Sugar Snap Peas and Rice

Here's something you can throw together in a jiffy if you have a little leftover rice and don't know what to do with it. If you have sugar snap peas it is a major plus, as they are delicious and only in season for a short time, but the good news is that you can make this with any vegetables you have around - peas, zucchini, broccoli, mushrooms - the possibilities are endless.  And if you had nothing but onions lying around, why then that would work just as well.

This fits quite well into my "What's in Your Pantry?" project.  I needed something fast and I had very little in the house so I had to go with what was available.  The only thing I used that I don't usually have on hand were the peas and the leftover rice.  And when I started thinking about what I could do with them, this came to my mind.  I had about a cup of leftover rice, so it made for two generous side servings.

Here's how I did it:

Heat 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat in a medium size skillet.  Add 1/4 of a medium onion, sliced, and season with the salt and freshly ground black pepper.  Cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are just translucent but still firm.  Add the sugar snap peas (or other vegetables) and cook for another two minutes, just long enough for them to soften the tiniest bit.  Add about1/4 cup of white wine (or broth, or water) and cook for another two minutes, stirring often.  Add the leftover cooked rice and cook for another three to five minutes, until the rice is heated through.  Remove from the heat and serve immediately.

This came together so quickly and was so delicious that between it and vegetable fried rice I do believe I will have to start keeping some cooked rice on hand just for these two purposes alone.

Whole Wheat Orzo with Beet Greens

Here is what I did with the greens from the beets I got at the Green City Market last week. One of the things I love most about getting fresh produce at the market is that everything comes with the greens still attached and I have come to appreciate the subtle differences between them. Swiss chard, kale, and mustard greens are all lovely in their own right, but there is something so satisfying about bringing home a bunch of radishes, beets or turnips and knowing that they will yield me two delicious meals. And they each have their own, specific taste.

I used to mainly put them into frittatas or throw them into soup, but lately I have been looking for ways to let them shine a little more than that. So the other night when I needed a quick supper I decided to add to them to pasta.

It was a great decision. The earthiness of the greens was a lovely counterpoint to the whole wheat pasta, and the onion, while cooked to sweetness, was still substantial enough to add a satisfying crispness to the dish. The cheese brought everything together. And it was just as delicious at room temperature the next day for a work lunch.  And it didn't take much longer to make than it took to cook the orzo.

You can use any greens to make this, or any short pasta for that matter although I think the orzo is the perfect size and shape.  What I love about using beet greens is that that beautiful deep red color bleeds over into the other ingredients and gives everything a beautiful pink tone.  Since much of what I am making these days seems to end up white and boring, having a natural source of food coloring certainly helps.  You would get the same effect using red Swiss chard if you can't find a bunch of beets with the fresh greens attached.

I only had a small batch of greens, so I only used a half a cup of pasta, which made 2 servings. It would be a simple matter to double everything up to serve 4.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

WHOLE WHEAT ORZO WITH BEET GREENS

Serves 2

1/2 cup whole wheat orzo
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp fennel seeds
1 batch of beet or other greens, leaves and stems separated and
chopped
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus some for garnish
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Put a medium-size pot full of water over high heat for the orzo.

In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium high heat in a large skillet. Add the fennel seeds and let them cook for a few seconds, until they start to release their oils. Add the onion, the garlic and the stems from the greens. Season to taste with the salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are just tender.

Add the leafy greens and cook for about 2 more minutes, stirring frequently. Add the white wine and stir to deglaze the pan. Turn the heat as low as it will go while the pasta water comes to a boil, if it hasn't already.

Cook the pasta for 2 minutes less than the package directions and reserve a cup of the pasta water. Drain and add it to the onions and greens. If it is too dry add pasta water as needed. Cook for another 2 to 3 minutes to finish off the pasta.

Remove from the heat and stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately, garnished with more of the cheese.

07/10/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.50 (www.mountainsoftware.com)

Green City Market

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted anything.  I've been busier than usual these past few months and days will pass before I even think about it.

But as I have mentioned in recent posts, I am still active in the kitchen and when things settle down again I have quite a few dishes collected that I would love to share.

