Compliments from the chef

If you live in the Washington, DC area and happen to find yourself on Rockville Pike take it all the way to The Lemon Tree Mediterranean Market and Gourmet Cafe (http://www.lemontreemarket.com/) and get comfortable for a bit. There's a lot of wonderful meals to sample. We've had great luck there both food and service-wise. A little while ago I was having lunch there with my friend and her baby girl. I soaked in (though thankfully didn't spill a precious drop) their red lentil soup. I went so nuts for it, that for the first time in my life I asked if I could have the recipe. Pretty brazen of me, eh?

About ten minutes later, a lovely man in his seventies came to our table and carefully explained all of the steps for his treasured red lentil soup. He spent thirty minutes with us to make sure I had the recipe down pat. I was blown away by his generosity and kindness. A few minutes later, we received a plate of grape leaves. Compliments from the chef. They were outstanding.

With that in mind, I decided to use the remaining spinach from my CSA box this week to make something similar.

Thank you to Ricki at Diet, Dessert And Dogs for this fantastic recipe for Dolmade Casserole.

Go straight here, do not pass go or collect $200 for Ricki's take on a deconstructed stuffed grape leaves:

http://dietdessertndogs.wordpress.com/2008/05/16/dolmades-deconstructed-mediterranean-rice-casserole/

Hey that's my wedding china that dolmade casserole is on! I took it out last week for a Mother's Day lunch and haven't put it back yet. Guess I better do that before our puppy Sami decides to make us register for one last place setting. Yeah, right.

Shortcuts

It has been a very interesting two weeks here at Test Drive Kitchen. Anyone who has ever been on crutches will tell you the same thing. Sure they can get you somewhere, but what the heck do you do when you get there? Nada. Nothing. Zip. Ever try to hold a cup of coffee while on crutches? Not a pretty sight. I'm thinking of inventing a coffee patch for my forearm.

So, it's been quite a challenge to make any kind of meal without assistance. With hubby gone all day, I've figured out some shortcuts and relied heavily on anything I can roast, simmer, braise or slow cook. Basically recipes that are almost totally hands off and allow me to sit on my tush.

One of my favorite and not at all sprained ankle friendly recipes is risotto. Here is my post about a saffron butternut squash version:

http://testdrivekitchen.blogspot.com/2008/01/whole-pot-of-yummy.html

Since risotto requires stove top hovering, I decided to make a "poor mans" version of this scrumptious dish with similiar flavor - but sadly not the creamy texture.

I toasted a cup of (rinsed) quinoa in a dry saucepan for five minutes, while I prepared previously peeled and cubed butternut squash in extra virgin olive oil, salt & pepper. I put this mixture in a casserole dish, which then went into the oven (preheated at 425F). Meanwhile, I added 2 cups of chicken broth to the quinoa and brought it to a quick boil. Yes, mom, I did sit while I waited for it to boil! After the boil, I covered the pot and let it simmer for 15 minutes. When the quinoa was finished, so was the butternut squash. The squash is finished when brown at the edges and soft and tender to the touch. In hindsight, I wish I put some roughly chopped shallots in the roasting pan, because that would have added a LOT of flavor to my final dish.

For an early lunch today, I took a 1/2 cup of cooked quinoa and 1/4 cup of roasted butternut squash and sprinkled 1 T of shredded parmesan cheese and a pinch of saffron threads. I mixed it together and let the cheese melt.

All in all, it was very satisfying lunch. I didn't expect the creaminess of risotto, so I wasn't disappointed.

Hey, 20 minutes with barely any standing up. I'll take what I can get!

Feeling a little nutty?

The other day I was perusing Mollie Katzen's website and found a number of recipes that I would like to try. One in particular caught my eye because the flavors sounded just wonderful to me. It was "Wild Rice with Cherries and Hazelnuts."

