I joined a CSA. (Community-supported agriculture) For the next four weeks, I'm getting a small bag of vegetables and a fruit every thursday, and I'll probably add eggs and cheese next week as well. A small bag means 6 vegetables, an herb, and a fruit. A large would be 9 vegetables, 2 herbs, and 2 fruits.
This week's bag contained a head of broccoli, 2 stalks of rhubarb, a bunch of asparagus, a head of red romaine lettuce, a bag of ruby chard, radishes, parsley, and apples.
Tonight's meal was rhubarb chicken, in order to use up and re-cook the chicken left over from my last round of stock. The original recipe is here: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-smothered-in-rhubarb-recipe.html
~3/4 of a quart of boiled chicken (from the last time I made stock)
"Essence" - Emeril Lagasse's creole spice mixture, recipe to follow
1/4 cup oil
1/2 cup chicken stock
2 stalks of rhubarb, cut up into 3/4 inch pieces
1 large onion - julienned
2 cloves of garlic
fresh parsley
1 cup white wine
- Heat a pot with oil
- Toss the chicken with the "essence" spice mix
- Put the chicken into the pan, let it fry for a few minutes
- Add the chicken stock. Let it sit for another few minutes
- Add the onions and rhubarb. Stir constantly until the onions are wilted and starting to brown
- Add the white wine, garlic, parsley. Cover the pot and let it sit for 30 minutes on low
"Essence" spice mix with my modifications. Original recipe at the link above.
2.5 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp salt
4 cloves minced garlic (if you're making this ahead of time, use garlic powder, but I didn't have any)
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp thyme
1 tbsp oregano
I've never cooked with rhubarb before. I do like strawberry rhubarb pie, but I didn't have strawberries and I wanted something savory. This was phenomenal. I served it on a bed of chard and romaine lettuce from the CSA. If I weren't so lazy, I would make some wild rice (I still have some of the pink wild rice left, maybe tomorrow) to go with it. I used an old chardonnay that I had left in the fridge for the wine, and it came out as a really nice salad dressing all on its own. The chicken came apart as I stirred the onions in, so I ended up with a chicken salad. The rhubarb was perfectly mushy by the time it finished cooking. I might try adding apples next time.
Friday, May 9, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Strawberry - Mint Salad
This one is easy, no cooking involved. And wow. It was a really nice change from a standard garden salad.
1 bunch of fresh mint leaves
1 lb of strawberries (Chopped)
1 package of mushrooms (Chopped) (I'm using baby bellos here)
slivered almonds
A handful or two of spinach
Vidalia onion vinaigrette
1 bunch of fresh mint leaves
1 lb of strawberries (Chopped)
1 package of mushrooms (Chopped) (I'm using baby bellos here)
slivered almonds
A handful or two of spinach
Vidalia onion vinaigrette
Tuesday, March 25, 2014
Strawberry Sauerkraut
It's leftover night! Time to re-cook the food that's been left in my fridge too long.
Ingredients:
- Approximately half of the meat from a 3-lb whole chicken (boiled)
- Half an onion
- 3/4 lb of strawberries
- 1 golden delicious apple
- 1 lb package of sauerkraut
- Caraway
- Celery seeds
Directions:
(Using a BIG fry pan):
- Chop the onion, start it frying
- Chop the chicken to cubes about the same size, at it to the fry pan
- Core and chop the apple, add it to the fry pan
- Cut off the strawberry heads and any other bad bits. Once the onion starts to caramelize, add the strawberry to the fry pan
- Add the package of sauerkraut to the fry pan.
- Add caraway and celery seed to taste.
- Let it heat up until you hear it sizzling a little bit. Let it steam off some of the extra water from the sauerkraut package if you want.
Serve it hot on a bed of leftover wild rice.
The timing's not critical, but I like my apples and strawberries slightly mushy but not murdered, and the timing worked out perfectly with the chop-while-you-go method.
Warning: This is not appropriate for eat-at-your-desk office environments.
Ingredients:
- Approximately half of the meat from a 3-lb whole chicken (boiled)
- Half an onion
- 3/4 lb of strawberries
- 1 golden delicious apple
- 1 lb package of sauerkraut
- Caraway
- Celery seeds
Directions:
(Using a BIG fry pan):
- Chop the onion, start it frying
- Chop the chicken to cubes about the same size, at it to the fry pan
- Core and chop the apple, add it to the fry pan
- Cut off the strawberry heads and any other bad bits. Once the onion starts to caramelize, add the strawberry to the fry pan
- Add the package of sauerkraut to the fry pan.
- Add caraway and celery seed to taste.
- Let it heat up until you hear it sizzling a little bit. Let it steam off some of the extra water from the sauerkraut package if you want.
Serve it hot on a bed of leftover wild rice.
The timing's not critical, but I like my apples and strawberries slightly mushy but not murdered, and the timing worked out perfectly with the chop-while-you-go method.
Warning: This is not appropriate for eat-at-your-desk office environments.
