Tag Archives: zucchini

Seared Sea Scallops over Zucchini Ribbons with Goat Cheese

Posted on March 17, 2013 by | 14 Comments

Scallops with Zucchini Ribbons

This is the first weekend we’ve had in Atlanta that really felt like spring, with temperatures warm enough to sit outside comfortably in the sunshine without shivering.  There are trees and flowers bursting out with blooms and things are getting greener by the day.  Nice time of year to be in the Southeast!

These plump sea scallops with thinly sliced ribbons of zucchini are so fresh and light   – just like spring.  They also only take minutes to cook!  When buying scallops, make sure that you are getting “dry” scallops, and not scallops that have been treated with phosphates.  Phosphates are used as a preservative, and cause the scallops to adsorb water – water that makes them weigh more (and cost you more per pound), and water that will leach out like crazy when you try to cook them.  They will not sear, and you won’t get that tasty caramelized crust.    Look for scallops with a pinkish color to them – the blindingly white scallops have been chemically treated.

I used a regular peeler to slice the zucchini into ribbons, but you could also use a mandolin slicer (or patience and a sharp knife).  Just make long slices all around the zucchini until you get to the seedy part in the middle, which can be discarded.  There you have it – zucchini ribbons!

To julienne the basil, roll up several leaves tightly together, like a cigar.  Starting at one end of the “cigar”, cut into thin slices.

I neglected to measure the ingredients when I made this, so the amounts are approximate.

Ingredients (serves 2):

  • 8-10 sea scallops
  • Oil suitable for high heat cooking (I used coconut oil)
  • 2 good-sized zucchini, sliced thinly into ribbons
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • ~2 tablespoons butter (preferably from pastured cows)
  • splash of extra-virgin olive oil
  • ~1/4 cup light stock (I used chicken stock)
  • Juice from 1/2 lemon
  • 4 ounce log of soft, fresh goat cheese
  • handful of basil leaves, julienned
  • Coarse salt (sea salt or kosher salt) and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pat the sea scallops dry with paper towels.  If present, remove the adductor muscles (looks like a little “foot”) from the side of the scallops and discard.  Those tend to be unpleasantly chewy, and they pull right off with a little tug.  Lightly season with salt and pepper, and set the scallops aside.

In a saute pan, heat 2 tablespoons of butter with a splash of olive oil over medium heat.  Cook the shallots for about a minute – but not long enough to brown.  Add the stock to the pan and bring to a simmer.  Toss in the zucchini ribbons and cook for a few minutes, continuing to toss the zucchini,  until it is just tender and the liquid in the pan has reduced a little.  Stir in about 2 ounces of the goat cheese with the lemon juice, until the goat cheese has melted and the liquid in the pan is sauce-like.  Stir in some of the basil, saving some for the final garnish.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Remove from heat, but keep warm.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat until VERY hot (cast iron is good, but any heavy-bottomed skillet will work).  Add a very thin layer of coconut oil (or other high-heat oil) to the pan, swirl to coat, and immediately add scallops, flat side down.  Do not crowd the pan – you may need to cook the scallops in two batches, depending on how big your skillet is.  DO NOT move the scallops – sear them for 2 minutes, then turn and sear for about a minute (maybe 1 1/2 minutes) on the other side.  It is important not to overcook the scallops or they will be rubbery and tough.  They should be nicely seared on the outside, but should still be a little translucent-looking in the middle as you look at them from the side.  They will feel a little springy to the touch – not stiff.  When they are done, remove them from the pan and keep warm while you finish cooking them all.

To serve, place a mound of zucchini noodles on a plate, and place the scallops around it.  Add a dollup of the remaining goat cheese to the top, and garnish with the rest of the julienned basil.  Enjoy!

Scallops with zucchini ribbons and goat cheese

allenTwo from Texas today! First up, the new album from songwriter and artist Terry Allen, Bottom of the World. Allen is one of those Lubbock lads- along with Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmy Dale Gilmore- who radically reshaped country music in the late ’70s. Allen doesn’t release music very often, but when he does its always an illuminating listen. Sample title…”Do They Dream Of Hell in Heaven?”. Thought-provoking country!

