Lately, I’ve been re-acquainting myself with some cookbook favorites and came across Paula Wolfert‘s Mediterranean Cooking. If you love cooking from this region and are not familiar with Paula’s considerable body of work, please do so NOW. She will open up a whole world of exciting flavors for you.
So my Novio gets invited by a buddy to a basketball game and I invite a buddy over for catch-up and dinner. Haven’t seen this biddy buddy in awhile and we had a lot to cover.
I needed something simple and delicious to serve that would behave on the stove without a lot of supervision.
Humble & incredibly versatile lentils
ahh, the zestiness of the lemon, the freshness of the cilantro
sauteing those onions
All over the world, good meals begin with the browning of onions. That should be discussed in peace talks.
some more green!
This early springtime soupy dish of lentils, spinach and lemon doesn’t exactly pop on the color meter.
If you want to prepare this dish during the winter, try substituting an equal amount of chopped kale instead of the spinach.
But the zing of the lemon and brightness of the fresh herbs gives it strong flavor appeal. It’s a comforting and supremely tasty dish over brown rice that fit the bill together with a salad of greens, pears & pecans.
This buddy o’ mine is typically a highly articulate, fast-talking and quick-moving creature. When she took her first taste, she slowed down, looked up at me with wonder and said, “Mmm, mm, mm, MMMMM!” Then we proceeded to eat it all.
Lentils with Spinach & Lemon
Ingredients:
1/2 c. lentils (brown or green) water (see directions below) 2 T. olive oil 1 medium onion, thinly sliced 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped 2 T. fresh cilantro (or, if you must, parsley), chopped 2 c. fresh spinach, roughly chopped 1 medium white potato, peeled and very thinly sliced salt & pepper 2 T. lemon juice (juice of 1/2 a lemon), or more to tasteDirections:
Wash and pick over lentils. Place in saucepan and cover fully with cold water. Bring to a boil. Cook, covered, for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat oil in a separate saucepan (or casserole if doubling recipe). Add onions and saute until they just begin to brown. Stir in garlic and cilantro. Add spinach and saute for 5 minutes.
Add the thinly sliced potatoes, lentils, and enough lentil cooking liquid to cover. If you need more liquid, add a little water or broth. Season with salt and pepper.
Bring to boil. Lower heat and simmer for 1/2 hour, or until thick and soupy and potatoes are tender. Stir in lemon juice. Equally delicious hot, warm or cold.
Great as is or over brown rice.
You can use chopped kale instead of the spinach.
Serves 2 very hungry women who have a lot to discuss. Double the recipe for 6 regular portions.
I remember exactly when spaghetti squash first came into my life. It was in the late 80’s, I was a special ed teacher working with hearing-impaired toddlers and their parents, and letting my silly side out every chance I got. There was a teacher named Linda, equally wacky, who I hung out with at lunch. She and I would sing Zippa-dee-doo-dah, complete with movements and pretend blue bird on shoulder. She also did a shockingly good, yet bizarre, impression of an infant crying. This act was accomplished by her vocalizing and placing her fist in her mouth to muffle the sound. Quite bizarre, I agree, yet amazingly on target.
Linda was the one who introduced me to one of my many loves, The Spaghetti Squash.
This particular squash appears to be exhibiting signs of the “Hippo in Tutu” syndrome.
No, you do NOT fit in that bowl
A squash that thinks it’s spaghetti? Preposterous! Ridiculous! Uncanny! Yet, true. Should be added to the 7 Wonders of the World, if you ask me.
Interior Shot
Very simple to prepare. Scoop out all the seeds and stuff.
Seedy, quite seedy
Then bake upside down with a little water in pan.
You in the back, don't be shy - flip over!
Fun to get the strands out of the baked shell.
When cool, simply hold a half-shell vertically in the palm of one hand, stem up, and rake it downward with a fork (across the grain).
I'm ready for my rake-up
Rake me up before you go-go
And extremely versatile. Consider it pretend spaghetti and do with it what you will.
Hey, we could jump back in the shell and be served with topping
With a veggie topping. With spaghetti sauce. With cheese; without cheese. With garbanzo or cannellini beans. With a meat sauce. Combined with a similar-looking pasta like angel hair or capellini (same thing). Or maybe orzo. You get the picture.
Didn't think of that idea soon enough
Well, I’ll just have to make it again soon so I can serve it in its shell!
