Cocina Capital

Flag Cake!

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 12:39:28 -0400

Hope everyone had a great 4th!! I made this Barefoot Contessa flag cake to celebrate. While it’s definitely not as pretty as she makes hers (lack of time and tools on my part), it was very tasty! I didn’t photograph the process, just the end product! Enjoy!

Zippy Cilantro Lime Chicken Skewers

Mon, 04 Jun 2012 15:23:52 -0400

Don’t know if zippy is the word I’m going for but I was trying to think of something that would describe these cilantro lime chicken skewers that have a hint of heat from a serrano chili and are nicely complimented by the chunks of pineapple. Maybe it’s the tequila that makes them zippy!

Anyway, I try and stay away from gimmicks - like skewers - when cooking because it just adds more prep time and just makes the food more “fun” but not necessarily taste better. I guess this time around, I was a little bored in the kitchen and did want to make something more “fun”. Besides, I finally figured out how to make loading up skewers faster - you have to soak the sticks ahead of time in water (maybe 20 minutes or so).

This chicken came out tasty but a tad dry - I don’t want to blame the grill master (my husband) - so let’s just blame it on the chicken breast! Next time I will make it with boneless, skinless chicken thighs (and you should too!!!). I served this with a light summer salad of romaine, tomatoes, corn, red onion, and avocado, dressed with olive oil and lemon.

Put all of the marinade ingredients in the food processor.

Deseed and chop the serrano first before adding it to the food processor.

Mix.

Cube the chicken breast. In a ziplock or bowl, combine chicken and marinade, allow to rest overnight or at least a couple of hours.

After soaking the wood skewers in water, thread chicken and pineapple pieces onto the skewers. 3 to 4 pieces of chicken per skewer.

Here they are. I ended up removing the chicken from the skewers just to make it easier for us to eat at the dinner table.

The pineapple was really an added bonus and complimented the chicken. So if you don’t end up using skewers I would still suggest grilling up some slices of pineapple as a side for this chicken.

CILANTRO LIME CHICKEN SKEWERS

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 serrano chili, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Finely grated zest and freshly squeezed juice of 1 lime

2 tablespoons tequila

4 teaspoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons olive oil

Salt and freshly ground pepper

1.5 - 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch cubes

Preparation

1. Combine the chiles, cilantro, lime zest and juice, tequila, brown sugar, oil, and salt and pepper to taste in a food processor and mix.

2. Combine chicken and marinade in a ziplock or bowl and turn chicken to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 8 hours.

3. Soak 16 wooden skewers in water. Thread chicken and pineapple onto skewers, alternating fruit and meat. Each skewer should have about 6 - 8 pieces total.

4. Prepare grill for direct heat or set gas grill on medium-high. Place skewers on grill. Cover and cook about 5 minutes. Turn and grill 5 more minutes.

Two Herb Chimichurri

Thu, 24 May 2012 13:23:07 -0400

With Memorial Day weekend right around the corner, it’s time to get grilling (that is if you haven’t already). This Two Herb Chimichurri recipe is super easy and a great way to dress up grilled steak.

Chimichurri is a traditional Argentine topping made from parsely, garlic, oil and vinegar. Some folks like to spice it up with crushed red pepper but I keep it on the mild side. Instead of chopping everything by hand, I like to throw all of the ingredients in the food processor to blend (speeding up the process!).

This sauce is great on a bunch of different cuts of meat. I prefer and nice flap meat that has a decent amount of marbling but isn’t super fatty. It’s great on flank and skirt meat as well but can also be used to top grilled chicken.

Add the oil, red wine vinegar, and lemon juice to the processor.

Peel and quarter a shallot, add to processor.

I use two herbs here. In addition to the parsley, I use cilantro. Sometimes I think to much parsley in a dish is so harsh, so the cilantro totally mellows it out.

Blend all of it together.

Done.

I like to top my meat with the sauce. My husband likes to serve it on the side!

TWO HERB CHIMICHURRI

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil

2 Tbs Sherry wine vinegar or red wine vinegar

1 1/2 Tbs fresh lemon juice

2 garlic cloves, peeled

1 medium shallot, peeled, quarted

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1/4 tsp dried crushed red pepper (optional)

2 cups (packed) stemmed fresh parsley

1 cup (packed) stemmed fresh cilantro

Preparation

1. Blend all ingredients in food processor.

2. Serve with grilled meat.

Classic Birthday Cake

Fri, 18 May 2012 14:33:22 -0400

For my birthday this year, I really wanted to make a classic double layer yellow cake with delicious chocolate frosting. Is it really a birthday treat when you are making it for yourself? In this case it totally was!!!

I had never made a double layer cake before and my birthday was a perfect excuse to make a super indulgent treat. Ahhh one year older but a little bit happier because of this cake!!

Measure out and sift the cake flour, baking powder, and salt. Sifting is totally tedious but a necessary step when baking. It creates a lighter texture for the end product.

Cream the butter.

Gradually add the sugar, and then the eggs one at a time. Occasionally, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

Then you are going to alternate adding the buttermilk (with vanilla) and the flour, mixing in between each addition until incorporated.

Line 2 round baking pans with parchment and spray with bakers joy.

Divide batter between the two pans and place in 350 degree oven for about 30 - 40 mins. (check at 30).

End result should be golden yellow and baked through.

When cooled invert the first cake on a cake platter and spread with frosting. *I didn’t take any photos of the frosting process because it really just entailed sifting (again) and mixing all of the ingredients. I used Valrhona cocoa powder for the first time and it really was deliciously chocolatey without being overly sweet.

Add the second layer. As you can see my layers were not perfect but with the end result you can’t really tell!

I used a regular ol’ spatula to spread the chocolate and I think it turned out pretty spectacular.

YUM!! I took this picture the next day to show the frosting a little bit more set but equally delicious.

CLASSIC YELLOW CAKE

Adapted from epicurious.com

INGREDIENTS

3 cups cake flour

1 tablebspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

2 cups granulated sugar

5 large eggs

2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/4 cups buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and line with parchment paper two 8x2-inch pans. Set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

3. Cut up the butter into 1-inch pieces and place them in the large bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment or beaters. Beat for 3 minutes on MEDIUM-HIGH speed until the butter is light and creamy in color. Stop and scrape the bowl. Cream the butter for an additional 60 seconds.

