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

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

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-fifth Post ~ Rustic Autumn Vegetable and Chicken Pesto Pasta

Savory + Sweet - this meal combines all the zest of pesto with the warm, sweetness of roasted garlic and one of my autumn favorites - acorn squash.  It was also quite easy to prepare, as much of the food required separate cooking locations.  Spread out over a kitchen and conquer; that's what I say...

Here's what you'll need:

~ Leftover uncooked squash (I used acorn)
~ 2-3 cloves garlic
~ Mushrooms
~ Chicken tenderloins
~ Pesto (Wegman's ready-made pesto sits in my freezer with its sundried tomato partner)
~ Pasta (I love rainbow rotini)
~ Cream
~ EVOO
~ Butter

Preheat the toaster oven.  Cut up the squash, drizzle it with EVOO and grind on a little salt.  Place it on a baking pan.  Peel the garlic cloves and nestle them in a little foil boat.  Drizzle some EVOO over them, too.  Wrap them up and set them on the pan with the squash.  Start it baking at 375.

Start some salted water boiling on the stove.  In time, add the pasta and watch the clock.

Put a tablespoon of pesto in a pan and slice the mushrooms into it.  Start them sauteeing.  Cut up the chicken and toss it all together over medium heat.  When the chicken is cooked through, set the mix to the side in a prep bowl.

Wash your dishes, set the table for company the next day - kill enough time that your squash starts browning. Add a little butter if you wish.  I'd say that I cooked the squash for about 15-20 minutes.

Turn off the heat.  Strain the noodles.  When the squash is finger-manageable, peel it and cut it.

: : PAUSE : :

I always microwave squash with ample spices, sugar and butter.  I've never really roasted it before.  I was a little dismayed that the squash was somewhat hard on the edges but tender in the middle.  Don't fear!  Once it was combined with the other parts of the meal, it was perfect - tender, but yet still holding its shape!

: : UNPAUSE : :

Once the squash is peeled and diced, put it into the pan with a little more EVOO.  Add the roasted garlic.  Mash up the garlic and mix the squash into it.  Add a splash of cream.  Toss in the strained pasta, then the chicken and mushrooms along with whatever juice has settled into the bottom of the prep bowl.  Salt to taste and serve!

I enjoyed this one-bowl meal with a Chardonnay by Vetter Vineyard.  It was lightly oaked, which complimented the autumn flavorings of this meal, and fruity to offset the zest of the garlic and pesto.  A perfect pair!

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.

Seventy-first Post ~ Herb Marinated Sirloin with Goat Cheese and Sage Mashed Potatoes

I don't know what I was thinking when I bought this sirloin. It was one of those "looks smaller in the store" moments, I think. It's enormous.

In any case, I decided to slice and marinate it for three reasons: 1.) slicing it up would enable me to easily eat some and store the rest of it, 2.) marinade would infuse slices far easier than a whole sirloin which means more flavor and 3.) I had some thinking to do, and nothing relaxes me like the aromatic process of carefully chopping fresh herbs.

So here's what you'll need for the marinade, which you'll want to prepare ahead of time:

~ Splash of whatever wine you have laying around (I had an Italian red)

~ Bit of olive oil

~ Ground sea salt

~ Fresh herbs (I chose rosemary, sage and thyme)

So this afternoon I poured a little olive oil and a splash of red wine into a bowl and chopped up some sage and rosemary and then added a few sprigs of thyme to the mix. Something about the scent of these fragrant plants coupled with the methodical motion of chopping is very relaxing. My paper was finished in no time following this task.

Mix the chopped herbs with the wine and oil. Slice the sirloin and then dip each side into the marinade, finally layering each slice in the bowl so it's well-coated. Seal tightly and refrigerate until you're ready for dinner.

I decided to use some more of the fresh sage I had by making some mashed potatoes, because I had fingerlings on hand and mashed potatoes is something I frequently crave but seldom make or order.

Here's what you'll need to satisfy this craving:

~ Six or so fingerlings, thinly sliced

~ Ground sea salt

~ Fresh (or dried) sage

~ Heavy cream

~ Butter

~ Goat cheese

Boil some salted water, slice the potatoes, and boil them until fork-tender. Mash them in a bowl with some cream, salt, a dash of butter, good amount of goat cheese (okay, now I'm seeing why it's a good idea for me to not make these too regularly...) and chopped sage. Cover them with plastic wrap so you can heat them up once in the microwave before serving them.

Coat a pan with some butter then start it heating (see this post to read about the sneaky ways I give in to my English heritage and butter my steak) and set the steak slices in the pan. They'll cook fast, so if you like your steak on the border between rare and medium-rare like I do, you'll be turning them quickly. When you turn them, pour on the rest of the marinade. Revel in the marinade's aroma as it hits the pan and remind yourself that this is why you adore buying bunches of fresh herbs and chopping them up when you need to de-stress.

