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Roasted Shrimp, Chorizo and Mushrooms with lots and lots of Garlic!

28 Apr

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Here are too very garlicky recipes that take no time to prepare – and folks will go wild for them! The trick is to roast both of them while guests are beginning to arrive. The aroma is pretty incredible and they will want to dive in with bread, big glasses of wine and their finger tips!

These two dishes pair extremely well with the other dishes from my Spanish Tapas night. And, these are the only two that require much cooking!

Garlicky Roasted Chorizo & Shrimp (serves a crowd – reduce shrimp quantity for smaller groups – but never reduce the chorizo!

  • one packaged, dry-cured chorizo – I used Palacios Imported that is available at The Fresh Market
  • 2 pounds, pealed and deveined shrimp
  • 4 or 5 cloves of fresh garlic, thinly sliced
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper

In a large oven proof ceramic dish, throw in sliced chorizo and garlic. Over with olive oil – a bit generously. Roast at 425 degrees until fragrant and chorizo is beginning to get crispy. Toss in shrimp and stir well. Season generously like salt and pepper. Roast until shrimp are cooked to your preference – this will not take long!! Serve immediately while hot and delicious!

Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms from Gourmet.com and Smitten Kitchen

  • 1 pound mushrooms such as cremini or white, halved lengthwise if large
  • 2 tablespoons capers, rinsed and chopped
  • 3 large garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 450°F with rack in middle. Toss mushrooms with capers, garlic, oil, 1/8 teaspoon salt and several grinds of pepper in a 1 1/2- to 2-qt shallow baking dish. Top with butter and roast, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and golden and bubbly garlic sauce forms below, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and parsley. Serve immediately.

Ed Winslow: Hummus Master’s Tips

20 Feb

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I discovered Ed Winslow’s blog, Mid Law and Divers Items, last August when his daughter, Margaret, shared his post with me about a breakthrough in homemade hummus making. The blog post was sandwiched between entries on 21st Century Skill Sets and Benchmarks of 19th Century African American Attorneys. It shortly summarized a tip about microwaving chickpeas before processing in order to break down starchy crystals for smoother hummus consistency. He concluded the post stating that “This discovery is thought by some to explain the presence of certain microwave-like structures found at archaeological sites throughout the Middle East.”

The post piqued my interest. A well-respected attorney, civic leader and veteran is blogging about law and hummus in Greensboro? Go figure. Naturally, I set up a time to meet with him and get a better understanding of his interest and history with hummus.

Over a bowl of warm family-farm grown peanuts from Edgecombe County, I chatted with Winslow. While he comes across stern in person, he is just as humorous and witty as his writing.

Winslow’s first memory of hummus is somewhere between the Mediterranean and  North Africa around 1966 when he was studying “everything other than growing up in Eastern North Carolina” in the South of France. Years later he began making homemade hummus after reading a recipe in Cooks Illustrated Magazine on restaurant quality hummus. And today, he is a proud owner of his second 40 pound bucket of tahini – the sesame paste that is an essential ingredient in hummus. He makes that much hummus!

I asked, “but why?” He gave me a deposition on the essentials.

Hummus:

“Hummus goes back 3,000 years and is contemporary only because of food processors.  Hummus is a great equalizer in the world of cuisine. A child of the Middle East but speaks to all people. Hummus is a metaphor for the universality of the truth. And the next great leap forward is understanding the possibilities of tahini…”

Tahini

“Tahini is a collaborative ingredient. It has its own voice yet joins in creating harmony with its fellows.”

Winslow purchases his tahini in bulk from Annah Awartani, the owner of Zaytoon Restaurant in Downtown Greensboro. Tahini should be stored in a cool dark space and has an extremely long shelf life. He credits Zaytoon for the best restaurant hummus in Greensboro.

Chickpeas: 

“Chickpeas are the most popular legume in the world. High in protein and fiber. Low in calories and inexpensive. They rival sardines and bananas as the world’s wonder food.

Chickpeas don’t get the respect of bananas…but are higher in social status than sardines.”

