Pumpkin Seeds

I cook with a lot of squash.  I enjoy harvesting the seeds and making a lovely snack.  These little health bullets are beneficial to men's bones, in alleviating arthritis pain as well as hosting a great amount of protein and "good" fat, monounsaturated.

The process is quick and the results are delicious.  I've seen a number of preparations where they just pop the seeds on a sheet pan into a blasting hot oven and let them crisp.  When I tried that method my seeds came out shatteringly crisp and unpleasant.  Then I found this preparation which essentially infuses the seed with salt and moisture by giving it a bath first.  Think pasta.

Step 1:

Harvest your seeds from your squash.  Any type of squash will do and feel free to mix and match.  I find a grapefruit spoon works best.

Eliminate as much of the pulp as possible.

Step 2:

Boil water in a sauce pan with a generous amount of salt.  Just like a pasta you want the water to taste like the ocean.  Boil the seeds for a few minutes.  (approx 5 min) and drain.

Step 3:

Seasoning options:

For a spicy sweet option, toss with a bit of paprika, cayanne and brown sugar.  Don't use a heavy hand.  For a southwest option, toss with a bit of cumin.  Curry is nice.  It's up to you.  you could also stay traditional and just leave them salty.  There is no need to add further salt as it is infused from the boiling.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.  On a silicon pad, parchment paper, or foil, lay out your seeds in a single layer.  Roast until they are lightly browned.  If you smell them it might be too late so keep an eye on them.  (approx 6 to 8 minutes)

Step 4:

Enjoy!

Millet Polenta

I have a confession to make.  I'm a Texan that never had grits until I became a Yankee.  It's not normal from what most folks think.  In the South you'd think grits were as common as oatmeal, cream of wheat, or just another starch for that matter.  But for some reason we never ate them, so I never tried them.  It wasn't until I was traveling for work and was flirting with the Mason-Dixon line that I had my chance.

I tried cheesy grits and was in heaven.  They were creamy, cheesy, had this micro pebble texture that kept them from feeling like I was eating paste.  A little ground pepper and joy!  So I'd found out I liked the stuff and had it at every chance which was very seldom.  And I've yet to cook this dish at home.

There's a similarity between grits and Polenta.  Some might suggest the divide is mainly due to which culture claims the dish.  Grits being Southern and Polenta being Italian.  But both dishes are made from corn meal.  Polenta I've only "made" if you count taking a tube of the stuff and frying it.  Which is also a big yum.  So I was excited to try even this alternative version.  Some day I'll make the real stuff.

Tonight's side dish, Millet Polenta was a huge throwback to the cheesy grits and some of the more loose Polenta dishes I've tried.  The flavor and texture were spot on.  Yet, Millet is one of those ancient grains that dates to pre-historic cultures, several thousands of years BC.  Health benefits abound including beneficial quantities of fiber and magnesium.  I've been wanting to make something with Millet as I try to get lots of whole grains in our diet.

The preparation is similar to Risotto but less fussy.  It actually came together very quickly and with minimal ingredients.

Ingredients:

• 1 C Millet, rinsed and drained
• 5 to 6 C Broth - I used chicken broth, but vegetable broth would be equally tasty.
• 3 T Unsalted Butter
• 4 oz Extra Sharp White Cheddar, grated
• Sea Salt

In a 4 quart saute pan toast the millet over medium high heat, stirring periodically until lightly toasted.  This will bring out the naturally nutty flavors.  (approx. 6 - 8 minutes)  Add the butter and allow to melt.  Pour in 5 cups of the broth and bring to a boil.  Drop the heat to medium-low and maintain a simmer.  Cover with a lid and steep for 15 minutes.  Uncover and stir.  Continue to stir periodically until Millet is thick and creamy with a chewy texture. (approx. 20 minutes)

Take off the heat and add in the cheese.  Stir to combine.  Taste and season as needed.  I liked some cracked pepper on top.  You could also finish with a nice olive oil.

This dish was so easy.  I didn't need to preheat the broth adding it a cup at a time.  I didn't even saute any aromatics first.  And the flavor was wonderful, nutty, creamy.  The cheese added a smoothness, but didn't overwhelm the simple side.  And I finally got to use Millet!  And I kind of got to make Polenta!  Smiles all around.


