Apple Betty

The epitome of comfort food inspired by a dish served at a dude ranch on Lake Sherman in the Adirondacks.

Ridin’ Hy Apple Betty
6 large apples, peeled, cored and sliced
juice of ½ lemon
2 tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar
1 box yellow cake mix
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup brown sugar
¼ tsp salt
2 sticks butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Mix apples and lemon in a large bowl. Toss with the cinnamon and sugar. In another bowl, mix together the cake mix, oatmeal, brown sugar and salt. Stir in the butter.

Distribute apples in an oiled 13x9” baking pan. Crumble topping evenly on top of apples.

Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until apples are bubbly and topping is browned.

Boxing Day Soups

Cold. Tired of Christmas Cheer. Need something warm and soothing. Invite 25 people over and serve them Mexican soups. They’ll smile. You’ll smile.

Pork Posole
Don’t kid yourself, this soup takes time – like the best soups or stews, it should be started the day before to mature flavors and allow you to cool the soup and completely remove all the fat – this is a post-Christmas recipe; it’s supposed to be healthful – so get to work! Posole is corn soaked and softened with alkali (hominy) or, also known as a stew made with pork and, well posole.

1 4-lb pork shoulder roast
1 large onion, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb tomatillos, peeled and quartered
1 15-oz can hominy
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 can chopped mild green chilies

Preheat oven to 400F on Christmas afternoon. In a large Dutch oven sear the pork roast in a bit of canola oil, browning all sides. Toss in the onions, cumin and fennel halfway through browning the meat, stirring often. Sprinkle with oregano. Transfer to the oven and bake for 1 hour, skin-side up. Add a bit of water if onions dry out too much.

Now transfer Dutch oven to the stovetop and add the garlic. Sauté 2 to 3 minutes over medium heat, until the garlic becomes fragrant. Add 2 quarts water and the tomatillos and bring to a boil. You may need to cut the roast up a bit to make sure all the meat is submerged in liquid. Cover and cook for another hour or so – stirring often.

Remove the meat and allow to cool enough handle. Pull the pork apart along the grain. Strain the stock and refrigerate for several hours, until the fat solidifies on the surface – don’t worry, you’re gonna get rid of it all! Now scrape all the fat away (use a large sharp metal cooking spoon) from the surface and discard. Return the meat to the stock and add the hominy, chipotle and chilies. Reheat to a simmer and cook at least another half hour – the longer the better. Serve with tortillas.

Mexican Gulf Shrimp Soup
The secret to this soup is roasting the shrimp shells. This is inspired by a wonderful shrimp soup of friends Caren and Eric – but ‘souped’ up with Southwestern flavors. Serves 8.

2 lbs shrimp, peeled (shells well-drained and reserved)
2 quarts water (or chicken stock)
1 red pepper, diced
1 orange pepper, diced
1 jalapeno pepper
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup rice
1/2 can diced green chilies
2 stalks green onion, finely diced
fresh nutmeg

In a soup pot, sauté shrimp shells in 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil over medium-high heat, stirring often, until very fragrant – at least 10-15 minutes. Add water (or stock) and bring to a boil. Return to a simmer, and cook for an hour. Strain and reserve stock.

Meanwhile sauté the peppers in a bit of olive oil, until softened and browned. Add the garlic for the last 1-2 minutes, until fragrant. Return the stock to a large soup pot and add the rice and the peeled shrimp. Salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook another 20 minutes. Add the peppers, chilies, green onions and nutmeg, and cook another minute or two.

Beans, Greens and Grains

These ingredients are great together in a soup, stew or ragout – whatever you want to name it. The beans and grains complement each other to produce complete protein, and the greens pack mega vitamins, minerals and great taste. What more could you ask – especially in winter?

A recurring theme in these dishes is a mix of green lentils with red lentils for body and a grain like wheat berry or barley for texture – this makes for a rich vegetarian ragout.

Cajun Chickpea Stew with Sweet Potato and Okra
1 large onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Cajun spice mix (such as Emeril’s Essence)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
2-3 cups water
¼ cup green lentils
¼ cup red lentils
2 Tbsp pearl barley
1 15-0z can Chickpeas
1 medium sweet potato
½ lb frozen okra

Sauté the onion, pepper, carrot and celery in a bit of olive oil in a soup pot. For about 10 minutes, until the vegetables are softened and beginning to caramelize. Add the garlic and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add the spice mix, stock, water, lentils and barley and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, peel and dice the sweet potato to ¼ to ½ inch pieces. When 20 minutes are up, add the potatoes, along with the chickpeas to the stew. Return to a boil, stir and reduce heat to a simmer. Add more water if necessary. Cook another 20 minutes, or until the sweet potato is tender. Add the okra and cook just enough to heat it through. Salt and pepper to taste.


Curry Bean and Collard Green Stew
2 stalks celery
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp fennel seeds
¼ cup green lentils
¼ cup red lentils
¼ cup soft winter wheat berries
2 tsp hot curry powder
1 tsp chili powder
1 quart chicken stock
1-2 cups water
1 large can beans (mixed)
1 potato, diced
1 bunch collard greens, stems removed and chopped

In a soup pot, sauté the celery, carrot and onions in a bit of olive oil until vegetables begin to brown and soften, about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, cumin and fennel and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add the lentils, wheat berries, curry and chili powder. Pour in the stock and water, and cook for 30 minutes. Add the beans, potato and the collard greens and cook for another 20 minutes.


