Fresh Tart

Stuffed mushrooms are the way I learned to love mushrooms as a kid - apparently I would eat almost anything with stuffing in them.  I still love stuffed mushrooms, so once in awhile I make myself a large portabello version for a light lunch or dinner.  I tend to make just one for myself, but that's not very useful for you, so I suggest this recipe to serve four.  The filling is very similar to my usual - fresh bread crumbs, sauteed spinach, a little cheese (I tend to use Parmesan, this calls for goat cheese, either/both delicious).

My Grandma Meyer's Fire-King pie plate cracked in the oven (ping!) while I baked myself a mushroom for lunch today.  I've baked a lot of pies in that plate and I always think of her - and all the delicious pies she baked - when I do.  I'm really sad that it's broken.

The recipe below is from an excellent publication I picked up at the grocery store - Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen Light & Healthy 2010 (subtitled The Year's Best Recipes Lightened Up).  It's a short cookbook, really, in a magazine-type format, and like all Cook's Illustrated publications, it is packed with information.  I've made two delicious recipes from it so far and at $7.95, it's a steal.

America's Test Kitchen Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Serves 4

Note: the mushroom caps shrink significantly as they cook, so be sure to choose dense mushrooms that are 4-5 inches in diameter.

1 slice high-quality white sandwich bread, torn into pieces

2 Tbsp. olive oil

salt & pepper

10 portobello mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, and caps wiped clean

12 oz. baby spinach (about 12 cups)

2 Tbsp. water

2 onions, minced (about 2 cups)

1 tsp. minced fresh thyme

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 c. dry sherry

3 oz. goat cheese, crumbled (about 3/4 cup)

2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1. Adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions, place a rimmed baking sheet on the upper oven rack, and heat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Pulse the bread in a foodprocessor, about 10 pulses.  Transfer the crumbs to a bowl and stir in 1 tsp. of the oil, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Spread the crumbs on a second rimmed baking sheet, place it on the lower rack, and bake, stirring occasionally, until golden brown and dry, 8-10 minutes.  Set aside to cool to room temperature.

3. Use a sharp knife to score a crosshatch pattern on the tops of 8 of hte mushroom caps.  Cut the remaining mushroom caps and reserved stems into 1/2-inch pieces and set aside.

4. Brush both sides of the caps with 1 Tbsp. more oil and season with 1/4 tsp. salt.  Carefully place the caps, gill side up,on the preheated baking sheet and roast until the mushrooms have released some of their juice and begin to brown around the edges, 8-12 minutes.  Flip the caps and continue to roast until the liquid has completely evaporated and the caps are golden brown, 8-12 more minutes.

5. Meahwhile, place the spinach and water in a large microwave-safe bowl.  Cover the bowl and microwave on high power until the spinach is wilted and has decreased in volume by half, 3-4 minutes.  Using potholders, remove the bowl from the microwave and keep covered for 1 minute.

6. Carefully uncover the spinach and transfer to a colander set in the sink.  Using the back of a rubber spatula, gently press the spinach against the colander to release the excess liquid.

7. Combine the remaining 2 tsp. oil, chopped mushrooms, onions, thyme, and 1/8 tsp. salt in a 12-inch nonstick skillet.  Cover and cook over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8-10 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are lightly browned, 4-6 minutes longer.

8. Stir in the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.  Stir in the sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1-2 minutes.  Stir in the spinach and cheese and continue to cook until the cheese is melted and the vegetables are well coated, 1-2 minutes longer.  Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice and season with the salt and pepper to taste.

9. Flip the mushroom caps gill side up and distribute the filling evenly among them.  Top each cap with the bread-crumb mixture and broil the mushrooms until the crumbs are deep golden brown, about 1 minute.  Serve.

I'll admit, this is a bit similar to the post below (grilled cheese with baby artichokes), as in, "How to Make a Meal from a Baguette," but hey, a baguette makes a lovely meal, as do artichokes and eggs, so stay with me.  Just like in Caesar salad, the anchovy adds a punch of salty-savory, without being overwhelmingly fishy.  A squeeze of lemon brightens the whole, and a swipe of garlic across the crostini ties it all together.  Finish with a shower of minced chives and freshly ground pepper, alongside a simple salad, and I promise, a light, lovely dinner.  Or appetizer (minus the salad), definitely a great appetizer - pair with a tart Sauvignon Blanc.

