February Culinary Smackdown: Madras Cabbage with Peas

Friends, welcome to this month's Culinary Smackdown: Battle Cabbage.  I decided I needed to make something special to prove that humble cabbage can be the star of a fantastic meal.  And so I made a dish that Tim and I have both been daydreaming about since we ate it last fall.

You may think that cabbage is simply a cruciferous vegetable only to be paired with vinegar (or cream), but I am going to stomp all over those assumptions and invite you down memory lane with me.  Tim and I ate dinner, pre-dietary restrictions, at New Krishna, our favorite Indian restaurant in Sharonville.  Since we dined in, we opted for the buffet, and each got a little scoop of just about everything.  To my surprise, Tim's favorite item was the Cabbage Masala.  It was a little spicy and aromatic and so different from the creamy curried tomato sauces that drenched most of the other options.  I loved it so much I would have been willing to loosen the top button of my jeans to eat a little more.  When else have I ever considered stuffing myself on cabbage?

I picked up some Madras Curry Powder last weekend at Colonel De and opted to use that instead of my usual garam masala.  The main difference in the two spice blends is that the Madras Curry Powder doesn't have cloves in it while the garam masala does.  Oh, and Madras Curry can be spicy--which we like very much.  Overall, it lightened up the aromatics of this dish, but the few whole cloves I threw into the hot oil were just enough for a hint of that flavor.

And so Madras Cabbage with Peas was reinvented for this home cook.  A skeptical Tim, who prefers a big slice of meat with the majority of his meals, was completely satisfied with my make-at-home version.  The beauty of this recipe is that you could use just about any vegetables you wanted.  If you decide to make this with potatoes, you will need to either pre-boil the potatoes or add some water to the pan and allow it to reduce.  I've done that before and you end up with a lovely sauce.  I also suggest chickpeas, cauliflower, or carrots to compliment the curry powder.

And in case you can't find Madras Curry Powder, you could always substitute Garam Masala (just don't add the whole cloves).  I've been able to find the latter at my local Indian grocery store.  Or, if you're inclined to make your own spice blends, the label of my Madras Curry Powder says that it contains (in the order of the label): coriander, cumin, peppercorns, black mustard seeds, chili, fenugreek, turmeric.  I am unsure of the amounts of each.

Madras Cabbage with Peas
serves 4 as main course, 6 as a side dish

Ingredients
2 tbsp canola oil

1/2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
1/4 tsp whole cloves
2-3 small yellow onions, peeled and sliced about 1/8 inch thick

1 to 1.5 lbs green cabbage, cored and sliced into long thin strips about 1/4 inch thick
2 tsp Madras Curry Powder
1 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

In a large saute pan, heat oil over medium heat.  Add mustard seeds and cloves until fragrant and slightly brown, about 3 minutes.  Add onion and cook until almost translucent, about 4 minutes.  Add cabbage to the pan and stir occasionally for 6-7 minutes, until cabbage has begun to wilt and even slightly brown.  Sprinkle curry powder, turmeric, and red pepper flakes over cabbage and stir.  Cook for an additional 5 minutes, until cabbage is just barely still firm yet easy to bite.  Adjust seasoning with salt and pepper.

Serve over rice or with flatbread.  (Maybe even gluten free naan?)

Please check out Grumpy Granny's Host Post for a round up of the entries and the announcement of the winner in a few days on her blog!

You Get a Bonus Day

I wish there had been a better time than the night before Valentine's day for me to get around to posting this recipe.  I'm afraid it will get lost in a sea of pink and red recipes and you will never get around to trying this for yourself.

But I urge you to take a stand:  pink food is appropriate 364 other days a year.  And since this year is a leap year, you get a bonus day.  Take that bonus day to treat yourself to Roasted Beet Risotto.

The process of making the risotto was simple enough, especially since I made the beet puree a few days in advance, though it did require standing next to the stove for a half an hour; a sacrifice that I'm willing to make when the payoff is this big.  And when I served it along side some of our favorite roasted chicken and a green salad, Tim thought maybe he had forgotten a special occassion.

Roasted Beet Risotto
recipe adapted slightly from Gourmet, November 2004
serves 6 to 8

Ingredients
3/4 cup to 1 cup roasted beet puree
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups water
1 small onion, diced
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cups Arborio or Jasmine rice
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tbsp fresh thyme, chopped
salt & pepper

In a medium pot, bring broth and water to a simmer.  Cover and keep on low heat.

