Category Archives: Recipes

Jun 22 6 comments
Appetizer, Recipes, Vegetable, Vegetarian

Fresh Refrigerator Pickles

picklesinjar

I saw this easy recipe a few months back and have been patiently waiting for some beautiful pickling cucumbers that I could turn into perfect pickles. At the Farmer’s Market last weekend I saw these in their crisp green glory and knew it was time to dig out the recipe.

pickleingredients2 picklesandgarlic

A little bit of chopping and a few minutes later I had the prettiest jar of pickles. We tried our first spears last night and they are so fresh and crisp. We could only wait the minimum of 24 hours to get our first taste and I look forward to eating them as they continue to sit in the sweet, salty and spicy brine. They have a vinegary kick and not much heat, but I look forward to the flavors concentrating. I can already tell I’ll be making these all summer long.

Flavor update:  After 24-48 hours the flavor was mild and the spears are fresh and crisp. After 4 days in the refrigerator, the pickles are very flavorful with some good heat. Still crisp, fresh and now taste like the super-hero cousin of your grocery store dill pickle.

Spicy Dill Pickles

Recipe from Eating S/F

about 8 to 10 kirby cucumbers, quartered

1 1/2 T. fine sea salt

2 T. sugar

1 1/2 C. distilled white vinegar

2 T. coriander seeds

8 garlic cloves, peeled and halved

3 jalapenos, halved with seeds mostly removed

8 dill sprigs

1. Pack the dill sprigs, cucumber spears and jalapenos into a clean 2 qt. glass jar.

2. In a container with a tight sealing lid (I used a small ball jar) combine salt, sugar, vinegar, coriander seeds and garlic halves. Seal the top and shake vigorously until the sugar and salt dissolves.

3. Add brine to the jar with the vegetables and pour 2 cups of water in as well. Add more water until vegetables are completely submerged.  Seal tightly.

4. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before eating and store up to one month.

topofpickles

Jun 15 11 comments
Cookbooks, Dessert, Fruit Dessert, Pie, Recipes

Peach and Blackberry Galette

wholefinishedgalette

I had never made a galette, but wanted to for a long, long time. I received Martha Stewart’s Cooking School two years ago for Christmas and flipped through the recipes and techniques, reading every word. This galette caught my eye and I put a little orange post-it on the page for later. Martha’s galette was filled with ripe plums and as soon as they’re in season I’m all over that one. Jump ahead to June 2010 and me picking up some sweet blackberries from Trader Joe’s and peaches were on sale. Peach and blackberry have been a winning combo for me since I made a trifle with both because it was what I had on hand. This was several years back when I was first exploring desserts and it has had a soft spot in my heart ever since. Once the fruit hit my shopping cart, I knew I had to make something with them. Then I remembered Martha’s beautiful galette. That Saturday I made my first galette and it was a big success. Minus my mini panic-attack when the juices seeped out of the edge and bubbled and blackened in the corner of my rimmed baking sheet. However luck was on my side and the burnt sugar came off quite easily with some hot, hot water. If this happens to you, be careful when scrubbing the sugar. I got a small cut on my finger from the shards of hardened sugar. My brain knows not to touch sharp things, but the other side of my brain was like, “It’s just sugar!”

I highly recommend this easy recipe that comes together quickly with impressive results. Marc was outside mowing the lawn and came back inside right when the galette came out of the oven and he looked at it and said, “That looks fancy.” So there you have it. Make this easy free-form pie and impress your friends.

Pate Brisee

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Makes enough for 2 galettes

2 3/4 C. all-purpose flour

1 T. sugar

1 1/2 t. coarse salt

1 C. plus 2 T. (2 1/4 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into 3/4 inch pieces

7 T. ice water, plus more if needed

1. Pulse flour, sugar and salt in a food processor to combine (or whisk together by hand in a bowl).

2. Add butter to dry ingredients and pulse until coarse crumbs form, about 10 seconds (or cut butter into dry ingredients with a pastry blender or your fingertips). The mixture should have pieces ranging from coarse crumbs to the size of small peas.

3. Add the ice water (start with 7 T. and add up to 2 T. more, if necessary) and pulse until dough just  holds together when pinched. Do not process longer than 30 seconds. The mixture should retain a crumbly texture at this point; it should not be sticky.

