Inland Empire Family She's Cookin'

Crab and Shrimp Burgers

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 08:11:00 GMT

Shrimp season is from May to December and no summer in the south is complete without a Louisiana Seafood Boil where you roll-up your sleeves and put out a pile of paper napkins and let the mess begin!

Another southern favorite is shrimp and grits, the iconic breakfast meal for coastal fishermen and communities, although the people living in and around Charleston, North Carolina have been known to make it a mainstay of their diet for decades.

I bookmarked this recipe from one of my favorite food blogs: The Duo Dishes, who describe themselves as " just two people who love to cook, love to eat and love to talk about cooking and eating". This post found them reminiscing about family and friends and the traditional southern comfort foods that defined celebrations through their days at University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

My mind moved to the plight of the fishermen and shrimpers in the Gulf in the ongoing catastrophe of the BP oil spill and I went online to Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch Program, the most recognized and trusted resource for sustainable seafood recommendations, for their update on the safety of Gulf Shrimp. A recent 60 minutes segment encouraged consumers to continue to buy Gulf seafood because, if anything, inspections have become more rigorous, and the livelihood of an entire region of America is at stake. So let's get to the good stuff...

Crab and Shrimp Burgers

from Duo Dishes *

1 cup large uncooked shrimp, cleaned, peeled and chopped

1 cup fresh crab meat

Zest and juice of 1 lemon

1/2 teaspoon Louisiana Hot Sauce

2 teaspoons Dijon or spicy brown mustard

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

1/4 cup medium onion, chopped

2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

1/8 teaspoon white pepper

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup panko crumbs

1 egg, lightly whisked

1 cup bread crumbs

1 teaspoon Old Bay seafood seasoning

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, optional

Makes 4-6, depending on the size of your patties

1. In a large bowl, carefully mix all of the ingredients except the breadcrumbs, seafood seasoning and butter. Form into 4-6 patties and set on a baking sheet. Chill for an hour.

2. Once chilled, cover all sides of the patties with bread crumbs and lay on a separate baking sheet, lightly sprayed with oil. Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes, flipping once.

3. If desired, top with a dab of butter just before removing from the oven. Serve on warm buns.

Shown topped with carmelized onions and a spoonful of mango chutney alongside organic spring greens and chopped papaya.

Enjoy :-)

* I followed Duo Dishes recipe closer than I follow most, but I did cut it down to make 4-6 burgers, rather than 8. I also cut down on the heat a bit and the amount of chopped onions (personal preference).

The spill will affect many popular commercial seafood species and the people who depend on them for a living: wild shrimp from the Gulf of Mexico and South Atlantic; snappers caught in the same waters; wild Eastern oysters; groupers; U.S. farmed oysters; and U.S. farmed shrimp.

You can support beleaguered fishing communities when you select Seafood Watch Best Choices and Good Alternatives from the Gulf. You can also download a seafood watch pocket guide .

Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Herbed Basmati Rice

Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:54:00 GMT

Along with the bumper crop of slender green beans - the particular variety, I'm not quite certain of; our garden has blessed us with a bounty of beautiful purple and green peppers as well as Japanese eggplant and Chinese peas.

It's a veritable United Nations of vegetables growing in our backyard - just one of the pluses of growing your own vegetables - whether in pots on your patio or in a sliver of side yard, if you're fortunate to have one in your slice of urban oasis.

So, I had a LOT of green peppers - and a colorful crunchy, summertime salad, like the one I posted last week, would only require one pepper - I needed a dish that would use at least 6 peppers. I decided on stuffed peppers - don't groan, this is NOT your mother's stuffed peppers, or my mother's - which I remember being somewhat thick-skinned and bitter tasting and smothered with stewed tomatoes, and would eat grudgingly. Now, I know that charring and removing the skin of peppers imparts a smoky flavor, removes any bitterness, and renders the peppers a soft, yet unctuous meatiness.