Kidney Bean and Mustard Green Ragout
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, sliced
¼ cup frozen corn kernels
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried sage
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 14½-oz can diced tomatoes, strained and juices reserved
1 quart good low-salt chicken stock
1 Tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 bunch mustard greens, trimmed of thick stalks, and coarsely chopped
1 15-oz can light red kidney beans
1/3 cup rice

In a soup pot, sauté the onions, garlic and corn in a bit of olive oil until corn begins to brown and onions soften, about 8 minutes. Add the oregano, sage and red pepper flakes and cook another 1-2 minutes. Add the strained diced tomatoes and another 1-2 tablespoons of good olive oil to be sure the tomatoes bronze rather than boil! Cook another 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes have dried out and have left a nice tasty bronzed glaze in corners of the pot – this is flavor! Add the chicken stock, reserved tomato juice and vinegar, and bring to a boil. Add the mustard greens and beans. Cover, reduce heat and simmer until greens wilt, about 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the rice, stir well and cook another 20 minutes until the rice is tender.

The Allure of Rotisserie Chicken

I am sure at one point or another you have walked into your local grocery store and have gotten hit by the inticing smell of grilling rotisserie chickens. Enough is enough. I got my own home rotisserie unit (a small George Foreman unit) and have developed several nice dry rubs to prepare rotisserie chickens. And it works beautifully.

If you can, cover the chicken with the dry rub the day before, although an hour is very effective. No matter what, a small (3.5-4 lb.) chicken is ready in an hour or so, and your kitchen will smell out-of-this world!

Rotisserie Chicken
1 3-4 lb whole chicken

Dry rub mix:
1 rounded Tbsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp onion powder
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1 Tbsp chili powder
½ tsp Cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp coarse salt
2 tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp Allspice

Mix the dry rub together in a very large bowl. Rinse and dry the chicken, and truss with string tightly so the bird does not flop while turning in the rotisserie. Toss the chicken generously with the rub, making sure that rub mix gets into all the nooks and crannies of the whole bird. Let it stand at least one hour – or overnight – as much as you can. Skewer chicken onto rack of your rotisserie device and rotisserie for about 1-1½ hrs. depending on the size. Let sit for 15 minutes before carving to let juices redistribute.

This roasted acorn squash goes very well with broiled or rotisserie chicken. The skin is so tender you can eat it as well.

Roasted Acorn Squash
1 whole acorn squash
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp coarse salt
1 Tbsp dried crushed rosemary
1 Tbsp brown sugar

Preheat oven to 450F. Slice acorn squash in half and scoop out and discard the seeds. Slice into serving-sized chunks. Turn into a large bowl and mix with oil, rosemary, salt and sugar. Tip into jelly-roll pan. Roast for about 20 minutes, until brown and bubbling.

A Monster Tofu Quiche

Quiche Loraine - move over!
Munster Quiche Tofu
1 9-inch pie crust*
1 14-oz brick tofu, drained, and cut to ½-¾ inch dice
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
6 eggs
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 cup milk
½ tsp dried dill weed
1 tsp dried tarragon
¼ lb Munster cheese, grated, about 1 cup
4 green onions, sliced

Preheat oven to 425F. Lay the crust into a 9-inch pie plate. Meanwhile sauté the tofu in a large non-stick skillet in a bit of olive oil, over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with the onion and garlic powder as you stir fry, for about 10 minutes, until the tofu gets really browned and a bit crispy. Salt and pepper to taste.

Whisk in the eggs, mustard, milk, dill and tarragon together. Tip the tofu into the pie crust. Sprinkle the cheese evenly on top. Pour the eggs evenly on top of the tofu-cheese mixture. Top with the green onion.

Bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 400 and cook another 30 minutes.






* for pie crust use half of this recipe: http://cuisineici.blogspot.com/2008/11/apple-pie.html.

Thanksgiving recipe 2

Thanksgiving Side Dishes

What's Thanksgiving without side dishes?!

Creamed Spinach
2 10-oz bags fresh spinach, rinsed, drained and chopped

2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 cups milk
1 tsp mustard
1 tsp garlic powder
½ cup French Fried Onions

Preheat oven to 400F. Make the white sauce by melting the butter in the oil, and sautéing the flour in the oil until bubbly and beginning to brown – about 5 minutes. Add the milk and whisk together until thick and creamy.

Meanwhile, wilt the spinach in just a bit of water, until soft. Drain well. Mix with the cream sauce and pour into a baking dish. Top with the onions. Bake about 20-30 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Sweet Potato and Carrot Puree
2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
3 large carrots
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp sugar
¼ cup half-and-half
fresh nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400F. Simmer the sweet potatoes in salted water, enough to cover, just until soft. Drain.

Meanwhile, steam the carrots in ¼ cup water for about 5 minutes, then uncover. Add the butter and sugar and cook for about 10-15 more minutes, until the carrots are very tender, and beginning to caramelize. Salt and pepper to taste.

Mix the sweet potato and the carrots in a food processor with the half-and-half. Use a microplane to scrape in a dash of fresh nutmeg. Puree mixture, scraping down the sides from time to time. Transfer to a casserole dish and bake for about 20 minutes.

Apple Pie

If there is anything as American as Thanksgiving, it's apple pie. And this is a fantastic 'deep-dish' pie that is as American as it gets.