Funny thing about that chive garnish - it's from a pot on my deck!  In March, in Minnesota!  How is that possible?  One, my supreme laziness in not clearing out my herb pots at the end of the fall.  (Chives are perennial, apparently even in tiny pots.  The other pic reveals the evergreen tree tops that I never put in the not-cleared-out herb pots before they were buried in snow.  Proof of my laziness everywhere, sigh.)  Two, it's been a crazy-hot March, no snow for the first time in more than 100 years - likely foreboding, but for now I'll take it.

Oh, here's another funny thing about that chive garnish - the spreader to the right of the egg salad (above) says...chives!  How cool is that?  I picked up a couple of these old, smashed-n-stamped spoons from Hunt & Gather in Minneapolis.  They're meant to adorn herb pots, but I think they're awfully sweet as spreaders.  Right?

Egg Salad with Lemon, Anchovies, & Crostini

Serves 6 as an appetizer, 3-4 as a main course with a salad

6 large eggs

1/4 c. mayonnaise

2 anchovies (more for garnish, if you like)

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. Dijon mustard

coarse salt & freshly ground pepper

1/2 baguette, cut into 1/4-inch slices

olive oil

1 garlic clove, split in half

minced chives

Hard-cook the eggs - put the eggs in a medium saucepan, cover with cold water plus 1 inch, and set uncovered over high heat.  Bring to a rolling boil, turn off heat, cover, and let sit for 11 minutes.  Meanwhile, fill a medium bowl with ice and cold water.  When the timer goes off, transfer the eggs to the ice water and let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, mash the anchovies in a medium bowl.  Whisk in lemon juice, mayonnaise, mustard, and a few grinds of black pepper.  Crack and peel the eggs, dice them, then stir into the mayonnaise mixture.  (Discard two of the yolks if you'd like to lighten things up a bit.)  Cover and chill the egg salad until ready to use.

Toast the bread - drizzle olive oil all over a baking sheet.  Press the baguette slices into the oil, flip them, and press the other side into the oil.  Sprinkle the slices with coarse salt and either grill them or toast them in a hot oven until golden at the edges.  Rub them lightly with cut garlic and let cool.

To serve, mound egg salad on crostini, sprinkle with minced chives, lay anchovies over the tops (if desired), and serve.

Saturday brunch!  It's my special John-n-Stephanie thing, and I love it like I love puppies and sunshine and champagne and straight hair.  And I love those things very, very much, so now you know how much I love Saturday brunch.

We don't have our kids on Saturday mornings (divorce stinks, but a couple of days a week to yourself is not necessarily a bad thing), so we make the best of an otherwise ungood (my nephew Cooper's word - ungood - which according to him means very, very not good) situation and put on some tunes, crack some eggs, make plans for an afternoon movie, and read the paper.  And, in my case, take pictures and write blog posts, which I also love (see above list).

We're not all about breakfast pastries on Saturdays (that's for Sundays), it's more about the savory.  Today, in fact, I didn't even crack an egg, but instead trimmed artichokes, and sliced bread and cheese, and made a panful of baby artichokes braised with ham, served alongside mini-grilled cheese sandwiches.  It seemed all brunchy to us, even if it doesn't to you.  And I admit - it would make a perfectly lovely lunch or dinner.  You could slice the artichokes more thinly and toss them with pasta, maybe a handful of peas, and a shower of Parmesan.  That would be not ungood.  Or, you could serve the artichokes with softly scrambled eggs - mmm - which would take you right back to brunch.  Or dinner.  These things are flexible.

The recipe for artichokes is below.  The baby grilled cheese sandwiches - just thin slices of (whole-grain, although any type would work) baguette, olive oil (or butter) on the outsides, cheese on the insides (I had some tomato sauce in the cooler that I also added; mustard is good, or nothing but cheese - your choice), toasted in a pan until crispy & melty.

The movie?  Greenberg, about to leave for it, I'll let you know how it is.  (Later: back from the movie - I loathed it, ah well, but that's just me, don't go by what I think.  I hate a lot of movies.)

