Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Tomato Time

For anyone who missed my cooking demo at Krankies Farmers Market on Tuesday, here are the recipes I prepared:

Tomatoes Murray
This recipe comes from my uncle Murray Hooper, who said the former Palmer House restaurant in Baltimore served a similar dish years ago. The secret ingredient here is ricotta salata, a sheep’s-milk cheese with a mild, slightly sweet, milky and nutty flavor. It is tender yet firm, made in wheels, and is very different from the ricotta used in lasagna. Ricotta salata is found in specialty shops and some supermarkets, such as Whole Foods Market. Asiago or a very mild feta is a good substitute.
2 medium, ripe tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped Vidalia or other sweet onion
Red-wine or other vinegar
Extra-virgin olive oil
2 ounces ricotta salata, grated
1 tablespoon basil chiffonade (very thinly sliced)

1. Core tomatoes and slice about 1/3 inch thick. Place in single layer on large plate and season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle onion evenly over tomatoes. Splash about 1 teaspoon vinegar over tomatoes, then drizzle with 1 tablespoon or so of olive oil. Sprinkle with ricotta salata, then garnish with the basil. Serve at room temperature.
Makes 2 generous servings.

Fresh Tomato Salsa
Though even the same variety of hot pepper can vary in spiciness, one jalapeno here usually makes a mild salsa. To make it hotter, keep and use the seeds of the jalapeno, or gradually increase the amount of jalapeno to 1 1/2 or 2 peppers.
3 medium, ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound) or 6 to 7 plum tomatoes (See Note)
1/4 cup white or red onion, diced
1 to 2 jalapenos, seeded and diced
1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro (optional)
Salt to taste

1. Core tomatoes and cut crosswise in half. Holding over the sink, poke out seeds with a finger or small knife and discard seeds. (This is optional for plum tomatoes, because they have relatively few seeds.) Chop tomatoes into 1/2-inch pieces. In a small bowl, mix tomatoes with onion, jalapeno, lime juice and cilantro, if desired. Add generous amount of salt to taste. If possible, let sit up to 30 minutes before serving to allow flavors to blend. This salsa is best served at room temperature within 2 hours.
Makes about 2 cups.
Note: Plum tomatoes, widely used in Mexican cooking, make salsa with a good firm texture. If using very juicy tomatoes, or simply for a salsa that’s less liquid, try salting and draining the tomatoes as follows: Sprinkle seeded and chopped tomatoes with salt and toss in a colander. Let colander sit in sink, or on a plate, for 30 minutes to drain excess liquid, then mix with other ingredients.

Tomato and Cucumber Salad with Feta Cheese
Recipe adapted from A Mediterranean Feast (William Morrow, 1999) by Clifford A. Wright.
8 ripe but firm plum tomatoes (about 11/4 pounds), sliced
2 cucumbers, peeled, cut in half, lengthwise, seeded, sliced
1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced’
1/2 pound feta cheese, crumbled into large chunks
18 imported black Kalamata olives, pitted
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Juice from 1/2 lemon
2 tablespoons red- or white-wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, chopped
3 tablespoons finely chopped fresh mint leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a large mixing or salad bowl, toss the tomatoes, cucumbers, green pepper, feta and olives together.
2. In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic and mint together. Pour over the tomato mixture. Toss to coat evenly, and season with salt and pepper. Toss again and serve at room temperature.
Makes 6 servings.

Michael’s Spicy Corn and Tomato Salad
2 ears fresh corn (for 2 cups kernels)
1/2 cup finely chopped red onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 tablespoons cider or red-wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or chopped regular tomatoes)

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Shuck the corn, then add to the boiling water. Cook 1 to 2 minutes for a crunchier texture that works well in salads, or cook to taste. (Leftover corn also can be used.) Drain corn and let cool.
2. Holding a corn ear upright, shave off kernels with a sharp knife. Repeat with second corn. Break up kernels, then add to bowl.
3. Add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, oil, vinegar and salt and pepper. Toss well. If not serving immediately, cover and refrigerate.
Within an hour of serving, toss tomatoes into salad, and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Salad is best served the day it’s made.
Makes about 8 servings.

Sunday, August 08, 2010

Great Zukes!

