Crackle Top Cream Puffs filled with Rummy Pumpkin Mousse!

11/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

I have been away from my kitchen far too long! I hope you have escaped the ridiculous upper respiratory infection going around, but if you have not, you understand why I haven’t been cooking or eating much for almost 4 weeks! Food is just not very interesting when you cannot smell or taste! I’m feeling a lot better and I wanted to share this treat with you as it might be a nice addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table. My inspiration came from the baking demonstration I attended with Dorie Greenspan, where she shared her Crackle Top Cream Puffs from her newest book, Baking Chez Moi. A couple of days later, I found a Pumpkin Bourbon Mousse recipe, recently republished as part of Saveur magazines Thanksgiving suggestions. I added a personal twist by using a unique and new (to me) spice blend Advieh, from World Spice Merchants here in Seattle. I ran across it when I was ordering other fresh spices for holiday baking. I knew nothing about it, but after reading the ingredients: cinnamon, cardamom, roses, cumin, black pepper and coriander…. I knew it would be fabulous. I also changed out the bourbon in the mousse, for my favorite rum, which I think is a natural complement to pumpkin.

More Savory, Less Sweet isn’t just a catchy title for my blog; it pretty much defines my palate! These little 2-3 bite treats are just my style and are perfect with an after dinner espresso or a final glass of bubbly!

Crackle Top Cream Puffs with Rummy Pumpkin Mousse

adapted from Baking Che Moi, Dorie Greenspan, and Pumpkin and Bourbon Mousse, Saveur

I split this up over two days, just to make things easier. Make the custard and the cookie pastry the first day. As always, read all steps through carefully and make sure you have all ingredients and equipment needed on hand.

for the Pumpkin Mousse

¾ cup sugar
6 tbsp. high quality aged rum, like Zaya Gran Reserva (my all time favorite, thanks Dave!)
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground Advieh or Pumpkin Pie spice
8 eggs, yolks
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 cup heavy whipping cream whipped with 2 teaspoons powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Bring 2″ water to a boil in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat. Place a medium metal bowl over pan, and add sugar, rum, salt, spice, and egg yolks; whisk together, and cook, whisking constantly until thickened and pale, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and add canned pumpkin, fold until almost combined. Place in a bowl and chill thoroughly. Make the whipped cream, fold the chilled mousse into the whipped cream. Keep cold until ready to fill the cream puffs.

for the Crackle Tops

4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Let the butter sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before using. Put the brown sugar and salt into the bowl of the food processor. cut the butter into 10 pieces and add to the sugar. Process until almost blended Add the flour and pulse until the dough forms moist curds. Pulse in the vanilla.

Scrape the dough onto a sheet of parchment or wax paper and form into a disc. Caver with another sheet or parchment or wax paper and roll out dough to a thickness of about 1/16th inch. Slide the dough onto a tray or cutting board and place in the freezer for a minimum of two hours. Cut the dough into 1 1/2 inch rounds and return to the freezer until ready to bake the puffs.

for the Cream Puffs

1/2 cup whole milk

1/2 cup water

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, one stick cut into 4 pieces

1 tablespoon sugar 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup all-purpose flour

4 large eggs, at room temperature

Preheat the oven to 425′. Position the racks to be able to use the top 2 of 3. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

Bring the milk, water, butter, sugar and salt to a rolling boil in a heavy saucepan over high heat. Add the flour all at once, reduce the heat to medium low and stir vigorously using a wooden spoon or spatula. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes. The dough should be very smooth. Let the dough rest 3 minutes. Turn the dough into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the eggs into the dough ONE AT A TIME, making sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. The dough should be used immediately.

Either pipe the cream puffs onto the prepared pans with using a pastry bag, or use a small cookie scoop that holds about 1 1/2 tablespoons. Leave at least 2 inches between puffs. Gently top each puff with a round of frozen crackle top dough. Place the baking sheets in the 425′ oven and immediately turn the temperature down to 375′. Bake for 20 minutes and rotate the pans from top to bottom; front to back. Bake another 10-15 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack and let them cool to room temperature.