Artichokes Sauteed with Ham

Adapted from Tapas, A Taste of Spain in America

Serves 4 as tapas, 2 as dinner

9 baby (one package of Melissa’s brand) or 5 large artichokes

1 bunch flat-leaf parsley, with 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley reserved

5 Tbsp. Spanish (or other) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling

2 Tbsp. tomato paste diluted in 1 ½ c. water OR 1 ½ c. juice from canned tomatoes (I buy tomato paste in a tube, allows you to use a bit at a time)

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 pinch sugar

¼ tsp. sea salt, plus more to taste

2 Tbsp. dry white wine (lemon juice)

1 oz. jamon seranno (Spanish cured ham) or other high-quality, lightly-smoked ham, diced (about 4 thin slices)

1 bay leaf

Optional:
Several thick slices of baguette, toasted and rubbed with half of a garlic clove and drizzled with a bit of olive oil

Prepare a large bowl of cold water, and toss in the bunch of parsley (prevents artichokes from oxidizing). Using a serrated knife, cut off and discard the top half of each artichoke. Using your fingers, remove and discard the first few layers of leaves, until you reach the tender, pale leaves beneath. Cut the artichoke in half and use a sharp paring knife to remove and discard the white, hairy interior. Peel and discard the tough outer layer around the base of the artichoke, until you reach the soft white flesh. Peel the stalk until you reach the white flesh again. Don’t be afraid to remove most of the artichoke. Cut baby artichoke halves in half again; cut large artichoke halves into 3-4 slices. Put artichoke slices into the parsley water, and repeat with all the artichokes.

Heat 1 Tbsp. of the oil in a small pan over a medium flame. Add the diluted tomato paste or tomato juice, garlic clove, and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes, until the juice is a deep red.

Heat 3 Tbsp. olive oil in a sauté pan over a medium flame. Add the artichokes, making sure they lie flat, and the salt. Saute until golden, then turn and sauté until golden on the other side, about 5 minutes. Add the wine and simmer until reduced by half, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved tomato juice and bay leaf and turn heat to low for a slow simmer. In the pan the tomato sauce was cooked in, add the remaining 1 Tbsp. olive oil and heat over medium heat. Stir in the ham and sauté for 2 minutes until starting to brown. Add ham to the artichokes, and continue simmering for another few minutes, until artichokes are tender and sauce is reduced, another 3-4 minutes. Remove crushed garlic clove and bay leaf. Add salt to taste. Sprinkle with chopped parsley and serve.

My initial dinner plan - being all Spring feverish and such - was grilled lamb chops with a pea shoot salad.  Then I walked outside, into 26 degrees, and changed my mind.  I couldn't forgo the lamb chops (on my brain and all that) but a salad alongside seemed too...cold, so roasted vegetables stepped in to keep things (kitchen, fingers, tummy) toasty.  I knew I had a mess of radishes in the cooler, and baby carrots to boot, so I took a note from White On Rice Couple and roasted my radishes, as well as carrots, and they turned out beautifully.  (Do you read their blog, White on Rice Couple?  It's so gorgeous it's a little sickening.  In other words, I love it.)

My little trick with lamb chops, which I've written about before, is to buy a rack and then cut it up into two-chop segments.  Why?  Starts with an F, ends with an R, with an AVO in the middle (flavor, if you're not following).  Actually, it's all about surface area, which translates into flavor.  By cutting the rack into segments, each chop is smeared with seasoning and fabulously crusty on one side, rosy and tender on the other (after slicing) - you see?  Lamb chop perfection, truly.  And so easy - preheat the grill, then mince a couple of cloves of garlic, sprinkled with salt, into a paste, stir in some olive oil and dried rosemary (fresh is even better), and smear the segments with the mixture.  Sprinkle the chops with a little extra salt when you're done.  You can do this several hours ahead if you like, or right before you grill them - your choice.  Grill them on three sides, over medium-high heat, about 5 minutes/side.  I like them barely medium, just a hint of pink.  If you like yours pinker or not pink at all, adjust grill time accordingly.  Let them rest for a few minutes on a cutting board, then slice in half and serve.

And then...it's bedtime.  What?  Yeah, that's just the way I feel these days.  All excited about Spring, walks with Puppy Louis, grilling lamb, and then falling asleep like an old lady in the middle of winter.  It's...a transition season.

Spring has sprung in Minnesota, at least for this week, lalalaaaa!  Birds are singing, I'm singing, I'm grilling, birds are grilling, the sun is shining, and all is right in the world.

The heat feels good, everywhere, even on my tongue.  I cranked it up tonight, in honor of Spring, with these easy tandoori chicken skewers.  Chicken bathed in a spicy yogurt marinade becomes both incredibly tender and seriously flavorful.  A crunchy-fiery salad of chopped apples, radishes, jalapenos, spinach, and scallions, finished with nothing more than a squirt of lemon and sprinkle of salt, adds texture and heat (your favorite chutney could serve the same purpose quite nicely).  A salty-sweet cucumber-mint raita and hot-off-the-grill naan make it a flavor-explosion of a meal.

