What we've been eating... 9/1/2010

Salad and Italian food mostly, broken up by an occasional burrito and bagel (reads like a weather forecast).  Rocked an In-N-Out for the first time an at least 6 months and it reaffirmed the fact that I could never be a complete vegetarian.  I played a croquet tournament that had quite the table of grinds at it.  The south swells that lit everything up last week petered out but I still logged about 5 hours in the water anyway.

I found a horn worm (?) eating our tomato plant and it was huge, like 6 inches long!  We recycled 120 pounds of cardboard to the tune of $5.40 and can now see the walls of the garage for the first time since we moved in.

Nothing really out of the ordinary food-wise but some highlights include some Nova Lox on on of my bagels, homemade chicken and dumplings, a Chili Relleno Burrito, and a 2005 Babcock Pinot Noir from the Santa Rita Hills.

This week was brought to you by Sessions Beer, Fat Tire, and the wineries of Tamborine, Westerly, and Babcock.

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad

This is ultimate summer salad; fresh, seasonal vegetables combined with the BBQ.  I came up with this salad while at my local farmer’s market where I bought all the produce for this great dish.

We served the salad along with some grilled BBQ chicken breasts but it would also go great with any grilled fish or steak. Stop by your local farmer’s market, invite some friends over, fire up the grill and give this salad a try this weekend!

Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad (printable recipe)

• 3 ears of corn, shucked
• 2 zucchini, halved lengthwise
• 3 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chiffonade
• 1/4 cup of olive oil plus one tablespoon
• Juice of 1 lemon, divided
• 3 ounces of feta cheese
• Salt & pepper

Preheat grill.

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup olive oil and half the lemon juice. Using a pastry brush, apply lemon oil all over zucchini and corn then sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper.

Once grill is ready, add the zucchini and corn, turning as necessary until vegetables have grill marks and are cooked through. Remove and let cool. Once they are easy to handle, cut kernals off the cob and cut zucchini into 1 inch chunks.

Place in bowl, then add scallions, cherry tomatoes, basil, feta cheese, juice from the other 1/2 a lemon, and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.  Taste salad and add salt and pepper as necessary.

We also grilled some chicken breast with the same marinade, sliced thin, and topped with Country Bob's Spicy BBQ Sauce.  It is sweet, tangy, and just the right amount of heat.  Enjoy!

Serves 4


Country Bob's Spicy All Purpose was sent to us as a promotional gift.

Tzatziki Guacamole

Tzatziki Guacamole

Take the creamy coolness of guacamole and combine it with the refreshing crisp crunch of cucumbers, zip of yogurt, and zest of lemon; assemble them and they form like Voltron into quite possibly the greatest dip ever.

Not to toot my own horn [beep beep] but this is really good - and since the cucumber lightens things up, you don't feel nearly as bloated or guilty when you devour and entire bowl with a half a large bag of tortilla chips to the dome.

This didn't last long enough to top a dish but I could see it being great on chicken or lamb.  It is of course excellent with chips, especially tortilla chips, eating it with a spoon, or your fingers; just don't dip past the second knuckle because that's rude.

Tzatziki Guacamole (printable recipe)

• 2 ripe avocados, cubed
• 1/4 red onion, minced fine
• The juice of 1 lemon, the zest of half of it
• 1 large ripe tomato, diced
• 1 cup of yogurt
• 1/2 a large cucumber, seeded and diced small
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 tablespoon finely minced cilantro

Combine everything into a large bowl. Try not to eat it all before you blink. If you have anywillpower, it can be stored up to a day in the fridge if you cover the surface with plastic wrap.  

What we've been eating... 8/26/2010

"A first-rate soup is more creative than a second-rate painting."
- Abraham Maslow

Between coffee and burritos, Chef Amy turned out a Caprese Gazpacho that was amazing.  I found a Danish Bakery in Carlsbad that turns out some fantastic pasty; and by Danish Bakery, I mean the nationality and not that all they bake are danishes.  

The Southern hemisphere turned on some great south swell.

There were tomatoes, including the biggest tomato I've ever seen (sorry, no picture), so we ate more Caprese with a Grilled Corn and Zucchini Salad.  There were peaches, Rasberries, and a big bag of Pluots that were devoured within 2 days.

Since Amy brought together Spain and Italy with her Caprese Gazpacho, I whipped up some Tzatziki Guacamole to unite Mexico with Greece.  It was a veritable World Cup in our house.  Go USA.

This week was brought to you by Seven Terraces, Monte Ducay, and Murdock Wineries. 