In my pantry, I am storing a wide variety of all kinds of nuts. I have found that a handful of nuts and dried fruit really satisfy me between meals. This was the first opportunity I've had to use the hazelnuts and dried cherries in a recipe together. According to the Hazelnut Council (which in my mind are just ten squirrels sitting in a board room), hazelnuts are a rich source of dietary fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, and heart healthy B vitamins. They are also rich in antioxidants and disease fighting nutrients.

I didn't feel like waiting the 45 minutes to cook rice according to Mollie's recipe, so I took out my leftover cooked bulgur from the fridge. You can find the recipe for basic cooked bulgur in my post about a Mediterranean dinner.

I had about one cup's worth of cooked bulgur left. So, I took a 2/3 cup of fresh unsalted hazelnuts and placed them in a ziplock bag and smashed them with a rolling pin. That was really fun. I scared my dog, though. Sorry Sami. Then I took about 1/2 cup of dried cherries and roughly chopped them. I added both the chopped hazenuts and cherries to the bulgur and added approximately 2 T of natural maple syrup (Whole Foods brand). I mixed it all together with a pinch of kosher salt and heated it up in the microwave for 45 seconds. The aroma of warm hazelnuts immediately hit me as I sat down at the table for lunch. I love it when a meal engages so many senses. I wasn't prepared for how fragrant this would be so that was a happy surprise.

I can't even begin to describe how delicious this easy, fast and nutrient packed dish was. My mouth was making, how should I put it - yum yum noises.

Aren't I the articulate one?

Mollie's original recipe can be found at: http://www.molliekatzen.com/recipes/recipe.php?recipe=wild_rice_cherries

A Mediterranean meal on a cold winter's night

Brrrr. Winter has arrived and it's sticking it's heels in deep. Our front yard is frozen solid and we're almost sure to see more snow tomorrow. On a night like this, I just want to escape to a friendlier climate. I don't have enough airline miles saved up yet, so I served up Mediterranean flavors for dinner instead. After a fun (and freezing) day hanging out downtown with my best buddy, I came home too late to consider dealing with the flank steak in the fridge. This is where a stocked pantry and fridge full of fresh veggies has it's benefits! I reached for Ellie Krieger's new book - I know, I know. I'm clearly obsessed with it. An hour later, our dinner plates looked gorgeous. Bright green spinach and chickpea salad with orange infused yogurt dressing. Roasted, carmelized honey sweet potatoes and a side of cooked bulgur. Here we go:


Chickpeas and Spinach Salad
with Cumin Dressing by Ellie Krieger



2 (15-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed


1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley


1/2 cup chopped red onion


1/4 cup olive oil


3 tablespoons lemon juice


1/2 teaspoon lemon zest


1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin


1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Salt and pepper


4 cups baby spinach leaves



Yogurt with Orange Essence, recipe below, optional


2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh mint leaves, optional



In a medium bowl combine the chickpeas, parsley and onion. In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, zest, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. Pour the dressing over the chickpea mixture and toss to combine. Serve the chickpea salad over a bed of spinach leaves. Top with the yogurt sauce and a sprinkle of mint, if using.

Yogurt with Orange Essence by Ellie Krieger


1/3 cup lowfat plain yogurt


1/4 teaspoon orange zest


2 tablespoons orange juice


1/2 teaspoon honey

In a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, orange zest, orange juice and honey.

• The more I cook, the more comfortable I am substituting an ingredient that I have on hand for one that's called for in the recipe. Instead of red onion, I went with diced red pepper. A few years ago, I used to run out to the store if I didn't have something!
• I used a fresh orange for the juice in the yogurt sauce and it was slightly bitter. I added more honey to balance the taste. This is a good example of letting loose and not always following the recipe directions to the letter (which I always used to do!) All oranges are not created equal, so one must sample and adjust.
• After I mixed the yogurt with the spinach and the spinach with the chickpea mixture, I decided this dish would benefit from additional dressing. So, I used organic fresh squeezed orange juice, honey and yogurt in equal parts. It was really sweet, much sweeter than the dressing I used to coat the spinach. I thought it really enhanced the whole dish.
• I didn't have any fresh mint available. But I will definitely get some next time. I think it would kick this up a notch.

