Pantry Pleasures: Mediterranean Bean Salad

Some days, I wish I lived in the Mediterranean.

I think I would do well by the Sea, eating platters of olives, capers, fresh-caught fish, and flavorful tomatoes (my favorite), while sipping crisp wines and soaking up the sun for the rest of my days.

But then I snap back to reality and remember I live in suburbia, nearly 4,810 miles from the Mediterranean (and yes, I actually checked the distance).

So, to cheer myself, I scanned my pantry and fridge for something Mediterranean in design, and threw together a tasty salad.  It was a perfect late lunch, and we ate it along with toasts spread with fresh ricotta and herbs. Mmmm.

Mediterranean Bean Salad (for Two)
Ingredients:
1/2 cup green olives, sliced in half
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil, chopped
1 15 oz. can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 5 oz. can of light tuna (sustainable/dolphin-safe, please), flaked with a fork
3 TBS chopped fresh parsley
1 lemon
Garlic powder
Salt
Pepper

Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up: Category 1

To Do:

• Mix olives, tomatoes and 2 TBS chopped parsley in a bowl with 4-5 teaspoons of the oil from the tomato jar and 2 TBS of lemon juice.

• Stir in the beans, and season to taste with salt/pepper and a pinch of garlic powder.

• Add in the tuna and mix together gently until well incorporated. Cover and chill for at least 15 minutes to let flavors meld.

• When ready to serve, adjust seasonings if needed, squeeze a bit more lemon juice over the salad, and sprinkle with a bit more of the chopped parsley to brighten. 
• Close your eyes and imagine an ocean breeze and sunshine.
• Enjoy!

Yum.
xoxo

I'm a Believer: Anchovy Paste

I don't know about you, but whenever I pass a gourmet food shop, I have to stop what I'm doing and go in. There's an invisible pull -- I can't help myself. I could spend hours browsing the shelves for exotic spices and artisanal vinegars. And of course, I always use the opportunity to stock up on my standbys: tomato paste in a tube, smoked sea salt, aged Gouda, and fig preserves. Yum.

Recently, I added a tube of anchovy paste to my pile of goodies, after seeing some great recipes that feature it, like this one. I may be in the minority, but I've always liked anchovies. They are one of those underrated foods that everyone wrinkles their noses at...until they eat a dish that changes their misconceptions. And of course, if you like Caesar salad, you've eaten an anchovy or two. (They're in the dressing, folks.)

If you aren't quite ready to buy a ticket on the anchovy train, but are willing to give them a chance, I wholeheartedly suggest starting out slowly. (You'll believe in the power of anchovies in no time.) Buy a tube of anchovy paste and go from there. Anchovy paste is made from anchovies, olive oil, salt, sugar and spices. It has a bright, salty flavor and is more savory than fishy. And, a little goes a long way. Add a bit to the melted butter, garlic and grated cheese on your garlic bread. Whisk some into your shallot vinaigrette. Mix some in with the mayo in your potato salad. The opportunities to impress the anti-anchovy faction are endless. Note: I've also found anchovy paste at my local grocery store in the pasta/sauce aisle, so you may not need to go to a specialty shop to find it.

Anchovies go terrifically well with briny olives and capers, spicy peppers and fruity acids, so I made a Puttanesca-type of dish to use as a topping for breads/crackers. I didn't write down the recipe, but I sautéed some garlic in a bit of olive oil until it was fragrant, then in went a couple tablespoons of butter, a tablespoon of capers (drained), about 10 sliced olives (pitted), and an inch or so of the anchovy paste. I stirred it all together until combined, then added in four plum tomatoes that I had seeded and diced, and a last-minute addition of a teaspoon of tomato paste. I cooked this all down, seasoning with salt/pepper and a pinch or two of red pepper flakes. When most of the liquid was gone, I turned off the heat and let it cool a bit before eating. Chris and I then spent the rest of the afternoon drinking wine and scooping the briny-yet-bright tasting mixture onto crusty bread, salty crackers, and hunks of hard cheese.

