A Tale of Two Dinners: Mussels & Mushrooms

How Missing Boston Pride lead to Fideos Style Mussels and French Red Wine

Saturday June 6, 20ll Boston hosted its fabulous annual Pride Parade and alas I missed it. I am certain it was a glorious glitter fest of man pretty and hot fellas. And I am anxious to see the photos that will certainly hit Facebook.

So why did I miss said glitter fest? I am slightly embarrassed admitting to this but I am one of those persons who can not handle last-minute rescheduling. Admittedly few events ever make it onto my calendar but if an event does make it  it puts me out in the worst way when I am asked or in most cases usually forced to reschedule said event. It drives me insane.

Saturday’s little calender square held such an event. I had scheduled us both cut & styles at Changes Salon in Noho http://www.changessalon.net/ and I just didn’t want to reschedule….for the second time. I am also still attempting to recover from the second rescheduling of my precious Prince Finley’s knee surgery. That however, is a blog of another kind. So, hair appointments were kept and Pride Parade missed. But Edward spent and hour and fifteen glorious minutes making me feel absolutely gorgeous and it was so worth every speck of glitter I missed. Even on a rainy day.

After we were both pampered properly we meandered about Thornes Market a bit and then drove over to River Valley Market & Co-Op. http://rivervalleymarket.coop/ Now this is the sort of place, just like Whole Foods, where I say to Amy before entering the store, “DO NOT leave me alone in here!” They have so many wonderfully amazingly fresh and local ingredients. Not to mention all those little hard to find tid bits I need for all my out of the ordinary recipes are just lying around screaming out to me “please take me home!” How can I say no? Actually I can’t say no. I just can’t.  And then there’s the bizarre things that can happen to me when left alone with the cart. In word – blackouts.

So when I asked to not be left alone I wasn’t being funny. But Amy always gets lost in the red wine section for a good twenty minutes or longer and in which time for reasons unknown (and this is very difficult for me to talk about) *reluctant sigh* I completely blackout.  Time slips away and with it my consciousness.

With the usual twenty-minute minimum decision-making process completed,  Amy finally makes her way back with the perfect bottle of red in hand and stirs me back into reality. I, with feelings of static energy surging through my entire body, stand next to the cart asking myself what just happened. Naturally I am completely dumbfounded as to how dried Seaweed, a bottle of Champagne, Chicken Chorizo Sausage, and 2 lbs of P.E.I Mussels made their way into our cart. Maybe I’m allergic to some organic ingredient that causes my bizarre blackouts. It’s a serious condition I’ve been far too ashamed to talk about before now. If anyone is aware of a treatment program please let me know.

Anywho, with not even an hour of our afternoon lost and $95 later we walk the green mile back to the Baja, slowly make perplexed eye contact and Amy says to me, “We only went in for one thing.” Which I in matter of fact tone and only slightly defensively state back with, “You wanted bacon.”

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So with P.E.I Mussels and Chicken Chorizo Sausage in hand I definitely know I am enjoying the flavors of Spain for dinner. But alas, Amy will not eat Mussels and she is slighty frightened of meat in tube from. So I had to put my thinking cap on and devise a plan for two separate dinners. But of course, I am exhilarated by the challenge.

What morphed into existence for my dinner was a play on the Spanish dish Fideos, which roughly translated is broken thin toasted pasta usually tossed with seafood in a tomato sauce with saffron and smoked Spanish Paprika. This is the link I stumbled upon which inspired my culinary creation for the evening http://www.cookinglight.com/food/world-cuisine/international-noodle-recipes-00400000056800/page8.html.

And for Amy’s dish I had a bottle of French red wine and nothing else to really go on but since it was pasta for me I decided it was pasta for her as well. So for Ames I whipped up a modest yet beautifully delicious red wine and mushroom sauce with fresh tomatoes and basil tossed over whole wheat chiocciole.

We each enjoyed a healthy helping of flavors extravaganza and wrapped up the day freaking ourselves out watching episodes of “Ghost Adventures: Haunted Hospitals”

So I suppose the questions remains, can a desire to stay on course led one to cluinary delights yet unexplored? In this instance the answer is yes it can.

