Ain't No Scurvy Here...

Now is the time when many of my meals take on an orange hue. In an effort to use up the over-abundance of oranges on our tree, I drink, eat, and cook with oranges for practically the entire winter. We should all have such troubles.


Menu:
Seared Scallops with Orange-Sesame Glaze
Orange-Scented Basmati Rice
Steamed Spinach


Seared Scallops with Orange-Sesame Glaze



Serves 2

2 T low-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c water
2 T maple syrup or honey
1/4 c orange juice
zest of 1/2 an orange, cut into strips
2 pieces star anise (optional)
1 coin of fresh ginger
1 dried chipotle pepper, or a pinch of ground chipotle
1/2 tsp Chinese sichuan peppercorns (optional)
1 1/2 pounds large scallops, patted dry with a paper towel
1/2 tsp canola oil, divided
salt and pepper
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1. Make the glaze: combine soy sauce through sichuan peppercorns, if using, in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15 minutes (do this while the rice is cooking). Turn up to a boil again and boil for 2-3 minutes or until reduced to a thick syrup. Do not allow to burn.
2. Heat half of the oil in a hot skillet. Arrange half of the scallops in the pan, being careful not to crowd them. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Sear for 2 minutes, then flip and sear until just barely opaque, about 1 more minute. Remove from heat and repeat with remaining oil and scallops.
3. Drizzle the glaze over the scallops and sprinkle with sesame seeds before serving.


Orange-Scented Basmati Rice

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cup basmati rice

1. Bring the broth and juice to a boil in a saucepan. Add the rice and reduce heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes.
2. Fluff with a fork before serving.

Pop Quiz!

We were traveling much of last week and did not do any cooking. I challenged my chef-y friends to come up with something tasty using the ingredients on hand...here's what Heather made (and I can't wait to make it myself!):

Addendum: I made this for dinner tonight, and it was superb. My changes:
1) I used 1 cup sliced leeks instead of the green onions and shallot
2)I used dried dill in place of the marjoram
3)I threw a parmesan rind in just for fun
4)I drizzled balsamic vinegar over the soup just before serving
5) I served it over steamed kale






Lentil-Barley Soup
adapted from myrecipes.com

2 teaspoons canola oil
4 scallions, white and light green parts, chopped
1 shallot, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup water
3/4 cup beer (Midas Touch by Dogfishhead)
1 cup chopped carrot
1 cup chopped parsnip
1 cup chopped celery
1 tsp dried marjoram
1/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup dried lentils
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add garlic, green onion, and shallot to pan; sauté 2 minutes. Add broth, 1 cup water, and beer; bring to a boil.
2. Add chopped carrot and next 8 ingredients (through bay leaves); return to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Stir in lentils; cover and cook 30 minutes. Discard bay leaves.
4. Place 1 1/2 cups broth mixture in a blender. Remove the center piece of blender lid (to allow steam to escape); secure blender lid on blender. Place a clean towel over opening in blender lid (to avoid splatters). Blend until smooth. Return pureed mixture to pan, and stir in salt.
5. Return mixture to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally.

I had intended to make the soup for lunch, but the day got away from me. So while it was simmering, I made this super steamed kale salad to tide me over.

Steamed Kale Salad



cooking spray
1/2 cup red onion, vertically sliced
1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2-3 cups torn kale, rinsed
1/2 oz shaved parmesan cheese
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

1. Saute the onions, mushrooms, and garlic in the cooking spray until soft. Sprinkle the red pepper in and stir.
2. Put the kale in the pan and cover. Steam in the rinse water for 5 minutes until wilted.
3. Pile the kale/mushroom mixture on a plate, sprinkle the shaved parmesan over top, and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

Healthful Indian!

Tonight's dinner came from two new cookbooks I received for Christmas (thanks, Deb!). We don't have cable anymore (and don't miss it!) so I never watch the Food Network, but I guess these ladies are quite popular. Well, we enjoyed their recipes and look forward to more.

Menu:
No-Cream Cauliflower Soup
Yam Cakes
Paneer
Coconut Chutney


No-Cream Cauliflower Soup
from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian



This was excellent, the winner of the evening. It was also incredibly easy and healthy. Nate was licking the bowl. I would never stoop to such crude behavior.

makes 4 1-cup servings

1 medium head cauliflower, or two small, chopped
2 1/2 cups water
2 T grapeseed oil (I used 1, and you could easily use canola or olive)
1 T grated ginger
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp Chana Masala (you can make your own or buy it already mixed)
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup 2% milk (I used whole)

1. Bring the cauliflower and water to a boil, then simmer on low heat until tender, about 5 minutes. Take off the heat and let cool a bit.
2. Using a blender or immersion blender, blend until creamy. Return to heat and bring to a boil.
3. In a small skillet, combine the oil, ginger, cumin, chana masala, and salt over medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes, then stir into the cauliflower.
4. Turn off the heat and stir in the milk.