Deep Dish Apple Pie
Crust:
3 cups flour
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp salt
2 sticks butter, diced and then frozen
6 Tbsp ICE COLD water

Filling:
8 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
¾ cup sugar
½ Tsp. cinnamon
¼ tsp. salt
3 Tbsp butter

Egg wash:
1 egg
2 Tbsp milk

Prepare the crust by mixing the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. With the processor running, add the butter through the feed tube until the mixture is just evenly granular and no more. Add just enough of the water to pull the dough together in a ball, then stop the processor. The dough can be a little dry so long as you can compress it together with your hand into a disk – but don’t handle the dough too long or it will not be flakey. Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare the apples by sautéing them in a large non-stick skillet with all the filling ingredients. Cook for about 10 minutes, at least until the apples begin to soften. Preheat the oven to 350F.

Divide the crust in two, roll out into circles and place the bottom crust in a large pie dish. Add the apples and top with the second crust. Seal all around the perimeter of the pie, and place a few vent holes decoratively through the top crust. Whisk together the egg wash and paint the top crust all around with the egg wash. Sprinkle to pie generously with granulated sugar. Bake 30-40 minutes, until the crust is very golden brown.

Thanksgiving - Variations on a Cranberry Theme

Ever hear NPR Radio around Thanksgiving and catch the classic cranberry sauce from Susan Stanberg? Cranberry sauce is a BIG deal around the thanksgiving spread - some like the store-bought jelly, while others insist on genuine concoctions prepared from the fresh berry. Just like stuffings - one with sausage, one without - both cranberry sauce variations are often served - just to be safe.

I have always loved the canned jelly, but today I experienced the best fresh cranberry sauce I have ever had. And I was not alone in my opinion.

My brother and sister in law prepared a sweet but just-tart sauce from fresh cranberries and orange flavors. This is the big winner this year in my opinion, and has made me a convert to fresh cranberry sauce forever!

Fresh Cranberry Sauce à l'Orange
1 12-oz bag fresh cranberries
1 cup sugar
1 cup water
1 Tbsp orange liquor
1 tsp orange zest

Bring the water and sugar to a boil in a pot. Cook the cranberries for about 10-15 minutes until the cranberries pop and the sauce thickens. Cool a bit and stir in the liquor and the zest. Pour into serving bowl.

A Holiday Tofu Break

As we roll into the holidays (and I do mean roll for some of us!), one can get weary of all the rich dishes, and the sheer quantity of meat centered in all those holiday gatherings, no matter how many walks you take.

Try a tofu dish for a change. I know it may sound like an oxymoron, but here are two satisfying tofu dishes that serve a crowd – handy to know about during the holidays.

And with a roasted butternut squash topping, the lasagna can be a great vegetarian Thanksgiving option, nice to have in your back pocket to reduce the stress of serving a large mix of family and guests with alternative diets.

Roasted Butternut Squash and Pesto Lasagna
½ butternut squash, peeled and cut to ½-inch cubes
1 Tbsp dried rosemary needles, crushed
6 no-boil lasagna noodles
1 14-oz. brick extra-firm tofu, sliced into ¼-inch slices
8 oz. jalapeno Monterrey Jack cheese, grated

Ricotta layer:
1 15-oz. tub Ricotta
1 egg
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ cup grated Romano or Parmesan cheese

Sauce:
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 Tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
2 rounded Tbsp pesto

Toss butternut squash with a bit of olive oil and the rosemary. Roast butternut squash at 400F for about 20 minutes on a flat pan, until just softened when pierced with a sharp knife. Meanwhile make the sauce. Fry the flour in the butter and the olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the milk and bring to a boil to thicken, whisking constantly. Salt and pepper to taste. As soon as sauce thickens, reduce heat and whisk in the pesto.

Spray a 13x9 inch casserole with oil and spoon 1/3 of the sauce on the bottom of the casserole. Lay three of the lasagna noodles on top of the sauce. Mix ricotta-layer ingredients together and carefully spread evenly over noodles. Lay the remaining 3 lasagna noodles on top of ricotta layer. Top with the tofu slices and distributed evenly. Sprinkle on the Monterrey Jack cheese over the tofu and pour sauce over cheese. Distribute the butternut squash over the sauce. Bake for 30 minutes at 400F covered, and then for 30 minutes at 350F, uncovered.


Broccoli and Cauliflower Tofu Casserole
½ lb broccoli
½ lb cauliflower
1 package extra-firm tofu, drained
1 carrot
½ lb macaroni or ziti
2 eggs
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp olive oil
4 Tbsp flour
2 cups milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
½ lb Swiss or Cheddar cheese, grated
Salt and pepper to taste

Cut the broccoli and cauliflower into small flowerets. Peel the carrot, and slice on the diagonal. Cut the tofu into 1/2-inch pieces.

Make a Béchamel sauce: fry the flour in the olive oil and butter for 2 to 3 minutes, until bubbly. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds or so. Whisk in the milk and then the evaporated milk. Whisk until thickened. Add the mustard and half the cheese and whisk until well incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the pasta and the whole eggs in plenty of salted water until pasta is just underdone. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and carrot for another minute. Strain well.

Remove the eggs from the pasta and toss the pasta-vegetable mixture in a large bowl with all but about 1/2 cup of the sauce. Fold in the tofu. Pour into a large oiled casserole. Peel and quarter the eggs and place around top of dish. Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake at 350°F for about 1 hour, covered for the first half-hour, then uncovered until hot and bubbly.