To fill the puffs for my recipe, I cut them in two along the edge of the crackle top and piped the whipped cream pumpkin mouse into each one using a large star tip. I did this about an hour before serving and kept them cold in the refrigerator.

I hope you give this pumpkin pie alternative a try!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving,

Laura

“Baking Chez Moi” a book signing and baking event with Dorie Greenspan

11/05/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

I was one of the 60 lucky folks to attend the outstanding Hot Stove Society event with Dorie Greenspan. Dorie included a stop at Hot Stove Society on her book tour for her 11th book, Baking Chez Moi, Recipes from my Paris Home to Your Home Anywhere”. First things first…. Hot Stove Society is a year-round cooking school operated by Tom Douglas restaurants. It is located across the street from Tom’s first restaurant, Dahlia Lounge, on the second level of Hotel Andra. It is a beautiful space for hands on cooking classes, as well as lectures and demonstrations, like the event with Dorie. It is a warm and intimate environment. I had the chance to say hello to Dorie before she began speaking. I introduced myself and told her I was a blogger. When I informed her of the name of my blog, she said “well what are you doing here?”. I assured her I loved to bake and was actually a quite accomplished baker and I appreciated her recipes very much. I also spoke with her husband Michael and asked him how he and Dorie managed to stay so thin and fit, in spite of all the amazing goodies Dorie creates. He informed me they subscribe to a strict “taste and release” policy! I wonder if their doorman is as svelte? Chef Tom Douglas and Dorie pictured below.

Dorie’s newest book is a peek into what people in Paris actually bake at home as well as traditional recipes from her favorite Parisian shops. Dorie told many delightful stories about the effort it took to gather the recipes from friends and friends of friends, as well as their reaction to seeing the recipes in the book. She talked about the history of the Tarte Tropezienne; a delicious cake like creation made from brioche style dough, baked in a large round then split and filled with pastry cream lightened with whipped cream. You can find some version of this creation in every pastry shop in St. Tropez, along with a picture of Brigot Bardot who named the cake La Tarte Tropezienne. Dorie informed us the new trend in Parisian cream puffs includes different flavored fillings and a crackle top due to the addition of a butter cookie on top, a delicious twist. Un Dimanche A Paris, or Sunday in Paris Chocolate Cake is from one of Dorie’s favorite pastry shops. The cake called for peanut butter, which is a rarely used ingredient in Paris and took Dorie days to find before she could actually make the cake. We were treated to these three desserts, prepared by the students from the South Seattle Community College Culinary School Pastry Program, and demonstrated by the director of the program, Chef Christopher Harris under Dorie’s watchful eye.

Yes, my serving of Tarte Tropezienne is missing from the photographs. I totally lost my mind and ate it without taking a picture first. What was I thinking? It was delicious!

The event ended with Dorie graciously signing our books. In my case, it was a total of three of her books. She is so kind, friendly, witty, and charming and spent a good amount of time talking with each one of us. I cannot wait to bake and share with you, from Baking Chez Moi.

Have a great evening,

Laura

Italian Wedding Soup

10/24/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

As I say goodbye to the best summer ever in the Pacific Northwest, I try to convince myself there are benefits to the cooler weather. I replace my t-shirt with my favorite sweater, my flip-flops with my awesome purple suede boots, and snuggle into a bed fitted with soft flannel sheets and a fluffy down comforter. Drifting off to sleep, I dream about SOUP! Not July’s cold, fruity, melted popsicle like soup but hearty, hot, fill your belly, warm your soul, go on to live another day kind of soup! Butternut Squash Soup, White Bean and Kale Soup, Lentil Soup, Beef and Barely Soup, Chicken Noodle Soup (always on hand in the freezer for unplanned cold or flu), and soups I have yet to invent, soups from foreign lands, made with spices, beans and grains I have never tried. I snap out of my pre-winter doldrums and find myself almost giddy with excitement. I have stock to make, bones and veggies to roast, broth to clarify, beans to soak, and recipes to research. Where’s my tureen? I think I need a new stock pot! “Dave, I’m heading to Restaurant Supply, I’ll be back in an hour”!