Froyo, yo

Caprese Gazpacho

Caprese GazpachoOnce again our house was full of beautiful tomatoes.  With the warm summer temperatures lately, I wanted to get away from the stove for the evening but still do something fulfilling with all our fresh vegetables.  
 

I instantly thought of gazpacho, a cold raw vegetable soup from Spain.  I also had all the ingredients on hand to make my favorite salad, Insalata Caprese, made simply with buffalo mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil.

 

Finally, I realized I could merge the two into one great dish and enjoy all the wonderful flavors from Spain and Italy in one bite.  This recipe would be wonderful served for lunch or as a light supper.  It looks beautiful plated up and would surely impress dinner guests as a first course.  Enjoy!

The Gazpacho Line-up
Caprese Gazpacho (printable recipe)

• 4 medium-sized tomatoes (about 2 lbs), coarsely chopped - reserve 1 cup of the tomatoes, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 cucumber, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped - reserve 1/4 cup of the cucumber, 1/4 inch dice
• 1 yellow onion, coarsely chopped - reserve 1/4 of the onion and dice fine
• 1/2 cup fresh basil, torn into pieces - reserve 1 tablespoon chiffonade
• 1 bell pepper (any color you have on hand), coarsely chopped
• 1 jalapeno, seeds removed then coarsely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella, 1/4 inch dice
• 2 slices of bread, crust removed and coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup olive oil, plus more for garnish
• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• Juice from 1/2 a lemon
• Salt and pepper

Caprese Salsa
In a bowl combine, reserved tomato, cucumber, onion, and basil. Fold in mozzarella then season with salt and pepper. Cover and set aside in refrigerator to stay cool.

Gazpacho
In a large bowl, combine the remaining tomatoes, cucumber, onion, basil, bell pepper, jalapeno, garlic, and bread. Working in batches, puree ingredients in a blender while slowly pouring in the olive oil, until it is a smooth consistency.

With a spatula push soup through a fine mesh strainer into a large serving bowl. Stir in red wine vinegar, lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Cover soup and let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To serve, ladle soup into individual bowls and garnish with caprese salsa and a drizzle of olive oil.

Serves 4

The Gazpacho-maker

What we've been reading... 8/22/2010

Scoby - Kombucha Mother

Restaurants Use Menu Psychology to Entice Diners - NYTimes.com

The Beer Chicks: Spent Grain, Redux

My Man's Belly - Make Your Own Butter On Purpose

Cool off with Falooda | Cook's Tour | Chron.com - Houston Chronicle

Market Matters- Sustainably Sourced Seared Albacore with Avocado & Truffle Oil | Sippity Sup

2010 food spending infographic: How America's biggest cities spend on food : Bundle

Kombucha Chicken with Pineapple and Bell Pepper

Kombucha Chicken with Pineapple and Bell Pepper

Making a play on Sweet and Sour Chicken, kombucha adds a whole new element to the flavors of this Chinese-American dish.  Kombucha is fermented sweet tea so along with the sweetness, there’s a vinegar aspect and a hint of earthiness from the black tea.

The pineapple and bell peppers work amazingly with the honey, soy, and cilantro sauce.  Keeping the vegetables in large chunks retains their crunch and allows you to eat them more easily with chopsticks.  A little chili brings some heat into the mix and the ginger brings a brightness and a burst of flavor.

Everything takes about an hour - when served over saffron rice (recipe below) and with a side-salad, a healthy meal emerges.  

Kombucha Chicken with Pineapple (printable recipe)

• 6 thighs of chicken
• 1 teaspoon of oil
• 16 ounces of plain kombucha
• 3 tablespoons of soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon of ginger, minced fine
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 jalapeno, diced fine
• 1/2 pineapple, cut into chunks
• 1 carrot, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks
• 2 tablesopoons cilantro, minced
• juice of one lime
• salt and pepper

Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper.  In a pan over medium-high heat, add about a teaspoon of oil to cover the bottom and add the chicken, skin-side down.  Sear the skin until it is crispy, about 10-12 minutes.

While the chicken is crisping, in a small pot, bring the kombucha to a simmer.  When the chicken is done searing, add it to the pot with the kombucha.  Allow the thighs to simmer for 30 minutes.

Drain the oil and rendered fat from the pan and add the jalapeno, carrot, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, ginger, honey, and a teaspoon of salt.  Make sure to scrape the browned bits from the bottom of the pan.  Turn the heat down to low and let all of these reduce while the chicken braises.

After 20 minutes, add the pineapple and bell pepper to the pan with the sauce.  10 minutes later, when the chicken is done braising, pull the thighs from the kombucha and add it to the pan with the pineapple and the bell pepper.

Turn the heat to high.  Give everything a few turns to coat the chicken well, about 5 minutes.  Kill the heat, add the lime juice and the cilantro and serve hot over rice.