Nothin' but a Bunch of Turkeys

In New England where we live, turkeys start showing up in droves as we approach Thanksgiving. The other day we counted as many as 34! They get me thinking about getting ready for Thanksgiving. Surprisingly, they are fairly approachable - no wonder they ended up on the Thanksgiving table!

The way I look at it, Thanksgiving is the ultimate immigrant’s holiday. We give thanks for the bounty and tolerance afforded by a rich, free homeland. As Lady Liberty says:

"Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Thanksgiving originated as the harvest celebration of pilgrims fleeing persecution and nearing starvation. It took on a broader meaning of reunion, tolerance and sharing, after being formally established as a national holiday in 1863 by President Lincoln presiding over a country divided by civil war.

And now, following a derisive and highly polarizing presidential campaign and election, the United States is sorely in need of reunion, tolerance and a sense of shared responsibility if we are to prevail over the enormous challenges we face ahead. There is no better time for a Thanksgiving holiday.

So in the spirit of tolerance I offer an alternative approach to Thanksgiving turkey, incorporating different ethnic influences. And as was the practice of the native Americans of the first Thanksgiving, it uses every last inch of the turkey except the gobble.

For these three dishes I carved one whole raw turkey into parts – legs, thighs, wings, and then the breast. All the remains (carcass, legs, etc.) were roasted in the oven for a soup base. I prepared the dark meat (thighs and wings) as a Moroccan tagine – rich with red pepper, cinnamon, ginger and apricots. Then I prepared the breasts VERY QUICKLY as a simple braise in wine and a mire-poix. Spicy tagine for adults, subtle braised breast for kids. Soup for anyone needing warmth.

Enough for everybody, and everybody’s happy. Give thanks.


Turkey Tagine with Cranberries and Apricots
4 turkey breasts, boned and quartered
2 turkey wings
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1-inch fresh ginger, minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp fennel seeds
2 sticks cinnamon
½ cup dried apricots
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup water

Sear the turkey in batches in a non-stick skillet over very high heat, skin-side down, until really golden brown on the skin side, 3-5 minutes. Turn over and brown on other side another minute or two. Remove to a platter.

In a tagine (or the same skillet if you don’t have a tagine), sauté the onion until softened and beginning to caramelize, over medium heat for about 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, ginger, red pepper, cumin and fennel, and cook another 2-3 minutes, until aromatic. Distribute the turkey about the onion mixture, skin-side up, and add the water. Salt and pepper to taste. Submerse the cinnamon sticks well under the liquid and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer, and cover. Cook for half an hour.

Uncover the tagine (or skillet) and shake to redistribute flavors. Do not stir – keep the turkey breast meat with the skin-side up to stay as crisp as possible. Distribute the cranberries and apricots about the dish, immersing into the broth. Cover and simmer another half an hour.


Turkey Breast Braised with Cranberries and Wine
The trick here is to braise the breasts JUST until they are done - if not overcooked, these are some of the most tender turkey breasts I have ever had.

1 onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
2 large stalks celery, finely diced
½ cup dried cranberries
1 cup dry white wine
2 large boneless turkey breast halves

Sauté the onion, carrot, celery in a large non-stick skillet in a bit of olive oil until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize, about 10 minutes. Set vegetables aside in a bowl. In the same skillet, sear the turkey breast halves, skin side down for about 5-8 minutes, until very well browned. Turn and brown second side another 5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Return vegetables to pan and add the wine and cranberries. Bring to a boil, turn heat to low, cover skillet and braise for 20 minutes, or until the breasts are just cooked through. Remove breasts, slice across grain and top with vegetables and sauce on serving platter.

Turkey Soup with Roasted Vegetables
This is not for the feint of heart – it takes some time but oh, the results are so worth it. This will most definitely raise the spirits of anyone who is sick. This soup depends on all the bones – the gelatin is so healthful and extends a richness you can’t get any other way. For the richest stock, include all the turkey drippings, skin, bones and organs except the liver. The onion skins help produce a flavorful, colored stock. This soup usually takes two days since you have to let the stock cool to efficiently skim away all the fat. By the way, this works very nicely with chicken as well – this is a master recipe which can be varied in untold different ways.

Carcass, legs and trimmings of 1 carved turkey
2 onions, quartered, including skins
1 bay leaf
2 carrots, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 15-oz. can Navy beans
¼ cup pearl barley
1 small butternut squash, peeled and diced
2 turnips, diced
2 tsp. dried rosemary
½ cup frozen peas

If the carcass has not been roasted, place it and all the bones and trimmings in a roasting pan and roast at 400F for 45 minutes, until well browned. Transfer the roasted pieces and all the drippings to a large stock pot and just cover with water. Add the bay leaf, bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Cover and cook for an hour.

Place a colander in a very large bowl and carefully strain the stock. Remove the colander and its contents from the bowl and allow the bones to cool enough to pull all off all the meat. Be careful not to include any small bone fragments. Set the meat aside in a sealed container in the refrigerator. Return the stock to the pot and cool down until the fat surfaces and solidifies. This can be finished in the refrigerator, or in cold New England winters, I use the garage or the back porch overnight. Either way, it takes some time, and I usually continue the next day.

Using a large spoon skim off all the fat on top of the stock and discard. Warm the pot on the stove and return the meat to the stock and set to a simmer. In another pan, sauté the carrots and celery for about 8-10 minutes, until softened and slightly caramelized. Add the fennel seeds for the last 1-2 minutes. Add to the stock along with the beans and the barley.

