Monthly Archives: April 2012

Chopped Salad with Roast Beef and Homemade Croutons – Recipe for Spring Lunch

25 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Beef, Cooking, Recipe, Salad

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 Lighten up!  Spring is here and summer is just around the corner (alright, alright, just let me dream for a second).  You can almost smell the aroma of ripe tomatoes, taste the sweetness of fresh corn, and wipe the juice of Georgia peaches dripping down your chin.

For now though, I celebrate longer, lighter, sunnier days with this Chopped Salad with Roast Beef and Homemade Croutons.  The salad took place of crepes on our Sunday breakfast table.  Along with the salad, I drank a glass of tomato juice.  The Artist sipped a glass of chilled Chenin Blanc.  Regardless of your beverage choice, I encourage you to chop the ingredients for the salad and enjoy the meal in the company of someone you like.

Chopped Salad with Roast Beef and Homemade Croutons

Ingredients

1 large tomato, diced
1/2 cup diced English cucumber
1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
1/2 cup yellow corn, fresh
1/4 cup chopped Kalamata olives
2 tablespoons banana peppers, finely chopped
2 tablespoons red onion, diced
salad greens (pick your favorite)
olive oil
2 slices of crusty bread, cubed
salt and pepper to taste

balsamic syrup (purchased or made at home from balsamic vinegar)

sliced roast beef
Directions

1.  Combine all vegetables in a large salad bowl.
2.  Heat olive oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat.  
3.  Add bread cubes; season with salt and pepper and saute, stirring often, until bread is golden brown.  Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook croutons until crisp.  Set aside.

4.  Drizzle the salad with olive oil and balsamic syrup.  Mix gently and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.



5.  Mound the salad on two plates.  Lay roast beef on top of the salad and garnish with croutons.  The croutons, still hot, will sizzle slightly as they come in contact with the salad – fun!

Add your beverage of choice and enjoy this delightful, colorful, and healthy salad.

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How to Roll Sushi at Home: Spicy Tuna Roll and Inverted Salmon Roll

23 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Fish, Recipe, Sushi

≈ 3 Comments

“Do you like sushi?” I asked my Fish professor Corky Clark at the Culinary Institute of America.  “If by sushi you mean vinegar-flavored cooked rice, then no, I don’t like it,” said Chef Clark.  I remember his answer from over four years ago, as if he said it to me yesterday.

Well, regardless of your definition of sushi, I love it.  I prefer creative sushi rolls, with large chunks of fresh, silky fish, tobiko, fatty avocado, and exotic sauces.  I am a big fan of the Rainbow roll – a California roll draped with tuna, salmon and yellow tail (I ask to leave the shrimp off).  But I discovered my all-time favorite roll while living in Dallas – the Volacano roll: a California roll topped with scallops that have been coated in spicy mayonnaise and broiled.  My friend Nicole, who tried the roll in my company during her first sushi experience ever, said, “It’s like an orgasm in my mouth.”  Need I say more?

Seattle clearly doesn’t have a shortage of sushi restaurants.  There are plenty of places, some better than others, scattered all around the city.  This weekend, however, we decided to roll some sushi ourselves.  A quick trip to Uwajimaya to pick up fresh fish (salmon and tuna) and a stop at HMart for rice, seaweed, and a few other staples, and we were ready to roll.
Spicy Tuna Roll and Inverted Salmon Roll


Ingredients


1 cup Sushi rice

nori sheets

toasted sesame seeds

cream cheese

wasabi mayonnaise

Sriracha

tuna, fresh, sliced

salmon, fresh, sliced

cucumber, sliced into thin strips

avocado, sliced

soy sauce

wasabi paste

Chenin blanc

Sake

plastic wrap

bamboo mat

Directions

1.  Prepare rice according to the directions.  Be sure to cool your rice completely before rolling sushi.

2.  Set all ingredients in front of you along with a bowl of water – you will dip your hands into water when pressing and spreading the rice along the nori sheet.

3.  Lay nori on top of a plastic-wrap-covered bamboo sheet.  

4.  For the Inverted Salmon Roll: Spread rice over the nori, leaving just about an inch uncovered and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

5.  Flip the nori sheet on the other side – this will create the inverted sushi roll.  Spread wasabi mayonnaise over nori and arrange tuna, avocado, and cucumbers in line at the bottom of the nori.

6.  Roll the nori, applying even pressure along the length of the roll.  Lightly moisten the edge of the nori with water – it will act as glue to hold the roll together.

7.  For the Spicy Tuna Roll: Spread rice over nori and sprinkle with sesame seeds.  Spread cream cheese and top with Sriracha, salmon, cucumbers, and avocado.  Roll as explained in step 6 above.

8.  Set your rolls in the refrigerator until you are ready to slice them.

9.  Slice and arrange on a plate.  Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, pickled ginger, sake (I prefer sake served warm) and/or a glass of crisp white wine (we had Chenin Blanc).

Why so sad, Mr. Artist?  You’ll just have to wait a few more minutes while I finish taking photos of the sushi, and then we can eat!

Delicious!