Heat olive oil in a large sauce pan or dutch oven over medium heat.  Add onion and cook until softened, stirring occasionally, until soft, about 3 minutes.  Add rice and cook, stirring constantly for 1 minute.

Add the wine and simmer, stirring constantly, until wine is absorbed.  Stir in 1 ladle (about 1/2 to 3/4 cup broth/water mixture) liquid and stir until liquid is absorbed.  Continue simmering, stirring, and adding liquid, 1 ladle at a time, allowing liquid to be absorbed before adding more, about 20 minutes, until rice is creamy and  just tender.  When there is about 2 ladles of liquid left, stir in fresh thyme.  Add another ladle of liquid and beet puree.

Salt and pepper to taste (about 1 tbsp kosher salt and 1/2 tbsp freshly ground black pepper).  Thin if necessary with remaining liquid.  Risotto should spread in the bowl or plate.  Serve hot.

New Year's Resolution: Show My Appreciation

Have you made any New Year's resolutions?  If not, that's okay.  But this year I've been pretty focused on what I need to do now to get where I want to be in the future, and goal setting (or resolution making, whatever you call it) has been a big part of it. 

Tim humored me by sitting down to a formal dinner on December 27 and creating a list of joint goals for our family.  Truthfully, most of them are things I thought of in advance, but some of them are things that Tim contributed.  One of his resolutions for our family is to create an emergency kit; it would give him peace of mind and help us tremendously should their ever be a natural disaster or terrorist attack.  One of my goals for our family was to learn to cut Tim's hair.  He needs it done every few weeks and it's a regular expense that we could cut back on.  I've already started fulfilling this goal: I gave him a hair cut last night (and did a pretty good job for a first timer). 

My personal goals are focused on work, relationships, and health, but I was careful to make them attainable.  An important one on my list--and something we all should constantly be working on--is to not take my family for granted.  This means sending thank you cards, phoning relatives to tell them I've been thinking of them, and making time to show my family that I appreciate them.

Recently, as a part of this personal goal, Tim and I have started planning ahead to spend time together doing something special.  Sometimes we go to a movie or out to dinner, but on occasion we plan in advance, like we did for our goal setting night, to have a nice dinner at home.  There is the same anticipation and similar planning that would occur if we were going out, but we get to be more relaxed in our own home.  Since I love to cook, this is one way I show Tim that I appreciate him.  

If you are thinking about instituting more date nights in your household or just want to make a nice dinner for a friend, I'd like to share a menu I made recently that was elegant and easy to pull together on a weeknight.  Most of the components can be made in advance, freeing up your time to spend with your date rather than standing in the kitchen.  When you're ready to eat, all you will need to do is cook the fish, toss together a quick salad, and re-heat the rest. 

Pan-Fried Sea Bass with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce and Broccoli Puree
recipe slightly adapted from French Food at Home
serves 2-4, depending on how many filets you purchase

When picking out the fish for this dish, look for a filet that is of even thickness throughout.  That way it will cook evenly and you won't have to worry about it being over or under-cooked in sections.  If the price of seabass gives you sticker shock, you could substitute mahi mahi or salmon.

I made slight changes to the recipe to make it dairy free, but you could substitute butter for the Earth Balance.  I served this with a glass of dry white wine and a simple salad of mixed greens tossed with oil and vinegar.  If you need a wine recommendation, I'd suggest a Sauvignon Blanc from California or New Zealand to cut through the richness of the fish and broccoli puree.  And just a tip from this wine geek--cook with a wine you like to drink; it will make good food taste even better!

If you have leftover red pepper sauce, mix a few tablespoons into some hummus or stir it in with some mayonnaise for a fancy sandwich. 

Ingredients for the Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
2 red bell peppers
2 tbsp olive oil
1 shallot or small onion, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
6 tbsp chicken stock
Lemon juice, to taste
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Place the peppers on a foil-lined baking sheet and roast for 35-45 minutes, until the flesh is soft and puckered.  Take the peppers out of the oven and place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and allow the peppers to sweat for 10 minutes.  Remove the plastic wrap and peel and seed the peppers.  Discard skins and seeds.  Cut the flesh into pieces and set aside. 

Heat the olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan.  Add the shallot and cook for about 5 minutes until slightly soft.  Turn heat up to medium-high and deglaze pan with white wine.  Cook 1 minute.  Add the chicken stock and red pepper.  Return heat to medium and cook 5 minutes.  Cool slightly, and then puree in a blender or food processor.  Pour sauce through a strainer to remove any solids and transfer to a small saucepan to reheat sauce when you need it.  Season with salt & pepper to taste.  Can be made 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 

Reheat in saucepan before serving. 

Ingredients for the Broccoli Puree
1 head of broccoli,
1 leek, white and light green parts, trimmed, sliced into rings, and rinsed well
1 tbsp Earth Balance spread, soy-free
Zest of 1 lemon plus juice, to taste
salt & pepper

Bring a pot of salted water to boil.  Cut the florets off the head of broccoli.  Peel the stem and thinly slice.  Add the leek, broccoli florets, and broccoli stem to the boiling water.  Cook until very tender, about 10 minutes.  Drain.  Add the Earth balance and puree with an immersion blender or in batches in the food processor.  Return to the pot and add lemon zest, salt, pepper, and lemon juice to taste.  Can be made 1 day in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Reheat in the microwave or slowly on the stove top (careful not to evaporate too much liquid) before serving. 

Ingredients for the Fish
2 filets of sea bass, 4 oz each
salt & pepper
1 tbsp Earth Balance spread, soy-free
1 tbsp olive oil

Season the filets with salt & pepper.  Heat the butter and oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat.  Fry the fish about 4 minutes per side, until golden and fish is cooked through. 

Serve on a bed of the broccoli puree with red pepper sauce along side.

Why I Love Roasting

Lazy* is the word I would use to describe my cooking habits of late.  That is, if I've cooked at all.  We've had Thai carryout, deli sandwiches, pizza delivery, and leftovers for at least a week.  It's been kind of nice, but I've missed the meal planning and thoughtful grocery shopping.  I miss the routine of it all.

I needed to make something that would be a triple threat--taste, texture, aroma--to really drag me back to the kitchen.  It had to be simple and relatively low maintenance which of course brings roasting to mind.  Just today, Adam Roberts had article on reasons everyone should learn to roast a chicken in the Huffington Post.  The best reason:  it's ridiculously easy. 

I had a few pounds of small Yukon gold potatoes I picked up at Whole Foods this weekend calling to me from the counter to be eaten so I wanted to give them a proper roasting.  After a little research on epicurious, I decided to par-cook them on the stove top and then finish them off in the oven.  The entire process required little attention from me except to drain them and transfer them to a roasting pan before forgetting about them for a half an hour.  And that's why I love roasting--I got to continue my laziness and still eat well.

*Oh, those lazy pups up there?  Those are my dogs, Mia and Murray.  What a pair, eh?

Roasted Potatoes with Dill
recipe liberally adapted from Gourmet December 2001
serves 4-5 as a side dish

The dill took on an unexpected sweetness when tossed with the warm potatoes that Tim and I both really liked.  If you are not a dill person, or you have an abundance of a different herb like basil or parsley, feel free to swap for a similarly leafy herb.  Herbs like thyme and rosemary retain their flavor well in hot temperatures and would be fine to add during the roasting. 

Ingredients
2-3 lbs of small Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled or unpeeled
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 tbsp fresh dill, chopped
coarse salt & black pepper

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.  Halve or quarter potatoes to desired size (around 2 inch pieces).  Place potatoes in a pot and add cold, salted water until just submerged.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 12 minutes or until potatoes are slightly tender but still firm when pierced with a knife.  Drain in a colander and pat dry.

Transfer potatoes to a foil-lined roasting pan.  Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper.  Roast in the middle of the oven, stirring potatoes once during cooking, for about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven and toss with remaining olive oil, if needed, and fresh chopped dill.  Adjust salt & pepper to taste.  Serve warm.

Fennel, My New Friend

I would like to withdraw my declaration of dislike for fennel.

In fact, while I will likely continue to spit out black licorice jelly beans every single time I mistake one for a chocolate pudding flavor, I think that fennel might become one of my new favorite winter vegetables.  This is shocking for me, but I admit that what I presumed fennel would taste like, and what it actually tasted like when cooked with lemon zest, onions, parsley, and other flavors was not what I expected.