Toasted Vermicelli with Mussels and Chorizo

1-2 lbs Mussels

1 link Chicken Chorizo Sausage (less fat than pork but use pork if you like)

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

2 gloves garlic chopped

1 generous handful of Fideos, Angle Hair Pasta, or Vermicelli, broken into pieces about the length of a thumb

EVOO ~ roughly mesured so about 2 tablespoons

1 can chopped tomato with their jucies

1 cup of dry white wine

1/4 teaspoon saffron

1/2 teaspoon Smoked Spanish Paprika

1/2 teaspoon Crused Red Pepper Flakes, more or less to taste

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method:

In a medium sized dutch oven, heat the EVOO until shimmering. Add in the chopped onion and saute until golden in color. Add next the broken pasta pieces and using tongs toss the pasta consitently until it is golden in color. Remove toasted pasta and oinon onto a resting plate. To the dutch oven now add the Chicken Chorizo Sausage and stir until broken up and sausage begins to brown. Add next the chopped galic and saute a couple of minutes more. Deglaze the pan with the cup of dry white wine releasing all the brown bits on the bottom of the pan with a wooden spatula. Bring to a simmer and add the tomatoes, saffron, salt and pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, and toasted pasta. Allow to simmer at least 15 minutes on med-low or until pasta has just cooked through. Lastly add in the Mussels and cover with lid (at this stage check to make sure the dish hasn’t thickened too much and if so add in a splash of water and adjust seasonings). Cook the mussels 4 – 5 minutes or until they open up. Immediatly discard any Mussels that do not open Serve hot and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

House Special:Tiffamy Pizza

A Symphony of Flavors

One of mine and Amy’s favorite dinners is homemade pizza. Amy is the master of whole wheat pizza dough (secrets in the cornmeal) and I usually manage the toppings. I think we’ve built  several dozen pizzas together over the past four years and each with a different flavor combination. We love fresh basil, fresh roasted garlic, fresh mozzarella cheese, toasted pine nuts, and lots of pizza sauce to just name a few.

Our latest pizza we decided on a ”Symphony of Flavors” as Amy calls it.  This “symphony of flavors” included our combination of Amy’s awesome homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Dough with Apple-Chicken Sausage, Fire Roasted Yellow Bell, Sliced Cherry Tomatoes, Fresh Baby Spinach, Fresh Mozzarella, a bit of Apple-Smoked Cheddar, and a playful toss of Fresh Feta Crumbles. I sprinkled on a bit of fresh grated Nutmeg, fresh cracked Black Pepper, and a bit of Italian Seasoning to seal the deal. Then into the 400 degree oven it went until this symphony of flavors became a symphony of melted cheesy goodness.

Since this is mine and Amy’s Pizza Spectacular Spectacular you’ll have to stop by for a VIP pass if you want the recipe.

 A couple who builds pizza together, stays together.

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“Now that’s a good meatball!”

My sweet, loveable, boisterous co-worker sat uncharacteristically pouty in her swivel chair looking over her enormous desk at me, with her dark but sadden eyes, and shared with me her previous evenings dinner disappointments. Apparently Applebee’s Stuffed Meatballs are not up to par. Apparently they aren’t even stuffed at all.

Why oh why would Applebee’s stuff their meatballs, not with gooey fresh mozzarella cheese, but with empty space? I thought perhaps “stuffed” in this case was some sort of metaphor. Yes some hidden deep dark meaning Applesbee’s wishes to gently suggest to their patrons. That must be it for why would any self-respecting chef send out un-stuffed stuffed meatballs? Oh poor un-stuffed, empty little meatballs. It’s just sad. Depressingly sad. Debbie said she expected to bite into these delicious moist morsels of perfection and find lingering behind said bite a luscious line of steaming, gooey mozzarella. But alas, this was not to be.

Shame on you Applebee’s. Shame on you.

My heart was bleeding for I know all to well how utterly devastating restaurant dining can be at times. So being the dear, beautiful, humble, altruistic friend that I am, I promised to bring her Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs that would not disappoint. So I went home and prepared Fresh Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs & Chiocciole in a Burst Tomato Sauce.  And true to my word, yesterday I came through for Debbie. And yes my meatballs were amazing. And yes the mozzarella was fresh and gooey and perfect.

With happy mouth full and while tantalizingly untangling the perfectly gooey mozzarella Debbie announced, “Now that’s a good meatball!”

What can I say? I aim to please. And apparently I please far better than Applebee’s.

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More Saffron Please

There is no rice cooker in my kitchen nor will you find a box of Minute Rice or Uncle Ben’s. You will however find an oversized bag of aged Basmati Rice and a smaller bag of Brown Basmati Rice. The brown basmati is for recipes other than Indian as no true Indian dish would include brown rice. The aged Basmati is all I use to accompany my Indian-style dishes.

I once thought rice was difficult to cook. It isn’t at all really. You just need a little TLC, a bit of butter flavor, a little Saffron, and a moments worth of extra time. If I don’t feel up to the bit of extra time and effort needed to create excellent rice, I simply don’t cook rice. It really is just an extra 10 minutes or so anyway. And what is 10 minutes for perfection?