Honey Roasted Sweet Potatoes by Ellie Krieger

2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Peel and cut the sweet potatoes into 1-inch pieces and put in a 9 by 13 baking dish. In a small bowl whisk together olive oil, honey and lemon juice. Pour mixture over potatoes and toss to coat. Sprinkle with the salt, and bake, stirring occasionally, for about 1 hour, until potatoes are tender.

• I really needed to switch gears from my "go to" roasted veggies recipe. I usually only use olive oil, salt and pepper. The honey and fresh lemon really bring out the natural flavor of the sweet potatoes. No one, not even your pickiest eater, will be able to resist this dish.
  

Basic Cooked Bulgur


2 cups of chicken broth

1 cup of bulgur (rinsed first)


Combine chicken broth and bulgur and bring to a quick boil. Decrease heat to a simmer and cover. Bulgur will be finished in 12-15 minutes. There might be excess broth. Drain and serve.

• Bulgur seemed like the perfect grain to balance out this meal. In a way, this whole meal is a de-constructed tabbouleh salad.
• My husband encouraged me to "mix it all together" on the plate. He felt the sum was better than the parts.
• Superfood alert. Sweet Potatoes, nonfat plain yogurt, honey, spinach, oh my!

A favorite dish from childhood - revisited & revised

I grew up in South Jersey, just 20 minutes from Philadelphia. Land of the steak sandwich (wiz or no wiz?), hoagie and definitely the "sloppy joe." I often remember sloppy joes being served in the cafeteria at school. I'm sure they used a commerical mix like Manwich. But this fantastic recipe is from Weight Watchers - and it might be the most delicious recipe in their whole cookbook. I lost my cookbook a while ago and wasn't able to recreate this recipe from memory. But thanks to another blogger (foodfashionista.blogspot.com) I found it again and made it the other night for my husband. This recipe contains a lot less sugar (sugar mainly from the ketchup) and a great deal more veggies. Next time I'm putting in diced carrots. Oh, and thank you to Food Fashionista for suggesting another way to eat this if I wanted to lay off the bread. She suggested stuffing a mixture of quinoa and sloppy joe mix into a red pepper and baking in the oven at 450 F for 15 minutes. The quinoa gets a little toasty and nutty and the red pepper shell bursts with flavor. I'm filing this meal under the "Passover" files, too.

2 tsp olive oil
1 small onion(s), chopped
2 medium celery stalks, chopped
1 medium bell pepper(s), chopped
1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 Tbsp chili powder
2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
20 oz canned crushed tomatoes in tomato puree
1/4 cup ketchup
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

Heat oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, celery and bell pepper and sauté until tender, 3 minutes. Add turkey and sauté until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, 5 minutes. Add chili powder, basil, salt, black pepper and cayenne; stir to coat. Add crushed tomatoes, ketchup and mustard; mix well. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, partially cover and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in corn and simmer 2 minutes to heat through.

• In the past, I've made this dish with ground turkey meat. But a friend reminded me this week that eating red meat from time to time is a good idea. Just by looking at my fingernails, I can tell I'm low on zinc (white spots visible on the nail.) So, I went out and purchased organic, very lean ground beef (93%) for this recipe.
• Again, I will tell you that the vegetable chopper I purchased from Williams Sonoma for $30 has dramatically changed my prep time. And it's fun! I chopped the onion, celery and pepper into tiny cubes, all exactly the same shape. This looks pretty, but also allows the veggies to cook evenly.
• I used Birds Eye Sweet Corn in a bag and steam it. The corn is so crispy and delicious. Much better than any canned corn that I've purchased in the past.
• Usually when we make sloppy joes, I'm always trying to think how to serve it. With whole wheat buns? Toasted oatmeal bread? In a spinach torilla? This time, I nixed all the bread products and made a side of quinoa. Quinoa needs to be rinsed in water first, then I made it with chicken broth. I usually don't love quinoa, but truth be told I haven't experimented with it much. But the sloppy joe and quinoa mix was a hit. My husband and I thought it was a fantastic way to enjoy the nutritional benefits of quinoa while savoring the flavors of this sloppy joe recipe. I highly recommend this combination.