Yam Cakes
adapted from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian

These were included simply because we had bunch of leftover chopped root vegetables from another dinner. The recipe calls for yams, but we used approximately equal parts sweet potato, carrot, and parsnip. The parsnip didn't mash up as uniformly as the sweet potato and carrot, but I liked it that way. It gave the cakes more texture, and parsnips are so tasty! Nate made these, and they were perfect little accompaniments to the soup.



makes 14 2" patties

2 cups cooked/mashed root vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, carrots, and parsnips
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 T low-fat plain yogurt
1 T garam masala
1 T grated fresh ginger
1 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp grapeseed oil

1. Mix everything but the oil in a bowl until well blended. Form into small patties.
2. Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.
3. Cook the patties in batches so they have plenty of room and aren't crowding each other. Cook on each side until golden brown, about 2-3 minutes per side.




Paneer
from Bal Arneson's Everyday Indian



I made this because it looked like fun. It turns out it is very easy to make your own cheese! Just be careful when you're boiling the milk, because it takes approximately 2.7 seconds for it to boil over and make a big mess on your stove top.

1 gallon 2% milk
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 large square of cheesecloth

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a large pot, stirring so it doesn't burn. Add the vinegar and stir until the solids and liquid separate.
2. Line a colander with the cheesecloth and carefully pour the mixture in to drain. Fold the cheesecloth over the curds and place a heavy sauce pan on top for 20 minutes while it drains.
3. Remove the cheese from the cheesecloth (hey! I just realized why it's called cheesecloth!!) and cut it into cubes. Use immediately, either fried or plain, or freeze.




Quick Red Chile and Coconut Chutney
from Anjum Anand's Anjum's New Indian



makes 1/2 cup

1/4 c dried unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 c coconut milk (I used light)
1/8" piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
salt, to taste
1/2-1 tsp pure red chile powder, or to taste (I used half-sharp Hungarian paprika)
1 tsp vegetable oil (I used 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp brown mustard seeds

1. Stir together the coconut, milk, lemon juice, ginger, salt, and pepper.
2. Heat the oil in a small skillet and add the mustard seeds. Cook them until the start to pop, then remove from heat. Stir them into the chutney.

I fancy myself some fancy.

You've got to love living in a climate where you can fire up the grill in the middle of January. Tonight we served up the fancy, dry-aged, $25.99/lb ribeye steak that was our backup for Christmas dinner. I now wish I had also bought one of the $8.99/lb ribeyes for comparison; I mean, it was very good, but I don't know that my palate is sophisticated enough to really tell the difference. Caviar would probably be wasted on me, too.

We also made a trip to the farmers' market this morning and picked up some beautiful broccoli, so I felt pressured to highlight it in some other way than our usual steamed version. Thus, the broccoli soup amuse bouche was born.

My favorite part of the meal was the sweet potatoes, so I hope you enjoy them, too.

And, in case you were wondering, The Rolls from our New Year's Eve dinner were still stupendous after being frozen and reheated.

Menu:
Mini Broccoli Soups with Gruyere
Smoky Rosemary Sweet Potatoes with Blue Cheese
Grilled Ribeye
Steamed Broccoli
Herbed Garlic-Cheddar Rolls


Mini Broccoli Soups with Gruyere



I got the idea for these little soup shooters from a wonderful local restaurant, noca. We went there for Christmas Eve dinner and were served various amuse bouche throughout the meal, one of which was an incredible butternut squash bisque served in a demitasse. I made this soup while the sweet potatoes were roasting.

makes approximately 1 cup

cooking spray
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 c chopped carrot
1/4 c chopped potato, or one small red potato
1 c chopped broccoli
1/2 c chicken or vegetable broth
1/4 c skim milk
1 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
1/8 tsp grated nutmeg
salt and pepper
dash of cayenne or Aleppo pepper to taste
small steamed broccoli florets for garnish

1. In a small saucepan, saute the garlic in cooking spray for one minute. Add the rest of the vegetables and saute for 3 minutes
2. Add the broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the milk. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.
4. Stir in the cheese and heat gently to melt.
5. Add the spices to taste. Garnish with steamed florets and serve in small cups.