4.Add the sugar, 1/4 cup at a time, beating 1 minute after each addition. Scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Add the eggs one at a time.

5. Reduce the mixer speed. Stir vanilla into the buttermilk. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the buttermilk. Mix just until incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 15 seconds longer.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with a knife. Lift up the pan with the batter, and let it drop onto the counter top to burst any air bubbles, allowing the batter to settle.

7.Center the pans onto the lower third of the oven and let bake 30 to 40 minutes or until the cake is lightly brown on top and comes away from the sides of the pan and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

CHOCOLATE FROSTING

Adapted from Martha Stewart

INGREDIENTS

3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar

1 cup Valrhona cocoa powder

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/2 cup milk, room temperature

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a small bowl, sift together the confectioners’ sugar and cocoa powder. Add butter, milk, and vanilla; stir until smooth and free of lumps.

Sunday Brunch: Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Strata

Mon, 07 May 2012 20:00:53 -0400

Two things you should know about making a strata:

1. It’s very easy to pull together, BUT

2. You need to prep and allow the dish to soak overnight.

Clearly, I didn’t realize point #2 until I was halfway through prepping the morning of my brunch. (Thanks Bon Appetit for putting that important tid bit of info in the middle of the recipe!) And while this Prosciutto & Goat Cheese Strata was delicious, it would’ve benefitted from an overnight soak.

Cut the crust off a firm white bread. I used a rustic white.

Shred or chop up 4oz of provolone cheese.

Spray a pyrex dish with a little pam. Place the first layer of bread on the bottom, then top with half of the prosciutto.

Then half of the goat cheese and provolone.

And finally half of the chopped green onions.

Then repeat: bread, prosciutto, cheese and onions. This is a two layer dish.

We decided to use the bread crusts as the topper (by default, I didn’t realize we need more than one loaf of bread). We also decided to toast these a little in a pan with the melted butter so the would taste as if they’d soaked over night in the butter. They turned out very tasty.

Whisk the eggs, milk, mustard, and together and pour over layers.

We put in the oven for a little over an hour. Ideally, if you do prep this overnight you don’t have to worry about it the next day and you can focus on other things (like cutting a fruit salad or setting the table). We served with a nice fruit salad but I had also wanted to make a green salad and just ran out of time - next time!

Great for a non-fussy brunch with the ladies!

I think this strata would be delicious with other ingredients as well. Some asparagus would be a nice addition.

PROSCIUTTO & GOAT CHEESE STRATA

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Serves 6

Ingredients

1 sliced loaf of firm white bread crusts removed

6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced

8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled

4 ounces provolone, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)

1/4 cup chopped green onions

6 large eggs

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

NOTE: Prepare the night before!

1. Spray 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish with pam spray or a little butter. Line bottom of dish completely with 1 layer of bread, cutting some slices to fit.

2. Arrange half of prosciutto evenly over bread. Sprinkle half of goat cheese and half of provolone over. Sprinkle with half of green onions and half of basil. Top with second layer of bread. Layer remaining prosciutto, goat cheese, provolone, and green onions atop bread. Cut remaining bread crusts into 1/4-inch cubes. Sprinkle over top.

3. Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over strata; press down on bread with spatula. Drizzle melted butter over strata. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover strata and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake until center is set, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler. Place strata under broiler until top is golden, about 30 seconds. Cut into large squares and serve.

Chicken Parmesan - Leftovers retooled

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 10:31:29 -0400

So what I love to do with leftover parmesan chicken is to turn it into chicken parmesan. And literally it takes 15 mins to make, so all of the frying from the day before is totally worth it. Let’s be honest, this isn’t the lightest of meals (especially because I like to serve with a side of pasta) but it really makes eating leftovers quite awesome!

I usually just serve with a simple spaghetti dressed with a little olive oil, butter, salt and pepper. I was trying out a new recipe (which I still have to tinker with) so that’s why the picture above has penne. But I really do try and keep this meal really quick because I feel like that is the point of leftovers - to be quick and easy. Anyway, if serving with pasta, make sure to put a pot of water to boil right when you start cooking, so everything is ready to go at the same time!

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Shred some mozzarella (depending on how much leftover you have) or you can simply slice it or you can buy prepackaged grated mozzarella. I’m really not picky here.

Place the chicken in oven proof baking dish. Cover with marinara sauce (I like using Rao’s).

sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and a little parmesan cheese. Pop into the oven for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and chicken is warmed through.

It’s as easy as that. Enjoy! Again to make life easier serve with a simple pasta with olive oil, butter, salt and pepper.

For the recipe I am just going to list the ingredients without amounts because how much you need depends on how much leftover chicken you have. Keeping this in mind if you are feeding 4 (not just 2), it might me a good idea to fry up a little extra breast or two the day before to ensure you do have enough for leftovers.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

INGREDIENTS

Leftover parmesan chicken cutlets

Marinara sauce (I prefer Rao’s)

Mozzarella cheese (shredded or sliced).

Parmesan cheese

PREPARATION

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place chicken in ovensafe dish.

2. Cover with marinara sauce. Sprinkle with mozzarella to completely cover chicken. Sprinkle with a little parmesan.

3. Place in the oven until warmed through and cheese is melted and bubbly, about 15 mins.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 11:05:35 -0400

This parmesan crusted chicken is a total win win meal. My husband loves it, my child loves it, it’s easy to pull together and makes for great leftovers. Served with a simple salad (I usually serve with arugula but this time I used romaine) of romaine, tomatoes, parmesan and a lemony vinagrete, this makes for delicious but not super heavy meal.

The best thing about this chicken is that you can use any leftovers and reinvent it into a completely different meal the next day. Clearly, that will be my next post! But on with this chicken dish…

Take 4 chicken breasts and slice them in half.

Place the sliced chicken in between two pieces of saran wrap. I set up an assembly line of the chicken and used two really long pieces of saran wrap. Using a mallet, hit the chicken to thin them out to be about a 1/4 inch thick. This will make for quicker frying, keeping the chicken moist. If you don’t have a mallet maybe using the bottom of a can would work (I say maybe because I haven’t tried this method).