Billy Joe Shaver is another “outlaw” country performer, and his hits are legendary. The Complete Columbia Recordings gathers his mid-’80s Columbia output and puts them back in print, and high time they did! Shaver has a unique shaverway of looking at the world, and once you get a taste, you’ll be back. Just like the scallops!

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Posted in Entrees, Seafood

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Zucchini Noodles with Beurre Blanc Sauce

Posted on February 2, 2013 by | Leave a comment

Zucchini beurre blanc

Who’s a fool for sauce?  I don’t know about you, but if there’s a sauce or condiment I can drench my food with, I will do it.  My husband, not so much.  Not too long ago, I made some salmon patties and asparagus – and on a whim, whipped up a quick lemon-butter sauce to drizzle over everything.  Much to my surprise, James really liked the sauce.  While he usually puts a spoonful of the stuff off to the side on his plate (mostly to placate me), he actually added more sauce to his plate – on his food!  I knew sauce would win him over one day.

While there are some crab cakes on that plate in the photo, this post is all about the zucchini and beurre blanc sauce.  Despite the elegant French name (translated as “white butter”), this is a very basic and easy sauce to make.  I have written about the zucchini previously, in this post.  I use a Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler to quickly turn whole zucchini into ribbons – it couldn’t be more simple.  If you don’t have a julienne peeler, you can make thicker ribbons with a regular vegetable peeler, or you can cut it into matchsticks with a knife.

I added a little cream to the beurre blanc, because I like cream and it helps to stabilize the sauce, but it can be made without it.

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 2 or 3 zucchini (depending on size)
  • 1 small shallot, minced (2-3 tablespoons)
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • dash of Worcestershire sauce
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3-4 tablespoons butter (from pastured cows)

Julienne the zucchini.  Set up a steaming basket over simmering water, and steam the zucchini for about 5 minutes or until just tender.  Drain in a colander and press out as much moisture as possible with paper towels.  Set aside.

In a saute pan over medium to medium-high heat, bring the wine, lemon juice, shallots, Worcestershire sauce, and salt to a low boil.  Boil until the liquid is reduced to almost a syrup, in a thin layer in the pan (approximately 1/4 cup).  Stir in the cream, bring it to a simmer, then remove from heat.  Quickly whisk in the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is emulsified and silky.  (Keeping the sauce over heat after adding butter may cause it to separate.)

At this point, the sauce can be strained, but it is not necessary for this particular recipe since we are mixing it with the zucchini noodles.

Toss in the zucchini noodles and stir until the noodles are well-coated in sauce.  Serve hot – and enjoy!  The buttery-lemon flavor complements seafood and chicken, as well as many vegetables.

You mean there’s other sauce than BBQ? In this case, yes! Great stuff indeed, as is our musical menu. Get Up!  featuring Ben Harper and Charlie Musselwhite. This is a brand new release, and all ready it’s be dubbed a years best. How could you go wrong, with the songs and wicked slide guitar of Harper with the growling harmonica of Musselwhite adding a saucy (HA!) touch? From Delta getblues to Zepequese stomps, this is a high mark of both men’s careers.

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Posted in Sauces, Marinades, and Rubs, Side dishes

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Sunny Summer Squash Casserole

Posted on August 23, 2012 by | 3 Comments

Summer is finally starting to wind down, and thank goodness for that!  I have to apologize for neglecting the blog for so long.  For the most part, cooking this summer has been mostly repeats of favorites, coupled with a lack of enthusiasm for standing in a hot kitchen.  Even grilling has gone by the wayside, since stepping outside into the oppressive heat and humidity while fending off swarms of blood-sucking mosquitoes is not enjoyable.  However the last few days have started off, at least, as blessedly cool and less humid…just the touch of the coming autumn weather that I needed to get some energy back!

Gluten and Soy Free!

