Salmon with Dill Rice and Peas

There are times when I just don't feel like cooking, but I want dinner. I'm sure it happens to everyone. At those times I want something that takes a minimum of fuss but packs a flavor punch. Something that doesn't take too much time and leaves little mess to clean up. Something that won't interfere with a busy night spent on the couch catching up with my shows.

I don't remember exactly when I first tossed a can of salmon into brown rice, but it was super easy and tasted good just with the salmon and rice. Over the years I have refined it bit by bit - first I started adding dill to the rice, then peas. This time I added one of my more recent discoveries, gremolata, which pushed it completely over the top. More on that later.

It does take 45 minutes to cook the rice, but you don't have to be in the kitchen the whole time. I usually put the rice on, go relax for half an hour, and then prepare the salmon and the garnish.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

SALMON WITH DILL RICE AND PEAS

Makes 4 servings

1 14.75-oz. can fancy pink or fancy sockeye red salmon
1 cup brown rice
1-2/3 cups water
1/2 cup frozen peas
3 Tbsp fresh dill or 1 Tbsp dried
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp lemon juice
garlic powder to taste
salt and pepper to taste

chopped parsley or gremolata, for garnish

Rinse rice and place in a 3-quart saucepan with the water. Bring to a roiling boil; let boil for a minute. Cover and turn heat as low as it will go. Cook for 45 minutes. Do not lift the lid while the rice is cooking. After the 45 minutes, lift the lid just long enough to throw the frozen peas into the pan with the rice; cover and let stand for 5 minutes.

About 15 minutes before the rice is done, remove the salmon from the can and place it in a large mixing bowl. You do not have to remove the bones from the salmon, but you can if you don't want them in there. I usually remove the large backbone, but the smaller bones are too much trouble and I can't tell they're there so I usually don't bother.

Once the rice and peas are finished, add them to the bowl with the salmon. Add the dill, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, salt and pepper and mix well.

Serve garnished with chopped parsley or gremolata.

Created 3/15/09

Exported from Home Cookin 5.7 (www.mountain-software.com)

Whole Wheat Orzo with Italian Sausage

It's 10:30 in the morning and they're already heading into the bars. And St. Patrick's Day is three days away. I guess it shouldn't surprise me, seeing how many Irish are in Chicago, but I would be surprised if any of the lads and lassies a-wearin' o' the green I saw this past Saturday morning had a drop of green blood in their veins.




I have a weakness. I cannot keep from stockpiling starches. If I see that whole wheat pasta is on sale two for the price of one at the grocery store, I have to buy some. I get twitchy if I have less than one package of brown rice on hand. When World Foods whole wheat couscous were on sale, I bought several boxes through which I am still working.

Periodically I will end up with so much on hand that there is no small concern that something will go bad before I can use it. When that happens, I declare a firm moratorium on purchasing any more, no matter how good a bargain it is, and become determined to cook up as much of it as I can in as short a time as possible before I can buy anything more (which I know I will, eventually).

Luckily, I love pasta and rice, so it is no big sacrifice for me to use them up. For this whole wheat orzo and Italian Sausage dish, I was also able to find a home for the mozzarella and black olives that were a little too much for my Ultimate Beet Salad. A little red wine added a warmth and richness that made it especially suitable for the colder-than-usual week we just had.

This is another dish that travels well, and made an excellent workday lunch.

WHOLE WHEAT ORZO WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE
serves 6

1 Tbsp olive oil
1 lb. Italian sausage, sweet or hot
1 small onion, diced
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp basil
1 28-oz. can tomatoes, whole or diced
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup whole wheat orze
4-6 oz. mozzarella bocconcini, halved
1/2 cup salt-or other-cured black olives, pitted and roughly chopped
Grated Parmigiana-Reggiano or Romano cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Put a large pot of water on to boil. Heat oil in large skillet. Remove casing from sausage and put it in the skillet. Cook until well browned. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add wine and deglaze the pan; add tomatoes and spices. Bring to a simmer and cook until liquid has reduced by half.

