Italian Burrito

I know what you are thinking..."That is the worst name."  Italian Burrito.  It doesn't sound, exactly, fancy.  I spent some time (about 3 minutes) pondering the best name for this.  Then, I stopped spending time pondering the name and ended up with Italian Burrito.

The only reason that I am fretting is...this is one of my favorite things I have had in a while.  And the name definitely belittles how amazing this is.

Let me paint you a picture (©mametown).  This is a wrap filled with Israeli couscous (i.e. pasta), sautéed eggplant, garlicky kale, roasted bell peppers, topped with a little shredded mozzarella cheese, marinara sauce, and grated parmesan.  It you want a meal that is healthy but also not really, this is the meal for you.

Warning.  I made the marinara from tomatoes I grew and roasted the peppers from our CSA.  I have been shoveling so many raw tomatoes in my face over the course of the summer that I am now forced to cook them.  The eggplant and kale came in our CSA this week too.  So did the garlic.

Scot has a saying that I don't think I have shared yet on foodforscot.  If something is really good, he says it is a "knock out home run."  He says that but not as a joke.  He has said it long before he became a dad, but now all the pieces are starting to fit together.

Ok, well, he actually didn't call this dish a knock out, home run.  But that is because I ruined it.  I made this one night that Scot was working late.  I made it and ate it after baby bed time.  And THEN Scot came home and I made him one.  I always try to let Scot form his own opinion on a meal before giving him my opinion because he is a people pleaser and heavily influenced by my superb taste buds.  This time, though, I was scarfing it down when he walked in and I said something like, "OMG, this is the best thing ever."  In other words, knock out home run.

Italian Burrito
by foodforscot

1 eggplant (I used Rosa Bianca)
1 cup Israeli couscous
1 bunch kale (I used Tuscano kale), washed, de-stemmed, and torn into pieces
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 bell pepper, roasted, peeled, seeded, and sliced
1 cup marinara
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
¼ cup grated parmesan
olive oil
salt
pepper
4 whole wheat burrito tortillas

Prepare all the separate burrito fillings.

First, slice the eggplant and lay out in a single layer on a kitchen towel. Sprinkle each slice with salt and let sit for 15 minutes or longer. Turn each slice over and salt the other side. Let sit for 15 minutes or longer, on the new side. Once the eggplant slices have released some water, use another kitchen towel to pat dry and wipe excess salt off.

In the meantime, combine the couscous with 2 cups of water and a dash of salt in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, remove lid, and let simmer until all the water has evaporated and couscous is tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Dice eggplant into cubes and sauté in olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Cook for about 10 minutes, tossing occasionally. Remove from heat and set aside.

In the same pan over medium high heat, add some olive oil and the kale. Sauté for a few minutes until the kale has slightly wilted. Add the garlic and cook, stirring often, until the kale reaches desired cooked down-ness.

Assemble the burrito. Warm the tortilla over a gas burner, in the microwave, or in the oven so that is pliable. Top with couscous, kale, eggplant, and roasted peppers. Sprinkle some mozzarella cheese, spoon on some marinara, and sprinkle with parmesan. Wrap it up burrito style.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 45 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  10/10
Scot (taste):  9/10
Effort: 3/5
Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Summer Veggie Tacos

Our last two weeks of CSA (see below) have been beautiful.  So bountiful that we buy almost nothing from the grocery store.  Is this a problem?  No.  Is this amazing?  Yes.  Veggies all the time!!!

And a first....potatoes!  Potatoes are like a vegetarians guilty pleasure.  Potatoes warm my soul.  I have said that before when I have made potato soup, but it is so true.  I am sure that potatoes are one of the most like-able foods in the Universe.

But I have been anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new potatoes from our share.  Red potatoes or yukon gold.  Picked young and small, they are such a treat!  They have not been provided as part of our share since they are not easy to come by.  But I have picked through the bulk potatoes for sale to get all the small ones on my own.  New potatoes or fully developed, they are still so good.

I have fond memories of digging for potatoes in the summer on the farm.  Gene would run some machinery through the potato plants to loosen up the dirt.  Then we would sit on the warm, dry ground and dig to find all the potatoes.  My knees would be stained with dirt.  My fingers nails were so dirty that only a couple hours swimming in the lake would make them clean again.  It was always fun to see how much each plant produced.  Sometime you would hit the jackpot.  And then there was always the chance that you would accidentally touch the soft, mushy, quartered seed potato.

When my potatoes arrived in my share, I was inspired to make some veggie tacos with potatoes!  The earthy potato was a great substitute for a meat or bean filling.  (Protein, Shmotein)

I have made a version of these veggie tacos twice with my Week 11 and 12 produce.  The taco above is a filling roasted potato, golden beets, and zucchini topped with a slaw.  