Spaghetti Squash for Supper
Ingredients:
1 medium spaghetti squash (choose 1 with fairly smooth skin, shades vary) waterDirections:
Pre-heat oven to 350°. Cut squash in half length-wise by piercing it with the tip of a sharp knife, then cutting into it until you reach past the flesh. Continue cutting around to separate halves.. Remove all seeds and fibrous stuff from center with a tablespoon.
Place in baking pan, cut side down with a few tablespoons of water to prevent scorching. Bake for 50 minutes or until fork-tender.You can also microwave by piercing the skin in several places, adding a little water to the dish and microwaving until tender, 6-8 minutes or more. If you like other methods, please share!
Let squash rest cut side up, until cool enough to handle. Hold the half-shell vertically in the palm of one hand while raking the strands downward – across the grain – with a fork.
If you’re short on time, prepare the spaghetti squash in advance, place the pulled strands in the fridge and use in the next day or so.
Serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a side dish.
Read on, we’re not done with you yet!
One Quick Veggie Topping:
Ingredients:
1 T. olive oil 1/2 red onion, chopped (or white or brown or 1 shallot) 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1/2 green pepper, finely diced (or 1 c. broccoli florets or 1 diced zucchini) 3 Roma (plum) tomatoes, diced salt & pepper 1 T. Italian parsley, choppedDirections:
Heat skillet. Heat oil. add onions and pepper and saute for 3-5 minutes or until softened (if using zucchini, add here; if using broccoli, add with tomatoes). Add garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add tomatoes and briefly cook for 2 more minutes. Generously season and toss in parsley. Serve.
Delicious topped with cheese: grated Parmesan, Romano, Asiago or crumbled feta or goat cheese.
Crazily versatile AKA What's in the fridge today?
See above for a few serving suggestions. Give yourself permission to experiment with different vegetables, herbs and seasonings.
Ahhh… the memory of sitting outside a little Paris bistro enjoying a piece of roasted salmon perfectly situated atop a heaping serving of lovely French green lentils.
Wait a minute – I was only in Paris once and I don’t remember eating that. No matter – I’m sure it’s someone else’s memory. Let’s just share it. You know, like a universal subconscious thing.
Lentils and playmates
In any case, French green lentils make a terrific side. They’re a bit nuttier than brown lentils and have wonderful flavor. These lentils don’t tend to fall apart when cooked and take a few more minutes to become tender (about 5). Make some of these sentimental lentils soon.
Use a mix of broth and water for a flavorful cooking liquid
Prep Squad
Ready, set, saute!
Ooh... you smell nice
Don’t wait for a Valentine’s Day. Create meals with love and express your love any day.
Lentils join their playmates
French Green Lentils
Ingredients:
1 c. French green lentils (ok, you can use brown lentils if you can’t find these, follow package directions for ratio of beans to liquid and cooking times) 2 c. broth (veggie or chicken) 2 c. water 1 bay leaf (or 2 small) 1/2 t. dried thyme 2 T. olive oil 1 large carrot (or 2 medium), finely diced 1/2 large onion, finely diced 1 clove garlic, minced salt & pepper to tasteDirections:
Rinse and pick through lentils (who knows – a little pebble might have sneaked through lentil customs). Combine with water, broth, bay leaf and thyme in pot. Bring to a boil, stir and reduce to a simmer. Cover with lid askew and cook for 22-26 minutes or until just tender. Stir occasionally.
While lentils are doing their thing, heat oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and carrots and saute until just tender, about 5-8 minutes. Add garlic and saute 1 more minute. Add salt and pepper. Set aside ((if lentils aren’t done yet).
When lentils are finished cooking, add to onion carrot mixture, using a slotted spoon. See how much liquid there is. Include some liquid for moistness. If you like it less soupy, leave some cooking liquid in pot. This is a personal preference call – Hello? Can I please speak with Personal Preference?
Serving Suggestions
With brown rice
With quinoa
Stirred while warm with a vinaigrette and served as a lentil salad
As a bed for fish fillets or chicken breasts
ooh la la
This is roasted salmon fillet atop a bed of French green lentils mixed with aromatic vegetables and brown rice – served with roasted Brussels sprouts. If this doesn’t spell L-O-V-E, I don’t know what does.
Shakshuka, sounds like a dance (c’mon everyone, let’s do the Shakshuka!) but it’s one of Israel’s premier comfort foods. Most often eaten for breakfast, it’s also terrific for lunch or as a light supper. And very fun to say.
Stray tomato impersonating egg
My friend Chana, having come to LA from Israel when she was 19, told me how she prepares it. This was my first attempt. If you’ve got pointers, please advise.
Let the sauteing begin
The eggs are plopped right over this delicious and simple thick sauce, essentially being poached in a sunny-side-up kind of way.
