School starts in less than a week and I'm just not ready. I've got the supplies, etc, but I'm not ready for packing lunches, horrible traffic or homework. Last year Nick had lunch at 10:35. Of course, he'd just had breakfast at 7:30, so he wasn't that hungry and would not eat his lunch. I don't really blame him, but by the end of the year I was beyond frustrated with him coming home with his lunch untouched. He'd eat the granola and fruit, usually, but rarely touched his sandwich/ soup/ etc. By March of last year, all he wanted was school lunch, which is so totally void of nutrition it's scary. Not that they don't offer vegetables and fruits, but the kids get to choose what they want. I don't think a 6 year old should get to choose. Maybe I'm weird, but kids that age aren't going to choose veggies or fruit if they don't have to.
This year, I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a later lunch time and hoping Nick will actually eat his lunch. We made a deal with him that he could have school lunch once a week but had to have house lunch the other days. We'll see how that goes. So, we've been having conversations about what, exactly, he wants in his house lunch. So far this is the list: carrots, banana, granola, peanut butter and nutella sandwich, empanadas (more on that later), turkey sandwich, plout, apple, meatballs (no spaghetti!), mango and peaches. I can't complain too much, since those are all healthy choices. We'll see how long it lasts.
Empanadas are one of his favorites. Here's a basic recipe for you all to try. I'm lucky, and have access to frozen emapanda dough at all of the grocery stores here. Goya makes them as do other latin food perveyors. You will find them in the frozen food isle in the Ethnic section.
1 package (10) empanada dough rounds defrosted
1 lb ground beef
1 medium onion diced
1/2 pepper diced
3 cloves garlic minced
1 80z can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp Mexican ground oregano (do not use dried flakes)
1.5 tsp paprika
2 tbsp Mexican chili powder
2 tsp salt
10 thick slices of cheddar cheese
1 egg beaten 1/2 tsp water
In a large skillet, brown the ground beef. Remove to a plate. In the same pan add a bit of oil, and saute the onions and peppers for about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and spices, continue to saute for 2-3 minutes. Add the ground beef, tomato sauce, and water. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer about 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.
Heat oven to 425 degrees
Lay out an empanada dough round, put 2 tbsp of meat filling on one half, top with a slice of cheese, then fold over and crimp the edges with a fork. Place on a baking sheet. Continue this process until all of the empanadas are filled and sealed. Brush the tops of the empanadas with the egg wash. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top.
I make 30-40 of these on a Sunday, have some for dinner that night, then store the rest in the freezer. At room temp they are delicious! I've also stuffed them with shredded chicken and mozzarella cheese, meatballs (sliced) with Parmesan and mozzarella cheese. Heck, anything your kid will eat can be stuffed in these handy little pies.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Monday, August 10, 2009
One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish (School Daze 3)
My kids love fish and I love being able to make a good dinner in less than 20 minutes! I try to stay away from strong fish when I'm cooking for them. The dark meat can be rather fishy tasting. Fish I suggest for kid friendliness: Snapper, Grouper (watch for the dark parts and remove), Trout or Salmon. I don't do farmed fish. Did you know they add color to farmed salmon?! It's actually gray if they don't, which isn't very appetizing at all. If you live in Miami, I highly recommend a trip to the river to get your fish from Casablanca or Garcia's fish markets. They have a huge variety of shellfish and fish. Go early on a Saturday and take the kids. They'll love seeing all the live crab, and wide selection of fresh fish.
The Menu:
Sauteed Fish Fillets with Israeli Couscous and Stuffed Zucchini
Preparations: Cut zucchini in half and hollow out. Dice onion, garlic, tomato and pepper. Cut fillet if necessary into portion sizes (about 6 ounces each).
Stuffed Zucchini
3 Small Zucchini hollowed out, flesh minced
1 Plum Tomato diced
1/2 Medium Onion minced
1/2 Red Pepper minced
2 Cloves Garlic minced
1 tbsp Fresh Oregano
1/4 c Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a saute pan, add the oil, and heat on medium high until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the minced zucchini flesh, tomato, and garlic. Continue to saute until the tomato is soft. Remove from head and add the bread crumbs. Stuff the zucchini with the veggies/ bread crumb mixture. Top with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the zucchini is baking make the rest of the meal.
