Indian Spiced Quinoa

Indian Spiced Quinoa

Just arrived home from our Annual Spring Break Trip to St. George Island Florida and started rummaging around the pantry for something to whip up (detox).

All those jars of healthy goodness!

  

What's she talkin about???

We have hops and barley, that's healthy!

All that pre-planning in my pantry is paying off!  This super tasty and quick recipe was perfect!

Indian Spiced Quinoa

The Chef In My Head, adapted from All recipes

Makes approx. 2 cups

 1 tablespoon olive oil

 1 lagre shallot, chopped

 1 large clove garlic, minced

 3/4 cup quinoa

 2 teaspoons curry powder

 1/2 teaspoon salt

 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

 1 teaspoon cumin

 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

 1 dash cayenne pepper

 1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

 1 (14 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

 1/4 cup raisins, soaked in hot water and drained

 1/4 cup dried cranberries,  soaked in hot water and drained

Directions

1. Stir together the olive oil, onion, and garlic in a saucepan over medium heat until the shallot has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the quinoa, curry powder, salt, pepper, cumin, cinnamon, cayenne, and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes until the quinoa is tender.

2. Once the quinoa has finished cooking, stir in the drained garbanzo beans, toasted pine nuts, raisins, and cranberries.  Serve warm or cold.

Surprisingly filling!  Can be served over a bed of rocket/arugula.  I molded mine in rings just to make it pretty!

Enjoy!

Print this Recipe

Chilean Sea Bass En Papillote

Chilean Sea Bass En Papillote

En Papillote (French: "in parchment"), or "al cartoccio" in Italian, is a method of cooking in which the food is put into a folded pouch or parcel and then baked. The parcel is typically made from folded parchment paper, but other material such as a paper bag or aluminium foil may be used. The parcel holds in moisture to steam the food.

The moisture may be from the food itself or from an added moisture source like water, wine, or stock.

En Papillote is perhaps most often used to cook fish and also poultry. Choice of herbs, seasonings and spices depend on the particular recipe being prepared.

The pouch should be sealed with careful folding. (source wikipedia)

Chilean Sea Bass could possibly be my new favorite fish and cooking En Popillote my favorite method!!

This fish is clean, bright white, succulent and delicious!  Cooking anything En Popillote is the fastest and easiest clean up ever!

As always, start with fabulous fresh ingredients (remember fresh fish is NOT fishy).  This creation started with a beautiful filet of Chilean sea bass, the best olive oil, fresh organic lemons and amazing sweet cherry tomatoes that burst with flavor!

Here's the layering process:

Square of parchment paper, drizzle of olive oil

and 1/2-inch thick slices of lemon

Gorgeous Chillean Sea Bass, Lemon flaked sea salt, Fresh ground pepper and garden fresh Thyme

Lightly sauteed cherry tomatoes

Garlic and flash fried Capers

photo source Google

Beautiful packages ready for the oven!

Chilean Sea Bass En Papillote

The Chef In My Head, Serves 2

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2-8oz filletsChilean Sea Bass with skin

3/4 teaspoon lemon flake sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

8 thin lemon slices (less than 3/4 inch thick; from 1 large lemon)

8 sprigs fresh thyme

2 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced

12 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 1/2 tablespoons drained bottled capers

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 400°F. Cut a square of parchment paper, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon olive oil.

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil on parchment, place lemon slices on olive oil. Pat fish dry and sprinkle both sides with salt and pepper. Arrange fillets, skin sides down on top of lemon slices. Arrange thyme sprigs on top of each fillet.

Heat remaining olive oil in a heavy skillet over moderately high heat until hot but not smoking, then sauté garlic, stirring occasionally, until pale golden, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and a pinch of salt and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tomatoes are softened, about 1 minute.  

Spoon hot tomato mixture over fish

   Add 1 tsp olive oil to pan, increase heat to high. Add capers to pan and flash fry.  You are looking for a quick crisp on capers.  Spoon capers over tomato mixture.

