Giving Thanks

To my friends and family: Thank you.

Thank you for supporting me by reading this blog and indulging my curiosity in the kitchen, for letting me prattle on about recipes and restaurants, for buying me all of the cookbooks, kitchen gadgets and pots and pans that a girl who loves food could ever want.

For all of you that have eaten and enjoyed my food-- you have no idea just how happy it makes me to cook for you. (And for those of you that have eaten and disliked my food- thanks for keeping me on my toes.)

For everyone that has given me a recipe they love-- I'm so appreciative that you shared a part of your life with me. I feel very lucky to live in a place where good food is plentiful; to know when my next meal will be and to never fear going hungry are things I hope to never take forgranted.

If I don't tell you enough face to face, over the phone or in an email, I'm so thankful for all of you. And, on this night, I'm especially grateful for a family recipe for squash casserole and a dirty vodka martini. Happy Thanksgiving.

30 Second Meals

Think Rachel Ray has cornered the market on dinners that are fast, delicious and require less than 10 ingredients? Think again. My very own special guest-blogger—“The Urbanite”—has concocted a dish so simple that it makes La Ray look like the Galloping Gourmet. Tragically, I will not be making this dish in my home as a certain co-habitant who shall remain nameless has a devastating shrimp allergy, but I can assure you that The Urbanite only offers up top-quality fare. Also, I would really like to live vicariously through my readers so, if you make and enjoy this dish, please leave a comment telling me so!

7 Minute Shrimp Sauté
Serves 2

¼ c. extra virgin olive oil
10 cloves garlic, whole
½ lb. fresh, cleaned shrimp
15 oz. can canellini beans
fresh thyme
pinch dried chili flakes
crusty bread, for serving

Sauté the garlic in a medium pan with the olive oil over medium heat. Add the shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Add the canellini beans, a bunch of thyme and the chili flakes and cook until the beans are warmed through. Serve with crusty bread. Mmmmm.

Choose or Lose

In honor of the historical significance of yesterday’s election—and the increasingly colder weather here in Atlanta—I present a truly democratic dish: chili. There’s something for everyone: meat (or meat substitutes), beans (or extra tomatoes instead) and a fiery-hot spice blend (or a mild flavor). The recipe is specifically intended for the slow-cooker, but if you have a large, heavy-bottomed soup pot and some extra time on your hands to stir, you could definitely make it on the stove as well. Oh, and the list of possible toppings far exceeds what I’ve listed here, so please, exercise your right to choose!

Pro-Choice Chili with Optional Toppers
Serves 4-6

1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil or butter
1 small onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. ground beef, turkey or tofu crumbles
salt and pepper
28 oz. diced tomatoes (regular, fire-roasted or Italian style)
3 cans (45 oz. total) drained and rinsed beans (kidney, garbanzo, black or pinto)
16 oz. tomato sauce
DIY spice blend (approx. 1 tbsp. of each or any of the following: chili powder, chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika or unsweetened cocoa powder)
Optional toppers: shredded cheese, sour cream, chopped raw onion, blue corn tortilla chips or scallions

Heat the oil or butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute more. Add the meat (if using) and cook until no longer pink. Season with salt and pepper, then drain and transfer to the slow-cooker.

Add the tomatoes, beans and tomato sauce and stir to combine (add the meat substitute now, if using). Add in your choice of spices and stir again. Cover and cook on high for 6 to 8 hours (taste with about 1 hour left and adjust the seasonings to taste). Serve with the toppers of your choice.

Customized Cuisine

In keeping with my goal of delivering easier, more budget-friendly recipes that don’t require a trip to the specialty store, I tweaked my favorite salmon-and-cream-cheese quiche recipe a bit to make it more everyday friendly. Quiches are one of the most versatile, cost-effective meals you can make. And, they brown up wonderfully the next day in the toaster oven, so the thought of eating leftovers for lunch at work won’t be so grim.

Make it your own by…
- Subbing the spinach or leeks with the veggies you have in the fridge (I’m talking to you onions and bell peppers). Or try frozen corn kernels.
- Replacing the cream with milk or plain soy milk to make it a little healthier.
- 86ing the bacon to keep it vegetarian.

Kitchen Sink Quiche
Serves 4

1 pie crust, pre-baked according to package directions
4 strips center-cut bacon
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 medium leek, halved and thinly sliced (about 1 cup)
2 c. fresh baby spinach leaves
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (or softened for 45 s. in the microwave)
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 eggs
2/3 c. cream (heavy or light)
1 c. (divided) your favorite shredded cheese (I like gruyere or havarti)
1 tsp. nutmeg sea salt and black pepper

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. On a baking sheet lined with foil, cook the bacon, turning once, until it’s browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate and let cool. Crumble into small pieces.

In a sauté pan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the leek and sauté until softened, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, then add the spinach and cook until just wilted (not even a minute). Remove from the heat.

In a large bowl, combine the cream cheese, leek mixture and lemon juice with a wooden spoon. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, stirring just until combined. Add the cream, ½ cup of the cheese, the crumbled bacon, nutmeg and salt and pepper. Mix well.

Tear off 3 thin strips of aluminum foil. Gently fold the foil around the pie crust, being careful to not break the crust or go too deep into the pie tin. Set the pie on a baking sheet and pour the quiche batter in, then sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes, until the center is set. Cool on a baking rack for 10 minutes before serving.

Restaurant Review- Stella Trattoria

The same folks that brought us Osteria 832 and the popular noodle chain Doc Chey’s recently unveiled their (slightly) more upscale Italian concept, Stella Neighborhood Trattoria.

Located in the Grant Park neighborhood and bordering historic Oakland Cemetery, Stella still feels a little shiny and new to be called a local spot. The ground-level patio offered welcome breezes on a recent fall evening, but, unlike nearby seafood mecca Six Feet Under, affords diners no view of the cemetery. And that’s a shame, because the mixed-use complex that houses Stella isn’t much to look at.

The comparisons between Stella and another casual pasta spot, Figo, are inevitable. Although Figo is a chain, corporate has done a better job integrating the restaurants into their respective neighborhoods—the spot on the Westside leans towards industrial chic, the locale in the Highlands, cozy and worn-in. However, the food at Stella has a leg up on Figo, both in quality (many of the organic ingredients have local pedigrees) and in selection (daily specials reflected the early fall season nicely).

A starter of crisp, fried calamari with garlic aioli and crunchy basil leaves succeeded in providing my daily dose of grease. Every so slightly chewy, the calamari was nonetheless well seasoned and fresh tasting. The portion was on the smaller size, but who really needs the usual 4 lbs. of fried food we receive as an “appetizer”? It was nice to still be hungry for my main course.

For my main course, I chose the boscaiola, a dish of cremini mushrooms, spinach and pancetta tossed with cavatapi in a creamy mascarpone sauce. (An aside—servers, please learn how to pronounce the names of your dishes.) Believe it or not, the pasta was a little too on this side of al dente for my taste—a few minutes longer in the pot would have allowed it to really melt in the mouth. The veggies tasted fresh and the sauce was perfectly seasoned (I didn’t even miss the salt and pepper shakers that weren’t on our table), but the pancetta was cut a little large. My dining companion’s dish didn’t fare quiet as well. The “Tuscan Chicken” pasta (spinach fettuccine tossed with organic chicken and sun-dried tomatoes in a cream sauce) could have benefited from the addition of some fresh herbs and Parmesan shaved on top. But, the portion was generous for the price and none of it went to waste.

The wine list was a highlight for me—almost everything is available by the glass and all but one varietal is under $10 (I had a lovely dry Riesling, a steal for $6). One complaint—the server had to come back to inform us that the requested beer was unavailable. Sell-outs happen, but servers should stay on top of the no-go list.

All in all, Stella is a welcome addition to the rapidly gentrifying scene in Grant Park. I’m told that it’s family friendly, which is nice for an intown spot I suppose, but I do hope it doesn’t become overrun with screaming toddlers, ala Osteria 832. Flinging pasta against the wall to test for doneness is one thing, but flinging it at fellow dinners is quite another.

Hail to the Chef

Ok, I’m back, I don’t want to make a big thing of it, “but you’ve been gone for so long,” I know, I know, I’m sorry. Can we please put this behind us?

Here’s the skinny: I’m going to post a little less ambitiously, I’m going to factor in time and cost a little more judiciously, and I’m going (to attempt) to keep in mind that not everyone has access to the more exotic of ingredients. That doesn’t mean that a 4+ hour pasta recipe isn’t going to show up next week (spoiler!), it just means that I’ve had some time to ruminate on life, the failing economy, my personal weight-loss goals, etc. during this downtime.

So, without further ado…

*UPDATE*

I'm taking a slightly more extended vacation than originally planned, but never fear--I’ll be back with new posts by the end of the month.

Until that time, check out some of the sites that are making me hungry (links to the left). Seriously you guys, these are some good eats!

I’ll NYC Ya

That’s right guys: it’s time for my semi-annual pilgrimage to the Big Apple, home to all manners of exciting and delicious foodstuffs that I promise to report on when I return. With any luck, I’ll have discovered a new cheese or two, eaten a vegetable I’d never heard of and even quaffed a trendy cocktail. Oh, and of course I’ll make time for some Indian food lit by twinkly lights.

