Fiesta Friday

October – Pasta with cauliflower, artichokes and parmesan oil
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October – Pasta with cauliflower, artichokes and parmesan oil

Sometimes the best things happen by accident. I’m talking about the inspiration that hit when a bag of frozen artichoke hearts fell out of the freezer, that kind of “ah-ha” moment. You laugh, but cooking to me is an art. It’s one that is unselfish and fleeting (unless it is captured on the pages of a blog), it’s designed to bring pleasure to others but is gone in a few hours. And so, like a good painting, I don’t really have a recipe. This recipe was completely spontaneous; I made it up as I went along. If you always cook from a recipe, try it sometime. It is very freeing. Pasta is one of those dishes that will lend itself to this kind of spontaneity because it is a blank canvas. Of course there are many wonderful classical dishes, but then those last minute “clean out the fridge or freezer” dishes can also be delicious.

So, frozen artichokes in hand, I went searching for what else might be lurking about needing to be added to my work of art. The fridge had half a head of cauliflower, a red pepper, and some Parmigiano Reggiano, the counter a jar of Parmesan oil, and in the cupboard I found half used packages of penne and fusilli. I always have onions and garlic available. Ready to go.

Pasta with Cauliflower, Artichoke Hearts, and Parmesan Oil

  • 1 package frozen artichoke hearts, defrosted and drained well on paper towels
  • 1/2 large head of cauliflower, broken into florets
  • 1 red pepper, chopped
  • 4 tablespoons of olive oil – divided
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic, minced
  • About 3/4 pound of pasta of your choice. I had 1/3 box of penne and 1/3 box of fusilli left in the cupboard.
  • Parmesan oil, or good olive oil for finishing

    Parmesan Olive Oil

    Parmesan Olive Oil

  • Freshly grated Parmesan for serving.
  1. Bring a large pot of well-salted water to a boil over high heat for your pasta, start this first since the rest will cook fairly quickly.
  2. When boiling, add your pasta. If they have different cooking times, stagger adding them so they finish at the same time. Turn down the heat if it looks like it will boil over (the starch in the pasta sometimes does that). Cook to al dente. Reserve 1 cup of cooking water before draining, do not rinse.
  3. Meanwhile, warm 2 tablespoons of the olive oil on medium high heat in a very large skillet.
  4. Add the chopped onions and cook until softened and beginning to turn golden, about 10 minutes. Turn down the heat if it is browning too quickly.
  5. Turn the heat down to medium (if you haven’t done this already) and add the garlic, sauté for about a minute, then add the red pepper. When the pepper begins to soften, turn the contents of the skillet into a large heatproof bowl.

    Sauteed onions and garlic

    Sauteed onions and garlic

  6. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the skillet on medium high heat. When shimmering, add the cauliflower. Cook for about 5 minutes or until beginning to caramelize. Add the red pepper and continue to cook for a few minutes until they soften. Turn the cauliflower and red pepper into the bowl with the onions.

    Sauteed cauliflower and red pepper

    Sauteed cauliflower and red pepper

  7. Add the artichoke hearts to the skillet. Move the artichoke hearts down against the bottom of the skillet so they begin to brown. You may need to add a touch more oil at this point. Cook for anther minute or so.

    Sauteed artichoke hearts

    Sautéed artichoke hearts

  8. Add the onions, garlic, cauliflower, and red pepper back to the skillet. Stir.
  9. Add the pasta. Toss again and slowly add some of the reserved cooking water to moisten the mix. You don’t want it swimming but don’t want it to be dry. The starch in the cooking water will help bind things together.
  10. Turn into a warm serving bowl.

    Pasta with Cauliflower. Artichoke Hearts and Parmesan

    Pasta with Cauliflower. Artichoke Hearts and Parmesan

  11. When serving, drizzle with Parmesan oil or good quality olive oil and shred some fresh parmesan on top of each.

    Pasta with Parmesan Olive Oil

    Pasta with Parmesan Olive Oil

Serve with a tossed green salad.

Pasta with Parmesan Oil

Pasta with Parmesan Oil

I’m taking this to share on Fiesta Friday #91. Come join the fun at a virtual blogging party hosted by Angie of The Novice Gardener. The co-hosts this week are Juju @ cookingwithauntjuju and Indira @ I’ll Cook, You Wash.