Eggs sunning themselves
So make this dish for someone you love – yourself or yourself and someone special – and you’ll have yourself a sunny day. And make up your own shakshuka dance to celebrate.
Hey, looks like huevos rancheros minus the tortillas!
Shakshuka
Ingredients:
2 t. olive oil 1/2 t. cumin 1/2 onion, chopped 1/2 green pepper, small dice 1 garlic clove, minced 4 medium tomatoes, chopped (cluster or juicy tomatoes work best, you can throw in one Roma tomato but all Romas makes the dish more meaty and less saucy) dash of cayenne pepper (or to taste) 4 eggs salt & pepperOptions:
This is a very flexible method. Many variations will deliver for you.
-Omit the green pepper if that’s not your thing. -Add 1/2 can of rinsed and drained garbanzo beans and stir into tomato mixture before adding the eggs. -Include a small diced zucchini after the onions and peppers have cooked a bit. -For more heat (above is a very mild version) add one or any combo of the following: chopped jalapeno, red pepper flakes, hot sauce.Directions:
Chop all ingredients that need chopping. Heat a large skillet and heat the oil. Add cumin and stir with a wooden spoon on medium heat just to release aroma, no more than 1/2 minute or so.
Add onion and green pepper, and cook for 3 minutes, until softened. Add garlic and stir, then add the tomatoes. Add cayenne. When tomato mixture bubbles, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 5 minutes, until softened.
Break eggs one at a time into a small bowl and slide atop tomatoes, equidistant from each other to keep them whole and separated (placing them around the perimeter works for 4-5 eggs). Cook covered, for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat, keep covered, for 2 more minutes, or just until whites have set. Experiment with cooking time for eggs to reach your personal eggy preference – I like the yolks a bit runny to scoop up with bread or potatoes. Serve immediately.
Serving Suggestions:
-goes great with warmed pita, toasted sourdough or whole-grain bread
-make some quick & delicious roasted potatoes as a side
ROASTED POTATOES (serves 2)
2 medium Russet or Idaho potatoes, bite-sized dice 1 T. olive/grape seed oil (or less- just enough to coat) salt & pepper garlic powderPre-heat oven to 400°. Toss diced potatoes with oil and add seasonings. Place on foil-lined baking sheet. Roast for 30 minutes, stirring once, halfway-through until browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Lift up foil ends to make a little keep-warm package until ready to serve.
Was a sunny day, not a cloud was in the sky...
bb tip:
If you don’t have a lid for your large skillet, don’t fret. Use a piece of aluminum foil to cover.
What makes some banana breads and muffins stand out more than others? Easy – more banana!
This is an incredibly quick, no-fuss recipe… best of all – one bowl only!
forgot the egg for the shoot, not the recipe
OK everyone, time for a pop quiz. I’m one of those odd ones who enjoyed a good pop quiz in school, especially in spelling and math. So sharpen your pencils. No, no, we’re in the digital age, put the pencils away.
Which of the following bananas would you use to make banana bread?
a)
b)
c)
d) a & b
e) b & c
f) all of the above
↓
Answer: (drum roll, please) d) a & b
You want to use freckled bananas. Just-ripe bananas are great for eating, but when they still have a bit of green on the edges, they won’t mash as easily and won’t be as sweet. Choice (a) looks gross but that’s what happens when you put a perfectly freckled banana in the fridge to wait for banana cousins to join him. Just don’t keep him in the fridge too long. How long is too long? Glad you asked – can anyone help out with a response? I do know I once kept a banana waiting for far too long and it wasn’t very nice (let’s not go there).
The only trick is putting away 3 speckled and freckled bananas (the best for this type of activity) in the fridge for this recipe before you or someone else eats the ones sitting on the counter.
Six Muffins and a Mini
Come & get 'em
BANANA-NANA MUFFINS
Ingredients:
3/4 c. canola/safflower oil or 6 oz. butter, melted & cooled 3 large ripe bananas, mashed 1/2 c. light brown sugar 1 egg 1 t. pure vanilla (we mean the good stuff, always the good stuff) 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1/4 t. salt 1/2 t. cinnamon 1/4 t. cloves 1 c. unbleached flour 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour 1/2 c. walnuts 1/4 c. 2% Greek yogurt OR Daisy light sour cream OR 1/4 c. milk/almond milk/soy milk Note: Only have unbleached flour in the house? Then use 1 1/2 cups and we won’t tell anyone on you. Optional: You can sprinkle a few chopped walnuts on top of muffins/bread before baking. This is a small recipe for when I have 3 bananas in need of quick action in the house. I’ve seen recipes calling for 5 bananas but bananas don’t pile up in this house. The Novio moves the banana inventory along. I’ve found that this configuration doesn’t yield a dozen muffins – it’s more like 9. I do this often, and I tend to use a 6-cup muffin tin and fill one MINI-loaf tin (note the irony of typing the word mini in CAPS) with the excess. You can also do ALL mini-loaf tins and it will fill three. Also, you can probably put the whole batter in an 8″ loaf pan and extend the baking time. Suggested times are below.Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375°.
