Crispy Quinoa Salad

Once in a while, a feared kitchen disaster actually turns out to be a happy accident.  This is what occurred when I decided to make a post-cinco-de-mayo-party-fridge-freezer-clean-out-meal for my dad. He’s worth it.

He arrived later in the day, garden tools in hand, as dads do, to help me do away with the “monsters”.  These are the monsters.  Turns out they’re not so easily tamed.

Scary. Word of advice: Don’t buy a house with a lot of trees on the property.  Someday, thousands of dollars will be spent maintaining them.  I wish somebody had warned me about tree upkeep.

At least there’s a bright pink one.

So back to the disaster-turned-happy-accident. I decided to make a quinoa salad out of meager leftovers and pantry staples, and, thinking it would be prudent to at least prepare the quinoa itself in advance, I did so.  Quinoa is a simple matter, really just one of boiling water, so of course it turned out perfectly.

And so of course I screwed it up.

What didn’t turn, off, that is, is the burner.  I mistakenly left the burner on low and headed out to assist.  About an hour later, I realized that disaster had ensued, the kind that would result in trashing the pot along with the burnt quinoa.

Actually, disaster had averted. It was nicely browned, crisp even.  Because I had used a non-stickish saucepan, it released and took on a nutty flavor and crunchy texture. Kind of like the burnt parts of a paella, which to some is the best part.

Except this was quinoa.  I rounded out the meal with black bean quesadillas, thawed red cabbage compote and sweet potato tots (you know those, right, the Alexia brand tots? You gotta try those.)

We dined in Provence (aka outside), a term coined by mon père referring to the enjoyment of an outdoor meal, usually with wine, no matter where one resides, which is fittingly how I came about the title of this blog.

Crispy (or not if you don’t want to risk it) Quinoa Salad

Serves 4.

• 1 cup cooked quinoa (any color really)
• chopped herbs (parsley, chives, cilantro, etc.)
• handful chopped golden raisins
• 3 chopped scallions
• goat cheese crumbles (or feta)
• lime/mustard vinaigrette (recipe follows)
• handful chopped olives
• 2-3 chopped celery stalks
• handful chopped almonds
• drizzle of olive oil + dashes of salt and pepper to taste

A quinoa salad takes so well to improvisation that I’m reluctant to actually give you a method here (so I won’t).  Simply follow directions on the quinoa box (allow to cool, or at your peril, leave on low well past the recommended time for a crispier version–careful though, it could burn!).  Add handfuls of the above ingredients or whatever chopped veg, nut or cheese you may have lying around in the fridge/pantry.

Fais-moi confiance. It’ll be delish.

Lime (or lemon) Vinaigrette

Mix in a jar…

• juice of 1 lime (or 1/2 lemon)
• 1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
• 1/2 tsp. coarse salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• dash white or champagne vinegar
• tsp. (or so) honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Taste and shake.  Drizzle over salad and mix. Let sit for at least 20 minutes to let the flavors come together.

Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

April has been a month of accomplishments.

I drove through Times Square. I had a good reason, but quelle catastrophe!  Technically that was in March but since that vacation ended in April, I’m going with April.

I ate at Roberta’s, one of the 20 most important restaurants in America. It was pizza. Dang good pizza, but still pizza. If you care to know why it’s so important, click the link.

I delighted in the hot chocolate goodness of Jacques Torres.

I ate breakfast at the beach.

I stalked drove by Ina’s house multiple times.  She’s on a main route. Who knew? This isn’t Ina’s house. I wouldn’t be so crass.  But who wouldn’t love to live in a village with a windmill?

I rode a ferry.  Couple of ‘em actually.

For a little wine

And a lobster roll on a charmingly named lane.

Because of book club, I learned about the Dust Bowl and made Fallen Chocolate Cake.

I made Jim Lahey’s no-knead pizza dough.  So easy and so good!  I topped it with ricotta and asparagus.

And, perhaps most memorably, I found my chocolate chip, I mean chunk, cookie. I’ve been looking for one for a long time. Task completed. Scratch that one off the list.

Everyone needs a chocolate chip chunk cookie, right?  This one comes courtesy of, what else, Bon Appétit and their January cooking school issue. The lesson, if I recall, was about adding salt to sweets, which made me chuckle because it’s oh-so-chic these days (though for good reason!).  I’ve made them several times recently and found that leaving the dough in the fridge overnight, produces a less flat and more chewy cookie.  In other words, my kind of cookie. Add a sprinkle of Maldon, or other flaky sea salt, to the top, and you’ll be in cookie heaven.  When you get here, make sure you find me and say hi.