In the meantime, the Green City Market is in full swing, as you can see by my recent haul above.  The lettuce, radishes and tomato were bought for salads.  I cooked the beets and added to salads as well; I sauteed the beet greens with onions and garlic and combined them with orzo and parmesan cheese for a truly delicious quick supper (one of the things I plan to post about when I have some time).  I added some of the cherries to yogurt for breakfast and then ate the rest out of hand - yum.  That's a beautiful cabbage hiding behind the beets and potatoes, part of which I used for my first attempt at stuffed cabbage rolls and will definitely repeat.  The rest of the cabbage and the potatoes went together for another skillet cabbage and potato saute for my weekend breakfast (sans sausage, but only because I did not have any on hand).

I have been working hard to not bring home more than I can handle, although it is difficult.  The lettuce, radishes, and tomatoes were planned.  The potatoes and cherries were on the maybe list.  The beets and cabbage were not on the radar at all, but were so beautiful I had to bring them home with me.  That's how I roll these days.

I am eager to see what goodies I will find this weekend!

Mannok Kadon Pika (Spicy Chicken Stew)

Here's one of the things I love about my job.  My co-worker was going to Guam on business, and a short while before he was scheduled to leave he was in my office.  We started talking about his upcoming trip, and I mentioned that I didn't really know anything about the cuisine of Guam.

"I've been looking it up," he said.  "It's called Chamorro and I'm really excited to try it."

And thus was born my interest in Chamorro cuisine.  I started looking around online and found a few cool sites.  And some interesting recipes, like this Mannok Kadon Pika.  It looked fairly easy and straightforward and I already had most of the ingredients on hand.  What I especially like about it, though, is that there are so relatively few ingredients involved.  And you just put everything in a pot, let it cook, thicken the sauce, add the coconut milk and you are good to go. 

The original recipe calls for the donne sali pepper, which is indigenous to the area.  I found very little information on that, but judging by information I found on my searches it is similar to the Thai bird chili.  At least that is what I am telling myself, as those are all I have been able to find here in Chicago.

Some recipes I found have you thicken the sauce with a cornstarch slurry; others don't.  The first time I made it I did not thicken the sauce, and it was a little thin.  The next time I did thicken it, and I found that it worked better for me.

And it really rocked over vegetable fried (brown) rice.

Home Cookin Chapter:  Poultry

MANNOK KADON PIKA (SPICY CHICKEN STEW)

Makes 4 servings

8 chicken thighs
1/4 cup soy sauce
2/ Tbsp vinegar
1/4 cup onion, sliced
6 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 tsp coarse black pepper
2 Thai chili peppers (optional)
1 Tbsp corn starch mixed with 1 Tbsp water (optional)
1 cup coconut milk
green onion, sliced, for garnish

Put the chicken in a large plastic bag and add the soy sauce, vinegar, onion, garlic and black pepper.  Marinate for at least 30 minutes.  Place the chicken and the marinade into a large saucepan, add the chili peppers, and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and cook until the chicken is just done, about 40 - 50 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and let it cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the chicken from the liquid, discard as much of the fat as you can, and cook the sauce for another 10 to 20 minutes, until it has reduced and thickened.  Serve over hot rice garnished with sliced green onions.

adapted from this recipe found on Guampedia.com: http://guampedia.com/mannok-kadon-pika-recipe/

Exported from Home Cookin 7.50 (www.mountain-software.com)

Lemon Apricots (aka Golden Velvet Apricots?)

Happy first day of summer!  I'm not really that big a fan of the heat and the humidity, but I love all of the fresh fruits and vegetables the season brings.  And I'm always on the lookout for something new.

Last week I was browsing the produce section at Treasure Island and I saw these lovely things nestled in among the plums and nectarines and other stone fruit.  The sign said "Lemon Apricots."  They looked quite fresh and lovely so I bought a couple to see what they were like.

They were golden, velvety and delicious.  They are sweeter than regular apricots, and had more juice than any fresh apricot I have ever had in the past.

They would probably work well in a dessert, but quite frankly I wouldn't want to waste them that way.  These are just too sweet and delicious as they are to .

When I went to find out more about them, I found very little information online.  I also kept running into something called Golden Velvet Apricots that looked a lot like these, but that site also referenced lemon apricots so I'm not sure whether or not there is a connection, or what it is (other than both being apricots, of course). Whatever they are called, they are truly delicious.  If you happen to see them in the produce section of your local grocer, I highly recommend you give them a try.

