Yearly Archives: 2009

Lunch & Dinner

Taco Tuesday

There’s a taco place a few blocks away that has $1 tacos on Tuesday nights. I’ll eat and/or drink anything for a buck, but my first Taco Tuesday experience was also the last. Turns out a dollar doesn’t get you the usual high quality stuff.

I decided it was better to stay home and have my own Taco Tuesday, or more accurately put, Tostada Tuesday. There’s a little bit of assembly required, but you can make it happen while you wait for The Real Housewives of New Jersey to come on. (Yes, I watch it. Don’t judge me).

SHRIMP & CHORIZO TOSTADAS

Makes 4 loaded tostadas

For the Slaw:

1 (1-pound) bag coleslaw mix
1 tomato, seeded and chopped
1 onion, chopped (about 1 cup) *reserve half for beans
6 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper

For the Beans:

1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
Salt and pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons ketchup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

For the Tostadas:

4 small (about 6″ in diameter) corn tortillas
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

6 ounces chorizo, casings removed and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
8 ounces peeled and deveined shrimp

Garnishes:

Sour cream, hot sauce, avocado, pickled jalapeños, lime wedges

-In a large bowl, combine coleslaw mix, tomato, ½ of the chopped onion, and vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

-Place a baking sheet on the center rack of the oven and preheat it to 400˚F.

-Place the beans in the bowl of a food processor. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining chopped onion and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic clove and continue cooking about 30 seconds. Remove skillet from heat and add onion mixture to food processor. Add ketchup and Worcestershire and pulse until beans are smooth. Transfer bean puree to the now empty skillet and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and darkened in color, about 10 minutes.

-Meanwhile, brush both sides of each tortilla with oil and carefully place on the heated baking sheet. Bake until crisp and golden, 8 to 10 minutes.

-In a separate large skillet, cook chorizo over medium-high heat until light golden, 3 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Increase heat to high, pat shrimp dry and season with salt and pepper. Add shrimp and minced garlic to skillet and cook until shrimp is opaque, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Trasnfer to plate.

-To assemble the tostadas: spread each toasted tortilla with beans, then top with shrimp, chorizo, and slaw. Garnish and serve.

Breakfast

Breakfast in Bed

I don’t make pancakes. I always want a tall stack, but I fall short each time I try to make them. Diners, Denny’s, and IHOPs around the country are responsible for my ever having a pancake. I just can’t flip. My last attempt put me in a murderous rage, and all I had to show was a lousy pile of amoeba-shaped cakes.

I do make waffles, though. My mom gave me a two-waffle iron a few years ago and I use it frequently. Plain waffles, whole wheat waffles, cornmeal waffles. Blueberry syrup, hot buttered maple syrup and pecans, fresh fruit and powdered sugar. For a new twist on the sweet standards, I snuck in smoked cheddar. Go ahead, it’s a holiday – a perfect excuse to have breakfast in bed.

SMOKED CHEDDAR WAFFLES with HAM & CHIVE EGGS

Makes 8 waffles
Special equipment: Waffle iron

For the Waffles:

1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 ounces smoked gouda or cheddar cheese, shredded (about 3/4 cup)
1 3/4 cups milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 stick butter, melted and slightly cooled

-Preheat oven to 200˚F. Have a baking sheet on hand. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer’s instructions.

– In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, pepper, and cheese. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and butter.  Pour egg mixture into flour mixture, and with a few strokes, whisk just until ingredients are combined.

– Pour batter into waffle iron and cook according to waffle iron manufacturer’s instructions. Place waffles on baking sheet and keep warm in oven. Repeat with remaining batter.

For the Eggs:
Serves 2

5 large eggs
3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
Salt and pepper
3 slices Black Forest ham, chopped

– Whisk eggs in medium bowl. Whisk in chives and season with salt and pepper.

– Melt butter over medium heat in small nonstick skillet. Add ham and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Pour in eggs and stir constantly until cooked through. Serve with waffles.