It would also be great as a pizza topping (add crumbles of spicy sausage and fresh mozzarella) or the more traditional way, tossed with spaghetti. Or for breakfast with a poached egg. To make a sauce, simply add 1 1/2 cups more of the diced tomatoes and simmer about 15 minutes longer, adjusting the seasonings, and you're done. Maybe a drizzle of olive oil and/or some chopped fresh basil, parsley and oregano to finish?

Mmmm. Delish!

Baby steps, dear ones. Baby steps.
xoxo

I'm Roasting!: Lemon-Roasted Potato Salad

Another heatwave? Ugh.

I don't remember summer being so hot and humid when I was a kid --  but I also didn't have to get dressed for work and smoosh onto an overcrowded subway car back then, either. I'm pretty sure I just ran around in shorts or a sundress and slurped on a Popsicle if it was too hot. Being an adult in the summer stinks. (Literally, for some of the folks on my train home tonight.) So, how do I make it better? By roasting up some lovely vegetables for this amazing take on potato salad, of course! Because that makes perfect sense. 

Lemon juice and briny olives add bit of zing to this salad of purple and red potatoes, bright bell peppers, and tart apples. Serve this new favorite picnic side warm with grilled meat and fish, or even cold, tomorrow with leftover chicken.

If you have Central Air (I capitalize it, because I respect it), like we do at Chez Gourmess, turning on the oven isn't a big deal -- if you don't have Central Air, you might want to wait to make this until your kitchen is bearable, or wrap it in foil pouches and try it on the grill (potatoes should be tender and roasted after about 30-40 minutes on indirect heat).

Lemon-Roasted Potato Salad
Ingredients:
Olive oil nonstick spray
2-3 lbs fingerling or small potatoes (red, white, purple), washed and halved lengthwise
1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt/ground black pepper
2 lemons, quartered and seeds removed
1 1/2 cups Picholine olives (pitted and drained)
2 bell peppers (red or yellow or both), cored and sliced into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 large Granny Smith apple (or other tart variety), cored and sliced into 1/2-inch wide pieces
2 TBS butter, diced
3 TBS  fresh parsley, minced

Minimal MESS/ingredients/clean-up Category 2

To Do:

• Preheat oven to 400°F. 
• Spray a large baking sheet or oven-safe dish with nonstick spray. 
• In a large bowl, combine the potatoes with olive oil until coated. Add the garlic, and season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the lemon wedges over the mixture (cover with cheesecloth or use a lemon press to keep the seeds out) then add the squeezed, seedless lemon pieces to the bowl.
• Transfer to pan and roast for about 30 minutes until potatoes have softened.
• At the 30-minute mark, remove the lemon pieces and gently stir in the olives, peppers and apple and dot with the butter and 2 TBS of the parsley.
• Roast for another 15-20 minutes until potatoes start to brown and the apples and peppers are tender but not soggy.
• Remove from heat. Let cool to room temperature (if you can wait that long). 
• Before serving, adjust seasonings with salt/pepper to taste. Top with remaining 1 TBS of parsley a squeeze of lemon, and a drizzle of olive oil. 
• Enjoy!

Stay cool!

xoxo

Simple Summer Snackages

Hello, June -- Hello, Summer!

The time for al fresco dining, chilled bottles of Rosé, fruity cocktails and impromptu patio parties is upon us. Which also means you need a few quick, easy and impressive dishes for those last minute soirees.

Here are three great snackage options to get you started:

Don't Get Crabby Potato Balls
12 oz crab meat (imitation is okay)
6 large potatoes (peeled)
2 TBS olive oil
1 TBS lemon juice
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
3 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 TBS cilantro, minced
1/4 cup mayonnaise (not Miracle Whip!)

• Boil potatoes and smash them in a large bowl.
• In a small bowl, mix together olive oil, lemon juice, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and pepper and salt, then mix into the potatoes.
• Place potatoes on a greased cookie sheet in one layer and broil for about 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. They should be pretty salty. Remove from oven and let cool.
• Shred the crab and add to the potatoes.
• Stir in the cilantro and the mayo.
• Form into small, bite-sized balls and chill at least an hour.
• Serve while cold.

