get your yummy back

musings from a health supportive culinary artist

Tomatoes: Sauce + Tart + Oven-Roasted September 23, 2012

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 12:37 pm
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We were gone for a few days. Thank goodness we made it home when we did or else the tomatoes may have taken over the house. We’ve got Early Girls, Bush Goliath, Sweet Cherries and Yellow Pears growing out back – and boy do I have plans for them!

These tomatoes taste like sunshine, so I enjoy them simply sliced and salted, on their own, or with avocado, basil and goat cheese. But, when I’ve got this many, I head for Pim’s Super-Quick and Fantastic Tomato Sauce (because the name tells it all). I also love to make this French Tomato Tart.

Finally, when I start to get tomato’d-out, I oven roast them and freeze them for future use. Simply heat the oven to 325. Slice the tomatoes in half length-wise and remove the stem. Toss them with olive oil, salt, pepper and sliced fresh garlic. Spread them out on a baking sheet (do not overcrowd them) and roast them for about 2 hours. Their color and flavor will concentrate. Depending on the size of the tomatoes, it may take more or less time. Once cool, portion them and freeze them for use in soup, stew, sauce, lasagna and bruschetta. Be thankful later.

 

Marinated Market Vegetables September 16, 2012

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 2:05 pm
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Marinades aren’t just for meat, you know. Take, for example, this recipe for Marinated White Bean Salad. It’s a simple, old school treatment for beans and boy is it tasty!

This weekend, I learned about another recipe for Marinated Market Vegetables  from my step mom. It’s a keeper! A variety of crunchy, colorful vegetables are marinated in a Dijon vinaigrette spiked with Italian seasoning. Fresh and delicious, it’s even better the next day. Enjoy!

 

Grilled Chicken with Zucchini Pappardelle August 12, 2012

Filed under: how to make it,where to get it — chezdesblog @ 11:46 pm
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For my birthday, I got the Flavor Bible, winner of the 2009 James Beard Book Award for Best Book: Reference and Scholarship. Organized alphabetically by ingredient, season, and other topics of interest, it is a culinary guide to pairing flavors across food groups. Today, I had several ingredients on hand that I wanted to use to create a sensational summer dish – grilled chicken, zucchini, fresh basil and corn. As predicted, when I looked up each ingredient in the Flavor Bible, it was readily apparent that they were in harmony and would enhance one another when paired. This, of course, is not surprising given the season and the propensity to grill outdoors.

I got creative with the zucchini, slicing it into thin, wide ribbons using my best little mandolin. I quickly sauteed it in olive oil with corn, basil, salt, pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Treating it like pasta, I used it as a base for sliced grilled chicken. I drizzled the whole thing with olive oil and lemon juice, a touch of salt and pepper, and viola – a simple and  sensational summer dish – Grilled Chicken with Zucchini Pappardelle.

 

The Real Deal: Pesto Genovese August 5, 2012

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 3:05 pm
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Our Italian exchange students, Giovanni and Giacomo, are from Genoa. They immediately showered us with gifts including a cook book featuring traditional recipes from Genoa, and of course pesto, the “queen of sauces.” Given that my basil patch is exploding, I found it only fitting to make them Pesto Genovese

A very simple, non-cook sauce, pesto is packed with flavor and can be used in a variety of ways. For this meal, I simply tossed it with spaghetti and spicy chicken sausage. According to the boys, it rated a “7.5 – like Italy.” (At first I was a bit put off a 7.5 rating, but then I took comfort in learning that nothing really rates higher than a 7.5 in their world. Ha!)

I also used this pesto as a sauce for roasted pork tenderloin (delicious!) and as a dressing for potato salad and a spread on a turkey sandwich (delicious again!). You can also freeze leftover pesto in an ice cube tray for later use. Although, I can’t imagine leftovers.

Giovanni and Giacomo left for home this morning, but we hope to see them again next year, when the basil patch is once again in full bloom. Ciao ciao!

 

Roasted Rock Fish + Chicken Posole July 8, 2012

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 10:46 am
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Alaskan Rock Fish

As expected, it was a great week with that break smack-dab in the middle!

I created two new dishes that I want to share. The first was Roasted Rock Fish in a chunky tomato sauce. Our friends caught the fish while in Alaska and were kind enough to share their bounty. When I opened the package, it smelled like the ocean. So fresh! So delicious! This dish is really great for entertaining because the tomato sauce can be made ahead of time and it only takes about 15 minutes for the fish to roast. If you can’t find rock fish, black cod or halibut would be good alternatives.

I also made Chicken Posole, a hearty broth-based chicken and hominy soup garnished with radish, avocado and cabbage. I roasted a chicken for the meat and used the carcass to make  chicken broth. Don’t let that deter you from trying it. There are short cuts, of course, like buying broth and using a pre-roasted chicken. Delicious either way.

 

Marinades + Juicy Pork Chops June 3, 2012

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 11:10 am
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Juicy chops are tricky. Chops (trimmed of fat) and cutlets are typically lean, meaning it’s easy to turn them dry and tough during the cooking process. Add to that the common fear that pork must be really cooked for fear of trichinosis, and, well, you often get  over-cooked, leathery chops. Not so yummy.

