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.