Each afternoon when the boys come home from school, they have one thing on their minds: food.

“Mommy, I’m hungry.”

“Mommy, when are we going to eat?”

“Mommy, what’s our snack today?”

“Mommy, I’m starving. What’s for dinner?”

“Mommy, I don’t like that.”

“Mommy, I just want a lollipop for dinner.” (When Monkey Boy said that, I had to look away so he wouldn’t see me giggle.”)

Yes, we’ve heard it all, and some days trying to plan a dinner that all my picky eaters will eat makes me want to pull my hair out. Fortunately a recent experiment with pork tenderloin in the slow cooker turned out very well and all three boys ate that meal with gusto. I mixed up some Cajun spices and rubbed it all over the tenderloins, browned them, browned the onions, then slow cooked it all with white wine, potatoes, and carrots until the meat was fork tender. Michael and the boys went back for seconds and we have enjoyed the leftovers for lunch, too.

As Michael and I talked about how good the dish tasted we also bounced around ideas for different rubs, and I listed some of our ideas below. As for the vegetables, I used what we had on hand while doing a little vegetable bin clean out, but I think this could also be terrific with sweet potatoes, cauliflower, or parsnips.

One of the great things about this preparation is the extra flavor that comes with using white wine to deglaze the pan after browning the tenderloins and the onions, and you’ll need to use a standard skillet to get that beautiful brown, crusty coating (fond) on the pan. Nonstick pans typically inhibit the development of fond, though some manufacturers of higher end nonstick pans claim their products don’t. I think it depends on the pan and type of nonstick coating used, though admittedly I don’t have an arsenal of nonstick cookware to test that theory, but it would be a fun project sometime.

SLOW COOKER PORK TENDERLOIN

Serves 9 to 12.

Equipment

large skillet (not nonstick)
6-quart slow cooker
instant read thermometer

Ingredients

2 pounds (~900 g) pork tenderloin
canola oil
spice rub (Your choice, see ideas below.)
3 medium onions, halved and sliced
3 pounds (1.3 kilos) Russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size chunks
1 pound (454 g) baby carrots (or carrots cut into baby-size pieces)
1-1/2 to 2 cups (360-480 ml) dry white wine

Preparation

1. SPICE MIX: Pour ingredients into a shaker jar, put on the lid, and shake well. Store with other spices in a dark place.

2. PORK: Trim the pork tenderloin of any silver skin. Sprinkle some Cajun seasoning all over each tenderloin, rubbing it into the meat. Heat the skillet and pour in a few tablespoons of canola oil, just enough to cover the bottom of the pan. Place two of the tenderloins in the pan, keeping them slightly apart. Brown over medium to medium-high heat (heat level 6 on my cooktop), turning the tenderloins as they cook. Place the browned tenderloins in the bottom of the slow cooker, add the potato chunks and carrots and cover with the lid.

3. Cook the onions in the hot skillet until they are browned around the edges, but not fully caramelized, and add to the slow cooker.

4. Deglaze the pan with 1 cup of the white wine, then pour the drippings into the slow cooker. Add another half cup or so of white wine to the slow cooker, making sure there is enough in the bottom to keep the meat moist while cooking.

5. Cover and cook on low for about 7 hours, or on high for about 4 hours. For even cooking, about 2 hours before serving I pull out the tenderloins with tongs and let the vegetables fall into the bottom, place the tenderloins atop the vegetables, then recover. (Our slow cooker has an auto setting, which starts on high then automatically switches to low once cooking temperature has been reached, thus reducing cooking time by an hour or so.) When fully cooked the largest piece of tenderloin should register 160° F/71° C with an instant read thermometer (safe cooking temperature). The last time I made this the thermometer registered 165° F/74° C, and the meat was tender, juicy, and fell apart with a fork.

6. Slice and serve with the vegetables and broth.

Spice Rubs

CAJUN
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper
2 tablespoons ground white pepper
2 tablespoons ground black pepper
2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder

CREOLE (Emeril’s Essence)
2-1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

MEXICAN
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt

MOROCCAN
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

INDIAN
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 tablespoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or seeds from about 8 pods, crushed
3/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
3/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

More Slow Cooker Recipes

More Pork Tenderloin Recipes From Around the Blogs

Panini Happy – Breaded Pork Tenderloin Panini

Bell’ alimento – Napa Valley Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Simply Recipes – Chipotle Citrus Marinated Pork Tenderloin

White on Rice Couple – Grilled Pork Tenderloin Stuffed with Swiss Chard and Pineapple

Click the button to save this recipe to your Springpad.

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Around this time last year I received an email from Susan (Farmgirl Fare) telling me that I had won a box of fresh chanterelle mushrooms from Marx Foods in her giveaway. Once I recovered from the happy shock of winning two pounds of chanterelle mushroom I eagerly anticipated their arrival. When the box arrived at our door I was giddy with excitement. I don’t get giddy over too many things, but I was giddy over these chanterelles.

