Post #103 ~ Mussels with Tomatoes, Fennel and Caramelized Shallots

As you might have noticed, it's been a while since my last post.  Actually, it was a while since the post before that one, too.  In truth, this final semester has been a really busy one for me (as well it should be, seeing as it's my last!).  In the past four months, I've conducted a study, assisted in a study, compiled date from my own study, analyzed said data and written a dissertation.  I'm defending May 2 and walking May 11.  I can't believe how quickly it's all gone!

So, in sum, I've still been cooking, but not blogging about it quite as much.  Tonight I really felt like returning to basics and cooking a favorite meal (but with a twist) and writing a post.  For those of you who know my blog, you realize that this means a post about insalate caprese, ratatouille or mussels, and hopefully by now you know the theme of tonight's dinner.

I was researching some different ways to make mussels, and happened upon an ingredient I had never before considered: Fennel.  I don't have a ton of familiarity with fennel, outside of the rogue seed that appears on a slice of pepperoni pizza, or the anise-flavored cookies I binge on at least once every other Christmas.

But I had seen and heard great things from my favorite chefs on my favorite cooking shows, so I decided it was high time I dallied with this flavorful bulb.  So here's what you'll need for tonight's meal:

~ Mussels (between 15 mussels - about 2/3 pound - and one pound, depending on your appetite)
~ 1 shallot (sweeter than onion, IMO)
~ 2 cloves garlic, crushed
~ 3 roma tomatoes
~ 1 bulb fennel (although I only used about 1/3 of it)
~ Fresh parsley (although many other herbs would have worked well)
~ Dry white wine
~ Coarse-ground sea salt
~ EVOO
~ Baguette

I started some EVOO smoking in a pan, and tossed in the sliced shallot to caramelize, tossing it once as I sliced everything else.  Next, I sliced the fennel.  Once knife slice told me I was making a good decision, as a spicy, familiar-yet-new aroma filled the air.  Into the pan it went, and the aromas only got better as it joined the sweet, savory scent of the caramelized shallot.  Things were heating up rather quickly, so I added some white wine.  There was lots of steam, so I stepped back and added more gradually, eventually equalling about a cup.  Next went the romas, coarsely chopped.  I added some parsley at this point, as well as some salt.  I turned up the heat and let them really cook.  I crushed in two cloves of garlic and added more parsley, and savored the aromas.  After rinsing the mussels, I slid them into the pan and covered the whole deal.  I let it simmer for 4 minutes, my usual time for cooking mussels.

In the mean time, I did useful things like put dishes in the sink, ingredients back in the fridge, sliced the bread and poured and sampled the wine.  All was well in the world.  After 4 minutes, I put the mussels into a bowl and grabbed the plate with the bread.  I was halfway into the livingroom when I swear I could hear Mireille Guiliano (see #17) yelling at me all the way from France.  So I set myself down at my kitchen table and really enjoyed the meal.  I mean, as I've said before, this is a meal for which you should eschew napkins in favor of a towel.  Hands and bread are the utensils here, with a fork at the ready as a last resort (or to avoid burned fingers).  The resulting broth was tremendously flavorful, and there was plenty of it and the other ingredients to compliment the mussels.

The fennel was amazing.  It kept a crunchiness to it, but was cooked to a satisfying done-ness.  It added an intensely spicy (as in aromatic, rather than "hot") dimension to the meal and complemented the bright, biteyness of the parsley and the acidic flavor of the romas beautifully.  The wine I chose for cooking and drinking was a Romanian Pinot Grigio by Dreambird.  It was citrussy with a nice balance of mineral.  It complemented this seafood dish like a fresh squeeze of lemon compliments a fillet of haddock.

All in all, an immensely satisfying meal.

Yours in the love of good food and wine,
AL


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

Ninety-Eighth Post ~ "Mandie's Fancy" Steak!

Today was a red-letter day.  Not just because it's a full moon, or because it's the anniversary of the October Storm, but because today I met with my awesome adviser and awesome committee and defended my dissertation proposal.  Ten years of higher education have led me to this moment, and after today, I can see that I'm that much closer of reaching my goal of achieving a Ph.D.  Mind you, I still have to collect data, analyze said data, and do a heck of a lot of writing between now and May...

But today felt good.

So I decided to celebrate with food and wine.

: : PAUSE : :

This summer, I was a "party aid" for a dear friend, Vivian, whose mother-in-law was celebrating a milestone birthday.  There were many amazing dishes and terrific people at that party, but to be honest, the one thing that really stood out to me was the fact that I never realized what a turophile Vivian is.  That's "cheese lover/expert" to those of you who didn't realize that there's actually a word for this sort of thing.

Yancey's Fancy Steakhouse Onion Aged Cheddar Cheese.  That became my new love at this party.  I confess that as I prepared the cheese plate, this block of cheddary goodness was divided in a "one piece me, one piece plate" kind of way.  Being the fabulous person that Vivian is, she bought me some the last time she was at Yancey's Fancy.  It sat in my fridge for a perfect moment.

And I decided that NOW was that moment.

