Garbage Day Soup!

09/27/2017 by Laura 2 Comments

It’s human nature to have many routines, whether they’re conscious or unconscious! Often, we’re not even sure how long we’ve had them or how they got started. One of mine is cleaning the fridge the night before the compost, recycling, yard waste, (garbage, if you’re not from Seattle) are collected. I’m pretty sure my mom does the same thing. However, now that I have “more time than money” I am very conscientious about the wasting of anything. It’s not that I was not conscious before, but when your unpredictable work schedule takes you away from home 3-5 days a week, you don’t always manage the larder as efficiently as possible; leftovers get tossed, planned meals don’t get cooked, and the freezer quickly fills with foil packets I call UFO’s….unidentifiable frozen objects, that are rarely interesting a month or two later!

Even with the best intentions, sometimes what’s left at week’s end, is pretty drab and has very few opportunities to be repurposed! I’d love to hear ideas for leftover lettuce based salads, as that is one item that fills my compost bucket routinely! Chicken or salmon – easily become next days sandwich with a little help of mayo, celery, bell pepper. Potatoes, vegetable and gravy – perfect set up for Shepard’s pie, or “dinner for breakfast” potato pancakes.

I got lucky this week, when I opened the produce drawer to “clean it out”. I had a few ears of corn, a half-dozen poblano peppers, a couple jalopeno peppers, cilantro and some leftover chicken. I knew immediately I would be making a corn, pepper, chicken chowder. We had onions, garlic, baby potatoes and chicken stock in the pantry, so I jumped right in. This could all be thrown together in a crock pot, but I actually made the base one day, and reheated it with cream the second day. This soup is delicious and will stay in our rotation throughout the winter, even though we will have to sub frozen corn for the fresh.

For the corn, poblano and chicken chowder

1 large sweet onion, chopped

4-6 cloves of garlic, minced

2 jalopenos , stems and seeds removed and finely chopped

5 poblano peppers, stems and seeds removed and chopped

4 ears of corn, cut away from the cob

12 tiny potatoes, quartered

1 quart chicken stock

2 cups water

2 cups cooked chicken meat in bite size pieces (from leftover chicken)

1/2 bunch of cilantro, chopped – retain a few leaves for garnish

1 pint heavy cream

oil for sautéing

salt and pepper

grated cheese for serving – Mexican style

Heat about 2 tablespoons of oil in the bottom of a heavy soup pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion, garlic, peppers until soft, about 7 minutes

Add the corn cobs, chopped cilantro, potatoes and chicken stock, and allow to simmer at least an hour.

At this point, I added the chicken, simmered it about an hour more and then moved the pot to the fridge. You could easily complete the soup, but I think the extra day with the corn husks in the pot really pumped up the corn flavor! Add salt and pepper as needed.

About an hour before serving, I brought the soup to a slow simmer. I reduced the heat as much as possible and added the pint of cream.

We served this with grated cheese and fresh-baked corn bread. I really hope you’ll give it a try, whether you have the ingredients on hand or not!

Thanks for stopping by and have a great evening.

Laura

First of Fall – Pork Chili Verde

09/21/2017 by Laura Leave a Comment

Wow! Somebody flipped the “summer heat” switch to the “off” position! I am grateful for cooler, more moderate temperatures, but it seems the change was a bit extreme! There’s been at least a 20′ difference in temperatures from last week to this. We knew rain was coming, so we scrambled to get the last of the garden clean-up / harvesting / fall planting done. I ended up with a fair amount of peppers and tomatillos, which, along with the cool, rainy weekend, inspired me to make this dish. We added a few more tomatillos, poblano peppers, garlic and onion from the farmers market, and we were set.

For the Pork Chili Verde (this makes a lot, we froze half)

for the tomatillo pepper slurry

8 poblano peppers

12-15 fresh tomatillos, husked and rinsed, stem removed

2 large white onions, peeled and quartered

8 cloves of garlic, peeled

8-10 assorted peppers – jalapeno, Fresno, Serrano, based on your taste and desired heat level!

