Pass the Sauce

Curry Sauce

2014-10-23T15:50:00.000-04:00

This month's Recipe Redux challenge was created just for me. Well, not just for me but maybe with me in mind?

This is the challenge for October: Spooky Spices: You know they are lurking there: Way in the back of your spice drawer. There lie the herbs, spices, or rubs that are getting dusty because you’re afraid to use them… you simply don’t know what to do with them! Well, pull them out and show us a recipe you created to deliciously conquer that fearful spice. (Or maybe the recipe was a flop – and the spice still give you nightmares?!)

Now, please, don't judge me too harshly but they wrote that knowing my secret. I hate curry. Just the smell will chase me away.
I know we are in a small minority here, because curry dishes are loved worldwide and I often wonder what it is about that spice, that makes my face scrunch like a little kids, who has just smelt liver and onions for the first time. Yes, quite the nightmare.

Or is it?
I do know that curry is from India and is actually a blend of many spices, each cook creates their own. Maybe I could experiment and come up with a version that isn't an aversion to my senses.

When it comes to curry, I think a British one is a good place to start so I need to find a proper right Englishman who can cook. So who did I choose? Jamie Oliver.

I have been watching him when he was a single bloke that called himself the Naked Chef and have recreated many of his dishes over the years. Except, that is, his curry. With the recent release and excitement for his new cookbook, I thought it was the perfect place to start. It seems his favourite curry sauce is everyone else's also. He gives the basic mixture of spices, then the appropriate additions, depending on what protein you will be cooking.

Simple enough, even for me. I knew that jar of fenugreek seeds I bought would be good for something. The only thing I had to buy was Serrano peppers and I had to omit the curry leaves (no time to order and nowhere locally). I decided my use would be with chicken.

Wish me luck!!! Aren't I such a sorry arse? You would think I was about to pluck that chicken, geez.

Update: While I was measuring each ingredient into it's receptacle I realized it was the fenugreek that gave curry that unique smell, so what was any good little curry hating girl to do? I reduced the fenugreek from Jamie's teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon. Yes, I am a wuss, but one that likes my customized version and The Nudge totally agreed with me.

While mine was made with chicken and coriander seeds, I added a few cubes of butternut squash to round out the meal. I served mine with brown basmati rice and we both ate our dinners. I am not sure he even realized that this was the curry, and psssst....I am not going to tell him.

If there are any other curry haters out there, make this sauce (with a smidgen of fenugreek). You will really like it and technically it is a curry sauce and a wonderful Asian sauce, that I might just use with everything, from now on.

Once again, I have to thank The Recipe Redux for showing me that where there is a will,, there was a way.

Jamie Oliver's Favourite Curry Sauce
Adapted from Jamie Oliver’s Happy Days with the Naked Chef

Ingredients
* 5 tbsp vegetable oil
* 2 tsp mustard seeds
* 1 tsp fenugreek seeds
* 3 green chillies, seeds removed, thinly sliced
* A handful of curry leaves, ripped into small pieces
* 2 thumb sized pieces of ginger
* 3 onions, chopped
* 6 tomatoes, chopped
* 1 tsp turmeric
* 1 tsp chili powder
* 1 or 2 wineglass water (about 10 oz)
* 14 fluid oz can coconut milk
* Salt

Fish version
* 4 (225 g) haddock fillets, skinned and pin-boned
* 1 knob (1 tbsp) tamarind paste or 1 tsp tamarind syrup
* A very large handful baby spinach (optional)

Chicken version:
* 4 chicken breasts, sliced into 1/2 inch (1 cm) strips
* 2 tsp coriander seeds, crushed

Vegetarian version:
* 800 g mixed veg, chopped (potatoes, zucchini, onions, sweet potatoes, spinach, chard, cauliflower, lentil beans)

Directions
1. Heat the oil. When hot add mustard seeds & wait for it to pop. Then add fenugreek, green chillies, curry leaves and ginger. Stir fry for a few mins.
2. Using food processor, chop the onion and add to the pan.
3. When brown & soft, add the chili powder and turmeric.
4. Using same food processor, pulse the tomatoes & add to the pan. Cook a couple of mins.
5. Add 1 or 2 wineglasses of water & the coconut milk. Simmer about 5 mins until it has the consistency of thick heavy cream.
6. Season carefully with salt & take this sauce as the base.

7. To make fish curry:
- 1. Add the fish & tamarind to the sauce and simmer 6 mins.
- 2. Add baby spinach at the end of cooking time.

8. To make chicken version:
- 1. Stir fry chicken strips & coriander seeds until light colored.
- 2. Add to sauce & simmer for 10 mins.

9. Vegetable version:
- 1. Simply add all vegetables to the sauce at the beginning when you add the onions.
- 2. Continue to cook as normal and simmer until tender.

Grape Chutney ♥ A 5-Ingredient Surprise

2014-05-14T17:46:00.000-04:00

Update: Grapes were $.99 lb this week so I bought enough to can, 4 half-pints of this chutney. I will be using this with grilled meats all the summer long.

Yes, another recipe with grapes. Who woulda thunk that a few months ago I never would have thought of cooking with grapes and after I entered a grape contest and submitted a few recipes, I was happy to try the ones on this meal plan.

While one was a salad, this was a chutney, a simple chutney. A very tasty, simple chutney that I paired with pork tenderloin. This was another requested 'keeper'.

Only 110 calories in a 1/4 cup, this is the perfect sweet tart condiment when you are not excited about the meat. Come on, we have all had those nights where we open and close the door of the fridge like 10x, contemplate maybe calling for take-out, those nights when you should know better but there just isn't anything to get excited about. Those nights when you just don't want to chop and drop all those vegetables and aromatics. Throw a chicken in the oven and by the time it is on it's way to the table, this sauce can make the trip with that chicken.

When grapes go down to under $1.00 per pound, buy a ton of the red seedless ones. Make this chutney and freeze it, make it and can it, make it and eat it!!!

I did not change a thing, swear!
To view all the recipes on this meal plan, click here.

Grape Chutney
Makes: 1 1/4 cups

EatingWell: With just a few minutes of prep, you can make a chutney to serve with roast pork or chicken or to use as a sandwich spread. Purple grapes give it the richest color, but red grapes taste great too.

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup minced shallots
* 2 cups halved seedless purple or red seedless grapes
* 1/2 cup dry sherry
* 1/4 cup white balsamic vinegar or rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon yellow mustard seeds
* 1/4 teaspoon salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and cook, stirring, until softened, about 2 minutes. Add grapes, sherry, vinegar, mustard seeds and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the grapes have broken down, 10-20 minutes.

Per 1/4 cup serving: 110 calories; 3g fat (0g sat, 2g mono); 0mg cholesterol; 16g carbohydrate; 0g added sugars; 1g protein; 1g fiber; 124mg sodium; 204mg potassium.

Garlic-Walnut Sauce

2014-03-27T12:18:00.000-04:00

While I am a lover of all fish, The Nudge likes the white fish species the best and when my supermarket had fresh caught local flounder on special and looked fresh and clean, it called my name, so I bought two nice sized fillets (3/4 lb).