October in the Kitchen – Pollo Spago
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October in the Kitchen – Pollo Spago

This is a big weekend; it’s my birthday, and I am co-hosting Fiesta Friday #88! It’s my first time as a co-host and I’m looking forward to reading all the posts brought by fellow bloggers. I’m bringing Pollo Spago to the party and think it will be a big hit. Fiesta Friday is an ongoing blogging party hosted by Angie of The Novice Gardener. Everyone brings a virtual dish to share. My fellow co-host is Julie from the blog Hostess at Heart.

If you’re a blogger and you haven’t yet joined in the Fiesta Friday fun, please join in. It’s a good way to rub shoulders with a great group. We’d love to read about what’s going on in your kitchen. It’s easy, here are the guidelines – just make sure to link properly to your blog and mention Fiesta Friday somewhere in your post so we can find you. And, if you’re not a blogger, I know you’ll enjoy reading all the posts.

It is so easy to get into a cooking rut, don’t you agree? I find myself not only cooking the same recipes, but using the same techniques as well. Boring! Well, my birthday resolution for the year is to change that pattern. I intend to challenge myself to try new things and have more fun in the kitchen. Where am I going? The ultimate target is a “Turducken” for the holidays (coming up all too quickly!). What is that? Well, it’s a boned chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, with stuffing to fill in any gaps. It could be the holiday version of an all meat pizza. I’ve been reading about it for years but never met anyone who has had one. Have you? How was it? Wonderful, or disgusting?

All this is why I was attracted to the recipe for Pollo Spago in The River Café Cook Book–I am in favor of baby steps to start. And, I don’t to want end up in tears on Thanksgiving morning. Believe me, it has happened. This cookbook was the September/October selection for the online cookbook book club hosted by Leah at the The Cookbook Guru.IMG_3614

Do you know or have you been to the River Café? It is a restaurant on the banks of the Thames in London, opened in 1987. The authors, Rose Grey and Ruth Rogers, had spent many years in Italy and wanted to open a place with more genuine Italian food. They grew many of the ingredients in their own gardens, which was quite revolutionary at the time. Over the years they have published several cookbooks, this was the first. I found the cookbook simple, but not really. I know that sounds odd but they made a lot of assumptions, of both your available ingredients and knowledge of cooking techniques. This is not a cookbook I would recommend to a beginning cook, even though it appears simple at first.

On to Pollo Spago, the recipe was inspired and adapted from one served at Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant Spago in Los Angeles. He was another chef on the forefront of the food revolution. Pollo Spago is a boned chicken stuffed under the skin with minced garlic and parsley.

Pollo Spago

Pollo Spago

Again, this recipe is very simple, but the techniques are not. I think stuffing a boned (skin on) chicken breast would have been just as delicious. One of my problems was that there were no pictures, I had to prop the cookbook on the table while I was de-boning the chicken, re-reading the directions (over and over) as I went along. It went surprisingly well. Pictures would have made it easier.

So, here it goes with my own pictures to help you through it if you decide to try it.

Pollo Spago

Instructions for boning the chicken from Pollo alla Griglia (Marinated Grilled Chicken), The River Café Cook Book

  • 1 small organic, free range cicken
  • 8 cloves of garlic, peeled
  • About 1 cup of flat-leaf parsley, chopped (4 oz)
  • Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
  • 3 tablespoons of olive oil

Directions for deboning the chicken (you can skip this part if you are using boneless chicken breasts with the skin):

  1. Place the chicken, breast side up, on a cutting board. I found it easier to have the tail side closest. With a very sharp boing knife, cut along the breast bone, from front to back down the center of the breast. Lay your knife flat against the bone and cut through the skin and meat down to the leg joint. You will have to cut the wishbone in half. This will separate one side of the breast from the carcass. Crack the leg bone where it attaches to the body so it lies flat against your board. With your knife, carefully cut around the leg and separate one half of the chicken from the carcass. You will have to cut the wing joint as well.IMG_3609
  2. Snip the tips of the wing; I used a pair of sharp kitchen scissors. Leave the short bone in the wing.IMG_3610
  3. Now comes the tricky part, boning out the legs. Flatten your half of a chicken, skin side down and cut as close to either side of the leg bones as possible, prying up the bone from the meat as you go along. Try to keep the skin in one piece. This was a bit messy but once cooked, it was fine. Trim away any big pieces of fat or gristle.IMG_3611
  4. Repeat with the other side. I found a sharp boning knife and kitchen scissors essential.IMG_3612

That’s the hard part, yeah!

