When my kids were small, we played a fun, little game in the summertime...it was called Lunch Counter. The kids would make up menus and pretend the kitchen bar was a lunch counter. They would all clamor around shouting out their orders from atop the bar stools at the counter that overlooked the range in my kitchen. Their "creative" menus listed the typical favorite fare of American 5 and 8-year-olds: grilled cheese, peanut butter and jelly and mac 'n cheese.
I loved pretending along with them, taking on interesting restaurant personas. Sometimes, I'd choose that cliche, gum-snapping, "what'll ya have and make it fast" kind of waitress who snapped back at my little customers to hold their horses! Other times, I'd pretend to be quite formal, kitchen towel carefully draped over my left forearm, offering up white or chocolate milk from a good year. They loved it! And, of course, after their order was made, served and eaten, I would present them with an exorbitant bill for my services.
And tip... wow! I never made such dough! Stacks of those gold $500 Monopoly bills.
Truth be told, my kids will tell you that I fantasize about having my own little lunch counter--for real! I would love to have a little spot somewhere in the middle of a ton of office parks; or a tiny cafe in a busy, but laid-back urban area, ideally near small museums, a park and and some cute shops. Lunch is so easily doable to me... specialty pizzas, homemade soup, paninis, salads, wraps and quick lunch specials. Just seems like you could prep at 8 AM, start serving at 11 and be done by 4 PM. Just in time to go home and make dinner!
Ah, it all looks so easy in my head.
Here's a family lunch-time favorite that, whenever I make it, I say this will certainly be found on the menu in my fantasy cafe. I turn to this recipe when I have leftover tri-tip or other steak that was grilled the night previous. I always keep a bag of frozen, sliced peppers on hand, as well as tortilla wraps. Everything else, you'll probably find in your pantry. You don't even have to leave a tip--a comment might be nice, though! Enjoy...
Fajita Wrap
(Two Servings)
1 tbsp. olive oil (or cooking spray)
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1/2 cup sliced peppers
1 1/2 cups cooked, tri-tip; thinly sliced into 1 inch bites
1 tsp. Mexican seasoning (cumin, garlic, paprika, white pepper, thyme & onion)
2 tbsp. au jus (optional)
salt (as needed)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar-jack
2 tortillas
Use cooking spray or drizzle olive oil into medium skillet set on medium high heat. Add onions and peppers and saute until soft (about 5 minutes). Add the beef and the seasoning and saute until the meat is warmed through. Toss in the au jus (if using) and salt to taste. After about a minute, transfer the meat to a plate and cover with foil. Meanwhile, heat one tortilla in the skillet until it is hot. Quickly turn it over and sprinkle cheese on the cooked side of the tortilla. Place the other tortilla in the pan. While that one heats up, add half of the meat mixture on top of the cheese in the first tortilla and wrap up like a burrito. Prepare the other tortilla in the same way; cut them both in half and serve.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Good Gravy--What's With the Garlic?!
A friend recently reminded me of some silliness from my early days of cooking, twenty-something years ago. I had completely forgotten about this blunder of ridiculous proportions until she emailed me the other day. You see, we have just reconnected on Facebook after having lost touch for a while. The old stories are starting to bubble up...she knew me way back when!
OK. So, I am going to get out ahead of this one. I'll confess naivete. I mean, at the time of this seemingly innocent flub, I was new to the kitchen and just a mere 26 or so years old. That said, be kind with your judgement.
After I left college, I took a detour while on my journey to be the next Deborah Norville. (If you don't remember Deborah Norville, it's probably because of Katie Couric who swooped into morning TV while Deb stepped out to have a baby. Move your feet...lose your...well, you get the pic.) I veered off into the restaurant business. The owner was Italian, though the restaurant was not; more of an eclectic, rather aimless menu. Like a good Italian boy, he was looking for a really, really good tomato sauce. Not sure why his family didn't have one...don't they pass those kinds of things down? Anyhoo...I turned to the mother of all cooks... mine!
My mother had given me an interesting recipe for sauce that she had picked up through a cooking class. This attempt at making something from scratch was the first since the bagel fiasco with my college roommates (think skinny worms in boiling water!). I was a nutriment newbie, a mere calorie consumer at this point. But I wanted to impress my boss.