I’ll be back with a new post on July 12th. Until then, I leave you to drown your sorrows over Fresh Parm’s temporary hiatus in my favorite margarita recipe. Enjoy!

Frozen Fruit Margaritas
Makes 2 drinks, serves 1

3 oz. tequila
3 oz. fresh lime juice
1 tsp. superfine granulated sugar
2 oz. Triple Sec
10 ice cubes made from fruit puree (try watermelon, mango, or strawberry)
coarse salt

In a blender, blend the first five ingredients for 30 seconds, or until there are no more large chunks of ice. Rub the rim of a margarita glass with a cut lime and dip it into the salt. Pour the drink into the glass and down immediately.

Curry in a Hurry

Reading over the ingredient list, the name of the recipe may strike some as odd: how can it be a curry when there’s no curry paste or powder in it? Readers, meet my good friend Thai curry. Thai curry is sweeter and milder than traditional Indian curries—you could almost think of it as curry for beginners. To make this recipe even more palatable to the food-shy amongst you, the halibut can easily be replaced with chicken or shrimp. And, for the bold, feel free to have a heavier hand with the turmeric and ginger—I could go up to almost 2 tablespoons of the ginger especially.

As far as other substitutions go, the turmeric and ginger really need to be there, as does the coconut milk and clam juice. However, if you don’t have any cilantro on hand, try swapping it out for fresh basil. There is a basil variety specifically called Thai basil, but regular old basil will work just fine—the sweetness of the herb is a delicious compliment to the mild spice.

Thai Fish Curry
Serves 2

½ small white onion, cut into large pieces
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp. turmeric
1 tbsp. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 tbsp. cumin
3 cloves garlic, peeled
¾ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
12 oz. halibut fillets, cut into 3-inch pieces
1 c. unsweetened coconut milk
2/3 c. clam juice
red bell pepper, seeded and sliced into thin strips
sea salt and black pepper
cooked jasmine rice, for serving

In a food processor, combine the onion, cilantro, turmeric, ginger, cumin, garlic and red pepper flakes until a dry paste forms.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add two tablespoons of the spice mixtures and sauté for 1 minute. Add the fish and cook 1-2 minutes on each side. Add the coconut milk, clam juice and bell pepper and simmer until the fish is cooked through, about 3 more minutes on each side. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a plate and keep warm, but leave the peppers in.

Raise the heat to high and boil until the liquid has reduced to a thick sauce, about 8-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Return the fish to the skillet and gently stir to cover the pieces with the sauce. Stir in the cilantro, then serve over jasmine rice.

Dad’s Dessert

Even though I grew up in the south, with an avowed southern family, we never really ate the typical “down home” fare of our region. Chicken was baked rather than fried, greens were of the spinach variety instead of collard and desserts were for special occasions, not every night.

But, when my dad did pull out the ancient, hand-churned ice cream bucket, I knew that something wonderful was to follow. We might not have eaten a lot of sweets, but when we did, we did them the old-fashioned way. This cobbler might not be exactly traditional (the crust is more crunchy than biscuity), but the flavors are all spot-on. Pair this with some homemade vanilla ice cream and you have the only summertime dessert you’ll ever need.

Summer Cobbler with Lemon Crust
Serves 6

4-5 very ripe peaches, skin removed*, cut into 1-inch thick wedges
3 c. ripe strawberries, stems removed, cut in half
1/3 c., plus ½ c. sugar
1 tbsp. cornstarch
½ c. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking powder
pinch of salt
½ c. unsalted butter, softened
1 egg yolk
½ a lemon, zested
½ tsp. vanilla extract
vanilla ice cream, for serving

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Butter an 8x8 square glass baking dish. Combine the peaches and strawberries with 1/3 cup of the sugar and the cornstarch in the dish. Let sit until the sugar dissolves, tossing to thoroughly combine.

In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt. In a large bowl, beat together the butter and ½ cup of the sugar with an electric mixer. Beat in the yolk, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Slowly add the flour while mixing until a moist dough forms.

With a wooden spoon, drop the dough on top of the fruit, spacing evenly. Bake until the fruit is bubbling and the crust is golden brown, about 55 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving with vanilla ice cream.

*Side Bar- To make peeling the peaches easier, fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. Drop the peaches in the water and let cook 1 minute. Remove with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice water. (Note- If you feel the skin and it doesn’t feel loose around the fruit, return to water and boil an additional minute. If peaches aren’t sufficiently ripe, they will take significantly longer in the boiling water.) When peaches are cool enough to handle, make a small cut into the skin, then peel off.

The Morning After

Ok, so maybe not the morning, but the early afternoon at least. If you read yesterday’s post then you know that this recipe came out of leftovers from a slow-cooked chicken dish that I just couldn’t bring myself to heat up as-was. If you aren’t starting with those same leftovers, you can use any old cooked chicken (just try to use something that isn’t already heavily flavored with something that wouldn’t jive with curry). Leftover rotisserie chicken would be great, and for you non-chefs, even a doggie-bagged chicken breast from last night’s restaurant meal would do. Or, if you’re feeling adventurous, some canned tuna (packed in water, please) would make a nice substitute for the poultry.

Curried Chicken Salad
Makes 2 sandwiches

1 chicken breast (reserved from Parmesan-Herb Chicken), cut into bite-sized pieces
¼ c. mayonnaise
1 tsp. red curry powder
1 tsp. honey
1 tsp. lemon juice
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. fresh cilantro leaves, chopped
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 stalk of celery, split lengthwise then thinly sliced
4 lettuce leaves
½ large, ripe tomato, cut into 4 slices
4 slices of whole-wheat bread

In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise, curry powder, honey and lemon juice. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro, scallions and celery. Add the chicken and toss to combine.

Assemble each sandwich using 2 lettuce leaves, 2 slices of tomato and half of the chicken salad.

Now and Later

I don’t assume that my readers make all of the recipes I post here at Fresh Parm, much less make them in the order I present them. However, if you do happen to be able to carve out two days together, may I suggest making this recipe, then turning the leftover chicken into curried chicken salad? The catch is that you’re going to have to wait until tomorrow to read the chicken salad recipe, so—if you think you’re game—get everything assembled for the chicken today so you’ll be ready (after perhaps a quick run to the store tomorrow) to turn the leftovers into a light and tasty lunch.

Not that the chicken isn’t tasty the first day (the herbs and Parmesan fuse to make a very flavorful coating and the potatoes deliciously retain hints of the sherry), it’s just that I think you’ll really be wowed by the makeover the chicken gets for the curried salad. It’s a winner.

Parmesan-Herb Chicken with Potatoes
Serves 2-3

5-6 medium red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
½ a medium white onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, sliced
2 medium carrots, thinly sliced
¾ c. chicken broth or stock
¼ c. dry sherry
sea salt and black pepper
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb. total)
1 tbsp. herbs de Provence
1 tbsp. garlic powder
¼ c. grated Parmesan

Arrange the potatoes, onion, celery and carrots in bottom of slow-cooker. Pour the chicken broth and sherry over the vegetables and season with salt and pepper. Season the chicken on both sides with salt and black pepper, then lay on top of the vegetables. Sprinkle the herbs de Provence, garlic powder and Parmesan on the chicken, pressing the seasonings and cheese into the meat.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or high for 3 to 4 hours.

Foodie Word: Mother Sauce

The first part of this week’s “foodie word(s)” is one we all know: sauce. But what does the Epicurious.com food dictionary have to say about this culinary staple?

Sauce (n)- a thickened, flavored liquid designed to accompany food in order to enhance and bring out its flavor

I don’t know about you, but that seems like a pretty broad definition to me! If virtually ever liquid accompanying food is a sauce, shouldn’t there be some type of classification system to help us keep things straight?

The 19th-century French chef Antonin Carême sure thought so. He evolved an intricate methodology by which hundreds of sauces were classified under one of the five "mother sauces." The mothers are:

1. Espagnole- brown (beef or veal) stock-based
2. Velouté- light (chicken or fish) stock-based
3. Béchamel (basic white sauce)
4. Hollandaise and mayonnaise (emulsified sauces)
5. Vinaigrette (oil-and-vinegar combinations)

This classification system comes in handy for several reasons, namely that, when you’re in the kitchen, having a methodology to follow is essential for allowing experimentation. There is a basic mayonnaise recipe that all chefs learn and, once you know the ingredient ratios and emulsification technique, you can flavor that mayo a thousand ways (see: mayo, curried). Same with vinaigrette—you don’t have to be a foodie to know that the dressing pops up on virtually every restaurant menu in one form or another. But a chef can never arrive at a blueberry, walnut vinaigrette (served over mesclun with fresh chèvre—yum) if he doesn’t know the technique.

So you see, readers, why we owe a great debt to Antonin. Without him, how would we ever have arrived at sauce hybrids like aioli and brown butter? I shudder to think of a world without them!

COW- Cheese Of the Week

Buffalo mozzarella is the cheese that most excites me when I spot it on a menu. Not because it’s exotic, not because it’s hard to come by, but because it is infinitely superior to cow’s milk mozzarella, which is the world leader in ubiquitous cheeses.

