Last week’s CSA share was another lush assortment of greens – spinach, swiss chard, lettuce – as well as a zucchini, sugar snap peas and broccoli. A beautiful share it was, but unfortunately I do not have a photo to share. (I know I took one, but as I write this I’m on the Oregon coast and can’t seem to find it).

I did make several great meals with my share, but I am most interested to talk about the swiss chard.

The previous week, I loved my kale so much that I was very excited to try a quick sautee of the chard to serve with another pork dish. I had consulted my sister, a chard enthusiast, and she confirmed her love for the greens sauteed in olive oil and garlic with a light sprucing of red pepper flakes and lemon juice. But, to me…the leaves were just too bitter.

I had made a swiss chard gratin in the winter, chard greens and stems in a creamy sauce with gruyere, that was fantastically good. But with my remaining chard, I wanted to make something lighter than the previous deliciously, heavy dish. After another consultation with my sister, we decided I should go back to my staple…and create a meal a creamy egg dish.

The result was, perhaps, the best omelet I’ve ever eaten. I started by caramelizing a quarter of an onion and then adding the chard leaves to wilt. In another pan, I crisped up two slices of bacon that had been cut into small pieces. These pieces were added to the onion and chard to await the filling on my omelet.

The omelet was cooked until the top was just barely set and then the filling added, as well as feta crumbles. The creamy eggs, salty bacon, and sweet onions were a perfect balance for the bitter greens. And the feta…well, everything tastes better with feta.

While we all were eager to learn and help, we were given strict instructions to just observe her while she busied herself in the kitchen. It was a great time chatting with the girls and watching Lana as she pulled everything together.

The essence of the soup is in the broth, which Lana made from scratch using pork bones, lemongrass and taro root. This bubbled on the stove while she prepared a spicy sauce of lemongrass, garlic, tomato (she used ketchup) and oil and then cleaned the seafood and greens.

Once the broth was ready, she removed the lemongrass and bones and then added the sauce. Along with some Tom Yum paste, a seafood bouillon cube, tofu and the seafood itself – we were ready to dish up our bowls.

Usually this soup would be poured into a serving bowl with a heating unit and placed on the table for everyone to make their bowls of soup, but in this occasion we did this at the stove. Lana demonstrated how to assemble the steaming bowls. First, your serving of greens are added to the soup pot to wilt. You then put some noodles in your bowl and choose the seafood and other vegetables that you want. You then retrieve your greens and then ladle the spicy broth on top. We all patiently waited in line clutching our bowls for our turn – it smelled incredible.

The taste was absolutely perfect. Spicy but slightly sweet – the ultimate comfort food. The seafood was perfectly cooked, tender and saturated with the spicy flavor. When the weather turns a bit cooler, I’ll have to dig up a recipe to see if I can make this at home myself.

As you can imagine, this bunch allowed me to make several meals with the veggies. Some were a hit and others need a little more work. And some veggies never made it into a meal (the snap peas were just crunched as a yummy snack.)

In addition to the couple meals below, we also made pesto to toss in pasta, a broccoli pasta (total flop) and several salads. I had a couple lunches of my increasingly favorite salad – arugula in a lemony vinaigrette. We also had a great salad of lettuce, cannelini beans, red onion, and kalamata olives. This was served for dinner with some stinky cheese and homemade baguette, this was one of the favorite meals of the week.

The best meal of the week, however, was the pork chop. I started with olive oil and chopped garlic in a skillet and sauteed the kale for a few minutes. I removed that from the skillet, then added some cannelini beans. Both the kale and beans were finished with a squirt of lemon juice and served with a grilled, juicy pork chop. The flavor combination was fantastic – salty pork, sweet beans and earthy, rich greens. I will definitely be making that dish again!

As for the sandwich – all I can say is that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. But I had a fresh baguette and I was starving…so please don’t judge me by the size of my sandwich.

This was a birthday getaway for me and my friend Kate – the Big 30 – so we headed to Key West and Miami with our husbands to celebrate. Photos are from both places – the food photos are from a yummy little lunch spot located in a strip mall in Miami – Jimmy’z Kitchen. More photos are in my Flickr photo stream (linked to the right).

Kyle and I were assigned to make the Gruyere Gougeres and the Stacked Crepes as appetizers. We had made gougeres in April from the Bon Appetit recipe, but I was happy to make them again because they are so light and tasty. New to us, however, was making crepes. Although the stacked crepes recipe was not my favorite (just a little bland to me) I have a new found love of making crepes. Since then we have made rhubarb crepes with candied nuts for breakfast and corn crepes with shredded pork and chipotle bbq sauce for dinner. I haven’t found the perfect crepe batter recipe yet, but I will continue my search – that’s for sure!

