Kitchen Issues

*SIGH* I miss cooking. Last night we had too many leftovers to make something new, and today there is a kitchen issue keeping me away, probably until Saturday. Look for something new on Sunday.

In the meantime, I am having fun reading my two new cookbooks


and
See you soon!

Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola

pizziaola, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Dinner tonight was quick and easy. I try to make myself do that once a week.

This particular recipe calls for pork chops, but could easily be done with beef and especially chicken breasts. It can be served over rice or pasta, with a crusty bread to dip in the juices, or like we did with a green salad and a bold red wine!

Enjoy!

Pork Chops alla Pizzaiola (Adapted from Giada De Laurentiis)

2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (1-inch thick) bone-in pork loin center-cut chops (about 12 ounces each)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, in juice
1 tablespoon dried oregano, thyme or basil, or a combination of
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, -- or more to taste
1 tablespoon chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

Heat the oil in a heavy large skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle the pork chops with salt and pepper. Add the pork chops to the skillet and cook until they are brown and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted horizontally into the pork registers 160 degrees F, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the pork chops to a plate and tent with foil to keep them warm.

Add the onion to the same skillet and saute over medium heat until crisp-tender, about 4 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juices, deied herbs, and 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes. Cover and simmer until the flavors blend and the juices thicken slightly, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season the sauce, to taste, with salt and more red pepper flakes. Return the pork chops and any accumulated juices from the plate to the skillet and turn the pork chops to coat with the sauce.

Place 1 pork chop on each plate. Spoon the sauce over the pork chops. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.

Chipotle Mashed Potatoes

potatoes, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I love getting recipes from other blogs! I am a frequent reader of Culinary in the Desert – I believe the author Joe and share a taste bud! As soon as I saw this recipe on his blog I put it into my meal plan.

Mashed potatoes are one of those comforting, cold weather foods that I only make a few times a year. The first time each year comes with some of my favorite things: the sun going down earlier, the leaves changing, wearing pants and long sleeved shirts - this week had “mashed potato” written all over it!

This was a great recipe. I cut down a bit on the calories by replacing some of the butter with greek yogurt – I find that greek yogurt serves the same creamy purpose with less calories. I doubled the amount of chipotle pepper because I love its smokiness and it called for corn – I decided to leave that out.

These potatoes were very creamy and the peppers created a wonderful smokiness. It was a wonderful side for the roast turkey breast we had for dinner!


Chipotle Mashed Potatoes (Adapted from Sunset and Culinary in the Desert)

2-2.5 pounds russet potatoes, cut into chunks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1 T plain greek yogurt
1/2-2/3 cup milk, warmed
2 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, finely chopped
salt and fresh ground black pepper

Add the potatoes to a large saucepan and cover with water - season generously with salt. Bring potatoes to a boil and cook until tender, about 15 to 20 minutes. Drain well - place potatoes back into the saucepan and return over low heat. Gently stir potatoes, allowing any excess liquid to evaporate away. Add butter, yogurt and warmed milk Mash potatoes with a potato masher to desired consistency - I leave the skin on. Stir in chipotles and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper.

Chicken with Fresh Sweet Basil

Basil Chicken, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I am one lucky girl! I have a husband who not only is a great cook, but he also likes to cook!! I am the main cook in our house, but every once in awhile he will ask me to set a night aside for him. He digs into the cookbooks and comes up with something I dont usually make - Chinese, Indian or Thai.

Last night is was Thai. He bought me a Thai cookbook for my birthday and quickly found a recipe he thought might mimic one of our restaurant favorites, Chicken with Fresh Sweet Basil.

He didnt need help. I didnt know what to do with myself - I tried to read a book, but soon the aromas coming from the kitchen began to distract me. Aromatic and spicy are how I would describe them. And the recipe was quick and easy. It would be great for a worknight meal, the hardest part being chopping the chicken and pepper. After that, it cooks in about 10 minutes.

It tasted wonderful over a bed of brown rice. We are already talking about variations to make it even more like our favorite dish. I'm sure we will be making this again soon!

Chicken with Fresh Sweet Basil (Adapted from Keo's Thai Cuisine)

1/2 pound Boneless chicken breast
3 tablespoons Oyster sauce
2 tablespoons Oil
2 Red chile peppers, chopped
3 Garlic cloves (chopped)
15 Thai Basil leaves
3 Kaffir lime leaves, cut into thin strips
1/2 cup mushrooms


Thinly slice chicken into 2-inch strips. In a wok heat oil, garlic and lime leaves on high heat until the oil bubbles. Add chicken, mushrooms, oyster sauce and red chile peppers. Stir fry for 5 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Mix in basil and serve on rice.

