One Summer Salad

The first time I ever tasted a salad Nicoise I thought that I had won big.  I mean, how can you go wrong with a salad that is chalk-full of veggies, tuna, eggs, olives, AND potatoes?  After that, I decided in short order that potatoes would go in any salad I could sneak them into.  In the summer one of my favorite meals is a variation of the salad featured here, along with a nice piece of grilled fish or chicken.  The potatoes are partially boiled, either halved or whole, and then tossed with olive oil and kosher salt and pepper, and roasted at a high temperature like 425. This will result in a crunchy, golden brown crust that will make it difficult not to devour them before they are cool enough to toss with the vegetables and dressing.  My advice is to make a few extra for this sole purpose. 

The rest of this particular salad consists of one head leaf lettuce, the corn off two cobs, a handful of fresh dill, one thinly sliced Walla Walla sweet onion, and one red pepper, diced.  The dressing is one part lemon juice, one part olive oil, whisked, with salt and pepper.  We served ours with citrus-grilled salmon and a Cajun soup that my Dad whipped up.  Delish!

Camp Breakfast

I grew up camping with my Dad on sandbars along the Mississippi River.  We would pack up the flat-bottomed fishing boat with our canvas tent, fishing gear, the infamous beach radio sure to grace us with our share of Don Henley hits, and of course, plenty of food, beer, and sodas that had names like Grape.   I can still remember what it was like to wake up in the cool fogginess of the morning, the sun poised to rise. As the aroma of breakfast lingered in the air, I would emerge from the tent ready to eat Dad's campfire creations.  His menu was always very simple: Potatoes fried with butter and onions, over-easy eggs cooked in a cast iron skillet, and bread that had been toasted on a grate over the fire and spread with perfectly salted butter.  Breakfast was one of my favorite parts about camping.

To this day, I love eating breakfast when I camp.  On a recent afternoon while planning a camping adventure, a friend mentioned that she wanted to have chorizo and eggs for breakfast.  As she talked about making guacamole and pico de gallo, I had to to encourage myself to be flexible.  It was not that her breakfast did not sound spectacular, but more that it was not the breakfast that I've always connected with as camp breakfast.  As we talked I realized how sweet it was that we both seemed identify with an idyllic version of camp breakfast.  It was in this moment that I knew breakfast was going to be wonderful.

As I was assembling my plate that morning, incorporating every one's contribution to the heap, I reflected on the beauty of tradition and ritual that comes with an activity such as camping.  There were three of us, and all of our visions were present.  We had coffee with cream, my Dad's potatoes with fried eggs, tortillas with pico, guac, and chorizo picante, and mushrooms cooked in foil with butter and fresh parsley. There are no recipes to go with this post, but I will give you a little tip on Dad's potatoes:  Pre-cook and slice them before you leave and also have your onions diced and ready to go. And most importantly, enjoy. 

Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Cilantro Dressing

Leave it to a big brother to point out the things in life that you could improve on, and in this case it was the fact that my blog has once again gone latent.  You and I have been on Foodiefabulous long enough to know that sometimes I take breaks, and this time I have been buried in a Statistics class all quarter.  (I know many of you already feel my pain.)  As a result, my kitchen has been utterly neglected.  The other day, I was in desperate need of some quality kitchen time.  I wanted to make multiple things, while singing along to my favorite songs in the comfiest cooking dress possible.  Doesn't that sound nice?  It was.  

But before hitting the kitchen, I was enjoying an afternoon chat with my brother on the phone.  When I told him of my plans, he said something like, "Maybe you could make something to put on your blog so that it wouldn't be so lonely."  Ugh.  Way to hit a nurturing food lover right where it hurts! So once again, Eric, this one is for you. 

Last week I was perusing the May/June issue of Edible Seattle.  In it, there was a Chickpea Salad recipe that included infused oil and a yogurt dressing with scallions and cilantro.  Yum.  I didn't have couple of the ingredients, so I modified it a touch.

 I served the salad on a bed of lightly dressed spinach, with some falafel patties (of the boxed, time-friendly variety) and with a salad of blanched carrots (5 minutes), reconstituted Turkish apricots (1 minute in the same simmering water and then roughly chopped), diced shallot, and a smoked paprika dressing (aprox 3-1 oil to vinegar, dijon, smoked paprika, cumin, salt/pepper to taste.) 