Chanterelles only grow wild and are usually found in the forest in areas with deep leafy debris from July to frost. They are considered a delicacy and are prized by chefs for their flavor and texture. They are at their best when sautéed with butter and onions but also work well in soups and just about anything with white wine and cream.

We had plenty of chanterelles to play with and play we did. First we prepared them in a simple sauté with butter, which tasted magical. Then we cooked them in Elise’s cream of wild mushroom soup, my favorite recipe for cream of mushroom soup, along with porcinis and morels and the combination was fantastic.

With a rather large supply of chanterelles still left we decided to add them to our stuffed pizza. I had a fleeting moment of concern that the other flavors in the pizza might overwhelm the chanterelles, but I worried needlessly. Their flavor came through and the pizza was delicious.

And now for the rest of the story…

I lost track of these photos last year, some of the first I shot with the new camera Michael gave me, and I finally gave up on writing this post because I didn’t have anymore chanterelles to replicate the effort. Then out of the blue I stumbled across the photos last week, almost one year to the day that Susan sent me the news on winning the chanterelles, and I knew I wanted to post this pizza recipe and finally publicly express my thanks to Susan and Marx Foods for the delicious gift.

STUFFED PIZZA WITH SPINACH AND CHANTERELLES

Makes one (12-inch) stuffed pizza.

Equipment

2 large mixing bowls
2-quart pot with lid
deep dish pizza pan, 12″ diameter x 2″ deep

Ingredients

1 recipe Chicago-style stuffed pizza dough
1 recipe stuffed pizza sauce
8 ounces (226 g) chanterelle mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
6 ounces (170 g) fresh baby spinach leaves, rinsed
8 ounces (226 g) grated mozzarella cheese
grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the dough and the sauce per the instructions in Chicago-Style Stuffed Pizza.

2. ASSEMBLE: Preheat the oven to 450° F/230° C. Punch down the dough and turn it out onto a work surface. Knead for about 1 minute. Divide the dough into two pieces, about 1/3 and 2/3 of the dough. Roll out the larger piece in a large circle until it is about 3 (7.6 cm) inches larger than the pan and 1/8 inch (3 mm) thick. Oil the bottom and sides of the pan. Place the dough into the pan and push it into the bottom and sides. The dough should overlap the pan by about 1 inch (2.5 cm). Trim the excess dough with a knife, and set the pan aside. Roll out the second piece until it is about the same size as the pan.

3. Toss the cheese and spinach together in the medium mixing bowl, and then put it into the pizza pan. Sprinkle with the chanterelle mushrooms. Lay the second piece of dough on top, then crimp the two edges of the dough together with your fingers to form a thick border. Press down on the filling with your hand, and cut a 1-inch (2.5 cm) slit in the center of the top crust to allow steam to escape. Spread the tomato sauce evenly over the top crust and sprinkle with more grated parmesan cheese.

4. BAKE: Place the pizza pan on the lowest rack for 10 minutes, then move it to the middle rack for 25-30 minutes, until the crust is golden brown. Transfer from the pan to a large wooden cutting board and let it stand for a few minutes before cutting.

More Pizzas

More Chanterelle Recipes From Around the Blogs

Hunter Angler Gardener Cook – Chanterelles and the Sexiest Soup Ever

No Recipes – Chanterelle Tempura Soba

Anne’s Food – Delicious Chanterelle Risotto

Delicious Days – Pretzel Dumplings with Creamed Chanterelle Mushrooms

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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Why would a Peruvian grilled chicken recipe have soy sauce? Peru has hosted a large Japanese expatriate population since the late 1800s, and over the years Asian flavors mingled with local and European flavors to create one of the most diverse cuisines in the world. I didn’t know this when I lived in South America in the early 1990s. While living in Colombia I did have big plans to visit Peru, Brazil, Chile, and Argentina but simply ran out of time in my two short years there, though I did make it to Ecuador a couple times. I still hold out hope that someday I’ll go back to travel in the region and enjoy the local cuisines.

This grilled chicken is simple to prepare and has big payoffs in flavor. I leave it in the marinade for up to 24 hours then grill and serve with whatever vegetables are on the menu or use it for sandwiches or salad toppers. The marinade helps keep the chicken moist as it cooks, and it always finishes nice and juicy.

I’ve given directions for cooking on a grill pan with boneless chicken breasts, and the Variations includes directions for cooking on gas and charcoal grills and in the oven. I cooked this chicken on the Scanpan I reviewed, and today is the last day for the Scanpan giveaway. Make sure you enter before 9 pm EST, just leave a comment on the Scanpan giveaway post about your favorite grilling food. Only comments at the original giveaway post will be entered.

