when you don't like the wine...

I think opening a bottle of wine and not liking is just a terrible terrible feeling. Even if it was cheap wine - or perhaps you have open wine and can't drink it - for some reason...

This recipe provides a good way to use up a fair amount of white wine that might not be to your drinking taste (yet you don't want to pitch it).

wine poached salmon over vegetable with white wine, butter, basil sauce

2 (or double ingredients for 4 people) salmon fillets

3 ears of corn, shucked and cut off the cob

2 zucchini, shredded & drained with salt

2-3 cups white wine (about half a bottle)

assorted fresh herbs (sprig of rosemary, lemon thyme & lemon balm)

1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped

EVOO

S&P to taste

3 shallots

5 tablespoons butter

In a large saute pan, heat a little EVOO and saute 2 chopped shallots until soft. Add zucchini - stirring so it does not brown. Cook for about 10 minutes until soft, remove to serving bowls. In a separate sauté pan, heat 2 cups of wine and 1 cup water together. Add the assorted fresh herbs and one shallot, halved, bring to a light simmer. In the same pan you used for the zucchini, add about one tablespoon EVOO and 2 tablespoons butter. When hot, add corn kernels - sauté. Pour in about 1/3 cup water and cover corn for 5-6 minutes. At this time, season the salmon and place in simmering poaching wine mixture. Fish will take about 8 minutes, flip after 4 minutes.

When corn is done, remove from heat. Remove poached fish to a paper towel and discard poaching liquid. In fish pan, heat remaining cup or so of wine and 3-4 tablespoons butter - whisk together and season with S&P. Remove from heat and stir in chopped basil. Assemble bowls with zucchini, corn, fish, butter sauce and top with cherry tomatoes for color.

i could eat this everyday for the rest of my life.

You will only enjoy this post if you like salmon - smoked salmon, cured salmon, salted salmon - basically the type of salmon that would be good on pumpernickel bread, a toasted everything bagel with cream cheese or just cut right from the filet and eaten plain (typically, while standing over the kitchen sink). My mom got me hooked on this dish years ago and now I crave it at times.

Gravlax Tartine with Mustard Sauce

gravlax (recipe to follow)

2-3 tablespoons cream cheese

1-2 slices good dark bread like German wheat or pumpernickel

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon ground dry mustard

3 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar

1/3 cup EVOO

3 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

To make the sauce, place mustard, dry mustard, sugar and white wine vinegar in a small bowl. Whisk well and slowly add in EVOO. Mix in dill and set aside.

Gravlax Recipe

1 3 pound filet of salmon skin on (or 2 - 1.5 pound pieces)

1/3 cup salt

1/2 cup sugar

2-3 teaspoons white pepper

bunch of fresh dill

Mix salt, sugar and pepper. Rub the fish with the mixture. Lay out a large piece of plastic wrap. Layer, 1/3 dill, bottom filet of fish, 1/3 dill, top filet, remaining dill. Wrap very tightly in 2 layers of plastic wrap. Place in a plastic bag and refrigerate for 3 days, turn the salmon a couple of times.

Before serving, scrape off the dill and seasoning and cut into thin slices on the diagonal.

To assemble your tartine, lightly toast the bread, spread cheese on top, layer thin slices of gravlax on and top with a bit of mustard sauce. Oh - it is so good. I can't stand it!

 

it's getting hot, hot, hot.

The warm weather has arrived! As summer tries to takeover spring, we have been enjoying some lighter fair on the deck - and wine on the deck - and on Friday, we had raspberry mojitos on the deck. This weekend, I made a tasty chilled gazpacho with shrimp paired with herbed sour cream muffins. You may be seeing a theme - herbs. My potted herbs are really taking off and now I am getting herb-anxiety - I have mentioned this condition before. Basically, everything I cook or bake for the next 3 months will have some type of fresh herbs in it - not a bad problem to have!