This version is a filling of potatoes, eggplants, and corn topped with a tomato pico and queso fresco.

I have included a recipe below that is general for any root veggie filling with a variety of options for toppings.  You could also do many other toppings that I did not list like:  sour cream, other cheeses, avocado, guacamole, other salsas, etc.  

Week 11:  Oat bread, herbs, eggs, assorted tomatoes, nectarines, plums, peaches (not part of CSA), sliced tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, sungold tomatoes, salad mix, golden beets, cabbage, new potatoes, cucumbers, hot peppers, green bell peppers, sweet yellow pepper, kale, collards, sweet corn

ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Week 12:  apples, plums, eggs, yogurt, 20 lbs of tomatoes, maple oat bread (not part of CSA), escarole, kale, eggplant, wax beans, two heirloom tomatoes, cucumbers, yellow cherry tomatoes, grape tomatoes, sweet corn, green peppers, yellow peppers, 5 slicing tomatoes, thai eggplant.

WOW.  

Summer Veggie Tacos
by foodforscot

For filling:
2-3 cups diced summer root veggies (new potatoes, golden beets, carrots, turnips, etc.)
1-2 summer veggies (zucchini, eggplant (salt, let sit, and pat dry), green peppers, yellow summer squash, etc.) or ears of corn
1 tsp of paprika
1 tsp of cumin
½ tsp of chili powder
butter/olive oil
salt
pepper

For toppings (choose as many or as few as you’d like):
Tomato pico de gallo (recipe below)
Cabbage slaw (recipe below)
Queso fresco (or cotija)

For tacos:
12 corn tortillas
lime wedges

For filling: There are a few ways you can prepare the filling, depending on whether or not you want to turn on the oven. One option is toss the root veggies, spices, olive oil, salt, and pepper and spread out on a baking sheet. Bake at 425° for about 20 minutes. Then, add diced summer veggies to the baking sheet. Bake another 15-25 minutes or until the root veggies are tender and everything is golden. This method is easier, but hotter.

Option two is to only use the stove top and grill. For this method, you will want to blanch the root veggies. To do that, place them in a medium pot or sauce pan. Cover with water. Bring the pot to a boil and simmer until root veggies are tender. Drain and set aside. Using a cast iron fry pan, add some oil and butter over medium-high heat. Add potatoes and spices and brown (5-10 minutes, stir occasionally). All the summer veggies can be sliced, drizzled with olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper. Grill summer veggies over medium-high heat until softened and blackened (3-5 minutes per side). Corn can be blackened directly on the grill and then cut the kernels off the cob. Once root veggies are browned, add summer veggies and cook together for a few minutes before serving. This method is more work, a little less hot, and a little tastier.

For toppings: prepare your choice of toppings. Crumble cheeses.

For tacos: On the grill or directly over a gas burner, cook the corn tortillas until soft, pliable, and slightly charred. Top with filling, your choice of toppings and serve with a lime wedge.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Tomato Pico de Gallo

1 pint of cherry tomatoes, quartered
¼ of a red onion, finely chopped
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Cabbage Slaw

½ head of cabbage, finely shredded
1 green pepper, seeded and finely sliced
1 bunch of cilantro, chopped
1 green hot pepper, seeded and finely minced
juice of 1 lime
1-2 tsp of white wine vinegar
1-2 tsp of olive oil
salt and pepper

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Taste and adjust seasoning. This tastes better if it is made several hours in advance (or up to a few days).

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste) : 7/10

Scot (taste):  7/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5
 

Summer Pasta Puttanesca

Scot and I celebrated our 5 year anniv. yesterday.  I got nostalgic today and started looking through old photos and at all our wedding photos.  I thought I'd write a post in honor of Scot!  I don't think I have done that yet.  

Scot is pretty cool.  If you know him, you already have your mind made up on "who Scot is".  But, no one knows the Scot, who I know.  Obvious, maybe.  But some people grew up with Scot and they might think of him as this crazy, social, friends-with-everyone Scot.  Maybe you went to college with him, and you think of him as a funny, friendly, go-with-the-flow, soccer-playing Scot.  Maybe you are related to Scot and think of him as a Goofy-loving, car-liner-upper, Vikings fan Scot.  Maybe you went to grad school with Scot and think of him as a mountain-loving, sports-playing, fluid dynamicist Scot.  We all have so many versions of ourselves.  No one necessarily knows "the real" anyone...I am not saying I know "the real" Scot.  I just know my Scot.  