Tapas Night

Tapas, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Last night we decided it was time for tapas! We dont do this very often, which means I got to research recipes!! There is almost nothing I like better then doing research for dinner.

I knew I wanted seafood, calamari or mussles, and I figured a couple of vegetables were important - but what ever I made had to have sauce for dipping bread!

Finally I settled on this menu: Manchego Cheese, Spicy Calamari, Cold Asparagus, Ajillo Mushrooms, and a Rioja red wine.

First the Asparagus. Simple to make ahead, I boiled the stalks for 3 minutes before plunging them into icy water for 30 minutes then moving them to the refrigerator. A quick dip made from dijon mustard, mayonnaise, finely minced garlic and a squeeze of lime juice was thrown together as well, giving it several hours to meld.

The mushrooms were in stiff competition with the calamari for the best dish. Baby portobellas were simmered with a mixture of olive oil, dry sherry, garlic and other aromatics until they were soft and their juices worked with the oil and sherry to make sauce for dipping. Absolutely amazing, full of flavor, mouth-watering - well you get the picture. A firm sourdough was perfect for sopping up the juices and the sherry added a dimension I wasnt used to with my mushrooms! This recipe, or a lower calorie variation, will become a regular side dish!

Finally the calamari. What can I say - I think calamari has become my new favorite food. I have been ordering it at restaurants with amazing frequency (just look at my NYC blog) and tasted many variations of it. Fried, seared, sauteed, grilled and chilled - I love it every way!!!

Since this meal needed a spicy component (because what meal doesnt), the calamari was our choice. I have become comfortable with cooking this particular squid recently, so I decided to use components of recipes I found online with tastes I have had at restaurants to come up with the recipe you see below. It also provided a sauce for sopping, with different textures and flavor variations, it was a wonderful contrast to the mushrooms.

It was a perfect meal to follow a long hike! Bo's verdict? The calamari was his favorite and although the mushrooms follow closely in my mind, I must concur!


Spicy Sauteed Calamari

1 pound squid (full-bodies or a mix of bodies and tentacles)
2 T of dried red pepper flakes (more if you like things spicy like we do!)
4 T tomato paste
4 cloves of garlic, large chopped
1 T Olive oil (1 additional T may be needed if the juices began to dry out)
2 T Dry Sherry (1 additional T may be needed if the juices began to dry out)
salt and ground black pepper

Slice the calamari bodies into 1/2 inch rings. Do not rinse them if you want a seafood flavor to the sauce. If you dont care for this flavor, rinse and dry well. (We did not rinse them)

Heat 1T olive oil in a pan on medium heat and cook the garlic 2 minutes or until they are translucent and beginning to brown. Add your calamari, sherry, tomato paste, red pepper, salt, and crushed black pepper to taste.

Saute on medium-low heat for 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Taste at this point and add more seasoning (including red pepper) if needed. Be prepared to add an additional tablespoon of oil and/or sherry if the saute begins to dry up. Touch the calamari - they should yield slightly without be tough. Be careful not to overcook them as they will become rubbery. Remove from heat and top with parsley or chopped chives to serve.

Ajillo Mushrooms (Adapted from Spain Recipes)

1/4 cup (2 fl. oz) olive oil
4 cups (8 oz) mushrooms, wiped clean and quartered
6 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons dry sherry
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dried red chile, seeded and crumbled
1/4 teaspoon Spanish paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons chopped parsley or chives

Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the garlic over high heat for about 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

Lower the heat to medium and add the mushrooms, garlic, sherry, lemon juice, dried chile, paprika, and salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 minutes or until the garlic and mushrooms have softened.

Remove from the heat, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve on small earthenware platters.

White Pizza

Hopefully better pictures are soon on the way...

Last night we did a simple pizza with a green salad. After much research I decided on a White Pizza. After looking at numerous recipes I decided using elements of different recipes and making my own.

I started out making an 8-inch pizza dough, rolling it out and letting it rest while pre-heating the oven to 550 (for about 40 minutes)

Next I crushed and sliced 4 cloves of garlic and slowly simmered it in 1-2 T olive oil (I didnt measure) and sea salt, being careful not to let it brown. This was poured into a small bowl to let cool.

Then I thinly sliced 1/2 of a yellow onion and did a quick par-cook in the pan that formerly held the garlic. While the onion softened, I did another thin slice, this time on a ripe tomato.

Now for the cheese: I finely diced a small chunk of part-skim mozzarella and a small chunk of provolone and tossed them together in a bowl. I placed them back into the fridge until needed.

I turned my attention back to the dough, using my fingers to push it out one last time before using my new pizza peel to slide it into the hot pizza stone for 2 minutes, pulling it out and turning it over to dress.

