Ninety-Ninth Post (One more!) ~ Cooking with Lentils

This past week, I was on a cruise with my family in the Caribbean to celebrate my grandmother's 80th birthday.  I've got to say, all the good food made me really miss blogging.

Don't get me wrong - I've been cooking and eating LOTS of good food over the last few months - I just haven't been blogging as much as I'd like.  Hopefully, that shall change.

Certainly the inspiration to reach 100 posts will help nudge me!

So, while we were on this cruise, I ordered a phenomenal pork roast dinner.  The pork was fork-tender.  The bread was crackle-perfect and the wine robust.  But what really stole the show for me (I'm sure to the chef's chagrin, should he have known) were the perfect little lentils spread under the roast.  I was immediately reminded of how much I love these little beans.  Perhaps it's because they're tied to a memory.

When I was a junior in college, I had a schedule during the winter months that allowed me to take a morning class and then drive back to my apartment for a breather before heading off to night classes.  I had, if I recall, about an hour and a half total for a break.  I'd throw my bags on the floor, take off my shoes, and prepare a hot lunch.  More often than not, it was a bowl of Campbell's soup (I wasn't such a cook back then).  One of my favorites was lentil soup.  I'd line up a re-run episode of Frasier on my DVR, sit with a heating pad on my back to relieve the chill and eat hot soup, relish in a good laugh, and, though I didn't know it at the time, build memories of my very first apartment and independent young adulthood, memories that will stay with me, steeped in nostalgia, forever.

So as I tasted the lentils, these memories came to me, and I told them to my family.  We talked about how food can be so closely tied to memories, and I resolved myself to return home and blog the very first meal I cooked.

Which happened to be lentil soup.

About which I knew absolutely nothing.

So I hit up AllRecipes, and came across this one.  I decided that my first foray into lentils would be well-instructed.  If this venture went well, I'd continue on unassisted.  One of my favorite aspects of soup is that it can be (and in my and my mother's opinions, SHOULD be) a laissez-faire kind of thing.  I decided to alter the ingredients a little to make it a bit more "throw-in-a-pot-and-walk-away."

Here's what you'll need (and as you can see, I followed the original recipe very closely but with a few substitutions in method - I'm not trying to pass this recipe off as my own!):

~ 1 (12 oz.) bag Wegmans pre-cut, pre-washed course mirepoix 
~ 1/4 cup EVOO
~ 2 cloves chopped garlic (although I think I'd press it next time)
~ 1 tsp each dried basil and oregano
~ 2 bay leaves
~ 1 (14.5 oz.) can tomatoes in whatever form you can find them in (I ultimately found "diced in juice")
~ 2 cups dried lentils
~ 8 cups water
~ good handful baby spinach, rinsed but not cut
~ splash red wine
~ fresh oregano
~ salt

I pre-measured everything before I even turned on the pot.  Doing so makes for faster dump-and-go soup-making.  While the original recipe calls for chopping onions, carrots and celery, I decided to cheat with the pre-made mirepoix.  I started the EVOO simmering and dumped in the whole bag.  I let it cook until the onions were nearly translucent, then added the garlic and the herbs (and wow, did THAT smell good!).  I added a good amount of salt at this point.  I let it cook the recommended 2 minutes, and added the tomatoes, lentils and water.  I walked away for an hour and change, coming back to stir it occasionally and take in the fantastic aromas.

Finally, I turned off the heat and let it sit for about an hour until I was ready to eat.  I turned it back on and added the final ingredients.  The original recipe calls for vinegar.  In my opinion, wine just makes me happier than vinegar.  Unless we're pouring it over curly-cue french fries.  So I added a splash of the Carmenere I got for this meal.  The recipe also calls for sliced spinach, but I opted to go for baby leaves so I wouldn't have to do anything to them.

I let the soup bubble for a few minutes while I changed into my PJs and poured the wine (mine is a comfortable household).  I ladled the soup into my bowl and topped it with a bit of fresh oregano.  Then, I grabbed my soup, grabbed a crusty rosemary roll from Wegman's bakery to go with it and grabbed my glass of Carmenere and sat down to enjoy.

This Chilean wine, by Arboleda, was on sale at the wine shop right around the corner from my old apartment (see?  I told you I was feeling nostalgic!).  It's full, ripe, rustic, and steeped in berry flavor.  It made a fine companion to this meal.

