Tag Archives: The Spice House

Pan-Seared, Blackened Flounder

Posted on March 20, 2013 by | 2 Comments

Blackened flounder

The secrets to a really tasty piece of blackened fish are 1) a really tasty Creole seasoning, and 2) not overcooking the fish.  I use a slightly modified version of  Emeril’s recipe for Creole Seasoning – because he should know, right?  The seasoning is easy to make fresh with your own spices, and it’s really good on chicken, steaks, pork, or fish.  I have used it with tuna and flounder – both were incredible!  I think most mild fish will work – red snapper, catfish, grouper, cod also come to mind.

In a restaurant setting, blackened fish is cooked in a red-hot skillet, with plenty of accompanying smoke.  Cooking in your home, you might want to avoid this.  Chef Paul Prudhomme recommends “bronzing”, rather than blackening the fish at home.  This still means using a very hot skillet, but not so hot that it produces smoke.  He recommends cooking at 350F.  Although I did not take the temperature of my pan, it’s helpful to realize this is the temperature generally used for deep frying – - still pretty darn hot!

Our blackened flounder, shown here, was served with oven-roasted potatoes and avocado.  The cool and creamy avocado, with a squeeze of lime, really helped cut the heat from the spicy fish.  This is a delicious and simple meal that we will do again!

Note: I’ve provided links to the products that I used from The Spice House.  I like The Spice House because their herbs and spices are really fresh and high quality, plus they have a decent selection of organic products.  I also like that you can buy refills that come in bags, and that saves money.  I do not have any business relationship with The Spice House.

Creole Seasoning (Makes about 2/3 cup – Store in glass jar with lid):

Combine all ingredients for the seasoning, thoroughly.  (You will not need all of it for this recipe; store extra in a sealed jar.)

Rinse the fish fillets and pat dry with towels.  If necessary, cut the fish in portions that will fit in your skillet.  Coat the fish on both sides with seasoning mix, pressing it onto the fish to get a good layer of seasoning.

Heat a large skillet over high heat and add a thin layer of oil to the pan (suitable for high-heat cooking).  When very hot, and without crowding the pan, place seasoned fish in the skillet and cook without moving the fish for 3-4 minutes, until nicely “bronzed”.  Flip the fish over and cook for another 3-4 minutes, until the fish is done (opaque in center).  Repeat for the rest of the fillets – adding oil as necessary and keeping the skillet very hot.

Serve it hot, with a squeeze of lime juice!  Enjoy!

moonYou’ll need something to calm you down after the Blackened Flounder…so let’s try some ballads from two of the giants of jazz! First up, the incomparable Bill Evans with Moon Beams. Evans was one of the greats, performing with everyone from Miles on Kind of Blue to Tony Bennett. His piano is moody, introspective and always interesting here, on such numbers as “If You Could See Me Now” and “I Fall in Love Too Easily”. A classic record.

Nobody is more classic than John Coltrane, and on Ballads he slows the tempo balladsdown, without losing any depth of passion. His interplay with McCoy Tyner’s piano on cuts such as “All or Nothing At All” or my favorite, “Nancy (With The Laughing Face”) is almost telepathic. Sublime stuff!

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Seafood

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Cauliflower Soup (gluten-free, dairy-free)

Posted on October 14, 2012 by | 14 Comments

Inspiration: Puree of White Bean Soup from Brasserie le Coze

Avoid doing this.

This week I got a blender, a powerful one, something that incredulously was missing from my arsenal of cooking tools.  I could not wait to take it for a spin.  After making a couple of smoothies, I thought I had the hang of it.  Let’s just say there is a learning curve… more on that later!

Years ago there was a French restaurant in one of Atlanta’s Buckhead shopping malls.  It was in a strange location, but Brasserie le Coze had some fantastic dishes.  I’m sure it was the first place I encountered skate wings in browned butter, one of their classics.  Another favorite was a puree of white bean soup, served in a crock with a drizzle of white truffle oil.  That soup is the inspiration for this recipe, in which I’ve replaced the beans with roasted cauliflower, and taken out the dairy.  (To be honest, I meant to add cream to the soup but forgot during the fiasco with the blender.  However the soup absolutely does not need the cream.) The result is a soup lower in carbs, but with all the depth of flavor of the original.