It has been pouring heavy, bone-chilling rain all week. We’ve had a fire three nights out of five. I finally made time to make a pot of soup. I absolutely love Italian Wedding Soup. I have no idea when or where I first had it, but I always order it when it’s on the menu! I love the combination of the rich broth, the little one-bite meatballs and the strong, bitter greens, traditionally endive. In researching recipes, I learned this soup has nothing to do with weddings. Per Wikipedia, the term “wedding soup” is a mistranslation of the Italian language phrase “minestra maritata (“married soup”),” which is a reference to the fact that green vegetables and meats go well together. As you can imagine, there are hundreds of variations of this soup. My version is a combination of Whole Foods and Ina Garten’s recipes tailored to what I had on hand.

For the Meatballs

1 pound ground chicken

1 pound ground chicken Italian sausage

1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons fresh minced parsley

2 tablespoons fresh minced oregano

1 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano cheese

2 eggs

2 tablespoons of milk

salt and pepper to taste

Mince the garlic, parsley and oregano. Place the meats, breadcrumbs, grated cheese, eggs, milk, garlic and herbs in a large bowl and mix well. Season with salt and pepper. Add a little more milk if the mixture is too dry and not sticking together. Add a few more bread crumbs if the mixture is too wet and falling apart. Make a “test” meat ball. Warm a skillet over medium heat. Add a little olive oil to the skillet. Fry the test meatball until done, about 4 minutes on each side. Taste the meatball and adjust the seasoning. Proceed making small meatballs with the remainder of the meat. The chicken mixture is a little sticky. Dampening your hands with cool water will help. Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350′ to set the meatballs. Set aside until ready to add to the soup.

For the Soup

1 cup diced onion

1 cup diced carrot

1 cup diced celery

3 cloves minced garlic

4 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup dry white wine

3 quarts rich chicken stock – I used the new Pacific Foods Organic Bone Broth – It’s as close to homemade stock as you can get!

1 14.5 ounce can fire roasted, organic diced tomatoes

16 ounces small pasta, I used mini-shells

16 ounces baby kale, or chard, or spinach or endive or any combination

salt and pepper

1/2 cup freshly grated Percorino Romano cheese

Sauté the onions, carrots, celery and garlic in the olive oil in a large, heavy soup pot, about 5-7 minutes. Add the white wine and stir. Add the stock and tomatoes. Bring to a slow simmer. Season with salt and pepper. Add the meatballs and continue to simmer slowly. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil and prepare the pasta. Cook about 5 minutes, drain and add to the soup.*** Return to a slow simmer. Stir in the grated cheese. About 5 minutes prior to serving, add the greens. Cook just until the greens slightly “melt” into the soup. Ladle into soup bowls. Garnish with additional grated cheese and a little minced parsley.

***Both of the recipes I referenced instruct you to cook the pasta in the soup. NEVER do that with any pasta. You will end up with a big, cloudy, sticky mess. As a matter of fact, it is often best to keep the pasta out of the soup entirely, until ready to eat. Just place a little pasta in the bowl and then pour the hot soup over it when ready to serve.

Build a big roaring fire, pour yourself a glass of Pinot Grigio, and hunker down with your hot bowl of soup. We’ve got about 5 more months of this!

Have a great evening,

Laura

More from IFBC – An Awesome Turkey Burger and Getting the Shot, Regardless of the Light!

10/08/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

One of my favorite presentations at IFBC was Todd Coleman’s. Todd is the Creative Director at Tasting Table and former executive food editor of Saveur magazine. Todd is a bit of a rebel, which is probably why I liked him so much! You know the type, go for it and beg for forgiveness later, but only if absolutely necessary. One of my bosses used that exact phase to describe both my strengths and weaknesses when asked for a pre-employment personal reference. Todd hasn’t really followed a traditional career path. I am not sure he even had a specific goal in mind when he entered the CIA. One thing is for sure, he has explored, touched, and mastered every aspect of food related creativity! Though he did not speak to it, I sensed a willingness to take risks, a strong sense of confidence and an innate ability to listen to your gut, without letting the “I can’t, I shouldn’t, what if, or but” get in the way! Though it may get you in a whole lot of trouble when you are younger, once that fearless determination is coupled with a little experience and knowledge – look out! Todd’s amazing career, as an editor, chef, producer, photographer, videographer and who knows what next is just such an example of someone who refused to follow the rules and created a few of his own along the way!