Lemon Juice:

“The key to great hummus is controlling the amount of lemon juice. The right amount of lemon juice is problematic; I do not like too much, but there must be enough.”

Finishing Touches:   

“Pine nuts are the champagne of nuts.” Slivered almonds or pine nuts are a great garnish. Also parsley. Drizzle oil on top and add paprika or cayenne.

Nazareth Bread Company makes great whole wheat pita and Turkish flatbread.”

Closing Statement: 

When concluding my chat with Winslow I asked if he had a closing statement on hummus. He replied, “We need a good pun on hummus. Come back during pesto season.“

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Winslow’s Straight Ahead hummus recipe has been public since he prepared it for the Canterbury Teachers Picnic years ago and they demanded the recipe. 

Ed Winslow’s Straight Ahead Hummus

  • 1 can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed – reserve 2 tablespoons chickpeas
  • 1 clove garlic, peeled and chopped roughly
  • ¼ teaspoon, salt
  • ½ teaspoon, cumin
  • 6 tablespoons, tahini
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons, olive oil
  • 1 or 2 lemons, juiced
  • Cayenne, to taste
  • Slivered almonds (if desired)
  1. Microwave chickpeas for 5 minutes to breakdown starches.
  2. Process chickpeas (except reserved ones) & garlic, pretty thoroughly in a food processor, push down sides.
  3. Add salt, cumin, dash cayenne & process
  4. Combine juice of 1 or 2 lemons with hot water.
  5. Combine about 6 TBS tahini with about 2 TBS olive oil, whisk to smooth consistency.
  6. Drizzle lemon juice & water through tube into running food processor and combine thoroughly
  7. Repeat with tahini/oil mixture
  8. Add water as desired to achieve consistency desired; add water/juice/oil if needed for taste; more water makes it more creamy; keep trying more and more water until you see what you prefer.
  9. Toast almonds
  10. Put hummus in bowl; sprinkle on top reserved chickpeas, almonds, some olive oil, some cayenne

Nach Waxman’s Brisket of Beef – Sliders!

18 Dec

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Sometimes, yes, that is – sometimes – I don’t test tradition. In the case of brisket, I hesitated and reached out to my father for a recipe recommendation. He quickly sent me a link to Nach Waxman’s recipe for Brisket of Beef on Food52.com. Not only has this recipe been crafted from the best parts of Waxman’s traditions – it’s been served to the Obamas and acclaimed by writers who claim they are the biggest “lovers of brisket.”  And, I’ll give it to these folks – the recipe is amazing. It is a test of patience and time but is the most tender and rich of briskets that I’ve eaten. It obviously smells good too – do you see Winston on the left of the photo??

Food 52 summarizes this recipe saying, “Waxman says he will “absolutely” be serving this recipe for Hanukkah, with latkes, pickled green tomatoes, and sauerkraut warmed in a little olive oil and beer. Another friend said that this would be akin to serving roast turkey on Halloween. Whatever your tradition tells you is right — and whether you’re a brisket newbie or an old hand — this recipe will make this winter better than the last.”  I agree, my winter is so much better in making this.

I served this brisket between fluffy rolls in slider-form for my #HappyEverything cocktail party. They were a huge hit and all 3.5 pounds of brisket was devoured!

Nach Waxman’s Brisket of Beef

  • 1, 6-pound first-cut (a.k.a. flat-cut) beef brisket, trimmed so that a thin layer of fat remains (we only ought 3.5 pounds)
  • 1 to 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 tablespoons corn oil (or other neutral oil)
  • 8 medium onions, peeled and thickly sliced (we used 4)
  • 3 tablespoons tomato paste
  • Kosher salt
  • 2 to 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 carrot, peeled (we used 2)

Heat the oven to 350°F.

