egg mixture to the skillet with the vegetable mixture and cook, without stirring, over medium-low heat until the bottom and sides have set, about 4 minutes. The top of the frittata will still be wet.

Sprinkle the cheese over the frittata and place in the oven to finish cooking - about 7 minutes. Remove from oven and let it rest for 2 minutes.

Run a heat-proof rubber spatula or small knife around the edge of the frittata to release it from the skillet. Slide it onto a serving plate. Cut into 4 wedges and serve hot.


Turnip and Potato Hashbrowns

1 medium turnip, peeled and grated, excess water drained
1 medium potato, peeled and grated, excess water drained
1/2 tsp. paprika
pinch nutmeg
salt and pepper
EVOO/Butter

Mix turnips, potatoes, and spices in a bowl.

Coat bottom of a skillet with a mixture of butter and EVOO (need a decent amount so the hashbrowns do not stick. Heat over medium-high heat.

Place the vegetable mixture in the pan and flatten so that the vegetables are evenly dispersed in a pancake-like form. Cook for 6 minutes without stirring.

Once the bottom is golden brown, flip hashbrown "patty" to the other side (may have to break it up in order to flip). Cook for 6 more minutes or until golden.

Voila. Turnip Hashbrowns.

The GOOD: Frittata - the whole thing. Honestly. It was seasoned to perfection, and that's not something that I can describe how to do since I do not know precisely how much of each spice Derek put in. But to not need any salt or pepper added after the fact is quite amazing. REALLY good - quick too!! The speck was a great addition, it was smokey but not greasy and overpowering, it added a nice round characteristic to the egg dish.

The Good Enough: Turnip Hashbrowns. This was an idea that came into my head without any previous recipe searching. The concept itself - fantastic. You really couldn't even tell that the hashbrowns were about 60-70 percent turnips, they blended right in. They do have a slightly bitter taste but to an unknowing person, these would be passed off as potato hashbrowns. The issue, however, was the soaking up of oil from the pan. I put a decent amount to coat the pan (but not FRY) - but after the flip, the oil seemed to dry up a bit, lending way to sticking and blackening of the vegetables. I had to break up the hashbrowns to unstick them from the pan, so there wasn't an even crust. It did look like some hashbrowns that I've seen before - a little dark in some places, still clear in others. Despite the looks - they tasted really good!

Steak and Avocado Salad with a Cilantro Jalapeno Vinaigrette

This week seem to be pretty weak on the cooking front!!

Sunday Night: Dinner at Brazen Head (local dim-lit Italian/French restaurant that we received a "welcome to the neighborhood" $20 off coupon to) - delicious
Monday Night: Cooked "Curry Roasted Butternut Squash and Chickpeas" - favorite standby
Tuesday Night: Happy Hour Dinner at Naked Fish (sushi)
Wednesday Night: Supposed to cook a Fritatta - went and got Kasa (essentially Indian Chipotle) instead
Thursday Night: TIME TO COOK!!!!!!

The difficulty comes when we get to the gym at 7 PM - leave at 8 PM - head to the grocery store - spend too long - then have to go home and cook!! EEEK...usually equates to a late dinner - so the easier the better.

My desire to re-visit the Fritatta idea was X-nayed due to the fact that Mr. Derek had already had eggs that morning - but luckily, he came up with a pretty good alternative: Steak and Avocado Salad with Homemade Cilantro-Jalapeno Vinaigrette.

Ingredients

Steak:
1 lb. flank steak
1 small/medium orange, juiced
1/2 lime, juiced
3 T. EVOO
2 T. apple cider vinegar
2 t. cumin
1.5 t. chili powder
1 t. ancho chili powder
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste

Salad:
4 cups or so of mix of Romaine and Butter Lettuce, torn and washed
1/2 cup of shredded purple cabbage
1 avocado, sliced
16 grape tomatoes (mix yellow and red)
EVOO
salt and pepper

Dressing:
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 jalapeno, chopped, seeds removed
2 T. apple cider vinegar
1/2 lime, juiced
3-4 T. EVOO
1/4 t. cumin
1/4 t. honey
s & p

Directions

Mix together marinade ingredients (orange juice through cayenne pepper) and season with salt and pepper to taste. Score the flank steak to help tenderize the meat. Place the steak in the marinade and let it sit for at least 30 minutes.

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly coat the tomatoes with EVOO, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for 25 minutes.

Heat a grill or grill pan. Once the meat has marinated for a sufficient amount of time (we only did for 30 minutes considering how late it was), grill the steak for 6 minutes on each side. Let rest for 6 minutes before slicing thin.

Blend together all ingredients for the dressing in a food processor with except the EVOO. While the food processor is running, slowly stream in the EVOO to make an emulsion.

To assemble, mound lettuce on plates. Top with shredded cabbage, avocado slices, and roasted tomatoes. Add sliced steak on top and dress with cilantro-jalapeno vinaigrette.

Served with a few blue corn tortilla chips and a cold Fat Tire beer.

Felt pretty satisfying after a good work out!!

Maybe tonight we'll make that silly fritatta...but given that it's a Friday - I have a feeling it will go on the back burner yet again!