Kitchen Improv

Garlic Bread

This one owes a credit to my husband. He makes the best garlic bread and it has been our staple with pasta for the last 10 years. Any fresh loaf will do, but I prefer sourdough or sweet French without frills like whole grain, seeds, or other toppings.

Ingredients
1 loaf of fresh bread
5-6 cloves of fresh garlic, peeled and trimmed
1/4 tsp kosher salt
Juice of 1/2 lime
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

Method
Preheat oven on broil setting
Slice the bread to about 3/4 -inch thickness.
In a blender or food processor, combine garlic, salt, lime juice, pepper, and olive oil. Blend on high speed until garlic is thoroughly liquefied and entire mixture is slightly emulsified and opaque.

Brush the mixture over one side of each slice of bread and lay the bread on a baking sheet. Heat under broiler for 3-6 minutes or until bread is slightly browned and crunchy at the crust. Serve immediately.

Wilted Swiss Chard

Who is brave enough to grab a bunch of those bitter-looking greens bunched up in the leafy section of the super market? Who really knows what to do with those things, anyway? I’m not a fan of collard or mustard greens and kale makes me retch. But I’ve really taken a shine to Swiss Chard and its almost-salty flavor. It has a twinge of tangy bitterness, but not enough to overpower a dish. My favorite preparation is with some bacon, red onions, and a splash of white wine.

Ingredients
2 slices thick-cut, natural smoked bacon, diced
1/4 cup red onion, diced
4 tbsp dry white wine
1 bunch red Swiss chard

Method
Wash and dry the chard. Remove stems, then chop roughly into 2-inch pieces. Set aside.

In a large skillet, fry bacon pieces with red onion until bacon is fully cooked and onion is soft and translucent. Add Swiss chard pieces and white wine. Sautee for 2-3 minutes, or until leaves are gently wilted and volume is reduced by about half.

Serve immediately.

Recently Heard by a Three-Year-Old in My House

“Do we eat at IckDonald’s? Noooooo, that’s fast food. Do we eat fast food? Noooooo, we eat slow food!”

Am I brain washing them? Nah, I think not! It’s been 9 years and counting since my last visit to IckDonald’s. Let’s not spoil that record, nor introduce the kids to it.

Pasta e Fagioli Zuppa – Italian Bean & Pasta Soup

Whether it’s the dead of winter or the heat of summer, I love this bean and sausage soup. It all started when my good friend, Will, bought me this lovely box of a Christmas gift full of kitchen goodies. Not only did he pick an amazing, artisan-quality cheese board, he tossed in some gourmet dry bean soup mixes. One in particular was a Fagioli & Pasta mix. It was tasty, but as prepared I found it a bit thin and without a hearty body. Keep in mind it was a healthy and vegetarian recipe. I did, however love the combination of beans (I think there were four) but it inspired me to start over on my own to produce something healthy, yet so full of flavor that I’d want to recreate it for years to come. Here is my bean soup. Enjoy.

An Italian bean mix can be achieved a few different ways. If you’re in a hurry and don’t have time to start from dry beans, use 1 15-oz can each of dark red kidney beans and white kidney beans (cannellini) drained and rinsed. Or, if you prefer to slow-cook your beans, use 1 cup each of these dry, or use a pre-measured, dry Italian mix. Whichever way you choose, you’ll ultimately have about two pounds of cooked beans. (If you’re not familiar with cooking dried beans, look here. It’s really not as complicated as it’s often made out to be.

Ingredients
1 lb spicy Italian sausage
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
1 stalk of fennel, peeled, split, and thinly sliced
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
1.5 quarts chicken stock (not broth, grown-up, full-bodied STOCK.)
2 lbs cooked Italian bean mix, drained and rinsed
1 15oz can diced, stewed tomatoes
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaf (1/2 tsp dried)
1 tbsp fresh oregano leaf (1/2 tsp dried)
1 tsp fresh rosemary leaf, chopped (1/4 tsp ground)
1 tbsp fresh basil leaf, chopped (1/2 tsp dried)
2 dry bay leaves
1/4 cup Italian parsley, finely chopped (1 tbsp dried)
1/2 tsp Tobasco sauce
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh ground black pepper, to taste
Optional: 1 cup conghigliette (small shells) or ditalini (small, short tubes) pasta
Fresh julienned basil and shredded Parmesan cheese to garnish.

Method
In a large dutch oven, brown the sausage until cooked through. The sausage I buy tends to be lean, and I find I need to add 1-2 tbsp olive oil. Remove sausage from pan and set aside. In remaining oil, saute onions, carrots, and celery together with wine. As soon as the wine has evaporated, add the salt and sweat over medium heat for about 10 – 12 minutes. Add the zucchini and fennel and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the fresh herbs and saute another 2-3 minutes. Add sausage, mix thoroughly. Add chicken stock, beans, and tomatoes. Heat to a simmer, then turn to low heat and cover.

Cook 45 to 60 minutes. Near the end of cooking, add Tobasco if you prefer a bit more spice than the sausage provides. Add the pasta, cook until done. Serve garnished with fresh julienned basil, a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese, and a side of thick, crusty Italian bread

Salmon With Curry Lime Sauce

The other day I was craving spicy curry in coconut milk. Instead of making my usual green Thai curry with chicken and vegetables, I made a curry lime sauce and served it over grilled salmon. This was unusually good considering it was such a quick-fix meal. Served with steamed green beans and coconut-ginger jasmine rice, this certainly hit the spot for a healthy, weeknight meal.

If you like very spicy curry, increase the curry to two tablespoons. This is the amount I used and while it’s very flavorful, it is not for the spicy-adverse.