When the sauce is about five minutes from being reduced to desired consistency, add salt to the boiling water, and then the orzo. Cook two minutes less than the time given in the package directions, drain, and add to the sausage-tomato mixture. Add mozzarella and mix well. Garnish with cheese and olives.

The Ultimate Beet Salad (Note I Did Not Say Best)

Not everything I make works out. Nor should it. If you want to learn how to cook creatively you have to expect some disappointments. What you see here is what I am calling the Ultimate Beet Salad. And I do not mean ultimate in the sense of best, but more in the sense of last. There are a lot of good ideas here; too many good ideas as it turned out. Pretty much the only thing that is not in this salad is the kitchen sink. And I'm surprised I showed that little bit of restraint.

Here's what happened. I was on my way home from work last Monday, feeling a little worn down and lackluster. Work has been rough the past few months, as I'm sure it's been for a lot of people out there. I had not gone to the grocery store over the weekend and I had nothing either prepared or planned for dinner. I had all but decided to just order in, something I rarely do these days. And once I decided to have something delivered, all thoughts of health flew out the window. I was trying to decide whether to order pizza or a burger when my feet turned me into the parking lot of Treasure Island before I even knew what they were doing.

In the produce section, the minute I saw a bunch of fresh ruby red beets I thought, "Yes. Beet salad." The lettuce, celery and red onion were no-brainers. I had oranges and walnuts at home. And then things kind of took on a life of their own after that. I was a woman on a mission as I went back and forth through the aisles, and by the time I was done I had added fennel, potatoes, oil-cured olives, fresh mozzarella, and pancetta to my basket.

I decided to roast the beets and the potatoes so I prepped them and got them in the oven while I washed the lettuce and got everything else ready. I threw the pancetta into the skillet and got it going so it would be nice and crispy. I used the juice from the roasted beets and the supremed orange in the vinaigrette. I put everything in the bowl and dressed the salad. After much anticipation, I finally dug in my fork and took a bite.

And it was . . . ok. Not great. There were too many conflicting flavors and textures going on. It would have been much better without the potatoes, and the pancetta was wasted. The olives were too salty for the rest of the mix (which I guess is what I get for buying salt-cured olives). So I had to make sure I got a good mix on the fork.

Luckily, I kept most of the ingredients separate, so after the first night I was able to leave out the potatoes, mozzarella, pancetta, and olives. The potates and olives made a nice side dish with the orzo with Italian Sausage and Mozzarella I made for dinner later in the week, and the pancetta topped my scrambled eggs for breakfast Sunday morning.

It wasn't a total loss. I will certainly continue to make beet salads, I will just put back the last three or four ingredients before I leave the store.

Braised Pork Chop with Mashed Potatoes and Broccolette

Sunday nights have become the equivalent of meat-and-potatoes night around here. Center-cut pork chops were on sale at the Apple Market, and I had bought some potatoes for some reason I can't even remember, so I decided to braise the pork chops and mash the potatoes. I had the Marco Real Tempranillo left over from my beef shanks, so I used that to braise the chops, using my usual method.

For the potatoes, I peeled and cubed some russets and boiled them. When they were done, I mashed them up with fat-free milk, adding just a touch of cream and butter.

And the vegetable? It looks like broccoli, but it's something called broccolette. It was on sale at Treasure Island so I bought a couple of bunches and brought it home. It's something new from Earthbound Farms, but I couldn't find any info on their website. Apparently it's a mix of broccoli and kale. You can see the kale a little in the leaves. Each floret has it's own stalk, which is kind of nice.

After washing it, I chopped the stems and left the florets whole. I heated a little olive over medium high heat in a large skillet, then added a diced shallot and a little bit of crushed red pepper. After it had caramelized I added the broccolette and sautee it for about five minutes. Then I added a little bit of chicken stock, lowered the heat, and let it simmer for 10 minutes.

At least I meant to let it simmer for 10 minutes. It was more like 15-20 because I forgot to set the timer and I got sidetracked. You can see in the picture how much it was overcooked. But what can you do? I sliced up some of the roasted red pepper I used for the Baked Chicken and Blood Orange with Fennel Couscous and added it right at the end. And while it could definitely have been a bit crunchier, it was absolutely delicious. Keep an eye out for it next time you're at the grocery store.