: : UNPAUSE : :

So after a successful defense, I drove to Wegmans and bought a petite sirloin and some other things:

~ 1 petite sirloin
~ Good handful crimini mushrooms
~ 2 shallots
~ EVOO
~ fresh thyme

You'll also need:
~ Yancey's Fancy Steakhouse Onion Aged Cheddar
~ Coarse ground sea salt
~ White wine

I also stopped by Premier and bought an "unadvertised special" bottle of Codici Primitivo Salento.

: : PAUSE AGAIN : :

My most observant readers may have noticed that there's been a lack of black pepper in my posts of late.  I have learned over the past months that what I've been euphemistically considering a food "sensitivity" is, in reality, a food allergy.  I, the Accidental Chef, am confessing to you now: I am allergic to black pepper.  Not allergic in the "keel over and die" kind of way - more in the "carry Benadryl and request restaurants not to use it in my food" kind of way.  So I've cut black pepper from my cooking, but there are certain dishes that, if I weren't such an oddball, I'd be sprinkling liberally with the stuff.  Coarse ground.  Mmmmmm....  So, assuming you're not as sensitive as I, feel free to add black pepper to this meal.

(I secretly think that the "Accidental Chef Who's Allergic to Black Pepper" belongs on the Island of Misfit Toys... But anyway...)

: : UNPAUSE AGAIN : :

After answering some emails and playing with Ginny, I decided to have an early dinner.


I learned about using repeat ingredients (cooked different ways) to create an overall harmony in a dish while providing textural variety on ABC's The Chew.   Over a few episodes, I've seen chefs Mario Batali and Michael Symon use this concept to marry a few ingredients into a really interesting dish or two.  I decided to try this idea with thyme, crimini mushrooms, shallots and olive oil.

After starting the toaster oven heating (broil, 350) I sliced the mushrooms and set them aside.  Next, I finely minced one of the shallots, two slices of mushroom and some thyme and added it to about 1 tbps olive oil to make a coarse pesto of sorts.  I added some salt and some dry white wine.

In a stick-free pan, I added the other shallot (coarsely chopped) to some olive oil and dry white wine with some thyme and sea salt.

I put the steak on a piece of parchment and topped it with a good spoonful of the mixture.  I put it in and set the timer for five minutes.  In the mean time, I grated some cheese into a bowl.  This cheese is a little on the soft side, but I was still able to grate it.  Immediately after grating it, I put it in the fridge.

When the five-minute timer went off, I started the oil, wine, thyme and coarse-chopped shallots simmering in the pan.  I turned the steak and topped the other side with the pesto mixture.  Back in it went for another five minutes.

In the mean time, I started the mushrooms sauteing away merrily with the already-simmering ingredients.  When the timer went off, I topped the steak with the shredded cheese (about 2 tbsp in all) and popped it back in for the remaining 3 minutes.  In that time, I finished the mushrooms and readied the plate.

I'm including a photo to show what the 5+8 minute scheme amounts to with a tenderloin of this cut.  I realize, after seeing the photo, that I like my steaks pretty rare.  Adjust the time to your liking, but remember that it only takes about three minutes under a broiler for the cheese to toast perfectly.

The pairing of the food to the wine was perfect.  Using shallots rather than garlic gave the meal a nice sweet onion overtone without ever being too pungent.  The shallots that were mixed with the mushrooms were sweet and well-cooked, while the ones that went under the broiler maintained a crispiness that was a nice pairing to the rare meat.  The topping of Yancey's Fancy Steakhouse Onion gave the whole meal a certain richness without ever being "overboard."  And as the tasting notes suggest, the Codici Pimitivo Salento was a rich, earthy wine that both complimented the meal's flavors and cleansed the palate between bites.

All in all, a great meal, and a fun return to blogging after a few weeks away!

Yours in the love of great food, wine AND cheese,
AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Seventy-eighth Post ~ Mussels in White Wine and Herb Butter Broth

Blame the dreary weather.  Blame flu season.  Blame the November tendency to burn the candle at both ends.  Whatever the source of blame, I found myself craving the simple, energy-packed joy of a dinner of mussels.

I took my inspiration for parting from my usual wine-and-tomato based sauce from recipes and memoirs from Mireille Guiliano's fantastic books and site.  Seeing as this was a month that ends in "-er" and therefore mussel season, I thought I'd seize the opportunity to revel in this dish cooked with her recommended white wine, butter and herbs.

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

~ Mussels (I find 15 is a perfect meal for me)
~ White wine (I got a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc by Terra Andina)
~ Garlic (crushed or jarred - I was in a hurry tonight, so jarred it was)
~ Fresh parsley
~ Fresh thyme
~ Scallions (about one full one, from bulb to tips)
~ Butter.  Salted.  Lots of it.  I'm German, not French, anyway.
~ Coarse ground sea salt
~ Crispy baguette (sliced)

In a shallow pan with a well-fitted lid, slosh in about a half inch of white wine and several tabs of butter.  Add all but about 4 inches of scallion and a small handful of chopped parsley with a sprig of thyme.  Add a bit of garlic.  Let it simmer as you wash the mussels.  Add a bit more wine if it starts looking like it's simmering into nonexistence.