My Mouth's on Fire and Garlic Shrimp

3-4 dozen large shrimp (tails removed, peeled and cleaned)

2 TBS sriracha

1 TBS garlic powder

3 TBS unsalted butter (melted)

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp kosher salt

12 skewers for grilling

• Toss the raw shrimp with the rest of the ingredients and marinate for at least an hour. Bring to room temperature, add 4 shrimp to each skewer and grill 2 minutes per side.  Alternately, cook in a skillet on the stove until pink and serve with mini forks. 
• Note: these are pretty spicy. If you or your guests can't take the heat, serve with a dip of sliced scallions stirred into sour cream.

Drunken Olives

1 cup each of brine-cured black (Kalamata are my fav) and green olives (cracked)

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

2 TBS lemon juice

2 TBS olive brine

1/4 cup vodka

3-4 large garlic cloves, minced

1 tablespoon grated lemon or orange peel

1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper

1/2 teaspoon Herbs de Provence

• Mix all of the ingredients together in a large bowl, cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 1 hour.  When ready to serve, let the olives come to room temperature, adjust seasonings (more herbs or red pepper?) drain off any juice and spoon into serving bowl. Be sure to set out a small bowl for pits.

Serve these snacks with chilled wine or fizzy cocktails.  Add a cheese plate with some toothsome crackers or assorted flat breads, a bowl of dried fruit and nuts, some baby carrots or apple slices, and you're on your way to a lovely, stress-free, tasty evening.

Cheers.

xoxox

Oven-Roasted Cod with Tomatoes, Olives, Capers, Garlic, and Lemon

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate.

 --Julia Child

I think I've mentioned this dish or something similar to it in the past -- but I can't help post about it again. It is my go-to for a quick, no-fuss way to create an elegant and tasty fish dish.  

I had some cod handy, but you can use any other white fish -- halibut, bass, trout, snapper, tilapia, etc. (I wouldn't use salmon or tuna for this, as you want to use a fish that doesn't have a strong flavor.)  Also, a thick fillet is better than thin, as the pieces will break apart -- but a thin fillet will still taste terrific, so go with what you have in your fridge/freezer.  

There's not really a recipe for this dish, but here are the basics: 

To Do:

• Roughly chop: 2-3 ripe tomatoes and 1 lemon (include the rind, remove any large seeds) and put in a medium-sized bowl.  
• Add in 3-4 gloves of garlic (mince one and lightly smash the others), 1/4 cup of capers (drained), and about 3/4 cup of olives (I like a mix of green and black, and pitted is nice, but not necessary), also drained. 
• Dice 1/4 stick of butter into cubes and add to the mix.  
• Stir these ingredients all together gently, add a bit of salt/pepper and some parsley, and set aside so it can get a bit juicy from the tomatoes.

• In the meantime, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a roasting pan with olive oil cooking spray.  
• Prep your fish by checking for any bones, cutting into uniform pieces if necessary, and patting dry (if was frozen).  

• Place the fish in the pan and top with the tomato mixture.  Squeeze a bit of fresh lemon juice over everything and pop in the oven for about 30 minutes -- until the fish is flaky and the tomatoes are soft.  

I had some baby spinach on hand, so I sautéed it and seasoned with a bit of olive oil and garlic powder and used that as the bed for my fish.  You can also serve with mashed potatoes, rice, or couscous.  Or, just serve it on its own--but have some crusty bread nearby, as it is nice to sop up the juices with something.  Note: Remove the lemons before plating and if your olives have pits, provide your guests with a small bowl where they can discreetly drop them.   :)

The result  of this wee bit of effort is a lemony, briny, buttery, fabulous fish dish that doesn't taste fishy.  And, served with a light green salad and crisp glass of white wine, it makes for a lovely summer meal.

Enjoy!

xoxoxoxo

Lettuce Eat!