All the dishes at cooking club were really good. The French onion soup was rich and cheesy (perfect for a rainy day like today) and the salad was sharp with a hefty creamy serving of chevre…but my favorites were the martini, mussels and creme brulee.

I’m not usually a martini girl (except for the occasional extra dirty gin martini that always guarantees for an interesting evening) and I’m really not a vodka girl. So when this martini was mixed and placed in front of me, I had my doubts. But after one taste of the lightly sweet but crisp and cool drink, I knew this combination was dangerous. No alcohol could be tasted, just raspberry-pineapple goodness. I immediately told Kyle that he was driving home, then proceeded to polish off a couple.

Simply said, the mussels were pure heaven. I stopped eating fish and seafood awhile ago, one of those irrational things you do as a kid. Being a little stubborn (or maybe a lot), as a teenager I recall watching with bewilderment during a trip to the Northeast as my parents and sister donned plastic bibs and polished off lobster after lobster, dipping the sweet meat into melted butter. I also just watched as my dad and sister’s continually searched to find the perfect oyster on the half-shell. Their love for oyster bars just never was appealing. But the topper was a trip in 2007 to Europe, where my mom and Kyle oohed and aahed over the steamed mussels served in seemingly bottomless black pots wafting with the scent of white wine and garlic. I just didn’t understand.

But all that sideline observation has ended and I’m enjoying rediscovering fish and seafood. I especially love mussels, so when they were listed on the menu for our French cooking club night, I couldn’t wait! RJ and Katie were assigned to the dish. And although the recipe, which called for 2 pounds of mussels, would have been enough for the group given the amount of food we were had planned for the night, they knew better and doubled it. The result was a giant vat of beautiful mussels served in a fragrant white wine broth with tomatoes, herbs and saffron. If you make this recipe, be sure to have some hearty bread on hand to mop up the broth. I can’t wait to make these mussels when the weather turns warm again!

Last for the evening was the creme brulee. Jill and Brian were in charge of this dessert, which they baked and chilled earlier that day. We brought our kitchen torch and the group made an activity out of each torching his or her own dessert to create their own sugary, caramelized top. Everyone did a great job, but style points go to Chad, who broke out the big torch once our small one ran out of butane. The creme brulee was a classic recipe with vanilla and the texture was perfectly creamy and smooth. If there’s anything better than hearing the top of a creme brulee crack with a light tap of the fork, I certainly don’t know what it is.

Balthazar Martini
Balthazar Restauarnt, New York City
1 oz. chilled vodka
1 oz. pineapple juice
1/3 oz. Chambord
ice cubes

Combine ingredients in cocktail shaker. Shake vigorously to create a frothy head. Strain into a martini glass and serve straight up. Makes 1 martini.

Mussels in White Wine
2004, Barfoot in Paris
3 lbs. cultivated mussels
1/3 c. flour
2 T. unsalted butter
2 T. good olive oil
1 c. chopped shallots (5 to 7 shallots)
1 1/2 T. minced garlic (6 to 6 cloves)
1/2 c. chopped canned plum tomatoes, drained (4 oz)
1/2 t. good saffron threads
1/3 c. chopped flat-leaf parsely
1 T. fresh thyme leaves
1 c. good white wine
2 t. kosher salt
1 t. freshly ground black pepper

To clean the mussels, put them in a large bowl with 2 quarts of water and the flour and soak for 30 minutes, or until the mussels disgorge any sand. Drain the mussels, then remove the “beard” from each with your fingers. If they’re dirty, scrub the mussels with a brush under running water. Discard any mussels whose shells aren’t tightly shut.

In a large non-aluminum stockpot, heat the butter and olive oil over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook for 5 minutes; then add the garlic and cook for 3 more minutes, or until the shallots are translucent. Add the tomatoes, saffron, parsley, thyme, wine, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil.

Add the mussels, stir well, then cover the pot, and cook over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes, until all the mussels are opened (discard any that do not open). With the lid on, shake the pot once or twice to be sure the mussels don’t burn on the bottom. Pour the mussels and the sauce into a large bowl and serve hot.

I was already hungry when Kyle decided to go for a workout. For some reason he actually likes to do track workouts (just for fun, mind you), and he sometimes asks me to go along. I gave in on Sunday, but only after he bribed me with a trip to Sea Salt after. The prospect of an ice cold pitcher of Summit and some fresh seafood made it worth my sweat.

As we drove up to Sea Salt, however, I realized that I was too hungry to be arriving at 1:30 on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. And, true to expectations, the line was wrapped around and out the door. As much as I wanted to stay, I just couldn’t.

