Grilled French Bread Bruschetta Pizza

Inspiration comes from strange places.  I was reading through a friend’s post and read about how they were using fresh harvested tomatoes and basil for a caprese salad.  I had made a caprese before, and love the simple flavors, but was hankering for something a bit more substantial.  I saw some mini heirloom tomatoes and came up with the idea of a caprese bruschetta on slices of French bread, and once I came home the plan to actually make French bread pizzas on the grill came to be.  Very simple, very fast, very easy ,healthy and clean eating.  Enjoy, also – French bread pizzas on the grill or traditional pizza also is a great way to keep the house cool in the summer 😊

Ingredients

• Fresh heirloom tomatoes, diced
• 1 fresh baked baguette loaf , cut in half and then cut lengthwise
• Fresh Basil, chopped, about ¼ cup
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 2 tablespoons
• Modenese balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon
• Fresh Mozzarella cut into slices
• Salt
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Preparation

• Heat up grill for indirect heat (half burners off or all coals to one side)
• Cut the bread into halves both lengthwise and crosswise
• Toast bread lightly on the grill , remove
• Mix vegetables, oil, and vinegar together, salt + pepper, adjust to taste
• Place sliced mozzarella on bread, then top with tomato and herb mixture
• Place on the cooler side of grill, cover, cook for about 10 min depending on heat.
• Remove from heat – cheese should be bubble and just starting to brown

As you can see it turned out YUM.  This would be fun to do for a party – get a bunch of toppings, pesto, tomato sauce, artichoke hearts, mushrooms, different cheeses and MAKE YOUR OWN PIZZA party !! Maybe I should give it a go sometime 🙂

Best – Will

Yellow Curry with Summer Vegetables

Last week I was really craving a healthy dinner, and was wandering through a local store called “locavore” here in Bend, that features local farm fresh produce and locally sourced ingredients.  There was a homemade yellow curry powder that smelled fresh and fragrant, and that was all the inspiration I needed to pull this together.  One could easily add tofu, chicken, or shrimp for additional protein – I grilled a chicken breast that was lightly seasoned and served on the side.  I may be crazy but the act of prepping vegetables after a day of work is so therapeutic for me.  I really enjoy that space where I am focused on that task and not letting any distraction enter my space.  No TVs allowed in my kitchen! Music though …. I hope you take the time to play with vegetable combinations – I based mine on what was available in the farmers market, and I hope you do the same!

Ingredients

• 2 summer squash, washed and cut into rounds
• 1/2 orange pepper, diced
• Good sized handful green beans, washed, trimmed, and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 3 scallions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
• ~ 2 tablespoons good fresh yellow curry powder
• 1 can coconut milk
• Olive oil
• Salt to taste
• Jasmine or Basmati rice

Preparation

• Heat olive oil in large saucepan on medium high heat
• Add peppers, scallions, squash, and beans
• Lightly salt
• Reduce heat to medium
• Cook until squash and beans begin to lightly brown
• Add curry powder + ginger, toast briefly
• Add coconut milk, reduce heat to low
• Simmer until thickens, adjust seasoning to taste

Serve over rice

I originally wanted to do this with Japanese eggplant and squash, but the store was out.  Would be a good one also.  Some people prefer to add broth to this, I prefer the thicker sauce from the coconut milk by itself.  Thai Basil, Cashews, Sweet Potato, lots of variations on this theme and all delicious.

Best – Chef

Shrimp Ceviche

Today the mercury almost got to 100 degrees (37 C) here in Central Oregon, and understandably I was on the hunt for a delicious and cold dinner.  I had not made a ceviche in a good while, so did some research and landed on a solid one that I adapted from Emeril Lagasse which turned out fantastic!  Nothing like the crunch of cool cucumber, the savory of an avocado, the acidity and sweetness of ripe tomatoes, the brightness of fresh squeezed citrus and the heat of a chili pepper.  I made some small adjustments, and staying true to form this recipe is easily modifiable to suit the best type of fresh local seafood available in your market.  I went with wild caught shrimp, as they were on sale- but you can use any firm whitefish such as cod or rockfish; or shellfish like scallops or conch.  When using shellfish, I advise lightly poaching in a flavored liquid before incorporating.

