Published by mel on April 28, 2009 in entree and recipe.
Around here everyone dresses their skirt steaks with a dollop of Chimichurri. If you’ve never had it, you’re definitely missing out. Chimichurri is a steak condiment originally from Argentina and made from parsley, olive oil, garlic, salt, lemon juice, red wine vinegar and red pepper flakes. It’s rich and herbal, tangy and a little spicy. It’s the perfect accompaniment for grilled beef.
Since Chimichurri also resembles pesto, I figured it would make a great pasta sauce. And I was right. I grilled a skirt steak and some big, purple asparagus and tossed them with Rigatoni and a fresh batch of Chimichurri. I loved the grilled flavors with the pasta and garlicky sauce.
This is the perfect meal to eat outdoors when the weather is nice and you have a big frosty beer or chilly glass of wine. Is it the weekend yet?
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Published by mel on April 24, 2009 in entree and recipe.
Potato pizza? What? Yes. Potato pizza. I had a delicious rosemary and caramelized onion potato pizza at my favorite Car Wash/Pizza Place, Andiamo, a couple of weeks ago and have been craving more ever since. I also saw a potato pizza in this month’s Bon Apetit and knew I’d be making it really soon.
Since I wasn’t really in the mood for rosemary and caramelized onions, I topped my dough with fingerling potatoes, garlic, shallots, asparagus, mozzarella and goat cheese. It was colorful, rich and delicious. I loved the asparagus for this time of year. Next time, I want to try some caramelized onion and hot peppers, and eventually I’d like to make a version with sweet potatoes, pancetta and goat cheese.
I know potato pizza might seem weird. I thought the same thing before I went to Andiamo and realized that potato pizza is just about the tastiest treat I’ve ever eaten. I suggest you give it a try. Your pizza-making will never be the same again.
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Published by mel on April 22, 2009 in recipe.
Another recipe from this month’s glossies, I found this Curried Cauliflower and Chickpea Stew in the May issue of Bon Appetit. Curry? Coconut milk? Cilantro? Yes please! I made this one morning before work and it came together in under 30 minutes. It’s a little spicy, a little earthy and really flavorful. I love the combination of coconut milk and curry powder with the chickpeas and cauliflower. It just tastes like homey comfort food, which is just perfect for a long day at work.
This is one of those dishes you can make once and eat all week for lunch or dinner. Served over Jasmine rice, you’ve got yourself a really healthy and delicious meal.
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Published by mel on April 20, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I really love when I find a great recipe that’s 5 ingredients or less. These Garlic & Mint Shrimp are simple, easy and really delicious. I had actually planned on making and mint gremolata for some grilled lamb chops, but the grocery store let me down. No lamb chops for me. Instead, I found some nice looking shrimp and decided to saute those in garlic and olive oil, then toss them with mint.
The mint lends a refreshing flavor to the whole dish. We ate them alone as an appetizer, then tossed the leftovers with jasmine rice for a really quick and tasty meal that’s perfect for Spring and Summer. They’d also be delicious tossed with some pasta, orzo or even farro. Next time, I think I’ll also add some thinly sliced hot peppers for a little bit of a kick or some bacon. Everything is better with bacon.
Although I had really been hoping for that lamb, I’m glad the grocery store was out. I love everything about these shrimp, and I really love their simple goodness.
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Published by mel on April 16, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
For some reason, this month’s food magazines had me drooling. I may have been starving when I was flipping through, but I bookmarked almost every recipe. One in particular caught my eye – a lighter, healthier version of Ajiaco, the traditional Colombian Chicken Soup.
I know what you’re thinking. Chicken soup? Booooring! But this isn’t your mama’s chicken soup (though I would never, ever turn that down). This one is flavored with cilantro and cumin, is chock full of chicken, potatoes and corn, and in this case, asparagus and hominy. Everything is topped off with diced avocado, more cilantro and capers. It’s simultaneously light and hearty, and it’s really, really good.
I just wish I’d had a bowl of this when I was sick last week. Good thing I froze a huge batch for next time I’m feeling under the weather, though let’s face it – it’ll be gone by next week.
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Published by mel on April 14, 2009 in breakfast, entree, recipe and sides & bites.
This week, I’m taking all my inspiration from food magazines. Of course, I can’t just follow a recipe without tweaking it somehow. That would make it far too easy!
I saw this recipe in the first few pages of April’s Gourmet and instantly wanted to try it. I love a good, strong salad dressing. Olive oil, sherry vinegar, Dijon mustard, shallots, tarragon and capers combine for a tangy, salty vinaigrette that’s made for salads and soft-boiled eggs. Spicy arugula and crisp bread round it out for a meal-sized salad.
I made this salad last night and again for lunch today. It’s just the right amount of fancy, healthy and delicious. I can’t get enough!
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Published by mel on April 9, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I was poking around my computer and found a forgotten recipe. I’m not sure why, but I never got around to posting this Bacon, Black Bean and Poblano Pepper Chowder. It would have been a shame to never post this, so here it is.
This soup was smoky, a little spicy and very flavorful. Top it off with some sliced avocado, radishes and cilantro and you’ve got yourself a meal. I’d also serve some nice, hot tortilla chips alongside for a little bit of crunch.
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Published by mel on April 8, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I’ve been a little more than under the weather this week. When I’m sick, all I want is comfort food. Chicken soup and pasta and things my mom used to make when I was growing up. Picadillo is a really simple Cuban dish that’s basically cumin-spiked ground beef with onions, garlic, tomato and pimento-stuffed olives. Some people also add raisins, but I am not down with that. At all. This isn’t fancy food or weekend food, but it’s perfect for weekday dinners or quick lunches. It’s simple, delicious and versatile.
Like everything else with Cuban food, Picadillo is most often served with white rice and black beans. Since I’m not a big rice person (and I can never make it as good as my mom does), I put mine on top of creamy polenta. It also makes a great taco stuffing or baked potato topping. Picadillo also makes a pretty good, Cuban-style sloppy joe.
If you’ve never had Picadillo, give it a try. You might just find that it becomes one of your go-to weeknight dishes. Either way, it made me feel a little better this week.
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Published by mel on April 1, 2009 in entree, recipe and sides & bites.
I’ve mentioned before that I will never turn down free cheese. There’s just nothing better than a good piece of cheese and a glass of wine or beer. But since April is apparently Grilled Cheese Month, I thought there’d be no better way to showcase the Saint Andre cheese that Ile de France sent me, than with the fanciest grilled cheese sandwich around.
It may be really frou-frou, but this grilled cheese is really, really good. I got a huge hunk of Saint Andre in the mail this week, which tastes like a strong, creamy brie. I piled it onto a ciabatta roll with Capicolla (a cured meat that’s similar to prosciutto) and cornichons (fancy French gherkins). A quick press in my grill pan, and out came the perfect Sunday afternoon bite.
The cheese is creamy and melty, the meat is salty and super flavorful and the cornichons add some crunch and contrast. Seriously, this is the best fancy grilled cheese ever. If you’re feeling decadent, then this is the sandwich for you. If you’re feeling only a little bit fancy, recreate this with brie, prosciutto and sweet gherkins. Either way, it’s a great start to Grilled Cheese Month (and any other month as far as I’m concerned).
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