Baked Chicken and Blood Orange with Fennel Couscous

When I discover something new I usually use it frequently at first, so I can get familiar with it and have a better sense of what I can do with it. If I just use it once, chances are I will be just as reluctant to use it the next time it comes up as I was the first time.

And so it has gone with fennel. Fennel has intrigued me for many years, but every time I saw it at the grocery store and considered bringing it home, I just couldn't picture preparing it. What do you do with the stems, not to mention the fronds? How exactly do you cut the bulb, and how do you cook it after it is cut? It seems strange to be intimidated by a vegetable, but there you have it. We all have our food fears. Half the fun of being in the kitchen for me these days is overcoming those unexplainable little fears and cooking up a mess of something strange, wondrous and new.

Once I had bought my first fennel bulb, I took it home and cut off the stalks. I wasn't entirely sure what I wanted to do with them, but I did not want to just throw them away. I put them in a plastic bag and threw them into the produce drawer of the refrigerator. I had some chicken bones in the freezer and I thought I could use the fennel stalks the next time I made stock.

Then I sliced the bulb in half. You can see how it grows, with the layers coming out of the triangular core there at the bottom. What I did not know the first time I used it was that the core is really tough. You would think it would have occurred to me because you cut the core out of every other vegetable, but I wasn't really thinking. And that little bit of core at the bottom of every piece of fennel was tough and not tasty at all.

And as usually happens when you try something new, that same week on her Food Network show "Barefoot Contessa Back To Basics" Ina Garten prepared a fennel bulb. The first thing she did after cutting the bulb in half was to cut out the core. So I did the same the next time I used it and it made all the difference in the world.

The next time I bought a fennel bulb was for the pot roast, which was a big success. I now had two sets of stalks and I was pretty sure I didn't want to put that much in my chicken stock. But I did have those two beautiful beef shanks with which I planned to make Vegetable Beef Soup. I used the stalks from the first bulb first and sliced them up about the same size as the carrots. Their flavor is stronger than the bulb so I really just wanted to capture the flavor, so using them for the braising seemed perfect. And that was one delicious beef soup, if I do say so myself.

After reading misreall's comment about how good blood oranges are right now, they caught my eye the next time I was at the grocery store so I brought a couple home with me. I know orange and fennel is a common flavor combination, so when I was getting ready to bake another chicken, I thought it might be good to combine the blood orange and the fennel.

I cut the peel away from the orange and thinly sliced it instead of segmenting it. I pushed the slices between the skin and the pieces of the cut-up chicken before seasoning it and putting it into the oven. I layered the chicken over onions, carrots, garlic and the fennel that had been seasoned with salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram and then covered with a couple of tablespoons of olive oil.

The juice from the orange had permeated into the meat, but it did leave the remaining segments somewhat dry, and surprisingly bitter. I would either just use the juice next time, or remove the remaining pulp before serving.

I thought couscous would make a nice accompaniment to the chicken, so I cooked up a batch in some chicken stock I had in the freezer. I combined it with the roasted vegetables. Once I got it on the plate, though, it looked kind of bland and monochromatic, so I diced a roasted red pepper to throw over the whole thing. Not only did it look much better, the peppers added a lovely zing of flavor.

I followed my usual method for baking the chicken. You can find a good description here, just use onions, garlic, and fennel. Add carrots and celery if you want - I would have if there had been any in my vegetable bin and then maybe there would have been more color. I used salt, pepper, thyme and marjoram for seasoning. For the couscous, I basically followed the package directions and then combined them with the vegetables. I used a jarred roasted red pepper. This is an easy dish and it works really well on a cold winter night.

