effortless weekday

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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Weekday: Edible Garden Tour + Eggplant Parmigiana

July 12, 2011

Reminder: This Friday, July 15th from 5-8PM we will be hosting DC’s first Edible Urban Garden Tour. Take the tour and/or join us after for cocktails and community potluck at OLD CITY Green. RSVP Facebook or Buy Tickets.

This is the month you may start to find local eggplant at market or in your own garden. It is a native plant of India and Sri Lanka, and thrives in long, hot summers. We used some local eggplant to make this fresher and lighter eggplant parmigiana. It is not like the Italian-American version that is often fried with lots of cooked tomato sauce. This recipe calls for a little mozzarella, fresh tomato and basil all layered on top of roasted or grilled eggplant slices. Some prosciutto could be added too, if you like. And, different from the typical eggplant parmigiana that is served piping hot, this version is meant to be eaten warm or at room temperature with the cheese just melted. Serve it with Chickpeas and Swiss Chard for a non-meat weekday meal.

Cooking Tip: The skin on an eggplant is what can give it a bitter taste. Simply peel off some of the skin by alternating peel and flesh, then bake it in a 400 degree oven coated with a little olive oil or grill, until just cooked through, but not so soft that it falls apart. The eggplant can then be served whatever way you like.

Serves 4 to 6

1-2 lrg. eggplant or several young globes (about 1-1 ½ lb)
2-3 lrg. tomatoes (about 1-1/2 lb)
extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. of fresh mozzarella
Parmesean cheese
6-8 slices of prosciutto (optional)
Fresh basil leaves

Trim ends of eggplant and peel with alternating strips of skin and flesh. Cut into about ½-inch slices. Arrange the eggplant on a baking sheet, sprinkle with a little salt and olive oil. Heat oven to 400 degrees and bake for about 8 minutes then flip and cook for another 8 minutes. Or, grill over hot coals about 4-5 minutes each side. Remove from heat and let cool. Using a gratin dish or a cast iron pan, layer first with eggplant, prosciutto if using, followed by slices of fresh tomato and then mozzarella. Place in the oven for about 5 minutes just until the mozzarella is slightly melted on the edges. It should not be bubbling hot. Sprinkle with a little fresh basil, a drizzle of olive oil and red pepper flakes.

Addition: If you would like a little extra sauce for drizzling on top, cut a fresh tomato into chunks or use cherry tomatoes, add a little salt and a quick drizzle of olive oil, puree until tomatoes are nearly smooth. This can be used as a side sauce for the eggplant.

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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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How To Make Simple Fresh Strawberry Shortcake

June 21, 2011

Strawberries by Sara's Kitchen

Who doesn’t love strawberry shortcake? It’s simply best when strawberries are in season. This recipe from Roy Finamore’s wonderful book Tasty: Get Great Food on the Table Everyday is really easy to make and is well worth trying.

For strawberries:

1 pt. strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 Tbls. brown sugar
1 tsp. balsamic vinegar
Freshly ground black pepper

For the cake:

2 c. all-purpose or white whole wheat flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 tsp salt
2/3 c. unsalted butter, softened
2/3 c. sugar
2 lg. eggs
2/3 c. milk

1 c. heavy cream, whipped

Prepare strawberries by mixing all first four ingredients in a bowl and letting rest for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-inch. round cake pans.

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.

Beat butter in a large bowl with electric mixer until it lightens up a bit. Slowly pour in sugar, beating while you pour. Beat until very light. Beat in eggs, one at a time.

Switch to a wooden spoon and alternately stir in dry ingredients and then milk in three separate batches. Beat for a little bit with the spoon until the batter is smooth (it will be stiff).

Divide the batter between the two pans and pat it out with lightly floured fingers to reach the pans’ crevices. Rap the pans lightly on your counter to remove air bubbles and then put the pans in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes, until risen and lightly browned.

Remove from the oven and let cool on racks for about 5 minutes, then pop them out of the pans and let them cool down completely on the racks.

To serve:

Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Spoon some juices and half the strawberry mixture on the cake. Spread half the whipped cream over the fruit, then set the other cake layer, the rest of the juices and strawberries on top of that, and then add the rest of the whipped cream. Serve immediately.

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Effortless Weekday: Skillet-Roasted Chicken with Cardamom

June 9, 2011

We like this version for roasted chicken because there is no browning and everything is cooked together in one pan. It is what home cooking should be: rustic and deeply flavorful. Serve with brown rice, quick pan-fried asparagus topped with parmesan and a little lemon juice and a salad of greens. It’s a good dish for the busy cook.

Serves 4-6

6 cardamom pods, seeds removed or 1 Tbls. ground cardamom
a heavy grinding of black pepper (equal to about 1 tsp.)
a couple of teaspoons of Kosher or sea salt
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground cumin
3 lg. garlic cloves
olive oil
1/4 c. heavy cream or 1/2 c. whole fat yogurt
1 knob freshly grated ginger (about 1 Tbls.)
1 whole roasting chicken

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a blender or food processor, combine cardamom seeds, pepper, salt, coriander, cumin, garlic, a generous pour of olive oil, cream or yogurt and ginger. Blend into a thick sauce.

Butterfly or spatchcock the chicken and place, breast-side up in a heavy-bottom skillet (we prefer cast-iron). Rub sauce all over the chicken, both sides. Bake in oven until thoroughly cooked, about 1 hour. Remove and let rest for about 15 minutes before carving and serving.