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Saffron Basmati Rice

1 cup Basmati Rice, thoroughly rinsed and gently toasted over med. heat

1 3/4 cup water

1 tablespoon Bella Gusta Butter Infused Olive Oil

1/2 teaspoon Saffron Threads

Salt & Pepper to taste

Method: thoroughly rinse rice in a mesh colander until the water runs clear. Allow the rice to drain. In a med. skillet over med. heat add rice and while stirring constantly, toast the rice until dry, fragrant, and slightly golden. Immediately remove rice from skillet and set aside. In a med sauce pan with a lid add the water and  bring up to a boil with the Bella Gusta Butter Infused olive oil, the saffron threads, salt, & pepper to taste. Once boiling stir in the toasted rice, bring water back to a boil, cover pan with lid and reduce the heat to a slow simmer. Simmer thusly about 15 minutes or until all water is absorb without removing the lid. Once rice has cooked fluff with a fork and taste to adjust seasonings. Serve hot.

Roasted Tomato Chutney

5-6 on the vine tomatoes, rinsed and sliced into quarters

1/4 teaspoon ground coriander powder

1/2 sweet onion, sliced

3 gloves of garlic, minced

3 dried De Arbol Chiles

1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

1/4 teaspoon coriander seeds

1/2 half teaspoon curry powder

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

3 tablespoon EVOO, divided

salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and placed the tomatoes on the baking sheet. Toss the tomatoes with EVOO, salt, pepper, & coriander powder until evenly coated. Place in the oven and roast tomatoes about an hour. Once tomatoes are roasted remove from oven and set aside. Heat a sauce pan over med heat. Add to the pan about two tablespoons of EVOO, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and the dried De Arbol Chiles. Heat these until the mustard seeds begin to “pop” (careful as they can pop out of the pan). Add next the onions and saute until the onions are golden about 5 minutes or so. Add next the minced garlic, curry, turmeric, garam masala, and cumin powder and saute about 1 minute more. Next, add to the pan the roasted tomatoes by carefully lifting the foil with the tomatoes from the baking sheet. Gently slide the tomatoes into the pan with all their juices. Discard the foil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue simmering about 30 minutes or so until the tomatoes have thickened. Add the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings. Serve hot.

Curried Potatoes & Chickpeas

1 small bag of baby red potatoes, washed and evenly chopped

2 fresh bay leaves

1 tablespoon Bella Gusta Butter Infused Olive Oil

1 can organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed (rinsing helps remove excess sodium — and lessons other side effects)

1 sweet onion, diced

1 cinnamon stick

4 black cardamom pods

1 tablespoon curry

1 teaspoon Penzeyes Balti Seasoning

1/2 cup Savoy Cabbage, chopped

red pepper flakes, to taste – optional

salt & pepper to taste 

In 3 quart dutch oven add the chopped potatoes and enough water to reach about an inch above the potatoes. Add the bay leaves and bring the potatoes and water up to a boil. Reduce to med high heat and continue boiling the potatoes until they are fork tender. Reserve one cup of the potato water then drain the potatoes and discard the bay leaves. Set aside. In the same dutch oven, heat the Olive Oil and then add the onions, cinnamon stick, and the cardamom pods. Saute until the onions are golden. Add next the curry and Balti Seasoning and saute a minute longer. Fish out and discard the cinnamon stick and cardamom pods. Deglaze the pan with the 1 cup of potato water, add the red pepper flakes if using, the chickpeas, and the potatoes. Stir well and reduce the flame to simmer. Cover and allow to simmer at least 30 minutes. Some of the potatoes will cook down entirely subsequently thickening the dish. Feel free to mash more of the potatoes if a thicker consistancy is desired. And the salt and peppe. Taste and adjust seasonings. Just before serving, stir in the cabbage.

Lettuce Linger Here

What could be better than a warm fire, a tantalizing glass of wine, and a full stomach? Nothing absolutely nothing, especially if I’m sharing it all with you.

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Lemongrass Yogurt – Marinated Chicken Lettuce Wraps with Toasted Black Sesame Seed Sushi Rice

 

Lemongrass-Yogurt Marinated Chicken:

2-4 chicken breast

1 cup plain non-fat yogurt

2 tablespoons chopped lemongrass

1 cup loosly packed rough chopped fresh mint leaves

1/2 cup chopped English Cuke (cucumber)

1 to 2 tablespoons EVOO

In a non-reactive glass dish, preferably with a lid, mix all ingredients but the chicken until well combined. Add in the chicken, cover, and refridgerate overnight. Preheat oven broiler. Prepare a wire rack by gernerously oiling the rack and placing it over an aluminom lined baking pan. Set aside. Remove chicken from marinade and discard marinade. Rinse marinade from the chicken and pat chicken dry. Drizzle the chicken generously with EVOO and salt and pepper to taste. Place chicken on the rack and then into the broiler and cook about 10 mintues per side or until an instant read thermonintor registers an internal temperature of 160 degrees. Remove the chicken from the broiler and set aside to rest about 5 minutes. Slice the chicken on the bais against the grain. Serve with Boston lettuce, Toasted Black Sesame Seed Sushi Rice, and garnishes.