More Grilled Chicken Recipes

PERUVIAN GRILLED CHICKEN

Makes about 2 to 4 servings.

Equipment

small bowl or jar with a lid
plastic sealable bag
grill or grill pan

Ingredients

1/3 cup (80 ml) low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
5 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 whole chicken (about 3 1/2 pounds/1.5 kilos), quartered (I use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts on the grill pan.)
lime wedges

Preparation

1. MARINATE: Whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, garlic, cumin, paprika, oregano, pepper, and oil. Put chicken in a large sealable bag and add marinade. Seal the bag and marinate in the refrigerator 8 to 24 hours.

2. Discard the marinade, then pat chicken dry.

3. Preheat the grill pan over medium-high and add the chicken. Place the chicken pieces on the pan, cooking 7 to 10 minutes per side (less if they are boneless or very thin), turning once.

4. Squeeze lime juice over the chicken and serve.

Variations

GAS GRILL: Preheat the grill on high. Oil the grill rack and grill the chicken over a turned-off burner, skin side down and covered. Turn once after about 15 minutes and grill until cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes.

CHARCOAL GRILL: Open vents on bottom and lid of grill. Light a large chimney starter full of charcoal (preferably hardwood). When coals are lit, dump them out along opposite sides of bottom rack, leaving a space free of coals (the size of the quartered chicken) in middle. When you can hold your hand 5 inches above the grill rack directly over coals for 3 to 4 seconds, coals will be medium-hot. Oil the grill rack, then grill chicken over the area with no coals. Turn once after about 15 minutes, and continue grilling until cooked through, about 30 to 35 minutes. Add more charcoal to maintain heat.

OVEN: Roast the chicken quarters in middle of a 500°F/260° C oven in a 13- by 9-inch roasting pan with 1 cup water for 30 minutes. Then tent with foil and roast until brown and cooked through, about 15 minutes more.

References

Wikipedia – Peruvian Cuisine

Wikipedia – Japanese Peruvian

More Grilled Chicken From Around the Blogs

Kalyn’s Kitchen – How to Make Juicy Grilled Chicken Breasts

Simply Recipes – Chipotle Grilled Chicken with Avocado Sandwich

Steamy Kitchen – Ginger, Soy and Whiskey Grilled Chicken

Canela and Comino – Lager & Lemon Grilled Chicken

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Source: adapted from Epicurious

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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I don’t have any Creole or Cajun relatives (that I know of), so for authentic recipes I turn to some of my favorite cookbooks. Emeril calls this particular recipe his “Clean Out the Ice Box and Freezer” Jambalaya, my kind of food, particularly now because after the holidays and fall harvest we have a freezer stuffed full of…stuff. After going through it a week ago we renewed our commitment to using up some of the stash and cleaning it out over the next month, which will of course make room for more stuff. The cycle never ends.

The recipe is pretty straight forward, but I made a few modifications as a I went. First of all, I couldn’t believe it had no celery and I added some anyway. The recipe calls for a mix of dark and white meat, but since Michael doesn’t care for dark meat I used only white meat. I also used brown rice instead of white rice and reduced the oil to 1/3 cup. Not much of a difference in the amount of oil, I know, but I think the recipe turned out just fine. And because this was dinner for all of us, I cut back on the cayenne so the boys could enjoy it too. Michael made up for the lack of heat by pouring some hot sauce onto his servings.

This is an easy dish to prepare, and it’s practically a meal in a pot. Add a green salad or other green vegetable and you are set.

Like many recipes calling for meat, this one has weight measurements, which are more precise than measuring by cups (i.e. 3 cups of sliced sausage).  We buy frozen shrimp in two pounds bags then just weight out what we need each time. A kitchen scale is a handy piece of gear for weighing all kinds of ingredients for cooking and baking. I use mine all the time for weighing meat, vegetables, fruits, flour, nuts, just about anything.

For this week’s celebration of the third anniversary of Andrea’s Recipes, I’m giving away a kitchen scale courtesy of Eat Smart. The scale has a digital display and weighs in both grams/kilos and ounces/pounds and allows you to change them on the fly. It has a simple tare function so you can put a bowl on the scale then turn it on, and the scale will register zero, giving you accurate measurement for the ingredients you add to the bowl. It’s small enough that it won’t take up much space in your kitchen, but sturdy enough to handle up to 11 pounds.

To enter the contest just leave a comment telling us about your favorite meal that helps you clean out your freezer or refrigerator. Please make sure your email address is correct so I can contact you if you are the lucky winner. The scale can be shipped to United States addresses. The contest closes at midnight EST on Wednesday January 22, 2009, and Random.org will select the winner. Look for the announcement of the winner in this post soon after.

UPDATE: Congratulations to Nicole, comment #6, the winner of the kitchen scale!