You may be wondering how I managed to make such a soupy kitchen disaster.  Well, when the instructions with the blender say “do not overfill”, they aren’t kidding.  Of particular note, hot liquids tend to steam quite a bit when you enclose them in a jar under turbo-blending conditions, and even with the vents in the lid, that steam will lift the lid right off the jar and erupt like Mauna Loa.  Lesson learned, thankfully without injury.

Ingredients:

  • 1 head cauliflower, cut into florets (about 8 cups)
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 slices bacon, diced
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 leek, white and pale green parts, chopped and rinsed well
  • 1 carrot, chopped
  • 1 rib celery, chopped
  • 8 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
  • 6 cups chicken broth
  • ~1 teaspoon fresh rosemary
  • ~1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (or 2 t fresh thyme)
  •  salt and pepper, to taste
  • Optional: white truffle oil, bacon bits, to garnish*

* Note: I used ~1/2 teaspoon of truffle salt in the final seasoning, since I did not have any white truffle oil.  Instead I garnished the soup with crumbled bacon bits.

Preheat oven to 400F.  Place the cauliflower in a shallow roasting pan and toss with enough olive oil to coat the cauliflower and the pan.  Roast for about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the cauliflower is browned in spots and tender.  Set aside.

In a large Dutch oven or stock pot, cook the diced bacon over medium heat until it renders its fat (do not crisp).  Add a glurg of olive oil, and the onion, leek, carrot, celery and garlic; saute until tender.  Add the roasted cauliflower, chicken broth, rosemary, and thyme.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook, covered, for about 1 hour.

Puree (carefully!) with a blender, immersion blender, or food processor – in batches, as necessary.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Garnish each serving with a drizzle of truffle oil, or with crispy bacon bits.

Delicious soup needs a delicious soundtrack, yes? Who better than Catherine Irwin, leader of the great, but unknown Freakwater! Her first album in a decade, Little Heater is a sparse but moving set of songs, born by Irwin’s haunting vocals, akin to Hazel Dickens or Hank Sr.

What, you don’t know Freakwater? Perish the thought! They came around in the initial stages of the “alt-country” movement, and their debut album, Feels Like the Third Time is a classic. Take a listen to the first track- “My Old Drunk Friend”, and I guarantee you’ll be sold on their old country with a kick sound. Tremendous!

→ 14 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Brunch, Entrees, Soups and Stews

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Summer Squash Casserole with Tomatoes and Mozzarella

Posted on June 3, 2012 by | 8 Comments

Our good-gardener, neighbor Mike brought us some beautiful pattypan squash from his garden, and also a package of heirloom tomatoes that he had sun-dried and put up from another year’s bounty.  I’m so glad I live near a generous person with a green thumb!  Mike suggested cooking the squash in a tomato sauce with some cheese, in the style of Eggplant Parmesan.  I took his advice and came up with this squash casserole.

This recipe is very adaptable.  I added sausage, since I had some that needed cooking, but this would work fine as a vegetarian recipe without the sausage.

Pattypan Squash

Instead of pattypan squash, you could likely use any summer squash.

Pattypan squash are the scallop-edged summer squash that look like flying saucers.  These are the white variety, but they also may be green or yellow.  Despite their odd shape, they are easy to slice up and cook, like the other varieties of summer squash.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 pound sausage – optional (I used bulk breakfast sausage, but sweet Italian sausages – without casing – would also be good)
  • 16 ounces crushed tomatoes
  • 2 pinches Ratatouille Seasoning, or herbs of choice
  • ~1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 2 pattypan squash
  • ~1/3 cup julienned sun-dried tomatoes
  • 8 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese
  • ~1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

In a large skillet or saute pan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and cook until softened.  Add the sausage (if using); cook while breaking up the meat into small pieces with a wooden spoon until browned.  Pour off the excess fat from the pan. Add crushed tomatoes, herbs, and red pepper flakes.  Allow to simmer on low heat for 5-10 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the stem ends from the squash, and slice in half (from stem end to bud).  Place sliced side down, then cut into ~3/8-inch slices.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly oil a baking dish, then spread a scant layer of tomato sauce in the bottom of the dish.  Make one layer of sliced squash across the dish, using 1/2 of the squash slices.  Distribute the julienned sun-dried tomato on top of the squash layer.  Chop up the mozzarella cheese, and add 1/2 of the cheese.  Top the cheese with the remaining slices of squash.  Add the remaining tomato sauce, spreading it evenly across the squash.  Top with remaining mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese.