Aug. 8 is National Sneak Some Zucchini on Your Neighbor’s Porch Day!

OK, the title is a mouthful, but every gardener knows that sometimes extreme measures are necessary when it comes to zucchini and squash. Sometimes the harvest is just a little TOO bountiful.

So take this opportunity to share, even if you have to do it anonymously so your neighbors won’t hold it against you.

Wednesday, August 04, 2010

Summer is Meant for Ceviche

I’ve never been shy of eating raw fish. And if you want a light, cool and refreshing meal on a hot summer’s night, raw fish fits the bill.

When I don’t go for sushi, I go for ceviche. A little lemon or lime juice and fresh fish, maybe some chopped jalapeno—what more could I want?

Here’s a recipe that takes ceviche a little farther than that, and maybe farther than it needs to go. I mean, this has a lot more ingredients than most ceviche. Stranger still, it has cheese in it.

I personally would leave out the cheese. But this may be a good starter ceviche for people who don’t want to look at a plate of just plain raw fish (even though a soak in the citrus juice will actually give the seafood a cooked appearance).

If raw seafood is just too much, go ahead and lightly poach the shrimp and scallops before marinating them.

Southwest Seafood Ceviche Salad
1/2 cup combination of fresh lime and lemon juice with, if you’d like, pinch of sweet chili sauce (or without the sweet, Tabasco pepper sauce)
2 teaspoons each coarse ground sea salt and black pepper
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 pound sea scallops
1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
Combine all ingredients in porcelain dish, making sure shellfish is completely immersed in juice.  Cover the dish and refrigerate 4 hours until shellfish is opaque. (If shrimp and scallops are poached, cut the time to 2 hours.) Drain and combine with the following:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon minced cilantro
¼ pound (1 cup) Jarlsberg cheese, cubed
½ cup chopped jicama or yellow pepper    
1 15-ounce can black beans, thoroughly rinsed, drained and dried
2 cups chopped Romaine lettuce
       
Top with fried tortilla strips (or have tortilla chips alongside) and serve with guacamole and salsa.

Note: For this dish, you can also use ¼ pound each scallops and shrimp with ½ pound tuna or swordfish, cut into bite-size pieces.

Friday, July 30, 2010

More from Raffaldini

In addition to Raffaldini’s Frizzante rose—reviewed in the Journal July 30—I also enjoyed Oenotria, a dry red blend.

Winemaker Stephen Rigby isn’t afraid to play with unusual grapes, or unusual combinations. He did that in the Frizzante—a mix of traminette, petit menseng, malbec and cabernet franc.

He also did it in Oenotria ($15). This is 43% tannat, a native French grape historically used as a blending grape to add tannin, color and structure. It also has 28% malbec and lesser amounts of cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and merlot.

Oenetria has good body and color and a slightly earthy, smoky nose. More earthiness a la mushrooms on the palate, along with cherry and plum. Soft and fleshy, with a smooth finish. Try it with burgers or pizza.

For more info: raffaldini.com.

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Pepper Pot

In reading the new book Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly by Joan E. Aller—which I write about in the July 28 Winston-Salem Journal, I was drawn to the recipe for Pepper Pot Soup.

First, because I have a lot of peppers coming out of my garden.

Second, because short ribs make a killer broth, full of beefy flavor.

It turns out, though, that this recipe—which Aller says originates with Cherokee Indians—calls for just one pepper. It’s really a classic beef vegetable soup.

Of course, that doesn’t make it any less appealing. In fact, I picked up some local grass-fed short ribs last week just so I could make this.

The recipe says to serve immediately, but the flavor will improve after a day in the fridge.

