Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts

The next few weeks, er, months will be chock full of activities, thus less time for preparing dinner AND the opportunity for mega overeating! Tonight's dinner is one of my favorite "easy dinners." I use the meat from a grocery store roasted chicken, so it's really a cinch to throw together. Although there is mayonnaise in the dressing, there's not much and I use the "light" version, so hopefully fewer calories.

Chicken Salad with Grapes and Walnuts, serves 2, Total time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1/3 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1 celery rib, sliced, 1/4" slices

1/8 cup sliced red onion

1 cup halved seedless red grapes

3 tbsp mayonnaise

1 1/2 tbsp champagne vinegar

1 tbsp finely chopped fresh tarragon

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 cups baby spinach leaves

Toss all but spinach leaves together in medium bowl. Add more dressing if necessary. Mound spinach on plates and top with chicken salad.

Bottom Line: This is a great recipe to have in your "back pocket" for that last minute supper or when you're "too busy" to cook.

Baked Pasta with Wild Mushroom Ragu

This must be vegetarian week. I was craving this dish which I first made in '98 (Food and Wine, 1/98). It's a nice fall entree and you won't miss your protein, because the mushrooms provide an incredible meatiness. I'm using whole grain pasta (hope that doesn't change anything) and I've chosen cremini mushrooms, oyster mushrooms and chantarelles. You can use all cremini if you want, but I wouldn't use white mushrooms, you'll miss out on the depth of flavor that "wild" mushrooms have. I think that any type of dried mushrooms will work if you can't find porcini. As someone once told me "improvise."

Baked Pasta with Wild Mushroom Ragu, serves 3++, Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes*

*Can be assembled and refrigerated overnight. Bring the pasta to room temperature before baking.

1/2 cup boiling water

1/4 cup dried porcini (1/4 oz)

1 sun-dried tomato half, not oil packed

1 medium onion, chopped

2 tsp. minced garlic

1 tbsp olive oil plus 1/2 tsp

1/4 cup dry red wine

1 thyme sprig

1/2# fresh wild mushrooms

1 can (14.5 oz) Italian peeled tomatoes, chopped, with their juices

1/2 tsp sugar

1/4 tsp salt

Freshly ground pepper

1/2# penne

3/4 oz. freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese (about 1/3 cup)

2.5 oz. ricotta salata cheese, thinly sliced or coarsely grated

In a heatproof bowl, pour the boiling water over the dried porcini and tomatoes. Cover and let steep until softened, at least 15 minutes.

In a medium saucepan, heat the oil over medium high heat, add the onions and garlic. Cover and cook over moderate heat until the onions begin to wilt, about 5 minutes. Uncover and saute until the onions are just beginning to brown, about 2 minutes.

Scoop the dried mushrooms and tomatoes into a strainer, reserving the soaking liquid. Rinse under cool water to remove any grit; squeeze dry. Chop coarsely and set aside.

Carefully spoon about 1/3 cup of the clear soaking liquid into the saucepan, leaving behind any grit. Add the red wine and thyme and boil for 1 minute. Add the fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the canned tomatoes and their juices, the dried mushrooms and tomatoes, the sugar and the salt. Cover partially and simmer until the mushrooms are tender and the ragu is thick, about 15 minutes. Season generously with pepper (and, if needed, salt).

Preheat the oven to 375. Brush a shallow 1 quart casserole with the remaining 1/2 tsp oil. Cook the penne in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring, until barely al dente, about 5 minutes (don't overcook, it will continue in the oven). Drain the pasta and return it to the pot. Add the mushroom ragu and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano-Reggiano and toss. Season with pepper. Pour half of the pasta into the prepared casserole, top with the ricotta salata and add the remaining pasta. Sprinkle the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano over the top. Bake the pasta for about 20 minutes, or until heated through and the top is lightly crisp. Serve at once.

Bottom Line: Just as I remembered it, however, this recipe really makes more than 3 servings, more like 5 (at least 4 generous ones) . I might not use the whole 1/2# of pasta, just slightly less and it would be more moist, which I would prefer. It was not dry, but I like a little gravy :)

Poached Eggs with Mushrooms and Tomatoes

Yeah, Dave's at the Laker's Season Opener sitting in the NBA Suite....without me.....business you know. That means I'm eating breakfast for dinner. I could eat breakfast any time of day and I'm always on the lookout for a new twist on eggs. This recipe came to me through the Real Simple newsletter a while back. I love it and make it whenever I get the opportunity. Hope you like it as well.

Poached Eggs with Mushrooms and Tomatoes, serves 2, Total time: 30 minutes

2 tsp white vinegar

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp olive oil

1 medium tomato, sliced into 4 rounds or quartered cherry tomatoes

kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 # assorted mushrooms, sliced

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

4 large eggs

2 slices country bread, toasted

Parmesan cheese shavings to top

Fill a large deep skillet with 3 inches of water. Add the vinegar and bring to a bare simmer.

Meanwhile, heat 1 tsp of the oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add the tomatoes, season with salt and pepper and cook until just tender, 1-2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.

Add the remaining tablespoon oil to the skillet and heat ofver medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook, tossing occasionally , until golden brown and tender, 6-7 minutes.

Meanwhile, crack the eggs into separate custard cups. One at a time, slide each gently into the water in the deep skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes for slightly runny yolks and remove with a slotted spoon.

Dividing evenly, top the toast with the tomatoes, mushrooms, eggs, Parmesan and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bottom Line: I don't poach my eggs as directed because I'm a sissy. I bought some of those silicone poaching cups and place the eggs in there, place in the boiling water and it takes about 6 minutes to cook that way. You can also use an egg poacher or you could soft boil your egg, or fry them.....whatever works, this is delicious!

Bean, Corn and Squash Stew

With all the worry about over fishing, mercury poisoning, growth hormones in our meat and poultry and everything in between, I've been trying to cook more vegetarian meals lately. Granted some of them fall on nights when Dave is dining elsewhere, usually having a killer steak....but he's not averse to meatless, fishless meals...although he probably doesn't crave only vegetables for dinner as I sometimes do. I was thumbing through the Food and Wine Annual 2010 cookbook the other day and the photo of this stew caught my eye. My first thought was, nope, fresh corn is gone...but the fresh corn at the farmers' market yesterday looked GOOD and so here it is....