Lightly dust the brisket with flour, then sprinkle with pepper to taste. Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large ovenproof enameled cast-iron pot or other heavy pot with a lid just large enough to hold the brisket snugly. Add the brisket to the pot and brown on both sides until crusty brown areas appear on the surface here and there, 5 to 7 minutes per side.
Transfer the brisket to a platter, turn up the heat a bit, then add the onions to the pot and stir constantly with a wooden spoon, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pot. Cook until the onions have softened and developed a rich brown color but aren’t yet caramelized, 10 to 15 minutes.
Turn off the heat and place the brisket and any accumulated juices on top of the onions.
Spread the tomato paste over the brisket as if you were icing a cake. Sprinkle with salt and more pepper to taste, then add the garlic and carrot to the pot. Cover the pot, transfer to the oven, and cook the brisket for 1 1/2 hours.
Transfer the brisket to a cutting board and, using a very sharp knife, slice the meat across the grain into approximately 1/8-inch-thick slices. Return the slices to the pot, overlapping them at an angle so that you can see a bit of the top edge of each slice. The end result should resemble the original unsliced brisket leaning slightly backward. Check the seasonings and, if the sauce appears dry, add 2 to 3 teaspoons of water to the pot.
Cover the pot and return to the oven. Lower the heat to 325°F and cook the brisket until it is fork-tender, 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Check once or twice during cooking to make sure that the liquid is not bubbling away. If it is, add a few more teaspoons of water—but not more. Also, each time you check, spoon some of the liquid on top of the roast so that it drips down between the slices.
It is ready to serve with its juices, but, in fact, it’s even better the second day. It also freezes well.

Holiday Side Dishes

7 Dec

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It’s First Friday – Festival of Lights in Downtown – and a little warm, rainy and muggy! Oh, North Carolina?! But, it’s quite pleasant at home on Mendenhall with my Christmas Tree up – so I think I’ll do some hibernation tonight and enjoy the peace at home. We’ll be celebrating “Everything!” tomorrow night for the first day of Hanukah – look forward to some great recipes for snacks and sips to work into your holiday gatherings. In the meantime… here are a couple more recipes for holiday sides that will be simple, easy and festive for your holiday gatherings. And, I promise, this is the last brussels sprout recipe of 2012!

Really good roasted vegetable side dishes are the easiest part of completing a well-rounded holiday meal. Root vegetables are in plenty this time of year – and with a splash for olive oil, salt and pepper – you can have a delicious dish with little effort and time. Of course, you can jazz up a roasted vegetable with a variety of dried herbs, fresh rosemary and little bits of ham or fruits.

My mom and I put together two simple roast vegetable dishes to accompany the Braised Lamb Shanks and Polenta for our Thanksgiving Un-Turkey Feast. We roasted both at about 375 degrees for about a half-hour. There isn’t much science to this – so turn it up to 400 or keep it at 350 if you’ve got something else in the oven.

Citrus Glazed Carrots - whole or stubby carrots tossed with olive oil, lemon juice (or orange!), honey and salt/pepper. Dress them like a salad and roast until tender.

Dried Apricot and Country Ham Sherry Brussels Sprouts – halved dried apricots, chunky bits of country ham, halved brussels sprouts tossed in good sherry vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper. Roasted about 30 minutes and laid flat on a cookie sheet.

Balsamic and Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions

16 Nov

Brrr! It’s cold out there! I just returned from a cold run with a friend, Winston and many many deer at Battleground Park. I’m not a runner – or a cold natured person – but I guess everyone can try to burn a couple more calories before the Thanksgiving holiday next week. It sure is beautiful watching the sun come up and the final leaves fall off the trees this time of year. Make sure to bundle up and enjoy it while you can.

As you plan to burn a quick calorie, put a menu together and make a grocery list – here is another seasonal twist on brussels sprouts. I used two different kinds of balsamic vinegar – an average balsamic for the roasting and then finished off with a really good bottle of aged balsamic vinegar before serving. Aged balsamic is so sweet, sticky and indulgent – yes, I said indulgent about balsamic vinegar. I was given a bottle of 25-Year Barrel Aged Balsamic as a gift three years ago and I’ve used each drop sparingly since. It’s honestly one of the best gifts I’ve ever received – consider it for your food-loving friends this holiday!

Despite your collection of balsamic vinegars, this is a simple recipe that is perfect for the holiday season. Enjoy!