Israeli Couscous
Bring 1 1/2 cup Chicken Stock to a boil. Add 1 cup Couscous. Lower heat, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with a fork and serve.
While the couscous and zucchini are cooking, saute the fish.
Sauteed Fish Fillets
1 lb Fish Fillets
Juice of 1 Lime
Sprinkling of Kosher Salt
Sprinkling of White Pepper
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
In a large saute pan, heat the butter and olive oil on medium high heat. When the oil/ butter mixture is shimmering, add the fillets. Cook for about 3 minutes on first side and 3 minutes on the other. Remove from heat and squeeze the lime juice over the fillets.
Dinner is served in less than 30 minutes. This is real fast food.
The Menu:
Sauteed Fish Fillets with Israeli Couscous and Stuffed Zucchini
Preparations: Cut zucchini in half and hollow out. Dice onion, garlic, tomato and pepper. Cut fillet if necessary into portion sizes (about 6 ounces each).
Stuffed Zucchini
3 Small Zucchini hollowed out, flesh minced
1 Plum Tomato diced
1/2 Medium Onion minced
1/2 Red Pepper minced
2 Cloves Garlic minced
1 tbsp Fresh Oregano
1/4 c Italian Bread Crumbs
1/4 Cup Mozzarella Cheese shredded
1 tbsp Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
Heat oven to 375 degrees.
In a saute pan, add the oil, and heat on medium high until the oil is shimmering. Add the onion and pepper, and cook for 4 minutes. Add the minced zucchini flesh, tomato, and garlic. Continue to saute until the tomato is soft. Remove from head and add the bread crumbs. Stuff the zucchini with the veggies/ bread crumb mixture. Top with the cheese. Bake for 15 minutes.
While the zucchini is baking make the rest of the meal.
Israeli Couscous
Bring 1 1/2 cup Chicken Stock to a boil. Add 1 cup Couscous. Lower heat, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Remove lid, fluff with a fork and serve.
While the couscous and zucchini are cooking, saute the fish.
Sauteed Fish Fillets
1 lb Fish Fillets
Juice of 1 Lime
Sprinkling of Kosher Salt
Sprinkling of White Pepper
1 tbsp Unsalted Butter
1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
In a large saute pan, heat the butter and olive oil on medium high heat. When the oil/ butter mixture is shimmering, add the fillets. Cook for about 3 minutes on first side and 3 minutes on the other. Remove from heat and squeeze the lime juice over the fillets.
Dinner is served in less than 30 minutes. This is real fast food.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
School Daze: Part Two
Offered in part two of the School Daze post our first of 4 complete dinner menus with timing. These have all been tested by my 3 kids and get rave reviews and pleas for seconds (or thirds!).
Each of the following recipes is written so that everything will be ready at the same time. The general time line is listed first, then more specific directions with each part of the meal.
I promise to update my blog very soon with photos, but, I'm technologically challenged and have yet to figure out the format thing!
Spice Rubbed Boneless/ Skinless Chicken Breasts with Roasted Cauliflower and Rice Pilaf
This whole menu will take 35-45 minutes from start to finish depending on your knife skills.
Set oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare all of the following FIRST. It will save slicing and dicing time and make sure everything is ready to start cooking once the oven is heated. Mince the onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and carrot. Make the rub (or you can use a general Italian spice blend, but add garlic powder as listed to the spice blend). Cut the cauliflower into pieces. Grate the Parmesan Cheese.
Spice Rubbed Split Chicken Breasts
(30 minutes total cooking time)
4 Chicken Breast halves
2 tbsp Butter, softened
2 tsp Spice Rub (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub the chicken with softened butter. Rub 1 tsp of the spice rub into each breast.
Bake in the oven on a foil wrapped baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, depending on thickness of the breast. Check after 25 minutes by piercing with a knife in the thickest part of the preast. If the juice is clear, it's ready to come out. Prepare the rest of the dinner while the chicken cooks, starting with the rice pilaf.