My Scot changes.  He is not the same Scot I met in the math tutoring center.  Or the same Scot I went to graduate school with.  Or the same Scot I married 5 years ago.  Or the same Scot I learned to golf, ice skate, hike, climb, bike, ski, cross country ski from.  Or even the same Scot who sat with me for over 3 days as our baby decided to slowly, but surely, make his way out of my body.  I mean, not that he had something else to do.  Still, a different Scot.  

But really, how do we define and write about a person like Scot.  He isn't just a guy who loves chocolate.  He isn't just a guy who seriously reads and looks at maps for fun.  He isn't just a guy who can solve any problem regardless of the subject.  

So who is my Scot?  He is the definition of passionate.  He has no medium.  He is on or off.  Black or white.  He can only live in the present.  Rarely interested in the past or future.  He has his own timescale.  One where everything important to him gets the time it deserves.  He is adaptable, but not instantly.  His emotions are strong and encompassing.  He has never not "given it his all".  This means he loves deeply, hurts deeply, and lives fully.  People love Scot.  All types of people.  Which may be most important of all.  

He is a great partner for me.  I think I can definitely do another 5 years.  So that's good.  

When we got married, we had a wedding.  Wedding planning isn't really Scot's thing.  It is more like the opposite of his thing.  If we were to get married NOW, wowzers, would we have a different wedding than the one we had.  But the one we had was the one we had.  Not the one we WOULD have.  So, it was perfect for that.  AND IT WAS SO MUCH FUN.  During our ceremony, we promised to do a flower exchange each year on our anniv.  It is really just another thing for Scot to have to remember.  He is supposed to give me a single flower and I am supposed to put it in a vase.  Not exactly fair, but it is ok.  Here is the first five years and two non-positive years of this tradition.  

Year -1:  Engagement.  One week after we got Copper.  (Engagements are weird.)

Year 0 - At Snow Mountain Ranch, Wedding day.  

 

Year 1 - In Boulder, eating the ice cream we had at our wedding.  Celebrated in Denver.

Year 2 - In Boston.  Celebrated in Little Italy.

 

Year 3 - In Fairfield, CT.  Celebrated in NYC.

 

Year 4 - In Boulder, CO.  Celebrated at Flagstaff House, where we ate for our engagement.

Year 5 - In Fairfield, CT.  Celebrated at home with Pasta Puttanesca and Peach Pie.  

Each year, we have done something totally different.  You'll notice we didn't even have the vase because we weren't home two of the annivs.  This year, we ate up the day with various forms of productivity, put baby to bed, and then made dinner and dessert.  Dinner was Summer Pasta Puttanesca.  It is a tomato sauce made with 1.5 lbs of cherry or grape tomatoes.  Since I hoard those, I had plenty.  The sauce is a chunky tomato sauce with olives and capers.  The recipe calls for a short cut pasta, but if I buy pasta, I really like the fresh pasta at Whole Foods.  It only comes in linguine, so that is what I used.  A delicious summer pasta.  

For dessert, I made peach pie.  I have been thinking about peach pie for about 3 weeks.  I am pretty sure that is normal.  Scot gets mad when I make large quantities of dessert because he doesn't like to waste food and also can't not eat leftover dessert.  But I couldn't take it anymore, I needed to make peach pie.  I often do not like pies.  I don't like pie filling that is thick and jelly like.  And I think for a long time, that is the only kind of pies I knew.  Therefore, I needed to make peach pie to see if I liked peach pie.  Everyone else does!

Turns out, I like peach pie.  My compromise was that I found and purchased a 6 inch pie pan.  And I made a mini pie.  The pic below has a mini pie, a paring knife (mini), and a pint of ice cream (mini).  Once a year, I do make a pie.  In the late summer, early fall, I usually make an apple pie.  Warm apple pie with ice cream is definitely in my top 3 favorite desserts.  But I have always made my crust with all butter.  I can't do shortening.  I can't.  Except I did here.  I was curious.  The universal opinion on pie crusts is that half butter/half shortening gives the best flakey texture with all the buttery flavor.  I had to try it.  It is true.  The shortening contributes a much better texture than an all butter crust.

To make a six inch pie, you will need to halve the recipe for a regular 8 or 9 inch pie crust.  For the filling, you will need 2/3 times a regular pie filling.  For my pie, I used Cook's Illustrated pie crust (half of a recipe similar to this, but the one they published in the most recent mag is a little different...).  And Smitten Kitchen's peach pie filling (2/3rds this recipe).  Cook's Illustrated filling was too high maintenance and Smitten's crust was all butter.  Also, a lattice crust seems to be the crust of choice for peach pies, but I assembled this in the 10 minutes I had after I finished dinner, while Scot served up and set the table.  