The soup also did not disappoint.  The lentils were tender and flavorful, the vegetables were perfectly cooked, and the fresh oregano gave a punch of bright flavor to the stewed ingredients.  I feel as though I may have found a new favorite bean!  Versatile enough to be a side or a main course (as well as being healthy AND inexpensive), this is not the last you shall read of lentils from THIS accidental chef!

Yours in the love of good food, wine, and nostalgia,
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.

Ninety-Seventh Post ~ Hearty Tomato Vegetable Soup

Today's high was 63 degrees, and I was in heaven in my jeans and hoodie.  I'm what you might call an "Autumn-Winter" person, and today's weather made me feel the change of the seasons and rejoice with it.

And what better way to rejoice than through cooking?

I decided to make a pot of vegetable soup to enjoy throughout the week.  With that decision in mind, I went a little nuts in Wegman's produce department.  Here's what I got, but you can choose any veggies you wish!

~ Carrots, onion and celery (for the classic mirepoix base that my family seems to gravitate toward for all things soup)
~ Acorn squash (if Autumn were a veggie, this would be it)
~ Portobello mushroom (for the sheer sake that I've never cooked with one before)
~ Largish tomato
~ Zucchini (locally grown, of course)
~ Handful leftover fingerling potatoes
~ Fresh herbs (rosemary, sage and oregano - As Wegmans didn't stock any, I found myself giggling over the pun-ready thought, "Why, I won't have any THYME this week!")
~ Four beef bullion
~ Dash white wine
~ Sprinkling of white pepper
~ One clove garlic, coarsely chopped
~ ...And one mystery ingredient which shall be exposed later

So I went home and set to merrily chopping my veggies.  I had about a half-pot full of water (my traditional dutch oven in which I make all my soup) boiling at this time, and into the pot went the coarsely chopped celery, onion and carrots, soon to be joined by the dash white wine and herbs.  Next went some fingerlings.

I pierced the squash and microwaved it for one minute to make slicing it easier.  Then I cut it in half, scooped out the seeds, and cubed it and tossed it in the pot, skin and all.

Next went the portobello, the zucchini and the tomato, skin on as well.  After that went the garlic and the pepper.  By now, things were starting to smell real good.  The problem was that it was tasting a bit bland.  I added some beef bullion and a bit more salt, but to no avail.  Just at that moment, my mama called.

: : PAUSE : :

Somewhere in our ancient history as humans, mothers leaned with their daughters over the crude vessels they had fashioned to hold the night's stewed offerings, whispering to them that if they just added a pinch more of that, or a dash more of this, it just might be a bit more like they remembered it from their childhoods.

Truly, life has changed little since then.  I cheerfully announced that I was making a stab at vegetable soup for the first time, and my mother suggested...

Spaghetti sauce.

Seriously.  I was a little befuddled too.  "Or," she said, "I would add V8 juice to our vegetable soup.  That's what gave it that kick you liked."

So THAT'S why the V8 juice would show up in our cart when I would join my mother for trips to the store.  God knows I'd never DRINK the stuff...

: : UNPAUSE : :

So since I didn't have any V8 juice around, I thawed out a frozen third of a jar of Wegman's spaghetti sauce from the freezer and dumped it in.  The soup slowly took on a more minestrone appearance and smell and - yep - it started to smell more familiar.

(I peeked at the ingredients, and aside from the olive oil, all of the ingredients in the spaghetti sauce were ones I had added already - onion, tomato, salt, spices, garlic... but perhaps in more concentrated form).

I slowed it down to a simmer, tasting here and there.  I'm new at vegetable soup, and after turning off the heat and letting it sit for a while, I was surprised to find that the rind of the squash stayed in tact with a bit of flesh left, but the pulpier parts of it seemed to naturally incorporate into the broth, giving it a wonderfully sweet taste and rich texture.

I enjoyed a bowl of it for dinner along with a few slices of a multigrain baguette and a glass of Tall Poppy Shiraz.  All in all, a satisfying meal that I'll enjoy throughout the week!

Yours in the love of good food and wine (and a few words from the wise),
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-sixth Post ~ Bruschetta-topped breaded tilapia

This was a really simple meal.  So simple, in fact, I considered not blogging about it.  But then, after thinking about my post labels such as "quick dinner," I thought, perhaps I should blog about it for just that reason.

So here you go.

Here's what you'll need:
~ 1 tilapia fillet (I used frozen, and recommend going fresh.  However, this method of preparation will be so flavorful, you won't even notice the difference)
~ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
~ Premade bruschetta
~ Coarse-ground sea-salt
~ EVOO and/or butter

For the side I made the always-delectable roasted brussels sprouts.  See this post for easy-to-follow instructions to for preparing one of my favorite veggies in an oh-so-sweet way.  The only change I made was to exchange fresh thyme for garlic.