Meanwhile, set the oven to 400F. Toss together the squash and turnips with the rosemary and about a tablespoon of olive oil and a bit of coarse salt and pepper in a bowl. Lay out in a large jelly roll pan and roast for about 20 minutes, or until well browned.

Tip the roasted vegetables and the peas into the soup. Simmer another 15 minutes or so, to meld flavors. Serve to your poor, your tired, or huddled masses.

Avocados – The Sensuous Fruit

Known by the Aztecs as the fertility fruit, and named ‘ahuacatl’ by their neighbors, the Nahuati, after their decidedly ‘male’ shape, avocados are as sensuous as their reputation. Smooth and creamy, and nowhere nearly as caloric as so many claim, they are full of minerals, essential fatty acids, and healthful antioxidants such as lutein.

Think about using avocado instead of cheese, mayo or butter. A portion of avocado has half the fat and calories of an equivalent portion of mayonnaise or cheddar cheese and ¼ that of butter. They have no cholesterol and their skins are so convenient for holding single portions of salads – what more could you ask?

Avocado and Crab Salad
zest of ½ lemon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 rounded Tbsp good real mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, minced through press
1 Tbsp minced chive
1 6-oz can crabmeat, drained
2 ripe avocados

Place zest and juice of lemon in a bowl. Add olive oil, mayonnaise, garlic, chive and crab and mix well. Cut avocados in half lengthwise, and remove the pit. Carefully run a sharp knife through the avocado at ½-inch intervals, in a criss-cross pattern, without cutting the skin. Carefully scoop out the avocado dice and fold into the crab mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Return the crab salad to the empty avocado skins and sprinkle with chili powder.


Tortilla Soup with Avocados
½ fresh jalapeno pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp cumin seeds
1 quart clear chicken stock
1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, halved
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
corn tortillas
2 green onions, sliced
1 lime, quartered

In a soup pot, sauté the jalapeno, garlic and cumin in a bit of olive oil for about 2 minutes. Add the stock and the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer for about 5-8 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the pot from the heat and remove the chicken to a plate. Allow chicken to cool enough to shred by hand and return shredded chicken to the soup.

Distribute avocado into four soup bowls. Add a handful of corn tortillas to each bowl and ladle in a generous portion of broth and chicken. Top with green onions. Serve with lime wedges.


Avocado and Dill Omelet
3 eggs
1 Tbsp. milk
¼ tsp. dill
salt and pepper to taste
shaved Parmesan cheese
½ avocado, sliced

Whisk the eggs, milk, dill salt and pepper together. Spray a non-stick skillet with a bit of canola oil and heat almost to smoking. Tip in the eggs and let a layer set as the eggs bubble vigorously. Pull in the cooked layer towards the center with a spatula as you lift and roll the pan to allow runny eggs to fill the empty space. Do this several times until there isn’t enough runny egg left to fill the void. You should be making delicate folds throughout. Pull the pan off the heat – omelets will continue to cook off the heat, so they are like scrambled eggs and should be taken off the heat just undercooked.

Place avocados and shaved Parmesan onto half the omelet and carefully fold the other half over. Carefully slide omelet onto plate.

-o-

I like guacamole, period. I like it creamy and I like it chunky. This creamy version is great not only as a dip, but as a topping for fish or as a spread for sandwiches or panini.

Creamy Guacamole
2 ripe avocados, finely diced
juice of half a lime
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp powdered cumin
dash Cayenne pepper
dash salt
1 Tbsp good real mayonnaise (or sour cream)

Mix all guacamole ingredients together, mixing well to achieve a creamy consistency.


Tilapia with Avocado and Curry Cream
4 Tilapia fillets
1 ripe avocado
1 lemon

Curry Cream:
½ cup yogurt
¼ cup light sour cream
¼ cup real mayonnaise
1 tsp curry powder
½ tsp. cumin powder
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp salt
½ tsp. minced cilantro leaves (or parsley)

Mix together the curry cream ingredients and let them meld as you cook the fish.

Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick skillet (ideally a ridged grill pan), sprayed with Canola oil, just until smoking. Turn heat to medium and sauté the fish on one side for about 3-4 minutes. Flip carefully, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook another 3-4 minutes, just until cooked through.

Seed, peel, and thinly slice the avocado. Plate each fillet topped with 2-3 slices avocado and a dollop of curry cream. Serve with lemons.

Grow Fresh Basil

If you can – grow fresh basil in your garden. It's cheap and adds a million bucks to most dishes you add it to, and looks great in your garden.

There are as many ways to use pesto as to make pesto. The classic mixture of fresh basil leaves, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese and olive oil can be enhanced with many flavors. A thick, aromatic sauce, pesto can be used to flavor pastas, soups and sauces. The first step is to get your hands on some fresh basil – expensive enough at the grocer that I grow a half a dozen plants in my garden wherever there is room, amongst the flowers.

Being able to use fresh basil leaves, just a few at a time, is a great advantage of growing your own – I often just want a few leaves for a sandwich or to garnish a pasta dish, or to add to a salad.


Classic Pesto Sauce
¼ cup pine nuts
3-4 cloves garlic
¼ lb Parmesan or Romano cheese
4 cups basil leaves, lightly packed
dash salt
1 cup olive oil

Toast pine nuts carefully over medium heat, in a non-stick skillet, shaking often, just until aromatic.

In a large food processor, process the cheese until very finely ground. Add the garlic and pine nuts and process just until incorporated.