A perfect Spring dinner, you'll see.  It even looks like sunshine, right?

Tandoori Chicken Skewers

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Magazine, August 2007

Stephanie's note: if you're pressed for time, skip the skewers and marinate and grill whole chicken breasts or turkey tenderloin (add grilling time as necessary).  Slice thinly to serve.

Serves 4

1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. each of brown sugar and curry powder

2 tsp. minced garlic

2 tsp. minced fresh ginger

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. cayenne

1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts or turkey tenderloin, cut into 1-inch pieces

Combine yogurt, lemon juice, sugar, spices, garlic, ginger, salt, and cayenne in a large bowl.  Add chicken, coat in the yogurt mixture, then cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes (or up to 24 hours).

Thread chicken loosely on skewers.

Preheat grill to high; when hot, oil it well.  Grill skewers, covered, for 7 minutes/side, or until cooked through.  Serve with cucumber-mint raita (recipe below), salad or chutney, and grilled pita or naan.

Cucumber-Mint Raita

Adapted from Cuisine at Home Magazine, August 2007

Serves 4

1/4 c. plain Greek yogurt

1 Tbsp. minced fresh mint

honey and salt to taste

1 c. cucumber, peeled, seeded, sliced into half moons

In a small bowl, stir together yogurt, mint, and honey and salt to taste.  Stir in cucumbers, toss to coat.  Chill until ready to serve.  (Can be made up to 1 hour in advance; stir before serving.)

This isn't a recipe - just a reminder that when you make tacos, whether with beef, pork, tofu, chicken, or beans, you can make the dish a whole lot lighter, more nutritious, and filling by turning your taco into taco salad.  I don't always do this - sometimes I really want a taco - but I often do, because I love the crunch of cool lettuce against warm, spicy filling.

I start with a big bowl of fresh greens (cabbage is nice too).  To fill out the salad without weighing it down, I grill a couple of skewers of tomatoes and slices of red bell pepper to add to the greens.  I'd grill fresh sweet corn if I had it but...it's March in Minnesota, so that's not happening.  I also throw a couple of soft corn tortillas on the heat and grill them until chewy/crunchy - great texture without frying.  Slice the peppers and tortillas into strips before adding them to the salad.  (Everything gets either a rub of olive oil first, or a spritz of olive oil nonstick spray, as well as a sprinkle of salt, before hitting the coals.)

A little of the heavy toppings goes a long way (dab of sour cream, a slice or two of avocado, if I add sour cream I skip grated cheese, one small grilled tortilla is perfect, a couple of sliced olives).  Go as heavy as you like on salsa, squeezes of fresh lime, or my favorite - sriracha, hooooey, I made mine so hot tonight I broke a sweat.  Love it.

Consider quinoa, an example of yet another delicious, nutritious (gluten-free to boot) food that I love and that my family won't touch.  I make it anyhow (I'll post an easy pilaf recipe as soon as I pay attention to how I do it) and happily compose beautiful, satisfying lunch salads from the leftovers.  Quinoa is good that way - its nutty flavor goes with just about anything.  Improvise away (fun!) with raw or cooked vegetables, vinaigrettes of any flavor, your favorite herbs, toasted nuts, cheeses, olives, dried or fresh fruits.  On and on.  For inspiration, check out this link to the lovely, innovative 101 Cookbooks blog, she (Heidi) has a whole category of fabulous-looking quinoa recipes.

Today, hungry for something a little sweet and a lotta healthy for breakfast, I decided to experiment with a warm quinoa cereal.  Good move, my friends, good move, because it was the best breakfast I've had in...I don't know...forever.  Better than biscuits, eggs, pancakes, or cinnamon rolls.  Well, not really, but better today, because this is exactly what I was hungry for today, this warm, nutty, sweet, creamy quinoa.

Here's where I should point out that at least half the reason for the deliciousness was beyond the quinoa.  You see, this craving really began with the leftover roasted hazelnuts I had sitting around.  (Have you seen the inside of my fridge?  That sentence would sound far less ridiculous if you had.  You'd realize I have leftover everything sitting around, the source of my inspiration.)