If you’ve never had buffalo mozzarella (or mozzarella di bufala), then I mean no condescension when I say you don’t know what you’re missing. At once sweeter and tangier than cow’s milk mozz, buffalo mozz is instantly recognizable (which also makes a phony menu claim all the more outrageous to those with discerning palates). If you’re looking for it in the grocery store, it can usually be found with the specialty cheeses, packaged in small tubs filled with water or brine. Don’t be fooled by anything in a similar package labeled “bocconcini” or “ciliegini;” although these could be buffalo, they’re very likely not and an inspection of the ingredient label will dispel any doubts.

There are a thousand uses for good quality buffalo mozzarella, but one of the best ways to appreciate its uniqueness is in a traditional caprese salad. All of the creaminess sings through the tomato and basil and pairs exceptionally well with the tang of the vinegar. Try this now, while tomatoes are at their seasonal best.

Best Caprese Salad
Serves 2

2 ripe heirloom tomatoes, cut into ¼-inch thick slices
8 oz. fresh buffalo mozzarella, sliced into thin rounds
1 c. (loosely packed) fresh basil, cut in a chiffonade
10 kalamata olives, pitted
balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
sea salt and black pepper

On a plate, layer alternating slices of tomatoes and mozzarella. Sprinkle the basil confetti on top and scatter the olives around the plate.

Drizzle the salad with the balsamic vinegar, followed by the olive oil, then season to taste with salt and pepper and serve.

Mole Mole

Raise your hand (or just wiggle your mouse) if you’ve ever felt totally uninspired staring at the package of raw chicken in your fridge. You want to make something new and creative, but you don’t want to spend a bunch of time or money doing it—and you really don’t want to have to make a last minute run to the grocery store.

If you’ve ever found yourself in that situation, these recipes are perfect. It’s likely that you already have everything in your cabinet that you need to make the chicken (it’s just some sugar and spice after all, but with a sweet and savory, mole-inspired twist). And, if you can think enough in advance to grab a bell pepper and a jalapeno when you’re at the grocery over the weekend, you probably have everything you need to make the delicious corn relish too (don’t worry about the cilantro if that’s not one of your herb staples—you can swap it for parsley or just leave it out). Mix it all together, everything cooks in under 10 minutes and—presto!—dinner is served.

Side Bar: Incidentally, the chicken and corn relish make awesome leftovers when the chicken is sliced up and thrown into a warm flour tortilla with the relish and a little queso fresco.

Mole-Rubbed Chicken
Serves 4

vegetable oil
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
1 ½ tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
½ tsp. cinnamon
sea salt and black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

Lightly grease an indoor grill pan with the vegetable oil. Heat to medium-high.

In a shallow bowl, stir together the next 6 ingredients. Add the chicken and turn to coat, pressing the mixture into the meat.

Grill the chicken for 5-6 minutes per side, or until cooked through. Transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes. Spoon corn relish over each piece and serve immediately.

Corn Relish
Makes approx. 2 cups

1 tbsp. butter
½ white onion, thinly sliced
1 c. corn kernels, fresh or frozen (thaw completely if using frozen)
½ red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno (ribs and seeds removed), minced
sea salt and black pepper
3 tbsp. fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

Melt the butter in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté 2-3 minutes. Add the corn, bell pepper, jalapeno and sauté until the veggies are just tender. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the cilantro.

I Love Fishes Cause They’re So Delicious

And cheap and easy and healthy and versatile… I could go on, but I think this recipe pretty much speaks for itself. Only a handful of ingredients, a blessedly short set of instructions and a super quick prep make this one of my best weeknight, busy-person friendly recipes that doesn’t sacrifice nutrition for speed. And it takes no more time to make it for 2 or 4, so buy an extra filet, bake it up, wrap it in foil in the fridge and pop it on a bed of greens topped with mustard vinaigrette (seriously just olive oil, vinegar and Dijon) for a light lunch the next day. If you hate salmon, then swap it for halibut. Finicky about all fish? Chicken’s the next best choice.

Mustard and Herb Crusted Salmon
Serves 2

2, 6-8 oz. center-cut salmon fillets
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh dill, chopped
½ tbsp. fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
½ tbsp. fresh thyme, chopped
½ tbsp. fresh rosemary, chopped
3 tbsp. Dijon mustard

Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the salmon in the center. Drizzle the olive oil over the salmon, then season with salt and pepper.

Mix all of the chopped herbs together, then sprinkle over the fish. Spread the mustard over the top, using a table knife to cover completely. Bake until the fish is no longer translucent, about 15-18 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet using a wide metal spatula and serve immediately.

Serving suggestion: Wild rice and roasted asparagus.

Quarter Pounder

Ew, no, not the McDonald’s sandwich! I mean my very own quarter pound loaf of deliciously light, yet rich, sour cream pound cake.

It was a Wednesday afternoon and I got to thinking, “Wouldn’t pound cake be nice with the berries for dessert tonight?” No sooner than I had written it down on my grocery list, however, did I start to wonder why I had just assumed that I should buy pound cake if I wanted it. How hard could it be to bake myself?

Turns out, the answer is: Really easy. I picked up a little sour cream at the store and I was ready to roll. This isn’t one of those cakes that you need to worry about smoothing just so on top, nor is it a faller (like soufflés). Pound cake is sturdy, keeps well for days in the fridge and is just a delicious naked as it is topped with fresh berries and whipped cream.

Sour Cream Pound Cake
Serves 8

butter-flavored cooking spray
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 ½ c. sugar
½ c. sour cream
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ½ c. all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
½ tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a standard loaf pan with butter-flavored cooking spray and sprinkle with flour on all sides.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar together until a thick paste has formed. Add the sour cream and mix until creamy. Sift the baking soda and flour together and add to the creamed mixture ½ cup at a time, alternating with one egg between each ½ cup. Add the vanilla. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix for a few more seconds until everything is combined.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan. Bake for 45-60 minutes (a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean). Transfer to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes. Invert the pan on a plate to remove the cake, then transfer back to the wire rack and cool completely. After serving, refrigerate any leftover cake.

The Hot Chick

Always a big fan of hummus, I’ve officially become a chickpea convert after making this stew. Like beans but meatier, like meat but creamier and like peas but silkier, chickpeas are a canned wonder.

Three ounces of chickpeas have almost 9 grams of protein and 8 grams of fiber, yet less than 1 gram of bad fat. They can be: eaten cold in salads, ground into a flour called gram flour, fried up as falafel, fermented to make an alcoholic drink similar to sake, mashed into hummus or simply roasted, spiced and eaten as a snack. And, pssst… they’re cheap!

Moroccan Lentil and Chickpea Stew
Serves 4

2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken tenders, cut into 1-inch pieces
sea salt and black pepper
½ large white onion, diced
2 ribs celery, split and thinly sliced
1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 ½ tsp. turmeric
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground cumin
14 oz. diced tomatoes
3 ¼ c. chicken stock
¼ c. dry red lentils
14 oz. can chickpeas
¼ c. long-grain white rice
¼ c. fresh cilantro, chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice
4 fresh chives, snipped, for garnish

In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the pot. Cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

Remove the chicken from the pot and set aside. Add the onion, celery and carrot and cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the ginger, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg and cumin and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Return the chicken to the pan and add the tomatoes and their juices (scrape any browned bits off the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon). Stir in the chicken stock, lentils, and chickpeas and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, covered, for 45 minutes to an hour.

Add the rice and stir to combine. Return the soup to a simmer and cook, covered, for 30 minutes more. Add the cilantro and lemon juice and adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle the chives on top.

What Summer Smells Like

As much as I’ve documented my love for my Calphalon grill pan, there comes a time in every cook’s life when they need to fire up the real thing: an outdoor charcoal grill. Just the smell of one burning away is enough to transport me back to my Florida childhood—summers spent al fresco, running around in the yard all day before the family gathered to grill up a chicken dinner in the late afternoon. I think the sauce back then was KC Masterpiece and, hey, there were no complaints from me—I was just happy to get to lick my fingers clean. Today, however, I’d like to suggest my alternative sauce for when you have a few extra hours to kill. This sauce makes plenty for 4 pieces of chicken (it’d probably even cover 6), so just divide it in half if you’re feeding 2.

Great Grilled Chicken
Serves 4

1 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
½ c. vegetable oil, plus 2 tbsp. reserved
1 c. tomato paste
1 c. cider vinegar
1 c. honey
½ c. Worcestershire sauce
1 c. Dijon mustard
½ c. soy sauce
1 c. hoisin sauce
2 tbsp. chipotle chili powder
1 tbsp. ground cumin
1 tbsp. smoked paprika
½ tbsp. crushed red pepper flakes
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and black pepper

In a large saucepan over low heat, sauté the onions and garlic in a half cup of the oil for 10 to 15 minutes, until the onions are translucent. Add the tomato paste, vinegar, honey, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili powder, cumin, paprika and red pepper flakes. Simmer, uncovered, on low heat for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Season the chicken on both sides with salt and pepper. In a shallow dish, add the chicken and the marinade. Turn the chicken until completely coated, then cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 2-4 hours.

