OK, so the sourdough breadsticks I made a couple of days ago were alright, but they simply were not up to my demanding standards. So I’ve developed another recipe and plan to give it a try in a few days. But the olive oil dipping sauce I made to go with the breadsticks was outrageously delicious! In fact, it was so good, that when I tasted it (for quality control purposes only, I assure you), I had to speak sternly to myself not to polish off the whole bowl before I could serve it to our guests. (Socially distancing, of course!)
Now you should know, that really good bread dipped in an olive oil based dipping sauce is absolutely revered in our household. We love Italy for many reasons. And among those reasons, their crusty and chewy bread and olive oil dipping sauces are right up there at the top of the list. But I have to say, this dipping sauce beats most of the sauces we knocked down in Italy, hands down! I know – that’s saying a lot! But I’m going to stand fast on this statement! Because, and I know this is going to sound terribly conceited, this dipping sauce is one of the best I have ever tasted. And baby, I have tasted some winners over the years.
In my humble opinion, this sauce takes the blue ribbon, the cake (in a good way), and if there were a Nobel Prize for culinary excellence, I truly believe this olive oil masterpiece would win at least an honorable mention. So yes, I really like this dipping sauce and expect you will too!
Now I know perfecting an olive oil dipping sauce is nothing compared to finding a cure for cancer, solving racial inequities seemingly endemic to every culture, helping radical American gun lovers understand that the writers of the second amendment surely would not have endorsed the use of assault weapons had they been in existence at the time the amendment was set into law, or being able to effectively explain the first sentence of the 14th amendment (all persons born or naturalized in the United States and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and the state wherein they reside) to certain politicians currently residing in Washington DC. But it’s a good start towards culinary enlightenment. (And yes, I am VERY TIRED OF AND TOTALLY DISCUSTED WITH much of what is happening in our country today. In my opinion, IT IS TIME FOR A CHANGE!)
Now if you simply can’t wait for me to publish a recipe for sourdough breadsticks, you can always bake up a batch of my Soft and Chewy Breadsticks. Not made with sourdough starter, but absolutely delicious. And dunked in this dipping sauce – heaven!
As always, stay informed, stay connected, and stay the hell away from people who refuse to wear masks in public! Namaste
½ c. extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, finely minced
2-3 tsp. drained capers, mushed*
1 T. finely grated Parmesan cheese
pinch crushed red pepper flakes
½ tsp. Italian seasoning
¼ tsp. dried oregano, crushed
¼ tsp. kosher salt, or more to taste
freshly ground black pepper
pinch granulated onion
pinch dehydrated parsley
Whisk or shake all together. Store in the refrigerator. Serve at room temperature with crusty Italian bread or breadsticks. Also, terrific drizzled over Caprese Salad (fresh mozzarrela cheese, fresh basil leaves, and thick sliced tomatoes).
Whenever I think of my favorite food, oysters are invariably right up there in the top 10. And I used to be content with just dipping the raw oysters in beaten egg, then into salt and pepper seasoned cornmeal, and quickly fried in a modicum of vegetable oil. And to dip them in? Plain old mayonnaise.
Well the modicum of vegetable oil is still part of the equation, but the batter and dipping components have radically changed over the years. Mainly because as I’ve gotten older, my palate has become more sophisticated. Which in turn has resulted in my becoming a very picky eater. And no, not in the way “picky eater” is usually defined – unwillingness to try new dishes or even any dish that includes a small amount of food a person doesn’t like, as well as showing a strong preference for only a certain type of food. That definitely is not me!
So when I categorize myself as a picky eater, it means that every last morsel of food that hits my mouth better be pretty damned delicious! And why I have continued to search for a recipe that would provide me with oysters fried to delicious and crispy perfection. I mean really, why should I settle for anything less?!?! Well, for one reason and one reason alone. I COULDN’T PRODUCE OR FIND A RECIPE THAT TRULY WORKED FOR ME EVEN THOUGH I TRIED DOZENS OF TIMES! Plus I wanted a magnificent sauce, like the ones we experienced in New Orleans several years ago. (Didn’t realize at the time that the sauce was a rémoulade, because, well, I was born and raised in the state of Washington. What the heck did I know about fine Creole or Cajun cuisine? Well at least until we visited the fair city of New Orleans for Mardi Gras, that is!)
So bottom line, it has literally taken me decades to come up with this perfect combination. And because I would not settle for anything less than the best for you as well, I’ve refrained from posting any recipes for fried oysters or rémoulade sauce until today.