Add the mussels and another tab of butter over all.  Slap on the lid and walk away for 4-5 minutes.  In the mean time, slice the baguette and pour your wine.

When the time is up, spoon them out into a bowl with the luscious broth and snip the remaining scallion over the dish.  Grind on some salt.  Savor every last mussel and every last drop of "liqueur."

: : PAUSE : :

I may have gone a little overboard with the scallions.  It made the dish quite oniony.  I LOVED it!!!  It was fresh and zesty and bursting with green flavor.

: : UNPAUSE : :

The wine was a perfect companion.  It was grassy and crisp, but mellow enough to compliment rather than fight the buttery broth.  It tamed the taste of the scallions and brought out the "fresh from the sea" taste of the mussels.

All in all, a very fulfilling, satisfying dish!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,
AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Seventy-fourth Post ~ Cheesy, Savory Spaghetti with Mushrooms

This meal is so simple and yet sooooo satisfying... And this post contains a confession from The Accidental Chef.

Here goes.

You know I have a soft spot for my imported goat cheese buttons from Portugal. You know I love my shredded Parmesan from Italy. You know all about my love affair with Dutch vintage gouda, and you know I'm a sucker for the snowy, white rind of a French brie.

But here's something you may not know about me. For melting into gooey, cheesy, soul-pleasing bliss between two slices of grilled buttered bread, or swirling beautifully into savory, delectable spaghetti, I really think that nothing beats...

Velveeta.

You heard it here first. Way back in my cheese drawer, behind the intense brie and the herb-crusted chevre, sits a happy orange block of this processed American cheese. It waits in there for rainy afternoons when I'm craving grilled cheese and tomato soup. And it sits in there for nights like tonight - when I'm in need of some cheesy spaghetti.

So here's what you'll need for this wonderful dish:

~ Spaghetti (cooked as per usual in salted water)

~ Ready-made spaghetti sauce (I have some tomato basil by Wegmans in my freezer at the ready)

~ Mushrooms (chopped)

~ Fresh herb of choice (I heart thyme)

~ EVOO

~ Splash of wine

~ And... Velveeta

Make your pasta and while it's cooking, chop up some mushrooms. Start them sautéing in a pan with some EVOO and salt. Add the fresh thyme and a splash of wine. Once they're done, add some spaghetti sauce and ample slices of Velveeta. Watch as the color fades from bright red to a soft, autumnal orange. Add another splash of wine.

When the pasta is cooked, strain it then toss it right into the pan of sauce and turn the heat off almost immediately. Stir it around, then twirl and serve right onto a plate.

I paired tonight's dinner with a French red table wine by Vieux Papes. It is fruity enough to contrast beautifully to the salty sauce on this pasta, and was dry enough to cut the richness so that my palate felt cleansed between bites, keeping the meal from ever being overwhelming. Well - I was overwhelmed - by the wonderful cheesiness of it all, but that's not a bad thing.

Yours in the love of good food and wine (and guilty pleasures),

AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Seventy-third Post ~ Turkey with Pear and Cherry Dressing with Spiced Acorn Squash

Autumn is my favorite time of year for so many reasons: the colors, the crispness of winter on the air, the scent and sound of leaves crunching under my feet - and the foot. Let us not forget the food. This is the time to celebrate savory, spicey, home-inspired comfort foods - and I decided to make turkey tonight - turkey tenderloins, that is!

Here's what you'll need for this simple turkey preparation:

~ Turkey tenderloins

~ Chopped piece of shallot

~ Garlic

~ Sage

~ EVOO

~ Bosc pear

~ Dried Cherries

~ White wine

For the acorn squash (so easy and yummy - makes a good lunch when you want to say you were good and "only had vegetables" for lunch!)

~ Halved acorn squash

~ Brown sugar

~ Butter

~ Spices of choice - I always choose cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves

Here's how I make the squash, which can sit and wait after cooking until the meal is ready:

Pierce the squash and microwave it for about 30 seconds on high. This makes it far easier to cut. Slice in half. If you're only cooking one half, saran the other and save it for a lunch later on in the week. Scoop out the seeds and fill the middle with a tab of butter, ample sugar and lots of spices. Place it in a small bowl and put a tiny amount of water in. Saran and microwave for 3-5 minutes. Let it sit until the rest of the meal is done.

Slice the pear and mince some onion. In a stick-free pan, begin sauteeing the onion, garlic, white wine and sage. Add the turkey tenderloins, a little pepper and some salt. Just when they've browned nicely, add the pear slices and cherries. You may need to add a bit more wine. Cover the pan and let it cook until the juices from the turkey run clear. Serve with the squash.

I enjoyed tonight's meal with a Chardonnay by Tall Poppy. It was fruity and oaky, reminiscent of late-harvest pears and apples. It was the perfect compliment to this meal!

Yours in the love of good food and wine (and autumn!)

