salads, soups & starters

Weekday: Looking For an Easy Way Out

September 12, 2011

We’re going to give it the old college try – once again – and pull out the slow cooker that’s been languishing in the basement. Too many have sworn that delicious and nutritious meals can be made using this kitchen cop-out. We aim to prove them right! Our first recipe turned out to be perfect for this time of year when many of us our getting back into work and family routines and trying to figure out what and how to get dinner on the table despite our hectic fall schedules. We bought fresh peppers, corn and shelled lima beans from the farmers market and made a healthy and seasonal dinner for our family. What you’ll need: A slow cooker. Ours is a stoneware Crock-Pot.

Recipe: Turkey Soup with Chiles, Corn & Lima Beans

Serves 6

Vegetable oil
4 lg. turkey drumsticks
1 lg. white onion, roughly chopped
2 lg. garlic cloves, minced
1 pt. chicken stock
1 qt. water
2 Anaheim peppers, stemmed, halved and seeded
2 jalapeno chiles, stemmed, halved, seeded and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
6 ears worth of corn kernels – about 1 lb. (thawed frozen okay)
2 c. shelled lima beans, (thawed frozen okay)
Kosher or sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

For Serving:
Tortilla chips
Shredded Cheese (optional)
Cilantro leaves (optional)

Heat about 1 tablespoon of oil in a large pan. Add turkey legs. Cook over medium-high heat until browned on both sides. Remove legs to the slow cooker.

Add onions and garlic to pan and cook about 4 minutes until softened. Add chicken stock and bring to a boil, scraping away any browned bits clinging to the pan’s bottom. Place these contents into the slow cooker. Add water, pepper halves, chiles, and cumin. Cover and cook on lowest heat (8 hour setting).

After about five hours, remove turkey legs and set aside to cool. Using a slotted spoon, remove vegetables to a blender and puree. Return pureed veggies to the slow cooker and add corn and lima beans. Cover and leave it to finish its cooking cycle.

When the cooking is finished, shred turkey from the bone (being extra careful to discard all bones and tendons) and return to soup pot. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with any or all of the garnishes listed above (the tortillas are pretty much imperative).

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Today’s Lunch: Avocado Bruschetta

August 22, 2011

For us, summer’s almost over. Back in DC, the kids have begun pre-season sports and Bettina’s oldest is off to college on Thursday. It’s a bitersweet moment when the city is still calm, before everyone vacationing returns and school and work starts up again. It’s also a time to enjoy some of our favorite local restaurants and to try new seasonal recipes in our kitchens. This is an adaptation of a delicious appetizer from Cork Wine Bar in Washington. Try making it for lunch and enjoy it out in the cool shade of your own backyard.

Recipe: Avocado Bruschetta

Serves 1 for lunch or 4 for a starter

2 slices crusty, fresh bread
Pistachio oil
1 whole, ripe avocado, peeled and thinly sliced
1 Tbls. shelled pistachios, toasted and chopped
Kosher or sea salt

Toast bread. Drizzle with a bit of oil. Layer with slices of avocado. Drizzle with a bit more oil. Sprinkle with chopped pistachios. Season with a little salt to taste.

P.S.: Check out this pistachio shop in Paris. We want to go!

P.P.S. We’ve been playing around with the Hipstamatic app on our iPhone. All of these photos were taken using it; we’re experimenting with different “film types” and “lenses”.

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Cumin-Coriander Kebabs

July 7, 2011

This is one of our favorite ways to eat ground beef. It is important to use good ground beef (organic or grass-fed), which is a cut that most farmers markets always have. In Eastern cooking, ground meat is often called kebabs because it is shaped and then placed on metal skewers for grilling over a flame. We often find ourselves making them on a rushed weeknight and have found them to cook well without using a skewer.

About 1 lb. good quality ground beef
¼ c. grated onion
1 tsp. minced ginger
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
¼-1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper (depending on how spicy you like things)
1 tsp. salt
¼ c. plain yogurt
1 tsp. rice vinegar
¼ c. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
¼ c. chopped fresh mint leaves
Vegetable oil for frying
Lettuce leaves for serving
Soy-Ginger Sauce for serving

Place meat in a bowl and add all ingredients. Mix well with your hands to blend the flavors. Shape into small round patties. Turn on the grill to high heat or heat a large cast iron pan, adding a small amount of oil. Cook for about 3-4 minutes over high to medium/high heat until well cooked. Serve wrapped in lettuce with soy-ginger sauce.