Rice Pilaf
(25 minutes start to finish)
1 cup Converted Rice
1 Small Onion minced
2 Cloves Garlic minced
Use any or all of the following veggies:
1/4 Pepper (any color) minced, 1 Carrot diced, 1/2 cup Mushrooms sliced. (or any veggie combination you have in the fridge!)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Chicken Stock or water
1 tbsp salt
In a small stock pot with a lid, heat the oil on medium high heat until the oil is shimmer-y (1 minute). Add the onion and all other veggies except the garlic. Cook until just tender (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and the rice. Saute until the garlic if fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add the stock and the salt. Increase to high heat and bring the a boil, stirring a few times. As soon as the water/ rice boils, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low heat for 19 minutes. Turn off heat, and leave covered for another 5 minutes. Start the cauliflower when the timer goes off for the rice. Uncover and fluff with a fork before serving.
Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
(10 minutes start to finish)
1-2 Heads Cauliflower cut into pieces
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (or more if you like) freshly grated
Increase oven temp to 450. Move the chicken to the lower rack if you have an electric oven, and middle rack if you have a gas oven.
Spread the cauliflower out on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss to coat. Place cookie sheet on the rack closest to the heating element. Cook for about 5 minutes, then toss and continue to cook about 7 minutes more, or until there are some nice brown parts on the cauliflower. Remove the chicken and the cauliflower from the oven. Sprinkle the cauliflower with the Parmesan cheese. Cut the chicken breasts in half to serve.
Spice Rub
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Dried Marjoram
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Each of the following recipes is written so that everything will be ready at the same time. The general time line is listed first, then more specific directions with each part of the meal.
I promise to update my blog very soon with photos, but, I'm technologically challenged and have yet to figure out the format thing!
Spice Rubbed Boneless/ Skinless Chicken Breasts with Roasted Cauliflower and Rice Pilaf
This whole menu will take 35-45 minutes from start to finish depending on your knife skills.
Set oven to 400 degrees.
Prepare all of the following FIRST. It will save slicing and dicing time and make sure everything is ready to start cooking once the oven is heated. Mince the onion, garlic, peppers, mushrooms, and carrot. Make the rub (or you can use a general Italian spice blend, but add garlic powder as listed to the spice blend). Cut the cauliflower into pieces. Grate the Parmesan Cheese.
Spice Rubbed Split Chicken Breasts
(30 minutes total cooking time)
4 Chicken Breast halves
2 tbsp Butter, softened
2 tsp Spice Rub (recipe follows)
Heat oven to 400 degrees. Rub the chicken with softened butter. Rub 1 tsp of the spice rub into each breast.
Bake in the oven on a foil wrapped baking sheet for 25-30 minutes, depending on thickness of the breast. Check after 25 minutes by piercing with a knife in the thickest part of the preast. If the juice is clear, it's ready to come out. Prepare the rest of the dinner while the chicken cooks, starting with the rice pilaf.
Rice Pilaf
(25 minutes start to finish)
1 cup Converted Rice
1 Small Onion minced
2 Cloves Garlic minced
Use any or all of the following veggies:
1/4 Pepper (any color) minced, 1 Carrot diced, 1/2 cup Mushrooms sliced. (or any veggie combination you have in the fridge!)
1 tbsp Olive Oil
2 cups Chicken Stock or water
1 tbsp salt
In a small stock pot with a lid, heat the oil on medium high heat until the oil is shimmer-y (1 minute). Add the onion and all other veggies except the garlic. Cook until just tender (about 5 minutes). Add the garlic and the rice. Saute until the garlic if fragrant (about 2 minutes). Add the stock and the salt. Increase to high heat and bring the a boil, stirring a few times. As soon as the water/ rice boils, cover and reduce heat to low. Cook on low heat for 19 minutes. Turn off heat, and leave covered for another 5 minutes. Start the cauliflower when the timer goes off for the rice. Uncover and fluff with a fork before serving.
Roasted Cauliflower with Parmesan Cheese
(10 minutes start to finish)
1-2 Heads Cauliflower cut into pieces
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp Parmesan Cheese (or more if you like) freshly grated
Increase oven temp to 450. Move the chicken to the lower rack if you have an electric oven, and middle rack if you have a gas oven.