JAMBALAYA WITH SHRIMP, CHICKEN, ANDOUILLE, AND HAM

Makes about 10 to 12 servings.

Equipment

large cast iron Dutch oven

Ingredients

1/2 cup (120 ml) canola oil (I used 1/3 cup and it came out fine.)
1 pound (~1/2 k) andouille sausage, cut crosswise into 1/4-inch slices
3 medium to large yellow onions, chopped
2 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
1/2 cup (~55 g) chopped green bell peppers
1/2 cup (~55 g) chopped red bell peppers
2 teaspoons salt, divided
1 teaspoon Creole seasoning (Recipe follows or you can use a purchased blend.)
1 teaspoon cayenne, divided
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1-1/2 pounds (680 g) boneless chicken meat, cut into 1-inch cubes (You can use white or dark meat or a mix of white and dark meat.)
1/2 pound (227 g) ham, cubed
3 bay leaves
3 cups medium-grain white rice (I use brown rice.)
6 cups (1.420 liters) water
1/2 pound (227 g) shelled shrimp, thawed if from frozen
5 green onions, chopped, green tops only
1/4 cup (10 g) chopped fresh parsley

EMERIL’S CREOLE SEASONING
2-1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried leaf oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Preparation

1. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the sausage and cook until it start to render the fat. Add the onions, bell peppers, 1 teaspoon of the salt, the Creole seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of the cayenne. Stirring often, brown the vegetables and sausage until they are caramelized, about 15 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot to loosen any browned particles (fond). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

2. Season the chicken with the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon cayenne. Add the chicken, ham, and the bay leaves to the pot. Brown the chicken for 8 minutes, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any browned bits.

3. Add the rice and stir for 2 to 3 minutes to coat evenly. Add the water, stir to combine, and cover. Cook over medium heat for 30 to 35 minutes, without stirring, or until the rice is tender and the liquid has been absorbed.

4. Lay the shrimp on top of the cooked rice during the last 5 minutes of cooking and steam until just pink. Remove the pot from the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 to 3 minutes. Remove the bay leaves. Stir in the green onions and parsley, and serve.

More Easy Meals

More Jambalaya Recipes From Around the Blogs

NOLA Cuisine – Crawfish and Tasso Jambalaya

FatFree Vegan Kitchen – Tofu Jambalaya

The Perfect Pantry – Arlo’s Saskatchewan Chicken Jambalaya

Hedonia – Jambalaya

References

Wikipedia – Jambalaya

Wikipedia – Cajun Cuisine

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Source: adapted from New New Orleans Cooking, by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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When I started the South Beach Diet a few weeks ago, I had to rethink some of our meals, and less pasta was high on the list. It’s easy to get good fresh vegetables at this time of year, and we’ve kept the refrigerator stocked. I’ve had eggplant lasagna on many occasions, but always with the noodles, so this time I decided to use the eggplant in place of the noodles, thus keeping the hearty comfort food a little healthier.

Grilling the eggplant lends a nice smoky flavor to the lasagna, and I left the skin on to help hold the slices together on the grill. The sauce is our favorite spaghetti sauce from Michael’s mom, and the rest is just easy layering and baking. I made this on a weeknight after simmering the sauce all morning and afternoon, but you could also make this a weekend family meal or even for company in individual portions.

Equipment

grill
9×13 baking pan
medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

1 recipe spaghetti sauce
1 eggplant, 16 ounces (~454 g) or larger
olive oil
15 ounces (425 g) part-skim ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan + more for sprinkling on top
2 teaspoons dried basil or 3/4 cup (~30 g) fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces (227 g) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preparation

1. Prepare the sauce according to the directions. You can make this ahead and store in the refrigerator or freezer. If frozen, thaw before using.

2. Preheat the grill to medium, about 350° F/175° C.

3. Slice the eggplant into 1/4-inch (0.5 cm) rounds with the skin still on. Brush with olive oil. Grill for about 3 to 4 minutes per side.

4. Preheat the oven to 350° F/175° C.

5. In the medium mixing bowl, stir together the ricotta, egg, grated Parmesan, and dried basil. If using fresh basil, leave it out for now.

6. Spread a ladle or two of the prepared sauce in the bottom of the baking dish. Lay down a row of the grilled eggplant, then spread about 1/3 of the ricotta cheese mixture. It doesn’t have to look pretty, just make sure that it is evenly distributed, even if it’s in clumps. If using fresh basil, add 1/2 of the leaves in a layer.

7. Add about 2 more cups of sauce, then half the remaining grilled eggplant, 1/2 of the remaining cheese mixture, and the rest of the fresh basil (if using).

8. Add another 2 cups of the sauce, the rest of the grilled eggplant, and the rest of the ricotta cheese mixture. Spread the remaining sauce on top then top with the shredded mozzarella and some more Parmesan.

