Shakshuka with Kale, Mushrooms, Red Pepper and Zucchini

I am a big fan of shakshuka and have made all kinds of variations over the years, mostly consisting of whatever vegetables I have lurking around in the refrigerator that need to be used sooner rather than later. In this case there were mushrooms, red pepper and zucchini that I needed to do something with and I try to eat one serving of greens every day so I decided to make shakshuka with some kale and those vegetables. That combination of ingredients made me think of Mexican spices so that's the direction I went with it. It is an extremely versatile dish and you can easily substitute many other vegetables for any of the ones used here and change up the spice profile to suit your fancy.  Of course at some point it probably should not be called shakshuka anymore, but I'm going with it for now.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs SHAKSHUKA WITH KALE, MUSHROOMS, RED PEPPER AND ZUCCHINI 1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup kale, leaves removed from the stems, and both chopped separately
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/2 small zucchini, chopped
1 14.5-oz can diced or chopped tomatoes
1 tsp ground cumin
1 Tbsp chili powder
cayenne to taste
salt and pepper to taste
2 large or jumbo eggs

Heat the oil in a medium-size nonstick skillet that has a lid over medium heat. Add the kale stems and cook, stirring frequently, for about five minutes, then add the leaves and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until the stems have softened and the kale has reduced and softened. Add the onion and garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until the onion is translucent, then add the red pepper and mushrooms and cook for another 2 to 3 minuts. Finally, add the zucchini and cook that for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, cumin, chili powder, cayene and season to taste with the salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and let it cook for about 10 minutes, until the tomatoes have thickened and the liquid has been cooked out of the mixture.

Make a dent in the middle of the mixture, pushing it up against the sides of the skillet to make a slight barrier for the eggs. Crack the eggs side by side into the middle of the pan and season them with salt and pepper.

Lower the heat and cover the pan. Cook for about 7 or 8 minutes, until the whites have set. Start checking after 6 minutes.

8/6/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Scrambled Eggs with Pecorino Romano and Tomatoes

Many years ago I got lazy cooking scrambled eggs and just cracked them into the melted butter in the skillet and loosely scrambled them in the pan. I would keep the yolks intact until the whites were nearly cooked and then break them and let them just barely set. I was recently reminded of that method and that’s how I made these beautiful Vital Farms eggs for yesterday’s breakfast. I browned some green onions in butter then added the eggs. Of course I also added a bunch of grated Pecorino Romano and some home grown cherry tomatoes at the end. So simple and so delicious.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH PECORINO ROMANO AND TOMATOES 1 Tbsp butter
4 large eggs
12 cherry tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano Cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Melt the butter in a medium-sized skillet over medium-high heat and swirl it around to coat the botto of the skillet. When it is bubbling, crack the eggs into the skillet and scramble around the yolks until the whites are set. Break the yolks and scramble them gently around the whites so they stay somewhat separate. While the yolks are still a little runny before they are set to your liking add the cheese and the tomatoes and gently stir the cheese into the egg mixture.

Remove from the heat and continue stirring for a few minutes to get to your desired consistency. Transfer the eggs to a plate and season to taste.

6/24/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81

Corn Pudding

This corn pudding is one of my favorite dishes and is so delicious with Smits Farms fresh corn. It is an Anglo-cized version of the South American Pastel de Choclo, something I did not know when I first started making it. The base of the dish is fresh corn, butter, yogurt, eggs, cornmeal, cheese and chilies and it is delicious as is, but with summer’s bounty I like to add some vegetables like the onion, red pepper, mushrooms and zucchini I added to this one. And of course it must be topped with fresh homemade salsa picante. Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables

CORN PUDDING 1/2 cup melted butter
2 cup corn kernels, divided
2 eggs
1 cup yogurt
1/2 cup cornmeal
4 oz can chopped green chilies
1 cup cheese, diced or grated
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup sauteed vegetables (optional)

Preheat the ove to 350° F.

Puree the butter, 1 cup of the corn, and the eggs in a blender. Pour into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients.

Pour into a buttered 3-quart casserole or large cast-iron skillet. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the top has browned and the pudding is set. Start checking after 30 minutes.

Any vegetables can be added to this dish. Be sure not to use too many, though, or it will dry out.

from Robin at the Austin Public Library, 197?

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Picadillo

Picadillo is a South American dish usually consisting of ground beef with tomato, olives, raisins and almonds.  I don't know where I first heard of it but I first started making it in my mid twenties and I'm pretty sure I just winged it armed only with the knowledge that it was made with beef and contained olives, raisins and almonds.  I have no idea how close to authentic my recipe is but it's mighty tasty.