Wednesday, January 1, 2014
Mashed Potatoes
My boyfriend's recipe, created to much acclaim for Christmas dinner:
Ingredients
- Russet potato
- 2 Yukon potatoes
- 1 Red potato
- 1 Regular sweet potato
- 1 Garnett sweet potato
- 1 Onion (we used red)
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 2 large spoonfuls of margarine
Directions
- Chop the sweet potatoes into small (quickly-cooked) pieces, add to pot of water
- Bring the water to a boil
- While you are bringing the water to a boil, chop the rest of the potatoes and add them to the pot.
- Peel and coarsely chop the onion
- Start to caramelize the onion in a fry pan with olive oil
- While the onion is starting to caramelize, peel and dice the garlic
- As soon as you've finished dicing the garlic, add it to the pan with the onions
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and move them to a bowl
- Mash the potatoes
- Stir in the onions, garlic, and margarine
Ingredients
- Russet potato
- 2 Yukon potatoes
- 1 Red potato
- 1 Regular sweet potato
- 1 Garnett sweet potato
- 1 Onion (we used red)
- 1 bulb of garlic
- 2 large spoonfuls of margarine
Directions
- Chop the sweet potatoes into small (quickly-cooked) pieces, add to pot of water
- Bring the water to a boil
- While you are bringing the water to a boil, chop the rest of the potatoes and add them to the pot.
- Peel and coarsely chop the onion
- Start to caramelize the onion in a fry pan with olive oil
- While the onion is starting to caramelize, peel and dice the garlic
- As soon as you've finished dicing the garlic, add it to the pan with the onions
- Once the potatoes are cooked, drain them and move them to a bowl
- Mash the potatoes
- Stir in the onions, garlic, and margarine
Lentils with Rice
Ingredients
- 1 packet green lentils
- 1 package black lentils
- 1 package red lentils
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can kidney beans (15 oz)
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can red beans
- 1 can diced fire roasted tomatos (28 oz)
Spices:
A LOT
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- white pepper
- thyme
- paprika
- nutmeg
- oregano
- basil
Directions
- Soak the lentils for an hour, discard the water (optional step, I have trouble digesting legumes and this is supposed to make it easier)
- Add 16 cups of water
- Chop the onion, add it to the pot
- Dice the garlic, add it to the pot
- Rinse the beans thoroughly, add them to the pot
- Add the spices
- Cook on medium heat (so it doesn't boil over) until your fiancee tells you it's done. ("I'll know when I see it")
- Don't cook the rice in the same pot because you didn't use a large enough pot the first time around.
A Little
- Mustard
- Cumin
- Curry
- 1 packet green lentils
- 1 package black lentils
- 1 package red lentils
- 1 yellow onion
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 can kidney beans (15 oz)
- 1 can pinto beans
- 1 can red beans
- 1 can diced fire roasted tomatos (28 oz)
Spices:
A LOT
- black pepper
- garlic powder
- white pepper
- thyme
- paprika
- nutmeg
- oregano
- basil
Directions
- Soak the lentils for an hour, discard the water (optional step, I have trouble digesting legumes and this is supposed to make it easier)
- Add 16 cups of water
- Chop the onion, add it to the pot
- Dice the garlic, add it to the pot
- Rinse the beans thoroughly, add them to the pot
- Add the spices
- Cook on medium heat (so it doesn't boil over) until your fiancee tells you it's done. ("I'll know when I see it")
- Don't cook the rice in the same pot because you didn't use a large enough pot the first time around.
A Little
- Mustard
- Cumin
- Curry
Wednesday, December 11, 2013
Beef Bone Stock
I've been on a stock kick for the last week or so. I love starting the day with a mug of no-salt stock (it's a log easier and quicker than making eggs), and I'm going to start experimenting with onion-less stocks for the food allergies out there.
Stocks can be stored in the fridge for a week, after 5 days or so re-boil it. You're effectively creating the world's best petri dish. If you store it in the fridge let the fat rise to the top and create a barrier to the air. If you're going to freeze it, skim the fat off. I've heard ice-cube trays work well, and then you can pull out what you need and dump it into soups and sauces for flavor.
Basic Stock:
2 lbs beef stew bones
5 onions
6 carrots
8 cloves of garlic
Black peppercorns (15 or so?)
Parsley
Quarter the onions, chop the carrots into 1" pieces, place them with the garlic and beef bones in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes at 400, turning the meat over at 25 minutes. Put everything into a stock pot and cover with cold water. Simmer for 6 hours. Strain through a colander and cheesecloth.
More complicated stock:
(Original recipe here: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beef_bouillon_soup_from_oxtails/)
2 lb beef marrow bones
1 lb beef shank w/ bone
2.5 lb oxtail (one oxtail)
4 onions
3 carrots
1 heart of celery
Lemon zest from a lemon
The rest of the lemon
1 cup red wine (probably more, actually, no idea really. Enough to de-glaze the roasting pans and a dash more)
14 oz mushrooms (plain white stuffing ones? No idea what they're called)
4 Bay leaves
Thyme
Black pepper
- Quarter the onions and chop the carrots and celery into 1" pieces
- Place the meat, onions, carrots, and lemon zest into roasting pans, cover liberally with ground pepper
- Roast at 450 for 30 minutes until browning (not blackening). Turn the meat over at around 15-20 minutes
- Set off the smoke alarm accidentally (don't do this, please. Your neighbors will thank you)
- Place the roasted meat and vegetables into the stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients
- Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, pour into the stock pot.