I’ve had a few photography classes, but I am still very much a beginner. Every class I’ve had has stressed the importance of natural light. So, imagine my shock (and delight) when Todd pulled a flashlight and a piece of foil out of his pocket! iPhone photo in a dark restaurant? No problem! Place the foil opposite the object and bounce the flashlight light off the foil! While this is an extremely simplified summary of his point, it’s still pretty accurate. My purse just got 10 pounds lighter and my restaurant companions just let out a big sigh of relief.

Todd presented many photos from his portfolio as well as a recent video filmed for Tasting Table. I did not take any photos during his presentation as I was engrossed in watching, listening and learning. He has a style all his own. Check his work out at Todd Coleman Photography. You will recognize many of the photos! A lot of the photos included in his presentation were taken at night with artificial light. This was really thrilling to me as I have been dreading the quickly approaching dark Seattle winter days. For plated food shots, Todd suggested dropping lights down to the level of the food, rather then lighting from above. I tried it with this burger. What do you think? Can you tell this was taken at 8pm with artificial light?

The turkey burger was inspired by the BBQ Turkey Sliders served at the Butterball presentation at the IFBC conference. The sliders make a great party appetizer and will probably make an appearance at our house on Super Bowl Sunday or New Year’s Eve! It took me a while to convince Dave to try a turkey burger and much to his surprise, he really liked it!

For the Turkey Burger

1 pound ground turkey, we used organic ground turkey

1 egg

1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup bbq sauce (plus 1/4 cup more for basting), we really like Organicville – no sugar or corn syrup

lettuce leaves

sliced tomatoes

sliced cheese, we used organic white cheddar

bbq buns for burgers, or King’s Hawaiian Rolls, split, for sliders

Place the ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Form the mixture into 12 small patties if making sliders, or 3-4 patties if making burgers.

Warm a grill pan or skillet over medium heat. Oil the skillet to prevent sticking. Cook the burgers until lightly browned on one side, flip, baste with bbq sauce. Repeat. Complete cooking until temperature on a meat thermometer reaches 165′ – the temperature required for thoroughly cooked poultry. Place a slice of cheese on each patty. While the meat rests, lightly toast the buns. To assemble, place a lettuce leaf on the bun, sliced tomatoes, and then the turkey patty. Enjoy!

Have a wonderful evening,

Laura

IFBC, Seattle, WA September 19-21, 2014 – My First Food Bloggers Conference!

10/01/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

It’s taking a lot of time to “digest” my wonderful experience at the International Food Bloggers Conference. My mind is still racing with ideas and my “to do” list continues to grow. That list includes everything from improvements to my website, recipes I cannot wait to create, new friends to email and numerous thank you notes to write to the very generous sponsors. As an IFBC rookie, I made a few mistakes and I will definitely do some things differently next year! First off, I chose not to lug my DSLR camera around and I missed a lot of great photo ops*. Second, I did not pace myself and split up the style of seminars I attended. I definitely will balance out the creative and tech seminars a little better next year! I learned so much about SEO, Branding, and Google+, I thought my head was going to blow up. Thank goodness the presenters notes were all shared, as cramming in so much “new information” was a lot for someone who did not leave the hospital texting the other babies they met in the nursery. Next year, you ask? Yup, I have already registered and you should too. Just click here!

*There are great photos of all the food and fun on Instagram #IFBC.