Enjoy!

Red Quinoa Salad

I recently picked up a copy of Fine Cooking magazine.  I'm quite addicted to any media that is cooking related, but I have my preferences.  Fine Cooking is a magazine I'm interested in subscribing to as I've picked up four of their monthlies this past year.  All were fabulous and in each one I tried a recipe.  Last night's recipe came from there, but I have some tweaks I'd make for next time.

What attracted me to this recipe was the colors.  It's gorgeous!  The colors are amazing and the health qualities are exceptional.  This can be served as a side dish or as a main salad.  I feel, however, that the original recipe needed some tweaking to mitigate the confusion of flavors presented when cooking this faithfully to the original.  I'll present the original and note where I'd deviate next time.

Quinoa:

• 1 1/2 C Quinoa, I used Red
• 1/2 t Sea Salt
• 2 1/2 C Water

Rinse the quinoa well and drain.  Add to sauce pan with the water and salt.  Bring to a boil over medium-high then drop to a simmer over medium low until tender with a slight crunch. (approx. 15 minutes)  Drain using a fine sieve and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Caramelized Onions:

• 1 large Red Onion, quartered and thinly sliced
• 2 T Olive Oil
• pinch Kosher Salt
• 2 T Balsamic Vinegar

Heat oil over Medium-high in a 12" non-stick skillet.  Stir frequently until onions are soft and begin to brown. (approx 6-8 minutes) Add the Balsamic Vinegar and stir to coat the onions.  Continue to cook until the vinegar has evaporated. (approx 1 min) Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

Note: I did not allow to cool to room temperature and added it to the salad right away.  I'm not sure the cooling was necessary as the onions don't have an exceptionally high coefficient of heat to begin with.  As well I didn't let the quinoa cool to room temperature.

Remaining Ingredients:

• 1 Apple, crisp and tart, 1/2 inch dice
• 4 oz Arugula, thinly sliced - I used Radicchio
• 4 oz Aged Gouda, diced (approx. 1 cup) - I love Gouda, but I think Feta or Goat Cheese would have matched the flavors better
• 3 ribs Celery, diced
• 1 C diced Fennel
• 1 C walnuts, chopped - Next time I'd omit these, which is rare, but I felt they detracted from the tang I was hoping for with the other ingredients.
• 1 C dried cranberries - I used dried cherries

Combine all ingredients along with the onions and quinoa in a large bowl and toss to combine.

Dressing:

• 3 T Olive Oil - Next time I'd use a flavorful Extra Virgin
• 3 T Sherry Vinegar - Next time I'd bump up this ratio further
• Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper

Combine dressing ingredients and whisk to combine.  Toss with Salad.

I enjoyed the salad, but it was very heavy to have as a main course.  With the caramelized onions and the vinaigrette I expected more tang, but I think the earthiness of the Gouda and the Walnuts muted that flavor.  That prompted me to suggest feta and possibly amping up the quantity of Vinegar.  Additionally, I think the flavors needed to meld for a bit to combine better which was my fault as I didn't even allow everything to come to room temperature.  As well, possibly putting on a bed of shredded lettuce would lighten up the texture a bit.

This would make a great healthy side salad.  It would take care of your starch and vegetable requirements.  There is very little fat and the majority of it is "good" fat.  There is a tremendous amount of fiber and protein.  Any confusion in flavor is overwhelmed by the enormous health benefits of this combination of fruit, veggies, nuts and grains.

Quinoa is a powerhouse whole grain that I like as an alternative to rice.  I really enjoyed the apple and dried fruit in this salad.  And you have to admit, this dish is stunning to look at.  I'd make this again (with the modifications), but relegate it to a lunch with more lettuce or a side dish.

Note: I've now had this salad for lunch, cold, and it is far better.  I still might swap the Gouda for a different cheese, but the walnuts are no longer a detraction and the tang is right at the level I was hoping it would be.

Enjoy!