Grilled Peppers Stuffed with Herbed Basmati Rice

6 medium-sized green peppers

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 cup cooked basmati rice8 oz. chopped pancetta (optional)*

1 garlic clove, minced

1 medium tomato, finely chopped

1/4 cup onions, finely chopped

1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried

8 oz. of prepared Arrabbiata sauce*

1/2 cup fresh parmesan cheese, shredded

Serves 4

Heat gas grill to med-high or, if using a charcoal grill, prepare it for direct heat over hot coals.

Brush green peppers with olive oil, Grill whole, turning every 5 minutes until charred all over and very soft, about 10 minutesk. Remove from grill, put into a paper bag, folding down the top. This allows the green peppers to steam a bit and makes it easier to peel off the skin. When cool enough to handle, peel and discard the charred skin from the peppers and slit lengthwise to remove the seeds and core from the top. Lay the peppers on a paper towel to absorb any cooking liquid.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large skillet. Cook the pancetta for 2 minutes, add the onion, garlic, tomato and cook over med-high heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 4 minutes. If you're using dried thyme, add the thyme during the last minute to release the flavors. Transfer to a bowl. Add one cup rice and the parsley to the pancetta mixture, combine the ingredients, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Cover the bottom of a 9x12 baking dish with a layer of arrabiata sauce. Gently mound a spoonful of the rice stuffing in the middle of each pepper and press the sides around the filling. Place in the baking dish, spoon additional sauce on top, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil, sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and bake for another 5 minutes to melt the cheese.

* Can be eliminated for a satisfying and delicious vegetarian dish.

* I always like a little heat and used an Arrabbiatta sauce from Antonello's Ristorante, but you may use Puttanesca or any spaghetti-type sauce that you prefer. Shown served atop a bed of polenta (recipe to be posted soon).

Enjoy :-)

Southwestern Turkey Burger

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 07:52:00 GMT

Although we've been having typical southern California weather, most of the country has been blistering in 90+ temperatures, and just like those folks,I'd rather be firing up the grill or stoking a beach bonfire than inside cooking on the range.

So following an afternoon spent lazily floating in the pool and dodging kids hurtling themselves off the diving board, I decided the evening called for succulent grilled turkey burgers and a garden-to-table summertime salad.I have never seen a purple pepper, but The Don planted these gorgeous organic Purple Beauty peppers

this year.

Cutting into the peppers, I was surprised to discover that their flesh was green - red peppers have red skin and flesh, yellow peppers - yellow, etc. - this gave them an unusual striped look when chopped. Combined with a tablespoon of basil chiffonade and a small pile of chopped red onion, then tossed with a handful of halved grape tomatoes and the kernels from two ears of corn and splashed with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar, this crunchy salad, chock full of vibrant color, shouted "Hooray, it's summer!"

Southwestern Turkey Burgers

1¼ lb. ground turkey

2 tsp. Southwestern Rub or Cajun seasoning

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp. prepared barbecue saucecracked black pepper to taste

4 whole wheat buns

Garnish:

sliced red onion

sliced beefsteak tomato

romaine or butter leaf lettuce leafs

bread and butter pickles

Heat the grill to med-high. Spray the grill rack or use a piece of crumpled up tin foil to spread oil on the rack - a tip I read somewhere which prevents flare-ups and the possibility of singed eyebrows :-)

Combine the ingredients and form 4 patties, be careful not to overwork the meat - this makes for tough burgers. Carefully place the patties on the grill and cook for 7 minutes. Turn only once and cook for about 5 minutes more or until the burger is fairly firm to the touch (gives just a little) and meat juices are clear.

Enjoy :-)

Grilled Potatoes with Green Beans – and More

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:33:00 GMT

Greeted by a bounty of green beans upon our return from vacation, I've been busily creating summertime salads that defy the term "salad" as it is commonly thought of, i.e. dressed salad greens with traditional salad toppings.