Add the basil, salt and oil and process just until very well blended to a thick consistency.





Sundried Tomato Pesto
¼ cup pine nuts
3-4 cloves garlic
¼ lb Parmesan or Romano cheese
¼ oil-packed sundried tomatoes, drained
4 cups basil leaves, lightly packed
dash salt
1 cup olive oil

Toast pine nuts carefully over medium heat, in a non-stick skillet, shaking often, just until aromatic. In a large food processor, process the cheese until very finely ground. Add the garlic, pine nuts and tomatoes, and process just until incorporated. Add the basil, salt and oil and process just until very well blended to a thick consistency.

Orange Ginger Pesto
¼ cup pine nuts, slightly toasted
3-4 cloves garlic
¼ lb Romano cheese
zest of 1 navel orange
½-inch fresh ginger, sliced
4 cups basil leaves, lightly packed
fruit of 1 navel orange, peeled and cleaned of any extra pith
dash salt
1 cup olive oil

Toast pine nuts carefully over medium heat, in a non-stick skillet, shaking often, just until aromatic. In a large food processor, process the cheese until very finely ground. Add the garlic, pine nuts, ginger and jest, and process just until incorporated. Add the basil, salt orange flesh, and oil and process just until very well blended to a thick consistency.

Farfalle Primavera with Orange Ginger Pesto
1 lb farfalle pasta
1 red pepper, thin;ly sliced
1 green epper, thinly sliced
¼ cup shredded carrot
4 baby zucchini, quartered lengthwise
4 baby yellow squash, quartered lengthwise
2 Tbsp orange and ginger pesto sauce

Cook farfalle al dente according to package directions. Meanwhile, sauté vegetables in a non-stick skillet until softened and slightly browned. Toss vegetables with drained farfalle pasta and the pesto.

You can certainly use small zucchini and squash, cut into matchsticks, if you don’t have baby squash available.

Creamy Basil Ricotta Sauce
1 clove garlic
2 cups Ricotta cheese
½ cup half-and-half
2 dozen fresh basil leaves
2 Tbsp. fresh chives
Dash red pepper flakes (to taste)

Process garlic in food processor until finely minced. Add remaining ingredients until well blended, stopping to scrape sides once or twice. Great served over pasta!


Pear, Tomato and Basil Salad
2 ripe pears, sliced
2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
¼ lb creamy blue cheese (Danish or Roquefort), thinly sliced
6 fresh basil leaves cut in chiffonade
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Arrange the pears, tomatoes, basil and cheese in layers. Sprinkle with vinegar and oil. Salt and pepper to taste.

Bisques, Chowders and Gumbos

Living in New England, I have been lucky enough to try dozens of different chowders – from clam to lobster, fish and corn. I prefer the creamy ‘New England’ chowders to brothy ‘Rhode Island’ or tomato-basted ‘Manhattan’ varieties. Interestingly, some of the best of New England creamy chowders can be found on Block Island, a small island off the Atlantic coast of Rhode Island, where a yearly competition keeps the chowder tradition alive and well.

Varieties are endless – whole books have been written on chowders alone. Like New England chowders, bisques are creamy often seafood based – think lobster bisque. Creamy soups of French origin, bisques often include tomato and sherry, and tend to be more richly colored and flavored than the more subtle New England chowders.

These seafood chowders and bisques are based on a roux foundation – flour cooked in oil or butter – making these soups rich and creamy. Gumbos, a southern cousin of the chowder and bisque are also based on a roux. But in gumbos the roux is cooked far longer, to render it nutty and much darker brown.

New England Style Seafood Chowder
1 onion, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
2 stalks celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
2 Tbsp canola oil
2 Tbsp butter
3 cups milk
1 8-oz bottle clam juice
1 lb fish, such as scrod, cod or halibut
½ lb shrimp, shelled
1 tsp dried dill

Sauté onion, carrot and celery in a bit of canola oil in a pot over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until vegetables soften. Add garlic and continue cooking another minute. Set vegetables aside in a bowl. Add the oil and butter in the same pot and melt the butter. Add the flour and cook about 3-4 minutes with stirring, until the roux bubbles and begins to brown slightly. Add the milk and clam juice and bring nearly to a boil, stirring often as soup thickens. Return vegetables, fish, shrimp and dill to the chowder and cook about another 3-5 minutes, until the seafood is cooked through. Salt and pepper to taste.

Curried Corn and Mushroom Chowder
8 dried Shitake mushrooms
10 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 Bermuda onion, diced
1½ cups sweet corn, frozen is fine
2 Tbsp butter
2 Tbsp canola oil
¼ cup flour
2 cups milk
2 cups chicken stock
2 tsp. curry powder
1 large Yukon Gold potato, diced into ½-inch pieces

Soak the shitake mushrooms in hot water for about fifteen minutes. Meanwhile in a soup pot, sauté the onion and mushrooms in a bit of olive oil. Put half the corn in a food processor, and purée with ½ cup of the milk. Drain and dice the shitake mushrooms and add to the onions. Sauté another few minutes. Remove mushroom mixture to a bowl.

Melt butter in the pot and whisk in the flour. Fry the flour for a few minutes while whisking almost continuously. Whisk in the milk, and add all the remaining ingredients, including the mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Cover and lower heat to a simmer. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook about fifteen more minutes, until the potatoes are just tender, stirring occasionally.