"Superfoods" for Breakfast and Dessert

I love the term superfood. It brings up images of blueberries wearing red tights and a cape, doesn't it? C'mon that's funny.

But seriously, this "super" title is given to a handful of foods that we all should try to include in our daily meals. Considering the nutritional powerhouses that they are, they might as well leap tall buildings in a single bound. Chocolate, a superfood? You betcha. Hopefully that thought will entice you to check out this link: http://www.superfoodsrx.com/superfoods/

In the meantime, I made a recipe from the website above today that doubled as breakfast and dessert. Pretty cool. I managed to squeeze in five superfoods: blueberries, oats, yogurt, oranges and honey.

For breakfast, I made my usual Bob Red Mill's 5 Grain Oatmeal and added the following recipe:

2 pints strawberries, oganic
3 medium bananas, ripe
1 pint of blueberries, organic
2 medium oranges, zest and juice
2 tablespoons honey

Quarter the strawberries, slice the bananas, andadd the blueberries. Gently toss with fresh orange juice, zest, and honey. Put the mixture in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

• You can also toast some crushed walnuts and add to this mixture. I burnt mine accidentally while toasting them this morning, so I didn't use them. 1/4 cup of this mixture was a tasty and filling addition to my 1/2 cup of cooked oatmeal this morning. I enjoyed this meal at 8:30am this morning and didn't feel a hunger pang until 12:30pm. And I worked out in between - that really blows my mind. I used to graze between meals because I was so hungry. But not anymore. This meal will fill you up and give you tremendous energy.
• Almost 12 hours later, this mixture was even better. The longer it sat in the fridge, the more the flavor deepened. I topped a 3/4 cup of fat free French Vanilla yogurt with another 1/4 cup of the fruit. It was so good, that I started to imagine this as a parfait for my next dinner party.
• By the way, I found a "microplane" buried deep in a kitchen drawer today. Basically it's a zester with an attitude. Sadly, I've been using a grater to get some zest off my oranges, but man that microplane zests like it was its job and it wanted a promotion.

A Whole Pot of Yummy

Happy New Year! My personal new year's resolution is to continue trying new flavors in the kitchen and to maintain my family's committment to healthy eating. I'm lucky to have a husband who will try anything and everything I put in front of him! I made this dish last night for a potluck and a few folks kindly asked for the recipe. It's a heavier dish and could be altered slightly to be a bit healthier. However, if you haven't tried butternut squash before, this recipe will win you over. I would suggest eating this dish as a side (1/2 cup serving). It's a little too rich to eat as a main entree. I did calculate the calories in this recipe. One cup of this dish is 640 calories.

Saffron Risotto with Butternut Squash


Recipe from Ina Garten, Barefoot Contessa
Serves 4 to 6 (as a main entree)



1 butternut squash (2 pounds) (buy it peeled, seeded and cubed if you can)



2 tablespoons olive oil



Kosher salt



Freshly ground black pepper



6 cups chicken stock (buy low sodium)



6 tablespoons unsalted butter



2 ounces pancetta, diced (I prefer this as a vegetarian dish, so I leave this out)



1/2 cup minced shallots



1 1/2 cups Arborio rice



1/2 cup dry white wine



1 teaspoon saffron threads



1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese



Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
If you couldn't find a squash already peeled and cut, then peel the butternut squash, remove the seeds, and cut into 3/4-inch cubes. You should have about 6 cups. Place the squash on a sheet pan and toss it with the olive oil, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, tossing once, until very tender. Set aside.