Start the brussels sprouts roasting.  Sprinkle ample breadcrumbs on a plate.  Generously coat both sides (including the little nook and cranny) of the tilapia fillet.  Start some EVOO heating in a pan.

: : PAUSE : :

Today something unimaginable happened.  I ran out of EVOO.  Somehow, I thought there was more in the bottle than there was, but sure enough, I tipped it into the pan, and about a teaspoon-full came out.  I thought it might be enough to sautee the tilapia, but unfortunately, it wasn't.  So I added about a tablespoon of butter (not too bad, calorie-wise, right?) and that gave the fillet the most delicately, deliciously browned edges.  Definite accidental win.

: : UNPAUSE : :

So after the tilapia is breaded, set it into the oil or butter or both.  Let it sizzle away while you stir the brussels sprouts.  Salt the upturned side of the tilapia, then flip it.  When it's done, top it with the bruschetta (remaining juice and all).  It doesn't take a lot (I saved about a tablespoon of bruschetta for this meal from when I cooked the lamb and tortellini earlier this week).

I enjoyed tonight's meal with another fabulous chilled glass of the Vinho Verde by Gazele.  Absolutely divine on such a hot summer's night!

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-fifth Post ~ Prep Ahead Mussels with White Wine, Garlic, Herbs & Tomato

After I get done lecturing, I feel emotionally, mentally and physically exhausted, in a really rewarding kind of way.  Typically, I do call-ahead take-out from Panera, where I can grab my healthy, foodie meal to go, drive back to my apartment, and collapse in front of my TV to dine on panini, salad and a nice glass of wine.

But I'm trying to think outside the lunchbox for some easy alternatives.

Enter mussels.

You all know my love affair with these mollusks - easy, inexpensive, quick and oh-so-yummy.  What's not to love?  It's a quick meal in and of itself, but I thought I'd do some prep to make it even quicker.  My efforts paid off.

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

~ Mussels (1 lb does it for me - unfortunately, Wegmans misplaced the special order I had called in early this morning, and I ended up having to wait for a while with two exceptionally apologetic and friendly seafood staffers while they painstakingly looked for the code to ring up a single pound of mussels, which is not a usual purchase.  Hence the call-ahead.  But we found it - #6755.  Immortalized herein)
~ White wine (tonight's was a lively Portuguese Gazela vinho verde - as clear and effervescent as sparkling water - but with a great deal more citrussy, fresh character!
~ Garlic (1 clove)
~ Fresh herbs on hand (savory, thyme and oregano for me!)
~ 10 or so pieces of oven-roasted tomatoes from the Mediterranean bar.  Super yummy.
~ 2 tbs. butter
~ Coarse-ground salt to taste

In the afternoon, I prepped the broth.  Into my pan went some white wine, garlic, tomatoes, herbs, two pats of butter and salt.  I slapped a lid on and put it into the fridge.

End of story.

I came home this evening with my pound of mussels and a baguette, let the pot come to temp while I greeted my puppy and set my bags down, and then started it simmering, rinsed the mussels and plopped them in.  They cooked covered for 3 minutes while I poured myself a glass of chilled wine and sliced the baguette.

Not 10 minutes in the door, I was sitting down to one heck of a savory meal.

Panera, you know I love you - and I'll probably see you Thursday.  But this was a great way to kick off my week!

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-fourth Post ~ Mediterranean-inspired lamb and tortellini (okay, not really)

I say "not really" because I'm lying in the title.  "Inspired" implies forethought and premeditation.  This was a very un-pre-meditated dinner, insomuch as I didn't realize what meat I was working with until it hit the pan.  This is one of the posts through which I truly feel I've earned the "Accidental" in my blog name.

Let us begin at the beginning...

I occasionally reap the benefits of large meat purchases made by my parents.  Here and there, I'm bestowed gifts of meat which I merrily store away in my freezer and use throughout the year.  Tonight, I found, buried in the back of my freezer like a lost Christmas present beneath the tree, a particularly tempting parcel of... hamburger.  For that's what I was certain it was.

So I decided that hamburger sauteed with bruschetta would render a lovely meaty, savory sauce, perfect for the remaining tortellini that was just shrieking to be eaten up in my cupboard (only a true tortellini-lover knows how loudly and plaintively cheese-filled pasta can shriek).  So I thawed out the rich, red parcel of meat, got out my ingredients, and set the patty into the hot pan into which had already been spooned a large helping of bruschetta.