The recipe called for chopped fresh herbs, onion, canned tomatoes, garlic--all of the usual suspects. So, I searched for the fresh herbs--this was back in the dark ages when fresh herbs were an unconventional supermarket item. Nevertheless, I managed to procure all that was needed for the recipe and went to work in my tiny apartment kitchen.
The recipe called for six whole cloves of garlic. I had never worked with garlic before--I know, I know, what rock had I crawled out from under?! But this was a really long time ago--typewriters, phones attached to walls, Sony Walkmans, real customer service and encyclopedia book sets. I don't think the mainstream folk were infatuated with garlic yet. I surely wasn't!
So, I followed what Mom said were simple, straightforward directions. I peeled and cooked the onion whole in the olive oil, let it slowly caramelize a bit and turn it round and round for 10 to 12 minutes in the saute pan. Then I added the fresh herbs and sauteed until they were fragrant. Time for the garlic; I took the six cloves out of the bag, plopped them into the pan and rolled 'em round with the rest of the fixings, then dumped in the tomatoes and the additional elements, brought it to a boil and simmered away.
Well, feeling proud, I called Mom. The conversation went something like this:
"I did it, I made that tomato sauce, Mom. It's simmering on the stove."
"Good job, Kathy." (To this day, she refuses to recognize my cool-TV-news-name-spelling-change. "Kathie" is so much more interesting, don't you think.) "Did you have any trouble finding the ingredients?"
"Not really, Mom. But I do think the garlic is a bit much."
"What do you mean." In that puzzled tone every mom owns.
"Well," I say, "I couldn't cut that thick core out all the way. Also, I tried to remove as much of the papery skin as I could, but it's all gnarled together, impossible! PLUS, Mom, it just seems like too much garlic. Do I remove these gigantic things before I serve the sauce?"
"Oh my gosh, Kathy! Did you put in six cloves of garlic or six heads of garlic?!"
"Well, what do you mean...what's the difference?" Ah, there it was.
My old friend says that, to this day, whenever she makes and/or eats red sauce, she thinks of this story. I suppose I will, too, from now on! I have worked really hard on this sauce over the years, finally understanding the various ingredients. What follows is a sweetly delicious sauce for use as a base in many Italian favorites. Just remember to use six CLOVES of garlic.
Sweet Basil Tomato Sauce
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 whole garlic cloves; peeled, ends trimmed
1 medium onion, whole, peeled, ends trimmed
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
4 tbsp. minced Italian herbs
(With the fresh herbs, you can adjust to your taste)
1 28oz. can Whole tomatoes
2 14 ½ oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 14 ½ oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
Place all canned tomato products in a large stock pot or crock pot and set the heat to low. Sauté whole onion in olive oil over medium heat until it starts to become translucent and a bit caramelized on the outside (about 10 min.); add whole garlic cloves and sauté another two or three minutes. (Turn the heat down if necessary to avoid charring the vegetables.) Using tongs, transfer onion and garlic to the pot with the tomatoes. Add herbs to the sauté pan and cook until fragrant—about 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer herbs and oil to tomato mix. Add salt, pepper and stir in sugar. Cook on low for up to 6 hours, stirring frequently and breaking up the tomatoes. You can easily smooth out the sauce using an immersion blender about halfway through the cooking time, if desired.
I keep a fresh loaf of good Italian bread near the pot for the occasional dip and taste! My kids love this.
OK. So, I am going to get out ahead of this one. I'll confess naivete. I mean, at the time of this seemingly innocent flub, I was new to the kitchen and just a mere 26 or so years old. That said, be kind with your judgement.
After I left college, I took a detour while on my journey to be the next Deborah Norville. (If you don't remember Deborah Norville, it's probably because of Katie Couric who swooped into morning TV while Deb stepped out to have a baby. Move your feet...lose your...well, you get the pic.) I veered off into the restaurant business. The owner was Italian, though the restaurant was not; more of an eclectic, rather aimless menu. Like a good Italian boy, he was looking for a really, really good tomato sauce. Not sure why his family didn't have one...don't they pass those kinds of things down? Anyhoo...I turned to the mother of all cooks... mine!