Spread the cauliflower out on a large cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper, toss to coat. Place cookie sheet on the rack closest to the heating element. Cook for about 5 minutes, then toss and continue to cook about 7 minutes more, or until there are some nice brown parts on the cauliflower. Remove the chicken and the cauliflower from the oven. Sprinkle the cauliflower with the Parmesan cheese. Cut the chicken breasts in half to serve.
Spice Rub
1 tbsp Kosher Salt
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Dried Marjoram
1/2 tsp Dried Thyme
Pepper to taste
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
School Daze, School Daze... (1st in a 5 part series)
I tried to avoid this topic, but then I thought, Hey, I know plenty of friends that would love to have some AWESOME recipes that don't involve a slow cooker or dumping a bunch of canned "stuff" into a pot and calling it dinner. First, though, here is a list of pantry and fridge staples I always have on hand:
Pomi Tomato Puree and Chopped Tomatoes ( from Italy)
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Small Bow Tie Pasta
Israeli Couscous (the big pearl looking couscous)
Various Rices (basmatti, white, brown, jasmine)
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Bread
Olive Oil (extra virgin and regular olive oil)
Sherry, Red Wine, Cider, White and Balsamic Vinegars
Canola Oil
Unsalted Butter
Various Cheeses (Parmesan, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Provolone, Swiss and Gouda)
Onions
Shallots
Garlic
Peppers (green, red, etc any combination)
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Lettuces
Olives
If you don't have these things, make a list and go shopping, especially for the pantry items! They are true life savers on hectic nights. I'm lucky to have a large chest freezer as well, so with a little forethought (ie take the stuff out of the freezer!) I can whip up multiple dinners quickly. Here we go... Back to school the relish way! Lots of veggies, snacks and down right yummy, quick recipes.
Snacks:
Cheese and Homemade Quick Salsa Quesadilla
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (have your kids shred it)
1 10" Whole Wheat Tortilla
1 tbsp Quick Salsa (recipe to follow)
In a non stick skillet on medium heat, place the tortilla , top one half with with cheese, then cover the cheese with the salsa. Cover the tortilla and let the cheese melt for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the cover, fold in half, then continue to cook one side, then the other until both sides are golden brown.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired!
Quick Salsa
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small red onion minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp cumin
juice of half a lime (1 tbsp)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Crushed red pepper Optional!
Hot Sauce, optional
Minced fresh Cilantro prefered, but optional!
Mix all together, and serve. It is better the second day, but very good within 20 minutes of making, too.
Pizza Tomatoes (good as a side dish, too!)
4 Big Cherry Tomatoes
4 Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls
1 tsp minced Fresh Oregano (or dried)
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
Sprinkle of Salt
Cut the top of the tomatoes, and gently pull out the core and seeds.
Fill the cavity with a mozzarella ball. Top with oregano, garlic and sprinkle with salt.
Broil for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey. Serve with toasted baguette if desired.
Whole Wheat Pita Pizza
1 Whole Wheat Pita
1 cup Prepared Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Optional Toppings: slivers of onion, peppers, olives, Canadian bacon, etc..
Preheat oven (with pizza stone if you have one) to 450 degrees. Place prepared pita on hot stone or on heated cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes.
Stay tuned for the next edition for more snack ideas and quick dinners!
Elizabeth
relish your food, relish your life
Pomi Tomato Puree and Chopped Tomatoes ( from Italy)
Whole Wheat Spaghetti
Small Bow Tie Pasta
Israeli Couscous (the big pearl looking couscous)
Various Rices (basmatti, white, brown, jasmine)
Whole Wheat Tortillas
Bread
Olive Oil (extra virgin and regular olive oil)
Sherry, Red Wine, Cider, White and Balsamic Vinegars
Canola Oil
Unsalted Butter
Various Cheeses (Parmesan, Cheddar, Mozzarella, Provolone, Swiss and Gouda)
Onions
Shallots
Garlic
Peppers (green, red, etc any combination)
Cauliflower
Broccoli
Carrots
Celery
Lettuces
Olives
If you don't have these things, make a list and go shopping, especially for the pantry items! They are true life savers on hectic nights. I'm lucky to have a large chest freezer as well, so with a little forethought (ie take the stuff out of the freezer!) I can whip up multiple dinners quickly. Here we go... Back to school the relish way! Lots of veggies, snacks and down right yummy, quick recipes.