4. Turn out dough onto a clean work surface. Knead once or twice to incorporate loose bits. Divide in half. Pat each half into a thick disk, then place on a piece of plastic wrap and gather wrap to flatten disk. Wrap tightly in plastic and refrigerate at least 1 hour (or overnight). Dough can be frozen up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.

opengalette filledgalette

Fruit Galette

Recipe from Martha Stewart

Serve 6 to 8

1/2 recipe pate brisee, chilled

all-purpose flour for dusting

3 C. fruit, I used 2 C. of blackberries and 2 sliced peaches

1 lemon, juiced

1/3 C. sugar (if your fruit is tart, use a little more)

1 T. cornstarch

1/2 t. coarse salt

1 large whole egg

1 T. milk or heavy cream

sanding sugar or granulated sugar

1. Heat oven to 375 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with a Silpat or parchment paper.

2. Let chilled dough sit out at room temperature until slightly malleable, about 10 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured surface into a 14 inch round (it does not have to be a perfect circle). Transfer to the prepared baking sheet by rolling it around the rolling pin, the unrolling onto the sheet; refrigerate 15 minutes.

3. Mix together fruit, lemon juice, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a bowl. Remove pastry from refrigerator and arrange fruit over center, leaving a 1 1/2 inch border all around. Fold border over filling, the dough will naturally fall into creases.

4. Whisk together egg and milk (or cream) and brush over the edges of the galette. Sprinkle crust generously with sugar. Bake until filling is bubbling in the center and crust is dark golden brown, about 1 hour. Mine was done before the hour was up.

5. Run an offset spatula under the tart to release it from the sheet. Transfer sheet to a wire rack; cool 15 minutes. Transfer galette to rack, and let cool completely before serving. Galette is best eaten the same day.

finishedgalette

Jun 08 4 comments
Appetizer, Recipes, Vegetarian

Caramelized Onion Hummus

Caramelizedonionhummus

Boy, do I love hummus. It is super easy to make and completely delicious. I photographed the hummus with crackers, but my new favorite hummus dipper has become sliced red peppers. They add the perfect amount of sweetness and then I don’t feel guilty because I’m not dipping carbs into my hummus. Did you know that red pepper has more vitamin C than citrus fruit? Crazy, but true.

I was in charge of providing hummus for the second bridal shower for my sister-in-law and since it was a special occasion, I felt it warranted special hummus. I made two varieties and while both were a hit, the caramelized onion hummus seemed to be the crowd favorite. I also preferred the nice combination of the sweet caramelized onions and the kick from the roasted garlic. The roasted red pepper and feta hummus was good, but unfortunately the red pepper and feta flavor was not very apparent. Maybe next time I’ll decrease the amount of garbanzo beans  to bring out the other flavors. Marc preferred the roasted red pepper hummus, though. It was smoother and would be very tasty on a veggie sandwich. Try these unique hummus recipes the next time you’re ready to change things up.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

Recipe from Messy Vegetarian Cook

Serves 8-10 as an appetizer

Caramelized Onions

2 medium sweet onions, thinly sliced

3-4 T. extra-virgin olive oil

Hummus

15 oz. cooked or canned garbanzo beans

2 T. tahini

juice of 2 lemons (about 6 T.)

3-4 gloves garlic, still in paper

1/3 C. extra-virgin olive oil

1/2 t. coarse salt

1. Put cloves (that are still in their paper) in a dry skillet over medium heat. Let cook until blistered on the sides. Peel and set aside.

2. Put 3-4 T. of extra-virgin olive oil in the skillet and heat over medium to medium-high heat and add thinly sliced onions. Toss to coat in the oil. Stir frequently for 20 minutes, watching closely so they do not burn. Cook until uniformly brown and allow to cool a bit.

3. In a blender or food processor combine all of the ingredients including onions until smooth. If you like very smooth hummus you can add water for a smoother consistency. I would not recommend using oil since there is quite a bit already in the hummus. Chill for a few hours or overnight for best results.

4. Sprinkle with smoked paprika to garnish, if desired. Serve with pita, tortilla chips or my favorite, red pepper strips.