AL

Seventy-second Post ~ Curry Lamb Shish Kebabs with Wild Rice

Tonight I had my friend Jess over for dinner. We had decided (based on a random facebook post) that tonight would be all about lamb. She'd bring a red wine, and I'd create an entrée. So one afternoon when I needed a break from studying, I brainstormed some ideas and sketched this meal out. Here's what you'll need:

For the marinade:

~ one clove crushed garlic

~ curry powder

~ soy sauce

~ white wine

~ apricot jam

~ thyme

~ honey

~ bay leaf

For the shishes (read this post for my rant on the linguistic wrongness of "shish kebab"):

~ lamb tenderloins (or, as it turned out, butterflied leg of lamb)

~ onion

~ yellow pepper

~ garlic

~ baby bella mushrooms

~ dried apricots

For the rice:

~ Uncle Ben's fast-cook recipe long grain and wild rice. Follow the directions and just as it's getting ready to sit and steam for 5 minutes, toss in a good couple handfuls of dried cranberries. This can be made right as you begin cooking - it can steam for a while until you're ready to eat.

I was surprised to learn that lamb tenderloins are not a regularly stocked item; turns out I've just gotten lucky each time I've gone to Wegmans and gotten them previously. This time I found butterflied leg of lamb, and was told by the helpful staff that it is tougher than the tenderloins, but if I plan to marinade it, it will be good. So I made the marinade ahead and let it sit in it for over 24 hours. The end result was super flavorful, tender lamb.

Here's how I made the marinade.

In a sauce pan, start some white wine and olive oil heating up. Add a good swirl of soy sauce and several whole sprigs of thyme and the bay leaf. Add some curry powder. As it starts to seriously simmer, add a few tablespoons of apricot jam and then some honey to taste. Crush in a clove of garlic last of all.

Let it sit and cube the lamb. Put it in a bowl and when the marinade is room temperature, pour it over the lamb. Saran wrap it and let it rest in the fridge over night. In the morning, stir it around and cover it and put it back in the fridge for the day.

Once it's time to get cookin', slice up the pepper and onion while you simmer the mushrooms in some white wine, salt and EVOO. In a separate pan, caramelize the onion with some oil and sugar. When the fire alarm goes off, splash in some white wine (which solves a lot of kitchen problems) and add the peppers. Let them sautee until just tender. Let everything sit and cool in prep bowls. Preheat your toaster oven. When you're ready, skewer your shishes with apricots, lamb, mushrooms, peppers and onions. Place in a pan and pour the remaining marinade over the top. Broil until the lamb is cooked to your liking. We liked ours medium-rare, so it didn't take too long! Serve over wild rice.

Jess and I enjoyed this meal with a Peruvian merlot by Santa Rita. It was spicy and fruity and had a luxurious, velvety finish that paired beautifully with the meal. Naturally, girl-talk paired perfectly with this meal as well, so it was, all in all, a perfect evening!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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-second Post ~ Spaghetti alle Vongole

It started with a photo... While looking at a friend's travel photos, a picture of a pasta and seafood dish caught my eye and captivated my soul as only a foodie's soul could be captivated. She told me that it was a common dish in Japan, where there seems to be a prevalence of authentic Italian cooking (who knew?). The dish's name is spaghetti alle vongole, and is Neapolitan in origin. I decided that I must try it for myself.

So, with a tweaked recipe from the UK in hand (this was an international venture), a willing test subject at the ready (my boyfriend, John) and a Wegman's shopping list, I set out to recreate the meal that had captured me so (with the hopes that it would taste as lovely as it looked).

Here's what you'll need to take this virtual trip to the sunny Mediterranean shores of Napoli.

~ fresh clams (for two: about a pound or so - or maybe more - I got littlenecks from Wegmans as they are the sweetest)
~ spaghetti
~ dry white wine (enough for cooking and for drinking - I recommend buying a bottle to serve as the beverage and a mini bottle for cooking. Woodbridge by Robert Mondavi is a good single-serve wine for both drinking and cooking)
~ garlic
~ flat leaf (AKA Italian) parsley
~ scallions
~ lemon juice
~ extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)
~ chili powder (cayenne)
~ white pepper
~ course ground sea salt
~ butter

To add a little more to the dish, I opted to roast some garlic that could be spread on a baguette. So, for the side that really compliments the dish with savory nuttiness:

~ one bulb of garlic
~ baguette
~ EVOO
~ coarse ground sea salt

Peel the garlic cloves and generously coat in EVOO and season with coarse ground sea salt. Wrap the whole bundle up in tin foil and roast in a toaster oven (or heating apparatus of your choice) on 400 degrees for about a half hour. Start this ahead of time.

Cook your spaghetti as per usual in salted water. As it's cooking, chop up some parsley and one large scallion. Set to the side. If you have a sous chef, ask him to slice the baguette and put it in a bowl and rinse the clams.

In a pan with a well-fitting lid, start some EVOO, lemon juice, two cloves of garlic and scallions gently sizzling.

Add a bit of cayenne - I used less than the quarter teaspoon that was called for, as I have a lower spicy threshold than most. I like to taste my food thoroughly, and I find that extreme heat can detract from that. Others love this taste/sensation, so you be the judge and add as much or as little as you like. The dish itself is typified by having a bit of heat (hence why it is refreshing on a hot Mediterranean day) but it would be delicious without it, as well.

Add the white wine, parsley, and clams.