9. Bake uncovered in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, until the lasagna is cooked all the way through and the top is bubbly and golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to sit for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

More Italian Recipes

More Lasagna Recipes From Around the Blogs

101 Cookbooks – Thousand Layer Lasagne

Ms. Adventures in Italy – 3 Cheese Pesto Vegetable Lasagna

Kalyn’s Kitchen – Grilled Zucchini Lasagna with Italian, Sausage, Tomato, and Basil Sauce

One Hot Stove – Roasted Squash Onion Lasagna

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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With zucchini in season and a garden full of herbs, I had plenty to work with for creating a quick and easy meal. For this dish, I sauteed shallots and garlic, tossed in some baby portabella mushrooms and julienne zucchini, added some lemon basil chiffonade, then finished it off with a dry white wine and some grated Parmesan.

Using julienne and thinly sliced vegetables makes the dish cook up faster and adds some visual interest as well. You can find julienne peelers or mandolines at many stores or online, or you can use a very sharp knife and cut thin slices and then stack the slices and thin slice again lengthwise for julienne. To chiffonade the basil, lay the leaves on top of each other, then roll them into a cigar shape. Using a sharp knife, slice across the cigar starting at one end and working your way to the other, making very thin cuts.

You can user either lemon or Genovese basil, though we liked the fresh light flavor from the lemon basil.

Other Recipes with Zucchini

Equipment

large skillet
8-quart pot with lid

Ingredients

3 tablespoons olive oil
3 shallots, thinly sliced into rings
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 ounces (227 g) baby portabella mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 medium zucchini, julienned
2 handfuls lemon basil leaves, cut into chiffonade (or you can use Genovese basil)
8 ounces (237 ml) dry white wine
1/4 cup (25 g) grated Parmesan
16 ounces (454 g) farfalle (bow tie pasta), cooked (Prepare while cooking the vegetables.)

Preparation

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.

2. Add the shallots and garlic, and saute until wilted and limp.

3. Add the mushrooms and saute for 2 minutes, then add the zucchini. Cook until the zucchini softens, about 4 minutes.

4. Add the basil chiffonade and white wine, and cook until the wine reduces by about one half. Add the grated Parmesan and cook for 2 more minutes. Toss with the cooked farfalle.

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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I always feel so elegant when eating crepes, even if I’m tres casual at the time. We’ve enjoyed them on several occasions since trying the wonderful recipe in The Sweet Melissa Baking Book, and each time I glanced at my herb garden, thinking about adding herbs to the batter and making some savory crepes. After I stumbled across this recipe at Epicurious, I knew I had to make it.

The crepes are slightly crispy when they come out of the oven topped with grated Parmesan, and you just pour on that slightly spicy sauce and serve. It’s one of those dishes that’s great for company because you can prepare the crepes and sauce a day or two ahead, then whip up the filling just before assembling and baking. As someone who is fond of baked manicotti, I found this much easier because you don’t have to stuff the pasta and worry about it breaking. The crepes roll up around the ricotta filling and go in and out of the pan easily. Michael said, “Wow!” when I plated them and kept saying how good they tasted. I guess the flavorful crepes made him feel pretty special, too.

This is my entry for this month’s Grow Your Own event. The fresh basil and parsley came from our indoor herb garden. When bell peppers are in season, you can use those instead of the spinach in the filling, and of course fresh tomatoes straight from the garden will taste delicious in the sauce.

Other Recipes You Might Like

Equipment

crepe pan or similar skillet
3-quart pot with lid
10-inch skillet
9×13 baking dish, coated with butter

Ingredients

CREPES
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons chicken broth
3 large eggs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/2 tablespoon salt
1/3 cup minced fresh basil leaves

TOMATO SAUCE (I usually double this.)
1 (14 to 16-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
3/4 cup peeled, seeded, and diced fresh tomatoes

FILLING
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound part-skim ricotta cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/4 cup minced parsley

FOR FINISHING
1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter, for brushing on the crepes
2 tablespoon grated Parmesan, for sprinkling on top

Preparation

1. CREPE BATTER: In a blender or food processor blend the flour, the broth, the eggs, the butter, and the salt for 5 seconds. Turn off the motor, with a rubber spatula scrape down the sides of the container, and blend the batter for 20 seconds more. Transfer the batter to a bowl, stir in the herbs, and let the batter stand, covered, for 1 hour. The batter may be made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled. Makes enough batter for about 16 crepes.