I was tired of the lemon-wine-caper sauce and a brown butter sauce certainly was not healthy, so I opened my new Bobby Flay cookbook, Bobby Flay's Barbecue Addiction. I was sorry the show lasted one season but it was full of flavorful finishing sauces and I just had to buy the book. I knew I would find something unique in that book. He did not disappoint.

I have already made a few sauces but his Garlic-Walnut Sauce really hit my eye, not only would it be perfect with the flounder but with also with the roasted asparagus side.

I love sauces that require no cooking, no chopping and no special ingredients. If you agree, you should look into this cookbook. You can buy used ones in excellent condition through Amazon. I have perfect books that cost under $5.

OK, why did I choose a walnut sauce. Well, my new snack find are glazed walnuts and I have been throwing them into salads and pestos and even The Nudge likes them. They are oober healthy and perfect for Diabetics and now they will be the star of a 5 ingredient food processor gem. While healthy, someone NOT on a diet (I would love to meet that person), would adore this. Perfect for Diabetics, carb counters and fat fighters.

I know this sauce will make a few appearances at my summer table. It screams fresh fish and while Bobby grilled fresh sardines, I am going to try it on grilled trout and sub out the walnuts for almonds. Yummy!!

Garlic-Walnut Sauce
Makes 1 cup

* 1/4 cup EVOO
* 1/4 cup water
* 1 cup walnuts
* 3 cloves garlic
* Juice and zest of 1 lemon
* 1 cup parsley (optional, I did not want a green sauce)
* Salt & pepper to taste

1. Heat the oil on the stove with the garlic cloves for 2-3 minutes until the garlic starts to brown. Remove to cool.
2. In the bowl of a processor, add the walnuts the lemon juice and zest and the parsley.
3. Pulse to mince the walnuts and add the olive oil. Pulse to puree. If the sauce is too thick, add the water.
I added 2 tablespoons to get a sauce that would drizzle easily.
4. Taste for seasonings and spoon over fish or vegetables.

Pork Noisettes with Charcutiére Sauce

2014-02-27T17:29:00.003-05:00

I found this recipe on saveur.com. What caught my eye was the cornichons and demi-glace in the sauce.
We are huge fans of pork tenderloins and while we grill most of them in the summer, I am always looking for winter-ized recipes.

While the overall dish was quite good, the use of boutique ingredients makes this not-so-approachable to the average cook. I think I would like to play around with the concept using basic pantry ingredients and if I did I would give you these recommendations...........if you can not find demi-glace (I do believe D'Artagnan sells it) or want to make it yourself (if you have a whole day, that is), reducing 2 cups of good quality low sodium beef stock (Rachael's won the ATK test) down to 6 tablespoons is a good enough sub as long as you refrain from adding salt to the finished sauce before you taste. If you can't find cornichons, add 1/4 cup of sweet pickle relish.

As usual the sauce tasted better the next day, so making this ahead a few days and searing off the pork last minute should work quite well.

A side of red cabbage, Brussels Sprouts or cauliflower is perfect with the pork.

Pork Noisettes with Charcutiére Sauce
Adapted from Saveur
serves 4
yield 3/4 cup sauce

* 6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* (12) 1/2" slices pork tenderloin
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* 1/2 small onion, finely chopped
* 1 cup white wine
* 6 tablespoon demi-glace
* 2 tablespoons chilled unsalted butter, diced
* 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
* 6 cornichons, julienned

1. Sear the pork: Heat 2 tablespoons oil; season with salt & pepper. Add half the pork to the skillet; cook, flipping once, until lightly browned and just cooked through, about 5 minutes total. Divide pork between 2 plates, overlapping pieces on each plate. Repeat with remaining olive oil and pork. Cover plates loosely with foil; set aside in a warm place to let rest while you finish the sauce.

2. Make the sauce: Return skillet, with brown bits from pork still in it, to medium-high heat. Add onions; cook, stirring and scraping occasionally with a wooden spoon, until onions begin to brown, about 3 minutes. Add wine; simmer until reduced to about one-forth its original volume, about 5 minutes. Add demi-glace; whisk in butter until smooth. Remove skillet from heat; stir in mustard and cornichons. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon 2-3 tablespoons sauce over pork.

Cognac Berre Blanc Sauce

2014-02-01T17:27:00.000-05:00

Last night I made a baked flounder over crabmeat stuffing with a cognac cream butter sauce.
The pic was too bad to post so I used the one from my sister site of this sauce but with flounder topped with shrimp.

I will tell you this.....it might not look professional but is sure did taste like it was straight out of a professional kitchen.

This is the kind of sauce that would be a main staple for baked seafood.

Cognac Berre Blanc Sauce
makes about 1 cup

* 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 small shallot, minced
* 4 cloves garlic, crushed
* 2 tablespoons white wine
* 1/4 cup cognac
* 1/4 cup chicken broth
* salt and pepper to taste
* 1/2 cup heavy cream

1. Melt the butter in a saucepan and saute the shallots and the garlic until tender. Add the wine & cognac and cook for 2 minutes.
2. Add the broth and taste for seasoning. Adjust the salt & pepper.
3. Add the cream and simmer until it thickens and coats the back of a spoon.

Blue Cheese & Pear Sauce

2014-01-14T01:30:00.000-05:00

Blue cheese and pears, everyone loves that combination. Why not make a sauce of those favorite foods and serve it over pasta? I could only think yum and I was right. The secret is not overloading the blue cheese and to use a juicy soft pear. The rest is sauce 101.

I think The Nudge was expecting a heavy blue cheese sauce, you know, the kind you dip wings into. Not the case here. It was perfectly balanced and I would make this again for when I am serving simply grilled, roasted or sauteed meat.

I used Anne Burrells recipe for spaetzle, minus the fresh herbs. Instead I added a pinch of dried rosemary to the sauce. Was the right choice.

If you do not have a spaetzle maker, you could do what I do and use your pasta drainer, one with large round holes. It must be able to handle heat since it will sit on a pot of boiling water and you will also need a spatula to force the dough mix down. A simple set-up but it works well for me, every time. If you have access to a large insert on your food mill, you can use that and the large disk for a potato ricer, although will produce small spaetzle, will also work. If you want to bypass the whole from scratch pasta thing, buy small gnocchi or even fresh cavatelli, but dried will not work as well.

The most important thing is to buy a wedge of real blue cheese, not crumbles we throw into salads and Buffalo dips, they are coated with something that stops them from sticking together. Any blue cheese will melt perfectly, so origin is not important.
Add splash of sweet Moscato and a touch of honey and you have the ultimate sauce, the kind I would serve with a fillet of beef as easily as with a bowl of gnocchi.