I’ve had this recipe for squash casserole since the early 80′s, when it was passed around from co-workers at UNC-Hospitals.  It’s another dish that falls in the “comfort food” zone, and typical of many casseroles, it contains a can of condensed cream of chicken soup.  I haven’t used this recipe in ages, because Campbell’s soups are not on our list of foods that are good for you.  There is the gluten issue, as well as preservatives, and artificial colors and flavorings.  I could, of course, make my own cream of chicken soup from scratch, but that just seems like too much work for one ingredient in a casserole. Then I spotted something different in the soup aisle – Pacific Natural Foods Organic Cream Of Chicken Condensed Soup.  It doesn’t mention it on the front of the box, but this soup is also gluten-free and soy-free, as well as being USDA Organic.  I picked up a couple to see how they would adapt in casseroles.

Upon opening the box (which does not even require scissors due to a handy tab), the first sight of the soup is not that good.  Its consistency is kind of jelly-like, but to be fair, Campbell’s condensed soups aren’t much to look at either.  Getting beyond that, when it is mixed in with the other ingredients and baked, the results were perfect!  I didn’t try it on its own as a soup, but I can certainly recommend it for anyone that wants a healthier option for condensed soup.  Here are the ingredients listed on the box:

organic chicken broth
organic creme fraiche
organic rice starch
organic cooked chicken
organic rice flour
sea salts
organic chicken fat
organic garlic powder
organic onion powder

Back to the squash – I adapted the original recipe to reduce the amount of bread crumbs (it originally used packaged “stuffing”), to take out the gluten, and to add some seasonings for taste.  I especially like the raw shredded carrots in this recipe, since they add so much color and texture to the finished casserole.  I usually made this with yellow, crookneck squash, but used zucchini this time. This dish is great with roasted meats, and also would be good on a holiday table.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups squash, cut into large dice
  • 1 sweet onion, chopped
  • 2 tablespoons butter (preferably grass-fed)
  • 2 cups shredded carrots (~2 large or 3 medium-sized carrots)
  • 1 12-ounce box condensed soup (cream of chicken, celery, or mushroom)
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free bread crumbs (make your own gluten- and grain-free bread or muffins, if possible)
  • 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon Ratatouille Seasoning (or seasoning blend of choice)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
  • freshly ground pepper, to taste
  • a few dashes of fish sauce (optional)
  • 1 cup gluten-free/grain-free bread crumbs (for topping – see above)
  • 2 tablespoons butter (for topping)

Preheat oven to 350F.  Lightly butter a 2.5 quart casserole dish.

In a large pot or Dutch oven, cook the squash in boiling water for 5-10 minutes (long enough for it to be tender, but not falling apart).  Drain squash into a colander; set aside.

Using the same (dry) pan, saute the onion in 2 tablespoons of butter until soft.

In a large bowl, mix together the well-drained squash, onion, carrots, condensed soup, sour cream , Parmesan cheese, egg, thyme, Ratatouille seasoning, fish sauce, salt, and pepper.  Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.  Pour into the buttered casserole dish.

Using the same pan, again, melt 2 tablespoons of butter and mix with the remaining cup of bread crumbs.  Scatter evenly over the squash mixture in the casserole.

Bake, uncovered, for about 1 hour, until bubbly and hot throughout, and browned on top.  Serve hot.

So good to be back! Got a great selection today, a compilation of some of the nastiest, gritty funky stuff you’ll ever hear. It’s a new release from Light In The Attic called Country Funk 1969-75, and boy, it doesn’t lie in the title! From Link Wray doing “Fire And Brimstone” to the great Bobby Charles and “Street People”, this is a great look at folks that don’t get a lot of attention. Tony Joe White, Dale Hawkins, even Mac Davis with “Lucas Was a Redneck”, it don’t get much better than this. Get funky!

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Summer Squash Hummus (Bean-less, Gluten-free)

Posted on July 3, 2012 by | 2 Comments

I find myself with a surplus of white, patty pan squash.  I have roasted it, baked it in a casserole, and eaten it sliced and sauteed in butter.  It’s all good – but I know there are gardeners (and cooks) out there that are looking for more things to do with their bounty of summer squash.

