Mardi Gras 2013

So last night was Fat Tuesday and what better way to celebrate then make a whole bunch of fried stuff. 

This year I went with a simple po' boy, slaw and fries and finished with King's cake. 

The sandwich I made mushrooms and topped with homemade peppers and remoulade, which is basically a dressed up mayo sauce. Now, I'm normally no fan of mayo and mayo based dressings, but when its homemade and loaded with all sorts of other flavors the creaminess against the fried crunch is hard to pass up. I used a variation of this recipe for the sauce.

Muchroom Po' Boy with Remoulade

1 portobella per person, slice into 1/2 in strips

flour

egg(s)

milk

cornmeal

oil for frying

1 loaf bread per person 

lettuce, thinly sliced

red onion, thinly sliced

giardinera or other hot pepper to taste

salt and pepper

Remoulade

1/2 cup homemade mayo
1 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 teaspoons whole-grain mustard
2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce

1 teaspoon mild paprika

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine everything in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Let sit at least an hour to let the flavors blend. 

Slice the mushrooms into thick slices.

Heat the oil until it reaching 375. Meanwhile prepare the mushrooms for frying. 

Mix eggs and milk and place in a shallow container. Do the same with the flour and cornmeal. 

Dredge the mushrooms in the flour, then in the egg wash and lastly in the cornmeal and fry a couple minutes until crispy. Season with salt.

To prepare the sandwich, slice the bread lengthwise and spread with the remoulade, top with the lettuce, mushrooms and onions and finish with the giardinera to taste. Serve with coleslaw and fries. 

Filo Triangles

The other day I was making a toasted PB and J and thought how fun to make filo triangles with PB and J. 

Making filo triangles isn't overly difficult just takes some preparation and space to layout the filo. 

Filo Triangles
One package filo, left at room temp
melted or clarified butter
filling, I made PB and J and pizza with tomato sauce and cheese

Unwrap the filo and carefully layout. Cover with a towel to keep from drying out. 

Carefully pull one sheet off the top and layout on a clean, dry work surface. Carefully brush the entire sheet with butter, then cut into long 1" to 2" strips.

Near one end place a small amount of the filling. In my case PB and J...



and tomato sauce and cheese. 



Then fold over the strip corner to corner to make into triangle shape. At the end seal with more butter and brush top and bottom with more butter to keep from drying out.

Bake in 400 degree oven for about 10 minutes, until lightly browned. 

Crema de cacao con cacahuete

One of our favorite things to do when visiting Spain is go to the most amazing chocolate shop Cacao Sampaka. They not only sell the most amazing chocolates but also have a cafe to taste their amazing chocolates in all sorts of other forms. One of our favorite items is a chocolate and peanut butter sandwich. So simple, yet so delicious. 

I had a jar of the wonderful chocolate spread, but it is no more. Yesterday we took the kids to high tea and they served a Nutella sandwich. I then realized that I could make my own. 

I used this recipe, substituting the hazelnuts for peanuts and left out the sugar.

Crema de Cacao con Cacahuete (Chocolate Cream with Peanuts)

2 cups (heaping) roasted peanuts (I used half salted)

1 pound semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces, room temperature

1 cup heavy cream

Grind peanuts in food processor or blender until paste forms. 

Place chocolate in a medium metal bowl. Set bowl over a large saucepan of simmering water; stir often until chocolate is melted and smooth. 

Remove from heat and add the butter. Stir to completely incorporate. 

Add the chocolate mixture to the nuts and blend a few second to fully combine.

With the motor running pour in the cream and blend a few seconds to fully combine. 



The paste will be very thin at this point, as it cools it will thicken. Place into jars for storage and cool, or spread directly on toast. Enjoy!

This may be the best easy pizza ever!

Serious... this was supper easy and delicious!!

http://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2013/01/foolproof-pan-pizza-recipe.html?ref=box_latest

Left Over Chili

I recently noticed that I had a lot of left over beans in the refrigerator that needed to be consumed. What better way to use them than a nice chili, particularly on these bitter cold days. 

Any beans will work, I like a combination of several, here I used red, white and left over refried black beans. 


Left Over Bean Chili
oil or butter
onion, green, white and/ or red, diced
carrot, diced
bell pepper, diced
2 -3 cloves garlic, diced
1 Tbs cumin
1 Tbs chili powder
1 Tbs oregano, Mexican if available
1 tsp cayenne 

can tomato

beans, red, black, pinto or other cooked beans

In a large pot (cast iron) warm butter or oil and add onion and carrot. Season with salt and pepper and cook over medium until softened for about 5 minutes.





Add the pepper and garlic and cook another few minutes.



Add spices and stir to combine.



Add beans and tomatoes. Cook over medium seasoning with salt and pepper to taste. Add water to thin and keep from getting too thick.



To serve, top with hot sauce, cheese, guacamole and rice. 

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Fennel and Orange

I know its been way too long...not that I've stopped cooking... more that I have been lazy. 

So I'm back now with a simple fennel salad.

Fennel and Orange Salad

one bulb fennel, thinly sliced

one orange, cut into supremes

feta to taste

pomegranate seeds

salt and pepper

Extra Virgin Olive oil.

Slice the fennel and toss with the orange supremes. Squeeze the remaining center of the orange over and toss with oil and season with salt and pepper to taste. 

To serve top with feta and pomegranate seeds. 

Simple Red Lentil Soup

Red lentils are great because they cook so quickly. In less than 30 minutes you have your soup ready to go. 