Blue Cheese & Pear Spaetzle
serves 4

* 1/2 small white onion, diced
* 1 medium clove of garlic, minced
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
* 1/4 cup sweet white wine
* 1 teaspoon honey or Agave Nectar
* salt & pepper
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 2 ounces wedge bleu cheese (I love the new buttermilk style)
* 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary, minced
* 1 pear, peeled, seeded and diced

* 1 batch spaetzle (recipe here but can also buy the box mix)

1. Chop the onion, garlic and saute in the butter along with the rosemary. When soft, add the pear, wine, honey and simmer until the wine is almost evaporated. Add the cream, salt & pepper and when the cream comes up to a boil, add the cheese, cover, turn off the heat and let the cheese melt.
2. Right before serving, heat the sauce with the spaetzle until is starts to simmer. Serve immediately.

Green Chiles and Onion Sauce

2014-01-07T16:54:00.003-05:00

There are three foodie newsletters I subscribe too and Fine Cooking is one of them. Each day they send me a recipe. Sometimes I bookmark them, sometimes I don't.
This one showed up on December 4th.

How did they know I was looking for a tasty but different recipe for boneless loin chops I bought. Ideally I would find one that The Nudge could grill. I am teaching him how to cook and grilling is a great place to start. He's mastered steak, pork tenderloin and chops were next. Unfortunately the weather turned prohibitive for grilling, so pan sauteing it would have to be. He's not ready for that yet.

I had all the ingredients on hand and it just so happened, since I have had popovers on my mind and a new pan beckoning me to break it in, I stumbled on Smitten Kitchen's Corn, Buttermilk and Chive Popover recipe which will be perfect with these chops and I can get two posts from one meal. I hope. My first try at her popovers were not at all successful but I refuse to give up.
So, you will either see a post on popovers in a few days or a Merry Christmas greeting.

Cook's note: This was absolutely delicious, a true one pot wonder. The heat is perfectly balanced so even kids would like this and I used my cast iron pan from start to finish. I did not change a thing.

Pork Chops with Green Chiles and Onions
Adapted from finecooking.com

Serves 4
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon pure ancho chile powder or chili powder
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 4 center-cut boneless pork chops, preferably about 1 inch thick (about 1-1/2 lb. total)
* 3/4 cup lower-salt chicken broth; more as needed
* 1 4-oz. can chopped green chiles
* 3 Tbs. chopped jarred jalapeños (from about 12 slices)
* 1 Tbs. cider vinegar
* 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 3 Tbs. olive oil
* 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced

In a small bowl, combine the cumin, chile powder, 1-1/4 tsp. salt and 3/4 tsp. pepper. Sprinkle on both sides of the pork and set aside. In a blender or food processor, purée the chicken broth, green chiles (with their liquid), jalapeños, and vinegar until smooth.

Put the flour in a pie plate and dredge the pork chops, shaking to remove any excess. Heat a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat for 1 minute. Pour in 2 Tbs. of the oil and heat until shimmering hot, about 1 minute. Add the pork chops and cook, without moving, until they’re brown around the edges and release easily from the pan, 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium, flip, and cook the other side until browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a large plate.

Over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil and the onion to the skillet. Sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted and golden, about 4 minutes. Add the green chile mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring, until the mixture thickens slightly and the onions are completely tender, 2 to 3 minutes more; add a splash of chicken broth if the mixture seems dry. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Return the chops to the pan, nestling them into the onions. Cover and simmer gently until the pork is fairly firm to the touch with just a little give, 3 to 5 minutes. With a paring knife, make a nick in a thicker chop to make sure it’s only just a little pink.

Serve the pork chops topped with the sauce.

Nutrition information (per serving):
Calories (kcal): 360; Fat (g): 18; Fat Calories (kcal): 160; Saturated Fat (g): 4; Protein (g): 39; Monounsaturated Fat (g): 11; Carbohydrates (g): 10; Polyunsaturated Fat (g): 2; Sodium (mg): 810; Cholesterol (mg): 115; Fiber (g): 2

Louisiana Inspired Seafood Sauce

2013-08-26T13:26:00.001-04:00

Way back in January I posted a Louisiana BBQ Shrimp recipe over at my main blog Wish Upon A Dish.
Not the Emeril's version that was my first introduction to a non BBQ BBQ shrimp, but an Atlanta Chef's version.
This one had no cream and no spices. I wanted to try it, to compare it to Emeril's and because it was healthier without all the cream.

While I love Emeril's version, with a small change here and an addition there, this one could make one hell of a seafood sauce.

I went to work. If you are familiar with NOLA BBQ shrimp, you will be familiar with these ingredients.
Louisiana BBQ shrimp is not even BBQ'd. It's poached in a savory, spicy, cream sauce that screams BREAD PLEASE. I surmise that the Spanish influence of sizzling garlic shrimp helped fuel the sparks that started this dish. Whatever started it, everyone should try it at one time in their life.

This version is extremely easy with ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
Let's get cooking.

You will need a pound and a half of shell on, deveined large shrimp. A head of garlic, one large lemon, a stick of unsalted butter, Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces. See? Nothing unique.

I made this batch with a touch of cognac to be spooned over a beautiful snapper fillet that I roasted in the oven. The longer you simmer the sauce, the more mellow the ingredients become so for a simple fillet, it's perfect. If I was serving this in a big bowl with peel 'n eat shrimp, I would add minced fresh garlic right before serving.

<U>Louisiana BBQ Shrimp Sauce</u>
makes 1 cup

* 1 stick unsalted butter
* 3 large garlic cloves + 1 for garnish
* 1 tablespoons freshly minced rosemary
* Juice from 1 large lemon, the rinds chopped
* 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
* 1 1/2 teaspoons Tabasco
* 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
* Freshly ground pepper
* 1 tablespoon cream
* 1 tablespoon cognac or brandy

1. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a saucepan and saute minced garlic until it is fragrant. Add the rosemary, lemon juice and skins, Worcestershire, Tabasco, salt & pepper. Simmer on low for 10 minutes. Strain.
2. Place strained sauce back into the same pan and using the residual heat, melt the rest of the butter into the sauce. Add the cream and cognac. Stir to combine and serve.

Miso Marinade

2013-06-16T15:46:00.003-04:00

I posted this recipe on my sister site (Wish Upon A Dish), last week, as an entry into a recipe contest sponsored by the Honey Board.
Contest has ended and I wanted to share it with you............

Honey provides balance to any dish, complementing and enhancing a variety of foods and flavors: sweet, savory, sour, bitter and salty.

We all know marinades and BBQ sauces use lots of brown sugar for not only the sweetness but for a molasses flavor.
Did you know that buckwheat honey also adds that rich, dark molasses flavor and color to these foods, making it ideal for browning and glazing?

Learning that information led to the development of this marinade and basting sauce using honey instead of the traditional brown sugar.

Now I have a great recipe, using whole foods to make it healthier and diappropriate. Although the Honey Board's recommendation is a substitution of up to half the sweetener in any sauce or marinade, my sweetener was 100% honey. It needed nothing else.

As a matter of fact I used the "bottom of a honey bottle" to make and to store my marinade. Just shake and use.

Many years ago I was introduced to miso.
Still not an easy item to find, I was lucky and found mine at a local Asian market. Near a Whole Foods? You can buy miso there and if not, since it requires no refrigeration until you use it, this is also an excellent on-line source for all your miso needs.