For many of us, the conference began with a field trip to the new Sur La Table test kitchen located in the Seattle Design Center. This event was sponsored by Sur la Table and Kitchenaid, and was an opportunity to see what was new in all things cooking! The first 50 of us to sign up for this event, jumped into the buses and our weekend of foodvolity began! We received a very warm welcome from the CEO of Sur La Table, Jack Schwefel. The success of the culinary program is clearly due to his passion and commitment to food and cooking. His wife is a Le Cordon Bleu graduate! Nikki Lockett from Kitchenaid introduced us to a few of the newest appliances in the Kitchenaid Proline. When she announced that we would all be going home with the new Kichenaid Food Processor Attachment for our stand mixers – THE CROWD WENT WILD! Culinary Directors Sephi Coyle and Culinary Program Contnet Manager Kristina Miscallef, moved us forward by preparing three recipes demonstrating Kitchenaid appliances and recipes from the fall cooking class line up: Homemade Pasta Dough, with Kale, Walnut and Lemon Pesto, and Warm Cranberry Crumble Tarts. After learning about the fabulous holiday items Sur la Table would be offering, we enjoyed a meal of the Pasta with Pesto and the Cranberry Tarts. Back in our seats for a brief moment, 10 lucky winners of the Kitchenaid Proline Electric Tea Kettle were announced! WOW! Last but not least, we also all received a Sur La Table reusable shopping bag stuffed to the brim with goodies from Sur la Table, Aquasana, Berarad, California Olive Ranch, Chilewich, Kerrygold, King Arthur Flour, Le Cruset, LeKue and TCHO Chocolates. I’d have to say, the first four hours of IFBC were pretty darn amazing.

Back at the Westin, it was time to prepare for Friday nights opening reception, sponsored by Lesley Stowe’s Raincoast Crips, Bristol Bay Sustainable Alaska Salmon, and Accolade Wines. The food was delicious. Lesley had all of her lovely crisps there for us to sample with a wide array of amazing dips. Bristol Bay was serving salmon 4 different ways and Accolade Wines were pouring many varieties of Geyser Peak wines. Lesley’s Cranberry Hazelnut Crisp have been a long time favourite of mine. I used to bring them home from Canada before I could buy them in the States! Theo Chocolate and Cupcake Royale provided sweets to finish off the night and Rainier Fruit Company sent us all home with a big, juicy Yakima Valley peach.

Did I mention the Friday night Gift Suite? Oh my goodness!!! More samples and goodies and coupons and gifts from the fabulous manufacturers, vendors, and service providers! I have previously mentioned some of these products here at More Savory Less Sweet as I work with many of these folks in my “day job”. It was great to see them in the fun and relaxed environment at IFBC!

All of the samples and gifts were generous and amazing but one vendor really surprised us bloggers! Aneto had aprons embroidered with the name of our blogs for each and every one of us. (I believe that is about 400!) They came all the way from Spain to share their all natural Valencian Paella cooking base with us. I cannot wait to make paella this weekend. Thank you Aneto!

Noosa was one of the Grand Sponsors, and I did not need an introduction! I eat Noosa yogurt almost everyday, either for breakfast or in the afternoon to prevent the late afternoon “hangrys”! We got to try the new Pumpkin flavor. Since it is a seasonal flavor, I will be stock piling it for the next few months! To add extra protein, fiber and omega 3’s to my yogurt, I have been adding in Nature’s Path Qi’a. The cereal is great on it’s own but also as a great ad in to salads, cookie dough, smoothies, and yogurt!

That gives you a peek into the first days activities and a few of the sponsors. There’s so much more! Please come back to find out about additional seminars, Keynote speakers and Saturday evenings Gourmet Fair! I’ll also be sharing recipes created with many of the samples we were given by the sponsors.

Have a great evening,

Laura

Herbed Shrimp with Spicy Breadcrumbs

08/27/2014 by Laura 2 Comments

This recipe is based on a recent post by Food & Wine Daily Inspirations. It was contributed by Andrew Zimmerman. I followed the recipe closely, with only a couple of substitutions. With most of the ingredients on hand in the pantry, refrigerator or freezer, it was a quick week night meal. I know we will be making this again soon. We served it with our heirloom tomato bruschetta.

I have not used bread crumbs in pasta dishes before. In doing a little research, it is quite common in many Southern Italian pasta dishes. As with many wonderful, traditional dishes, it was created out of necessity due to the lack of availability of other ingredients. Pasta with garlicky breadcrumbs is often consumed during Lent.