Summer Pasta Puttanesca
from Cook’s Illustrated

3 
tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 
garlic cloves, minced
1 
tablespoon anchovy paste
1/4 
teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 
teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 
pounds grape or cherry tomatoes
1
pound campanelle
Salt
1/2 
cup pitted kalamata olives, chopped coarse
3 
tablespoons capers, rinsed and minced
1/2 
cup minced fresh parsley

Combine oil, garlic, anchovy paste, pepper flakes, and oregano in bowl. Process tomatoes in blender until finely chopped but not pureed, 15 to 45 seconds. Transfer to fine-mesh strainer set in large bowl and let drain for 5 minutes, occasionally pressing gently on solids with rubber spatula to extract liquid (this should yield about 3/4 cup). Reserve tomato liquid in bowl and tomato pulp in strainer.

Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add campanelle and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1 cup cooking water, then drain campanelle and return it to pot.

While campanelle is cooking, cook garlic-anchovy mixture in 12-inch skillet over medium heat, stirring frequently, until garlic is fragrant but not brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato liquid and simmer until reduced to 1/3 cup, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomato pulp, olives, and capers; cook until just heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in parsley.

Pour sauce over campanelle and toss to combine, adding reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Season with salt to taste. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy) 

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5

Eggplant and Tomato Grilled Pizza

One of my favorite preparations of the most popular summer veggies (including:  cucumbers, zucchini, and eggplant) is to remove some of the moisture by salting them.  Salt seems to be a fear for many people.  It is one of the many unfortunate consequences of our wacky food system.  Salt is not only essential to give pretty much any ingredient flavor, but it is an amazing tool.

First, salt is fine.  Since many people are used to processed foods, convenience foods, and fast foods...salt has become this evil thing to avoid.  If you grew up eating packaged foods, you definitely didn't need to add salt to anything you were cooking.  When I would microwave my Hungry Man, I never pulled out the salt shaker to perfect the seasoning.  As a result, when cooking real food, I have talked to countless people who either skip the salt completely, or they feel very uncomfortable adding salt to their food.  Or they cringe watching me or someone else season a dish with salt.  The consequence of this fear of salt?  People think they hate "fill in the blank" ingredient.  Common culprits:  mushrooms, cauliflower, brussels sprouts, kale, beans, beets, squash, eggplant, and probably most veggies.

Now, there are lots of reasons people might not like a certain ingredient.  Most likely it is because the time they tried it, it was cooked poorly.  And it is very likely it wasn't seasoned properly.  Other options:  it wasn't in season, wasn't ripe, was mass produced and had no flavor, etc.  There is a small chance your palette isn't ready for that flavor yet.  Like why we don't feed babies bitter dark greens as their very first solid food.  It is hard to know exactly the reason why you might not like a particular ingredient, which is why you should always give ingredients a second chance (what I mean by that is..a 20th chance).

With the majority of veggies, whole grains, beans...you know all the healthy stuff...you need to season them.  With some salt. If I were to answer the question, is salt good for me?  My answer would be "yes!"  Aside from all the fancy nutritional explanations of why we need salt...sodium blah blah, electrolytes ya ok.  My reasoning is: it makes healthy food taste good.  Take a bitter vegetable of your choice:  kale, swiss chard, broccoli, brussels sprouts, whatever.  Roast it with and without salt.  Which one are you most likely going to go through the trouble of preparing and eating again?  The salted one!  More info on salt here.  The CDC, FDA, WHO all have articles on SODIUM.  Don't read those.  They assume you eat Hohos and McDonalds everyday.

Sorry.  I have watched two documentaries in the past two days on food.  One made me cry.  Like happy cry, but still.  Ok, I will tell you what made me cry:  "Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead".  Phil stole my heart.

Back to this pizza.  What a perfect summer meal.  I made Pioneer Women's Tomato and Eggplant Pizza a few years ago.  That was my first time putting eggplant on pizza.  This recipe is very similar, but adapted for the middle of the summer.  A few summers ago I also posted on how to grill pizza.

I have made this twice in the past two weeks.  It is my favorite thing right now.  The toppings pair really well with the grilled, charred-ness of the pizza.

Eggplant and Tomato Grilled Pizza
by foodforscot

1 Japanese eggplant
1 bunch of kale, washed, stemmed and roughly chopped
half a pint of cherry tomatoes, halved
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 whole wheat pizza dough (room temp, mine is from a Brooklyn pizza restaurant)
fresh mozzarella (1 ball), thinly sliced
parmesan cheese, grated
olive oil
salt
pepper

Slice the eggplant to make 1/8th of an inch thick rounds. Place in a colander and sprinkle generously with salt. Mix to evenly coat the eggplant with the salt. Let sit for at least 30 minute (up to an hour or so) in the sink to release the water out of the eggplant.