Redpepperhummus

Roasted Red Pepper and Feta Hummus

Recipe adapted from h420ad

Serves 20 as an appetizer

3 cloves garlic

2 (15 oz.) cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 C. tahini

1/3 C. lemon juice

1 red pepper, roasted

1/4 t. dried basil

8 oz. feta

salt and pepper to taste

1. Take a fresh red pepper and put in a skillet or directly onto a gas burner until all sides are blackened. Put pepper in a bowl and cover with foil tightly. After about 15 minutes or when the pepper has cooled, pull the stem out and peel the skin off. The steam will have loosened the skin. Remove seeds and pulp. Roughly chop the roasted pepper and set aside.

2. In a food processor or blender, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini and lemon juice. Process until mixture is smooth. Add roasted red pepper, basil and feta; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Transfer hummus to a bowl and chill until ready to serve.

Jun 01 2 comments
Main Dish, New Food, Pasta Entree, Recipes, Vegetarian

Green Garlic Pesto

pesto

I have sadly been too busy this month to get to the Farmer’s Market since it opened on Saturday mornings, but luckily we have a really great Whole Foods nearby and they feature fresh produce from local farms. I wanted to pick up some groceries and I spotted some green garlic that was 2/$4 for a generous bunch. I had no idea what I would do with it, but I remember hearing so much about garlic scapes last year and wondered if it was similar.

cleangreengarlic

I did a bit of research and found out that green garlic is garlic that is picked in the spring before it fully develops into the cloves we normally would use. Just like spring onions are picked before developing into large onions. Sure, you probably knew all about green garlic and I’m just late to the game. It’s ok, I’m used to it.

I needed Google, my dear, dear friend and began searching for green garlic recipes, hoping a pesto was on the menu. Many soup recipes popped up and sounded amazing, but did I mention that Michigan has been close to 90 degrees lately? I can only imagine the look my husband would give me if I serve soup during this heat wave. I did see a few mentions for green garlic pesto and dug out my pesto recipe from last summer. I modified it slightly and oh my, this is good. It has a fresh mild garlic flavor. I wouldn’t serve it to someone who doesn’t like garlic, but it does not have the usual bite raw garlic has. I tossed it with some spaghetti and a bit of butter and we had  a wonderful meal that required minimal heat in the kitchen.

pestoingredients

Green Garlic Pesto

adapted from this Basil Pesto Recipe

Makes about 1 1/2 C.

5-6 shoots of green garlic, trimmed of tough dark green parts and cut into 2 inch pieces

2 oz. Parmigiano-Reggiano, cut into small cubes

1/2 C. pine nuts

3/4 t. coarse salt

1/2 t. pepper

1/2 C. extra-virgin olive oil (I used CA Olive Ranch Arbequina)

1. Add all ingredients above to a food processor or blender, except for olive oil. Process until cheese is broken down and everything looks pretty well combined. Open top and scrape down any large bits that moved to the top of the food processor or blender.

2. Stream in extra-virgin olive oil until you get a uniform texture and all is well combined. You may have to scrape down the large bits again to make sure everything is fully incorporated.

Green Garlic Pesto Spaghetti

4 entree servings

1/2-3/4 C. green garlic pesto (I eyeball about half of the recipe above)

1 lb. spaghetti (or your favorite pasta)

coarse salt for pasta water

2 T. unsalted butter

1. Make above recipe for green garlic pesto.

2. Cook spaghetti al dente in salted pasta water according to package directions. Drain pasta.

3. Add butter and pesto to hot pasta and mix with tongs until pasta is coated. Serve immediately.

greengarlicpestopasta

May 25 5 comments
Main Dish, Pasta Entree, Recipes, Vegetarian

Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Basil and Crisp Bread Crumbs

Fettucinewithbasiltomatoandbreadcrumbs

We recently had our family over for burgers and my darling husband was a bit too excited about cutting up the tomatoes and thinly sliced enough tomatoes to give one to everyone in the neighborhood. I really hate throwing away perfectly good food and it usually provides me with the motivation to find new recipes using those leftover ingredients. I had printed off this Joanne Weir recipe for Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Basil and Crisp Breadcrumbs a few months back and it seemed easy enough for a weeknight meal. Instead of using the cherry tomatoes she specified in her recipe, I cut our leftover tomato slices into large chunks and proceeded. The balsamic vinegar gives this dish a nice fresh punch. We had leftovers and I was afraid that the breadcrumbs would be soggy and inedible for lunch the next day, but it was delicious. I took my lunch out of the refrigerator that morning, let it come up to room temperature on my desk and by lunchtime it was perfect. The fresh breadcrumbs had soaked up the oil and balsamic, but the soft texture didn’t bother me because it was so flavorful. I look forward to trying this recipe again when I get my hands on some fresh farmer’s market tomatoes.