Snacks:
Cheese and Homemade Quick Salsa Quesadilla
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese (have your kids shred it)
1 10" Whole Wheat Tortilla
1 tbsp Quick Salsa (recipe to follow)
In a non stick skillet on medium heat, place the tortilla , top one half with with cheese, then cover the cheese with the salsa. Cover the tortilla and let the cheese melt for about 3-4 minutes. Remove the cover, fold in half, then continue to cook one side, then the other until both sides are golden brown.
Serve topped with a dollop of sour cream, if desired!
Quick Salsa
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/2 small red onion minced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 tsp cumin
juice of half a lime (1 tbsp)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Vinegar
1 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Crushed red pepper Optional!
Hot Sauce, optional
Minced fresh Cilantro prefered, but optional!
Mix all together, and serve. It is better the second day, but very good within 20 minutes of making, too.
Pizza Tomatoes (good as a side dish, too!)
4 Big Cherry Tomatoes
4 Small Fresh Mozzarella Balls
1 tsp minced Fresh Oregano (or dried)
1 Clove Garlic, Minced
Sprinkle of Salt
Cut the top of the tomatoes, and gently pull out the core and seeds.
Fill the cavity with a mozzarella ball. Top with oregano, garlic and sprinkle with salt.
Broil for about 3 minutes, or until the cheese is gooey. Serve with toasted baguette if desired.
Whole Wheat Pita Pizza
1 Whole Wheat Pita
1 cup Prepared Tomato Sauce
1/2 Cup Mozzarella Cheese
Optional Toppings: slivers of onion, peppers, olives, Canadian bacon, etc..
Preheat oven (with pizza stone if you have one) to 450 degrees. Place prepared pita on hot stone or on heated cookie sheet. Bake for about 8 minutes.
Stay tuned for the next edition for more snack ideas and quick dinners!
Elizabeth
relish your food, relish your life
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Mid-summer and it's HOT. Too hot to heat up the house cooking dinner, which means outdoor cooking. This, of course, comes with it's own special rewards and perils. If you're a seasonal or inexperienced griller, it can be daunting to place a really nice piece of fish or meat on the grill with the hopes it will come out tasting better than shoe-leather. Having to order pizza at 8:30 with a pack of ravenous kids begging for food is certainly not my idea of a relaxing dinner. With the following tips, hints and recipes you'll be good to grill!
I must confess I'm a devoted hardwood griller. Hardwood, as opposed to "briquettes", are real wood without any petroleum products added, which is just disgusting. The rapid start briquettes are the worst, because they've graciously doused those for you with tons of petroleum and other fire starter products. I really don't like the taste of petroleum laced foods, and can't imagine what long-term effects they could have. In other words, stay away from instant start briquettes! Hardwood charcoal gives your food such a distinct flavor and is becoming more easy to find at large retailers and home improvement stores. I love to experiment with different woods. I've used all the traditional hardwoods: mesquite, hickory and cedar, but the more exotic woods like apple, maple, cheery, etc. are really fun to play with and lend themselves to specific types of foods. If you really want smokey flavor, but have a gas grill, there's a solution. Try wood pellets. They come in small zip top pouches in a variety of flavors including a Jack Daniels one and can be used on either charcoal or gas. Simply make a pouch with some foil, put about 1/3 cup of the pellets in the pouch, seal it up, cut a small hole, and place over the flame. Viola, smokey goodness.
Starting and manipulating a real fire is usually the part that most people are scared of trying. It's really not hard or scary, so long as you have the right equipment. The most important piece of equipment is a chimney starter. These handy gadgets are readily available at home improvement stores and large chain retailers and eliminate the need for lighter fluid or charcoal starter grossness. You can even make your own, if you're industrious and drink lots of coffee. To make your own, cut the top and bottom off of a large coffee can. Using an old-style bottle opener with the sharp tip, cut holes along one end of the can about 2" up from the bottom. Ta-da a recycled chimney starter. Don't forget to use gloves when handling the can, though.