Salted Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Preheat oven to 375°.  Place parchment paper on a cookie sheet.

Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

In a large bowl, beat together for 3-4 minutes

• 1 stick room temperature butter (I put it on warm in the microwave until soft)
• 3/4 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup regular sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Next, add the following and beat 4-5 minutes or until mixture is pale and fluffy.

• 1 egg + 2 egg yolks
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Fold in

• 3/4 cup chocolate chunks or chopped dark chocolate

Use a tablespoon to place rounded spoonfuls of dough on a parchment-lined cookie sheet. Place at least 1 ” apart. Do in two batches or on two cookie sheets, alternating oven racks halfway through the baking time.

Sprinkle with

• Maldon sea salt (I used smoked), about 1/2 tsp.

Bake on the top rack for 5 minutes, then switch to the lower rack for 5 minutes.  This method worked best for making a chewy cookie. If you like yours more crunchy, you might prefer to bake them on the top rack or go a minute longer.

Cool on wire racks and try not to eat them all at once.  A cookie a day, makes the blues go away (or something like that).

Za’atar Rubbed Shrimp Salad with Tahini Caesar Dressing

Before C and I head East tomorrow, I want to share just one more tasty recipe with you. This is a Rachael Ray riff, and although I know it’s not cool to speak of Rachael Ray, especially on food blogs, I’ve got to give her some props for continuously turning out easy, delicious and up-to-date food.  But, I promise, I’m not giving her props for her Trisket, Dunkin’ Donuts, and now, Ziploc (!) endorsements.  (And I bet she wishes she never did that Burger King ad either, or that orange cookware).  Someone should explain the concept of over saturation to the poor (I mean rich) girl.  Now I’ve gone and turned praise into criticism.  Oh well, what I’m trying to say is that she should just stick with food.

She made this on her CBS talk show about a month ago, with chicken, and what struck me most was that it was an opportunity to use the sumac I had purchased on a whim at the latest and greatest foodie haven in A2 (I just noticed their tagline says “Manhattan meets Ann Arbor”-hee hee).  I think I was going to make this salad but since my brain is my mixed up spread sheet, I can’t be sure. And I have a tendency to splurge on ingredients as some do on shoes. That’s the story of how my sumac came to be.

Perhaps the best bit about this recipe, though, is how absolutely stunning it was the next day.

As for that trip East, more on that in the next post, but let me just say that we’ll be chasing Ina. I can hardly wait.

Serves 4. Adapted from the  Rachael Ray show.

For the rub

• 1 lb. shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
• 1 Tbsp. sumac (or smoked paprika and zest of 1 lime)
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 tsp. coriander
• 1 tsp. cumin
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1/2 tsp. fresh ground pepper
• 2 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• zest of one lemon
• Olive oil

For the dressing

• 1 clove garlic
• 3 Tbsp. tahini + 2 Tbsp. water for thinning
• juice of one lemon
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. anchovy paste
• fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/2 grated fresh grated romano or parmesan cheese
• 2 heads chopped romaine
• 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced
• pita chips (optional)

Start by mixing the spices in a bowl (sesame seeds through lemon zest).  In a larger bowl, drizzle about a teaspoon of olive oil over the shrimp and season with salt and pepper.  Rub the spice mixture over the shrimp and refrigerate for at least an hour, if you can.

In the meantime, prepare the romaine and soak the red onion in water for 20 minutes to take away the harsh bite.

You can prepare the dressing one of two ways.  If all will be eaten in one sitting, prepare the dressing in a large salad bowl.  If you intend to have leftovers, prepare it in a separate bowl.

Either way, start by rubbing the bowl with a smashed clove of garlic.  Add the tahini and water. Whisk until the tahini has a smooth consistency.  Add the lemon juice, soy sauce, anchovy paste, and pepper.  Whisk in the olive oil.  The dressing should be thick but pourable.  Add a little more water if it’s not.

Now you have a choice.  The original recipe calls for adding the grated cheese to the dressing, which I did, but it gave it a weird consistency. Next time I might save the cheese for sprinkling on the salad instead.

Finally, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over a medium high flame.  Add the shrimp and cook for about 3-4 minutes or until shrimp are done (they will curl up and turn pink).  Avoid overcooking them.

If using the bowl method, add the greens to the dressing and toss. Top with shrimp and cheese.  Otherwise, serve components in separate bowls and the dressing in a gravy boat and allow diners to compose their own salad, allowing for leftovers.