Fettuccine with Tomatoes, Basil and Crisp Bread Crumbs

Serves 6, recipe adapted from Joanne Weir

1 C. very coarse fresh bread crumbs (I put 3 slices of whole wheat bread in the food processor)

8 T. extra-virgin olive oil

salt and freshly ground pepper

5 T. balsamic vinegar

4 C. cherry tomatoes or your favorite tomato sliced into chunks

1 lb. fettuccine

1/2 C. basil leaves, sliced into thin strips

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Place the breadcrumbs on a baking sheet. Drizzle with 2 T. of the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Toss the crumbs to distribute oil and seasonings evenly. Bake in the middle of the oven, tossing occasionally, until they turn golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.

3. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 4 T. of olive oil and the balsamic vinegar. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes and stir together. Set aside

4. Fill a large pot three-fourths full of salted water and bring to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente, 10 to 12 minutes or according to the directions on the package.

5. Drain the pasta and toss with the tomatoes and vinaigrette. Place in a serving bowl and garnish with basil and bread crumbs. Serve immediately.

May 19 0 comments
Drink, Recipes, Vegetarian

Kale Juice

kale juice

Ok, I know this sounds weird, but I had to try this. I’ve been signed up for Gwyneth Paltrow’s GOOP newsletter for a while now and I enjoy reading her tips on vacations I can’t afford and clothes I could only dream of buying, but her best tips come from her trainer Tracy Anderson. A few months back I purchased some of Tracy’s DVD’s and I like her take on exercise. I am not an exercise expert by any stretch of the imagination, but her workouts are not boring and are created to give you a lean, toned dancer body. Yes, please!

Gwyneth shared her Ironman 2 workout on GOOP recently and a 5 day cleansing diet. I’m not sure about my motivation for trying this kale juice, but I think it was the cynic in me thinking, “A grassy lemonade, Gwyneth?” She proved me wrong, though, it DOES taste like a grassy lemonade. I whipped up the recipe in my food processor and strained the solids. If I were in a more creative mood, I could have added the greens to some pasta or made a tasty quick bread, but instead I ate the solids as is and it was pretty darn good. The juice is delicious, slightly sweet and completely drinkable. The process of making the juice in the food processor was a bit messy, but I hope to add this nutritious drink into a regular rotation in my diet. Using a juicer would make this easier and a bit less messy, but I don’t have one. Below I’ve included directions for use with a blender or food processor.

Kale Juice

enough for 1 glass, recipe from GOOP

1 bunch of kale (I used about 3-4 stems)

2 small lemons, juiced

1 1/2 T. agave nectar

1/2 C. cold water

1. Combine everything in a blender or food processor and process until completely pureed. Strain the juice through a fine strainer into a bowl (a bowl with a spout is helpful), pushing down the solids with the back of spoon to extract all of the juice.

2. Taste the juice and add a bit more lemon or agave to taste (I thought the measurements were right on). Pour into a glass and drink up.

May 15 0 comments
Dessert, Fruit Dessert, New Food, Recipes

Rhubarb Crumble

finishedcrisp

Marc and I have an interesting relationship with rhubarb. When we had been dating a year or so, we went to a picnic and a legendary pie maker from the community made a rhubarb pie. We both took a big piece to have for dessert and sat near the pie maker. We both took our first bite, hated it immediately and realized the error in our choice of seat. I quickly got my wits about me and started taking large bites to get the pie down as quickly as possibly. In the corner of my eye, I see that Marc had rested his fork on the side of the plate and had decided he was taking whatever consequences that were coming his way, as long as he did not have to eat this pie. Horrified, I continue to make small talk hoping to distract from Marc’s refusal to eat the pie. I threw a glance of “you better eat that damn pie” to Marc and he threw me an “I don’t think so” look right back. Now, having finished my piece, I try to casually slip Marc’s plate in front of me and pass the empty plate to Marc. I proceed to finish the piece of pie that he had barely touched. If this were a romantic comedy featured film, the pie lady would have insisted I take the pie home and enjoy as much as I like because she saw how much I loved it. She also would have made me that pie on my birthday every year or some equally crazy ritual that ties me to that pie for life. Thank goodness this was not a movie and I politely excused myself from the table in case the pie decided to make a reappearance. I was so angry at Marc that afternoon, but it has become one of our favorite stories.