Toasted Black Sesame Seed Sushi Rice

1 cup sushi rice, rinsed in a mesh colander until the water runs clear

1 3/4 cups water

1 teaspoon Toasted Sesame Seed Oil

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds, gently toasted about one minute

salt and pepper to taste

In a med. sized sauce pan heat the water, oil, salt, & pepper until water boils. Once boiling stir in the rinsed sushi rice, bring back up to a boil, cover pan with lid and reduce heat to low. Allow the rice to simmer about 20 minutes until all the water is absorbed. Fluff rice with fork while stirring in the toasted sesame seeds. Serve immediately with the Chicken Lettuce Wraps.

Lettuce Wraps:

1 bunch of Boston Lettuce, cored and rinsed

1 serving broiled Lemongrass Yogurt-Marinated Chicken breast

1 serving Toasted Black Sesame Seed Sushi Rice

Garnishes of choice: sliced English Cuke; sliced green scallion; chopped Thai Bird Chili; sliced orange bell pepper; fresh mint leaves

To assemble: place rice and chicken on a Boston Lettuce leaf and top with desired garnishes.

 

Bella Gusta:Caprese Salad

Just before the Winter Solstice,  Amy and I made our way out to West Hartford to check out the most awesome spice store, Penzeys, at the recommendation of our fabulous friends Patti & Ana. After nearly buying one of everything at Penzeys we decided to linger about with a quick meander around the neighborhood. Oh it turned out to be a beautiful day to meander indeed! Just around the corner from Penzeys we discovered Bella Gusta, an olive oil and balsamic tasting room - on their second day open no less. It was a true serendipity! Bella Gusta is owned and operated by Lynda and Alan Przybylski a couple who simply fell in love with olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  This love of theirs is evident in the way they share their knowledge and joy with each and every customer who walks into their tasting room (especially the customers who bring their friends).

As you open the door of Bella Gusta you first hear a little jingle and then the warm welcomes float over you pulling you helplessly towards the most unusual tasting experience I dare say you’ll ever have. Bella Gusta offers an extensive range of olive oils from their very specific organic olive oils to their very delicious fused & infused olive oils. Take the tasting tour and indulge your palette in an array of flavors from Hirrisa to Porticini Mushroom. And once you’re giddily intoxicated on olive oil you may then swirl over to their balsamics and continue your flavor party. Oh the balsamics are to DIE for with flavors from Dark Chocolate to Red Apple!

Needless to say I fell in love with Bella Gusta that day.

So naturally we went back this past Sunday with Ana & Patti of course. Did we girls ever buy some oils and vinegars! I now have a range of olive oils from Persian Lime to Butter. The Butter olive oil is lactose-free too for those who long for that oh-so-wonderful flavor but must resist because of lactose intolerance. Oooh it tastes just like butter too — look out Paula Dean! We also definitely picked out the Red Apple Balsamic. It is a must have that I could just eat with a spoon. Oh and I can not forget about the Grapefruit Vinegar! My new favorite! Oh so light and delish! Yum-freaking-o!

Oh you know you want some. So head over to Bella Gusta and taste a few flavors of your own. But beware — once you go Bella Gusta, you can never go back.

Check out their website: http://bellagustaoils.myshopify.com/pages/about-us

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Caprese Salad with a drizzle of Bella Gusta Koroneiki Olive Oil & Traditional 18 Year Balsamic Vinegar

2 Plum tomatoes, sliced (I used ugly tomatoes this go around at Ames’ special request)

fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced or rough torn

fresh basil leaves, stems removed

ciabatta bread, optional

about 1 tablespoon each of a good olive oil & balsamic vinegar such as Bella Gusta Koroneiki Olive Oil & Traditional 18 Year Balsamic Vinegar

salt & pepper to taste

To assemble salad: slice ciabatta bread into crostini size pieces and arrange on serving plate (you may toast the bread if desired). Drizzle the sliced ciabatta with a little oil and vinegar and then layer the tomato, basil leaf, fresh mozzarella, and continue layering thusly as much as you desire and/or you run out of ingredients. Sprinkle the stacked Caprese salad with a bit of sea salt and fresh cracked pepper. To finish drizzle reaming oil and vinegar over top of salad and serve.