Saffron rice
Follow instructions for 4 servings of rice from package and add a pinch of saffron (about 10 “hairs”) and a tablespoon of butter.  Be sure to rinse the rice well.

What we've been eating... 8/19/2010

The highlight of the week was, by far, celebrating our 5th year anniversary at French 75 in Laguna Beach.  Thanks to grandma and grandpa for babysitting, there were scallops, halibut, mussels, lobster, wine, laughs, and romance was in the air.

Unrelated to food, I surfed the "shark infested" waters off San Onofre and froze my rear end off - really people, it's August, why am I still wearing my 4/3?

There was some P.F.Chang's in the mix somewhere in there, a Lobster Roll, and I discovered the wine section at Oceanside's Grocery Outlet.  The clincher was pulling out a Houghton's 1999 "Jack Mann" Cab/Malbec for $9.99.  It was pretty amazing.

A friend of mine is taking a wine class at UC Davis and met the wine buyer for them.  They have some of the best deals around.  I think he said because many are blemished labels.  Sorry Trader Joe's, but I think I know where I'll be getting all my swill from now on.

This week was brought to you by Duvel Beer, Carhartt, Hogue, and Houghton Wineries.

Garden Fresh Tomatoes

Greek Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

Greek Salad with Tzatziki Dressing

It’s summer and the markets are inundated with fresh delicious tomatoes.  I was lucky enough to receive a large bag of ripe beefsteak tomatoes from my Dad’s backyard garden so I enjoyed creating different tomato recipes all week.  

This is a slightly different take on the Classic Greek Salad. I used a tzatziki sauce to dress the tomatoes to make them a little richer. This hearty salad could be used as a side dish and served family style, or as a light main course.

Greek Salad with Tzatziki Dressing (printable recipe)

Salad

• 5-6 ounces of your choice of greens (I used part romaine and part arugula)
• 1/4 of a small red onion, thinly sliced
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes or heirloom
• 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/4 cup of kalamata olives, halved lengthwise
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper

Tzatziki Dressing

• 1 cup plain yogurt
• 1/3 cup cucumber, seeded and finely diced
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon mint, chopped
• Salt and pepper

For the dressing, combine all ingredients and season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

On a large platter, pile on greens and red onion then dress with lemon and olive oil. Lay tomato slices across the top of the greens and then season with a little salt and pepper. Spoon tzatziki dressing down the center of the tomatoes and then sprinkle the entire salad with the feta and olives. Enjoy!

Serves 2 as a main and 4 as a side dish

What we've been reading... 8/15/2010

Real Gorditas

• Raw Spaghetti With “Meatballs” Recipe | Incredible Raw
• Fair Trade: 5 Things You Should Know | MintLife Blog | Personal Finance News & Advice
• Eating Bugs - TIME
• Vanilla Ice Cream Taste Test - Slashfood
• NOAA, FDA to test seafood for dispersants - U.S. news - Environment - msnbc.com
• A Fast Way to Bake Cookies: Use a Waffle IronFine Cooking | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn
• How to choose the right olive oil | The Gourmet Foodie Blog

Coco Dumps: Chocolate Coconut Haystacks

Three of my favorite things, chocolate, coconut, and almonds make these little bundles of [Almond] Joy my new favorite go-to treats.  They can be assembled in less than a half-hour with only a mixing spoon, a bowl, a microwave, a pan, a stove, a non-stick surface (ideally a silpat), and a fridge.

Toasting the coconut makes for a great crunch and adds a caramel-like flavor to them.  The sweetness of the coconut is balanced by using semi sweet chocolate and the almond, like Lebowski's rug, really ties the whole thing together.

Coco Dumps (printable recipe)

• 2 cups of sweetened coconut
• 7 ounces of semi sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup of whole roasted almonds

Place the coconut in a dry pan over medium heat and toast, turning frequently, until it browns lightly and a heavenly smell permeates your kitchen.  While the coconut toasts, place the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe container and nuke for 1 minute.  Stir the chocolate, microwave again for 20 seconds, and stir again.  Continue in 20 second increments until the chocolate is uniformly melted.

Once the coconut is browned and the chocolate is melted, add both to a large bowl and stir well to combine.  When they are mixed well, use two teaspoons to pull out your haystacks, shape into little spheres, and place in your non stick surface.  If you don't have a silpat or parchment paper, lightly grease some aluminium foil.

Place an almond on the top of each haystack and place them all in the fridge to set up, about 15 minutes.  Store in a airtight container in the fridge until they are eaten, about 2 days (but really though, up to two weeks).  Makes about 20. 