2. MAKE THE CREPES: Heat a crepe pan or non-stick skillet measuring 6 to 7 inches across the bottom over moderate heat until it is hot. Brush the pan lightly with the butter, heat it until it is hot but not smoking, and remove it from the heat. Stir the batter, half fill a 1/4-cup measure with it, and pour the batter into the pan. Tilt and rotate the pan quickly to cover the bottom with a layer of batter and return any excess batter to bowl. Return the pan to the heat, loosen the edge of the crepe with a spatula, and cook the crepe for 1 minute, or until the top appears almost dry. Turn the crepe, cook the other side lightly, and transfer the crepe to a plate. Make crepe with the remaining batter in the same manner, brushing the pan lightly with butter as necessary. The crepes may be made 3 days in advance, kept stacked, wrapped in plastic wrap, and chilled.

3. TOMATO SAUCE: In the 3-quart pot, stir together the tomatoes, salt, sugar, tomato paste, basil, and the cayenne. Bring the mixture to a boil, and simmer, stirring, for 20 minutes. Add the fresh tomatoes and cook the mixture for 5 minutes. Serve the sauce warm. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

4. Preheat the oven to 400°F with the rack in the middle.

5. FILLING: In a skillet cook the spinach in the oil over moderately low heat, stirring, until it starts to wilt, add the garlic, and cook the mixture, stirring, for 1 minute. In a bowl stir together the spinach mixture, the ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Set the filling aside to cool.

6. ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Spread about 2 tablespoons of the filling on each crepe and roll up jelly-roll fashion. Arrange the crepes, seam sides down, in the buttered baking pan in one layer. Brush them lightly with the butter, and sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan. Bake the crepes for 20 minutes and serve them with the sauce.

VARIATIONS

Substitute 1 large bell pepper, diced, for the spinach.

Double the tomato sauce recipe and save the extras for pasta.

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Source: adapted from Gourmet, 1991

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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I wish I could come home after picking up the kids from school and have time to cook a nice meal. I long for a calm, zen-like cooking experience each day, but instead I find myself chasing after my sons who prefer to run amok, trying to keep them from raiding the refrigerator and the pantry even though I fed them a snack as soon as we got home. We had to put locks on to keep the Three Amigos from eating us out of house and home. Yesterday’s meal was supposed to happen on Monday, but the events of the day and the constant distractions left me disorganized and frustrated at dinner time and I pulled out some leftover pasta sauce and boiled some spaghetti. Now there’s nothing wrong with that, and in fact spaghetti with tomato sauce and/or meatballs is Michael’s favorite meal, but I had a grilling recipe up my sleeve for Cinco de Mayo which I had to grudgingly postpone.

I thought I could start some of the prep for dinner on Tuesday morning, but Monday night we remembered Top Gun, our three-year-old, had a project due for school the next day and I needed to finish some prep work on that before we could do it in the morning. So Tuesday morning was spent cutting photos and pasting them memory-book style onto a piece of paper describing his favorite things, and then we wrote our story about Spike’s visit (Spike is the class mascot, a stuffed kangaroo) and pasted more pictures onto that story.

After dropping the boys off at school I did a little dance in my head thinking our toddler would go down for his afternoon nap and I could do all my prep work, but that was optimistic on my part. For the second day in a row he refused to take a nap and I ended up with a cranky toddler for the afternoon. I hope he doesn’t give up naps early like his oldest brother!

Michael was late getting off work and the boys demanded my total attention for the rest of the day, so I finally tossed a burger and some dogs on the grill for them and saved the fish tacos for a quiet dinner just for the two of us after we got the Three Amigos to bed! We grilled in the dark, talking about our day and the refrigerator that isn’t working and debated whether to repair or replace. Mundane conversation, perhaps, but relaxing nonetheless, and it was time we had to ourselves. Michael said he loved the tacos and the salsa, and the cold beer with a lime wedge tasted pretty good after a busy day.

P.S. Don’t forget about the Grilled Pizzas & Piadinas cookbook give away! Visit the original post to enter. The deadline is Sunday May 11 at 6 pm EST.

GRILLED FISH TACOS WITH MANGO-AVOCADO SALSA

Equipment

grill
grill wok or skillet (Thanks for the Christmas present, Mom & Dad!), coated with cooking spray
medium bowl or a one gallon plastic zip bag
3 medium serving bowls
liquid measuring cup

Ingredients

3 mahi mahi fillets, cut into chunks
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

SLAW
2 cups red cabbage, sliced thin
5 or 6 green onions, sliced thin
1/4 cup light sour cream
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

SALSA
1 mango, cut into small chunks
1 avocado, cut into small chunks
1 jalapeño, finely diced
1 red onion, finely diced
3 tablespoons finely chopped cilantro
2 limes, juiced

THE EXTRAS
tortillas, corn or flour
1 red pepper, sliced thin
Monterrey jack cheese, shredded

Preparation

1. Preheat the grill.

2. FISH: Stir together the spices and toss with the fish in the bowl or the zipper bag. Set aside.

3. SLAW: In the serving bowl, toss together the sliced cabbage and onions. Measure the cider vinegar in the measuring cup and add the sour cream and salt. Stir until thoroughly mixed, then pour over the cabbage and onions, and stir until the vegetables are evenly coated.