In the meantime, prep the pizza toppings. In a skillet, sauté the kale in some olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and set aside. You can do all of this on the grill or inside on the stove. Next, lay the eggplant out on a kitchen towel. Pat dry (a lot of the salt should come off too). In a hot pan with olive oil or on the grill, sauté/grill each piece of eggplant until golden brown on each side. Do not season. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet over medium high heat, add some olive oil and sauté the halved cherry tomatoes until soften and slightly charred. Remove from pan and set aside.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat. Divide the dough in half. You will want to make two small pizzas, instead of one large one. It is much easier to deal with small pizzas when grilling. I like to roll the dough out on parchment paper. Once the dough is rolled out, I pre cook it on the grill before topping it. Place the dough on the grill with the parchment paper still attached to the top. Then, peel the parchment paper off. Cook for a few minutes until dough is not raw. Flip and cook the other side a few minutes. Remove from the grill, place on a plate or cutting board. Turn heat down to medium low.

Top the pizzas (everything is divided evenly among the two pizzas). First, layer on the sliced mozzarella cheese. Sprinkle with minced garlic. Top with kale, eggplant, and tomatoes. Sprinkle with grated parmesan. Place back on the grill and cook for 5-10 more minutes until cheese is melty and crust is crispy. Watch the bottom of the crust, you don’t want to burn it!!!

(Servings: 3-4, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  10/10
Scot (taste):  9/10
Effort:  3/5
Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Kale, Tomato and Goat Cheese Twice Baked Potato

Day 164 in this new city and I still don't remember how to get from my house to the grocery store.  Unfortunately, that is not a joke.  Being an idiot is a constant struggle.

I am doing a new thing here on foodforscot.  It probably won't change your life.  But if it does, it might make be feel a little better about being navigationally challenged.  

I have been stocking up recipe after recipe (aka photo after photo) of all these meals I have made over the past 5-6 crazy months of my life.  I haven't posted them because many of them are "ideas" rather than recipes.  And I am lazy!  They are just things I whip up when I don't want to recipe test and just want to cook and eat without figuring out how much of this and how much of that and how long for this, etc.  So...stay tuned for weird, random, maybe overly obvious meals, recipes and ideas.  I don't know how long this will last, but I hope for it to be frequent and fun.  Which is why I will call this series:

Food Ideas for You from Me 

First up in this series are these twice baked potatoes.  You may know/remember my thing with baked potatoes.  But can I just re-iterate that a good baked potato can seriously make you feel like all is right in the world.  It has to be the most under-rated potato side.  Even I, the number one fan of the baked potato, sometimes discriminate.  I usually stuff them with steamed broccoli, cheese and/or bacon, but this kale, tomato and goat cheese version is amazing.  Make sure you respect the preparation of the baked potato.  The key to a good baked potato is to really scrub the potato skin so that it is super clean.  Because when it is oiled and sprinkled with salt and pepper before baking, it makes the most delicious crispy skin to enjoy.  If you make a good baked potato or twice baked potato, you will scarf down the entire things (including the skin).  

PS:  I have been pretty good about updating the recipe index, sometimes it is 1-6 recipes behind.  I updated the weeknight meals tab with a few things last night.  I still have a few more things to add, but will continue to update.  The restaurants tab is in need of some updating.  Fortunately and unfortunately, I have a LOT of new places to add.  

2012 foodforscot Kitchen Tip:  Keep a lot of kitchen towels around.  I probably have 30+.  Use them frequently.  Replace them frequently.  Use them to wipe down your cutting board, to dry produce, to wipe off your hands as you cook, to wipe off your knife, to wipe down your pan, etc.  I feel like for the longest time I skimped on my dish towel use (afraid of laundry maybe...?), but now I use one or two a day and it makes my time in the kitchen flow so much better.  Also, have a variety of types.  I like those thin white ones, thick towel-y ones, big ones, those hatch patter ones, etc.  All good for different things.  

Kale, Tomato and Goat Cheese Twice Baked Potato

3 baking potatoes

olive oil

2 ounces of goat cheese

3 tablespoons of butter

3 ounces of Monterey jack, shredded

1 bunch of kale, rinsed, dried, stems removed and chopped

1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes, halved

salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400°F. Wash potatoes under water and scrub the skin clean. Takes about 2 minutes per potato. Completely dry the potatoes with a kitchen towel. Cover a baking sheet with foil. Place potatoes on baking sheet and pierce each potato several times with a fork. Liberally coat potatoes with olive oil and then sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake in oven until fork tender. Usually takes about an hour for a medium sized potato.