  1. Place the garlic cloves in a small saucepan of cold water and bring them to a boil. Cook for 2 minutes, then drain and place in a small food processor (or chop by hand). Add the parsley to the processor (or chop by hand and mix), and process to mix and chop everything together.
  2. Wipe the chicken with paper towels and loosen the skin from the meat making two pockets, one at the breast end and one at the lets.
  3. Use about half the parsley mixture to stuff into the pockets, season well with salt and pepper.IMG_3629
  4. Grill the chicken halves for about 20 minutes on medium high heat until they are crisp, golden and cooked through. I turned them about every 4 minutes.IMG_3631
  5. Heat the olive oil in a small skillet, add the remaining parsley and garlic mixture, cook gently. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with the chicken.

The recipe was good and I learned a lot. It will be much easier next time.

And next time, I would change it by mixing butter with the parsley and garlic that is to go under the skin. I think that it would have added more juiciness and kept the chicken moist.

September in the Kitchen – 3 Ingredient Drumettes and a Concert
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September in the Kitchen – 3 Ingredient Drumettes and a Concert

Chicken wings, who can resist them? Sticky, brown, crispy on the edges and tender in the middle…yum! The only way to eat them is with your hands. They are perfect picnic food if you bring along plenty of napkins and wet wipes.

This is a delicious sauce for wings. It uses only three ingredients and all of them are already commercially prepared. Quick and easy are the two words that come to mind. I usually cook from scratch, but I needed to make these in the morning before work for the picnic that evening. We were attending a concert by Mark Knopfler with a group of friends at the Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley campus. It was grass seating for us so we could spread out blankets and enjoy a shared feast. The weather was perfect, warm but not too hot, cooling as the evening progressed.

Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley Campus

Greek Theater on the UC Berkeley Campus

Picnic Wings

Picnic Wings

3 Ingredients

3 Ingredients

3 Ingredient Chicken Drumettes

  • 4 oz or about 1/2 cup of Sweet Soy Glaze or Soy Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of rice wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon of hot chili paste
  • 2 dozen chicken drumettes
  1. Mix the soy glaze, vinegar and chili paste in a large bowl.
  2. Wipe the chicken dry with paper towels and add to the sauce in the bowl, mix to coat with the sauce.
  3. Refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight.
  4. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.
  5. Spread the wings out on a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Retain any sauce in the bowl.
  6. Bake 20 minutes.

    Half way done, turn and baste

    Half way done, turn and baste

  7. Remove from the oven, turn and baste with any remaining sauce. Discard any sauce left in the bowl.
  8. Bake for 20 minutes.
  9. Remove from the oven and increase your temperature to 450 degrees F.
  10. Put back in the oven on an upper shelf and bake for another 10 minutes until brown and crisp. Watch carefully so they don’t burn.

    3 Ingredient Picnic Wings

    3 Ingredient Picnic Wings

  11. Cool before packaging for a picnic and refrigerating.

As the night darkened, the moon came out. You can see the moon and Campanile in the background, then the lights of San Francisco in the distance.

Greek Theater on warm summer night

Greek Theater on warm summer night

Mark Knopfler concert

Mark Knopfler concert

It was a wonderful evening with good friends and good food!

I will be making these again to share at Fiesta Friday #87. Please join the fun at Angie’s The Novice Gardener.

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

September in the Kitchen – Mexican Vegetable Salad
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September in the Kitchen – Mexican Vegetable Salad

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a salad for 50 people as part of a Mexican buffet supper. It should have crunch, be good with tacos and enchiladas, not wilt if it sits for several hours, be flavorful, colorful, and healthy, plus vegetarian with no avocados. The mission was not impossible. I accepted the challenge since after all I did offer; and it was for my good friend’s daughter’s engagement party.