Where my senses were greeted with decidedly "NOT BEEF" messages.  The savory, rich smell hit me first - one that, for lamb-lovers, is positively intoxicating.  The juicy texture reached my spatula next.  This was not ground beef - this was ground lamb.  I had brought it home intending to make my mother's delectable orange-glaze sauce (caramel, really) that she serves these patties with (along with a bed of white rice to soak up the remaining sauce).

I would not normally have thought lamb+bruschetta = tortellini dish!  But that's what I had in front of me in the pan.

And I'm here to tell you that this was one happy accident!

Here's what you'll need:

~ 1 ground lamb patty (you'll most likely have to special-order these from your butcher, but they're oh-so worth it)
~ Pre-made bruschetta
~ Touch of black truffle oil
~ Dash of balsamic vinegar
~ Tortellini
~ Fresh oregano

So, as previously mentioned, start a pan heating on low-medium with 2-3 heaping tablespoons of bruschetta.  Start a small pot of boiling water going at the same time.  Add the ground lamb to the bruschetta.  Break it up and stir it around.  Let it cook uncovered for about 5-7 minutes, adding some truffle oil (this puts it over the top) and covering it for the remaining time the pasta cooks.  Drain the pasta and uncover the sauce.  Relish in the savory aromas!  Toss the tortellini in the sauce and allow it to meld for a minute or so on low-to-no heat.  Top it with fresh oregano for a truly wonderful dish.

I paired this meal with the Petite Sirah by Crane Lake from last night.  Oh, dear readers, this was a good, good pairing.  Perhaps Sirah and lamb were made for each other, for fruity notes sang from this wine that hadn't been as evident last night.  Spices came to the fore as well, blending harmoniously with the rich flavor of the lamb but not fighting the bruschetta at all.

All in all, a good meal.  Accidentally, of course!
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-third Post ~ Bruschetta chicken atop zucchini ribbons

I spent the afternoon at Janeen's house, where we dined on savory salsa and cream-cheese pizza, baked brie with apricots, veggies, cookies, wine - you get the idea.  I decided to do something light for dinner, so I opted for veggies instead of the usual pasta that I enjoy with breaded meat.

Here's what you'll need for this meal:
~ 1 zucchini
~ Bruschetta (as you know, I'm a fan of Wegman's bruschetta)
~ Chicken tenderloins
~ EVOO
~ Italian seasoned breadcrumbs (I keep my signature breadcrumb-parm-herb mix ever at the ready in my freezer)

This is an easy, quick meal.  Into a pan, slice the zucchini.  I used a veggie peeler, but would recommend a mandolin the next time.  Prevents knuckle scrapes.  Add about a tablespoon of bruschetta with about a tablespoon extra of the liquid from the container and sautee for a few minutes.  Set to the side in a bowl with a plate covering it so they steam a bit more.  Ideally, cover them with the plate you're going to serve it on so you can flip it onto the plate when you're ready.

In the pan, add a bit of EVOO and the breaded tenderloins.  Cook until done (often heralded by the fire alarm).  Place the tenderloins over the bed of zucchini ribbons and top with bruschetta.

I served this tonight with a glass of Petit Sirah by Crane Lake.  It was a fuller-bodied wine than I expected, tasting of ripe cherries, licorice and spice.  In another life, I might have thought ahead and chilled a white French table wine, as I think it would have gone with the meal better, but this wine was so heady and tasty it was more like a side dish.  Not the best pairing, as it overpowered the delicate zucchini and light freshness of the bruschetta, but overall, an enjoyable wine.

And you know, to make the wine feel better, I broke out some dark chocolate for dessert.  A better pairing has not been seen since Romeo set eyes on fair Juliet.

Yours in the love of food, wine, and food & 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-second Post ~ Easy Peasy Veggie Pizza!

I had one of those nights that just got away from me - and before I knew it, it was 9:00 and I still hadn't stopped for dinner.  I needed something fulfilling, quick, and not too rich.  Here's what I came up with.

You'll need:

~ Flatbread (or pita - I've become a huge fan of Kontos Multigrain Flatbread - it's a great afternoon snack cut into triangles, toasted, and served with hummus)
~ Pesto of any sort (I used Wegman's sundried tomato pesto)
~ Veggies (mushrooms and zucchini for me!)
~ Grated parm
~ Drizzle of black truffle oil
~ Fresh parsley

Preheat your toaster oven on 400/broil.  Spread about a tablespoon of pesto over the flatbread.  With a mandoline, thinly slice some zucchini.  Place the slices around over the pesto-spread bread.  Slice up some mushrooms, and lay them on top.  Drizzle on a little truffle oil, sprinkle on some parm, and spread fresh parsley over all.  Broil in your toaster oven until the veggies are beautifully cooked and sizzling!