Fold parchment paper over, tenting it slightly over fish, and crimp edges together tightly to seal.

Bake until fish is just cooked through, 12 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fish); check by removing from oven and carefully lifting up a corner of top sheet of parchment, pulling up sides of bottom sheet to keep liquid from running out. If fish is not cooked through, reseal and continue to bake, checking every 3 minutes.

Transfer fillets with lemon slices to plates using a spatula (be careful not to tear parchment underneath) and spoon tomatoes and juices over top. Serve immediately, discarding thyme before eating.

Enjoy!

Print this Recipe

Roasted Tomato Soup ~ Served Hot or Cold

Hot or Cold, Roasted Tomato Soup

This is a robust savory soup served hot or cold.  On this occasion, I served it hot for lunch.  The garden is overloaded with tomatoes!  Two varieties of Heirlooms, Celebrity, Roma and small Cherry tomatoes bursting with flavor.  Basil, yes, we have tons of that too!  Perfect for our delicious soup and easy to put together.

Roasted Tomato Soup, Served Hot or Cold,

adapted from CIA Master Chefs

The Chef In My Head

Yields 8 cups

12 fresh tomatoes, any variety, quartered

4 T extra virgin olive oil, divided use

2 tsp kosher salt, divided use

1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper, divided use

2 large onions, rough chopped

2 stalks celery, rough chopped

4 garlic cloves, 2 peeled rough chopped, 2 whole

4 C vegetable broth

1/4 C dry white wine

1 bay leaf

1/4 C fresh basil, chopped + more for garnish

Place tomatoes along with 2 whole garlic cloves on baking sheet, drizzle with 2 T olive oil and sprinkled with half of salt and pepper.  Roast in 450 degree oven about 30 to 45 minutes until they are browned and have a rich, roasted aroma.  Set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in a soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onion and celery and saute, stirring frequently until the onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.  Add the remaining garlic and the bay leaf and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the roasted tomatoes, the remaining salt and pepper and roasted garlic along with the broth and white wine.  Scrape the bottom of the pot to deglaze.  Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes.

Remove the soup pot from the heat and discard the bay leaf.  Carefully pour contents into the awesome Vitamix and add the basil and secure the lid.  Turn on machine on and quickly increase the speed to Variable 10, then to high.  Blend for 45 seconds until smooth.   Note: If you do not have a Vitamix yet, then you can use your food processor or blender, blending in smaller batches. 

If serving HOT, pour into serving cups or bowls, garnish with reserved basil sprigs.  

If serving COLD, chill the soup for at least 4 hours and up to 24 hours.  Check for seasoning just before serving.  Pour into cups or bowls and garnish with basil springs.

Enjoy!

Delicious with crispy garlic croutons or my favorite, a rustic Grilled Cheese Sandwich!

Print this Recipe

Pan Seared Diver Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

Pan Seared Diver Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

Scallops and prosciutto together, mmmm, what a fabulous flavor combination. 

Look for  fresh beautiful scallops! The fresher the scallop, the more translucent it will be. Dragged scallops may be gray and are often soaked in a chemical solution to preserve them. These “wet” scallops will be flabby and opaque and will shed excess liquid as soon as they hit the pan. Choose bay scallops with firm and moist texture, avoiding those that are slippery or spongy or have an unpleasant smell.  Remember my seafood rule:  If it smell fishy, it's NOT fresh.  Life is too short to eat bad seafood.

Prosciutto is another ingredient worth paying a little extra for.  Good prosciutto will seems like it melts in your mouth and is worth every penny.  You will also find, as I have, that the best prosciutto doesn't have to be the most expensive one.  Find a friend behind the deli counter that will let you sample, and decide for yourself.  My friend Tammy behind the counter at the HEB Plus, ALWAYS takes care of me.  She makes me look good and my guests always enjoy good food chosen with care.