Mash bananas in large bowl. Mix in oil with wooden spoon, followed by sugar, egg, vanilla and spices.
Sprinkle baking powder and salt over mixture. Add half the flours and nuts, then the yogurt (or sour cream), followed by the rest of the flour and nuts. Stir until just barely combined.
Pour into greased muffin tins or mini loaf pans (coated with light cooking spray).
Bake the muffins for 23-25 minutes.on center rack. If doing a mini-loaf, bake that for 30-32 minutes. If you like, pour the whole batter into an 8″ loaf pan and if there’s any left over, pour the rest into a mini loaf pan. Bake the 8″ loaf for about 45-50 minutes. Times can vary, depending on your oven. Best thing is to check by inserting a toothpick a few minutes before. You’re looking for a few crumbs on the toothpick or a dry toothpick. Also, the tops should be brown and firm to the touch.
Cool on rack or on stove for a minute, then remove the muffins from tins. The loaves should be thoroughly cooled before removing, at least one hour, or slice it directly from the loaf pan like I do!
bb tip: Want to turn a muffin into a cupcake?
Muffin actng like Cupcake
Add a smear of frosting! Yeah, I know, muffins are sturdier and cupcakes are cakier and generally fluffier. But who really cares? Not your happy eaters, that’s for sure. This is all about pleasing yourself and those around you.
I had some leftover frosting, an excellent lower fat adaption, (from carrot cake cupcakes) in the fridge . It holds surprisingly well and because I don’t use a lot, I usually have leftover when I make it. Give it a good stir and it’s ready for smearing. Great on graham crackers or ginger snaps too.
Vanilla Cream Cheese Frosting
1 (8-oz.) package reduced-fat (like Neufchatel) cream cheese, softened 1/2 stick unsalted butter 3/4 c. confectioner’s sugar 1 t. vanillaIn a stand mixer, beat all ingredients on medium until fluffy. Chill frosting for 20 minutes, or until it’s set up enough to spread smoothly. Enough for 24 cupcakes or more!
Meat Loaf. The proverbial comfort food. But not always as delicious as the vision in my head. What happens? Over-baked, hard loaves for one. Or done on the outside and not-quite-done, kind-of-falling-apart on the inside. Also, heavy, sometimes just too heavy.
Making a lighter meatloaf
Years ago, I came up with my Springtime Meat Loaf as a response to all that density. There should not be so much meat destiny – I mean density. The solution? Lighten up the meat mixture with a healthy infusion of shredded or grated vegetables and freshly chopped herbs. Excellent additions: onion, garlic, zucchini, carrot, small potato, red pepper, carrot, parsley, cilantro, thyme – experiment – any combo will do.
Close encounters of the meatloaf kind
Poof! The loaf is lighter – now stop loafin’ around! Get on my plate!
I prefer to do mini meat loaves, rustic, that is – black gold, Texas Tea. Oh, excuse me, my mind wandered for a moment there.
Three Amigos
For those of you who like the crunchy end pieces of bread and the crunchy end pieces of anything-baked, you will understand where I’m going with this. If you do 3 free-form loaves shaped on a baking sheet, you will yield triple the amount of crunchy and crusty end pieces. Hooray!
Rustic Turkey Mini- Meat Loaves
Ingredients:
1-1 1/4 lbs. ground turkey 1 egg 1/4 c. old-fashioned oatmeal 1 T. ketchup 1/2 t. Worcestershire sauce 1/2 large or 1 small zucchini, shredded 1/2 carrot, shredded 1 small white potato, shredded 1/4 white or yellow onion, chopped or grated 1 clove garlic, minced 2 T. fresh Italian parsley, chopped (can substitute 1/2 – 1 t. dried herbs- experiment!) 1 t. cumin 1/2 t. chili powder salt & pepper extra ketchup for tops of loaves (about 3 t.) 1/2 t. maple flakes or brown sugar for tops of loavesOptional: can substitute 1 T. of flax seed meal for part of the oatmeal
Directions:
Pre-heat oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with light cooking spray.