Tamale Pie

This meal can easily be translated into a vegetarian offering or a seafood dish by swapping out the protein and/or broth.  Consider this recipe like a Mexican pot pie.  The crust, instead of a traditional pie crust is replaced with a sweet cornbread.  The inside of the pie is a savory stew of onion, Poblano peppers, hominy, and corn along with chicken thighs.  These flavors were further freshened by the addition of chopped fresh cilantro and finished with some cheese.  I was surprised by how wonderful the smell of cooking Poblanos with onions was and vow to increase my use of these wonderful peppers.  They satisfy my need for that authenticity while not adding any remarkable heat for Tim.  


This recipe is further celebrated for it's use of a single oven safe and stove top safe 12" stainless steel skillet.  In the making of this meal I discovered that I have a 10 inch skillet which did prove to be too small, so I dirtied more than one pan as I switched to my 4 quart saute pan mid way through.  The saute pan is similar to a skillet yet with straight sides instead of the sloped sides of a skillet; this gives more surface area in the base of the pan.  On with the show.


Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.


Step 1: Brown the Chicken
If you are making this dish vegetarian, omit the chicken (clearly) and replace with a meaty bean like a dark kidney or a black bean.  You can skip this step.  If you are making this dish with shrimp, they will get tough if you cook them in advance of the other ingredients, you may also skip this step.

• 1 lb boneless, skinless chicken thighs
• 2 t olive oil
• salt & pepper

Heat the oil in your skillet pan over medium high heat, brown the chicken on both sides, (approx. 8 to 12 minutes).  Remove the chicken from the pan, but leave any remaining fat in the pan.  Set chicken aside on a clean plate covered with foil.

Step 2: Assemble the Stew

• 1 onion, diced
• 3 Poblano peppers, seeded and diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 T all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 C chicken broth (or vegetable broth)
• 1 can (~15 oz) hominy, drained and rinsed
• 1 C frozen corn kernels, thawed
• 1 C combined Monterey Jack and Sharp Cheddar, shredded
• 1/4 C fresh cilantro, chopped

Add the onion and Poblano peppers to the pan and cook until soft, stirring occasionally (approx. 6 - 8 minutes).  Add the garlic and flour and cook until the garlic is fragrant, stirring constantly (approx. 1 minute).  Add the broth, hominy and corn and bring to a boil.  Add back in the chicken and cover, cook until the chicken is shred tender (approx. 10 minutes).


Remove the chicken and shred, returning to the pan.  Add in the cheese and cilantro and stir to combine.


Step 3: Top with cornbread


You can use your favorite corn bread recipe here for the crust.  I felt the slightly sweet variation was nicely contrasted with the rest of the dish.  I wouldn't use a dessert corn bread recipe, but if it has around 3 T of sugar, that's reasonable.  You could also use Jiffy Corn Bread mix.


Spread the cornbread mixture evenly over the stew.  Place in preheated oven and bake until golden brown.  Approx 25 to 40 minutes.  If you took too much time assembling the cornbread, bring the stew to a simmer before topping with the cornbread and baking.


Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.


Enjoy!

Tuscan Bean Soup

When the weather is blistery and cold, all I want for lunch is a nice bowl of steaming hot soup with some crusty bread to break off, dunk in, and get soggy in the broth.  The great thing about soups is they are incredibly easy.  So easy, in fact, I frequently forget to take pictures while I'm cooking!

The other great thing about soups is the meditation of preparation.  Soups are often stock full of veggies that all must be disassembled in some manner.  I for one love to chop up veggies and get really zen while preparing a mass of mise en place for my soups. 

Tuscan bean soup is so simple, I'd almost consider this a base for any number of soups.  In fact it is only three ingredients different than my husband's favorite, Zuppa Toscana.  Since this soup lacks the heavy cream and sausage, the difference is significant in calories and fat savings.

Also, this soup is easily converted to vegetarian with the appropriate choice of broth.

Ingredients:

• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 ribs celery, diced
• 2 medium carrots, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 t olive oil
• 6 C Stock/Broth
• 1 (15 oz) can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes, including the juice
• 1 small bunch of thyme, tied into a bouquet garni
• Large bunch of Kale, stripped from stalks and torn into pieces
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat oil in a large stock pot over medium heat.  When oil starts to shimmer, add in the mirepoix (onion, celery, carrots) and cook stirring at intervals until ingredients are soft (approx. 15 minutes).  Add in the garlic and cook stirring frequently until fragrant (approx 1 minute).  Add in remaining ingredients and cook until flavors have combined (approx 20 minutes).