So here you go!  This is a simple recipe to assemble and prepare.  Remember choose your ingredients well, it's will be the difference between a ho-hum dish and a spectacular one.

Pan Seared Diver Scallops Wrapped in Prosciutto

Serves 4

12 Diver scallops

6 slices Prosciutto, halved lengthwise

3 T olive oil

3 T unsalted butter

1 garlic clove, halved

To prepare; lightly rinse and pat dry.  Wrap each scallop in a piece of the prosciutto and tie with kitchen twine.  Heat a large skillet with a heavy bottom to med-high.  Add olive oil and butter to pan, swirl to coat.  Add garlic and saute for a quick moment to release flavor into oil.  Remove garlic and discard.  Using tongs, place scallops in pan.  Sear until golden brown and turn, sear second side.  Remove to serving plates and remove twine.  Serve while hot!

Scallops will only take a total of 3 to 5 minutes, do not overcook or they will become tough.    If cut open, the inside should still look slightly uncooked-think medium rare for steak. The scallops should finish cooking all the way through while they are on the plate and on the way to the table, where they should be eaten while hot. By the time you cut into one on your plate at the dinner table, it should be opaque all the way through, but very tender inside.

Enjoy!

Print this Recipe

Guest Blog~The Amazing Danny and Susan Hollingsworth, Part 1

Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers

We have just returned home from three really fantastic days eating and fishing and having a blast!!  For our wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with an overnight fishing trip.  He and my daddy put their sneaky heads together and came up with the perfect trip.  The plan was to go to our friends, Danny and Susan Hollingsworth's gorgeous home on Lake Conroe, have dinner, get a good night's rest and head off to the Gulf Coast the next morning, fish all day, spend the night offshore, fish all day again, then head back to Danny and Susan's 

The evening we arrived, Susan had this delicious appetizer of Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers waiting for us.  The colors are beautiful and the taste is fantastic.  It was a great challenge to not spoil our dinner by eating too much.  The flavors are wonderful together and it's a nice change from the standard mozzarella you usually find in a dish similar to this.  Best of all, you make it ahead!! 

Marinated Manchego with Roasted Red Peppers adapted from  Viking Cooking School class

1/2 C Spanish extra-virgin olive oil

2 T sherry vinegar

1 green onion, green top only, very thinly sliced

1/2 small shallot, minced

1/2 tsp whole cumin seeds, lightly toasted*

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed

1 bay leaf (preferably Turkish)

8 (3 X 1 X 1/4-inch) slices manchego cheese (about 1/2 pound)

8 (3 X 1-inch) slices roasted red peppers (about 1 medium pepper)**

1. Whisk together the oil, vinegar, green onions, shallots and cumin seeds; season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add the garlic and bay leaf; set aside until needed.

2.  Arrange the cheese slices in an attractive, non-reactive serving dish, then place one roasted red pepper strip over each piece of cheese.  Pour the marinade over the pepper strips, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

3.  Let stand at room temperature at least 1 hour before serving.  (Note:  Remove the garlic cloves and bay leaf before serving.)

Tips and Techniques:

* Heat a small saute' pan over med-high heat; add the cumin seeds and cook, stirring constantly, until aroma is released and the seeds just begin to brown.

**To roast peppers:  Char the pepper over a gas flame on the stove or under the broiler, turning to ensure the skin blisters evenly.  Place the blistered pepper in a covered container (or in a bowl covered with plastic wrap) and cool.  When cool enough to handle, peel off the dark skins and remove the stem and seeds.

Make It Ahead:  Marinate the cheese up to four days before serving.

Hot Tip:  This recipe doubles beautifully.

Serve with toasted baguette slices.