Carrot Coriander Soup

For me, there’s Irish food and then there’s Irish food.  You know the usuals: Irish stew, fish n’ chips, corned beef and cabbage (actually more Irish-American than Irish), maybe Shepard’s Pie.  There are plenty more, lesser known on this side of the pond, such as boxty and colcannon.  I’m no expert but they are the dishes that I’ve always associated with that far away green isle, whether because they’re my favorite selections from the menu of the local Irish pub, or because my 16-year-old self consumed them repeatedly on my first trip over in 1986.

Now, however, times have changed and thankfully it’s my 2011 trip that lives in my Irish memories.  Irish food for me is now the tart and refreshing Pomegranate Blueberry Smoothie I had that first morning in Blarney.  It’s also Scrambled Eggs with Smoked Salmon, which I enjoyed almost every morning of that trip.  And it’s fresh fish of all types: fried, roasted, poached, served with a cream sauce or maybe a slice of chorizo.

What I’ve been chasing, though, is a carrot soup that I had with the above meal of fish (the variety is lost to me now) with chorizo.

I’ve tried various incarnations of boiling carrots and whizzing them up with ingredients such as orange juice, apples, chickpeas, even white beans.  Those versions were certainly edible but they just didn’t evoke that one specific food memory. The place probably had something to do with.  Either that or the kir royale.

This is Kinsale, the unabashed foodie capital of Ireland.  I would concur as well as add that most meals we had lived up to this colorful town’s standards.

Sunday, I decided to stop experimenting and google “carrot coriander soup”.  There was an easy version on jamieoliver.com, so I went with it.  Et voilà. This one got me closer than any of the versions I had previously attempted.  I added ginger and crushed red, because I seem unable to refrain from so doing lately.  The nice thing about this soup is that it’s lighter and fits in perfectly with a less hearty, spring-like style of eating that we lean toward this time of year.

I served it as a first course with Catherine Fulvio’s Beef Fillet with Jameson Cream Sauce, which she demo-ed on the Today Show last year.  It was delicious but, trust me, you do not want to see that picture. If you’re tempted by it, I’d recommend adding a teaspoon of maple syrup to the sauce. But that’s just me.

Carrot Coriander Soup

Serves 4, adapted from jamieoliver.com

• 1 lb. carrots, peeled and sliced into 1/2″ coins
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• a 1″ piece of ginger, minced
• 1 tsp. ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 1 tsp. salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• sour cream and grated parmesan (optional garnish)

Preheat the olive oil in a large dutch oven or soup pot over medium heat.  Add the carrots, onion and garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent.  Turn down the flame if they seem to be browning.  Salting add this point can help reduce browning.

Add the coriander, crushed red and salt and pepper. Stir and cook for about a minute.

Add the vegetable stock and water and bring to a light boil.  Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered for a thicker stew, for 20 minutes or until the carrots are tender.  For a thinner soup, simmer covered.

Add the chopped cilantro and stir.  Allow to simmer for another couple of minutes

Finally, use an immersion blender and blend until only somewhat smooth.  It’s very satisfying to have some whole carrots as well in this one!  Alternatively, you can transfer half the soup to a blender (don’t forget to remove the small part of the lid and cover with a kitchen towel before blending to avoid a carrot explosion!) and pulse a couple of times.  Add back to the soup pot and stir. Taste to adjust seasonings.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream and a sprinkling of parmesan.

And get thee to Ireland, tout de suite!

Kale Smoothie

Don’t even get me started on the word “man cave” but another of my linguistic pet peeves is the overused word “staycation”, even if that is exactly what lifted my spirits this past weekend.  It was an annual adventure with a group of gals in the D, as one calls it in these parts.  It’s amazing what a 45 minute drive, a room with a view and sparkly trees around an urban ice rink can do to beat away the winter doldrums.

February, for many, is a month of hibernating, of repose and reflection (and occasionally a little depression).  For me, it’s that but this year there were dinner parties, concerts and of course, the culminating event, Norma’s Oscar party.  It all helped.

Try not to be too envious when I tell you…(drum roll)…I won the chocolate Oscar!

Unfortunately, I’ve come to realize that February is not a time for taking food photos.  I’ve experimented with a number of comforting and hearty winter recipes, all satisfying, but nary a photo to be had. Before this blog descends into oblivion due to my lack of photographic motivation, I’ll just call it a day and share some links.  These were the stand-out recipes of February, should you need a little comfort of the culinary variety. They are courtesy of my favorite magazine.