Pepper Pot Soup
Recipe from Cider Beans, Wild Greens and Dandelion Jelly.
1 pound beef short ribs
2 large white or yellow onions, quartered
3 ripe tomatoes, peeled and chipped
1 large red, orange or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced
1 large turnip, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup diced potato
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1/2 cup corn kernels
1/2 cup minced celery
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Put the ribs in a large pot and pour water over them until the water cover the meat by about 1 inch. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat, and then reduce head and simmer for 2 1/2 hours, or until meat is tender.
2. Remove the meat and let it cool, reserving the liquid in the pot. Discard the bones and return the meat to the pot. (Skim off excess fat if necessary.) Add the onions, tomatoes, pepper, turnip, potato, carrots, corn and celery. Cover and simmer 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until vegetables are tender.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.
Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Photo courtesy of Andrews McMeel Publishing.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Screaming for Ice Cream

At Sunday’s Big Chill II, an ice-cream social at Grace Court Park, Elizabeth Martin madea wonderul vanilla ice cream from an old family recipe. It may be just plain old vanilla, but it sure is good, especially if you can get a hold of some Mexican vanilla extract, which can have complex flavors with a hint of cinnamon.

Please take note of the warning regarding raw eggs.

And for something different, try Jane Dougherty’s Moroccan delight ice cream, a really neat combination with coconut, anise, rum, raisins and almonds.

Mexican Vanilla Ice Cream
Recipe submitted by Elizabeth Martin. This recipe uses raw eggs. Though the chance of salmonella contamination is small, this ice cream is not recommended for the children, elderly, pregnant women or anyone with a weakened immune system. Others concerned about the safety of eating raw eggs may wish to try pasteurized eggs, in which a gentle heating process kills any bacteria that could cause foodborne illness but preserves the raw characteristics of eggs.
3 eggs
2¾ cups sugar
Pinch of salt
1 pint half-and-half
2 teaspoons Mexican or other good-quality vanilla extract
½ gallon whole milk

1. Beat eggs, sugar and pinch of salt together. Combine with half-and-half until sugar is dissolved. Add vanilla.
2. Put in ice-cream freezer and fill with cold whole milk. Churn the ice cream until firm, following manufacturer’s directions.

Moroccan Delight Ice Cream
Recipe submitted by Jane Dougherty.
½ cup mixed light and dark raisins
¼ cup Marsala wine
½ cup almonds
2 teaspoons anise seeds
1 cup dried shredded coconut, preferably unsweetened
4 cups heavy cream, divided use
2 cups whole milk
1 1/3 cups sugar
1½ tablespoons good-flavored honey
2 big pinches of salt
1 vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise
10 large egg yolks
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon dark rum

1. Warm raisins and Marsala in a small saucepan until wine is absorbed. Let cool. Chill.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread coconut on baking sheet and bake 5 to 8 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown, stirring frequently to toast evenly. On a separate baking sheet, toast almonds until fragrant, 5 to 8 minutes. Chop almonds and set aside.
3. Toast anise seeds in a medium saucepan over moderate heat 3 minutes, until fragrant. Add the milk, 2 cups of the heavy cream, sugar, honey, salt and toasted coconut. Heat until warm. Using a paring knife, scrape all the vanilla seeds into the saucepan and add the pod as well. Cover, remove from heat, and let steep at room temperature for 1 hour or longer.
4. Rewarm the flavored milk mixture. Set a mesh strainer over another medium saucepan and strain the anise-coconut flavored milk into the saucepan. Press down to extract as much flavor as possible. Remove vanilla bean pieces & discard coconut and anise seeds.
5. Pour remaining 2 cups heavy cream into a large bowl and set the mesh strainer on top. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warmed milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.
6. Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat until the mixture thickens and coats a spatula or spoon. Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the cream. Mix in the vanilla extract and rum. Place bowl over an ice bath (bowl of ice water), and cool, stirring occasionally.
7. Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator.
8. Freeze mixture in ice-cream maker, following manufacturer’s instructions. Stir in the raisins and almonds near the end of the freezing.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Coffee, Not Just for Drinking Anymore

After mentioning iced coffee the other day on Facebook, I happened to get some info from coffee.org, an online coffee co., about handy ways you can use coffee besides drinking it.

Here’s what the co. suggests:
—Freshen your breath: Suck on a coffee bean to remove other offensive odors (and replace them with coffee odors).
—Freshen your hands; Rubbing coffee beans on your hands is said to remove garlic, fish and other strong odors (and replace them with coffee odors). The beans’ oil is supposed to absorb the offensive smells.
—-Freshen (do you sense a pattern here) drains: Pour a cup of coffee ground, followed by boiling water down the sink to remove unwanted odors (and replace them with coffee odors).
—Freshen your plants: Add coffee grounds to your garden or compost pile to help keep plants healthy. No explanation given why this works.
—Clean around the house: Coffee grounds supposedly work well to clean (stain-resistant) surfaces, and especially those dirtied with grease (and of course leaving everything smelling of coffee.)
No advice on what to use to get rid of coffee odors.