:: PAUSE ::

The recipe from the UK calls for steaming the clams in less than two tablespoons of white wine. Obviously, American clams must be thirstier than British ones. That or the original recipe doesn't intend to yield a lot of broth.

The liquid that comes from shellfish as they open and cook is referred, in the foodie world, as "liquor." This is an appropriate name for it, as it is about as intoxicating and delicious as some finely distilled spirit. I like a lot of it. As you may recall, my mussel recipe yields more than enough, and is intended to be mopped up with the baguette after all the mussels are consumed.

I was sort of expecting the same deal with this recipe, but even after allowing for the pasta to absorb some of the liquid, there was not a lot left for dipping. To alleviate this tragedy, I would recommend adding a good deal more white wine to the pan, and definitely more clams that what was called for (6-8 per person).

:: UNPAUSE ::

So, whether or not you have gone the route of more broth, add your parsley and clams, season with salt and pepper, and slap on the lid for four to five minutes. At this point, your pasta should be sitting in a colander in your sink. Your garlic should be done, so unwrap the luscious gems and mash them up with salt to taste.

By now your timer should be going off, so take the lid off, revel in the aroma, and dump your pasta into the pan and toss it all around.

Serve in big bowls with crusty bread spread with roasted garlic. I paired this meal with a Soave from Vincentini Agostino, which was bright with citrus to compliment the garlic and scallions, light enough not to overpower the delicate clams, and cool in the face of the cayenne. It was a perfect partner for this dish, and made this the perfect meal for a hot summer evening!

Yours in the love of good food and wine (and the derring-do to take a culinary leap based solely on someone's vacation photo),
AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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.

Fifty-eighth Post ~ Rosemary Garlic Pork Tenderloins en Papillote

It's crested above eighty degrees here in Buffalo, and as someone who never wills the winter to leave nor the days to become hot, I feel that I have the right to complain, if only for a moment. The humidity is at 60%, and when you couple that with 84 degrees, and then couple THAT with a third-floor apartment dwelling, you end up having a real issue about what to make for dinner.

Yes, it all comes down to that: Dinner.

So tonight I opted to cook "en papillote" for three reasons:

1.) It's quick - when it's this hot out, I don't have a whole lot of energy.

2.) It's light - the en papillote method cooks your food entirely through steam - no heavy oils or butters.

3.) It's convenient - prep your raw ingredients and stick it in the toaster oven - no need to stand over a hot stove!

So here's what you'll need for tonight's dinner:

~ Pork tenderloin (cut into a little less than a one-inch medallions)

~ Mushrooms

~ White wine

~ Garlic (fresh or jarred - I went jarred because it amounted in less to wash later on over a hot sink)

~ Fresh herbs of choice (I used rosemary and thyme, because they're my perennial favorites)

~ Coarse ground sea salt

~ Dijon mustard (optional)

Cut out your parchment paper heart and set your pork medallions in one half. Over this, place your herbs. Sauté some mushroom slices in a pan with a little water, a dash of olive oil and some salt. Place them on top of the fresh herbs. Over this scatter a bit of crushed garlic.

Fold the "heart" and crimp the edges. Into the naturally-formed "spout" at the heart's bottom, pour about a tablespoon of white wine.

Seal it up and cook it for about 13 minutes in a pre-heated 375-degree oven.

I went into the other room and enjoyed the breeze from a fan while I worked for a bit. When the timer went off, I transferred the parchment package to a plate and paired the meal with an Italian Rosato from Negroamaro by Cantele. It was delightfully bright with a nose of sun-ripened raspberries and unexpected notes of anise.

Upon tasting the pork and mushrooms, I found them to be flavorful, yet lacking just a bit. I put a small amount of dijon mustard onto the pork and found that it married the flavors of the rosemary and garlic beautifully - however, as a caveat to oenophiles everywhere, I have to mention that it did kill some of the subtle beauty of the wine.

I think that if I had it to do over again (which of course, I do; that's the beauty of cooking!) I would enjoy the meal with this wine as mentioned without the mustard, and for an alternate taste, I would place a bit of dijon en papillote prior to cooking, and then pair the meal with a little heavier of a wine, such as a pinot noir or a merlot.

All in all, a good meal (and I intend to take another tasting of the Rosata in a little while after my palette clears a bit) and all the more satisfying for its hot-weather-friendly nature!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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.

Fifty-third Post ~ Savory Dill and White Wine Pork and Mushrooms

Tonight I left my night class with a sinking thought - a thought that would only occur in the mind of a grad student: "When exactly was that pizza from?" Because when you're in grad school, it's perfectly normal to walk into a classroom five minutes late, see a box of pizza on the conference table and flip the box open and start noshing a slice without ever entertaining the notion that perhaps that pizza was from last night's night class...

But I digress.

My point is that I came home tonight slightly full yet slightly hungry. So I finished up my stats homework and decided to cook something on the smallish yet still fulfilling side.