I know, I know, fishing for your anniversary present sounds a little strange, but it was perfect for me!!  Thankfully my husband knows me so well.  This was a trip we have been trying to take since the beginning of May(our anniversary was May 1st).  As it turned out, my husband's son Brice, made it home from his Air Force base in Germany in time to go with us. Daddy has been watching the buoy reports for wind and seas for weeks, coordinating every one's schedules, timing was critical to a good trip. Probably at the top of the list of 'Musts" was the availability of Nathan, Danny and Susan's son in law.  Boy, now I understand, Nathan presence was critical.  Nathan is unbelievable, he's a machine!  He can set up tackle, set out outriggers, cut bait, gaff your catch, keep the boat "ship-shape" and make a mean ceviche while offshore!   Thanks again Nathan, we had a blast, and you're awesome!! 

Last night, after we got back in, we all went out to dinner and it occurred to me that I have been fishing with my dad since he was about 15 years younger than I am right now.  That's a long time.  I love it!  We've know Danny and Susan since probably the late 70's, when they used to live right down the street from us and refer to my sister as "Our Claire".  We love their family very much and our family is infinitely blessed to have them in our lives.

Keep an eye out for Part 2, Paella!!

Print this Recipe

Appetizers on the Beach

Shurvilleobbs ~ Part 3 in Series

One of the lovely days on the beautiful North Carolina beach, our Sweet Janet spoiled us again with these scrumptous appetizers.  She literally brought them down to the beach!  It felt a little like being a guest of Ina Garten's, gotta love that!!  This was not an isolated incident since Janet spoiled us throughout the trip.  Remember, she was the one that wouldn't stay out of the kitchen when it wasn't her day to help us clean up.

Miss Organized Janet, made these at home before our trip and brought them in her ice chest.  At the beach house she just pulled them out of the box and popped them into the oven!  Voila!!

Sweet Janet's Beach Appetizer

Makes 90 Appetizers

 2 pounds Neece's Hot Sausage (similar to Jimmy Dean's Hot sausage)
90 Athen's Fillo Cups (keep the box they come in)
4-6 Green Onions, finely chopped
1/2 Red Repper (about 1/2 C) , finely chopped
1-2 tsp Red PepperFlakes
3-4 cloves Garlic, minced
1/4 C Ranch Dressing
1-1/2 C Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
1-1/2 C Sharp Chedder Cheese, grated + more for garnish
Sour Cream for garnish
Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Saute sausage over med-high heat.  Drain VERY well and pat dry.  Transfer cooked sausage to large bowl, add to that green onions, red pepper, red pepper flakes, garlic, dressing and both cheeses.  Combine well.  Place about 1 Tbl. in each of the Athens Fillo Cups.

Make ahead note:  At this point the cups can be placed back in trays and boxes and kept frozen.  Janet just puts a check mark on her boxes so she knows those are the filled ones in her freezer.  Frozen cups can later be removed from tray and popped in the oven.

Place cups directly on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes, garnish with additional cheddar cheese and return to oven.  Continue to bake until cheese begins to melt, about 2 minutes.  Remove from oven and transfer to serving tray.  Garnish each cup with sour cream and parsley or chives and serve.

Janet says even her dad makes these and keeps them in the freezer, ready to pop in the oven for his golf buddies!  Impressive!  I'm swiping her recipe for my Christmas Party, this is just too easy.

Print this Recipe

Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

2010 Shurvilleobbs Spring Break Series ~ Part 1 (Shurbets, Melvilles and Dobbs)

As you saw on my last post, the menu was tacked to the refrigerator in our beach house.  This beach house, btw, we will seek to rent again if at all possible.  Gorgeous, 3 story, 5 bedroom, 4 bath, beautiful kitchen, completely decorated from room to room with Ethan Allen furniture, all smack dab on the beach in Topsail (say it like you're Thurston Howell - "Topsill", unless you want to sound like a tourist).            Haha, I saw you.

Back to the list.  Each day, each family (3 families) was responsible for the entire day's meal, including clean-up; giving the other bunch of us the day off ~ completely, no cooking or cleaning.  Most, followed the rules, DAMNIT JANET, and stayed out of the kitchen and didn't clean on their days off.