But the other night, using the fried oyster recipe from the butter-n-thyme.com site (Chef Steven), and the simplyrecipes.com site recipe for rémoulade sauce (Elise), I found the winning combination. And I am so excited to share these two marvelous recipes with you.
Of course, I changed things a bit on both recipes, but nothing of any real significance. So my sincere thanks go out to Steven and Elise. Because of you my search is over. Now I can just sit back (so to speak), pull out this recipe every time I get a hankering for fried oysters, and produce an oyster dinner fit for a king. (Or Mr. C. in this case!)
So if you too love fried oysters dipped in rémoulade sauce, give these recipes a try. Or if you are not a rémoulade fan, dip the oysters in your favorite tartar sauce or aioli. Or if you are not an oyster fan, serve the rémoulade sauce with something else. But if you are reading this post, I just have to assume you are interested in at least part of this winning combination. Of course you could just be reading this post to keep track of what that crazy Patti Carr is up to now. That’s OK too. (Hi Rebecca. G&G send our love to you and that Brady boy.)
Well that’s about all for now. Except to tell you that I’ve provided 2 recipes for Creole Seasoning and 1 recipe for Cajun Seasoning below. All 3 are great recipes. If you are going to build your own seasoning, which I would highly recommend, read the list of ingredients in each recipe and make your choice depending on which herbs and spices you own and already know you like. Whichever recipe you choose, these fried oysters and rémoulade sauce are going to be delicious. (You can probably even buy Creole or Cajun seasoning at your local grocery store. Imagine that! Perfectly acceptable alternative.)
As always, stay safe, stay positive, and keep cooking great food. Peace and love to all.
½ c. buttermilk
1 T. hot sauce (I use Frank’s RedHot)
20 oz. oysters, washed and drained (I use 2 – 10-oz. jars of oysters for the two of us)
½ c. cake flour (see recipe for homemade cake flour below)
½ c. cornmeal
2 tsp. Creole or Cajun seasoning (see recipes below)
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
¼ tsp. granulated onion
1/8 tsp. dried oregano, crushed in the palm of your hand to release the natural oils
1/8 tsp. dried thyme, crushed in the palm of your hand to release the natural oils
vegetable oil
lemon wedges
Whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together. Add the drained oysters, cover, and place in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.
Mix the cake flour, cornmeal, creole seasoning, salt, pepper, granulated garlic, granulated onion, oregano, and thyme together in a shallow pan. Taste the mixture and add more of whatever you think is missing.
When ready to cook, heat the oil in a large frying pan. (I use just enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan.)
Remove the oysters from the buttermilk, shake a bit to remove some of the buttermilk, then place in the flour mixture. Coat both sides. Place so they are not touching each other in the hot oil. (Oil temperature should be about 360 degrees.)
Fry the first side to golden brown, then gently flip to the other side. Remove from pan and onto a paper towel lined serving plate when the second side is also nicely browned. Serve with rémoulade sauce (see recipe below), tartar sauce, or aioli. Pass lemon wedges.
LOUISIANA STYLE RÉMOULADE SAUCE
¾ c. mayonnaise
1 T. yellow mustard
1 tsp. paprika (not smoked)
1 tsp. Cajun or Creole seasoning
1 tsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. dill pickle juice
2 squirts hot sauce, or more to taste (I use Frank’s RedHot)
1/8 tsp. granulated garlic
Mix it up. Refrigerate until ready to use.
EMERIL’S ESSENCE CREOLE SEASONING
2½ T. paprika
2 T. salt
2 T. garlic powder or granulated garlic
1 T. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. granulated onion or onion powder
1 T. cayenne
1 T. dried oregano
1 T. dried thyme
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.
CREOLE SEASONING MIX (my recipe)
1½ tsp. onion powder
1½ tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. white pepper
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. dried thyme
½-1½ tsp. cayenne (depends on how much heat you like or can tolerate)
½ tsp. gumbo file
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.
CAJUN SEASONING (I have no idea whose recipe this is or where I found it)
2 T. paprika
1 T. granulated onion or onion powder
1 T. granulated garlic
1 T. dried oregano (Mexican oregano preferred) (If the dried oregano leaves are large, break them down a bit in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder)
1 T. dried thyme
1 T. freshly ground black pepper
1 T. kosher salt
1 tsp. cayenne
Combine all the ingredients and store in an airtight container.