High of 32 degrees

I love snow, like giddy little girl love the snow. I enjoy the colder weather. Perhaps it’s extremely odd considering I spent the first 24 years of my life in Texas where it’s rarely below 65 degrees. But it is true. Cold, bleak, dreary New England called to me and I came running without hesitation. Something whispers within me, “You really are a Yankee” as I’d rather snuggle up in front of the fireplace than spend a day at the beach. What about shoveling snow? No problem, I actually don’t mind it. The tiniest amount of flurries excites me. I just can’t help myself. But admittedly, winters frigid forecast can damper even my spirits. So to add a little sunshine back into my snowy New England day I step into my kitchen and whip up something warm and comforting.

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OVEN ROASTED HOT WINGS with BLUE CHEESE COLESLAW

1 package organic free range chicken wings, rinsed and patted dry

1 package organic free range chicken legs, rinsed and patted dry

1/3 cup Franks Red Hot Sauce

1/2 cup Franks XTRA Hot Sauce

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons whole wheat flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

Salt & pepper to taste

Smart Balance non-stick cooking spray

1/3 cup fresh grated Pecorino Ramono Cheese, optional

Position a baking rack over a baking sheet and coat the rack with the non-stick cooking spray and set aside. In a large mixing bowl add the chicken pieces and the hot sauce and toss until all chicken pieces are well coated and then set aside. In an oversized dish add the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Mix all the dry ingredients well and then evenly spread out over the dish. Next add the coated chicken pieces to the dry mixture and toss well to evenly coat the chicken. Alternately you can add all the dry ingredients into a large Ziploc bag with the coated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake vigorously until the chicken is evenly coated. Remove the chicken from either the dish or the bag and arrange on the baking rack and allow the chicken to rest in the fridge 30 minutes up to overnight. This step allows the chicken to dry out which subsequently yields crispier chicken. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Once the chicken pieces have rested, set them back out to reach room temperature, and then place them in the preheated oven. Cook the chicken until an instant read thermometer registers an internal temperature of 160 degrees on the thickest part of the chicken. DO NOT TOUCH THE BONE OF THE CHICKEN with the THERMONITOR as you will receive an inaccurate reading. Once the chicken has cooked through remove from the oven and sprinkle with the grated cheese. Serve with Wedge Style Blue Cheese Coleslaw.

WEDGE STYLE BLUE CHEESE COLESLAW

2 cups shredded savoy cabbage

2 cups shredded red cabbage

2 stalks celery, chopped

1 tomato, diced

2 pieces Morningstar Bacon, cooked & crumbled

1/3 cup Blue Cheese crumbles, or to preference

1/3 cup Smart Balance Mayo, or to preference

1/4 teaspoon sugar, or to taste

Salt and pepper to taste

In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients and mix until well combined. Taste and adjust seasonings to accommodate personal preference. (I like my coleslaw with less mayo than your average slaw and Amy must have a bit of sweetness) Cover coleslaw and allow to marry in the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

A cure for Ames’ cold:A bowl of Chicken Pho

OR also known as Pho Ga.

I perviously posted the how to method for my chicken pho but in my delirious concentration I neglected to snap any photos of my process. I stepped up my game and actually have pictures this time around.

 

 

 

 Round two of Pho Ga (Vietnamese chicken noodle soup)

Saturday morning Amy woke up with a “slightly scratchy throat but I’m fine” statement. She is the type who never gets sick and must be near to death before admitting she doesn’t feel well. I however know better. It is a game of wait for it, wait for it. As the morning ticked away and after exictingly accepting an invitation for game night with our favorite around the corner pals Ana & Pattie, I finally coaxed Amy into admission of not feeling well. We were then forced to take a rain check for game night in hopes that a quiet Saturday evening in would help Amy conquer her “slightly sore throat.” Needless to say that by the time Sunday morning rolled around Amy’s superwoman persona was crushed by the common cold.

After our  ”Amy hasn’t  had a cold in over four years” slight meltdown, I found myself out Sunday morning scooping up the overnight snow with foreboding thoughts of the daunting, disheartening task of grocery shopping alone looming over me, much like a childs slow shuffle towards the detention room after school. Gathering ingredients is one of my most favorite ways to share time with Amy. I have so much fun inhaling this herb, carefully choosing this tomato over that one, and having my partner in flavor right by my side. But alas after I’d out-stayed my welcome with the snow, I accepted venturing out solo I must as my partner in flavor was benched by a severly sore throat and nasty nasal congestion. So after I managed to chef up, I gathered my list of ingredients for my Chicken Pho and I was out the door. The recipe must go on!