Cover tightly with foil, and bake for 60-70 minutes.  Uncover and check for doneness – it is done when the squash is tender and the sauce is bubbly.  If needed, cook for ~ 10 additional minutes to reduce liquid and/or brown the cheese topping.

One of our favorite musicians passed this week, Doc Watson. A wonderful guitarist, singer and historian, Doc brought the music of his North Carolina mountains to the world. He will be sorely missed. Here’s a few favorites. First off, Southbound his 1966 release with his son, Merle. Includes “Walk On Boy” and “Tennessee Stud”. Amazing stuff.

Secondly, Doc played all sorts of music, from fiddle tunes to jazz, but I love his blues. Here’s a good selection called Trouble in Mind. From “Little Sadie” to “Deep River Blues” (my all time favorite), Watson knew his way around the blues. Essential.

→ 8 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Pork, Side dishes, Vegetarian

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sirloin Tip Steak with Harissa Marinade

Posted on April 13, 2012 by | 2 Comments

Silly me, I made the mistake of assuming the grocery store would be open on Sunday, as usual.  Rediscovering that it was Easter meant that dinner plans had to be changed, subject to rescuing something from our freezer.  (Maybe there’s an analogy to be made, but I won’t go there.)  In the recesses of the freezer, there was a package labeled “sirloin tip steak” from the 1/8 grass-fed cattle share we got last year from Heritage Foods USA.  The sirloin tip steak is not top sirloin – it is a more “economical” lean cut of meat that can be tough and chewy if you don’t treat it right.  According to meatsource.com, the sirloin tip steak, aka “round tip”, can be used to make cutlets (fast fry), stir-fry, kabobs, stew, cube steak, or can be marinated and grilled.  I decided to do something in between kabobs and a marinated steak – - I’ll call this “faux sirloin tips”.

The recipe for the harissa marinade is slightly modified from Bon Appétit via epicurious.com (Harissa-Marinated Top Sirloin Tips) to make it more paleo-diet friendly – namely switching out the brown sugar for coconut palm sugar, and the soy sauce for coconut aminos.  I can’t take any credit for the harissa either, since I bought it pre-made from The Spice House.  Harissa is a common North African condiment made from chilies, oil, garlic, and spices. This organic version, made on a family estate in Tunisia, is not overly spicy and is a great complement to beef.  This turned out to be one of those happy meals that came together with minimal planning and effort.  We grilled some red and yellow sweet bell peppers to serve with the meat hunks, and washed it down with a nice Zinfandel.  Yum!

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds sirloin tip steak (or top sirloin steak)
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons coconut palm sugar
  • 2 tablespoons coconut aminos
  •  3/4 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)
  • 2 tablespoons harissa sauce

Cut the steak into 2- to 3-inch-wide strips, then cut the strips into 2- to 3-inch triangles.

Combine the remaining ingredients in a large glass (or non-reactive) bowl and mix well.  Add the beef triangles and toss in the marinade to coat evenly.  Marinate for up to an hour at room temperature, or cover and refrigerate to marinate up to one day.  Toss occasionally to mix.  (The longer the meat can marinate, the better.)

Set up a grill for cooking at ~400F.  When the grill is ready, grill the meat for 3-4 minutes on each side, or until desired level of doneness.  (Medium rare would be best for this lean meat, in my opinion.)

Enjoy!

Got some great music recently! First up, Tragic Songs of Life/Satan Is Real by the Louvin Brothers. I’m currently reading Charlie Louvin’s book, and his description of the early days on the road with his brother Ira is hair-raising stuff! So is this set of some of their biggest albums. Their influence is vast on country music, and their harmonies are as good as you’ll hear anywhere. And “Satan is Real” is easily the best cover ever!

I’ve written about Guy Clark here before, so I was thrilled to hear of this- This One’s For Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark. It’s a treasure, with some of the greatest songs ever, sung by some pretty esteemed folks such as Joe Ely, Emmylou, Shawn Colvin and a wonderful version of “She Ain’t Going Nowhere” by The Trishas. Sometimes tribute albums are hit or miss, but this one is two discs of hit!