One of the days breakfast was one of my absolute favorites!  Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction  Warning, the photos are crummy, ie paper plate and bad lighting, but the taste is fabulous!!!

Told ya!

I found this recipes a couple of years ago on Follow That Food, I LOVE IT!  Easy and elegant.

Avocado Cristo with Cherry Tomato Jam and Balsamic Reduction

Ingredients:

8 eggs, lightly beaten
4 ounces milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon cumin
Salt and pepper
1 loaf sourdough bread cut in 1/2-inch slices
2 avocados, peeled and sliced
6 ounces Monterey Jack


Plum tomato jam:
1 pound cherry tomatoes, chopped
2 ounces sugar


Balsamic reduction:
6 ounces aged balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
1 avocado, peeled and sliced


Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.


In a medium size bowl combine the eggs, milk, garlic, cumin, and salt and pepper, and lightly beat. Dip the bread slices in the egg mixture covering both sides. In a baking dish lightly coated with olive oil, place a layer of bread slices on the bottom. Arrange a layer of avocado slices in a fan design on top of the bread. Cover with a layer of Monterey Jack. Place another layer of the dipped bread slices over the cheese and avocados. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes, or until bread is nicely browned.


To make the tomato jam, saute the tomatoes and sugar in a pan until liquid reduces and becomes thick.


In a medium size pot, reduce the vinegar until slightly thickened.


To serve, remove the avocado cristo from baking dish and cut into wedges. Arrange wedges on each plate with the plum tomato jam and a drizzle of the balsamic reduction. Garnish plate with lime juice, chopped cilantro, and a slice of avocado.

Print this Recipe

The Official Launch of Supper Club Saturdays

My husband and I, with some friends of ours(they are all great cooks), have decided to start our own Supper Club! I have always wanted to be a part of one but I never imagined we would have such an amazing collection of creative culinary geniuses(them, not me, well maybe in my head)! We will be starting it in April and I can hardly wait!!

I saw the beginning of our Supper Club as a great opportunity to have you, all my great foodie friends, join in the fun!

I know for a fact you all have great recipes and wonderful ideas! So here's my plan.....

I am launching "Supper Club Saturdays" officially today and every Saturday! This will be a place for you to post any of your fabulous recipes(any or all courses), dinner party ideas, pictures of that beautiful china you inherited, table settings, etc. Anything related to the wonderful pastime of gathering around a table! I will provide a "Mister Linky" for you to add the URL back to your post along with the photo!!

Here is all I really ask.

1~ I know we post our recipes to lots of sites for our great love of sharing but also I realize it's a great way to direct traffic back to our individual blogs. So I hope you will take the time to visit the other blogs and leave a sweet comment or two. I know I try very hard to do this and some weeks I fail miserably. I promise to do a better job at that too! I have made the most wonderful and dear friends through this crazy blog world. You never know, your newest friend might be listed right next you :)

2~ Please link directly to your recipe post, not your blog URL. We want it to be easy to find your special recipe and then find it again later. I know we will all find new blogs and fabulous recipes! Please share the love by linking back here in your own post. It's as simple as adding a line at the bottom of your recipe :)

Looking forward to following in the footsteps of the ultra successful Tasty Tuesdays!

Here's the Steak Milanese with Chimichuri Sauce, which frankly we decided we could eat it on anything and we wouldn't care. The sauce was deeeeelicious!

Steak Milanese with Chimichuri Sauce

Steak:

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 C flour

1/2 Panko (Japanese Bread Crumbs)

1/4 C Parmesan Cheese, finely grated

Kosher Salt & Freshly Ground Pepper

4 T Olive Oil

1 pound cube steak, pounded out VERY thin(4 portions)

Chimichuri Sauce:

3/4 C packed Fresh Flat Leaf Parsley

3/4 C packed Fresh Cilantro

1/3 C Red Wine Vinegar

1/2 C Extra-Virgin Olive Oil

2 large cloves of Garlic

1/2 tsp Sea Salt

1/2 tsp Ground Cumin

1 tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Combine all ingredients into bowl of food processor and pulse until chopped and combined well.