Miso
What exactly is it? It's like yogurt and is generally made with soybeans.
It's fermented and contains a culture.
Most miso is consumed in Japan and is a side or condiment that is added to a meal uncooked.
Like yogurt, once you cook the miso you kill the live culture.
Like yogurt or any fermented food, it is an excellent tenderizer.
Unlike yogurt, it is classified by grain type, color, taste and background.

mugi (麦): barley
tsubu (粒): whole wheat/barley
genmai (玄米): brown rice
moromi (醪): chunky, healthy (kōji is unblended)
nanban (南蛮): mixed with hot chili pepper for dipping sauce
taima (大麻): hemp seed
sobamugi (蕎麦): buckwheat
hadakamugi (裸麦): rye
nari (蘇鉄): made from cycad pulp, Buddhist temple diet
gokoku (五穀): "5 grain": soy, wheat, barley, proso millet, and foxtail millet

Most Americans are familiar with miso in soup form, that uses dashi (bonito flakes), shiitake mushrooms and tofu. Not so familiar to Americans is it's use in salad dressings and marinades.

You are now going to be very happy and will want to hug me. Two distinct reasons:

This marinade includes all 5 taste senses.....
Bitter & Sour - ginger and naranja agria (sour orange)
Salty - fermented soybeans (miso)
Sweet - honey
Umami - sake (seasoned white wine)

......making it the PERFECT MARINADE.

The nutritionals are blockbuster good.....
Although very high in sodium (over 400% DV), one cup (275 g) of miso paste is an excellent source of dietary fiber (59%) and protein (64% DV), as well as a good source of minerals. Miso paste is also high in amino acids, the basic building blocks of protein. An excellent source of vitamin K and a decent source of riboflavin (38% DV), miso also provides small amounts of other vitamins. One major benefit of miso is its extremely high omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid content, although the balance is six times greater for omega-6 than omega-3. A cup of miso soup can be a complete meal depending on what other ingredients are included.

Now for the bonus reason.....
I have used it on pork, salmon and chicken. All with great success. I can only imagine what it would do to a steak or better yet, mixed into a hamburger.
Trust me, you will never use another marinade. If you want other flavor components, like say, garlic, herbs or spices, go ahead. All compatible.

Miso Salmon
Prep time: 10 minutes
Unattended time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes an inch
Makes: 4 servings

Marinade:
* 1/4 cup sake (or gin)
* 1/4 cup Goya naranja agria (or fresh sour orange juice)
* 1/2 cup red or white miso
* 2 tablespoons amber honey
* 2 tablespoons buckwheat honey (optional) or 1/4 cup total favorite honey
* 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
* 1/4 cup vegetable oil

Place ingredients in a bowl and whisk to incorporate. Shake before using.

Salmon:
* 4 (6oz) salmon fillets, skin on
* 1/4 cup miso marinade

1. In a bowl or large plastic bag add the salmon and marinade, turning to coat on all sides.
2. Heat a gas, light about 25 charcoal briquettes or heat a heavy-weight grill pan. While grill is heating, marinate your salmon.
3. Place the salmon, skin side down, directly onto the heated grill, over the heat and close the lid (or cover with foil) and cook for 10 minutes an inch. Thinner fillets will only take about 5-6 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, tent with foil allow the fish to rest for 5 minutes.

Pesto Vinaigrette

2013-05-29T08:49:00.000-04:00

The other day I made this pesto vinaigrette. It has reflamed my love of pesto, which was hiding in shame from an unintentional snub. Dare I remind us of the time, not so long ago, when pesto covered every food known to man. Can you blame me for such neglect?

Has pesto gone the way of Cosmopolitans? I hope not because I like pesto more than a Cosmo.
Make this soon and use it on vegetables, warm roasted potatoes, a steak salad and a cool summer pasta salad.

Pesto Vinaigrette
makes 1/2 cup
Prep time: 2 minutes
Cook time: 0

* 1 1/2 tablespoons prepared basil pesto
* 1 tablespoon honey
* 3 tablespoons olive oil, extra-virgin preferred
* 1 tablespoon champagne or white wine vinegar
* salt & pepper to taste

I put everything into a container, snapped on a lid and shook. The pesto and honey will act as an emulsifier, so if it's too thick to drizzle, add more vinegar. I bet after you make this vinaigrette you will keep a container of pesto in your freezer (measured into small condiment cups) so that the next time you grill vegetables you will have it on hand. Something so simple, can only be wonderful and this does not taste like pesto straight up. I can guarantee non pesto people will love this, and the rest of us, will love it once again.

Avocado Crema

2013-05-25T16:44:00.000-04:00

I know it's an oxymoron and I try not to do it but I just made a wonderfully healthy tequila avocado crema that works well in so many applications.
So what's the oxymoron in that statement?

Well, my crema is a margarita crema made with tequila and cointreau and those two ingredients with the word healthy makes it an oxymoron.
You could take out the Cointreau (or triple sec) and use orange zest but I don't think there is a substitute for tequila. On the bright side, did you know tequila has the least amount of carbs of all the liquors out there?

I am not going to change a thing. You shouldn't either. This is great on anything you would use sour cream and avocado on, like tacos, burritos, enchiladas, dips and a garnish for any southern style soup. It would make a hamburger sing and a steak whistle at the baked potato.
Plus it's a lovely shade of green.

Tequila Avocado Crema (make this and use it on everything):
makes 1 cup

Puree in a blender
* 1/2 ripe avocado
* 1/4 cup cottage cheese
* 2 tablespoons sweet and sour mix
* 1 tablespoon each Cointreau and Tequila
* Salt & pepper
* Dash milk to thin

Salsa Fresca

2013-04-17T21:40:00.000-04:00

Couple month's ago I posted a recipe for these and the green pepper salsa was the clear winner of this dinner.
Last night I prepared chicken & pepper quesadillas and although I like quesadillas, I really wanted to make a batch of green pepper salsa again so I could snap a decent pic and post the salsa here and on my sister blog.

Traditional salsa is tomatoes, jalapenos, garlic, red peppers (or canned green chilies), onions, lime juice and oil. Some are made with canned tomatoes (gives it that steamed in a jar texture), roasted garlic and peppers and while they are all good versions, I like the ones that use all fresh veggies. Europeans would call this a salsa fresca or a relish. This is so healthy and vibrant, it would add something terrific on something plain Jane.

Difference with this is the amount of green peppers and the secret ingredient addition of ketchup. I love tart but I am from the B.Flay school of adding a touch of sweet to take that rough edge off the tart.
Now that low sugar ketchup is available, it makes the perfect sweet to the lime juice and gives the sauce a slight thickness to it.
The Nudge loves the green peppers, so since both of us loved this salsa, it will be our go to all summer. I might just have to buy a bag of tortilla chips.

Salsa Fresca
makes 2 cups
* 1 very large ripe tomato, seeded and diced
* 1/2 medium green pepper, diced
* 1 large jalapeno, seeded and ribs removed
* 1 tablespoon low sugar ketchup (Heinz makes a good one)
* 1 lime, juiced
* 1 tablespoon minced cilantro or parsley
* 1/4 small red onion, minced
* salt & pepper to taste
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 6 shakes of Tobasco
* 1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix everything on a small bowl and serve.