→ 2 Comments

Posted in Beef, Entrees, Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Pork Ossobuco

Posted on February 27, 2012 by | 5 Comments

Modified from The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper

Pasquale Palazzolo (Pat) from the blog Fatass to Badass (F2BBlog.com) asked if we would be interesting in doing a guest post, to which I replied “certainly”!  I’ve been following Pat’s progress for a while now – here’s a man who started out at 388 pounds and has changed his life with a Paleo/Primal lifestyle.  He has lost over 100 pounds now and is still going strong because he is eating healthy food and exercising.  Pat finished in The Disney Half Marathon and Warrior Dash just last month!  That qualifies him as a Badass in my book!

In honor of Pat’s Italian heritage, I decided on a recipe from a wonderful cookbook, The Splendid Table: Recipes from Emilia-Romagna, the Heartland of Northern Italian Food, by Lynne Rossetto Kasper.  The recipe entitled “January Pork” was written for a pork loin roast, but I have adapted it to use pork shank, or ossobuco.  The great thing about using this cut of meat is that the nutrients from the bone marrow are released during the long, slow cook.  The marrow also adds to the rich taste in this braised dish.  If you have a local pork supplier or butcher, ask if they can provide you with fresh pork shanks, cut into 2- to 3-inch sections.  Pork shanks are much less expensive than the traditional veal shanks used in most ossobuco recipes.  [Be sure to get fresh, not cured, pork.  Cured pork shanks (aka ham hocks) will not work in this recipe.]  Our pastured-raised pork shanks came from Heritage Foods USA.  If you can’t find pork shanks, do not despair!  This recipe should also work with thick, bone-in pork loin chops.

This pork ossobuco requires some planning ahead, with a 24-hour marinade time and 3 hours of cooking.  However, most of the time involved is “hands off” time, so don’t let that dissuade you from trying this recipe.  Believe me, it will pay off in the end with a delicious and impressive meal!

Juniper berries

The braised meat and sauce has a delicate, indescribable flavor from the marinade – sort of a sweet and subtle spiciness which complements the pork without overwhelming it.  Pork Ossobuco is great served over roasted or mashed cauliflower.  It could also be served over polenta, mashed potatoes, or pasta, for people that aren’t following a primal diet.

A crazy side story… this recipe calls for juniper berries in the marinade.  We were in Santa Fe at the time, and there were no juniper berries at the market.  However our house is surrounded by juniper; in fact, the landscape is dominated by this shrubby tree.  Could I harvest the shriveled, dark blue berries from our yard?   Results from Google varied from “North American juniper berries may be toxic and/or bitter”, to “okay to eat for survival in the wild”.  Well, not comforting enough for me.  I posted the question on facebook and my Southwestern friend Annie came through with a decisive-sounding yes, she has eaten these berries.  So, with faith in Annie’s knowledge, I picked a nice handful of berries and used them for this recipe.  The pork turned out great – however, for a more accessible source of juniper berries, click on the link below in the ingredient list!

Ingredients:

  • ~3 pounds fresh pork shank, (have butcher cut into 2- to 3-inch sections)
  • ~20 juniper berries
  • 1 large clove garlic, chopped
  • 2 whole cloves
  • 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • several grinds of black pepper
  • kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil or lard, for browning meat
  • 1/2 cup white wine (okay to substitute chicken broth if avoiding wine)
  • ~1 to 2 cups chicken broth
  • 1 large California bay laurel leaf

Combine the olive oil, juniper berries, garlic, cloves, and black pepper in a small food processor or blender; process until finely chopped.  Alternatively you can crush the ingredients together using a mortar and pestle (which is what I did – no food processor available at the time).  Place the pork in a non-metallic dish large enough to hold it snugly.  Rub the pork on all sides with the spice mixture.  Cover the dish with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for 18 to 24 hours.

Remove the pork from the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature before cooking (at least 30 minutes).  Preheat oven to 325F.