Heat your oven to 500′. Place all the peppers, tomatillos, quartered onions, and garlic on a sheet pan. Roast the vegetables until they begin to brown and are softened. This will take about 25 minutes.

Remove the stems and seeds from the roasted peppers. Place all of the roasted veggies and any juice from the roasting pan, in the large bowl of your food processor and pulse until smooth.

for the meat

4 pounds lean pork cut into 1″ cubes (I used boneless, thick cut pork loin chops)

flour, salt and pepper for dredging

neutral, high heat oil for browning

1 large, sweet onion, diced

1 can/bottle beer – an ale of your choice

2 cups fresh or frozen chopped Hatch green chili (I bought a ton directly from Hatch in August. Canned chili ok, but not as flavorful.)

2-4 cups of chicken stock

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 tablespoons of cumin

Avocado slices, chopped cilantro, sliced green onion, cooked rice, charred tortillas, sour cream and shredded cheese for serving.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat. Add 2-3 tablespoons of oil. Place 1 cup of flour, one tablespoon of salt and one tablespoon of pepper in a zip lock bag. Dredge the cubed pork, in small batches and add to the hot oil. Do not crowd the pan. Turn the pork to ensure all sides are browned evenly. Repeat this process until all the meat is browned, adding additional oil as needed.

In the same pan, sauté the chopped onion until golden, scraping up all the bits from the bottom of the pan. Deglaze the pan with the beer. Let simmer 5 minutes. Add the meat back to the pan, then the pureed veggies, and the chopped green chili, cilantro and cumin. If too thick, add a cup or two of the chicken stock. Stir well, cover and simmer over low heat, about 6 hours. Stir frequently and adjust the salt as needed, also adding additional stock if needed.

I also made a batch of black beans to serve along side, and a delicious, but non instagram worthy, apple pie for dessert. Ahh fall! I wish you could have all smelled the kitchen.

To plate, place a scoop of rice on a plate or bowl. Add a serving of stew. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream, cilantro and green onions. I served black beans and charred tortillas along side.

I really hope you’ll give this recipe a try. It’s one of our favorites. Great left over and freezes well too.

Have a wonderful evening, and thanks for stopping by.

Laura

The Green Bean Summer

09/04/2017 by Laura Leave a Comment

I planted my green beans a little later then normal this year. Typically that would have been a problem here in Seattle. Since we have had ridiculously hot weather, their late start has had no impact on the crop and harvest. As I was cooking up this batch of beans, I became very melancholy. No other food has been such a constant in my life. I grow the Royal Burgundy variety of beans, because that is what my grandparents grew. I think Granddad started growing them when we were kids, to thrill us by their novel change in color when they are cooked. Growing up, green beans were the only vegetable my brother would eat. When they were out of season, Mom resorted to canned (yuck) green beans. Canned or fresh, my Mom and Grandma would add bacon, and simmer them on the stove FOR HOURS, as was the norm back then. There was never a doubt as to what the Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or Sunday dinner vegetable would be. Once my brother had kids, the tradition continued in his own family. I think there was a streak of about 10 years, when little smokies had to be added to the pot, per my youngest nephews instruction! My nephews, now adults, specifically ask if we can have something besides green beans when they are invited to dinner at Grandma’s or Auntie’s house!

My first summer after college, my parents moved from Idaho Falls, ID to Washington DC. I needed a break and an adventure, and my Mom needed help driving across the country, so I too packed up for the move. Prior to hitting the road, we spent about a week at my Grandfather’s house. Since it was summer, the green beans were plentiful. I think we had them three or four times, all picked fresh and simmered for hours. On the road heading east toward I-70, our first night was in a little town somewhere in Montana. We had dinner in a little diner, close to our motel. When we asked what the vegetable of the day was, you obviously guessed, it was fresh green beans. Too tired after 9 hours of driving to think about, we ate quietly. This continued across the country, for 7 more nights. I’ll never forget Mom and I having dinner at the hotel in St. Joseph, Missouri, the 5th night on the road. The waitress was very perky as she related the specials of the day, and was extra excited to inform us they had fresh green beans. I actually screamed out loud, which lead to my Mom laughing so hard she launched her ice tea across the table. The poor waitress could not figure out what she had done. Once we calmed down, we explained our 5 day green bean odyssey. We watched as she went from table to table, telling our story. Bursts of polite laughter rolled through the restaurant, like the wave at a football game.