4. SALSA: In the serving bowl, toss together the mango, avocado, jalapeño, onion, and cilantro. Squeeze the limes over the bowl and stir gently.

5. GRILL: Pour the spiced fish into the lightly greased grill skillet/wok and cook over medium heat for about 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally for even cooking. Fish should be slightly firm and opaque when finished.

6. SERVE: Layer your tacos in this order: Slaw, red peppers, fish, salsa, cheese. Enjoy with a cold Corona and lime.

More Recipes with Mango

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Though somewhat clouded in history, chicken tikka masala is clearly based on chicken tikka, a popular dish from South Asia. Chicken tikka is made by baking chicken pieces that have been marinaded in yogurt and spices, and often the pieces are skewered and baked in a tandoor, an Indian clay oven, though in some areas the meat is cooked over hot coals. The masala is actually a curry sauce or gravy, and the cooked chicken is added to the sauce, then the chicken and sauce is served with rice or warm naan.

If you’ve never made a curry, this is a very easy recipe to start with. You might have to visit an Asian grocery store to find pure Indian chile powder, cardamom, and garam masala, though I have seen them all at Wegman’s in the Indian foods aisle, or you can make garam masala yourself. The ingredients vary depending on which recipe you follow, and believe me when I say I found a lot of different recipes on the Net. I’ve been cooking with garam masala for a few years, and I can’t live without it now. We love the spicy, roasted flavors in all kinds of dishes.

I use cardamom pods and grind the seeds fresh because I love the flavor and aroma. The pods are either green or black, though green is the most common, and you have to break open the dried pod to find the tiny black seeds inside. The aromatic and flavorful seeds are used in tea, coffee, curries, and sweets. This recipe calls for 1/4 teaspoon of ground cardamom, and I used the seeds from four pods and ground them with a mortar and pestle.

The recipe calls for a 35-ounce can of whole peeled tomatoes, but since I only had 28-ounce cans on hand I used one of those and added a 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes and increased the spices accordingly. This comfort food is easy to make, it just requires some planning. The chicken marinades overnight in the yogurt and spice mixture, then bakes for about 12 minutes. The curry sauce takes about 50 to 60 minutes to prepare and cook, so if you cook the chicken and rice while the sauce is going you can have dinner ready in about an hour.

[Updated December 19,2009.]

CHICKEN TIKKA MASALA

Adapted from Food & Wine, September 2003.

Serves 4.

Equipment

large glass bowl
baking sheet, lined with aluminum foil
small skillet
food processor or mini chopper
4 to 6-quart dutch oven

Ingredients

MASALA MARINADE
1 cup (240 ml) plain low-fat yogurt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1-1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom or seeds from 4 pods, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
Salt and freshly ground pepper

CHICKEN
2-1/2 pounds (1.133 k) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, fat trimmed

SAUCE
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 cup blanched whole almonds
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1-1/2 tablespoons garam masala
1-1/2 teaspoons pure chile powder (For the best flavor, choose one that just has chiles, no other spices.)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 (35-ounce/992 g) can peeled tomatoes, finely chopped, juices reserved
Pinch of sugar
1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream

SERVE WITH
basmati rice
rice pilaf
warm naan

Preparation

1. MAKE THE MASALA MARINADE: In the large glass bowl, combine the yogurt, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, cardamom, cayenne and turmeric. Season with salt and pepper.

2. MARINADE THE CHICKEN: Using a sharp knife, make two or three shallow slashes in each piece of chicken. Add the chicken to the marinade, turn to coat, then cover and refrigerate overnight.

3. ROAST THE ALMONDS: In the small skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of the oil. Add the almonds and cook over moderate heat, stirring constantly, until golden, about 5 minutes. Transfer the almonds to a plate and let cool completely while you make the sauce. In the food processor, pulse the almonds until finely ground and set aside.

4. Preheat the broiler and position the oven rack about 8 inches from the heat.

5. START THE SAUCE: In the dutch oven, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil until shimmering. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender and golden, about 8 minutes. Add the garam masala, chile powder, and cayenne and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes with all the juices and the sugar, and season with salt and pepper. Cover partially and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.

6. BAKE THE CHICKEN: While preparing the sauce, remove the chicken from the marinade, scraping off as much of the marinade as possible. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and spread the pieces on the foil-lined baking sheet. Broil the chicken, turning once, until just cooked through and browned in spots, about 12 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and after cooling a few minutes, cut it into 2-inch pieces.

7. FINISH THE SAUCE: After the sauce has simmered, add the cream and ground almonds and cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until thickened, about 10 minutes longer. Stir in the chicken pieces. Simmer gently for 10 minutes, stirring frequently.

