I'm Back!

Spring has arrived. Flowers have bloomed and there is an undeniable energy in the air. To start off this new season I opened Everyday Italian.

Giada DeLaurentis is one of my favorite chefs because every recipe I make from her is good. Her recipe for pasta primavera was a change from what is usually served under that name in restaurants. There was no tomato sauce and the combination of subtly sweet vegetables was just right. The result was delightful to taste and beautiful to see.

Pasta Primavera

Serves 6

3 carrots, peeled and cut into thin strips
2 medium zucchini cut into thin strips
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 yellow bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1/4 cup olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh basil, chopped
1 pound farfalle (bowtie pasta)
15 cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
A few shakes of red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, toss all of the vegetables with the olive oil, salt, pepper. Transfer the vegetable mixture to another large baking sheet and arrange evenly. Bake until the carrots are tender and the vegetables begin to brown, stirring after the first 10 minutes, about 20 minutes total.



Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water until al dente, tender but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.



Toss the pasta with the vegetable mixtures in a large bowl to combine. Toss with the cherry tomatoes and enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten. Season the pasta with salt and pepper, to taste. Sprinkle with the Parmesan and red pepper flakes (can omit if your don't like spicy). Serve immediately and enjoy!

Potatoes Baked with Tomatoes

During a conversation with one of my Italian student's about lasagna I learned there is a difference between what she refers to as "Italian food for Americans" and authentic Italian food. She explained, "The-ah lasagna should-eh not have-ah mozzarella or ricotta. Only Béchamel and very little Parmesan-ah on de top-ah." With an accent like that, how could I not be enticed? I rushed home that day and looked in my only Italian cookbook: The Cook's Encyclopedia of Italian Cooking. To my amazement, both lasagna recipes in this book were true to Benny's word. It was at this moment that I decided that this cookbook is legit.

Needing a break from meat, I found this recipe which Jason has dubbed a "poor man's lasagna". I tend to agree. There are layers, cheese, tomatoes and you can buy the main ingredients for under $10. While intended as a side dish, I thought it would be hearty enough to serve as the main dish with a side of salad. It turned out very flavorful and I recommend eating it on its own, as a side, or over rice or risotto.

Potatoes Baked with Tomatoes (Patate e Pomodori al Forno)

2 large red or yellow onions (I used on of each)
2-3 large potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
3-4 fresh tomatoes (the freshest and most flavorful you can find)
A few leaves of fresh basil
6 tblsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 cup of freshly grated Parmesean
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup of water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Brush a solid amount of olive oil on the bottom of a medium-large baking dish. Arrange a layer of onions on the bottom of the dish. Next, arrange a layer of potatoes and then a layer of tomatoes on top of that.



Pour olive oil, salt, and pepper on top of all of it. For the final layer, overlap potatoes and tomatoes (ratatouille-style). Garnish with torn pieces of basil, parmesan cheese, salt, pepper, and the remainder of the oil. Pour on the water and bake for 1 hour or until all layers of potato are tender. The top should be lightly browned and have crisp edges. Buon Appetito!

Caprese Fusilli

Our vegetable garden gave us beautiful vegetables and herbs this summer. Of them all, the yellow-gold cherry tomatoes was the best. With so many bite-sized, subtly sweet tomatoes, I had enough to last a couple of months. I wanted to use them for something other than salad, but still within a cool and light meal for our hot summer nights. The result was this spin on a caprese salad.

Caprese Fusilli

1 lb. Fusilli pasta (or your favorite pasta)
2-3 cups yellow cherry tomatoes
1-2 handfuls of fresh basil
Shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil (the better the olive oil, the better this will turn out)
Kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper
Red pepper flakes

Slice tomatoes in half and place in a large bowl. Coarsely chop basil and add to the tomatoes. Add a good amount of mozzarella - the amount is ultimately your choice. I like things cheesy so I add a lot. Add the salt, pepper, and a few shakes of red pepper flakes on top. Drizzle the olive oil over the mixture and fold ingredients together. Taste this mixture and ensure that the olive oil, salt and pepper dressing has a bold enough flavor to coat the pasta. Cover while cooking the pasta.

Fill a pot with water and add a dash of kosher salt and a few drops of olive oil. Bring water to a boil over high heat and add pasta. Cook for about 8 minutes, or until al dente. Strain pasta in a colander but do not rinse the pasta with water! Shake the colander back and forth to drain as much water as possible. White still steaming hot, pour caprese mixture over the pasta and toss.

Enjoy!

Summer Fruits

Since I was a little girl, one of the first signs of summer that would always excite me is seeing summer fruit for sale. Watermelon, peaches, plums, berries, and cherries! Because I grew up on the East coast where there are four distinct seasons (that I miss very much), our produce was also seasonal. One of my favorite childhood memories is our summer day trips to the berry farms to pick our own raspberries, strawberries, and blueberries. We would pick pounds and pounds of berries and it was so much fun!

Recently, we had a large amount of strawberries that had become slightly bruised and too ripe. Rather than throw them away, I thought that this batch of ripened red berries would make a delicious jam that could accompany our bread and butter for weeks. After all, why waste and when you can reinvent?

Typically, I only post recipes that I LOVE. Although I would have changed a few things (I have already amended the recipe below based on my desired changes) this recipe is so simple I had to share it. Adding to my excitement is that this was my first attempt at making jam. I very much look forward to trying this again with other varieties of fruit and replacing my store bought preserves with homemade jars.

Strawberry Jam

1 cup sugar
1 lemon, zested and juiced
3 cups fresh, ripe strawberries, hulled and quartered

Combine the sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice in a small saucepan and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved. Add the strawberries and continue to cook over very low heat for 20 minutes, until the strawberries release some of their juices and the mixture boils slowly. Cook until a small amount of the juice gels on a very cold plate (keep plate in freezer for testing). Pour into clean glass jar of your choice and keep refrigerated.

Lemonade

To me, homemade lemonade should be tart and gently sweet. I really dislike overly sugared lemonades that leave me more thirsty than satisfied. This recipe is made with agave nectar as a replacement for refined white sugar and the combination is a delightful balance.

Homemade Lemonade
Makes 5 cups

1.25 cups freshly squeezed lemons
1/4 cup light agave nectar
4 cups cold filtered water
Mint and/or lemons for garnish

Squeeze about 10-12 lemons to make one and a quarter cups of lemon juice. Set aside. In a small sauce pan heat a cup of water and add the agave nectar. Once the nectar has completely blended with the water take it off the heat. In a pitcher, combine the lemon juice, sweetened water, and cold filtered water. Taste and add lemon juice or sweetener as needed. Chill for about an hour and pour over a tall glass of ice. Garnish with your choices of fresh mint leaves and/or lemon slices.

Food with Friends

For a recent family dinner at Jason's family's cabin, I wanted to cook a something new and challenging. Next to homemade Persian food, Italian is my favorite, so naturally I thought of Lasagna. Who doesn't enjoy multiple layers of noodles with homemade meat sauce and three types of melted cheese?!

After some searching on the internet, I found a blogger who dedicates his entire site to lasagna recipes. This passion and focus on only lasagna inspired me to use his recipe.

For my initial attempt, I followed his recipe with precision. The results were delicious. The second time I altered a few minor details to see how it would enhance the flavor. This time I invited some of my favorite girlfriends/food lovers over to enjoy a night of eating, wine, and talking. The results were even better than the first time and this recipe has become a new favorite!

Lasagna, Basil Pesto Garlic Bread and Fresh Romaine Garden Salad
Serves 6

The Sauce:



1 pound of mild Italian sausage
1 pound of ground beef (I used 80% lean. Yes, that means 20% fat)
1/2 cup chopped onions
4 cloves of garlic chopped
1 (28 ounce) can of crushed tomatoes
2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce
2 (6 ounce) cans of tomato paste
1/2 cup of water
2 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon fennel seed
2 teaspoons fresh Basil leaves chopped
2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley chopped
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
1 teaspoon ground pepper
A few shakes of red pepper flakes

In a large pot, on low-medium heat, begin by browning the onions, garlic, ground beef, and sausage together. Because the pork is in a casing ("sausage"), I push out the meat and pull it apart in small pieces, by hand, before it goes in the pot. After browned (about 6 minutes), add in crushed tomatoes, sauce, paste and water. Mix all together and give it a few minutes for ingredients to settle in to one another. Add the remaining ingredients and fold in to the sauce. Bring sauce to a low boil and then down to a simmer. Cover for one and a half hours, mixing/tasting once or twice. Adjust as you desire.

* I recommend making the sauce a day in advance because it tastes better when the flavors have more time to spend together. Also, because the meat I use is very fatty, I had to remove some of the grease once the sauce was chilled. Other options are to use a less fatty meat or to strain after browning/before adding all the tomato sauces in.

The Lasagna
1 box of lasagna noodles (the regular kind - not the no-boil kind)
23 ounces of ricotta cheese.
1/2 teaspoon fresh grated nutmeg
1 egg
2 tablespoons fresh chopped Italian parsley
1 pound of grated Mozzerella cheese
1 pound of grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Have your sauce heated and ready to go. Use a 9 by 13 pan. Take your lasagna noodles and soak them in hot water for 12-15 minutes. While they are soaking, combine the ricotta cheese, grated nutmeg, egg, and fresh Italian parsley together. Take your noodles out of the water and lay them on a flat surface. They should not take but a few minutes to dry off. Begin to assemble in the following order:

1. A layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan
2. A layer of noodles (about 4 across)
3. Half of the ricotta mixture spread evenly over the noodles
4. A good amount of mozzarella and parmesan on the ricotta mixture (the amount is up to you...I use a lot)
5. Repeat that same order again (sauce, noodles, 3 cheeses)
6. Last layer of sauce and on top mozzarella and parmesan

Bake in the over, covered with foil, for 25 minutes. Uncover for another 25 minutes or until the top is completely melted and slightly browned on the edges.

Fresh Garden Salad



Romaine lettuce
Fresh basil
Fresh Italian parsley
Mini bell peppers (yellow, red, and orange)
Radishes
Yellow cherry tomatoes

Chop or slice and combine for a beautiful array of colors. For dressing, I mix olive oil, lemon, a touch of honey, salt and pepper. Whisk together and blend with salad.

Sunday Night Cooking

Sunday is without a doubt my favorite day of the week. I love waking up on Sunday mornings and just hanging around the house in my pj's, reading magazines, drinking coffee, hanging out with Durham and Jason. There is no morning so calm and comfortable to me. This kind of relaxing start to the day usually spawns the motivation to research and cook an elaborate dinner.

I really enjoy reading Saveur magazine. There are so many articles that touch on the history and cultural stories of food, rather than just focusing on the recipe. It is a nice holiday from the "save x amount of calories" type messages you see in other cooking magazines. The best part is that most of their recipes are healthy, yet food for food lovers is the sole focus of this publication.

A couple weeks ago, while perusing Saveur I came across two recipes that looked like they would go well together. One, was Stanley Tucci's mothers' recipe for risotto with shrimp. The other, grilled vegetable stacks. I coupled this meal with fresh rosemary and olive oil bread, from Bread and Cie, and truly loved every bite.

Risotto con Gamberetti (Risotto with Shrimp)
Serves 4

3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined, and halved
lengthwise
1 small yellow onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and minced
1 cup arborio rice
1⁄2 cup dry white wine
1 tomato, peeled, seeded, and diced
3 cups chicken stock, hot
salt and freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup freshly grated parmigiano-reggiano (optional)

Heat 2 tbsp. of the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until shrimp are almost done, about 1 minute. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Add remaining 1 tbsp. oil and reduce heat to medium-low. Add onions and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions begin to soften, about 10 minutes.

Add rice, stirring to coat with oil. Add wine and tomatoes and cook, stirring, until rice absorbs all liquid, 2–3 minutes. Add hot stock 1 cup at a time. Continue cooking, stirring constantly and allowing rice to absorb all liquid before adding additional stock.

Add shrimp and cook, stirring, until rice is tender and risotto is creamy but not wet, about 5 minutes more. Season with salt and pepper. If desired, stir in parmigiano-reggiano.

Grilled Vegetable Stacks
Serves 8 (because there are 2 of us, I ate these left overs all week for lunch)



2 medium eggplants
Salt
1 medium yellow squash
1 medium zucchini
2 medium tomatoes
1⁄2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus additional for brushing
vegetables
2 1⁄2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh parsley
1 tbsp. coarsely chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground black pepper
1⁄4 cup diced red bell pepper (or hot chile, such as
serrano)

Slice eggplants into 1⁄4"-thick rounds, sprinkle with salt, and layer in a colander. Weigh down with a plate and set aside to drain for 20 minutes. Brush salt off eggplant.

Preheat a gas or charcoal grill (or place a stove-top grill pan over medium-high heat). Slice squash and zucchini into 1⁄4"-thick rounds and slice tomatoes into 1⁄2"-thick rounds. Lightly brush all vegetables with olive oil, then grill, turning once, until tender and slightly charred, about 30 seconds per side for tomatoes, 2–3 minutes per side for eggplant, squash, and zucchini.

Whisk together 1⁄2 cup olive oil, vinegar, parsley, and basil in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper. To assemble, place 1 eggplant round on a plate and stack on top a tomato round, a second eggplant round, and squash and zucchini rounds. Drizzle with dressing and top with diced red pepper.

Stuffed Peppers

Some of my favorite meals come from gathering all the scraps left in the fridge, placing them all together in front of me, and concocting a meal. It's efficient. I would rather use what I have then go and buy more. These stuffed peppers are the result of such incidence. They were delicious - the first night and for left overs the next.


Stuffed Peppers
Serves 4

4 bell peppers (any color or kind you prefer)
ground turkey
extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium zucchini
1 yellow squash
1 onion
Wild rice (or any rice you like)
1-2 cloves of garlic
pinch cinnamon and cumin
kosher salt
pepper
pick a combination of fresh and flavorful herbs and spices that you like/have around
tomato sauce
parmesan and mozzarella cheese for grating


The peppers: Carefully slice the top portion of the pepper off and set aside. Clean the inside of the peppers and de-seed. Boil water and place each pepper in and hold them under water until their color changes to a bright crayola green. Blanching the peppers before you stuff and bake them, makes the consistency soft enough to melt in with the rest of the ingredients, but still firm enough to contain them. Remove the blanched peppers and set in baking dish. I like to use a deeper dish to allow for spillage.

The rice: Cook as the package instructs. Set aside.

Heat a pan over medium heat and add olive oil, chopped onion, and crushed garlic. Sautee for 3-5 minutes, until lightly browned. Add ground turkey and brown (if you want to add a little sausage it helps with taste/flavor). While this is cooking, chop the rest of your vegetables (including the tops of the peppers that we set aside earlier) into small bite size pieces. Once the meat is almost cooked through, add it to a large bowl with all of the vegetables, rice, and fold together. Add a dash of cinnamon, cumin, a tablespoon of salt and freshly ground pepper. Use a large spoon and fill each pepper about 3/4 of the way to the top. Top with sauce and a handful of grated cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

A New Favorite

Coming from a Persian background, I naturally love rice and stews and equate these savory foods to home. I am always open to different cultures' versions of similar dishes, and for about a year I have been wanting to make arroz con pollo. Each time I found a prospective recipe I would get lost in the details and abandon the idea. Until now. While perusing Smitten Kitchen, I came across an intriguing recipe that was simple and enjoyable to create. I made some minor modifications to the recipe in order to keep it healthy. The result was both flavorful and delicious. I served the arroz con pollo with a side salad consisting of green cabbage, romaine lettuce, avocado, and cilantro to add a cool crunch to compliment the rich heat of the main dish.

Arroz Con Pollo
Serves 4

Chicken
1.5 large garlic cloves
1 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crumbled
2 chicken breasts, halved crosswise
4 chicken thighs

Rice
2 oz. soy chorizo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
.5 green bell pepper, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 bay leaf
1 large tomatoe, seeded and chopped
6oz. bottle beer (not dark - I used Pacifico)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 cup whole-grain brown rice

Marinate chicken: Mince and mash garlic with 1 teaspoons kosher salt. Stir in vinegar and oregano. This creates a paste-like texture that is perfect for marinating the chicken.

Remove skin and excess fat from chicken, then rub the chicken with the marinade until coated. Covered and chill for at least 1 hour.

Cook chicken and rice: Cook chorizo in olive oil in a large pot over medium heat, stirring a few times, for 2 to 3 minutes. Add onions, bell pepper, and garlic and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes.

Add cumin, oregano, paprika, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, and bay leaves and cook, stirring, 1 minute.

Add chicken with marinade to chorizo mixture and cook, uncovered, over medium heat, stirring frequently, 10 minutes.

Once chicken is well-coated with the mixture and browned on the outside, use tongs to temporarily remove the chicken from the pot. Stir in tomatoes, beer, broth, and rice and bring to a boil, making sure rice is submerged. Replace the chicken and press it into the broth a bit.

Reduce heat to medium-low, then cover mixture directly with two paper towels and cover pot with a tight fitting lid. Cook, stirring once or twice, until rice is tender, 40 to 50 minutes.

Remove from heat and let stand, uncovered, for 5 minutes.

Cabbage Salad
1/2 head green cabbage sliced
1 cup of romaine lettuce (cabbage should be about 2 or 3 times the amount of lettuce)
1 small avocado - cut into bit size chunks
handful of chopped, fresh cilantro

Dressing
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
juice of 2-3 limes
sprinkle of kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Toss all above ingredients together and serve on plate next to main dish.

Farmer's Market Delight

After a few days of authentic southern Mexican fare, I was seeking a light and refreshing meal to prepare for dinner. Megan recently recommended the Hillcrest Farmer's Market, and described all of its greatness, so I decided to take a walk through on a late Sunday morning. I was not disappointed. What I found there was exactly what I was looking for: fresh, homemade, delicious, and inexpensive.

Fresh, Homemade, Delicious, and Inexpensive: Spinach-feta bread from Charlie's Best Bread. Bought half a loaf for $3.50 and it was baked early that same morning. The bread was thick, soft, and had great flavor with a subtle hint of cheese. Pork taco for $2.00. This was not just any pork taco. There was a Mexican woman behind the counter frying fresh tortillas to create a perfect crispy taco shell that she filled with carnitas, shredded cabbage, and pico di gallo. The first bite was so juicy that I almost walked away without paying because I was so excited to eat more. My final purchase was a large piece of ahi tuna, chilled on ice, for only $5.00. There was no doubt in my mind that in a few hours this chunk of tuna would become my dinner...

Seared tuna with avocado (adapted from Simply Recipes)
Ingredients:
1/2 c. chopped cilantro leaves
2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced ( I first diced the jalapeños and then minced them through a garlic press)
4 tsp. grated fresh, peeled ginger
4 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 4 limes
1/3 c. soy sauce
1/4 tsp. sugar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
a couples dashes of kosher salt and a good amount of freshly ground pepper
2 - 1" thick tuna slices (coat both sides lightly with kosher salt and fresh ground pepper)
1 avocado thinly sliced

Mix together the cilantro, jalapeño, ginger, garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, sugar, salt, pepper, and 1/4 cup of olive oil. Use the remaining two tablespoons of oil to coat a pan, over medium-high heat. Sear the tuna for about one minute on each side (or until the exterior of the fish is no longer translucent). Pour half of the cilantro mixture into the pan and allow time for it to heat up on and around the fish. Place the tuna on a plate, garnish with avocados, and serve the remaining sauce on the side.

Arugula and corn salad
Ingredients:
Arugula spring mix
Corn on the cob
Scallions
Prosciutto
Extra virgin olive oil
1 lemon
Rice wine vinegar
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper

Place leafy greens in a salad bowl. Boil water and add 2 stalks of corn. Once ready, drain and cool the corn. Once corn is cool to the touch, cut the kernels from the cob into the salad bowl with the greens. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the prosciutto (about 8-10 slices) on a cookie sheet and in the oven until just crisp. Chop into pieces and add to salad. Finely chop scallions and add.
For the dressing pour extra virgin olive oil, juice of a lemon, a couple sprinkles of rice wine vinegar, and salt and pepper directly into the salad. Toss and enjoy!

I served the ahi and salad with wild rice. Nothing but compliments from Jason, which anyone who really knows him, knows that his praise is primarily saved for deserving moments. I like knowing that this meal was as delicious as I envisioned it to be.

Unexpected & Delicious Meal

I was on the phone with Afsan, while trying to put together dinner. I found the following ingredients in my refrigerator: chicken breast, cremini mushrooms, onion, garlic, a red russet potato, and fresh basil. I mentioned something about not knowing what to do with these ingredients and just like that I was given the following idea that was both healthy and delicious.

The following recipe was made for one person, but can be easily doubled, tripled or quadrupled to make more.

Ingredients:

1/3 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breast - cut into bite size pieces
1/2 c. of small yellow onion - diced
1/4 c. mushrooms - white, cremini, or shitake
1-2 cloves of garlic
1 small-medium red russet potato - diced
1 tblsp. extra virgin olive oil
1/4 c. good tomato sauce
fresh basil
some white wine (I used Charles Shaw - Chardonnay)
sprinkles of kosher salt
fresh ground pepper

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over low to medium heat. Once warmed in non-stick pan, add yellow onion. Stir with a wooden spoon until golden. Add minced garlic cloves and mix together with onions. After a minute or two, add the chicken and turn the heat up to medium-high. Once the chicken is lightly browned, add the potato and mushrooms. Allow enough time for the mushrooms to release its natural juices and then sprinkle some salt and a generous amount of pepper on top. Stir the contents once or twice and cover for about 5 minutes. Add the white wine and tomato sauce, lower the heat, and cover until potatoes are tender to the bite. Uncover and toss fresh basil slices in the pan. Lower heat and serve.

I ate this on its own, but it would taste great served with rice.