My mother had given me an interesting recipe for sauce that she had picked up through a cooking class. This attempt at making something from scratch was the first since the bagel fiasco with my college roommates (think skinny worms in boiling water!). I was a nutriment newbie, a mere calorie consumer at this point. But I wanted to impress my boss.
The recipe called for chopped fresh herbs, onion, canned tomatoes, garlic--all of the usual suspects. So, I searched for the fresh herbs--this was back in the dark ages when fresh herbs were an unconventional supermarket item. Nevertheless, I managed to procure all that was needed for the recipe and went to work in my tiny apartment kitchen.
The recipe called for six whole cloves of garlic. I had never worked with garlic before--I know, I know, what rock had I crawled out from under?! But this was a really long time ago--typewriters, phones attached to walls, Sony Walkmans, real customer service and encyclopedia book sets. I don't think the mainstream folk were infatuated with garlic yet. I surely wasn't!
So, I followed what Mom said were simple, straightforward directions. I peeled and cooked the onion whole in the olive oil, let it slowly caramelize a bit and turn it round and round for 10 to 12 minutes in the saute pan. Then I added the fresh herbs and sauteed until they were fragrant. Time for the garlic; I took the six cloves out of the bag, plopped them into the pan and rolled 'em round with the rest of the fixings, then dumped in the tomatoes and the additional elements, brought it to a boil and simmered away.
Well, feeling proud, I called Mom. The conversation went something like this:
"I did it, I made that tomato sauce, Mom. It's simmering on the stove."
"Good job, Kathy." (To this day, she refuses to recognize my cool-TV-news-name-spelling-change. "Kathie" is so much more interesting, don't you think.) "Did you have any trouble finding the ingredients?"
"Not really, Mom. But I do think the garlic is a bit much."
"What do you mean." In that puzzled tone every mom owns.
"Well," I say, "I couldn't cut that thick core out all the way. Also, I tried to remove as much of the papery skin as I could, but it's all gnarled together, impossible! PLUS, Mom, it just seems like too much garlic. Do I remove these gigantic things before I serve the sauce?"
"Oh my gosh, Kathy! Did you put in six cloves of garlic or six heads of garlic?!"
"Well, what do you mean...what's the difference?" Ah, there it was.
My old friend says that, to this day, whenever she makes and/or eats red sauce, she thinks of this story. I suppose I will, too, from now on! I have worked really hard on this sauce over the years, finally understanding the various ingredients. What follows is a sweetly delicious sauce for use as a base in many Italian favorites. Just remember to use six CLOVES of garlic.
Sweet Basil Tomato Sauce
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
6 whole garlic cloves; peeled, ends trimmed
1 medium onion, whole, peeled, ends trimmed
1/4 cup freshly chopped basil
4 tbsp. minced Italian herbs
(With the fresh herbs, you can adjust to your taste)
1 28oz. can Whole tomatoes
2 14 ½ oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 14 ½ oz. can tomato sauce
1 tbsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons sugar
Place all canned tomato products in a large stock pot or crock pot and set the heat to low. Sauté whole onion in olive oil over medium heat until it starts to become translucent and a bit caramelized on the outside (about 10 min.); add whole garlic cloves and sauté another two or three minutes. (Turn the heat down if necessary to avoid charring the vegetables.) Using tongs, transfer onion and garlic to the pot with the tomatoes. Add herbs to the sauté pan and cook until fragrant—about 2-4 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer herbs and oil to tomato mix. Add salt, pepper and stir in sugar. Cook on low for up to 6 hours, stirring frequently and breaking up the tomatoes. You can easily smooth out the sauce using an immersion blender about halfway through the cooking time, if desired.
I keep a fresh loaf of good Italian bread near the pot for the occasional dip and taste! My kids love this.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Bolognese Over Baking Any Day!
You know that process of measuring precisely, sifting the dry goods, cutting in the butter at just the right temperature? How you have it down to a science: adding in the wet ingredients and stirring until a dough just comes together? Then the forming, the pouring, or the plopping and into a pre-heated oven.
Waiting, checking, tip-toeing, waiting.