It was then time to construct the pie:

The olive oil and garlic were brushed onto the crust. The soft onions were sprinkled over next, then the tomatoes were placed around the edges. Finally the cheese came out and was sprinkled over the waiting ingredients. The final step, the hot oven. After it spent 7 minutes on the hot stone, it was pulled out, sliced and eagerly placed in our mouths!

It was great! The only changes I would make would be to use red onion for stronger flavor, a bit less oil and a bit less cheese - if you know me at all you are surprised by this statement, but it overpowered the onion and tomato - but overall it was a great pizza!

In case you are wondering, it goes wonderful with a green salad and a glass of chianti, followed by a chocolate biscotti!

Spinach and Tomato Soup

tomato soup, originally uploaded by Kim De.

First of all, please let me apologize for the picture quality of this and future blogs for who knows how long - a cup of coffee had a meeting with our camera this morning.

Luckily we are already in the market for a new camera, and we have a cheap back up (taking the poor quality photo you see). Anyway, it may be awhile before we purchase our new camera, so for a time I am stuck with this one.

Getting slowly back into the swing of things after vacation is difficult. I made tomato soup for its nutrition and ease. I must say I am disappointed with this first try. The soup was ok, but it lacked a depth of flavor - it was quite thin. Luckily there is nothing I like better then trying a new recipe! The hunt for a new tomato soup is on!

Bean, Spinach and Tomato Soup (Adapted from Rachael Ray)

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
32 oz vegetable broth
1/2 14.5 oz can navy beans
1/2 lb baby spinach
1/4 tsp nutmeg, grated or ground
Salt and pepper to taste
1 - 14.5 ounce can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large dutch oven, saute garlic and onion in olive oil for 2 - 3 minutes over medium heat. Pour in the broth and bring liquid to a boil. add the beans to the broth and cook until they are softened, 5-10 minutes.

NOTE: If you wish the spinach to stay whole, you can blend the beans and broth now then add the rest of the ingredients.


Add in handfuls of the spinach, stirring until it wilts. Keep adding and
stirring until all of the spinach is in. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
Add in tomatoes and stir until thoroughly heated for a couple minutes. Using an immersion blender, mix the beans, spinach and tomatoes until the consistency you desire. Heat for 5 minutes more. Serve each with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.

New York City

360 views around 530, originally uploaded by Kim De.

In case you are interested in my NYC trip:

Friday
After arriving 2 hours late due to airplane then shuttle issues, we cleaned up and took a 20 minute walk in the rain to Mesa Grill, arriving just in time for our 8pm reservation. I started with the prickly pear margarita. It was quite good – not too sour, not too sweet. We munched on the bread basket of corn muffins and herbed rolls until the appetizer of Crispy Squid with Red Chile Pesto, Avocado Crema, Radishes + Pickled Chiles arrived. That is it – I am learning how to make pickled chiles! I have always loved the kind from a jar, but these were so amazing that Im not sure I can eat the grocery store kind anymore!

Next we shared an entrée of New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon-Ancho Chile Sauce + Sweet Potato Tamale with Crushed Pecan Butter and a side of Roasted Corn with Smoked Chiles, Cotija Cheese + Lime. The tenderloin was cooked to perfection and the sauce added a smoky dimension. I was disappointed in the tamale, as there was no taste of sweet potato to be found, but the side dish of corn with a creamy cheese and more smoky chiles more than made up for it. Dessert would not have fit into our stomachs, so we left for the walk back, stopping at a local market for a few supplies.

Friday
We began our first full day in Manhattan with a trip to Old Navy for gloves and scarves! Once dressed warmly, we appreciated the cold weather as it gave us a chance to walk quickly without getting too hot. Our walk to Midtown Manhattan took us past several landmarks including a green market for spiced cider, the Flatiron Building, NYC Library and its backyard Bryant Park, and Radio City Music Hall.

We ended up on Broadway at Stage Deli where we had plans to meet a dear old friend and her cute baby. Bo and I split a Ruben while we visited with Heather and played with Quinn. Our visit ended when the management needed our table for waiting customers. We took a quick walk to photograph the David Letterman studios, then parted company much too quickly.

Our plan to take a cruise on the Hudson was changed due to the 30 degree weather and spits of rain and snow. Instead we took a subway to Central Park West to walk along the reservoir to the Upper East Side and the Guggenheim Museum. Inside we saw a beautiful building with halls of art that spiral up, with a beautiful glass dome at the top. A couple of hours found us pretty tired, and a subway ride home led to a nap.