Teaching points:
~ Taste your rice.  Make sure it’s perfectly seasoned (use seasoned rice vinegar, rice wine, sugar, and salt).
~ Don’t overstuff your sushi rolls.
~ Keep plenty of wet towels around – the sushi-making tends to get quite messy
~ Get your fish only from trusted, reputable sources – if you don’t have one, or don’t want to pay the price for fresh fish, buy smoked salmon or crab instead.
~ Don’t forget a bowl of green tea ice cream for dessert and be sure to sprinkle it with toasted sesame seeds.

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The List: Top Ten Things to Teach your Boyfriend when Sharing a Kitchen

20 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by in Cooking, Writing/Publishing

≈ 15 Comments


I wasn’t the one who wanted to write this list, but the Artist insisted, saying it will be very popular and bring a  new audience to my blog.  “Alright,” I thought, “I shall give this a try.” I am not going to lie — the idea of finding a new audience is quite attractive, but the main reason I chose to write this post is to help new couples navigate one of the most dangerous rooms in the house… the Kitchen!

Keep in mind, the list is written from my perspective.  I consider myself very well acquainted with the kitchen, its tools and gadgets, appliances, towels, plates and platters, and the ingredients inside the refrigerator and the pantry.  My particular audience, the Artist, has a thing or two to learn.  And so I share the lessons and suggestions in no particular order in hope of a happier side-by-side kitchen existence.  Share these rules with your significant other and let me know what happens.







Top Ten List to Teach your Boyfriend when Sharing a Kitchen

1.  Do not put a paring knife inside a drawer filled with measuring spoons, measuring cups, chopsticks, and spatulas.

2.  When drying dishes in a drying rack, place the bowls and cups upside down, so that the water can drip and the dishes will dry faster.  Do not use excuse “the water will eventually evaporate” to explain why it’s ok to place the bowls inside of one another and stack them up inside the drying rack.


3.  If I cook, you clean!  That means washing all of the dishes, not just the plates and the forks we used to eat dinner.  There are cutting boards, pans, pots, knives, etc.

4.  If I give you a grocery list that has only 2 items (limes and chocolate), please do not forget to pick up chocolate!  And while we are on the topic of chocolate, chocolate is always, I repeat, always welcome in my kitchen.

5.  I love when you cook for me.  I will try to stay out of your way and not hover over your shoulder telling you to turn down the heat or add salt.

6.  I make delicious pizza.  Do not judge me on one failed attempt you have tasted months ago.  Instead, pick up some flour, cheese, tomatoes, and a bottle of wine, and let’s make a pizza together.

7.  There are two types of towels in the kitchen: one you use to dry your hands and one that you are not to touch under any circumstances!  The latter is only for decorative purposes.  It is pretty to look at and adds color to the kitchen.  Learn which towel you are allowed to touch and for what purpose and nobody will get hurt!

8.  When washing dishes, you must use soap.  That means dish soap.  And hot water.  Rinse all dishes.  Then soap all dishes.  Then rinse all dishes again and let them dry.  Do not rinse, soap, rinse, and dry one dish at a time.

9.  Be honest.  If you love my food, tell me.  If you don’t like my food, tell me, but try to be nice about it.

10. Stay with me in the kitchen even if you don’t have anything to do.  I love your company and the occasional shoulder massage.

Would you like to add something to the list?  Let me know!

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Save Your Herbs, Save Money ~ Basil, Parsley, and Mint "Pesto" Ice Cubes Recipe

18 Wednesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 3 Comments

Whenever I clean out my refrigerator, I end up throwing away bunches of wilted, wrinkly, dried-up herbs.  What I am really throwing out is money.  Straight into the garbage can go my pennies, quarters, and dollars.  I shall never see them again. Sigh.  
In order to stop the madness of throwing away my money, I had to do something drastic–immediately.  And so, I pulled out the herbs before they had a chance to die, and turned to my small food processor.

I stared at the bunches of thyme, sage, basil, parsley, oregano and mint.  The idea of putting all these herbs together did not make sense.  Instead, I chose my three favorites: basil, parsley, and mint, and hoped they would harmoniously come together.  Into the food processor they went.


Basil, Parsley, and Mint “Pesto” Ice Cubes

Ingredients


4 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup basil leaves, roughly chopped

1/2 cup parsley leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup mint leaves, roughly chopped

1/4 cup olive oil

1 tablespoon Champagne vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1.  Place garlic and herbs in a food processor.  Pulse several times, scraping in between with a small rubber spatula.  Note: be sure your herbs are very well washed and dried before using them.  Pack the herbs tightly into a measuring cup.

2.  Drizzle in olive oil and vinegar.  Pulse until a smooth paste is formed.  Season with salt and pepper.

3.  Spoon “pesto” into an ice cube tray and freeze.

Keep the “pesto” cubes in the freezer until ready to use.  They keep the bright, green color for quite a while – thanks to the addition of vinegar.

I used these cubes over cooked pasta and shrimp.  Added a cube or two to a potato and bell pepper hash.  Stirred one into a bowl of creamed tomato soup.  And the ideas are endless!  How would you use these?