Heat an outdoor grill to high. Pour remaining oil on a folded paper towel, hold it with tongs and rub it over the rack (don’t use cooking spray on a hot grill). Remove the chicken from the marinade and transfer marinade to a medium skillet.

Reduce the grill heat to medium and grill the chicken until cooked through, about 7 to 9 minutes per side. Meanwhile, bring the marinade to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 12 to 15 minutes. Remove chicken from grill and baste with cooked sauce. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving with the remaining sauce.

Very Veggie

With summer’s produce looking irresistibly fresh and juicy at the market last week and bathing suit season in full swing, I figured there was no time like the present to pull out my secret, Tex-Mex cravings-busting weapon—delicious veggie enchiladas with a sweet and spicy salsa. If you can’t find fresh tomatillos, it’s fine to substitute canned, or start with jarred green salsa and perk it up with the remaining ingredients (although depending on the heat, you may want to skip the jalapeno).

It’s hard to believe it, but, compared to traditional enchiladas, there’s practically no cheese in my version. Instead of using the dairy to “bond” the ingredients together inside the tortillas, the lentil/spinach/stock combination forms a nice, thick glue that’s way more heart and waist-line healthy. Even if you’re a die hard cheese and meat fan, give these a shot. You can still have sour cream!

Potato and Lentil Enchiladas with Zucchini and Tomatillo Salsa
Serves 4

Enchiladas
olive oil spray
½ sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 small red or yellow skinned potatoes, cut into cubes (about 1 ½ cups)
4 baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 c. vegetable stock
½ c. Turkish red lentils
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. red pepper flakes
2 c. fresh baby spinach
10 flour tortillas, warmed
1 c. shredded jack or cheddar cheese
sour cream for serving (optional)

Coat a 9x13 casserole dish with the olive oil spray and set aside.

Coat a large, deep saucepan with the olive oil spray. Over medium heat, sweat the onion for 5 minutes. Add the potatoes, mushrooms and garlic and sauté for 10 minutes. Add the stock to deglaze the pan, scraping up any bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Add the lentils, oregano and red pepper flakes and raise heat until mixture is simmering. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, 25 minutes or until most of the liquid has reduced out. Remove from heat and fold in the spinach leaves, stirring until wilted.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Place two spoonfuls of the potato mixture in a tortilla, tuck the sides in and roll up. Place seam-side down in the casserole dish. Repeat until all tortillas are filled, then sprinkle cheese over the top and bake until cheese is bubbly, about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest for 2-3 minutes.

Transfer two or three of the enchiladas to each plate and spoon salsa over, then top with the sour cream, if using. Serve immediately.

Zucchini and Tomatillo Salsa
1 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 small zucchini, diced
½ c. fresh corn kernels
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
2 scallions, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 sweet onion, cut into large pieces
1 clove garlic, peeled and cut in half
6 tomatillos, husks removed and roughly chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/3 c. fresh cilantro leaves
sea salt and black pepper to taste

In a small pan over medium heat, add the olive oil. Add the zucchini and sauté until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the corn kernels and sauté 3 minutes more. Remove from heat and set aside.

In a food processor or blender, combine the jalapeno, scallions, onion, garlic, tomatillos, lime juice and cilantro. Pulse to get the mixture to begin combining, then let the motor run until all large pieces are broken up. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a medium bowl, combine the salsa and the zucchini and corn. Stir to combine.

Bait and Switch

The usually reliable DeKalb Farmer’s Market left me in a bit of a quandary last week. I intended to purchase halibut for my halibut with burst cherry tomatoes recipe, but sadly the price of my chosen fish was much too great. I didn’t really come armed with a Plan B, so I decided to just buy what looked best (and what was reasonably priced). That ended up being the swordfish.

Not too familiar with swordfish, I set about browsing through a catalog of recipes, trying to find something that would work with the other produce I purchased. Turns out, the rich and meaty swordfish acts almost like chicken on the grill, leading me to believe that if the yogurt spiced chicken I made a while ago worked out, then this marinade would be a natural bath for my fishy friend. And, low and behold, I became a swordfish fan.

Yogurt and Pesto Marinated Swordfish Skewers
Serves 2

2 c. fresh basil leaves
¼ c. pine nuts, toasted
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
½ tbsp. lemon juice
sea salt and black pepper
½ c. plain yogurt
12 oz. swordfish steak, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 wooden skewers, soaked in water for 20 mins.

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the basil, pine nuts, garlic and lemon juice. Pulse to get started, then slowly stream in the olive oil as the motor runs. Season to taste with salt and pepper and add more oil as needed to reach desired consistency.

In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt and 1/2 cup of the pesto. Season the fish with salt and pepper on all sides. Add the fish to the marinade and refrigerate for 30 minutes to an hour.

Preheat a grill pan to medium-high heat and coat lightly with cooking spray. Thread one piece of fish onto a skewer, followed by a tomato. Repeat until you have both skewers completed, alternating fish and tomatoes. Grill until the fish is cooked through, about 4-5 minutes per side. Remove from heat and drizzle with some of the remaining pesto before serving.

Get the Hint?

I’ll admit it: As a cook, I love asking people what spices they think are in a dish. Inevitably, they’ll leave one or two out of their answer, which gives me the chance to make the dramatic revelation that the dish contains… anise seed!

This is a great dish for playing ingredient Jeopardy! with your friends. The more refined palates may very well pick up on the hints of cinnamon, while the casual eater will probably just declare it the best version of carbonara they’ve ever had. Either way, you win.

Cinnamon Spaghetti Carbonara
Serves 2-3

2 slices bacon, chopped
2 slices pancetta, chopped
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
1 c. whipping cream
¾ c. freshly grated Parmesan
3 large egg yolks
10-12 oz. spaghetti
sea salt and black pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the spaghetti and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Drain.

While the spaghetti cooks, in a large pan over medium heat, sauté the bacon and pancetta until almost crispy, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the cinnamon over and sauté 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat and cool slightly. Whisk in the cream, cheese, and egg yolks until combined.

Add the spaghetti to the sauce and toss over medium-low heat until the sauce coats the pasta, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer pasta to a large serving bowl and sprinkle with chives.

Cheese of the Week

It’s rare for us, as Americans, to experience the kind of kinship with our food purveyors as people in other parts of the world are able to. Consider yourself among the fortunate few if you have a local butcher shop, farmer’s market or cheese counter. Unlike East Wittering, Chichester (a small seaside village I once visited in England), most of us can’t walk out of our house, around the corner, and to the town fromagerie. Hell, it wasn’t much before I visited that town did I finally realize that Publix didn’t exactly qualify as a local bake shop.

Fortunately, there are people like Sally Jackson out there, helping us to experience real, artisinal American cheeses in all their glory. Sally and her husband Roger raise sheep, goats, and cows on their sprawling farm in eastern Washington state. They then turn the milk from their animals into hand-made, small-batch cheeses and distribute them to a handful of retailers across the country.

Sally says no to herbs and pasteurization, making only straight-up, raw cheeses wrapped in her signature chestnut leaves. The sheep’s milk cheese is a testament to purity—all sweet, creamy goodness with very subtly notes of rich thyme and fleur de sel. Semi-soft (which actually makes it a lot softer than many other sheep’s milk cheeses), SJ Sheep is bright and uncomplicated, which is just fine when the flavor is this good.

Unfortunately, most of their website is still under construction, and a Google search didn’t reveal any online retailers. However, Sally is well-known in the cheese world and it would definitely be worth your while to inquire about her products in your local cheese shop or even grocery store (the big guys are actually starting to take an interest in the small farms these days). And, if all else fails, you can put in an order with me and expect it sometime around Christmas (central Florida area only, please).

Desperation Dinner

Many moons ago, I shared my recipe for a soup I like to make when I’ve forgotten to go to the grocery store. 100 Fresh Parmesan posts later (!), I found myself in a quasi-similar situation when I evaluated the contents of my fridge to find the remnants of several meals just kind of… hanging out. Rather than let good produce languish at the bottom of the bin, I decided to see what could come together, right now, over my stove.

I rejected the red onion I found (it’ll keep for a while longer); thought better of adding rosemary (could be overpowering); and decided to pass on some chopped black and green olives (would take whatever I made to a Mediterranean place that I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to).

Asparagus and mushrooms are known to live in harmony, so I elected them the winners of the veggie bin lottery. I decided to unite them not with a leftover, but with a staple—sun-dried tomatoes. Simmered in a simple cream sauce, sun-drieds take on a lovely, juicy quality and have a mild sweetness that pares well with other veggies. Add in a sprinkle of freshly grated Parm, and you’ve got yourself a winner.

End of the Week Spaghetti
Serves 3-4

8 oz. thin spaghetti
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
small bunch (approx. 8 stalks) asparagus, woody ends trimmed, cut into 1-inch pieces
4 oz. cremini or button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme leaves, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
¾ c. heavy cream
2 tbsp. grated Parmesan
sea salt and black pepper to taste
4 slices center-cut bacon, cooked and chopped into small pieces

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Season with salt and add the spaghetti to the water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the pasta is al dente, about 7 minutes. Drain pasta, reserving one cup of the cooking water, and return to the hot pot.

