June 22, 2010
February 12, 2010
Happy Chinese New Year, Firecracker!
This year, Lunar or Chinese New Year coincides with Valentine’s Day. Instead of designing my own mash up celebration, I’m inclined to singularly celebrate the arrival of the Year of the Tiger instead. Sorry, Cupid.
We have needed new dinner plates in my home for a while. In searching for a red and white pattern to replace my chipped and pale Bernardaud Louvre dinnerware, I considered these and these. Ultimately, I purchased the Red Dragon pattern from Mottahedeh. The dragon, a mythical animal that is revered by the Chinese, symbolizes benevolence and good fortune. It is also the ancient royal symbol of the Chinese Emperor. Royal. Undoubtedly, that speaks to The Queen on some subliminal level and must have been the deciding factor in my chosing this service.
Now that we know there will be a party, and it won’t involve paper plates, we can focus on the menu. Chinese tradtion dictates eating dumplings to usher in wealth and good luck for the upcoming year. I can roll with that, for sure. This year, since I’m a little under the weather from some recent surgery, we will have to order in. Auspiciously, my favorite restaurant in Chicago just happens to be Asian and is just around the corner.
I jokingly call Big Bowl on Cedar my second kitchen. We eat there at least twice a week — if not more. Whenever we have guests in from out of town they unanimously request to eat at Big Bowl, too. It’s a place where the food is excellent, the vibe cool, and the prices are like a kiss on the cheek. Add these attributes to a culinary conscience that adheres to authenticity, quality and sustainable resources and it doesn’t get much better than this. No wonder there is a well worn path from our front door to theirs.
To make things really festive, how about a Hibiscus Martini?
Do you recall last month when I recounted my story of sabrage at a party hosted by a gentleman named Adam? That would be Adam Seger, a Chicago mixologist of great acclaim whose latest creation is a liqueur called Hum Spirit –a lush and sophisticated, 70° potion. Hum is rum infused with an exotic blend of hibiscus, kaffir lime, cardamom and ginger.
Hibiscus + Rum = HUM. De-lish!
Big Bowl Hibiscus Martini
In shaker, pour over ice
2oz HUM Spirit Liqueur
1 oz. Yuzu Sour Mix
1/2 oz fresh lemon juice
Shake and strain into a martini glass and ganish with a wedge of lime and a star anise.
Enjoy!
January 6, 2010
January Clean Pantry Challenge
I don’t know about you but I tend to over shop at the grocery store. Yesterday, I looked at my shelves and thought that I could certainly get a weeks worth of meals out of my pantry, freezer and fridge without buying another item. Can I do it? I’m sure going to try.
There were parsnips in the vegetable bin. I had intended to make soup from them before my mother-in-law let me know they didn’t really care for parsnips. I love them. Boy, did they miss out on an amazing soup! It was rich, slightly sweet as well as spicy and really, really comforting. Just what the January weather called for. I had everything on hand except the mustard seeds which I skipped and replaced with a bit of chopped cilantro as garnish. We opened a bottle of 2006 Grigich Hills Estate Chardonnay and enjoyed immensely with a loaf of crusty french bread.
From my favorite Fine Cooking Magazine – which is always a winner.
Parsnip and Leek Soup – Day 1 of the Clean Pantry Challenge.
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice (2 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
2 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), trimmed, washed, and sliced crosswise about 1/2 inch thick (2-1/2 cups)
1 lb. medium parsnips peeled, cored and cut into medium dice (about 2 cups)
1 lb. yellow potatoes (like Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into medium dice (2-3/4 cups)
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp. cumin seed
2 tsp. black mustard seed
1 large yellow onion, cut into medium dice (2 cups)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 cups lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
2 medium leeks (white and light-green parts only), trimmed, washed, and sliced crosswise about 1/2 inch thick (2-1/2 cups)
1 lb. medium parsnips peeled, cored and cut into medium dice (about 2 cups)
1 lb. yellow potatoes (like Yukon Gold), peeled and cut into medium dice (2-3/4 cups)
2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. cayenne
2 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 tsp. cumin seed
2 tsp. black mustard seed
Heat the butter in a 6- to 8-quart heavy-duty pot over medium heat. Add the onion, 1/2 tsp. salt, and a couple of grinds of pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and lightly browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the broth, leeks, parsnips, and potatoes and raise the heat to medium high. Simmer briskly for 5 minutes and then reduce the heat to low. Add the turmeric and cayenne, stirring well, and simmer slowly until the vegetables are very soft, about 20 minutes.
Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender and then strain it through a medium-mesh sieve. The soup should be about as thick as a thin milk shake; add more broth if it’s not thin enough. Return the soup to the pot and season to taste with salt. (The soup can be made up to this point 1 day ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before proceeding.)
Shortly before serving, heat the olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic, cumin seed, and mustard seed. Stir with a wooden spoon until the seeds begin to pop and the garlic is lightly browned, 30 to 60 seconds. Carefully stir the hot oil and spices into the soup (it may spatter). Season to taste with more salt, pepper, or cayenne.
photo: Scott Phillips, From Fine Cooking 102, pp. 69, October 29, 2009
September 23, 2009
Morrocan Spiced Sea Scallops with Green Grape and Lemon Relish
Fine Cooking Magazine Oct/Nov 2009
I love Fine Cooking Magazine for it’s sophisticated yet simple offerings. The recipes are never overly complicated and are always company-worthy.
The marriage of flavors on this plate are exquisite. The sweetness of the grapes plays perfectly off the tart zing of the preserved lemons and the richness of the scallops is intensified by the smoky, lush harrisa.
I am addicted to the flavors of Morocco so my pantry is stocked with a large jar of preserved lemons from the Middle-Eastern market and homemade harrisa. Having those two items on hand made this dish come together in about 15 minutes. Should your pantry not be stocked in the same way mine is, Fine Cooking has streamlined the ingredients for you. It will add a few minutes to the preparation but not much.
Couscous makes a perfect addition to this meal. Enjoy!
Seared Scallops with Green Grape and Lemon Relish – Serves 4
- 1 medium lemon
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups seedless green grapes, quartered lengthwise and at room temperature
- ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
- 2 Tbs. chopped fresh mint
- 1 tsp. ground cumin
- 1 tsp. sweet Hungarian paprika
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp. ground ginger
- 1 1/2 lb. large all-natural “dry” sea scallops, side muscles removed
- Freshly ground black pepper
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemon in strips (yellow part only). Reserve the lemon. In a small saucepan, combine the lemon zest with 1/2 cup water and 1 tsp. salt. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat and cook until the liquid reduces to about 1 Tbs., about 10 minutes. Drain, rinse, drain again, and pat dry. Finely mince the lemon zest and combine it with the grapes, 2 Tbs. of the olive oil, scallions, cilantro, and mint in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, combine the cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger. Pat the scallops dry. Season them liberally with salt and pepper and coat them with the spice mixture.
Heat 1Tbs. of the olive oil ma 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add half of the scallops and cook, turning once, until seared on the outside but still translucent in the center, ito 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a warm plate. Repeat with the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and scallops.
Divide the scallops among 4 plates and serve with the relish. Cut the reserved lemon into quarters and squeeze over the scallops and relish. Serve immediately.
September 17, 2009
Vinaigrette a la Comtesse
In France, set in the beautiful Beaujolais region, is Chateau de Longsard where the chatelaine just happens to be my sister-in-law. Alexandra and her husband, Olivier, run the chateau as a B&B welcoming visitors from around the world.
Most nights, dinner is served “en famille” and if there is a salad, this is most likely the dressing you will find upon the greens. I have never really measured the ingredients nor do I think Alex would. We sort of eyeball the proportions. The ingredients are not fancy and the secret to the dressing is (gasp!) Liquid Maggi. Do not leave it out. It’s highly probable that you won’t use it for anything else so your $3.50 bottle will last you a lifetime.
In an approximate proportion of 3:1 combine the oil and vinegar then add the seasonings. I use a large jar to shake it all up. As my friend Amy at ABCD Design suggests, before making a final seasoning adjustment always taste the dressing on a leaf of lettuce for an accurate assessment of it’s true flavor.
- 9 oz -Safflower oil (Light and neutral – olive oil is too heavy.)
- 3 oz -Cider vinegar (Healthful and tasty.)
- 1/4 tsp -Dijon mustard (This will emulsify the dressing and help stabilize it.)
- 3/4 tsp sea salt
- 3/4 tsp sugar
- two or three good shakes of Maggi.
Every so often, I make a large amount of dressing to have on hand. Extra ingredients can be added to a small quantity of the mother dressing as needed. Many things like shallots and garlic will turn bitter if left in the dressing for too long and herbs lose their freshness and zip.
Bon Appetite!