Easy-to-Make

Meat & Potatoes

Meat and potatoes: poetic or prosaic? The words themselves sound clunky, stodgy, lacking in glitz. Often, “meat and potatoes” are used to describe down-to-earth, hard-working folks. But, isn’t that sturdy reliability what we sometimes crave at the end of the day? After eight-plus hours of being micromanaged, belittled, and mocked, you need an honest plateful.

SEARED STEAK & SCALLION-RED BELL PEPPER POTATO SALAD
Serves 2 (expect leftovers)

For the Potato Salad:

1 ½ pounds red bliss potatoes, scrubbed
Salt and pepper
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 teaspoon sugar
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ cup olive or vegetable oil
3 scallions, finely chopped
3 tablespoons jarred roasted red bell peppers, drained and finely chopped

For the Steak:

2 teaspoons vegetable oil
2 steaks of your choice (sirloin steak tips featured in photo)
Salt and pepper
Worcestershire sauce

– Bring 2 quarts water to boil in large saucepan. Add 2 teaspoons salt. Cut potatoes in half and slice each half crosswise into ¼-inch-thick slices. Add potatoes to pot and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook potatoes until fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and transfer to large bowl.

– Meanwhile, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, red wine vinegar, sugar, and garlic powder. Slowly and steadily drizzle in oil, whisking constantly until fully incorporated. Whisk in scallions and red bell peppers and season with salt and pepper to taste. Add dressing to warm potatoes and gently, with a rubber spatula, stir potatoes and dressing until potatoes are evenly coated. Taste and adjust seasoning.

– Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Pat steaks dry with paper towels and season both sides of each generously with salt and pepper.  Splash each steak with 2 to 3 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce.  Cook steaks until well browned on each side, about 5 minutes per side (8 to 10 minutes if you prefer a well-done steak). Transfer to platter and let rest 5 minutes. Serve with potato salad.

Lunch & Dinner

Pizza Pizza!

I stroll the supermarket with the same fierce determination that I do the Bergdorf Goodman shoe department.  And just like with shoes, when it comes to food, it’s a gut reaction that leads to the purchase. Louboutins? Pizza? Both elicit visceral reactions: I see. I buy. I don’t question. I don’t regret.

Recently the object of my desire was pizza. I had a 1-pound ball of dough from Whole Foods at home, ready to party on a Friday night. Starved, I scurried from deli to produce aisle to pasta aisle. What did I want?  Hunger was distracting me, making me frantic. Did I want fancy? Did I wan ghetto? Was I feeling country or rock’n’roll? Help me Donnie and Marie!

Before I knew it I was clutching salami, a jar of Ragú Pizza Quick sauce. And a pack of Entenmann’s chocolate-frosted doughnuts (not intended for pizza topping, of course – am not that gross, despite what you may have read in this blog)… plus an individually-wrapped cheese danish, also courtesy of Entenmann’s. Had you spotted me in the checkout aisle with these products I wouldn’t have faulted you for thinking I’d been inhaling an illegal substance.

Back home, I decided there was enough room on my dough for upscale and downmarket toppings: one side got lacquered in fig jam and covered with thin slices of prosciutto and a generous shaving of Parmesan; the other got Pizza quick, salami, and (naturally!) green-can Parm.

Lunch & Dinner

Eggcellent

I love eggs. To quote Dr. Seuss, “So I will eat them in a box. And I will eat them with a fox. And I will eat them in a house. And I will them with a mouse. And I will them here and there. Say! I will eat them ANYWHERE!” Scrambled, poached, fried, hard boiled…I will eat them – just not spoiled.

Many of my favorite meals (especially those I fashion from leftovers) are topped with an egg. Steak. Black bean soup. Grilled ham and cheese sandwich. Hamburger. Quesadilla. Breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner, eggs are incredibly versatile. It should come as no surprise then that pasta alla carbonara is one of my favorite dishes. It’s rich, creamy, and incorporates eggs very delicately and deliciously. Plus, it’s quick to make and can easily be pulled together with ingredients you (should) have on hand.