Shred or grate veggies (I do it either way depending on my mood – if vegetables are watery, drain off a little liquid – I shredded the veggies this time – the better to see them) and chop fresh herbs. In a large bowl, mix meat with veggies, oatmeal, herbs, seasonings, egg, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce (and anything else in your kitchen, just kidding).
OK, before you get to the next step, make sure the ketchup, something sweet to sprinkle and a couple of spoons are handy. If you have maple flakes, awesome (I’m a lover of anything maple syrupy and these flakes are excellent – I found them at Surfas, where else, but if they’re not around, brown sugar works well).
Now wash your hands, fashion 3 free-form loaves on the pan, go wash your hands again, I’m a stickler about those things and squirt a little ketchup atop each loaf. Using the back of a spoon, coat the whole surface with a very thin layer of ketchup (too thick and it won’t glaze) and sprinkle a bit of maple flakes (or brown sugar) over the top.
Bake for 35-40 minutes, until brown and firm to the touch. Remove and loosely tent with foil (I do this all the time). Let rest 10 minutes before slicing.
Of course, you can choose to do this as a regular meat loaf… bake for one hour. Recipe can be doubled – use 2 large baking pans (or make a large loaf and bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes). But herein lies another mini-loaf advantage – dinner’s ready sooner!
bb notes:
Did you know hummus is delicious with meat loaf? I didn’t until the two ended up next to each other on a plate – they make a great pair.
Penzeys Spices is a terrific spice company-with-heart based in Wisconsin. Their tag line says it all: Love to Cook – Cook to Love. Good, huh? They have a wonderful catalog that features spices from all over the world and both folksy recipes and solid information. Did you know some of the world’s best vanilla hails from Madagascar? The door to the world of spices awaits you at Penzeys.
Especially now that Penzeys Spice Shops are located in selected parts of the US. My novio and I took a field trip to the little shop in Santa Monica last month where we picked up a few gift boxes – The Baker’s Assortment Gift Box (started it yet, kb?) and The Some Like It Hot Gift Box. For myself, I was tempted by a lot (will need to return), but on that trip I picked up some oregano and the Garam Masala I included in my Indian-Inspired Cauliflower of a previous post.
It was there that my novio picked up a few recipe cards that he thought I would enjoy. The man has learned well. One of them was for these little Cocoa Snowflakes that I share with you here.
Snowflake Crew
To begin…
Level your tablespoon
eye on cocoa
Batter up
This recipe appealed to me immediately.
Playing in snow
Wipe your feet before you come inside
Invasion of the Cocoa Snowflakes
But I didn’t quite get why they were called snowflakes. OK, those of you on the East Coast or in any four-season climate, you will relate… the rest, simply nod politely until you pick up the thread of the conversation… Remember when you were little and there was a big snowfall but it wasn’t too too cold and the snowflakes that fell seemed like the largest you’d ever seen and you’d catch one on your mitten in the split second before it glistened and melted into a tiny little pool? You could see the intricate little pattern that reminded you of your Spirograph designs (or did your Spirograph designs remind you of snowflakes?). And, in just the same way that no two snowflakes are alike, just like fingerprints, each one special and unique, no two Cocoa Snowflakes are alike.
Therefore (I like that word and I don’t use it enough), in honor of winter, we’re making Cocoa Snowflakes… even though bb is blowing in from Southern California.
These little snowflakes look great on a dessert table (top of tiered cookie tray in upper left corner).
Looking so innocent
Cocoa Snowflakes
(ever-so-slightly adapted from Penzeys)
Ingredients:
1 c. all-purpose flour 1 t. baking powder 1/4 t. sea salt 5 T. unsalted butter 6 T. cocoa 1 scant c. sugar 2 t. pure vanilla 2 large eggs 1/2 c. powdered sugar, scant (for rolling cookies in)Optional: add 1 c. finely chopped nuts and stir into mix at the end, together with flour.
Directions:
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
In a small, heavy saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Add cocoa and blend well with a fork or small whisk until smooth.
Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and add vanilla and eggs, one at a time. Mix well, then add flour (if using nuts, now’s the time to add them).
Divide soft dough into 2 bowls, cover each with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least two hours so that dough is workable. You can use one bowl but using 2 bowls helps keep dough well-chilled. It’s very tricky to work with the dough as it warms up.