Here are the chicken cutlets thinned out.

Set up another assembly line of flour, eggs, and breadcrumb/parmesan combo.

Dredge the chicken in the flour.

Then in the egg.

Then in the breadcrumbs.

In a large pan, heat about an 1/8in of oil (I used a mixture of peanut oil, because of it’s high heat index, and olive oil, because of the flavor) over medium high heat. Fry two cutlets at a time until golden brown on each side (about 4 mins each side). I invested in a splatter guard that goes over the pan (looks like a mesh fly swatter) and it makes a world of difference in helping to keep my stove clean from oily splatter.

And done. I really should crop this photo, but it is what it is. Stay tuned for chicken a la leftovers!

PARMESAN CRUSTED CHICKEN

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

4 Chicken Boneless Chicken Breasts, halved

1/4 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Kosher salt

1/4 tsp Fresh ground pepper

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup Breadcrumbs (italian style)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (I like freshly grated)

Peanut oil and olive oil, for frying

PREPARATION

1. Slice the chicken breast in half horizontally (see picture above). Place each chicken slice in between 2 pieces of saran wrap. Using a mallet, thin the chicken to about 1/4inch.

2. Combine the flour, salt & pepper on a large plate. Place the beaten eggs on a second plate. Combine the parmesan & breadcrumbs on a third plate.

3. Dredge each piece of chicken in first the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumb/parmesan.

4. Place about an 1/8 inch of oil in a large pan. Heat over medium high heat. Fry each cutlet about four minutes on each side until golden brown. Replenish oil if necessary.

Tabbouleh, Tabouleh, Tabouli

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 16:44:21 -0400

Happy Friday! This tabbouleh salad makes me happy for sure. It is bright, delicious and a fun side for a spring meal. It’s super easy to make, just takes a little advance planning.

While I am mostly Cuban, I’m an 1/8 Lebanese (that counts right?) - so I credit my grandmother with teaching me how to make this. She taught my mom and so forth. Most tabboulehs I’ve ordered at restaurants are way too heavy on the parsley which I think are too harsh tasting. In my version (my family version) I tend to increase the bulgur to parsley ratio making it more appealing and delicious!

Bulgur is a grain. That’s it. Use about 1/2 cup dried.

Rinse and soak the bulgur in water overnight. The water should be about an inch above the grain. This will soften the bulgur.

The bulgur the next day. It increases a tremendous amount, so you only need a small amount to start.

3 chopped green onions (only 2 pictured here!).

Even though the cucumber is technically seedless, I still like to scoop out the middle. It keeps the salad from getting too watery.

Everything (tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, and green onion) should be finely diced!

Combine all of the veggies and the bulgur. Add oil, lemon juice, and salt and mix. This salad actually tastes better the second day and sometimes needs a little more oil, lemon, salt (because the bulgur soaks it up), so make adjustments based on personal preference.

TABBOULEH

Serves 4 sides

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried bulgur (1 1/2 cups soaked)

1 english cucumber, seeded and diced

2 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced

1/4 cup flat leaf parsely, minced

4 Tbs extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbs fresh squeezed lemon juice

1/2 tsp coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Rinse dried bulgur and place in bowl. Add enough water to bowl to cover the bulgur by 1 inch. Soak overnight.

2. Using a mess strainer, strain water from bulgur, lightly pressing on bulgur to release excess water.

3. Combined diced vegetables and bulgur in bowl. Add olive oil, lemon juice, and salt and mix. Adjust condiments to taste.

Dessert or Cheese Plate? Apple Goat Cheese Tart

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 21:25:06 -0400

This apple & goat cheese tart is a mix between a dessert & a cheese plate. The recipe uses no sugar (just honey). So while it is a touch sweet from the honey and apples, it has a slight tangy cheese flavor. I served it after I made my Moroccan chicken and I have to say it was a nice subtle finish to the meal (no need to overwhelm the palette any further!).

P.S. These individual tarts make for a nice dinner party presentation.

I use pepperidge farm pastry dough because it’s easy and accessible. It needs to be rolled out on a floured surface to be about 12”x 12”. With a bowl about 5” in diameter (think cereal bowl) cut out 8 circles from the two sheets of dough. You may need to use a small pairing knife to cut around the bowl.

Use a smaller circular bowl about 3” in diameter (use a smaller bowl, biscuit cutter, or tupperware!) to make rings from 4 of the circles.

Use a fork to poke holes all over the dough. I poked holes on the rings too (not pictured here).

Take the beaten egg and brush it on the outer edges of the full circles. Place the rings on top of the full circles. The egg wash acts as a glue in this process. Place the pastry shells in the freezer for at least 30 mins.

While the pastry shells are in the freezer, peel and core the apples.

Then thinly slice. You may not end up using all of the slices but I like to cut some extras to give me choices when designing(!) my tartlets.

Mix together the goat cheese, lemon, & salt. Take the pastry shells out of the freezer and spread the goat cheese mixture onto the pastry shells.

Mix the honey and melted butter. The recipe calls for dark honey but I’ve used regular honey and it tastes equally as good.

Arrange the apple slices, drizzle with the honey mixture, and sprinkle with the allspice. Then place in the oven for about 30 - 35 mins. Some of the honey will spill out - I took this photo about 5 minutes into the process. Don’t worry the tarts still come out great.

And here it is! Delicious!

For some reason I kept photographing the same tartlet - but they were all equally pretty. I made this for a party of four but for a bigger party just double the recipe.

APPLE & GOAT CHEESE TARTLETS

Adapted from epicurious

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 17.3-ounce package frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed

1 egg, beaten to blend

3 ounces soft fresh goat cheese

1/2 tbs fresh lemon juice

1/8 tsp coarse kosher salt

2 medium Gala apples, peeled, quartered, cored, cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices

1 1/2 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup, 2 tbs honey (dark recommended), divided

1/4 tsp ground allspice

Preparation

1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Roll out each puff pastry sheet on lightly floured surface to 11-inch square. Using 5-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out 4 rounds from each pastry sheet, forming 8 rounds total. Pierce rounds all over with fork. Using 3 1/2-inch-diameter cookie cutter or bowl, cut out smaller rounds from center of 4 rounds (reserve 3 1/2-inch rounds for another use*), forming four 5-inch-diameter rings.