Braised Chinese Cabbage with Noodles

There's a lot of cooking going on in my kitchen these days, but most of it is still in the development stages so I haven't had much to write about. I am hoping that will change soon and I can get to posting again.

Pasta is one of those things. I have been experimenting with a new recipe that I think I might actually like better than this one that I have been previously using. The main difference is that this new recipe has oil in it, and few people will disagree that a little bit of fat adds a whole bunch of flavor. It also gives the dough an elasticity that I haven't been getting with the original recipe. I've only made it a couple of times, though, so the verdict is still officially out, even though I'm pretty sure this one will win. I'll keep you posted.

There's an unforeseen benefit that comes with making your own pasta, I have discovered, especially when making shaped pastas that require trimming an oval into a square. I got in the habit of slicing any leftover edges into noodle-sized pieces and freezing them for the occasional soup or quick side dish.

That is what I did here. I had a sandwich bag full of frozen scraps and a napa cabbage. I needed a side dish for a Chamorro chicken recipe on which I have also been working. What to do?

 Hmmmm . . .

I have been working on another dish I recently discovered, a Hungarian dish called Haluska, which is a cabbage and noodle dish that is quite tasty and about which I also hope to write soon. I had the cabbage and the noodles; I just needed to give them an Asian twist.

The result was quite delicious, and easy to make. I took the basic recipe, which is simplicity itself, and added ginger/garlic paste, a little white wine and sesame oil, then garnished it with sesame seeds and fresh cilantro (for some much-needed color). It was particularly good with the chicken.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BRAISED CHINESE CABBAGE WITH NOODLES

Makes 4 servings

2-3 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 Tbsp garlic/ginger paste, or 1-1/2 tsp each minced fresh garlic
and ginger
1 small to medium size Chinese cabbage, halved, and sliced across
thinly
1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup Sauvignon blanc, or other white wine
1 cup dried or fresh noodles, cooked according to directions
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
2 Tbsp chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish


Heat oil in large skillet over medium. Add onion and cabbage and cook, stirring frequently, until the onion is translucent, adding more oil as needed.

Stir in the wine. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 20 to 30 minutes, until the cabbage is tender. Add the cooked noodles and stir to combine well. Let cook for another minute or two, then season to taste with the salt and pepper and add the sesame oil.

Stir to combine and serve garnished with the sesame seeds and cilantro.

05/28/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.50 (www.mountain-software.com)

DZ Bank out of the Food Speculation Business

Here's a step in the right direction.  DZ Bank, the fourth largest in Germany, has announced their decision to withdraw from food speculation and called for tighter regulations in the commodities market.

It's a good start.  Let's see if anyone else will follow their example.

h/t: Eater.com

Buttermilk Ranch Dressing

Sometime back in the late seventies, my sister introduced the family to a new salad dressing she had discovered.  I no longer remember where or how she found it, but at the time it was only available in packet form, and you added the packet ingredients to mayonnaise and buttermilk.  It sounded horrible, but one taste was enough to raise it front and center as the dressing of choice for our family.

And it turned out that we were not alone.  Within a few years Ranch Dressing was ubiquitous, and all of the major brands had their own versions of the stuff.  Of course, the bottled versions tasted nothing like the original, but the convenience of not having to mix it up made it the more frequent choice, and over time I forgot how the original version tasted.

And then I stopped eating processed foods and learned how to make this lovely vinaigrette. Because it is a versatile enough recipe that I can mix it up with different kinds of vinegars, oils, mustards and herbs, I rarely feel the desire to use any other dressing.

What I do feel the desire for, however, is to find more uses for mayonnaise when I make it.  I only make mayonnaise when I have a specific use for it and it does not have a long shelf life so if I do not need it all I have to find ways to use what is left over.

Enter Buttermilk Ranch Dressing.  It had long occurred to me that it should be fairly easy to make, as the packaged mix was added to mayonnaise and buttermilk, so the last time I made mayonnaise and had some left I did a quick search online and found an easy peasy recipe posted by Elise on her wonderful site Simply Recipes.