Meanwhile, heat the chicken stock in a small covered saucepan. Leave it on low to simmer.In a heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter and saute the pancetta and shallots on medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the shallots are translucent but not browned. Add the rice and stir to coat the grains with butter. Add the wine and cook for 2 minutes. Add 2 full ladles of stock to the rice plus the saffron, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir, and simmer until the stock is absorbed, 5 to 10 minutes.



Continue to add the stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring every few minutes. Each time, cook until the mixture seems a little dry, then add more stock. Continue until the rice is cooked through, but still al dente, about 30 minutes total. Off the heat, add the roasted squash cubes and Parmesan cheese. Mix well and serve.

• I've made this recipe many times, and it's still challenging to find the right amount of heat to cook the risotto. Ultimately, I've found that the mixture should bubble slightly, so it's more on the high side of medium-high heat. At this heat, you will need to constantly stir so you don't burn the rice, but the broth will be absorbed in less than 10 minutes (per two ladles).
• Don't be scared when you see how expensive saffron is. A little bit goes a long way. It's the most expensive spice because it's the most difficult to harvest. It's so worth it. Believe me. It adds the beautiful orange color to this dish.

Papa Can You Hear Me? It's me, Lentil.

That was my shout out to "Yentl" Hey, you try to come up with a catchy post title every time.

I made this delicious side Lentil and Rice Salad with swordfish this summer. I think it's a perfect match for any grilled fish because it complements the flavors of the fish, especially if you squeeze fresh lemon juice on it. The salad has a light citrus flavor due to the parsley and lemon zest.


Lentil and Rice Salad

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus 3 tablespoons

1 carrot, peeled and finely diced

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 1/4 cups dried green lentils

2 1/2 cups chicken broth, plus 2 cups

1 bay leaf

1 cup long-grain white rice

1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, coarsely chopped

1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon peel

Salt and freshly ground black pepper



Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large saucepan. Add the carrot, onion, and garlic and saute until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lentils. Add 2 1/2 cups of broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Decrease the heat to medium-low. Cover and simmer gently until the lentils are just tender, about 15 minutes. Drain well. Transfer the lentils to a large bowl.

Meanwhile, bring the remaining 2 cups broth and bay leaf to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat. Add the rice and return the broth to a simmer. Cover and simmer gently over low heat until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes (do not stir the rice as it cooks). Remove the saucepan from the heat. Fluff the rice with a large fork. Transfer to the bowl with the lentils. Add the olives, parsley, thyme, and lemon peel. Toss the rice mixture with the remaining 3 tablespoons oil to coat. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

I adore this recipe because it looks like a lot of work, but it really takes no time at all. The "hardest" work you will do is chopping the carrot, onion and garlic. I think this entire dish, prep and all takes 30 minutes.

• A wonderful tip I learned from L'academie du Cusine (http://www.lacademie.com/) is regarding the rice. First, always make rice with chicken broth rather than water. It just plain tastes better, no matter what recipe you're doing. Especially if you're serving the rice alone. Please promise me you'll try it once. You'll never go back to doing it the old way again! Okay, here's the big tip from the cooking school. When you're chicken broth starts to boil and you put the rice in the saucepan at the moment you would usually turn the heat down to simmer, DON'T. Instead take it off the stove and put it in the oven at 400F for 17 minutes EXACTLY. The rice will soak up the liquid completely and not burn. The best part of it is that it's off the stovetop and you'll have room to do other things. You won't have to keep checking on it's status. Just don't forget it to take it out at the 17 minute mark!

• Back to this recipe, when using lemons, limes or oranges for zesting purposes, try to buy organic fruit. Since you're eating the outside of the fruit, it's not a bad idea to enjoy it pesticide-free.

• By the way, I have never tried this recipe with olives. I would be willing to, but my husband doesn't like them. Oh well. If you try it, tell me how it is.

• Lastly, anytime you're using oil as a dressing, like in this dish, go for a best quality you have the pantry. It really does make a difference.