While the veggies themselves were a delectable roasted sweetness, the best part of this pizza to me was the crust!  The flatbread toasted to a perfectly crispy finish, and the parm was just golden - savory, flavorful, wonderful!

I served this easy-peasy meal with a crisp, peachy pinot grigio by Vetter Vineyards.  A perfect compliment!

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-first Post ~ More Mussels (with a citrussy flair!)

If you're sick of reading about the many virtues of a dinner of mussels...

...Then skip this post.

I wasn't going to blog about this, because it is rather similar to some of my past posts, but I feel like this batch was TRULY the perfect combination of herbs and other flavors.  Here's what you'll need:

~ Mussels, of course.  I make a pound per serving.
~ White wine (I used a "melange" of sorts of some leftover dry Riesling and Pinot Grigio)
~ Salted butter.  Lots o' butter.
~ Herbs: Fresh thyme, fresh rosemary, fresh parsley, fresh, fresh, fresh.
~ Chives to top
~ Two crushed garlic cloves
~ Coarse-ground sea salt
~ One slice lemon

In a pan, add a generous bit of wine.  I'd say a little over a cup.  Start the butter melting.  When all is said and done, probably about three or four tablespoons.  Add the fresh herbs, and don't skimp on the parsley.  Add the slice of lemon and the garlic.  By now, your nose should be telling you that you're doing something right.  Add the course-ground sea salt.

Wash and dump in the mussels.  Slap a lid on and walk away for 3-4 minutes as you slice your baguette.  Come back, take off the lid, and SAVOR the aroma!

Top with lots of snipped chives and enjoy with the bread and a glass of dry riesling.  It is a perfect, perfect meal.

Yours in the love of 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.

Ninetieth Post ~ Maple Garlic Rosemary Marinated Salmon with Parmesan and Parsley Yellow Squash

I can't say enough good things about marinades.  They provide a quick way to make a flavor-packed meal without a lot of fuss.

Here's what you'll need to make this easy dish:

For the salmon:
~ Salmon fillet
~ Maple syrup (the real stuff, preferably)
~ One clove garlic, crushed
~ Rosemary
~ Coarse-ground sea salt

For the veggie:
~ One small yellow squash
~ EVOO
~ Parsley
~ Coarse-ground sea salt
~ Grated parmesan

Several hours before dinner, pour some maple syrup into a bowl.  I got a little souvenir bottle of maple syrup from a friend who traveled to Nova Scotia.  I used that, and shook a little water around in the bottle to catch any remaining sugary awesomeness.  Into the bowl I crushed a clove of garlic and stirred it around.  I added the salmon fillet, spooning some of the mixture over it.  I topped the salmon with some salt and a sprig of rosemary, covered the bowl, and left it alone in the refrigerator until I was ready for dinner.

At that time, I took it out to let it get closer to room temp while I preheated the toaster oven (broil, 400) and prepped the veggies.  In a bowl, I placed the sliced squash and drizzled EVOO over all.  I sprinkled on ample parm and snipped on some parsley.  After adding some salt, I tossed it around by hand, making sure that the squash was well-covered in the mixture.

On a pan, I made a tin-foil divider.  Into one side I set the salmon, pouring the remaining marinade over the top.  In the other side I placed the veggies.

I popped the pan into the toaster oven and walked away for 12 minutes or so.

: : PAUSE : :

WARNING.  This recipe will cause your house to fill with amazing aromas.  If you are immune to the scent of parmesan slowly browning, crushed garlic adding sizzling warmth to cloyingly sweet, sugary maple syrup and rosemary singeing and releasing its spicy earthiness into the air, then you might be able to walk away for the12 minutes.  If you're like me, you'll try walking away, but will then end up back in front of the toaster oven, watching it like a cartoon cat watching a mouse-hole.

: : UNPAUSE : :

So presumably, you're right there when the timer dings.  I served this meal with a dry reisling by Vetter Vineyard.  While the wine was outstanding (and paired perfectly with the lemon rosemary salmon I'm planning to blog about soon), I think a warmer, oakier wine would have matched the maple better, as this riesling is marvelously crisp (think biting into a green apple).  On the other hand, it did add a nice refreshing bite to the meal, which kept it from being too sweet.

'Cause we wouldn't want that...

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.