3. Brush outer 1-inch edges of 5-inch rounds on baking sheets with beaten egg; top each with 1 pastry ring. Freeze at least 30 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and keep frozen. Do not thaw before continuing.

4. Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix cheese, lemon juice, and salt in bowl; spread mixture inside rings on frozen pastry rounds. Overlap apple slices atop cheese. Mix butter and 1/4 cup honey in small bowl; brush over apples. Sprinkle with allspice.

5. Bake until apples are tender and pastry is golden, about 35 minutes. Place tartlets on plates. Drizzle 1 tablespoon honey over each and serve warm or at room temperature.

Planning tip:

Bake the tartlets four to six hours ahead, then store them uncovered at room temperature. Rewarm in a 350°F oven for five to ten minutes. Drizzle tartlets with honey just before serving.

*I like to cut the spare rounds into little triangles and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon and bake in the oven for about 15 mins.

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Tue, 20 Mar 2012 09:16:21 -0400

I love getting ideas from friends about a dish I should try. That’s exactly how I came about making this Moroccan chicken tagine. My conversation with a friend went like this:

Friend (at 10am on a Saturday!): I just watched Barefoot Contessa and she made chicken tagine.

Me: Cool.

Friend: It’s looks really good. I think we should make it.

Me: Let’s do it.

AND done. It was delicious and made me want to hop on a plane straight to Morocco and eat my way through the country.

There are many ways to make a tagine, which is basically a moroccan stew, with different meats (lamb, chicken, beef) or different sauces (apricots, raisins, lemons). This one is with preserved lemons and olives. If you’ve never made a tagine or eaten at a Moroccan restaurant, this recipe is a good introduction to the cuisine. The mix of ingredients makes for an interesting meal without being too radical and the preparation is not difficult. It was really really good and was a nice change to my usual chicken dishes.

Soooo many delicious spices (Sweet paprika, cumin, ginger, garlic, salt, pepper, and grated onion). The original recipe called for ground ginger but for some crazy reason I didn’t have any in my pantry so I used fresh minced ginger.

The recipe calls for preserved lemons. I was able to find some at whole foods (in the bulk olive section). If you can’t find them or you don’t have 3 weeks it takes to preserve them yourself, you can used regular lemons - I would just up the salt a little because preserved lemons are really salty and use the zest instead of entire slices of lemon (so the chicken doesn’t turn bitter) in the final dish.

Marinate the chicken for at least 3 hours but overnight is best. I only did it about 3 hours but wish I had done more.

Tie cilantro and parsley stems with twine. In a large Dutch oven or casserole, place the chicken and marinade; add the stems of the parsley and cilantro, the rest of the grated onion, the turmeric, saffron and 1 1/2 cups water.

Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, uncover and cook for another 15 minutes. I like the chicken to be falling off the bone a little - I think that makes for a really delicious tagine. After the chicken is done cooking remove it from the sauce and cover to keep warm. Remove the cilantro and parsley stems and discard. Add the sliced preserved lemon (or lemon zest), olives, and chopped parley and cilantro leaves to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Remove skin from chicken and place back in sauce. Ready! Serve with couscous.

I used olives with the seeds because that’s what I had on hand (I thought I could pit these but it was too hard). I strongly suggested you used pitted olives.

PRESERVED LEMON & OLIVE CHICKEN TAGINE

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa

Ingredients

6 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tbs fresh ginger, minced (or 1 tsp ground ginger)

1/2 tsp sweet paprika

1/2 tsp kosher salt (if using fresh lemons, used 1/2 tbs)

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 large yellow onion, grated (about 1 cup)

2 tbs canola or olive oil

1 medium sized preserved lemon

8 chicken thighs, with bone and skin

Stems from the parsley and cilantro, tied with twine

1/4 tsp powdered turmeric and 4 strands saffron

1 cup pitted green Moroccan or Greek olives

1/2 bunch Italian parsley, about 1/4 cup chopped

1/2 bunch cilantro, about 1/4 cup chopped

Preparation

1. In a large bowl, mix the garlic, cumin, ginger, paprika, salt and pepper, 1/2 cup grated onion, and the oil.

2. Rinse the preserved lemons, and remove the pulp. RESERVE the lemon peel for later use. Add the lemon pulp to the mixing bowl. Add the chicken. Mix everything together and place in the refrigerator at least 3 hours or overnight.

3. In a large Dutch oven or casserole, place the chicken and marinade; add the stems of the parsley and cilantro, the rest of the grated onion, the turmeric, saffron and 1 1/2 cups water. Bring to a boil over high heat, turn down to a simmer and cook, partially covered, for 40 minutes.

Remove the cover, stir the chicken and continue to simmer for another 15 - 20 minutes or until the chicken is tender.

4. Remove the chicken to a serving dish and cover with foil to keep warm. Keep sauce on stove and begin to reduce. Remove the tied parsley and cilatro stems and discard.

5. Slice the preserved lemon peel into thin slices and add to the sauce along with the olives, parsley and cilantro. Reduce until the sauce is just a little thick. This shouldn’t take more than 5 minutes at most.

6. Uncover the chicken and remove the skin from the chicken. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Lamb Meatballs w/ Tzatziki

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 10:13:34 -0500

I think I discovered lamb when I was in college. I probably ate it earlier in life but I have these fond memories of coming home during a school break and my mom would grill up delicious lamb chops. I don’t know if it was the carnivore in me or just the fact I wasn’t eating another cafeteria salad that made me so happy! Regardless, I attribute the beginning of my love affair with lamb to that time in my life.

These lamb meatballs are so delicious and not nearly as expensive as lamb chops. They are so easy to pull together and baked in the oven so there is no oily mess from frying to deal with. They are great for a weeknight meal or fun as part of a dinner party menu.