Ideas for using fresh salsa (besides Tex-Mex foods):
Spoon on top of steamed and cooled mussels.
Warm and spoon on top of grilled or roasted fish.
Add to rice and serve hot or cold.
Make a black bean salad.
Grill crostini and use as a bruschetta.
Add to macaroni and cheese.
Stuff into a chicken breast.
Bake it on bread for a change from calorie laden Garlic Bread.

Carbonara Sauce

2013-04-04T09:16:00.001-04:00

This is a post about the sauce. You can use any pasta your family likes or not.
How about no pasta but chicken or turkey? Maybe toss this sauce with vegetables, YUMMY!

Although there is no cream in this sauce, the eggs make a velvety rich sauce and the grated cheese takes it to another level.

I do know the correct way this dish should be prepared but I am slightly squeamish about undercooked egg whites. If I see them I will push my dish away. Every one has a food fetish, that is mine.

To make sure this does not happen I beat my eggs well, and then add in the cheese (you could also use just the yolks but it might be too much). All that gets tossed with the hot pasta (or not), bacon or pancetta, pasta water (or vegetable blanching water) and lots of black pepper. Some people will add peas or even asparagus, we like ours simple. If I want a vegetable, I will serve spinach on the side and have been known to make that, into a salad.

Serve with extra grated cheese. This is one pasta presentation we never tire of and The Nudge thought it was worth an extra helping.

Carbonara Sauce
makes 4 servings

* 2 large eggs
* 1/2 cup grated cheese, divided
* 5 pieces of pancetta, diced or 4 strips bacon
* 1 tablespoon reserved pancetta fat
* 1/4 cup reserved pasta water
* Pinch of salt
* Generous amount of black pepper
* 12 ounces fresh pasta or 8 ounces dried spaghetti

1. Beat eggs, half the grated cheese (1/4c) and cooled bacon drippings. Set aside.
2. Boil pasta according to package directions.
3. Pour egg mixture into large pasta bowl.
4. Using a spider or large slotted spoon, add pasta to mixture in bowl. Toss quickly to coat.
5. Place bowl over pasta water pot and continue to toss until the sauce thickens and adheres to the pasta. Add the pancetta (bacon), black pepper and pasta water to loosen the sauce. Taste for salt.
6. Remove pasta bowl from pot, sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup cheese and bring to the table.

Happy Eating!!

Lousiana BBQ Shrimp

2013-01-15T12:48:00.001-05:00

Fifteen years ago, when in Las Vegas, we made it our mission to check out two of my favorite chef's restaurants. Emeril's Fish House and B.Flay's Mesa Grill. The first dish I ordered was the infamous BBQ shrimp (for which Emeril sold aprons imprinted with the recipe). Now Vegas plays host to hundreds of star chefs, but back then you could still count them on your fingers.

My main meal was a crawfish stuffed mignon. Needless to say I came home, bought his cookbook and made both those dishes with great success.

That was the last time. Not sure why I had a hankering to make those shrimp after all that time but after we ate, I immediately put them back on the menu for February.

If you have never eaten a Louisiana BBQ shrimp I implore you to make them. Louisiana "barbecued" shrimp never touch an actual barbecue. Created at Pascal's Manale restaurant in New Orleans in 1954, the recipe has become a Southern staple. The approach may vary, but it's certain to include ample amounts of shrimp, butter, and garlic. This version is almost always served with French bread for soaking up the rich sauce but I made a small batch of Basmati rice.

Louisiana BBQ Shrimp
Makes 4 servings

* 4 ounces (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

* 3 garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)

* 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh rosemary

* 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (from 2 lemons), rinds reserved and sliced

* 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce

* 1 1/2 teaspoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco

* 1 pound (about 30) medium to large shrimp, peeled

* 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

* Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. Heat a 12-inch skillet (preferably cast-iron) over medium-high heat. Season shrimp with salt and pepper. Add butter and when it is melted and foamy add the shrimp and fry until the edges are crispy and golden brown. Remove to a bowl.
2. Add garlic, rosemary, and lemon juice and rinds to pan. Stir in Worcestershire and hot sauces, and bring to a simmer.Cook for 10 minutes.
3. Add shrimp back to pan and simmer until the shrimp are hot and the sauce is bubbling. Serve with baguette or rice.

Although there is a whole stick of butter in the sauce, serving rice allowed me to cut way back on the amount of that sauce I would actually eat if using bread.

Next time I make this, I will being recreating a lighter version with all the same flavors that make this dish phenomenal.

Porcini Mushroom Cream Sauce

2012-12-13T17:31:00.002-05:00

I made this dish about one week ago and finally ate the last of it for lunch today.
You know when they tell you most dishes taste better the next day? Believe them. This was still wonderful. Full of meaty mushroom flavor with that hint of Marsala and the sweetness of the cream.
Diabetic friendly for sure, but if you want to make it low fat just make a roux and use fat-free evaporated milk instead of the cream. It will still be thick, clingy and creamy.

To get the ounce of mushrooms I need for two servings I am using a mixture of dried porcinis and morels. Two mushrooms that can stand on their own.
I suggest you use the processor or blender to mince the onions, just pulse until they are minced but not pureed. If there is no processor or blender I would suggest grating them but you will have to squeeze out any excess liquid.

I used Radiatori pasta. The more ridges the more sauce will cling and since the sauce is not chunky, it makes the perfect sauce delivery system. You could also use fusilli, rotelle or campanelle, anything with curls and swirls to trap the sauce.

<u>Pasta with Porcini Cream Sauce</u>
Serves 4-6
* 1 cup water + 1/2 cup sherry
* 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms, rinsed
* 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
* 1 teaspoon roasted garlic paste
* 2 onions, chopped fine
* Salt & pepper
* 1/2 cup heavy cream
* 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
* 1 pound swirly pasta
* 2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated (1 cup), plus extra for serving

1. Microwave water/sherry mix and porcini in covered bowl until steaming, about 1 minute. Let sit until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain mushrooms through fine-mesh strainer lined with coffee filter: reserve liquid and chop mushrooms into 3/4-inch pieces.
2. Melt butter in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and 1/4 teaspoons salt and cook until softened and lightly browned, 10-12 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in strained mushroom liquid, scraping up any browned bits, and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes. Stir in cream, thyme and garlic and simmer until thickened, about 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring 4 quarts water to a boil in large pot. Add pasta and 1 tablespoon salt and cook, stirring often, until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup cooking water, then drain pasta and return it to the pot. Add sauce and Parmesan and toss to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste and add reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency. Serve with extra Parmesan.

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Italian Balsamic Peppers, Onions, Potatoes and Asparagus

2012-12-11T15:04:00.000-05:00

I have been wanting to make some sort of an Italian version of a sweet/tangy/savory mixture of peppers and onions that uses balsamic vinegar. I bought a bottle of really good aged Balsamico when I was in Florence and we all know vinegars are very healthy for digestion and glucose control.
I had 6 pee-wee potatoes left in cold storage and asparagus I will add right at the end.