I saw rhubarb a few weeks ago at Whole Foods, the first crop from a local farm. I knew that there had to be a preparation of rhubarb that we would enjoy. After a bit of internet research, I found a recipe for Roasted Rhubarb from Molly of Orangette and a Rhubarb Crumble from Jamie Oliver. I only had enough to make the one recipe and I was intrigued by Molly’s unique recipe. I roasted the rhubarb with sugar, white wine and vanilla bean. The pretty pink and green stalks quickly turned into a hot pink sludge. I tried it warm and thought, hmm, not bad. Molly said she enjoyed it best cold and I looked forward to how that might taste. The recipe made an insane amount of this stuff and I was thinking of putting it over Greek yogurt as a treat. You, my friends, might like this recipe, but I did not. It was very tart and I felt it needed to be paired with something sweet, like ice cream. I had no ice cream in the house, so I put it over my plain Greek yogurt and puckered like you wouldn’t believe. I paid a pretty penny for this rhubarb and I was not about to throw it away. For a week, I scooped away at it, not daring to let Marc near it lest it put him off the stuff forever. I tried to think of something creative I could do with it, but the busy week did not allow a trip to the grocery store and I really had no good ideas to speak of. It was better than the pie, but this was not endearing me to rhubarb. Would this have to be one of those things I don’t enjoy with others during the spring?

rhubarbwithbrownsugar rhubarbcooking

Last night, our neighbor came to the door with the most beautiful bunch of rhubarb from his garden. I was happy and sad, all at the same time. I remembered Jamie’s recipe and pulled it out of my recipe folder. I immediately had a good feeling, but didn’t want to get my hopes up too high. The recipe had orange juice and that was a special bonus because I have a ridiculous amount in my fridge leftover from last week’s bridal shower, score! This recipe came together quickly and I hoped with every step that I was onto a winner. Guess what? We love rhubarb crumble!! I pulled out the crumble and was dizzy with excitement when I saw the beautiful ruby hue it now was. I scooped two servings and we were in rhubarb heaven instead of rhubarb hell. A much better place to be.

cookedrhubarbcrisp

Rhubarb Crumble

Adapted from Jamie Oliver

1 kg rhubarb, trimmed and sliced into large chunks (2.204 lbs)

200 g soft brown sugar (.87 C)

1/2 C. orange juice

100 g all-purpose flour (.435 C)

100 g cold butter, cut into small chunks (1 stick)

100 g old fashioned oats (.435 C)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking dish (the recipe did not specify, but I used a glass dish that I believe is a 2 qt. dish).

2. Put the rhubarb and half of the brown sugar in the pan. Add the orange juice, put a lid on top, bring to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Remove the lid and simmer for 5 minutes more, until the rhubarb has softened slightly. Spoon into an ovenproof baking dish and spread evenly across the bottom.

3. Cut cold butter into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Stir in the oats and the rest of the brown sugar. Sprinkle the crumbs over the rhubarb and bake in the preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the crumble is golden.

Because the rhubarb is hot during assembly, the crumble topping melted a bit, but it was still insanely delicious. If you want your crumble to be more crisp, wait for the rhubarb to cool down before adding the topping.

May 01 3 comments
Lamb, Main Dish, Recipes

Smoke-Roasted Leg of Lamb Provencal

lambongrill

On Easter we decided to go low-key and have a nice grilled meal for the two of us. The unpredictable Michigan weather was kind to us and cooperated with a slightly cool, but sunny Sunday afternoon. We sat on our porch and enjoyed some cocktails while we waited for the lamb to cook. It was a bit of heaven on earth.

lambseasoning

Smoke-Roasted Leg of Lamb Provencal

Recipe from Steven Raichlen

We made an almost 3 lb. boneless leg of lamb and we halved the ingredients below. We cooked the lamb for about 50 minutes. If you’re wondering why the olive slivers need to be frozen like I was, it is so you can easily insert them into the meat. I was taking pictures and they quickly defrosted and I tell you this to learn from the error of my ways. I cracked the peppercorns with a small drinking glass on a cutting board.

Serves 6 to 8

1 bunch of fresh rosemary

1 small or 1/2 of a large bone-in leg of lamb (4-5 lbs.)