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Slathered in Yogurt

Ever since writing about Greek yogurt last month, I’ve been finding all kinds of ways to use it.

One of those is in marinades. Like buttermilk, the acidic tang of yogurt does wonders during marinating.

Here’s a recipe for chicken kebabs that uses a marinade of yogurt flavored with mint, ginger and cumin.

Succulent Yogurt Marinated Chicken Kebabs
Recipe adapted from American Institute for Cancer Research. I reduced the maximum cooking time here. Be sure to check the chicken often and remove it as soon as it’s cooked all the way through to avoid dried-out chicken.
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, minced
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. olive oil
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
4-6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 2-inch cubes
6 pita breads wrapped in aluminum foil
1 cup cleaned and chopped romaine lettuce

Preheat broiler on high.

Mix all ingredients except pita, chicken and lettuce in a bowl and pour into a re-sealable bag. Add chicken and marinate in the refrigerator for about 2 hrs.

Set racks to middle and bottom third of oven.

Take the chicken out of the bag and place on skewers about 1/2 inches apart. Set skewers on cooling rack on top of aluminum foil covered baking sheet (to minimize cleaning).

Place skewers on to middle oven rack and cook about 10 to 20 minutes until cooked through. Turn them at least once during cooking. Be careful not to overcook. For the last five minutes of cooking put the pita on the bottom rack to warm.

Place the chicken into the pita and garnish with romaine lettuce. Serve with hummus or rice if desired.

(Photo courtesy of American Institute for Cancer Research.)

Monday, July 05, 2010

Potato ‘Planks’

So we all know that bruschetta involves some kind of topping on bread, right?

Well, not anymore, thanks to the creative cook who won a contest sponsored by the Idaho Potato Commission.

This winning recipe by Kelly Mapes of Ft. Collins, Colo., essentially uses potato wedges instead of the bread in a “bruschetta” that’s topped with beans, pesto, olives and feta.

Idaho Potato “Plank” Bruschetta

Recipe by Kelly Mapes of Ft. Collins, Colo. who won the Grand Prize in the Idaho Potato Commission’s 2010 Watching Waistlines and Wallets Recipe Contest.

* 4 medium Idaho® potatoes, skin on
* 1 1/2 quarts water
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 teaspoons canola oil
* 1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
* 1/3 cup prepared basil pesto
* 1 medium tomato, diced
* 8 pitted kalamata olives, finely chopped
* 1 1/2 ounces (1/3 cup) crumbled reduced fat or regular feta cheese

1. Slightly trim opposite sides of potatoes; cut each potato lengthwise into fourths, creating four flat ovals or “planks.”
2. In a large pot, bring water and salt to a boil. Add potatoes and return to a boil then reduce heat, cover, and simmer 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove potatoes to a paper towel-lined platter.
3. In a large nonstick skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat. Cook half the potatoes 3 to 5 minutes on each side, or until light golden; set aside on serving platter. Repeat with remaining oil and potatoes.
4. In a small bowl, roughly mash beans with a fork. Add pesto and stir until well blended. Spread equal amounts of pesto mixture on top of each potato slice. Sprinkle evenly with remaining ingredients.
Makes 8 servings (2 planks per appetizer-sized serving)

Estimated Nutritional Analysis per Serving:
160 calories, 6g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 5 mg cholesterol, 310 mg sodium, 22 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 5g protein.

Photo courtesy of Idaho Potato Commission.

Thursday, July 01, 2010

Food Freedom

Locavores unite!

Locavores are petitioning governors in all 50 states to support local food and farmers by eating local on Independence Day.

Of course, everybody else can do their part by eating local foods at home, too.

Got a tomato plant in the yard? You’re eating local.

Or get up and out to the farmers market. These days, you can get meat, cheese, eggs, chicken as well as all sorts of produce at farmers markets.

For more info, see http://www.FoodIndependenceDay.org—you can even sign the Declaration of Food Independence.