Lightly salt the pork with kosher or sea salt.  Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil (or lard) in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  (Hold on to the dish with the marinade.)  Brown the pork shanks on both sides; set aside in the marinade dish.  Pour off the excess fat from the pan and discard.  Place the pan back over medium-high heat and carefully pour in the wine and 1/2 cup of the chicken broth (it will madly steam and boil at first).  Deglaze the pan by loosening the browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.

Return the pork to the pan with its juices and any remaining marinade left in the dish.  Add more chicken broth to the pan, to nearly cover the pork shanks.  (Amount will vary depending on size of pan and amount of pork.)  Tuck in the bay leaf, cover, and braise for 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hours.  Check on the pork occasionally to assure that there is still liquid in the pan.  Add a little water or broth if the pan juices threaten to burn.  Toward the end of the cooking time, leave the lid partially off so that the liquid will reduce somewhat (if needed).  The pork is done when it is tender enough to cut with a fork.

Remove the pork ossobuco from the braising pan to a serving dish.  Remove bay leaf and discard.  If necessary, boil down the braising liquid to a saucy consistency. Season the sauce to taste with salt and pepper.  Pour the sauce over the pork, and serve immediately!

Proliferation of juniper in our area of New Mexico

It was a sad day on December 4th when Hubert Sumlin died of heart failure, but he sure did leave behind a lot of great music! I saw him sitting in with Son Seals years ago, and boy could he bring it. Sumlin was Howlin’ Wolf’s guitarist, and did as much as anyone in defining the electric blues sound from Chicago. Keith Richards and Eric Clapton led a tribute concert at the Apollo Theater the other night that I wish I could have been there.  If you missed it as well, here’s a few selections to hip you to what all the fuss was about. First, Hubert’s final solo album, About Them Shoes, features Sumlin with a host of players, included Richards, Clapton, New York Dolls vocalist David Johansen and more. Great, great record!

What can you say about my favorite blues vocalist, Howlin’ Wolf? Along with the stinging, melodic guitar of Sumlin, the Wolf was the most fearsome, awe inspiring bluesman I’ve ever heard. If Moanin in the Moonlight don’t kick start your heart, I’d see a doctor!

→ 5 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Pork

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Roasted Lima Beans with Italian Herbs

Posted on January 23, 2012 by | 4 Comments

Modified from Wholefoods.com

It was not shaping up to be an exciting day for vegetables.  There were slim pickings in the refrigerator, and I didn’t relish the idea of going out to the grocery store in the rain.  However, the ever-dependable lima beans were waiting in the freezer.  Waiting for a chance to be something different, waiting to be the star of the meal.  These lima beans DARED TO DREAM!

Ahem.  This non-stop dreary weather is getting to me….

I was in a lima bean rut.  I don’t cook them very often, but when I do, it was usually with a little bacon, a little onion, and some butter – not that there’s anything wrong with that. Looking for a change, I ran across a recipe for roasted lima beans on the Whole Foods website.  Roasting is by far my favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes, fennel, carrots, eggplant, parsnips, asparagus, cauliflower, and squash of all varieties, but I haven’t tried roasting beans.  The results were exciting – the roasting concentrates the sweet bean flavor, and gives them a “fluffy” texture inside while being a little crispy on the outside.  The herb seasoning, along with finishing touches of roasted red pepper and a drizzle of flavorful extra-virgin olive oil, really did elevate these limas to stardom.

This is an excellent side dish for the winter months, since it works well with frozen lima beans and dried herbs, which are readily available year-round.

Ingredients:

Did you know that lima beans have been cultivated in Lima, Peru since around 5000 BC?

Preheat oven to 400F.  In a medium saucepan, cover lima beans with cold water.  Heat on stove-top until boiling.  Add about a tablespoon of salt, and cook at a low boil, partially covered, for about 8 minutes.  Drain beans well and dry on paper towels.

In a medium bowl, mix together 1 tablespoon of olive oil, garlic, dried herb seasoning, black pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Add lima beans and toss well.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or oil the pan lightly). Place the bean mixture in a single layer on the baking sheet, spreading the beans out evenly.  Put the bowl aside for later. Roast until beans are softened and getting crinkly-crispy on the outside, approximately 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.  When the beans are done, pour them back into the bowl.  Mix in the roasted red peppers and drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil; toss well.  Season to taste with aromatic sea salt.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

Our first musical “guest” was the great blues and R+B singer Etta James. James died last week, and we’ve found a few selections from her vast career to highlight. First up, R & B Dynamite, which showcases her early singles, including “Roll With Me Henry” and “Good Rockin’ Daddy”. Etta could really sing some R+B!