Seafood Bisque
1 yellow new potato, diced ¼-inch
1 large or 2 small onions
1 clove garlic, minced
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup flour
1½ cups milk
1 cup chicken broth
2 8-oz bottles clam juice
1 Tbsp tomato paste
¼ cup Cream Sherry
½ lb salmon, cubed, ½-inch
½ lb pollock, cubed, ½-inch
½ lb small shrimp, peeled
1 Tbsp chives, minced

Lightly boil the potato in salted water only until just undercooked. Drain and set aside. Sauté the onion in the butter and oil until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the flour and cook 2-3 minutes until the flour has been well incorporated and stops bubbling. Add the garlic and continue cooking another minute. Add the milk, broth, clam juice, tomato paste and sherry, and whisk to a boil. Return to a simmer and cooked until thickened. Add the seafood and cooked potatoes and cook for another 3-5 minutes, until seafood is cooked through. Stir in chives.

An alternative to the chicken broth is a cup of water in which the shrimp shells have been simmered for about 20 minutes. This shrimp stock adds a great deal of flavor to any fish soup.

Louisiana Gumbo
½ lb. boneless chicken, cut into ½-inch pieces
2 stalks celery, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 medium onion, diced
½ lb Andouille sausage, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup flour
¼ cup canola oil
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp Louisiana Essence spice mix
2 cups chicken stock
1 can diced tomatoes
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
Dash of Tabasco sauce as desired
½ lb. small peeled shrimp

In a soup pot over medium-high heat, sauté the chicken pieces in a bit of olive oil stirring often, for about 3-5 minutes – just until the chicken is cooked through. Remove to a bowl. Add celery, pepper and onion and cook over medium heat for three minutes, adding a bit more oil if necessary. Add the sausage and continue cooking another 3-5 minutes. Add the garlic and finish cooking another minute. Remove to a bowl, scraping up all the fine bits at the bottom of the pot.

Add the flour and canola oil to the pot and cook over medium heat for about 10-15 minutes, whisking regularly. This roux should become much darker than a roux for a white sauce or a chowder – it should be at least the color of peanut butter, or darker. Stir in the rub spice mixture. Return the vegetables to the roux and add the broth, tomatoes, and Worcestershire sauce. Add the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook, covered for about 20 minutes, stirring often. Add the shrimp. Return to a boil, stirring. Remove from heat and season with Tabasco, salt an pepper to taste. Serve surrounding a mound of white rice in a shallow bowl.

Louisiana Essence
This can be rubbed into fish, chicken or meat before searing in a hot pan. It seasons soups and gumbos as well.

1Tbsp garlic powder
1Tbsp onion powder
1 tsp powdered thyme (or dried if you don’t have powdered)
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp salt
2 tsp brown sugar

Soup or Stew – Full of Beans, Or Just Culinary Lexicon?

I was leafing through a cookbook entitled “400 Soups” in a store the other day. Besides being impressed at how many varieties there are in the world, it struck me that the distinction between soup and stew is not at all clear. But does it really matter to someone coming home hungry after a long, hard day’s work? No – whatever you call it, serve it up in a bowl and let’s eat!

This debate permeates the web and blogosphere. And it is especially difficult for bean-based vegetarian stove-top preparations. Soup, stew, hotpot, potage, bisque, broth, chowder… All these terms have their nuances, but are often interchangeable. For these bean-based recipes below, I’ll use ‘bean hotpot’ for something served in a bowl, and ‘sauce’ for something served on top of something else (like pasta).

Rachel Ray commercialized the term I have used forever – ‘Stoup’. There are however, many other connotations for the word ‘Stoup’, including a basin for Holy Water or, a degrading idiot. I don’t want to go there. So I’ll stick with hotpot…

Lentil and Barley Hotpot
1 large onion, diced
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
3 stalks celery, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp Herbs du Provence
½ cup green lentils
¼ cup red lentils
¼ cup white (Indian Garam) lentils – or substitute red or green
¼ cup un-hulled barley, or soft winter wheat (or substitute pearled barley)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
1 cup water
1 cup white wine
1 16-oz can diced tomato
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard

In a 3-4 quart pot, sauté onion, carrot and celery in a bit of olive oil until softened and beginning to caramelize. Add garlic, cumin, red pepper and Herbs du Provence and cook another minute or two until very fragrant.

Add remaining ingredients to pot, and bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a simmer. Cook, stirring several times, for about 45 minutes, or until all ingredients are cooked through.

Chili Bean Hotpot
1 green pepper, diced
1 large onion, diced
2 stalks celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 Tbsp. chili powder
½ tsp Allspice
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
¼ cup green lentils
¼ cup yellow split peas or red lentils
¼ cup soft whole winter wheat berries
¼ cup bulgur wheat
1 new potato, peeled and diced into ¼ inch pieces
3 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced and drained (or 1 can diced tomatoes)
1 29-oz can spicy chili beans in tomato sauce (NOT vegetarian baked beans – too sweet)
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp molasses

In a 3-4 quart pot, sauté the pepper, onion and celery in a bit of olive oil until the vegetables soften and begin to caramelize. Add garlic, cumin, mustard and the spices and cook another few minutes until very aromatic. Salt and pepper to taste. Add the vegetable stock, water, lentils, peas and wheat, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the beans and grains are cooked. The wheat berries might still be very al-dente – they will cook more in the next step.