Cake Flour:
½ c. unbleached all-purpose flour (fluffed and leveled off)
1 T. cornstarch
Place the flour in a mixing bowl. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flour and place it back in your flour container. Add the cornstarch and whisk it all together. (This aerates the mixture so the consistency is similar to “real” cake flour.)
Use in any of your recipes that call for cake flour. And yes you can double or triple, etc. this recipe.
Two evening ago, we spent a couple lovely hours social distancing with our good friends Mark and Vicki. Outdoors in their back yard, 6 feet apart. We even brought our own beverages. But as we were leaving Mark presented us with a frozen tuna tenderloin that had been in their freezer since before coronavirus even had a name. (Dirty rotten submicroscopic parasites that they are!) (Not Mark and Vicki! I meant the coronavirus.) Mark and Vicki actually had more tuna in their freezer than they knew what to do with. (We should all have such a problem, right?!) So we thanked them profusely and hurried back home to once more return to coronavirus seclusion. So of course, last evening we had tuna for dinner.
Now I have to admit, I haven’t cooked a lot of raw tuna. I’m much more familiar with tuna that comes in a can. But I knew I didn’t want to mask the glorious flavor of fresh tuna in any way. If anything I wanted to enhance the flavor. So to the computer I proceeded.
One of the first sites that looked promising was a Jamie Oliver YouTube on how to cook tuna steak. After watching how simple it was, I was hooked. And the spices he used sounded just like what I was hoping to find. So a big thank you to Jamie for the spice rub recipe. The tuna was glorious.
As for the aioli. Well I’ve been making aioli for many years now, and this one is a favorite. Very simple to prepare, and absolutely delicious with almost any kind of fish. But with the tuna steaks, it was magnificent!
So a big thank you to Mark and Vicki for sharing their bounty, for being wonderful friends, and hopefully for forgiving me for having a bit of fun (above) at their expense. What are friends for, right?!?!
And to everyone out there in this brave new world, keep cooking, keep laughing, and stay focused on what really matters. Family, friends, and this beautiful season that is fast approaching.
Every year when spring arrives it’s like a new beginning. Yes this year is really different. But if we all work hard, it could be a beginning of something better. Closer relationships with our family members. Greater appreciation of friendships that we might have been taking for granted. A realization of how much we all need each other. So as always, peace and love to all.
Spice rub:
2 tsp. ground fennel seeds
1 tsp. ground coriander seeds
1 tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper (about a teaspoons worth)
Combine the fennel, coriander, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside.
Aioli:
1/3 c. mayonnaise
2 T. fresh lemon juice
3 T. chopped fresh chives
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
pinch kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk the mayonnaise, lemon juice, chives, garlic, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Can be made 2 days ahead.
Tuna:
extra virgin olive oil
4-6 tuna steaks (about 1¼ inches thick), patted dry with paper towels
Slather of bit of olive oil on both sides of each tuna steak. Sprinkle some of the spice mixture on one side of each steak. Heat a large frying pan to medium-high. (I use a cast iron frying pan.) Place each steak seasoned side down. Sprinkle the top of each steak with more of the spice mixture.
Cook the steak on the first side for only about 90 seconds. (The center should be raw, like sushi, or the tuna will be tough and dry. You should be able to see the bottom turning white.) Gently flip the steaks and cook for another 90 seconds. (There should still be red showing along the middle.) Remove from pan and place on a plate. Let rest for 4-5 minutes. (The tuna will not be warm when you serve it.) Pass the aioli.
Note: If you have an outdoor burner on your BBQ or in your outdoor kitchen, now is the time to use it. There is going to be smoke. You can of course use your stovetop. But be warned. Or these steaks can easily be cooked on your BBQ.
Grilling tuna is all about high heat. You want to get a good sear on both sides, then take the fish off the grill as quickly as possible to avoid overcooking the center. I can’t give you exact times for cooking tuna on a grill. Each grill is different. But 2-3 minutes is the usual amount of time. Just watch the sides of the steaks. There should still be some red showing.
When he’s not practicing the piano or working in the yard, this is Mr. C’s survival tactic for being under house quarantine. A good book and a double dose of orange kitties.
Sometimes steak by itself is a bit boring.
Well at least for me it can be a bit bland. While at the same time, I have
always had an appreciation for a good sauce. So on the infrequent occasions when
I desire a big old hunk of rare meat, my mind immediately turns to what I can prepare
that will enhance the flavor of the meat.