Pork Shoulder Braised with Apples!  I did alter this a little because I didn’t have Calvados. I used a liqueur called Pommeau de Normandie (but I think a shot of Cognac might do the trick as well).  Also, I doubled the amount of cider required in order to maintain a strong apple flavor.  And don’t ignore the Cheesy Grits, as they are a must-have with this sweet and hearty dish.

La Mousse au Chocolat was the dessert at this particular dîner. I’d never made it before and I now ask, what’s wrong with me?! I guess I was intimidated by the number of steps (okay, only three, but still…) and maybe that whole “whisking of the eggs in a bowl over simmering water”, not to mention “folding”, had me in a cold sweat. What I found was that my absolute favorite dessert on the planet was actually fairly easy to put together. Homemade Chocolate Mousse is my new best friend. As I’ve been prone to do of late, I used Bon Appétit’s classic recipe.  One can’t go wrong.

And then there’s Kale.  I have a feeling that I’ve suffered nary a sniffle due to the abundance of this leafy green in my diet.  Joy’s smoothie was the inspiration here.  I doubled the kale and left out the spinach.  No matter.  A shamrock shake it is not, but at least I know what’s in it (and it was mighty tasty nonetheless).

Kale Smoothie

Serves one.  Adapted from Joy the Baker.

In a blender, mix one handful chopped kale, a frozen banana, 2 Tbsp. peanut butter, 1 cup milk and a squeeze of honey. If you have it, 1 Tbsp. of flax seed makes it that much healthier but is completely optional.  Add a handful of ice and blend.

Giada’s Turkey Meatballs

I’ve been noticing lately that there are several necessary components for overcoming the dreary task known as “getting through winter.”  Here’s an ever-changing but most current list of  ”what I need”.

1. Downton Abbey-I won’t be a spoiler but the last episode is still haunting me. Have you seen it yet?

2. A good long book to tuck into-This year it’s Ken Follett’s (ever the perv but, man, can he weave a historical tale) Winter of the World.  Last year it was Fall of Giants and the year before, World Without End.  I’m developing a pattern here.  I don’t know what I’ll do if there isn’t a new one next year.  War and Peace perhaps?

3. A snow day!  Finally we were granted one on Monday.  Well, really it was an ice day so it wasn’t so pretty, but still, I stayed home and did nothing but the above.  And I made Deb’s ethereally smooth hummus. Ok, so, it was my hummus recipe but I took her advice and peeled the chickpeas and garnished with sumac. Yep, it was pretty smooth.

4.  Music-Last weekend was Ann Arbor Folkfest and I discovered some new bands to follow: The Head and the Heart, Brown Bird and Delta Rae.  And he’s not really new but now I know why Colin Hay sells out two nights in a row every year at the Ark. I’ve been missing out all this time. And there was Jill’s birthday earlier in the month.  In two weeks, there’ll be my beloved Avett Brothers where I’ll likely scream like a teenager. Do you know these “roots-y” dudes from North Carolina?  You should.

5. And comfort food. Obviously. On the aforementioned snow day, I made meatballs.  What could be more comforting?

(And I’d like it to be known that on my computer, these food photos are far less yellow.  I need to figure that out for future photos).

These are Giada’s.  They’re so moist that the first time I made them I almost chucked them in the trash before they were done.  As I was putting those wet globs (that sounds appetizing!) into the sizzling oil, I thought to myself “this is just not going to work.”  Was I ever wrong.  They are as succulent and delicate a version as one could wish for.  I change them only slightly by adding crushed red pepper, swapping romano for parmesan and making a bit more than the recipe calls for.  Pine nuts would be a welcome addition as well. I also make her marinara.  I use half with the meatballs and freeze the rest for her chicken parmesan another night.  You could use your favorite jarred marinara.  Nobody will judge.

Serves 6.  Adapted from Everyday Italian, Giada di Laurentiis.

For the marinara

• 1/2 yellow onion, minced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 stalks celery, finely diced
• 2 peeled carrots, finely diced
• 2 28 oz. cans crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp. sugar
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 tsp. sea (or Kosher) salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 cup olive oil

In a large pot or dutch oven, heat the olive oil over medium high flame.  Add the onion and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes.  Stir frequently to avoid burning the garlic.

Add the carrots and celery and sauté for another 10 minutes or until the vegetables are very soft (crunchy celery in sauce is the worst).

Add the tomatoes, salt and pepper and stir.  Simmer over low heat for at least an hour or until the sauce thickens some. Remove the bay leaves.

Cool before freezing if you intend to have leftovers.