Bean, Corn and Squash Stew, serves 2+; Total Time: 50 minutes

2 cups water
2 cups butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (one large ear)
9.5 oz cooked kidney beans, drained (1/2 can)
1/3 cup chopped basil leaves
1/4 cup vegetable oil, divided
1/2 large onion, coarsely chopped
1 medium red bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp hot paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a medium pot bring water to a boil with the squash and corn. Cover and simmer over moderately low heat until the squash is just tender, about 15 minutes. Add the kidney beans and cook until the beans are hot. Transfer 1 1/2 cups of the squash mixture to a blender along with some of the liquid and 1/4 cup of the basil; puree. Return the puree to the pot and keep the stew warm.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil. Add the onion and bell pepper and cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened, 8 minutes. Add the cumin, oregano and 1/2 tsp of the paprika and cook, stirring until fragrant, about 4 minutes. Stir the vegetables into the stew and season with salt and pepper to taste.

In a small saucepan, heat the remaining 2 tbsp oil. Add the remaining 1/2 tsp paprika and cook over low heat until fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl.

Ladle the stew into bowls. Swirl in the paprika oil, sprinkle with the remaining 2 tbsp basil and serve.

Bottom Line: I will make this again (actually I put 2 servings in the freezer)! Loved the flavors, I ended up using smoked paprika instead of hot as that's all I had and along with the cumin it was reminiscent of a vegetarian chili. It was quite filling and although I didn't have any on hand, you could serve it with tortilla chips or fresh corn tortillas.

Peas with Fresh Herbs; Chicken with Fresh Herbs

They had English peas in the market the other day and Dave LOVES fresh peas, so I try to buy them whenever I see them, usually in the spring. Not sure where these came from, but living in California sometimes the seasons seem to have no bearing on what you might find in the produce section of your local market. I happen to have a really great recipe for peas, simple yet interesting, so enjoy.  I'm making the chicken with fresh herbs (see September 9th posting) along with a green salad.

Peas with Fresh Herbs, serves 2; Total time: 15 minutes

2 tsp butter
1.5 tbsp chopped shallots
1 cup shelled English peas
1/2 cup sugar snap peas in the pod
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill
1 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
Freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the shallots and cook about 1 minute. Stir in the peas and water. Bring to a simmer. Cook the peas until the pods are tender yet crisp, about 5 minutes.

Remove from the heat and stir in the dill, mint, lemon juice, sugar and salt.

Bottom Line:  Easy dinner to prepare, nice fresh flavors. I didn't have any tarragon for the chicken so I used sage, thyme and parsley. I didn't use all the marinade on the chicken, and not wanting to waste anything used it as my salad dressing.....nice!

Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs

I'm always looking for interesting and healthy side dishes since we eat mostly simple grilled main courses during the week. Tonight I've got a nice piece of coho salmon to throw on the grill and this recipe for roasted vegetables is a nice combination of vegetables, all of which could stand on their own, but make for a lovely, colorful dish to serve along side the fish. This recipe appeared in Food and Wine, 2009. I've left out the parsnips, because I think four vegetables ought to be enough for us! Unfortunately my Whole Foods did not have any fresh sage, so I'm using dried...not quite the same. Can you believe they are getting their sage in TOMORROW?? Well, my menu was set and I didn't want to wait....

Roasted Vegetables with Fresh Herbs, serves 2, Total time: 1.5 hours

1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick on the bias
3/4 cup cauliflower florets
3/4 cup butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1 inch dice
3/4 cup brussels sprouts, halved
1 1/5 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 sage leaves
1 thyme sprig
1 2-inch piece rosemary sprig
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp balsamic vinegar

Preheat the oven to 425. In large bowl, toss the vegetables and herbs with the olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Spread mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes. Stir and sprinkle with the vinegar and continue to roast 25 minutes until tender and golden. Serve hot or at room temperature (can be kept at room temperature for up to 2 hours).

Bottom Line:  Although the vegetables are more brown than golden, they are quite tasty. I'm convinced that food photographers take pictures of not quite "done" food. To save some time, I used squash in a bag....peeled and diced already. Call me lazy, but I find no pleasure in cutting and peeling my own.

Provencal Wheat Berry Salad with Shrimp

I'm always trying to find good, interesting dinner salads. We tend to eat late, around 8:00 (okay, not late by European standards.....) so I try to fix light dinners. Found this recipe in the Fine Cooking, Aug/Sept 2010 issue. The wheat berries caught my eye since I had bought a package a couple of weeks back and was hoping to use them in more than the initial recipe. Wheat berries add a nice solid texture so this salad will provide a satisfying meal for dinner while keeping it healthy.

Provencal Wheat Berry Salad with Shrimp, serves 2, Total time:1 1/2 hours

1/2 cup wheat berries
Kosher salt
4 oz. green beans, trimmed
7 oz. artichoke hearts (1/2 can), drained, cut in eights
4 oz. cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered (about 3/4 cup)
1/4 cup roughly chopped, well-toasted almonds
2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 # medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and halved lengthwise
1 tbsp olive oil

In a 3 qt. saucepan, combine the wheat berries, 1 3/4 cup water and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a slow simmer and cook, partially covered until the wheat berries are tender but pleasantly chewy. Begin checking after 50 minutes, though they may take up to 90 minutes (mine took 60 minutes). Drain the wheat well and spread on a baking sheet to cool. (You can cook the wheat up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate after cooling. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Bring another suacepan of water to a boil over high heat. Add 1/2 tsp salt and green beans. Cook until tender, 4-8 minutes. Drain and cover with ice for 2 minutes. Pat beans dry with a paper towel. Cut then into 1/2-3/4 inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the wheat, green beans, artichoke hearts, tomatoes, 3/4 of the almonds, chopped herbs, several grinds of pepper and enough vinaigrette (recipe follows) to coat. Toss thoroughly and season to taste. The grains will absorb the dressing, so you might need to add more.

Season the shrimp with salt. Heat the olive oil in a 12-inch skillet over high heat until shimmering. Add the shrimp in a single layer and cook undisturbed until lightly browned on the bottoms 1-2 minutes. Flip and continue to cook until the shrimp are curled and just opaque throughout, 1 minute.

Toss the shrimp into the salad and  sprinkle with the remaining almonds.

Mustard-Caper Vinaigrette
1 tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp capers
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp freshly grated lemon zest
1/2 tsp minced fresh garlic
Kosher Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/3 cup olive oil

In a small bowl or glass jar with a tight lid, whisk or shake all of the ingredients.

Bottom line:  Very nice salad. Chock full of goodness! Dave says "YUM!"

Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad

Every so often I have to have my Mexican food fix.  It's usually in the form of a salad, the more healthy option. As I was going through my cooking mags the other day trying to decide what to toss and what to file, I ran across this recipe. I have to admit, it was the photo that got me. I'll stay pretty true to the recipe that appears in the Aug/Sept issue of Fine Cooking, but I'm substituting baby spinach and some arugula for the butter lettuce because I have it. Also, I've shortened the name, deleting "with tomato and black bean salsa."