Now please know that I don’t need a lot of
sauce, but a bit is always nice. And I especially appreciate a sauce that is
easy to prepare and not too, too unhealthy. So when I found this recipe on the
Allrecipes site, I became a very excited carnivore. And as it turns out, with
very good reason.
This sauce was simply delicious. And just a delightful
accompaniment to Mr. C’s beautifully grilled tenderloin steaks. I added some
tiny potatoes roasted in olive oil and herbs, a crisp cucumber salad, and a nice
hearty red wine to the menu, and this summer dinner on the deck was perfection
personified.
So next time you want to take your grilled steaks or ground beef patties to a new level, fix this wonderful sauce and surprise your family or friends. I promise you will not regret the short amount of time it took you to make this sauce. (Or the short time it takes your family or friends to thank you for your effort!)
4 T. (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 lg. shallot, minced
2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms
1 garlic clove, finely minced
1 c. beef broth
1/3 c. dry red wine
1 T. Worcestershire sauce
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf
1/8 tsp. dried thyme, or more to taste
1 tsp. cornstarch
2 T. cold water
Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat.
Stir in the shallot and cook until the shallot has softened and turned
translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and stir until they begin to brown,
about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.
Whisk in the beef broth, wine, Worcestershire
sauce, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme. Bring to a simmer over medium-high
heat. Once simmering, reduce the heat to medium-low, and continue to cook,
uncovered until the sauce reduces slightly, about 10 minutes.
Dissolve the cornstarch in the cold water, and
stir into the simmering sauce until thickened. Serve over your favorite steak
or choice of protein.
I know there are thousands of recipes for cooking salmon in cookbooks and out there in internet land. But this recipe from the American Test Kitchen is truly outstanding, especially since you cook your piece of salmon in the privacy of your own kitchen. No standing out in the cold to BBQ it, no marinating action required, no special poaching ingredients to mess with, and no fancy equipment involved. So for the tiny amount of effort it takes, you will have created a perfectly tender, moist, delicious, and healthy treat for yourself and your family.
Of course if you serve the salmon with Lemon Basil Aioli or any of the other three condiment recipes given below, the healthy meter on this salmon recipe takes a dip towards the not-as-healthy end of the scale. But for some people I know, and not just you Mr. C., simply prepared fish of any kind is just not complete without an aioli or sauce on the side. And the recipes below are our favorites. All are easy to prepare, and just lovely with simply prepared seafood.
So get yourself to your local purveyor of fresh fish and give this roasting method a try. You will thank me just the way I am taking this opportunity to thank our dear friends Mark and Vicki for introducing us to this wonderful and simple method for cooking salmon.
p.s. I’ve included the condiment recipes below just for those of you for whom aioli or tartar sauce with fish is as necessary as chocolate sauce over vanilla ice cream is to others. You’re welcome.
1 lb. salmon fillet, skin still on one side (the thickest piece you can find)
2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
Cut off any whitish, fatty portion along the edges of the salmon. Pull out any bones. (I use a pair of tweezers for this purpose.) Cut the salmon fillet into four pieces of equal size.
Make four or five shallow slashes along the skin side of each piece of fish, being careful not to cut into the flesh.
Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees.
Pat salmon dry with paper towels. Rub the top of each fillet evenly with olive oil and season liberally with salt and pepper. Reduce oven temperature to 275 degrees and remove baking sheet. Carefully and quickly place salmon skin-side down on the baking sheet. Place in oven and roast until centers of thickest part of fillets register 125 degrees when inserted with an instant-read thermometer, about 9 to 13 minutes. (Check after 7 minutes if the salmon pieces are thin.)
Serve immediately. Pass the aioli or tartar sauce.
LEMON BASIL AIOLI
¾ c. light mayonnaise
1/3 c. finely chopped fresh basil
2 small garlic cloves, finely minced
1 tsp. finely grated lemon peel
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Combine all ingredients. Serve with the salmon, other types of seafood, crab cakes, or as a terrific sandwich spread.
PIQUANT TARTAR SAUCE
½ c. light mayonnaise
½ c. sour cream
1 T. drained capers
2 T. rough chopped dill pickle
1 small shallot, peeled and rough chopped
2 tsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
1 T. fresh lemon juice, or to taste
1/8 tsp. Old Bay seasoning
½ tsp. course grained mustard
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a food processor, combine all the ingredients and pulse several times until the pickle is finely chopped and all of the ingredients are well mixed but not pureed. Adjust seasonings and refrigerate several hours before serving.