Season with salt and pepper to taste.  I recommend serving with some hearty bread.

Variation:

To make Zuppa Toscana

• remove the beans and tomatoes, 
• add in cooked sausage, diced potatoes, and finish with heavy cream

Enjoy!

Butternut Squash Risotto

By now, you are familiar with my love for Risotto, both in making and consuming the starchy bliss.  Although it takes quite a while to make, that's mainly due to my choice to use whole grains so I'm very accepting of this.  I also have a love for Sage in Winter.  I don't know what it is, but the meals that are generally enhanced by the use of sage always seem to go with winter vegetables and hearty stews.  This dish is just that, a hearty wintry mix that is enhanced by the flavor of sage.

As usual, in order to make this dish vegetarian, select your broth appropriately.  I use chicken stock or broth, whatever happens to be open in the fridge at the time.  Beef broth is a bit too strong a flavor for this dish.  Vegetable broth is totally appropriate.  Fish stock, maybe not so much.  Water... you can do better.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Prepare the Butternut:

• 1 Butternut Squash, peeled and cubed
• Olive Oil
• Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper

I did this without peeling and cubing the squash first, however after it was cooked I decided that having that quantity of skin would be distracting and went through the process of peeling after it was cooked.  I also cooked the squash longer than I would have needed to if the gourd was already cubed and peeled.

Oh, save the seeds to make a nice snack of roasted pumpkin seeds.  They rock.

Toss the cubes in enough olive oil to lightly coat and season liberally with salt and pepper.  Please on foiled sheet tray and roast until the cubes yield slightly to squeezing, or when pierced with a fork.

Prepare the Risotto:

• 1 1/2 C Pearl Barley, rinsed and drained
• 1/2 C Dry White Wine
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 Cloves of garlic, minced
• 4 C Stock/Broth
• 4 C Filtered water
• 2 t Olive Oil 
• sage leaves for frying

In a sauce pan over high heat bring the stock/broth and water to a boil, reduce to a simmer.

Start by heating the oil in a large skillet or saute pan over medium heat until you see the shimmer.  When heated just until the smoking point, toss in the sage leaves.  Cook until you see the oil travel to the center of the leaf and turn each one over.  Cook additionally for another few seconds and drain on paper towel.  (approx 15 seconds).  I didn't cook these long enough, but it's hard to tell.  They won't crisp until after they have drained.  All was not lost as the sage still flavored the oil and I chopped in and used to help finish the risotto.

After removing the sage, add in the onions and cook stirring regularly until softened. (approx 8 minutes).  Add int he garlic and cook stirring frequently until aromatic. (approx 1 minute) Add in the barley and stir to coat with the oil and distribute evenly with the onions.  Toast lightly.  (approx. 2 minutes) Add in the wine and cook until the wine is completely absorbed.

Add in 3 cups of stock and 1/2 the butternut squash.  Cook stirring at intervals until broth is completely absorbed.  (approx 25 minutes) Continue adding broth in 1/2 cup intervals and allow to absorb completely, until barley is soft, yet still has a bite to it.

Let's finish this:

• Sage, minced
• Nutmeg, freshly ground
• 1 T Unsalted Butter
• 1/2 C Shaved Parmesan
• Kosher Salt and Freshly ground pepper

Remove risotto from heat and stir in butter until melted, add in the Parmesan and the remaining ingredients and stir until incorporated.  Garnish with the fried sage leaves and eat immediately.

Enjoy!

Swedish Meatballs

I think it's fair to say that you can take anything edible, roll it into a ball and folks will get excited about it.  Maybe I think this because I'm a big fan of chocolate truffles and my husband is a huge fan of spaghetti and meatballs.  I think I could come home everyday and say, "Honey, we are going to have spaghetti and meatballs again," and he'd get excited about dinner. 