While the pasta is cooking, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the asparagus, mushrooms and thyme and sauté over medium heat until the veggies have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute longer. Transfer vegetables to a plate and keep warm.

Return the pan to heat and add the remaining olive oil and the sun-dried tomatoes. Cook until tomatoes have softened slightly, about 3 minutes. Add the cream and bring to a bare simmer, then reduce heat to medium-low and let cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetables back into the pan and grate in the Parmesan. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to combine.

Pour the sauce over the reserved pasta. If the sauce is too thick, slowly add in some of the reserved cooking water until you reach a desired consistency. Divide the pasta between the plates or bowls and top with the reserved bacon pieces. Serve immediately with crusty bread.

Oh, Canada!

While some of my friends may know this, others of you might be unfamiliar with my love of Canada. Granted, I’ve never visited our northern neighbor, but I can’t help but feel as though I would love it. Maple leaves, French speaking people, loads of snow, a still-favorable exchange rate—what’s not to like?

Add this delicious dessert to Canada’s “pros” list. While doing some research, I found that this sweet treat is thought to be native to Nanaimo, British Columbia (hence the name). I also read that it gained widespread popularity in the 1950’s—I’ll have to take their word for it, as I don’t have a lot of knowledge about Canadian culinary culture in the mid-20th century. What I do have some knowledge of is what makes a simple, delicious, no-bake bar cookie that freezes well, and this is aboot as good as it gets.

Peanut Butter Nanaimo Bars
Adapted from a recipe in Nuts About Chocolate by Susan Mendelson and Deborah Roitberg
Makes 50 bars

Cookie
½ c. unsalted butter
¼ c. sugar
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 large egg, beaten
1 ¾ c. graham cracker crumbs
1 c. shredded sweetened coconut
½ c. blanched almonds, finely chopped

Peanut Butter Filling
1/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
1/3 c. peanut butter
½ c. powdered sugar

Chocolate Glaze
4 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tbsp. unsalted butter

Line an 8 x 8-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, with long flaps hanging over each edge.

Fill the bottom pot of a double boiler with an inch of water and bring to a very slow simmer over medium-low heat. In the top pot, melt the butter. Add the sugar, cocoa and vanilla extract to the butter, stirring to combine. Add the egg and cook, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened (about the consistency of hot fudge), about 6 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in the graham cracker crumbs, coconut and almonds. Press the dough firmly into the prepared baking dish.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter and powdered sugar together in with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread over the cookie and freeze while preparing the chocolate glaze.

Combine the chocolate and butter in a medium microwave-safe bowl and cook on 50 percent power for 1 minute. Stir, and continue to heat until completely melted, about 1 minute more. Let cool for about 30 seconds, then pour over the chilled peanut butter layer and smooth with an offset spatula. Freeze for at least 30 minutes (can be frozen up to a week before serving).

To serve, remove from the freezer and let come to room temperature for 5 minutes. Pull out of the pan using the foil flaps and transfer to a cutting board. Cut into 1-inch squares with a sharp knife.

Ooey Gooey Goodness

I love childhood treats re-imagined for grown-ups and there seems to have been a resurgence in this concept in recent years. I’ve seen an “Oreo” recreated out of white chocolate ganache and triple-dark chocolate cookies; “Pop Tarts” that are really fruit compote hiding inside phyllo dough; “PB&J” sandwiches artfully composed of peanut butter pot de crème, concord grape jelly and homemade vanilla wafer cookies.

This crispy treat homage to the sticky goodies of yore isn’t nearly as fancy as the aforementioned creations, but it definitely hits that nostalgic spot. You can technically switch this up and make it with any non-flake cereal (caramel Cheerio squares, anyone?), but something about the snap, crackle and pop of the original really makes me happy.

Caramel Crispy Treats
Yield 24-30 squares

2 tbsp. butter, divided

6 to 7 c. puffed rice cereal
butter-flavored cooking spray
1 package square caramels, unwrapped

6 tbsp. evaporated milk

Butter the inside of a very large bowl with one tablespoon of the butter. Pour cereal into the buttered bowl and set aside. Coat the bottom and sides of a 9x13 baking dish with butter-flavored cooking spray and set aside.

In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the caramels and evaporated milk, and cook, stirring constantly, until melted together (this will take 7-8 minutes).

Pour the caramel over the cereal and stir with a large spoon or spatula until coating is evenly distributed. Pour the mixture into the baking dish and press flat. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, then cut into portions to serve.

Guest Blogging- The Urbanite, Part III

Gentle readers, allow me to present The Urbanite's newest real-person-friendly recipe. Fortunately for those of you with city-sized kitchens, it requires no cooking whatsoever and travels well (mayo-free), so it's picnic-and summer-ready. The name also involves alliteration, which always scores points with me.

Simple Salmon and Dill Dip
Serves 4 as an appetizer

1 can wild caught salmon with skin (drained and picked through to remove large bones)*
½ lemon, juiced (if it’s a giant lemon, cut this back a bit)
1 tbsp. capers, with liquid
1 handful fresh dill (or more to taste)
extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine first four ingredients and the black pepper in the bowl of a food processor and blend. Slowly drizzle in olive oil until desired consistency is reached (that's about 3 tablespoons for me). You aren't shooting for mousse here—you want to preserve some of the texture of the salmon and the bits of dill. Taste before adding salt because the capers are very salty. Serve with tortilla chips or toast points.

*Side Bar- The salmon you buy is sort of important here. I like Trader Joe's Alaskan Red Salmon. Make sure you only buy wild caught Alaskan salmon—never ever farmed or Atlantic (bad for the environment). I prefer red or sockeye salmon because it's a prettier color, but I don't think there's much difference otherwise. Don't get smoked salmon, as it will really change the flavor of the dish (smoked salmon dip would be more of a cream cheese affair I think). As for the bones, discard any that are obvious, but don't worry about the pin bones. They're full of calcium and they're going to get blended up anyway.

Join the Club

On an episode of Top Chef I watched the other day, the “quickfire” challenge was to make a drink using Bailey’s Irish Cream and serve it with a snack. The chefs were, of course, quite creative, turning out fancy, frothed cocktails and nibbles along the lines of tuna tartare and shrimp ceviche. An expert mixologist had been called in to judge and, while she raved over some of their creations, she also commented that she was a little disappointed that no one made a Bailey’s milkshake and hamburger.

Point taken: Sometimes simple and familiar—but perfectly seasoned and cooked—is better than any new-fangled dish could ever be.

California Chicken Club Sandwiches on Ciabatta
Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast cutlets, approx. 1 lb.
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves stripped
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped
juice of ½ lemon
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tbsp. Dijon mustard
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
4 mini-ciabatta rolls, cut in half and lightly toasted
½ c. homemade mayonnaise
4 red-leaf lettuce leaves
1 large beefsteak tomato, thinly sliced
4 thin slices Pepper Jack cheese
8 strips center cut bacon, cooked
1 ripe avocado, pitted, thinly sliced, and sprinkled with lemon juice

In a food processor, combine the rosemary, thyme, lemon juice, garlic, mustard and vinegar. Pulse to combine, then stream in the olive oil until emulsified. Season with salt and pepper and adjust other seasonings to taste.

In a shallow dish, season the chicken cutlets on both sides with salt and pepper, then pour the marinade over. Cover and refrigerate for one hour.

Preheat a grill pan over medium high heat and coat lightly with olive oil cooking spray. Cook the chicken pieces for 4 minutes on each side or until thoroughly cooked through. Remove from heat and let cool for 5 minutes.

To assemble sandwiches, spread one tablespoon of mayo on each half of the ciabatta. On the bottom slice of bread, layer the lettuce, tomato, chicken, cheese, bacon and avocado, then top with the other half. Serve immediately.

Hoisin Around

Thick and sweet, hoisin is about to become one of your new favorite sauces if it's not already. A traditional Chinese dipping and glazing sauce, hoisin is made from water, sugar, soybeans, distilled vinegar, salt, wheat flour, garlic, and red chili peppers, amongst other necessary things like preservatives.

It’s pretty widely available (I spied two brands at Publix) and is incredibly easy to work with. I like to doctor mine up a bit, but it’s perfectly fine on its own—straight out of the jar—as a glaze for chicken, fish and shellfish. Just slap it on your protein of choice and grill or broil away.

Hoisin Glazed Salmon with Roasted Vegetables
Serves 2

1/3 c. hoisin sauce
1 tbsp. tamari, dark soy sauce
1 clove garlic, grated
1 tsp. Chinese 5-spice powder
½ tsp. ground ginger
2 tbsp. water
2, 5 to 6-oz. filets of salmon, with skin
8 baby portobello mushrooms, cleaned and cut in half
8 asparagus stalks, ends trimmed and cut in half
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
sea salt and black pepper
Cooked white or jasmine rice, for serving

Position an oven rack in the middle position and preheat the broiler.