So this is of a photo of grated onion. Why grate it when you can just chop it? Well I think when it’s grated the pieces are softer and it releases more oniony juices which provide more moisture to the meatballs.

Fresh herbs are key here. I usually just use a mixture of whatever I have on hand. Rosemary, thyme, and chives made this batch. About 1 1/2 tablespoon of each.

Sprinkle 2 lbs of ground lamb with salt and fresh ground pepper.

Add the minced herbs, grated onion, a few minced garlic cloves and zest from 1 lemon. Lightly mix until ingredients are incorporated into lamb.

Lightly form into balls. It’s imperative to lightly (I know I’ve used this word 3 times so far!) handle the meat - a heavy hand creates dense tough meatballs.

And cook at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, turning once. I put these on my favorite baking rack on top of a cookie sheet but they can go directly on the cookie sheet if you prefer.

Serve warm with tzatziki (no pictures but I will put the recipe below), pita bread, and a cucumber, tomato and feta salad and you will have a great meal!

LAMB MEATBALLS

Serves 4

Ingredients

2lbs ground Lamb

1/4 cup onion, grated

3 garlic cloves, minced

2 tsp coarse salt and fresh grated pepper

About 1 1/2 tbs of each herb: rosemary, thyme, chives, minced

Zest of 1 lemon

Tzatziki sauce (recipe below)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly mix all ingredients together and form into balls.

3. Place meatballs on baking rack set over baking sheet or directly onto baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes, turning once.

TZATZIKI

1 cup greek yogurt (Fage Total or 2% is my preference)

1/2 cucumber, seeded and finely diced

1 garlic clove

1/4 cup milk

1 tbs fresh lemon juice

2 - 3 tbs extra virgin olive oil

1 1/2 tbs fresh dill, minced (optional)

Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Place garlic clove in milk and microwave until very hot (about 45 seconds). Let garlic stand in milk for at least 5 minutes. Remove garlic from milk, peel skin off, and mince. (this take the bitter edge off of the garlic).

2. Mix yogurt, garlic, cucumber, lemon juice, 2 tbs olive oil (more if needed), dill (if you want), and salt and pepper.

Note: Can be served immediately or refrigerated up to 2 days.

Gwyneth's Tuna Burgers

Fri, 24 Feb 2012 15:35:23 -0500

Ok so I was bit of a skeptic when Gwyneth Paltrow came out with a cookbook - I mean she is a vegetarian and was on a crazy microbiotic diet for years. But I looked at the book at my sister-in-laws house and was intrigued by some of the recipes. I recently made her Ahi Tuna Burgers but with some changes (like using real mayonaise instead of veganaise - yuck!) and additions to brighten the flavors. I thought it was a good, solid take on the tuna burger.

PS - this is a good recipe for Fridays during lent!

Combine the wasabi, mustard and water in a small bowl.

Add paste into a food processor along with the pepper, salt, ginger (I only coarsely chopped this but definitely mince before mixing), garlic and peanut oil.

Make into paste.

Use ahi tuna. Look at how beautiful these pieces are!! I almost didn’t want to chop them up!

Chop the tuna into 1 inch pieces and add to cuisinart. Lightly process until just combined - it’s good to have nice meaty pieces of tuna still visible.

Form into patties and place in fridge for a little. During this time make the crispy shallots, cut up the cucumber and toss with rice wine vinegar, and make the mayo sauce topping. After the fish has chilled for at least an hour, grill or pan sear (2 mins on each side). Since you are using high quality fish it’s best to eat these rare!

I didn’t take pictures of the shallots cooking - but they add a nice little crunch, as do the cucumber slices. I also smashed down the buns, with my hands, and then toasted them. Because tuna has such a soft texture, the thin, crispy bun was a nice complement.

GWYNETH’S TUNA BURGERS

makes 4 burgers

Ingredients

For the Tuna & Ginger Burgers:

1 teaspoon wasabi powder

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon water

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon coarse salt

1 tablespoon peeled and finely minced fresh ginger

3 medium garlic cloves

1 ½ tablespoons peanut oil, plus more for cooking

1 pound highest quality tuna, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 shallots, peeled and thinly sliced

12 slices of cucumber

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar

4 hamburger buns

For the Soy & Sesame Mayo

½ cup Mayo

2 teaspoons soy sauce

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil

Preparation

For the Tuna Burgers:

1. Combine the wasabi, mustard and water in a small bowl. Scrape it into a food processor along with the pepper, salt, ginger, garlic and peanut oil. Pulse it all together to make a flavorful paste.

2. Add the tuna and pulse just to combine- be carful not to over process the tuna as you want your burgers to have texture.

3. Form the mixture into four burgers and set in the refrigerator for at least an hour (up to overnight) to let the flavors really settle in.

4. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat in a skillet. Add the shallots and sauté for about 10 minutes, until they get soft and sweet and a little brown. Reserve.

5. Toss the sliced cucumber with rice wine vinegar and reserve.

6. Preheat your grill or pan over high heat.

7. Rub the tuna burgers with a little peanut oil and grill for 2 to 3 minutes a side, to desired doneness.

8. Flatten the buns with the palm of your hand and toast. Spread the buns with the mayo, add the burgers and top with cucumbers and sautéed shallots.

For the Soy & Sesame Mayo

1. Whisk everything together.

Lemon & Dill Shrimp

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 15:08:00 -0500

So if you live in DC or have ever visited me here - I’m sure I’ve been to restaurant Zaytinya with you. I love this place - I go there for birthdays, a quick meal at the bar, or when family comes to visit. I even think it’s one of the few places you can take a child in DC and not get dirty looks from other patrons (unless, your child decides to screech at the top of her lungs!). It’s lively and fun and the food is top-notch.

One of my favorite dishes at the restaurant is the Garides Me Anitho - or Shrimp with Lemon & Dill. I seriously loooove this dish and could eat it every other day. I found the restaurant recipe online a couple of years ago but didn’t feel like it tasted the same when I made it. After tinkering with it, I think I’ve finally captured a delicious version. It also takes no time to make with about 5 ingredients, which now makes me feel bad when I pay $11 for the dish at the restaurant.

Chop about 1/4 cup of shallots/three shallots.