Other Dishes You Might Enjoy

Naan, Fluffy Style

Chicken Ceylon with Masala Gravy

Resources

Wikipedia – Chicken Tikka Masala

Wikibooks – Cookbook: Chicken Tikka Masala

Wikipedia – Chicken Tikka

About.com – Indian Food: The Magic Spice – Garam Masala

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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Big cuts of meat scare me. No, I don’t have nightmares about them, but for years I have studiously avoided them because I hate to ruin a good piece of meat. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter were the only times of the year when I would break out a big roasting pan and tackle anything bigger than a chicken. The thought of botching a beautiful piece of meat and inadvertently turning it into a tough piece of shoe leather offends many of my sensibilities.

In our last installment of Grow Your Own, Susan at Farmgirl Fare shared a simple technique for lamb spareribs, and I felt inspired. Maybe I would give lamb a go sometime. Maybe for Easter. It had been years since I had lamb. The last time I remember tasting lamb was at least 12 years ago in Saudi Arabia, and before that the last time was in New Zealand in 1992. I couldn’t even remember what it tasted like. It was time for my taste buds and lamb to get reacquainted, and I just hoped I could make something with lots of flavor that Michael would enjoy, too. I brought a leg of lamb home and Michael said, “You got what?” He’s not a fan, but with a little coaxing he was game for my not-so-little experiment.

I thought about roasting technique, considering whether to go for the slow roast or the a quick sear followed by a slow cook. I thought about seasonings, knowing I usually favor simple flavors when dealing with a good cut of meat, but also wanting to add some flavors that Michael likes. I read the lamb sections in several of my favorite cookbooks and finally settled on a recipe from The Silver Palate Cookbook, which called for marinading the meat in a mixture of herbs, wine and other ingredients, then roasting with Dijon mustard and a layer of cracked peppercorns. I knew he would go for the peppercorns. Based on the choice of the peppercorn crust, I decided to go for a slow roast method to help prevent burning.

I changed the ingredients up a bit based on what was in my pantry and what sounded good to me. I skipped the soy sauce and substituted apple cider vinegar in place of raspberry vinegar. My rosemary plant bit the dust early this winter, and my mint was overcome by whiteflies last month, so I had to rethink some of the flavors. After considering several options, I finally deciding on a few sprigs of thyme from my indoor garden instead. While mint would have been good, I was pleased with the thyme flavor in the marinade and I think it went well with the purchased rosemary. The peppercorns were crunchy and looked beautiful spread all over the surface of the meat.

The boys were starving by the time I got Easter dinner on the table, and both the three-year-old and the toddler happily wolfed down three helpings of the roast! (Kids, there’s a lesson here! To make your mother happy, you should try everything on your plate AND ask for seconds!) The leftovers also got a good workout when I made a lamb stew yesterday, which was based on a slow cooker beef barley soup recipe we like. All in all, I would call this experiment a success.

Equipment

small bowl
pan for marinading
plastic wrap
roasting pan, just large enough for the roast
kitchen twine
meat thermometer

Ingredients

4 to 5 pound leg of lamb, boned
3 tablespoons whole mixed peppercorns, crushed (divided)
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves (I used 3 sprigs of thyme leaves.)
5 cloves garlic, crushed
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tablespoons prepared Dijon mustard

Preparation

1. In the small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon of crushed peppercorns, the rosemary leaves, mint leaves, garlic, cider vinegar, and the red wine. Put the lamb into the plastic bag and pour in the marinade. Allow to marinade at least 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Reserve the remaining two tablespoons of peppercorns.

2. Remove the lamb from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes prior to roasting.

3. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

4. Remove the lamb from the bag, reserving the marinade, and place it in the roasting pan. Tie the lamb in two or three places depending on length. Spread the mustard over the surface of the meat and press the remaining peppercorns into the mustard. Pour the reserved marinade around, not on, the meat. Insert the meat thermometer into the thickest part of the lamb.

5. Bake until the meat thermometer registers 130° to 135° F, approximately 18 minutes per pound, which will give you a medium-rare roast. If you want medium, cook until 140° F. Remove from the oven and loosely cover the roast with aluminum foil. Allow the meat to rest about 15 minutes before slicing. Remove the kitchen twine and slice into 1/2-inch pieces. Serve immediately.

Other Good Recipes for Lamb

Simply Recipes – Roast Leg of Lamb

Farmgirl Fare – Herb and Onion Crusted Lamb Spareribs

Farmgirl Fare – Grilled Lamb Burgers

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Source: adapted from the The Silver Palate Cookbook, by Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins

Thanks for reading this blog through a feed! Copyright © 2005-2010 Andrea Meyers: cooking, gardening & four hungry guys.

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