Southwestern Grilled Chicken Salad, serves 2, Total time:

1/2 boneless skinless chicken breast half (3 oz.), trimmed
1/4 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp brown sugar
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp ground cumin
Kosher salt
2 1/2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tbsp plus 1 tsp chopped fresh cilantro, plus leaves for garnish
1 tsp honey
Freshly ground pepper
Green Tabasco (optional)
1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup small cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered or halved
1 large scallion, thinly sliced
1 head Bibb lettuce, torn into bite-sized pieces (about 4 cups)
1/2 medium firm-ripe avocado
2 tbsp toasted pine nuts or pepitas

Prepare a medium-high gas or charcoal grill fire.

Trim and then butterfly the chicken breast by slicing it horizontally almost but not entirely in half so you can open it like a book.

Combine the chili powder, brown sugar, coriander, cumin and 1/3 tsp salt in a small bowl. Rub some of the spice mix over both sides of the butterflied chicken breast (you won't need it all) and let it sit while the grill heats.

Grill the breast until the edges of the top side are white, about 3 minutes. Flip and cook until just done 1-2 minutes more. Let the chicken rest for 5-10 minutes.

In a small bowl or glass jar with a tight lid combine the olive oil, lime juice, 1/2 tbsp of the cilantro, the honey, 1/4 tsp salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a few shakes of green Tabasco. Whisk or shake well to combine.

Combine the black beans, tomatoes, scallion, the remaining 1 tsp cilantro, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Add 1 tbsp of the dressing and toss gently.

Put the lettuce in a bowl, season with a little salt and toss with just enough of the dressing to lightly coat. (Reserve a little to drizzle on the chicken.) Arrange the lettuce on a platter or two dinner plates. Slice the chicken breast very thinly. Pit and slice the avocado. Arrange the chicken, avocado and salsa on the lettuce. Drizzle a little of the remaining dressing over the chicken and avocado. Garnish with the pine nuts or pepitas and the cilantro leaves.

Bottom Line:   Great salad. Very filling, nice flavors, easy prep and easy cleanup. I'm not sure the pepitas added much, so feel free to leave them off. If you are one of those people who don't like cilantro, you may substitute parsley.

Vegetable Soup with Basil and Garlic

It's one of those rainy, fall days that we never have in Southern California.  Really, I'm not sure whether to be worried that the Apocalypse is near or just thankful that my roof repairs seem to be holding up....So I'm cocooning and making soup for dinner and trying not to think about what the greater powers have in store for us. The cats are in front of the fire and I'm thinking about throwing on my sweats and a sweater, pulling out my book and settling in. First, dinner prep......this recipe comes from the Williams-Sonoma "Soups, Salad & Starters" cookbook.  I've made it several times and it always turns out a little different (why is that??), but yummy always! I've cut the recipe in half (it says it makes 6-8, so this should make 3-4 servings) and substituted spinach for the chard because I had it on hand. I'm using regular basil pesto, but I've used tomato pesto in the past when that was all I had. I'm sure you could also substitute fresh basil and garlic if you wanted, but since most soups are made in the winter, it can be more difficult to find fresh basil.

Vegetable Soup with Basil and Garlic, serves 4++, Total time: 2 hours, 20 minutes* (can be made ahead of time)  *1 hour if using canned beans

1/4 cup dried cannellini beans (you may used canned)
Salt
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
2 yellow onions, diced
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 can diced tomatoes (or1/2# fresh)
4 cups vegetable stock (I used chicken)
3 new potatoes, diced
1/4# green beans, trimmed and cut into 1-inch lengths
2 zucchini, cut in half lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 1/2" thick
2 cups Swiss chard, carefully rinsed and sliced 1/2" thick or
  fresh spinach, roughly chopped
1/2# dried macaroni or small pasta shells
Freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup Pesto
Parmesan Cheese for grating

If using dried beans instead of canned, pick over the cannellini beans, discarding any misshapen or impurities. Rinse well and place in a saucepan with water to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat, boil for 2 minutes, remove from the heat, and let stand for 1 hour. Drain and return to the saucepan. Add fresh water to cover by 2 inches and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the beans are cooked through but not falling apart, about 1 hour. Add salt to taste during the last 15 minutes of cooking. Remove from the heat, drain, and set aside. If using canned beans, pour into a colander and rinse, drain well.

In a large soup pot over medium heat, warm the oil. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until tender, about 8-10 minutes. Add the carrots and celery. Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes. Then add the tomatoes and stock, reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the potatoes and continue to simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add the cooked cannellini beans, green beans, zucchini, chard (if using spinach add 5 minutes later) and pasta during the last 10 minutes of cooking. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and stir in the pesto. Ladle into warmed bowls, top with parmesan and serve.

Bottom Line:  This makes a LOT of soup.  I would put the proportions at 6 servings instead of 3-4.  We actually each had a bowl (not a giant bowl) and I put 4 bowls worth in the freezer and have one more for my lunch tomorrow.  So, if you have big eaters, maybe this would serve 4 with a little left over.  It was yummy!

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon with Spinach, Olives, and Golden Raisins

A rainy night in Santa Monica....we should be having soup or something...perhaps tomorrow.  I am determined to have a very healthy dinner tonight as I have been eating more than my share of junk lately.  I had a package of spinach in the fridge and thought I'd grill some fish and have steamed spinach and fresh green beans.  However, I wanted a little bit more pizazz in my spinach and in searching the Epicurious site I came across this scrumptious recipe from Bon Appetit's 2/10 issue.  Amazingly not 30 minutes before I had chosen salmon at the fish market, so this seemed like a must do!  The green beans may have to wait until tomorrow as there is plenty of spinach in this recipe to fulfill the greens quotient.

Balsamic-Glazed Salmon with Spinach, Olives, and Golden Raisins, serves 2, Total time:  25 minutes

2 9-oz. bags spinach leaves
2 tbsp olive oil, divided
2 5-oz. salmon fillets with skin
1/3 cup chopped shallot (1 very large)
1/3 cup golden raisins
1/3 cup halved pitted Kalamata olives
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp honey

Pour a few tbsp water into a heavy, large, nonsitck skillet. Place over medium-high heat. Add 1 bag spinach (skillet will be full). Using 2 wooden spoons, turn and toss spinach until most of leaves are wilted, about 2 minutes. Add remaining spinach leaves in 2 batches. Turn and toss spinach until just wilted but still bright green. Transfer cooked spinach to strainer set over bowl.

Wipe skillet dry if necessary. Add 1 tbsp oil and heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salmon with salt and pepper. Place in skillet, skin side up. Sear until brown, about 3 minutes; turn fish. Cook until just opaque in center, 3-4 minutes. Transfer to plate; wipe skillet clean.

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to same skillet. Add chopped shallot, halved olives, and golden raisins. Stir 1 minute. Add spinach; toss until heated through, about 1 minute. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Mound spinach mixture on plates. Top with salmon.