The coconut milk should be unsweetened and also regular coconut milk — not coconut water, powdered varieties, or the light version. The texture of the sauce just won’t be right with anything but the real deal.

Ingredients
1 large wild salmon filet, about 1lb. Sockeye works great for this.
1 tbsp green curry paste (Mae Ploy is my favorite)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice
1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk (usually 14oz)
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
2-3 paper-thin slices of red onion

Method
Heat the curry paste over medium-low heat in a two-quart sauce pan for about 30 seconds. Add the lime juice. Stir to combine and then add the broth. Again, stir to combine and heat until it simmers. Next add the coconut milk and salt. Simmer until the sauce is reduced by half. This takes about 30 minutes.

While the sauce is reducing, grill the salmon over a medium flame. You can season with salt and pepper, but I find the sauce is enough flavor for me. Cook until the fish is just done and slightly flaky. Remove from grill and cut the fillet into single-serving pieces, about 3-4 oz each.

When the sauce has reduced and the salmon is just done, turn off the heat and add the cilantro. Mix to incorporate then spoon the sauce over the salmon. About 2-3 tablespoons per person is a good amount. Garnish with a few paper-thin slices of fresh red onion. Serve imediately.

Serves 3-4 people.

Refrigerator Revulsion

An odd smell hit me as I opened the fridge tonight to pull out fixings for dinner for the kids and me. Something was definitely off. I’m not sure whether it was the container of mystery meat, suspicious sauce, or tuna-turned-wrong, but I realized just how many nights in the last month Mr. W and I haven’t cooked or eaten together. Between his travel and mine, I can count about four overlapping dinners and maybe seven common nights at home. The horrors were amassing in the ice box, and I can say the dinners I’ve been cooking this week look far more appetizing than his from last week!

Turkish Aubergine Stew/Salad/Spread

During my visit to London last month, I joined friends for dinner at Tas, a Turkish and Medditeranean restaurant in Waterloo. I was so enamored with their patlican salatasi appetizer, that I decided to replicate it at home. As far as I can recall, I think I’ve hit the mark. I can’t remember tasting tahini in their dish, but I’m sure adding 2tbsp before baking would be a tasty variation.

This dish can be served cold or warm, as a side dish or as an appetizer. I like it warm over barley, but it’s also lovely spread over pita bread with hummus.

Ingredients
2 medium aubergine (egg plant), about 1lb each
12oz Fresh cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered
1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped into 3/4 inch pieces
1 large yellow onion, split and sliced
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp sugar

Method
Cut stems off of aubergine. Split in half lengthwise. Brush the flesh with olive oil and then bake, face-down, on a foil-lined sheet for 60 minutes at 400 degrees F. When cooled, scoop the flesh from the skin and puree to achieve a smooth paste.

Drop oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium flame. Saute onions with salt until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add tomatoes, bell pepper, aubergine, lemon juice, and sugar. Saute until tomatoes and peppers begin to soften, about 7 minutes.

Cover with lid and transfer to the oven. Bake for 30-40 minutes until vegetables are all soft.

Yields approximately 4 cups.

Soy-Free Soy Sauce Substitute

I love soy sauce, but because of my allergy it irritates my stomach to no end. I have yet to find a store-bought substitute for this, but below is a decent substitute for use in recipes and in marinades.

Ingredients
2 cups beef broth (if you’re using low-sodium, add 1 tsp kosher salt)
2 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground ginger
dash of onion powder

Method
Combine all ingredients in a small sauce pan. Simmer over low heat until reduced to 1/2 cup of liquid. Store refrigerated in an air-tight container and use within 2 weeks.

Variation
Convert this into teriyaki sauce by combining the finished product with 1 tbsp brown sugar, 2 tbsp pineapple juice, and a 1″ slice of fresh ginger. Simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes, and then remove ginger.

Random Chicken Marinades

Being allergic to soy, I have found that most store-bought marinades are out of my league. If not soy sauce, they’re packed with soybean oil. So to avoid reactions and still have tasty chicken for the grill, I’ve jotted down my favorite ad-hoc marinades. These are meant to be quick and relatively simple to pair with a wide variety of dishes.

Marinade portions are meant for one or two pounds of chicken. Adjust accordingly.

For each I recommend a minimum of two hours sauced in the fridge, but 4-6 allows for even better flavor permeation.

Basic Balsamic
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher sal

Orange Rosemary
1/2 cup orange juice
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp fresh rosemary leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp honey
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Lemon Thyme
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 cloves fresh minced garlic
2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Ginger Sesame
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt

Grilled Lemon Asparagus

I love asparagus. Love it. Need I say more? Usually I just steam it and eat it straight-up with no salt or butter, but I also love it doused with lemon, grilled, and then rolled in Parmesan cheese.

Ingredients
1 pound fresh asparagus, washed and stems trimmed
Juice of one lemon
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Method
Grill asparagus over medium flame. Roll the spears occasionally to ensure even cooking. Periodically squeeze fresh lemon juice over the spears.

If you don’t have a grill, you can do this under an oven broiler, as well.  Just lay the asparagus spears across a flat baking sheet and heat about 6″ under a broiler. Turn the asparagus every 2 minutes or so.

When tender and cooked through, remove from grill and roll in Parmesan to coat. Serve immediately.

Variation
Steam asparagus for 3-5 minutes, then immerse in an ice bath to stop cooking. Saute for 2-3 minutes over medium heat with olive oil and 2 tbsp lemon juice. As you turn off the heat, add the Parmesan and roll the spears to coat. Serve immediately.