Combine the first 6 ingredients in a small bowl. Place the salmon, skin-side down, on a heavy, foil-lined baking sheet and season each side with salt and pepper. Using a pastry brush, brush about half of the sauce onto the fish. Pour the remaining sauce into a small saucepan and set aside.

In a small bowl, toss the mushrooms and asparagus with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange evenly around the fish. Broil until the fish is opaque, about 8 minutes depending on the thickness and your preferred doneness.

While the fish is cooking, add two tablespoons of water to the reserved sauce. Heat over medium, stirring occasionally, until it simmers and begins to thicken.


To serve, slide a spatula between the skin and the fish, and discard the skin. Arrange one filet and half of the vegetables on each plate and pour sauce over the fish. Serve with rice.

Foodie Word- Tomatillo

With our insatiable appetites for the variety modern dining has to offer, it’s little surprise that just one of anything isn’t enough anymore. Today, we prefer a flight of beers for tasting, a trio of crème brûlées for dessert, and a duo of salsas to dip our chips in.

While red tomato salsa remains a perennial favorite, I’ve heard some passionate discourse on the relative newcomer, tomatillo salsa. Tomatillos (say: tohm-ah-TEE-ohs) are essentially Mexican green tomatoes, and belong to the same nightshade family as other tomatoes. They resemble small green tomatoes in size, but are incased in a parchment-like paper husk that must be peeled away before eating. Although tomatillos can ripen to yellow, they’re usually used while still firm and green.

When buying tomatillos, look for ones with dry, tight-fitting husks. Once you get them home, they’ll keep in a paper bag in the fridge for up to a month. Tomatillos can be used raw or fresh and are also available canned in many ethnic supermarkets. Rich in vitamin A and containing a good amount of vitamin C as well, tomatillos are flavorful and healthy fruits with a great degree of versatility.

Simmered Tomatillo Salsa

1 lb. fresh tomatillos, husked, rinsed, and quartered
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
½ large white or red onion, cut into wedges
2 garlic cloves, chopped
½ c. water
1 tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste
handful fresh cilantro leaves, roughly chopped
1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

Coarsely purée the tomatillos, jalapeno, onion, garlic, water and 1 teaspoon salt in a blender or food processor. Transfer to a large heavy skillet and simmer over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and let cool, then stir in cilantro, lime juice, and more salt to taste. Serve with corn tortilla chips.

Summer Starter

Depending on where you live, this may or may not be true, but—for the southern part of the US at least—Memorial Day always rings in the start of the summer season. It’s officially safe to put away your sweaters, stash the slow cooker in a cabinet and break out the sunscreen, SPF 1,000 for me please.

If you don’t have a signature summer cocktail, may I suggest making this sweet and refreshingly tart beverage your drink of choice? The acidity of the lemons, sweetness of the sugar and subtle, spicy heat of the ginger make it a real winner. The vodka is optional of course, but I think a little booze goes a long way toward easing the pain of knowing that, as adults, we’re no beginning the greatest three months of our year. Bottoms up!

Ginger Vodka Lemonade
Makes 1 gallon

8 lemons, juiced
2/3 c. white sugar
2 c. water
2-inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
1 c. vodka (start there, add more to your liking)
ice cubes

In a 1 gallon pitcher, juice the lemons.

In a small sauce pan, combine the sugar, water and ginger slices. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool completely.

Once the simple syrup is cooled, strain into the pitcher with the lemon juice and stir to combine. Fill the pitcher three quarters full with water, then add the cup of vodka. Stir and taste. Add more water if necessary and add additional vodka to taste. To serve, fill glasses with ice cubes and pour lemonade over.

Saturday Splurge

Yes, you’re right if you’re thinking that Saturdays on Fresh Parmesan are usually reserved for Cheese of the Week, but this is such an excellent weekend splurge that I wanted to give you the chance to make it on this most sacred of occasions, the celebrated three-day holiday weekend.

If raspberry isn’t your jam of choice, strawberry or grape would definitely work too. And, if you really want to get creative, replacing the chocolate chips with butterscotch chips is a nice flavor combo as well. Heck, you could go completely crazy and switch Nutella for the peanut butter and white chocolate chips for milk chocolate chips, then top with freshly sliced bananas. It’s your weekend splurge, have it your way!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Stuffed French Toast with Raspberry Syrup
Serves 4

½ c. creamy peanut butter
8 slices white bread (brioche or challa would work well)
¼ c. mini milk chocolate chips
½ c. 2% milk
3 large eggs
2 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2/3 c. raspberry jam
1 tbsp. unsalted butter
whipped cream, for serving

Spread 1 tablespoon of the peanut butter on each slice of bread. Sprinkle the chocolate chips evenly between 4 of the slices. Top each slice with chocolate with another slice of bread, peanut butter side down, to make 4 sandwiches.

In a shallow bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and salt. Soak each sandwich until saturated, about 5 seconds. Transfer the sandwiches to a baking sheet.

In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the jam and 3 tablespoons of water. Cook, stirring occasionally, until smooth.

In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the sandwiches and cook until golden, 2-3 minutes on each side. Top with the jam syrup and a dollop of whipped cream.

Old Faithful

This one has been in my repertory for so long, I can’t even remember where I got the original inspiration from. What I do know is that it’s 1) simple and fresh; 2) crowd-pleasing; and 3) pretty healthy for a sauté with sauce.

I thought today was a good time to dust this recipe off because the beautiful, bright green stalks of asparagus have been going down in price at the farmer’s market in recent weeks and the basil is holding steady at $0.99 for a giant bunch (seriously, I still can’t get over this one). If the cherry tomatoes aren’t looking good in your area, you can substitute a large heirloom tomato—just make sure to seed it before you chop it or the veggies will be too wet. And if your lemons are cheaper when purchased by the bag, go ahead and buy a dozen or so now—you’ll need them for ginger lemonade next week!

Chicken Sauté with Asparagus, Cherry Tomatoes and Lemon Pan Sauce
Serves 2

2, 6-oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into three-quarter inch pieces
sea salt and black pepper
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
8 cherry tomatoes, halved
8 asparagus spears, cut into 2-inch pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 tbsp. water or chicken broth
3 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
small handful of fresh basil, shredded

Season the chicken breast pieces on both sides with salt and pepper. In a medium, not-too-shallow skillet, heat one tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the tomatoes and asparagus and cook until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add another tablespoon of oil. Add the chicken and cook until browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the vegetables and set aside.

Return the pan to the heat and add the remaining oil. Add the garlic and cook 1 to 2 minutes—do not allow garlic to brown. Add the water or broth and lemon juice and scrape any burned bits off the bottom of the pan. Simmer for 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the butter, stirring to combine. Add the chicken and vegetables back into the pan and cook until just warmed through. Adjust the seasonings to taste and add the basil just before serving.

Getting Warmer…

It may seem strange to be reading this hearty soup recipe as the temperature outside continues to soar, but hear me out: With bathing suit season upon us, we need filling, flavorful, low-fat food now more than ever. And, on many levels, this soup fits that bill.

Ribollita, basically a soup with stale bread as an ingredient, is a staple in Tuscany and my version is a riff on the classic. To keep this on the safe side of figure-friendly, I cut down the bread to just one roll (ciabatta is great but any crusty white bread will work), plussed up the kale portion and threw in a hint of spice to pack a maximum flavor punch. Although beef stock really does add a richness that I think is critical, you can make this vegetarian friendly by using vegetable or wild mushroom stock and skipping the bacon. And, yes, it adds a few extra calories, but I can’t in good consciousness omit the grated Parm on top.

Ribollita con Verdure
Serves 4

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
4 thick slices bacon, chopped
2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves finely chopped
4 sprigs fresh thyme
6 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1 medium zucchini, cut into thin slices
sea salt and black pepper
½ c. dry red wine
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
15 oz. can of diced tomatoes
5 c. beef stock
1 stale ciabatta roll, roughly chopped
15 oz. can of cannellini beans
4 cups chopped kale
hot sauce, to taste (start with ½ tsp.)
½ c. grated Parmesan

In a large soup pot over medium-high heat, add the oil and bacon and render 4 minutes, until the bacon is almost crispy. Add the rosemary, whole sprigs of thyme, garlic, onion, carrots and zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Sauté 7 to 8 minutes. Add the wine to deglaze the pot and cook until half of the liquid has evaporated.

Sprinkle in the red pepper flakes and stir in the tomatoes and beef stock. Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and stir in bread and beans. Gradually add the kale and wilt into the soup. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring soup as it simmers until slightly thickened.

Remove pot from heat and add the hot sauce. Adjust seasonings to taste. Ladle into bowls and top each serving with the cheese.

Easy Cheesy

With the long holiday weekend looming in the not-too-far future, I think a lot of people are looking for new dishes to take to picnics and parties. Not that there’s anything wrong with potato salad, fruit salad, 3-bean salad, etc., but sometimes it’s nice to bring something a little less expected.

Since I believe that different shouldn’t mean time-consuming, I’d like to share this super simple—and very flavorful—twist on a chip and dip combo. The piquant feta is the perfect foil for a creamy and zesty base laced with fresh parsley (use the flat-leaf, or Italian, variety if available). In addition to the pita chips, crudités (carrots, zucchini sticks, sliced radishes) would be great, healthy “chip” alternatives.