Saute the shallots in a little oil over medium heat until softened - about 4 mins. Then add the minced garlic and saute for another 2 mins.

Turn heat up to medium high and add the cleaned shrimp. I bought medium tail-on shrimp and then removed the shrimp during the cleaning process (shell-on shrimp would really add to the prep time!).

Once the shrimp start to turn a little pink (about 30 seconds), add the tablespoon of mustard. Saute for 30 seconds. Then add the lemon juice and then cover for 1 - 2 minutes until shrimp are done (they curl and turn pink and opaque). Uncover, add the olive oil and then remove from heat and swirl in the butter and dill.

Shrimp cooks really quick. So I didn’t even have time to take pictures of the rest of the process but literally it is fool proof. I can’t tell you how good this dish is. I served it last week as part of tapas themed dinner party and then made it again last night because I still had a bunch of dill left over. Best served with some pita bread to sop up the sauce!

GREEK LEMON & DILL SHRIMP

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 lb medium shrimp, completely peeled and devined

3 shallots (about 1/4 cup), finely diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 Tbs mustard, whole grain

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for sauteing

1/4 cup unsalted butter

2 Tbs of dill, chopped

Preparation

1. Add a little olive oil to skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and saute until softened, about 5 mins. Add garlic and saute another 2 minutes.

2. Increase heat to medium-high. Add shrimp and saute 30 seconds. Add mustard, saute 30 second.

3. Add lemon juice and cover. Cook until shrimp are pink and cooked through 1 - 2 mins.

4. Uncover and add olive oil. Remove from heat and swirl in butter and dill. Serve immediately.

Sweet for my sweets

Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:40:36 -0500

Nothing says “I love you” like some homemade milk chocolate pudding!!! I whipped together this special treat for Valentine’s Day in only 15 minutes and topped it with some fresh whipped cream. So easy and so deliciously chocolate. The key to this pudding is to use high quality chocolate (thank you Ghiradelli!).

Happy Valentine’s Day!

So this recipe is super easy. For the dry ingredients: 2 TBS unsweetened cocoa powder, 2 TBS sugar, 2 TBS cornstarch, and a pinch of salt. Whisk together.

Take 1 1/2 cups of whole milk and 1/2 cup heavy cream and…

Gradually whisk into dry ingredients.

Place over medium high heat and whisk away.

Once the mixture starts boiling, whisk for 2 minutes. Then remove from heat.

Mix in the chopped chocolate and a little vanilla.

It will be like a thick soup. Pour into bowl and cover with wax paper (directly on the pudding) or plastic wrap until cool. It will firm up a little so mix with a fork to loosen and it give it that creamy, pudding texture.

Top with whipped cream. Take a cup of heavy whipping cream and add a couple of heaving spoonfuls of confectioners sugar and mix with hand mixer to create desired texture.

I think this would be great with a combo of milk and semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate to make it more rich.

MILK CHOCOLATE PUDDING

Serves 4

Ingredients

2 TBS Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

2 TBS Cornstarch

2 TBS Sugar

Pinch of Salt

1 1/2 Cups of Whole Milk

1/2 Heavy Cream

4oz Milk Chocolate, chopped

1 Tsp Vanilla

Preparation

1. Whisk cocoa powder, cornstarch, sugar, and pinch of salt in medium size pot. Gradually whisk in milk and cream.

2. Place pot over medium high heat and consistently whisk. Once mixture starts boiling, continue whisking for 2 minutes.

3. Remove from heat, add the chopped chocolate and vanilla. Pour into bowl, place wax paper or plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to avoid a skin to form) and chill until cool (about 2 hrs).

Super Bowl Chili

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 18:29:28 -0500

So I tried to post this before the Super Bowl (I made this during the playoffs) but I couldn’t get it to upload. I was trying to decide if I should just scratch this post because I feel like at this point most people are just chili’d out. BUT I love this recipe.

This is my take on Texas style chili. I know there are so many different types, with people favoring the one from the region. Unfortunately, I have no idea what the different chilis from different regions are known for. I just know that I found this recipe a long time ago and have been tinkering with it a little to make it the way I like it. I really like this recipe because it hits all of the notes a good chili should: smoke, heat, & spice.

So the original recipe calls for dried ancho chiles but unable to find them I used California Chiles which are medium on the heat index scale. These are much larger than anchos so I used 3 instead of the 6 anchos.

Place them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them and then soak for a least 30 mins. Do this first and then chop everything else up.

Brown the diced bacon.

Add the chopped onions to bacon and saute until softened (about 5 mins.).

Cube brisket into 2x2” pieces. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Alternatively, feel free to use ground beef. I do love brisket in this recipe but if you are a ground beef fan, I think it would work well.

Add the brisket to pot and toss with bacon and onions. Set aside.

Then add all of the dried spices to the cuisinart (I love this picture!).

Then mix with the chopped chiles and 1 cup of the liquid the chilis soaked in.

Then add everything to the pot (chili sauce mixture, can of chopped tomatoes, can of green chiles, bottle of Mexican beer, and the cilantro stems). Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer for 2 to 2.5 hours until fork tender.

Once fork tender, shred (I did this in the same pot with 2 forks - 1 to hold the meat and 1 one to shred). Add 1 can of pink beans (or romano beans) and simmer for another 30 mins.

Serve with finely chopped red onion, shredded cheddar, and chopped cilantro.

So I think it’s also important to note that I’ve made this chili in the slow cooker and it comes out equally delicious. I just saute the bacon in a pan first and then add everything to the slow cooker (adding the beans towards the end of the cooking process because I don’t want them to get too mushy).

DEFINITELY try and make this the day before, it really tastes so much better the next day.

TEXAS STYLE CHILI

INGREDIENTS

Chili

6 large dried ancho chiles/ or 4 California chiles

8 ounces bacon, diced

1 1/4 pounds onions, chopped (about 4 cups)

1 5-pound flat-cut (also called first-cut) beef brisket, cut into 2 x 2 inch cubes

Coarse kosher salt

Ground pepper

6 large garlic cloves, peeled

2 tablespoons chili powder

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 1/2 10-ounce cans fire-roasted diced tomatoes with green chiles (1 3/4 cups)

1 12-ounce bottle Mexican beer

1 7-ounce can diced roasted green chiles

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro stems

1 can of pink beans

Garnishes

Fresh cilantro leaves

Chopped red onion

Shredded cheddar cheese

Warm corn and/or flour tortillas

Preparation

1. Place chiles in medium bowl. Pour enough boiling water over to cover. Soak until chiles soften, at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.

