Seventy-sixth Post ~ A new spin on pork florentine

I meant to thaw out a portion of pork tenderloin, but instead accidentally thawed one that I had already cut into medallions.  It had occurred to me earlier that day that I had all the ingredients that I typically find in a pork florentine - namely, spinach, cheese and mustard - so I decided not to allow my initial plan to be thwarted by my attempt at making my life easier (by pre-slicing most of the tenderloins I bought last week).

So I punted.  And, as testimony to the name of this blog, The "Accidental" Chef - I think that a lot of good things are the direct results of wrinkles in plans.

Here's what you'll need to create these miniature versions of pork florentine (which could become an elegant appetizer if ever an occasion called for it!)

~ Pork tenderloin (cut into medallions)
~ Spinach (I thawed some frozen spinach)
~ Mustard (I use country-style Grey Poupon)
~ Cheese (I had extra brie, so that's what I used.  I have a professor who once told me, "You could bake brie on my shoe and I'd probably eat it."  In my world, this is just proof-positive that he's a genius.)
~ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
~ Fresh herb of choice (for me, thyme, naturally)

For the side, I tossed some green beans with some garlic and EVOO.  I made them ahead of time, and then just fired them up again before I was ready to eat.

Thaw the spinach ahead.  Preheat your toaster oven or other heating apparatus to 350.  Lay the medallions out on a foil-lined pan.  Spread a dab of course-ground mustard on each one.  Put a bit of spinach on each.  Over that, lay a slice of brie and dust breadcrumbs over all.  Pop them in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until juices from the pork run clear.

They came out beautifully golden and full of flavor.  I paired this meal with the remaining chardonnay I had from Vetter Vineyard.  It paired perfectly with the melted brie and the fruit-forward nature of this wine complimented the savory, rich flavors in the pork florentine.

Yours in the love of good food and wine,
AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Sixty-sixth Post ~ "Italian Classics"-Inspired Tilapia

This post could be titled "An Ode to Wegman's Italian Classics." I have had a long-standing love-affair with Wegman's Italian Classics seasoned breadcrumbs. Just the right amount of parmesan. Just the right amount of basil. Just the right amount of salt. My habitual "comfort food" dish of late has been chopped chicken tenderloins rolled in these savory morsels and sautéed in EVOO... but I have found yet another use for them: fish!

In the mood for something home-cooked yet quick this evening, I grabbed a fillet of tilapia as I zoomed through Wegmans. At $1.87 for this hearty serving, tilapia is not just yummy - it's cheap! I had intended to do something fun with the leftover cilantro and lime I had in the fridge, but my attention was grabbed by something in the chilled prepared pasta aisle - Wegman's sun-dried tomato and basil pesto. Who could resist something that enticing? Into my cart it went. So here's what you'll need for this meal:

~ Fillet of tilapia (light and flaky is the key - you could probably substitute halibut, monkfish or catfish as well)

~ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

~ EVOO

~ Wegman's (or your local wonder-market) sun-dried tomato and basil pesto

~ Green beans

~ Scallion

~ Jarred (or crushed) garlic

~ Coarse-ground sea salt

Dump some frozen french-cut green beans into a pot with some water. Snip in one scallion and some jarred garlic. I couldn't even be bothered to crush any fresh garlic tonight. Scallions are one of my new favorite on-hand items. They add so much flavor to a dish without being overwhelmingly oniony. Let those simmer until they're done to whatever level you like your beans cooked. I like french-cut green beans al dente, so I turned them off just about as soon as they really started simmering.

Into a pan put a little jarred garlic and about a tablespoon of olive oil. Start it heating. Generously coat the tilapia fillet in the seasoned breadcrumbs and set it carefully into the hot oil. As I flipped it, I would sprinkle some more breadcrumbs over it so that it gave it a little extra crispiness.

As soon as the fish is done (it won't take long!) serve it on a plate and spoon a bit of the pesto over it. A little goes a long way - believe me! I saran-wrapped the rest of the pesto and put it in the freezer - I am envisioning it tossed with some pasta (tortellini?) along with some breaded pork tenderloins for a quick and savory dinner sometime in the near future.