Now that you have your chimney starter, build your fire. Take 2-3 sheets of old newspaper and crumple them up. Put them in the bottom of the starter. Pile charcoal on top of the newspaper, then light paper. Disposable/ surgical gloves come in handy while digging out the charcoal. Within 15 minutes you will have perfectly glowing coals, without having resorted to dousing your charcoal with lighter fluid or some other equally dangerous flame starter. Pour the coals out onto the grill, and you're ready to grill. NB, don't wait until ALL the coals are covered with white ash or you'll have wasted most of your charcoal. Pour out the coals once the flames have subsided a bit, and most of the coals on the bottom are glowing.
Now for the best part... the recipes!
Smoked Pork Loin (NOT pork tenderloin!)
2-3 lb pork loin
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Kosher salt
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp white pepper (or more!)
Rinse and dry the pork loin. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Rub the pork loin all over. Cover and chill for 2-4 hours. Light 1 chimney full of hardwood chunks/ charcoal. Bank the coals on one side of the grill. Alternately, heat your gas grill for indirect heat with a mesquite pellet pouch over the flame side. Place the pork loin on the cool side of the grill. Don’t forget to put the open vent side of the lid over the pork loin. Smoke for 1.5 hours. About half way through check the coals. If they are really low, add another ½ chimney full of coals. Remove the loin from the heat, cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. I know it's tempting to skip the resting phase of the process, but resist the urge to slice right away. Your patience will be rewarded with extra juicy pork loin. This is GREAT with coleslaw, and grilled corn.
Italian Flank Steak
2-3 lbs Flank Steak
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano, rosemary in a bowl. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Place the steak in a gallon plastic bag and pour the olive oil mixture over. Seal the bag and tilt to get the rub all over the steak. Let sit while you start the fire. Heat 1 chimney full of charcoal, or light your gas grill on medium heat. Use a hickory pellet pack for extra flavor. Pour the coals in an even layer over the grill. Place the grill grate on the grill, and cover with the vent open for about 5 minutes. Add the steak. Cover the grill and set your timer! After 4 minutes with NO peaking, open the lid and turn the steak. Continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes (for medium rare). Don’t forget that your steak will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the heat! Remove from heat and let rest, loosely covered with foil, while the zucchini boats finish cooking (about 7-8 minutes). Yes, you can add the zucchini and the steak at the same time. Slice the steak and enjoy.
Grilled Stuffed Zucchini
2 large zucchini cut in half
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
½ red pepper minced
8oz can tomato sauce (OR 3 plum tomatoes peeled and diced)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
½ cup asiago cheese
Scoop out most of the meat from the zucchini, leaving a hollow boat. Dice the zucchini meat. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and zucchini and continue to sauté for an additional 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce or fresh plum tomatoes, oregano and basil. Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add the bread crumbs and half of the cheese, mix well. Stuff the zucchini boats with the stuffing.
Cook over medium direct heat on your grill for about 10-15 minutes with the lid down. They are finished when the zucchini boats are soft but not mushy. Check them after 10 minutes, then continue to cook if necessary. Top with the remaining cheese and close the grill lid. Remove from heat once the cheese is melted. Serve with the Italian Flank Steak.
Happy Grilling!
I must confess I'm a devoted hardwood griller. Hardwood, as opposed to "briquettes", are real wood without any petroleum products added, which is just disgusting. The rapid start briquettes are the worst, because they've graciously doused those for you with tons of petroleum and other fire starter products. I really don't like the taste of petroleum laced foods, and can't imagine what long-term effects they could have. In other words, stay away from instant start briquettes! Hardwood charcoal gives your food such a distinct flavor and is becoming more easy to find at large retailers and home improvement stores. I love to experiment with different woods. I've used all the traditional hardwoods: mesquite, hickory and cedar, but the more exotic woods like apple, maple, cheery, etc. are really fun to play with and lend themselves to specific types of foods. If you really want smokey flavor, but have a gas grill, there's a solution. Try wood pellets. They come in small zip top pouches in a variety of flavors including a Jack Daniels one and can be used on either charcoal or gas. Simply make a pouch with some foil, put about 1/3 cup of the pellets in the pouch, seal it up, cut a small hole, and place over the flame. Viola, smokey goodness.