2. Sauté bacon in heavy large pot over medium-high heat until beginning to brown. Add onions. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle beef all over with coarse salt and pepper. Add to pot; stir to coat. Set aside.

3. Drain chiles, reserving soaking liquid. Place chiles in blender. Add 1 cup soaking liquid, garlic, chili powder, cumin seeds, oregano, and coriander; blend to puree, adding more soaking liquid by 1/4 cupfuls if very thick.

4. Pour puree over brisket in pot. Add tomatoes with juices, beer, green chiles, and cilantro stems. Stir to coat evenly.

5. Bring chili to boil, cover and lower heat to medium to simmer chili. Cook 2 hours to 2.5 hours until beef is fork tender. Check after every hour, adding more soaking liquid if needed to keep meat covered.

6. Once fork tender, remove from heat and shred meat into bite size pieces. Add can of bean and simmer about 30 minutes longer. Season chili to taste with salt and pepper. Tilt pot and spoon off any fat from surface of sauce.

7. Serve with chopped condiments.

DO AHEAD: Can be made 2 days ahead. Cool 1 hour. Chill uncovered until cold, then cover and keep chilled.

Great reason not to make fried chicken!

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 17:34:27 -0500

This chicken is A-M-A-ZING! It will cure any craving you have for fried chicken. It is crispy and juicy and cooks in the oven (so much healthier). It takes 4 ingredients to make and is ready in 35 minutes. So it’s great for an easy weeknight dinner.

I served it with a hummus vinagrete for dipping and a blood orange, pomegranate, and goat cheese salad. It goes well with so many side dishes.

First you toss the chicken in a little olive oil, coriander, salt and pepper.

The best way to cook this is to put a bakers rack over a large cookie sheet. I would even line the cookie sheet with tinfoil to simplify clean up (though I always forget to do this).

Place the chicken in a hot oven (450 degrees) and cook for 35 mins, turning it over twice during the process. As you can see the grease drips down onto the pan below.

AND done.

CRISPY CHICKEN

Adapted from Food & Wine

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 chicken drumsticks

4 chicken thighs

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 tablespoons ground coriander

Salt and freshly ground pepper

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 450°.

2. In a bowl, toss the chicken with 2 tablespoons of the oil and the coriander; season with salt and pepper.

3. Arrange the chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet, skin side up.

4. Roast in the upper third of the oven for 35 minutes, turning twice, until the chicken is cooked through. If you want, turn on the broiler and broil for 2 minutes, until the skin is crisp and golden.

Highbrow Ropa Vieja

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:09:02 -0500

Ropa Vieja is one of those Cuban dishes that every Cuban mother or grandmother has a different way of making. Oh and every one of them claims they know the best way to make it. So when my friend Isabel and I decided to make this dish during our cook-a-thon, I had a dilema - do we go with my mother’s recipe which is pretty easy or do we use a chef friend’s recipe and go for a challenge? I think the name of this posting says it all.

So what makes this particular recipe, which translates to “old clothes,” highbrow? Well for one, the process includes words such as “mirepoix” and “deglaze.” Definitely not something my Abuela would say! Second, the process was intense and made for a very busy day in the kitchen. BUT this recipe sounded like a challenge and we were up for it. It was deliciously rich and was a very true tasting ropa vieja (being 100% Cuban, I am TOTALLY an expert). Maybe down the road, I will make my mother’s version to see which I prefer. But for now…

So first, cut the 5lb brisket into about 2x2” pieces.

Then heavily (yes, heavily) salt and pepper the steak.

Then sear the meat over medium high heat in a big dutch oven and remove from pan.

Coarsely chop carrots, onion, and celery.

Saute (here it comes) the mirepoix until softened. About 8 to 10 mins.

After adding the crushed garlic, oregano, and paprika and sauteing for 2 mins, add a handful of flour and mix in until incorporated. Add some beef broth and a bottle of wine (feel free to take a couple of sips while you’re at it to keep you going during this process!). Then (here is comes the next fancy word) deglaze the bottom of the pan.

Add the tomato paste.

And a satchel of thyme and rosemary.

Add the meat back into the pot and submerge meat without completely covering it in the sauce. Bring to a boil, cover and then lower heat to medium. Simmer until meat is fork tender, about 2.5 to 3 hours.

After meat is tender and cooked, remove from dutch oven set aside and let cool. Once it’s cooled down, shred meat.

Strain cooking sauce. Discard cooked vegetables. Set aside strained sauce.

Julienne various peppers and a couple of red onions.

Add to dutch oven and saute until softened, about 8 mins.

Add minced garlic and cilantro and saute for another minute. Add beef broth and deglaze (again!).

Add sauce and meat, cover and simmer for another 30 minutes so all of the flavors meld.

SO DELICIOUS!!! Very good and complex. We served with white rice, beans, and plantains. Great Cuban meal right here in little ol’ DC. Who knew?!?! My mother would be so proud (but also annoyed that I didn’t use her recipe - so Cuban of her!)

HIGHBROW ROPA VIEJA

Serves 8-10!

Ingredients

4-5 lb Beef Brisket, cut in 2 x 2” pieces

4 Tbs oil

5 medium sized carrots, coarsely chopped

4 celery stalks, coarsely chopped

1 large onion, coarsely chopped

12 garlic cloves, (8 crushed, 4 minced)

1 ½ Tbs dried oregano

1 Tbs paprika

1 Handful of flour

1 Bottle of dry red wine (such as a cabernet sav)

1 can of tomato paste, 6 oz

1 ½ cups of beef broth

4 sprigs of fresh thyme

4 sprigs of fresh rosemary

3 peppers (you can vary colors for presentation: green, red, yellow), julienned

2 red onions, julienned

2 handfuls of cilantro, finely chopped

Kosher salt

Fresh ground pepper

Preparation

1. Heavily salt and pepper brisket pieces. Heat oil on medium high heat in large dutch oven. In batches sear brisket pieces until browned, adding more oil as needed, set aside in bowl.