Balsamic and Bacon Brussels Sprouts with Pearl Onions 

  • 5 slices, bacon
  • 2 bundles, brussels sprouts, cleaned and halved
  • 2 bundles, whole fresh pearl onions
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
  • salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet, bake bacon until crispy – about 20 minutes. Remove bacon and set aside.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Boil onions in their skins for about five minutes. Remove and allow to cool. Cut the ends off the onions and remove outside layer. (You can use frozen pearl onions if you want a short cut!!)

Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.

Clean brussels sprouts and halve. Combine onions and brussels sprouts and dress with olive oil balsamic vinegar. You’ll want to dress them like a salad. Scatter on the baking sheet with remaining bacon fat. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Roast for 30 minutes or until tender and caramelized. Toss about half way through to transfer heat.

Remove from the oven and crumble bacon on top! Taste for seasoning. At this point, you may want to add a splash of balsamic vinegar, salt or pepper to taste! Enjoy!

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Red Curry and Coconut Milk

14 Nov

 

Not only are these Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Red Curry and Coconut Milk extremely eye catching on a dinner table – they are also irresistible! Something about the exotic tastes of red curry and coconut milk spice up an average mashed sweet potato into something really special for the holidays. We all agreed that eating them in the same bite with the pork made a really interesting combination – and I think it would pair just as well with a Thanksgiving Turkey.

I’ll admit, there a couple steps in this recipe but nothing terribly daunting. I used my food mill to puree the potatoes until extremely smooth (despite my love-hate relationship with the gadget). If you don’t have a food mill, just use a stand up mixer. You can also make these in advance (up until they are in the ramekins) and then bake off right before you’re ready.

A crispy onion garnish is really essential. The salty crunch really hits the spot. Instead of making my own (what a pain!), I bought Lars Crispy Onions at The Fresh Market. And, I found a friend sneaking more of them on his sweet potatoes mid-dinner! They are worth it!

Enjoy this recipe this holiday season. It’s impressive and simple – interesting and appealing! Yum!

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Red Curry and Coconut Milk

  • 5 large sweet potatoes
  • 1 can, coconut milk
  • 3 teaspoons, red curry paste
  • 1/2 cup, brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons, butter
  • salt and pepper
  • Lars Crispy Onions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash sweet potatoes and pierce with a fork. Put them on a cookie sheet and roast for an hour and a half – or until knife tender. Allow to cool and peal away skin.

Meanwhile, heat coconut milk on the stove.

Using a food mill or stand-up mixer, whip or puree sweet potatoes until smooth. Add the pureed sweet potatoes into a heat-proof bowl and set over another bowl simmer water. This will warm the potatoes back up to incorporate other ingredeints. Slowly stir in coconut milk, red curry paste and brown sugar. Taste for seasoning! The potatoes will need a generous amount of salt! Add pepper and butter. The potatoes should be sweet and salt, smooth and luxurious!

Turn the stove to 400 degrees. Add potatoes to individual ramekins and place back onto the cookie sheet. Bake until hot and potatoes are starting to brown just slightly. Serve warm with a crispy onion garnish!

Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts

8 Nov

If you haven’t pick up on it yet – I’m crazy about brussels sprouts! I hope you are too because I’m going to be posting a variety of different recipes using the tiny cabbages in the weeks to come. And, If you’re aren’t, I highly recommend roasting or pan frying them – they are so different this way and nothing like the boiled and buttered ones you grew up with.

I was pleasantly surprised to find Pomegranate Molasses this weekend at the Fresh Market. This is the first place I’ve found it since I started thinking about this recipe last year. Fresh Market has it in a special place with holiday treats! Just ask if you can’t find it.

This recipe is really simple and could be prepared just on it’s own. But, the sweet and tang from the pomegranate make them really interesting and sort of sticky!

Get on the b-sprout wagon and try ‘em!