Ingredients

1 ¼ pounds raw shrimp, peeled and de-veined, and cut into thirds

Juice of 2 lemons (or 1 large lemon)

Juice of 2 limes

Juice of 1 orange

1 organic cucumber peeled and seeded and cut into ¼ inch dice (about 1 cup)

2 ripe roma tomatoes or 1 heirloom tomato, seeded and diced

1/3 cup  finely minced sweet onion (about ¼ an onion)

1 jalapeño pepper, washed, seeded, and minced (can use habanero or serrano depending on how much heat you want)

1 large avocado, diced into 1/2/ inch pieces

¼ cup rough chopped cilantro

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Salt

Cayenne pepper

Cajun Seasonings

Step 1 – Poach shrimp meat:

Bring water, salt, and Cajun seasonings to a boil.  Add shrimp meat, when liquid starts to boil again, drain (2-3 minutes approx.) and place in a glass or ceramic (not metal) dish

Add vegetables, olive oil, and citrus juice, lightly salt, stir, and place in fridge for about an hour.

Taste and adjust seasoning

Serve on a tostada or with tortilla chips

This turned out fantastic, next time I want to turn up the heat and try with a habenero!  Let me know how your variations turned out 🙂

Best – Chef

Lemon Pepper Planked Salmon, Pesto Pasta Salad

Simple Lemon Pepper Planked Salmon, Pesto Pasta Salad with Artichoke Hearts , Summer Squash, & Cherry Tomatoes

Trying to keep this push up to make clean, healthy meals.  I went out to brunch today and was tempted by a “southern breakfast burrito” with Pork belly, pimento cheese, and the like – it was pretty yummy, but not what the doctor ordered.  After seeing the triglyceride count from my lipid panel, I need to rethink how often I indulge in such things.  With that guilt fresh in my mind, I decided to counterbalance with a simple clean dinner.  The pasta salad I made in advance, with store bought pesto. I wish I had some diced zucchini to add to this when I made it, but it was really great as it was.  The salmon really married well with the pasta salad and if there are leftovers, all can be saved and eaten cold as a healthy lunch the next day. If you don’t have a plank, you can bake this or grill it traditionally.  Happy Eating 🙂

Salmon:

Ingredients:

• Wild caught salmon fillets, cut into 6 oz portions (you can have them do this at store)
• Fresh Lemon
• Fresh Ground Black Pepper
• Low Sodium Tamari Sauce
• Garlic powder
• Onion Powder
• Cedar plank

Soak plank about 30 minutes in water.

Rinse salmon and pat dry with a paper towel.  Mix about 2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lemon juice and 2 tablespoons tamari in a small bowl, add a pinch of onion powder and garlic powder then brush onto fillets.   Liberally grind fresh pepper onto fish until well peppered.

Place fillets on plank, then put onto medium heat on grill.  Cook for about 12-15 min or until fish is done.

PESTO PASTA SALAD WITH ARTICHOKES AND TOMATOES

• Pasta shells
• Fresh pesto, about 1/3 cup
• Mayonnaise
• 1 can artichoke hearts in water, drained and cut into thirds
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes washed and cut in half
• 2 cups Yellow squash, diced
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Fresh grated DOP Reggiano cheese

Boil water and cook pasta, drain

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients.  Adjust seasonings to taste, refrigerate for 2 hours

 

20 Minute Marinade Grilled Steaks

20-Minute Marinade Grilled Steaks

During the week, it is even a challenge for me, a person who loves to cook, to motivate and get busy in the kitchen.  I adapted this recipe from how my dad used to cook steaks on the broiler or on the grill back when we were kids.  The recipe and preparation are both very simple and the result is packed with flavor.  I like to serve this with grilled vegetables (squash and zucchini), sautéed mushrooms made with the leftover marinade, and either roasted or mashed potatoes.