Preheat oven to 400°. Put powdered sugar in pie plate. Pull off small bits of dough, about 3/4″ in diameter, to roll in powdered sugar. That’s about the length of an average thumbnail (unless you’re a giant or a peewee). You can coat your hands in powdered sugar and then roll the balls OR make little ball-type shapes, drop into sugar, pick up and gently roll with a light hand until coated. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets about 2″ apart (we fit about 20 on one large baking pan).
Bake cookies for 8 minutes, let cool one minute, then remove from pan onto rack (if you keep cookies in oven for even one minute longer, they harden and get crispier – keeping them in the pan once removed from the oven will cause them to harden as well). We love them with a slight crisp on the outside and a chewy middle.
Store cooled cookies in airtight container to maintain chewy texture (can be frozen).
Makes 40-60 little cookies.
bb note:
A scant cup of sugar is close to 7 oz.on a liquid measuring cup. (Not to be confused with 7 oz. on a kitchen scale… a solid cup weighs less than that… around 6 oz. – having to do with volume & density -but I’m getting overcomplicated here. If you know what I mean, wonderful… if not, carry on. We’ll save this other stuff for another time.)
I generally bring the amount of sugar in a dessert down by anywhere from 1/4, to 1/3, all the way down to 1/2. But this recipe wasn’t that sweet so I just tweaked it a bit. The challenge is sharing these little gems and not standing there, eating one after another.
People seem to just know how to prepare fish or state they don’t and never make it. Years ago, I used to be one of those people shy about preparing it but I started playing around and eventually got the hang of it.
I tend to pan saute, broil or bake it. (And every now & then, I prepare a chowder).
Sure, you can fancy it up, but the best, most flavorful fish is one that’s of high quality and prepared very simply.
True cod
That trick is LOSE that old-fashioned notion of: it’s done when it flakes. That will give you OVER-done fish. Fish is delicate, please treat it with some delicacy. It continues to cook out of the oven. It should flake on your plate, not in the baking dish. It is so packed with good things for our bodies, we would do well to eat more of it. (Oh, come on, try it, Lulu- don’t be stubborn.)
Hello little zester, you’re one of my favorite things that lives in the utensil drawer.
I love using fresh bread crumbs. Whenever you have some leftover bread, challah, whatever, cut it up into bite-size chunks and give them a few seconds in your food processor or mini-food processor (for a small amount). I love my mini-Cuisinart -they’re not pricey -put it on your list if you don’t have one. Store crumbs in an an airtight container and use whenever you need it – directly from freezer – for toppings, meatloaf, burgers.
But there is something else I love to use and that’s PANKO.
A bit of crumby business
Panko are Japanese-style bread crumbs and are available in either the Japanese section of your market or in the bread crumb section. Mix them with garlic, fresh herbs, and/or something in the onion family and you’re there.
herb line-up
Peaches Crumbs with Herb
(did I need to explain that musical reference?)
Panko are hands-down superior to all other store-bought crumbs. They are cut in a special way to maximize crunch and are not laden with nasty preservatives like other types (that shall remain nameless). Buy them, buy them, buy them and store them in your pantry! But once you open them, keep them in your fridge so that they don’t go stale on you. Stale bread crumbs, blegh…
No stale crumbs here
What's under the tent
OK, let’s go get some fish!
Fish Fillets with Herbed-Crumb Topping
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. fish fillets (cod, flounder, halibut, salmon), cut in 4-5 pieces zest of 1 lemon 1 lemon, thinly sliced 1/2 c. bread crumbs or Panko 1 T. olive oil (may need a smidge more) 1 green onion, thinly sliced 2 T. Italian parsley, chopped 2 T. cilantro, chopped (delete if you’re one of those who don’t care for cilantro; use dill if making salmon; other fresh herbs are great too-like basil, oregano, thyme) salt & pepper to taste 1 t. Dijon mustardDirections:
Zest lemon and add to bread crumbs (or Panko) in a small bowl. Add oil and fresh herbs/scallions. You should have just enough oil to moisten the mixture. Add salt & pepper. Lay sliced lemon (the one you just zested) in a greased baking dish in a single layer. Lay fish fillets over lemon, also in a single layer. Place small amount of mustard over each fillet and spread over fish with back of teaspoon. Spread herbed-crumb mixture evenly over fish.
Bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes until just browned. (Place under broiler for 1 minute, if you like, but DON’T do this if using a glass dish, trust me.) Remove from oven and loosely tent with a piece of aluminum foil…that will continue the cooking process very gently.