The first was the classic Niçoise Salad, inspired by images of my daughter gleefully absorbing the sights, sounds, and smells of Italy and France - last week traveling from Venice, to Avignon, the French Riviera via Monaco, to Nice (where salade Niçoise originated). Today's salad also hails from the french countryside and was inspired by the beautiful Bon Appétit 1994 Special Edition entitled The French Countryside.

I treasure my archive of these informative and gorgeously photographed Bon Appétit special editions, a gift from my mother when I was married ;-) My recipe was inspired by the Potato Salad with Haricots Verts, Roquefort and Walnuts from the article The Art of the Picnic.

Grilled Potatoes with Green Beans, Blue Cheese and Walnuts
adapted from Bon Appétit

10 small red-skinned potatoes, halved

1/2 pound young green beans,trimmed

2/3 cup Blue cheese, crumbled

1/3 cup walnuts, chopped and toasted

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

Serves 4 as a side or 2-3 as a main

Heat grill to med- high.Toss the potatoes with a 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette before placing on grill. (I used the remainder of the vinaigrette from the Nicoise Salad). Sear with grill marks on cut side and then lower heat and transfer to a sheet of heavy duty aluminum foil to continue cooking. About 20 minutes total.

Cook green beans in a large pot of boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to cool. Drain well and transfer to a medium bowl. Toss with 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette, add walnuts and half of the blue cheese and gently combine.

Arrange beans on a platter. Surround beans with the grilled potatoes or mound them in the center atop the green beans.We enjoyed this as a main dish, or you could do as the French do and include it as a side dish to a succulent roast chicken as in the article. Either way - Enjoy :-)

Today, she comes home, exhausted from a transformative journey encompassing four European countries - the grand finalé, two racous nights in Paris celebrating Bastille Day , the French national holiday known as La Fête Nationale, as the French do. I'm so excited - can't wait to hear about her trip!

Ad Hoc Blue Cheese Dressing

Mon, 05 Jul 2010 10:02:00 GMT

This weekend we picked an abundance of baby romaine lettuce from our garden and my thoughts turned to what I could make that would highlight the vibrant greens?

Tender baby romaine from the garden.

I was thinking a simple presentation with a bold flavor ... My taste memory responded with an instant craving for real, blue cheese dressing - rich and creamy with big chunks of tangy blue cheese. The kind that flows and hasn't been thickened with xanthum gum or modified food starch.

It just so happens that I splurged on Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc at Home cookbook and was waiting for the perfect opportunity to leisurely leaf through this wonderful collection of family meals and everyday staples, "delicious approachable food" that Keller promises are "doable at home, no immersion circulator required..." .

As the renowned chef and owner of legendary Napa Valley restaurant The French Laundry in Yountville, CA, Thomas Keller is not a name normally associated with "accessible" or "home cooking". Ad Hoc at Home is touted as the long awaited book for home cooks where the revered chef has turned his imagination to the American comfort foods that we all know and love. Here is the first of many recipes I'll share with you from this gorgeous cookbook.

Blue Cheese Dressing

Adapted from Ad Hoc at Home

1 cup Aioli

¼ to ½ cup buttermilk

½ cup sour cream

1 teaspoon minced shallots

1 teaspoon minced flat-leaf parsley

1 teaspoon minced mint

8 oz. crumbled blue cheese

Kosher salt

For theAioli:

Ingredients: 1 whole garlic head, 1 cup canola oil, 1 t. fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

Chop end off whole garlic head, peel individual cloves. In a heavy saucepan add the cloves to 1 cup of canola oil. Heat over very low heat (not even a simmer - you should see only very small bubbles in the oil) for 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. Allow to cool. Remove cloves from oil and reserve for another use.

Put two egg yolks into a mini food processor*, very slowly add 1 cup of the garlic oil through the tube on top while processing, blending until emulsified (oil and liquid are thoroughly combined) and thickened. Add 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.

*Alternately, you can place the egg yolks in a glass mixing bowl and use an immersion blender.