I learned to prepare green beans a little bit differently, while working in a restaurant. Did you know, a lot of vegetables are cooked with dry vermouth and often a spoonful of baking soda? The baking soda does help retain the bright color in most veggie’s, but it also adds a whollop of sodium. Therefore, I forgo this trick, unless I need a really special photo!

Laura’s Green Beans

1 sweet onion, such as Maui or Walla Walla, diced

3-4 Tablespoons of olive oil

1 cup dry vermouth

1 lb. fresh green beans, washed, trimmed, and strings removed

salt and pepper

optional – fresh dill

Heat the oil in a heavy skillet, that you can cover with a lid. Sauté the onion until soft. Add the green beans and continue to sauté about 5 minutes. Pour in the vermouth, cover and simmer about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and fresh dill, if using!

Thanks for stopping by.

I hope your summer was memorable and you have a great evening.

Laura

Farmers Market Treasures – Strawberry Rhubarb Pie and Spring Pea Salad

07/05/2017 by Laura 3 Comments

Wow…4 months since my last post! I’ll catch you up on the reasons for that, but first I have a couple recipes for you! Both of these dishes are the result of an over-the-top buying spree at last weeks neighborhood farmers market. It was my first outing of the season and everything was calling my name! The perfect weather, the beautiful fruits and vegetables, plenty of cash, and a longing to get back into my kitchen resulted in two very large bags of goodies. I bought far more then we needed for one week. With a few things approaching the end of their usefulness, I got busy to ensure none of it would go to waste! The results were a fantastic Strawberry-Rhubarb pie and an over the top “spring on a plate” pea salad.

The salad is a result of a Google search based on the unused veggies I had bought…shelling peas, pea pods, and ramps. I had asparagus on hand, as I always have asparagus on hand until it disappears from the market or becomes ridiculously expensive. I found this recipe on the Serious Eats website. I made just a couple alterations, and it was fantastic. I felt like it was something that would be a first course in a fancy French restaurant… ooh la la!

For the Vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons juice from 1 or 2 lemons

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh parsley leaves

1 small shallot, minced (about 1 tablespoon)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard (my addition)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Whisk the ingredients together and set aside. I always make my dressing in a measuring cup to make it easy to pour.

For the Salad

1 cup fresh shelled English peas

2 cups fresh sugar snap peas, strings removed, ends trimmed, cut into 1/2-inch pieces on the bias

1 pound asparagus, stalks trimmed, tips removed, tips and stalks reserved separately

2 to 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

8 to 12 whole ramps, ends trimmed and cleaned

1 large very fresh egg, per serving

2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar

Place a pot of water on the stove. Salt heavily. Bring to a slow simmer. Blanch the shelled peas, then the snap peas and then the asparagus tips, about 1 minute, until bright green. Remove with a slotted spoon. Dip in an ice water bath. Place each vegetable in a small bowl and pop in the fridge.

Blanch the asparagus stalks until tender and place in a blender cup with a couple tablespoons of the blanching water and 2 Tablespoons of olive oil. Puree until smooth. Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare the ramps. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a heavy sauté pan. Saute the ramps until tender. Place on a paper towel line plate. Set aside.

When ready to assemble the salads, bring the pot of water back to a slow simmer. Add 3 tablespoons white vinegar.

Combine the peas and asparagus in a bowl. Add the dressing and toss gently.

Make your poached eggs, one per serving. Place a couple tablespoons of the asparagus puree on each serving plate. Top with the pea and asparagus salad mixture. Place the poached egg on top. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately!