Marinade:

• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1/8 cup Worcestershire sauce
• Fresh ground black pepper
• Seasoned Salt
• Fresh Chopped rosemary, oregano, with a garlic clove

Chop the rosemary, oregano, and one large clove of garlic until it forms a paste.  Put in small bowl with mustard, Worcestershire, pepper, and salt.  Stir until all mixed, then pour over your steaks (NY Strip is my preference, rib-eye or sirloin are also good) Let rest for 20 min up to overnight.

Grill steaks:

On medium high heat, sear steaks on each side turning only once, until they reach desired temperature.  Medium rare will be about 5 min per side, medium about 7 min, medium well 8 min depending on your grill.

When steaks are done, remove from heat and place in a serving dish.  Put a pat of butter on each steak, and a dash of Worcestershire. Cover and let rest for 5-8 minutes.

Uncover, serve with Sautéed Mushrooms, grilled veggies, and roasted potatoes.

Drunken Jerk Grilled Chicken Legs

So now that is well into grilling season, I thought this would be a good one to share.  I am a big fan of all things that come out of the Secret Aardvark Hot Sauce Kitchen, and really appreciate the dedication that they put into the craft.  Their Drunken Jerk Sauce is no exception – bold Jamaican flavor and decent heat.  When putting this dish together, I was thinking about ways to enhance the flavors but diminish the heat a little bit and came up with diluting with coconut milk.  This turned out great and can be adapted in many ways – but I really loved the sweet hot flavor profile that came out of this simple dish.

Ingredients

• A value pack of chicken legs – bone in, skin on.
• ¼ cup Secret aardvark drunken jerk sauce
• ½ can coconut milk
• Optional – Fresh Chopped Cilantro

The night before:

Mix marinade ingredients together.  Put chicken legs in a large freezer bag, pour on marinade and let sit overnight.  If you want more heat, increase the Aardvark!

Grill over medium heat turning frequently until internal temp is 160.

Let cool 5 min, then dig in.

Serve with peas & rice, fried plantains, and other assorted yummies.  This works great with wings too, I like legs because they cook evenly and have more meat on them.

 

Vegetarian Lasagna with Homemade Spinach Noodles & Béchamel

Sunday Dinner Series – Traditional Lasagna with Homemade Spinach Noodles

I apologize again for neglecting this blog, but want to try to kick off a new Series of “Sunday Dinners” with the goal of posting at least once a week.  So I made this today and have a confession – this was the first time I have ever made pasta from scratch.  It was a tad messy, but I did it with a rolling pin – no need for a fancy pasta maker, stand-up mixer, or food processor.  I also made the vegetarian, but you can substitute ground meat and sausage for the “Beyond meat” that I used – which turned out fantastic BTW.   This recipe is adapted from Cook’s Country Best Lost Suppers by Chris Kimball.  I make the pasta first, then the sauce, then the béchamel, then roll out the noodles and compose the dish

PASTA:

• 3 Cups Semolina flour
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• ½ tsp salt
• Fresh cracked black pepper
• 4 oz baby spinach (about 3 cups), chopped
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh minced oregano
• Water

Pulse the flour, garlic power, and1/2 tsp salt together in food processor (or mix in bowl) to aerate.  Add Spinach, eggs, oil, and oregano and process until dough forms a rough ball (@ 30 – 40 seconds).  If dough resembles small pebbles, add water, a teaspoon at a time, until process until dough forms a ball.  Turn dough out on a clean, floured surface and knead until smooth, about 2 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 30 min – 2 hours.  This step can be done in advance and dough kept in fridge for a couple of days until ready to use.