Smoky Rosemary Sweet Potatoes with Blue Cheese



I accidentally charred the potatoes and rosemary, and the scent of smoky rosemary was heady and unexpectedly savory. The blue cheese, in my opinion, contrasted perfectly with the sweet potatoes and the smoked, charred rosemary. Nate had his without cheese, since he doesn't like blue cheese. I know, I'm trying to overlook this.

makes two generous servings

1 large sweet potato, cut into 1/2" cubes
1 T fresh rosemary, minced
1/4 tsp olive oil
1-2 grinds each of salt and pepper
1 oz crumbled blue cheese

1. Heat the grill.
2. Lightly steam the potatoes in the microwave for 1-2 minutes to get them started.
3. Place the potatoes in the center of a large square of aluminum foil, scatter the rosemary over the top, drizzle the olive oil and sprinkle the salt and pepper. Wrap the potatoes in the foil to make a packet.
4. Roast over high heat for 7-10 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the bottom layer is slightly charred (slightly! You want a slight smoky taste here, not a brick of charcoal!).
4. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and toss with the blue cheese, serve immediately.



Dessert

Sometimes you need to balance out the fancy with some low-brow. I've been on a quest to replicate my childhood soft-serv experiences at the popular summer grease-joint, Minnehan's*, in Lakeville, NY. We went to get ice cream practically every summer night for about 17 years of my life. It was a nightly dilemma: do I get a kiddie vanilla cone with rainbow sprinkles or chocolate dip-top? Ack. It was agonizing.

Sprinkles usually won.

*Oh my goodness, I cannot believe Minnehan's has a website. Times have changed.

I had a flash of brilliance the other day when I saw this sure-to-be-good-for-you product in the grocery store:




I had recently realized that the answer to my soft-serv quest might very well lay mere steps from my door:




So after dinner tonight, I put it to the test. I was prepared at the drive-thru with all of the necessary equipment:



Mr. Sprinkles;
A bowl, giving me the option to roll the cone, Minnehan's style;
A spoon, just in case the ice cream was too soft to risk rolling and thus dropping out of the cone.
I ended up going with the roll option. And lo, it was good.

International Night

Well, we were all over the map with this one. It was another chilly night here in the desert, so a big pot of beans was in order. Borracho beans, to be exact. A nice warm piece of Irish Soda Bread complemented the beans nicely, and we rounded out the meal with a hearty Cobb salad.

Enjoy.

Menu:
Drunken (Borracho) Beans
Irish Soda Bread
Cobb Salad with Oven-Dried Tomatoes and Creamy Peppercorn Blue Cheese Dressing


Borracho Beans

The Rancho Gordo Cookbook



4 cups cooked pinto beans, in their broth
1 bottle lager
2 slices high-quality bacon, diced
1/2 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3-4 serrano chiles, seeded if desired, and chopped
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Lime wedges for serving

1. In a stockpot over medium heat, warm the beans and their broth. Add the beer and simmer to cook off some of the beer, about 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a small, heavy skillet over medium heat, saute the bacon until the fat is nearly rendered and the bacon is brown, about 10 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
3. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of the fat in the pot. Add the onion, garlic, and chiles, and saute over medium heat until soft and fragrant, about 10 minutes. Add the mushrooms and saute until wilted and soft, about 10 minutes. Stir in the cooked bacon.
4. Add the mushroom mixture to the beans, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the flavors are blended, about 10 minutes.

Serve the beans with warm tortillas and lime wedges.





Irish Soda Bread
adapted from Baking With Julia


Hmm. This is a terrible picture; it looked much browner and more homey in real life.

serves 2

1 c flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 plus 1/8 tsp salt
1/2 c buttermilk

1. Preheat the oven to 375F
2. Combine all ingredients to form a soft dough. Knead for 1 minute.
3. Form into a round loaf and bake for 25 minutes, or until browned.
4. Cut into individual servings.