Ok, now for the pie! Strawberry – Rhubarb. Not typically my first choice, when I think of a pie I want to eat / make. I honestly have a problem with most fruit pies as they always turn out to be thin, watery, runny, too sweet, too sour, fall apart messes on a plate. I decided to try a different approach this time. I roasted the fruit first. This allowed me to taste the fruit and adjust the sweetness, as well as remove some of the extra juice, prior to filling the pie shell. I will be using this technique for all future fruit pies.

For the Strawberry – Rhubarb Pie

Prepare pie crust for 2 crust pie – make your favorite or check mine out here.

4-5 cups fresh, ripe, strawberries – green part removed – sliced in half if they are large

4-5 cups fresh rhubarb, chopped into small, bite size pieces

3/4 cup of sugar

Place the fruit on a sheet pan, sprinkle with the sugar and roast at 375′ for about 20 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven. Let rest about 10 minutes. Adjust the sweetness to taste. Add:

4 Tablespoons of flour

2 Tablespoons of quick cook tapioca

1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon

finely grated zest of one lemon

juice of one lemon – about 2 tablespoons

Mix all ingredients together in the roasting pan. Spoon into piecrust with a slotted spoon.

Place the top crust on the pie. Pinch the edges and cut steam vents. Place on a sheet pan. Place a foil collar around the edges of the pan. Bake at 425′ for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375′, remove the foil, and bake 30 more minutes. Let pie cool at least 2 hours before serving. You definitely want to serve this with vanilla ice-cream! Enjoy!

Ok – on to the updates…In my last post, I mentioned I retired. What that has meant for me is working harder then I ever have, without a pay check every other Friday. LOL!!! I have been away from home, more then I have been at home, these past few months. Thankfully, it’s not that much different for Dave, then when I was working full time! He’s always been spectacular at fending for himself and holding down the fort.

The work began when my Mom bought a new house. She no longer needed stairs, 3000 square feet and a quarter acre yard! She bought the new house last fall, but we really didn’t get busy moving her to her new place until April. Mom updated 80% of her new place, which took a lot of time, decisions and work. Dave and I helped out by repairing decks and fences, and assembling cabinets and other things. Her new home has turned out to be a wonderful place for her.

Her move left us with the BIG job. Emptying and selling her old house. We spent the past few months sorting, packing, selling, donating, dumping, laughing, crying, screaming, and yelling our way through about 25 years of stuff! For those of you that have been through this, you know what I’m talking about! For those of you that have not…my advice would be to START NOW! I am so thankful I was able to go through family things WITH my Mom. I know what all the stuff is, who the people in the pictures are and what mattered to she and my Dad. I am still selling things on Ebay and I have a lot of pictures to scan, but the hard work is behind us. I am happy to say that her house sold in 8 days. She has a few things planned for fall, and none of those plans include yard sales or moving! For those of you that don’t know, my Mom is 88 years old! She is absolutely amazing. We worked side by side, hours on end, with her frequently ordering me to “sit down and rest”. We should all be so healthy and spunky!

With Mom’s big project behind me, I can start to sort out what retirement really does mean for me. You can see from the above, I am really happy to be able to wrap my head around cooking and photography again. Dave and I are taking our own advice of “starting now” on sorting, selling things and downsizing. Bit by bit, we are getting rid of the unnecessary things we’ve accumulated…just because we could! It’s amazing to me how quickly stuff accumulates, and how little of it we really “need”.

It’s been great catching up. Thanks for stopping by! Enjoy the food and have a wonderful evening.

Laura

Cider Glazed Pork Loin with Fennel – Apple Relish and Cauliflower Puree

02/20/2017 by Laura 1 Comment

When I made these Cider Glazed Scallops a few weeks ago, I knew immediately that I wanted to use the same cider glaze and cauliflower puree with pork. Pork chops, pork loin or pork tenderloin. I also love apple and fennel with pork, and knew the combination of the cider glaze and the apple-fennel relish would be spectacular. It was just delicious.