Add balsamic vinegar and honey to skillet. Boil until reduced to glaze, about 30 seconds. Spoon glaze over salmon and spinach and serve.

Bottom Line:  Nice flavors and a very simple dish to prepare, other than trying to turn spinach that is overflowing the pan....be prepared to have a few errant leaves here and there.  I confess that I did not cook the salmon in the pan (I hate splattering oil).  I broiled the fish for a less messy preparation, but there goes the one pan benefits of this dish.  Overall a winner, although that's a lot of spinach!

Grilled Fish with Potato, Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad

The beauty of grilling fish is that the simpler the better (and easier). Here's my routine:  I check out the fish counter for the freshest looking fish that will hold up to grilling.  The choices are practically endless these days.  The most basic markets have salmon, sea bass, swordfish and halibut.  Add to that opah, mahi mahi, tuna, sturgeon, cod, etc. Tonight I've picked a nice piece of sturgeon which I will spritz with olive oil and drizzle with lemon juice then sprinkle with salt and pepper right before grilling.  Approximately 4 minutes a side and voila! Because I've got them on hand, a nice salad of potatoes, beans and tomatoes to accompany.  Feel free to add another side if you like, but this dish covers all bases.  There are lots of recipes out there that combine green beans and tomatoes and that was what I was initially looking for, however last week I was forced to buy a whole bag of fingerlings when all I needed was 5, so unless I want to throw them out, I need to use them.  This recipe came from Epicurious and all I have done is to tweak the proportions and substitute rice vinegar for the orange juice (didn't have any juice!)

Potato, Green Bean and Cherry Tomato Salad, serves 2, Total time:  30 minutes

1/3 pound French green beans, trimmed
2/3 pound small new potatoes (fingerlings, red, white, purple, whatever), quartered
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar (divided)
1 tbsp white wine vinegar (divided)
1/2 cup cherry or teardrop tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 tbsp drained capers

Cook beans in boiling salted water until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Drain.  Transfer to medium bowl and refresh in ice water, Drain well.

Cook potatoes in boiling salted water until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain.  Transfer to large bowl. Add 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar and 1/2 tbsp vinegar; toss to coat.  Cool to room temperature, stirring occasionally, gently.

Add green beans, tomatoes, and parsley to potatoes. Whisk remaining vinegars, oil and capers in small bowl to blend.  Season dressing to taste with salt and pepper.  Add dressing to salad and toss to combine. (Can be made 2 hours ahead.  Let stand at room temperature.)

Bottom Line:  Loved this salad!  The sweetness of the rice wine vinegar and the saltiness of the capers was a great balance.  I would never have thought of adding the capers, but without them, you're missing something.  The sturgeon was spectacular, very mild and melt in your mouth GOOD.

Grilled Chicken with Roasted Cauliflower

Back in the kitchen after a week away....meetings, meetings, meetings:   no exercise, lousy food, too many snacks, wine, wine, and more wine.  Time to get back to healthy eating and more exercise!  Tonight's dinner, grilled chicken (see past recipes), roasted cauliflower, arugula salad topped with figs.



Roasted Cauliflower, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour

1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
5 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 shallot, thinly sliced
1/3 cup currants
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Put cauliflower in roasting pan, drizzle with 2 tbsp. olive oil and salt and pepper; toss.  Roast, turning once or twice for 15 minutes or so, until cauliflower just starts to soften.

Meanwhile, make vinaigrette by combining remaining olive oil with vinegar.  Remove pan, sprinkle shallots over cauliflower and drizzle with 2 tbsp of vinaigrette.  Roast, turning once until tender, about 15 minutes longer.

Cover currants with boiling water and let sit until plump, about 10 minutes.  Drain.

Transfer cauliflower to bowl, add currants, parsley and vinaigrette to taste.  Adjust seasonings.

Bottom Line:  Okay, so it serves about 3 people....but you can't buy 1/2 or 2/3 of a head of cauliflower.  It was yummy!  Love it and I could make this an entire dinner......might just do that next time Dave's out of town.

Warm Wheat Berries with Tuna, Fennel and Olives

It's still summer in most parts of the country (Santa Monica beach excluded) and this recipe in the October issue of Food and Wine looked like the perfect light dinner.  I love the combination of fennel, tuna and arugula  (I have a recipe that calls for those three plus chickpeas for a very tasty salad) so I thought I'd try it.  The wheat berries are an excellent source of protein and fiber so all in all it's a healthy entree.

Warm Wheat Berries with Tuna, Fennel and Olives, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour, 15 minutes

2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 thinly sliced carrot
1/2 cup thinly sliced onion
1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 cup wheat berries
1 3/4 cups water
Salt and freshly ground pepper
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
5 oz. jar imported tuna in olive oil, drained and flaked
1/4 cup green olives, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup baby arugula
1/2 small fennel bulb, thinly sliced

In a saucepan, combine the wheat berries, water and 1/4 tsp. salt.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 1 hour until tender.  Drain.

In a saucepan, heat 1 tbsp of the oil.  Add the carrot, onion and garlic and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly softened, 5 mins.  Add the wheat berries, remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and the lemon juice.  Fold in the tuna, olives, arugula and fennel.  Season with salt and pepper and serve warm or at room temperature.

Note:  the recipe actually calls for soaking the wheat berries overnight and then cooking with the vegetables in chicken broth for 30 minutes.  I opted not to do this as I didn't get organized in time.


Bottom Line:  This was good, but next time I would leave off the olives.  I would also use less onion and more lemon juice.  Dave wasn't as fond of it, his favorite tuna dinner is Nicoise salad, and that is hard to beat.

Chicken with Fresh Herbs served with Roasted Tomato, Brie and Arugula Salad

It is officially football season starting tonight with a special Thursday night football game.....WOW what luck!  Guess I won't ask Dave to grill......there might not be 100% concentration on the grill.  I saw this yummy recipe for the roasted tomato salad (on Tasting Table.com) and decided to pair it with a simple broiled chicken recipe that is easy to prepare and quite tasty.  Unfortunately the roasting of the tomatoes takes an hour, so this isn't a quick dinner, but you could easily serve the chicken with sauteed vegetables and a green salad and it would be quite quick.

Chicken with Fresh Herbs, serves 2, Total time:  25 mins

1/4 cup chopped assorted fresh herbs (i.e. Italian parsley, oregano, tarragon)
3 tbsp olive oil
2 1/2 tbsp Sherry wine vinegar
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp salt
2 boneless chicken breast halves with skin (I used skinless)

Whisk first 5 ingredients in large bowl.  Add chicken; turn to coat.