OLD BAY AIOLI
½ c. light mayonnaise (I use Best Foods Light Mayonnaise)
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
½ tsp. granulated garlic
¼ tsp. sriracha
4 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning
freshly ground black pepper to taste
kosher salt to taste
In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, granulated garlic, sriracha, lemon juice, Old Bay Seasoning, and pepper. Add salt if needed.
IVAR’S FAMOUS TARTAR SAUCE
2 T. chopped yellow onion
1 T. chopped green bell pepper
1 ½ tsp. plain old fashioned white vinegar
¾ tsp. sugar
¼ tsp. kosher salt
1 T. dill pickle relish
1 c. mayonnaise
Combine the onions, bell pepper, vinegar, sugar, and salt in a food processor; process for 10 seconds. Add the relish and mayonnaise and process for an additional 10 seconds. Serve chilled. Best made at least a day ahead.
So – let’s talk pork tenderloin. I know I have said it before, but for the greatest bang for your buck, you really can’t beat pork tenderloin. And I’m sure most of you already know that it is no longer necessary to cook the pickles out of pork to insure against contracting trichinosis. So pork tenderloin prepared carefully, need no longer resemble and taste like dried shoe leather. The secret – don’t over-cook the meat! And then, regardless if you brine, marinate, rub, sauce, etc. the pork, it will turn out tender and juicy. And seriously, don’t hesitate to cook your pork with a little pink still showing.
So, about this recipe. The pork preparation part is from the Dr. Dan 101 cooking for two site (The best grilled pork tenderloin – Memphis style). And yes, I made a few deviations from the original recipe, but I don’t feel anything was lost in the translation. The BBQ sauce – well let’s just say I’ve been making a version of this recipe for about 40 years.
This recipe for pork tenderloin takes advantage of both a simple brine and a dry rub. Sounds onerous, but really both the brine and rub are easy and fast to throw together. And the result is nothing less than delicious. And exceedingly tender and juicy. Pretty much perfect in every regard.
So do yourself a huge favor, and serve this pork and BBQ sauce to your family and friends while the true grilling season is upon us. (And yes I know you can grill any time of year. But who likes to don a parka just to cook a piece of meat when it’s cold and possibly raining or snowing outside. Not this girl, that’s for sure.)
An interesting note about terminology: Our dear friend Jim enlightened us last evening on the proper usage of the terms “grilling” and “barbecuing”. Simply put, and if I understand correctly, when you barbecue meat, you cook it low and slow using slowly circumvented hot air or smoke from wood chips, with the grill lid closed. When you grill, the lid is mostly up, with direct, fairly high heat coming from under the meat/veggies/fruit, etc. For example you would probably grill chicken breasts, but you would most likely barbecue a pork butt. Actually, most large grills are equipped to both grill and barbecue. And as is the case with many foods cooked on a grill, a little bit of “grilling” and “barbecuing” actually occurs in the quest for a delicious finished product. To prove my point, this recipe includes both grilling and barbecuing techniques. Happy summer and happy outdoor cooking.
4 c. water
4 T. kosher salt
5 T. brown sugar, divided
2 pork tenderloin, trimmed of excess fat and silver skin
2 T. paprika
freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. dry mustard
½ tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. onion powder
lg. pinch cayenne pepper
vegetable oil
thinly sliced green onions, garnish, opt.
Combine water, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the brown sugar together in a one-gallon food storage bag or a shallow glass container. Add the tenderloin to the brine and refrigerate for 2 to 4 hours.
Meanwhile combine the paprika, remaining 2 tablespoons brown sugar, black pepper, chili powder, cayenne, dry mustard, granulated garlic, and onion powder.
When the tenderloins have finished their time in the salt water bath, rinse well under running water and pat dry with paper towels.
Place the tenderloins on a small shallow baking pan. Sprinkle all over with the rub. Cover with plastic wrap and set in a cool place (not the refrigerator) for a couple of hours.
Meanwhile, heat your grill. If you have a large enough grill, heat 1 section to 450-500 degrees. Heat another section to about 300 degrees. Oil both parts of the grill with the vegetable oil.
Grill each tenderloin for about 3 minutes per side on the hotter part of the grill with the lid up. Immediately transfer to the cooler section, close the lid, and grill/barbecue each side again until the internal temperature reaches 140 degrees at the thickest point. (I use my instant read thermometer.) Remove from grill and tent with aluminum foil for at least 15 minutes before thinly slicing on the diagonal. Garnish with sliced green onions and pass the Bourbon BBQ Sauce.