Quick Red Lentil Soup
8 oz red lentils
4 cups water or stock
salt to taste

2 - 4 TBS olive oil
2 - 4 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tps cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp turmeric 
1/2 tsp cayenne (more or less to taste)
salt and pepper

Boil the lentils in the liquid for about 15 to 20 minutes until the begin to soften.




Meanwhile heat the oil and add the garlic.




Cook until just soft then add the spices. 




Add this to the lentil and cook another 10 minutes until fully cooked.

To serve top with hot sauce, 

Simple Cucumber Salad

The summer is the best time to make super simple salads. My friend Adam gave me some great cucumbers and I turned them into this simple salad that was a crowd pleaser.

Simple Cucumber Apple Salad
Cucumber
Apple, something firmer so you can thinly slice
Mint
Chives
juice of half a lemon
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste


Slice the cucumber in half and remove the seeds using a spoon. Then thinly slice. Thinly slice the apple as well.




Mix in a bowl with the mint and chives and toss with lemon juice and oil.





Season with salt and pepper

Nettle Pesto

Stinging nettles do actually sting, so be careful. You can pick them up at your local farmers market or if you are brave find them in the wild. 


You have to avoid touching them, gloves work well as does a pair of tongs. To remove the sting, blanch them for about a minute, then they are safe to touch. 


Nettle Pesto
one bunch stinging nettles
2 - 3 cloves garlic
1 - 2 oz nuts, pine or walnuts
1 - 2 oz Parmigiano 
salt and pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil


Be careful not to touch the shining nettles. 





In a large pot of salted water cook the nettles for a minute or two.





Drain the nettles, and when cool place in a food processor with the garlic. 





Meanwhile toast the nuts in a dry pan for a minute, making sure not to burn them.





Process the nettles and garlic for a minute. Season with salt and pepper and add a little oil to start to form a smooth paste.


After a few minutes, add the nuts and cheese. 





Continue blending until smooth, adding oil to the desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper.


One of our favorite ways to enjoy this is as a dip with crusty bread. Add a tablespoon or two to a bowl and thin with oil, add a touch more cheese to taste. 

Greek Potatoes

Here is a simple Greek potato dish. It goes great with a simple salad with cucumbers and feta. 


Greek Potatoes
about 1 lb potatoes 
1 or 2 lemons
3 -4 gloves garlic
oil
salt and pepper
about 1 tsp oregano
1/2 cup water or stock


Preheat oven to 400. Cut the potatoes into large wedges. Toss with oil and season with salt and pepper.




Bake about 20 minutes. Add the garlic and squeeze the lemon and toss in the halves. Toss to mix. Return to oven and cook another 10 minutes.



Add the stock and oregano. Toss and cook for another 20 to 30 minutes until most of the liquid is observed and the potatoes are cooked through.


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For when you can't decide

Sometimes you can't decide when you want a brownie and when you want a blondie. Here is the perfect solution... both.


Start by make half recipes of both chocolate chip cookies and brownies. 


Butter than line a pan with parchment and butter again. Preheat oven to 375.







Spread the cookie layer on the bottom, spreading into an even layer.





Pour the brownie batter on top.





Bake until done about 45 minutes.

Blood Orange Onion and Avocado Salad

This is a super simple salad with blood oranges. Get them while they are still available.


Blood Orange Avocado Salad
1 small red onion

2 blood oranges

1 avocado 
seasoned rice wine vinegar 
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
salt and pepper to taste


Thinly slice the onion and place in a small bowl with the vinegar. (If you don't have seasoned rice vinegar, other vinegar will work, just add a pinch of salt and sugar.)


Let soak about 20 minutes. 


Meanwhile, cut the orange into supremes and add to the onion.





Let marinate another 10 minutes.


Slice the avocado and arrange on a plate. Top with the orange and onion and some of the vinegar. Drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.

Zucchini Cakes with Celeriac Puree

We are not huge fans of summer squash or zucchini, and having just made a huge batch of zucchini bread wanted to used what was left. Fritters are always a crowd pleaser and aren't that hard to make. I pair it with celeriac puree.


Herbed Zucchini Fritters
2 -3 zucchini shredded
2 - 3 sprigs mint
2 - 3 sprigs parsley
2 - 3 chives
2 - 3 scallions
1/2 small red onion
salt and pepper
1 egg
1/4 cup corn starch
1/4 flour
oil for frying


Greek yogurt for garnish 


Celeriac Puree
1 bulb celeriac, skinned and diced
1 small apple, peeled, cored and diced
1 leek, cut into thin strips
2 - 4 cups water or stock
salt and pepper
olive oil




Toss the zucchini with a touch of salt and let drain in a colander over a bowl for about an hour.









While the zucchini is draining, start the celeriac puree. In a medium pot heat oil and add leek and sauté over medium about five minutes until soft. 







Add the celeriac and cook another five minutes.







Add the apple and enough liquid to cover and season with salt and pepper. Cook for about 20 minutes until soft.





To finish the fritters, finely chop the herbs.





Place the zucchini on a dry kitchen towel and squeeze to remove excess liquid.





In a small bowl mix the rest of the ingredients adding more flour until mixture comes together. Let stand about 10 minutes.





To finish the celeriac, puree in a blender until smooth.





Fry the fritters in a touch of oil, turning once. Then drain on a towel and sprinkle with salt.





To serve, place a scoop of the puree on a plate and top with a couple fritters and a dollop of Greek yogurt.