Herbed Shrimp with Pasta and Spicy Breadcrumbs, Andrew Zimmerman, Food & Wine

for the Bread Crumbs

1/4 pound Italian bread, torn

2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley

2 tablespoons finely chopped oregano

2 garlic cloves, sliced

1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/4 cup of olive oil (I substituted olive oil for 1/2 stick of melted butter)

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Kosher salt

Pepper

Heat oven to 350′. Place the dry ingredients into a food processor and pulse until breadcrumbs are fine. Drizzle in the oil. Season with Salt and pepper. Spread the crumbs on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned – about 15 minutes. Stir every 5 minutes or so. Let cool completely before use. Breadcrumbs can be stored in an airtight container.

for the Shrimp

20 jumbo shrimp (2 pounds), shelled and deveined

2 cloves of garlic, minced

2 tablespoons minced parsley

2 tablespoons minced basil

1 1/2 teaspoons minced oregano

1/2 teaspoon minced thyme

1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving

Kosher salt

Pepper

3/4 pound capellini or angel hair pasta

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Prepare the shrimp and set aside. Chop the herbs and garlic. Place in a bowl and add the crushed red pepper, salt, pepper and the 1/2 cup of olive oil. Add the shrimp to the bowl. Stir to coat. Place the shrimp in the refrigerator until ready to broil.

Start the pasta water. Heat the broiler. Once the pasta has been added to the boiling water prepare to broil the shrimp. Place the shrimp on a pan with all the marinade. Broil the shrimp about 5 minutes and turn. Broil another 4-5 minutes.

When the pasta is done, drain the water. Return the pasta to the pot. Add the juices from the broiler pan, the lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Toss gently.

Plate the pasta. Place the shrimp atop the pasta and top all with a generous sprinkle of bread crumbs. Serve with bruschetta or a tossed green salad.

MSLS Chicken Picatta

08/18/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

It’s been a week of great sun light at dinner time, allowing us to update older posts with better photos! Today’s update is one of our favorite “go to” meals: Chicken Picatta. We typically have the ingredients on hand, and can get this on the table in about 45 minutes. Our recipe has evolved over time, and our favorite version is posted here. It is a saucier version than most, as it goes very well with pasta.

For the Chicken Picatta – 4 servings

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

flour for dredging – about 1/2 – 3/4 cup

salt and pepper for seasoning

olive oil and canola oil for sauteing

1 lemon – 1 tsp. zest, then juice the lemon

12 ounces chicken stock

12 ounces white wine

1/3 cup capers with about 1 tablespoon of juice

8 slices of prosciutto or speck, cut into 1/2 inch wide strips – our favorite is LaQuercia Speck Americano*

fresh chopped parsley for garnish

Pasta – we usually use Penne

Grated parmesan cheese for serving

Put the flour in a large zip lock bag, season with salt and pepper. Place one chicken breast half in the bag of flour. Make sure the chicken is coated with the flour on both sides, before you start pounding it. That will prevent the chicken from sticking to the bag. Pound the chicken breasts to about 1/4″-1/2″ thickness. The main goal is uniformity in thickness so they cook evenly. Yes – that is a rubber mallet. I find it very useful for pounding cutlets.

Cover the bottom of the sauté pan with about 1/4 cup of olive oil and 2 Tablespoons of canola oil . Heat the pan over low flame. Add the chicken breasts. Season with salt and pepper. Brown the chicken on both sides. You are only browning at this stage, the chicken will complete cooking in the sauce. Remove from pan and set aside on a plate. There will be a lot of oil left. It is an integral part of the sauce.

Add about 1/3 cup of flour to the sauté pan. (Use the flour left from the dredging and pounding the chicken.) Whisk the flour and oil together to make a light rue. Once the rue comes together, whisk in the white wine. The mixture will thicken. Continue to stir and simmer about 3 minutes.

Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, lemon zest, prosciutto and capers. Adjust the lemon to your taste by adding more zest or juice. Continue whisking and bring sauce to a light simmer. Let simmer for about 5 minutes before adding the chicken back to the pan. Taste the sauce and add additional salt and pepper if needed.

Add the chicken breasts back to the pan. Spoon to sauce over the chicken. Sprinkle with a little parmesan. Continue to simmer until cooked through – approximately 20 minutes.

Start the water for your pasta when you place the chicken back in the pan.

Serve with pasta on the side and grated parmesan cheese.