Sunday Night Gazpacho via Ree Drummond

Herbed sour cream muffins via Bon Appetit - I altered the herbs a bit, using more dill, basil, lemon basil & chives and omitting the marjoram. Be sure to mist your cupcake liners prior to spooning in the batter. Also, a buttermilk note - I rarely buy buttermilk as you can make it at home. In a measuring cup, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar, top off with milk up to 1 cup. Allow to sit for 5 minutes, then add to recipe. Less expensive than buying a quart of buttermilk unless you have a plan for the rest of it (or want to freeze it). 

a Valentine special in honor of Sochi

a Russian cocktail (that isn't brown and won't give you conjunctivitis - poor Bob Costas). 

The Moscow Mule

1 part vodka

2 parts ginger beer

squeeze in wedge of lime and serve over ice

We enjoyed these tasty and refreshing beverages on Valentine's Day. I pulled off a Pioneer Women dinner - filet oscar, asparagus with tarragon hollandaise & a wild rice mushroom pilaf.

I followed her directions to a tee on the filet dish, but for the rice recipe, I used wild rice instead of white and lengthened the simmer time to about 40 minutes.

This dinner was delicious, and although there were a lot of moving parts, it all came together well. Happy Valentine's Day weekend!

auld lang syne

Auld Lang Syne is a Scots poem written by Robert Burns in 1788 and set to the tune of a traditional folk song. It is well known in many countries, especially in the English-speaking world, its traditional use being to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight. By extension, it is also sung at funerals, graduations and as a farewell or ending to other occasions. - Wikipedia

Cheers to 2014 with a Champagne Cocktail!

Place a sugar cube in a flute, hit it with about 4-5 drops of Angostura bitters and top with Champagne. Garnish with a citrus twist. 

I made Ina Garten's sea bass with preserved lemon sauce last night for our New Year's Eve dinner. It was light and citrusy - along with Bobby Flay's sautéed kale - yum! We started with carrot, ginger & apple soup.

soup in Cynthia Rowley's Dirty Dishes

1 & 1/2 pounds carrots, peeled and chopped

1 & 1/2 apples, peeled and chopped (or two small apples)

1 & 12 inch knob of ginger, peeled and minced

1 small onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups vegetable stock

2-3 tablespoons EVOO

S&P

pinch of nutmeg

Heat the EVOO in a large Dutch oven or stock pot and sauté the onion for about 5 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and sauté for another minute. Add carrot and apple and continue to cook - pour in stock and bring to light boil. Reduce to simmer for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, remove from heat and add pinch of nutmeg. Using an immersion blender, blend until smooth.

Pork and sauerkraut for January 1! Enjoy New Year's and the start of 2014!

protein bowl

This dish is packed with tasty protein like quinoa, shrimp, black beans and avocado. Even the goat cheese is a bit higher in protein than a cow's milk cheese. The recipe makes a large portion of the quinoa/wheat berry salad, and then I made just enough shrimp for two people. This makes a great side or even a vegetarian entree (sans shrimp).

1/2 cup wheat berries (dry)

1 cup quinoa (dry)

1 can black beans, rinsed

16 oz small tomatoes (assorted varieties), halved

1 cup of corn kernels

1 avocado

crumbled goat cheese (for topping)

romaine lettuce

shrimp 

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

dressing

1/3 cup EVOO

2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

juice of a lime

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 garlic cloves, minced

S&P

few dashes of Tabasco

3 tablespoons cilantro, chopped

Prepare wheat berries and quinoa according to packages and allow to cool to room temp. Mix wheat berries, quinoa, beans, tomatoes, and corn together in a large bowl. Whisk together the dressing in a bowl and pour over quinoa mixture, mixing well and ensuring the salad is dressed well enough. If topping with shrimp, melt butter in saute pan, add garlic and cilantro. Sautee shrimp for about 5 minutes  until pink. Assemble protein bowls layering lettuce, quinoa mixture, sliced avocado, goat cheese and shrimp. 