BOURBON BBQ SAUCE
¼ c. unsalted butter
¼ c. minced onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ c. brown sugar
2 tsp. whole grain mustard
1 c. ketchup
1/3 c. Worcestershire sauce
¼ c. fresh lemon juice
¼ tsp. hot sauce, or to taste
¼ tsp. cayenne
2 T. bourbon
Melt butter in a medium sized covered saucepan. Sauté onion until translucent; add garlic and cook until garlic releases its aroma, about 1 minute. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover pan, and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes, stirring occasionally. Basically cook the sauce until you reach desired thickness. (Sauce will thicken as it simmers. If the sauce is still too thin after 60 minutes, remove the lid. But be warned – simmer at a low temperature or you will have BBQ sauce all over you and your kitchen!) Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.
Sometimes inspiration comes from just looking out a window.
While I was dusting the window sill in my guest bedroom a few weeks ago, I looked down on a half wine barrel filled with dirt and rhubarb leaves. Couldn’t see the rhubarb stalks yet, but just the greenery alone was promise enough that better things were about to happen – like SPRING AND SUMMER! And rhubarb stalks. And strawberries. And picnics. And, and, and…..well the list just goes on and on!
And if ever there was a combination that positively smacked of summer being just around the corner, it’s rhubarb, and shortly thereafter – strawberries. So I decided to feature that mighty duo for our next pre-concert (JazzVox) dessert.
I already had the perfect pound cake recipe (Monica Parcell via Bon Appétit magazine) so that part was easy. But I knew that the sauce had to be special since it was featuring two of the crowning glories of the edible plant kingdom. But I wanted a new twist on a strawberry-rhubarb sauce.
Now everyone who knows me is aware of my passion for adding liqueur to my desserts. Not more than a wee dram of liqueur mind you (unless you forget about my Christmas fruitcake recipes), but just enough to add a depth of flavor that would be missed if it weren’t there!
So in doing research on rhubarb and strawberry sauces, I found a lot of recipes that contained a bit of lemon. Ah – citrus! That sounded good, but it wasn’t quite what I had in mind. Then I stumbled onto a couple of recipes that referenced orange juice or Cointreau in the sauce. Now you’re talkin’! So I decided instead of using a small amount of straight water to make the sauce, I would use some powerful orange juice. Then just to add that little “something”, I threw in some vanilla and Cointreau at the end. (I wanted to remind the strawberries and rhubarb how beloved they were to this cook.) And the result: pretty darn palatable.
So if you want a dessert for a crowd that can be prepared well ahead of time, search no further. Both the cake and the sauce only improve with a little bit of age. The ice cream, well, I wouldn’t say it improves with time, but it doesn’t seem to suffer much either from a short stay in a sub-zero environment. BTW – I love ice cream.
Things I’ve learned from ice cream. 1) Stay out of direct sunlight 2) Don’t be scared of getting cold or being in the dark 3) Hang out with nuts 4) Go bananas once in a while 5) Stay true to yourself, even when surrounded by enjoyable distractions.
1 c. un-salted butter, room temperature
8-oz. cream cheese, room temperature
3 c. sugar
1 tsp. salt
6 lg. eggs, room temperature
4 tsp. vanilla
3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
good quality vanilla ice cream
Strawberry Rhubarb Orange Sauce (see recipe below)
Cream butter and cream cheese together in a large mixing bowl. Add sugar and salt and whip until mixtures is light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Add flour at low speed until well incorporated, but do not overbeat. Transfer batter to a lightly buttered glass 10×16-inch baking dish. (I use my glass Pyrex pan.) Level the top with an offset spatula.
Place the dish in a cold oven. Set the temperature to 200 degrees; bake for 20 minutes. Increase the temperature to 250 degrees; bake for 20 minutes. Increase temperature to 275; bake for 10 minutes. Increase temperature to 300 degrees and bake for about 20-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the middle of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool on a rack. Can be made 2-3 days ahead of time.
To store, cover the top of the baking dish with plastic wrap and keep at room temperature. Do not refrigerate.
When ready to serve, cut the cake into desired size pieces. Plate with a scoop (or two) of ice cream on the side dolloped with some of the sauce.