Cobb Salad
adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home



serves 1

2 c romaine lettuce, chopped
2 T red onion, diced
1 hard-boiled egg, sliced
1 bacon slice, crumbled
4 oven-dried tomato halves, diced (see recipe below)
1/4 of an avocado, diced
2 T Creamy Peppercorn Blue Cheese dressing (see recipe below)

1. Combine all ingredients, sprinkle with fresh ground black pepper, and serve.


Creamy Peppercorn Blue Cheese Dressing
adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home



makes 3/4 cup

1/4 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely ground
2 T honey
2 T rice vinegar
2 T lowfat plain yogurt, preferably Greek
2 T lowfat mayonnaise or aioli
3 T buttermilk
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 T crumbled blue cheese

1. In a small saucepan, heat the peppercorns, honey and vinegar to boiling. Simmer until reduced by half, about 5 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk together the yogurt, mayonnaise, and buttermilk. Stir in the warm honey mixture.
3. Stir in the garlic powder and blue cheese. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.


Oven-Dried Tomatoes
adapted from Thomas Keller's Ad Hoc At Home



These are really good and easy, provided you think far enough ahead to account for cooking time. But even if you don't (like, say, you also need to oven for something else cooked at a higher tenperature), you can set the tomatoes aside temporarily and continued cooking them as you have time. These are not the rubbery, chewy, leathery tomatoes you're likely to find in the dried fruit section of the store; these are juicy and very concentrated, a great addition to salads and pastas. I have made them both with and without oil, and both ways work great. Also, the original recipe calls for thyme; I have only had oregano on hand each time, so I think any herb would do.

12 Roma tomatoes
ice bath
1 T olive oil
salt and pepper
fresh thyme or oregano springs

1. Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and topping it off with water. Set aside.
2. Core the tomatoes and score an X on the bottom of each one, extending the cut 2/3 of the way up the tomato.
3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Drop the tomatoes in and cook just long enough for the skin to start pulling away, about 30 seconds.
4. Plunge the tomatoes into the ice bath.
5. Peel the skins and cut each tomato in half lengthwise.
6. Heat the oven to 200F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
7. Place the tomatoes, cut-side up, on the baking sheet. Drizzle with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and sprinkle the herbs over the tomatoes.
8. Bake for 5-7 hours, or until shriveled. Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Baby, It's Caldo Out There!!!

Whoo, it is fa-REE-zing here in Phoenix. Literally. There were actual ice crystals on my windshield this morning. There was a time when I kept no fewer than three ice scrapers in my car...but those silly New England days are long gone, so when winter deals us a frosty blow here in the desert, we just about lose our minds.

But first we make soup. Yum.

Menu:
Spinach Salad with Apples and Blueberries
Chicken Tortilla Soup


Spinach Salad with Apples and Blueberries



Made by my famous barista, inspired by a salad made by our friend Christina, last night when we were treated for dinner at her house.

serves 2

2 c baby spinach
1 tart, crunchy apple, such as Honeycrisp or Granny Smith
1/4 c blueberries
2 T dried cranberries
1 T candied nuts, chopped (we used toffee almonds)
dressing of choice, preferably a fruit vinaigrette of some kind

1. Toss all of the ingredients together and divide into two salad bowls. Drizzle with dressing and serve.




Chicken Tortilla Soup



Inspired by what was already in the pantry and the fact that I have been chilled to the bone ALL DAY. It hit the spot. It's essentially a chicken-vegetable soup, thickened with a roux of corn-tortillas and flavored with chiles.

serves 4

1 tsp oil
1 large carrot, diced
1 large parsnip, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large celery stalk, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
4 small red potatoes, unpeeled and cubed
2 dried chile peppers, such as ancho, pasilla, or chipotle
3 c chicken broth
3 c water
2 tsp Knorr Caldo de Tomate (tomato-flavored chicken bouillon), or tomato paste
3 c diced or shredded cooked chicken breast (about 2 medium boneless/skinless breasts)
1/2 c frozen corn kernels
2 corn tortillas, stale, or dried in a 400F oven for about 7 minutes
1 T butter
1/2 c whole milk, warmed
1/4 c fresh cilantro, minced

1. In a large soup pot, saute the carrot, parsnip, celery, garlic, jalapeno, and potatoes for 5 minutes. Add the two dried peppers.
2. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil.
3. Stir in the bouillon or tomato paste and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer for at least 30 minutes, then stir in the chicken and corn.
4. Place the dried tortillas in a food processor or blender and pulse until pulverized. It's OK if there are still large chunks of tortilla; mine did not grind into a powder even after several minutes of processing.
5. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and stir in the pulverized tortillas. Stir in about 1/2 cup of the hot soup, a little bit at a time, stirring constantly to allow the tortillas to absorb the broth before adding more. Do the same the warmed milk until you have a thick, paste-like sauce.
6. Add the tortilla sauce to the soup, a little at a time, whisking to combine.
7. Add the cilantro and serve.