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Eat Your Matzo ~ Savory and Spicy Matzo Brei Passover Recipe

09 Monday Apr 2012

Posted by in Breakfast, Holidays, Passover, Recipe, Vegetarian

≈ 8 Comments

Happy Passover!  I have been bread, pasta, and cake free for the last three days.  I even passed on a basket of bread and cookies at dinner last night.  Staying strong!


One of my favorite culinary Passover traditions is matzo brei: pieces of broken-up matzo mixed with eggs and fried up in oil as little cakes.  I grew up eating this deliciousness on a regular basis (not just for Passover), usually on Sunday mornings, as prepared by my Dad.  His matzo brei was always particularly crisp, salty, and impossible to resist.

This weekend, as a replacement for traditional Sunday crepes, I prepared a batch of Savory and Spicy Passover Matzo Brei.




Savory and Spicy Passover Matzo Brei


Ingredients

3 matzo pieces

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon garlic
powder

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon Szechuan pepper

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 scallions, thinly sliced

olive oil for frying

horseradish

Directions

1.  Break matzo into 1-inch pieces and set aside.
2.  Whisk together eggs with spices.
3.  Cover the matzo with warm water and allow to soak for 30 seconds.  Squeeze matzo dry.
4.  Combine matzo, eggs, and scallions.

5.  Heat olive oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat.

6.  Saute matzo brei about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.

Be sure to serve these immediately with a dollop of horseradish and sour cream.  You might want to season the brei with extra salt as soon as it comes off the pan.

Do you have a favorite matzo brei recipe?  Please share!

And speaking of matzo, be sure to read The Great Matzo Showdown by Hanna Raskin – I was a part of the testing and tasting panel for the article.

Happy Passover!

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BOA Trinity Salad ~ Beets, Oranges, and Avocado

05 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by in Beets, Gluten Free, Lunch, Recipe, Salad, Vegetables, Vegetarian

≈ 1 Comment

A few days earlier, I shared with you a slice of birthday cake.  The sweet memories of the stacked honey cake layers still linger.  But that sweetness had to wait until after dinner.  What came before the cake was a culinary experience of sorts, and a test of boundaries for my family.  Would a group of somewhat conservative eaters (I’m primarily pointing fingers at my dad and my brother) appreciate a trinity of beets, oranges, and avocado?  There was only one way to find out.

As I spent several hours in my parents’ kitchen preparing a few salads for my birthday dinner, I came across three beets at the bottom drawer of their refrigerator.  I am pretty sure the beets were intended for a pot of borscht, but I had something else in mind for their final destination.  I decided to drizzle them with olive oil, generously season them with salt and pepper, and roast them in a hot oven.  Oranges and avocado joined the party and offered a glorious array of colors.

Let me tell you, the salad got high scores and was approved by every picky eater.

BOA Trinity Salad ~ Roasted Beets with Supremes of Orange and Avocado

Ingredients


3 beets

1-2 tablespoons olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

2 oranges

1 avocado

Directions


1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

2.  Scrub the beets, trim off the ends and stems, and cut the beet into six wedges.

3.  Place beets on a foil-lined baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast for 35-45 minutes or until tender.

4.  Supreme (segment) oranges, reserving orange juice for the dressing.

5.  Arrange cooled beets on a platter in a circular shape.

6.  Slice avocado and arrange between wedges of beets, alternating with orange supremes.

7.  Drizzle the salad with orange juice and olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

That’s it folks!  If you feel super fancy, you might add nuts and cheese to the salad.  You can also arrange the salad on top of arugula or your favorite salad greens.

Why the salad works: the texture variation between the buttery, creamy avocado and the hearty beets offers a perfect mouthfeel in every bite.  The sweetness of the oranges compliments the earthy sweetness of the beets, while the oranges’ acidity cuts the avocado’s richness nicely.

The rest of the birthday dinner table:

And one more shot of the cake:

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Birthday Celebration ~ Let There be Cake, Beets, and Potatoes!

03 Tuesday Apr 2012

Posted by in Avocado, Beets, Dessert, Holidays

≈ 4 Comments

Last week I celebrated my birthday! (Thank you).  While I didn’t get a pony, or a kangaroo for that matter, I did get to celebrate my birthday with family and friends.  What could be sweeter, except for a slice of my mom’s Honey Cake with Sour Cream Frosting and Toasted Walnuts?  Not much.  The cake was exactly what I wanted for my special day.  In fact, I was sure to request the cake on more than several occasions, weeks before my actual birthday.

The cake: layers of honey cake spread with sweet and tangy whipped sour cream and sprinkled with toasted walnuts.  The cake stood tall and proud.  Since the birthday celebration took place in the evening, the lighting did the cake very little justice.  I used this light deficiency as an excuse to ask for an extra slice of cake to take home and photograph.  I was a very happy girl the next morning!

Thank you to my mom for baking this special cake for me and for beautiful sunflowers (scroll down to see those sunny beauties!).  I hope one day to get the recipe for this cake and bake it for my own daughter.


Curious about the beets and potatoes in the title of the post?  Check back in a couple of days for details.

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