While potatoes are baking, heat up some olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add chopped kale and cook for about 15 minutes until kale is cooked down and wilted. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Remove potatoes from oven and let cool slightly (or enough so that you can work with them…if you have hands of steel, start right away). It helps to cut them in half length-wise and let them sit for a few minutes to cool down. After the potatoes are sliced in half length-wise, scoop out the insides leaves about 1/4 inch of flesh and skin so that potatoes don’t fall apart. Mash together the potato insides, goat cheese, butter, some of the Monterey jack cheese (leave enough to top off the potato halves), and salt and pepper, to taste. After mixture is somewhat homogeneous, add the cooked kale and cherry tomatoes and fold to combine. Fill each of the six potato halves with the mixture and top with remaining Monterey jack cheese. Place back on baking sheet and bake for another 20-30 minutes, or until cheese is melted and slightly golden brown.

(Servings: 3-6, Prep time: 30 min., Cook time: 1.5 hrs., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Chicken Tikka Masala

I am really into Indian food right now.  I have always liked it, but there is an Indian restaurant that I have gone to for lunch several times in the past month and I am now hooked.  There are two things that draw me to Indian food:

1.  I love the ginger, garlic, yogurt, and other fresh flavors paired with all the warm spices like cloves, cinnamon, cumin, nutmeg, etc.  

2.  It is so vegetarian.  And healthy!

This is my most Indian dish I have ever made.  And upon some Wiki research, I learned that this dish isn't really all that Indian.  It is British?  And the most popular British dish at that.  I have never been to the UK, so I guess I will need to verify that at some point in my life.  But it definitely has some Indian connections.  

And you know, I should have known this dish was not super authentic since it has chicken and cream in it.  Not vegetarian and not overly healthy like most of the dishes I have had are.  BUT, it is delicious and has the warmth that I like so much about Indian food.  And I think this would be perfectly delicious if you just substituted a couple of cans of chickpeas for the chicken.  

I was recently having dinner with some new friends and this is an exact quote from our wonderful conversation:

"A turkey club is too ethnic for my mom."

If you are like my new friend's mom...that is, a little hesitant to trying ethnic food, this is the perfect Indian dish to start with.  It has enough familiar flavors and ingredients like tomatoes, chicken and cream that it is very comforting.  And with the wonderful combination of wintery spices, fresh ginger, garlic, it will knock your socks off.  Lastly,  go for the naan.  If you buy it from the bakery, make sure to grill it in some garlicy olive oil.

PS:  I added a new tab up there.  A little guide to weeknight meals.  Check it out!  

Chicken Tikka Masala

recipe courtesy Aarti Sequeira via Food Network

For the Marinade:

1 cup plain yogurt, whisked until smooth

3 tablespoons Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger and 3 cloves garlic put through a garlic press or finely minced)

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs, poked with a fork, and cut into large

bite-sized chunks

For the Sauce:

2 teaspoons olive oil

3 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup Ginger-Garlic Paste, recipe follows (or 6 cloves garlic and 2-inch thumb ginger minced)

2 serrano peppers, minced (seeds removed if you don't want it spicy)

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon garam masala

2 teaspoons paprika

8 Roma tomatoes, diced (I used a 28 ounce can of whole tomatoes)

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 to 2 cups water

Oil, for grilling

1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (optional)

1/2 cup heavy cream

Minced fresh cilantro, for garnish

Cooked rice, naan, or crusty piece of bread, for serving

For the marinade: In a large bowl, mix together the marinade ingredients. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate at least 30 minutes, or in the refrigerator up to overnight.

For the sauce: When you're ready to make the curry, place a large skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. When the butter has melted, add the Ginger-Garlic Paste and serrano peppers. Saute until lightly browned around the edges. Add the tomato paste and cook until the tomato has darkened in color, about 3 minutes. Add the garam masala and the paprika and saute for about 1 minute to draw out their flavors.

Add the tomatoes, salt, and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer, and cook until thickened, about 20 minutes. You may need more water depending on how much liquid the tomatoes give off.

Meanwhile, fire up your grill. When it is nice and hot, lightly brush it with oil. Place the chicken on the grill, shaking off some of the excess marinade. Cook until it's charred, about 2 minutes on each side. (Don't worry that the chicken will still be a little uncooked, it finishes cooking in the sauce).