If you don't have all of the ingredients on hand you can easily improvise.  I did not have any green pepper as called for in the recipe when I made this pictured version so I substituted red pepper and it worked out fine.  The masa I was going to use for the sopes I planned to serve this with was rancid so I made polenta instead.  Picadillo goes well with refried black beans.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: My Recipes PICADILLO 2 Tbsp grapeseed oil
1 med onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green bell pepper, diced
2 Tbsp tomato paste
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried chilies, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup roughly chopped green olives
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Green onions and cilantro for garnish

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, season with salt, and cook for two minutes. Add the garlic and green pepper and cook until the onion is translucent, three or four more minutes.

Add the tomato paste and stir to ix it in with the vegetables. Cook for a couple of minutes until the color has deepend. Add the cumin and cook for a minute, stirring constantly.

Add the ground beef, oregano and dried peppers. Season with more salt and brown thoroughly, breaking it up so there are no clumps and it is thoroughly mixed into the vegetable mixture. If the mixture becomes too dry, add water in small amounts at a time.

Once the meat has browned add the olives and raisins and cook until heated through and the raisins have plumped some. Remove from the heat and add the almonds.

Garnish with chopped green onions and cilantro.

10/27/09

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Baking Class: Buttermilk Corn Griddle Cakes

Fresh corn straight from the farm is my favorite vegetable and I am always so excited to start making my favorite summer dishes with it and this year is no different now that I have my first ears of corn.  I adapted this recipe for corn griddle cakes years ago from a Two Fat Ladies recipe. These fluffy buttermilk pancakes literally pop with the flavor of the fresh corn kernels inside. I eat them with a little butter and pure maple syrup and they are incredibly delicious.

These can be made with canned or frozen corn but I highly recommend that you use fresh for the flavor and the crispy crunch of each kernel.  Normally I would get my corn from Smits Farm at the Green City Market in Lincoln Park but due to Covid 19 I am having it delivered from Irv & Shelly's Fresh Picks service.  They support and partner with local farms to deliver fresh produce over the Chicago area.  They have made it possible for me to eat farm-fresh produce this whole season!

 

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Breads and Muffins BUTTERMILK CORN GRIDDLE CAKES 1 cup plain flour
1-1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup fresh corn kernels cut from the cob
1 egg, beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2 Tbsp grapeseed or canola oil

Combine the dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl and sift everything together.

Combine the beaten egg, corn, and buttermilk in a small bowl and mix together well. Add to the flour mixture and just stir everythying together. Add the oil and mix once again.

Preheat the oven to the lowest degree possible and place an oven-proof plate on the middle rack. Heat a griddle or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. It is ready when a drop of water thrown onto the surface sizzles and evaporates immediately.

For small cakes, spoon 2 to 3 tablespoons onto the hot surface. For a larger cake pour 1/3 cup of the batter onto the surface. Cook until bubbles show on the surface, about two to three minutes, then turn the cakes over and cook the other sides until golden brown, about one more minute. Remove from the griddle and place on the plate in the oven while cooking the rest of the cakes.

Serve with maple syrup or topping of choice.

Adapted from a recipe from The Two Fat Ladies

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Salsa Picante

I grew up eating pickled jalapeños on pretty much all of the Mexican food we ate when I was a kid, which was surprisingly not often given that I grew up in Texas. I did not like them and thought it was the heat I did not like so I avoided spicy food like the plague. And then I discovered fresh serrano peppers and loved the fresh heat and flavor of them. And that's when I realized that not all peppers are alike and that it was the taste of the pickled jalapeño I did not like as much as it was the heat. I got this recipe for salsa picante from coworkers at the Austin Public Library years ago and have been making it ever since. I put it on top of just about everything, but I always reserve a bowl to eat with fritos, which for some reason go really well with it; I think that's because that is what ate it with way back then when I first started making it. However you use it, you will be so happy that you made it!

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Appetizers Spreads Dips Sauces SALSA PICANTE 1 28-oz can whole stewed tomatoes
4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped
5 to 10 serrano peppers, to taste, roughly chopped
1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp crushed oregano
2 to 3 roma tomatoes, finely chopped
4 to 6 green onions, finely chopped
more fresh cilantro for garnish

Drain the juice from the can of tomatoes into a blender or food processor. Add the garlic, peppers, cilantro, salt and olive oil. Pulse until the peppers are just chopped. Pour the mixture into a large bowl.