Transfer to small serving bowl, cover and let flavors blend for at least 2 hours. You can store any leftovers in the refrigerator, but I'd be surprised if you have any.

Serving ideas: Over toasted slices of baguette, grilled chicken, shrimp, filet mignon, pork medallions, grilled fish etc.

Steak Milanese with Chimichuri Sauce | Key Ingredient

Print this Recipe

Succulent Steamed Mussels with White Wine

Years ago I traveled to Nashville to help care for my nephew while my sister went to NYC to celebrate her 30th birthday with her girlfriends. Did I say YEARS ago, oh yes, it was YEARS ago when my sweet baby sister turned 30! My brother-in-law was working so I took care of Jackson during the day, what a joy! My sister had been teaching Jackson sign language before he learned how to talk. I didn't know the "signs" very well for "all finished", "I'm hungry", "thank you", "more", etc., let's just suffice to say his arms were really tired by the time I left.

My brother in law, Jeff is a fabulous cook (remember the Beer Eyed Black Eyed Peas) and one of the many things I love about him is his willingness to be my guinea pig when it comes to food. What better time to try something new! We had a beautiful dinner of fresh steamed mussels in white wine with crusty French Bread. Shamefully, this is the first time I have made that dish again in many many YEARS.

If preparing mussels is something new for you, be not afraid! They are delicious and super easy! Here is a website I found for you with good basic info on how to select, store and cook mussels Discover Mussels. And here is my recipe. Enjoy!

Steamed Mussels with Garlic, Thyme, Saffron, White Wine and Butter adapted from Tyler Florence recipe

4 Servings

3 pounds mussels

Extra-virgin Olive Oil

4 T Butter

4 Garlic cloves, minced

6 Green Onions, chopped, separate white and green parts

2 T fresh Thyme, pulled from stems

6-8 strands Saffron

1-1/2 C dry White Wine

1/4 C Fresh flat-leaf Parsley, chopped

Rinse the mussels under cold running water while scrubbing with a vegetable brush. Remove the stringy mussels beards with your thumb and index finger as you wash them. Discard any mussels with broken shells or that will not close when tapped.

Heat 1 T olive oil and 2 T butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add white tops of green onions, garlic, thyme along with saffron and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the mussels and give everything a good toss. Add the white wine. Cover and steam and steam over med-high heat for about 10 minutes, until the mussels are open. Stir occasionally so that all the mussels are in contact with the heat. Add the remaining butter and drizzle with remaining olive oil, green parts of green onions to the sauce in the pot and swirl to incorporate. Season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve immediately with good crusty French Bread!

Print this Recipe

Prime Rib & Hatch Chile Scalloped Potatoes

For once, I'm not exhausted after preparing Christmas Dinner!  Might be the fewer number of us (we actually ate at the breakfast table) or that I finally decided to create a smaller menu.  Either way, I am enjoying the weekend because I'm not completely exhausted.

Here's is my very simple menu!

Soupe A' l'oignon (French Onion Soup) previous post-October 6, 2009

Roasted Prime Rib with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Hatch Chile Scalloped Potatoes

Asparagus with Vinagrette Sauce

Roasted Prime Rib

4 pound boneless Prime Rib Roast

Olive oil

Freshly ground pepper

Grey salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat prime rib roast with olive oil.  Rub pepper and salt to taste,  I am pretty heavy handed with the pepper.  Place in shallow baking dish and roast uncovered until internal temperature reaches 110 degrees for medium-rare center, approx. 1 hour.  Once desired temperature is reached, remove from oven and place on warm platter to rest for at least 10 minutes before slicing.  Serve with Creamy Horseradish Sauce