Starting and manipulating a real fire is usually the part that most people are scared of trying. It's really not hard or scary, so long as you have the right equipment. The most important piece of equipment is a chimney starter. These handy gadgets are readily available at home improvement stores and large chain retailers and eliminate the need for lighter fluid or charcoal starter grossness. You can even make your own, if you're industrious and drink lots of coffee. To make your own, cut the top and bottom off of a large coffee can. Using an old-style bottle opener with the sharp tip, cut holes along one end of the can about 2" up from the bottom. Ta-da a recycled chimney starter. Don't forget to use gloves when handling the can, though.
Now that you have your chimney starter, build your fire. Take 2-3 sheets of old newspaper and crumple them up. Put them in the bottom of the starter. Pile charcoal on top of the newspaper, then light paper. Disposable/ surgical gloves come in handy while digging out the charcoal. Within 15 minutes you will have perfectly glowing coals, without having resorted to dousing your charcoal with lighter fluid or some other equally dangerous flame starter. Pour the coals out onto the grill, and you're ready to grill. NB, don't wait until ALL the coals are covered with white ash or you'll have wasted most of your charcoal. Pour out the coals once the flames have subsided a bit, and most of the coals on the bottom are glowing.
Now for the best part... the recipes!
Smoked Pork Loin (NOT pork tenderloin!)
2-3 lb pork loin
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup Kosher salt
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tbsp white pepper (or more!)
Rinse and dry the pork loin. Combine all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. Rub the pork loin all over. Cover and chill for 2-4 hours. Light 1 chimney full of hardwood chunks/ charcoal. Bank the coals on one side of the grill. Alternately, heat your gas grill for indirect heat with a mesquite pellet pouch over the flame side. Place the pork loin on the cool side of the grill. Don’t forget to put the open vent side of the lid over the pork loin. Smoke for 1.5 hours. About half way through check the coals. If they are really low, add another ½ chimney full of coals. Remove the loin from the heat, cover and let rest for 20-30 minutes. I know it's tempting to skip the resting phase of the process, but resist the urge to slice right away. Your patience will be rewarded with extra juicy pork loin. This is GREAT with coleslaw, and grilled corn.
Italian Flank Steak
2-3 lbs Flank Steak
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tbsp minced fresh oregano
1 tsp minced fresh rosemary
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Combine the olive oil, garlic, oregano, rosemary in a bowl. Sprinkle the steak with salt and pepper. Place the steak in a gallon plastic bag and pour the olive oil mixture over. Seal the bag and tilt to get the rub all over the steak. Let sit while you start the fire. Heat 1 chimney full of charcoal, or light your gas grill on medium heat. Use a hickory pellet pack for extra flavor. Pour the coals in an even layer over the grill. Place the grill grate on the grill, and cover with the vent open for about 5 minutes. Add the steak. Cover the grill and set your timer! After 4 minutes with NO peaking, open the lid and turn the steak. Continue to cook for an additional 4 minutes (for medium rare). Don’t forget that your steak will continue to cook for a few minutes after you remove it from the heat! Remove from heat and let rest, loosely covered with foil, while the zucchini boats finish cooking (about 7-8 minutes). Yes, you can add the zucchini and the steak at the same time. Slice the steak and enjoy.
Grilled Stuffed Zucchini
2 large zucchini cut in half
3 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion minced
2 cloves garlic minced
½ red pepper minced
8oz can tomato sauce (OR 3 plum tomatoes peeled and diced)
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp basil
¼ cup Italian bread crumbs
½ cup asiago cheese
Scoop out most of the meat from the zucchini, leaving a hollow boat. Dice the zucchini meat. Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over medium high heat. Add the onion and peppers and sauté for about 4-5 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and zucchini and continue to sauté for an additional 4 minutes. Add the tomato sauce or fresh plum tomatoes, oregano and basil. Simmer for about 10 minutes stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add the bread crumbs and half of the cheese, mix well. Stuff the zucchini boats with the stuffing.
Cook over medium direct heat on your grill for about 10-15 minutes with the lid down. They are finished when the zucchini boats are soft but not mushy. Check them after 10 minutes, then continue to cook if necessary. Top with the remaining cheese and close the grill lid. Remove from heat once the cheese is melted. Serve with the Italian Flank Steak.