I had in my freezer three medallions that I had sliced from a small pork tenderloin that I had cooked last week. I thawed them out and assessed what else I had in my fridge. I had some button mushrooms and some fresh dill. I also had onion and garlic, and about two inches of a wonderful sweet white wine. We can work with this. Here's what you'll need for tonight's appetizer-sized meal:

~ Pork tenderloin cut into medallions

~ Button mushrooms

~ White wine (for sautéing, I prefer sweet NY whites as they have a lot of residual sugar which prevents the mushrooms from tasting tart)

~ Fresh dill (haven't had a lot of experience with this herb yet, but I really am warming to it!)

~ Garlic (one clove)

~ Small amount of onion

~ Coarse ground sea salt

~ Olive oil

~ A dash of balsamic vinegar

~ A quick squeeze of lemon

With one cutting board and one chef's knife (keep this simple - it's late) mince up the garlic and onion. Add it to the dash of olive oil and balsamic in your pan and a quick squeeze of lemon. Add some sweet wine. Take a taste for yourself. Add the mushrooms and start everything a-sizzlin'. Grind some salt over the whole thing and then add some dill (about one small sprig's worth).

Let this sauté for a bit until the mushrooms are almost done. Scootch the mushrooms to the center of the pan and place the pork medallions into the sauce on top of some of the garlic, onion and dill. Turn a few times until they are done. You may want to move them toward the center of the pan and the mushrooms out a bit.

The next time I make this meal, I think I would add a little fruit to the mix (perhaps some diced apple or dried apricot) to add a touch more sugar to the acidity of the sauce. I thought it was really tasty, but I thought it would be exceptional with just the slightest bit more sweetness.

I enjoyed this supper with a glass of Mastroberardino Lacryma Christi del Vesuvio. It's a 2005 and needed to be consumed... that, and it's a really enjoyable white wine, with crisp acidity that complemented the fresh lightness of the dill and citrus.

Yours in the love of good food and wine (regardless of the time of day!)

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.

Forty-fifth Post ~ Maple Rosemary Salmon

Perhaps it's the fact that I'm going to Alaska in 91 days (but who's counting). Perhaps it's the fact that Panera just started a new line of salmon dishes and I'm smacked in the face with 5-foot tall salmon billboards every time I drive past one. Perhaps it's the fact that I just plain love salmon. For whatever reason, tonight's meal happens to be a salmon fillet.

I went to Wegmans tonight after the seafood shop was closed. I found salmon fillets from Canada packaged in twos. I only wanted one. I happened to see one of the guys who works the seafood shop passing by, so I asked him if it would be okay to freeze one of the fillets.

:: PAUSE ::

This is the reason I love Wegman's. They will happily cheat themselves out of a larger sale in the name of good food. Customers know that they're not going to get taken to the cleaners - food is too important to these people.

:: UNPAUSE ::

So the guy's eyes widened for a split second in horror, and then he cringed. "Weeeeell... I guess you could... How 'bout I just package one of these up for you?"

Sold. So I left with a 6 oz. farm-raised salmon fillet from Canada.

I was in the mood for an easy meal, so I bought some "Take It" (rather than "Make it") Wegman's vegetables. Although they were yummy, I must say it was a rather pointless purchase, as I was more than satisfied with this generous salmon fillet and glass of wine. Here's what you'll need to make tonight's salmon:

~ Salmon fillet (preferably skin-off - this fillet came pre-skinned; if it's not, you can usually ask the fish seller to do it for you)

~ Maple syrup (the real stuff -mine's from a NYS maple syrup artisan who makes probably the best bottles of this liquid gold that you can get anywhere in this world.

~ Powdered ginger

~ One sprig rosemary

~ Salt (to taste)

~ Sweet white wine

~ Olive oil

:: PAUSE AGAIN ::

It is my opinion that most restaurants over-cook fish; salmon in particular. Now, I know I love sushi, but I'm not expecting my fish to come out raw - but I'm not expecting it to be dry and "fishy" tasting, either. The way I'm going to suggest cooking salmon takes some time, but it's worth it. And it's a pretty -hands-off technique - aside from flipping it once, there's not much to do but let it cook on very low heat. Cooking salmon this way will create a tender, moist, flavorful piece of fish that is not at all "fishy." I think most people who say they don't like salmon have had it where it's overcooked and too strong tasting.

:: UNPAUSE ::

So prep your pan by rubbing it down with the olive oil. Start the pan heating. Unwrap the salmon, and cover all sides of it generously with maple syrup. Place it skinned-side down in the pan. Sprinkle some ginger over the top of it and press a sprig of rosemary into the top. Let it cook on very low heat until it is cooked halfway up. Carefully turn it over. Continue to cook on very low heat until the edges are a beautiful "salmon pink" and the very, very center is a shade darker. Turn it one more time and add a very small amount of sweet white wine (I'm talking 1-2 tablespoons, here) and let it gently simmer. Turn off the heat while you get your side on the plate and your wine poured.

I paired tonight's dinner with Vetter Vineyard's Victorian Chautauqua - one of my long-time favorites. It's sweet without being cloyingly so, and it compliments the maple syrup in tonight's meal. Usually, I pair salmon with a red wine, but this recipe makes the salmon so light and mild, it's overshadowed by a red. A nice light sweet white brings out all the flavor you'll need.

Here's to an easy supper!

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.