So tonight's meal in ball form was Swedish meatballs.  But, these were not the traditional as I used Chicken instead of beef or pork.  I also used rye bread for the bread crumbs which added another dimension.  What is consistent with the traditional recipe is the sauce made with sour cream and chicken broth, but I added peas for brightness and color and served it over spinach noodles.

Meatballs:

• 2 slices Rye bread (approx 2 oz)
• 1 lb skinless Chicken breast
• 1/2 t Kosher Salt
• 1/4 t freshly ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 t freshly ground Pepper
• 1 Egg White, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Cover sheet pan with foil, fit inside a cooling rack and spray liberally with cooking oil.  Set aside while you assemble the meatballs.

Tear the Rye bread slices into pieces and use your food processor to pulverize into crumbs.  Remove from food processor and set aside in a medium mixing bowl. 

Add chicken to food processor and pulse to grind.  Do not mince to a paste as that would be way gross.  Chicken is naturally sticky business, so medium grind is fine.  If you happen to have a meat grinder, totally break that out.  I'd like one, an attachment to my kitchen aid stand mixer, someday.

Combine chicken, bread crumbs, and the rest of the ingredients and mix thoroughly.  I used latex gloves because, well, you know... meat squishing between my fingers is kinda not a special feeling.  The result is tasty, but the process...  If only I could imagine it was play-doh!

Portion chicken into inch and a half balls.  I got 24 balls from this recipe.  I used a small cookie scoop to keep the balls a consistent size for even cooking.  Place onto the baking rack, into the oven for 20 minutes or until cooked through.  Don't over cook as these little balls will get tough.

The Sauce:

• 2 t Canola Oil
• 1 T All Purpose Flour
• 1 C Chicken Broth
• 8 oz Sour Cream
• 2 C Frozen Peas, thawed
• Fresh Parsley
• Salt & Pepper & Nutmeg to taste

Add oil to a large saucepan over medium heat, mine might have been too large.  Sprinkle in the flour and whisk to combine.  Allow the mixture to bubble up and add in the Chicken Broth.  Whisk thoroughly and bring to a boil.  This mixture should thicken slightly.  Add in the Sour Cream, whisking to evenly distribute.  Add in the peas as well as the meatballs and cover allowing mixture to simmer for 10 minutes or so.  Add in seasonings to taste.  Toss with the parsley.

The Pasta:

• 1/2 lb Pasta of choice
• Lots of boiling salted water

I used a spinach noodle.  You could use an egg noodle instead.  The sauce is not as heavy as an Alfredo, so I'd stick with the lighter noodles over a semolina variety.  Cook according to package instructions to al dente.  Drain, reserving some of the seasoned pasta water.

Add the noodles to the sauce.  If the mixture is too thick, thin with some of the pasta water. 

Enjoy!

And the Yeast goes Wild!

I've started, finally, to bake bread.  I know I've made bread before, with or without using the stand mixer, with or without using the bread machine.  And I've loved each of those loaves.  I've also been pushed and pulled to and from bread due to the evil carb-o-phobia.  But you know what?  I generally use whole grain flour, so I've decided not to be so concerned about thinking bread is evil and to submit to the fact that I truly enjoy it.  The process of tending to the dough.  The warmth and smell as it bakes.  And that first delicious hot slice that is delicately slathered with a soft bit of unsalted butter.  Yep, I'm baking like a mad woman lately and the experiment has been very rewarding.

I've mentioned my addiction to cookbooks.  Tim thinks I need a self help group, but I have my obsession under control.  I can stop at any time (although I never will).  Besides he benefits as much as I do from each new and inspirational acquisition.  However, I have something to admit... I've had a cookbook for over a dozen years that I never used.  You'd think with all the purging I've done over the years with every move (which since undergrad has averaged every 2 years) that this book would have hit the donation pile long ago.  It's not that I'm a hoarder, it's that I just wasn't ready to cook this way.  The book is Bread Alone.  