I added a little butter to the beans, topped the tilapia with pesto and served it with a Chenin Blanc from MAN Vintners of South Africa - a gift from Nozomi and her husband. It was fresh and citrussy but heartier than a Sauvignon blanc. It paired with the lighter tones of the tilapia but also stood up to the zesty, savory quality of the pesto. A good match!

Yours in the love of good food, wine, and occasional culinary shortcuts,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Sixty-fourth Post ~ Cheater's Duck à l'Orange

Duck à l'Orange has always been one of my favorite dishes. Pair it with a good oaky chardonnay, and it will make me swoon. I decided to try an easy take on this classic French recipe by using marmalade as my base. Here's what you'll need:

~ Duck breast (prepackaged ones by Maple Tree Farms from Wegmans are consistently delicious)

~ Marmalade

~ Heavy cream

~ Splash dry white wine (I used some leftover Brut)

~ One orange

For the sides, I made two dishes that are fail-safe and can be pretty much left on their own while I focused my energies on the duck:

~ Fingerling potatoes

~ Olive oil

~ Fresh (or dried) thyme

~ Coarse-ground sea salt

~ French-cut green beans (the bags from the freezer always come out crisp!)

~ Olive oil

~ One clove garlic

~ Coarse-ground sea salt

Beforehand, rinse and pierce the fingerling potatoes, drizzle them generously with EVOO, sprinkle some thyme on them and salt to taste. Pop them in a toaster oven on 350. They are best if they bake for about 45 minutes. I love fingerlings because A.) they're multicolored, which just makes me happy - especially the purple ones and B.) They are tiny, so 45 minutes of baking makes them taste just like those baked potatoes that have been in the oven forever absorbing all sorts of good flavors and getting all sweet.

Put the beans on the stove with some water and start boiling on low. I don't like beans cooked too long, so I just shut off the heat after they had boiled a bit. While I was prepping everything, I crushed a clove of garlic into some oil in a separate pan - but didn't turn it on until the very end when the duck was nearly done. At that point, I sautéed the garlic and tossed the beans around in it just before serving.

So back to the duck. Even though these particular duck breasts come pre-scored, I still scored them a little deeper to make sure I had a crispy skin. Place them skin side down in the pan and let them cook there for a bit, checking them every so often so they don't get too toasty. You may wish to drain out a little of the fat as they cook. Eventually, flip them over a few times to even out the cooking process and start making the sauce around them.

Dump in a few generous tablespoons of marmalade with a little bit of EVOO. Add a dash of salt and a splash or two of white wine. Cut off two slices of orange for a garnish, and squeeze the juice from the remaining fruit into the sauce. Stir it around a bit and allow it to begin simmering. After a bit, begin adding tiny amounts of cream, stirring it in immediately as you add it.

Now comes the easy part - just let the whole thing go for a bit! Turn the duck a few times and spoon some of the sauce over it as it's cooking, and insert a meat thermometer and turn off the heat when it reaches 160. Let the duck sit in the pan while you serve the potatoes with a dab of butter and the beans. Then serve the duck with a generous amount of sauce over the top!

I paired this meal with a chardonnay from Beachaven Vineyards Winery from Tennessee (a gift from JJ from a backpacking trip through the Smokeys). This chard is oaky enough to pair swoonably with the duck, with subtle vanilla and citrus notes that are a wonderful compliment to the orange sauce!

All in all, a successful first attempt at one of my favorite meals of all time!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Twenty-seventh post ~ Lemon and Herb Tilapia

The weather has gotten hotter this August, so for the better part of the day, I grazed on fresh fruits and veggies directly out of the fridge, with the occasional nut for protein. I knew that I should cook something substantial for dinner tonight, but what can one eat on a day whose humidity is reminiscent of walking into a bathroom after someone has taken a 30-minute shower?

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The answer, my friends, is fish. And not a hearty fish like salmon, either. Days like today call for a fish that is light and flakey. Namely, tilapia.