I bought an assortment of small tomatoes at a farmer's stand yesterday and they are all so good. Last night, we had roasted tomato and basil risotto. The recipe is really simple (but risotto is a labor of love). Prepare risotto (you can just follow the Aborrio rice package recipe) and roast tomatoes in some EVOO and S&P for about 7-8 minutes at 400 degrees. When risotto is ready remove from heat and add in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, 1/4 chopped basil and fold in tomatoes. 

Enjoy these tasty dishes with a basil lemonade.

Basil simple syrup - 1/2 cup sugar and 1/2 cup water - boil in a sauce pan with about 1/3 cup loosely packed basil leaves. After sugar is dissolved (simple syrup will appear yellow in color when ready), remove from heat and cool. In a shaker over ice, pour about 2-3 tablespoons syrup, juice a lemon and add chilled water. Shake well. This is also delicious with club soda instead of flat water (just don't shake club soda in shaker). 

basil anxiety

I got hit with a bout of anxiety Saturday afternoon at the sight of my basil plant. The big leaves needed some serious harvesting. I love having fresh herbs, but when the growth really takes off it can be a bit stressful to use the plant before it dries up or gets attacked by insects or some other likely threat. I took about 2 cups of leaves and pureed them with some white wine, olive oil and salt pepper. This quick basil base will be frozen and when thawed, I can add some Parmesan cheese, garlic, sun dried tomato puree, etc.

My other dish was an almond & lemon pesto. We had roasted salmon with this nutty citrus spread. The pesto recipe makes quite a large amount (enough for about 6 people). Pesto is great thing to stick in the freezer.

3/4 cup toasted almonds

1 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves

1 garlic clove, minced

3/4 juice from a lemon

1/2 zest from a lemon

3/4 cup EVOO

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

In the food processor, pulse the almonds until they make a medium meal. Add the basil, garlic, juice, zest and salt and pulse. While processing, slowly add the EVOO - taking a break after a few seconds to see how it is incorporating. This pesto will be quite thick, so if you like it thinner, add a bit more EVOO.

I prepared our salmon (about 3/4 pound fillet for 2 people) in a tin foil pouch in the toaster oven (trying to keep the kitchen from over heating by not using the big oven!). Set the temperature to 425 degrees. Rinse and dry the salmon, coat foil with a drizzle of oil. Assemble salmon, pesto sauce and a few slices of tomato, squash or zucchini on top. Fold the foil over the fish, making the seams tight. Roast fish in foil for 15 minutes on a metal tray. Remove from oven and rest for 3 minutes. 

This fish is light and delicious! We enjoyed it with Parmesan and parsley cous cous and a salad. Enjoy!

summer vegfest

Summer vegetables are clearly in full-swing and today I picked up some zucchini, tomatoes and sweet onions. Paired with cumin and a flaky tilapia, this makes a great week-night dinner.

1 cup quinoa
1 can black beans (rinsed)
2 small chopped tomatoes 
2-3 small sliced zucchini 
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided 
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 
1 teaspoon cumin (divided in half)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 tilapia fillets (about 1 lb. total) 
half of a large sweet onion (or a small onion), diced
4-5 dashes Tabasco
Cook quinoa as package directs. Meanwhile, in a saute pan over medium heat, cook beans and vegetables with 1 tbsp oil, lemon juice, cumin and Tabasco until warm, about 15 minutes. Season with S&P and 1/2 teaspoon cumin. Remove vegetables and beans to a bowl and add some EVOO to the pan. In a frying pan over medium-high heat, cook fish in remaining 2 tbsp oil until browned, 5 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cumin over fish. Serve fish over quinoa with vegetable and bean mixture atop. 
The vegetable mix yields leftovers that are great with just quinoa or cous cous. Enjoy!

orange-you happy it's spring?