Makes 4 servings
bb tips:
When baking fish, a good rule-of-thumb is to bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness of fish. I heard this a long time ago and it’s one of those things that’s very good to know and should be included in a Life’s Instructions Handbook. That’s why it’s a good idea to get fish of similar thickness. BUT, if they’re not, arrange fish in baking pan so that thicker pieces are placed around perimeter and thinner pieces are closer to center.
Tenting dishes like fish and chicken right after it comes out of the oven, by making a crease down the middle of a piece of a aluminum foil and placing it over the pan like it’s a roof, is a super-effective way to gently continue the cooking process without over-doing it or making your dish soggy.
I always used to rinse fish from the market and it always seemed soggy afterward. Then I consulted with highly reputable fishmongers around town (Santa Monica Seafood, anyone? Love that place! Pricey though, go for the specials.) And the advice was unanimous – do not rinse the fish. And no one has ever had a tummy ache. Do you disagree? bb would like to know.
There is a trick to preparing fish. Remove it from the oven just before it flakes. If you need to, use a fork to break a piece off to check, it should be just barely cooked through. Then, have a piece of aluminum foil ready-to-go and loosely tent it as soon as you remove it from the oven.
This is a highly adaptable recipe. You can omit the mustard and squeeze the juice of 1/2 a lemon over the fish before spooning on the topping.
Sometimes I add a garlic clove, minced, to the crumbs or 1/4 small red onion, chopped or 1/2 shallot, minced.
When I’m in a big rush, this is what I sometimes do with fish – insanely quick with surprisingly flavorful results: I grease the baking dish, lay down lemon slices and fresh herbs (stems with leaves -enough to spread over pan). I always include parsley and add one of whatever you want/have: oregano, thyme, dill, cilantro, basil, even mint. Then lay fish down over herbs, drizzle top with oil, add salt & pepper and maybe a spicy seasoning (or Mrs. Dash or lemon pepper) and bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes. Discard leaves and serve. Done Done Done!
Couldn’t resist including this – our friends came over and they know I love fresh herbs. Ain’t this sweet? Thanks, E & S!
I am delighted to report, bb readers, that as of last week, this blog has had over 1,000 views. I’m a total neophyte but I do believe this is good. I set this project up as a way to communicate my passion and share what I know.
So I looked back to survey what I’ve done over the past several weeks and guess what? Sides, breakfast stuff (I love breakfast), a few soups and (big surprise) desserts (albeit with sugar & fat somewhat tamed). We don’t want to misrepresent what goes on in this kitchen. I do make complete and nutritious meals for me and my Novio, and on occasion, for family & friends. Now, a first chicken post comes your way. I like to do things differently, including chicken. This dish is courtesy of my friend Michelle. Her family likes things hotter than mine so we tweaked it a little bit.
Aromatically aromatic
Michelle usually uses drumsticks or wings for this dish. We love drumsticks but didn’t have any on hand. I generally use chicken breasts, which would require a shorter cooking time. But I had a hunch that chicken thighs would work well for, providing more flavor.
That was fast!
The potatoes and garbanzos help thicken the sauce as it cooks. The dish can very easily be adapted for a vegetarian curry. My Novio proclaimed this a “super-tasty” dinner. And I agreed.
We’ll continue to share what goes on in this kitchen with the help of (what was that? was it a bird? was it a plane? no, it’s…) a bumbleberry breeze. Waft on, little breeze.
Curried Chicken
Ingredients:
1 1/2 lbs. chicken thighs, skinless and boneless 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced 2 T. fresh ginger, sliced 2 T. yellow curry powder, divided 2 t. Garam Masala, divided (a warm seasoning mix used to complement curries) 1 t. ground cumin, divided 3/4 t. turmeric, divided salt & pepper 1 onion, largely diced 2-3 carrots, thickly sliced (if small carrots, use 3) 2 medium white potatoes, largely diced 2 T. olive or grape seed oil 1/2 c. white wine (vegetable/chicken broth may be substituted) 1 can garbanzo beans (AKA chick peas), rinsed & drained 1/4 t. sweet paprika 2 T. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped (may substitute Italian parsley)Directions:
Rinse chicken and thoroughly pat dry. Place in glass bowl and rub garlic and ginger on chicken. Sprinkle on 1 T. of the curry powder, 1 t. Garam Masala, 1/2 t. cumin, 1/4 t. turmeric, salt & pepper. Place onions, potatoes and carrots over chicken and stir. Marinate covered, in the refrigerator, for 2 hours to overnight (depending on your available time – the longer, the better).
Heat 2 T. oil in large skillet (with a cover) and cook the remaining spices for 1 minute – the 1 T. curry powder, 1 t. Garam Masala, 1/2 t. cumin, 1/2 t. turmeric.