Next, from 1994, is Mystery Lady, featuring James singing some great Billie Holiday songs, such as “Body and Soul” and “Lover Man (Where Can You Be)”. A great, warm sounding recording, showing that her grand voice never lost a bit of emotion as she grew older. Thanks for all the memories, Etta James.

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Side dishes, Vegetarian

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies (grain-free)

Posted on November 17, 2011 by | 3 Comments

Modified from The Spice House’s Ginger Spice Cookies

Take a break, have some tea and cookies!  I discovered crystallized ginger “nibs” at The Spice House months ago, but just now got around to adapting their recipe for ginger spice cookies to a grain-free version.  I wanted a slightly chewy, soft cookie with bursts of ginger flavor from the ginger nibs, and that’s what we got!

If you don’t have ginger nibs, you can finely chop crystallized (candied) ginger for the same effect, or make the cookies with only ground ginger.  But what would be the fun in that?

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 2 teaspoons ground ginger
  • 3/4 cup coconut palm sugar
  • ~2.5 ounces cream cheese, cut into pieces, at room temperature
  • 1/4 cup almond or walnut oil
  • 4 tablespoons butter or coconut butter/oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup ginger nibs (or crystallized ginger, chopped)

Chewy gingery goodness!

In a medium sized bowl, combine the first seven ingredients (flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger).

Using an electric mixer, beat sugar, cream cheese, oil, and butter until fluffy.  Add egg, molasses, and vanilla.  Mix well.  Gradually stir in the dry ingredients to the mixer bowl.  Stir in the ginger nibs and mix well.  Scrape down the dough in the bowl to form a ball of dough, then cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

When ready to bake cookies, preheat the oven to 350F.  Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Form the dough into balls (around 1 1/4-inch in diameter), and place on parchment paper, spacing them around 2 inches apart.  Bake for approximately 12 minutes.  Cookies will be cracked on top, but still soft.  Cool on a baking rack, and store in an airtight container.

These cookies are so good, have to keep them under lock and key! For some other sweet stuff, check out a few pop classics! First up, the long-awaited The Smile Sessions from Brian Wilson and the Beach Boys. The legendary “lost” album that nearly drove Wilson insane. Contains one of the best loved Beach Boys songs, “Heroes and Villains”. Enjoy!

Second up, a record named for Brian Wilson’s description of his masterwork, Pet Sounds, Teenage Symphonies to God by the Velvet Crush. One of my favorite power pop records, this sounds like the Byrds, the Beatles and garage rock all mixed together…wonderful!

→ 3 Comments

Posted in For the Sweet Tooth

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Curried Sweet Potato Gratin

Posted on August 28, 2011 by | 7 Comments

A gratin is a dish typically prepared using ingredients of thinly sliced and layered potatoes and cream cooked in a buttered dish.  Well….yum!  This preparation method originated in France (of course); the name gratin dauphinois refers to the Dauphiné region of France, where this method of preparing potatoes is a specialty (according to Wikipedia).  Here’s another blog post where I’m going to bastardize the French method, yet call it a gratin anyway.  Heresy, I know…  This recipe is inspired by the flavors of African sweet potato soup, with hints of nut butter, lime and spicy cayenne pepper, and it has a touch of Asian/Indian flavors with the sweet curry and coconut milk.

I have been wanting to make a potato gratin for a while, but I hadn’t really considered using sweet potatoes until recently.  If you don’t have a mandoline (or have lost a finger tip in the past to one and hesitate to try again), the potatoes could be cut into chunks and be cooked together on the stove top with the other ingredients, then blended into a killer soup!  Also, this is one of the few entries here on she cooks…he cleans that could qualify as vegan!