Pomegranate Glazed Brussels Sprouts 

  • 1 bundle of brussels sprouts, halved
  • 3 tablespoons, olive oil
  • 1/4 cup, chicken stock
  • 2 or 3 tablespoons, pomegranate molasses
  • salt & pepper

Bring a cast iron skillet to medium high with olive oil. Cut the brussels sprouts in half and toss them into the pan to brown. Don’t stir them around too much – allow them to brown! Once browned, turn down the heat to medium add the chicken stock to cook through. I like mine pretty crunchy and tend to only cook about five more minutes. Once the sprouts are cooked to your preference, add the pomegranate molasses and coat. Season with salt and pepper. Enjoy!

Homemade Preserved Lemons

19 Oct

I’ve become a big fan of preserved lemons over the past couple of years. I mostly like them in stews with chicken, olives and fennel but they are very versatile and it;s the perfect time of year to do some canning. I’m not one to do the serious kind of canning with sterilization and process – but a quick canning process with lemons is fun and useful for the near future. I imagine I’ll do a little more of this when I’m in Florida this winter.

We made these quick and easy preserved lemons at my Off Mendenhall Fall Cooking Class on Tuesday night. It was a fun activity and everyone was able to bring a jar home to use this Fall. They pair really well with the Braised Crispy Chicken dish we made that night too. Here is the recipe!

Epicurious Preserved Lemons

  • 2 1/2 to 3 pounds lemons (10 to 12)
  • 2/3 cup coarse salt
  • 1/4 cup olive oil
  • Special equipment: 6-cup jar with tight-fitting lid

Blanch 6 lemons in boiling water 5 minutes. When cool enough to handle, cut lemons into 8 wedges each and discard seeds. Toss with salt in a bowl and pack into jar.

Squeeze enough juice from remaining lemons to measure 1 cup. Add enough juice to cover lemons and cover jar with lid. Let stand at room temperature, shaking gently once a day, 5 days. Add oil.

Israeli Couscous with Grilled Summer Vegetables

21 Aug

 

I’m pretty crazy about Israeli couscous. I think it is a perfect pasta for a summer salad, picnic take-along or casual side dish. And, yes, couscous is a semolina pasta – this came as a surprise to my over educated medical student friend who thought that couscous was made from beans (oh lord do I feel for the diabetics he’s been advising).

I made this giant dish of Israeli couscous mixed with lemon vinaigrette, grilled zucchini and onions, halved grape tomatoes, crumbled feta cheese, toasted almonds and spicy fresh arugula for a last minute Sunday Supper last weekend (before the monsoon rolled through Greensboro). It paired perfectly with grilled yogurt marinated chicken kebabs. As you can see, I loaded them all up together and allowed everyone to scoop from one big dish around my picnic table.

I cook Israeli couscous in store bought chicken broth, drain it and immediately toss in a vinaigrette of fresh lemon, honey, salt, pepper and olive oil. From here you can add whatever you prefer – or is in season. I love adding dried fruits, cheeses and greens. Experiment with Israeli couscous – everyone seems to love it these days!

Cheesy Polenta with Fresh Corn and Basil

20 Jul

 

I made this recipe up in a pinch last weekend when I looking for something new (rather than a typical rice or potato side dish) and wanted to incorporate fresh corn at the market. So, I put together local polenta from the Old Mill at Guilford with farmers market fresh corn for a delicious and different side dish. By adding the fresh corn at the end, you get an extra crunch to your polenta. It’s almost like a combination of cream corn and cheese grits – but better! I added good pecorino cheese and fresh basil for an extra kick.

PS: It is also a very budget friendly recipe!

Cheesy Polenta with Fresh Corn and Basil 

  • 6 cups, chicken broth
  • 1.5 cups, polenta
  • 1 cup, freshly grated pecorino cheese
  • 2 tablespoons, butter (optional but its really good!)
  • 4 to 6 ears, corn
  • salt and pepper
  • fresh basil, garnish

Bring 6 cups of chicken broth to a boil (you can use veggie broth or water to make this a vegetarian dish). Slowly whisk in polenta and continue stirring until it begins to thicken. Pay close attention to this process – as polenta can stick very easily. It will take about 15 to 20 minutes to cook. At some point you’ll need to switch from a whisk to a wooden spoon. Once cooked, add cheese and butter.

Cut the corn off the cob. Add directly into polenta.  Season with salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with basil.

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