Second best was a stop at Seward Co-op on the way home where we picked up some Hill and Vale ground beef, buns, and fixings to make monster burgers at home. I’m usually a simple burger eater – a slice of cheese, mustard, ketchup and pickle is all I generally require. But that day, after a workout, I wanted the works. I ended up with a burger stacked high with cheese, coleslaw (from Seward’s deli), tomato, and lettuce with mustard and chipotle mayo. While it was my consolation prize to Sea Salt…this burger sure tasted like a winner.

A truly lovely Memorial weekend – perfect weather, great food…it doesn’t get better than that. During the last week, we’ve tried out several new recipes – all Mexican, of course (as it is still Mexi-Month). Most of the recipes were fantastic, but others (like this chicken) fell a little flat.

Last week I decided to go for traditional enchiladas starting with a tangy salsa verde (recipe below) in which to dip the homemade fried corn tortillas before rolling queso fresco and white onion in them. I tell you what – there is nothing like enchiladas made with fresh tortillas. They are a bit thicker and soak up the sauce, bloating them with flavor…muy bien! We served the enchiladas on a platter with grilled steak and sides of refried black beans and grilled queso panela.

Friday night we decided to go with a traditional fish made veracruz style (with tomatoes, onions, capers and green olives). Instead of poaching the fish in the sauce or baking it, as the recipe suggested, we tucked the fish and sauce in neat foil packets and finished them on the grill. Rich and tangy with the salty capers and olives – I loved this dish! My only switch for next time would be to grill the fish straight up and then spoon the sauce over. I think the flavor of the fish would remain more vibrant this way.

We finished the meal on Friday with a quick and easy dessert. Kyle took the reigns on this one – while I just stood aside and waited to dig in. He fried a homemade corn tortilla, then sprinkled both sides with cinnamon and sugar and topped it all with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Quick, easy and very good!

Another dish we have been wanting to try out is chilaquiles. This is traditionally a breakfast dish (casserole, or hot dish, some may call it) with fried tortilla strips that are simmered in a sauce until they are tender and saturated with the sauce’s flavor. You can use any variety of sauce, but I stuck with my go-to chipotle-tomato sauce, which provided for a spicy, rich result. These can be served straight up or with scrambled eggs, as I did for breakfast on Saturday morning. The recipe suggests scrambling the eggs and and stewing them in the sauce as well, but I decided to keep the flavors separate and served my chilaquiles over the eggs. If you don’t want to make these at home, I have heard the current chilaquiles special at Longfellow Grill is quite good.

Mexi-Month is almost over, but I have a feeling we will continue our adventures in Mexican cooking when we can in the upcoming months.

Quick-Cooked Tomatillo-Chile Sauce
Salsa Verde
adapted from Authentic Mexican: Regional Cooking from the Heart of Mexico

1 pound fresh tomatillos, husked, washed and boiled until tender
Fresh hot green chiles to taste (roughly 3 chiles serranos or 2 chiles jalapenos), stemmed
1/4 c. cilantro, roughly chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large clove garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
1 T. vegetable oil
1 c. chicken or vegetable broth
salt

Place tomatillos and chiles in a blender or food processor, along with cilantro, onion and garlic. Process until smooth, but still retaining a little texture.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium-large skillet set over medium-high. When preheated, pour in tomatillo puree and stir constantly for 4 to 5 minutes, until darker and thicker. Add the broth, let return to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer until thick enough to coat a spoon, about 10 minutes. Season with salt.

Flipping through her The Art of Mexican Cooking cookbook, I was drawn to this shrimp recipe because I love chipotle chiles! Ripened and smoke-dried jalapenos, chipotles bring a smokey heat to dishes that brings depth to the spice, rather than just hot for hot’s sake.

The recipe turned out to be very simple. So simple, in fact that when it came time to add the dry white wine and I realized I didn’t have any to use, I used what was on hand…literally. In my hand was a bottle of Model Especial, so I just poured some in. Perhaps the original version is better, but my version with beer worked out just fine. I served the shrimp over Arroz Verde (green rice), to contrast the deep red chipotle sauce.

The shrimp were just tender and were amped up by the smokey heat of the rich tomato sauce. This sauce is begging to be used in more dishes – I’m thinking enchiladas, huevos rancheros…the possibilities are endless. The onion, although it was a smaller amount than the original recipe called for, added a sweetness that really worked well together. The rice was good, but perhaps I would like it better using cilantro instead of, or in combination with, the parsley. I just don’t like parsley much – but I keep trying!

Camarones Enchipotlados (Shrimp in Chipotle Sauce)
Adapted from The Art of Mexican Cooking
serves 2

1/2 lb. large shrimp, peeled and butterflied with tail shell left on
sea salt and pepper to taste
2 T. fresh lime juice
1/4 cup light olive oil
1/2 medium white onion, thinly sliced
3 medium tomatoes, broiled (see below)
2 chiles chipotles in adobo (to taste)
1 garlic clove, peeled and roughly chopped
1/4 cup beer (or dry white wine)
1/8 tsp. Mexican dried oregano

Season the shrimp with salt, pepper and lime juice. Set aside to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Heat the oil in a frying pan; add the drained shrimp, reserving any liquid, and sliced onion and fry, shaking the pan and tossing the ingredients for about 3 minutes (shrimp will not be cooked through). Remove shrimp and onion with a slotted spoon and set aside.