I knew I could make oatmeal with hazelnuts - not bad, clearly.  But then quinoa popped into my head, oh yes, that would be perfect with hazelnuts.  And to gild the lily, I added hazelnut oil as well (see fridge) and oh my - this was seriously good.  Dried cherries and just a bit of brown sugar or honey to finish pushed it over the top.  (I also ate mine with a splash of milk, but you wouldn't need to - quinoa quite nicely doesn't become sticky when cooked.)  I checked 101 Cookbooks for technique (she cooks beautifully with all manner of whole grains) and voila, she had a recipe - Warm & Nutty Cinnamon Quinoa.  This version ended up a take on hers.

Given my improvisation rave above, feel free to use almond oil/almonds, walnut oil/walnuts, add citrus zest, substitute raisins, grate in some apple.  On and on.

Hazelnut Quinoa Cereal with Dried Cherries

Adapted from www.101cookbooks.com

Serves 4

1 c. quinoa

1 c. water + 1 c. milk (substitute almond or soy milk if you like)

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

dash of salt

1 Tbsp. hazelnut oil

1/2 c. dried cherries

1/2 c. toasted hazelnuts, chopped

1/4 c. brown sugar or honey

Rinse quinoa in a strainer under running water.  Put quinoa in a medium saucepan, add water, milk, cinnamon, and salt, and bring to a boil.  Turn heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes.  Stir in hazelnut oil, dried cherries, and brown sugar or honey, and continue to simmer, until liquid is absorbed, another 5-10 minutes.  Serve hot with toasted hazelnuts, additional brown sugar or honey, and/or milk, if you like.

My favorite dessert?  Cake.  My favorite cake?  Coconut, or anything with fruit in it.  There - two things you probably didn't know about me.  Keep them in mind around January 6...  Glazed lemon or lime cake, warm plum or apple crumb cake, a pear-ginger cake with whipped cream.  Surprise me.

I realize it's no longer January (thank heavens), but since we had guests last night, I decided a pineapple upside down cake would fit the bill.  Turns out I was wrong, because we were all too stuffed for dessert, but that's OK.  It tasted lovely today, moist and gooey with caramel.  Even though I stole only a couple of quick bites before heading out the door for San Francisco, it felt good to leave a little baked treat for John and Nathan to enjoy while I'm gone.

You read that right - I'm in San Francisco!  I wept a little at the sight of sunshine and greenery upon stepping out of the airport, I'm not kidding.  Totally verklempt.  I'm sure the cab driver thought I was nuts, blathering on about the light and color.  What can I say?  I'm bonkers by the end of winter, I have no shame in admitting it.  The sensory deprivation kills me.  Funnily enough, I'm not even here for the lovely weather...but for a food photography workshop tomorrow, conducted by the amazing Penny de Los Santos. Cool, huh?  I forgot the sweater I planned to wear, both perfume and pineapple juice leaked in my bag, and I don't even care because I'm soooo excited.

I'll be home on Monday, this is a quick trip.  I predict (and actually hope, in the name of moderation) that the cake will be gone.

Pineapple Upside Down Cake

from www.smittenkitchen.com

Topping:

1/2 medium pineapple, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and cored

3/4 stick butter

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

Batter:

1 1/2 c. all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg (I added this to the recipe)

1/4 tsp. salt

3/4 stick butter, softened

1 c. sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbsp. dark rum

1/2 c. unsweetened pineapple juice

2 Tbsp. rum for sprinkling over the cake

Optional:

softly whipped cream (very lightly sweetened; I added this to the recipe)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9" cake pan with nonstick spray and line with parchment paper.  Cut pineapple crosswise into 3/8-inch thick pieces.  Melt butter in a small saucepan.  Add brown sugar and simmer over moderate heat, stirring, for four minutes.  Pour into cake pan, spreading evenly.  Arrange pineapple on top of the sugar mixture in concentric circles, overlapping pieces slightly.

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt (and nutmeg if using).  Beat butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, then gradually beat in granulated sugar.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Beat in vanilla and rum.  Add half of flour mixture and beat on low speed just until blended.  Beat in pineapple juice, then add remaining flour mixture, beating just until blended.  (Batter may appear slightly curdled.)

Spoon batter over pineapple topping and spread evenly.  Bake in middle of oven until golden and a tester comes out clean, about 45 minutes.  Let cake stand in pan five minutes.  Invert onto a cake plate.  Sprinkle rum over cake (I skipped this; still delicious) and cool on plate on a rack.

Serve cake warm or at room temperature, with whipped cream if you like.