The ingredient list for this dish is sparse and could almost qualify for a 5 ingredient fix. You could use chicken instead of the chops but if you do, buy the ones with the bones and roast everything in one pan.

Since this post is mostly about the topping, I need to warn you that bottled hot peppers are very hot and so is the brine that they are stored in. I only used 3 small pepperoncini and even though I seeded and de-veined them, I should have rinsed them. I am not a wimp when it comes to hot stuff but my mouth was on fire and I honestly could not finish this dish. Next time I make a version of this I will use pickled jalapenos.
Other than the heat, it was full of flavor and The Nudge enjoyed that last blast of vinegar at serving.

If your balsamic is inexpensive, you might want to boil down to half before using.

This was FULL of flavor. Every bite was an experience yet I used only simple ingredients.
Diabetic Friendly in every way, you really must make this.

Grilled Pork Chops with Peppers, Onions and Potatoes
makes enough to serve 4
* 4 pork chops with rib bone attached
* 1 large red onion, quartered with stem end intact (I used half sweet, half red)
* 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon EVOO
* dozen pee-wee potatoes, cut in half
* 6 whole garlic cloves, peeled
* 1 jar roasted red peppers
* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
* 6 peppadew, banana peppers or pepperoncini, julienned
* Course sea salt
* Aged balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 375°.
1. Place potatoes and onion quarters on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil, salt & pepper. Toss to coat.
Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the edges start to brown. Add peppers and 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar. Mix well.
2. Bake for 10 more minutes and remove from oven. Scrape everything into a bowl and add the red pepper flakes. DO AHEAD TO THIS POINT, COVER AND CHILL UP TO ONE DAY.
3. Brush chops with oil and season with salt & pepper.
4. Heat grill pan till very hot about 5 minutes.
5. Grill for about 5 minutes per side. Remove and tent with foil.
6. Add asparagus to grill pan and cook for 2 minutes on high heat. Add potato and pepper mixture to pan, stir to combine flavors and reheat.
7. Place one chop on each plate and spoon 1/4 of the vegetable mixture over top. Drizzle with balsamic vinegar and sprinkle with additional sea salt.

Restaurant Veal Stock

2012-11-19T15:00:00.000-05:00

I can always tell when fall settles in, besides the hundreds of squash and sweet potato recipes that flood the blogosphere, I notice that I tend to start putting stuffed roasted meats on the menu.

I do not know what possessed me but I ordered a breast of veal from the butcher. I think I have made this cut of meat once about 20 years ago and the only reason why I could think I did that was because of a recipe I must have seen or a cooking show.

Although The Nudge loves veal, we rarely wander off the scaloppine trail and dabble in other cuts. I am not sure why, veal has a great flavor and I have had veal chops, I remember till today, unlike that stuffed breast.
I am a little intimidated by this cut, it isn't cheap (I forgot to ask) and I would hate to ruin it using the wrong stuffing. First thing, though, I have to find a recipe for veal sauce which will inevitably start with a good brown veal stock. For inspiration I always turn to Wolfgang Puck for great Cooking 101.

Until I open his cookbook, I forget how he makes quality restaurant-style dishes easy for the amateur cook. I should spend more time with him. Classically trained there are a few techniques that require time, but mostly because of knife work and stock making but nowadays we can purchase pretty good stocks and broths and even pre-cut up aromatics.

Since I am making this dish a big deal, I asked the butcher for the breast to be cut off the rib cage and the ribs chopped into manageable pieces so I can make the stock. This is definitely a Sunday affair but the stock can be started ahead when you find a few hours to roast the bones and vegetables. While the breast is roasting the stock can be simmered and while the breast is resting, the gravy can be made.

Brown Veal Stock
adapted from Adventures in the Kitchen, Wolfgang Puck, 1991
makes 1 quart

4 pounds veal bones, cut into 2" chunks
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 celery stalk, coarsely chopped
1 leek, chopped
1 large tomato, quartered or 1/4 cup tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon whole peppercorns
2 bay leaves
2 sprigs fresh thyme
4 cloves garlic, smashed
2 cups water

1. Preheat oven to 450° F.
2. Arrange the bones in a roasting pan, large enough to hold them in a single layer. Roast in the oven until dark golden brown, about 1 1/2 hours, turning to brown on all sides. After one hour add the remaining ingredients to brown. Transfer the bones and vegetables to a large stockpot, 10 quarts.
3. Pour off the fat from the roasting pan and deglaze the pan with 2 cups water, scraping up any particles that stick to the bottom of the pan. Pour into the stockpot with enough additional water to cover the ingredients by 2 inches, Bring the water to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer, uncovered, 4-6 hours, skimming the foam as it accumulates on top, and adding water as needed to keep the bones and vegetables covered at all times.
4. Strain the liquid into a clean pot, pressing down to extract all the juices. Reduce, over medium heat, until 1 quart remains.
5. Cool and refrigerate in a covered container up to 3 days, discarding any hardened layer of fat before using or freezing.

This could not have been any easier to make. It is time consuming but it requires no effort on your part. It sits on the stove for hours, you cool, drain and put in the fridge.
I forgot how good homemade stock can be, and I think I will do this more often.

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No Cook Mustard BBQ Sauce

2012-09-13T12:23:00.002-04:00

This wonderful no cook BBQ sauce is courtesy of Bobby Flay's Grill It! Food Network Show. This would work well on a hot dog, corn dog, chicken fingers and pulled pork sandwiches.

Mustard Barbecue Sauce
makes 4 servings

* 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
* 1/4 cup Sherry Vinegar
* 1/4 cup ketchup
* 1/4 cup molasses
* 1/4 cup honey
* 2 tablespoons maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
* salt and pepper to taste
* hot sauce (optional)

Whisk together the ingredients and let it sit for at least 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.

Shasha Sauce

2012-09-03T01:41:00.001-04:00

For the first 3 months of the spring/summer the weather was so inconsistent that my pepper population was three. Three poblano and NO yellow Hungarian peppers.

As the summer wore on into August the pepper count was still poblanos 3, Hungarians 0.

The first week of August was the best weather of the whole summer and I looked out on my deck and there was, no kidding, 20 yellow peppers!!

Where the hell did they come from? I had just about given up on getting those hot little babies. Bad things about yellow peppers, they don't start out as green, like the bells do, they start out a light yellow, so how do I know they are ripe?

I waited until I saw a slight reddish hue along one side and snipped that pepper as fast as I could.

Oh baby, these were hot, hot, hot. Little Serrano's in yellow clothes. The first pepper ended up in a pasta dish while I seriously surfed the web.

I am getting addicted to hot, spicy sauces but The Nudge has been slow to join me. Are we understanding where I am going with this......

What do I do with 20 very hot peppers that will all be ripe at the same time?
Ahhhhhh, now you get it.

Like so many dishes that end up on this blog, the majority are due to ingredients that were on sale at the market, product that was in season, an overage of leftovers, a craving and just plain necessity.