In a blender, blend tomatoes, chipotles and their liquid, and garlic to a textured sauce. Reheat the oil, add the sauce and fry over medium-high heat, stirring and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent sticking, for about 8 minutes. Add the beer, oregano, marinade and salt to taste and cook for another minute. Add the shrimp/onion mixture and cook for about 2 minutes – the shrimp should be just cooked and still crisp.

*Broil tomatoes in a single layer in a pan that is just wide enough to fit them. Allow to boil and blister on one side, then turn and repeat.

Arroz Verde (Green Rice)
Mexico the Beautiful Cookbook
serves 3-4

1 cup long grain white rice
3 oz. fresh spinach
1/2 cup parsley leaves
1 T. chopped onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. oil
3 c. hot water

Soak the rice for 5 minutes in warm water, rinse well and drain.

Rinse the spinach well, place it in a saucepan with no added water, cover and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Transfer to a blender, add the parsley, onion, garlic and 1/4 c. water and puree. Set aside.

Heat oil in a skillet, add rice and saute for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. When the grains begin to separate, remove from the heat and drain off the excess oil. Add the spinach-parsely mixture to the skillet and saute for 2 minutes. Add the hot water and salt to taste. When the mixture comes to a boil, lower the heat and cook, covered, for about 20 minutes or until the rice is tender.

Saturday morning, we headed down to the Mill City Farmers Market. Last weekend was opening weekend, but I was out of town so I missed it. Some of the same vendors from last year were there and some new ones as well – should be a good summer! I’m super excited that Bread Coffee and Cake is selling bread there – remember the chorizo bread? Yum! We picked up some jam from Lucille’s Kitchen Garden and some organic lilacs from Shining Hills Farms in Wisconsin. They really brighten up my kitchen!

After the market, I headed out for a day of shopping and cooking. Check out Heavy Table tomorrow (Tuesday the 19th) to see what kind of cooking Lori and I were up to. As soon as I returned home, it was time to prepare our dishes for our Cooking Club meal. More on the dishes and meal in another post. But, as always, Cooking Club was a blast!

Sunday morning we got up and decided to make crepes (the leftover batter was from our French cooking theme the night before…) I had a bunch of rhubarb as well, so made some rhubarb syrup to pair with them, topped with candied pecans and powdered sugar. The crepes were good – tart and sweet – but something was missing. I think they lacked a dollop of whipped cream on top. Next time…

That afternoon, after running errands, we headed to Ed and Carly’s to start planning for our vegetable garden. I don’t have a spot to garden (only potted herbs for me), so we decided we would give it a go at their house. Between the garden and the CSA that starts in June, I think we’ll have plenty of veggies this summer! We had planned to rent a tiller and get all the prep done, but unfortunately the rental shop was closed. We were forced to sit back, have a beer (or two or three) and enjoy the beautiful day. Ah, shucks!

Carly then humored us and made Mexican food for dinner – fajitas! She served them with a black bean salsa over spinach leaves. Fresh, fantastic and I didn’t have to cook – the weekend couldn’t have had a better ending!

Born from a need for protein (egg) and something sweet (jam) in a to-go form (sandwich), Carly created a breakfast that fueled her every morning through several months of training, including for two marathons. She had her routine down pat – start the water to boil, start the coffee, drop in the egg, toast the muffin, spread the jam, dish up the egg, top with muffin half. With a routine like that, I had to see it in action.

Despite my love for savory and sweet (and my obsession with eggs), I had never tried the jam/egg combo. At breakfast, I have a few rules: bacon and sausage stay clear of maple syrup and there is no place for ketchup at the breakfast table (I know, I know – french fries get ketchup, so why not hash browns? Because they don’t. Period.) I never really had a jam/egg separation rule, but it just didn’t seem like a natural pairing to me somehow.

Breakfast was served – a toasted English muffin with a smear of strawberry preserves and a poached egg – very tasty! We ate them open faced, but the usual service is as a sandwich. Either way, I can definitely see this breakfast in my future. And despite my usual avoidance of breakfast greens, I thought the salad with orange slices was a nice offset to the savory/sweet meal.

Of course, on the way home Kyle and I really started pushing the limits of the sandwich, dreaming of a version with crispy bacon and a fruit pepper jelly. Not only would we have salty and sweet, but we would add crunch and spice! Now that is one sandwich I would break my breakfast rules for.