I have seen recipes for raw zucchini hummus, so it only seemed logical that other varieties of summer squash might work just as well.  What do you know – the patty pan squash worked just great.  This recipe is especially good for people that like hummus but don’t tolerate bean dips well  – and of course it is handy for people following a low-carb diet or paleo / primal diet.  Just look at the carbs in a half cup of chickpeas (22.5) vs a half cup of summer squash (2.5).

Serve this with raw vegetables, gluten-free crackers, or even use it as a salad dressing.  You will need a food processor or a powerful blender to get a smooth texture. For this recipe, I used a good-sized patty pan squash that I somewhat peeled (it is hard to peel around all the curves on this space-ship shaped squash).  Don’t worry if you leave some peel on!  Also, since this squash was biggish, I cut it in half and scooped out the seeds and pulp, using only firm, white flesh for the hummus.

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups peeled, de-seeded and chopped summer squash (I used patty pan, but other varieties of summer squash can be used.)
  • 1/3 cup lemon or lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons good quality olive oil
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
  • 3/4 cup tahini
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
  • 3 tablespoons almond flour (optional, for added texture)
  • a few shakes of smoked paprika
  • a few shakes of cayenne pepper

Add all the ingredients to the food processor except for the tahini.  Blend well, until smooth.  Add tahini and blend for several minutes until the hummus is very smooth, scraping down the sides occasionally.  Adjust seasoning, to taste.  I think that allowing it to mellow in the refrigerator for a while improves the texture and taste.  Serve drizzled with more olive oil or sprinkled with a little paprika.

Two from the incredible Albert King today, focusing on his great work in Memphis! First up, a new reissue of his classic ’70s album I’ll Play the Blues for You. Backed up by The Bar-Kays and the Memphis Horns, this is soulful blues that only Albert could play.

Born Under a Bad Sign has King recording with Booker T and the MGs, and the title track and “Crosscut Saw” became staples of Albert’s live set for years. A classic!

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Posted in Appetizers, Side dishes, Vegetarian

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Beef and Vegetable Soup

Posted on February 22, 2012 by | 1 Comment

It has been cool and a bit blustery in New Mexico this week – and what better to warm up with than a big pot of soup.

This soup has an Italian twist to it, so I wanted to add just a bit of pasta.  Here’s my big confession (followed of course by my justification) – I did not use gluten-free pasta!  I fully intended to use gluten-free pasta, because I had no desire to intentionally add wheat to our diet.  However, as I was browsing the shelves of Whole Foods for a suitable gluten-free rice-pasta to add to the soup, I suddenly found myself looking at boxes of Jovial einkorn pasta.  I squealed and literally jumped up and down with excitement, as James backed away, looking askance at me.  I have read about Jovial pasta, but have never seen it in person.  It was like finding the holy grail!

Einkorn is the purest, most ancient species of wheat known, grown more than 12,000 years ago before wheat was hybridized by man to increase the gluten content and yield.  You can read more about einkorn wheat and the history of wheat here.  Since this einkorn pasta is much lower in gluten, I was interested in how my body would react to eating it.  I am happy to report that there were no adverse affects.  However, I do not have celiac disease, and the makers of this pasta warn that more clinical studies are needed to determine if it is safe for celiac patients to consume einkorn wheat.  Jovial also produces gluten-free pastas which are reported to be among the best available in taste and texture, and I am also going to try those pastas.

All that said, the addition of pasta (of any kind) to this soup is optional.  The beef and vegetables are quite substantial on their own.  Also, since this is soup, the actual quantities of the ingredients are not all that important.  Feel free to add a little more or less of anything.