For the Dressing: Transfer aioli to a glass mixing bowl, whisk in ¼ cup buttermilk, sour cream, shallots, parsley and mint. Add 8 oz. of crumbled blue cheese. The dressing can be used now or refrigerated. Before serving, take a spoonful of the dressing and pour it back into the bowl - it should run freely. If it is too thick, add additional buttermilk as necessary.

Makes about 2 cups.

Enjoy :-) Shown served with all natural Seneca Crisp Onions for a delightful crunch and added texture.

Dressing may be refrigerated in a covered container for up to 1 week.

Strawberry Poppy Seed Muffins

Wed, 23 Jun 2010 22:44:00 GMT

The food blogging world has revealed to me a world of amazing culinary enthusiasts, writers, photographers, and just plain good people. I'm able to savor homespun regional cooking, artful desserts, and exotic foods from around the world through the lens of the cameras that reflect their unique perspective and from the keystrokes which are the conduit of expression of some truly talented writers.

One sweet, sincere and beautifully written blog that I've come across is that of the aptly named, Apples and Anecdotes, where Monet bakes her way through graduate school and we readers would gratefully lick the crumbs from her counter top :) Her rustic breads, homey muffins, and divine desserts have inspired me to stock up on flour and try my hand at baking - that and the fact that the chief baker in my house is soon off to college!

Strawberry Poppy Seed Muffins

3 cups all-purpose flour*
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tbsp poppy seeds
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
3/4 cup sugar2 large eggs
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon zest1 cup chopped strawberries (fresh)

* I used white whole wheat flour to add a little more fiber and substituted applesauce for some of the butter and sugar in Monet's recipe.

1. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and grease or line a 12 tin muffin pan.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, poppy seeds, and salt and set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together, beating until fluffy Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each one. Beat in the lemon zest.
4. Beat in one third of the dry ingredients until just mixed. Beat in one third of the yogurt. Beat in a third more of the dry ingredients. Beat in a second third of the yogurt. Beat in the remaining dry ingredients and then the remaining yogurt. Do not over beat. Gently fold in chopped berries.
5. Distribute the muffin dough equally among the tins.
Bake until muffins are golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and after 5 minutes, remove from pan.

Makes 15-18 muffins

With strawberries, applesauce, yogurt, and the white whole wheat flour, these light and tasty muffins are much healthier than a store bought muffins (which are super high in saturated fat, partially hydrogenated oils, sugar, and high fructose corn syrup) and are munchable for breakfast on the go, after school snack, or a bit of sweet following supper.

Enjoy :-)

What Dad wants for Father's Day: STEAAAK!

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 22:20:00 GMT

Even though She's Cookin' has been posting quite a few meatless, vegetarian, and even vegan dishes - the man of the house, affectionately referred to as The Don, is a meat and potatoes kind of guy and, especially after traveling abroad, craves a succulent steak with a big 'ole baked potato and all the fixins!

Often times his craving is satisfied with a visit to Mastro's Steakhouse in Costa Mesa where he can indulge in a prime, aged steak served on a 450° manly-man platter along with a monster shaken-not-stirred Ketel One martini or a selection from their extensive wine list (past favorites include Sea Smoke Pinot Noir and Frank Family or Chateau Montelena Cabernet Sauvignon).

But most of the time he enjoys being the master of his own grill, so off to the market I go looking for the best choice grade steak I can find. Prime grade steaks are available in finer meat markets or butcher shops such as Beef Palace in Huntington Beach or The Meat House in Costa Mesa.

On this day, I was picturing juicy, red, thinly sliced steak flavored with a spicy southwestern rub and was satisfied with a nice cut of choice top sirloin from Henry's meat counter. If you thought grades were only given in school, you can learn about the USDA beef grading system and what cuts are the best for grilling.

For grilling you should buy a steak that is at least an inch thick, apply the rub* about an hour before you plan on grilling it, and leave the steak out for an hour or so to bring it to room temperature - I know what you're thinking, but trust me on this one. The executive chef from Morton's Steakhouse recommends sitting steaks out two hours before grilling - so listen to him and hear some other tips for the perfect grilled steak. You can see the video and hear all of Chef Iglesias' grilling tipson my website.