Meanwhile, sauté tomatoes in a bit of olive oil over high heat to caramelize and stew for about 10 minutes. Set aside. Omit this step if using canned tomatoes. Add potatoes, tomatoes, cocoa and molasses to bean pot, along with the canned beans. Simmer for another 20 minutes until all the flavors meld.

Tomato & Cannellini with Pesto and Toasted Pine Nuts
2-3 large fresh ripe tomatoes, diced and somewhat drained
1 can Cannellini beans, drained
2 Tbsp pesto sauce
½ cup white wine
2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup pine nuts
1 lb pasta (of your choosing)

Heat a pan over fairly high heat with a bit of olive oil and sear the tomatoes, stirring until they are bubbly and caramelized. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer until heated through.

Meanwhile cook pasta al-dente according to package instructions. Gently toast pine nuts in a dry non-stick skillet over medium heat, shaking pan often. Allow nuts to slightly brown but not burn. Serve sauce over pasta topped with pine nuts and grated Parmesan cheese.












Pinto and Andoille Hot Pot
4 small celery stalks, diced
2 carrots, sliced
1 onion, diced
¼ lb Andoille sausage, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 can pinto beans, drained
1 potato, diced
2 tomatoes, diced
1 cup cooked brown rice
6 leaves fresh basil, cut in chiffonade
2 tsp. Emeril Essence (or Cajun spice mix)

In a 3 quart pot, sauté the onion, celery and carrot until softened and slightly caramelized. Add the sausage and heat through and then add the garlic and cook a few more minutes until the garlic is fragrant.

Add the rest of the ingredients and simmer until the potato is cooked through, about 15 minutes.

They Say Eat More Fish

Not only do nutritionists recommend eating more fish, they specifically emphasize the health benefits of those species containing higher levels of so-called omega-3 fatty acids. Together with their omega-6 cousins, they are known as ‘essential fatty acids’, which cannot be synthesized by the human body. Omega-3’s are found in ‘fatty’ fish such as salmon and of course sardines, mackerel and anchovies. There are many other sources of omega-3 fatty acids such as almonds, walnuts, leafy green vegetables and eggs. But if you’re like me and don’t go for the more ‘flavorful’ fatty fish, but you like salmon and those other omega-3 containing foods, you are still in luck.

But let’s not get too carried away. White fish is still great for you, so I for one will continue enjoying Cod and Tilapia, along with Salmon, thank you very much.


Oven Poached Salmon and Summer Vegetables
4 portions salmon fillet, about 1/3 lb. each, skin removed
1 yellow summer squash, seeded and sliced into half-moons
2 dozen grape tomatoes
1 dozen asparagus spears
8 fresh basil leaves, cut in chiffonade
palmful fresh mint leaves
2 tsp anise seeds (optional)

Preheat oven to 400F. Place each salmon filet on a separate piece of aluminum foil more than big enough to completely wrap the fish. Distribute the remaining ingredients scattered on top of the salmon. Salt and pepper to taste. Wrap the fish tighly in the foil and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.


Pan Roasted Cod over Soba Noodles
2 cups chicken broth
1 cup water
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp spiced rice wine vinegar
1 tsp sesame oil
½ red pepper, halved and thinly sliced
¼ cup shredded carrot
1 very small yellow squash, sliced
1 small can sliced mushrooms, including liquid
¼ lb. soba noodles
1½ lb cod fillet, cut into 4 pieces
3 cloves garlic, sliced
½ inch fresh ginger, minced

In one pot, combine broth, water, soy sauce vinegar, sesame oil and mushrooms (including liquid from can. Bring to a boil and add soba noodles, carrots, pepper and squash. Simmer, stirring often.

Meanwhile, heat a separate non-stick skillet and cook cod over very high heat in a bit of canola or peanut oil for about 2 minutes. Flip carefully and continue cooking another 2 minutes. Set aside. In same non-stick skillet, fry the garlic and ginger over medium heat in a bit of canola or peanut oil until fragrant, but not browned. Set aside.

When noodles are done (they should take no more than 5 minutes), transfer one fourth of the noodles, vegetables and broth to each of four bowls. Top the noodles with one of the fish portions and scatter the garlic and ginger on top of the fish pieces.

Salmon Stuffed with Crabmeat
4 salmon filets, tail end, skin removed, about 4-inches long each
3 cups herbed seasoned stuffing mix
1 can crab meat, picked through and drained
Fresh herbs such as oregano, mint or tarragon

Prepare stuffing mix according to package directions (I like to add a bit of garlic passed through a press). Mix in the crabmeat with the stuffing. Lay each fillet out on a work surface and divide the stuffing among the four filets. Roll each fillet up and place seam-side down in a baking dish. Spray with oil and top with fresh herbs. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until heated through.

Tilapia with Creamy Guacamole and Fresh Tomatoes
4 Tilapia filets
2 fresh ripe tomatoes, diced and drained
½ lemon, quatered

Creamy Guacamole
1 avocado. Finely diced
juice of half a lime
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press
¼ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp powdered cumin
dash Cayenne pepper
dash salt
1 Tbsp good real mayonnaise (or sour cream)

Prepare guacamole by mixing all guacamole ingredients together, mixing well to achieve a creamy consistency.

Meanwhile, sauté the tilapia, preferably on an oil-sprayed non-stick ridged grill pan, about 5 minutes on one side. Flip and finish cooking about another 2 to 3 minutes, depending on the thickness. Salt and pepper to taste.

Plate the tilapia and sprinkle with lemon. Top with a dollop of creamy guacamole and some diced tomatoes.