Put the drained canned tomatoes in the blender and add the oregano. Pulse until the tomatoes are just chopped. Pour into the bowl with the tomato and pepper mixture and stir everything together well.

Add the finely chopped tomatoes and green onion. Adjust seasoning to taste.

from friends/coworkers at the Austin Public Library some time in the mid '70s

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Fennel Frond Pesto

The fennel bulbs I get from a local farm usually have a massive amount of fronds on them.  I usually will use the few on the trimmed store-bought ones for garnish but there was so much on these that I knew there must be something I could do with them.  A quick online search led me to fennel frond pesto.  I had all of the ingredients - the fronds, pumpkin seeds, lemon, garlic, salt and pepper and olive oil - so I whipped up a batch.

The result is grassy and fragrant and you can taste the green with just a hint of that lovely licorice flavor.  It goes well with pasta, vegetables, meat and fish, and pretty much anything else you can think of using.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Appetizers Spreads Dips Sauces FENNEL FROND PESTO 4 packed cups chopped fennel fronds (from two bulbs)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, or more as needed
salt and pepper to taste
juice of 1 lemon

Place all the ingredients except the olive oil in a food processor. Process everything together into a rough paste, then with the blade running drizzle in the olive oil until you it has reached the desired consistency.

Adjust the seasoning as desired.

Adapted from recipe found at https://holycowvegan.net/fennel-fronds-pesto/

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Eggs in a Basket

This dish has many names; I grew up calling it Eggs in a Basket. You cut a circle in a slice of bread and cook an egg in it. I never particularly cared for the idea of it until I tried it with focaccia. The thickness and sturdiness of it made it a great vehicle for a fried egg.

The finished dish is a cross between french toast, grilled cheese, and a fried egg sandwich.  The best of all three worlds.  It starts with the focaccia browning in a skillet and once the eggs have been added it is finished under the broiler.  It does not take long to put together and the result makes it so worthwhile.

The trick is to cook the egg until the top has just begun to set, then add the cheeses and put them under the broiler.  That is the way to get that nice runny yolk most of us love.

But if you don't like a runny yolk you can just leave it under the broiler until they have set completely before you add the cheese.

It is delicious either way.

 

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Meat Fish and Eggs EGGS IN A BASKET 1 Tbsp butter or olive oil
2 slices stale focaccia
2 large eggs
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded gruyere or cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano

Cut slightly oval circles in the focaccia with a sharp knife. Save the cut out portions.

Melt the butter or olive oil over medium high heat in a large cast iron or nonstick skillet. Add the focaccia and the cut out ovals, top side down, and cook until they are brown and toasty. Turn everything over. Add more butter or oil inside the holes in the focaccia if necessary.

Crack an egg into each oval and turn the heat down to medium low. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for two to three minutes, until the bottoms of the eggs have set.

Turn on the broiler and set it to low if you have that option. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Move the egg-filled pieces to the baking sheet and place them under the broiler. Keep an eye on oval pieces still in the skillet and remove them when they are nice and browned on the bottoms.

Cook the eggs until the tops have just set but are still slightly wobbly. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and spread half of the gruyere or cheddar over each piece, followed by the Parmigiano Reggiano. Place it back under the broiler until the cheese has melted and is nice and bubbly.

7/21/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/)

Corn and Black Bean Salad

It's not summer for me until I have made my first corn and black bean salad using farm fresh corn and tomatoes.  I cook the beans from dried organic sprouted but you can use canned if you prefer.  It takes just a few minutes to put it all together and it tastes so fresh and summery.

I generally just eyeball the ingredients so please feel free to adjust any of the amounts as you wish.  It will be just as delicious!  You might be tempted to put more herbs or spices in there but the lime juice, olive oil, cilantro, salt and pepper are all you really need to make the corn and black beans shine.

Home Cookin v9.81 Chapter: Beans and Vegetables

CORN AND BLACK BEAN SALAD

3 cups black beans, cooked and drained (or 2 14.5-oz cans, rinsed and drained)
3 cups sweet corn (fresh is best but can use frozen or canned)
1/4 of red onion (1/4 to 1/2 cup, depending on taste), diced
1 fresh serrano pepper, finely chopped (and deseeded if you want less heat)
2 cloves garlic, crushed or grated
3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
juice of 1 lime
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Combine the beans, corn, onion, pepper, garlic and tomatoes in a large bowl and stir to combine. Add the lime and olive oil and mix well. Stir in the cilantro then season to taste with the salt and pepper.

7/23/2020

Exported from Home Cookin v9.81 (http://www.mountainsoftware.com/)