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb ground beef (grass-fed)
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise and chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 1 cup green beans, snapped into ~1-inch pieces
  • ~28 ounces diced tomatoes
  • 4 cups chicken broth
  • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon thyme
  • 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1 cup dry pasta (optional)
  • kosher or sea salt, freshly ground pepper
  • grated Parmesan cheese, for serving (optional)

In a large skillet, heat ~ 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat.  Saute the onions until softened, then add the ground beef.  Brown the beef, and season lightly with salt and pepper.  (If beef is excessively fatty, pour off and discard some of the fat.)

Partially cook the pasta in salted, boiling water.  I  like to boil it for just a little over half the time recommended on the package.  The pasta will finish cooking after you add it to the soup, and will adsorb more of the soup’s flavor.

Heat a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium-high heat; add ~ 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Saute the zucchini, carrots, and green beans for 6-8 minutes in the oil until they are starting to get tender.  Add the tomatoes and chicken broth, with oregano, thyme, crushed pepper flakes, and bay leaf.  Bring to a boil, then add the cooked beef and onions, and the cooked pasta.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper, if needed.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove bay leaf and discard. Serve hot, with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top.

Two today from the great Aimee Mann. Years ago I worked for a band that opened for Til Tuesday (“Voices Carry”), and was impressed by Mann’s stage presence and artful lyrics. Since those days she’s gone on to be one of our great songwriters. First up is her debut, Whatever. It featured one of her best songs, “I Should Have Known”, as well as fan favorite “Jacob Marley’s Chain”.

Mann did the soundtrack for “Magnolia”, featuring some of her finest songs, such as “Deathly” and “How Am I Different”. More from that era is collected on her 2000 release, Bachelor No. 2 or, the Last Remains of the Dodo. If you haven’t given her a spin, why not?

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Posted in Beef, Entrees, Soups and Stews

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Twice-Cooked Zucchini Boats

Posted on November 5, 2011 by | 5 Comments

I confess – I’ve been a little crazed with the zucchini this year.  Not because I actually grew any  – - I am a horrible gardener!  I planted several zucchini plants, and didn’t grow a single squash.  When people talk of how productive their plants are, and they “just don’t know what to do with all the zucchini” because they are “so tired of it” and it is “coming out of their ears”, I gnash my teeth and smile.

For people that are NOT tired of zucchini, here’s a recipe for zucchini boats with goat cheese filling.  You may notice that this recipe has many of the same ingredients as the last recipe I posted – hey, if you have a package of goat cheese open, you gotta use it up!  Since I didn’t want to be too repetitive, I put some chopped bacon in the filling.  Now it is COMPLETELY different.  Really.

Ingredients (2 servings):

  • 2 zucchini, split in half lengthwise
  • ~3 ounces goat cheese
  • 1 cloves garlic, minced
  • ~ 1 tablespoon sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon pine nuts, or chopped walnuts (I am afraid of pine nuts…my bad experience here.)
  • 1 strip of crispy bacon, chopped (optional)
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • chopped fresh basil as garnish (optional)

Preheat the oven to 375.  Using a spoon, scoop out a trough from the center of each zucchini half, making it like a dug-out canoe.  Spray all over with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, then place in a baking pan.  Bake for around 8 minutes, then turn the zucchini over and bake for around 8 more minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool at room temperature.

In the meantime, mix the goat cheese with the garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, nuts, and bacon.  When the zucchini are cool enough to handle, divide the goat cheese among the zucchini halves, spreading down the center.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the zucchini are soft and the filling is warm and slightly browned.  Serve ‘em up!

Zucchini before 2nd baking; they were eaten too quickly to get a photo when they were done!

Saw a phenomenal group of musicians on The Colbert Report. Yo-Yo Ma, Chris Thile, Stuart Duncan and Edgar Meyer, performing a piece from their new album The Goat Rodeo Sessions. It’s a mixture of classical, bluegrass and jazz that defies classification, but in a way reminds you of Paul Winter or genre-hopping Oregon.