Heat up the potatoes and garnish them with an optional sprig of rosemary and some pepper. Serve a few slices of the steak and save the rest for later (lunch, atop buttered toast? Perhaps...). I enjoyed this meal with some Bella Rosa, a lumbrusco-style red from New York State's Merritt Estate Winery. I normally would have anticipated wanting a fuller-bodied red for this meal, what with the goat cheese, herbs and red meat and all, but the fruitiness of this slightly sweet red made the herbal notes sparkle and mellowed out the richness at the same time. In my opinion, a wonderful pairing, and a satisfying dinner!

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.

Seventieth Post ~ Goat Cheese Canapés

I was in the mood for a munchie this afternoon before grading, and so I made these, which were so simple I really wondered if it was worth blogging about them. But then I thought - simple is good! So here we are.

I was first introduced to the word (and concept) of canapés on board my first Celebrity cruise. My mom and I jokingly mispronounce them as "cuh-NAP-ees" because they always arrive in the cabin around nap time.

Well, today's "nap time" is going to be in the form of a cup of Starbuck's French roast, so I thought canapés would be fitting.

Here's what you'll need for these bite-sized snacks:

~ Baguette slices

~ Goat cheese

~ Fruit preserve (I chose apricot)

~ Fresh herb (thyme is my favorite!)

Preheat the toaster oven. Slice the baguette and dab a little goat cheese on each slice. Drop about a table knife-tip's worth of preserves on top, and scatter a little thyme over the whole deal. Bake for about as long as it takes for your 4-cup coffee maker to brew 2 cups.

Enjoy! Then back to work!

Yours in the love of good food and its re-energizing properties,

AL

Sixty-ninth Post ~ Pork Tenderloins with Sun-dried Tomato Pesto and Tortellini

This post is something of a continuation of the theme of "Ode to Wegmans Classic Italian" from this post a short time ago. These ingredients are always in my cupboard and freezer. I'm not sure if there's ever been a day that tortellini hasn't sounded good to me for dinner, and, well, you know my thoughts on pork tenderloins being the most perfect, versatile cut of meat out there and Italian breadcrumbs being just about the best stuff ever.

So tonight's dinner was, in my opinion, something of a culinary no-brainer.

~ Pork tenderloins (cut into medallions - the thinner they are, the faster they'll cook)

~ Italian breadcrumb

~ (optional) fresh or dried thyme

~ EVOO

~ Tortellini (I'm a fan of Barilla's three-cheese)

~ Salt

~ Wegman's sun-dried tomato pesto (which has been sitting patiently in my freezer since I opened it)

Start your salted water boiling. In the mean time, slice the pork and pour some breadcrumbs into a shallow dish. Add some thyme if you wish. By now, the water is rolling, so pour in some tortellini and set the timer for 10 minutes.

Don't put a shellacked bamboo spoon on the edge of the pot with the tortellini, though. You'll spend the first five minutes wondering what that deliciously sweet smell is, and the next five minutes obsessing over the giant blackened spot on the handle of your beautiful spoon.

Coat the tenderloin medallions generously in the breadcrumbs. Get some EVOO smoking in a stick-free pan. Drop in the breaded tenderloins and cook until golden.

Transfer the pork to a plate. In the same pan, dump the strained tortellini and a spoonful of pesto. Turn off the flame and toss the pasta until it's well-coated.

I served tonight's meal with the remaining 2004 Italian red by Saladini Pilastri. It was starting to dry out, so enjoying it with tonight's meal was a wise decision. It was still fruity and oaky, and paired as well with this meal as it had with the lamb.

All in all, a satisfying, quickly-prepared meal!

Yours in the love of good food and wine,

AL

Sixty-eighth Post ~ Lamb Wellington

Tonight I was in the mood for something special for dinner. I had gone to Wegman's to stock my freezer full of meat (never too soon to prepare for Autumn?) and I bought two lamb chops. I found in the refrigerated foods section a Pilsbury sheet of seamless roll-out dough - perfect for my next attempted creation:

Lamb Wellington. Beef Wellington has always caught my eye, and so I thought I'd try to improve upon something that's already pretty grand by changing it from beef to lamb.

Traditionally, wellingtons (of any sort, I suppose) are coated with pate or foix gras. I decided to make my own mushroom pate. Here's what you'll need for tonight's meal:

~ Lamb chops

~ Seamless pastry dough

For the pate:

~ Mushrooms (I used baby pearls)

~ Garlic

~ Dijon mustard

~ Fresh herbs (I chose oregano, rosemary and chives)

~ EVOO

For the side, I had a vegetable medley from the freezer section.