First a needless explanation.  I like to categorize everything.  There is not a friend on my Facebook that doesn't belong to a list that reminds me how we know each other.  My scrapbook sticker collection is bagged by their theme.  My beads are sorted by color, shape and size.  I recall people's faces by matching them in a category with others faces that have similar features or shape to allow for easy recall (I know that one is weird).  It's that sort of mind set that leads me to purchase cookbooks that are have a strong theme.  I only have two bread baking books, in my mind.  Even though over 60% of my cookbooks have a bread section, I will always reach for those two that are exclusively bread books first.  So knowing this... what took me so long to use this book?

Well I categorize everything for a reason.  It satisfies my need for instant gratification.  Was that a big leap in logic, stay with me here?  This wonderful resource, Bread Alone, is full of stories and old world techniques yet has not a single loaf of bread that can be assembled and baked in the same day.  Not one.  They all must start with a poolish, biga, or chef before they become a sourdough starter, before they rest, ferment, shaped and rise... and THEN are baked.  So I just never took the time to try it.  But I knew one day I would.  So I saved this precious book from the purge time and time again.  And I'm so glad I did.

In all honesty, the techniques aren't hard at all and require very little effort.  They just require patience and a bit of forethought.  In making the Rye chef all I did was this:

• Day 1 - combine 2/3 C (3 oz) stone ground Rye flour with 1/2 C filtered water (4 oz) and a pinch of yeast
• Stir, cover tightly, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours
• Stir again if you think about it, or not.  But stirring every once in a while gives the developing yeast something to munch on.

• Day 2 - add to the above, another 2/3 C stone ground Rye and 1/2 C filtered water 
• Stir, cover tightly, and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours
• Stir again if you think about it, or not.  

• Day 3 - Repeat Day 2
• Day 4 - Repeat Day 3

Now you have a ripe and wonderful 125% hydration (more water than flour) chef.  A portion of which will become the starter which will grow to become dough which will one day be baked into bread.  My starter after nurturing and harvesting eventually made 6 loaves.  I could have kept it going for months or years by storing in the fridge and reducing the feedings to once a week.  However, eventually you'd need to bake off some of the loaves, or share the chef with a friend or just waste it.  I've read you can freeze the chef, but I figured I'd just use it up and have Rubens for a while and give a loaf or three to my father-in-law.

The fantastic thing about this method is everything. This being a rye bread it's hard to imagine more intensity in the flavor, but you can believe it.  I had a half loaf of sliced rye from the bakers at our local Giant Eagle.  I've never had a complaint about their bread and in the past purchased their multi-grain Tuscany bread when I just didn't feel like baking and yet wanted to take sandwiches to work for lunch.  A bit before Christmas, Tim had a hankering for patty melts and my Rye chef was not yet mature so I brought home some rye, made the melts and everything was fine.  The rye chef matures and I bake two loaves.  I was able to compare your standard bakery rye with this more old-world rye and was totally surprised by the difference.  

The flavor in the old-world rye is much deeper and with significantly more personality with a subtle tang that lingers long after.  The color was more rich in my bread than in Giant Eagle's.  Their bread was pale and anemic in comparison to the deep almost nutmeg color.  In Giant Eagle's bread I could pick out the caraway seeds with a quick glance.  In the old-world bread the seeds were camouflaged by the hearty crumb.  The crusts were also diametrically opposed.  I used steam to create a chewy coat while the dry heat on the Giant Eagle rye produced a more simple and shallow crust.  And then there was the smell which was just as evocative as the taste.  

I say this freely admitting that I am not an especially skilled baker and therefore am not slathering myself with conceited compliments.  I followed the directions with excitement and enthusiasm, but didn't deviate.  So there was no personal influence on my part; this is just a fantastic way to coax a lot of flavor and character out of simple ingredients.  I also mean nothing against Giant Eagle's bread.  When I have a need and yet little desire to bake, I am happy to have them close by.

Now I am in the process of creating a Levain which is a traditional sourdough chef.  I have nurtured this for three days and stuck it in the fridge as I am not yet ready for the starter phase.  But this additional time allowed to ferment in the fridge will only deepen its flavor.  And when it comes to sourdough I like a LOT of flavor.  I want big tangy notes and a seriously chewy crust.  I want to eat this bread with nothing more than a thin slice of soft butter and be completely satisfied.

I'll post the recipe and photos soon!