I'm still on a mission to create a middle menu for Thanksgiving.  When I found a recipe for Fennel Gratin, I considered the possibilities:  I could hate the mere smell of it baking and dump the whole thing out before we ate it or I could go ahead and try it out, even serve it to Tim, and if we both liked it then it might be a contender.

As I was slicing the fennel bulbs, I tried to decide how I liked the smell.  I didn't hate it and the sheer excitement of finding out that I might actually like it made me a little giddy.  While I was sauteing the slices of fennel with onion and garlic, Tim wandered into the kitchen with his nose tipped up in the air.

"What smells so good?"

And when I popped the finished product out of the oven, I completely forgot to snap a picture because we couldn't wait to taste it.  Honestly--we loved it.  I feel a little silly now about years of insulting and ignoring fennel when the plant hardly deserved it. 

I called my mom a few days later and my Fennel Gratin came up in conversation.  "We loved it," I told her, "but I thought that I hated that fennel flavor."  And my mother, in all of her motherly wisdom, said, "I thought you did, too, but our tastes change as we get older."

I don't think this will be going on my Thanksgiving menu, because I suspect that the young kids (and perhaps some of the older ones) might still have an aversion to fennel.  I think this dish will be my little (not-so) secret recipe, saved for a more adventurous dinner crowd.  

Fennel, my new friend, I hope we meet again soon.


Fennel Gratin with Parmesan and Lemon
adapted from Bon Appetit, November 2010
serves 4-6

Two notes:  1.  To me fennel was more of a sweet, fruity vegetable flavor than the black licorice flavor I expected.  In fact, I wouldn't put fennel in the same category of black licorice flavoring whatsoever.  If you are unsure, pick up a fennel bulb at the store and smell it.  I think you will be (pleasantly) surprised.  1.  Trust the recipe.  You really do need 15 minutes to saute the fennel to get it to soften!  ,

Ingredients for the Gratin
2 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, halved and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1 garlic clove, minced
2-3 large fennel bulbs, trimmed, cored, and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
salt & pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In a large, wide pot, heat olive oil over medium heat.  Add onion and garlic, saute until soft but not brown, about 5 minutes.  Increase heat to medium-high and add fennel.   Saute until fennel is slightly softened and starting to brown, stirring often, about 15 minutes.  Stir in broth, parsley, thyme, and red pepper flakes.  Season to your taste (recommended is 1/2 tsp kosher salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper).  Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer about 5 minutes until broth is mostly absorbed.  Transfer to an oiled baking dish. 

Ingredients for the topping
2 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup bread crumbs (panko preferred)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tsp Italian parsley, chopped
3/4 tsp lemon zest

Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium heat.  Add breadcrumbs and saute until golden brown, about 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.  In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs, parsley, Parmesan cheese, and lemon zest.

Sprinkle crumb topping over fennel.  Bake until heated through and topping is slightly browned, about 20 minutes.  Serve warm.

Do Your Eggplant Justice

I will never say no to Eggplant Parmesan.  My sister and I are both addicted to P.F. Changs Stir-Fried Eggplant.  And in the spirit of adventure, I am willing to give Stuffed Eggplant a try.  I would be willing to go out on a limb and proclaim that there are few ways that I would not devour eggplant.

This past weekend we bought the most beautiful light purple eggplant.  Its skin was so light in the bright morning sun it appeared almost white.  I wasn't even certain it was an eggplant at first but the farmer assured me that except for the difference in outer color it would taste like any other eggplant.  When I sliced it open it revealed the pearl colored inner flesh of the eggplant dotted with almond colored seeds. 

I wanted to do this eggplant justice and honor its inherent flavor and texture.  I think my end result would give any eggplant-lover like myself a very satisfied side dish or main course.  

Grilled Eggplant
serves 2-3

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
salt & pepper

Peel the eggplant if you desire, but it's not necessary.  Slice the eggplant across into 1/2 inch thick rounds.  Place eggplant in a gallon-sized zip lock bag.  Add 2 tbsp olive oil, salt & pepper to the bag.  Toss eggplant to coat and set aside for 30 minutes.

Heat a grill pan over medium heat (or outdoor grill).  Add 1 tbsp olive oil to pan and arrange eggplant rounds in single layer.  Cook for 3-4 minutes on first side until eggplant begins to release liquid and browns.  Flip and cook for an additional 3-4 minutes, removing eggplant to a plate.  Repeat if necessary with remaining eggplant.  Season with additional salt & pepper to taste, if needed. 