Pasta Salad with Asparagus, Zucchini and Peas

I was on the phone with my sister having our weekly food conversation. She was describing a cashew chicken and pasta salad recipe she wasn't sure whether or not she had sent me (she had). As I was looking at the recipe, I realized I had the makings of something similar close at hand, even (and especially) the cashews. I had already planned a pasta dish - I had fresh asparagus and zucchini on hand, along with some Italian sausage in the freezer that I was going to use for a pasta sauce. But a Chinese-inspired salad seemed much more refreshing.

I didn't have snow peas, so I went to Jewel. The fresh snow peas did not look good and they didn't have any frozen (which my sister said worked in a pinch of there weren't fresh). They did have frozen sugar snap peas so I bought a bag of those. I had some blood oranges on hand (my purchase of which having been inspired by misreall's comments on this post.)

I also had a bunch of fresh dandelion greens Treasure Island had on sale. They looked so beautiful I had to bring them home with me even though I wasn't sure how I was going to use them. I decided to cook them up the same way I cook fresh spinach - I rinsed them and then placed them in a hot skillet so they could steam in their rinse liquid. I didn't add any other liquid. It works like a charm every time.

This was pretty easy to put together, and it was quite good. Even though it feels like we're still in the throes of deep winter, there are teensy weensy signs of spring. This is hearty enough for winter, but hints of what's coming just around the bend.

The irony of this dish, though, is that I completely forgot to add the cashews. I don't think it suffered without them, but I will remember to add them next time. Oh, and maybe the chicken as well.

Home Cookin Chapter: My Recipes

PASTA SALAD WITH ASPARAGUS, ZUCCHINI AND PEAS

12-oz. package whole wheat spaghetti or linguine
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 shallots, diced
1 lb. asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1-1/2" pieces
3 small zucchini, cut into 1-1/2" chunks, blanched then sliced
1 bunch dandelion greens
10 oz. fresh sugar snap peas, or 1 10-oz. package frozen
2 Tbsp toasted Sesame seeds
1 blood orange, supremed

Dressing:

3-4 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp sherry

Cook pasta according to pacakage directions. Drain and place in large bowl. Add dressing and toss well.

Heat olive oil in large skillet. Add shallots and cook until translucent and just beginning to caramelize, about 7 minutes. Add asparagus (and snap peas if fresh) and cook until just tender, 3-5 minutes. Add zucchini (and snap peas if frozen) and cook until just heated through. Add to pasta and place skillet back on the stovetop over medium heat for the dandelion greens.

Rinse dandelion greens and then chop into pieces. Add to skillet and cook until just wilted, about 3 minutes. Add to pasta.

Toss all of the vegetables with the pasta until well mixed. Adjust oil, vinegar, or soy sauce to taste. Add sesame seeds and mix again.

Serve garnished with blood orange segments.

Created 2/15/09

Exported from Home Cookin 5.7 (www.mountain-software.com)

Lentils and Bulgur (Imjadara)

I wrote about this dish back when I was first blogging, but it's such a good, easy-to-make dish that it bears repeating. It's healthy and relatively inexpensive; in short, it's all good. Lentils, water, bulgur, onions and a little oil. Salt and pepper to taste, and that's it.

I especially like it with black, or beluga, lentils. They hold their shape best, and don't get mushy like the regular khaki-colored lentils I grew up eating. The bulgur adds a warm, toasty flavor and the caramelized onion punctuates each bite with sweet goodness.

There's something about the combination of flavors that makes this an irresistable dish. Do yourself a favor and make up a batch. You'll see what I mean.

Home Cookin 4.9 Chapter: Pasta and Grains

LENTILS AND BULGUR (IMJADARA)

1 c. dried lentils, rinsed
4-1/2 c. water
1/2 c. cracked wheat
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 medium onion, slivered

Combine lentils and water in large saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook approximately 25 minutes then add wheat, salt and pepper. Cook 15 minutes more, until lentils are tender, stirring frequently. Add hot water if necessary.

In another skillet, heat oil, add onion, and saute 7-10 minutes, until browned. Stir onions into lentil and bulgur mixture.