Ahhhh...the confection-ish reward for your troubles lies in wait while it cools. Ready to pounce on that craving that preys on your sweet tooth. MMMMMM... hopefully, it's gooey, it's chocolaty, and sticky on the fingers.
Unfortunately, I can only imagine this perspective... It'll probably never be a reality for me. You see, I'm more of a "Rachael Ray" on the baking thing. I just don't get it. It's way to precise, requires more discipline than I can muster and stifles my creative side.
Perhaps it's just too scientific for me. In high school, I got through Chemistry by sitting next to the valedictorian of my class. I think he kind of liked me, too, so he was a willing tutor!
Oh, and, on top of that, I don't much care for sweets--unless it's a small square of dark chocolate. Or creme brulee out at restaurant (which to me seems mysterious and would be ruined for me if I actually knew how to make it!).
No, give me good olive tapenades and rich cheeses to meet my cravings. I love sauces with layers of flavor where I can let my imagination take over. Of course, all still detrimental to dieting! Like ALL good food.
Lately, I have been craving a really great bolognese and I think I have come up with a simple one. It doesn't take all day or require lamb bones and meat scraps (who has those just laying around, Mario?!). I even made two pots of it today: one without the meat for my vegetarian daughter. I will serve it over thick strands of pasta with a nice, crusty bread. Mangia, Mangia!
Easy Bolognese
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced carrot
1 cup finely diced celery
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 oz. diced panchetta
1 bay leaf
4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. tomato paste
32 oz. can whole Italian tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
In the olive oil, saute the onion, carrot and celery. Do not caramelize, just soften slowly for about 7 minutes. In a separate pan, saute the meats until just cooked through, then drain. Add the panchetta to the onion mixture and cook until just crisp, then add the bay leaf and herbs; saute until fragrant. De glaze with both the red and white wine and reduce by about half. Add the meat, then the milk and allow the milk to almost completely cook out for about 8-12 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir often. Finally, add the tomato paste, the tomatoes (breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon) and salt and pepper. Simmer on low for an hour to an hour and a half. Before serving, remove the thyme stems and the bay leaf. Serve over pasta.
Waiting, checking, tip-toeing, waiting.
Ahhhh...the confection-ish reward for your troubles lies in wait while it cools. Ready to pounce on that craving that preys on your sweet tooth. MMMMMM... hopefully, it's gooey, it's chocolaty, and sticky on the fingers.
Unfortunately, I can only imagine this perspective... It'll probably never be a reality for me. You see, I'm more of a "Rachael Ray" on the baking thing. I just don't get it. It's way to precise, requires more discipline than I can muster and stifles my creative side.
Perhaps it's just too scientific for me. In high school, I got through Chemistry by sitting next to the valedictorian of my class. I think he kind of liked me, too, so he was a willing tutor!
Oh, and, on top of that, I don't much care for sweets--unless it's a small square of dark chocolate. Or creme brulee out at restaurant (which to me seems mysterious and would be ruined for me if I actually knew how to make it!).
No, give me good olive tapenades and rich cheeses to meet my cravings. I love sauces with layers of flavor where I can let my imagination take over. Of course, all still detrimental to dieting! Like ALL good food.
Lately, I have been craving a really great bolognese and I think I have come up with a simple one. It doesn't take all day or require lamb bones and meat scraps (who has those just laying around, Mario?!). I even made two pots of it today: one without the meat for my vegetarian daughter. I will serve it over thick strands of pasta with a nice, crusty bread. Mangia, Mangia!
Easy Bolognese
3 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup finely diced onion
1 cup finely diced carrot
1 cup finely diced celery
1 lb. ground beef
1/2 lb. ground pork
3 oz. diced panchetta
1 bay leaf
4-6 sprigs fresh thyme
2 tbsp. chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
3/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup dry white wine
3/4 cup milk
2 tbsp. tomato paste
32 oz. can whole Italian tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
In the olive oil, saute the onion, carrot and celery. Do not caramelize, just soften slowly for about 7 minutes. In a separate pan, saute the meats until just cooked through, then drain. Add the panchetta to the onion mixture and cook until just crisp, then add the bay leaf and herbs; saute until fragrant. De glaze with both the red and white wine and reduce by about half. Add the meat, then the milk and allow the milk to almost completely cook out for about 8-12 minutes on medium-low heat. Stir often. Finally, add the tomato paste, the tomatoes (breaking up with the back of a wooden spoon) and salt and pepper. Simmer on low for an hour to an hour and a half. Before serving, remove the thyme stems and the bay leaf. Serve over pasta.