My first stop was just past the “X” on Belmont Ave. at a little shop called Saigon Market. Saigon Market is my favorite and first choice for any and all ingredients related to Thai and Vietnamese style cooking. They have a plethora of fresh ingredients including (one of my favorites) Holy Basil,  fresh curry leaves, fresh mint, ginger root, fresh lemongrass, Thai bird chiles, fresh cilantro, limes, green scallions, and on and on the list goes. They also carry a plethora of dried rice noodles for any recipe occasion. But just below the obvious reasons I love to shop there, is my underlying secret ego reason - the shop owner (I assume she is the or one of the owners as I’ve never been to shop there when she isn’t working) is eager to lend me precious, priceless ingredient advice. Her gracious tidbits and hints make me feel more apart of my community than anything else. This go around after asking me what I was planning on cooking, she helped me pick out the perfect noodles for Pho. I immediately rang Amy once back inside the Baja to share my elation with how the owner once again offered me unsolicited cooking advice.

After Saigon, I made way through Stop -n- Shop for common cold remedies such as Puff’s Plus and Hall’s sugar-free cough drops. Afterwards I went to my home away from home, Fresh Acers, for my organic chicken and any other must have goodies I could find. Shopping completed, I returned home and realized that the power of one equals five to six trips from truck to kitchen. I of course managed but at this point was missing my partner in flavor tremendously. Once the groceries were unpacked, sorted, & put away the real fun was finally able to begin! First class one way ticket to flavor town please!

Pho Ga: First Step - Charring and Toasting

Pho is pho because of the charred onion and ginger and the toasted array of spices. This can not be skipped or else you are back to plain-jane chicken soup, and that will never do! It is preferrable to char the onion and ginger on an open flame but you can also use a gas broiler to render the same effect, which is what I did along with one jalapeno until the skins were blackened and blistered. Upon my internet research I found several spice combinations from the very simple such as clove and coriander seed to the more complex such as star anise, clove, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, coriander seed, and fennel seed. I had all the spices on hand but the star anise so I omitted that and added anise instead. So, my spice combination equaled anise, clove, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, coriander seed, and fennel seed. I toasted all the spices until just fragrant and then removed them from the pan to avoid burning. I then chose to wrap my toasted spices and my charred aromatics in cheese cloth so I would not have to worry about straining the broth later.

                               

 

 

 Pho Ga: Second Step – The Broth

With my spice and aromatic bundles all tucked and tied with kitchen twine, I hefted my Lodge Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven from its perch on the hutch and carried it over to the stove top. This is no small feat but pales in comparison to the task of lifting the dutch oven with bird and water inside from the tap back to the stove top, which is what followed after a short breather from the trip from hutch to stove. The damn thing is heavy but I love cooking with it!  Unlikely admission: I HATE touching raw poultry. It freaks me out, especially when I must fish the nasty bits out of the cavity of a bird. Gross! Gross! Gross! SO I try to buy poultry with an empty cavity. In this instance I do not mind my hen being all empty inside. And the organic “smart” chicken I purchased from Fresh Acres was perfectly empty inside! I much prefer a smart, empty, organic chicken over an angry, force fed, factory chicken any day! So due to my aforementioned fear of raw poultry, I VERY lazily, after rinsing my little organic smart chicken, stuck her in the hot tub without deconstructing first. I decided I would debone the chicken once it was perfectly simmered and perfectly not raw. Also to the hot tub, along with the chicken, I added both my bundles, about 2/3 cup of fish sauce (vary according to taste), a splash of light sodium soy sauce, one sliced orange bell pepper, two to four dried De Arbol chiles, and four fresh bay leaves. I then brought the broth up to a boil, reduced to low flame, covered with the lid, and allowed it to gently simmer for about three hours. WoW! My house smelt amazing! After the broth had simmered away for several hours, I removed the chicken very carefully and set it aside to cool completely. Once cooled, I removed and discarded the skin and bones of the chicken and roughly pulled the chicken apart into bite size portions. The chicken was wicked tender and fell off the bone effortlessly and into nice size chunks with little effort on my part. Also I removed from the broth the bay leaves, both bundles, and the orange bell pepper slices and discared them. Now for the best most low-fat option, simmer your stock the day before, allow it to cool in the fridge over night, and then carefully skim the layer of fat from the top of the chilled stock. But since Amy was feeling very poorly, I served the stock same day and skipped this step until the following morning.