*As with all my posts, things I point out as a favorite are truly a favorite. I have neither been paid nor asked to endorse any of the products I recommend.

Salmon Nicoise and Heirloom Tomato Bruschetta

08/09/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

I knew I was kind of pushing my luck serving salmon two days in a row. Dave informed me that it is not much of a “hard-working man’s meal”. By hard-working, he means painting the second of four sides of the house. I think he was too hot and tired to protest. I did surprise him by making a beautiful plate of our favorite heirloom tomato bruschetta. We finally have tomatoes and basil all ripe together. If you are not growing your own tomatoes, you must splurge; at least once this summer, on a few from the farmers market and make this dish. A little fresh mozzarella and prosciutto make this a meal on its own!

Though Salad Nicoise is traditionally made with tuna, I often see it made with salmon as I have done here. Maybe it is a Pacific Northwest thing. Regardless, it is becoming my favorite preparation! And since it’s summer and we are having a French salad, I had to serve it with a lovely, dry rose! Someone needs to inform the folks who stock the wine in the cooler that people drink chilled rose in the summer. There were numerous choices on the shelf, and none in the cooler! Doesn’t it look beautiful with the salmon?

for the Salad Nicoise

for the dressing

Dijon Vinaigrette – not traditional – but my version!

2/3 cup of great quality olive oil

1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon tarragon

Fresh cracked pepper and salt to taste.

Whisk all together in a small bowl or measuring cup.

for the salad

4-6 small baby new potatoes, boiled gently until fork tender, drained and cooled

1/2 pound haricot vert – or any other small green bean, blanched until tender and cooled

2-4 hard-boiled eggs

a handful of heirloom cherry tomatoes

mixed baby lettuce

Nicoise olives (I could not find these at my regular store. I substituted the Lucques olives I had on hand. At least they were French!)

4 ounce portion of grilled salmon or one can of good quality tuna packed in olive oil, per serving

capers for garnish

fresh ground pepper and salt

Slice the cooled potatoes, place in a small bowl and pour a little of the dressing over them. Garnish with a small spoonful of capers. Stir gently to coat. Place the green beans in a small bowl and dress them in the same fashion. Slice the tomatoes, peel the eggs and chill until ready to plate.

To assemble the salad, place a handful of the baby lettuce on a chilled dinner plate. Sprinkle with a little of the salad dressing. Arrange the sliced potatoes, green beans, eggs, tomatoes, salmon or tuna, and olives in a pleasing pattern. Spoon a little more dressing over the salad. Bon appetite!

to prepare the Bruschetta

fresh baguette bread, sliced on the diagonal

olive oil

salt and pepper

chopped heirloom tomatoes, about 1 cup

finely minced garlic, 4-5 cloves

1/4 cup basil chiffonade

Brush the sliced baguette bread with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Toast until the edges brown.

Mix the diced tomatoes, minced garlic and basil together in a small bowl. Add a little olive oil to coat the tomatoes. Stir gently.

Spoon the tomato basil mixture onto the toasted bread. Garnish with a little more basil.

Cedar Planked Salmon with Shitake Mushroom and Baby Bok Choy Saute

08/08/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

This is one of my favorite meals. Simple grilled salmon and a sauté of bok choy and shitake mushrooms. The bok choy and mushrooms seem made for each other! As you know, my suggestions of salmon for dinner don’t always go over very well. Since Dave is really busy painting the outside of the house, we did not engage in the “what’s for dinner” conversation. I took it upon myself to decide, shop and cook while he painted away!

for the Baby Bok Choy and Shitake Mushroom Sauté

3/4 pound of shitake mushrooms

6 small baby bok choy

4-5 cloves of garlic minced

1/2 cup diced onion

2-4 Tablespoons of olive oil

1/2 cup dry vermouth

salt and pepper

optional: add minced ginger with the garlic and onion, and garnish with soy sauce, for a more Asian style sauté

Slice the mushrooms, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Warm 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Cook the onion and garlic until soft and translucent. Add the mushrooms and sauté until lightly browned and softened. You may need to add a little more olive oil. Add the vermouth and place the bok choy on top of the mushrooms in the pan. Steam for about 10 minutes until the bok choy is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper. I tried a little experiment by placing the bok choy on the grill for a moment. I wanted to impart a little of the smokiness that the cedar would add to the salmon. It worked and gave the bok choy a nice char color.

for the Cedar Planked Salmon

1 culinary grade cedar plank, soaked at least two hours in water

(No Jeff, you cannot use the left over shingles. They may have been treated with chemicals!)