Before Vance's most recent string of overnight call, we had a nice spring dinner! Orange, ginger & soy marinated tuna with a quinoa salad.

2 tablespoons fresh orange juice

2 tablespoon sesame oil

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black peper

1 tablespoon fresh peeled ginger, minced

2 Ahi tuna steaks, approximately 5 ounces each, cut approximately 1 inch thick

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped (optional)

Whisk together all ingredients and pour over tuna steaks in a shall bowl. Marinate in the refrigerator for 2 to 4 hours, turning periodically. Remove from marinade and grill for about 3 minutes per side. I used a grill pan with some EVOO.

The quinoa salad really stole the show. The recipe is quick and was adapted from Weight Watchers. The original calls for shredded cabbage, and I used a broccoli slaw mix instead to save on time. 

 

 

I also enjoyed an orange margarita.

 Using the 3:2:1 adaptation - three parts tequila, about two parts triple sec (I used a little less) to one part fresh OJ. I also gave a few good squeezes of lime. Shake with ice and serve in salt-rimmed glass. Hope you enjoy some nice, light, citrusy, spring dishes soon!

NYE 2013

Vance and I had toyed with the idea of going away for New Year's - and after much thinking...we decided to just stay home. relax. do nothing. it was wonderful.

We did (obviously) eat well. For New Year's Eve we had a nice salad to start and then crab cakes, roasted brussels and potatoes rosti. 

Adpated from Ina Garten's recipe - these crab cakes were delicious.
1 small onion, diced
2-3 small celery stalks, diced
 red bell pepper, diced
1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 tablespoon capers, drained
few dashes of Tabasco (depending on how much spice you like)
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay
1/2 pound lump crabmeat, drained and picked to remove shells
1/2 cup plain dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 extra-large eggs, lightly beaten

S&P to taste
For frying - 3 tablespoons butter and 1/4 cup olive oil

Place onion, celery, bell pepper, parsley, capers, hot pepper sauce, Worcestershire sauce, crab boil seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large saute pan over medium-low heat and cook until the vegetables are soft, approximately 15 to 20 minutes (cook in a bit of butter and EVOO). Cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, break the lump crab meat into small pieces and toss with the bread crumbs, mayonnaise, mustard, and eggs. Add the cooked mixture and mix well. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Shape into bite-sized crab cakes.

Heat the butter and olive oil for frying over medium heat in a large saute pan. Add the crab cakes and fry for 4 to 5 minutes on each side, until browned. Drain on paper towels; keep them warm in a 250 degree oven and serve hot with tartar sauce.

Potatoes rosti is a Christmas Eve tradition for the Clark's. It is simple and delicious. Just boil peeled, quartered potatoes, drain and allow to cool for a bit. Shred the potatoes and assemble in Pammed saute pan. Press the shredded potato into the pan and place something on top to act as a weight (typically a small plate with the tea kettle on top). Keep pan on medium-low heat and allow to cook for about 15-20 minutes. Flip the pan onto a plate and slice like a pan. One side golden, one side soft and delicious!

Bing Crosby Cherry Salad

Pit about a cup of fresh cherries and poach in 1/2 cup of Port wine until soft. Reserve wine.  Assemble salad on chilled plates; mixed lettuces, cherries, roasted purple onion, goat cheese, S&P. 

To make the dressing, dice a shallot and in a blender, mix reserved wine, 1/3 cup EVOO, 1/4 cup red wine vinegar. Add S&P to taste.

nothing like family

My parents came to visit over 4th of July weekend and we had a ball! Antiquing, eating good food, shopping, enjoying good drinks, movie watching - and napping - the perfect staycation! We hit a few of Vance's and my favorite restaurants including Garden Brunch Cafe, Puckett's Grocery and Eastland Cafe. On Sunday, I made a lemon risotto with shrimp and peas and it was quite good. My mom had bought a delicious loaf of Parmesan focaccia at Fresh Market, and it was the perfect accompaniment. 