Give ‘em a look on The Colbert Report:

The Colbert Report Mon – Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c
Exclusive – Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer & Chris Thile – “Quarter Chicken Dark”
www.colbertnation.com
http://media.mtvnservices.com/mgid:cms:item:comedycentral.com:401267
Colbert Report Full Episodes Political Humor & Satire Blog Video Archive

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Chicken Sausage “Pasta” (with zucchini noodles)

Posted on October 30, 2011 by | 3 Comments

Some days you just need a quick lunch or dinner idea that doesn’t involve much cooking.  This was one of those days!  I try to keep a package or two of pre-cooked sausages in the refrigerator for this very reason.  Whole foods, and some supermarkets, have a good selection of gluten-free, pre-cooked chicken sausages.  Some of the brands we like are Al Fresco, Applegate Farms, Aidells, Bilinski’s, and Coleman Natural/The Original Brat Hans.  The particular sausages in this dish were The Original Brat Hans Sundried Tomato and Basil Chicken Sausages.  Putting the rest of the meal together is basically throwing in whatever vegetables, herbs, and seasonings you can find.

On this day, I had a little fresh basil that was still hanging on outside, some zucchini, a red bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, an onion, goat cheese, and a jar of pesto.  Your results may vary.  This involved a little cooking, but it made a great, colorful lunch reminiscent of a big bowl of pasta.  Yum!

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of pre-cooked, gluten free, chicken sausages
  • 2 zucchini
  • 1 red bell pepper
  • extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1/2 sweet onion, chopped
  • kosher salt and black pepper
  • crushed red pepper flakes, optional
  • sun-dried tomatoes, packed in oil, julienne
  • basil pesto
  • several basil leaves, torn into pieces
  • soft goat cheese

Blacken the red bell pepper over an open flame, or under a broiler.  If you haven’t done this before, this link has instructions and photos.  Peel off the blackened skin, remove seeds and stem, and slice into thin strips.  Set aside.

Thinly slice or julienne the zucchini to make zucchini noodles.  This is a snap with the right tool: here’s another link, if you need it!

Gently heat the sausages until they are lightly browned and heated throughout.  Allow sausages to cool enough to handle, then slice the sausages crosswise, at an angle, into bite sized pieces.  Set aside.

Add ~1-2 tablespoons of olive oil to the hot pan.  Add the onion and saute until onion is softened.  Add zucchini noodles; saute, tossing frequently, until zucchini is tender to the bite, but not falling apart.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  If you’d like it a little spicy, add some crushed red pepper flakes. Add sun-dried tomatoes (amount up to you) and the roasted red bell pepper strips.  Toss to mix.

Add the sausage to the zucchini noodles and heat until sausage is rewarmed.  Remove from heat.  Stir in about a tablespoon of basil pesto.  Serve with fresh basil and a dollop of goat cheese.

Soundtrack today consists of a old favorite, and one that will become one in time. First is The Only Ones, with Baby’s Got a Gun. I’ve loved this since it came out in 1980, and time hasn’t changed that. The Only Ones are best known for the song “Another Girl, Another Planet”,  and this record has a bunch more of their punk/power pop sound.

The Fall have been together it seems forever, and their 29th album – Ersatz G.B. bodes well for many years more. Sounding like a drunken schoolteacher, Mark E. Smith has a knack for clever hooks and brilliant wordplay. Discover why legendary disc jockey John Peel called them his favorite band, explaining, “They are always different, they are always the same.”

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Posted in Entrees, Poultry

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Onion Strings (gluten-free)

Posted on August 1, 2011 by | 8 Comments

Modified from The Pioneer Woman

I have a confession to make – I completely suck at frying.  One might wonder why I’m even allowed to reside in Georgia, since fried chicken is the most hallowed food around.  Although several generations of my family were born in the southern part of the United States, including myself, I apparently am missing the gene responsible for being able to prepare fried foods.  I am truly dreadful at it – consequently, I just don’t fry things.  Ever.  It puts me in a horrible mood that ends with me tossing cooking implements down on the grease-soaked stove-top in exasperation and dumping oil-laden globs of burnt food in the garbage.  It’s an ugly scene.