Forty-fourth Post ~ Chicken in Bleu Cheese Cream Sauce Topped with Sauteed Mushrooms

This meal might sound gourmet, but in all honesty, it was born from determination to use (and use and use and use) leftovers that I might already have in my fridge. You all remember the chicken from last night - well, here was a good way to use part of it up. This is a pretty easy meal to make with substitutions - any meat would do, really.

Here's what you'll need:

~ Pasta (I used zitti)

For the mushroom topping

~ Mushrooms (I sliced up some baby pearls using my Chef's Knife - that's right - I've got one now, as part of a gloriously beautiful set in a wooden block, courtesy of my absolutely wonderful dad - or Santa... not quite sure, but I know they were given to me by a jolly man who loves me!)

~ One scallion, chopped

~ Bit of garlic (jarred or pressed, your choice)

~ White wine (Vetter Vineyards Brig Niagara was a perfect cooking and drinking companion)

~ Salt

~ Olive oil

For the cream sauce:

~ Chicken (preferably cooked leftovers, for ease)

~ Cream

~ Blue cheese

~ Any other cheese you might want to add (I had some grated parm on hand, so in it went)

~ White wine

~ Paprika

~ Thyme

~ Salt

~ Butter

Start your water boiling for your pasta, and cook and drain as you make the rest of the food:

In one pan (the only pan you'll need, if you work the sequencing right) start some olive oil heating. Add your chopped mushrooms and scallions, then some white wine. I'm starting to learn that I really like New York whites to use for sauteeing mushrooms. Other less-sweet wines can give the mushrooms a tart taste, but New York whites make them sweet and savory, all at the same time. Add salt and garlic to taste. Once they've sautéed, put them into a prep bowl to wait patiently.

In the same pan (now empty) add some butter and your chopped chicken. Add salt, thyme and paprika to taste. Once it's nicely golden, add the blue cheese crumbles (I used a crumbled Danish bleu from Wegmans) and some heavy cream and wine. Stir the mixture 'til it melds, adding more liquid as needed.

Top the pasta with the chicken in blue cheese cream sauce and top THAT with the mushrooms. I paired tonight's meal with Vetter Vineyard's Brig Niagara. It was sweet enough to par down the sharpness of the blue cheese, yet smooth enough to cleanse the palate, as this meal is a rich one. It had a soft finish, which made it a nice match, rather than contrasting pair, to the meal.

All in all, a nice dinner, and a nice re-use of leftovers!

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.

Forty-first Post ~ A Word on Mussels

So I've taken a little cooking hiatus, since I've spent the better part of the holidays at home with my family. And I think nearly all of my readers would agree that when you're given the opportunity to enjoy home-cooked meals from your mama's kitchen every day of the week, you seize that opportunity and you don't let it go. While staying at home, I did learn some valuable recipes from my mom, which I'll be detailing in later posts, including:

~ Perfect hamburgers, every time

~ New Year's Lobster Tails

~ Luscious Cranberry Torte

~ Melt-in-your-mouth Pork Tenderloin...

And many more. But tonight, I'd like to focus on a particular mollusk that I'm a big fan of.

Tonight was one of my first nights back in my apartment, so I thought it apropos that I cook one of the first meals that started me on this interesting journey: mussels in a tomato and wine sauce. I know I featured this recipe when I blogged a few months back about clams, but to be honest, I think that the little-recognized mussel deserves its day in the sun.

Mussels, to begin with, are a heck of a lot cheaper than clams. Clams ring in at $14.99 for a bag of 50 while a 2 lb bag of mussels runs you $4.99. I paid just under $2 for my usual boat of 15 mussels. As previously stated, they're not called "famine food" for nothing.

Call me crazy, but I also just think that mussels taste better than clams. As soon as they hit the sauce this evening, my kitchen filled with the fresh smell of the sea. And by that I don't mean "of seafood," I mean "of the sea" - fresh, clean, pure.

I crave mussels every so often, and maybe for good reason: one pound of mussels contains over 450% of your daily value of vitamin B12. Not to mention a good helping of iron, phosphorus and potassium.

So here's the recipe, in case you didn't catch it the first time around. Don't forget a nice crusty baguette (Paneras or Wegmans fit the bill on this one!) to soak up the sauce.

Here's what you'll need if you're cooking for one:

~ Mussels (about 15-20)

~ 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce

~ 1/2 white wine

~ clove (or teaspoon jarred) garlic

~ 1-2 bay leaves

~ Dash of dried thyme

~ Depending on wine used, a splash of lemon juice for some added acidity

Combine sauce, wine, garlic, bay leaves, thyme and lemon juice in a medium sauce pan with a well-fitting lid. As the sauce starts to simmer, add the mussels after cleaning them under running water.

Slap the lid on and walk away for 3-4 minutes. Pour your wine (I highly recommend Pinot Grigio; tonight's was by Pepperwood Grove) and lay a towel down over your tablecloth. Seriously. You may think I'm joking, but I need it, and I was the child that had my grandfather install a bench at the corner of my sandbox so I could play in the sand but not get myself dirty.

Discard any mussels that don't open. Transfer the open mussels into a bowl and enjoy with the bread and wine. A fine, nutritious, inexpensive, easy meal! What's not to love?