What we've been eating... 8/12/2010

With all the fresh produce of summertime, we've been eating a lot of salads.  Did I say a lot of salads?  I meant to say almost exclusively salads.  Steak Salad, Greek Salad, Peach Salad, Roasted Potato Salad, Tomato Cucumber and Feta Salad - it's Salad Season.

I also discovered, with some help with my friends, what a real Gordita is.  Don't "Run for the Border" for one of these - the ones at Taco Bell have little to do with bone fide Gorditas.  I am now the Foursquare Mayor at La Gordita in Vista, CA.

Real Gorditas are thick corn cakes that are fried on a skillet, then deep fried so that they puff up; then the pouch is opened and they are stuffed with a multitude of items.  Much like how pita bread has a center that can be stuffed, these come however bearing carne asada, carnitas, or chorizo and potato.

We were given a tomato plant as a gift from the padre and have been enjoying real tomatoes.  There's nothing like a tomato that came right off a vine, we've been eating half of them with just salt and pepper.  I also ate two pulled pork sandwiches in one week, that's OK, right?

This has been brought to you by Trader Joe's Pinot Noir, Odwalla's Superfood, The Yard Semillon, Primo Beer from Hawaii, and Clos LaChance Winery.

Steak Sandwich with Sweet Potato Fries

Spaghetti with Butter-Stewed Tomatoes and Asparagus

Spaghetti with Butter-Stewed Tomatoes and Asparagus

This technique makes for a delicious, easy meal for the work-week.  It can be assembeled with a pot and a pan in about 30 minutes with minimal supervision.  Asparagus can be replaced by ________ [insert vegetable here] - you can make it with what you have on hand by only swapping out one ingredient in the recipe.

 

There is a richness and yet simplicity in this vegetarian dish.  The tomatoes become velvety as they dress the pasta.  The asparagus gives the dish some body and elegance.  The butter adds a richness that provides satiety.  A simple side salad rounds out a meal.

Spaghetti with Butter-Stewed Tomatoes and Asparagus (printable recipe)

• 1/2 pound of spaghetti
• 1/2 pound of asparagus, cut into 1 inch lengths
• 1 8-ounce package of cherry tomatoes, halved
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon of tomato paste
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• salt and pepper

Add 2 tablespoons of the butter and the olive oil to a pan over low heat and add the tomatoes, the thyme, a teaspoon of salt, and a 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper.  Simmer on low heat, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes until the tomatoes almost completely break down.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil, add salt, and cook the spaghetti to al dente.  After cooking the tomatoes for 20 minutes, add the asparagus and the tomato paste to the pan and turn the heat up to medium. Cook until asparagus is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Once the spaghetti is done, strain well and add it to the pan with the tomato sauce.  Add the other 2 tablespoons of butter.  Toss together and check for seasonings. Serve warm and garnish with Parmesan cheese.

Serves 2

What we've been reading... 8/9/2010

Balsamic Martini

• Sea Change Radio Interview + "Ethnic Organic"

• Kitchen M: Slow vs. Fast

• Lick My Spoon» Berries n’ Cream with Meringue and Pistachios

• The Largest Fruit in the World, Right in My Kitchen | Cooking in Mexico

• Keep Cool with a Winner: Russian Caravan Cocktail Straight Up Cocktails and Spirits | Apartment Therapy The Kitchn

• Wine Blogs and The Law

• Green.view: True-bluefin | The Economist - Farming Tuna

• Some Photographs of That Day

Peach and Arugula Salad with Crispy Prosciutto

It was my Mom’s birthday a few weeks ago and to celebrate I did an upscale backyard BBQ for the family.  With all the peaches just coming into season I wanted to incorporate them into the menu.  This salad was a big hit that paired well with the rest of the meal of grilled leg of lamb and Joanne Weir’s Grilled Potato Salad.

The sweetness of the peaches matches so well with the bitterness of the greens, the creaminess of the goat cheese, and the saltiness of the prosciutto.  Its a flavor explosion in your mouth.  Give this salad a try this summer!

Salad (printable recipe)

• 5 oz (or 1 bag) arugula leaves
• 1 ripe peach, sliced
• 2oz soft goat cheese, crumbled
• 2-3 slices of prosciutto

Dressing

• Juice from 1 lemon
• 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lay proscitutto slices on a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake in oven until crisp, about 8-12 minutes. Let cool then crumble into small pieces.

For the dressing, whisk together lemon juice, balsamic vinegar, mustard, sugar, and salt and pepper then slowly stream in extra virgin olive oil until it is well combined.

In a large bowl, lightly toss the arugula leaves with dressing, then top with peaches, goat cheese, and crispy prosciutto.