 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp butter
1 small onion, minced
1 1/2 cups carnaroli or Arborio rice 
3/4 cup white wine
zest of one lemon
5 cups chicken broth, heated
1 cup cooked peeled shrimp
1/2 cup fresh shelled peas or frozen baby peas run under hot water and drained
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
Heat the broth in a small saucepan, keep at a low simmer. In a large saucepan heat the oil and butter on medium heat. Add onion to the butter and oil and stir until translucent. Add the rice and stir constantly to keep from burning, cook for 5 minutes. Add the wine, stir and reduce the wine by half. With heat at medium-low add 1 cup of warm broth and lemon zest, stir briefly and allow to reduce. Keep adding broth one cup at a time, stirring occasionally allowing each cup of broth to reduce before adding the next cup until the rice is al dente, about 20 – 30 minutes (to prep ahead of time stop adding broth after about 15 minutes, chill broth and rice until ready to resume and finish adding re-warmed broth 1 cup at a time, until al dente). Stir in the peas and shrimp and add another 1/2 cup of broth, cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in parsley, Parmesan and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Family visits together always go too fast, but they are a great reminder of how lucky we are to have such wonderful people in our lives. Looking forward to seeing some Northern friends and family again soon!

spice it up!

I made a spicy seared tuna for our anniversary dinner last week. Vance and I love rare tuna and this recipe was delicious. As a note, I used Sashimi grade tuna, which can be served raw. Ahi tuna is supposed to be seared and Yellow fin tuna is to be cooked to about medium. Those seem to be a few of the tunas that my local grocers carry. 

This tuna recipe is from the Enchanted Cook and is served over greens with a sesame ginger dressing. I made the dressing in the blender and followed her directions quite closely - turned out great!.

Our anniversary appetizer was spinach and mushroom duxelles in puff pastry cups. 

1/2 pound mushrooms
2 Tbsp. butter; divided
1/2 small white onion
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/4 cup white wine
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh spinach

 

Place onion in food processor and pulse until onion is finely diced, add mushrooms and pulse again until well-blended.  Place 1 tablespoon of butter in a non-stick pan and melt. Add mushroom mixture and saute for about 4 minutes. Add spinach, thyme and S&P, and last tablespoon of butter continuing to stir. When mixture is hot, add wine and allow to cook down for about 5 more minutes. Remove from heat. Place in prepared phyllo cups. Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes until hot.

From Vancer.

now we're cooking with gas

This is my first week cooking on a gas range - and it is hot! Coming from the slower world of electric to a super fast gas range may take a little getting used to - here are my first few 'go rounds' with the new stove top.

Cilantro, Soy 'n Honey Salmon

3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 green onion
2 teaspoons EVOO
1 teaspoon grated ginger
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
2 center cut skin-on wild salmon fillets, about 6 ounces each
1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
1-2 teaspoons low-sodium soy sauce
1-2 teaspoons honey
Lime wedges 

Note - a plate should always have 3 colors on it. I should have added some tomato - it's so green!

Preheat the grill pan over medium heat; add a little EVOO to the pan. Finely chop the cilantro and green onion and mix in the oil and ginger. Season with salt and pepper. Cut 3-4 slits into the salmon fillets, going about halfway into the salmon. Evenly stuff the slits with the herb mixture. Season the fish with salt and pepper. Stir together the lime juice, soy and honey until smooth. Marinate salmon in soy mixture for 1 to 2 hours. Place the salmon, skin side down, on the grill pan and cook until well-marked, 3 to 4 minutes. Turn salmon and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes until cooked through. Top with lime wedges.

Herb & EVOO Grilled Vegetables

Yellow squash, white onion, cucumber & red bell pepper. Done on the grill pan with some EVOO, S&P and mixed spice blend. We had grilled vegetable wraps with hummus and spinach last night. Healthy and delicious!