Chickpea Salad with Yogurt Cilantro Dressing

2 cans chickpeas, rinsed and drained 

2 tbsp vegetable oil 

1/2 tsp cumin seed 

1/4 tsp fennel seed 

1/4 tsp red chili flakes  

1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt 

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped 

1/2 cup green onion, chopped 

1/2 cup whole milk yogurt

Place chickpeas in a mixing bowl.  Preheat oil in a saucepan to med-high heat.  Add cumin seed, fennel seed, and chili flakes--cook for about 10 seconds, or until the spices are a deeper brown and fragrant.  Pour the oil and spices over the chickpeas. Add lemon juice, salt, cilantro, and green onion, and stir to combine; Mix in yogurt and enjoy!:) 

Roasted Portobello and Asparagus Salad with Parmesan and Balsamic Vinaigrette

The transition between Winter and Spring can be a difficult time to eat imaginatively.  We are tired of soups, stews, and casseroles, and yet the fresh produce is still coming from far, far away which makes it less fresh, and in turn, less appealing.  A turning point happens each Spring when asparagus starts to come from the west coast instead of Latin America.  It is then that we can rest easy knowing that fresh produce will continue to grow and flourish for many months to come.

I was recently back in Wisconsin visiting my family.  I was going to make a traditional Greek lasagna called Pastitsio and a big green salad, but I wanted one other dish to accompany it.  Feeling uninspired I looked around the brightly lit grocery store at my options.  I spied the green stalks of asparagus and knew that although the beauties were indeed from Mexico, they would not be for much longer.  I wanted to celebrate this exciting turn of events and so I decided to pair the Portobellos with the asparagus to signify the transition between winter and spring, with the Portobellos representing winter.

This salad is finished with a sprinkling of Parmesan and a drizzling of balsamic.  I hope that it inspires you as well, as the season of fresh food approaches! 

 Roasted Portobello and Asparagus Salad with Parmesan and Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 bunch asparagus, ends trimmed and cut in half

4 Portobello mushroom caps, cut in 1/2 inch slices

4 ounces grated Parmesan

1/3 cup olive oil

3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar

2 tsp dijon

kosher salt and black pepper, to taste

additional olive oil for brushing vegetables

Preheat oven to 425

Line a 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.  The mushrooms should fit on one and the asparagus on two.  Brush the vegetables with olive oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Roast 1 tray at a time for about 15 minutes each (the mushrooms may cook faster.)  Cool each tray to room temperature.  Plate the asparagus in a sun-shaped pattern on a platter and top with the Portobellos. Whisk together the dressing ingredients, sprinkle with the Parmesan, and serve.  

 

Mini Chorizo Picante Corndogs

It all began when I was reading my latest cookbook selection from the library entitled In the Kitchen With a Good Appetite by Melissa Clark.  In the book she actually includes a chapter on deep-frying, and while this is enough to grab my attention, the commentary that she quoted from a friend of hers on the subject of deep-frying is quite funny and true.  She says, " If you go to someones house and the hostess is deep-frying, you know you're in for a good time." Amen, Melissa's friend, Amen.  

I must include here that deep-frying is in my roots, but only for one food delicacy in particular: deep-fried, beer-battered cheese curds.  You may be able to imagine, then, how when the Packers made it to the Superbowl, the Wisconsin contingent here in Seattle became very excited in thinking about cooking that Midwest staple.  Problem was, acquiring cheese curds here in Seattle is WAY different than in Wisconsin.  They are not found everywhere, and it would be quite expensive to to buy enough for a party.  So, we began to brainstorm.  We had the fryer, so we decided to branch out; That is precisely when I came across this recipe.

Since I work for a really great sausage maker, I was already on the right track with this recipe.  That, and the batter is brilliant; You will quickly realize that it will be a great all-purpose batter to have in your back pocket.  The only alteration I made to the original recipe was that I used fresh sausage instead of dried, and it worked great.  Thanks, Melissa! Now go gather some friends and have a party, and remember, if you're deep-frying--you're sure to have a good time.