For the cider glaze, adapted slightly from this recipe

3 – 4 cups fresh apple cider

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

3-4 Tablespoons cider vinegar (I prefer Bragg’s)

Salt and pepper

Place the ingredients in a wide saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and allow to reduce to about 1 cup. This should take 15-20 minutes. Keep warm over low heat.

For the fennel – apple relish

2 sweet, crisp apples, like Honey Crisp, diced

1 large fennel bulb, sliced

1 large shallot, sliced

Sauté the shallot in a tablespoon of olive oil, in a large oven proof skillet, that you will cook the pork roast in. When shallots are slightly caramelized, add the apple and fennel. Sauté about 5 minutes and remove from the pan. Set aside while your brown the pork.

for the Pork

Preheat the oven to 375′

1 3-4 pound boneless pork loin roast

salt and pepper

Season the pork roast with salt and pepper. Bring the sauté pan you used for the apple relish to medium heat. Add a little oil, if needed. Brown the roast on all sides. Add the apple, fennel and shallots back into the sauté pan. Place in the pre-heated oven and roast approximately 30 minutes, or until thermometer reaches 150′ – 155′. Do not overcook it! The roast will cook a bit after being removed from the oven, while it rests.

While the roast is cooking, prepare the Cauliflower Puree.

for the Califlower Puree, again, adapted from this recipe

1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small pieces

1 1/2 cups chicken stock

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

salt and pepper

Place the cauliflower in a large sauce pan. Add the chicken stock, cumin, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes until the cauliflower is done. Transfer the cauliflower and the liquid to a blender. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Return the mixture to the sauce pan and keep warm, over very low heat, until ready to serve.

To serve, slice the roast into 1 inch thick slices. Plate the cauliflower puree, the sliced roast and a spoon full of apple-fennel relish.

I hope you enjoy this recipe. Thanks for stopping by.

Have a great evening,

Laura

Grilled Halibut with Asparagus, Lemon and Spring Pea Risotto

03/28/2015 by Laura Leave a Comment

There are many things that alert us to the arrival of Spring; the dainty pink flowers on the flowering currant bush in my garden, surprise appearances by tulips and crocus, and the frequent sighting of big, orange robins. There are two more things that assure me winter is behind us here in the Pacific Northwest, and that is the appearance of fresh Alaskan halibut and the seasons first asparagus. While the possibility of eating halibut and asparagus 5-7 times per week for a solid month thrills me beyond belief, Dave does not feel the same way. So, in an attempt to reach a bit of a compromise, I decided to “hide” the asparagus in a rich, creamy, cheesy risotto. I will be making this again! The combination of vegetables in this risotto is only limited by what’s available at the farmers market!

For the Risotto, inspired by this recipe

6 cups stock – I used organic chicken stock

2 Tablespoons of olive oil , plus Tablespoons of butter

1 large spring leek, washed and diced

1 cup Arborio rice

1/2 cup dry white wine

10 stalks medium size asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2-inch lengths

1 cup frozen petite peas

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest, plus more for garnish

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves

1 Tablespoon fresh chopped tarragon

1 cup finely grated Pecorino Romano cheese, plus more for serving

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

Bring stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil and 2 Tablespoons of the butter over medium heat in another saucepan. Cook the diced leek, stirring frequently, until soft, 6 to 7 minutes. Add rice, cook, stirring, until edges are translucent, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine; cook, stirring, just until evaporated.

Add 1/2 cup hot stock; cook, stirring, until almost absorbed. Continue adding 1/2 cup stock in this manner until liquid is creamy and rice is al dente, about 20 minutes total (you may not need to add all the stock). Add asparagus with the last addition of stock, and the peas about 1 minute before risotto is done.

Remove from heat; stir in lemon zest and juice, parsley, cheese, and additional 2 tablespoons of butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately with additional cheese and lemon zest.

For the halibut

Heat the grill thoroughly. Oil the grated very well.

Season the halibut with a drizzle of olive oil and salt and pepper.