When ready, cut the dough into 4 equal parts, pat into a rough 4-inch square, and run through the rollers of a pasta machine or roll out.  Fold back on itself like folding a towel and roll out again.  Repeat several times.  Dough should be about nickel thick and 5 inches wide.  Store on waxed paper on a baking sheet until ready to assemble.

SAUCE:

• 2 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 onion, minced
• 2 celery ribs, chopped fine
• 1 large carrot, chopped fine
• 4 mushrooms, diced
• One 16 oz bag “beyond meat” meat substitute – or can use 1.25 pounds ground beef + 1 sweet Italian sausage
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• Four roma tomatoes, minced
• 6 oz tomato paste
• ½ cup red wine
• 2 cups tomato juice
• Salt, pepper, red chile flake to taste

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, celery, carrot and cook until they begin to caramelize.  Add the mushrooms and beyond meat (or meats) and cook until browned.  Add tomato paste, cook well then deglaze with wine.  Add tomatoes, garlic, and tomato juice.  Bring to boil, then reduce heat to simmer and season to taste.

BECHAMEL SAUCE

• 3 tablespoons unsalted Butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 3 cups half + half
• Nutmeg
• Salt & pepper

Melt butter in medium saucepan on medium high heat.  Add flour and make roux, when this starts to get dark gold in color, add half and half while whisking vigorously.  Whisk until mixture comes to a boil, then reduce heat & season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

ASSEMBLE THE LASAGNA

Add 1 cup sauce to bottom of pan

Add noodles

Add sauce on top of noodles

Top with parmesan / mozzarella cheese blend

Top with béchamel

Repeat layers until casserole is 2/3 full

Top layer is sauce + béchamel + cheese

Bake, covered, at 350 for 40 min.  Remove cover, bake for another 20min, serve with salad and crusty bread.

 

 

 

 

 

Review – Whole Foods Cheddar-Jalapeño Salmon Burger with Lemon Garlic Aioli

Some quick and easy meals have been featured this week – mostly due to the fact that I have been working late and trying to get ahead of the curve before business traveling starts in another few weeks.  With the new year, comes new responsibilities, and I will need to stay out in front of those, so I don’t get bogged down.  That being said, I was wandering around whole foods without a plan and these looked pretty good.  Reasonably priced, and apparently made in store.  I served with sliced avocado and a quick garlic – lemon aioli, on a brioche roll.  Would have added lettuce and tomato if I had them available.  Would pair well with couscous or quinoa.  I think the biggest thing is to make sure you have oil in your pan, and use a good seasoned cast iron to prevent sticking.  Finish in oven, and then serve.  It was pretty good – 4/5 stars.  Very Healthy, easy to make, and a great go to weekday dinner.

Ingredients:

• Wild Salmon Jalapeno Cheddar Burgers from Whole Foods
• about 1/8 cup Mayonnaise
• juice of 1/2 Lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• olive oil
• green leaf lettuce
• fresh tomato
• avocado slices
• Buns

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 400.  Heat oil in a cast iron pan over medium -low heat

Place patties in pan, and cook on one side for about 5-8  min, or until brown

Flip patty, cook for a few minutes, then place in oven and cook for about 8 minutes or until cooked through.

Meanwhile, toast your buns, and prepare the aioli by combining lemon juice,mayonnaise, and garlic.

Dress the buns, place the patty on the bun, add sliced avocado, lettuce, and tomato, and enjoy.  Serve with a pasta salad, quinoa, or sweet potato fries.