The minority are ones that seem to plop right into my lab, usually from a cooking show of one kind or another, that catches my attention long enough to look up from one screen to another.

I have never watched The Chew. I knew it was there, I even tried to secure tickets, but I am not fond of the programming on ABC lately so my favs are not programmed to include it.

Last week (and I am not kidding) I was looking for something to watch while I did some paperwork, and actually on purpose clicked on ABC. There was Michael Symon making a breakfast sandwich in what I gathered was their "5 ingredient dish in 5 minutes" themed show. I like Michael Symon so I gave him 5 minutes of my time.

The best part of his dish was this Shasha Sauce he squirted on the fried egg in the sandwich. Everyone raved about the sauce and the sandwich? well, I think it's 5 minutes of fame were up.

But that sauce......was made with, hold on now, have I got your attention?
Can you guess? Come on, I know you know this........

No less then 10 hot yellow peppers!!!!
OMG, am I not, like, an episode of Twilight Zone?

I have to say that I agreed with the audience, this sauce is better than Tabasco Sauce. I could, if I had one of those bottles, shake some of this goodness on everything I eat. Can be made as hot or sweet or tart as you want, can be made in any season of the year, takes up all of 1 hour of your time (mostly unattended time) and if you don't have a bush of yellow Hungarian hot peppers on your deck, you can use a jar of hot banana peppers.

Ya ya. It is that good. Keep a squirt bottle in your fridge (it lasts forever) and use it generously. You will never buy a bottle of Tabasco sauce again.

Plus, it's yellow. It's pretty and cool looking on your food.

I used it on my turkey burgers yesterday and plan on using it on everything.

Shasha Sauce
From the kitchen of Pass the Sauce with inspiration from Michael Symon

* 12 fresh Hungarian peppers or a jar of banana peppers
* 4 cloves garlic
* 1 cup yellow ballpark mustard
* 1 cup white wine vinegar
* 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
* 2 tablespoons all purpose flour (optional)

Process peppers with the garlic, mustard and vinegar until pureed.
Add puree to a hot saucepan and add in sugar.
Simmer 30 minutes.
Add a slurry of flour and water to thicken if desired. (Mine did not need to be thickened.)
Once it cooled, I ran it through my hand blender one more time, added some salt to taste and poured it into a squirt bottle.

Herb Nut Salsa

2012-08-28T01:50:00.001-04:00

This is so Italian, really diabetic friendly and wonderfully full of flavor (think I got enough adjectives in there?). I think it closely resembles a chimichurri sauce but with hazelnuts for crunch and anchovy for salt.

Perfect with a steak of any kind. We spooned this over a rib-eye, but I do believe it originally was paired with a hanger steak. A inexpensive choice would be a London Broil or a flank steak.

Herb-nut Salsa
Adapted from Food & Wine, 2009
Servings: 6-8

* 1/4 cup hazelnuts
* 1/2 cup minced flat-leaf parsley
* 1/4 cup snipped chives
* 2 teaspoons minced tarragon
* 1 teaspoon minced chervil
* 2 oil-packed anchovy fillets, minced
* 2 teaspoons chopped rinsed capers
* 1 medium shallot, minced
* 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
* 3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
* Salt and freshly ground pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 375°. Toast the hazelnuts in a pie plate for 12 minutes, or until the skins are blistered. Transfer the nuts to a kitchen towel; let cool slightly, then rub off the skins. Finely chop the nuts and transfer them to a bowl. Add the parsley, chives, tarragon, chervil, anchovies, capers and shallot. Stir in the vinegar and the 3/4 cup of oil and season with salt and pepper.
2. Light a grill or preheat a grill pan. Brush the steaks with oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Grill over moderately high heat, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes for medium-rare meat. Let rest for 5 minutes. Slice the meat across the grain and serve with the salsa.

We shared a dry aged rib-eye we bought at Whole Foods (yum) and I made creamed spinach and mashed potato sides. A very good steakhouse style meal. Oh, and we also shared a very nice Barolo.

Sharing is a good thing....for the heart and the tummy!

The Quickest 5 Ingredient Marinade and Glaze Ever

2012-08-15T12:04:00.005-04:00

I am not a fan of marinating salmon. I find they can be harsh and too sweet as well as make the meat mealy. Acids will break down the flesh but with good wild salmon, you don't need to tenderize.
We all know never marinate fish longer then 30 minutes?

I developed this glaze for two reasons, to give the fish a little more flavor and to hopefully get The Nudge to like salmon.

His one major complaint was that it tastes fishy. Now, if you buy bad food it will taste bad, he just never had good salmon. So afraid the fish I cook would taste the way he's had it year's ago.

Year's ago you could not get really fresh salmon, only frozen and everyone cooked the crap out of it (sorry to offend, but it's the truth).

Well, it worked and I have been grilling these at least 2x every summer at his request.

The other day I had one lone boneless chicken cutlet and dinner to make on the fly.
Why not try this glaze on chicken. I butterflied one boneless breast, brushed the glaze on both sides and let it sit while the coals got hot.

The chicken had lots of flavor and the perfect grilled glaze without being too much.
Takes 5 ingredients everyone should have in their pantry, 5 minutes to put together and 5 minutes on each side to grill. No need to salt the meat but I did grind some pepper on it. The ginger does give it a slight amount of heat so not too much black pepper.

The key to getting the glaze to glaze correctly is to make sure your grill or grill pan is screaming hot and lubed.

Can be multiplied to how many pieces you are cooking. This amount will work on 4-6 chicken pieces, 4 salmon steaks and a dozen large shrimp.

Salmon Marinade and Glaze
* 1 tbls Colemans Dry Mustard
* 2 tbls dark brown sugar
* 1 tbls water
* 1 tbls Tamari (or soy)
* 1 tsp ground ginger

Grill for 4-5 minutes on each side, turning only once. The longer it sits on the grill without moving the darker those caramelized grill marks will be and the better the flavor.
Do not play with your food, please.

Yes, Hummus Can Be A Sauce

2012-08-07T01:04:00.003-04:00

Cooking in a family of one Diabetic can sometimes be challenging. There are things I should eat lots of that won't fly in this house.

I imagine this happens often in similar situations. I mean, a diabetic diet can be heavy on the vegetables and when you have carb lovers in your house you have to make foods that appeals to all.
If I baked a loaf of bread every day, it would disappear in the guise of one, if not two, PB&J sandwich snacks every bedtime.

This recipe for Red Pepper Hummus is excellent. Not only does the red pepper add a two kapow punch of nutrition, it adds a sweetness that will tame, what can sometimes be, a bitter basic hummus (usually the tahini is to blame).

When I roast red peppers (which is always), I clean and store them covered in olive oil. Made perfect sense to use that olive oil as the one called for in the recipe. More flavor, I am all for it.

Adding the hummus to yogurt makes this a wonderful sauce to spoon over a flavorful ground lamb dish.

I halved the recipe because I just will never use up 12 servings. I know everyone is Lady GaGa over hummus, but in this house it's just OK. The Nudge is not a dip person and I have thrown away more opened containers then I want to think about.