 I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Look at this gorgeous head of organic green lettuce! I couldn't wait to make a salad out it. 

I made a dressing out of 3 parts oil (my new favorite is walnut oil), 1 part balsamic vinegar, 1 TBS of Dijon mustard, and a tsp of herbs and tossed these lovely leaves with olives, diced roasted red pepper, chopped artichoke hearts, and fresh mozzarella.  It was Spring in a bowl.  

I also had an overabundance of farm fresh eggs in my fridge and decided to make a quick quiche, too. I buttered a pie plate and in a large bowl whisked together 4 eggs, 1 1/2 cups of whole milk, a dash of salt, a pinch of garlic powder, and some cracked pepper.  I also chopped up some bacon, some kale leaves (I was looking for spinach, but thought kale would give it a nice flavor, too), and a mix of cheddar and American cheese (for extra creaminess) and placed in the bottom of the pan. 

I poured the egg mixture into the pie pan and baked at 375 degrees for about 30-40 minutes until it was set and lightly browned (keep an eye on it).   

Served with the green salad above, it makes for a wonderful dinner...and great leftovers for brunch the next day...if there are any!

xoxoxo 

Slow-Down Sunday

I was 32 when I started cooking; up until then, I just ate. --Julia Child

Chris and I had a crazy hectic week this past week.  We only had time to sit down to dinner together a few nights, and even then we were preoccupied with our Blackberry devices and reading for work, etc. I have been waiting all week for us to just slow down and just enjoy life a bit.

Yesterday (Saturday) was a hot one -- mid 80s and probably the last warm day of the year. I had some potatoes left from my organic box and wanted to make something homey for dinner.  Chris was working in the city all day, so I figured I could make a mess and heat up the already humid kitchen a bit more in his absence and make a roast or a gratin, or something that required using the stove and/or oven (I've been in a bit of withdrawal not having 3+ hours of cooking to do each day, now that I've finished my course).  But, the day got ahead of me and after running some errands, I realized I still hadn't settled on what to make--and it was late enough in the day that it probably would end up being for Sunday dinner instead.

I started to brainstorm, and then I glanced up to the shelf above our kitchen pantry and saw our slow cooker, and I knew what I wanted.  Roasted, lemony, garlicky, olive-y slow-cooked chicken with rosemary, baby carrots and those lovely fingerling potatoes: Fancy Chicken Stew. So, I covered the bottom of my slow cooker pot with baby carrots, some small potatoes, rosemary sprigs, half a dozen peeled garlic cloves, some sliced shallot and a couple handfuls of olives (use a nice briny kind). Then, I stuffed/tied a roasting chicken with more rosemary, about 12 garlic cloves (peeled) and 2-3 lemons, seeded and cut in wedges. The chicken went on top of the veggies (breast side down is best but either way is fine) and then I poured 2 cups of chicken broth and 1/2 cup of lemon juice over it, then sprinkled on some salt/pepper and Herbes de Provence, then dotted the whole thing with 1/2 a stick of butter and put on the lid. I put the cooker on the 6 hour setting, cleaned up the now semi-cooler kitchen and fixed myself a cocktail while I waited for Chris to come home.

I also started another batch of bread -- this time, I used bread flour (you can use all purpose, too) and added in 1/4 cup of dried rosemary to the dry ingredients.  By 10 p.m. the house smelled lovely from the slow-cooker, and this morning, after I made the bread -- it was heaven on earth. Rosemary is under appreciated, I do believe.

Today, about 40 minutes before we wanted to eat, I took the chicken out of the slow cooker insert, separated the meat from the bones and put the rest of the stew and chicken in a big pot on the stove. The slow-cooker does marvels for a chicken -- it literally just slides off the bones and becomes almost instantly shredded once you gently stir it. It's also unbelievably tender and juicy. I slowly re-heated it to a low simmer, then ladled it into bowls and served with the fresh-baked rosemary bread and some white wine. Chris and I took our time as we savored some lazy Sunday evening conversation and this lovely chicken stew.  Terrific.

Life is good.

xoxoxo