First step, do some research on the internet. Unfortunately it yielded too many salads with avocado (the groom-to-be is allergic), black beans (too heavy with the rest of the menu), lettuce (sure to wilt), or mayonnaise (I don’t want food poisoning to ruin the celebration). No recipe was exactly how I envisioned the salad. What to do?

Cabbage and jicama

Cabbage and jicama

Shredded cabbage and jicama for crispness and sweetness.

Carrots

Carrots

Carrots for color and crunch.

Radishes

Radishes

Radishes and red onion for heat.

Sweet peppers

Sweet peppers

Sweet peppers for color and flavor.

Farmer's Market Corn

Farmer’s Market Corn

And fresh farmer’s market corn for creaminess and starch, to pull things together.

Shredded Vegetable Mexican Salad

Shredded Vegetable Mexican Salad

I don’t have an exact recipe. Cut the proportions by 1/4 for a smaller group. You won’t mind having leftovers!

Mexican Vegetable Salad (50 cups)

  • 2 heads of green cabbage, shredded
  • 10 carrots, shredded
  • 4 red onions, sliced
  • 3 bunches of radishes, sliced
  • 10 sweet peppers, sliced thinly
  • 1 very large jicama, sliced thinly
  • 8 ears of corn, cooked slightly (4 minutes each in the microwave)
  • Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish and flavor at the end, 1-2 bunches

Now on to the dressing, I wanted something tart but with a touch of sweetness and some heat as well. I think the combination of lime juice, olive oil, honey, cumin, cilantro, garlic, and jalapeño will do the job.

Mexican Honey-Lime Dressing (makes 4 1/2 cups)

  • 10 cloves of garlic, minced
  • 3 jalapeños, minced
  • 6 tablespoons of honey
  • 1 rounded tablespoon of ground cumin
  • 1-2 tablespoons of kosher salt (taste)
  • 2 cups of lime juice (about 12 limes)
  • 2 cups of olive oil
  1. Chop the garlic and jalapenos finely (I used my food processor)
  2. Mix with the honey, add the cumin and salt.
  3. Whisk in the lime juice.
  4. Whisk in the olive oil.
  5. Prepare this several hours ahead and refrigerate to give flavors time to

I did all of the above in the large food processor. Be careful that your own doesn’t overflow (mine did). If you make a large quantity I recommend two batches.

Mexican Vegetable Salad

Mexican Vegetable Salad

And I’m saving the best part till last…this is fantastic as a left over. It keeps well, is wonderfully crunchy for lunches, and makes a wonderful Mexican fried rice.

  • Heat a large skillet on medium-high heat.
  • When hot add a slurry of olive oil, about 3 tablespoons.
  • Cover the bottom of the skillet with leftover rice (brown or white), I made about a 1 inch layer. Add some leftover meat if available on top (I had some sausages from Sunday super).IMG_3514
  • Let the rice brown for several minutes until it turns crusty on the bottom, then stir it up.IMG_3515
  • Add the Mexican vegetable salad, a few good sized handfuls. Saute for a couple of minutes, you want the vegetables to still be crisp.
  • Add some dressing for flavor.IMG_3516
  • You could add a poached or fried egg on top, or grated cheese, or cubes of feta, or avocado, or cilantro. Use what you have in your kitchen and your taste favors that day.

I am going to take this dish to Fiesta Friday sponsored by Angie of the Novice Gardener. This week’s co-hosts are

Fiesta Friday

Fiesta Friday

Please come visit all the yummy food that has been prepared by the talented cooks who are part of the party. Angie from the blog The Novice Gardener is our host. The fiesta is co-hosted by Judi @ cookingwithauntjuju and from Quinn @ Dad Whats 4 Dinner.

September in the Kitchen – Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Potato Hobo Packs and Pickled Chilis
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September in the Kitchen – Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Potato Hobo Packs and Pickled Chilis

If you are a camper you have probably heard of “hobo packs”. It’s a classic campfire trick of wrapping ingredients in foil and cooking them directly in the coals. In our case we have a gas grill, so the packs were placed directly on the grill. The potatoes were par-cooked for a few minutes, sprinkled with salt, drizzled with sesame oil and finally wrapped with aluminum foil to place on the grate for 15 to 20 minutes until tender.