Happy Grilling!
Monday, June 29, 2009
And here I am
Trying to keep up with the latest technology has never been one of my strong suits. I had the same cell phone for over 5 years, only have 1 television that is decidedly not digital ready, don't own an i-Pod... you get the gist. So, I beg you all to bear with me as I'm a stranger in a strange land, indeed.
I'm a local caterer and own my own company, relish Miami, LLC. I love my job, and hope to share some of my food excitement, recipes, tips, hints and random wandering in and around Miami.
I love mangoes. Our tree last year didn't have any mangoes because the early fires over the Everglades kept the bees away. This year, we got tons and tons of mangoes. So many in fact, I've frozen some to have later in the year as sorbet or ice cream.
What to do with all those mangoes?! Here are a few ideas:
Mango Dressing (great with a prosecco or pinot grigio)
1 Large ripe mango (even over ripe is ok) peeled and cut into chunks
1 shallot minced
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 c Olive Oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Put the mango chunks, orange juice, shallot, in a blender. Pulse until mango is pureed. Add the the olive oil, slowly at first with the blender on slow, then increase speed, add the cilantro. Taste and adjust salt/ pepper. I love to use white pepper here.
Toss mixed salad greens (romaine and micro greens work well here) with thin slices of red onion, and chopped mango.
Making dressings and sauces seems intimidating, but it's so simple, I can't imagine buying them.
Grouper with Mango-Tomato Sauce
1 lb grouper filet (or salmon)
1 medium mango firm but not green, peeled and diced
2 roma tomato diced
1 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp cilantro minced
1 tsp cumin
dash or two of hot sauce (I like sirracha chili sauce)
salt to taste
In a bowl, combine the mango, tomato, garlic, cumin and hot sauce. Taste and add salt as desired.
Cut the grouper filet into 3-4 servings, sprinkle with salt and pepper
In a medium sautee pan, add enough olive oil to coat the pan, and heat on medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the grouper. Sautee for about 3 minutes undisturbed. Add half of the mango/ tomato mixture, and turn the grouper. Sautee an additional 3 minutes. Remove the grouper to plates, top with the sauce. Serve additional sauce on the side.
I'm a local caterer and own my own company, relish Miami, LLC. I love my job, and hope to share some of my food excitement, recipes, tips, hints and random wandering in and around Miami.
I love mangoes. Our tree last year didn't have any mangoes because the early fires over the Everglades kept the bees away. This year, we got tons and tons of mangoes. So many in fact, I've frozen some to have later in the year as sorbet or ice cream.
What to do with all those mangoes?! Here are a few ideas:
Mango Dressing (great with a prosecco or pinot grigio)
1 Large ripe mango (even over ripe is ok) peeled and cut into chunks
1 shallot minced
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 c Olive Oil
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
salt and pepper to taste
Put the mango chunks, orange juice, shallot, in a blender. Pulse until mango is pureed. Add the the olive oil, slowly at first with the blender on slow, then increase speed, add the cilantro. Taste and adjust salt/ pepper. I love to use white pepper here.
Toss mixed salad greens (romaine and micro greens work well here) with thin slices of red onion, and chopped mango.
Making dressings and sauces seems intimidating, but it's so simple, I can't imagine buying them.
Grouper with Mango-Tomato Sauce
1 lb grouper filet (or salmon)
1 medium mango firm but not green, peeled and diced
2 roma tomato diced
1 clove garlic minced
2 tbsp cilantro minced
1 tsp cumin
dash or two of hot sauce (I like sirracha chili sauce)
salt to taste
In a bowl, combine the mango, tomato, garlic, cumin and hot sauce. Taste and add salt as desired.
Cut the grouper filet into 3-4 servings, sprinkle with salt and pepper
In a medium sautee pan, add enough olive oil to coat the pan, and heat on medium high heat. When the pan is hot, add the grouper. Sautee for about 3 minutes undisturbed. Add half of the mango/ tomato mixture, and turn the grouper. Sautee an additional 3 minutes. Remove the grouper to plates, top with the sauce. Serve additional sauce on the side.
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