6 cloves of garlic, cut into slivers

6 kalamata olives cut into slivers and frozen

Extra virgin olive oil for roast plus 3-4 T. for basting

1 T. coarse salt

1 T. Herbes de Provence

1 t. cracked black peppercorns

2 C. wood chips (optional, preferably oak) soaked in water for 1 hour and drained

If using a charcoal grill, get the grill ready with 2 sections of coals and a drip pan in the middle. Click the Steve Raichlen recipe link above for gas grill directions.

1. Strip the leaves off of 2 rosemary sprigs and finely chop the leaves of 1 sprig. Set aside the other whole leaves for inserting in the meat and also set aside the rest of the bunch for basting later.

2. Using a sharp, slender knife, make a series of 1/2 inch deep holes (1 inch apart) in the lamb, mostly in the sheath of fat on top, but also in the sides and bottom. Insert the garlic, olives and whole leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary into the holes, one flavoring per hole.

3. Coat the lamb with olive oil. Combine salt, herbs de provence, cracked peppercorns and chopped rosemary leaves, sprinkling all over the lamb and pat in with your fingers.

4. If using a charcoal grill, place half of the wood chips on coals after it is preheated to medium heat and right before cooking. Place the lamb on the hot grate over the drip pan and cover the grill.

5. Grill for 1 1/2 to 2 hours for medium rare and baste every 30 minutes with olive oil using the rest of the rosemary as a basting brush.  If using the charcoal grill, add the rest of the wood chips and 12 fresh coals after an hour of cooking. To test for doneness, stick an instant read thermometer into the thickest part of the leg, but not touching bone.  It should register 145 degrees for medium rare.

6. Transfer the lamb to a cutting board and let rest 10 minutes. Carve and serve.

finishedlamb

Apr 17 2 comments
Appetizer, Recipes, Vegetarian

Grilled Fresh Artichokes

artichokes

Inspired by some of my favorite food bloggers and chefs like Jamie Oliver, I am making a serious effort to cook seasonally. Not only does it ensure that I’m eating fruits and vegetables at their peak, but usually these items are on sale because they are in abundance. That’s the best win-win I can think of. Being in Michigan means our in-season bounty is short-lived, but thanks to many great farming communities in the area we do have a pretty good selection from May to October. Last week was asparagus fest and this week I’m all about artichokes. I’ve had them before when I was young, but I had never prepared them myself. I went to the grocery store and saw some beautiful globe artichokes and quickly purchased them, but still had no idea what I’d do with them. That afternoon I found a recipe Jaden of Steamy Kitchen had posted for grilled artichokes and it all seemed like perfect timing. We were expecting great weather and I was thrilled to find the recipe.

grilledartichokes

These turned out delicious. They have a distinct vegetal taste heightened by the slight charring from the grill and accent of lemon. It was the first time Marc ate fresh artichokes and we had a good laugh when he put the tender heart in our bowl destined for compost along with the discarded tough leaves and I gasped, “That’s the best part!” I served the artichokes with a quick spicy mayo and we had fun enjoying the experience together. That’s another wonderful thing about artichokes, it’s an experience. Dipping the leaves and savoring the tiny morsels of tender meat. I wanted to try the eggless chervil mayonnaise David Lebovitz had posted as the dipping sauce, but I ran out of prep time. The only small change I’ll make to Jaden’s recipe next time is maybe adding some white wine to the steaming liquid for the artichokes as advised by a friend of mine. The recipe is simple and delicious, but I didn’t really feel like the garlic and bay leaf added too much flavor to the artichokes and next time I want to go with lemon and white wine and see how it turns out.

Grilled Fresh Artichokes

Recipe from Jaden of Steamy Kitchen

serves 4-6 as an appetizer or 2-4 as a side

2 lemons, cut in half

6 garlic cloves

1 T. coarse salt

1 bay leaf

4 fresh artichokes

2 T. olive oil

Your favorite dipping sauce, this is my favorite quick spicy mayo recipe

1. Rinse each artichoke and cut off the top 1 inch of the artichoke and 1 inch off of the bottom stem. Peel and break off the first few layers of leaves until they start appearing smooth and light green. Rub the top of the artichokes with one of the lemon halves.