2. In dutch oven, add 2 -3 tbs of oil and sauté carrots, celery, onion until softened (about 10 mins) on medium heat. Add crushed garlic, oregano, paprika and sauté an additional 2 mins. Add handful of flour and sauté another two minutes until incorporated into vegetables.

3. Add ½ cup of beef broth, tomato paste, bottle of wine, and thyme and rosemary (tied into a satchel with butchers twine if handy) and bring to a boil, deglazing the bottom of the pot. Add pieces of brisket, cover and lower to a simmer (medium heat) for 2 ½ to 3 hours. Meat needs to be fork tender.

4. Remove meat from dutch oven and place in bowl to cool. Once cool enough to handle, shred meat into pieces.

5. Strain cooking liquid to remove vegetables and herbs. Set aside

6. Add peppers and onions to dutch oven and sauté over medium heat until softened, about 10 mins. Add cilantro and minced garlic and sauté another 2 mins. Add 1 cup of beef broth to deglaze. Then add shredded meat and reserved sauce to pot. Cover and simmer for another 30 mins. Salt and pepper to taste.

7. Serve with rice.

Roasted Tomato Ricotta Crostini

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:13:31 -0500

This past weekend my good friend Isabel and I spent all of Sunday cooking up an amazing feast that we shared with friends that night. A meal that started with these delicious Roasted Tomato Ricotta Crostini, included Ropa Vieja, and finished with a cinnamon cake was the perfect way to enjoy the long weekend.

The star of this appetizer is the tomato - so good. The tomatoes need to be roasted ahead of time and then soaked in olive oil but the great thing about this dish is all of the components can be prepped ahead of time and then pulled together quickly before company arrives.

Start with a pound of romas.

Core

Then score. (Make an x with a knife.)

After boiling in water for 20 second, cooling in an ice bath and peeling the skin, quarter and de-seed. After a little experimentation, I like cutting all of the insides out and basically just leaving the shell of the tomato to roast.

Mix with oil, balsamic, salt, & pepper. (PS I’m messing with the settings on my camera to EVENTUALLY take better pictures, so that’s why this one is bad and orangey).

Then place tomatoes on rack (I use a bakers cooling rack) above cookie sheet. Add a slice of garlic on each and sprinkle with fresh thyme.

Once they are roasted, take the tomatoes and place in bowl or plastic container and cover with olive oil. These keep for two weeks, so definitely something you can make ahead.

So for the crostini, I like a baguette, sliced, and toasted in the oven. It gives a good crunch factor since the other components are soft. I used hand-dipped ricotta available in the specialty cheese section of the market. After adding the tomato, I like to sprinkle a little salt and pepper and drizzle a little of the oil the tomatoes have been sitting in over the crostini.

Enjoy!!

OIL-CURED ROASTED TOMATOES

Adapted from Cork Restaurant

Makes about 20 tomato slices

Ingredients

1 pound Roma tomatoes

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons canola or olive oil

Salt and pepper to taste

4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

6 thyme sprigs (or more to taste)

Extra-virgin olive oil as needed

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large mixing bowl with water and ice. Cut the stem out of each tomato, and score the opposite side with a sharp knife. Place the tomatoes in boiling water for 20 seconds (no longer or they will get mushy and hard to handle), then scoop them out with a strainer and immediately place them in the ice bath. Peel and quarter the tomatoes, then remove the seeds and inside sections.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes, balsamic vinegar, and canola/ olive oil; season the mixture with salt and pepper. Place the tomatoes in a single layer on a sheet pan fitted with a baking rack. Place a piece of thinly sliced garlic atop each tomato and scatter the thyme sprigs over them. Bake for 1 hour.

4. Cool the tomatoes. Place them in a small container and cover with olive oil. Let them marinate for at least 2 hours before serving. The tomatoes will keep for 2 weeks.

Papi's Ultimate Crab Cakes

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 22:04:05 -0500

So my dad, Papi, loves crab cakes. When we were down in Miami over the holidays, I wanted to make a meal he would really love since I rarely cook for him. These Baltimore Crab Cakes were just the ticket.

Whenever we are down in Miami, it is really difficult to peel myself off of the lounge chair outside (or stop playing with little lulu in the pool) and get inside to cook. Even with my mom’s dream kitchen, it’s really hard. So these were a perfect compromise. Delicious and decadent but pulled together extremely quick.

While lump crab meat can be expensive, you don’t want to skimp on buying good quality seafood. It makes a difference and it’s not nearly as pricey as eating meaty crab cakes at a restaurant.

Mix the first six ingredients together.

Panko bread crumbs are really great, light and crunchy. You can either find them in the “international” section or next to other bread crumbs in the supermarket.

Mix in the panko and crab. The ratio in this cake is nice - not too bready.

Form into patties.

Coat in panko and pan fry up.

And done. Serve with lemon wedges and a green salad. It’s supposed to be one crab cake per person but the guys all ate two!! So keep that in mind.

BALTIMORE CRAB CAKES

Adapted from epicurious.com

Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup mayonnaise

2 scallions, thinly sliced

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice plus wedges for garnish

1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

1 pound lump crabmeat, picked over

1 1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs), divided

1 tablespoon thinly sliced chives

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Whisk first 6 ingredients in a medium bowl. Add crab; fold to blend. Stir in 3/4 cup panko, chives, salt, and pepper.

2. Divide into 6 equal portions. Form each into 1” thick patties. Refrigerate for at least 10 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place remaining 1/2 cup panko on a plate. Coat cakes with panko. Fry until golden brown and crisp, 3-4 minutes per side. Serve with lemon wedges.

Cook's night off: Grilled Ribeye

Mon, 09 Jan 2012 18:33:35 -0500

No, this isn’t a picture of a meal at Bourbon Steak. This is a boneless ribeye my husband grilled on Saturday and topped with mushrooms sauteed in olive oil with thyme and garlic. Best. Husband. Ever.