Feta and Walnut Dip with Baked Pita Chips
Serves 4 as an appetizer

2 cloves garlic, skin removed
1 c. walnuts, toasted
½ c. skim milk
1 ½ c. crumbled feta cheese
1 tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
handful of fresh parsley, half roughly chopped
sea salt and black pepper
4 whole wheat pitas, cut into 8 wedges each
2 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the garlic, walnuts, milk, feta, oregano, red pepper flakes and half of the handful of parsley. Pulse until the dip is smooth, adding more milk if necessary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving bowl and top with the remaining chopped parsley.

Arrange the pita wedges on a baking sheet, drizzle with the olive oil and sprinkle with salt. In a 300 degree oven, bake for 5 minutes or until crispy. Serve with the dip.

Yo-Foria

As someone who consumes a significant quantity of yogurt each week (both traditional and soy, with a Greek-style splurge every now and then), it seems odd that I haven’t shared one of my yogurt marinade recipes until now. Yogurt is a fantastic alternative to “traditional” marinades—its high acidity is a terrific tenderizer of meat, but it packs much less of a caloric punch than oils. And, as far as flavor goes, it’s just as versatile as mayonnaise or sour cream but contains significantly less fat.

All yogurts also contain the probiotic cultures Lactobacillus bulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus. Probiotics—sometimes known as “beneficial bacteria”—naturally live in your digestive tract, but need regular replenishing. That’s where yogurt comes in. Just one serving a day gives you a healthy dose of cultures to keep you feeling good on the inside. So, break out of the “yogurt is only breakfast food” mentality, and start finding out why this is the real dairy product that does a body good!

Spiced Grilled Chicken
Serves 2

6 oz. plain yogurt (I love Stonyfield Farms organic)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. cumin
½ tsp. chipotle chili powder
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and black pepper
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped

In a large baggie, combine the first four ingredients, then add the chicken. Marinate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour.

Heat a grill pan over high heat. Removed the chicken from marinade and place on a plate. Season both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken on the first side for 7-8 minutes, then turn over and grill 4 minutes more, or until chicken is firm to the touch. Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Twice as Nice

Needing to whip up two, mayonnaise-based sauces last night, I suddenly found myself staring down the empty barrel of the mayo jar. What’s a girl to do? Inspired by a recent episode of Top Chef (seriously, if you’re not watching, you’re missing out), I decided that the lonely eggs in the back of my fridge were practically begging to be turned into a homemade mayo.

I think it’s a pretty well-kept secret that making mayonnaise is really, really easy. It seems like one of those things that should be intimidating, but I can practically guarantee that you already have everything in your kitchen needed to make it. And, if you don’t have a food processor, you can absolutely mix it by hand (it’s just going to require a little elbow grease). Once you’ve got the basic recipe down, start experimenting! How about a smoky, chipotle-spiced mayo or a homemade tartar sauce for fish n’ chips night? You can do it!

Mayonnaise: Two Ways
Yields 1 cup

1 egg yolk
½ tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. dry mustard
2 pinches sugar
2 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 tbsp. white or red wine vinegar
1 c. vegetable oil
sea salt and black pepper to taste

In the bowl of a food processor, combine the yolk, salt, mustard, sugar and lemon juice. Pulse 3 times. Add the vinegar and pulse 3 more times. Let the motor run and very slowly drizzle in the vegetable oil. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Curried Mayo
Serving suggestion: Sweet potato fries

½ c. homemade mayonnaise
2 tbsp. ketchup
1 ½ tsp. red curry powder
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and stir to combine. Refrigerate one hour before serving.

Sweet Slaw Dressing
Serving suggestion: Cabbage and carrot coleslaw

½ c. homemade mayonnaise
3 tbsp. sour cream
2 tsp. white or red wine vinegar
½ tsp. celery salt
½ tsp. onion powder
1 ½ tsp. sugar
sea salt and black pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Pour dressing over slaw and toss. Refrigerate 30 minutes before serving.

Pretzel Poppin’ Fool

It’s true, I confess: I’m a Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Covered Pretzel Balls poppin’ fool. The little nuggets of sweet and salty goodness are quickly becoming my at-work addiction. I’m hiding them in my desk drawer, telling myself “just a handful never hurt anyone…” And then, before I know it, I’ve run through a container in 4 days. Thanks goodness Trader Joe’s isn’t a high-end (read: high-priced) grocery store.

My love affair with sweet/salty combinations goes back a long time. My go-to road trip snack? The completely addictive Chex Muddy Buddies. My “healthy” fruit pick? Ripe oranges, liberally salted. I’ve never been able to resist the tang of a citrusy, salty margarita or the call of crunchy kettle corn. Heck, I’ve even gone so far as to eat chocolate covered potato chips just for the novelty of it all.

Luckily, TJDCCPB aren’t expensive and, as far as guilty pleasures go, not terribly fattening. Unfortunately, my midtown apartment puts me at a short, 5 minute drive away from snack food nirvana. How far will you have to travel?

COW- Cheese of the Week

With warm weather upon (most of) us, I thought it would be a good time to move to a cheese that can stand up to the elements. While the heat of an oven may be a wonderful thing for cheeses like brie, the heat of a summer afternoon can turn them into a runny, sticky mess.

Not so with Farmhouse Cheshire. Thought to be England's oldest cheese, Cheshire is a raw, cow's milk cheddar-style cheese that is sturdy enough to accompany you on a picnic. Cheshire is a smooth, hole-less variety the color of a cantaloupe (this is due to the use of annatto, a tree-based coloring agent that's harmless). The brand of Cheshire I'm most familiar with is Abbey Farm, but there are also respected makers like Mollington Grange Farm and Chorlton Lodge Farm producing this cheese.

The flavor of Cheshire is honestly a little tough to describe. It's salty, for sure, but neither nutty nor fruity, sweet nor sharp. The best I can do is that it's savory in the vein of a classic Cheddar, with a lot more earthiness than you'll find in mass-market brands.

Try it picnic fare, like...
Wheat bread or crackers
Ripe berries and apples
Beer and rose wine
Turkey or roast beef sandwiches
Assorted olives and pickles

I’m Melting!

I confess to never having been a big breakfast person. Sure, a chocolate croissant never fails to start the day off right, but the mornings that I’m able to procure those are few and far between. I’m usually content to eat yogurt with fresh berries and granola at work, but on the weekends, a little something extra seems in order.

I was initially intimated by this recipe: making my own scones! I’m no baker! But, to my delight, it proved much less tricky and time-intensive than I anticipated. About 30 minutes for the prep and an hour for the bake later, I was munching down on some light, flaky and gently blueberry-sweetened goodness. If I were going to pick a signature breakfast recipe, this one might just be the winner.

Blueberry Scones with Melted Peaches
Serves 2-4

1 lb. frozen, sliced peaches
2 ½ tbsp. brown sugar
1 ½ tbsp. instant pearl tapioca
½ tsp. cinnamon
½ tsp. lemon juice
5/6 c. all purpose flour (or ½ + 1/3 cups)
1 ¾ tbsp. granulated sugar, plus 2 tsp. reserved
¾ tbsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3 tbsp. butter, chilled and cut into pieces
¾ c. fresh blueberries
¼ c. heavy cream, plus 1 tbsp. reserved

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease an 8x8 inch square baking dish. In the dish, combine the peaches, brown sugar, tapioca, cinnamon and lemon juice. Toss to combine and set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Using your fingers, blend in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (keep working, it takes a little longer than you might think). Stir in the blueberries, then the cream and combine with a wooden spoon until the dough just comes together. Form the dough into a ball and, on a floured work surface, pat it into a 1-inch thick round. Cut into 4 wedges.

Arrange the dough wedges on top of the peach mixture and brush the tops with the remaining tablespoon of cream and sprinkle with the 2 teaspoons of sugar. Bake until the scones are golden about 50-60 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.

Fan Fare, Part II

If you cringed at my last ode to Rachel Ray, you can stop reading now. Because, once again, I feel compelled to share with you an RR original recipe (with some of my own modifications, of course) that I absolutely loved.

This twist on classic Italian fare is a great alternative to ordering take-out or cooking on of those frozen “bag” meals. There’s not a ton of chopping, the meatballs are made with all white meat chicken and the sauce isn’t loaded with MSG. Plus, it’s really fun to use chopsticks to pop the little meatballs in your mouth. It’s kind of like kid-friendly Chinese—what’s not to like?

Chinese Spaghetti and Meatballs
Serves 4

8 oz. spaghetti
1 lb. ground white meat chicken
1 egg
2 c. panko (Japanese style bread crumbs)
1 tsp. Chinese five-spice powder
8 scallions, 2 finely chopped, 6 cut into 2-inch lengths
2 tbsp., plus 1/3 c. tamari (dark soy sauce)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. snow peas, thinly sliced
1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
2 inches ginger root, grated
4 cloves garlic, grated
8 oz. baby spinach leaves, washed
1 tbsp. sesame oil
3 tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add pasta to cook to al dente, about 7-8 minutes. Reserve ½ cup of the cooking water before draining.