Ingredients:

  • 2 medium sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 pounds)
  • 1/2 sweet onion
  • oil of choice for coating baking dish (I used butter)
  • 1 can coconut milk, shaken well to mix
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons sweet curry powder (I used The Spice House Sweet Curry Powder)
  • 3 tablespoons almond butter
  • 2 tablespoons coconut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon Chinese 5-spice
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper (or to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons honey (or sweetening of choice)
  • 1 teaspoon fish sauce (optional)
  • juice of 1 lime
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • chicken or vegetable broth, as needed to adjust thickness and volume

Preheat oven to 350F.  Peel potatoes.  Using a mandoline slicer (or patience and a sharp knife), slice the potatoes and the 1/2 onion into thin slices.

Grease up a gratin dish or medium sized baking dish.  Layer the potatoes and onions together in the dish, overlapping slightly while making concentric circles.

Heat the coconut milk over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.  (Do not allow to it to boil.) Whisk in the curry powder, almond butter, coconut butter, 5-spice powder, cayenne pepper, honey, fish sauce, and lime juice.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Add approximately 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth (to reduce thickness and give the sauce enough volume to cover potatoes in baking dish).

Pour the coconut milk mixture over the potatoes.  (If it is looking “short”, add a little more broth to the mixture still in the saucepan to compensate.)

Pictured with pan-seared filet mignon…nommers!

Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil, and bake for 30-40 additional minutes, or until potatoes are tender and the gratin is bubbling and starting to lightly brown on top.  Serve hot.

As we say “Goodnight, Irene…” (that could be a song! ) it wouldn’t be proper to not mention it as the soundtrack, don’t ya think? First is the 1979 Neil Young masterpiece Live Rust with the awesome “Like a Hurricane”.

Did you say “A Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall”? Thought you did, with Bob Dylan’s Freewheelin Bob Dylan (Reis). Landmark record, and boy, did a hard rain ever fall!

→ 7 Comments

Posted in Entrees, Side dishes, Vegetarian

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Kefta Kabobs

Posted on August 20, 2011 by | 16 Comments

aka Ground Beef with Moroccan Spices on a Stick

Recipe adapted from Flavors of Morocco (by Ghillie Basan) and The New Book of Middle Eastern Food (by Claudia Roden)

Kefta Kabobs (2)

It’s been a while since we added a post to our ever-popular series, “Meat on a Stick” – this time we looked to North Africa and the Middle East for inspiration.  Ground meat kabobs are a popular street dish in Morocco, according to the cookbooks referenced above. Anything served as street food can automatically be considered delectable in my book!  After all, vendors would not make much money if their only draw was “hey, eat this, it’s good for you!”  Street fare should pull you in with enticing aromas, look appetizing, and also be easy to eat out of hand.   These kabobs are all that.  The ground meat, from grass-fed beef, was seasoned with onion, garlic, a variety of herbs and spices, plus a spice mixture known as Ras-el-Hanout, then was allowed to chill for a couple of hours so the flavors were well infused into the meat.  As a result, the kabobs looked and smelled irresistible as they cooked on the grill!

Keeping the meatballs stuck on the skewers proved to be a little tricky, so I made small burgers out of about half of the meat mixture.  Either way made for a delightful dinner.  Typically these kabobs would be served enveloped in a warm flat-bread (yum), but we served them with a lemony cilantro-yogurt sauce, alongside grilled red bell peppers and eggplant (also yum).

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds ground beef or lamb (use meat with a higher fat ratio, as lean meat will tend to dry out)
  • 1 onion, grated onto paper towels to adsorb excess moisture
  • 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon Ras-el-Hanout (I ordered mine from The Spice House, but you can also blend your own.)
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin
  • several grindings black pepper
  • a small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
  • a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped (about 3 tablespoons)

Mix the ground meat with all the other ingredients; knead vigorously, until very smooth and pasty.  Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours.

Wet your hands and divide the meat into golf-ball sized balls.  This will make 24-30 balls.  Alternatively you can shape the meat into mini-burgers (tangerine-sized balls).

Press the meat balls firmly around square-bladed skewers, and mold into a sausage-link shape.  (If your meat balls are too large, they will just fall off.  Trust me.)

Prepare a grill for direct cooking at around 400F.  When the coals are ready, grill the kabobs for 4-5 minutes each side, turning once or twice, until browned.  Be careful not to overcook or the meat may dry out.

Serve immediately.  These kabobs were perfect with grilled peppers and eggplant, but would also be great with couscous or rice.