We found an amazing Indian restaurant in our neighborhood for dinner. 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues in The East Village is known as Indian Restaurant Row. A look at a few menus led us to Banjara. I ordered a glass of Chardonnay, sat back and let Bo do all the ordering. We started with Lamb Tawa Kabab, then worked on the Pasanda Lamb and Makhan Wala Dal. As you can see, Bo was in the mood for lamb! The food was wonderful. I am used to North Indian restaurants that use a lot of oil in their dishes and it was such a refreshing change to taste food and spice, not oil!

Dinner was topped off by a long walk to Times Square for the night lights. It is a requirement for all tourists to see this sight once, and see it we did. Flashing lights, heavy crowds and chain restaurants lined the streets. We walked, took some pictures, then ran as fast as we could back to the East Village for much needed sleep!

Saturday
Saturday morning arrived with another fun day ahead. We walked thru Washington Square Park so I could see the famous arch heading the north side of the park. Having seen it numerous times in movies and television did not prepare us for how large it is! I took pictures the best I could in between more raindrops, then we began to wind our way through the streets of the village to Chelsea Market.

I was excited again, as I planned to meet more friends for another lunch. Greta and her husband drove down from upstate and Kathryn and Candace took the train from Connecticut for a girls lunch. Lunch was great and we talked until we almost ran out of time to see the market. I was surprised at how small it was, just one long hallway lined with shops. However, it was a nice place and I was glad to have seen it. I was also grateful for friends who took long trips on two different days to spend a few hours together!

After parting ways I met back up with Bo for a long slow stroll to the Tenement Museum. We stopped in Chelsea for coffee then again in Greenwich Village for a beer at a cute pub called the Four Faced Liar. We made it to the Lower East Side just in time for our 5pm tickets. We walked through a tenement building, looking at artifacts from and hearing stories about the actual families that lived there in the early 1900s. It was one of the best things we did on our trip and I highly recommend it to anyone who goes.

We were hungry after the tour, so a few streets over we found a restaurant in Chinatown that served dim sum on a Saturday night. The eatery is called Dim Sum Go Go and got great reviews from websites and Bo. I myself am not a huge fan of Chinese cuisine, but Bo loves it, so I take his word this was the good stuff :)

Our evening ended with a walk back up north to the East Village, stopping for a glass of wine here, a beer and cheese cake there.... just enjoying New York life until too exhausted to keep our eyes open!

Sunday
Sunday we got a late start, not leaving the apartment until 11. After consolidating our bags to one backpack and arriving at our subway stop on the Upper East Side, I realized I left my tickets to The Met and Empire State at the apartment. We got our practice riding the subway as we went back to the apartment, then took another trip north! We arrived at The Metropolitan Museum of Art at 2pm and had to carefully pick the sights to see, as we had less than 3 hours until closing.

We chose Greek Sculptures, The American Wing, Vermeer's Masterpiece The Milkmaid, European Paintings and Armour and Weapons. We almost had to run through these exhibits to see a glimpse of them all, but it was an awe inspiring experience. It is a place we will definitely go on future trips!

Our next stop took us to Grand Central Station for a late lunch and a few photo ops. Finally we ended up at The Empire State Building for the views. It turned out to be a great time of day to be there as we saw NYC in the daylight, then hung around for the sun setting and for the final sun set.

It was amazing to see and made for some great pictures! The temperature dropped to a brisk 30 degrees with hard wind during our visit. It was amazing to see snow dancing around being pretty sure it wasnt making it all the way to the ground.

The subway took us back to home base and dinner at Spina, a great place known for its wine and Italian food. I am sorry to say I didnt take note of the amazing red I had. Dinner was Sauteed Baby Calamari followed by Black Ravioli stuffed with Lobster topped by a wonderful Black-Poppy Cream Sauce. We finished off the day with the chef's take on Tiramisu, which had amazing coffee flavor, but we both found too sweet.

Monday
Monday I woke up with mixed feelings – after all it was our last full day in NYC! The weather finally cooperated for a cruise on the Hudson. The sun was shining and we headed by subway and on foot to the piers.

The cruise took us along the Jersey coast, past the Statue of Liberty, up the east side of Manhattan, seeing the Brooklyn Bridge, then back around to the west side, going past Battery City and Ground Zero before ending up at the pier again.

We took advantage of the sunshine to walk to B&H photo where we salivated over cameras, then we headed toward "home" to see the sights in the West Village and Greenwich.

Lunch at Johns Pizza has been on my radar for quite some time. Bo politely agreed to go, but then ended up loving the thin crisp crust, fresh veggies and cheese that wasnt taking over. We then found our way around the winding streets, seeing the luxury Brownstones of the West Village and the funky shops of Greenwich. Another stop at Washington Square Park led to more photo ops, this time with the sun shining.