In a mixing bowl, combine the chicken and egg with your hands. Add the panko, five-spice powder, 2 of the chopped scallions and 2 tablespoons soy sauce and mix thoroughly. Form 1 ½ inch meatballs with your hands and place on a baking sheet. Spray the tops with olive oil baking spray and roast for 15 minutes.

When the meatballs are close to done, heat a large skillet over high heat with the vegetable oil. Add the snow peas, bell pepper, remaining cut scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook until just wilted, 2 minutes. Add the remaining soy sauce and the sesame oil, then add the pasta and toss to combine. If there isn’t enough sauce, add in some of the reserved pasta water to thin. Garnish with sesame seeds and top with the meatballs.

Like White on Rice

I think I’ve discussed before that growing up in Lakeland wasn’t exactly conducive to earning a proper culinary education. Sure, we had a handful of TexMex joints and actually some pretty decent Italian, but your options for a taste of the orient were either Bamboo Garden (love the crispy rice noodles that come to the table at the start of every meal) or Hunan, where a framed picture of Gloria Estefen hung proudly on the wall.*

Authentic, Hunan was probably not, but they did make some of the crunchiest, tangiest sweet and sour chicken in town. Oh, to this day, I have fantasies about the little tub of red sauce being unveiled before my hungry eyes. While this dish doesn’t quite recreate all the sweet, pineapply goodness of my childhood, if I close my eyes and pop in my old Into the Light CD, I’m almost there.

*Side bar- I think the story involved her stopping by Lakeland while on tour, but it may also have had something to due with her choosing Lakeland as her destination for recuperation from a tour bus accident. This was never quite clear.

Chicken with Homemade Pineapple Barbeque Sauce
Serves 2-3

3-4, 6 oz. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 medium red onion, finely chopped
2 c. fresh pineapple, chopped
¼ c. brown sugar
3 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
¼ c. tamari (dark soy sauce)
8 oz. tomato sauce
1, 6 oz. can sliced water chestnuts
3 scallions, thinly sliced
white or brown rice, prepared according to package directions

Place a large skillet or grill pan over medium-high heat and coat with a thin layer of the olive oil, about 2 tablespoons. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper and place on the grill. Cook until each side is golden brown and the chicken is firm to the touch, about 5-6 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and let rest.

While the chicken is cooking, place a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Add the onion and pineapple and cook until the onion is soft, about 6 minutes. Add the brown sugar, vinegar, tamari and tomato sauce. Simmer sauce for a couple of minutes to thicken. Add the water chestnuts and adjust seasonings to taste.

To serve, stir the sliced scallions into the rice and put some on each plate. Slice the chicken breasts on an angle and pour the sauce over each one.

Cinco or Swim

Before I begin today’s post, a quick aside: I apologize for my absence last week. Let’s just say several forces aligned (work, a cold, etc.) to prevent me from blogging and for that I’m terribly sorry. Can we just pretend that it never happened? Great, thanks!

Review- El Tesoro

Once upon a time, I discovered a little TexMex place in EAV (that’s East Atlanta Village for all you non-locals) that served up the cheapest, tastiest tacos, quesos and margaritas imaginable. Cantina La Casita is something of an institution around here—along with Taqueria Del Sol and Nuevo Laredo, La Casita is one of my most frequent south-of-the-border dining destinations.

Enter El Tesoro, a new spot from the same people that brought the city La Casita. I dined there for the first time yesterday evening and am pleased to report that many of my favorite features and menu items from LC have made the jump to the new spot.

We started with the requisite chips and salsa. El Tesoro’s two offerings are a mild, green tomatillo and a fire-roasted tomato. I prefer the acidic tomatillo, especially when accompanied by the not-overly-sweet house margarita blanco. Although it’s printed at the top of the menu, I’m sure many diners are surprised to see a charge for the chips and the salsa when the bill comes. If you don’t want them, speak up quickly. We also ordered our standard queso but, and it could have been my imagination, El Tesoro’s tasted thicker and less spicy than LC’s. I guess the only way I’ll know for sure is to visit the original again soon…

I was hoping to sample one tofu and one mushroom enchilada each in my order of two, but when I asked if that was possible, our server said that the kitchen “doesn’t like it” when people mix and match. “Doesn’t like it” and “won’t do it” are two different things to me and I don’t feel like servers should cater to the preferences of the kitchen if they are indeed just that—preferences. If no mixing and matching is a policy, then just say, politely, “no, I’m sorry, we can’t.” Anyway, my two mushroom enchiladas turned out to be delicious, laced with the flavor of cilantro and onions and topped with more of the tomatillo salsa—yum. The accompanying black beans were good, lightly spiced but nothing out of the ordinary.

My date ordered the “platillo grande”—four tacos, one each tofu, mushroom, fried tilapia and chorizo and potato. The tilapia gave Taqueria’s famous fish tacos a run for their money. Crispy and light, the fish was nicely set off by tender cabbage and smooth poblano cream. The mushroom was filled with what tasted like the same mushroom sauté as in my enchiladas and I confess to not tasting the chorizo. But the tofu was my favorite—a slightly crisped exterior with nice heat from the chipotle marinade and the bright crunch of radish and jicama. A well-rounded taco, and a vegetarian one at that!

Creative Loafing employs my favorite food reviewers in the city and, coincidentally, El Tesoro was reviewed last week by the paper as well (read their review here). I can’t say that I agree 100% with this one (I didn’t spot a single child), but they got one thing spot on—the fried plantains are to die for. As for the rest, if I find myself in Decatur I'd be happy to give El Tesoro another whirl, but I'm not saying adios to La Casita just yet, that's for sure.

Bulking Up

I started out slowly: your basic mussels steamed in white wine and garlic. And, if I do say so myself, they were great. But—you know me by now—I was already itching to try something different with my newfound bearded buddies. Behold—baked, stuffed mussels on the half shell! All the mussel-y goodness you know and love, but now with a crispy bread crumb topping! And if speed is what you need, then these babies are done faster than you can say seafood!*

*Side bar: I’m sorry, it seems as though my inner advertising copywriter came out a little bit and I attempted to sell you on the mussels. My apologies. I’ll try to keep it to a simple, “I think you’ll like them” next time.

Stuffed Mussels on the Half Shell
Serves 2-3

2 pounds Prince Edward Island mussels, cleaned and debearded
1 c. dry white wine
½ c. fresh basil leaves
½ c. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, peeled
¾ c. fresh bread crumbs
1 ½ c. Lemon Zinger tomato sauce (link to previous post)
¼ c. grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Add mussels and wine to a large saucepan and cover. Steam on high until mussels open, about 3 to 5 minutes. Drain mussels and set aside to cool.

In a blender or food processor, combine the basil, ¼ cup of the olive oil and the garlic. Process until smooth and pour a bowl. Add the breadcrumbs, tomato sauce and Parmesan to the bowl and mix well.

When they’re cool enough to handle, open each mussel and remove the piece of shell that the mussel has detached itself from. Loosen the mussel from the remaining shell half but leave it in the shell. Lay the mussels on a large baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.

Pack each shell full with the sauce mixture. Drizzle mussels with the olive oil and bake for 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly golden brown on top. Serve immediately with lemon wedges.

The Lemon Law

On the very off chance that you’re not familiar with the phrase, “lemon laws” are US laws intended to protect consumers from cars that repeatedly fail to meet certain standards of quality and performance. These cars are referred to as “lemons.” The phrase “When life hands you lemons, make lemonade” also references the use of the word lemon as a “bad apple,” so to speak.

I think it’s unfair that lemons are subjected to this negative connotation. What did lemons ever do to us, aside from provide a wonderful natural citrus base for marinades and star in one of my favorite summertime beverages? (Just you wait for my ginger lemonade recipe!) In their defense, lemons are tangy, brightly colored and an excellent source of vitamin C. Lemon juice prevents cut apples and avocados from browning, lemon peel freshens a smelly garbage disposal and lemon oil is a natural furniture polish. And lemons help prevent scurvy, a deadly disease!

So take that, “lemon laws.” How do you like them apples?

Lemon and Rosemary Marinated Chicken
Serves 2

3 tbsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
¼ c. extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
¼ tsp. smoked paprika
¼ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. grill seasoning (chicken or steak flavors will work)
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
sea salt and black pepper

In a plastic gallon-sized bag, combine the first six ingredients. Add the chicken, close the bag, and shake gently to coat. Marinate for 1 hour at room temperature.

Preheat a grill pan to high. Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and season on both sides with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken for 5 minutes, rotate 45 degrees and cook an additional 5 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook for another 4-5 minutes on the second side, or until cooked through. Remove from heat onto a serving platter.

In a small saucepan, bring the remaining marinade up to a boil. Turn the heat down to medium and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and pour over the chicken. Serve with the sautéed mushrooms.

Sautéed Cremini Mushrooms

2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 oz. cremini mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme leaves
sea salt and black pepper
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar

In a medium sauté pan over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Once melted, add the shallots and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, thyme and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated, about 6 to 7 minutes. Deglaze the pan with the balsamic vinegar and continue to cook until the vinegar has reduced by half, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and more pepper and serve immediately.