Serve with grilled veggies and a baked potato with all the trimmings and you da man! or the wo-man.. Enjoy :-)

* I used Awaken Savor's Southwestern Sunset BBQ Rub - about two tablespoons with a ½ teaspoon more cayenne pepper cuz I like a little heat!

Sesame Noodle Salad with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

Tue, 18 May 2010 23:20:00 GMT

I'm a salad lover of the first degree and lately, I've seen a lot of Asian-inspired noodle salads that look so good I could eat them off the page (or screen). The addition of slippery sweet sesame noodles adds special appeal for folks who would like salads if it weren't for all the greens. This "tornado of greens" is adapted from a recipe at one of the cooking blogs I follow, Ezra Poundcake.

Sesame Noodles and Baby Greens with Peanut-Ginger Dressing

8 ounces soba noodles or whole wheat linguine or spaghetti

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 cup Peanut-Ginger Dressing (recipe follows)

2 tablespoons basil chiffonade*

Grated zest of 1 orange

Grated zest of 1 lime

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

1 cucumber, peeled, cut in half lengthwise and sliced

4 scallions, trimmed and julienned

5 oz. bag organic mixed baby greens

Garnishes: carrots, red peppers, parsley, chives, and/or chopped peanuts.

1.Prepare the soba noodles or whole wheat pasta as directed on the package. Drain, rinse with cold water, toss with sesame oil in colander, and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, toss the noodles, dressing, basil, orange zest and lime zest.

3. Add the cucumbers, scallions, and greens, and toss gently. Garnish.

4. Add the dressing just before serving.

Variations: Feel free to add snow peas, sugar snap peas, julienned yellow bell pepper, sprouts, julienned carrots, toasted sesame seeds, or chopped peanuts. Other greens such as arugula, kale, spinach, or Napa cabbage can be substituted for the mixed baby greens, too.

Peanut-Ginger Dressing

¼ cup creamy peanut butter, at room temperature

Juice of 1 orange

Juice of 1 lime

¼ cup rice wine vinegar

2 tablespoons soy sauce

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

2 tablespoons peeled, grated fresh ginger

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup canola or safflower oil

(Makes 1¾ cup - so you'll have enough for another salad)

In a medium bowl, whisk together everything but the oil. Slowly add the oil, and whisk until all the oil is incorporated. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 6 days.

* Not sure how to julienne carrots or chiffonade basil? What's the difference between chopped, minced, diced? I've included this very helpful video on knife skills by Food and Style. Viviane Bauquet Farre's mesmerizes you with her charming accent and soothing voice, and she makes slicing and dicing seem so pleasant and effortless :-)

Slice, dice, mince and chiffonade for Vegetarian Times from Viviane Bauquet Farre on Vimeo.

5-Minute Spicy Hummus

Tue, 11 May 2010 10:06:00 GMT

For Meatless Monday, I'm sharing this so-simple hummus recipe from Real Simple magazine. Of course, you can buy hummus at any store, but for the cost of a can of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) you can make your own in 5 minutes -- and it's worlds better! Because I prefer a little heat, I jazzed it up with a dash of cayenne and my current spice obsession called Ras el Hanout from Awaken Savor spices. (More about Awaken Savor's unique spice blends in a future post.)

5-Minute Spicy Hummus

1-15 ounce can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 teaspoon Ras el Hanout spice*

kosher or sea salt

¼ cayenne pepper (or paprika for less spicy) for serving

In a mini food processor or blender, puree the garbanzo beans and garlic with the olive oil, lemon juice, spice, and salt until smooth and creamy. Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water as necessary to achieve desired consistency. Salt to taste.

Transfer to a bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with cayenne pepper or paprika. Serve with toasted whole wheat pita bread.

Enjoy!