A few comments on to the subject of steaks on the BBQ: My personal preference is for rib eye (preferably from the center cut) or New York cuts. They are the perfect combination of tenderness and flavor. Look for ones that are uniform and well marbled. Good steaks require little more than salt, but be sure you bring them to room temperature before cooking. For a bit of extra umami I used sea salt flavored with powdered sea weed.

One steak will easily feed two adults, maybe three, if you cut it into slices (once rested so the juices settle). My mother told a favorite story about my English grandmother’s first visit to a steak restaurant in the U.S. Nanny was unfamiliar with the typically generous portions served. When they placed her steak in front of her she protested that she didn’t want to carve for everyone! I won’t get on a soap box here (at least not too much) but I think portions have gotten out of hand in many restaurants. We would all be better off with vegetables taking the center stage and meat the supporting role.

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Hobo Potatoes and Pickled Chiles

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Hobo Potatoes and Pickled Chiles

Grilled Rib Eye Steaks with Hobo Potatoes and Pickled Chiles

  • For the steaks:
    • 1 – 2 rib eye steaks, 1 to 1 1/2 inch thick
    • Sea salt with dried seaweed (or 1 tablespoon crushed bonito flakes and 1 tablespoon kosher salt). Don’t over worry if you don’t have these on hand. You could also use a minced anchovy or simply leave it out.
    • olive oil
  • For the potatoes
    • 1 pound of scrubbed new potatoes or larger ones cut in chunks
    • kosher salt
    • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
    • optional: 4 shiso leaves cut into chiffanade (or cilantro)
  • For the pickled chiles
    • Juice of 2 limes
    • 2 serrano chiles, stemmed, seeded and minced (or jalapeños for more heat)
    • 1 tablespoon minced red onion
  • For garnish
    • cubed avocado
  1. First season both sides of the steaks with sea salt flavored with sea weed (or the crushed bonito flakes or anchovy). Let them come to room temperature, about 2 hours. Drizzle both sides with olive oil.
  2. Put the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water (you can start most things that are in the ground, such as potatoes or carrots, in cold water). Add about a tablespoon of kosher salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn down the temperature to medium. cook until they are firm tender, 10-15 minutes depending on size. Drain.
  3. Cut the potatoes into 1 inch pieces if large. Arrange them in the center of a large rectangle of heavy duty aluminum foil, drizzle with sesame oil. Pull the ends of the foil together and fold over to seal. Crimp the sides to make a package with the potatoes inside.
  4. Make the pickled chiles by combining the lime juice, chiles, and red onion in a small bowl. Mix to combine and add salt to taste. Use them immediately for the most heat and tartness, or cover and refrigerate for a few days. They will become milder with time.
  5. Prepare your charcoal grill or preheat the gas one to 450-500 degrees F. When the fire is ready add the steaks and grill, turning once, for 2 to 3 minutes a side. Cover the grill and continue to cook (turning once) until done to your liking. The time will depend the thickness of the steak. This could take 5 to 15 minutes. The internal temperature for medium rare is 120 degrees F. Transfer the steaks to a cutting board and let rest.
  6. Put the potatoes on the grill or rest them in the coals. Cook until tender and beginning to brown, about 15-20 minutes.
  7. Transfer the potatoes to a large platter and sprinkle with cilantro or shiso or basil. Season with sea salt. Slice the steak into thick slices and arrange on the potatoes. Spoon some of the pickled chiles on top, reserving additional chiles to be added to taste.
  8. Garnish with avocado and more cilantro (or shiso).
  9. Serve.
    Grilled Rib Eye Steaks the Hobo Potato Packs and Pickled Chilies

    Grilled Rib Eye Steaks the Hobo Potato Packs and Pickled Chilies

    This recipe is adapted from one that was published in the San Francisco Chronicle Food section this past July.

    Pour yourself a glass of rose to sip while your meal cooks on the grill. You only need a simple salad to complete things. The “meat and potato” fans in your household will be pleased.

    I’m taking this to share on Fiesta Friday #84 sponsored by Angie from the blog The Novice Gardener co-hosted by Effie at Food Daydreaming and Steffie at Ginger and Bread. It’s my first post on the party site for several weeks (summer vacation is history, here we are September!). Come join the fun and fantasy taste some really amazing dishes.

    Fiesta Friday

    Fiesta Friday