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I found this fillet at Wegmans for just under $3.00. This afternoon, I prepped the fish so that it could marinate while I was working. Thus, the actual time spent slaving over the hot stove tonight was minimum! Here's what you'll need for tonight's dinner:

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~ Fish (while I used tilapia, orange roughy is another nice light fish)

~ Chives

~ Onion

~ Lemon

~ Olive oil

~ Salt and pepper to taste

~ White wine (I purchased a New Yorker for my white this week: Bully Hill's "Fish Market White." The picture on the label of the "Lady of Martinique" reminded me of my travels in the Caribbean, and just that alone seemed to pair well with today's weather!)

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As we're trying to keep tonight's dinner light, I'd suggest a veggie rather than a starch. I realize that a lot of my posts feature green beans, but in truth, they're one of my favorite veggies. They're tasty, inexpensive, easy to cook and good for you. What's not to love? I cooked these pre-cut, prewashed French beans by sauteeing them in a little oil and then adding some white wine and water to steam them. As they were finishing I added some salt, pepper and garlic.

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So, back to the fish. My brain is too hot and tired to relate all of this in chronological order. Hopefully you've read this through to the end before you've actually started cooking. In any case...

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In the afternoon, put about a tablespoon of olive oil in the pan in which you wish to cook the fish. Turn the fish in the pan a few times to coat it. Salt and pepper it. Mince some onion onto it...

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::PAUSE::

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I've never really learned a lot about onions. I don't particularly like onions, honestly, but I'm slowly discovering the punch they can add to food and starting to warm to them. Because I don't know much about them, I'm not too picky when shopping for them. I saw these tiny little onions at Wegmans and thought, "Tiny onions. Perfect for a person cooking for one: waste not, want not..." and purchased them because of their size without a second thought. It turns out that what I minced up for my fish tonight was a "cibol" or Welsh onion (the misnomer Welsh coming from a misinterpreted Old English word welisc meaning "foreign" rather than "of Wales," as this little root hails from Asia). It packs a lot of flavor into such a tiny space, and a little goes a long ways. Once cooked, it has a slightly carmelized, sweet taste. I've become a fan.

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::UNPAUSE::

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So mince up a bit of whatever onion-related bulb you happen to be in possession of, and scatter it over the fish. Squeeze ample lemon juice over it, snip some chives onto it, and then cut paper-thin slices of lemon to lay over the top of it. Slap a lid on and place it in your fridge for the afternoon. Get it out about 45 minutes before you're ready to cook so it starts to warm up.

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When you're ready to cook it, put it on the stove and start it heating up. Pour some white wine into the pan, but not over the fish. As soon as it starts sizzling, cover it and cook your veggie. Keep adding tiny bits of white wine gradually as its cooking so that it's never without liquid but never really boiling in it, either.

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The result will be a sweet, zesty, flavorful meal. The onions that fall off the fish carmelize with the wine, creating a really savory sauce that's still light and not too heavy. The lemon slices steam over the fish, releasing all of the flavor but somehow none of that acidic punch that you usually get from lemon.

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The Fish Market White paired perfectly. While the label says that it's from "hybrid grapes," I'm guessing there's some sweet Delaware in there, as well as something slightly more citrussy like a Sauvingon. It pairs well, making this meal filling, yet light and refreshing. A must for this kind of weather!

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Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Twenty-third Post: Garlic and White Wine Sauteed Chicken with Balsamic Green Beans

This meal was easy to cook, and is even easier if everything is assembled before you're ready to cook (I've learned this the hard way: see scorched beans from Post #21).

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So get everything set. Here's what you'll need:

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~ Chicken tenderloins

~ Garlic cloves (I used 2)

~ White wine

~ Lemon juice

~ Basil

~ Salt/pepper

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For the green beans (now this is tough, so pay attention):

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~ Green beans (precut, prewashed)

~ Water

~ Balsamic vinegarette marinade (optional)

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Get the chicken in the pan, get the wine to room temperature, get the garlic cloves peeled and ready to be pressed... Pour some white wine over the chicken tenderloins in the pan and crush the garlic over them. Snip up some fresh basil (or add some dried). Salt and pepper the chicken to taste. Keep it simmering as you cook the beans.