 

     

 

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Pho Ga: Third Step -  Noodle & Garnish

Since my  noodles were dried I simply placed them inside a colander, which I had first placed inside a large glass bowl, and then poured boiling water over them. I let the noodles reconstitute for about 15 minutes or so. It simply depends on how soft you prefer your noodles. Amy must have “mushy” noodles so I usually steep them much longer than I would actually recommend, but the goal of a chef is to appeal to the hungry mouths you are feeding right? So once the noodles were nice and mushy I strained them, tossed them with a tab of butter, and wha-la! they are ready to serve.  Now you may garnish your Pho Ga with any flavor combination you prefer. Typically you will find mung bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, Siracha, & Hoisin sauce. But ultimately it’s your Pho so garnish it per your own preferences. For the heat factor I used chopped fresh Thai bird chiles and a bit of Siracha sauce. Amy opted for a smidgen of Chili Oil swirled into her broth for heat. Neither of us opted for the Hoisin sauce but a few extra dashes of light sodium soy sauce rounded out our bowls perfectly. So my garnished bowl of  Pho Ga ultimately included  fresh cilantro, mung bean sprouts, fresh mint, chopped raddichio, sliced carrot, sliced green scallion, a drizzle of Sesame Oil, a dash or two of light sodium soy sauce, fresh chopped Thai Bird Chiles & Siracha for me, and a smidgen of Chili Oil for Ames.

 

 

 

 

 

Pho Ga: Fourth Step – Assembling the Bowls

Once you’ve finally narrowed down what garnishes you wish to use, all you’ve got left standing between you and a simmering bowl of fabulousness is to assemble your Pho Ga. I first add to my bowl the  rice noodles, then the deboned chicken, and then I ladle the delicious broth over that. Next I top it all off  with my garnishes, drizzle the drizzle-able, pump up the caliente,  and then serve with an oversized spoon and a pair of chopsticks. Finally I’m cashing in on a much-needed stay in flavor town!

I must say that the Pho Ga was delicious and I am very proud of my results, especially seeing some color return to Amy’s checks as she slurped down her second bowl. It’s an undiscriblable emotion which showers over me as I watch others enjoying the food that I have cooked. And this dance with Pho Ga was even sweeter for me as I know I helped deliver a moment of relief from Amy’s raging, uncaring cold.

When the Layers of Life get Complicated…

…I build a lasagna.

I see layers in everything – people, words, behaviors, emotions, beliefs, evil – nothing is simply face value with me. I’m constantly chewing on the why’s behind choices and asking myself what is the core issue causing the symptoms I see? With a perception such as this, I find myself mentally and emotionally exhausted some days and totally rely on my “what you see is what you get” girlfriend. She only sees layers in cake and through her I find a quiet peace I’ve never known. 

Within this peacefulness I discover a way to turn these complicated layers of mine into a more entertaining activity for us both. I decided to build a veggie lasagna for our dinner after returning home from a frightfully layered Foster Care Review. Now I have the power to create layers which are delicious, layers that are simple, layers that are tasty, and not complicated. Not to mention that I had garden fresh acid free tomatoes and basil on hand and it had been a very long time since I’d last had lasagna.

I think most people are intimated by lasagna because of its layers. Not me however! I find the layers of lasagna comforting and freeing. I am in control of these layers; I have the power to make them my own. So, with the ingredients I had on hand I only needed to buy the cheeses, which made it twice as easy. Before I even put the noodles in to boil, I started the tomato sauce I would be using. It is a rather simple recipe in which I use 2 cans of organic tomato sauce, 1 large chopped tomato, 1/2 chopped sautéed sweet onion, 2-3 cloves chopped garlic, about 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary, and about 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil, which I stir in last. I just let the sauce do it’s on thing while slowly simmering on the stove. Oh I’d say at least 20 minutes on low heat. Easy smeasy.

Next, per Amy’s special request I sliced two Lifelite Smart Sausage Italian Style links (these are vegetarian - you can use the real deal if you like – Amy and I just don’t eat pork – except on VERY rare occasions) and sautéed them in a pan until they were golden brown and crispy. I season the links with salt, pepper, garlic powder, Hungarian Hot Paprika, and Fennel Seed. Once they are browned I set them aside on paper towels to help absorb a bit of the canola oil as every little bit helps. Then I prep the ricotta cheese. I do use the fat-free ricotta ( I know! *gasp*) but feel free to use the whole milk ricotta if you like. I simply stir into the ricotta one slightly beaten free range egg, a bit of salt and pepper, fresh chopped basil about 2 teaspoons, and a lot of fresh grated nutmeg. Yummy. I love fresh nutmeg and use it in a plethora of dishes.

Once the lasagna noodles are cooked just shy of al dente I remove them and rinse them with cold water until I am able to handle them easily. So, after I’ve preheated my oven to 350 and lightly sprayed my baking dish with Smart Balance Non-Stick Cooking Spray, I begin to build my layers.