- Add enough cold water to the stockpot to cover everything
- Cover and simmer at least 6 hours. (I simmered it for 14).
- Strain through a colander and cheesecloth
- Refrigerate
Stocks can be stored in the fridge for a week, after 5 days or so re-boil it. You're effectively creating the world's best petri dish. If you store it in the fridge let the fat rise to the top and create a barrier to the air. If you're going to freeze it, skim the fat off. I've heard ice-cube trays work well, and then you can pull out what you need and dump it into soups and sauces for flavor.
Basic Stock:
2 lbs beef stew bones
5 onions
6 carrots
8 cloves of garlic
Black peppercorns (15 or so?)
Parsley
Quarter the onions, chop the carrots into 1" pieces, place them with the garlic and beef bones in a roasting pan and roast for 45 minutes at 400, turning the meat over at 25 minutes. Put everything into a stock pot and cover with cold water. Simmer for 6 hours. Strain through a colander and cheesecloth.
More complicated stock:
(Original recipe here: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/beef_bouillon_soup_from_oxtails/)
2 lb beef marrow bones
1 lb beef shank w/ bone
2.5 lb oxtail (one oxtail)
4 onions
3 carrots
1 heart of celery
Lemon zest from a lemon
The rest of the lemon
1 cup red wine (probably more, actually, no idea really. Enough to de-glaze the roasting pans and a dash more)
14 oz mushrooms (plain white stuffing ones? No idea what they're called)
4 Bay leaves
Thyme
Black pepper
- Quarter the onions and chop the carrots and celery into 1" pieces
- Place the meat, onions, carrots, and lemon zest into roasting pans, cover liberally with ground pepper
- Roast at 450 for 30 minutes until browning (not blackening). Turn the meat over at around 15-20 minutes
- Set off the smoke alarm accidentally (don't do this, please. Your neighbors will thank you)
- Place the roasted meat and vegetables into the stock pot. Add the rest of the ingredients
- Deglaze the roasting pan with the wine, pour into the stock pot.
- Add enough cold water to the stockpot to cover everything
- Cover and simmer at least 6 hours. (I simmered it for 14).
- Strain through a colander and cheesecloth
- Refrigerate
Whipped Cream (and variations)
Whipped cream is easy and it tastes so much better than Cool-whip and any other storebought brands. Disclaimer: All amounts on this page approximate.
Ingredients:
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. (to taste, but vanilla extract is strong)
Add it all into a mixing bowl. Beat on medium with an electric beater for a few minutes, until it beings to form peaks. Bonus points if you chill the bowl and the beater attachements before making it, but I usually skip that step and it always seems to work out ok in the end.
Modifications for dessert coffee flavoring:
- Use 1 tbps instant coffee instead of the vanilla (again to taste. Start with a half tbsp if you don't usually drink coffee)
- Start with ~3 tbsp confectioner's sugar, and add more as needed to cut the bitterness of the coffee.
Modification for whipped cream with fish. Instead of sugar and vanilla, use:
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 3 chives, chopped
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- salt and pepper
NOTES: I really liked this the one time I made it, but I will probably experiment with the herbs and the amounts to get something a bit more tailored to my taste. Go easy on the lemon, it's easier to add it if you don't have enough than to take it out if it's too much. Worst comes to worst, you can squeeze some lemon juice onto the fish directly if the cream doesn't have enough. Original recipe here: http://food52.com/blog/365-savory-whipped-cream
Ingredients:
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1 tbsp confectioner's sugar (to taste)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. (to taste, but vanilla extract is strong)
Add it all into a mixing bowl. Beat on medium with an electric beater for a few minutes, until it beings to form peaks. Bonus points if you chill the bowl and the beater attachements before making it, but I usually skip that step and it always seems to work out ok in the end.
Modifications for dessert coffee flavoring:
- Use 1 tbps instant coffee instead of the vanilla (again to taste. Start with a half tbsp if you don't usually drink coffee)
- Start with ~3 tbsp confectioner's sugar, and add more as needed to cut the bitterness of the coffee.
Modification for whipped cream with fish. Instead of sugar and vanilla, use:
- 1 tbsp parsley
- 3 chives, chopped
- Lemon zest
- Lemon juice
- salt and pepper
NOTES: I really liked this the one time I made it, but I will probably experiment with the herbs and the amounts to get something a bit more tailored to my taste. Go easy on the lemon, it's easier to add it if you don't have enough than to take it out if it's too much. Worst comes to worst, you can squeeze some lemon juice onto the fish directly if the cream doesn't have enough. Original recipe here: http://food52.com/blog/365-savory-whipped-cream
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