Serves 4

What we've been reading... 8/1/2010

The Salads of Summer, Avocado, Tomatoes, Goat Cheese

Welcome to August everyone.  Lately, I've been reading more DIY stuff and less policy/politics but nevertheless, that's where I always end up.  I'm less the Chef than the Anthropologist so if you came here for a recipe, Chef Amy has been a little busy working full time as a human dairy.

• The Burger Lab: The Ins-n-Outs of an In-N-Out Double-Double, Animal-Style | A Hamburger Today
• No Knead Bread Recipe | Steamy Kitchen Recipes
• Kosher vs. table vs. sea salts : Recipes and Cooking : Food Network
• THE WAY WE SEE THE WORLD - Jelloware, Jello drinking cups
• Gamerator - an arcade set-up with a kegerator inside
• Wines for the People: Who owns what--a guide to wine brands
• Have you ever had a real Gordita before?
• A Network of Food Preferences - Hunch
• Sea Salt Latte: Is 85C The Next Coffee Craze? : NPR

What we've been eating... 7/29/2010

When Greg at Sippity Sup said about the baby in April, "Congratulations, but I'll leave you to the diaper duties. See ya in 2 1/2 years!" I thought, no way.  I can hold down a full time job, be a father, surf, and write for papawow.com.

But when that south swell rolled in last week I realized - it is either surf or blog.  Sorry blog, but it was good.  Nevertheless, we're back, and although Chef Amy still throws it down in the kitchen, we have little time to post it.  When you top off the little man you've got about an hour before he becomes 3 Mile Island.  Get movin'!

We got a gift basket from my co-workers of wine and snacks, thank you.  We finally opened it and there were some goodies inside!  There's been a more-than-usual amount of fast food, pizza, chocolate ice cream in our lives - comfort foods.  

This week was brought to you by Haagen-Dazs Five,  Stone Brewery, New Belgium Brewery, Tommolo Winery, and Port Brewing Company.

What we've been reading... 7/26/2010

The best thing at McDonald's

YouTube - CUPCAKE CANNON

Chicho's Kitchen: Zucchini fritters

Kitchen land mines: 10 foods to avoid - MayoClinic.com

The Scoop on Expiration Dates

Wasabi Prime: OMG A Recipe: Lazy Dinners With the Prime

How to Dry Fresh Herbs

How to Sharpen Kitchen Knives | eHow.com

50 Healthy Foods for Under $1 a Pound | Wise Bread

Stop at Crazy Coyote Tacos in Banning and hug a T-Rex!

What we've been eating... 7/16/2010

Coffee and pastries, beer and ice cream, burrito after burrito after burrito.  I had sushi twice in one day, (always a treat) and I made it to two coveted venues, Stone Brewery and 85C Cafe.

The former is like Disneyland for beer-lovers and the latter is a Korean Cafe that's been transplanted to Irvine, CA.  Business is booming at both despite the economic turn-down.  It goes to show how luxury can come in either a frosty mug or a cellophane bag.

Unfortunately, I've never eaten anything at Stone that I've really liked.  This trip we stuck to the hummus.  At 85C however, we grabbed some garlic toast, some sweet rolls and a blueberry roll, and a mocha bun - and a Sea Salt Iced Coffee.  All the pastry was fluffy and the Sea Salt Coffee had just the perfect amount of salt to make it interesting.

The highlight of the week was a Kava Kava session with one of my closest friends, Kris.  He flew in from Fiji where he lives and he brought not only Kava Kava but Fijian snacks like candied plums, Mixed Bhuja, and Salted Peas (Matar?).  

He also brought some of Fiji's new beers.  For the longest time, there's been only one brewery, Carlton Brewery with its iconic brew, Fiji Bitter, "The Sportsman's Beer."  Now a second brewery, Island Brewery, has begun cranking out Vonu.  And in reaction, Carlton began brewing Fiji Premium.  A beer war has begun.

This week was brought to you by the Carlton, Island, and Stone Breweries.

Crazy Coyote Tacos

What we've been reading... 7/12/2010

Vegie Pizza

• Sweet N Green: Southwest Chicken and Black Bean Soup
• Swedish Chef - Meatballs
• Kale Chips
• Zucchini Whoopie Pie | Not Without Salt
• Fiori di Zucca Ripieni {Squash Blossoms stuffed with Ricotta and herbs} | bell' alimento
• June Gloom: Chicken Tortilla Soup « Lauren's Little Kitchen
• YouTube - How to make a Healthy Paella
• Simple Wire Pan Lid Holsters
• Kitchen Myths
• Closet Cooking: Spinach and Feta Fritters