For the record, pork’s suggested cooking temperature is 160 degrees. From what I read, the parasite that causes trichinosis is destroyed at 137 degrees. No worries if your cooked pork chop is just the slightest bit pink inside.

This recipe for Juicy Pork Chops is fast, easy and full of flavor. The flavor boost comes from a marinade. Liquid marinades combine acid (vinegar, citrus juice) and base (oil, yogurt, honey) ingredients into a solution for soaking proteins prior to cooking. Marinades can also be dry and are commonly called “rubs.” Rubs are typically salt-based. Brines, both liquid and salt-based, are solutions intended to tenderize protein and help it retain moisture while cooking.

Use these recipes to mix up some tasty marinades, rubs or brines and get cooking knowing you’re in for a taste treat – no sauce required.

Late breaking news: last night I grilled chicken, shrimp and veggie kabobs. The marinade I used for the chicken is a keeper. Mix 3 teaspoons minced garlic with 2 tablespoons each of soy sauce, lemon juice, teriyaki sauce, olive oil and Worcestershire sauce. Add a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour over chicken and refrigerate for 1 hour. Source: foodnetwork.com. 

 

Whole Grain Goodness: Chocolate Persimmon Muffins December 3, 2011

Filed under: how to make it,where to see it — chezdesblog @ 1:03 am
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Ah, persimmons. You see them at the farmers’ market right about now. They sit in cute baskets and on tables; mounds of vibrant orange and red. They come in different shapes with names that are a little tough to remember. They look so enticing; but what would you do with them once you got them home? Lots of good stuff. Don’t be afraid.

Take these Chocolate Persimmon Muffins for example. The recipe calls for Hachiya persimmons, the more oval variety. When very ripe, their flesh is like a puree. Fresh fruit puree, buckwheat flour, yogurt, and dark chocolate put these muffins at the top of my list until my persimmon stash runs out!

I ripen my persimmons on the kitchen counter displayed in a pretty bowl. You’ll know when they are ripe – they will feel very soft and squishy – in a good way. For more about persimmons and ideas about how to use them, check out this post from one of my favorite food bloggers, David Lebovitz. The source for this recipe is Good to the Grain by Kim Boyce. It’s an excellent cookbook and homage to baking with whole grains, which add unique flavor and texture to baked goods. Check it out!

 

Treat Me: Olive Oil Cake November 20, 2011

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 4:42 pm
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For the past several months, I’ve had construction workers, plumbers, dry-wallers, painters, tile guys and paving guys running around my house. In the early months, when it was hot, I kept drinks on ice for them in a cooler every day. After a while, I started “Donut Fridays” – stopping at the local donut shop for a dozen on my way home from Boot Camp so the guys could have a breakfast treat.

Now that I have a kitchen, I’ve started baking treats. Cookies, quick breads, banana cake. Last week I made this Olive Oil Cake – a scrumptious treat that I almost kept for myself. It’s delightful! This cake goes to show that simple does not mean simplistic. Simple pantry ingredients combine to make a wonderful, flavorful moist snack cake.  It was gone in a day. I guess they liked it too! I’ll be sure to have this around for family over Thanksgiving…

 

Pesto! Pistou! July 13, 2011

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 9:23 am
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Traditionally made with fresh basil, garlic, nuts, cheese, and olive oil, pesto is an amazing thing. Once you’ve got a basic recipe to work with, the world is your…um…pesto palace! Different combinations of herbs and nuts produce delicious results. Try parsley and pepitas, arugula and pecans, a combination of mint and cilantro with pine nuts, or a combination of fresh dill and green onions with pistachio nuts. Oh my. If you want to skip the nuts altogether, you will end up with a pistou, a French variant traditionally added to soups, but delightful in many ways.

Use pesto top grilled pizza or salmon, as a dipping sauce for grilled vegetables, or as a flavor bomb in turkey meatballs. It is also delicious as a dip when pureed with low-fat cottage cheese, served as a topping on crostini with roasted red pepper, tossed as a dressing for new potato salad, or stirred into a vinaigrette.

You can freeze pesto in an ice-cube container, pop the frozen pesto cubes into a freezer bag, and keep your stash for several weeks. Simply thaw it when you need it. How yummy is that?

Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to hit the farmer’s market this weekend and try something new with pesto! Would love it if you reported back…

 

Farro with White Beans and Chard January 24, 2011

Filed under: how to make it — chezdesblog @ 12:03 am
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Last week, I made a delicious Tuscan Farro and Bean soup at the market. Tonight, I played with some similar ingredients and turned them into a delightful side dish that can also serve as a meatless main dish – Farro with White Beans and Chard.

Farro is an Italian whole grain, commonly called “spelt” or “spelt berries” in the States. It is an ancient cultivated wheat,  rich in vitamins and minerals. I was able to buy it in bulk at my local health food store. It cooks like pasta and its chewy texture makes this dish hearty and satisfying.

For the white beans, I use cannellini beans, which are rich and creamy in texture. Dark, leafy chard (at your farmers’ market now!) adds color, flavor, and nutrition. This recipe is a winner. Enjoy!

 

 
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