This is the reason I wanted to try this recipe. Maybe I can get him to put a dollop on a lamb burger, or nestled aside a perfectly grilled lamb chop.

Maybe the next time I ask him if he would like a spicy dip with pita chips, he will say sure and if that does happen, I could even overlook that bedtime snack if, on that bread, was this hummus.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
Makes 12 servings
Ingredients

* 2 large sweet red pepper
* 2 cans (15 ounces each) garbanzo beans or chickpeas, rinsed and drained
* 1/3 cup lemon juice
* 3 tablespoons tahini
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 2 garlic cloves, peeled
* 1-1/4 teaspoons salt
* 1 teaspoon curry powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1/2 teaspoon pepper
* Pita bread, warmed and cut into wedges, and reduced-fat wheat snack crackers

Directions
1. Broil red peppers 4 in. from the heat until skins blister, about 5 minutes. With tongs, rotate peppers a quarter turn. Broil and rotate until all sides are blistered and blackened. Immediately place peppers in a bowl; cover and let stand for 15-20 minutes.
2. Peel off and discard charred skin. Remove stems and seeds. Place the peppers in a food processor. Add the beans, lemon juice, tahini, oil, garlic and seasonings; cover and process until blended.
3. Transfer to a serving bowl. Serve with pita bread and crackers. Garnish with additional beans if desired. Yield: 3 cups.

Nutritional Facts 1/4 cup (calculated without pita bread, crackers or additional beans:
113 calories
5g fat (1 g saturated fat)
0 cholesterol
339mg sodium
14g carbohydrate
4g fiber
4g protein

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 starch, 1 fat.

Balsamic Ketchup

2012-08-02T09:15:00.006-04:00

This sauce rocks.

Yes, ketchup is a sauce and with our focus on vinegar-based sauces this first week, it fits right in.

You need a good Balsamic Vinegar, preferably the glaze. It's naturally sweeter so it tames the acidity of the roasted tomatoes, a perfect pair.

Not all that hard to do, you need two very important things.

Three hours and really ripe tomatoes, about 1".

I used Campari tomatoes but if you can get good, meaty small Romas, use them.

Cut 2 pounds of tomatoes into quarters and on a wire rack set into a sheet pan, place the tomato quarters and bake for three hours in a 325° oven.

Mine were done in two hours because I used smaller tomatoes then what was called for.

Run them through a processor with the herbs and seasonings and press through a fine sieve. Makes enough ketchup for 4 burgers.

I know that the next time I do this I will make 3 batches, it's that good.

We used this on our Buffalo Parmesan Hamburgers, recipe here.

Balsamic Ketchup
makes 16 tablespoons

* 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
* 3/8 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
* 2 pounds small tomatoes, quartered
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
* 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
* 1/2 teaspoon sugar
* 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Combine oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and tomatoes in a large bowl; toss gently to coat. Arrange tomatoes, skin side down, on a wire rack set inside a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 325° for 3 hours. Cool slightly; peel. Discard peels.
3. Combine tomatoes, remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt, basil, and remaining ingredients in a food processor; process until smooth.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

2012-08-01T08:39:00.001-04:00

Keeping with the vinegar theme (and with the healthy theme), I introduce you to a very flavorful Vietnamese Dipping Sauce. This 5 minute sauce is delightfully refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to grilled foods, whether it be vegetables, seafood or pork.

In this instance, it was paired with a marinaded grilled pork tenderloin. I could see this as a marinade for vegetables that would be a great garnish for a cold meat sandwich.

Delicious indeed.

If you want to switch the sugar out for agave or Truvia (my new favorite sugar sub) make sure to start with less, as the subs are all VERY sweet.

I cut in some mint for color as well as flavor but basil would be an excellent substitution.

You can find the pork recipe on my sister site, here.

Vietnamese Dipping Sauce
makes 4 servings

* 1/3 cup grated carrot
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
* 1/4 cup rice vinegar
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 Thai or serrano chile, thinly sliced and divided
* 1 teaspoon shopped mint or basil

Place all ingredients in a bowl and let it sit so the flavors can meld.
Serve room temp.

Vinegars - What you don't know could hurt you

2012-07-23T01:58:00.000-04:00

We all know how effective white distilled vinegar is to the cleaning of and in the disinfection to every household surface as well as in the washing machine, but are you also aware of its medicinal properties?

Vinegar increases insulin sensitivity, perhaps acting similarly to Metformin.
Now studies have found that vinegar at bedtime reduces fasting blood glucose in the morning, indicating that vinegar might promote insulin production.

Type 2 Diabetes is mostly found in people who are insulin resistant, thus making our bodies work harder to produce more insulin to break down the carbohydrates before they are converted to sugar.

Pretty amazing that a simple chemical like vinegar (acetic acid) could have the benefits of three different classes of diabetes drugs, and all for two cents a dose! It’s likely good for both Type 2 and Type 1, especially for lowering postprandial glucose. And postprandial glucose levels account for 30% to 70% of A1C values. Vinegar has got to be the most cost-effective medicine in history, but most people with diabetes still aren’t taking it.

How can vinegar be so powerful? I think it has to do with our ancestral diet. We used to eat carbohydrate in highly complex forms that took a long time to break down in the intestines. Vinegar may be a signal to our bodies to produce insulin and not resist it. Today’s highly refined carbohydrates are absorbed long before they start breaking down. Our bodies don’t get the ancestral signals that carbohydrates are coming, so they’re not ready for them. Drinking a bit of vinegar might trigger the hormones and transmitters that are now missing the boat.

This theory might be nonsense, but the benefits of vinegar are proven reality.

No, you don't have to drink vinegar before eating a high carbohydrate meal, but you can include vinegar for consumption at that meal.

I love vinegar, I always have. I am one of those people that adore tart and sour characteristics in food and have been known to ambush my family when it was my turn to make the salad dressing.

Back to the food.......

Ways to incorporate vinegars into your diet.

#1 - Salads
A no-brainer there

#2 - Dipping sauces
Asian choices are many

#3 - Vegetables
Just like lemon, it wakes up boring vegetables and works wonders on canned

#4 - Cold Sauces and Salsas
Think pickled vegetables (Salsa Verde, Salsa Cruda, etc) and mignonette

#5 - Bread Spreads
Think pickled vegetables (yes, again), mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup

#6 - Glazes
Think Chicken Milanese, Caprese Salad, Strawberries

#7 - Moisture Filler
Patties, Meatloaf, Fritters...surprised? It works.

#8 - Tenderizer
Marinades and mops

#9 - Flavor Boosters
Butters, Braises & Chutneys

#10 - Desserts
Did you know that strawberries with balsamic vinegar is the most underrated dessert of all time?

When you reduce vinegars, especially balsamic ones, they become naturally sweet. They actually turn into a sweet and sour sauce all by themselves but by adding spices and herbs to these reductions, you can create what no one expects, a sauce that is packed with flavor and is a powerhouse of good things for your body.

I would love to hear how you use vinegar in your everyday cooking.