1 filet of salmon – a little over a pound

olive oil

salt and pepper

lemon for garnish

Place the plank in a sheet pan filled with water and place a weight on the plank to keep it submerged. Let it soak at least two hours. We had a friend who did not soak the plank first. He placed his fish on the plank and the plank on the grill, put the lid down, set his watch for 10 minutes and came back to a fully engulfed fish fire! It is a good idea to keep a spray bottle close by in case a small fire erupts. And in case you were wondering, you cannot reuse the planks!

One of Dave’s biggest objections to fish is discovering bones mid-meal. I remove the pin bones with tweezers, it takes just a minute and makes for a more pleasant dining experience. It also takes the worry out of sharing the leftovers with our very spoiled cat and dogs.

I do not like to do very much to a beautiful piece of salmon, other than add a little olive oil, coarse salt and pepper. Place the salmon on the pre-soaked plank, season as you choose. Place on a hot grill, keeping a close eye for little fires. This piece of fish was about 3/4 of an inch thick and was completely done in 8 minutes, on a very hot (450′) grill. We served it with a little lemon and the sautéed bok choy and mushrooms.

Grilled Pesto Rubbed Chicken, Caprese Salad and Summer Squash

08/06/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

I love the emails I receive every Monday morning from Saveur with Simple Weeknight Meal suggestions. This weeks Pesto-Rubbed Chicken grabbed my attention as I had both pesto and a chicken on hand. It’s still too hot to cook inside so knowing I could make this dish on the grill was a huge bonus. I did not make the Panzella salad suggested with the recipe, but I did throw together a quick Caprese salad with fresh garden tomatoes, basil, and mozzarella. I grilled yellow summer squash and zucchini to serve alongside. It was a quick and flavorful meal. I will be turning the leftover chicken into amazing pesto chicken salad sandwiches. Stay tuned!

for the Pesto-Rubbed Grilled Chicken

1 whole chicken, 3-4 pounds – I chose to spatchcock it as it is so easy to grill that way!

4-6 ounces pesto, any flavor you like. My recipe is here.

My pesto is traditional Pesto Genovese. This preparation would be amazing with roasted red pepper pesto!

olive oil

salt and pepper

Loosen the skin on the chicken. Add the pesto under the skin and spread evenly with your hand. Work your way around the chicken until all the meat under the skin is covered with pesto. Rub the both sides of the chicken with about 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Season generously with freshly ground salt and pepper. Rub the remaining pesto on the outside of the chicken. Heat the grill to 450′. Place the chicken on the grill skin side down. Cook for about 20 minutes. Turn and cook another 20 minutes. Insert a thermometer to test for doneness. It should be at least 165″ in thickest part. Let chicken rest 10 minutes and then cut into serving pieces.

for the Caprese Salad

fresh garden heirloom tomatoes, sliced into serving sizes

fresh mozzarella, sliced into serving slices

fresh garden basil, torn

fresh cracked pepper and coarsely ground salt

very good quality fruity olive oil. My favorite is California Olive Ranch Arbequina

lettuce “cups” for serving

Layer the tomatoes, cheese and basil in the lettuce cups. Drizzle with olive oil. season with the salt and pepper. I also make this with fresh burratta frequently throughout the summer.

for the Grilled Summer Squash and Zucchini

Slice the squash into thick slices. Brush with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.

Grill on each side about 5 minutes, being careful not to over cook. Remove from grill, let rest. Slice for serving. Drizzle the squash with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar or glaze. Season with salt and pepper.

We had an amazing visitor while we were grilling this meal. A beautiful Peregrine Falcon decided to hang out for awhile in a cedar tree in our yard. He was absolutely stunning!

« Previous Page
1
…
3
4
5
6
7
…
14
Next Page »