Add a crisp green salad topped with your favorite veggies and you have an instant Meatless Monday meal.

* Note: Ras el Hanout is a traditional Moroccan blend of herbs and spices, popular across the Middle East and North Africa. The name means "head of the shop" in Arabic and represents the very pinnacle of spice blends. Ingredients include saffron, paprika, cumin, ginger, coriander, tumeric, fennel seed, and allspice to name a few. You may substitute cumin, but I highly recommend adding this Ras el Hanout to your array of spices.

Moroccan Swordfish

Wed, 31 Mar 2010 10:16:00 GMT

I've been posting a lot of fish recipes lately because we're trying to eat less red meat and this weekend was no exception, especially since The Don returned from a very successful show in Fort Worth, TX where beef rules (just ask Oprah).

Fort Worth's visitors bureau boasts "Cowboys and Culture: an unmistakable mix of preserved Western heritage and unrivaled artistic offerings" and has the only twice-daily cattle drive and a rodeo every night.

So, when in Rome..., he enjoyed the succulent steaks at Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steak House where they serve up prime aged, corn fed beef straight from the Midwest and the most tender BBQ brisket he's ever had at a place called Riscky's BBQ, part of Riscky family of restaurants which began in the heart of the stockyards and where ranchers, cattlemen & cowboys have been eating since the 1920’s. He is now on a double dose of Lipitor *kidding* and welcomed a fragrantly-spiced, grilled swordfish steak.

I adapted this recipe from one found in Cooking Light. Cumin, cinnamon, and ginger are common spices inMorrocan cuisine, so I have dubbed this delicious dish:

Moroccan Swordfish

Ingredients:

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground cumin

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon, fresh ginger, minced

2 teaspoon, grated orange rind, divided use

2 teaspoons, extra virgin olive oil, divided use

4- 6 ounce swordfish steaks*, about 1-inch thick

Sauce:

½ cup orange juice

2 tablespoons coarsely chopped walnuts

1 tablespoon honey

Combine first six ingredients in a bowl. Rub spice mixture over both sides of swordfish. Cover and chill 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce by combining the orange juice, remaining teaspoon of the orange rind and olive oil, walnuts, and honey in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer. Set aside; keep warm.

Heat grill on high. Lower heat to medium-high, grill fish until it flakes easily, about 5 minutes on each side. Be careful not to overcook or the swordfish will be tough and dry. It's always better to undercook fish - it continues to cook after being removed from the grill. Drizzle with sauce.

Serve with couscous - if you never prepared couscous, you'll wonder why; it's so easy and only takes 10 minutes (5 minutes to boil the water and 5 minutes for the couscous to cook). Trader Joe's carries regular, wheat, and Israeli couscous (pictured).

Serves 4.

Enjoy :-)

*I've also been very conscious about buying only sustainable fish. If you're confused by this term, here's a good source that contains a list and explains what sustainable means.

Quick and Easy: Halibut with Heirloom Tomatoes

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 09:48:00 GMT

This dish was a "No Recipe" creation. Like a lot of the things I cook, I take inventory of the refrigerator and pantry contents, picture the end result, and use my taste memory to settle on flavors that complement each other. This takes some experience in cooking - it's like anything else, the more you do it the better you get and, of course, you have to go grocery shopping to have the raw materials in your fridge and pantry :-)

So here's my concoction - I'm calling it Halibut with Heirloom Tomatoes. Those are the two ingredients that I bought - the other ingredients were in my fridge.

Halibut with Heirloom Tomatoes

2-8 ounce halibut fillets

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

6 ounces yellow teardrop heirloom tomatoes

8-10 pitted kalamata olives, quartered lengthwise

prepared bruschetta sauce*

¼ c. chopped Italian parsley

Preheat grill on high. Brush halibut with olive oil. Lower heat to med-high. Grill the halibut about 4 minutes on each side, depending on thickness.