Separate chicken from veggies and place chicken in pan over medium heat to cook for 1 minute on each side. Put aside on plate.
Place vegetables in pan and add white wine. Bring up to low boil and down to gentle simmer. Cook covered for 1/2 hour or until potatoes/carrots are tender. Stir occasionally.
Return chicken to saucepan and stir. Cook another 1/2 hour or until chicken is just cooked through (no longer pink inside). In the last 5 minutes of cooking, gently stir in rinsed and drained garbanzos. Adjust salt & pepper. Sprinkle on paprika and fresh cilantro.
Serves 4-5
May be served over rice or pasta or with quinoa. Great with cauliflower, yams, broccoli or green beans (must stop now, I’m making myself hungry).
bb tips:
It’s always a good idea to briefly cook seasonings in a bit of oil as the cooking further deepens the flavor.
Many dishes in the poultry/meat category benefit from seasoning and marinating overnight.
To turn up the heat on this dish, use more curry, a hotter curry blend or add red pepper flakes.
As with most dishes in the stew department, this dish tastes even better the next day.
Corn season may be over for now, but that doesn’t mean we can’t pull out a bag of cornmeal… which leads us to probably my favorite muffin on the planet, especially when done really well, the mighty corn muffin. It’s terrific any time, anywhere, anyhow. OK, I’m crazy about these corn muffins.
The crew, assembled
For guidance, we need look no further than to our friend, Christopher Kimball of Cook’s Illustrated Magazine. To me, Mr. Kimball is the Grand Pooh-Bah of all things KITCHEN. The man knows his stuff and has tested and re-tested and tested again.
Mix dry ingredients
Mix liquid ingredients
Ready, set, bake
Kimball points to using stone-ground, whole grain cornmeal to deliver a full and complex corn flavor. By using the whole grain, including the bran, the endosperm and the germ, you’re delivering not only a flavor boost but a health boost as well. Vitamins, minerals & fiber, oh my!!!
I like using a medium- grind cornmeal. It’s got both a satisfying bite and a lovely shade, speckled with bits of very bright yellow. Kimball prefers using fine-ground , whole grain cornmeal for a muffin with a finer crumb. I’ll have to try that one one of these days but my hand just keeps reaching for the medium-grind cornmeal at the market. Look for either Arrowhead Mills or (my favorite) Bob’s Red Mill. Both are available at Whole Foods or, oh well, pricier markets. Some things are just worth it.
Meetin' of the muffins
MIGHTY CORN MUFFINS
ever-so-slightly adapted from Cook’s Illustrated 2007 Holiday Baking
Ingredients:
2 c. unbleached all-purpose flour 1 c. medium-ground, whole grain yellow cornmeal 1 1/2 t. baking powder 1 t. baking soda 1/2 t. sea salt 2 large eggs 2/3 c. sugar 8 T. (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 3/4 c. Daisy Light low fat sour cream OR 3/4 c. 2% Greek yogurt 1/2 c. low fat milkDirections:
Adjust oven rack to middle position and pre-heat oven to 400°. Spray 12-cup muffin tin with light cooking spray.
Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl.
Whisk eggs in second medium bowl until light-colored (half a minute). Add sugar and whisk until thick (another half-minute).
Add melted butter in 3 additions, whisk well after each time.
Add half the sour cream and half the milk, whisk to combine. Whisk in remaining sour cream and milk.
Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir with spatula until just mixed and evenly moistened. (Or until you no longer see streaks of flour.) Don’t overmix (which will toughen the muffins.)
With a large spoon or an ice-cream scoop, divide batter evenly into the 12 greased muffin tins. Leave them in mounds, don’t flatten.
Bake until muffins are a light golden brown and toothpick inserted comes out clean, abut 18 minutes. Rotate pan from front to back halfway through for even browning.
Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then invert onto wire rack and turn upright.
Makes 12 muffins. Serve warm or at room temp, plain or with a little sweet butter and/or a drizzle of honey.
bb tips:
Go sweet by adding 2/3 cup finely chopped dried apricots (use a mini-chopper to make it easier) and the zest of 1/2 an orange.
Go savory by adding 6 oz. grated cheddar with either 3-4 scallions, sliced very thin or 2-3 jalapenos, seeded and de-veined and chopped.
Trash tip: I also keep a plastic bag or bowl on the counter right next to me to put trash in as I work. Sometimes I hang it around a below-the-counter drawer. Who needs to keep going back & forth?
reality shot - not too scary
bumbleberry breeze 