The following is my version of carbonara. I use cappellini instead of the usual spaghetti to cut down on cooking time and use bacon and pancetta interchangeably. Also, if you don’t have white wine on hand, I’ve found a nice lager or ale acceptable substitutions.
For vegetarians: in place of pancetta, sauté 8 ounces chopped mushrooms of your choice in 2 tablespoons olive oil until browned.

SPAGHETTI ALLA CARBONARA

3 large eggs
1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
4 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼” cubes (or 6 slices bacon, chopped)
8 ounces cappellini pasta
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup white wine

– Set 4 quarts water to boil in medium pot.

– Whisk eggs in large bowl. Whisk in ¼ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and parmesan.

– Cook pancetta (or bacon) in a large skillet over medium heat until golden and some of the fat has rendered (if using bacon, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve), 4 to 5 minutes.

-Meanwhile, add 1 tablespoon salt and cappellini to water and cook until al dente, about 3 minutes. Reserve ¼ cup pasta water and drain. Return to pot.

– Add garlic to skillet and cook, stirring, until lightly golden and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in wine and remove from heat.

– Add cappellini to bowl with eggs and very quickly, using tongs or two large forks, toss to coat evenly. Stir in pancetta-wine mix (if using, stir in reserved bacon bits). If pasta looks a bit dry, add some of the reserved pasta water. Serve immediately.

Lunch & Dinner

Feed Me

There are days when, despite my best efforts, I eat like a voracious billy goat. I didn’t wake up this morning planning to eat complex carbs only, but that’s what I did. I gulped down an espresso for breakfast, got super busy, and all of a sudden I looked up at the clock and it was noon. I was ravenous.

I had a grilled cheese sandwich. And some manicotti. Then a Diet Coke (I suppose that doesn’t really count?). A while later I ate (ok, more like inhaled) an olive roll. And a few minutes after that I had a bit of pastry and three French fries. And one more olive roll. By 5:00pm I was bloated and full but unsatisfied. The poor nutritional choices I made left me feeling wobbly and tired so I skipped yoga (did I tell you I’ve been doing crazy Bikram yoga about 4 times a week since January?!). That means that instead of burning 800 calories this evening, I stayed home and carb loaded some more (beer, Triscuit, pastry).

At 8:00pm I decided I still wanted more to eat and finally decided to cook some real food. It was the one nice thing I did for myself today. Did you do anything nice for yourself today?

PORK TENDERLOIN with APPLES & ONIONS

2 ounces pancetta, cut into ¼” cubes (or 3 slices bacon, chopped)
1 medium yellow onion, peeled and cut lengthwise into 6 wedges
1 teaspoon sugar
Salt and pepper
2 red apples (such as Gala or Fuji), peeled, cored, and cut into 6 wedges
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
2 tablespoons butter
1 (1-lb.) pork tenderloin, cut in half crosswise
2 tablespoons orange marmalade (apricot jam, apple jelly, or maple syrup may act as substitutes)
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

– Preheat oven to 450˚F.

– Cook pancetta (or bacon) in a large oven-safe skillet (a cast iron skillet is great for this recipe) over medium heat until golden and some of the fat has rendered (if using bacon, transfer it to a paper towel-lined plate and reserve), 4 to 6 minutes.

– Add oil and 1 tablespoon butter to the skillet and increase heat to medium-high. Sprinkle the onion wedges with the sugar, ½ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook until browned, about 5 minutes.

– Push the onions to the side of the skillet, add the apples, and cook until beginning to brown, about 3 minutes. Mix the apples and onions together and push to the side.

– Season pork with salt and pepper and place on empty side of skillet. Cook until browned on all sides, about 4 minutes. Distribute apple-onion mixture evenly around pork and top pork with marmalade. Transfer skillet to oven and cook until pork registers 160˚F on an instant read thermometer (145˚F if you like it pink), 8 to 10 minutes.

-Return skillet to stovetop. Transfer pork to cutting board and allow to rest 5 minutes. Meanwhile, stir remaining tablespoon butter and sherry vinegar into apple-onion mixture and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper (if using, add reserved bacon bits). Slice pork into ½” thick pieces and serve, topping with apple-onion sauce. Serve.