Grill flesh side down 5-7 minutes. Flip and grill an additional 5-7 minutes. Do not over cook this beautiful, delicate fish.

Thanks for visiting. Have a wonderful evening.

Laura

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 Veggie Kabobs and Teriyaki Short Ribs

07/10/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

I really do not mean to sound like a broken record but our fabulous summer just continues to be more and more fabulous! I have never had such great crops this early. I picked three cups of blueberries, a large cucumber, a batch of green beans, a couple dozen cherry tomatoes and more zucchini. I only have one zucchini plant and it is the small bush variety. However, it has produced 3-4 squash per week so far. With my commitment to use what I grow, I came up with this little veggie kabob. It was very simple and went perfectly with the teriyaki flanken style short ribs. There are no elaborate recipes or detailed instructions for this post. It’s too hot to cook, stage shots and spend a lot of time in the kitchen!

For the Veggie Kabobs

if using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water about 20 minutes, prior to placing the food on them

2 small zucchini, cut in bite size chunks

1 large red bell pepper, cut in bite size chunks

1 large, sweet onion (Walla Walla or Maui) cut in bite size chunks

1 fresh pineapple, peeled, core removed and cut into chunks

Place the fruit and veggies on the skewers in your desired pattern. Brush (or spray) the skewers lightly with coconut or olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Place on a very hot grill, turning every 4-5 minutes until the zucchini is cooked through and the other vegetables and fruit are well-marked. When choosing ingredients for kabobs, make sure everything you are grilling together, will cook to the same doneness in the same amount of time.

For the Teriyaki Short Ribs

2 cups Soy Vay Island Style Teriyaki sauce (I LOVE their products and their story! As always, this is NOT a paid endorsement!)

2-3 pounds boneless or bone in, flanken style short ribs

Marinate the short ribs in the teriyaki sauce 3-4 hours or overnight. I place the meat in a zip lock bag, pour in the sauce and leave in refrigerator overnight. Bring the meat to room temperature prior to grilling.

Place the ribs on a very hot grill and cook to desired doneness. We prefer medium rare and we cooked them about 4 minutes per side.

Serve with rice and a little extra teriyaki sauce.

Sweet Corn and Zucchinni Sauté with Basil and Chevre

07/01/2014 by Laura 1 Comment

This is my favorite time of the year! Dinners are quick and simple. Inspiration comes from what is on hand from the last visit to the farmers market, and what is ripe in the garden. The zucchini is now producing. If you have grown zucchini yourself, you know you need to check the plant every single day, under every single leaf or risk finding an 8 pounder that results in 15 loaves of zucchini bread! I have been checking everyday, and luckily I found two manageable zucchini. I was also lucky enough to find plenty of basil, a few Anaheim chilies and a sprinkling of ripe tomatoes. Unheard of this early in the season in Seattle, but hey, I’ll take it. Don’t you love the nasturtiums? They just seem to shout “summer”!

We had planned on bbq’d chicken and corn on the cob for a quick dinner. I love fresh, sweet corn but I prefer it OFF the cob. I know that is weird, maybe it’s due to a mouthful of braces and retainers as a kid, but I just don’t find a lot of pleasure in knawing the kernels off the cob. Armed with what I found in the garden and what was in the fridge, I came up with this quick sauté. It was delicious. If you’re like my Mom and don’t like chevre, you could easily use a little parmesan or feta, or even no cheese at all! Be creative, use what you have on hand and adjust the proportion of the ingredients to your taste!

For the Sweet Corn and Zucchini Sauté

olive oil for sautéing

salt and pepper

2 small zucchini, sliced in thirds and then diced

2 ears of corn, kernels sliced away from cob (Place the corn in a bowl, use a very sharp knife to cut the kernels away)

1 small, sweet onion

1 large Anaheim chile, chopped fine

1 diced tomato or a handful of cherry tomatoes, halved

1-2 Tablespoons fresh basil chiffonade

2-4 Tablespoons crumbled chevre, or any other cheese you prefer

Warm the olive oil over medium heat in a sauté pan. Sauté the diced onion and green chili until soft. Add the zucchini and tomatoes. (I also threw in a little purple salad onion I accidentally pulled up!)