Preheat broiler.  Arrange chicken, skin side down, on large rimmed baking sheet.  Pour marinade over; broil 4 minutes.  Turn chicken.  Broil until cooked through and skin is browned, about 6 minutes (note, my chicken took more like 20 mins to cook, therefore I have adjusted the total time from 15 to 25 mins).

Roasted Tomato, Brie and Arugula Salad, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour 5 mins

3/4 # Roma tomatoes, cored, seeded and quartered
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tbsp chopped tarragon leaves, divided
2 1/2 oz. baby arugula
2 oz. Brie cheese, rind removed and cheese cut into 1/2 inch cubes
2 tbsp Sherry vinegar

Preheat the oven to 375.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the tomatoes with the olive oil, salt, pepper and 1/2 tbsp of the tarragon.  Stir until the tomato quarters are coated with the oil and arrange on a rimmed baking sheet.  Roast the tomatoes for 1 hour, until they're shriveled and the pan juices have caramelized.

Arrange the arugula in a large serving bowl and top with the Brie. Spoon the roasted tomatoes (and any accumulated juices) over the top of the greens, then drizzle with vinegar and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 tbsp tarragon.  Toss gently and serve.

Bottom Line:  Loved this salad!  Nice combination with the chicken, but would also do well with fish or beef. I wasn't sure if the tomatoes should be hot and mine were more like room temperature by the time the chicken finished cooking.  I think this is the perfect temperature as you don't really want to wilt the arugula and melt the cheese.

Grilled Swordfish with Crispy Cauliflower

I saw this recipe for cauliflower in a Tasting Table email.  The recipe comes from chef Bruce Binn of Thermidor, San Francisco.  Bad habit of mine....I forgot to really read the recipe before I went to the store, so where he adds mint, I'm adding shallots and raisins. Picked up a beautiful piece of swordfish which Dave will grill (4 mins a side).  Just a bit of olive oil and salt and pepper to prepare it for the grill.  I think a small arugula and fig salad will be a nice accompaniment.

Crispy Cauliflower, serves 2, Total time:  40 mins

1/2 head of cauliflower, separated into small to medium florets
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 shallot, minced
2 tbsp raisins or currants
1 tsp lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400.  Toss cauliflower florets with 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil.  Spread on a rimmed baking sheet.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast, rotating the baking sheet and stirring about halfway through for a total of 15-20 mins, until the edges of the cauliflower are golden brown.  Remove and cool completely. (I'm not sure you need to cool the cauliflower before the next step.  I did, but not sure what you gain.)

In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil.  Add the shallots and saute over medium heat.  When shallots are beginning to soften, add the cauliflower and the raisins and cook over medium high heat, stirring often until crispy and warmed through, about 4 mins.

Transfer to a bowl, squeeze lemon juice over and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Bottom Line:  Didn't love the cauliflower.  I normally roast it until it's pretty brown (about 30 mins) and then dress it with browned butter (sometimes with shallots and raisins) and it's very tasty.  I don't think I'll make this recipe again.  The swordfish and the salad were yummy, tho!

White Bean Chili

Believe it or not, it feels like fall in Santa Monica today.  It's overcast with temps hovering around 65.....really rather dreary.  Out came the J Crew cashmere and the soup pot.  Thought I'd cook up a batch of white bean chili.....one of Dave's favs.  Aside from the disaster I had from adding a can of chopped jalapenos (don't do this unless you know they are mild!) this is an easy soup to make.  It freezes well and I usually use a roasted chicken from my favorite grocer so I don't have to cook the chicken, a real time saver...BONUS!  After fishing out the little bits of jalapeno, draining the broth and adding new, I think this is going to be fantastic.  It obviously took me more than the hour fifteen noted here, but if you use mild chilies you shouldn't have a problem.  Feel free to kick it up a notch if you like hot with some cayenne or dried chili peppers or that can of jalapenos you've been saving for a special occasion.

White Bean Chili, serves 4, Total time:  1 hour 15 mins

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp ground cumin
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 4-oz. can chopped green chilies (mild)
2 cups diced cooked chicken
3-4 cups chicken broth
2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
Salt and pepper to taste
grated Monterey Jack cheese

Heat the oil in a soup pot or dutch oven.  Add onion and garlic and saute until soft.  Add cumin, oregano, cloves and green chilies.  Stir in the chicken and add the broth.  Bring to a boil, turn heat to low and add beans.  Adjust seasonings, adding salt and pepper as necessary.  Simmer the soup for an hour.  Served topped with cheese.  You can offer additional condiments on the side:  chopped tomatoes, salsa, chopped parsley or cilantro, chopped scallions, sour cream (useful if the chilies are too hot!)

Bottom Line:  Yum!  It had just the right amount of heat for us and there are now 2 servings in the freezer for dinner emergencies.

Grilled Salmon and Summer-Vegetable Casserole

WOW, September already.  I was traveling this week so Dave had to fend for himself the last three nights and he's ready for more satisfying fare than tuna, eggs, tuna, so it's time to get back to cooking!  I thought he might frequent the local Whole Foods prepared foods section, but he couldn't be bothered.  Unfortunately the fridge and the freezer were uncharacteristically bare, so there was little to choose from.....I will do better before my next absence....Another Food and Wine email led me to this mouthwatering vegetable casserole and I thought it would pair nicely with a piece of simply grilled salmon.

Summer-Vegetable Casserole, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour, 25 mins (can be prepared in advance)

1 medium-large Yukon Gold potato, peeled and sliced 1/4" thick
1 yellow bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1/2 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 tsp fresh thyme leaves
3 plum tomatoes, sliced 1/4" thick
1 small zucchini, sliced on the diagonal 1/4" thick
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 1/2 tbsp freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Coat a small casserole with olive oil.  Spread potatoes in the casserole in a single layer; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  In a bowl, combine the bell pepper, onion, garlic and thyme and season with salt and pepper.  Arrange two-thirds of the bell pepper mixture over the potatoes and drizzle with oil.  Top with the tomatoes and the zucchini; drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Cover with the remaining bell pepper mixture and sprinkle with the cheese.

Cover the casserole with foil and bake for 40 mins.  Increase the oven temperature to 425.  Uncover and bake for about 20 mins longer, until the vegetables are tender and glazed on top.  Let stand for 10 mins.  Serve warm.


Grilled Salmon, serves 2, Total time:  20 mins

2/3 # Salmon fillet
Salt and pepper
Olive oil
Lemon
1 tsp dill

Prepare grill, medium high.  Brush salmon with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill skin side up for 4 mins, flip and grill 4 mins.  Season lightly with dill, serve with lemon slices.

Bottom line:  You only get a picture of the vegetables as the salmon came off the grill looking NOT ready for it's close-up!  Sometimes food tastes so much better than it looks.  That said, the veggies looked and tasted great.  This might be my new favorite dish....the sweetness of the onions and the creaminess of the potatoes, the tartness of the tomatoes, it all worked beautifully together.  A winner!!

Grilled Halibut with Zucchini served with Arugula and Fig Salad

Another in the series of simply grilled fish complemented by fresh vegetables and a salad.  Hopefully this isn't boring.....I sometimes worry that my daily dinners are the same song, different melody.  However, when Dave doesn't get home until 7:30 or 8:00 I'm less than inclined to be presenting a complicated, multi-course meal that has taken hours to prepare only to be consumed in mere minutes or, abstractedly while some drivel (or in many cases dribble....as in basketball) is playing out on the TV.  So, here we go again.  I try to mix up the fish and the sides so as not to seem like a broken record, hopefully I succeed.

Grilled Halibut with Zucchini, serves 2, Total time: 30 mins

8-10 oz. halibut steak
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, for brushing
2 small zucchini, cut on a sharp angle into 1/2-inch ovals
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
Lemon for serving

Prepare grill to medium-high.  Lightly brush zucchini ovals with the olive oil, both sides, season with salt and pepper.  Lightly brush the halibut with olive oil, both sides, season with salt and pepper.

Grill halibut 4-5 mins per side, depending on the thickness of your steaks.  The general rule is 5 mins per side, per inch of thickness.  Remove to plates and squeeze lemon juice over.

Grill zucchini ovals 3 mins per side.  Remove to plates and squeeze lemon juice over.

Arugula and Fig Salad

Arugula
Fresh Figs, quartered
Goat cheese, optional
1 tbsp (scant) extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp aged balsamic vinegar

Place arugula on plate, top with figs and cheese.  Lightly drizzle with oil and vinegar.  Season with salt and pepper.

Bottom Line:  Any fish will do.  I try to buy something that will NOT fall apart on the grill and looks super fresh.  You can certainly doll this up with some fresh herbs, a marinade or a grilling rub, but this simple preparation really allows the freshness of your fish to be the star here.  As for the salad, the nuttiness of the arugula and the sweetness of the figs are a great complement to each other.  I used a little brie cheese instead of the goat cheese as that's what I had, and it was delicious.  

Summer Panzanella (Italian Bread Salad)

Years ago, my mother-in-law gave me Michael Chiarello's Tra Vigne Cookbook.  She chose it because it was beautiful and she knew I liked to cook.  She doesn't love to cook and I was dreading yet another "restaurant cookbook."  You know the type, recipes so complicated, using ingredients you don't usually have on hand and so laborious that  you would never make them at home.  This one is different and it is one of my favorite cookbooks.  The recipes set up the basics and then give you several options.  Also, the dishes are unique, but straightforward to prepare (for the most part).  I liked that cookbook so much, I bought his second one, Casual Cooking, which is where you'll find the Panzanella recipe.  As is his tendency, he not only gives you a recipe for Summer Panzanella, but also versions for Autumn, Winter and Spring.  The Summer version is perfect for tonight's dinner:  Dave's travelling and I have a plateful of ripe tomatoes staring me in the face and what better way to put a dent in that plate!

Summer Panzanella, serves 2, Total time:  30 mins

1 # ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced (I didn't peel and seed my tomatoes)
2 tbsp minced red onion (I used a sweet Vidalia as that is what I had on hand)
1 tsp minced garlic
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (I used only a little more than 2 tbsp)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon
1/2 tsp sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
stale French bread, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 cup arugula
Parmesan cheese

Place tomatoes in a colander to drain excess liquid while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, basil, tarragon, salt and pepper to tasted.  Add the croutons and toss well.

Divide between 2 plates.  Top each serving with an equal amount of the arugula.  With a vegetable peeler, shave the Parmesan over the salad.  Serve immediately.

Note:  Michael's recipe calls for making the croutons by melting butter in a skillet; adding the bread cubes, tossing to coat, spreading on a baking sheet, sprinkling with finely grated Parmesan and baking in a 350 degree oven until crisp and lightly browned, about 15 minutes.  I skipped the butter and cheese step and lightly baked my bread to crisp up.  His way is delicious, but figured I didn't need the calories.

Also, you can prepare the salad in advance, just don't add the croutons, arugula and cheese until right before serving.

Bottom line:  I usually make this for myself as a main course.  I know many of you are thinking....no way am I only eating tomatoes and arugula for dinner.  That's ok, I'm a little weird....so grill up some fish, a piece of chicken, or even a steak and serve this as your side.  It's as delicious as your tomatoes are and if you love tomatoes like I do, you'll love it.

Corn Chowder

Corn again?  Enough already!  I know, but all too soon, corn season will be over and I'll have to wait until next July to get any decent fresh corn so I buy it while I can ....also, I have a bit of a cold and this way I can justify soup in the middle of a heat wave, so humor me.  I know there are lots of recipes out there that add crab or fish to the chowder, we had one last weekend and it was quite tasty, but I like this simple, unadulterated recipe from Julee Rosso and Sheila Lukins, The New Basic Cookbook.  Enjoy!

Corn Chowder, serves 2+, Total time: 1 hour
  
2 oz. sliced bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp flour
2 cups chicken stock or broth
1 large potato, peeled (unless you are using smaller, thin skinned such as new or fingerling), 1/4 inch dice
1/2 cup half and half (I use milk and it seems to work just fine)
2 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1-2 scallions, cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/2 tbsp chopped cilantro (optional for all of you who think cilantro tastes like soap.....and you know who you are!)

Wilt the bacon in a soup pot over low heat until fat is rendered, about 5 minutes.  Add the butter and allow it to melt.

Add the onion and wilt over low heat for 10 minutes.  Add the flour and cook, stirring, another 3-5 minutes.

Add the stock and potatoes.  Continue cooking over med-low heat until the potatoes are just tender, 10 mins. or so.

Add the half and half (milk), corn, salt and pepper to taste.  Cook 7 mins.

Add the bell pepper and scallions, adjust the seasonings, and cook an additional 5 mins.  Serve, garnished with cilantro.

Bottom Line:  This is one of my favorite end of summer soups....although Dave could have used some air conditioning!  My potatoes did not take the full 10 minutes, so watch carefully as you don't want to overcook them.  

Grilled Chicken Breasts, Raw Corn & Radish Salad, Sliced Tomatoes

It's the middle of summer, a gazillion degrees outside and you cannot imagine standing next to an indoor cooking appliance, much less firing it up and cooking dinner......let's all call for take out.  BUT, hold on,  you can make a fabulous dinner as long as you have some super fresh corn and a grill.  I noticed this corn and radish salad recipe in the no-cook section of Food and Wine's website (check it out, there are 107 recipes!).   I was off to the farmers' market this morning where I could pick up some aforementioned FRESH corn and this salad would be a great complement to the grilled chicken recipe I saw in today's NY Times (kudos to Mark Bittman, one of my favorite chefs, a minimalist just like me!).  If you don't have a source for fresh picked corn (those ears in the grocery store are NOT fresh picked), all is not lost.  You can easily grill the corn.  Remove the husks, rub all over with olive oil and grill, turning often.  There will be some browned kernels, but that's ok, it's still yummy!

Raw Corn & Radish Salad with Spicy Lime Dressing, serves 2, total time:  25 mins.

1 tbsp fresh lime juice

1/2 small jalapeno, seeded and finely chopped

3/4 tsp honey

1/8 tsp ground cumin

2 tbsp olive oil

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

2 ears fresh corn, shucked and kernels cut off the cob

3 medium radishes, thinly sliced

1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

2 tbsp red onion, chopped

Combine the lime juice, jalapeno, honey and cumin.  Drizzle olive oil while whisking to incorporate.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, toss the corn, radishes, parsley, red onion and dressing.  Season with salt and pepper.

Grilled Chicken Breasts Stuffed With Herb Butter, serves 2, total time:  45 mins

2 tbsp butter, softened

1 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, basil, chives or other herb

2 bone-in chicken breasts (I used boneless with skin)

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Extra virgin olive oil as needed

Lemon wedges for serving

Prepare the grill, heat should be medium high, but one area of the grill should be cool for indirect cooking.  In a small bowl, using a fork, combine butter and herbs.  

With a sharp-bladed knife, cut a 2-3-inch slit in the deepest part of the chicken.  Fill with as much herb butter as possible; rub some under the skin as well.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and brush with oil.

When the grill is ready, put chicken skin-side up on the cool side of the grill.  After some fat has been rendered, turn chicken; if it flares up, move to an even cooler part of the grill or turn skin side up again.  When skin has lost its raw look and most of the fat has been rendered, after 20 mins or so, move chicken directly over fire.  Cook, turning now and then, until both sides are browned and flesh is firm and cooked through, 5-10 minutes longer.  Serve hot, warm or at room temperature, with lemon wedges.

Bottom Line:  Nice combination.  The chicken was very moist and although we didn't eat the skin, it was nice and crispy.  Also, the cooking method really paid off.  So many times our chicken has looked like we dragged it through the coals, but as you can see, this way of indirect cooking saved us.  My chicken took the full 30 mins to cook, even though it was boneless.  The breasts were large (there are no small chickens out there....) and, as I've said, our grill is not a mega BTU job (one day), so you may have to adjust the cooking time depending on whether your chicken is boned as well as the grill you are working with.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Salad

Grilled Pork Tenderloin, Roasted Sweet Potatoes, Green Salad, serves 2, Total time:  1 hour

I know, I know, this sounds more like an October dinner than an August dinner, but I had a pork tenderloin in the freezer and the sweet potatoes at my market were so fresh  I couldn't imagine not buying them.  You know the type:  thin skinned, a gorgeous shade of orange peeking through, no scars, no shriveling (is that a word??).  And, even though it is a blistering 80 degrees in Santa Monica, I'm going to turn the oven on to 450 and roast them.  It's my favorite way to eat sweet potatoes, just slice, toss them in a bit of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper and roast away (for about 35 minutes until tender and golden).  Very healthy, I might add.  You could also sprinkle with a bit of balsamic vinegar as they come out of the oven if you wish.  So that's the 411 on the sweet potatoes.


Grilled Pork Tenderloin

1 pork tenderloin
2 tbsp soy sauce
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place pork in a shallow bowl, add soy sauce and turn to coat.  Prepare grill, medium hot to hot (depending on your grill).  Season pork with salt and pepper (don't go overboard on the salt, as the soy sauce is salty).  Grill tenderloin for 15-20 minutes, turning often, until internal temperature has reached 160 degrees.  Remove from grill and let stand for 10 minutes before slicing (this keeps all the good juices in the meat and not on your cutting board).  If you like, you can brush with barbecue sauce during the last 5 minutes or so of grilling, being careful not to let the meat char.


Green Salad tonight is watercress and heirloom tomatoes dressed in olive oil and balsamic vinegar.


Bottom Line:  This meal gets a thumbs up from Dave as there are few dishes to clean up.  It's easy, tasty, very satisfying and I have leftovers!  If you didn't want to heat the house up at all, you could probably do the potatoes on the grill, but I might parboil them first. 

Grilled Salmon with Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad

Ok, back from Carmel and I'm finally warm!  Note to future Carmel vacationers.....bring more layers than you think you need.  Seriously, it's a beautiful, quite charming AND there are some great restaurants for your enjoyment.  A few dishes worth noting: Basil's Caprese Salad (heirloom tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella, drizzled in olive oil and balsamic vinegar, sprinkled with basil)......this very popular salad was differentiated by stuffing the round of mozzarella with a tablespoon of marscapone...to die for!  La Bicyclette's Piquillo Pepper Soup with just a touch of cream....amazing.  If I find any recipes for the above, I'll post later.  Meanwhile, knock yourself out making up your own, but please share.

So, back to reality.  Tonight's dinner will be simple, fresh and not too caloric....we way overate last week and not nearly enough exercise to compensate.  This is one of our normal week night dinners, fish and salad. The salad is easy and delicious, I have edited it down from the recipe in Bon Appetit, July 2010, as their recipe serves 10-12.

Heirloom Tomato and Grilled Corn Salad, serves 2 (with some left over!), Total time:  1.5 hours*
*If you don't have 2 hours to prepare this (because of the soaking time) you can cut the corn off the cob and saute for 3 minutes in a skillet in olive oil or butter.  Still delicious!

1 tbsp Champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 tsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp finely chopped fresh basil
2 ears fresh corn, in the husk
1 small heirloom tomato cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1/3 cup heirloom cherry tomatoes
Coarse Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Cover corn in water for one hour.  While corn is soaking, mix vinegar and garlic in bowl.  Whisk in oil, then basil,  season with salt and pepper.  Prepare barbecue grill.  Grill corn in the husk for 15-20 minutes, turning often.  Husks will be charred. Cool corn.  Remove husk and silk, cut corn off the cob into a bowl, add tomatoes and toss with enough vinaigrette to coat.  Season with salt and pepper.


Grilled Salmon, serves 2, total time:  10 minutes

8-10 oz. fresh salmon

Olive oil for rubbing

Sea salt and freshly ground pepper

Lemon, sliced thinly

While corn is cooking, prepare salmon by rubbing both sides with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Place on grill, skin side up.   Grill 4 minutes a side, placing lemon slices on top when fish is flipped.  Salmon should be slightly dark in the center, so if your fish is thin, you might need to cook only 3 minutes per side.  Squeeze lemon juice over fish before serving if desired.