I first got the inclination to try, again, to fry something around the time I started making zucchini strings.  I have delicious memories of zucchini fritti from a delightful West Village Italian Restaurant, Antica Venezia, which I was hoping to duplicate.  Delicate tendrils of julienne zucchini with a light batter, flash fried to a crisp. Then onion rings came to mind – thinly sliced, sweet onions with a spicy coating.  Now I’m really getting ambitious!

Another reason that fried foods have been off the table, aside from my ineptitude, is they generally are coated with flour containing gluten.  We are trying hard to eliminate gluten completely from our diet, since it contains anti-nutrients and, being indigestible by humans, provides unwanted irritation to the digestive system.  I’ve used almond meal as a flour substitute with success in other recipes, so I thought I would give it a try.  The other major ingredient in frying, the choice of oil, is something I still am struggling with.  After reading up on “good” and “bad” oils, I came to the general conclusion that there’s not a perfect choice for high-heat frying.  All the oils with high smoking points were flawed in some way.  I decided to go with Spectrum organic high-heat sunflower or grapeseed oils.  These oils are at least organic, 100% expeller pressed, and refined for high heat (up to 460F).

This recipe is adapted from The Pioneer Woman – the frying instructions were invaluable (and amusing…go visit)!  This recipe also works with zucchini strings!

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole large onion, peeled
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • 1 1/2 cups almond flour
  • 1/4 cup arrowroot flour
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • generous grindings of black pepper, or pepper blend
  • a few dashes of smoked paprika
  • 1 quart of oil (give or take some), suitable for use at 375-405F

Slice onion very thin.  Separate the rings and place in a shallow baking dish.  Cover with buttermilk and soak for at least an hour in the refrigerator.  (It’s okay if the rings aren’t completely submerged, they just need to have contact with the buttermilk.)

Combine the dry ingredients and mix with a fork; set aside.

Line a tray or large plate with lots of paper towels.

Heat the oil in a wide, heavy pan (such as a cast-iron skillet or a Dutch oven) to 375F.  A candy thermometer will come in handy here.  If you’ve got a deep-fryer, well, good for you!

Throw a handful of onions in the flour mixture and toss around to coat the onions pretty well.  Shake off excess flour, and plunge them into the hot oil.  Carefully!  Don’t burn yourself!  Stir the onions around a little, fry for a few minutes, then remove them as soon as they are golden brown. Place the onions on the paper towels to soak up the excess oil.

Repeat using small portions of onions until they are all done.

[Aside - Help me, I am still doing this wrong!  The first 2 or 3 batches are lovely, but after that everything starts going downhill.  My flour starts getting wet and won't stick to the onions.  If I correct that problem, the oil seems to either be too hot or not hot enough, or foamy...the fried onions get too dark, or they all start globbing together.  Should I be adding more oil?  I need frying pointers!]

I know I lean toward older music here, forgive me, but I’m pretty much of the “Hey you kids! Get off my lawn!” generation when it comes to music, but I occasionally listen to music released within the last few years. First up is a record that hasn’t even come out yet…how new is that! Formed by a former member of the Felice Brothers, The Duke & The King is in the running for my favorite of the year so far. This is a beautiful, soulful record that manages to invoke everything from Neil Young to Stax, Gram Parsons to Soul Coughing, while being utterly original. Can’t stop spinnin’ it!

From the same area that gave us She Cooks is Lost in the Trees with All Alone in An Empty House. I’m a sucker for “chamber pop”; the mixture of strings and rock, and this is a grand example, with the songs of Ari Picker woven thru with cellos and such. Gorgeous!

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Zucchini Noodles

Posted on July 8, 2011 by | 20 Comments

Zucchini Noodles

I have a new kitchen gadget and I’m not afraid to use it!  It looks pretty dangerous too.  Indeed, right there on the package it says “the blade is very sharp, peel away from your hands.”  So noted!