Jeff Buckley called him “my Elvis”, Peter Gabriel performed with him. He was Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, the most legendary Qawwil musician of them all. Qawwil, a devotional form of Sufi, is prayer put to music, and his six octave range and extraordinary intensity made every recording hypnotic. Here are a few to start you off.

Last Prophet is a good latter period work, done pretty much straight.

Mustt Mustt, produced at Peter Gabriel’s studios, mixes elements of Western music and beats into a something that sounds both new and old. Essential.

→ 16 Comments

Posted in Appetizers, Beef, Entrees, Meat on a Stick

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Braised Beef with Harissa and Preserved Lemon

Posted on July 21, 2011 by | 4 Comments

Source:  The Spice House Recipes

A few weeks ago we received a 1/8 cattle share of grass-fed beef from Heritage Foods / Hearst Ranch.  In amongst the steaks, roasts, and ground beef were a few pounds of meat labeled “fajita strips”, which provided a challenge for me as to what to do with them.  Typically if I make fajitas, I like to grill a marinated steak then cut it into strips.  This meat, since it was already sliced, didn’t seem easily grill-ready.  However, since the strips were cut from beef chuck and round, I thought they would make a great chili or stew.

In another seemingly unrelated kitchen development, I recently ordered some exotic ingredients from The Spice House so we could try more Moroccan recipes – among them, preserved lemons, harissa, and Ras el Hanout.  The Spice House website has a handy recipe section that you can search by the spices you have.  Here I found this recipe for Braised Beef with Harissa and Preserved Lemon.  Bingo!

I followed the recipe pretty closely since I didn’t know how this was going to taste, or how spicy it would be.  This dish turned out much like a chili, except with definite Middle Eastern flavors.  We really liked the subtle taste of lemon that peeked through the mouth-warming peppers from the harissa, and there was a slightly sweet taste of curry.  The beef was so tender, it practically melted in our mouths.  If you like a good bowl of chili, you’ll certainly like this!

We served it over a bed of gluten-free, brown-rice couscous, but it would also be great with “cauliflower rice” or other vegetables if you want to avoid the extra carbs.

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of grass-fed beef stew meat
  • 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, or fat of choice
  • 1 medium onion, large dice (I used a sweet Vidalia onion)
  • 1 preserved lemon, rinsed, de-seeded, and chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Ras el Hanout
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground coriander
  • 1/4 cup harissa (traditional)
  • 3 cups beef stock
  • several sprigs fresh thyme, tied together with butcher’s twine
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 tablespoons fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped (optional)

Preheat oven to 325F.  Dry beef with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper.  Heat oil over medium-high heat in a large Dutch oven or oven-proof pot.  Brown beef in the oil, and remove to a bowl (do this in batches  – the meat will not properly brown if crowded in the pan.)

Saute onions in the same pot, until soft.  Add lemon, garlic, Ras el Hanout, cumin, coriander, and harissa to the onions and stir until aromatic (about a minute).  Return browned beef to the pot.  Add beef stock and thyme – stir well to mix.  Bring to a boil, then cover pot and place in oven for 2-3 hours, or until meat is tender.  You will need to check on this occasionally, and make sure there’s some liquid in the pan.  If it starts to dry out, add a little beef stock or water.  Adjust seasoning, if needed, with salt and pepper.  (I found that it did not need any adjustments.)

Remove the butcher’s twine with the remains of the thyme sprigs.  Serve with couscous, rice, or vegetables.  Sprinkle with chopped cilantro or parsley, if desired.  Enjoy!

Ladies night at SCHC…! First up, One Cello X 16: Natoma by Zoe Keating. I discovered this in my search for cello music, and I’m glad I did. This is modern cello music, created by looping the sound atop itself, and then playing against that. This is a haunting work, that extends an age old instrument to new ears. Remarkable stuff!

Another mixture of old and new is Abigal Washburn’s City of Refuge. Armed with a variety of banjos and boasting an all-star cast of players (Bill Frisell, My Morning Jacket’s Carl Broemel, The Decemberists’ Chris Funk, Turtle Island Quartet’s Jeremy Kittell and throat singers!), this great record is a mixture of old time mountain music and modern pop. Not at all what you expect, and the record grows on you with each listen.

→ 4 Comments

Posted in Beef, Entrees

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , ,