Archive for the ‘grains/nuts/lentils’ Category

Red Wine Mushroom Risotto

Tuesday, February 23rd, 2010

Our mushroom queen Riane is visiting Boston this week, so for her first night in the bean I thought it would be nice to have a relaxing evening with some red wine, rummikub, and a hearty portion of mushroom risotto.  Risotto is a great dinner to make with friends because you all get to hang out in the kitchen and when one person’s arm gets tired of stirring- just pass the spoon off to the next person in line.  Even if you have friends that claim they can’t cook, get them to stir the risotto while you add the stock, it may help boost their kitchen confidence.

Red Wine Mushroom Risotto
I dubbed this version “red wine” mushroom risotto because the last time I made it I used a white wine and missed out on the striking burgundy color.

IMGP1373Ingredients:
1 C Arborio rice
1 Quart Stock, mushroom would work nice but chicken or vegetable are fine
1/4 C red wine
1 package mushrooms, medium sliced*
1 celery stock, diced
1 large shallot, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 TBS freshly chopped thyme
1 bay leaf
2 TBS butter
1/4 C parm or pecorino romano
Salt & Pepper to taste

BEFORE you start on the risotto make sure you bring stock to a low simmer.
MELT 1 TBS butter and a drizzle of olive oil in a heavy stock pot.
SAUTEE shallots, garlic, bay leaf, salt and pepper until tender and add rice.
COOK rice until it becomes translucent and then deglaze with wine.
ONCE wine is absorbed add stock in batches making sure it is absorbed before adding more.
WHEN half of the stock is added stir in mushrooms and thyme and continue to add stock until the rice is tender but still holds its consistency.
TURN off heat, stir in remaining butter (should be room temperature) and grated cheese, remove bay leaf and its ready to serve!

*Riane was in charge of chopping the mushrooms and I’m glad she chose to slice them medium thick- they really held up in the cooking process.

Restaurant Re-Make

Monday, January 4th, 2010

I have been dying to re-create a delicious salad I had at the Front Room in Portland Maine and this weekend, when I was snowed in, I finally got the chance to do so.  Although its not on their current menu, the memorable salad I had a hankering for was spinach, crumbled goat cheese, diced beets and dried cranberries topped with a balsamic reduction.  My re-creation varied slightly from the original but still managed to satisfy my craving for this delicious salad.

IMGP1206The beets I used were the “candy-striped” variety so that’s why they do not appear that vibrant red in the picture above.  I quartered and steamed them for around 30-40 minutes until they became tender and the peeling came off with ease.  From there I chopped them into a small dice, put them in a jar and covered them with olive oil and red wine vinegar.  My taste buds fall on the side of salty/sour so I like to add alot of vinegar to my beets to balance our the sweetness but if you are a fan of sweet then you should hold back on the vinegar.

The beets were the hard part, the rest of the salad came together in a breeze.  Arugula, crumbled raw goat cheese, toasted walnuts, sliced red onion and a honey-balsamic vinaigrette.  I figured the honey would compensate for the lack of dried cranberries and it did the trick!

These types of salads are always pricey on restaurant menus but are super simple to recreate in your own kitchen so keep this in mind!

birthday extravaganza

Thursday, November 19th, 2009

It was my good friend’s birthday recently and we threw a party chez paul riane & moose to celebrate. the food took on a bit of a middle eastern feel with dolmas, spicy hummus and stuffed dates, and was definitely a crowd pleaser.

spicy hummus

in a food processor combine:

  • 1 can chickpeas
  • juice from 1 lemon
  • 1tsp salt
  • 1tsp mild paprika
  • 1/4tsp cayenne
  • 2-3 cloves garlic
  • 1/4C olive oil
  • 1/4C chopped fresh parsley

adjust to taste and consistency.  ever since my mom got me a food processor for christmas years ago i have been on the prowl for bean dips, and i must say, this will replace my old white bean standby.   the cayenne really adds a nice kick and w/my sensitive palette, i stuck to the recipes, but im sure it could handle a pinch or two extra.  i also made the old stand by pita chips which can be made easily by cutting up pita into wedges.  coating each w/some olive oil, s & p, and italian seasoning. bake at 350F for about 5 min per side.

Dates Stuffed with Parmesan Slivers and Pecans

  • 24 large dates
  • 2oz chunk of parm
  • 24 whole pecans

with a sharp knife, cut a slit in each of the dates an remove the pits. using a veggie peeler, cut the parm into thin ribbons.  stuff each date with 1 nut and as many cheese ribbons as will fit.  

this is a delicious and versatile treat.  the extreme sweetness of the dates and the saltiness of the cheese combine to perfection in your mouth and looks beautiful.  get creative and try other salty hard cheese such as manchego, and mix and match nuts, walnuts would also be delish!

these are great finger foods and really cute for hosting cocktail parties

Deconstructed Chicken Soup

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

All of these chicken soup recipes are putting my salivary glands into over-drive!  I was feeling a little congested yesterday so decided to follow suit and conjure up my own chicken soup as my medicine.  I was really craving some carbs so decided to put a spin on the normal soup recipe.  I kept the same classic chicken soup flavors  and deconstructed it into something more hearty and filling.

Mirepoix Risotto with Lemon Roasted Chicken

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Mirepoix Risotto: Mirepoix sounds fancy but it is just the french word forIMGP0971 the trinity of celery, onions and carrots- the foundation for chicken soup.  I sauteed these vegetables plus some garlic and bay leaf to make a basic risotto.  At the end rather than stirring in grated cheese I used lemon zest to give it a nice bite; a great suggestion I borrowed from emily’s recipe.  I also stirred in some peas  to compensate for the vibrant green that got cooked out of the celery.
Lemon Roasted Chicken: It would have been great to roast a whole chicken, but since I was only cooking for two I decided to go for Chicken IMGP0974Tender strips they sell at Harvest (best deal around $3.50 a pound).  I tossed them with olive oil, salt pepper and dried oregano then layered some lemon slices over the top.  Baked in a 425 degree oven for 25 minutes, then let them sit on the stove top covered for another 10 minutes the let the juices redistribute.  Garnish with a little fresh parsley or chopped celery leaves and dinner is served.


lemon-barley pilaf

Monday, October 19th, 2009

After a long day at work, the last thing I wanted to do was adventurously attempt some new and elaborate recipe. I needed something fast, easy and delicious!  With an everything-but-the-kitchen-sink collection of vegetables and enough barley to sink a small ship, I ventured into Pilaf land and was totally satisfied with my trip. And what to pair with a pilaf? Mmm…mahi mahi!

I breaded two filets of mahi mahi (Trader Joe’s has yummy flash-frozen filets for pretty cheap) and pan-fried them in a bit of olive oil. Success! The crust turned out crispy and delicious.

mahi mahi

As for the pilaf? Bon Appetit wins again. Check out the recipe here.

veggiespilaf

Savory Apple Salad

Monday, October 12th, 2009

I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, but I am a fan of adding fruit to savory dishes to give it that yummy balance between salty and sweet.  Since apple season has begun, what better fruit to use to make a savory salad.

I saw this recipe on Real Simple a couple weeks ago and was dying to try it out- not something I would usually go for but since the main ingredient is barley how could I not enjoy it?

Creamy Barley Salad with Apples

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Minor alterations: I used a little less yogurt than the recipe called for- I don’t like my grains drenched in dressing.  Also I didn’t have any mint on hand so I added some chopped celery leaves for some freshness.  In the future I may play around with adding thinly sliced red onion or some radishes to beef up the savory flavors.

Next savory dish on my horizon: Apple, Potato, and Onion Gratin…stay tuned!

Mediterranean Quinoa Salad

Friday, September 11th, 2009

Necessity, and a stocked pantry is indeed the mother of invention.

Last weekend my Man Crow and I decided to leave the confines(and comforts) of urban life and strike out into the vast wilderness of Vermont to camp for a couple of days.  We had a truly excellent time, hiking, sitting in front of the fire drinking box wine (for another post) and of course, mowing.

Unfortunately, my life has been a little hectic recently and I  simply haven’t had the time I would have like to devote to preparing camp-friendly noshes.   However, the night before with little time and an empty fridge wanted to make sure to bring one cooler-friendly, super healthy, energy-giving dish to munch on the whole trip and supplement meals.  So I came up with this recipe, and I must say, it was a winner.

1 Cup Quinoa

2 cups vegetable stock

1 Red pepper

1 Red Onion

1 Large Zucchini

1 Large tomato

1 Tablespoon capers

1/4 cup almonds

1/2 cup crumbled feta (or more to taste)

2 big handfuls fresh basil

olive oil, balsamic vinegar, red pepper flakes, salt, pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Cook the quinoa in the vegetable stock, according to the directions on the package.  Set aside and let cool completely.

2. Roughly chop the vegetables (pepper, zucchini, onion, tomato, other veggies of choice) into bite sized chunks and toss in olive oil, s&p and a dash of red pepper flakes.   Put into a casserole dish and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes- until the veggies are tender but not too soft.   Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely.

3.  Lightly roast the almonds either in a pan, stove top, or in the oven alongside  the veggies.  Allow to cool, and then chop roughly.

4.  Toss together the quinoa, veggies (making sure to include the oil and juices at the bottom of the pan) and the almonds.  Add the capers, feta and roughly chopped bail.  Dress with balsamic vinegar to taste.

Enjoy!

Lite Summer Dinner at McBride

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

When the nights stay warm and muggy I can’t help but hum that Billy Idol song “Hot in the City”

Who wants to bomb themselves on hearty meats and carbs when you have sweat dripping down your brow- not me! Our menu last night was lite and delicious:
Rice & Bean Stuffed Zucchini accompanied by a Summer Salad
Stuffed Zucchini
This is a play off a recipe found at Vegetarian Times. We opted for grilling instead of oven baking to fit the summer mood.
Filling:
Cook 1/2 cup of rice; seasoned with bay leaf, cayenne, cumin, salt and pepper
Saute red and green peppers, onions, jalapeno, and garlic
Once veggies are tender add diced tomato, 1/2 can of beans and fresh herbs of your choice
Combine with the rice
Zucchini:
Cut zucchini lengthwise and scoop out the seeds with a spoon
Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place on the grill cut side up
After 10-15 minutes check to see if zucchini is fork tender
Empty excess moisture from the cavity and add rice and bean mixture
Sprinkle w/ Monteray Jack cheese and cook with the grill closed for another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted

We cut the finished zucchini into two inch pieces to make it more casual finger food and served them with the left over rice mixture and a delicious Summer Salad that had mixed greens, tomatoes, cucumber, avocado, and red onions lightly dressed with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette. Super Yummz Mo!
Also had some Tanq and Teas to wash it all down

Barley Monster

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

Everyone has their favorite grain and mine just happens to be Barley- I like its texture and ability to absorb delicious flavors without getting mushy. Barley Salads are great as leftovers and that’s why I make them so often; it’s perfect to bring to work for lunch because it allows me to avoid the dreaded microwave.

I found this fabulous recipe: Quinoa with Roasted Zucchini, Feta & Oregano in a Healthy Eats email and decided to give it a whirl, but of course I needed to make some adaptations to the OG Recipe.

I substituted the quinoa for barley- I had it in the pantry and like I stated before I’m a Barley Monster. My Quiona Cousin Mo would have done differently but I’m sure it’s just as tasty with either grain. Second I added tons of fresh oregano and thyme rather than the dried- It’s summer and time to take advantage of fresh herbs growing in yards or on porches! Lastly, I added some sliced grape tomatoes to the salad to get some more summer flavors in there. This salad tastes even better when consumed at the beach.