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Put the beans in a bowl and add about two tablespoons (if that) of water and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Put it in the microwave for about three minutes. Let it sit and steam until the chicken is done.

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As the chicken is cooking, add a little lemon juice. Keep adding a bit of wine as the liquid cooks away. Once the chicken is done, drain the beans and toss with a touch of balsamic vinegarette marinade.

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I served this meal with a Mirassou Chardonnay. It was fruity and balanced well with all the flavors in the chicken..

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All in all, a quick, easy, tasty meal for a busy Monday!

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Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Twenty-Second Post: Scallops in White Wine Sauce with a Zip

I typically make scallops in a creamy cheese sauce, but tonight I wanted to go for something lighter.

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Here's what you'll need for tonight's dinner:

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~ Scallops

~ White wine (I used some of the leftover Bordeaux from Chateau Briot of last week)

~ Garlic

~ Onion

~ Lemon juice

~ Salt/pepper

~ Bay leaf

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Get the onion minced and the garlic prepped. Start the garlic, onion, white wine, lemon juice and bay leaf simmering gently. Get your side going at the same time. Tonight I cooked fresh green beans with some salt and pepper and a tiny bit of garlic. Once your sauce for the scallops is starting to look ready (a little bubbly, melded nicely) place the scallops in the sauce.

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As they're cooking, flip them over occasionally, peppering them on each side. Add a little garlic to the beans as they're cooking. Make sure they don't get overcooked...

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After the scallops are done - and this is optional - put a tiny bit of blue cheese on top. I mean, just a crumble, because you could easily overwhelm the mild flavor of the scallops. I just thought it added a nice zip!

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I paired this meal with an Italian pinot grigio by the Cavit Collection. It was light and crisp, with a hint of grassiness that gave it a wonderfully refreshing quality - perfect for a summery dinner of seafood!

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Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Twenty-first Post ~ Herbed Lamb Tenderloins with Garlic Parmesan Green Beans

Tonight I was really tired and wanted something quick and foolproof. Unfortunately, that's exactly when things go wrong. So part of this meal required a bit of a do-over, but when all was said and done, it turned out just fine!
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Here's what you'll need:
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~ Lamb tenderloins
~ Dried herb and spice blend (I recommend oregano, rosemary, thyme and paprika)
~ Lemon juice
~ Olive oil
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And for the side:
~ Green beans (frozen, French cut)
~ Garlic
~ Parmesan
~ A little bit of oil
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Put a bit of olive oil in a stick-free pan. Put the dried herbs in a mortar and pestal and grind them up. Pour a bit of lemon juice into the oil, start it heating, and then scatter in the ground herbs. Traditionally this herb blend is used as a rub for meat, but I thought I'd create a cheater's quick marinade by putting it in the oil and letting it all meld. After the oil cools, set the lamb tenderloins into the oil and herb mixture and turn them around so they get covered in herbs. Don't start it heating right away: let them sit for a bit - long enough for you to do the dishes, perhaps?
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::PAUSE::
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Now, before you do anything else, get your garlic ready. I started the beans before I got the garlic ready, and then stupidly decided to mince the garlic, which is a really time-consuming process. I got the garlic done and my beans had smoldered away in the pan into sad shriveled nothingness. I tossed that batch out and started over. The moral of the story is, always get everything ready BEFORE you turn the heat on.
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::UNPAUSE::
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So get your garlic chopped, minced, whatever. Start the heat on the lamb and turn it a few times. Prepare the beans with a little olive oil. In the interest of time, I crushed the garlic for the last batch in my garlic press. Either method would work well. Just as the beans are getting done, add the crushed garlic and stir them around a bit. Turn off the heat and sprinkle parm over the top of them. The remaining heat from the pan should start the parm melting a bit.
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I paired tonight's dinner with an Italian pinot noir by Cadonini. It is just the right level of earthy to compliment the lamb and the right level of fruity to offset the herbs. It went wonderfully with tonight's dinner and gave it a perfect finish.
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Yours in the love of good food and wine,
AL
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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Seventeenth Post ~ Herbed Pork with Green Beans: Faster than a Lousy Microwave Dinner!