Breakfast

How to… Fry an Egg

I was in New York last weekend and went to brunch at a restaurant where I’ve had consistently good food on every single one of my many visits. Sadly, this time around the stars were not in alignment. The meal got off to a bad start when I saw that the bread basket wasn’t on the menu. “Only on Sundays,” I was informed. What? Why can’t the public have baked goods on a Saturday? I was annoyed, but moved on. More room for the huge plate of beef, hash, and eggs I wanted. Not on the menu either. “Seasonal menu,” was the explanation. Apparently cows aren’t in season. Who knew.

Since this was my favorite brunch place when I lived in New York, I let both offenses slide and ordered the special: a breakfast sandwich with spicy merguez sausage, horseradish cream, and my favorite, fried eggs. I settled back into the booth and sipped my coffee. Things were going to be just fine.

And then my food arrived. The eggs – quel horreur! – were completely overcooked. The yolks were firm and the whites were crunchy. I don’t know how you like your eggs, but I like mine over-easy, i.e. firm but not crispy whites and yolks that run when pricked with a fork tine. I don’t usually send things back, but I was revolted and just had to get rid of them. I politely asked for a replacement (I even offered to keep the rest of the dish) and in good faith saw them off. But when the second batch of eggs showed up, I knew it was all over. This pair was raw. No question about it. The whites were not white, but unsettlingly mucous-y and clear, and the yolks bright marigold instead of delicately hidden under a thin, shell pink skin.

Step 3 of my previous post explains how to make eggs over easy, but after last weekend’s debacle it occurred to me that perhaps the frying of an egg – or at least my version of the method – deserved a post all of its own. If you hate this recipe, e-mail me and I’ll tell you where to go in New York for a well done egg.

1 egg
1 pat of butter
1 pinch salt
1 tablespoon water

Crack the egg into a teacup or cereal bowl.

Easy-to-Make

WHAT’S FOR DINNER?

I eat a lot of cereal. And usually I eat it at night, rather than in the morning (last week I had a bowl of Frosted Flakes every single evening). My cabinet is stocked with all sorts: Kashi Honey Puffs. Kashi Almond Crunch. Cracklin’ Oat Bran. Frosted Flakes. Honey Bunches of Oats. All Bran. Cocoa Pebbles. Cocoa Puffs. (Yes, I have TWO different chocolate cereals on hand. I can never decide whether I like the soggy pebbles or the crunchy puffs… Maybe I should mix them). While your enthusiasm for cereal may be a little less fanatical than mine, I’m sure you often arrive home after work, exhausted and ravenous, and the first thing you reach for is a bowl and a spoon.

Seriously, though, no one should have to eat cereal for dinner every night. Or takeout. You can cook. Honest. And you don’t need a culinary degree or a long list of ingredients to put together a decent meal. I’ve been delinquent with my blog; weeks will go by without any new posts, mainly because I want something that says “WOW!” to show you, but I think I’d be of better service if I posted some simple, weeknight recipes. So I’ll start today with this super-easy, super-tasty (vegetarian) sandwich for two.

ONION-JALAPENO GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICH with FRIED EGG

4 to 5 tablespoons butter, at room temperature
1 large onion, halved lengthwise and sliced into thin half-moons
2 pickled jalapeño peppers, sliced
Salt and pepper
¼ cup heavy cream
½ cup shredded cheese, or 4 slices cheese of your choice
2 8-inch pieces baguette or 4 slices crusty bread
2 large eggs

-In a large skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter and add onion and jalapeños. Sautée over medium-high heat, stirring, until onion softens and begins to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream and cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.Transfer onion mix to bowl.
Wipe out skillet.

-Butter exterior of baguette pieces or one side of each slice of bread. Spread onion mixture on un-buttered side of one piece of bread, top with cheese and other bread slice. Grill sandwiches, pressing down with spatula, on cleaned skillet, until browned and toasted, then flip and repeat with other side. Transfer to plates.

-Melt a small pat of butter in skillet and crack eggs into it. When whites begin to bubble, add 3 tablespoons water, cover, and cook over medium heat about 3 minutes (for over easy eggs). Season with salt and pepper and serve alongside sandwich.