For the meatballs

• 1 1.25 lb. package ground turkey
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (I used whole grain, but panko would be nice)
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 2 eggs lightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp. milk
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Mix all ingredients, except olive oil, in a large bowl.  It’s easiest to use your hands but try not to overmix.  Just make sure all ingredients are incorporated throughout.

Make bite-sized meatballs by using a scant tablespoon of meat mixture and rolling them between your hands.

Place them in a large skillet preheated with 1/4 cup olive oil.  Brown them in batches on all sides, approximately 3 minutes per side.  They do not have to be cooked all the way through.  Remove to a paper towel lined plate.

Once the meatballs are done, add them back to the pan along with half the marinara (about 4 cups).  If the marinara is too thick, add a bit of water at this point.  Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes. Cut into a meatball or two to make sure they are cooked through before serving.

Serve with a tossed green salad and crusty bread.

What gets you through winter?

Chicken and Apple Curry with Spinach

Recently I noticed bloggers are writing posts recapping the past year, and since I tend to be a follower, I thought I’d go ahead and do the same, if only to remind myself what a great year it was (full of travel, convivial get-togethers and food discoveries) even if the last couple of months were total merde (full of loss, sorrow and tears, she says without a hint of drama). Time to move on.  It’s 2013.

In February, S and I headed to his home state for some good eatin’ and family visiting. What a great time to be in the “Big Easy”-literally the day after Mardi Gras.

Next up, a Spring break girls’ trip to another Frenchie destination, Montréal.

And Québec.

May brought many surprises, including a dear colleague’s birthday weekend on Kelley’s Island, in the middle of Lake Erie. It was a surprise for me because I never knew it was there. And so close to home.

The end of the school year and beginning of summer always means that “Provence” is now open.  Beaucoup bites and beverages were consumed on the little patio in A2.

The Fourth of July brings one of my favorite times of year: our annual family pilgrimage north. This year was so hot, the lavender goat cheese almost melted.

And then there was France.

Paris…

Provence…

Lyon was brand new for me.  Its laid-back gourmet vibe suited me well. I’ll be back.

And Annecy.  Also a new destination.  Bring on the fondue.

There were of course many agreeable book club meetings, both conversationally and gastronomically.

There was the favorite holiday of all, Thanksgiving, in Harbor Springs.

There was Christmas, a white one finally, with plenty of family good will and comforting recipes.  None of which I posted.  I figure you were all “cranberried” out.

And there are many new cookbooks to start the new year.  If you happen to be in need some simple, creative and delicious meals (who isn’t?), you probably need Jenny Rosenstrach’s Dinner: A Love Story.  It’s found a semi-permanent home on my kitchen counter for most of December, and now, a good bit of January as well.  Try her Chicken and Apple Curry.  I added spinach because I must have green in my winter meals. You could leave it out.  Either way, seriously.  Make this.

Serves 6.  Adapted from Dinner: A Love Story.

• 3  boneless skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and dried
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• 2 tablespoons curry (preferably Madras)
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons canola oil + extra for browning in batches

Garnishes

• plain yogurt
• chopped almonds, cashews or peanuts
• chopped cilantro or mint
• Naan or other flatbread (or heated flour tortillas)

1.  Start by thawing your spinach in the microwave.  Take off outer wrapping and place in a bowl covered with paper towel.  Microwave 5 minutes then check.  If it’s still a little frozen microwave on 1 minute intervals.  It can sit in the microwave while you make the curry.  Before adding to curry, squeeze dry in a kitchen towel (I reserve one for this purpose, because it stains a little).

2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté about 2 minutes, until soft.

3. Add garlic, celery, apple and ginger. Sauté for another couple of minutes and stir in curry.

4. Push ingredients to one side of pan, add a little more oil and brown your chicken in batches, about 4 minutes per batch, turning pieces often. (I did this in 4 batches but this could vary depending on the amount of chicken and the size of your pan). Season each batch with salt and pepper. After each batch remove chicken to a plate.

5. After browning, add chicken and juices back to the pan and stir with the curried vegetables.  Add broth and coconut milk.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover to simmer for 10 minutes or so, until chicken is cooked.

6.  Add chopped dried spinach.

7.  Serve with garnishes and heated naan or other flatbread.  Even a tortilla will do.

What will 2013 bring?  For me, a Spring Break trip to Brooklyn and the Hamptons is the only sure thing.  Next year when I write this recap post, I hope there will have been as much travel, good food and good times as 2012 provided.  Without the sorrow and tears, please.