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Spring Chicken Fricassee

May 13, 2011

This is a bright, clean stew of fresh chicken and light veggies cooked in a bit of white wine, olive oil, lemon and a tad of butter. We used what was once a happy pastured chicken who lived with his friends on this very same hill. Polyface Farms is arguably the best model non-industrial farm here in the U.S.

1 bunch fresh green scallions
6 Tbls. olive oil
1 lg. broiler chicken, cut into serving pieces
Kosher or sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
All-purpose flour, for dredging
1-2 lg. cloves garlic or 8 sm. heads green garlic
1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
3 Tbls. unsalted butter
Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
1 1/4 c. dry white wine

Trim off 3-4″ of the scallion tops (reserve for another use). Halve through the stem.

Heat a couple of tablespoons of olive oil in a large, heavy skillet (we prefer cast iron) over medium high heat. When oil is hot, add scallions, cut side down. Cook for a couple of minutes, then flip over and repeat for another minute or so. Transfer scallions to a small plate and set aside.

Add remaining olive oil to the hot skillet and heat until shimmering. Season chicken with salt and pepper, dredge lightly in the flour, and brown the pieces on all sides. Remove pieces to a plate and pour out the oil from the pan.

Return the chicken to pan, and pack scallions in between pieces. Add garlic and halved tomatoes. Add butter, a bit more salt and pepper, and lemon zest. Pour in wine. When the wine comes to a boil, reduce heat to low and cover. Cook gently over a simmer for 45 minutes. Squeeze lemon juice over chicken and serve with rice.

Joel Salatin discusses environmentally-friendly farming practices with Suzanne and Bettina

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Weekday: Chard, Sausage and Green Garlic Lasagna

May 3, 2011

We are typically not Martha types, but in a recent issue of her Living magazine this idea for lasagna caught our eye. We tested the recipe and adapted it based on ingredients found while shopping at the farmers market. It is a white version (no tomato sauce) that gets most of its flavor from spring greens and good sausage. Some prep and assembly is required, as with most lasagnas, and you will have to wash a few dishes, but we don’t consider it too difficult for a weekday meal or to make for a potluck gathering with friends. “It’s a good thing”.

Serves 4-5

3 Tbls. butter
1/4 c. flour
3 c. whole milk (do not substitute with 2 percent it will be too watery)
1 c. grated Parmesan cheese
2 green garlic stalks, thinly chopped (or one clove chopped as substitute)
5 c. chopped, stems removed (or baby) Swiss chard
1 lb. sweet italian sausage
1 lemon
1 16 oz. pack good lasagna noodles, cooked al dente
kosher salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Cook lasagna noodles in a pot of salted water until just cooked. Drain.

Melt butter over medium heat and stir in flour. Cook for about 2 minutes. Whisk in milk. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat. Stir for about 1 minute. Turn off heat and whisk in 3/4 c. of cheese, 1 tsp. salt and a good grind of fresh black pepper.

Remove casing from sausage and cook in a heavy bottom saute pan until brown, breaking into small pieces while it cooks. Place in a bowl. Quickly wash out pan and saute green garlic and chard in a drizzle of olive oil.

Thinly slice lemon. Place in a saucepan with cold water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 minutes. Drain and let dry slightly on a paper towel.

In a lasagna pan or baking dish, spread 1/4 c. sauce, noodles, some sausage, greens, and top with a little more sauce. Repeat until all noodles and filling ingredients have been used. Top with slices of lemon. Bake covered for about 30 minutes. Uncover lasagna, top with remaining 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese and broil until bubbling and slightly brown. Let cool and serve with Simple Raw Asparagus Salad.

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A Tasty After-School Snack

April 6, 2011

Lavash - A Tasty After School Snack Salty, cheesy and crisp this quick bite was served as a restaurant appetizer and then re-created at home in our kitchens. It is made with soft lavash, a large, round and thin Middle Eastern bread that is available at most supermarkets and has become a staple in our pantry. Place a piece of lavash in a large cast-iron or non-stick pan and layer it thinly with mozzarella cheese, prosciutto and raw, baby spinach. Place another piece on top and cook until cheese has melted and bread has started to brown and crisp. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil, if you like. It is a delicious morning or after-school snack for kids — and so simple too.

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Spring Ahead

March 17, 2011

We tested two of the best recipes this week. They both take advantage of what’s in-season in early spring: baby artichokes from California (it always excites us to see these) and fresh chard and spinach greens.

If you have ever worked with fresh artichokes, you know that the hardest part is prepping them to eat. An exception are baby artichokes; they are so much easier to handle because they do not have the tough outer leaves or the fuzzy choke. This makes them even more appealing to bring into your kitchen.

Then there are the spring fresh greens. Just when you think you may have tired of them, you taste them in a new and different way!

Add these recipes to your upcoming spring holiday menus (Easter or Passover) or make them for dinner tonight and then eat the leftovers for breakfast – which is exactly what we did.

Recipes:
Baby Artichokes Braised in Olive Oil and Wine
Spring Greens Gratin

And, Happy St. Patrick’s Day. Here is a re-publish of a favorite recipe from last year if you are in the mood to celebrate – Corned Beef with Cabbage and Potatoes.

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Sunday Night’s Supper Any Night

March 8, 2011

Pollo al latte is a wonderfully luscious whole chicken baked in milk. As as alternative to one of our favorite dishes Maiale al latte (Pork Cooked in Milk), we made this for an impromptu birthday party this past weekend. The best bit is how easy it is and how rewarding the results are. Nothing is precise, so use this simple recipe as a guide and embellish as you like.