Serve with tossed salad and hot pita bread.

from Lean Bean Cuisine: Over 100 Tasty Meatless Recipes from Around the World, by Jay Solomon (Prima, 1994)

Curried Red Lentil Soup Redux

Back in December 2005 I wrote about this delicious Curried Red Lentil Soup. I made it a couple of times and then forgot all about it. Since it has been such a cold winter here in Chicago, I found myself digging deeper into my collection of warm, hearty dishes that could help take off the chill, and I ran into this gem.

It's a simple soup that doesn't take long to make and doesn't have that many ingredients, but it packs a powerhouse of flavor. When I wrote about it back in '05, I had cut the amount of curry from two tablespoons to two teaspoons. I had forgotten about that when I made it this time, and it tasted much better to me this time than last time. And there's something about the popped mustard seeds that takes it over the top.

I love all lentils, but I especially love how red lentils disintegrate into whatever liquid in which they are cooked. They turn from a pretty orange-pink into a golden, almost glowing, yellow. Of course the curry powder helps that transition.

I did not make my own curry powder, although I do usually like to toast and grind my own spices. These days I just do not have the time nor, to be honest, the inclination. Instead, I use the sweet curry powder that is put together by my friends at The Spice House. If you're not going to take the trouble to make your own, I would recommend taking the trouble to find a good one. If that turns out to be one of the more commercial brands' versions, fine. But there are many different kinds of curry blends out there and I think it is worth exploring them. Some are sweeter, some spicier, some hotter. Each one brings its own personality to the party and I like to use different ones for different dishes.

You may be tempted to omit the popped mustard seeds from this recipe. Don't. They are what makes this dish and it will not be the same without them. If you do leave them out, don't blame me if you don't like it. And don't say I didn't warn you.

Home Cookin Chapter: Soups and Stews

CURRIED RED LENTIL SOUP
Serves 8

2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp black mustard seeds
1 large onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped ginger, or 1 tbsp ground
1 Tbsp chopped garlic
2 jalapenos, chopped, or 1 canned jalapeno
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
2 Tbsp sweet curry powder
1 lb. (2 cups) red lentils
3 qts. vegetable stock (I use 2 qts. stock and 1 qt. water)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 cup plain yogurt

In a small saucepan with a lid, heat vegetable oil with the mustard seeds. Cover pot; cook for approximately four minutes, or until popping sound stops.

In large soup pot, cook onion, ginger, garlic and jalapeno in oil. Add curry powder and cook 2 more minutes. Stir in lentils, stock, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until soft, approximately one hour, stirring occasionally. Using potato masher, partially mash the lentils to thicken the soup.

Just before serving, stir in the mustard seeds with their cooking oil, the lime juice, and the cilantro. Garnish each serving with a dollop of yogurt and sprinkle with more cilantro.

Slightly adapted from Beans: More Than 200 Delicious, Wholesome Recipes from around the World, by Aliza Green (Running Press, 2004)

Exported from Home Cookin 5.7 (www.mountain-software.com)

Skirt Steak Salad with Grapefruit and Orange Segments

What to do with those beautiful citrus segments you created after you learned how to supreme? Here's one delicious dish.

It started when I bought a bag of Texas red grapefruit (the only grapefruit I will eat. Don't accept any Florida substitutions). I supremed them when I got them home and put them in a bowl in the fridge. I also had a bag full of honey tangerines and a few mineolas that looked too good to just leave at the store. In short, I had a surplus of citrus.

And a skirt steak in the freezer. I've come to love these flavorful steaks. They defrost quickly, cook in five to six minutes total (maybe seven to eight if you like them a little more done than I do), and they are full of flavor seasoned only with salt and pepper. A perfect weeknight meal.

Throw in the beautiful fresh spinach and green leaf lettuce I also couldn't resist bringing home with me and you have a delicious lunch or dinner.

SKIRT STEAK

Place skillet over high heat. Add a tablespoon of canola oil and let the pan get smoking hot. Lay skirt steak out on a flat surface, removing any silver skin. Cut it into pieces that will fit in the skillet. Season with salt and pepper, then gently place in hot skillet. Cook three to five minutes on each side. Remove from pan. Let rest fifteen minutes, then slice against the grain.

You can find another description of this technique here.