Pour the sauce into a blender or food processor, or use an immersion blender, and process until smooth. Pour back into the skillet and bring back up to a boil. Add the chicken and fenugreek leaves, if using. Take the heat down to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes. Add the cream and stir through. Garnish with minced fresh cilantro, and serve over rice, with naan, or a crusty piece of bread!

Ginger-Garlic Paste

1/2 cup cloves garlic, whole

1/2 cup fresh ginger, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch slices

1/4 cup canola oil

Throw the garlic, ginger, and canola oil in a mini-food processor and let it go until it forms a semi-smooth paste. There will still be tiny little pieces in there, but overall, it should resemble a paste.

Save what you don't use in a small glass jar. It should last in the fridge for 2 to 3 weeks. It's a delicious addition to marinades, pasta sauces, stir fry sauces, slowcooker recipes, gravy etc. We always had a jar of this stuff in our fridge growing up.

(Servings: 4-6, Prep time: 1 hr., Cook time: 30 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  9/10

Scot (taste):  9/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  3/5

Halibut in Artichoke and Tomato Broth

We really enjoyed this simple dinner.  The artichokes in the broth give it this super acidic boom chicka bow wow.  

And I love a broth.  I am sleepy.  Bye!  Try this!

Halibut in Artichoke and Tomato Broth

recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis via Food Network

1 tablespoon olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

4 (6-ounce) halibut fillets

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning fish

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning fish

2 shallots, sliced into thin rounds

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound frozen artichokes, thawed

1/2 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves

Drizzle 1 tablespoon of olive oil over the halibut and season with salt and pepper.  Heat a grill pan over high heat. Cook the fish on the grill pan until just cooked through, about 4 minutes per side, depending on thickness.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 3 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the shallots and cook for 1 minute. Add the garlic and artichokes and cook until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and stir, scraping the brown bits off the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add the chicken broth, tomatoes and juice, thyme, and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer.

Ladle the artichoke and tomato broth into shallow bowls. Top with the grilled halibut. Serve immediately.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 10 min., Cook time: 40 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:  

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  2/5

Dishwashing Effort:  2/5

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

Things are weird around here.  

Copper is currently not setting foot on our grass in our backyard.  Yup, that means pooping on the rocks.  It is most likely a strike of some sort.  

Scot has friended a spider named Al.  Probably our closest friend at this point.  He feeds him.  

We don't have our fridge at work yet, so I eat carrots with hummus everyday for lunch.  Actually, I eat carrots with hummus from about noon-4 pm constantly, everyday.  I don't think everyday needs to be one word?

Scot has two new obsessions:  his gate and curling.  He built a gate and verifies its ability to withstand gravity at least twice a week.  He joined a curling club.  He pretends like he isn't trying to make the olympics but I know that is his only goal in life right now.

I am going to join the curling club once it does NOT conflict with me teaching night classes.  I plan to be the one who does all the yelling.  

I have been scoring in the picking recipes department.  Can I just tell you that paprika and chicken belong together?  And that this chicken recipe is KILLER good.  I know food typically smells good when it is cooking away, but the smell here is delicious.  Go make this before all the summer cherry tomatoes are gone!  And if you still haven't tried this method for cooking chicken, you must.  You must.  

Chicken with Tomato Herb Pan Sauce

from Bon Appetit, July 2011 via Annie’s Eats

For the chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, butterflied and halved (4 halves total)

Salt and pepper

3/4 cup flour

For the sauce:

2 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

1 clove garlic, minced

11/2 tsp. fresh oregano, minced

1/2 tsp. sweet paprika

Salt and pepper

2 tsp. olive oil

2 cups cherry or grape tomatoes (about 12 oz.)

1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth

1 tbsp. minced fresh parsley

Season both sides of the chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Lightly dredge both sides of the chicken in the flour, shaking off the excess. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the butter, garlic, oregano, and paprika. Season with salt and pepper to taste. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the oregano butter with the olive oil. Place the chicken breast halves in the skillet and cook until golden brown on each side and cooked through, about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate, cover loosely with foil, and set aside.

Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes to the skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to char and burst, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining butter mixture to the pan. Crush the tomatoes slightly to release their juices and continue stirring until the butter is melted. Add the wine or broth to the pan, scraping the bottom to loosen the browned bits. Cook for a minute more until well blended.

Slice the chicken, transfer to serving plates, and top with the pan sauce. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.

(Servings: 4, Prep time: 20 min., Cook time: 20 min., Difficulty: Easy)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste): 8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort: 2/5

Dishwashing Effort: 2/5

Ratatouille

Ratatouille is a funny thing.  First, yes, I love that movie too.  It is cute and probably inspired lots of young kiddies to be chefs when thet grow up.  