Nutrition Facts

Whole Foods – Wild Salmon Burger Jalapeño Cheddar

1. Servings:  
   1 Patty
   1 container (2 patties ea.)
   1 container (2 Patty)

Calories	235	Sodium	330 mg
Total Fat	12 g	Potassium	0 mg
Saturated	1 g	Total Carbs	8 g
Polyunsaturated	3 g	Dietary Fiber	0 g
Monounsaturated	5 g	Sugars	0 g
Trans	0 g	Protein	21 g
Cholesterol	60 mg
Vitamin A	2%	Calcium	2%
Vitamin C	2%	Iron	4%

 

Livia’s Ramen Noodle Hack – Monday Night Special

Just when I was considering writing a review for Whole Food’s Cheddar—Jalapeño Salmon burgers, my daughter surprised me with this versatile Ramen Noodle Hack.  She took it upon herself to make her own turmeric-based broth, as, In her words, “broth packets in top ramen are filled with excess sugars, sodium and sneaky beef and stuff.”  Sneaky beef indeed.  She may have coined a great moniker for a new band or Steubenville (Ohio)  HS Football boosters. Time will tell. She has confided n me that she is on hiatus from red meat – a choice she made independently from my no meat January – and is making an effort to go pescetarian moving forward.  That will last until I smoke up some pork ribs, or make homemade buffalo wings.  Look for those yummies in future editions!

Ingredients:

• Firm Tofu (cut into steaks about as think as a deck of cards)
• Turmeric
• Black Pepper
• Soy Sauce
• Honey
• Siracha Sauce

Optional Toppings:

• Green Onions or Chives
• Thinly sliced mushrooms
• Spinach
• Boiled egg
• Sesame seeds
• Bean Sprouts
• Radishes
• Various veggies

Process:

Prepare tofu by cutting into steaks, steam in pan 5 min one side, 3-4 min other side on medium / low heat.  Make a sauce by combining the other ingredients, and adjust seasoning to taste.  Once tofu is done steaming, coat in sauce and let sauce reduce down and caramelize onto the tofu steaks.

Cook Ramen noodles as per package instructions but do not use the packet (lots of MSG in there!) instead when noodles are done, add turmeric, pepper, sirachia, and soy sauce to taste.

Get creative. Use what you have in the house.  Mix it up, and let us know about your combinations. Budget Dining!

Recipe Testing – Smoked Salmon Pasta: Spinach Fettuccine with Mushrooms, Chives, and Lemon Zest, Black Pepper and Asiago- Chèvre Cream Sauce

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Today has been an unmitigated success in the kitchen.  I was craving something a little heartier than a veggie stir fry tonight, so I went around the corner and grabbed some smoked salmon and a lemon and put this together.   I had a dinner party last year with a goat cheese and chive crostini with lemon zest, so I wanted to explore those flavors a bit more.  In my research, a lot of recipes called for cream cheese, but I felt that would be too heavy and the goat cheese would be a nice, lighter substitute.  This turned out delicious – hearty, but tangy and zesty as well.  The mushrooms give a nice subtly earthy  note and add more substance to the dish, really rounding it out on the back end.  Upgrading to a spinach based noodle takes some of the guilt and lowers the glycemic index too! Woo Hoo!

Equipment:

• Stock Pot
• Strainer
• Saucepan

Ingredients:

• ½ lb. hardwood smoked salmon (not lox) , bones & skin removed and rough chopped
• About ¼ cup chopped chives
• Zest of ½ lemon
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 oz. fresh goat cheese
• 4 oz. fresh grated asiago (parmesan or Romano will also work)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ pint heavy cream
• About ¼ lb. chopped mushrooms
• Spinach Fettuccini
• Olive oil
• Butter

Preparation:

Boil Water in stock pot and cook noodles, drain.

Meanwhile, heat butter mixed with a little oil over medium heat in saucepan.  Add mushrooms and lightly salt and pepper.  Add chives and garlic, and once these get going, add lemon juice and salmon. Break up salmon, add cream, goat cheese, lemon zest and reduce heat to low.  Simmer until goat cheese is incorporated, then add asiago.  Simmer and taste, adjust seasoning.

I like to serve this with a simple green salad with a French style-vinaigrette to cut through the cream, a chilled chardonnay like Matanzas Creek or a good Pouilly-Fuissé and crusty Bread.  Bon Appétit!