Tonight's dinner was incredibly fast and very tasty. Here's what you'll need:

~Pork tenderloins (I chose Wegmans - they were sliced so thin it was practically like pork sushi... I would have liked them a little thicker)
~ Spices (more on that later)
~ Salt/Pepper to taste

~Green beans

I used a spice combination that I'm quite fond of for using as a herb-crusting on any meat. I combined:

~Oregano
~Rosemary
~Paprika
~Salt
~Pepper
~Thyme

I crushed them all together in a small bowl then sprinkled it and patted it into the meat. This pork was so thin that it was cooked literally in minutes; in fact, I think I overcooked it a bit. I didn't add any oil to the pan as I didn't want this meal to be too heavy.

I sauteed the green beans in a pan with a little oil and a tiny amount of water to create some steam.

I served tonight's dinner with a wonderful Italian wine: Lacryma Christi Mastroberardino. It's from the vineyards of Mount Vesuvius, which, being a geek of all things Roman, made me positively shiver with excitement. It is dry but with a grassy, earthy taste. Its pairs wonderfully with the spices in the pork, giving the whole meal a well-balanced, light feeling.

Ahh - a perfect meal! Quick to prepare, wonderfully savory, and nicely paired with a wine positively steeped in history!

Yours in the love of good food and wine (especially when you don't have to fuss after lecturing for over three hours)

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.

Fifteenth Post ~ Fresh, simple fare: Green beans with sauteed chicken and mushrooms

Summer has come to Buffalo. Today's highs were in the upper 80s, and boy, did it feel every bit of 90. When it's this hot out, I crave simple foods. Perhaps it's because I know my body just doesn't have the energy to sluggishly pilfer its way through heavily sauced and flavored foods for the needed nutrients. Perhaps it is because I just can't string together too many ingredients at once when my brain feels steamed. In any case, I crave simplicity.

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Tonight's dinner fit the bill. I quite literally pulled from the refrigerator foods that sounded good to me, and then combined them. In the end, I thought it created a sort of Provincal meal. Here's what I grabbed:

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~ Chilled white wine

~ Chicken tenderloins that should be used up

~ Mushrooms (pre-washed and sliced - as I said: simple)

~ Green beans

~ Onion

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For the seasoning:

~ Chilled white wine (noticing a pattern?)

~ Olive oil

~ Chives

~ Basil

~ Salt/pepper

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Cut the chicken up into fork-managable pieces. Place in stick-free pan with chopped onion. Pour on some olive oil, ample white wine, and season with salt and pepper. Toss in some mushrooms and start it sizzling.

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Now that your brain has tackled that, snip up some chives and basil into the mixture. Stir around a bit. It should cook in next to no time.

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:: PAUSE ::

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I'm all for using the proper cooking methods and tools. But some nights (like tonight) call for laziness.

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:: UNPAUSE ::

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Scootch your cooked chicken, onions, mushrooms and herbs over to one end of your pan. Place some frozen green beans in the other end. Tilt the pan so the hot sauce infiltrates the mini bean-fortress you've built. Stir them around a bit 'til they look done. The end result is that the beans will be cooked al dente and sweetened by the flavors of the wine, herbs, and earthiness of the mushrooms.

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Tilt the whole thing onto a plate and enjoy with a glass of chilled white wine. I served this with a French table wine called Vieux Papes. It paired wonderfully, tasting a little grassy (in a refreshing way) and citrussy, making it a perfect companion to this summer meal.

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Bon apetit!

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Yours in the love of food, wine, and occasional laziness,

AL

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The blogger is not an experienced chef. She takes no responsibility for the quality of the meals prepared while following her advice. Use your own judgment regarding cooking times and proper food handling.