Next, ratatouille is ALWAYS whipped up on cooking competitions and shows.  I have always wondered what the big deal was.  After reading recipes and listening to people talk about ratatouille, it left me thinking "cooked vegetables with no particular flavoring...that sounds...boring."  Why are Top Chefs making it?  Why are Iron Chefs making it?  Why does it even exist, let alone have a fancy French name? 

Well, I was consumed with these thoughts and doubts all the way up until the end of making this Ratatouille.  I kept tasting it and not being that impressed.  I am also bothered by annoying, OCD recipe instructions that don't seem to have an rationale behind them.  I feel like Julia is a bit of a jokester.  She wrote this cook book to see how many Americans she could get to follow her painfully long and drown out recipes.  I wouldn't be surprised if I was reading her recipe and it said, "take the chicken out the fridge for 3 minutes.  Now put it back in.  Turn of the power in the house.  Do three push ups.  Ok, now you are ready to cook the bird."

I don't mean to be disrespectful.  Because Julia is my girl.  I have always loved her.  But her recipes make me want to jump out the window.  

Anyways, back to my ratatouille.  Aside from cleaning the pot, the skillet, the dutch oven, the strainer, the colander, the million utensils..., I actually really liked the final product.  

Let me tell you what ratatouille really is.  It is a bunch of late summer vegetables that are stewed in fresh tomato meat.  Julia's recipe has you fry each piece of vegetable on its own to get a nice brown outside (probably a good idea, but roasting it would have been easier).  She also does this funky layering in a "casserole" (it stays on the stove, Wikipedia, you are wrong).  The layering is crazy talk.  Especially since it actually says to taste and season after the layering happens.  Once you re-season...you would have to mix it up.  And I had to add lots and lots of salt to all these veggies.  

What I am trying to say is:  use this recipe as a general guide.  Or use Anne's, she seems to have simplified it a bit.  Ratatouille is a beautiful dish.  You know how good veggies taste in your favorite vegetable stew or soup?  That is the same general idea.  Except, in ratatouille, they are not nearly as soft.  We ate this with some fish.  Traditionally it is often served with some beef or pork.  I just wanted something quicker.  Veggies go with anything.  

Ratatouille

from Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

1 pound eggplant

1 pound zucchini

1 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons olive oil, more if needed

1/2 pound (about 1 1/2 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions

2 (about 1 cup) sliced green bell peppers

2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil, if necessary

2 cloves mashed garlic

1 pound firm, ripe, red tomatoes, peeled, seeded & juiced (makes 1 1/2 cups pulp)

3 tablespoons minced parsley

Salt and pepper

Peel the eggplant and cut into lengthwise slices 3/8 inch thick, about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide. Scrub the zucchini, slice off the two ends and cut the zucchini into slices about the same size as the eggplant slices. Place the vegetables in a bowl and toss with the salt. Let stand for 30 minutes. Drain. Dry each slice in a towel.

One layer at a time, sauté the eggplant and then the zucchini in hot olive oil in the skillet for about a minute on each side to brown very lightly. Remove to a side dish.

In the same skillet, cook the onions and peppers slowly in olive oil for about 10 minutes, or until tender but not browned. Stir in the garlic and season to taste. Slice the tomato pulp into 3/8-inch strips. Lay them over the onions and peppers. Season with salt and pepper. Cover the skillet and cook over low heat for 5 minutes, or until tomatoes have begun to render their juice. Uncover, baste the tomatoes with the juices, raise heat and boil for several minutes, until juice has almost entirely evaporated.

Place a third of the tomato mixture in the bottom of the casserole and sprinkle over it 1 tablespoon of the parsley. Arrange half of the eggplant and zucchini on top, then half the remaining tomatoes and parsley. Put in the rest of the eggplant and zucchini and finish with the remaining tomatoes and parsley.

Cover the casserole and simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Uncover, tip casserole and baste with the rendered juices. Correct seasoning, if necessary. Raise heat slightly and cook uncovered for about 15 minutes more, basting several times, until juices have evaporated leaving a spoonful or two of flavored olive oil. Be careful of your heat; do not let the vegetables scorch in the bottom of the casserole. Set aside uncovered. Reheat slowly at serving time or serve cold.

(Servings: 4-8, Prep time: forever, Cook time: forever, Difficulty: Intermediate)

Printable Version

foodforscot Ratings:

Shanon (taste):  8/10

Scot (taste):  8/10

Effort:  3/5

Dishwashing Effort:  4/5