Mini Chorizo Picante Corndogs


Batter:
1 cup cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 cup whole milk


8 oz (2 4 oz links) fresh sausage-or-8oz dried Spanish chorizo cut into 1/2 inch pieces
Canola oil for frying


Combine the dry ingredients for the batter and then whisk in the egg and milk. Fill a heavy pot halfway with oil and heat to 375 on a deep-fat thermometer, or alternatively use a deep fryer with a temperature gauge. If using fresh links, "pipe" out balls of sausage from one end one the link and dip in the batter. Working in batches, use a slotted spoon to lower the balls into the oil and fry for about 4-5 minutes. If you are unsure about doneness, simply cut into one to make sure the center is cooked. Transfer to a paper-towel lined plate to drain.


P.S Thank you to Allison for taking the photograph from her phone; This was our only chance to gather evidence of these little beauties.

Poached Black Cod with Roasted Leeks, Broccoli, and Mayonnaise

Sometimes I read a book, and it feels like the perfect time to be reading that particular book.  This was the case with the book that I just finished, Lunch in Paris: A Love Story with Recipes by Elizabeth Bard. It was not so much the story that I felt connected to, but the recipes. This is true even though the story was incredibly sweet, inspiring, and quirky in the way that life often is.

Early on in the book, the main character goes to meet her boyfriend's parents and grandparents for the very first time.  In addition to the obvious stress that that situation could emulate, the main character was not a native speaker of French, the family's first language.  It seems from her perspective that the initial meeting went from humbling to smooth, as they prepared lunch together in the cozy kitchen in France.  The lunch that they prepared was a version of this, and it had me at hello.  It took me a couple of weeks to pull it together to make this meal, but I will tell you that I dreamt of it the whole time, and have been daydreaming about it for about a week since we enjoyed this lovely feast.  Be sure to share it with someone who loves food, or whom you think is pretty great.
Poached Black Cod with Roasted Leeks, 
Broccoli, and Mayonnaise (serves 2 happily)
Cod ingredients
a mixture of fresh herbs: bay leaf, thyme, parsley, dill, coriander (about 5 sprigs 
worth)
a few black peppercorns
sea salt
1 lb black cod, 1 inch thick
lemon wedges
Roasted Leeks and Broccoli
6 skinny leeks
1/4 lb broccoli florettes
3 tbsp olive oil
sea salt
Homemade Mayonnaise
1 egg
1 tsp dijon mustard
a squeeze of lemon juice
sea salt/cracked pepper
1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Begin by prepping the leeks: Trim the roots and cut off the dark 
green ends, leaving the white and the light green parts. Starting a few inches below the top, slice up 
through the center, but not all the way through. Turn the leek a quarter, and repeat until you have 
done this 4 times. When you are finished with all of the leeks, toss theleeks and the broccoli with the 
oil and sea salt and place on a lined baking sheet. Next, make your mayo. I used an immersion 
blender; it is incredibly easy and if you do not have one, it should be put immediately on your holiday 
list. Place the ingredients, in the order listed, in a jar or similar cylinder-shaped container. Place the blender at the bottom of the jar and turn on, leaving in place for about 15 seconds. Then, using an up and down hand motion, run the motor for another 15-25 
seconds until the mayo is a thick and cream consistency; Store in the refrigerator until needed. Begin 
roasting the vegetables; They should take about 30 minutes. When there is about 15 minutes of 
roasting time left, start the cod. Fill a frying pan with enough cold water to hold the fish. Add the 
herbs and salt until you can taste it; Bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to simmer and add the fish; It should take about 8 minutes. Remove the fish from the pan, discarding the herbs; Serve with lemon 
wedges.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

I am not a huge fan of leftovers.  I will usually eat leftovers one time, and at most, two, if it is really really delicious.  With this soup, I ate leftovers three times! That in itself, readers, is a huge testament.
And the really beautiful attribute to this soup is that it was born from leftovers.  I made it one chilly night, a few nights after roasting a chicken.  Can you think of a better way to embrace fall?

Chicken Tortilla Soup

1 carrot, finely diced
1 small onion, finely diced
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 tbsp butter
olive oil
4 cups organic chicken broth or 4 cups water
fresh corn off the cob, from 3 fresh cobs
1 can organic chili beans
1 can Ro*Tel tomatoes with green chilis
meat from 1/2 leftover roast chicken

sour cream and tortilla chips, for garnish (optional)

Saute the onion in the butter and olive oil for a couple of minutes and then add the celery and carrot; Saute for 3-4 minutes.  Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer for about 30 minutes.  Salt and pepper, to taste.  Enjoy, multiple times.