1.) Layer One – One ladle of tomato sauce on the bottom of my baking dish, then three Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, about a handful of Sargentos Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Blend, one Garden Fresh Sliced Acid Free Tomato, and Fresh Basil

2.) Layer Two – Three Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, my Ricota Cheese Mixture, and the sautéed Lifelite Smart sausage Italian Style links

 

 

3.) Layer Three – Three Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, Fresh Baby Spinach, Feta Cheese Crumbles, and lots of fresh grated Nutmeg

 

 

 

 

 

4.) Final Layer – Last Three Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, remaining tomato sauce, remaining Sargento Reduced Fat 4 Cheese Italian Blend

 

 

 

 

 

Now I just pop it into the oven and allow it to bake a good hour or so until the cheese is melted, golden, and bubbly. All that’s left is enjoying the wonderful smells and flavors of all those not-so-complicated layers. The lasagna is warm and gooey and souful. It is the perfect reminder that in my home, in my kitchen, dining with my wonderful Amy life is not complicated at all.

 

 

Tapas on Tuesday

August 3, 2010

Amy and I had expected house guests Monday evening but events transpired so as to prevent said guests from arriving. So we made the best of it Monday night and enjoyed Vietnamese-Style Lettuce Wraps with Yogurt Marinated Broiled Chicken for two rather than for four. For Tuesday morning I had planned (as I am always planning) on a brunch of Crostini Benedict and Mimosas for that hostest-with-the-mostest prize I covet. However, brunch morphed into a mini-tapas dinner. Amy ended up having technical difficulties with work so I found myself playing in the kitchen Tuesday to help pass the evening along. Whenever I attempt to try something sort of “out there” Amy always has this hesitant look on her face, this worried gleam in her eyes, but she is supportive and goes along for the ride. She had said look and gleam when I mentioned making Benedict Crostini for dinner since brunch hadn’t panned out as planned. I began to feel a bit guilty about possibily ruining her dinner so I stood in the kitchen for a minute, as I do, pondering off into the wilds of my imagination while staring at the ingredients I have on hand.

Well, we had just stopped at the Farmer’s Market in East Forest Park so I had fresh tomatoes and purple basil on hand. Amy had mentioned pizza for the basil earlier but I just didn’t have time to fool with fresh dough, especially since our bread machine died. So pizza + purple basil + left over fresh mozzarella + left over sliced Ciabatta + wanting to prepare crostini = Margarita-Style Crostini. Fabulous! I simply made bruschetta with the fresh tomatoes and basil and added that to the top of toasted Ciabatta with slightly melted fresh mozzarella cheese. And then I finished it all up with a drizzle of EVOO for a delicious Margarita Crostini.

Also, I had an orange bell pepper on hand that was begging to be prepared. So I blackened the pepper over an open flame, sweated it, removed the blackened skin, sliced it, and then placed it in a foil packet with EVOO to roast in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes. I had also bought several bulbs of fresh, local garlic. OMG if you’ve never roasted fresh, local garlic you need to! The fresh garlic caramalizes in the oven in a way the other garlic couldn’t even dream of doing. It is so beautiful and smells absolutely divine! Therefore the Fire Roasted Crostini was born. To toasted Ciabatta I added a thin layer of smashed roasted garlic, roasted orange bell pepper strips, crumbled feta, toasted pine nuts, and a drizzle of EVOO. It was to die for! I was so impressed and will definitely make it again. I have this secret challenge with myself that for me to state, “this dinner is a success” I have to admit to myself whether or not I’d pay money to eat the dish. Last night, that Fire Roasted Crostini, I would have paid big money for.

Lastly, my experimental Crostini Benedict turned out better than I imagined and Amy even had two. I prepared this with toasted Ciabatta, scrambled egg that Amy cooked as I can not scramble pretty eggs to save my own life, prosciutto I had on hand, and not-made-from-scratch Hollandaise Sauce (I use a powdered Hollandaise Sauce so that I can prepare it with soy milk subsequently significantly reducing the fat), and fresh snipped chives. So, although we never got around to brunch dinner was fun and a definite success.

I wonder, is it anti-social to secretly prefer to stay at home and hang out with your partner and pets? It is an unusal feeling for me. I find myself often day-dreaming about a dramatic social life, but at the end of the day I am most content having a quiet dinner with Amy, sipping wine on the back porch listening to music, or curling up on the sofa watching a movie. I love hanging out with friends and family but it’s gotten to the point where I’m of the attitude, “Honey, you’ve got to offer me a better time than I could have at home and good luck trying to do that.” And if I don’t think I’m gonna’ have a better time out than at home I am most put upon to participate in the outing at all. I just love loving to be at home. However on the other hand, our door is always open as is our hearts and you are always welcome to stop by and  hang out with the crazy cat ladies ;-)

♥ Amy’s Action Shots of Me ♥