Soups + Stews

CROSS MY HEART

New Year’s resolutions: so easily – nay! so willingly – forgotten. “What’s one more day of not going to the gym?!” we exclaim. “Will one more tiny square of chocolate really add that much to those little fat bundles on my thighs?” we coax ourselves. These feeble excuses are exactly why this year I’ve decided to keep the resolution bar low. In 2009, I solemnly swear to:

1. Dutifully and meticulously apply hand lotion, and,
2. Eat my vegetables.

Although the first point seems by-the-by – as this is a cooking, rather than a beauty, blog – I must say that were my life less intertwined with food my hands would be smooth alabaster instead of the cracked, blotchy red horrors they are. Anyhow, the second point is very relevant.

See, despite my love of vegetables – really, I do love them! Even at the tender age of 6 I appreciated Brussels sprouts – I am very ignorant about them. I’m much more comfortable with things starchy and buttery. But, this year, I promise to learn more about vegetables – and eat them.

I spent the holidays in Southern California where my mother lives – Glorious! Blissful! – and returned to Boston on New Year’s Day, my holiday book-ended by frightful cold and snowy drifts. “Sand yesterday, today snow,” I mumbled sulkily as I burrowed my head deeper into my coat’s hood.

Days later, I am still hiding in my long, shapeless, puffy coat, clodding around in most unfashionable boots better suited to Frankenstein than to a worshiper of high heels. But, despite how bothersome winter is, there are some simple pleasures the season affords, such as soup.

The promise of a steamy bowl of soup can only be fully appreciated when the sky is slate gray and the wind lashes violently at the bare-limbed trees. And so, with these conditions readily available, I looked forward to making dinner. Plus, with my vegetable resolution in place, I felt I had a world of opportunities before me: Carrot! Broccoli! Zucchini! The produce aisle beckoned! “Maybe my 2009 goal is within reach!” I thought to myself – as I massaged gooey Neutrogena lotion into my broken knuckles.

Inspired by some kale chips in this month’s issue of Bon Appétit, I decided on cannellini and kale soup with Spanish chorizo. Soups, in case you were wondering, are very easy to make. The holy trinity of vegetables – onions, carrots, celery – should live in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer since they are the foundation of many a hot bowl. Chicken broth is also a must – either homemade or the boxed stuff will do – and your vegetable of choice. A pork product is great, too, as foundation or garnish (bacon, pancetta, sausage, etc.).

WHITE BEAN & CHORIZO SOUP with KALE

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 celery rib, peeled and finely chopped
1 medium-sized carrot, peeled, halved lengthwise, and thinly sliced
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon freshly minced thyme leaves)
4 (15-ounce) cans cannellini beans, one can pureed, the rest drained and rinsed
1 bunch kale (about 2 pounds), stems removed
3 to 4 cups chicken broth
4 ounces Spanish chorizo, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Optional: Parmesan cheese for topping

-Preheat oven to 250˚F. Select 6 kale leaves from the bunch and cut in half lengthwise. Rub each leaf with olive oil and place on a baking sheet. Bake until crisp, about 30 minutes. Reserve.

-Coarsely chop remainder of kale and set aside.

-On medium heat, heat oil in a 4-quart-capacity pot. Add onion, celery, carrot, 3 teaspoons salt, and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring, until onions are translucent and celery and carrot are softened, 10 to 15 minutes.

-Add the three cans of drained and rinsed beans, increase heat to medium-high, and sauté, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Add pureed beans and 3 cups broth and bring to a boil.

-Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook chorizo on medium-high heat until lightly toasted, about 3 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer chorizo to a paper towel-lined plate. Add chopped kale and 1 teaspoon salt to now empty skillet and sauté until kale is slightly wilted and deep green, 3 to 5 minutes. Add kale to soup and simmer about 15 minutes.

-Season soup with salt and pepper and add lemon juice. Serve, topping soup with chorizo chips, toasted kale, and fresh Parmesan crumbles.

Leftovers:
Reheat soup – adding more chicken broth if needed – and serve topped with a poached egg and chorizo.