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

1 Cup Sour Cream

1/3 Cup Horseradish

1 Tbls Dijon Mustard

1 tsp. White Wine Vinegar

1/2 tsp. Kosher Salt

1/4 tsp. Freshly ground Pepper

Place all of the ingredients into a mediumn mixing bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Place in thee refrigerator for at least 4 hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.  Sauce will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Hatch Chile Scalloped Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon Gold Potatoes

6 fresh Hatch chiles (3/4 pound)

2 Cups Heavy cream

2 large garlic cloves

2/3 C. Monterrey Jack Cheese, shredded

Kosher salt to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Lay chiles on their sides on a rack of a gas burner and turn flame on high.  Roast chiles, turning with tongs, until skins are blackened, 5 to 8 minutes.  Transfer chiles to a bowl and let stand, covered, 15 minutes.

Rub skins off chiles with paper towels and discard stems and seeds.  Cut the chiles into 1/4-inch strips.

Bring the cream with garlic just to a simmer and remove from heat.  Peel potatoes and cut crosswise with your super amazing Cuisinart Food Processor into 1/16-inch thick slices.

Arrange one-third of potatoes evenly in bottom of well-buttered 1-1/2 quart shallow baking dish, overlapping them slightly, and sprinkle with salt to taste and 1/2 of chiles.  Repeat, ending with a layer potatoes.  Remove garlic from cream and pour cream over potatoes.  Sprinkle Monterrey jack cheese lightly over top.  Cover dish with foil and bake in lower third of oven for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake until top is golden brown and bubbling, about 30 minutes more.  Cool slightly before serving.

Asparagus with Vinagrette Sauce

2 bundles fresh Asparagus

2 garlic cloves

1 tsp Grey Salt

1/2 Cup Olive Oil

4 Tbls. Balsamic Vinegar

4 tsp Dijon Mustard

1/2 tsp Anchovy Paste

1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

1 lemon, cut into wedges after grating lemon rind.

Crush garlic, sprinkle with salt and crush again until you have formed a paste.  Scrape the crushed garlic into a covered jar with a tight-fitting lid.  Add olive oil, balsamic vinegar, mustard, anchovy paste, pepper and lemon rind to the jar, cover and shake the mixture until well blended.  Set aside at room temperature.

Meanwhile, rinse asparagus spears and trim the ends.  Steam asparagu for about 10 minutes or to taste.  Arrange on a serving platter.  Let cool for about 5 minutes, then drizzle with the vinagrette.

Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

Toasted Baguette for French Onion Soup

Print this Recipe

Navy Beans - Thick and Hearty

I admit it I'm getting lazy lately.  These were too easy (after the propane tank was refilled - woops).    After two days on the stove they are just right.  Thick and hearty comfort food.  A nap is next on my agenda.

Super Easy Navy Beans

1 (16 ounce) pkg dried Navy Beans
1 (4 ounce) piece of Salt Pork (great with leftover holiday ham bone)
1 Onion, medium dice
4 stalks Celery, medium dice
3 cloves Garlic, finely diced
2 tsp. dried Thyme (or 5-6 stems fresh thyme)
1 Bay leaf
Salt & Freshly gound pepper
4-6 Cups Chicken Stock (not broth)

Pick through Navy beans for small rocks or debris, rinse and drain.  Combine all ingredients in a large heavy stock pot.  Bring to a rolling boil for approximately 2 minutes.  Run out of propane, let rest for at least an hour while you get tank refilled.  You actually need to let them sit for at least an hour before beginning to simmer. Bring pot back to boil then reduce to simmer.  Simmer, covered, for at least 3 to 4 hours. Better if refrigerated overnight.  Reheat and bring to simmer uncovered.  Discard Salt Pork. Break up some of the beans with the back of your spoon if you like to help thicken.  Serve steming hot in front of a great fooball game on TV.

Print this Recipe