Serve warm as a light entrée over rice or couscous or as a side dish. 

Eggs on Sunday

Tim and I are big breakfast people.  When we first started dating, we would go to breakfast at a diner called The Echo in Hyde Park.  I loved that place because we would always order the same things:  eggs, potato cakes, bacon, and a Diet Coke for me and either the same for Tim or an omelette with coffee.  Sometimes my old roommates would also join us and one of them always ordered her version of the Hyde Parker omelette:  egg whites, spinach, tomatoes, and feta cheese.  Everything was always perfect.

We are both creatures of habit when it comes to breakfast, but there are times when we try something new.  For example, right after we watched Julie & Julia, Tim went out and bought me Mastering the Art of French Cooking.  I promptly baked my family a cheese soufflé.  It was tasty, but I quickly realized that there wasn't much substance to a plain cheese soufflé and it wasn't a very filling brunch.

 

My friend, Meg, wrote about eggs baked in ramekins and I really haven't been able to get that concept out of my mind.  The nice thing about making eggs in this manner is that you can make individual portions and don't have to spend time tending to a pot of boiling water for poaching or a sauté pan for frying.  And the way we made them was a good use of the endless tomatoes available at the farmer's market. 

Baked Eggs in Tomatoes
adapted from Everday Food magazine
serves 2

This recipe can easily be increased to serve more than two or paired down for one.  You can also adjust the seasoning amounts to your taste or add any diced vegetables like corn or zucchini to the egg mixture for more texture.  

Ingredients
2 large, firm tomatoes
2 large eggs
2 tsp fresh chives
2 tbsp grated Parmesan, Gruyère, or other hard cheese
salt & pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.  With a paring knife, cut around the top of the tomato, taking care not to pierce all the way through to the bottom.  Using a spoon, scoop out the insides of the tomatoes, without poking through the skin.  Arrange tomatoes in a baking dish lined with foil or parchment paper.  Salt & pepper tomatoes.

In a small bowl, mix eggs, chives, salt & pepper.  Pour egg mixture into tomatoes.  Top with cheese.  Bake for 35-40 minutes or until egg mixture is cooked through and cheese is slightly browned.  

Serve immediately.

Welcome Back, Tomatoes

It goes without saying that summer is the best time for tomatoes.  Or do I have to say it?  Perhaps someone should tell a certain restaurant that they don't have to serve grainy, watery tomatoes in July.  Sure, they made up for it with fantastic happy hour prices and a view overlooking Fountain Square that no amount of lackluster tomatoes can overshadow.  But someone tell the chef if they want some good tomatoes, call me and I will send them to my vendor at the local farmer's market. 

It may have been raining all day today but summer was alive and well in my kitchen.  As I sliced into the tomatoes I picked up on Saturday, their deep red juices seeped out onto the cutting board, bleeding their perfect acidity and just begging me to eat a slice quickly and put them out of their juicy misery.  Oh summer, never leave me again.  How will I live without your tomatoes?

Those tomatoes were going into a Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Pie.  I picked up the recipe while I was in Virginia at a family reunion.  You know you're the family foodie when your mother-in-law, as soon as you get there, says, "I have a book of recipes you might be interested in!"

Why yes, I'm always interested!  (Thanks Ginny!)

I decided to go at this recipe full throttle.  It called for a baked pie shell so I wanted to make my own.  I can't remember where but I saw some bloggers using pastry recipes from Williams-Sonoma.  I got out my food processor, measured out the ingredients, the stars aligned, and voilà--a fantastic pie crust.  Tim said it was the best he'd ever had as far as flakiness and flavor.  He is the resident food critic, so I believe him. 

I sliced up the eggplant, tossed it with some olive oil, salt, & pepper and roasted it in the oven.  I also sautéed the onions until they were soft to avoid any raw onion flavor.  The tomatoes just got a thin slice and were added to the pie as is, and they were excellent.

The pecorino cheese and parmesan added a nice saltiness to the flavor and good contrast to the vegetables.  Except for the dough slipping down a bit, I can't imagine that this could have turned out any better.  In fact, this is the perfect summer vegetable pie.  The eggplant and tomato could easily be swapped out for zucchini, summer squash, peppers, potatoes, leafy greens, or even beets.  If you experiment with different combinations, please come back and tell me about it!

Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Pie
recipe adapted from Under the Texan Sun: Recipes from the Lone Star Wineries
serves 6-8

Ingredients
1 baked pie crust*
1 medium eggplant
2 medium onions
6-8 tbsp olive oil
2-3 tomatoes
2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup grated Pecorino cheese
plain greek yogurt (optional for serving)
basil leaves (optional for serving)

*Ingredients for the pie crust
recipe from Williams-Sonoma
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, very cold
3-4 tbsp water, very cold

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  In a food processor, add the flour, sugar, and salt.  Pulse 2-3 times until well mixed.  Cut the butter into 1/4 inch cubes and add the butter to the food processor.  Pulse until the butter is broken down into small crumbles, but do not over mix.  The butter should be smaller than peas.  Add the water, one tablespoon at a time while running the food processor on a low speed.  When you've added the proper amount of water, the dough will come together, signaling you to stop mixing.

Moving the dough onto a well flour surface, form it into a ball.  Roll the dough out with a rolling pin until 1 inch larger than your pie dish.  Transfer dough to pie dish.  Trim off any excess dough hanging over the lip of the dish.  Line the pie dough with foil or parchment paper and fill the center with dry rice, beans, or pie weights until the pie shell is 2/3 full.  This will help to keep the dough from slipping down the sides.

Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from the oven and discard the weights and foil/parchment.  Using a fork, make holes in the bottom of the crust and along the sides.  Return the crust to the oven and cook for an additional 10 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature. 

Increase oven temperature to 400 degrees F.  Slice the eggplant very thin.  Toss with olive oil, salt, & pepper and arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Roast for 10-12 minutes or until the eggplant is lightly browned and soft, but not mushy.  Meanwhile, slice the onions thinly and sauté the onions for 5-7 minutes in 2 tbsp olive oil on medium-low in a dutch oven or non-stick skillet.  Do not brown the onions and adjust heat as needed.  Slice the tomatoes thinly and set aside on a paper towel to drain.  Mince the garlic and combine with 3 tbsp olive oil.  Set aside.

When the onions and eggplant are finished cooking, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.  Begin to assemble the pie.  Layer the half of the eggplant, tomato, onion, cheeses, and garlic-olive oil mixture in the pie shell.  Repeat with the second half of the ingredients.

Bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and vegetables are well cooked. 

Serve a slice with a dollop of yogurt and a few torn basil leaves. 

*I'm entering this recipe into the July Culinary Smackdown.  I hope I'm the winner-winner-chicken-dinner!

Not All Mushrooms are Created Equal

I spoke too soon and jinxed it.  The rain did not go away.  In fact, we had been enjoying warm, sunny weather for most of April and the beginning of May until I decided I wanted to actually do something outdoors, and Mother Nature really showed me who's boss.  Saturday and Sunday's forecasts are looking promising though. 

So instead of sitting around on my behind, I took matters into my own hands.  I could show Mother Nature who was really boss of my house.  I could cook up a storm and serve it to my husband, inside our warm, dry home, while she had to stay outside alone with her watering cans. 

But the problem was, I hadn't really planned on cooking a feast.  Our fridge was filled with an assortments of bits and pieces of previous meals.  I considered leftovers--there were some from my husband's favorite meal (aka meatloaf).  But with my renewed energy to fight back against the dreary weather, I'd have to make do with what we had.  

Pork chops, fresh rosemary, Parmesan cheese, and cremini mushrooms practically raised their hands to volunteer for dinner.  Eat me today while I'm still fresh!  

I'm not a huge "mushroom" person, but I can appreciate the complexities that the rich flavor of mushroom can add to a dish.  Tim on the other hand--HUGE mushroom person.  Loves them on and in everything.  But I will be the first to admit that not all mushrooms are created equal, and I will take cremini's over white button mushrooms any day of the week.  

Cremini mushrooms have many aliases including crimini, baby bellas, and portabellinis (because they are in fact immature portabella mushrooms), but by any name, they are equally as delicious.

To go along side our rosemary pork chops, I whipped up this Parmesan Orzo with Cremini Mushrooms, and trust me, you won't ever think all mushrooms are the same again! 

Parmesan Orzo with Cremini Mushrooms

serves 4


Note:  This side dish was definitely enhanced by the drippings already in the pan from frying our entrée, rosemary pork chops, but if you are the type who preserves bacon drippings, that would be a good option as well.  Otherwise, additional butter or olive oil will still do the trick, but you will definitely be missing out on a little "something."  I suggest additional seasoning or tossing in some herbs like rosemary if you start without drippings.