2. Bring a large pot with 4 inches of water to a boil. Throw the lemon half that you used in step 1 into the water, squeezing a bit to release the juices into the water. Add the salt, garlic cloves and bay leaf. Place the artichokes in a steamer basket in the pot and lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes or until the base is easily pierced with a knife.

3. Cut each artichoke in half lengthwise and use a sharp paring knife to remove and discard the fuzzy choke. Brush each half with olive oil and also brush the remaining lemon halves with olive oil as well.

4. Heat a grill pan to high heat (or use an outdoor grill). When hot, add the artichoke and lemon halves, cut side down. Grill for 5 minutes. Serve with dipping sauce of your choice.

Apr 10 2 comments
Main Dish, Pasta Entree, Recipes, Seafood, Side Dish, Vegetarian

Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Grilled Asparagus

asparaguspastaAsparagus seems to be everywhere I go lately and two things come to mind when I see asparagus. #1 is grilling asparagus with olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper and #2 is this recipe for creamy goat cheese pasta with roasted asparagus. I decided to bring my two asparagus loves together and grilled the asparagus instead of roasting it and combined it with the creamy goat cheese pasta. Oh yes, these two were made for each other. The smoky asparagus contrasts nicely with the creamy goat cheese and pasta. I usually make this as an easy weeknight entree with a salad, but we picked up some beautiful salmon at Whole Foods and I turned the pasta dish into a side. We marinaded the salmon in a butter rum sauce and it was quite tasty, but I sadly didn’t taste much rum once it was cooked. I’ll include that recipe here, too. If you cannot grill the asparagus or salmon, roasting works great.  I first fell in love with this creamy goat cheese pasta dish when I made the roasted asparagus version. It’s quick and delicious.

rawasparagus grilledasparagus

Creamy Goat Cheese Pasta with Roasted (or Grilled) Asparagus

Adapted from Everyday Food

Serves 4 generously for an entree and 6 as a side dish

I’m going to share the roasted asparagus recipe below as I make it. Grilling works great if you are already grilling your protein. Place the prepared asparagus in a single layer on the grill for 10-15 minutes, turning occasionally to prevent burning. It works out well to start the water boiling right before you place the asparagus on the grill. Let cool and cut into 2 inch pieces before adding to pasta.

2 bunches asparagus (about 2 pounds), tough ends trimmed

4 T. extra virgin olive oil

3 T.  unsalted butter, but into small pieces

1 pound cavatappi pasta (or your favorite kind)

1 small log soft goat cheese (5-7 oz.), crumbled

2-3 T. snipped fresh chives for garnish

salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bring a large pot of water to boil for the pasta. Cut asparagus into 2 inch pieces and place on a large rimmed baking sheet and toss with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until tender, tossing occasionally, 10 to 15 minutes.

2. While the asparagus is roasting, generously salt the now boiling water. Add pasta and cook al dente, according to the package instructions. Set aside 1 1/2 C. of pasta water, then drain the pasta and return the drained pasta to the pot.

3. In a large bowl combine the goat cheese, 3 T. butter and 1/2 C. pasta water.  Season with salt and pepper and whisk until smooth. Add pasta and goat cheese to the goat cheese mixture and toss to combine. Add more pasta water if necessary for sauce to coat the pasta. Serve garnished with snipped chives.

salmonwithpasta

Butter Rum Grilled and Smoked Salmon

Recipe from about.com via frantic google search

I cut this recipe in half because we purchased 1 pound of salmon and not 2. I’m sure this cook be baked and taste great, too. I’d bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until if flakes easily in the center.

Serves 4-6

2 lbs. salmon

3 T. butter, melted

3 T. dark rum

2 T. olive oil

1 head garlic, peeled and minced

1 T. black pepper

2 t. salt

1. Set up a two zone fire in your charcoal grill (one cool side and one hot side). While grill is heating, soak your favorite wood chunks in water for at least 30 minutes.

2. Twenty minutes before you are ready to grill, lay salmon on a rimmed baking sheet and combine the rest of the ingredients in a small bowl. Spread mixture evenly over the salmon. Let sit for 15 minutes.

3. Add wood chunks to the coals and oil your grill grates. Gently place the salmon over the cooler side of the grill. Close the lid and let the salmon smoke for 30-45 minutes, depending on the thickness. When finished the salmon should flake easily in the center. The color should be light pink without any shine.

rawsalmon 1 rawsalmonwithmarinade