After another rest time back at the apartment, we headed to a dream called The Strand Bookstore. Miles and Miles of books is what it claims, and it does not disappoint! As it was near dinnertime and we were hungry, it was overwhelming and we didnt spend as much time there as I would have liked. It is on the top of the list for a lazy afternoon on our next visit!

Our last dinner was at Esperanto. Brazilian and South American food is their specialty and live music was playing as we arrived. We ordered a bottle of Ugarte 2006 Cosecha from Rioja Spain that had a rich flavor and we will be looking for at home! Dinner was the tapas plate of Chorizo, Torta Espanola, Ceviche, Olives,Shrimps and Spicy Sautéed Calamari. We both thought the calamari and torta were fabulous! Next we shared the entree of Carne Asada, grilled marinated skirt steak served with rice, black beans, guacamole and a Chimayo salsa. We were left underwhelmed with the main dish feeling the steak lacked flavor. Our agreement was the calamari was the best part of our meal and that it needed to be on our own plan soon!

We ended up our night at our favorite bar, 7A for another glass of wine and a slice of cheesecake.

Tuesday
Our last morning left us with a few hours before the trip to the airport. We chose to walk around Grammercy Park for pictures of the amazing buildings before a quick lunch at 7A then a final packing of our possessions.

Leaving NYC was very difficult, partly because we loved it there, partly because we only put a dent in what there is to see and do. I suppose another trip is on the horizon!

Sauteed Shrimp with Sweet Potato and Smoked Chile Grits

shrmp grts, originally uploaded by Kim De.

This is the final post for about a week. NYC here we come!

Tomorrow night is Mesa Grill and last night we had the final recipe, Sauteed Shrimp with Sweet Potato and Smoked Chile Grits and Green Onion-Cilantro Sauce.

Again, WOW! Not being a fan of sweet potatoes, a recipe including them always takes a leap of faith for me, but adding the chipotle peppers convinced me to try it, and am I glad I did!

While cooking I was concerned about the grits, not being a southern girl so not being used to cooking them, because they seemed a bit gummy. One bite, and that fear was gone. Add to it shrimp and the fabulous sauce and the taste buds are happy campers!

Another winner and our mouths are set for the real deal tomorrow tonight!

Have a great week!

Sauteed Shrimp with Sweet Potato and Smoked Chile Grits and Green Onion-Cilantro Sauce (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

1 large sweet potato
½ tablespoon canola oil
1 small Spanish onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 ½ cups Enriched Chicken Stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons chipotle chile puree
Kosher salt
1 ½ cups quick-cooking grits
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 to 3 teaspoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined
Freshly ground black pepper


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Roast the sweet potato on a rack in the oven until tender when pierced with a knife, 45 to 60 minutes.

Peel the sweet potato and puree the flesh in a food processor or pass it through a ricer; set aside.

Heat the canola oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock, milk, chipotle puree, and 2 teaspoons salt and bring to a boil. Slowly whisk in the grits, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 10 minutes.

Stir in the sweet potato puree and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 to 10 minutes, until smooth and thickened. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter and honey to taste. Cover and keep warm.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a large saute pan over high heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Cook half of the shrimp until lightly golden brown and just cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate and repeat with the remaining oil and shrimp.

Spoon the grits into 4 shallow bowls and arrange the shrimp around the grits. Drizzle with the green onion-cilantro sauce.


Green Onion-Cilantro Sauce

1 cup sliced green onions, white and green parts (about 12)
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons honey
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
½ cup canola oil

Combine the green onions, cilantro, vinegar, 1/4 cup cold water, the mustard, and honey in a blender and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. With the motor running, slowly add the oil and blend until emulsified. This can be made up to 8 hours in advance and refrigerated.

Thai Green Curry Shrimp

This night of cooking is courtesy of Bo and I served as sous chef to his direction.

We have wanted to make a good green curry ever since we met. after trying numerous store-bought pastes, we decided to break down and make our own curry paste after visiting with friends who gave us some Thai basil.

Now you should know, this dish was made the night before. When we make Indian curries they are always made the day prior to eating them. This way the flavors have time to set and meld. We did the same with this dish.

Finally! A decent green curry. Is there room for improvement? Of course there is. We both thought it was missing a “sweetness” from using the light coconut milk. Like anything you try for the first time, it takes awhile to find the correct nuances. But that just means we get to make more Thai curries!

Oh, and in case I hadn't mentioned it before, my husband can COOK!!!!

Green Curry Shrimp (Adapted from Tyler Florence)

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 medium onion, cut in 8 wedges
1 green bell pepper, cut in 8 wedges
1 stalk lemongrass, white bulb only
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh ginger
3 tablespoons Thai green curry paste, recipe follows
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 cups unsweetened coconut milk, 2 (13.5 ounce) cans (we used light as it is what we had)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 lb shrimp
Sea salt
1 lime, juiced
Fresh Thai basil leaves
Fresh cilantro leaves
Lime wedges, for garnish

Place a large, deep skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. Saute the onion and green peppers for 3 minutes to soften. Split the piece of lemongrass down the middle and whack it with the flat side of a knife to open the flavor. Add the lemongrass, ginger, curry paste and lime leaves to the skillet and stir for 2 minutes. Pour in the coconut milk and chicken broth; add a pinch of salt. Stir together and simmer over low heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Lay the shrimp in the mixture to poach for about 5 minutes or until pink. Squeeze in the lime juice and shower with basil and cilantro; serve in dinner bowls with lime wedges.

Thai Green Curry Paste
2 tablespoons coriander seeds
1 tablespoon cumin seeds
1 tablespoon whole black peppercorns
8 fresh Thai green chiles
2 shallots, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, smashed
Small handful of fresh cilantro sprigs
2-inch piece galangal, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 lemon grass stalks, white part only, coarsely chopped
2 kaffir lime leaves, torn
2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste
1/2 cup water

Heat the coriander, cumin seeds, and peppercorns in a small dry skillet for 2 minutes until fragrant. Put the seeds in a clean coffee grinder or spice mill and buzz the spices to a powder.

Put the spice blend and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and pulse to combine. Pour in the water to help grind everything down into a paste.

Jalapeño Popper Mac 'n' Cheese

popper, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I love it when inspiration comes from another foodie blog. This happens frequently with this blog, Culinary in the Desert. Joe recently made macaroni and cheese. I know I have said in the past I am done with new recipes for this dish, but this looked too good to pass up.

Serrano and jalapeno peppers are sliced and diced then sauted with garlic before adding it to cooked pasta. A creamy sauce of milk and cream cheese is blended with the other ingredients, followed by a sprinkling of shredded cheese on the top before a quick run under the broiler.

Ok, I was wrong. I do have a reason to try other recipes for macaroni and cheese. This was a winner. Creamy with a quick peppery bite, this recipe will be made again. Next time with whole wheat penne, and more peppers. If you like the flavor of jalapeno poppers, you will like this!



Jalapeño Popper Mac 'n' Cheese (Adapted from Rachael Ray and Culinary in the Desert)

16 oz dry tube style pasta
2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
3 jalapeño chiles, seeded, ribs removed -- and thinly sliced
2 serrano chiles, seeded, ribs removed -- and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups milk
8 oz cream cheese, sliced into cubes
2 Tbs minced green onions
¼ cup shredded Mexican-blend cheese

In a large pot of boiling, salted water, add pasta and cook according to package directions. Drain and place back into the pot off heat.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, heat oil over medium. Stir in jalapeños, serranos and garlic - cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add to the pot with the drained pasta.

Preheat the broiler.

In the same saucepan, add milk, cream cheese and onion - heat over medium-low, stirring, until very smooth, about 5 minutes. Pour in to the pot with the pasta and season with salt and fresh ground black pepper, tossing well to coat. Scoop mixture into a casserole dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler and bake until lightly browned on top, about 3 to 5 minutes.

Remove and let cool slightly before serving.

Yellow Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon

Sm salmon, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Yes, I have been gone for a few days. You see, my birthday was Friday so there was a bit of restaurant eating. But I am back, if for a few days, as the big NYC trip quickly approaches.

To continue the Mesa Grill theme, tonight was Yellow Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Mango-Serrano Crema. This was a very quick dinner to pull together. It shows up in the appetizer section of the book but is also perfect for a light dinner.

I made the crema first, using greek yogurt for the base and leaving out the mango, as they arent readily available this time of year. I then prepped the dry and wet pancake ingredients stopping to watch football until it was time to eat.

The pancakes were very quick to cook, then stacking them on the plates took only a few seconds more. Add a nice dry white wine, and you have a light Sunday night dinner.

The flavors work well together. I can see how the mango would add a nice sweet layer to the crema, but we didnt feel it was lacking without it, especially with a touch of honey. All in all, another winner from the creative mind of Bobby Flay!

Yellow Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

Mango-Serrano Creme Fraiche
¾ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
1 or 2 roasted serrano pepper, finely diced (depending on how spicy you prefer it)
½ ripe mango, peeled, seeded and finely diced
Honey (to taste depending on how sweet the mango is)
2 tablespoons finely diced red onion (I used green onion)
Salt and freshly ground pepper

Combine the creme fraiche, serrano, mango (honey, if needed) and red onion in a small bowl; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Yellow Corn Pancakes
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons honey
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
Melted butter (to grease the pan)
24 paper-thin slices smoked salmon
Cilantro leaves

In a mixing bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, slat and honey. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and melted butter, add the dry ingredients, and mix until just combined.

Heat a large nonstick sauté pan over high heat and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Working in batches, drop the batter by spoonfuls to make twelve 3-inch pancakes. Wipe the pan out with a paper towel and spray with nonstick cooking spray between batches. Cook pancakes until light brown on both sides and set aside, stacked and covered with foil.

Place a pancake on each plate, spread 1 tablespoon of the creme fraiche over each pancake, and place 2 slices of salmon on top. Top with another teaspoon of the crème fraiche and garnish with a cilantro leaf. (I used green onion)

Salmon and stuff

Salmon, originally uploaded by Kim De.

Last night's dinner from Mesa Grill Cookbook was another success! First let me explain – it is not uncommon for me to pick up a cookbook, cook from it for a couple of weeks, then put it down for quite awhile. Right now, the Mesa Grill Cookbook seems to be my culprit. I do have another confession to make, however. A week from tonight, we have reservations at Mesa Grill in NYC! This fact helps contribute to my current obsession.

Lets start with the salmon. Red Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon with Black Bean Sauce and Jalapeno Crema. I am not a huge fan of this particular fish, but Bo is, so I try to find ways to make it that will tempt my taste buds. This one fit the bill! The glaze provided a nice hint of flavor (something I think is missing in salmon) and grilling it forms a great crust, while keeping it moist and tender inside. The black bean sauce and crema were not necessary to make this a keeper, but together they added extra levels of taste to keep things interesting. Now I must tell you, I “cheated” a bit on the bean sauce. I had black bean soup left from our Monday dinner and decided to use it as my base. I added ½ chipotle pepper and some cumin plus water to thin it out then gave it a whirl in the blender. Very easy. And I love to utilize leftovers!

On to the side dish. From the same cookbook, Grilled Asparagus and Roasted Mushroom Salad with Toasted Pecans, Blue Cheese and Red Chile Mustard Vinaigrette caught my eye immediately! Anything with those lovely green stalks and beautiful mushrooms is a no-brainer in this house! It came together quickly with the mushrooms and asparagus roasting beautifully while the dressing quickly whisked together. The last minute addition of blue cheese and toasted pecans made for a flavor pop in the mouth! If you like these ingredients, this is a quick and easy salad to try!

Finally, the cocktail. While thumbing through the book, I just happened upon the chapter on drinks. I love a good tart margarita, and the addition of pomegranate juice only made my mouth want it more. A quick taste confirmed is WAS tart!, so I quickly made a simple syrup and added a tablespoon to the recipe I had doubled.

Bo thought the dinner was fancy and tasty, I enjoyed making it, and I see this cookbook frequenting our future - at least until another one catches my eye!

Red Chile-Honey Glazed Salmon with Black Bean Sauce and Jalapeno Crema (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

Ancho-Glazed Salmon

1/3 cup honey
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 salmon fillets, 8 ounces each
2 tablespoons canola oil

Whisk together honey, ancho and mustard in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Preheat grill pan or nonstick sauté pan over high heat. Brush salmon with oil on both sides and season with salt and pepper. Place salmon in the pan, skin side down and cook until golden brown and a crust has formed, 2-3 minutes. Brush the top of the salmon with some of the glaze, flip over and continue cooking until a crust has formed and the salmon is cooked to medium doneness, 2 minutes longer.

Remove salmon from the pan, glazed-sized up and brush with more of the glaze. Spoon some of the Black Bean Sauce onto a plate, drizzle with some of the Jalapeno Crema and set the salmon in the center, glaze-side up.

Jalapeno Crema

½ cup crema (or sour cream or crème fraiche)
1 large or 2 small roasted jalapeno(s), peeled, seeded and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place crema and jalapeno in a food processor and process until smooth; season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Black Bean Sauce

1 ½ cups dry black beans, picked over
1 small red onion, peeled and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 chipotle chiles in adobo, chopped
1 teaspoon ground cumin
Water
Salt

Combine beans, onion, garlic, chipotle and cumin in a medium saucepan and add just enough cold water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until beans are tender, adding more water if the beans appear dry.

Transfer mixture to a food processor with a slotted spoon and add 1 cup of the cooking liquid, and process until almost smooth, sauce should be a little chunky; season with salt. If the sauce is too thick, thin with more of the cooking liquid.


Grilled Asparagus and Roasted Mushroom Salad with Toasted Pecans, Blue Cheese and Red Chile Mustard Vinaigrette (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

1 pound asparagus, grilled
1 pound assorted mushrooms (portobello, cremini, shiitake) coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
Salt and pepper
4 cups mesculin greens
1/4 cup toasted pecans
8 ounces blue cheese

Preheat oven to 425. Toss mushrooms in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes. Do the same with the asparagus and after 10 minutes add the asparagus in a single layer to the same baking pan and continue the roasting process for an additional 10 minutes.

Toss the mushrooms and greens in a bowl with half of the vinaigrette. Place on 4 plates and add about 5 stalks asparagus to each. Sprinkle pecans and blue cheese around the edge of the plate. Drizzle with more of the dressing.

Red Chile Mustard Vinaigrette

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder
Salt
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil

Whisk together mustard, ancho powder, salt and vinegar, slowly whisk in oil until emulsified. Season with more salt, to taste.

Mesa Grill Margarita (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

2 oz white tequila
1 oz orange liqueur, such as Cointreau or Triple Sec
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz cranberry or pomegranate juice
1/2 T simple syrup
Ice Cubes
Coarse salt, optional
Lime wedge

Place tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, pomegranate juice and ice in a cocktail shaker and shake for 10 seconds.

Add syrup to taste

Rub the rim of a rocks glass with the lime wedge and dip in salt. Strain the mixture into the glass and garnish with the lime wedge.

You can also combine the tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice and ice in a blender and blend for a frozen margarita.

Mesa Grill Blue Corn Muffins

blue crn muffin, originally uploaded by Kim De.

To continue my pledge to use my Mesa Grill Cookbook more, I made Blue Corn Muffins as a complement for the Black Bean Chili from yesterday.

To begin, these muffins are versatile. The recipe from the book is titled "Mesa Grill Blue and Yellow Corn Muffins" giving you the option of making two batters to be shared in each muffin cup. The picture in the book was beautiful, but I decided that I wanted to take the "easy way out" and just make them with blue corn meal. Even this way they are beautiful to look at with flecks of red, green and yellow peeking out from the soft blue muffin.

The muffins are very moist - with 6 T of butter, they should be! The ingredients also meld together beautifully so that one does not stand out over any other

The recipe makes 12 very large muffins - actually I was able to make 15 and they are still a nice size. If you like corn muffins, try these!

Blue Corn Muffins (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

6 T unsalted butter
1/2 cup finely diced onion
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 1/3 cup milk
4 large eggs
2 T honey
1/2 cup finely diced red bell pepper
2 jalapeno peppers, finely diced
1/2 cup fresh or frozen corn, thawed
2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves
2 cup blue cornmeal (can substitute yellow)
1 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoon salt


Set a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Grease a 12 slot muffin pan with non-stick vegetable spray.

In a small saucepan, melt the butter. Add the onions and garlic and cook until soft. Remove from heat and cool slightly

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, honey, bell pepper, jalapeno, corn and cilantro. Whisk in the butter mixture.

In a separate bowl, stir together the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, soda, salt and sugar. Mix into the liquid mixture being careful not to overmix.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffins slots and bake for 16 minutes or until set. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then remove to a cooling rack.

Black Bean Soup

P1010350, originally uploaded by Kim De.

I recently realized that I had Bobby Flay's Mesa Grill Cookbook, and that I had badly neglected it. I took it with me to read on my trip last week (yes, I read cookbooks like they are novels) and came to the conclusion that is was time to use it with a vengeance.

The first recipe I decided to try was Black Bean Soup. I have had a go-to recipe for several years and really hadnt bothered to try a new one. I figured, why mess with ease and flavor? Well now I am glad I stepped out of the comfort zone. This soup really isnt any more difficult, and the flavor is AMAZING! It is even better the next day when it becomes thicker and more like a chili. If you love bean soups at all, I highly recommend you try this one today!

Oh and to go with it, Mesa Grill's famous Blue Corn Muffins. Dont worry. You will see those tomorrow...

Black Bean Soup (Adapted from Bobby Flay)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium carrot, peeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium Spanish onion, coarsely chopped
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1 cup red wine
3 jalapenos, chilies roasted, peeled and seeded
1 poblano chile, chilie roasted, peeled and seeded

3 cans black beans
4 cups low sodium chicken broth or water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
kosher salt
pepper, freshly ground

Heat olive in in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add carrot, onion and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Add wine, bring to a boil and cook until reduced by half.

Reduce heat to medium and add beans, chilies and broth. Simmer for 30 minutes.
Remove from heat and add lime juice and salt and pepper to taste.

Using a blender or food processor, puree half of the soup and return it to the pot. Bring back to a simmer before serving.

Top with garnishes such as finely chopped red onion, coarsely chopped avocado, diced tomatoes and sour cream.