Note: This makes a really nice appetizer too. Add the kebabs to a large platter with lettuce leaves, sliced radish, and sliced cucumber. Let your guests wrap the patties in lettuce with a slice of radish and cucumber and dip the whole bundle in the Soy-Ginger sauce.

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A Really Good Potato Salad

June 16, 2011

Adapted from The Summer Shack Cookbook by Jasper White. Potato salad is a classic summer dish that everyone loves. This version calls for hard-boiled egg and dill pickles – a favorite combo. The amount of mayonnaise used is limited by cooking the potatoes whole so that – when they are mixed with the other ingredients – the outside melts away creating a creamy texture.

Serves 6-8

4-5 all-purpose potatoes, about 2 ½ pounds
2 eggs
½ c. onion
1 lg. stalk celery
2 scallions
2 dill pickles
¼ c. fresh flat-leaf Italian parsley
¼ c. mayonnaise
¼ c. vegetable oil
¼ c. white vinegar
1 Tbls. Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Fill a large pot with cold water and add about 2 tablespoons salt. Peel potatoes, add them to the pot, cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer until tender about 30 minutes. While the potatoes are cooking, add the eggs to a small pot of cold water, bring to a boil, cover, turn off the heat and let stand for about 12 minutes. Run under cold water, peel and chop. Place in a large bowl. Finely chop onion, celery, scallions, dill pickle and parsley. Drain potatoes in a colander, and let cool until they can be handled. Cut potatoes into small, bite-size cubes. Add to bowl with mayonnaise, oil, vinegar and mustard. Mix well with a rubber spatula so that you do not break up the potatoes too much. Add a generous pinch of salt and pepper, to taste. Cover and chill for about 2 hours or overnight.

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How to Create a Charcuterie and Cheese Plate

May 31, 2011

Often times when we are asked to bring something to a party we offer up the appetizing portion and create a stunning charcuterie and cheese board (using an extra large wooden cutting board) outfitted with predominately (if not solely) store-bought goods. It is so easy and satisfying and the elements of a good selection speak for themselves. Here is what we have learned:

Meats: Dry-cured meat is a must, common choices include proscuitto, salami, soppressata, Saucisson sec, or chorizo. You could also include a pate (we like the rustic de campagne) or a terrine. Small specialty shops or farmers markets are a good place for sourcing.

Something Acidic: This is to compensate for the richness of the meat. Cornichons or olives are a good choice.

Cheese: Artisanal sheep and/or goat cheeses, blue Stilton, aged cheddar or Manchego.

Fresh-baked Baguette: Sliced thinly, we prefer it over crackers.

Dried, Fresh Fruit and Nuts: Select these items to compliment the cheese. Honey sweet fruits such as dates or figs are can be perfect, but do not serve juicy, sugary fruits such as peaches, berries, nectarines, or melons which tend to dominate or clash. For nuts, Marcona almonds are a favorite.

How to Choose: While variety and quantity are fun, keep it simple. It is meant to be a balanced, pretty and satisfying platter of flavors and textures.

Ideas for Good Combinations: salami, walnuts, figs (or fig relish) and Manchego…..proscuitto, soppressata, olives and a sheep’s milk cheese….. pate, Saucisson sec, cornichons and Camembert

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Simple Can Be Chic: Parsley, Radish & Celery Salad with Capers

March 6, 2011

Parsley, Radish & Celery Salad with Capers

Red salad radishes are among the first crops to mature in the spring. The long French varieties are grown for their greens and are often eaten with good unsalted butter and a baguette. The idea is to spread the radishes with butter and eat them with sea salt. As a simple appetizer (especially for suppers with friends during the week), add black olives and rounds of good salami to turn this idea into a “no-cook” starter. Or, try this deliciously chic salad adapted from Simon Hopkinson’s The Vegetarian Option – “simple, fragrant, sharp and crisp”.

Serves 6

1 lg. bunch Italian (flat leaf) parsley, leaves only, washed, dried and roughly torn
1/2 lb. radishes (preferably the long French ones), trimmed and quartered
2 lg. shallots, peeled and very finely sliced into rings
8-9 small celery stalks, cut into matchstick pieces
1 heaping Tbls. capers, along with another Tbls. of caper brine
1 lemon, juiced
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. best-quality extra virgin olive oil

Mix all the ingredients together in a large bowl and turn out onto individual serving plates or one big platter. Serve with just about any meal.

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Salad of Watercress and Seasoned Apple

February 5, 2011

(adapted from Madhur Jaffrey’s Easy East/West Menus for Family and Friends by Madhur Jaffrey)

Serves 6

1 hard medium sized crisp apple
1 tsp. lemon juice
1/8 tsp. ground roasted cumin seeds
dash of cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. sugar
5 tsp. good olive oil
2 bunches watercress
4 tsp. red wine vinegar
4 tsp. soy sauce

Peel and quarter the apple and cut into thin slices. Place the slices in a bowl and rub with lemon juice. Add about 1/4 tsp. salt, black pepper, cumin, cayenne, sugar and 1 tsp. olive oil. Mix with apples and place apples on individual plates.

Mix vinegar, soy sauce and remaining 4 tsp. olive oil in a bowl. Trim watercress and toss with dressing. Pile salad on top of the apple.

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Comforting Chicken Congee

February 3, 2011

Various versions of congee can be found all over Asia morning, noon and night. This recipe is based on the traditional Chinese version, but is made healthier with the use of brown rice instead of white. It is the perfect comfort food for when you are feeling a bit under the weather or just recovering from a winter cold.

Makes one big pot

1 whole organic chicken, roasted with meat shredded
2 c. long-grain brown or white rice
10 cups of chicken stock
2 tablespoons Chinese rice vinegar
3-5 slices fresh ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt
scallions, thinly sliced
Asian sesame oil, toasted or hot
Sriracha hot chili sauce

Put rice, stock, vinegar, ginger and salt into a large stock pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat to low and simmer, covered and stirring occasionally, until the rice takes on the consistency of porridge, about 1 to 1 1⁄2 hours. If needed, add more stock or simply water to thin.

Place congee in bowls and garnish with shredded chicken, sliced scallions, a drizzle of sesame oil and a few drops of chili sauce, if you prefer.

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Winter Salad with Avocado and Ruby Red Grapefruit

January 11, 2011

Winter is a time for new salad ingredients. This salad has been served repeatedly because we often double the recipe to make enough citrus dressing to last a few days. So delicious. Worth the encores. Try it tonight with grilled steak or Potato Cheddar Soup with Bacon.

Serves 6

For the Citrus Dressing:

1 Tbls, Dijon mustard

1/4 c. fresh-squeezed lemon juice

1 1/2 tsp. Kosher or sea salt

A good grinding of black pepper

1/2 c. good extra-virgin olive oil

For the Salad:

Mixed farm market salad greens

1 lg. Ruby Red grapefruit

2 ripe avocados

In a small bowl, whisk mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Slowly add olive oil to mix thoroughly. (Tip – we often make extra dressing to save time in the future; instead of using a bowl to mix ingredients, we place all the ingredients in a lidded glass jar and shake vigorously.)

Use a sharp paring knife to peel off the thick outer layer of the grapefruit (make sure to remove all the white pith). Then carefully, cut between the fruit’s membranes to release the grapefruit slices. Set aside on a plate.

Slice avocados in half, pit, and cut into four thick slices. Carefully scoop out slices and remove to the plate.

Toss desired amount of greens with a bit of the vinaigrette. Add grapefruit and avocado, toss gently, and serve.

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Virginia Oyster Stew

November 16, 2010

Featured by us in the Nov./Dec. 2010 Flavor Magazine, served steamy hot, oyster stew was originally a poor man’s meal, made from the simplest ingredients: oysters, cream and butter. It can be made in a matter of minutes and is the ultimate cozy dish when the cold starts to set in. For the holidays, a few sips of this stew can be served to guests in small teacups or demitasse on a passed tray as an appetizer. Tip: It is best to buy the oysters already shucked, but you may need to call in advance.

Serves 6
about 40-50 freshly-shucked local, Chesapeake Bay oysters
1 stick butter
5 Tbls. flour
1 lg. onion, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 med. potatoes, peeled and diced into small cubes
½ cup chopped parsley
2 ½ c. milk
1 ½ c. heavy cream
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 Tbls. Kosher or sea salt
1 ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper

Heat oven to 375. Drain oysters, place on baking sheet lined with foil and cook for about 10 – 12 minutes, until they begin to curl.

Heat butter in a large pot and add flour. Cook over medium heat whisking constantly for about 3-4 minutes, until golden brown. Add chopped onion, celery, diced potatoes, parsley salt, pepper and cayenne. Saute on medium heat until onions and celery soften about 10 minutes. Stir in milk, cream and oysters. Cook for about 10-15 minutes on medium heat, until steamy hot, but do not boil. Add chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread or saltine crackers.

Note: If the stew becomes too thick. You can thin it out a bit with vegetable stock.