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat, sprinkle red pepper flakes into the oil, add the tomatoes and sauté for 1 minute, add the garlic and olives and cook for about 2 minutes until tomatoes are softened. Set aside.

Spoon tomato/kalamata olive sauce onto the plates, top with the halibut, sprinkle with parsley, and serve immediately.

Quick, easy, and delicious! Enjoy :-)

*I had some Trader Joes's bruschetta sauce and spooned a little on top of the halibut for more color. Added color and texture is always good. You could use pico de gallo or fresh salsa, too.

Want to add more to your cooking repertoire? Visit me here.

Comfort food at its best: Chicken and Dumplings

Wed, 10 Mar 2010 09:38:00 GMT

Have loved you for so long! Fragrant dumplings, velvety with broth, tastebuds trigger faint memories of crisp winter nights growing up in the boonies pastoral beauty of the Ozarks.

Chix and Dumplings

(adapted from Comme Ca via Tasting Table)

For the soup:

2 T. butter

1 T. canola oil

3 carrots, chopped *

2 celery stalks, chopped

½ onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf Salt and pepper to taste

¼ c. Wondra flour

2 quarts organic, free-range chicken broth

2 c. frozen peas*

2 c. cooked chicken breast, chopped into bite-size pieces

¼ c. heavy cream *

* Changes I made: We like lots of peas & carrots, so quantity here is double the original recipe. I eliminated the cream - gave it up in my home cooking a long time ago (the flour in the dumplings will thicken the soup a bit).

Heat the butter and oil n a large pot over medium heat. Add the carrots, celery, and onion and cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic, cook for another minute. Stir in the flour until it coats the vegetables, stirring continuously, about 2-3 minutes until the roux is golden-brown. Add the broth a cup at a time, stirring. Add the peas and chicken, bring to a boil. Turn heat down and simmer until the soup is slightly thickened.

Meanwhile, in a glass bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dumplings:

2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour

1 T. baking powder

1 t. salt

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 c. buttermilk

1 t. dried thyme or ¼ c. fresh thyme leaves *Chop some fresh parsley with the dried thyme - doing this "refreshes" dried herbs.

Drop spoonfuls of the batter into the soup and cook for 6-8 minutes, until light and fluffy looking. To serve, scoop out a few dumplings and top with soup. Then drop more spoonfuls of batter in to the remaining soup for another batch of deliciousness!

Enjoy :-)

Scallops with Carmelized Leeks and Arugula

Mon, 22 Feb 2010 22:32:00 GMT

I enjoy getting creative in the kitchen and that includes trying to recreate favorite dishes that I come across in my foodie adventures. Here's my riff on the Scallops with Leek Confit from the underground dinnerthat I wrote about last week on my website.

Chef Amy's pan-seared scallops were served on top of a delicate LeekConfit (Confit is a French word that is best translated as preserving. Confit has recently been expanded to include interpretations such as slowly cooking meat, fish or vegetables in a flavorful oil such as olive oil (which may or may not be infused with secondary flavors. You can read the complete definition of confit here.)

The leeks in my dish became a bit more carmelized, so have a more assertive flavor. After searing the scallops I deglazed the pan with some white wine for a light sauce.

Scallops with Carmelized Leeks and Arugula

½ lb. fresh or frozen-defrosted scallops

2 leeks, white and light green parts cut crosswise into ¼" strips

3 T. butter, divided use

1 T. canola oil ½ c. dry white wine

1 t. Wondra gravy flour

1 c. prewashed arugula

Heat 1 tablespoon butter and canola oil over med heat, add leeks, cook until lightly browned. Remove from pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter to the pan. Place scallops in the pan and cook until golden brown, turn to brown other side - about 2 minutes per side for medium size scallops.

Remove scallops to a plate, tent with tin foil to keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon butter to pan juices, pour in ½ cup white wine, stir to blend and sprinkle with a little gravy flour to thicken a bit. Place scallops on bed of arugula, drizzle with pan sauce. Serves 2.

Enjoy :-)