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
The Worst Day for Restaurants is
Mother's Day. Think about it... you have the B team on the floor and the trainees in the kitchen (the A team has already finagled the time off to be with Mom). I ran a restaurant in my early 20s for a few years and Mother's Day was an annual headache! This is the ONE day/evening a year when Mom doesn't want to cook--nor should she if that is a treat for her. If you do go out, you may find better service and better food if you can get a reservation and then make it for just a little earlier than you really desire. So a great time for a brunch would be to arrive by 10:00 and for dinner, about 5:30. This might avoid some of the chaos and allow mom to have a relaxing, enjoyable time.
For me... hmmmm. I probably will want to cook. It soothes me.
Just kidding, kids! I'm taking the night off.
If you are lucky enough to be nearby your mom (or your significant other's mom), and you are entertaining at home, then I have a great suggestion for a lovely, easy meal for a small crowd. This is a great salmon recipe that can be served at room temperature. It goes well with a salad or an egg casserole or other brunch items. Toast up some really good ciabatta or Italian bread and serve alongside the salmon with this incredible remoulade sauce from the ALLRECIPES web site:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Remoulade-Sauce-a-la-New-Orleans/Detail.aspx
Baked Salmon Fillet
1 Large Salmon Fillet
2 lemons, one halved, one sliced in rounds
¼ cup (approx.) olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Dried herbs de’Provence or Italian Seasonings
You want to choose a salmon fillet that is evenly weighted from end to end. This will ensure even cooking throughout. (I find that Costco is the best place to buy a whole fillet of salmon. Check the label and the sign above the bin and be sure it is salmon, as they have another fish fillet there that closely mimics salmon.)
Pre-heat oven to 400.
Take out a baking sheet large enough for the whole salmon and cover the sheet with foil. Lightly oil the foil.
Lay the whole salmon (skin side down if there is skin) on the baking sheet.
Squeeze the lemon halves over the fillet.
Drizzle the olive oil over.
Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and desired amount of herbs.
Place on rack set in the middle of the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes.
After cooking, let the salmon rest and cool on the baking sheet until you are ready to serve. (It’s great at room temperature.)
Serve the salmon with toasted bread slices alongside the remoulade sauce.
Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!
For me... hmmmm. I probably will want to cook. It soothes me.
Just kidding, kids! I'm taking the night off.
If you are lucky enough to be nearby your mom (or your significant other's mom), and you are entertaining at home, then I have a great suggestion for a lovely, easy meal for a small crowd. This is a great salmon recipe that can be served at room temperature. It goes well with a salad or an egg casserole or other brunch items. Toast up some really good ciabatta or Italian bread and serve alongside the salmon with this incredible remoulade sauce from the ALLRECIPES web site:
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Remoulade-Sauce-a-la-New-Orleans/Detail.aspx
Baked Salmon Fillet
1 Large Salmon Fillet
2 lemons, one halved, one sliced in rounds
¼ cup (approx.) olive oil
Salt & freshly ground pepper
Dried herbs de’Provence or Italian Seasonings
You want to choose a salmon fillet that is evenly weighted from end to end. This will ensure even cooking throughout. (I find that Costco is the best place to buy a whole fillet of salmon. Check the label and the sign above the bin and be sure it is salmon, as they have another fish fillet there that closely mimics salmon.)
Pre-heat oven to 400.
Take out a baking sheet large enough for the whole salmon and cover the sheet with foil. Lightly oil the foil.
Lay the whole salmon (skin side down if there is skin) on the baking sheet.
Squeeze the lemon halves over the fillet.
Drizzle the olive oil over.
Sprinkle with the salt, pepper and desired amount of herbs.
Place on rack set in the middle of the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes.
After cooking, let the salmon rest and cool on the baking sheet until you are ready to serve. (It’s great at room temperature.)
Serve the salmon with toasted bread slices alongside the remoulade sauce.
Enjoy and Happy Mother's Day!
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