There are two differences between her recipe and what I made. The first is that I used homemade mayonnaise. The second difference, as you can see immediately if you compare our photos, is that I used more herbs in my version. Hers also looks a bit thicker than mine, but I don't know whether or not that is just the way it looks, or our measures were slightly different, or this batch of my homemade mayonnaise was thinner.

Whatever the differences, the end result was complete and utter deliciousness. Now that spring has arrived and I can get greens at the City Market, I have made this three times in the past few weeks. I even made mayonnaise specifically for the purpose.

But you don't have to make your own mayonnaise to enjoy the benefits of making your own ranch dressing. Even if you use prepared mayonnaise it will taste so much better than any prepared version you will find on your grocer's shelf (and have less chemicals in it if you care about that sort of thing). You can find the recipe here.   Enjoy!

Homemade Bow Tie Pasta with Arugula Pesto and Dandelion Greens

Here is one of the ways that I utilized the arugula pesto I made last week. It is significant in two ways. The first is in the pasta. That bow tie pasta you see up there is homemade. Yep, I made it myself. It was surprisingly easy to do.

I followed my usual recipe for the dough. When it came time to roll it out and cut it, I realized that I wanted something that would match well with the pesto, and in my experience that means a short pasta. I had already experienced some success making noodles, but I wanted something a little more exciting than that. I wondered what would happen if I rolled out small rectangles and pinched the sides together, as I had recently seen someone do on a cooking show; I think Iron Chef America. I rolled out the dough, cut out the rectangles, and squeezed the middle of one of the rectangles together.

And got a bow tie! It was quite simple, and once I got the hang of how to grab it and squeeze for maximum effect it went quickly. I laid them out on a cookie sheet and let them dry out a little while I put the water on to boil and prepared the rest of the dish.

I am inordinately happy with these little beauties, and am eager to see into what other shapes my homemade pasta can be formed. I will keep you posted!

The second significance of this dish is in the rest of the ingredients. Several years ago I started a short-lived project called "What's In Your Pantry?" A friend suggested I write some posts on how to come up with ideas for meals that use what you have on hand but that don't require a specific recipe. I thought it was a great idea, and while the official project did not last long, the concept has stayed with me and has become one of the purposes of this blog. How do you learn how to cook on a daily basis without recipes, using what you have in your pantry? How do you shop to cook that way?

Along with the arugula I purchased for the pesto, I bought a couple of bags of mixed baby greens, french breakfast radishes and red and orange peppers for salad. I went through the greens faster than the vegetables so I had leftovers. I also had a handful of cooked pinto beans left over from another dish I had made earlier in the week, and I had a small bunch of dandelion greens that had been intended for a frittata that never materialized. Why not just throw all of those bits and pieces into the pasta?

It worked beautifully. The bow ties were sturdy and wide enough to carry the pesto, and all of the vegetables added texture and additional bursts of flavor. The beans added a creamy texture and combined with the pasta to make a complete protein. As a throw whatever you have in the refrigerator together for a quick dish, it's a keeper. With a little bit of planning, it is something you could serve to guests with confidence.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

BOW TIE PASTA WITH ARUGULA PESTO AND DANDELION GREENS

4 servings

12 oz fresh or dried bow-tie or other short pasta
2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 onion, cut in half and thinly sliced
1 bunch dandelion greens, stems and leaves separated, stems chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 orange bell pepper, cut in half and sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, cut in half and sliced
1/2 bunch of French breakfast radishes, sliced diagonally
1/2 cup cooked cannilini or pinto beans
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup arugula pesto
grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Put a large pot of water over high heat on the stovetop for the pasta. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onions and dandelion green stems and saute for 2 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the peppers and the radishes and cook another few minutes until they have just started to soften.

Add the beans and the wine and let simmer until the pasta water is boiling. Lower the heat if necessary to keep the vegetables from overcooking.

Add salt to the pasta water and cook the pasta for 1 or 2 minutes less time than indicated on the package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta water, drain the pasta and add it to the vegetables. Add the pesto and mix everything well, adding pasta water as needed. Cook for another 2 minutes or until the pasta is at the desired consistency.

Remove from the heat and serve immediately, garnished with parmesan cheese.

04/27/2013

Exported from Home Cookin 7.50 (www.mountain-software.com)