Ingredients 
1 tbsp fat drippings

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, diced

2 cups of cremini onions, rinsed, patted dry, and halved
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/2 cup uncooked orzo
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper

Cook orzo according to the directions on the box until al dente.  Drain and toss with 1 tbsp olive oil and set aside.  In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and drippings.  When the butter is melted and just begins to simmer, add the diced onion.  Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occassionally, and then add the mushrooms.  Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, careful to continue to stir and adjust heat so as not to burn the onions.  Turn up the heat to medium-high and add the wine, scraping the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon to remove any accumulated bits.  Allow the wine to reduce down to 2 tbsp.  Add the orzo and Parmesan, tossing together.  Salt & pepper to taste. 

We still have to eat

The sun has finally peeked out from behind the clouds today!  

Say it with me:  Hallelujah!  

I have never felt so in tune with my surroundings, so interested in weather patterns, so thrilled by green leaves and budding flowers.  The prospect of not only knowing where my food comes from, but taking part in planting, weeding, pruning and harvesting has caused me to really stop and think about what I feed myself and my family.  I hope my garden adventure might inspire you as well.

While I pass the time today before we are able to go to the garden, I have been mentally planning different dishes that I intend to prepare from our future harvest.  Fresh tomato sauce with basil and rosemary.  Stir fry with kung pao peppers.  Grilled eggplant with crumbled feta.  The list goes on and on.  I imagine the food will taste better knowing that I cultivated it all the way to my dinner table.  

In the meantime, we still have to eat.  If you ask my husband what dinner is like at our house, he would very likely (I'm sure of it actually) tell you that dinner is always an experiment.  Very rarely do I make the same thing in a month.  On the weekends when we make our weekly meal plan and grocery list, I always ask him what he wants to eat this week.  Without fail, he answers:  

Meat loaf.

Mac and cheese. 

Poor Tim.  He has such simple dinner desires.  Don't pity him too much though, because we never go hungry.  I even made him meat loaf this week.  Just because I love him.

But one of my latest food obsessions is polenta.  Tim cannot quite wrap his head around it, and pretends to enjoy it when I serve it for dinner.  Finally he admitted that it was just weird to him to be eating something with such an odd texture.  I will agree that it does have an odd texture.  Sort of a mix between mashed potatoes and oatmeal, but very thick and sticky.  So polenta has been removed from the side dish rotation, but that does not mean it has left my life.  I just have to eat it for lunches, snacks, breakfast, or any other time when we aren't eating together.  Stll it's never just boring old polenta for me, trust me, I find a way to keep it interesting.  

Let's start with the basics first.  

To make polenta, you need 3 things:

6 cups water
1.5 cups corn meal
salt

In a dutch oven, bring the water to a boil.  When it has reached a rolling boil, reduce heat as low as it will go.  While continuously stirring with a whisk, pour the corn meal into the pot slowly.  When it is well stirred, cover.  Every 5 minutes for up to 30 minutes, check the corn meal and stir 5-10 stirs, and then recover.  After 30 minutes, check consistency.  The polenta should be smooth and creamy and will be slightly sticky to the touch.  

 

So you made polenta.   Now what?  Well, I have a few suggestions.  You could serve it just as is with a little butter on top.  It's a great way to appreciate the simple flavors.  You could do what I did for lunch--strip the leaves from a few sprigs of fresh thyme and stir it into the hot polenta.  Sprinkle with goat cheese.  

This was really delicious because the cold goat cheese was like a little burst of creaminess in each bite.  Yum.  

Or, eat a little bit for a light lunch like I did and save the rest in a loaf pan.  Just line a loaf pan (glass, aluminum, doesn't matter what type) with some cling wrap and spoon in the leftover polenta.  

What will you do with this polenta loaf?  Well, you will slice it!  I don't have pics of a final product because this is for my breakfast this upcoming weekend, but if you try to purchase ready-made polenta at the grocery it often comes in a loaf or tube.  It will really thicken and slices very easily.  You can just warm it up and serve it under some delicious bolognese sauce in place of a pasta.  I prefer to pan fry it and eat it for breakfast with a drizzle of syrup.  I know, you may say, "That's the way old people eat it."  

Maybe we should think of them as wise from now on.