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.

Thirty-fifth Post ~ Pork Tenderloins en Papillote

As the third addition to the "en Papillote" files, I offer you pork tenderloins and potatoes. I made this a few nights ago, and just didn't want this to end up wasting away in the File of Meals that Don't Get Blogged. So I thought I'd take five minutes out to write it up. Here's what you'll need for tonight's dinner:

~ Pork tenderloin - cut a few pieces off then save the rest for another meal

~ Small red potatoes

~ Dried fruit (I used golden and regular raisins and cranberries)

~ A random few sloshes of whatever wine is laying around

~ Chives or green onions

~ Fresh (or dried) herbs - I used thyme and marjoram

Preheat your oven. Quarter and boil the potatoes in salted water with some thyme. Meanwhile, dice your pork and place it in one half of your paper heart (See Post #33 for directions on this one!) Salt and pepper the pork to taste. Add a sprig of fresh marjoram. This herb is nearly floral in its aroma - use it sparingly! Add a small bit of green onion or chive. Once the potatoes are forkable, place them over the pork and scatter some dried fruit all around. Fold up your heart and pour in the bit of wine. Cook for 12-15 minutes. All the flavors will meld, and the dried fruit will reconstitute with the juices, making it all sweet and savory at the same time.

I enjoyed this dinner with some leftover Cupcake Vineyard's Chardonnay. It needed something floral and sweet to downplay the serious oakiness of this wine. As it's fermented in stainless with oak chips added for taste, it comes off a bit heavy and not as well-rounded as a chard actually aged in oak barrels. Based on the tasting notes of this wine (warm vanilla, oaky, slightly spicy and well-rounded) I was hoping I had found a lesser expensive version of Cakebread Cellar's Chardonnay (truly the best wine I've ever had in my life - It's what actually started me on this whole path of food and wine appreciation two years ago!) but was disappointed. It still is a nice wine to pair with meals that would normally overpower a weaker white, like this one.

All in all, a good, quick meal to enjoy at the end of a long day!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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-fifth Post ~ Clams simmered in white wine and tomato sauce

Here is a dinner that I get a craving for every now and then and feel a great satisfaction from upon preparing and eating.

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Perhaps it's the incredible nutrient value in clams and mussels. Perhaps it's that they're so easy to cook. Perhaps it's because a dish of mussels prepared in much the same fashion was the first meal I researched, tweaked, and cooked for myself at a time in my life when little victories were big victories.

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Whatever the reason, this is a simple, inexpensive, yummy meal.

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Here's what you'll need:

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~ One sauce pan with a well-fitting lid

~ Clams or mussels (in truth, I prefer the taste, appearance, and size of mussels, but I guess they're a relatively seasonal thing. When cooking for one, I find that around 10 clams or 15 mussels is an appropriate number. And mussels aren't called Famine Food for nothing - they're about fifty percent cheaper than clams)

~ Spaghetti sauce (any kind will do)

~ Dry white wine (I typically use Pinot Grigio, but tonight I used a Sauvignon blanc)

~ Bay leaves

~ Garlic

~ Thyme

~ Lemon juice (optional)

~ One loaf crusty, uncut bread (I was walking through Wegmans and was grabbed by the shirt front by the aroma of a freshly-baked Pan Italia loaf, so I grabbed one of those for $2)
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Get your clams or mussels home in an unsealed plastic bag (lest they suffocate) and place them in your fridge post haste. I learned today that the best way to keep them fresh and happy is by placing them in a collander in your fridge covered with a damp cloth.

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When you're ready to cook, rinse the clams or mussels in the sink. If any are open, tap the shell a few times. If it doesn't close, toss it out.

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Your sauce is going to consist of one part speghetti sauce to one part white wine. Do taste a little (wine, that is) while you're cooking. It's part of the recipe. Start that simmering. (Cooking for one, I use 1/2 cup wine to 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce.) As it's heating up, crush one or two cloves of garlic into it. Be sure to stir regularly. Add one or two bay leaves (depending on size) and add a touch of dried thyme. Adding a hint of lemon juice can give it an extra zing.

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Once the sauce starts bubbling nicely, add the clams or mussels one by one. Slap the lid on the pot and busy yourself for about four minutes. Wash dishes, check email, play with puppy, etc.

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Check to see if they're opening. Clams take about six minutes, mussels about four minutes.

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When the time is up, take them off the heat. Throw out any clams or mussels that don't open. Prepare your crusty bread by tearing it into chunks or cutting it into largish pieces. You'll want more bread than you'd expect, because the sauce is excellently flavored by the seafood.

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Place the clams or mussels in a bowl and pour the sauce over them. Eat each with a bite of bread, and use the remaining bread to eat up the remaining sauce!

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I paired (and cooked) tonight's dinner with a Chilean Sauvignon blanc by Viña Ventisquero. It was dry, citrussy, tasting faintly grassy and surprisingly sparkly on the tongue. It paired beautifully with this fresh-from-the-sea goodness!

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Tasty, simple, nutritious, inexpensive!

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Yours in the love of good food, wine, and the meal that started it all,

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.