SO! Finely mince the mushrooms and herbs. Put them in a pan with some EVOO, garlic and a hint of Dijon. The aromas that will start to fill your kitchen will let you know pretty quickly that you're on the right track with this.

After the pate has melded, put it in a prep bowl. Briefly brown the lamb in the same pan. Pop the canister of dough (this has always made me jump, ever since I've been a child. It's like someone hands me a live grenade). By now, the pate has cooled. Cut two squares of dough and set a piece of lamb in each one. Top with the pate and wrap and seal the little parcel with the dough. Bake on 375 for about 15 minutes, longer if you like your meat cooked well. In the mean time, heat your veggies in the microwave, go downstairs to reset your breaker because you always forget you can't run two heating apparatuses at the same time, and uncork your wine.

About halfway through, I spread a little butter over the top of the wellington.

I served tonight's meal with a 2004 Italian red by Saladini Pilastri. It was oaky and enhanced the rustic taste of lamb that I've always found so appealing, and was fruity enough to refresh the palate between bites.

All in all, a good meal! Not a good picture, so much - I left my camera at my parents' house and had to resort to my cell phone. The next post will be better photographed, I promise!

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-seventh Post ~ Steamer Pot

I know that summer technically goes until the middle of September somewhere, but to me, the end of August always signaled the end of it. This meal was meant to be a celebration of the dog days of summer - and believe me - cooking it in my 90-degree third floor apartment kitchen really enabled me to welcome in the prospect of autumn and its crisp days.

This dinner was inspired by the steamer pots that my dad and I have shared at Joe's Crab Shack, a care-free restaurant chain that we have visited in Maryland and California. I really think that the act of slamming one pot down on a table and announcing, "Dinner is served!" sets a certain casual, laid-back sort of mood...

So here's what you'll need for tonight's meal (cook this for two - grab a friend, a S.O., a family member, a neighbor - honestly, it's just more fun!):

~ one 2-pound bag of mussels

~ any other kind of mollusk you want to add to the mix - I chose 10 steamer clams

~ one (or two) sausages

~ a good handful of fingerling potatoes

~ three or so ears of corn

~ EVOO

~ onion

~ half teaspoon of sugar

~ scallions or chives

~ garlic (I used three cloves)

~ coarse-ground sea salt

~ seasonings (I used dried thyme, cayenne, white pepper, curry powder and bay leaves)

~ one big ol' pot to cook and serve it in!

Start a large pot about half-filled with water boiling on your stove. Grind in an embarrassing amount of salt.

Chop some onion and start to sauté it in a small pan with some EVOO. My goal was to caramelize the onion and I've learned that there's a fine line between burning and caramelizing. Once they're browning nicely, toss in some sugar and grind on some salt and keep them going, tossing them occasionally. I made the mistake of crushing in the garlic with the onions at this point - all it does is splash hot oil back onto your hand as you crush it in, and then the garlic burns a bit. Injury + Insult. I would recommend waiting until the onions are done caramelizing, turn them off, and crush in the garlic and let it meld.

Once you've turned off the heat under the onions, cut the sausage in half and just set it in the pan with a lid over all so the aroma of the caramelized onions and garlic infuses the sausage.

Now that your water is rolling nicely in your pot, add three bay leaves, a dash of cayenne, curry powder, white pepper, dried thyme, and the pierced fingerling potatoes to the pot. Savor the aroma as you add each spice to the water! Set your timer for 10 minutes. During this time, rinse off your clams and mussels. Also, prep some spices that you'll want to sprinkle over the whole pot before you set it to steam. I mixed a dash of all of the spices listed above into a prep bowl so they were blended and ready for when I needed them.

Cut the ears of corn in half. As soon as the timer goes off, add the corn and reset the timer for 8 minutes. Get your table ready. I recommend large placemats and smallish plates - you're mostly eating out of the pot, anyway! Get some beverages and a large empty bowl for shells and corn cobs. Put some butter on a plate so you can use it on the corn and potatoes if you wish.

When the timer goes off, pour out all but about two inches of water from the pot. Put the caramelized onions, garlic and sausage in. Keep the burner going and put in your clams and mussels. Sprinkle with your spice mix and slap on the lid for 4 minutes.

When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and let it sit for another minute. Then, unveil the steamer pot! Transfer it from stove to table (a trivet or strategically-placed place mat is helpful here). Snip in some fresh scallions or chives for a little fresh, crispy onion taste. Try not to burn your fingers, dig in and enjoy!

I served tonight's meal with a chardonnay by Casillero del Diablo - it was a perfect pairing for the mixture of spices and tastes in tonight's meal. It was refreshing with notes of citrus and vanilla.

All in all, a fun meal and a worthy send-off to summer!

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.