Bottom Line:  This is a great, simple, healthy dinner.  I loaded up on the salad, so I have one serving left over for tomorrow lunch.  You could easily serve four with this recipe.  If you're pressed for time, you can cook the corn in advance and refrigerate, but I would prefer to cut the corn off the cob and saute in a skillet for 3-4 minutes instead. If you're wanting a little more for dinner, add a green salad.  

Off to Carmel

We're off for a week to Carmel as Dave has a big race next weekend in his 1959 Cooper T-52.....I'm sure you are all up to speed on just what that means....he races against other "gentlemen" on a very cool, historic track in Central California.  Meanwhile I will be planning our dinners out!  I'll keep you abreast of anything that is particularly inspiring.    In case you were wondering, we had takeout tonight.....Manhattan clam chowder.  It was a chock full day and I just couldn't squeeze in time to prepare myself.

Bottom line:  the soup was tasty, but a little too much salt.

Martha's Chocolate Cake

Actually I'm eating leftovers for dinner tonight, not cake.  Dave's got a dinner meeting and there is chicken left from last night as well as fresh tomatoes from the market, so that's my menu.  Not really worthy of a recipe, so I thought I'd share a bit of humility instead. 

There are days when you should just leave well enough alone.  We were having a friend for dinner the other night.  He is solo this summer as his family is in Europe and it happened to be his birthday, so I thought I should make him a cake.  I could have bought a couple of slices of his favorite Ganache cake, but nooooo, I wanted to actually bake something for him.  Like the superb dinner that I had planned wasn't enough. Trust me, he wouldn't have known the difference, in fact, he might have appreciated my buying his dessert. 

My dear friend Martha's chocolate cake seemed to be the perfect choice.  It is practically flourless, so similar to the Ganache cake our friend adored, and everyone raves about how delicious it is.  It seemed simple enough and my mom has made it countless times....what could go wrong?   I don't make a habit of baking.....  yeast and I don't get along, cookies are too fattening, I have no talent in icing a cake.  As far as I'm concerned, one of the best desserts is fresh berries and a scoop of really good ice cream, or... truffles.  I'm not the one volunteering to bring the dessert to the party.  I used to have a fruit tart that was my signature, but now I think it's waaay to much trouble. 

But, again, Martha's cake looked like a breeze and it really was, I just didn't bake it quite long enough.  When I removed it from the oven after the designated 20 minutes, it did have a pudding feel, and it crossed my mind to leave it in for another 5 minutes or so, but no, I was following directions and this must be right.  As it cooled, I noticed through the center cracks that it looked a bit moist, runny even.  I started to wonder just how I was going to "turn it out" onto the plate.....does it flip over, do I try to slide it onto the plate....what was going to happen to that soft center when I did manage to get it onto the plate?????  I called my mom, she couldn't remember if I should flip it or try to get it out right side up.  Martha wasn't home.  I was on my own.  So, I flipped it.  Turned out fine, but now I could see that it was really moist.....the powdered sugar topping would have to go on right before serving or it would turn to glue.  It looked pretty ridiculous under my nice glass cake dome.

But, not to worry, the powdered sugar made it look much better right before serving.  It was the fact that as soon as I cut the cake, the center started to ooze.  I managed to get Dave and Mark's pieces on their plates while they still looked like a slice of cake.  Mine, not so much....It was delicious, and I would highly recommend it to all of you bakers out there.  I have to admit I don't have a photo as I was trying to get the cake to the table before all hell broke loose.  You can have the recipe and please don't take my failure as the norm.....the cake is a winner in better hands.

Martha's Chocolate Cake, serves 4-6, Total time:  45 mins

1 stick unsalted butter, cut into 8 pieces
4.5 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, cut into 1" pieces
3 eggs, separated
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
3 tbsp cake and pastry flour
1 tbsp ground almonds
powdered sugar for dusting
creme fraiche or whipped cream for serving

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Line the bottom of a 7-8" springform pan with parchment paper.  Butter the pan and paper , then dust with sugar, then flour. 

Melt the chocolate and butter in a double boiler, stirring occasionally.  Set aside.

Beat the sugar and the egg yolks until well mixed.  While the chocolate is still warm, stir it into the egg-sugar mixture.  Stir in the flour and ground almonds.

Whisk the egg whites to soft peaks and add to the chocolate mixture, folding in with a spatula, gently but quickly.

Pour into the prepared pan and bake for about 20 minutes.  Cake should be slightly soft and have a pudding feel to the touch.  Cool completely in the pan.  The center will sink.  To remove, run a knife carefully around the edge and release the sides of the springform pan.  Turn out onto a cake plate (I put the plate on top of the cake and flipped, then removed the bottom and the parchment paper).

To serve, dust with powdered sugar, cut into wedges and top with the creme fraiche or whipped cream.

Grilled Chicken Breasts with Potato Salad and Greens

Does this sound like I've thrown in the kitchen sink?  Tomorrow is Farmer's Market Wednesday, but I have a self imposed rule that I can't go if I don't really need anything, soooo, let's get some of that stuff out of the produce bin so I can treat myself tomorrow!  That means we'll have 2 salads tonight, although does potato salad really count as salad?  To me it's the side veg of the evening.  This is truly a simple meal.  I'm using the vinaigrette from the Nicoise Salad to dress the potatoes as well as to marinate the chicken breasts.  You could also use if to dress the greens (in this case wild arugula and tomatoes), but I think I'll just drizzle with a good olive oil and some balsamic vinegar to cut the tartness of the arugula.

Potato Salad, serves 2, total time:  30 mins.

6 fingerling potatoes
1 stalk celery, diced
1 scallion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp Italian parsley, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Place potatoes in saucepan, cover with water, bring to a boil and cook until just tender, about 8-10 minutes after they come to a boil.  Drain and quarter.  Add celery, onion and parsley to cooled potatoes and lightly dress with vinaigrette.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Vinaigrette

1/2 tbsp Dijon mustard

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1/2 tsp granulated sugar

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

minced parsley and/or chives, to taste

1/4 extra virgin olive oil

Combine mustard, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper and herbs.  Drizzle oil into mixture, whisking to incorporate.

Grilled Chicken Breasts, serves 2, total time:  35 mins

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Vinaigrette

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Marinate chicken breasts in vinaigrette.  Prepare grill.  When hot, cook chicken breast 15-20 minutes, turning often, until internal temperature reaches 165 degrees.  Serve hot or room temperature.

Bottom line:  I love dinners like these.  It's all so simple and fresh.  You could always add red peppers or green beans or hard boiled eggs to your potato salad.  Also, mustard seeds are a nice touch.  YUM!!