Season with fresh ground salt and pepper. Sauté about 5 minutes and layer the corn on top of the pan. Reduce the heat to low, cover and let the corn steam, about 5 more minutes. Do not over cook. You want the corn to remain a little crispy.

When ready to plate, scoop onto a serving dish, garnish with the basil chiffonade and crumbled chevre. Serving this at room temperature is perfectly fine. Serve this over brown rice or quinoa for a hearty vegetarian main dish.

First Day of Summer!

06/22/2014 by Laura Leave a Comment

Yesterday was the first day of summer; the longest and most wonderful day of the year. The solstice begins a series of long days! Since we are so far north it can remain light up to 10:30pm. We were charmed by perfect weather, not always the case on June 21st in Seattle! We worked in the yard most of the day; weeding, trimming, mowing, sweeping. Feeling inspired and motivated, we tore into our garden shed. The shed was in total disarray and begging for reorganization. By disarray, I mean knowing you have string for the weed whacker, a washer for the sprinkler, twine for the tomatoes; but cannot find any of it! With hooks replaced, tools rehung, gloves, hand tools, washers, sprinklers and clippers all sorted and placed in bins the shed has returned to a state of organized usefulness! We pinky swore we would keep it that way! Rewarding ourselves, we relaxed on the patio for a couple of hours; listening to music and drinking in the beauty of the day.

It was (all too) soon time for dinner. Armed with my bounty from the farmers market and a piece of Copper River Salmon, dinner was quick and easy. I knew I wanted to use my peas, fava beans, and garlic scapes, somehow. Catching up on my favorite blogs in the afternoon, I came across a dish posted by Aran Goyoaga at Canelle et Vanille: Fava and Peas with Prosciutto and Fried Egg. Not really a salad and not really a vegetable, it was more of a first course. The dish was exactly what I was looking for. I modified the recipe to include tiny, new potatoes. The dish would be a wonderful meal on its own, and was also perfect with the grilled salmon.

I prepped the peas and the fava beans the day before. If you have never worked with fava beans, there are a couple of steps. First, remove the beans from their velvety outer jacket.

Next, blanch the beans for about 30 seconds in a pot of boiling water, and immediately place in ice water. This makes it easier to remove the white, outer shell from the bean. Remove the outer layer and set aside.

Shell the peas and set aside. Can you tell Dave shelled and photographed the peas?

For the Fava and Peas with Potato, Prosciutto and Fried Egg

Adapted from the original recipe Canelle et Vanille: Fava and Peas with Prosciutto and Fried Egg.

About 1 pound of Fava Beans, shelled, blanched and peeled

About 1 pound of English peas, shelled

4-6 tiny, new potatoes (not in original recipe)

3 tablespoons of olive oil, plus additional for frying the eggs

1 small leek, cleaned and sliced, white parts only

5-6 garlic scapes, or 2 finely sliced garlic cloves if you do not have scapes

4 slices prosciutto or Serrrano

2 eggs

1 cup watercress, – I had arugula which I used instead

Chopped mixed herbs, I used parsley and tarragon

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch the fava beans and peas about 2 minutes. Remove and drain in a colander.

Add the potatoes to the boiling water and cook until a sharp knife can easily be inserted, about 10 minutes. Drain and slice in half.

Heat 3 tablespoons of olive oil in a sauté pan. Sauté the leeks and scapes (or garlic) until soft, but not brown. Add the fava, peas and potatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté to warm through and to ensure all vegetables are coated with the oil. Set aside and prepare two fried eggs.

When ready to plate, place the vegetables on a plate of arugula (or watercress). Top with the prosciutto and fried eggs. Garnish with the chopped herbs. I also added some sliced radishes at this stage.

A perfect summer meal and a perfect summer day. Cheers to many more!