It the Kuhn Rikon Julienne Peeler, which makes perfect tiny strips of vegetables with just a swipe of your hand.  This photo is two zucchini that I transformed in less than 5 minutes to a big bowl of noodles.  Well, I didn’t actually time the transformation, but it didn’t take long.  It probably took longer than necessary because every few swipes I had to exclaim about how wonderful it was to James.  After a while, he probably was just thinking about guitar strings or cello music and nodding…but he pretended to be excited and that’s what makes a good marriage.

Speaking of a good marriage, these zucchini noodles were great with Lemon Garlic Chicken with Goat Cheese!  I skimmed off the excess fat from the cooked chicken and used it to quickly saute the zucchini.  The fat from the chicken was already infused with garlic, lemon, and herbs, so no additional seasoning was necessary except a sprinkle of salt and pepper.  The texture of the noodles was just like spaghetti – you could even twirl it on your fork.

Be sure to click the link to Lemon Garlic Chicken for the details!

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Lemon Garlic Chicken with Goat Cheese

Posted on July 8, 2011 by | 11 Comments

Slightly modified from Barefoot Contessa’s Lemon Chicken Breast

Lemon Garlic Chicken with Goat Cheese and Zucchini Noodles

Our oven has been out of commission all week, so cooking has been a bit of a challenge.  We tried to grill as much as possible, but twice got soaked again in the thunderstorms that always pop up promptly at 6:30 pm (or whenever the grill has reached the right temperature).  Also, it’s hot as blazes out there and the mosquitoes are thick and hungry!  No fun!

Another alternative to the oven is cooking in a tagine on the stovetop.  The tagine is similar to a mini-oven, with its curved lid that keeps the heat over the chicken and the moisture in.  Ina Garten, aka as the Barefoot Contessa, has a fabulous recipe for Lemon Chicken Breast that is a classic medley of lemon, garlic, and herbs.  I thought this recipe would adapt well to the tagine since the chicken only needs to simmer in the lemon, garlic, and herbs until it’s tender.  My broiler was still working, so after the chicken was done, it was broiled for a few minutes until the skin was crispy and brown.

What could make this recipe even better?  I combined it with one of my other favorite chicken recipes – Goat Cheese Chicken!  The creamy goat cheese combined with intense lemon and garlic was out of this world!  The sautéed zucchini noodles were also perfect with this mix of flavors.  We’ll be having this again!

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in
  • 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
  • 9 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/3 cup white wine
  • Lemon zest from 2 lemons
  • Juice from 1 lemon
  • 1 tablespoon fresh herbs, chopped fine (I used thyme, oregano, and a little rosemary)
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 1 small log fresh goat cheese
  • 1 lemon, cut into 8 slices lengthwise

Divide the goat cheese into 6 equal portions.  Using your fingers, loosen the skin from one side of the chicken thigh to form a pocket for the goat cheese.  Try to keep the skin connected to the thigh on the other sides as much as possible, but don’t fret about it if it comes loose.  Place a portion of goat cheese under the skin of each thigh, then press down gently on top of the skin to distribute the goat cheese over the thigh.  Season the chicken liberally with salt and pepper.

Over medium heat on stovetop, heat olive oil in the tagine (or a Dutch oven).  Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute.  Do not allow garlic to brown.  Add wine, lemon zest, lemon juice, herbs, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt.  Place the chicken thighs skin-side-up over the sauce in the tagine.  Brush the thighs with the sauce.  Tuck the lemon wedges in the tagine among the chicken pieces.  Simmer for 30-40 minutes until the chicken thighs are tender and cooked through; occasionally brush the thighs with more sauce.

Spoon off the excess fat and oil from the tagine and reserve for cooking vegetables.  (If making zucchini noodles, just toss a couple tablespoons of the fat with the zucchini and saute until tender, but not falling apart.)

Start the broiler and place the bottom part of the tagine with the chicken a few inches below the flames or broiler element.  Broil until the tops of the thighs are crispy and well-browned.

Allow the chicken to rest a few minutes so you don’t burn yourself.  Serve hot with pan juices…Enjoy!

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Posted in Entrees, Poultry

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