STRAWBERRY RHUBARB ORANGE SAUCE
¾-1 c. granulated sugar (depends on how sweet you like your sauce)
2 T. orange juice concentrate
scant ½ c. water
5 tsp. cornstarch
3 c. diced rhubarb
3 c. chopped fresh strawberries
1 tsp. vanilla
1 T. Cointreau (or any other orange flavored liqueur)
Combine sugar, orange concentrate, water, and cornstarch in a large sauce pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Add the rhubarb; reduce heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the rhubarb is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Add the strawberries, cook for 30 seconds and remove from heat. Stir in the vanilla and Cointreau.
When we lived in Bellevue, we used to eat at the Mediterranean Kitchen on Bellevue Way. It was renowned for being partially subsidized by the garlic growers of America (just kidding). But they did use an exceedingly huge amount of garlic in their dishes. And their Chicken Shawarma was no exception. OMG. We would come home from dinner and both of us would reek of garlic. Leftovers, and there were always leftovers, would cause the entire refrigerator to smell like the kitchen of the restaurant.
But, it was worth it! Because the shawarma was wonderful.Marinated strips of chicken breast in red wine vinegar, spices, and garlic. Grilled with onions, green onions, red cabbage, and tomatoes, served with a tahini sauce. Oh my. Lovely.
So let’s leap forward 10 years.
As much as I love garlic, my golden years’ stomach will no longer tolerate that much garlic! But I still love shawarma. So I went on line to see if I could make a shawarma a little tamer than Med Kitchens version.
And I located this recipe (at least the one for the chicken) on Tory Aveys’ site. (Wonderful recipes on her site as I’ve stated several times before!)
The yogurt sauce and rice recipe were compilations based on recipes from several wonderful cooking blogs.
So next time you get a hankering for middle-eastern food but either don’t have a Mediterranean restaurant close by, or the strength to leave home to find one, this is the meal for you. Chicken prepared with warm, savory spices and herbs, a sauce that has all the flavors you associate with middle-eastern cuisine, and a delicious and simple rice dish as the base for all this goodness.
Καλή όρεξη! (Good appetite in Greek.)
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 T. extra virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. paprika
½ tsp. allspice
½ tsp. turmeric
¼ tsp. granulated garlic
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
pinch cayenne
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
nonstick cooking oil spray
Greek Yogurt Sauce (see recipe below)
Baked Rice (see recipe below)
Cut each chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Place in a glass or plastic bowl. Whisk the olive oil, cumin, paprika, allspice, turmeric, granulated garlic, cinnamon, cayenne, salt, and pepper together in a small bowl.
Pour the spice marinade over the chicken pieces. Stir with a spoon till all the chicken pieces are evenly coated in the marinade.
Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours. (Overnight is fine.)
Spray a rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking oil. Place the chicken pieces in a single layer on the sheet.
Bake in a pre-heated 400 degree oven for 12-15 minutes or until cooked through (no pink).
Take the chicken out of the oven and transfer, complete with pan juices, to a large skillet. (If there are no pan juices, use about a tablespoon of olive oil to grease the pan.) Over medium-high heat, sauté the chicken for 3-4 minutes till the smallest pieces of chicken start to turn brown and crisp. Taste and adjust seasoning. Can be made ahead.
Serve warm over Baked Rice and dolloped with Greek Yogurt Sauce.
GREEK YOGURT SAUCE:
1 c. plain Greek yogurt
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic, very finely minced
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
Whisk all ingredients together. Store covered in the refrigerator until needed. Can be made ahead.
Note: If you are a tahini lover, try adding a tablespoon or two to this sauce. You might need to add a bit of water to the sauce to thin it out.
BAKED RICE
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 c. long-grain white rice
2 c. chicken stock
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
½ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a heavy covered pan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 3 to 5 minutes or until softened. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the rice and stir until each grain of rice is well coated. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Bring to a boil.
Cover with lid or aluminum foil, if your pan does not have a lid. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven until the rice is tender and the stock is absorbed, about 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand, covered for 5 minutes before fluffing and serving. Can be made ahead and refrigerated. Reheat before serving.
The other evening I wanted a sauce to go on some leftover meatloaf. But I wanted to fancy the meatloaf up a bit, without going to too much trouble. So I went on-line looking for a sauce/gravy recipe that included dried mushrooms. (I love to use dried mushrooms.) I came upon this recipe from Epicurious and knew I had found the new love of my life! The ingredients were perfect, so I cut the recipe in half and proceeded to the stove.
Well, I have to tell you, this is one of the best sauces I have ever tasted, and it’s darned easy to make. I changed the preparation instructions quite a bit, and eliminated 1 ingredient, but this is an Epicurious recipe at its finest.
So if you ever want a delightful sauce to enhance a piece of roast beef, ground beef pattie, or simple meatloaf, I would recommend you give this a try.
And for those of you who love sauces, make a double batch. I cut the recipe in half because I only had a small bit of meatloaf that needed a little “something”. Next time I will double the recipe even if I have to eat it on toast the next morning. It is simply that good! Thank you Epicurious
¾ oz. dried porcini mushrooms, broken up (about 3/4 cup loosely packed pieces)
½ c. warm water
1 T. extra virgin olive oil
½ c. chopped onion
¼ tsp. kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ c. sweet Marsala (and yes, Marsala comes in sweet and dry)
¼ c. dry white wine
½ tsp. finely chopped fresh rosemary
1 c. beef broth
½ T. unsalted butter, room temperature
½ T. flour
Combine dried mushroom pieces and water in a bowl. Let sit for 30 minutes. Strain and squeeze the mushrooms reserving the water. Place re-hydrated mushrooms in another bowl. Set aside.
Heat the olive oil to medium in a large heavy pan. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent and thoroughly cooked through, about 15 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the Marsala and white wine. Cook over medium-high heat until the liquid is evaporated. Add the rosemary, mushrooms, mushroom liquid (don’t use the sediment), and the beef stock. Simmer until only about a cup remains, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, using a table fork, mush the butter and flour together. When the sauce is reduced, whisk the beurre manié into the liquid and simmer until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Adjust seasoning.
Note: Beurre manié is merely a fancy sounding name for a mixture which means “kneaded butter” in French. When equal parts butter and flour are combined, beurre manié is one of the best ways to thicken a sauce, gravy, or soup.
I love raspberries. In fact they are my favorite berry. Although, strawberries and blackberries both run a close second!) So when I saw fresh raspberries for sale at our local farmer’s market this past Monday, I just had to buy a 4 pint box. And since I needed to build a light dessert for our 4th of July celebration with good friends Ken and Christine, I decided to try out this recipe from my favorite magazine – Cooking Light. Well it turns out Ken is a raspberry lover too. Actually we all are, but Ken gets just about as excited about raspberries as Scooby Doo does when given a Scooby snack. It’s really quite fun to watch. (Sorry Ken, but if you can’t rat on your good friends, who can you rat on?)
Anyway, this sauce over vanilla ice cream was a total success. What made the dessert course even more delicious; Ken had made a blackberry cobbler. OMG – we were all in berry heaven until we couldn’t look at another berry, much less take another bite. What a fun way to spend the 4th of July. Watching fireworks from our good friend’s deck (west side of Camano) and eating raspberries and blackberries with shear abandon. Good times my friends, good times! Thanks again K & C for another wonderful evening together.
Please don’t take my word that this is the best raspberry sauce you will ever taste. Make it for yourself. If you end up disagreeing with me, shoot me an email. I’ll take your thoughts into consideration, promptly dismiss them, and proceed directly to the kitchen to build myself yet another batch of this amazing berry sauce. Yay raspberries!
p.s. If you want to take this whole raspberry sauce over ice cream to an even higher level, after you scoop ice cream into individual bowls, pour on some warmed Dark Chocolate Raspberry Sauce (recipe below) and then spoon on as much of this raspberry sauce as the bowl will allow.
2 pints (4 cups) fresh raspberries, divided
¼ c. sugar
1 T. raspberry liqueur (Chambord, Framboise)
½ tsp. fresh lemon juice
Combine 1 pint of the raspberries and sugar in a food processor; process until pureed. Press mixture through a fine sieve over a medium bowl; discard solids. Stir in remaining 2 cups of raspberries, raspberry liqueur, and lemon juice. Cover and chill. Wonderful over vanilla ice cream, pound cake, or angel food cake. Watch for my recipe for Chocolate Angel Food Cake in the near future.
DARK CHOCOLATE RASPBERRY SAUCE
¾ c. premium cocoa powder (I use Ghirardelli Majestic Premium Cocoa Powder purchased at Cash & Carry)
6 T. sugar
tiny pinch kosher salt
2/3 c. water
4 T. (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. raspberry liqueur or water
Whisk cocoa, sugar, and salt together in a medium-sized saucepan. Gently whisk in the water. Slowly bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and stir in butter, vanilla, and raspberry liqueur or water. Serve warm or allow to cool completely and store in the refrigerator. Warm before pouring on ice cream.
